DLD‰‰†‰KDLD‰‰†‰DLD‰‰†‰MDLD‰‰†‰C THE TIMES OF INDIA Melody’s notes? find your first name THE TIMES OF INDIA Alicia holds the Friday, initial here January 23, 2004 Keys to a Diary! Couple invites strangers to wedding Page 6 A wedding with a ‘strange’ milies and only a few frien- difference. After all, this ds but we wanted to have Belgian couple many guests at invited complete our wedding.’’ strangers to th- People wanti- eir wedding. ng to attend we- Ronny Buys- re asked to send se, 38, and Mari- cards to the cou- anne Lacouf, 40, ple, and 430 gue- from Ronse, put sts were finally an ad in a local invited. Says Ro- newspaper to nny, ‘‘We didn’t announce their know half the wedding and in- guests but this vite ‘guests’. Says Marian- didn’t stop us having fun.’’ ne, ‘‘We both have small fa- All’s well that ends well. OF INDIA ENTERTAINMENT PLUS MANOJ KESHARWANI She’s hot! BEER CHILLS OUT! Even as Delhi shivers under the sheets, beer does hot business ASHOK CHATTERJEE Times News Network ARUN KUMAR DAS season? ‘‘Easy availability, coupled Times News Network with a rise in Delhi’s population of he’s got the look... she’s got the bod... beer-drinkers, is responsible for th- Sand experimentation gets her nod. he myth has been shattered. is trend,’’ says industry analyst Vij- Bipasha Basu, whether in reel-life or real, TWe all know that beer sa- ay Singh. The easy av- is not the typical Bollywood heroine. les soared to record heights ailability of beer, in ‘‘I don’t want to be typecast in a partic- last summer, but the froth turn, becomes all the ular slot,’’ maintains Bipasha, ‘‘If I play- that cheers has now served a more pronounced ed a conniving woman in Jism, I am a col- surprise this winter by li- when one considers th- lege girl in Aetbaar. Then, I am a scientist terally selling like hot at a dozen more depa- in Rudraksha, a Tarot card-reader in Ra- cakes at the height of a rtmental stores are kht, and have a comic part in No Entry.’’ cold wave. in the queue to secure With Ishq Hai Tumse having bombed, The figures speak licences to sell beer Bipasha needs a hit right now. But nerv- for themselves. If beer and 28 more private ousness is not a word which figures in her sales touched around vends are due to op- dictionary.‘‘I am never nervous about any 1.75 lakh cases (each en soon. The Bacch- of my films. Fl- case packs 12 bottles) us buff has stimul- ops don’t both- TICK TALK in December 2003, ex- us enough to be in er me. They do- pect another 1.56 lakh high spirits. n’t affect me either, as I haven’t stopped beer cases to disapp- ‘‘The opening of getting different kinds of roles.’’ ear off liquor-outlet NEELABH private liquor vends Teaming up with John Abraham aga- shelves this month. GULP FICTION has definitely help- in after Jism, Bipasha describes their rel- ‘‘Beer sales inv- ed increase beer ationship as normal — ‘‘we are very hap- ariably scale hi- COMPARITIVE FIGURES sales,’’ explains py together.’’ And while she does have gher figures wi- a leading beer plans to tie the knot, this won’t happen th each succes- ● December 2002: 1,51,301 cases distributor,‘‘Ea- for three years atleast. ‘‘When it happens, sive summer.In ● December 2003: 1,75,550 cases rlier, with the I will stop signing films.’’ For then, it will this context, be- availability of ● be time for other roles — such as produc- er posting reco- January 2002: 1,19,000 cases the best beer br- tion, going behind the camera or becom- rd sales in win- ● January 2003: 1,21,808 cases ands being rest- ing the driving force behind a restaurant. ter is a most un- ricted, consum- ● January 2004: 1,56,000 cases* Yes, Bipasha Basu will always be on a expected — but ers were forced roll. Because, even beyond Bollywood, li- definitely welc- * projected figures (each case has 12 bottles) to make compr- ghts, camera and action will follow her ome — develop- omises. Now, AT FULL STRETCH! Bipasha Basu, the leading lady of Aetbaar, presented by Indiatimes in association with PVR Cinemas, wherever she goes. ment,’’ says a senior excise official. the consumer king.’’ In other words, puts her best foot forward for Delhi Times (To send this photograph to a friend, log on to www.timescity.com/delhi/) [email protected] But what exactly is the reason be- it’s time to grin and beer it! hind beer spreading good cheer this [email protected] Nothing can harry Potter NIKITA DOVAL nry Bates And The Sorcerer’s Balls. Delhi’s envy, LA’s pride: Times News Network TAKE THREE Coming back to Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban, the movie t’s a brand new session at Hogwarts introduces ‘‘soul-sucking’’ Demen- Ithis year.And everything seems to be tors who remind Harry of the dy- in a Muggle... oops... muddle. For even ing moments of his parents. The as Pottermaniacs are gearing up to third film in the Potter series will al- A MUSEUM OF EROTICA? meet their hero this season, winds of so see Michael Gambon stepping into change are blowing in the land of the the shoes of the late Richard Harris, ANUBHA SAWHNEY faiths, and the Shaiva and Shakti cults. boy wizard. Picture this: Harry Potter who played Albus Dumbledore. Other Times News Network If the wall paintings at the Narasim- And The Prisoner of Azkaban has a new newcomers in the cast include Julie Ch- ha Swamy temple in Sibi bring to life director in Alfonso Cuaron, new char- ristie as Madam Rosmerta and Dawn Fr- five-letter country with a cultu- the panoramic colours of sex, Indian acters and various dark shades ench as the Fat Lady.Emma Thomp- re seeped in eroticism. A three- miniatures in the Basholi, Kangra and which were missing from son also makes an entry. Aletter word cloaked in mystery. Rajasthani styles further enrich the br- the first two movies. Meanwhile, production wo- Ignorance might be bliss for matters le- ush between erotica and art. Says ad Incidentally,Cuaron cl- rk has started on the fourth ss potent, but when the subject is sex, guru Alyque Padamsee, ‘‘Certain ads aims he was hooked mo- Harry Potter movie, which knowledge is power. Simply put, if Los — Frank Semoi’s 1960s ad for Liberty ment he read JK Rowlin- could be the most expensi- Angeles’ Erotic Museum can become a Shirts; the KS campaign with Pooja Be- g’s third book. ‘‘It’s a my- ve film ever made. An es- tourist attraction, why can’t Delhi host di and Marc Robinson; and the Tuff sh- th for our times,’’ says timated production cost a similar museum in India? oes ad with Madhu Sapre, Milind Som- Cuaron. The ultimate of $168 million makes it In a country where literature on sex an and the python — could make it to compliment to the Har- costlier than the Lord is as primeval as it is profound, Vatsya- the museum.’’ Film-maker Mahesh Bh- ry Potter series, though, Of The Rings trilogy. yana’s Kama Sutra, scripted around att has a few celluloid candidates: ‘‘The comes from a Hollywo- But then, Potter has re- 2,000 years ago, continues to be the ult- rain songs in Raj Kapoor’s movies; Ma- od studio developing a ason to act pricey! imate treatise on erotica. Other ancient ndikini soaking under a waterfall in spoof on the film — He- [email protected] texts which merit preservation include Ram Teri Ganga Maili; and Dilip Kum- Sougandhikaparinaya; Shritatwanid- PASSIONATE POSSIBILITIES ar caressing Madhubala’s face with a hi; Janavashya; and tomes on sex colle- feather in Mughl-e-Azam.’’ cted by the kings of Mysore. ‘‘We do ha- The popularity of the sex museum in Los Angeles arouses a Incidentally,artist MF Husain main- ve modern-day sex manuals, but the wi- mind-stimulating poser: in the land of the Kama Sutra, why tains that India already has the ultima- sdom of the ancients should be an inte- te sex museum: ‘‘We were comfortable gral part of this museum,’’ says sex ex- can’t Delhi be home to India’s very own museum of erotica? with our sexuality centuries back. The pert Prakash Kothari, MD. WHAT A SEX MUSEUM IN DELHI COULD HAVE: sculptures at Khajuraho are more sa- ● Ancient texts such as the Kama Sutra ● Costumes of courtesans ● Erotic movie clips ● Sculptures from Khajuraho ● Aphrodisiacs ● Sensuous advertisements down the ages ● Aromatic oils/bath salts India has used the aromatic and yoni are worshipped — that such properties of oils such as mundane objects as combs, nut cracke- cedarwood, rs, mirror-handles and cinnamon, locks are found imbu- clove, neroli, ed with erotic dou- patchouli, ble entendre. rose, sand- Marking a ro- alwood, al- mance with ston- mond, jas- es, Indian civilis- mine, cha- ations have carv- mpa,curry ed out figures of Adds sex expert Saroja Gumaste, leaf, lotus copulating coup- cred than the artifacts at any sex muse- MD, ‘‘Apart from the exotic costumes of and menthol les (mithuna), um.’’ While Delhi’s sex museum will courtesans, an assortment of Indian to attain the cli- with the sensua- not attempt to arouse but pay tribute to aphrodisiacs are a must at a museum of max that makes the lity of temples all things sexual, psychiatrist Sanjay sex.’’ Food for erotic thought.