Monthly Archives: December 2013

Zaheer takes 300th test wicket in comeback

December 22, 2013Amazing Feats, SportsZaheer Khan, Zaheer Khan takes 300th test wicketmpositiveone@gmail.com

Zaheer Khan (left) waves to the dressing room after taking his 300th Test wicket as Virat Kohli (right) watches during the fifth and final day of their cricket test match against South Africa at Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Sunday. / AP

Zaheer Khan became the fourth Indian to take 300 test wickets by removing Jacques Kallis on the final day of the first test against South Africa on Sunday.

Khan’s milestone arrived on his comeback test after a year-long absence from the long format of the game. His last five-day game before the series-opener in South Africa was in December 2012, but the wily left-arm seamer returned with 4-88 in the first innings at the Wanderers before taking Kallis’ wicket in the second.

Khan joins leg spinner Anil Kumble, all-rounder Kapil Dev and off spinner Harbhajan Singh in India’s 300 club. He reached his 300 in his 89th test. Kumble leads India’s wicket-takers with 619 in 132 tests and is third on the all-time list behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia’s Shane Warne (708).

www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Cricket / AP / Johannesburg – December 22nd, 2013

AR Rahman to celebrate the diversity of musical genres in Coke Studio

December 22, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World OpinionA R Rahman, Ghulam Murtaza Khanmpositiveone@gmail.com

Nearly a decade ago, when composer and theatre director Andrew Lloyd Webber asked AR Rahman to tell him a story, he had none to share. “I said I am not a story guy, I am just a musician,” he recalls. Then it struck him that a creative person needn’t stick to only what he usually does. It sparked the composer’s quest to broaden his horizons and approach his craft with renewed world vision. This universal, all-pervasive quality can be felt in his music, which is a melting pot of sounds. The composer attributes this to be the primary reason for doing Coke Studio@MTV, whose ambitions in a broad sense, are the same as his — a celebration of the diversity of musical genres, a blend of the East and the West with the soul of world music.

“I like the concept of Coke Studio, its unusual musicality. Moreover, it is well produced and it’s watched in so many countries,” says the composer, whose Coke Studio debut will mark his return to non-film music since his last attempt, Connections, an album that was released in 2008.

The composer’s past record reveals that he is comfortable with collaborations too. From music icons such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mick Jagger to international pop musician Dido, he has worked with several Indian as well as international artistes. “By collaborating with others, I have grown more confident and trusting towards fellow musicians,” he says.

For Coke Studio, he has a set of six songs. These songs celebrate cultures, under the overarching theme of happiness. “Not the jumping kind, but internal happiness and content,” he says. Apart from Hindustani classical singer Ghulam Murtaza Khan, other artistes who will feature in the Rahman episode include a Jordanian singer and a nun from Nepal. His band for the show comprises instrumentalists such as Sivamani, Keba Jeremiah and Prasanna Ramaswamy. “The episode will celebrate the coming together of two cultures. For example, the Jordanian singer and our Hindi poetry. This apart, we had fun, there are taranas going on with a rap,” he says.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home / by Sankhayan Ghosh / Chandigarh – Tuesday, July 09th, 2013

Acting is not age specific: Shafaq Naaz

December 21, 2013Arts, Culture & EntertainmentShafaq Khan, TV Serial Actressmpositiveone@gmail.com

Actress Shafaq Naaz currently playing Kunti in serial Mahabharata is just 20 years old, we asked the actress was it an easy task to play the character that commands utmost maturity on screen?

“Believe me I just went and read the script. While shooting for the serial, never has this thought came to me that I am playing a character of mother of five son! I think that sense of maturity has always been there in me. Also feel acting is not age specific,it is how well you can justify the character.”

Talking about her foray in acting, the actress says it was not planned, “I used to take dance classes in Saroj Khan’s dancing institute when she saw me first. She really liked my expressions and told my parents ki isko Mumbai lekar aao yeh bahut aage jayegi. After finishing my twelfth exams I went to Mumbai and within 5 months I got the serial Bidaai . Otherwise I was aiming for doctor after giving twelfth exams” she says.

The actress says she wants to do a film after serial Mahabharata. “If I get a chance I would like to do a film after Mahabharata.” On being asked any actor that she dreams to work with? She says, “I would love to work with Ranbir. I had a serious crush on him after movie Saanwariyan that continued for 3-4 months. Par ab kuch aisa nahi hai” she clears.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India, TV / Home> Hindi Entertainment> Hindi> TV / by Rinu Singh, TNN / October 22nd, 2013

They Said What? Mirza on Men

December 21, 2013Sports, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

“When I was growing up I would go to tennis and people would come up to my parents and they would ridicule them and say she’s a girl from Hyderabad, you think she is going to play Wimbledon? But obviously my parents didn’t care.”— Sania Mirza, to NDTV, while discussing the high rate of female infanticide in her native India.

Mirza, now 27, is the best female player India has ever produced. She was ranked as high as No. 27 in singles (one career WTA title) and No. 7 in doubles. She’s the first Indian woman to have won a Grand Slam title (mixed doubles, at the Australian and French Opens). She’s also been relatively flamboyant and outspoken for a young Muslim lady from India.

She made her comments above during an interview in which one of the topics was the high rate of female infanticide in India—according to the United Nations, 12 million girls were aborted in India in the past two years, often because they were viewed as potential financial burdens.

Mirza went on to say, “For everything we achieve, why do we need a guy? . . . it’s our responsibility to try and educate people in India that having a girl is plus not a minus.”

Whatever the intent, her comment about not needing “a guy” surely got some people’s noses out of joint. But it wouldn’t be the first time her independent thoughts and actions stirred controversy.

In 2005, a Muslim scholar issued a fatwa regarding the skimpy tennis clothing Mirza (and all her peers) wear, saying it was not suited to Islam. She also faced prosecution under India’s Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act a few years ago, when she was photographed at the Hopman Cup resting her feet—and showing their soles—above an Indian flag. Her comments on safe sex once created a stir (she clarified her stance when the controversy erupted).

In fact, the collision of values was so strong at times that Mirza declared in 2008 that she would stop appearing in tournaments in India. If nothing else, security officials probably heaved a great sigh of relief; this was, after all, a Muslim woman who had played mixed doubles with a Jew, Shahar Peer. (Mirza returned to competition in India in 2010.)

India has provided tennis with a host of interesting characters, starting with Ramanathan Krishnan. He was a two-time Wimbledon semifinalist (1960 and ’61), and his son, Ramesh, was an ATP staple and three-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist in the 1980s. Vijay Amritraj (who had two brothers who also played professionally) won 16 singles titles and posted a career-high ranking of No. 16 in 1980. Then there’s pugnacious doubles genius Leander Paes, an eight-time Grand Slam men’s doubles winner.

All of them, and others, were more successful than Mirza. But none have been as colorful or controversial. Even Mirza’s wedding in 2010 caused a national uproar when it was confirmed shortly before her great day that her fiancé (Shoaib Malik) was already married. Malik obtained a divorce and wed Mirza five days later.

Like the lady said, who needs guys?

source: http://www.tennis.com / Tennis / Home> Pro Game> Commentary / by Peter Bodo / Friday – December 06th, 2013

Zaheer Khan 4/88, Ishant Sharma 4/79, South Africa 4/16

December 21, 2013Sportsmpositiveone@gmail.com

India's Zaheer Khan (L) celebrates after dismissing South Africa's Faf du Plessis during the third day of their cricket test match in Johannesburg, December 20, 2013. — India’s Zaheer Khan (L) celebrates after dismissing South Africa’s Faf du Plessis during the third day of their cricket test match in Johannesburg, December 20, 2013.

It’s not like he wouldn’t take wickets with the new ball. Or that he wasn’t a force to reckon with for opposition batting line-ups in his early spells. When Zaheer Khan was at his career’s peak, it was generally as the shadows lengthened and the shade of the ball got murkier that he really came into his own.

It is then that he would unleash his bag of tricks and make the ball do things that batsmen wouldn’t naturally expect it to do. It was also with the old ball that he would generally scythe through batting line-ups.

Back after long

On Thursday, playing his first Test match in over 12 months, Zaheer had shown that he was fit enough to bowl 22 overs in a day, including a ten-over burst only separated by the lunch-break. The left-armer had also continued his great hold over Graeme Smith, dismissing the South African captain for the 14th time in international cricket.

That he was the rudder that the Indian pace attack required in foreign conditions where the pitch had something in offer.

On Friday, Zaheer began proceedings with a ball that was well past its prime. It took only seven balls for him to prove that he still remained an indefatigable threat with an old-ball.

His first wicket was that of a well-set Vernon Philander, who had till then middled every ball he had faced. None of his boundaries had resembled a slog. After having bowled primarily over the wicket to him during the second day’s play, Zaheer decided to change his angle of attack.

Off he came from around the wicket, getting the ball to pitch on a length just outside the off-stump. Philander had to play for the angle. But just as he got his bat near the ball it suddenly darted away from him, took his outside-edge and that was it for the burly South African pacer. That also meant that Zaheer had broken a crucial partnership that had threatened to bring the hosts back into the game.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Indian Express / by Bharat Sundaresan / Johannesburg – Saturday, December 21st, 2013

After father and father-in-law, Sahitya Akademi award for Javed Akhtar

December 21, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainmentmpositiveone@gmail.com

After a serious health scare, poet-writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar’s life has been brightened with some joyful tidings. He has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award, the country’s highest literary honour, for his poems in the anthology entitled “Lava”.

Happy to be on his feet again, physically and creatively, Akhtar said: “Mazey ki baat yeh hai ki eek parivaar mein teen sadasyon ko Sahitya Akademi award se samnanna gaya hai (Interestingly, three people from the same family have been honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award).”

“My father (poet-lyricist Jan Nisar Akhtar) got the Sahitya Akademi in 1976 for his collection of poems ‘Khaak-e-dil’. My father-in-law Kaifi Azmi got the Sahitya Akademi award in 1973 for his collection of poems ‘Awara Sajde’. Now it’s me,” added the prolific writer, who is married to actress Shabana Azmi.

Akhtar can’t stop marvelling at the beauty of the coincidence.

“It may be possible for an awardee’s father or his father-in-law to win the same award. But for all three to win the same honour seems a bit difficult. I feel honoured that I am the recipient of an award that two such distinguished members of my family have received.”

His lower back ailment, which led to his hospitalisation in Delhi, is healing fast.

“I still feel some stiffness in my lower back. But the pain is now gone. God has been kind to me. He has given me so much. I can’t be complaining about a few days of pain and immobility,” he said.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Entertainment> Place: Mumbai, Agency:IANS / Friday – December 20th, 2013

Actor Aamir Khan to pay tribute to Maulana Azad at Kolkata fest

December 19, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leadersmpositiveone@gmail.com

Kolkata:

Actor Aamir Khan, great grand nephew of Muslim scholar and nationalist Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, will pay homage to the leader during the inaugural session of the fifth chapter of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) 2014, its organisers said Tuesday.

AKLF, running from Jan 8 to 13 next year, will celebrate the secular views of Azad to coincide with his 125th birth anniversary.

The festival will begin with Khan’s lecture titled “Maulana Azad: His belief in Secularism and his Foresight” at the Victoria Memorial Hall here.

Syeda Hameed, member, Planning Commission, will launch her book “Maulana Azad, Islam and the Indian National Movement”, at the fest.

“As part of the tribute, we have sessions on Urdu and Hindi poetry and sessions on exploring the south Asian literary identity,” Anjum Katyal, one of the directors of AKLF, said.

The fest, organised by Apeejay Surrendra Group and Oxford Bookstores, will witness the participation of around 60 delegates including authors and panelists from Europe, Britain, Egypt, China, Ghana and neighbours Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.

The speakers and panelists will include the likes of former BBC journalist and author Mark Tully, British author and playwright Farrukh Dhondy, Pakistani artist and writer Salima Hashmi, novelist Nabaneeta Dev Sen and Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will also release his book at the event.

Woven around themes of ‘women’s writings’, the Raj, European authors and Granta authors (best young British novelists), the fest will also incorporate subjects that interest youngsters.

To lure the youth, discussions on writings on romance, food and love in Bollywood and fashion will be kept in focus. Speakers include upcoming authors like Nepali-Indian author Prajwal Parajuly and fashion designer Kallol Dutta among others.

The fifth edition, spanning six locations including various heritage buildings in the city, will also highlight the connection between literature, art and cinema through deliberations on music, dance and scriptwriting.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> National / by IANS / Kolkata, Tuesday – December 17th, 2013