The Hindu Lit for Life 2015 – Poetry with Prakriti festival closes tonight with Delhi-based Hindustani classical musician Vidya Shah’s tribute to the music and poetry of the legendary singer Begum Akhtar in her centenary year. Excerpts from an interview with Vidya:

What drew you to Begum Akhtar and her work?

I learnt in the lineage of Begum Akhtar, taught by Shanti Hiranand, one of her senior-most disciples. So I grew up listening to vignettes about her life. Begum’s most important contribution to music was her singing of the ghazal, which is what drew me to her. Through this project, I’d hoped to highlight aspects of her life that reveal her greatness as a person, and the way in which she gave the ghazal a mainstream space in an otherwise hierarchical musical world. And since I’m presenting this at a poetry festival, I will look at the wonderful way in which she understood poetry, and the poets of her time, many of whom she had special relationships with. Her music was very much a part of that poetry, and it shaped her spirit and her singing.

Tell us about the process of creating this concert and its structure.

This concert is my understanding of Begum Akhtar, my perspective on her as a contemporary musician living in these times. I examine who Begum Akhtar was, her journey from being a bai to a begum, and in these journeys how she empowered herself with music and poetry. The performance is woven with a narrative that highlights interesting aspects of her life with anecdotes, some rare and others better known, which reveal how she could make such a fantastic impact on audiences even today. Choosing pieces from her vast repertoire was quite a difficult process. I was often overcome and overwhelmed with greed because I’d want to sing this song and that one too, because there are so many charming pieces she’s done. But ultimately, what I did choose are those that reasonably showcase the versatility of her singing, the richness in her choice of poetry and the journeys she made within her world of music.

What about Begum still resonates with audiences today?

It is musicians like Begum who paved the way for us. We don’t have the social baggage that they carried but we have the opportunities to present similar work. Begum was an assertive, independent feminist, who, despite the struggles in her life, was able to empower herself and others. For instance, in Hindustani classical music, the ritual of the ganda bandhan initiates one into a formal guru-shishya relationship. In her time, it was an entirely male practice. She was one of the first women to do it for her female students. So there was a lot of élan and strength to her as a person, and she found an amazing balance between her joie de vivre, and life’s struggles and sorrows. And that passion shows through in her music. Which is why she will remain relevant forever.

How has creating this project changed you?

Right at the start, I knew I could never reproduce or replicate Begum’s music. That would be impossible. The biggest advantage of her music, though, was the inherent quality that lets you imbibe it, absorb it, understand it, internalise it and make it your own. The project is now a year old and I’m still growing with it, still learning from it. It has given me a lot of humility and it’s been a humbling experience. It has also given me a lot of strength. I can now sense what must have been her greatness. And I’m excited to bring this now to Chennai, being a Tamilian myself, singing Urdu poetry here and sharing the life of a diva who wasn’t from here, but whose story still resonates here. I’m excited to be making that journey for myself.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Lit for Life / by Esther Elias / December 09th, 2014

Ajmal Ameer is honest that way. He resists from painting a rosy picture as far as his acting career is concerned. Ajmal, whose performance in Mysskin’s Anjathey vaulted him to limelight, doesn’t have any qualms about accepting that his journey in filmdom hasn’t been hunky dory and that there have been a few disaster roles.

Ajmal is currently straddling three industries—Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam—with Ula (Tamil), Tanu Monne Vellipoyindi (Telugu) and Mazhaneerthullikal (Malayalam). While he is keen on widening his horizons in filmdom, his main focus is Tamil cinema. “I am now focusing on good commercial films in Tamil. I want to act in flicks that are entertaining, meaningful and consequentially, successful. Fortunately, the Tamil industry is in a state that has enough and more scope for such films. It looks like I am in the right place now,” he says.

Ula, a thriller penned by Rajan Madhav, has an ensemble cast; apart from Ajmal, it stars Ashok, Vidharth and Radhika Apte. With 70 per cent of the film completed, it is a much-awaited film for the actor, who has slowly but steadily begun establishing himself as a lead actor. Mazhaneerthulikal is a revenge-drama film directed by V K Prakash, starring Meera Jasmine and Narein, while Tanu Monne, his 25th film, is an important milestone for the actor. The film is being helmed by renowned filmmaker Vamsi Krishna.

As Kiruba in Anjathey, Ajmal garnered a lot of attention and awards. Following the success, he was swamped by several offers for similar roles. But the actor didn’t want to get pigeonholed. “Anjathey triggered a number of offers for rustic villager roles. I was looking for a project that helped me prove my versatility as an actor. That is when romcom Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru by JS Nandini happened,” he says.

With a string of releases like Taxi and Ko, a project that was later shelved and Karuppampatti that turned out to be a box office debacle, Ajmal’s film route has been a bitter-sweet symphony. And, he says he has learnt a lot from the failures in the course of finding his feet in the industry.

After carving out a niche in the industry with supporting roles in some prominent flicks, Ajmal is now determined to make a mark as the lead actor. “I am now only signing projects that cast me as the lead. But more importantly, it is the content of the film and my role that will determine the choice of project,” he adds.

Ajmal says he wants to be an actor with a vision—someone who does films which have a message for society. “Doing a flick like Vetriselvan was a big step in that direction. It was about how three underdogs can bring about a revolution. It is the genre of film that appeals to my sensibilities as an actor,” he says.

Admitting that the formula of Vetriselvan didn’t appeal to the audience, he says, he has realised that the commercial aspect of a film is equally important for a film to click. “By the end of the day, the product has to appeal to the masses, I have to be content with my role, and my producers have to get returns. This is going to be the mantra for my career for a while now,” he adds.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Tamil / by Janani Sampath / December 14th, 2014

Arbaaz Khan , 47, has always taken all major decisions of his life based on his own gut without consulting anyone, be it the decision to debut as a villain at 29, get married to Malaika at 30 or turn director for ‘Dabangg 2’ at 43. Only time will tell whether his latest decision to release his production ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ with the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Baby’ was good or bad, but for now, Arbaaz seems happy and confident. Over a quick coffee, we grill the good-looking producer on his latest decision. He doesn’t duck any of our questions. Excerpts:

So far, smaller films have chosen to avoid coming on dates when big star films are coming. Yet, you have chosen to come with Akshay Kumar’s Baby.
Date of release of a film is just as important as the quality of the film. So everyone looks for an ideal release date. As far as I am concerned, I am still learning on what is a good time and what is not, but there are 4 holidays in a year when there is a certain spike in the collections. These dates can absorb 2-3 films. Realistically, there are only 52 weeks and thus, given the number of films we make, the chances of having a solo release might become more and more difficult. ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ is a fun, young film, substantially different from Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Baby’. It has enough commercial value for the single screens, and the aesthetics and freshness for the multiplex audience.
Also, given that December and January are great months for weddings, the film should do better in this period. Post the first weekend, Monday determines the final box-office numbers for a film, based on how the film holds on Monday. Given that Republic Day (January 26) this time is coming on a Monday, the film gets an automatic boost, improving the chances of it doing well. Had my film been the same genre as ‘Baby’, it would have led to a divide, but given that we are looking at only approximately 1,200 screens and ‘Baby’, about 2,500 screens, there is space for both to come healthily. If films of two big stars come together or if two similar films are coming together, they will eat into each other’s box office, as there is only that much box office to capture, but ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ and ‘Baby’ are very different films. We have also seen in many cases that a solo release also does not guarantee a box office. Only time will tell whether coming with Baby was a good decision or not, but weighing the pros and cons, we felt we should come.

Baby seems to be another outstanding film of Neeraj Pandey. Why do you feel that the audience should choose to see Dolly Ki Doli? 
You should see both the films if both are good films.

Given the expensive ticket prices today, which one film would you recommend? 
I can’t shove biryani down your throat if you like chola bhatura. ‘Baby’ and ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ are very different films and you should see what you would like to. ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ is very fresh and entertaining.

Your first two films Dabangg as a producer and Dabangg 2 as a producer-director were both with Salman Khan. Why did you choose to make a smaller film this time?
I did not have a film that I could have taken to Salman or any other big star. Amongst the few scripts that I heard, ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ got me excited despite it being a smaller film without a big star, but also that it is a woman-centric film. But I believe in mainstream cinema and even though ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ may not be a ‘Dabangg’, it has a mainstream approach. It may have taken much more effort to bring it to the silver screen, but I am pretty happy and confident about it.

Do you take a second opinion from anyone in your family before you take your decisions?
No. I have always gone by my gut for my major decisions in my life. Abbas- Mustan had initially offered me Akshay’s role in ‘Khiladi’ as my debut film, but since I was pre-committed to another film which did not finally happen, I could not do ‘Khiladi’. A few years later, I met Abbas-Mustan in the middle of the road while driving my car and they literally stopped me and said, ‘Ek picture hai. Tum second half mein aata hai. Tumhara negative role hai. An edge-of-the-seat thriller, karoge?’ And I immediately said, ‘Karoonga.’ That was the only narration I got from them for my role in ‘Daraar’. By that time, I was frustrated and was looking for work. Now I was debuting in a negative role, but it was my decision. Had I gone back home and asked daddy and Salman, I may have got confused. Like Sohail did once. He woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘Daddy, this is the girl I am marrying.’ And daddy said, ‘Okay beta.’ So sometimes, you have to take the decision and say, ‘This is my girlfriend, this is my wife, this is the movie I have signed, this is the director.’ If you engage with too many people for your decision, it only confuses your head, especially when it is people whom you love. For the very, very important decisions in my life, I don’t allow people to take that for me.

Which were the most important decisions of your life that you took yourself?
Apart from the decision of my debut film, the decision of my marriage to Malaika and the decision to turn director in ‘Dabangg 2’. I had met Malaika on an ad shoot. We started dating and had a courtship of about 5 years before we got married. She was anxious and so, unfortunately, she didn’t allow me to pop the question to her. She asked me when we will get married and I immediately told her, ‘You decide the date and place and I will be there.’ I was 30 and she was 23 then. Even when it came to the decision to direct ‘Dabangg 2’, I had been involved in the first Dabangg in every aspect of the film. So when Abhinav decided to opt out of Dabangg 2, after considering so many big directors as options to direct it, I realised that I knew the film as well as anyone else could and took the decision to direct it.

Is Dabangg 3 a part of your future plan?
There are commitments Salman needs to honour to other films that he has signed for. So while there is no hurry, ‘Dabangg 3’ will definitely happen. It is a brand and a character both Salman and I respect and we will make it once we know what we want to do with the character.

How was your experience working with Sonam Kapoor?
She was excited about doing the film and has given it her all. She is hassle- free, down to earth and does not have any star tantrums. For instance, there is no protocol to her. You can speak to her directly, without neccesarily going through her managers. Some stars want that, but she does not give that impression. On a tightly-budgeted film like Dolly Ki Doli that does not have the luxury of extending shooting days due to costs, it was imperative for Sonam to come on time as the entire shoot was dependent on her. There were days when she needed to shoot long hours and she did that without any stress. She would always come on time and there was not even one occasion when the unit had to wait for her. Women take time to get ready and on top of that, she was dressed as a dulhan, that needed more time. So, if she would come late and take time to dress up with limited shooting hours, we would have a lot of pressure, but nothing of that kind happened. There were times when she had a viewpoint on the film, but unlike some other stars, she would put it across very beautifully and say, ‘I don’t feel comfortable about it. What do you think?’ And not like ‘I won’t do it.’

How important is the success of this film for you?
It’s extremely important. Much as people like to think that now you prove yourself without Salman, the fact is that a lot of people have failed despite having big stars. It’s not that I have not contributed to Dabangg and Dabangg 2, but people are watching to see, ‘Ab dekhte hain that Arbaaz kya karta hai.’ Many people have had opportunities to work with big stars, but not all have made Dabanggs. It’s easier to do it with a star and this might be tougher, but the success of this film determines my life as a producer in the future. The success will allow me to make films without big stars or directors.

What would be Salman’s point of view?
Salman will be happy that I have been able to deliver a movie minus him. Salman has been an elder brother, an inspirational factor and a guiding force in our life and he wishes well. Whether he is there or not, his support is always there. He feels that he has done so well for himself and wishes well for his siblings. He saw the first look and called me to say how he loved it. Dolly Ki Doli’s success will also give me a sense of confidence and respect in my ability to make a movie on my own. It will allow my production to grow and allow me to tell stories that I want to tell, without being dependent on very big stars. And I am pretty confident that it will happen.

Which of the factors made you choose Malaika to do an item song in your film — that she is your wife or your lucky charm or just the best dancer? 
A bit of all, the least her being my wife, except for the fact that it just makes it easier for me to get her to do this. But the most important reason was that she is the best person for the item song.

Do you feel possessive when your wife is so glamorous?
Not really. You ask anyone in college, how would you like your wife or girlfriend to be? No one wants the ugliest girl in the world who no one wants to look at. Out of 100 people, all 100 will say that I want the most beautiful woman in the world. Somebody that everybody desires, somebody who loves me and is with me. And I have this woman. After that, if you get possessive, then it’s not on. You wanted the most desirable and beautiful woman, you wanted everyone to say how lucky you are and I wish I had a woman like that and when you do, then why would you worry yourself sick about it.

Watch: Dolly Ki Doli 

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Hindi> Bollywood / by Priya Gupta, TNN / December 13th, 2014

Asked to review a particular book, Abraham Lincoln is said to have responded by saying, “People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.” Shamsur Rahman Faruqi’s The Sun that Rose from the Earth is precisely the sort of book that those who like leisurely and erudite books will like. A collection of five stories, each a fairly long short story, originally written in Urdu and admirably translated into English by the author himself, The Sun that Rose… is not the right fare for light readers on the go or casual reading for the frivolous-minded; every single one of its 600-odd pages is a connoisseur’s delight, brimful with evocative detail and flavoursome with the choicest of Urdu verses. It requires patience and attention, not to mention stamina to read even one story in one sitting.

As in the case of his previous book, The Mirror of Beauty, first written in Urdu as Kai Chand Thhe Sar-e Asman and subsequently published in its English translation to great critical acclaim, The Sun… evokes a vanished past not merely with a historian’s eye for perfect detail but with an aesthete’s sensibility for all that is fine and rare in life and letters. The stories are set in a cusp of time when two worlds are fusing and merging: the rays of the setting sun are bathing Mughal India in the warm glow of its last rays and a colonial India—with its “English-style madrassas”, vilayati cloth and other commodities flooding the shops and bazaars that are rife with rumour and gossip about the latest political intrigues —is coming into its own.

Beni Madho Singh ‘Ruswa’, the young protagonist of the first story ‘Bright Star, Lone Splendour’, travels from Azamgarh to Delhi to meet an ageing Mirza Ghalib. By then a lion in winter, Ghalib recites a Persian verse of his to his callow provincial visitor:

My station cannot be discerned by any eyes but mine

For my star is so far up that it doesn’t shine bright.

Writing a memoir of that fateful meeting, Ruswa conjures up scores of people, Rajas and nawabs, dastango and poets, even a pretty hostess at an inn who spoke “beautiful Urdu with quiet elegance and who (still) regarded Mirza Ghalib sahib as an outsider and not a native of Delhi”—character, both real and imagined who were “gobbled up like a python swallowing a small bird” by the events unspooling from 1857, the annus horribilis.

Showing a propensity for deliberately using archaic words and expressions in keeping with the historical nature of his work as well as different registers and intonations for different characters to denote their class and caste distinctions, Faruqi studs his narrative with a profusion of Urdu poetry which convey the “culture” of his settings far more effectively than dialogues or reported speech. Wit and repartee, the cut and thrust of civilized banter, punning and wordplay, ingenious use of a word with many meanings, all this and more is inserted into the leisurely narrative through explanatory asides. For instance, “zila” meaning “side” was used “to mime the language from unlikely angles and use free play of association as a weapon of wit…With the decline of culture, the art of zila fell into disrepute, then desuetude. It was, in fact, not just frivolity, but could be used in poetry with much effect by the ingenuous poet. Mir used it often and with such subtlety that all but the most discerning listeners failed to get the zila angle. The effect of zila is impossible to reproduce in translation, but here are a few examples from the poetry of Mir, with the necessary commentary:

How I wish I was one of this garden: like the scent of flowers

I’d float with the morning breeze, enjoy myself, and then dissipate, like air.”

And so it goes on: leisurely commentary, erudite asides on poetics, keen observations on society, culture and manners coming together in a seamless whole. And so, while the five stories are neither long short stories, nor novellas or even novels in the conventional sense, they are a valuable introduction to a vanished past. That Faruqi has re-imagined many historical figures and real events and brought them to life for the modern reader in a richly textured, elegantly sprawling work of fiction is a testimony to his creative prowess.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Books / by Rakshanda Jalil / December 06th, 2014