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For our on-screen women, things are indeed changing for the better
When one is fortunate enough to be part of a group that has director Shyam Benegal and film researcher Indubala Singh and her book Gender Relations and Cultural Ideology in Indian Cinema to steer the conversation, one has a lot to take home to. The topic on the portrayal of women on silver screen assumes significance and Benegal’s comment that most filmmakers, while portraying the role of a victimised woman, go overboard with their victimasation bit, rather than highlighting her strength, leaves a question mark in our minds. Well, looking at the recent hits like Aaja Nachle and Laaga Chunri Mein Daag, one can surely say that our women are not mere showpieces anymore, nor are they just victims of the social system. And looking at their box office records, one can also say that the audience has matured enough to accept a middle-aged woman with a child in her tow as lead heroine in the former and even a commercial sex worker finding acceptability in her man in the latter. It leaves us wondering how relevant is Benegal’s comment in today’s world of filmmaking. “Things are changing and changing for the better. The clear cut boundary between black and white (read vamps and heroines) are dissolving, giving the audience space for individual interpretations,” says theatre person and film buff Neelam Man Singh, who defies Bengal’s remark. “Films past and present have captured the essence of women. Films like Mother India or Mughal-e-Azam with Anarkali’s historic line when she asks Akbar’s permission to spend one night with his son before she dies showed that women did have a voice even then,” she adds. And the modern films like Halla Bol, where Vidya Balan makes a decision to have separate sleeping arrangements from her husband but stands by him all the same, or for that matter, Guru where Aishwarya Rai’s presence was felt in every frame, one can say though the feminist theories adopted by our filmmakers may not fall into the category of Laura Mulvey, Ann Kaplan or Claire Johnston, but it is certainly moving into a direction which is interesting. Indubala supports the theory in her book by exploring the man-women relationship though case studies of six films — Teesri Kasam, Gaban, Umrao Jaan, Ghare Baire, Rudaali and Train to Pakistan. “These films portrayed women, who were marginalised women from the periphery of the society, having their own voice and they came across strongly as individuals. And these films also showed that man-women, even a strong woman can derive inspiration from a man who can be her lover, husband or even a colleague. Even the most recent blockbuster Chak De was indeed a ‘chak de female power’ — a power which was channelised and directed towards victory by Kabir Khan,” says Indubala. “Though most of our film-makers have been using women as fashion accessories in the script, there have times when women-centric films capturing different shades of her character have been made,” says Vivek Mohan, a film-maker from Shimla, citing example of Mother India, Ankur and comparatively recent Kya Kehna in which Preity Zinta had played the role of an unwed mother. And what kind of portrayal do they look forward to? “As a human being with emotions, desires and all positive and negative traits blended together,” comes the reply. With winds of change already swaying the mindset of our filmmakers, especially the younger generation, we will soon find more women characters on screen, which smell real. Mars-Venus Equation Known for her strong feminist streak and passion for cinema, it was only natural that Indubala Singh would blend both for her Ph. D and that’s exactly what she did. And the result is the book — Gender Relations and Cultural Ideology in Indian Cinema, which was released by Shyam Benegal. Taking the six all-time great flicks Teesri Kasam, Gaban, Umrao Jaan, Ghare Baire, Rudaali and Train to Pakistan as case studies, the author tried to analyse the relation between a man and woman in these films. “I have gone beyond feminism to capture the gender render relations as portrayed in our films,” says Indubala, who teaches English literature at GCG-11.
Indubala, who has done a film appreciation course from Pune, has made a documentary called Preet Nagri and written a play The Illusive Heer on girl child. So what is next? “Maybe a sequel to this book,” she says. And what we learn from her is that when she does this, Guide will be her first choice. |
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Telly Tales
Once upon a time, there lived a melodrama queen in tellyville, whose soul was entrapped inside the body of a parrot (read alphabet K). And so, as she grew up and took over the reigns of her ‘soap opera’ kingdom, she insisted on naming all her subjects (read lead characters in K serials) with K. Their characteristics begun with the K-sound as well… cunning, cutely dumb, conniving and blah blah. As time flew, however, these characters got kkk…conventional and the soap queen thought of adding some mellow shades to these characters.
So, out of our telly screens flew those ruthless businessmen, desperate lovers and scheming daughter-in-laws, and in came a plethora of oldies, glammed up with crisp paper-white saris, Harry-potter-like spectacles, an ornate walking stick and words…oops, (excuse me for that, Ekta), pearls of wisdom, falling out at the drop of a puja thaali … And well, that brings us to yet another story about apshaguns and falling puja thaalis… In these serials (or serial killers) the falling of the puja thaali is a sign of bad luck, just as is the blowing off of a fuse. And who could be more befitting to caution the ghar ke log about it than the elderly Ba or Aayi? So, 70-year-old Sudha Shivpuri, who started her telly career as Ba in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, at an age when most actresses retire, warmed much more hearts than Komolika! Her character, in fact, is such a favourite among viewers that even at 116, no one wants the character to die! Closely following Ba were the goodey, widowed great grandmas and grannies, who move around the house performing puja or advising the betis and bahus to follow their own set of moral conduct. Take Mithibai of Teen Bahuraiyan, Bhabho of Saat Phere, Aayi in Parivaar and Mausi in Kasamh Se. Compassion, love and advice flew uninterrupted, at a speed that matched the pace of the beads of their prayer beads (mala). Often, when anything bad is about to happen, a storm comes from nowhere, there is lightening when it comes to the most dramatic point, idols of gods and goddesses move about and appear to fall off. And friends, it’s at this precise moment that our old lady, mostly the great grandma of our soap’s hero or heroine, comes and holds it, ala saves it. They don’t even spare gods, you see!! Well, these pillar-of-strength oldies are generally found praying (besides hovering around in their palace like houses and sermonising) or falling sick. Often, their illness shoots up TRPs and has the whole family gathered around some spiral staircase, with the drumming going on incessantly. But they don’t pop out so easily. Rather, like old wine, they keep getting better (read younger) with age. Remember Ramola Sikand of Kahin Kissi Roz? When the serial started, Ramola was 50 years old and after about 25 years, she looked still the same. In the same way, our beloved Ba is still alive and healthy, touchwood! And well, some of these elders are a perfect example of iron-will. Like Piyush`s mom from Kahiin To Hoga, who wasn’t sad about Piyush`s death, at all. In fact, she remained completely loyal to her 24x7 job of scheming even post her son’s death. Not to miss the dress code (backless halters and clinging corsets), which didn’t mellow down either. And dear readers, if these elderly women baffle you with their behaviour, believe us that this aloofness to death is justified. For, why stop wearing that hot, new backless number for a dead son who’s going to return home very And if the worst happens and Ekta learns to break away from her clichéd situations, it’s never gonna be our oldie women heading for the grave. For, these oldies are meant to remain alive and kicking, bees saal pehle, bees saal baad! (This column appears weekly) |
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A glass a day keeps the doctor away...
Restricting the drinking of wine to only one glass a day may offer better health benefits than drinking more, a new study by Canadian scientists has shown. The first drink may relax blood vessels, reduce the amount of work the heart has to do and lower the risk of heart disease.
But the study done by researchers at the University of Toronto found that the health benefits of red wine or other alcoholic drinks not only stop after one glass, it may also have adverse effects on health, reported the online edition of Daily Mail. The second glass of wine may increase the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and heart failure, they said. In the latest study, scientists gave healthy, non-smoking adults either a 120 ml glass of wine, a 44 ml shot of spirits or water at random. One alcoholic drink had no adverse effect on heart rate or blood pressure, the scientists found. But two drinks increased heart rate and reduced the ability of arteries to expand to handle the increased blood flow. Past studies have shown that moderate drinking can protect against heart disease. Some studies have also reported the specific benefits of red wine. |
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Beyonce Knowles' father has slammed legendary singer Aretha Franklin for her public comments criticising Beyonce's Grammy Awards performance. Franklin was upset with Beyonce for calling her duet partner Tina Turner ‘the queen’. Franklin is usually called the queen of soul music and thinks Beyonce and the award writers took ‘a cheap shot for controversy’. Beyonce's father Matthew said: "Beyonce referred to Tina as a queen, not queen of gospel, queen of soul, queen of blues, queen of England. I consider my wife a queen and sometimes call her that. Does Aretha have a problem with that?" — IANS
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Adventureholic!
Having successfully undertaken a solo motorbike expedition (Expedition Khardungla), kicking off the world’s highest motorable road (18,350 feet above the sea level) on his Kawasaki (115 cc) bike recently, the adventure enthusiast is all charged up for bigger challenges. We chat him up on his successful expedition... Having kicked off on Expedition Khardungla on October 2 last year, Ajay travelled 1,700 km in six days, crossing six mighty mountain-passes (Rohtang, Baralacha, Tanalang la, Lachulungla, Fotula and Zozila) to finally reach Khardungla (50 km beyond Leh, and at 18,350 feet). “Generally such expeditions are undertaken in groups, but I prefer the solo thing. In any case, I had to go alone, since all of my friends refused to accompany me, considering this expedition a risky one. Also, while most bikers prefer the sturdy Royal Enfield for expeditions, I opted for Bajaj Kawasaki to test my limits,” smiles this 34-year-old, senior manager with Reliance Communications. So what initiated him into the thrills of offbeat journeys? “I’ve been blessed with stamina, a sound road sense and a memory for routes. But it was only during my posting in Himachal that I travelled extensively, got captivated by the beauty of Himalayas and discovered the thrill of expeditions. From then, there was no looking back. Two years back, Dhiman undertook Himalayan Foothill Expedition to Jalori Pass (11,500 feet), kicked off on his second expedition on October and is contemplating the third one to Shipki la (at 15,000 feet, it connects India with Tibet) in 2008. Coming back to his recent expedition, what was the most memorable moment he experienced? “As I reached the mighty Baralacha pass, it was only me, my bike, the splendid Baralacha and a sky named blue. There was no life, fuel station or mobile network. The whole experience was exhilarating!” More ecstatic than this, however, was the moment when Dhiman reached Khardungla’s top on October 4, 2007, “Despite biting cold, low oxygen, ultra-violet radiations and frost-bite, I was there where I wanted to be, travelling via the world’s highest motorable road. I thanked God, my bike, the dhaba owners, Army men and Tibetan monks I’d met on the way.” And well, there’s no stopping for this biker. Soon, he’s launching his own Adventure Sports Academy that would organise expeditions, adventure sports, camps and river rafting. “By 2010, I’ll scale Mount Everest,” comes a full-throated resolve. Now, that’s what we call insurmountable spirit!
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Healing touch
His Mudcake made news not just in the Chandigarh Film Festival but the Mumbai International Film Festival too. And looking at the three slum children who play ‘Happy Birthday to You’ game by cutting a mud cake, one knows why — the rawness of its content and the unadulterated emotions of these children touch one’s heart. And well, this is what one can describe as Dr Gaurav Raj Chabbra’s signature style of filmmaking.
The MBBS, who found his true calling in spreading health awareness through short films, is busy these days shedding weight. Nothing unusual for a youngster, but he has a twin purpose — get back to into shape as well as capture the aesthetics of losing weight on celluloid. “When a doctor asks someone to lose weight for one’s heart’s sake, it does not much register in one’s mind. Give them the motivation through the trial room phobia, the lure of looking good and they will go for it,” says Gaurav and slowly unfolds the story of this Haryana boy, who faced social humiliation as a 106-kg teenager. “I felt alienated and that’s how I got into a fitness regime and got down to 78 kg within six months. Once again, I have put on a little and now we (three of them) are going to capture our day-to-day activities like yoga, gymming and aerobics, till we reach our target in six months,” he says. Motivating enough, but it will take at least six months. And in the meantime, two of his short films are nearing completion — one on non-existing facilities in public buildings and city parks for the disabled (Lock on Heaven’s Door) and the second on community therapy schizophrenics by a Bangalore-based institute, Atma Shakti Vidyalaya. Interesting subjects, but what intrigued us most was the reason for the shift from mainstream medical profession to films on health awareness. Especially, after hearing his story as how he disguised himself as a Sikh to pass the surgery practical as no examiner was ready to have him operate with long silky locks! “The artistic gene came from my father who was a very good artist,” he says, proud enough to use his father’s name Raj as his middle name. “Abroad, we have a special branch that teaches doctors how to make films on health related issues. Since we do not have it here, I learnt filmmaking through trial and error,” adds Raj, admitting how a couple of jobs in health departments both in Ahmedabad and PGI, Chandigarh, did not appeal to him. “In Chandigarh, anything to do with health means a cycle rally. How many times can you do that?” he questions. That’s for the administration to answer, but looking at the aesthetics of his films, all we can say is the health department’s loss is indeed the art lover’s gain.
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A new range of silver jewellery all the way from Thailand and China were up for the grabs at Bhardwaj Ornaments-23. On display here was a wide range of necklaces, pendants, bracelets and charms, studded with ruby, sapphire, emerald and also semi-precious stones like aquamarine, topaz, garnet, amethyst, citrine and turquoise are chic and suits both college-going girls and married women.
Besides the intricacies of the design what attracts one is the shape of the gemstones on offer — rounds, squares, trillions, octagons, baguettes, pear shapes, ovals, marquise and heart shape. The size varies from one cent a to 30 karats. While sourcing the gemstones from reputed manufacturers from India and abroad, Bhardwaj jewellery keep the astrological angle in mind along with trend and fashion.
— TNS
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During winter, when the weather is cold and dry, the hair really suffers. This is that time of the year when we like to sit outside and enjoy the warm sunshine. We use hot water for bathing and washing the hair. These things can actually dry out the hair. For one thing, the hair and scalp loose moisture to the atmosphere, due to lack of humidity. Both sun-exposure and hot water cause dryness as well. The hair becomes dry and difficult to manage. It can also develop problems like split ends.
A conditioner helps to give the hair protection and body. A good conditioner works by coating the hair. This adds thickness, strength and body to the hair. Conditioners can contain protein and oils. Some ingredients, like henna, are conditioners too, as they have the ability to coat the hair. One can buy a hair conditioner, or a shampoo with a built-in conditioner, so that it performs a dual task of both cleansing and conditioning the hair. One can also use ingredients from the home to condition the hair. The hot oil treatment works well on dry and brittle hair. This can be done by mixing together one tablespoon pure coconut oil with one teaspoon castor oil. Heat and apply on the hair and scalp. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the towel around the head, like a turban. Keep it on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Egg yolk is a good conditioner for dry hair. Take the yolks of two eggs and beat them together. Apply this on the hair and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then wash the hair with a mild shampoo. For extremely dry and damaged hair, mix together a little olive oil and the yolk of an egg. Apply this on the hair. Tie an old scarf on the head and leave the mixture on for an hour. Then, shampoo the hair, using a mild shampoo. Honey can also be used to condition dry hair, especially during the winter months. Mix one teaspoon honey with 2 teaspoons oil and apply this on the scalp. Apply a hot moist towel for about 20 minutes before washing the hair with shampoo. You can also make a conditioner with one egg (optional), two tablespoons of coconut oil, one teaspoon lemon juice and one teaspoon honey. Beat them well together and apply on the scalp. Use the hot towel wrap around the head. This opens the pores of the scalp and allows better absorption. Wash your hair after 20 minutes. It will add both body and shine.
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Cool Stuff
Sonata’s Shubh Vivah sale (offering upto 30% off on Sonata watches) is all set to woo everyone who is in the mood for wedding shopping. All pair watches are on 30% discount, whereas watches from Rs 500-1,000 are at 15% off and individual watches above Rs 1,000 are available at 20% discount. The month of February being a bumper time for weddings, almost every alternate day is a muhurat day. The offer can be availed (at all Sonata showrooms, World Technology Toshiba India Private Limited, the subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation Japan, has launched its 57” REGZA Z3500 series LCD TV in India. Toshiba India is also launching the new lineup, of total ten models from four different series such as REGZA Z3500 series. The impressive looking REGZA Z3500 57” LCD Television offers many new generation features. These flagship products are full HD Panel with 1920x1080 pixel resolution LCD sets, equipped with Meta Brain Pro 100 Engine and offers 100 Hz technology for clearer, less motion blur images, with 10-bit wide color gamut panel for enhanced colors. The LCD television is available in India through Toshiba India Private Limited (starting from Rs 52,000/- onwards). menz Only Titan has launched its all-new collection of chronograph, multifunction and retrograde watches with international styling, called ‘Octane.’ The collection embodies speed, energy and power. Designed for today’s man, Octane celebrates masculinity and is the perfect blend of style and technology. Its sporty yet urban look is a perfect accessory for the man who seeks to explore new horizons. The bold look of these watches represents the adrenalin rush he gets from his explorations and the intricate dials symbolize the controlled aggression he thrives on. These watches connect to his inherent self with its energetic and bold attitude. The Octane collection is present in over 35 different styles (Rs 5,000-7,500) Fashion Lotto Sport Italia, the Italian company specialising in the production of sports footwear, has launched two models of soccer shoes—Zhero Flash Due and Stadio Azzuri Tre, having features suitable for Indian field conditions, cashing in on the soccer fever which is gaining momentum among the sports enthusiasts. The Zhero Flash Due has water-repellent premium plus upper and 3F concept, sole fitted with fixed polyurethane lamellar studs for differentiated traction to optimise acceleration, change of direction and stability (Rs 1,899). Stadio Azzurri Tre has water–repellent Premium plus upper and fixed rubber stud soles (Rs 1,699). Beauty Astaberry Biosciences London, in a technical collaboration with Bhimsaini has researched, conceptualised and is all set to launch world class Astaberry Wine facial kit. This unique facial kit improves skin miniaturisation, firmness and elasticity. This includes Astaberry Wine Facial Cleanser, Astaberry Wine Facial Scrub, Astaberry Wine Facial Crème and Astaberry Face Pack that reduces fine lines and replenishes depleted moisture. Enhancing your beauty, the Astaberry Wine Facial Pack provides you everlasting glow and fairness and your skin will feel fresh, smooth, invigorated all the day. It has no side effects and is completely safe for all types of skin having lovely fragrance in addition (Rs 125). — TNS
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One should avoid placing a wallet full of credit cards in a deep hip pocket otherwise sciatica-like pain can occur. |
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Breathtaking landscapes (visualise snow-capped mountains and minor detours to the remotest of valleys), bone-rattling icy winds, narrow roads (seem endless in their steep climb), untamed freedom on the wheels and of course, a man and his machine thundering across it all. Well, it’s such an adventure that sets Ajay Dhiman’s adrenaline gushing. In an age where everyone’s addicted to comfort, this true-blue adventurer loves to ride the risk wave. 