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City Masala November 2005

Miss India USAMiss India USA EExclusivexclusive IInterview withnterview with TrinaTrina Chakravarty Chakravarty

BollywoodBollywood TopTop Ten Ten CountdownCountdown

GPGPSS:: LostLost and and FoundFound

CricketCricketMemories of a Glorious WinMemories of a Glorious Win

Premier Issue November 2005

EXPOSED!EXPOSED!They bared it allThey bared it all

AA Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian

FashionFashionTThe Classy &he Classy &

Trendy Trendy

City MasalaThe Runaway The Runaway

GroomGroomWhy Men runWhy Men run

When Asked to StayWhen Asked to Stay


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W E CL O M E MEET OUR TEAM:

Editor and Publisher:

Chhaya Sanghavi

Shaphali Jain

Content Contributors:

Ajay Jambhekar

Anika Sharma

Javid Lateef

Kavita Trivedi

Nandini Chakraborty

Sandeep Sidhu

Vanya Shah

Vish Viswanathan

Zed Rahman

Graphic Designer

Dawn Sallas

Published By:

CityMasala LLC

Telephone

813-642-3313

Email:

[email protected]

On the Web:

www.citymasala.com

The opinions and viewpoints of our contributors and ad-vertisers do not necessarily refl ect those of CityMasala’s. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and origi-nality of content. Copyright © 2005 CityMasala LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinting of any material without prior permission from CityMasala is prohibited.

In this issue:4 Achiever’s Club: Women of Substance8 Cricket: Memories of a Glorious Win 10 Dining Out and Dining In11 Wild Thing… You Make My Heart Sing14 Reel Talk: Movie Reviews16 Abhijit Bhaduri: Is he Mediocre But Arrogant?18 Anika’s Zen: Temptation Calling20 Exposed: They Bared It All22 Star Lite Star Brite: This Month’s Horoscope

On the Cover5 Miss India USA: Exclusive Interview with Miss India USA8 Cricket: Memories of a Glorious Win9 GPS … Lost and Found12 Fashion: City Chic 15 Bollywood Countdown17 The Runaway Groom: Why men run when asked to stay

FROM OUR DESK TO YOURS:Welcome to the very fi rst edition of CityMasala – a contemporary and vi-brant interpretation of the South Asian culture here in the US. When we fi rst decided to create CityMasala, the idea took us by storm. The dearth of quality entertainment presented in a media format has led to the inception of City-Masala. Our effort is to put together a magazine that would give our readers everything they could possibly want to read about in one, cover to cover, COLOR magazine. Our ongoing effort will be to create a publication that will address all areas of life in the US - beauty, fashion, cricket, cars, busi-ness, technology, family, horoscopes, and of course, Bollywood. We will also continue to add more columns for your reading pleasure. We want to target you, today’s intellectually trendy, progressive, open minded, culturally diverse and affl uent generation of South Asians. CityMasa-la strives to be different from the con-ventional, typical and culturally based publications. Our aim is to consistently form a bond with all our readers. We will do this by providing quality editorial content. CityMasala will cover issues that matter to the sharp and discrimi-nating women and men of South Asian heritage, while embracing their diverse cultural needs. Combined with our online presence www.citymasala.com, CityMasala will provide our readers with the information they want and need. We will constantly strive to stay in touch with the South Asian commu-nity and interact consistently with our readers. We look forward to being an integral part of your lives on a monthly basis. Thank you for picking up our issue and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. We welcome new talent and we would love to hear from aspiring models, writers and photographers. Let’s build a platform we can all identify with, take inspiration from and reach out to, together, as one, a community of South Asians in America.

Chhaya Sanghavi and Shaphali Jain

IN THIS ISSUE

3

On the Cover: Arti Bhojak

Arti is a social worker who

works with veterans


Badar has a 27 year old son (you wouldn’t know it if you saw her!), and owns Badar’s Hair ‘N’ All on 2321 E Fowler Ave. Tampa. She has been in the busi-

ness of making people beautiful for several years. She moved to Chicago from Hyderabad more than 20 years ago. On the south Asian population surge, Badar says “I hardly saw people in Salwar Kurtas and whenever I did see someone in ethnic Indian clothes, I would go, wow! Indians!! Now I see them everywhere! It is like being home”. Badar has always been passionate about doing hair, which she started when she was 17. She opened her salon, Hair ‘N’ All, in ’96 with just one chair. The place now boasts of at least 10 chairs and her salon is gaining popular-ity by the day. She uses natural products for skin care and offers threading, waxing and facials. The most important skin care tip she stresses upon is: Never go to

sleep with makeup on. Cleansing is very important; wash your face 2-3 times a day. She says she owes her success to the fact that she loves what she does. Except for the fact that she has to be around all the time, there are no downsides to her business. Hair ‘N’ All is a full service unisex salon that offers facials, manicure, pedicure, waxing, as well as eyebrow and facial threading.

Ketal Patel: Vedic Astrology

Born in Calcutta, India, and educated in the University of Medical College, Calcut-ta, University of Florida, Gainesville and University of South Florida, Tampa, Dr.

Swapna Mukherjea is a Staff Psychiatrist in the Counseling Center at the University Of South Florida. Dr. Mukherjea also works for Mental Health Care Inc., a commu-nity non-profi t mental health program which provides mental care to the poor. Her husband, Arunava Mukherjea, is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of South Florida and her daughter, Ananya, is a Professor of Sociology in New York. Yes, a veritable family of scholars! Her parents have been her biggest inspiration, her husband, her greatest strength and support and her daughter, her greatest joy.

Dr. Swapna Mukherjea: Staff Psychiatrist

Born in Ahmedabad, Ketal started her career as a science teacher in 1987. Her true interest always stayed with astrology and yoga and it was only after1994

that she started studying astrology and passed the vedic astrology exam. She be-lieves that Rahu is connected with our past Karma and Shani is our teacher through the course of life. Her advice is that we should not fear Rahu and Shani and instead choose to learn a lesson through life’s experiences. She also practices and teaches Reiki which is a cosmic power used for healing. Reiki helps us balance our mental and spiritual selves. Feng Shui and Pyramids are also her forte. Ketal believes that just as we visit holy places to get energized and to feel positive, we can practice Feng Shui and Pyramids to energize our home and surroundings positively. These

Shastras help us reduce the effect of our bad karmas and form a foundation for our good karmas and encourage them. When we increase our inner strength and awareness, we are able to love ourselves and others and are able to spread happi-ness around in the universe.

Achiever’s Club Women of Substance

Badar Zaidi: Salon Owner

ADVERTISE WITH CITY MASALA AND REACH YOUR CuSToMERS IN COLOR

CALL 813•642•3313 OR WRITE TO [email protected]

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Clip this coupon with your address and Phone number And mail to:

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4


Trina Chakravarty, Miss India Florida from Jacksonville was crowned MISS INDIA USA, 2005 in the 24th Miss India USA Pageant which was held in Tampa this year. Trina’s mother, Aparna, had been crowned Miss India New York in 1982. Like mother, like daughter? Read on and you’ll fi nd out that she deserves the crown in more ways than one.

Trina’s Trinkets, Triumphs and Tribulations:

Favorite Bollywood Movie:

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Favorite Song: “Albela” from the same

movieFavorite Bollywood

Actress: Aishwarya Rai and

Madhuri DixitMotivations:

Education, Family and hanging out with friends

Weakness: I am a big

procrastinator!!Soft Spot:

For my little sister, Trisha. She is an even bigger diva than I am!!

Strength: The way I was brought up – . I got to imbibe

and cultivate the best of both Indian and Ameri-

can values.Scared of:

SPIDERS! And the fear of failure.Live for:

The Future.

CityMasala: Trina, Congratulations on this amazing win. How did it feel to win the crown?Trina: I can honestly say that I have never been more ecstatic! We work so hard in life to get to that one moment in time when we can take a step back and look at our ac-complishments and say, “Wow, I did it!” and I’m happy to say that my time is now!

CityMasala: Tell us, what you won, other than the title, of course!Trina: Other than the title, I was awarded with a gorgeous sari on stage, as well as a free roundtrip ticket to India to compete in the Miss India Worldwide competition to be held on December 3rd in Mumbai.

CityMasala: Tell us a little about yourself..Trina: I am 18 years old and am a Sopho-more at the University of Gainesville. I was born in Chicago. We moved to Florida when I was about 12 years old. My dad, Amit, my mom, Aparna, my younger brother, Tushar and my baby sister, Trisha (who is only 3 years old) mean the world to me. My mom sings beautifully and played an integral part in cultivating Indian values in me. Indian tradition and culture were introduced to me at a very early age – I started to learn Bharat Natiyam when I was 4 and I got my Aranget-ram or Graduation in Bharat Natiyam when I was 16.

CityMasala: How did you get into the beauty pageant scene?Trina: I was in the 10th grade and was performing a Bharatnatiyam piece on stage. Ms. Chandani, who was one of the direc-tors for an Indian beauty pageant in Orlando, saw me and suggested that I take part in the pageant in Orlando. That’s how it started for me. When I turned 18, I hunted around on

the Internet and contacted Mr. Dharmatma Saran, the Chairman of the IFC. He sent me an application, which I fi lled out and sent in along with a few pictures of mine. I was in! The selections were done by region and I was chosen to represent North East Florida.

CityMasala: Tell us about your Training Schedule to prepare for this event.Trina: We were told to be well prepared. It’s not possible to be prepared for everything so you have to be really fl exible and adaptable. There was no formal training that we were given to participate in the pageant. A team from Canada did the choreography and they told us where to stand on stage and helped us rehearse before the pageant. Dr. Purva Merchant and Stacy Isaac helped and gave us pointers with our fi nal grooming.

CityMasala: What kind of help were you given backstage for attire, makeup etc.?Trina: We had all of 10 minutes to change attires, which was really hectic with 33 girls in the dressing room! The pageant had hired some ladies to help with makeup and hair and there were some volunteers who were helping as well.

CityMasala: You’ve won a glamorous title. How do you plan to uphold it and what are the expectations from the pageant board?Trina: I am constantly working on present-ing myself in the best manner possible. Throughout the upcoming year of my reign, I look forward to tying in my duties with my title with endeavours I had taken on before the pageant. I teach yoga and am very into promoting holistic medicine and women’s is-sues so I aim to combine these by donating much of my time and effort in battered and abused women’s shelters across the US.

TRINA CHAKRAVARTYMiss India USA 2005

Exclusive Interview with Miss India USA

5


Exclusive Interview cont’d

I had also volunteered much of my time at children’s sickle cell clinics in Jacksonville before the pageant, and now I look to hopefully join hands with UNICEF and other organizations that globally promote children’s health.

CityMasala: Tell us about where you will go from here.Trina: I will be representing USA in the 15th Miss India World Wide pageant, which will be held in Mumbai, India on De-cember 3, 2005. There were about 15-17 contestants for this pageant last year and I am not sure how many there will be for this year.

CityMasala: Will your family be going with you?Trina – Yes- my mom will be there from start to fi nish and my dad will follow. My whole family will be there.

CityMasala: What memories do you have of India from when you were there last?Trina: I was 6 years old when we last went to India. I remem-ber some relatives and I remember traveling by train through the countryside. The landscape there is so different and I loved it.

CityMasala: What career path do you think you are going to follow?Trina: I want to become a reconstructive surgeon. I want to be able to help accident and trauma victims.

CityMasala: In true pageant style questioning, if there were something you could change in today’s world, what would it be?Trina: I would like to be able to break down the barriers that exist in today’s world based on race, color of skin and nation-ality so we can make the world progress.

Trina and Her FamilyFrom Left to Right: Trina’s younger brother, Tushar, her mother Aparna,

Trina, baby sister Trisha, and father Amit.

Trina and AparnaTrina’s mother was also crowned

Miss India USA in 1982

6


Memories of a Glorious Win By: Javid Lateef

The sun is at its brilliant best as the plane banks to land. I look down to see this beautiful isle I grew up on. It’s May 2002, fourteen years since I left Barba-dos. I am back to watch cricket… India plays the West Indies in Barbados and this time we have a chance to avenge 50 years of defeat at the Kensing-ton Oval. Barbados has a rich tradition of cricket, and most of the teams in the 80s had at least 3-4 Bajan play-ers in the squad. I lived on the island till 1978 and India could never manage a win on this island, even with the advent of One Day Cricket. India is armed with a great team for this 2002 series with Tendulkar, Sehwag, Dravid, Ganguly… all world class ODI bats-men. Brian Lara and Carl Hooper are in excellent nick so the game promises to be a cracker. It’s May 29th, 2002 and the whole island is all about one thing… and one thing only. Cricket today at the Oval. It’s a typical Caribbean day, and under the blazing sun the two captains go out for the toss. Ganguly wins and surprisingly puts the opposition

into bat. There is a pretty sizeable contingent of Indian supporters in the stands (mostly from the US) and we are all stunned. From all the pitch reports we got, it was supposed to be a great batting track, so Ganguly’s decision threw us off. Watching cricket in the West Indies is like no other place in the world. It is a festival. There are people playing steel drums… calypso music… and what makes the game truly enjoyable is the good natured banter between the stands and the players on the fi eld. Even the trees around the ground have people perched in them!!! India starts off on a good note. It is Tinu Yohan-nan’s debut and it is a matter of utmost pride for me as he hails from the state I belong to in India, Kerala. He starts off with a maiden and then pro-ceeds to dismiss both the opening batsmen, Gayle and Hinds. This brings in the most formidable man for India, Brian Lara, and the crowd erupts. This is the man they have come to watch. He takes guard, and in typical Lara fashion carves a ball past point for a boundary. Ganguly turns to spin and Harbhajan Singh gets a turn to bowl… Lara miscalculates a drive and

is caught brilliantly at midwicket!There is a deathly silence from the crowd, except for us, the Indian supporters, who are ecstatic. Sarwan and Hooper bat sensibly to get the score to 140. Ganguly makes a surpris-ing bowling change in bringing in Sehwag to bowl, and Sarwan walking across his stumps is bowled off of his pads. The West Indies are 140/4 in 31 overs, but Hooper is still at the crease. Agarkar is brought back into the at-tack and he cleans up the tail in no time and we actually bowl the Windies out for 186 with Carl Hooper unbeaten on 76. India has a great chance to win this game. The Indian run chase was a lot easier than we fi rst thought. They lost Sehwag when the score was 41 and Ganguly, for a well made 41, at 109. Dinesh Mongia was in fi ne shape, cutting and pulling anything short and driving well down the ground. He was fi nally out at 166, after making 76 very attractive runs. Tendulkar and Dravid got the remaining 20 odd runs safely, and India fi nally, after 8 tours to the Caribbean, managed a victory in Barbados. It is a time to celebrate with my Indian Brethren on the island.

Cricket

8


GPS... LOST AND FOUNDGPS... LOST AND FOUNDPORTABLE GPS FOR YOUR CARPORTABLE GPS FOR YOUR CAR

By Vish ViswanathanBy Vish Viswanathan

“Why do I need a Global Positioning System (GPS) for my car?” asked my sister-in-law recently. Well, you might not use this device (which is commonly re-ferred to simply as a GPS) every day, but when the time comes, you’ll be glad you have it. A wrong turn in Washington DC at night may take you into a bad neighbor-hood.

Or you could be running late for your class (She just moved to Washington DC and starts school in Maryland this fall) and need a shortcut to school. Or you’re trying to fi nd a nice restaurant for that fi rst romantic date. In these situations, you will not regret having a GPS in your car.

What’s more, the technology has improved greatly. First of all, let’s cover the ba-sics: A GPS (also called receiver, system or device) picks up satellite signals and indicates your location on a small screen or a map. Most units today come en-abled with WAAS, a new positioning protocol that gives your location within three meters.

Most GPS units allow you to navigate toward specifi c places, either by selecting nearby points of interest, restaurants, etc., or by entering a specifi c street address. A lot of luxury cars these days come equipped with a GPS Unit. If you are in the market for a portable system, then look for the following features.

For in-car GPS systems, you defi nitely want automatic routing with turn-by-turn instructions, preferably, with voice prompting. The last thing you ought to do is to look at a map while navigating through heavy traffi c. Some common features available in top-of-the-line units today are ease of use, touch-screen, multi-des-tination routing, re-routing around slow traffi c (or real time traffi c data), and auto re-route.

Here are my Here are my recommendations on recommendations on

some GPS unitssome GPS units

Magellan RoadMate 760Magellan RoadMate 760

This is the This is the Cadillac of GPS Cadillac of GPS devices, includ-devices, includ-ing a built-in ing a built-in speedometer speedometer and a smart de-and a smart de-

tour feature that automatically calcu-tour feature that automatically calcu-lates a detour in slow traffi c. It is small lates a detour in slow traffi c. It is small enough to fi t in your briefcase, yet its enough to fi t in your briefcase, yet its 20-gigabyte hard drive stores nearly 7 20-gigabyte hard drive stores nearly 7 million points of interest, far more than million points of interest, far more than other devices. The average street other devices. The average street price for this unit is $1,050. Garmin price for this unit is $1,050. Garmin StreetPilot 2720 and Lowrance iWay StreetPilot 2720 and Lowrance iWay 500c are comparable units in this 500c are comparable units in this category.category.

Palm GPS NavigatorPalm GPS Navigator

If you have a Bluetooth-enabled If you have a Bluetooth-enabled Palm (including the Treo), LifeDrive, Palm (including the Treo), LifeDrive, Tungsten E2, or Tungsten T5 hand-Tungsten E2, or Tungsten T5 hand-held device, this is the GPS device for held device, this is the GPS device for you. It comes in two parts: a wireless you. It comes in two parts: a wireless receiver and a 5-megabyte software receiver and a 5-megabyte software package. Its full-color screen is easy package. Its full-color screen is easy to work with and doesn’t require a to work with and doesn’t require a stylus to operate. The speaker on this stylus to operate. The speaker on this $249 device is not as powerful as the $249 device is not as powerful as the RoadMate’s, and the voice instructions RoadMate’s, and the voice instructions are somewhat muffl edare somewhat muffl ed

Magellan eXplorist 600 and Garmin Magellan eXplorist 600 and Garmin GPSMAP 60CSGPSMAP 60CS

Other units in this category are Magel-Other units in this category are Magel-lan eXplorist 600 and lan eXplorist 600 and Garmin GPSMAP 60CS, Garmin GPSMAP 60CS, which are true handhelds which are true handhelds with memory cards. with memory cards.

The more you spend, the The more you spend, the more memory, speed and more memory, speed and graphics it’ll have—and graphics it’ll have—and the more of a hero you’ll the more of a hero you’ll

be when you have to show it off to be when you have to show it off to family and friendsfamily and friends

Please feel free to provide feedback to Please feel free to provide feedback to [email protected]@citymasala.com

Tech TalkTech Talk

9


Angithi is a unique name for the regular run of the mill res-taurants based in the US. Angithi, also known as a sigari or a clay oven, was used to cook food for centuries. Food cooked in this manner has an aroma and fl avor all of its own. The restaurant, Angithi, has tried to capture that fl avor and aroma in their food and is dedicated to serving authentic Indian food prepared in a traditional manner.

The ambiance of the restaurant is elegant and effi cient. A quick lunch service ensures that you are in and out in time to get back to work. Angithi also offers the alternative of a lunch buffet which is a mixed fare of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The lunch buffet price is $7.99. The atmosphere for din-ner is more relaxed. Angithi serves wine and beer to enhance the pleasure of dining out. They have a pretty decent selection of Indian beers as well. A dinner buffet for $8.99 is offered on Monday nights.

Angithi’s Tandoori Chicken is moist and fl avorful baked in the restaurant’s tandoor. The samosas are excellent and so are the Panir pakoras. The mouth watering Butter Chicken was a hit with this crowd as was the Dhaba Chicken. Angithi offers a wide variety of breads to choose from and our favorite was the onion Kulcha and the Peshawari naan. For dessert, we tried the Rasmalai which was delicious and the Mango lassi was creamy and was the perfect end to a very enjoyable meal.

The owner, Jolly Singh, and the staff are friendly, warm and hospitable – they know their customers by name and ensure that each customer gets the highest quality of service. This has created a loyal clientele for Angithi and one that has taken Jolly a number of years to build. We recommend eating out at Angithi for lunch (take your offi ce crowd there) and for dinner (take your whole family and give your wife - or your husband - the night off from cooking!)

Dining Out: Restaurant ReviewDining Out – Restaurant ReviewDining Out – Restaurant Review

Angithi 2047 E Fowler Ave Tampa FL 33612Angithi 2047 E Fowler Ave Tampa FL 33612813 979 4889813 979 4889

One of the most pressing concerns people have when shopping for wine is purchasing the exact kind of wine that complements the food they eat. Many people mistakenly believe that they will ruin the whole meal if they make the “wrong” wine choice. However the basic rule of wine and food pairing is the oldest one in the book. Red wine goes with meat and white wine goes with fi sh or fowl. But don’t let this dissuade you. Rules are meant to be broken! In recent years we’ve gotten bold and have said it’s okay to have Pinot Noir, which is a light red wine, or even Merlot, with our salmon. I personally know some white wine drinkers who enjoy their Chardonnay with liver pâté or a juicy grilled steak.

Having said that, there are some general guidelines one may fi nd helpful when selecting a wine to enhance a meal. Select light-bodied wines to pair with lighter food, and fuller-bodied wines to go with heartier, more fl avorful dishes. Pinot Noir works beautifully with fi sh because you are match-ing a light wine with a light dish. A lighter style wine will not

even register on your personal fl avor meter if you sip it with a spicy meal. You may as well drink water. Consider how the food is cooked. Is it grilled, roasted, or fried, for instance, also, what type of sauce or spice is used? For every food action, there is a wine reaction. When you drink wine by itself it tastes one way, but when you take a bite of food, the wine tastes different. This is because wine is like a spice. Elements in the wine interact with the food to provide a different taste sensation.

A little on White WineThe most popular white wines are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Rieseling.Foods to Enjoy with A Chardonnay Chardonnay is an extremely versatile food wine and is best with seafood and poultry dishes, particularly those with distinctive fl avors like chicken, pork, veal, turkey, wild turkey, quail, partridges of all kinds, lobster, crab, tuna, red snapper and also with light mild cheeses. To be continued…..

WINE AND DINEWINE AND DINEAN EDUCATION ON WINES AND AN EDUCATION ON WINES AND THE FOODS TO ENJOY WITH ITTHE FOODS TO ENJOY WITH IT

By Ajay S JambhekarBy Ajay S Jambhekar

10


Wild Thing Cars:….. You Make My Heart SingI am all about looks. I drool at the sight of a great looking body. The curves and the sleek lines make me go weak in the knees. I love the power that such bodies exude. I want to possess them, I want to be enveloped by them, I want to feel them, I want to get inside them and see how hard I can push them. The supermodels that I lust after are the ones that I know are absolutely out of my league and yet I want them even more. Don’t get carried away, this is not the confessions column… I am talking about supercars! I was at a dealership the other day, waiting for a salesman, looking for a used Honda, when I happened to stumble upon the sexiest looking car I have ever set my eyes upon - The 2005 Porsche Carrera GT in shiny silver with black leather interior. With its imposing exterior and dominant rear wing, the car is instantly recognizable and demands a powerful presence on the road. It has a roll bar and projector-style headlights. A gaping air intake sits low on the front end, and long nacelles are positioned to the rear of each seat. When the sun shines and convertible weather arrives, there’s a lightweight detachable hardtop, which can easily be removed and stowed in the luggage compartment.The Carrera GT boasts of a 5.7 liter V10 racecar engine which produces 605 hp at 8000 rpm and 435 lb-ft of torque at 5,750 rpm. It has a manual six-speed gear box and it is a rear wheel drive. This baby can do 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and has a top track speed of 205 mph. Measuring 181.6 inches long overall and built on a 107.5-inch wheelbase, the Carrera GT is 75.6 inches wide and 45.9 inches tall. The under body is fully cased in carbon fi ber, which provides an additional suction effect because of the rear diffuser and fl ow channels. Ceramic composite brakes and a ceramic composite clutch are used. The Carrera GT weighs 3,043 pounds. . The Carrera GT is a race-bred sports car that redefi nes the possibilities of road engineering. At a list price of $440,000, how often am I going to take this baby out, keeping in mind the ever increasing gas prices? ;-)


Yellow Kurti:Canary yellow kurti with a hint of silver, an es-sential addition to your wardrobe this season, to hang on to the fl avor of summer as we say hello to fall. Just the right garment for an informal din-

ner party with friends or that special fi rst date where you don’t want to look too dressed up but still want to look special. Wear it with your frayed bottom seven’s for the perfect bohemi-an look or your tailored bootlegs for a slightly more conservative look. Throw in a colored tank top and matching jewelry to add some color or classic silver hoops and a million thin silver bangles to add that slight razzle-dazzle to your look.

City Chic City Chic City Chic

Orange Suit:Don’t blend in with the crowd with this season full of festive occasions. This peachy orange outfi t adds that perfect autumn glow without much effort. Subtle silver embroidery which is not too much and not too little. You can dress it down for day time occasions with delicate silver or diamond earrings and dress it up for formal soirées with heavy silver or dia-mond jewelry

A combination of something feminine and romantic, yet very contemporary. Perfect for Diwali which is around the corner or New Year’s Eve dinner at the

Ritz. Wear the gold embroidered choli with Jeans and a jacket buttoned half way for a totally different look. You could also team up the orange sari with a match-ing orange choli for a more conservative affair.

This stunning sari and choli combination is the color of an autumn sunset. Embroi-

dery details on the sari border and pallu with delicate teardrops strewn around

the rest of the fabric teamed with a richly embroidered choli makes the ensemble suitable for various occasions. Combine with a simple choker and diamond or solid gold studs for the understated look or enhance the outfi t with a heavier choker and long earrings for a more formal occasion

Indian FashionIndian Fashionat its best!at its best!

by Vanya Shah

12


Nothing can compare to the beauty of a rare and perfect black rose. Wear this beautiful black sari in the conventional way for an Indian function or drape it as shown in the picture for western look. Create a sensation and stand out among the rest at a black tie dinner.

Black Kurti:You’ll never complain of having ‘nothing to wear tonight’

so long as you own this hot little black kurti. Does the classic black cashmere sweater sound too boring but

you just don’t feel like getting into a dress for the company Christmas party tonight? Your black kurti is perfect with a pair of tailored black trousers for the occasion. You can never go wrong with the kurti and jeans for a night of

clubbing. Wear it with white pants for a lunch with friends or for your

sister’s baby shower.

City Chic City Chic City Chic

This delicate embroidery –trimmed sari and choli ensemble is a perfect blend of sophis-

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No Entry: Dir: Aneez Bazmee; Cast: Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Fardeen Khan, Lara Dutta, Esha Deol, Celina Jately and Bipasha Basu

Following the success of last year’s slapstick comedy Masti, renowned director Aneez Baz-mee tries his hand at another comedy fi lm. No Entry is about three friends Kishen (Anil), Prem (Salman) and Sunny (Fardeen). Trouble begins when adulterous Prem convinces his friends to have an affair and introduces them to a seductive bar dancer Bobby (Bipasha). With Kishen and Prem’s suspicious wives (Lara and Esha) and Sunny’s erratic fi ancé (Celina) hot on their trails, it’s a rollercoaster ride of chaos and mayhem. No Entry revolves around marriage and infi delity. In spite of an impressive star cast, the weak direction and dry dialogues fail to create an impact.

However, the fi lm contains some great comical moments such as Sunny’s hilarious wedding scene. The cinematography is glamorous and Anu Malik’s music is catchy, with the title track ‘No Entry’ being the most popular. Although lacking in origi-nality No Entry is a fun-packed entertainer.

The Rising: Dir: Ketan Mehta; Cast: Aamir Khan, Toby Stevens, Rani Mukherjee and Amisha Patel

Aamir Khan rocked Bollywood with his powerful, award winning performance in Lagaan four years ago. In 2005, expectations are high as he takes on the historical role of Mangal Pandey in The Ris-ing. Based on the Indian army’s revolt against the British Empire in 1857, soldier Mangal Pandey (Aamir), saves the life of Scottish offi cer William Gordon (Stevens). Mangal and William’s friendship is soon put through a gruelling test. Hindu and Muslim soldiers believed that the grease used on kartoos came from cow and pig fat – sacrilege for both religions. Pandey discovers the gruesome truth, experiences a string of betrayals and starts a revolution that breaks the boundaries and fi nally sets India free from the British rule. Tipped as one of the most expensive fi lms ever made, The Ris-

ing is a magnifi cent, larger than life, historical epic that focuses on real events- some of which the British deny.Aamir Khan is excellent. His portrayal of the lead is fi erce and moving. Rani Mukherjee adds a refreshing touch to the fi lm in the song ‘Main Vari Vari’ and acts well in the role of an orphan sold into prostitution.The cinematography and music by the award winning AR Rahman are stunning, giving the fi lm a polished look. Overall, an intense and realistic account of friendship, love, loss and betrayal- highly recommended.

CITY MASALA’S MOVIE REVIEWS

Bollywood Movie ReviewsBollywood Movie ReviewsBy Kavita TrivediBy Kavita Trivedi

Virudh: Dir: Mahesh Manjrekar; Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, John Abraham, Sanjay Dutt, Anouskha Dan-dekar

Vidhyadhar Patwardhan (Bachchan) and his wife Sumi (Tagore), are a middle-aged happily mar-ried couple. When their son Amar (Abraham) returns from abroad for his birthday with his NRI girlfriend Jenny (Anoushka), their family album looks complete. However, their world is torn apart after Amar is brutally murdered. His distraught parents face the biggest battle of their lives as they attempt to take on a corrupt system to seek justice for their son. After the success of hard-hitting Vaastav, Astitva and Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mahesh Mangrekar returns with another pow-erful and intense drama. Virudh has a good plot and a well written script. Amitabh Bachchan is phenomenal as Vidhyadhar Patwardan and gives a mind blowing performance. The fi lm also

marks a sensational comeback for Sharmila Tagore. John Abraham is charming in his role and plays his part well. Despite being cast in a supporting role, Sanjay Dutt still manages to create an impact in the fi lm with his unique style and his amaz-ing screen presence.Virudh conveys a powerful message on the importance of family values and is clearly one of the most dominant fi lms of the year yet.

Photography courtesy of www.erosentertainment.com

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B O LL Y W O O DC O NU T D O W NMy mother has a unique way of expressing her fondness for the new generation of Bolly-wood men. If a particular male actor catches her eye, she very blushingly, albeit enthusi-astically, says, “He could be any mother’s son…even mine!!” While the rest of us shamelessly drool over one particular actor or another, Ma feels the need to be more restrained and dignifi ed in her obvious appreciation. Thus the nomen-clature that has followed a growing list of actors. Ma fi rst came up with the “any mother’s son” comment when Shah Rukh Khan entered the industry. She claims we scoffed at her re-marks. I, for one, have no recollection of the said incident; my sisters will concur. Nowa-days, any time a new face enters the foray of Bollywood, we immediately check with her to see if he would make the list. Ma has yet to come up with such terminology for Bollywood actresses. After three daugh-ters, the thought of adding more to the list is probably too much. She only has one son, but I don’t know how pleased my sisters and I would be to call these fi ne (and some not so fi ne - apparently they don’t all have to be “pretty boys”...you’ll see what I mean) men our brothers. If I were to run into any one of them, I think I would be more inclined to ask them to dinner than tie rakhis on them. So without further delay, let me announce the top ten list of Any Mother’s Son, courtesy of my mother (with my interjections)... or the BOLLYWOOD COUNTDOWN!#10 Sanjay Suri (say what??) # 9 Uday Chopra (face only a mother could love….)# 8 Jimmy Shergill (saw him in person...ter-ribly cute…smelled great, too!)# 7 John Abraham (would love to see him in person…)# 6 Vivek Oberoi (he is his father’s son...)# 5 Hrithik Roshan (would have made a great classical dancer)# 4 Abhishek Bachchan (he, too, is his father’s son.... what a father...what a son...)# 3 Saif Ali Khan (defi nitely growing on me…)# 2 Aamir Khan (that boyish smile, those mischievous eyes…sigh…)# 1 Shah Rukh Khan (I wake up many a morning and tell my hubby he has major competition…)

Chakki peesing…Chakki peesing…Aamir’s back after a long hiatus…but is he still a crowd favorite? Offi cial word is that Mangal Pandey seems to be breaking box offi ce records. He’s still got it!

Abhishek has been signed on as the main romantic lead in JP Dutta’s lat-est venture, Umrao Jaan. Things are really looking up for Little B. He’s got several other fi lms in the works: Ram Gopal Varma’s remake of Sholay, Rohan Sippy’s Bluff Master, Yash Raj’s Dhoom 2, among others.

Big B remakes are the order of the day. Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) is busy fi xing his cast for his version of Sholay. Here’s a hint - Big B and Little B are both involved, but no, it’s not how you think. RGV’s decided that he doesn’t want to go with “predictable patterns of casting…” Big B will be playing none other than Gabbar Singh. Little B will be Veeru. Newcomer Mohit Ahlawat (from RGV’s James) will be cast as Jai, and Southern actor Mohanlal is to be cast as Thakur. Next, we have Farhan Akhtar gearing up for Don, with SRK and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles. Kareena Kapoor will be stepping into Helen’s role (I have serious doubts whether Kareena possesses the oomph factor needed for this), while Arjun Rampal will play Pran (okay, I can’t really picture Mr. Rampal as an unemployed tightrope walker). And fi nally, Amar Akbar Anthony will be getting a facelift as well. This time, David Dhawan has taken on the challenge of this classic Big B comedy. While the star lineup for this version has yet to be fi nalized, we now have three Big B remakes to anxiously await. Those are some big shoes to fi ll. “Dil bhi hai khaali, ghar bhi hai khaali. Isme rahegi koi kismatwali…”

Bhuna hua…Bhuna hua…While Aamir’s box offi ce draw is undeniable, his private life has received a great deal of attention, too. He divorced his wife Reena, purportedly had af-fair with British journalist, Jessica Hines, resulting in the birth of Aamir’s son, Jaan Harry Hines. Now he’s dating Kiran Rao, an assistant director; rumors swirled that they were married, which Aamir has fi rmly denied.

This seems to be the season for marital discord. Saif separated from wife, Amrita Singh, and is enjoying his newfound freedom with girlfriend, Rosa. While Saif’s professional life is fi nally falling into place after so many years, his personal life seems to be taking quite a hit.

Karishma Kapoor’s futile attempts to keep her private matters away from prying eyes have become painfully public. She and husband Sanjay Kapur have separated and a fi erce battle regarding their infant daughter has ensued.

Garmaa garam…Garmaa garam…Abhishek and Rani in love? Their onscreen chemistry is pretty obvious, but off screen things seem to be just as good. Rumor has it that they’re planning to announce their engagement at Big B’s birthday bash this October.

15

by Nandini Chakraborty


Interview with Abhijit Bhaduri

CityMasala: Abhijit, give us a little background about yourself.Abhijit: I’ve spent most of my life in New Delhi. I currently work in Corporate HR for a Fortune 500 company in New Jersey. I am married to Nandini and we have a daughter, Eshna, 17 and son, Abhishek, 13.

CityMasala: What is “Mediocre But Arrogant” about?Abhijit: (getting very comfortable) “Mediocre But Arrogant” is about Abbey. He is a completely directionless individual who gets accepted into a famous fi ctitious institute called MIJ in Jamshedpur into a 2 year MBA program. The story is a hu-morous take on his life in MIJ with all the pressures relating to both his love life and academic life. Abbey is a self absorbed and somewhat smug character.

CityMasala: What made you write this book?Abhijit: I wanted to write a book that had an interesting story line. I took a lot of time to develop the plot. I fi rst started working on this book in 1997 and by the time 1999 rolled around, I found myself facing the famous writer’s block! I didn’t touch the book until about August of 2002 and fi nally completed “Mediocre But Arrogant” in December of 2004.

CityMasala: Do you have plans for future books to come?Abhijit: “Mediocre But Arrogant” is part of a trilogy. At this time I am jotting down my ideas for book number 2 and book number 3. Abbey will be a major presence in both books as the narrator, and we will see him go through his career and midlife crisis etc.

CityMasala: Do you feel that your children have inher-ited your talents?Abhijit: Well, my daughter writes for her school news-paper and my son is very much into animation. So, yes, they have both inherited aspects of my talents and I am very proud of them.

CityMasala: Shyam Benegal has given your book an amazing review and has given it the scope of “a bril-liant movie”. Are there any chances of “Mediocre But Arrogant” being picked up by a producer?Abhijit: I have had some conversations about it being turned into a movie but there is nothing concrete yet.

CityMasala: How do you deal with negative feedback?Abhijit: (Starts laughing) Yes, I do receive negative feedback from time to time. It’s a free world and you don’t have to like every book that you read. I certainly don’t!

CityMasala: What advice would you offer to someone who wants to be a career writer?Abhijit: I would say follow your dreams. You never know when your dreams can come true so don’t give up.

CityMasala: What are some of the things you miss about India?Abhijit: The chaos, the fun, the friends, the vibrant atmo-sphere back home. Life is too antiseptic here.

CityMasala: What do you miss about the US while you were in India?Abhijit: Strangely enough, the cleanliness!

CityMasala: A word to our readers?Abhijit: Don’t abandon your dreams because you would then be abandoning yourself.

The best way to get “Mediocre But Arrogant” is to write to [email protected]. The book is also available through Ebay.

CityMasala found, Abhijit Bhaduri, the author of “Mediocre But Arrogant” (Acronym MBA), anything but mediocre or arrogant. He was easy to talk to with a great sense of humor. His book was recently launched in India. Abhijit has il-lustrated several books and is an accomplished cartoonist. He loves the theatre and was a well-known voice on All India Radio in the ‘80s. He presently hosts a popular radio show about classic Hindi movies and fi lm music in the USA on EBC radio.

Abhijit Bhaduri Speaks

16


The Runaway Groom ‘Guys have it so much easier then girls do’, says a close friend of mine whilst debating on why marriage seems to be more of a necessity for girls than it is for guys. ‘Perhaps we’re not so gullible’, I mock in return. In all honesty, however, she has a valid point. While I completely agree that girls don’t have it easy, no self-respecting desi mother would want her beloved, thirty-eight year old son to remain single either.

‘So are you still determined never to marry?’ she continues. ‘Pretty much’, I replied, knowing it wasn’t the answer she was expecting. She was probably hoping that my 3 year long, fi rm and unyielding belief on marriage would have somewhat softened by now. I’ve used so many excuses in the past that I’ve forgotten my initial reasons for not wanting to get married. They vary from, ‘I’m afraid of commitment’, to ‘I’m reluctant to trust anyone’ or my current favourite ‘I’m not sure of my current sexual status’. I don’t wish to sound cyni-cal, but I don’t believe that I’m made for someone and without my ‘other half’ - I would never be ‘whole’. I fi nd this ‘whole’ concept to be a load of bull!

Two years ago, thanks to this same friend, I ended up on a radio show which asked me to support my intrigu-ing view point. I was taunted and at times, ridiculed, but as the show progressed, they began to appreciate my opin-ion somewhat reluctantly. I argued marriage shouldn’t be a necessity but a factor of choice. If I was forced, the outcome would be unfavourable and while I understand marriages end on a difference of opinion, they should not begin on that note. A guest, representing the elders of the community, began his own argument; “like the stomach is to distribute food to organs, the lungs are to circulate oxygen; the reproductive organs were designed for copulating and reproducing life”. I was left quite traumatized after listening to a sixty-someone talk about sex and why I should put my penis to use.

I’m currently twenty-four years old and have so far been in only two committed relationships. When they went pear shaped, I was not ashamed to fi nd comfort in my mother’s arms, who reassured me that falls such as these would eventually make me wiser and stronger. Many months after, when I informed her of my decision to stay single, she was afraid I had misunderstood her and that I had instead, become senile.

My father worked tirelessly when we migrated to England in the early 80’s. With his being away for long hours, I had virtually no masculine role model around. I was surround-ed by female fi gures consisting of my mother, sister, aunts and even female cousins. I cannot comprehend the passion men have for sports but my eyes are infl amed every time a SALE sign appears on shop windows. Men fail to understand why women need so many shoes, and would be as clueless were they to see my twenty plus shoe collection. Whilst guys my age strive to raise funds to purchase their ultimate automobile, my wallet is seduced to purchase clothes and accessories as

seen in the latest issue of Vanity Fair. I won’t share with you my craving for chocolate or even compare it to sex, but let’s just say… I need it at least once a day! Is there a connection between my living in a material world, being a material boy and being raised by females? I’m sure Freud would have a fi eld day with my personality.

I shall now be completely honest. Marriage, of course, is a sacred matter. Before I marry, I would like to know that I truly, madly, and yes, deeply, love this woman. For as long as I can remember, I have never acted upon anything half-heart-edly and my previous relationships did not subside because I wasn’t committed enough. I did however begin to neglect my friends, family, work, education and even worse, my dreams. Perhaps I wasn’t ready to manage my life and its components all at once. I was thinking too far ahead and thought I could multitask. I always knew spending my youth around women was unhealthy.

By the time I feel I have achieved all I’ve wanted to achieve and am willing to commit, I might fi nd myself strug-gling to walk. Although, I’m sure I’ll still fi nd an opportunity to be on radio, debating over reproductive organs to the younger generation. My friends and family of course refuse to believe a word I say – it’s an inconceivable idea for them. Apparently, one day I’ll fi nd someone that I’ll fall head over heels in love with, and complete a picture I painted “once upon a time”. I drew a large family, complete with six kids, a white/brown Scottish Fold kitten, standing outside an elegant Edwardian mansion – all glowing with joy. I would love to tell more, but my friend is now chasing me with her heels in her hand.

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17


Anika’s Zen

It has taken three years and a baby for me to do it, but I am fi nally in India. I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful it feels to be in your own land, to not feel like an alien and to fi nally be home, even for a fl eeting moment. Life is good!

I still remember when love and marriage, in that order, had taken me across the seven seas, to the US. It was, probably, one of the worst times to go abroad. The US was in the midst of a recession and India was just waiting to fl ower as an economic superpower. But people do strange things for love. They kill, they burn their lovers, they leave homes and parents forever - I simply crossed the seas. And now after three years I am back, with my seven month old son, Aryan. I decided to make this a three month long vacation, using the logic that it is only fair to spend a month every year in India, and since I hadn’t done so for the last three years, I deserve a three month vacation! So here I am, gallivanting, having a blast, away from my husband who is still in the US, and would only be able to join me for a maximum of two weeks, sometime, in the future.

So while he is leading the usual exciting American life – mowing the lawn, raking leaves, taking our gorgeous Springer Spaniel for a walk, collecting and recycling loads of junk mail, being friendly yet distant with the neighbors, I am having a blast meeting my old friends and fl ames. Since the time I have arrived, I have been to a different restaurant everyday. Now let’s be honest with ourselves. The US as a country defi nitely does not understand food. For food and for hospitality, one needs to come to India where people bend over backwards to please you, where aroma of spices fi lls the air, where there is ‘mukhwaas’ at the end of every meal. It happens only in India.

Sure I am exhausted. After all, making your way through the twenty million strong population of Bombay can take a toll on one’s mind and body. The pollution in the air is unmistakable and unavoidable but I am not the one to complain! Did I mention that I am having the time of my life? That I am thoroughly enjoying the beauty of it all? My holiday has just begun!

Meeting old fl ames and old friends is another story altogether. It somehow does not matter that I have become a wife and a mother. There is, still, a very strong part of me that remembers the fact that long ago, in a previous lifetime, I was a woman, not just a wife and mother! And somehow the fact that you are married lets you fl irt shamelessly with friends. Passions and memories lurk under the thin surface, threatening to show their true colors, while I try and look nonchalant. What stops me I ask? Is it the solemn promise of trust that I made to my husband as one of our marriage vows? Is it the fact that I am now a mother and need to set an ethical code of conduct for my son? Or is it fear? Is it just plain fear that I might be found out? This brings me to the question of long distance relationships. How does one really get them to work?

My trip to India has only just begun and I know that I will be meeting up with a lot of beautiful people. Some I might have small crushes on, some I might be tempted to take home as an overnight trophy. Perhaps I might come pretty close to letting temptation overcome. Hopefully, in all cases, I shall be stopped not by fear, but by the strength and love in my marriage. As I rest my pen for today, I realize that it is a fi ght against all odds but then isn’t everything else?

(To be continued...)

Temptation Calling By Anika Sharma

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19


E X OP S E DCONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR WEBSITE:

WWW.CITYMASALA.COM/EXPOSED

I have a big secret that I’ve been keeping for years now. I am a 17 year old guy and I have a HUGE crush on my best friend (who is a girl). We spend a lot of time together and I am not sure if I can ever tell her the truth. She tells me everything about her love life and her boy-friend. She trusts me completely but I have anonymously sent an email to her boyfriend telling him that she is cheating on him. I feel very guilty about having done this but feel that all is fair in love and war!

Playing games in Orlando, FL I am very attracted to my wife’s sister. We’ve even kissed a few times but she hasn’t let me go any further. I know it is very wrong and it’s not that I don’t love my wife. But I can’t help feeling the way I do for her sister. I have three children with my wife and I wouldn’t want to do any-thing to harm my well settled and comfortable marriage. My ‘in-laws have sent my sister-in-law to us so that we can fi nd a suitable alliance for her. I don’t want to lose her so I keep fi nding faults with all the proposals that come her way.

Two Timer: Tampa

I don’t really have a drinking problem. But for some reason, my friends and family insist that I do. I only drink on the weekends and yes, I do drink a lot then but it’s not like I drink everyday. Once while I was drinking, I got into an argument with my husband and pushed him. My husband lost his balance and fell. He broke his wrist and now everyone is on my case to stop drinking completely. I will not and cannot do this. I work hard throughout the week and wish to enjoy myself during the weekends.

Inebriated in New York

I was dating a single woman, much older than I, while I was in my early 20s. She had a spacious apartment of her own, which was a big thing for me at that time as we had a lot of privacy and freedom. She didn’t mind me bringing my friends over and we would all get together and party at her place. After the initial thrill of dating her wore off, I would date other girls and take them to my girl friend’s apartment while she was at work. Playing the fi eld in NJ

When I got married, I lied to my husband about being a virgin.

I lost my virginity way before I got married but had to tell this lie as Indian men are so hung up about mar-

rying only virgins. Hymen Envy:

California

I lie all the time. It has become second nature to me. When I feel I might get caught telling a lie, I lie even more to get myself out of it. I am hap-pily married but lie to my wife all the time. I tell her that I am not attracted to other women – a lie! That I got late coming back home because I had too much to do at work – a lie! When I sit back and contemplate on life in general, I do realize that this is a dangerous pattern that I have fallen into. I resolve to change and become a stickler for truth. The very next day (sometimes, the next minute) I fi nd myself fall-ing into the same trap again.

Liar Liar: from VA (could this be a lie as well?)

My confession is that I am very envious and jealous of everyone. I have worked hard all my life and gained a lot of suc-cess in the face of considerable odds. However, I am unable to enjoy my success because of the jealousy and envy I feel. I grew up being extremely competitive with my sibling and cousins and now, I feel jealous as most of them are married and I am not. I am not happy with my life be-cause someone else I know has a better life.

Jealous in Texas

I used to be anorexic when I was in college. I had tried every diet pill on the market and would starve myself. I have had to go through years of counsel-ing and even though I am told that I am out of that phase, I can’t help wanting to look the way I used to when I was younger.

Finally Well Fed in Vancouver

Do you have something you can-not wait to share with us? Log on to www.citymasala.com/exposed and share your deepest darkest secrets with us. Get them off your chest. There will be no judgments placed on you and no one will accuse you of your crime because you have the op-tion to submit your “exposed” experience anonymously. However, we reserve the right to edit your contribution as well as the right not to publish it!Editor, City Masala

20


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HOROSCOPEZodiac of the MonthScorpio: 23rd October-21st November Ruled by: Mars and Pluto Gemstone: Red Coral Lucky Day: Tuesday

Mysterious, sexy and full of depth you certainly know how to hold your head high with an awe aspiring charisma that can wow others into oblivion. An emotional vault you are very sensitive and easily hurt. People should think twice before crossing you for your scorpion sting can be deadly. Seductive and lustrous you are a dynamo in bed where you take your partner to a new level of sexual experience. There is a powerful magnetism that attracts people to you. They should think again as you only reveal your real sensitive self to a special someone. Your only downfall can be your inherent jealously and possessiveness.

Aries: 20th March-19th April Gains and material accomplishments can be delayed and inhibited so it’s time to plan, build and organize foundations for the future. Make adjustments and do whatever is neces-sary to bring things back into balance. Decisions and legal affairs go the right way.

Taurus: 20th April-20th May It is a favorable time to further your knowledge and educate yourself. Health wise, your lungs and nervous system are

more vulnerable. This is a time that relates to new beginnings. There is a lot of potential in enterprise.

Gemini: 21st May-20t June There can be fi nancial pressures con-cerning debts and it’s time to take fi nancial responsibility more seriously. It is not a favorable time for gambling, get rich quick schemes or high-risk investments. Expect to be shaken up, to be blinded by a shocking revelation.

Cancer: 21st June-22nd July This may be a time to fi gure out not only who you are but who you want to be. A change in self-image is highly favorable as this can help you come to terms with your identity. Routines in your life may

need altering especially if they get you down. This may be a time of great creativity for producing art, poetry,

and music.

Leo: 23rd July-22nd AugIt is time to complete unfi nished projects and not to start new ventures. It is also time to let go of useless attachments. There is potential that relates to an even-tual, hard-won victory where control is required to bring everything together to give you a single direction and pur-pose. You may get some unexpected good news.

Virgo: 23rg Aug-22nd SeptNow is the time to make your priorities clear. Ambi-tions and long term plans should be thought of in depth. Friendships, which are not working out, will

be broken off. The Sun indicates gain, triumph, pleasure and success. It gives you clarity of mind. Tap into your youthful energy to fully benefi t from this infl uence and let you hair down.

Libra: 23rd Sept-22nd OctThere can be criticism towards inaction, mis-takes and bad choices from the past. Any problems you may have with bosses or in your career will fl are up now causing delays and obsta-cles and there can be an increase in your professional responsibilities. Cut down on any excesses.

Sagittarius: 22nd Nov-21st Dec Issues concern-ing sex tend to fl are up now which gives you the opportunity to solve many

intimate problems. This is not a favorable time for joint fi nances and debts. It’s best

not to borrow any money or take fi nancial risks at this time.

Capricorn: 22nd Dec-19th Jan You are more fl exible with loved ones and can feel a deep responsibility to-wards your partner. There are indications of abun-dance, happiness and change bringing great joy. So go after the money, that job, that promotion, that special person, that break you’ve been

waiting for.

Aquarius: 20th Jan-18th FebThere can be diffi culties with fellow workers and

superiors, which can prove to be trouble-some at times. It’s a good time to change jobs especially if your present one is unfulfi lling. This is the time for meditation, selfl essness and sacrifi ce.

Pisces: 19th Feb-19th Mar You will discover dormant talents and abilities within yourself which will bring out your creative resources. People can make heavy de-mands on you and you may feel burdened by responsibili-ties. Make sure you leave a lot of time to pursue your hobbies and interests.

About Sandeep Sidhu: Sandeep is a certifi ed astrologer and Tarot reader with the New Age Foundation. He is a multi-disciplined practitioner qualifi ed in Natural Health and Holistic Therapies and is a counselor and therapist accredited in emotional and psychological health.

www.mindbodytherapies.co.uk

Star Lite Star Brite Astrology By Astrologer Sandeep Sidhu

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