May 11, 1998

It's that family feeling again. In their popular show, Videocon Flashback, Channel V is getting star kids to chat up their parents on screen. Starting this week find out from Nassir how Johnny Walker was as a Dad, then tune in to veteran Jagdeep's tete-a-tete with son Naved (brother of Jaaved Jaafferi). Says Walker: "It was nice being interviewed by my son." V also hopes to rope in Shashi Kapoor and Sanjana, Jeetendra and Ekta. But most of all they want ol' AB and his baby. Will they get 'em? Maybe.

Staying Afloat

The song's called Dooba dooba (Drowning drowning, literally), so whaddanidea! For their first album, Delhi-based band Silk Route has made a music video that moves from knee-deep to underwater. They've even sunk Rs 10 lakh into it. Says band member Mohit Chauhan, after two days of filming in a pool: "When everyone is reaching for the stars, we decided to go underground." Better than overboard.

He=mc2

Some kids make better teachers than teachers. Young Arunabha Ghosh and his seven sixth-form friends from the Manchester Grammar School have not only written A* Guide to GCSE Physics, they're proud publishers of the book under the British Government's Young Enterprise Scheme that helps business-minded 16- to 19-year-olds. Ghosh -- who's credited with having done most of the book -- is only 15 (he just happens to be bright enough to study with older kids). The book, meanwhile, has been lapped up by London department store Harrods and leading bookstores across the UK. "I didn't study 24 hours of the day, or any-thing like that," he insists. Just born brilliant.

ALISHA CHINAI

For Madonna, life has moved from Like a virgin to Ray of light. For her self-proclaimed disciple it's gone from Kama Sutra to Made in India and now, Om. The aping game continues:

Q. Why the change from a sexy image to a more religious one?

A. I wanted to explore my inner self ...

Q. Is it a reaction to changing morals in India, the new BJP Government or Pramod Navalkar's antics?

A. (Laughs) I am not scared of the BJP Government but to tell you the truth I think they will like the religious angle to the song and thus the album will do very well.

Q. There are constant comparisons with Madonna ...

A. I think she has imitated me.

Q. What's in the future?

A. Try and make bhajans as popular as pop songs.

The Wait for Kate

Is she in Delhi? Isn't she? While rumours abounded that Kate Winslet came visiting, we can tell you one thing for sure. She will indeed be here in August, shooting in Delhi and Pushkar for director Jane Campion's Holy Smoke. The star of Titanic and the maker of The Piano ... holy smoke!

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