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Hindi cinema’s
First
superstar
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With his stunning
portrayal of Devdas, Saigal brought the author Saratchandra’s
desperate character to life. His brooding looks, that drooping
lock of hair and his mournful singing Dukh ke ab din bitat
nahin made him a cult figure and Saigal became the first
superstar of Indian cinema, writes Pran
Nevile
MORE
than half a century ago K.L. Saigal—the greatest musical
genius of the 20th century—passed away in the prime of his
life but it is a pity that we have not set up any befitting
memorial in his honour. The first superstar of Indian cinema,
who brought music to the masses and became a legend in his own
lifetime, deserves to be honoured at the national level.
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English-speaking
apes
Kuldip Dhiman
KANZI,
a bonobo chimpanzee, and Koko, a female gorilla, appear to have
learnt to do something which most of us believe only humans can
do: they can ‘speak’. But can they? If
the video documentaries and other written material concerning
these apes are any indication, Kanzi, his half-sister Panbanisha
and Koko appear to have acquired linguistic and cognitive skills
far beyond those achieved by any other non-human animal in
previous research.
Capturing
the moods & the man
Derek Bose
BIRTHDAY
celebrations for Amitabh Bachchan are getting bigger by the
year. Last year, the event was marked by a flurry of parties and
public functions — including one on the release of his
biography — mostly localised in Mumbai. This year, for his
61st birthday celebrations, the whole of India seems to have got
together to felicitate the celluloid icon with events spaced out
over the next 12 months.
Bonding
with brands
Abhilash Gaur
WORMS
in chocolate. Pesticides in cola. Unmentionables in most other
stuff that goes down the gullet... It’s only fair that people
love to hate brands these days. MNC brands, in particular.
Why so? Maybe because we feel
cheated. All along, we’ve bought MNC brands in the name of
quality.
Common people,
uncommon zeal
Dogged perseverance
Plagued by an
outbreak of rabies in 1994, the people of Kalimpong approached an animal
welfare organisation for help. Today, the Darjeeling Goodwill Animal
Shelter’s work is being recognised at home and abroad. Benita
Sen reports.
A
transferable job means that we move home regularly. One of the first
tasks anywhere is to locate a vet who will take care of our pet and
consider requests to help street dogs in distress.
Telly
needed Jassi Jaisi Koi...
The protagonist
of the TV serial Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin has come as a
breath of fresh air at a time when soaps are ruled by
diamond-dripping or tear-dripping bahus and bhabhis.
With her girlish giggles and clumsy gestures, this ‘ugly
duckling’ knocks off not only flowerpots and files but also
these stereotypes. Chetna Keer Banerjee
examines the factors behind her appeal.
WHAT
relief! After ages, the small screen has a character whose
appeal doesn't get buried in yards of silken or chiffon finery.
A head whose crowning glory is not a mop of streaked or permed
tresses lined with a designer sindoor or bindi but
a Sadhna-cut, pony-tailed simplicity.
Everybody
Says Rahul Bose is fine
RAHUL
Bose seems to have struck gold. Time magazine has
featured him as India's answer to alternative cinema and Bose
can't stop smiling. Just last year, he won similar acclaim for
his directorial venture Everybody Says I'm fine. But
Rahul's not content. 'I am always hungry for more', says the
intelligent actor.
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