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Doing a Mrs Bennet
In a web conference at Reliance Web World-9 on Thursday, the Marathi actor, who is a known face on television, shared her groom-hunting experience, “In Indian families, every mother lives for only one thing, finding the perfect boy for her daughter. It’s a practice that is religiously followed and a dream that is nurtured the day a daughter is born. Pavitra Rishta just brings the struggles of a mother who wants the best for her daughter,” she says. And with this entire matrimonial hunt, the underlying emotion and mother-daughter bonding run parallel. For millions of mommies who are waiting for that one accha rishta for their wholesome betis, the show is an instant connect. “It’s a sweet drama that every middle class family would relate to, everything from the story to the characters, nothing loud or larger than life but the simple day-to-day happenings in a Marathi family,” says the on-screen doting mother. Ankita Lokhande, one of the finds of Zee Cinestar ki Khoj, plays the role of her darling daughter. The USP of the show is its treatment, “Whether it’s a marketplace, Sidhivinayak temple or the kitchen, the only thing that my character finds fascinating is her daughters’ prospective husband. At times, it’s humorous and at others, deeply emotional as well,” says Savita. And when talking about Balaji, the saas-bahu angle is hard to neglect. “ Well, when you have a saas and a bahu in the same periphery, the fireworks are promised. So, the show too has its saas-bahu nonk-jhonk. But don’t expect too much on that front,” she clears the air. Instead, ask her if she is hunting for a perfect match for her daughter in real life and she laughs, “My daughter is studying in Class XII. So, I can breathe till she reaches a marriageable age. But, the show forms a good practice ground.” lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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My kind of weekend
“I have been working back to back the minute I landed in Mumbai. Somebody, please tell me how a holiday looks like,” he pleads. Nevertheless, there are things he would ideally want to do on an off or a weekend if he is lucky. Write again
On a weekend, (I am repeatedly saying it is a privilege) would like to sit down and write short stories. I like to read literature, at least a few pages of a good book. In addition to this, I also go through various sites and blogs. If I see anything interesting, I pen it down on a notebook. Lastly, I like to collect motivational quotations. Ideal holiday
Of and off I try to spend quality time with my kids and family. They look forward to the same. We play, share jokes and even go for a short walk. However, I like to be home. Party time
I am not cut out for parties. I feel uncomfortable and quite out of place in them. I’d rather sit home with people whom I long to be with. Don’t be amazed if I were to tell you that I haven’t attended any hardcore parties so far. What’s cooking
I am an amazing cook. I can whip up any kind of dish. My specialty cooking lies in the home-made chutneys. I can make various kinds of salt, sweet chutneys, especially my favourite, onion tomato mix. Besides, cooking is therapeutic too. Most importantly, it reminds me of the good old days spent at my hometown in Rajasthan. Movie massacre
I look at myself as the best movie critic ever born. I watch movies to scrutinise their technicalities, script, direction, and choreography. A chhutti calls for a movie, which I review to my heart’s content. I could be the biggest movie buff alive. Missing Chandigarh
I miss everything about the city. The plaza carnival at Sector-17 on Saturdays, a walk at Sukhna Lake with friends, eating at Punjab University and discussing and dreaming about new projects. jasmine@tribuenmail.com |
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Objet D’Art
It reminds you of those leprechauns you read about during your fairytale days. Or, remove its flap-like ears and paint it back to white and what you get is something like the modern zoozoo which flashes on your TV screen every now and then. However, this cute-looking green creature is nothing but our own desi mythical figure, Githmuthia, which is believed to exist in deep bores. Picked up from the folklore and presented by Col Jasbir Bhullar in his book Patal De Githmuthiye, it got a form when artist R.M. Singh painted it for the book cover. The original painting still finds a place at Singh’s living room and this is how we learnt about how this ‘ek haath aur ek muthi’ tall mythical figure inspired Bhullar to write and Singh to paint. “There is a myth in Punjab that when one digs a well, this short man emerges, though nobody had ever seen it. I was fascinated with Githmuthiya ever since I was a child. This is why I took it up as a subject for my book. I wrote about it in a fairytale fashion,” says Col Bhullar. Singh painted it in green, giving it flap-like ears and the result is a cute-looking alien which one would like to have in one’s friend’s list. “The idea was to create something like a human with a alien touch so that a child can relate to it, yet hold it in awe, says Singh. Such Punjabi folklore has inspired many of our city-based artists. Malkit Singh, who makes it a point to represent a slice of his old village days on canvas, has done an extensive series on goats and peacocks. “The animal and the bird are an integral part of our folk culture. So, using them as an element, I try to give my paintings a little ethnic touch,” says Malkit. Malkit’s goats come in triangular shape in blue and his peacocks are white with bright yellows and oranges for the backdrop. Though the overall effect is of a modern painting, the artist has been able to retain the folksy touch which is indeed quite refreshing. One more city-based artist to have worked on such a theme is Vinay Vadhera. In his collection of folk-inspired paintings one gets to see the famous stories of Goga Peer with his companions – a tiger, a snake and a peacock. Painted in bright red and yellow oil colours, Vinay’s depiction runs more towards contemporary style. There is another one on sanji in acrylic, a motif taken from the wall paintings of Haryana. “The origin of paintings is folk culture and religion. But being in the contemporary league, my aim is to retell those stories with a modern touch. After all, what we are painting now will become history some day,” says Vadhera. Well, if being part of history is not motivating enough for others to follow, here is another point — in India the market may not be ripe for folk-based paintings but abroad, Indian art is generally associated with folk art and there is a great demand for it. parbina@tribunemail.com
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Mover and shaker
Dancing is the most ancient and proudest of all arts being an important part of the religious rituals which, however, with the passage of time has been reduced to mere entertainment,” opines Bangalore-based danseur Arun Kumar, who in the city for a training assignment with the Ashiana Trust at their Ashiana Public School-36. Sharing about his passion, now his full-time profession, young Arun claims that every human being has a gift of rhythm and dancing as it has its essence in nature too. “Just watch the tranquil harmony and rhythm in the mummer of waves or in the plaintive notes of the wind and the music of any form. The very feel has changed my life altogether. “Once unmindful of attending a class at Lawrence High School, I kept moving my body parts to the music played outside, purely as a reflex action when my teacher admonished me and punished me to repeat the same in front of the class. My classmates were enamoured at my sprightly performance while my teacher exhorted all by saying, Discover the talent in you, believe in yourself and have the passion to move,” he says. After obtaining a proficiency in Latino American dance form Salsa and hip-hop with specialisation in Bollywood dances, years later I have formed Zealers Dance Academy— Passion to Move at Bangalore. “English theatre, however, remains my first love and important roles I portrayed in plays like Aini, The Earth, Alexander, Common Man and others have improved my creative potential. Music and dance won me positions at the inter college youth festivals and other competitions. Though self-taught and disciplined as I am, I have the honour to work as an assistant choreographer for Yuvraja and Paruva in Kannad film industry. It was quite a learning experience,” says Arun who is set to present a grand dancing spectacle on June 13 next at Tagore Theatre.
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An unlimited dose of entertainment is in the offing for art lovers of the tricity as the leading theatre ensemble Theatre for Theatre (TFT-Academy) holds their fifth theatre fest and the first ever summer theatre festival here at Indradhanush Auditorium, Sector 5, Panchkula. The five-day bonanza supported by the Department of Information and Public Relations will feature five full-length plays from May 29 to June 2, said Madan Gupta Sapatu, president, TFT. There is no entry fee. Following is the schedule of five Hindi plays of which four are directed by Safdar Hashmi Award winning director Sudesh Sharma while the play Ila will be directed by Milkhi Ram Dhiman. Chehrey- May 29: Written by Shankar Shesh, the play bares the prevailing hypocrisy in life and society. Structured in the unusual ambience of a cremation ground where the incessant raining spell stalls the cremation of a respectable philanthropist the mourners indulge into discussions and other pursuits to kill time. Veteran actor Parvesh Sethi and retired Session Judge KK Doda will play prominent roles. Aadhi Raat Ke Baad- May 30: Another classic by playwright Shanker Shesh is a captivating play where a professional thief attempts a theft at the hose of a judge. What a consequence that a law breaker and law maker remain engaged in marathon dialogue about every issue on the earth, including the efforts to corrupt judiciary. K.K. Doda and Tejbhan Gandhi will play main leads. Ghadhe Ki Baraat- May 31: A Hindi translation of Hari Bhai Vadgaokar’s Marathi play Gadhe ki Baraat is a socio- political satire. Based on a folk legend, the play is partially staged in the nautanki form. Tejbhan Gandhi, Knachan Gupta and Mukesh sharma play important roles. Court Martial- June 1: The record breaking staging of the play which ran into 360 full shows by the TFT and over 1000 times in India , Court Martial depicts the caste prejudices and other issues of social relevance in the Army. ILA- June 2: Written by Probhakr Shrotiya the play ILA depicts the inner turmoil that one goes through as a husband, as a son, wife or a mother. Directed by thespian Milhi Ram Dhiman, it reflects the trials and tribulations of man in his quest for knowledge and self- discovery. — TNS
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Side Lanes I remember seeing Vineet Khanna many years ago. He was brought in on a stretcher. The occasion was the Lalit Kala Akademi’s annual Honours ceremony for anyone excelling in arts and literature. My father too was honoured that day. Vineet had an unusual charisma and aura. Inspite of being immobile, his very presence created awe and excitement. He was the young man who ignored his own disability and took on the world single handed, in an attempt to make a difference. Like a knight in shining armour, he embraced the under-privileged and started projects whose impact is being felt around Chandigarh even today. This angel in human guise is no more but his legacy lives on, carried forth by the many lives he touched. As Ravi Bedi, the dynamic secretary took me around the various YTTS projects, the one name that kept cropping up was that of P.H. Vaishnav. A Gujarati, who joined the IAS and moved to Chandigarh, P.H. was a worthy successor to Vineet. His slogan was: “Sau Engineer.” He believed that given the right opportunity, help, milieu, hard work and nurturing, even a slum could produce a hundred professionals, be they engineers, chartered accountants, doctors or agriculturalists. They could make India shine. Tirelessly he strove to reach his ideal. There was no structured plan or grandiose scheme. As needs arose, so did the projects multiply. P.H. moved on recently, and is sorely missed. Those who knew him speak of his humility, pragmatic approach to everything and the capacity to accept and deal with on-ground reality rather than fancy paperwork and grandiose verbosity. YTTS trains people and then sends them elsewhere to train others. The ripple effect creates a self-sufficient, independent, paid workforce. Some who have excelled have taken their skills abroad. They have been tutored, helped financially, encouraged to rise above their status and surroundings and encouraged to have faith in their own capabilities. It all started in 1986 when volunteers set forth on cycles, with a wooden blackboard tied to the carrier. They would stop under a tree, by the road, near a wall, under a shed, in an abandoned room, wherever they found street children or prospective students. In time Vivek High School provided a shed that accommodated 60 to 70 children. As the need for accommodation grew, buildings were hired, rooms taken on loan, empty sheds and clubs utilised. YTTS has around 22 centres around Chandigarh and Panchkula. These help young men and women to go forth into a competitive world to earn a decent living. Fully aware of the pitfalls encountered while teaching children whose parents are illiterate and who have problems articulating through words and sentences, infant teaching is based on pictures, stories and the spoken word to facilitate verbal communication. Once this is strengthened, writing work begins. Principals of schools and prominent people from the city are on the executive committee. This ensures a constant supply of toys, books, stationery and other teaching materials to the centres. Stitching, food-craft, computers, adult literacy, old peoples’ recreation centres, crèches and schools are all a part of the YTTS experience. Empowerment, the ultimate solution to India’s poverty, was a young man’s dream. He moved on but left the dream in other hands. YTTS is a living tree. It promises to grow and bloom well.
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Sibling revelry
Bollywood sisters Karisma and Kareena Kapoor will kick off the second season of Salman Khan-hosted quiz show Dus Ka Dum, which will go on air from Saturday on Sony channel. According to a source from the unit, on the show Salman points out the contrast between Karisma and Kareena’s personalities. “Salman said, ‘If Karisma was not an actor she would have been a nun’,” said the source in a press statement. While Karisma teamed up with Salman in films like Andaaz Apna Apna, Jeet, Dulhan Hum Le Jaayenge, apart from others, Kareena did Kyon Ki... with him and their next film together is Mr. & Mrs. Khanna. — IANS
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Hello tunez
Another weak point here is the below-average lyrics of Jalees Sherwani, Wajid Ali and A.K. Upadhyay. Well, playing on Jack and Jill for the sake of fun is alright but this trend cannot be taken too far. This particular song has been sung by Shaan and Earl D’Souza although it begins with an animated voice. Despite fast paced western music, it refuses to lift one’s spirits. It might have been OK in Laxmikant Pyarelal era but today, it is an anachronism. The remix version is a slight improvement. Nazar se nazaria is unabashedly a tribute to Crazy kiya re from Dhoom-2. What makes it sound even less original is the fact that this has been also crooned by Sunidhi Chauhan. The remix version is no better. Composer-turned-singer Wajid Ali tries to be boisterous – in the Bappi Lahiri sort of way — in the title number Paying Guest but does not succeed. The romantic number Ya rabula rabbi (Sonu Nigam, Amrita Kak and Earl D’Souza) is better than the other stuff but still has miles to go before it can grab some hearts. Beyond boundaries
He is making a debut in India with this album, which has everything from hip-hop to RNB to reggae. He is not only the singer but also the songwriter and producer of this album. As a lyricist he is no Gulzar but does manage to convey his feelings somehow. One wishes he had concentrated only on singing because that is where he excels. Songs like Deewana tera, Kasam se, Rabba and Kahe barse are proof enough that given good lyrics, he can hold his own. What is creditworthy is that he has steered clear of the Bollywood influence, which mars the albums of too many singers. Perhaps that is because he has been performing mostly abroad. The album is also being released in the UK and North America.
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Fit for fests
Yash Raj Films’ animation flick Roadside Romeo has been selected for the Shanghai and Seoul Film Festivals. While the film will be screened as part of the Panorama section of the Shanghai fest (June 13-21), it has earned a place in the Invitation Section Out Of Competition category for the Seoul festival (Aug 19-25), said a Yash Raj Films statement released in Mumbai. Moreover, the movie has also received the Golden Cursor Animation (GCA) Award in five categories, the Screen Award for Best Animation Film, the 24 FPS Animation Award for the Best Animation Film and the FICCI BAF Award for the Best Animated Feature Film. Released on October 28, 2008 worldwide, Roadside Romeo, written and directed by debutant Jugal Hansraj, is India’s first three-dimensional (3D) mainstream animation project. It is co-produced by Yash Raj Films Studio and Hollywood studio Walt Disney Co. The film has voice-overs by Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Jaaved Jaffrey. — IANS
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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a mother with a daughter of marriageable age must be in want of a ‘suitable’ boy. Now, the original Austen version has been so deeply imprinted in our mind and though we still swear by it, the above twisted (or call it plagiarised) version forms the summary of the new drama, Pavitra Rishta, on Zee TV. The latest, totally de-glam product from the Balaji factory is the story of Archana, a simple, educated, homely, middle class girl, whose mother’s only aim on life is to find a perfect match for her daughter. And playing the character of mom-on-a-hunt is Savita Prabhune.
Gags, one-liner and punches, he can churn these at the drop of his hat. And guess what, he doesn’t need to wait till the weekend to do this, for there are other things which he would want to indulge in at an ideal weekend. The catch, he has hardly had a weekend in almost three years now. “I haven’t had the privilege of spending a relaxing, fun-filled weekend,” says stand-up comedian Khayali Saharan, who has worked in nearly 14 reality shows now.
Paying Guests (MUKTA MUSIC): The Sajid-Wajid duo is capable of coming up with peppy, youthful numbers. Remember their Welcome and Partner scores? But here, they inexplicably decide to depend on snatches from popular hits. It’s not exactly copying of music, but even a repeat of a few seconds of compositions which have had a decent run in the past tends to jar. Listen to the album and you will have that sense of déjà vu many a time. Quite a disappointment from a Subhash Ghai film.
No Boundaries (Times Music): Lovers of TV programme Antakshri will recall that a 12-year-old boy called Parichay had won the contest many years ago, impressing viewers with his touch of Hindi classical as well as pop music. The boy later shifted to Canada, and became one of the major producers of desi urban music there.