Storm in a C-Cup

It is a veritable storm in a C-Cup and the amount of chatter it's generated amongst some of India's most high profile gals is not surprising. On Sunday evening, when jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali - known for her peerless pecs and adherence to healthy living - decided to hold forth on Facebook on one of her pet peeves: the extreme lengths to which certain (ahem) women go in order to appear youthful, it created a stir.

"I often wonder why beautiful women have such low self esteem that they are willing to try everything in the world from fillers to Botox to even plastic surgery to supposedly "enhance" their looks," she wrote, advocating instead the cultivation of inner beauty and a healthy lifestyle.

(Left) Nisha JamVal and Farah Khan Ali

Many women of a certain ilk (we didn't say age) who didn't look a day over 18 chimed in affirmative response, except one - the attractive blogger and interior designer Nisha JamVal, "While personally I agree that plastic-stiff unsmiling faces without natural beautiful markings of growing beautifully wise and wonderful are unnatural, I intrinsically still believe life is about individual choice a person makes for his or HER personal life, not anyone else's vision."

This counter view brought forth its own strident clarification from Khan Ali amidst much going on chatter from a rapidly dilating girl gang, with many of those who dissed cosmetic rocedures being said to be its most ardent seekers.

"I just hate all this hypocrisy," said JamVal about the whole kerfuffle, when asked about the jugalbandi. "Most of the women who took up an anti-procedure tone are the ones who've had the most of them. Why can't people live and let live." And last heard of, the conversation had gone off on a completely new tangent with Khan Ali calling out a Bollywood producer of nicking her post without giving her credit for it. In the room the women come and go...

Birthday boys
Two men, two birthdays. The weekend saw Delhi's movers and shakers neatly divided between two birthday celebrations, of two of their own. That of Sanjaya Baru, former editor and media advisor to Manmohan Singh, the best selling author of 'The Reluctant Prime Minsiter' and marketing wiz, prime time sound byter and man about the planet- Suhel Seth.

Suhel Seth, Ranjan Bhattacharya, Amar Singh and Arun Jaitley

So, whereas Baru's is said to have been dinner on his terrace with mood lighting, a gentle drizzle and some of the country's leading intellects in attendance (the names are a mystery as the shy Baru declined to share them) Seth's was a spiffy brunch in a sleek apartment with the likes of Amar Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Arun Jaitley in attendance. And the best part is that both men are known for parties which generate the spiciest gossip in town...

The Challengers have a challenge?
Word comes in that the IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore is in serious talks with a buyer. As is known, the franchise lost the IPL final to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday night (their third loss in an IPL final).

Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and Shane Watson. File pics

Notwithstanding this, the team, which is captained by Virat Kohli and features star players like Chris Gayle and Shane Watson, is one of the most valuable franchises in the IPL and, ever since Vijay Mallya had relinquished his control of it to Diageo, there were talks of the team being approached by various entities (the JSW group, for instance) for an outright sale.

Now, word comes in that there is a new buyer - a Dallas-based Indian group with an interest in restaurants, which is trying to strike a deal. "The sale is said to be predicated on the understanding that Diageo will own the brand name Royal Challengers," says a source.

Nice ring to it
The only reason we are compelled to mention Masaba Gupta again, after recently featuring her, is because we just can't help loving the sentence 'Masaba met Nadella.' The designer met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella yesterday.

Masaba Gupta and Satya Nadella

When the statuesque young designer married producer Madhu Mantena, we remarked how well the words 'Masaba Mantena' rolled off the tongue. But of course, like most modern young women, Gupta had not changed her surname post marriage. If she had we'd be able to say: 'Masaba Mantena met Satya Nadella, last evening, at an event for young achievers in Delhi.' There, we just did.

No. More. Candy. Crush. Please!
He is something of the ultimate alpha male what with his string of prize winning race horses, offshore casinos, pedigreed dogs and pride of beautiful wife and daughters around him.

Jaydev Mody

So you can imagine the extent of Lion King and husband of ace lawyer Zia Mody, Jaydev Mody's anguish when he exclaimed on social media "FB guys who keep on inviting you on the Candy Crush game not once or twice, but several times. Please note that I AM NOT INTERESTED !!!!"

Why would someone send Jaydev Mody a Candy Crush invite?

Unfounded scrutiny?
This will impact the highest echelons of finance and business if proven to be true. One of the top bankers in the country is said to be under investigation launched by the highest in the land regarding financial impropriety, a term which is supposed to allude to improper links with two leading (and coincidentally debt-strapped) industrial groups.

The banker in question enjoys wide regard and is a popular business leader with international standing. Will the investigation reveal anything or is there more to the scrutiny? Time will tell.