MEHFIL

MEHFIL$4.25 

May/June 2008 

The magazine for today’s Indo-Canadian 

INSIDE 

ExclusivE 

interview witH 

AbHisheK 

Bachchan 

Superstar Chef 

Gurj Dhaliwal 

Has all the right 

ingredients for 

TV Success 

Marketing Mastermind 

Jatinder Rai 

Gets the Message Across 

in a Multicultural World 

Delhi’s 

Fashion Week 

Offers a Forecast 

of Fall Style 

www.mehfilmagazine.com 

Sweet 

Talk 

From 

Sugar 

Sammy 

The Stand-Up Star Is Making 

Serious Strides Forward 

in the Funny Business

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Mehfil 

D e pa r t m e n t s 

8 

10 

12 

24 

78 

Mehfil May/June 2008 

C O V E R S T O RY 

Sugar Sammy.. . . . 32 

“I wake up loving my job and 

I can’t wait to perform,” says 

funnyman Sugar Sammy. And 

his fans look forward to his 

performances as eagerly as he 

does. Sugar Sammy sells out 

wherever he appears, including 

his recent shows in Vancouver. 

When we sat down with him 

for an interview, we discovered: 

that he’s just as sweet as his 

name implies; he’s a selfconfessed 

Star Wars fanatic; he’s 

one of Amitabh Bachchan’s biggest fans; he really is smart, savvy 

and, most importantly, funny enough to follow in the foosteps of 

comedy’s biggest stars. 

By Robin Roberts 

F e at u r e s 

Fashion Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

The recent runway extravaganza in Delhi, 

where more than 80 designers revealed their 

fall collections, offered a preview of the 

hottest fall trends in Indian fashion. 

Gurj Dhaliwal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. 

The winner of Food Network Canada’s 

Superstar Chef Challenge serves up his 

trademark blend of humour and candour as 

he reveals what he’s cooking up in his career. 

Jatinder Rai .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Spend even a little time with the marketing 

mastermind behind some of the most 

attention-getting ads aimed at South Asian 

consumers and it’s easy to see why Jatinder 

Rai is the first choice of major corporations 

with an eye on the multicultural market. 

Abhishek Bachchan.. . . . . . . . . 28 

You might expect one of the Indian film 

industry’s most popular personalities to have 

some star attitude, but Abhishek Bachchan 

is anything but a haughty Mumbai star. He 

speaks to Mehfil about, among other things, 

his upcoming world tour, which will include 

a stop in Vancouver this summer. 

32 

M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 8 

Publishers’ Note.. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Stellar Student.. . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Power Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Unsung Hero.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Life Lessons .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Scene and Society.. . . . . . . . . . 17 

Fashion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Weddings.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 

Beauty .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 

Cuisine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 

Auto Reviews .. . . . . . . . . . . . 66 

Canadian Artist.. . . . . . . . . . . . 74 

Reflections.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 

C o l u m n s 

18 

Flipside 

by Rita Dhaliwal 

20 

The Inspired Sufi 

by Azim Jamal 

22 

Politics 

by Andy Radia 

61 

Horoscope 

by Georgia Nicols 

64 

Health & Fitness 

by Shefali Raja 

76 

Movie Reviews 

by Ron Ahluwalia

Come and Watch Shiamak's Summer Funk 

- a dance presentation by students from ages 4-65 years 

on July 4, 2008 at Bell Performing Arts Centre, Surrey. 

For further details please contact: Tel: 604-722-5725 

Fax: 604-980-0185, Email: indojazzvan@shiamak.com

Coffee with Dave 

Got something on your mind? 

Dave will buy your first cup of coffee! 

First Saturday of every month 2:45 pm–4:00 pm 

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T: 604.501.3201 F: 604.501.3233 

Bus: 604-581-3838 

Fax: 604-581-6761 

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Avtar 

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• Insurance • Investments • Employee Benefits 

www.ravihayer.com 

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& Investment Representative 

604.732.1508 ext 281 A division of London Life Insurance Company 

Mehfil 

MaY/June 2008 VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 

Editor 

Minto Vig 

Contributing Writers 

Robin Roberts, Azim Jamal, 

Shefali Raja, Andy Radia, Ron Ahluwalia, 

Rita Dhaliwal, J. Singh, Michelle Hopkins 

Photography, Illustrations 

Ron Sangha, Chandra Bodalia, 

Pauline Kao 

Production & Design 

Adhil Naidu, Levan Trieu 

Editorial & Event Coordinator 

Selena Sandhu 

Mehfil Magazine is published by 

VIG PUBLICATIONS INC. 

Publishers 

Rana Vig, Minto Vig 

Mailing Address: 

PO Box 338 - 552A Clarke Road, 

Coquitlam, BC V3J 0A3 

604-588-4660 • Fax 604-588-4665 

http://www.mehfilmagazine.com 

email: info@mehfilmagazine.com 

Mehfil Magazine is published six times a year by VIG Publications 

Inc. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine 

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Unsolicited editorial material of any kind will not be returned unless 

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plus G.S.T. United States subscriptions: 6 issues $45.00 (U.S. Funds, 

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Postmaster: if undeliverable please return to 

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Mehfil May/June 2008

P ublishers’ Note 

When Samir Khullar was growing up 

in Montreal, he dreamt of one day making 

his living as a stand-up comedian. Today, 

he’s doing that — and then some — as 

Sugar Sammy. He may not be a household 

name — yet — but his shows regularly 

sell out and there’s every reason to believe 

he’ll achieve his career goal of “world 

domination.” 

Few things are more inspiring than the 

experiences of someone who’s living his 

dream, and we’re confident that Mehfil 

readers will be engaged and entertained 

by our cover story on funnyman Sugar 

Sammy. 

Most of our readers have probably seen 

the memorable Telus ad featuring the voice 

of popular Punjabi performer Harbhajan 

Mann, whose song Meriya dhola is the 

perfect fit for an ad that encourages people 

to stay in touch with their loved ones. 

That highly effective marriage of message 

and music is the work of Jatinder Rai of 

Response Advertising, which specializes 

in multicultural marketing for major 

corporations. Rai is a mastermind when 

it comes to marketing, but there’s no 

clever campaign necessary to demonstrate 

what makes him a role model both in 

terms of career success and community 

commitment. His lifestyle and his 

accomplishments speak for themselves. 

Also in this issue, fans of Indian films 

will want to check out Mehfil’s interview 

with Abhishek Bachchan, who’s heading 

to Vancouver this summer with wife 

Aishwarya and his superstar father 

Amitabh for a stage show. 

Enjoy! 

A.S. Bubber, CA 

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Our goal – to find you the best mortgage rate possible – period!” 

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Fax: 604-501-2119 

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Fax 604-599-3555 

208 - 8120 128th St, Surrey, B.C. 

www.asbubber.com 

Correction: A word was inadvertently 

omitted in the introduction of the 

Perspectives column in the March/April 

2008 issue of Mehfil Magazine. The 

first senctence should have read: The 

Indo-Canadian community has made 

great strides in overcoming systemic and 

societal discrimination against women. 

For more information and 

to apply online visit us at 

www.bestwaymortgage.ca 

email: bestway@shawcable.com 

Mehfil May/June 2008

S tellar Student 


Parveen Herar 

Age: 18 Hometown: Port Coquitlam 

Academic awards include: Millennium 

Excellence Award; Kalpana Chawla Memorial 

Foundation Scholarship; UBC Okanagan 

Entrance Scholarship; Indo-Canadian 

Business Association Scholarship; India 

Club Academic Achievement Scholarship 

Currently studying: Sciences at Simon 

Fraser University. 

Advice for students: Get involved in any 

way that you can. In your community or in 

your school, there are always clubs, sports 

teams and volunteer organizations that 

you can join. As you do this you will find 

that your personal network grows. These 

experiences will truly enrich your life. 

My second piece of advice is to take the 

time to travel. You will learn things about 

the world and yourself that you never knew 

before. 

Lastly, school is expensive. Find the time 

to apply for any and every scholarship or 

bursary you can find. Every little bit counts. 

Success strategies you swear by: To 

relax and stay calm. When things don’t go 

the way I want them to, I just take a step 

back, re-evaluate the situation and move 

forward. It is really hard to focus and take a 

step back when you are stressed. I have also 

learned to take my time with big projects and 

tasks. Start early; you will be glad you did. 

Confidence-building techniques: Being 

sure of who you are is an important part of 

being confident. It took me a while to figure 

that out. I remember in Grade 10 in one of 

my courses the teacher asked us, “Who are 

you?” After that class I really started to think 

about who I was. What did I want to do with 

my life? What do I enjoy doing and why? By 

the end of high school, for the most part, 

I had it figured out. I have a passion for 

helping people and I would love to work a 

hands-on job where I can help people and 

travel at the same time. So I decided that I 

want to become a doctor. 

The biggest obstacle you’ve had to 

overcome: Breaking out of my shell. As a 

kid I was always very shy and introverted. 

As I grew older I saw how much more there 

was to life if you just took the time to get to 

know people and make connections. Joining 

clubs, Girl Guides and sports teams, being 

involved in leadership classes were just 

some of the ways I met new people and built 

my personal network. The biggest help was 

taking leadership roles in the community 

and in school. It took a while, but I find that 

it has paid off. 

A quote that inspires you: “Some 

people see things the way they are and ask, 

‘Why?’ I dream things that never were and 

ask, ‘Why not?’” 

Photo by Ron Sangha

S tellar Student 


Parveen Herar 

Age: 18 Hometown: Port Coquitlam 

Academic awards include: Millennium 

Excellence Award; Kalpana Chawla Memorial 

Foundation Scholarship; UBC Okanagan 

Entrance Scholarship; Indo-Canadian 

Business Association Scholarship; India 

Club Academic Achievement Scholarship 

Currently studying: Sciences at Simon 

Fraser University. 

Advice for students: Get involved in any 

way that you can. In your community or in 

your school, there are always clubs, sports 

teams and volunteer organizations that 

you can join. As you do this you will find 

that your personal network grows. These 

experiences will truly enrich your life. 

My second piece of advice is to take the 

time to travel. You will learn things about 

the world and yourself that you never knew 

before. 

Lastly, school is expensive. Find the time 

to apply for any and every scholarship or 

bursary you can find. Every little bit counts. 

Success strategies you swear by: To 

relax and stay calm. When things don’t go 

the way I want them to, I just take a step 

back, re-evaluate the situation and move 

forward. It is really hard to focus and take a 

step back when you are stressed. I have also 

learned to take my time with big projects and 

tasks. Start early; you will be glad you did. 

Confidence-building techniques: Being 

sure of who you are is an important part of 

being confident. It took me a while to figure 

that out. I remember in Grade 10 in one of 

my courses the teacher asked us, “Who are 

you?” After that class I really started to think 

about who I was. What did I want to do with 

my life? What do I enjoy doing and why? By 

the end of high school, for the most part, 

I had it figured out. I have a passion for 

helping people and I would love to work a 

hands-on job where I can help people and 

travel at the same time. So I decided that I 

want to become a doctor. 

The biggest obstacle you’ve had to 

overcome: Breaking out of my shell. As a 

kid I was always very shy and introverted. 

As I grew older I saw how much more there 

was to life if you just took the time to get to 

know people and make connections. Joining 

clubs, Girl Guides and sports teams, being 

involved in leadership classes were just 

some of the ways I met new people and built 

my personal network. The biggest help was 

taking leadership roles in the community 

and in school. It took a while, but I find that 

it has paid off. 

A quote that inspires you: “Some 

people see things the way they are and ask, 

‘Why?’ I dream things that never were and 

ask, ‘Why not?’” 

Photo by Ron Sangha

P ower Player 

Photo by Ron Sangha 

Poonam Sandhu 

Age: 17 Hometown: Vancouver 

Sport: Field Hockey Team: India Club 

Most memorable moments: In my first year 

of playing under-16 for B.C., we got to the finals 

(we defeated the other two under-18 B.C. teams to 

get to the finals) and were labelled the underdogs 

of the tournament. We were losing 3-0 in the first 

half, but came back to tie it in the second half. 

We dominated in overtime, but lost in strokes to 

Ontario’s under-18 team. We were an 

under-16 team playing in an under- 

19 national tournament. 

Sports career highlights: Making 

the Junior National Squad this year. I 

was invited to a national development 

camp over the spring break. The camp 

was five days long and very intense. It 

was such a great experience because 

not only did I get to play hockey with 

the top players in Canada, I also got to 

play with and meet the national team 

athletes. I always knew I would get there 

one day but I never thought that day 

would be today. 

When did you start playing? I started 

playing in 2000 when I was nine years 

old. Our team was the first-ever girls’ 

team that was playing for India club. So 

we started something pretty big. Today 

we have about 4 girls teams based in 

Vancouver and Surrey. 

How do you balance school and sports? 

It’s not easy. It takes a lot of organizing. I write 

everything in my agenda: homework, important 

dates, practice times, game times, events, etc. 

What has playing sports taught you about 

life? That nothing comes easy in life. You have 

to work hard in order to get what you want. I’ve 

always been self-motivated, but playing sports 

just takes it up a notch because you’re so used to 

challenging yourself and pushing yourself to the 

next level. 

Your family: a strong support team? I come 

from a family that has been playing field hockey 

for generations. My great- grandfather coached 

field hockey in India, and that’s how my dad came 

to play it. My uncles and my aunt also played and 

I’m proud to say they all went pretty far. My friends 

have always been my number one fans and I love 

them for that. 

Advice for aspiring athletes: It’s never easy 

to reach your goal, but it’s the hard work and 

determination that get you there. Pain is temporary, 

but quitting is forever. 

10 Mehfil May/June 2008

Unsung Heroes 

Photo by Ron Sangha 

Vasant Lakhani 

Looking for 

ways to help 

By Michelle Hopkins 

There’s a gentleness and humbleness to 

Vasant Lakhani. It resonates in his voice. 

But there’s something much deeper about 

this 70-year-old father and grandfather. 

Vasant possesses a strong sense of commitment 

towards the marginalized and desperately 

poor around the world. He sees helping such 

people as simply the right thing to do – the 

only thing to do, really. 

Vasant tells the story — he says there are 

hundreds more — of an 11-year-old girl he 

encountered at a humanitarian medical camp 

in Jamnagar, India, last year; the child had a 

serious eye condition that threatened to blind 

her. 

“This beautiful girl had an eye disease and 

needed surgery right away,” he explains. “We 

managed to send her for surgery. If we hadn’t, 

she would have lost her eye. It costs only $50 

Canadian, that’s all; and a cataract operation 

(in India) costs between $40 and $45.” 


On that trip alone, he, along with 

a dozen physicians from the U.S. and 

Canada and three dentists from the US 

and the UK treated 5,158 patients in 14 

remote villages in the poorest areas of 

India. 

“The need is so great, and really what I 

do is just a drop in the bucket,” says Vasant, 

who pays all his own expenses to go on his 

humanitarian missions. “I had always 

done local volunteer work within the 

Indian community, but I wasn’t content. I 

wanted to do foreign humanitarian work 

and I wanted to work with my hands, not 

just behind a desk.” 

Vasant, a retired communitydevelopment 

officer with the Ontario 

Public Service, is currently helping to 

co-ordinate and raise funds for a Uganda 

medical mission, scheduled for August, 

that will assist sick people in remote and 

poor villages. 

“We have also set up a medical camp in 

the State of Orissa in India,” Vasant says. 

“It’s part of our two-year commitment to 

pay the yearly expenses, totalling $8,000 a 

year, to fund our Mobile Medical Clinic, 

which brings aid where it’s needed most. 

“It’s such a small amount when you 

consider the costs of surgery here in 

Canada.” 

Vasant was instrumental in spearheading 

the appeal for donors and volunteers for 

the Mobile Medical Clinic. 

“I realized after leaving these camps 

and villages (on previous trips) that the 

villagers continued to suffer ailments and 

disease,” Vasant says. “I thought that if we 

introduced a mobile medical clinic, going 

to some of these villages once a week, it 

would help detect and avoid long-term 

complications and suffering among the 

young and old alike.” 

Vasant is a man on a mission, one in 

which he involves family and friends; 

he makes no apologies for soliciting 

donations of money and medical supplies, 

children’s clothing and more. 

Vasant’s journey to help his fellow man 

on an international basis began a few 

years ago. 

“It was soon after Katrina that friends 

and I were talking about doing some 

volunteer work,” he says. “I started 

researching, and I phoned a friend of 

mine who suggested I get involved with 

the Association of Physicians of Northern 

Ohio (AIPNO).” 

In December 2005, he headed with 

the AIPNO team to Cochin in Kerala, 

India. There, he helped build homes for 

the victims of the tsunami for the first 

five days and then worked alongside the 

physicians registering patients. 

“At times I dispensed medicine under 

the guidance and supervision of the 

doctors,” Vasant says. “Prior to that, a 

group of us hauled bricks, making 15 

to 20 trips a day from the mainland to 

the island. There were people there from 

the United States, Europe, Australia and 

other countries; it was like a mini United 

Nations.” 

More recently, Vasant was part of a 

medical mission in Dwarka, Gujarat, 

where doctors saw 550 patients and 

performed 52 cataract surgeries. 

“People say India is going through an 

economic boom, but that’s in the major 

cities,” Vasant says. “Go to the villages 

and you see extreme poverty. The people 

are suffering terribly; many don’t have 

access to clean drinking water. 

“How can I not help?” 

The two-week Uganda Medical 

Mission in August 2008 will provide 

medical and dental services, as well as 

eye examinations, to people who have 

no access to medical services or cannot 

afford basic health care. To learn more 

about the upcoming mission or how to 

get involved, call Vasant at 604-987-1925 

or 604-318-4743. p 

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finding a life partner. Meet 

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Mehfil May/June 2008 13 

604-5

Life Lessons 

It’s that time of year again when 

many students are cramming 

for exams and then looking 

forward to the summer off from 

studying. Summer is a great time for 

students to try something new, earn 

extra money, gain work experience 

and make new contacts. If you’re 

an organized individual, you may 

already have a job lined up, and 

it does always pay to start your job 

search early in the year when many employers 

start looking for summer students. However, 

if you’re just turning your thoughts to that 

summer job, don’t despair; there is a job out 

there for you! 

It’s hard not to have heard that in Canada 

we have a shortage of skilled workers, and 

many employers are offering incentives to even 

temporary, part-time and summer employees. 

However, don’t assume that you can simply 

waltz into a job because of this; employers are 

still looking for quality candidates to fill their 

openings. This means that you must have 

a good, targeted resumé highlighting your 

accomplishments and competencies and that 

you present yourself well in the interview. 

Check out your college or university’s career 

resource centre, where you can look at posted 

job openings and conduct an independent job 

search. Also arrange a meeting with one of the 

counsellors there to give you advice on your 

resumé, cover letters and perhaps even practise 

your interview techniques. 

When you’re looking for jobs, there’s really 

only two avenues: the advertised job market 

and the hidden job market. In the advertised 

market, employers are letting you know that 

they have an opening. You’ll find advertised 

positions in the classified ads, the job bank 

and Internet recruitment sites. Some of the 

more popular sites, like monster.ca, working. 

com, workopolis.com and careerbuilder.ca, are 

always worth visiting, but don’t forget individual 

company websites, local, provincial and federal 

government sites, which will provide a wealth of 

information and links. 

As well as looking in the provincial and 

national newspapers, check out your local 

papers and see what’s happening in your 

community. You’ll be surprised how many 

employers are advertising there. But did you 

know that only 15 to 20 per cent of the jobs that 

are actually available are advertised? This means 

there are other ways to secure a job, and this is 

called the hidden job market. 

Networking is a very important component 

of the hidden job market. As well as talking 

to professionals already in the industry, let 

other people know that you are job searching, 

including your friends, their parents, your 

dentist, your coach, your auto mechanic, etc. In 

the hidden job market, positions are filled by, 

14 Mehfil May/June 2008 

CareerCoachLanding a Job 

or even created for, candidates 

who come to an employer’s 

attention through employees’ 

recommendations, referrals from 

different sources or direct contact 

with the candidate. 

Whether the job is advertised 

or hidden, whenever possible, 

apply for a job in person and 

always be prepared for an 

interview. Stats show that up to 

85 per cent of new jobs are created in small- to 

mid-size companies, which don’t necessarily 

have a budget for advertising, and if you happen 

to walk in at the right time, you could be hired 

on the spot! It happens. 

Although many students have an idea of the 

career path they would like to take, there are 

many more that are still uncertain. Attending 

recruitment or hiring fairs, is a great way 

for you to gather valuable information and 

to put your resumé in the hands of potential 

employers. This is one of the best places for 

you to conduct an informational interview 

and promote yourself. If you are attending 

a recruitment fair, ensure you are ready 

for a screening interview, which is a mini 

interview where the employer will let you know 

immediately if you will be contacted again for a 

second interview. 

The more opportunity you have to impress 

people in the industry you are interested in 

through hiring or career fairs, company open 

houses, informational interviews, professional 

organizations, or even networking at social 

events, the better your chances of securing a 

position. Look for any opportunity to volunteer, 

intern or get that entry-level job that could lead 

to bigger and better things. Using your electronic 

network to gather information and job leads is 

perfectly acceptable. However, remember you are 

the product and it is you that the employer will 

eventually hire, so meeting employers in person 

and being visible is imperative. 

Whether you post your resumé or apply 

directly to companies online, visit organizations 

in person, attend fairs and networking events, 

register with an employment agency, phone 

employers or fax your resumé, keep track of 

what you are doing and follow up consistently. 

Employers want to hire people who are 

committed, and a phone call, e-mail or personal 

visit inquiring about your application will let 

them know that you are serious. 

There is a job out there for you, and once 

you’ve entered the workforce, it’s generally a 

long, long time before you get out! Enjoy the 

summer. 

Gurdeep Diogan, a certified instructor and career 

counsellor, works as a job-search facilitator in 

the career services department at DIVERSEcity 

Community Resources Society, where she also 

serves as a board director. 

Summer Fun 

With summer just around the corner, children 

are looking forward to vacation. Following are 

some tips for parents to help their children make the 

most of summer vacation: 

• Be safe: Safety comes first. Talk to them about the 

use of sunscreen, helmets and road safety. 

Set clear behaviour expectations for any road 

trips and activities prior to getting in the car. 

Make sure your child has all the supplies they 

need to enjoy the trip. These supplies could be a 

frisbee, crayons or a kite. 

• Plan ahead: Check what your local recreation 

centre has to offer. Usually, one needs to register 

early for these activities. Your local newspaper 

might have advertisements about activities offered 

by various groups and organizations. 

Involve your child with the selection and 

planning of activities as much as possible. This 

way they will learn important life skills such as 

planning, organizing, managing time, being 

considerate of others’ 

feelings, and resolving 

conflicts. 

• Plan activities that are fun 

for you as well because all 

the driving here and there 

can often be exhausting 

for parents, too. Talk to 

other parents and see if you 

can plan some activities 

like camping, swimming, 

etc. to do as a group. It is 

important that you spend time with your friends 

or do things that you enjoy as well. 

• Leave free time: Keep some time for just hanging 

out with children. Having some free time to talk 

with each other is important for both the children 

and the parents. It is good for strengthening the 

bond with your child. When children are at home 

away from all the stresses of school, they will feel 

more free to talk to you about their school life and 

friendships in general. Some unplanned time is 

good for the kids to learn to entertain themselves. 

• Promote team work: Involve children in your 

daily chores like folding the laundry, gardening, 

cooking, etc. It enhances their understanding of 

your roles and responsibilities as parents, and they 

also feel good about themselves for being helpful 

to you. 

• Have some study time to catch up or practise what 

they have learned at school. Teachers often notice 

a slight drop in children’s academic performance 

right after the summer break. It is mostly because 

children have not been practising academic skills 

for two months and have simply forgotten this 

process. It is especially true for students who are 

already struggling at school. 

Most importantly, have fun with your kids and 

enjoy them! 

Meena Makkar, M. Sc., M.Ed., RCC is a registered 

clinical counsellor and is working as a school counsellor 

in Surrey. She takes a special interest in issues faced by 

parents, especially Indo-Canadian parents. 

Parenting Corner

A guide to keeping 

kids of all ages active 

Fitness Tips 

(NC)—Kids of all ages need to get up and 

play up all the positive things about being active 

— like having fun, learning new skills, keeping 

themselves healthy and living longer. Kids can 

reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 

moving more and eating healthier. Overweight 

and inactive children are at higher risk of 

remaining overweight and inactive as adults, so 

now is the time for kids to start moving. 

According to the Public Health Agency of 

Canada’s Physical Activity Guides (www.paguide. 

com) kids should combine three types of physical 

activity: 

• Endurance activities make you breathe deeper, 

make your heart beat faster and warm your 

body. Get your kids to play soccer or hockey, 

or run, swim or bike. When done regularly 

and for continuous periods of time, aerobic 

activity strengthens the heart and improves the 

body’s ability to deliver oxygen to all its cells. 

Endurance activities can be fun for both adults 

and kids, so make it a family activity. 

• Strength activities build muscles and stronger 

bones. Structured exercises like push-ups, 

stomach crunches, pull-ups all help tone and 

strengthen muscles–and so do daily tasks such 

as carrying groceries and shovelling snow or 

cutting the grass. Strength activities are often 

incorporated without real thought in the 

way kids play: climbing, doing a handstand, 

wrestling or playing on monkey bars all build 

strength in kids. 

• Flexibility activities involve bending, stretching 

and reaching and other activities that keep 

joints moving. Activities like dance, gymnastics 

and yoga naturally incorporate flexibility. 

Physical activity is critical to child 

development, and if the adults, who influence 

kids in their lives, help them learn to like physical 

activity, kids are more apt to be active and stay 

active and healthy. 

Concerned Children’s Advertisers (CCA) has 

developed a new public awareness and education 

campaign called “Long Live Kids” to help get 

kids moving more. Download the public service 

messages, parent and teacher information guides 

and other health, nutrition and physical activity 

information at www.cca-kids.ca. 

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Mehfil May/June 2008 15

F e ature 

Fashion 

Week 

No fewer than 85 designers showed 

off their talent at Wills Fashion Week 

in Delhi, where models, fashion 

journalists and Bollywood stars took in the 

fall collections. 

Some of the looks were so global they 

would have been at home on the catwalk 

in New York. One of the highlights was the 

dazzling array of gorgeous Indian fashions, 

which continue to inspire some mainstream 

trends. (Did you know that the current 

appetite for leggings with a dress came 

from designers who went to India and drew 

inspiration from the tight salwars that have 

been on display for the past two seasons?) 

Here is a sweet suwadh of the looks that 

decorated the 2008 runways in Delhi. 

Ashima-Leena, the label created by 

Ashima and Leena Singh, has put its 

own stamp on an Indian classic: the 

black, beaded sari. 

Monapali, the fashion house fronted by 

sisters Mona Lamba and Pali Sachdev, 

pulled together India’s de rigeur pink hues, 

from dusky rose to this season’s shocking 

magenta, and also went for crisp white 

salwar kameezes with this season’s mid-calf 

lengths as well as tight churidaars. In the 

past they have dressed Canadian Governor 

General Adrienne Clarkson, 

Aishwarya Rai, Patrick 

Swazye, Tabu, Sushmita 

Sen and oodles of other 

Bollywood leading lights. 

Priyadarshini Rao’s ice blue ensemble 

also impressed. As always, Rao focused 

on textured garments over ornate 

embroidery. 

Prriya Awasthy drew inspiration from 

the past in a collection dubbed “Bengal 

Renassance.” The designer married 

ancient cuts with contemporary trends. 

Highlights were long kameezes down 

to mid-shin. Salwars were still on the 

tight side but were somewhat more 

relaxed. Her palette was also soft, 

drawing heavily on yellows, browns 

and greens. 

Kavita Bhartia made a strong 

statement with a collection that 

incorporated elements of “tribal chic 

and royal opulence.” Three base shades 

— Prussian blue, wine and rust — 

were interspersed with what she calls 

“bursts of mustard, red, and gold.” One 

Delhi trend — the resurrection of the graphic printed 

scarf, which girls are wearing with a long kameez 

and churidar leggings — was reflected in Bhartia’s 

collection, which included bold, beautiful scarves. 

With his gorgeous embroidered jackets, 

Manav Ghangwani showed some of the 

hottest men’s looks seen in some time. 


And the winner is... 

1 

2 

3 

1. One can’t possibly ignore the 

sublime all-day desiFEST, which 

featured over 20 artists living 

loud on Water Street in Gastown 

on May 3. The event, one of the 

year’s major happenings, opened 

with an official welcome from 

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan. 

If you weren’t lucky enough to 

catch it, check out the website at 

desifest.ca to find out where to 

snag some of the performers’ CDs. 

2. One of the most adorable 

heralds of spring presented itself 

in the Vancouver International 

Bhangra Festival’s Vineeta 

Minhas. Her red and green face 

full of Holi dust is Mehfil’s money 

shot of one of the most kickin’, 

amazing events this year. We 

don’t know who “got” Vineeta, 

honest! But whoever it was, we 

hope they appreciated the result 

as much as our readers will. The 

Holi festival took place outside the 

Pearl Banquet Hall on March 22, 

with rainbow desis heading inside 

afterwards to nosh under the eye 

of bemused staff. All proceeds 

went to the Surrey Food Bank. 

3. What could be better than 

having a Vaisakhi jam session? 

There was a surprise in the works 

as the British side of the desi 

world fuelled the local sound 

machine at Vaisakhi: Harvest 

the Fun on April 19 at the Bell 

Performing Arts Centre. Taking 

the stage were Rishi Rich (the 

same artist who has mixed it for 

1) (from left) desiFEST Vancouver 

Project Manager Rina Gill, Vancouver 

Mayor Sam Sullivan, Founder of 

desiFEST Sathish Bala. 2) Hindu Student 

Association of SFU member Rupam 

Shah, Universal Cultural Society of 

Canada member Vineeta Minhas, Hindu 

Student Association of SFU member 

Sonam Shah. 3) Band Swami with RJ 

1200 Hosts Gopi and Raakhi. 

Scene and Society 

we here that... 

Madonna, Britney Spears, Ricky 

Martin and Missy Elliot), SWAMI (a 

UK alternative/ electronic/Bhangra 

band led by DJ Swami), Jagua, 

and H-Dhami (best newcomer at 

the South Asian Music Awards). 

We hear that it was H-Dhami’s 

first time in Vancouver. It is very 

interesting to see the enthusiasm 

for these slammin’ top-tier British 

South Asians; their audience is 

primed and enthusiastic from the 

moment they hear the blokes 

have landed in Lotus Land. 

Think of the children, they 

say. And we did (well, of some 

incredible teenagers at least) 

at L.A. Matheson Secondary 

School’s sixth annual Multicultural 

Showcase put on by the school’s 

multicultural club followed by 

Diggin’ the Roots (dinner for 

the uninitiated) on April 10. It 

was a hot night of bhangra, 

native Canadian spiritual chants, 

a fashion show, door prizes and 

well on $4,000 raised for B.C.’s 

Children’s Hospital. 

Members of the Association of 

South Asian Professionals of B.C., 

which is currently headed up by 

Jindy Bhalla, quietly wandered 

out into this year’s chill spring at 

Oppenheimer Park to participate 

in the second annual Hot Dog 

Day for the Homeless, passing out 

a thousand dogs and over one 

hundred pieces of gently used 

clothing. 

Congratulations to Mrs. Balbir Dhaliwal, winner of a brand new 

Honda Civic in the 2008 Surrey Honda Mehfil Magazine Vaisakhi Car 

Giveaway. Enjoy the ride! 

Bhana Designer Trisha Rampersad, Model Missy Gunn Sall 

The fashion cats of Vancouver are meowing loud and long 

over Trisha Rampersad’s new fashion endeavour, which 

is of the moment and uber savvy. Why is the desi clan so 

successful at dressing fashionably and creating top quality 

product? Trisha launched her new clothing line, Bhana, at 

a ramp show on April 11 at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre. 

The fall preview show featured lots of neutrals: brown and 

grey and black. Asymmetrics, tailored coats, trousers and 

wrap skirts are shaping up to be the big pieces for fall 

sales. The foxy men’s line was dubbed Absolute Man. Tricia 

draws inspiration from yet another well-dressed Indian: her 

grandfather, who is the label’s namesake. We discovered that 

she is on the web at bhana.ca and, upon request, will tailor 

her couture clothes to measure so that they fit perfectly. 

Photo By Pauline Kao 


Jessie Vaid 

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Flipside 

By Rita Dhaliwal 

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• Statutory Declarations and all notary services 

Unit 140, 8047-120th St, 

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fax: 604-590-8244 

jvaid@notaries.bc.ca 

MEHFIL 

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Where Ever You Go! 

At Home, Online, 

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Indian film star Kareena Kapoor is 

on the receiving end of the kind of 

criticism that western celebrities such 

as Keira Knightley and Victoria Beckham 

are accustomed to fielding. Since losing 

weight for her starring role in Tashan, her 

latest film, Kapoor has been accused of 

inspiring Indian girls to starve themselves 

in an effort to emulate her ultra-slim 

physique. Kapoor, who 

has been described as 

Bollywood’s “first sizezero” 

star is taking heat 

for, in the words of 

the Indian newspaper 

The Business Standard, 

helping to promote 

a “regressive Western 

concept of beauty.” 

Kapoor, like Knightley 

and Beckham before her, 

has denied rumours that 

she is anorexic, insisting 

that her size-zero frame 

is the result of power 

yoga and a healthy diet, 

not starvation. (For 

their parts, Knightley has always insisted 

that her waiflike figure is simply due 

to genes, while Beckham has claimed 

that her bone-thin body is the result of 

her metabolism going into over-drive 

following her pregnancies.) 

Whatever the truth behind Kapoor’s 

recent weight loss — and only she knows 

for sure — it’s unlikely that her new sizezero 

frame will have much of an impact 

on her female fans here in the west. That’s 

simply because she’s just one more in a sea 

of emaciated young women that girls in 

North America see as role models. 

What’s most note-worthy about the 

fuss over Kapoor’s skinny new look is that 

she’s the target of critics’ lamentations over 

the idealization of stick-thin proportions. 

The irony is that if Kapoor is putting her 

body through a punishing regimen to 

squeeze into size-zero fashions, she’s as 

much a victim of unrealistic, unhealthy 

ideals as anybody else. (Kapoor has said 

that she dropped weight for Tashan in 

order to fit into the skimpy costumes the 

role demanded.) 

The fact is, whether they realize it 

or not, 604-599-4713 

many girls and women have so 

internalized the “You can’t be too thin” 

mantra — something that’s happening 

at an increasingly young age — that 

they wouldn’t be able to recognize how 

much their desire to 

be thin is the result 

of external pressures. 

In other words, the 

true tyranny of the 

idealization of thinness 

is that being skinny is 

increasingly equated 

with self-discipline and 

a willingness to “go 

the extra mile” in the 

pursuit of “beauty.” 

Kapoor has been 

blasted for presenting 

not only an unhealthy, 

but an “un-Indian” 

image of beauty. If 

criticism is going to be 

leveled at anyone for her image in Tashan, 

it would make more sense to take to task 

the media machine – producers, directors, 

casting agents, investors, advertisers – that 

relentlessly dictates that only ultra thin is 

a safe bet. 

Would Kapoor’s character be less 

alluring if she had been 10 or 15 pounds 

heavier? Hardly. Would Victoria Beckham 

be the media-generated style icon that she 

604-588-4665 

is if she weren’t practically transparent? 

Unlikely, since that’s the most discussed 

part of her persona. 

It’s a vicious cycle, indeed: The media 

reinforces the thin ideal by putting ultrathin 

models and actresses in the spotlight; 

these images fuel women’s concern’s about 

the size and shape of their bodies; the 

media puts women who are admired 

for their ultra-lean looks on the spot 

for being unhealthy role models for the 

girls and young women who look up to 

them. p

home&style 

Mehfil 

 

 

 

 

With a reputation for excellence, 

Pacific Granite Manufacturing 

Ltd. grew from a small, five-man 

operation to an industry leader with 

25 employees and one of the largest 

selections of natural stone in the 

province. 

Reza Beittoei and his partner 

Nader Tabrizi founded the company 

in 1995 with a focus on high-end 

products and custom work. 

With 70-years combined 

experience and expertise, the 

partners have successfully won 

some of the city’s biggest projects. 

“Our work is in the Shaw Tower, 

in Harbour Green 1 and 2 (in the 

prestigious Coal Harbour district), 

Concord Pacific and in Intercorp, to 

name just a few,” Beittoei says. 

From its modest beginning in 

1995, Pacific Granite has become 

a successful business offering 

top grade natural stones such as 

granite, marble, limestone, fine 

quartz, HanStone and Solid Surface. 

They provide custom fabricated 

countertops for kitchens and 

bathrooms, fireplace facings, wall 

claddings, and more. 

“We purchased a larger facility 

last year and we now house one of 

the biggest stocks of stone,” says 

Beittoei. “In most cases, customers 

can choose their stone and we will 

supply and install it within days.” 

Beittoei and Tabrizi, who 

both trained with highly skilled 

tradesmen in their home country of 

Iran, take pride in their work - which 

is reflected in the high quality of 

its products and the exceptional 

customer service they provide to 

their customers. 

“We have the most advanced 

equipment and technology so we 

can ship slabs to our shop and cut 

and custom finish the edges to suit 

any home or space,” Beittoei says. 

Pacific Granite’s prices are 

competitive and they guarantee 

their workmanship and their 

products. 

“We can also supply and ship 

anywhere across the province, 

whether it’s Kelowna or Vancouver 

Island,” he adds. “Right now, 

we are in the process of redoing 

the countertops in Penticton’s 

Lakeshore Project.” 

Whether it’s for residential or 

commercial projects, Pacific Granite 

will do the job right and on time.

The Inspired Sufi 

By Azim Jamal 

Shoot for the Stars! 

If you think small, you remain small. 

Rumi says, “Look at your eyes, they 

are so small, yet they see enormous 

things.” You may be small physically but 

you have an enormous power inside of 

you. I know you have unlimited potential 

and the desire to shoot for the stars. Once 

you start believing in yourself, the whole 

world will believe in you. 

The universe is abundant and so are we! 

There are trillions of stars in the sky. Our 

sun is smaller than many stars that are 

larger. The Milky Way Galaxy contains 

about 100 billion stars, and it is only 

one of about 100 billion galaxies in the 

universe. 

Aiming big or setting Big Hairy 

Audacious Goals (BHAG) is the starting 

point. It is not a road map but a direction. 

When the BHAG of “a man to the moon 

and back before the end of the decade” 

was conceived, America had no clue how 

to actually accomplish it. Big goals set the 

wheels in motion, begetting energy and 

serendipity. Strategies or road maps will 

follow later. 

I was coaching my son, Tawfiq, one 

day. One of the soccer drills included 

making him pass the ball to his teammate 

at head level so that it would go over the 

defenders. Each time I made him do this, 

he would hit the ball at the chest level. 

I tried to tell him to hit the ball higher, 

at head level, but he continued hitting 

it at the chest level. The more I tried to 

make him pass the ball at head level, the 

more he passed the ball at chest level. I 

eventually got tired. 

The next day I saw their coach do the 

same drill, except that he was making 

them hit the ball on a fence twenty times 

higher than the head. Tawfiq hit the 

ball pretty close to the top of the fence 

three consecutive times. I was blown 

away! What happened? He seemed to be 

hitting the ball a bit short of where he was 

aiming at. When he was aiming at the 

head, he was hitting at chest level. When 

he aimed at the top of the fence, twenty 

times higher than the head, he was hitting 

the ball a little under that, yet twenty 

times higher than his previous aim! If you 

aim low, you reach low! If you aim high, 

you reach high! 

Aiming big includes: 

• Being resourceful 

• Being extraordinary 

• Being dominant 

Being resourceful 

Wal-Mart came into business about 45 

years ago and became one of the biggest 

businesses in North America, not because 

they had a lot of resources, but rather 

because of their resourcefulness. Wal- 

Mart did not start with a lot of money 

compared to their competitors but despite 

this limitation they have grown far bigger. 

They managed to offer better service 

and better prices (through bulk buying 

for their different stores). They opened 

their stores at convenient locations and 

also were able to hire low skilled staff to 

keep their costs down. Today, they have 

1.2 million employees and do sales of $1 

billion a day. They donate about $100 

million a year annually to charitable 

causes. They still need some work on 

the employee benefit and environmental 

fronts, but their resourcefulness has 

already made them a huge success. 

Being extraordinary 

The difference between ordinary and 

extraordinary is the little extra you put 

in. 

On November 30, 2006, we were 

driving to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, after I 

had completed two days of presentations 

and consultations in Khorog. En route, 

the Tajik driver stopped on the wayside 

where a seven-year-old girl was selling 

apples in a bucket. However, he decided 

to continue driving fifty yards further 

and stopped beside another person selling 

apples. 

The little girl walked fifty yards further 

and stood beside the Tajik driver with 

an expression that said, “What is wrong 

with my apples?” The driver ignored the 

girl and completed his transaction with 

the other apple seller. However, the girl 

stood her ground with a smile on her 

face. Before we left that spot, the driver 

had bought the girl’s apples as well! Why? 

Perhaps it was because of the little extra 

the seven-year-old girl put in by walking 

an extra fifty yards and believing in the 

quality of her apples! 

The difference between ordinary and 

extraordinary is the little extra you put in. 

Being dominant 

Smaller companies have an edge 

over their giant counterparts because 

of their resourcefulness as well as their 

focus. Google is miniscule compared to 

Microsoft, but it dominates search engines 

because of its focus and thus has an edge 

over Microsoft in that area. Whole Foods 

Market is valued at less than 10% of 

Kroger, but Whole Foods dominates the 

natural food market, not Kroger. Because 

of its focus on that segment of the market, 

Whole Foods Market is the world’s largest 

retailer of natural and organic foods with 

stores throughout North America and the 

United Kingdom. 

Jet Blue Airways is tiny compared 

to United Airlines. United Airlines 

operates more than 3,600 flights a day 

to more than 210 U.S. and international 

destinations, whereas Jet Blue only flies 

to more than 50 destinations. Yet Jet Blue 

was soaring high without mega mergers 

by offering some unique features while 

United was struggling. Jet Blue was able 

to figure out what their customers needed 

and responded by providing these extra 

services. 

“Travelers, there are no paths. Paths are 

made by walking.” - Antonio Machalo 

If you think small, you remain small. 

What the mind conceives, the mind 

achieves. If you go to the ocean with one 

bucket, the ocean will only give you one 

bucket of water. If you go the ocean with 

a thousand buckets, the ocean will give 

you a thousand buckets of water. 

Shooting for the stars requires us to 

display a form of chutzpah – a nonconforming 

courage to create something 

out of nothing despite all odds. p 

Azim Jamal has spoken about “Unleashing Potential, 

Regaining Balance” to over 1,000,000 people worldwide. 

He is the author of several books, including The 

Corporate Sufi and the co-author of # 1 Amazon best 

seller The Power of Giving. 


Politics 

by Andy Radia 

Where are Canada’s 

Hillary and Obama? 

Here’s a bit of trivia for you political approximately 16.2 per cent of Canada’s 

buffs. 

population, but only 7 per cent of the 

What do all the elected heads of the state 

in the history of Canada and the United 

States have in common? 

The answer, of course, is that from 

Macdonald to Harper, from Washington 

to Bush, all the elected prime ministers and 

presidents in North America have been 

Caucasian males. 

It looks, however, like the United States 

House of Commons. Even more outrageous 

is that women make up approximately 50 

per cent of voters, but hold only 20 per 

cent of the seats in Parliament. 

Ujjal Dosanjh, Canada’s first “ethnic” 

premier and minister of health under Paul 

Martin’s government, believes that this 

nation’s ethnic population is partially to 

blame for the lack of ethnic politicians. 

may well elect their first ever president “Sometimes we (first-generation 

who is not a white man. Hillary Clinton 

and Barack Obama have captivated the 

American electorate like no one else in 

recent history. 

So, where are our versions of Hillary and 

Obama? Where are the high-profile and 

inspirational orators of female and ethnic 

persuasion in Canadian politics? 

Quite frankly, they don’t exist. They are 

nowhere in sight in the current federal 

scene, and certainly not in the current 

power regime. 

It is true that Kim Campbell was 

technically Canada’s first female prime 

minister, but you will recall that she was 

chosen by the Conservative party as a 

replacement for Brian Mulroney and not 

picked by the Canadian electorate. As one 

of only two women to ever participate in 

a G-7 leaders summit, however, Campbell 

leverages her political success in Canada to 

champion gender equality in governments 

around the world. She believes that the lack 

of women in government is an issue that 

deserves greater attention in this country. 

“The percentage of women in the House 

of Commons has not gone up much, if at 

all,” says Campbell. “There doesn’t seem to 

be as many high profile women as there 

were in the days when I was there.” 

Campbell’s assertion is correct. In the 

past, Canada has seen impressive women 

and ethnic politicians such as Flora 

MacDonald, Sheila Copps, Raymond Chan, 

Herb Dhaliwal and Ujjal Dosanjh grace the 

halls of the federal cabinet offices. But 

today, collectively, this class of candidate is 

nowhere to be seen. 

The lack of high profile ethnic and female 

candidates begins at the parliamentary 

level. Today, visible minorities make up 

Canadians) tend to view politics from 

an older perspective that we bring from 

elsewhere and we don’t learn what makes 

other Canadians tick,” says Dosanjh. 

“The antidote to that is as ethnic 

candidates you need to learn to be active in 

your neighbourhood, in your community, 

and with other activist groups so that 

you’re truly in the game to change society 

for the better. And then take the plunge 

(into politics). This way, people will know 

that you are a true activist, and not just 

pursuing power.” 

While Dosanjh is confident that the 

number of visible minorities in Parliament 

will increase over time, he seems more 

concerned about the plight of women in 

Ottawa. 

In the 1997 election, 60 women were 

elected to Canada’s 36th Parliament. Three 

elections later, in 2006, 61 women were 

voted in — an increase of just one MP. 

“There have been systemic issues with 

women as there is with visible minorities,” 

says Dosanjh. 

“Women have not made as much progress 

as they should have.” 

Certain countries, such as France and 

Belgium, have chosen legislative quotas as 

a means to get more women involved in 

politics. In Canada, Dosanjh’s former party, 

the NDP of British Columbia, recently 

passed a resolution requiring quotas of 

women and minority candidates for their 

2009 election slate. Under the plan, 30 

per cent of the NDP’s candidates in the 

next provincial election must be women 

and 10 per cent must come from “underrepresented 

groups” — notably youth, 

persons of colour, the disabled, aboriginal 

people, and those who are either gay, 

lesbian, bisexual or transgender. 

Dosanjh admires the NDP’s attempts at 

righting the inequities in the Legislature, 

but questions the validity of a quota 

system. 

“I think quotas ultimately don’t work. 

They breed resentment; there’s always 

an unhealthy public reaction to it,” says 

Dosanjh. “Rather than saying we should 

have a quota, we should encourage people 

to get into politics in other ways. You 

need to encourage people to be active; you 

approach people. We did that during my 

time in B.C. and it worked.” 

During Dosanjh’s time as premier of 

B.C., he chose 10 women and three visible 

minorities for his cabinet. Even as B.C.’s 

attorney general, Dosanjh sought out 

and appointed qualified individuals from 

different ethnic communities and minority 

groups to the judicial bench. 

It is now time for all of Canada’s political 

parties to get proactive in recruiting, 

educating and developing underrepresented 

groups. Likewise, more of us, 

as individuals, need to get involved at the 

grassroots party level and nominate more 

qualified women and ethnic candidates to 

run in the general election. 

The central goal of the electorate 

should be to elect competent and effective 

legislators regardless of the colour of their 

skin or gender. It is equally important, 

however, that the voices of women and 

minority groups be heard in parliament. 

I also believe that young women and 

young ethnic people need positive role 

models in all walks of life, including 

politics. They need like-minded individuals 

that they can look up to which will help 

increase their sense of personal possibility. 

Media pundits in this country often 

thumb their noses at the Americans and 

consider their politics to be of the “old 

establishment” compared to our more 

“open-minded” ways, but it looks like our 

neighbours to the south are going to elect 

a black or female president before we do. 

This should be Canada’s wake-up call. p 

Andy Radia is political columnist based in Vancouver, 

B.C. His articles have been published in the Vancouver 

Sun, Winnipeg Free Press and Vancouver Metro. He 

can be contacted through his website at www.radia.ca 


Golden Tree 

J e w e l l e r s 

W i l lo W b r o o k S h o p p i n g C e n t r e • l a n g l e y, b C • 6 0 4 - 5 3 0 - 7 2 2 1 

D i v i s i o n o f b h i n d i ’s e n t e r p r i s e s l t d .

Spotlight 

Gurj Dhaliwal 

Hot Stuff! 

Not only can Gurj Dhaliwal cook up unique, mouth-watering dishes such as Garam Masala Prawns and Tamarind 

Glazed Beef Kebabs, but he’s among the most charismatic cooks to ever command the spotlight on a television 

soundstage. So it came as no surprise to his fans when he won the Superstar Chef Challenge last year on Canada’s 

Food Network. For Gurj, who’s wanted to host a cooking show since he was a kid, winning the top prize — which is a 

chance to develop his own show — was a dream come true. 

How has winning the reality show 

Superstar Chef Challenge changed 

your life? 

I’ve probably been asked this about a hundred 

times and I can honestly say not that 

much. I still live at home with my family, I 

still babysit my little niece Isabella and I still 

cook dinner as much as my mom lets me. 

It’s not like I won the show and have a lineup 

of arranged marriages. But there has been 

quite a bit of exposure and with that you do 

have the proud people of not only Vancouver 

showing me love but also people of the 

South Asian community. 

When is the show due to be launched? 

We don’t have a launch date scheduled yet, 

we are still exploring different concepts that 

we can develop into a great show for the 

Food Network and for myself. 

What kind of show would you like to 

do? Given your personality, would it 

have a strong humorous element? 

How I got on the Superstar Chef Challenge 

was I did a taste test of my Butter Chicken 

on the streets of Vancouver and the reason I 

believe it worked was because of the people 

and their genuine candid responses. I want 

to host a show where I can interact and have 

fun with people. I’m a total people person and 

have always relished meeting and approaching 

people. Usually, my first question is: You 

hungry? 

What was the toughest part of being 

on a reality show? 

I loved the experience of being on the show 

but the toughest part about it was afterwards, 

and keeping it a secret for nearly 182 days! I 

felt like I had to go into hiding or FBI witness 

protection services to get away from all the 

questions and speculation. 

Were there any moments that you 

found particularly embarrassing? 

There were moments of embarrassment on a 

daily basis, but the most embarrassing would 

have to be at the very end of the show when I 

won and the credits were rolling and the pro- 


ducers asked me what would your mom say 

if she knew you had won? And my response, 

with a Punjabi mom accent, was something 

along the lines of, ”Oh good, he’s such a 

good boy. Now maybe he’ll find a good girl 

and get married.” I was not expecting that to 

make it to air at all. Every interview during 

the show I would answer at least one question 

with an accent but it didn’t make the cut 

in any of the other previous five episodes. I 

was surprised, a little embarrassed and Mom 

wasn’t too ecstatic either. I love you, Mom. 

What was the best part? 

How they declared the winner was awesome. 

There were three finalists, each with a butcher 

block and knife in the block, and only the 

winner’s knife would come out. The whole 

build-up of it all was quite grand. The best 

part was when that knife came out so easily. 

I knew it was the beginning of a dream come 

true. I have always wanted to have a cooking 

show on television since I was a little boy 

banging around in the kitchen with my mom 

and grandma attempting perfectly round rotimaking. 

What was the most memorable “challenge” 

that you faced as a chef during 

the reality series? 

It would definitely have to have been the final 

challenge; it was an eight-minute live-audience 

cooking segment. Your own show, on 

the stage, do whatever you want . . . are you 

kidding me? I was super-stoked and when I 

heard there was an audience and it was going 

to be 200 culinary students, I knew I was 

going to kill it. My whole shtick or brand was 

to be somewhat of the male, Canadian, fatter 

Indian version of Rachel Ray. The concept 

was “Every day made East” quick and easy 

meals. I started my eight-minute show with 

a countdown of 1-2-3 EASY! That got the 

audience hyped up and excited. The final 

mouth-watering dish was very easy but very 

delicious. It was warm spinach salad with 

garam masala prawns, dried apricots, toasted 

almonds and citrus vinaigrette. 

What are you up to now in addition to 

developing your own show? 

Along with playing the role of uncle day care 

five days a week, I have started my own personal 

chef’s service called GD Gourmet. The 

business is a combination of catering private 

parties and events. Then there are cooking 

lessons I give in people’s homes, either oneon-one 

lessons or group interactive lessons. 

Lastly, I provide workplace-related lunchand-learn 

seminars focusing on healthy 

recipes, and with that I’ll be providing readyto-eat 

meals. You can e-mail me at info@ 

gdgourmet.com and visit www.gdgourmet. 

com 

You’re also well known for losing 

30 pounds as a contestant on The 

Province and Global TV’s Fitness 

Fantasy series. As someone with the 

skills of a chef and who’s also lost 

weight, any healthy-cooking tips you 

can share with people trying to eat 

healthier? 

Well, no, it was actually 31 pounds I lost, 

and I’m still demanding a re-weigh. Through 

the Fitness Fantasy contest last year I have 

changed my diet and continued to work and 

challenge myself. For those who want to be 

more health-conscious, I would say to eat 

leaner proteins: chicken breast, lots of turkey 

and slowly introduce tofu into your diet. Also 

eat more seafood and fish, something I feel 

not enough people are doing. Go out and 

purchase a steaming basket — either the one 

that coils in a pot or the bamboo one — and 

try steaming more of your food, especially 

vegetables. Something that’s worked for 

me is to do your best to stay away from the 

starches at dinner time and substitute with 

different beans and legumes. 

What’s your favorite entrée recipe 

that you’ve created yourself? 

A very popular recipe that came about on the 

first episode was the Bombay Burger. This is 

a great recipe for a home made summertime 

burger on the barbeque. p 

For Gurj’s Bombay Burger recipes, see page 62.

Photo by RON SANGHA 


Spotlight 

Jatinder Rai 

Marketing 

Mastermind 

Jatinder Rai is considered a pioneer and a role model among his 

peers in the multicultural marketing industry. 

For good reason. 

The 39-year-old entrepreneur has grown Response Advertising 

Inc. from three to 10 employees in less than eight years. He’s done 

that with such successful advertising campaigns as the catchy Telus 

commercial with singer/actor Harbhajan Mann’s voice singing one 

of his hit tunes while colourful fish swim by (on Channel M). 

His Vancouver-based company is a 

one-stop, fully integrated marketing 

and communications agency that helps 

major corporations develop multicultural 

marketing campaigns targeting several 

South Asian communities. 

Because what he does focuses on a 

unique niche market, Rai is often called 

upon to speak at conferences on the issues 

of developing brand awareness in the 

multicultural markets. 

He speaks with passion about his 

work. “Every day is fascinating and 

interesting,” says Rai. “I enjoy coming up 

with brand recognition that makes sense. 

Essentially, nobody does what we do. We 

do everything from television to print 

advertising, radio, direct mail, in-store 

marketing to events.” 

His enthusiasm for multicultural 

marketing was fuelled, in part, by his 

travels. In 1991, after graduating from 

university, he travelled across Asia for six 

months. 

“It exposed me to other cultures and 

gave me a real insight into their way of 

life,” he says of his visits to Nepal, Hong 

Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. 

When he returned from his travels, 

LLT Advertising, a New York-based 

multicultural marketing agency, hired 

him. 

“I started as a junior account executive 

in their Vancouver office, and in four 

years I moved up to senior director,” he 

says. 

Rai’s drive and ambition were evident 

from a young age. He was born in 

Punjab, India, and immigrated to Canada 

with his family when he was seven 

years old. He was raised in Duncan on 

Vancouver Island, where he graduated 

with a marketing degree from University 

of Victoria in 1991. 

Rai learned the importance of good 

work ethics early in life. As a youngster, 

he worked alongside his mother and 

sisters in the fields, picking strawberries, 

raspberries and blueberries to help 

augment the family income. 

He credits his parents and his wife, 

Rosy, for much of his success and for 

keeping him grounded. 

“My parents made lots of sacrifices 

for me and they always told me to 

maintain my language and culture . . . 

If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to provide 

my clients with the insight and language 

that I’m able to bring to the work I do for 

them,” he says. “My wife is also extremely 

supportive, and I bounce ideas off her all 

the time. I started the company the same 

By Michelle Hopkins 

year I got married, so Rosy has had to put 

up with me working crazy hours.” 

Over the years, Rai has served on 

several national and provincial boards, 

volunteering with non-profit organizations 

including: YM-YWCA (Victoria), Mosaic, 

The United Way South Asian Advisory 

Board, The Canadian Diabetes Association 

and Surrey Memorial Hospital. 

At 28, he was one of the youngest 

members on the Open Learning Agency’s 

board of directors. He worked closely with 

the Indian and Chinese education systems 

to form partnerships between them. 

From 2004 to 2006, he was on the 

board of directors of the federally regulated 

Granville Island Trust, which oversaw all 

of the businesses on Granville Island. 

“Part of our responsibilities was to look 

at possible venues for the 2010 Winter 

Olympics medal ceremonies,” he says. 

For the past three years, he has been 

volunteering with a youth drop-in 

program in Surrey, playing basketball 

with at-risk South Asian youth. 

This past January, he became a member 

of ICBC’s board of directors. Rai’s role 

is to provide strategic direction on auto 

insurance and public policy. As if all those 

commitments weren’t enough to keep 

him busy, he is currently completing his 

post-baccalaureate work in marketing and 

cross-cultural communications. 

What drives this accomplished man? 

“A really close friend of mine in 

university said to me he was afraid to 

be average and not leave a mark in the 

world … I was 19 at the time and it really 

resonated with me,” says Rai. “To make a 

contribution somehow, some way is really 

important to me. 

“Canada has allowed people like 

me to be successful, I never take it for 

granted.”p 


Photo by RON SANGHA 


F e ature 

Abhishek Bachchan 

It’s 6:30 in the evening in Miami, and Abhishek Bachchan is calling to talk to 

Mehfil about his upcoming tour across North America. The last time he spent 

significant time in Vancouver, he says, he was just a child, but he transited 

through the city to shoot his film Des in Calgary a few years back. 

“I remember that a lot of our crew had 

come up from Vancouver and I remember 

them being very warm and friendly,” 

he says. Rehearsals have already begun 

for the tour, dubbed The Unforgettable 

World Tour and featuring Abhishek’s 

wife Aishwarya, composers Vishal and 

Shekhar, Akshay Kumar and the legendary 

Amitabh Bachchan. The tour kicks off on 

July 18 and the show will make its way to 

Vancouver on August 16. 

In the meantime, Abhishek is in 

Miami doing a “star turn” on the set of 

Karan Johar’s remake Dostana. Johar has 

been a friend of the Bachchan family 

ever since “he produced my mother’s 

television show years ago,” says Abhishek, 

so he wants to help him wherever he can, 

and that includes soaring over Miami 

in a chopper just minutes before this 

interview. Abhishek is easy to talk to. 

“Don’t worry,” he says, when I explain 


that my typing has to keep up with his 

words. He follows up with a cheeky pun 

that is so unexpected that I will remember 

it for a long time. “Although,” he adds, 

“I’ve been known to shoot!” 

His responses reflect the whirlwind 

that is Abhishek Bachchan’s life: “My 

favourite costume [for the tour]? Well, 

I haven’t finalized the costumes or the 

songs just yet . . . even though rehearsals 

are happening! Unfortunately, I’ve been 

stuck here in one place in the States for 

the last two months filming this movie, 

and when it ends I’ll really have to work 

to catch up on the schedule.” 

There’s a boyish charm to his enthusiasm 

for the challenge. “Any time that I have a 

chance to share the stage with Dad, its 

always really special. And Aishwarya will 

be participating, too, which just makes 

the experience even more meaningful. 

It’s really electric when we get to do a 

By J. Singh 

show with family . . . We’re all friends 

and we’re excited to work together. I’ve 

known some of the performers since they 

were teenagers. 

“Vancouver is one of the biggest centres 

of Indians abroad and the response is 

euphoric, so I am really looking forward 

to coming there. We are very comfortable 

in Canada; we had such a warm welcome 

there. Our film [Guru] premiered in 

Toronto (last year) and the next day the 

response was phenomenal. Out of all of 

the mail (my wife and I) receive, there is a 

huge amount coming from Canada. The 

country has been very, very good to us; it’s 

almost like a second home.” 

He adds that he is particularly fond 

of Canada as it served as the backdrop 

of one of the most important moments 

of his life. “Toronto is the place where I 

proposed to Aishwarya. It was right after 

the premiere of Guru.” 

(continued on page 31)

MEHFIL 

M A G A Z I N E 

Tickets available through Ticketmaster at: 

www.ticketmaster.ca or 604-280-4444 


August 16th, 2008 - www.unforgettabletourcanada.com

Showroom now 

open 7 days a week 

12885 85th Avenue, Surrey, BC 

604.543.9200 • www.vAngoghdeSignS.Com 

iSo 9001-2000

Asked whether it’s at all daunting 

for someone who’s a mega star in his 

homeland to “start over” with foreign 

media, Abhishek responds that such 

concerns aren’t even on his radar. 

“Its a question of our priorities . . . 

We’re here for our fans, not to impress 

any foreign media presence. Our main 

concern is those people who support 

us, watch our movies, and have been 

following us for years. I don’t think any 

Indian star would feel like we have to 

prove our mettle. The Indian film industry 

is the largest in the world, and one 

in six people watch Indian movies. It’s 

extremely unique; there’s nothing else like 

it anywhere in the world.” 

Is there an attempt to attract more 

diverse audiences for the tour? “Yes, 

strides are being made to get our films 

out to North America, but it’s already 

happening. In our premiere for Guru in 

Toronto the audience was at least half 

non-Indians. So while we’re also working 

to reach out to newer audiences, they’ve 

already arrived.” 

At my casual use of the word Bollywood, 

Abhishek gently corrects me that it ought 

to be referred to as “the Indian film 

industry.” 

Does he share his father’s stated 

opposition to the term and does he feel 

“Bollywood” should be renamed? 

“Well, I think to say that it needs 

to be renamed is not quite the right 

observation because it was never officially 

named Bollywood in the first place,” he 

retorts. “The term itself was coined by a 

journalist who was making a derogatory 

comment and said that Indian actors copy 

Hollywood so much that their industry 

should be known as Bollywood.” 

It astonished the Bachchans when the 

term gained a completely unintended 

legitimacy. One would think that the 

Bachchans, with all their heft in the 

business, would have been able to banish 

the term to the netherworld. On this 

topic, the otherwise optimistic Abhi seems 

almost fatalistic: 

“We can’t really get away from it,” he 

says. “I am sure that many things have 

been conducted to do so, but . . . ” 

“People need to call the industry 

something, though,” I point out. “What 

about having Filmfare sponsor a contest 

open to the public to give it a real name?” 

“That’s a great idea.” Perhaps Abhishek 

is merely flattering me. He is, after all, 

a born diplomat. It matters little. My 

month is made. 

The Unforgettable World Tour comes to 

Vancouver on August 16. Tickets will be 

available at Ticketmaster. p 

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Cover Story 

SWEET TALK 

FROM 

SUGAR SAMMY 

By Robin Roberts 

Proving the old adage “Dying is easy, comedy is hard,” Sugar 

Sammy recalls his first paying stand-up show this way: “A 

buddy of mine — I’m not going to say his name — is notorious 

for organizing some of the worst gigs in some of the shadiest bars. 

About five years ago, he asked me to do this gig at a ‘dance’ club. 

And not a high-end dance club, either. It was a dodgy, underground 

club off an alley where all the dancers were on drugs. So this guy 

gets this idea for a dance-comedy show where the first part of the 

night the girls are dancing, then there’s a set of comedy, and then 

they go back to the dancers. Problem was, the customers were not 

expecting this. So while the girls were on their break, the customers 

were yelling at us to get off the stage. Right in the middle of our act! 

Then the dancers would join in, telling us to get off because they 

were losing money with us up there. Then we’d start yelling back. It 

was this bizarre battle across the room between the dancers and the 

comics. It was so bad, but looking back, it was so funny.” 

Looking back is not something Sammy 

does often these days. While he’s not 

exactly laughing all the way to the bank, 

he’s at least chuckling on the doorstep. 

Never again will he play a seedy bar; 

the brown kid from suburban Montreal 

has his sights set higher. Much higher. 

Opening for Dave Chappelle in the fall of 

2006 was a good sign he was on his way. 

Seeing his face plastered on billboards 

ahead of a show in South Africa was 

“weird” confirmation. He’s so popular 

there, in fact, that he’s been assigned a 

driver and bodyguard. As he sits in a tatty 

diner in New Westminster on a blustery 

March afternoon, where he’s come for 

his pre-show meal, the only one dazzled 

by him is his waitress, who offers him a 

free dessert and a shy smile. He declines 

politely, explaining he’s late for his show, 

but promises her he’ll return for the 

freebie afterwards. 

Half a block away, fans are lining 

up at Lafflines Comedy Club, which 

has extended his three-night, sold-out 

booking to include a fourth show. This 

crowd, as with the three other shows, is 

jammed with mostly Indians, who laugh 

uproariously at his tailor-made jokes about 

Surrey (“The large population is part of 

the plan for Indian domination”), as well 

as the usual riffs on race (“All cultures 

have their role models: the Latinos have 

Antonio Banderas, blacks have Denzel 

Washington, the Chinese have Jackie 

Chan. We have Apu from The Simpsons. 

And he’s voiced by a white guy! We can’t 

even get work behind the scenes!”). 

Toby Hargrave, Sammy’s opener this 

night, says, “There’s an unwritten rule in 

comedy: ‘You can make fun of the club 

you’re part of.’ I think you have to address 

what’s going on in the room, but funny 

is funny and it’s not just Indian funny 

or white funny. Sugar draws a crowd, 

obviously. He has a great following, 

not just because he’s a funny comedian 

but because he has great community 

support, which is absolutely fantastic. 

We don’t see that all the time. Sammy 

gets compared to Russell Peters quite a 



Cover 

Sugar Sammy on stage: “All cultures have their role models: the 

Latinos have Antonio Banderas, blacks have Denzel Washington, the 

Chinese have Jackie Chan. We have Apu from The Simpsons. And he’s 

voiced by a white guy! We can’t even get work behind the scenes!” 

Seriously, 

though . . . 

While Sugar Sammy was in the 

Vancouver area playing to 

sold-out crowds, he took a night 

off to participate in the 10th 

annual World of Smiles Telethon, 

which in just six hours raised 

$500,000 for the B.C. Children’s 

Hospital Foundation. Having never 

been involved in such a fundraiser, 

Sammy’s eyes were opened, 

particularly when he took a tour of 

the hospital. 

“The organizers want you to have 

an understanding of why you’re 

doing this, where the money’s 

going,” he says of the tour. “So I 

went, and I was a mess. I’m very 

sensitive, so when I saw those kids 

in ICU, these little babies hooked 

up to machines, that really got 

me. And the kids in oncology, all 

putting on a brave face. I hated 

myself for ever complaining about 

anything in my life. I remember 

saying to myself, ‘These kids don’t 

deserve it. If I get injured tomorrow, 

I can say that somewhere in my life 

I did something to earn it, I’m sure.’ 

With these kids, your heart sinks. I 

was depressed for the whole day.” 

Producer Atish Ram, who took 

Sammy on the tour, was concerned 

about the comic’s state of mind, so 

when they were driving away, he 

asked what he could do to lift his 

spirits. “I said, ‘Just take me for ice 

cream. That’ll help me. A little bit 

of ice cream always puts me in a 

good mood.’ It helped a little bit, 

but I needed to sleep it off, try 

not to think about it. After that, it 

was a no-brainer to say yes to the 

telethon, and yes to every year.” 

bit and, unfortunately, the biggest reason 

for that is because they’re both brown. 

What has made Sammy stand out and 

not be just a knockoff of Russell has been 

his performance, how he is with people, 

how he handles himself on stage and with 

media, and the material he writes. It’s a 

package, and that’s what makes a success. 

Bottom line, if he wasn’t funny, nobody 

would be here.” 

But they are here, and in droves. And 

they’d likely still be here if he played five 

nights a week. But Sugar Sammy has no 

intention of overstaying his welcome. “He 

says he wants to be able to come back 

[only] once a year, because he doesn’t want 

to bore the people,” says club manager 

Barry Buckland after the show. “But I 

wouldn’t turn him away if he wanted to 

come back more often. You want to leave 

people wanting more, and that’s what he 

does. We brought him back twice because 

he sold out in January, so it was easy to 

sell out a second show, then a third. I 

had probably 500 e-mails I couldn’t get 

back to; we turned a lot of people away 

on Friday and Saturday. He’s obviously 

very popular. And he’s very personable, 

which is nice.” 

Born Samir Khullar in Montreal 

somewhere north or south of 30 years 

ago (he’s deliberately coy about his age 

in order to keep his professional options 

open), Sugar Sammy was so dubbed 

while at McGill University by a sorority 

who thought his pick-up lines were 

lame but sweet. His father, Desh, who 

calls him Sam, says “Sugar” is fine with 

him. “At university the girls called him 

Sugar because he’s a very nice man, very 

sweet. There’s nothing wrong with that,” 

says Desh from his home in suburban 

Montreal. “He was a good boy, a normal 

child. He was a little naughty sometimes, 

that’s all, breaking things in the house, 

dancing. I never [reprimanded] any of my 

three children. They did whatever they 

liked. I didn’t care, really. If they break a 

television I’ll buy a new one. I don’t care. 

I just laugh at those things.” 

Sammy, in fact, credits his unflappable 

father, a retired convenience-store owner, 

with his own sense of humour. “My dad 

always went out of his way to make us 

laugh,” says Sammy, grinding pepper onto 

a mound of already spicy sausage pasta. 

(He says he gets the best Indian food at 

home, where he and his siblings still live 

with his parents, who both cook, so he 

doesn’t seek out Indian restaurants on the 

road.) “He was a child with us, joking and 

clowning around. He’d come out of the 

shower and start dancing around while 

wearing a towel, and me and my brother, 

about eight and six at the time, would 

start laughing. Those little things made 

for an environment that was very funny, 

light and healthy, which you don’t always 

get in a lot of East Indian homes. It’s a bit 

tragic to see kids doing things that they 

have no love for. I wake up loving my job 

and I can’t wait to perform.” 

When he digs into his meal (a pre-show 

ritual he’ll follow later with a couple of 

drinks to loosen up), he splashes sauce on 

his shirt and lets out a disgusted sigh. “I 

spill stuff on myself all the time,” he says, 

dabbing at the stain, luckily lost in the 

black of his shirt. “I’m the worst.” 

Good thing he has bundles of new 

clothes to change into. His tall, slender 

frame caught the attention of Montrealbased 

clothier Parasuco, which specializes 

in high-quality, intricately detailed denim, 

and of rapper-turned-designer Sean P. 

Diddy Combs, creator of the popular 

label Sean John. 

“They just came to the shows and said, 

‘You fit our image, we’d like you to wear 

our stuff.’ So I don’t even go shopping 

any more. There are bags and bags of 

clothes at my place, stuff that I haven’t 

even opened yet. They fit with what I 

like, which is simple, nice guys’ clothing.” 

On this day, it’s head-to-toe black: black 

shirt, black jeans, black leather jacket. 

Later, he’ll trade his sauce-stained shirt for 

a white one and hope he doesn’t spill his 

pre-show drink on it. 

Sammy, who hasn’t a trace of an Indian 

or French accent (he speaks — and tells 

jokes in English, French, Punjabi and 

Hindi), borrows his Indian accent for 

his bits from his easygoing dad. “Look, I 


came from India,” says the elder Khullar. 

“English is not our mother tongue. I am 

from Punjab, my wife is from Punjab, 

my parents are from Punjab. It’s what we 

speak at home. If I have a funny accent, it 

doesn’t matter, as long as you understand 

me. I don’t mind if Sam imitates me. I’m 

his father, why should I mind?” 

He also doesn’t mind the often racy 

content of his son’s shows (think Kama 

Sutra, for starters), most of which he 

attends when Sammy plays Montreal. “It’s 

a part of the game,” says Desh. “When 

you are in Rome you do as the Romans 

do. Whatever the audience likes you give 

them. I’m an old-timer but my thinking 

is in 2008. I’m not living in 1947. I know 

whatever Sam does, they love it. When 

you take things too serious you become an 

old stubborn man, which I don’t want to 

become. I’m more than 60 years old but I 

look around 40 or 45 because I laugh all 

the time. My wife looks like a teenager 

because we laugh so much.” 

Just for Laughs 

“I don’t feel bad for the Indians. I feel 

bad for the Arabs, because 

they can’t even travel any more. They 

don’t even bother checking them 

through security.There’s just a dude 

standing outside the airport going 

(shakes his head no).” 

All that laughter made Sammy not 

only at ease as the centre of attention, 

but an avid seeker of it. On school field 

trips, he’d be the kid at the front of the 

bus grabbing the microphone and aping 

his teachers for the amusement of his 

classmates. Later, in university, he’d be the 

first to volunteer to host talent shows or 

organize fundraisers. He took the stage in 

front of a large audience for the first time 

while a student at Marianpolis College, a 

prestigious, private school in Westmount, 

just outside Montreal. “I was so nervous,” 

he says, shaking his head at the memory. 

“I practised in front of my friends every 

day in the hallway between classes and 

during lunch. I’d just rehearse, rehearse, 

rehearse. I still try material out in front 

of my brother and sister, or when I have 

dinner with my friends. Then I go to these 

little rooms with open mics where I really 

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Cover 

“I kept being shut out of the game, out of the business,” he says. “A lot of 

it is politics. Everybody has to pay their dues and then somebody says, 

‘Hey, this guy’s actually really good,’ and then everybody else listens.” 

tweak it, get it tight.” 

He continued plotting his future at 

McGill, where he majored in Cultural 

Studies. While that may sound like he 

analyzed artifacts from remote tribes in 

deepest Africa, it was in fact a program 

of film, television and media studies. He 

graduated with the necessary academic 

tools to tackle the biz; what he lacked 

was the backstage savvy. In addition to 

the occasional seedy dance bar, he was 

playing some pretty low-level clubs. Not 

content to wait in the wings, he learned 

about marketing and event planning 

by contracting himself out as a club 

promoter, organizing wrap parties for 

films shooting in Montreal. As the goto 

guy, he schmoozed with the likes of 

Robert De Niro, Pierce Brosnan, Edward 

Norton and LL Cool J. He even danced 

with Rebecca Romijn. What he craved 

more than hob-nobbing with the stars, 

however, was to be one himself. 

“I kept being shut out of the game, out 

of the business,” he says. “A lot of it is 

politics. Everybody has to pay their dues 

and then somebody says, ‘Hey, this guy’s 

actually really good,’ and then everybody 

else listens.” The first one to say that was 

Paul Ronca, owner of Montreal’s Comedy 

Zone. While other clubs relegated Sammy 

to open-mic nights, Ronca recruited him 

to emcee and host the shows. Soon he got 

his own slot and began performing five 

nights a week. 

“Every club had their stable of comics 

they used, so it was always the same guys,” 

says Sammy. “And you couldn’t break into 

that. Nobody really paid attention to the 

new guy. So Paul basically coached me 

and made me better, gave me advice, 

made sure I wasn’t making the same 

mistakes week after week. I got so good 

so fast that within nine months I was 

headlining. Then Just For Laughs came 

and saw me at the club and wanted to 

put me in the Festival. All this happened 

within a year because of Paul. And once 

I was on Just For Laughs, things started 

flying. I was on everybody’s radar and 

everybody was booking me.” 

Despite the rocky road up, Sammy 

knew he was funny because 10-year-old 

girls told him so. Bored while waiting his 

turn at bat during an elementary-school 

baseball game, he started cracking wise 

to the little girls in the stands. “The girls 

were like, ‘You’re funny, come over here 

after you hit home plate,’” he recalls. “So 

I ran to home as fast as I could, then went 

over and made them laugh some more. 

They wanted to hang out with me rather 

than all the other baseball players. And I 

thought, this is good, this is fun.” 

Elementary-school boys weren’t quite 

as smitten. He and his younger brother 

paid the price for their prowess at ball 

hockey by being jeered at and checked by 

lesser athletes who reached low for their 

punishment. “We’d get pushed around 

and slashed and called Paki,” says Sammy 

without anger or resentment, perhaps 


“I just came back from Thunder 

Bay, Ontario. Not a lot of coloured 

people in Thunder Bay. In fact, you 

know you’re in a white town when the 

hotel cleaning staff is white. Thunder 

Bay, that’s where table cloths turn into 

costumes real fast.” 

aware that success is the best revenge. 

“It was just because we were Indian and 

better than everybody. When you’re any 

ethnicity and there’s a majority of another 

ethnicity and you excel at something, a lot 

of times they will call you certain names 

because they’re mad at how successful 

you are.” 

That particularly juvenile behaviour 

didn’t end after school. When Sammy 

finally started booking some decent 

rooms, fellow comics, jealous of his good 

reviews, resorted to simplistic excuses for 

his success. “White comics would say, 

‘Oh, you’re just doing well because the 

Indian thing is hot now.’ But, you know, 

I’ve played Just For Laughs for the last 

five years, I’ve signed with one of the top 

managers in the industry, big producers 

and promoters have booked me all over, 

I finished number one comic in my city 

the last three years. It has more to do with 

the work ethic and the fact that I take 

this seriously. A lot of times these comics 

aren’t really mad at me, they’re more mad 

at themselves. When they see some guy 

passing them by it’s like, ‘Oh, well, we’ve 

got to do something to give the excuse 

that it’s not because I’m [crap]; this guy’s 

doing well because it’s the Indian thing.’ 

Why don’t they follow the example, and 

just work hard at it, too?” 

While Sammy may have been raised 

in a home with few boundaries, he was 

nevertheless instilled with the credo that 

the labour is its own reward. “I think my 

father is the person I listen to the most,” 

he says of the best piece of advice he ever 

received. “He just said, ‘Never mind what 

people say about you. Do what you want 

to do.’ Other people always told me to be 

cautious and careful. But he’d say, ‘Go up 

there and do it with guts.’” 

It was his guts — and that work ethic — 

that caught Jodie Lieberman’s attention. 

When she was director of programming 

for the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, 

Lieberman would distribute free tickets 

for the shows. She reserved a stack for 

Sammy to pass out to patrons at the 

clubs he promoted. When she discovered 

he took to the stage himself, she checked 

out his set and was impressed. “He had a 

great presence, great charisma on stage,” 

she says. “And he was a young, developing 

comic and I just saw the potential in 

him.” So when she went to work at 

talent agency Thruline Entertainment 

in Beverly Hills, she immediately signed 

that young developing comic. “He’s really 

a great client, he works really hard,” says 

Lieberman, who also manages Jeremy 

Hotz and Sean Majumder. “Having that 

promoter background makes him a great 

businessman. And he’s a great marketer; 

he knows how to market himself. We 

work really well together and, hopefully, 

there’s a lot more to do.” 

She says the ultimate goal is “world 

domination” but for now the plan is 

to target every English-speaking market, 

including return dates throughout North 

America, the UK, the Caribbean, Dubai 


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Cover: Sugar Sammy 

and South Africa, with a specific eye to 

theatre venues. He was off to Australia for 

the first time in April, and Lieberman is 

waiting on confirmation of his first tour 

to India. 

It’s a whirlwind existence, but one 

Sammy thrives on, even if he is on the 

road 10 months out of 12. “If I’m at 

the same place next year that I am this 

year I wouldn’t be happy,” says Sammy, 

whose dream venue is Montreal’s 22,000- 

seat Bell Centre. “And if I was at the 

same place this year that I was last year 

I wouldn’t be happy. So I feel like it’s 

progressing every year, like I’m building 

my following, performing in different 

places, getting better gigs, demanding 

more money. It’s an upward movement. If 

it wasn’t, I’d probably lose my mind.” 

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guys. You mean well. You call in to 

reserve for my show and you’re messing 

up my name: ‘Hey, is it Super 

Sammy this week?’ ‘Hey, is Sugar 

Paki playing?’ The worst one I got 

was Super Paki. Could you imagine a 

super hero called Super Paki, wearing 

604-599-4713 

a brown cape and shooting curry?” 

Adding to the whirlwind, Sammy is 

shopping a proposed TV project that 

is based on his life as a rising comic. 

Far from uncharted territory — Russell 

Peters has been pushing his own, similarly 

themed show for years without success. 

Sammy is undeterred, even though he 

shares some of the same frustrations as 

Peters. “A lot of times, and I don’t mind 

saying this, people who are at the helm 

of the industry don’t have the pulse of the 

people. They have all these ideas of what’s 

good, and what will work, but these are 

formulas from the ’80s; old solutions to 

new questions. If they trusted the artists 

a little more, let them be in charge of 

their projects, allowed them to hire who 

they want, they would probably be able 

to capitalize. I believe in myself 150 per 

cent and I think Russell’s the same way. 

If someone said to him, ‘Do it on your 

own terms,’ it would be successful. But I 


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2008 

of success 

Profiles 

Saffron: 

An Inviting Dish for All 

Perseverance and hard work has defined Kewal Sandhu 

throughout his life. It’s no surprise then that the wellrespected, 

local entrepreneur has made a success of his 

foray in the restaurant business. 

Four years ago, Kewal opened Saffron Indian Cuisine on 

Kingsway in Burnaby. It soon became the place to go for 

mouthwatering, traditional Northern Indian cuisine. 

Kewal—who is a quiet, unassuming man who typically 

shuns the limelight—says the key to his success lies in the 

fact that he loves great food and hires the best people. 

His son, Paul Sandhu, believes his father’s unwavering 

commitment to excellence plays a huge role in his success. 

Another is that his father lives by a basic tenet: “Always use 

the highest quality ingredients and treat your customers 

as if they were guests in your own home.” 

The 60-year-old Kewal was born in the village of 

Kurka in the state of Punjab. It was a small village in 

the district of Jhullandar. He immigrated to Canada in 

1971 when an uncle invited him to Fort St. John to work 

in the sawmills. 

That’s where he honed his strong work ethics. 

Kewal worked all day in the sawmill and at night 

drove a cab or cleaned buildings—seven days a week; 

12 hours or more a day. 

When he moved to the Lower Mainland with his young 

growing family, Kewal began opening retail stores and 

shops in Metrotown. In 2004, he decided to get into the 

restaurant business. 

He soon built a strong and loyal clientele—which 

keeps coming back to Saffron’s for its outstanding food 

and its warm and inviting atmosphere. The Burnaby Now 

newspaper has voted Saffron’s the Best Indian Restaurant 

in Burnaby since its inception. 

It’s not unusual to find Kewal working quietly behind 

the scenes, ensuring that his customers are satisfied 

or in the restaurant cleaning tables. Today, Kewal is 

branching out. Saffron Indian Cuisine now offers a full 

catering business, bringing its culinary delights to any 

special occasion—big or small, seven days a week. 

Kewal recently catered a wedding for 500 guests at the 

Vancouver Law Courts building. 

“We provide the chef and the food,” he says. “We are 

bringing that same great food you get in our restaurant 

into homes, corporate events, and weddings. When 

people leave a catered event, we want to ensure that 

our food is remembered, making the event successful 

and memorable.” 

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Cover: Sugar Sammy 

think a lot of people are trying to change 

his ideas, make it into something hacky. 

I think the right move for him is what 

he’s doing, he’s refusing them. I think 

someone will eventually sign him and 

then everybody who passed on his project 

will beat themselves up.” 

Meanwhile, Sammy is calmly, yet 

doggedly, determined to live the life 

he’s charted for himself, even if that 

means sacrificing chill time and a love 

life. The rare few hours he does have 

to himself are usually spent watching 

Bollywood movies (he’s an unabashed fan 

of Amitabh Bachchan, whom he describes 

an “everyman who’s not unbelievably 

perfect. His flaws make him such a cool 

and fascinating person.”) or his Star Wars 

boxed set. 


“We don’t even have a decent sport. 

The Indian sport is cricket: 

baseball with a two by four! And it 

goes on for 5 days. You’d have to be 

unemployed to watch it. It’d be huge 

in Quebec.” 

Jas Salh, Investment Advisor 

tel: (604) 535-3763 

cell: (604) 488-9538 

www.jassalh.com 

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You Have To Choose The Right Club For The Job— 

In golf, you have to match the right club for the stroke. For 

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Golf is one of the only sports that you compete, not against 

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you. To “win” financially, you have to observe market trends, 

industries and the investment climate, and assess how they 

will affect your “game” over the long-term. 

Patience And Practice Makes Perfect— 

To play the game of golf, a beginner has to put in the time 

and energy before he or she can have a good game. Rather 

than get discouraged, most players thrive on the challenge. 

Successful investing follows the same principal. If you look 

at investing for the long-term, the odds of reaching “par” or 

better yet “under par” are more likely. 

Golf is the only sport where the scores are kept by fellow 

competitors. Since players keep track of their opponents’ scores, 

they rely heavily on their partners to ensure that they keep an 

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In fact, if it came down to a choice 

between going out to party or re-watching 

his Star Wars DVDs, the self-professed 

closet geek would choose a night on the 

couch with Darth Vader. “I’m a sci-fi 

freak and Star Wars is my number one 

thing,” he admits. “I could watch it over 

and over.” As for being sweet on someone 

special, Sugar Sammy laments, “The last 

four years, when it really went full time 

for me comedy-wise, have been hard. 

There are girls I’ve thought I could really 

be with, but it’s just not in the cards. 

I’ve met a few girls here [in Vancouver] 

who I’d like to take out, but it would be 

just such a waste. I’d go out with her, I’d 

really like her and then I’d leave. I date 

girls in the industry now, because they 

understand. They know I’m not going to 

be here for long.” 

And now he’s not long for the diner. 

The tall, dark and handsome comic rises 

from the booth, waves his thanks to the 

shy waitress and strides out onto the 

street. Minutes later, he bounds onto the 

stage at Lafflines and launches into his act 

in front of yet another packed house. And 

no one yells at him to get off the stage. p 

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6

Promotional 

Advertising Feature 

Profiles 

2008 

of Success 

Rohit Group 

For all of his exceptional accomplishments, Radhe 

Gupta is humble man who prefers to keep a low profile. 

It’s hard to do when you’ve earned a reputation as a 

highly respected and successful businessman. 

Radhe is the man behind the Rohit Group of Companies, 

an integrated real estate company which he founded 

back in 1986. In a little more than two decades, he 

transformed his small family business – named after his 

son Rohit - to a corporation with last year’s revenues of 

85 million and the projection for next year is 120 million. 

He says he built his company through a strong work ethic, 

integrity and the support of his family. 

Those same skills that made him a successful 

entrepreneur were put to use when he founded his 

charitable foundation. Radhe was driven by his inherent 

belief in giving back to society by helping to create 

healthy communities. 

He created Rohit Charities in 2004, a foundation 

which contributes generously both here and abroad. 

The foundation supports the Stollery Children’s Hospital 

Foundation - of which he and his wife, Krishna, are 

Diamond sponsors. He is also a major contributor to 

the out-patient clinic and school in his hometown of 

Joura, India. The clinic provides much-needed affordable 

health care for local residents. His generosity also extends 

to the Neal Gupta fellowship – Neal Gupta Award in 

Paediatric Cardiology, as well as various other nonprofit 

organizations. 

That isn’t the only way he gives back to the community. 

Radhe is currently a member of the Indo-Canadian 

Chamber of Commerce and its past president. He served 

one year on the Board of Directors for the Alberta New 

Home Warranty Program and was a member of the 

Multi-Family Council of the Canadian Home Builders 

Association, Edmonton Region. He is a past member of 

the Hindu Society of Alberta and member of the APPEGA 

and Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. 

Radhe grew up in Joura, Madhya Pradesh, India. As 

a teenager, he ran the family store. 

“That’s where I learned a lot about business,” he says. 

Radhe’s journey to success began with his insatiable 

thirst for knowledge. It led him to earn his Bachelor of 

Science in Engineering, two Masters Designations in 

Electrical Engineering, as well as Real Estate Broker 

Designation. 

Initially, Radhe embarked on a 20-year career in the 

oil and gas industry. 

When asked what his proudest moment is, Radhe 

says with pride: “When I handed the company to my 

son Rohit.” 

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Email: info@rohitgroup.com 

Phone: 780-436-9015 

www.rohitgroup.com 

www.rohitcommunities.com

Glenmore & Highland Park 

at Morgan Heights 

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3 beds from $389,900 

4 beds from $442,900 

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2 beds from $359,900 

3 beds from $399,900 

3 + den from $401,900 

3 bed + rec room from $479,900 

4 bed + den duplex / triplex $589,900 

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size ranGe: 460 residences between the two projects (248 

at Highland Park, 214 at Glenmore). There are two-and threebedroom 

townhomes, ranging in size from 1,229 to 1,759 square 

feet, at Highland Park; and three- and four-bedroom townhomes, 

ranging from 1,119 to 1,713 square feet, at Glenmore. 

Features: Highland Park features traditional architecture with stainless 

steel appliances, laminated wood flooring (cherry or black teak), composite 

stone kitchen countertops and ceramic-tiled backsplashes. Glenmore, 

meanwhile, features a contemporary interpretation of Craftsman-style 

architecture, with mosaic slate-tiled or glass-tiled backsplash, and 

contemporary-style wood laminate full-wrap cabinets. A shared Leisure Centre 

includes an outdoor pool with in-ground hot tub, floor hockey rink, yoga 

studio, movie theatre, fully-equipped gym, lounge with pool table, fireplace, 

bar and kitchenette. 

Do try this at home: Intracorp has prepared a homeowner profile 

for every home style at Glenmore and Highland Park, and assigned four top 

design teams—Alda Perreira, BYU Design and Insight Design from Vancouver; 

Cecconi Simone from Toronto—to put their individual stamps on matching 

townhomes. Each team will work on two basic home styles—one eclectic and 

one traditional—and create different versions of the same townhomes based 

on identical guidelines and budgets, but using the individual owner profiles. 

The initial VIP release of the show homes is September 22nd, with an official 

grand public opening on October 13th. 

What is unique about this project? 

Morgan Heights is one of the fastest-growing neighbourhoods in the Lower 

Mainland, and the first one to be developed in the Grandview Corridor. The 

planned community of some 5,400 residents presents a rare opportunity for 

smart, efficient and well-thought-out suburban living, and with a level of 

design, architecture and community amenities unparalleled by other “South of 

the Fraser” developments. 

sales centre 

160th & 24th Avenue, South Surrey 

Call for an appointment. 

Highland Park: 604.542.8995 

Glenmore: 604.542.8863 


Who is it marketed for and how does it meet the demands of this market? 

The two projects are targeted at two distinct homebuyers. Glenmore (in the 

“Kits Eclectic” style) will be marketed to young buyers, potentially first-time 

purchasers, who are single, married without children, or possibly married 

with very young children; these homes will incorporate contemporary, “urban” 

elements at affordable prices. Highland Park (in the “Shaughnessy traditional” 

style) will be marketed to slightly older couples with more disposable income 

and/or older children; these homes will incorporate more traditional elements 

(including recognizable rooflines and front porches), and upgraded amenities 

(appliances, countertops, etc.) 

Developer: Intracorp.

Intracorp Southridge Development Limited Partnership 

 


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• 604-584-9347 

Models: Michelle (l) hair & Makeup: Jag & parM Tak BeniTa (r) hair & Make up: girlfriendz (kiran purewal, ina Mander, Mindy Bansal) 

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by Pummy Walia 

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• 778-558-2991 


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• 604-626-9643 

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photo by: andaaz photography location: www.sunam.ca 

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Mehfil in 


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Weddings 

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Sundeep Setia 

August 

2007 

As soon as Dal Sagoo met 

Ran Basran, it was obvious 

to his friends that he was 

seriously smitten. “They say I 

could not wipe the smile off my 

face for weeks after I met her,” 

he admits. 

“There was an instant 

connection and neither of us 

could wait to talk to the other 

again,” adds Ran. “I have never 

felt so connected emotionally 

as I did with him. He makes me 

laugh with his bluntness and 

humour.” 

Within a few months of 

meeting in the summer of 

2006, they both felt that their 

relationship was meant to last 

a lifetime. “We spent as much 

time as possible together and to 

some we seemed inseparable,” 

says Dal. 

On Valentine’s Day 2007, 

Dal took Ran to an upscale 

restaurant for dinner. “I had 

prepared a very romantic mood 

with candles and rose petals all 

Dal Sagoo 

Delta, B.C. 

Ran Basran 

Kamloops, B.C. 

over,” he recalls. “I made Ran 

sit in a chair beside a table full 

of rose petals. Ran kept playing 

with the rose petals on the 

table beside her and I told her 

to stop because I had put the 

ring underneath the rose petals. 

I went down on one knee and 

read a poem that I had written. 

At the end of the poem it read, 

‘And may this ring symbolize 

the depth of my love for you.’” 

Dal experienced one nervewracking 

moment — “I thought 

it would be very embarrassing 

if she said no to me.” — but 

it was fleeting.”Once I started 

reading the poem I knew there 

was no way she would say no.” 

He was right. A tearful Ran 

accepted his proposal as Dal 

retrieved the ring from under 

the rose petals where he’d 

hidden it and slipped it on her 

finger. 

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Weddings 

December 

2007 

Achinie Eshara Wijesinghe 

Surrey, B.C. 

Christopher Robin David 

Sir Lanka 

You could say that Achinie 

Wijesinghe and Christopher 

David’s relationship was a match 

made in a virtual chat room. 

“We met online some eight 

plus years ago. Our mutual friends 

introduced us on msn and put 

us in the same chat window,” 

explains Achinie. “Before long, we 

had dumped the friends and we 

started hanging out — virtually, 

at least.” 

Their first face-to-face meeting 

didn’t happen until the summer 

of 2006, when Achinie travelled 

from her home in Surrey to Sri 

Lanka, where Christopher lived. By 

the end of the summer they were 

engaged. 

The proposal was completely 

spontaneous and simple. It 

happened during a walk along 

the beach. “We were out together 

one evening looking out at the 

ocean,” recalls Christopher. “And 

the realization came over me that 

here is the woman that I want to 

spend the rest of my life with. A 

couple of seconds after that initial 

realization came over me, I just 

came out with it and told her how 

I felt and asked her if she would 

consider spending the rest of her 

life with me. It just seemed like 

a brilliant idea and I was quite 

excited to share it with her. I think 

it was only after I came out with it 

that the nervousness actually hit.” 

Did Achinie swoon in 

response? Not exactly. “I was 

half expecting it,” she says of 

the proposal. “But I wasn’t really 

thinking about it at the time 

because I was hungry. But the first 

thing that actually went through 

my mind was ‘Geography!’” 

They made up for any lack of 

engagement fireworks by tying 

the knot a couple of times over 

and having two receptions. The 

first ceremony was in a court in 

Sri Lanka in December 2006, 

followed a year later by a religious 

ceremony at Achinie’s family home 

in Surrey. Ask them how they felt 

the first time they saw each other 

on their wedding day and they 

demonstrate their shared sense of 

humour. 

Christopher: “For the first 

ceremony, I thought, ‘Oh oh! I 

hope the registrar didn’t forget 

we were coming. Later, at the 

reception, my first thought was, 

‘Oh oh! How am I going to tell 

her that someone screwed up 

the flowers and her bouquet isn’t 

what she’s expecting it to be? And 

at the second ceremony, it was, 

“Ummmmm . . . We really should 

stop meeting like this.” 

Achinie: “Well, on the first 

wedding day, our court marriage in 

Sri Lanka, I was happy he showed 

up and his friend remembered to 

bring a camera!” 

Their second wedding 

ceremony served double-duty as 

an anniversary celebration since 

it was held on December 22, the 

same date as the original wedding 

in Sri Lanka. 

Achinie’s outfit for her second 

ceremony was a labour of love 

created by her mother. “ My 

mother has always been an 

inspired seamstress and when 

it came to my wedding outfit 

she pulled out all the stops and 

devoted practically a year of 

her free time to designing and 

tailoring it. After cutting and 

sewing the outfit, she free-styled 

antique bead work on to it to make 

it the masterpiece it was. For the 

reception we bought a lengha 

that had a beautiful skirt, but the 

blouse was nothing exceptional, 

so once again my mom worked 

her magic and created a one-of-akind 

halter top that was perfectly 

tailored for my body and matched 

the skirt beautifully.” 

The couple — who enjoyed two 

honeymoons, by the way — are 

living happily in Surrey. 

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September 

2007 

Nina Sohi’s decision to relocate 

from Toronto, her hometown, to 

Vancouver in 2005 turned out to 

be an inspired one, leading her not 

only to a vibrant social life but to 

the man of her dreams. 

Nina and Kam Brar met for the 

first time while both were out with 

friends. “We always tell people 

‘Raab ne milaya’ because we feel 

that is very true,” says Nina. 

“It was truly God that put both 

of us in the same place at the same 

time on December 8, 2006,” says 

Kam. “Nina was travelling with her 

entourage and I was travelling with 

a few guy friends. We ended up at 

the same event. I introduced myself, 

and from there it was history. It was 

one of those situations where you 

meet someone and you think, ‘I’m 

going to marry her. It didn’t help 

when I introduced her to a friend 

of mine and the first thing he said 

was, ‘You two should get married!’” 

It wasn’t long before Kam and 

Nina were making plans to follow 

his friend’s advice. 

“It was our third date,” Nina says 

of the moment she knew he was 

the one. “After that date, coming 

home, I felt alone, like a piece of 

me was missing. I realized that he 

was the ying to my yang, the perfect 

complement and there were so 

many things that I loved about this 

young man: his infectious smile, 

his wacky sense of humour, his 

spirituality and love for Gurbani, his 

future goals and aspirations. I was 

Kam Brar 

Vancouver, B.C. 

Nina Sohi 

Toronto, ON 

comfortable and I was in love.” 

In fact, the idea of marriage was 

so natural that neither felt the need 

for an actual proposal. “It wasn’t 

a dramatic moment, but rather a 

series of times when we kind of 

knew that we both were heading in 

the same direction,” explains Kam. 

“In fact, I might still surprise her 

with a proposal one day!” 

Nina and Kam’s parents joined 

them in a whirlwind of preparations 

— it took Kam’s parents four 

hours a day for seven days just 

to personally deliver the wedding 

invitations. When their wedding day 

finally arrived, Nina managed to 

get a glimpse of her groom without 

actually leaving the bride’s room at 

the temple. 

“I cheated. I actually sent a 

friend outside during the reception 

of the baraat and milni to take 

photographs and come show me on 

her digital camera. My first thought 

was, ‘Thank God we match!’ I was 

insistent on keeping it my lengha 

a surprise and bought it here in 

Vancouver on a special order. I did 

divulge the colours to Kam’s mom 

and she chose the perfect achkan 

from India to match my lengha 

without having even seen it. Then 

my focus shifted to how handsome 

Kam looked. He was the epitome of 

class, regality and elegance.” 

Kam’s first thoughts when he saw 

his bride on their wedding day? 

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Peace. Love. Waheguru.” 

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Beauty 

Summer 

Skin Care 

Off with the Old . . . 

(NC) — Body lotion and sunscreen 

are important for maintaining beautiful 

skin, but if you don’t exfoliate, or slough 

off the dead cells on a regular basis, your 

skin can’t absorb all the benefits a lotion 

has to offer. 

Our skin reproduces itself constantly 

and as a result, the dull dead cells shed 

slowly over time. It’s not necessary to 

wait, however. These dead skin cells clog 

the pores, they prevent lotions from 

being absorbed and that will leave your 

skin looking dry and dehydrated. For 

constantly beautiful glowing skin, you 

can help it along with an exfoliation 

regimen. 

Sloughing off dead skin cells will keep 

it healthy and will also improve the 

effectiveness of sunscreen—and selftanners. 

Following are some exfoliating 

tips for the entire body: 

• Exfoliate the skin on your face gently 

with a product suited to your skin 

type. 

• On your body, exfoliate in the shower 

for the best results. Leading edge 

formulations like Tone Sugar Glow 

for example, deliver the moisturizing 

properties of ultra-fine particles of 

sugar to slough off dead skin without 

being harsh or gritty. Similar to the 

treatments used at professional 

spas, this sugar-based, liquid formula 

polishes in the shower to reveal 

brighter, moisturized, radiant skin. 

• Use a body pouf with the exfoliate for 

best results. 

• Pay attention to your neck. Brighter 

skin on your neck gives you a fresher 

look. 

• Exfoliate your arms and legs, but pay 

special attention to your elbows and 

knees. Elbows can quickly get cracked 

and flaky without targeted care—and 

knees should look polished now that 

spring and summer are here. 

• Exfoliate your feet, especially your 

heels. 

• Do you complain about dry lips? 

Exfoliate them too. 


Prepare Protect and Transform 

(NC) — It’s finally time to shed those sweaters and jeans and show off some skin. 

But before you bare it all, here are a few tips to prepare, protect and transform the 

dull dry skin of winter into one with a healthy glow. 

Drink water: Replenish and hydrate the skin epidermis from within. The old 

standard, eight glasses of water a day is still sound advice, especially if you’re 

active during hot summer days. 

Sun protect: Apply sunscreen according to your skin type, according to your 

outdoor activities — and be sure it protects you from both UVA and UVB rays. 

Use a self-tanner: Enjoy the look of a tan without exposing your skin to the sun. 

Tip: Exfoliated skin helps to apply a self-tanner more evenly—and will prevent the 

tan from fading too soon. 

Moisturize: After showering, apply lotions or cream moisturizers depending on 

your skin condition and type. Using a moisturizer is particularly important after 

shaving since it puts a skin barrier back until your body does it naturally. 

Wear a hat: Baseball caps and visors allow for only limited protection to the neck 

and ears. A hat with a three-inch brim, however, will shield your entire head. 

Sunglasses: Prevent squinting and eye damage with good quality sunglasses. The 

best give you lenses that block both UVA and UVB rays. 

Smooth Skin 101 

(NC) — Whether you spring for 

treatments at the spa, or reap the 

savings of doing your own waxing, 

Rhonda Shupe, professor of Cosmetics 

and Esthetics at Toronto’s Seneca College 

of Applied Arts and Technology, offers 

the following tips: 

• Do ensure you are warm, comfortable 

and relaxed. Constricted pores can 

make skin more sensitive to pain and 

hair stubborn to remove. 

• Do ensure skin is clean and dry. A 

dusting of powder can remove excess 

moisture and keeps wax adhered to 

hair, not skin. 

• To ease the ouch, look for wax kits 

that contain menthol, like Nair 

Soothing. 

• Do be patient. It might take a few tries 

to get the hang of doing your own 

waxing, but it’s worth it. 

• Don’t irritate freshly waxed skin with 

products such as exfoliants, fragrances 

or moisturizers or direct sunlight for at 

least one day.

Horoscope 

by Georgia Nicols 

May 2008 

Aries (March 21-April 19) 

As more and more people are impressed 

with you, your confidence is growing; and as 

your confidence grows, your ability to visualize 

yourself earning more money and doing wonderful 

things starts to become a reality. Not for 

nothing is lucky Jupiter at the top of your chart! 

Think of new, moneymaking ideas that you can 

implement. Sure it will take some testing, some 

missionary work and some effort. Think about 

what you really want. Think about what really 

matters to you. (Everything else is just cheap 

whiskey.) 

Taurus (April 20-May 20) 

It’s your turn to replenish, restore and reenergize 

yourself. It’s most appropriate for you 

to put yourself first now — no guilty feelings, 

just guilty pleasures. Since travel really appeals 

to you this year, think about every opportunity 

to travel for pleasure you can explore. 

Think also about ways to get further education 

or promote your chances in medicine and the 

law. Mercury encourages you to talk to everyone 

and enlighten people about your views. It’s 

an exciting year for you! I kid thee not. 

Gemini (May 21-June 20) 

Because your birthday is a month away, it’s 

time to ponder what you want your new year to 

bring. Work alone or behind the scenes. Seek 

out some solitude to give yourself a chance 

to line your ducks up in a row. The big thing 

to remember is that the universe is willing to 

give you a lot this year. You can raise money, 

get a loan, a mortgage, gifts, inheritances, or 

have the use of lots of things others own. We’re 

talking serious swag! This doesn’t mean you’re 

taking advantage of people. It means the seeds 

you planted in the past are now ripening. 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) 

Because Mars has been in your sign for almost 

6 months you’re pumped, assertive, and 

confident about going after what you want. By 

now, many of you actually went out and got 

what you want! As a result, people are drawn to 

you because they’re attracted to your enthusiasm 

for life. Enjoy good times with friends and 

members of clubs, groups and organizations. 

Share your dreams and goals for the future 

with others because their feedback will help 

you. (Don’t be discouraged if some lack your 

vision. For every action there is an equal and 

opposite criticism.) 

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) 

You’ve been hiding your wonderful light 

under a bushel. (Yeah, yeah when’s the last 

time you saw a bushel?) But you’re not going 

to do that anymore. You’re coming out in full 

bling. People will notice you more than usual 

during the next six weeks. If you’re asked to 

take on something special shake your mane 

and say yes. Because, despite your fears, you 

will handle it beautifully! Travel will please you. 

Romance with someone from another country 

or another culture is possible. (Can you think 

of a more fun way to learn a new language?) 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) 

You’re so turned on by so many things - 

- you’re raring to go! Foreign travel, distant 

places, schooling and education and people 

from different backgrounds intrigue you. Others 

will make progress with publishing, the 

media, medicine and law. Romance and intimacy 

are also tender and sweet. Interspersed 

with this are physical, enthusiastic meetings 

with groups, sporting events and clubs. This 

is a wonderful time for you because your new 

groove is starting to jell. You’re not pretending 

anymore. (“Dammit Jim, I’m an actor not 

a doctor!î) 

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) 

By nature, regardless of what you’re actually 

feeling, you know how to appear detached, 

polite, observant and calm. However, you’ll 

have more difficulty doing this in the next six 

weeks because the way the stars make you feel 

as passionate as a gypsy with dark, curly hair, 

big hoop earrings and serious cleavage. “Oy 

mama-la oy!” Everything will matter! Life will 

be intense and passionate! Intimacy will be 

memorable, maybe even noisy. Secrets will be 

revealed; and you’ll to be extremely investigative 

and penetrating in all your discussions. 

ìWhiskey and fresh horses for my men!î 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) 

With the Sun opposite your sign, you’re focused 

on close friendships and partnerships. 

This gives you the opportunity to observe your 

style and your role in the partnerships. It’s 

your chance to take notes and improve your 

approach, which in turn, will lead to more 

successful relationships in the future. Note: if 

you’re just focused on changing the other person 

-- you’re in trouble. A relationship is a twoway 

street, sometimes a four-lane highway! 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) 

You’re in work mode. You’re gung ho to attack 

something efficiently and effectively. You 

also want to clean up things by reorganizing, 

reducing clutter, painting, renovating, filing, 

storing, departmentalizing and perhaps even 

alphabetizing your CDs. We’re talking keen! 

All this enthusiasm will spill over into your 

personal world and you’ll also want to improve 

your health. (Older Sagittarians take ginkgo biloba 

to remember where they put the Viagra.) 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) 

What a delightful month! Let’s hope you’re 

somewhere on a cruise, looking nifty, being 

witty, eating yummy delectables while sipping 

champagne. Actually, no matter where you are, 

and no matter what you’re doing, this month 

will be fun loving, lighthearted and enjoyable. 

Factoid. Romance will blossom. New love 

might enter your life; existing relationships 

will deepen in a lovely way. Vacations, social 

diversions, sports, the arts and playful times 

with children will all be fun choices. Entertain 

at home. 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) 

Now your attention swings to home, family 

and real estate issues. Tackle repairs and 

pull things together at home. Make needed 

improvements and fix what is broken. Mucho 

family discussions will also be taking place. 

You’re particularly concerned with shared 

property and the wealth of partners or important 

clients. Fortunately, Mars makes it very 

easy for you to work hard in a diligent manner. 

Your ability to write, communicate, sell, act, 

teach and negotiate is wonderful. 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) 

Busy you! The tempo of your days is accelerating. 

But this will be happy busy. Relations 

with siblings and relatives are good. You’re 

taking short trips and running errands and 

talking to lots of people. Not only are you busy 

at work, you’re busy at play as well! Romance, 

the theatre, sports and fun times fill your dance 

card. You can earn money now; which is a good 

thing because you’re also spending on beautiful 

goodies for yourself and loved ones. 

Vancouver-based Georgia Nicols is Canada’s 

most read astrologer and one of the biggest 

names in stargazing, with international clients 

and a web horoscope (www.georgianicols.com) 

that is one of the hottest items online. 


Cuisine 

by Gurj Dhaliwal 

Bombay Burger 

Mehfil Magazine’s new cuisine columnist, Gurj Dhaliwal, created this mouth-watering Bombay 

Burger while he was a contestant on Food Network Canada’s Superstar Chef Challenge. “We 

were challenged to create a gourmet deli burger with a touch of your own style,” explains Gurj. 

“I thought: I’m an Indian guy, so why not an Indian burger? With a spicy masala patty, pickled 

vegetables, chili mayonnaise and tomato chutney, I knew the flavour combination would be a 

No. 1 hit. It’s been a staple at Dhaliwal barbecues ever since.” (For Mehfil’s interview with the 

self-described “male Indian version of Rachel Rae,” see page 24.) 

Method: 

n Sauté onions for burger mix 

with vegetable oil over medium 

heat until soft about 5 minutes, 

add garlic and cook for 1 minute, 

add spices and take off the heat. 

n In a bowl: mix ground beef, 

egg, bread crumbs, onion sauté, 

green onions and cilantro, combine 

well. 

n Form into 2 even sized patties, 

and place in fridge until 

needed. 

n For the tomato chutney, chop 

the tomatoes in a large dice and 

place in a pan over medium heat 

with sugar and vinegar. 

n Cook the tomatoes until all 

the liquid is evaporated, season 

with salt and black pepper 

and cool down, serve chutney 

chilled. 


n For the mayonnaise char the 

jalapeno peppers over an open 

flame or grill until completely 

charred all over, place in bowl 

and cover with plastic wrap and 

let cool for 10 minutes, then peel 

off skin and remove seeds, finely 

dice the remaining flesh. 

n In a blender mix all the ingredients 

for the mayonnaise except 

for the olive oil. 

n After about a minute of mixing 

on high in a blender begin 

to slowly drizzle in the olive oil 

until you have a thick mayonnaise, 

season with salt and pepper 

and chill. 

n For the pickled vegetable 

salad prepare all the vegetables 

by slicing them in fine strips and 

place in a bowl. 

n Mix the vinegar, sugar, mustard 

seed and garam masala in a 

pot and bring to a boil. Pour the 

warm liquid over the prepared 

vegetables and let stand for 30 

minutes. 

n When the vegetables have 

a pickily flavour mix in the 

chopped fresh cilantro. 

n To assemble the Bombay 

burger grill the patty over 

medium high heat until cooked 

through and serve on a tasty bun 

with the mayonnaise, chutney 

and pickled vegetables. 

For Gurj’s Indian-inspired tapas 

recipes, go to www.foodtv.ca/ 

recipes and search for: 

Tamarind Glazed Beef Kebabs; 

Tofu Pakoras with Tomato 

Chutney; Coconut Prawns with 

Mango Lime Sauce. 

Ingredients: 

Burger Patty 

16 oz ground beef 

1/2 egg 

1 Tbsp bread crumbs 

2 Tbsp diced white onion 

1 tsp minced garlic 

1 tsp curry powder 

2 Tbsp chopped green onion 

1 tbsp chopped cilantro 

Tomato Chutney 

2 diced Roma tomatoes 

2 Tbsps brown sugar 

2 Tbsps white wine vinegar 

Jalapeno Corinader Mayonnaise 

1 egg yolk 

125 ml olive oil 

juice of 1 /2 lemon 

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 


1 tbsp chopped jalapeno 

Pickled Vegetable Salad 

1 sliced Roma tomato 

1/2 sliced red pepper 

1/2 sliced red onion 


125 ml white wine vinegar 

1 tbsp brown sugar 

1 tsp yellow mustard seed 

1 tsp garam masala

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Open 7 Days a Week 

RESTAuRAnT 

• Catering for All Occasions 

• Seating Capacity upto 100 

• Full Licensed 

• Eat In or Take Out 

• Everyday Lunch Buffet 

Authentic Indian 

Restaurant 

#6, 12818-72nd Ave, Surrey 

1643 604-591-9000 

West Broadway, Vancouver • 604-742-0622 VInod 

There is only one... 

• Eat-in • Take-out • Delivery • Catering • Banquets 

604-984-8888 

138 West 16th St., North Vancouver 

Fax: 604.986.7378 www.mumbaimasala.ca 

Original 

TANDOORI 

Kitchen 

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1987 

689 East 65th Ave. (at Fraser) 

Vancouver • 327-8900 

110 - 3790 Canada Way, Burnaby 

604-430-1600 

7548 - 120th St., Surrey 

604-592-8900 

ORIGINAL TANDOORI & CHAT HOUSE 

7233 Fraser St., Vancouver 

604-327-8901 

TANDOORI GRILL 

201 - 4368 Main St., Whistler 

604-905-4900 

604-588-4665 

Open for Lunch & Dinner 7 Days a Week 

THE CRITICS’ CHOICE 

604-588-4665 

Sharnjit 

Chef/Owner 

Fully Licensed • Eat in • Take Out • Delivery • Catering • Open 7 Days a Week 

Zaika 

Restaurant 

Air Conditioned • Fully Licensed • Banquet Hall with 80 seats 

Eat In or Take Out 

Wide Variety of Authentic Indian Dishes 

Come 

See Our 

New 

Menu 

#201, 7500-120th St, Surrey • 604-592-1033 

A Visit to Haweli is: Enjoying the classiest, Authentic 

Indian meal while sitting in The Palace of Indian Kings 

Eat In • Take Out 

Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner 

Catering for Pickup 

Private Party Room available for up to 32 people 

Eat-in 

Take-out 

Catering 

For reservations call: 

BANQUET PALACE 

(up to 350 capacity) 

8220 (near- Royal 120th Bank) St., Surrey, BC 

604-585-3331 • 9470-120 th St, Surrey 

www.mahek.ca 

604-592-2503 

We Cater 

Indoor & 

Outdoor 


Health & Fitness 

by Shefali Raja, BSc., RD Community Nutritionist 

Probiotics: The Good Bacteria? 

It sounds downright risky, but snacking on billions of friendly bacteria known as 

probiotics can improve digestion, support the immune system and bolster overall 

health. This is one of the hottest food trends. The worldwide probiotic yogurt category 

alone is expected to increase in sales from $294 million to $500 million by the year 

2010. There are supplement pills, yogurts, smoothies, snack bars, cereals, teas, even 

baby formula and chocolate that contain probiotics. They’re quickly spreading on grocery 

store shelves and in the dairy coolers. One of the reasons we are seeing this trend is due 

to the rise in gastrointestinal- related problems. Recent research supports the benefits 

of probiotics in treating a variety of gastrointestinal diseases, including irritable bowel 

syndrome, lactose intolerance, traveller’s diarrhea and antibiotic-induced diarrhea. 

The basics of these good bacteria 

The word “probiotic,” which means “for 

life,” indicates that a product contains 

live bacteria, which has been shown to 

have health benefits. Millions of probiotics 

consisting of over 400 different varieties live 

in our intestinal tract. These bacteria occur 

naturally in our body as well as coming 

from the food we eat. Soon after birth, our 

intestines become populated with beneficial 

probiotics, or “good bacteria,” with the 

start of breastfeeding. The intestines serve 

as one of our body’s first lines of defence 

against infection by providing a barrier to 

the growth of potentially harmful bacteria. 

Scientists surmise that the good bacteria 

replace or crowd out the bad bacteria in 

the intestinal tract, helping to keep illnesscausing 

bacteria away. Another theory is 

that the good bacteria keep the intestinal 

tract too acidic for the bad bacteria to 

survive. 

We also ingest probiotics by eating 

naturally fermented foods such as yogurt, 

kefir (a creamy fermented milk product 

made by adding kefir grains to milk), 

aged cheese, miso, certain pickles and 

sauerkraut. Though these foods are good 

sources, it is questionable whether we eat 

enough on a daily basis to provide us 

adequate probiotics that will offer health 

benefits. 

Over the last 50 years, increased use 

of antibiotics and diets that have become 

low in soluble fibre and high in refined 

carbohydrates have reduced the numbers of 

good bacteria in our system. This alters the 

balance of our intestinal microbe population, 

leading to a rise in the not-so-friendly 

bacteria and ultimately contributing to 

diseases. Eating probiotic foods helps keep 

the good bacteria abundant, which helps 

fight intestinal troubles while boosting the 

immune system. Though probiotics are 

not the solution to all our problems, they 

certainly play an important role in keeping 

the immune system healthy. 

A question that comes up all the 

time revolves around yogurt, which is 

made using starter cultures lactobacillus 

bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. 

Why are yogurt companies promoting a 

product that already has bacteria in it? 

When yogurt is commercially made it 

is usually heat-treated after fermentation, 

making the bacteria inactive. The high 

temperatures kill the bacteria. Additionally, 

many of the bacteria in yogurt cannot 

survive in the acidic environment of the 

stomach and therefore never makes it to 

the gut. Many companies are now adding 

good bacteria after heat treatment or are 

not heat treating the yogurt. As well, other 

forms of probiotics are added in addition 

to the starter cultures. To buy yogurts that 

contain probiotics look for those that say 

“live and active cultures” on the label as 

opposed to “made with active cultures.” 

Pay attention to the expiration date as live 

cultures diminish with time. Even if you 

have trouble digesting milk, the friendly 

bacteria in yogurt help digest the lactose 

and make it more tolerable for lactosesensitive 

people. 

Probiotic Supplements 

It is becoming evident that we need 

to include more probiotics in our diet, 

Probiotic food products available at 

the supermarket include: 

Danone’s Activa yogurt contains 

Bifidobacterium animalis. The company 

suggests having two servings of this 

product per day to shorten gut transit 

time, which may help people who 

suffer from irregularity, bloating and gas. 

Danone’s DanActive yogurt drink 

contains lactobacillus casei, which 

may help strengthen body’s natural 

defenses. 

Kashi has created Vive, a high-fibre (12 

grams of fibre per serving) probiotic 

cereal with lactobacillus casei, a hint of 

ginger and broccoli extract. 

Kombucha probiotic tea is appearing 

in refrigerated sections of grocery stores 

alongside other specialty teas, such 

as green and white bottled tea. Most 

proposed benefits of kombucha tea are 

related to improved functioning of the 

digestive system. 

Kraft LiveActive Cheese contains 

bifidobacterium, which is associated 

with digestive health. 

but how does one know which strain of 

probiotic supplement to take and how 

much? 

That truly is the million-dollar question. 

Only a few bacteria (members of the 

lactobacillus and bifidobacterium genuses) 

have been studied extensively, and scientists 

are still trying to figure out which bacterial 

strains are most effective for particular 

problems; one size does not fit all and there 

are millions of strains. 

When taking a supplement, the effective 

minimum dose is unknown. Some products 

have been shown to be effective at 100 

million live cells, other show positive results 

at one trillion. Most research shows doses 

greater than one billion have an effect. 

Here are some of the researched products 

out there and what they claim, but always 

remember to speak to your doctor about 

any new supplements you are starting on. 

• Culturelle contains lactobacillus 

rhamnosus GG and has been shown 

to promote regularity and it seems to 

help prevent diarrhea in children given 

antibiotics. 


• Florastor contains saccharomyces 

boulardii and has been shown to help 

with diarrhea caused by antibiotics, food 

poisoning, travelling to other countries 

and clostridium difficile infections that 

people pick up in hospitals. 

• Jarro-Dophilus EPS contains eight 

different species of probiotics, including 

lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. casei, L. 

plantarum, L. acidophilus and related 

species and has been shown to stimulate 

immune response. 

• Fem-Dophilus contains lactobacillus 

rhamnosus and lactobacillus reuteri; this 

product helps to colonize and protect 

the vaginal tract. 

• Theralac contains lactobacillus 

acidophilus, lactobacillus paracasei, 

lactobacillus rhamnosus, bifidobacterium 

lactis (animalis), and bifidobacterium 

bifidum and has been shown to promote 

a healthy soft-lining (wall) in the 

intestinal tract which results in improved 

digestion, regularity and nutrient 

absorption. 

• VSL # 3 contains streptococcus 

thermophilus, bifidobacterium 

breve, bifidobacterium longum, 

bifidobacterium infantis, lactobacillus 

acidophilus, lactobacillus plantarum 

lactobacillus casei, and lactobacillus 

bulgaricus. This product has been shown 

to aid in the dietary management of 

ulcerative colitis (UC), irritable bowel 

syndrome (IBS) and an ileal pouch. 

• Align contains bifidobacterium infantis 

shown to aid people with IBS by helping 

them get relief from abdominal pain, 

bloating, gas and straining. 

Other ways to increase Probiotics is by 

adding more Prebiotics to our diet. 

Prebiotics (a type of fibre) are nondigestible 

food ingredients that are the 

preferred food for probiotics (bacteria have 

to eat healthy too!). The most well-known 

prebiotic is soluble fibre found in oat bran, 

pectin in apples, and psyllium. Inulin 

(chicory root) and fructo-oligo-saccharides 

(found in herbs, onions, bananas, asparagus, 

leeks, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke and wheat) 

are considered super prebiotic fibres, similar 

to what is found in breast milk. They 

selectively stimulate the growth and activity 

of the beneficial bacteria. This means that if 

the diet includes prebiotics, it can help to 

increase the number of the good bacteria 

that live in the intestines and increase their 

positive effect. Some foods now include 

both probiotics and prebiotics — an 

example is inulin in yogurts containing 

active cultures. 

Another benefit of prebiotics is that they 

are broken down by the bacteria into shortchain 

fatty acids. These are also beneficial 

as they can improve mineral absorption 

(of calcium and magnesium, for example), 

reduce the risk of some cancers, make 

the intestine more acidic, which slows 

the growth of the “bad bacteria,” and can 

help normalize bowel function in persons 

with diarrhea or constipation. As with any 

fibre, prebiotics should be added to the diet 

slowly to reduce the potential for bloating, 

gas, and abdominal pain. Fluid intake 

should be adequate to reduce the risk of 

constipation. 

Bottom Line 

Give these products a try. After all, what 

harm is there in enjoying a nutritious, 

bacteria-friendly yogurt? Probiotics are not 

a magic bullet to prevent or cure disease, 

but they are considered safe since the good 

bacteria are already a part of the digestive 

system. They offer a quick and easy first 

line of defense along with a healthy diet. To 

get the health benefits, such as improving 

immune function, maintaining normal 

gastrointestinal function and preventing 

infection, probiotic bacteria need to be 

ingested regularly, along with prebiotics. p 


Shifting gears 

2008 Honda Element 

No significant changes for the 

2008 Honda Element. The 

quirky, cute snub-nosed SUV 

received major changes in 2007 and now 

soldiers on. The biggest news is perhaps 

the sporty, factory-customized SC version 

introduced last year, which is really the 

one to have. To recap: Highlights of the 

Element include the wide, boxy stance, a 

spacious cabin, superb frontal visibility, 

clamshell side doors that open to allow 

for easy loading of bulky objects, and rear 

seats that can be placed in multiple ways 

or removed entirely. A wipe-clean plastic 

urethane floor allows for easy cleaning 

and let’s not forget the removable rear 

sunroofs and split tailgate that double as 

both a seat and rain shield. 

The 2008 Honda Element arrives in 

three trim levels: LX, EX and SC. The 

Element LX and EX are available in both 

front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive 

configurations, while the SC is frontdrive 

only. 

The SC trim offers more sporty bling in 

the form of lowered sport suspension, 18- 

inch alloy wheels, projector 

beam headlights, 

body-coluored bumpers 

and roof, and coppercoloured 

gauges. 

A base Element LX 

(2WD) starts at $25,290, 

the Element EX (2WD) 

starts at $28,090, and the 

SC starts at $29,990. 

Interior Design and 

Special Features 

You step up into the 

Element, but not too 

high, and are rewarded with a bus-driverlike 

view of the open road. A very high 

roofline also adds to the feeling of spaciousness, 

but the Honda Element only 

accommodates four. Note there is no 

third-row option available due to the 

design. Big high-set front seats and stadium-style 

rear seating offer stellar interior 

room. Leg, shoulder and headroom 

are also exceptional. The front-passenger 

seatbacks folds forward to make room 

for large, long items and all the seats, 

including the driver’s, can be folded back 

to make a large bed-type affair. Interior 

finishes are up to the usual high quality 

Honda standard. Storage abounds with 

multiple shelves, nooks, crannies, a big 

glove box and even an overhead storage 

section. The very cool SC edition offers 

upgraded upholstery, a front centre console 

and shiny piano-black trim pieces, 

which are, unfortunately, vulnerable to 


Shifting gears 

2008 Honda Element 

No significant changes for the 

2008 Honda Element. The 

quirky, cute snub-nosed SUV 

received major changes in 2007 and now 

soldiers on. The biggest news is perhaps 

the sporty, factory-customized SC version 

introduced last year, which is really the 

one to have. To recap: Highlights of the 

Element include the wide, boxy stance, a 

spacious cabin, superb frontal visibility, 

clamshell side doors that open to allow 

for easy loading of bulky objects, and rear 

seats that can be placed in multiple ways 

or removed entirely. A wipe-clean plastic 

urethane floor allows for easy cleaning 

and let’s not forget the removable rear 

sunroofs and split tailgate that double as 

both a seat and rain shield. 

The 2008 Honda Element arrives in 

three trim levels: LX, EX and SC. The 

Element LX and EX are available in both 

front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive 

configurations, while the SC is frontdrive 

only. 

The SC trim offers more sporty bling in 

the form of lowered sport suspension, 18- 

inch alloy wheels, projector 

beam headlights, 

body-coluored bumpers 

and roof, and coppercoloured 

gauges. 

A base Element LX 

(2WD) starts at $25,290, 

the Element EX (2WD) 

starts at $28,090, and the 

SC starts at $29,990. 

Interior Design and 

Special Features 

You step up into the 

Element, but not too 

high, and are rewarded with a bus-driverlike 

view of the open road. A very high 

roofline also adds to the feeling of spaciousness, 

but the Honda Element only 

accommodates four. Note there is no 

third-row option available due to the 

design. Big high-set front seats and stadium-style 

rear seating offer stellar interior 

room. Leg, shoulder and headroom 

are also exceptional. The front-passenger 

seatbacks folds forward to make room 

for large, long items and all the seats, 

including the driver’s, can be folded back 

to make a large bed-type affair. Interior 

finishes are up to the usual high quality 

Honda standard. Storage abounds with 

multiple shelves, nooks, crannies, a big 

glove box and even an overhead storage 

section. The very cool SC edition offers 

upgraded upholstery, a front centre console 

and shiny piano-black trim pieces, 

which are, unfortunately, vulnerable to 


as 

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www.surreyhonda.com 

(604) 583-7421 

†Limited time financing offer based on new 2008 Honda models. Finance example based on new 2008 Element LX, model YH1738E available through Honda Financial Services on approved credit. ‡MSRP is $26,830 

(includes freight and PDI) financed at 0.9% APR equals $457.47 per month for 60 months. Cost of borrowing is $618.26 for a total obligation of $27,448.26. Taxes, license, insurance and registration are extra. Retailer 

may sell for less. Retailer order / trade may be necessary. †Offer valid from May 1st, 2008 through May 31st, 2008 at participating Honda retailers. Offer subject to change or cancellation without notice. See your 

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Shifting Gears 

some scuffing and scratches. The SC also 

offers an auxiliary audio input jack that 

is connected to a 270-watt high-output 

sound system with seven speakers, including 

a subwoofer. 

The Element’s rear seats can be removed, 

folded or swung up to the sides, allowing 

an impressive 75 cubic feet of cargo. 

Despite the fact the small clamshell rear 

doors open a full 90 degrees and provide 

an unbroken cargo entrance, opening the 

rear doors mean first having the front passengers 

open their doors to allow people 

in or out of the rear-seating area. The 

rear tailgate is a cool split two-piece door 

design; the lower section can safely seat 

two people while the upper section swings 

up high, acting as a canopy . 

Right Trucks 

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BC Mainland 

Limited Time Offer 

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Offer ends June 30, 2008 

Phone for appointment. 

Power and safety 

All Honda Elements use a 2.4-litre 

four-cylinder rated at 166 horsepower and 

161 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed 

manual transmission is standard and a 

five-speed automatic is optional. Antilock 

disc brakes with brake assist, traction control 

and stability control are standard on 

the Element and other auto manufactures 

should really take note of this. Interior 

front seat side airbags and full-length side 

curtain airbags are also standard. 

Transport Canada Energuide fuel consumption 

ratings (automatic transmission) 

are 10.5 L/100 km (27 mpg) City, 

and 8.1 L/100 km (35 mpg) Highway. 

Neat, different and an excellent fun to 

drive quotient make the Element a very 

attractive vehicle . Highly recommended. 

2008 Honda Element priced from 

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11954-94th Ave, Delta, BC 

604-589-2203 / 604-589-0008 


6


2008 LEXUS IS250 

The Lexus IS 250 has always been 

seen as the company’s BMW 3- 

Series killer and has met with a degree of 

success. For 2008, Lexus does not mess 

with the formula too much; there are 

just a few minor changes to the IS 250. 

There are new wheels, redesigned front 

seatbacks to provide more rear legroom 

while on the technical front recalibrated 

steering offers better driver input feel. 

Looks-wise it’s still a honed, toned predatory- 

looking car that shouts sublime 

performance and quality. A 2.5-litre V6 

engine motivates the IS 250 and produces 

204 horsepower with 85 pound-feet 

of torque. Rear-wheel or all-wheel drive 

is an option and the transmission choice 

is either a six-speed manual or six-speed 

automatic in the rear-drive IS 250, while 

the AWD version offer an automatic 

only. Major attractions? The 2008 Lexus 

IS 250 has four doors, luxury features, 

a plush cabin, amazing fit, finish and 

technology. It seats four in comfort and 

is both fast and agile. 

Equipment 

Standard equipment includes 17-inch 

alloy wheels, a sunroof, powered leather 

front seats, automatic dual-zone climate 

control and a high power premium audio 

system with a six-disc CD changer and 

an auxiliary audio jack. Yes, there are 

option packs that jack up the price considerably, 

but all the auto manufactures 

are doing this now it seems. Optional 

packages offer niceties such as 18-inch 

alloy wheels, ventilated seats, adaptive bixenon 

headlights, parking assist, adaptive 

cruise control, driver-seat memory, rainsensing 

wipers, a power rear sunshade, 

a navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity, 

satellite radio and, of course, the 

superb Mark Levinson surround-sound 

audio system that has to be heard to be 

believed. Heated front seats are standard 

on the all-wheel-drive model and 

optional on the rear-wheel-drive versions. 

A sport suspension “X” package is 

available and features alloy foot pedals, 

retuned sportier suspension set up for 

a firmer ride and 18-inch wheels on 

don’t let juSt 

anyone touch 

your HONDA 

 

 

 

v a n c o u v e r h o n d a v a n c o u v e r h o n d a v a n c o u v e r h o n d a v a n c o u v e r h o n d a 

… trust yours to the Vancouver Honda’s 

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wHeel 

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850 SW Marine drive | tel 1.800.518.7157 | vancouverhonda.com 


all remaining 2007 models are at their lowest prices ever! 

take advantage before they’re gone forever! 

0 % for5 years 

financing 

on MoSt 2008 MoDelS 

rebates to $7,500! 

on select models* 

MAZDA3 

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ACCORDING TO 

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*Among compact vehicles 

2008 MAZDA 3 Sport 

Mazda3 is a standard-setting vehicle that brings together exhilarating driving 

performance, emotional styling and high levels of craftsmanship. Mazda3 makes no 

compromises on sophisticated and unique styling and functionality. 

2008 MAZDA B-SerieS 

Mazda B-Series trucks pack power and style enough for any purpose. The Mazda 

B4000’s 4.0-litre V6 delivers a potent 207-hp. The B3000’s 3.0-litre V6 pumps 

out 148-hp. And the B2300’s 2.3-litre 4-cylinder serves up a spirited 143-hp. 

The Mazda5 is a true Multi-Activity Vehicle. With its high level of 

functionality and relatively compact exterior size, the Mazda5 delivers 

unprecedented comfort and a true driving pleasure. 

2008 MAZDA 5 

15420 - 104th Ave, Surrey, BC 604-583-7121 

www.freewaymazda.ca 

*$7000 rebate applies to 2007 Mazda 6 Speed


high performance tires. 

99 AWARDS…AND STILL COUNTING 

The 2008 Honda model line-up has already received 99 awards and accolades from leading 

automotive industry experts, journalists, safety watchdogs and consumer groups. Honda’s 2008 

award winning cars and trucks speak to their commitment to leadership in style, safety, fuel 

efficiency and for a greener environment. 

Technology 

Safety technology abounds in the LEXUS 

IS 250; traction control, stability control 

front-seat side and full-length side curtain 

airbags are fitted as standard, while 

optional goodies include a pre-collision 

system (PCS) that uses a radar sensor 

to detect obstacles in front of the car. 

Basically, this system determines if a collision 

is unavoidable and stiffens the suspension, 

firms up the front seatbelts and 

arms the brake assist for increased braking 

as soon as the brake pedal is pressed. 

Wonderful stuff! 

604-588-4665 

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ACCORD 

CR-V 

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850 SW Marine Drive | tel 1.800.518.7157 | vancouverhonda.com 

†Limited time financing offers based on select new 2008 Honda models. 0.9% APR for 36 months on new 2008 Fit, Civic, Accord LX, CR-V LX 

2WD and Odyssey DX; 0.9% for 60 months on new 2008 Pilot LX 2WD, Element and Ridgeline LX models. Finance example based on new 

2008 Fit DX, model GD3728E available through Honda Financial Services on approved credit. ‡MSRP is $16,275 (includes $1,295 freight and 

PDI) financed at 0.9% APR equals $458.38 per month for 36 months. Cost of borrowing is $226.80 for a total obligation of $16,501.80. Taxes, 

license, insurance and registration are extra. Retailer may sell for less. Retailer order / trade may be necessary. ¥Cash incentive amounts will 

vary from model to model: $1,500 available on Accord Sedan MT & AT EX, model CP2578J / CP2678J, and Accord Coupe & Sedan, MT & AT 

EX-L / EX-L Navi, model CS1188JN / CS1288JN / CS1188KN / CS1288KN / CP2588JN / CP2688JN / CP2588KN / CP2688KN; $3,000 on 

Accord Sedan AT EX V6, model CP3678J, and Accord Coupe MT & AT and Accord Sedan AT EX-L V6 / EX-L V6 Navi, model CS2188JN / 

CS2288JN / CS2188KN / CS2288KN / CP3688JN / CP3688KN; $2,500 available on CR-V LX 4WD / EX, model RE4838E / RE4858J; $3,500 

available on CR-V EX-L / EX-L Navi, model RE4878JN / RE4878KN; $6,500 available on Pilot LX 4WD / SE RES / SE-L RES / EX-L Navi, model 

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C a nadian Artist 

The Extraordinary Deesha 

Mehfil recently caught up with Toronto-based singer/songwriter Deesha. The 2007 Juno nominee (in the R&B/soul recording 

category for “Life Less Ordinary”) shared her thoughts on everything from fame to family to her must-have makeup products. 

So how did you get into the industry? 

What was your break? 

I don’t think I’ve had my break yet, to be perfectly 

honest. When I was a kid I was doing 

talent shows. My brother is a producer in the 

UK bhangra scene. My brother used to rap in 

Punjabi, before even Apache was around. And I 

wrote a song for him because I liked writing and 

so then I had all this music. I was doing demos 

and nothing was working . . . so I got tired of 

doing these demos, and I said why not just go 

for it. I built my own studio and built my own 

booth, recorded it, and 90 per cent of the work I 

did myself. The album was done in 2004 and it 

just sat there because I had so much stuff going 

on. I didn’t actually release it until 2006. 

If you could choose to work with just 

one artist in the industry, who would it 

be? 

Timbaland. He’s just a genius. He’s all around; 

he sings, he raps, he writes. Look what he did 

for Nelly Furtado’s career. 

What advice do you have for other 

young artists? 

Don’t compromise yourself as a person. 

Nothing is worth comprising integrity and your 

morality as a human being. There are a lot of 

promises in this industry, and most of them are 

empty. Everyone wants something from you. 

And I think if you accept, “If I don’t make it I’m 

not going to die,” then you can focus on the 

process and enjoying the little things — Oh 

you’ve got an interview. Oh, you got a radio 

show — and just taking it all in, and then it 


becomes more about the journey than becoming 

a means to an end. Because every step 

along the way is more important than where 

you go. 

Who’s the most original artist you’ve 

encountered? 

It’s hard to say because so many artists are producer-built 

so you don’t really know where the 

final product is coming from. I guess the more 

original sound is Amy Winehouse. And I really 

love her voice; it’s sort of a once-in-a-lifetime 

voice, really. 

Since its so rare to see Indian musicians 

in the mainstream hiphop industry, 

do people always realize that you’re 

Indian? 

No, they don’t. It all depends on their background. 

If they’re Indian, they think I am 

Indian. I am not any interesting mix; I am pure 

Indian from India. Some people in the States 

will think I have some black, Mexican, Puerto 

Rican, Guyanese — anything that’s brown. 

This is a couple of years ago, too. Now, they 

can tell more and more because I think they’re 

more familiar with what Indian people look like 

and we’re starting to be seen more. (Laughs) 

They’ve seen what the alien looks like, now they 

know you’re an alien! 

Any beauty products that you can’t live 

without? 

My eye-makeup remover, my mascara and 

my eyeliner. I actually used powdered black 

eyeshadow with a blush and my mascara. Here, 

I’ll go in my handbag and pull it out for you. . . 

Aha, currently I am using Lancome Virtuals. 

I really like this one. I collect mascara. That 

and, like, chapstick. And I really do collect lipglosses 

and chapsticks in every possible scent, 

especially fruit-flavoured ones. Right now, I am 

using this Gap one called Raspberry Lemonade. 

It’s actually pretty good. I got it in the States 

and I’ve never seen it here. 

How do your family feel about your 

career choice? 

My mom and dad . . . I have an interesting history 

with my parents. I moved out when I was 

17. My dad is that really traditional guy from 

the village. My parents took some of the points 

of that particular slice of India: You can’t go out 

and you can’t talk to boys. My sister converted 

to Islam and she eloped, and so when that 

happened in our family, I guess you can totally 

imagine that the walls came down around 

me. So I was 17 and I was like I’m not stupid, 

I’m going to take care of myself . . . God gave 

me free will to do things just like that. So I don’t 

have that whole, “We put a roof over your head 

so you’re doing what we want.” At the end of 

the day, they’re not going to abandon you. My 

parents have actually moved back to India. And, 

you know, my mom is like all mothers; she’s all 

about her kids being happy. My mom asks just 

three questions when she phones me: How are 

you? Are you happy? How is work? 

Do you ever visit your parents in India? 

I find India a really hard country to go to. Yeah, 

people go for the shopping! But it’s not all

about the lengha and the saris that you can buy. 

It’s not like I’m running from it. I don’t identify 

with it, and I don’t connect with it in any way. 

Nothing that I’ve experienced comes from India. 

I find it such a hard, hard existence just because 

people have it so tough there. There’s just something 

else going on there that some people are 

just blind to. 

If you couldn’t be a singer, what would 

you do instead? 

I’d find something. I just want to be happy. I want 

to stay at home and raise my kids. I want to insulate 

them with what I think is the fundamental 

thing that you need to have a base in life. Have 

a nice little house. If I wasn’t a singer I would at 

least want to be a songwriter. Ultimately, if I got 

to write songs for other people I’d be happy. 

What inspires you? 

Life. And love. And everything that comes in 

between. 

What’s your favourite song of yours? 

I think my favourite song is actually a song 

that I’ve never released. It’s a song called “Why 

Can’t We Go Back.” It’s about a relationship that 

has gotten off course and it’s sort of what we’ve 

become and where we’ve gone. 

Do you want to be famous? 

No. Because I really enjoy my privacy. But at the 

same time, if you don’t want the fame you won’t 

get it. Like, if I do this interview, and I start talking 

about my love life a to z, then my life will 

be about that. If you don’t go there, people don’t 

get into your business. 

Fame is fun; it’s that superficial attention that 

you get from someone. As long as you realize 

it’s fleeting, and its not going on forever, then it 

doesn’t bother you. 

I actually had one serious experience with 

fame, once. It was when I released Falling in 

Love in 2003 and I was at the video director’s 

house . . . He had a nine-year-old daughter, 

and I walk into the house and he goes, ‘Do you 

know who this is?’ And she looks at me and 

she goes Deesha Deesha, like Falling in Love 

Deesha? And she starts screaming. And then 

she runs outside. Five minutes later, 15 of the 

neighbourhood kids have been gathered and 

they all want to hug me and touch me, and it 

was kind of scary, and they’re all crawling on 

me and they’re like touching my hair and it was 

this bizarre experience. I was being pawed at 

by children! And when we were coming out, her 

dad had to stop them because they were chasing 

the car, and it was just weird. And that was my 

only small brush with fame. I think that would 

be scary. 

Last thoughts for us? 

Yeah, for sure! You can hear samples of my 

music at deesha.com. I’m working on a new 

album, which should be out later this year. And 

for the entire month of May I am going to be letting 

people download my album for free. p 

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Movie reviews 

By Ron Ahluwalia 

U Me aur Hum 

So Ajay Devgan thinks he’s a 

director now, eh? I cringe when I 

look back at his record as a producer 

(Raju Chacha) and action 

choreographer (Golmaal), so the 

thought of him actually directing 

a feature film is terrifying. As 

a filmmaker, Devgan’s greatest 

asset is his immensely talented 

wife, Kajol, and that is very evident 

in U Me aur Hum (UMH). 

UMH is an average movie that 

dares to tackle a sensitive topic 

like Alzheimer’s and manages to 

strike a chord with the audience. 

Ajay (Ajay Devgan) and Piya 

(Kajol) fall in love under the 

most ludicrous of circumstances. 

Eventually, they get married. 

After shopping one day, Piya 

forgets where her home is, her 

husband’s name and phone 

number, and where she is. She 

has Alzheimer’s. There are two 

subplots as well: Reena and 

Nikhil (Divya Dutta and Sumeet 

Raghvan) are a married couple 

trying to get a divorce; Vicky and 

Natasha (Karan Khanna and Isha 

Sharwani) are in love but Isha 

avoids marriage like the plague. 

And that’s the first half of the 

film. The rest of the movie focuses 

on the trials and tribulations 

of Ajay caring for an ailing Piya 

and bringing up their only son. 

What could have been a tearful 

mess of a film has some 

moments that are mature, sensitive 

and real (for a Bollywood 

movie addressing dementia). 

Many of the scenes are now 

clichés in Hollywood but the 

fact that someone in the Indian 

film industry is addressing the 

severity of dementia without the 

superstitious nonsense of kisiki 

nazar lag gayi or yeh pagal ho 

gayi hai is definitely a big stride 

in the right direction. Granted, 

character development takes 

a back seat and not much is 

done in terms of exposing the 

perspective of an Alzheimer’s 

patient, but it’s a start. 

As a director, Ajay Devgan is 

not up to par in the emotionally 

charged scenes. In the second 

half of the film, he is pedestrian. 

There’s nothing exciting 

about his approach. Cutting out 

two songs would have given 

the movie much better flow. 

Speaking of the songs, Vishal 

Bhardwaj comes up with another 

great soundtrack that is worth 

spending your money on. 

Kajol is back after another 

hiatus and does well in a role 

designed to make use of her 

beautiful eyes and sexy new 

figure. This is not her best work, 

but she does well. Ajay Devgan 

is just average as a performer. 

Of the supporting cast, Divya 

Dutta and Sumeet Raghvan do 

well as the feuding couple. Karan 

Khanna, Isha Sharwani and 

Sachin Khedekar are sidelined. 

UMH deserves an “A” for 

good intentions , but only a “C+” 

for execution. 

Race 

After a very long time, Abbas- 

Mustan finally masters the most 

necessary skill to make a suspense 

flick: the element of surprise. 

Race is still full of cheesy 

dialogue, bland characterization 

and gratuitous cleavage, but 

unlike movies like Humraaz and 

Naqaab, you just don’t know 

what’s going to happen next. 

Ranvir (Saif Ali Khan) is the 

kingpin of the horse-racing 

circuit in South Africa. Rajiv 

(Akshaye Khanna) is his alcoholic, 

ne’er-do-well younger brother. 

Rajiv falls for Sonia (Bipasha 

Basu) and vows to give up 

drinking if he marries her; Sonia 

happens to be Ranvir’s girlfriend. 

In typical Bollywood style, bada 

bhai apne pyaar ki qurbaani deta 

hai. But Rajiv lies and does not 

give up drinking. Depressed, 

Sonia goes back to her first love. 

On the side, Ranvir’s secretary 

Sofia (Katrina Kaif) is openly 

head-over-heels in love with her 

boss, who does not reciprocate 

her amorous urges. As in any 

Abbas-Mustan movie, someone 

is murdered. Inspector RD 

(Anil Kapoor) and his bimbo 

assistant Mini (Sameera Reddy) 

investigate the crime. Throw in 

a solid dosage of Johnny Lever 

and some actual suspense, and 

you finally have a half-decent 

(emphasis on the “half”) suspense 

flick to watch. 

Not being able to figure out 

what’s going to happen next and 

who is out to double-cross who 

keeps the audience’s attention up 

until the climax. But the climax, 

unlike the rest of the movie, is 

hackneyed and predictable — go 

figure! 

On the positive side: 

The film’s cinematography 

captures the beauty of South 

Africa with élan. Abbas- 

Mustan knows how to 

include songs in a screenplay 

and Pritam’s catchy 

tunes are definitely an asset. 

But most of the performances 

are just not up to 

par. Saif Ali Khan proved 

his mettle in Omkara but he 

sleepwalks through Race. And 

that beard looks downright tacky. 

Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of a 

villain is not as diabolical as it 

should have been. Bipasha Basu, 

though important to the plot, is 

reduced to simply showing off 

her legs. Though a liability in 

most films, Katrina Kaif stands 

out with a commendable performance. 

Sameera Reddy plays the 

ditz very well. Anil Kapoor gives 

what is easily the worst performance 

of his career. 

If you must watch Race, rent 

it. Don’t waste the extra time 

and money in the theatres. You 

won’t be disappointed with the 

plot, but you won’t miss anything 

spectacular if you decide to take 

a pass on this one. 


GrandTaj_Oct04 12/12/04 1:35 AM Page 1 

Black & White 

Subhash Ghai is back in the director’s chair 

after the disastrous Kisna. In Black & White 

(BW), he addresses terrorism. Neither the 

subject matter nor the story are groundbreaking, 

but BW is a drama that manages to 

entertain. 

A man under the alias of Numair Qazi 

(Anurag Sinha) moves to Chandni Chowk in 

Delhi in the days leading up to the August 

15 celebrations at Red Fort. Numair is a 

jihadist suicide bomber and takes the name 

and history of a man who died during the 

Gujarat Hindu-Muslim riots. He is staying at 

the home of a respected elderly poet who is 

friends with Dr. Rajan Mathur (Anil Kapoor), 

an Urdu professor. Rajan and his wife Roma 

(Shefali Shah) are devoted to social causes 

and maintaining strong community relations 

in Chandni Chowk. Rajan takes Numair 

under his wing to help him overcome his 

anger towards 

Hindus and 

find his place 

in society. He 

even brings 

Numair into his 

home. All the 

while, Numair 

is plotting to 

kill hundreds 

on August 15 

and is being pursued by local beauty Shagufta 

(Aditi Sharma). 

The premise of the film is very reminiscent 

of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se … and the conclusion 

is predictable. Ghai’s direction and 

approach to the screenplay is engaging. 

The community of Chandni Chowk is 

refreshingly realistic and not depicted in that 

stereotypical, overly emotional and happy 

cliché. 

The Sagufta’ character is a serious waste 

of time in the film and dilutes the impact of 

many of the film’s scenes. Sukhwinder Singh’s 

soundtrack is not bad at all. 

Anurag Sinha makes an extraordinary 

debut. This taltented newcomer’s performance 

is haunting. Anil Kapoor is superb, especially 

in the latter parts of the film. As usual, Shefali 

Shah is a scene stealer. Moreover, she looks 

amazing and dances very well, too. Aditi 

Sharma is wasted in an inconsequential role. 

Has Black & White been done? Sort of. Is it 

a movie worth a dekho? For sure! 

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Reflections 

Karnail Singh 

Karnail Singh grew up 

practically around 

the corner from 

Vancouver’s very first gurudwara. 

It was a scant two 

blocks away from his family’s 

sprawling home on West 2nd 

Avenue, where three siblings 

lived comfortably with their 

assorted children. The proximity 

was hardly a surprise 

since it was his father and his 

father’s friends who had collectively 

purchased the land 

for the temple. Years later, in 

another first, Karnail would 

continue this family tradition 

by helping to establish 

Richmond’s only gurudwara 

at that time. 

When he was just five years 

old, Karnail Singh’s mother 

passed away. Karnail and his 

three young siblings were 

raised by their aunt with the 

same loving devotion she gave 

to her own three children. 

The family hauled wood 

and sold it in the streets, hiring 

a who’s who of future 

Indo-Canadian business owners 

and deal-makers to assist 

them in manning their fleet 

along the way. At first, they 

had heavy, patient Budweiser 

Clydesdale horses to cart the 

wood from the lumberyard. 

The Budweisers, which were 

a Scottish draft horse breed, 

were selected for their hauling 

capacity. Karnail’s brothers 

and sisters gave the horses 

handles that were very reflective 

of the era; he remembers 

two that were known as 

Henry and Sam. Eventually, 

the family acquired trucks to 

take over from the equines. 

And they had always had cars 

to service their delivery route 

in Vancouver neighbourhoods, 

the first of which was 

that defining classic, the 1926 

Chevy. 

Karnail learned to drive 

when he was just 13 years old. 

“The limit at that time was 15, 

and my father put my age up 

two years,” he confesses with a 

chuckle, “so that I could haul 

in the streets and go to work.” 

It was a common practice in a 

time when boys often altered 

their date of birth because 

they were eager to enlist in 

the army. 

For fun, Karnail and his 

group of friends, which 

included white, Japanese 

and Indian kids, would head 

down to Kitsilano Beach, 

where the historic Showboat 

was sponsored by the City of 

Vancouver. The Showboat was 

a summer entertainment area 

with an incredibly long run; 

it was cancelled by the city 

only a few years ago. There 

was no charge to swim in the 

pool, watch plays and listen to 

live music. 

Another favourite pastime 

was going to see westerns 

at movie houses such as 

the Strand, Rex, Royal and 

Fantagius Theatres. Karnail 

reminisces fondly about 

watching Hopalong Cassidy, 

Roy Rogers, Tom Ecks and 

Gene Autry. It was great fun, 

but there was one thing that 

rankled: In those days, turbaned 

individuals were not 

allowed in, and if you were 

seen with someone wearing 

a turban, you wouldn’t be let 

in either. 

Karnail also listened to the 

wireless. His recall is so sharp 

that he even offers up the 

call signs of his two preferred 

radio stations in the 1950s: 

CJWX and CJOR. 

Although his childhood 

sounds idyllic, the Second 

World War was a grim spectre. 

Karnail describes it as a 

“tough time.” Japanese families 

that he’d known all his 

life approached his father 

and begged him to buy their 

homes for sums like $200 as 

the houses were otherwise 

slated to be repossessed by the 

government. Karnail Singh’s 

father bought 35 homes at 

far below market value, but 

there is a stark sadness in 

Karnail’s voice as he describes 

those days. He never saw the 

Japanese people he had grown 

up with again, except for one 

family he ran into in a restaurant 

in Richmond decades 

later. 

Karnail speaks nostalgically 

of some of the quaint details 

of everyday life in that bygone 

era: A Chinese laundryman 

used to shout his arrival 

outside the houses on West 

Second and pick up clothing, 

returning it washed and 

folded the next day, all for 

90 cents, an amount that was 

fairly affordable in those days. 

And there was a bread wagon 

that went through the streets a 

couple of times a week, coming 

straight to one’s door with 

fresh-baked bread. When his 

interviewer wonders enviously 

why this wonderful service 

stopped, he responds with his 

ready laugh, saying: “I don’t 

know why it did, either.” p 

— J. Singh 


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MEHFIL

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