Costume Drama

Nothing could kickstart Road. Even Ram Gopal Varma's plugging couldn't save her in Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon. She disappeared from theatres in no time with Gayab. Enough reasons why Antara Mali desperately needs a hit. Which explains why she is leaving no stone unturned in the gimmickry department in the soon-to-be-released Naach. In a five-minute number, Naach naach ke, she changes her costumes eight times. We have to say that the publicity stills are not encouraging. In one shot, she strikes a pose that makes her look like Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk, wearing a nathni. See for yourself.

The Rein Man

The king of horseracing has called it a day. Pesi Shroff, 39, India's best-known jockey, will ride his final race at the end of October. In his 24-year career, Shroff galloped to victory in 1,740 races and is the only jockey to have won the Mumbai Derby eight times. "I have had a good run. Now it is time to go," he says, explaining that it is getting tough for him to maintain his 5 ft 7 in frame at 55 kg. Hold your horses, though. He is not done with hoofing around yet. He will turn to training race horses and penning his memoirs. Should be a racy read.

Hitting a High Note

With a face like that she could be dancing around trees. Instead, she is singing for those who do. Gayatri Iyer, the voice behind Aishwarya Rai in Bride and Prejudice, is being touted as the next big thing in playback singing. She has already sung for top composers like Anu Malik and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. So what made this MBA graduate opt for a career in music? Says the singer of Dhoom's controversial number Shikdhum: "I did a play by Alyque Padamsee in Class XI and I sang on stage. People from the ad world were at the show and they told me to try ad jingles. I was hooked." Life has been a musical since.

Take a Bow

She can lay claim to conquering Rashtrapati Bhavan-and its lone occupant's heart. Chennai's Aathira Krishna,15, was invited to play the violin for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his 74th birthday. For Krishna, who has an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for a 32-hour performance, this was just another big show. But her host was impressed enough to present her with a golden replica of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Class XII student is as deft with the pen as the violin: she is stringing together a book on ragas.

-Compiled by Kanika Gahlaut

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