Mirror Magazine

 

Indians meet their match on TV
By Catherine Philip
Perched on an ornate swing, the sari-clad young woman snatches a coy glance at the man sitting beside her, shifting nervously on his cushion. Their parents look on.

It is a ritual carried out every day in private homes across India, but these families have chosen to play out the drama of the traditional arranged marriage in front of a television audience of millions.

"Would you allow me to carry on my career after marriage?" Meenakshi asks.

Vinod nods vigorously. "Absolutely. I want an independent wife with a career and opinions of her own."

There are two more candidates, but Meenakshi and Vinod are already smitten. By episode four their engagement is sealed and weeks later they are married, before Kahin Naa Kahin Koi Hai (Somewhere There Is Someone For You) goes on air as India's first matrimonial gameshow.

Millions have tuned in to see India's enduring social tradition played out on the small screen. Meenakshi Wagh, 27, a professional badminton player, agreed to appear as a favour to a friend and also to placate her parents, who were beginning to fret about her age. "Marriage was not on my mind, but when I met Vinod I knew he was for me," she said.

Vinod Deshpande, 28, was also taken by surprise. "I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would meet my bride. I only went on the show to meet Madhuri Dixit," he said, referring to the hostess, a Bollywood siren.

His mother, Nirmala, said: "I thought it was slightly weird, but I am very glad he did it." She admitted that she would have arranged things differently. "We would have looked at her horoscope rather than getting a blood test done," she said, referring to the compulsory HIV test for all contestants.

Meenakshi's parents, however, were delighted by the medical screening. Suman, her mother, said: "We could never have asked the groom's side to conduct tests."

Audience reactions have been mixed. "I don't approve at all," said Shukla, a viewer from Delhi, who nevertheless admitted that she had watched every episode. "They are made to sit too close to each other."

Producers insist that the show sticks as closely as possible to tradition, with the parents playing the paramount role, choosing the shortlist of suitors. "It's a completely traditional arranged marriage the only difference is that it's on television," Zarina Mehta, the creative director, said.

All concerned agree that researchers find out more about candidates than parents could. "People are less likely to lie on television," Ms Mehta said. "They know all their friends and family are watching."

But not all find love. Last month the hapless Shikani recoiled as one prospective husband bombarded her with questions about looking after his parents in their old age. Three candidates and three episodes later, she leaves still single.

"We try our best to match them but they don't always like each other," Ms Mehta said, "It's just like real life."
(The Times)

Colourful statements
Sizzling. Glacier. Red Hot. Eternity. Pink Spot. Groovy Green.

Sounds intriguing? But no, they're not the name of a lipstick, the shade of your newest outfit, wallet or handbag.

Then there is Spiderman, Batman, Star Wars and even Harry Potter. Sound familiar? Of course they do. They're all well liked movie and cartoon characters.

All these, if you haven't guessed by now are "phone covers", the latest trend among fashion conscious teens. The 'X-press-on covers' are fast catching on as another accessory to match individual styles.

The choices available in shops which sell phone accessories are quite an eye-opener. The press-on covers come in different themes and colours such as Thirsty Blue, Wave Blue, and Flushed Yellow. They also cater to different tastes. If you are a movie buff who wishes to own all the merchandise available on your favourite movie, then there's Star Wars, Spiderman and also the ever so famous Harry Potter to choose from. The cartoon range includes Loony Tunes, South Park, Garfield, Snoopy etc. And if all this doesn't really appeal to you, fear not, because there's more.

This includes the clear covers with the KFC logo, the Levi's jeans and the popular zebra stripes, considered 'in' by the fashion concious.

So what of the cost factor? They range from Rs.350 to Rs.550, with the original covers costing between Rs.600 to Rs.2500.

However, that is not all in the phone accessory world. 3D screen holograms, which can be bought as pictures of frogs, dogs, fish and other animals, will personalise your phone and also protect it from scratches.

Flash Stickers that cost about Rs.225 are immensely popular amongst the younger crowd. The stickers feature logos from Sesame Street, Batman and Spider man. When the phone rings, the sticker lights up and starts to flash, creating a very colourful picture.

But most of these phone accessories are duplicates. Said Kamal Narangoda who works at the Nokia outlet at Crescat, "Many of the phone covers people buy are not originals. The copies are popular because they are much cheaper and there's a wider choice. But durability-wise, it's hard to say that they are long lasting."

But in the end, for many youngsters, it's about making a fashion statement. It is suddenly becoming hip and trendy to match your phone with your bag and outfit... How far would you want to go? The choice is yours.

Stupid or stunning?
Umanga: "I really don't see the point of using all these coloured covers and other accessories. I use my phone to call people and send SMSs and not to make fashion statements."

Kushlani: "Why are phones becoming real fashion statements? I so don't relate to it."

Enakshi: "I think it is hip! Having covers to match your outfits and bags is so cool... I have a number of covers which I collect and change whenever I want."

Kamal: "Yeah, phone covers and stickers are really in. All my friends use these accessories and every one thinks they are very nice."

Ranil: "Isn't it obvious I like them? Look at my phone..." (His phone cover had a picture of the Jedi Knights from Star Wars and a flash sticker of the same.)


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