Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Jetsetter of the Week: Nishat Fatima

March 17, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, LeadersNishat Fatima, Nishat Fatima - Editor-Harper's Bazaar India, Nishat Fatima-Journalistmpositiveone@gmail.com

As one of India’s best known and best loved editors, we have always admired Nishat Fatima’s chic style. Intrigued by how she copes with the incessant travel schedules especially around fashion weeks, we asked her how she likes to travel

It’s a widely accepted fact that all Hyderabadis — all eight million residents, and their diaspora that spreads across the world — are somehow, inevitably, connected to each other. So I don’t know why I was so surprised when I showed my grandmother a fabulous article on Hyderabad in Condé Nast Traveller a few years ago only to have her glance at the byline and remark, “Oh, Nishat Fatima, that’s my friend’s daughter.” I’ve been in touch with Nishat ever since, and am in awe of her talent.

Since our first encounter, when she was a freelance writer contributing to countless publications including the aforementioned Conde Nast Traveller, Khaleej Times Dubai, and BBC Good Food, she’s now the editor of one of my favourite magazines, Harper’s Bazaar India. She’s also written two books, one an award winning coffee table book documenting 25 years of the Indian couturier Suneet Varma, and the other a work of fiction called Seriously, Sitara?

We caught up with Nishat in between fashion weeks to get her travel picks:

Occupation: Editor, Harper’s Bazaar India

Hometown: Hyderabad

Currently lives in: New Delhi

Just back from: Mumbai. From fashion week

Next stop: Paris. For fashion week

The one place I’m dying to go that I can’t believe I haven’t been to yet: Spain. Love everything about it, had two opportunities and cannot believe I missed both.

I plan for a trip by:

a) scouring every guidebook and travel website there is

b) learning a few key phrases in the local language

c) asking my friends for tips

d) Planning? What planning? I like to wing it.

Nishat says: D. Absolutely!

My top five packing essentials: Hand cream, tissue, chap stick, iPad, camera

Carry-on or check in? Why carry-on when you can check in. Especially, if I’m lugging all the things I didn’t think I could manage without.

I always keep _______ close at hand on the plane. A high-necked jacket. Shawls are too fiddly.

On the plane I…

a) read books

b) watch movies

c) pass out before takeoff

Nishat says: Watch movies. But there’s always a back-up book. Or two. Just in case.

My travel beauty regimen: Lots of water, juice, and regular applications of moisturiser and hand cream

My sartorial necessities: Comfortable shoes, and pants and a soft, full-sleeved cotton T-shirt

The first thing I do when I arrive at my destination: Shower, change and hit the street.

If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be: Melbourne

The city you couldn’t pay me to go back to: Dubai

I travel to:

a) Sight-see

b) Shop till I drop

c) Eat

d) Get my culture fix

e) Relax

Nishat says: All of the above. I’m a bit obsessive. I like to pack in as many things as possible into a trip.

My travel style is:

a) don’t-miss-a-thing

b) go-with-the-flow

Nishat says: A in my intentions, B in reality

Travel pet peeve: multiple security checks in the same airport.

The best hotel I’ve ever laid my head at: The Dorchester, London

The ultimate hotel amenity: Fluffy bathrobes. I remember one I could have spent the rest of my life in.

The most memorable meal of my life was at: Hong Kong, my first taste of real Sichuan food. Amazing. And totally different from anything I’d eaten in India

My kind of souvenir: Shoes. I’ve never been on a trip on which I didn’t buy shoes.

Earliest travel memory: A trip to Shimla. I remember a lot of snow.

Best travel memory: Three weeks in Melbourne on a holiday with friends in 2007.

Craziest travel experience: A trip to Geneva, in which I was stranded in Frankfurt on the way to, spent a night at the airport, and then fell sick on the flight back.

source: http://www.popxo.com / POPXO / Home / by Sarah Khan, Guest Contributor / Sunday – September 22nd, 2014

Nishat Fatima says her first book had to be a romance

March 17, 2014Arts, Culture & EntertainmentEditor, Harper’s Bazaar, Nishat Fatima, Nishat Fatima -Editor, Seriously, Sitara ?mpositiveone@gmail.com

Seriously, Sitara? is a tale of an unlikely romance between a Bollywood star and an art editor.

Sitara, a 30-year-old high-headed arts editor of a magazine is thrown off balance when asked to interview the dashing, reclusive actor Nasser Khan. She hopes it will be a one-off interview and she’ll have nothing to do with showbiz-types again. But fate has other plans.

From being boringly single, Sitara suddenly has two suitors set up by parents and a Bollywood Khan vying for her attention.

Nishat Fatima, the Hyderabad-bred and now Delhi-based author’s debut novella, Seriously, Sitara? (Hachette India; Rs. 299) is a witty story of relationships told through a series of unbelievable yet interesting incidents. A self-confessed reader of romances by Jennifer Crusie, Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, the early Nora Roberts, Susan Napier and Jayne Ann Krentz, Nishat says her first book had to be a romance. Excerpts from an interview with Nishat, who now serves as editor, Harper’s Bazaar :

There have been quite a few books by Indian authors exploring the lives of single women in a big city. Were you conscious of this while writing Seriously, Sitara? There’s a hint of Bridget Jones’ quality to Sitara…

I think it’s simply that stories in India have moved to an urban setting, which basically means that if your protagonist is female and single you can categorise it as single woman in the city. I was clear from the start that I was writing a rom-com. However, if you consider chick lit, there is often the device of making your heroine a little bit clumsy, and I plead guilty to that.

Sitara is a feisty, intelligent journalist who doesn’t get swayed by the glamour of the Hindi film industry and gives the poster-boy Nasser Khan a drubbing. How did you go about shaping up Sitara’s character traits?

I’d started out basing Sitara on a couple of friends from college. But by chapter three, Sitara started to do her own thing, then by the time we came to the last draft, she was her own person. (Clichéd, but true.)

You narrate the insecurities and fickle relationships of the film industry like an insider. How much of it was from your experience of interviewing film personalities?

Well, I’ve spent a lot of time waiting for actors to give me interviews! But I have to admit that thestarting point about the insecurities of actors came from a magazine article written by an actor (anonymously) about why he stopped dating plastic perfection.

That set me thinking about actors and what they must go through. I also watched a couple of movies, though didn’t manage to crack open the box set of Entourage. When I was interviewing actors I was far too concerned about making deadlines to think about anything except how soon they would give me an interview.

Nasser Khan, as you’ve portrayed him, wants to stay closer to real people. The wily, back-biting ways of the film industry are not for him. Did you want Nasser to be this way so that it makes it easier for him to be drawn to someone like Sitara?

I have to admit that Sitara had very little to do with Nasser’s character. It was all his mother’s doing. As soon as she appeared, I fell in love with her, and figured her son would be a little different.

How long did it take you to write this story?

Four years, five drafts, and many, many cups of adrak chai .

You’ve written considerably on fashion and specialised in photography; so a romance with Bollywood comes as a surprise. Was this story the first story you wanted to write?

It was. I have read so many romances over the years that there was no doubt at all that my first book would be one. However, my coffee table book on 25 years of Suneet Varma did come out earlier this year, so my fashion leanings have been served too.

What’s next?

I’m kicking around a couple of ideas. Right now, though I’m just enjoying the coming out of ‘Seriously, Sitara?’

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo / June 22nd, 2013

Aziz Ansari takes fans’ help for upcoming book

March 17, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, NRI's / PIO'sAziz Ansari, Indo-American comedian Aziz Ansari, New Book 'Modern Romantics'.mpositiveone@gmail.com

London :

Indo-American comedian Aziz Ansari has turned to his fans online for tips on relationship as a part of research for his new book, ‘Modern Romantics’.

The 31-year-old, best known for his role in hit TV series ‘Parks and Recreation’, created a forum on a social networking site Reddit where he posted questions about love, reported Contactmusic.

“Please do not mistake anything you read here as professional advice. Any and all stories posted here may be used in my book on modern romance,” he said.

The forum includes questions such as “Does social media/online world make it harder to be a faithful person in a relationship?” and “Do you find yourself more susceptible to flirtations than before?”

Ansari made a lucrative deal with publisher Penguin Press to pen a book about the perils of dating in the modern age and is expecting to get good help out of his research from this online forum.

‘Modern Romance’ is due to hit shelves in September 2015.

———PTI

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> NRIs corner / Friday – March 14th, 2014

My Real Life Hero : Masarat Daud (DO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY THIS COVER)

March 16, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, World OpinionMasarat Daudmpositiveone@gmail.com

I have been pretty good about posting one of these every two weeks. I wanted to do Masarat this week because she is speaking at TED (March 15 – 28 ) on Thursday, March 20, 2014, 5:00pm-6:45pm PST.

When I first met Masarat, I was told (by Masarat) that I judged by what I saw. In fairness (to me), we did not have any interaction. She joined my place of work just as I was leaving to set up my own company. I think if I had spoken to her, I would have known the person I know (and adore) today. (Masarat, am I being sycophantic enough?)

Masarat is a maverick on so many levels: as a woman/girl, as a muslim woman, as a muslim woman from rural Rajasthan in India, as a muslim woman IN A BURQA from rural Rajasthan growing up in Dubai and NOW living in UK. She breaks all the stereotypes you have in your head about these women. You just have to meet her once to know that. She does not broadcast about the work she does – she just does it. Her feet are firmly grounded, and she has a wicked sense of humour. I love her, in awe of her, and inspired by her. Like all my heroes, I sent her the same questions and here are her responses.

What inspires you?

This is a difficult question to answer. Inspiration comes to me in the most random, fleeting moments. These days, I am moved by a heightened sense of moralobligation. I feel that it does not leave me with much choice than to do what I am doing.

But on a larger level, I am inspired by good people. I have a deep respect for regular humans and their capacity to be good in challenging circumstances. In the middle of a communal riot victims’ camp, while walking around and talking to people about their conditions, almost everyone whose camp I passed, invited me to have tea or dinner—plain, boiled rice. I think these acts inspire me because they give me hope which we all desperately need these days! Plus, they push me to be closer to earth.

Who is your hero? Why?

Another tough question! I have many people who I admire for many different qualities. My hero is everyone who has fought the norm and created a different/better life for themselves. People who could stand up for what they believed was right; people who do not moan and whine that Life gave them a rotten deal. Whether it was my father who fought his society by educating himself and us; whether it is Person X [someone I know] who fought her deep pain to love us untainted, unconditional; whether it is people who I know are struggling personally but don’t lose themselves to bitterness and grudge…just so many.

If you had a choice of becoming one of your (all time – dead or alive; real or fiction) favourite character, who would it be and why?

I wouldn’t want to BE one of the people I know personally, simply because if I were them…then I would not experience them in my life the way I have. So I will have to choose outside: I think Sir Syed! A man who was way ahead of his time—in terms of thought process, passion and action. You can read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syed_Ahmad_Khan

When are you happiest?

I am particularly happy when:

– When I am in my village

– When I am surrounded by my family (anywhere in the world)

– When I am doing something meaningful

What pisses you off most?

Hypocrisy (religious and other), Ego, Lies, Anchovies and capers in my food

What is your most embarrassing moment?

I think I got over this long time back. I can hardly remember any but maybe ages ago, when I turned up to school in two different shoes: one with heel and the other one flat

What would you describe as your most sublime experience?

In Berlin, at a random small Italian restaurant, eating the juiciest, more incredible tomato I had ever eaten. AND.

In Muzaffarnagar, hearing Urdu being spoken among regular people. You can then really understand why language is so important in shaping us as sensitive, respectful humans.

If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?

Money is useless if it cannot allow me to make others happy. I know myself—I will give it to whoever has a more life-changing need than I. If something remains, I am booking travel tickets immediately!

Enjoy getting to know this amazing woman if you haven’t already and connect with her in the links below.

Twitter: @Masarat

Blog link http://ruralspirit.wordpress.com

source: http://www.mita56.wordpress.com / Home> MIta’s Views / by Mita Srinivasan / March 16th, 2014

Adil Khan, Syed Ghouse elected to Hyderabad Union of Journalists posts

March 14, 2014Arts, Culture & EntertainmentAdil Ahmed Khan, Adil Ahmed Khan of Etemaad, Maxim News, Syed Ghouse Mohiuddin, Syed Ghouse Mohiuddin Editormpositiveone@gmail.com

Hyderabad :

Adil Ahmed Khan of Etemaad has been elected as Treasurer and Syed Ghouse Mohiuddin Editor, Maxim News and www.indtoday.com has been re-elected as Co-Option Member of Hyderabad Union of Journalists.

The HUJ is the district unit of Telangana Union of Working Journalists, according to a press release. (INN)

source: http://www.newswala.com / NewsWala / Home> Hyderabad News / March 11th, 2014

Mysore’s own master of ceremony, Aftab Ahmed

March 13, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social IssuesAftab Ahmed, Master of Ceremony, Soft Skill Trainer, Syed Aftab Ahmed, Syed Hussain - Veterinarianmpositiveone@gmail.com

For a person to be recognised in any field it is important for him / her to possess special qualities and Syed Aftab Ahmed of our city is one such. He has a unique skill to hold forth attention of an audience for he is a master when it comes to being the Master of Ceremony (MC). Be it ‘Geeth Gaatha Chal’ organised by city doctors or high profile birthday parties, fashion shows, quiz programmes, and corporate parties. He is there on the stage conducting the event, grabbing the eyeballs of the audience. Aftab has been conducting programmes as the MC from the past 23 years in the city of Mysore.

MAKING SURE THEY ARE THERE: Aftab interacting with an audience member during one of the events.

by S.N. Venkatnag Sobers

It all started in 1999 when Aftab got an opportunity as a professional anchor for a programme organised by Help Age India. Since then there has been no looking back for him.

Till date, Aftab has anchored more than 2,000 shows throughout the State, one among them being the popular Geeth Gaatha Chal organised by doctors in the city every year.

Having worked for a private company for about 13 years, Aftab decided to come back to Mysore, quitting his job in Chennai as the Regional Business Manager at a private firm. After his return, Aftab started his career a freelance soft skills trainer and also started anchoring programmes in city.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Aftab said that his earlier job involved a lot of travelling and he never got time to spend with his family. “It was at that time I decided to come back to Mysore and pursue the things l loved. I started off as freelance soft skills trainer at a time when people had no idea about what soft skills was all about. Later, I started anchoring small programmes, simultaneously working as a soft skills trainer and as an anchor and eventually went on to become Master of Ceremony.”

Aftab shared with us the passion which made him choose this career of becoming a MC. Though Aftab always had the desire to be on the stage hosting shows, talking to people, he never got an opportunity during his college days. “I always wanted to experience the joy and thrill of hosting a show or at least address a huge audience. There were times when I would offer bribe to people whom I knew just go to go on to the stage for a couple of minutes and address the audience,” says Aftab.

His long-wait was finally fulfilled when he joined Rotaract, which recognised his talent and gave him an opportunity to host a show. From then on began Aftab’s journey as a MC. What started initially as a hobby turned out to be his great strength which even he acknowledges.

Aftab, today, is one of the most sought after Master of Ceremonies in Mysore city and also the State. In fact, it is an alternative career for him. Apart from pursuing his career as a soft skill trainer, he is also seen anchoring many shows.

According to him, it can be an alternative career only if a person has passion and flair for talking.

One specialty of Aftab is that he prepares no script for any of the programme he hosts and everything he does is extempore. The first thing he does is to read the pulse of the audience and then start the show. He arrives at the venue at least 45 minutes or an hour before the event and takes control of every department involved in the show. Be it lighting, sound or others, Aftab checks for perfection before starting event and once it starts, he takes the audience on a journey which they will remember for a long time.

His greatest strength is that he connects with the audience well and makes sure people leave the venue with a happy face, relieved from their stress and tension.

“People who come to a show want to get involved. I make sure that everyone of them enjoy the event and go back home with a happy face. For me it is important to connect with the audience as I cannot stay away from them for a long time. A master of ceremony is one of the important persons of any event. If there is a technical snag during the event, it is the MC who has to manage the crowd until the problem is rectified,” says Aftab.

Sharing his experience, Aftab said, that so far it had been a wonderful experience as a Master of Ceremony. “It has given me a kind of celebrity status in the society which I cannot deny. But, at times, people who do know the importance of Master of Ceremony have treated me as an announcer which has hurt me but I tend to ignore it for my own good,” said Aftab.

For a person to be the Master of Ceremony, it is important to keep the doors of learning always open as each show is different. A person who aims at pursuing his career as a MC should have a sound knowledge of things around him. According to Aftab, it is a crime for any MC to give wrong statistics to the audience. He says, apart from having sound knowledge of things going around it is also important to use simple language as much as possible and keep the audience engaged in some way or the other.

Syed Hussain, Aftab’s father, is a retired veterinarian and Saleha, his mother, is a home-maker. Aftab is married to Rukhsana, who is a Senior Faculty at District Institute of Educational and Training (DIET) in city. His two daughters Alia and Sadia, are currently studying in 11th std and 9th std. respectively. While Alia aims to become a Dietician, his younger daughter Sadia wants to continue her father’s legacy.

Having come from a modest background, Aftab wants to pass on his skills to others who are interested in carrying forward the baton. His dream is to see talented people emerging as Masters of Ceremony under his guidance. Aftab can be contacted on Mob: 99009-04101.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by S.N. Venkatanag Sobers / March 07th, 2014

Nizam’s Erstwhile Relic, Telangana’s Pride ?

March 13, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Travel & Tourism, World OpinionIndia, John Morris and Sons Ltd- Manchester, Nizam Era Antique, Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizam of Hyderabad's Relic Fire Engine, Vintage Fire Enginempositiveone@gmail.com

Nizam’s Lost Glory ?

Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar is on the test drive of John MorrisFire Engine, one of the priceless possessions of Indian Railways maintained at the National Rail Museum, before its participation in the 38th Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally to be held in New Delhi on 2nd March, 2014.

This vintage FireEngine which was built by the famous Fire engineers M/S John Morris and Sons Ltd., Salfor, Manchester in 1914, completed 100 years of its existence this year (2014), coinciding the formation of Telangana, erstwhile Nizam’s state.

Will Telangana also fight for its vintage and priceless proud possession, now that the new state is born?

(PIB)

source: http://www.microfinancemonitor.com / MF Monitor / Home / Thursday – March 13th, 2014

Bangalore to biennale

March 13, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World OpinionLorenzo il Magnifico gold for digital art, Shibu, Shibu Arakkal, Shibu Arakkal - Photographer, Yousuf Arakkalmpositiveone@gmail.com

Photography took Shibu Arakkal to Florence. He returned with the Lorenzo il Magnifico gold for digital art, finds NIRMALA GOVINDARAJAN

The time when Shibu Arakkal first looked at the world through his camera was also the time when he got hooked to it. “I never dreamed of being a photographer,” he confesses. Still, Shibu continued to fool around with his father Yusuf Arakkal’s very serious German single lens reflex camera. “He had paid quite a bit for it those days and it was always loaded with film. I would sneak into his studio, take one or two photographs and quietly put it back. When my dad got the role processed, he would always wonder how there were a couple of pictures he didn’t remember having taken.”

The first time Shibu put his camera to use – constructing a friend’s fashion portfolio, it went on to fetch her several modelling assignments.

After this recognition, Shibu’s momentous tryst with the camera began. “That first shoot got me deeply curious about photography and helped me decide what to do with my life.”

So Shibu’s world came alive through people and stories until recently in end 2013, when he went on to bag the prestigious Lorenzo il Magnifico gold prize for digital art at the Florence Biennale. “Dad always worried about what I would end up doing with my life given my long list of ambitions. When I got hooked to photography, I knew that this wasn’t just a fling. Two decades since, my camera and I have looked at the world, analysed and interpreted life around us, as my method of learning about this world and the things in it. Also to grow as a person and gain that bit of wisdom, which is somehow more important than just intelligence. What I photographed over the years has become my life’s journal and I have been conscious that it is by what I will be known, long after I am gone.”

Going for goldWith lifetime achievement awardee Anish Kapoor, the award and the work that got it

“Selection into the Florence Biennale 2013 came with certain confidence that I had the work worthshowing on such a stage. I had been working on the series Constructing Life for nearly four years when I had decided to can it half way through, realising that I needed to come back to it when I was a bit more mature. This body of work seemed to have a destiny of its own. The emotion, which the works from this series carried, was hence extremely powerful.”

Then came the moment in Florence when Shibu’s heart was heavy and light at once.

“Although the Lorenzo il Magnifico Gold Prize was being talked about in regard to my work from day one at the Biennale and knowing how strong my work was, I was also very aware of how these things are decided by people who also have subjective views and opinions. So when the award was announced without prior notice, it was entirely surreal, a moment, which I wasn’t fully conscious of, being thrown by the fact that I got awarded in a category above what I had entered. It however made the extremely trying times in my career and the very difficult actual process of executing the work, truly worthwhile.”

Back from the Biennale to life in Bangalore, Shibu explores India, reaching out to the world through what he does best – photography in an era of click on the go.

“It is a very real and satisfying life. Besides, Bangalore is home. It is where I was born and raised. I have resisted settling down abroad purely because of my love for it. It is ground zero and Bangalore has been extremely good to me in terms of recognition, patronage and support for my work in general. It is a place where I can be fearless in any sort of experimental work that I put out and be quite assured that it will be received for what it is,” he says as he readies for a day in his life – between his work, riding and the joy of being a dutiful father to his four-and-half-year old daughter.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Nirmala Govindarajan / March 13th, 2014