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Special moves
It’s a coming together of dancing and talking, of Bharatnatyam and contemporary forms, of India and France. The confluence of influences and experiences has just got started. And ‘Bharatemporary’ for a term related to solo-dancing, appears much more explanatory till Celine Pradeu Kanagasabai takes a break from rehearsing and for a change verbally takes forward the conversation!
“Through dance talk I explain to the audience, who I am, what I do and where I am from. I tell them about dancing and give some keys to understand what choreography is all about; what is contemporary dance forms,” she explains, at Alliance Francaise. She is here to give a performance Hybride, a kind of dance talk about the birth of Bharatemporary solo-dancing. The performance takes the spectator into her creative world, offering glimpses along the way of costumes and sets, sounds and music, and presenting choreographic insights that punctuate the creation. Thus, through this coming together of dance and talk “conference dansee” takes the audience to the very centre of the Hybride choreographic creation.
“It’s a form in which I switch between dancing and speaking.” She let’s herself dance; sometimes influenced by the French and at other times by the Indian dance. She adds, “I am French; was born to a Sri-Lankan father and French mother.” Bharatnatyam is what just happened at the age of twenty. “I started learning Bharatnatyam in France itself at the age of twenty, though I started learning dancing at the age of five. It’s a very nice classical form; all about balancing, parallel to the western classical ballet.”
Apart from handling the administrative work for her dance company, it’s at least six hours of practicing everyday. Not to forget the search and research for more fusion dances. “With the solo Hybrid, I concentrate on the meeting between the two dance forms and internalisation. I created a dance form weaving together my two main influences.”
Part Sri-Lankan roots is what she credits her introduction to Bharatnatyam to, “Indian classical dances are not really popular in France but people are curious about the techniques. They are more into the Western classical ballet.” Spell Bollywood and she draws a blank and mumbles a broken name or two. “I have heard of the Bollywood style of dancing but don’t know anything about it. Though I know who Aishwarya Rai is.” The one-hour performance takes her to at least ten cities in India. “After this I’m off to Jaipur; I’ll also be giving performances back in France.”
manpriyatribunemail.com
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The art of Words
It is always an overwhelming experience when behind the glitz and glamour, the froth loses value and those with a true meaning find space. Irshad Kamil is one of those rare persons, whose entire life revolves around words, meaning and lyrics. Still basking in the glory of receiving the Filmfare award for the Best Lyricist for his contribution in Rockstar, there is no hint of pride.
“Writing is a part of my system and not a hobby,” he says, dressed casually in jeans and t-shirt, with a black blazer on top. Winding up his day at 3.00 in the morning and sometimes even 8.00, he says, “Each day for me is a battle and preparedness matters a lot,” he adds. What follows is sitting by the window for a span of six to eight
hours! Taking us down the memory lane, he talks about his first experience with writing. “The visual is clear in my mind. Sitting by the window I had scribbled a few lines and my sister found it interesting,” he says. After that it was an unusual journey of writing love letters for friends and extensive reading. “When one knows how to write, there is no need to focus on the language. Your thoughts tend to choose the language and words,” he suggests. From working in a newspaper to teaching in a university, it is clear, where the humility comes from.
Of course, his association with director Imitaz Ali has won him accolades and taught him a lot. “It’s strange but when it comes to all those who have been associated with him, it is only me that is still working with him,” he says. Aware of the exact nerve which Imitiaz constantly looks for, he knows how to give the director what he is looking for. “When you are a writer and have a good spectrum, there is nothing that you cannot write on; not being able to write is no excuse,” he adds. “For now, Imitaz is confident that I will give him the right lyrics; I don’t know how long it will last,” he adds.
Understanding the song situation has played a vital role in the lyricist’s life. Talking about his aggressive yet rebellious song, Sadda Haq, he gives an insight on where the lyrics came up from. “Each writer has a rebel inside. I understood that Jordan (played by Ranbir Kapoor) was a rebel and it actually became a means to releasing my frustration,” he says. Tired of answering the questions for society and breaking the normal code of conduct, Irshad’s frustration still lies within him. “People always try to make you what they want; the sense of freedom is missing,” he says. The song has not only made a mark among audiences and music listeners, but also found its way into political rallies. “I understood the undercurrent, which society is suffering from. No one today feels that they are getting their rights,” he says. Though the emotions remain alive, the political waves cannot be ignored,” he
says. Talking about his future, apart from several films and music, he believes that Rockstar is the tip of the iceberg.
Young thoughts
Irshad Kamil was here for a book launch. Written by 18-year-old technocrat Shivam Bandha, the Three Year Marathon (Unistar, Rs 150) revolves around the toils and turmoils of a young student. His journey of self-discovery began in sixth standard and today it has taken the shape of a book.
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Bunty’s tree bears more fruits
The film has also been selected for a final screening at the Sacramento International Film Festival USA. Earlier, the film was also an official selection for the Colorado Environmental Film
Festival. Bunty’s Tree won an award for animation at Best Shorts, LA, USA. The film was also screened by the Jamestown Arts Centre, at an India oriented evening of films. The centre screens films entered in the Rhode Island International Film Festival, an Oscar qualifying
festival. The film is directed by Jasraj Singh Bhatti, scripted by Jaspal Bhatti and made by the animation students of Mad Arts, Yashwant, Amandeep, Rajni, Ashish & Honey. The music score is by Gaurav Malik. —TNS
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A helping hand
Journey of a young lad from Punjab; his failures and success makes for the story of Kasturi. The director, producer and script-writer, Renu Khanna, brings in the film her personal experiences as well as the zeal to do something for
society.
Kasturi, a 25-minute film, was shot over three days at village Chappercheri, Punjab. And, it’s maker Renu did not find the process very different from her routine architectural practice. “In my regular projects I have to take along a huge team right from the structural engineer to the landscape artist, interior designer and more, while sticking to my theme. Making a movie was a similar experience, just the method was different this time,” says Renu, who started doing a film-making course over the weekends in September last
year. While the course was fun, she wrote the script in between her meetings, storyboards were prepared on Sundays, and three days shoot from six to one at night laid the foundation of the movie.
When most of us complain of no time, this national award winner architect has pursued her passion and brought together the issues close to her heart. “Since I wrote the story as well the script, I drew from real life experiences,” she says. “While shooting I got to know that village Chappercheri was built on the land given to families of the martyrs of Second World War; this too became part of our script.”
Kasturi talks about the problems that afflict modern-day youth — drug abuse, loneliness, losing direction — and the film also gives answers to it. “I have seen how difficult it is for a drug addict to get out of circumstances. Our protagonist Babbu goes through a similar process,” she
says. Also what made this film a reality has been a close-knit team, feels Renu. “My son Nakul, an engineer, plays the lead. Rajwinder Gill assisted me.” Being on the same page helped this team create the effect they wanted to. “Music plays a great role in our movie. The title song is written by my younger son Sakul and its music has been given by Sharang Sharma,” says Renu.This architect intends to make the film available on YouTube for everyone to see, but before that wants to submit it for screening at different film festivals, “I want to make it available to health department as well,” says
Renu. mona |
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Aging, obesity no bar
Here's a piece of good news for the elderly and the plump — gathering years and obesity are no bar to well-being, says a cross-cultural study. Researchers from the University of Warwick Medical School found that people reported better mental quality of life as they age, despite aches and stiff
bones.
They analysed health patterns of more than 10,000 people in the US and Britain and their links to participants’ mental and physical quality of life, the European Journal of Epidemiology reported. Saverio Stranges, who led the study at Warwick, with Kandala Ngianga-Bakwin, said: “It’s obvious that people’s physical quality of life deteriorates as they age, but what is interesting is that their mental well-being does not deteriorate - in fact, it
increases.” Quality of life was evaluated using a measure which takes in eight different factors, including perception of general health, pain, social functioning and mental health. This is in line with previous research, for example by Andrew Oswald, professor at Warwick, which suggests that happiness levels follow a U-shape curve with their lowest point in the mid-40s after which they rise as people move into older age. — IANS
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Leaf from Sikh history
Any big or small change begins with an idea. Holds true for the world of entertainment, where a director first juggles with a hundred ideas and zeros-in on one. And it is this idea that goes on to define the success of the movie. Debutant director Surinder Sharma from Bathinda had to go through the same process, before selecting an idea that would bring about a difference in Punjabi cinema.
The idea here is a war movie called The Battle of Saragarhi. Surinder Sharma, along with his cast and crew, is working hard to maintain authenticity in this thought, giving it an entertaining spin and sending the right message across. "I wanted to pick up a subject from Sikh history but there are generally problems with it as not many people like actors playing roles of god-like figures. So, I decided to make a movie on the battle of Saragarhi," shares the director, who has been making corporate and socially relevant films.
Whatever little people know of battle of Saragarhi is from records here and there, brief notes on Wikipedia et al. Making a movie on a topic that doesn't have much written records is definitely challenging. Smiles Surinder Sharma while nodding his head in approval, "Indeed, I tried to gather information from here and there. I started with the basic knowledge of the event where 21 Sikhs of the 4th Battalion of the Sikh regiment of British India, while defending an Army post fought against 10,000 Afghans. I checked up books, the Internet and also tried talking to the distant families of these soldiers," he says. With Punjabi cinema exploring new subjects, bringing a historic event on to the silver screen sounds like quite a beginning.
"It sure is not easy, but if the intent is clear nothing is possible," adds Surinder Sharma, introducing the new cast he has picked up for the movie. "All the actors who play the Sikh soldiers have some kind of martial training and have worked in Punjabi movies off and on. The real challenge, however, is retaining authenticity in script, costumes and sets."
Has someone heard about directorial liberty? "Yes. The idea with any of these topics is to keep them authentic and at the same time add fictional element smartly. For instance, we knew that some soldiers were married, so creating a marriage scene is fiction. I tried to do justice to it as well." Surinder Sharma will also be giving special training to his actors so that their body language and mannerisms become like that of real
soldiers. jasmine |
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Juhi’s high on success
“It’s simply super duper news. I AM wins 2 National awards! I am just so happy for the film, for Onir and for the belief. Many congratulations to all the producers worldwide of the film. Also many heartfelt congratulations to Vidya for her national award. One clearly saw she did put her heart and soul into the film,” she says. The actress feels it’s like a dream. ‘Gosh! It’s still sinking into my head. I AM is the Best Hindi Film! I want to pinch myself, just make sure it’s not a dream. I can’t stop smiling. I thank the jury members of the National Awards for their absolutely wonderful choice! It is absolutely wonderful unbiased choice. I AM is truly deserving,’
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Moving on
They peacefully shot two-three schedules of Ek Tha Tiger. Katrina took care of Salman as he had some health issues. She
is now shooting with SRK in London and will return and shoot with Salman who is currently busy
with Dabangg 2. Meanwhile, a source tells us that the two continue to be very close friends. He says, “Salman uses Katrina’s car and vanity van these days. She is in London shooting with Shah Rukh and Salman is cool with that because they all are professionals. Salman and Katrina have a very amicable relationship with each other. They are great friends and love each other but not in a romantic way. Their equation is hard to understand for many people because Salman is not known for breaking up amicably. Interestingly, neither Salman nor Katrina has really dated anybody after their break-up. Katrina never admitted to seeing Ranbir and it wasn’t exclusive!” Looks like this love story has not yet met its end!
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On adventure trip
The former Spice Girl took her son, who turned 13 on March 4, out for horse riding in the Hollywood Hills and uploaded a photo of a smiling Brooklyn sitting on a horse on a sandy slope with the Hollywood sign in the background, a publication
reported. She uploaded the photo with the message “Amazing afternoon horseback riding with Brooklyn in the Hollywood Hills! I love LA! X vb.” A brunette woman could be seen ahead of Brooklyn on another horse, but it was unclear whether or not it was Victoria. So it is likely she was behind the
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All praise for Angelina
The 36-year-old actress, who is a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, spoke about the plight of Somali refugees at the event at the Lincoln Centre in New York and was introduced by Rwandan genocide survivor Sandra Uwiringiyimana to the stage, a publication
reported. During her address, Jolie told the story of Dr Hawa Abdi, who runs a medical camp in Somalia which is now being overrun by militants and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her
work. Other speakers at the three-day summit include politician Hillary Clinton and actress Meryl Streep. — PTI
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Holi player
Veena Malik played Holi for the first time in India with Aanand Balraj and Kishore Bhanushali in Juhu, Mumbai. She is dubbing for her debut film.
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Promotional show
Sajid Khan promoted his Housefull 2 with his buxom heroines at the Zoom Holi party. The girls look great. Could someone please tell the pompous director that he needs a haircut, pronto!
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Madhuri Dixit unveiled her wax statue in London at the Madame Tussauds wax museum with her husband Sriram Nene earlier this week!
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Priyanka Chopra has more than a million followers on Twitter and is quite addicted. Still she has decided to take a break from social networking for some time and promises to be back soon!
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Like father
…
Farhan Akhtar’s daughter Shakya is eleven years old. She is writing a script for a children’s film which her father will direct. Nice! All in the family!All she can
eat
Sonam Kapoor is quite a foodie and thinks about food and meals all the time. She eats what she likes and says that her dietician has given up on her. She loves fried Sindhi-Punjabi food, chocolates, ice-cream, Italian, and sea food.
Sonam Kapoor is quite a foodie and thinks about food and meals all the time. She eats what she likes and says that her dietician has given up on her. She loves fried Sindhi-Punjabi food, chocolates, ice-cream, Italian, and sea food.
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Back with a bang
How did Shubh Vivah happen to you? I was destined to bag the role in Sony’s Shubh Vivaah. I auditioned for it and am glad that I playing a positive role in it. Can you tell us something about your role? I play Bansi, who is in love with Saroj (Neha Janpandit), who doesn’t love him. Bansi is a dreamer and the serial is a story of what happens in their lives. What about the news that you were banned from working on TV? It was a rumour; I was never banned from working on television. I tried to explain this to people but no one heard me out. The message will reach out to people now as I am back on TV. What did you do post your last show Betiyaan? I was busy with a film for almost three years. I was shooting for it day and night, which is why I wasn’t seen on TV. Tell us something about the film. I am under contract so I wouldn’t be able to say anything about it. But it should be releasing soon. Why was your personal life under scrutiny? I don’t want to talk about my personal life.
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Actor-cum-host Shruti Seth, who is currently hosting Kahaani Comedy Circus Ki, opened an event organising company My Company that host events in Andheri. She wants to make Andheri a popular destination and hopes her projects get the right kind of attention.
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Eager & excited
Dimple Jhangiani, who was last seen in Kuch Is Tarah, will now be playing a younger sister, Nimrit, in Rajan Shahi's new show Amrit Manthan on Life Ok. It is a prominent and positive role and Dimple is excited about it.
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Role reversal
Shailesh Lodha from the hit comedy show Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma now wants a change. He wants to do dramatic shows and not just comedy. He is getting a lot of offers to do emotional roles, which are exciting and interesting.
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Meet Brothers have composed the title song of Imagine's Jamuna Paar. Rajan Shahi wanted a change and got the brothers to compose the song, which is a soft romantic Sufi number. The song is being liked a lot by the youth and has a good connect
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Idol talk
Indian Idol is returning with its sixth season and the only common factor is the judge Anu Malik. The show will be bigger than ever as it plans to go to the interiors of India. Anu Malik is called the face of Indian Idol, which is definitely true.
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Sara Khan of Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein fame is on cloud nine after having bagged a cameo in Anurag Kashyap's upcoming flick Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. She plays Kunal Kapoor’s girlfriend in the film. She also has a Zee TV show on hand.
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Rajeev Paul will be seen in Balaji Telefilms' Tere Ishq Nachaye on Zee TV. He will play a positive role of a happy-go-lucky man. Rajeev is glad to be doing TV again after a long hiatus.
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The year ahead
If your birthday is March 11... Your number 2 and the moon make you an honest, responsible, trustworthy, intelligent and broad-minded person. You are fond of intellectual conversation and soothing music, but you need to control your tendency to behave in an extra nervous and restless manner during difficult times. Those with an ascendant in Gemini risk ending up being swamped by paperwork and things to do. This is due to your chaotic
organisation. In 2012-13 you will benefit immensely if you listen to what your family members have to say. New sources of income will improve your financial position and your confidence will be at its peak. Career changes, if any, will prove to be beneficial. Try to view disappointment as a learning experience. You need to be more forgiving. The hotter things get on the outside, the colder you will feel on the inside. If your opponents think you are frightened, you will lose your advantage. The longer you are apart, the better the relationship will look. Your outgoing nature will work to your advantage.
Spouse and other female members will do their best to keep you happy. You will find the domestic atmosphere quite encouraging. Short distance travels undertaken will fetch you expected results. You may meet some new people who are worth befriending. Some of you may have to tie the marriage knot
suddenly. Financially, this will be a favourable period. If keen to make fresh investments consult a professional and invest your hard-earned money wisely.
Mood: Confused and distracted Compatible signs: Cancer, Capricorn, Taurus Lucky
colours: Dark blue, black Lucky days: Tuesday. Lucky numbers: 3, 5, 11, 35, 51 Lucky gem: Moon
stone. Lucky flower: Purple Kumudini. Suggestion on birthday: Distribute halwa or donate sooji, sugar and ghee at a religious place.
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Astro turf
ARIES: Those who are married will enjoy a pleasantly romantic phase at home. Take proper care of your health. Social life and political activity will bring recognition. Think before you speak. Be honest with yourself. Tarot message: Arrogance and pride will not be rewarded. Lucky
colour: Peach. TAURUS: Financially, it is a best day for you. Don’t rush to make any hasty decisions regarding your family. Younger member in the family may offer you a valuable advice. Tarot message: Versatility and a quicksilver mind will bail you out of a
situation. GEMINI: Dispute over a small issue is possible at your working place. A subtle shift in your equilibrium can come about, allowing you to enjoy all the aspects of your life like never before. Tarot message: Plan your life to avoid the in-built delays that come your way. Lucky colour: Coffee brown Magic number:
41 CANCER: Day starts on a positive note. Take proper care of your diet.Expectant women: focus on medical check up. Watch what you put in your mouth or you will add inches to your waistline. Tarot message: Bury an old quarrel and be prepared to make a compromise. Lucky
colour: Orange LEO: Personal relations may be neglected. Students: mind your language. A chance encounter with a foreigner or traveller may bring a hint of déjà vu and something from the past back into your life again. VIRGO: Friendships are under very favourable stars. Students: check your canteen bill. Make sure insurance related documents are in order. If single; meeting may spark new romance. A partner may be obsessed with something you can’t relate to. Tarot message: Listen to your voice of wisdom.Lucky colour: Baby pink Magic number: 27
LIBRA: Work on your hobby. Be cautious while dealing with money. Do not be rash or impulsive. Postpone work that requires concentration and physical efforts. Avoid romantic entanglements. Tarot message: Learn a lesson from past and get on with your life. Lucky
colour: Coral. SCORPIO: Today you will have difficulty in getting along with associates. Expect tremendous joy in an evening party. The Moon joins loving Venus, which promises a right setting for romance and play. SAGITTARIUS: You might be able to do yourself a bit of good with help from influential people.Put it to rest, either by talking it over with others or by accepting that you have no control over anyone but yourself. Tarot message: Think before you open your mouth. Lucky
colour: Indigo CAPRICORN: Today you are likely to spend money on astrology or philosophical books. Agreement made today can be very valuable to you. Later in the day you should be able to get your ideas for home improvement. Tarot message: Keep in mind that perseverance is the key to success. Lucky colour: Sky blue Magic number:
63 AQUARIUS: The day starts with smiles and cheers. Friends are pleasant but not particularly significant. A busy schedule of social engagements might not seem too exciting right now. PISCES: Meeting new people will bring delightful opportunity for romance and minor flirtation. Property deals come to the fore. You may be challenged for wrong entry. Remain flexible throughout the day, and you won’t be disappointed. Tarot message: Be honest to your desires. Lucky colour: Rust. Magic number: 38
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Yale University has invited Mad Arts’, award-winning animation film Bunty’s Tree for its Environmental Film Festival. The film festival is not open for general entries and there is a specific call to the film they are interested
in.
Actress Juhi Chawla is still thrilled with the news of her film I Am winning two National Awards. The film which is based on four core social issues - gay rights, sperm donation, child abuse and a tale of Kashmiri Pandits won in the Best Hindi Film and Best Lyrics (Amitabh Bhattacharya)
category.
Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif ended their romantic relationship around two years ago. Yet, they have maintained an unlikely friendship. Katrina is friends with his sisters and close to his family and they genuinely care about each
other.
Victoria Beckham has enjoyed an afternoon of horse riding with her son Brooklyn in the Hollywood Hills. After a busy few months leading up the New York Fashion Week, the 37-year-old fashion designer is back in the bosom of her family spending quality time with her four
children.
Hollywood star Angelina Jolie was thanked for “doing incredible things” at the Woman in the World summit by a Rwandan genocide
survivour.
All she can eat
Yuvraj Malhotra, who became popular on TV with Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyan returns with Sony’s Shubh Vivah. He is glad to bag the role, which puts all the controversies around him to
rest.
Thora Birch was born on March 11, 1982. She is an American actress and was the leading child actor during the 1990s, starring in movies like Hocus Pocus. During the late 1990s, she moved on to more mature roles in films like American Beauty. She was born in Los Angeles, California; the eldest child of Jack Birch and Carol Connors.