Guru: Ratnam Excels Again
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/print_articles.asp?aid=347810&sid=ZNS
By: Ankush Khanna

At the time when Bollywood films are failing to match the extensive pre-release promotional campaigns and controversies created just to develop viewers' interest, Mani Ratnam's Guru comes as a welcome change and a much-needed relief.

Unlike the silly Bollywood love stories or action movies where the near perfect heroes beat up the bad guys, Guru is a story based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, who started his career in Turkey as a petrol pump attendant and rose to become one of the top business tycoons in India.

In the lead character Abhishek Bachchan has done a wonderful job by trying his level best to match his speech, gait and even the laughter with that of the character he was portraying in the film. His performance cannot be considered perfect but he has given a powerful performance, which will be remembered for sometime. While the junior B has already proved his acting skills in films like Yuva and Sarkar, this movie will definitely add another feather to his cap.

In other important characters, Aishwarya Rai, Mithun Chakraborty and Madhavan have done commendable job. However, the one character, which was not required and that failed to make any impression was that of a physically challenged girl played by Vidya Balan. While all other actors of the film, especially Mithun and Madhavan, will gain much from this film, Vidya Balan's character will only be talked about as completely unnecessary. But the movie does not get affected at all by her absence or presence.

It is needless to say that the music is awesome and is a big hit. Gulzar's lyrics and A R Rahman's composition have always spun magic and Guru is no exception. 'Barso Re' picturised beautifully on Aishwarya Rai is a catchy number and on the big screen looks all the more entertaining. You may love or hate Mallika Sherawat, but her item number 'Maiya Maiya' is a delight for anyone to watch. I'm sure that after this film, Bollywood would get another item number in Mallika, thanks to Guru.

Blast from the Past – Twenty Years Ago
G.O.A. The PULSE 1987

Excerpt

Goan Community to open $750,000 Centre…

“A building is more than bricks. It’s a symbol to politivians and others of our achievements in Canada.
When we immigrated here in the 1970s, we were too busy getting settled. We’ve always has a need for a center, but we couldn’t do it. Now we’re established and we can afford it.
We’re coming back as a community. We want to preserve our cultural heritage… our traditions. These are ties that bind”

Click for full article

Report on Diversity: Priorities, Practices and Performance in Canadian Organizations
Report by Allison Cowan, Nancy Huggett, Sandra Parris
December 2006, Source: The Conference Board of Canada, 43 pages

This inaugural report presents benchmark data on diversity-related priorities, policies, practices and achievements in Canadian organizations.

Document Highlights:

* Canadian organizations say they value diversity but have not yet fully committed their policies, practices and resources to driving diversity to the core of their operations.

* Most organizations surveyed have yet to achieve basic representation rates that match or exceed Canadian labour force availability rates for the four diversity groups-Aboriginal people, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and women-identified in the Employment Equity Act.

* Many organizations have policies and programs to support diversity, but there is room for improvement in the strategies used to identify, retain and develop a diverse workforce, and in the way these strategies are linked to performance outcomes and success.

* Successful diversity initiatives require clear communication about intent, strong leadership commitment, and concrete strategies and objectives linked to organizational needs and goals.

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