Movies, moves and masalas

Russia rising Slumdog Millionaire. Well, that’s one common thread that ran through our conversations with troupes from two different parts of the globe: France and Russia. In town for the Folk Dance Repertoire, a cultural programme organised by the Punjab Arts Council, the French and Russian dancers got talking about this film, their traditional dance forms and the cultural confluence… Ashima Sehajpal Now this describes the process of adaptation of new and appreciation of old better. And that is very important, "We don't want only the older generations to love our classical dance, so to engage the younger generation, we kept options open," reasons Ryabova Natalia, director of the dance group, Roza Vetrov as she seats down to have the very Punjabi lunch.

French Connection “We all are so eager to watch Slumdog Millionaire. Though we have read and heard a lot about it, we could not watch it since it hasn’t released in France.” Ashima Sehajpal We didn’t think the conversation would begin on such an informal note, but it did and made us happy. “We all are so eager to watch Slumdog Millionaire. Though we have read and heard a lot about it, we could not watch it since it hasn’t released in France,” say all of them. Next came the topic of Aishwarya Rai, “She is a good actor and artiste.” We were pretty sure about the first description but wasn’t “actor” enough to explain the “artiste” part. Their dance teacher, Marie-Laure Vincent takes the lead this time, “There is a difference.

— Photos: Vinay Malik

Terror, tears and travels
The photography and painting exhibition at the Govt College of Art-10 showcases both pain and joy
Neha Walia
What was supposed to be an annual curriculum trip became a reason for collecting memoirs of a nation wide tragedy. A classroom project turned into a reflection of journey full of emotions, as students witnessed a night of terror at a bank on the ill-fated day of 26/11. Opening the Pandora’s box that has every possible sentiment attached to it, is ‘Incredible India’, an exhibition by 42 students of Art College-10.

Home Secretary, Ramnivas checks out the Incredible India art exhibition	A student’s artistic perception of the nudes of Khajoraho on canvas Photos: Vinay Malik

Taal se taal mila
City-based Swapnil Karmahe shares her passion for Kathak
S.D Sharma
Any classical dance art may be rooted in tradition, but it survives through innovation. In fact the connoisseurs of art have been projecting their innermost strivings to enrich the different forms of classical dance, ” opines young academician and Kathak danseuse Swapnil Karmahe.

SIDE LANES
A patch of green
Joyshri Lobo
As we pass through the dry, dull hills and over the Ghaggar river; it seems farfetched to find anything but flat fields and Haryana villages. Suddenly an iron gate is silhouetted in the car’s headlights. The board points towards the villa where we are to stay. A slice of Bengal lies before us and the neat little Kali Mandir to the left of the drive-way enhances this feeling.

Reel to real Dev Patel to appear on real Who Wants to Be Millionaire? Dev Patel, the lead star of multiple Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire is planning to appear on the real Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? show along with director Danny Boyle in a bid to raise money for street children. Drooling diva Freida Pinto wants to act opposite DiCaprio Slumdog Millionaire actor Freida Pinto, who has just bagged a role in Woody Allen's next film, is determined to star alongside her schoolgirl crush Leonardo DiCaprio. "I had a big crush on him back in school. I had this little Leonardo DiCaprio scrapbook with his picture on the front. Freida Pinto and Dev Patel

Celebrated causes
Parties on the fringes of the Oscars combined fun and fund raising
Tina Daunt
A good Hollywood party these days combines certain indispensable elements: a beautiful room filled with beautiful people, good food and drink, efficient valet parking and a cause. At this year's Oscar parties, the cause element was especially important.

KOFFEE BREAK
Great expectations
Vikram. K Kumar who has won a national award for his short film Silent Scream talks about his supernatural thriller 13B and his passion for films. Having worked as an assistant director with noted filmmaker Priyadarshan, he has also directed a Telugu film Ishtam (produced by Ramoji Rao) and a Tamil film Alai with Sibu Trisha.

Golden girls	Minogue on Marine Drive
Actor Zeenat Aman along with Deepika Padukone during the Kelvinator Gr8! FLO Women Awards 2009 in Mumbai. PTI Photos	Australian pop-singer Kylie Minogue waves at her fans as she arrives in Mumbai to act in her first Hindi film Blue with Akshay Kumar and Sanjay Dutt.