SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016 (PAGE 4)

MOVIE-REVIEW aims too high, neglects the basics KJo at his very best Saibal Chatterjee Excelsior Correspondent Every time the eponymous All the trouble that Ae Dil Hai protagonist of Shivaay Mushkil faced in the run-uup to its swings into action, a Shiva release ensured that the film never anthem on the sound- track eggs him on to keep went out of the news. Expectations going. It's a war cry that were naturally pretty high. sounds peppy enough but, 's latest directorial venture lives up to all the buzz. It is a wonderfully scripted and well-acted romantic like the rest of the turgid drama designed as an ode to unrequited love and a celebra- film, it makes very little tion of film music and conventions. In addition to all the surface fizz that characterizes in the sense. film, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil proffers an array of delights that makes every minute of its two-and-a-half-hour run worth- Ajay Devgn's second film as director while. is a super-ambitious actioner shot in the It defies the norms of average Bollywood love stories by Balkan Mountains and featuring an presenting characters who follow their hearts rather than international cast led by the star himself. the rules of society as they look for soulmates in a complex But the result that it yields is way, way world. short of riveting. The tale unfolds in , , Vienna and A film that revolves around a father and centres on a wannabe singer Ayan Sengar (Ranbir fighting violently to rescue his deaf- Kapoor), who hooks up with a fancy-free Alizeh Khan mute daughter from the Russian mafia (), a spirited woman nursing a broken heart in a foreign land should have reduced but in no hurry to dive into another serious relationship. the audience to emotional pulp. What it Ayan is physically attracted to Alizeh, but the latter is does instead is leave us completely cold. content with being his best friend. When her first love Shivaay strings together some stun- () comes back into her life, the arrangement ning visuals and a few electrifying action between Alizeh and Ayan is instantly upset. and tangible. and chase sequences, but the film, for all Ayan takes it badly. As he seeks to conceal his grief, he Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is made all the more watchable by the technical and material resources that falls for Saba (Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan), a poetess who has , who wades into the role with the glee of a have been showered on it, fails to kick recently walked out of a marriage. She nurses him back to a child who has found his favourite toy. He builds up the char- into top gear. better frame of mind. But Ayan simply cannot get Alizeh out acter with little spontaneous sleights that go a long way in The film's hero (Devgn) is an infalli- of his system. establishing a connection with the audience. ble mountaineer who falls in love with a Laced with numbers composed by , old Hindi film Anushka Sharma is the ideal foil, while Fawad Khan, in a Bulgarian damsel Olga (Erika Kaar) and songs, and ghazals sung famously by the likes Farida cameo, leaves a deep imprint. The only member of the cast fathers a baby girl out of wedlock. Khanum and Noor Jehan, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is anything who sticks out somewhat is Aishwarya. The young mother returns to her but outright popcorn entertainment. As the divorced beauty who sweeps the hero off his feet, country, leaving Shivaay the job of rais- Writer-director Karan Johar lends an edge to the narra- Aishwarya tends to push Ae Dil Hai Mushkil into more con- ing the child. Eight years later, the tive by constantly springing surprises that range from the ventional territory with her self-conscious diva act. daughter, Gaura, (Abigail Eames), who actions precipitated by the disappointment of unreciprocat- Minor flaws apart, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is Karan Johar's can hear but cannot speak, stumbles ed love to intimations of mortality as the film's young lead most accomplished film to date. It is controlled and yet upon the truth behind her birth. pair struggle to find a meeting point between physical love infectiously energetic. So, Shivaay and Gaura fly to Sofia so and pure friendship. Love might be a difficult emotion to navigate in real life, that the girl can see her mother for the Some viewers might find the world that these characters but it would be easy to fall in love with Johar's take on it in first time. But no sooner does the duo is suggested in many different ways but inhabit a bit too remote for total comprehension, but the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, if you aren't expecting just glitz and land in the alien country than a major The emotional bond it does not leave a deep enough impres- emotions that they express are never far away from the real glam. crisis erupts. sion on the mind and heart for the audi- Gaura is kidnapped by child traffick- between Shivaay and his ence to really care for the characters. ers and an hopping mad Shivaay finds That apart, the vicious antagonists HEALTHLINES himself at odds with the Bulgarian law. daughter is suggested in that Shivaay encounters in Bulgaria are In his dangerous mission to rescue so shadowy that they never come into his abducted daughter, Shivaay receives many different ways but their own. So when the hero takes them help from an Indian embassy girl, on, the audience isn't fully invested in The Importance of Strength Training Anushka (Sayyeshaa Saigal), who flips it does not leave a deep the confrontation. Pawan Kumar for the harried father-turned-mean enough impression on Technically sparkling, Shivaay the machine. film does not scale the heights that Strength training as a form of exercise Shivaay is crammed with perilous the mind and heart for Shivaay the man does without breaking high-altitude sequences and high-ener- a sweat. gets little to no attention compared to gy action scenes, captured with panache the audience to really If only the film had realized even half cardiovascular training.Most people by DoP Aseem Bajaj. Where the film is its ambition, it would have been a cut know that walking or riding their bike found wanting is in its patchy screenplay care for the characters. well above the rest. It isn't because (Sandeep Shrivastava). Shivaay is so overly in awe of its visible, is an essential part of maintaining The characters seem to act on unex- physical trappings that it neglects put- plained whims and the situations that marked by randomness. The emotional ting some effort into imparting depth to good health; strength training is their actions spark are, therefore, bond between Shivaay and his daughter its narrative under-wiring. often acknowledged as a beneficial thing to do for optimal health, but BEAUTY TIPS not essential enough to regularly incorporate into their exercise routine. Prepare for Winter Strength training, by definition, is a concerted effort to use resistance or weights to work a muscle group.Many peo- It cannot ple falsely believe that being active, such as standing and moving during a shift at work, or doing house work, is absorb either enough effort to keep muscles healthy and strong.Being active is beneficial to the body, but it takes a focused effort to water or oil by work muscles by either using weights, or your own body itself. Therefore, weight, to get the benefits of strength training. The benefits of strength training are much too important the only way of to omit when committing to a healthy lifestyle, and many of these benefits cannot be accomplished with cardiovascular protecting the training alone.A well-designed strength-training program skin from mois- can provide the following benefits: Strength training ture loss is to Increases muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat. Even at rest, your body will burn more calories if use moisturizers you strength train regularly. As muscle mass increases, daily, to replen- metabolism increases, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight. If you don’t intentionally rebuild muscle ish the loss of through exercise, every ten years you will need to eat 150-450 less calories each day to maintain your current weight. moisture and Helps to slow down or halt muscle loss that accompanies keep the skin aging. A typical adult loses about one-half pound of muscle per year after the age of 20, which means you feel less ener- soft and moist. getic and generally weaker. Slows bone loss that accompanies aging and increases Shahnaz Husain For normal to dry skin, cleanse twice a day, with a bone density. cleansing cream or gel. Massage the cleanser lightly into Maintains or increases joint flexibility. Seasonal changes influence the skin. As winter the skin and remove it with moist cotton wool. Using moist Helps to manage or reduce pain from ailments such as approaches, the humidity in the air starts decreasing. for thirty minutes a session and you will reap all of the great cotton wool helps to prevent further dryness, as it does not arthritis and old injuries. When humidity is low, the skin loses moisture to the rewards mentioned above.Strength training is undeniably absorb any more moisture from the skin. During the day, Improve fitness variables such as glucose metabolism, atmosphere and it becomes necessary to adjust the daily use a sunscreen, before going out in the sun. Or, use mois- blood pressure, muscle strength endurance, body composi- worth your effort and time skin-care routine. People with normal to dry skin start turizer, if you are indoors. Moisturisers are available in tion and even insulin sensitivity. BASIC PRINCIPLES feeling taut immediately after cleansing. Those with oily cream and liquid form. Apply a liquid moisturiser under Improves brain function. Coordination required to TYPE OF LIFT skin complain that the skin feels dry after washing, but make-up, before using foundation. strength train keeps your brain active. You need to tailor your workout to address specific body becomes oily, or gets eruptions, when creams and moistur- areas. For example, if you want bigger and stronger arms, After cleansing at night, apply almond cream, or pure Enhances appearance. izers are applied. They wonder how to tackle dryness with- you need to use exercises that target those particular mus- almond oil on the lips and leave it on all night. In fact, lip Improves balance and decreases your risk for injury. out getting pimples. Actually, oily skins can also be short of cles. balms are also very helpful in preventing chapped lips and Helps you sleep more soundly. moisture during winter, which affects the outermost layer INTENSITY keeping them soft and smooth. Allows you to do activities you otherwise could not do. of the skin. Some areas of the skin may also acquire tiny When beginning a strength training program, follow these The amount of effort, there are a number of ways to white flakes. HERE ARE SOME HOME REMEDIES: tips: increase the intensity, most of them considered "Weider The skin absorbs moisture in the form of an emulsion of Honey is a powerful humectant (i.e. it attracts moisture Consult with a certified fitness professional to learn safe Principles", cut down on rest times, super set, rest-pause, etc. oil and water. It cannot absorb either water or oil by itself. to the skin). For oily skin, mix honey with egg white or technique before beginning a strength-training program. VOLUME Therefore, the only way of protecting the skin from mois- lemon juice and apply on the skin daily, washing it off after Warm up properly.Spend a few minutes before exercising The quantity of your workouts or duration. You can ture loss is to use moisturizers daily, to replenish the loss 15 minutes with plain water. Both lemon juice and egg to warm muscles and connective tissues up and reduce risk increase or decrease the volume by either training more or of moisture and keep the skin soft and moist. white have cleansing effects, reducing oiliness, while for injury. less often per week or by training for longer or shorter peri- Moisturizers are available in both liquid and cream honey softens and nourishes the skin. If you have a combi- Perform every exercise at a slow, controlled and consis- ods of time. (see variety) forms. During the dry season, for normal to dry skin, it is nation skin, apply honey by itself on the entire face, as it tent rate of speed throughout the movement. VARIETY better to use a creamy moisturizer, applying it after cleans- would suit both oily and dry areas. For dry skin, add egg Engage in a strength training program that is designed to Switching around your workout routine, vary your work- ing and toning the skin. For a dry skin, a moisturizer yolk or a little almond oil to honey and apply on the face. achieve muscle balance.Make sure each muscle has a chance outs by changing exercises, the rep scheme or your training should also be applied under make-up. A liquid moisturiz- Wash it off after 15 minutes. to be worked equally. volume. Variety challenges your muscles and forces them to adapt with increased size and strength. er may be adequate during the humid season. Avocado is a powerful moisturizer and also nourishes Perform all exercises through a full range of motion. PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD Use a cleansing milk to cleanse the skin morning and the skin. Avocado pulp can be mixed with yogurt and Breathe through each exercise. Inadvertently holding Gradually increasing your weights forces your muscles to night. Apply it on the face and wipe off with moist cotton honey and applied on the skin to make it soft, smooth and your breath while strength training can cause excessive stress grow stronger and larger. wool. Apply a light moisturizing lotion if there is dryness. glowing. to your heart. REST Add a drop or two of water before application, to provide Vary your program. Machines, free weights, pilates and Take one peeled and cored apple and puree it in a You need to rest between sets. If your goal is muscle size lighter coverage. Or, mix one teaspoon pure glycerin with fitness ball exercises, to name a few, are all effective tools for blender. Add one tablespoon honey. Apply this on the face or endurance, rest for 30-60 seconds or so. If you want mus- 100 ml rose water. Keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge. like a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then, rinse off strength training.Try one or two together to further enhance Use a little of this lotion after cleansing. This moisturizes cle strength, allow up to 2-4 minutes between sets. with cool water. This is a powerful skin toner for all skin muscle strength and decrease boredom. RECOVERY the skin, without making it oily. Apply honey on the face types. Exercise each muscle group at least two times per week, daily for 10 minutes and wash off with water. If you have Muscle needs time to repair and grow after a workout. A with at least two days rest in between workouts. an aloe vera plant at home, the gel, found in the inner por- Mix half a teaspoon honey, one teaspoon rose water and good rule of thumb is to rest the muscle group for at least 48 You don’t have to spend three hours a day to see the ben- tion of the leaves, can be applied on the face to moisturize one teaspoon dried milk powder. Mix into a paste and hours to allow sufficient recovery time. efits of strength training.Exercise two to three times a week it. apply on the face. Remove after 20 minutes with water. (The author is a Lecturer Physical Education NSNIS Hockey)