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Clay,cad and cinema
Hmmm…so you loved the roadside antics of a street dog in Roadside Romeo and are hungry for more? Well, there is just the right amount of animation masala to treat the Indian appetite, going by the skyrocketing speed of its success. This 12-billion worth industry is running in the fast lane and is expected to touch the 50-billion mark by next year and Chandigarh is ready for its share. The Indian Chapter of Association of International Du Film D' animation (ASIFA) celebrated International Animation Day in the tricity by showcasing the process of producing an animation film and the techniques needed for making it real. And here are two masters who talk about both the arms of animation.
Ani-e-motion According to Paresh Parekh, an acting professor and NSD passout, acting is the only thing that puts life in even a virtual character. In fact, the soul of any movie is enlivened by the depth of emotions and performances of it's characters. So, when you see a cancer struck, dying SRK in Kal Ho Na Ho saying his last goodbyes you feel that big lump in your throat increasing by the moment. But what about an animation flick? "An animator and actor have the same thought process, just that what an actor does physically, an animator visualises and takes reference of and puts it in a virtual character," says Paresh. He has worked with bigwigs like Ketan Mehta, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra and London-based Simon Bueffoy (writer of Full Monty). He now teaches the fine nuances of acting and performance to young budding actors and professionals in game. To him the most important thing for acting and animation to go
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Power of poetry
Shayari nahin asaan, yeh hunar toh aata hai Khoon mein, Aei Tariq Ungliyan dubone sey Of all the literary realms, the art of poetry is not so easy to grasp. Yet, over 45 accomplished poets from India and foreign lands, now in the city to participate in the International Festival of Poetry at Randhawa Auditorium-26, fairly negates the perception of poet Tariq Aziz's above couplet. Be it Indian literary stalwarts, Kunwar Narain, Keki Daruwalla, K, Sachidanand, Ramakant Rath, Nand Kishore Acharya, Surjit Patar, Uday Naraian Singh, Arun Kamal, Dilip Jhaveri, Mamang Dai, Jiban Narah, VP Tewari, Shambu Badal, Rati Saxena or the poets from foreign lands, they all share the common bond of intensive thoughts. Talking about her passion for poetry, Uktamoy from Uzbekistan does not really recollect when and why she fell in love with the poetic art and the realisation came only when the adulations came her way. Talkng to Lifestyle she says she draw inspiration from nature and human emotions. Similar views were expressed by Mrgus Lttik from Estonia and her friend poet Triin Sopomets. Manchester-based English poet, John Siddique, has a lavish living style, thanks to his poetic excellence. Credited with four poetry books, the poet gets enough money from his publications. He holds a special reverence for Punjab, becausehis father Habib Siddique migrated to England from Jallandhar in 1947. But Vancouver-based Indo Canadian poet Ajmer Rode, though migrated in 1966, has been sticking to his roots. The other participants include Rocio Gonzalez (Mexico), Peter Waugh (Vienna), Elisa Biagini and Odvbeig Kiyve ( Norway) among others. "The aim of the festival is to share poetic creations of poets from different cultural backgrounds and sensibilities," says Surjit Patar and Rati Saxena, directors of the programme. The three-day event, including an exhibition, is brought to the city by Kritya in collaboration with the Punjab Sahit Akademi and the Punjab Arts Council.
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Waiting for action now
"Fortunately, I'm back in Mumbai after a very long time. I've been shooting for my two films It's My Life and Victory in various parts of the world. I quite often got homesick. I did invite my sister Rowena to join me once in a while. But on the whole I liked being on my own. It gave me a chance to think about my life." The past one-year has been a learning experience for Harman. "I've learnt to loosen up. I don't feel that tension of having to deliver my first film. Now I'm far more relaxed. I've almost completed two films. I've just started shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker's What's My Raashee. Then there's Sanjay Leela Bhansali's production Chenaab Gandhi with Big B and Vidya Balan. That's it. I haven't signed any more films. All I have agreed to is a film for my father at the end of next year. No other script has attracted me. I'd like to do a young action film. That's my birthday wish." Travel-saturated Harman isn't weary. "There has been no time to get jetlagged. I've just been living out of suitcases, numbed with fatigue. On top of that, last week I hit my head against an iron pillar. For a minute the world came to a standstill. When I regained my senses I couldn't move my head." Harman had to go through a series of tests to make sure he was internally intact. "Actually it was a good way to bring in my birthday. I needed that knock on my head. I'm 28 now and I told myself, 'Dude, about time you grew up.' I guess the past year has opened many doors and windows in my life." Now there's the birthday to look forward to. |
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Rising in recession
"Sanjay was so impressed with the kind of action sequences Tinu had created for Acid Factory that he decided to gift him the watch. It was Sanjay's way of showing that he admired Tinu's professionalism and work," said a source close to Gupta. Acid Factory is Gupta's latest venture and stars Fardeen Khan, Dia Mirza, Aftab Shivdasani, Irrfan Khan, Dino Morea, Manoj Bajpai and Danny Denzongpa. Varma was apparently moved by Gupta's gesture. "I have always felt White Feather Films (Gupta's production company) to be like my own production house. I've given my heart and soul to it. Acid Factory is extremely special to me and I have done every bit to make the action sequences as thrilling as possible," the action director said. "Besides innovative action sequences, we have also used every other possible trick. I'm looking forward to the film's release since Acid Factory is my best and biggest film till date," Varma added.
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In her Bollywood career spanning almost eight years, actor Kim Sharma has managed just one hit, Mohabbatein, and she has no qualms admitting that it might be a result of her wrong selection of films. "I have possibly made wrong choices in the films that I've done. But I feel as an actor, I can only do my job. I can't control people's reactions. And I don't spend any time wondering why a certain film goes wrong. It's okay," Kim said. After making her debut in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein in 2000, Kim followed it up with films like Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai (2002), Fida (2004) and Tom, Dick and Harry (2006). But these were not well received at the box office. The model-turned-actor is, however, positive about her acting career. "I'm not unhappy with my career. I am a practical person and I do understand that it is all a part of learning. Whatever I've done till now, I've done it on my own without anyone's help and I'm well aware of the mess-ups I have made in my career," she said.
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Bollywood better
"We, the Colombian filmmakers, watch more Bollywood than Hollywood films. Old Hindi classics like Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Mera Naam Joker are widely watched in our country," Echeverri told reporters before the screening of his film The Voice of Wings Thursday evening at the 14th Kolkata Film Festival. The filmmaker said it's the passion with which Indian films are made, attracts him to them. "Just a good script is not adequate for making films... you need passion to tell your story. Indian films are made with loads of emotion and passion that make them distinct.All of the four films and 15 short films I have made so far, carry an underlying Bollywood influence in terms of emotion, imagination and dramatization of facts," said Echeverri. The Voice of Wings is a 40-year old love story between a man and his half-sister, who in course of the film joins the guerrilla forces in Colombia, years later the man was kidnapped by them. When the couple reunites in London, they decide to return home and face the consequences of their relationship. The other films of the filmmaker include Terminal, Maximum Penalty and Malamor. — IANS
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Brides made
It's a staggering Rs 90,000-crore business that has no motherboard or keyboards attached to it, instead it's about gems, garments and groceries. Yes, you guessed it right, we are talking about the Big Fat Indian Wedding Industry that is growing at an impetuous rate. And bringing a taste of it to the tricity is 'Wedding Asia,' an exhibition-cum-sale of clothes, jewellery, accessories, a few electronic gadgets and, last but the most important, honeymoon destinations, all at Taj-17.
A three-day event that saw a brigade of women on Day One, has almost everything that you would want for a wedding trousseau. Garb it right If you are looking for some chic fabrics and stylish traditional and designer Indian wear, head to this exhibition. Here you can pick sinuous drapes in contemporary deigns by Anjali Dhawan. For some eclectic fusion check Montage's stall. A brainchild of Shruti Kapoor, it has suits, saris and chick jackets. While her USP remains embroidered jackets and tunics in digital prints, about wedding trends this season she says, "Anarkali suits are still in but in empire cuts. And the fabrics have to be richer other than georgette and chiffon." Looking for a mix of tradition and elegance? Then the stall of Rubaiyat is one for you, and for fabrics that you can tailor as per your choice, stall of Tekchand Enterprises has some stylised stuff. For your eyes only Home and more Well, that's not about it, here you can pick a host of accessories too. For home furnishings check Romi fabrics, for smart cotton and silk woven- ikat and handloom textiles in ethnic phulkari, kasmiri and traditional motifs. For more contemporary designs visit the stall of Rasberrie, here you can pick leather cushions in digital prints, bedspreads and quilts. Traditional and hand crafted in meenakari, the stall of Heritage collection by CA International from Jaipur have some wonderful hand carved wall mirrors, lampshades and gold patra paintings." Bon voyage Last but not the least, the exhibition takes care of your honeymoon destination too. Check out the East Bourne Pine Forest Resorts, Shimla stall for a nearby getaway and if you want to go beyond India, then Malaysia Tourism has a stall to give wings to your honeymoon
plans. Well groomed |
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“Photography is a hobby that one can never get bored of. Every minute, life offers something fresh that deserves to be captured,” avers Shunichi Senda, director, ICP, Canon India. A photography workshop will be organised on Saturady, which will be conducted by Umesh Bogna, a professional photographer. “A lot of people like to take pictures but do not have the skill. In the workshop, basic nuances of photography will be taught.” Also, the fest will bring latest models of digi-cams, handy-cams and DVD camcorders from the house of Canon. Describing it as one opportunity where one can touch and try any camera, he says, “Usually when people go to buy cameras, the only way they can know about the functioning of the camera is by reading its brochures. Here, we are offering people a chance to use camera and understand it’s functioning.” He believes that by practically using it, people will be able to judge which model they want to go for. Rejecting the old belief that photography is an expensive hobby, he says, “Today cameras are available in a wide range in terms of pricing and quality and so choosing one is not an issue at all.” — Ashima Sehajpal The festival is on till Sunday at Piccadily-22.
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Launch PAD Maspar, the well known home fashion brand brings alive the aura of bygone era in its most recent collection Vintage. The series encompasses the segments of bed room, dinning room and bath room. Bed linen range: The segment comprises of bed covers or duvet covers with pillow cases, bed sheets, cushion covers, quilts, bolsters etc. Available in hues like green light, gold, brown, grey, beige etc. Table linen range: The range includes table covers, runners, napkins and placemats in colours like blue medium, blue dark, maroon, beige, green light, brown medium, gold etc. Bath linen range: The series includes towels in various size and designs, it is available in tints like offwhite, dull mustard, sand dune, green haze etc. So it’s the time to snuggle into the Vintage collection. —TNS
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Bon Appetit
500 gm amlas 180 gm salt ¾ cup cup mustard oil 1 sprig curry leaves ½ tsp heeng, powdered 2 tsp jeera 2 tsp saunf 1 - 2 tsp methi seeds 1 - 2 tsp red chilli powder 1 - 2 tsp turmeric Method Plunge amlas in boiling water and cook till they begin to split open at the slight coaxing. (5-10 minutes). Drain, mix in 100 gm salt and keep aside for 5-6 hours. Deseed the fruit and separate into segments. Heat the oil in a kadhai and remove from heat. Add jeera, saunf, methi, chilli powder, turmeric powder, curry patta, heeng and the remaining salt. You only need to cook further if you notice any residual liquid in the kadhai that needs to be dried out. Cool and transfer to jars. The pickle lasts for 2-3 months without refrigeration. 1 kg amlas 4 gms citric acid 1 ¼ kg sugar ½ tsp alum Method Wash the amlas and perforate all over it with a fork. Dissolve alum in 2 litres of water and submerge the amlas in it. Soak them for a day. Boil a batch of fresh water and drop the amlas in it. Boil for two minutes. Remove and keep aside. Make a syrup with the sugar and ¾ litre of water. Soak amlas in the syrup for 24 hrs. Remove from the syrup and boil the syrup till it is reduced to its original consistency. Add citric acid and return the amlas to the syrup. Keep for 24 hours, then, repeat the process four times within the next four days. Preserve the murabba in an air-tight jar. |
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tandemly is the timing and visualization of the performance of the characters. "Animation is not just about putting motion, but putting motions to emotions is what describes it," he
says.
Harman Baweja, who turned 28 on Thursday, says he's happy with the films in his kitty and his birthday wish is to do an action film.
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has joined the bandwagon of Bollywood stars known for giving exorbitant gifts to their colleagues. He recently gifted a Rolex watch worth Rs.6,00,000 to action director Tinu Varma for his work in upcoming movie Acid Factory.
Colombian filmmakers are more inspired by Bollywood films than Hollywood ones, said filmmaker Jorge Echeverri, adding "old Hindi classics like Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Mera Naam Joker are widely watched in our country".
It's the glitter of gold and the dazzle of diamond that can lure any woman. And showcasing a host of trinkets this exhibition has all that a woman wants. Right from diamond-studded gems to white and yellow gold here you can buy silver-based thewa jewellery, jadau sets and even some fashion jewellery to match your outfit. Stall of Vikas exports, has some great looking diamond jewellery. Here you can pick pendants in unusual designs (in shape of purse, key chain, teddy bear, strawberry et al), sets, neckpieces, cocktail rings, earrings. For more, check out A-jewels, Mehak creations, Voila, Orra et al.
Strike a pose, say cheese and here we go… click click. And one can go on clicking till one gets the picture-perfect shot. It’s that simple and easy. Of course, it has to be, as you don’t need today those monstrous cameras placed on tripods and big lenses. Instead, at your disposal are sleek, lightweight and more importantly mega-pixel cameras in incredibly wide variety — indeed incentive enough to take up photography as a hobby. And if you too are keen on pressing the button, then Canon image fest is the place to be.
There's nothing commonplace or aam about the unglamorous looking amla. As children, we scoffed at them, as they lay spread out on clean sheets in my grandma's courtyard, being dried and preserved. Sour, astringent, bitter and pungent, they tasted ghastly to our young tastebuds. You want the truth? They still do! Just that one has wizened to their multiple benefits now! Amla is a concentrated source of Vitamin C, with each little orb, packing a punch 20 times that of an orange! The Vitamin C in amla helps in dilating the blood vessels and thereby reducing blood pressure and stabilising blood cholesterol levels. Considered to be the elixir of good health, they form an indispensable part of the ayurvedic and unaani schools of medicine. What makes them even more extraordinary is that unlike many other natural sources, the Vitamin C content in amla does not diminish with cooking! The principal fruit used in Chyavanprash is aamla to which are attributed near magical powers.
Amla Pickle
Amla Murabba