It was with a bit of apprehension that I decided to make a detour from my pilgrimage to Somnath and Dwarka to visit the historical town of Junagadh in Gujarat. And I did not have any regrets.

Driving down from Somnath on the Somnath-Ahmedabad highway, I reached there to be greeted by glimpses of towering minarets, domes and the gigantic fort. The picturesque Girnar Hills towered over the town in the background, strewn with several small temples at its summit.

I engaged a local guide to save time and ensure that I do not miss out on any major attractions. The fellow started off as an archetypal history professor. The Babi dynasty of Junagadh was founded by Muhammad Sher Khan Babai in 1654. His descendants, the Babi Nawabs of Junagadh, expanded the boundaries by capturing surrounding kingdoms.

In 1930, Junagadh became a princely state, declaring independence from the Mughal governor of Gujarat. But in 1807, it became a British protectorate. At the time of Indias independence and partition, the last Babi dynasty ruler, Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III, decided not to merge Junagadh with India. However, the Hindu citizens who formed the majority revolted, leading to a plebiscite, resulting in its integration into India.

It is interesting to note that the history of Junagadh started much earlier, during the Maurya dynasty, as is evident by the origin of the famous Uparkot Fort here, said to have been constructed by Chandragupta in 320 B C. The town got its name, Junagadh, meaning ancient fort, because of this.

I proceeded towards the Uparkot Fort. Entering through the triple-arched gateway at the outer walls, we drove uphill on a cobbled pathway flanked by trees and shrubs on both sides to reach the summit. We passed by small shrines of Ganesha and Hanuman on the way. Standing majestically against the backdrop of the Girnar Hills, the fortress of over 2,300 years old stood majestically with walls as high as 20 metres. It had a deep moat, once inhabited by crocodiles. A flight of 40-50 granite steps led me to the main entrance. A decoratively carved massive door stood there, and just as I entered, I could see the insignia of some early rulers in crevices, justifying the forts Hindu origin. Near the entrance were two cannons, pointing to the town below, named Neelam and Manek, said to have been made in Cairo and brought by the Turks.

The fort is said to have been in use until the 6th century, and then abandoned and covered with wild growth for 300 years. It was rediscovered and cleaned up in 976 AD.

Inside the fort were the remains of a majestic palace, with a durbar hall having 140 carved stone pillars and several arched windows. A queen, Ranakdevi, had been staying there for a long time. Later it was converted into a jama masjid. It is believed that there are secret underground passages from there into the town.

Buddhist caves

As I alighted the steps of the fort, my guide pointed to a small gate below with the Archaeological Survey of Indias notice: Prohibited Monument. Here was an excellent example of Buddhist rock-cut architecture with steps going down below up to three tiers, containing a small well, a bath, prayer halls and meditation chambers cut out of rock and supported by stone pillars. They were built to provide natural ventilation and light even in the lowest tier. The floral decorations carved at the entrance, the carvings on the ornamental pillars, and the prayer hall reflected Buddhist influence without any doubt.

According to my guide, those caves, known as Khapra Kodia, were carved out as early as 500 BC, and are reckoned the earliest monastic settlement in these parts.

A little away from the caves was a large underground granary cut out of natural rock. Its massive size and storage capacity would have allowed the occupants to withstand the extended siege of the fort without any scarcity for food grains.

Majestic monuments

After treading on history at the fort, I drove to the centre of Junagadh town and reached the next major tourist attraction. This was located beside a busy street but had an abandoned forlorn countenance. Stepping inside the courtyard, I was nonplussed by the stunning architectural beauty of two majestic historical monuments that emerged before me - the Mahabat Maqbara, also known as the Mausoleum of Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, and the Jummi Mosque.

Mahabat Maqbara was once a palace used by the nawabs of Junagadh as their home and was built in 1892. Its construction was initiated by Mahabat Khanji and was completed by Bahadur Khanji. It was not open to the public due to litigation. But I could peep in through the gaps on the door and see two tombs inside, of Bahauddin Maqbara and Mahabat Khanji. The decorated exterior of this monument is a feast for the eyes. The architectural style used is a fine blend of Hindu, Islamic and European, with beautiful stone carvings, vertical columns, arched windows and domes. The small mosque has also become a tomb. Its architecture is typical Gothic and Indo-Islamic styles with a domed mahal at the centre and four tall minarets on its four corners with pirouetting staircases.

My next halt was at the famous Darbar Hall Museum. An old but well-preserved palace of erstwhile nawabs has been converted into the museum, and many treasures, artefacts, weapons, armour, palanquins, chandeliers, howdahs, carpets, jewellery, royal dresses, etc used by Junagadh rulers were preserved there. The most attractive part of the museum was the well-maintained Darbar Hall. There were decorated sofas for the chieftains and a beautiful throne meant for the nawab on a raised platform.

For the felines

My last stop was at the Sakkarbaug Zoological Gardens. This zoo started as a private venture of the Babi Nawabs in 1863 and had a reasonable collection of animals and birds. Today, it plays an important role in conducting captive breeding programmes for Asiatic lions. The cubs, when old enough, are released in the Gir Forest which is close by, the only natural habitat for Asiatic lions. The zoo also has a breeding programme for white-backed vultures, which is another endangered species. The only sad thing about the zoo was that some enclosures for tigers, lions and panthers were small and the majestic felines resembled hapless prisoners.

Late in the evening, before leaving Junagadh, I stopped on the highway to have a last glimpse of the ancient city. The rays of the setting sun had lit up the innumerable minarets projecting into the sky, as well as the majestic Girnar Hills in the background, creating an unforgettable vision.

10 1/2 Stories of Our Times

Prakash Rajan

Notion Press, 2018, Rs 249, pp 211

Set against the backdrop of an increasingly liberated, empowered and connected world, this collection of short stories brings to light the shifting paradigms of modern India eager to break free from the wraps of established conventions and traditional mindsets.

Suragi

U R Ananthamurthy, translated by S R Ramakrishna

Oxford University Press, 2018, Rs 650, pp 380

This is a simple and straightforward telling of U R Ananthamurthys life and times. It brings alive his childhood in an orthodox family in a little Karnataka village, his academic life in Mysuru and Birmingham, and his role in shaping various literary institutions.

Still Me

Jojo Moyes

Penguin, 2018, Rs 479, pp 496

Lou Clarke knows too many things; she knows how many miles lie between her new home in New Yorkand her new boyfriend Sam in London. She knows her employer is a good man, and she knows his wife is keeping a secret from him. What Lou doesnt know is, shes about to meet someone whos going to turn her life upside down.

One-Minute Super Dad

Dr Prashant Jindal

Harper Collins, 2018, Rs 299, pp 160

Being a good father is an art as well as a science. This is a self-help book that offers simple techniques that can be put into action in just a minute a day. These are techniques that will help young dads forge a strong bond with their kids.

The Chalk Man

C J Tudor

Penguin, 2018, Rs 449, pp 352

Eddie is fully grown and thinks hes put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank, until one of them turns up dead. Thats when Eddie realises that saving himself means figuring out what really happened.

Sharpening the Arsenal

Gurmeet Kanwal

Harper Collins, 2018, Rs 599, pp 267

Addressing the developments in the nuclear force structures of India, China and Pakistan, the book attempts to show that tactical nuclear weapons are destabilising. It also assesses the state of strategic stability in South Asia and makes recommendations to enhance Indias nuclear deterrence.

The Miss India Murders

Gauri Sinh

Harper Collins, 2018, Rs 200, pp 248

Its 1995. The finale of the Ms India Pageant, hosted by a mega media conglomerate, is only days away. The final dress rehearsal ends on a nightmarish note as the ambitious model Lajjo is murdered. Akruti and her fellow contestants soon become prime suspects in a case that becomes increasingly macabre.

Become

Sameer Dua

Harper Collins, 2018, Rs 399, pp 305

This book is about the practices involved in leadership by shifting and creating new conversational methods. It attempts to provide the fundamentals of coaching conversations that could enable leaders to generate sustainable and extraordinary results.

This is a carefully crafted tale of an unnamed young woman as she is perceived by others at different points in the course of her life. People who feel intrigued enough to care about her, share their impressions. The author examines the complexities and fleeting nature of human affections and longings. We first meet the central character as a schoolgirl, diffident yet defiant as she deals with that difficult prepubescent phase of life. Her art teacher is drawn to this moody child who can, but will not draw and paint. Why is she unwilling to unlock her creative potential, and what wounds does she carry inside her?

Can the teacher draw her out of her self-imposed shell and nurture the spirit which creates beautiful origami cranes? Will the student understand the teachers own pain and disappointments, which the teacher shares with her in a disarming moment? The origami cranes reappear to remind us that "with origami you dont need anything else. You dont add paint or ink… you dont take away from it, like with sculpture… You start with a sheet of paper and end with a sheet of paper, yet somehow… Its transformed."

Similarly, the characters in this story are transformed as they pass through each relationship. The nine people who form bonds with the central character, are unconnected. But their narratives are linked by the deft interweaving of recurrent motifs. The young womans memories of abandonment by her parents who left her in the care of grandparents; the stone bridge crossing the unnamed city by the river; the young womans love for stray cats; the folded paper cranes and the red-and-black painting of a tiger gifted by a former lover; such images connect the various relationships.

The nameless city on the river, and the other city away from the river provide backdrops for the action. The cities are sometimes in an unnamed European country, and sometimes in India. The young woman around whom the story revolves, and the people who are drawn to her, are also not named. The setting and the players are specific yet generic. These narrators and their stories are unique and yet, universal. The settings and visual imagery are built up like a delicate watercolour painting. Beautiful descriptions reflect the moods and emotions of the characters.

Love can be idyllic and lyrical. "I pull you away from a wave, but it splashes you and wets your dress. You laugh out loud like a child. We kiss in the light thats slowly fading into deepest blue. In our ears the roar of wind and water. We stroll, and finally decide to stop at a restaurant and order wine and dinner. You cant stop touching me. And giving me kisses." The deepest love runs like an unseen force; barely visible on the surface, but creating deep currents within. "The ones we pretend to ignore are the ones were most aware of."

Love isnt always beauty and light. Loving relationships can develop cracks. "I try to involve you in the running of the household. You know, paying the bills, keeping accounts, but you pretend to be interested and concerned and then wander off. You like playing the part of the flighty artist, I think. Its a part you play well. And its also convenient because you dont have to deal with the… dirty laundry… I think it brings you joy, so I allow you to, though we can barely afford it. But how would you know?"

The young woman gets involved with one man and stays with him though she isnt happy. He wasnt happy either, "but at least he knew when it was enough, when the unhappiness was too much, had gone on too long. I dont, you say. I never seem to know."

She launches scathing attacks on her lover, the budding musician and his dreams. "Oh, is that what you call it, you wannabe rock star?" she tells him, trashing his fondest ambition in a fit of angry jealousy. Love is riddled with contradictions. When she meets that same lover again after several years and lovers, he has successfully started his own band. "Youre lucky, you know," she tells him. "Because youve always known what you want to do."

Love does not last forever. "I sit next to you feeling like Im a million miles away. Im also bereft but cannot express it. I guess Im sad for other things too. That I thought I could feel for you the way I once did, but cannot. It has passed. Despite the second chance, the restart, the new hope, we cannot be saved." The human characters pass through the story. But love shines through greater and more memorable than any of them, including the young woman around whose relationships the narrative is woven.

There are multiple reasons why Neeraj Pandey has been uniformly successful, whatever the genre, scale or lead cast of his films. As a director, there is no flop to his name, just five path-breaking hits. As a writer-producer, he has also made Rustom (which won Akshay Kumar the National award) and Naam Shabana, Indias first spin-off from his successful directorial Baby. He has made a successful Marathi film (Taryanche Bait) and an acclaimed web short (Ouch!). The only blot on Neerajs cinematic escutcheon is his production Total Siyapaa.

Today, Neeraj is in the unique situation of someone who never needs stars to make hits, though they definitely consider it an honour to be approached and cast by him! In less than a decade, Neeraj is considered as a mainstream film-maker who does not make conventional content.

Quality over quantity

Though having a yen for well-researched subjects around our nations security (A Wednesday!, Baby, Rustom, Naam Shabana and now his latest film Aiyaary), he has shown good variety in his movies. His second film, as we know, was the con-caper Special 26 that first inspired Akshay Kumar to make different kinds of commercial films. Neerajs biggest hit, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is a sportsmans biopic, and his web short Ouch! is a satirical comedy. In short, Neeraj makes sure that his content is king, and a king who is always blessed by a film-makers true God - the audience!

As he put it: "A Wednesday! was a commercial film and the audience was extremely important to me as a storyteller. If I was involving so much talent and resources, there had better be an audience. Otherwise, I would have made a home video for myself."

The soft-spoken, unassuming film-maker is always low-key and modest, laughing off his undeniably big achievements. We begin our interaction by speaking not about his latest film Aiyaary, but about completing a decade in this industry. "Actually, it does not seem like 10 years at all, it seems like only yesterday I started off," he says, and one can almost see the smile even though we are in a phone conversation. "My feel and my zeal for cinema is intact. I make movies with the same passion, never for the sake of making them. I chase an idea, then I am excited about how it will work out, and I still spend the same time and energy on making a film."

He, however, is quick to add that all the experiences have "calmed us (his partner producer Shital Bhatia and him) down a bit. We now take decisions more sensibly, we see a broader picture, and I thank all my collaborators down the period for enhancing my films with their inputs."

Now that the world is his for the asking, including the biggest stars if and when he needs them, can we get an idea of how tough it was to make his first film, A Wednesday!, all of 10 years ago, that too without stars, romance and songs, and market and release it as well in that rather confused era of film-making?

He ruminates, "Of course, there were multiple challenges. I needed money to make the film. My first film had to be interesting, but the buyers were just not there because we did not have any commercial frills. We enjoyed the process of making the film eventually because we were sure that everything was negotiable except the script and the cast." His dream cast, of course, actually came on board.

Neeraj admits that the film was delayed by a year because their co-producers and distributors UTV Motion Pictures were not finding the right "release window" - that is, the date of release that has the right screens and shows and nothing big as competition. "We finally locked September 5, two weeks after their other offbeat release, Mumbai Meri Jaan."

A Wednesday! created history. Just over 90 minutes long, with two stalwarts as antagonists - Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah - and an intensely patriotic theme, the film became a superhit. "In the second week, more theatres were added, and in the third week, even more," says a gratified Neeraj. "With all due credit to the audience, they embraced the film."

Did things become easier after that? Neeraj laughs. "No, the second film took four years! As Naseer-saab said, after the first film, everyone thinks they know where you are coming from and put you in a box. So, when I started Special 26, which was an expensive film because of the creation of a period 26 years earlier, even my actors were excited but a shade nervous."

Neeraj could be, however, credited with the shift in Akshay Kumars choice of films and image. "No, no!" he replies. "I am the one who should be grateful because he trusted me. The subject needed a big star. I approached several stars, among whom only Akshay understood the budget and the project best. It was a piece of anti-casting actually, and he responded to the fact that he could not charge us his market price, or things would have gone haywire."

Says Neeraj wryly, "After Special 26, there was another set of opinions. When I next made a song-less and unconventional thriller, Baby, I was called a "Thriller-waala banda (man)!" So, apprehension spread when I next announced the biopic of a living cricketer, M S Dhoni."

In all his output (when we first met, the film-maker had told me that "storytelling is the only thing I know!"), what makes him decide which of the films he writes and produces he would direct himself? "Two things," he answers. "My gut feeling, and then, my schedules decide that. For example, when Rustom had to be made, my film on Dhoni was going on, and I could not direct both films."

But what does the title Aiyaary mean? "Aiyaary refers to anyone who can change form at his will - a form of sorcery. Theres a term for them called "shape-shifters". It is derived from the word aiyaar, which I first read in a Devaki Nandan Khatri novel, and was made popular by the serial Chandrakanta."

Current call

In Aiyaary, Manoj Bajpayee, who plays an army colonel, is like a mentor to Sidharth Malhotra, who plays a major, but though both are right from their perspective, the story deals with their differences in approach and what results from that impasse. Are all his stories, biopics apart, also taken or researched from real life? "You could say they are inspired by and rooted in real life. For me, that is mandatory. I like to go deep into such subjects," the film-maker says.

Neeraj also forms quick and lasting bonds with his team. Apart from Anupam Kher, who is a compulsory element in all his films, we have also seen strong bonds with Akshay Kumar, Manoj Bajpayee, Naseeruddin Shah and others. "I do not know why they all like me," he laughs. "But for me, what matters is that all these tremendous actors have no frills or pretensions. They never put up an act and you get what you see."

Finally, why has he moved away from his favourite composer M M Kreem after Special 26 and one song in Baby? "I have not. He will be scoring music for a musical film that is on the backburner now. But we will soon get going on it."

Simple, understated elegance, style par excellence are a few words to describe their clothes. In the business of design for more than 15 years now, the designer-duo Ankur Modi and Priyanka Modi are whom celebrities reach out to when they want to be dressed stylishly without appearing loud.

Weaving wonders

With their brand AM:PM, Ankur and Priyanka fashion clothes out of pure and luxurious fabrics like Kanchipuram, chanderi, dupion silk, duchess satin, georgette, and of course, the most popular one, cotton. They use very traditional embellishments. Embroidery has to be hand-stitched using pure thread in age-old embroidery styles like aari and dori, using a lot of mirror works. And if the clothes have to be printed, then the printing has to be done with traditional hand blocks, using traditional motifs and colours. So, in their collections, there is a lot of mustard, blue, red, green, black and ivory. All these colours may be common, but when you look at their clothes, the same colours look glorious because of the quality of the fabric and perfect cut and style.

There is something unique, something special and real different when you look at the clothes of this Delhi-based duo. For example, one of their recent collections was titled Zivar. Now, how many designers would really think of weaving pure silver threads in their clothes as Priyanka did? At that time, she was very fascinated by the traditional craftsmanship of bidri, a craft centred in Bidar, Karnataka. Bidri work uses the alloy of zinc and copper, and the fabric is then inlaid with pure silver to create a stunning pattern.

The Modis used this craft to design some 20-plus garments like jackets, capes, gowns, skirts, draped saris, lehengas, etc, using luxurious fabrics like organza, velvet, and different silk weaves interspersed with weaves of threads of silver and gold. These were embellished with heritage embroidery like mukaish and zardozi. The creations werent only stunning but have become heirloom pieces for their owners. And, of course, these garments certainly werent meant for ordinary people as the prices were steep. Laughing, Priyanka admitted, "Yes, the pricing was high as we really wanted to create exclusive garments. But we have had an excellent response to them."

This year too, they have come up with a collection titled Elil. "In Tamil, it means beautiful. I was touring South India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and was very fascinated by the local weavers and fabric. The silks and kinds of cotton there are so beautiful and unique to those states. So, for this winter, I thought of creating clothes from fabric sourced from there, and of course, my all-time favourite, chanderi."

As exclusive as their clothes are, even the story of Ankur and Priyanka Modi coming together itself is so intriguing and filmy that it is easy to imagine them coming up with a unique style and have a huge fan following from the Hindi film fraternity. You name an actor and she swears by AM:PM brand - Jacqueline Fernandes, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Nimrat Kaur, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Sonam Kapoor, Kalki Koechlin, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sridevi, Dia Mirza and Shilpa Shetty are only a few of the names.

Ankur, an engineering graduate from an Australian university, wanted to grow olives and make wine in India. But he then met Priyanka at one of those big fat Indian weddings of a relative and so an engineer who wanted to become a farmer decided to join hands with a fashion designer. "Ankur has a designers genes. But I am the first generation of designers in my family, says Priyanka. So, after the cursory graduation degree in commerce, she joined the London School of Fashion and got into the fashion fraternity, whereas Ankur has grown up surrounded by clothes, sketchbooks and designs around him.

Ankur is the son of the famous senior designer Anju Modi who has a long list of celebrity clients, and was the designer of films like Bajirao Mastani and Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela. Ankur was assisting his mother when he met Priyanka. Initially, the duo worked with the senior Modi, but later decided to form their own team and brand.

For the feel of grandeur

"We joined the fashion world when minimalism wasnt a word in designing. But I didnt want to design the usual opulent clothes. I didnt want unnecessary embellishments and glitter on my clothes, recalls Priyanka, the design head of the duo. So, they have tunics, easy palazzos, dhoti pants, chic shirt dresses, skirts, asymmetrically pleated skirts, peplum jackets, wrapped and off-shoulder blouses, etc, in their collections.

From day one of their teaming, they had decided that she would be the creative head and Ankur would be the business head. Now they have a third person, Anirudh Birla, who looks after their business development. So, though she is the creative head, she gets lots of inputs from Ankur, who on his business trips, looks around and imbibes the changing atmosphere. In 2001, when they established their brand, it was only luxury prêt. "We started getting a lot of inquiries for couture and thats the reason why we have branched out into couture from the last two years." Today, they have outlets in many major cities of India and also supply to many stores abroad.

Priyanka feels that modern Indian women, who are health- and body-conscious, are ready for any type of clothes. So, designing for modern women has become easy, and almost every dress suits everyone. Her advice to women is, "Decide what suits you and find your comfort clothes. Buy separates and use a different combination. For example, a heavy velvet thread-work jacket can be teamed with a pre-draped light textured ivory sari. A peplum jacket can be worn on a chanderi skirt. So, depending on the occasion, you can change your appearance in the limited budget!

Actor Vaishnavi caught the publics imagination with her role as Sannidhi in the TV serial Agnisakshi. Her co-star is Vijay Suriya, and together, the Siddharth-Sannidhi screen couple sent the TV ratings soaring. The serial, which began in 2013, is going strong, crossing 1,200 episodes in early January this year.

She was just 16 years old when she made her acting debut in the Kannada TV serial Devi, and followed it up with Mungaru Male, Manedevru and Punar Vivaha on various Kannada channels.

Agnisakshi, on Colors Kannada, came along three years later. The serial revolves around a young married couple and their relationship. The young actor is philosophical about her success. "I do not think about that. If you think too much in life, there are a lot of complications. So, I dont think too much. I just go for it," she states.

In the moment

Her father, Ravi Kumar, dropped in briefly during the interview, and was visibly proud when we discussed his daughters rise to fame through Agnisakshi. "She has over two lakh followers on Instagram," he said, gesturing to his smiling daughter seated cross-legged on the sofa opposite.

I ask her about coming to terms with her huge fan-base and popularity among youngsters. "I realise that all this may well go away after this phase," she remarks in a very mature, matter-of-fact manner. "I never planned on being an actor. I am here because of some strange circumstances," she says.

How she got that acting break is like an episode from a TV serial. An associate director working in Shruthi Naidus serial Devi spotted her at a temple with her mother Bhanu, and asked her if she would allow her young daughter to act in their TV serial. The mother assented, and the 16-year-old debuted as a young girl on a religious yatra to various temples on a mission to convert her atheist father. And that set off an artistic journey that is still going strong. She left Mount Carmel College after her PUC because of attendance issues and completed her BA from the Bangalore University as an external candidate.

Our conversation flows towards TV serials in the country and the roles scripted for them. How did she want to portray the modern woman? She becomes quite animated and earnest, and leans forward to make her point. "I want women to be depicted as being strong, independent, and able to face everything that comes their way." But not all serials depict women that way, and many times TV channel executives have the final say on how characters are to be depicted. So, how does one bring about that change?

She becomes very serious. "Initially, my character in Agnisakshi was soft and used to cry very easily. I felt that Sannidhi didnt need to do that. There are hardships in everybodys life. Only by overcoming them will you learn lessons that life has to teach. I have often requested small changes in my script that reflect this aspect. In whatever small way I could, I tried to change things for the way women are depicted."

She believes her character has been an inspiration. "Many viewers tell me that they want to be like Sannidhi. They want their daughters and daughters-in-law to be like her, and some have even named their children Sannidhi because they want their children to be like her… I feel that my character should be able to inspire somebody in a nice, positive way," she states with sincerity.

Something different

She attributes the huge popularity of this serial to a different storyline. "It is about how a young married couple lives, which is not what many TV serials are about. There is no aththey-sosey drama in our serial!"

It must be difficult for actors to play variations of the same role day after day for four straight years. "We are all young and have a lot of fun on the sets of Agnisakshi. Thats why I think we enjoy shooting even after 1,000 episodes. I think I can go on for another 1,000!" she beams.

She hasnt used the TV route to cinema, and has worked in just one Kannada film so far, Ravi Kirans Girgitle. "I am also hosting Bharjari Comedy for Suvarna TV. Probably after that, I might sit back, talk to people who come to me and then decide about films."

This 23-year-old actor has also formally trained in bharatanatyam, kuchipudi, and three levels of belly-dancing. "This is because I get bored very easily!" she declares, eyes lighting up.

But she seems to have a fair idea of what would stretch her. "My future is what challenges me. I want to be bigger than what I am today. I want to improve, excel, and be versatile. People should be able to say that I can do anything - hosting TV shows, acting or dancing. I need to be called an all-rounder. That is what I want. That is what keeps me going," she says with quiet determination. It doesnt seem impossible.

When a show comes riding on a mega brand or on a superstars grand appeal, it drives great expectations, content-wise and intent-wise. TED Talks India: Nayi Soch on Star Plus thus invites intense scrutiny as a talk template, one for being the Indian version of the mega global brand that TED Talks is; secondly, for boasting a famous face as host in the form of King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan. Hence, the million-dollar question is: what sets the narrative of this talks template apart from the other similar cloned-chat formats?

First, the famous face. Shah Rukh Khan is known to have been on board TED Talks in its Canadian edition in Vancouver. Hence, it was perhaps but natural that he be the choice for an anchor to lend this show visibility. The Khan factor naturally also drives comparisons with a chat format hosted by another Khan - Aamir Khan, who added much value to this template with his Satyamev Jayate, some seasons ago.But thats where the comparison more or less starts and ends, too.

Save for the Khan tags as the face of the shows, theres not much in common between these two Khan shows, content-wise and format-wise. Its like two colas, both oozing the commonality of fizz, but having their own distinct flavours.

TED Talks India is a platform for showcasing innovative thinking and out-of-the-box stories of change culled from commoners. Hence, its narrative is scripted by the extraordinary emanating from the ordinary. There is a speaker, Dr Bhan, who spells new perspectives on slum rehabilitation; there is another thinker, Shubhendu Sharma, who talks about growing forests as if they were childs play - a micro-forest on a small patch at the cost of an iPhone; then there is an amazing music composer, Sneha Khanwalkar, who showcases the wonders of virtual music. One very interesting story is scripted in the ink of innovation indeed, for Anirudh Sharma and his team talk of turning the bane of pollution into a societal gain - by deriving ink from polluted air!

The narrative is further scripted by this confluence of out-of-the-box thinkers from different walks of life. There is an education researcher Sugata Mitra talking of a "school in the cloud" or an astrophysicist Karan Jani telling about India developing the third LIGO processor, entrepreneur Ambarish Mitra enunciating the benefits of Blippar, or neuroscientist Dr Shubha Tole dwelling on tapping the potentials of the brain. Other ordinary voices with extraordinary scripts are those of Anju Kadam, chief nurturer at an innovative sari-designing venture, or medical professional Ramindar Dhillon, photographer Samar Jodha and more.

As far as content goes, these ordinary speakers with extraordinary ideas stay the stars of the show. As King Khan himself puts it: "The bigness of TED Talks lies in being a huge platform for the smallest of ideas."

Even as the stage is a confluence of all these small stars, twinkling in their own orbits are some showstoppers such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Javed Akhtar and Karan Johar. As Pichai participates in the platform virtually, the promos have King Khan teasingly telling him to stand behind him on stage so that he can boast that Pichai is his "follower".

The only minuses here and there are certain speakers like author Manju Kapur, whore the odd ones out as they dont really make for voices of innovation in a predominantly path-breaking narrative, or too divergent and scattered a cast of speakers in an episode without an underlying thread to spin the narratives into commonality. Even as the voice of the people makes up this narrative, the shows vocabulary veers a tad towards technicality here and there.

Overall, this talks template toasts the uncommon in the common without letting the bigness of the brand or the Badshah of Bollywood overshadow the smallest of voices.

Jake Gyllenhaal did not land a Golden Globe nomination for his lead performance in Stronger, in which he played Jeff Bauman, the real-life young man who lost the lower half of his legs in the Boston Marathon bombing. But the actor is still in contention for an Oscar nomination. Rather than tracing the familiar arc of the heros journey, the film plumbs Baumans ambivalence about being noisily celebrated as a patriot after the atrocity.

Gyllenhaal, 37, said that he and Bauman, who turned 31 this month, grew extremely close on the movie. "He has a light," Gyllenhaal said during a chat with me late last year at his production offices in SoHo, which featured a hefty supply of addictive chocolate chip cookies and the amiable presence of Gyllenhaals German shepherd, Atticus. Here are edited excerpts from the interview:

Patriots Day was another film about the Boston bombing, and made around the same time as Stronger. But it was more about getting the bad guys, and yours is questioning the idea that just surviving this automatically makes you a hero. Did you worry that the films had too much overlap?

All of us focus on the spectacle of a horrific event, and then also the people whove committed a crime. And its about getting justice served. And something about Jeff, his story wasnt about the conventional idea of the triumph of the human spirit; it was about the struggle with that idea, which I was fascinated by. We all live in a world where resolution is what we desire. This didnt really give you that. All of his problems still remain. I believe in changing - I have deep hope. But I dont think we can dismiss our complications for that.

What do you mean by "change" in this instance?

Jeff now is somebody who is a dad, who didnt believe he could ever do it. Hes sober now 15 months, post finishing the movie. He has changed exponentially in the past 15 months. More than anybody I know. But it doesnt come without him struggling. Its not like, Oh, Ive had my troubles with alcohol and then all of a sudden theyre just gone. Sometimes, movies do paint things like that, and I think some of those things are misleading.

The physicality is amazing. Your hair was really curly. Did you get a perm?

Yep, I got a perm. Yes, I did.

I didnt know that you could even do that anymore...

Yes. It was a soft perm, because we didnt want it to be too curly. When you see Jeffs hair, you know, its a distinctive feature. His hair is very specific. So, Donald Mowat - hes an amazing make-up artiste - said, I think to get the kind of messiness that Jeff has, we should do a perm. And I was, like, Im always down for a perm, you know?

How many have you had? Was it tough, chemically?

It was my first. And yeah, it was smelly.

Obviously when I said physicality, I meant the fact that you had to haul around your whole body with your arms and pretend you didnt have legs. How do you prepare for something like that?

I spent almost a year with Jeff before we started shooting the movie. The first week that I met him, we all met up, we went to dinner in (a hotel) banquet room. Jeff took off his Genium Ottobock legs and showed me how he put them on, took them off, and how he moved around the room. And that was the very first moment that I saw him navigate a space without his bionic legs. And then over a year, I saw it over and over and over again. When he would get on the floor, I would get on the floor with him, and it was a perspective and a height differentiation that was sort of infantilising. People end up talking to you and treating you differently in a way, not knowing how to relate. Also, one of the keys was - The New York Times did a Pulitzer Prize-winning piece on him. And I asked Jeff if there was any outtakes. That was really during the period of time where he was just totally lost. It was only a month or so after the event. Everything was raw. Its palpable, his feelings, and his eyes, and experience of whats going on. For me, behaviorally, it was a gold mine.

Had you spent this much time with a subject?

Only once before kind of, with a number of police officers when I was doing End of Watch. One of the police officers is one of my closest friends now. But nothing compares to this. I feel like its so much more than a movie now. Because (Jeffs) my friend, and because all the people around him I know, and I love them. When youre with him, anything that you might normally complain about ends up seeming so petty and small. Thats how he makes you feel. Its his spirit. He has a light.

The New York Times

So, she has just learnt tutting and has uploaded her take on YouTube. "I think it is my brand of madness that holds me in good stead in the world of films. Seriously, I think it is only my madness that keeps me sane," laughs actor Adah Sharma. Spunky, sparkling, supremely talkative, and someone who speaks her mind in a signature mince-no-words style. Evident as she successfully fobbed off an audacious request from a fan to kiss him during a live interaction at Mumbai airport. The episode went viral online and the petite star was quick to elocute her thoughts and her prerogatives as an individual, with her fans slamming trolls.

Some fan love

"The adulation that I receive from my fans is absolutely brilliant. I feel I am fortunate to have such a strong fan following. I am lucky as they are so supportive whenever I try something different, either with a movie role or a photoshoot or anything. I am one of the lucky actors to have awesome fan clubs posting such cool edits and writing amazing stuff to me out there. I find it very touching and encouraging. My fans range from class six girls to adults," enthuses Adah.

Adahs repertoire includes Telugu box office spinners in Heart Attack, S/O Satyamurthy, Subramanyam for Sale, Garam, Kshanam, and in the Kannada thriller, Rana Vikrama. She made her debut in commercial Hindi cinema with the horror film 1920, and then went on to star in Hasee Toh Phasee with Parineeti Chopra and Siddharth Malhotra. Of course, she has been winning hearts with her endearing smile in ad-films, including the recent one for Center Fresh, with actor Dhanush, and yet another superb take with Nescafe Sunrise.

"You know, it feels nice to know that people have watched my movies with so much interest when they quote dialogues in front of me. My favourites are sometimes the ones that I have had the most fun shooting: the scene from Kshanam where I kill myself by jumping off the window is memorable as I found it creatively satisfying to shoot. Then the part in Commando 2 where I flirt, horribly, overact and spill my drink on Jimmy was mad fun; in Hasee Toh Phasee, the bit where Sidharth Malhotra and I are expressing our disgust for mangoes with just our facial expressions, and like a 100 moments in 1920..." she reels off counting on her fingers. "I have enjoyed shooting for every film and now I simply want to be offered interesting roles," she says.

"I think I am creative, kind and strange. And yes, my biggest challenge as an actor is not sweating when it is 50 degrees!" she says, her sense of humour in full glow. Adah, a simple, family-loving girl at heart, is super close to her mother. "I live with my mother and yet I constantly call her up even when away from home or at a shoot. I call her up more than five times a day," she confesses. Another confession? "I simply love pani puri, can write with both hands, and can fly when no one is looking."

Fitness first

The lissome heroine believes in staying fit, yet her fitness routine changes every day. Being a trained gymnast has certainly helped her in improving her body language in front of the camera... "Sometimes, you have to undo it, depending on the character. I simply cant be walking around poised with my spine erect at all times, but yes, my training does help in being graceful while posing during photoshoots and for pictures in public spaces," she confesses.

"I dance when I am at home. We have converted the living room into a dance studio so there is no furniture in my house anymore," she shares. "When Im near a beach, I work out on the sand. Else, I do suryanamaskars in my room during very hectic shoots."

Whats next? "I am busy shooting for Charlie Chaplin 2, have just wrapped up playing judge for the reality dance show on the telly, Nach Baliye, down South, and then Commando 3 goes on the floor soon enough next year. And there are more projects that will formally be announced soon," she signs off.

A balding man, his smile hiding behind a bushy moustache. A dandy in a checkered shirt and dark sunglasses. A man jaded, his monotony overshadowed by a stack of files. A bespectacled, old pharmacist with a long laughter line. A rotund baker with a toupee and a rolling pin.

Men. All kinds of men sitting on the shelf of Goas The Project Cafe (TPC). Dapper. Jaded. Ancient. Busy. Delighted. Poignant. So many men. I could fold all these men like a free-reed concertina, stuff them in a handmade, screen-printed box, take them home, and rearrange them on my mantelpiece. Or, I could pick Little Ladies and tidily line them next to the men. Shun the man for the machine. Pick Godrej almirahs. Printing machines. Everything foldable into an accordion, stuffed in a box and rearranged. Wherever. However. As if one could turn curator and create a museum at home.

This is what ace photographer and bookmaker Dayanita Singh has created. A foldable, handy museum. Singhs pocket museums consists of nine individual museums in book form with lyrical titles: Museum of Men, Little Ladies Museum, Museum of Photography, Museum of Furniture, Museum of Vitrines, Printing Press Museum, Ongoing Museum, Museum of Machines, Conversation Chambers. Each of these comprising Singhs photographs that can be housed in handmade, screen-printed box, making each pocket museum a unique multiple: the same inside and yet completely different on the outside.

Born in New Delhi in 1961, Dayanita Singh is an artist whose medium is photography, and the book is her primary form. She studied visual communication at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad and documentary photography at the International Center of Photography in New York. She has published 13 books. Her works have been shown in several museums including TOP Museum, Tokyo (2017), MAST, Bologna (2016) MMK, Frankfurt (2014), Art Institute of Chicago (2014), the Hayward Gallery, London (2013), and the Mapfre Foundation, Madrid (2010). She has also shown in the 2nd Kochi Biennale (2014), Sydney Biennale (2015), and the Venice Biennale (2013 and 2011).

Dressed in a blue floral outfit, Dayanita Singh opened the Museum Bhavan in TPC. Calling it a pocket museum and one of her many artistic forms, Singh encouraged people who acquire the box, to become curators of her work, have their own openings, at home or on their travels, to even make their own press photos. "Since the pieces are unique and each box is draped in block-printed fabric, so when you buy it from the store, choosing among many, its like buying a sari and making it your own. And the story that goes with buying it, the association, making very personal and intimate," added Singh.

The Pocket Museum was launched at the Museum of Innocence in Istanbul, Bildband Berlin, Lebal Books Paris, Micamera Milan, Tate Modern in London in September 2017, and brought to India by Drasty Shah, co-founder, The Project Café. At TPC, housed in a 140-year-old Portuguese village sitting smugly in the undulating landscape of Goas Assagaon village, Shah hosts multiple artists under one roof where art melds with design, words and food.

Singhs Museum Bhavan is a miniature version of her travelling exhibition of the same name. When the nine mobile museums in Museum Bhavan began to find homes in more formal institutions, Singh decided to find a form that would allow her museums to be simultaneously disseminated in more domestic spaces: as a result, the larger wooden museums transformed into this pocket museum. Consequently, 3,000 of these boxes were specially crafted in India and were then shipped to Göttingen where they were filled with nine accordion fold books and a book of conversations.

In the Little Ladies Museum, girls come alive on squarish black/white images. A little girl spooned by her mother. A girl in a frock standing by an antique chair. Their expressions ranging from innocence to bewilderment to agony and merriment. The girls are nameless, but their faces narrate a story, each plotted against a backdrop that lends life to a moment caught by the photographer.

Faces can unfold expressions. In Singhs photographs, even inanimate furniture, machines and burly Godrej almirahs tell a tale. A four-poster bed. A chaise lounge. An armless chair. A flat table. Inanimate, yet telling their age-old story. Of the people who lay on the beds. Of newspapers that the machines spat out of their gritty teeth. In the Museum of Photography, framed photographs have been photographed. Framed dead men garlanded with respect. An old man holding in his hand a photographed naked back. A frame hanging alone on an austere wall. Stepping out of The Project Cafe, a question loomed. What is it that I just saw? Dayanita Singhs picture postcard photographs arranged into a handy accordion? A museum artefact? A book? Did I walk into a museum? Or, was it a semblance of a museum in a constricted space? Whatever the chosen definition, Singhs black/white portraits of men, women, furniture and machines stay in your mind. Long after you walk away from the teal door and the brown steps of The Project Cafe.

Museum Bhavan is on display at The Project Cafe, Assagao, Goa, til March 15, 2018.

ARIES
Mar 22-Apr 20
The week may open with travel plans and an urgent need to take action in a project. Some may apply themselves diligently to the pursuit of a new target. Home improvement and attending to the needs of dependents figure strongly towards the end of the week. Lucky Gem: Red Coral; Lucky Colour: Crimson; Lucky Number: 9

TAURUS
Apr 21-May 21
It is a fairly favourable week. There are indications of financial gains. You will need to spend some extra time in sorting money matters. You may be focused on long-term goals and think things through quite extensively. Sibling-related matters may come up now. Lucky Gem: Diamond; Lucky Colour: Green; Lucky Number: 6

GEMINI
May 22-June 21
You are likely to take an initiative for self-development and image-building now. Orators, trainers, singers, performing artistes can you do very well now. There may be a public honour. There could be short-distance travel too. Purchase of an expensive asset is likely. Lucky Gem: Emerald; Lucky Colour: Yellow; Lucky Number: 5

CANCER
June 22-July 23
You may be a bit worried about the health of an elderly as well as increased expenditure during this phase. Watch your own thoughts as bitterness could create a dangerous spiral. Investments made in the recent past may yield handsome results towards the end of the week. Lucky Gem: Natural Pearl; Lucky Colour: White; Lucky Number: 2

LEO
July 24-Aug 21
Its a week of mixed results. Social occasions bring out your charismatic side. There may be some discontent on the professional front. You may feel that you are sidelined despite giving your best. However, display of displeasure could cost you dearly. Handling things tactfully would be a better option now.
Lucky Gem: Ruby; Lucky Colour: Orange; Lucky Number: 1

VIRGO
Aug 22-Sep 21
It is a week that is completely dominated by work-related matters. You may have to spend long hours and keep a single-minded focus on attaining the goal. There could be a very important meeting slated towards the later half of the week. Dont answer proposals in haste. Some may travel abroad now.
Lucky Gem: Emerald; Lucky Colour: Blue; Lucky Number: 5

LIBRA
Sep 22-Oct 23
Its an excellent week. There is travel and you may profit through new connections. There may be a gain of a lucrative new project with better remuneration. You may be able to step out of a financially challenging situation. You spend some good time with friends. Lucky Gem: Diamond; Lucky Colour:
Sky Blue; Lucky Number: 6

SCORPIO
Oct 24-Nov 21
You may grapple with an issue from the past or deal with a personal mental monster. You turn towards religion/spirituality for comfort. There is relatively better health and a better frame of mind as time progresses. A new romance or a new friend is hugely motivating. Lucky Gem: Red Coral; Lucky Colour: Maroon; Lucky Number: 9

SAGITTARIUS
Nov 22-Dec 21
This week is all about interpersonal relationships. There could be misunderstandings with your partner and it could turn into a bigger problem unless handled well. Resolve differences between yourselves rather than roping in others. Work on your insecurities. Lucky Gem: Yellow Sapphire; Lucky Colour: Purple; Lucky Number: 3

CAPRICORN
Dec 22-Jan 20
This time is all about looking after others and working on your equations with people around. You may have to care for someone with a health issue and it will be better if you arent irritated. Domestic responsibilities, lots of work and travel may cause exhaustion. Lucky Gem: Blue Sapphire; Lucky Colour: Dark Blue; Lucky Number: 8

AQUARIUS
Jan 21-Feb 19
You may need to do some running around related to children and their needs. There is a greater interest in personal development, for which you might meet experts too. Long-term goals appeal to you and you may take certain impactful decisions in your personal and professional lives. Lucky Gem: Blue Sapphire; Lucky Colour: Black; Lucky Number: 8

PISCES
Feb 20-Mar 21
There is a great deal of emphasis on domestic matters. Issues related to mothers health may arise, but you handle the matter with exemplary balance and right thinking. Some may develop an exciting new relationship but whether it is genuine or merely out of dependence remains to be seen. Lucky Gem: Sapphire; Lucky Colour: Sea Green; Lucky Number: 9

Among those transfixed by the sentencing of Dr Lawrence G Nassar, the sports doctor accused of molesting more than 160 girls and young women, were children throughout the United States. Their parents were faced with a uniquely vexing question: how - or whether - to discuss such an abhorrent sex crime.

Over two weeks, Nassars very public sentencing hearing ripped through the gymnastics world. Young gymnasts watched their heroes recount experiences of molestation or read comments on social media, leaving parents struggling with how to broach the subject with their daughters.

Any major news event can present difficult parenting decisions. But the Nassar case was particularly fraught because it involved young girls and appalling violations of their bodies.

"Its a tricky situation," Adelia Matson, whose daughter Macy is a Level 8 gymnast, said in a phone interview from her home in San Luis Obispo, California. "I have definitely talked to her about abuse, but shes as innocent as they come as far as a 12-year-old. Its a bit of a balancing act of how to talk to them without revealing too much that they dont need to know yet, but that they know how to protect themselves."

Hours after a judge gave Nassar a sentence of 40 to 175 years in prison, girls in sparkly leotards swung from uneven bars, while others tumbled on the blue gymnasium mats at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. From an elevated seating area, two dozen parents watched their children practice.

Between gasping at falls and shouting encouragement, many parents were asking a variation of the same question: Had everyone seen the latest testimony in the sentencing hearing?

Matson and her husband discussed how they should talk about sexual assault with Macy after Nassar pleaded guilty last year. Another mother said she participated in the womens march with her daughter, but wondered if disclosing the details of the Nassar case would cause her daughter to fear men.

On top of that, parents of older teenagers wondered what their children may have seen on social media that they were not aware of.

"The Olympic team and the elite girls - they follow them on Instagram; these are their role models and their heroes," Kelly Craig said of her 12- and 14-year-old daughters, who practice at Chelsea Piers. "My 14-year-old has read all the statements. When they closed the ranch, my daughter showed me - she knew before I did."

Nassar was previously sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges. During his sentencing hearing in Lansing, Michigan, over the past two weeks, more than 150 women - including prominent Olympians - spoke about the abuse they endured.

There is no one set of guidelines to teach parents how to talk to their children about sexual assault. Laura Palumbo, director of communications at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, said that there was appropriate information to give children about sexual violence at every stage of development.

"One of the biggest misconceptions is that these conversations are too advanced or harmful for children to hear about," Palumbo said. "In reality, the more information that we can give children from an early age about understanding your bodies and your boundaries and what types of touch are appropriate - not only does it give your child that information, it also lets them know that these are safe topics to talk to you about."

Sienna Livengood, 10, had no idea why her idols were in the national spotlight. She worships the Olympic gymnasts so much that in her free time, she is creating a short film about the journey of the Fierce Five, as the 2012 US gymnastics team was called, to the London Olympics.

Siennas mother, Jen Livengood, said she talked to her daughter about sexual violence in general terms, but had not let her watch or read about the trial. The two of them talk about self-worth and having the confidence to speak up if something isnt right.

"Every parent has to be open to conversation, and not just in sports - its at church and in school," said Brandy Bauman, owner of Go for It USA gymnasium in Las Vegas and a mother of two. "Its everywhere you are trusting someone else with your child. Our sport is getting a wake-up call."

Arsène Wenger knew what would happen, and he knew it would hurt.

In the summer of 2012, after several tense telephone conversations between Wenger, the Arsenal manager, and his longstanding rival, Alex Ferguson of Manchester United, Wenger agreed to sell his clubs prized asset, Dutch striker Robin van Persie, to Fergusons team. The deal cost Ferguson $34 million. It would cost Wenger substantially more.

The transfer proved a masterstroke for Ferguson, in the short term, at least. The previous season, a goal from Sergio Agüero in the final minute of the final game had handed Manchester City the Premier League title, snatching it out of Fergusons hands on goal difference. Ferguson had decided van Persies presence would ensure that did not happen again.

He was right. Van Persie scored 26 goals in 38 Premier League games. United, in what would prove to be Fergusons final season, cruised to a valedictory title. Arsenal finished fourth, 16 points adrift.

For Wenger, seeing a former protégé flourish was just about bearable. But watching van Persie, and United, leave Arsenal so definitively in their wake was too much. That pain was all the more acute because Wenger could have foreseen precisely what effect van Persie would have on Manchester United. As he said, in what is in hindsight a remarkable admission: "We knew when we sold him to United that would be the case."

Five years later, through a mixture of institutional complacency, administrative inertia and willful myopia, history is repeating itself. Arsenal, once again, has allowed itself to be maneuvered into selling its crown jewel - this time Alexis Sánchez - to Manchester United.

The circumstances, in Wengers eyes, are not exactly parallel. Arsenal received midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan in exchange, as well as a fee of $35 million or so; it is not "one-way traffic," as Wenger has put it.

Sánchezs relationship with Arsenal, too, is different from van Persies. Sánchez, a Chilean, arrived fully formed; the bond is not quite as strong as it was with van Persie, a Dutchman who was signed as a prodigy and blossomed into a star. "We made a long work with him," Wenger said. "When you get them there, to that level, and then they leave - of course that is the most painful."

There are sufficient similarities, however, that Wenger could hardly ignore them. Both van Persie and Sánchez had been allowed to enter the final years of their contracts, diminishing Arsenals bargaining power and enabling United to sign them for relatively small fees, if not insignificant wages. Both will have departed the Emirates for Old Trafford in search of trophies, of greater glory. And both will have done so having rejected, in some way, the chance to sign for Manchester City.

Like all transfers, Sánchezs move to Manchester United is about money. At 29, he will become the highest-paid player in the Premier League, earning somewhere in the region of $555,000 a week - an amount Wenger acknowledged Arsenal simply could not match.

It is also, like most transfers, about ambition. Sánchez has grown increasingly - and increasingly visibly - frustrated by Arsenals inability to deliver tangible success, beyond broadly biennial victories in the FA Cup. Time is no longer on his side. He is not content to scrap around with Liverpool and Tottenham, hoping for a place in the Champions League.

What marks this move out as different is that it is also - more than most transfers - about hierarchy, about establishing a place in the pecking order, about power.

By stripping Arsenal of its best player, again, United proves that it possesses a clout that one of its traditional peers does not; it demonstrates that it sits above Arsenal in the food chain.

More important, at a time when United seems unable to beat Manchester City on the field - Pep Guardiolas team leads José Mourinhos by 12 points - securing a victory off it offers a little boost to the ego, a little balm for wounded pride.

Just as signing van Persie in 2012 sent a message, a few weeks after City had finally claimed a first championship in four decades, Uniteds capturing Sánchez now serves as a little reminder that Citys hegemony - in Manchester, in the Premier League - is not yet complete.

The Australian Open mens final between Roger Federer and Marin Cilic will be a rematch of last Julys Wimbledon final. It also will be an on-court reunion after two impromptu practice sessions last November in the Maldives.

"It was just the two of us," Federer said with one of his goofy baritone laughs.

Has there been a great champion who was chummier with his rivals since the big-money era in tennis began?

Though one suspects the Federers and the Djokovics will not be vacationing together anytime soon, one of Federers most remarkable achievements - in a career brimming with them - is to have somehow remained popular in the locker room as he has racked up more major singles titles than any other man in history and piled up career earnings in the direction of $1 billion.

This is a tribute to his people skills, and it contributes to the bottom line between the lines.

Summoning animus against him can be a psychological challenge, and it presumably only gets harder for those who played last September in the Laver Cup, the new and successful team event started by Federer and his management company. Cilic was among the many other top players to get a big payday along with a big dose of bonhomie.

"It was great to spend some time with him and the rest of the team at the Laver Cup," said Cilic, who played with Federer on the victorious Team Europe. "We got to know each other better, and Roger is an amazing guy and a big inspiration for most of the players."

But Cilic has to set all that aside, along with Federers big-match mystique, to win his second Grand Slam singles title. "The majority of my focus is to try to focus on myself, my own game," Cilic said. "Now, reaching another final is completely different than all the others that I played. This time around, Im a different player, different person, slightly different game, slightly different understanding of the game and different mental processes during the matches. I have to keep that for the final."

It is easy to view the final as a foregone conclusion: Federer winning in four sets, tops. He is 8-1 against Cilic and thumped him, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, in the 2017 Wimbledon final, when Cilic was suffering from severe foot blisters and ended up in tears on a changeover.

Second-seeded Federer is as fresh as a 36-year-old father of four can presumably be at this stage, after winning all of his matches in straight sets and having to play for only 62 minutes in the semifinals after Hyeon Chung retired with severe foot blisters of his own when trailing, 1-6, 2-5.

"You do take the faster matches whenever you can because theres enough wear and tear on the body," Federer said. "Theres enough tough matches throughout the season."

The surface in Rod Laver Arena, though apparently not quite as quick as in 2017, suits Federers attacking game beautifully. In his last 40 outdoor hardcourt matches, he is 37-3.

There are always big numbers in the mix when it comes to Federer at this stage, but he can surely see the allure of trying to win his 20th Grand Slam singles title. A year ago, when he arrived at the Australian Open after a six-month injury break, he had 17 and had not won a major title since Wimbledon in 2012.

"Its a number that I honestly didnt think Id get to or be close to," Federer said of No 20.

"Last year before this tournament I would have been happy to say that Id win one more Slam before the end of my career. Id been trying for four or five years to win one more, and I would have said, One more? Great!"

After winning last years Australian Open and Wimbledon, he is here at 19, just one win from becoming the oldest man to claim a major singles title in the Open era since Ken Rosewall won the Australian Open at 37 in 1972. (That would not quite be an apples-to-apples comparison because of the comparative weakness of that 1972 field, which was missing many leading players, including Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe and Ilie Nastase.)

But several coaches in Melbourne do see a pathway for the sixth-seeded Cilic to spring an ambush, just as he did in the 2014 US Open semifinals on his way to his only major title. He also nearly did it in the 2016 Wimbledon quarterfinals before Federer saved three match points and prevailed in five sets.

"Obviously Roger goes in the favourite," said Neville Godwin, who coached last years surprise US Open finalist, Kevin Anderson, and is now coaching Chung. "But Marin does have a chance if he can press Roger and get the points moving and maybe try and expose Roger on the backhand side, because Roger can be exposed there. Marin has the good weapons to be able to do it."

Godwin added: "He also has to serve really well, hit his spots really well. Because if Roger gets on to something, hes so good."

Federer and Cilic are both good company, and in November when Federer was in the Maldives with his family, it was only fitting Cilic would be there, too. Federer said they practised twice for about 45 minutes.

Cilic, now 29, has imposing flat power off both wings and great reach at 6-foot-6. He has improved his footwork and ability to flow from shot to shot - both laterally and when attacking the net - and has been focusing on his volleys.

At his best, Cilic can be suffocating, as he sometimes was in his quarterfinal match against Rafael Nadal before Nadal retired with an inner hip injury in the fifth set.

Cilics longtime mentor, Bob Brett, said he also has improved his on-court demeanour, and by that Brett does not mean Cilic has become more self-contained.

Feigning a growl and baring his teeth, Brett said Cilic was "more like this on the court."

"Which I think is good," he said.

Well see if Cilic can find a way to snarl when it is Federer across the net.

It boggles your mind as to where Graeme Pollock would have eventually ended up had he gone on to have a full career. In 23 Tests between December 1963 and March 1970, the tall southpaw left behind a great batting legacy. Pollock finished with an average of 60.97 which is the fourth highest behind three Australians â€" Don Bradman (99.94), Steven Smith (63.75) and Adam Voges (61.87). While Bradman will always be the ultimate batting specimen, Smith is still playing and it remains to be seen where and how he finishes eventually. Voges played his first Test when he was 35 and retired after 20 Tests in a career spanning from June 2015 to November 2016.

Pollock, on the other hand, was forced out of international cricket in 1970, when he was only 26, due to South Africas apartheid policy. Acknowledged by Bradman as perhaps the finest left-handed batsman ever, Pollock accumulated 2256 runs with seven centuries and 11 half-centuries. He amassed 20,940 runs in 262 first-class games at an average of 54.67. Watching the third Test between India and South Africa from the Presidents Suit at the Wanderers, the 73-year-old opened up on a range of issues in a chat with DH. Excerpts:

You were part of one of the finest teams ever in the late 1960s…

I played first-class cricket for 27 years, and I started (playing Tests) in 1963 and I was 19 when we went to Aussies. We ended up drawing the series. There was a bunch of new guys that were playing their first Test, I think we had an unexpected result in Australia. For the South African cricket, starting from 63 and till the isolation in 1970, it was the turning point when we drew the series against the Aussies.

We beat England in 1965 in England, we beat the Aussies here in 67 and then in 70. We had a quality side and we were playing a good positive cricket. The 1970 side had (Barry) Richards, (Eddie) Barlow, myself, Lee Irvine, Mike Procter, Denis Gamsy, my brother (Peter Pollock)… I mean Proccie (Procter) was batting eight and he batted for Rhodesia and Gloucestershire at four and got six 100s for Rhodesia in a row and equaled Bradmans record of getting six hundreds in a row. And he batted at eight in the South African batting line-up, so it was a formidable all-round line -up.

Many players of your era went on to play in county cricket but why did you restrict yourself to domestic cricket in South Africa?

The weather is s**t. No 2: the Pound and the Rand were 1:1 in 1969 so you couldnt earn 17:1 for the Rand. So, financially it wasnt a good proposition. If I had a contract for 3000 Pounds, I would get 3000 Rands for that. In 18 hours of cricket, you cannot get a fair result without declarations. It was not enough playing time 18 hours to have four innings. County cricket was a game of declarations. I didnt like the declarations. We would bat and set targets. We would always set targets to keep the game alive. You couldnt get 40 wickets in 18 hours, it was impossible. I just think it was a bit of a farce for first innings if you tried to bowl someone out and you couldnt get them out, then theyll probably tell you well set you 280 in four hours. And the game would go on. I just think it wasnt the way the game should have been played. It wasnt an attraction.

Do you ever think you played at a wrong time and wrong place?

No, I dont. I never played full professional cricket. So, in 1970 when we were isolated, I had a settled job. Nobody knew how long we were going to be isolated. Because I was married and had kids. You never know ... You are anticipating that itll come back earlier than you thought. And then youll get back into it. It took just 22 years. Its the best thing that has happened to South African cricket. Something had to happen. The politics in the country was absolutely shambolic. And I think the good thing is that even after the 22 years, the standard of cricket was still reasonably good. The state of cricket survived irrespective of the isolation.

There were rebel tours though in South Africa…

Theres always a debate over the rebel tours but I think those games were needed for the game in SA. You needed some international flavour and overseas stars. There were politically and financially a lot of hassles. And after all these years, it showed that it possibly was the right thing to do. It maintained the standard of cricket. South African cricket didnt deteriorate badly because they were out of the league. They came back in 1991 and survived pretty well I would think. And since then, I think they have made some wonderful progress. A lot of guys that have been given the opportunities are taking it. Everybody has been surprised but the transformation has been needed for the country. Its just that people have contested how the transformation should work. And thats always debatable as to which route you go. A transformation was needed and the players that have come through in the last five years, have been unbelievable.

Your brother (Peter Pollock) used to make fun of your dodgy running between the wickets…

They also tell a story of when I was playing for Transvaal, the Johannesburg side. There was this guy Mandy Yachad who also played for South Africa (in one IDI against India in 1991), but he batted at No 3 for Transvaal. He was not used to hitting many boundaries but he was a quick runner between the wickets. We played in one game, and he played a ball and wanted to get three or four. I ran two and told him, Mandy, its not an athletics meeting. If you can run three and I run two, you will get only two. So, conserve your energy. These things are unnecessary. If you are not doing the basics right, you are going to have a problem. My running wasnt great, but I just believed if you run a three, you play the next ball and because having run three, your breath and breathing is a little uncontrolled. When you are facing the ball, you want to be settled and ready to do whats right. I just know batting as a job in balance, not overdoing the excitable.

Who was the toughest bowler you faced during your time?

Dennis Lillee, I would rate him as the best. I think he was a class act, he was quick, he had control and he was aggressive. Procky (Mike Procter) was a good one in the 1970s. John Snow bowled well. In fact Garry Sobers was probably the best opening bowler in world cricket in the 60s -- they had Charlie Griffith and Wes Hall but he used to open the bowling. If there were rankings in the 60s, he probably would have been ranked as the No 1 bowler in the world. He used to bowl these left-arm swinging deliveries… I mean we played in a World side, and we bowled England out for 100 and he got 6/30. He was just an incredible player.

You have been rated the finest No 4 ever, which other No 4 batsmen have impressed you over the years?

There is Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting… Greg Chappell was a good player, I played him in the 70s. England side in the 60s had Ted Dexter, Colin Cowdrey, (Ken) Barrington at three, four and five, and with (Geoff) Boycott at opening, it was a hell of a batting line-up. You didnt get those sides out twice too often. Barry Richards was a super player, Garry (Sobers), Rohan Kanhai was a very talented player. If he hadnt played at the same time as Garry, he would probably have been credited as the best player in the world.

With so much technology around, does it help a player improve or it gets complicated sometimes?

I think it can get too technical, when I was coaching the side and Hansie (Cronje) was the captain and Hansie said to me, I want to get back and across when the guy delivers. What do you think I should do? I said, why dont you start at where you want to get when the guy delivers? Why do you have to in less than half a second make that adjustment? Why dont you get into the position you want to before he delivers? How do you get into a decent position jumping around the crease?

So then what do you make of Steven Smith? He shuffles so much but still manages to get big runs…

Its a bit of mystery but it works for him. He does the basics right, he balances well, he watches the ball and has got sound technique otherwise. But yes, he is a bit of a mystery. I would have a go at him with the short stuff. If you look at world cricket, there are not many good players of quick bowling. Its an art. If you are a hooker and you want to take the fast bowler on, you are going to get out more times than youre going to get runs.

There are many ways to approach a pescatarian dinner. The next time you buy a piece of fish for dinner, instead of pan-frying, poaching or broiling, why not consider steaming? Its fast, easy and makes a remarkably satisfying light meal.

Chinese cooks have long been experts at steaming fish - especially whole fish, which may seem daunting. But boneless fillets are also excellent when prepared in the same way. The technique is not at all difficult to master, and the aromatics - like ginger, scallion and sesame oil - are readily available.

* Most vegetables, whether small potatoes or carrots or asparagus, benefit from steaming, which accentuates their innate sweetness. The same holds true for fish.

* Of course, spanking fresh fish is required. Look for white-fleshed fish such as halibut, sea bass or cod, preferably about 2 inches thick. In a pinch, you could use salmon, but avoid stronger-tasting fish (like mackerel) for this method.

* Its worth investing in a good steamer with a sizable diameter. One made of stainless steel, though expensive, will last a lifetime. The inexpensive bamboo steamers available in Asian markets are quite sturdy and come in every size. A large wok with a lid works, too. It just needs a rack of some sort to hold whats being steamed well above the boiling water below. Chopsticks can do the job, or a cake rack propped up securely. Dont have a wok, a wide deep skillet with a domed lid will suffice, or some pasta pots have a steamer basket included.

* The preparation for a steamed fish dish takes longer than it does to cook, but not by much: The cooking itself takes only 10 minutes or so.

* First, you cut scallions and ginger into fine julienne, then stir up a little mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil, spiked with Shaoxing wine and a pinch of sugar. This makes a savoury steam bath for the fish.

* Then, you put your fine fish fillet directly on the plate from which it will be served. It goes into the steamer for a brief spell and emerges succulent and fragrant.

* With its topping of sizzled ginger, chopped pistachios and fluffy cilantro, the fish is both festive and fragrant.

DAVID TANIS

NYT

Remember the good old days when the fresh aroma of your moms piping hot coffee in a steel tumbler would get your taste buds working overtime every morning? The crackling sound of boiling water poured over parched coffee powder was like music to the ears wasnt it? How eagerly you would wait for the decoction to trickle down from the filter to enjoy your mug of steaming bliss? Though in many Indian households, coffee still weaves the same magic every morning, the coffee industry is at its booming best with a range of plush and cosy cafés springing up everywhere.

Exotic versions of the beverage are finding many takers and people are willing to go the extra mile and pay the extra price just to get a sip of their favourite drink at its best. Coffee workshops, master classes and even impromptu brewing sessions at neighbourhood cafés have helped people understand a lot about the beverage. The best forms of coffee like gourmet, artisan and speciality are making their way into our kitchens. Is it because India produces some of the worlds best coffee? Or is it because Indian food goes well with coffee? It is a combination of both along with a host of other factors, believes Marc Tormo Altimira, a coffee expert who has curated a menu of organic, gourmet coffees for 1Q1 Kitchen & Bar in Bengaluru.

The transformation

A coffee entrepreneur, roaster, brewer and creative consultant, with more than 20 years of international experience in the specialty coffee movement, Marc believes that the modern day consumer has a huge role to play for coffees transformation from a cuppa next door to a glam, gourmet beverage. "There is a new breed of conscious consumers who arent impulsive and wish to know everything about coffee. Be it to start their day or to socialise, people are willing to spend the big bucks on damn good coffee and why not! Its different kind of luxury isnt it?" he asks.

A drink that is more complex than wine, coffee has over 1,200 compounds that make it what it is. However, not many know that India was one of the countries to cultivate coffee. It all started in the 17th century when Baba Budan, a Sufi saint on his way to Mecca, stopped at Yemen to enjoy a cup of coffee. Seduced by its taste, he decided to smuggle a few coffee beans into India. Slowly, coffee was grown near his native area in Chikkamagaluru and today, Karnataka is proudly called as the coffee capital of India with regions like Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru and Coorg producing more than 50% of the countrys coffee.

Trending drink

From cappuccino to now selfieccino (selfie with your morning cuppa), it looks like sky is the limit when it comes to innovations in coffee. Be it chemex or siphon, different coffee brewing methods are catching the attention of coffee-lovers, who go all out to experience the drink at its best. For Srujana Kadimcherla, a popular city-based Instagrammer and foodie, coffee is more than what you get at darshinis and college hangouts. "Its a massive industry and people are willing to spend on coffee more than say, popcorn at the multiplex. Its totally worth it," she says.

She discovered the bigger world of coffee when she came to Bengaluru a few years ago. "Those days, it was all about the lattes, cappuccinos and Irish coffees at neighbouring cafés," she recollects. Now, thanks to the emergence of gourmet coffee, Srujana has been for many coffee tasting sessions and regularly explores the different cafés in the city. "I even understand things like what type of food goes what kind of coffee."

Well, the journey of coffee from a humble bean to a gourmet drink has sure been exhilarating but its important to understand the difference between gourmet, specialty and artisan coffee. According to Marc, gourmet coffee is one that has gone through a specific selection process for the consumer to get the best of the bean, whereas specialty coffee is processed in a particular way and depends on the kind of farm and region that it belongs to. "Its a niche coffee that is not roasted in bulk in an industrial way. However, it wont be so niche anymore in future," he says. Artisan coffee, on the other hand, focuses a lot on the science and technology behind the roasting process.

While the consumers take a lot of interest in every step from how coffee beans are roasted and ground to how the drink is presented, the perils of a modern lifestyle too are many, believes Marc. "People have no time these days so they compromise on taste for the sake of convenience. Just like how forests are being cut to make way for buildings and farmlands, instant foods including coffees are hitting the market because of which the value of a beautiful product is lost. We should learn to appreciate everything around us, be it nature or a drink like coffee as ultimately we are the ones who will enjoy it."

The biggest truth about fashion is that it repeats itself. Decade after decade, an old trend resurfaces, making your mums blouses relevant again or your older sisters tucked away shirts, the toast of a night-out. While most styles come and go, some never leave the runway. Ever. They only evolve, progress and regress - in a loop. Were talking about denims! The evergreen fabric has stood the test of time, making itself more and more relevant with each passing year. Thank god, may we add. Because honestly, what would you rather have as your go-to garment?

While the denims made a splash on the world stage in the early 1900s, most designers agree that its Indian debut took place around the 60s with the advent of the hippie culture and went on to become a statement in the 70s with the likes of actors Zeenat Aman and Rajesh Khanna lending it their star power.

Forever loved

"The proliferating jeans market indicated a radical change in urban lifestyle. To its credit, mass-manufacture of Indian denim jeans, induced a revolution in retail marketing. I think this really helped the country to accept a ready-to-wear industry, which now is worth billions. By this time, jeans are no poor imitation of hip Western culture or a limited edition of elitist apparel, but most definitely a way of life," says designer Anu PD, who as a girl in the 70s, saw the gorgeous John Travolta striking his iconic pose in Saturday Night Fever. Next day, she had her first pair of denims.

Today, the fabric has more than its fair share of ambassadors, of course. While Urmila Matondkar and Karisma Kapoor may have led the brigade in the 90s, the current crop seem to be doing more for it off the screen than on it. The airport looks for instance, are a great indicator of whats in. A quick glance through malls and a college campus will tell you that ripped knees, short denim dresses, flute-hemmed jeans, dungarees and mom jeans are dominating the scene today.

Bad phase

But like every fashion cycle, denims have had their cringe-worthy days too. "Bell bottoms for women and skinny jeans for men, certainly fall in that category," says designer Kunal Tanna. For Saakshi and Kinni, it was the denim accessorising that didnt make the cut. "The denim bags and shoes were a huge mistake," they say. Ask Bhavana Pandey and she cringes, "Definitely, the acid-washed jeans."

Despite its misses, denim continues to rule the roost because of its sheer versatility, adds Bhavana. "The staple fabric can be easily teamed and worn with almost anything, all through the year. Some of my favourite styles and hot favourites include denim joggers, culottes, bomber jackets, fringed jeans and cut-out dresses. An all time favourite amongst the young denizens is a pair of ripped or distressed jeans."

If youre not someone who checks out fashion forecasts, you can spot a trend by checking out celebrities airport looks, suggests Anu PD. "When celebrities arent dressed up or modelling, theyre oftentimes wearing jeans, and theres a good chance that whatever jeans theyre spotted wearing on repeat, will be the next big denim trend. Internationally, celebs like Sofia Richie and Kate Bosworth are donning classic styles like skinny jeans and cropped flares and some niche styles too." But closer home, ripped knees are certainly the big thing.

Whats hot

* Ripped skinny jeans - they are feminine and sporty at the same time

* Short denim dresses - not that they ever went out of style

* Mom jeans - they are huge in the West, but yet to make their way to India

* Low-rise jeans - they are arguably dated, but thats not stopping influencers from wearing them again.

* Denim on denim: This could be an overkill, specially given the Indian weather.

* Denim accessories like bags and shoes.

* Super-ripped jeans

* Bell-bottomed jeans

Q: I am five feet tall, little heavier on the thighs and legs. What kind of palazzos should I wear and also, is it a good idea to pair boots and palazzos? â‡'- Nita R

Palazzo pants that are loose and extremely wide from thighs to the hem work perfectly for your body type. Layered palazzos and slit palazzos that enhance the thighs are a big no no. Try pairing brogues or summer wedges instead of boots with the palazzo look.

The botanical trend is back for Spring-Summer 2018/19. Go for soft and micro florals over the 1960s florals in dresses and blouses. Avoid going for an all pop look. Team a pop colour with a dull colour bifurcate. The point here is to enhance your upper body to balance the pear shape. Go for layered looks and zest it up with tie up bows and preppy shoes.

Q: I am 25 and 5 ft 8. I have broad shoulders. I love good old fashioned classic colours, like black, blue, red and dark brown. Can you please suggest some trendy ways in which I can use the colours and not appear boring. â‡'- Sonia

Emphasise your waistline while balancing out your figure. Shift dresses, skater skirts and peplums in all the classic colours are must haves. Flaunt the same with deep necklaces. Avoid structured shoulders and pads.

Wear a nude or white opera necklace with a mint green dress for weddings. Plastron neckpieces would look fabulous for night-outs. Another spotless pick will be a pastel chandlers without a neckpiece for a brunch party.

Q: I am 5 ft 3, 25 and quite thin. I have a mustard leather jacket. I want to wear it to work, Please suggest ideas where I can look chic and stylish and not like Uma Thurman from Kill Bill. â‡'- Divya

Mustard is the new black this season! You can team the mustard jacket with a classic white ruffled shirt with flood pants for formal occasions. Pine green or maroon A-line dress for dinner nights. A sequined black dress for a party.

Paresh is a city-based designer and couture evangelist.

Q: Im a 23-year-old ectomorph boy. I wish to gain some weight. Can you please suggest a diet plan that will aid weight gain? â‡'- Prince Sandal Jain

Energy-dense food helps in weight gain. Eat often by including smaller meals between your proper meals to increase calories intake. This will help your body to retain calories and energy.

Choose high-calorie, nutrient-rich starches to get fibre, B vitamins and iron, along with the extra calories. Healthy options include dense whole-grain bread, oats, brown rice, quinoa, beans, potatoes and whole-wheat pasta. Fish is great source of Omega 3 fatty acid and it lowers your risk of heart diseases. Dry fruits are calorie-high, anti-oxidant and fibre rich.

Q: Im a 17-year-old with acne-prone skin. I wish to rid my skin of acne scars. Can you help me find a diet, which will help clear the blemishes on my skin? â‡'- Mayuri

Whatever you eat reflects in your face. Eat fresh and clean to make your skin glow. Avoid fried and processed food, as these are high in saturated and trans fats, which contribute to breakouts. Hydrate yourself throughout the day by having 3 litres of water. Foods loaded with anti-oxidants like berries, oranges, plums, onions, radish and spinach fight free radicals, little molecules that float in the air, attach to skin and cause premature ageing, pore damage and an increased rate of acne. Eat 4-5 servings of fresh fruits in a day.

Q: I am 18 years old and my weight is 104. I have always battled with my weight and I really want to lead a healthy life. Can you help me find the right diet plan? â‡'- Vishnu Vardhan

To have a healthy lifestyle, there are few things that you should incorporate in your daily routine.

* Have a healthy balanced diet food including greener leafy vegetables and more and more fruits.

* Avoid refined, fried and processed foods.

* Exercise regularly.

* Drink at least 8-9 glasses of water and get sleep for 7-8 hours.

Q: I am a 20-year-old lean boy. I weigh 50 kg. I eat everything, and I dont leave out any particular food group. I have started feeling a little conscious about my appearance. Can you suggest a diet plan so that I can gain some weight? - Riyaz ur Rahaman N R