Reading a book and flipping through its colourful pages is a simple and pleasurable experience that most of us enjoy and often take for granted. But not Upasana Makati. A journalism student from Jai Hind college, Upasana believes that it is an experience that should be denied to no one — not even the differently-abled. That urged her to bring out White Print — a lifestyle magazine for the blind.

When the posters with the looks for the leading actors of the Baz Luhrmann film The Great Gatsby were released recently, fans of Amitabh Bachchan were shocked that there were none of the legendary actor alongside the film’s other faces, like Leonardo DiCaprio and Toby Maguire. Bachchan Senior, who plays Mayer Wolfsheim (a Jewish character Gatsby’s author F. Scott Fitzgerald depicted as having shady business dealings), didn’t seem put out at the “exclusion”. He said his part was too small for him to deserve a solo poster.

Arun Krishnamurthy quit a promising career at Google to focus on his passion for conservation. The 27-year-old, a graduate of Madras Christian College, began with Roots & Shoots India (part of the Roots & Shoots Network) and founded his own NGO, Environmentalist Foundation, in 2011. Today, Arun works with a team of 900 volunteers towards restoring six lakes across India.

In a relationship, one is used to hearing about the seven-year itch. In the case of Heather Saville Gupta’s love affair with the city of Mumbai, it was more of a four-year itch. Four years into her stay in India, she felt she had had enough.

Mira Nair describes the days after the 9/11 attacks as nerve-racking. “Just the night before, I’d received the Golden Lion at Cannes for Monsoon Wedding,” the filmmaker recalls. “On the 11th, I flew to Toronto to open the film at the festival there. My husband and son were to fly from New York to me… The attacks were shocking.”

When Rekha Pamani Gulati was named COO of Mumbai-based brand strategy firm DY Works last week, it was yet another high point in an 18-year career.

In 2006, British-Pakistani actor and MC, Rizwan “Riz” Ahmed released a song called Post 9/11 Blues. Little did he know that seven years later he would have a starring role in what is already being considered by many as the definitive film on the effects of 9/11. In a telephonic chat, Riz talked about signing on for The Reluctant Fundamentalist, playing Changez Khan and more.

It’s 11 pm, India time, and I’m waiting for a chat with Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, best known here for his turn as Agent Jack Bauer in the hit TV show 24. When he does come to the phone, he’s charming and apologetic and explains he’s in a rush because he has to catch a plane back to Toronto and is in the middle of rehearsals.

When Michelle Obama wore a Naeem Khan gown to a state dinner at the White House in 2010, it was a proud moment for the Indian-born, New York-based designer. Not just because the First Lady had chosen to wear one of his creations — after all, Naeem is used to having strong, beautiful women sport his designs, be it pop icon Beyonce, actress Eva Longoria or Queen Noor of Jordan — but also because the eye-catching embroidery on the strapless cream and gold gown had been created right here in India, at Naeem’s father’s workshop.

Following a successful solo exhibition at London’s Nehru Centre Art Gallery in 2010, Pune-based artist Musarrat Masters has returned with a collection of vibrant canvases to Mumbai for her 21st solo exhibition. Titled Inspirational Strokes, the exhibition is on display at the Jehangir Art Gallery until April 23.