Dangal in New York

"Firuza and the children saw Dangal with Aamir last evening in Mumbai and sent me a text urging me to see it in New York," says the Mumbai-based neuro psychiatrist Rajesh Parikh, who, along with his doctor wife, the renowned gynaecologist and IVF expert Firuza Parikh, is a close friend of the Rao-Khan couple

Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan

"Firuza and the children saw Dangal with Aamir last evening in Mumbai and sent me a text urging me to see it in New York," says the Mumbai-based neuro psychiatrist Rajesh Parikh, who, along with his doctor wife, the renowned gynaecologist and IVF expert Firuza Parikh, is a close friend of the Rao-Khan couple. Parikh is currently in New York and had caught the first day first show of the much awaited Bollywood release at NYC's famous AMC theater at 42nd street yesterday.

Dr Rajesh and Dr Firuza Parikh

"The theatre was packed, and the movie was punctuated by shared laughter at its humour and silent sobs during its heightened emotional sequences," says Parikh, something of an avid film buff himself.

"Only someone with Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan's intensity and integrity could have made it. The acting, direction and dialogues are flawless. It is the finest Hindi film I have seen in a long time. And it should be India's proud entry at the Oscars," he says, signing off with, "I was tempted to sit through its second screening but it was sold out. Certainly plan on seeing it again soon." Measurements for an Oscar suit and ball gown anyone?

Queenie - the morning after
"It was a fabulous night and my feet still ache," said Queenie Singh on the morning of her birthday yesterday about the celebratory party the previous evening, held at a mid-city five-star. "What's best was that both my beautiful kids were in town, and with me," she said of her progeny.

Queenie with Tiara and Rajveer

"Rajveer is studying at ISME and my daughter Tiara is at Sarah Lawrence in New York," said the feisty high-profile jeweller and socialite who was seen in a body snugging, red Herve Leger for the occasion. "All my old friends were there — old and new — it was beautiful!"

Next gen take over
Silently and surely, Gen Next is getting into position to assume its leadership role in the future. Following in the success of his famous mother Anita Dongre, her son Yash is also making moves. The lad who we have known from his school days in Mumbai, had left to study abroad, and had returned to Mumbai as the business head of his mother's fast expanding fashion empire.

Anita Dongre with son Yash

Now word comes in that he is all set to head the project of their two soon to be launched stores in NYC's Fifth Avenue and SoHo districts. Not only that, Yash will be a speaker at the 7th Annual UNIC Young Change-makers Conclave, an initiative supported by the United Nations, set to take place in Delhi next month, where other notable speakers include, Omar Abdullah, Piyush Pandey, Prasoon Joshi and Varun Gandhi. Nice!

He saw red
It is often said that social media — especially Twitter — is a deadly serious platform, which should be approached only by those in full command of their faculties and then some, but clearly, actor Rishi Kapoor, who has taken to the micro-blogging site like… er… a Bombay Duck to water, does not heed such counsel.

Rishiâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Kapoor

And this Wednesday night, when some of the most asinine comments followed the announcement of Kapoor's newly born grand nephew, Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi, the inheritor of an exquisite gene pool and pedigree, the actor was at his tired and emotional best.

"A lot of people are going to be blocked if any more arguments happen, just shut the f@#% up!" one tweet read. And his ire and irascibility rose with every subsequent tweet (or peg) in the following hours. "Why are people so bothered what the parents want to name their child, please?

Saif Aliâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Khan and Kareena Kapoor

Mind your business, it's got nothing to do with you. Parents' wish!" he fumed. And reacting to one of the meanest cuts of all ('What a downfall from Prithvi Raj Kapoor to Taimur Ali, your ancestor's soul must be weeping today. Shame on you people') Kapoor had clearly had enough. "You mind your f***ing business what my ancestors must be feeling. Apna kaam karo!" he tweeted. Grand uncle's day out.

Waxing eloquent
For some reason the fact that Madame Tussauds is opening its first branch in India in Delhi appears to us as the very end of the end. That visitors to the Indian capital might include a visit to this grotesque symbol of vulgarity on the same day as they take in the Red Fort, the Qutub Minar or Lodhi Gardens, is the final proof of the imminent apocalypse or Kalyug that we are facing.

A wax figure of former UKâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088PMâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088David Cameron at Madame Tussauds. PIC/AFP

The museum, begun by a somewhat endearing old French woman but subsequently turned in to a multi-dollar entertainment industry by wily corporations, whose claim to fame is of making some very waxy personalities look even waxier, will be launched mid-next year at Connaught Place's Regal Cinema.

Donald Trump

When there is palpable proof of great handicrafts and contemporary art in India just crying out for support, the fact we import this pimple on the face of civilisation that purports to bestow some sort of faux celebrity on a pretty motely crew, has just made us want to drown in our first cup of masala tea this morning. Yes and the Tussauds Mothership is preparing an effigy of The Donald even as we speak, to be launched on 20 January. Typical.

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