Icon Steve Jobs' Journal

Tell us what your favourite Steve Jobs quote is and why? Write your answer in the comments section below and win a fab Icon Journal!

We love the work of our friends over at Designwallas (so much so, that we’re using them for all of our wedding invites and designed materials – stay tuned ;) Today they’ve released the latest in their supercool series of “Icon” journals – and this time it’s very appropriately all about the legendary Steve Jobs (previous Icon titles have included Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Mao Zedong, and Che Guevara). Featuring Jobs’ famous words “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish“, 500 of these stylized hardbound journals are already on their way to France to be featured in the Collette concept store (another MissMalini favourite). But wait! Answer the simple question & you can win your very own copy right here!

The backcover

If you can’t stand the suspense and just have to get your hands on this beauty, (and won’t be in France anytime soon), you can pick up a copy of this, and other Designwalla goodies, here.

Icon Journals

The Wednesday Soul

Living in India, what have you spent the most time waiting in queue for? Post your answer in the comments below to win a copy!

Are you a Wednesday Soul? Well there’s only one way to find out! By reading Sorabh Pant’s first book entitled The Wednesday Soul. In fact we’re giving out signed copies and if you read Vivek Tejuja’s review you’ll know there’s a funny bit in it about how much time we spend waiting in queues, hence the question!

PS. Me? I’ve spent a lot of time in queue for the ladies room at nightclubs in Mumbai. I’ll never understand WHY most clubs that hold 300 people have just one little girls room! #FAIL

The iconic Amul girl makes a strong statement on the Jaipur Literature Festival 2012

The ionic Amul Girl is one of the few out there who makes a statement, loud and clear, whenever a statement needs to be made! And quite often, the endearing character, is on the side of the underdog.

With theatre director and ad-man, Rahul DaCunha, at the helm this time, the Amul Girl questions the politically motivated ban on author Salman Rushdie making an appearance at the Jaipur Literary Festival 2012.

Frankly, her question needn’t be answered. Don’t you agree?

Vir Das, Sorabh Pant, Gul Panag, Farhan Akhtar

@MissMalini, @vivekisms, @hankypanty, @thevirdas, @FarOutAkhtar

It is not necessary that a stand-up comic turns out to be a great writer or vice-versa, and if either of those happens, then a book like, “The Wednesday Soul” penned by Sorabh Pant (a well known stand-up comic) is born to make the readers laugh till they cry or better yet laugh their pants off.

Anu Menon

Bonobo Bar in Bandra witnessed laughter and joy on the 19th of January 2012, at the media launch of, “The Wednesday Soul” written by Sorabh Pant. The house was full and everyone was either smiling or grinning from ear-to-ear as excerpts were being read by Vir Das and Gul Panag. If this wasn’t enough, then Farhan Akhtar joined the bandwagon a little later, leaving the audience in splits with his wry sense of humour.

Farhan Akhtar, Sorabh Pant, Vir Das

The launch took a refreshing turn when random questions were answered by the author and the three celebrities, from the audience and some that just happened to be funny like the book. Sorabh Pant didn’t have to try too hard to be funny, almost everything he said “hit the funny nail” to the audience’s head and generated ripples of laughter. Also, there is a sequel on the way. So that’s one great piece of news for readers who have enjoyed the book.

Sorabh Pant, Vir Das, Gul Panag, Farhan Akhtar

Let me now tell you something about the book….

The Wednesday Soul is nothing like you have read before. It is funny, sarcastic, doesn’t-try-too-hard, simply written, and a whole lot of afterlife. Yes! You heard that right. The book is about the afterlife, or as the tag line goes, “the afterlife, with sunglasses”.

Sorabh Pant, Vir Das, Gul Panag, Farhan Akhtar

The protagonist, Nyra Dubey, dies in the first chapter and that’s where the story takes off. Nyra – the infamous vigilante, the Delhiite who knows how to deal with its men, is reduced to yet another corpse. Of course, she doesn’t want that. She wants vengeance and from none other than Death’s masters for the love she has had to leave behind on planet Earth. Things lead to more things and there are creatures’ unknown, mighty eagles and bad puns that have the power to kill.

Gul Panag, Sorabh Pant, Vir Das

The plot has never been heard of. It is too experimental, some might say. I loved the book. The writing could not have been simpler and Pant knows how to inject humour in every page. Death to him is not a tragedy; it is just another topic that can be written about keeping funny in mind.

Sorabh Pant

Sample this: “Living in India you automatically earn an honorary Ph. D. in Queues. You study them closely as you wait for licenses, liquor, movies, and brides ie. Shaadi.com” See what I mean! This is how he writes. I would definitely recommend, “The Wednesday Soul” to one and all.

(photo courtesy | socialmoms.com)

Love this! BOOKS on TOAST Charity Book Sale, where your favorite authors are available at exceptionally low prices and every rupee from the sale goes towards the education of street kids! #DoubleWin.
Where: Candies, Bandra
When: 21st and 22nd of January, 12-8pm
Facebook Event
Remember your [♥] of books, can help a street child learn to read! Be there. xoxo

Biddu

Well-known musician Biddu, (of Kung Fu Fighting and Made In India fame) has now turned novelist and recently launched his first book, called Curse Of The Godman.

Published by Harper Collins Publishers (India), the book was launched over high-tea at Crosswords Book Store at Kemp’s Corner in Bombay.

"Shantaram" author Gregory David Roberts with his wife, Princess Francoise Sturdza of Romania

At the launch, Biddu spoke about his journey from being a musician and a producer in Bollywood, to now becoming an author. From Kung Fu Fighting (which sold nine million copies when it released a few decades ago) to the iconic youth anthem Made in India (sung by Alisha Chinai, remember her?) and the numerous hits in-between, Biddu has had a remarkable and mind blowing journey.

Vinod and Kavita Khanna

Many of Biddu’s friends and fans were present at high tea to celebrate the book launch. Among them were Deveika Bhojwani, Suresh Bhojwani, Vinod Khanna and wife Kavita Khanna, Gregory David Roberts and his wife Princess Francois Sturdza of Romania, Lisa Hayden, Kumar Gaurav and Usha Rajbans Khanna (of Cafe Samovar).

Lisa Hayden with Karan Bhojwani

Curse Of The Godman is set in 1951 in a sleepy little town nestled in the hills of north-east India. One day, the town wakes up to murder and an unseen specter terrorizes the scenic tea plantations around Darjeeling. A Naga Sadhu wanders the night, seeking to settle an ancient score.

Kumar Gaurav

Sounds exciting? Go get it now!

Writer, author and social activist, Kiran Manral

2012 seems to be the year of the Indian author. If a segment of the classes don’t want Salman Rushdie to come to India for the Jaipur Literature Festival later this month, there’s a whole other section who are lapping-up novels by newer writers, most of whom have gotten published for the first time.

For instance, we had just had Kalli Puri launch a book on dieting and, stand-up comic Sorabh Pant, release his hilarious account of the atfer-life.

Now, Kiran Manral, a well-known freelance writer, blogger and media consultant who lives in Mumbai (and is also the founder of India Helps, a volunteer network which works with disaster victims), launches her first novel, The Reluctant Detective.

The cover of The Reluctant Detective, by Kiran Manral

Synopsis: 

Kay, a.k.a. Kanan Mehra, is a thirty-something suburban housewife and young mother with a penchant for sticking her curious nose into things she definitely, absolutely and certainly shouldn’t go near. When a couple of corpses turn up in quick succession in her neighbourhood, she teams up with her detective friend, Runa, in a half-hearted attempt to find the murderers, only to suspect that perhaps the detective business doesn’t quite become her. A hilarious account of how not to get involved in other people’s murders, The Reluctant Detective is the story of every school-gate mom, searching for a purpose in her life that goes beyond kitty lunches, shopping and fish pedicures.

The novel (published by Westland) is available at all leading book stores and is priced at a modest Rs.195/-

Confessions of a Serial Dieter, Kalli Puri

Confessions of a Serial Dieter Kalki Koechlin & Soni Razdan

Quick, make a diet confession and win an autographed copy of Kalli Puri’s Confessions of a Serial Dieter, post your answer in the comments below! xoxo

Fine. Ok. I’ll start. I’m addicted to Lays American Cream and Onion chips. I can eat a whole bag (the share pack) by myself anytime! *Phew* glad I got that out there. But I promise to back off the potato action till after my Goa wedding :) I swear!

So I went to this awesome (and very unique) book launch the other day where everyone from Dimple & Twinkle Khanna, Rahul Bose, Parmeshwar Godrej, Rashmi Uday Singh, Anuragh Kashyup, Poonam Dhillon, Nisha JamVwal, Jatin Kampani, Kalki Koechlin, Soni Razdan and Gul Panag were either participating or in attendance. Kalki and Soni performed hilarious monologues from the book, directed by captain Kashyap and Dimple & Twinkle took part in a free-wheeling discussion; revealing that Miss Twinkle struggled with her weight and was put on a fruit diet by mommy Dimple as a child!

Confessions of a Serial Dieter, Kalli Puri

Kalli Puri and MissMalini

My favorite part of course, was meeting Kalli Puri the author who has unabashedly chronicled her love affair with food (and her love/hate relationship with her weighing scale.) I’m sure this book will ring true with even the mildly body-conscious and who knows, with 43 diets to choose from you might just find the right “fit” for you!

Jatin Kampani and MissMalin

Rahul Bose and MissMalini

So you know Rahul Bose used to date Kalli’s sister Koel Puri right? I was kinda curious why he showed up but she didn’t, but I’m gonna assume she was busy shooting since she did Tweet this:

@koelscouch

Watch the videos that follow for a peak into the book launch and get a flavor of Kalli’s writing; witty and honest, I like!

Both Soni and Kalki were amazing. Breathing character into the pages of a book. Soni made my feel bad for people who struggle with their weight and laugh at jealous conversations I’ve overheard at a million Page 3 parties and Kalki? Well she made me very, very hungry!

Confessions of a Serial Dieter by Kalli Puri with Twinkle Khanna & Dimple Kapadia

During the free-wheeling Q&A my favorite response was Anurag Kashyap’s when asked if his wife Kalki’s slender physique makes him conscious. He said, “it’s not so much her physique as the fact the she looks 17 that’s the problem!” *roflmao*

Confessions of a Serial Dieter book launch

I caught up with the gorgeous Gul who was sweet, as always. (And to her credit handled a swarm of creepy older men with a great deal of poise!)

MissMalini and Gul Panag

Style check: I’m digging the pink on Poonam Dhillon and the bling on Nisha JamVwal…

Poonam Dhillon

Nisha JamVwal

And just before I left, I got Kalki to say cheese in her boho-chic gear, love the hat!

Kalki Koechlin

Psst! Catch all my star interviews and more from the event on Style Police, UTV Bindass on Monday at 8pm, and check out where I ended up that night…

Back at Royalty for Parul's Birthday

…yup, you guessed it. Back at Royalty in Bandra for the 4th time that week! xoxo

Get ready for toilet-humour with this spoof on Harry Potter

Depending on how well it’s written or dramatized, a spoof can sometimes be more entertaining than the original. And so, it didn’t take too long for the ingenious people at Papercutz Graphic Novels to bring out a spoof on Harry Potter, called Harry Potty And The Deathly Boring.

Written by Stefan Petrucha with art-work by Rick Parker, this Harry Potter spoof has characters called Ron Measley and Whiny Stranger who help Harry Potty fight Valuemart (or He-Whose-Prices-Cant-Be-Beat). The headmaster, who incidentally gets killed right at the begining of the novel, is called Dumb-As-A-Door and references to other Potter novels include funny names like Pain In My Ass-kaban and The Half-Drunk Wimp.

Professor Dumb-As-A-Door gets killed at the begining of the novel

Priced at Rs.225/- , the graphic novel could be a fun read, as long as you’re not a die-hard Potter fan, like my colleague Amruta Khatavkar, who takes great offense at anything anti Harry Potter.

Sorabh Pant performs stand-up comedy

The new year promises one of the most gripping reads from one of India’s most witty men – stand-up comedian, Sorabh Pant. Having toured the country and performed in shows that featured Rob Schneider, Wayne Brady and Vir Das, Sorabh now makes his debut in the sphere of novels with The Wednesday Soul – a book that delves into the rather grim issues of life and death.

His novel is an account of Nyra Dubey, a feisty, bordering-on-violent girl, from Delhi and her life after life. Run over by a bus, she lies on a grey road, fuming inside, like the noxious fumes outside. The infamous vigilante—The Delhi Belle—reduced to an accident statistic? Surely, this was not her fate. A fortnight ago, she would have not only settled for, but embraced a violent death. Today, death is a colossal inconvenience, holding her back from enjoying her newly-acquired fridge-sized boyfriend.  Death hath no fury like a woman dead, she thinks, plotting an explosive vengeance upon death’s ethereal masters for the loss of love. A vengeance delayed, as she’s labelled a Wednesday Soul, carried off by a monstrous Eledactyl (an Elephant-Pterodactyl), and then kidnapped by the biggest, ugliest eagle she has ever seen to the mysterious Big Ball. Unanswered questions race through her head as Nyra quickly learns that souls are made of light, that she is in the midst of a destructive plot to destroy the life after life, and that the quickest way to escape from an Eledactyl is by rubbing its bum from the inside. Compared to death, she thinks, life is a breeze.

The cover of Sorabh's debut novel

The book is an account of how death separates Nyra from the man she loves, how an ancient ambition gone wrong threatens to derail the very fabric of life after life, and how bad puns have the power to kill.

Sorabh Pant, being the funny man that he is, shines a happy light on that giant fear of humanity: death. He reveals how death can be quite entertaining, if you’ve lived your life well and fairly. The end could be glorious and joyful or heartbreaking and painful.