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Monumental mistake
While in the West one has to pay six pounds to visit Wordsworth's Dove Cottage, we do not even know where our homegrown poets Shiv Kumar Batalvi or Kumar Vikal lived and died
Shares Kamla Dutt, ex-student PU, professor, Morehouse School of Medicine, "When I was on the campus, all of us knew about this book Gone With The Wind…Atlanta is where Margaret Mitchell lived and when we actually went to this museum we came to know a lot many things. She lived in this apartment in a tiny building which was about to be demolished when several people got together and raised money for it." Well, the house where Mitchell lived while writing her manuscript stands proudly today as The Margaret Mitchell House, in midtown Atlanta. There's even a museum that houses costumes from the film, screenplay, artifacts, including Mitchell's collection of foreign editions of her book. Needless to say, both places are major tourist destinations. As is the Shakespeare's house in Stratford upon Avon. The fact that The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust owns five Shakespeare's houses in and around Stratford upon Avon all directly linked to him, speaks volumes about their culture. Shares Professor Shelley Walia, senator, PU, "If you look around in the West, they not only preserve the residential houses but also the manuscripts. They are very particular about respecting their artistes. Comparatively, we do lack in a big way as far as museums and such other things to preserve the heritage is concerned." He recalls, "Many years ago when I visited Wordsworth's Dove Cottage they charged six pounds for a single ticket. You can imagine the kind of money they are generating which in turn is put back for the same cause." Perhaps, if we there were a great grand museum after Shiv Kumar Batalvi, it would've been common knowledge that he shifted to Chandigarh, where he joined the State Bank of India as a PRO. Says Nirupama Dutt, journalist, poet, "He lived in Chandigarh in rented houses and he had these beaded curtains and even those days he had a refrigerator." She adds, "Kumar Vikal is another great Hindi poet from the region and Panjab University actually allotted a house where he was living to his wife. See the main problem is we as a society are not heritage conscious and literarily aware." Likewise, it would be safe to say not many among today's generation know much about Urdu poet Prem War Bartoni, extraordinary Punjabi author Sant Singh Sekhon, may be a bit about Amrita Pritam or Sahir Ludhianvi. So much for preservation! Opines Professor Rana Nayar, chairperson, Department of English and Cultural Studies, Panjab University, "It's a big issue and has got a lot to do with the way we respond to writers as a society. Unlike in the West and the US where there are Chairs in the university, writers come and interact with the faculty, the students, there are hardly such things here" He adds, "Moreover, we believe in celebrating the talent only posthumous. Even that's a big question…And wherever state awards and literary awards are given, they are often riddled in contradictions." Shares Dr D.S. Gupt, vice-chairperson, the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, "The most unfortunate part is even if one goes to the bureaucracy, they don't even respond. For instance, Kumar Vikal was a great literary from the city. Except his family organising a function nothing's been done to commemorate the talent that existed once." The state is where the solution is. Adds Prof Nayar, "All the houses that the great writers lived in should be turned into state monuments if not the national monuments. Many times they are in dilapidated condition and the family's forced to sell the house for money. This kind of situation should not arise only." Also, the situation where literary legends lie in neglect, die in penury, remain in oblivion, are not glorified, not commemorated, neither celebrated. Not done. manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Finding an Anchor "I owe my success as an anchor to the rich religious texts like the divine utterances of great Gurus and Sufi mystics as enshrined in holy scriptures and the contemporary Punjabi literature, authors and my passion for reading books with an analytical approach besides my audience," maintains Asha Sharma, the California-based Punjabi anchor hailed as one of the best in the world by artistes and art lovers. In the city for a Ru Ba Ru, organised by Punajbi magazine Hunn, where she had spent formative days serving in the Education Department Punjab, she shares her literary background and plans ahead None of the male or female anchors has elicited such a respect and love from fans both in India and abroad as Asha, opine experts having witnessed her literary and aesthetic potential as she isnoless a star while anchoring shows of stalwarts to the like of Gurdas Maan to Shahrukh Khan. Enamoured at her anchoring skills once the Punjabi folk maestro Gurdas Maan declared Hunn Punjab nub hi Tabassum mil gyi hai.. amidst complimentary applause. "When such instances are repeated in the USA like the San Jose Fair and other top venues I am often reminded of my Punjabi roots, my upbringing in a sleepy Punjab village Sekhra and Barnala where I grew among the discipline of my father, an IAF official, Sarup Singh turned teacher and mother Godawari who remained my inspiration. With my uncle Ram Saup Ankhi, Rashtriya Sahit Akademi awardee novelist in the family, it was inevitable for me to cultivate a passion for literature. By the time I completed my Master degree in English and B.Ed, I had already carved a niche in the compeering world after I secured the Best debator title of Punjabi university in 1978 there was no looking back," she says. She had anchored shows abroad for top Indian Punjabi singers and actors before settling down in California in 1998. The second phase of life in the alien lands is usually with tough going but her literary pursuits and gifted memory power made it easy. "My anchoring speeches reverberate with the woven spells of wisdom of spiritual saints, mysticism of Baba Bulle Shah and Sufi saints, romanticism of Amrita Pritam, Mohan Singh and Shiv Batalvi, the darling poets of Punjabis abroad which had made me a cut above the rest. Their couplets the essence is reflected in my live programmes of my radio station Geet Sangeet. That is all about my anchoring, a passion and profession. And my daughter, who is completing her medical education plans to emulate me," she concludes.
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Happy & gay
Bollywood hunk John Abraham, who is back to playing his gay self in the sequel to Dostana with Abhishek Bachchan, says that the junior B has named him "Jiggly poo". The actors became friends while working together in the gay comedy and continue to share the same equation. "After we starred together in Dostana, Abhishek has nicknamed me as his ‘jiggly poo’. He sends me messages on my birthday saying ‘Happy Birthday Jiggly Poo’!," said John. John and Abhishek called each other the same even in the film, and the name seems to have stuck on since then. The 2008 film, which had John playing a lothario pretending to be in a homosexual relation with Abhishek, was directed by Tarun Mansukhani and also starred Priyanka Chopra. The 37-year-old actor will be reprising the same role in the sequel too, which will be filmed from June this year. "The sequel will pick up from where Dostana left off. So there is me and Abhishek playing the same characters again," he said. Promising that the sequel will be even more fun-filled, the actor said, "It is hilarious! I almost fell off the chair while reading the script, it is so funny," said John, on the sidelines of an event where he launched new bike models from Yamaha at the ongoing Auto Expo in the capital. John, who made his Bollywood debut with Jism in 2003, has proved himself as an actor with films like Water and New York. But he has cut down on the number of releases to one or two per year. "This is how it has been. In 2008 there was Dostana, New York in 2009. I would rather do sensible stuff and be remembered for them rather than merely increase the number of films in my kitty," said John. He has recently finished shooting Abbas Tyrewala’s unnamed project and will start with an action film next. Although John made his entry into showbiz as a model, he says that he had to struggle a lot to find his footing in the film industry, without a film lineage to back him. "I hail from the middle class and my values come from there. People identify with me because of that and look upon me for having acquired a position through sheer struggle without any backing in the industry," said John. He made heads turn in his modelling days and went on to win hearts as the metrosexual man in Bollywood. John is now looked upon as a youth icon, an image he is totally comfortable with. "Once you are named a role model, it is up to you how you use it. I am happy with the position and am also aware of the responsibilities that come with it," he said. His love for bikes is also something that connects him with today’s youth, but John is against any kind of show-off and propagates safe biking. "I don’t do any more stupid stunts, as I have realised that youngsters do follow me and try to ape whatever I do. I never go in for rash biking and ride really slow so that people do it too," said John. The actor also a unique collection of helmets alongwith the number of bikes he owns. "I mix and match helmets with bikes the way you mix and match clothes everyday," said John. — PTI
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Power of people
Joyshri Lobo A New Year heralds hope and betterment. On January1, we make lists on how we will change old and destructive personal habits and become nicer people. There are skeptics who say this cannot happen but 2010 is heralding a movement that is bearing fruit. The people of India and the media have teamed up to empower a nation, which often seems to be spiralling out of control. Righting wrongs seems to be our collective New Year wish. Thirty years ago, the moniker ‘NGO’ was unheard of. Some Non-Government Organisations did come up but getting the insular Indian to join was a Herculean task. CRY was born, as was Helpage. The Armed Forces ran welfare centres, but the motive was suspect as an officer’s annual report depended on his wife’s philanthrophic activities. The good news is that as of this month, this unwritten rule has been scrapped. Wives can help of their own volition, not under the threat of a danda. Jessica, Priya, Nitish, Ruchika, Rizwanur have gained posthumous fame. However, it has taken too long to achieve this closure. Rathore (I refuse to give his designation as he does not deserve it) has earned six months for murderous goondaism. Not enough! He ought to be bobbitised and kept in solitary confinement for life, for the damage he caused to a young girl, her brother and their parents. As for all those who abetted him, create a Kalapaani and prevent them from mixing with decent human beings ever again. Two decades after various events, the people are revolting, asking for justice. Some errant politicians and civil service personnel are having nightmares, as they do not know when the public might force open their camouflaged cans of worms. The all powerful, corrupt ones are looking for escape routes and cover-ups. Suddenly, a nation that has never counted people as individuals but as numbers in a voting machine, is becoming aware that we are living flesh and blood creatures who hurt, cry and despair when systems fail. The strength of the people is evident. With the media they make a juggernaut that cannot be halted. The bystanders of yesteryear are the movers of today. They hold candles and march into the night, each move tabulated and recorded by the media. Propelled by adrenaline, they are watched by a nervous and ineffective state machinery. We are going to change what successive governments have not been able to do. We are going to bring law, order and justice into our own lives. We are fed up to our nascent gills and want to live dignified lives in safety. The state has realised the power of its people. Governments are taking cognizance of what we want. After years of malfunctioning, there is a glimmer of hope. Too many crimes have been covered up by powerful politicians and their kin. Too many mouths have been zipped through money. The people mentioned earlier, belonged to wealthy families and are finally speaking from their graves. Who is going to look into the deaths of the thousands who could not touch a heart or have a hand hold a candle during a silent march? Hopefully, the people, the media and finally a lethargic government will join hands and bring justice to a neglected people. This is our collective resolution for 2010. May it gather momentum and energy through the coming years.
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Matter of concern City-based theatre group Samvaad presented a street play on female foeticide Whenever there is a street play happening, you know it has to be socially and emotionally stirring. For street plays have to live up to their image of being social mouthpieces. Just working on the lines, here comes a loud cry once again on the issue of female foeticide, which refuses to let go of our social system. City-based Samvaad theatre group presented a street play, Yeh Kaisi Vidai, highlighting the issue at the Plaza-17. And this arrow shot reasons too many. “Our play emphasised on female feoticide as the villain and related social crimes as sidekicks,” is how Mukesh Sharma, writer, director and actor of the play sums up the script. “The play explores the reasons why girls are unwanted in the society, highlights the pressures and stress faced by young mothers and tries to bring out solutions.” And along comes dowry issues, illegal medical practices happening in small towns, gender equality issues…the list goes on. “Female foeticide becomes a big problem to weed out because some of the medical practitioners too reap the benefits of constricted mindsets. Doctors are turning into murders by performing ‘cleanings’, a term used for abortion. During the research for the play, we found out that there are codes used for illegal sex determination tests so that one can’t be caught. Like if the patient is told that the test results would come on Friday, it means it’s a girl and Monday means a boy.” Mukesh, who formed his group Samvaad just a year ago and has already taken up causes like Eve teasing, increasing voting percentage, VIP security issues, is ready to take his effort another mile. “We are planning a large scale campaign with a series of street plays over some period of time, a signature campaign Hastakshar and then carry forward by presenting these plays with light and sound in various city schools and colleges,” says the paramedical staff member of GMCH-32. “Theatre happened to me because I wanted to take up issues and work towards making a change.” And 50 plays and his own theatre volunteers later, he’s wants to catch the young minds, by participating in furthering the cause. “I want children to present plays on their own over the issue and I’ll be teaching them on this.” nehawalia@tribunemail.com
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Root to reality
It’s the age of
real cinema where characters are closer to life. And, all this throws up
a challenge for an actor," says actor Vaquuar Shaikkh, who has
graduated from small screen to 70mm. In city to promote his movie Mitti
Vaquuar says, "After a deluge of NRI subjects forming the core
of Punjabi films so far, Mitti comes as an experiment."
Active in theatre, modeling and acting he says, "I was involved in
the pre-production stage of Mitti as the producers were known to
me. Eventually, they offered me a role, Initially I was reluctant as I
was shooting for two Telugu films, but after the narration of my
character and the script, I thought it was a cult film that will change
the face of Punjabi cinema."
Talking about his role in the film he
says, "I play Lalli. He is a guy who belongs to a well-off family
who with his footloose and fanciful friends enjoys life and directs
energy in garnering support for political parties and organising
rallies. The film has a message – if land is colonized and factories
come up, where will we cultivate and get our grains from." Vaquuar’s
father served in the Army and hence, he spent some years in Amritsar,
Bathinda and Jalandhar. He says, "I always wanted to be an actor. I
have done over 50 tele-shows, out of which 35 have me in the lead roles.
I had enough of TV, so I wanted to move ahead. And TV programming is now
changing by the week". Kashish and Lakhwinder are also a part of
the film. Kashish, "I am hopeful of getting good response from the
Punjabi cinema lovers. This film will surely prove to be a mass
entertainer, as it depicts Punjab and its problems in a new
perspective."
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Zoom in! Sanjay Kumbkarni’s photography exhibition brings out the best in nature Look around, press the pause button, stop, think. Think of things you never thought before. Take a leaf? Some shrug while some stare. So how about the beauty of a fallen leaf floating on water? What of the charm of a fallen autumn leaf dying in a rivulet? How many would stop and stare at a fallen autumn leaf against light? The nature photography exhibition Try my Shoe by Sanjay Kumbkarni white balances, focuses, zooms and does a click on the nature like never before. Explains Sanjay, “I’m basically an outdoor man, there are so many visions out there, which people overlook while going about the humdrum routine existence in their lives. The basic idea is to take a walk with me and that’s what Try My Show is all about.” So take a walk and walk through the day grass stalks seen through an evening sky, waterweeds floating on water. Or pine resin droplets oozing from the back or river pebbles shimmering in shallow water. Or a ladybird negotiating its way through the grass, the contrast of a day bark and a young sapling, an amaltas bud just getting ready for the long night ahead, a close up of a wheat stalk. The setting sun behind the twigs of a plant, a pebble and a partly burnt wood log of fire as if interacting with each other. Adds Sanjay of his tenth solo exhibition, “I’ve always maintained to capture things first what you need is a heart, then the eye and then the equipment.” He adds, “Most of these were captured in February, March and April of previous year.” The forty-five frames cover nature, capture environs, surroundings, greens, at sunrise, during sunset, some in sepia mode. Just as in his last exhibition, there were prose like messages in the form of traditional Japanese art form, Haiku accompanying each frame. Read a fallen autumn leaf saying, ‘Oh yes, I’ve fallen, it’s true, also I’ve lived’. Ground in the melting groundfrost conveys…’I gave you all, go forth and find it, your halo.’ For a ladybird finding its way back home, ‘Become me, I’ll become you, the boundary is oh so thin.’ The Himalayan landscape depicting mountains, lake and a grass field all in the same frame and reflections of weeds on water are specially postcard perfect. Go take a walk. On till 12th January at Panjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16.
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Eye spy Nonika Singh "To take photographs means to recognise—simultaneously and within a fraction of a second both the fact itself and the rigorous organisation of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one’s head, one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis." —Henri Cartier Bresson
No wonder, Raghu Rai India’s most celebrated photographer calls Cartier Bresson an intuitive genius. But how true is Bresson’s observation—"The moment. Once you miss it, it is gone forever." Diwan Manna, city’s eminent lensman observes, "Indeed, even if we say life is repetitive and monotonous, moments are rarely ever repeated the same way." Incidentally, Rai doesn’t believe there is a moment. He says, "Different minds will see different moments. May be I am struck by the moment just before or after what others consider the decisive moment. See each image has its strengths and weakness." Rather he looks at India as his world. He says, "In a multicultural and multi-religious nation where so many centuries co-exist at the same time no single image can do justice to it." Of course, Bresson’s pictures of India find much commendation from Rai, "Here was a foreign eye who not only captured India the way it is, but also documented facts as only a picture can." While Bresson’s pictures of Gandhi’s funeral in 1948 won him much acclaim, Rai singles out Bresson’s`A0photograph of Edwina and Nehru sharing a joke with Mountbatten`A0looking away and adds; "Now here is a tell-all picture." Rai believes in the dictum, a photograph never lies and never should.
While Bresson who developed "street photography, real life reportage" is hailed as father of photojournalism, Rai goes one step further and calls him father of documentary photography. Whether his legacy lives today, especially among Indian photojournalists, quips Rai "With photojournalism dictated by market forces few photographers can afford to."`A0Agrees Dheeraj, "Gone are the days when lensmen like my father reported for the shoot 45 minutes in advance. Today photojournalists caught in the mad race of survival have no time to be creative." Interestingly, while Bresson did wonders with invention of those times, a handy 35 mm camera, he didn’t put much onus on technology. According to him "Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Dheeraj too thinks that technology can add little to one’s vision. Rai rues, "Digital technology has failed to elevate photographic standards and for those behind the camera they use it ruthlessly sans sensitivity and acumen." Still, without doubt, Indian photographers have been influenced by Bresson; in particular by his approach of creating telling pictures and of making visuals tell tales. Thus in the realm of photography whether Rai captures multiplicity of moments at one time or Manna for whom photography is akin to art or Dheeraj for whom spontaneity is the key, few can dispute Bresson’s assertion "Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." Perhaps that is why Dheeraj tells his students at Jamia Millia University, "Wear your camera" and Rai asserts, "While history can be written and re-written any time, photo history cannot be doctored with or altered."
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Dimensions of visual thoughts
Reconstruction of things visualised in art has, ultimately a personal and private means of approach to art. Some artists and people related to art might think that the viewer has to reach the exact message conveyed in the visual expression. But this is far away from reality. It is not necessary to endorse by the viewer what the artist is supposed to have expressed. It is the prerogative of the viewer to get response in his own way after viewing the art. He has not to explain either to the artist or the other art lovers, why he has thought of art in a particular way. These days art has been more internationalised than before. In view of this, the more art that a man is exposed to, the more internationally minded the viewer becomes. Many people go by their personal likes and dislikes. These days particularly there are many who go by the signature of the established artist , or perhaps someone you know has an art work of an established artist, and it becomes a status symbol to possesses it! This is primarily because art, unfortunately has been made into a mercantile commodity. People buy and collect art quite often by the value estimates that will go into the items of his collection. For this propose one not only needs marketing skills but also a cultured type of acumen to judge the money fetching potential of the piece that he picks up from the available sources. Thus an art collector should also have the sense of art and its value judgment. Art is in no way compatible to the sensex modules. When one visits an art gallery, having an exhibition of paintings, sculptures and other art works, a discerning pair of eyes will positively respond to a piece which is aesthetically appealing or which has far reaching dimensions in terms of its potential to dominate the future scene of art. All these have been said keeping in mind only the visual arts. But the performing arts also bear the same characteristics to register their presence in the sensitively disposed mind. The art activities in the metropolitan cities are more alive than what it is in the smaller towns or even villages. It is unfortunate that these days more attention is played to the metro culture than to the peripheral regions, which ultimately are the silent contributors. Chandigarh falls under the last mentioned category. However, the art here has not evolved the way it should have because of a number of reasons. The most important is the disunity of the artists and the lack of proper leadership to monitor the phases of the development of art. Chandigarh has at least two major academies of art and about half a dozen art galleries for exhibiting arts and a few auditoria for the performing arts. But one cannot say that Chandigarh has contributed much to the national level of art scene, except a few names, which figure occasionally as dim flickers of light in the dark night! These few sometimes show their elegance to the metros than to the regional development of art. But one cannot say that there is no silver lining that can hold hopes for the future. The young generation of artist is the main stray of this hope. But it will take time to see if they have been properly guided by the seniors and teachers. Personally speaking, my hopes are on these young aspirants who are trying to eke out some sort of a footing for themselves to take a huge lift of creative endeavor. (The writer is an art historian and art critic.)
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In tune
His talent blossomed in 1972 and Raman was declared the best gymnast of Punjab and simultaneously won the all-India universities music contest for singing poetry of legendary Bhai Veer Singh, organised by GND University, Amritsar. He recalls how the illustrious star performer actor and invincible music maestro Gurdas Maan, his close friend and batchmate (State College of Education) cheered for him and admired displaying the sportsmanship and friendly spirit, which he abounds for all. “Next year I repeated the feat winning the best singer award of institute in 1973, which was earlier bestowed on Gurdass Maan in 1972,” he says. “Besides leading teams for various competitions, I have given lot of live performances at concerts, state level functions and Doordarshan. My ability to play and sing with Spanish guitar and that of a competent composer, lyricist had assured me work and projects,” claims Raman sharing his achievements. Way back in the 80s, he sculpted and sung five songs, composed music for a tele-film Pyar aur Zindagi for DD Jallandhar. Later he sang for Ishq Allah di Zaat. However, the title song of another Punjabi feature film Pagri Sambhal Jatta produced by Iqbal Gajjan rendered in his voice is still popular in Punjab. “I kept experimenting on my own terms by writing and singing all songs for my album Ishaq da Verka under the music direction of Atul Sharma, which ran well like other Punjabi albums. My latest album as a singer is Paake Laal Dora for which Tripat Bhatti has written the songs and music composer is Atul Sharma. About reality shows, Raman, dwelling on his experience of a participating singer in a T-series show says, “It is encouraging for a budding talent to be spotted or to be in the lime light. It is heartening that many winners are sentimentally exploited by producers and are asked to do dummy recordings, but finely the songs are sung by established voices only.” On his inspiration, Raman relishes the songs by all playback singers but he adores the invincible Mohammad Rafi Saheb. So much so that he ventured to organise a musical tribute function on each birth anniversary of the mystic maestro from 1988 to 1992 and now makes significant contribution to the tradition carried forward by his friends at Patiala.
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I will be doing several movies this year, says Preity Zinta
She has reassured fans she will be seen in a whole lot of movies in 2010. “Guys I am back in business. It’s nice to be back after a freezing New Year. Well my New Year resolution is to work in more films, work out five times a week and learn how to drive in Mumbai traffic,” Preity posted on her Twitter page. “You all will see me doing a lot of movies this year! Please be patient and wait for announcements,” she added. Preity was last seen in full-fledged roles in films like Heaven On Earth and Heroes apart from cameos in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Main Aur Mrs.Khanna. This year, she is expected to be seen in Jahnu Barua’s Har Pal. —IANS
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Shahid, Genelia to spend night together in a car Out of all different movie promotion ideas, this one seems new. Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza spent a night together in a car to promote their forthcoming film Chance Pe Dance. "Shahid and Genelia will be spending a full night in a small car at the Kamalistan Studios today. There will be vada pao (bun) vendors and khatiyas (string cot) nearby for the people. We want to make this the most talked about promotional activity in Bollywood and it’s being done on a major scale," a source from the film unit said. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies. According to the source, the activity was planned as it bears semblance with the lives of those who come here to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. "This activity has similarities with our movie. In fact in his own days of struggle, Shahid used to sleep in a car many times. In the movie also, there’s a scene where these strugglers have to spend nights altogether, because they have no place to stay," added the source. The activity will continue till morning and those who will be present there will be able to share tea and bun maska (bun and butter) with the stars. — IANS
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Vishal Bhardwaj to compose for Nair’s Monsoon Wedding musical Noted filmmaker Mira Nair is set to bring alive the magic of her internationally acclaimed movie Monsoon Wedding in a musical broadway with plans to rope in the original star cast including Naseeruddin Shah. The 2001 Punjabi wedding flick with the undercurrent of child abuse is expected to hit the broadway in about six months in New York and then afterwards worldwide. Its music will be given by filmmaker-cum-composer Vishal Bhardwaj and is currently being written by Nair and Sabrina Dhawan who also wrote the screenplay of the film. "I hope to approach them (original cast) because they are so brilliant but don’t forget that in a musical you have to sing and dance and perform as a theatre actor live for two hours. Presently we are writing the script," Mira said on the sidelines of Pravasi Film Festival. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker plans to recreate the city of Delhi, which was the backdrop of the film in the musical. It will have three plots essentially the bride and groom, the father, uncle and Ria and the incest. The third will be the love affair between Alice and Dubey (Tillotama Shome and Vijay Raaz), said the Salaam Bombay director. — PTI
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Click & go
Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd. unveiled its 2010 Digital Imaging (digital camera and camcorder) lineup in the Indian market. Samsung’s new 2010 digital camera range has models across the ES, PL, ST and WB Series, with each series having its own differentiated features. The new digital camera range includes for the first time ’Made for India’ models that are dust proof and moisture proof; Dual LCD models in the more affordable PL series, as well as the waterproof camera, WP10. The Company is also for the first time showcasing its ultra portable NX10 Hybrid Digital camera model that contains intelligent features to put professional quality images within reach of the amateur photographer. “The new 2010 series of digital cameras and camcorders represent the Company’s commitment to taking consumers to the next level in terms of innovation and performance in digital imaging, be it our flash memory based K series of digital camcorders or our new ‘Made for India’ ES series of digital cameras.” states Ravinder Zutshi, deputy managing director, Samsung India Electronics. The entire Samsung digital camera range boasts of host of other features such as Smart Auto, Dual Image Stabilization, Smart Filter, Perfect Portrait System, Face Detection, Face Recognition, Red eye fix, Blink and Smile Detection, Beauty shot etc. In the camcorder segment, the Company has launched new models across its K Series, H series and F series.
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Another food experience comes to Panchkula with Blue Ginger, a fine dine restaurant that was launched in Sector-16 on Thursday. Offering Indian and Chinese cuisine, it has a complete menu right from starters to the main course and desserts. The brainchild of Sanjay Julka, a London based businessman, who has switched from owning a number of retail stores in UK to opening a fine dine restaurant, Blue Ginger promises value for money. “After spending 15 years in UK, it’s my first attempt to try out the India hotel industry. So, serving the traditional Indian flavour was a safe bet. And Chinese cuisine too is very popular in this part of the country,” he shares. “I think there is a lot of scope in fine dining industry here in city. We did plan to open in Chandigarh but Panchkula seems to be rising fast as well,” says Sanjay. Before the launch, the research came from a friend. “I have a friend who is into hospitality business and owns a chain of banquets in Delhi. So, the advice comes from him.” With a cozy and uncomplicated ambience, Blue Ginger serves the basics of Indian platter. — TNS
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I’m not playing Buddha in my next, says Amitabh Bachchan
"Media is thinking that the next film of mine with Puri is on Gautam Buddha simply because the title approved for that film is Budda, which means an old man and not Buddhist saint Gautam Buddha," Big B wrote on his blog bigb.biggadda.com. "Either the electronic media misunderstood the title because of the spelling or they mixed the other news of Vivek Sharma, wishing to make a film titled Buddham Sharanam Gachchami with me," Big B added. — IANS
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If…There were a serious 'littérateur worship' culture…It isn't that India doesn't have its share of Margaret Mitchell and Bard of Avons. How many can answer without guesses where was Munshi Premchand born? Who knows, probably Gone with the Wind might have actually gone to the wind and not sold more than 30 million copies, if there weren't a museum, movie, a Margaret Mitchell House to back the magnum opus. Culture, literature, heritage, civilization, history…are inextricably interlinked and unfortunately form a vicious circle of neglect. 
So
that was the famed French photographer Cartier Bresson who gave
photography the term Decisive Moment, also the name of his book.
Photography, he said, is not like painting. In photography he held,
"There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a
picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself
offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera.
That is the moment the photographer is creative."
And this is where he thinks
Bresson stands tall for he came at a time when photography was riddled
with many influences especially of painting and pioneered a new path.
Besides a picture telling a story nay recounting history, Rai endorses
many of Bresson’s ideas like attention paid to detailing and of detail
becoming the leitmotif. Nominated by Bresson to join his Magnum Photos,
however, Rai wouldn’t like to be known as a follower. "I may have
picked up some directions from him but my journey is my own."
Similarly, Manna may not have grown up idolising Bresson but today as he
peeps into the lives of people of Benarse with his third eye he is bowled
over by the manner in which Bresson had captured vicissitudes of Indian
life. Asserts, Dheeraj Paul, son of legendary lensman S Paul, "Bresson’s
pictures are simple, evocative and not complex." Indeed, Bresson
himself said, "Reality offers us such wealth that we must cut some of
it on the spot and simplify. The question is, do we always cut out what we
should? We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without
thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our
memory and diminish the clarity of the whole."
Art essentially is a language, having its own vocabulary of audio- visual expressions. Both the spoken language and its written form breed from the cultural context of the relevant country. In order to understand the language of art, the most important thing therefore is to understand the cultural milieu of its heritage. However, for the appreciation of art the mind should be very sensitive and receptive. The technical aspects art is not important for a beginner. But more exposure to the different types of art makes one understand the works of art in a better and systematic way.
Enriching his inner-self, the mind and soul with melodic strains of music and keeping physically fit with games and sports is the success mantra for Ram Nath Raman. A passionate singer, from his primary school to masters in Punjabi from Patiala, Raman has incredible achievements as an educationist, in sports and an amateur lyricist, composer and singer but of a higher magnitude. Learning the finer nuances of Hindustani music from O.P. Verma and his guru Atam Parkash of Patiala Gharana, Raman secured a Vishard degree in vocal music from the Pracheen Kala Kendra and senior diploma in tabla from Allahabad University. 
Bollywood mega star
Amitabh Bachchan has clarified that he is not playing the role of Gautam
Buddha in Puri Jagannathan’s film Budda.