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Sunday, January 23, 2011

'Shahid refused to do 7 Khoon Maaf'

Shahid Kapoor More Pics

When Priyanka Chopra has seven co-stars in her forthcoming film " 7 Khoon Maaf", the question arises why isn't Shahid Kapoor, who shares an amazing onscreen chemistry with her and is reportedly her offscreen love, one of them? Well because he refused, revealed filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj.

"Shahid refused to do the film. That time he was preparing for the role in his father's film and for that he needed a particular get up, so he didn't have time to get a new get up for this film," Bhardwaj told reporters at an event in the Radio City office here.

"7 Khoon Maaf" is based on Ruskin Bond's short story, "Susanna's Seven Husbands". The seven male leads in the thriller include Naseeruddin Shah as the oldest husband, John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh, Irrfan Khan, Annu Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah's youngest son Vivaan Shah as the youngest husband and Russian actor Aleksandr Dyachenko.

The director also revealed that Priyanka was his original choice for the role.

"Priyanka was my original choice for the role. She is the finest actor of her generation right now. Whe I worked with her in 'Kaminey', I realised how under-utilised she is. She has so much talent in her. As a director I had so much trust on her that I felt that no one else can essay this role as brilliantly as she would do," said Bhardwaj.

Indian govt, firms spent over $1.5 million on US lobbying in 2010

NEW DELHI: With the US holding key to a vast number of issues affecting India and its corporates, the Indian government and companies together spent over $1.5 million last year on lobbying in the American power corridors.

However, the cost incurred by Indian government and companies on lobbying with US lawmakers in 2010 marks a significant drop of about one-third vis-a-vis spending in the previous year, when this figure stood at about $2.2 million.

The issue of lobbying has created a big controversy in recent months in India after leakage of taped conversations between a corporate lobbyist and a number of people from politics, business, the media and other areas.

The controversy led to talk of the Indian government also considering framing regulations for lobbying activities. However, the government and private companies have been officially lobbying in the US for many years to put forward their cases with the American government and lawmakers.

Lobbying is legal in the US and all the lobbyists there are required to file a quarterly report with the Senate, detailing their clients, the departments with whom they were lobbying and the fees charged for the same.

According to the lobbying disclosure reports filed with the Senate for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, the Indian government and companies together paid about $4,00,000 to lobbyists for putting forward their cases before US lawmakers.

This has taken the total lobbying cost incurred by Indian companies and the government for the entire 2010 to $1.57 million, as against $2.2 million in 2009.

Experts said the drop in lobbying expenses partly reflects the state of economy and the resultant cost-cutting exercise undertaken by the government as well as companies.

The Indian government alone paid over $420,000 during 2010 to high-profile lobbyist Barbour Griffith & Rogers (BGR), while the private sector companies together paid more than $11,50,000 to their lobbyists.

The lobbying for the Indian government was done mostly with the US Senate on issues related to the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the disclosure said.

Till last year, the Indo-US nuclear deal used to be the main lobbying issue for the Indian government.

On the other hand, the private sector lobbied on issues related to their respective businesses.

The most prominent among the private sector entities, billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, paid a total of $7,60,000 to its US lobbyist, which also happens to be BGR.

RIL paid $190,000 each in the four quarters of 2010, while the amounts were the same in the previous year.

Others who indulged in lobbying in the US during 2010 include apex software sector body Nasscom, Carpet Export Promotion Council, Flyington Freighters, the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council and Gujarat Fluorochemicals.

In the past, a host of other Indian entities -- including the Tata Group, industry chamber CII, L&T, SAIL, Ranbaxy and Sun Pharma -- have also lobbied in the US, but the latest disclosure filings by lobbyists do not mention their names.

The Indian government's lobbying bill also came down heavily to $420,000 during 2010 from $700,000 in the previous year.

While the maximum lobbying expense incurred by the Indian government was in 2007, at $720,000, India began lobbying with US lawmakers in 2005, when it incurred a total cost of $240,000 for the same. The corresponding figures for the years 2008, 2007 and 2006 were $630,000, $720,000 and $640,000, respectively.

The Indian government has been lobbying with the American lawmakers since 2005 on issues related to nuclear deal and bilateral Indo-US relationships and its total spending has crossed $3 million (around Rs 15 crore).

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then US President George Bush had first announced their intention to enter into a nuclear agreement in July, 2005.

The first instance of a lobbying-related payment was made by the Indian government in the last quarter of 2005. At that time, BGR had said that it "provided guidance and counsel with regard to issues impacting bilateral relations between the US and the Republic of India, including a potential civil nuclear agreement."

Mishra chops Chitrangada's item number

Chitrangda Singh More Pics

Last week, Chitrangada Singh was sulking. To her horror, she discovered that director Sudhir Mishrahad lopped off an entire item number she had done in Yeh Saali Zindagi.

A source says, "Mishra cut out the song at the final edit. Chitrangada spoke to him about it. His explanation did not go down well with her. It wasn't easy to shoot that item number and she had worked very hard on it."

Apparently, Mishra had to cajole the actress into understanding his perspective. Chitrangada took a lot of time to understand his point of view but to Mishra's credit, he stuck to his argument.

Persistence did win at the end of it. Mishra confirmed that he had deleted a song from Yeh Saali Zindagi, which was picturised on Chitrangada. He said, "To me, it wasn't an item number. It was simply a performance."

And why did he cut it out? Replied Mishra "I edited it only because I felt it was not in sync with the narrative of the film." Mishra also admitted that Chitrangada was upset over his decision. "But it's okay. She is fine now.

Anybody in her place would have felt the same."

We still felt the need to ask the actress for her opinion on this, but she remained unavailable for comment.

Signs to know he's avoiding you

Know if he's not that into you (Getty Images)

Here are some tell-tale signs to look out for....

If you've gone out with a guy/girl a couple of times, you are probably wondering if he/she likes you and wants to take it forward. While going outright and asking your date is not always an option, you may be looking for signs to know how he/she feels.

If you are one of those who keeps wondering why your partner hasn't called back or is too busy for you, maybe you need to realise that he/she is not that into you.

- A lack of physical contact is one of the most obvious signs. If it's a man you're wondering about, know that they love to show their affection in the form of holding hands or putting their arm around your waist. If he is keeping a distance, constantly has his hands folded over his chest and avoids eye contact it's a sign.

-While men may not be fond of phone conversations, if he likes you he will call you back. The same applies for women. If she spends half of your time together chatting with her best friend on the phone, something's wrong. Further, if you find that your date keeps changing plans, it may show disinterest.

-While it's good to have your own space in a relationship if your partner disappears for days or weeks altogether, you need to think twice. There is no excuse for a person not being in touch for that long. With the internet, mobile phones and other methods of communication, even if your partner is out of the country he/she should call in every now and again.

-It's always nice to run errands or do favours for your date, but not all the time. If your date only calls you when he/she needs you to buy some groceries or pick him/her up, it's time to say no. A good partner will ask for help once in a while.

-A partner who criticises you all the time for small things like the way you are dressed and seems to be starting fights all the time, could be looking for a break-up. If he/she is constantly with a member of the opposite sex, it could mean he/she is looking for options.

-Finally if your date is keeping you away from his/her friends circle or avoiding meeting his/her family, it could mean that he/she is not in it long term. Ask your partner about this and then decide if you want to continue the relationship.

Watch out while sharing secrets with spouse

To know, or not to

Being privy to every little quirk of your partner might not prove beneficial to your relationship...

Lovelorn couples; here's a red alert! Sitting in a coffee shop, sipping on endless mugs of coffee and having a conversation to know 'absolutely everything' about each other might really get you nowhere. A recent study claims that not knowing your partner could be the key to a long-lasting relationship.

The study, conducted by two psychologists from a renowned Swiss university, found that couples married for an average of 40 years know less about one another's preferences than do partners who have been married or in committed relationships for a year or two. For many, the only explanation to the outcome of this study is that not knowing and liking is a better option than knowing and not liking. Simply put, ignorance is bliss.

Art dealer Vedhika Choudhurry completely agrees with this theory. She says, "If I come to know my husband smokes, flirts with his PA at work and is a closet misogynist, would I want to stay with him? Never. I find it better not to know what his faults are and accept him at face value rather than find out what he really is and go knocking on the doors of the family court!"

Psychologist Namitha says this study can be perceived in two ways. "One, people find denial more comforting than the hard truth," she says, "Another way to look at it is that rather than getting to know everything about a person in a short span, getting to know them over a number of years, discovering something new about them every day as you grow older, could be the secret magic ingredient. The best way to go about it is to achieve a balance in how much you disclose because as bad as it may sound, sometimes complete honesty really does kill."

This study might come as an irony of sorts in this age — a time that hails and celebrates the virtues of live-in relationships. An increasing number of young couples are opting for this marriage-without-being-married concept so they can get to know their partner inside out before saying the sealing 'I Dos'. Software engineer Kamal Krishnan says, "On one hand, it gives me jitters when I think of marrying someone I don't know entirely. On the other, there's got to be a darned good reason why couples who get married after a live-in period still split. It might have to do with raised expectations. For example, when you're courting, you find out everything about your partner, you remember that they don't like onions in their food. After marriage, if you happen to forget this little detail, all hell breaks loose. Might as well maintain some ambiguity from the word go, then."

However, happily married for 30 years, bank manager Saraswati Ramachandran rubbishes this study. "I think it's absolutely necessary to know what kind of a person your partner is. To know his likes and dislikes, his personality traits, his attitude and aptitude is a must. After all, you have to spend forever with him — he's not a roommate, he's your soul mate."

Are you going to be dumped?

Pyaar impossible: Don’t try to ignore the issue nagging your relationship

Being in a love can be a heady feeling. Add to it the fact that you feel you've found your soul mate, and you are on cloud nine.

But people often fail to take into consideration the fact that their partner may not be thinking likewise. When in love, people either don't see that there is trouble in their relationship or they prefer to ignore it hoping that everything will sort itself out. However, it's best to acknowledge the issues that are nagging you and address them rather than sweep them under the carpet. Ignoring the issues won't help. So, here are some pointers to check out the steadiness factor in your relationship:

Doesn't want to socialise with you
Do you remember that time when you were left standing at the restaurant hungrily eyeing the people who walked in, but you never got to go in because your boyfriend/girlfriend didn't turn up? There's the working overtime excuse that come handy at times such as these. We don't mean to say that every time your partner breaks a date you suspect his/her actions, but anything that happens too often indicates something. And breaking a date is an indication of the fact that there are things, other than you, that are important to your partner.

Goes out on his/her own
There's always some reason why you can't come to a party. 'It's just the office people' or 'It's a boy's night out' or 'You won't enjoy it' or 'We'll be discussing work, honey' are the lines that are guaranteed to keep you away. There's got to some reason why your boyfriend/girlfriend doesn't want you around.

His/her friends seem distant
Aren't your friends the ones you confide in when anything bothers you? Similarly, if his/her friends suddenly seem to be a little hesitant to talk to you or approach you it could be because he/she has confided something in them.

Love is gone
If your boyfriend/girlfriend stops acknowledging important days like your birthday, it's time to talk to him/her. Also he/she may not want to hold your hand or be affectionate in public.

Asks you to change
When your partner keeps pointing to how your appearance needs to change, it could indicate that he/she is not happy with you anymore. If suddenly everything you do seems to be imperfect or wrong then you need to take a long, hard look at your relationship. Don't blame yourself for all the issues that he has.

You avoid serious talks
Whenever your partner tries to have a serious talk, you want to run away. You probably have a feeling that you are going to be dumped. Avoiding it won't help as your relationship will suffer more. So, be brave and face it.

Make friends, live longer!

Ever wondered what keeps some people happy all the time? An underlining factor in every happy person's life is that they tend to have supportive relationships. American author Lois Wyse said, "A good friend is a connection to life — a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world."

Social networking sites are one of the best ways to stay connected with friends and family. They have changed the way people socialise. Rahul Kulkarni, product manager, Google India says, "Being socially connected has a definite positive effect on your well-being." Namrata Aswani, PR consultant, says, "I feel connected to the world — it's so far, yet so near. You can share photos and videos with a click. Chat with your old friends and the happiness just flows. It is a relief from a boring day."

A recent study shows that social media is now our favourite online pastime, beating e-mail by a wide margin. According to research, if you have a supportive social network, you may add years to your life. Says Dr Harish Shetty, Mumbai-based psychiatrist, "Friends provide emotional nourishment and tangible social support. The feeling of having access to someone during those dark hours accelerates hope. Hopelessness leads to loss of confidence."

Many who blame the world for not having friends are those who don't trust anyone with their feelings or confidences. Good emotional contact causes networks to be built. Even studies suggest that we need close relationships that involve understanding and caring.

Prahasitha, senior faculty at One World Academy, Chennai, feels, "Our work and the way we live is so structured that it isolates people from each other. Social networking sites fulfil a primal need in all of us."

Social networks seem to be the same as conventional networks but bigger and more casual. They may not match up to the physical presence of a friend, but are reliable during those dark, depressing times.