One needs to get rid of insecurities to become an original actor, says the versatile actor, producer and director Anupam Kher. In city on Saturday to audition students for his acting school Actor Prepares, Kher comes across as an outrightly honest, inspiring and encouraging person.

“There is no dearth of talent in the region but one needs to combine it with hardwork,” he says. “Our school not only brings out the actor in you but also prepares you for life because we make you understand yourself better,” he adds. Quite happy with the auditions, Kher says, “Very entertaining people here, we have a good batch already.”

Kher appreciates today’s generation for loads of confidence and imagination. “Our three-month course prepares youth for acting. After a while it’s just like driving, the more you act the better you get,” he says.

He also lauds the innumerable opportunities that are available. “Today there are so many platforms — reality shows, TV soaps and number of movies. But then it also means that the audience has a choice. So one has to be really good to remain in public memory and constantly reinvent oneself.”

For this area, Kher feels the need for regional cinema. “No culture thrives without the support of its government. Regional cinema will do justice to the culture as well as talent here.”

Kher’s recent projects include Walt Disney’s Zokkomon, a film with Farhaan’s Akhtar’s productions, Nakshatra, and Special Chabees (26).

But it’s not just films that keep the actor busy. “I am working on my school. I love my play Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai and then my foundation is also working for underprivileged kids,” he signs off. mona@tribunemail.com

Every problem comes with a solution. However, it all depends on how one handles the solution. The students of Mad Arts Jaspal Bhatti School have, at least, tried to highlight the solution to the problem in Oz through an eight-minute short film Sydney Chala Sydney.

Directed by Jasraj Bhatti, written by Keshav Bharata, Sydney Chala Sydney is a non-commercial movie, which highlights the problem of the Indian students abroad in a lighter vein. The film will be circulated on the net and news channels soon.

According to Savita Bhatti, CEO of the school, “There can be more than one solution to a problem. The movie does not pose any objection on the desire of most Punjabi youngsters to go abroad, instead we have highlighted the importance of training and how students as well as their parents should be aware before packing off their kids.”

Sydney, the lead character, is all set to go abroad. His brother has gone to fetch a taxi and his parents are busy packing everything from sugarcanes, watermelons to churan in his suitcase. There’s also a pundit to pray for him. In the meantime, a neighbour comes and tells them about the racial attacks in Australia and the trip is cancelled. However, when someone reminds them that they had spent Rs 7 lakh for the purpose, the taxi is called again.

After a while, somebody again brings in news about a boy who had just come back to India from Sydney with broken bones. Once again, the trip is cancelled.

At the end, the craze to go abroad is once again highlighted when it is revealed that the boy had come back from Australia to get his broken bones treated, as it was cheaper in India!

Adds Savita Bhatti, “Through Mad Arts we want to tell the students that comedy can be packed with socially relevant issues as well.”

The cast includes Rashmme Beadi, Harvinder Singh, Harjot Kaur, Sukhraj Singh, Gursewak, Harsimran, Pankaj Katyal, Vinod Kumar, Gourav, Sheezan Shaikh, Nachitter and Shailender Arora.

Hailing from the illustrious family of Pandit Vinay Chandra Maudgalya, the founder of Gandharva Mahavidyalya in Delhi, noted Odissi danseuse Madhvi Mudgal believes that Indian classical dance forms are poetry in motion.

On the invitation of the Haryana Institute of Fine Arts (HIFA), she along with her foremost disciple, Arushi Mudgal, are in city for a performance.

Madhvi had a strong passion for dancing from early childhood. However, she was initially initiated into vocal stream. But her passion for dance was so strong that she gave up a career as an architect, dropping out in the final-year. Having learnt Bhartnatyam and Kathak, Madhvi, finally opted for Odissi dance, which, she shares, is subtle, lyrical, and involves graceful body movements for interpretation of various moods without being restrictive.

Pandit Hare Krishan Bahera, a disciple of legendary Kelucharna Mahapatra, trained her. “But other forms also attract me as each has its own aura,” she feels.

Asked about the sudden change in her calling, she says: “It is the other way round, Odissi chose me. My contribution to this dance form at the national and international level has been duly accredited through the Padmashri award, Sanskriti award, National Sangeet Natak Academy award, Grand Medaille De La Ville (Paris) et al. This is in addition to the love I get from people all over the world.”

Her disciple, versatile Odissi danseuse Arushi Mudgal, imbibed the nuances of the dance at home under the tutelage of her dear aunt, but a tough guru in Madhvi Mudgal.

She started learning at the age of five and soon turned into a child prodigy. At the same time, Madhvi got top grades in school as well.

Arushi got off to a majestic start with a maiden performance in Brazil, dancing along with stalwarts like Kelucharan Mahapatra and Madhvi Mudgal.

With the blessings of her father, Padmashri, Madup Mudgal, and aunt Madhvi, Arushi is all set to achieve greater heights!

Surya Pharmaceuticals has forayed into retail sector with its chain of stores Viva - Your Family Chemist, opened across Delhi, Chandigarh and Mohali. Already serving Delhi population with a strong network

of 15 stores, Viva stores have now entered the tricity beginning with five outlets in one go. Three in sector 35, 37 and 40 of Chandigarh and two in Mohali Phase X and Sector 71.

GM State Bank of India, Sudha Malhotra inaugurated the Viva stores. She congratulated Surya Pharmaceuticals for taking this initiative of providing genuine medicines, health care and beauty products nearer home.

Rajiv Goyal chairman-cum-managing director of Surya Pharmaceutical Ltd said that all Viva outlets are centrally air-conditioned, and stringently follow the cold chain requirements that of maintaining specific temperatures for specialised medicines, vaccinations, and injections. Besides providing a unique assortment of health goods and services along with a promise of genuine medicines at all times, these stores operate from 8 am to 11 pm everyday seven days a week and focus on providing a different customer experience. The store is manned by licensed pharmacists and informed customer care executives to address all customer queries and assist them in the buying process, Viva also offers free home delivery services.

Goyal also revealed that according to World Health Organisation (WHO) 35 per cent of the world's spurious drugs are produced in India. "Buying medicines only from reputed, well-established organised chemists is one way to strangle the spurious drug industry and Viva is one sincere effort towards it," Goyal asserted.

Keeping in mind the need of changing urban lifestyle Viva also houses medicine support systems, vitamins minerals and supplements. It has an array of hair care, skin care, baby and child care, oral care, men and women care products and diet and nutrition supplements to choose from. Through it's a mix of branded medicines and generic products, along with a wide range of FMCG and FMHG products Viva is a one-stop shop for all health and prevention needs for the society at large. 

Hair Lounge Professional Unisex Salon in opened in Sector 19. Inaugurated by Mayor Anu Chatrath she said, “In today’s age such establishments have become very necessary for modernised make-over of today’s women.” She adds, “Though spa is a western world concept, yet it is very popular in India.

And in today’s age of great hustles, when women has started to work in all professional fields as well as home front, Spa has become very important to get rid of the tiredness and recoup freshness.”  Talking about the goodness of spa Sam, the owner said, “Spa is a very significant process to avoid body tiredness as well as mental stress, rather this process is booster for the body.” Special spas like Chocolate Body, Honey Body, Swedish Body, Seven Sea Signature Therapy and Herbal Body can be availed by the clients.

Sam further said that in Indian way of life, marriage is one of the most important days when every bride wishes to be in most presentable and charming look to win over the heart of her husband as well as in-laws. On that eve a special makeover treatment is required by every bride to enable her to place herself as an enchanting woman on the earth. With sufficient space the saloon showcases modern furniture and fixtures.

Discounts were also announced at the inauguration for the bridal clients and Sam said, “We are also offering one client with client free on spa therapies up to January end and 30 per cent discount on all services upto Feburary 15.”

The film has no script and the story appears to be an excuse for cobbling together a series of music videos with Shahid and Genelia in them.

Even the songs are ordinary and the dance moves on show are also of the seen-before variety.

Everything that happens is boringly predictable and clichéd. This appears to be Shahid’s ‘biggest’ acting role. He is there in almost every frame and does a convincing job. Genelia is her charming irresistible self. The rest is passé.

Six films were released this week out of which animated film Panga Gang was strictly amateurish, Hum Lalann Bol Rahen Hain was crudely done and Bhavnaon Ko Samjho was a total waste of talent. The remaining three were bearable. Chance Pe Dance was the biggie that in retrospect appeared to be too small-minded, while the really redeeming ones were The Waiting Room and Mission 11th July from two brave debut-making directors. Read on...

It is tough going for a small film made by a director on debut and a handful of unknowns donning the roles in the Maneej Premnath directed The Waiting Room. In fact, it has a tougher time making a mark considering that there are 10 films (both English and Hindi) releasing in the same week.

Well, that’s Bollywood for you. The producers having burnt their fingers with a recent spate of dismal releases decided to release the film with a mere handful of ads and a few prints.

As a filmmaker, all you can do is hope that at least word of mouth brings in the viewers. Frankly, Maneej’s first effort is worthy of that. It is by no means a great movie but it has its defining moments. The Waiting Room appears to be inspired by Hitchcock’s seminal works. Maneej reworks Hitchcock’s famous shower sequence of Psycho to create his stunning opening. A tourist is clicking photos atop a picturesque dam. There’s a soft drink bottle, a pack of cigarettes and assorted knickknacks lying on the adjacent wall. You can feel the presence of a man whom the girl seems to be addressing. Then the camera starts wavering, the girl appears to be giddy and faints.

She is carried back to her room. We are seeing all this from the eyes of the man. We don’t see him but his presence is eerie. The camera is his voice. The girl wakes up disoriented, goes into the bathroom to splash water on her face and whack - she is hit on her head with a chopper.

Blood splatters on the mirror and she falls down unconscious. The killer then sets out to chop her bit by bit and encloses the pieces in plastic before packing it into a case. The entire sequence is done in a way that you feel the searing impact of the killing.

The narrative shifts to a series of photographs. Cut to the waiting room at Thenmady station. The train to Pune is late and the handful of passengers, a couple and two singles, are seated in the room, anxiously awaiting the train. It is dark outside. The young single girl (Radhika) is reading a Hindi newspaper and the young single man (Raj Singh Chaudhary) is trying to chat her up. The girl appears to be reading about a recent murder that took place in the vicinity of the station.

She seems spooked by the young man’s leeriness. The middle-aged couple, sitting on the opposite side, seem to have secrets too. Tension starts creeping in at this point. The distrust between the four starts escalating and fear takes over completely.

Maneej manages to build up a nice seething tension in the narrative. He has tremendous help from Dilshad’s incisive camera work, Shajith Koyyeri’s resounding sound design and Shashi Perumanoor’s strikingly real art direction.

Dishad’s camera is so invasive that you almost feel as though you are in the killer’s shoes and not just an observer. Dilshad’s camerawork is almost voyeuristic – the few outdoor shots are breathtakingly evocative while the ones indoor are lit with an eye to create a shadowy menace.

Baiju Kurup’s editing also lends a cutting-edge tension to the narrative. The film begins to falter in effect once the case with the body is discovered. The characters start behaving oddly and the tension is lost in the attempt to speed up discovery of the murderer. The character build-up is also pretty weak. There is not enough credibility in individual motivations and the ending appears to have been hastily put together.

The script could have done better with a couple of rewrites. Maneej sets up his scenes quite effectively but he loses out on the drama because of poor scripting. Since the characters are rudimentarily fashioned, there is not much to do but look petrified, scared or menacing when required. The actors are pretty competent in that respect. With a little more care and budget, Maneej Premnath’s The Waiting Room could have been a great film. Even in it’s current frame-up it’s a better than average film and it deserves to be seen at least by the discerning few if not the masses!

johnsont307@gmail.com

This is yet another film based on terrorism. Writer-director Vinod Thakur develops the story of Mission 11th July by building on the indoctrination theme.

Shahid (Tarun Khanna), a muslim boy is a victim of riots. He now lives with his widowed mother (Joyshree Arora) in Pathanwadi, Mumbai. He is in love with Raavi (Natasha Singh), a Hindu, and they form a theatre group with a couple of other friends from their mohalla. Shahid meets a professor (Pramod Moutho) and sees in him a surrogate father figure. He listens to his pro-jehadi sentiments and starts believing in them, which leads finally leads him to volunteering for an attack on the Indian Parliament. For this, he and his comrade in arms, Aftab (Mukesh Tiwari) need the support of the police commissioner Abbas Ali Baig (Vikram Gokhale), whose family has been kidnapped to ensure his capitulation.

First-time director Vinod Thakur’s narrative is crisp and the performances are effectively tempered. But there is one major problem - he tries too hard to justify Shahid’s straying from the conformist path and as a result the narrative balance gets affected. There is not enough conviction in the second half when Shahid plays turncoat and tries to redress his past mistakes. The story itself has nothing new to say.

Veer (Eros Music): When the film is directed by slambang Anil Sharma and has Salman Khan in the lead role as a desi gladiator, you don't expect much sophistication from its music either, but surprise of surprise, Veer is blessed with some fine songs, a few of which may even count as year's best. The objects of superlatives are headed by Surili akhiyon wale where both Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's singing and Sajid-Wajid's music is creditworthy.

The song is particularly sweet in a solo, but does not lose anything even as a duet in which Sunidhi Chauhan joins Rahat, with Suzanne D'Mello filling in with English vocals in both. A tough competition is given to this song by Salaam Aaaya by Roop Kumar Rathod, Shreya Ghoshal and Suzanne D'Mello. In fact, at times, some may find this song better than even Surili akhiyon wale. Roop is simply outstanding.

When it comes to high-octane stuff, there is Taali maar duhatthi veera first as a chorus by Sukhwinder Singh, Sonu Nigam, Wajid and Neuman Pinto and then as a solo by Sukhwinder Singh.

Sonu Nigam does a class act in Meherbaniyan, which has an old-world feel about it. Then there is the thumri, Kanha sung by Rekha Bhardwaj, with Shabab Sabri, Toshi and Sharib singing Pavan udave batiyaan in the background. Very few composers include such classical compositions in albums these days. The album closes with a one-minute instrumental Spirit of Veer, which takes wings on the Meherbaniyan beat.

The lure of the songs owes a lot to the magic of Gulzar's pen.

Ishqiya (T Series): Gulzar is at his best in this album as well. The film revolves around the falling in love of an over the hill Naseeruddin Shah. That is a sensitive subject every way and expressing such feelings is all the more difficult. But Gulzar has epitomised them through a class act.

Dil to bachcha hai zee boasts of sentiments which only he could have penned: Umr kab ki baras ke safed ho gayee, kali badri jawani ki chhat-ti nahin. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan portrays these wonderful lyrics with remarkable maturity, making it a one of a kind song. Its remix in, which he is joined by Clinton Cerejo (English lyrics by Ajinkya Iyer) is no patch on it.

A fun song is Ibn-e-Batuta, bagal mein joota sung in a boisterous style by Sukhwinder Singh and Mika. This song happens to have two remixes as well.

Composer Vishal Bhardwaj has used the voice of Rekha Bhardwaj in two classical numbers, Ab mujhe koi intezar kahan and Badi dheere jali. Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's Mohan Veena is enthralling. —ASC