India outsources to the U.S.

The Indian government plans to outsource processing of visas from its embassy in Washington to a U.S.-based company. Don't believe me? Read full story here

FIFA exaggerated World Cup viewership figures

Remember how I lashed out at a Times of India editorial last year that claimed 32 billion people watched the 2006 football World Cup. Did aliens watch the World Cup too?

Well, an investigation by UK's The Independent has revealed that FIFA massively exaggerated TV viewership figures in some cases, and simply guessed in others. Read full story here

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TOI July 11, 2006 editorial

Nirula's back in Connaught Place

Hot Chocolate Fudge lovers - Rejoice. Icecream and fast-food joint Nirula's, synonymous with childhood pleasures for many a Delhiite, made a triumphant return to Connaught Place just a few weeks after it shut shop in the city's centre.

The new Nirula's outlet is in K-block - a mere hundred metres from PVR Plaza and visible from the Outer Circle. And believe it or not - they got Bollywood actress Amrita Arora to inaugurate it yesterday.

The popular hangout sports a new look after Navis Capital Partners and Samir Kuckreja acquired the Nirula's group of companies this year. But things may not have improved for the better.

Nirula's signature Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae is now priced at a steep Rs 98 (up from Rs 50 some years ago) and fares much worse in taste and quantity than a decade earlier. Youth-centric themes adorn the wall and Bollywood tunes rule the joint. But a leaking roof played spoilsport - leaving patrons sitting quite close to a big blue bucket just below the trouble spot.

On the other hand, the service and ambience is commendable. The staff, in their newly-designed uniforms, are helpful and efficient as usual. I remember one guy in particular, grinning from ear to ear as he handed out a particularly complex order of single-scoop icecreams to my pals. Seems it may just be the start of another successful innings for Nirula's.

BLOG INTERVIEW - Mahesh Dattani

Meet Mahesh Dattani. India's first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi award, this Bangalore-lover made his mark in filmdom with Mango Souffle and the Oscar-nominated Morning Raga.

Toe Knee Unplugged caught up with the 48-year-old dancer, actor, writer and filmmaker just as he was leaving for Dubai to present his latest play Double Deal.

The play - billed as an innocent encounter between strangers that turns out to be a roller-coaster ride of deceit and betrayal - struck a positive chord with audiences with the actors getting a standing ovation at its Mumbai premiere. Audience response has been quite good, eh?

"Private shows have also done very well. The Dubai shows are sold out in advance, so I guess we are doing okay".

Double Deal, an adaptation of Richard Stockwell's thriller Killing Time, stars the unusual combination of Sandhya Mridul and Mahesh Manjrekar. But why Sandhya and Manjrekar?

"When I read Stockwell's original, I was struck by the fact that it was written for star actors. Now where do I get charismatic star actors like Lana Turner and John Garfield? Enter Mahesh Manjrekar and Sandhya Mridul. Their onstage chemistry is what makes it work to a large extent."

Point taken. But why do you change genres so quickly - after all, your last play Mad About Money was a comedy.

"Well, I like trying out different things and I enjoyed working on both. At the heart of it, I like a good piece of drama."

Yes and we love your plays too, Mahesh. But why are you turning your back on films? You haven't done anything since Morning Raga.

"I am working on a film project once my theatre commitments are done with. I took a break from films after Morning Raga as I was desperate to get back to theatre."

For the record, I caught the film (A story of three lives. Struck by tragedy. United by destiny. Redefined by music) at Delhi's IHC and watched from the sidelines as enthralled spectators showered praise on Dattani at an interactive session following the screening. But one still feels the Shabana Azmi-starrer didn't quite get the attention it deserved. Wotsay?

"The film was received very well and Shabana's performance has been universally acclaimed. One wishes it had better distribution, but then maybe the film was limited in its appeal. It was never made as a commercial venture to begin with so I am happy at the response it has received."

Other Exclusive Interviews on this blog
Filmmaker Ruchi Narain

The world's most attractive woman is...

...apparently a 98-year-old widow in Mexico.

Maria de Jesus Flores is being relentlessly pursued by a man 50 years her junior.

In a legal complaint, Flores said the man tried to kiss her and threatened to kill her if she didn't let him move in. Read full story here.

Have you caught Fever 104 FM yet?

Ya, I know I keep raving about Delhi's 95 FM but another radio channel has been increasingly tugging at my eardrums in recent weeks - Fever 104 FM.

First-time listeners to this four-month-old channel should tune in to Fever Top 20 (Monday - Friday at 8 pm) for starters and then move on to My Request Dot Com and Fever 40 to complete the musical meal.

And why? Well, it may be raining radio channels in Delhi but only these two seem to have caught the pulse of the city's youth. Peppy music, not-so-pesky RJs and fewer ads - that's the magic recipe for conjuring up some loyal listeners. And the guys at Hit 95 and Fever 104 have got it covered.

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Aren't you addicted to Hit 95 FM yet?

You still think your job sucks?

The Devil Wears Prada (the book not the movie) is the best possible gift for all those (including me) who spend their time devising the safest way to kill their bosses and colleagues and escape a prison term at the same time.

Poor Andrea Sachs. The things she had to put up with. I now realise my office is heaven and my boss is a saint. In comparison.

Author Lauren Weisberger now has another member in her ever-growing fan club. Me.

Remarks: A must-read when you have the office blues
Rating: ****

Buy the Book

India wins at the Oscars

Forget Deepa Mehta. This year's Oscars had two winning Indian connections - Ravi Malhotra and Noureen Dewulf - both for West Bank Story which romped home in the Best Live Action short film category.

While the Sacramento-born Malhotra was one of the producers of the 20-minute Oscar-winning flick, Noureen was its lead actress.

West Bank Story is a musical comedy about David, an Israeli soldier, and Fatima, a Palestinian fast food cashier - an unlikely couple who fall in love amidst the animosity of their families' duelling falafel stands in the West Bank.

Noureen, who attended Boston University's School of the Arts, is a familiar face on U.S. television and plays a minor role in the soon-to-be-released Hollywood biggie Ocean's Thirteen.

The New York-based actress (her parents hail from Pune) turns 23 on Wednesday. And don't go by her unusual surname - Noureen speaks Hindi, Gujarati and Urdu and feels she's totally Indian.

As for Malhotra, who wishes Hollywood had more musicals in the Bollywood vein, producing films is old hat. He's moved on to writing and directing his own short films. His new venture Return to Sender has an unusual storyline - that of a "corpse" coming back to life in the back of the hearse on the way to the cemetery. Oscar anyone?

Full list of Oscar nominees and winners

FULL COVERAGE (on this blog)
Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother

Shilpa's dilemma - Chicago or Bombay Dreams

Click here for the Richard Gere - Shilpa Shetty kissing controversy

Shilpa Shetty has been offered the role of Roxie Hart in the West End musical Chicago. But what of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams? Looks like Shilpa has a tough choice on her hands.

FULL COVERAGE (on this blog)
Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother