Ergo February 20

A BYTE OF LIFE

Friday, February 20, 2009

08 GOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Fashion’s new obsession FREE CIRCULATION

Vol. 3

11 FEAR FACTOR Madhavan on Yaavarum Nalam

No. 33

ALL AT SEA Infuriated by the abject lack of discipline not to have fun at workplace, Ergo Editor Karthik Subramanian asked his team to go to the sea and take a jump. They did and took him along too. Read on.

PHOTO: R.RAVINDRAN

» PAGE 04

Biker chain -snatchers Chainsnatching incidents escalate in city » Page 05

02

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Discount Alert

Namma Chennai

Mothercare is offering up to 51 per cent off as part of their end of season sale. The offer is on till March 8 at Kuppu Arcade, T. Nagar. Ph: 42651850-55

Contest

Get ready to rock

Food

It’s time to wear your dancing shoes! Renaissance Dance works and SS Music presents Dancing Doll . If you are a female dancer of 15 years and above and know to shake to any free style dance then this is your chance. The winner will be crowned as ‘Dancing Doll-2009’. When: February 22; 10 a.m. Where: Kalaivanar Arangam (near Chepauk stadium) Entry forms and tickets are available at all Landmark outlets, Renaissance Dance Studio and Textile India. For details contact 9003116060/45538482

Simply Kongunadu Explore the delicacies of Kongunadu in this food festival that promises to tickle your taste buds. Pollachi panagam, poondurai nadu kaikari perattal, karupatti payasam ...there is lot to savour. When: Till February 27 Where: Sabari Nest, No. 105, Dr. Radhakrishnan Road, Mylapore The dinner is priced at Rs. 249. For reservation call 2811 5111 or 2811 1772

Contest

Television

Doodle to cartoons To encourage youngsters to take up cartooning the Indian Institute of Cartoonists has instituted the Maya Kamath Memorial Award. Participants need to be 25 years or younger. Send in your published/ unpublished entries with cartoons and caricatures (maximum of six) along with copies of publications in which these have appeared (if any). All entries must be sent on or before February 28. For details call 9980091428/ 080 – 25559998/ website: www.cartoonistsindia.com

Millionaire on air It is one of the most talked about rags-to-riches story today. Oscarnominated Slumdog Millionaire will be premiered today for Tata Sky subscribers. To order Slumdog Millionaire on ‘Showcase’ subscribers press the ‘showcase’ button on the remote and follow the instructions. Or, send an SMS to SC <SPACE> <EVENT CODE> to 56633.

Workshop

Act 1, Scene 1

Sale

The affordable art Art is increasingly seen as an investment and here’s the perfect platform for you to buy them. The ninth edition of the ‘Affordable Art’ show will be inaugurated on Saturday, where over 900 paintings of 150 artists will be on display. When: Till March 22; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Vinnyasa Premier Art Gallery, CIT Colony, Mylapore For details call 3253 3655

Theatre Y is starting a new course in acting, scriptwriting and voice training. Actor, writer and director Yog Japee will be introducing courses in microphone presentation, voice one and like. An open house interactive session will be held to discuss timings and batches. When: February 20; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: studYo, 35 Mandaiveli Street, Off R.K. Mutt Road, Mandaiveli. For details visit www.theatrey.com

03

Friday, February 20, 2009

Rajasthani food festival Take a mystical voyage to Rajasthan, where tradition and culture exist in a time warp. Taste the authentic preparations like Ker shangiri, Mugar kaju, Dal Bhatia,Mava Kachori, Tingley ki burjiya & Bhatti shurma from February 20 to March 8 at Deccan Plaza’s Olives multicuisine restaurant located in Royapettah. For details call 97910 33884

DVD pick of the week Max Payne Those who’ve played the compelling PC game by the same name will know that Max Payne is as film-noir as it gets. It’s gritty, dark, cinematic and engaging. The film features a well cast Mark Wahlberg as the wronged detective, Max Payne, who must bust a drug racket and unearth the conspiracy behind the murders of his wife and child. Although gamers may cringe at the inconsistencies, those going in with no expectations will be rightly entertained. There’s probably more action than your home cinema will digest. Watch it for Marky Mark, guns, and neat effects. We say great action fare to show off your spanking new home cinema with.

Music of the week Soul As the name suggests, Seal’s latest album is all about soul music. There are no original songs in this album though. Instead, this one is a tribute and features covers of classic soul numbers from artistes like James Brown, Ben E. King, and Sam Cooke. Overall, Seal’s effort is quite notable. His voice confidently cruises through tracks like A Change Is Gonna Come and I’m Still In Love With You. Although Seal’s musical background is varied – ranging from funk and blues to pop, he does a good job here by adding his own special style to the music. Sound advice: There’s more to Seal than what’s apparent, and Soul’s a great example of just how diverse his musical skills are.

Game of the week STREET FIGHTER IV “HadoOOOuken!” Bless you. This update of the most beloved fighting franchise has kept everything that was good about the originals. Old hands will feel right at home mastering Chun-Li’s kicks and Ryu’s hadouken, and the effects of them are even more satisfying; as you now see your enemies suffer in much more precise detail. If you’re not into fighting games, you won’t understand the fuss, but the game play here is so perfectly balanced and satisfying, rewarding practice and skill rather than button-mashing, it kicks the crap out of its so-called rivals. It is a great revival of an arcade classic. www.streetfighter.com

04

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Big Story

For a catamaran ride and a plunge in the middle of the sea, call Ravi at 98408 19458 or Hafiz at 98405 75555.

‘‘

I’m a hydrophobic who’s never wet more than her feet in the sea. Still, the temptation to jump after everyone else had and a vague feeling that I might regret it later if I didn’t, ensured that I did jump off the catamaran. After 10 minutes of hollering in the water, a frantic struggle with the ropes thrown to us and reentry into the catamaran, it was with a sense of accomplishment. Shalini Shah

PHOTOS: R. RAVINDRAN

‘‘ ALL AT SEA KARTHIK SUBRAMANIAN [email protected]

I

t’s not every day that you set out to face your worst fears. Last week was a unique opportunity at least for some of us at Ergo to face the fear of the open seas. We set alight on a catamaran off Kottivakkam Beach, travelled some one-and-half kilometres into the sea and simply dived into the water. Alright, we were wearing life vests and the lead was just for effect. But still … Hafiz and Ravi, residents of Kottivakkam off Thiruvanmiyur, organise team-building exercise of a different kind for corporates. In their email to Ergo last week, they welcomed us to an outing at the sea off Kottivakkam Beach. When we reached the beach Friday afternoon, the duo greeted us along with a team of local fishermen. They briefed us on safety requirements and handed us our life vests that we fastened on. The sea was “slightly rough,” we were told. And as we sat inside the catamaran, the fishermen pushed us into sea. And as the catamaran rode the waves, the first bit of adrenaline started pumping. For some time more at least, none of us had any jitters. But as we proceeded somewhere towards the mid-sea point, Hafeez asked us to summon our inner zen. “For a

An invitation to get into the middle of the sea and jump in, life vests attached of course. How to turn down an invitation like that? Team Ergo was all at sea last week. Read on.

moment now, just enjoy the calmness of the sea. Soak in the wonders.” And that was when we were asked to jump into the sea. “The first two to three minutes are like a child’s entry into the world. And slowly but surely, you will find your way to float,” Hafiz continued. That was our cue. If not for the adventure, there is no hanging around to listen to more philosophy. Our young designer Pratap Kumar was the first to go. And he took to it like a fish to water, which is actually not the right analogy here. Actually it has to be

like a fish to land. But whatever. Pratap managed to find his fins in less than 30 seconds, and was floating like a fish. But appearances are deceptive. Which is what I found out. Without a doubt, the one person in the catamaran with the ability to displace maximum water, I dived in. The next two minutes were undoubtedly the longest of my life. As I plunged in, I sank some considerable distance into the sea, swallowing enough salt water in the process. As I tried to keep my eyes open, the salt water washed them, instantly setting my eyes on fire. A chill went

down my spine as I took what appeared to be minutes but were mere seconds to reach my face above the water again. I remembered instantly that the sea is kind enough to give three chances. But my immediate impulse was to get back on the catamaran asap. For the next few microseconds, as I bobbed and tried to keep afloat, I was wondering just why I got there in the first place. “What a fool,” I was screaming inside. And then, for the second time I plunged into the sea. By this time, I think everybody else on the catamaran hit panic stations. My team was kind enough to throw all the ropes available on the catamaran into the sea. But the rope, I suspected was just an allegory. What good was a tiny rope? There is no way I was going to get help from it. And then for the third time, I sank into the sea. And then it happened. In a strange impulse, I decided to loosen myself a bit and tried to bring my feet to the top of the water. And there I was, lying on the sea, as if it were a water bed. I was floating. Hafiz was right all along. For the next 25 minutes, I floated on water, just like Pratap, a few other colleagues, and the fish. It was the most incredible thing I have yet attempted. I have struck one fear off my list. But there are a few more to go. ■

Our lensman and I were having the laugh of our lives watching each of our colleagues plunge into the sea, one after another, gasping for breath to eventually enjoying the ‘flotation’. One was screeching ‘Somebody help me, I want to come out’, another hiding on to the side of the boat and showing no signs of having recovered from the initial shock. And, yet another, for whom we for a moment thought all was over. Until, he finally regained some energy. We heaved a sigh of relief for preventing the many restless journos from writing another crime piece – ‘Ergo Editor drowns in deep sea’. Liffy Thomas

‘‘

The first tow had already made their way to the middle, gobbling down bucketful of sea water, and despite trying to keep a brave face my heart was already skipping a few beats. Eyes closed, hands clutched, I at last took the plunge but all seemed to be lost then. Where is the sky? I am going down… Ayon Sengupta

05

Friday, February 20, 2009

All the best, ARR

I

Biker chain-snatchers on the rise in city The escalating number of chain-snatching activities in the city is the result of the emergence of a new breed of criminals – first-time offenders

T

he criminals that have been sending city cops on a rollercoaster ride off late are not gangsters, robbers or phishers but chain-snatchers on motorcycles. The escalating number of chain-snatching incidents in the city, especially over the last two months in areas like Anna Nagar, Kilpauk and Adyar, has put the police on the hot seat. Following this, City Police Commissioner K. Radhakrishnan had ordered his subordinates in the respective snatching-prone areas to crack the whip and bring the culprits behind bars as soon as possible. The truth is that the investigating officers are facing an uphill task as in most cases it is not the known offenders who are committing the crime, but youngsters who are first-timers. Police sources say these unidentified men on motorcycles snatch gold chains from victims, mainly women walking in isolated and even crowded areas in the city. A few months ago, Teynampet police arrested two youngsters on charges on chain-snatching in and around the Mylapore and T. Nagar areas. Investigating of-

ficers on the case said the duo had bought three motorcycles and boosted the engines for better pickup to facilitate the crime. “They were arrested after one of them fell down from the motorcycle and accidentally dropped his cellphone during a snatching attempt,” said an officer. Using the cellphone as a clue, police tracked the culprits who, much to the astonishment of the police, were college pass-outs who had taken to chain-snatching to support their posh lifestyle. There were a few cases of similar first-time offenders who fell into the police net on snatching charges.

Using the cellphone as a clue, police tracked the culprits who, much to the astonishment of the police, were college pass-outs who had taken to chainsnatching to support their posh lifestyle.

However, police haven’t been able to curb chain-snatching in the city, which has been escalating at the rate of a minimum of two cases a day. The usual modus operandi is that the helmetclad culprits ask vulnerable women an address and snatch their gold chains and speed off on their bike. Off late, even men are falling prey to chain-snatching. On Sunday, a bank executive in Aminjikarai, near Thiru-vi-ka Park, was relieved of his gold chain and bracelet, worth 2,5 sovereigns. Similarly, a man in Chintadripet was also robbed of his bracelet. The rising chain-snatching cases in the city have driven the city police to form special teams to nab the offenders. Thorough vehicle checks and regular police patrols in areas, including places where chainsnatching incidents have been rampant, are been intensified. Moreover, police advice that the public should be well aware of such criminals and act accordingly. They suggest that people be wary off strangers, keep off isolated places and avoid untoward incidents. ■ Ergo Correspondent

t’s A.R. Rahman mania at all the campuses of Sutherland. As a run-up to the Oscar Nite, all the employees of the MNC are singing paeans and signing signatures on huge banners, in the name of the music director who has three Oscar nominations. The signature campaign started in the first week of February, where 10 ft banners were put up in each of the floor and employees were asked to pen their wishes for the ‘Mozart of Chennai’. “Some time tomorrow we will be presenting the banners to

A.R. Rahman’s office,” said an employee, adding, “We have six centres in Indian and our Mumbai and Kochi offices have already sent us their vinyl packages.” Apparently, all these will be woven together and handed. The huge fan following the music director has among the employees as well as the probability that he is sure to bag the Oscar this time has made the Employee Welfare Team come up with such a concept, said the employee who pleaded anonymity. Ergo Correspondent

06

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Armstrong’s stolen bicycle recovered

Sport

Police said they have recovered a one-of-a-kind bicycle swiped from Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong at a northern California racing venue. A person brought the purloined Trek training bicycle on Wednesday to a police station in the city of Sacramento, where it was stolen during the weekend.

Hero’s return Making his first competitive appearance after a whopping 358 days Croatian Eduardo showed no signs on jittery nerves as he scored twice to help Arsenal beat Cardiff City 4-0 in a FA Cup fourth round replay. The forward had suffered from a fractured ankle and leg following a tackle from Birmingham defender Martin Taylor last season. After a year long rehab the Croatian showed no signs of rust in his opening game and many are saying that he will be Arsene Wenger’s talisman to improve Arsenal’s disappointing season.

Tough task Confident India seek rare NZ Test triumph

(Each week we feature a player who has defied all odds and come out as a winner during the past week. If you have a choice for next week, write to us at [email protected].)

Indian players at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awards function in Mumbai. PHOTO: AFP

M

ahendra Singh Dhoni’s all-conquering India flew out to New Zealand on Thursday with confidence high they can redress a miserable Test record there. Not only have India had just one Test series victory in New Zealand – way back in 1968, under Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi – they have not even won a Test match there for more than 30 years stretching back to 1976. But coach Gary Kirsten said the team, riding high on the back of home series wins over Australia and England, were now capable of dealing with the country’s unfamiliar weather and pitches. “We have a very balanced team – in batting, pace and spin bowling,” said the South African. “We are capable of playing in any conditions. Conditions will be vastly different and the weather would be cold with a bit of rain. But we have the players to overcome these.”

Nightmares The six-week tour opens next Wednesday with the first of two Twenty20 internation-

als. India and New Zealand will also play five one-dayers and three Tests. The previous tour in 2002 was a nightmare for India, who under Sourav Ganguly lost both Tests in “windy” Wellington and Hamilton inside three days, before being thrashed 2-5 in the One-Day International series. Seamer-friendly pitches and cold and windy conditions all made life difficult for the tourists, with only Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid scoring a half-century apiece. “It’s going to be a tough tour,” captain Dhoni said on Wednesday. “Every place has its challenges. Foreign players come to India and struggle against spin and bounce. We would focus on planning well and in executing those plans. The results will follow.”

Looking into the positives Kirsten was not worried about the absence of any practice match ahead of the Twenty20 opener on February 25, saying four days of net sessions would put his team in gear. Only six players in the current squad – Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh – have played a Test in New Zea-

land before. “Conditions can vary in New Zealand,” Kirsten said. “When the Indian team went there in 2002 the ball was seaming around. But when the West Indies played there recently, the wickets were flat. So we can assess the conditions only when we get there.” The tourists will draw inspiration from their recent Test and One-Day International successes under Dhoni and Kirsten. India beat Ricky Ponting’s Australia 2-0 and Kevin Pietersen’s England 1-0 in home Test series last year and clinched the OneDay series in Sri Lanka 4-1 early this month. Their hopes of ending the New Zealand drought will depend on their batting line-up, which is virtually unchanged since 2002. The only name missing from the middle order is the retired Ganguly, who has been replaced by Yuvraj Singh. Sehwag’s opening partner Gautam Gambhir has cracked three hundreds and as many halfcenturies in his last eight Test innings. India also have two good new-ball bowlers in Ishant Sharma and Khan, who played a key role in the wins over Australia and England even on slow home pitches. ■ AFP

07

Friday, February 20, 2009

‘‘Rooney

I don’t know why he (Mohammad Yousuf ) is running around. He should just come and talk to me about the issues he has with the ban imposed on him from playing for Pakistan. But the ICC has made it clear it would leave home boards to deal with legal issues according to the laws of their countries. PCB chairman Ejaj Butt

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring the third goal during the English Premiership match against Fulham at Old Trafford, Manchester.

back with a BANG

PHOTO: AFP

R

ooney ended his six-week injury lay-off with a goal as Manchester United moved five points clear of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Rooney, sidelined since straining a hamstring against Wigan on January 14, scored from South Korea winger Park Ji-Sung’s cross moments after replacing Dimitar Berbatov to put the seal on United’s latest victory. Paul Scholes’ opener and a strike from Berbatov had given United a 2-0 half-time lead against a Fulham side that rarely looked like adding to their three away league goals this season. But United were in determined mood and the victory left them in a commanding position at the top of the league and with dreams of an unprecedented haul of five trophies in one season looking more realistic by the week.

Unstoppable United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had warned against complacency ahead of the game by admitting that “this fixture looks a bit too easy”. But United’s peerless form in recent weeks and Fulham’s winless run away from home in the league this season suggested that the only likely outcome was a United win. And although Ferguson had warned his players that the unthinkable could happen, the prospects of such an unlikely outcome vanished once Scholes had spectacularly opened the scoring after just 12 minutes. The former England midfielder has been overshadowed by fellow veteran Ryan Giggs recently, but the 34-year-old certainly reclaimed the spotlight with a jaw-dropping display against the London club. His goal, only his second in the league this season, was as good as any you are likely to see, even if it was given a helping hand into the net by Fulham’s Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. As Michael Carrick stepped up to take a corner, Park’s decoy run left Scholes unmarked 25 yards from goal and Carrick picked him out brilliantly, allowing the midfielder to unleash a right-foot volley. Schwarzer managed to get his body behind the shot, but he could not hold the ball and it squirmed out of his grasp before bouncing over the line and into the net.

United cement grip on pole position

Settling the issue But Scholes is not contended with scoring and he proved that on the half hour mark, when he created the second goal for Berbatov with another piece of brilliance. This time his deft chip into the penalty area in the 30th minute allowed John O’Shea to tee up the former Spurs striker, who scored from close range. Berbatov was denied a second early in the second half when Schwarzer redeemed himself for his earlier mistake by repelling the United striker with a brilliant save to keep out a powerful snapshot. But the former Middlesbrough keeper could not continue to stem the tide and Rooney made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute – less than three minutes after climbing off the bench. Park’s shot across the face of goal was met by Rooney at the far post and, after springing the offside trap, the England star slotted in his seventh league goal of the season. ■ AFP

08

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Portfolio Midas touched the

BCBG Ma

Fendi

Derek Lam

T

here’s an extra glimmer on the catwalks. And gold is the most likely culprit. In fact, it has been the common thread between Spring/ Summer 2009 and Fall/Winter 2009-2010. The recent shows have seen a high dose of metallic and most conspicuous has been gold in various forms – from head-to-toe pale gold to black-and-gold and little bits in the form of accessories. Georges Chakra sent models down the catwalk in goldhued gowns. BCBG Max Azria reworked the now-so-hot tights and gave spectators metallic tights that made the models appear dipped

in gold paint. Oscar de la Renta, in his collection showcased in New York Fashion Week, opted for a black-and-gold palette. Where the dresses were monochromatic, gold appeared in the form of accessories like belts, shoes and clutches. Carolina Herrera, the lady of the lovely gowns, also opted for black-and-gold. Badgley Mischka, though, chucked the black from the gold. Accessory-wise, Fendi and Michael Kors depended on gold. While Fendi’s breezy spring/ summer white-centric collection featured golden totes, the latter’s models had gold bondage chain as neckpieces. Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2009 collection, chiefly characterised by eyesquinting neon, featured Midas’ favourite in the form of gold shifts under oversized jackets. And for once, gold managed to look more Goth than royal.

Diane Von Furstenberg featured one-shouldered dull gold gowns, while Nanette Lepore paired golden shifts with tights. Derek Lam had golden jersey dresses. Christian Lacroix, who mixed prints, colours stripes and dots in his Spring/Summer 2009 Haute Couture collection showcased in Paris, also had his way with gold. Dresses that look spray-painted to stiffness made models look like gold statuettes than anything else. As if to disprove the fact that women love things gold and golden, the menswear lines of Alexandre Herchcovitch and Thierry Mugler, golden pants, et al, proved a point. ■ With inputs from agencies

Oscar de la Renta Christian Lacroix

Georges Chakra

09

Friday, February 20, 2009

BULLETIN

Michael Kors

ax Azria

Muse’s the word

e clothes A look at gold’s recent dominance on the ramps

English model Kate Moss will be taking part in an exhibition that is exploring the role the fashion model plays as an artiste’s muse. The exhibition is taking place this spring at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and supermodels like Moss, Naomi Campbell and Twiggy will be a part of history’s great muses, reports the Guardian. Thomas Campbell made the announcement in front of Peter Lindberg’s 1990 British Vogue cover portrait of Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford. Campbell was accompanied Marc Jacobs, sponsor of the exhibition, who took to the podium to quote Yves Saint Laurent: “A good model can advance fashion by 10 years.” Moss has been praised by Jacobs as a “muse to a generation... she defines a time, a feeling, that has become part of history”. The exhibition will open on May 6. ANI

Beyond leggings Lindsay Lohan is planning to expand her fashion portfolio by launching a full range of clothes in the next two years. Last year, the Mean Girls star released her own line of leggings, named 6126, but she is preparing to take her ambitions one step further. “In 2011 I’ll be doing more clothing,” the Daily Express quoted her, as saying. According to fashion website wwd.com, Lohan is also working on a self-tanner and cosmetics line with beauty company Stay Gold. ANI

Video kills the runway star

Thierry Mugler

Marc Jacobs

Diane von Furstenberg

Video already killed the radio star. Now, it has also replaced the traditional runway show at Halston, at least for the fall season. This fashion week, Halston went digital with a music video concept that capitalises on the viral marketing opportunities many in the fashion world are still catching up on. The video, featuring Dree Hemingway as a modern-day Halstonette, showcases a cool, urban woman as she glides from uptown to downtown, experiencing all walks of New York City life, with different vignettes outfitted in Halston’s fall collection. “Retailers and press are looking for more flexibility when they go and look at a collection,” Bonnie Takhar, Halston’s president and chief executive officer, said before the video was released. NYT News Service

10

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Ash-the most bankable star

Flick

Forbes has listed Aishwarya Rai as India’s most bankable star in Hollywood, pushing down the Khans of Bollywood in the ratings of the best bet for a film’s financial success.

Supermen of Bollywood Big B, SRK, Hrithik and Saif - the ailing stars who let the show go on

T

he show must go on - that’s possibly the mantra for Bollywood’s ailing stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan who, despite their injuries and health problems, continue to spin magic on screen. Not once would the audience believe that Shah Rukh was suffering excruciating pain in his left shoulder when he would have shot for the song ‘Mar jaani’ in recently released Billu, for his moves are so perfect in the song. Just two weeks before his arthroscopic shoulder surgery was successfully conducted in Mumbai Monday, Shah Rukh had said that the pain is so bad that he can’t hug anyone “hard enough”. At that time he was busy promoting Billu, one of the reasons his surgery was delayed. In the past as well, Shah Rukh has had his share of injuries and accidents. In 2003, he underwent a spinal operation in London and he has also been operated upon for his knee. But he never let these become a hindrance in his career. Even Hrithik’s effortless daredevilry in the battle sequences of Ashutosh Gowariker’s period romance Jodhaa Akbar weren’t indicative of the pain he was going through, thanks to

a knee trouble that cropped up after his stunts in Krrish and Dhoom 2. The 35-year-old actor had torn a ligament in his right knee and continued working despite the pain. In December 2007, after wrapping up Jodhaa Akbar, he went to Singapore for a six-week treatment. After the birth of his second son in May last year, he went in for a knee surgery in the US, but soon after his return Hrithik shot for the title song of Krazzy 4. He hurt his knee again while doing a dangerous car stunt for home production Kites in Las Vegas. Though doctors advised him eight weeks’ rest, the brawny actor was about and running just three days after the accident. Commenting on his knee problem, a source close to Hrithik had told IANS: “It’s a fact that Hrithik’s knee is a cause for great concern for him and his entire family. The doctors told him that he would never dance again. “After his second son was born, Hrithik went for surgery to the US and spent nearly two months recovering. He was determined to let it heal properly because Kites requires considerable athletic movement. Hrithik didn’t take one wrong step until he left to shoot ’Kites’ in the US and suffered another injury.” Another actor synonymous with multiple hospital visits is Saif Ali Khan, who was last admitted to hospital towards the end of 2008 following pain in his abdomen due to a stomach infection. In 2006, Saif had undergone surgery in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. He had complained of pain in the abdomen then too and doctors had diagnosed it as appendicitis. The 38year-old actor had also suffered a mild heart attack in 2007, forcing him to change his lifestyle and quit smoking. While discussing the health of these young actors, one mustn’t forget megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who had a near fatal accident when he was in his prime. The veteran was first injured in 1982 while shooting a fight sequence for his hit film Coolie. After that, the Big B has paid several visits to hospitals - the latest instance being his birthday in October last year. He was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai after he complained of severe abdominal pain. Though these stars are bound by a string of health problems, the common trait among them is to work relentlessly. It is their never-say-die spirit that keeps them going and thousands of cine fans entertained year after year.■ IANS

11

Friday, February 20, 2009

Bhoomika in Blessy’s flick Actress Bhoomika is making her debut in Malayalam through director Blessy’s Bhramaram. She will be pairing up with Mohanlal in this movie.

‘I dare you to watch the movie and walk out halfway to buy popcorn alone’ Dressed completely in black, actor Madhavan looked right out of Michael Jackson’s music video, ‘Thriller’. It might as well be true as he was in BIG FM studios shooting promos for his upcoming bilingual thriller, ‘Yaavarum Nalam’ a.k.a. ‘13B’ ANUSHA PARTHASARATHY & MONISHA MOHANDAS

What kind of thriller is Yaavarum Nalam? An edge-of-the-seat, nail-biting one. No one can go to the movie and come out halfway and neither will they know what is going to happen next.

What is the character that you play? A middle-class, newly-wed guy who has moved into a new home. He tries to settle down when things go horribly wrong

You seem to play a ‘middleaged newly-wed man’ a lot these days. Any particular reason? Apart from me being a middleaged man, not really. I look at the script, not the character. If you’ve watched my movies, you will see that all the scripts are different

Cine City

Vishal to romance 3 Actor Vishal will be seen romancing three heroines in his next film. The movie tentatively titled Theeraadha Vilayattu Pillai is a romantic flick directed by Thiru. Apparently, director Thiru has worked with Vishal in his previous film Sathyam as associate director. Vishal recently dropped out of a project to be directed by Selvaraghavan and signed Thiru’s flick. The new movie will go on floors once the actor completes the shooting schedule of his upcoming flick, Thoranai.

and they are subjects that have not been dealt with before. I look for brilliant scripts. The character doesn’t matter.

This is your very first thriller movie. What homework did you do? We did a lot of research on the impact TV has on the public. All these reality shows and serials that show the morbid and negative side of human nature seem to be a lot more popular than the funny, happy ones. For my part, I observed a lot of people who watch these shows and analysed their behaviour.

What are the lessons Madhavan has taken from this movie? It’s pretty tough to act for a thriller. That’s what I found out. To channel the fear you want to express to your audience takes a lot of practice and time. It was tough but I think I’ve

done justice to it.

Your take on the chemistry between you and the leading lady? Well, to tell you the truth, the TV is the leading lady in the film. Nitu Chandra and I are just characters in the film. The television plays the most important role in the film. For the most part, she was poker-faced.

How different is Yaavarum Nalam from other thrillers? I dare you to watch the movie and walk out halfway to buy popcorn alone.

Any more movies coming up this year? I’m doing a few more. So, I’m pretty much packed the entire year. We’ll see how they turn out.

Describe the movie in one word. Brilliant! ■

Arjun goes Bollywood Actor Arjun is all set to direct a Bollywood film. The actor has said that the film will draw inspiration from his movie Vedham, but not an exact remake. Apart from acting and directing this film, Arjun will also produce the venture. Regarding the lead lady in the film, he said that talks are on with two Bollywood stars.

12

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Thursday’s Query: What is the one superstition or sentiment you always hold on to?

■ During school exams I used to attempt the last question first and go backwards. Wonder why! It makes no sense, looking back Sridhar.R STG

■ Knocking on the head thrice on seeing a full black crow Senthil, Wipro

■ While starting the work if he or she sneezes, the work will not be successful Pandiyan, CSS

■ Whenever I move from my house I expect my house owner’s baby to wish me tata! tata! with her cute hands Prakash, Perot Systems

■ When ever I’m going out or coming to my home I will see my mother face first Asif, Ford

■ We feel that it’s not auspicious if cat or gary (our office cat) crosses the way Sadiq, Arun, Sam, Nadeem, Thomas Vakhiyil Allsec, Karthi.VR, CSS

■ I’ll wear a green T-shirt before playing a cricket match Vimal Vetriselvan, TCS

■ To look at my own face as soon as I wake up in the morning Pradeepa, TCS

■ Sentimental pen and dress for exam. I deeply believe that it’s a source of confidence for me Priyang TCS, Sonisha, Wipro

■ Sending forwards to my dear ones in the morning Sathyaraj, Allsec

■ Praying god before coming out from home Prabhu, Capgemini

■ Open two hands in front of eyes while getting up in the morning Venkat, SBS

■ Not buying a black clothing for any good occasion or for a festival Shanmuga Priya, CTS

■ My mom’s photo Prasanna, Wipro

■ My mobile. I just love it and sentimentally I keep my love with me for 5yrs and still the passion about my first mobile is going on n on Arunkumar, TCS

■ My amma’s favourite do not cut your nails after 6 pm Dominic, TCS

■ If ur nose itches, someone is thinking about you Anulekshmi, Allsec

■ I write my friend’s name always before I use a new pen Karthik Infosys

G.Srinath from Amiindia has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime.

■ I’ll not change my sitting positing while watching a cricket match if India plays well especially when Sachin is batting Mohan Kumar, Allsec

■ I’ll not leave my book open as I believe that I’ll forget whatever I read Subashini, Wipro

■ I believe that my watch is lucky charm Parti, CSS

■ When dogs signal a long bark at night they indicate there would be some death in the colony Nandini, Inautix

■ I’ll start my day only after watching a picture of goddess Saraswathi on my mobile

Ambika Ramamoorthy from CTS has nominated her team as partners in Crime. They clicked the pic at Vayanad.

Arun, Hexaware

■ Every Wednesday evening I’ll go to temple, if I miss I’ll be compensating on Saturday evening Mohan Kumar, TCS

■ Close my eyes and pray god that today nothing should happen bad Anu, Jackson Cognizant

■ Asking me where r u going? with their ‘otta vaai’ (bare mouth). It makes me to change the destination Arunee, Infosys

Today’s query: What is your favourite horror movie and why?

Sridher from Perot Systems has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. They clicked the pic at Tada.

13

Friday, February 20, 2009

Venkatesh a.k.a Capt. Raghavan from Wipro has been nominated as our Office Angel by his team mates. Nicknamed Raghavan for his stay in process attitude, commitment and versatility. He is a very enthusiastic chap and charges up everyone with his speech. He is highly regarded for his selfless attitude towards work, proactive nature and high quality deliverables. He is good friend to all of us in his team and a pleasure to work with.

■ Dear Liffy Thomas On your birthday we wish you much pleasure and joy; we hope all of your wishes come true.May each hour and minute be filled with delight,And your birthday be as perfect as you are!!! With love Anusha, Lokpria, Monisha, Nandhini, Vipasha

■ Hi Giri, Wish you many more happy returns of the day!May the coming years bring lots of happiness, cherish and fun in your life. We wish you all success in your love n life. With love, ESCS Team - Ramco Systems.

■ Hi Dylan Sanders, Many more happy returns of the day. Wherever you go, our wishes to you follow. Have a fantastic birthday!!! Regards, Decode the wish n find the sender

■ Dear Karthi, Advance happy birthday!!! Wish you many more happy returns of the day! May god bless you with happiness, success and good health. Have a fantastic future! Best Wishes, Shobana, HCL

Art featured in this column will receive gift coupons from Fruit Shop on Greams Road. Send in your addresses so that we can post the coupons.

■ Dear Hema, Advance Birthday Wishes!!! We all wish you a tremendous year ahead with loads of happiness and joy throughout Ur life. And many more Birthdays to bring you delight! Have a fantastic and lovable Birthday! From Ur Bunch, TECH, Ramco Systems.

Christina Sweetline Careshine of Systems Technology Group has doodled this.

■ Dear Balki, We wish you another year of laughter,joy and fun, surprises, love and happiness from the bottom of our heart, And may your good times multiply, till they’re flying off your chart! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BALKI !! With love, Gaja, Jaffe, Sareen, Prem, Sabari, Saranya, Swathy ,Arun, Srikanth., TCS.

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables then what is baby oil made from? If a person suffered from amnesia and then was cured would they remember that they forgot? HR-Team. Nittany-Indus

■ Dear Ramli & Vidhya Wedding bells have rung. It’s the time for two hearts to unite. The years ahead are those of togetherness, joy , sharing and understanding. Wish you both good luck for a wonderful married life. We shower upon you our humble blessings. Regards, Aviation Team, Ramco Systems

■ Dear Amit, Wishing you a very happy birthday, Have a great year ahead!! have a rocking and fun filled birthday!! With lots of luv Jemi,Then,Ram,Shiva, Sathya. Css corp.

■ Dear Bhagya & Mahesh, It is a special moment in time.. A day to look towards the future and all it holds. And a day to wish you all the happiness in the world. Wish you a happy married life ahead...

With Lots of Love n Prayers, Gayathri.S., Madhumitha.R. Wipro Technologies

■ Dear Benji(Benjamin), Side by side,or miles apart A Hubby like you, Is always close to the heart. May you have all the joys your heart can hold, All the smiles a day can bring, All the blessings a life can unfold, May you have God’s best in everything!! Wishing that you have a lovely day and a great year ahead! Happy Birthday Dear Benji! Lots of Love and regrads, Lynette

■ My Dearest Papa, Happy Birthday Papa! I love u so much Lots of love and hugs, Your Loving Little Girl, Becky

■ Dear Prasanna, Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty they merely move it from their faces into their hearts… Happy Birthday to our Beauty Star Prasanna. May ur birthday bring you as much happiness as you give to everyone who knows you… Enjoi ur dayJ Best Wishes, Gany & Team., Infosys.

■ Dear Saleema, Advanced Birthday Wishes to you! Hope you have a wonderful year ahead and many more to come! Lots of Love, The Girls Gang!

■ Hi Mr.Pune(Balu), We Wish you Happy Birthday!!!May you get Pulser by Next Birthday and will go to PONDY!!! Regards, MphasiS Friends

■ Hey Goutham, Heart Most wishes. A gr8 year ahead Loving Bro, Prathap P.Chandru

■ Dear Raji Wish you many more happy returns of the day. Happy Birthday to you. With Love Krithika, Priya, Shikha,Bharathi & Madhu

14

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009

Pick a favourite

Traffic Jam

A married Chinese tycoon who could no longer afford to support his five mistresses during the economic slowdown held a contest to decide which one to keep.

sudoku

Navin of CSS Corp clicked this picture with his Canon 350D. Hobbies: Photography, car racing Thanks to the stupenduous response to its promotion, Kantilal Diamonds has decided to extend its gift vouchers for the column for two more weeks. From now, winners are requested to collect their gift vouchers directly from Ergo office on Sunday afternoons between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

So you think you would make a terrific photographer but never really had the platform? Mail us your best work and we’ll publish it in this space, with credit. E-mail: [email protected]

TEAM Editor: Karthik Subramanian [email protected]

Sr Dy Chief Designer: J.A. Prem Kumar Dy Chief Designer: R. Ravi Kannan Illustrator: R. Venugopal Technical Support: V.R. Vasudevan, K.G. Gurumurthy N. Ravichandran, E. Baskar

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: Contact: 2857 5757 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.goergo.in Head of Circulation: M.G.M. Sharief [email protected]

SNAIL MAIL 859/860, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002 mail your feedback to [email protected]

FAX 2857 6691

Printed and Published by S. Karthik on behalf of KASTURI & SONS LTD., at Plot B-6 & B-7, CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin: 603209 & at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002. Editor: S. Karthik (Editor responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). RNI No. TNENG/2007/24553

KAKURO

15

Friday, February 20, 2009

Where’s Osama?

Word’s worth

A Californian geography professor claims to have pinpointed three houses in Pakistan where Osama bin Laden could be hiding.

“Mackabroin” (mak-uh-broin) an obsolete and rare word meaning ‘an old hag.’ It probably does not come from macabre, whose origin is obscure. The word did come from French, but whether the French word came from Maccabeus (as in Judas Maccabeus) or from another name is not known.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 You will be dutiful and sincere more than usual today. It is a favourable day for updating and posting your résumé to other companies.You may take your partner to a nice public place like theatre or a very good restaurant in the evening.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Your mixing nature will help you gather good credit from others at office. You will get your work done very tactfully. In personal life, you may be more possessive about your partner. Ensure that there is no ’conflict of power’ between you and anyone else.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 You may be more compulsive in your behaviour with others. Unwillingly you might have to agree with what others say. In love life, you may try to attain more clarity about certain matters if there is some confusion.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 At office, you may experience lot of stress today. Others may be more demanding and your day may be spent in meeting their expectations. In relationships, you could be more forgiving so your partner may not have any complaints for you.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Ganesha finds this to be active day for you. You may wonder when the day started and when it got over. You will find the work becoming more demanding. Lovers may need to show care and concern towards partner to make feel good.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

It is perfect day to deal with mundane activities like arranging your desk, clearing pending documents and also for important works like planning the trip or reshuffling work schedule. You may enjoy nice recreational activity in the company of your partner.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 While you are at work, domestic responsibilities may keep drawing your attention. Today you may not be in a mood to work for long hours, but may wish rush home to relax as soon as the day is over, says Ganesha.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Your sincerity at work may speak volumes for you today. Others may realise your worth and seek your guidance in important matters. At home, you may not have any major issue to deal with. You may have interesting discussions with your family. You

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 may stick to your work and try to meet all your targets or deadlines, even if you have to stretch yourself a bit. Towards second half of the day, you may take more interest in matters related to occult or philosophy and share your views with partner.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 You may feel drained if you work for longer hours, however, you can be very vigorous in your thoughts and behaviour. You may want everything to be done very quickly. In personal life, you may demand more attention from your partner, feels Ganesha.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 To sort out minor issues, you may need to put in greater efforts at office. You may feel that ’nothing is working in your favour’ but towards end of the day, stars are turning in your favour hence nothing to worry about it.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Ganesha finds you receiving lot of credit and appreciation for your work. Superiors may remain happier with you which will make you feel more secured and happy. Personal relationships may reach to better level of understanding. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16

ERGO Friday, February 20, 2009