E-magazine July by Sachin Dawande

KONNECTING! Dear Readers, n the midst of all the happenings around us with the first lady PM being appointed in Australia; FIFA World Cup and a world record of an 11 hour long match at Wimbledon - we have a lot happening at our end which I am thrilled to share with you all. Sound of the soul-soothing Kirtan from the Golden Temple; beats of the Bhangra drums which appeal to not only Punjabis but gets everyone on their feet; Sufi and folk music of Punjab, talent hunt, talk shows, Kabbadi ...yes you guessed right - Konnectv is very proud to partner with PTC Punjabi and bring to you a channel which is dedicated to preserving the rich culture and heritage of Punjab. A Channel which many of us have been waiting for is now finally in Australia and New Zealand officially and is here to stay. So come on board and view the 24 hour entertainment on PTC Punjabi. Another Channel which again needs no introduction - Aaj Tak and Headlines Today are now a part of our bouquet. On the 24 hour News Channel, watch the latest news bulletins in English and Hindi; breaking news, all from back home. Aaj Tak has been awarded "Best News channel of the Year" by the Indian Television Academy for nine consecutive years and

we are very happy to bring this Channel to our viewers. We also added Star Gold last month, a Channel with a collection of movies from yesteryears as well as new movies. It is a very proud achievement, not only for us as a company, that we are able to get the best for our viewers, but as a community as we are able to view the best of entertainment and at the same time provide a link to remain connected to our roots. We have a month filled with entertainment on all other Channels as well. IIFA awards stormed into its second decade of celebrations with a spectacular Awards night and grand performances by Salman, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha, Hrithik and Saif. Feel the excitement and glamour by tuning in to Star Plus this month. Chotte Ustaad, a new music reality show also starts this month .Also watch the finale of Zara nach ke diikha on the 18th on Star Plus. Two new shows are starting this month on NDTV Imagine. Big Money - an exciting new show that will make TV addicts rejoice! For the first time on Indian television, Imagine presents 'Big Money', a unique new game show featuring questions exclusively about all things as seen on TV - Popular daily soaps, Reality shows, Advertisements and

more. The entire family plays together to win the ultimate prize. The more a family knows about TV, the more money they can win! The other new show which will be aired in July, Tipu Sultan - is a serial portrayal of the life and times of the ruler of Srirangapatna. Watch Bollywood blockbusters on Zee TV Welcome to Sajjanpur, Life in a Metro, Khoya Khoya Chand and more. Watch Bollywood hits like Heyy Baby, Jab We Met, Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam, Golmaal Returns and Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra movies on Star Gold this month. We have a very special early bird offer for those who would like to subscribe to PTC Punjabi, so call us today and become a part of the growing Konnectv family. For regular updates and program schedules log on to our website www.konnectv.com.au. We would love to hear from you. Write to us at info@konnectv.com.au. Call us on 1300 797 012 between 9 am and 7 pm Monday to Friday and between 9 am and 1 pm on Saturdays. Kind regards

ABHISHEK NARANG CEO

Contents JULY 2010 I KONNECTV

The Tube

Rise of Shahrukh

Beauty Tips

Work-out in the gym; take fruits & salad, drink lots of water.

From a struggler on the streets to the King he is today.

Chotte Ustaad Music reality show that brings Indian, Pak kids together.

'Big Money' Q&A on TV shows and a whopping Rs. 1 crore as prize.

Cover Story

HATES & LOVE OF A FLIRT Dharma Productions' romantic blockbuster 'I Hate Love Storys' shows a typical teenage guy who hates all the mushy, lovey dovey things associated with young romance. But eventually he (Imran Khan) can't escape from the magical feeling of falling in love with his teenage friend (Sonam Kapoor).

Tinsel Talk

Manisha weds Manisha Koirala ties knot with Nepali businessman Samrat Dahal.

10 Dharam, Esha in tears After saying "You're the best father," and "you're the best daughter," both burst into tears.

12 Same date, same fate? People born on the same day-Shilpa and Dimple-have uncanny similarities.

Koena Mitra

Star Talk

Karan Johar When he started directing movies, it was tough answering questions. But today he is more articulate.

36 TV Schedules Seven pages of TV programmes for the month of July. Publisher: KonnecTV Australia Suite 1B, 137-139 Silverwater Rd, Silverwater NSW 2128 Tel: 1300 797 012 Fax: 1300 794 210 abhishekn@konnectv.com www.konnectv.com.au Ad enquiries please write to us at info@konnectv.com Design: DIP Media

Disclaimer KonnecTV does not guarantee the authenticity or take any responsibility (in any way) of the material in any advertisement or discount voucher.

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wo friends belonging to different worlds whose lives and destinies get inexplicably intertwined is what Do Saheliyaan is about. Two girls, from different strata and caste of society, are bond by the thread of friendship. Maithali, belonging to a rich, conservative and traditional Rajput family is best friends with Bhavri daughter of a Rabari. The Rabaris are traditional milksellers and it is inconceivable for a Rabari and Rajput to even be seen with each other. But Maithili and Bhavri's friendship is deep and strong but secretive. In this tale of friendship we show how the friends are separated but still the bonding between them remains strong forever.

NEW DRAMA

hahrukh Khan, the Baadshah of Bollywood, has come a long way. We take you through his journey from a struggler on the streets of Mumbai to the King he is today and much more. Check out how dreams never die.

Mon-Thursday (Every Friday)

Mon-Thursday

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elhi has gone through many changes since independence in the name of modernization, culture and values but there is one thing which has never changed in the lives of a middle class family - the struggle. The struggle to survive, the struggle to find love and then the struggle to keep relationships together. 12/24 Karol Bagh - Yahan Baste Hai Kuch Sapne is the story of the Sethi family who lives in the middle-class locality of Karol Bagh in Delhi. Rajinder Sethi bears the wrath of the Sealing Act in Delhi and has to shut down his small-time cloth business. His wife Manju tries to give every possible support to him. The struggle is on. Their four children -Simi, Anuj, Neetu and Mili - see their parents as a living example of perfect partners, full of love and understanding. But what are their own expectations? Who is the perfect partner... how does one find them? Can parents make the right choice of a soul mate for their child? Can one find their soul mate on their own? Or is it finally destiny that controls who we share our lives with?

NEW SHOW LAUNCH

Chotte Ustaad from 25th July

The story is based in a small town of Allahabad, where the smallest thing happening in one's house is known to everyone

usic is the language of the universe and knows no boundaries: A first of its kind, a clutter breaking music show on a mega scale, attempts at creating harmony through a music reality show that brings Hindustani & Pakistani kids together. IndoPak kids unite in pairs to compete against each other showcasing best of the talent across borders with children who bring a new perspective to the adult world.

he show explores the strong but intangible emotion of 'selfless' love between Taani and Anurag as they traverse different phases of life from childhood, through adolescence to finally adulthood. It is a story of two people bound to each other in childhood, separated by circumstances, and brought together by the unbreakable bond of love but only to be separated again!

his is a love story of two people who are together for all the wrong reasons. An unrefined boy who doesn't understand the meaning of love but desires to acquire whatever he sets his eyes on and a girl who is helpless and can save herself and her family by giving into his demands. The story is based in a small town of Allahabad, where the smallest thing happening in one's house is known to everyone. The Saxena family believe in educating their daughters without any hesitation. Krishna the goon makes Pratigya's life his business. His obsession towards Pratigya doesn't take long for Pratigya and her family to realize that there is some guy who is after her. The family decides to get Pratigya married soon and Pratigya also willingly agrees for it. What will happen when Krishna finds out about Pratigya's marriage with someone else?

Beauty is more than skin deep...

idaai is a story of two sisters, Sadhna (beautiful) and Ragini (unattractive). Sadhna is the adopted child in the family. Life is pleasant for Sadhna as she is beautiful but society is a bit rude and harsh on Ragini, who faces a lot more challenges because she is not good-looking. The sisters love each other immensely and are good natured but society's approach towards them makes Sadhna's life difficult as her mother starts differentiating between them. This unique story embarks the journey of two sisters and makes one question the belief - "Are beautiful people happier than ugly Bettys?"

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NEW SHOWS

n exchange for money, a young girl Jamunia is married off by her maternal uncles into the evil Gajadhar Raut's family. Unknown to her, the Raut house is cursed as no woman has ever stayed alive. Even as a sword constantly dangles over her life; Jamunia attempts to carry the burden of pulling out her family from this vicious bane. Will Jamunia succeed or will she be yet another innocent victim of the curse which befalls her marital homeâ&#x20AC;Ś this is the story of Jamunia. The show explores territories & locations previously unseen on T.V, shot on location in Chhattisgarh. Kawardha Palace will be used as location for Jamunia's marital house for the duration of the show.

'Big Money' on NDTV A

fter the super success of Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka and Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega, Imagine brings an exciting new show that will make TV Addicts rejoice! For the first time on Indian television, Imagine presents 'Big Money', a unique new game show featuring questions exclusively about all things as seen on TV - Popular daily soaps, Reality shows, Advertisements, Cartoons, Cricket, News and more! And on this show, it's not just individuals, but the entire family that will play together to win together the ultimate cash prize of Rs. 1 crore. The more a family knows about TV, the more money they can win! No boring questions that test your General Knowledge, Mathematical Ability, Analytical skills or knowledge of World AffairsĂ&#x2013;all that you need to win is a love for watching television! 'Big Money' gives all the TV addict families a golden opportunity to make use of all the hours spent watching TV! Hosting this exciting show will be the extremely popular and talented Bollywood star R. Madhavan.

Tipu Sultan B

ased on a novel by Bhagwan Gidwani, this serial is a portrayal of the life and times of Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile ruler of Srirangapatna.

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aashi is set in Dholkipur, a remote village in Bihar. The village is strongly divided on caste lines & caste hierarchies are strictly maintained. The show revolves around a lower caste girl called Kaashi who aspires to go to school. Kaashi dreams of getting an education & becoming someone important so that her amma & bauji can be proud of her. However, every step that Kaashi & her parents take towards achieving this dream is met with stiff resistance from the upper caste sections & powerful elite of Dholkipur. Despite education being a right for all children the upper caste elite resist all attempts by Kaashi to fulfil her dream. They leave no stone unturned to ensure that Kaashi does not do anything to upset the balance of power & the societal divide that has been operational for centuries.

Das Tak

he 10 pm prime time bulletin on Aaj Tak is the last word on the biggest development of the day. As the name Dastak suggests - It is presented in an aggressive style that knocks at the viewer's door with the biggest stories The show is modeled around the traditional style of a news bulletin and analyses every story ranging from politics to sports from the relevance and impact for the end viewer. The show is one of the best-presented and most watched prime bulletins across all news channels

Headlines Tonight

eadlines Tonight is a daily prime time news bulletin on Headlines Today that takes an event or happening, and dwells with the various issues connected with the same. The programme tells us how a particular event happened and looks at it from different angles. The show has been conceptualized as an anchor driven one, with a sharp focus on the issue.

GURBANI Live From Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar Every Day

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ajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol team up again for an action adventure with a message. The story is similar to "Ghayal". Sunny Deol (Kashi) takes his sick father (Amrish Puri) to Bombay in an attempt to cure him. When he arrives he gets involved with local shopkeepers who are trying to stop the local gangster Katia (Danny Denzgopa) from shutting them down. There is heavy political dialogue. The story is not original but the way it is handled is refreshing if not inspiring.

e runs faster than a race horse. Glides and slides from skyscrapers with ease. Climbs on trees-n-mountains with the electrifying zeal of a monkey. When he beats a horde of bad men you are convinced that he wouldn't get hurt. Like a true hero he saves little children from a fire-in-the-circus. And when he zips past a school bus on the way to demolish the evil, the magic faces of small girls and boys scream in unisonĂ&#x2013;.It's KRRISH!!!! Director Rakesh Roshan has capitalized upon the colossal popularity of his son Hrithik amongst the kids. For 'Krrish' is made for them.

The performances are excellent. Sunny plays the innocent village boy very well early on to provide the audience with funny moments. Later he is excellent as the intense macho-man out for revenge. Meenakshi Sheshadri does well in her limited role and shouts and screams to the best of her ability. Danny Denzgopa also gives a credible performance as the cold villain.

'Krrish' is a sequel to 'Koi Mil Gaya'. The sweet-n-amiable-alien Jadoo is not coming back any more. The power bestowed by him on pal Rohit Mehra (Hrithik Roshan Senior) made him a genius. Rohit dies under mysterious circumstances after achieving the impossible. Nisha (Preity Zinta) gives birth to their son Krishna (Hrithik Roshan Junior) who is blessed with Rohit's special powers.

The best performance comes from Amrish Puri as the caring father and retired Nationalist hero, which is very convincing.

Priya (Priyanka Chopra) from Singapore lands on the runway of his heart with a thud of a parachute. After playing ghostly tales with her band of picnic-cum-adventure-sports-aficionado friends, Krishna loses his heart to pretty Priya. She is mesmerized by his special talents.

Producer: Rajkumar Santoshi Director: Rajkumar Santoshi Starring: Sunny Deol, Menakshi Shesasdri, Amrish Puri, Danny Denzgopa Music: Anu Malik and R.D. Burman

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Krishna lands up in Singapore to proposition Priya who has her own little reason for getting him there. The story fast forwards and under exciting circumstances, Krishna has to turn into Krrish to do the job of the savoir.

DHARAM, ESHA IN T

TEARS

here's this scene in Hema Malini's Tell Me Oh Khuda which is picturised on Dharmendra and his daughter, on screen as in real life, Esha Deol... Yes, this film's all in the family. And the dialogue had Esha telling Dharmendra, "You're the best father in the world." Garam Dharam's emotional response was, "...and you're the best daughter in the world." When the cameras rolled and the scene got underway, Esha broke down uncontrollably when her father said his dialogue. And Dharmendra, who is a big softie in person his tough image on screen notwithstanding joined her as tears welled up in his eyes as well. Unit hands who were stunned, touched and embarrassed by this emotional baap beti scene, said that "only Hemaji kept her composure". Esha, who is working with Dharmendra for the first time, admitted that doing Tell Me Oh Khuda was as much a nightmare as a dream come true. "Mom's really strong," said Esha, "it was an emotional moment for her as well, though she didn't show it." She was surprised to learn that Dharmendra has never relied on glycerine when it came to shooting tearful scenes. "But that day was special, with me thoda zyada ho gaya, something just gave way and I cried. Maybe it was those words that I had bottled up inside me and wanted to say to Dad all these years," admitted the young actress. Dharmendra said, "Working with Esha, I was doubly emotional since this was the first time I was seeing her acting... and that too with me." Initially, he was reluctant to accept this role, but Esha persuaded him. "One can never say no to one's

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MANISHA'S MARRIAGE WOWS M

anisha has finally got hitched. In a fairytale wedding, actress Manisha Koirala tied the knot with Nepali businessman Samrat Dahal in a traditional Nepali ceremony after an elaborate engagement and mehendi ceremony. The 40-year-old was wedded to the 33year-old entrepreneur at a five-star resort in Kathmandu. Though her first hero in Bollywood, Vivek Mushran, flew to Kathmandu to attend the fourday extravaganza, as did Manisha's friend and director Deepti Naval, there was not much Bollywood presence besides Sunita, who stood in proxy for her husband Govinda. There was also virtually no sign of the Nepali film industry that has impassively accepted her children," said Dharmendra. Esha on Dharmendra: "Working with dad was the best gift God could have ever given me. It was a lovely experience. We were professional in front of the camera, but got emotional while doing some scenes," says Esha. "He is very protective, possessive and emotional. But he has slowly adapted with time, and trusts me with decisions." Though she confesses she was terrified of him as child, they are much closer today. "Now that I'm grown up, we share a lot more. In fact, he is the reason I am single. He is so good looking and warm hearted, that it is impossible to find anyone like him," she says. Despite their busy schedules the family finds time to be together. "We love to chat, go to our farmhouse and sit on a tractor or go hiking." Of all the sweet things he has done for her, Esha's favourite story is that of the day she was born. "The whole hospital had been booked, and I was the only kid born in that hospital," she says. DHARAM ON ESHA: He may have been called Garam Dharam at one time, but it's a discreet, soft side of him that comes to the fore the moment you mention his darling daughters, Esha and Ahana. "We're from a village where people are very protective about their daughters. I still haven't been able to get that

return almost after two decades. Manisha returned to the Nepali film industry a few months ago, playing wife to its superstar Rajesh Hamal. Dahal, an MBA from Texas, comes from a non-filmi business family that is into education as well as leather goods. He himself is involved in launching a biogas factory in Pokhara city, where Manisha did a little bit of shooting recently for her new Nepali film Dharma. The alliance has plunged him from relative obscurity into the limelight, thanks to Manisha's Bollywood career as well as family background. She is the granddaughter of BP Koirala, Nepal's first elected prime minister, and her family boasts of three prime ministers, two deputy prime ministers and two MPs. rustic Jat out of me. Though they're completely on their own now, I still keep fretting. "They make it a point to inform me if they're out late, but I don't stop worrying," says Dharmendra adding that he's very proud of both of them.

Kumar. Both have one man common between them - Akshay Kumar. Akki is Shilpa's former boyfriend, and is Dimple's son-in-law. Shilpa married Raj Kundra who shares the same date of birth as Akshay's which is 09/09.

The Planetary Effect Dimple and Shilpa are governed by No 8, also called the number of Saturn. This number plays a very important role in their lives; while Dimple gave Bobby in her 17th (8) year, Shilpa married RK in her 35th year (8)! Both are also influenced by Mercury, (Gemini ruler) which is the planet of communication. Futuristically, they can do very well if they set up institutes of acting but, away from their places of birth. (Air sun signs do better far from their place of birth). It's no wonder that Shilpa received such acclaim abroad, winning the prestigious Big Brother reality show. Mumbai made Dimple popular - it is indeed away from her place of birth, Gujarat. Both are equally moody and very often, misunderstood.

Some Differences? Both are number 8 persons. People who belong to this number should not marry early in life. While Dimple made that mistake, Shilpa got it right.

People born on the same day can have some uncanny similarities, quite like Shilpa Shetty and Dimple Kapadia.They share their birthdays and have many things in common

part from their stunning personalities, Dimple Kapadia and Shilpa Shetty have a lot more in common. Reason? Both these beauties share the same birth date, as well as the same destiny numbers! Dimple (8+6+1957=36) and Shilpa (8+6+1975=36) add up to the same destiny number '9'. Their spellings add up to the same number 43 too. D=4, I=1, M=4, P=8, L=3, E=5, K=2, A=1, P=8, A=1, D=4, I=1, A=1 and S=3, H=5, I=1, L=3, P=8, A=1, S=3, H=5, E=5, T=4, T=4, Y=1. It's a big coincidence as well as the main reason why they are similar in so many ways. Both made their debuts giving a hit and the titles of their films began with the letter B Bobby (Dimple) and Baazigar (Shilpa). Both have had their younger sisters making an entry into films, though they never quite reached the same heights, Dimple had Simple, while Shilpa has Shamita. Both have sisters whose name begins with the letter S. In relationship matters, both were unlucky in their first relationship. Dimple's marriage to Rajesh Khanna didn't last, and so did Shilpa's long-standing relationship with Akshay July 2010 I 12 I KonnecTV

SAME DATE, SAME FATE?

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RANBIR'S SKYSCRAPER

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fter playing the giddy-headed starry-eyed young lover-girl in all her films so far, including the about-tobe-released I Hate Luv Storys, actress Sonam Kapoor in Mausam is all set to play a girl who evolves into a woman in the course of the movie. Her clothes which are always a source of powerful on-screen personality-transference for her have been worked on at great lengths by designer Anamika Khanna. And the result, says a member of the crew, is no less than devastating. Apparently Sonam was initially reluctant to get into the mature mould. "She had reservations about being bracketed in the maturer mould so early in her career. In all her films so far from Saawariya to Thank You, Sonam has played girls her own age and dressed accordingly in what she's comfortable with. The Western clothes that'd transform her into a chic Delhi socialite in Aisha are as much a part of her personality as the salwar-kameez that she wore in Delhi 6." Shahid Kapoor, who needed to make a sartorial changeover to play the mature mellow lover in the later part of the film, has also been heard joking about how Mausam has turned him and Sonam into overnight adult stars.

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MATURE SONAM

he Kapoors are soon going to be shifting. The exact location hasn't been decided yet, but it will be in Bandra, either a duplex apartment they own or a bungalow they will rent. Ranbir Kapoor confirms that his home, the iconic Krishna Raj bungalow that has been a landmark in the tony Pali Hill neighbourhood for decades, will be razed in a month or two and in its place will come up a 14-storey structure that will house his parents on the lower three floor and him on the uppermost three. "It won't look like a tall building at all," he says, "the structure will still look like a bungalow. The aesthetics have been taken care of." One expected no less from Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, who have, perhaps, one of the best designed and kept homes in Bollywood. The Kapoor home will also include a 160seater theatre and perhaps a swimming pool. Other floors could have offices or edit suites. Aren't three floors too much for a single man?

"By the time it comes up, which will be at least a couple of years, I hope to be a married man," Ranbir says matter-of-factly, "I want to have a family, I want to have children, and I don't want to be a bachelor. I want to have a child by the time I am 32. I want to be 50 when he or she is 20. I aspire to have a life like that. I'm not looking for love, but I would love for it to happen." "But," he clarifies, "I am single at the moment and have been for around six or seven months and I am very happy, very, very happy. I am enjoying my work, I am doing things that I wouldn't do when I am in a relationship, like hang out with my guy friends, learn to play the guitar, try to play soccer or watch DVDs. It's a very important time and I respect it. I am not in depression. Being in a relationship is lovely, it's the most beautiful thing. But not being in a relationship is also lovely." Which is all very cool, but Ranbir will need to get cracking if he is to meet his self-imposed deadline. July 2010 I 13 I KonnecTV

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BOLLYWOOD'S BEST DAD I

n a poll conducted by a matrimonial site on the occasion of Father's Day, actor Amitabh Bachchan was found to be most admired celebrity father in Bollywood film industry. The poll, My Daddy Strongest, carried out by Shaadi.com received responses from over 85,000 people. Of the Southern actors, Rajnikanth topped with 47 per cent votes. As per votes, B-town's top five dads are: Amitabh Bachchan 67% Rishi Kapoor 13.9 % Dharmendra 9.5% Anil Kapoor 9.4% Jeetendra 6.6%

KARAN, RGV SQUABBLE

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about a third world journalist who finds an Osama look-alike and cheekily proceeds to create a fake Osama tape to achieve his 'American Dream'. This has serious ramifications as the American intelligence starts snooping around for the real Osama. Aarti Shetty says "People commonly try to ape celebrities, but what if you looked like Osama Bin Laden? What would you do? For our character Noora who is actually a simple poultry farmer this came as a rude shock and it changed his life completely!" Pooja feels Tere Bin Laden is sweet, funny and completely mad. "It takes a dig at the regularly debated Osama fake tape theory. It's a satirical account of western paranoia towards stereotypes,'' she says. Adding, "Casting Osama's look-alike was a huge challenge and making sure that we tell our story involving one of the world's deadliest terrorist, without hurting anyone's sentiments was also a huge responsibility.''

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s daughters of Manmohan Shetty, one of the most respected names in Bollywood; Pooja Shetty Deora and Aarti Shetty can open any door in the film industry. Their father's equity and good-will is legendary. When these two youngsters decided to take over the reins of Walkwater Media, instead of waiting for star dates; they decided to make a slightly off-beat film based on a great theme. And so their July 16 release - Tere Bin Laden came into focus. It has been directed by debutant Abhishek Sharma. In less than two years since its inception, Walkwater has already won 14 awards for its film and television work. And when you catch a glimpse of Osama Bin Laden's face on the Statue of Liberty your curiosity is bound to peak. Before you start rubbing your eyes in disbelief you realise it is the poster of the hilarious caper Tere Bin Laden. TBL is a very intelligent film. The story is

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When these two youngsters decided to take over the reins of Walkwater Media, instead of waiting for star dates; they decided to make a slightly off-beat film based on a great theme

irector Ram Gopal Varma has infuriated Karan Johar again by expressing a desire to remake 'Raavan' as 'My Name Is Raavan'. The two filmmakers, who make no secret of their dislike, used twitter to hit back at each other. "I want to remake Raavan and I want to request Mani to remake Aag," Varma wrote about Mani Ratnam's 'Raavan'. "I got a better idea... I will make My name is Raavan and Mani should make Raavan ki Kurbaan," said Varma, taking a pot shot at Karan Johar's recently released films 'My Name Is Khan' and 'Kurbaan'. Varma also commented on Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming superhero film 'Raa.1'. "Let's all hope and pray that Raa.1 does not become SRK ki Baarish," he added. To which, Johar tweeted: "@RGVzoomin...you have an amazing sense of humour ramu!! Never shows up in your films though.

HOLLY TO BOLLY F

or Hollywood actress Sarah Thompson, her Bollywood debut in Raajneeti may have opened more doors than she could have imagined. Since she played Ranbir Kapoor's love interest in the film, Thompson, popular for her role in Cruel Intentions 2, has been busy meeting filmmakers. "I'd a long meeting with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. I am going to meet more filmmakers in Mumbai," says the actress, who has got herself a Hindi tutor now. "When I was shooting for the film in Bhopal, everyone would speak and crack jokes in Hindi, and I felt left out. So, when I returned after shooting, I got myself a tutor in Los Angeles. I can speak a bit of Hindi now," she adds. The actress confesses she wasn't aware of Ranbir's fame when she arrived in India. "Prakash Jha (director) told me that Ranbir is hot property in India, but I never knew how much. When I came here, Wake up Sid had just released and I saw him everywhere - from billboards to TV screens and posters. I then realised he was a star. We're good friends now," she says, adding that the actor was extremely supportive during their steamy lovemaking scenes. "Had it been any other actor, I would not have been able to do it. Ranbir kept checking on me and was very careful during the scenes.â&#x20AC;?

IIFA BACKLASH A

ctor Salman Khan may well be courting trouble again. The actor, who was in Colombo for the IIFA gala, was reportedly bowled over by the picture postcard beauty of Sri Lanka. So much so, that he convinced the producer of his forthcoming film, Ready, to change the shoot location from Mauritius to Sri Lanka. This news has upset the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC), who are now planning a non-cooperation motion against the film. "If the news is true, we will announce a non- cooperation motion against the film," says L Suresh, general secretary of SIFCC. This news comes even as the SIFCC rolls back its plan of boycotting actors who attended the IIFA awards.

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he winning trio behind the ultra stylised Dev.D returns to the big screen once again to recreate the magic with Udaan. Anurag Kashyap, debutant director Vikramaditya Motwane and music director Amit Trivedi, have returned with a film about a young boy trying to achieve his goals. Presented by UTV Motion Pictures, Sanjay Singh and Anurag Kashyap Production's Udaan will release on July 16. While Anurag produced the film, this time around, he handed the director's baton to Vikramaditya, who had cowritten Dev.D with him. Says Vikram, "Being a director, Anurag knows the kind of freedom that a director needs and he gave me that. Also, I have known him for many years and am extremely comfortable working with him." Amit Trivedi, whose songs in Dev.D rocked the music charts, is also back with another great score. Amit calls Anurag his mentor. "I am here today because of him. He sent me the script of Udaan and I wanted to do it as soon as I read it. And it was easy to work with Vikram because he knew the kind of sound he

DEV.D TRIO The winning trio behind the ultra stylised Dev.D returns to the big screen once again to recreate the magic with Udaan. Anurag Kashyap, debutant director Vikramaditya Motwane and music director Amit Trivedi, have returned with a film about a young boy trying to achieve his goals

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wanted for the movie." For Anurag, working with Vikram and Amit is a joyride. "Vikram is someone who should have made a film before me. I had decided long ago that the moment I am in a position to produce a film, it will have Vikram as the director," says Anurag. Speaking about Amit, he says, "Amit has scored some great numbers. Be it him or Vikram, I gave them the freedom that I would want while making a film." The movie is about Rohan, who, after living in a boarding school for eight years, returns to Jamshedpur and finds himself closeted with an authoritarian father and a younger half brother who he didn't even know existed. Rohan is forced to work in his father's steel factory and study engineering, but he tries to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. The movie, that's all set for its release in India, has already tasted success at various film festivals including Cannes, where it was the first movie to be invited in seven years. So how's Vikram dealing with the pre-release anxiety? "I'm nervous, excited and I don't want to think about it," says the director.

DESI SINGERS IN HOLLY Singer-cum-music composer Mickey Narula, brother of Bollywood playback singer Jaspinder Narula, has composed music for a Hollywood movie titled Maple Heart that is directed by Kavi Raj

ur desi singers, it seems, are doing great. And one of them is making news in Hollywood. Singer-cum-music composer Mickey Narula, brother of Bollywood playback singer Jaspinder Narula, has composed music for a Hollywood movie titled Maple Heart that is directed by Kavi Raj (An Indian filmmaker from Los Angeles and winner of 15 awards in the best international category for his movie Gold Bracelet in 2005). The film is due for release by the end of this year. Mickey, who was recently on a short visit to the capital, says, "I have composed some Hindi tracks for this Hollywood movie. This will be a first of its kind where a Hollywood movie will include Hindi songs sung by singers like Sukhwinder, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Niigaam, Jaspinder Narula and myself," he grins, adding, "It will have a variety of musical compositions ranging from Bhangra to pop."

he producer, who was set to release Barbara Mori's Spanish film, seems to be developing cold feet after the Kites debacle Rakesh Roshan's Kites has had a domino effect in the industry. The producer Jayantilal Gada, who was keen to release Barbara Mori's Spanish film My Brother's Wife, is introspecting on the wisdom of the idea. Barbara hasn't exactly created a flutter after the release of Kites. The big question that Gada is grappling with now is - Can he bank on her to carry the film? Though Gada has dubbed the film in English and Hindi, he has decided to postpone the release of his film. Scheduled to release in June, the film will now release only two-three months later. A source says, "It's a business decision. The Indian audience did not lap up Kites. He expected Kites to do very well. There was so much hype about that film. But now, Gada wants all the negativity about Kites to die down. He expects that this will happen in two-three months time. Only then, he will release his film." The producer is putting up a brave front though. Gada said, "I was sure that Kites will be a super hit. So I had decided to release my film immediately after Kites.ĂŽ

WAIT BARBARA

FOR

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;

This pageant has been exclusively developed to promote and showcase talents of today's modern girls in Australia, who are well aware of their culture as well as their present surroundings. It will embrace the Australian culture, as well as other cultures involved to show the best of both the worlds

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â&#x20AC;?

hat is it that makes a girl stand out other than the looks, intelligence, persona, intellectuality, talent and of course, the ability to speak her heart and mind out (well, not necessarily in the same order!) The Dream Girl 2010 pageant is designed to discover that and lot more. Dream Girl 2010 is brought to you by the Pratibimb (Indian Cultural Community Australia Inc). Indian Cultural Community is a Non Profit organization that helps and supports cultural and multi cultural events to showcase diverse local and national talents. It is established to help discover, and promote different cultures around Australia. Dream Girl 2010 is conceived and designed by Navneet Choujar to showcase all this and much more! This pageant has been exclusively developed to promote and showcase talents of today's modern girls in Australia, who are well aware of their culture as well as their present surroundings. It will embrace the Australian culture, as well as other cultures involved to show the best of both the worlds. The organisers are looking for diverse, refined and creative girls. The participant must

have a vision; she has to be out of this world, and of course, she has to be dreamyâ&#x20AC;Ś This event is one of a kind! Not only is it a beauty pageant, but it also explores various cultures around the globe. The participants won't just be picked on the basis of their looks, but also their personality and confidence. They will undergo professional grooming and attract a lot of publicity at different events and shows before the final event on 23rd October. There will be sub pageants for several of the participants who will be presented with gift vouchers, clothes, electronics, gadgets and even domestic/international return tickets! The final winner, the Dream Girl 2010 will get the chance of a life time to visit Bollywood and meet the biggest stars and watch them shoot (all expenses paid). And that's not all. She'll also be given the opportunity to star as a lead in an upcoming Bollywood movie! If you would like to be a part of Dream Girl 2010, please log onto www.dreamgirl2010.info, or you can also email on iccdreamgirl@gmail.com.

KHOYA KHOYA CHAND (2007)

hoya Khoya Chand is a film about two young people afloat in the film industry of the wild 1950s. It is the tumultuous love story of an actress, Nikhat (Soha Ali Khan), and a writer-director, Zafar (Shiney Ahuja) based in the wild and exhilarating era of the 1950s60s, the Golden Age of the Hindi film industry. This film is a tribute to those wondrous times and people as well as an accolade to their inspirational lives. A magical world, people with huge talents, oversized egos, beautiful and ugly individuals and the tantalizing lure of stardom. A world of glittering dreams and harsh realities… golden yet cruel. This world comes to life with an excellent ensemble of actors who in their varied roles create a colorful backdrop of the film industry… from awe-inspiring superstars and feisty studio-owners to fashionable divas with scandalous stories… this film has them all, and more. Set against the compelling magnetism of this addictive world is the story of Nikhat, the young girl who goes from being a fledging extra, to a starlet to a great heroine, and Zafar, through whom we see the triumphs and travails of a writer-director of the 1950s. The story of a volatile love that they can neither live with, nor without. And the story of the difficult and often heartbreaking choices they have to make. Even as the backdrop of this film is period, the film modern in its narrative, characterization and treatment.

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is impish smile, a Star Wars t-shirt, and his traditional blue denims, make him fit the boy-next door bill perfectly. And as he begins to describe his love affair with his upcoming flick I Hate Luv Storys two things about the actor, that is Imran Khan, are evident - his unconventional sense of humour and the ability to look at normal mundane life happenings in a different light. "My character in the film is quite cynical, is a flirt, and keeps making imprudent jokes about love stories in general," says Khan in his standard comical tone, as he begins to speak about his role in the film. Khan feels that while the film is a classic romantic comedy the treatment to it is very different. "Working with (director) Punit Malhotra on the film was a unique experience because he had a clear idea of his version of making a film like this. So even though it is a standard issue romantic comedy, the cheeky treatment and the dry and subtle humour of the film give it a refreshing twist," he adds. The love story that is set against the backdrop of a film set revolves around the lives of the characters played by Khan and Sonam Kapoor who are diametrically opposite human beings. "That is the whole point of the film," says Khan excitedly, adding "It's about making jokes on other romantic films and labeling them as corny and tacky, whilst subtly weaving a sub-plot of its own, which incidentally is a love story." "I play a character called J. His name is Jay, but he prefers J. He's quite a cynic, and apart from not believing in love, he doesn't believe in filmi love movies. In his life, it comes into play because he's an AD (assistant director), he's working in the industry, but his tastes in movies run very differently. Unfortunately, he's working for a director who's one of the grand romantic directors of Bollywood - Samir Soni plays this guy. Sonam plays Simran, the art director. A die-hard romantic, Simran believes in filmi clichĂ&#x2C6;s and also loves this guy and his films. So we clash on two levels - one is ideology, about love and romance and etc, and the second is creatively - she loves his sensibilities and I hate them. Ultimately, both of us find a middle ground."

HATES & LOVEOF AFLIRT Dharma Productions' romantic blockbuster 'I HATE LOVE STORYS' shows the role of a typical teenage guy that hates all the mushy, lovey dovey things that are associated with young romance. But eventually he (Imran Khan) can't escape from the magical and blissful feeling of falling in love with his teenage friend (Sonam Kapoor). July 2010 I 22 I KonnecTV

Sonam is a very confident actress. Very chill, very comfortable in her skin and with her character, so there's never any sense of stress or struggle when working with her

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"I like the film, because I relate to a lot of what J says. A lot of what he says I don't agree with, also, but a lot of his lines I do. The thing is that Punit (Malhotra, the director) himself is not a mushy guy. Not at all. The treatment that he's given it is very indicative of the kind of guy he is. He's making a romantic film, but while making it, he's also making fun of it. Punit has a very wicked, deadpan sense of humour, where he likes to crack jokes to people's faces and they don't even realise that he's joking, which he's incorporated into my character, so that's something I really like." Speaking about returning back to the chocolate hero storyline that had made him famous with his maiden film, Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Naa he says, "It was not a conscious decision to come back or anything of those sorts, because for me as an actor it is very important to keep on reinventing myself and experimenting with different roles. Also when I sign a film I make sure it satisfies three criteria that I look for in it- a good script, a good director, and a good producer. And thankfully since I got all three of them I jumped on to the offer of doing this film." Another thing that Khan feels was a very important factor during the making of the film was his costar Sonam Kapoor. Speaking about it he says, "Sonam is an incredible actor who is completely sorted out. And since I depend heavily on all my co-stars to ensure I get my timing as an actor right, it was amazing working with her. More importantly it allowed me to get away with being a little disorganised and also with my occasional mood swings," he adds after considerable afterthought. "I had wanted to work with her right since I saw Saawariya. I'd honestly liked her in the film, and I just had a sense that we'd work well together. When Punit met her, she liked it right away, and I did too. Interestingly enough, it does kind of mirror our interaction in real life, we tend to squabble and have this verbal banter going on, and that's what happens in the film as well. She's not quite as romantic and bitchy as the girl in the film, and I'm not quite as much of a cynic, but we still have similar conversations. Sonam is a very confident actress. Very chill, very comfortable in her skin and with her character, so there's never any sense of stress or struggle when working with her. Sonam is known to be this major style icon - and the fashion and the designer wear, and I don't know the first thing about these things. Punit and I'd rag her about it, because we dress the same way - jeans and tee and jeans and tee and that's about it. She's always in these deadly numbers, so we'd rag her.

Capital Crossword ACROSS 3. Ireland (6) 5. Ghana (5) 7. Iceland (9) 9. Norway (4) 11. Togo (4) 12. Belgium (8) 13. Mali (6) 15. The Philippines (6) 17. Qatar (4) 20. South Korea (5) 22. Ethiopia (5,5)

FUN WITH DIGITS Start with the sequence of non-zero digits 123456789. The problem is to place plus or minus signs between them so that the result of thus described arithmetic operation will be 100.

Down 1. Egypt (5) 2. The Maldives (4) 4. Hungary (8) 6. Gabon (10) 7. Italy (4) 8. Sudan (8) 10. Zambia (6) 13. Barbados (10) 14. Jordan (5) 16. Cyprus (7) 18. Iraq (7) 19. Fiji (4) 20. Bulgaria (5) 21. Peru (4)

One answer is: 12 + 3 - 4 + 5 + 67 + 8 + 9 = 100 The French magazine Science et Vie gives 11 solutions: 1 + 2 + 34 - 5 + 67 - 8 + 9 = 100 12 + 3 - 4 + 5 + 67 + 8 + 9 = 100 123 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 + 8 - 9 = 100

Solution next month

123 + 4 - 5 + 67 - 89 = 100 123 + 45 - 67 + 8 - 9 = 100 123 - 45 - 67 + 89 = 100 12 - 3 - 4 + 5 - 6 + 7 + 89 = 100 12 + 3 + 4 + 5 - 6 - 7 + 89 = 100 1 + 23 - 4 + 5 + 6 + 78 - 9 = 100

CROSSWORD DINOSAURS Solution of last month

1 + 23 - 4 + 56 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 100 1 + 2 + 3 - 4 + 5 + 6 + 78 + 9 = 100

MOVIE ACTORS Find and circle all of the Movie Actors that are hidden in the grid. The remaining letters spell the name of a movie for which Jeremy Irons won an Oscar. BACON, Kevin

DUNCAN, Michael Clarke

MCKELLEN, Ian

BARDEM, Javier

FORD, Harrison

NEESON, Liam

BLACK, Jack

FOXX, Jamie

PESCI, Joe

BRIDGES, Jeff

GIBSON, Mel

PHOENIX, Joaquin

CAINE, Michael

GOLDBLUM, Jeff

REEVES, Keanu

CARREY, Jim

GRANT, Hugh

RUSH, Geoffrey

CHAN, Jackie

GYLLENHAAL, Jake

RUSSELL, Kurt

CLOONEY, George

HACKMAN, Gene

SPACEY, Kevin

COSTNER, Kevin

HARTNETT, Josh

STATHAM, Jason

CUSACK, John

IRONS, Jeremy

TRAVOLTA, John

DAMON, Matt

JACKMAN, Hugh

VOIGHT, Jon

DANIELS, Jeff

JONES, James Earl

WAHLBERG, Mark

DEPP, Johnny

LAW, Jude

WEAVING, Hugo

DICAPRIO, Leonardo

MCCONAUGHEY, Matthew

WOOD, Elijah

DOUGLAS, Michael

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SHORT STORY What's-My-Name

nce upon a time, there lived a wizard. He did not know his own name and neither did any other people so he was called What's-My-Name. He lived in an old oak tree. He sold spells for a living. Now What's-MyName had better spells than anybody so everybody bought spells from him. Witch-Spells, Wizard-Got-All-Spells and WitchKnows-All were very jealous of What's-My-Name. So they got together and discussed what to do as What's-My-Name was so popular that very few people bought spells from them. At last they decided to go to the King and ask him for a tornado spell. Only the King has tornado spells. The King did not know what they wanted to do and as his name was Generous-to-Everybody, he gave them the spell for free. The next day, they sent the tornado spell to What's-My-Name and when he opened the spell, the tornado came out and brought him to Horsey Land. What's-My-Name was very surprised. He knew that only a flying horse would be able to bring him back to the old oak tree. He then bought a horse called Know-it-alland-Go-toall. This horse has black, grey, blue, white, brown, green, pink, red, purple, orange and GOLD colours all over its body! The horse had wings and What's-My-Name sat on it and said, "Back to the old oak tree" and the horse flew back. After that What's-My-Name asked the horse, "Who sent me to Horsey Land?" When the horse told him everything, What's-MyName was very angry. He sent Witch-Spells, Wizard-Got-All-Spells and Witch-Knows-All to the moon and they were never heard of again.

Colour this pic

Spot the 5 differences between the two pictures

1. Number changed 2. Bird on left has no ticket 3. Cat's tail missing 4. Extra flower 5. Birds have moved

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CHILD ARTISTS OF BOLLYWOOD KIDS CRAFT

Paper Bag Puppets Very simple puppets made from small paper lunch bags. You can make a raccoon, dog, cat, rabbit, bunny, mouse, pig, panda, or frog. Supplies needed:ï Paper bags ï Scraps of construction paper ï Glue ï Scissors ï Markers or crayons ï Optional - googly eyes, pipe cleaners for whiskers

Darsheel Safary: He won evrybody's heart with his heart-wrenching performance in 'Taare Zameen Par', has walked the ramp looking dapper, and has loads of attitude for a 12 year-old. The kid is a product of Shiamak Dhavar's Dance academy and was spotted by Aamir Khan during the auditions for TZP. He has already given interviews, won an award and appeared in commercials. We are waiting for his next venture into films.

Shweta Prasad: With her stunning performance in 'Makdee' and in 'Iqbal', this is one girl to look out for. She played a double role in 'Makdee' and played Shreyas Talpede's sister in 'Iqbal', both of which she did a good job role with range of emotions. She has also won a national award for acting in 'Iqbal' and might soon join the films brigade in Bollywood.

-: Frog :-

Make bulging frog eyes by cutting two strips of green Glue or tape the folded paper that are rounded on one end. Fold the straight end base of the eyes onto the paper bag. under (at the dotted line), and glue on an eye (made of paper or a googly eye).

Cut a long tongue out of paper. Glue in in the frog's mouth.

Swini Khara: Swini Khara became famous in the movie 'Cheeni Kum' where her character of a dying cancer patient was lovingly called 'Sexy' by the protagonists in the film. She is seen in many TV shows and lots of advertisements. She is cute, energetic and has a good scope in films.

Hansikka Motwani:

Frog Glue on two short arms and two long legs, and decorate the frog with green paper patches.

Hansika Motwani started her career as a child artist and won multiple awards. She has appeared in quite of few Television serials like Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahui Thi and Hum Do Hain Na. Apart from this, she acted in the movie 'Koi Mil Gaya' and was also featured with Shahrukh Khan in a Santro Ad.

-: Raccoon, Dog or Bear :You now have the shape of the animal's head.

Raccoon Cut out ears, eyes, and a nose. Glue them to the raccoon's face. Dog Cut out ears, eyes, a nose, and a tongue. Glue the tongue inside the mouth. Glue the eyes, nose, and ears to the dog's face.

Brown Bear Cut out ears, eyes, and paws. Glue them to the bear. Using a black crayon or marker, draw a nose and mouth. Cut out tiny claws and glue then to the paws.

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Funny Picture

Fold the two square edges of a paper bag under (at the dotted lines), to form the animal's head.

The young Hansika has already started her film career by acting in several films down South. She acted opposite Himesh Reshamiya in 'Aap ka Suroor.'

Balancing Bull

AAJNEETI is a human drama, a

complex game that people indulge in to achieve power and how this greed envelopes them and transforms them into ruthless and conniving humans. It takes time for the story to sink in, but slowly and steadily, you get sucked into a world that's dark, dangerous and demonish. The attire may be white, but the deeds are grey or black. Raajneeti is not only 'Mahabharata', but also 'Godfather'. Despite knowing 'Mahabharata' or 'Godfather', one is not able to presume what games the present-day Pandavas and Kauravas would play in Raajneeti. In fact, the story alters constantly, unravelling in a serpentine manner and speed... so much so that you don't know what's gonna happen next. It keeps you awed at the constant turn of events. The triumph of Rajneeti is Ranbir Kapoor. What a transformation. He's likeable in all his films - even in Saawariya. In Wake up Sid his insouciant charm was catching. As Samar Pratap Singh in Rajneeti, Ranbir's transformation from the erudite apolitical son to a hard-nosed politician with a calculating criminal mind is startling in its reality. He blows smoke rings, plots and executes murders and takes you for a dark journey which explores the deep rot of the political system in India. His vulnerability where he makes love to his American girlfriend and immediately moves on 'to take care of some important work' is just the right touch of suave yet menacing politician. Rajneeti may have an ensemble cast but in the end RK is the hero. In this film, Samar Pratap is head and shoulders above Rancho and Khan. This is RK's coming of age in Bollywood - devoid of

histrionics and leaving behind the other greats in the film. Katrina Kaif's sincerity and earnestness shows in every sequence. She sheds her glam doll image and transforms into an actor with this film. She plays a character whose life changes dramatically and her beauty does not overshadow her performance. Katrina has often been seen on screen playing candy

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floss roles but her performance in Rajneeti proved that she is here for acting. Prakash Jha is known for qualitative cinema and Raajneeti stands tall on the list. Cinema is all about narrating interesting stories on celluloid and for that very reason, Raajneeti deserves distinction marks. Of course, the massive star cast and the sparkling performances are the icing on the cake.

here are great expectations from a movie by Mani Ratnam. He has been a great story teller. But he fails here in the story telling. But, when it comes to the technical aspect of the movie, then yes Raavan is a great work. After a re-telling of the Mahabharata against a political backdrop in Prakash Jha's Raajneeti, filmgoers feast their eyes on a modern-day rewrite of the Ramayana, against a cops-and-robbers canvas. Cop Dev Pratap Sharma (Vikram) has just one mission in his life. He wants to capture the local outlaw, Beera (Abhishek Bachchan) who may be a Robin Hood for the tribals around, nevertheless, he is a law breaker. More importantly, he has kidnapped the cop's beautiful wife, Ragini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) to avenge a personal grouse and has escaped into the dense jungles. Turn of events: the kidnapper falls in love with his trophy victim who too gets indecisive about where her loyalties lie. The film is literally a work of art where one luminescent frame follows another as the scenes keep shifting from one wet and rocky landscape to another misty mountainscape. You can't seem to get enough of the montages that leave you breathless with the excellent camera artistry by Santosh Sivan and Manikandan. From the opening sequences where Beera (Abhishek) smashes his boat into wide-eyed Aishwarya's canoe, to the fleeing, flinging, fulminating visage of Aishwarya, captured against wild waterfalls, turbulent tidal rivers, crumbling trees and silken drizzle, the film is a string of breath taking images. It is essentially just one prolonged chase, where cop Dev (Vikram) relentlessly pursues criminal Beera (Abhishek Bachchan) in order to rescue his wife (Ragini) and book the fugitive who garners great local support. The paper-thin plot in the first half, does get you somewhat restless, despite a seminal scene where Sita-esque Aishwarya suddenly discovers a strange new emotion for a Raavan-esque Abhishek. After having labelled him beastly and brutish, a complete low-life when compared to her devta-like husband Dev, she finds herself being involuntarily drawn towards her kidnapper, despite his muddy visage and his gory past. And herein lies the second hook that draws you to the film: its revisionist tale of a Sita-like heroine flipping for a Raavan-like anti-hero, even as the traditional hero gets imbued in grey tones.... The anti-hero has always remained an alluring figure in cinema lore and Mani Ratnam carries his charisma forward with Raavan. The second half of the film does get a semblance of story, with adequate twists and turns which reflect the Surpanakha legend, the Hanuman-Sita encounter, the Agni-pariksha demand (re-interpreted again as a polygraph test) and the film moves from sheer visual to visceral too. There are enough punches in the second half to keep the momentum going, but by and large, the film scores mostly on art and aesthete. Everything seems to be geared to make Raavan an object d'art, including the music (AR Rahman and Gulzar create a few foot-tapping numbers), the stunts, the cinematography and the no-make-up and heavily-made-up look of Aishwarya and Abhishek respectively. However, a little more attention to the narrative was desperately needed in Raavan. When you've a title like Raavan, the demon king, who couldn't be vanquished by gods, demons or spirits, you expect Raavan aka Beera to be equally powerful, who could send a chill down your spine, who spells terror and fear. But, in Raavan, Beera comes across as a psycho. The streak of madness in his character makes a mockery of the character itself. Also, his makeup and also the shabby avtaars of his family/henchmen is not something that makes them looks menacing. In fact, it makes the entire gang look repulsive. Even the finale leaves a lot to be desired. Ideally, the film should've ended after the fight on the bridge, but the entire track thereafter seems like an addon, which is forced into the screenplay.

BREATHTAKING SCENERY,

clumsy anti-hero

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KOENA MITRA Best feature: What may politely be called oomph. Koena's secret: "I work-out in the gym every day for an hour and a half. I ONLY make an exception if I'm shooting outdoors. Fitness is extremely important for me and I make sure I take time out to exercise. Fruits and salads are my favourite snack and I prefer to munch on a fruit whenever I'm hungry. Water is something that I don't miss during the day. I drink lots of water to keep my fluid level high. Besides, it's great for glowing skin." We think: Koena has a super body and one that she has had to work really hard for, not having the leanness of Kareena or the height of Shilpa. Now if only she could get her nose-job right. In the words of the immortal Rakhi Sawant: "Jo Bhagwan nahin deta, woh doctor deta hai."

July 2010 I 32 I KonnecTV

Kattywith

Does the thought of being grilled ever bother you? Not really. Sometimes it gets tough, because you are saying the same things, especially at the time of the release of a film. How many creative questions can you be asked and how many creative answers can you give? It's part of show business and I feel that anyone who gets bothered doing this shouldn't really be a part of the industry. Did it bother initially? When I was first directing movies way back in 1997-98, it was tough to answer questions because you took each of them so seriously. But, with time, you learn. You can't give heavy duty answers to every single question. I am possibly more articulate today than I was a decade ago. Have you worked on being 'articulate'? If I was practicing the skills of giving an interview and how to give the perfect answer, that would mean that I have a lot of time on my hands. Hope that's not the case! So, no trick to duck personal questions? How much can they ask you about things? First they ask you about your professional life and then they ask you about your personal life. Now, every person has the prerogative to maintain the privacy of their life. If you have to dodge, you make funny answers and you get out of it. Which is what I am doing right now. Why the need to duck? Do 'personal' questions bother you? No. Nothing should bother you. You're not compelled to answer. If it's a question like that, the easiest thing to do is to say I don't have an answer. That's a typical producer's reply! So, your current occupation as the producer of I Hate Love Storys has had some behavioural impact? No. As a producer you are required to do a few things - delegate, trust and just let go. But when you are directing something, your focus and concentration, the burden - it all rests on you. I enjoy producing films, but I am always stressed as a director. Stress is my primary passion. What kind of stress did you relieve on your recent trip to New York? It was an introspective trip. It was important to get distance from the kind of life I was leading, with so much work and so much stress. I needed that time to clear my head, find my space, clean my slate, feel rejuvenated and come back to work, which is what I am doing. Was the stress also because of the brouhaha over My Name Is Khan? That time was tough because it was a big film. I had monumental expectations. But we underwent this entire phase of problems and controversies. We've moved on and I am very proud of the fact that I made this film and where all this film has reached and how it has touched people, not just Asians. I am very happy that I stretched my parameters as a filmmaker and made a film that broke grounds for me. I needed a film to challenge myself and I got it. In terms of my morale, level of happiness and my level of satisfaction, it has been great. So, after a decade in the industry, are you truly 'happy' and 'satisfied'? I love the film industry. It has its flaws - we are a bunch of competitive, ambitious, sometimes petty, sometimes trivial people. But what we have is passion and that's what cements us together. Courtesy: TOI

Karan

July 2010 I 33 I KonnecTV

Home is where good food is: I believe in one thing. It is food that can keep us fit and healthy. It is food that can make us unfit and unhealthy. So why not stick to the first type of food so that we can actually experience longevity? And this first type of food is clearly defined by me as home cooked. It could be hot rotis straight from the flame with a light drizzle of fragrant ghee, the long grains of dazzling white basmati grains that somehow make rajma or kadhi as precious as caviar or those spongy wadas that soak up the sambhar. Well, be it a pulao, or a khichdi, maybe a stew or dal rice, it could be some dry vegetable with roti, but traditional home recipes do wonders for the spirit. These recipes keep the heart ticking ensconced in warmth of tradition and cultural riches. Food eaten together keeps the family together and even if there are major time constraints I am sure something can be done to get hot food onto the table once a day ìthe more Indian it is the betterî the more traditional Indian it is the best!

Aam Ka Panna Ingredients: Raw mangoes 2 large, Cumin powder 2 teaspoons, Black peppercorns, crushed 4-5, Black salt (kala namak) to taste, Asafoetida a pinch, Sugar 1/2 cup Method: Wash and boil mangoes. Let them cool. Peel, mash and strain the pulp. Add cumin powder, crushed peppercorns, black salt, asafeotida and sugar. Mix well till sugar is dissolved. Divide the mixture into four tall glasses, fill it up with chilled water. Stir well and serve.

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Bhajnee Thalipeeth

Chilli Garlic Idlis Ingredients: Parboiled rice 1 cup, Split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal) 1/2 cup, Salt to taste, Green garlic 2 stalks, Red chilli flakes 2 teaspoons Method: Wash and soak rice and urad dal separately for at least four hours. Drain and grind rice to a coarse batter and dal to a fine batter using enough water. Mix both the batters adding sufficient water to get a dropping consistency. Add salt and keep it covered, in a warm place, to allow it to ferment for four to five hours or overnight.Trim, wash and chop green garlic fine. Mix half the chopped green garlic with the fermented batter.Lightly grease the idli moulds with oil. Put some water in the steamer and let it come to a boil. Pour a spoonful of batter into each dent. Sprinkle the remaining chopped green garlic and red chilli flakes on top of each idli and place the mould in the steamer. Steam the idlis for twelve to fifteen minutes. Unmould and serve hot with a chutney of your choice. July 2010 I 34 I KonnecTV

Ingredients: Bhajnee flour 3 cups, Salt to taste, Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon, Onion, finely chopped 1 medium, Olive oil 2 teaspoons + to shallow fry Method: Mix salt, turmeric powder, onion and two teaspoons of olive oil with bhajnee flour. Add water as required, a little at a time and form into a soft dough. Divide dough in to eight equal portions. Flatten each portion, on a moist banana leaf or a thick polythene sheet, into quarter inch thick discs of four to five inches diameter. Make a hole in the center of each thalipeeth. Heat a tawa (griddle), spoon a little oil and transfer thalipeeth carefully onto the tawa. Spoon a little oil on the sides of thalipeeth and cook on low heat for one minute. Turn the thalipeeth and cook the other side for one minute or till crisp and golden brown. Serve hot with yogurt.

TIME

JULY 2010

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DID L'il Masters - Season 1

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Devi Jamuniya

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22:30

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