Shruti Haasan Admits It’s Easy To Get Into Bollywood World But Difficult To Stay In

August 8, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Actress-singer Shruti Haasan says that being in the creative field itself is a challenge and that she thoroughly enjoys it. “Being in the creative profession itself is a challenge. I work not only for myself but also enjoy when the audience receives me well and my piece of art is accepted and appreciated. It is a challenge all the way, which I thoroughly enjoy,” Shruti told IANS in an email interview.

In an interview with a media portal, Shruti Haasan revealed that nepotism surely helps a person to get into the industry but it is difficult to stay in the industry as the film industry is known for its highly competitive nature. The daughter of stars Kamal Haasan and Sarika considers herself to be lucky. “I feel I am one of the few lucky ones to be able to do what I want to do. While, yes, there have been difficult situations where I had to take critical decisions, yet it became easier as we went along. “I also received suggestions or options that helped me achieve what I wanted. Doubt is sometimes a great motivator, because it makes you drop all inhibitions and give the opportunity to deliver your best,” said Shruti

Recalling her own experience while starting her film career, Shruti Haasan stated that it was surely easy for her to enter the film industry due to her surname, but it has been a difficult journey for her. She stated that since she is a slow learner and considers herself to be socially awkward, she didn’t know the right person to reach out to and communicate with. However, she stated that she agrees that she is privileged but it still has been a hard journey in the film industry for her.

“I made my debut alongside a star like Suriya in Tamil, an actor who also got his break because of his father, Sivakumar sir. And yet, his path to stardom was carved by his work. After that initial launch, every actor has to prove their talent and work hard to get their next offer, especially in Telugu and Tamil cinema. Your background stops being such an influence after your debut. I am not sure whether this is the case in Bollywood. I think it’s different there.”

Shruti Hassan is all set for her upcoming OTT release titled Yaara opposite Vidyut Jammwal and Amit Sadh. She recently shared her views about the ongoing debate in Bollywood of nepotism. Shruti Haasan is the daughter of famous actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika also gave her perspective on nepotism. Take a look at her views on the same ahead of her online movie release.

Shruti Haasan will be next seen in a crime-drama film titled Yaara, helmed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. The film is bankrolled by Tigmanshu Dhulia Films and Azure Entertainment. The movie stars Vidyut Jammwal, Shruti Haasan, Amit Sadh, Vijay Varma and Kenny Basumatary in pivotal roles. Reportedly the movie is a Hindi remake of a French film called A Gang Story. The movie is set to premiere on July 30 on Zee5. Shruti Haasan was last seen in the film Devi alongside Kajol. The Priyanka Banerjee directorial received rave reviews from the audience and critics alike. Meanwhile, Shruti Haasan is all set for the release of her upcoming flick, Krack. The movie marks her return to Tollywood after Katamarayudu. Besides Krack, Shruti Haasan also will be seen in the film titled Laabam. Reportedly, the film will be directed by S.P. Jananathan and will feature Vijay Sethupathi, Jagapati Babu and Kalaiyarasan.

The Malayali And The Art Of Drinking

August 8, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

“On most days it is impossible to get two Malayali men to agree on anything. If a group of four men were discussing Obama’s politics, Mohanlal’s conquests, Messi’s recent lack of goals and the shameless doings of the young couple in the next street, one can be certain there would be 16 different points of view. Until the topic of alcohol comes up and a strange gleam enters their eye: a hushed reverence, an abject unconditional adoration and the manic happiness at the certainty of being at heaven’s doorstep.

There is concurrence and there is steadfast belief. All of them wear the same face — of a zealot and a devotee. In fact, I’m quite certain I’ve seen the same expression in the video footage of followers of Jonestown and the Kofuku-No-Kagaku sect in Japan.

I grew up in a household in which everyone liked a drink. My uncles, grandmother and aunt liked their scotch. As did my great grandmother, I’ve been told. My father is a social drinker and my mother is a teetotaller.

But, even she didn’t protest when they all sat with a drink most evenings under the mango tree when we were in Kerala for the summer vacations. Or, when they offered my brother and me an occasional sip.

Alcohol was associated with family times, bonhomie and recycled nostalgic recollection of family lore. As children, it was also about the array of snacks that appeared on the table, from fried chicken to cutlets to tapioca sticks to peanuts.

But, this lot, especially the men, were an anomaly I discovered when I saw how the Malayali male is when it comes to liquor and the touchings.The Kerala government’s recent proclamation caught even the non-drinking Malayali by surprise. There’s just something that binds the Malayali man by his umbilicus, stem cell and DNA to spirits. The kind that comes in a bottle.

There is the rustic youth who follows his father or uncle’s footsteps to the toddy shop, which is a men’s club with no sartorial rules, a wounded animals’ convention and a round table on world events you think you can sort when a ‘half’ nestles in your belly. To the suburban youth, it is the bar that offers the rite of passage.

At an age when everything is a dare, stepping into a bar frequented by regular drunks is how you prove the man you are. Elsewhere, the Malayali youth might pub crawl or bar hop, but in Kerala, it is inevitable you’ll cut your egg tooth to manhood with a nilpan [a drink you toss down standing at the bar counter] that you might spew outside the shop by the end of the evening.

You can let go of the cheap alcohol, but it won’t let go of you, for it will live in your breath and pores for the next 24 hours as a reminder of your path to manhood. That’s how cool a ‘small’ is.In a matter of a few years, he is considered man enough to pour himself a drink at home.

So, there he is in the evening after a shower, Yardley or Cuticura talc-ed, and he retreats to that corner room where his friends and male relatives will congregate for a round of smalls topped with water. No ice, of course, because ice gives him throat pain. Sometimes there is music, sometimes there is desultory conversation, but mostly there will be an endless supply of fried fish and bowls of mixture as touching.The ‘touchings’ is a whole cuisine by itself, so much so that it is considered quite alright to take your wife or girlfriend to the posh toddy shops or bar hotels that have a family room, in which women can sample touchings without the stigma of being seen in a place of drink.

Beef dry fry. Duck roast. Pork masala. Nathali fry. Shrimp and squid. Boiled tapioca and fish curry. Boiled eggs. And, if you can’t afford any of it, there is the pickle in a packet, which is how I guess the term ‘touchings’ emerged. Touch, lick, drink. Drink, touch, lick.

There is something to be said for the Malayali man’s ability to laugh at himself even when the joke is on him. In the mimicry circuit, which is as much a Malayali fixation as alcohol, there are countless jokes about the Malayali man’s love affair with the small.

I once read in The Economist, “At 8.3 litres of alcohol per citizen per year, [Kerala’s] rate of consumption is the highest in India. Most Muslims and many Hindus in Kerala are teetotal, as are most women. This means some people are drinking far more than the average amount.

According to the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre, an NGO, 25 per cent of all hospital admissions and 69 per cent of all crimes in the state are due in part to intoxication.”

But, here is the conundrum. There isn’t anyone better behaved or more orderly than the man waiting in line outside the Beverages Corporation [the state-owned liquor outlets] in Kerala. There is no pushing or jostling. In fact, I wish they displayed as much restraint and calm when they queue to enter Guruvayur or the Sabarimala temples.

But, once he has his drink in his hands, the beast changes. From a pussycat, he metamorphoses to a panther. A howling, spitting, growling male who will regurgitate past hurts, imagined slights, tilt at windmills and think nothing of removing his mundu, tying it like a turban and walking in his underwear. A male Malayali friend describes to me what follows next with that particular brand of sarcasm so intrinsic to the Malayali man. “And, then he will pass out in the gutter. There is no merit to passing out in your own bed. It’s only when you lie in a drunken heap on the side of the road that you can show the world the mettle of your drunkenness.

”Starting an argument, getting into a brawl, throwing up, passing out, all of it is customary. There is neither embarrassment nor remorse the day after. A hangover, perhaps, but no self-censure. Nothing much changes whether he drinks in a bar hotel, a toddy shop or his own house. A man is a man when he drinks.

Hey, he is doing what is expected of him. He earns a salary, gives a portion of it to his family and the rest must go towards healing the existential angst that is so part of his psyche. In other parts of the world, a man thus stricken might hammer shelves into a wall, grow roses, sail boats or climb mountains.

But, the Malayali man will peer into his glass of rum and coke, sing old Yesudas songs or Talat Mahmood ghazals, reach out for his touchings to bring alive his ennui-stricken palate and then find reprieve in the alcohol that’s coursing a fiery trail down his gullet.

The world is a better place, a happier place when a half warms your insides with a deep rosy glow.The Malayali man will drink when he is happy to celebrate. He will drink when he is sad to forget. He will drink when he is angry to calm down. He will drink when he is confused about a decision. He will drink when he is ill, to feel better. He will drink on long weekends, hartals and holidays. He will drink to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and triumphs. He will drink to drown failures and erase stress. He will drink on a train, taking a pre-mix in a bottle with him. He will drink in a car, stopping by the road somewhere. He will drink when friends come over. He will drink when he is alone and has nothing to do.

He will drink, for the Malayali man knows himself only when he has a drink swilling in him. The rest of the time he is merely role-playing.

(Anita Nair is the author of The Better Man, Ladies Coupe, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting and Cut Like Wound. Follow her on twitter @anitanairauthor.)

Netflix show on Indian matchmaker stokes debate on wedding culture

August 8, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

A new Netflix show about an Indian matchmaker catering to the high demands of potential brides and grooms, and their parents, has stoked an online debate about arranged marriages in the country.

The eight-part series “Indian Matchmaking” premiered on Netflix on Thursday and is currently among its top ranked India shows. It features Sima Taparia, a real-life matchmaker from Mumbai, who offers her services to families within India and abroad.

Arranged marriages in India see parents leading efforts to find a suitable match for their children. The show has become a subject of memes and jokes, and criticism, on how individuals and their parents are picky and have a long list of demands that centre around factors like caste, height or skin colour.

The show “makes very clear how regressive Indian communities can be. Where sexism, casteism, and classism are a prevalent part of the process of finding a life partner,” wrote Twitter user Maunika Gowardhan.

Thousands of Twitter and Instagram posts echo that view. “The show is simply holding a mirror to the ugly society we are a part of,” Vishaka George, another Twitter user, wrote.

Created by Oscar-nominated director Smriti Mundhra, the show focuses on matchmaker Taparia’s visits to the homes of families who need her assistance. After hearing their demands, she presents résumés of prospective matches and then arranges for meetings.

“The two families have their reputation and many millions of dollars at stake. So the parents guide their children,” Taparia says at one point in the show, referring to some of her wealthier clients.

In the first episode titled “Slim, Trim and Educated”, an Indian mother tells Taparia her son is getting a lot of marriage proposals but in most cases the prospective bride’s education or height was not ideal.

Just as Taparia says: “So you want a smart, outgoing, height …” the mother interjects, “I won’t even consider (a girl) below 5 feet 3 inches.”

Some have praised the show for its honesty and treating its subjects respectfully.
“The hate against it is, frankly, baffling … Indian Matchmaking is well on its way to becoming a cultural phenomenon,” a column in the Mint newspaper said.
(Photo Credit: Reuters)

Netflix sets new record with 160 Emmy nominations

August 8, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Streaming giant Netflix broke the record for most nominations that any network, studio or streaming platform has ever earned, with 160 Emmy nominations this year. The streaming platform smashed the record set by the cable network HBO last year, with 137 nominations. This year, HBO is second with 107 nominations.

This is the second time that Netflix has bested HBO. In 2018, the streamer ended HBO’s 17-year Emmy nomination domination by landing 112 nods to HBO’s 108.

This year, Netflix has been nominated in 10 of the 11 major categories that were unveiled during the TV Academy’s live-stream announcement, including three nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, four nominations for Outstanding Television Movie and five nominations for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).

The streamer leads the race with shows including “Ozark”, “The Crown”, “Dead To Me”, “The Politician” and “Stranger Things”. HBO’s “Watchmen” scored the most nominations overall with 26 for the graphic novel adaptation, reports deadline.com.

Netflix’s “Ozark” and HBO’s “Succession” scored 18 nominations each, and are up against each other in the Best Drama Series category, alongside Netflix’s “The Crown” and “Stranger Things”, besides “Better Call Saul”, “Killing Eve”, “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Mandalorian”.

In the comedy category, while Netflix “The Kominsky Method” and “Dead To Me”, HBO is up in contention with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Insecure”. These shows vie for honours with “The Good Place”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, “Schitt’s Creek” and “What We Do In The Shadows”.

Besides “Ozark”, the streaming giants key nominees include: “The Crown” (13 nods), “Hollywood” (12), “Stranger Things” (eight), “Unorthodox” (eight), and “Cheer” (six).As for other leading studios, NBC has 47 nods, ABC has 36, FX Networks has 33, and Amazon has 31. Disney+ has 19 nods. The Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on September 20, 2020. The show will air in India on Star World.

Know that when you practice social distancing, you are saying, “I Love you.” A Poem By Seema Govil

August 8, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Know that when you wear a face covering, you are saying, “I care.for you” Know that when you missed a special occasion, you are saying, “I am persevering.” Know that when you feel inundated with additional work, you are thinking ” I am grateful for my health care professionals.” Know that when you resist communicating your political convictions, and your robust immunity, you are saying “I respect you, and I saved a life, I might not ever meet.” Know that when you sleep in the night, you are saying,’I have done everything possible to shield this community and this World’. Know that when you wake up in the morning, that you are a philanthropist “I am happy, I am doing my bit “ Know that you are more substantial than just you, your family, You are saying I am the World.”

‘Gang’ in Bollywood is Working Against A R Rahman, Not Letting Him Curate Music For Hindi Films

July 30, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, India 0

World renowned Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman says that a ‘gang’ of people in the Hindi film industry is preventing him from making music for the Hindi movie audience. The highly talented musician has composed music for thousands of songs in Hindi and other regional languages, including the songs for Sushant Singh Rajput’s last film Dil Bechara that streamed on Disney+Hotstar recently.

In his latest interview with Radio Mirchi recently, Rahman said that when director Mukesh Chhabra came to him for the music of Dil Bechara, he told him that many people had asked to not approach him and that was when he realised that even though he wants to work for the Hindi audience, a few people in the industry are not happy about it. Also Read – SSR Case: PM Modi ‘Acknowledges’ Subramanian Swamy’s Letter Requesting For a CBI Inquiry

Rahman was quoted saying, “I don’t say no to good movies, but I think there is a gang, which, due to misunderstandings, is spreading some false rumors. When Mukesh Chhabra came to me, I gave him four songs in two days. He told me, ‘Sir, how many people said don’t go, don’t go to him (AR Rahman) and they told me stories after stories.’ I heard that, and I realized, yeah okay, now I understand why I am doing less (work in Hindi films) and why the good movies are not coming to me. I am doing dark movies, because there is a whole gang working against me, without them knowing that they are doing harm.”

The celebrated musician added that he doesn’t mind it because he believes in the power of destiny. The legendary music composer said that he wants everyone to know that he’s happy to create music for Hindi films and filmmakers should not hesitate before approaching him. Also Read – Dil Bechara Movie News: AR Rahman Mentions ‘Memories of Sushant’ as Film’s Soundtrack Released last week.

“People are expecting me to do stuff, but there is another gang of people preventing that from happening. It is fine, because I believe in destiny, and I believe that everything comes from God. So, I am taking my movies and doing my other stuff. But all of you are welcome to come to me. Make beautiful movies, and you are welcome to come to me,” he explained.

Rahman’s account of groupism in Bollywood supports the narrative that irrespective of the talent of any artist in the industry, a select few allegedly powerful people in the Hindi film industry control fates of artists. The ace music composer has been winning acclaim for his latest score in Sushant Singh Rajput’s last film Dil Bechara, directed by Mukesh Chhabra. Rahman realized the lack of offers from Bollywood when Chhabra approached him and narrated allegedly false “stories” about him that have been circulating in the industry.

Reposting a tweet shared by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, Rahman stated that he believes in peace and that is the time to maneuver on. The celebrated musician stated that all the things comes again however not the time that’s spent in doing frivolous issues.

Kapur had shared a chunk of reports that quoted Rahman’s assertion about not getting quite a lot of work within the Hindi movie business. Whereas sharing the identical on Twitter, he wrote, “Misplaced Cash comes again, fame comes again, however the wasted prime time of our lives won’t ever come again. Peace! Lets transfer on. We have now larger issues to do.

Recently, Rahman and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur have joined hands with life coach Shayamal Vallabhjee to create awareness on mental health and promote positive mental wellbeing. After the demise of Sushant Singh Rajput, many celebs have come forward and spoke at length about mental health and their battles with depression. Talking about the same, South Africa based sports scientist Vallabhjee said in a statement about his show In Pursuit of Balance. AR Rahman, who has composed hundreds of songs in several languages in a career spanning three decades, recently co-wrote and produced the film 99 Songs, for which he has also designed the original score. He has won the National Awards six times while he has twice won at the Oscars and the Grammys (all four for his work on 2008’s film Slumdog Millionaire).

In Hour of Need “Ekal Foundation” Stands By The Community By Prakash Waghmare

July 29, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment 0

When the ‘Covid-19’ pandemic brought the worldwide life to a grinding halt, it posed a grave economic concern to Ekal movement. Currently, it has presence in over 102,000 villages and reach to 300,000 such pockets of humanity. In absence of usual stage performances for fundraising, the future of its numerous projects was in jeopardy. Concerts or no-concerts, Ekal has always enjoyed generosity of its loyal donors to shoulder a portion of movement’s annual tab but that wasn’t enough in this critical phase. Moreover, as a brand name in North America, ‘Ekal’ was part of the Indian community’s social consciousness – an institution – for classy entertainment, everywhere. The community longed for Ekal to provide refreshing relief – even in this ‘new world order’. Therefore, ‘Ekal-USA’ launched a series of virtual concerts across North America, with groups of Ekal chapters as focal points for each of them.

In essence, Ekal, was obligated to preserve the heightened enthusiasm and expectations of the countless volunteers, well-wishers and the supporters. The two troupes engaged for virtual concerts had, not only, the huge fan following, but also, had the proven record of success for fund-raising. One of the troupes was headed by Sa, Re, Ga, Ma contest winner ‘Sanjeevani Bhelande’ and another was headlined by Milind Oak’s ‘Niche’ banner.

‘Event committee’, in consultation with ‘Technology-Team’ provided significant support to the chapters in strategic transatlantic hook ups while the Artistes performed live in the Indian studios. The Chapter-groups assigned for each concert did a remarkable job in marketing their concert by engaging the community and social organizations around them. Chapters beyond the spheres of the concert-regions also helped out in propagating these events. Between May 23 and July 25, Sanjeevani’s troupe had four virtual concerts and Milind Oak had two.

All concerts were interactive and the donations were realized ‘live’ in ‘real time’. The montage of Video-clips and narration about ‘Present day’s Ekal’ prepared by ‘Media-Teams’ were very helpful. The Concert on May 23 for Midwest Regions by Sanjeevani raised $162,510; Concert on June 20 for Central Regions by Sanjeevani raised $367,830; Concert on June 28 for Northeast Regions by Milind Oak raised $239,800; Concert on July 11 for Washington DC by Sanjeevani raised $381,290 and the Concert on July 18 for Central Regions by Milind Oak raised $177,100.

In this endeavor, Ekal-Canada has also come a long way in last 5 years. With their Concert for Canada-East on July 25 by Sanjeevani it has raised CA $420,000 for the year, so far. Essentially in two months, ‘Ekal’ has managed to raise approx. $1.65 Million during virtual concerts. There are still couple of more concerts yet to follow – e.g. on Aug 1, there is concert for Southwest region by ‘Hemant Kumar Group’ and on Aug 8 for Canada-West by Milind Oak’s group. Before the official ‘clamp-down’ in late-March, Ekal in fact, had started the year by hosting 10 fund-raising stage-events that highlighted fascinating rural-tribal artistry and their unique culture. These events took place basically in sunshine and southern states and raised $650,000. According to Arun Gupta, Chairman of ‘BOD’ of Ekal-USA, “this is a splendid testament to donor’s trust in Ekal movement”.

During ‘Covid-19’ pandemic, the schools were closed and virtual tutoring & home assignments for the students had come to an end. Outdoor group-activities were not available either. Therefore, Ekal undertook a creative approach to channelize youth’s pent-up energy and brain-power for their mutual benefit. It was the need of the hour. Numerous ‘Do-it-yourself’ (DIY) projects – where youths provided virtual tutoring to other youths – were floated on Ekal platform.

Since the youths opted to tutor subjects that touched with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, this campaign was headlined with ‘STEAM’ as its acronym. This is an on-going effort till the schools open. As of this moment, in 17 such active series youths from 7 states have been enrolled, raising sizable amount for Ekal. Swetha Mulukutla, Isabelle Bodkhe & Spandana Gandhi raised $4130 by tutoring PSAT classes to support ‘skill-training’ for migrant workers in EKAL villages while Ritvik Shah raised more than $3314 by tutoring Python classes to equip few Ekal schools with tablets. In New England area, Jharna Madan and Parveen Minocha (Ekal volunteers) are spearheading another effort to bring light-hearted fun to people of all ages during the current Corona crisis. ‘Indi Art’ is national art competition organized in collaboration with “Khula Asmaan”, an art portal in India. On their behalf 30 art teachers acting as ‘Ekal Indi Art’ ambassadors are offering free workshops in various artforms like MadhuBani, Warli, Watercolors, Acrylic, Textured Art, Tanjore Painting, 3D Art, Digital Art etc. Over 500 have already benefited from these workshops which are open to people of all ages and approx. $10,000 have been raised through these efforts. For more details on activities and forth-coming events, kindly visit www.ekal.org. “Ekal V. Foundation” (“EVF”) is in 10 countries and is tax-exempt in several of them, including U.S & Canada. It renders all services free-of-cost, irrespective of caste, faith and gender. For this reason and specifically for its enormous work in empowering the rural-tribal folks, the Government of India honored “EVF” with Iconic “Gandhi Peace Prize”, two years back.

Amitabh Bachchan Shares Message on Religious Harmony from Hospital While Being Treated for Covid

July 29, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Health 0

Amitabh Bachchan has shared a message on religious harmony. The veteran actor, who is undergoing Covid treatment in a hospital here, took to his verified Twitter account July 23 to post the message. Big B shared two photographs of himself, one with folded hands and the other where he stretches his palms in prayer. “Mazhab toh yeh do hatheliyaan batati hain, jude to ‘puja’ khule toh ‘dua’ kehlaati hain (The two hands describe religion. Whenever they are folded it is called puja and when they are stretched it is called dua),” he tweeted. Amitabh, his son Abhishek Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and granddaughter Aaradhya are currently hospitalized with coronavirus infection. Reacting to Bachchan’s tweet, fans shared their prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery. Unconfirmed reports claim that the veteran actor is recovering and might be discharged from hospital soon. Big B, meanwhile, July 23 evening tweeted to refute a news reports claiming he has tested Covid-19 negative. On his verified Twitter account, he shared a video clip of a TV news channel that claims “Amitabh Bachchan tests negative for COVID” as “breaking news.” “.. this news is incorrect, irresponsible, fake and an incorrigible LIE !!” Big B tweeted on his official account, @SrBachchan. The Bollywood icon seems quite disturbed by the fake news surrounding his health. He also retweeted a tweet posted by a fan that reads: “That’s playing with someone’s privacy. Why do media play with people’s emotions? Take Care Sir Ji.” Earlier on July 22, Amitabh Bachchan shared a video on social media that shows students of Wroclaw University, Poland, paying a tribute to his father, poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Big B shared the video on Instagram, where students from the university recite a few lines from his father’s renowned poem “Madhushala.” Alongside the clip, Big B wrote: “Last year the Mayor of Wroclaw declared me as the Ambassador of the City of Wroclaw, in Poland… Today they organized a recitation of my Babuji’s Madhushala by the University students on the roof of the University building. “As Wroclaw was awarded the title of a UNESCO City of Literature, they could pass on the message to Babu Ji’s lovers from all around the world – Wroclaw is a City of Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Moved beyond emotion .. thank you Wroclaw .. in this time of my trial it brings so much cheer to me.” Sharing about his life in general from his Covid ward, Bachchan took to his blog July 21 and wrote: “It is the silence and the uncertainty of the next … it is a wonder of the nature of life .. of all that it brings to us each moment, each living breathing day… In the activity driven past days of normalcy, never was there inclination to assess or sit back and think of what thoughts invade us now.””But they do now with a regularity that fills those idle hours, sitting, thinking, looking out into nowhere .. “.. in these conditions thoughts race at greater speed and in a vividity that had eluded us before .. they were always there, but just the presence of them remained silenced by the mind in its other business of existence ..the business is dormant now. The thespian added that “the mind is freer.” “It reflects greatly more than ever .. and I wonder if this is correct, admissible pertinent or not.” He wrote that a wandering mind often leads to “destinations that, because of their complex vagaries, brings on that which at times be not what you may want to hear or see .. but you do .. the eventuality of all that surrounds us blows heavily about us.” “Ignorance of it would not be a considered act .. so you succumb to it .. bear it .. live it .. caress it at times .. play with it at others.. wish it away, hold on to it, embrace it and accept .. but never be able to desist its presence ..” He says the time “today gives liberty to stretch the gravitas of the cerebrum.” “We may never get opportunity to be involved in this act, but given the circumstance, I would like to believe that each one of us .. each individual has the will and the capacity to be what they may have believed, they would never be.” Talking about his health, Bachchan wrote: “In the condition of the solace in the room of cure .. the restlessness keeps in the search for reaction .. for a connect .. for something to respond to .. to do .. to do just more than what the condition dictates..” “At times you find it .. at times you stare at barren walls and with empty thoughts .. and you pray that they be filled with the life of existence .. of reaction and company .. All of you push your prayers and concern each hour I know .. and I have only folded hands ..”

Bipasha Basu Believes In Self Love And Self Appreciation

July 22, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, India 0

Bollywood actor, Bipasha Basu believes in self love and self appreciation, going by her new social media post. The actress took to her verified Instagram profile and posted a picture of herself in a grey and black low-waist saree, paired with a bandeau blouse. “Self Appreciation Post #loveyourself #throwback,” she captioned the image. Bipasha’s husband and actor Karan Singh Grover dropped a romantic message from his verified account in the comment section. He gushed: “This is me appreciating yourself.” Recently, Bipasha shared that she is missing the energy and exuberance of performing in front of a live audience. She took to her verified Instagram account, where she shared a throwback picture of herself performing on stage. She said she cannot wait for it to happen soon. Bipasha and Karan, who worked together in the film “Alone”, tied the knot in April 2015. On the work front, the two will be seen sharing screen space in the upcoming film “Aadat”. Bipasha Basu took to Instagram to share a stunning monochrome picture from her modelling days. Sharing it, she said: “Looking at You.” In the picture, Bipasha is wrapped in a flowing gossamer white fabric, that obviously flatters her beautiful frame. The picture has been shot by the beachside. Among those who responded to her post was husband Karan Singh Grover, who asked: “Who me?” and later dropped a bunch of heart eyes emojis. Actor Neelan Kothari Soni too left red heart emojis in the comments section. Bipasha’s fans were full of praise for the actor writing “Awesome”, “Stunning” and “Nice” in the comments section. Another fan wrote: “I will die from your beauty.” While another fan responded, “Those legs could make nations fall!” Bipasha was in news recently when she reacted to Hindustan Unilever’s decision to drop “fair” from its products and had said she has been associated by the word “dusky” since childhood. She had written: “From the time I was growing up I heard this always, ‘Bonnie is darker than Soni.She is little dusky na?’ Even though my mother is a dusky beauty and I look a lot like her. I never knew why that would be a discussion by distant relatives when I was a kid. Soon at 15/ 16 I started modelling and then I won the supermodel contest … all newspapers read … dusky girl from Kolkata is the winner.I wondered again why Dusky is my first adjective?” She had added how her skin colour followed her to her modelling in New York and later in the Hindi film industry. She has continued, “Then I went to New York and Paris to work as a model and I realised my skin colour was exotic there and I got more work and attention because of it. Another discovery of mine:) Once I came back into India and film offers started… and finally I did my first film and from an absolute Ajnabee to Hindi film industry …I suddenly was accepted and loved. But the adjective stayed which I started liking and loving by then.DUSKY girl wows the audiences in her debut film.” Bipasha’s post had found favor with a lot of her fans and industry colleagues. Many like Neelam Kothari, Sophie Chowdry and Hrithik Roshan’s former sister-in-law Farah Ali Khan appreciated her honesty.

Rahman: Composing music doesn’t have any formula

July 14, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, India 0

Oscar and Grammy-winning Indian composer AR Rahman feels composing music is a thing of the heart, and the whole album of “Dil Bechara” has been carefully curated and is filled with memories of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The entire music album of “Dil Bechara” is done by Rahman. “Composing music doesn’t have any formula, it is a thing of the heart. When I write songs, I let them breathe for some time and then present it to the director,” Rahman said. “It was a great experience collaborating with Mukesh Chhabra on this film; his enthusiasm is infectious. This whole album is carefully curated because the film has so much heart, and now, memories of Sushant. It was a pleasure to work with lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya on this soundtrack of love. The songs are eclectic and feature an amazing lineup of India’s top singers and musicians. I hope you will like the album,” he added. The entire music album of the film was released on Friday. The soundtrack to “Dil Bechara” comprises a diverse mix of songs. The film’s title track, sung by Rahman, is a vibrant celebration of life’s ups and downs; “Maskhari” is a lighthearted song about friendship, features Sunidhi Chauhan and Hriday Gattani on the vocals. There’s also Shreya Ghoshal and Mohit Chauhan’s “Taare gin”, “Khulke Jeena Ka” (an adaptation of Rahman’s unreleased Tamil track “Kannil oru thali”). “Main tumhara” is sung by Jonita Gandhi and Hriday Gattani. “Dil Bechara” is the official remake of 2014 Hollywood romantic drama “The Fault In Our Stars”, based on John Green’s popular novel of the same name. Budding actress Sanjana Sanghi stars opposite Sushant in the film. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra is making his directorial debut with the film. Talking about the music of the film, Mukesh said: “Befitting the story of the film, its music album is an emotional rollercoaster of romance, friendship and the odds pitted against two young people in love. Having A.R. Rahman aboard for the music of my directorial debut is a dream come true. What’s amazing about the genius of Rahman in this album is that it beautifies the narrative and takes it forward. I can only hope that the listeners enjoy it.” Sushant’s last film “Dil Bechara” will premiere on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar on July 24. (IANS)

Mindy Kaling’s “Never Have I Ever” Gets Second Season On Netflix

July 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Indian American Teen comedy Never Have I Ever, featuring a breakout performance from Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, is coming back for a second season on Netflix. Mindy Kaling’s “Never Have I Ever” a coming-of-age comedy featuring an Indian-American teenager played by Indo-Canadian Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, is going to have another season, a testament to its popularity.

Ramakrishnan will reprise her lead role as high school student Devi Vishwakumar alongside returning cast including Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison, Darren Barnet, Lee Rodriguez and Ramona Young.

The show follows the complicated life of a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl, dealing with issues of family, sexuality and high school. Ramakrishnan’s Vishwakumar is a 15-year old from Sherman Oaks, CA, who wants to change her social status after a horrible year that included losing her father and being confined to a wheelchair for three months.

Though the first season was released just two months ago, in bagging a second season Kaling displays how her knack for capturing cultural complexity with empathy and humor, appeals to a broad range of viewers.

“Never Have I Ever” contains some of Kaling’s own growing-up angst, is portrayed by the main character Devi Vishwakumar (played by Ramakrishnan), her mother Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar (Poorna Jagannathan), her cousin Kamala (Richa Moorjani), her high-school frenemy Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison, her high-school crush Paxton Hall-Yoshia (Darren Barnet), and her bosom buddies played by Romona Young and Lee Rodriguez.

Photo that Mindy Kaling tweeted on her site March 19, saying, “My friend Julia Powell found this pic of me from high school! I think we were rehearsing the musical Rags, where I played a rag picker. What a time.” (Photo: Kaling Twitter @mindykaling)

Kaling has the ability to flesh out complex characters and plots that take unexpected turns. At the risk of divulging the plot for the first season for those who haven’t yet seen it, Devi loses her father early we find out; her mother’s somewhat high-handed handling of a boisterous daughter has a story behind it; Devi’s best friend finds out she is gay; her high-school crush has a very special sister with a heart of gold; and her cousin Kamala is a master at navigating Indian and Western mores to get what she wants.

It was not for nothing that Kaling picked a newcomer to the screen out of 15,000 applicants because Ramakrishnan has a freshness-cum-awkwardness with the acting genre that actually ends up working in her favor.

In a July 1, 2020 interview with Variety magazine, Ramakrishnan said she had seen so many young people saying ‘Oh my God, I can relate to this so much.’ Like her character on the show, Ramakrishnan comes out as the perky youth she is.

“I’m livin’ and chillin’,” Ramakrishnan told Variety about being quarantined with her parents and grandparents and dog Melody. “I’ve seen a lot of messages about ‘I’ve already seen Season 1 … where is Season 2’, Ramakrishnan said fans were messaging. “I think I’ll always be the girl from Mississauga,” Canada, she also said. Being a South Asian lead, Ramakrishnan said, “we’re so used to being sidekicks, we’re so used to comic relief …” and while there was nothing wrong with that, “It isn’t okay when its offensive and when that’s all you get.”

As with the first season, it is almost certain Kaling will find ways to keep it as engaging. Her interwoven plot, sometimes sad, sometimes heartfelt, peppered with more than the usual interesting and thought-provoking incidents, will keep fans of the path-breaking Indian-American creator, watching.

The show, which launched in April, has been applauded for its s accurate depiction of high school as well as its inclusivity and breaking South Asian stereotypes.

“I think it’s great that we have a story like Never Have I Ever but it’s depressing that this is happening in 2020 and even though we can applaud breaking stereotypes but we can’t forget that we still have so much work to do,” Ramakrishnan told Deadline last month. “Devi is only one story. Hopefully as much as this show inspires other minorities around the world, it will also inspire directors, producers, creators, writers to start bringing that natural inclusion into their shows.”

Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan on Oscars Academy Awards Jury

July 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt and Hrithik Roshan are among 819 artistes and executives who have received invitations to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Those who accept the invitation will have voting rights at the 93rd Academy Awards.

The 2020 invitees also include costume designer Neeta Lulla, documentary director Nishtha Jain (“Gulabi Gang”, “Lakshmi” and “Me”), writer Sabrina Dhawan (“Kaminey”, “Monsoon Wedding”), casting directors Nandini Shrikent (“Gully Boy”, “Life of Pi”) and Tess Joseph (“Lion”), visual effects artists Vishal Anand (“War”, “Bharat”) and Sandeep Kamal (“Panipat”, “Jal”), and V Senthil Kumar, the co-founder of the digital streaming company Qube Cinema Technologies.

With the new list, the Academy continues its work on increasing diversity, reports variety.com. If all 819 invitees accept their invitations, it would bring the total membership to 9,412. In turn, that would mean 45 per cent of the new members will be women and 36 per cent will be from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities. International make-up is 49 per cent from 68 countries.

“The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travelers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now,” Academy president David Rubin said in a statement.

The 2020 batch also boasts of Hollywood names like Cynthia Erivo, John David Washington, Constance Wu, Zazie Beetz, Florence Pugh, Zendaya, Awkwafina, Yalitza Aparicio, Mackenzie Davis, Ana de Armas, Adele Haenel, Thomasin McKenzie, Olivia Wilde and others.

The stars of multiple Oscar-winning South Korean movie “Parasite” — Jang Hye-Jin, Jo Yeo-Jeong, Park So-Dam and Lee Jung-Eun — are also invited to join the Academy. Directors Lulu Wang, Ari Aster, Terence Davies, Matthew Vaughn, Robert Eggers, Matt Reeves, Alma Har’el are on the list as well.

In 2016, the Academy promised to at least double the number of women and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities by this year. “Through dedicated and intentional work by the Board of Governors and members on the branch executive committees, the Academy has surpassed both these goals,” the organisation said.

Now, the Academy wants to advance inclusion and representation in membership and the film community, as part of the goal till 2025. “We take great pride in the strides we have made in exceeding our initial inclusion goals set back in 2016, but acknowledge the road ahead is a long one,” Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said.

“We are committed to staying the course. I cannot give enough thanks to all our members and staff who worked on the A2020 initiative and to our head of Member Relations and Awards, Lorenza Munoz, for her leadership and passion in guiding us through to this point and helping to set the path going forward. We look forward to continuing to foster and Academy that reflects the world around us in our membership, our programs, our new museum, and in our awards,’ Hudson added.

“Actors not only in the West but over here also are working directly on the OTT. (Web) has created a huge opportunity for actors to showcase their talent,” Actress Alia Bhatt said while using the recent success of web series like Sushmita Sen-starrer web series “Aarya” and “Special Ops” series to support her point.

“If I’m offered something that I connect with, I would love to do an investigative type limited TV show. It would be quite interesting,” she added. Alia’s “Sadak 2” is skipping the traditional theatrical route, and going for a digital platform.

On the personal front, the actress said she is spending her lockdown period by learning guitar and doing meditation. “I thought learning guitar would be easy, but it is hard. I have also started taking meditation classes, and helps me keep calm during this time.. I have also spent my time watching content on my TV,” she said.

Choreographer Who Made Bollywood Sparkle, Saroj Khan Is No More

July 6, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, India 0

‘Masterji’ to the stars, Legendary Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 71 on Friday, July 3rd, 2020. Admitted to Mumbai’s Guru Nanak Hospital since June 17 after she complained of trouble in breathing, she tested negative for Covid-19. Her funeral took place on Friday morning in Malad.

Fondly called ‘Masterji’ by stars whom she choreographed, Saroj directed over 2,000 songs in her long and storied career. Born as Nirmala Nagpal, she started her career as a child artiste and graduated to a backup dancer in the ’50s, working with choreographer B Sohanlal. She rose from the ranks, and was the first woman to become chief choreographer, before it was a thing, in Bollywood.

Saroj Khan was born in that place, the 1st of 6 kids. She recalled dancing with shadows there as a toddler, fascinated even then by what would grow to be her contacting. To complement the family’s profits, her father managed to get her operate in Mumbai’s booming movie sector as a little one actress at the age of three, below the title Saroj.

She experienced little roles in a amount of movies in advance of starting to be a qualifications dancer at the age of 10, showing up in the basic “Howrah Bridge,” starring the actress Madhubala.

On the eve of the Diwali vacation, Ms. Khan labored up the braveness to check with the matinee star Shashi Kapoor for enable. “I had just finished one song with him, I was the group dancer,” she mentioned. “I went to him and told him, tomorrow is Diwali and I have nothing at home. I will get paid only after a week. He said, ‘I have 200 rupees right now, please take it.’ I’ll never forget it, that money helped me so much.”

Khan never ever formally experienced as a dancer. Most classical dancers devote several years learning below a instructor in advance of they at any time conduct in general public, but with a household to enable help, that was not an choice for Ms. Khan.

Although nonetheless a younger woman, she turned an assistant to the choreographer B. Sohanlal, doing work with him on some of the most important movies of the . He taught her the basic principles of kathak, a classical Indian dance.

“When he started teaching me, I realized that I can’t keep a posture, I don’t know how to do this,” she recalled in the documentary. “He made me work very hard, I had to remain in the same posture for hours at a , but he turned me into a good dancer.”

Her first break as an independent choreographer came with Geeta Mera Naam (1974) and she would taste fame with the song Hawa Hawai from Mr. India (1987). Her collaboration with Sridevi on other projects like Chandni (think Nau Nau Choodiyan) and Nagina (Main Teri Dushman) further boosted her profile.

But it was her collaboration with Madhuri Dixit that transformed the careers of both the artistes, beginning with Ek Do Teen (Tezaab), and then Tamma Tamma Loge (Thanedaar), Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai (Khalnayak) and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga (Beta).

Saroj was also the one who gave Shah Rukh Khan his iconic open arms pose, in Baazigar. Other standout choreographies included Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast (Mohra), Nimbooda (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam) and Radha Kaise Na Jale (Lagaan). Her last film was Kalank (2019), where she choreographed Tabaah Ho Gaye, picturised on Madhuri. She also won National Awards for choreographing Dola Re Dola (Devdas), all the songs of Tamil film Sringaram, and Yeh Ishq Haaye (Jab We Met). Saroj was also the very first recipient of the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography, when the category was introduced in 1989. With 8 wins, she holds the record of most awards in this category. Bollywood stars have mourned the death of the legendary Khan. Shekar Kapoor tweeted: “She defined a generation of heroines. Certainly #MrIndia would not have been same film without #SarojKhan. You had to see her dance as she rehearsed with SriDevi. She was messmerizing. And what energy! You could shoot all night, yet she smiled and danced constantly fresh.” Madhuri Dixit said, “I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan. Will always be grateful for her work in helping me reach my full potential in dance. The world has lost an amazingly talented person. I will miss you. My sincere condolences to the family. #RIPSarojji.” Akshay Kumar tweeted: “Woke up to the sad news that legendary choreographer #SarojKhan ji is no more. She made dance look easy almost like anybody can dance, a huge loss for the industry. May her soul rest in peace.”

Seeing is Believing: Effectiveness of Face Masks – FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science Researchers Use Flow Visualization to Qualitatively Test Facemasks and Social Distancing

July 6, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Health 0

Newswise — Currently, there are no specific guidelines on the most effective materials and designs for facemasks to minimize the spread of droplets from coughs or sneezes to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. While there have been prior studies on how medical-grade masks perform, data on cloth-based coverings used by the vast majority of the general public are sparse.

Research from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, just published in the journal Physics of Fluids, demonstrates through visualization of emulated coughs and sneezes, a method to assess the effectiveness of facemasks in obstructing droplets. The rationale behind the recommendation for using masks or other face coverings is to reduce the risk of cross-infection via the transmission of respiratory droplets from infected to healthy individuals.

Researchers employed flow visualization in a laboratory setting using a laser light sheet and a mixture of distilled water and glycerin to generate the synthetic fog that made up the content of a cough-jet. They visualized droplets expelled from a mannequin’s mouth while simulating coughing and sneezing. They tested masks that are readily available to the general public, which do not draw away from the supply of medical-grade masks and respirators for healthcare workers. They tested a single-layer bandana-style covering, a homemade mask that was stitched using two-layers of cotton quilting fabric consisting of 70 threads per inch, and a non-sterile cone-style mask that is available in most pharmacies. By placing these various masks on the mannequin, they were able to map out the paths of droplets and demonstrate how differently they perform.

Results showed that loosely folded facemasks and bandana-style coverings stop aerosolized respiratory droplets to some degree. However, well-fitted homemade masks with multiple layers of quilting fabric, and off-the-shelf cone style masks, proved to be the most effective in reducing droplet dispersal. These masks were able to curtail the speed and range of the respiratory jets significantly, albeit with some leakage through the mask material and from small gaps along the edges.

Importantly, uncovered emulated coughs were able to travel noticeably farther than the currently recommended 6-foot distancing guideline. Without a mask, droplets traveled more than 8 feet; with a bandana, they traveled 3 feet, 7 inches; with a folded cotton handkerchief, they traveled 1 foot, 3 inches; with the stitched quilted cotton mask, they traveled 2.5 inches; and with the cone-style mask, droplets traveled about 8 inches.

“In addition to providing an initial indication of the effectiveness of protective equipment, the visuals used in our study can help convey to the general public the rationale behind social-distancing guidelines and recommendations for using facemasks,” said Siddhartha Verma, Ph.D., lead author and an assistant professor who co-authored the paper with Manhar Dhanak, Ph.D., department chair, professor, and director of SeaTech; and John Frakenfeld, technical paraprofessional, all within FAU’s Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering. “Promoting widespread awareness of effective preventive measures is crucial at this time as we are observing significant spikes in cases of COVID-19 infections in many states, especially Florida.”

When the mannequin was not fitted with a mask, they projected droplets much farther than the 6-foot distancing guidelines currently recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers observed droplets traveling up to 12 feet within approximately 50 seconds. Moreover, the tracer droplets remained suspended midair for up to three minutes in the quiescent environment. These observations, in combination with other recent studies, suggest that current social-distancing guidelines may need to be updated to account for aerosol-based transmission of pathogens.

“We found that although the unobstructed turbulent jets were observed to travel up to 12 feet, a large majority of the ejected droplets fell to the ground by this point,” said Dhanak. “Importantly, both the number and concentration of the droplets will decrease with increasing distance, which is the fundamental rationale behind social-distancing.”

The pathogen responsible for COVID-19 is found primarily in respiratory droplets that are expelled by infected individuals during coughing, sneezing, or even talking and breathing. Apart from COVID-19, respiratory droplets also are the primary means of transmission for various other viral and bacterial illnesses, such as the common cold, influenza, tuberculosis, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), to name a few. These pathogens are enveloped within respiratory droplets, which may land on healthy individuals and result in direct transmission, or on inanimate objects, which can lead to infection when a healthy individual comes in contact with them.

“Our researchers have demonstrated how masks are able to significantly curtail the speed and range of the respiratory droplets and jets. Moreover, they have uncovered how emulated coughs can travel noticeably farther than the currently recommended six-foot distancing guideline,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Their research outlines the procedure for setting up simple visualization experiments using easily available materials, which may help healthcare professionals, medical researchers, and manufacturers in assessing the effectiveness of face masks and other personal protective equipment qualitatively.”

Pandemic threatens to veer out of control in U.S., public health experts say

July 6, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Health 0

By Alvin Powell from the The Harvard GazetteHarvard public health experts said the nation’s COVID-19 epidemic is getting “quite out of hand” and that, with cases rising rapidly in the hardest-hit states and a two-week lag between infection and hospitalization, the situation appears set to worsen quickly.

“I have this awful feeling of déjà vu, like it’s March all over again,” said William Hanage, associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Hanage, who spoke with reporters during a conference call Thursday morning, said that hospitals are nearing capacity in Arizona and Houston and are likely to be stressed elsewhere soon. And, in contrast to the nation’s early spike in COVID-19 cases that were concentrated in a few states, the current surge is much more widespread and so has greater potential to take off.

“The increases that we’re seeing right now have the capacity to cause far more disease in the future,” Hanage said.

Barry Bloom, the Joan L. and Julius H. Jacobson Research Professor of Public Health, who also fielded reporters’ questions Thursday, said other countries have shown that the epidemic can be contained by acting swiftly when cases appear. Even Italy, once on the verge of health system collapse, has regained control of its epidemic, Bloom said. Italy on Tuesday reported just 113 new cases and 18 deaths.

“If you only look at what you see today, you’re three weeks behind the curve. … It’s trying to imagine what will be three weeks from now … that should be determining policy.”— Barry Bloom, Harvard Chan School

“When political leaders wait until it gets really bad, that’s where we are now,” Bloom said. “If you only look at what you see today, you’re three weeks behind the curve. … It’s trying to imagine what will be three weeks from now — rather than what you see today — that should be determining policy.”

Hanage said he understands political leaders’ reluctance to reimpose lockdowns, but with few tools to fight the coronavirus and more moderate steps like masking and hand-washing most effective when numbers are also more moderate, a shutdown may turn out to be what’s needed.

“Let me be clear: I do not like shutdowns. But if they’re the only thing to prevent a worse catastrophe, you have to use them,” Hanage said.

A bright spot in the current epidemic is that the age of those contracting COVID-19 appears to be declining. Hanage said that he didn’t view it as a sign of the epidemic evolving, but rather a marker of testing being more widespread and catching more cases than during the March-April spike. Though younger people have better survival rates, that good news is tempered by the fact that we’ve been largely ineffective at keeping the virus away from those most susceptible for severe illness: the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions. But that may nonetheless mean there is a window of opportunity to suppress the epidemic before it takes hold among those more vulnerable populations.

“Let me be clear: I do not like shutdowns. But if they’re the only thing to prevent a worse catastrophe, you have to use them.”— William Hanage, Harvard Chan School

“If there is a window of action, it’s now,” Hanage said.Hanage struck a similar note on lower death rates in the current spike, saying deaths lag behind cases, so we should wait for a few weeks before concluding that anything different is going on.

Bloom said the difference between the U.S. and nations where the pandemic appears to be controlled is that those countries had uniform national policies and didn’t lift lockdowns until case numbers were very low. The fact that some of them have experienced new outbreaks — like the recent spate of cases in Beijing — is to be expected. Once the local epidemic is controlled, easing the lockdown will inevitably lead to new cases. The strategy then is to use testing to quickly identify cases and use contact tracing and isolation to contain outbreaks before they become widespread. In a state like California, with 7,000 new cases reported Tuesday, tracing the contacts of each positive test becomes a monumental task.

Rather than flinging the doors wide, the two said reopening should more closely resemble refining the shutdown, letting some things resume with safeguards in place that can be tightened should cases rise. Leaders should consider risk versus value to society in deciding what to reopen and when. For instance, bars, casinos, and churches, where people are crammed together and which have been shown to be hotspots of infection in some instances, may need to stay closed in order to keep the overall infection rate in the community low enough that we can safely reopen places with broad societal benefit, Bloom and Hanage said.

“We should be wanting to be able to open schools, and schools should have a higher priority, arguably, than other parts of the economy,” Hanage said. “What those [other parts of the economy to reopen] are, ought to be debated. … What we should be thinking about in reopening is not reopening everything in a safe way, but which things we want to reopen and being able to do that without enhancing community transmission.”

Even well-honed strategies will fail if citizens are noncompliant, however, Bloom said. In New York City, contact tracing programs have run into people not answering phones or refusing to isolate after hearing they’ve been exposed to infection. “If people are ignoring the epidemic, it’s going to be very hard to control,” Bloom said, “and leadership should be inspiring people to be more cautions.”

Will India Have A Covid-19 Vaccine By Aug 15?

July 6, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Health 0

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) head Dr Balram Bhargava on July 2 wrote to all 12 trial sites for the Covid-19 vaccine candidate, Covaxin, that all clinical trials had to be completed by August 15, in time for a public launch. Bioethics experts, however, have questioned how all three phases of testing for a vaccine candidate yet to even begin human trials can be crunched into a timeframe of a month.

What is Covaxin? It has been developed by the company Bharat Biotech India (BBIL) in collaboration with ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV). It is an “inactivated” vaccine — one made by using particles of the Covid-19 virus that were killed, making them unable to infect or replicate. Injecting particular doses of these particles serves to build immunity by helping the body create antibodies against the dead virus, according to BBIL.

Is ICMR serious? The August 15 deadline given by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for the launch of the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine being jointly developed by Bharat Biotech International (BBIL) — called Covaxin — has raised a storm within the scientific and medical community about the unrealistic timeline. That apart, it appears even the company may be unable to meet the target. Here’s why:

What ICMR wants: The ICMR has written a letter to 12 select hospitals across the country, practically warning them that “non-compliance will be viewed very seriously” if they failed to enrol human test subjects by next week Tuesday. The country’s governing body for medical research said that this measure was being taken “in view of the public health emergency due to Covid-19 pandemic” and that BBIL was “working expeditiously to meet the target”.

Really now? However, BBIL CMD Dr Krishna Ella, in an interview to The New Indian Express said on Thursday that he expects the “vaccine to be available early 2021“. In fact, BBIL, in its filing to the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) has stated that follow-ups for the clinical trial will be conducted on the 14^th, 28^th, 104^th and 194^th day — which clearly means a timeline of beyond 6 months. Additionally, the company lists the date of enrolment for the first phase of clinical trials from July 13 — almost a week after the ICMR’s deadline for enrolment.

Scrunch & crunch: Vaccine development is a long drawn process, usually spread over a number of years to determine any side-effects. Human clinical trials are a three phase process — starting from a small batch of healthy humans, usually between 40-50, moving on to a larger pool of over 100 with variations on dosage and frequency before the final phase, wherein randomly selected thousands or perhaps hundreds of thousands of volunteers are administered the vaccine. Under fire: While independent experts have been aghast at the ICMR’s vaccine-by-deadline approach, the governing body’s chairperson of ethics advisory committee Vasantha Muthuswamy conceded (as reported by Scroll) that “a month to decide whether to release a vaccine is a very short time” and that even if the vaccine was fast-tracked, “it will take a minimum of one year“.

Indo American Press Club Awards IAPC EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2020

July 6, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Health 0

(New York, NY: July 4, 2020) During the solemn virtual induction ceremony live telecast on social media and viewed by thousands from around the world, Indo American Press Club honored three prominent Indian Americans for their contributions to the larger society and for their great achievements on Sunday, June 28^th, 2020. Bob Miglani was presented with the IAPC Literature Excellence Award by Dr. Mathew Joys, IAPC Vice Chairman BOD. Badal Shah was given the IAPC Business Excellence Award by Biju Chacko, IAPC BOD Member. Ravinder Singh was honored with the IAPC Technology Excellence Award by Ms. Annie Koshy, Executive VP of IAPC. Several world renowned media personnel from around the world felicitated the new officers and IAPC, the largest Indian American Association of Media Personnel begin a new journey under the stewardship of two great leaders well known for their commitment and leadership. The highlight of the ceremony was Dr. Joseph M. Chalil assuming charge as the Chairman, while Dr. SS Lal became the President of Indo American Press Club. Also, along with the two dynamic leaders, several new members of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee members, and Local Chapter leadership were administered the oath of office. In his acceptance speech, Dr. Chalil said, “Your choice humbles me, and I promise to do my duties with the best of my abilities.” Describing current phase in human history as “unprecedented times for the journalists and the media,” he pointed out that “AT LEAST 146 JOURNALISTS HAVE DIED FROM CORONAVIRUS IN 31 COUNTRIES.” The new Executive Committee led by Dr. S S Lal, Annie Koshy, C G Daniel, James Kureekattil, Prakash Joseph, Sunil Manjanikara, Biju Chacko, Andrews Jacob, Raj Dingra, Annie Chandran, Neethu Thomas, Innocent Ulahannan, Baiju Pakalomattom, O. K. Thyagarajan, Shiby Roy and Korasan Varghese were administered the oath of office by Chairman Dr. Joseph M Chalil. In his Presidential Address, Dr. Lal highlighted the importance of journalists and the need to coordinate and bring together journalists under one umbrella. “And it is the commitment and sacrifice of the leaders and members of this organization that has helped us build collaborations between the journalists and writers of the US and India,” Dr. Lal said. Ambassador Pradeep Kapur, in his keynote address stressed the importance of the media, especially in these challenging times as they work hard to bring the truth before the public. Dr. Shashi Tharoor, a Member of Indian Parliament, in his message stressed the importance of media and congratulated IAPC for its contributions to the society. Isaac John Pattaniparambil from Khaleej Times in Dubai, MG Radhakrishnan from Asianet NewsTV, Srikantan Nair from 24News, Preetu Nair from Times of India were others who addressed the IAPC members and felicitated the organization for its growth and success in a short period of seven years, BOB MIGLANI: Bestselling Author, Speaker and Founder of Embrace the Chaos – a change & transformation company. His Washington Post Bestselling book titled, Embrace the Chaos:How India Taught Me to Stop Overthinking and Start Living – celebrated the India experience of dealing with uncertainty and learning to embrace change in our daily lives and to always be moving forward. Bob’s other books include Treat Your Customers, about business lessons he learned working at his family’s Dairy Queen store and Make Your Own Luck, which he launched in India in November 2019. Today, Bob speaks, writes and advises companies on change and transformation. He lives in New Jersey, USA. BADAL SHAH: Badal Shah is another recent exemplar of an Indian coming from humble background from India and fulfilling his American dream. A 22 year old pharmacist who came to US in 2012, in search of his dream, rose through the ranks to become the youngest Managing Director of QPharma Inc.- a premium Medical, Commercial and Compliance partner of Pharmaceutical companies and was recently declared as one of the top 100 healthcare leaders in 2020 by IFAH (International Forum on Advancement in Healthcare). He pioneered the unique approach of “How to achieve effective medical communication and optimize field force during drug launch” which helped in successfully launching more than 25 drugs that were paramount in treating various diseases. He created the entire Health analytics services in last three years at QPharma and created unique platforms and solutions, which are being used by more than 2500 pharmaceutical leaders from top 20 pharmaceutical companies all over the world. Ravinder (Ravi) Pal Singh: An award Winning Technologist, Rescue Pilot and Investor with over 50+ global recognition and 17 Patents. Ravi’s body of work, is considered groundbreaking and considered first in the world in making a difference within acute constraints of culture and cash via commodity technology. He has been acknowledged as one of the world’s top 25 CIOs and one of the top 10 Robotics Designers in 2018. Ravi is a global speaker and has delivered over 100+ lectures and papers in Asia, Europe, USA and Africa in 2018-19. Ravi is advisor to board of 9 enterprises where incubation and differentiation is a core necessity and challenge. He sits on the advisory council of 3 global research firms where he contributes in predicting practical future automation use cases and respective technologies. In the acceptance speeches, the awardees congratulated the new Office Bearers, and felicitated the organization for its collective activities and recognizing exceptional professionals from media, medical and innovations by young entrepreneurs. Indo American Press Club (IAPC) is the fast growing syndicate of print, visual, online, and electronic media journalists and other media related professionals of Indian origin working in the United States, Canada, and Europe. IAPC is committed to enhance the working conditions of our journalists, exchanging ideas and offering educational and training opportunities to our members, aspiring young journalists and media professionals around the globe; and also by honoring media people for their excellence, and for bringing in positive changes through their dedicated service among the community. Today IAPC envisages its vision through collective efforts and advocacy activities through its 15 Chapters across the US and Canada, in the larger public sphere

South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund awards grants to 24 artists from various disciplines over two-month period

June 18, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

A total of 24 South Asian artists from various disciplines, including dance, visual art, theatre, film and design, have been awarded grants by the The South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund (SAARF), an arts project funding program created by the India Center Foundation (ICF), over two rounds since mid-April. A third round is currently underway with an application deadline of June 15th. The Fund, open to South Asian-American artists and arts workers who have been impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19, has already raised about $40,000, which is being rapidly distributed to grantees.

“The money is being donated mostly by individuals who are passionate about the arts and want to support those who dedicate their lives to it,” says Raoul Bhavnani, one of ICF’s Co-Founders. “From filmmakers to performance artists, visual artists, writers and musicians, the grantees hail from across South Asian countries of origin who represent its culture through their art here in the U.S.”

Nepali musician and grant winner Shyam Nepali says, “This grant is very important for me because as a musician from Nepal living in the U.S., I am here not just for me, but as an ambassador wanting to give Nepali music a wider audience. To focus on creative work is not easy without financial support, as gigs have been cancelled. I now have time to work on my Sarangi tutorial materials, and the grant allows me the freedom and time to focus on that.”

Taapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Anubhav Sinha & Neena Gupta Headline ECSA Global Online Film Festival, Co-Presented by DFW SAFF & NYC SAFF

June 18, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Indian film industry heavyweights Taapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Anubhav Sinha and Neena Gupta will ALL make an “online” appearance this month at ECSA: Escapist Cinema of South Asia, a seven-weekend-long virtual film festival co-presented by sister festivals DFW SAFF and NYC SAFF. At its midway point, the weekly online series has already live streamed 16 short films and three feature films, attracted a global audience of more than 1500 cinephiles and donated hundreds of surgical masks to TIPS (Texas Indo American Physicians Society), as part of its WATCH A FILM, SAVE A LIFE charity initiative.

“We are proud to be the first major South Asian Film Festival in the U.S. to create a contiguous, seven-weekend-long, online film series,” said DFW SAFF and NYC SAFF Founder and Festivals Director Jitin Hingorani, also Principal/CEO of producing sponsor JINGO Media. “In the past month, we have screened the National Award-Winning Gujarati film HELLARO, heard Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Falu Shah perform and hosted the versatile television, screen and stage actress Lillete Dubey as a ‘virtual’ guest. Our loyal audiences have been planning their Saturday evenings around our programming, and this is exactly the kind of escapism we wished to provide global cinephiles who are either locked down or choose to shelter-in-place during the pandemic.”

The remaining three weekends in June will showcase unique, curated content, such as comedy programming, Sikh-centric films and a major tribute to Indian Bollywood icon, Rishi Kapoor. Each Saturday evening’s live stream (7 to 10 p.m. CDT) will be followed by a Zoom post-screening Q&A with actors and directors; audience members can engage by asking questions through live chat. Each evening will end with a live or taped performance by an up-and-coming artist. Screenings are FREE for lifetime members of DFW SAFF and will cost the general public $6 per block of programming (to commemorate six years of SAFF). Audience members can log in to www.onlinefest.us from anywhere in the world, create an account, pay for their screenings in advance and receive reminders leading up the live event(s).

WATCH A FILM, SAVE A LIFE: For every person who registers, the festival will donate a surgical face mask to Texas and NYC hospitals or organizations in need. The goal is to help keep our medical workers safer on the front lines. The more people who watch, the more people we will be able to protect!

JUNE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

*June 13th – Funny Business: Comedienne Zarna Garg interviews comedian Tushar Singh, after his docu-comedy AMERICAN HASI (trailer)

*June 20th – Indian film critic Rajeev Masand interviews actor Anupam Kher after his British Sikh film THE BOY WITH THE TOPKNOT (trailer)

*June 27th – Producer & SAFF Board Member Viveck Vaswani moderates Q&A between director Anubhav Sinha and actors Neena Gupta and Taapsee Pannu, after one of Rishi Kapoor‘s last films MULK (trailer)

Despite many of the applicants being accomplished in their fields, they are finding it hard to fund their work during this pandemic. Round two grantees include artists like sitarist and teacher Abhik Mukherjee from New York, who has received a scholarship from India’s Ministry of Culture and is a member of the immensely popular Brooklyn Raga Massive. Awardee Sanjib Bhattacharya from Ohio is a globally recognized Manipuri dancer who is also an award recipient from former Indian President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Illinois arts worker and artist Tulika Ladsariya’s paintings have been written about in publications such as Elle and Time Out.

Mr. Bhavnani adds, “Despite the easing of lockdowns around the country, artists are likely to see restrictions on the ability to practice their crafts for many more months. In years to come, it will be their creativity that will help us recollect this unprecedented time. It’s so important to give them the resources now to do just that.” A full list of awardees and a link to donate to the Fund can be found on the ICF website, TheIndiaCenter.us.

Poorna Jagannathan On Her Role In Netflix Comedy Never Have I Ever

June 11, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Back in April last year, writer and actress Mindy Kaling tweeted an open casting call for her upcoming semi-autobiographical Netflix show centered around the complexities of navigating life as a first-generation Indian-American teenager. On offer were the show’s three pivotal parts – the lead role of a high school sophomore, the role of the 40-something mother, and that of the 20-something cousin from India. Part of the reason for opening up – and by extension, democratising – the casting process on social media stemmed from Kaling’s dissatisfaction at seeing “28-year-old, gorgeous Bollywood stars audition for parts” they looked nothing like.

A total of 15,0000 applicants poured in, including 18-year-old Canadian newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan who was eventually cast in the titular role of Devi Vishwakumar. The other two parts went to Indian-American actresses Richa Moorjani who stars as Kamala, Devi’s attractive cousin and Poorna Jagannathan – last seen in the second season of Big Little Lies – plays Devi’s widowed mother Nalini. From the onset, Kaling made one thing clear: striving for authenticity was the show’s raison d’être.

A year later, that calling card comes to a head in the fourth episode of Never Have I Ever, the 10-part Netflix series Kaling co-created with writer Lang Fisher, which makes a train-wreck out of representation, flattening cultural specificities into recognizable theatrics.

If you’ve owned a television set in the last decade, there’s a very good chance you’ve encountered Poorna Jagannathan. Since starring in the 2011 Bollywood classic Delhi Belly, the Tunisia-born actress has won praise for her performances in a number of acclaimed shows, including Big Little Lies, Better Call Saul, and The Night Of, where she portrayed an immigrant mother whose life is torn apart after her son is falsely accused of murder.

Jagannathan can currently be seen in the Apple TV+ drama Defending Jacob as well as the new Netflix comedy Never Have I Ever, where she plays Nalini Vishwakumar, a widowed woman from India raising her 15-year-old daughter, Devi, in a California suburb. In an assessment of the show, the critic Sonia Saraiya wrote in Vanity Fair that she’s “seen a lot of actors attempt to flesh out the stereotypically demanding Indian mom, but I’ve never seen anyone do it as well as Jagannathan does.”

Jagannathan recently spoke with Asia Blog about her current projects, what she looks for when considering a role, and her work as an advocate for gender equality in India.

What do you look for when you consider a new project? Is there an underlying thread between the various characters you play?

Definitely good writing. I like to portray roles where the writing does the heavy lifting and then acting feels effortless. The emotion behind a scene or the humor just flies off the page, without you having to work at making it work.

What attracted you to the role of Nalini Vishnakumar? How much do you identify with her? How are you and her different?

There’s a lot about my character that I relate to. My son is 13 and close in age to Devi, who is 15. So you’ll actually see some ways I parent on screen. Especially the shouting parts! But Nalini is a lot more traditional and strict than I am; she’s someone who holds her emotions in, which I don’t. What really drew me to the character is the writing. She’s a richly written, nuanced character. And as an actor, you’re only as good as the writing. Nalini gave me the opportunity to portray an immigrant woman’s journey and explore one of the most universally fraught relationships: that of mother and daughter.

I actually say “no” to a lot of roles that have immigrant Indian women in them, because they are usually portrayed as caricatures: submissive and preoccupied with getting their children married off. Their own stories are hugely subsumed by these tropes. But in this show, I got to play a single mother, who is in grief, dealing with the loss of her beloved husband. She is an immigrant awkwardly straddling two cultures and raising a daughter who is out of control. This show is targeted to young adults, but it contains very adult themes: that of isolation and tremendous loss.

There were scenes that were so emotionally hard to shoot, like the scene with the lovely Sendhil Ramamurthy, who plays my husband where he’s consoling me after a miscarriage. Or the last episode where we are throwing his ashes into the sea. At a time in America where immigrants are seen as the enemy, shows like this and Netflix’s Gentefied go a long way in shifting perception and creating empathy.

At a time in America where immigrants are seen as the enemy, shows like this and Netflix’s Gentefied go a long way in shifting perception and creating empathy.

What struck me when watching Never Have I Ever is that the show resists shopworn archetypes for Devi and her friends — the teenagers are presented with more nuance than we’re accustomed to seeing. What insight did portraying Nalini give you into the lives of high schoolers today? How are they different from previous generations?

We’re so used to seeing the life of white teenagers documented on screen. We’ve grown up knowing about their struggles, their headspace, and their internal life, endlessly portrayed in movie after movie. And not that teens of color grapple with totally different things — being a teenager is somewhat a universal thing. But it’s refreshing to see a show with teenagers of color have to add their race and culture into the mix, on top of everything else. The notion of belonging is really important as a teen and is definitely heightened when it comes to teens of color.

In addition to Never Have I Ever, you’re also starring in a show on Apple TV+ called Defending Jacob. What was that experience like? And how does it feel to be involved with two projects airing at the same time that are so different in their tone and stories?

I had a wonderful time shooting Defending Jacob. I have huge respect for Mark Bomback, the writer. And I really love how that show turned out. I was floored by the acting on set: Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Jaedyn Martell, and Cherry Jones will blow you away. Their acting is so moment-to-moment and steeped in realism. Again, Jaedyn — like [Never Have I Ever star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan] — is so young and is able to carry a show effortlessly.

You’ve been an outspoken advocate for gender equality in India, particularly in the wake of a notorious gang rape and murder in Delhi in 2012. To what extent have gender relations in the country changed since then?

We’ve become more aware of the epidemic of sexual violence. We have become more vocal about it. We are using the right language to describe it. Sexual assault used to be called “molesting” by some, and that’s really not what it is. But we have such a long way to go. Victim blaming and shaming is still the go-to mechanism. And as the recent “BoisLockerRoom” incident shows, teaching young boys about consent and respect is where the work needs to be done. And there really hasn’t been much progress in that space.

Himesh Reshammiya, Udit Narayan and Javed Ali to Present Anthem Saluting Covid Heroes at ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s ‘Ek Desh Ek Raag’

May 26, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

As India’s longest-running non-fiction franchise, “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” completes 25 years, Zee TV celebrates the power of music in uplifting everyone from the gloom of this pandemic through an industry-first initiative—“Ek Desh Ek Raag.”

It will start May 23 with a 25-hour Music Marathon across the Facebook pages of 11 ZEE channels. The 25-year milestone will then culminate in a grand concert on May 24 in 10 national languages across 19 ZEE channels with artistes singing from the confines of their homes.

But that’s not all. A special anthem saluting the relentless and unflinching spirit of the frontline workers is also being created as a special act that will be performed at the initiative. The evocative song will be sung by Himesh Reshammiya, Udit Narayan and Javed Ali alongside other prominent artistes who have been the faces of “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” across Zee Network channels including Hindi, Bangla, Tamil and other regional clusters.

Playback singers including Swetha Mohan and Mithun Jayaraj from Zee Malayalam, Hema Chandra from Zee Telugu, Srinivas from Zee Tamil and artistes like Rajesh Krishnan from Zee Kannada, Juilee Joglekar and Rohit Raut from Zee Marathi, Manmath Mishra from Zee Sarthak and Tripti Shakya and Rajesh Pandey from Big Ganga will also be an integral part of the specially curated, inspirational anthem titled “Hum Honge Kamiyaab.” Through the song, the artistes will not only pay a tribute to the COVID warriors, but also try and uplift the mood of the audience and motivate them to stay strong in this fight against the pandemic.

Talking about the track, Reshammiya mentioned, ““Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” has been the most definitive singing reality franchise in India and I am honored to be performing during the concert to mark 25 years of this much revered platform. I can’t wait to perform for all the music lovers across India and cheer them up during these testing times. To be able to lend my voice to such a soul-stirring track is really a huge privilege for me and I am sure it will go on to touch many hearts. I will be singing with Javed Ali and Udit-ji and I can’t wait to see the audience’s reaction towards the song.”

Ali added, “At a time when the world is grappling with a seeming insurmountable challenge, I am proud to partner with industry stalwarts like Himesh Reshammiya and Udit-ji to present an anthem that acknowledges the efforts of those who have put their lives at risk to beat the pandemic. I am sure the whole country will sing along and salute the heroes through this emotional and inspirational track.”

People should expect unexpected from me: Madhuri Dixit

May 20, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Madhuri Dixit Nene says she does not believe in adhering to ageist stereotypes and will choose roles which give her the opportunity to do the “unexpected”.

The veteran star, who established herself as a versatile performer with movies like Ram Lakhan, Tezaab, Dil, Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!, Mrityudand, Pukar, Devdas.

In 2007, she returned with Aaja Nachle and then again took a break only to return to the silver screen in 2014 with powerful roles in Dedh Ishqiya and Gulaab Gang.

“I have never adhered to… like now that I am a wife or mother of two kids so I have to play only those kind of roles. Just because I am a wife and a mother so I should do only those kind of roles. I don’t believe in that.

“I believe in doing something different, something that breaks the stereotype. So I did Dedh Ishqiya, Gulab Gang, Bucket List and Total Dhamaal. These films put me in a different light. People should expect that I will do something unexpected on screen,” Madhuri told PTI in an interview.

She dominated the ’90s as a Bollywood leading lady and after shifting her base back to Mumbai from Denver, US, she is here to stay.

She’s been a superstar, a dance diva, the leading heroine in Bollywood and she’s also the coolest mom in B-town. “Khiladi 786” director Ashish R. Mohan feels that actress Madhuri Dixit has redefined the term ‘heroine’. Mohan feels Madhuri is yet to deliver her best, and when it happens he hopes to direct the project.

“Madhuri Dixit has pushed the envelope and redefined the term ‘heroine’,” said Ashish.

“Madhuri shines to differ because of her spell-bounding grace spread across her beauty, acting and dancing. You cannot blink an eye when she is on the screen. I’ve grown up watching her. The man I see in the mirror has changed drastically but she still remains as pious and beautiful as she was back then,” he added.

Highlighting some of the best characters of Madhuri, he shared: “Pooja from ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ is often considered as one of her best performances. No doubt! But I feel best is yet to come and I hope I get to direct it.”

Meanwhile, Ashish is making best use of his quarantine time by watching movies on television.

“I am an avid cinema lover. Back in the nineties, we had those small TV sets, and watching a movie in a theatre was a luxury. I am used to watching movies on Sony MAX with my entire family,” he said.

However, he feels that the easy access of streaming sites is a boon considering the present scenario where one can revisit these films anytime.

On the work front, Ashish is working on a family-based web show set in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh which is also his birth place.

One word that can easily define Madhuri Dixit Nene’s style is ‘timeless’. Any Bollywood enthusiast will tell you that the actor’s roster of saris, worn for casual and festive occasions, is both classic and versatile. Her discerning eye for the staple sees her pulling off timeless weaves just as easily as fuss-free floral options.

Madhuri Dixit got married to Dr. Shriram Nene in 1999 in a traditional ceremony at her brother’s residence in South California. She had her first son, Arin in 2003 and second son, Ryan in 2005. She moved back from Colorado to Mumbai in 2011 and has been here ever since.

The actress, though constantly working on reality TV shows and shooting for films, has maintained the perfect balance in her personal and professional space. Whenever she’s not working, she’s either spending quality time with her children, practising kathak with her elder son or simply taking vacations with the family.

Bollywood could not get enough of Madhuri Dixit in the 1990s and early 2000s. Now, one look at her Instagram can tell us exactly why. In lockdown, Madhuri doesn’t seem to be at a loss for ways to spend her time. Name it, and she’s doing it—cooking, reading, dancing, spending time with family, working out. But best of all, she’s brushing up on her Kathak skills plus sharing beautiful #throwback posts for her fans. An inspiration for all of us.

As the actress turns 53, and continues to look as graceful as ever, we explore her personal realm. Scroll through for some lovely family pictures of the diva with her husband and sons over the years.

Escapist Cinema of South Asia: Global Online Film Series in May & June

May 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Sister South Asian Film Festivals DFW SAFF and NYC SAFF are about to embark on a new DIGITAL chapter of their six-year combined journey. They proudly co-present ECSA, Escapist Cinema of South Asia, a seven-week, online series (May 16th to June 27th) that will live stream a new film(s) every Saturday night (7 to 10 p.m. CDT) to entertain, engage and educate cinephiles who are observing shelter-in-place anywhere in the U.S. during the pandemic.

ECSA will showcase premieres of shorts, documentaries and feature films curated around a specific theme over the seven-week period. Each live stream will be followed by a Zoom post-screening Q&A with actors and directors; audience members can engage by asking questions through live chat. Screenings will cost the general public $6 per block of programming (to commemorate six years of festival production). Audience members can log in to www.onlinefest.us from anywhere in the country (or the world for certain screenings), create an account, pay for their screenings in advance and receive reminders leading up the live event(s).

WATCH A FILM, SAVE A LIFE: For every person who registers, the festival will donate a microfiber face mask to Texas and NYC hospitals in need. The goal is to collect 25,000 masks over the seven weeks and help keep our medical workers safe on the front lines. The more people who watch, the more people we will be able to protect, so please HELP US spread the word far & wide to your friends and family members!

The series will kick off on Saturday, May 16th at 7 p.m. CDT with our song and dance programming, including the short dance film TINA followed by the Gujarati film HELLARO (watch trailer HERE), which won TWO National Awards in 2019 for Best Feature & Best Ensemble Cast. The rest of the programming for May is available HERE.

MAY HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

*May 16th – Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Falu Shah performs a Gujarati song, after the screening of National Award-winning film HELLARO

*May 23rd – First South African film in SAFF festival history (part of Diaspora Programming), featuring veteran Indian actor Lillete Dubey

*May 30th – Priya Arora, editor of The New York Times & host of Queering Desi podcast, moderates post-screening Q&A for our LGBTQIA+ programming

*Programming for June is still in the works and will be announced shortly at www.onlinefest.us, as well as on the festivals’ websites and social media.

Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood’s ‘forever youthful’ heartthrob Dies at 67

May 2, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Rishi Kapoor, who has died of cancer aged 67, was one of Bollywood’s most popular romantic heroes.

He came from an illustrious family of four generations of stars who were “born to act”, according to a biographer of the family.

The Kapoor family hailed from Peshawar in modern-day Pakistan, and migrated to India after Partition in 1947.

Rishi Kapoor’s grandfather ran a prominent theatre company. His father Raj Kapoor was regarded as one of the greatest actors and directors in Bollywood. He was also called the “showman of Indian cinema”.

Rishi Kapoor – or Chintu (“sweet one”) as his family called him – was “forever youthful”.

He played a child sleeping on a cot in one of his grandfather’s plays. As a four-year-old, he appeared briefly in a romantic rain-drenched song sequence in his father’s film Shree 420.

Rishi Kapoor debuted as a child actor in 1970 in Mera Naam Joker, a film about the life of a clown and his romances.

The film, directed by his father and produced by the family’s studio in Bombay (now Mumbai), flopped at the box office, but over time became one of the most-watched Indian films.

“When the film was being cast, I was in school. My father asked my mother if I was available to play the role. When I heard this I was so thrilled I ran into my room and started practising my autograph,” he told an interviewer later.

In 1973, the then 20-year-old actor was drafted as the main lead in Bobby, a film made by his father.

The musical love story of two city-bred teenagers changed Kapoor’s life.

Bobby was a sensational hit. At a time when Indian heroes were playing angry young men or tragic heroes, Kapoor’s youthful vivacity and his on-screen chemistry with the debutant heroine, Dimple Kapadia, enthralled the audience.

Bobby was one of the most commercially successful films of the 1970s and was extremely popular in the erstwhile Soviet Union. Girls wrote letters in blood to Kapoor; mobbed him and sported Bobby T-shirts.

The New York Times explained why the film was a success: “Two new stars, musical numbers when the story lags, a touch of socialism, an obvious appeal to younger audiences, some sexy scenes, violence and three hours of extravagant escapism.

“The accent on youth is relatively new to Indian movies, whose performers are often older than the characters they portray,” the newspaper’s critic added.

Others agreed.

“Before Bobby, Indian cinema was about men and women, but after Bobby, it became about boys and girls,” Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said in an interview

Working in more than 100 films, Rishi Kapoor had the longest run in Bollywood as a romantic lead from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Film journalist Dinesh Raheja found him a “male kitsch fashion plate of the 70s”.

“There is an image of me from the 1970s or 80s as a romantic star, a jersey-clad, tune-humming, cocky Casanova, with a guitar in one hand and a girl in another,” Kapoor wrote in his biography.

He later said life changed for him after Bobby. “I became a huge star and my attitude transformed into one of brash arrogance.”

Kapoor was also part of Bollywood’s milestone films like Kabhi Kabhi, Amar, Akbar, Antony, Naseeb, Coolie and Ajooba.

He married actress Neetu Singh with whom he acted in a bunch of breezy romances. Their son Ranbir Kapoor is now one of Bollywood’s top reigning stars.

In his middle age, Kapoor reinvented himself, playing the roles of avuncular and quirky patriarchs, gangsters and cameos in slapstick comedies.

“I am having more fun now than in the first 25 years of my career. I used to be the leading man, singing songs and wooing leading ladies, dancing and running around trees,” Kapoor told an interviewer in 2012.

“Now I am enjoying myself. I am experimenting with roles and discovering the actor within me.”

A fan of Dustin Hoffman, he once bought a ticket and booked a Rolls Royce to go and watch the Hollywood actor playing Shylock in The Merchant of Venice at London’s West End.

He met Hoffman backstage after the play. And then something happened which embarrassed him.

“When Hoffman was leaving, I saw him call for his Ford Escort. I was so embarrassed, I thought to myself, he is Dustin Hoffman and he is travelling in a Ford Escort. And I am an upstart with not half as many achievements to my name and I arrived in a Rolls Royce. Believe me, I was ashamed of my vanity that night,” Kapoor said.

Details of his larger-than-life personality off-screen appeared regularly in the tabloids and social media. He had his famous “Kapoor family” weakness for fine whisky and good food.

With 3.5 million followers, Kapoor was prolific on Twitter, often making controversial remarks and sparring with trolls. There were protests when he criticised the Gandhi family – who lead the Congress party, now India’s main opposition – decrying their “dynastic politics”.

Kapoor was known for his candour.

“I am still a student of cinema,” he once said. “I am not qualified to do anything else. I am not a well-educated man. I barely got out of school. So its really luck that has carried me this far.

“I want to be remembered as an actor who did his job with utmost sincerity.”

Icon of Indian Cinema, Irrfan Khan Dies

May 2, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Irfan Khan, an icon of Indian cinema who had a string of Anglo-American successes under his belt, including Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and Jurassic World, has died in Mumbai
Irrfan Khan, one of Bollywood’s most beloved stars who had achieved considerable success in the west, has died aged 53.

He had been admitted to the intensive care unit of Mumbai’s Kokilaben hospital on Tuesday with a colon infection and on Wednesday morning a statement was released confirming his death.
“It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away,” read the statement. “Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him.”

Despite his status as one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actors, Khan had a reputation for modesty and integrity and news of his death sent India into mourning, prompting actors, fans and politicians from across the world to express their sadness at his death.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said that Khan’s demise was “a loss to the world of cinema and theatre. He will be remembered for his versatile performances across different mediums. My thoughts are with his family, friends and admirers. May his soul rest in peace.”

Fellow Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan said Khan’s death left a “huge vacuum”. “An incredible talent, a gracious colleague, a prolific contributor to the world of cinema … left us too soon,” tweeted Bachchan.

“The charisma you brought to everything you did was pure magic,” tweeted Priyanka Chopra. “Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues. You inspired so many of us. Irrfan Khan you will truly be missed. Condolences to the family.”

https://youtu.be/x8GPnm73CEw

Indian politician Rahul Gandhi described Khan as a “versatile and talented actor” who would be “greatly missed” while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said India had lost “one of the most exceptional actors of our time.”

In March 2018, Khan revealed he had been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour, but after extensive treatment he recovered well enough to shoot Angrezi Medium, the film that would turn out to be his last, and whose release this March was cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Best known to English-speaking audiences as the police inspector in Slumdog Millionaire and for his roles in Jurassic World and Life of Pi, Khan was a Bollywood mainstay, acting in hits such as Haider, Piku and Hindi Medium.

“I always object to the word Bollywood,” he told the Guardian in 2013. “I don’t think it’s fair to have that name. Because that industry has its own technique, its own way of making films that has nothing to do with aping Hollywood. It originates in Parsi theatre.”

Khan was born Saahabzaade Irfan Ali Khan in Jaipur in 1966, the son of a tyre seller, and went to drama school after failing as a cricketer. He struggled to make headway in the film industry, despite being cast in a small role as a letter writer in Mira Nair’s 1988 Salaam Bombay! – to his frustration he only managed to find regular work in low-grade TV soap operas.
“I came into this industry to tell stories and do cinema and I was stuck in television,” he told the Guardian.

Khan’s breakthrough role came from an unlikely source: the feature debut of then-unknown British director Asif Kapadia, whose low budget samurai-esque tale, The Warrior, was shot in India. Released in 2002, The Warrior was selected for the prestigious San Sebastián film festival and won the Bafta award for best British film. Khan subsequently broke into mainstream Indian films, often playing cops or villains – including the title role of Maqbool, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth set in the Mumbai underworld. More orthodox Bollywood productions followed, such as Rog and the slice-of-life musical Life in a … Metro.

Khan also maintained a parallel career in British-American cinema: he played the chief of police in Michael Winterbottom’s A Mighty Heart, and another police officer in Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscars. In later roles, he became a reliable standby character actor in big-budget Hollywood films, playing a doctor in The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012 and businessmen in Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016). In 2012, he also played the adult version of the lead character in another Oscar-winner: Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee. Director Wes Anderson said he specifically wrote a small role for Khan in his film The Darjeeling Limited just so they could work together.

Meanwhile, Khan found box-office success with the Indian-produced art film The Lunchbox, in which he played an accountant who strikes up a letter-writing romance with unhappy housewife Nimrat Kaur. Khan also continued his high Bollywood profile with significant roles in the Amitabh Bachchan comedy Piku and Hindi Medium, as a rich businessman trying to get his daughter into a good school.

Khan is survived by his wife, Sutapa Sikdar, and sons Babil and Ayan.

India Center Foundation’s Arts Resiliency Fund Gains National Grassroots Momentum

April 23, 2020 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Entertainment 0

(New York, NY – April 23, 2020) As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll on the livelihood of artists and arts organizations across every major discipline, grassroots communities are uniting to show their support for The South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund (SAARF), a grant program created by the India Center Foundation for South Asian artists and arts workers in the U.S. who have been impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19 because of postponed or canceled performances, events or exhibitions.

Supported by ICF seed money, a crowdfunding campaign and multiple live streaming experiences, the Fund has already raised more than $25,000, with a targeted goal of $500,000, which the organization hopes to raise over time from generous support by arts patrons and philanthropic communities. In fact, multiple solo artists and groups, like Third Eye Collective, Non Resident and Kathak Meetup NYC, have already hosted online performances and live stream festivals to benefit the Fund, while other arts/community organizations are sharing information about the program with its patrons.

To date, more than 80 artists and arts workers have applied for a grant through SAARF; their ancestral origins range from across South Asia, including Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India. Sixty percent of these applicants say they have lost more than 80% of their income due to COVID-19. Applications have also originated from 10 of the 50 states in the

United States, primarily from the ‘performing arts’ field, and within that, predominantly ‘dance.’

“We are humbled by the response SAARF has been getting over the past two weeks, especially from artists, patrons and community groups” said Raoul Bhavnani, one of ICF’s Co-Founders. “But we have a long way to go to even make a DENT in repairing some of the havoc this pandemic has wrecked on the lives of the South Asian artist community. We are surviving our respective lockdowns, in part, because of the art we are consuming on a daily basis, whether it be a film or television series, a virtual museum tour or an online live music concert. Our artists’ livelihoods have been paused, and they have very few places to turn. We need everyone to pitch in to make this initiative the success it has the potential of becoming for the South Asian arts community.”

WHAT THE FUND WILL SUPPORT:

The development, creation and presentation of work requires the time and expertise of a multitude of people, not just the artist. As such, the fund will provide support for artists and arts personnel in the U.S. through project grants on a rolling basis for the development of work, particularly during the ongoing pandemic.

Examples of Projects:
Creation of music, dance, theater, film, visual arts or literature projects (ongoing or new)
Research for development of music, dance, theater, film or visual arts projects (ongoing or new)
Strategic planning by a manager or agent for an artist
Content creation for project deployment
Creation of resources for artists to support careers in the arts

WHO IS ELIGIBLE:

Eligible applicants are United States-based, South Asian arts workers in the performing arts, film, visual arts or literature who can demonstrate loss of income because of canceled or postponed engagements due to COVID-19.

Arts Workers are defined as:
Artists such as: dancers, choreographers, musicians, poets, actors, comedians, playwrights, directors, filmmakers, writers, composers, visual artists, etc.
Arts personnel such as: technicians (lighting, sound, costume, stage management, production, editor), independent curators / presenters, producers, agents, managers, etc.

*Grants will be targeted to at least $1,000, depending on eligibility and financial need. Online applications have been available since April 13th at the organization’s website, www.theindiacenter.us.
About Us: The India Center Foundation is a New York City-based, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and celebration of Indian Art & Culture, as well as the exploration of India’s place in the world and relationship with The United States. Primarily through collaborations with preeminent cultural and public affairs organizations, The India Center Foundation aims to be the American home for dialogue, debate and education about the subcontinent and its Diaspora. For more information, please visit www.theindiacenter.us.

Alia Bhatt pens poem to celebrate Earth Day

April 23, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Environment 0

First Sara Alia Khan, and now Alia Bhatt. It seems like Earth Day has brought alive the inner poets in our actresses!

To mark Earth Day on Wednesday, Alia took to social media and posted a poem titled “Today And Everyday”, expressing gratitude to Mother Nature, as well as the corona warriors. She also pledges to perform her duty towards the planet in her verse.

Alia Bhatt pens poem to celebrate Earth Day

The actress took to Instagram to recite her poem that goes: “Today and everyday I am grateful to the sunrise and the sunset, for the forest full of trees, the animals and birds, rivers, lakes and seas; I’m grateful for all we have built, our bridges and our streets, I am grateful for the love that binds us and the wind that sometimes knocks us off our feet; in these uncertain times I feel grateful for those who put themselves in danger for us, our saviours, the world’s warriors; today and everyday I promise to care for our planet and all it has to offer, I promise to value our home by doing a little better; I choose to celebrate earth day today and every single day.”

“Today and Everyday. My attempt at writing a little something to celebrate earth day. #Earthdayeveryday,” captioned the actress.

Earlier, Sare Ali Khan posted beautiful pictures of holiday spots she has been to the world over, with a short self-composed poem as a tribute to Earth Day. Incidentally, Sara posted her poem and pictures on Monday — a day before Earth Day — and actor Ishaan Khatter wittily resorted to some poetry of his own to point out the mistake. (IANS)

5th Annual IMFF Goes Virtual

April 23, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Indie Meme’s 5th Annual Film Festival will go virtual in May. The decision was unanimously taken by the Board to showcase the best of South Asian cinema online over two weekends, May 1-3 & May 8-10, 2020. The aim is to provide the Indie Meme community the opportunity to see many of the films painstakingly curated for IMFF2020 in a safe way.

The Virtual Indie Meme Festival 2020 will present all films on a digital platform for registered members, followed by discussions with filmmakers and, or the cast and crew. The festival welcomes international filmmakers including Prakash Saini, Priya Krishnaswamy, Prateek Vats, Tanuja Chandra and Bhaskar Hazarika, amongst others for an online post screening interaction with the audience.

Over 10 fiction and documentary films along with short films will be included in the virtual festival of which many have won multiple international nominations and awards. The Tale of Rising Rani won Best Indie Feature at the Oniros Film Award (Family/Children Film), The Orphanage, bagged Best Film at the Reykjavik International Film Festival, Aamis was nominated for the Best International Narrative Feature- Tribeca and Eeb Allay Ooo was awarded the Golden Gateway award for Best Film at the Mumbai Film Festival. For complete official selection & more information about each film visit: https://www.indiememe.org/imff2020-films

Virtual IMFF is free for all Indie Meme members. Registration is required for members to receive details on how to attend the virtual festival: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-imff-2020-tickets-102926706550
Schedule updates will be posted on: https://www.facebook.com/indiememefilmfestival/

To experience the diverse flavors of South Asian cinema become a member here: http:// https://www.indiememe.org/membership. Separate badges or tickets will not be sold for this event.

PRESS INTERVIEWS with filmmakers are available by phone and IP including Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Google Hangouts – the next best thing to meeting in person.

At Indie Meme, the community comes first. Your virtual experience will be similar to a real Indie Meme screening from the comfort of your own home. The team at Virtual Indie Meme look forward to sharing this unique experience together. Get your popcorn, sit back and enjoy Virtual IMFF 2020.

For the latest developments, visit the official site (IMFF2020) of the Indie Meme Film Festival http://indiememe.org.

Indie Meme Social Media:
Facebook: facebook.com/indiememe
Instagram: instagram.com/indiememe
Twitter: twitter.com/indiememe

IMFF 2020 is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin, Economic Development Department.

Anuradha Palakurthi Dedicates a Song for Doctors Combating Coronavirus

April 19, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Health 0

Indian American Singer Anuradha Palakurthi released a video song to pay tribute to doctors who are combating Coronavirus and putting their lives on the line to save lives of people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Titled “Rukta Hi Naheen Tu Kahin Haar Ke”, the song was produced by Boston-based Juju Productions within a week—from idea to its final release. Sung by Ms. Palakurthi, the lyric was composed by Boston poet and script writer Sunayana Kachroo. Music was composed by Kamlesh Bhadkamkar, Mixed and Mastered by Vijay Dayal in Mumbai. Nikhil Joshi made the Video.

“I don’t think they have worked so fast on any project so far. The urgency and gravity was significant enough for the entire team,” Ms. Palakurthi told INDIA New England News.

Given the urgency of the Covid-19 pandemic and so many doctors of Indian-origin on the frontline, Palakurthi got inspired by their dedication and service.

“So many Indian families in United states have at least one doctor in them. I had to bring their contribution to the forefront in USA. They are the ones who are in close quarters with real danger. They are the first responders who are putting their lives on the line to save lives,” said Ms. Palakurthi. “Some have sadly lost their lives too in this battle. Only true heroes in war do that. Coming from a gold star family, I feel strongly about soldiers and their sacrifices.”

As of April 9, more than 200 doctors and nurses have died battling Coronavirus worldwide, according to news reports.

Ms. Palakurthi said that the idea about the music video formed in her head on April 3rd.

“I contacted Sunayana to brainstorm a bit about lyrics etc. We wanted to write and make something new, but I decided to pick an existing song and change the lyrics,” said Ms. Palakurthi. “Sunayana did an exceptional job. Next step was to contact my trusted musicians Kamlesh Bhadkamkar and Vijay Dayal in Mumbai and we were good to go from then on.”

Ms. Palakurthi said that Nikhil Joshi in Mumbai compiled all the photos that were sent him from Boston and worked non-stop 12 straight hours on it.

“It was quite a task to explain my vision to him in 36 hours. But the real help came from some friends who are doctors. They did their best under the circumstances. I wish I had more faces, but I guess asking them to send photos of themselves in these pressing times was a bit much,” said Ms. Palakurthi.

Ms. Palakurthi said that she is very humbled to dedicate this song to doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in the United States and around the world.

“I think it’s a humble tribute compared to what they are doing every day. There should have been at least a hundred more faces in the music video. We personally know 100 such families and could not get their pictures.”

Ms. Kachroo said that Ms. Palakurthi had given her a brief on the purpose of the song and the reference song as well.

“While the purpose of the original song is to inspire people to reach to a goal,” Ms. Kachroo said. “This song is to honor the resilience and the unwavering commitment of the medics and researchers to go beyond their job profiles and stand-up to this disease with their relentless service.”

Earlier this year, Ms. Palakurthi’s “Jaan Meri” song from her Jaan Meri album won the prestigious Independent Music Category’s best Song of the Year Award at the Radio Mirchi Music Awards, the Indian equivalent of the Grammys. Two of the top five nominees for the best song of the year for the Radio Mirchi Music Awards in the Non-Film/ Independent category were from Jaan Meri Album.

Ms. Palakurthi has been recognized as the top-rated singer of Indian origin by industry legends. She has performed live with Bollywood singers like Kumar Sanu, Suresh Wadkar, Deepak Pandit and Bappi Lahiri across the United States. Anuradha has recorded a duet with Hariharan for Ekal Vidyalaya – composed by guitarist Prasanna with drummer Sivamani and a group of 14 multiple-Grammy winning musicians from across the globe. She sings in six Indian languages and has recorded playback for South Indian films.

India Center Foundation Launches Arts Resiliency Fund for South Asian Artists Affected by COVID-19

April 19, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Health 0

The non-profit arts organization India Center Foundation (ICF), in partnership with MELA Arts Connect (MAC), has announced the formation of The South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund, a grant program for South Asian artists and arts workers in the U.S. in the fields of performing arts, film, visual arts or literature who have been impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19 due to postponed or canceled performances, events or exhibitions.

ICF will provide launch funding of $20,000 towards this important initiative. The fund will be co-managed by MAC and supported by a crowdfunding campaign and multiple live streaming experiences and more. With the community’s support to reach the targeted goal of $500,000, the fund will be able to provide grants to hundreds of arts workers around the country. The expectation is that this milestone will be outmatched because of generous support from arts patrons and philanthropic communities, who can donate funds through this Go Fund Me Page.

In an ongoing survey about the economic impact of the coronavirus on the arts sector, Americans for the Arts has captured a crippling loss of more than $114 million as of April 4, 2020. “And the situation is only going to get worse, before it gets better,” said Raoul Bhavnani, ICF Co-Founder. “Communities count on the arts to rally around, to gather and to find connection, especially in times of crisis, and the South Asian community is no different. With necessary physical distancing in place for the foreseeable future, the arts community — artists, producers, agents, managers, administrators, technicians — are unable to perform or produce their work for audiences and are losing their livelihoods. Losses will only continue to mount unless we choose to support artists NOW, and we hope individuals, corporations and other arts organizations will join us in this critical endeavor.”

“We want to encourage South Asian voices in the arts at all levels and make sure that our growing representation in all sectors of creative fields does not diminish because of this pandemic,” said ICF Co-Founder Priya Giri Desai. “The Resiliency Fund can ensure that our South Asian voices continue to be heard and that South Asian artists can feel secure in their choice to pursue a life in the arts.”

WHAT THE FUND WILL SUPPORT:

Creation of music, dance, theater, film, visual arts or literature projects (ongoing or new)

Research for development of music, dance, theater, film or visual arts projects (ongoing or new)

Strategic planning by a manager or agent for an artist

Content creation for project deployment

Creation of resources for artists to support careers in the arts

WHO IS ELIGIBLE:

Artists such as: dancers, choreographers, musicians, poets, actors, comedians, playwrights, directors, filmmakers, writers, composers, visual artists, etc.

Arts personnel such as: technicians (lighting, sound, costume, stage management, production, editor), independent curators / presenters, producers, agents, managers, etc.

*Grants will be targeted to at least $1,000, depending on eligibility and financial need. The arts community can apply starting April 13th at the organization’s website, www.theindiacenter.us

18 musical icons unite for virtual concerts

April 12, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Health 0

Musical icons including Asha Bhosle, SP Balasubramaniam, Udit Narayan, Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Shaan and Kailash Kher, will get together for virtual concerts to show solidarity to the people who are at the frontline in the battle against COVID 19.

A series of virtual concerts “Sangeet Setu” have been announced by the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA). The concerts will be held between 8pm and 9pm on April 10, 11 and 12.

The concerts, which will also be attended by Lata Mangeshkar, will also include performances by KJ Yesudas, Anoop Jalota, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sudesh Bhosale, Suresh Wadkar, Kumar Shanu, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, and Salim Merchant.

Talking about the initiative, Manish Baradia, Creative Director of Moving Pixels Company, said: “This is not just a concert series, it’s a national movement. We want to take this concert to 1 billion screens.”

Sonu Nigam said: “Every Indian be it an official, a health worker, an essential services provider or citizen at home – is contributing in this battle. Especially mothers, home makers and sisters at home who are bearing the burden. As artists salute you through our music.”

To this, Kher added: “From the birth to the infinity, from the darkness to the light, music fills all emptiness of life. Medication is limited to heal the body but music heals the soul. On behalf of ISRA, we come together as a family to sing for you all to spread positivity amongst all of us in this dark phase bringing entertainment for enlightenment and cheer.”

Shaan urged “everyone to stay at home”.

“With this initiative, we will be able to come to your homes and sing for the country. I urge everyone to donate generously to the PM Cares fund, as every single rupee counts,” Shaan said

On behalf of ISRA, Sanjay Tandon, CEO, said: “ISRA decided that leading singers of the country will entertain the masses and try to lighten their stress, strain and depression in these tough times. I thank all the artists who have made themselves available for this national service.”

The concert will be available on MX Player, Hotstar, Vodafone Play, Flipkart, Jio Tv and Sony Liv. (IANS)

Getting to Know the Gambling Laws in Asia

April 7, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Gambling laws vary wildly around the world, and Asia is no different in this respect, with certain countries across the continent taking a liberal approach to sports betting, games of chance and online play, while others impose tight restrictions or even outright bans.

Here is a quick rundown of how gambling legislation differs throughout the major Asian nations to give you a better idea of what to expect when you travel between them.

India

While there are some centrally-implemented laws relating to gambling in India, the most potent of which dates from the late 19th century and bans the running of public casinos and bookmakers, today it is up to individual states to decide how they control this pastime.

In most places, gambling is heavily restricted, with only the availability of wagering on horse racing slipping through the net and being permitted. There are exceptions, specifically in the states of Sikkim, Daman and Goa, where land-based casinos have been granted licenses in recent years.

Sikkim is one of the most forward-thinking states when it comes to legalised gambling, especially in an online context. It has been pushing for domestic web-based casino operators to be supported for over a decade and has its own online lottery.

More broadly, it is not explicitly illegal for any Indian to play on an online casino, with ambiguities in the law meaning that states either ignore this type of activity altogether or do not choose to pursue the few cases that are raised. Indeed this is why more and more overseas operators have been targeting the Indian marketplace, with sites designed specifically for customers from this part of Asia and support for deposits and jackpots in the local currency.

China

Gambling is technically not permitted by law in China, although there are some exceptions and caveats that are worth noting.

For example, the government operates a pair of lotteries which are exempt from these restrictions. There are also major land-based casino resorts in both Hong Kong and Macau, as these special administrative regions do not have to adhere to legislation which impacts the mainland.

Macau alone makes billions in gambling revenue each quarter, with customers hailing from overseas as well as from other parts of China. It is also the only place in China where it is legal for citizens to play best on online casino sites, even if it is not possible for the sites themselves to be based locally.

Japan

Gambling has been a much-discussed issue in Japan for some time, with the practice being outlawed entirely in most conventional senses until relatively recently, when the relaxing of rules allowed land-based casinos to open their doors. As such there are now a total of three casino resort licenses up for grabs, with the ultimate outcome set to be that this pastime is both legitimised and encouraged in certain regulated contexts.

There are also sporting events which are legally open to betting, although this only covers four examples including horse racing, cycling, boating and motorbike-based competitions. These are all controlled by local authorities and so the government takes a cut of the revenues to fund other public projects.

One of the more complex aspects of the Japanese gambling ecosystem is pachinko, a game of chance which is similar to traditional slot machines but adapts elements from pinball in order to sidestep gambling regulations and remain legal. Players do not win cash, but instead get tokens for successful stints of pachinko which are then either exchanged for a prize or taken to a nearby store where they are purchased by the owners of the pachinko parlour.

Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan offer their 4-storey office to BMC for quarantine facilities

April 4, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Health 0

Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan has revealed a series of initiatives to help citizens during India’s fight against coronavirus.

In a seven point plan, Khan revealed contributions via his various businesses to multiple funds, an effort to help supply 50,000 items of PPE equipment for health workers, and a pledge to provide daily meals to more than 5,500 families in the city of Mumbai, as well as a kitchen that will make 2,000 daily meals to serve homes and hospitals.

The contribution that B-towners are making to ease the coronavirus crisis reiterates the belief that in trying times, everyone stands together. From contributing financially to the PM and CM’s relief funds to now offering infrastructure, Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan are leading the pack from the front. Their magnanimity has set a precedence of how one can stand united in the times of COVID 19.

Announcing their contribution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation tweeted, “We thank @iamsrk & @gaurikhan for offering their 4-storey personal office space to help expand our Quarantine capacity equipped with essentials for quarantined children, women & elderly. Indeed a thoughtful & timely gesture!#AnythingForMumbai #NaToCorona“

In the past, SRK and Gauri’s companies, KKR, Red Chillies and Meer Foundation provided monetary help as well as food for anyone who needed it.

The actor said on Twitter, “Given the enormity of the task, my team and I discussed ways to contribute in our own modest way. We have come up with a series of initiatives, which we hope will make a small difference.”

The actor praised the efforts of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the fight against COVID-19. The country is currently under an unprecedented lockdown. Cases rose to 1,965 in India on Thursday while the death toll stands at 50.

This crisis is not going to pass in a hurry, it will take its time and its toll on all of us. It will also show us that there isn’t really a choice between looking out for ourselves and looking out for one another. There’s nothing more obvious in the spread of this pandemic, than the fact that each one of us is inextricably connected to each other, without any distinction,” the actor added.

He concluded, “As a nation and as a people, it is our duty to give it all we’ve got. I am going to try my best and I know each one of you will do so too. Only together we will be able to fight through these difficult and unimaginable days.”

Top 5 Reasons Online Casinos are so Popular Today!

March 25, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Social Media 0

Why are online casinos so popular?

People have always loved the thrill and excitement of playing at casinos right from the beginning. Casinos offer players the experience of fun and joy. It gives them a chance at changing their fortunes overnight.

However, these casinos were not easy to access, with distance and time proving to be a major problem. This led to the birth of online casinos. Ever since they came into existence, online casinos have only continued to increase their stature. One such notable online casino is Casumo Casino.

All the skepticism and doubts that came their way are now slowly starting to disappear. These online websites have done so much to get the stronghold they have today.

Let us tell you why we think online casinos have grown so popular.

Online casino

Online casinos owe it completely to themselves for making it so far. The potential for growth was certainly there but people seemed to be too worried about safety and security. But now it has become incredibly popular. So, how did they do it? Read to know more.

A lot of improvements and changes were constantly made by casino operators to make online casinos special, and there are quite a number of advantages of playing at online casinos. We can attribute this popularity that they have gained to 5 factors.

Take a look at Casumo Casino. They are a good example to breakdown the growth and popularity of an online casino. Casumo Casino, after being founded in 2012, has grown fast to be a well-esteemed online gambling website and a household name.

The 5 major reasons for online casinos being so popular are as follows:

Convenience
Bonuses
Versatility
Safety
Mobile Compatibility

The online casinos have grown to be so popular due to each of the above factors that played a major part. Now that you know what, let us tell you how.

Convenience

The older generation will surely have a story about Las Vegas to tell you or about their dreams of visiting the place. If you are wondering why, it’s the home to casinos and gambling. But not everyone could travel and live the dream.

The introduction of online casinos stormed the world. All that thrill and excitement of a casino right in your hand. The idea of not traveling long distances and time constraints flew right off the handle.

Just picture yourself in a room all to yourself after an incredibly tiring and exhausting day. You take out your phone and open an online betting website. Bang! Right there that very moment. How would you feel? Relaxed and a sort of excitement will be in the air.

Bonuses

A major factor driving customers to online casinos is the welcome bonus and the casino’s promotional offers. Online casinos offer their players welcome bonuses and other such rewards. This makes them very attractive.

The various bonus options and free cash surely lures people. Who would say no to free money?

Versatility

Do you have to spend loads of time finding a game that piques your interest in casinos? That all changes with online casinos. Every game is just a click away. Just type in and find it. A large number of games to choose from all in one place.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

Safety

Initially, players were not all convinced due to real money being used. Most of them were worried about the safety and security of their money. In recent times, with all the technological advancement and encryption, people are convinced and feel safe with putting their money in.

Mobile compatibility

The final reason as to why online casinos became so big is mobile casinos. In today’s world technology is at the center of life, which makes it an attractive option. Mobile has taken over the world. So a mobile app that can be used on the go offers more comfort.

All of these factors greatly influenced the growth of online casinos. This led to the popularity of online casinos growing rapidly. You could even say that online casinos are at the frontier of technological development today.

Have fun playing at your favourite online casino! We wish you all the luck!

Angrezi Medium: Irrfan, Deepak Dobriyal shine in aimless film

March 16, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

A couple of great performances can actually turn an utterly mediocre film into okay stuff, you realise watching Irrfan and Deepak Dobriyal in “Angrezi Medium”.

Homi Adajania’s follow-up to Saket Chaudhary’s 2017 comedy hit “Hindi Medium” is a standalone story that bears no link with the first film by way of plot or characters and is, quite frankly, not a patch on the original. There are the sporadic brilliant scenes and the random bursts of humour, but the overall storytelling simply falls short, faltering every now and then. It’s almost as if the writers were not quite sure how to push the narrative beyond a point, especially in the second half.

The film begins by introducing Irrfan as Champak Bansal, owner of one of two Ghasitaram sweet shops in the same locality of Udaipur — the other belonging to his brother Gopi (Deepak Dobriyal). The two brothers are normally busy bickering over whose shop represents the ‘real and original’ Ghasitaram brand. Champak is a single parent, taking care of his teenage daughter Tarika (Radhika Madan). The girl has a big dream. She wants to pursue higher studies at a top university in the United Kingdom.

The film tries setting up adequate drama using that premise, as the narrative moves from Udaipur to London. In the process, the story also tries creating space to talk of too many issues. There is the obvious theme of the young generation’s fetish for foreign universities, and the question of how expensive world-class education continues to be. The screenplay also talks of teen rebellion and generation gap. A cameo by Dimple Kapadia is used to highlight loneliness among the aged.

Somehow, all of these comments don’t add up to much, owing to weak writing. As the minutes pass, you sense the classic ‘Sequel Syndrome’ taking over — it is almost as if this film was made because the idea worked the first time, and it seemed lucrative enough for a second outing.

The urge to squeeze in too many sub plots and characters takes its toll as the film, after an engaging build-up in the first hour, meanders in the post-interval portion before reaching a rather insipid ending. What rescues the film from sinking are the three performances that matter. Irrfan, Deepak Dobriyal and Radhika Madan are first-rate.

Towering above all with a simply flawless performance, Irrfan proves once again why he will always be special for Bollywood buffs. He clearly relishes every bit of being Champak, bringing alive the nuances that define the goodnatured, smalltown businessman’s quirks with ease.

Perhaps his performance would have seemed incomplete without the comic-melodramatic chemistry he shares with Radhika Madan, as Champak’s daughter Tarika. “Angrezi Medium” is primarily a father-daughter story and Radhika matches Irrfan’s screen presence admirably to light up the screen in their scenes together.

Deepak Dobriyal is a delight to watch as ever — if only Bollywood had more imaginative roles for him than the hero’s sidekick. To his credit, Dobriyal finds a zillion ways to reinvent that stereotype, you realise watching him go in “Angrezi Medium”.

Pankaj Tripathi elicits a few laughs in a cameo, Kareena Kapoor was quite honestly never needed in this screenplay, and Dimple Kapadia could have done with a stronger role. Ranvir Shorey and Kiku Sharda bring alive their roles with innate talent.

What amazes you is that Adajania has employed a battery of four writers — Bhavesh Mandalia, Gaurav Shukla, Vinay Chhawall, Sara Bodinar — to come up with such an aimless script that offers utterly half-bakes characters to a cast that seemed awesome in the opening credits.

We would perhaps have ended saying “Angrezi Medium” is a good idea gone waste — except that as the storyline slips with every passing minute – you begin to wonder if there was an idea to begin with. (IANS)

Major Exhibition Exploring Primitivism in Modern Indian Art to Make U.S. Debut at DAG New York in March

March 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Primitivism and Modern Indian Art Features Over 70 works by Most Significant Figures of Art in India, Including Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil, Ramkinkar Baij, and Madhvi Parekh

DAG today announced the U.S. debut of Primitivism and Modern Indian Art, bringing together over 70 works by Indian modernist painters to explore the stylistic influence of primitivism and its motifs in non-Western contexts. Opening March 14 and curated by Dr. Giles Tillotson—a leading scholar in Indian art and architecture— the exhibition showcases works by some of the most recognized Indian masters, juxtaposing vastly different interpretations of the genre to demonstrate the breadth of primitivism in India. On view through June 6, Primitivism and Modern Indian Art builds on DAG’s ongoing commitment to representing the expanse of Indian art practice through the presentation of museum-quality exhibitions globally.

“The works featured in Primitivism and Modern Indian Art defy any common visual link with each other, demonstrating each artist’s own language of expression,” said Ashish Anand, CEO & Managing Director of DAG. “However, taken together, the works explore the evolution and overarching language of primitivism within art practice in India. Building on our previous exhibitions in New York, we’re pleased to present this highly-researched exhibition and series of masterworks that contribute important scholarship and new perspective on how this originally Western artistic movement manifested in such a unique manner within the realm of Modern Indian art.”

Primitivism and Modern Indian Art explores how a range of Indian artists incorporated primitivism into their own work in the 20th century, attaching a different range of values and meanings in the Indian context based on their artistic practices. The exhibition also explores the key elements that defined the primitivist style in modern Indian art, including a shift away from intricate and traditionally “sophisticated” stylistic elements, as well as the incorporation of visual elements drawn from folk art. The exhibition also demonstrates how Indian artists sought inspiration from primitive imagery drawn from within Indian culture.

Three artists featured in the exhibition—Rabindranath Tagore, Sunayani Devi, and Madhvi Parekh—were self-taught artists, who came to primitivism and included it in their work outside of a formal artistic education, representing a natural incorporation of primitivism in their practice. Additional artists, who had formal art educations honed at elite institutions—including Amrita Sher-Gil, George Keyt, and Jamini Roy— were trained in what was considered a more sophisticated style in the 20th century, but actively chose to adopt a more ‘native’ form of practice. The exhibition also features work by modernist sculptor Ramkinkar Baij and painter J. Sultan Ali, both of whom chose to incorporate singular elements of primitivism in their work.

Other artists featured in Primitivism and Modern Indian Art who eschewed recognizable tropes from modern Indian art in the 20th century to create a unique visual language hearkening back to primitive imagery, in spite of the sophistication of training at their command, include M. F. Husain, F. N. Souza, K. G. Subramanyan, Jogen Chowdhury, and Rabin Mondal. Primitivism and Modern Indian Art is accompanied by a comprehensive publication and is currently on view at DAG’s Mumbai gallery.

ABOUT DAG

DAG (formerly known as the Delhi Art Gallery) was established in 1993 in New Delhi, and over the past 25 years, has built a reputation for the quality of its collection that represents the expanse of Indian art practice. This extensive collection charts a historic continuum, from the early works of academic artists trained in Bengal and Bombay, to modernists from Baroda, Delhi and beyond, and includes artworks by some of India’s most celebrated artists, including Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, Jamini Roy, S. H. Raza, M. F. Husain, Tyeb Mehta, F. N. Souza, Avinash Chandra and Chittaprosad. With the aim of taking Indian modernism to a wider audience, DAG now has gallery spaces in the historic Kala Ghoda in Mumbai, and the iconic Fuller Building in Manhattan, New York, in addition to its gallery in Delhi. It regularly participates in international fairs such as Art Basel Hong Kong, Armory New York, Art Dubai, Masterpiece London and India Art Fair.

The mandate of taking art to the people has led to museum-quality exhibition collaborations with stellar art institutions such as the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai, The Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi, the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh and the Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur. The most recent and monumental collaboration has been with the Archaeological Survey of India—with the Drishyakala museum at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Red Fort being inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister on 23 January 2019.

With the democratisation of Indian art as its core aim, DAG consistently hosts outreach programmes for students of schools and colleges, and also runs a pioneering programme for the visually impaired by allowing them to experience art through tactile aids.

Kerala has been adjudged India’s Best Wellness Destination

March 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Tourism 0

Kerala has been adjudged India’s Best Wellness Destination by the leading tourism magazine Outlook Traveller for the year 2020, in a robust validation of the state’s authentic Ayurveda and other traditional systems of holistic healing.

Mr P. K. Sooraj, Tourism Information Officer, received the award on behalf of Kerala Tourism from the former parliamentarian, columnist and author Mr Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda.
Kerala was also in the final round of awards for the best tourism state and the best wedding destination. The other tourist attractions of the state that made it to the final round were Jatayu Earth Centre, the world’s largest bird sculpture, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (both in the category of Best Tourist Attraction), Niramaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady (Best Hill Resort) and Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom (Best Heritage Hotel).

The award winners who were asked about the favourite destination by the host replied Kerala as their favourite destination, which also was welcome recognition for Kerala at the event.

“Ayurveda has always been the USP of Kerala Tourism, bringing in tourists from all parts of the globe. In addition, the state provides a range of other relaxing therapies that rejuvenate people who are tired of monotonous city life,”said Mr Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism. “The Outlook Traveller Award is a huge recognition that will further bolster the state’s reputation as a destination for holistic healing.”

Kochi has bagged the top spot in the list of ‘Trending Destination’ in the world by Tripadvisor, pushing behind cities in countries such as Thailand, Morocco, Russia, Portugal and Austria, and has been ranked first among 25 other destinations in the world. The online travel company Tripadvisor noted: “These incredible spots (that travellers love) saw the biggest spikes in top reviews and ratings last year.”

The list was announced as part of Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award. “Look for spicy dishes flavoured with tamarind and coconut in Kochi, and don’t be surprised if your dinner is served up on a banana leaf. The region is a major banana-growing area, and traditional Kochi cuisine employs the fruit in many dishes, both sweet and savoury,” Tripadvisor noted about Kochi in its website while announcing the winners. It has further listed ‘Kerala Kathakali Centre,’ ‘Chottanikkara Temple’ and ‘Kerala Folklore Museum,’ apart from suggesting 631 other things to do in Kochi. Interestingly, Kochi is the only destination in India to bag a spot on this list.

According to the company, the awards are given on the basis of reviews, ratings and “saves” that travellers share from around the world every year.

SHAB-E-TAJ: Musical Odyssey in Memory of Ustad Vilayat Khan

March 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Love rises where the sun sets. The dome hides the dying embers of the day as Sultan Shahjahan and his Queen, always inseparable, rise from their graves to spend one final night together at their palace. What words will we hear whispered through the moonlit halls of their Taj Mahal? Will the lovers recount their memories? Will they hold each other silently and gaze into each other’s eyes until the eyes they see staring back at them have become their own? Or will they weep into each other’s arms — one final night in the face of ephemeral love?

In the legendary 1967 album, “A Night At The Taj,” Ustad Vilayat Khan and Ustad Imrat Khan answer this age-old question: what would we do if we had one more day with the person we love? Vilayat Khan voices Queen Mumtaz on his sitar and Imrat Khan replies as Shah Jahan from the deep notes of his surbahar. The final conversation between the Sultan and his Queen comes to life, as the dewdrops dry and the gift of timelessness fades with the rising sun.

Love has intrigued us since the dawn of time. From Helene to Eleanor, love has ravaged empires. Love has led armies to war and emperors to abandon throne. Love has inspired the Bhakti and Sufi movements, volumes of soul-stirring poetry, and an endless collection of passionate music. And love will continue to intrigue us. It only makes sense to extend the ethereal journey undertaken by the two late maestros and to continue to find the stories of love that mark our human condition.

On this fateful night, we will explore love and its many prisms. We will capture the angles at which love reflects, refracts and intersects. We will see the endless shapes of love reflected on the wall of a dimly lit cave. We will sing these shapes into existence. We will tell stories about these shapes through Dastangoi, the lost art of Urdu storytelling. We will listen in awe as TM Krishna, Hidayat Husain Khan, Danish Husain and Marina Ahmad undertake the voyage across this limitless sea to bring us pearls to relish the supreme and eternal human condition. We will experience an evening of exhilarating musical renditions, jugalbandis interspersed with storytelling and conversations, and the intimate mehfil-baithak will give rise to a unique theatrical experience. Like ‘A Night At The Taj,’ this will be a night to remember!

DRAUPADI UNLEASHED Romantic Film Set in 1930s British India Releases in Eight U.S. Cities on March 20th

March 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Set in 1930’s India, DRAUPADI UNLEASHED centers on sixteen-year-old Indira, who finds herself torn between true love, her duty to follow through with an arranged marriage and the powerful allure of a mysterious guru. Through her heartbreaking journey to self-discovery, long-held secrets are brought to light, and Indira discovers the strength within herself to break free. In a story that mixes magical realism and gorgeous surroundings with the harsh realities of a patriarchal society, this beautifully-told tale of a young woman at a crossroads in her life offers a rare look at aristocratic Indian society in the early part of the 20th Century – one that will resonate with audiences today.

Based on the novel by the same title by Nisha Sabharwal (also co-director), DRAUPADI UNLEASHED is written for the screen and directed by Tony Stopperan, produced by Hello Desi and distributed by Passion River Films.

The cast includes: Salena Qureshi as Indira; Dominic Rains as Amar; Cas Anvar as Manu; Anna George as Amma; Azita Ghanizada as Masumi; Melanie Chandra as Sita; Paras Patel as Pran; Pooja Batra as Mohini; Taaha Shah Badusha as Gautam; and, Abi Bais as Chandar.

Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, is out!

March 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Known for his genre-bending edgy, and envelope pushing content cinema, acclaimed film-maker Dibakar Banerjee has now directed and produced a thriller, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, that is set to release on March 20.

The film will see Arjun play the role of a Haryanvi cop, while Parineeti essays the role of an ambitious girl from the corporate world whose lives suddenly intertwine. Dibakar is presenting Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra in an all new avatar and the trailer reveals how audiences will be presented with numerous and totally unexpected edge-of-the-seat twists in this gritty film.

Produced by Dibakar Banerjee Productions, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar is being released worldwide by Yash Raj Films. Watch now : https://youtu.be/vHiLZkR6rSg

‘Bollywood Boulevard’ kicks off nationwide spring tour

March 10, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

MELA Arts Connect is once again bringing the vibrancy, emotion, and heart-pounding beat of Hindi cinema with ‘Bollywood Boulevard: A Journey Through Hindi Cinema.’

With over 50 songs spanning a century from the likes of A.R. Rahman and R.D. Burman; choreography that captures the countless dance styles and moves of Helen and Hrithik Roshan; and romantic leads based on classic heartthrobs like Raj Kapoor and Nargis, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, this live music, dance, and multimedia production takes audiences on a journey from the birth of India’s famous film industry to Bollywood’s present-day blockbusters.

Co-produced by Heena Patel, executive director of the MELA Group and Rushi Vakil, who is also the music director and composer, the production is beginning its spring tour later this month. Since its premiere at Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors in 2017, “Bollywood Boulevard: A Live Journey Through Hindi Cinema” has performed at prestigious venues across the U.S.

The production is choreographed by Rohit Gijare, a New Jersey native, known for bringing together Indian classical and folk dance forms with modern western dances.

The tour will be accompanied by a travelling exhibition, supported by the India Center Foundation. The exhibition will explore the cultural phenomenon of Bollywood, its influences and impact on trends over a 100 plus years of Hindi cinema.

“Whether you are a die-hard fan or Bollywood Boulevard, there is something for you in this show. It’s non-stop entertainment for the whole family,” Patel says.

Tickets are on sale now at individual venues. Group sale tickets are also available upon request to venues. For more information on Bollywood Boulevard, please visit bollywoodblvdshow.com.

Shree Saini, Miss World America Washington Receives ‘World Peace Award’

February 19, 2020 Ajay GhoshEntertainment, Fashion 0

Shree Saini, the 23-year-old Indian American and anti-bullying activist, who was crowned Miss World America Washington, has been awarded the “World Peace Messenger” and “Most Admired Global Indian” awards by World Peace Diplomacy Organization recently during a glittering ceremony held in Los Angeles.

“Thank you for recognizing my humble work. Due to a prior commitment, I was unable to attend the event. The Passion Vista Award is one such rare award that’s given to a chosen few, for the contribution they make for the betterment of our society,” Shree said in a statement. “I feel very happy and honored to receive one of the prestigious awards as World Peace Messenger in LA. It’s God’s blessings and my mom behind my every moment of ups and downs and success. My parents support, love and blessings have brought me international recognition and achievements,” Saini added.

Saini, who has studied at Harvard, has been trained in acting at the Yale actors conservatory. The Punjab native, who moved to Washington when she was seven, experienced hardships while in high school, where she was bullied. For years, she said, she felt like an outcast at school for being a person of color. As a response, she created the website www.shreesaini.org to educate people about her experiences.

“Shree has created an app on emotional heath at Stanford University. She has given hundreds of presentations in over 80 cities and six countries and written about 400 articles in newspapers on emotional fitness, via her non-profit shareesaini.org,” said the magazine.

Shree says, “The best award is knowing that YOU made a POSITIVE difference in someone else’s life. A girl recently approached me after a talk and started crying. She mentioned that she had followed my journey for a while and felt encouraged to pursue her dreams, despite obstacles. I gave her a big HUG and started to tear up as well. WOW. Your positive words and actions do make a positive difference. Keep being EXTRA LOVING AND ENCOURAGING.

“I want to dedicate this award and this incident to God’s blessings and YOUR SUPPORT,” Shree said. “Passion Vista noticed my contributions and honored me with this international reorganization “World Peace Messenger Award”, in Los Angeles. Thanks to Bharat Godaria ji for nominating me for this great honor. Bharat ji is a great friend of our family and shipped me this award and the medallion.”

Passion Vista’s content is Global, Provocative and Inclusive. An Exemplary marriage of luxury, lifestyle & business. Each year, Passion Vista honors people from different walks of life for the contributions they make for the betterment of the society. The award is given in recognition for all the hard work and dedication put by honorees into their respective fields of work.

Saini, who has been recognized by several organizations and states and world renowned persons for her work and is aspiring to be an actor, told this writer: “I am now “Miss World America Washington”, which is preliminary to Miss World America and Miss World! Miss World Titles have been won by Aishwarya Rai and Prinkay Chopra. It’s the largest and the most philanthropic pageant, having raised 1.3 billion dollars for charities around the world. And I want to promote the many charitable initiatives this noble organization does all around the world.”

Bunty Aur Babli 2 will pay homage to Bunty Aur Babli 1

February 19, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Yash Raj Films’ much awaited Bunty Aur Babli 2 will pay homage to the first film by keeping the same logo for the sequel! This move is definitely going to soar the nostalgia factor big time because the prequel was tremendously loved and the film also went on to become a blockbuster! The makers, today, revealed the logo of the film and also announced the release date of this summer entertainer as June 26, 2020!

“For whole of India, Bunty Aur Babli is and will always be part of cinema that we watched while growing up. It is truly a much loved film and has huge nostalgia value attached to it. When we were designing the logo of Bunty Aur Babli 2, we were certain that we will keep the original logo as it pays a perfect homage to the first film that is part of India’s pop culture history. I’m guessing this move will be much loved by cine-lovers as it evokes a big sense of nostalgia,” says Varun V. Sharma, the director of the film.

Bunty Aur Babli 2 will introduce an incredibly fresh pair as the new talented conmen. Siddhant Chaturvedi, the Gully Boy hunk who played the role of MC Sher with elan, is the new Bunty and YRF is launching a new heroine to watch out for with this franchise. Babli will be played by Sharvari, a stunningly gorgeous girl that YRF discovered two years back and has been grooming her since then!

The film, in an exciting casting coup, also reunites Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji and will present them as the original Bunty Aur Babli in the film! Saif and Rani were a blockbuster Jodi as they delivered big hits like Hum Tum and Ta Ra Rum Pum and were celebrated as a pair to watch out for given their infectious chemistry.

Produced by Aditya Chopra, Bunty Aur Babli 2 is being directed by debutant Varun V. Sharma, who worked as an Assistant Director in YRF’s biggest blockbusters Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai.

‘Parasite’ Wins Best-Picture at Oscar, First For A Non-English Movie

February 12, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

The South Korean thriller made history at this year’s Academy Awards. Ninety-two years of Oscar history were shattered on February 9^th when the South Korean hit “Parasite” became the first film not in the English language to win the Academy Award for best picture.

The class-struggle thriller faced stiff competition for Hollywood’s top trophy from movies that included Quentin Tarantino’s showbiz epic, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” the billion-dollar comic-book film “Joker” and Martin Scorsese’s Netflix crime drama, “The Irishman.” But “Parasite,” directed by Bong Joon Ho, managed to pull off the final win in a moment that had audience members in the Dolby Theater leaping to their feet.

The historic victories made front-page news in South Korea, where Baek Young-hoon, 50, a Seoul office worker and avid Bong fan noted, “The South Korean movie industry became 100 years old last year, and this is a momentous event that makes South Koreans proud.”

In honoring the film, which also won best director, original screenplay and international feature, voters managed to simultaneously embrace the future — Hollywood’s overreliance on white stories told by white filmmakers may finally be ebbing — and remain reverential to decades-old tradition: Unlike some other best-picture nominees, “Parasite” was given a conventional release in theaters. It has taken in $35.5 million at the North American box office since its release in October. Global ticket sales stand at $165 million.

“We never write to represent our countries” a beaming Bong said through a translator, as he accepted the screenwriting Oscar with Han Jin Won. The comedy-thriller seemed to touch a nerve wherever it played, thanks to its tale of have-nots outsmarting the haves. At least that’s how it seems at first, when the struggling Kim family uses a variety of subterfuges to get jobs working in the household of the wealthy Park family.

The cast included Bong’s frequent collaborator Song Kang Ho as the impoverished patriarch, but the lack of nominations for any of the film’s stars renewed criticism that the academy frequently overlooks Asian actors. Indeed, the best-picture win for “Parasite” was in keeping with tradition in one respect: recent best pictures set in Asia, like “Slumdog Millionaire,” won without any acting nominations.

The celebration of “Parasite” follows a year in which Oscar voters seemed to retrench toward their conservative past. In a choice that prompted immediate blowback — from, among others, the director Spike Lee, who threw up his hands in frustration and started to walk out of the theater — the academy gave the 2019 best-picture Oscar to “Green Book,” a segregation-era buddy film. While admired by some as a feel-good depiction of people uniting against the odds, the movie was criticized by others as woefully retrograde and borderline bigoted.

Many pundits figured the best-picture Oscar would go to the war drama “1917,” which had amassed the most significant trophies until now, including a Golden Globe for best drama and the top prizes from two major industry guilds, the Producers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America. The last film to score with all three of those groups but still miss out on best picture was “La La Land,” which fell to “Moonlight” three years ago on Oscar night.

Still, “Parasite” had shown impressive strength all season, and not just at the box office. The movie won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May, the Golden Globe for best foreign film last month, the Writers Guild Award for its original screenplay, and a best-ensemble prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards — the first time in its history that the performers’ organization had given its top trophy to a foreign-language film. At that ceremony last month, the “Parasite” actors received a standing ovation when they came out to present a clip from the film, a sign that passion for the twisty thriller ran deep.

Bong, whose credits include “Okja” and “Snowpiercer,” proved to be one of the season’s most popular presences: a Golden Globes party touting “Parasite” even drew well-wishers from competing films, like the “Once Upon a Time” star Leonardo DiCaprio and the “Marriage Story” writer-director Noah Baumbach.

“We never expected all this,” Bong said then. But now that “Parasite” has made Oscar history, it’s clear that traditional expectations should be thrown out the window. In a post-“Parasite” world, the best-picture winner can come from anywhere.

Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings come to life

February 12, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

In G Venket Ram and Naam Charitable Trust’s 2020 calendar, Shruti Haasan, Samantha Akkineni, Ramya Krishnan feature as women from the iconic artist’s works

While shooting his latest calendar, G Venket Ram had a peculiar problem. He had to find a dog. One that resembled the border collie in one of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings. Titled There Comes Papa, the 1893 painting portrays a woman carrying a toddler, with a faithful dog sitting at her feet. The calendar is part of Naam Charitable Trust’s fund-raiser and 10th anniversary celebrations. The trust, started by actor and director Suhasini Maniratnam, empowers single women from underserved segments of society.

The calendar features women and is inspired by Raja Ravi Varma’s works. “We were trying to replicate the works. I had to see how to match them with the paintings and managed to a certain extent,” says G Venket Ram, who is shooting a calendar after a break of six years.

This one features 11 celebrities from Tamil and Telugu movies. There is Khushbu Sundar, Ramya Krishnan, Samantha Akkineni, Lissy Lakshmi, Nadiya Moidu, Lakshmi Manchu, Shruti Haasan, Aishwarya Rajessh, dancers Shobana and Priyadarshini Govind, and Chamundeshwari, one of the beneficiaries from Naam. “That was my condition, that one of them had to be from the foundation,” says Suhasini Maniratnam.

For Suhasini, Chamundeshwari is a winner. The 33-year-old single mother of two is single-handedly taking care of her family and herself with a zeal to live life to its fullest. In the calendar, Chamundeshwari dons the role of Rani Laxmi Bayi of the Tanjore and Travancore palaces.

All the jewellery had to be procured or specially created. Even the style in which the saris are draped by the women are different in each painting. So the styling and costume department had quite a task on their hands. One of the crochet chair covers had been created by the women from Naam and is exactly the same as the one in the painting. From accessories, furniture and props to even the bent of a hair strand, most of the elements have been kept intact.

One of the bigger challenges while shooting this project, was the lighting. “My inspiration for photography was painting. I used to study them to understand how the artist would analyse light. He is not photographing but he is taking an image in his mind and recreating on canvas. As an artist he improvises on it and can mix colours to get a certain shade,” explains Venket.

You can not match the painting in terms of colour and proportions. You can’t replicate the painting because artist improvisation is very different, he says pointing to a picture of Ramya Krishnan in a red sari, the colour of which is a little different from the original. “In terms of lighting he’s painted in ambient light. There is a verandah or outdoor setting and the artist has used natural light. To match it is tricky. Because I have shot everything using flash lights, diffusers and bouncers.”

There was a time constraint, considering Suhasini and Venket started work on this project in December last year. There was also a concern about the copyright issue. “We were wondering if it is ok to recreate an original work. Suhasini contacted the Ravi Varma Foundation in Bengaluru and they were cooperative. They helped by sending us the original painting and explaining what it was all about,” says Venket. The calendar is priced at ₹1,500 and can be booked by calling 011-91-9176307415.

Federation of Indian Associations Chicago celebrates India’s 71st Republic day & hosts the largest Health Fair event in Midwest

February 5, 2020 Asian Media USACommunity, Culture/Religion, Entertainment 0

“Only a life lived for others is a life lived worthwhile….” – Albert Einstein

Chicago IL: Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of Chicago celebrated India’s 71st Republic Day & hosted one of the largest Healthcare Fair Event on Saturday, Jan 25th, 2020, at Rana Reagan Community Center at Carol Stream, IL.

Keeping its past 10 year long tradition of serving the community, following its mantra, of ‘United We Stand’ and ‘We Serve!’, FIA Chicago, successfully hosted its yearly Healthcare Fair Event on the occasion of India’s Republic Day. In spite of all of us being away from our own homeland, we were blessed to be able to celebrate this very special day, when India officially got its Constitution on Jan 26, 1950, and the spirit of India with the same enthusiasm and excitement, in the country that we love and have now embraced as our home.

Over 600 people attended and availed the services provided; including 100 plus blood testing was done. One can imagine how popular this event is amongst our senior citizens, just by looking at the registration lines which started forming at 8:30am, a half hour earlier, then the scheduled start time of 9:00am. But Team FIA was ready to welcome the guests and the service providers and medical Camp personnel since 8:00am. Pratibha Jairath, Sonia Luther, Richa Chand, Vineeta Gulabani, Varsha Visal, Hema Shastri, Dr Kamal Patel, Vaishal Talati, Sunil Shah, Neil Khot, Gurmeet Singh Dhalwan, Ninad Daftari, Shital Daftari, Anu Malhotra & Bharat Malhotra, Ruchi Dabral, Bharatbhai, Haribhai and several volunteers from BSC group were seen receiving and greeting the doctors and service providers and the other guests as well, and helping fill out with Patient registration forms, and finding their designated spots & booths. FIA leadership Team, led by Sunil Shah, Gurmeet Singh Dhalwan, Neil Khot were seen visiting each and every booth, and greeting and thanking them for their support.

Healthcare Fair section of the program, Medical Camp (Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Dentist, Phlebotomy Blood Draws, Alternate Medicine Homeopathy /Ayurveda, Nutritionist & Dietician, Registered Nurse Practitioners consultations, Scans/Imaging, Blood Glucose & Cholesterol tests, Back and Shoulder Massage Treatment), Passport and Visa Counseling and Guidance Services, Tax Consultation, Social Security, Yoga/Meditation, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Medicare Benefits & Community Services were provided. Food & snacks were also provided to the attending guests. This was a FREE event with no charges or costs to the guests.

A Special Educational Lecture series presented by the specialists was also a part of the Healthcare Fair Event this year. Topics & presenters included: Cardiology – Dr Paul Nguyen, Dietician – Shweta Sheth, Deepti Singh Suri, Homeopathy – Vidya Joshi, Yoga/Meditation – Anu Malhotra.

With high spirits and keeping the ‘Josh High! ‘ as well, Republic Day Cultural Program, began promptly at 12:00pm, enthusiastically hosted by the Masters of Ceremony Richa Chand & Varsha Visal. There were presentations of US. National anthem (by Malavika Gopal) and Indian National anthem (by Pushpaben Parikh), followed by a beautifully choreographed patriotic Welcome Dance, “Ae Watan” (choreography by Sridevi Ram Pandalai, and performers were: Sarirha Srijith, Nisha Roy, Prathiba Varun, Swetha JayaPrakash, Sandra Suresh).

A beautiful Lamp Lighting ceremony was performed by the dignitaries present at the event, Sunil Shah, Founder President of FIA Chicago, Chief Guest, Consul General Sudhakar Dalela, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Onkar Singh Sangha, Founder & Past President, Gurmeet Singh Dhalwan, President 2020, Smt. Prem Kaur, Mother to Incoming President 2020, Pinky & Dinesh Thakkar, Guest of Honor, Ninad Daftari, President 2019, Dhitu Bhagwakar, Rita Singh, Sunny Kular, Neil Khot, Founding Members & Past Presidents, Amarjeet Singh, Founder & President Wheaton Gurudwara belonging to Sikh Religious Society, Chicago, IL , Haribhai Patel, President BSC group, Dr Kamal Patel, Executive VP, Amit Jhingran, CEO State Bank of India, Nimish Jani, Schaumburg Township, Krishna Bansal, Commissioner at Naperville Planning. And Advisory Board Members, Syed Hussaini, Asha Oroskar, Brij Sharma, Aishwarya Sharma, Pradeep Shukla, Keerthi Reevori.

Welcome Speeches by the FIA leadership was followed by the Introduction of FIA Board, and all FIA members were requested to join on the stage and a group picture was taken. As is the tradition for a Republic Day Cultural event, there were many inspiring speeches delivered throughout the program, including a few notable ones by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Consul General Sudhakar Dalela, both a keynote speaker at the Republic Day Event. Hanover Park Mayor, Rodney Craig & Trustee Herb Porter also spoke about the Indo-American community and their contributions.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Consul General Sudhakar Dalela helped in the inauguration of the FIA Souvenir Book and distribution of the Wheelchairs and Walkers to the needy. One Wheel Chair was received by Bharatiya Senior Citizens Group and the second one was received by Wheaton Gurudwara, IL.

There were important announcements made for the upcoming FIA Events, Indian Heritage Night celebrations, along with Windy City Bulls basketball game on February 23, 2020 at Sears Center Arena and Holi event on March 21, 2020 at DuPage Fairgrounds. For the Awards & Recognitions during the cultural program, Consul General Shri Sudhakar Dalela was felicitated and presented with a recognition plaque for Consul General Chicago’s continued support and whole-hearted participation in FIA’s numerous community service endeavors.

Guest of Honor, Pinky Thakkar & Dinesh Thakkar was also invited and recognized for their wonderful support and were presented with a recognition plaque as well. All the Sponsors and Service Providers and Supporters who helped out for this special event, were also called upon one by one, and were presented with the recognition plaques, as a token of FIA’s appreciation towards their generous support and help with the cause. Certificates were also given to all the cultural program performers, and the volunteers who helped out with this event.

To mark the conclusion of this beautiful and grand event to celebrate India’s 71st Republic Day, Anu Malhotra, Director FIA, gave Vote of Thanks, to all the guests, FIA’s senior leadership for facilitating and creating such wonderful opportunities for our community. She thanked Dr Pardeep Sood, Dr Tariq Ahmed, Dr Naveed Saeed, Dr. Huma Vaid, Dr. Mona Ghosh, Dr. Rakesh Nambiyar, Dr. Usha Kartan, Dr. Madhu Sharma, Dr. Sanjeev, Dr Niranjana Shah, Dr Utpal Parekh, Dr Imaad Shaikh, Dr. Aslam Qazi, Dr. Harpreet Singh, Dr Paul Nguyen, Dr Sara Alfano, Dr. Rubina Nguyen with S.C.A.R.F. group and others for their valuable time and service. She also thanked Promila Kumar, Shree Gurusamy, Raman Patel, Anu Bangaley, Amandeep Gill, Kinnari, Patrick, Chinttal Mehta, Chirag Patel, Prakruti Patel, Vidya Joshi, Deepti Singh Suri, Sweta Sheth, Pradeep Shukla and Consulate general of India, and all the sponsors and supporters. Only some mentioned here from the long list of all our wonderful sponsors/supporters: Syed Hussaini, VP Wintrust, Amit Jhingran, CEO State Bank of India, Pinky Thakkar & Dinesh Thakkar, Jigar’s Kitchen, Anil R Shah from World Money Exchange, MEDSTAR, Neal Patel for providing medical supplies, Dr. Neelam Bala Bhardwaj for donating Wheel Chairs and Walkers, and BSC group and committee members for all of their wonderful support to make this event a huge success.

FIA NY NJ CT’s 36th Annual Dance Pe Chance’ 2019 – 71th Republic Day Celebrations

February 5, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion, Entertainment 0

Over 500 Participants, 21 Performances set a new high for FIA as it sores past the milestone of having touched the lives of over 18,000 children via this cultural performance competition spanning over 3 decades.

Celebrity Judges and distinguished invitees included – DCG NY – H E Shatrughna Sinha , Actor & Kathak dancer Prachee Shah Paandya, Actor and Athlete Prachi Tehlan and the super 30 fame mathematical maestro Anand Kumar, who was the Chief Guest graced the event with their presence.

Saturday, Jan 25th, NJ – The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tristate, one of the oldest and the largest nonprofit Umbrella Organization of the Indian Diaspora celebrated India’s 71th Republic Day in grandeur with its annual show “Dance Pe Chance” promoting the 2nd generation of the Indian Diaspora while promoting the culture and heritage at the Patriots War Memorial Theatre in Trenton, New Jersey.

The show a cultural dance performance competition among the youth from various dance schools of two different states participated in the festive spirit to prove their mettle at the “Dance Pe Chance” dance competition. Thirteen dance schools performed in front of a full crowd in four categories: Minor, Junior, Senior and Adult. Aum Dance Creations, Arya Dance Academy, Aatma Performing Arts, B2Z Dance School, Dancing Shiva, Nruthu Aaloka Dance Vision, Nirmiti School of Dance, Nritya Creations, Shake it up dance school, Dance4Ever, Taal Institute of Performing Arts, Dansation, and Taraang with Mitali were among the schools that participated.

The event commenced with the National Anthem of US and India, during his welcome address DPC Chair Saurin Parikh welcomed the spectators and applauded the children parents and choreographers. He also dedicated the 36th year of this cultural performance competition to children with this year total surpassing the accumulated total of over 18000 children that have participated in this cultural dance competition that spans 3 decades.

The community event also honored the dignitaries in attendance, judges, guests and the traditional ceremony of oath for the FIA’s incoming executive committee of 2020 – Anil Bansal President; Himanshu Bhatia, Executive Vice President; Saurin Parikh, Vice President; Praveen Bansal, General Secretary; Amit Ringasia, Treasurer; Alok Kumar, Immediate Past President and Mardavi Patel, Joint Secretary. The oath was administered by Deputy Consulate General New York Shatrughan Sinha who was on hand, acknowledged and welcomed the incoming FIA Executive team. He expressed his appreciation for the role FIA has played in the community for 49 years and how working CGI-NY and FIA working in sync is pivotal and progressively benefits the Indian diaspora here in the Northeast.

Also present was Representative from the Governor’s office, aid to the Governor – Rajpal Bath who administered the oath to two new members added by FIA to the Board of Trustees, Srujal Parikh, Past President & Andy Bhatia, Past President both long-time FIA veterans. Chairman Ramesh Patel recognized the support of the FIA Board that currently holds a line of distinguished community leaders including Ramesh Patel, Padma Shri H R Shah, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Albert Jasani, Ram Gadhavi, Dipak Patel, Chandrakant Trivedi, Pravin Pandhi, Ankur Vaidya, Jayesh Patel & Yash Paul Soi.

FIA 2020 President Anil Bansal thanked the 2019 team and expressed his gratitude for trust placed on him by the FIA fraternity in electing him to lead in 2020 and assured continued engagement with the diaspora assistance programs as well as grandeur celebrations to mark FIA’s 50 years of completion.

Participants were judged by an array of talented personalities including Anindita Nanda, an exponent of Odissi, internationally-acclaimed classical dancer and an Indian vocalist, Paromita Chakravarty an accomplished Bharatnatyam Practitioner, theater artist and choreographer, Pranaya Akula, trained in Bharatnatyam and a dance teacher, and Swati Vaishnav, the owner of a dance academy Nartan Rang Dance Dance Academy who have won multiple dance competitions both nationally and internationally. The event was sponsored by Radio Mirchi, Air India, Republic Tv, TV Asia, Parikh Worldwide Media & South Asian Times.

FIA in its first launched an e-bi-weekly diaspora news mailer and performed a beta app test for popular audience voting app which saw an accumulated total of over 7000 votes cast. The app vote scores were not included due to the beta version of the app being tested. FIA plans to incorporate this as a part of the counted vote score in the coming competitions. Concluding with the announcement of results, FIA also honored all the dancers, choreographers and judges with Prize-Winning amounts, mementos, and certificates.

Anuradha Palakurthi’s Jaan Meri Album wins 2 Best Song of the Year nominations for Radio Mirchi, the Indian Grammys

February 5, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Two of the top five nominees for the best song of the year for the Radio Mirchi Music Awards, the Indian equivalent of the Grammys, in the Non-Film/ Independent category are from Anuradha Palakurthi’s Jaan Meri Album, Boston-based music and video production company Juju Productions announced today.

Ustad Nishat Khan, a scion of one of the oldest Gharanas of Hindustani music and one of the top sitar players in the world, composed the album Jaan Meri. Lyrics were written by Bollywood’s Manoj Yadav. The album was officially released in March 2019 at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium in Cambridge, MA.

“We are very excited that not one but two songs from the Jaan Meri Album are among the top five nominations for a Radio Mirchi award,” said Manisha Jain, CEO of Juju Productions, which produced the Jaan Meri album. “We think Anuradha is the first Indian singer from outside India and definitely the first Indian-American singer to be in the top five for this prestigious award.”

The annual Radio Mirchi awards are the highest recognition of music in India, and this is the first time that two songs from one album have found a place in the top 5 – and also one of the rare occasions of an American citizen’s work featuring amongst the best.

“It is heartwarming to have two songs picked by a jury of great musicians and it is a tribute to the exceptional composition of the maestro Ustad Nishat Khan. We made this album as a labor of love,” said Indian-American singer Anuradha Palakurthi. “I am particularly gratified that our usage of the old-world method of recording a live band of 70+ musicians was recognized. I thank all those musicians and the recording team of Vijay Dayal and Kamlesh Bhadkamkar.”

Ms. Jain said that grand awards ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 19, 2020 in Mumbai, India.

“Be prepared to see and cheer some local faces in the audience of the grand awards ceremony planned for Feb 19 in Mumbai. This will be covered by live TV, details of which we will share soon,” said Ms. Jain. “I would like to thank Radio Mirchi for recognizing the work of Independent musicians who are creating content in non-film channels – and am so delighted that our first Album has been recognized amongst the best. Onward we march.”

Anuradha has been recognized as the top-rated singer of Indian origin by industry legends. She has performed live with Bollywood singers like Kumar Sanu, Suresh Wadkar, Deepak Pandit and Bappi Lahiri across the United States. Anuradha has recorded a duet with Hariharan for Ekal Vidyalaya – composed by guitarist Prasanna with drummer Sivamani and a group of 14 multiple-Grammy winning musicians from across the globe. She sings in six Indian languages and has recorded playback for South Indian films.

Juju Productions is a Boston-based music and video production company. It creates music that attracts global audiences, transcends national and cultural boundaries while rooted in evolving Indian traditions. For more information, visit: www.jujugaana.com

Please click on the link below for Radio Mirchi nominations:

http://www.mirchimusicawards.com/hindi-2019/nominations-hindi-2019/

Documentary directed by 2 Indian Americans is shortlisted for an Oscar

January 20, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Social Media 0

Helmed by Smirti Mundhra and Sami Khan, ‘St. Louis Superman’ is based on the life and work on rapper and activist Bruce Franks Jr. A documentary, directed by Smirti Mundhra and Sami Khan, on rapper and activist Bruce Franks Jr., has been nominated in the documentary short category for an Oscar. “St. Louis Superman” tells the story of Franks, who was inspired to run for office by the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.

News reports says the documentary tells the story of how he beats the odds and is elected as a Democrat to the Missouri House of Representatives, an overwhelmingly white and Republican chamber.

Known as ‘Superman’ to his constituents, Frank is described in the documentary as “a political figure full of contradictions and deep insights, who has overcome a great deal of loss to become one of the most dynamic and unapologetic young leaders in the country.”

According to St. Louis magazine, the half-hour documentary, produced by Meralta Films, “depicts Franks’ experiences with mental trauma after losing loved ones to gun violence.” Frank’s 9-year-old brother was shot and killed in front of him. The documentary chronicles his efforts to create change through legislation.

Mundhra told the media that when she was approached by Al Jazeera’s producer Poh Si Teng to make a 30-minute documentary, she was already contemplating working on a film based on the life and work of Franks. It was then that she asked Khan to come on board as a co-director.

Mundhra has been working in the film and television industry for over 15 years. Her latest film, the documentary “A Suitable Girl,” had its world premiere in the documentary competition section of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. It received rave reviews, and was awarded the Albert Maysles Best Documentary Director prize at the festival.

Prior to “A Suitable Girl,” Mundhra produced “Bomb the System,” a 2004 Independent Spirit Award nominee for Best First Feature. She also produced the feature film “Waterborne,” which won the audience award at SXSW film festival.

She also co-produced “Punching at the Sun,” an official selection of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, as well as over one dozen award-winning short films, including the 2010 Sundance Film Festival official selection and Women In Film award winner “New Media.”

Mundhra holds an MFA in Film from Columbia University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, screenwriter Christian Magalhães, and their daughter Isabel.

Khan is a New York City-based filmmaker whose work has screened at leading festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival and the Mumbai Film Festival.

His feature film debut, “Khoya,” was selected for the Tribeca Film Institute’s Tribeca All Access fellowship in 2016. The film tells the story of a man traveling to India to solve the decades-old mystery surrounding his adoption.

Along with filmmaking partners Michael Gassert and Jonathan Miller, Khan is producer and co-director on “The Last Out,” a documentary in post-production that tells the harrowing tale of four Cuban baseball players and their dangerous journeys out of their homeland and into the United States.

Khan is an adjunct filmmaking lecturer at Columbia University and Brooklyn College. He graduated from Columbia University with an MFA in film.

Oscar nominations 2020: ‘Joker’ leads with 11; complete list of nominees

January 20, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Social Media 0

“Joker,” the controversial drama about the mentally ill Batman villain that sparked backlash with its realistic depictions of extreme violence, triumphed at the 92nd annual Academy Awards nominations on Monday morning, earning 11 nods, the most of any film.

Three films were close behind with 10 nominations: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino’s fictional ode to 1960s Hollywood; “The Irishman,” Martin Scorsese’s mob drama starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci that clocks in at three and a half hours; and “1917,” the World War I epic that centers on two British soldiers on a dangerous trip to deliver a critical message that could save 1,600 troops.

All four of those movies also earned best picture nominations. Rounding out the prestigious category is “Little Women,” Greta Gerwig’s version of Louisa May Alcott’s tale of four sisters growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War; “Marriage Story,” which centers on an excruciating divorce and custody battle; “Parasite,” the South Korean psychological thriller-slash-dark comedy; “Jojo Rabbit,” about a young German boy who counts Hitler as an imaginary friend; and “Ford v Ferrari,” based on the true story of Ford’s goal to make a faster car than the Ferrari.

For the second year in a row, there were no women nominated in the best director category: Nominees included Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Bong Joon-ho, Sam Mendes and Todd Phillips, with the notable snub of Gerwig.

Once again, the Oscars ceremony will be host-free – after the debacle over Kevin Hart’s tweets in 2019, the show’s producers aren’t taking any chances. “There was a lot of conversation about which way to go and there may be a day when we decide to have a host again, but the focus has been on the most entertaining show and not on the host,” ABC entertainment president Karey Burke told reporters last week.

The nominations were announced Monday morning, hosted by actress Issa Rae and John Cho. The Academy Awards air Sunday, Feb. 9 – with no host – on ABC.

– – –

Oscar nominations by movie:

“Joker” – 11

“Once Upon a Time In Hollywood” – 10

“The Irishman” – 10

“1917” – 10

“Parasite” – 6

“Marriage Story” 6

“Little Women” – 6

“Bombshell” – 3

– – –

The nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards:

Best picture

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“The Irishman”

“Parasite”

“1917”

“Marriage Story”

“Jojo Rabbit”

“Joker”

“Little Women”

“Ford v Ferrari”

Analysis: The best predictors for the Oscar nominations are often the respective category’s guild awards, and this year’s best picture nominees almost mirror those for the Producers Guild Awards’ top prize. The exception would be “Knives Out,” which the PGAs nominated but which landed only a best original screenplay nomination here. None of these titles are a shock, though it’s worth noting that “Parasite” has picked up enough steam in the past few weeks to land major nominations outside the international feature film category.

– – –

Best actress in a leading role

Renée Zellweger, “Judy”

Charlize Theron, “Bombshell”

Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story”

Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”

Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet”

Analysis: There are no major surprises here, though one could surely take issue with the lack of nods for Awkwafina, a Golden Globe winner for her dramatic turn in “The Farewell,” and Cho Yeo-jeong, a scene-stealer in Bong Joon-ho’s heavily nominated “Parasite.” Unlike BAFTA, the voting body overseeing Britain’s equivalent of the Oscars, the academy also gave a nod to Erivo’s performance in the long-awaited “Harriet.” It’s worth noting that Johansson is nominated for her first Oscar (make that two, since she also got a supporting actress nod for “Jojo Rabbit.”) She has solid contenders in Zellweger, Theron and Ronan, so the outcome for this category is anyone’s guess.

– – –

Best actor in a leading role

Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”

Adam Driver, “Marriage Story”

Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory”

Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes”

Analysis: Joaquin Phoenix, the clear front-runner; Adam Driver; and Leonardo DiCaprio have consistently landed best actor nominations throughout award season, but those last two slots have been in flux. Critics’ favorite Antonio Banderas was always in the running for his emotional performance in Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory,” while Jonathan Pryce also earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role in “The Two Popes.” Potential snubs include Christian Bale for “Ford v Ferrari” and Robert De Niro for “The Irishman,” two films that fared well in other categories.

– – –

Best director

Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”

Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Bong Joon-ho, “Parasite”

Sam Mendes, “1917”

Todd Phillips, “Joker”

Analysis: “Congratulations to those men,” Rae joked after the nominations were read. Indeed, the lack of Greta Gerwig’s inclusion for “Little Women” is a snub, though sadly not an unexpected one. The director to watch here is Tarantino, who has been twice nominated for the award to no avail. A wave of goodwill has swelled around Bong’s film “Parasite.” Directors of foreign-language films don’t historically win in this category – Alfonso Cuarón winning for “Roma” last year being a notable exception – so a W for Joon-ho could begin a welcome/interesting trend. But let’s not forget that although Phillips’s “Joker” might be the year’s most divisive film, it’s also the one with the most Oscar nods. One thing’s for certain: A dude will be bringing this trophy home … again.

– – –

Best actor in a supporting role

Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Al Pacino, “The Irishman”

Joe Pesci, “The Irishman”

Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”

Analysis: This race has long been Pitt’s to lose, especially if Pacino and Pesci split voters fond of Scorsese’s mob epic. If Pitt does emerge victorious, it’ll be his first Oscar win for acting, despite three nominations. However, the academy always enjoys an actor’s soulful transformation into a real person, so Hanks’s turn as Mister Rogers stands a strong chance. But no one should sleep on Hopkins – voter buzz around “The Two Popes” has been strong during the past few months. One thing’s for certain: Netflix did well here; three of the five performances were in films produced by the streaming service.

– – –

Best actress in a supporting role

Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”

Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”

Florence Pugh, “Little Women”

Scarlett Johansson, “Jojo Rabbit”

Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”

Analysis: If any race has a clear front-runner, it’s here. Dern has spent most of the year as a favorite, and nothing here suggests she won’t win – except, maybe, Johansson’s nomination. The actress, who has never before been nominated, appears both here and in best actress (for “Marriage Story”). There’s clearly a wave of support for Johansson, which suggests she just might upset Dern. Speaking of upset, though she was a long shot, many “Hustlers” fans are decrying the lack of Jennifer Lopez – some even calling it a snub.

– – –

Best international feature film

South Korea, “Parasite”

Spain, “Pain and Glory”

France, “Les Misérables”

North Macedonia, “Honeyland”

Poland, “Corpus Christi”

Analysis: “Parasite,” which landed five other nominations, is somehow the first South Korean film to ever appear in this category. It’s the obvious front-runner, with Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory,” a drama about the life of an aging film director, and Ladj Ly’s “Les Misérables,” a film inspired by the 2005 Paris riots, perhaps tied for second.The category, recently renamed from “best foreign language film,” drummed up quite a bit of controversy when the academy disqualified two entries, Nigeria’s “Lionheart” and Austria’s “Joy,” for featuring too much dialogue in English – an issue many thought would be resolved by the change in name. But the category’s requirement that each film feature a “predominantly non-English dialogue track” remained the same.

– – –

Best adapted screenplay

“The Irishman”

“Jojo Rabbit”

“Little Women”

“The Two Popes”

“Joker”

Analysis: If we were betting types, we would have made a nice bit of pocket money off this category. The uplifting “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” got no love, but the nihilistic “Joker” did, which, honestly, sign of our times, right? Greta Gerwig, snubbed for directing, gets some shine in this category for her novel approach to adapting a story that’s been told many times before. If “The Irishman” takes it, will it provide encouragement to writers nationwide, the ones who have difficulty editing down their work to more reasonable lengths?

– – –

Best original screenplay

“Marriage Story”

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Parasite”

“Knives Out”

“1917”

Analysis: As mainstream films rely more and more heavily on preexisting intellectual property with each passing year, it’s certainly refreshing to be reminded that original stories can capture the imagination of both moviegoers and industry insiders alike. That’s certainly what this category suggests, as four of the five films nominated here also received best picture nods. Tarantino is so known for winning this award, some in Hollywood call it “the Tarantino.” But don’t forget about Rian Johnson, whose crowd-pleasing whodunit “Knives Out” has been widely celebrated but received only a single nomination from the academy.

– – –

Best animated feature film

“Toy Story 4”

“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”

“Missing Link”

“I Lost My Body”

“Klaus”

Analysis: Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” is the clear front-runner here, though don’t discount the category’s other offerings – particularly “I Lost My Body,” a dark French drama that stunned at Cannes, and “Klaus,” a tender Christmas story from Netflix. We are surprised to see “Frozen II” left out of the mix – an omission that’s getting a rather chilly reception on social media.

– – –

Best documentary feature

“American Factory”

“The Edge of Democracy”

“Honeyland”

“For Sama”

“The Cave”

Analysis: This may be “American Factory’s” category to lose. The feature, which was produced by the Obamas and follows an Ohio auto-glass manufacturing plant’s transition to Chinese ownership, already won the directing award at Sundance. Even more notable is what’s missing: “One Child Nation” and “Apollo 11,” the latter of which did incredibly well at the box office for a documentary and topped some experts’ prediction lists for the feature to win in this category.

– – –

Best documentary short subject

“In the Absence”

“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”

“Life Overtakes Me”

“St. Louis Superman”

“Walk Run Cha-Cha”

– – –

Best animated short film

“Dcera (Daughter)”

“Hair Love”

“Kitbull”

“Memorable”

“Sister”

– – –

Best live action short film

“Brotherhood”

“Nefta Football Club”

“The Neighbors’ Window”

“Saria”

“A Sister”

– – –

Best film editing

“The Irishman”

“Ford v Ferrari”

“Parasite”

“Joker”

“Jojo Rabbit”

– – –

Best cinematography

“1917,” Roger Deakins

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Robert Richardson

“The Irishman,” Rodrigo Prieto

“Joker,” Lawrence Sher

“The Lighthouse,” Jarin Blaschke

Analysis: It’s wonderful to see Blaschke’s work on the visually striking (even upsetting) film “The Lighthouse” recognized by the academy, especially since the film received no other nominations. But it’s going to be tough to topple Deakins, who is considered by many – and particularly among academy voters – to be the best in the business, and whose “1917” turns the beautiful horror of war into a visual feast.

– – –

Best original song

“I’m Standing With You,” from “Breakthrough”

“Into the Unknown,” from “Frozen II”

“Stand Up,” from “Harriet”

“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” from “Rocketman”

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” from “Toy Story 4”

Analysis: Well, once Taylor Swift and Andrew Lloyd Weber’s song from “Cats” was excluded from the shortlist, all bets were off here! But seriously, the absence of “Spirit” from “The Lion King” soundtrack is notable, as the Beyoncé ballad was expected to show up in this category. But Disney should be happy, because while “Frozen II” was left off the best animated film list, at least it earned a nod for its signature song from the sequel. It might be tough to achieve the same success as “Let It Go,” though – industry voters appear to be big fans of “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from the Elton John biopic.

– – –

Best visual effects

“Avengers: Endgame”

“The Lion King”

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

“The Irishman”

“1917”

Analysis: This award is generally the most likely to honor blockbuster films. While this year is no different, it’s sneakily one of the most interesting categories here, showing a tension between old and new Hollywood. “The Irishman” made headlines for employing technology to de-age (and, in some cases, age) its actors, while “The Lion King” employed photorealistic computer-generated animation (which, in layman’s terms, means it looks like the animals are real). Meanwhile, traditional big-budget action movies like “Avengers: Endgame” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” fight for the title, along with “1917,” a traditionally beautiful film employing a visual gimmick to make the entire film feel like one shot.

– – –

Best production design

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“The Irishman”

“1917”

“Jojo Rabbit”

“Parasite”

Analysis: All five titles were also nominated by the Art Directors Guild this year, so they stood a good chance of landing Oscar nods as well. The buzziest picks might be “1917,” the World War I film shot to appear as one continuous take that therefore required production designer Dennis Gassner to build sets to hyper-specific lengths to facilitate the actual filming after months of rehearsing on an open field to get the timing down perfectly. Much of “Parasite” takes place in the affluent Park family’s home, which appears to be a real, layered mansion but was actually a set that director Bong Joon-ho and production designer Lee Ha-Jun designed entirely from scratch.

– – –

Best makeup and hairstyling

“Bombshell”

“Joker”

“Judy”

“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”

“1917”

Analysis: “Bombshell” was a shoo-in, especially given Charlize Theron’s startlingly similar look to the real-life Megyn Kelly. “Joker” and “Judy” were also expected, though many prognosticators thought the depiction of 1960s Los Angeles stars in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and the costumes in “Rocketman” would win out over “1917” and “Maleficent” (though Angelina Jolie’s look is impressive).

– – –

Best costume design

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Little Women”

“The Irishman”

“Jojo Rabbit”

“Joker”

Analysis: We’re not surprised to see a slew of period films here, but there are arguably a few worthy contenders missing: “Rocketman,” “Harriet” and, most notably, “Dolemite Is My Name,” helmed by “Black Panther” costume designer Ruth E. Carter. But if the rest of the categories are any indication, this could come down to “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” vs. “Joker.”

– – –

Best sound mixing

“1917”

“Ford v Ferrari”

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Ad Astra”

“Joker”

– – –

Best sound editing

“1917”

“Ford v Ferrari”

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Joker”

– – –

Best original score

“1917,” Thomas Newman

“Joker,” Hildur Guðnadóttir

“Little Women,” Alexandre Desplat

“Marriage Story,” Randy Newman

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” John Williams

Analysis: Gudnadottir’s unsettling “Joker” score has done well in the smaller awards shows preceding the Oscars, earning a Golden Globe, a Critic’s Choice Movie Award and a Satellite Award. But now “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and its familiar epic score, which came out at the end of 2019, has had time to embed itself more deeply into audience’s minds. And it’s important to note that Williams is something of a titan, having now received a breathtaking 52 Oscar nominations. No one but Walt Disney has received more, so Gudnadottir has her work cut out for her.

5 MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM CRICKET 2019

January 16, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Sports 0

This year has been a hotpot of entertainment is all aspects. Cricket has not been an exception. Both international and national cricket headlines were sparkling with new updates every now and then. It was supposed to be this way as well, because 2019 was going to host the pinnacle of cricketing excitement, the ICC Cricket World Cup. But not just that, there has been so much joy regarding India’s historic victory in the test series in Sydney Cricket Ground as well, so much excitement regarding India’s “Dada” Sourav Ganguly been sworn in as the president of BCCI, and a lot more achievements. It is safe to say, cricket fans enjoyed 2019 the most.

SPORTSMANSHIP IS NECESSARY:

Well, this World Cup has been the most popular cricket league throughout this year, and the lessons it has taught all of us are unforgettable. This world cup finale was the pinnacle of apprehension, tension and excitement that a cricketing world can ever have. Can you expect a world cup finale ending in as a tie, that too in a super over?

That is what happened in this world cup, where England was declared champions based on boundary count rule. Needless to say, this was not well received by the fans. This led ICC to abandon the rule, given its unfair nature and how this diminished the spirit of the game. However, even after being the epicenter of all this, Kane Williamson presented with utmost generosity and grace when he was approached for the post-match press conference. He congratulated England for their win, despite his team being so close to that themselves. He proved throughout the matches as to how mighty he is as a player, and how beautifully he maintains his captaincy. His sportsmanship gained huge respect from people all over the world, and he received a standing ovation from everyone in the press conference.

BCCI MADE ADMINISTRATION AND CRICKET MEET EACH OTHER:

For years, cricketing fans were heartbroken to see the enormous amount of corruption and bureaucracy attached to their favorite game. Such systemic dysfunction made cricket an ugly gamble for a lot of people. Some say that this happened because the man representing BCCI, that is the president, did not understand what it is like being on the ground. This year when India’s favorite cricketer, Sourav Ganguly was made the BCCI president after a lot of apprehension dilemma and conquest, fans’ excitement rose, by a million notches. Everyone congratulated Dada, and welcomed with open arms, expecting him to cleanse the systemic problems which the Indian cricketing forum has been stuck with for a very long time.

INDIA’S TEST SUPREMACY:

India played in eight test series this year and won seven of them. This massive success has been applauded by people residing both at home and abroad. Four of them were conceived by an innings, whereas other three by 318,257,203 runs. The historic win of India in the Sydney Cricket Ground, after a wait of 71 years, in their 12th attempt was a remarkable benchmark set by India. Following this terrific display of cricketing acumen, India has been ranked first in the list of ICC Test Championship, separating it from the second placed Australia by a huge run gap of 144. This year was utterly rewarding to the Indian team.

SOLID OPENING ORDER OF CRICKETING TEAM:

Well, India’s cricketing team had faced a major setback after India’s most promising batsman Shikhar Dhawan got a thumb injury after his outstanding performance in the league matches, where he defeated Australia. However, that didn’t stop India from performing with valor. KL Rahul was promoted to the top order. This right hander didn’t disappoint anyone. He churned out centuries in partnership with Rohit Sharma, in more than 3 matches. His performance was exceptional even in matches closer to home, which includes the stupendous 237 run stand in the second game in Visakhapatnam. Indian top order truly amazes its fans and startles cricket bases all around the world.

THE QUEST FOR WORLD CUP CONTINUES:

Well, as it has been already established this year’s world cup was the zenith of emotions that can be possibly attached to this game. The Indian cricket team braved their way through the world cup, by winning seven out of eight league level matches (one less because one of them was declared a 1-1 for both teams due to its cancellation due to weather conditions) and landed itself in the semifinals. However, in the semi-finals, the dynamic bowling pair of Matt Henry and Trent Boult made India really worry about winning the match. The partnership of Jadeja and Dhoni in the latter half of the game, after the shameful 24-4 situation in a run chase of 240, felt like a growing hope in adversity, however, the run out of Dhoni in the penultimate over shattered everyone. So, the quest continues.

Kathakali from the Enchanting Kerala

January 9, 2020 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Entertainment 0

Merging music, vocal and instrumental, with classical dance moves and stylized acting, Kerala Natanam, a unique brand of dance popular in Kerala, offers a visual feast for all. This culturally-rooted distinct art form is believed to have evolved from the classical dance-drama, Kathakali.

Besides infusing elements of philosophy into poetry and depicting multiple emotions, Kerala Natanam embodies an amalgamation of nritha (dance), nrithya (dance with music and gestures), natya (drama), angika (body gestures), vaachika (verbal), aahaarya (costumes and make up), saatvika (of temperaments and involuntary status) abhinaya (acting), along with the thala mela (rhythm) of the traditional percussion instruments.

Guru Gopinath, the pioneer of Indian creative dance, conceptualised Kerala Natanam after his association with danseuse Ragini Devi. The idea was to create a dance form that would connect with the people more easily, unlike the classical form of Kathakali. Thus he created a new unique dance form which later came to be known as Kerala Natanam.

The essence and classicism of Kathakali can be seen in the use of padams set in the Carnatic style. But it uses costumes quite distinct from Kathakali, which makes it easier for the viewer to identify the character.

Usually, Kerala Natanam performances are done in three styles: Ekanga Nadanam (solo), Samgha Nadanam (group) and Nataka Nadanam (a dance drama). A distinct style in Kerala Natanam is the male-female pair dancing.

The essence of this art form is conveyed in its style and theme. Kerala Natanam focuses on themes outside mythology, epics and history.

‘MALANG’ fever takes on!

January 9, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Ever since the characters posters for Disha Patani and Aditya Roy Kapur’s Malang were released, the hype for the movie has increased tenfold and now, the makers of Malang have finally dropped the trailer of the movie and it looks like a completely mysterious and pimped up package of action, entertainment, and drama.

Even with the trailer, the makers of the movie have managed to keep the intrigue and mystery of the movie high with bits and pieces of information that will certainly increase the buzz more than it already has. The trailer overall has a high raving vibe and is full of a high adrenaline rush that will leave the fans wanting more.

Sharing the scintillating trailer of the film, the makers ‘Luv Films’ took to their social media and shared, “Unleash The Madness, #MalangTrailer Out Now. http://bit.ly/MalangOfficialTrailer @AnilKapoor #AdityaRoyKapur @DishPatani @kunalkemmu @mohit11481 @MalangFilm @luv_ranjan @gargankur @itsBhushanKumar @jayshewakramani @TSeries”.

Aditya Roy Kapur looks menacing and mysterious as ever and his pairing with Disha Patani could easily be touted as the hottest couple in B’-Town right now. Anil Kapoor and Kunal Kemmu, both have unique characters with little detail revealed about them.

Director of the film, Mohit Suri shares, “I am excited to share the trailer of Malang with the audience today. With this movie, I am essentially returning to a space that I enjoy the most, which is intense, edgy and mad. I hope it is as thrilling and exciting an experience for the audience as it has been for each of us.”

Earlier today, the makers of the movie released yet another poster of all four major characters in the movie and it was the perfect set up for the high-on-energy and full of mystery and madness trailer.

Malang is directed by Mohit Suri. Produced by T-Series’ Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Luv Films’ Luv Ranjan, Ankur Garg, and Northern Lights Entertainment’s Jay Shewakramani, the film will release on 7th February 2020.

1000 Songs in 1000 Days: Swapna Abraham Setting New World Record

January 2, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

A young Indian girl has created history by the first ever to write the lyrics for 1,000 songs, composing music for them, singing them and publishing a new video of 1,000 melodies songs in a record 1,000 consecutive days. Making a new world record, Swapna Abraham from Kottayam, India has shown her talents, skills, creativity, endurance, and dedication through this new collection of songs. Swapna has become the first individual in the world to create and publish a video of 1,000 songs in as many days, fulfilling her dreams to reality on the dawn of the new year 2020.

The Dubai-based singer and songwriter Swapna Abraham, became equally passionate about creating a world record, having read the Guinness Book voraciously throughout her youth. Lately, she prayerfully became a competitive marathoner to set a new world record: writing and singing 1000 songs in 1000 days.

Swapna has released one new song every day since April 8, 2017, and is on track to reach her 1,000 songs goal on January 2, 2020; her experience, of course has been exhausting and fulfilling. Her album “1000 Songs In 1000 Days” will qualify to be considered as the record for “most songs on a digital album” with the Guinness Book of World Records. Her final composition will coincide with the launch of Dubai’s EXPO 2020, a timing Swapna Abraham chose to make the record special for Dubai.

While I watched Swapna Abraham from Kottayam singing to record a few English devotional songs for the Album ‘Believe’ by Adonai Musics during 1992 in the cubicles of Pyramid Studio, Kottayam, I was amazed at her brilliant performance with her intense emotion and the depth of her singing. When jokingly commented that she sings like Amy Grant, she told she would like to be like Amy one day if God blesses her.

Swapna has shown her talents all along her school days, attending a boarding school for 12 years. She wrote poems, danced and sang at several school events from the very young age She was always the ‘Best All Rounder’ in the school. Later on, Swapna attended School in Music from Trinity College of Music, London.

During the subsequent years, I was fortunate to watch with amazement her various stage performances. I was part of Swapna releasing her music albums in cassettes and in digital discs. Swapna had used her talents in music to share her devotion and love for God, and was a regular singer along with her ex-husband Abey Abraham, performing devotional musical extravaganzas in several countries including USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Kenya , in addition to performing in numerous cities in India.

Her music has also travelled all the way from Dubai to the Kensington Palace in London and the singer is overjoyed on hearing back from the royal couple. “The exhaustion is something I cannot even start to describe. Having said that, this has been a very fulfilling experience, musically and personally, I certainly feel at a zenith of sorts,” said Swapna Abraham recently.

During her saga of composing and singing, she received many prominent awards. In 2012, Swapna was awarded with the Maestro Award – LAMP-ICONGO Karmaveer Chakra for gospel music.

On May 27, 2019, Swapna she was accorded the 31st Global Women’s Empowerment Summit 2019 Award, and was asked to write a song over the Iftar surrounded by beautiful women just before receiving the award.

She celebrated her half way marathon on Aug 18, 2018 . With VIP Witness on Day 500, Mr. Yasser Al Gargawi, Director of Cultural Events, Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, Government of Dubai, now in the Ministry of Tolerance. The song for the day “This Blessed Land” was written based on his theme suggestion. Her interviews with so many from Asianet news, La Chelle Adkins to Steve Kuban are so incredible, demonstrating her intense passion to accomplish her mission.

Our relationship with God is deeply personal; and God hears and answers your earnest prayers. But sometimes we all need a little help recognizing what God is saying to us. Swapna Abraham is a living witness to the abundant blessing she is receiving, in spite of intricate challenges she faced later on in life. She has released 23 albums. After her MBA, she worked in executive levels in various organizations in India and abroad.

“God surely works everything for the good of those who love Him, in spite of our mistakes and wrong choices. My wish now remains just this – that I will see the fruit of my hard work as a singer-songwriter and that my children will do something very real about their dreams. I hope to still be of service to God for He has remained real, true, constant and faithful and I also believe that He desires that of me.” Says Swapna while graciously accomplishing her desire and mission, indeed. As per Swapna her bright days are yet to come!

Amitabh Bachchan receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award

January 2, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

President Ram Nath Kovind presented Amitabh Bachchan with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for outstanding contribution to the film industry.

Soon after the award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, #dadasahebphalkeaward trended with 3,315 tweets and #AmitabhBachchan with 2,101 tweets.

Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar wrote: “The legend Amitabh Bachchan, who has entertained and inspired for two generations, was selected unanimously for the #DadaSahabPhalke award. The entire country and the international community is happy. My heartiest congratulations to him. @narendramodi @SrBachchan.”

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan also congratulated the star, saying: “Heartiest congratulations to Bollywood’s legendary actor for receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award from President Ram Nath Kovind ji! @SrBachchan Ji is one of the greatest actors in the world cinema’s history.”

The writer of ‘Pink- The Inside Story’, Gautam Chintamani tweeted: “Fate ordains #AmitabhBachchan to be honoured with the Phalke Award on the birthday of #RajeshKhanna, a co-star who brought out the best in him.”

A senior scribe shared how Khanna often smiled looking at a particular ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award as it was presented by Bachchan.

One user posted: “Congratulations to the actor of the century #AmitabhBachchan for receiving the most prestigious #DadasahebPhalke Award. You have created many milestones in acting & performance.”

Another user tweeted: “Heartiest congratulations to Bollywood’s legendary actor. #AmitabhBachchan is one of the greatest actors in the world.”

Amitabh Bachchan was honoured as he has completed 50 years in the Indian film industry.

The official Twitter handle of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) shared a video of Big B receiving the award amid loud applause. He attended the ceremony with his wife and actress Jaya Bachchan and son and actor Abhishek Bachchan.

Tanishq Sharma: Miss India Worldwide – Eyes Set On Bollywood

December 29, 2019 Ajay GhoshEntertainment, Fashion 0

Tanishq Sharma, a tall, stunning photogenic beauty-queen-model and aspiring Bollywood actress, the reigning Miss India Worldwide winner, who won the prestigious title at the beauty pageant in September this year, in Mumbai, is gearing up to try her luck in the Bollywood world.

Overcoming tough competition from charming Indian-origin beauty-queens from over 30 foreign countries, the stunning model-trained actress-danseuse Tanishq Sharma won the coveted title-sash and was crowned ‘Miss India Worldwide-2019’ beauty-queen, representing Oman.

Tanishq Sharma: Miss India Worldwide - Eyes Set On Bollywood

The spectacular Miss India Pageants organized by India Festival Committee (IFC), which has evolved and expanded, now incorporating and having membership from over 40 countries, that promote Indian heritage and providing a platform for people of Indian origin to unite and showcase their talents, skills and beauty.

Neelam and Dharmatma Saran, chairman and founders of the New York based India Festival (IFC) that organizes the trail blazing Miss India Worldwide, are pioneers in entertainment, holding Indian pageants and fashion shows in the USA and worldwide.

An elegant, ambitious and talented aspiring Bollywood actor, Tanishq says, she wanted to join Bollywood, while growing up as an young girl, watching her mom teaching Indian classical dance. “I always participated in each and every cultural activities in India, Oman and Australia. Besides all this, I played Amrapali of our ancient times Amrapali. I won Miss India Worldwide 2019 because of my talent round only.”

Her real break came when she was crowned Miss India Worldwide held in Mumbai in September. Since than she has been in the limelight attracting much media coverage. She just returned from Durban, South Africa, where she was invited as Special Guest to Miss India South Africa.

In Durban, she had a memorable meeting with the winner of Miss India South Africa Aaliyah Chaboo, Dharmatma Saran – Chairman of Miss India Worldwide and Kamisha and Preetha Nanhoo – Chief Organizers of Miss India South Africa.

Talking about her journey, “I feel I am still working and there is so much more to go. I still have many more platforms to seek for and many more people to meet. I wish to work with Salman Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff and Hrithik Roshan in Bollywood,”

“I feel entry to Bollywood is just about luck and hard work. There is no easy pathway for pageant winners like me. I accept the fact that culture activities, vocabulary qualities and expressing views are important qualities to have in one to excel,” she says with maturity.

Tanishq was raised in Oman, and she shares a close bond with her maternal grand-father who guided and supported her to fulfill her dreams. Tanishq Sharma came to India in 2016 to become an actress and thereafter, she started her career by participating in Yamaha Fascino Miss Diva 2016, and she was one of the Finalists. In year 2017, she was seen as a wild card contestant in India’s Next Top Model Season 3 premiered on MTV.

Tanishq, who was born in a multi-ethnic family in India, immigrated to Oman, where she pursued her second hobby, which is baking pastries. Her father Purnanand Sharma belongs to Uttarakhand, where she did her schooling.

A winner of a series of six beauty-queen titles including Miss India Diva, NDA-Queen, Miss Tiara, and Miss Universe India 2016 Finalist. Tanishq is fluent in Hindi, Urdu, and English.

Tanishq has been trained and groomed into the craft of acting-dancing by noted ‘acting-guru’ Madhumati (retro films—famous former actress-danseuse) who has also trained star-actors like Akshay Kumar and Chunky Pandey.

Her modesty was seen when she declared on stage that “I consider myself perfectly imperfect, I don’t pretend to be what I am not.” Tanishq, who is now based in Mumbai, says, her wish-list includes her wish to work with top directors like Sunny Deol, Madhur Bhandarkar , Shoojit Sircar, Mahesh Bhatt Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Imtiaz Ali, Amar Kaushik and Anand L. Rai. Her dream-co-actor has always been Emraan Hashmi.

She has done ad-commercials photoshoot and promoted brands like Kodak Lens, Nazraana Jewellery, Eric De Vert Frangrance, Dazzler Eye mascare, Glamour organic, beauty products and many more.

Tanishq Sharma has shot ad-commercials for brands like Kodak Lens, Nazraana Jewellery, Eric De Vert Frangrance, Dazzler Eye mascare, Glamour organic etc, and now she is looking out for an opportunity to enter into Bollywood.

Besides becoming a successful Bollywood actress, Tanishq would like to work on women empowerment and start a NGO to help women in distress and affected by domestic violence.

Her passionate interest in cooking, has made her an owner of multi-cuisine restaurant named ‘Khalifa’ in Muscat, Oman; and she has a flair for making confectionery and pastries.

She is looking forward to her visit to New York and Houston in January to attend Miss India USA. She plans to visit many other countries during her reign. Miss India Worldwide provides all expenses paid trip to at least five countries besides a cash prize of US$8,000.00.

Tanishq Sharma gives credit to her parents and grandparents, along with Dharmatma Saran and his wife Neelam, who “really helped me to be what I am today. You all can see me in Bollywood soon, as I have already signed” projects with leading actors in the Bollywood world. Her message to the youth of Indian origin is to “stick to their culture traditions and moral.”

‘The Warrior Queen of Jhansi,’ offers an authentic portrayal of the legendary warrior

November 28, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Swati Bhise is a history buff – Indian and British history to be precise. Add to that her mastery in abhinaya (acting), choreography, music and detailing, and the result her directorial debut, “The Warrior Queen of Jhansi,” which released Nov. 15. Bhise calls it an historical and visual delight.

She told media she was motivated to do the film because she wanted to bring the story of Rani Laxmibai on the global platform. “This is such an incredible subject to think that a young woman took it upon herself to embark on a journey that very few would have the courage to do,” Bhise said. “Her single-minded path of following in a direction that she chose was incredible.”

Bhise, who co-wrote the script, along with her daughter, Devika Bhise, who plays the lead role in the film, said in today’s world it’s important for young girls and women that “there have been women like Rani Laxmibai who in the 1850s accomplished so much without having any royal upbringing.” Hence she said it’s important that we don’t just celebrate her life but use her life as an example.

To convey that essence of Rani Laxmibai, Bhise said she did a “very thorough and detailed” research to make sure the treatment to the film was authentic. She said she wanted to highlight lesser known facts like Rani Laxmibai was a Maharashtrian who became the queen of Jhansi, which is in Uttar Pradesh now. “When we do not present facts to the world, the wrong things become history,” she said, adding that she hasn’t compromised on the storytelling or the detailing. “I have not taken any artistic liberties,” she said, and added that she has “backed the story with historical reference.”

Also incorporated in the film is music with a Maharashtrian flavor and though the film is in English, Bhise says she has given natural touches like the use of Marathi and Sanskrit by the characters “when needed.” She said she needed her story to be told “not from a patriotic or mythical or mystical manner but about a vulnerable young woman then and what she must have undergone and what it made her and how she left a legacy.”

A trained Bharatnatyam dancer, Bhise has directed dance-dramas in the past and choreographed Broadway shows, hosted and scripted the talk show “Spotlight on Culture” and directed performers. She has also acted in the TV series “Mahanagar” with Shekhar Kapur in the late 1980s, and was also featured in the American musical opera “Daddy Meets Durga.”

She has worked as an executive producer on ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’, a 2015 British biographical drama film about the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan starring Dev Patel and Devika Bhise.

The first-time filmmaker also talked about the challenges she faced while making the film, which was completed in eight weeks. She admitted that it’s difficult to break into the industry as a woman; she said she got bullied initially, but then she quickly learned the ropes and after that “it was her way or the highway.” Talking to filmmakers like Ashok Amritraj also helped she said. “I couldn’t have done the film without the pitfalls they told me about,” she said. She acknowledged the hard work of her cast and crew both in the U.S. and in India.

Despite having the same subject as “Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi,” starring Kangana Ranaut, a commercial Bollywood film which was released earlier this year, Bhise is hopeful of the film’s success because of the interest and discussion it has created. “I would hope that the Indian audience looks at what kind of films we need to make to bring out our stories for a global audience,” she said.

Her film was completed before the Bollywood film but they had to take a break from screening it publically in 2018 because of Bhise’s ill health. She had to spend a few weeks at NYU Hospital on life support and a few months recovering. She says she hasn’t seen Ranaut’s film, but her friends who have seen it have told her that the two films are different. Her film focuses on the East India Company on a very large scale canvass; has five big western actors who have played crucial characters in the film and is also devoid of songs and dances, unlike the Bollywood film.

Frozen 2: Bringing back that warm, fuzzy feeling

November 28, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

It may have been six years since we saw Frozen, but its sequel takes place three years after the predecessor with the usual suspects Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna (Kristin Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Sven and Olaf (Josh Gad) embarking on yet another adventure to save the kingdom of Arendelle. A strange voice seems to be calling Elsa, and takes her and the gang all the way to Enchanted Forest that has been locked out by a thick mist because of what happened there 34 years ago.

Frozen 2, the sequel feels a trifle dark for kids, a jokey Olaf notwithstanding, but packs in enough sentiment for adults to wallow in.

Elsa has to get to know the origin of her magical icy powers and use them to undo the damage and set things right all over again, for not just Arendella but also its supposed foe Northuldra. It’s all about Elsa finding the fifth element to get air, water, fire and earth back in harmony.

In Frozen, the moot point was whether Elsa’s powers were too much for the world to handle; now the question is if they are enough.

Hollywood animated films tend to have a blueprint of their own. The artwork, design and special effects dazzle ceaselessly in film after film. As they do here with Elsa’s magic making the fantasy soar even higher and further. The sequence involving Elsa riding the choppy waves and the phantom of a horse can put action scenes in many a live-action film to shame. Add to that the music, the usual emotional wallop, generous shots of humour, the twists and turns, a family mystery at the heart of darkness and a feel good end and you have a film that manages to hold you in its grip despite all the foresee-ability.

Frozen 2

Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Starring: Computer animation with voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Ciaran Hinds, Alan Tudyk

Run time: 103 minutes

Storyline: The kingdom of Arendelle is in danger again and Elsa has begun to hear a strange voice calling her. So she embarks on a journey with sister Anna, Anna’s boyfriend Kristoff, his reindeer Sven and the much-loved snowman Olaf to Enchanted Forest that has been locked out by a thick mist. Will she get to know the origins of her ice powers and be able to figure how they can be used to save their world?

Frozen 2 also comes with the added baggage of comparisons with the much loved Frozen. Forget the films, can even a new song like Into The Unknown hold a candle to Let It Go from the past? The jury might still be out on that, but the characters in the sequel continue to throb with lives of their own, sporting distinct personality traits and identities, be it the leader-like Elsa or the forever encouraging Anna.

Eventually it all boils down to feelings and how they are rendered tactile. You can sense the joy of a loved ones’ cuddles in Anna’s big expressive eyes. A lot of us would have experienced the warmth of a mother’s love long after she’d have left the world; in her scarf that we’d wrap around ourselves in moments when we were desperately seeking certainty and comfort.

As is usual with most animated films, the seemingly simple story meant for children comes with deeper, more complex and mature messages for adults to grapple with. In fact, Frozen 2 feels a trifle dark for kids, despite the jokey Olaf. The notion of embracing the unknown, of dredging out memories and answers from the past and finding one’s own self may not quite be of their interest. Ditto for the grown up themes of change, loss, grief, reconciliation and moving on: that hope might be gone but you must go on, find a new way out and do the right thing. As a song in the film goes, “When you are older, everything makes sense”. Not quite kid-friendly stuff, but it’s definitely a most simple, basic reassurance for the adults to be told that, “When all is lost, then all is found”. Or, perhaps, nothing or noone is ever lost; eventually it’s all just shape-shifting.

Then there is the political allegory itself. How strategic betrayals may create rifts between nations but the spirit of forgiveness and humanity of the people can break the walls and build bridges. Peace can be brokered even after 34 years of deadlock. In the words of the film itself it’s all about “land and people connected by love”. If only the real world would pay heed to that.

Archita Mundrathi Crowned Miss India Connecticut

November 20, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Fashion 0

Archita Mundrathi was crowned Miss India Connecticut and Mamatha Puttaswamy won the title of Mrs. India Connecticut as 24 contestants participated in the Miss India Connecticut 2019 pagean, organized and hosted by CT state director Sumathi Narayanan on Nov. 2.

The pageant, directed by Sumathi Narayanan, featured the following categories: Jr. Pre-Teen, Pre-Teen, Teen, and Mrs. A total of 24 contestants participated in the pageant and confidently portrayed Indian culture, unique talents, and American pride with grace and elegance. The pageant was not just about outer beauty, but also valued inner beauty, intelligence, and ambition of the young women of Connecticut. Here is the list winners in various categories:

“We are so proud of the beautiful, talented, and successful women of Connecticut, and we’re excited to see how they further achieve their causes and missions in this upcoming year by using the platform given to them,” said state director Narayanan. “We also encourage all women to continue to pursue their dreams and seize these opportunities! The Miss India Connecticut team thanks to all its sponsors and supporting organizations for making this event a grand success.”

Miss India Connecticut is associated and part of IFC, a pioneer in organizing Indian pageants and fashion shows in USA, and aptly called the ‘Mother of all Indian Pageants in USA.’

The event started with an opening dance choreographed by P&P Dance Crew of CT, in which all the contestants performed energetic and graceful introductory dances alongside the reigning Miss India CT 2018 – Alka, Mrs. India CT 2018 – Rekha, Miss Teen India CT 2018 – Nikitha, Mrs India USA 2018/Mrs India Worldwide RU 2019 – Vidhi . The opening dance was then followed by the ethnic wear round, where each contestant proudly displayed their Indian culture. Next was the talent round, in which contestants displayed their talent through dance and musical performances, acting, martial arts, crafts, and even magic shows! The contestants then gave their introduction in the evening gown round. Lastly, the finalists amazed everyone with their wits in the question and answer round.

Winners:

Miss Junior Pre-Teen India Connecticut – Jahnvi Modi

Miss Pre-Teen India Connecticut – Aavni Parekh

Miss Teen India Connecticut – Archita Mundrathi

Mrs. India Connecticut – Mamatha Puttaswamy

1st Runner Up:

Miss Junior Pre-Teen India Connecticut – Ankitha Basker

Miss Pre-Teen India Connecticut – Nayana Pradeep

Miss Teen India Connecticut 1st Runner Up – Athulya Narayanan

Mrs. India Connecticut 1st Runner Up – Sweta Patel

2nd Runner Ups:

Miss Junior Pre-Teen India Connecticut – Kaashvi Singhal

Miss Pre-Teen India Connecticut – Kamya Keerthivasan

Miss Teen India Connecticut – Muskan Ghetiya

Mrs. India Connecticut – Rajalekshmy Chembakomony

Sub-Title Winners:

Junior Pre-Teen: Aarna Pavan Mannurkar – Beautiful Hair & Viewer’s Choice; Ankita Basker – Beautiful Walk; Jahnvi Modi – Beautiful Eyes & Beautiful Smile; Kaashvi Singhal – Photogenic. Pre-Teen: Aavni Parekh – Beautiful Walk & Viewer’s Choice; Hasnie Giritharan – Beautiful Hair; Kamya Keerthivasan – Beautiful Smile; Nayana Pradeep – Photogenic; Pooravi Srivastava – Beautiful Eyes.

Teen: Athulya Narayanan – Talented; Neesha – Business Leader, Photogenic & Viewer’s Choice.

Mrs: Jaya Daptardar – Director’s Choice; Lipika Das – Beautiful Eyes; Madhumita Nagashetty – Photogenic; Mamatha Puttaswamy – Viewer’s Choice; Rajvinder Randhawa – Beautiful Hair; Rumana Kumar – Congeniality; Saranya Vaithilingam – Catwalk; Seema Singh – Business Leader; Sonya Upadhyay – Beautiful Smile; Sweta Patel – Talented.

The winners of Teen, Miss and Mrs. Category will also be going forward to compete at the national level pageant hosted by Mr. Dharmatma Saran, Chairman of IFC in Houston – TX on Dec 7th 2019, for the title of Miss/Teen/Mrs. India USA!

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Abhay Deol, Brendan Fraser to Headline Inaugural NYC SAFF, Presented By Toyota

November 20, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

The first-ever New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), presented by Toyota, will kick off on Friday, November 15th at the Altman Building (135 W 18th Street in Chelsea) with the world premiere of Rohit Karn Batra‘s mafia family drama, LINE OF DESCENT, starring Abhay Deol and Brendan Fraser (both in attendance). The festival’s centerpiece film on Saturday, November 16th is the New York premiere of Gitanjali Rao‘s animated Bollywood film BOMBAY ROSE. The festival will close out its programming with the North American premiere of Tannishtha Chatterjee’s directorial debut, ROAM ROME MEIN, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui (both in attendance).

22 shorts, documentaries and feature films comprise the inaugural NYC SAFF, along with after parties, networking sessions and panel discussions, all taking place over 48 hours! Film synopses, trailers, entire lineup and ticket information are available on the festival’s website, www.nycsaff.com.

Opening Night Schedule (Friday, November 15th):

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Media check-in for red carpet assignments
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Red Carpet + Cocktail Reception
7:45 p.m. – Welcome Remarks by Manny Bansi, Vice President, Toyota Logistics Services, Toyota Motor North America
8 p.m. – World Premiere of LINE OF DESCENT + Q&A
10 p.m. – VIP After Party with DJ Ashu Rai + Catering by Chef Gaurav Anand

Talent Walking Red Carpet & Attending Festival:

LINE OF DESCENT: Feature

Rohit Karn Batra (director)
Abhay Deol (actor)
Brendan Fraser (actor)

PROOF: Short

Sonny Chatrath (executive producer)
Nora Jaenicke (director)
Robert Wilson (actor)
Preeti Gupta (actress)
Jacopo Rampini (actor)

FRACTURED SOULS: Short

Eliezer Vergara (director)
Asim Farooki (actor)

THE UNEXPECTED: Short

Rishi Kumar (director)

FREAK: Short

Siraj Huda (producer, director, actor, writer)

AGENCY: Short

Omar Rahim (director)
Ami Sheth (actor)
Saks Afridi (actor)
Sadiq Samani (actor)

SUPER SONIC: Short

Saleem Gondal (writer/director)

LOVESICK: Documentary

Priya Giri Desai (co-director)

KHEJDI: Feature

Ashish Sharma (actor)
Archana Taide Sharma (producer)

DARLING: Short

Mahak Jiwani (producer)

THE LEAST OF THESE: Feature

Victor Abraham (executive producer)

MAI GHAT: Feature

Usha Jadhav (actress)

ROAM ROME MEIN: Feature

Tannishtha Chatterjee (actress/director)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui (actor)

Amtabh Bachchan: Celebrating Half A century of Success in Bollywood World

November 13, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Amitabh Bachchan’s journey of five decades to become the Bollywood “Shahenshah” was not always a smooth ride. Indeed, his life is nothing short of brilliant biopic material. Early rejections were followed by a phase when he made his mark as a promising actor, which was soon overshadowed by the kind of superstardom Bollywood never saw before or after. When the superstar tried his hand at film entrepreneurship, he went bankrupt, only to bounce back and claim supremacy as a super brand and respectability as an icon.

The first reaction of the industry all those years ago, however, was far from welcoming. His tall and lanky frame, and the baritone of his voice, were deemed unsuitable for Bollywood’s image of a perfect hero back then. These factors were pointed out as flaws, and reasons why he wouldn’t be able to make it big in the industry.

Today, he is the face of Indian cinema all over the world, and for decades he has been drawing his USP from those very attributes that were considered drawbacks back then.

“Saat Hindustani”, released on November 7 1969, marks the start of his salad phase. The son of celebrated poet Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan started his journey as one of seven protagonists in the film, which didn’t exactly mark a blockbuster debut.

The first time he was seriously noticed was when he essayed a supporting role in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Rajesh Khanna-starrer “Anand” (1971). Despite the presence of Khanna, the reigning superstar of the times, Bachchan grabbed attention in the role of Dr. Bhaskar Banerjee.

Despite getting noticed in “Anand”, Bachchan had to see a phase of brief struggle, despite a long list of releases such as a “Parwana”, “Reshma Aur Shera”, “Sanjog”, “Bombay To Goa”, “Ek Nazar”, “Bansi Birju”, “Raaste Kaa Patthar” and “Bandhe Haath”.

If his career is to be divided in phases, those early films, which also included “Chupke Chupke” and “Abhimaan”, could be termed as the Hrishikesh Mukherjee era. By the time Bachchan was co-starring with Rajesh Khanna in Mukherjee’s 1973 release “Namak Haraam”, people had already started talking of the tall, dark and brooding actor as the man who would be Bollywood’s next king.

It happened the same year, with Prakash Mehra’s “Zanjeer”. Rooted deep in angst and emotions attached to middle-class India, and delving into complex aspects of human lives, Bollywood’s “Angry Young Man” was born in Prakash Mehra’s 1973 hit, “Zanjeer”.

The film, riding the powerful writing by Salim Khan and Javed Akthar, went on to usher the era of violence and intense drama in Bollywood cinema. As Bachchan began rewriting cinematic trends for the Hindi film industry, Rajesh Khanna’s romantic era became history. The Salim-Javed phase of Amitabh Bachchan’s career began.

The Salim-Javed scripts that would go on to define Bachchan’s Angry Young Man image were “Deewar”, “Sholay”, “Trishul”, “Don”, “Kaala Patthar”, “Dostana”, Shaan” and “Shakti”. These films mark the zenith of the actor’s superstardom, cementing his permanent position in the industry.

Salim-Javed’s intense image for Bachchan was best interpreted by Prakash Mehra (“Zanjeer”), Yash Chopra (“Deewar”, “Trishul”, “Kaala Patthar”), and Ramesh Sippy (“Sholay”, “Shakti”).

Bachchan also proved to a peerless comic hero and entertainer in the Manmohan Desai films of the era, notably in “Parvarish”, “Suhaag”, “Amar Akbar Anthony”, “Naseeb” and “Desh Premee”.

“Besharam”, “Muqaddar Ka Sikandar”, “Mr. Natwarlal”, “Silsila”, “Satte Pe Satta” and “Namak Halaal” were a few other films that highlight his career as Bollywood’s biggest commercial phenomenon in the seventies and the eighties.

As he was busy making his mark, he was struck with the accident on the “Coolie” set, but that didn’t deter him to lose focus from his goal. The film went on to be a big hit when it released in 1983. By the time he won his first National Award for “Agneepath” (1990), Big B’s popularity was sky-high.

The slowdown started sometime in the mid-nineties, after he launched his company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). Big B, as he was being hailed by fans the media alike by now, somehow could not take to the world of business with the same effortless brilliance as acting. The failure of his entrepreneurial dreams also affected his box-office performances. Films such as “Mrityudaata”, “Sooryavansham”, “Major Saab”, “Lal Baadshah”, and “Kohram” crashed in succession in the mid to late nineties. In David Dhawan’s much hyped 1998 Diwali release “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan”, fans felt he was overshadowed by Govinda.

Big B needed reinvention, and there started a new phase in his career. It happened on the small screen, as he took to hosting the quiz show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” in 2000. Entering the living rooms of fans every weekday with a fresh set of questions for contestants, Amitabh Bachchan became a knowledge guru of sorts — perfectly in sync with his advancing age. The Angry Young Man of yore metamorphosed into the Wise Seasoned Celebrity, and new-age Indian television’s biggest phenomenon was born.

Much of what he has done over the past two decades resonates the icon that the KBC phase of Bachchan’s superstardom is defined by. The quiz show, after all, helped him find a solid comeback as a big screen phenomenon, defying age and stereotypes.

Creditable projects of this phase include “Mohabbatein”, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…”, “Aankhen”, “Kaante”, “Baghban”, “Khakee”, “Black”, “Bunty Aur Babli”, “Bhoothnath”, “Paa”, “Bol Bachchan”, “Piku”, “Wazir”, “Te3n”, “Pink”, “102 Not Out” and “Badla”.

He would win three more National Awards during this phase — for “Black” (2005), “Paa” (2009) and “Piku” (2015). This year he has been declared recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian cinema.

Despite being 77, he continues to be one of Bollywood’s busiest actors. His upcoming line-up includes “Chehre”, “Gulabo Sitabo”, “Brahmastra”, “Jhund” and “Aankhen 2”. Big B’s tryst with honing his craft continues, with the eagerness of a newcomer — as is visible in every new film. Perhaps that is the secret of his excellence and survival.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Abhay Deol, Brendan Fraser to Headline Inaugural NYC SAFF, Presented By Toyota

November 12, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

The first-ever New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), presented by Toyota, will kick off on Friday, November 15th at the Altman Building (135 W 18th Street in Chelsea) with the world premiere of Rohit Karn Batra’s mafia family drama, LINE OF DESCENT, starring Abhay Deol and Brendan Fraser (both in attendance). The festival’s centerpiece film on Saturday, November 16th is the New York premiere of Gitanjali Rao’s animated Bollywood film BOMBAY ROSE. The festival will close out its programming with the North American premiere of Tannishtha Chatterjee’s directorial debut, ROAM ROME MEIN, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui (both in attendance).

Twenty four shorts, documentaries and feature films comprise the inaugural NYC SAFF, along with after parties, networking sessions and panel discussions, all taking place over 48 hours! Film synopses, trailers, entire lineup and ticket information are available on the festival’s website, www.nycsaff.com.

Opening Night Schedule (Friday, November 15th):

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Media check-in for red carpet assignments

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Red Carpet + Cocktail Reception

7:45 p.m. – Welcome Remarks by Manny Bansi, Vice President, Toyota Logistics Services, Toyota Motor North America

8 p.m. – World Premiere of LINE OF DESCENT + Q&A

10 p.m. – VIP After Party with DJ Ashu Rai + Catering by Chef Gaurav Anand

Talent Walking Red Carpet & Attending Festival:

LINE OF DESCENT: Feature

Rohit Karn Batra (director)

Abhay Deol (actor)

Brendan Fraser (actor)

PROOF: Short

Sonny Chatrath (executive producer)

Nora Jaenicke (director)

Robert Wilson (actor)

Preeti Gupta (actress)

Jacopo Rampini (actor)

FRACTURED SOULS: Short

Eliezer Vergara (director)

Asim Farooki (actor)

THE UNEXPECTED: Short

Rishi Kumar (director)

FREAK: Short

Siraj Huda (producer, director, actor, writer)

AGENCY: Short

Omar Rahim (director)

Ami Sheth (actor)

Saks Afridi (actor)

Sadiq Samani (actor)

SUPER SONIC: Short

Saleem Gondal (writer/director)

LOVESICK: Documentary

Priya Giri Desai (co-director)

KHEJDI: Feature

Ashish Sharma (actor)

Archana Taide Sharma (producer)

DARLING: Short

Mahak Jiwani (producer)

THE LEAST OF THESE: Feature

Victor Abraham (executive producer)

MAI GHAT: Feature

Usha Jadhav (actress)

ROAM ROME MEIN: Feature

Tannishtha Chatterjee (actress/director)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui (actor)

Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain To Receive Honorary Doctorate From Berklee College of Music, Boston

November 4, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Berklee College of Music will present an honorary doctorate to world-renowned tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain at a historic concert celebrating his life and music on Friday, November 22, at Harvard Business School’s Klarman Hall in Allston, Massachusetts.

John McLaughlin, guitarist, composer and a long-time friend of Hussain will participate in bestowing the honorary doctorate to the tabla maestro. Hussain’s visit to the college is part of a five-day residency beginning Monday, November 18, in which the legendary musician will present a master class and record a music video with the Berklee Indian Ensemble.

“This is my first doctorate and I think you have to get to a certain age where you qualify for something like this, your ‘retiring age’,” said Hussain in a statement. It isn’t possible for me to even consider that I’m deserving of this honor, the reason being because we are born being students and we will die being the same. There isn’t any point in trying to be a master, there’s never an end, you can never reach your goal. You’re always trying to take another step forward and for me to reach a point where I deserve accolades of the highest honor is not something I’m highly convinced of.”

The Grammy Award-winning artist is being honored for his immense contribution to global musical culture. “It definitely is a pat on the back from my peers, colleagues, and elders recognizing a spark in me. I hope I’ll be able to live up to the confidence they’ve shown in my ability, whether it’s a doctorate or a well done from a teacher,” added the maestro.

The evening’s concert, produced by the Berklee India Exchange—a Berklee Institute launched in 2013 to establish a platform for cultural conversation about Indian music through artist residencies, musical collaborations, and performances—will feature Hussain as well as an international cast of students and faculty performing reinterpretations of his compositions and original tributes.

“Ustad Zakir Hussain is a living legend and witnessing him receive an honorary doctorate from Berklee is a dream come true. He is a trailblazer who has made Indian classical music “cool”,” says Clint Valladares, managing director, Berklee India Exchange. “Mr. Hussain’s fearless, innovative approach to diverse musical styles will inspire young musicians for generations to come.”

Through the Berklee India Exchange, Berklee College of Music is harnessing the global power of the Indian music industry to foster a richer learning environment for all of its students. The Berklee Indian Ensemble is itself a global viral sensation with over 152 million hits for their music videos.

Under the tutelage of his father and teacher, Ustad Allarakha, Hussain was inclined towards tabla from a very young age. He began touring by the age of 12, and together, he and his father elevated the status of the Indian percussion instrument across the globe.

Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Hussain’s contribution has been unique both as a performer and composer, with almost 150 albums to his credit and numerous collaborations with artists such as George Harrison, Yo Yo Ma, Chick Corea, Van Morrison, and Béla Fleck, as well as choreographers Mark Morris and Rennie Harris.

A frequent collaborator with English guitarist John McLaughlin, the two, along with Indian violin player L. Shankarand Indian percussionist T.H. “Vikku” Vinayakram, founded Shakti in 1974, an acoustic fusion band which combined Indian music with elements of jazz. Hussain’s most recent projects include a trio album with bassist Dave Holland and saxophonist Chris Potter, Good Hope, released on October 11, and a guest feature on McLaughlin’s upcoming sixth album, Is That So?, with Shankar Mahadevan, one of India’s most prolific vocalists and composers.

Inaugural NYC South Asian Film Festival Unveils Lineup of 24 Shorts, Docs & Features

November 4, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

TWENTY FOUR shorts, documentaries and feature films will premiere at the first-ever New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), presented by Toyota, between Friday, November 15 and Sunday, November 17, 2019, at various locations around Manhattan. The festival boasts FOUR world premieres, THREE North American premieres and 17 New York City premieres.

Timely and relevant themes such as immigration, surrogacy, police brutality and the aftermath of HIV/AIDS will be explored; under-represented communities such as transgenders, deaf and hard-of-hearing and outcasts will be acknowledged.

“Our programming team has worked incredibly hard to strike the right balance and showcase the most current, ground-breaking, topical independent cinema from various parts of South Asia at our inaugural festival,” said Jitin Hingorani, Founder and Festival Director. “We have focused our efforts on really engaging the millennials (Generation Z), as they are the future filmmakers, cinephiles, producers and investors, who will, ultimately, support film festivals like ours; so, it is our inherent responsibility to educate them about world-class cinema that is beyond Bollywood.”

OPENING NIGHT – World Premiere: Rohit Batra’s LINE OF DESCENT

Synopsis: Rohit Karn Batra’s directorial debut explores a dysfunctional mafia family in Dehli, as three brothers fight for control of their father’s legacy. When a mysterious American arms dealer (Brendan Fraser) becomes embroiled in the family’s internal war, a respected veteran cop (Indian actor Abhay Deol, in attendance) investigating the family tries to stop their tragic downfall. Watch the trailer HERE.

CENTERPIECE – NYC Premiere: Gitanjali Rao’s BOMBAY ROSE

Synopsis: Amidst the struggle of survival in a big city, a red rose brings together three tales of impossible loves. Love between a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy. Love between two women. Love of an entire city for its Bollywood stars. Painted frame by frame, the depiction of urban reality has a documentary style, whereas the intricate dream worlds are inspired from the rich and varied folk art styles of India. Watch trailer HERE.

CLOSING NIGHT – North American Premiere: Tannishtha Chatterjee’s
ROAM ROME MEIN

Synopsis: Raj (played by Nawazuddin Siddique, in attendance) goes to Rome in search of his missing sister. In his search he meets some magical characters who take him through his own journey of self realization. Does he find his sister in the end? This is actor Tannishtha Chatterjee’s directorial debut.

Madhuri Dixit Launches Youtube Channel

November 4, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

In a series of Youtube channels being launched by Bollywood celebrities, Madhuri Dixit Nene is the latest to join the gang. Madhuri launched her channel today, October 24, revealing that she had been waiting to explore the platform for a long time. The channel will give glimpses of her personal and work life.

Making the announcement, Madhuri told IANS, “Youtube is a platform that I’ve been wanting to explore for a long time. I love interacting with my fans in new & interesting ways, and a YouTube channel was an obvious choice. It’s going to be all things personal & candid with sneak peeks into my personal & work life. I’m really excited. Looking forward to a great experience.”

She took to Instagram to announce the launch of her channel. She wrote, “I’m so excited to share my first video on @YouTube, which is a BTS from @IIFA. Enjoy.” Her first video, like she says, is a behind-the-scenes video of her performance at IIFA this year. It is also a tribute to her guru and Bollywood choreographer, Saroj Khan.

Madhuri Dixit is one of the most acclaimed actors and Kathak dancers Bollywood have ever witnessed. Born in a Marathi Brahmin Koknastha family to Mr. Shankar and Mrs. Snehlata, Madhuri Dixit has two sisters Rupa, Bharti, and brother Ajit. She performed well in her academics and aspired to become a Microbiologist which made her pursue the subject from Mumbai’s Sathaye College, formerly known as Parle College; but within six months she opted out from college to pursue her career in Bollywood.

Though she debuted with ‘Abodh’ in 1984, it’s with ‘Tezaab’ (1988), a romantic thriller caste opposite Anil Kapoor, where she started garnering fame and popularity. She earned her first nomination of Filmfare Best Actress with this movie and it was also the highest grossing film in that year. Her performance in ‘Ek Do Tin’ made every heart groove to the beats of the song. During this time, Madhuri also got featured on Debonair and she was also featured as the cover girl on 1986 Filmfare edition. Since then she has graced more than 72 movies with her stupendous performances.

In (2019) she was seen reunited with Anil Kapoor after 17years on screen in a comedy, action and adventure movie ‘Total Dhamaal’ the third sequel of ‘Dhamaal’ (2007). In the same year, she also a part of Dharma productions ‘Kalank’ a period drama film directed by Abhishekh Varman starring along with Sanjay Dutt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Alia Bhatt, and Sonakshi Sinha.

Madhuri Dixit is also associated with various philanthropic activities. She is associated with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate the rights of children, prevent child labor and child trafficking. She was appointed as the brand ambassador for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign by the Government of India in 2015 that aspires to create awareness and upgrade the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls.

HOUSEFULL 4

November 4, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Now Playing in Theaters

Housefull 4 is coming to confuse you, put you on a laughing riot and take you through the grandeur of 1419 with a spark of 2019.

When 6 lovers are parted because of an evil conspiracy and revenge in the era of 1419, they cross paths once again in 2019. However, in the present life the 3 boys fall in love with the wrong women and are about to marry their sisters-in-law. As destiny would have it history repeats itself when the 3 couples land up in Sitamgarh once again, where it all began. Will they remember their past lives in time for marriage or will they be stuck with the wrong lovers forever?

Akshay Kumar has had audiences rolling in the aisles laughing with his latest hit comedy HOUSEFULL 4 which has quickly become one of the highest-grossing films ever for the actor in both India and North America after just one week in theaters. The popular star sat down to talk about his latest project in this special interview.

Interview with HOUSEFULL 4 Star Akshay Kumar

Q: Just like Virat Kohli is considered the run-machine for the Indian cricket team, you are considered the run machine for Bollywood. What is the secret behind taking films that cross the 100-crore mark at the box office each time?

A: I know you wouldn’t believe me, but I believe that luck has an important influence to play. There is no substitute for hard work but luck does contribute to seventy percent of your success.

How was your experience working with the cast of the film?

A: I don’t remember how many films Riteish and I have worked together in. He is more than a co-actor; a very close friend and we often sit together and share our highs and lows. The same is true for Bobby Deol, this is our fifth film together. And these pretty women who I am working with for the first time, have been an absolute pleasure to work with. Not to forget Chunkey Pandey aka Aakhri Pasta who is an indispensable part of the franchise, he is the pasta to our plate of sauce. He always has jokes up his sleeve to entertain us.

Q: Nowadays comedy films and the comedy genre have reduced, coming with a unique concept and playing two roles, how difficult is it for the actor?

A: Firstly, you need a big heart to make such a film and we are lucky we have the backing of Fox and Sajid Nadiadwala. Obviously, it is tough and there are a lot of hurdles that come in the way with such a large star cast as well but credit to our technicians and the whole team of the film who made the whole process very smooth. The film was completed 9 months ago but VFX took some time because it is a lengthy process, but we completed the film between 60-70 days.

Q: What are the similarities between a present-day barber and a king of a bygone area?

A: According to the film there is only one similarity I can think of – that one didn’t have hair and the other one was cutting other people’s hair and making them go bald. But it is very confusing, I myself got confused while reading the script and while hearing the screenplay. But when I saw the film everything was clear to me. It is going to be a one-of-a-kind film where reincarnation will be seen in comedy.

Q: You have cemented your place as an actor taking up social causes in movies such as Padman, Toilet – Ek Prem Katha. Housefull on the other hand is an out and out entertainer, what made you get back to this genre?

A: I enjoy this genre, I wanted to do a role without any stress and pressures and be completely open and lose all the respect I’ve earned with my previous few films (laughs). But on a serious note, I want to tell everyone that slapstick comedy isn’t usually valued in India but it’s one of the most difficult genres to play on screen. No matter how good your punchline is, if your comic timing is off, the audiences won’t like it.

Indian-American contestant who collapsed before Miss World America Pageant, wins 5 awards

October 23, 2019 Ajay GhoshEntertainment, Fashion 0

Indian American contestant, Shree Saini collapsed right before Miss World America final night of the competition in Las Vegas on October 12^th, 2019. “Please pray for my daughter Shree Saini. This is Ekta Saini, Shree’s mom. Shree collapsed right before Miss World America final night of competition, which started with evening gown,” read a post shared on Instagram on Sunday.

Sharing details of what happened, Ekta sani, Shree’s mom, wrote: “They called me backstage after the ambulance had arrive, ready to take Shree to the hospital. Shree was so happy and joyful all day and did a great job yesterday at the Miss World America preliminary round. I heard that Shree won 5 out of 6 awards during today’s final night of competition.”

“We have been in hospital since 9 p.m. They are doing cat scan, EKG, etc. Doctors just told me that less than 1% people at age 12 have a Pacemaker. So Shree will stay in hospital for a ‘cardiac arrest watch’. Prayers requested.”

While Shree was still under observation, the Miss World America organization reached the hospital to give Shree five awards—“Beauty With A Purpose Award; Top Influencers Award; Entrepreneur Challenge Award; 1st Runner Up Talent Award; and 1st Runner Up Top Model Award’—that she won as a run-up to the final round.

Miss India Worldwide Shree Saini was among five Indian-American contestants selected for the Miss World America pageant, held on Oct. 12 at the Hotel New Orleans in Las Vegas, Nevada. Joining Saini, 23, of Seattle, Washington, were Manju Bangalore, 22, of Los Angeles, California; Lekha Ravi, 26, of Miami, Florida; Jasmeet Ghoman, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Amulya Chava, 17, Topeka, Kansas.

Contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will compete for the crown. The winner, who will be crowned by Miss World America, Marisa Butler, of Maine, and will represent the U.S at Miss World 2019 in London.

“It is my honor and privilege to be among these incredible women, who are brilliant, insanely talented and great community servants in their states,” Saini, who was the Miss India USA in 2017, went on to say of her entry into the final leg of the Miss World America competition.

Shree has survived severe facial burns, constant bullying, and a heart surgery for a pacemaker at age 12. Shree’s childhood dream to serve as Miss World, led her to change her adversities to advocacy, have a victor mindset, rather than victim mindset, according to the official site of Miss World America. Shree, who has studied at Yale University and Harvard University, has created an app on emotional health at Stanford University.

As Miss World Washington, Saini is also part of the Beauty With A Purpose project (#BeautywithaPurpose) which she says is the “very best part” of competing for Miss World America. “As your servant leader and a heart patient, I have been working with heart health through American Heart Association and I have also been speaking about the value of Emotional Wellbeing all around the world,” Saini noted on Facebook. She was also recently chosen as the “National Ambassador” for “Victoria’s Voice” a non-profit founded by parents of Victoria Siegel, who died of a drug overdose in 2015.

According to Saini’s profile on the pageant website, she has given 100s of presentations in over 80 cities and 6 countries, written 400 some articles in newspapers on emotional fitness, and has helped fundraise over $800,000 via her nonprofit shreesaini.org.

A business manager, speaker, mentor, and a dancer, Saini has survived severe facial burns, constant bullying, and a heart surgery for a pacemaker at age 12. Her childhood dream to serve as Miss World, led her to change her adversities to advocacy, have a victor mindset, rather than victim mindset.

To help others gain tools on how to lead a purposeful and fulfilling life, despite life’s challenges, Saini has given several presentations in over 80 cities and 6 countries and written articles on emotional fitness, and has helped fundraise over $800,000 via her nonprofit shreesaini.org.

After winning the Miss India Worldwide crown last year, Saini, in an interview stated that that she always wanted to compete in pageants since 1st grade. “Your life’s legacy is defined by how you make people feel, with each vibe/interaction/conversation and the positive difference you make in other’s lives in your lifetime,” she had India Abroad about her journey to the crown. “Let us all have a solution mindset, we should always try to defuse the negativity in any situation and focus on the light within all of us.”

Christian Artforms – An Amalgamation of Art and Culture in Kerala

October 23, 2019 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Entertainment 0

Kerala is diversified by religions but unified by art. Every art has its own power that captures hearts irrespective of caste and creed. Christian artforms are typical examples of this.

The third most popular religion in Kerala- Christianity is rich with unique art and culture. The Christian artforms of Kerala are an amalgamation of Christian as well as Indian culture. These are performed mostly as part of Christian festivals and wedding ceremonies. They influence the music, literature and culture of Kerala and vice verse.

When one discusses Christian artforms, Margam Kali is the first one that comes to mind. Being a popular event in art festivals and wedding ceremonies, Margam Kali performances are a delight to watch with its rapid rhythmic steps and music. The performances are usually done by 12 women performers wearing their traditional attire, consisting of chatta, mundu, kavini, mekka mothiram, and bangles. The Margam Kali Pattu is usually sung by a single person with the support of a chorus.

Chavittu Natakam is a colourful folk artform prominent among the Christian community. With its flamboyant costume, elaborate makeup, loud gestures and actions, the artform has gained popular interest. It is believed that the Portuguese introduced this artform to Kerala. Chinna Thampi Pilla and Vedanayakan Pilla are considered to be the early practitioners who popularised this art form. Stamping of the floor while dancing producing resonating sounds is the main attraction of this artform. This stamping gave it the title Stamping Drama or Chavittu Natakam. Chavittu Natakam makes use of musical instruments like Chenda, Padathamber, Maddalam and Ilathalam. Nowadays Tabala, Fiddle, and Flute are also used.

Parichamuttu Kali is a typical example of Indian influence on Christian artforms. It is similar to the martial artform of Kerala, Kalaripayattu. While performing Parichamuttu Kali, performers with a small sword and a round shield in their hands, gather around a traditional lamp, repeat the song sung by the asan (team head) and touch the shields in a particular rhythm.

A ritual artform popular in the coastal areas of Kerala from as early as the 16th century is Devastha Vili. In this ritual, the songs are performed in candlelight at night. This artform is linked with the ‘Passion of Christ’.

Besides these, Vattakali, Poovirakkom, Kolkali,Valattu Paricha Veeshu Kali, Kadal Vanchipattu and Slama Carol are also art forms popular in the Christian tradition. Thus the choices of artforms in Christianity are many like the tradition, culture and the heritage that it holds.

Kreupasanam Pauranika Renga Kalapeedam, Alappuzha and Chaithanya Pastoral Centre, Kottayam are two cultural academies and training centers of folk and ancient Christian art forms in Kerala.

Taj Express Fuses Bollywood and Broadway at The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in New Bedford

October 23, 2019 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Entertainment 0

After sold-out international tours, song-and-dance spectacular TAJ EXPRESS – THE BOLLYWOOD MUSICAL returns to North America, making a splash in New Bedford, MA, on Nov. 17. The cultural program will take over The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center with explosive dances, eye-catching costumes, and an endearing love story told in a way only Bollywood could dream up.

Tickets, which range from $29 to $47, are available by calling 508-994-2900, online at https://zeiterion.org/, or at the Zeiterion Box Office at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford. Group sales of 10 tickets or more are available at a discounted rate and can be purchased by calling 508-997-5664 x123.

Set to an unforgettable soundtrack featuring the songs of Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, TAJ EXPRESS answers the age-old question: do you think with your head or with your heart? The musical explodes with the sounds of India and Bollywood, capturing the vibrant, expressive spirit of the world of Bollywood movies that have been entertaining billions of people in India for generations. Told through a fusion of film, dance, and music, this dazzling international sensation has captivated audiences from London to Hong Kong (and everywhere in between) on a live cinematic journey through modern Indian culture and society.

TAJ EXPRESS is choreographed by one of Bollywood’s top young choreographers, Vaibhavi Merchant (Sultan, Befikre, Tiger Zinda Hai, Loveyatri) and directed by Shruti Merchant (Dhoom, Lakshya, Baghban, Devdas). They are joined by Toby Gough (writer), Salim and Sulaiman Merchant (music composers), Abhijit Vaghani (musical director), and Bipin Tanna (costume designer). Pranav Merchant serves as executive producer.

Leading the cast are some of Bollywood’s biggest film stars: Mr. Ninad Samaddar Shankar, Mr. Rajitdev Easwardas (as Arjun) and Ms. Tanvi Patil (as Kareena Kaboom). They are joined by a company of eighteen dancers, plus Chandan Raina on guitar, Prathamesh Kandalkar on percussion and Avadhoot Phadke on flute.

The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide New Bedford and the region with performing arts programming of excellence that inspires, educates, engages and entertains. Tickets are available for purchase at www.zeiterion.org, by calling 508-994-2900, or in person at the box office at 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford, Mass.

The India Center Foundation – Beacon for South Asian Visual, Performing & Literary Arts in the U.S.

October 16, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

With a deep passion to expose mainstream and Diaspora audiences to Indian arts and culture and a board of directors committed to cultivating and promoting Indian-American artists, The India Center Foundation (ICF) is quickly becoming a premier arts destination for South Asians around the country because of its innovative programming and ground-breaking collaborations.

Founded in 2016 by a group of friends and colleagues who noticed a gap in the Indian-American cultural scene, ICF is quickly becoming the epicenter of cross-cultural collaborations, curated salon events and quirky, artist pop-ups. Founding Director and Board President Raoul Bhavnani states: “There are so many talented artists living and working in the U.S., particularly in the New York City area, and we felt many were not being noticed and supported by the community-at-large. Artists from India already have a lot of organizational support; thus, we created the India Center Foundation to fill that void for Indian-American artists and cultural organizations and serve as a platform to encourage their creativity and help them build share of voice and influence on a larger stage.”

Priya Giri Desai, Founding Director and Board Secretary, adds: “To date, there has not been a single, stand-alone organization in this country dedicated to the cultural life of Indians in America. ICF’s mission is to create and foster programming that speaks to Indian-Americans in a vocabulary and context they understand and that resonates with younger generations. We are also seeking to galvanize the next generation of philanthropy to support this vibrant sector.”

ICF’s programming centers around conversations and collaborations between artists, institutions and experts, as seen at their recent string of events: a book reading in conjunction with the New York Public Library with author Chandrahas Choudhury in conversation with noted journalist and author Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan; a studio tour with Assam-born artist Natasha Das in conversation with Darielle Mason, Department Head of South Asian Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and a storytelling, musical production held at a rooftop in Downtown Brooklyn with Kavita Das, writer and author of Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar and the STARR Ensemble, an ensemble of talented women musicians. ICF has also had long-running collaborations with presenting organizations like The Lincoln Center, Museum of the Moving Image, Asia Society and The Rubin Museum.

Future initiatives include one-of-a-kind pop-up events, the development of new musical work and a partnership with the inaugural New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF). ICF is also launching a web series titled, The Road Less Traveled, which is a series of short films on interesting and emerging South Asian leaders in creative fields.

For more information about these and other events, please visit theindiacenter.us and follow us on social media @theindiacenter.

New South Asian Film Festival to be held in New York

October 16, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

After the roaring success of the 5th annual Dallas-Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF), Toyota Motor North America presents its second film festival in the United States, the New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), gearing up to make its debut in mid-November at various venues around Chelsea in Manhattan.

“Cultural diversity is something we celebrate every day at Toyota,” said Vinay Shahani, vice president, integrated marketing operations, Toyota Motor North America, in a statement. “After the success of our partnership with DFW SAFF, we look forward to continuing the celebration of storytelling at the first-ever NYC SAFF, and we hope that festival-goers are inspired by the films.”

Produced by Jingo Media, a NYC and Dallas-based events and public relations company, the inaugural, three-day festival boasts world, U.S. and New York City premieres of more than 25 shorts, documentaries and feature films focused on the unique stories of the South Asian Diaspora and those of our brothers and sisters back home. Jingo Media is also the parent company of DFW SAFF, which was conceptualized and created in 2015.

“We are so proud to create yet ANOTHER platform for world-class independent cinema from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives,” said Jitin Hingorani, CEO/Principal of Jingo Media, a public relations company that launched in New York City in 2010. “We’re coming full circle with this festival because Manhattan is where it all began for us almost 10 years ago. We are certain that the community-at-large will embrace us and celebrate our joyous homecoming.”

NYC SAFF has also partnered with The India Center Foundation (ICF), a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of the Indian subcontinent, the promotion of its cultural life and the unique relationship between India and the United States.

“To partner with NYC SAFF means that ICF is reaching the audience we wish to serve: contemporary, aware, woke desis and lovers of Indian and Diasporic creativity and storytelling. As a filmmaker whose film was so lovingly received at DFW SAFF, I know we are working with a staff who is dedicated and eager to give New Yorkers the film experience they deserve when it comes to screening South Asian cinema. We are looking forward to partnering on great conversations and panels around the films we see together,” said Priya Giri Desai, Founding Director of ICF.

NYC SAFF’s exclusive music partner is JioSaavn (founded in 2007 as Saavn), the online music streaming service and a digital distributor of Bollywood, English and other regional Indian music across the world.

“Music has always been an integral part of South Asian culture. We have all experienced a range of it in classical Indian cinema to contemporary Bollywood to regional films to completely new and independent genres. We look forward to the next generation of visual arts conceived in the South Asian Diaspora, and that’s why JioSaavn is proud to partner with NYC SAFF and ICF to help create more awareness of their artists’ creative work and engaging stories,” said Vinodh Bhat, Co-Founder, President and Chief Strategy Officer.

The inaugural NYC SAFF will take place from November 15 to 17, 2019. The opening night film, red carpet and VIP party will be held the Altman Building (135 W 18th, between 6th and 7th). The film screenings on Saturday and Sunday will be at the AMC 34th Street (between 8th and 9th). Centerpiece party will be held at Tailor Public House (505 8th Avenue), and the closing night festivities and awards ceremony take place at the brand new Rumi Event Space (229 W 28th, between 8th and 9th). The entire festival lineup and schedule will be unveiled in mid-October at www.nycsaff.com, according to a press release.

Kareena Kapoor says, she will be acting until she dies

October 16, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has almost completed two decades in the industry, says she was born to act and that she will hopefully do it till the end of her life. Kareena made her acting debut with “Refugee” along with Abhishek Bachchan in 2000.

Since then, she has been part of some of the most successful films like “Jab We Met”, “Udta Punjab”, “Veere Di Wedding”, “Chameli” and “Asoka”.

“It has been an amazing 20 years. It has been a fabulous journey working with some amazing people. I was born to act because I feel that’s where my passion is and I will hopefully act till the end of my life.”

Now, Kareena is looking forward to working with Aamir Khan for the third time in “Laal Singh Chadha” and has hailed the superstar a cinematic genius.

“I can’t talk about the film because it’s very special but when the time is right we will definitely talk about it. It’s going to be an absolute honour for me to be in the same frame with Aamir because I am always been a huge fan of Aamir,” Kareena was interacting with the media at the Elle Beauty Awards 2019 on Saturday here.

Kareena has previously shared screen space with Aamir Khan in Reema Kagti’s “Talaash” and Rajkumar Hirani’s “3 Idiots”.

“It’s always been a dream come true moment whenever I work with him. He is a cinematic genius and sharing a frame with him again would be an absolute dream come true moment for me,” she added.

“Laal Singh Chadha” is an official remake of the Hollywood classic “Forrest Gump”. It is written by Atul Kulkarni, directed by Advait Chandan and co-produced by Viacom18 Studios with Aamir Khan Productions.

The movie is slated to hit theatres during Christmas 2020.

The actress is returning with the second season of her radio chat show “What Women Want”, and it seems she is getting even more personal this time.

Kareena will have husband Saif Ali Khan as one of the first guests of Season 2.

“Finally, we have Saif (Saif Ali Khan) also on ‘What Women Want’. In the show, he will be talking about modern marriages. I think season one was such a big success and people talked so openly about different matters of their life in it.

“I am very happy because this time we have some amazing and exciting guests. We have shot with my mother-in-law (Sharmila Tagore), so I think it’s going to get better than season one.”

Pandit Jasraj joins ‘minor planet’ gharana

October 8, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

A minor planet, traversing the cosmos between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, has been named after classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj. Discovered on Nov. 11, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named minor planet 2006 VP32 (number -300128), as ‘Panditjasraj’.

With the honour, the Padma Vibhushan recipient belonging to the Mewati gharana, became the first Indian musician to join the galaxy of immortal composers like Mozart, Beethoven and Tenor Luciano Pavarotti, to receive the honour. “Blessed… in this honour one can experience only god’s grace,” said the 89-year-old maestro from the US.

“It was made official by IAU on September 23, followed by a citation,” his daughter Durga Jasraj told PTI. The citation reads,”Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj is an exponent of Indian classical vocal music. A life dedicated to music, Jasraj is recipient of many awards, honours and titles. His distinctive voice traverses remarkable four-and-a-half octave.”

As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, they are given a permanent number by IAU’s Minor Planet Centre. The Panditjasraj minor planet can be seen on their official website with the number 300128, his date of birth in reverse order.

Erasing Borders Dance Festival Enthralls New York Audience

October 8, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC)’s 11th Erasing Borders Dance Festival was held over three days this past weekend. The festival consisted of two shows in Queens and Manhattan boroughs of New York City and four workshops. The artists came from a variety of dance backgrounds from classical to contemporary.

On September 15th, the main show was held at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre in New York City with inaugural addresses by Sunil Hali, IAAC Executive Director, Dr.Nirmal Mattoo, IAAC Chair, Festival Director Deepsikha Chatterjee and Curator Uttara Coorlawala. The opening performance by Radhe Jaggi, a graduate of Kalakshetra Foundation, disciple of Leela Samson and also daughter of Sadhguru, enthralled the audience with a Bharatnatyam piece Sankara Srigiri choreographed by Leela Samson. This was followed by IndianRaga trio of Isha Parupudi, Swathi Jaisankar and Sophia Salingaros who performed a medley of their works – Shiva Shambho, Mohanakalyani Thillana, Depression and Kaa Vaa Vaa.

Brinda Guha brought in her group Kalamandir Dance Company to perform urbanJATRA, a contemporary piece drawing from Kathak & other Indian Classical movements. In Parijat Desai’s Pardon My Heart, which was the final performance, the choreography weaved together dance with recitation of contemporary verse and with Hindustani khayal and tarana music.

Post performance, the talk back was moderated by Parul Shah, dancer, choreographer and one of the curators at the festival. On the agenda were gender issues and contemporary interpretations as compared to classical dance forms.

The prior evening, on September 14th, the first of the two shows opened to welcoming crowds at the Community center in Flushing. This was the first time the event had extended to Queens bringing the festival to a wider audience. The post show talk back, moderated by Uttara Coorlawala, IAAC dance curator, revealed an interesting gap in audience expectation and performers’ ambitions. Upon learning how the audience had difficulty understanding the contemporary vocabulary of dance, artist Brinda Guha who was one of the performers that evening, demonstrated how she combined different forms, from folk to Kathak and Manipuri to Western African drums in her work. This garnered appreciative applause from the audience.

With the intention of giving back to the dance community, this year IAAC also held four workshops, two at Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre on September 15 from 1:30PM to 4:30PM and two at Barnard College, New York City from 1:10PM to 5:25PM. The first session “Growing your company, Fundraising and Grants” had panelists Aparna Ramaswamy of Ragamala Dance Company and Nolini Barretto who most recently was Co-Curator of Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center.

IAAC dance curator Sruthi Mohan moderated the conversation. A very informative session, it had participants who came from various parts of the country such as Arizona, Texas and Colorado, to attend, learn and network with the dance community. This was followed by a workshop in Body Scripting: An approach to Choreography presented by Tamar Rogoff who had one advise to the aspiring and emerging dancers “Be original and let your spirit come through in your work.”

On Monday September 16, IAAC Curator Uttara Coorlawala moderated a session on “Dancing Identity/Dancing Indianness” with artists Brinda Guha, Parijat Desai, Isha Parupudi and Radhe Jaggi in attendance. Students of dance at the Barnard College of Columbia University participated in the very engaging dialogue and were very receptive during the question and answer session. The second session was a dance workshop led by Radhe Jaggi in Bharatnatyam.

Sunil Hali, IAAC Executive Director, noted there was positive feedback about the festival. “The way the community responded to this event leading to a sold out show is very heartening” he said. “We want to grow strength to strength by showcasing the best and finest Indian dance performances to the New York community.” he added.

For photos and videos Click here
https://iaac.us/erasing-borders-dance-festival/#photos
https://iaac.us/erasing-borders-dance-festival/#videos

Inappropriated – The Toy Gandhi Exhibition at Aicon Gallery

September 24, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Aicon Contemporary is delighted to invite you to the Opening Reception & Press Preview for Inappropriated – The Toy Gandhi on October 2^nd 2019, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. The exhibit will show new sculptural work by the Kolkata based Debanjan Roy, and coincides with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi has been appropriated by all comers. Civil rights activists have marched on Washington wearing his signature cap. Apple has put Gandhi on their advertisement encouraging buyers to “Think Different”. Dictators have issued postage stamps with his picture on it. Restaurant owners have named their all-you-can-eat-buffet establishments after him, Indeed, the organization his assassin belonged to, has co-opted his legacy. Gandhi, the icon, if not the man, has become all things to all people, a veritable toy.

The opening will also feature a lecture by Prof. Sumathi Ramaswamy, the James B. Duke Professor of History, and Chair of the History Department, Duke University. Prof. Ramaswamy is a cultural historian of South Asia and the British Empire. Her research over the last few years has been largely in the areas of visual studies, the history of cartography, and gender. She has studied and written extensively about Gandhi and his role in India’s visual culture.

‘Gully Boy’ is India’s entry for best international film at Oscars

September 24, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Zoya Akhtar’s “Gully Boy” has been selected as the official entry from India for the 92nd Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.

The film, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, is set in the Dharavi slums of Mumbai. It follows the journey of an aspiring rapper Murad Ahmed who is fighting against the odds to follow his dreams. “Gully Boy” was inspired by the lives of Indian street rappers Divine and Naezy.

It was written by Akhtar and Reema Kagti, and produced by Tiger Baby and Excel Entertainment. The film, a box-office success also featured Siddhant Chaturvedi, Kalki Koechlin, Amruta Subhash, Vijay Varma and Vijay Raaz. Gully Boy went on to be the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2019 and the year’s highest-grossing Bollywood film overseas.

The film’s co-producer Farhan Akhtar took to social media to share the news. “#GullyBoy has been selected as India’s official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards. #apnatimeaayega Thank you to the film federation and congratulations #Zoya @kagtireema @ritesh_sid @RanveerOfficial @aliaa08 @SiddhantChturvD @kalkikanmani & cast, crew and hip hop crew,” he wrote.

India has been submitting to the category formerly known as foreign language film since 1957.

The country has been nominated three times, beginning with its first entry “Mother India” in 1957, followed by “Salaam Bombay” in 1988 and “Lagan” in 2001. It is yet to win the category.

Last year, Rima Das’ Assamese film “Village Rockstars” was selected as India’s official entry to the 91st Academy Awards, but didn’t make it to the nominations. Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” won the award last year.

Hrithik Roshan and Vaani Kapoor Burn Up The Dance Floor In Ghungroo

September 17, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Yash Raj Films action entertainer War, the biggest action spectacle of Bollywood, released it’s first song, Ghungroo. The party track of the year featuring the best dancer of India, Hrithik Roshan, and Vaani Kapoor is a groovy dance number that will surely be a chartbuster! Hrithik and Vaani will be seen scorching up the screen in this lavishly pictured number and their infectious chemistry is sure to be the highlight of Ghungroo. Vaani has also proven her superb abilities to dance in her earlier films and in Ghungroo, she will be seen pushing her body to the hilt to pull off breath-taking and risky acrobatic choreography.

Ghungroo has achieved a unique feat by being the first Hindi song ever to be shot at the luxurious Amalfi Coast. Composed by Vishal-Shekhar, Arijit Singh and Shilpa Rao have sung this out and out dance track. Fun and foot tapping, Ghungroo is set to become the party anthem of this festive season.

War is a high-octane action entertainer that promises to be the biggest action spectacle of all times. It has two of the biggest action heroes of our country Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff pitted against each other in a massive showdown. Produced by Yash Raj Films, the film is set to release in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu on the big national holiday of Gandhi Jayanti (October 2nd)! Watch here: https://youtu.be/qFkNATtc3mc

“Lakshmi Shankar: A Musical Evolution in One Night” in Brooklyn, NY

September 17, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Kavita Das, writer and author of Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar and the STARR Ensemble (an ensemble of talented women musicians), in partnership with the India Center Foundation, brings you “Lakshmi Shankar: A Musical Evolution in One Night,” a storytelling musical production that features curated readings from Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar and musical pieces that immersively trace Shankar’s artistic evolution and expansiveness.

Shankar was born into a South Indian family in a small town in India, flouted social conventions to learn Bharatnatyam and dance as a teenager in the country’s most innovative dance troupe, lent her voice to the award-winning film Gandhi, and earned a Grammy nomination for her Hindustani classical music and legions of fans the world over. Her story offers a new perspective on the journey of Indian music to the West, – that of an Indian female musician. And her more-than-seventy-year career, spanning both South and North Indian musical traditions, as well as pop and fusion, offers the chance to explore Shankar’s evolution as an artist and how these varied traditions came together in her.

STARR Ensemble (Sisterhood of Trina, Amali, Roshni, and Roopa) consists of talented women artists from the South Asian Diaspora including violinist Trina Basu, vocalist Roopa Mahadevan, tabla player Roshni Samlal and cellist Amali Premawardhana. Taking from their rigorous training in Indian classical, jazz, western classical, folk and other genres, they bring to their music an emotional sensitivity, authentic approach to improvisation and openness to new forms. They are part of the Brooklyn Raga Massive Music Collective, as well as several other groups and solo music projects.

Kavita Das writes about culture, race, feminism and their intersections. Nominated for a 2016 Pushcart Prize, Kavita’s work has been published in Tin House, Longreads, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Washington Post, Kenyon Review, NBC News Asian America, Guernica, Quartz and elsewhere. Her first book, Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar, is a biography about the Grammy-nominated Hindustani singer who played a pivotal role in bringing Indian music to the West (Harper Collins India, June 2019). Kavita has taught nonfiction writing focused on social issues at The New School and Catapult and is a frequent panelist, speaker and reader at various literary and journalism events. For more information about her, please visit www.kavitadas.com.

Dr. Sangita Rangala using artistic talent to raise funds for hospital

September 3, 2019 Staff ReporterBusiness, Entertainment 0

An Indian-American physician who is also an accomplished classical dancer, is performing at an event to raise funds for the healthcare facility where she works.

Dr. Sangita Rangala, medical director of the Edward Hospital Care Center, is partnering with the Edward Foundation and Anand Dance to produce “Sacred,” a live Indian dance event that will benefit the Care Center which provides medical examinations, evidence collection and related referral services for sexually abused children and special needs adults.

“Sacred” will feature an original work of Indian classical dance and music created to honor survivors of child abuse, which will be performed Sept. 8, at Pfeiffer Hall on the campus of North Central College, in Naperville, Illinois, according to a press release from the Care Center.

The best of us forget our innate value sometimes,” Dr. Rangala is quoted saying in the press release, adding, “Children who have been mistreated and misused – they tend to forget even more. They start to believe there is no value, that there’s nothing inside. If we can shine a light for them, wake them up and help them see what we see – that they are true heroes, shining lights that inspire the rest of us, bright souls, worthy of respect, deserving of dignity, undeniably perfect. If we can help them to consider that idea, then there’s no stopping them.”

Dr. Rangala has headed the institution since 2001 and has been on 24-hour call for most of the past 18 of the 29 years that the Care Center has been in existence.

Established in 1990, the Care Center serves a nine-county area, as well as the FBI, military bases and Department of Homeland Security.

In addition to being an Emergency Medicine specialist, Dr. Rangala is a dancer and choreographer in the Kuchipudi and Odissi styles of Indian classical dance, trained by renowned gurus Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam and Kelucharan Mohapatra.

Featuring original choreography and a live orchestra, “Sacred” seeks to bring together the Indian-American community, art lovers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, social service agencies and all in Chicagoland who care about children’s welfare and protection, the press release said.

“So many Indo-Americans, like me, care deeply about children and work in health care and social services,” says Dr. Rangala. “I want to use Indian classical dance, my art form, to help unite everyone in this community who cares about preventing and overcoming sexual abuse.”

The recent passage of House Bill 5245 requires Illinois hospitals to provide sexual abuse examinations or have a referral agreement with an area provider.

Since most hospitals don’t provide these types of examinations for children, Care Center patient volumes are expected to increase, which means more of the Center’s nurses will need Sexual Abuse Nurse Examiners (SANE) training, the press release said.

Proceeds from “Sacred” will offset educational costs for nurses to achieve SANE certification and fund patient care expenses for children seen at the Care Center.

In the past year, the Care Center treated nearly 160 patients from multiple counties including Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, McLean and Will. Entities and individuals referring children include Illinois Dept. of Children & Family Services, local police departments, FBI, Homeland Security, social service agencies, parents, friends, schools, military bases, healthcare professionals, hospital emergency departments and Children’s Advocacy Centers.

For more information, to purchase tickets to or become a sponsor of the event, visit www.EEHealth.org/Sacred or call (630) 527-3954.

Ansari in Forbes List of Highest-Earning Stand-Up Comedians Of 2019

September 3, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Finance/Economy 0

In an Aug. 16, 2019 article in Forbes, Ansari squeaked into the top 10 list of Highest-Earning Stand-Up Comedians of 2019, with an income of $13 million, behind Jeff Dunham with $15 million and Amy Schumer with $21 million, the only woman among the top ten.

Following his downfall of sorts as a result of the accusations of sexual misconduct by a date who remains unidentified to date, back in 2017, Ansari made a comeback to touring with small and then bigger appearances from earlier this year, mainly as a stand-up. This July 2019, on Netflix, Ansari addressed the accusations to mixed reactions. But his bottom line appears strong.

Aziz Ansari and Lena Waite accept the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for “Master of None.”

The film-maker who made hit series like Master of None and authored a book with the same name, the Emmy-winning Ansari who virtually defined comedy for a while, suffered a blow that he has slowly begun recovering from.

The Forbes list puts Kevin Hart as the highest-earning stand-up earning a whopping $59 million, followed by Jerry Seinfeld at 2nd place with $41 million.

Keerthy Suresh Wins National Film Award

August 13, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Suresh Kumar, Maneka and Keerthy Suresh, often referred to as Kerala’s complete film family, were in celebration mood after Keerthy Suresh bagged the best actress national award for her role in the bilingual film ‘Mahanati’.

Speaking to IANS, Keerthy’s father Suresh Kumar, one of Malayalam film industry’s top notch producers, said, “It’s something that we will cherish for a long time”.

“To be honest, we would have been disappointed, had she not won this award, as it was such a beautiful performance by her. We were sure that she had done a great job as an actress and hence we did expect this would come,” he said.

Incidentally, Kumar’s wife Maneka was a hugely popular actress in the 1980s and acted in over 100 films before ending her career after marrying Kumar.

“She (Maneka) missed the national award by a whisker for her performance in the Malayalam film ‘Oppol’, when actor Balan K. Nair won the best actor award for his role in the same film. So our wait has finally ended with Keerthy winning it and hence it’s double joy for all of us,” said Kumar.

Starting off as a child artiste, Keerthy made it big with her debut lead role in director Priyadarshana’s film ‘Geethanjali’ in 2013. She has not looked back since then, acting not just in Malayali cinemas, but also in other South Indian films as well.

The Surgical Strike bagged two major categories as the 66th National Film awards were announced on Friday. The military movie won its director, Aditya Dhar, and lead actor, Vicky Kaushal, the awards in their respective category, though Kaushal shared the honours with Ayushmann Khuranna (Andhadhun). Keerthy Suresh won the best actress for Mahanati, the Telugu movie on actress Savitri.

A selected list of winners:
Best Feature Film: Hellaro (Gujarati), directed by Abhishek Shah
Best Action Direction: KGF Chapter I
Best Choreography: Padmaavat for Goomar
Best Popular Film: Badhaai Ho
Best film on Social Issues: Padman
Best Child artist: P V Rohith (Kannada), Sameep Singh (Punjabi), Talha Arshad Reshi (Urdu) and Shrinivas Pokale (Marathi)
Best Children’s Film: Sarkari Area Prathamika Shaale Kasaragod

Best Tamil Film: Baaram
Best Marathi Film: Bhonga
Best Hindi Film: Andhadhun
Best Telugu Film: Mahanati

Besides the medal, award winners also get cash prize of varying amounts — Rs 50,000 for best actor/actress to Rs. 2,50,000 for best feature film.

FYI: Last year’s National Award was controversial after more than 50 award winners did not turn up for the presentation ceremony as President Ram Nath Kovind gave away just 11 of the 137 awards.

Mardaani 2 to hit theatres on 13th December!

August 13, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Rani Mukerji’s edge of the seat entertainer Mardaani 2 is set to release this year with YRF announcing that the much-awaited cop thriller will release on 13th December. Rani is reprising the role of the fearless and committed Superintendent of Police, Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 2. She had delivered an outstanding performance in the superhit and hugely acclaimed prequel, Mardaani, in which she took on the kingpin of a child trafficking racket.

In Mardaani 2, Rani will be seen pitted against a 21-year-old menacing villain who can be called pure evil. There is a lot of anticipation on who her villain will be and the crime that Rani will try to solve in the sequel. One thing is for certain, Aditya Chopra is set to launch a new face as the antagonist. The film marks the directorial debut of Gopi Puthran, the writer of the first Mardaani film. Produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 2 was shot extensively in Jaipur and parts of Rajasthan. This will be Rani’s next release after the global blockbuster Hichki that delivered 250 crores worldwide.

Bhasha Mukherjee Crowned Miss England 2019, to Compete in Miss World

August 7, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Fashion 0

Bhasha Mukherjee, a British Indian medic, who starts her new job as a junior doctor on Friday, has been crowned Miss England 2019. Mukherjee, who moved to the UK from India with her parents aged 9, will compete in the 69th Miss World contest to be held in December in London.

The 23-year-old beauty from Derby in East Midlands region of England starts her new medical job at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Lincolnshire, just hours after winning the contest in Newcastle Upon Tyne in North East England on Thursday night.

Mukherjee speaks five languages and has a Bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Nottingham. “Bhasha is an incredibly hard-working young woman, an ideal candidate to represent the multicultural country of England,” said Angie Beasley, director of the Miss England contest.

“Bhasha was sponsored by celebrity make-up artist Joggy Kang and wore a rose gold-beaded gown by designer Puneet Brandao,” she added.

The pageant winners bagged over GBP 30,000 worth of prizes, which include a luxury holiday to Mauritius. Mukherjee, who speaks English, Bengali, Hindi, German and French, describes herself as studious with an IQ of 146.

She admits it was “quite difficult” to balance the Miss England contest with completing her medical finals this year. “I’m very proud to be representing the south Asian community, minority populations and Derby,” she said.

“It’s been really nerve-wracking, I couldn’t tell if I was more nervous about the competition or about starting my job as a junior doctor,” she said.

Mukherjee, who performed an Indian dance sequence for her talent round, has been running her own charity called the Generation Bridge Project since 2013, which supports Derby’s elderly community with events like fun days and talent shows.

After modelling for seven years, she became one of just 55 contestants to reach the finals of the Miss England pageant from more than 22,000 entries. Last month, the Miss England 2019 pageant hit the headlines as one of the first to launch a new make-up free round, with the winner of the ‘bare face top model’ contest being fast-tracked to the final round of 20 women vying for the overall title.

As part of their entries, the women had to wear no make-up and also had to post the photo on social media with the message to celebrate natural beauty.

Hichki wins big at Giffoni Film Fest in Italy

August 7, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Rani Mukerji’s internationally acclaimed blockbuster Hichki has been winning hearts worldwide. Hichki has grossed over 250 crore worldwide and has also been winning top awards at several international film festivals. Now, Hichki has won big at the 49th Edition of Giffoni Film Festival in Italy and bagged the Gryphon Award for the Best Film!

Giffoni has a special segment called Elements +10 where jurors range between the ages of 10 to 12. The jurors who voted for the films in the Elements + 10 category were over 1500 children. With seven feature films competing here from diverse nations like China, Germany, Sweden, Australia and the Netherlands, Hichki won the top honour in this section! This recognition is a testament to the universal connect and emotional bond that Rani’s Hichki has built with audiences from all over the world.

The heart-warming and inspiring film had a progressive message of beating stereotypes and featured Rani as a determined school teacher who changes the lives of innocent students from economically backward strata, while dealing with her own nervous system disorder – Tourette Syndrome.

Producer Maneesh Sharma says, “Hichki is truly a universal film that has resonated with audiences across the world. The fact that children have voted Hichki as the Best Film of the festival just goes to show that the film’s story of overcoming odds and finding your own success is relevant to cinema lovers even in this age group. We at YRF are absolutely thrilled that kids have celebrated the message of Hichki in Italy.”

“Bollywood Reloaded” Concert Tour By Indian-American singer Anuradha Palakurthi

July 16, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Guitar Rockstar Prasanna, Indian American Singer Anuradha Palakurthi-Juju, and a 10-Piece International Band to Kick Off a Six-City “Bollywood Reloaded” Concert Tour Indian-American singer Anuradha Palakurthi-Juju, guitar genius Prasanna and a 10-piece international band with members from four continents will launch a “Bollywood Reloaded” concert tour across the United States, Juju Productions, LLC, a Boston-based music and video production company, announced today.

The concert will kick-off with a performance in Saratoga High School Auditorium in Saratoga, CA, on Aug. 25, followed by a performance on Oct. 5 in Boston, MA, and on Dec. 14 in Atlanta, GA – and is expected to be in other cities.

“I have specially re-arranged golden songs by Illayaraja, R.D. Burman, Madan Mohan, A.R. Rahman, Shankar Jaikishan, Vishal Shekar and other Indian composers with the amazing and versatile Anuradha Palakurthi-Juju on vocals and a new world fusion sound and together with my world class band, together we can’t wait to lift your spirits with music that we will all take back home with joy and pride,” said Prasanna.

Prasanna and Anuradha will present the endearing legacy of Bollywood by taking songs that have been the soundtrack of our lives and injecting them with a new world urgency of live music sound that define our global times.

Charged by the soaring and soulful voice of Anuradha, Prasanna’s band of musicians hailing from India, Bulgaria, Suriname, Israel, USA, Colombia, Switzerland and other countries will take viewers and listeners on a wild but compassionate journey that will paint contemporary India’s imagery with a sound that blends everything from Brazilian Samba and Classic Rock stylings, Carnatic music and Gypsy Folk Styles, Raw Funk and African dance styles, Heavy Metal and Ghazal-like sensibilities – creating a one world experience that will bring us all together through the unifying spirit of Bollywood.

Known as a fearless innovator with a unique guitar sound that sweeps across genres like Carnatic music, rock, metal, jazz, reggae, funk and many more, Prasanna has garnered a legion of followers across the globe enchanted by his musical ability to capture the 21st century’s pan-cultural landscape. The guitar is his ‘All Terrain Vehicle’ on which he takes listeners on a journey across various aural landscapes like a poet or a painter.

Anuradha has been recognized as the top-rated singer of Indian origin by Indian music industry legends. She has performed live with Bollywood singers like Kumar Sanu, Suresh Wadkar, Deepak Pandit and Bappi Lahiri across the United States and in India. She has recorded a duet with Hariharan for Ekal Vidyalaya – composed by Prasanna. She sings in six Indian languages and has recorded playback for South Indian films.

“Music knows no boundaries,” said Anuradha, “In this event, audiences will be transported musically across the globe ensconced in popular Hindi, Tamil and Telugu tunes. I am excited to present the show with Prasanna – one of the most creative geniuses of our times.”

About Juju Productions

JuJu Productions is a Boston-based music and video production company. It creates music that attracts global audiences, transcends national and cultural boundaries while rooted in evolving Indian traditions.

Dharmatma Saran Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Bollywood legend Meenakshi Seshadri

July 3, 2019 Ajay GhoshEntertainment 0

Imbibing Indian values, traditions and culture among the youth of Indian origin through Miss India Worldwide Pageants

“It was an honor to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from Bollywood Legend Meenakshi Seshadri,” Dharmatma Saran, a veteran and pioneer in worldwide pageants, said on June 22 at Kirkland Performing Arts Center in Seattle, Washington State. Dharmatma Saran in his acceptance speech at the mega event organized by Piyali De Founder/Artistic Director of Dance Tantra, recognized support from his State Directors in 26 states in the USA and National Directors in over 35 countries worldwide. He also recognized support from his two daughters and his wife Neelam Saran in his pageant journey of 38 years.

Bollywood Actress Meenakshi Seshadri recalled her long association of almost 25 years with Dharmatma Saran and Miss India Worldwide and Miss India USA. She praised Dharmatma Saran for bringing international Indian community on one platform through pageantry and also promoting Indian culture, traditions, values and performing arts worldwide.

The spectacular Miss India Pageants organized by India Festival Committee (IFC), started in a basement in New York in 1980 with the first ever Miss India New York and Miss India USA, has evolved and expanded, now incorporating and having membership from over 40 countries, that promote Indian heritage and providing a platform for people of Indian origin to unite and showcase their talents, skills and beauty.

Dharmatma Saran, chairman and founder of the New York based India Cultural Festival (IFC) that organizes the trail blazing Miss India Worldwide, is a pioneer in entertainment, holding Indian pageants and fashion shows in the USA and worldwide.

In 1990, Dharmatma Saran, decided to take the pageant one step further to an international level and started The First Miss India Worldwide Pageant to identify and honor beauties of Indian origin the world over and the show graduated to become the top most international Indian pageant on the earth. “For the first time ever, Asian-Indian communities from all over the world came together in New York for this event,” says Saran with a sense of pride. “To the best of our knowledge, no other ethnic organization has ever conducted a pageant of this magnitude on an international level.”

The pageant was an instant success and was acclaimed as “the most glamorous Indian function in the world.”

“When Miss India New York started in 1980, I had perhaps not even in my wildest dreams imagined that in less than twenty years, we would fledge out to be a mass movement with affiliates in over 40 countries, let alone that we would one day have a live internet webcast and broadcast our most prestigious function, the Miss India Worldwide, to an audience of over 300 million people!”

The pageants aim to honor achievement, to celebrate our culture in many ways, among them, the ability to meet people, make friends, to respect and be respected, to continually strive to improve standards, and to live a life as close to the laws of nature.

In line with other prestigious international pageants, IFC started staging Miss India Worldwide in various parts of the world. In 1997, the pageant was organized in Bombay to salute India on its 50th anniversary of Independence. In the year 1998, the pageant was organized, in association with UTV International, in the exotic and beautiful city of Singapore, South Afrcia, Malyasia, UAE, Surinam and several other states in the US.

The IFC selects distinguished local organizations in various parts of the world and authorizes them to conduct national pageants in their respective countries. The India Festival Committee, started in 1974 in a most humble way, has come a long way. While seeking to collaborate with internationally reputed groups, Saran joined hands with the Times of India group’s Femina that runs the beauty pageants in India until 1997.

The contestants in all the pageants are of Indian origin, between the ages of 18 and 28, and are citizens, residents, or born in the country which they represent. The pageant consists of four segments – Evening Gown, Ethnic Wear, Talent and Question-Answer. The winners of all the various national pageants from all over the world vie for the glamorous and prestigious title of the Miss India Worldwide.

Saran and the pageant are “very proud of the fact that we have been able to provide a common platform for the international Indian community through pageantry. We are equally proud of the fact that we have been able to imbibe Indian values, traditions and culture among the youth of Indian origin around the world. We have also been successful in promoting Indian performing arts in the world.”

In fact, motherland, culture and India are the words repeatedly invoked by most contestants. Clearly, this pageant was also about roots and identity. “We will never permit vulgarity and bikini wearing in our competitions. We don’t believe in the axiom, shorter the dress, greater will be the chances of winning the prize. We are very conservative in that. We only showcase the best of Indian culture and not the skin. We strongly oppose exhibiting women in a cheap manner on the dais,” Saran said adding that his shows are always meant for the entire family.

In the year 2016, saran introduced, on popular demand, the First Ever Mrs. India Worldwide, which has been received with enthusiasm from around the world. This is a pageant that provides married Indian women around the world with a platform, where they would get an opportunity to “Make a difference in the world.”

Most of these women have set their sights on professions like medicine, public relations and the law. The contest gave them a chance to take a detour and explore their Indian identities through colorful Indian attire and dance. Many of them have set their eyes on Bollywood and Hollywood, and participating in the pageants is a stepping stone for many to climb up the ladder in the world of fashion, silver screen, politics and charity.

Saran has become an internationally well-known leader in promoting pageantry around the world. Support came from most unexpected quarters. Noted actress, social worker, feminist and leader, Shabana Azmi, who is known to blast all beauty pageants, endorsed Saran’s show as noble as it helped funds for the deserving children.

“The IFC motivates and guides its winners and contestants to take up charitable causes. Many of our past winners have raised substantial amount of money for various charities, especially for handicapped children,” says Saran.

IFC has used the title to raise funds for the poor and the needy. Saran has been successful in combining beauty with charity. It was Saran’s dream that beauty works for a good cause. Bela Bajaria, one of his highly successful beauty queens from Los Angeles, has collected $35,000 each year for the Hand and Heart for the Handicapped for many years to help disabled children in US and India. Another successful Miss India Hong Kong collected $100,000 in a charity ball to help the helpless people.

Saran credits the success of the pageantry to his family and a team of hard working people. “I don’t know how I would have fared but for the unstinted support of Air India. Also my friends former News India editor John Perry; President of Jackson Heights Merchants Association V.N. Prakash; TV Asia Chairman Padmashree H.R. Shah, Bombay Broadcasting’s Giri Raj; and all the successive Indian Consuls General have stood with me.” he recalls with gratitude.

Saran is blessed with an understanding wife Neelam. She has been a source of great strength and support to him from the day one. His two daughters, Neema and Ankeeta have always been of great support and assistance.

Saran contributions to Indian culture has been appreciated and recognized by various organizations around the world and he has been acclaimed as “India’s cultural ambassador to the world.” He has traveled with his wife Neelam to various countries to start Indian pageant.

Recently he was awarded Bharat Gaurav Award held at the headquarters of United Nations in New York.

As Farook Khan, Chairman of Miss India-South Africa Corporation, says, “The Miss India-Worldwide Pageant has developed further into a grandiose platform of unity through culture over the few short years it has been in existence. It has become an event which is boundless and this has become a reality due to the foresight and vision of dedicated men and women who came to the United States of America to start a new life and to carry all that India has to and will continue to offer.”

To quote Khan, “At one time, the pageant was regarded as a beauty contest, it no longer suffers from this narrow reputation. It has fledged out to be a mass international movement which honors the performing arts, develops finesse as a way of life and puts into communities a sense of compassion.”

Saran and his dedicated band of men and women have inspired people around the world to participate in a truly remarkable spectacle that enjoys the status of a truly boundless Festival of good. The Miss India Worldwide is such a hallmark, it is not just a beauty pageant.

Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana is a stunner at her graduation party. See pics here

July 3, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan informed via his Instagram posts on Saturday that his daughter Suhana Khan has graduated from college. He shared pictures, recalling how four years have gone by in a flash. Now, fresh pictures of Suhana from her graduation party at Ardingly College in Sussex, England have surfaced online. Needless to say, Suhana looks stunning.

In one of the pictures, Suhana can be seen posing with other students, wearing a white tube top paired with a pencil skirt. Other students too appear in colour-coordinated clothes. Shah Rukh and his wife Gauri flew off to London to attend their daughter’s graduation ceremony on Friday.

Sharing a picture with the three of them together, Shah Rukh had said how school ends but learning continues. He wrote: “4 yrs have flown by. Graduating from Ardingly. Last pizza…last train ride…and first step into the real world…school ends…learning doesn’t.” He shared another monochrome picture of himself with Suhana and wrote “Last day at school. To adding new experiences and colours to your life ahead….”

Shankar Mahadevan To Enthrall Audience At AAPI’s 37th Annual Convention in Atlanta

June 3, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment 0

Atlanta, GA: Shankar Mahadevan, the popular award winning Bollywood playback singer is all set to take the delegates by storm during the 37th Annual AAPI Convention & Scientific Assembly to be held from July 3rd to July 7th, 2019 at the fabulous and world famous Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Center, Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI) announced here. Shankar Mahadevan and his troupe will perform live at the much anticipated AAPI’s annual convention enthralling over 2,000 delegates from across the nation, who are expected to attend the Convention.

“AAPI’s Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin,” said Dr. Parikh. “Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year.”

An accomplished musician in Bollywood world, Shankar is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that provides music to Bollywood films. Though a software engineer by profession and having worked with Oracle Corporation, Shankar’s interest in music made him venture into the field of music. He got his first award as a playback singer in Chennai film music, collaborating with A. R. Rahman and winning a National Film Award for his song in Kandukondain Kandukondain. Since then, he has given hundreds of enchanting numbers to the Bollywood world. The grand finale of the AAPI convention will be by Shankar Mahadevan and his team, who will take the audience to the memory line of Bollywood music on the final night, before a packed audience.

Dr. Naresh Parikh, who assumed charge of this premier ethnic organization representing 100,000 physicians and residents a year ago, gave credit to the support of AAPI executive committee, hard work of local Chapter members, and the organizing committee chaired by Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Chairman of the Convention. “Credit for the success of the Convention goes to the entire national organizing committee, AAPI executive committee, and Board of Trustees and all the AAPI members,” he said.

The annual convention this year is being organized by AAPI’s Atlanta Chapter. In addition to offering over 12 hours of cutting edge CMEs to the physicians, CEOs Forum, fabulous entertainment, and women’s leadership forum. The convention will be addressed by senior world leaders, including US Senators, Presidential candidates, Nobel Lauretes, Governors, Congressmen, and celebrities from the Hollywood and Bollywood world.

Dr. Sreeni Gangasan says, “This convention has been always one of the much awaited events of the year, there will be an Educational session with CME by world renowned faculty, full entertainment by Bollywood celebrates, Women’s Forum, CEOs Forum, Obesity Awareness Walk, many religious/cultural Activates and many more.”

Sadhguru, recognized around the world for his pioneering efforts to nurture global harmony, will lead an Isha Foundation Spiritual Forum during the Convention. some of the major themes as part of the CME sessions include: Pursuit of Happiness In Medicine; Burnout Prevention and Wellness in Physicians; Easy Life of a Hospitalist: An Illusion; and, Meditation and Mindfulness. Other themes at the CME include: Combining Ancient Sciences and Modern Medicine in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases; Mysteries of Type 2 Diabetes in South Asians – the Unresolved Questions; and, Cardio-oncology: Clinical Practice and Echocardiography.

Founded in 1982, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin representing a conglomeration of more than 80,000 practicing physicians in the United States, is the largest ethnic organization of physicians. In addition, it also serves as a platform for more than 40,000 medical students, residents and fellows of Indian origin in this country. The AAPI YPS/MSRF (Young Physicians Section/Medical Students’ and Residents’ Forum) runs under the main AAPI umbrella to give representation to them. 1 in every 7 people in the USA is touched by the care of a physician of Indian origin at any given time.

For 37 years, AAPI Convention has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine. “Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!” said Dr. Naresh Parikh. For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org

“I Enjoy Learning About New Cultures, it Helps Me Grow” Says Sunny Leone on Debut in South Cinema

June 3, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Social Media 0

Actress Sunny Leone, who is foraying into the southern film industry with movies like “Rangeela” and “Veeramadevi”, believes it will help her grow. “Nothing is tough when you enjoy doing it or are passionate about the same. South industry will definitely help me grow,” Sunny told IANS.

“Being able to learn about a new culture is something that I like and enjoy a lot,” added the actress. On the Bollywood front, the 38-year-old has been roped in for a horror-comedy called “Coca Cola”.

She says there’s room for all genres. “Today, content sells and if it’s good, people will bite into it. So, there is room for every genre and an audience for the same.”

Former adult film actress Sunny Leone made a swift move into the Hindi film industry in 2012. And now the Indo-Canadian actress is all set to make her debut in a Tamil film. She says south Indian films would help her grow as a person and an actress. Sunny, whose real name is Karenjit Kaur Vohra, will be launched in the Tamil film industry with the upcoming film “Veeramdevi”.

Asked if she agrees that working in a south Indian film will help to broaden her reach, Sunny told IANS in an e-mail interaction: “Yes, I agree that this film will help me grow as a person and as an actress. Being able to learn about a completely different culture is something that I like a lot and enjoy.” But won’t there be a language barrier?

“It will be challenging, but I am not worried about learning it for this film. I am actually very excited about this whole process,” she said about the film in which she will play a warrior princess. “That is something that I have always wanted to do. The amount of effort that has gone into this character is amazing and I’m beyond excited to start shooting. I will be taking riding lessons… in Los Angeles and in India. And, of course, I will be attending workshops to learn Tamil,” she added.

2019 Cricket World Cup | SA vs BAN: Record-breaking Bangladesh ambushes South Africa

June 3, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Sports 0

Bangladesh posted a record 330-6 in the Cricket World Cup after being made to bat first against South Africa, which then lost fast bowler Lungi Ngidi to injury.

Bangladesh smothered a lackluster South Africa to begin the Cricket World Cup with an easy 21-run victory at the Oval on Sunday.

Bangladesh posted its highest one-day international score of 330-6 after being made to bat first, then restricted South Africa to 309-8 in front of an ecstatic crowd who made the atmosphere feel more like Dhaka than suburban London.

Losing by 21 runs flattered South Africa, which was as crushed as it was in losing the opener to England by 104 runs.

Bangladesh beat the Proteas in 2007, and has other notable World Cup wins over India and England, but this one was executed not by an upstart but an experienced campaigner carrying confidence from a tri-nations win in Ireland which included three wins over the West Indies. Bangladesh wants to reach the semifinals for the first time. It has served notice.

South Africa collapsed while chasing for the second time in two World Cup matches. And its injury woes deepened when paceman Lungi Ngidi, who opened the bowling on Sunday, limped away with a left hamstring problem after delivering only four overs.

But those are South Africa’s concerns.

Bangladesh launched its campaign in style on the back of its biggest World Cup partnership of 142 by Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, the world’s top-ranked allrounder.

They casually took apart the South Africans until they were gone by the 43rd over, after which Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain hit 60 off the last seven overs to rush Bangladesh past 300 and to its biggest total in its 33-year history in ODIs.

Bangladesh made a thrilling start. In counterattacking short balls from Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada, Soumya Sarkar was streaky with pulls and hooks. He edged to the slips twice, survived an lbw review, and broke his bat hitting six boundaries off Ngidi, who left the field after conceding 34 runs and didn’t return.

Meanwhile, Tamim Iqbal took hits on the thigh and shoulder from Rabada, after passing a fitness test on the left wrist that received a serious whack on Friday in the nets. Tamim was out for 16, but more importantly he helped to take the sting out of the South African attack.

Soumya rode his luck for 42 off 30 balls, which brought together Mushfiqur and Shakib. They gave the bowlers nothing, reaching their half-centuries serenely, and earning the confidence to go for switch hits and reverse sweeps. South Africa appeared hapless.

Their fifth century partnership in ODIs reached 142, surpassing the previous best Bangadesh World Cup stand of 141 by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah in the 2015 win against England. Then Shakib was bowled around his legs trying to sweep Imran Tahir. Shakib made a World Cup-best 75 from 84 balls, including eight boundaries and a six.

Tahir also bowled Mohammad Mithun, who played on when on 21, and Mushfiqur was out for 78 off 80 balls holing out in the deep.

But they’d put rare air in sight, and Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain went after it, lashing 70 runs off the last six overs.

Mahmudullah, who was dropped on 12, hit 46 off 33 balls, and Mosaddek banged 26 off 20 to edge Bangladesh’s previous best ODI total of 329-6 in 2015 against Pakistan in Dhaka, and its previous World Cup best of 322-4 in 2015 against Scotland in Nelson.

Set 331 to win, three days after failing to beat England’s 311 on the same pitch, South Africa had to pull off the most successful chase in World Cup history. It didn’t seriously threaten.

The first wicket was wasted. In the 10th over, Quinton de Kock was run out for 23 when partner Aiden Markram ignored advice to stay in his crease.

Markram tried to make up for his mistake with captain Faf du Plessis, and lasted 10 more overs until Shakib bowled him through the gate for 45 off 56 balls.

The spinners were tying down South Africa, which was locked up from the start by Mehidy Hasan bowling from the second over, Shakib from the 11th, and Mosaddek from the 19th. Shakib’s early figures were 7-0-25-1.

Du Plessis was all class in compiling 62 off 53 balls with five boundaries and a six, but when he was drawn out by Mehidy and lost his leg stump at 147-3, South Africa’s hopes walked away with him.

The run rate required was up to 8, with South Africa stuck on 6, and the pressure to play shots told.

South Africans were picked off in the 36th, 40th, 43rd, 46th, and 48th overs with the run rate at 6 and the required rate rising to ridiculous levels.

Mustafizur and Mohammad Saifuddin shared five wickets but the spinners set it up. Mehidy, Shakib, and Mosaddek conceded only five boundaries in their 26 overs between them.

South Africa was strangled, and its hopes of a first World Cup title appeared almost lifeless.

2019 Cricket World Cup – No one in team believes in my bowling, but I do, says Kohli

June 3, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Sports 0

He broke many a records with his batting but Virat Kohli, the medium-pacer, could have had a lot more than eight international wickets if his teammates believed in his bowling ability like he himself does.

Kohli, albeit in a lighter vein, explained why he has not bowled in internationals since December 2017.

“It was during the ODI series in Sri Lanka (in 2017) where we had almost won everything, I asked MS [Dhoni] if I could bowl. Just when I was getting ready to roll my arm over, Bumrah shouted from the boundary and said ‘no joking around, it is an international game’.

“No one in the team believes in my bowling, but I do. After that I had back issues and never bowled,” said the Indian captain in an interview to the host broadcaster of the World Cup.

Cricket World Cup 2019 Dhoni, Rahul hit tons as India beat Bangladesh in World Cup warm-up

May 29, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment, Sports 0

India eased to a 95-run victory over Bangladesh in their final World Cup warm-up match on Tuesday after centuries from Lokesh Rahul and Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped them post a mammoth total of 359.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first but, despite removing openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma cheaply, they failed to take advantage of bowler-friendly conditions in the morning session in Cardiff.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli scored 47 off 46 balls with five boundaries before Rahul and Dhoni added 164 runs in a fifth-wicket stand.

The partnership came to an end with the dismissal of Rahul, who finished with 108 off 99 balls with 12 fours and four sixes.

Rahul made the squad as a back-up opener but he is also competing for the number four spot alongside all-rounder Vijay Shankar and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik.

“The biggest positive from today was the way KL batted at number four,” Kohli said. “He is such a class player.”

Former captain Dhoni reached his century off 73 balls and went on to score 113 before losing his wicket to left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan in the final over.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya made a 21-run cameo to take the total to 359-7.

Bangladesh openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar made a steady start to the run chase before they were rattled by Jasprit Bumrah’s double strike in the 10th over. Sarkar was caught behind for 25 and Shakib perished to a perfect yorker for a first-ball duck.

Das (73) and Mushfiqur Rahim (90) offered some resistance with a 120-run partnership for the third wicket but they failed to step up the scoring rate against India’s wrist spinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in the middle overs.

Das was dismissed by Chahal in the 32nd over, triggering a batting collapse as Bangladesh went from 169-2 to 216-8.

Both Chahal and Yadav finished with three wickets each as Bangladesh were bowled out for 264.

Kohli was pleased with his bowling unit ahead of their tournament opener against South Africa on June 5.

“Bumrah got us the breakthrough and Chahal and Kuldeep got us six wickets,” he said.

“In the second half (in the coming matches), the ball might turn a little bit but initially the ball will swing and seam, which will be the most important phase.”

Shankar Mahadevan To Enthrall Audience At AAPI’s 37th Annual Convention in Atlanta

May 29, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment 0

Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas set couple goals at Cannes and now fans want a ‘husband just like him’. See pics

May 21, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Actor Priyanka Chopra and her singer husband Nick Jonas set new couple goals as they walked the red carpet together at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. They were clicked arriving at a movie screening in style.

Nick held out the umbrella for her as it was raining at the French Riviera. The former Miss World shared pictures on Instagram with the caption “Mon amour (my love).” She shared another picture of the two posing together at the grand stairs and captioned it, “Riviera romance”.

The two were twinning in white for their first red carpet appearance in Cannes as they arrived for the screening of French film The Best Years of a Life (Les plus belles annees d’une vie). While Nick wore a white suit, Priyanka chose a ruffled off-shoulder Georges Hobeika gown accessorised with diamond jewellery and her hair tied in a ponytail.

Their fans couldn’t praise them enough for their lovely chemistry. An Instagram user commented to one of the pictures, “I love how Nick steps back for his wife to shine.” Another wrote, “I just extreamly love the fact that your husband is always with u like ur shadow. I love the love between u two.” One more user wrote, “This is how I want my husband to be”

Priyanka had made her Cannes debut in a shimmery black Roberto Cavalli gown on Thursday as she attended the screening of 5B. She was spotted in a white caped pantsuit earlier on the same day. She was joined by Nick on her second day and the two went around meeting their fans and clicking pictures. Priyanka had worn a light blue silk maxi dress paired with a hat while Nick was in a khaki suit.

The two then attended the Chopard Love party on Friday and engaged in a lot of PDA at the event. Nick was even clicked fixing Priyanka’s silver jewellery which she wore with her lavender Fendi dress. She also shared a small video of her kissing Nick in a car on her Instagram stories.

Apart from Priyanka, Deepika Padukone, Hina Khan and Kangana Ranaut have also walked the red carpet at the festival. Huma Qureshi and Diana Penty, too, made their presence felt as they attended the Chopard party on Friday. Cannes regulars Sonam Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai will be arriving in France soon for their annual appearance at the French Riviera.

Millennial desi women on a mission to make Kathak a household name

May 7, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion, Entertainment, Women 0

New York Kathak Festival produced its first festival at the Ailey Studios and Ailey Citigroup Theater this weekend on April 19-21, 2019. The first of its kind, the New York Kathak Festival attended by over 750 was a confluence of artists and Kathak aficionados coming together as a community to learn, share, and connect over the 3-day event in the heart of Manhattan.

Originating in India, Kathak is a classical dance that carries history in its very form. The New York Kathak Festival is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit run by a team of 10 young professionals. “The NYKF organizing team is mostly millennial women who live and work in the New York + New Jersey area. The festival is our passion in addition to our careers,” said Meenakshi Lala, on behalf of the festival. Anisha Muni, also on the festival team said, “we created this event with the intention of using art to bring community together and create a platform for Kathak to blossom in New York City. We’re on a mission to make Kathak a household name.”

The festival created space for performance, teaching, and discussion. Raoul Bhavnani of the India Center Foundation, co-sponsored panel discussions on critical conversations relevant to Kathak dance. He commented: “An honor to co-host an expert panel on the present, past, and future of Kathak dance today during the Kathak Festival weekend. Well done to all the panelists who grounded us in the living tradition, gender, and the idea of the divine. Inspiring conversation.” Eminent artists contributed to the festival, including Pandit Divyang Vakil, Dr. Pallabi Chakravorty, Dr. Purnima Shah. Dr. Sitara Thobani, and many others. Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty and Air India supported this important event.

The concert lineup included 50 dancers and 10 musicians from all over the world. Prashant Shah, an Indian dancer now based in New York closed his showcase of traditional and contemporary Kathak to a standing ovation. Shivangi Dake Robert traveled the furthest—all the way from Singapore—and was electric. The weekend was closed with a finale by the festival’s guest of honor, legend Pandit Birju Maharaj and his foremost disciple, Saswati Sen. Speaking about the event’s organizers, Sen said, “what the seniors couldn’t do, these children have done: bringing everyone together for Kathak.” Maharaj, 81 years old and a highly celebrated 7th generation artist added, “now you must support them.” The FIA is a proud community partner of the New York Kathak Festival.

The New York Kathak Festival is a newly formed organization that presents and promotes dancers, scholars, and practitioners of Kathak, a classical dance tracing its origins to India. We produce a festival bringing together established and emerging artists from across the United States and beyond. The New York Kathak Festival is produced by the American Kathak community, inspiring creative exchange between local Kathak artists and diverse New York audiences.

PRATHAM HOUSTON RAISES RECORD $4.5 MILLION AT ANNIVERSARY GALA

May 7, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Education, Entertainment 0

On Saturday, April 20, 2019, more than 900 guests attended the annual Houston gala, which commemorated 20 years of Pratham’s presence in the US. Held at the Hilton Americas, the event raised $4.5 million—the largest amount ever by a local Indian-American charity—to support our education programs.

The enormous impact we’ve made on the education sector in India was reflected in the evening’s program. A touching video tribute to gala honoree Vijay Goradia, who established Pratham USA in 1999 after visiting a small preschool in the slums of Mumbai, was followed by an insightful conversation between Goradia and Pratham co-founder and president Dr. Madhav Chavan, a former University of Houston professor.

“Like I would bet on an established company over a startup, by investing in an NGO like Pratham, I am investing in the future of tens of millions of children,” explained Goradia, who pledged $1 million at the benefit. “It has a proven track record, continues to be well managed and grow.”

Local luminaries and gala underwriters Bimla and Swatantra Jain, who were also recognized for their longstanding commitment to education, made a commitment of $1 million to support the construction of a vocational training center in North India.

“This is our city’s 20th annual gala, and every year we see an increase in participation and

Celebrity guest Anil Kapoor was visibly moved by the tremendous show of support. “It’s a privilege, it’s an honor, it’s an emotional moment for me to be here listening, observing, absorbing emotionally the kind of work Pratham has done for 20 years!” exclaimed the Bollywood superstar. “I’m feeling really very small compared to all of you and all the people who have done so much for such a noble cause and for such a great organization. It proves that Pratham is one of the world’s best organizations.”

“It’s an easy sell,” explained Joe Patterson, senior vice president of Bank of America, who has been part of the Pratham family for close to two decades. “The efficiency of what Pratham does for really small dollars, what it can achieve in these villages and the way it pulls together the Houston community is very powerful.”

Among the many prominent community leaders and philanthropists in attendance were Dr. Anupam Ray (consul general of India), Raja Krishnamoorthi (Illinois congressman), Andrea and Bill White (former mayor of Houston), and Anne and Albert Chao.

The event, hosted by mistress of ceremonies Nicole O’Brian Lassiter, featured an inspirational speech from Ali Dhanani, who supports a Pratham vocational training center in Hyderabad; a heartfelt message from Pratham beneficiary Mamta Dawar; and lively entertainment from the dance group Rhythm India as well as a fashion show by leading Indian designer Anita Dongre presented by Raaz.

The evening’s success would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of gala co-chairs Peggy and Avinash Ahuja, Indrani and Hemant Goradia, and Shital and Bhavesh Patel and the generous support of sponsors, including Wells Fargo, Ascend Performance Materials, Packwell, Amegy Bank of Texas, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Fidelity Family Office Services, and PKF of Texas, all of which have been supporting Pratham’s transformative work for a decade.

Zila Khan’s Rumi Yatra

May 7, 2019 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Fashion 0

Zila Khan’s Rumi Yatra takes audiences on a journey through India’s treasured musical landscape, through the prism of Rumi’s philosophy.

Zila Khan’s powerful vocals act as a harmonic looking-glass through which Rumiexperiences the music of Indian literary icons like Amir Khusro, Mirza Ghalib, Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah, Kabir, and Ustad Vilayat Khan, among others. These songs will also be interwoven with Rumi’s poetry that has inspired writers for countless generations.

A highly revered Indian singer, Zila Khan is also a music entrepreneur, actor, and a cultural ambassador for the Government of India. A prolific performer, she is the daughter of Sitar Maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan, and is known for her diverse repertoire and her effortless command over various musical styles from Indian Classical, World Music and Indo-Jazz Fusion to Traditional Ghazal and Sufi. She is widely regarded as one of the finest and most accomplished Sufi singers of her generation.

Her ensemble consists of some exceptional maestros including jazz virtuoso Ossam Ezzeldin; bass wiz Kai Eckhardt; and master bansuri player Steve Gorn, who seamlessly combines Indian harmonic ideas with jazz music literature.

Presented by Asia Society, the Consulate General of India in New York and the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).

The 19th Annual New York Indian Film Festival Announces Full Lineup May 7 – May 12

May 7, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion, Entertainment 0

New York –April 24, 2019 –The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) announced the full lineup at the Launch event for their 19^thyear of celebrating Independent, art house, alternate, and diaspora films from the Indian subcontinent (May 7– May 12) at the Village East Cinemas in the Lower East Side of Manhattan (181-189 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003). Dedicated to bringing these films to a New York audience, the festival will feature 32 screenings (29 narrative, 3 documentary and 32 short films). NYIFF will be featuring 7 World Premieres along with an International Premiere and 5 US premieres and the rest of the films being NY premieres. NYIFF has been the go-to festival to see South Asian diaspora films that have not been seen in New York City and is continuing with this mission for the nineteenth year.

This year NYIFF has the largest number of regional (non-Hindi) language films – 20 in total. The languages focused on are Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Ladakhi, Punjabi, and Harayanavi and all the films will have English subtitles.

NYIFF Festival Director Aseem Chhabra said “We are thrilled to share our lineup for this year. The NYIFF programming team has spent a number of months watching, tracking films and we now present to the audience the best of Indian cinema.”

Returning to NYIFF is award-winning filmmaker, Gurinder Chadha with her new film. The festival will be hosting a Special Spotlight of Chadha’s Blinded by the Light, which will be making its New York debut after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. The film is inspired by the true story of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and his lifelong love of Bruce Springsteen.

Bengali Master Buddhadev Dasgupta’s Urojahaj (The Flight) will be a part of the special focus on Bengali cinema that NYIFF will be presenting this year. Seven features will be a part of this presentation, many by first time filmmakers, putting a spotlight on a resurgence of films from West Bengal.

Arijit Singh, a widely popular Bollywood singer will be highlighted at the festival with his second directorial venture Sa- a tribute to Satyajit Ray and Ravi Shankar. Anoushka Shankar plays sitar for the film.

Other highlights of the festival include Assamese filmmaker, Rima Das whose last film Village Rockstars was India’s official entry for the 2019 Oscars. Rima’s new film Bulbul Can Sing will have its NY premiere at NYIFF along with Assamese master and National Film Award Winner Jahnu Barua’s World premiere of his new film Bhoga Khirikee (Broken Window).

Short Filmmakers Ashuman Sharma (Jalebi) and Vick Krishna (Mokshi) were in attendance at the NYIFF Launch event on Thursday, April 18 at the Consulate General of India, New York. They are a part of NYIFF’s four short programs that includes a total of 32 short films.

Also announced at the NYIFF Launch, Celebrity Chef and filmmaker Vikas Khanna was named the Brand Ambassador of the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). Khanna is a Michelin-star chef as well as a cookbook author, humanitarian, filmmaker and was once voted New York City’s hottest chef. Khanna’s The Last Color starring Neena Guptawill be the prestigious Closing Night film for the festival and will be honoring mothers around the world on Mother’s Day.

Said Sunil Hali, Executive Director and President, IAAC,”We have received tremendous support from Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty and Consulate General India, New York. Corporate sponsors such as AIR INDIA, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank amongst others have come forward with significant contributions. The PIERRE from Taj Group continues to expand the relationship with IAAC. Local regional and community associations such as “Sadhu Vaswani Centers” continue to help in supporting our expanded mandate to promote regional films. Film schools have joined hands and now the leading broadcaster, IndiaCast with Viacom18 has confirmed as our exclusive broadcast partner for NYIFF2019 in USA in “powered by” category. A special 30-minute curtain raiser and a 90-minute special on NYIFF2019 will be produced by IndiaCast and aired on “Aapka Colors” and “Colors Rishtey”. We look forward to building such relationship to make NYIFF2019 a great success”.

5th Annual DFW SAFF Unveils Entire Festival Lineup: Eight Features, Two Docs & 11 Shorts over Four Days

May 7, 2019 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, Entertainment 0

(Dallas, Texas – May 1, 2019) The 5^th annual DFW South Asian Film Festival, presented by Toyota, is proud to announce its entire festival lineup, which consists of ONE World Premiere, TWO North American Premieres, ONE U.S. Premieres, 14 Texas Premieres and THREE Dallas Premieres.

The four-day movie event, taking place from May 16th to 19th at various locations including Victory Park, Addison and the Design District, boasts 21 shorts, documentaries and feature films, Q&A sessions with attending filmmakers/actors and nightly after-parties for festival-goers. For the entire festival schedule, please click HERE.

The centerpiece film (also men’s programming) is the U.S. Premiere of Vasan Bala’s(in attendance) action-packed film MARD KO DARD NAHIN HOTA (The Man Who Feels No Pain), marking the acting debut of Bollywood actress Bhagyashree’s son, Abhimanyu Dassani (in attendance). The movie will screen at the AMC Village on the Parkway 9 on Saturday, May 18 at 7:15 p.m., followed by an after party at Saffron House in Addison.

The festival closes with the Texas Premiere of Aijaz Khan’s (in attendance) emotional Kashmiri drama about a boy in search of his missing father, HAMID, starring Rasika Dugal of MADE IN HEAVEN, DELHI CRIME and QISSA fame. The closing night film will take place at the AMC Village on the Parkway 9 at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, followed by an after party at the Design District’s Center Stage.

Annual Festival of Colors celebration, SURATI HOLI HAI, takes on New Avatar in 2019

May 7, 2019 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion, Entertainment 0

(New York, NY – Tuesday April 30, 2019) “When everyone is colorful, no one is different,” states Surati’s motto, celebrating equality and brotherhood across boundaries. 2019’s SURATI HOLI HAI, the country’s LARGEST Festival of Colors, epitomizes that sentiment, as a special partnership emerges this year between two neighboring New Jersey cities, Hoboken and Jersey City.

The day-long event on Saturday, June 15, 2019, will promote peace, equality and unity through cultural diversity, color play, a color walk, live performances, cultural, educational and interactive workshops, interactive art, food & drink vendors, a children’s zone, DJ, dancing and much more.

The festival will begin at 10 a.m. in downtown Jersey City with the Hudson River Fitness Color Walk featuring yoga, fitness, dance and drumming. Health professionals and organizations will offer workshops, lectures and fitness demonstrations. The walk will continue along the Hudson waterfront route to Pier A, Hoboken, where the Spring Festival of Colors will begin at noon. T-shirts, color packets and water will be given to registered walkers.

“What I love about our festival is that it is attended by all, irrespective of their cultural backgrounds or nationalities, thus spreading the message of love, brotherhood, acceptance and peace,” said Rimli Roy, Founder/Artistic Director. “Through the arts and culture of India, Surati Holi Hai is growing to be the tristate area’s most talked about, meaningful and unique celebration of the Spring Festival of Colors, with an incredible impact across diverse communities in the United States and beyond.”

Today, Surati Holi Hai is possibly the United States’ and definitely the East Coast’s most popular family-friendly cultural festival, having attracted more than 12,000 people in 2018 who registered from 22 U.S states and six countries around the world. To watch a video from previous events, please click HERE.

Surati Holi Hai is organized by award-winning 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization Surati for Performing Arts, an organization that has been bringing quality performing arts, programming and festivals to the Hudson County communities and beyond for almost two decades now. Surati has performed at the United Nations Headquarters, The Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The University of the U.S Virgin Islands – Reichhold Center, Alaska PAC to name a few. Our programming is currently funded by NJ State Tourism, Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs / Tourism, City of Jersey City, City of Hoboken, The Indian Govt – Consulate General of India in New York, Carepoint Health, NJCU (New Jersey City University), NY Waterway etc. Our past events have been sponsored by Comcast, State Bank of India, NY Life, Zee TV, TV Asia, Lycamobile, Mack-Cali, Silverman, BCB Community Bank, Bira to name a few. Our work and events have been featured in The Vogue, NY Daily News, Jersey Journal, Star Ledger, Hudson Reporter, News India Times, Desi Talk, Times of India and The Statesman, just to name a few. For more information, please visit www.suratiholihai.org.

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