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YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 Vol II, Issue 7
STYLE YOUR MONSOON Like never before
6 REASONS TO HAVE SEX And to laugh too!
THE BEST RECIPES OF THE SEASON Easy-to-make muffins and salads
20 YEARS OF BEING KHANTASTIC!
INDUS CREED: EVOLVE Quality material by the boys-turned-men
YOURS YOUTHFULLY is now SHUFFLE November 2012
Concept by Tanya Daraad
Editor’s Note
Here To Stay It is indeed difficult to write something about Shah Rukh Khan that hasn't been written before. He was a complete stranger when he came to Mumbai more than two decades ago and said that he wants to own the city one day. Today, after 20 years, he admits that the city owns him. He said came to Mumbai with 15,000 rupees and opened a bank account with it. During the period when he continued to add zeroes behind that figure, he has undoubtedly spread a lot of smiles and made many people happy with his success. 20 years down the line, he shows no signs of stopping, or even slowing. He is certainly here to stay. Shah Rukh Khan has recently completed two successful decades of steady ascent and superstardom in the Indian Film Industry. He is the most global Indian star and definitely one of the most successful people in the country. But the reel life kept aside, what sets him apart is what he is in reality. He is the quintessential family man, the smart businessman and the philosophical wordsmith. This issue of Yours Youthfully takes a look at his most revered movies, the ones which established him at the very zenith. The
Team
YY
OURS OUTHFULLY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anant Singh ASSISTANT EDITOR Meghna Rastogi
Meghna Rastogi Assistant Editor
SENIOR MANAGER Rishika Agarwal PROMOTION HEAD Vivek Singh
issue also takes a deeper look at his fonder side and his PUBLIC RELATIONS business acumen. MANAGER On the sports front, Akshay Singh Spain created history by COLUMNISTS winning the Euro Cup SPORTS convincingly against Italy, Vivek Singh thus becoming the only team to have ever won three major HEALTH & SEX titles consecutively; hats off Bhumika Gupta to the Fiery Red for such a tremendous display of FOOD dominance. Meanwhile, Neha Pasricha Batra Roger Federer continues to Rachana Pathak mesmerize people as he won his seventeenth Grand Slam, MOVIES by winning the Wimbledon Akshay Singh this year. Form is temporary, class is permanent. Agreed! FASHION With the arrival of Tanya Gaffney M o n s o o n , o u r Fa s h i o n Ekta Batra columnists Ekta and Tanya have some handy tips to offer MUSIC to our readers (you're Anirudh Mani welcome, in advance!). And Maaruthy Kumar don't forget to wear a bright fluorescent raincoat before PHOTOGRAPHY leaving for work. At least this Amartya Sen is what Tanya suggests! Sagarika Gupta YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 4
Contents
7 MUSIC
9 FOOD
Album Review: Evolve by Indus Creed
Recipes: Salad Surprise Muffins
Band Synopsis: Indus Creed
16 COVER FEATURE
THE GOOD, THE GREY, THE HATKE A look at SRK’s most revered movies FAMILY MAN THE BUSINESSMAN THE WORDSMITH The many faces of Shah Rukh Khan THE
Cover Page photo is from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Photo courtesy: dharmaproductions.com
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Contents
36 LUXURY
32 FASHION
GOD’S OWN PLACE: KASHMIR
THE COLOURS OF MONSOON STYLE YOUR MONSOON
34 HEALTH LAUGHTER: STILL THE BEST MEDICINE
35 SEX
30
6 REASONS WHY
MOVIES REVIEW: ROCK OF AGES
YOU SHOULD BE IN BED RIGHT NOW
44 SPORTS Euro Cup ‘12:
The Architects The Surprises The Disappointments YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012
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Music Album Review:
EVOLVE The boys-turned-men Indus Creed have churned out superior quality material. Anirudh Mani 'Indus Creed', the name sounds familiar? India's premier Rock Act of all times! The long defunct band has already released an album, a video for one of their new tracks and has been regularly gigging ever since their return, and in their new avatar they are working like a 'Rock Machine'! Bad one? Anyway, 'Evolve' is what the boys-turned-men now, call their new piece of art, and we can say the album i s q u i t e a p p ro p r i a t e ly named. These guys have always churned out superior quality stuff, not just musically, but production wise too. Be it the first ever album, 'Rock n' Roll Renegade' as Rock Machine or the self-titledalbum which was recorded in US or now, Evolve, which saw mixing duties taken on by Tim Palmer, the man who has worked with the likes of Porcupine Tree, U2, Pearl Jam to name a few. The first thing you notice about the album is its cover of a silhouette of a man diving into a blue ocean of space. It just sets you up for the proceedings by beginning to bind you in a
spell, a journey that you are about to take, you just need to open up the threefold case and start it. 'Fireflies' is the first track to tackle your senses. It is a perfect example to what we can relate the new, evolved Indus Creed sound to. Gone is the old, raw energy oozing sound, replaced by a very mature alternative, progressive one. 'Dissolve' and 'Bulletproof' take you to the heavier side of things and give you a glimpse of the rock n' roll we had known the band for back in the day. 'The Money' features some very interesting solos, drums and bass lines. The tracks 'Take it H a rd e r ' , ' N o D i s g ra c e' compel you to think whereas 'Come Around' allows you to lose yourself on a journey of sonic landscapes. The songwriting throughout the album is very different from the usual verse-chorus-verse approach.'Good Bye' is the perfect conclusion to this 8 song progression of beautifully crafted musical ideas. All in all, if you were to walk into a Spa called 'Evolve', the album artwork would be the ambient setting you came looking for in the
first place. Uday's vocals like a masseuse would take full control immediately but g e n t l y. Z u b i n ' s o r g a n soundsand other electronic elements would make up for the perfect bed for you and Mahesh's guitar splendid tones would do for the much needed ingredients. Mistry's bass lines coupled with Jai's drums would provide the apt rhythm of going about the procedure. And the warm touch of hands would be‌ Not working for you? In short, go get yourself a copy of 'Evolve', sit back, relax and be taken over by one of the best bands ever to come out of India, witness some of the best Progressive Alt Rock music out therein the form of an album, which can safely be assumed to have lived up to its very high expectations! Here's hoping the next Indus Creed album doesn't take another 17 years!
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Music Band synopsis:
INDUS CREED If you are getting to know Indus Creed now, it would be a good time to type in ‘Top of the Rock’ into your YouTube search bar. Anirudh Mani
Photo courtesy- induscreed.net
Indus Creed, went about conquering stages as Rock Machine back in the 80s with their brand of original hard hitting rock. The Band released their first album 'Rock n' Roll Renegade' in 1988. However, the band gained massive publicity with their video of 'Pretty Child' from the second album, which was huge on MTV at that time, it even won them the MTV Best Music Video Award (Viewer's Choice) in Asia. The change of name came about in 1993. Even the next album, which was self-titled, was widely accepted by the audiences. The Band broke when the members went about their own life courses, only to return again 15 years later in 2010. Indus Creed comprises of Uday Benegal (vocals), Mahesh Tinaikar (guitar), Zubin Balaporia (keyboards) from the original lineup, Rushad Mistry (bass) and Jai Row Kavi (drums). If you are getting to know Indus Creed now, it would be a good time to type in 'Top of the Rock' in to your YouTube search bar. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 8
Food Recipes:
THE SALAD SURPRISE Make the most of the healthy and yummy seasonal fruits and vegetables. Rachana Pathak Being in the middle of a season where summers end and the monsoon showers begin, we are in the middle of a time when we have access to a lot of really healthy and yummy seasonal fruits and vegetables. The colour that a salad adds to the dining table is delightful, and researches
endorse the fact that there is a significant connection between one's appetite and the colour of the food served, as pleasing colours can s t i m u l a te t h e a p p e t i te centers in one's brain! The salads conventionally held their place as side dishes or add-ons with a main meal,
but then with a greater consciousness prevailing among people for a healthier lifestyle this status of salads changed from being just side dishes to all the food categories- starters, main course and even desserts! So here is one healthy salad surprise for you!
CRISPY NOODLES KIMCHI SALAD To be precise kimchi is a Korean fermented food, prepared with seasonal vegetables like cabbage, cucumber, radish or scallion with flavoured seasonings added. This crispy noodle salad is a deviation from traditional ways of enjoying k i m c h i , b u t t h e experimentation did pay off, because now we have a wonderful salad that can be savoured to the last morsel of salad in the bowl. All tangy and sweet and vinegar's acetic tinge create a wonderful union that tastes
too good with the crisp noodles added to make the volume of the salad. Ingredients: (serves 4) 1 cup fermented kimchi cabbage/cucumber/radish 1 cup deep fried salted noodle s3 tablespoon pineapple juice 2 tablespoon sweet lime juice Hint of vinegar (optional) 1 cup uniformly diced fruits (apple/pineapple/pear) 1 cup finely shredded carrot 1 small cup pomegranate Salt and pepper to taste
Image courtesy: the star.com
White seasame seeds to garnish (optional) Method to prepare: All the contents are mixed in a big bowl and tossed together, adding the juices later to preserve the crispiness of the noodles. Cherry tomatoes may also be added if preferred. Sprinkle seasame seeds and serve this enticing preparartion.
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Food
GREEN PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM)
Image courtesy: austinbushphotography.com
Som tam or green papaya salad hails from the land of white elephants- Thailand and is not just a local cuisine b u t a n i n te r n a t i o n a l ly savoured dish which placed it at the 46th spot in the list of 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Most people adore papaya because of its health benefits, while still others are not very fond of it because of various reasons, but in som tam salad the papaya used is unripe and really different from the ripe
version of the fruit. The shredded papaya and other ingredients are combined and pounded in a mortar to give a nice juicy blending of the ingredients and that's where the salad gets its name from- som tam translating to “sour pounded� in Thai. The crunchiness, that slight tangy and slightly sweet taste and the appetizing colours will make you go spoon after spoon taking pleasure in this healthy salad.
Ingredients: (serves 4) Medium sized unripe papaya Cherry tomatoes 2-4 Garlic cloves 2-3 Red chillies 2 tablespoon Honey Palm sugar to taste Salt and pepper to taste 4 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 tablespoon olive oil (optional) Method to prepare: All the ingredients are taken in an earthen or wooden mortar and gently pounded,The gentle pounding facilitates the intermingling of all flavours and then it is served with gourmand garnishing.
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Food
CUCUMBER-CAVIAR SALAD
Image courtesy: natureinsider.com
A very light and nutritious preparation of c av i a r f i l l e r c u c u m b e r hollows, the beauty of which totally justifies the trouble taken to glorify the salad palette. While I elaborate on the preparation method in the following lines, I would like to draw your attention to the possibility of going all vegan with caviar! Caviar a n d ve g a n m ay s o u n d o x y m o ro n i c b u t tadaaaa‌..here I introduce to you the balsamic caviar pearls! For all those who love
Beluga or Ossetra or Sterlet caviar, please do use that in this lovely salad preparationto savour caviar in an elegant way. But those who wish to stay on the vegan side of the road, balsamic vinegar pearls that are used as caviar substitutes are the harbinger of foody good news for you. These gelatinized pearls give a burst release of balsamic vinegar in your mouth sending a taste wave down your gastronomic channels!
Ingredients: (Serves 4) 1 cucumber 1 cup mixed greens Salt to taste Shredded cheese (optional) 1 cup Balsamic caviar pearls Method to prepare: Peel the cucumber along its length in a fashion as to create long thin sections from it the peels should be kept a little thick. Wrap these cucumber peels to create hollow cylinders and then fill seasoned caviar in the hollow cavity and place them on a plate garnished with other green leafy vegetables. Garnish with little shredded cheese and green leaves.
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Food
AMBROSIA SALAD
Image courtesy: jjspranty.com
Marshmallows in a salad?! Oh no, I am not joking, this is a sweet creamy fruit salad that is preferred as a dessert and is so delicious that it is called Ambrosia, meaning the food for the Gods. Ambrosia has a yummy composition of fresh fruits and small marshmallows, whipped cream and yoghurt or sour cream, shredded coconut, dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, and some dry fruits if preferred.
Ingredients: (serves 4) 1 can of drained mandarin oranges 1 can of drained pineapple chunks 1 cup of miniature marshmallows 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup whipped cream Cinnamon (optional) Nutmeg (optional) Sugar to taste (optional) Method to prepare In a big bowl mix the fruits, whipped cream, coconut,
marshmallows and spices, mix properly. Cover with excess cream and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
An anonymous quote goes something like this that it takes four men to dress a salad: a wise man for the salt, a madman for the pepper, a miser for the vinegar and a spendthrift for the oil. Go ahead, make a great blend of these flaovurs to savour them or do try them out when you see them placed on a menu!
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Food
MUFFINS, Neha Pasricha Batra Oh, do you know the muffin man, The muffin man, the muffin man; Do you know the muffin man, Who lives in Drury Lane? Oh, yes, I know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, Yes, I know the muffin man, Who lives in Drury Lane
We all must have heard these lines in our childhood. And now it's time to relive those days by learning to make this interesting bread. Ancient wisdom and scientific data have reiterated the importance of healthy food consumed in small quantities and at
ANYONE?
frequent intervals. Fruit content in fresh or processed forms are considered to be among the primary building blocks of a balanced diet. A tasty way of satisfying your nutrient needs while at the same time ensuring they do not add unnecessary calories is to choose muffins. Muffins are typically cupcakes baked with a sweet filling, usually fruits like blueberries, raspberries, apples and bananas or sometimes chocolate chips. The advantage of Muffin recipes is that they can be prepared with customizable
quantities of sugar, milk and fruits. Also, their sizes can be tweaked according to the occasion and the requirement. Muffins are excellent hunger busters that are also tasty and healthy. They also have the advantage of being very easy and quick to prepare. They can be baked in substantial quantities and stored for future use. They can be eaten at any time of t h e d ay, a re i d e a l fo r breakfast and also good companions for evening tea.
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Food
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS PROCEDURE: · Pre-heat the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius · Grease the muffin moulds with butter. · Place the muffin liners into the moulds. · Take two bowls, in one bowl, sift flour + baking powder. Add in Sugar. Mix well. · In another bowl add in melted butter + milk + vanilla essence + eggs. · Whip it all together for 5-8 minutes. · Now slowly add in the dry mixture into the wet folding it gently together. · Add in the blueberries in it.
INGREDIENTS (YIELDS 12):
TIPS:
250gms Self-raising flour 50gms Brown Sugar 125gms Castor Sugar 1tsp Baking Powder 1/2tsp Salt 125gms Butter (salted or unsalted) 175ml Milk 1tsp Vanilla Essence 2 Eggs 200gms Blueberry (Fresh or frozen or canned)
ü If using Salted Butter then don't add in the salt in the batter. ü You can add only castor sugar in the batter which means 175 gms of castor sugar. ü If self raising flour is not available, increase the quantity of baking powder to 3tsp.
· With the help of an icecream scoop or a spatula fill in the moulds with the batter just 3/4th of the mould. · Place the moulds into the oven for 15minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. · Check them with the help of a tooth pick it it's done. · If it's done take it out from the oven. Demould it after 5 minutes.
· Serve. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY JUNE2012 2012
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Food
BANANA & CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS: 250gms Self-raising flour 50gms Brown Sugar 125gms Castor Sugar 1tsp Baking Powder 1/2tsp Salt 125gms Butter (salted or unsalted) 175ml Milk 1tsp Vanilla Essence 2 Eggs 2 Ripe Bananas 100gms Chocolate Chips TIPS: ü If using Salted Butter then don't add in the salt in the batter. ü You can add only castor sugar in the batter
which means 175 gms of castor sugar. ü If self raising flour is not available, increase the quantity of baking powder to 3tsp. PROCEDURE: · Pre-heat the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius · Grease the muffin moulds with butter. · Place the muffin liners into the moulds. · Mash the bananas with the help of a fork. · Take two bowls, one for dry ingredients and the other for wet. · In one bowl, sift flour +
baking powder. · Add in Sugar. Mix well. · In another bowl add in melted butter + milk + vanilla essence + eggs. · Whip it all together for 5-8 minutes. · Now slowly add in the dry mixture into the wet folding it gently together. · Add in the mashed bananas and chocolate chip into the batter. · With the help of an icecream scoop or a spatula fill in the moulds with the batter just 3/4th of the mould. · Place the moulds into the oven for 15minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. · Check them with the help of a tooth pick it it's done. · If it's done take it out from the oven. · Demould it after 5 minutes. · Serve.
Neha Pasricha Batra is a cooking expert and a food blogger. Passionate about cooking? Visit her blog for recipes, and much morefoodloversnest.blogspot.com
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Cover Feature
MY NAME IS
SHAH RUKH KHAN We look at some of the King Khan’s most savoured and revered movies Akshay Singh
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Cover Feature
THE GOOD Roles which made SRK the quintessential lover! Shah Rukh Khan has c o m p l e te d 2 0 ye a rs i n Bollywood, and what a journey it has been! He has essayed various roles during his odyssey and most of them
have had a profound impact on the audience. The greatest irony about King Khan is that he is viewed as a romantic hero despite portraying grey and off beat characters
throughout his cinematic journey. We take a look at his goodness, his mean streak and his brave off beat portrayals.
DIL WALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE
(1995) Directed by: Aditya Chopra
DIL WALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE was the arrival of a certain Shah Rukh Khan, as a romantic, who went on to become one of the greatest lovers of Indian Cinema. DDLJ is one of the most beautiful films ever made in Indian Cinema and it was not
just a commercial success, it vowed critics as well. The toast of the film was SRK's portrayal of Raj and his chemistry with Simran. The innocence of their romance in which they can spend the night together without sex because Raj, the brattish NRI understands the
importance of an Indian woman's honour hit a poignant chord with the viewers. Most of the girls who grew up in 1990's fell in love with Raj, such was the magical irresistibility of the portrayal.
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Cover Feature
KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI (1998) Directed by: Karan Johar
Image Courtesy: ranithediva.fanbb.net
KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI came at a time when SRK was already an established actor and a romantic who was loved. The high point of the movie is the chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. The film is also
remembered for the touching sequences between Rahul (SRK) and his daughter Anjali. Shah Rukh was credited for his boyish charm as a college student in the first half and as a doting and responsilble
father in the second half. The film also marks one of the few occasions where Shah Rukh has shared screen space with Salman Khan. Some of the songs of the movie which were pictured, turned out to be great hits.
MOHABBATEIN (2000) Directed by: Aditya Chopra Mohabbatein was the coming together of two stalwarts of Indian cinema, Badshah and Bacchhan. It was a romantic musical that went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year. SRK essayed the role of Raj Aryan who joins Gurukul, a premier institute, as a music teacherand is at odds with its custodian, Narayan Shankar played by Big
B. The film has many poignant moments and some of the sequences between Narayan Shankar and Raj Aryan are dipped in superior histrionics. SRK's character was very intense in nature, a true believer of love, and he matched it up with a befitting performance which won him the best actor award. The climax is really heart wrenching and re-affirmed King Khan's grip over the genre. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 18
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KAL HO NAA HO (2003) Directed by: Nikhil Advani KAL HO NAA HO is arguably Shah Rukh Khan’s best performance till date in the genre. His portrayal of the full of life and happy-go-lucky Aman Verma, who has come to New York for the treatment of his heart ailment, clearly mesmerized the audience. The movie was well received at the box office and Shah Rukh’s performance was praised all over. He sacrifices his love Naina (Preity Zinta) and tries to make her fall in love with Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) just because he wants the love of her life to stay with her,
especially because she is already heart-broken at the demise of his father. The
has some very touching dialogues delivered to perfection by the master.
CHALTE CHALTE (2003) Directed by: Aziz Mirza CHALTE CHALTE is the story of Raj (Shahrukh Khan) and Priya (Rani Mukerji), two of their closest friends. Raj Mathur is the owner of Raj Transport, a small trucking company he founded himself. Raj is a carefree man who is unorganized, messy, lazy and late all the time. Although he isn't the richest, he's always happy. On the other hand, Priya Chopra is a successful fashion designer whose family is quite wealthy. These two completely different people
meet in a car accident, when Priya crashes her car into Raj's truck. Though the two get off to a rocky start but eventually fall in love and get married. As much CHALTE CHALTE is about Shah Rukh, it's also about the belief that love, knows no boundaries and can bring even the two most polarized souls together in connubial bliss. Chalte Chalte is not the usual Shah Rukh film; it tries to show that love is possible for even two extreme souls with economic disparities. Some of the situations of Raj's character were very realistic and the acting of SRK was even more believable. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 19
Cover Feature
VEER ZARA (2004) Directed by: Yash Chopra
VEER ZAARA was directed by Yash Chopra and is counted amongst SRK's and Chopra's finest works. SRK played the
role of a squadron leader and he delightfully delivered what is necessary for this role without going over the top. Veer Zaara is a story of epic proportions which shows the deepest insight into the understanding of love. The scenes where Shah Rukh is jailed in a Pakistani prison for 20 years shows his acting calibre in full glory, being in a
prison ages you indefinitely, it scars, SRK brings this aspect out on the screen with silken ease. The courtroom scenes are no less, and have made even the most stone hearted characters misty eyed. Veer Zaara was not only a romance of epic proportions but it was also displayed the acting prowess of Badshah Khan yet again.
MAIN HOON NAA (2004) Directed by: Farah Khan
Main Hoon Naa was a great summer time masala entertainer. It has dollops of action, romance, family angst, and a little medicinal dose of patriotic preaching about peace (estranged brothers)
The Matrix meets Jackie Chan, with special effects that are one minute thrilling and the next minute hilarious. But it was great fun to see SRK back in action, after his much publicized neck troubles. Mai HoonNaa was perhaps the first mainstream Bollywood masala entertainer that dabbled with cutting edge te c h n o l o g y a n d s p e c i a l effects. It is to be noted that the film was produced by Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan and the special effects were done at neatly symbolize India and their studio, Red Chillies VFX. Pakistan, separated by the Shah Rukh's character was folly of their elders and emotional, patriotic and it was leaders).But its greatest goofily romantic. Ever y strength was that it didn't take teenager wished it was Shah itself too seriously. The action Rukh instead of him during the could best be described as scorching scenes with Sush. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 20
Cover Feature
THE GREY The negative roles that brought SRK accolades.
BAAZIGAR (1993) Directed by: Abbas-Mustan
Baazigar was inspired by the novel A Kiss Before Dying, and is one of the better adaptations in Bollywood. To begin with, it had many firsts,
it was Shilpa Shetty's first film, it was Shah Rukh's first pairing opposite Kajol and last but not the least it was SRK's first negative role. SRK was a
revelation as an acting talent in the role. The character of Ajay Sharma (Shah Rukh) is driven by revenge and seeks every possible way to hurt his bête noire Madan Chopra (DalipTahil). The film was special because it shook and shocked the Indian audience which were being fed on a staple diet of formula films for a very long time. Shah Rukh's character was not completely negative. It had its shades of grey. The climax of the movie makes you feel for Ajay Mehra and his plight do belittle his wrongs. SRK would go on to play a string of negative roles in movies like Anjaam and Darr which enthralled the audience and was a grand announcement of his pedigree.
DARR (1993) Directed by: Yash Chopra In just over a month after the release of Baazigar, Khan followed it with Darr. Darr was a remake of “Sleeping With The Enemy” and Yash Chopra was as magical behind the camera as Khan was in front of
it. The plot was stark opposite to that of Baazigar but the performance of SRK was gob smacking. He slipped into the character of a scorned, obsessed lover with silken ease. His mannerisms and
characteristics were spot on, and his famous line “I love you K..K..K..Kiran” is still deeply rooted in the minds of the audience. Shah Rukh not only played an obsessed lover but he also played a psychopath and at times he was creepy, a girl's worst nightmare.
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Cover Feature
ANJAAM (1994) Directed by: Rahul Rawail Shah Rukh played a completely negative character in Anjaam. His character of Vijay Agnihotri is of a jilted lover whose obsession with Shivani (Madhuri Dixit) forms the crux of a violent and
crushing story. Shah Rukh again revelled in the negative character and got a Filmfare for it. His portrayal of the scorned and jilted lover is very authentic and he does well to imbibe the mannerisms, facial
expressions of an obsessed lover. His actions against Madhuri, her daughter and her sister, churn up disgust but the sorry ending he receives also makes you feel for Vijay Agnihotri.
DON 1 & 2 (2006, 2011) Directed by: Farhan Akhtar
Don was a remake of Amitabh Bachchan's 1978 cult classic film of the same name. Even before the film hit the screens, SRK was labelled as megalomaniac who was trying to remake classic cinema. Pundits predicted that the film was doomed to fail, and SRK was not capable of matching up to the acting arsenal of Big B. SRK and fate had other
plans. The film went on to become a big hit in India and 'surprisingly' was well received by the critics. SRK essays the role of an underworld Don and his mannerisms and traits are very different from that of Bacchhan. Don the eponymous protagonist, is comical, satirical, and has a penchant for wild cats. He has
a unique swagger about him and some very unique actions which make his portrayal a fun to watch. D o n 2 re l e a s e d i n t h e December of 2012 and was the first sequel in SRK's two decade long career. His portrayal was loved even more than the first part and he experimented with a variety of looks, including long unkempt hair and stubble. He also bulked up for the film by developing a six pack and decided to perform all of his stunts, including a dangerous 300-feet jump for a scene filmed in Berlin. There are shades of grey in the series, and his romance with Roma (Priyanka Chopra) has still managed to stay alive. Throughout the series he impresses you with his quick wit and razor sharp mind which is always steps ahead of his opponent. Don 3 is awaited and is expected to surpass the previous editions in terms of style and content of which Khan is King.
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Cover Feature
THE HATKE Extra-ordinary roles which SRK played to perfection!
ASOKA (2001) Directed by: Santosh Sivan May be Asoka was ahead of its times and that is why it didn't do well at the box office. But that doesn't belittle SRK's role or the film itself. It was a very large scale movie madfe on the scales of Gladiator and other epics. Shah Rukh plays
the character of King Asoka and his character travels the whole spectrum of emotions. From being the prince, the obedient son, the ruthless warrior, a romantic and finally to the king who recognises his folly. Khan took to the
character like fishes do to water, and was brilliant in each phase of the movie, whether it was serenading Kareena Kapoor or killing his cousins. Shah Rukh has to be credited for having the guts to carry a character as eclectic as Asoka so dextrously.
SWADES (2004) Directed by: Ashutosh Gowariker
Swades flopped at the box office, but it became a cult classic after that. This sums up the power of the film and the magnetic effect of the lead, Mohan. Swades is inherently a patriotic film which also serves as an epiphany of a person's duties towards his motherland. Mohan (SRK) is a
scientist in NASA and comes back to India to take his nanny to USA, but he is effected by his sentiments for his country in such a manner that he resigns from his job and comes back. This is one of the landmark performances of SRK's career, simply because of the fact that it is neither
romantic nor grey but then also it has a profound effect on person's sensibilities. SRK brings to the screen the sentiment that one can never be alienated from one's motherland. His portrayal is very authentic, and even after doing scores of films he still manages to surprise even the most die-hard fan with his sincerity in the film. The sequences where he is caught in a painful dilemma and where he creates electricity that light up an old woman's face are sheer genius on the part of the actor and director. His travel to a village to take recover some money from a peasant is one of the most poignant scenes of the movie and can be watched again and again just because of the sheer honesty. Hats Off!
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Cover Feature
CHAK DE INDIA! (2007) Directed by: Shimit Amin
CHAK DE INDIA! is another landmark film in his filmography which has added to his diversity and variety as an actor. Chak De India! draws some inspiration from Meer Ranjan Negi's life. Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of Kabeer Khan the coach of Indian Woman's Hockey Team that is at first a bunch of players from different parts of the nation and no female lead. In his own words SRK is the gunda of the
but then are united to become a powerful force which goes on to win the World Cup in Australia. Chak De India! India explores religious bigotry, the legacy of the partition of India, ethnic and regional prejudice, and sexism in contemporary India through field hockey. Khan's role is essentially offbeat because it is departed from his usual onscreen romantic image and didn't include any lip syncing songs
team and behaves like one, showing tough love to the players. But his humane sides come to the fore during the penalty shoot-out and his emotional side is evident during the final shots of the movie when he returns to his ancestral home which he had to leave years ago. Khan displays maturity as an actor and he conveys the grit, the determination, the pain and the honesty to the audience beautifully.
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Cover Feature
MY NAME IS KHAN (2010) Directed by: Karan Johar
My Name is Khan is one of the best performances of Shah Ruk's career. The candidness of the character makes you fall in love with it. Mandira (Kajol) tells Rizwan she'll buy 6 hair products from him but he tells her he'll only sell her four because the remaining two will go to waste. He may be the world's worst salesman but he's the best human being. This is Rizwan, an innocent, clean hearted, simple guy who believes there are only two types of people in this world;
presenting the different people he meets on his way: a motel owner named Jitesh, a lovely Muslim couple who offer him some food, a group of Islamists led by Faisal Rahman whom Khan reports to FBI in order to destroy their violent plans. The most memorable episode, however, is that of Mama Jenny and her son 'Funny Hair' Joel from the rural Wilhelmina, Georgia, which is incredibly entertaining and hearttouching. The story of Mamma Jenny is moving, and K Jo captures the spirit of the village and its people with skill. The gospel choir in the church singing "We Shall Overcome" is one of the most touching scenes in the film. It's amazing to see SRK transform from the biggest star in the world into a simple autistic man and those who are good and those playing it with such conviction. who are bad. There is no His mannerisms, body religion in his world only good language, tone, dialogue people and bad people! He delivery and his occasional suffers from a form of autism; breaks into timid and Asperger's syndrome but that embarrassed laughs are all d o e s n ' t sto p h i m f ro m s p o t o n a n d m a ke h i s differentiating between good character extremely likable and bad and mind you he is a and endearing. It's no surprise genius and has a pretty good that after his portrayal of memory. He doesn't hesitate Rizwan in MNIK, parallels were in saying the truth and is drawn between him and Tom always ready to help and love Hanks (for his performance in others. Khan's journey in the the epic romantic comedy US is extraordinary. It unfolds Forrest Gump). in several episodes, each one YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 25
Cover Feature
KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA could have and should have done much better than it did. It was much more than a movie, it was an experience. At least the superb cinematography and grand sets (Karan Johar trademark) made it feel so. It was a conscious effort to probe into the matter of extra-marital affairs, and why people cheat when they are unhappy in
their relationships. The dialogues of the movie were especially brilliant. Shah R u k h ’s p o r t r a y a l o f a frustrated, unhappy footballer whose dreams had been nipped in the bud due to an injury is praise-worthy. Notably, this was probably one of Amitabh Bachchan’s most versatile and amazing roles too. He, as the flamboyant Sexy Sam,
mesmerized the audience. What probably betrayed KANK in its path to success were a few slow, redundant scenes. Though the movie is one of the highest foreign grossers, it could not fare so well in India where concepts like extra-marital are a strict no-no. Full marks to KaranSRK duo for what certainly would have been a once-in-al i fe t i m e m o v i e m a k i n g experience.
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Cover Feature (2006)
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Cover Feature SRK Special:
THE MANY SIDES TO SRK We bring to you the many faces of SRK that are respected and admired all over.
SRK: 24x7 Shah Rukh Khan is undoubtedly a marketing genius. Nevertheless, he denies that he is successful as a brand because of his business acumen. He claims that his businesses are successful because he is successful as an actor. Well, agreed to an extent. But no one can deny the amount of hard work and novel ideas he puts into the promotion of his movies. A perfect example would be Om Shanti Om. The movie has a rather impractical story and concept. But SRK's marketing genius made OSO one of the biggest grosser of its time! Another example of his marketing genius is Ra.One. The film was not the box office success that we expected, but his tie-ups with innumerable brands for t h e m o v i e w e r e unprecedented.
Image courtesy: dawn.com
SRK works 24x7. He says the only way that you can have a permanent brand is by repeatedly failing. He works hard, gives complete time to
his family and is still able to meet 800 people a year, genuinely. He admits that he has conquered time by working super fast!
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Cover Feature
SRK: The Family Man
Shah Rukh Khan is the quintessential lover on
-screen. Off-screen, he's the quintessential family man.
He's a doting father. Most of his tweets (that are not replies to his fans in his famous “ten questions” sessions) are devoted to his children. Even in the series Living With a Superstar: SRK aired on TLC, his love for his children, his sister and his wife is conspicuous. He says that when he's not working, he devotes all of his times to children, like teaching school subjects to his daughter Suhana and playing soccer with his son Aryan. Lucky kids!
SRK: The Wordsmith SRK is an amazing w o r d s m i t h . H i s philosophical tweets that are heavy with meaning, his daily quotes and the way he tackles issues all point to the same direction- his great wit and wisdom. Apart from his tremendous sense of humour and quick-witted, he's the best at handling a tricky question! A lot of this accounts to the fact that he's an ardent reader and was a prolific scholar. But we'll also give the credit to him for being born this way!
(Both images taken from SRK’s Twitter account)
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Movies Movie Review:
ROCK OF AGES If you love Rock N’ Roll, you will certainly dig Rock of Ages. Akshay Singh Rock of Ages is a jukebox musical that hit theatres worldwide on 15th June 2012. It is an adaptation of 2006 rock broadway musical of the same name by Chris D' Arienzo. It is directed by Adam Shankman, who has previously successfully d i r e c t e d H a i r s p r a y, a musical, which released in 2007. Rock of ages has an ensemble cast comprising of Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, country singer Julliane Hough, and Mexican singer and actor Diego Boneta. The musical has a main plot which is connected to a sub-plot. The main plot of the movie is a typical boy meets girl, fall in love romance. Sherry played by Julliane Hough is an aspiring singer who comes to L.A from Tulsa, Oklahoma to pursue her dreams. On her very first night she gets mugged on the
Sunset Strip; where she meets Drew. Drew played by Boneta is a barback at The Bourbon Room, a popular rock café cum nightclub on the Sunset Strip. Drew helps Sherry in getting a job at the Bourbon Room, thus sowing the seeds of romance. While on the other hand the rock café owned by Dennis Dupree is running under debts and it has also come under the scanner of religious and social activists who view it as a propagator o f f i l t h a n d s ex , t h u s completing the double whammy. The religious activists are led by the mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who apparently has a personal vendetta against StaceeJaxx (Tom Cruise). Dupree and his right hand man Lonny Barnett (Russell Brand) somehow manage to lay their hands on StaceeJaxx and rope him to perform at The Bourbon Street which would bring windfall to Dupree and help
him wriggle out of the debt. But things do not go as planned and the ensuing complications construct the rest of the story. Although Rock of Ages has an ensemble cast, it is wholly and truly owned by Stacee Jaxx. The long haired, Cruise never puts a foot wrong during the whole show, he hits the bull's eye every time. Whether it's his wild yet passionate makeouts, his get up, his voice modulation or even his monkey Hey Man, nothing looks out of the place. There is a mystical persona around him which works as an aphrodisiac. His slightest of touches make the women swoon, drool and faint. One is gobsmacked at the sheer versatility of this actor, he can jump from the tallest buildings of the world, perform hair splitting stunts and portray a rocker so perfectly and effortlessly that for the 123 minutes you do believe StaceeJaxx is for
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Movies
Tom Cruise in Rock of Ages
real and ARSENAL is more than a football club. The unreliable maverick, god of filth, sex and rock is clearly the high point of the movie. The weakest link of Rock of Ages is its main plot and the lead pair. The main plot has been done to death while the leads are hardly c o nv i n c i n g . B o n e t a a n d Jullian are a huge let down and are responsible for sinking the ship. They can't emote and even sing passionately, their acting has a plastic and superficial feel to it. Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand play their
parts well, keeping the fun in the flick alive with their quirky one liners, and their romantic union is a just culmination to their relationship. Catherine ZetaJones looks old and stupid in some parts though during her showdown with StaceeJaxx, her expressions would have aroused many a men. Adam Shankman is a competent director and has experience in directing musicals but he somewhat fails in this attempt. The direction was certainly lax in some places which led to boredom. The film could
have certainly done with some editing. Apart from StaceeJaxx the real star of the movie is its music. The jukebox musical has classic Rock songs like Paradise City, Don't Stop Believing, Wanted dead or Alive, Pour Some Sugar on me etc which make this movie a treat for any Rock N' Roll lover. Rock of Ages is not a movie for everyone; it has got a specific target audience. If you love and crave for Rock N' Roll, and you want to be in an awe of a rockstar even if it is for a few hours, you will certainly dig Rock of Ages. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 31
Fasion Monsoon Special:
COLOUR SPLASH! Style tips that will make this monsoon your most colourful one ever! Tanya Gaffney It's raining, its pouring! Who doesn't like to get drenched? But everything comes with a price. The rains can cost you your hair, your skin and a big question mark on your wardrobe. The downpours restrict your movements and while moving out in the open becomes an ordeal, looking good becomes all the more important. Now they say, “Where there's a will, there's a way�, and here's your way into looking like a total style diva without giving it much effort. It would be a sin if you step out clad into something dull and dark. Go florescent this monsoon. Zip yourself up in a neon coloured raincoat and add some funk to your outlook. Wear clothes that are shorter in length, to protect them from getting messy and soggy. Shorts, three-fourths, skirts could be the perfect pick. Create a look that's bright and peppy but make sure you don't end up looking like a rainbow
yourself. Talking about monsoons how can we forget the frolicsome umbrellas. Add that oomph factor to your look with an umbrella. Black umbrellas are classic but the 'colour me bright' rule is to be followed this season. One thing that I find troublesome during the pours is picking on shoes. With slush and puddles of water all around and the constant fear of getting your feet messed up, you need to pick on just the right type of shoes. I say this monsoon jazz up your ensemble with a pair of bright coloured gumboots. You can also opt for Wedges. They keep your feet elevated,but, beware don't slip! According to me Crocs are the best. Stylish and very street friendly during this season. This monsoon shelf that make-up kit of yours, but do not ignore your sunblock because you still need to protect yourself against
those U.V. rays. Like I always say, your hair can either make or break your look. So let's talk about a simple yet chic hair- do for this season. Since your hair is prone to frizziness during the monsoon you can take refuge in the classic high pony or a messy bun, anything that's not perfect. Embrace the messy look. Don't use anything that would heat y o u r h a i r, t h a t c o u l d aggravate the frizz, infact use a frizz- free-leave-in conditioner. A very important piece of advice that must be followed. Avoid wearing colours like white,cream or beige that could turn sheer if you get wet. That could leave you stranded in a very embarrassing situation and trust me you wouldn't want to be there. With a few 'Dos' and DONTs' you're absolutely ready for a little prance in the rain. Get drenched yet stylish this monsoon. Cheers!
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Fashion Monsoon Special:
PAINT YOURSELF WET The right combination of clothes will go a long way in avoiding any fashion fax pas! Ekta Batra The long awaited fresh monsoon season has finally embarked on its chariot and is out to reign the upcoming months. The winds of e xc i t e m e n t h a v e b e e n funelled into our fashion air and the time has come to fish out the long awaited polynylons and the blended cottons from the dormant slab of your closet. However, a queer fact leads us into the intriguing thought process where there are a few designers who seem a little reluctant with the idea of a monsoon collection. They opine that the season is way too trivial a n d s h o r t l ive d to b e identified with a particular line of clothes. Nevertheless, some curious and i m a g i n a t ive m i n d s a re
making their way ahead by introducing their special monsoon range. Leading designer Seema Roy has wished the wetty season with a salute of 'Splash'; the perfect mix and match for Beach, Indo western fusion and traditional wear. Others hitting the same stream are R a m n a t h k a r ' s B a rc o d e which has worked on a jungle theme, kicking the pastels and the drab out and pouring in with vivacious and bold colours. While it is a closely accepted generalisation that girls once set in tank tops and capri pants are good to go and fight the monsoons fashionably, the conventional fashion thread for males is bound to be struck harder. Usual denim
have to be given a nap and instead a little wake up call to the stretchables, bull denims and spandex. These fabrics are easy for drying which makes them fit and healthy for the downpours. The season is a loud and vehement cry to depart from the earthly plains and calls for a deep plunging into a pool of colourful fabrics and exotic prints. Experiment and vivacity become the key route with the purples, oranges, reds and greens hitchhiking on the way. Crocs too are unavoidable to keep your feet light and airy. A common fashion faux pas which we quite often move hand to hand with is the 'summers and monsoons mating' syndrome. Monsoon in India is a fresh beginning! So why ape the west and not tend to the fashion nuances? Dig out the 'new monsoon you' and paint yourself WET! Photographer: Sagarika Gupta
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Health Health:
LAUGHTER:
STILL THE BEST MEDICINE
Laughter is still the best medicine and fooling around is not always bad! Find out how. Bhumika Gupta Laughter and humor are infectious. Laughter is something that is not only infectious but is something that binds people when it is shared. Humor and laughter not only triggers healthy and physical change in the body but also strengthens the immune system, boosts energy, protects people from the bad effects of stress, reduces pain and the best of all, it is absolutely free and extremely easy to use. Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D., says that, “Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain so that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.� Laughter is known as a medicine for the human body. It works as an antidote to work, stress, pain and conflict. The best way to bring your mind and body into balance is a good laugh. A good laugh will inspire hope, lighten burden, makes you alert and focused, keeps
you grounded and connected So, it is very important to to others and gives you the bring more humor and strength to deal with things. laughter in your life and this E m o t i o n a l h e a l t h a n d can be done by, smiling, laughter are greatly related. counting your blessings, Humor and laughter makes spending time with people you feel good and helps you you like and playful people, k e e p a p o s i t i v e a n d bringing humor into a optimistic outlook through conversation and by moving d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s , l o s s , closer to where laughter is. difficult situations etc. More It is also very important to than just a respite and take yourself less seriously deviation from pain, laughter and develop one's own sense gives you the courage and of humor. To develop one's strength to fight through and sense of humor, one should finds you a new hope and laugh at oneself and at meaning to life. Just hearing s i t u a t i o n s ra t h e r t h a n laughter makes you relieved bemoaning them, keep and smile. Humor and things in perspective and p layfu l c o m m u n ic a t i o n deal with stress. strengthens relations as it As laughter, humor, and play triggers positive feelings and become an integrated part of f o s t e r s e m o t i o n a l your life, your creativity will connection. Research has flourish and new discoveries shown that laughing with for playing with friends, others is more powerful that coworkers, acquaintances, laughing all alone. Laughter and loved ones will occur to in a relationship allows you you daily. Humor takes you to to bemore spontaneous, a higher place where you can release inhibitions, let's one view the world from a more express their true feelings relaxed, positive, creative, and helps us let go of j o y f u l , a n d b a l a n c e d defensiveness. perspective. YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 34
Sex Sex Benefits:
SEX EVERYDAY... ...keeps the doctors at bay! Here are six reasons why you should be in bed right now! Bhumika Gupta Well, you thought the only benefit sex could give you was pleasure! Love making is good for adults and doing it regularly has its perks and benefits. Healthy sex leads to a healthy life as well. Studies all over the web claim that a satisfying sexual act at night will keep you fit and fresh in the morning. A happy sexual life with your partner not only gets you in shape with better skin texture and silken tresses, it also burns extra calories, keeps you fit, combats asthma, relieves headache, reduces depression and tranquilizes your mind. From make-up experts, hair stylists, sexologists and fitness connoisseurs - there's a common consensus that a vigorous sexual life leads to a healthy life - both physically and emotionally. Following are some clear cut reasons as to why one should have sex everyday:
1
Improves Cardiovascular Health – A research shows that men who have sex more than one time in a week have a reduced risk of suffering from a heart attack than other me.
more sex. This is because when you are about to reach the climax, the level of the hormone oxytocin increases by five times and gives great relief in aches and pains.
2
5
3
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Increased Immunity – The level of the immune boosting antibody – immunoglobulin A, that is igA, is increased inthe body with regular love making. This in turn keeps you from illnesses like common cold and fever and makes your body strong.
Reduces Stress – Stressed out, are you? Having sex will improve your mood greatly. People in regular bedroom activity tend to deal with their stress in a better manner and are of a happy disposition.
Promotes Longevity – When having an orgasm, the body releases a hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone. This hormone repairs tissues, keeps skin healthy and improves immunity. Thus men, who have at least two orgasms in a week, live longer than men who have just one or none.
Increased Blood Circulation – When having s ex , t h e h e a r t ra t e i s increased and fresh new blood is supplied all over the body. Used blood is removed and the toxins that make one tired and fatigued are also Re l i eve s p a i n – We l l , eliminated. avoiding sex due to a body Some of the other health ache. If yes, stop this benefits are increased levels of oestrogen and immediately and rather have testosterone, and the perfect undisturbed sleep. Are you still not in bed? YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 35
4
Luxury
GOD’S OWN PLACE:
KASHMIR
Luxury Travel:
KASHMIR:
GOD’S OWN PLACE
A 4-day travel description to where they say heaven is, on the Earth. Tanya Daraad DAY 1: 7:00 AM ; DAL LAKE. I walked out of my deluxe houseboat ,I had put up during my stay in Sri nagar. Sips of the refreshing kashmiri kawa and the panoramic view of the serene Dal lake had wilfully put me into a trance. The houseboats introduced by the Indian ICS officers during the British Raj are one such avenue of experiencing the Imperial comfort of the British India. The handcrafted wooden interiors complete with the carpeted deck gives you a taste of Victorian royalty. Away from the city's noise you have the whole boat to yourself and family. Unlike the regular hotels you have a drawing room, a master bedroom, dinning ,a small kitchen ,bathroom with Jacuzzi and a handcrafted balcony overlooking the scenic Dal lake ,all to yourself. The royal treatment is offered to you
approximately around 15,000 for a package of 3 days four nights including two meals and shikara services for your commutation around Dal lake. Hurrying up with steaming parathas and kashmiri tea, I grabed my sun glasses and camera to set on to the Shikara ride around the Dal lake. Passing by the famous ' floating vegetable markets' and kashmiri wooden handy craft vendors, I stopped by a paper- mache shop, and grabbed beautifully carved gifts for my family. The Dal lake is vast
stretched and sailing around it in humble shikaras can give you a complete relaxing afternoon ,treating myself to spicy corns and fruit chat sold by floating vendors, I laid back on the cushioned Shikara and trolled hours in the lake before it was sunset . The dusk is indeed the best time to experience the lover hidden in the lake, it's when the Dal seems to be singing the legends of the age old romance of Nur Jahan and Jahangir which are still meandering in its shallow waters.
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Luxury “The temptation of apple orchards luring all your senses to wilfully get lost in the netted maze, devised by the rows and columns of trees playing pranks on their on-lookers” DAY 2 : 8:00 AM ; DRIVE TO SONAMARG. Next day I reserved a cab from Sri Nagar to Sonmarg. “Son-marg” meaning “Meadows of gold” is around 87 kms from the capital city. The drive to Sonamarg is though yet another spectacular facet of country side in Kashmir . Inundated by Sind and its tributaries sonamarg has a backdrop of snow- capped mountains and stretches of lush green meadow. The Thajiwas glacier is the main attraction for the tourists .For the agile ones the best way to navigate through the valley is on the back of a pony. Hiring a pony can cost
you around Rs.700 per head or even less if you could bargain. Renting coats and boots aren't necessary if you are in your own sporting attire and if there's no sign of rain .On my ride to the thajiwas glacier I spotted many mesmerising visions. Grazing on the flawless green stretches flocks of playful sheep and righteous ponies can appear as if is boasting of the grandeur of its homeland and its protective shelter. Once reaching the thajiwas glacier you can indulge into the snow skiing or take a leisurely ride on man-pulled sledge to some heights. The snow is stiff and is furnished like a white carpet all over the glacier so if given a try
one can go around on one's own feet too. Accommodation in sonamarg is available in J&K TDC's Huts and Tourist Bungalows. The tariff is Rs. 1400/- for 2-bed room huts and Rs. 300/- per double room in Tourist Bungalow. B u t o ve r n i g h t s t ay i n sonamarg isn't a great idea hence by five in the evening I headed back to the hospitality of my houseboat in Sri Nagar. The way back to Sri Nagar served as a treat to the sore eyes of city person. In the valley it was dusk and the sun was shedding its golden glitters on the mountain's rugged face.
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Luxury “The heart skipped a beat, and all I could remember; the sole motive to live was to indulge in things that amuse you without fearing the loss of life itself, but to live up to DAY 3: the elixir of amusement.�
7:00 AM, WAY TO PEHALGAM. The smell of cottage cheese from the breakfast at the houseboat still lingers as I recline my front seat enjoying the pleasant views on my way to pehalgam early this morning. A reserved cab for a ride of 98kms from Sri Nagar to pehalgam can cost you around Rs.2000/- and 2 hours if you aren't caught up in a jam. Pahalgam is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district. This world famous hill station and health resort is located on the banks of river Lidder at an altitude of 7200 ft. from sea level. Surpassing the trails of apple orchards and crystal clear streams, the nature reveals before you its pristine face. And amidst this god's wonder I bet you cannot ignore the happy faces of the school children waving at you when they see a tourist car passing by, on your way to Pehalgam. On reaching pehalgam I checked in my reserved holiday resort which overviewed almost the whole of pehalgam. It is better to get rooms booked
in the resort beforehand cause the lodges are almost packed up during this season ,you can get a decent and comfortable lodge at around 3,500-5,000 , including meals in pehalgam. After freshening up, I hired a cab for local sight-seeing.The first destination is the famous Betaab Valley, (so called because the Hindi film Betaab was shot here) and Aru valley. You can stroll around leisurely in these parks and indulge into some fun photography. Next thing to do in Pahalgam is Pony ride. Pony rides are available to a scenic meadow called Baisaran or 'Mini Switzerland' from city centre and with full bargaining! At first you are asked to pay about Rs 1000 per person,
but at last they will come with you at Rs 500 or even less. Pehalgam is also popularly associated with the holy Amarnath Yatra, that starts from Chandiwaari . Pilgrims take a taxi 16 km to Chandiwari then they walk or take a pony to the cave and back which takes at least 2 days with an overnight stay in either Shishnag or Panchtarni. But, my journey ends at Chandiwaari where I peacefully sit with the Chandiwaari glacier at the horizon to introspect in the serene environment. By the end of the day I peacefully sleep in the coziness of the blanket back at the resort promising myself of returning to pehalgam and its bewitching beauty.
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Luxury “Splendidly decked up in the velvety gown of stark white snow the chain of mountain ranges opens up its arms wide, ready to embrace you in its magnanimous beauty.” DAY 4: 8:00 AM; WAY BACK TO SRI NAGAR. Pahalgam offers white water rafting trips down the Lidder River. It is a beautiful trip winding down the Lidder River through the natural forests and down the exhilarating rapids.The rafting tariff for per person is not more than Rs.350/- and they provide you with sufficient safety gears, every tube has a capacity of six people and necessarily they h ave t wo p ro fe s s i o n a l helpers provided for your assistance,henceforth its very safe and must-to-do on the list. Thus, I couldn't afford to miss it on my way b a c k t o S r i n a g a r. T h e experience of out of the world, the chilly cold waters of the river made the body go numb yet failed to make the heart go small. The whole excitement lasted for about 20 minutes, and although drenched from head to toe in the icey water I still wanted more of it . Today was assigned for local sight-seeing and extravagant shopping in Sri nagar. I had a hired cab but auto-rickshaws can be found
everywhere. Taxis and buses area also available. Motorcycles can also be rented for enthusiasts. Sri nagar also called the Summer land from the times of the mughal emperor have some exuberant Mughal Gardens with terraced lawns, cascading fountains, paint-box-bright flowerbeds with the panorama of the Dal in front of them - the three Mughal Gardens of Chesmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar are the Mughal Emperors' concept of paradise and are today very popular places for picnics and excursions. Later that day I visited Hazratbal Mosque. The white mosque is breathtakingly beautiful but be careful, as women can enter only the first part of the mosque. Also take a walk through the adjacent market area with a range of great fresh food and a thousand things deep fried.one shoul not miss the Pari Mahal or The Fairies' Abode,it is a s eve n t e r ra c e d ga rd e n located at the top of Zabarwan mountain range over-looking city of Srinagar and south-west of Dal-Lake. The fascinating architecture
depicts a great example of Islamic architecture and patronage of art during the reign of the then Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. For long I had waited for it, and yes after sunset I had nothing on list but to plunge into shopping . Lal Chowk, Badshah Chowk, and Polo View are some of the best places to shop in Srinagar. Also check out the Government Emporia and t h e p r iva t e s h o p s f o r authentic articles at reasonable prices. Do haggle a bit, and you're sure to pick up some wonderful bargains. Shopping in Srinagar is all about buying carpets, pâpier mâché, fine pashmina shawls, and walnut wood items. DAY 4: 1:00 PM, GULMARG; Gulmarg "Meadow of Flowers" is a town, a hill station, a popular skiing destination and a notified area committee in Baramula district . The hill station, at an altitude of 2730 m, was earlier known as Gaurimarg, where Gauri stands for Goddess Parvati the wife of
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Luxury “Boarding on to the aircraft, dreading going back to everything I had escaped from the city life, I gained solace from the vivid images running through my mind from the God’s own place.” L o rd S h iva . T h e n a m e Gulmarg was given to this place by the King Yousuf Shah Chak. Getting to Gulamarg costed me around Rs. 1200 via a hired taxi, for a two and half hour journey. The slopes of Afarwat Hills of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalaya Chain boast one of the longest and highest ski slopes in Asia. It is a spectacular picnic spot attracted by all kinds of tourists with its lush green backdrop, beautiful
landscapes, flowering gardens, serene lakes and pleasant climate during the summers and falls. This is one of the best ski resorts in India as it gets heavy snowfall, especially during winter. This is also credited with the longest and highest cable car project in Asia. The experience in this cable car was breathtaking and really memorable. A sightseeing trip to the top via the gondola will cost you Rs. 300 for Stage one and Rs. 800 for stage two
(inclusive of the cost of Stage one) for a return trip. The hills visible from the top are said to be LOC and Pakistan administered Kashmir. The vision is one of its kind and shouldn't be missed at any cost. Mother Nature has blessed the regions of Gulmarg with all its showers of beauty and the tranquil atmosphere, so if you want a break from all your busy citylife, you ought to visit this place.
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Luxury
Sports Euro Cup Special:
THE ARCHITECTS OF VICTORY These are the men who crafted the Spanish dominance in the biggest European cup. Vivek Singh
Image Courtesy: footballonlineworld.com
Defending champion Spain defeated Italy by 4-0 in Euro Cup 2012 finals and with this win they became only first nation in history to retain euro cup and to win three major consecutive titles. With this famous win team has created its own legacy in the game. In the tournament Spain stuck to its tiki-taka style of play based on making your way to the back
of the net through short passing and movement Spanish team has been criticized for using sterile techniques, e.g. having no strikers and only midfielders. This lack of emphasis on the offensive leads to fewer goals, and the endless passing has been called beautiful but boring. Critics were put to silence when Spain defeated Italy, in
one of the finest style of play in the history of the game. This famous win should stop all the discussion going about Spanish legacy. The Spanish side is no marauders and plunderers but have made football beautiful again and taught the world to love the game. Let's now focus on architects of this Spanish win.
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Sports ARCHITECT #1 IKER CASILLAS
ARCHITECT #4 XAVI HERNANDEZ
The man with iron shoulder has now proved that he is not only the best goalkeeper in the world but also one of the greatest leader in the game. S p a n i s h t e a m e n j o ye d majority of the possession in most of their games but he was always ready to be called in the action and made several good stops at crucial moments in the tournament.
Until the final this has not been Xavi best season even his greatest admirers feared that his game has lost its edge and its snap in recent month. The angle and timing of his passes no longer combined to act but in finals he silenced all his knockers and doubters by his amazing performance.
ARCHITECT #2 ANDRES INIESTA This diminutive giant has close control on the ball his dazzling quick feet had defenses running scared. It was a visual treat for the fans to watch five Italian defenders surrounding the Barcelona playmaker in a bid to win a ball from him and was also a fitting testament to the threat he represented.
Image courtesy: zimbio.com
Image courtesy: mirror.co.uk
ARCHITECT #3 DAVID SILVA He was a crucial cog in the Spanish machine which won the Euros. Silva ably assisted by Xavi and Iniesta also laid off 3 assists for his teammates and scored two goals. He was involved in more than half of Spain 12 goals in the championship .
ARCHITECT #5 VINCENT DEL BOSQUE This man understands the philosophy of game and knew his wards well prior to the championship he was under pressure to change his striker less formation but he remained firm for the most part throughout 2012 and he got his reward when the referee blew the final whistle after the final.
There were many who expected Italy to dethrone them but that could not happen Italy , no ordainary side was rumpled. The final was a defining game for Spain and this win will inspire many to fall in line and follow the tiki-taka way. Image courtesy: skysports.com
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Sports Euro Cup Special:
EURO: LOOKING BACK The biggest surprises and disappointments of the cup that matters. Vivek Singh
SURPRISES
SURPRISE #1 ITALY BEATS GERMANY; BECOMES FINALIST It was the most surprising result of the entire tournament. Germany was seen as the favorites not only to trounce Italy, but to take the entire tournament by storm. But Mario Balotelli double strike sinks Germany, They showed their true potential, in the group games but when it came to Italy, the Germans could not find a solution. Image courtesy: bleacherreport.com
SUPRISE #2 FERNANDO TORRES WINS GOLDEN BOOT
Image courtesy: baidoamedia.com
When Spanish coach Vicente important victory, there was Del Bosque gave out of form Torres coming on to replace Fernando Torres chance Fabregas. And then he against Italy , everyone was proceeded to win the Golden surprised. Although he in the final 10 minutes of play scored twice against Ireland by adding a goal and an assist but was largely ineffective in on Jesus Mata's first goal on the championship. And yet, his touch of the entire in the winning moments of tournament. perhaps Spain's most YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 46
Sports SURPRISE #3 CZECH REPUBLIC WINS GROUP A Russia was supposed to book a spot in the Quarter Finals and The Czech Republic was supposed to fighting for the runner-up spot but after one game and a 4-1 dismantling at the hands of those same Russians, most were already booking
return flights for the Czechs. But they silenced their critics by winning two crucial games against Greece and Poland. In the quarter finals they lost to Portugal. Regardless of their exit, the Czechs had a successful tournament.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
Image courtesy: thesun.co.uk
DISAPPOINTMENT #1 NETHERLANDS WALKS AWAY WITH 0 POINTS Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Robbin Van Persie, Rafael Van Der Vaart, , Klaas Jan Huntelaar, , Nigel De Jong, All of those names have the words "dream team" written on them. This squad was expected to give their best in Euro 2012 but all these big name failed as the team lost all the three matches. In their most crucial match of
the tournament against Portugal, they answered the call... for the first 15 minutes. After Van Der Vaart scored the opening goal but Cristiano Ronaldo scoredtwice to end hopes of the Dutch. Netherlands was easily the worst team of the tournament due to the expectations placed on them to succeed.
Image courtesy: eurosoccerweb.com
DISAPPOINTMENT #2 FRANCE EMBARRASSES ITSELF AT ANOTHER MAJOR TOURNAMENT With new coach Laurent Blanc and a wealth of young talent, many had the French as a dark horse contender to win it all. In their opening two matches, they were an extremely impressive side;
they tied the British and then bags and was ready to leave unraveled a porous Ukrainian shortly after the match. d e f e n s e . T h e n t h e y France did nothing in this seemingly did a complete m a t c h a n d t h e n w e r e turnaround and play poorly eliminated at the hands of against a Swedish sidethat Spain. was had already packed its YOURS YOUTHFULLY JULY 2012 47
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OURS OUTHFULLY indulge.
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