The scorching summer heat is at its peak, and the effect it has on our bodies and our moods requires remedial measures. The temperature keeps rising, and our skin is sucking the heat deeper into our bodies rather than helping us cool down. The worst is the occasional downpour that brings temporary relief and then layers the atmosphere with more humidity. All of this coupled with the pollution from the metro area, and going outside becomes nothing short of a living hell.

The brutal month of May, followed by scorching June and burning July, will consume us with the heat's ill effects. Don't let the temperature get you down, though. Use these simple tips to cool down like a pro.

Summers tend to reduce your body fluids quickly. Drink water or juices at regular intervals, even if you do not feel thirsty, as thirst is a sign of dehydration. Plain water should be your best friend during these months, and stored in a Keepto Water Bottle to replenish your bodily fluids instantly. The 64oz water jug has a motivational quote and time marker to remind one to stay hydrated and drink enough water throughout the day.  The bottle is BPA and toxin, odour free and healthy for daily water drinking while being eco-friendly, leak proof and reusable. 

Not only should you eat light, small, and frequent meals, but also you should add summer colours to your meals. Every meal you consume should have a rainbow of colours that are essentials for the needs of the human body. Include fruits at breakfast to help your skin cool naturally. Leafy vegetables and staple salad items are great, as they contain a significant amount of water, which also cools the body internally. Also keep that Keepto water bottle handy. 

The best and easiest way to protect your skin from the heat is to wear loose clothing made from natural fabrics that facilitate sweating. If you are going out and about, ensure that you use a sunscreen to protect the skin against the harmful rays of the sun. Also, make use of sunglasses, hats, and light gloves to keep the sun away.

A simple way to cool the body is to shower as soon as you return home. The main idea here is to cool the body, so it is advisable to keep the water either cold or mildly warm, taking care to avoid showers with really warm or hot water. Take up a water-based activity like swimming or surfing to include a bit of exercise while beating the summer heat.

Restrict going outdoors, and step out only for your essential chores, either in the early morning or late evening, while spending the afternoon indoors. When indoors, try simple ways to keep the air naturally cool and use energy-efficient cooling gadgets that are well maintained and serviced regularly.

So how do you manage to keep cool and composed every summer? Share your favourite trick with me in the comments below.

Until next time,

One request that I hear every day is, “Mom can we go out for a bit please, just for a few minutes’. And this tears my heart up. No child deserves this isolation, especially those who are extroverts and thrive in company. Heer is that child.

She graduated to Grade 4 and was to stand for the primary school prefect elections, her ballet group was to travel abroad for a performance and she wanted a huge unicorn-themed swimming pool birthday party this year. She does ask me whether any of these will be possible this year, but I think in her heart she knows the answer. She does put on a happy face, but I know she is upset about not being able to do any of these things this year, as she had been looking forward to these milestones.

As an adult, I find it extremely important yet equally difficult to adjust to this new normal and can only imagine what a child may be feeling…. I have discussed this extensively with experts to ensure I do the best I can to reassure my kids that this is just a passing phase and a new experience for us all and we have to ride this tide together. And from these conversations and discussions, I’ve ensured I do a few things with Heer almost on a day-to-day basis, which has helped us weather this storm as a team. I would love to share these small tips with you that have made a huge positive impact on our household.

Talk to her about what is going on… 
Children are more susceptible to information that we credit them for, and so it is the best to give in to the curious minds and feed in the right information rather than having them wonder about what's going on. As they feel unnerved, vulnerable and even unsure; it is an opportune moment to answer their question and reassure them about the future.

Accept her emotions and behaviour…
Children have more to lose during the lockdown than us, their entire life in a way has been uprooted and a new normal is being set, which is not easy to fall into. Little things like going to school, playing with friends, heading out for classes, etc matter to them as much as work matters to us. So be empathic and help them understand their loss and accept related behaviour.

Set a new routine for her…
Of course, the new normal demands a new routine, so the best way to ensure that each day doesn’t end up like a marathon or a war-zone, create a new timetable for them to follow. Discuss with them what they would like to do and create a mix of independent and group activities including school work, playtime, screen time and more to ensure they are physically and mentally healthy.

We are all experiencing the lockdown for the first time, and we all are trying to cope in our ways, and learning as we go. You may falter at times, but don’t be hard on yourself and most importantly don't be very strict towards the kids. Follow the rule 'Ignore else Forgive', because every child is going to make a mistake or behave badly or throw a tantrum or just be a child.

When you are overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and work that's been thrown at you, just remember the little one who you held in your arms the very first time and promised to care for no matter what. Put that promise to work today.

This I love playing games, and this lockdown has heightened my online gaming to a really different level. Though I’ve never explored online casino games before as I thought it was illegal in India, but I’ve got to know that there is no ban on international sites. Numerous sites offer online casino games, including slot machines, blackjack, roulette and poker; while some offer the classical arcade games too.

The scope of games in the online world is limitless with a host of choices that are available 24/7, 365 days a year, where one doesn’t have to wait for a seat, make smaller stakes by making a deposit to play. It’s also a standard practice for online casinos to offer casino bonuses when a player signs up int he range of 40-200% of the deposit amount. Bonuses are incentives provided and can be in numerous forms such as free spins, on-site cash or gifts.


To know more visit source https://www.indiacasinos.com/bonuses.

As I set out to explore the world of online casinos, here are three of my favourites games I love to play whether at a Diwali party or in a brick-and-motor casino in Goa or on an online portal:

3 Card Poker
The most simple card game is poker, where you have to use three cards to make a hand. Once the cards are dealt, players compete against the dealer to see who has the best 3-card poker hand. Bet depending upon the cards, especially if one has a Straight Flush or Three of a Kind.

Blackjack
The most popular card game is blackjack, where you have to use the face value of cards to add up to 21 or as close without going over. Once the cards (2) are dealt, the player can either ‘Hit' to ask for another card or ‘Stand’ to hold your total and play. Many Blackjack variations are currently played to add even more fun and intrigue to the game.

Baccarat
The most fun card game in baccarat, popularised in James Bond movies, where the dealer deals cards (2) face up, two each for the player and banker and whichever hand totals closest to nine wins. The player can bet depending on the first cards that are dealt.

I play these games regularly with my family at home, but I’ve now upgraded to play these online, to discover a new form of entertainment. However one must remember that playing online casino games can be addictive and it is important to keep the playing habits in check.

Also if you are interested in exploring online games, check the local Indian laws and regulation before spending time and money, playing. And remember no one will always win, however the fun is in the playing.

Until next time,
~ Nithya

I’ve been so hooked onto Over The Top (OTT) platforms that I needed to top up my internet subscription plan to cater to my every day growing entertainment needs. Yes, I’m one of the 432 million video viewers in India that have turned to good old entertainment to navigate through the tough waters of the COVID19 lockdown.


Yesterday while flipping through the platforms on Alexa, I chanced upon the trailer of the to be launched short film, Chintu Ka Birthday on ZEE5. The film stars Vedant Raj Chibber as Chintu Tiwary, Vinay Pathak as Chintu's father - Madan Tiwary, Tillotama Shome as Chintu's Mother - Sudha Tiwary, Bisha Chaturvedi as Chintu's Sister - Laxmi Tiwary, and Seema Pahwa as Chintu's grandmother.

My very first reaction to the start of the trailer was, which child wouldn’t love an amazing birthday party until when the trailer progressed to an unexpected disruption by two American soldiers at the onset of Chintu’s birthday party. And that wouldn’t be a surprise as the film is set inside a war-torn Iraq, where during the US invasion of Iraq some illegal migrants are awaiting help to return home to India. In such a scenario, one family, the Tiwarys, are preparing to celebrate the birthday of their younger child Chintu.

The two and a half minute film trailer shows how a normal family goes from managing the everyday mundane to preparing for a birthday celebration to finally being locked down for being insurgents. The trailer of the film, ‘Chintu ka Birthday’ comes alive in every little scene, and creates parts of this 80-minute film in the viewers mind. The narrative is a simple depiction of a generous and life-affirming tale of an ordinary family in an extraordinary situation.


Three things that stood out for me after watching the trailer are:

The Plot
Chintu ka Birthday is based on the plight of Indian migrants during the US invasion of Iraq. Though there are a few films on this particular topic, the plot based on how a regular family struggles to do simple things during a direct conflict isn’t. And this is what makes me curious about the film.

The Performances
Chintu Ka Birthday stars Vinay Pathak and Tillotama Shome, do I need to say more? However, the kid Vedant Chibber looks promising.

The Direction
Chintu Ka Birthday has been directed by writer-director duo Devanshu Kumar and Satyanshu Singh. The duo has focused on the story and hence the narrative will be seamless. And as they rightly said in a statement, “Although the film is set in Iraq in 2004, the present situation, where we are locked down in our houses with our families is no different. We have to live in the moment, love each other and keep faith that this too shall pass."

I don’t need another reason to tune in to watch Chintu Ka Birthday that is going to be exclusively streamed on ZEE5 from June 5, 2020, but if you need another reason, the film is a winner of the Viewer’s Choice Award at the recently concluded Jagran Film Festival.

Go watch!

Until next time,
~ Heena

Over the last 2-to-3 years, entertainment in Indian has shifted from viewing to streaming, and viewers have been spoilt for choice. Today there are over 432 million Over The Top (OTT) video viewers in India; and is growing at an alarming rate of 4-8% always looking for content that resonates with them and their lifestyles. Even though there is plenty of content out there, it is ZEE5’s where entertainment comes alive.


I subscribe to ZEE5, the largest multi-lingual online video streaming OTT platform, especially for its Originals. As a viewer who is interested in thrillers, ZEE5 Movies offers amazing fact-paced and action thrillers both fictional and non-fictional; many inspired by true events. Recently when I watched the trailer of Operation Parindey, I was truly hooked onto my couch by #The24HourChase, a ZEE5 Original film.

Sanjay Gadhvi of the Dhoom movies franchise, is making his digital directorial debut with ZEE5's short film based on one of the most controversial true-life jailbreaks in Indian history - Operation Parindey. The thriller stars an impressive cast comprising of Amit Sadh, Rahul Dev, Ameet Gaurr, Kunal Kumar, Aakash Dhaiya and Rucha Inamkar.



The film makes it to my watch list, for many reasons, trust me no spoilers here.... but three of which are: 

The Plot
Operation Parindey is based on a Jailbreak, a concept rarely touched in Hindi cinema. Of course many films and series have a sequence or two of jailbreaks but rarely is an entire film or series based on this narrative. As rightly said, ‘Where there are jails, there will be jailbreaks and when the prison is tougher, the prison break is more exciting’. This is exactly what makes Operation Parindey a novelty, the plotting, the actual break and finally, the chase makes it exciting and warrants a start to finish watch.

The Performances
Operation Parindey stands tall on the shoulders of Amit Sadh and Rahul Dev, who play the Special Task Force officer Abhinav Mathur and Sardar Monty Singh the mastermind behind the jailbreak respectively. Rahul Dev is an absolute delight to watch, he gives goosebumps in the manner he preaches his religious indoctrination to everyone within an earshot. This character takes him from good to exceptionally effortless. Amit Sadh has justified his space in the film with a convincing performance… as playing a cop is no easy task. He makes his character look conventional and realistic, shows a sense of urgency that is needed to the criminals.

The Direction
Operation Parindey has been directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, who knows how to keep a viewer glued to the small screen. The pace of the film that is maintained keeps it alive and kicking, with spectacular visuals, amazing background score and of course the performances. Being a pro at thrillers, Sanjay Gadhvi has infused the film with all his experience making it a bumpy rollercoaster ride of the highest highs and lowest lows of what it takes to plot, plan and action an actual jailbreak. 

So, make the most of your time during social distancing, and catch some of the best shows and films on ZEE5. The OTT subscription packages start at as low as INR 99 for a month up to INR 999 for a year, so go subscribe now and binge-watch!

Until next time,
~ Heena