Eye Catchers

What comes after Celine Dion and before Madonna? Answer: Tjinder Singh. What's a Tjinder Singh, Britons might have asked a year ago. Not any more. When the UK-born Singh's pop group, Cornershop, displaced Dion from the top of the British charts with its single, Brimful of Asha, there was one more question on those stiff upper lips: Brimful of what? But any self-respecting Brit will tell you now, the song's a tribute to Bollywood's playback singers. Though for a singer-songwriter who's really taken up with "sadi rani (our queen)" Asha, Singh's a wee bit out of touch. In a press interview, he dropped this clanger: "Lata was Asha's elder sister ... She's passed away now." But as the diva herself might tell us, janam samjha karo. Sweetheart, try to understand.

You like Karisma Kapoor? You want more of her? You got it. The Kinetic Kapoor is not just doing a double role in the tentatively titled Chhota Chetan II, she's doing it in 3-D. Gives the phrase, in your face, new meaning. This is Hindi cinema's first 3-D film, not surprisingly made by Appachan and Jijo, the guys behind India's first 3-D film, Chhota Chetan. Who's the hero? Who cares. Says co-producer Nitin Manmohan: "They aren't important. This is an out and out heroine-oriented subject." With two Karismas in the third dimension, he's right.

He's done art films and masala, played a man, even a woman ... Time for a change! So in Gulam, Aamir Khan's decided to sing. Wasn't his idea. It was producer Mukesh Bhatt's, who thought the actor had the perfect voice for the job. Anyway, he isn't breaking new ground either. Amitabh Bachchan's done it. Govinda's done it. Nana Patekar's done it. So Khan succumbed. Now he says: "I think I've done a good job." If his singing's anything like his acting, some folks just lost their jobs.

A Bit on the Side

The swearing-in was formal. It was also fun. First there was Sushma Swaraj wondering why Mamata Banerjee was seated so far at the back as the Cabinet was sworn in. Hissed a voice from behind: "Mamata prefers to be a backbencher."

J. Jayalalitha Then there was Amma Jayalalitha, sitting calmly as the AIADMK ministers gallantly bowed to her -- before taking the oath and after. One was even about to touch her feet, but the imperious hand waved a no.

Sonia Gandhi Next was Atalji who, in typical gracious style, greeted everyone in the front row after taking his oath, then seemed to hesitate before the Signora. Hadn't Soniaji called him a liar just so recently? But the thought passed, so did he.

Finally, where was Shatrughan Sinha? Sulking, some smirked. With reason, said others. Shotgunji's worked tirelessly for years for the party, but a cabinet post went to that relative newcomer in the BJP, that other Sinha. You know, Yashwantji.