Crash Course

Like every government official, she follows a nine-to-five work schedule where she tracks all the ministry happenings, prepares releases and handles media queries. But Information Officer for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Shipra Biswas still finds time for a little bit of charity that would make Maneka Gandhi proud. Come lunch time and one is most likely to find Biswas distributing eight-nine large loaves of bread along with generous helpings of milk to nearly 60 stray dogs around her office. Even the scratches that she gets very often do not perturb Biswas. ‘‘These are such innocent creatures. We must show some sympathy towards them,’’ she says indulgently.

Society Says So!

So much for all of us who think that what politicians want, they get. At the recent Provogue Society Achievers’ Awards function in Mumbai, Union Communications Minister Pramod Mahajan made his displeasure at society’s (pun unintended) refusal to recognise the contributions of politicians. ‘‘(Especially) when politicians would fit into any of the categories in which winners have been nominated,’’ he said. ‘‘We do better business than most businessmen and there’s enough glamour in this line to be an incentive even for Vinod Khanna. Then you have the Performing Arts (like Business, a category for the awards), and everyone knows politicians are great performers and very filmi to boot, which is another category here. We also play all kinds of sports. So I implore Nari Hira (of Magna Publications, which gives away the awards) to introduce a politicians’ award and possibly give me the first one!’’

Even as the audience held its sides, Mahajan was ready with another jibe: ‘‘I observe that of the seven recipients of the achievers awards, four were offspring of parents already distinguished in the same line. At least people will stop saying that only politicians perpetuate dynasties.’’ So should we brace ourselves for Mahajan Junior?

Cat Got His Tongue

Getting sound bytes from politicians involved in cricket is no problem. Except when you’re chasing Assam Cricket Association president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is an exception. During a recent phone interview, the former Assam CM was at a complete loss for words when asked what prompted him to take up cricket administration. After a prolonged silence, he volunteered: ‘‘To be honest, no one has asked me this before, that’s why I took so long to react.’’ Some more moments of introspection followed after which Mahanta finally mumbled, ‘‘Just the way everyone usually does.’’

Retro For The Future

Dil Vil Pyar Vyar may have stirred up a storm on account of its recycled soundtrack, but actress Hrishitaa Bhatt, one of the stars of the film due for an October 18 release, doesn’t believe in apologising for it. ‘‘Each and every crew member of DVPV is a die-hard fan of Panchamda,’’ says he doe-eyed actress. ‘‘The special retro score is a tribute to the musical legend, it will allow future generations to appreciate him also.’’ As if Gum hai kisike pyar mein needed help.

(Sunanda Mehta, Ahmed Karim, Rahul Venkit in Pune and Jaya Basu, Ajit Bezbaruah and Poornima Joshi in New Delhi)