Hotel staffer held for rape bid on singer in Delhi

A hotel room attendant in south Delhi's Mehrauli was arrested after he allegedly attempted to rape a 22- year-old singer from Kolkata, who had arrived in the Capital to perform at a function.

The accused, identified as Deepak, works as a room attendant at Golden Tulip hotel at Mehrauli area. " He was arrested and sent to judicial custody for 14 days," a senior police officer said.

The officer said the accused, a native of Palwal in Haryana, was caught by the hotel staff and, thereafter, handed him over to them. He was arrested and booked under the charges of molestation and criminal intimidation.

Deepak had entered the singer's room to change the bed sheet on Thursday night.

The accused had then attempted to sexually assault the singer. On hearing the girl's scream, the hotel staff barged into the room and caught the accused red- handed.

The police said the victim came along with her troupea week ago and was performing at Chattarpur temple.

Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapur's new found friendship

Single and on the top of their game, actors Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapur have reportedly grown close to each other.

It has also been learnt that the two will be seen together in filmmaker Habib Faisal's next. And so it's only natural that you develop a certain fondness for a person you spend the most time with. Like Parineeti and Aditya who have reportedly been spending a lot of time together both off and on the set. 

According to reports, Parineeti, at a recent press conference for 'Hasee Toh Phasee', casually brought up Aditya's name while talking about how talented her soon-to-be co-star is. And we couldn't help but wonder about their friendship which may be in its early stages, but seems promising. Put two charming people together in a room and that's what you get!

Suggesting a three-way friendship between herself, Aditya and even actor Anupam Kher, she has been quoted as saying this friendship is for keeps.

Up until sometime now, Aditya has been linked to his 'Aashiqui 2' co-star, Shraddha Kapoor. 

Angelina Jolie, Robert Downey Jr top highest paid actors list

Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Robert Downey Jr have become the top-earning actors of 2013, according to a recent survey.The 38-year-old Oscar-winning actress has topped the female list with an income of USD 33 million, whereas Downey Jr topped the male list with an earning of USD 75 million from the `Iron Man` franchise, E! Online reported.

Jennifer Lawrence was second to Jolie with USD 26 million. Kristen Stewart (USD 21.5 million), Jennifer Aniston (USD 20 million) and Emma Stone (USD 16 million) rounded out the top five.

The 48-year-old actor`s earning was followed by Channing Tatum with USD 60 million, Hugh Jackman with USD 55 million and Mark Wahlberg with USD 51 million.

Bipasha Basu’s ‘Creature 3D’ to hit screens in June (Video)

Actress Bipasha Basu-starrer ‘Creature 3D’ is all set to release in June end this year.

After ‘Yaariyan’ and soon to release ‘Bhoothnath Returns’, T-Series in association with BVG films is all set to release this sci-fi thriller, directed by Vikram Bhatt.

The film will also mark the debut of Imran Abbas and is slated to release on June 27.

After ‘Haunted’, this is Vikram’s second 3D film, which features a creature created using VFX, a first of its kind in India.

“Creature will be the first time we make a sci-fi film. This film will definitely give our audience something different. And Vikram has shot it on par international standards. He has finished the shoot of the film and is now busy with post production,” Bhushan Kumar of T-series said.

Bangladesh govt protests `Gunday`

Protesting the new Indian film” Gunday” on Sunday the government of Bangladesh officially expressed disappointment to India about the distortion of historical facts regarding the 1971 Liberation War in the film and requested the authorities to stop its screening.Bangladesh government also expressed its deep sense of upset about clearing of the film by the Central Board of Film Certification, Government of India.

In a statement, the foreign ministry of Bangladesh requested to the Indian authorities to stop the screening of “Gunday” in its present form with immediate effect.

“The matter has already been taken up officially with the Indian authorities and strong protest has been conveyed to the Indian side,” confirmed Shamim Ahsan, the Director General of the Publicity Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.

The development came as Bangladeshi people reacted to the film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar after it was noticed that it “misrepresented” the birth of the country as a result of an India-Pakistan war, and undermined the armed resistance by Bangladeshi freedom fighters.

The film “Gunday”, released on February 14, mentions in an opening narration that “Bangladesh is born as Pakistan surrenders on December 16 at the end of the India-Pakistan war”.

According to viewers, the film apparently indicated that Bangladeshis were involved in crimes like arms smuggling while there were insinuations that they preferred identifying themselves as Indians.

The issue was in focus on social networks with Bangladeshis, mostly youths, expressing their annoyance and condemnation for the film`s contents. People also organized an online campaign and sent petitions to the film`s producer.

According to protesters, the film does not address the eight months of fighting by freedom fighters with Indian support against Pakistani troops during the Liberation War, when some three million people were killed.

Actress Geetika Tyagi accuses Jolly LLB director of sexual abuse – watch video

Bollywood actress Geetika Tyagi, seen in movies such as One By Two and What the Fish, has accused Jolly LLB director Subhash Kapoor molesting her one-and-a-half years ago.

The actor shared a video on February 17 on Twitter, titled Subhash Kapoor’s True Face, where she is having a discussion on the incident with Kapoor and his wife Dimple Kharbanda. Geetika also cries and slaps Kapoor. Aurangzeb director Atul Sabharwal is the mediator, who has also supported Geetika by replying to her tweets on the sexual abuse case.

Geetika has also issued a statement with the video, which reads as:

“My intentions for uploading this video are:

a) to caution those girls who will come in contact with this man, Subhash Kapoor, socially or professionally and will make the mistake of looking up to him as father-figure or as an elder brother and trust him and

b) for all girls who, if god forbid become victims of sexual assault, not to give in to pleading of their attacker’s wife, sister, mother, daughter or any woman who claims to be suffering and asks for your forgiveness for attacker. Dimple Kharbanda shamelessly attended film award functions within a week of this meeting that she did not know I was recording.

It is not easy to upload this. Like that sexual assault this too is invasion of my privacy that I am compelled to compromise by my own conscious to expose what Subash Kapoor did to me. A woman suffers in both the scenarios, when she stays quiet and when she speaks up.

I hope this fate does not befall on any woman anywhere.”

Watch Geetika Tyagi’s video ‘Subhash Kapoor’s True Face’:

Katrina Kaif's sister Isabella Kaif's sex pics leaked

Bollywood superstar Katrina Kaif's sister and new actress of Bollywood Isabella Kaif had an affair with a guy. The guy took him to a hotel and made a video of himself with her on bed. These are some of the pictures of her sex with the guy.

Source: Allvoices.Com 

WATCH: Russian Man Touches 1,000 Women's Breasts For Putin (Video)

In what should probably be taken as another example of the weirdly sexual build up to next year's Russian elections, a man has touched 1,000 women's breasts for Vladimir Putin.

Why? We don't really understand. After touching all the breasts, he then meets Prime Minister Putin and shakes his hand, somehow passing the breast touching experience onto him (or something like that).

Sam Nickel, the man touching the breasts, has explained it wasn't all so easy in an interview::

The touching itself - it is certainly nice, but you imagine that 1,000 girls - it's only about 15-20% of the girls we interviewed. The remaining 5000-7000 girls did not agree. And each asks several questions. Each must be explained. In general, we spent a lot of time and nerves. This was terribly tiring. We burned on the summer sun; we were on feet 8 hours a day. It was the tedious work with breasts, their owners and friends of the owner of the breasts. I saw the breasts in my dreams at night and the dreams came true at daylight. But certainly I didn’t become a gay. I still love breasts.

১০০০ নারীর বক্ষ স্পর্শ করল যুবক।

যদি আপনি কারো কাছে শোনেন ১০০০ নারী বক্ষ স্পর্শ করার বিশাল অভিজ্ঞতার কথা- অবিশ্বাস্য মনে হবে তাইনা? সেই অবিশ্বাস্য ব্যাপারটিই বাস্তবে রুপ দিয়েছেন স্যাম নামের এক রাশিয়ান। কিন্তু কেন তিনি এটা করেছিলেন? কারণটা অজানা।

২০১১ সালের এমন সময়, ১০০০ নারীর বক্ষ স্পর্শ করার পর তিনি সাক্ষাৎ করেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী ভ্লাদিমির পুতিনের সাথে। করলেন উষ্ণ করমরদন। তবে কি এই করমর্দনের সাথে সাথে পুতিনের কাছে পৌঁছে দিলেন তার ১০০০ নারীর বক্ষ স্পর্শ করার অনুভূতি! হয়তো তাই।

এক একান্ত সাক্ষাৎকারে স্যাম নিকেল নামক ওই ব্যাক্তি তার পুরো অভিজ্ঞতাটা শেয়ার করলেন। স্যাম বলেন, ব্যাপারটা তার জন্য মোটেও সহজ ছিলনা।স্পর্শ অনুভূতি নিঃসন্দেহে অতুলনীয় - তাই বলে ১০০০ নারী বক্ষ !! সাক্ষাৎকার দেয়া নারীদের মাত্র ১৫-২০ শতাংশই কেবল তাকে এই স্পর্শ অনুভূতি দিতে রাজি হয়েছিল। আর ৫০০০-৭০০০ নারী তাকে সরাসরি প্রত্যাখ্যান করেছিল। আগ্রহী নারীদের ছিল হাজারো প্রশ্ন, যার প্রত্যেকটিরই সন্তোষজনক উত্তর দেবার পরই কেবল তারা রাজি হয়েছিল। এ কাজের জন্য স্যামকে  করতে হয়েছিল অমানুষিক পরিশ্রম। গ্রীষ্মের প্রচণ্ড তাপে দিনে প্রায় ৮ ঘণ্টারও বেশী সময় পার করেছেন দাঁড়িয়ে। তার স্বপ্ন ছিল নারী বক্ষ স্পর্শ করা। অবশেষে তার সেই স্বপ্ন রুপ নেয় বাস্তবে। স্যাম বলেন তিনি ‘গে’ নন, বরং এখনও নারী বক্ষ তাকে আকৃষ্ট করে আগের মতই।      

Joya on Cannes and recent ventures

She wins National Award for her brilliant performance in the Liberation War-based film 'Guerrilla'

 One of the most celebrated actresses of recent times Joya Ahsan has been invited to walk the red carpet of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival to begin from May 15.

This news brought the nation glory and at times certainly adds another feather in Joya’s cap.

The National Award winning actress for her brilliant performance in the Liberation War based film “Guerrilla” expressed her reaction after receiving the official letter from Cannes to Dhaka Tribune.

“I feel absolutely surprised and honoured after being invited at the prestigious festival. At a time, it’s a big responsibility as I am going to represent my country at the huge platform. So, I’m a bit nervous too,” said Joya.

When are you going to fly?

“Well, the date has not been finalised yet. But it should be the mid of next month.” 

What is making you most thrilled about going to Cannes?

“It’s the great movies to be screened at the festival. The Cannes selects the best movies from all around the world. And I’m so excited that I’ll get the opportunity to watch those. Here at home, I cannot manage my schedule to watch all the movies I want. Many things distract me from watching the quality films. Besides, the platform will also provide me a grand opportunity to mingle with the big names of the world cinema. It’s also equally thrilling.”

What about your upcoming film Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini starring Shakib Khan?

“Well, the shooting has been finished. Now the film is in the dubbing phase. The experience was completely different from that of the movies I have done earlier. It’s a completely mainstream FDC based movie. And I enjoyed the experience.”

Would you like to act in more such kind of films?

I have not yet chalked out any long time plan but right now I’m enjoying the change in my career. Actually I am experimenting myself as an actor in the mainstream film industry. And I also want to contribute to the sector as it is in a dilapidated situation when the viewers have given up going to cinema. If I can at least draw my fans to the cinema halls, I’ll be satisfied.”  

Joya has an illustrious career of about 15 years. She first appeared in the industry as a model of a TV commercial and won the hearts of millions very shortly. Her performance in small screen made her a star of such a height that very few actresses could achieve. She made her debut silver screen in Nurul Alam Atique’s movie Dubshatar released in 2011. Her performance in recently released Chorabali also made huge  wave.

Mehjabin’s dreams come true

Model turned actress Mehjabin’s dreams come true. She is appearing on the silver screen, which is a long cherished desire of the small screen actress.

Mehjabin is acting the titular character in Swapan Ahmed’s film Porobashini.

 ‘As I don’t have any other pressure on me at the moment, I will invest all my energy on Porobashini’, Mehjabin, who recently sat for her A level examinations, said.

‘Even though I did modeling and acting on small screen, I had entered the entertainment industry with the dreams to work for the big screen’, she added.

After a fairly long wait, she got the opportunity to act for a Bangla film releasing in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. 

Swapan Ahmed’s Porobashini is a science fiction, in which Mehjabin is paired with another small screen actor Nirab.

In the film, Mehjabin will appear in several dance scenes, which is a popular formula of Dhallywood to make movies work among the audience.  ‘I have been learning dance from a very tender age, which I hope will help’, she said.  

She has just finished a romantic comedy drama named Mehbuba, where she played the titular character who has two admirers. It had been produced by Limon Ahmed and directed by Rudro Ahmed. Mehjabin says in this drama, greed and love had been presented with a humorous approach. Eventually, positive changes in human characters are shown in this romantic comedy. ‘I enjoyed acting in this drama, I hope viewers will like my performance,’ she said.

Recently she has worked in a commercial for a giant mobile operator. ‘For the past two years they were trying to make this commercial but things didn’t click. This time it did and I am happy to be a part of the success story’, Mehjabin said. While in conversation with New Age Mehjabin has confirmed that she has completed a TVC for ‘world hand wash day’.

In 2009, Mehjabin Chowdhuri had won the beauty pageant of ‘Lux Channel-i Superstar’ while competing against 10 thousands contestants. The rest is history; she has been a popular face on TV commercials and dramas since then.

She first appeared on Iftekhar Ahmed Fahmi’s teleplay Tumi Thako Shindhupare paired with the renowned small screen actor Mahfuz Ahmed.

She became a household name acting in one after another popular teleplays including ‘Majhe Majhe Tobu Dekhapai’, ‘Call center’, ‘Meye Shudhu Tomar Jonno’, and ‘Hasho Unlimited’.

NewAge

Kolkata Bengali film Ami Aar Amar Girlfriends fixated on bouncing bosoms

Mainak Bhaumik’s film stars  Raima Sen, Swastika Mukherjee and Parno Mitra

It is not often that we get to watch movies about women bonding in Indian cinema and now that one is imminent, the male gaze afflicts it. We are, of course, referring to the Bengali film Ami Aar Amar Girlfriends (Me and My Girlfriends), directed by Mainak Bhaumik that is due to release on April 26.

The film stars Raima Sen, Swastika Mukherjee and Parno Mitra. Raima plays a writer while the other two are a counsellor and a radio jockey respectively. The three besties go off on a life affirming road trip. If all this sounds like an Oestrogen-fuelled version of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara or Dil Chahta Hai, it is.

Bhaumik agrees. “There have been stories of friendship of men being brought up on screen, but this is the first film to look into the friendship of three women. It is an extension of my world, and very biographical,” he says. Despite being aware of the fate that befalls cats, we were curious to know what Bhaumik’s world looks like and so we took a gander at the trailer.

It is clear that Bhaumik’s world is that of male fantasy, for the trailer has the camera lovingly caress the three leading ladies as they, clad in swimwear, frolic in the sea off a sylvan beach, taking turns to dunk each other in the brine and pausing only to quaff pints of beer. In case the titillation wasn’t enough, Bhaumik also has the ladies run up and down the beach a few times, in slow motion of course, displaying considerable ahem, bounce shall we say?

Of course, the reason for choosing to highlight only this segment of the film could be the director’s desire to depict his female characters’ unfettered freedom, but perhaps a shrewd eye on a salivating male audience was also in the thought process.

All this is not to imply that Ami Aar Amar Girlfriends will be a trashy film. Far from it, if Bhaumik’s track record is anything to go by. His debut, Bedroom, took the audience into that most intimate of spaces, next only to a privy, and received some critical acclaim. His next film Maach Mishti & More (Fish Sweets and More) that released earlier this year is an absolute delight. An ode to Calcutta and homage to Woody Allen, the pleasurable rom-com followed the disparate lives of members of a large joint family and was a box office  success.

It is therefore with great anticipation that we await Ami Aar Amar Girlfriends, and temporarily forgive Bhaumik his obsession with jounce.

“I want to stick to acting”::Prasun Azad

Among thousands of contestants in the 2012 edition of Lux Channel i Superstar competition, Prasun Azad, from Mymensingh’s Fulpur, stood in a class of her own, and claimed a spot in the top ten. As the pageant progressed, she strengthened her claim and emerged as the first runner up in the final round.

In the following months, Prasun has been busy working in TV dramas, along with acting in a film. Asked about her goals, Prasun answers that she intends to do work that will be remembered by the audience for many years to come.

Although she is serious about her work in the media, Prasun started her journey in this direction just to kindle an interest. She says, “I enjoyed this show for a long time before signing up myself. My dreams began back then.”

Most of her recent TV works are in one-hour-shorts and tele-films. “I’m not working in serials at the moment, but I would be interested in a suitable role in a good serial,” Prasun adds.

She has recently appeared in two episodes of the serial “Great Mistake”. “The drama ‘Great Mistake’ features a different story in each episode. My work has been in accordance with that,” says Prasun.

Prasun has also finished shooting for Sazzad Sumon’s new drama “Notun Balika”, as well as playing the eponymous role in Toufiqur Rahman’s one-hour-short “Ananya”.

Prasun Azad’s first TV drama was Animesh Aich’s “Ekti Mrityur Shopno”, which got much positive feedback from the audience. She also managed to grab the attention of many directors through her performance.

Prasun says she is enjoying her latest work in “Mukhosher Meye”, a TV play by Azad Kalam.

She has earned much praise for her portrayal of a Birangona in the Channel 24 drama “Chithhi”, written by Bipasha Hayat and directed by Tauquir Ahmed.

She has also made her debut on the silver screen with the movie “Feel My Love,” where she plays an RJ.

Although she grabbed her place in the spotlight through Lux Channel i Superstar, Prasun participated as a contestant in the singing section of Notun Kuri. The star however adds the caveat, “I don’t sing any more; I want to stick to acting. I don’t have any dreams besides the world of acting.”

Mona Singh MMS Scandal

Mona Singh MMS row: Experts confirm video morphed

In relief for TV actress Mona Singh, digital experts and senior crime branch officers have confirmed that the MMS video clip that showed a nude women resembling her, has been doctored. 

The face of the actress has been superimposed in the video in question, which went viral last week. Singh was shooting for a popular TV serial ‘Kya Hua Tera Vada’ when she was informed of the MMS. She rushed to file a complaint with the Mumbai police’s crime branch. 

Talking to DNA, a source close to the actress said, “The MMS of a model, who resembles the television actress has been purposely leaked to tarnish her image. She is one of the most successful actresses and perhaps someone cannot digest it.”

The web portals that carried the explicit content would be penalised as per IT Act 2000 and IPC 1860.

Mona rose to popularity after she played Jassi in ‘Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin’. She had subsequently won dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Ja’. 

Following the controversy, Mona Singh had released a statement clarifying her stance. The statement read, “It is just completely appalling and disgraceful that someone on the web can go to the extent of morphing my face onto someone else`s body to create a sensational video! We have filed a severe complaint at the Cyber Crime Cell and are hoping to find the culprit. People need to realise that before being actors we`re respectable women and have family and friends who we`re answerable to and who get affected by negativity that is thrown in our direction.”

The statement further read, “Thankfully, my family and friends are standing by me like they always have, supporting me to see this through. If today this can happen to me, it can happen to any innocent girl and things like this can ruin lives and careers forever. This is a VERY SERIOUS issue and it needs to stop! As members of the media, journalists and editors should also take a stand against such acts and not provide the culprits with the publicity that they are hoping for as the outcome of their dastardly acts.”

Zeenews

Boldness a state of mind: Bengali actress Paoli Dam

She is as bold as one can get. But Paoli Dam, who did a full frontal nudity scene in Bengali movie ‘Chatrak’ last year, says boldness is all in the head.

"What is bold for you may not be bold for me. Boldness is a state of mind," Paoli, now the lead actress of Bollywood film ‘Hate Story’, said to be topped with dollops of sex and violence, told reporters in an interview.

No wonder she picks roles that most other actresses would think about twice before giving the nod to.

"As an actor I am choosy about the script and the projects that I do. But when I take a project, I don`t have any dilemma about it," said Paoli, who plays a sex worker in "Hate Story", which released Friday.

"I want to do good cinema with good directors and banners. Script matters to me. I am a newcomer and different people have their own way of growing. I don`t want to compare myself with anyone. For me bold is  beautiful in its own way," she added.

Her parents aren`t complaining of her choices either.

"`Hate Story` is my first Bollywood launch. My parents and friends are very happy about it. I have been bought up as an individual and my parents respect my decision (to do bold films). I have my own individuality and, besides, I am an actress," she said.

"For me, `Hate Story` is about performance and it showcases the power of women. Yes, there are bold scenes in the film, but it has been shot aesthetically," added Paoli.

"Hate Story", being touted as an `erotic thriller`, is directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Vikram Bhatt. The movie, about the transformation of a simple middle class girl to a sex worker to seek revenge, has released with an A certificate.

Paoli plays the lead role of Kaavya, a journalist.

"I had got a call from Vikram who offered me this role. I know Vikram is a sensible director; I liked his script as it`s a very powerful role. It`s a female-oriented film and I had a lot of space to perform.

"My character is shown as a confident and a very today`s girl. The story is about revenge with a bold concept," she said.

Paoli went out of the way to shed 10 kg for the role, which marks her foray into the Hindi film industry.

"I have shed 10 kg for this film. When I had come to Mumbai, I weighed 55 kg. But Vikram asked me to shed weight. He said the script demanded a lean and thin girl.

"I went on strict diet and I used to work out thrice a day. Finally I managed to shed the extra kilos and came down to 45 kg," said the 31-year-old.

BD Lux superstar Raha committed suicide

Sumaya Azgar Raha

Promising model cum TV actress and also Lux superstar, Sumaya Azgar Raha committed suicide in her residence in the city’s Mohammadpur area.

According to her family sources, Raha was found dead in her own residence at Japan Garden City in the city on Saturday morning.

Raha was buried at Azimpur graveyard on Saturday noon without informing media. They also confirmed that she was found hanged in her bedroom.

Raha, who completed her graduation from Lalmatia Mohila College, was the third runner-up in 2007 Lux Channel i Superstar contest. Along with a very remarkable career as a ramp model she acted in many well-known plays.

Raha lastly performed in drama serial “University,” which is being aired on Maasranga TV now. She firstly acted in drama serial “Jol Torongo” directed by the late Humayun Ahmed. She also played a vital role in Ananta Jalil’s movie “Khoj-The search.”

Raha also worked in TV plays such as “Swapnobaaj,” “Putul Khela,” “Patigonit,” “Uchchotoro Sharirik Bigyan,” “Lucky 13,” “Din Bodoler Pala,” “Coming Soon,” “Jimmi” and “Joto Chini Toto Mishti.”

Recently Raha wrote about herself in Facebook that she wants to become a good actress. She left her parents and a young brother.

An woman married to 5 brothers

A young Indian woman has spoken out about being married to five husbands, all of whom are brothers. Rajo Verma, 21, lives in one room with the siblings and they sleep on blankets on the floor. The mother-of-one, who sleeps each night with a different brother, does not know which of her five related husbands is the father of her 18-month-old son. The set-up may seem peculiar, but it is tradition in the small village near Dehradun, Northern India, for women to also marry the brothers of their first husband. She told the Sun: “Initially it felt a bit awkward. But I don’t favour one over the other.” Rajo and first husband Guddu wed in an arranged Hindu marriage four years ago. Since then she has married Baiju, 32, Sant Ram, 28, Gopal, 26, and Dinesh, 19 – the latest in the line of husbands – who married her as soon as he turned 18. “We all have sex with her but I’m not jealous,” first husband Guddu – who remains the only official spouse – said. “We’re one big happy family.” The ancient Hindu tradition of polyandry was once widely practiced in India, but is now only observed by a minority. It sees a woman take more than one husband, typically in areas, which are male dominated. In fraternal polyandry the woman is expected to marry each of her original husband’s brothers. It is thought to have arisen from the popular Sanskrit epic of Mahabharatha, which sees Draupadi, daughter of the King of Pancha being married to five brothers. The practice is also believed to be a way of keeping farming land in the family. It is most commonly found near the Himalayas in the north of the country, as well as in the mountainous nation of Tibet. While the advance of modernity has seen the archaic practice largely die out in most areas, the shortage of women in countries such as China and India has helped keep it alive as a solution to young men’s difficulties in finding a wife.

12 Brilliant Summer Skin Tips

The sunshiney season brings with it weird rashes, bumps, and bites-and a lot fewer clothes to cover them up. Wishing you had a dermatologist on call? Luckily, we have a phone full of top docs, so we got their clever remedies and tips for all your summer skin care woes (and saved you the copay). By Nicole Catanese, REDBOOK. 

1. Soothe a sunburn, stat 

To reduce pain and swelling, pop two aspirin or ibuprofen as soon as possible, saysFrancesca Fusco, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Next, do a milk compress: Soak a washcloth in a bowl of ice-cold whole milk (skim won't cut it), and drape it over the burn until the cloth is room temperature. Ahh, that's better. 

2. Ward off skeeters 

 If you're planning a trip to a mosquito-y place-or you always seem to attract the little buggers-start taking a daily vitamin B12 supplement, suggests Vivian W. Bucay, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in San Antonio. "Studies show that it causes your skin to give off a scent that repels mosquitoes," she says. (And no, humans can't smell it.) 

3. Shrink a pimple in minutes... 

...with Fusco's clever trick: Wet the tip of a cotton swab with Listerine and dab it on the spot. "The alcohol in the rinse dries up a zit fast," she says. 

4. Beat back summer dandruff 

Steamy weather revs the oil production on your scalp into high gear, which slows down your natural skin-cell exfoliation process. When this happens, dead cells build up and dandruff gets worse. Control it with a flake-fighting shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione-use it at least once a week. A good one is Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Complete Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, $6; amazon.com.

5. Quit breaking out from sunscreen 

For acne-prone skin, "try a mineral sunscreen-the active ingredient listed will be zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both," says Bucay. "These sit on top of the skin rather than being absorbed, so you're less likely to react." (We like Aveeno Natural Protection Lotion Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 50, $10.99; ulta.com) If you have dark skin, avoid the ghostly cast of a mineral formula and go with a sunscreen that says oil-free and non-comedogenic on the label, such as Coppertone Oil Free Faces Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+, $8.99; amazon.com. 

6. Stay drier, longer 

An antiperspirant labeled clinical strength contains the highest levels of sweat shields to block sweat glands temporarily. (Try Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response, $7.99; amazon.com) After swiping it on your underarms, glide a thin coat on other hot spots like your lower back or cleavage to keep dry there, too. 

7. Avoid backne by rinsing shampoo and conditioner off your skin 

They can leave oils and film behind on your shoulders and back-and that can lead to breakouts. So make sure your hair and skin are rinsed before you hop out of the shower. 

8. Get your face squeaky clean 

Sunscreen, particularly a water-resistant one, can be hard to wash off-and any residue left behind can clog your pores. An oil-based cleanser such as Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Oil, $25; ulta.com, breaks down the product so it rinses away completely. Here's how you can tell: If, after you've rinsed, the water beads on your skin, you didn't get off all the sunscreen, so wash your face a second time. 

9. Stop midday shine, permanently 

 Apply a retinol treatment to your T-zone nightly, "and over time, it helps slow down overactive oil glands, so you'll be less likely to develop that afternoon oil slick," says Noëlle S. Sherber, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Washington, DC. Try RoC Multi Correxion Skin Renewing Serum, $24.99; amazon.com. 

10. Calm razor burn 

 Even the most careful shaver can burn the heck out of herself. Next time it happens to you, apply a thin coat of one-percent hydro cortisone cream, or Aquaphor Healing Ointment, $5.49 for 1.75 oz; drugstore.com, to soothe inflammation. "Then keep the area out of the sun until it heals, since UV exposure can worsen the bumps and irritation," says Bucay. 

11. Nix those weird white spots 

 Are little flat white spots cropping up on your chest, back, arms, or legs? Don't be alarmed: It's probably a type of benevolent fungus (gross, we know) called tinea versicolor that occurs in warm, humid weather and acts like a bleach that lightens skin, says Neal Schultz, M.D., a clinical professorof dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "Because this infection lives only in the upper dead layers of skin, it can be treated simply with an exfoliating body wash that contains salicylic or glycolic acid," he says. (We like Phisoderm Anti-Blemish Body Wash, $6.99; amazon.com) Leave the product on the spotty areas for five to 10 minutes before rinsing, and repeat every day for 10 days to prevent more flare-ups. 

12. Zap a pimple while you cover it 

 Blend a few drops of a clear, salicylic-acid zit treatment like Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Treatment Gel, into a dollop of foundation and use a small concealer brush to pat the mix on the spot. It'll cut the pimple's lifespan in half-and hide it from the world.