Women's Self-Delusion through Scientific Facts

1. Dark Chocolate has antioxidants (Flavonoids and cocoa phenols) that lower blood pressure and its oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat) helps prevent heart disease.
2. Jaggery, a wholesome sugar, contains vital mineral salts, magnesium (strengthens nervous system), potassium (combats acids & acetone), is rich in iron (prevents anemia) and prevents rheumatic afflictions along with fighting toxins inhaled due to pollution.
3. When you eat at regular intervals your body understands it doesn't need to store calories; six smaller meals stabilises nutrient oxidisation levels with the body burning calories more efficiently.
4. Even low or moderate intensity activities give health benefits - walking, climbing stairs, housework, dancing, etc. done for 10 to 15 minutes everyday gives short as well as long-term benefits.
5. Talking about bothersome issues including physical or mental ailments helps the recovery process. Talking leads to acceptance, solutions and support.
6. Serving Maslow's self-actualisation need in Motivation theory, retail therapy enables women to experience pleasure and power by going out and getting what they want. As Joseph Campbell said, "Money is congealed energy, and releasing it releases life's possibilities."
7. Having company for eating out, going to a movie, shopping, commuting, etc is beneficial as it's a social activity that can result in bonding.
   

Ujjwal Dey does Stardust film awards

Sunday, 18 Feb 2007
BKC, Mumbai.

A random, casual call to a Producer friend in the evening; he informs he is on the way to Stardust Awards; offers me a free ride; and we are off.

We arrived at 7 PM at BKC; crowds everywhere with rock fans in line for the Roger Waters concert opposite Citibank building. The Stardust awards show was to begin at that scheduled moment next door and we reached the backstage entrance. Fire engine, Police vans, huge trailers of the stars, makeshift makeup rooms & loos; we see the opening troupe cheering themselves to get on stage. We entered an entrance from backstage to the front seats and got to our seat about six rows away from the huge bright extravagant stage.

Kunal Kohli (film director) and Amrita Arora (starlet) graced the stage to be our hosts for the evening. After a bit of gossip which included – Rakesh Roshan making a film without Hrithik, Aamir Khan signing four films – among other things; the opening act was announced. Kangana Ranaut with her troupe performing to a medley of her hit songs. Gorgeous and half naked, her troupe and herself were eye-popping refreshments.

A few awards got announced and then came the ‘serial kisser’ (they introduced him like that), Emraan Hashmi with a medley of his Himesh numbers, crooning to the female dancers of his troupe. Another bunch of awards get announced.

Finally the best act of the evening, Lara Dutta was ravishing, with no less than 5 costume changes within her singular performance. Seriously, most hard work must have been gone into her changing outfits in 10 second gaps when her troupe enthralled us and then she came back (as if never really gone) with more lavish getups. She did a special medley starting from the olden golden days songs working up to 70’s-80’s-90’s-today. This was easily the most memorable event other than (wait...later).

Another bunch of awards given away and Kareena Kapoor’s name is announced for the next act. Coming onto the stage with Don’s music and a Raymond’s complete man suit, she too went through costume changes, each revealing more of her flaming fabulous figure.

Shiamak Davar’s troupe performed a well orchestrated choreographed dance medley including the boisterous ‘Beedi’ song of Omkara. Next, Kunal Kohli took time out to annoy his prestigious patient guests, walking up to their holy seats:

KK to Sanjay Dutt: “What would you like to say to the audience?”
Sanjay Dutt: “Have fun, Enjoy”
KK: “That’s it?”
SD: “!!??”
KK: “Can I have a Jaadu ki Jhappi?”
SD hugs idiot KK.

KK to Aishwarya Rai: “We saw you while entering that you were SMSing someone, can we know who?”
Ash with her fixed smile: “Kunal you know its none of your business.”

KK to Rakeysh Mehra (Rang De Basanti): “You know your film is such a success and it has started a movement. Tell me please, why did my last film flop?”
RM: “!!??”

KK to Raju Hirani: “Munnabhai, Gandhigiri, what will Munnabhai do in USA?”
Raju Hirani: “Sanju/Munnabhai is here ask him”
Sanju Baba: “Bush ko Gandhigiri sikhayega”

Kunal Kohli’s poor jokes went on to worse...
KK to John Abraham: “You have made Water, going to Oscars...” awkward pause, “Tell me John how long has it been since Salman Khan called you?”
Now all other helpless celebs had been kind enough to stand up to answer Kunal, but a visibly angry John kept sitting, suffering the stupidity like a gentleman...
John Abraham to Kunal: “Well it takes quite some time to take 41 phone calls”

But the big event, yeah Big B’s entrance. Poor Ayesha Takia was accepting her much undeserved supporting role award when Big B arrived in front of the stage towards seating, greeting people and fending off photographers. Everyone in the huge arena stood up to admire & glimpse the towering epitome of immortal stardom. Neither I nor anyone else must have heard silly Ayesha’s single word in her acceptance speech. Then further craze when we sighted the Miss World ‘bahu’, Aishwarya Rai was accompanying Amitabh Bachhan. Ash’s dad was also present. The security was like a dense dark cloud around a rare blue moon. Amitabh looked younger than Mithun-da, younger than even Sanjay Dutt. He smiled his brilliant smile and patiently greeted all his fraternity friends. Just as soon as he arrived the best actor award was announced with the winner declared to be the prodigal son Abhishek. Amitabh accepted the award stating that Abhishek was away shooting in Bikaner (or some odd place). Later Amitabh is called on stage to give away the best actress award, winner? – Aishwarya Rai, she comes on stage holding Abhishek’s trophy, hugged by the ‘sasurji’ they pose for photos and walk off.

Other presenters were Prem Chopra presenting the best villain (Vishal Bharadwaj collected for Saif), Gulshan Grover presenting a special award to Kareena Kapoor (who got a Kenstar gift hamper as well), John Abraham awarding Role Model trophy to Mithun-da; others who doled out the ‘Stardust’ were Adnan Sami, Nagesh Kukonoor, Roop Kumar Rathod & wife Sonali, Boman Iraani, Preity Zinta, Bappi Lahiri, etc.

Awards List:

Best Actor: Abhishek Bachhan
Best Actress: Aishwarya Rai (Dhoom2)
Best Villain: Saif Ali Khan (Omkara)
Best New comer: Kunal Kapoor (Rang de Basanti)
Best Film: Rang de Basanti (Rakeysh Mehra)
Special Film Award: Omkara (Vishal Bharadwaj)
Best Role Model: Mithun Chakraborty (who had to correct Kunal Kohli by informing the audience that he had received 3 National Best Actor awards and not 2, while Kunal whined loudly that the script says 2.)
Best Musical Performance Choreography: Omkara
Some Actress award: Gul Panag (Dor)
And many other awards...

All was wrapped up by 9:50 PM and the Tops security staff joined hands to form an exclusive passage for the celebrities. I stood at the non-glamorous end of the guards’ hands and saw the stars walk past on the red carpet – Mithun, Boman Iraani, Kunal Kapoor, Gulshan Grover... and the crowd went wild with a new passage being formed as Amitabh and Aishwarya stormed out among police and private security sweating the stress. An arm’s length away the stars zoomed out. We walked out of the arena as behind us the troupe and crew stood on stage for group photos.

Outside the chaos continued till Amitabh and a bunch of police jeeps/vans disappeared. We hunted for our car in the few parking lots and we rode off home with a graphic memory of Bollywood’s big night out.