Make sense of your scents!

Perfume – the essence of attraction indeed! There’s nothing like a good perfume to turn heads. But not many know how to shop for their perfumes. So, here’s some help…

The world of frangrances

How many times have you stood before a perfume counter wondering which bottle looks the best or which brand sells the most? Hey! You must first know the fragrance you want, then go hunting for the brand that gives you the best of that,…, and then you can fall (if at all!) for the sexy-curvy bottles.

There are four basic categories of fragrances for women – Fresh, Floral, Oriental and Woody. Men fragrances do not have floral or oriental tones (or at least they are not called such), and the categories are Fresh, Aromatic and Woody.

So here’s a broad categorisation of different perfumes…

¥     FRESH

Citrus: From the zest of lemons, mandarins, bergamot, oranges and grapefruit come the citrus oils that lend these fragrances their distinctive, tangy aroma. Floral, spicy and woody notes transformed the light, refreshing eaux de cologne into real fragrances. A new generation of musk and tea accents adds an interesting dimension to the oldest fragrance family.

Green: Green fragrances capture the sharp scent of fresh-cut grass and violet leaves. Despite the outdoors imagery, the impact of the classic resinous galbanum accord is so potent that many green fragrances have a formal rather than sporty personality. In recent years, a palette of softer, lighter green notes has given this
fragrance family fresh appeal.

Marine/Oceanic: Redolent of the scent of soft sea breezes, the marine notes were created in 1990. The early water notes captured the ozonic aroma of wet air after a thunderstorm. Today, the water notes are more often used as an accent to enliven florals, orientals and woody fragrances.

¥     FLORAL

Floral: Florals remain the most popular fragrance family. Their repertoire is vast, ranging from concertos on the theme of a single floral note to mighty symphonies of heady mixed bouquets. Each year, unusual new notes are found, revitalising the traditional floral theme.

Soft Floral: The marriage of sparkling aldehydes and delicate flowers creates a family of soft, often powdery, abstract florals. Aldehydes are found naturally in rose and citrus oils, but in such minute amounts that they have to be re-created in the laboratory. Their natural scent is not pleasant: some have a sharp, metallic fragrance, others the burnt, waxy aroma of a just-snuffed candle. Add them to flowers, however, and their subtle magic makes the blossoms sing.

¥     ORIENTAL

Floral Oriental: Soft, spicy orange flower notes meld with piquant aldehydes and sweet spices to create the heart of a Floral Oriental fragrance. Born in the 1900s, Floral Orientals came back to life again in the 1970s. In the past decade, lively, fruity interpretations dominated the Floral Oriental category, but recent fragrances have developed a more subtle, muted personality.

Soft Oriental: Incense adds sensual overtones to fragrant flowers, spices and amber to create a softer style of Oriental. The base notes of a modern Soft Oriental are not as sweet or as heavy as a true Oriental and the result - a mélange of flowers and spices - is distinctly softer.

Oriental: Orientals are the exotic queens of perfumery. Sensual, often heavy, blends of oriental resins, opulent flowers, sweet vanilla and musks are introduced by refreshing citrus, green or fruity top notes.

¥     WOODY

Woody Oriental: The liaison of rich Oriental notes and the potent scents of patchouli and sandalwood produced some of the most original perfumes of the 1990s. This family emphasises the woody character of Floral Orientals. The key difference is that their flowers and spices play second string to the dominant sandalwood and/or patchouli notes. The Oriental influence is more noticeable, too, and balances the deep wood notes.

Mossy Woods: Perfumers call these forest notes of oakmoss, woods and citrus Chypre fragrances. The family takes its name from the first significant mossy-woody fragrance, Chypre de Coty, created by François Coty in 1917.

Dry Woods: A mossy-woody fragrance takes on a drier character with the addition of cedar, tobacco and burnt wood notes. The Dry Woods family is often called Leather, after the dry, smoky scent of Russian leather.

¥     AROMATIC

This is the universal fragrance family, with sexy cool-warm notes of citrus and lavender, sweet spices and oriental woods. It takes its name from a fragrance long since discontinued: Fougère Royale, introduced by Houbigant in 1882. Men grew up on Fougères. Most of the key men’s fragrances developed since the mid-1960s have come from this family; their zesty, masculine character makes men feel comfortable. Most women, too, find the blend of Fresh, Floral, Oriental and Woody notes appealing. It is a winning combination.

What you must know…

FRAGRANCE TYPE Parfum	CONCENTRATION 15% - 40%	LASTING STRENGTH 5 - 7 hours	COST FACTOR 1 (dearest)
Eau de Parfum	10% - 20%	Approximately 4 hours	2
Eau de Toilette	8% - 10%	Approximately 3 hours	3
Eau de Cologne	3% - 5%	Between 1 & 2 hours	4
Eau Fraiche	About 3%	Less than 1 hour	5

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A fragrance for your persona

Choose a fragrance that will enhance your aura, not overpower it!

Get fresh with these!

Vivacious, mischievous, exuberant and always living it up, you need a fragrance that is fresh and rejuvenating. You will smell of citrus, sea breeze and fresh dew with these!

Picks for men: Boss by Hugo Boss; Calvin Klein's cK One; Ralph Lauren Polo Sport and Dunhill Desire Blue.
Picks for women: Davidoff Cool Water; Donna Karan Be Delicious; Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey.

Oriental Spice

This one is for the those who ooze natural confidence and sophistication. They know what they want and have a way of getting it. Spice it up with these fragrances.

Picks for men: Alfred Dunhill Dunhill.
Picks for women: Giorgio Armani Sensi, Kenzo Flower, Dior Poison.

Woody fragrance for the sensual

Are you sensual yet classy, free-spirited yet grounded, nurturing yet confident? Then woody fragrances are for you.

Picks for men: Burberry Brit For Men, Dior Fahrenheit, Carolina Herrera 212 H2O Men.
Picks for women: Yves St Laurent's Opium, Calvin Klein Obsession.

Floral favourites for women

If you like a touch of romance in everything you see, smell and touch, a floral scent will complement your appeal, have you smelling natural and feeling fresh as a daisy.

Picks: Chacherel's Amor Amor, Burberry Weekend and Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera.

An aromatic blend for men

If you value all that is classic, exude true machismo and are a self-made man, this one is for you. A potent mix of berries, citrus, lavender, spices and more will help you tap into your feisty side!

Picks: Gendarme Gendarme, Calvin Klein Eternity For Men.

Note: The average prices of these perfumes range between Rs 1,750 (50 ml) and Rs 2,750 (50 ml).

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Shopping it right!

¥     The same fragrance will smell different on two people as the body heat and inherent body odours are different. So make sure you test your perfume on yourself and not your friend.

¥     Perfectionists could try out one new perfume at a time. The rest could test a maximum of four at a time. Otherwise, you will muddle up the spicy flavour of Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium with the floral scents of Le Feu D’Issey, two diametrically opposing fragrance families. Besides, you will get a headache.

¥     A fragrance will smell different several minutes after you apply it, so give it some time. Don't rush into buying any perfume.

¥     The worst thing you can do is splurge on a perfume you are allergic to! To avoid that, apply a small amount on your wrist. Wait for about an hour. If there is a reaction, you know this isn't the one.

So find your favorite perfume. Wear it. Flaunt it, if you wish. Or just let it be a subtle reminder that you’re around. But use it. Use it to identify yourself. Use it to promote yourself. Or just use it to make yourself feel confident and free – it can do that, you know.

Size Zero: Hot or Not

Kareena Kapoor’s ultra-thin avatar in her much-talked-about dud, Tashan did not delight most of her fans. Her chubbiness made her look charming and not her recent rib-show. Even the perfectly-slim Priyanka Chopra and Jiah Khan are toiling hard to shed more kilos. SHILPI SHUKLA does a health check on the overwhelming pressure to be all skin and bones.

Their full bosoms and curvaceous hips made young lasses look gorgeous and glamorous till recently. However, the current trend seems to be that of turning underweight and looking like walking zombies. Is this supposed to be attractive and charming? A more pertinent question would be — is anorexia nervosa in vogue now?

A short time ago, the Madrid Fashion Week (Spain) had turned down a number of models who were severely underweight claiming that they want beauties who look ‘fit and fine’ rather than waif-like or heroine chicks suffering from an acute eating disorder, named — anorexia nervosa.

“Models like Snejana Onopka, Natasha Poly and Hana Soukupova appear so gaunt and thin that their knees and elbows look larger than their concave thighs and pipe cleaner arms. Their bobbling heads look as if a slight breeze could detach them from their frail bodies,” says a famous Bollywood actress, who is known for her well-endowed curvaceous figure. She adds, “It is about looking healthily hot and beautiful. Reed-thin  is simply unhealthy.”

Modelling beauty. Is it?

According to the National Centre for Eating Disorders, the average American woman is five feet four inches tall, 140 pounds. The average supermodel is five feet 11 inches tall, 117 pounds.

On this, famous model and actress Bipasha Basu, who is known for her voluptuous figure, expresses dismay, “There are a lot of Indian and foreign models who are very thin and frail,” she said. “I don’t know if they are healthy or not, but I don’t think the frail, fragile look is very feminine. I don’t think it is attractive.”

Complaints about the idolisation of models who suggest unhealthy lifestyles are culturally endemic. Celebrities like Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Mischa Barton have all been subjects of tabloid headlines asking, “Are they too thin?” In all likelihood, the answer is yes, but that does not stop magazines from displaying their pictures or designers from casting thin models in their shows.

Former Miss India Juhi Chawla also encounters many models who look sickly. “They tend to be extremely pale, have thin hair and don’t have a glowing, healthy skin. This unnatural thinness is a terrible message to send out. Those watching the fashion shows are young, impressionable girls,” adds Juhi.

An impression, hard to die

In one of the group therapy sessions of Eating Disorders Program of the Westchester

division of New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Centre in White Plains for women

battling eating-disorder, an emaciated teenager brought in a magazine photograph

of Kate Moss, the exceedingly thin fashion model, and thrust it at the nurse

leading the discussion. "You say I have a problem?" asked the patient, who was

hospitalised with anorexia. “Look at her. She’s making a lot of money looking

like this. She looks great.” Achal Bhagat, psychologist states; “It is a

generation totally focusing on the way their legs are, the way their noses are, the way their eyes are, and not how their health is.”

Psychologists, nutritionists and dieticians are worried about the increasing fad of decreasing flab among young girls. Health experts claim that the fashion industry has gone too far in pushing a dangerously thin image that women, and even very young girls, may try to emulate.

“We know seeing super-thin models can play a role in causing anorexia,” says nutritionist Snigdha Chopra. “Because many models and actresses are so thin, it makes anorexics think THAT their emaciated bodies are normal, she says. “But these people look scary. They don’t look normal.”

“Indian women ought to understand that no matter how flattering and pleasing thin bodies of actresses and models may seem to be, their general body frame is not genetically designed to suit such a structure,” says Parul Choudhary, a freelance dietician.

Thinspiration

Heard about Pro-Ana? It is quite good if you have not. Even better if you heard but did not get influenced by it. But for your awareness, you must know. Pro-Ana is a largely Internet-based movement which views the eating disorder anorexia nervosa as a lifestyle choice rather than a medical condition. Pro-Anas view anorexia as a guide that helps them curb their eating patterns and provides ‘thinspiration’ for fasting and purging.

Web hosting companies are joining together to ban such websites from their servers.  But a quick search on Google reveals that there are many pages still operating and encouraging women to starve themselves to obtain this idealised type of body.

Eating disorder or anorexia nervosa may appear luring for the contemporary curious teenagers but what nourishes their rebellious minds in turn destroys them like an epidemic where they would be left to die or commit suicide.

Exercise less exercise

And it is not just anorexia anymore. Many girls and guys have a regular diet but spend several hours a day sweating off everything they have eaten. Some think this is a healthier alternative to fasting, but it can be just as harmful. According to general physician DK Gupta, “Compulsive exercise can lead to headaches, reoccurring illness, depression, stress, loss of coordination, and a faster morning heart rate.”

Senior gynaecologist Aarti Majumdar agrees, “Women who greatly reduce their food intake and combine it with intense physical activity stop menstruating and ovulating and become increasingly susceptible to stress fractures and osteoporosis.”

Do you still want to look like emaciated models, who are made to look stunning on the front of some fashion magazine, who are airbrushed by touch-up artists to look beauty Divas? So go to great lengths to actually look healthily beautiful. The choice is yours.

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Know about Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa typically has numerous complications. The disease has one of the highest deaths rates among all mental illnesses, hovering around five percent or higher than this. Death may occur suddenly — even when someone is not severely underweight. This may result from abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or electrolyte imbalances. In fact, it was the anorexia-related death of singer Karen Carpenter in 1983 that catapulted the disease into the public arena.

Other serious or life-threatening complications commonly include:

¥     Anaemia

¥     Heart problems, such as mitral valve prolapse, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure

¥     Bone loss, increasing risk of fractures later in life

¥     Lung problems resembling emphysema

¥     In females, absence of a period

¥     In males, decreased testosterone

¥     Gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, bloating or nausea

¥     Electrolyte abnormalities, such as low blood potassium, sodium and chloride

¥     Kidney problems

If a woman with anorexia becomes severely malnourished, every organ of her body can sustain damage, including the brain, heart and kidneys. This damage may not be fully reversible, even when the ailment is under control.

In addition to the host of physical complications, women with anorexia nervosa commonly have other mental disorders. They may include:

¥     Depression

¥     Anxiety disorders

¥     Personality disorders

¥     Obsessive-compulsive disorders

¥     Drug abuse

The co-occurrence of these disorders with anorexia can make the disease more difficult to treat.

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BEAUT(Y)FUL SECRETS

Shilpa Shetty — Any guesses for Shilpa’s age? Well, she is getting younger in her looks with every passing year. Her sylph shaped, well-endowed figure has amused one and all. Let’s get to know her beauty and fitness secrets ----

¥     I am basically a seafood person, but have now turned vegetarian (actually eggetarian). I’ve never understood why people yucky poo ghee; I put it into just about everything that I eat.

¥     My breakfast is usually six almonds, a cup of tea, biscuits and papaya. My lunch and dinner mainly consist of rice, veggies and dal.

¥     I never eat in-between meals. I do not deny myself anything. But, if I have eaten heavy or have binged on something, I have this ‘food-o-meter’ in me which automatically turns on and helps me say ‘no’ to food, even to desserts which I rarely ever give a miss.

¥     I don’t drink alcohol. I tank up on hot water through the day to help flush out the toxins.

Katrina Kaif’s beauty mantra --- “Respect your body and don’t take it

for granted! Staying fit is more important than looking beautiful.

And being slim doesn’t necessarily mean being healthy or beautiful.”

Yana pens down her fitness secrets
Model-actor Yana Gupta is the best fitness expert for one and all. Where did she get inspiration to write on healthy living? Yana shares, “It all started with my friends constantly asking me for advice on fitness regimes. I had to repeat my long lectures verbally or through email. So I finally thought of writing.” Does she qualify to write a book on this subject? “I have been studying health and nutrition ever since I turned 16 and started modeling,” adds she.

There’s nobody like Our desi girl

The gorgeous actress who felt out of place in her initial days in Bollywood has now firmly entrenched in the industry having her own entity as the most promising star in Indian film industry. A tête-à-tête with Former Miss World Priyanka Chopra who is riding high with the success of her recent films…

Realising that you had four back to back flops last year (Chamku, Love Story 2050, God Tussi Great Ho! And Drona) we could say that the last quarter of 2008 has been quite lucky for you with smash hits like Fashion and Dostana. Congratulations!

Thanks a ton! After God Tussi Great Ho and Drona, I was truly heartbroken. Fashion and Dostana seem to have given me rebirth of sorts. These films were much more successful than my expectations.

We hear that you had a tough time losing weight for Dostana after having to put on a few extra kilos for Fashion.

You could say that. I am not at all diet conscious. I had to put on some weight for Fashion since I was playing a small-town Punjabi girl who eventually becomes a super model, but for Dostana, I had to lose the seven kilos that I had put on. And I had to get in shape as well. Moreover I had a hard core diet, I had a proper workout schedule.

You were seen flaunting a range of clothes from designer wear, while sashaying down the ramp, to t-shirts and jeans while portraying a model’s normal life in the movie Fashion.

To cut the long story short, I would say that I wore 137 costumes in Fashion. It was required as my character goes through a huge journey in one-and-a-half years. And we had a lot of montages in the film, a lot of ad commercials and of course fashion shows. This is why the requirement of costumes was so high for my character.

Which films of yours can we look forward to this year? And which film are you most excited about?

This year I am going to have only two releases. One is Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kameenay opposite Shahid Kapur and the other one is Ashutosh Gowariker’s What's your Rashi opposite Harman Baweja. Both of them I am very excited about because my roles in both of them are extremely interesting and very different to something I have ever done before. I really can't take a pick for there's only two.

Is it true that you are playing 12 different characters in What's your Rashi?

That’s true. It's one of the most difficult films I have worked in. What is so difficult about it, why is it difficult, I can only speak when the film is closer to release.

Let's move on to Kameenay.

I play a Maharashtrian college-going girl. The role is very different for me for sure because I don’t know Marathi at all and I did not learn it. The language is beautiful. It’s so rustic but it’s very difficult for a Punjabi to get the Marathi accent right for sure. But I worked on it and I am hoping it will come out right.

You wore skimpy outfits in Fashion and bared your cleavage in Dostana. How do you take skin show in Bollywood as?

See, where there’s a demand, there’s a supply. Had films with skin show not been doing well, we would have stopped making them. People want to watch such films.

Kameeney too is said to have many intimate scenes.

I can’t really reveal all the details to you, but yeah, I have done a little bit more than usual in this film. I do have a kissing scene and a few love making scenes with Shahid. Because this is what the script demanded, I agreed to do it.

You are termed as a workaholic in film fraternity. How true is that?

Very true indeed! As a matter of fact, with six movies having released in 2008, I haven't had the time to either mourn or enjoy the fruits when a film released. I did not get the time to mourn the failure of any of my films. The moment one got released, I was into promoting the next, so on and so forth. If I am not filming, I would be found reading scripts or selecting outfits for my next movie.

Ambitious, are you?

I would rather describe myself as someone who’s honest and straightforward, but not indiscriminately ambitious. The day I realise that I don’t want to get up and put on make-up for a shoot, I will give it all up!

Given your busy schedule, how could you manage to do a song alongwith Kareena and Deepika for Shah Rukh’s upcoming movie, Billu Barber?

Undeniably, I am Shah Rukh’s biggest fan on earth. I don’t see myself saying no to him for anything. He simply has to tell what I am supposed to do, and I would be on. In fact, people ask me why I wasn't there in the song featuring all the heroines with Shah Rukh in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

In this short career span you have portrayed a wide range of characters.

I strive hard each day to grow as an actor. I have always been experimenting on my roles. I just hope that when people look back in the history of Indian cinema, they admire my work and versatility as an actress. Besides, all other genres, I have also been part of the special effects cinema like Krissh, Drona and Love Story 2050.

So, no time for love in 2009 as well?

(Laughs) Well, I have always believed that true love will find you and so will the right man. I just make sure that I do not close my mind to possibilities and do not work on the 'he-must-be-like-this' list. Being a die-hard romantic, I believe that when love happens, there will be church bells that will go off in my head. I believe that when I meet the person that I am meant to be with, his face will be constantly in front of my eyes. I believe I will hear violins and orchestra. I really believe all that. And I don’t look for it. I am a big believer in destiny. So when it’s meant for me, it will happen.

You have never been very candid about your relationships.

I am a celebrity, so I guess it’s justified that people are curious about what goes on in my personal life. But I don’t need to give any justification about what’s happening in my life to anyone. You could say that I know where to draw the line. I would hate the world to know about who I am seeing or where I eat or sleep. That’s nobody’s business for sure.

How do you define your success journey so far?

Euphoric! I feel that my strategy of not resting on the laurels of my being a former Miss World has paid rich dividends. Today whatever I am is because of my hard work. I may have got my first couple of films because of my title, but it’s ultimately your work that will speak for you. I could have easily been chucked into the dustbin if I was bad. I am so grateful that it did not happen to me and that I was welcomed so lovingly by the film industry.

Kat’s Charisma

Getting the best of offers and having her name listed in the top actresses of the day, things are just looking bright and right for Katrina Kaif. A tête-à-tête with the British-origin actress on her latest release De Dana Dan and more…  

She stepped into tinselville with Boom. But Katrina Kaif soon hung her boots as far as her hot, sexy image was concerned and stayed hooked on a simpleton, girl-next-door image for her movies. In an industry and era when experimenting with one’s roles is the norm and versatility is the benchmark through which an actor graduates from being just an actor to a successful performer, Katrina is one actress who stayed away from experimentation for long. And now, having played the role of musician Anushka in Yuvraaj with such finesse, Katrina has proved her mettle in versatile acting.

Excerpts from the interview —

Five years into Bollywood, how do you rate yourself as an actor now?

I am proud that I could prove wrong all those people who wrote me off for my British accent during my initial days in the industry. Today, I can boast of giving six hits in a row. And with the success of Yuvraaj, my happiness only multiplies. Many people tried to prevent me from making it till here. They did not do so in an aggressive or excessive manner, but they used to say things like ‘I don’t know...’ and ‘I’m not sure...’ that would suggest a not-so-positive approach towards me. But I proved myself ultimately as an actor, more so as a thorough professional. I always try and push myself to exceed expectations. I use this ideology in a positive way.

Would you call it destiny?

God has of course been very kind to me. The special thing about life is that you never know what can happen and there is no limitation to it. Someone can tell you that you can never be this and never be that. But it is not true. Anyone can be what he wants to be and destiny plays a major part in it. I believe that everyone should try and live their dreams, follow them and they might just come true someday.

Your Hindi accent certainly seems to have improved.

Besides honing my acting skills, I worked really hard on my accent. Interacting with various people on and off the sets and doing some eight Hindi movies, dealing with Hindi scripts, practicing dialogue delivery... I think that in itself has taught me and helped me improve my accent.

Your looks, dressing style and even your demeanor and deportment have remained unchanged throughout your movies. You are one actress who has proved that versatility or no versatility, its just good work that matters. However, with De Dana Dan you seem to want to break open from the girl-next-door image.

I have thoroughly enjoyed playing all my roles so far. However, now it was time I progressed from playing the sweet simple girl in comedy films. Or else audiences would have started to believe that being a prop in comedy films is all I could do. I do want to retain the image of the girl-next-door. I don’t want the hot image. Even in sexy lady in the movie Race, I am fully clothed. But, after having spent almost five years in the profession, it’s only natural for me to evolve as an actor, trying different roles and proving to my audiences and critics that it’s not just my face that sells.

Go on…

If you see Akshay Kumar, he was an action hero and then he went to comedy and found out his real calling. It took him to new heights of superstardom. I think it is important to take risks and figure out what really suits you. Every actor has a strength, like Aamir does romance and Akshay does comedy, but I don't know my strength yet. If I get a contrast role in one film like where one get-up has me play a simple, shy and homely girl, the other has me as a brass and loud girl, I would definitely do that.

Who is your favourite co-star?

I enjoy working with Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. Akshay is a very helpful, co-operative and professional actor. Salman is a very dedicated actor who understands the nitty-gritty of filmmaking really well. It is a great learning experience working with such established actors.

Is your brilliant chemistry with Salman in Yuvraaj an offshoot of the off screen chemistry between you two?

In my opinion, your on screen chemistry with an actor is not related to whether or not you know the person. I think it is the script, which allows you to have chemistry or, conversely, not have chemistry. If you have a scene, which is very well written and there is something electrifying about it, people will surely enjoy it. However, if the script is dull, then even if you are the best of friends off screen, it will not come across on screen.

On a personal note, what do you have to say for Salman?

He likes to act tough but it is so easy to win him over. Anyone who wants to get close to him only has to act defenseless, play the underdog and say, 'I have no friends and no one loves me.' Salman will adopt that person.

After so many hits, you have been tagged as a lucky mascot for producers, by trade pundits.

‘Lucky mascot’ does not make any sense to me. It is such an illogical statement. A successful film is a combination of a good director, good music, intelligent script, good timing, destiny, everybody’s efforts and audience’s reaction. There isn’t a reason or an explanation that you can tag a person as lucky.

What’s your take on off-beat cinema?
I like to watch non-commercial movies sometimes. However, I am pretty clear about what I want to do. I don’t want to go down the road doing serious cinema. I am happy doing commercial films. Fun films, I believe, give the audience time to escape the monotony in everyday life.

What’s your health mantra?

Exercise, eat well. You have got to be careful about what you eat because Indian food tends to be way too oily. Try to eat more healthy food - more vegetables, more fish. I like Japanese food because it is very healthy and delicious. I like that kind of taste – less spicy and oily. Besides, get up early, don’t oversleep, go to the gym, and go to work on time. And most importantly, always be happy.

Splashing Out On Beauty

By Shilpi Shukla Alexander

Ever wondered how all Bollywood actresses manage to look hotter and more appealing with every successive movie? We’re sure you do. The mantra for these Hot Divas of Bollywood is that a perfect look can be gotten, if you haven’t got it!

From head to toe our Bollywood actresses are kept under microscope and probably that is what makes them crave for that ‘ideal body’ with ‘just right features’!

In earlier days, actresses shied away from talking about their ‘artificial enhancements’ but today it has become a fad more than anything else!

Let’s have a dekko at the much-in-vogue trend…

Shilpa Shetty:

By now everyone knows that Shilpa has had her nose job done. We must say, this leggy beauty looks far better today! But the actress believes that it was a horrible job that went wrong. “I wish I hadn’t gone for a nose job. Little did I know about the consequences then,” says the Big Brother winner. Well ma’am, we beg to differ. Check yourself in Baazigar and now.. 

Don’t you look much better and much more desirable now? Ask your fans for clearing doubts, if any. What’s more, off late, she has also undergone liposuction too.

Bipasha Basu:

The latest in the lot, Bipasha too went for silicone implants when she decided to enter Bollywood after bidding good-bye to the modelling world. A voluptuous Bipasha in Jism surprised all. However, the actress owed her sex appeal to her ‘excess weight’! This Bengali dusky beauty has had silicon implants as well as liposuction done on her belly and thighs. Watched Bips in that sexy beach wear in Dhoom II? When the actress was sued by a cosmetologist for not paying him his money for the surgery she had undergone, most people were not surprised!

What most people did not know was that Bips who was operated at Lilavati Hospital suddenly developed back pain post the surgery. Apparently her back could not bear the burden of the excessive silicon implants. Well, they must have weighed a bomb, Bips.

Kareena Kapoor:

Bebo’s size-zero figure makes many go berserk. She looks dazzling and her weight loss is responsible for it no doubt. However, grapevine has it that Kareena has to gone under the knife to get her chiselled jaw line!

Another lesser known fact of this sexy actress is that she has also had cellulite removed from her buttocks. The famous backside had to be cut into shape to give the perfect ‘backside’ view. Besides, she also had her teeth aligned.

Sushmita Sen:

This sari-clad Ms Gorgeous of Main Hoon Na was probably the first actor to admit that she had gone for silicon implants to enhance her breasts. This former Miss Universe in her trademark feisty style defended her move by saying that she was proud of what she had done since it wasn’t a crime to enhance one’s beauty! “I have a right to look the way I want to. Enhancing one’s beauty is no felony for sure,” says the sultry actress, “And I don’t need to hide this fact either.”

Preity Zinta:

Preity’s changed look has taken her fans and admirers by surprise! The chubby and chunky, cute girl of Kya Kehna and Dil Se looked extremely transformed  in Kabhie Alvida Na Kehnaa with her high eyebrows, puffy eyes and extra pouty lips! The actress looked gorgeous no doubt but her undergoing liposuction and face-lift news spread like wild fire! When asked about the same Preity replied, “To each his own! I don’t see anything wrong with people who go for cosmetology to look better.”
Not many are aware that this highly structured face work done left marks on her face gripping her to put on intense make-up in KANK.

The laughter lines were surgically removed post the shooting of Salaam Namaste. The bubbly actress had to stay away from all promotion as her face could not be exposed to harsh lights. So, if you recall, only Saif gave interviews for the promotional campaign.

Koena Mitra:

A minor corrective surgery, meant to sharpen an already pert nose that won Koena Mitra the Supermodel contest, went horribly wrong! The stunning actor who looked good before the surgery looked terrible post it! This is what the actress has to say post surgery — “Plastic surgery is the worst kept secret of any film industry – Bollywood, Hollywood, you name it. But it’s a huge gamble. Parents go to doctors with their 16-year-olds and say, “She wants to become a model or an actress, but she has some baby fat, can we do this surgery to make her look perfect?” Yes, it’s been successfully before. But it’s also scary, ask me!”

Sherlyn Chopra:

Starlet Sherlyn Chopra has openly confessed that she has gone for a butt surgery to enhance her butt! May be Jennifer Lopez was an inspiration!
Post the surgery, the sexy wannabe is posing in all photographs with her ass on your face look rather than showing us her face. She has reasons to do so…

Esha Deol:

Hema Malini’s daughter Esha unfortunately wasn’t as blessed with beauty as her mom. Instead, she got the masculine appeal like that of her father Dharmendra. She had no other option but to get her square jawline and slumped lips rectified. In recent times, she also had her upper lip improved as she felt her thin lips skint her looks. This was done when she enrolled for a dance course in the US where she got her lips corrected by a cosmetologist. Of late, she has really started looking quite hot and… so feminine. Watch Cash and Darling. 

Rakhi Sawant:

Now this actress really wanted her assets to talk for themselves. Since she did not have them, she danced at various doctor conventions and ensured that she got her silicon implants. After jiggling at various item songs, Rakhi probably got tired of them.

The candid item girl (who’s now dreaming to enter th world of acting as a lead heroine soon) confessed on national television that she has undergone breast augmentation, botox to remove frown lines and collagen infections to improve her looks. Ranting about her new looks, she said, “Jo bhagwan nahin deta hai, wo doctor deta hai (doctor gives what God doesn’t give). Last we heard her saying, all things come in small sizes and she has had the implants removed.

Sridevi:

Sridevi (in her earlier days) apparently wasn’t happy with her nose and went under the knife to get it in shape. The superstar never admitted her move but her change in appearance made it inevitable for her fans to know the truth. Watch her childhood movies and then her later movies like Sadma and you could well notice the difference. We know that as we grow, a de-shaped nose, doesn’t turn pert. In her case, just within 3-4 years!!

Juhi Chawla:

She had a face that won her the Miss India crown, but Juhi was not happy with her button nose. The actress went under the scalpel and till date says that it was her worst nightmare. The nose, according to her, looks like a corkscrew now. “I should not have played with my natural looks. I wish I hadn’t,” she sighs. Well, the result of the surgery was not that bad either, Juhi. Check out Koena, if you must.