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DLD‰‰‰†‰KDLD‰‰‰†‰DLD‰‰‰†‰MDLD‰‰‰†‰C There’s something Celina sizzles THE TIMES OF INDIA about Cameron: She’s in Janasheen, Saturday, August 30, 2003 hot property in films! Khel Khel mein! Man drives into river while having sex Page 7 Page 8 There are mishaps and the- out driving his car. ‘‘The lo- re are mishaps. But some cal fire brigade was called mishaps are freakier than in to fish the car and its two others. Like in the case of a occupants out of the river,’’ French man says a police who, while officer. making out Understa- with a sex- ndably, the worker and man and the driving, lost sex-worker control of were the on- the steering wheel and end- ly ones who did not laugh ed up in the Loire river. about the accident. But th- According to the police, en, being in deep water wh- this man from Orleans got ile in top gear doesn’t exact- OF INDIA so excited that he forgot ab- ly tickle the funny bone. WHY BAR DRINKING IN PUBLIC AFTER MIDNIGHT? ARUN KUMAR DAS am and till 3 am after payment of an extra uor at a more leisurely pace tend to gulp spirited city, 263 doesn’t appear to be too Times News Network fee, restaurants in Kolkata stay open till 1 A legal absurdity which stipulates that restaurants, down more alcohol at a rapid rate to beat substantial a figure. The booze business, am round the week and till 4 am on Satur- the clock. Consequently,the effects of alc- on its part, would love to see the floodgates ick-tock, tick-tock. As the clock days. With Delhi aspiring to be a cosmopo- bars & discotheques shut down before midnight is ohol are enhanced and there are chances open. As HS Munjal of Seagram puts it, ticks away,life has become a ra- litan city comparable to New York, Paris, of a law-and-order problem where none “The existing timings of closure for resta- ce against time for those who London and Rome, there is no logic to just- not only inconsistent with the principles of liberty, existed. Moreover, since most parties — urants and hotels is a deterrent for those T want to unwind with a glass in ify why people who are otherwise free to but has also effectively killed the Capital’s night life be they at bars or discos — are unlikely to planning a night out.” hand after the wicked hour.Because, ridi- down a few pegs during the day should be end at midnight, there is always the chan- For the DTTDC, the early closing time culous as it sounds, Delhi is barred from restrained from doing so at night — spec- ce of the revelry spilling over to a private of bars and restaurants spells a setback enjoying a decent meal or a drink at a res- ially when it is common knowledge that TIMELY INTERVENTION—I venue. Such a situation leads to girls being for tourism. Says DTTDC MD Rajeev Tal- taurant or hotel after midnight. Delhi’s life really begins late. “Bars stay at a greater risk safety-wise than they wo- war,‘‘With bar-equipped restaurants dow- The Delhi Police Act, 1980, stipulates th- open all night in countries worldwide. Del- uld be in a public place. Keeping all this in ning their shutters at midnight, there are at the closing time of eating houses be no hi should have access to this facility,”says mind, it is desirable to extend the timings no options for tourists. In any case, an ex- later than 11:30 pm in summer and 11 pm Vipin Luthra of Geoffrey’s. Adds Raman of restaurants, hotels, discos.’’ tension of bar timings can only mean mo- in winter. According to the Delhi Liquor Mehra of the Taj Palace, “Many interna- Incidentally,the liquor licence fee in De- re employment and more revenue, not ju- Licence Rules, 1976, which are based on tional flights arrive late at night. Having lhi is the highest countrywide. ‘‘With exo- st for bars, but for the government too.’’ to close our bar at 1 am means that we tu- rbitantly high permit fees in place, restau- Bars stay open all night in rn away a large number of customers. Bu- rants and hotels are unwilling to shell out An extension of bar timings countries worldwide; Delhi should siness is affected, but that’s the way it is.” the extra charge required to stay open for means more employment & more have access to this facility At the same time, that’s not the way than additional hour because they are unli- revenue for hotels and the Govt ings need to be. ‘‘Excise laws offer scope kely to earn as much in return. These es- — Vipin Luthra of Geoffrey’s for restaurant and bar timings to be exte- tablishments would like to remain open — DTTDC MD Rajeev Talwar nded,’’ says a senior excise official, ‘‘If the all night, but the extra fee levied should be the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, ‘‘All restaura- government chooses to extend the timin- a maximum of 25 per cent of the liquor li- Apart from hampering business, the ex- nts are to stop serving liquor at 11 pm and gs, nothing can stop it from doing so.’’ Si- cence fee,” says Ratan Keswani of the Ob- isting closing times for public entertainm- all hotels are forbidden to serve liquor be- multaneously,excise commissioner Ranv- eroi. Alternatively,hotels and restaurants ent spots go against the spirit of a liberal yond 12 pm at night. Punitive action can ir Singh maintains, ‘‘There is no proposal could be charged by the hour for the dura- society. The Delhi assembly holds all the be initiated against defaulters.’’ While pu- to change the existing timings.’’ NEELABH tion they remain open after midnight. answers. And Singh indicates as much. ‘‘If nitive action includes suspension/cancel- Officially speaking, the Capital is host This point of argument,’’ cou- “For instance, if the hourly rate is fixed at the government wants to extend bar tim- lation of the bar licence, the rules do allow to a burgeoning population, infrastructu- view, however, is CITIES WHERE RESTAURANTS/ HOTELS/ nters psychiatri- Rs 20,000 per year, hotels and restaurants ings, the law will not stand in the way of hotels to serve liquor till 1 am after paym- ral capability and a flow of foreigners. Ho- debatable. ‘‘What DISCOTHEQUES STAY OPEN ALL-NIGHT st Samir Parikh, can choose how long into the night they implementation.’’ ent of a whopping Rs 3 lakh (in the case of wever, political will, or rather the lack of law-and-order pr- MD, ‘‘The mental want to remain open,’’ says Tarun Mong- The ground reality is that the Capital’s restaurants) and Rs 4.25 lakh (in the case it, is what is playing spoilsport. Delhi fina- oblem can possi- Amsterdam New York pressure of drin- ia, a consultant to the hospitality industry. liquor laws have outlived their utility.For of hotels) per annum. nce minister MS Saathi points to a “liber- bly arise after 1 Edinburgh Paris king against a de- For the record, a total of 263 establish- a city whose night life has been left high Restaurants and hotels in developed so- alised” excise policy, ‘‘but as far as exten- am which can’t adline means th- ments — spanning 172 restaurants, 48 hot- and dry, the closure of bars and restaur- Hong Kong Rome cieties worldwide stay open all night and, ding timings for bars and restaurants go- occur before 1 at those who wo- els and 43 clubs — are privy to bar licences ants at midnight amounts to a lump in the even within India, while restaurants in es, we need to take into consideration law am? There is no London Tokyo uld otherwise in Delhi. Of course, when one considers throat — and Delhi refuses to swallow it. Mumbai are allowed to stay open till 1.30 and order.’’ rationale to this consume less liq- the 1.5 crore-plus population of this high- [email protected] MANOJ KESHARWANI Shaan adds Spice to new album The versatile singer teams up with Sporty Spice Mel C for a remix of Tanha Dil NYDIA DIAS and Blue has belted out its hit single One Love, Times News Network Shaan sings a verse in Hindi for the album. Now, the inside info. How did all this happen? he road to pop-culture stardom ‘‘Actually,all of us are with the Tis strewn with mostly failed BRIGHT NOTE same recording company.Eve- and some successful attempts at cross- rything was coordinated thr- over to become icons. But seemingly ough letters, without my really leading the list of successful Indi-pop meeting them. But this is som- stars is singer Shaan. ething I’m very excited about.’’ ‘‘I’m working on a new Ditto for the Edinburgh Mu- album, which should be sic Festival next month, where out by October,” says Shaan has been invited to perf- Shaan, “What I’m ex- orm. ‘‘I’ve managed to come th- cited about is that I’ve is far because I’ve never tried collaborated with two to project an image that isn’t big UK acts for this al- me,” says Shaan, “I think I’m bum — former Spi- an average talent, but I never ce Girl Mel C and pretend to be anything else. boy band Blue.’’ This has taken me a long way.’’ While Mel has Well, knowing his ability to sung in English strike the right note, Shaan wi- for the remix ll go a longer way still.

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