20052026-LSTL-01.qxd 5/19/2026 8:34 PM Page 1 c m y b ROMANTIC OUTING Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi have intensified romance speculation after being spotted spending time together during a beach outing in Hawaii recently. TRIBUNE Coming soon Life CHAT UP SHWETA TRIPATHI ON EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Shweta Tripathi and Chaitnya Sharma are sharing stage space as a romantic pair for the first time in director Akarsh Khurana’s play External Affairs. The play marks a special reunion for the couple, who first met years ago in a rehearsal room under Khurana’s direction before eventually becoming life partners. Ram Charan attended the trailer launch of his upcoming film, Peddi, in Mumbai recently. The actor will be romancing actress Janhvi Kapoor in the movie. The film will hit theatres on June 4 LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 20 MAY 2026 Black ‘Honour of a lifetime’ Subhash K Jha Ishaan Khatter, who played an Army man in the 2023 war drama Pippa, has been conferred with an honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry of the Indian Armoured Corps. The actor essayed the role of Brig Balram Singh Mehta in the film directed by Raja Krishna Menon. Reacting to the honour Ishaan says, “The honour of a lifetime to be conferred upon an honorary membership of 45 Cavalry of the Indian Armoured Corps - which I may now proudly call my regiment! There is no bigger acknowledgment and I only hope to always be reliably and humbly in service in any which way I can be to the bravest and most magic J Jacqueline Fernandez stuns in black sequin dress at Cannes THE CHOSEN SONG ‘ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION’ Grammy award-winning musician and Padma Shri awardee Ricky Kej shared his views on the One Nation, One Election proposal during a discussion held in Bengaluru. “One Nation, One Election is going to cost less than the requirement for infrastructure, the model code of conduct is not going to happen now and then...We need to focus more on long-term solutions and I think having an election ever eat WHAT’S HOT play love MUGHLAI FARE OPEN FOR ART EVERYDAY LUXE T HE aroma of kebabs, slow-cooked curries and traditional Mughlai fare now has a new address in Zirakpur. TWH Hospitality has launched its second outlet in association with Nazeer Foods at Pooja Plazzio, bringing an Old Delhi-inspired dining experience to the Tricity region. Designed around the charm of Old Delhi eateries, the restaurant combines Mughlai-style interiors, warm lighting and a relaxed dine-in setting aimed at families and food enthusiasts. zirakpur Lady Gaga’s The Dead Dance from Netflix’s Wednesday will be submitted for Emmy consideration in the outstanding music and lyrics category. The song is written and produced by Gaga and her frequent collaborators Andrew Watt and Cirkut (Henry Russell Walter). Ishaan Khatter conferred with honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry of the Indian Armoured Corps ISTOCK T HE open mic culture in tier-2 cities across India has evolved from a niche trend into a booming live entertainment revolution. Driven by the desire for local expression and community, cities such as Amritsar are seeing a revival of public art and culture spaces through these curated events. Another such event comes to Amritsar on May 31 at Vybe, Ranjit Avenue. Get ready for an evening full of rhythm, creativity and vibrant energy at Open Mic! Hosted by Hanish, founder Azal, the evening promises music, poetry, comedy, storytelling, and singing and a community that enjoys together. The event starts from 1 pm onwards. M AISON AUREYLIA is a modern fine jewellery brand founded by Avantika Mehra. The brand is organising a two-day pop up at Ramsahai village, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Nagar, Pakhowal Road on May 20 and 21. Maison Aureylia blends contemporary style with fine craftsmanship to create pieces that feel both luxurious and accessible. The brand offers affordable jewellery in 14 K gold with diamonds that is wearable. honourable members of the Indian Army.” Moving forward, Ishaan feels enthused. “It fuels the fire to go forward and make bolder choices as artists. I think how long is a relative question but what took a while to find was an opportunity with a filmmaker who saw who I really was as an actor and gave me the part that allowed me to channel it. I want to keep expanding my range as an actor but also my reach as a star. I’ve learnt this much about myself: I have strong desires and beliefs and I want to be able to empower them through my position. Will keep working hard to the best of my abilities and pray for the right opportunities.” ludhiana Saba Azad-starrer Who’s Your Gynac is all set to return with a second season, with the fresh trailer out now. Saba returns as Dr Vidushi Kothari, stepping into a life she has spent years dreaming about. The trailer offers a tender and relatable peek into the next chapter of Dr Vidushi Kothari’s life. amritsar WHO’S YOUR GYNAC RETURNS ACQUELINE FERNANDEZ has returned to Cannes Film Festival, making another high-profile appearance at the 2026 edition of the prestigious global event. She attended luxury jewellery brand Chopard’s Miracle show on the French Riviera during the ongoing 79th Cannes Film Festival. Jacqueline shared glimpses from the evening on her official Instagram handle, posting a photograph of herself walking on a purple carpet outdoors at dusk. In the image, she is seen wearing a sparkling strapless black mini-dress paired with classic black pumps. The actor captioned the post, “Tonight for @chopard Miracle show in Cannes! Beautiful collection, congrats @chopardbycaroline @carolinescouture @chopard.” For the event, Jacqueline opted for a chic monochrome look featuring a strapless, form-fitting black mini dress embellished with shimmering sequins and beadwork. Representing Chopard, she accessorised the outfit with a statement diamond necklace and a matching diamond bracelet. Her look featured voluminous Hollywood waves styled with a middle parting, along with soft, smoky eye makeup and a neutral nude lip. The 79th Cannes Film Festival, running from May 12 to May 23 marks Jacqueline’s third consecutive appearance at the festival. — ANI Shopping gets smarter, faster & more personal as online retail shifts from search to suggestion, to simplify decision-making & improve product discovery Mona Across fashion, beauty and lifestyle categories, platforms are repositioning themselves from simple online marketplaces into recommendationdriven shopping ecosystems powered by AI, creators, fast delivery and highly personalised suggestions. While large sale events continue to generate spikes in traffic, the next wave of growth for companies like Myntra, Nykaa and AJIO is increasingly tied to curated shopping journeys that simplify decision-making and improve product discovery. AI turns stylist Fashion platform Myntra has significantly increased its focus on AI-powered personalisation over the past two years. It analyses browsing patterns, trend preferences, wardrobe uploads and purchase behaviour to suggest complete outfits. At the same time, Myn- tra’s quick-commerce initiative, M-Now, shows how personalisation is being combined with speed. The platform claims users in select cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, can receive fashion, beauty and lifestyle products within 30 minutes. The broader strategy reflects changing consumer expectations: shoppers increasingly want fashion apps to function more like recommendation engines such as Netflix or Spotify, where relevant sugges- From discounts to digital stylists such as the Pink Summer Sale and Pink Friday Sale are now driven heavily by curated recommendations, creator-led product picks, skincare explainers, tutorials, and themed collections such as “viral Korean skincare,” “best under Rs 999,” or tions replace overwhelming product catalogues. Curated beauty shopping Nykaa has steadily evolved from an online beauty retailer into a discovery-led content ecosystem. Campaigns RISE OF CURATED COMMERCE Luxury edits Reliance-backed AJIO has emphasised trend-focused edits, streetwear drops and influencerinspired collecIndian online shoppers now have access to tions to distinmillions of fashion and beauty products. For guish itself from platforms, the challenge is no longer broader horizonselection — it is helping users find tal marketplaces. relevant products quickly. As a result, Meanwhile, Tata curated commerce is becoming an CLiQ Luxury is increasingly important retention investing in premium and engagement discovery experiences strategy. PLATFORMS ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH AI-powered stylists Creator-led storefronts ■ Personalised recommendation feeds ■ Occasion-based collections ■ Skin-type and body-type suggestions ■ Hyperlocal quick delivery ■ Conversational shopping assistants “summer makeup essentials.” This approach is particularly effective in beauty commerce, where trust and guidance often influence purchasing decisions more than direct product searches. Consumers are not just looking for moisturisers or serums; they are searching for solutions tied to outcomes like “glass skin,” “barrier repair” or “makeup suitable for humid weather.” ■ ■ ISTOCK c m y b through curated luxury edits, occasion-led recommendations and conciergestyle shopping journeys designed for affluent buyers. Even large horizontal platforms such as Amazon Fashion and Flipkart are increasingly prioritising curated storefronts, trend hubs and AI-assisted recommendations to improve engagement and conversions. The goal is to make shopping feel more intuitive and assistive rather than purely transactional. This creates a growing opportunity for both platforms and publishers: curated buying guides are becoming more valuable than generic sale announcements. As recommendation systems become more advanced, India’s leading shopping apps are steadily evolving into digital stylists, beauty consultants and discovery platforms — not just ecommerce marketplaces.