And yes, new age messiah Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appears set to put every other guru out of business with his sudarshan kriya. As beautiful socialites taught his breathing technique and lakhs throng his meetings, upper-class India appeared to have found the teacher of their mind and hearts.
Fashion designer Ritu Beri confounded sceptics by irrevocably conquering Paris as the designer for the French House of Scherrer. It silenced the flow of barbs from rivals who had made it a cottage industry to take potshots.
Anil Ambani is a brave man. He took on Tim Sebastain and six of corporate India’s most successful women all in one week. Sachin Tendulkar opened a restaurant but this innings promises to be a lemon going by the verdict on the food. Happily, it will not dent his bank balance. He and Kapil Dev gathered up the endorsement booty between themselves, leaving the dregs for others. Azharuddin has found solace in his fitness spa Est in Hyderabad and despite forebodings the Bijli of his life is well and truly by his side.
The verdict for what it is worth—India Fashion Week is here to stay. And the foreign hand reined in fashion—Czech model Yana Gupta is the hottest face on the circuit, most of our super-models are hooked up with goras, and braveheart fashion designer Wendell Rodricks ties the knot with long-time French lover Jerome (is it legal, we want to know?).
Directors making films in English are the new Turks of Bollywood and M.F. Husain (ouch!) is making yet another film even while he has Amitabh Bachchan reading extracts of his biography to live audiences all over. And we don’t know whether Ash and Salman are on again but neither do they.
Want to holiday like the celebs? Junk Switzerland or the Maldives, Base Camp Everest is the place to be spotted frolicking. As for foodies—fusion food is here to stay so get on with the chomping.... But some things don’t change. Goa is still the destination for New Year’s and fish/feni the best way to forget that Narendra Modi will be parked on your doorstep post December 2002.
(Shalini Sharma is the editor of Hi! Blitz.)
