Anna Hazare, the internationally acclaimed social crusader who transformed the non-descript village of Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district into a model has been working for women's empowerment too. For this, he has been interacting with the women of the village and encouraging them to be active in the Panchayat Samiti. And that's not all. He has made it mandatory for all young girls in the village to learn swimming. Ask him why and he answers promptly: ``There have been cases in rural Maharashtra wherein men have been trying to get rid of their wives by drowning them. Therefore, if all these girls learn swimming, it will help them save their lives if faced with such a situation.'' Women all over India could certainly take a dip into Hazare's pool of wisdom.

Not A Model Godmother

While the whole country is raving about Shabana Azmi's brilliant portrayal of Gujarat's mafia queen-turned-MLA Santokhben Jadeja in Godmother, the story of a woman who lived in a man's worldon her own terms, UNICEF project director Geeta Athreya is one person who is not amused. At a recent function held at Ahmedabad's National Institute of Design to launch the `Girl Child Week', Athreya lambasted the film for projecting a negative image of women. ``Godmother has set a very wrong role model for women, it has conveyed a wrong message,'' said Athreya, addressing a gathering of social workers, street children and journalists. A woman does not have to take up violence to be seen as an equal to man, she maintained. ``Strong and equal women and men who are gentle and strong'' are the right role models for society, she specified, adding that Godmother had disappointed her completely. Is Azmi, the women's rights activist, listening?

Still A Star

That the Big B's charisma is still alive became evident at the recent inauguration of the Pune Festival where he was the chief guest. Looking every inch a superstar in his Puneri pagdi and sporting a white stubble, he bowled his audienceover. And when he confessed to them (he never forgets to say this each time he comes to Pune) that ``my association with Pune city dates back to the time when I was courting my wife, Jaya, who was a student at the FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) then, and this was the city where we decided to marry,'' he received a thunderous applause. Dream girl Hema Malini and her daughter Esha too were present for a dance performance. But Esha's performance was marred inadvertently by Bachchan himself. When he rose to leave the venue, midway through her performance, the audience rose with him and followed him till he was out of sight. The police and security personnel had to resort to a lathi charge to keep the fans at bay. Well, Bachchan's films may not be setting the box-office afire these days but the star can still cause a riot.

No Future?

Last year when Narayan Rane visited a local temple to offer prayers to Lord Ganesha during the Ganapathi festival, the head priest there blessed him sayinghe would return to the temple the following year as chief minister again. It was music to Rane's ears who, as the Revenue Minister in Manohar Joshi's Cabinet, was desperately plotting a coup. He succeeded about seven months later. So when Rane visited the same temple this year, the same head priest was pleased his prediction had come true. Not Rane though. With the fate of the Shiv Sena-BJP hanging by a thin thread and his return to the chief minister's gaddi in some danger even if the alliance is voted to power, what Rane wanted was another prediction. Unfortunately for him, though, the priest was not so forthcoming this time round.

Back In The SpotlightÎMeenakshi SESHADRI was another almost-forgotten celebrity who gave a highly appreciated Kuchipudi performance at the Pune Festival. Back in shape after her daughter was born 16 months ago, it was an engrossing performance that she gave. And it must be said that the mantle of dancer suits her better than that of an actress. There was a time whenthe press gave her labels of ``intellectually inclined'' and ``ice-maiden''. Today, Seshadri can afford to laugh at them. ``I think it was true. I was very cold and aloof and I had no boyfriends, and didn't do anything to provide interesting copy. I was very young as well and one has to practice self-preservation in the film industry. Besides, I wanted to invest my feelings in a solid relationship, which I have done,'' says Seshadri. Married to investment banker, Harish Mysore, and settled in Texas, USA, Seshadri has now returned to her first love -- dance.

Bajinder Pal Singh in Chandigarh, Bhavna Wal and Shaan Chavan in Pune, Rachna Bisht-Rawat in Ahmedabad and Prafulla Marpakwar in Mumbai