Snippets 2007

Happy New Year' My Dears'! Well! darlings, happiness is a state of mind, it is commonly said. But then it is more a fact for the common man than the affluent because darlings! some of me Colombian's affluent Colombytes are stateless when it comes to their minds they eat like Chinese (otherwise, why so many chinese restaurants?), dress up like Indians (why so many sari shops, dears?) and party like the Romans. Hmmm... orgies and all.

Talking of orgies, myeee... the final night of the year was seen away in grand style at an abode within the cluster of the Cat which wears a Crest at its Residencies, owned by a rich; You know the types that always dabble in coloured stones popping out of the soil in that hilly highlands. It was a game Russian Roulette, me Colombian was told.

Well, long before they all got the wheel turning, which was well past midnight. The all dressed-up 'Stone tycoons' that was 10 in number and their glamorous escorts all had dinner at a plush Japanese exclusive enclaves at a 5 star hotel and drove all the way to see the New Year in at a sea side resort where a governor and his mistress left behind too many tell tale marks for people not to tell.

Wine and Vodka (for the girls) was flowing like water me Colombian was told and the table where it all happened by the pool-site looked like something out of Mario Puzo novel it seems. Which mostly reflects upon the rich and the famous (The Rich Mafia and their famous mistresses if not, Call-girls)

Many hours after midnight the limousines were seen pulling off back towards the 'cat that wears the crest' they ended their evening in sweet embrace, taking lessons from the great Indian annals on that subject. Well naturally, what do you expect from men who retire for the day after dinning like the Japanese, drinking like the French spending in a fashion to be compared only to the Greek tycoons with much attention on Russian roulette.

But in this case the luck was with the Russian dames it seems, each of them had cost the tycoons 250 US$, me Colombian was told. A full package offered to make an exit from one year to the other while wives and kids are in a deep snooze in their castles far away in the gem city after celebrating 'Their own festival'.

A day before the exit day came the Image-Vahini telecast that annual binge by the local stars, held at a sports stadium this time around. Aney darlings! The many criticisms and slanders that went circulating this time around came earlier than expected, that's many weeks ahead from the scheduled date of the show.

But me Colombian thinks that the criticisms came from stars who can't dance. Aney dears, it reminds me of that loud saying 'Nattanna beri gehenita polowa adai' (The ones who can't dance complain that the floor is crooked).

At least one of the dames who complained is caught-up in the tsunami racket and the others are mostly from that younger breakaway group that flopped badly by trying to stage their own show, which was probably their first and the last because though they thought that they were only comparable to Aishwararya Rai and Sharukh Khan when it came to dancing (I suppose they think the same when it comes to acting as well) nobody bought tickets to watch their assumed histrionics.

However the star studded show was a treat to watch sponsored by that current biscuit that every body wants to 'Munch'. The highlight of the show was the son and father duo. You know that Anthony who is the Jack of all trades and his Son, who is fast matching his father's noted histrionics. The little fellow they say is not lagging far behind trying to catch-up with his father's other 'acrobatics' that made him the 'Jack of all trades'.

Amongst the notable absentees were the glamorous of them all, the star who has a name that sings because she had gone on her annual holiday to the Alps where her daughter lives. The famous boy who is Sonna too did not take part I hear because he was unable to put aside enough of time for rehearsals at the initial stages owing to his full time involvement with his latest film, in which he is playing an underworld boss.

But, beside all this, me Colombian was told that a lot of bickering is going on behind the scenes as the said show generally secures its pre-publicity from all channels including the private ones. But the final telecasting right lies with the state-Vahini which has annoyed many a channel that extend their support initially hoping that the telecasting rights will ultimately fall on its lap. But no luck darlings! This year too the wool has been pulled over their eyes.

Beside all that hullabaloo dears! There was a follow up incident to a bit of a tit-bit reporting I did in my last column in the year ending saying how a singing beauty is singing her way to a political brother's heart who sits at the lobby by the Beira 3 times a week listening to her serenade. (Hmmm... she even stares straight into his eyes it-seems when she breaks out in song). How romantic.

But the thing is dears, the political brother who is married with kids is new to the game of desertion. Looking back at the singer's records there are many a CEO's - CAO's - MD's and GM's from the corporate sector that had danced to her tune in the past. So darlings it is not too far out before the political brother joins the queue.

The best incident occurred following me Colombian's exposure on the clandestine going ons of this couple during my last 'Oh Colombo exclamation' on their affairs. So after reading about the threat that is about befall upon them on the night of the 31st, the couple was seen far away at a beach hotel by the 'Ocean which is Blue' at a Place where Lewis live.

Everything went well it-seems until at the tail end of the evening closer to midnight the political brother bumped into an old schoolmate who is at present sitting amongst the top echelons of the 'Khaki Circle'. Bear hugs and three cheers and good wishes naturally lead to the political brother asking the 'Khaki man' to his table to introduce his singing sensation of a mistress; to discover that she was the cops past and the his present. Hmmm... nice to have so much in common no?

With the many travel advisories springing out of many diplomatic offices around the world, mostly European travellers have kept away from certain countries including our own this season.

But darlings the land of the Thais was not on that list and most from the European sector went fancy free this year to that land to usher in the new year. you know what happened no darlings? Two powerful blasts took place injuring scores of people in the capital of that land which starts with a Bang anyway. So much for travel advisories no? Ha, ha, ha.

Talking of advisories my dears me Colombian was told that girl from the glamour sector of local movies who shed her extra curricular career aside during the last lap of 2006 was approached by an advisor to a big-wig who told her to think twice about her decision and the sprightly actress had told him that she will only think twice before she takes her final matrimonial plunge and every thing else only needs one last look before takes a plunge out of them.

The actress is however making great headway in many directions this year. Her presences as a host to the Sri Lanka-Kiwi cricket commentary programme on a channel making headway with its novel approach to programming, is seen as a novel approach to such events.

She is the life of the party from the time the programme commences at 3.00 am and is very positive about our own players. Her style of conversation which is based on her western style of up bringing seem to be rather infectious. At least amongst TV presenters.

Her bubbly self was found sitting amongst a team of young achievers on January 1 in a popular request programme which has become more popular amongst the fairer sex for its youthful presenter rather than its content which in fact sums it up to be yet another request programme.

Beside the 'Bubbly Beauty' there was the one who runs as fast as lightning, a new singing sensation who was a drop out from last year's contest looking for a Star that is Super, that lad who mixes and re-mixes everything that crosses his border including his girlfriends (they are mixed-up I heard), the latest singing sensation who has all the Shi's going Han, over him and the youthful presenter himself.

At one point each one of them were asked to sing one of their favourite tunes and so they did, when miss bubbly's turn came she opted to sing that famous jingle composed on behalf of the armed forces making that programme more meaningful to the thousands of men looking after the security interest of our land.

Me Colombian thinks that the actress who made much headway in the direction of distancing herself from conventional movie goers at the beginning is fast carving herself a niche in many a hearts. Though some of the actresses see her as a Kali, which in fact is half her first name. To most people attached to the industry appearing to be a Saraswathy instead.