String theory

The sarod is all set to make some room for the shehnai. Or so the engagement of Amaan Ali Bangash, Amjad Ali Khan’s elder son, to Avantika Haksar, granddaughter of Ajit Haksar, the first Indian head of ITC, on February 14 suggests. Seems like Valentine’s Day junkies missed out on a high profile, textbook tale of romance. It was a quiet affair, and Amaan was reluctant to talk about it. “I am a little superstitious about all this,” he says. But an ecstatic Avantika told The Telegraph that the two have been seeing each other for the past four months. Clearly, the two young lovebirds have been busy making music together.

End of story

Journalists, they say, write news — and seldom make news themselves. But there have been a few exceptions. One of the notable newsmakers was Ryszard Kapuscinski, the sole foreign representative of the Polish Press Agency who created a record by covering 27 revolutions and coups. When he died last month, the tributes that ensued from his colleagues were glowing. Kapuscinski, whose first foreign assignment was in India, struck former BBC Panorama director Gavin MacFadyen as an “impressive, articulate but rather ironic figure.” And Chris Horrie, biographer of former BBC director-general Greg Dyke, holds that his death is “a terrible loss” to journalism. “He had a genius for seeing significance in the tiny humdrum details of everyday life — the litter of plastic water bottles you see everywhere in Africa, the history of a public swimming pool in Moscow, and the sad, impotent fury and madness of Emperor Haile Selasie,” Horrie remarked. But don’t hang up your typewriter, Ryszard — there are stories there that are going to live on.

Ramp romp

Fashion claws are being sharpened for the two upcoming gala fashion events to be held back-to-back next month. And gearing up for Mumbai’s Lakme Fashion Week is Agnimitra Paul — better known as a Tollywood designer. Now that the world is a village, Paul has zeroed in on Bhutan as her theme, with a lot of bright and beautiful drapes and cuts. “I’d like to establish my brand — Inga by Agnimitra Paul — as a national one,” says Paul. The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week will, meanwhile, showcase in Delhi the designs of five budding talents — Samant Chauhan, Shubhra, Zubair Kirmani, Neetu Gupta and Ameet Sikka in the new Hi-5 category. Here are some people who have designs on you — and more power to them!

Bonding with Bond

Shilpa Shetty’s favourite four-letter word — race — is dogging her once again. The rumour mill has it that Shilpa is in the race for the role of James Bond’s eye candy in the next 007 film. Shetty’s agents, the grapevine has it, got in touch with the producers of the new Hollywood film. But will Shetty, who is yet to smooch on screen (and, the unkind hold, even off screen), do all that Bond’s women have to do, or, rather, undo?

Poet Patekar

Nana Patekar has been wielding a mean pen these days. The actor is writing lyrics — and inviting his friends over to hear his poetry. “He writes a lot like Gulzar-saab,” says a close friend. Not surprisingly, music directors have been after him, urging him to lend his poetry to their music. And the actor, who made his mark as a writer and director with Prahaar, is elated. Life, for him, is moving from better to verse — and he doesn’t mind.