Movie: We Are Family
Director: Siddharth P Malhotra
Actors: Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal

Karan Johar’s much awaited movie We Are Family has finally hit theatres on 2nd September. This emotional saga has failed to impress the audience unlike Kajol’s hit movies like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam. Kareena-Kajol duo has failed to create magic on the big screen.

What many might not know is that Dharma Productions’ We Are Family is an ‘official’ remake of Chris Columbus’ Stepmom [1998]. It’s a story of a woman and her kids and how their life changes dramatically when she is diagnosed with terminal illness. This Indianised version is basically a sob story mainly targeting family audience.

The story is about Aman (Arjun Rampal), a professional photographer and his ex-wife Maya (Kajol). Maya is a dedicated mother of Aleya (Aanchal Munjal), Ankush (Nominath Ginsburg), and Anjali (Diya Sonecha). A twist comes when Aman introduces his new love interest Shreya (Kareena Kapoor) to his kids who who refuses to accept her dad’s saasy girlfriend. When Maya is diagnosed with cervical cancer, circumstances force her to train Shreya as her kid’s stepmom. Now, two mothers and three kids are forced to stay under one roof.

Kajol’s performance is brilliant in the role of a terminally ill mom. Kareena has added glam to this movie and once again delivered a solid performance after Jab We Met. Arjun Rampal has handled the emotional moments very well and once again proved that he can act. Kids have also acted well in the movie

Debutant Director Siddharth P. Malhotra has managed to effectively portray emotional as well as light moments. First half of movie is entertaining while the second half is boring and slow. Cinematography is good enough and movie has been shot in exotic locations of Australia. Background score is pleasant and adds a sense of drama.

The climax is good but predictable. Full of emotions and drama, this movie of Karan Johar is a tearjerker. Its surely gonna attract kids and ladies to theatre. So if you are looking for an ultimate emotional drama and a decent family movie do watch it.

Pakistan cricket is once again the centre of alleged match-fixing controversy. The scandal is the latest controversy to hit Pakistan cricket which has previously been hit by a multitude of woes from doping and infighting to ball-tampering and bad governance.

Mazhar Majeed, a 35-year-old London-based businessman was arrested after being suspected of getting into a betting scam involving the Pakistan cricket team

He has been accused of accepting £150,000 from an undercover journalist in return for telling Pakistani pacers, Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif to deliberately bowl three no-balls last Thursday and Friday..

The players under the scanner are captain Salman Butt, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir, after they allegedly under-performed in the fourth Test against England at Lord’s.

Majeed, the prime suspect of the alleged betting scam was arrested by Scotland Yard on Saturday night after the British tabloid, The News of the World, splashed details of a sting operation it conducted. Video of the meeting shows Mazhar Majeed accepting money and insisting that three no-balls “have been organized.” Video was posted on newspaper’s website which highlighted the controversy. Seven players have been involved in this scam but only four have been named so far.

Scotland Yard police seized the mobile phones of Pakistan skipper Salman Butt and pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir. They will travel to London on Wednesday to meet the Pakistan officials for an internal enquiry.

According to reports, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal is no longer part of Scotland Yard’s investigation into spot-fixing. He was suspected of deliberately dropping catches during the Second test in Sydney against Australia last month.

This is not the first case of betting in cricket history. Gambling scandals in cricket have been going on since the 17th century. Cricket fans all over the world have been disappointed by this recent scam. Pakistan cricket history has been scarred by controversies and scandals from match-fixing, drug issues and Inzamam Ul Haq’s ball- tampering episode.

On Sunday, 3 individuals were arrested by Revenue and Customs in connection with this betting scam. This includes two 35-year-olds (a male and a female) from the Croydon area and a 49-year-old male from the Wembley area. They were later released on bail.

Pakistan held its practice amidst fixing controversies for their series against England at the County Ground on Tuesday without the three players accused of links with match-fixers.

British police released Majeed without charge on Sunday. “A 35-year-old man has been bailed until a date in the future,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

Pakistan has said that it will not suspend any players being investigated as there is no conclusive proof.

What is Soybean?
Soybeans are among Nature’s greatest gifts to mankind. The soybean is a legume and is native to South East Asia. They are cultivated for oil products and for theirrich protein content. Soybeans are very rich in nutritive components. They contain all three of the macro-nutrients required for good nutrition: complete protein, carbohydrate and fat, as well as vitamins and minerals, including calcium, folic acid and iron.

Health Benefits of Soybean:
Soybeans are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and low in saturated fatty acids, which need to be avoided. They contain rich protein, vitamins A, B1, B2, and other mineral elements. They have the highest concentration of protein among all the legumes: 40 percent protein by volume compared to 20 percent for other beans. The FDA determined that 25 grams of soy protein per day may reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol.

Scientific studies have shown that soy may offer health benefits, including lowering blood cholesterol and reducing the risk of certain cancers. It can offer protection against breast cancer, prostate cancer, menopausal symptoms, heart disease and osteoporosis. They also contain a lot of fibre and are rich in calcium, magnesium.

Soybeans are rich in isoflavones which improve bone health. Isoflavone can ease the symptoms of menopause. Isoflavones are natural anti-oxidants and can protect against prostrate problems. High-quality soy protein is considered equal to that of poultry and milk. It’s a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans because they provide all the amino acids.

Nutritional values of soybeans (per 100g):
Water 8.5 G
Energy 416 kcal
Energy 1741 kJ
Protein 36.5 G
Fat (total lipid) 19.9 G
Fatty acids, saturated 2.9 G
Fatty acids, mono-unsaturated 4.4 G
Fatty acids, poly-unsaturated 11.3 G
Carbohydrates 30.2 G
Fiber 9.3 G
Ash 4.9 G
Isoflavones 200 Mg
Calcium, Ca 277 Mg
Iron, Fe 15.7 Mg
Magnesium, Mg 280 Mg
Phosphorus, Mg 704 Mg
Potassium, K 1797 Mg
Sodium, Na 2.0 Mg
Zinc, Zn 4.9 Mg
Copper, Cu 1.7 Mg
Manganese, Mn 2.52 Mg
Selenium, Se 17.8 µg
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 6.0 Mg
Thiamin (vitamin B1) 0.874 Mg
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) 0.87 Mg
Niacin (vitamin B3) 1.62 Mg
Panthotenic acid (vitamin B5) 0.79 Mg
Vitamin B6 0.38 Mg
Folic acid 375 µg
Vitamin B12 0.0 µg
Vitamin A 2.0 µg
Vitamin E 1.95 Mg

[Source: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference]

Soybean products

Soy milk
The fat content in soy milk is highly unsaturated and includes concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acids. Soy milk has a greater variety of complex carbohydrates than whole milk and is made by soaking soybeans, grinding them with water. It has aunique nutty flavour and can be used in a varierty of ways.

Tofu
Tofu is a soy bean product made by curdling fresh soy milk. Tofu is also known as bean curd or soy cheese, perhaps because it looks like cheese. It’s a powerhouse of nutrition and its easy to cook and digest.

Tempeh
Tempeh is cake of soybeans, which have been de-hulled, cooked, mixed with a tempeh starter. Its highly rich in proteins. Tempeh contains magnesium, which helps in preventing heart diseases. Its highly rich in fibre and isoflavones.

Soybean oil
Soybean oil is a widely used oil. It’s cheap and healthy. Since its chlorestrol free it can safely used for cooking and as salad dressing.

Soy nuts
Soy nuts are a healthy and tasty source of nutrition and are the by-product of soybeans. They are rich in protein, iron and dietary fiber. Soy nuts are similar to peanuts in terms of their flavor and texture,

Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a dark brown liquid made from soybeans, roasted wheat, water and salt that have undergone a fermentation process. Soy sauce is common in the cuisines of Japan, China, Korea,Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Soybean and its products are slowly gaining popularity due to its numerous benefits. People worldwide are including it in their diet as it’s nutritious, cheap and plant-based.

More than 5,000 cycling enthusiasts gathered in Delhi on 29th August to participate in the BSA cyclothon. This event was a forerunner to the actual cycling event to be held during the Commmonwealth Games scheduled to begin from 3rd October. The twin objectives of holding this event was to promote cycling in the city and to test the roads for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The cyclists were flagged off from Parliament Street and that is where they culminated their race. It covered Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba Road, Jantar Mantar and Vijay Chowk,basically the heart of the city. The BSA hercules Cylothon was held in five categories – Professional (100 km), National (50 km), Amateur and Corporate (25 km), Green ride (15 km) and Children (5 km). The UCI approved international race event featured professional cyclists from Belgium, Holland, Malaysia, Srilanka, Honk Kong, Singapore, South Africa and India.

Brown Arran from South Africa was declared the winner of 100-km Elite International race title while Moniton Singh from India secured the 21st position. South African Lang Malcolm & Dutch Maint Berkenbosch finished second and third respectively. The winner of National Ride was Sachin Pawar from Delhi. He received a prize money of Rs 1.5 Lakh.
The international cyclothon resulted in creating havoc with the traffic. As the major roads were closed for more than six hours, traffic was badly disrupted, causing unnecessary delays and traffic snarls. It was a setback for people who had planned specific activities for Sunday as the majority of Delhiites were unaware of this event. People could not get autos, taxis or buses and were forced to take recourse to the metro.

Due to security reasons, Bollywood star Salman Khan did not turn up for the event which was a big disappointment for his fans. He was scheduled to attend the event with his brothers, sister and sister-in-law to spread awareness about health benefits of cycling and also to promote his upcoming Bollywood movie ‘Dabangg’. Salman Khan’s absence was partially made up by the presence of Bollywood actress Chitrangada Singh.

It was a well organized test cycling event endeavoring to highlight the fact that cycling is excellent for health and fitness. Luckily, rain did not hamper the efforts of organizers.

CWG Organizing Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi unveiled the Commonwealth Games 2010 theme song in the inaugural ‘Swagatham’ ceremony at Gurgaon on August 29.

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman released the 2010 Commonwealth Games theme song, Swagatham’. Rahman performed the song in front of a huge audience which included VIPs like Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda and CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

“I wrote the first line six months back and kept tweaking it till I finally finished it last night (August 27). It is definitely an honour to compose the official theme song which is in the spirit of the Commonwealth Games,” said Rahman, who released the song.

A.R. Rahman was told to tweak the song by the GoM which delayed the launch by a few days. Group of Ministers headed by Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, recently cleared the theme song.

Song’s lyrics “Jiyo Utho Badho Jeeto” inspired and motivated the people who attended the hour-long ceremony. Video of the song is yet to be launched.

Artists from Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts which included ‘Sadya’ and another group ‘Gypsy’ also performed and made the ceremony more exciting. Visual effects and dramatization enthralled the audience.

The initial reaction of some social networking people regarding this song was not as good as expected, but the song showed Rahman’s magic by a massive download statistics. Apparently the song is a hit and CWG organizers have got a reason to be happy.

Theme song , ‘Swagatham’ will be put up on the Commonwealth Games 2010 website and is not available for free download but the song can be freely downloaded from Facebook page of CWG 2010.

Rahman has infused the flavour of India in the song and has managed to touch everyone’s heart. ‘Swagatham’ is written in Hindi with a few English words. He has dedicated this song to Mahatma Gandhi. Rahman vows to go beyond ‘Waka Waka’ with CWG song .

CDs of the song will be released and available publicly soon.