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Vimla Patil was associated with Femina, India’s number one women’s magazine, published by the Times of India Group for 29 years. Femina is Vimla Patil's personal success story. Today, FEMINA is one of the strongest international brands with a vast readership in India and abroad. She initiated the Miss India contest in the mid-sixties for the journal and brought it to its present international stature. Vimla Patil promoted Indian textiles and fashion garments – especially handlooms – for decades by presenting over 4000 fashion shows in India and most countries of the world. After finishing her long stint with Femina, she built a brand new career for herself as a freelance multi-mediaperson with writing, events, public relations, shows and many more activities in her portfolio! Vimla Patil will be delighted to answer readers' questions. Please click on the comments page link at the bottom of the article to post your questions for her or to comment on her article.

Diamonds and Aishwarya Rai are inseparable, it seems. With her endorsements, diamond sales in India have zoomed again. She is making great news for her forthcoming role as one of the most women admired rulers of the Maratha era – Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi – who bravely fought British imperialists and lost her life in her twenties while waging war against the colonial rulers in the War of Independence in 1857.

At last director Ketan Mehta – of Mangal Pande – The Rising fame – is ready to take on the challenge of making one more mega historical film. This time, he is creating a biographical film based on the life and career of the valiant queen of the state of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai, who fought the British during the 1857 uprising or First War of Independence against the colonial rulers. She lost her life in her twenties fighting on horseback with a sword while her son was tied to her back. The sculptures of this much-idolised queen stand in every city of India and she is considered an example to the women of India. Ketan will produce the film under the banner of Maya Entertainment perhaps with the involvement of Sahara Entertainment. Ajay Devgan will play the important role of Tatya Tope, the advisor of the queen. A search is on for suitable actors for other important roles. Ash is now shooting for Yashraj Films’ Dhoom II after completing her shoots for The Last Legion. Then comes the turn of J P Dutta’s Umrao Jaan. By then, Ketan Mehta’s script and preparations for costumes, sets, locations etc. will be ready and Rani Lakshmibai will start shooting. That Rani Mukherjee might star in the role of Lakshmibai is now just a flying rumour that has been put to rest. But what might be true is that Sushmita Sen might want to produce and act in the same role in a film to be directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, the maker of Pinjar, a beautiful period film on the subject of the Partition of India, based on a novel by Amrita Pritam. However, Dwivedi is unwilling to do a parallel film on the same subject, seeing the fate of several similar films made on the life of Bhagat Singh earlier.

With Ash’s arrival back in India, the diamond industry has started taking a fresh interest in promotions. As it is, her commercials for the Nakshatra brand of diamond jewellery have cast a spell on women of all classes. The diamond industry is now set to introduce the WFDB (World Federation of Diamond Bourses) mark which members of the body will display in their outlets as a certification of high standards and correct business practices. Though the business of natural diamonds is facing a stiff competition from synthetic diamonds, the sales of the genuine stones are spiraling specially in festive times and the diamond industry, with support from stars like Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Suneil Shetty (not to miss the endorsement of Gayatri Devi, the Maharani of Jaipur) and many others, is confident that it will continue to sparkle! Shmuel Schnitzer, president of the WFDB says in all his press statements that buyers must 'enjoy' diamonds, and not treat them as mere 'investments'. Yet, say diamond dealers, a certified diamond from a legitimate dealer or store is an investment that never loses its value.

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