C Kkompany Movie review

MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S. started a trend of sorts. Gangsters with a heart of gold acting as modern-day Robinhoods. Robbing the notorious rich and helping the oppressed poor.

Writer turned debutante director Sachin Yardi borrows a leaf from MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S. and presents a tale that not only talks of Robinhoods, but also makes a scathing attack at news reporting hitting an all-time low (anything for TRPs), makes digs at Ekta Kapoor and her serials, also looks at the underworld-builder-cops nexus.

The story of three losers attaining power overnight makes for interesting viewing.

But the problem is, C Kkompany lacks consistency. The comedy is truly hilarious at places, but there're times when you sit motionless, not reacting to the on-screen antics. If the first hour is a joyous ride, the second hour is akin to driving on a road full of potholes. T

he climax is also a letdown (in the mela), although the end sequence -- C Kkompany is now a movement -- was the right way to conclude the film.

All said, C Kkompany had the germs of being a cool entertainer, but it ends up being a one-time average watch.

C Kkompany is about three individuals, all living in the 'C' Wing of a middle class housing society: Akshay (Tusshar) is a crime reporter, Mr. Joshi (Anupam Kher) is a retired accountant trying to deal with his ungrateful son and Lambodar (Rajpal Yadav) is at loggerheads with his wife over his job. These three friends share their respective plight with one another and find solace in each other's company.

On one occasion, they play a harmless prank to tackle their problems.

One thing leads to another and before they realize, the incident becomes big news. But things don't stop there. They put their new founded fame to good use and this in turn triggers off a series of incidents, which propel them to such heights that the three become the talk of the nation.

That Sachin Yardi has a flair for comedy was more than evident when he penned the thoroughly entertaining KYAA KOOL HAI HUM. C Kkompany also boasts of humour-laden sequences that keep you in splits at several points.

But keeping the humour alive from start to end is not everyone's cup of tea. Yardi's humour works till the beginning of the second hour, but things stagnate thereafter. Things get repetitive. There's not much movement in the story and the comic scenes also range from enjoyable to avoidable.

Music is quite okay, but the songs -- barring the Sanjay Dutt track at the outset -- show up without valid situations. The Tusshar-Celina track, although well shot, comes up from nowhere. Cinematography is alright.

C Kkompany gets its glory because of its three protagonists. Tusshar is only climbing the ladder with every film. He's excellent. Anupam Kher proves yet again that he's amongst the best in the business. Rajpla Yadav is efficient too.

Mithun Chakraborty is in command after a long time. The veteran is superb. Vinay Apte and Dilip Prabhavalkar do complete justice to their respective roles. Raima Sen is pleasant. Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt and Ekta Kapoor's appearances give the film that extra sheen.

On the whole, C Kkompany is funny in parts, not in totality. An ordinary fare!

RUSSH into It

Huzzah - the September/October 2008 issue of RUSSH magazine is out now! Get thee to a newsagent asap!

Photo credits: http://www.myspace.com/russhmagazine

How to Spring Clean

The Messy Room, by Janice Jong

September deserves a big HOORAY because it's officially springtime (at least for us in the Southern Hemisphere), all the good TV shows come back on air (hello, Gossip Girl) and it's my birth month!

I love it when the seasons change - to be honest, I'm really an autumn/winter kinda gal because I like the feeling of snuggling up indoors and of layering on lots and lots of clothes, but there is good news in the onset of spring, namely spring cleaning!

I know, I know, I am a little nuts for actually getting excited about cleaning. What can I say, I'm a little OCD. Still, you have to admit that there's a sense of satisfaction to be gained from a neat, organized closet. So in that spirit, here are some tips for spring cleaning!

• Step 1: Empty out your closet. That means take out everything and dump it on your bed. It might be funny to take a photo of the gigantic pile that builds up.


• Step 2: Clean the inside of your wardrobe so it's fresh and airy. (This is the bit where you can channel your inner 50s housewife and vacuum/dust/spray to your heart's content.)


• Step 3: Stocktake your clothes, shoes and accessories. Be absolutely brutal. Toss out anything that: (a) doesn't fit you anymore; (b) doesn't flatter you; (c) you don't like; (d) you haven't worn in the past year. This can be difficult...who wants to part with the really expensive pair of shoes they bought but that don't fit? I tell myself that if I'm never going to wear it, I don't need it. If you really, really, really can't bear to part with the item, put it in a box, label it and store it somewhere far, far away - if you don't even notice it's missing, dump it next spring.


• Step 4: Reorganize your remaining belongings. I like to group everything by item of clothing - coats, dresses, pants, jackets, tops, shoes, bags (I also like to order them by color but that's optional...I warned you I was a neat-freak) so it's easy to pair things together.


• Step 5: Get rid of everything in your "outcast pile". If they are still in good condition, you can hold a clothes swap with your friends (you know what they say, one woman's trash is another woman's treasure), or you can join a clothes swap event like Swap My Style or The Clothing Exchange. Alternatively, if you have some nice pieces you could set up a stall at a market and sell them. If they're a little worse for wear, donate them to The Salvation Army.

You might want to team up with a friend and spend a day each cleaning out both of your closets. It'll speed up the process, provide you with a voice of reason (to force you to let go of your tattered college sweater), give you inspiration for new outfit combos and facilitate some clothes swapping.

Ta-da! That's it, five steps and you're done. Happy spring cleaning!

Photo credits: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5428569

Style Spotlight: Michelle Obama

There is no denying that this post is long overdue. Vanity Fair has already named Michelle one of their favorites on their "International Best-dressed List" and Vogue featured her as one of their "It Girls" in April. She's an obvious choice not just for her sense of style but the ease with which she wears her clothes. You never get the feeling she's trying to please anyone but herself. Some have questioned whether or not Michelle has a stylist but her people deny it...

“To the best of my knowledge, she does not use a stylist,” said Mrs. Obama’s spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, although she is known to have relationship's with a few designers and Chicago boutiques [Source].

Obvious comparisons have been made to Jackie Kennedy and even Barbara Bush (must be the pearls) but I'm just excited to see another type of black woman on my television screen and on magazine stands. My only frustration when composing this post was trying to find full-length photos of Michelle's outfits (as a personal plea to campaign photographers, we want to see the shoes!). I guess I'll have to wait until they make it into the White House. Then we'll be spoiled for choice with images of a classy, fashionable woman. After a few weeks of online digging I found some great examples of Michelle's style choices. You can view them below in the slideshow. I can't wait to see what she wears when their victory is announced!

Rock On!! — Movie Review

Before I start reviewing this film , I would just like to make my purpose of writing this review clear to all the readers . As a reviewer my job is to analyse a film so even though if the film is liked by the masses it is very much possible that I would still find it fairly entertaining and won’t be satisfied with the product . So one thing is clear that Rock On is a good film and would be liked by audience in general to an extent . So should I must stop writing anything about the film and just say that it would be liked by people at large so go and watch it ? My answer to that question is no , I would still write about the film since I have seen it as a general audience and there would be someone that might agree with my opinion .

So cutting the crap off lets talk about the film . The film in my view is a good example how an average film that very well could have been a classic but doesn’t turn out to be one due to some flaws in it . Rock On as we all know is about Music so the biggest role that anybody could play in this movie was the music itself .The heroes of the film are not Farhan or Arjun but it is the music . Chak De is a classic in sports film genre not just only because of SRK or the Girls but mainly because of the Hockey that was shown in it . Same thing applies over here .In Rock On I couldn’t find one single musical tune that I would never ever forget in my life . There was no piece of music that was as powerful so that it can last a lifetime . Music being the base of the film and the base itself wasn’t that strong . I agree that it wasn’t that bad but even music of several films is equally good or even better . But those films are not based on music . This one does . People who would wanna argue with me will say to me that Dude you don’t understand rock music that’s why you are saying so . For them I would like to say that Dude lets assume I don’t understand “Rock” music , so what , most of the people in India don’t but still they listen to LP and Greenday don’t they ? Then why do they do so , the reason being music of all genres is at the end of the day music only and good music can always cheer you up . You don’t have to do a thesis on it . Music of Rock On cheers me up but like all other movies . Mind you this is not a Music Review , I am talking of music because it is the biggest factor and the whole film is based on it .

Lets leave music aside and talk about other aspects . Next comes the script . The script or the story of the film is very much predictable and several such scripts have been already written and just set-up has been changed to an extent . The story as we all know is about a band who gets a chance to fame but gets broken up due to ego clashes and then one day they again reunite to create “Magic” . You would understand why I have quoted the word magic after you see the film . That’s the story of the film for you. Simple and tested many times on screen .

After script comes performances and situations . The audience’s connection with the characters is only limited to an extent and the audience doesn’t get attached to any of the characters . This fact is very much clear from the fact that even though one of the band member is not completely fit health wise you don’t feel sympathised for him to a large extent . You’ll just feel sad but you won’t sympathise because the connection with the character is quite less . On the other hand if SRK gets ill in a film people start crying or at least sympathise with him just because his characters connect with the audience . So the connection is quite less and the characters are forgettable . I still remember sameer , aakash and siddharth of Dil Chahta Hai because I felt connected with them . And I don’t even remember the name of Farhan’s character in the film . I just remember name of Arjun Rampal just because his name is quite cool in the film , Joe Mascarhenas . Sorry if the spelling is wrong .

Then comes acting . Well if you didn’t feel connected to the characters that means the actors didn’t act that well . Most of them were first timers and were good for first timers but were not at all great . The whole group of Jaane Tu.. was much better acting wise . Casting as they plays a big role and I could find only two characters being properly casted , one being Arjun Rampal as tough guy who is soft at heart and his wife(Debby) which is played by Shahana Goswami . This girl has got talent and acting comes naturally to her . She according to me acted the best in the whole film even though her role was quite small . Farhan has acted so so and his acting skills are not as good as his Direction skills so he must focus on what he is better at rather than wasting time on improving his acting . He has done a fair job but why should he act when he can Direct a fine piece of Cinema like Don and Dil Chahta Hai . The two sidekicks Luke Kenni and Purab kohli have done their job like they should have and not tried to become heroes which is appreciable . Purab is quite funny and can act better . Luke is good for the kind of role he has played in this one but nothing more . Then comes Prachi Desai , the TV girl , who looks nice but gives very limited expressions . She was either smiling or mum . She never got a chance to prove her acting skills . Still , it would be quite difficult for her to go ahead in Bollywood . Arjun was as usual , neither too good nor too bad .

After script and acting comes screenplay and Direction . The screenplay of the film wasn’t that tight and had gone lose on several occasions . The pace of the film is a little on the slower side . The cinematography by Jason West was top notch . But I couldn’t understand the basement or the attic where the Band practises . There are no such places in India . You may find many such places in America but not in India . In a way the film would appeal to western audiences more than Indian audience after all how many “original” bands does India have anyways who write and compose songs on their own . There may be a lot but the number would be still low as compared to the west so all the original bands don’t get offended . Then comes Direction which is by Abhishek Kapoor who has done a decent job as a newcomer but could have done much better . How much influence did Farhan had on the sets that we don’t know so nothing can be said about his Direction skills . The story itself and actors were weak what could have the Director done . He should have probably worked harder on the script before going on to make it .

Overall , the film is good and would be liked by people in general . Saying that , I would still say that it could have been a much better film and probably a classic if they would have worked slightly harder . The film would entertain you for its length but won’t blow your minds . So if you want to just pass some time then you can watch it . I expect a top class product from Farhan who is the producer also , especially after films like Don and Dil Chahta Hai coming from his house . The film can be watched once and the efforts that those guys have put in can be appreciated .

Movie Rating : Three Stars out of Five , entertaining to an extent but same old story .

There’s a line that appears on screen after the film ends that says —”Don’t Download the Music , Buy it” which reminded me of the starting credits of the Hollywood Hit “The Simpsons Movie” that featured Bart Simpson writing something on the Black Board as punishment . See the screenshot . I laughed very hard when I saw it since I had myself downloaded the film and watched it even before it got released in India .

Harry Potter 6 Half-Blood Prince

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Sequel Of the 2005 hit movie Hellboy comes Hellboy 2 watch the exclusive trailer on Bollywood Paradize

Fast and Furious 4 London Pursuit Trailer

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cherry tree

there you have it.

Karzzzz - Music Review

Karzzzz has quite a bountiful to offer for those who want their music albums to be fully loaded.

No wonder, apart from 8 original tracks and one rearranged version of the title song, there are as many as 10 remix tracks, hence making Karzzzz a bouquet of as many as 19 tracks.

Also, when it is an album by Himesh Reshammiya, it is bound to have his stamp from start to finish. This is pretty much apparent as his name is present in credit details for each and every song.

First to come is 'Lut Jaaon Lut Jaaon' which could well be termed as a title song due to the word 'Karz' being heard at regular intervals.

A number which comes across as a brilliant lounge track courtesy the supporting vocals of Harshdeep who creates a haunting effect in the background, 'Lut Jaaon Lut Jaaon' is a highly catchy number that one can't stop humming after just one listening.

The song which carries a deeper meaning due to the essence of revenge being imbibed in the lyrics, it is bound to be the highlight of the film. The 'remix version' that follows is such that it would be surprising if a music video isn't created around it.

Seemingly based on the same setting as 'Om Shanti Om' from the original Karz, 'Hari Om Hari Om' is the next song to arrive. A dance number which has been rendered with a punch with Himesh Reshammiya, it has enough current day ingredients embellished in those 5 minutes.

In fact this is the only number which find two remix versions for itself - an 'Indian Mix' and an 'Electro Mix'.

While the former may find its way into festival pandals due to religious sentiments that the arrangements manage to bring with them, the latter indeed carries an electrifying mood to it which is bound to work on the dance floors with blazing lights and the works helping its cause.

Now comes the kind of sound which Pritam has almost patented in his music, courtesy songs from films like Race, Jannatand Kismat Konnection.

Words like 'Tandoori Nights' may not really make one enthused about what would follow next but Himesh actually does the impossible by creating an entire composition around these words which makes 'Tandoori Nights' the most catchy of all so far.

Add to it Sunidhi Chauhan's voice which suits Urmila Matondkar to the 'T' and you know that this one is going to reach the top of the charts.

A dance number, 'Tandoori Nights' has an interesting 'remix version' as well which succeeds in it's purpose of making you search for those dancing shoes all over again.

Just when one thought that Karzzzz is primarily made of dance numbers (not that one minds that) comes a pleasant surprise in the form of 'Soniye Je Tere' where Himesh Reshammiya goes back to his Indian classical route.

However, he keeps the sensibilities of the urban youth also in mind and amalgamates the modern-day sound with a line or two in English as well, hence making 'Soniye Je Tere' yet another chartbuster track in the offering. As a singer too, Himesh excels particularly in this number which requires him to go into high pitch.

He doesn't disappoint at all, nor does Tulsi Kumar who has a few lines to add as well, in this love song that comes in an even better 'remix version'.

The best song of the album comes soon after in the form of 'Dhoom Tere Ishq Ki' which reminds one of the terrific compositions that Himesh had created for Ahista Ahista two years back.

Pure Indian in its feel and arrangements with no interference whatsoever from any Western instrument, 'Dhoom Tere Ishq Ki' is a love song that one can play on in a repeat mode.

Sameer's lyrics deserve a special mention here as the lyricist keeps the writing simple and yet so engaging. A smooth flowing number which lasts close to 6 minutes, one wonders if there was really a need for its 'remix version'.

However, after hearing this version, one doesn't quite find it bad though the original still remains to be the first choice.

For Himesh's fans and followers, there is a vintage track in the offering with the arrival of 'Sisak Sisak Ke'.

A foot tapping song about being prepared for some tough moments to follow when in love, 'Sisak Sisak Ke' is yet another solo track by Himesh Reshammiya that has English rap-n-reggae interspersed in the proceedings.

Though this one too goes well with the mood of the album, it isn't quite a number which one may classify as being exclusive to Karzzzz (as most of the numbers before this ha

ve been) and could have fit into any other Himesh Reshammiya composed album. Ditto for the 'remix version'.

However, 'Tere Bin Chain Na Aave' which follows is in the league similar to that of 'Dhoom Tere Ishq Ki' as it maintain it's Indian quotient and comes across as yet another unadulterated number.

With a 'ghazal' feel to it, this one has Tulsi Kumar getting yet another number to her credit. Belonging entirely to Himesh Reshammiya, 'Tere Bin' quenches the thirst of those looking for some pure Indian melodies.

Yet another track that one may have wanted to be rather untouched, 'Tere Bin' too finds a 'remix version' attached to it. However, thankfully it is interestingly done due to which one don't mind its presence eventually.

After those three dance numbers at the beginning, Himesh takes a romantic route for the rest of album, something that is visible yet again with the arrival of 'Masha Allah'.

This is one number that one doesn't quite mind hearing in its 'remix version' as it only re-emphasizes the passionate mood of the album.

It is nothing less than a test of sorts for Himesh Reshammiya to get into the big shoes of Kishore Kumar for singing one of the most popular tracks ever that has been churned out in Bollywood.

Recreating 'Ek Haseena Thi', Himesh is careful while both singing as well as composing as he keeps it all under control without going over the top.

While the lyrics are kept as it is, the number is slightly re-arranged without compromising on the intensity of the original. Shreya Ghosal is his singing partner in this duet which is bound to result in goose-bumps all over again when heard in theaters.

Now all director Satish Kauhsik has to do is enhance on the dramatic quotient of the original and give audience a grand finale which lingers in the memory for time to come. Karzzzz is bound to arrive like a hurricane and make sure that it creates ripples at the top of the charts.

Rani and Aditya Chopra had a huge fight

According to inside sources, Aditya Chopra and Rani Mukherji had a fight amongst themselves. As a result of which, they both had even stopped communicating with each other.

Sources revealed, "Rani was upset by the treatment her once special banner, Yash Raj films had been meting out to her post the flopping of her Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic. She was getting the feelers about her no longer being the blue eyed girl of the prestigious banner.

There was no big project announced keeping her in mind and she only had just one film with them that too being directed by a debutant director. But she had kept quiet over this matter despite it all being extremely frustrating for her.

Just later then, Aditya Chopra confronted her over a matter that came in the press.

It is a well known fact that Adi likes to maintain huge secrecy concerning his projects. He was therefore very miffed with Rani that she spoke some off the record things about her film with Yash Raj to her media friends.

What she spoke to them came out in the press and Adi didn't like it one bit. But as he confronted her over this all her boiled up anger came out and she questioned him over his changed attitude towards her post the flopping of TPTM.

Well this further led to a huge argument between the two and they both parted ways refusing to talk to one another. But just a week later Adi took the first step in reconciling their spoiled relation and asked for a meeting with her. Rani agreed and after this meeting they were back to being friends again!"

Runaway Bride - Amisha Verve Magazine Pictures

Runaway Bride - Amisha Verve Magazine Pictures. After bidding adieu to all the problems that were nagging her, life has finally started looking up for the Ameesha girl, both on a professional and personal level! With her latest release, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic Ameesha climbed the charts; both her looks and acting were praised to the hilt. Her snaps as a ‘Runaway Bride’ in this issue of Verve indeed anchors itself in the readers’ hearts, mind, body, and soul! Needless to say that Ameesha is a chic herself, but she adds a certain aura and glory to the already glorious range of Louis Vuitton, Prada, Falguni Shane, Suneet Varma, Hermes (to name a few) range by posing with them.

Ingrid Martz (Galeria 2)

Fotos:

Revista para Hombres

Otras fotos:
Ingrid Martz (Galeria 1)

Ingrid Martz (Galeria 3)

Videos de Ingrid Martz:

Así del Precipicio (Escena 1)

Así del Precipicio (Escena 2)

1228 San Francisco Fashion and Accessories Line

Designer Nico Lopez launched her fashion and accessories line based out of San Francisco. She originally planned to make clothing exclusively for the stage, but motivated by the positive feedback these designs received, Lopez began to construct her first collection, which was presented last year at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco as part of the SFMOMA Sessions in July 2007. I love these vintage inspired pieces.

Dostana — Teaser Trailer Review

The next film of Dharma Productions after their infamous KANK will hit the cinemas in November this year . The first teaser promo of the film is out now and from the looks of it another blockbuster is on the cards . This time though Karan has just produced this baby of Tarun Mansukhani . Since this one comes from Dharma Productions the Budget has to be quite high and the movie would also be a full blown commercial one . The teaser gives a taste of whats in store this November . For the ones who don’t know the film starrs Abishek , John and Piggy Chops (Priyanka Chopra) .

The film is set in Miami (Florida) so a change of location from Dharma’s favourite New York . The film looks as cool as the spirit of the city and would be targeting the Youth at large . Karan has already said that this Dostana has no resemblance with the 1980 hit of same name which was produced by his dad . The only resemblance is that this is also a story of three friends , two guys and a girl .

Well , the teaser starts off with the usual - “From The Makers of ” and then the list of films by Dharma Productions over the past few years with the Music of Kal Ho Na Ho in the background . Strangely “Kaal” was missing from the list , maybe because it was not a pure Dharma Productions film . Well , after the slow soulful music of Kal Ho Na Ho suddenly starts a groovy youthful score and the mood of the trailer changes from depressing tone to a lively one . Then we get to see introductory shots of all the three main leads with everyone looking hot apart from AB Baby . With Priyanka in super hot and sexy swim suit and John flashing his six packs they set the screen on fire backed by the terrific background score . Karan would have for sure flown to Miami to see Piggy in a Bikiny .

After this comes the only Dialogue in Trailer where John says that he and Abhishek are a Gay couple which is a lie . The whole story starts with this lie and how this lies gets stretched into truth and the life after the lie . After the dialogue there is a whole sequence of scenes from the film where Abhishek and John do some homosexual acts and tickle our funny bone with their expressions . The Trailer ends with a three framed scene showing all the lead in their avatar . The chemistry among the three leads looks great on screen and a lot depends on that for the success of the film .

The teaser trailer is great in every sense and much much better than Abhishek and Priyanka’s October release - Drona . Piggy is super hot and Abhishek might once more face a Media lashing on his looks and fitness compared to other stars . This one creates a lot of interest amongst the audience and people won’t be able wait for three more months before the film releases . I am not sure how many of you remember this but Teaser trailer of Kal Ho Na Ho was a treat to watch . In my list of best trailers it ranks quite high because of the fabulous music it had and the rapid moving scenes that were quite in sync with the Music and the famous Heart Beat music of that film . That one had scenes which were not in the film and SRK had delivered some fine lines in that one . This teaser is not as good as that one but still it is a great one and it will for sure create a big element of interest about the film.

Interestingly there are lot of big releases before this one and the Teaser has hit the theatres quite early . I don’t know what is the publicity plan of Dharma but I hope it is a good one . It should not be like that the teaser has been released and then its after one and half month or so that people get another dose of the film . The teaser has been attached with Bachna Ae Hasino (another dud by Yashraj) so look out for the trailer in the film

DOSTANA TRAILER

Mumbai Meri Jaan — Movie Review

This year has been quite dry when it comes to the quality of films that have been produced . In fact there were just 2-3 films that satisfied me and made me think it of as a brilliant piece of cinema . The interesting thing to note is that the Two films that I found great this year (Aamir and Khuda Ke Liye)were both based on terrorism and its aftermath . The third film this year that has impressed me is again having a terrorist background and that is Mumbai Meri Jaan . This film should not be called a film , it is more of a docu-drama sort of film which has depicted the reality of Mumbai and Mumbaikars , their problems and their Life in general covering all strata’s of Society. This film is almost like a Reality Special Report that a channel like NDTV makes with real stories and real characters which makes us realise how tough life can be and how nobody gives a damn how tough your life is . You have to sort it out yourself .

The film though is based on Mumbai Blasts but neither it focusses on the plan of Blasts nor does it focus on catching of criminals . As the name suggests it is about the life of Mumbaikars and how their life gets affected by a terrorist activity .The film is has no common story but has strong characters and each character has a story of his own . The film focusses on various issues that are surrounding us apart from the big Terrorism issue . It makes a black humour of those issues that we don’t take up seriously but terrorism is the Baby of those small issues itself . It portrays that if we sort out those small issues in our life then automatically the big issue of Terrorism will end .

The film focuses on lives of Five Peoples who belong to different sections of society and all live in Mumbai . Soha Ali Khan who is a Journalist , Kay Kay who is a simple computer assembler looking desperately for some work ,Irrfan Khan who is a Tea Vendor , Paresh Rawal who is a Police Constable and R. Madhvan who is working at some organisation on a high post and pay scale . Soha Ali Khan is a typical Television Reporter who just cares at giving news and tries to sensationalize everything like every typical channel does . She is a famous reporter and is ready to get married with her fiance who doesn’t like Media because of their irresponsible behaviour .

Kay Kay is an Educated Struggler who struggles for existence and has lot of debts on him . He doesn’t like Muslims at all and thinks that all of them are Terrorists . He is very radical about religion and practically hates every Muslim .Madhvan is an upper middle class guy who works and earns but still prefers to travel by Local Train because he thinks that more the people travel by public transport , the more organised the traffic of Mumbai would be and basically cares about our country and loves Mumbai and India a lot . He declines all his offers to go abroad because he likes Mumbai and India a lot .

Irrfan Khan is a very poor and innocent Tea Vendor from south and he tries to adjust in Mumbai with just bare necessities of life . He too wants to go to Malls and Multiplexes and live a life like many people live in Mumbai but he can’t . Then there is Paresh Rawal who is a corrupt Police constable who is just about to retire . He is good at heart and quite honest at heart but he also gets involved in the system and can’t do anything about it because he is too small a person to do anything about it .

Amongst all of these only two get affected directly from the serial Train Blasts , Madhvan and Soha . Madhvan’s friend gets injured and loses his hand and Soha loses her fiance in the blasts . The plot of Madhvan shows how he gets terrified after the blasts as he just narrowly escapes those blasts . He gets scared a lot and he starts having Mental Anxiety problems and his love and trust for Mumbai and India also starts shaking . After the blasts Kay Kay starts probing into blasts himself along with his friends because he has suspicion on some Muslim guys that regularly visit a restaurant but are missing after the blasts . After the blasts the Police start their usual routine of High Alert in the town and try to tighten up the situation of the city . Soha gets the shock of her life and takes a break from her job but her channel decides to do a byte on her . She gives them the permission and faces the same questions that she used to ask early and realises how hard it is . She gets to face the other side of her profession and her perspective changes . Irrfan in order to take his revenge from rich people spreads rumours of Bombs in Malls and watches them run for their life . While doing this he doesn’t realise that how much problem he is causing and his rumour can get dangerous .

The whole movie revolves around these different plots with Mumbai being common in all their plots . How they slowly recover from the blasts and how they realise their mistakes and also the fact that though the city has many problems but still it is the spirit of the city that makes them still live there . The whole movie is a mirror image of our society and its happenings . But as they say sometimes others have to show you the mirror to you so that you realise that what flaws you have . The same job has been done by Director Nishikant Kamat who has shown us what we see daily but act like blind people who haven’t seen anything .

The film is not made like a typical film that moves according to a single story . This one moves in a random way and portraying each story simultaneously .Each story has something to offer and sends out a message in general . The movie starts off with archive footage of Mumbai and how it has changed over the years . The beginning of the movie is quite strong and creates an impact on the viewer’s mind . But it is after sometime that the movie comes into its true element which it has maintained for the entire length .The plot of Irrfan Khan though was quite moving but still it was unnecessary and could have been avoided . Most of the time the film has Serious tone but some scenes have still been dramatized and some being over-dramatized . Especially the scene where Irrfan lifts his both hand and looks towards the sky while a heavy background score is played is quite out of the place and frankly speaking a little stupid also . The movie though surrounds the Mumbai blasts yet it has talked very less about the blasts . The Mumbai blasts have been used more as Publicity tool to attract the audience . Black Friday as we all know is an exceptional film and not only does it focus on the Mumbai Blasts of 1992 but also in the process sends out a strong message .

Talking a little about the acting , the film has some of the finest performances by all the actors in it . Especially Kay Kay and Irrfan who were at their best . Kay Kay is one of the best actors in the Industry yet he has done very few roles and that too mostly in Multi-starrer films . He is one of those actors that get under the skin of the character effortlessly and are quite natural about it . His acting just mesmerizes me and I am a huge fan of him since his Television days . The other fine performance is by Irrfan . His plot though wasn’t that strong yet he delivers his best and it is because of him that his plot can be seen . Soha has also done a fine job but she can do much better . Paresh Rawal is a seasoned actor , he also gives a fine performance . The character of a Marathi Constable suits him perfectly . Madhvan’s role wasn’t that good but he still acts quite well . He also can do much better than this .

Overall , the film is very good but it lacks that cinematic approach and hence would please only selected audience . The Director Nishikant has worked more hard on the scenes rather than the complete film . He has shown some of the most finest scenes and has created several moments throughout the film but there was no common thread that could hold all these moments and hence you have a feeling after watching the film that something was missing . The Acting , Direction , Cinematography and Background Score were all good but that soul is what was missing . But still , the film is different type of cinema and it should be appreciated for its effort . The film though might not work that much but has certainly won all the accolades that it could have .

Indian Audience has seen such type of cinema very few times and Documentaries have also never got popular in India thats why this film also won’t work on a commercial level . The Director has worked differently on the Five Stories of Five People and if you are ready to accept that then only you can watch it .

Still , the film is recommended from my side because it has very strong messages in it that have been presented in an excellent manner . The film has some of the finest acting performances and number of moments that make it worth a watch .The film also shows the life of Mumbai and Mumbaikars in a very realistic manner so it is a must watch for all the Mumbaikars . The film ends with the Famous song “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan , Zara Hatke, Zara Bach ke, ye he Bombay meri Jaan ” which very well puts up the entire lifestyle of the city .

Movie Rating : Three and Half out of Five Stars ; Fabulous acting and some great moments .

Chamku — Music Review

After the Musical Hit Album of Saawariya last year , Monty Sharma is back with Chamku this year . The fact that he has talent has been proved last year and his music still occupying the space on Music Channels proves the point further . He is back with Chamku , a film starring Bobby Deol and Priyanka in the lead and Produced by Dharmendra . The film is Directed by Kabeer Kaushik whose first Film Seher (starring Arshad Waarsi and Mahima) was a box office disaster .He is starting afresh after that with this film whose Music has been given by Monty who is also one film old .

Talking a little about the album , it consists six tracks in total with five originals and one remix version . The First track on the album is Aaja Milke which is a romantic number and on air these days . It has a very nice romantic tune in it and hence it is getting a little popular . The song has been mainly sung by Shreya Ghoshal in her sweet voice and supported by Shail who gives her good company . The song has very beautiful and soulful lyrics by Sameer who has done a good job . There is very fine use of Saxophone pieces in between the verses of this song. The tune basically has nothing new but the lyrics and soulful singing of Shreya have done the trick and it makes the song appear quite new and romantic . Monty has very well understood the mood of the song and has provided full justice to the lyrics and the song in general . Shreya is brilliant as usual and steals the show in this one .

Then comes the best track on the album , Kithe Jawan , by Richa Sharma which is a core Punjabi track with a sad feeling attached to it . This song reminded me of the hit song “Lambi Judaai” from the film Hero (and not the latest one from Jannat) . That song is one of the best song which is based on “Judaai” (Separation of Lovers) . But what was best was the way in which that song had been sung by Reshma . That song had a very sad feeling attached to it and was sung very passionately by her . This song also belongs to that genre where Richa Sharma has done the job . Richa is a terrific singer and she sings Punjabi songs really well . The last time I remember that Richa had done such a fine job was in “Ni Mein Samajh Gayi” from Taal which is an exceptional song . Richa has once again spread the magic of her voice and done an exceptional job in this one . The lyrics of this song by Sameer are again great and much better than Sameer’s usual work . Monty has given fabulous treatment to this one and has understood the mood of the song very well . He has given it very modern yet contemporary treatment which makes it a treat to listen . Kudos Richa , Monty and Sameer for this one .

Next comes Gola Gola by Abhijeet and Vaishali Samant . This song also reminds you of those folk songs from Rajasthan which are quite fun to hear and also sometimes have great lyrics . This song has an Authentic Indian tune and even the singers have sung it in typical folk style . The song though doesn’t have that powerful lyrics yet the tune and singing style are enough to carry the song on their shoulders . The song wouldn’t hinder the pace of the film and if shot beautifully the song would be treat to watch . This song might not get that popular but would certainly look good in the film .

Next comes a trance music by Monty with vocals by Saleem , Soumya and Anaida . It has a very nice trance feel in it according to its name and probably for the first time I have heard an Indian Trance Music. The song very well incorporates some fine Indian instruments into the Trance music of the west . The vocals in between are also quite good and the song would look good in Background . The Arabic lyrics have been very well sung by the Singer and the whole song would really sound great on a good music system and even better in the Multiplexes .

After the Trance music comes “Bin Daseya” which is a lounge version of Kithe Jaawan . Since the original is such a great song even this one sounds good . This lounge version might appeal to certain people more than the original one but I prefer the original one . This version is quite nice and nothing fancy about it . It would sound good at a Lounge or a Pub . Monty has put in some nice effects in this one and hence has done a good job once more .

Then comes the last song on the album Dukh Ke Badri which is again a slow song but that doesn’t make it anything less . It is again a fabulous song and has a very different music than other songs . This one doesn’t sound like typical slow songs and has nice music pieces in it . The song has been sung by Kalpana and Parthiv and Shail have given her company . This song sounds really nice and might look even better in the film . The singing by Kalpana is of top quality and she gives a nice competition to Richa’s song . The song has some very nice Lyrics and they have been given full justice by the singers and the composer .

Overall , this Album is highly recommended and Monty has once again proved that though he works less but he is going to stay for a long time in Bollywood . After a long time an album has came that has all the songs quite slow and soulful . If you love fast music and music with beats then this one is not for you . This is very much on the slower side and yet it is a great album . The film has not much of a Hype around it and even the title is little weird and hence the music won’t gather that much audience . But after sometime the songs are bound to work especially after the release of the film . The music is fabulous and I just hope even the movie is as good as the music . I hope the script of the film is as strong as the Music .

Album Rating : Three and Half Stars out of Five , Quite Different then the usual that we get to hear these days .

Drona Vs. Kidnap

The second of October this year will have two films battling it out for their fate on Box-office. The first release being the long awaited Drona which according to Goldie Behl is not a superhero flick and is an Indian Fantasy Adventure film . The film has been long in the making and has no buzz around it as such . The promotion of the film hasn’t started in a full fledged way yet but whatever has started looks quite dull . Even Abhishek doesn’t look excited about the film and is currently on his world-tour , far away from his film . This is the second Directorial venture of Goldie after Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai which was a box-office dud . Though the budget of this one is much higher and the star-cast is also stronger the film itself is not creating that excitement in me for it . I am not a big fan of Abhishek and even Priyanka is getting quite repetitive these days . Abhishek’s looks are always a problem and he doesn’t even do anything about it . The Music of the film is yet to hit the stores and a lot will depend on it . The trailers and rushes haven’t given any taste of the music that would be there in the film so nothing can be said about it . A lot is on stake in this film for Abhishek as Sarkar Raj was a multi starrer and also wasn’t appreciated that much among both critics and audiences . This film will show the solo star power of Abhishek since no big name is attached to this film apart from him and Priyanka . No Big Director like Mani-Ratnam or Big Producer like Yashraj so a lot will depend on him .

Giving this film a very tough competition would be Kidnap . Fresh out of the success of Jaane Tu .. Imran Khan is riding high on the success wave and at present provides more attraction than Abhishek . The promos of Kidnap are also better than Drona and hence an initial interest in this film is much more than that in Drona . This film is Directed by Sanjay Gadhvi who has tasted success earlier in both the Dhooms . So it can be said that he has an experience of creating “Dhoom” among the audience . Sanjay has also done nothing apart from the Dhoom series . So this can also be considered as his second attempt . Though Dhoom was produced by Yashraj and hence Aditya had an influence in those films , how much we don’t know . We might know after Kidnap releases . Still , Kidnap is produced by Ashtavinayak which is also a good production house so production quality won’t suffer .

Imran is playing a slightly (or completely?) negative role so people would definitely wanna watch that out since he played a good-boy in Jaane Tu. The music of the film also looks good . The second promo of the film features one of the songs which looks and sounds quite good . Apart from this the film also has Sanju Baba who is also a crowd pulling factor for the film . The female lead is played by Minissha who is looking quite hot and has already proved her acting skills .

For now , there are lots of positives in favour of Kidnap and it looks quite strong on Paper . Whereas Drona is looking quite dull and doesn’t have that energy in it . People like to see young energetic performances these days and a young cast of Imran and Minissha would certainly provide that . Priyanka is also on streak of flops and dull movies so that is also not gonna go in her favour . Both Abhishek and Priyanka look more enthusiastic and fresh in the promos of Dostana which means the fact that Drona being released so late is also going to go against it .

Overall , I am looking forward to see Kidnap on the second of October which is a national holiday and hoping for the best for Drona . Which film are you going to watch first ?

Celebs Rocks at ROCK ON Movie Premiere

Celebs Rocks at ROCK ON Movie Premiere. From the star cast of the movie like Arjun Rampal with wife Meher Rampal, Prachi Desai, Farhan Akhtar, Luke Kenny, Purab Kohli to business tycoons like Anil Ambani with wife Tina Ambani, Parmeshwar Godrej, Avinash & Tanya Dubash to bollywood celebrities like Ishaa Koppikar with her boyfriend Timmy Narang, Tapur Chaterjee, Fardeen Khan, Amol Gupte with wife, Chunkey Pandey with wife Bhavna Pandey, Suneeta Rao, Karan Johar and More.

Shilpa Shetty all set to marry Raj Kundra

Shilpa Shetty who has become an international figure post her Big Brother success and racism criticism is all set to start a family with her NRI boyfriend Raj Kundra. All her colleagues had settled down and she finds this is the right time to start up a family. Though she hesitates to speak about her personal life in public, while speaking to a news daily, she divulges “I normally don’t talk about my personal life, but his name is Raj Kundra. We met a year ago.”

She further revealed, “For the next 18 months, I’ve got my hands full with work, so I can’t really think of marriage yet but, after that, I definitely want it to culminate in marriage. And, of course, I’m dying to have a family - at least two children.”

Shilpa has started her own production house and in her new endeavor, her beau has helped her a lot. Soon she will be seen in a Hollywood project titled Quantum Of Science. Today, she is totally involved in the reality show Bigg Boss and facing the heat.

Sonam Kapoor cant stand Ranbir and Deepika together?

Now it can be told. The real reason why Sonam Kapoor refused debutant Vicky Singh’s Mera Jahaan with Ranbir Kapoor was because of Deepika Padukone!

Ranbir’s ladylove is also part of the cast. Obviously Sonam did not want to share screen space with Ranbir and Deepika together, especially with their excessive PDA! And moreover, the audience would look out for the chemistry between Ranbir-Deepika and not her.

Childhood pals Ranbir and Sonam had a special relationship. All was well between the two till Deepika walked into Ranbir’s life.

Khallas girl Isha Koppikar is not pregnant

Last week the Khallas girl Isha Koppikar was rushed to the hospital. She was on the sets of Rajshri’s Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi when the unit members hit the panic button. Apparently, Eesha fainted on the sets and was rushed to the nearest maternity hospital. Eesha feels that it was stress and long working hours that aggravated her condition. But the unit members of the film have a different story to tell.

3.5 crore spent for Bollywood’s costliest song in Veer

Salman Khan has given a lot of creative contribution to the song of Veer which was shot with a budget of Rs 3.5 crore. Directed by Anil Sharma, Veer is written by Salman himself and also stars a newcomer actress whose name has been kept a secret by the makers of the film along with Sohail Khan and Mithun Chakraborty.

Sources inform, “Salman Khan, Sohail, Mithun and the new starlet participated in a 11 day long marathon shooting schedule for this particular song in a Mumbai studio earlier this month. The song also had around 600 junior artists dancing along with the main stars. Salman’s contribution to the song had begun right from the conceptualisation of it to helping in executing in it all. Salman personally took part in all the discussions with the creative team of the film and the choreographer before the shooting of this song began. He offered valuable suggestions which were accepted by all unanimously. Also, he was present on all 11 days even at times when his part was not being shot. Salman has been extremely passionate about this particular song which he thinks shall be the film’s biggest highlight.”

“With a budget crossing Rs 3 crore this song has become the costliest song over taking a Jodha Akbar song shot on Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in Karjat’s ND Studios last year.” the source concluded.

Looks like Aamir Khan rubbed off his quest for creative perfection to Salman during the 10 Ka Dum episode they shot together!

Bipasha Basu now joins the reality show bandwagon

After Kajol, Urmila Matondkar and Raveen Tandon, the latest Bollywood actress to work for the small screen is Bipasha Basu.

Of course, she has had her share of appearances on a few reality shows, but Bipasha now joins the reality show bandwagon as a judge for the dance-based show Chak De - Shehar Di Kudiyan Te Galli De Gunde. Sharing the bench with her is Raveena.

Our well-placed source from television says, “Karisma Kapoor was initially approached for the show, but she declined due to reasons best known to her.

So Bipasha is on board now and this has excited everyone associated with the show. Having two Bollywood actresses will add a lot of value to the programme.”

Minissha Lamba wears a bikini in Kidnap

Titillation is not something one would expect from Minissha Lamba. But the actress is going to provide you exactly that in the action thriller Kidnap .

Though Minissha has previously done some steamy scenes with Arshad Warsi in Anthony Kaun Hai , the actress slips into a two-piece bikini for the first time in Sanjay Gadhvi’s ‘Kidnap’ that stars Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan in lead roles.

Sanjay Gadhvi , known for making actresses like Esha Deol , Bipasha Basu and even the usually prim-and-propah Aishwarya Rai shed their clothes in films like Dhoom and Dhoom 2 , has now made Minissha do the same.

Gadhvi reportedly told Minissha at the very start of the film that she would have to don a bikini – and that too a white one – for a few sequences in the film.

Minissha Lamba from a scene in BikiniMinissha, surprisingly, was game for it. Funnily, what proved more difficult than convincing Minissha was to find a good white bikini. But her stylist in the film, Shilpa Bhatia, scoured the market and managed to find a sexy bikini for the actress.

And now that Minissha was finally showing off her skin, she wanted to look her best. The actress slogged away in gym and followed a strict diet to be in good shape.

Minissha’s bikini sequence was shot on the beaches of Mauritius.

Well now we have an extra reason to watch ‘Kidnap’

Ranbir Kapoor and I are friends

Bipasha is candid enough to admit that during 'Race' Katrina and she were barely cordial with one another.

"Some people you jell with. Others you just do your job with. Katrina is one of those cases when we were just professionals on the sets. But there was no rivalry or anything. We were both working for the same film not at cross-puposes. We were both liked in Race. Though people would like to believe otherwise, there was no negativity or animosity between us. There was no dramatic tension on the sets. We're both too sensible for that. There was just no scope for one-to-one interaction."

She has one other unfinished project Mr Fraud with Abbas-Mustan. "I'd love to complete the film. Right now I'm going through a phase when I'm searching for roles. I've no idea what I want. But yes, I'd like to an author-backed zany fun-filled film. At the same time I love multi-strarrers. They're more fun on the sets. Lots of unfulfilled wishes before I give up acting.If I don't like what's being offered I won't sign anything. For now my last film is Freeze with Neil Nitin Mukesh."

Bipasha had to miss John's brother Allan's wedding on Romania in May because she was shooting in Bangkok.

But she was very conspicuously present at the wedding reception in Mumbai where everyone commented on her bonding with her sister-in-law Anka.

"She's really sweet. John's brother and Anka were seeing each other for three years. Beyond that I wouldn't like to say anything about them. Let them lead their own lives."

John's ambitious film Aashayein is ready. Though Bipasha loves the film she won't be helping to promote it.

"Beyond buying a ticket I'm doing nothing to promote the film. That's a very good way to pitch in."

Bipasha's new ring tone is a song from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Strange for an actor to flaunt another actor's ring tone.

"I love that song and I adore Imran. I think he's going to be a huge star. He and Ranbir Kapoor are my current favourites. In fact I told Ranbir how much I like Imran. No, he didn't mind at all. Ranbir and I are friends after Bachna Ae Haseenon."

I'd never participate in Akshay's Khatron Ke Khiladi

Beauty queen Neha Dhupia was tagged a 'sex symbol' after the portrayal of a prostitute in "Julie", but she feels the image is now fading.

"I'm happy with the kind of films I am getting, and, yes, the 'sex symbol' tag that I had got after 'Julie' is fading, " Neha, who turns 28 Wednesday.

Recently she was seen doing a variety of roles - she played a homely Gujarati girl in "Chup Chup Ke" and an ad executive in "Delhii Heights". She was also seen in critically acclaimed "Mithya" and hit gangster movie "Shootout At Lokhandwala".

Recently Neha showed her action skills with a few stunts in Akshay Kumar-starrer "Singh Is Kinng". Though she managed the action scenes in the film, Neha says she will never take part in a show like "Khatron Ke Khiladi".

Neha said, "I wouldn't have done 'Khatron Ke Khiladi' even if I was offered it because it won't challenge me creatively. There is nothing creative about it. It would force me to do stunts and stuff; so I would not do it."

The actress was in the capital to attend the Blenders Pride Magical Nights Party Tour 2008.

After making her debut in 1997 with a cameo in "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya", Neha has been doing almost three to four films in a year.

"I am comfortable doing about four films a year. Unless I get burnt out and totally exhausted, I think I will continue doing so, " she said.

Asked about her birthday plans, Neha said that she has "no party plans; only work for the day."

"I will be happy if in the morning I get a birthday wish call from my production people instead of a work call. But no party plans yet."

As for her future projects, the young actress, who won the Miss India crown in 2002, is looking forward to a line-up of films including "Maharathi", "Raat Gayi Baat Gayi", "I Am 24", "Paying Guest", one Percept Picture Company-produced film with Emraan Hashmi and a yet-to-be-titled film with Priyadarshan.

Why Deepika Padukone envies her sister

It's been a time of horrendous homesickness for the rapidly on the rise Deepika Padukone.

"I've either been shooting out of the country or just been busy in Mumbai.It's been a really hectic time for me. I haven't been to my home in Bangalore for three years."

Now for Ganesh Chaturthi Deepika heads home to Bangalore. "I'm going home after three years. It feels really good."

But Ganesh Chaturthi is very big in Mumbai and also extremely important at her boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor's RK Studios.

Even if Ranbir would like to have her stay in Mumbai for the occasion Deepika is adamant.

"Ganesh Chaturthi is also a very big event in my home in Banglore.It's a time when my entire family including my sister, comes together.Or whatever remains of the family in Bangalore. A lot of my relatives are now in the US.

I've missed the occasion for the past three years. So I can't help it. I've to go home now. Am I religious? I don't go to the temple every day. But my God is right here in my heart. I believe in a force. And that keeps me grounded."

Interestingly Deepika's younger sister Alisha is a professional golfer.

Says the proud sister. "My sister is five years younger to me. I sometimes envy my sister. She has gone into sports, like my father. And she gets to play golf professionally. That's a unique position for a 19-year to be in. Acting seems rather ordinary in comparison."

In fact Deeepika's sister has recently got an offer for a film in their native language.

"That's right she has been offered a Kannada film. But she's absolutely not interested in a film career. One actress in the family is enough, " laughs.

The brings to the one roles that's on Deepika's wish list. "I'd love to do a sports film. Not neceassarily my dad's game badminton but any sport except cricket. I feel too much priority is given to cricket in our country. I'm so glad films on other sports like hockey and football are being made. I'd love to do film based on badminton."

Unconventional roles are coming Deepika's way without asking.

"When I was told that in Bachna Ae Haseenon I had to play an Indian cab driver in Australia who doesn't believe in marriage, I said I had to do this even if there were two other girls in the story.

Luckily for me I got along like a house on fire with Bipasha Basu and Minissha Lamba. Even if I hadn't I'd still have enjoyed doing the role thoroughly….And not because Ranbir was in it, " she adds quickly.

Rambling...

• Is it weird that I like to plan out my outfit for the next day? It helps me fall asleep...very relaxing, like Wardrobe Tetris where you get a mental picture of all the pieces fitting together.


• Still giddy from Favorite High School Teacher commenting years and years ago that I have a fashion designer-y name...(yay!) I think she was just being nice though.


• I have a color aversion. My wardrobe = all black and white (with the occasional cream, gray and blue). I blame working in a corporate environment. It's not too bad though - at least everything matches.


• Most recent best compliment (from Fashion School Person) - "I'll see you on Project Runway in 3 years!" My dorky response: "Uh, okay, yeah!"


• I need some therapy for my retail therapy problem. I could never do a shop-tox like My Lookbook has done...several times.

Adieu til Monday!

 

Images of various fashion industry peeps via the fabulous Fashionista!

Photo credits: http://fashionista.com/

On the Fly

DesignBoom has done an interesting piece on contemporary airport design. 

These state-of-the-art airports are all being built in countries whose industry and tourism is accelerating more rapidly than the available infrastructure. A luxurious airport would certainly be a drawcard as a stopover point - but would it persuade you to actually step out for some sightseeing in the city?

The best airport I've been to is probably Singapore's Changi Airport. It almost makes transit a joy - free Internet, free cable TV, a menagerie of shops, a wide selection of food, an airy atmosphere...Plus, if there is a long gap between connecting flights, you can catch the MRT out to the city for the day.

What's your favorite airport?

Photo credits: http://www.designboom.com

A Long, Long Way From Home

Oh, to be young and free! I went to a fashion school open day last week and all the attendees were, like, 15 and so fresh. Sadly, I'm on the wrong side of 20. It's not so much that I envy their youth (hey, I'm not that old!); rather, I wish that, like them, I had known that this is what I wanted to do from the very beginning.

Publication: Lula Magazine, Issue #7

Title: A long, long way from home. Stop wherever you find yourself.

Photographer: Yelena Yemchuk

Model: Ali Michael

Photo credits: http://community.livejournal.com/foto_decadent

Happenings 082908

This team is small but oh, so mighty!  It is hard to keep up with all we are doing!  Here's the latest for the last two weeks.

Of course, the big news for the team is the Launch of SHH, Sharing Hearts and Hands, our project to support small businesses through Kiva.  For more info, read through the post published here.  We made our first loan to Melita, a clothing seller in Peru.  What we make through our hands, we give with our hearts.

Morgan of karma711 was featured on Sweet Figments blog in an awesome selection in the color of cherry tomatoes.  Check it out here.

She was also featured on Nora's blog.  Click here to read more.

We love reading more about our team members!

Barbara of mylittleaura was featured in a fun post for the upcoming Halloween season on Aileenfairycat's blog.  Check it out here.

Becca of happiknits was featured on the EtsyNJ blog.  What a great interview!  Read more.

The beautiful scarf pictured above was also featured on the b-line's blog.  For more, check this out!

On top of that, this scarf was also featured in the Etsy Gift Guides!!

Margarida of eikumpel was featured on the absolutely delish blog.  Check out her cutie here:

The Fashion Design and Lifestyle Team had two members featured on the Front Page of Etsy!  It was quite an exciting day for both Becca, of happiknits, and myself, of thirdfloor.  To set an all time record, Becca was featured on two FP's in the same day.  Becca is now referred to as "The FP Goddess" on the team because she is featured so often!  You go girl!

Another awesome week for a very talented team!

Beth

Shops featured here (click on the name to link to the shop):

Morgan of karma711

Barbara of mylittleaura

Becca of happiknits

Margarida of eikumpel

Beth of thirdfloor

Also check out the team shop here.