An interview with katrine

Do you consider yourself a foreigner or an Indian?

I am hundred per cent Indian. When I was growing up, I always felt a very strong awareness that I am an Asian.
It’s almost an Asian country now.

Now it is. But that sense of belonging was always missing when I was growing up. When I came to India, I felt an instant sense of belonging. My uncle was here, I had a bit of family in Bangalore. I came here with my older sister and I only had Rs 4 lakhs. I told myself that if I can make it with this money, I will stay here. If not, I will go back to London and rejoin college. I was only 17 at that time and was modelling. I bought a small apartment near a cemetery. I fear living alone and fear darkness, so I would stay up all night and wait for the sun to come up and then I would go to bed at five o’ clock in the morning and sleep for five hours.I did my first photo shoot with photographer Farooq. I received good feedback. I took my portfolio and went from one agency to another. I would go there and say, ‘can I meet your casting director’. I showed them my pictures. Soon the casting agents started calling me.
Tell us about yourself, pre-stardom.

I was born in Hong Kong. My mom was a Harvard graduate, a very successful lawyer who gave it up to join a charitable organisation. She was working with the organisation as a non-profit lawyer and because of that, we travelled a lot. From Hong Kong, we went to Japan, China, France, Hawaii and then to London.
The Indian part of you comes from your father.

Yes. My parents separated when we were very young. We were raised by my mother who did a wonderful job. She raised us with the belief and inspiration to find yourself in the world. Live your dreams and find what is going to make you live life freely.She made us tough. I have one brother. He is a professional skier and a rock climber.
What about your father?

We have grown up without a father. I missed it a great deal. I do feel that sense of loss.
You haven’t been in touch with him?

No. When I see my friends who have wonderful fathers, who are like pillars of support for their families, I think, if only I had that. But instead of complaining, I should be grateful for all the other things I have.
He hasn’t tried to get in touch with you after you became a star.

No, he is not that kind of a man. He is very decent and comes from a good family and they went their own ways because of issues which are personal. He is an affluent person, so he is not going to come back because his daughter is now famous.
How and when did you meet Salman Khan?

We met through his sister at a party. I had always said that I would never get into details about these personal things. You waste a part of your life answering, denying or clarifying things that don’t matter or are just speculations. I am a sensitive person and do not like to participate in these kinds of debates. He has been a wonderful person for the last six years. For me, he has been a great teacher and a great guide. He has seen me grow up in the last six years. At times, he would say that you are changing. And I say, I am changing because I am growing. He says, “Be careful, don’t change into something that is not good.”
When did the big break come?

I don’t think I’ve had that big break. For me it was ‘Oh Katrina looks nice here’ or ‘That’s a nice ad’ or ‘That’s an okay song’ or ‘That’s a nice movie’. It was all gradual, step-by-step.
May be it happened a little bit with Singh Is Kinng?Before that there was Namastey London where, for the first time, I had a dominating role and Akshay Kumar allowed me to do that at a stage when not many people believed in me. That was a turning-point in my career. After Namastey London, there was Race, where people said, she does this kind of dancing well. Then there was Singh Is Kinng and now New York.
You are working in Prakash Jha’s upcoming flick, Rajniti. Is it a serious role?

That film has a lot of potential and to me it looks like a great film. I can’t explain in words how excited I am about it.Prakash Jha thinks that I suit the role of a politician. He says I will bust the myth that I can’t speak Hindi.
Do you think it is the film that will launch you as an actor in your own right?

I think with New York, I have got that to a large extent.

WASNA AHMED

Yet another sweet, innocent face to flash on Indian TV screens is that of the 19-year-old Wasna Ahmed. At a time when most of us were still bunking lectures, stuffing our faces in the college canteen and dreaming big impossible dreams as we idled through our stuffy lectures, Wasna went and did what she always wanted to do. She became an actress.
Born and brought up in Kolkata, it was immediately post her class 10 results that Wasna moved to Mumbai to fulfill her childhood ambition. She speaks in a rather childlike voice that makes her seem younger than her 19 years. “All kids, while growing up, say they’d like to be a doctor or something like that. I’d always say I want to be an actress. I never changed my mind. So my sister told me if I got really good marks in my 10th board exams, she’d take me to Mumbai to fulfill my dreams. I worked hard and got a decent percentage. And as promised, she got me here,” she says.After wrapping up her 12th grade from a suburban college, she decided it was time to pursue her original goals, which was acting in any sphere and form. So when a Balaji audition came her way to play the sweet-natured Dhara from Kasauti Zindagi Ki, she jumped at the opportunity. “I always wanted to observe what happens at an audition. How dialogues are delivered, scenes are written and shots are taken. I thought this would be the perfect place to learn about all of that.” As fate would have it, and as it happens in all perfect stories, Wasna was selected to play the character of Dhara and calls her Kasautii… sojourn a great learning experience – one of the best in her life. “Kasautii… was such a beautiful experience, and working with Shweta was even better,” she says. Kausauti… then led her to her next project, Kahe Naa Kahe, where she found a great friend in co-star, Karan Hukku. Her advent in the show was a topic of discussion, especially as she was considered Balaji’s lucky mascot and since she was replacing another Balaji discovery, Krystle D’Souza. “It felt a little weird, but at the end of the day, it was a work opportunity. I was being selfish and thinking about myself. Anyway, it wasn’t my call; it was Ekta madam’s decision. I just took up the role happily.” Wasna then had her share of the reality pie with Kabhi Kabhi Pyaar Kabhi Kabhii Yaar, with her Kasautii… co-star Mridul Singhvi and his real life better half, Tina Sochdev. “There wasn’t any hype or craze surrounding that show, but it was decent. I think whatever happens, you should think of it as good, rather than get affected by people’s opinion of it. Many people say they like me many people say they don’t. It makes no difference to me. I get neither too happy nor too sad,” she says.She states that she’s open to any project that might excite her. “If I get a good project, why not do films? I’ll definitely go for it. I too have that mentality like other television actors of eventually moving from television to films. I want to make it big,” she says.Wasna is type of pampered baby, the youngest of four sisters. “They check on me always, and I stay with them. I’ve never spent a single day without my family. And I know they’ll always support me.” “I shoot all day. There’s no time to go out, not trace of a social life. I’m just another normal, simple girl. I hate wearing make-up when I go out. I love reading romantic novels like Mills & Boons, and books about horoscopes. And I’m the hugest Shah Rukh Khan fan; I love him and would love to work with him. And I would have loved to work with Rajeev Khandelwal, but he’s already left television and gone to movies. Young as she may be, there’s a strong head on those delicate shoulders. Wasna Ahmed has only just arrived.

The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a large water bird, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant to New Zealand.
Taxonomy
The Australian Pelican was first described by Dutch naturalist Coenraad Jacob Temminc in 1824. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin verb conspicere 'to perceive', hence 'conspicuous'.
Description
The Australian Pelican is medium-sized by pelican standards: 1.6 to 1.8 m (5.3-6 ft) long with a wingspan of 2.3 to 2.5 m (7.6–8.3 ft) and weighing 4 to 13 kg (9–29 lb). It is predominantly white with black along the primaries of the wings. The pale, pinkish bill is enormous, even by pelican standards, and is the largest bill in the avian world. The record-sized bill was 49 cm (19.5 in) long.
Distribution and habitat
Australian Pelicans prefer large expanses of open water without too much aquatic vegetation. The surrounding environment is unimportant: it can be forest grassland, desert estuarine mudflats, an ornamental city park, or industrial wasteland, provided only that there is open water able to support a sufficient supply of fish.
Australian Pelicans follow no particular schedule of regular movement, simply following the availability of food supplies. When the normally barren Lake Eyre filled during 1974 to 1976, for example, only a handful of pelicans remained around the coastal cities: when the great inland lakes dried again, the population dispersed once more, flocks of thousands being seen on the northern coasts and some individuals reaching Christmas Island, Palau and New Zealand.
The species became first known to occur in New Zealand from a specimen shot at Jerusalem in 1890 and small numbers of subfossil bones, the first found at Lake Grassmere in 1947, followed by records of other stray individuals. The bones were later described as a new (sub)species, Pelecanus (conspicillatus) novaezealandiae (Scarlett, 1966: "New Zealand Pelican") as they appeared to be larger, but Worthy (1998), reviewing new material, determined that they were not separable from the Australian population. These fossils were first found in 1930.
Breeding
The Australian Pelican begins breeding at two or three years of age. Breeding season varies, occurring in winter in tropical areas (north of 26oS) and late spring in parts of southern Australia. Any time after rainfall is usual in inland areas. The nest is a shallow depression in earth or sand, sometimes with some grass lining. Grassy platforms are constructed at Lake Alexandrina in South Australia. Nesting is communal, with colonies located on islands or sheltered areas in the vicinity of lakes or the sea. Breeding Australian pelicans will lay one or three chalky-white eggs measuring 93 x 57 mm, which are often scratched and dirty.[3] After they hatch, the larger one will be fed more, and the smaller one will eventually die of starvation. For the first two weeks the chicks will be fed regurgitated liquid, but for the remaining two months they will be fed fish such as goldfish or the introduced European carp, and some invertebrates. Widespread throughout its large range, the Australian Pelican is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Victoria wants to restore David's standing

The Beckhams are in the throes of a major difference of opinion! David, jeered by the fans of his football team, Los Angeles Galaxy, would like to return to live and play in Milan. But this situation doesn't suit his wife Victoria, and really, not in the least! Victoria, who found fame gyrating with the Spice Girls, would really like to stay in the United States.The lovely lady was recently shocked by humiliating placards raised against her sweetheart at his latest matches. Consequently, she is going to take things in hand! Victoria is planning to conduct a series of interviews with a view to improving the levels of support for her David. Further proof, if it were needed, that Victoria has always managed her husband's image!

Fashion Shows

A number of stylish costumes were seen at a fashion show held recently in Karach

There is nothing better than an exciting night out where the attendees are flooded with
excessive entertainment. Such was the show ''Veet-What beauty feels like'' which was recently held at PC, Karachi showcased a celebration of beauty and femininity through a number of ambassadors of Pakistani fashion. The show was presented by Catwalk Productions and it featured a dance performance choreographed by Omar Rahim as well as the collections of Top Pakistani designers such as HSY, Nomi Ansari, Khaadi Khas and Maheen Khan. The brand is known for its association with fashion models, actresses and glamour. So it's obvious that any event with the involvement of this brand will surely be extravagant
The event exhibited the world premiere of the opening performance entitled 'Titli', which explored beauty through the metaphor of the life cycle of a butterfly. The dance depicted the struggle to grow, the desire to play and the dream to fly. The music was composed by Shallum Xavier and the costumes were designed by Zaheer Abbas.
The dance performance was followed by Nomi Ansari showcasing his Spring/Summer 2009 collection based on the circle of life. While HSY set the mood through his airy Resort collection. The emphasis of his line was on an elegant, fluid silhouette in soft fabrics like chiffon and georgette
Shamoon Sultan also introduced the new Spring/Summer 09 collection from Khaadi Khaas revealing a passion for detail and an unmistakable quest for beauty in its true signature style. The look was fresh, fun and playful, embracing the spirit of individuality.
Maheen Khan, also considered the matriarch of Pakistani fashion, is a consummate trendsetter and visionary. She launched her line over thirty five years ago and continues to set standards every single day. Her creations at the show were highly appreciated by the audience.
All the top models were there to flaunt the stylish designer wear including Iraj, Nadia Hussain, Nadia Ali, Gia Ali, Sabina Pasha, Fayeza Ansari, Fouzia, Rubab, Maha, Mehak, Koni, Tooba and Tatmain.
The event being brought together by Veet depicted the grace possessed by women, whether it was through the exquisite dance acts or the creative and feminine designer outfits being presented.