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BGlitterati
MANISHA
KOIRALA
Representing India at the UNFPA 
Manisha Koirala is back in a new avtaar. She’s been selected
as India’s representative at the UNFPA’s forthcoming (June 25
to 28) seminar in Geneva. She is expected to even present a paper on population
control.
Soon after she returns from a vacation in Australia with family and friends,
Manisha will fly to Switzerland to participate in the seminar. "I
was voted in the UN body last September," she reveals, "but
it’s only now that they confirmed my selection. I’m thrilled
and excited by it."
Manisha, in fact, is already quite prepared for her new task. In fact
she can surprise you rattling off the latest population figures of several
nations, and talk at length on India’s population, which crossed
the 1 billionth mark, last week. Population, apparently, is one cause
she feels strongly about, apart from the rehabilitation of Nepali prostitutes.
Ash discovers Lux Skincare
HINDUSTAN Lever Limited have signed Ms World-turned actress, Aishwarya
Rai to be the face of its new Lux Skincare Sunscreen formula. The new
soap claims to contain a combination of proven sunscreen ‘actives’
depostied on the skin as a protective layer, even as it washes away dirt
and grime. Protection of fairness against the darkening of the sun --
that’s been the reason that prompted a great deal of research at
HLL.
The brand hopes to communicate with a direct line: "Who’s afraid
of the sun?" The formula will be available across the country at
the same price as the current international Lux Skincare range -- Rs 14
for a pack of 75 gms, and Rs 23 for a pack of 125 gms.
So what does Ash get from the endorsement, besides skincare? No one’s
telling.
Bariwali scores for narrative
BARIWALI, Anupam Kher’s debut effort as producer, which recently
won the NETPAC Award for the most outstanding Asian film at the Berlin
fest, adds one more feather to its crowded cap. It’s won the award
for the film with the best narrative at the 43rd international film fest
at San Francisco.
Lead actress, Kiron Kher, herself, was present at the festival to introduce
the Bengali films to the North American audience.
Says producer Anupam, "We’re extremely honoured to win this
award. Now, having scored at Berlin and San Francisco, we’re all
set for Sydney and Karlovy Vary."
Will it be international kudos, alone, Anupam?
Deepti Naval reinvented
HAVING caught the eye of photography aficionados with an exhibition of
her work some time ago, and produced the serial, Thoda Sa Aasman,the multifaceted
former actress, Deepti Naval is all set to come back on the telly, with
the serial, Muqammal, which is to be aired on Star Plus shortly.
Directed by Ashok Pandit of Filmi Chakkar fame, the serial’s being
scripted by Pandit’s old pal and guru, Raman Kumar. She plays an
upper middle class woman in search of her dream man, a search that never
seems to end.
Indeed, it’s been a case of long time no see, but Deepti insists
she hasn’t been hibernating. "I never run after projects, that
is not me," she says. She’s always been open to offers that
interest and excite her. As this one, no doubt does.
Another Sen-sational debut
WHILE Bollywood is still reeling under the impact of Hrithik Roshan and
Abhishek Bachchan, a quiet sensation has swept across Tollywood. Last
week, actress, filmmaker and Calcutta’s reigning glamour queen Aparna
Sen launched her daughter Konkona Sen Sharma in Calcutta’s tinsel
world. A student of BA (English) first year at Delhi’s elite St Stephens’
Collenge, Konkona is acting in a film called Akje Achhe Kanya, directed
by Subrata Sen, a first-time director.
For Konkona, though, this is not her first film - she began acting when
she was just three-and-half years old. But her first major role was in
her grandfather Chidananda Dasgupta’s national award winning film
‘Amodini’.
"Konkona always told me she did not want to be an actress but I always
knew she would take up acting as her profession," says mother Aparna
Sen, recounting how as a child Konkona would mimic people. The film, whose
shooting began some eight days ago, is slated for a September-October
release.
Shaju George Alex