Konnectv E-Magazine by Sachin Dawande

CONTENTS

KONNECTING! Dear Readers, ith the onset of winter new shows have arrived on our Channels to keep the family huddled up in front of TV. After a highly successful Rahul Ka Swayamvar, NDTV Imagine launches a new reality show - Desi Girl, produced by BBC in a village in Punjab. The show will require eight Mumbai celebrity contestants to shun their glamorous lives and work for winning the hearts of villagers. And in the end, it is the villagers who will decide who their Desi Girl is. Another new program on NDTV Imagine - Sarv Gun Sampanna, is the story of Swara, a Lavni dancer whose parents dream of getting her married in a respectable family. Dance India Dance Lil Masters 2010 starts this month on Zee TV, in which children between the age group 5-13 compete to become the next dancing star of India. Jhansi Ki Rani - a historical show on Zee TV is based on the life of Rani Laxmibai, an ordinary girl who went on to become an extraordinary ruler. For those who missed the DID Season II Grand Final, the repeat telecast will be on 1st May. Star Plus launches Zara Nachke Dikha, a highly entertaining show with a mix of dance, fun, masti and drama. Also watch Bollywood hits like Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge, Sarkar Raaj, Drona, De Dhana Dan and much more. On the big screen, movies like Rajneeti, Kites and Badmaash Company are slated for release this month. Read about these in the current issue. IPL 3 season finally came to an end with a thrilling final and a glamorous closing ceremony in the packed to capacity D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai. We cover main highlights in this issue; along with our other regular features. For those of you who are still not connected, join the growing Konnectv family today and be a part of the excitement filled month. Call us for a special offer. We would love to hear from you. Write to us at info@konnectv.com.au. Call us between 9 am and 7 pm Monday to Friday and 9am and 1 pm on Saturdays. For regular updates and program schedules log on to our website www.konnectv.com.au

ABHISHEK NARANG CEO

Publisher: KonnecTV Australia Suite 1B, 137-139 Silverwater Rd, Silverwater NSW 2128 Tel: 1300 797 012, Fax: 1300 794 210 abhishekn@konnectv.com, w w w.konnectv.com.au Ad enquiries please write to us at: rohansanghvi@konnectv.com Design: DIP Media

MAY 2010 I KONNECTV

THE TUBE 2 Keshav Pandit Ekta Kapoor's upcoming venture Keshav Pandit is an Indian version of Robin Hood.

4 Zara Nach Ke Dikha-2 This biggest battle of the sexes sees a razzmatazz of celebrities fighting it out in the ultimate dance battle of superiority.

Eight Mumbai glamour girls compete to win the hearts of villagers and ultimately the title of 'Desi Girl'

COVER STORY Badmaash Company Shahid & friends excel in doing wrong things, right way

May 2010 I 1 I KonnecTV

BEAUTY TIPS 37 Kareena fit and glowing

Vegetarian food & lot of water keeps

STAR TALK

TINSEL TALK

38 Genelia D'Souza

8 Marriage? Not yet Katrina Kaif changes her mind about marriage

A traveller at heart, Genelia loved trip to Australia

10 Slapped hard Priyanka Chopra slapped hard a stranger trying to grab her

10 Raj-Nargis romance

Sons of Raj Kapoor squash attempt to make film on Raj-Nargis romance.

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

5 Desi Girl

ani Laxmi Bai's name is engraved in golden letters in our history. This show is a tribute to her bravery, gallantry and patriotism. This is an attempt to bring forth the human side of the rani, who was not just a great warrior but a human being with a golden heart. Lesser known nuances and facets of her life and character are brought to the fore. The story tracks her life from childhood to adulthood and how she reflects the brave soldier who fought against the imperialist British p o w e r and was instrumental in freeing India.

kta Kapoor's upcoming venture Keshav Pandit, a weekly show on Zee TV, is in search of its lead cast. The show replicates a novel written by Ved Prakash Sharma and its concept is all about the character in the novel named Keshav Pandit. Our source informs, "The casting of the

show is gearing its speed day by day. Even though the channel has approached Shabbir Ahuwalia to play the lead but in fact the channel is in search of a fresh new face to essay the lead role. Thus, Baron Sobti who was last seen in Shraddha on Star Plus is tipped for the role. Baron said, "Yes, I have been approached for the role but still things have to be worked out. The show is in a pre-production level, so, I can't reveal much. I can just say that 'Keshav Pandit' is an Indian version of Robin Hood."

ee TV takes Dance India Dance to a different level. The dancers in this show are just not dancers, they will enchant you, purely mesmerize you, surely enthral you. Once again bringing for its viewers The "Dance Ke Baap" Lux Dance India Dance has given India its dancing star and now it is a season with Kids. Age Group 5 - 13 Yrs Format • 16 contestants will be divided into 4 groups consisting of 2 girls and 2 boys • These 4 teams will be trained by team leader • Team leaders will be Dance India Dance's 4 ace contestant dancers

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haani is the only daughter of Rohini - a widow. Badri Narayan, an affluent, high caste Brahmin comes with a marriage proposal for his son Amber. Tragedy strikes just when the marriage ceremonies are completed and it is time for Dhaani's Vidaai. Badri Narayan discovers that Dhaani belongs to schedule cast. Badri Narayan becomes livid and refuses to accept Dhaani as his daughter in law. Fate takes another twist when Amber is forced to get married to another girl, Sarla who is as simple and naĂ&#x201D;ve as her name. Time flies until Dhaani decides to take the bold step of entering her husband's household in the disguise of a naukrani, all in an attempt to seek solace in following her patni dharam and serving her husband. Dhaani and Sarla develop a special bond and Sarla magnanimously accepts Dhaani. However, Amber's father finds out and throws Dhaani out of the house. Where does Dhaani go now?

his biggest battle of the sexes will be telecast across 40 countries from May 1. Produced by SOL, Zara Nachke Dikha, promises viewers a high voltage entertainment with a mix of dance, fun, masti, drama and a lot more. With an unprecedented razzmatazz of celebrities fighting it out in the ultimate dance battle of superiority. Nine sensational Masakalis (female participants) and macho Mastkalandars (male participants) are set to bring the dance floor alive with their grooves, in a bid to establish the clear leader between boys and girls. Not to be left behind, are young and budding child prodigies - Sparsh and Ayush who will bring the kid power to the fore. An extremely glamorous and highly talented set of jury members are set to judge the show. The participants will be assessed not only for their dancing talent but will also for their performance based on different theme based dances, innovative use of props, impromptu challenge facing abilities, strategies to win the battle, team spirit etc. - all related to the demands of each round as the competition progresses. The show will move beyond dance as one of the rounds will have the contestants competing against each other through fun physical games. May 2010 I 4 I KonnecTV

yoti is the perfect example of how the eldest of three daughters, works harder than three sons put together and to be the man of the house for her family. A woman who gracefully faces all obstacles without flinching to give her maternal family everything they need and a lot of what they desire, without ever learning to give up. But one day she painfully discovers that beneath the veneer of helpless concern for her, she was actually, no more than a golden goose for most of her family. And that the one person, whom she always thought, had been waiting in the wings to envelope her with love is the one who delivers her the hardest blow of all. Will Jyoti crumble with the impact of these painful revelations about her loved ones? Or will she be able to weather these storms to stand stronger than before? Even when her own sister, whom she had always treated like her own daughter, back stabbed her and stole away her lover. Even when her husband, for whom she had left her whole world behind to become the eyes of his soul, threw her out of the house in her delicate state of pregnancy, on hearing a fact of her life, which held no truth. Even after all this, Jyoti soldiers on, bringing to the lives of those around her the light that she has always brought... No matter whether her own life is full of sunshine or of overcast clouds.

Sarv Gun Sampanna (Mon-Fri) is the story of Swara, a well-known "Lavni dancer", endowed with beauty, good qualities and a good voice. Her parents' dream is that she should get married to a boy from respectable family.

Desi Girl is a reality show in which eight Mumbai glamour girls are transplanted to a real village in Punjab. In the village, they compete with each other in various tasks to win the hearts of the villagers and ultimately the title of 'Desi Girl'

namika tells the story of an escort Jia (Minissha Lamba), who gets married to Vikram Sisodiya (Dino Morea) after a two-day courtship. Before marrying Jia, Vikram confesses that his first wife, Anamika, had died under mysterious circumstances. Vikram and Jia fly to Vikram's ancestral home in Gajner in Rajasthan. Vikram's childhood friend Malini (Koena Mitra) looks after the home. Now begins the storyâ&#x20AC;Ś. Everyone in Gajner seems to be obsessed with Anamika and Jia begins to sense this. In fact, Jia is constantly compared to Anamika. Worse, she even sees Anamika's spirit in the palace. In a turn of events, Anamika's dead body is discovered and the police (Gulshan Grover, Dino's brother-in-law) re-open the case. All fingers point to Vikram. Is he the murderer? Loosely based on the novel Rebecca, Anamika is a difficult subject to make. But after the initial hiccups, the director succeeds in involving the viewer in the mysterious world of Anamika. The backdrop of Rajasthan, the isolated palace and the reference to Anamika at every point only deepens the mystery. So far so good! Dino surprises you with a controlled performance. Also, he carries the regal look convincingly. Minissha is a revelation. She's getting better and better with every release. Koena is first-rate. Gulshan Grover is effective. Achint Kaur is highly competent. Vishwajeet Pradhan and Jatin Grewal are okay. On the whole, Anamika is a letdown only in the second half.

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MARRIAGE? NOT YET K

atrina Kaif confesses she had said that "maybe I would be married in two years time." She said in an interview, "But things are different now and there is still time before I get married. As the saying goes, 'man proposes, God disposes', every time we make a plan God changes it." "I have learnt not to make plans in life, because a lot of time you make a plan that is not going to work for you. Right now I am working on my career and trying to be genuine to my work. If you respect what you have got, God will give you what you need." When asked about her up-coming film Raajneeti, and how hard it was working in a serious film like that, she says, "When one works in a serious film people think that maybe more work has gone into it. But the fact is that to make a successful film is the hardest thing. Every film of mine which has been a success has been equally hard - be it 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' and 'Singh is Kinng' or 'New York' and 'Raajneeti'. Whether it's a comedy or a serious film, moviemaking is a serious business and there is lot of money dragging on it. I give it my 100 percent."

BEVERLY HOME V

idhu Vinod Chopra has become the first B'town celebrity to own a house in Beverly Hills. His home is bang opposite the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. A source said, "Vidhu's latest, 3 Idiots, has grossed over Rs 425 crore and is still making money. Also, he's in discussion with many Hollywood stars for his next directorial venture, Broken Horses (starring Mickey Rourke), the shooting for which starts on September 13 in Mew Mexico. His neighbours are celebs like Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney, Pamela Anderson, Jay Leno, Madonna, Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy and Sylvester Stallone, among others." Vidhu confirmed, "Yes, I have a house in Beverly Hills. I've been working out of there as we are now doing pre-production for Broken Horses." May 2010 I 8 I KonnecTV

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his has to be the most uncanny coincidence to have happened in Hindi cinema so far. Just when we have Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik being accused of bigamy on the eve of his wedding to Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, Sajid Khan's 'Houseful' has come up with a situation that bears an uncanny resemblance to the 'Shonia affair'. In the comedy, Akshay Kumar's wedding to Deepika Padukone is rudely interrupted by a woman, played by Jiah Khan, claiming to be his wife. When questioned about the similarity, Akshay Kumar said: 'I never thought of it. Now that you've pointed it out I guess there's a resemblance. Actually I've three women claiming to be my wife in the film.' But the actual sequence where Akshay's wedding to Deepika is interrupted is too close to the happenings in the life of the Shoaib and Sania to be a coincidence. Director Sajid Khan said: 'What can I say, except that this is a case of life imitating art? We do have a sequence where Akshay's wedding is interrupted by a woman claiming to be his wife. Compounding the similarities with the real life situation which are grabbing headlines is the fact that the first wife's claims are not as simple as they seem. But I repeat the similarities are coincidental. I wrote my script two years ago.'

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This time to be caught in a mishap is south siren Asin who was out of breath when there was a sudden gas leak in her vanity van whilst shooting for the Tamil movie ‘Kaavalkaran’

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he natural charmer that is Akshay Kumar was on location in the rural village of Malshej Ghat shooting for Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan, in which he plays a conman who falls for "lucky charm" Katrina Kaif. Akshay noticed a group of local women cutting grass and decided that it would be fun to get them to join him in the publicity pictures. The village belles were reluctant at first but after the sweet talking Khiladi broke out in respectful Marathi, they quickly changed their minds and had a wonderful time shooting photos, even matching Akshay in a couple of dance steps. This multi-tasking of a photo shoot and a film shoot may seem impressive but that is nothing for our Khiladi who is currently doing promotions for Housefull and shooting for three films Tees Maar Khan, Action Replayy, and Thank You. And although you won't get to hear Akshay speak Marathi in Housefull, the film will feature the multilinguist Akshay speaking Punjabi while Deepika Padukone will speak Telugu, and Riteish will speak in Marathi. Chunky Pandey gets a comedy touch with Italian!

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ASIN FAINTS

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The village belles were reluctant at first but after the sweet talking Khiladi broke out in respectful Marathi, they quickly changed their minds and had a wonderful time shooting photos, even matching Akshay in a couple of dance steps

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Akshay & BELLES

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SHOAIBSANIA FILM

ishaps are a common experience with shootings and film stars. This time to be caught in a mishap is south siren Asin who was out of breath when there was a sudden gas leak in her vanity van whilst shooting for the Tamil movie ëKaavalkaraní. Asin was getting ready for the shoot when there was a leak in gas line and the vanity van suddenly became stuffy and gloomy. The gas made the actress along with her hair dresser and make-up man unconscious. The worried unit members rushed the three to a hospital 20 kms away from the location of the shoot. However, things were soon under control. Asin and others have recovered fully and are already back on the sets and have started shooting. May 2010 I 9 I KonnecTV

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However, Ekta insists that the film will focus on the real Smitha and not the sleaze she was known for. It will delve behind her screen persona and look into what led to her tragic death

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SILKYVIDYA

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riyanka Chopra had a tough time on the sets of her film opposite Zayed Khan recently when a stranger tried to grab her as soon as she stepped out of her vanity van. Priyanka Chopra was getting ready to join her colleagues for dinner when this incident took place. As soon as the actress stepped out of her vanity, a stranger who appeared to be in his twenties caught hold of the actress and pulled her closer. Surprised at this sudden misbehaviour Priyanka slapped the guy hard in his face to teach him a lesson. This saved the situation from getting worse. The ruckus invited the attention of other colleagues who rushed to her rescue. The guy was let off and no police complaint has been filed against him by the actress.

idya Balan will play Silk Smitha in The Dirty Picture, Ekta Kapoor's biopic on the late bombshell. The script is finally ready and Milan Luthria will direct the film. However, Ekta insists that the film will focus on the real Smitha and not the sleaze she was known for. It will delve behind her screen persona and look into what led to her tragic death. She claims the dancer defied all conventions to become a superstar, thus making her a powerful example of women's empowerment. Vidya confirmed that she had been approached for the film. Silk Smitha was born Vijayalakshmi to poor parents in Andhra Pradesh. She left her studies to make a career in films. In 1996, her fans were shocked when she was found dead in her apartment.

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HARD

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SLAPPED

RAJ-NARGIS ROMANCE K

apoor brothers Rishi, Randhir and Rajiv have registered a strong protest against Yash Rajís attempt to make a film on the Raj Kapoor-Nargis romance. Aditya Chopra had mentioned the film to Ranbir Kapoor, who might have played his grandfather, Raj Kapoor, in the proposed Yash Raj venture. However, when Ranbir discussed the idea with his father, Rishi Kapoor, he didnít like the idea one bit, and informed his brothers, Randhir and Rajiv. All three agreed that this was something they wouldnít support. “A film on our dadís days with Nargisji? Nothing doing,” the Kapoor brothers categorically told Ranbir, while to Yash Raj Films, they said, “Weíd appreciate it if you stop entertaining the idea of making a film on our dad and Nargisji.” A source says, “Why only Randhir, Rishi or Rajiv? Even Nargisjiís children, Sanjay, Priya and Namrata, wouldnít like such a film being made.” When asked, Randhir said, “Iím hearing this for the first time.” May 2010 I 10 I KonnecTV

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TOP

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he youngest members of the cast in Gurinder Chadha's new film 'It's A Wonderful Afterlife' are the director's twin sons Ronak and daughter Kumiko. Apparently, both the kids not only insisted on being part of the film they even out-performed the veterans on screen. Laughs Gurinder, "Yes my twins make their acting debut in my film, not once but twice. And both the times they steal the show. They first appear in a sequence in a park with my husband Paul and then later in a wedding scene throwing flowers at the bride and the groom." Not only that, the twins feature in the end-titles of its 'A Wonderful Afterlife' with their mother. "I can tell you this much, Ronak and Kumiko are naturals in front of the camera." Gurinder's next venture would be a children's film set in Kerala. It would be dedicated to her twins.

ON WAY TO D

eepika is working in close to half a dozen films today. With confidence looming large in her voice and the desire to succeed pretty apparent, she can be seen marching her way to the top. After having understood the ways of the industry, does she feel like being on the right track as far as this journey is concerned? “See, if I am good at what I do, everything will fall in place”, says Deepika without mincing any words, “If I am honest to my profession, I will get all the right films, endorsements, and fan following and of course money.” With the trio of Kareena, Katrina and Priyanka being the choice of quite a few when it comes to quintessential Bollywood fare, Deepika says she doesnít believe in the number one business. “Really, I donít intend to get into the number business since my work should speak for itself. Having said, personally speaking, the best sense of achievement that I get is when my work is appreciated. I am making the best choices from the work coming my way and my instinct says that they should only consolidate my career further”, concludes Deepika with a smile.

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TWINS DEBUT

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hough he is still hot property in Bollywood, but actor John Abraham is proving unlucky as far as his films are concerned. Now, the latest is that the actor's upcoming film with David Dhawan has been shelved for the moment. Hook Ya Crook, which is produced by UTV and has John in the lead, has been shelved since the producers think that the product is not up to the mark. This will be the second time John's film is facing such a situation. Earlier his film with Nagesh Kuknoor met a similar fate after it got shelved. Though, John is considered to be among the top actors in Bollywood, but it seems his luck is not in top form at the moment.

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JOHN IS UNLUCKY

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KAJRARE KAJRARE

SALMAN STYLEBHAI

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ne knows that Saif Ali Khan is obsessed with girlfriend Kareena Kapoor. Who can forget that he has tattooed her name on his forearm? But every new facet to this obsession makes it to the headlines. The latest is that Saif is enamoured by Kareena's kohl-lined eyes. His fascination started after seeing how expressive her kohl-lined eyes looked in the first half of Kurbaan. In fact, Saif couldn't stop looking at Kareena every time she would do up her eyes for the film. It only made Saif realise how much Bebo loves kajal. Now, Saif's close observation has gone beyond the film. We now know one very private secret of the couple. While watching Kareena getting ready to accompany him for a recent event, Saif, who normally leaves everything aside to watch her eyes transform after she puts on her kajal, told someone around that he can never have enough of this moment. The actor is said to have said, "God, Bebo hardly uses any make up. She just uses a simple kohl pencil and her eyes light up." Saif is not comfortable talking too much about his love for Kareena's gorgeous peepers but Kareena did admit that even in Agent Vinod her character will have smoky eyes in some portions of the film. The actress said, "I can't reveal any details on the character but I can say that Saif likes me with my eyes made up like I had done in Kurbaan. Sometimes I do up my eyes that way when I attend functions with him. You could say that he has designed this look for me even in Agent Vinod. I can hardly wait to get to Tuscany where we will shoot our second schedule for Agent Vinod and I guess I will be wearing this special make up with nicely done eyes, just the way Saif likes them," gushed Kareena.

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he subject of Sudhir Mishra's next flick Driver fleetingly refers to one of Delhi's infamous hit-and-run case Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra is known to explore the social fabric of society in his movies. However, he stands firmly opposed to sensationalising the darkening culture of our times. And his upcoming project Driver is proof of that. Driver is a dark tale about young man lost in the maze of a vulgar culture, trying to make something out of his life. That it also has a hit-and-run episode, similar to the one that took place in Delhi years ago, is just one of the episodes," says Mishra. He explains, "Driver will be about the new New Delhi. It'll be seen through the eyes of a young man, who becomes lost in this world unwillingly. There's a dark, sexual side to it as well. This is about another kind of new money behaviour, about emerging wildness, about people living on the other side of the law. You know, the guys with BentleysÖwho don't care about the law." But since he will be shooting in Delhi, there will there be association to the Sanjeev Nanda hit-and-run case? "My movie is about a new kind of culture emerging in India, which could be in any city. It's just that I like shooting in Delhi. I understand the characters here, I understand North India per se. It's not merely about Delhi, even though I could have taken true stories. But, I don't. The movie, I'd say, is not a true story, but a truthful story. I'm not interested in slander."

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CASE

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HIT & RUN

alman Khan doesnít show off. While other actors announce how they charter planes, or how they have bath in mineral water, etc, Salman is a cool cat (or do we say cool Kat?) He does things in style and no one even gets a whiff of it most of the time. Unless, of course something truly leaks out. Like he was recently meant to be taking a private charter for a business trip. And news has it that when he arrived at the airstrip, not one but three planes were waiting to fly bhai to his destination. Salman was asked to pick a plane of his choice. Incidentally, Salman loves his private charters because he can light up when he is flying. Yeah, the actor hates to be told that he canít smoke on those long plane journeys.

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NATIONAL OBSESSION

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or a scene in Raavana, Mani Ratnam had to keep a camera trained on a pregnant cow for 10 long hours to capture it delivering a calf Some time ago, while shooting for Raavana, a particular scene required to show a pregnant white cow delivering the calf. The perfectionist that he is, filmmaker Mani Ratnam got together 20 pregnant white cows to shoot a real birth. In the scene, Abhishek Bachchan, who plays the title role of Raavana, goes to meet someone in a cowshed and sees the birth of a calf. A source from the unit says, "Mani sir arranged for 20 pregnant cows, all due for delivery in the next fortnight. We were shooting in Orccha in Madhya Pradesh where a shed had been built for these cows. For two weeks, the cows stayed there. As soon as we got a go ahead from the vet regarding which one of them was due to deliver the first, we set the camera and waited for the action to begin." On D-day, the camera was kept ready from sunrise. The source adds, "All of us were present on the sets as early as 6 am. The camera was ready to roll by 6.30 am. The entire crew was lounging around waiting for the cow to deliver. It's rare that one gets to relax on the sets of Mani sir's film, but this scene was unique. Finally, after almost ten hours, the calf was out. Abhishek was the first to react, clapping and announcing, 'we have a baby on our sets'.

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BOVINE PATIENCE

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he sweltering Mumbai heat claimed its first victim in Bollywood. Tanishaa Mukerji fainted on the first day shoot of 'Be Careful' due to dehydration. The film was being shot at Juhu. A source says, "Director Chandrakant Singh was shooting a scene with Tanishaa and Rajneesh Duggal. The scene required them to get out of a car and enter a coffee shop in Juhu. The actors were giving a couple of takes from different camera angles when Tanishaa suddenly passed out. The shocked unit members carried her to her vanity van and a doctor was called immediately. As Tanishaa passed out due to dehydration, she was asked to drink some nimbu paani and rest for a while. She resumed shooting after some time." Confirming the news, Tanishaa says, "I didn't drink enough water after my run yesterday morning. I guess it could also be because of the sudden change in climate. I recently came back from LA and the excessive humidity in Mumbai resulted in dehydration."

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CAREFUL, DON'T FAINT

he top three girls in Bollywood - Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra are obsessed with just one thing, that is the National Award. Right now, PC is smiling like a Cheshire cat because she has already beat her two contemporaries in the quest for the highest acting honour given out by the Indian Government. "I've won my National Award when I'm still in my 20s," says Priyanka. "I'm one of the youngest girls to get this honour, and of course, I'm thrilled," says the actress who walked away with the Best Actress Award for Fashion. Now, Kareena, who has borrowed Priyanka's director Madhur Bhandarkar to make some saga on a mix of Marilyn Monroe and other actresses' lives, is also hoping that she will receive the National Award for her Madhur movie in 2011. Not to be forgotten, Katz is keeping her fingers crossed that she gets the National Award for Rajneeti. She insists her role is effective, but not very lengthy... but deep inside she is hoping that postRajneeti, the junta starts taking her seriously as an actress. She seems to have had enough of being just a glamour doll who happens to be 'lucky'.

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espite all the loveydovey public appearances, star couple Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan lost out to actors Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif (KKK) when it came to being the `hottest Bollywood couple' of the decade. Of the 38,648 respondents to an online poll, 36 per cent voted for Sallu and Kat. While Abhi-Ash got 27 per cent, actors Bipasha Basu and John Abraham scored 13 per cent and Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan got barely six per cent of the votes. The poll, MSN's Decade Special For Bollywod, also had categories such as `Hottest liplock of the decade' and `Superstar of the decade'. Leading the `hottest liplock' category with 39 per cent votes, is Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat's famous kiss in the 2004 film Murder. Hrithik Roshan and Ash's Dhoom 2 smooch and Saifeena's liplock in Kurbaan came second and third respectively. Interestingly, all the top three films in the `Best film' category -- 3 Idiots, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti -- are actor Aamir Khan's blockbusters. In the category for `Worst Film', 48 per cent votes went to Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, followed by Sci-Fi flicks Drona and Love Story 2050.

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KKK HOTTEST COUPLE

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acqueline Fernandez is used to getting compliments about her looks, but the pretty gal is more than happy that she is being appreciated for her acting skills in Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai, presented by Warner Bros Pictures & People Tree Films. ìWhen you make a film, at the back of your mind is the thought that youíre appreciated for it,î she admits, adding, ìSo Iím finding it really cool that people are appreciating me for my acting. Being praised for your looks is an added advantage but for an actor, the best compliment is that he or she has performed well.î As for the praises coming her way for her casual yet stylish presence in the film, itís her stylist and make-up artist that Jacqueline would like to give credit to. ìItís these people who really make all the difference,î she says. The actress says that Jaane KahanÖ is a film that will always be close to her heart because she got a chance to play a character that not too many have played before ñ an alien! ìI really couldnít miss this opportunity when it came my way!î she says with a smile. The audience too seems to think so!

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WELCOME KUDOS

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BARBARA UNPLUGGED, IN HINDI B

arbara Mori has a platform in Bollywood that debutantes can only dream of. Her sex appeal has encouraged a producer to dub her Spanish film, My Brother's Wife, in Hindi and release it close to the release of her big ticket, Kites. Buzz is that many Bollywood producers want to cash in on her sexy image and dub some of her Spanish films in Hindi and release it on and around May 21, when Kites is slated to hit the theatres. But the producer most likely to win the race is Jayantilal Gada (the man behind PEN - Popular Entertainment Network Limited) who is about to lock the deal on My Brother's Wife. Rumour has it that Gada wanted to release the Hindi version of My Brother's Wife before Kites, but his talks with the producers, though in an advanced stage, have still not reached a conclusion. However, he is unfazed about the fact that he will now have to probably release it two-three weeks after Kites. He has done all the spadework, which includes cutting promos, and once he locks his deal with the producer of My Brother's Wife, he will put them on air. A source says, "Even if Gada gets 15-20 per cent of the audience that Kites gets, he will still make a decent profit. In fact, he is sure that he can bring in the audience with his Hindi version of My Brother's Wife." Explaining why Gada is confident, the source says, "Barbara is known for her sex appeal and she has done some very bold scenes in My Brother's Wife. Having got a lot of coverage in the Indian media, she is also a known face now. Plus, she is making her Bollywood debut with Hrithik Roshan, who is the darling of the masses. So, the producer feels he has a safe bet in the Hindi version of My Brother's Wife."

ABOUT MY BROTHER'S WIFE M y Brother's Wife is the story of Zoe (Barbara Mori) and Ignacio (Christian Meier), a couple childless after many years. A businessman who goes off on business trips alone, Ignacio has a shortcoming: no matter how carnally needy his wife is, he won't budge unless it's a Saturday, his love-making day. She wants a child but her husband is sterile; he suggests adoption but she nixes it. Enter Gonzalo (Manolo Cardona), Ignacio's kid brother, a painter who lives off Ignacio's monthly support. Zoe and Gonzalo have an affair, and she gets pregnant.

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ASH PLAYING BOBBY The film-maker is currently seeking permission to shoot the song in Gulmarg where the song was shot in the 70s. Yes, the same cabin is now a tourist attraction. And, Vipul is very excited about shooting here with Ash playing Bobby

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emember the eternal face of classical Indian beauty Madhubala? The stunning actress, who made all ladies go green with envy and men weak in their knees, has caught the fancy of director Anurag Basu. Smitten by the iconic beautyís affair with Kishore Kumar, the filmmaker has found a fitting lass in Katrina Kaif to reprise the role of Madhubala onscreen. After playing a tough politician in Rajneeti, Kat will now be seen essaying the role of a lifetime. According to sources, Kat was finalized for the project after she opted out of Basuís other film, Silence, in which she was to co-star with Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor. Whatís interesting is that Kat has already started doing her homework for the role and watched Mughal-e-Azam, Mahal and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. Talking about Katrina, Anurag said, “I think itís a little early to talk about it. I still havenít got the principal cast of my current project, Silence, in place. But yes, Katrina is someone I am very, very fond ofÖfor her looks, talent and nature. I am definitely working with her, if not in Silence, then in my next film.”

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KATRINA AS MADHUBALA R

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alman Khan must be really envious of Akshay Kumar! Akki is fortunate enough to romance not only Sallu's girlfriend Katrina Kaif in various films but also ex-girlfriend Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in 'Action Replayy'. Akshay is all set to do a cozy, romantic number with Mrs Bachchan. The song will have stanzas dedicated to the famous screen couples of the 70s and director Vipul Shah has included lines from the famous 'Bobby' song - "Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho." Ash is excited about the song and she is

looking forward to play the legendary role of 'Bobby', even though for a short sequence. The film-maker is currently seeking permission to shoot the song in Gulmarg where the song was shot in the 70s. Yes, the same cabin is now a tourist attraction. And, Vipul is very excited about shooting here with Ash playing Bobby." And if Akki comes across any problem while shooting the song, he has the original 'Bobby' - mom-in-law Dimple Kapadia for reference anytime!

Sikh Games in Brisbane celebrate Punjabi culture Prabhnoor Gill, a young talented girl from Brisbane, won the title of Miss Kaur competition. The competition consisted of knowing about Punjabi language, culture, customs and traditions. The contestants were dressed in their Punjabi traditional costumes to reflect the essence of Punjabi culture

he 23rd Sikh Games and Cultural Carnival was celebrated in Brisbane on April 2, 3 and 4. The annual Carnival, now in its 23rd year, is celebrated in the Australian capital cities by rotation and is the major focal point for all the Punjabi people to get together and celebrate their cultural and social heritage. The event was covered by Konnectv. In addition to sporting events such as soccer, netball, golf, volleyball and kabaddi; national and international Punjabi artists also performed in Brisbane. Cultural contests were a huge success namely Bhangra, Giddha, Gatka, turban tying and the annual Miss Punjaban contest. Prabhnoor Gill, a young talented girl from Brisbane, won the title of Miss Kaur competition. The competition consisted of knowing about Punjabi language, culture, customs and traditions. The contestants were dressed in their Punjabi traditional costumes to reflect the essence of Punjabi culture. The scale of the festival is growing by the year; some 20,000 people attended the 23rd Sikh Games. The

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organisers worked hard in creating the best ever event. The festival was held at the quality venue Morton Bay Sports Club at Tingalpa. The host community provided free lunch to inter-state and international visitors. The carnival is a fine example of community spirit as the entire event was organised by volunteers and was financed by donations and charitable fundraising.

hahid Kapoor and Anushka Sharma are certainly a pair to watch out for in Yash Raj Films' Badmaash Company. They are supported by Meiyang Chang and Vir Das. Directed by Parmeet Sethi, Badmaash Company is an extraordinary story of four young friends who get together to start a company. The music of the film has been composed by Pritam Life in the 1990s was remarkably different for the average Indian. Consumerism had not set in. It was devoid of most of the luxuries of the West. In fact everything "imported" was good, and everything Indian, passe. In middle class Bombay (as it was known then), four ordinary youngsters Karan (Shahid Kapoor), Bulbul (Anushka Sharma), Chandu (Vir Das) and Zing (Meiyang Chang) come together to start an import business of things longed for by yuppie Indians! What made their venture such a stupendous success was the fact that they found a way to beat the system and soon became the undisputed kings in their business, realising their one dream of making quick money by doing all the wrong thingsâ&#x20AC;Ś the right way! Living the life of champagne wishes and caviar dreams, the four friends discover that to make a business successful you don't need big money. All you need is a big idea! With their larger than life schemes, the four go on a wild roller coaster ride into the world of sheer glitz and glamour where the stakes are high and risks even higher! All was well and hunky dory till one day the four maverick entrepreneurs are forced to shut shopĂ&#x2013; until they come up with yet another perfect plan to beat the system... Just one more time...! Kissing row There are many stories about the shooting of Badmash Company which were picked up by gossip mags. It is said Anushka Sharma showed her disapproval over kissing Shahid Kapoor. Yes, it is a wonder because any girl would leap at the opportunity to kiss Shahid but Anushka made her discomfort very apparent. This is because she had to smooch him not just once but three times. May 2010 I 24 I KonnecTV

The kisses came into the script because Anushka and Shahid got along really well on the sets of the film in the US. Director Parmeet Sethi and YRF obviously wanted to show this chemistry on screen too. As Anushka wasn't too happy about the kissing scenes, Parmeet had to convince her a lot until she agreed. Shahid, on the other hand, made no fuss about kissing her. Massage service During the shooting in Bangkok, it seems Shahid Kapoor's private massage session at a hotel turned out to be one of those downright dirty ones Shahid Kapoor is a magnet for ragging. After being teased mercilessly by a group of girls who asked him to take off his ganji and bare his chest while he was shooting for Badmaash Company on a beach in Bangkok, he once again had the fright of his life in the Thai city. Accompanied by co-stars Vir Das and Meiyang Chang, Shahid landed up at a massage parlour in the hotel. But he soon realised that he had made one of the biggest mistakes of his life when the massage turned out to be one of those 'naughty' massages, which Bangkok is so famous for. The embarrassing incident happened during the film's final schedule in Bangkok. As there was hardly any scene to be shot on that particular day, the three boys decided to chill out by going for a relaxing massage. A source says, "Shahid, Vir and Chang entered separate private rooms for a massage. A few minutes later, they were seen running out of their respective massage rooms." The three boys came out redfaced and looked at each other very sheepishly. They asked each other, "Kya tere saath bhi wohi hua jo mere saath hua?" Falling chandelier Bollywood has frequently used chandeliers. While shooting for a music video, Anushka Sharma only just missed a chandelier that came down on the sets at MT Studio, Andheri. Shahid Kapoor and Anushka were shooting underneath a huge chandelier as was decided earlier. Everyone was shocked when it came down suddenly. Shahid however, was quick and got Anushka out of the way. According to Ahmed Khan, Shahid pulled her towards himself. The choreographer blames himself for it and feels that the instructions should have been correct. Anushka confirmed that Shahid acted quickly. Shahid states that it was nothing major, playing up his modesty. This happens to be the second time Shahid has saved a leading lady from trouble. He earlier saved his Kaminey co-star Priyanka Chopra from falling off a scooter, where she was the pillion rider.

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It is said Anushka Sharma showed her disapproval over kissing Shahid Kapoor. Yes, it is a wonder because any girl would leap at the opportunity to kiss Shahid but Anushka made her discomfort very apparent. This is because she had to smooch him not just once but three times

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Difficult Shahid There were also stories about how Shahid refused to listen to first-time director Parmeet Sethi and choreographer Ahmed Khan on the sets. While shooting for the movie's title song at MT Studios, Shahid played difficult again. The song required him to wear a white vest in a pub but he showed his reluctance to do so. The team was bugged with the fact that Shahid knew beforehand that he was required to wear the vest. But when he reached the sets, he didn't want to wear it and gave the reasons that he hadn't been working out in the gym for a while because of his father, Pankaj Kapur's directorial debut, Mausam. His role in Mausam is that of a depressed man and he had to look convincing for it. Shahid didn't want to wear the vest despite being told that the producer of the film, Aditya Chopra, specifically wanted him to wear that vest. Finally, director Parmeet Sethi had to arrange for a half-sleeved white t-shirt. Only then did Shahid agree to shoot.

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Kites

International love triangle

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ajneeti is a story about Indian politics. A few people who control the destiny of billions, their unstoppable ambition and their bitter and violent battle to achieve it. Bhaskar Sanyal (Nasreruddin Shah) is a fire-brand leftist leader, feared for his single-handed ability to challenge the most powerful leaders and respected for his political integrity. Until one private mistake that leads him into self-imposed exile and spawns a secret consequence that shakes the destiny and political future of the state. Sooraj (Ajay Devgn) rises from the backward classes - with anger in his heart and leadership on his mind. And yet, his destiny could never overcome the tragedy of his birth. Brij Gopal (Nana Patekar) shuns every political ambition while continuing to mentor and guide the younger generation of leaders. Prithvi Pratap (Arjun Rampal) is heir to a powerful political legacy but impatient to seize the top position. And Veerendra Pratap (Manoj Bajpai), whose lunge at the throne was thwarted and who will now stop at absolutely nothing to claw his way back to the top. Indu Sakseria (Katrina Kaif) is the princess - beautiful, passionate, arrogant. Little does she know that her personal happiness was dependent on the changing electoral fortunes of her love. Sarah Jean Collins (Sarah Thompson) comes from one of the bloodiest and most violent places of earth. Escaping from there, bruised, hurt, she falls in love with a soul-mate who shared a similar legacy. Samar Pratap (Ranbir Kapoor) is the ultimate outsider. The apolitical conscientious objector, who gets reluctantly sucked into the battleravaged arena of family rivalry. Eventually, in the crescendo of increasing violence, the line between good and evil blurs, making it impossible to distinguish heroes from villains.

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Underbelly of Indian politics R

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Rajneeti

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love story that crosses borders and linguistic barriers, Kites is a tale of romance between an Indian guy and a Mexican beauty. Starring Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori in lead roles, the movie is directed by Anurag Basu and produced by Rakesh Roshan. The film has Hrithik playing a man named J, a Salsa dance teacher, who once used to be a clever, street smart, charming guy, but is now a wanted man. To add to his woes he's left to die in the scorching heat of the Mexican desert. Only one desire keeps him alive, to find the woman he loves. That woman is Natasha (Barbara Mori). She is engaged to another man, but that makes no difference to J. If loving her brings down loads of troubles on him, J would happily bear it all. Kangana Ranaut adds another angle to the Hrithik-Barbara love story. Kangana plays a very rich girl and is shown as Hrithik's dance student. She falls madly in love with him. But then a twist in the tale takes place and the romantic story takes a thriller turn. Barbara Mori speaks only in Spanish and Hrithik can't speak a word of Spanish. So he speaks to her in Hindi and yet the two communicate and fall madly in love. But then something happens that forces the two to split and that's where Kangana steps in. The film has some breath-taking dances from Hrithik, Barbara and Kangana. The choreography in these songs is by Flexy Stu, a renowned American choreographer. For one song shot in Mumbai, Farah Khan did the choreography. Hrithik also debuts as a singer in this film. There is a special English track in the movie sung by the actor. Reports claim that the actor duo is all set to repeat an Aamir KhanJuhi Chawla's 'Qayamat se Qayamat tak' (QSQT) act in the climax in the movie.

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Bumm Bumm Bole

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he basic content of this film is all about a revolutionary movement started by the victims of our stereotype education system. A disheartened IT professor called Tariq Siddhiqi, (Anupam kher) who is basically disappointed with the orthodox education system and Devang Tripathi (Ashish Vidyarthi) an alcoholic professor who is thrown out from Mumbai University for his abstract methodology for teaching and Arjun Sheghal, (Ankur Khanna) an under achieving student who disenchants the traditional education system as he doesn't believe in grading system and Priyanka (Arshi) who wants to break through the typical parental pressure of our society to accomplish her passion as a super model. Finally as they all posses same perception towards our stereotype education system, they decide to go against to it and they form an abstract pattern of education system to encourage the failure students of our society. Thus everyone is invited to join the revolutionary movement to change the education system of our country.

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hogiram (Atul Kulkarni), his wife (Rituparna Sengupta) and their kids Pinu (Darsheel) and Rimzim (Zia) belong to a terrorist dominated region. Khogiram and Ritu have a hand-to-mouth income working for a tea plantation and can barely manage things. The kids are affected by this as well. They go to a respectable school as it is Khogiram's ambition to give them the educational opportunities he missed. But the financial crunch makes it difficult for kids to match the standards of the school. They don't have enough money for uniform or shoes. Things become worse when Pinu misplaces Rimzim's only pair of shoes in the vegetable shop! Rimzim can't go to school without her shoes. They work out a scheme where both of them share the same shoes. However, Pinu always gets into trouble at school waiting for Rimzim to give him the shoes. He comes to know of the Interschool Marathon where one of the prizes is a pair of shoes. Pinu plans to run for it and win the shoes for Rimzim. Will Pinu be able to win the shoes for his kid sister and avert his fathers' anger? Will god smile at Pinu and bring an end to his troubles? How long will this dark stretch last for Khogiram's family?

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n today's world, the major source of relief, information and entertainment is the TV. So much so, that it has moved up from its modest position of being just another 'household appliance' to actually determining the power equation in a family. It is easy to identify the hierarchy in the family depending on who controls the remote control. So what happens when the TV realizes this power and begins to take control? What happens when instead of showing you the facts, the TV, begins to show you what it wants you to see? What happens when Manohar, to his great horror, realizes that this is exactly what is happening with his wonderful family, who has just moved into their sweet new home at 13B. Director : Vikram K. Kumar Starring : Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Poonam Dhillon

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ACTING BUG Singer Sukhwinder Singh has debuted as an actor

ne of the top musicians of Hindi cinema, Sukhwinder Singh, has been bitten by acting bug. He is playing the lead in Kuchh Kariye directed and produced by Jagbir Dahiya. A social film, dealing with contemporary and relevant issues, Kuchh Kariye delivers a strong message. It's a journey of a man meeting his destiny and coming to terms with his own self. Sukhwinder plays musician Rishi, who has to go through the roller coaster ride of life. The musician-turned-actor talks about his new movie. What prompted you to take up acting? And why did you choose this film? Acting happened by chance. I did not choose the film, it's the film that chose me. Originally the film's director Jagbir Dahiya and music director Onkar had approached me to sing one song for them, but when they saw me recording it, they found me suitable for Rishi's character. Whenever I sing, I get into the spirit of it and the expressions show on my face. So, he offered me this role. Initially I said no, but when he asked again during the recording of the second song, I read the script. Since it connected with what I am in real life, I said yes. Tell us about your character in the film? I play Rishi, a musician from a small town.

He is a simple boy but his thoughts are different. The movie is about Rishi and his two friends and their journey. My co-stars are a talented lot. Shriya Narayan, who's opposite me, is quite spontaneous. Vikrum Kumar, Rufy Khan, Shriya and Khuahhish have played their characters well. Did you have to prepare for the role? I had asked Jagbir to give me one month to prepare myself. During this time I saw many films. As for learning acting, as a performer we all act when we are on the stage in front of the audience. Will singing take a backseat now? Singing is my first love and will always remain so. I will never move away from music. Your forthcoming films as a singer? I am working on Ravanaa with AR Rahman, Vishal Bhardwaj's Saat Khoon Maaf, Rajpal Yadav's next, Ram Gopal Varma's Raktcharita, besides many others. Will you now sing only for yourself? (Laughs) Not at all. I will sing for everyone. If I am on screen and lip synching a song, then definitely I will sing the song.

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On the brighter side, the acting is distinguished. Nana underplays beautifully, Ayesha adds to the sunshine moments, but it's Shahid who pitches in a commendable and convincing act. Made with noble intentions, Paathshaala could've been a splendid wake up call, but it runs out of steam midway! The story begins with a new English teacher, Rahul Prakash Udyavar [Shahid

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aathshaala attempts to answer questions related to the sanctity of today's education system. It is intensely topical and has an uncluttered charm to it. Set in the precincts of an old world school, it traces the battle of a handful of sincere and committed teachers and students against a new age management that wants to transform the centre of education into a commercial venture. It cannot be compared with Taare Zameen Par or 3 Idiots, although a few sequences, in these two trend-setting films, threw light on the pressures on students. Paathshaala, penned by Ahmed Khan and directed by Milind Ukey, is well-intentioned. It has a lot to say, but the predicament is, what translates on celluloid is not razor-sharp. Of course, there are few defining moments in the movie, which do make you ponder on the plight of the educational system. But there are also portions - when the media steps in to boost the brand of the school - that are mumbo-jumbo.

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Kapoor], joining Saraswati Vidya Mandir School. Though he strikes an instant rapport with students and teachers alike, he realizes that there is something amiss in the school. Slowly, his doubts prove true as School Manager Sharma [Saurabh Shukla] makes many monetary obligations compulsory on the parents in the name of extra-curricular activities. He goes to the extent of punishing the students inhumanly when the new, unjustified demands of the school are not fulfilled by the parents. When Rahul unifies the teachers [Ayesha Takia, Sushant Singh] against the atrocities of school management, Principal Aditya Sahay [Nana Patekar] defends the management decision. This comes as a shocker to the teachers as Sahay is known for his dedication as an educationist for last 32 years, which has built the school's high reputation. The situation turns grave as the

school management becomes over-ambitious with its growth and involves media planners in the extra-curricular activities. This demands the involvement of students in TV reality shows and many other media activities used for building up the school image in public, which starts reflecting on the students' stress levels. The pressure on young minds increases incredibly, leading to unexpected consequences.

n Phoonk 2, the team behind Ramgopal Varma's Phoonk promise more chills, more thrills and more screams. But what you get to hear at the end of the screening is a moan, since Phoonk 2 lacks the chills, thrills and screams that were the mainstay of its first part. Everything is going well for builder Rajiv, at work as well as home. He has a loving wife and two adorable children and even though his mother's obsession with religious television channels and the bedtime stories she tells her grandchildren bother him a bit, it is not enough to take the shine off his life. That happens when it is revealed that his assistant Anshuman has been duping him and his company. When Rajiv insults Madhu and Anshuman, and has them thrown out of his home and company, things start to go terrifyingly wrong for him and his loved ones, especially daughter Raksha. Phoonk 1 had ended with the killing of Madhu [Ashwini Kalsekar], the woman who casts a black magic spell on Rajiv's [Sudeep] daughter Raksha [Ahsaas Channa]. Phoonk 2 begins with Madhu's ghost returning from the grave to seek revenge on the family. Rajiv moves with his family to a new place. Raksha and her brother Rohan begin exploring the new place and the surroundings -- the lonely beach and then the woods behind the house. The terror begins with Raksha and Rohan finding a doll in the woods and then it progresses to a series of highly traumatizing experiences for the whole family. Phoonk feels like two different films on

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LAST HORROR either side of the interval. During the first part, interesting things are done while setting up the family and establishing each member's relationship with the others. Belief systems are established and when things start to go awry, tension is built

Rajiv moves with his family to a new place. Raksha and her brother Rohan begin exploring the new place and the surroundings -- the lonely beach and then the woods behind the house. The terror begins with Raksha and Rohan finding a doll in the woods and then it progresses to a series of highly traumatizing experiences for the whole family up well enough so that you will definitely jump a little when things go bump at night. The second half of this film features most of what has come to be regarded as emblematic of every bad Varma film -- character overload, unnecessary repetition of scenes and sequences, disjointed editing, jangling score, rehashed special effects and the most unsatisfying creative choice for the climax. Unsatisfying because it is a cliche and also because it appears extremely irresponsible to go down the path that is trod in this film to solve the problems faced by Rajiv and

his family. The performances overall are decent. Only Kalsekar with her over-the-top television acting and Zakir Hussain with a performance that calls to mind the alien in the first Men In Black movie stand out because of their hamming. On the flip side, the youngest cast members, Ahsaas and Shrey, deserve credit for playing believable children rather than the saccharine monstrosities that have sullied too many other pieces of celluloid. May I 31 I KonnecTV

Karan Johar and Shilpa Shetty

Bipasha Basu sizzled on stage MUMBAI: The off the field IPL drama concerning ouster of Commissioner Lalit Modi failed to distract from the popularity of the IPL final which was watched by 55,000 enthusiastic supporters in Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium and approximately 9.7 million TV viewers countrywide. Chennai Super Kings led by India Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the third staging of

ceremony, splashed with glitz and glamour preceded the IPL summit clash. The 40minute ceremony was choreographed by the Oscarwinning composer AR Rahman. Though embattled IPL

SPECTACULAR SHOW at IPL final A sparkling closing ceremony, splashed with glitz and glamour preceded the IPL summit clash. The 40-minute ceremony was choreographed by the Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they beat Mumbai Indians by 22 runs in the final of the Twenty20 tournament here. Mumbai with home advantage and with an in-form Sachin Tendulkar in their ranks fell well short in their pursuit of the 168 for five wickets posted by Chennai in their allocated overs. Suresh Raina was the star for Chenna with an unbeaten 57 in their knock and a tight spell of bowling including the wicket of lower-order d a n g e r m a n Harbhajan Singh. S p a r k l i n g ceremony A sparkling closing Shahid May 2010 I 32 28 I KonnecTV

chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi was present at the venue, he did not address the capacity crowd and the ceremony was purely

Kapoorís power-packed dance

AR Rahman sings ëJai Hoí a dance and music show. Rahman enthralled the packed gathering by belting out his mega-hit songs -- Chale Chalo from the movie 'Lagaan', 'Vande Maataram' and ended with Oscar-winning 'Jai Ho' from Slumdog Millionaire. There were other brief dance numbers performed by Bollywood stars Bipasha Basu and Shahid Kapoor. Bollywood diva Bipasha danced on the title track of her movie 'Race' as she set the pulse racing for the spectators while Shahid Kapoor did his bit, shaking his legs to a song from his movie on the makeshift stage erected on the ground. Before the ceremony, Modi spoke to the official broadcasters about the success of the Twenty20 league. "You could not have asked for better. What a tournament Ö Lots of excitement. Mumbai Indians won most of their matches but nobody knew which three teams would go to the semi-finals till the last game. Thank you cricket fans of the country and abroad, you have made all these possible," he said. Modi tried to show that he was not perturbed by his confrontation with the BCCI top brass and even spoke about the brand new auction for the next season. "We will have 94 games (next year). More games and more competition, it will be a bit longer ... A week longer. There will be two new teams and a brand new auction next year, it will be a beginning from the scratch," he said. Susmita Sen unveiled the short listed candidates for the I AM She 2010 Miss Universe India Pageant before the Finals.

Sushmita Sen

ëMa Tujhe Salaamí

RR couple the Kundhras

Priyanka Chopra

Shah Rukh Khan

Sherlyn Chopra

The Rampals

Yusuf Pathan dance

Katrina show

Shahid Kapoor

Kunal Kapoor

Katrina dance

Bipasha

AR Rahman

Harbhajan can dance

Shamita Shetty

Yuvraj too

Yuvraj, better actor

Diya Mirza May 2010 I 33 I KonnecTV

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

THAMES TIBER TIGRIS VOLGA YANGTZE ZAMBEZI

○

NILE ORINOCO RHINE RIO GRANDE SEINE SHANNON

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HUDSON INDUS LIMPOPO LOIRE MEKONG MISSOURI MURRAY

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Find the Numbers

○

Colour this pic

○

AMAZON COLORADO CONGO DANUBE ELBE EUPHRATES GANGES

○

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal or vertical.

○

RIVERS

May 2010 I 34 I KonnecTV

There are nine numbers in the box between 36 and 96. The numbers increase by five. Can you work out which numbers are missing?

Figure It Look at the clues below and fill all the numbers you can into the grid. Then start again and use your answers to help solve the other clues.

Spot the 10 differences

DOWN

Mermaid

1. Nine times seven 2. A third of forty-eight 3. Three times 1442 4. Number of days in three weeks 6. 4 down plus sixty-two 7. Seventeen plus six times 2 across 9. 7 down minus 400 11. 4163 re-arranged 14. Four times 4 down 15. A third of 297 17. A quarter of 168 19. Five times thirteen

MYSTERY : Solution of last month

ACROSS 2. Sixty-seven doubled 4. 6 down minus fifty-seven 5. 2 down plus twenty-two 7. Nine times nine 8. 3241 re-arranged 10. Number of weeks in a year 12. 19 down minus forty 13. Three times 620 15. 6 down plus half of 2 down 16. Quarter of 176 17. Seven times seven 18. Three times fifty-four

Solution next month

May 2010 I 35 I KonnecTV

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

here was once a shepherd-boy who kept his flock at a little distance from the village. Once he thought he would play a trick on the villagers and have some fun at their expense. So he ran toward the village crying out, with all his might,-"Wolf! Wolf! Come and help! The wolves are at my lambs!" The kind villagers left their work and ran to the field to help him. But when they got there the boy laughed at them for their pains; there was no wolf there. Still another day the boy tried the same trick, and the villagers came running to help and got laughed at again. Then one day a wolf did break into the fold and began killing the lambs. In great fright, the boy ran for help. "Wolf! Wolf!" he screamed. "There is a wolf in the flock! Help!"

The villagers heard him, but they thought it was another mean trick; no one paid the least attention, or went near him. And the shepherdboy lost all his sheep.

Flower Hair Pins Craft • • • • •

2 hair or bobby pins 4 medium silk flowers 2 gems for the center of the flowers(I have one pearl and one rhinestone) Hot glue gun and glue Sandpaper Using the sand paper, lightly sand the spot where you will glue the flower. Without sanding the metal your flower is likely to come off after gluing it down.

Double the flowers and glue them together. Add your gem or pearl by attaching it to the center of your flower with hot glue. Glue the embellished flower to the hair pin by using a dab of glue on the center back of the flower and pressing it to the hair pin. Be careful not to get the glue on your fingers. May 2010 I 36 I KonnecTV

From 'Stories to Tell to Children' by Sara Cone Bryant

General Knowledge Quiz 1)

The first Prime minister of Bangladesh was...

The longest river in the world is the...

The longest highway in the world is the...

The longest highway in the world has a length of...

The highest mountain in the world is the...

The country that accounts for nearly one third of the total

The biggest desert in the world is the...

teak production of the world is... 8)

The largest coffee growing country in the world is...

The country also known as "country of copper" is...

10)

The name given to the border which separates Pakistan and Afghanistan is...

11)

The river Volga flows out into the...

12)

The coldest place on the earth is...

13)

The country which ranks second in terms of land area is...

14)

The largest Island in the Mediterranean Sea is...

15)

The river Jordan flows out into the...

ANSWERS :- 1) Mujibur Rehman 2) Nile 3) Trans-Canada 4) About 8000 km 5) Mount Everest 6) Myanmar 7) Sahara desert 8) Brazil 9) Zambia 10) Durand line 1) Caspian sea 12) Verkoyansk in Siberia 13) Canada 14) Sicily 15) Dead sea

YOU WILL NEED:

That is the kind of thing that happens to people who lie: even when they tell the truth no one believes them.

from KAREENA KAPOOR

areena's diet keeps her fit and glowing. Her glowing skin and the svelte figure has millions of girls aspiring to be in her shoes. But Bollywood actress says it is her 'vegetarian' diet that keeps her fit and glowing. "Apart from doing yoga to keep myself fit, I am a pure vegetarian. I don't eat meat and that has helped me a lot to keep fit," Kareena says. "I am proud to be a vegetarian and I am against those who eat meat. Go green to be fit, that's the best way for me at least," she added. Kareena had given up non-vegetarian food in 2006, that is two years after she started dating actor and former beau Shahid Kapur, a strict vegetarian himself. But even after her break-up with Shahid, the actress has continued to follow a vegetarian diet to keep her weight in check. In 2007, Kareena had won the 'Cutest Vegetarian' online poll conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Apart from eating vegetarian food for her figure and fitness, Kareena's water intake is high to keep her skin radiant. "I drink a lot of water for my skin. And yes, my mom is beautiful, so it is also my parents who have gifted me with beautiful skin," she said.

Vegetarian

food & lot of water

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Apart from doing yoga to keep myself fit, I am a pure vegetarian. I don't eat meat and that has helped me a lot to keep fit

â&#x20AC;?

May 2010 I 37 I KonnecTV

GENELIA D'SOUZA

self-confessed traveller at heart, which was the first locale you visited on your own that has left a lasting impression. I enjoy travelling the world over and thankfully my job gives me that opportunity. As a child as well, I used to love taking trips within India with my family. I would savour the experience of every little place I visited and always wanted to know about the history behind each place and its heritage sights. A few years ago, I made a trip across a couple of locations in Maharashtra Bhate (Ratnagiri), Ganpatipule, Murud Harnai, Hariharesh-war and Murud Janjira and it was beautiful and fascinating. Being a water baby, it was such a delight to see beautiful, sprawling beaches in Maharashtra that were fairly untouched and not as commercialised. Where did you go travelling recently? I visited Australia. While in Sydney, I climbed the Harbour Bridge which took me a good three hours but it sure was an exhilarating experience. It was a sight to be able to see the entire city from that point. I also visited the famous Opera House in Sydney and went click-happy like a typical tourist. We drove on the great Ocean Road and saw the London Bridge which is a bridge actually constructed in the middle of the ocean. The Twelve Apostles, another beautiful sight off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park was a sight for sore eyes. It's an unbelievable site with limestone rock stacks in the water called Twelve Apostles. Due to the wear and tear of water, right now there are just eight singular huge rock stacks in the ocean. I also visited the Wildlife Zoo, which was a lot of fun. There were kangaroos, koalas, Jerusalem donkeys, emus, deer, dingoes! Being an animal lover, I was so excited to be there and the cherry on the top was the fact that I fed every animal including the kangaroo. When you travel on a holiday, what are the basic things you never forget to pack along. A nice warm jacket if I am going to a cold place. Comfortable footwear, sun block, my music piece, sunglasses, my swimsuit and of course, plenty of foreign currency for me to go shop. I love to shop. I also indulge a lot in local cuisines. This way, it's easy to know what food people eat and why. Festivals are a great time to indulge in cuisines. What tips do you recommend to women travellers? I would say travel light. Read up a lot about the place you intend visiting. Always try to align yourself with tourist groups if you're travelling alone. Don't be hesitant in experimenting with local cuisines and ensure you and your portable music system with latest fave songs is charged and raring to go! A phone with required numbers can be very handy during trips. When you are waiting for your flight connections, do you spend time reading books or prefer to go online. Which author do you prefer? Well, it depends a lot on my mood. During connections at the airport, I like surfing the net and finding out what's happening. I also like to catch up with my friends and my agents back home to check on work. I enjoy reading books as well and like works of authors Chetan Bhagat, Sophie Kinsella, Paulo Coelho and Stephanie Mayer.

Genelia

-Courtesy Times of India

May 2010 I 38 I KonnecTV

LOVED trip to Australia

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!

Boondi Raita

Ingredients:- Boondi 100 grams, Yogurt 1 cup, Salt to taste, Roasted cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon, Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons, Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon Method:- Whisk yogurt till smooth. Add salt, half the roasted cumin seed powder and half the chopped coriander leaves.Add boondi and mix well. Garnish with the remaining roasted cumin seed powder, coriander leaves and red chilli powder and serve chilled.

Aloo Parantha Ingredients:- Whole wheat flour (atta) 2 cups, Potato, boiled 2 medium, Pomegranate seeds (anardana) 1 teaspoon, Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon, Green chilli, chopped 1, Salt to taste, Butter 4 tablespoons Method:- Sieve flour with half a teaspoon of salt. Mix with three-fourth cup of water gradually and knead to make a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for fifteen minutes. Grate the potatoes. Grind pomegranate seeds to a coarse powder. Mix potatoes, pomegranate seeds, red chilli powder, green chilli and salt. Divide it into four equal portions Divide dough into eight equal portions and make pedas. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for five minutes. Take a peda and flatten it by pressing. Place potato mixture on it and again make it into a peda. Seal the edges completely so that potato stuffing does not come out. Flatten these pedas, sprinkle a little flour and roll them with a rolling pin to approximately six-inch diameter. This is now called a parantha. Heat a tawa, place parantha on it and cook on moderate heat for three minutes. Turn it and pour half a tablespoon of oil or butter, spread it on parantha and shallow fry over low heat. Turn it and again pour half a tablespoon of oil or butter on other side. Cook on low heat till golden brown.

Chilli Chicken Tomato Pulao Ingredients:- Boneless chicken, 1 inch cubes 250 grams, Basmati rice 1 1/4 cups, Ginger, roughly chopped 1 inch piece, Garlic, roughly chopped 6-8 cloves, Green chillies, roughly chopped 4-5, Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon, Cloves 3, Green cardamoms 3, Cinnamon 1 inch stick, Oil 2 tablespoons, Salt to taste, Tomatoes, pureed 2 medium, Chicken stock 2 cups Method:Grind together ginger, garlic, green chillies, cumin s e e d s , cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon and oil and grind to a smooth paste. Put the paste in a microwave proof bowl. Put the chicken pieces and salt and mix everything well. Cook in the microwave oven on HIGH for two minutes Add the tomato puree and mix. Add the rice and mix. Add chicken stock and mix. Cover the bowl with cling wrap, punch some holes in the wrap and cook in the microwave on HIGH for five minutes. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and cook for seven more minutes. Allow standing time of five minutes. Remove the cling wrap carefully and serve hot with raita or yogurt.

Black Grape Pani Puri Ingredients:- Puris Meant for pani purias required, Black grape juice 1 litre, Tamarind pulp 2 tablespoons, Salt to taste, Black salt (kala namak) 1/2 teaspoons, Roasted cumin powder 1 teaspoon, Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon, Lemon juice 1 tablespoon, Fresh mint leaves bunch1/2 medium, Fresh coriander leaves bunch1/4 medium, Green chillies 3-4 , Moong sprouts as required, Potatoes, boiled and mashedas required

Buy Chef Kapoorís

Party Cooking by logging onto www.sanjeevkapoor.com

May 2010 I 40 I KonnecTV

Method:- Grind mint leaves, coriander leaves and green chillies into a fine paste. Mix together fresh black grape juice, the ground paste, tamarind pulp, salt, black salt, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and lemon juice. Chill in the refrigerator till use. If you want to, you may fill each puri with a little sprouted green gram, then fill it up with the grape juice mixture and relish this unusual pani puri.

Bollywood Quiz Question:

What are John Abraham and Akshay Kumar's professions in Garam Masala? 1) Reporter 2) Photographers 3) Professors 4) Lawyers

Question:

Anupam Kher's real age when he played a 65-year-old retired principal in Saaransh was...? 1) 28 2) 29 3) 42 4) 43

Question:

From where does Veeru propose to Basanti in Sholay? 1) Top of a roof 2) Top of a ladder 3) Top of a hill 4) Top of a water tank

Question:

Madhuri Dixit's name in N Chandra's 'Tezaab' was...? 1) Mohini 2) Madhuri 3) Pooja 4) Ritu

Question:

Who, apart from Aamir Khan, wants to marry Preity Zinta in Dil Chahta Hai? 1) Shah Rukh Khan 2) Ayub Khan 3) Saif Ali Khan 4) Akshaye Khanna

Question:

Aishwarya Rai was crowned Miss World in which year? 1) 1992 2) 1993 3) 1994 4) 1995

Question: Question:

What is Shah Rukh's mantra to woo a girl in Kal Ho Naa Ho? 1) Saat din ladki in 2) Ek din ladki in 3) Che din ladki in 4) Do din ladki in

Lata Mangeshkar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in which year? 1) 1959 2) 1969 3) 1979 4) 1989

Question:

Who plays the blind friend in the 1964 Dosti? 1) Mohan 2) Dinu 3) Ramu 4) Shamu

Question:

The name of Saif Ali Khan's daughter is...? 1) Sara 2) Zara 3) Rhea 4) Mehnaz

Horoscope by "PANDIT PARASHAR" ARIES Mar 21-Apr 20 It will be an expensive month though the money will be well spent. It will be beneficial time for brokers. You will continue to have few fears about job for some more time. You may be double minded about an opportunity that requires change of residence.

LEO Jul 23-Aug 22 Some of you will be getting ready for an upcoming trip and spend most of the evenings in mall. You will have better controls of the things at work. Business will also improve but not to satisfactory level. You will be meeting an influential person.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23-Dec 22 You will need to put in extra hours but sales will be kind of flat. People who you helped in the past will start to maintain distance and will not be there in case of need. People in job will have some changes pretty soon. Do not take any chance with weather.

May 2010 I 42 I KonnecTV

TAURUS Apr 21-May 20 You will be going on a short but interesting trip. Presence of planet Saturn in fifth will boost your Morales and provide extra ordinary success in career. You will finish an important project well before deadline.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sept 22 Stress at work will reduce but will not go away completely. After paying off all the bills you will have enough money left in your pockets. People creating trouble in the past will start paying attention elsewhere. All meetings and trips will bring instant results and rewards.

CAPRICORN Dec 23-Jan 19 If you try little harder and sincerely, you will achieve lot. Planets are sill favorable for money through speculation or lottery. You will gain friendship of a very useful person. Throw all the fears out of your mind and enjoy what you have.

GEMINI May 21-Jun 20 Extra money will bring some relief. Claim will be approved and you will be issued the check. Do things within legal parameters and handle all government related matters carefully. Changes at work will leave you unhurt but still shake you up.

LIBRA Sept 23-Oct 22 Planets help you overcome many difficulties and changes in career just around the corner. Financially you will continue to meet your commitments though worries will not leave you alone either. Isolating from world will not help rather you should call friends and arrange get together.

AQUARIUS Jan 20-Feb 18 You have the right tools, but if you hesitate, you will lose a huge opportunity. You will be going on an important trip. Meetings will go well and you will receive the clearance. People will try to cause distraction but will fail.

CANCER Jun 21-Jul 22 Changes you were working on will finally materialize. It may not be rewarding right away but in long term. Believe in your expertise and march forward with your plans. Family may be leaving for the overseas trip soon.

SCORPIO Oct 23-Nov 22 Things will once again start moving in right direction. You may be slowly working towards starting a new venture in partnership. You will start preparation for an upcoming trip also. Spouse will be under lots of pressure for some reasons.

PISCES Feb 19-Mar 20 Focus on today rather than worrying about future. Expenses will come down a lot. You will feel tired of slow or no progress in the past and will take some drastic steps. Gamble will pay off. You will come across few very compatible people and may decide to use their expertise.