TA n QTPR~o,cr,oNs FOR K

By NANCY JADEALTMEA "'":'R~J:~!:df'~uti~H1".ll

ARIES March 21 - April 19

This is a month of social indulgence and making time for special friends. Take care of your limbs, try not to pull any muscles. Your love life is causing you some stress. Work will be demanding, but major changes will benefit you. You will be feeling a bit lethargic, but keep motivated towards a better work situation. Company cutbacks mean keeping on your toes. A pet may be feeling m.

TAURUS Apr i l 20 - May 20

You will be feeling very positive, as finances will be stable. Expect an increase in income from another source. Friends may request you for money, politely decline as the loan will not be returned. You may have some stomach issues, so change your diet, cut out wheat and try a gluten free diet. Family and communication will be important. Someone living in another country will cause concern, call them.

GEMINI May 21 - June 20

It's time for social activities, parties and entertaining. There may be a new job offer or promotion. Debts and bills need to be settled so keep your accounts updated. You may think of a short holiday soon. Your lower back may cause some problems, maybe related to an old injury. Electric items may need attention. You are surrounded by white, guided by protection from a relative who has passed over

CANCER June 21 - July 20

It's a time of love and romance. Make a commitment to someone you have liked for some time now. Don 't rush into buying, despite wanting new things for your home. Work is positive with a greater interest in social activities and workshops. Expansion and stability is paramount, as well as future investments and property. Your spouse may be unwell, give them rest and support.

You will have increased expenses, so do not overspend and control outgoings. Take care when using the stairs. You may think of taking up some creative activity like writing or painting, now is the time to let your creative juices run wild. Work will be steady; if look ing for work, a recent meeting will have a positive outcome. Certain people have not communicated well with you which has been upsetting.

You will be uneasy and restless, with disturbed sleeping patterns. Try to relax before bedtime. Be careful when dealing with relatives in difficult situations and discussions. Take care on the road, people may be careless. There is some confusion and doubt about the future. You are not feeling secure and stable. Financially you want to save more money, but are a bit disorganised and lazy. Look after an old relative who is ill.

You may have a stressful month, with a chance of splitting up with a longtime close friend. You are thinking about how to increase your finances. Try and relax, take up meditation , if very stressed, but you will get through. You overreact and get upset quickly, keep cool and calm. You will think about buying new clothes and changing your image, with a new hairstyle. Get involved in community social activities.

You will be feeling very energetic, charged and in control. You wilJ make plans to start new ventures. Your investment in stocks and shares are not giving good returns. Put your cash elsewhere, take advice. Relationships are stressful, ease the situation by spending quality time together. If in an exercise regime, keep persisting even if you are not that motivated. Try to lose weight and keep healthy.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21

This is a great month for career advancement and new possibi lities. You will travel and look at the possibility of a venture overseas. Financially you are saving, and that feels good. Spice up your love life with role playing and fantasy in the bedroom, as Saggis get bored quickJy. Speak to your partner, as you feel they are not taking the initiative. You may start a new venture in the future, so make plans.

You will look at ways of increasing your income. You will feel healthy and relaxed, as health is good and you are trying to lose weight. This is a time for travelling and thinking of buying a house or maintaining your current home. There are exciting changes, so keep motivated. You tend to keep to yourself, as you have been betrayed Jately by some good friends.

You will feel restless because of work pressure. Take care and get enough rest to handle demanding work projects. J Take care when driving, especially if you drive a red car. News relating to a health test will be favourable. Spend , time out with your family, and make time for yourself. You may be suffering from headaches, and stiffness around the neck. Someone abroad will be in touch.

You will take more of an interest in spirituality, meditation and chanting of some kind. You are stressed out, so relax your mind and body. Regular massages will be good. Relationships are on and off, decide what you really want. Keep finances in check and start saving as you have been overspending lately. Start exercising regularly, spend more time in the gym to keep your health in order.

Itwas party-time for Bollywood recently as Boney Kapoor threw a bash to celebrate his wife and actress Sr idevi s 50th birthday The ti/mi revellers kept the party going we ll into the night. From Rish i Kapoor to Shi lpa Shetty and Sushmita Sen, filmdom's best and brightest came out in ful l force to wish the birthday girl. Hema Malini came with her daughter Esha and son-in-law BharatTakhtani, while Juhi Chawla was seen with her husband Jay Mehta, and Anupam Kher was spotted too. Manoj Bajpayee and Vinod Khanna were also spotted along with Rish i , who worked with her i n successful films li ke Nagina and Chandni. Sridevi's b rother-in-law Anil Kapoor, who worked with her in hits like Mr India, too came for the do with his wife Sunita.

Last year Sridevi hogged the l imelight for her comeback film English Vinglish , in which she gave a credible performance. Before retiring in 1996 after marrying Boney Kapoor, she enjoyed success with hits like Sadma, Himmatwala, Chaalbaaz andJudaai

Well, S0's not a great age to start sizzling on the screen again, but Sri seems to have achieved this Good on her!

John Abraham, whose latest production Madras Cafe was under attack from Tamil activists for allegedly showcasing LTTE cadres as terror ists, says he always wanted to break clutter w ith his films. And the courage to do so comes from his audience.

His debut production Vicky Donor dealt with the sensitive subject of spe r m donation in a lighter vein and Madras Cafe is based on the Sri Lankan civil war. While one entertained, the latter is aimed at engaging.

'Very frankly, the courage to be a clutter-breaker comes from the audience. Vicky Donor was widely accepted. It really doesn't matter if some pol itical organisations object to my (new) film. It's up to the audience to accept or reject the film," John sa id.

Madras Cafe, which features John as a RAW agent and Nargis Fakhri as a war correspondent, released this month. Theatre owners in Tami l Nadu refrained from releasing either the Hindi or the Tamil version feari ng protests from Tamil activists

Isn't it a tough situation for a new producer like you?

"I am new to the business. But if I' ve to be a clutter-breaker, I may have to make political statements. As a filmmaker, I must be all owed to have my say in a democratic nation;' he said.

Farah hopes SRK will loosen the purse strings for Happy NewYear Choreographer- director Farah Khan hopes the success of Chennai Express helps her next directorial venture Happy New Year, which she is making with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead ro l e SRK co-produced his Chennai Express, wh i ch had Deepika Padukone i n the female lead, with UTV and the romantic comedy is reaping gold at the box office. Farah is interpreting the success of the film as good news for her movie because the Bollywood Badshah is produc i ng her project as well.

"I am very happy at the success of Chennai Express. It has broken all records. Shah Rukh is the hero and producer of my film. Now he wi l l come on the sets of my film filled with more energy and hopefully will shell out more money for my film. I am very happy;' Farah told reporters jokingly.

Farah is repeating the hit pair of SRKDeepika in Happy New Year She worked with them in Om Shanti Om, which also marked Deepika's debut i n Hind i filmdom.

Farah also informed Happy New Year, which also stars Abhishek Bachchan, is set to go on floors next month.

"The schedule wil l start September 1st in Dubai,"said Farah.

If laughter is t he best medicine, Hi ndi general entertainment channels

(GECs) are using it to the hi lt to woo audiences They are serving comedies in new formats, using fresh storytelling techniques, funn i er gags and l aughing all the way to the bank with soaringTRPs

The demand for li ght-hearted shows can be estimated fr om the fact that Comedy Circus is i n its 16th season and has also entered the Limca Book of Records for being the longest runn i ng reality comedy series.

If that is not enough, stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma's show has caught the fancy of non-traditional GEC -viewers and it has been extended owing to its popu l arity, whi le SAB TV has dedicat ed itself to just comedy shows

"The audience wants to laugh and this is why the trend of comedy shows i s on a high on TV;'said Kapil, host and producer of Colors' Comedy Nights With Kapi/.

"I'm the same Kapil who is doi ng comedy on Indian TV since many years But the only difference is that I'm se lli ng comedy in a new way and this is what people are enjoying My comedy is not, my packaging is new," Shar ma told !ANS. His show boasts oftop Bollywood celebr ities and an audience full of youths as he focusses on issues which affect the common man.

It's true that Shekhar Suman's once cu lt show Movers & Shakers had an al most similar vein - he too picked up issues concerning the common man, but there's something definitely new about Comedy Nights With Kapil

TV also offers a platform in a big way to stand-up comedians - Raju Srivastava, Bharti Singh, Sudesh Lahiri, Krushna Abhishekand Sunil Pal, to name just a few

As far as heartwarming 'dramedies' are concerned, the 1980s and 1990s saw many: Yeh Jo Hai Z indagi, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Hum Paanch, Flop Show, Shrimaan Shrimati, Zabaan Sambhalke, Office Office, Tu Tu Main Main, Yes Boss and Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai.

Cut to the 2000s Shows like Khichdi,

F.I.R., Malini Iyer, Kareena Kareena, Comedy Circus, The Great Indian Comedy Show, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Lapataganj and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah cut through the clutter of saas-bahu melodrama to give TV viewers bouts of laughter.

With loads offun and clean content, the comedy makes for a viable familyviewing experience

Actor-producer J.D. Majethia of Khichdi fame believes the space for comedy shows has grown manifold over the years and it is pleasant to witness the boom in the number and kind of sitcoms and how they have entered the weekend programming.

The direction in which comedy is heading on the sma ll screen is " perfect;' says producer Asit Modi, known for the much-loved Taarak Mehta However, it is a difficult genre, and sustaining its charm requires special skills.

'We need actors and writers with special skil l s for comedy. Everyone can't make people laugh India lacks adequate creative ta l ent for comedy. There's scarcity, and so the scope of the genre is limited Moreover, to do clean comedy for TV is even tougher," Modi told JANS

His Taarak Mehta has been running successfully for over five years, and it has crossed the 1,200-episode mark.

"New ideas from new people always help. As long as you give freshness and variety, things will work;' explained Modi, who also added that the basic ingredients of a good show are "a good story" and "a promise to entertain the audience''.

Majethia too is all for keeping up w ith times

He said, "When we don't wear the clothes that we used to wear years ago, or even live the life we used to back then, why must we be served the same content

ANIL KAPO OR on TV? New times demand new things''.

Perhaps, that's what he is targeting through his new show, reportedly titled Bh Se Bhade, featuring ace comedian Deven Bhojani.

People will identify with flawed hero in 24: Anil Kapoor Anil Kapoor is confident that the audiences will relate to his character in his debut TV production 24 and it will cement his place in the hearts of viewers because of its realism

Anil plays Jai Singh Rathod, the chief of anti-terrorist Unit of India, in 24

My character is such that people wil l identify with it. He is a common man, he is a hero but a flawed hero. He is like any other man. Every man today is trying to balance between his family and his professional commitments. He wants to keep both parti es happy and that is tough;' the 56-year-old said at the launch of the show

" My character loves his country, He is very patriotic and trying to save the future prime minister of the country, while on the other hand his family is al so falling apart. So, I feel people will see my character as real and it wil l cement it's place in their hearts and the show also;' added the actor known of hit movies Mr. India, Virasat.

Anil, who started his stint in the internationa l cinema with Slumdog Millionaire, also featured in the eighth season of the American version of 24 He sa i d that the Indian adaptation of the superhit American TV series by the same name has been adapted according to Ind ian sensibilities

"

The story has been successful all over the world and we have adapted it in such a manner that it cou ld hit the sensibilities of the Indian audiences, so they like it," said the actor

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Being directed by Abhinay Deo, the show wil l go on air in October on Colors TV and the first season will have 24 episodes

It also stars Mandira Bed i and Tisca Chopra, while Anupam Kher, Rishi Kapoor and Boman Irani will make cameo appearances