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 Expression of
freedom
Be it Bhagat Singh as Shaheed
or Mangal Pandey’s The Rising, Hindi cinema has
depicted patriotism in a myriad ways, sometimes subtle and subversive
and at others overt and over the top. Nirupama
Dutt looks at films which struck a nationalistic chord.
THE
country’s Independence celebrations come this time with the saga of
Mangal Pandey told in a gala way on celluloid. Four years after the
success of playing cricket in the name of freedom in Lagaan, Aamir
Khan is back with the patriotic pill Bollywood style with The
Rising:Ballad of Mangal Pandey. A hero of what to Indians remains
the First War of Independence, while for the British it was the Mutiny
of 1857. It has been resurrected with the punch line "discovering
Independence.
I
love my India
Patriotic songs continue to weave
their magic and make the listeners emotional even decades after they
are written. Surendra Miglani on how we
love lyrics that celebrate nationalism
Ai
mere pyare watan, ai mere bichhde chaman, tujh pe dil qurbaan; tu hi
meri aarzoo, tu hi meri aabroo, tu hi meri jaan. This beautiful
number, expressing the feelings of a person towards his motherland
while living away from her has fascinated one since one’s
schooldays.
 It
held the fort for centuries
From the Mughals to free
India, the Red Fort stands as a witness to the rise and fall of
empires. Anuradha Thakur
reports
THE
Red Fort, which has been the epitome of power for the Mughals, the
British and the free India, was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639.
Sustaining its position as the symbol of power through centuries, it
was here that the national flag was hoisted for the first time after
Independence.
The
timeless spirit of art
Lalit Kala Akademi winds up a
celebration of the past with the promise of a better future, says Saibal
Chatterjee
AS
the year-long golden jubilee celebrations of the Lalit Kala Akademi
drew to a close in the first week of August, it was time for India’s
apex visual arts organisation to take stock of the past as well as
chalk out the future, both immediate and long-term. It was time for
Resonance.
‘I’m
not like Savita’
Shveta
Pathak
FOR
Apara Mehta, better known as Savita Virani, Tulsi’s saas in Kyonki
Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, all roads lead to one destination, that
is theatre. The dancer-turned-actress, who has been associated with
theatre for the last over 24 years, has tasted success in theatre,
television and even films.
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