Ab Ash karna band bhi karo!

In the buzz that surrounds the Cannes film festival it would be easy to forget that since the screening of Devdas in 2002, it has been a no-show for Bollywood at the world's most prestigious film festival.

In the buzz that surrounds the Cannes film festival it would be easy to forget that since the screening of "Devdas" in 2002, it has been a no-show for Bollywood at the world's most prestigious film festival.

While India failed to find a place in the competition section, it nevertheless has kept up a regular supply of glamour quotient to keep the buzz going.
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Forever Cynosure: "For many, the excitement of Cannes begins and ends with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan," feels the writer

This year Sharmila Tagore is marking the token Indian presence on the Cannes jury.

Still, for many, the excitement of Cannes begins and ends with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan walking the red carpet. Since her princess act in 2003, when she arrived in a chariot, she has been a fixture at the fest.
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This year Ash's presence was bolstered by many more Bollywood luminaries. First-time directors Prem Soni and Imitiaz Ali were also there as was Karan Johar, who is now a regular.

But does the celeb factor compensate for the absence of Indian films in the competition? With A sh around, who cares?

Smoke signals

Mumbai and Delhi run on gas but the ubiquitous chulha, used by millions of poor in rural India, is now
in the dock for contributing to climate change.
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While few doubt the desi stove's potential to pollute, there is growing concern that the West may use this desi weapon against India.

The US Congress has introduced a bill to regulate black carbon and which links aid to black-carbon-reduction projects abroad, including replacing sooty chulhas with improved, cleaner ones.

Environmentalists are concerned that by shifting the focus on black carbon emissions in developing nations, the West may be deflecting the focus from its own less-than-impressive record in the curbing carbon emissions.

Will the poor end up paying the price for the greenhouse gas emissions of the affluent? Clearly the debate has only just begun and desi carbon credit traders had better watch out.