They say 50 is the new 40. Which gives us the feeling that some people can’t count. We submit as evidence Madonna and Michael Jackson, who both turned 50 this year.

Actors Alec Baldwin and Andie Macdowell are also on the list of those who have hit

a half-century, with a little more regard for nature (human and otherwise). Macdowell, who has been the face of age-defying skincare products for years, even described turning 50 as “fabulous, full, frantic and fun”. And remember Samantha in the Sex and the City movie gloating on turning 50, swearing her ultimate loyalty to the failsafe Botox?

t2 pays tribute to others who found the Fantastic 50s in 2008...

Neetu Singh-Kapoor

At a time when Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi were ruling Bollywood, a simple girl from next door was quietly stealing their thunder. Long before Preity Zinta laid claim to the tag, Neetu Singh was Bollywood’s “bubbly girl”, taking on roles the middle-class viewer adored — the college girl of Khel Khel Mein, the tomboy of Kasme Vaade and the loving girlfriend of Deewar. The on-screen pairing with then boyfriend, now husband Rishi Kapoor was legendary. With the help of no swimsuit appearances, no “arty” films and very few big-budget releases.

And yet Neetu gave it all up at age 21. “She may have become Ranbir Kapoor’s mom for the younger generation, but for old-timers, Neetu Kapoor still remains the Neetu Singh we loved 30 years ago,” says schoolteacher Sohini Nag, 42. But marriage didn’t see her sink into oblivion. Neetu, who crossed into the next decade on July 8, has lost the puppy fat seen in early films Do Kaliyan and Dus Lakh and the blouse-button-bursting proportions of Amar Akbar Anthony and Kabhie Kabhie to evolve into a chic fashionista. The stylish bob with a hint of colour, the smartly-tailored trousers and the figure-hugging kurtis make her one of the most fashionable star-moms around. Neetu is also the face of a popular jewellery brand.

Neetu at age 75: Still elegant. Still gorgeous. “She will be a doting grandmother to Ranbir and Deepika Padukone’s children,” giggles 22-year-old college student Sheetal Surana. She will still be invited on Koffee with Karan. “She will be dressed in chiffon saris and pearls like Maharani Gayatri Devi and attend filmi parties, her grandchilden in tow,” says homemaker Meera Sengupta.

Barbie

She may have turned 50 this year, but age has not been able to wither her — and not because she is made of plastic: (Hollywood has more plastic in it than this babe does). She is Barbie: beautiful, blonde (though not always), buxom — so much so that she couldn’t stand straight had she been a flesh-and-blood woman. But that doesn’t dent the timeless appeal of this golden girl, which has cut across generations like few other toys. The almond-shaped eyes, the pert nose, the never-ending legs, the cute wardrobe, Barbie — whose full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts — has been the stylish, forward-thinking American “woman”, sometimes dolling up in fancy dress to become all the women in the world. In the early 90s, a study conducted in America revealed that the average girl owned seven Barbies!

Barbie at age 75: She will look the same, having not aged a day. “Hopefully, she’ll be married to Ken by then,” smiles software professional Moushumi Dastidar. “The clothes will get shorter, the figure even better. Our great grandchildren will then have Barbies that talk and walk,” says Moushumi.

Sharon Stone

Mention Sharon Stone and think of Basic Instinct’s cold, calculating murderess Catherine Tramell. It was that film, with the most famous leg cross in cinematic history, which catapulted Sharon Stone from wannabe actress to superstar. The raw sex appeal, the body beautiful and dime-a-dozen controversies set Stone apart from the rest of the Hollywood pack. The sex symbol who touched 50 in March may have never won an Oscar, but has a slew of quality films like Casino, Total Recall and Intersection to her credit. And though she may be taking it a little easy of late, Stone remains beautiful, bold and brazen. And so Sharon Stone.

Sharon Stone at age 75: She will be onto her 14th relationship (she has had seven already). She will be preparing to star in Basic Instinct 6. “She will be uncrossing her legs there too,” laughs media professional Anurag Sharma.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Sharon’s good friend Michelle Pfeiffer, considered by many to be the most beautiful woman ever, turned 50 this year too. Like Stone, Pfeiffer has never won an Academy Award. Unlike Stone, she generally chose to keep her clothes on more often than not. From Dangerous Liaisons to I Am Sam, she has refused to be typecast. Her brilliant portrayal of a singer in The Fabulous Baker Boys caused critics to liken her to Rita Hayworth in Gilda and Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot. “Michelle Pfeiffer is an actress for all seasons, being good at comedy, romance and even thrillers. Plus, she has a lovely smile,” feels Shona Chakraborty, web content developer.

Michelle Pfeiffer at age 75: Will win the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. “She will still be making one film a year, playing a sexy grandmom,” says college student Rohan Ganguly.

Credit Card

The next time you reach out for your plastic money, be sure to sing ‘Happy Birthday’, for your trusty wallet warmer turns 50 in 2008. While Diners Club introduced a charge card in the early 50s, the first full-fledged credit card operable on a worldwide network was introduced by American Express Bank in 1958. Since then, the credit card has become an integral part of many lives and wallets — helping to realise dreams and landing many in an unhealthy amount of debt. Being hounded by recovery agents is part of the bargain, as are all those pesky calls from telemarketers.

Credit card at age 75: Every establishment will accept cards. Currency notes will become obsolete. Or, will it be a far more bizarre future? Perhaps there will be no credit cards at all. Twenty-five years into the future, are you willing to hazard a bet about where technology will take us?

Prince

He was the king of R&B, rock and funk. For a brief time, he had no name. Prince, the path-breaking genius behind scores of chart-toppers, the recipient of six Grammys, turned 50 in June. The singer, song-writer, record producer, actor and symbol (or the “artist formerly known as Prince”) is truly unique. His 1984 album Purple Rain sold close to 13 million copies in the US alone and the film of the same name earned Prince an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Adding to his mystique, the man from Minneapolis who prefers heels to flats is eccentric, to put it mildly. He once took the stage in bikini briefs, leg warmers, high-heeled boots and a trench coat! But his girlfriends — among them Madonna and Kim Basinger — didn’t seem to mind.

Prince at age 75: “He will still be wearing his polka-dotted outfits and singing Let’s go crazy,” says IT pro Chiranjeev Sanyal. But with Prince, you never know!

Instant noodles

Thank god for Momofuku Ando. Momo who, you ask? The man before Maggi. It was Momofuku Ando who came up with an instant answer to hunger pangs with the invention of the world’s first instant noodles, way back in 1958. Ando’s Chicken Ramen may have come a long way since, but its basic purpose remains the same: to quell hunger in just two minutes! Breakfast snack, lunch box regular or even a desperate dinner, the humble instant noodle has meant much to many. So much, in fact, that in 2007, The New York Times paid a tribute to Ando, describing him as “Mr Noodles”, saying that the invention of instant noodles deserved eternal glory in the pantheon of human achievement.

Instant noodles at age 75: “Life will become so fast that everyone will survive on instant noodles. Fast to cook and good to eat,” says homemaker Aruna Sinha. “It will be to the world then what caviar and champagne is today,” laughs media professional Gayatri Barua.

Priyanka Roy