HEY BEAUTIFUL!

Look pretty, dress up well and be what you were, even after your marriage. 

TOO BUSY? Don’t stop spending time on yourself after marriage

AMIDST the household chores, taking care of the entire family, and doing her best to keep everyone happy, a woman often neglects herself. Someone who used to spend hours in front of the mirror tends to rush through her ‘getting ready’ time as there are other responsibilities to be fulfilled. Her hair is ruffled, her dress is not prim and proper, her skin has lost the glow and eyes, the sparkle. But, here is a warning to all those women who tend to forget themselves amidst the work and worries. Businessman and husband for seven years now, Amit Purandare says, “I would love to see my wife the way she was before marriage. She used to love to buy new clothes, take care of her appearance and be in her best self always. When we used to go out she would be super excited to decide what she would wear and plan the entire look. Today, when I ask her out she gets ready in a jiffy, just because she wants to come back home fast so that she can finish her other work in time.” Looking pretty and dressing up are a women’s right, feels husband and marketing professional Sumeet Bhutada, “I always told all my friends who were about to get married, to not neglect themselves after marriage. Don’t skip the luxurious beauty parlour sessions, and do not miss out on the opportunity to look good always. Be at your beautiful best, to keep your husband happy and content. When you look good, we feel good!” To keep the charm and the sparkle alive, women need to keep surprising their man. Hear Interior designer Sunanda Seth who celebrates ten years of blissful marriage this month, “The secret to a successful married life is not to loose yourself as you find ways to keep people around you happy. Go out on dates, dress pretty, spend on yourself and keep your beauty on priority list. In your free time take care of the little things that you might have neglected, your hair, skin, nails etc.”  

The initial days of married life, where you make sure that you impress all with your pretty dresses, and accessories that go with it, somewhere gets faded away with time. Advertising professional Rajul Parekh feels, “The first few weeks (not even months) post marriage we tend to make sure that we put our best look forward. We want to garner as many praises as we can so we get up early to take time out to dress up. But, slowly things change and we hardly care about what we are wearing and how we are looking. This shouldn’t happen. We need to make sure that we don’t loose on the ‘beautiful feeling’ of impressing everyone and especially our husband. Surprise them, buy new clothes, new lingerie, makeup and keep your wardrobe updated with latest in trend. Beauty expert Vianna Albuquerque observes, “Women, especially after they get pregnant, tend to skip their beauty treatments. They do not wish to waste time in beauty parlours. Even when they come to me, they want to finish everything as quickly as possible, so instead of the luxurious facial they would opt for a simple clean up. Children become their priority, and no doubt they should be too. But if they plan their life, they can be beautiful mothers. Note you child’s timetable so that you know exactly when you are going to be free.”

Charm your hubby and make sure you are the center of attraction for him always.

Hey folks, let’s camp

This summer attend fun events and bond with your family. PT goes camping to find out new activities

INNUMERABLE responsibilities and never ending ‘to-do’ lists hardly leave parents with any time for their little ones. Today hectic lifestyles have reduced the amount of quality time a mother or father would get to spend with her little princess or prince. Keeping this in mind, many event managers are organising interesting activities that allow the parent and child to spend quality time together. Software professional and mother of an eight-year-old, Janani Iyengar feels that these events help parents connect better with their child. “Today’s hectic life demand mothers to always juggle between work and home and this leaves us with hardly any time with our children. So, I opted to go for one such event where I could dedicate all my time to my kid. It was a one day trip to a nearby picnic spot where we played games and spent a lot of time chatting. It was a great way to know my son better. The trip cost me 2000 and it was completely worth it,” says she.

Away from the daily tensions, parents can dedicate all their time to their little sweethearts at these camps. Marketing manager at Nature Trails, Sonal Diweka, gives a sneak peak into one such camp. She says, “Parents get a chance to bond well with their kids through these camps. We regularly organize camps for mother and child or father and child at Durshet. They enjoy activities including environment games, collage making, kayaking, wall climbing and various competitions. It’s usually a two night, three day camp, which will cost you around 6500.”  A similar event was organized by Avinash Kumar, managing director, In House Productions, “We organize mother’s day out regularly, where fun events and activities help the child and their mother bond better. Three leg races, camp fire are some events that we organized at our camp recently. We also had a consultation session with psychologists who spoke to the mothers about mother care, bridging the generation gap and the art of being friends with their kids.” When fun is blended with learning, it becomes an absolute success for parents, feels Sejal Goel, event organizer for U/A Fundays. She says, “We organise nature-based camps with a dash of learning. Recently, we organized a farm visit for mothers and their children where the kids got to spend time with farm animals, do fish breeding, trekking etc. It’s a fun learning experience where mothers also participate and accompany their children in all activities.”

But why just restrict it to mom and daughter or father and son, asks Amitabh Pal, managing director, RAW enterprise. “The family days that we organise are for corporate houses. It’s a day out with family where they get to spend quality time with each other. Depending on the number of people, we organize either carnivals or just usual events with games like wrap the child, where the mother is asked to neatly wrap the child with tissue paper making it look like a ‘mummy’, bombing the city and shouting and screaming games which the kids enjoy thoroughly. The carnival includes elements like jokers, cartoon characters and game stalls.”
 

It’s time you took out some time for your little ones and had fun with them. Why refuse your kids the love and affection they need, when you can play along and bond well?

Cool Bites

If your appetite is killed because of the summer heat, add loads of cool fruits and veggies. PT chalks out a diet chart

IT’S common to hear people say ‘I don’t feel like eating’, during summer. Thus, skipping meals and avoiding food becomes quite a frequent sight. Hear self-proclaimed foodie Amita Giriya, who says, “I enjoy eating all kinds of foods and I’m a big foodie. But the rise in the temperature has killed my appetite. I don’t know what to eat!” The reason behind this is the fact that the BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) comes down during summer, explains nutritionist Anuradha Inamdar. Replying to the query of Amita and several other foodies like her, she says, “The best coolants during summers are butter milk and coconut water. Make cucumber or raddish raita a part of your daily diet.” This is the season when you can substitute your fatty foods with ‘cool’ and colouful veggies and fruits. Fitness expert Rashmi Uttam, says, “Cold salads, water-based fruits and vegetables including cucumber, onions, tomatoes etc should be preferred. Citrus fruits, juices without sugar and coconut milk are best to keep your energy levels up.” Nutritionist Preeti Arora, adds, “Drink lots of aam panna, jal jeera and lemon water as it will refresh you. Opt for colourful drinks like khus and rose that will not only make your dinner table look more interesting but also help you from getting dehydrated.” While, eating lots of fruits is mandatory, nutritionists feel that making minimum changes to the way you cook your regular meal can help you stay cool as well. Dietician Manisha Chaple says, “Avoid using too much of oil for cooking. Add methi seeds to your regular dal and you will see the difference.” Substitute your parathas with phulkas and add spices like mint leaves, ginger and cumin seeds to your dishes. Dietician Narayani Devkota adds, “Avoid bajra and replace it with jowar, wheat and nachani when you make rotis. Rice also can be a part of your meals.” Also avoid the use of ground nuts as it produces a lot of heat. The heat kills your desire to eat and people tend to skip meals. But nutritionist Naini Setalvad warns. “It’s okay to skip having the regular roti and sabzi but do not stay hungry. Substitute it with yogurt, which is a complete meal in itself. A light sandwich with fresh veggies and fresh mango can make your lunch during this season.

EAT TO CHILL: Eating various fruits and vegetables 

can help you stay cool this summer season

 Use lots of pumpkin, gourd, turai and parwal in your kitchen. Heavy grains and spices are a strict no-no. Raw mango works well against sun stroke.” Ask her about the fattening effects of mango and she denies, “It’s only when you mix the fruit with milk and icecream that you gain weight.” It not just about eating right, but staying hydrated is the key to a healthy summer. “Drink lots of water and increase your intake of liquids. Drink lemon juice, coconut water and thin buttermilk, to replenish the fluids that are lost in sweat. But avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages as they are acidic in nature and act as diuretics, which cause loss of fluids through urine. Also, one should make sure they eat light. Avoid having fatty food and junk food. Fried foods, like vadas, samosas, chips, bhajias, farsan, etc should be kept away. The greasy and fried foods have heated thermal effect on your body and make you feel sluggish,” says dietician Yogita Sharma.

So, if you want to look cool this season, all you have to do is eat and drink all that’s cool, light and healthy.

GREEN-EYED BUDDY?

How can you deal with a friend who is jealous of you? PT finds out

THE GREEN SIGNAL: Communication is the key to handling a jealous friend

YOU purchase a designer dress with your first pay cheque and are super excited. You show it to your best friend expecting a pat on the shoulder and instead, get a ‘thanda’ response. If you have faced such a situation, then there’s a good possibility that your friend is jealous.
Many times we see someone close to us cooling off on hearing about a positive development in our life. If the situation aggravates, it’s best to cut all ties. Something that advertising professional Mehul Thakkar did. “It’s difficult to be friends with someone who is jealous of you. Imagine spending time with someone who does not like the fact that you are happy, popular or successful.” But cutting ties is not a good option always. Jealousy is a natural instinct, and it does not mean that the person hates you or desires ill for you. Psychologist Swapnil Desai explains, “It’s natural for humans to desire happiness. When they don’t get what they want, they feel disheartened. When they see someone else doing well, even if it’s their friend, they feel worse. This makes them jealous.”
The feeling of jealousy develops at an early age. So handling it could be difficult. But if you want your friendship to survive, then you need to work on it. Consultant psychiatrist, Nidhi Jain, says, “A child craves for the latest toy. When he sees someone else with a new one, he feels jealous. For a teenager, popularity at school or looking pretty could be reasons of feeling jealous. The same continues into adulthood, and throughout our lives. We must learn to identify jealous behaviour and handle the negative feelings.” Working on your self-esteem can really help you get out of that phase. Communication professional Anjita Chaube, says, “If I had a friend who was jealous, I would advise her to work on her selfconfidence. It’s easy to become jealous of people if you aren’t happy with yourself. Communication is the key.”
Jealousy is not always negative. If taken positively, it could be a ‘green signal’ for your progress. For Amrita Shiba, IT professional, the feeling helped her climb up the ladder of success. “My friend and I worked in the same organisation. She was quite popular at office, and always garnered praises during weekly meetings. One day, my boss called her and gave her a promotion. I should have been happy for her, but I wasn’t. At first, I was frustrated. Then I decided to work it out. I accepted my flaws, and worked on them. It’s only when you are insecure that you tend to feel jealous. Today we are the best buddies,” she smiles. 

It’s not easy to deal with a jealous friend. But till jealousy is within limits, all is well.

TAKE IT EASY THIS SUMMER

Free-flowing bottom wear with an emphasis on comfort will be the hottest coolant this season. PT reports  

APAIR of blue denims has a special place in our wardrobes. But during summers, these ‘hot’ denims take a backseat, and are replaced by some cool bottom wear. From dhotis, flared pants, cropped pants, carrot pants to pleated shorts, skirt-like shorts, and lungi pants, designers offer all kinds of options for looking and feeling cool during summer season.

Designer Purvi Doshi believes that summer is the time to wear free-flowing garments, which also help beat the heat. She says, “Bottom wear in summers include shorts in German cottons, calf length linen pants, ijaar pants and patiala salwars in breezy voiles and cottons. Long skirts with floral prints are also an option to look forward to. It’s more about fun dressing, playing with a lot of ruffles and frills.” For a chic summer look, she recommends a white linen ruffled shirt with a pair of haute pants in icy cool colours. Those looking for something Indian can wear a smart Kalidar kurta in linen and mulmul with ijar pants, and complete the look with stoles and scarves. Designer Riyaz Gangji adds, “Capris, hot pyjamas and short dhotis are making it big this summer. Wear them in Bhagalpur cotton or Egyptians cottons for a cool feel.” The season is all about having fun with a touch of classic sophistication. Designer Atithi Gupta vouches for slouchy trousers. She adds, “It’s the official return of flare pants with wide, loose legs. Also, keeping your b o t t o m p i e c e s higher up is still the ‘in’ look.” Agrees designer Pallavi Mohan, “The season is inspired by the 80’s look. The flared pants, cropped or capri pants and the famous carrot pants are the hottest trends this summer. Cotton or linen shorts and skirts in white or pastel colours are ideal for this season. Peasant tops, baby doll tops and the alltime favorite summer T-shirts can be teamed up with denim shorts and skirts. The best and simplest way to wear carrot pants is to combine them with highheeled shoes or sandals, a printed T-shirt and a blazer or a vintage shirt.” Designer Abdul Halder suggests, “Pleated shorts, skirt-like shorts, lungi pants, harem pants and loose linen pants in warm colours are ideal for lazy lounging.”

The look is androgynous this season. There is a masculine touch and that’s why pants are a big trend, feels designer Sabah Khan. She says, “Dhoti pants in cottons, mulls, linens splashed with bright colours and loud prints are in this season. Pyjama style pants are going to be a big trend. The colour palette ranges from wine and honeysuckle, to citrus lime, citrus yellow, bright yellow, tangerine, beiges and earthy tones.” She adds, “For a pear-shaped body, the dhoti pant which will be big this season needs to be less voluminous. For a bananashaped body, immense volume can be added. Plus size women can wear a dark solid colour dhoti pant with controlled volume.”
Summer is a season of diversity. As designer Priyadarshini Rao concludes, “Easy effortless styles dominate this season.” Now, that is something many fashion-conscious persons would like a lot.

THEY WILL PRAY, WHILE INDIA PLAY

Most cricket addicts turn superstitious when India plays a match. As India gets ready to play the World Cup finals, what are their ‘plans’ for the evening? 

GOOD LUCK: Keeping their fingers crossed, cricket fans are holding on to their superstitions to make India win the cup

INDIA will lock horns with Sri Lanka for the ultimate cricketing honor tonight. The team in blue has gone past Australia (which many termed as the first final) followed by its victory over Pakistan (the second final). Today is the third, you can call it the biggest final of them all, a match which will give the winner the ICC World Cup 2011. Indian cricket addicts want India to win this one. They want the trophy to come home badly. Such fans are prepared to go to any extent to make it happen: even if that means sitting on one chair without moving an inch throughout the course of the match. So what if someone else who isn’t a diehard cricket lover finds it childish? Turning into a superstitious being when India plays is, well, a part of the game for many cricket lovers. Hear TV anchor Shibani Dandekar, who screams, shouts and cheers for Team India as she believes that it motivates the team to play better. She proudly says, “When we watch Team India bat, we ensure that after every ball that is bowled, we encourage the batsmen by cheering for them at home. When the team is fielding, we keep shouting ‘Indiaaaah Indiiiiaaah’ till the next batsmen comes on the pitch.”
Photographer Sameer Belvalkar too feels that the positive energy really works. He says, “We always watch India play with a big group, including family and friends. Our cheering, high spirits and group energy really encourage the players, we believe. So, for the big game, our gang will be together to make sure the players play well.” Lucky t-shirt, lucky pendant, lucky bat or lucky chair, cricket lovers have their own set of rules for watching the game. The belief is so strong that even a five-month-old is not spared. Tattoo artist Sarina Parhawk smiles and says, “Bleed blue fever is really high. When we watch the match we will all wear blue. During the Indo-Pak match, my friend’s five-month-old son too wore blue. It proved to be really lucky for us as India is now in the World Cup finals. The little boy is our lucky mascot.” Many insist that they are not superstitious by nature, but do everything that ensures India’s win. Hear businessman Mahendra Pratap who makes sure that he sits on the same chair whenever India is playing, “I make it a point to sit on the ‘lucky’ chair all through the match. It’s uncomfortable as I do not even move to attend the nature’s call, but that’s just a small price for India’s win. My family is supportive as they serve everything I want at my seat.”
India’s win against Pakistan was a paisa vasool moment of the tournament and things that were done that day proved to be lucky for India. Animation professional Chetan Deshmukh is going to replicate the atmosphere of the Indo-Pak match for the finals. He says, “Whether you think it’s childish or illogical, it really does not matter as these superstitions work and they are fun too. We believe that the things we did during the mouth-watering match between India and Pakistan will prove to be lucky today as well. So, with the same dholtasha, same clothes and same group of people, we shall meet at the same time to watch the match.” When it comes to India’s win, the fans outdo their cricketing Gods who have their own superstitions. Actor Sachit Patil plans to make his director Vishal Inamdar stand all through the match. He narrates, “It all began during the Indo-Pak match when Sehwag was batting and Vishal had been standing at that time. It was all good until he sat for a moment, and Sehwag got out. Post this, we decided he would stand throughout the finals. We completely believe that, if one position works well for Indian side, we should not change it till the end of the game.”

It may be crazy, absurd or senseless. But the millions of cricket crazy fans who will watch the finals will cling to their superstitions to ‘make’ India win today. For them, logic doesn’t matter.

To hide or not to hide

Is it better to leave the past behind, or reveal all to your partner. PT finds out

SHOULD one keep a secret or should one let the cat out of the bag? Should tell the entire truth or just reveal a bit? The questions are many and there are multiple answers for all. That there should be no hidden secrets in a marriage is what our moral lessons preach. But, can we actually put it into practice?
Archana Nair, psychological cousellor advices, “How much you want to reveal to your partner totally depends on what you want him to know. The questions you should ask yourself first: will bringing up the past help or harm your relationship? A successful marriage is built on trust and understanding. If you have understanding, there is nothing wrong with revealing your past.” But image consultant Sanket Sharma disagrees, “My experience suggests it is better to hold back information as it may not go down well with your partner. Sometimes, things from the past can create problems in a marriage. Digging up how many boyfriends or girlfriends you have had may not be accepted by all persons.”
HR professional Shristi Chandra*, who has not shared her past relationships with her husband, says, “The past is history. Why dig it up and ruin what is alive and happening today. Ours was an arranged marriage. Although he is understanding and caring, I have left my past where it ended. I do not need to open those pages of my life again.”

PR professional Anupam Goyal believes there are some things that are better left unsaid. warns, “Do not lie. But do not reveal everything either. Jealousy, insecurity stem from such situations.” Yet, there are those who are ready to take the risk. Megha Priyadarshi, hospitality professional told her husband everything as it was. She says, “I always believed that honesty is a strong base for any relationship. And, I was determined to speak the truth. Today, he trusts me completely. It disturbed him at first, but once I convinced him that I have left my past behind, there were no issues.”

Jealousy and doubts do crop up at times, but it’s better to be honest. Business manager Abhishek Puppala, says, “I was always honest about my past with my wife. In fact, she reacted very casually when I confessed about my affairs. It didn’t lead to any arguments as she trusted me. At times, she is curious to know more, but I know it’s because she wants to know me better.”

( *Some names have been changed for privacy)

CINEMA IS IN GOOD COMPANY

Increasing corporate participation is changing the look of Marathi cinema. PT reports

CORPORATE ROLE: 

More and more marathi films are being sponsored by corporates

REGIONAL cinema is getting bigger. While some credit the growth to the influx of multiplexes, others assert that it is better quality cinema that’s drawing more crowd to the halls. A combination of both seems to be the reason for this growth, motivating deep-pocketed corporates to invest money in Marathi films. The market is poised to expand further with Eros International planning to produce seven movies this year, Zee Talkies announcing three projects, and Mukta Arts’ two under-production projects. Apart from these, AB Corp, Reliance Entertainment, UTV Motion Pictures and Ekta Kapoor’s production company, Alt Entertainment have shown a keen interest in Marathi films. Subhash Ghai from Mukta Arts credits the rise in the interest in Marathi movies to the government. He says, “As the previous governments of Maharashtra encouraged producers to make Marathi films by offering a lot of concessions and subsidies, corporate houses were ready to take the risk. This is a good sign, as four years back, there were only 20 Marathi films released in a year. Now, more than 100 movies are being showcased on the silver screen.” Apart from the two hit films, Vallu and Sanai Choughade, the banner has two movies under production including Savitricha Leki and Prarambh. With the rise in the number of multiplexes, the footfalls of families have increased. Kamal Jain, Group CFO at Eros International Media Ltd, feels this has led to corporates’ keen interest in regional cinema. He says, “When corporates target a particular business model, they look at recovery first. Since there has been a rise in the number of people wanting to watch regional movies, corporate houses are investing money here.” He adds, “The quality of cinema has improved, thanks to more money. The reach is extensive as we spend heavily on distribution and marketing of the movie. 

Me Shivaji Raje Bhosle Boltoy which is a highly acclaimed movie of today’s times is a good example of what corporate houses can make a difference.” The company is producing at least seven movies this year. Punha Dhakka with Mahesh Manjrekar is among them. Nikhil Sane, business head at Zee Talkies, believes that the biggest change brought by the corporates is that story lines are being experimented with. He adds, “We have been able to change the face of Marathi cinema with technical advancements, unexplored locations and digital films, among other things. Also, we have been able to streamline promotional activities, which include, outdoor, radio and print advertisements, and integration in the TV shows.” Priti Shahani, chief strategy and marketing officer, Reliance Entertainment, explains why corporates have entered the cinematic playing field. “The first reason is that it’s not an expensive medium, and has high chances of recovering the costs. Secondly, the film industry has some highly talented people. Lastly, TV channels show interest in regional cinema, leading to benefits for corporates.” The change in trend is being welcomed by the directors as well. Director Viju Mane says, 

“The corporate intervention has organised and disciplined the Marathi film industry. For my future projects, I am talking to a few corporate houses.” Director Umesh Kulkarni, who has worked with corporate producers, feels, “It has helped the film industry. We are now dealing with different subjects. A positive curiosity has developed for Marathi cinema outside Maharashtra as well.” The participation of corporates is turning out to be a profitable venture for all. The directors are smiling as they are reaching out to a larger audience. The audiences are glad since the content is becoming superior by the day. When the changes are for the better, who should complain? Nobody, we believe.