Her world, music
Durga Jasraj is bringing Indian music to the prestigious platform it deserves...
Mona

big cause: Durga Jasraj

Most just rue the fact that Indian art has been lost in the 'Western' lanes; Durga Jasraj just decided to 'make a difference'. She decided to scour talent; polish it and provide it a prestigious platform.

Daughter of illustrious classical singer Pt Jasraj, Durga is happy in her space. With no ambition to outgrow the achievements of a famous father, her only aim is to take their values further. Her baby step in a virgin territory is a giant leap today.

Art and Artistes', that she is founder and director of, has received support from top brands, including Idea. Through the Indian Music Academy, not only is she trying to tap Indian music to its fullest but also assisting needy musicians as well as their dependents with medical facilities.

Jalsa — Music for Soul is the biggest touring music festival today, panning across fifty genres of Indian music and over 100 artistes across 12 cities. Together with her business partner Neeraj Jaitly, Durga has dared to chart an unknown territory and garnered viewership of as many as 15 crore people. And, she proudly announces that most of it is 'young' India.

It's not only classical music that she is out to promote, but much more. What's special is that she is not out to take acclaim, but credits her parents for fuelling her with the passion to 'make a difference'. "Whatever little understanding I have of music is due to my father who turns my guru on the stage," says Durga, who landed in Chandigarh on a rainy day, sleep deprived due to continuous travelling but ever-passionate nonetheless.

She believes in continuous experimentation. Jalsa is today linked up with FM, TV, YouTube as well as Facebook. Granddaughter of V Shantaram, she has it in her genes to combine the classical with showbiz and she insists that situation demands that the artistes reinvent themselves and connect with the audience. "The gap between the artist and the audience is stopping our music from realising its true potential."

She is happy playing her part though, "The challenge lies in the fact that unlike the West, ours is totally disorganised music industry. At the same time, it is the challenge that makes it worthwhile." And she is not pointing fingers at the government. "It's rather easy to put the blame on others and walk off; I ask myself what contribution I have made for something I feel deeply about."

She is positive about the future and received appreciation from viewers in Holland for the Udaipur Concert on February 14.

Eloquently she talks of different vidhas that India is rich of including folk that she finds the ultimate for those who want to break boundaries. "Folk is ultimately connected with daily life. And has no rigorous boundaries. Talk of good times, and bad, happiness and misery, little playfulness and more, why fusion when folk is here."

Idea Jalsa comes to Chandigarh on Sunday at 7 pm at Kalagram and brings Niladri Kumar with sitar and famous Wadali brothers with Sufi and qawali. Though Durga is praying for a clear sky, she also assures that those who brave the weather would be well protected!

She is also on with the next round of talent hunt which would be both on ground level and digital…also, on mind is the film that she wants to produce which again will reflect Art and Artistes' sensibility!

mona@tribunemail.com

Leaving a Big impression
A successful face on the small screen, Aman Verma is inching ahead and ready to make a mark on the big stage
Mona

ACT two: Aman Verma

On a rainy Saturday morning, actor-anchor Aman Verma looks a few years younger ever since he knocked on the small screen. Torn jeans with a moustache make him look different, but the voice defines his presence.

In Chandigarh, Aman in a freewheeling chat, shares excerpts from his journey…

Following a dream

I was keen on dramatics right from school; all I did not know was how to go about it! Against the wishes of my family, I landed in Mumbai to give it a try for I never wanted to live with the feeling that I never tried. For the first few months, it was a huge struggle to make ends meet. Those years were tense as well, but I had to work that much harder as I had no support system to fall back on. Kyunki changed things for good and Khullja Sim Sim for better.

Small Vs big screen

I feel I have registered a strong presence on the small screen, but I am yet to make a mark in films. I am happy for the kind of roles I am opting for now. There is this Partho Ghosh bilingual film that we are doing in Punjabi and Bengali. A clichéd storyline; it's about a love triangle. I am part of R Muthu's Badlapur Boys and also KC Bokadia's movie based on the Bhanwari Devi case. All in all, it's good going.

Character calling

I am doing a cameo in Parvarrish: Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi in which I represent the voice of common people. I am fortunate that television did make me a household name. The secret lies in identifying with the character you play. If an actor is honest and truthful to the character he plays, it does resonate with the audience.

On health & fitness

I am a very physical person and all for sports—basketball, beach volleyball, football, horse-riding and swimming. I loved paragliding in Manali, so much so that it's skydiving next on my agenda. Being in competitive Mumbai makes one pushy in terms of looks and work.

I eat less, workout more. If I am travelling a lot, I eat lesser and simply go for a walk. What most people don't realise is the importance of eating on time. And, yes, it works well in my case for I don't smoke, drink, don't eat chocolates or rice!

Clean on controversies

Well, the so-called sting was another learning experience. Aimed at high TRPs, I like others had the option of paying and getting out, but I chose to fight.

That time I did want to come clear of controversies. Salman Khan, who was close to me that time, suggested I keep shut. I did not understand it well then. I clarified my stand only to be further misquoted and misunderstood. Finally, I did steer clear of it. I kept shut, did my work and rather let it speak on my behalf.

mona@tribunemail.com

A dance, a passion
Salsa is more than just a dance form, for some it acts a stress-buster while for others it is a source of pure joy. We catch up with salsa wizard Phillip Langlais for more...
Amarjot Kaur

Before we begin to question, UK-based salsa instructor Phillip Langlais gets straight to the point, “Salsa is passion; for me it is life.” Langlais holds a Guinness world record of 130 spins in a minute with his co-dance-cum-instructor Natalie Watterson.

“Salsa comes naturally to me and I have been pursuing it for over twenty-one years now,” he laughs while adding, “I never really was formally trained; it was a friend of mine who introduced me to Salsa and since then there was no stopping. The record-breaking spins too came effortlessly to me; however, my partner had to practice a lot.” Phillip runs a salsa dance academy by the name of Latin Krazy and has a bag full of accomplishments to talk about. “I have choreographed the dance sequels for a South-Asian dance movie; you will also get to see Natalie and me in Plan B’s latest video She Said.”

Natalie, who is also hugely talented, quips, “I recently choreographed for a movie Cuban Fury, which is a British dance comedy due for release in March. We have also trained many celebrities, including Jane Horrocks, Vanessa, who is a famous TV presenter; Miguel and Mayana, who now teach salsa, Jimi Mistry in the movie Born Romantic and Thiago Soares, who is a principal dancer in the royal ballet.”

So what is it about salsa that gets these souls going? Phillip answers, “It’s a very fulfilling feeling. Salsa has no strict forms or principles of pattern, which one should follow. In fact, when it comes to Salsa, everyone’s dancing style is different.”

Indian connect

Through a series of dance-oriented reality television shows and movies that are pouring in abundance, dance has more or less become a fad in India. While keeping it simple, Santosh Acharya, Mumbai-based Salsa instructor and director at Salsa India, says, “Salsa makes a man out of a male while teaching him how to respect women. In a country like India, where the gender bias is such a huge issue, I believe Salsa can change the way men think.” Langlais goes into salsa’s connect with Bollywood, “In order to be officially recognised by the Indian film industry, a choreographer needs to have a card; I don’t have one yet. However, I have worked in a couple of movies although behind the scenes. Also, I am focusing on the institute right now.” Santosh’s wife, Suman also teaches Salsa at the same institute.

Delhi too is catching up. “We get at least 50 students enrolling for salsa lessons in Delhi every month,” says Yavid Singh, who is a dance instructor at Salsa India. “Most of the people join Salsa because it is a stress-buster, but little do they know that it helps an individual grow in terms of expression and skill.” His wife, who also works as a co-director in the same organization, says, “Salsa brings a smile on my face every morning.”

amarjot@tribunemail.com

Road to stardom
It began with Roadies Season 4 and now, he has landed in B-Town; Sahil Anand is fast climbing the ladder of success...
Amarjot Kaur

Screen Shot: Sahil Anand

You remember him as Sahil Anand, the Chandigarh-lad who rose to fame on the front-burner of Roadies Season 4. Now, he has paved his way into Bollywood after much struggle. Here are excerpts from his journey, the roadie ride and the stumbling blocks on his way.

Although Sahil has sought a rather boastful acclaim pertaining to his recent Karan Johar directed Student Of The Year, he remains humble while accepting credit for the same and hopes for the best for his upcoming movies Dilli Wala Pyar and Bang Bang Bangkok.

As he starts to pull out a series of excerpts from his professional career, Sahil shares, “I never would have gone for Roadies had not my friends asked me to. However, during that time I was much involved in my engineering course at Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering & Technology at Tangori. Nevertheless, I shot for Roadies and got through with it, but my parents wanted me to complete my degree. Therefore, I stayed away from the entertainment industry for a year.”

Needless to say, Sahil’s popularity was fading by the day during that one year “Soon after I got through with Roadies, I was offered a chance to work in television but I refused because of my studies,” says the 25-year-old while adding, “I dedicated that one year to my studies but after that, I had a long struggle ahead.”

Sahil, who claims to have moved to Mumbai after completing his studies, says, “I was on my own and lived on my own money. Never did I ask my parents to support me for my acting career. To cut down on my expenses, I would travel in autos. For a few months I was staying with Rannvijay, but later I moved to Andheri and started staying in a non-AC apartment, which I shared with a couple of friends.” 

While talking about his acting career, Sahil shares, “I could not afford an acting school, so I started auditioning for advertisements and there I would learn how to work on my expressions. For over a year, I was only shooting for commercials for several companies, including Dabur, Colgate, Hero Honda, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Maruti Ritz, Dettol and Fog Deodorent.”

However, Sahil realised that there was more to him than acting in commercials when he was offered a role in Mera Naam Karegi Roshan, which was telecast on Zee TV. “During the show I learnt about acting from actors like Yashpal Sharma and Vikram Gokhle, who were a part of the show. I also worked with several other serials, including Gunaho Ka Devta and was also offered a role in Sasural Simar Ka, but somehow I got through the auditions of Student Of The Year,” he explains. “It was basically Vikas Gupta who informed me about the auditions for the movie and that they required a Punjabi guy. He cajoled me to audition for the role and fortunately I cleared it,” he smiles.

Expressing high hopes for his upcoming movies, Sahil basks in the glory of his recent blockbuster, “I never expected Kareena Kapoor to call me and appreciate my work; I expect to do well and maintain a consistent momentum while keeping my audience entertained,” he signs off.

amarjot@tribunemail.com

A stream of thoughts
Amarjot Kaur

Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it —Michelangelo

Ceramics have long been providing drama to art and at Art Portfolio, Sector 9, it has made the stones speak volumes through expressions carved by SC Ahuja, a Delhi-based sculptor. With as many as 20 sculptures, Ahuja’s works were priced at the range between Rs 45,000 to 1 lakh. Some, among the most exquisite of his works include, The Thinker series, which depict the image of a knowledgeable man and the scorn that emerges from the intense knowledge is much evident in his face. Also, his works include a series of Rest, Mood, Way of life, Couple, My thought, Animal Friend and Love and Peace.

Ahuja also makes an attempt to make his drawings resemble his sculptures, while making them a little more affordable as he prices them at Rs 5,000. Using ink and pen on paper, Ahuja weaves an intricate mosaic that defines the pattern of his intellectual calibre to understand the human character in different forms. However, one cannot skip to notice an incisive bond with nature, especially birds that Ahuja aims to create in his works.

Meanwhile, the abstract paintings made by Archana Yadav, a Bhopal-based artist, advocates that white should be accepted for a colour. Usually considered to be plain, Archana makes the white to break free from the stereotype and besides providing it with character and identity of a kind, she also plays upon the sanctity that the colour stands for. Archana has been provided a fellowship with KBN NotaSys, Switzerland.

Master Chef
Colour of romance
Manju Dewan

The orange coloured citrus fruit is all around us and in this romantic month of February we could celebrate it by making a simple juicy cake out of oranges with an eye-catching decoration depicting the colours of basant.

Method
Mix together sugar and butter and beat it. Mix maida, milk powder, baking powder and baking soda and sieve it. Gradually add this to sugar and butter batter. Add orange juice and milk to the batter. Beat well. Add orange essence and orange rind. Mix and pour in a greased baking dish. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree for 40-45 minutes. For icing, mix cream, orange colour and castor sugar and blend till it turns light and fluffy. Keep aside. Mix milk and sugar in a pan and bring it to boil. Mix custard powder with a little cold water to form a paste. Add it to boiling milk and cook for 1 minute. Keep aside and let it cool. Slice the cake horizontally into two halves. Spread half of the custard sauce on the cake.

Cover the cake with the other half. Spread the remaining custard sauce on top of the cake. Now decorate with the orange cream and pomegranate seeds.

(Dewan is a Ludhiana-based culinary expert)

— As told to Poonam Bindra