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Deep look
How do you get an exhilarating conversation with an actor? Well, it's all about catching them at the right time. Which is? Well… something like while they are on their way back from a relaxed family holiday or when they are waiting for an upcoming film's release. So when we caught up with actor Om Puri in Chandigarh on Thursday, a big part of him still seemed to be smiling about his recent holiday in Manali!
He smiled more easily, seemed almost afloat, walked fluid and add to that - summarised for us every little snippet he had read in the morning newspaper! From the khap panchayat to the Colonel killed in the Kupwara encounter to remembering Kanishka victims. He seemed surprised that someone could read such pieces and not get seriously moved? We could tell, he was right there, into the words out there. His gaze froze on the newspaper. Do such situations really move an actor, always surrounded by blinding flashlights and gushing fans? Om Puri replies, his gaze still fixed on the news: "These are not incidents. These are stories of real men, the lifetime they spent. They cannot be dismissed without a thought. As an actor, such incidents shake up my mind and take me a step further wherein I try and understand the whole story…I begin to dig into the details…and find answers…" Cut to holidays. They are therapeutic and we know why. "Being an actor I can explore new places. I don't treat outdoor shoots as work, but as a chance to know more about new cultures, interact with people, move around, know the place better and return with a cartload of memories." He doesn't mind sharing one or two with us. "I was in Kolkata for almost three months while I was shooting for City Of Joy. There, two rickshaw-pullers, real one mind you, taught me to how to pull one. Do you think, this little incident will ever escape from my memory," he smiles, almost a relaxed curve. Memories indeed make up a lifetime. Happy, sad, furious, nightmarish, they come to haunt just when you least expected them to. The actor came out with one such memory that haunts him till date. "After the earthquake at Latur, I read one such news where a small boy refused to cry after losing his parents. The entire village coaxed him but he wouldn't shed a tear. One day he saw his buffalo standing near a tree, he ran, hugged the animal and cried his heart out. This animal was his only connection with the life he had known," says Om Puri, his throat swelling up with a lump. Actors from a theatre background are known to carry the 'sensitive' tag and Om Puri displays it with élan. Actors should be smart. See how Abhishek, the smart actor, is surviving despite critics lambasting him for his recent performance in Raavan. Says Om Puri, waiting for the release of his upcoming projects, "Certain amount of intelligence is a must for all actors," he laughs adding, "The actor might not be as intelligent as the director or others around, but extra grey cells are always an asset. More than this, an actor needs to be receptive, sensitive and emotionally aware. Acting is a responsibility, wherein an actor has to convince the audience on certain issues." This is probably easier for theatre actors. "Theatre is a different medium altogether. Actors in theatre are not a slave to the director. Nothing comes in between them and the audience. The exchange and response is immediate," he says while comparing the actors' role in Bollywood where he is a directors' medium. "A director has the capability of changing an actor's performance as per the need, which cannot be done in theatre." Time for one last query…does he read whatever is written about him? He waits (probably looking for the apt answer), "I would be a hypocrite if I said I don't. I definitely look forward to what has been written on me." The reason? "Sometimes some questions asked by journos are like homework. They get you thinking on some new lines." So, did he leave with an assignment or
not? jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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Caught in the web
Music knows no barriers, music bridges gap, music is soulful, music is ecstasy, music is magic, music binds all elements of life…and music has become absolutely dirt-cheap! Now, where does this odd one come from? All said and done about the goodness of music and the blissful effect it has on living creatures; music has also become easily accessible, available and free for all. Courtesy online downloading, which gives an easy access to just about any kind of music.
So, who would want to spend 250 bucks on a CD, when you can download your kinda music and prepare a playlist free of cost? Good news! Not really. The ‘free for all’ trend is not going down too well with people from the music industry. We ask singers why they are skeptical with the goodness of technology in music. Promoting the ongoing Idea Music Week Contest - an initiative of Idea Cellular to identify young music talent from across Punjab, giving them an opportunity to perform alongside Punjabi singers Raj Brar and Preet Harpal, the two singers share the same view. “Technology in music has made singers popular. Now, anyone can load a mobile phone with umpteen songs depending upon the capacity of the card,” they opine. Says Raj Brar, “A singer spends 10 lakh on recording a song and another five lakh on the video. But a youngster can go on a site and download the entire music for free without spending a penny. This is a definite loss for the music industry and the singers.” From information on all kinds of music, Internet is a storehouse. And which music buff would not explore this world that comes free of cost? Adds Punjabi singer Lakhwinder Wadali, “Music companies are skeptical of spending money on singers who have their songs on the Internet already.” As per Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans, “Music companies would spend lakhs on a singer and reap dividends for years. They are no longer interested in spending money on a singer when they see no scope of sale of music. Now, singers spend 40-50 lakh from their own pocket to cut an album, which within no time is available free of cost on the Internet.” Sounds really bad. Suddenly, downloading seems to be an act against humanity that affects the talented lot of singers. Well, well, well…. there is hope for Bollywood singer Abhijeet Sawant who does not nullify the trend of downloading. “Music is easily accessible. Anyone with a good Blackberry or any other Internet connected mobile phone can download music and enjoy it.” What about the trend affecting singers? “The government can get in touch with online music sites and get them to pay for it. This could be a two- way business where both the singers and the site is deriving benefit.” “How can an individual singer get affected by the free downloads?” questions Pradeep Gangal, managing director, Go Bindaas Entertainment Pvt Ltd who is of the opinion that easy accessibility of music acts as a support function for singers. According to Gangal, “Online music sites have been on the Internet for almost 15 years now, so why this hullabaloo about it now? These sites are not to be blamed for the drop in sales of music CDs. Downloading is a worldwide phenomenon, which though illegal does not make much of a difference to the market value of singers.” He adds, “The only thing that it has done is brought down the quest for new songs. One wouldn’t want to buy a CD to listen to a particular song if they get to hear it 10 times on a radio or can download
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Designing the drama
The visual image is a kind of tripwire for the emotions.
On stage visual created by the design elements not only heightens the emotional mood, but also accentuates the dramatic tension and adds to the power of make-believe. Imagine a play without a design. In fact, there is no play without a design. As noted theatre person Balwant Thakur says, "Spoken words alone cannot be theatre." Erroneously, we often confuse design with set alone. So feels celebrated theatre person and designer Bansi Kaul whose plays are known as much for its potent visual appeal as directorial content. He observes, "A small stick can be a design too." But that is not to say that design is a simplistic task where you put few inconsequential things together and these will begin to speak of their own volition. Rather each prop on stage must have some import and relevance to the dramatic narrative. Eminent theatre person Kewal Dhaliwal, who has designed not only for his plays but also for theatre persons like Pakistan's well-known theatre director Madeeha Gauhar, Mohali-based Dr Sahib Singh and Aneeta Shabdish, insists that design is the ultimate test of creativity. Expectedly, script dictates design to a large extent. For instance, when he does a Shakespearean play, the period look takes over. But be it period setting or modern or experimental, the days of realistic sets, feels Kaul, are passé. "Only commercial groups follow the good old real world feel." With more and more theatre directors moving towards minimalist sets, is the new visual vocabulary borne out of expediency? Yes. Simple set designs employing locally available material like bamboo, cloth and ropes, albeit used ingeniously as in Kaul's plays, ensure that productions are easy on pocket of theatre persons who often have to make-do within limited budgets. Besides it makes a play more mobile and can be easily taken from one place to another. But this practical constraint in no way undermines the role of aesthetics in design and only reinforces the need to think out of box and stretch one's imagination. Kaul is brave enough to use bold vibrant colours as if the stage were a canvass. When Dhaliwal designed his play Yatra 1947 he used the commonplace ladder as a leitmotif. Yet this simple tool in its myriad manifestations acquired multiple meanings and interpretations. In another play Katra Katra Zindagi he used paintings extensively and framed the main set as a painting. Key to good design, without doubt, lies in not repeating oneself. "Alas", Dhaliwal rues, "Often theatre persons not only duplicate their own signature ad nauseam but also cut and paste designs from other people's works." Design, he adds further, is not an accident. Nor is it a deliberate well-thought out plan. It germinates as a nascent idea and soon grows into a whole. As DH Lawrence would say, "Design in art, is a recognition of the relation between various things, various elements in the creative flux. You can't invent a design. You recognise it, in the fourth dimension. That is, with your blood and your bones, as well as with your eyes." Take Thakur, who calls his theatre that of design, even though as a rule he dispenses away with structural design, for these can be limiting. Often on bare stage he manages to create mesmerising visuals with sheer energy of actors and their bodies alone. Those who have watched his acclaimed play Ghumayi know how beautifully he simulated the image of flowing water with dynamic movement of actor's hands. "Actors," he avers, "Are living beings who can enhance the visual mood more than anything else." Kaul, too, insists that actors are a part of design. So are lights, costumes, makeup and much more. But is stagecraft different from artistic design? Wikipedia makes a distinction between stagecraft and scenography, dubs it more technical than artistic that relates primarily to practical implementation of a designers' artistic vision. Dr Atamjit puts it more succinctly, "Design has a much larger context and in a way exists at three levels. First is stagecraft that is set design. At the second level you have the visual appeal and finally design even includes the rhythm of dialogue, the silence and the pauses." Despite the vastness of scope of design often directors double up as designers. Kaul who specialised in both design and direction reasons, "The two aspects are inextricably linked anyway." Dhaliwal insists, "This is because of an acute dearth of designers, of greats like Kaul and Robin Das." He suggests that probably the paucity can be met through training, by holding more workshops on design, especially in Punjab where specialisation is the first casualty of absence of professionalism. "Audiences," reminds Thakur, "Have outgrown hackneyed way of seeing things. They are open to new experiments." Technology too is emerging as yet another significant dimension of design. Technology and digital images have their benefits, but the trick lies in using it judiciously. For ultimately "To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control
or master."
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Not just looks
Looks matter. There could be thousands opposing this vague statement. Nevertheless, one look at the roll out of cars in various segments, one can't help generalising…looks do matter! The launch of Hyundai's Verna Transform mid-size premium segment car in the city on Thursday calls for the need to look into the 'looking good factor' in the automobile segment.
Loaded with dynamic features and sports styling, the new Verna Transform has all the ingredients to make it look smart and efficient. The exteriors have been given a fresh look with new features like sharp-eye headlamps that provide better illumination. The new bumper design is another attraction, in addition to the stylish new front grille with body-coloured stylish inserts that give it an aggressive look. The cascade mesh air dam provides for a smooth yet dynamic look. The new circular front fog lamps in trapezoidal bezels makes it safer and easier to drive during foggy weather. Ah! This is too much to look good. Agrees YK Koo, senior director, sales and marketing, HMIL, "Cars are also a mark of an individual's style statement, which is why automobile industry is catering to it in a big way. Besides, the idea of providing customers with cars that are loaded with comfort features has also been a factor that is catered to the hilt." Verna Transform is all set to boost Hyundai's superior line up of products in India. Adds Koo, "This vehicle will be hit with car enthusiasts." Talking about focusing on how good a car looks from the exterior and interior, Verna Transform has been changed to increase user convenience and driving comfort. "To enhance the interior appeal, unique blue LED illumination has been introduced, which is a one of its kind thing in this segment. In addition to this, a new instrument cluster with silver surround dials gives digital vehicle information at a glance," adds Koo. So next time you look at a car, ensure that it pleases your
eye! jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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For the ‘king of pop’
You are not alone, I am here with you and though you are far away I am here to stay…hums Michelangelo, music teacher at Saint John's-26 who is a die-had fan of Michael Jackson. Along with six of his students, Michelangelo is set to pay a tribute to the 'king of pop' Michael Jackson (MJ) on his first death anniversary on Friday.
MJ's contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure for over four decades. He debuted on the professional music scene in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971. The rest, as they say, is history. "Jackson is my idol since I was a child and I was really perturbed by the news of his death. Tomorrow we are paying a tribute to him not only as a singer, but as a philanthropist, despite all the controversies surrounding him," says Michelangelo. "We are not a band, but still it's our tribute to MJ who lives in our hearts," he adds. Cut to MJ. Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead, he dictated into a sound recorder and while recording sang the lyrics from his memory. Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres. Shares Shery Kundra, a law student at PU and a big fan of MJ, "I am a follower of the legend since I was four-years-old. In fact, my musical journey started with him and today I owe it to him." Adds Vilphin, part of the group, "We are going to sing his unusual numbers, which are not so popular of him, as well." (At Java Daves Café-10
from 2:30 pm onwards) |
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Get in shape
Reebok EasyTone comprise of a unique balance pod system in the shoe sole that creates natural instability with each step. An added benefit for women is that EasyTone does all of that whilst retaining the great looks and impeccable style expected in a women's shoe. According to Sajid Shamim, executive director marketing and product, Reebok India Company, "With EasyTone, we have entered a whole new era of technological advancement which has created a category for toning footwear that not only looks good, but also makes you look good. EasyTone as a product is an integration of fitness and lifestyle elements." — TNS |
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Ply high
"Generally, women have a lot of say in the interior designing and our studio gives them the option of actually seeing and choosing various laminates as well as veneers for furniture, cabinets, wall claddings and doors," says Reena Mishra Vashisht, DGM, marketing, Greenply. The studio displays the entire range in as many as 460 shades, which can be used in various permutations and combinations keeping in mind the overall look of the house. "What's more Greenply products are Green Card Certified, which means the emissions from various products are well within limits of world standards," says Reena. Greenply sheets are available in 10 x 4 ft pieces in order to give better finish (with less joints) and minimum wastage.
— Mona |
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Bridal trousseau
Weddings are probably the only thing that catches our fancy each time, without an ounce of decline in our interest or obsession with them. In fact, they are back to being a larger-than-life event. An affair so grand that nothing seems to come close to a 'shaadi'!
And so, working towards the cause (of helping you shop for the best designer deals) is Rashmi Bindra. The city-based designer announced the second edition of the Bridal Affair 2010, an exhibition that opens the door towards your dreams of a big fat Punjabi wedding. "The main idea behind Bridal Affair is to try and get best wedding collections on to one platform with something for everyone. Wedding is not just for the bride and groom, it's a family affair and so is Bridal Affair 2010," says Rashmi Bindra. And that means getting bridal trousseau to designer wear for the entire clan, 'mehdniwallahs' to the photographers who capture the memorable moments and tit-bits like 'kaleras, churas, designer thaals' and thousand details required to make for the biggest day in our life. If the first one was just the beginning, the second one promises to be bigger and better, "We have roped in designers like Kapil Haldar and Jaya Rathore, who were part of the WLIFW and known names from across India." The two-day event scheduled for the first week of August will have a fashion show to give a preview of the collections on display at the exhibition. Having organised similar events like Spring Arcade and Winter Wonder, she now wants to tap the potential of Chandigarh as a big market for designer clothes. "Expanding to Kolkatta, Mumbai and Delhi, Bridal Affair will emphasise more on getting the buyers. We want the designers to feel the Chandigarh market and provide customised services for people here. The fact that the city has grown in its fashion sensibilities is an add-on," says Rashmi. Herself a designer, she will also display her latest collection of hand-printed sarees and wedding wear.
nehawalia@tribunemail.com |
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New entry
Tell us about your childhood? I come from a filmy background. I assisted my father Mehul Kumar in editing and screenplay writing. I did films like Mrityudata, Kohram and Aansu Bane Angaare as a child artist. What made you choose the sequel? I have seen Krantiveer and always wanted to work with Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia. I have grown watching my father's films. Considering the subject of the sequel I have signed this film. And being a part of a main lead in film, I see my dream is fulfilled. How was it working with Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia? I loved working with Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia. Both are quite special and took great care of me. Tell us about your role? I play a character of fiery television journalist who leads the revolution against violence, terrorism and corruption. What is the film all about? Krantiveer-The Revolution is a sequel to Krantiveer. The spirit of the film is same but the story and screenplay is totally new. The film showcases the fight against the corruption. How did you handle the craft of acting? I try to stay completely in my character. I have no mind when I am immersed in my shot. When I finally see the shot on the monitor I go 'wow', I did that! Is Krantiveer-The Revolution a perfect way to launch you in Bollywood? Yes. It is made under our home production and has an excellent team of co-stars and technicians.
— Dharam Pal |
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Filmmaker Rohit Shetty held a special screening of Hollywood action comedy The A-Team, starring Bradley Cooper and Jessica Beil, for the entire cast of his upcoming film Golmaal 3. The cast of the film, including Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Khemu, along with Rohit, came together for the screening at the Rainbow Theatre within the premises of Ramoji Studios in Hyderabad. "Rohit announced at the end of the shoot that he had organised a special screening of a Hollywood flick. Everyone was pretty excited. Action is one of Rohit's favourite genres and he loved the stunts," said a source. Kunal also added: "I love action films and The A-Team was a pretty interesting watch. It was great fun." The cast has finished shooting for the last leg of Golmaal 3 in Hyderabad. — IANS
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Fan following
Bollywood actor Imran Khan feels that yesteryears actor Rajesh Khanna is the most romantic hero of Indian cinema. "During my growing up years in 1990s, the main romantic heroes were Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. However, someone who would take the top slot as the most romantic hero of all time is Rajesh Khanna," Imran said. Three film old Imran had revealed he had an eternal crush on Juhi Chawla and that he would love to work in a film like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, which was his uncle Aamir Khan's debut vehicle. "While growing up, I had a huge crush on Juhi Chawla. I loved her in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. I actually proposed to her as a child," he said. — IANS
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Actress Hansika Motwani has found a fan in actor-director Prabhu Deva, after she shot non-stop for 15 hours for his new film. It was raining heavily in Paris for a few days and finally, when the skies cleared the shoot resumed, Hansika worked non-stop for 15 hours so that they could get back to their schedule. "Hansika is so beautiful and talented and that too at such a young age, and her commitment towards work is extraordinary. She is a star in the making!" said Prabhu Deva. Hansika was beaming with joy after a hard day's work and said: "To work with a legend that is Prabhu Deva sir, is something of a dream come true and I just want to give my best every time." — IANS
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The Match Point filmmaker said that often his own works fail to meet his expectation. "You always start out with great hopes. When I'm writing, laying at home in bed, where you don't meet the test of reality, you know, you're in your own home, and, 'That's great' and 'Oh, this scene's going to be fabulous' and 'Wait till they see this' and 'This is like Citizen Kane." "Then, you've got to put up or shut up. You shoot and you make mistakes. You put the camera in the wrong place. And some of the scenes you wrote at home that you thought were so brilliant are not so brilliant. It's always disappointing," Allen said. — PTI
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"I am not a strict guy. Me and Kate (wife Katie Homes) try to get her eat things we want to. I say to her, 'You know, you should eat this protein if you want that sugar'. And she replies, 'Dad I really don't think you should force me to do things I want don't want to'," says Cruise. — IANS
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Reebok gives a new dimension to women fitness with the launch of Reebok EasyTone Shoes. As a latest addition to the toning category, the shoe promises to re-shape women, specially the butts and legs by generating upto 28% more effective glute muscle toning. It features a new balance pod system invented by a former NASA engineer, Bill McInnis. EasyTone shoes are priced between Rs 3,299 - Rs 5,299 and are available in vibrant colours of pink, grey and blue and more at all Reebok stores across the country.
In order to let the customers see and feel the range of laminates and veneers, Greenply launches its 'Green Design Studio' in the city
on Thursday.
The latest entrant into Tinselville Jahan Bloch actress daughter of filmmaker Mehul Kumar is all set to rock on silver screen and makes debut in her father new film Krantiveer - The Revolution, a sequel to super hit Krantiveer. She is the newest sensation. This hot and happening girl is waiting for the release of her debut Hindi movie, which opens all over this Friday. Jahan Bloch took time out for a candid chat with Lifestyle.
The multiple Oscar winning director Woody Allen admits he is impatient as a filmmaker compared to Hollywood directors like Steven Spielberg. "If you look at guys who are not lazy, let's say Steven Spielberg or something...They go out on location somewhere, and they live in the desert for a year. And they shoot every angle and do everything. I can't do that. I don't have the patience," says Allen.
It's virtually mission impossible for Hollywood star Tom Cruise when it comes to negotiating with his four-year-old daughter Suri.