Ranbir is the present face of Pepsi, which is perfect as Ranbir is the only guy in the industry who’s known to make it big in such a short time. His easy smile, youthfulness, charming persona, and lively spirit is famous with the ladies and the men alike. He projects Pepsi belief with conviction. The freshness and audacious self belief that the brand stands for is exactly what Ranbir is popular for. Presently shooting for his next film Anjaana Anjaani in Los Angeles, Ranbir was also required to do the

upcoming commercial of Pepsi that has new tag line Youngistaan ka Wow! Not wanting to waste time, the crew flew down to L.A. to shoot the TVC with the young

actor in a mansion there.

The TVC that would be coming out shortly highlights the Wow factor of the youth. The film revolves around Ranbir, who’s playing a butler, chasing the Pepsi bottle that has been reserved for the President and how he uses his smartness to get it past the security… pretty audacious isn’t it? Ranbir says ”For me Youngistaan ka Wow reflects what we see around us, the youth making things happen, achieving things their own way and on their own terms like ‘Sid’ in the movie Wake Up Sid.”

We think Ranbir couldn’t have put it aptly.

For someone who has close to 20 released films to her credit in last 5 years, Konkona Sen Sharma is doing quite good for herself. More so because ever since her debut effort way back in 2002, Mr And Mrs Iyer, she has seen more bouquets coming her way and hardly any brickbats. Ok, so an occasional Dil Kabaddi doesn’t quite do much justice to her acting talent but the fact remains that when it comes to performance, Konkona is the one that many a film maker are vouching for today.

While Wake Up Sid did get her the kind of critical and commercial acclaim that is always expected from her, the beginning of 2009 had a fantastic Luck By Chance as well. Both were relatively serious films though. Now with Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge? up for release, can one comfortably believe that this is one film which would allow her to have some fun as well.

“Why are you forgetting The President Is Coming”, she smiles, “I guess it has been THE most, light hearted comedy that I have ever done. It was totally an out and out comedy and it’s unfortunate that it didn’t get the kind of visibility that it truly deserved.”

“It was such an awesome film but then I guess because of the kind of system that we work in, not many people knew about it. Also, the names involved were not that huge due to which The President Is Coming got sidelined. Sad but true”, she sighs.

She cheers up though once the conversation steers towards Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? and her co-star in the film, Ajay Devgn.

“If you ask me, he is exactly like many other actors that I have worked with, most recently being Ranbir”, she says fondly, “Ajay is someone with whom you can easily strike a conversation and get chatting. He is a happy and easy going person rather than being dark and moody. I still won’t say that I know him very well but whatever I have seen of him, he is really quite friendly.”

With the kind of ‘respected’ success that she has enjoyed over the years, especially with a true money spinner like Wake Up Sid not too far back, what does she feel about the direction that her career is taking? After all she seems to be seated quite comfortably in the big league with the likes of Karan Johar and Farhan Akhtar rooting for her after Yash Raj Films (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Aaja Nachle).

“Honestly speaking, all the films that have happened to me so far are incidental. I don’t really plan and think much about the films I am doing or would be doing”, says Konkona, “I can’t really be making a decision that if I do something like this, my career would be driven in a particular direction. Yes, I have to admit though is that currently I am quite content with my career and have no complaints whatsoever.”

Ohhhh I did something totally insane and spent money on a pair of boots that look like this:

Yes. They will be here tomorrow. Wonderful Guess “Maeve” boots. Kind of gothic but I can’t wait to wear it with my chiffon dress with tights and leg warmers, a black blazer, and some crazy coloured scarf.

So now for some outfits that I would gladly wear. Because we all have Lacroix, Moschino and Schouler lying around in our closets.

SO EXCITED. SO IN LOVE.

But not nearly as excited or as in love with the fact that Barack Obama is now our President!!

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

ISLAMABAD: The Law Ministry told the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that only Attorney General is authorized to write a letter to the concerned officials to re-open the Swiss cases, Geo News reported Tuesday.

According to sources, the Law Ministry clarified, responding a letter written by Chairman NAB, that only the AG can write a letter for re-opening the Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The sources said after receiving the Law Ministry’s letter, Chairman Naveed Ahsan will chair a high-level meeting to review the Supreme Court (SC) verdict, the response of Law Ministry and the powers entitled in NAB laws.

According to sources, the legal experts of the NAB told the Bureau officials that the institution is empowered under NAB Law Section-21 to initiate action on its own to re-open the Swiss cases.

Chairman NAB will file his response in this connection in the apex court by February 24.

We have seen and heard about the mega star Salman Khan cycling on the roads of Mumbai, not bothered about the traffic or the traffic jam that gets created in the bargain. Well, this time round, Salman was at it again but all done for a cause that’s closer to Salman’s heart than anyone and anything else: ‘Being Human’.

Yesterday saw Salman Khan leading India’s first ever international cycling event, ‘Mumbai Cyclothon-Tour De Mumbai’. This event was grander and had more grandeur than all the recent events put together. Many of tinsel town residents had assembled to give the event a star glow. A huge crowd lined up to see the cyclists on the ever-busy Bandra Reclamation grounds. The crowd consisted of many amateur cyclists, working professionals, children, and even housewives! There were a total of 14 professional cycling teams competing with each other. Each world standard team was present along with the Indian national cycling team. Talking on the occasion, Dr. Raghuram, President, TI Cycles said that “We aim to help put Mumbai on the international cycling map as well as contribute to a healthier and greener environment through the BSA Hercules India Cyclothon, Mumbai-2010″.

On the Khan household, besides the ‘most-Wanted’ Salman, one also saw presence of his brother Sohail Khan and also sister Arpita, who seemed to be happy about her brother taking her on a bicycle ride. All in all, it was definitely an event to remember!

LAHORE: Former chief minister of Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, says that people are worried about soaring prices of daily essentials, while rulers are having a great time in breakfast meetings.

Speaking to media after attending a party meeting here on Monday, he said Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif wants the repeal of 17th Amendment for gaining power only.

He said nobody is paying attention to Punjab’s overdraft, which has now reached Rs80 billion. “What Nawaz Sharif did for the people when he had the backing of two-third majority,” he questioned.

The PML-Q leader further said the PML-N does not have any vision, which led to its defeat in Mansehra election.

To a question about his meeting with US President Barack H. Obama, he said: “I raised the issue of Indian interference in Balochistan and blockage of Pakistani water.”

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau Chairman Navaid Ahsan has written a letter to the law ministry seeking its advice on how to reopen the Swiss money laundering cases in compliance with a Supreme Court order.

The NAB has also sought advice from the law ministry whether or not it could approach the Swiss court for reopening the cases.

The NAB chief is in a dilemma over the SC order for reopening cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah taking strict notice of the incidents of target killings and carnage in metropolis city; has sought from IG Sindh report into tragic happenings, Geo news reported on Monday night.

Chief Minister Sindh has taken strict note over the recent spate of terrorism in Karachi, including the occurrences of target killings, particularly reports of shooting in Paposhnagar locality on Monday evening.

Also, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has issued directives to IG Sindh Sallahuddin Babar Khatak to deal with the iron hands with those involved in disrupting peace in city and slaying activists of different party workers, sources privy to interior ministry said.

Deploring strongly, the MQM coordination committee has termed the alarming promotion of incidents of violence in Karachi as bid to shatter and dislodge peace in city of Karachi.

Meanwhile, President ANP Sindh Shahi Syed has called upon party activists to ensure on their own the safeguard of life.

LONDON: Oil prices recovered slightly on Thursday following sharp losses a day earlier on signs of weak energy demand in the United States, traders said.

Brent North Sea crude for delivery in January rose 31 cents to 72.70 dollars a barrel in morning London trade.

New York’’s main futures contract, light sweet crude for January, climbed 43 cents to 71.10 dollars a barrel. In Asian trading hours the contract hit a two-month low point of 70.44 dollars.

Oil prices had skidded on Wednesday — the sixth session in a row in which they had dropped — after official data showed a bigger-than-expected rise in US stockpiles of refined fuel that renewed concerns about slack energy demand in the world’’s biggest economy.

Market sentiment was hit by the US Department of Energy’’s (DoE) latest weekly report on petroleum stockpiles, showing an unexpected rise in distillate stocks, by 1.6 million barrels in the week ended December 4, instead of a drop of 500,000 barrels forecast by most analysts.

Distillates include heating fuel, which usually sees rising demand at this time of year amid the start of northern hemisphere winter weather.

“Certainly, elevated distillate inventories remain a major concern with seasonal demand still very weak,” VTB Capital commodities analyst Andrey Kryuchenkov said on Thursday.

The DoE meanwhile added on Wednesday that US crude reserves, fell by 3.8 million barrels last week.

Still, crude stocks were 4.4 percent higher than their year-ago level and above the upper limit of the average range for this time of year.

Over the past four weeks, the US consumed on average 18.5 million barrels of petroleum products a day, a decline of 3.0 percent from the same period a year ago.

“Demand remains anaemic,” said Ellis Eckland, an independent analyst, adding that “people are realising that US demand is not recovering.”

“You”ve got a very weak physical market driven by weak demand, and then you”re not getting support from the dollar either, that contributed to the weakness.”

Crude futures had also fallen on Tuesday owing to a stronger dollar, soft US energy demand and deepening market concerns about soaring government debt in Dubai and Greece, traders said.

Saudi Arabia’’s oil minister Ali al-Naimi told a Dubai conference on Wednesday that Gulf economies remain strong, even as Dubai’’s stock market spiralled downwards over debt default fears.

Oil traders were also looking ahead to an upcoming OPEC meeting that will decide on producers” crude output levels.

Al-Naimi — whose country is de facto head of OPEC — has said that the oil producers cartel should not raise its output quota at a meeting later this month as the current oil price is “close to the target” at between 70 and 80 dollars a barrel.

Several member nations of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have said they want to keep production unchanged at their December 22 meeting in Luanda, Angola because they feel current crude prices are satisfactory.

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Thursday established Relief Fund for the affectees of Moon Market carnage.

This was decided at an emergent meeting of the trade bodies of the City, convened by LCCI President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry here on Thursday.

LCCI Senior Vice President Ijaz A Mumtaz, LCCI former President Mian Muzaffar Ali, General Secretary All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Abdul Razzaq Babur, Chairman Moon Market Traders Association Rao Mubrak, President Anjuman-e-TajiranAnarkali Ashraf Bhatti, President Anjuman-e-Tajiran Urdu Bazar Khalid Pervaiz, President Anjuman-e-Tajiran Badami Bagh Waqar Ahmad Mian also spoke on the occasion.

The Executive Committee of LCCI and Industry and the members of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran would be the major contributors of the LCCI Relief Fund.

A committee, comprising LCCI office-bearers, office-bearers of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran and representatives of Anjuman-e-Tajiran Moon Market, has also been formed. The committee would evaluate the loss and finalise a methodology for disbursement of financial assistance to the affectees.

It was also decided that the committee would arrange jobs for those who lost them in the wake of deadly terror attack at Moon Market.

Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry said that the very objective of creating a Relief Fund was to express solidarity with the affectees of Moon Market and to tell them that the entire business community was with them.

“The victims of Moon Market tragedy would not be left alone in this hour of need. The early rehabilitation of the businessmen who have fallen prey to this heinous act of terrorism is duty of all the businessmen”, he said.

The LCCI President appealed to all the leading businessmen and industrialists to come forward and extend a helping hand to their colleagues at this testing time.

He said that there was no doubt in it that it was a huge challenge but they would utilize all their energies to cope with the situation.

Secretary General All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Abdul Razzaq Babur said that Anjuman-e-Tajiran was gathering the data of the affected families that would be provided to the Committee formed under the umbrella of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry for final disbursement of financial assistance to the affectees.

He said that the incident had jolted the entire business community and they were in the process of finalizing a strategy to avert any such incident in future.

Speaking on the occasion, a number of participants, who belong to various City markets, urged all the businessmen to make extra arrangements for their security as the security agencies alone would not be able to cope with this situation that has now reached the alarming proportions.

LCCI Senior Vice President Ijaz A Mumtaz said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry was a parent body of that the trade bodies working in Lahore and it would play its due role in these troubled times.

A Resolution to condemn this cowardly act of terrorism was also passed unanimously urging the government to take concrete measures by strengthening its security network.

Earlier, as many as 56 people donated blood for the victims of Moon Market tragedy at the camps jointly established by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Sundas Foundation. LCCI President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry and its former President Shahid Hassan Sheikh were prominent among the donors.

The LCCI president thanked the Sundas Foundation for its cooperation in this hour of need and urged all the trade bodies to help establish such blood camps in their respective markets.