At the 2018 Corporate Insights Summit hosted by Asia Society’s Global Talent Initiatives last week, diversity and inclusion leaders across industries shared their experiences, ideas, and best practices, addressing corporate diversity issues that Asian — and other minorities — are facing today.
At Asia Society Global Talent Initiatives 2018 Corporate Insights Summit, diversity and inclusion leaders across industries shared their experiences, ideas, and best practices, addressing corporate diversity issues that Asian — and other minorities — are facing today.
The two-day conference began with the inaugural Market Place Forum, which featured keynote remarks and case-studies on the power of Asian spend among consumers and investors. Keynote presentations were made by Tom Doctoroff, author and chief cultural insights officer at Prophet, kicked the day off with an engaging presentation on the Chinese consumer needs and how they differ from other parts of Asia and the West, and Vivek Sankaran, president and COO of Frito-Lay North America, who discussed how an American brand found its place globally by leaning on diversity. Attendees also heard from panelists that have successfully led strategy that has tapped into the lucrative Asian and Asian-American spending power. Speakers included Daphne Kwok, vice president of multicultural leadership, Asian American & Pacific Islander audience strategy at AARP, Jeff Lin, co-founder of Admerasia, Niharika Shah, vice president of global marketing communications at Prudential, Ada Lien, senior vice president of marketing at La Mer, Emad Bibawi, risk consulting partner and advisory office leader at KPMG, and Katy Chen, director of global sales strategy at Tiffany & Company.
The day was capped off by the 9th Annual Best Employer Awards Dinner, which recognized companies empowering Asian talent.
On the second day of the Corporate Insights Summit Josette Sheeran, Lulu & Anthony Wang president and CEO of Asia Society, Priya Dogra, senior vice president of mergers and acquisitions at WarnerMedia, and Ramy Inocencio, Bloomberg Television anchor and forum emcee, kicked off the Diversity Leadership Forum with opening remarks.
Uber Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Bo Young Lee gave the day’s keynote lecture, discussing her own experiences in the past navigating the corporate world as an Asian American woman, as well as the work she is currently doing at the ride-sharing company. Following the keynote, attendees participated in several breakout sessions for more candid and focused discussions on diversity subjects like recognizing unconscious bias, creating workplace culture to enable the advancement of Asian women, using cultural competency to grow U.S. market share, increasing impact through business resource groups, and showcasing strategic initiatives that have proven to attract and retain Asian talent.
The day concluded with a final panel on how leadership on the subject of diversity plays an important role in driving innovation. Panelists included Janet Pien Roller, senior director of CX innovation at Marriott International, Umran Beba, global diversity engagement and talent officer at PepsiCo, and Ann Anaya, chief diversity officer of human resources at 3M.
Three cricket matches are to be hosted by the Jamaica Tallawahs in August at Central Broward Regional Park in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the same stadium where India played the West Indies two years ago.
As a part of the ‘Biggest Party in Sport,’ the Hero Caribbean Premiere League, the Tallawahs will be against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Saturday, August 18, the Trinbago Knight Riders on Sunday, August 19 and the Barbados Tridents on Wednesday, August 22.
The Tallawahs are led by T20 superman Andre Russell who was a standout player for the Kolkota Knight Riders, making 316 runs and 13 wickets
Pakistani cricket player Shahid Afridi will play cricket for the first time in the U.S. and he will be accompanied by New Zealand’s Ross Taylor, Florida-born Steven Taylor, USA bowler Elmore Hutchinson, David Miller, Samuel Badree and Imad Wasim.
The Warriors team includes former Indian under 19 World Cup and American College Cricket pace bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, a new addition who is known for his tight control and swing and will be a bowler to watch in the CPL this year, along with Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Devendra Bishoo, Jason Mohammed, Rayad Emrit, Luke Ronchi and Imran Tahir.
The Trinbago Knight Riders include Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Brendan McCullum, Darren Bravo and Dinesh Ramdin, and the Barbados Tridents include Martin Guptil, Shakib al Hassan, Hashim Amla, Dwayne Smith, Nicholas Pooran, Wahab Riaz and Shai Hope.
Tickets are available at Tallawahs.com, Bookmyshow.com or CPLT20.com
“Let’s go over my plan, shall we?”, said Mindy Kaling into my ear. I was halfway into her second audiobook, “Why Not Me?”, and Ms. Kaling was describing her expectations for the show she was developing.
“My natural assumption was that NBC would put my new show on the air as part of a revitalized ‘Must See TV’ and make 200 classic episodes — no lazy clip shows — finishing with a 90-minute finale that everyone agreed was a sweet and satisfying send-off,” she said. “I would emerge from the show’s legacy as a modern version of Larry David and Mary Tyler Moore, retiring to a tasteful mega-compound on Martha’s Vineyard, where I would write plays and drink wine with Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at least several times a week.”
The only thing her elaborate daydream didn’t prepare her for? “The slightest setback.”
Ms. Kaling’s books, “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns),” released in 2011, and “Why Not Me?” from 2015, aren’t self-help, but her anecdotes and advice helped ease much of my anxiety as a young professional woman of color.
“Confidence is just entitlement,” said Mindy Kaling in her memoir, “Why Not Me?”CreditKendrick Brinson for The New York Times
“Is Everyone Hanging Out” came out while Ms. Kaling was still playing Kelly Kapoor on “The Office” and includes reflections on her childhood and her early 20s, when she was still living in New York, trying to break into television. “Why Not Me?” is more emotionally candid; Ms. Kaling laments that, in her 30s, she often goes to weddings, which she hates (“when you are a bridesmaid, you are required to be a literal maid for the duration of the wedding”), just to see her friends. In another chapter, she explains her “weird as hell” relationship with B.J. Novak; “B.J. and I are soup snakes,” she said, an “Office” reference to a gaffe by Michael Scott, who misreads “soul mates” in his handwritten note to his love interest, Holly.
I’m also a consummate daydreamer. Just last week, I had one good idea, a snippet of dialogue that I might build a short story around, and my mind spiraled: I flash-forwarded a very realistic two years; my yet-unwritten debut novel had been published to critical and commercial success. The book was optioned for television, and I’d moved to Santa Monica, to an oceanfront apartment with a balcony, where I did all my writing. How I could afford this luxury did not come up.
Real-life trajectories are rarely as neat as the ones you map in your head. NBC, which aired “The Office” and had long been Ms. Kaling’s dream network, passed on her project. “It’s weird when you feel your dream slipping away from you,” said Ms. Kaling, adding the quip, “Especially when you have no other dreams.” Listen to a Sample of Mindy Kaling’s “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)”
When I started applying for jobs, I landed an interview at my dream magazine. For the first time, I was confident in my edit test, because I knew the publication, which caters to a diverse demographic, would see value in my ideas. After meeting with the editors, I was convinced I’d get the job; even more, I thought it was the only job in media I might have a chance of getting. But they didn’t hire me. I had a fixed view of my career, so the deviation felt like a setback.
I ended up at Glamour; Ms. Kaling’s show, on Fox, and later in “Why Not Me?”, after experiencing the whiplash of seeing “The Mindy Project” canceled and immediately picked up by Hulu, Ms. Kaling emphasized the importance of adaptability. She said that’s all show business was: “transitioning panics,” from losing a job to having more work than you can handle; from being afraid your dreams won’t come true to realizing they’ve changed.
In “Why Not Me?”, Ms. Kaling also addressed ambition and her conflicting feelings about wanting to leave “The Office.” “I had a dream job; was I ungrateful to wonder what more there might be for me? Or complacent if I didn’t?”, she asked. “And who was I to try to seek anything better?”
Ms. Kaling joked that she was finally experiencing “white people problems,” because of the privileged position she was in, but her feelings echo the struggle of many women of color in all-white spaces: to convince themselves they’re worthy of their dreams when their environment and society says otherwise. I struggle with this, too, and a recent study found that for people of color, the effects of impostor syndrome — feeling like a fraud in your field despite high achievement — are compounded with discrimination or a lack of representation in the workplace. These factors combined cause higher levels of anxiety and “discrimination-related depression.”
Ms. Kaling advises on dealing with impostor syndrome in the last chapter of “Why Not Me?” She recalls a Q. and A. in Manhattan a year earlier, when a young Indian girl asked her where she gets her confidence from and Ms. Kaling gave a lackluster reply. She reconsiders here, for the sake of “that girl who went out of her way to be vulnerable in front of so many people.”
“Confidence is just entitlement,” she said, adding that, though the word has gotten a bad rap, “Entitlement is simply the belief that you deserve something.” Ms. Kaling’s advice is to earn your confidence by studying your craft and working hard; “I’m usually hyper-prepared for whatever I set my mind to do,” she said, “which makes me feel deserving of attention and professional success.”
But what about the mental barriers to the work itself? I often find myself stuck in a failure loop, my mind sprinting laps around a story, a problem or an idea, to the point of exhaustion. I convince myself a story isn’t good enough before I even start it and am often preoccupied with questions of acceptance, representation and inadequacy. Is the only way to expel that feeling really just to work through it, as Ms. Kaling suggests?
Though in the introduction of “Is Everyone Hanging Out,” Ms. Kaling said she is only “marginally qualified to give advice,” I disagree. It was fun listening to her precipitate the events of her life in her essays. In “Is Everyone Hanging Out” she mentions the Ocean’s franchise when listing movies she’d like to reboot; she co-stars in the women-led version of “Ocean’s 8,” in theaters now. In “Why Not Me?”, she said that she hopes her next book will be about starting a family, as well as her “awesome movie career.” She now has a daughter, Katherine.
Her books teach, in a nutshell, that “it’s cool to want more,” and have helped me stop questioning whether the life I envision for myself is too improbable or far away. Her life is proof that I just might get there. Concepción de León is the digital staff writer for the Books desk at The Times. aSelf-Helped is a monthly column devoted to the books that have changed the way we live.
As a 7-year-old living in a small town near the border of Washington state and Canada, there was no dance studio to join. So she taught herself from DVDs.
At 12, her family moved to a town big enough to offer three dance studios. She persuaded her mom to enroll her at all three. And that’s when the trouble started.
Shree Saini
First came the discovery of a heart problem, followed by surgery to fix it. Then came the teasing. The bullying. The shunning.
It was enough to break anyone’s spirit. Except Shree loved dancing too much. If anything, the physical challenges and social pressures fueled her – all the way to the Joffrey Ballet and beyond, including winning the title of Miss India USA.
For this, the biggest performance of her life, Shree choreographed it around her life. It began with a heartbeat and shifted to a song featuring the hook: “You shoot me down, but I won’t fall. I am titanium.” It culminated with her receiving the crown and sash.
Since earning the title in December, Shree has used her platform to spread her story of perseverance, tolerance and heart health. The stakes go up this December when she competes for Miss India World.
I’ll be rooting for her. Once you learn the rest of her tale, I’m sure you will be, too.
***
In the early 2000s, Sanjay and Ekta Saini were living in Punjab, India, with two kids and several thriving businesses. Then Sanjay’s father died, and he decided to do something different. Very different.
He moved the family to the United States. After starting on the East Coast, he wound up owning a gas station in Colville, Washington, a town of about 4,500 in the northeastern part of the state.
Dancing was a solo pursuit for Shree. Through school, she joined team sports: softball, basketball and cross country.
Running seemed like a great outlet for her boundless energy. Yet she finished last in every race. Her parents bought a treadmill and she ran five miles nearly every day. She still finished last.
***
Shree Saini and her parents, Sanjay and Ekta.
The summer before Shree entered seventh grade, the Sainis bought a truck stop in Moses Lake, Washington, and moved there. With more than 20,000 people, it was a metropolis compared to Colville.
Shree’s new hometown boasted a ballet academy and two other dance studios. Now she could take classes in jazz, ballet, hip-hop, clogging and more.
All the studios required a physical exam. That’s how she learned her heart was beating only 20 times per minute. A normal heart rate for someone ages 6 to 15 is 70 to 100 beats per minute.
“You need to have surgery – now!” said the doctor, astounded that the girl was so active with such a slow heart rate.
Shree went home with a heart monitor. It showed that she sometimes went five seconds between heartbeats, long enough to cause many people to pass out.
Now Shree understood why she couldn’t keep up in cross country. Her grandmother in India, however, couldn’t believe that this girl “so full of light and joy” could have a heart problem. Nobody on either side of the family had heart problems.
At her grandma’s insistence, Shree went to India for tests from the country’s top cardiologists. They agreed with the folks in Moses Lake: Shree needed a pacemaker.
***
Shree smiles as she recovers following her pacemaker implantation.
On the day in June 2009 that her new peers performed a recital, Shree underwent a procedure to implant the device.
She came away with a scar on her chest and her left arm in a cast. She wasn’t allowed to raise the arm for several weeks for fear of jarring the device and the leads threaded into her heart.
Because of this fragility, doctors encouraged Shree to give up dancing.
Not a chance. Her parents didn’t bother trying to persuade her otherwise.
“They knew I would find a way to dance again, with my pacemaker,” she said.
***
Seventh grade is an emotional roller coaster for everyone. Shree went into it as the new girl with the scar and the cast and the different name and a heritage foreign to classmates in the town named after a Native American leader from the 1800s.
“You’re Indian?” kids said. “What tribe?”
“No, not that kind of Indian,” she said. “The country in Asia.”
Finally dancing with a heart that pumped at a normal rate, her talent blossomed. She advanced three levels in a single year.
So now the outsider was threatening the established pecking order.
Girls rolled their eyes at her. Sometimes they’d talk about Shree loud enough for her to hear them.
“Sometimes they’d do it right in front of me!” she said.
The social poison infected some instructors, she said. Fearing backlash from other parents, they refused to give her private lessons.
So Shree taught herself.
She watched videos of ballet moves like fouette (French for “whipped turn”) and middle leap, slowing the replays to break down each nuance. Working alone, she challenged herself with inner dialogue such as: “Can’t do more than three turns in a row? Now see if you can do six.”
***
Shree Saini speaking with Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar of India.
The better Shree became, the more vicious the bullying.
For years, she left the studio crying. While the tears soaked the feelings of energy and freedom that dancing gave her, they couldn’t douse the flame.
“When life gives you those tests, you can either grow up or fall down into a pattern of bitterness and anger,” she said. “I knew what I stood for. I had my moral values.”
Those values were forged by her parents and bolstered by stories she read of people such as Nelson Mandela.
“While he was jailed, he wanted to go to his son’s funeral, but the jailer didn’t allow him to go. When he was free, he invited that exact same jailer to his presidential inauguration,” Shree said. “So he taught me the value of forgiveness, of kindness, of choosing love over hate.”
It worked.
Her former tormentors are now her fans. Via social media, she’s received their congratulations – and apologies.
***
After high school, Shree took a gap year. That’s when she worked with the Joffrey Ballet.
She also volunteered with a project fighting human trafficking in Nepal, studied acting at Yale, and took classes at Harvard and Stanford. She’s now a full-time student at the University of Washington.
Along the way, she began entering pageants, climbing the ladder from Miss India Washington to the national title, beating 51 other contestants.
In the first six months of her reign, she participated in more than 50 events across 10 states and four countries. Her Facebook feed is filled with pictures of her alongside Miss World, Miss USA, televangelist Joel Osteen, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Bill Gates’ mom and more. Now she’s sharing her story on behalf of my organization, the American Heart Association.
It’s a hectic pace for anyone, much less someone who’s overcome a congenital heart defect. Shree sees a cardiologist regularly and knows she may need new batteries in her pacemaker in the next year or two.
“I don’t want to think of my pacemaker as a disability – ever,” she said. “It gives me the ability to do everything I love doing. It makes me even more grateful that I’m able to dance.”
The French national soccer team was crowned world champions after defeating an underdog Croatian team 4-2 in the World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday, July 15th, capturing its second World Cup title and its first since it hosted the 1998 tournament 20 years ago. For the second time, France is champion of the world, and for the first time, this team has its own place in history.
In a match that featured anything you could have ever imagined, a self goal, a goalkeeper gaffe, pitch invaders and a teenager wunderkind finding the back of the net, France rolled to a convincing 4-1 lead and managed to hold on to earn its second star.
Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps was the captain in 1998 when his team shocked Brazil in Paris, and he became the third to ever win the World Cup as a player and coach. Deschamps is just the third person to win the World Cup as a player and as a coach. Kylian Mbappé is only the second teenager to score in the final, after Pelé. They have etched their names among the greats.
The most watched sports game ended in the victory that France deserved. Not, necessarily, for what it did here in Moscow. As both Dejan Lovren and Luka Modric observed, Croatia could rightly regard itself as the better team. No, France’s victory was warranted for what it had done over the last month. Or, more precisely, for what it had not done.
As the New York Times reported, Deschamps’s team has been exceptional in Russia in more ways than one. Everyone else here seemed determined to make this World Cup as nerve-shredding and logic-defying as possible. Germany fell first to Mexico and then to South Korea. Argentina and Portugal, and Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, limped on a little longer, and then melted away, too. Spain and Brazil slipped to Russia and to Belgium. This was a World Cup that first defied expectation and then prediction, a glorious mayhem, a month that captivated the planet with its volatility and its caprice.
Croatia, regarded by most as underdogs, had the ball, had the initiative. Twice in the first half, France took the lead, but it was not entirely clear how: It had not created a single chance. Instead, it benefited from a self goal — Griezmann’s free kick skimming Mario Mandzukic’s head — and, after Ivan Perisic’s equalizer, a penalty, awarded by Néstor Pitana, the Argentine referee, for a hand ball by Perisic after several consultations both with the video referee and a video screen.
Croatia did all it could to be the exception. It scrapped and it clawed to stay in contention; it played with the intensity of a team that knew this chance would not come again.
No team has contributed more to this World Cup than Modric — deservedly awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player — and his teammates; after three games that extended to extra time, they arrived in the final having played 90 minutes, an entire match’s worth, more than the French, so arduous has been their path. Croatia’s Luka Modric was named the tournament’s best player.
There was more to come, as it turned out. In those six minutes, Pogba and Mbappé scored; in those six minutes, France hit a rhythm Croatia could not bear; in those six minutes, France took the game, and the crown, beyond its opponents. Those six minutes spoke volumes for the measure of French superiority over the past six weeks: a team so potent that it does not need to play well for sustained periods, so rich in talent that it only has to shine briefly to shine impossibly brightly, so good that it can do in flashes, in seconds, what others might need an hour and half to do. It is a team of blinding light.
France is the world champion because it can shine brighter than anyone else, even if it only needs to do so for a moment. Because it came to win games and would worry later about hearts. Because it never lost control: of itself, of its opponents, of its destiny. They celebrated at the final whistle, of course, their 4-2 victory over Croatia confirmed: Hugo Lloris led his teammates in an Icelandic thunderclap.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was cutting loose — leaping to his feet, punching the air. Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, presented France’s players with the trophy that they had craved for so long, that their country and their heroes last held 20 years ago, that all of the emotion, constrained from the moment they arrived in Russia, came rushing out in waves.
Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (http://www.fetna.org) an umbrella organization of more than 50 Tamil associations across North America held between June 29th – July 1st at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, TX, focused onHeritage, Youth & Women.
“The focus of the convention was multifold, and it also included an exclusive one-day entrepreneur conference and two days of Tamil heritage programs,” said Sriram Krishnan, one of the organizers. An estimated 5,000 people from all over the U.S. and some from abroad gathered in Frisco, Texas to reconnect to their roots, their culture and their tradition during the 31st National Tamil Convention.
The convention, among other things, celebrated the culmination of global efforts to raise US$ 6 MM to setup a Tamil Chair at Harvard University. Tamil language is one of the oldest classical languages of the world and the only Indian language to be recognized as an official and/or minority language in countries like Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Canada, Mauritius and South Africa. The founders and directors of Harvard Tamil Chair as well as several key volunteers were recognized. The 2018 convention also witnessed the resurrection of youth competitions and introduction of several new competitions.
The convention also celebrated the 120th birthday of Thilliayadi Valliammai, the first woman from the Indian diaspora who worked with Mahatma Gandhi and gave her life for liberty and freedom in South Africa. It also celebrated Than Thai Selva, a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and politician who is considered a father figure among Sri Lankan Tamils.
The entrepreneur and business conference comprised of a Tamil Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) that was attended by about 1,200 people. As many as 30 world-class business leaders, CIOs, social entrepreneurs and community leaders spoke at the daylong event. It was keynoted by C.K. Kumaravel, the founder of Naturals, one of India’s top hair and beauty salons. Kumaravel shared with the audience how his venture into uncharted territory led to success. Other speakers included Senthamarai Prabhakar, president of the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America; Lakshmanan Chidambaram, president of Tech Mahindra’s Americas Strategic Verticals; Muru Murugappan CIO of BNSF, a Berkshire Hathaway Company; Ganesh Radhakrishnan CEO of Wharfedale Technologies; Prashanth Ram, founder and CTO of Gold Coast IT Solutions, and Latha Pandiarajan, cofounder of MaFoi Consultants.
Arul Murugan of 11-11 Ventures awarded $5,000 in prize money to the winners of TEF Junior, a VC pitch contest for students 16 and younger. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthy (D-Ill.) delivered the closing address of the business conference, urging greater involvement in civic matters.
Lena Kannappan, COO and head of Cloud IAM business for 8KMiles, announced the launching of the Dallas Chapter of American Tamil Entrepreneurs Association (ATEA). A serial entrepreneur with 24 years of software industry experience, Kannappan was instrumental in starting the TEF talk in such gatherings a few years ago to promote entrepreneurship spirit among Tamil entrepreneurs and to inspire the young generation.
One of the highlights of the convention was the recreation of the Thanjavur Brihadeeshwara Temple, constructed some 1,000 years ago by one of the greatest emperors of India, Raja Cholan. The location is a UNESCO heritage site. Several hundred volunteers worked for nearly nine months to recreate the temple that was the center of attraction at the convention.
The festivities included motivational speeches and discourses including one from the chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology, G. Viswanathan. A global Tamil hour program included participation by Tamil scholars. It also had performances by Narthagi Natarajan, award-winning play troupe Manal Magudi and Tamil Isai by Sanjay Subrahmanyan.
The convention was conducted under the auspices of Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) and organized by Metroplex Tamil Sangam, Dallas which celebrated its 50th year. The cultural programs at the convention included Mangala Isai, the traditional
Nadaswara performance, followed by Tamil Thai Vazhthu, American National Anthem and a mega Broadway style dance recital by nearly 150 children, trained under renowned Bharatanatyam exponent Narthagi Natarajan. There were also performances involving traditional Tamil art forms – Pambai, Parai, Silambam, Karagam, Gummi – and a discussion on Tamil heritage. There was also a light music performance by singer Karthik, drummer Sivamani and Shaktisree Gopalan.
Nearly 40 parallel sessions were held on a wide range of topics,including Thurumular Pranayama, art workshops, a science fair, continuing medical education and medical symposium, and Tamil Isai, a movement that promotes pure form of ancient Tamil music.
Just over seven decades after the declaration of India’s independence in 1947 and the emergence of a modern art movement in India, Asia Society presents a landmark exhibition of more than 80 works by members of the Progressive Artists’ Group, which formed in Bombay, now known as Mumbai, in the aftermath of independence. The Progressive Revolution: Modern Art for a New India examines the founding ideology of the Progressives and explores the ways in which artists from different social, cultural, and religious backgrounds found common cause at a time of massive political and social upheaval.
Though the group disbanded in 1956, the ideas and discussions of its members continued to animate and give visual expression to India’s modern identity, with many of the Group’s artists creating their most iconic works after this period. Works in the exhibition—primarily oil paintings from the 1940s to 1990s—underscore how these artists gave visual form to the idea of India as secular, diverse, international, and united. Like their counterparts in the West, India’s modern masters mined multiple sources of inspiration including the subcontinent and Asia, as well as the wider world. They forged their own distinctive styles that were international in outlook while resonating with Indian sensibilities.
The exhibition is organized by guest curator Dr. Zehra Jumabhoy, Associate Lecturer, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London and Boon Hui Tan, Vice President for Global Arts and Cultural Programs and Director of Asia Society Museum in New York. A fully illustrated catalogue featuring essays by leading scholars of Indian art and modern history accompanies the exhibition.
“The works in this exhibition reflect the diversity of Asian modernities, which are not a mirror of the Euro-American experience,” says Boon Hui Tan. “Art was also a way for the Progressive Artists’ Group to validate and celebrate a new secular republic that emerged from a rich, multi-religious tradition in ways that remain relevant today. Asia Society is pleased to present the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the Progressives undertaken in the United States in recent decades.”
“The Progressives’ Artist Group have come to be seen as the ‘quintessential Indian Moderns,’” notes Zehra Jumabhoy. “They came from all walks of life: rich, poor, Dalits, Muslims, Brahmins, Roman Catholics. They genuinely embodied Indian Prime Minister Nehru’s dream of unity in diversity and his version of an ‘Indian secularism’ that was multi-religious and inclusive. Given the political climate in both India and the U.S. today, I think this principle of tolerance – part and parcel of the Group’s DNA – is vital to rekindle.”
The exhibition comprises important and visually arresting works from the Group’s core founders—K. H. Ara, S. K. Bakre, H. A. Gade, M. F. Husain, S. H. Raza, and F. N. Souza—as well as later members and those closely affiliated with the movement: V. S. Gaitonde, Krishen Khanna, Ram Kumar, Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee, and Mohan Samant. A selection of masterpieces of South Asian and East Asian art, including works from the Asia Society Museum Collection—Rajput miniatures, a sandstone figure, two Chola bronzes, and a Japanese landscape hanging scroll—is also included to show how the Progressives were inspired by South Asian and East Asian iconography and traditional forms in the creation of a new visual language for a new Indian nation.
The exhibition is organized into three major sections plotting the artistic development of the Group’s celebrated artists. The first section, “Progressives in Their Time,” considers the Group’s origins and early formation, and the context in which the artists were working. A section titled “National/International” examines the Progressives’ use of multiple sources of inspiration, including India’s high art and folk traditions, and ways that they borrowed from a range of styles to create a distinct mode of expression. The third section of the exhibition, “Masters of the Game,” comprises some of the artists’ most iconic works created after the Group dissolved in the 1950s and its most prominent members had traveled to foreign lands.
The exhibition includes rarely seen historic works from the first and earliest shows of the Progressives. Other highlights include two paintings from M. F. Husain and F. N. Souza that were exhibited in the first exhibition of the Progressives in 1949, and a painting by S. H. Raza that was included in the seminal exhibition Trends in Contemporary Painting from India. The exhibition traveled to institutions and galleries throughout the United States between March 1959 and March 1960 as one of the largest presentations of modern Indian painting in this country. Also included is a large-scale crucifixion painting by F. N. Souza that has not been shown in more than six decades.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Asia Society presents a special season of public programs exploring India’s dynamic past, present, and future through performance, film, literature, design, and cuisine. For more information, visit AsiaSociety.org/NY.
Major support is provided by Amita and Purnendu Chatterjee, Blanca and Sunil Hirani, Sangita Jindal, Sheryl and Chip Kaye, and Sana H. Sabbagh. Generous support is provided by The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Rajiv and Payal Chaudhri, Kent and Marguerite Charugundla, The Darashaw Foundation, Sonny and Michelle Kalsi, Indra and Raj Nooyi, and The Rajadhyaksha Family.
Additional support is from Jon Friedland and Shaiza Rizavi; Peter Louis, Chandru Ramchandani, and Lal Dalamal; The Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation; and Kelly and Sundaram Tagore.
Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational institution based in New York with state-of-the-art cultural centers and gallery spaces in Hong Kong and Houston, and offices in Los Angeles, Manila, Mumbai, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Washington, D.C., and Zurich.
Asia Society Museum is located at 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street), New York City. The Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. and Friday 11 A.M. to 9 P.M. (mid-September through June). Closed on Mondays and major holidays. General admission is $12, seniors $10, students $7; and free for members and persons under 16. Find out more at AsiaSociety.org/NY and @AsiaSocietyNY.
Weeks after being pardoned by President Donald Trump, Dinesh D’Souza is unveiling the trailer for his latest movie. Quality Flix opens the conservative’s latest documentary film, Death of a Nation, in 1,000 theaters on Aug. 3.
The film likens Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump — saying that the situations they found themselves in as U.S. presidents are very similar, according to the filmmaker.
“Lincoln was elected to unite a country and stop slavery. Democrats smeared him; went to war against him; assassinated him. Now, their target is Trump,” D’Souza intones at the top of the trailer before announcing the movie is produced by Gerald Molen, the Oscar-winning producer of Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park.
D’Souza’s first three films, 2016: Obama’s America; America: Imagine a World Without Her; and Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party, were huge hits as far as documentaries go.
They were also very controversial, and D’Souza’s newest effort promises to be doubly so, considering its favorable treatment of Trump comes on the heels of a presidential pardon for the filmmaker, who was on probation for using straw donors to give more to a friend’s campaign for U.S. senator than the law allows.
Snippets seen in the two-minute trailer above include actor Pavel Kriz as Adolf Hitler in scenes filmed at Zeppelin Field where Nazi rallies took place eight decades ago, plus reenactments of the Civil War and of slaves being unmercifully beaten.
“Lincoln saved America the first time. It’s now up to us to save it a second time,” he says at the trailer’s end.
“The primary theme of the movie is racism and fascism,” D’Souza tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Look at the timeliness of this with the immigration debate, where Trump is being called a ‘Nazi,’ ‘fascist’ and ‘racist.’ This tells me that people don’t have a clue, not only about the history of fascism and racism, but where it exists today.”
D’Souza was convicted in 2014 on campaign finance fraud charges and sentenced to five years’ probation. Former Indian American U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara led the investigation into D’Souza, who was charged with using straw donors to illegally funnel $20,000 to the 2012 U.S. Senate campaign for New York Republican Wendy Long. President Trump pardoned the high-profile Indian American May 31. (Read earlier India-West story here.)
According to the film’s official description, “Death of a Nation” cuts through “progressive big lies to expose hidden history and explosive truths through stunning historical recreations and a searching examination of fascism and white supremacy.”
The trailer shows an actor portraying Adolf Hitler, reenactments of Nazi rallies, and Civil War, showing black slaves being mistreated by white men. “A nation dies when its people are not free,” D’Souza adds.
Actress Priyanka Chopra is the ‘hottest woman on the planet,’ according to Maxim India. For the fifth year in a row, the magazine has named the “Quantico” star on its ‘Hot 100’ list.
In the caption introducing their cover featuring Chopra, Maxim India writes that she has “the talent, she’s got the brains and she’s definitely got the looks – is it any surprise that after millions of fans showed their support, @priyankachopra is back to top the 2018 Maxim India Hot 100 list and grace the cover for a record-breaking fifth time? Welcome back, PC.”
Dressed in an all-white bodysuit that’s covered in a sheer pantsuit and a messy bun to go with it, Chopra looks smoking hot. In a prelude to their cover story, Maxim India adds: “She’s more than the Indian abroad, more than our girl in Hollywood, more than one of India’s biggest stars. Who is she? Find out in our Special Hot 100 issue.”
The 34-year-old has been in the headlines lately because of her blossoming romance with singer Nick Jonas. The two were recently spotted celebrating the Fourth of July in New York, with Jonas’ family. While her ABC thriller, “Quantico,” is in its last season, she is getting ready to reunite with Salman Khan in “Bharat,” a collaboration fans are anxiously waiting for.
Chopra has been roped in director-writer Shonali Bose’s next titled “The Sky Is Pink” and has already started prepping for the Hindi film. Priyanka on July 8 night shared a photograph of the film’s draft on her Instagram stories. The draft also mentioned that the film is written by Bose.
She captioned it: “And it begins… Prep. Hindi movie.” The “Mary Kom” actress later posted a photograph of herself in a car enjoying looking at the Mumbai rains. “The Sky Is Pink'” reportedly revolves around Aisha Chaudhary, who became a motivational speaker after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 13. Bose has previously directed films like “Amu” and “Margarita with a Straw.” She even produced the 2012 film “Chittagong.”
(Columbus, OH; July 4th, 2018): The 36th annual edition of the AAPI Annual Convention& Scientific Assembly began here at Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH on July 4th, 2018 with the much anticipated AAPI’s Got Talent contest. Music, dance, magic, drama, poetry and more. The hidden and often unappreciated side of the physicians were showcased during a competition that was a treat to all the nearly 1,500 participants who enjoyed every moment of the event.
“AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show,” said Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of AAPI. “Physicians are not just about books and work. Our stress, our emotions that we learn to conceal, our tendency to imbibe life’s lessons and take it all as it comes is often channeled into artistic outlets where we let it all flow. In this hour-long competition brought out our artistic and creative side of our members,” Dr. Samadder added.
“AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show,” declared Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, along with Dr. Samadder and the whole host of AAPIL leadership and organizing committee members, danced on stage to favorite Bollywood tunes before an enthusiastic audience. “It provided a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. Our talent event tagline is true to its word – passion truly meets professionalism in this event!” Dr. Parikh added.
Shree Saini, Miss India USA, made a special appearance at the event. Describing her experiences as the prestigious title winner as an opportunity for a year and beyond for “committed services to humanity.” The contest was elegantly emceed by Dr. Amit Chakrabarthy and Dr. Seema Arora. The evening culminated with a breathtaking musical extravaganza by world renowned artists, Palak and Palash.
On the 2nd day of the convention, an AAPI Pageant, organized and supported by AAPI is “more than just a title. It’s a movement for empowering women from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. This pageant promotes self-confidence, leadership, poise and public speaking skills as well as the strong presence of beautiful women in our community!” said Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Organizing Committee.
The 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. 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. The AAPI convention will also offer 12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
The convention will be addressed by senior world leaders, including US Senators, Nobel Lauretes, Governors, Congressmen, and celebrities from the Hollywood and Bollywood world.
World Leader and Humanitarian Sri Sri Ravishankar will be one of the keynote speakers at AAPI Convention. He will participate in Q & A session for Physician wellness program as well.
“Many of the physicians who will attend this convention have excelled in different specialties and subspecialties and occupy high positions as faculty members of medical schools, heads of departments, and executives of hospital staff. The AAPI Convention offers an opportunity to meet directly with these physicians who are leaders in their fields and play an integral part in the decision-making process regarding new products and services,” Dr. Ashok Jain, Chair of AAPI’s BOT, said.
In addition to the exhibition hall featuring large exhibit booth spaces in which the healthcare industry will have the opportunity to engage, inform and educate the physicians directly through one on one, hands on product demonstrations and discussions, there will be focused group and specialty Product Theater, Interactive Medical Device Trade Show, and special exhibition area for new innovations by young physicians.
“AAPI members represent a variety of important medical specialties. Sponsors will be able to take advantage of the many sponsorship packages at the 36th annual convention, creating high-powered exposure to the highly coveted demographic of AAPI‘s membership,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, Vice President of AAPI, said.
Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 36 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 have convened and are participating in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. We are happy to have you all in Columbus, Ohio!” said Dr. Gautam Samadder.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin. Over 15,00 physicians and their families of Indian origin from across the United States have come together at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org
Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan and late veteran actress Sridevi were named the Best Actors at the 19th edition of the IIFA Awards, for their remarkable work in films “Hindi Medium” and “Mom”, respectively. The award function also honored late actors Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi. Veteran actor Anupam Kher was honored with the Outstanding Achievement award.
At a grand event on Sunday here at the Siam Niramit theatre, a story of an ambitious and enterprising housewife, “Tumhari Sulu” bagged the Best Picture honour, while Saket Chaudhary took back the Best Director Award.
Late Sridevi’s husband-producer Boney Kapoor took the award for her performance in “Mom”. He was emotional as he received the award from actress Kriti Sanon. “I dedicate this award to the entire team of ‘Moma’,” said an emotional Boney.
Vinod’s award was accepted by veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy. Rishi Kapoor took Shashi Kapoor’s award. While actor Anil Kapoor and Boney broke down in tears while talking about Sridevi at the gala.
“I have mixed emotions today. I miss her every minute and second of my life. I still feel she is around here….I want you all to support Janhvi like you supported her mother…” said a teary eyed Boney.
“It is a great feeling when your own peers celebrate your achievements and as I have been saying, this is just the interval point of what I am doing and my seconds half of journey starts now. It started with my 500th film….I told myself this is the interval point with The Big Sick and after that I have done 15 films in the last one year both international and national,” Anupam told the media.
The 2000-seater Siam Niramit theatre saw thousands of Bollywood fanatics coming to the event to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. A string of A-listers like Ranbir Kapoor, Varun, Arjun, Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol and Shraddha set the stage on fire with their power packed and electrifying performances.
Varun danced on numbers like “Sau Tarah Ke”, “Tama Tama,” and “High Rated Gabru”. Bobby danced with Romanian TV presenter and singer Iulia Vantur on numbers like “Gupt Gupt, “Soldier soldier”, “Tera Rang Balle Balle” and tracks from his latest release “Race 3”. Kriti, Arjun and Shraddha also danced to tracks from their films respectively.
Shah Rukh Khan, Soumitra Chatterjee, Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu, Madhuri Dixit, Ali Fazal and Anil Kapoor, apart from producers Aditya Chopra and Guneet Monga, as well as music artistes Usha Khanna and Sneha Khanwalkar are among the Indians invited to be a part of the Oscar Academy’s Class of 2018.
The announcement was made on Monday on the official website of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The new invitees are an effort on the Oscar-giving body to include more women, people of color and international filmmakers.
“Dangal” editor Ballu Saluja, costume designers Manish Malhotra and Dolly Ahluwalia, cinematographer Anil Mehta, actress Madhabi Mukherjee, production designers Subrata Chakraborthy and Amit Ray are also a part of the list.
Ali Fazal, who featured with Judi Dench in “Victoria and Abdul,” tweeted: “So so humbled to be included with the greats. Thank you The Academy for this membership. I look forward to this friendship for a long long time.Sending my love from India.”
Monga, known for producing “The Lunchbox” and “Masaan,” wrote on Instagram: “Honoured to have been invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Class of 2018 !!!!! Thank you The Academy.”
The Academy extended invitations to a record 928 artistes and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures across the world. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2018, read a statement.
Among the invitees, 17 are Oscar winners, while 92 are Oscar nominees, including Timothee Chalamet and Daniel Kaluuya. Forty-nine percent of the class of 2018 are female, and, should all accept membership, that will bring overall percentage of women in the Academy to 31 percent.
Thirty-eight percent of the new invitees are people of color, which, should they all accept, would bring their overall percentage of the Academy to 16 percent, according to hollywoodreporter.com.
Tiffany Haddish, Kal Penn, Kumail Nanjiani, Blake Lively, Dave Chappelle, Mindy Kaling, George Lopez, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Evan Rachel Wood, Naveen Andrews, Melissa Etheridge, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kendrick Lamar and J.K. Rowling are among the popular names on the list which ranges from actress Quvenzhane Wallis, who, at age 14, is the youngest, to composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who, at 86, is the oldest.
Anukreethy Vas, a 19-year old beautiful and talented young woman from Tamil Nadu, triumphed over 29 contestants from all over India to clinch the ‘Femina Miss India World 2018’ title on Tuesday, last week. She was crowned by Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who brought home the coveted ‘Miss World’ crown the first time since 2000.
Vas, raised by a single mother, was crowned at a star-studded grand finale of the beauty contest on June 19 night at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium in Mumbai. Meenakshi Chaudhary, 21, from Harayana was declared the first runner-up, while Andhra Pradesh’s Shreya Rao Kamavarapu , 23, became the second runner-up in the annual beauty pageant.
A student of Chennai’s Loyola College, Vas is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in French to become an interpreter, but she works closely with an NGO for the education of transgenders – a cause close to her heart. She wishes to become a supermodel as she loves facing the camera, but Bollywood is not her focus right now. Her eyes are set on winning the Miss World crown for India again, Vas told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
The Femina Miss India show saw participants proving their aptitude by facing some tricky questions from the judges’ panel, which included Bobby Deol, Kunal Kapoor, Malaika Arora, fashion designer Gaurav Gupta and cricketer Irfan Pathan, along with Chhillar.
Talking about Miss India 2018, Manushi had earlier said, “I think there is no set formula and there is no one path that can be taken to the crown as every one has their own way. Even when you look at past winners of Miss World, everyone was unique. So you can’t give a set example but all I can tell them is to learn as much as they can and be themselves…We do have a lot of expectations from India. It’s going to be a tough one for whosoever wins.”
The event was hosted by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Ayushmann Khurrana. Bollywood was prominently present at the grand finale, as Jacqueline Fernandez set the stage on fire by shaking a leg on “Desi Girl.”
Dancing diva and actress Madhuri Dixit Nene performed a beautiful dance number during the India round, with her co-dancers presenting various forms of Indian classical dance. She also hummed a few lines from her latest Marathi release, “Bucket List,” during an interaction with the hosts. Kareena Kapoor Khan looked ravishing in her stage performance on “Tareefan” from her latest film, “Veere Di Wedding.”
All the selected participants were groomed by Neha Dhupia, Rakul Preet Singh, Pooja Chopra and Pooja Hegde. The organizing team of the beauty pageant toured all 30 states of the country, including Delhi, and crowned one representative from each state, all aspiring for the coveted Miss India crown.
Anukreethy Vas will now represent India at Miss World 2018 while the two runners-up will represent the country at Miss Grand International 2018 and Miss United Continents 2018 respectively.
Indian actress Freida Pinto has signed on to star in director John Ridley’s time-travel drama, “Needle in a Timestack.” Pinto will star alongside Leslie Odom Jr., Cynthia Erivo, and Orlando Bloom.
Bron Studios has come on board to produce the movie, which was set up last year at Miramax. Zanne Devine, David Thwaites, Bron’s Aaron L. Gilbert, and Matt Kennedy are producers, but Miramax is no longer involved. Ridley, Jason Cloth of Creative Wealth Media, Christopher J. Conover, and Hope Farley will exec produce.
Ridley will direct and is adapting from a short story by Robert Silverberg. The movie follows a couple struggling to hold their marriage together in a world where time travel is possible, and the past and present are ever fluctuating.
Odom Jr. is best known for his performance in the Broadway smash “Hamilton” and was recently seen in Fox’s “Murder on the Orient Express.” Pinto will next be seen in Andy Serkis’ “Jungle Book” adaptation, “Mowgli,” as well as in Tabrez Noorani’s “Love Sonia” and Takashi Doscher’s indie drama “Only.”
Pinto has also been paired with Tony-winning “Hamilton” star Odom, Jr. in Takashi Doscher’s thriller, “Only,” which is currently in post-production. (Read earlier India-West story here.)
The “Slumdog Millionaire” actress, who previously collaborated with Ridley on his Showtime miniseries, “Guerilla,” is also awaiting the release of Andy Serkis’ upcoming Jungle Book adaptation, “Mowgli,” starring Indian American actor Rohan Chand. She also has another movie due out in 2018, “Love Sonia,” a film about sex trafficking alongside Demi Moore.
Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra arrived in Mumbai early on June 22 with American singer-songwriter Nick Jonas, amid speculation that they are more than just friends. Chopra, 35, tried evading the paparazzi at the airport with a black curtain in the backseat maintaining privacy for the passengers. While the cameras could only capture slight glimpses of the two, they were seen later while emerging out of a car.
When the two were spotted by paparazzi, they covered their faces in a thick, dark veil to avoid getting clicked. Photograper Viral Bhayani shared pictures from the spotting. “Remember I mentioned #NickJonas is coming to Mumbai. Yes he just did along with #priyankachopra as they arrived secretly but they did not do any pictures,” he captioned his photos.
Later, he posted another photograph in which Jonas is seen in a beige t-shirt and jeans, while Priyanka is seen in a high waist peach floral skirt and a black coat, as they came out of a car. “Welcome to Mumbai Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra,” Bhayani wrote.
The actress, who became popular in American showbiz with a lead role in “Quantico,” has been creating a buzz with her appearances with Jonas, 25. In December last year, Jonas, while promoting “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” had expressed a desire to visit India.
“I’ve never been (to India). But I’m dying to go, and I have now heard from Priyanka, my new friend a lot about it. Just given me a lot of names of place to go if I go there,” Jonas had said in a statement to IANS. The statement came after the two had walked on the Met Gala red carpet, making everyone wonder whether they were dating.
Back then, on his relationship with Priyanka Chopra, Jonas had said: “We met through a mutual friend who she did ‘Quantico’ with, this guy Graham and we met up like in New York the first time and the same day I think we found out that we are both going to the Met gala with Ralph Lauren.
“And as strange as it sounds but we couldn’t have planned it. We just had a great time. She’s a lovely person, and I’m dying now to go to India.”
At the Met Gala, Chopra had just laughed off a romance with Jonas, insisting they simply shared an agent and were friends. She had also said they went to the Met Gala together as they were both wearing ensembles by Ralph Lauren. A few days ago, they walked arm in arm at Jonas’ cousin’s wedding in New Jersey.
They were also seen together at the 2017 Met Gala in New York, apart from being seen roaming around on a boat with friends over America’s Memorial Day weekend last month. Priyanka Chopra was photographed cuddling up to him in a group photograph while they attended a Dodgers baseball game in New York together in May.
After being screened at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival’s Marche du Films section, Indian filmmaker Aneek Chaudhuri’s silent film, “White,” that talks about sexual assault on women, is now an official selection for the 2018 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The festival is set for August 2018.
“Being a part of such an honorable event will fetch more credibility to the film,” Chaudhuri said in a statement. “Since ‘White’ is an independent venture aiming at film festivals, of course we would like to earn more laurel leaves and the Melbourne inclusion in a huge booster for the team.”
In “White,” the Kolkata-based indie filmmaker attempts to tell stories of three women who have survived sexual assaults and are now fighting back to lead a stronger life. “White” conjoins three tales based on a similar theme, however, each woman has her own life and a way of leading it. The film stars Kaushik Roy and Arjaa Banerjee.
“Rape is an issue that is universal; no verbal language is enough to decode the pain and suffering,” Chaudhuri said. “Moreover, I wanted global approach and I believe that a silent film would take away any kind of language barrier from the film; this in turn, would make it approachable by a wider spectrum of audiences throughout the globe.”
The first tale is of a factory girl getting abused at work and her story of survival; the second story follows a single mother and her inability to face her own child after the heinous crime. This is a story of the child’s upbringing in an orphanage and her return to her childhood home after two decades; and the third and the last tale is how a husband accepts a child born out of rape of his wife by another man in the village and gives the child his name.
At least five Telugu actresses were allegedly lured into prostitution in the U.S., by an undocumented Indian American couple, according to an indictment unsealed in the U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois last week.
Recently unsealed federal charges accuse a Chicago couple of Indian descent of running a high-end prostitution ring to lure actresses from Tollywood — a nickname for the lively Telugu-language film scene in southern India — to the U.S. and advertise them for sex at Indian conferences and cultural events across the country.
While here on temporary visas, at least five actresses were sometimes forced to stay in a dingy, two-story apartment building in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood waiting for their next “date,” the charges alleged. They also met clients in hotels at conferences in Dallas, New Jersey and Washington.
The prostitution scheme was allegedly masterminded by Kishan Modugumudi, 34, an Indian businessman who rose to become a player in the Tollywood movie industry and co-produced several hit films.
Here are the incriminating details that came to the fore which helped blow the lid on the scam.
The accused, Kishan Modugumudi and Chandrakala Modugumudi, both natives of Hyderabad but illegally living in the US, took Tollywood actresses and models to USA in the name of various conferences and ‘star nights’ but conducted a prostitution racket instead
Tollywood actresses, models and anchors were taken on B1 and B2 visitor visas to USA. The accused collected $1,000 to $3,000 for ‘one-time’ sex with the actresses. At least 76 airline tickets were purchased from November 8, 2016 to November 29, 2017. Most bookings were made at Comfort Suites in Schiller Park, Illinois in the name of Kishan and Vebha
Kishan Modugumudi – also known as Sreeraj Chennuppati – and his wife, Chandrakala Purnima Modugumudi, were arrested on April 30, and charged with several counts of “importation of aliens for prostitution.” The couple is currently in detention with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Illinois. Their next court appearance is scheduled for July 9.
Federal agents retrieved text messages from Kishan Modugumudi’s cell phones that contained conversations between him and customers. One of the victims reached US to attend Telugu Association of Southern California (TASC) star night event in California on Nov 8, 2017. But she reached two days after the event and travelled to Chicago, raising suspicions of the Homeland Security Investigations. On probe, the victim said she came to attend another conference of North America Telugu Society (NATS) held in Schaumburg, Illinois, on November 25, 2017.
According to the 42-page indictment, Kishan Modugumudi, who promoted himself as a Tollywood agent, and his wife bought airline tickets for the five victims – at various times – on the premise that they would be performing at Telugu and other Indian American conferences. The Modugumudis allegedly housed the young women at their Chicago home and area hotels, and held their passports, rendering the victims virtual captives.
The women were then ordered to perform sex on men who arranged the transactions by text message with the Modugumudis, according to the indictment. Several chats were displayed as evidence in the indictment, which portrayed customers haggling over prices and choice of woman.
Customers paid anywhere from $800 to $3,000 to have sex with the would-be actresses, the indictment alleged, adding that Modugumudi would text customers photos of the women, and customers would specify whom they wanted. In one such exchange documented in the indictment, a customer asked the pimp for the woman he had sex with “last time” for $800 but Modugumudi said he could only send the woman for $2,500.
“I’m not rich. I can’t effort (sic) thousands of dollars,” replied the john, but Modugumudi haggled him down to $2,000, according to the indictment document.
After the encounter, the actress would allegedly text Chandrakala, also known as Vibha or Vebha, to let her know the type of encounter. In one such text documented in the indictment, a woman reported that she had given her customer “a blow job on le.” “But he was very happy,” she texted, and Vibha sent her a “thumbs up” emoticon, according to the document.
The actresses were not named, but simply referred to as Victims A, B, C, D, and E. In the first case, Victim A arrived in Chicago on a tourist visa Nov. 20, and said she was being honored by the Telugu Association of Southern California on Nov. 18, according to the indictment. Her visa indicated she was an actress.
But immigration agents became suspicious when she landed in Chicago, rather than Southern California, two days after the purported event. Victim A then allegedly she was coming for a different conference hosted by the North American Telugu Society on Nov. 25, 2017. Both NATS and TASC told federal agents no such conferences were planned on those dates.
Another young Indian actress arrived at O’Hare International Airport last Christmas Eve on a flight from Abu Dhabi. Carrying a temporary visa, she told customs agents she had come to the U.S. to attend an Indian association event at the behest of her manager and would be staying only a couple weeks.
Around that time, a news story on the Web site indiaglitz alleged that the Modugumudis – who are well-known in Southern India – were running a prostitution racket in the U.S. Victim A was questioned by federal authorities again on Dec. 25, 2017, when she said she was headed to Irving, Texas, to perform at a New Year’s Eve celebration. According to the indictment, she admitted that during her previous time in the U.S., Kishan Modugumudi, who is also known as Raju, had arranged for her to be engaged in prostitution. Victim A told agents that she did not actually engage in prostitution but “met with customers for 30 minutes and had a conversation.”
But text messages indicated she told Vibha which customers were “good tippers.” Vibha reminded her that she should bathe between encounters, according to the indictment document. In one text message, Victim A told Vibha that she “did it.” She later told federal agents that Kishan had threatened her, saying he would harm her and her family if she did not continue, or if she told anyone. She allegedly was not allowed to leave the couple’s home.
Victims B, C, D, and E all related similar stories of being lured by false promises of performing at a show. Vibha kept track of each encounter and allegedly paid out $1,000 for each purported show. According to the indictment, one customer later explained to federal agents that Vibha was known in the Telugu community as “one of the women to go to or contact regarding having sex with actresses.”
What is Cinema? The answer to this question is no easy matter. Cinema resembles so many other arts. If cinema has very literary characteristics, it also has theatrical qualities, a philosophical side, attributes of painting and sculpture and musical elements. But cinema is, in the final analysis, cinema.” – Akira Kurosawa
New Jersey Indian & International Film Festival’s (NJIIFF) held last week aims to reach out to all American, Indian & South Asian Community through Films & Related Art forms. The festival gives local & International Film Makers & Talents a platform to showcase their talent & films international.
According to festival director Hemant Pandya, “the festival aims to connect filmmakers with the distributors and potential investors, and also to create market for regional Indian and international films.”
A film which highlights the plight of the women in Kashmir whose husbands went missing during the militancy in the valley and another film that addresses gender inequality among prostitutes won top honors at the first edition of the New Jersey Indian International Film Festival.
Danish Renzu’s “Half Widow” won the best film and the best director award, while Sweta and Aditya Kriplani’s “Tikli and Laxmi Bomb,” won the best actress award for Chitrangdha Chakraborty and the best film in the best Festival Director’s Award category. Five documentaries, eight feature films and 22 short films from the U.S. India, France, Canada and Italy were screened at the festival held June 8 to 10 at the Regal Hadley Cinemas in South Plainfield, New Jersey.
“Half Widow” writer Sunayana Kuchroo received the award on behalf of the film’s producer. “We are honored that our film was chosen as the opening film of the festival,” she said. There are plans in progress to release the film in India, she told the audience.
The festival closed with “Bucket List,” which marked Madhuri Dixit Nene’s debut into Marathi films. Director Tejas Deoskar, who was present at the screening, was overwhelmed by the response the film got at the festival. “Marathi films are scaling new heights and making waves across the globe,” he said, adding that local festivals like the NJIFF are also supporting good content that is being made.”
At the June 10 closing ceremony, filmmaker Prakash Jha won the best actor award for his performance in Justaju and Sayani Gupta’ short film “You,” while Desalos Isabella’s “The Snag,” an entry from France was awarded the best short film. Along with best actress Chakraborty, Vishwa received the best actor award for his performance in “Saalai.” The best documentary award went to “Mariam,” the only entry from Iraq produced by Military Media Team and Mohammad Jaffar and Chintan Sharda won the best director award for his short film “Shunyata.” In the Festival Director’s Award category, Ameesha Joshi and Anna Sarkissian’s documentary “With This Ring” on the women boxers of India won the best documentary, while Italy’s short film “Weird” by Fausto Montanari was awarded the best short film.
Top, a representative of the film “Laxmi & Tikli Bomb” receives the Festival Director’s Choice for Best Film from “Bucket List” director Tejas Deoskar, right, and festival director Hemant Pandya, on the concluding day of the New Jersey Indian International Film Festival, June 10, at the Regal Hadley Cinema in South Plainfield, N.J.
Journalist Meher Tatna has been re-elected president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the 2018-2019 year. Tatna, who oversaw the successful 75th edition of the Golden Globes, ran unopposed. The Indian American executive had succeeded outgoing president Lorenzo Soria in June 2017.
Tatna will preside over the group’s annual Golden Globe Awards, co-produced with Dick Clark Productions, with the 76th version set for January, according to Deadline.
Tatna was first elected to her post last June. She has previously served as a HFPA vice president, treasurer and executive secretary. She is still an active contributor to India’s The New Paper.
“While the president [of the HFPA] stands with and supports Time’s Up, she wore the dress that she chose with her mother. As part of her Indian culture, it’s customary to wear a festive color during a celebration,” an individual familiar with her thinking told TheWrap at the time.
This year’s election also named former HFPA president Lorenzo Soria as chairman of the board, which consists of Luca Celada, Helen Hoehne, Ruben Nepales, Kirpi Uimonen Ballesteros and Yoram Kahana.
Tatna was born in Mumbai, India, and moved to the U.S. where she received a degree in economics from Brandeis University in Massachusetts. She has been a member of the HFPA since 2002 and has served in its administration for the past 12 years, including as vice president (2015-2017), treasurer (2007-2009, 2013-2015), and executive secretary (2005-2007, 2009-2011).
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is a group of international journalists based in Southern California who distribute news about television and film to publications around the world. The members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association represent some 55 countries with a combined readership of more than 250 million. Their publications include leading newspapers and magazines in Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand and Latin America.
RealMe, the new e-commerce sub-brand of smartphone giant OPPO, announced the launch of its limited-edition Moonlight Silver variant that will be up for sale from June 18, 2018 on Amazon India. Last month saw the launch of RealMe 1 with two variants – the Diamond Black and Solar Red. This new variant will offer 4GB RAM and 64 GB storage at a pocket-friendly price point of INR. 10,990/-.
RealMe 1 is the first smartphone designed by OPPO that is focused on offering great designs with powerful specifications at a pocket friendly price. While the variants launched earlier offered storage capabilities of 3GB RAM and 32 GB ROM and 6 GB RAM and 128 GB ROM, the new edition will also offer an alternate 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM variant in 3 colors: Moonlight Silver, Solar Red and Diamond Black.
Speaking on the soon to be launched variant, Madhav Sheth, Chief Executive Officer of RealMe India said, “The response to RealMe 1 has been phenomenal. We sold lakhs of units only within our first two sales. Our phones were ranked as the Best Seller on Amazon India securing the top four positions. We are glad to announce a new Moonlight Silver edition to our range of phones. In line with the trend of reflecting effects in the industry, this limited-edition range offers shiny, reflecting glossy designs that cater to the needs of our customers. At the price point we are offering, we are hoping that this new variant will be equally well received by the audience.”
The 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM variant, that comes in Diamond Black, Solar Red and a limited-edition Moonlight Silver, allows users great multi-tasking capabilities at one go without hanging and provides uncompromised storage. RealMe1 has a phone’s screen body ratio of almost 85%, it comes with a 6-inch display bearing full-HD+ 1080×2160 pixels resolution. The RealMe 1 also has an impressive An Tu Tu score that can go up to 140,000. The Mediatek’s HelioP60 NeuroPilot AI technology, gives the device an enhanced edge, particularly in photography, real-time beautification, real-time video preview. The phone also has a dual-core AI-specific chip for providing AI-assisted features.
The phone’s 3410mAh battery + AI battery management promise + the sharp AI processor ensures that longer and higher usage doesn’t affect its performance or heat up the phone. The enhanced Facial Unlock function can accurately identify 296 facial points to provide better security and takes less than 0.1 seconds to unlock your phone, even in low-light conditions. The ColorOS 5.0 UI based on Android 8.1 has been completely revamped with a brand new and fresh interface design that is easy on the eyes. The 13MP rear camera with an LED flash and an 8MP selfie camera. Both the front and rear cameras also support AR stickers.
Manufactured by OPPO factories, RealMe also assures its users of superior quality through its stringent quality control measures that is executed around 10,000 drop tests, 100,000 button tests, 10,000 USB tests to ensure the durability of the Realme 1 smartphone. RealMe customers will also have access to over 500 OPPO service centers across India with guaranteed 90% of repair cases resolved within an hour. Along with online service supports, RealMe is offering a 360-degree customer service system.
People flying between India and the rest of the world through United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) mega hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi will soon be able to get a free transit visa to spend up to two days there. The UAE government has decided that to grant free transit visas for first 48 hours to transit passengers and this visa can be extended for up to 96 hours by paying 50 Dirham (about Rs 930). The date from which this will be allowed is yet to be announced, say Indian travel industry majors.
UAE is already the single biggest international destination for Indian travellers. Almost a quarter of all international travel to and from India happens on mega UAE carriers like Emirates, flyDubai and Etihad. Jet Airways, in which Etihad has a 24% stake, + also serves as a feeder to Etihad’s long haul flights to Abu Dhabi.
Anywhere up to 75% of people flying on Gulf, including UAE, carriers are only transiting through those hubs between India and rest of the world. So the decision to grant free 48-hour transit visas is expected to further increase the number of visitors to UAE.
Karan Anand of travel major Cox & Kings said: “The move by UAE to exempt transit passengers from all entry fees for the first 48 hours is significant. Travellers who have onward connections can now stay in the UAE and enjoy a range of attractions that the various Emirates have to offer. In fact, this will give a boost to Dubai and Abu Dhabi which are promoting its attractions aggressively in the Indian market. Many new attractions are opening up in these destinations and as Dubai gears up for the 2020 Expo, these measures will boost tourism inflows.”
Indian travel majors are awaiting the date from which this change will be implemented. In terms of flying people in and out of India, Emirates is the biggest international airline. The Jet-Etihad combine is the biggest airline in terms of international travel to and from India.
“According to Dubai Tourism statistics, Dubai attracted over 2.1 million Indian tourists in 2017 +— 15% more than the previous year. India is the number one source market for the emirate,” said a senior official of a travel major. “Similarly, in 2017 Abu Dhabi attracted over 3.60 lakh Indian tourists, 11% more than previous year 2016. Emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah have also stepped up promotion in the Indian market. This is aided by more flight connections from India to the UAE,” said the official.
Gulf nations are going all out to woo Indian travelers and are relaxing visa norms. UAE grants visa on arrival to Indian Nationals with a valid US Visa. Oman will also do the same to Indians who reside in or hold an entry visa to US, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan and Schengen States. Last August, Qatar had allowed Indians and nationals of 46 other countries to stay for up to 60 days there without a prior visa.
Daughters of Destiny, the Netflix documentary chronicling the lives of five young Shanti Bhavan women, has been selected for the prestigious “Television with a Conscience” award by The Television Academy Honors! Honorees were recognized at a special presentation and reception held May 31 at NeueHouse Hollywood in Los Angeles, Calif. “Daughters of Destiny” is directed by Oscar winner Vanessa Roth, with music by acclaimed artist A.R. Rahman.
“Daughters of Destiny: The Journey of Shanti Bhavan,” chronicles the lives of five Indian girls from impoverished families brought up at the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project in Tamil Nadu, has been chosen by the Television Academy for “leveraging the dynamic power of television to inspire social change.” The Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project is a residential education program built to uplift children from India’s lowest socioeconomic class. The school’s children come from families earning less than $2 a day, who have been trapped in poverty for generations.
The 2018 honorees were selected from a record number of submissions and represent some of the most meaningful and relevant series, programs and documentaries of the past year, including: Andi Mack, Daughters of Destiny, Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, LA 92, One Day at a Time, and 13 Reasons Why.
Television Academy Honors celebrates programming across numerous platforms and genres that addresses the complex challenges and important social issues facing society in a compelling and impactful way. Showrunners and producers are honored for channeling the power of television to explore these issues via captivating and thoughtful storytelling that advances positive change. Established in 2008, this prestigious award is separate and distinct from Emmy’s recognition of television excellence.
The four-part series is among the recipients of the Television Academy’s 11th Annual Television Academy Honors, which celebrates and recognizes programming that creates awareness, enlightens, educates and/or positively motivates audiences.
Indian American businessman Abraham George founded the school in 1997, and his son, Ajit George, now serves as the director of operations of the innovative school, which takes in low-income children at age four and supports their education until they have graduated from college.
This documentary chronicles the lives of five girls from the “untouchable” caste balancing their lives between poverty at home and modern upbringing at Shanti Bhavan. Over the course of seven years of filming, the girls’ stories, according to the Television Academy, explore fate, free will, human potential and the universal common longing for opportunity, purpose and meaning.
The series, it adds, also delves into issues of education, equity, social justice, gender roles, adolescence, identity, social discrimination, poverty alleviation, human rights, leadership, citizenry and community empowerment.
The next edition of the Miss America pageant will scrap swimsuits and will be more inclusive to women of all sizes, the contest announced on June 5th. Gretchen Carlson, the chairwoman of the Miss America board of directors, announced on “Good Morning America” that the event will no longer feature a swimsuit portion.
Miss America will be a competition, not a pageant, Carlson said on the show Tuesday. “We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance. That’s huge,” she said. Carlson also said the new Miss America competition will be more inclusive to women of “all shapes and sizes.” The official Miss America Twitter account tweeted a short video of a white bikini going up in a puff of smoke with the hashtag #byebyebikini.
Reacting to the announcement, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, the first Indian American and South Asian to win the title of Miss America, took to social media to weigh in on the organization’s decision. “Miss America 2.0 is finally here. Since my time serving as #MissAmerica and beyond, I’ve been fortunate to experience many proud moments in my career & recognition for my advocacy work,” she wrote. “My swimsuit score had nothing to do with any of them.”
Davuluri wrote that she couldn’t be “prouder” to be a part of this evolution. “Today, the @MissAmerica organization moves into an era where we focus on inclusivity & empowerment by emphasizing what truly matters: substance within,” she wrote, adding hashtags like ByeByeBikini and CirclesOfUnity.
When the Miss America pageant started in 1921, having young women parade around in bathing suits seemed like a great way to get tourists to come to the Atlantic City Boardwalk after Labor Day. But how America views women has changed drastically since then, and the Miss America Organization is run by women who don’t think it’s such a hot idea.
Accordingly, when the pageant is held this September, nearly a year into the #MeToo era, it will no longer have a swimsuit competition. “We’re not going to judge you on your appearance because we are interested in what makes you you,” Carlson said in making the announcement June 5 on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” For decades, women’s groups and others had complained that the swimsuit portion was outdated, sexist and more than a little silly.
Instead of showing off in a bathing suit, each contestant will interact with the judges to “highlight her achievements and goals in life and how she will use her talents, passion and ambition to perform the job of Miss America,” the organization said.
Carlson said the evening-wear portion of the competition will also be changed to allow women to wear something other than a gown if they want. The talent portion of the contest will remain. “It’s what comes out of their mouths that we care about,” Carlson said.
The Miss America pageant is not the cultural event it once was. The 1988 broadcast was seen by 33.1 million viewers, according to the Nielsen company. Last year, 5.4 million people watched. Because many of the state and local competitions that decide the Miss America finalists have already begun, the dropping of the swimsuit portion will not take effect at those levels until next year’s competition, the organization said.
This is not a hidden fact that a number of Indian Immigrants fall prey to hate crime in America. Similar is the case of two Indian immigrants (engineers), Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, who were at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas for a post-work drink, when Adam Purinton walked in and began shooting at them. Srinivas Kuchibhotla succumbed to his injuries and died that day and left his wife widowed.
On Feb. 22, 2017 at Austin’s Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas, Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot and killed by Adam Purinton, who though he was an illegal alien from Iran. Purinton was charged with premeditated first-degree murder and sentenced to 50 years in prison with no parole.
In a new short documentary, released by The Atlantic, Dumala Kuchibhotla, the wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla who fell victim to a hate crime last year, narrates the story of the tragic event and how she has still been living the American Dream without him. “A Devastating Hate Crime in Kansas” is a story in the film, “Do We Belong?” directed by Sofian Khan and it is part of The Atlantic Selects, an online showcase of short documentaries from independent creators.
The documentary titled “A Devastating Hate Crime in Kansas” begins with Dumala remembering their early days as a married couple from India in the U.S. and describes how buying a new home in Kansas was an ultimate dream come true for the couple.
Dumala met Srinivas online and recalled how he helped her tackle the U.S. visa process as well as their courtship days and wedding ceremony. Dumala starts recollecting the final day of Srinivas’ life, as viewers are shown a short scene took outside the Austin Bar & Grill, where Srinivas and his friend Alok attended happy hour. Dumala said she was in shock when she heard the news of Srinivas’ death by the hands of a U.S. Navy veteran who had told him to “get out of my country.”
After the tragedy though Dumala was told that she would be deported but somehow she was allowed to stay back and has started a nonprofit organization called “forever Welcome” with Srinivas’ colleagues, to combat hate crimes in the United States. The film ends with Dumala explaining how the community came forward to show their love for her and her husband, finding an answer to the question “do we belong here.”
Directed by Sofian Khan and Produced by Pulkit Datta, the film is a short documentary and puts together the devastating story of the family. Talking about the same, director Sofian Khan states, “I read about Srinivas’ death when it happened last year, and the story really hit home. My father came to the US in the 80’s as a software engineer from India’s western neighbour, Pakistan, with a work ethic and ambition that reminded me of what I was reading about Srinivas. Even more than that, the descriptions of Srinivas’ positive nature and playful humour also felt very familiar. There was a sense that I somehow knew him.”
Although a Hindu, Srinivas was identified with the same threat and backlash as all the immigrants in the country. Khan adds: “Sunayana’s question, “do we belong here?”, cuts to the heart of what has been on the minds of many as of late – both immigrants, as well as other marginalized groups. Sunayana has arrived at her own conclusion. And while everyone has to find that for themselves, I was inspired by her incredible strength and perseverance in the face of so much adversity.
Garba in the Park, part of the Garba360 initiative, is all set to storm through New York City on July 3 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Damrosch Park in New York and be a part of Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing dance series. For the first time at Damrosch Park, the Indian dance Garba will have the spotlight. This easy to learn, celebratory dance has a storied history, performed all over the world year-round and during the fall festival Navratri.
This new initiative is brought by Heena Patel, founder of the South Asian arts and entertainment company MELA Arts Connect to bring the energetic and immersive Indian dance experience, well-known to Gujaratis and other Indians, to new spaces and audiences.
Lincoln Center announced the 2018 season of Midsummer Night Swing, bringing people from all walks of life together to experience an array of sounds and dance styles from Tuesday, June 26 to Saturday, July 14, 2018. This iconic New York social dance party will feature 15 nights under the stars, with outdoor dance lessons and live performances paying tribute to the histories of Lindy hop, swing, mambo, salsa, blues, and more, while welcoming newcomers and dance pros alike to experience the joy of social dance.
This will be the first time that the music and dance of Gujarat will be featured at this iconic NYC summer dance party that brings people from all walks of life together to experience an array of sounds and dance styles including salsa, lindy hop and even bhangra.
The evening will begin with garba and raas lessons by Rohan Sheth and Heena Patel, followed by a stage performance of traditional garba by the Sa Dance Company, and continues with live music from Conneticut-based garba group Kashyap Jani & Friends and DJ Sunny. The evening’s dance styles will feature taali garba, tran taali garba, raas, heech, sanedo and more.
“I can’t think of a better place for the first Garba360 event in New York City than Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center. The series is about social dance – people dancing together, regardless of their background or experience, and that is what the garba and raas experience is as well,” Patel said. Advance tickets are available for $17 at MidsummerNightSwing.org.
Bollywood celebrities like Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Dia Mirza and Jackie Shroff have urged people to save planet Earth on World Environment Day on Tuesday, June 5.
A bevy of celebrities urged to save the planet by planting more trees and banning plastic.
Here’s what they have tweeted:
Sonakshi Sinha: “It’s World Environment Day! Let’s do our bit to protect this beautiful planet and make it a better place to live in for all that walk upon it.”
Jackie Shroff: “Everyday is a World Environment Day.”
Madhuri Dixit-Nene: “We often feel what difference will our individual choices make, without realizing that real change always starts with small baby steps. On this World Environment Day, let’s take responsibility for our actions which cause any form of pollution. Together lets beat plastic pollution.”
Dia Mirza: “We truly are better than this! Come on world! Let’s do our but to fix this! Because only we can. Each one of us. Beat plastic pollution. World Environment Day.”
Adah Sharma: “Enough of plastic smiles, plastic noses, plastic b**bs, plastic kisses, plastic joys, plastic dreams, plastic people, plastic bags. Let’s get real and say no to plastic! World Environment Day.”
Pooja Batra: “World Environment Day. Plant trees. Ban plastic.”
Sonu Sood: “It’s so important for every individual to work together for the betterment of our future generations. Make this planet greener, plant trees and ban plastic. Join hands with those who are working towards it. World Environment Day.”
As a prelude to International day of Yoga, 2018, Consulate General of India, New York organized ‘Yoga Cruise’ on Sunday, June 03, 2018 in association with Vegetarian Vision and Mallakhamb federation USA. The cruise centered on the theme of Yoga and was attended by more than 400 people.
The state of the art yacht called ‘Skyline Princess’ chartered exclusively for the cruise had three separate and wrap around decks including indoor and outdoor spaces with occupancy of 450 people. Yoga related conversations, discussions, lectures were simultaneously being held on various decks with guests heartily enjoining each session.
The cruise also included yoga demonstrations, performances by Mallakhamb Federation USA and innovative session on Laughter Yoga by Poonam Gupta. The Consulate’s in-house teacher on Indian Culture, Dr. Dayashankar Vidyalankar gave demonstrations on various yoga poses which were intended to make yoga accessible in everyday life of people. It was heartening to note that kids of various ages enthusiastically participated in various yoga demonstrations.
Sandeep Chakravorty, Consul General of India in New York flagged off the yacht with releasing of multi colored balloons symbolizing eternal value of peace, freedom and unity in diversity. The event was heavily covered by the local media.
Urvashi Rautela, who earlier won the title of Miss Diva 2015, ventured into Bollywood with Singh Saab The Great. The actress recently gained recognition for her dance number ‘Aashiq Banaya Aapne’ in Hate Story 4. And now, Urvashi Rautela has added another feather up her sleeve.
Urvashi Rautela, who holds the record of winning the highest number of beauty pageants has now been awarded the title of ‘Youngest Most Beautiful Woman’ in the Universe 2018 by the government & tourism of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Urvashi Rautela, the sizzling sensation of Tinseltown is slowly raising the bar with her recent line up of work. The actress gained immense recognition for her dance number “Aashiq Banaya Aapne” in “Hate Story 4.”
Already winning accolades for her performances, the actress has added another feather up her sleeve! To further commemorate the actress for her beauty, the Government of Andaman & Nicobar Islands will also have a flower named after her. Here’s wishing the actress all the success!
While her Bollywood work commitments are yet to be announced, Urvashi Rautela is busy exploring the social media platforms. From going live to speak to her fans to posting pictures and videos of her weekend plans etc., the actress loves to keep all of them updated.
British Indian actress Simmie Sangian was declared the winner of the ‘Best Actress: Bronze Award’ at the LA Shorts Awards for the socially educative movie, “honors” based on forced marriages in India. This is just one of the many recognitions that the 21-year-old has received for her short film, “Honor,” which she wrote, produced and stars in.
Honor is a short film that I wrote, and starred in. It was a very unique experience. When writing this short, I knew I wanted to educate through my film. I wanted to raise awareness. Forced marriage is something I am very passionate about. I feel that it is something that we should shed light upon as it is not talked about enough in first world countries. Many victims are those living in places such as the USA & UK, and they suffer in silence because they feel they have no way out.
When writing the script, I knew I wanted to talk about something relevant in today’s society. I think it’s very important for artists to raise awareness on things that audiences might not be aware of, or should be educated on.
Honor is about Serena, a seventeen year-old gay, British-Indian girl who is in a relationship with a woman. She is forced into an arranged marriage by her parents. Once she finds a way to seek help, she finds herself stuck between honoring her parents wishes and staying true to herself.“This kind of story is something that we should shed light upon as it is not talked about enough. Many victims suffer in silence because they feel they have no way out,’ Sangian said.
The film, which was supported by girlsnotbrides.org, is garnering good reviews on the festival circuit. The film, directed by Morgan Aiken and Indian American Kankana Chakraborty, has been recognized at the Top Shorts Film Festival, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards, and the New York Film Awards, among others.
Born and raised in Birmingham, U.K., Sangian found a passion for the arts at a very young age. In high school, she was part of the drama and dance department, acting in plays, and the choreographer of her own dance troupe.
At 18, she moved to Los Angeles, and received her BFA in acting for film and TV at the New York Film Academy, a place, she writes on her official page, “helped her not only develop her acting skills but find a love for directing.”
Anil D. Ambani owned Reliance Entertainment and one of India’s most celebrated filmmakers, Imtiaz Ali, today announced the formation of Window Seat Films, LLP, a 50:50 Joint Venture for production of movies. This is Reliance Entertainment’s 5th creative partnership with leading Indian filmmakers to form a production company.
An incredibly talented and successful writer, director, Imtiaz has received wide appreciation and acclaim from audiences and critics alike, in addition to blockbuster success at the box office. He has won several awards over the years since the release of his first film in 2005.
Starting with “Socha Na Tha” Imtiaz has made several films with newcomers and superstars alike. His filmography includes “Jab We Met”, “Love Aaj Kal”, “Rockstar”, “Tamasha”, “Highway” and “Jab Harry met Sejal”. Some of his films have achieved a sort of cult status with the youth in India and abroad.
This creative & business mix will benefit from the artistic abilities of Imtiaz, and the global marketing and distribution capabilities of Reliance Entertainment.
Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, Vice Chairman, Reliance Entertainment, said, “We are proud to have Imtiaz as our partner. He is a person of deep simplicity and humility despite his enormous successes, and we are looking forward to making great movies together.”
Commenting on the partnership, Imtiaz Ali said: “There is a common vision that Window Seat Films & Reliance Entertainment share in terms of the content that we’d like to make, the kind of stories we’d like to tell and the way we’d like to collaborate in running this partnership. Working under this partnership is like working for myself. ”
Reliance Entertainment has produced, distributed and released more than 300 films in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, etc.
Reliance Entertainment already has creative partnerships with Phantom Films (Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena, Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane), Rohit Shetty Picturez, Plan C Studios (Neeraj Pandey) and Y NOT Studios (S. Sashikanth).
Reliance Entertainment is the media and entertainment arm of Reliance Group and is engaged in the creation and distribution of content across film, television, digital and gaming platforms. Internationally, Reliance Entertainment has partnered since 2009 with iconic film producer and director, Steven Spielberg, in the formation of DreamWorks Studios, and thereafter, Amblin Partners.
This relationship has produced several highly successful films such as The Help, War Horse, Lincoln, The Hundred Foot Journey, The Girl on the Train, A Dog’s Purpose, Bridge of Spies, and The Post.
The Government of India will launch Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz (Know India Quiz) from July 19-21, 2018 to generate interest among youth, both Non-Resident Indians (NRI) as well as Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), to know and understand India. Registration on the portalhttps://www.bharatkojaniye.in/ is mandatory for the eligible contestant to participate in the Quiz.
This Quiz will be held online for the two distinct categories of PIO & NRI aged 15 to 35 years and will be conducted in 04 rounds. In the first round, there will be 30 questions to be selected randomly by the computer to be answered in 25 minutes. There is no negative marking. The First round of the Quiz will be conducted online by the Consulate. The Second round of the Quiz will be conducted online by Ministry of External Affairs. The Third and Fourth rounds (Semi Final & Final round) will be conducted in New Delhi.
Three finalists from each of the NRI and PIO/OCI category in the first round conducted will move to the subsequent rounds. All participants who make it to the Third and Fourth round will be invited to India. Besides the Quiz, they will participate in 15-day tour of India. Top three winners of the Fourth (final) round of BKJ Quiz 2019 from each category of NRI & PIO will receive Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and a Certificate at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) Convention, 2019.
Bollywood actress Kajol walked on the red carpet with her daughter Nysa for the first time to unveil her wax statue at Madame Tussauds attraction here. Kajol unveiled the statue on May 24, read a statement to IANS. “My little girl with me on a red carpet for the first time,” the actress tweeted hours before the ceremony.
Kajol, who made her Bollywood debut in 1992 with “Bekhudi,” gave a western touch to her sari and looked glamorous and sophisticated at the event. Her daughter looked chic in a black dress. The mother-daughter duo were twinning in black.
As an actress, Kajol is known for her performance in movies like “Karan Arjun,” “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,” “Gupt: The Hidden Truth,” “Ishq,” “Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya,” “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…,” “Kal Ho Naa Ho” and “My Name is Khan.”
She will be seen next in Pradeep Sarkar’s “Eela” (tentative title) which will hit the theatres on Sept. 14. She is married to actor-producer Ajay Devgn, with whom she has a son named Yug.
Supriya Sharma, 23, has become the youngest Indian to win a gold medal for Bikini Bodybuilding Championship. Sharma won the title of “Overall True Novice Champion” at the IFBB NPC Eastern Seaboard Classic held on May 12 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sharma is originally from Jammu and Kashmir and she moved to New Delhi in 2012 to further her education, according to reports. She has been the captain of the senior and junior handball teams of J&K as well as the University of Delhi and decided to pursue her passion for bodybuilding in the bikini category, last year.
She now plans to compete in Arnold Classic in Ohio in March 2019 where a win would get her the highly reputed IFBB pro-card. Back home in New Delhi, she has several personal training clients and she also trains several people from different states through her online training program.
Indian model Smriti Subs has become the first Indian to win the title of ‘World Swimsuit Model of the Week’, according to a press release. This svelte model from Bangalore was chosen as the winner of an online talent hunt platform, sponsored by gaming major Supabets.
After ruling the ramps both nationally and internationally, the biotech engineer now has another achievement to her credit. She is the only Indian to be crowned World Swimsuit Model of the Week, an online talent hunt platform sponsored by gaming major Supabets, the Daily News & Analysis reports.
Her sharp chiseled features, long lean body and brown eyes, distinguishes Subs from the rest, DNA says. She has been featured in the October 2017 issue of the Lifestyle Journalist magazine, as well as in Vogue and Elle India.
After being selected as one of the finalists at the prestigious Femina Style Diva 2015, Subs has modeled for leading fashion events in India and for several leading designers.
A brand ambassador of Bling Vine Jewelry, she was one of the faces of Araaish 2018 – a multimedia campaign that straddled platforms. There’s no doubt that this aspiring actress, who loves meeting new people, will make a name for herself in both modeling and acting.
“Emerging as ‘World Swimsuit Model of the Week’ in the face of intense international competition is a huge accomplishment,” Subs said in a statement. “I am looking forward to winning the grand finale of World Swimsuit 2018 by Supabets as it will open doors for me with respect to several international assignments and opportunities.”
Subs went on to share that she has been blessed with a lean body but to ensure she stays fit and in shape, she exercises regularly and plays various sports.
Her bigger aim, she said, is to “show the world that Indian swimsuit models have the discipline, commitment and professionalism to make it big on the global stage.” She has modeled for all the leading fashion weeks in India, including Lakme Fashion Week, Amazon India Fashion Week, India Beach Fashion Week, etc.
“Yadvi – The Dignified Princess,” the story of a real-life Indian princess, will be screened in New York City’s Cinema Village for the week June 1-7, producers of the movie announced here. India’s Consul General in New York Sandeep Chakravorty will be the chief guest at the first day of screening, according to a press release. Prior to arriving in New York, the film will screen for a week in Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills, CA, from May 25-31.
How does a real life princess raised in one of the wealthiest families of the world end up losing all such privileges in her middle age? How does she become forced to pick her own food and collect her own wood for the winters? In 1940’s India, before even a hint of feministic equality, how does a woman not only uphold her own dignity but also raise three refined daughters in the face of unexpected adversity? The pure personification of integrity, Yadvi, will take you on her journey through the India of Kings and Queens, of Princes and polygamy.
Directed by New York Based Actress Jyoti Singh with a script based on a real life story/Screenplay of Yaduvansh Kumari, the princess of Patiala, dramatized by Gauri Singh, addresses the dilemmas and constraints that existed in the period right before and after Indian independence. The director and the screenwriter are both granddaughters of the late princess.
A biography, this film is the tale of Princess Yadhuvanshi Kumari (1922-2006) of the Phulkian dynasty, daughter of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.
According to the British records, she was called Princess Alice and was also known as Yadvi. But her father would fondly call her Flutterfly because as a young girl, she could not pronounce butterfly.
Yadvi is the tale of the beloved daughter of the famous Maharaja of Patiala, the first to own an airplane in India, played by Bollywood actor, Chandrachur Singh. Chandrachur’s son debut’s as a child artist and the actor sings one of the songs of the film, “Rangreeza.”
At a young age, Yadvi is betrothed to marry a Rajput prince from Maihar, Madya Pradesh, to strengthen the political relationship between her kingdom and that of the prince with the caveat and she would only move after a certain age. Unexpected circumstances force Yadvi (Jyoti Singh) to move to Maihar earlier than anticipated, and she faces unforeseen challenges when she meets Prince of Maihar (Rahul Godara).
“It’s a very positive story about my grandmother – of a woman’s journey, a survivor,” Singh told Desi Talk in an earlier interview when the film was featured at the Manhattan Film Festival April 23, last year.. “Ultimately it shows how she even did kheti (farm labor) to earn her living, with dignity, never going back to her father’s house, living her life with humility and grace as she went from extreme riches to poverty,” Singh said.
The film also stars Vibhu Raghav, Nikkitasha Marwaha, Reshaa Sabharwal, Kuvam Handa, Yadvi Handa, Aishwarya Singh, Bernadine Linus, Namya Saxena, Minnie Mandit, Charu Vyas, Gauri Singh, Mariane Borgo (French Actress), and Dina Rosenmeir (Actress from Denmark).
The film is produced under the banner of RVP Productions, executive producer, Sumeet Verma. It is rare to see an independent film made so well.
The film has been screened in several festivals and won awards, including the Dada Saheb Phalke film festival (Best Emerging Female Director); The Peoples Film Festival (Best Cinematography-Jigme Tensing), and a host of others, where different characters as well as film-makers including Jyoti Singh, have received recognition for their work and creativity.
(San Jose, California – May 3, 2018) Invar Studios, a film startup venture with offices in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and Chennai, India, is bringing its award-winning Virtual Reality (VR) experience ROSE COLORED to screen at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival next week. The multi-platform studio creates content that focuses on globally-relevant, inclusive stories that celebrate cultural diversity and authenticity through redemptive themes like LION and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, projects that have Indian roots and international appeal.
ROSE COLORED, the 2018 Lumiere Award Winner for Best Live Action VR film, is director Adam Cosco’s 16-minute narrative short about a woman who discovers her “perfect” boyfriend is being altered in her augmented perception. The film will screen at Cannes on May 9th, 10th and 11th, 12th, and 13th at the NEXT VR Series at Palais De Festivals. NEXT is the innovation hub of Cannes, offering more than 1,200 square meters to showcase innovation, new technology, virtual/augmented reality and more. ROSE COLOREDexhibited as the pilot for an ambitious, longer form VR series in the futuristic, sci-fi style of hit Netflix series BLACK MIRROR, but more optimistic and character-based.
“Virtual Reality represents the ultimate challenge for creative professionals,” said Invar Studios CEO Elizabeth Koshy. “With this project, we took a risk by executing every element at the highest possible level because we believe that innovation to move this emerging industry forward brings the highest possible reward our company can pursue.”
In addition to sharing their VR film with the world, Invar Studios will also unveil its feature film development slate, which establishes a new vision for what ‘international crossover’ can mean. Koshy will speak on a panel organized by the Indian delegation called Co-Creating magic through Co-Production on May 9th at the India Pavilion.
The INVAR business model seeks to capitalize on all potential crossover between hemispheres, such as producing films with Indian subject matter and international flair, bringing the massive Indian market within reach of U.S. film/television streaming trends and developing collaborations between Indian and Hollywood talent.
Their first feature film, currently in post-production, is an art house drama from the most awarded cinematographer in India, Santosh Sivan, and tells the tragic story of a holy man in the ancient world who slips towards evil. A highly visual experience, SIN, will bring audiences a unique cinematic style, one that will easily translate across all borders.
Other projects in development include: COWBOYS AND INDIANS, in pre-production and to be directed by Amy Redford. The story follows an Indian woman shocked to find her daughter marrying a Texas rancher, but soon she finds unexpected solace in the new mother-in-law, both suffering silently through similar struggles. It is a heartfelt drama with strong comedy that prioritizes authenticity in its representations of both cultures, as both character and audience experiences transcend stereotypes.
Invar Studios’ slate also includes: Animated feature BOMBAY DOGS, an adventure of a pampered dog lost in a vivid and enchanting Bombay who teams up with a daring leader of street dogs; mystery thriller PRAANA (currently seeking distribution); DEAN AND JOJO, the beloved true story of a human and animal friendship; the psychological thriller CHASING NIGHTMARES; and MARJANA, a version of “Alibaba and the Forty Thieves” told from the perspective of its real hero, the slave girl who saves the day, and written by acclaimed British writer Farrukh Dhondy.
Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor took a trip down memory lane on Thursday evening as they took part in a very special event at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House. The stellar duo, who are the stars of Umesh Shukla’s upcoming film, 102 Not Out spent the evening interacting with the media, reliving infamous moments from their earlier movies together such as the dazzling 1977 film Amar Akbar Anthony, which won Bachchan the award for Best Actor, and the hilarious 1981 action comedy Naseeb.
Those lucky enough to be in attendance at the glorious Opera House were not left disappointed, as the actors continued to show why they have been so loved and admired for many years, sharing many heart-warming anecdotes that brought smiles on everyone’s faces.
102 Not Out will be the first film both legends have appeared in together for 27 years, and both actors were full of praise for one another with Bachchan describing working with Kapoor “a great honor”.
On a night full of beautiful nostalgia, the actors talked about the magic they have created on-screen, with the two being quizzed about each other’s acting skills with Kapoor saying that “has learnt a lot from [Amitabh] and his craft of acting” and he still continues to learn from him.
Both actors continued to make the audience laugh as time flew by. In light of the event, Rishi Kapoor tweeted about the event and shared a joke that Bachchan wanted to go and watch the cricket so ended the conversation early!
With 102 Not Out bursting with comedy and the toe-tapping song Badumbaa, the actors demonstrate their versatility and skills, which fits the plot of the film perfectly. Audiences will certainly not be disappointed!
A Sony Pictures Releasing International Presentation and worldwide distribution- 102 Not Out is Produced by SPE Films India, Treetop Entertainment and Umesh Shukla’s Benchmark Pictures. The film releases worldwide on 4th May 2018.
Official synopsis: 102 Not Out – is an ageless comedy that brings together Indian Cinema’s two biggest stalwarts – Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor after 27 years, with the two legends playing father-son duo for the first time.
102 years young Dattatraya Vakharia (Amitabh Bachchan) lives life to the fullest and wants to break the record of oldest living man- that’s held by a 118 years old Chinese. Dattatraya wants to live a stress free life in order to become the oldest living man. However, there is only one hinderance- his 75 year old son Babulal (Rishi Kapoor) who has resigned himself to a life of old age stuck in drudgery. Dattatraya now must find means and ways to change Babulal’s sad and grumpy demeanour so that he doesn’t become a deterrent in breaking the record. Little do they realise that this roller coaster ride filled with comedy, emotion and commotion, will change them and their relationship forever. High res video Clean – https://bit.ly/2HxYa81
Audio file – https://bit.ly/2r7WWW6
Peabody Awards announced the win on Twitter stating, “To @HasanMinhaj and @NetflixIsAJoke goes a #Peabody for ‘Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King,’ a 2017 standup special that uses comedy to invite empathy, caring, and understanding.” Minhaj responded by writing: “Unbelievable. We did it baby!!!” with an emoji of three hands folded.
Minhaj’s first standup special on Netflix has earned him a big honor. The Indian American actor/comedian has been declared the winner of a Peabody Award in the entertainment category for “Homecoming King.”
The annual awards from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia “honor the most powerful, enlightening and invigorating stories in television, radio and digital media.”
The senior correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” shares personal stories about racism, immigrant parents, prom night horrors and more in this standup special.
Minhaj delivers much more than a hilarious stand-up comedy special, according to the Peabody Awards board of jurors. “‘Homecoming King’ is a deeply personal memoir — part Richard Pryor, part Spaulding Gray — that covers the struggles of the immigrant experience, encounters with stereotypes and raced expectations, and intergenerational acceptance, while using comedy to invite empathy, caring, and understanding,” they said.
The comic who killed it at the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., is readying to host his own 32-episode weekly comedy show on Netflix. This gig has made him the first Indian American to front a show on the streaming site (see India-West story here).
omic Hasan Minhaj of “The Daily Show” shares personal stories about racism, immigrant parents, prom night horrors and more in this stand-up special. Minhaj is also set to host the 77th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony, which will be held May 19 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
“In the Western imagination, India conjures up everything from saris and spices to turbans and, temples—and the pulsating energy of Bollywood movies,” the prestigious Smithsonian Institute stated recently. “But in America, India’s contributions stretch far beyond these stereotypes. From the builders of some of America’s earliest railroads and farms to Civil Rights pioneers to digital technology entrepreneurs, Indian Americans have long been an inextricable part of American life. Today, one out of every 100 Americans, from Silicon Valley to Small town, USA, traces his or her roots to India. Breakthroughs in business, the arts, medicine, science, and technology, and the flavorful food, flamboyant fashion and yoga of India have become a central part of our national culture.”
In 1997, when I had landed in Milwaukee, WI to pursue my journalism degree, it was rare to find Indian Americans in the city. Today, everywhere I go, at work, shopping malls, sports arena, theaters, churches, schools where my 3 daughters attend, and in my neighborhood where I live, there is a growing number of Indian Americans. There has been an influx of Indian Americans across the nation, especially in the past couple of decades.
According to The Economist, “Three-quarters of the Indian-born population in America today arrived in the last 25 years.” The present Indian population can be explained from the nearly 147,000 immigrants that India provides to the country on a yearly basis, reported Huffington Post.
In the early 20th century just a few hundred people emigrated from India to America each year and there were only about 5,000 people of Indian heritage living in the United States. Today Indian-born Americans number over 3.8 million and they are probably the most successful minority group in the country. Compared with all other big foreign-born groups, they are younger, richer and more likely to be married and supremely well educated.
The modern immigration wave from Asia is nearly a half century old and has pushed the total population of Asian Americans—foreign born and U.S born, adults and children—to a record 18.2 million in 2011, or 5.8% of the total U.S. population, up from less than 1% in 1965.
Pew Research study has found, “Asian Americans are the highest-income, best-educated and fastest-growing racial group in the United States. They are more satisfied than the general public with their lives, finances and the direction of the country, and they place more value than other Americans do on marriage, parenthood, hard work and career success.”
Indians have always been rising in America. As James Crabtree of Financial Times suggests, “More than any other group of outsiders, it was the Indians who figured out that, to make it in startup land, it helps to have a social network of your own.”
The less than four million Indian Americans appear to be gaining prominence and have come to be recognized as a force to reckon with in this land of opportunities that they have come to call as their adopted homeland. They are the most educated population in the United States, with more than 80 percent holding college or advanced degrees, as per a report by Pew Research Center. They have the highest income levels, earning $65,000 per year with a median household income of $88,000, far higher than the U.S. household average of 49,000, according to the survey.
Although disparities persist with nearly nine percent of Indian Americans live in poverty, they have made a mark in almost every field in the United States through their hard work, dedication and brilliance. Notching successes in fields as diverse as poetry and politics, the fast growing strong Indian American community packed more power and influence far beyond their numbers in the year gone by.
“While the Indian-American community has been the wealthiest, most-educated minority in the U.S. for some time now, they’re only more recently experiencing wide-scale recognition in public life,” Forbes magazine stated.
Indian Americans are just one percent of the American population, but 3 percent of its engineers, 7 percent of its IT force, and 8 percent of its physicians and surgeons. Some 10-20 percent of all tech start-ups have Indian founders. Indeed, a joint Duke University-UC Berkeley study revealed that between 1995-2005, Indian immigrants founded more engineering and technology companies than immigrants from countries like UK, China, Taiwan and Japan combined. They have risen to the top ranks in major companies like Satya Nadella in Microsoft, Sundar Pichai in Google and Indra Nooyi in Pepsico.
Indians for decades have been playing an important role in global technology landscape. Indians, especially in Silicon Valley, are growing in prominence, influence, and sheer population. The fact that Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, and Nikesh Arora lead some of the most prominent tech world giants is an example of their importance to the larger world and the significant contributions they continue to make.
Rajeev Suri is leading Nokia. Hyderabad-born Shantanu Narayen is the leader of Adobe, while Sanjay Jha ids the CEO of Global Foundries. George Kurian became the CEO and president of storage and data management company NetApp in June 2015. Francisco D’Souza is the CEO, Cognizant, and Dinesh Paliwal is the president and CEO of Harman International, and Ashok Vemuri is the CEO, Conduent Inc, the Xerox’s sibling business services. These are only a few of the success stories of Indians in the US, leading the tech industry in the US.
The surge in Indians moving to America was intimately linked to the rise of the technology industry. In the 1980s India loosened its rules on private colleges, leading to a large expansion in the pool of engineering and science graduates. Fear of the “Y2K” bug in the late 1990s served as a catalyst for them to engage with the global economy, with armies of Indian engineers working remotely from the subcontinent, or travelling to America on workers’ visas.
Today a quarter or more of the Indian-born workforce is employed in the tech industry. In the Silicon Valley neighborhoods such as Fremont and Cupertino, people of Indian origin make up a fifth of the population. Some 10-20% of all tech start-ups have Indian founders; Indians have ascended to the heights of the biggest firms, too.
If Indians are a powerful force in the tech sector, they have also begun to show their power in the political arena. There have been several Indian Americans who have been elected and appointed to important positions at national, state and local level offices.
A record five Indian-Americans serve in the US Congress, scripting history for the minority ethnic community that comprises just one per cent of America’s population. Congressmen Ami Bera, Raja
Photo by: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx 4/14/16 Dr. Vivek Murthy (U.S. Surgeon General) at The National Action Network Conference. (NYC)
Krishnamoorthy, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal have been elected to the US Congress while Kamla Harris represents California in the US Senate.
Kamala Harris, a rising star, the first Indian American and first black senator from California, the Huffington Post has suggested Harris could be “the next best hope for shattering that glass ceiling=,” by becoming the first female President of the greatest democracy in the world. Pundits have compared her rise to that of former President Obama.
Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a fast-rising Democratic star, has featured in the Politico magazine’s “Power List for the year 2018” for having assumed the mantle of a House “leader of the resistance.”
Over the past several months, there have been a number of articles in the national press, speculating whether former South Carolina Governor and the current US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley might consider a presidential run in 2020. Some say her efforts and clear leadership as governor and ambassador to the United Nations have put her in a strong position to possibly become this nation’s first female president.
In the most recent elections, Indian Americans made huge victories across the nation. Last November, Indian American politician Ravinder Bhalla made news by being the first Sikh mayor of the New Jersey city of Hoboken, as well as one of the first public officials in the US to wear a turban. The occupational profile presented by the Asian Indian community today is one of increasing diversity. Although a large number of Asian Indians are professionals, others own small businesses or are employed as semi- or nonskilled workers.
Forbes wrote recently about the new additions to the Trump administration: “two Indian Americans, Raj Shah and Manisha Singh, the latest instance of a relatively new, larger trend: the growing participation — and success — of Indian Americans in public service.”
Trump appointed Raj Shah principal deputy press secretary — who also continues to hold his post as deputy assistant to the president. US assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, Manisha Singh, 45, is a noted lawyer from Florida.
As the chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission, accomplished attorney Ajit Pai works on a wide variety of regulatory and transactional matters involving the cable, internet, TV, radio and satellite industries.
A respected legal scholar, Neomi Rao is the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the White House. Seema Verma is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Vishal Amin is Trump’s intellectual property enforcement coordinator. Neil Chatterjee is chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
While several Indian Americans are now key players in pushing the Trump White House’s conservative agenda, the Indian-American community in general has long leaned left. Politically, they are more Democratic leaning than any other group as a whole in the nation. A whopping 84 per cent Indian-Americans voted for President Barack Obama in the general election in 2012. Compared with other US Asian groups, Indian Americans are the most likely to identify with the Democratic Party; 65 percent are Democrats or lean to the Democrats, 18 percent are Republicans.
In the Obama era, they were recognized by the Democratic Party with important jobs in Washington, DC as never been before. “It is very exciting to serve in an Administration that has so many great Indian-Americans serving,” said Raj Shah, former Administrator of USIAD, the highest ranking Indian-American in the Obama Administration.
In 2012, a record 30 Indian Americans fought to win electoral battle with Republican Nikki Haley and Democrat Kamala Harris handily winning back their jobs as South Carolina governor and California’s attorney general respectively. Amiresh ‘Ami’ Bera, the lone Indian American in the US House of Representatives, repeated history by winning a tight California House race.
Dr. Vivek Verma won an uphill battle against the powerful Gun Lobby and won the majority support at the US Senate. President Barack Obama appointed Richard Rahul Verma as the first envoy from the NRI community to India. Nisha Desai Biswal was heading the State Department’s South Asia bureau. Puneet Talwar took over as assistant secretary for political-military affairs to serve as a bridge between the State and Defense departments, while Arun Madhavan Kumar became assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the US and Foreign Commercial Service.
Subra Suresh was inducted into the Institute of Medicine (IOM), making him the only university president to be elected to all three national academies, while Sujit Choudhry, a noted expert in comparative constitutional law, became the first Indian American dean of the University of California-Berkeley, School of Law, a top US law school. Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe won the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest after 52 years and for just the fourth time in the contest’s history. Indira Nooyi, another person of Indian origin has been leading as the CEO of Pepsi, one of the largest corporations.
Former US attorney Preet Bharara made history by going after small and big law breakers in the nation. Among many judges of Indian origin, Sri Srinivasan stole the headlines with his unanimous support from the US Senate to the US Federal Court in DC.
In the glamor world of the nation, Indian Americans are not far behind. Aziz Ansari, the Master of None star won the Golden Globe this year for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Several others have found leading roles in the highly competitive Hollywood movies and on TV.
Priyanka Chopra has been voted the “Sexiest Asian Woman” in the world in an annual UK poll released in London last week. From splashes of red and black to purple velvet, with models that defied tradition both in size and age, Indian-American fashion designers showed their metal at the New York Fashion Week that was held in New York City in February this year. They included Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Misha Kaura, Naeem Khan, Sachin & Babi, and the MacDuggal brand.
Like all immigrant groups, Indians have found niches in America’s vast economy. Half of all motels are owned by Indians, mainly Gujaratis. Punjabis dominate the franchises for 7-Eleven stores and Subway sandwiches.
Ten richest of all Indian Americans have made it to the Forbes List 2018, The World’s Billionaires on March 6th. The richest Indian American on the list is Rakesh Gangwal, the co-founder of the airline Indigo and is worth $3.3 billion, after he made an extra $1.2 billion in the past year. Romesh T. Wadhwani, an IT entrepreneur and philanthropist, closely follows him, with a net worth of $3.1 billion, who ended up topping the list last year. Forbes list this year has a record of 2,208 members including two new Indian Americans, Niraj Shah who is worth $1.6 billion and Jayshree Ullal who is worth $1.3 billion. Shah is the CEO and co-founder of Wayfair while Ullal is the CEO of Arista Networks.
Again, quoting Pew Research, Indian Americans are the highest-income and best-educated people in the United States and the third largest among Asian Americans who have surpassed Latinos as the fastest-growing racial group, according to a new survey. Seven-in-ten (70 percent) Indian Americans ages 25 and older, have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree; this is higher than the Asian-American share (49 percent) and much higher than the national share (28 percent), the survey found.
Indian Americans generally are well-off. Median annual household income for Indian Americans in 2010 was $88,000, much higher than for all Asian Americans ($66,000) and all U.S. households ($49,800). In 2010, 28% of Indian American worked in science and engineering fields; according to the 2013 American Community Survey, more than two-thirds (69.3%) of Indian Americans 16 and older were in management, business, science and arts occupations.
They are the largest segment of any group that entered the country under the H1-B visa program, which allow highly skilled foreign workers in designated “specialty occupations” to work in the U.S. In 2011, for example, 72,438 Indians received H1-B visas, 56% of all such visas granted that year.
Indian Americans have quietly permeated many segments of the American economy and society while still retaining their Indian culture. Most Asian Indian families strive to preserve traditional Indian values and transmit these to their children. Offsprings are encouraged to marry within the community and maintain their Indian heritage.
Indian Americans stand out from most other US Asian groups in the personal importance they place on parenting; 78 percent of Indian Americans say being a good parent is one of the most important things to them personally. Indian Americans are among the most likely to say that the strength of family ties is better in their country of origin (69 percent) than in the US (8 percent).
Nearly nine-in-ten (87 percent) adult Indian Americans in the United States are foreign born, compared with about 74 percent of adult Asian Americans and 16 percent of the adult US population overall. More than half of Indian-American adults are US citizens (56 percent), lower than the share among overall adult Asian population (70 percent) as well as the national share (91 percent).
More than three-quarters of Indian Americans (76 percent) speak English proficiently, compared with 63 percent of all Asian Americans and 90 percent of the US population overall. The median age of adult Indian Americans is 37, lower than for adult Asian Americans (41) and the national median (45).
Although over four fifths of Indians belong to Hindu religion in India, only about half (51%) of Indian Americans are Hindu, while nearly all Asian-American Hindus (93%) trace their heritage to India. 18% of Indian Americans identified themselves as Christians; 10% said they were Muslim.
More than seven-in-ten (71 percent) adult Indian Americans are married, a share significantly higher than for all Asian Americans (59 percent) and for the nation (51 percent). The share of unmarried mothers was much lower among Indian Americans (2.3 percent) than among all Asian Americans (15 percent) and the population overall (37 percent).
The first Asian Indians or Indian Americans, as they are also known, arrived in America as early as the middle of the nineteenth century. By the end of the nineteenth century, about 2,000 Indians, most of them Sikhs (a religious minority from India’s Punjab region), settled on the west coast of the United States, having come in search of economic opportunity. Other Asian Indians came as merchants and traders; many worked in lumber mills and logging camps in the western states of Oregon, Washington, and California, where they rented bunkhouses, acquired knowledge of English, and assumed Western dress.
Between 1910 and 1920, as agricultural work in California began to become more abundant and better paying, many Indian immigrants turned to the fields and orchards for employment. For many of the immigrants who had come from villages in rural India, farming was both familiar and preferable. Some Indians eventually settled permanently in the California valleys where they worked. Because there was virtually no immigration by Indian women during this time, it was not unheard of for Indian males to marry Mexican women and raise families.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, about 100 Indian students also studied in universities across America. A small group of Indian immigrants also came to America as political refugees from British rule. The immigration of Indians to America was tightly controlled by the American government during this time, and Indians applying for visas to travel to the United States were often rejected by U.S. diplomats in major Indian cities like Bombay and Calcutta. The Asiatic Exclusion League (AEL) was organized in 1907 to encourage the expulsion of Asian workers, including Indians.
In July 1946, Congress passed a bill allowing naturalization for Indians and, in 1957, the first Asian Indian Congressman, Dalip Saund, was elected to Congress. Like many early Indian immigrants, Saund came to the United States from Punjab and had worked in the fields and farms of California. He had also earned a doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley. While more educated and professional Indians began to enter America, immigration restrictions and tight quotas ensured that only small numbers of Indians entered the country prior to 1965. Overall, approximately 6,000 Asian Indians immigrated to the United States between 1947 and 1965.
From 1965 onward, a wave of Indian immigration began, spurred by a change in U.S. immigration law that lifted prior quotas and restrictions and allowed significant numbers of Asians to immigrate. Between 1965 and 1974, Indian immigration to the United States increased at a rate greater than that from almost any other country.
This wave of immigrants was very different from the earliest Indian immigrants—Indians that emigrated after 1965 were overwhelmingly urban, professional, and highly educated and quickly engaged in gainful employment in many U.S. cities. Many had prior exposure to Western society and education and their transition to the United States was therefore relatively smooth. More than 100,000 such professionals and their families entered the U.S. in the decade after 1965.
Almost 40 percent of all Indian immigrants who entered the United States in the decades after 1965 arrived on student or exchange visitor visas, in some cases with their spouses and dependents. Most of the students pursued graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines. They were often able to find promising jobs and prosper economically, and many became permanent residents and then citizens.
The 1990 U.S. census reported 570,000 Asian Indians in America. In general, the Asian Indian community has preferred to settle in the larger American cities rather than smaller towns, especially in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. This appears to be a reflection of both the availability of jobs in larger cities, and the personal preference of being a part of an urban, ethnically diverse environment, one which is evocative of the Indian cities that many of the post-1965 immigrants came from.
Indian Americans are more evenly spread out than other Asian Americans. About 24 percent of adult Indian Americans live in the West, compared with 47 percent of Asian Americans and 23 percent of the US population overall. More than three-in-ten (31 percent) Indian Americans live in the Northeast, 29 percent live in the South, and the rest (17 percent) live in the Midwest.
Despite their successes, they have been also subjected to discrimination and racist attacks. According to a recent report called “Communities on Fire” by the Washington, DC-based group South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), hate crimes against Indian Americans and other South Asian Americans surged 45% from November 8, 2016, to November 7, 2017. The group recorded 302 incidents during that period, 213 of them being direct physical or verbal assaults
The Indian American community continues to play an important role in shaping the relationship between India, the largest democracy and the US, the greatest democracy in the world. “The model minority stereotype stems from the “non-threatening nature” of the Indian immigrant — a label bestowed by the white counterpart. The Indian American community is seen as “successful” – a prototype to be followed by fellow minorities,” Huffington Post wrote.
“Indian-Americans are tremendously important and we hope they would be increasingly visible not only in the government, but also in all parts of American life,” said Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng, maternal half-sister of Obama, adding that the President was very proud of the community. “It is certainly a reflection of how important India is and how important Indian-Americans are to the fabric of the nation. I would just like to celebrate all of the contribution artistic, political and so much more of the community. It is time we come to recognize fully the contribution of the Indian-American community here,” said Maya.
Deepika Padukone is the only Indian actress to feature in TIME’s ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’ list, sharing space with names like Nicole Kidman, Gal Gadot, Greta Gerwig and Lena Waithe. India’s cricket captain Virat Kohli was another Indian who had made it to the list this year.
Ola co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Are the other two people of Indian origin who made it to the list. The list, now in its fifteenth year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
World leaders like US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Bangladesh’s premier Sheikh Hasina were also featured in the list of 100 most influential people.
In the magazine, international star Vin Diesel, Padukone’s co-star in her Hollywood debut, “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” has penned a few words of appreciation for her.
Diesel wrote of her: “When Deepika Padukone came in to read for one of the Fast and the Furiousfilms, I knew instantly I was in the presence of someone very special. As soon as she entered the room, there was a synchronicity, a synergy, a chemistry—it promised great things to come. Her schedule didn’t work for that movie, but I never gave up. She was the first role we cast in xXx: Return of Xander Cage. She said, “I want to do this movie, but if I do, you have to come to India.” Thank God I made that deal.
“Making that movie, Deepika took committed to a whole other level. That’s who she is as a performer. She wants the whole movie to shine, which is a rare thing. Anyone could talk about how beautiful she is, and anyone could tell you about her unmatched comedic timing. But she isn’t just a star. She’s an actor’s actor, dedicated to the craft.
“So often in the entertainment industry we deal in stereotypes, and people get stuck in certain markets. Deepika is the best Earth has to offer. She’s not just here to represent India; she’s here to represent the world,” Diesel stated.
Padukone scored a success at the box office this year with the epic drama, “Padmaavat,” in which she played the title role. One of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema today, she has 18 brands in her portfolio and has a strong social media presence.
Apart from her work as an artiste, Padukone’s philanthropic side has seen her spreading awareness on the condition of mental illness. She has spoken about her battle with depression and has been working towards creating awareness with her NGO, The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLF). The list also features actress Meghan Markle, who will become a British royal family member upon her wedding to Prince Harry in May.
Sachin Tendulkar wrote about Virat Kohli: “Every sportsman knows what it’s like to have good spells and bad ones too,” the batting maestro explained. “Virat took the criticism he faced during a disappointing West Indies series and returned home with a goal: to improve not only his technique, but also his fitness level. He’s never looked back.”
“Honestly, I’ve never really believed in self-acknowledgement. Instead, I have always looked ahead. But I must admit that today, I do feel a small sense of achievement. It is humbling to be acknowledged for the work that you do, and so, it’s my absolute honour to be part of this prestigious list alongside such incredible achievers,” Deepika also expressed her gratitude in her Instagram post feeling honoured.
Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, had his excerpt in the magazine’s influential list written by former managing editor of Time and current history professor at Tulane University Walter Isaacson, who said, “In the four years since he inherited a sticky wicket, Microsoft’s market value has increased 130 percent.”
“More important,” Isaacson continued, “the company is now making products that feel more user-friendly, empathetic and collaborative.”
A soon-to-be released documentary on the rise and dominance of Indian American kids in spelling bee competitions across the United States will be making the major film festival rounds starting this month.
The “Breaking the Bee” documentary will be shown on April 6 and 8 at the Cleveland International Film Festival, followed by a screening at the New York Indian Film Festival in New York City May 12.
“Breaking the Bee” follows four second-generation Indian-American children, ages 7 to 14, over the course of a year, or “bee season,” as they train to reach (and win) the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee (see earlier India-West story here). It’s an inside look at studying, family life, competing in qualifying bees, and being a kid with big dreams. Some are in their final year of eligibility while others are just beginning their spelling careers.
With expert commentary from CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Fareed Zakaria, comedian Hari Kondabolu, ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi, and past Scripps winners, the film offers an analysis into what drives this trend, while exploring the ups and downs of chasing a dream and pondering just how long this incredible trend can last, according to a press release.
The film is directed by Sam Rega and produced by Chris Weller, both of whom worked at Business Insider when they got the idea to produce the film.
Since 1999, all but four contest winners have been Indian American, and of the 285-plus children who make it to Scripps each year, roughly 25% come from families of Indian descent. This is something of an anomaly, as Indian Americans make up just 1% of the United States population.
The perfect storm has been brewing for decades — from the 1965 immigration law that eliminated quota systems for Indian immigrants, thus driving a wave of highly-educated individuals to come to the United States, to the formation of Indian-only spelling bees, to the explosion of mainstream interest in competitive spelling, ever since ESPN began broadcasting the Scripps Bee in 1994.
The film details the South Asian Spelling Bee’s contribution to this phenomenon with interviews with its founder, Rahul Walia. The SASB was started in 2008; since then, many of its winners have gone on to win at Scripps as well.
“It’s the gold standard of the Spelling Bee,” said Usha and Ganesh Dasari, parents of the spelling bee duo Shobha and Shourav. Shourav is one of the four spellers followed in “Breaking the Bee.”
Priyanka Chopra has signed her comeback film in India after the 2016 “Jai GangaaJal,” after which she went to Hollywood to do three seasons of the show “Quantico” on television and also her film “Baywatch.”
Her comeback choice is scintillatingly selected – she will be reuniting with her “Gunday” writer-director Ali Abbas Zafar and Salman Khan (after “Mujhe Shaadi Karogi,” “Salaam-E-Ishq” and “God Tussi Great Ho”) in this story that traverses many decades. She stated that she has learned a lot while working with both Zafar and Khan.
Zafar has stated the obvious that we also feel – that Chopra will bring to the table her international status along with her purely desi flavor. It is a crucial role in the film, and she will be shoulder-to-shoulder with Khan, who has five get-ups and looks in this film, which is adapted from the Korean movie “Ode To My Father.”
Chopra is also looking forward to working with Alvira and Atul Agnihotri, who are producing the movie, along with T-Series and Bhushan Kumar. Zafar told the media, “My film ‘Bharat’ is rooted in India and its culture despite it spanning over 70 years and set across various countries of the world. Priyanka is the biggest Indian artiste internationally, and she is a perfect fit for the film. Priyanka brings in outstanding acting as well as incredible international appeal to make the scale of the film bigger and even more global.”
While Chopra instantly agreed to do the film after a narration in New York, Zafar feels that she is the perfect choice for this mature and subtle role of a catalyst to the story.
“Bharat” has started its prep in London, after which it will move to Spain, Poland, Portugal, and Malta. Chopra is still active abroad, wrapping up “Quantico”’s third season in Ireland. The trailer of her second Hollywood film, “A Kid Like Jake” is also out. And people have not really forgotten her last few sterling turns in “Mary Kom,” “Dil Dhadakne Do,” “Bajirao Mastani” and “Jai GangaaJal.”
Chicago IL: Chicago land’s much awaited dream came true when musical maestro, Ilaiyaraaja, performed live with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra from Hungary and Indian Classical Musicians on Saturday March 24 at the Naperville Yard Center. The 55 musicians, 10 singers and 1 legend gave a spectacular performance that rocks music lovers in Midwest. A name synonymous with the Indian Music Industry Raaja is an incomparable genius who totally transformed the perception of people towards film music. Cloud9 events proudly presented the much awaited concert that enthralled an audience of 4000 plus who were left mesmerized by his memorable musical compositions. The live concert was performed by singers Chithra, Mano, Haricharan and Rahul Nambiar. They were accompanied by a talented orchestra of 50 musicians. They performed a total of 39 songs in both Tamil and Telugu languages.
Ilaiyaraaja’s acumen and knowledge of the aesthetics of music and cinema is what sets him apart from the rest. He is a multifaceted artist and has composed over 6000 songs and worked for 1000 movies. Raaja, as he is popularly known and affectionately called, comes from a family of musicians has won five Indian National Film Awards; three for Best Music Direction and two for Best Background Score. In 2010 he received the Padma Bhushan, awarded by the Government of India and in 2018 he was presented the Padma Vibhushan award which is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India. The living legend paid an emotional tribute to his audience by singing that he would continue to make music for his fans living seven seas away from their motherland. This gesture deeply touched the audience and made them appreciate his love for music. Over 35 songs sung at the concert included “Janani janani – Thai Mookambigai”, “Om sivoham – Naan kadavul”, “Jagadhanandha kaaraka- Telugu”, “Ram ram salame ram ram-Hey Ram”, “Malaiyil yaaro- Kshathriyan”, “Ninukkori varnam-Gharshana-Telugu”, “Yen Iniya pon nila-Moodu Pani”, “Madai thirandhu-Nizhalgal”, “Abbani theeyani-Telugu”, “Sendhoora Poove- Sirimalle poove-Telugu” and so on.
S. Chithra or simply Chithra, is an Indian playback singer from Kerala. Chithra also sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. She has sung in a number of languages that include Urdu, Latin, Arabic, Sinhalese and English. She has recorded over 25,000 Songs for various films and music-albums. She is a recipient of six National Film Awards, seven Film fare Awards South and 35 different state film awards. Another popular singer, Nagoor Babu popularly known as Mano entertained the audience with his melodious voice. Mano is a playback singer, voice-over artist, actor, producer, and anchor and music composer. Haricharan comes from a family of music connoisseurs and started learning music at an early age of seven from. Sethu Mahadevan followed by legends like K. V. Narayanaswamy , T. M. Prabhavathi and P. S. Narayanaswamy . Rahul Nambiar is an Indian playback singer and live performer and has lent his voice for several advertisement jingles.
Cloud9 Events is a group of passionate individuals working together to organize events to promote Indian culture and heritage overseas with the goal to bring entertainment to the Chicago Indian Community. The kind of events Cloud9 aims to organize are Indian classical dance performances, Indian Musical & Dance Shows / Ramana Abbaraju – Member – Event Marketing & Sales Concerts, Book Launches, Literary Events and Indian Trade Bazars. Sudhir Velpula , the Cloud 9 Events Managing Principal along with team members, Gopi Pittala (Planning, Operations and Finance) , Ramana Abbaraju ( Event Marketing & Sales, Raj Addagatla and others coordinated the entire event. The platinum sponsors HR Pundits, Bookstogo, Radhikas Kitchen, Pietsch, Professional Home mortgage Solutions, Regal Jewels and Hot Breads. Sponsors of the event were Pegasus Knowledge Solutions, Hot Breads, International Legal & Business Services Group, Patel Brothers, Allstate, Pietsch Financial group, Sunrise Indian Supermarket, ebooks2go, some dental group.
De Wayne Williams President of Williams Security & Protection Agency has been greatly involved in the Asian community for nearly the last ten years in association with various groups. De Wayne Williams and his team did excellent job to protect all Stars of Ilaiyaraaja Live concert (Ilaiyaraaja,Chithra, Mano, Haricharan and Rahul Nambiar). Ilaiyaraaja Live concert was family event and they did excellent job by protecting family
Indian actor Anupam Kher has received nomination for the Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards in 2018 for his work in a BBC project. Kher has been nominated for his performance in the adaptation of Satnam Sanghera’s memoir “The Boy with the Topknot,” a TV movie. He has been nominated for his extraordinary performance as a schizophrenic father Jagjit in the movie.
The actor, who has featured in about 500 films, is up against Adrian Dunbar (“Line of Duty”), Brian F. O’Byrne (“Little Boy Blue”) and Jimmi Simpson – USS Callister (“Black Mirror”) for the Best Supporting Actor trophy.
Anupam Kher tweeted on Wednesday, Apr. 4: “Thank you Bafta for the nomination. I feel honoured and humbled.” The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced the nominations for the annual Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards on Wednesday, read a statement on bafta.org. It will reward the best television programmes broadcast in the UK in 2017. The ceremony will be held at the Royal Festival Hall on May 13.
Often attributed as an actor par excellence, Anupam Kher has time and again been honoured for his contribution to cinema and art. The ‘A Wednesday’ actor, also the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India(FTII), Anupam will play a pivotal role in Vijay Ratnakar’s Bollywood drama titled ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, which is scheduled to release in mid-August this year.
The global online rights to the Sikh period drama, “The Black Prince,” a film starring acclaimed singer-songwriter Satinder Sartaj, have been acquired by Uniglobe Entertainment, a Hollywood-based production, distribution and marketing studio. Releasing on digital platforms and DVD April 10, “The Black Prince” will be available in English, Hindi and Punjabi.
Having secured the coveted Top 10 box office spot in the U.K. during its theatrical release in 2017, “The Black Prince” narrates the true story of the king of Punjab, Maharajah Duleep Singh. The film is a personal account of Maharajah Duleep Singh’s lifelong struggle to reclaim his rightful kingdom back from the British, as he rebelled against religious supremacy, rose against religious persecution and finally returned to his Sikh roots. (See earlier India-West story here.)
Sartaaj makes his acting debut with the film as Maharajah Duleep Singh, while veteran actress Shabana Azmi plays Maharani Jindan, the exiled king’s mother. Celebrated British actor Jason Flemyng stars as Dr. Login, the foster parent of the Maharajah.
Commenting on the partnership, Namrata Singh Gujral, Indian American president of Uniglobe Entertainment, said: “Vaisakhi commemorates the formation of the ‘Khalsa Panth,’ under Guru Gobind Singh Ji, after the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji for refusing to convert to Islam. When I watched the film, I had tears in my eyes. As a Sikh, I felt honored to bring the story of Maharajah Duleep Singh to Sikhs worldwide so our children can learn how our Sikh community of warriors has consistently fought and risen against religious intolerance and the persecution of Sikhs.”
“The Black Prince” is produced by Firdaus Productions and Brillstein Entertainment Partners in Hollywood, with SAGA of India handling the Punjabi and Hindi release.
“Vaisakhi seemed to be the perfect time to present this film to every Sikh worldwide because Vaisakhi celebrates Sikh heroism and that is what ‘The Black Prince’ does,” said Indian American director Kavi Raz.
The film will be available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Fandango Now, Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox. The DVDs will be distributed on Amazon and the film’s official website www.TheBlackPrince.com.
“I felt this story needs to be told because our children do not know much about the last king of the Sikhs – Maharajah Duleep Singh,” said the film’s executive producer Jasjeet Singh. “We should realize his efforts to regain his kingdom that eventually resulted in a Gadar Movement and the contribution of Sikhs in Indian Independence. This is a missing chapter in Indian history, too.”
Saudi Arabia’s first cinema in more than 35 years will open on 18 April, showing the action movie Black Panther. It is part of a deal done with the world’s biggest cinema chain, AMC, to open up to 40 cinemas in some 15 Saudi cities over the next five years.
The past year has seen the start of a huge drive to bring entertainment to Saudi Arabia as part of Vision 2030. That is the ambitious plan for economic and social reform by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia’s royal family and religious establishment adhere to an austere form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism, and Islamic codes of behaviour and dress are strictly enforced. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the return of “moderate Islam” is key to his plans to modernise the Gulf kingdom.
He told reporters that 70% of the Saudi population was under 30 and that they wanted a “life in which our religion translates to tolerance”. The prince vowed to “eradicate the remnants of extremism very soon”. He made the comments after announcing the investment of $500bn (£381bn) in a new city and business zone.
Dubbed NEOM, it will be situated on 26,500 sq km (10,230 sq miles) of Saudi Arabia’s north-western Red Sea coast, near Egypt and Jordan. Saudi Arabia’s royal family and religious establishment adhere to an austere form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism, and the king styles himself as the guardian of Islam’s two holiest sites.
Islamic codes of behavior and dress are strictly enforced in the kingdom. Last year, Prince Mohammed unveiled a wide-ranging plan to bring social and economic change to the oil-dependent kingdom known as Vision 2030.
As part of those reforms, the 32-year-old has proposed the partial privatisation of the state oil company, Saudi Aramco, and the creation of the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund.
And in September his father, King Salman, announced that a ban on women drivers would end next year, despite long-standing opposition from religious conservatives. The government also wants to invest in the entertainment sector. Concerts are once again being held and cinemas are expected to return soon.
Prince Mohammed defended the reforms at an economic conference in Riyadh on Tuesday that drew foreign investors and dignitaries. “We are returning to what we were before – a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions, traditions and people around the globe,” he said.
“We want to live a normal life. A life in which our religion translates to tolerance, to our traditions of kindness,” he added.
The prince stressed that Saudi Arabia “was not like this before 1979”, when there was an Islamic revolution in Iran and militants occupied Mecca’s Grand Mosque. Afterwards, public entertainment in Saudi Arabia was banned and clerics were given more control over public life.
Saudis are enthusiastic consumers of Western media and culture, but have been confined to watching privately, on their phones and via satellite television at home. Both Saudi authorities and cinema operators believe there is a huge untapped market that could generate up to $1bn (£710m) in annual ticket sales through some 350 theatres by 2030.
The first screen to open will be in the King Abdullah Financial District of the capital, and a source told Reuters news agency the first film shown would be Marvel superhero blockbuster Black Panther.
The source also said that cinemas would not be segregated by gender, as is normally required in public venues. It is unclear, however, what kind of movies will be permitted – and it is likely that some will be censored. Vision 2030 is intended to help divert the Saudi economy from its dependence on oil, provide new jobs and give Saudis a reason to spend their money at home rather than abroad.
Indian American actor/writer Akshun Abhimanyu’s film based on the Kansas racial shootings is heading to be shown at the popular Cannes Film Festival. His new film showcases the heightened feelings of “fear and uncertainty” into words and gives a voice to all those people in his new film, “Seven Rounds.”
The killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an Indian American engineer, at a Kansas bar in February 2017, sent shock waves through the community which continues to reverberate to this day.
The perpetrator, Adam Purinton, who recently pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and attempted murder charges, also injured two others in the attack, including Alok Madasani. Authorities alleged that Kuchibhotla and Madasani were targeted because of their ethnicity, race or national origin.
Even though Purinton is now behind bars, immigrants, who shudder recalling the fateful day, fear there may be more Purintons out there. Many are left wondering where all the hostility is coming from. Though there are no easy answers to this question, since cinema is reflective of real life, Abhimanyu and his team have just released a gripping and eye-catching trailer for the film produced by Hollywood’s Three Flames Productions.
“The incident also seemed relatable to my situation in Los Angeles,” Abhimanyu, who conceptualized the story and plays the lead role, told the media. “I’ve never faced racism as such but the idea of people perceiving me differently has been a question many a times. Whenever I have a beard and I’m going to places where I’m perceived as a ‘brown guy with a beard’ where people think I’m a Middle Eastern, and I get that look of I’m a Muslim guy and I could be a threat, a general consensus.”
At times, said Abhimanyu, he is meted the same treatment from fellow Indians.
“The minute they realize that I’m Indian, their reaction changes…they become nicer and welcoming, saying, ‘Oh! You’re like a brother,’” he said. “That kind of made me worry that these instances, which are probably directed towards a certain community, are affecting everybody else, anybody who looks like from that part of the world.”
In the film, during President Donald Trump’s travel ban, two young Indian engineers go to their local bar only to encounter a series of challenges related to perceptions of their ethnicity. Abhimanyu said this decision of the travel ban kind of legalized various forms of discrimination.
“It’s about how these two friends go about their journey in a day’s time and how they face these daily small moments of subliminal racism but they don’t question it until a big thing like a shooting happens,” said Abhimanyu. “After the travel ban, questions were raised about the Muslim community. It was a strong hate towards these people which other Americans were creating because of the understanding at the top level.”
The film, he said, was shot in Kansas City since “these instances are more common in the Midwest,” adding that he wanted to focus on the rise in such incidents since the ban. Such rhetoric, he said, was tearing apart communities and creating a racial divide in the country.
“Such plans make people look at other people differently,” he told India-West. “Hate them without even knowing where they’re from. Nobody in that bar was Muslim or Middle Eastern, a Caucasian man is getting shot, a black woman is getting shot…they are getting killed and shot because of a perception.”
Friend and writer Karthik Menon, he said, helped adapt the story into a screenplay. “My character illustrates the underlying phobia amongst American people,” said the New Delhi native. The film also touches upon the rise in gun violence and mass shootings.
A graduate in biotechnology, Abhimanyu said his future goal is to either make this into a feature or a docu-series. “My main focus is to give it to bigger platforms so that people across the globe can get the message and I would like to work on a set of series which work on such issues,” he said.
The Indian film industry is a citadel of secularism where there’s no scope for communal bias, says veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar. “I had joined the film industry in 1965 on a salary of 50 rupees a month. In these 53 years, not for a second I have experienced or even seen any communal bias in our industry. This film industry is the citadel of secularism. Bigots, don’t try to pollute it,” Akhtar tweeted last week.
Akhtar’s comment comes amid a raging debate which got sparked by a social media user’s tweet questioning Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s right to play Lord Krishna in the actor’s proposed screen version of the “Mahabharata”.
When a Twitter user questioned Akhtar on the correlation of Rs 50 and secularism, the critically acclaimed writer commented: “This is to establish that even when I was economically in a very humble and socially in a very vulnerable position, then too I didn’t feel any discrimination at least on any communal grounds.”
FOUR world premieres, TWO international premieres, SIX North American premieres, ONE U.S. premiere and 11 New York premieres from FOUR South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka), as well as North America and the United Kingdom, will be unveiled at the 18th annual NYIFF, which will take place from May 7th to the 12th at the Village East Cinemas in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The entire festival schedule, which comprises of 78 films in 11 different languages (English, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu, Konkani, Bengali & Assamese), is now available on the festival’s website.
The media is invited to cover the NYIFF kick-off press conference on Friday, May 4th from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Consulate General of India (3 East 64th Street, between Madison and 5th Avenues).
The festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Ravi Jadhav’s Marathi language film NUDE (with English subtitles) and close with the New York premiere of veteran NYIFF director Hansal Mehta’s biopic on Islamic fundamentalist Omar Saeed Sheikh, OMERTA. This year’s centerpiece slot will be occupied by Miransha Naik’s Konkoni language film JUZE (with English subtitles),making its North American premiere at NYIFF.
Additional highlights at the festival include: Tribute to late Shashi Kapoor and late Sridevi; Merchant-Ivory Restrospective; Discovering the Film & Television Market in India Panel Discussion; Shooting Films in New York State Panel Discussion; The Inclusion Rider’s Role in Diversifying Hollywood Panel Discussion; Networking events and nightly parties; Opening and Closing Night Red Carpets.
The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is the oldest, most prestigious film festival screening premieres of feature, documentary and short films made from, of, and about the Indian subcontinent in the Independent, arthouse, alternate and diaspora genres. Seven days of screenings, post-screening discussions, industry panels, award ceremony, special events, nightly networking parties, red carpet galas, media attention and packed audiences build an awareness of Indian cinema, entertain & educate North Americans about the real India, and add to the amazing cultural diversity of New York City. For more information, please visit the website HERE. The Indo-American Arts Council is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization, passionately dedicated to showcasing, promoting and building an awareness of Indian sub-continental performing, visual and literary arts.
Johnnie Walker Black Label just got a little bit more feminine. The whiskey maker is putting a woman in its logo for the first time ever — a new Jane Walker edition that is on sale for a limited time. The image of a top-hatted and tuxedo man is transformed into a shapely, long-haired woman in the same dashing outfit.
The special-edition whiskey is being sold starting in March to coincide with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day celebrations, according to the company. The suggested retail price is $34 for a 750-milliliter bottle. The temporary change to the “striding man” logo is an attempt to market the drink to women.
“Important conversations about gender continue to be at the forefront of culture and we strongly believe there is no better time than now to introduce our Jane Walker icon and contribute to pioneering organizations that share our mission,” said Stephanie Jacoby, vice president of Johnnie Walker. “We are proud to toast the many achievements of women and everyone on the journey towards progress in gender equality.”
Johnnie Walker has pledged to donate $1 for every Jane Walker edition bottle sold to organizations that back women’s causes for a total of up to $250,000. “Women have played a significant role in the brand’s history dating back to 1893, when John Walker & Sons purchased the Cardhu distillery from Elizabeth Cumming,” the company said. “Cardhu is one of the single malts that comprises Johnnie Walker Black Label and is considered the heartbeat of the blend.” the company said.
Johnnie Walker is owned by Britain-based Diageo, whose other brands include Crown Royal, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.
“Women have always been extremely important consumers of a lot of different types of consumer packaged goods,” said Charles Taylor, a marketing professor at Villanova University. “In the environment of #MeToo, this is a very positive and uncontroversial type of response by the marketers.”
Since the launch in 2006, Twitter has increased in popularity and celebrities are extensively using the social media platform to promote their newest product. Twitter currently has more than 330 million users and this figure is expected to grow exponentially as more features are added.
Like Instagram, the social media site has become a place where A-listers can influence fans and speak out about current affairs.
With YouTube being the eighth most followed account and Twitter the 11th, who are the top most followed people on Twitter? Katy Perry, Obama and Justin Bieber are some of the most followed people around the world.
While President Donald Trump is notorious for making political announcements on Twitter, sometimes, taking his staff and Cabinet by surprise, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan dived into a pool and went underwater after garnering over 33 million fans on Twitter.
Shah Rukh Khan, who was sporting a tuxedo paired with dark sunglasses and completed his look with gelled hair, took to Twitter, where he shared a video and captioned it: “This didn’t go as planned… But on a lazy Sunday afternoon, with my limited floatation expertise, this is the best I could do! Judge nahi karna, feel karna (don’t judge, just feel). Thanks.”
Before jumping into the pool, Khan said: “Hi guys, this is me, and I thought every time we reach a big number… I should always do something special for you, but normally I do not get the time. But today I have got the time, so I gelled my hair back, wore my coolest dark glasses and I am even wearing a bow tie.
“A full tuxedo and today I want to give the most overwhelming loving message that I’ve given you in the last decade. So listen to it carefully because this is very heartfelt.”
After he dived into the pool, popular dialogues said by the star from his over two-decade-long journey, played in the background, like “pyaar dosti hai” and “bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai.”
Once he came out of the pool, the “Raees” star said: “I hope you heard every word I said it was right from my heart and so overwhelming that I am running out of breath and where are my glasses. Lots of love to you all.”
Once the video got over, the caption came: “Thank you 33 million.” Shah Rukh Khan is an avid user of social media platforms.
Shah Rukh Khan, 52, is one of the most-successful actors of Bollywood. He has completed over 25 years in the industry. Most of his films have been hits and some like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Veer Zara, Kal Ho Naa Ho, were incredibly successful at the box office. DDLJ, which released in 1995, is still playing at a theatre in Mumbai.
He was last seen in Jab Harry Met Sejal and is currently filming Zero, with Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. In Zero, SRK plays the role of a dwarf. The film releases this December.
President Donald Trump bested Pope Francis and took the top slot among current world leaders on his favorite method of communication: Twitter. The @realDonaldTrump personal account crossed 49 million followers to overtake the nine different language accounts that the pope uses, making the president the most-followed world leader, according to measurements kept by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller.
Next on the world stage for Twitter followers was India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with 34.9 million followers for his official @narendramodi account, plus an additional 21.3 million followers who track the @PMOIndia prime minister’s office account.
Bollywood’s leading lady Deepika Padukone was felicitated with the ‘Entertainer of the year award’ by a leading magazine after the humungous success of her magnum opus Padmaavat. Dressed in a white gown, Deepika looked like a dream as she received the award from veteran actress Rekha.
Deepika garnered immense appreciation and love from all quarters for her powerful performance as the Rajputani Queen. Earning accolades for not just her beauty but also effortless acting, Deepika was hailed by the critics and audience alike. Deepika Padukone bags the Entertainer of the year award for “Padmaavat.” This was given by “Hello!” magazine, and she received the award from Rekha.
The actress entertained the audience with her power-packed acting doubled with her perfect expressions. Known to express just with her eyes, Deepika Padukone received praises for the climax scene where she won the hearts of the audience without speaking a single word.
For Padukone, it is probably another vindication of the fact that despite her long absence after “Piku” (2015), she is still the Numero Uno. And Bhansali will hopefully no longer grudge his film coming in so much trouble and not releasing as he visualized. Shahid Kapoor has had no 100 crore film, and he has taken a jump straight into this bracket.
Padukone, Singh and Bhansali had crossed 100 crore together in “Goliyon Ki RasLila: RamLila” (2013) and “Bajirao Mastani” (2015). Padukone also has “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” (2013) in the list of 100 crore films besides “Chennai Express” (again 2013) and “Happy New Year” (2014).
The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) will celebrate its 20th anniversary Gala Benefit on Sunday, May 6, 2018, onboard the Cornocopia Majesty,one of New York City’s luxury yachts.
IAAC is a registered 501(c) 3 not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization, passionately dedicated to showcasing, promoting and building an awareness of Indian sub-continental performing, visual and literary arts.
Eminent personalities from the art, film, fashion, academia, corporate, medical and entertainment industries will gather at Pier 81 to celebrate this special occasion. Salman Rushdie, Mira Nair, Madhur Jaffrey, Aasif Mandvi, the Consul General of India in New York Sandeep Chakravorty and the Indian Ambassador to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin, will be among the invited guests for the event, according to a press release by IAAC.
IAAC (www.iaac.us) was founded by four individuals: the late Gopal Raju (then Editor, India Abroad), Talat Ansari (Senior Partner, Kelly, Drye & Warren), Jonathan Hollander (Artistic Director, Battery Dance Company), and Aroon Shivdasani (Executive and Artistic Director, IAAC).
For well over a decade, Hollander has built and maintained a busy cultural bridge between India and the U.S. He has choreographed over 75 works, performed in theaters and festivals across continents. In 1982, he created the Downtown Dance Festival (now renamed Battery Dance Festival) which is known to have become New York City’s longest-running dance festival.
Ansari is a partner in the firm’s New York office and chair of the India practice group. He focuses his practice on corporate and commercial transactions, infrastructure projects, and international litigation and arbitration. He has 37 years of experience representing India-based industrial, servicing and trading companies.
Shivdasani sits on several artistic and social Boards, on the Advisory Boards of several other art and charity organizations, and has been on the juries of the Emmys, beauty contests, grants, art, film, dance and theatre contests. She has received Outstanding Citizen awards as well as honor and appreciation awards from several organizations for her passionate work for artists and the community. On January 4, 2015, Aroon was named one of the top 20 Global Indian Women by The Economic Times.
IAAC pioneered a movement that gave birth to myriad Indian arts organizations that have sprouted up all over the United States, in every artistic discipline.
“In 1998 Indian artists were invisible, unknown and unappreciated in North America. For well over 20 years, we have blazed a trail promoting, showcasing and building an awareness, in North America, of the hitherto invisible arts of India through presentations of Indian film, dance, art, music, theatre, literature & fashion. The IAAC has also raised money and awareness of social causes, natural disasters and other issues – such as the Latur & Bhuj earthquakes, the Tsunami, communal violence in India, 9/11 here in the US, gender equality, women’s rights and more, all thru artistic presentations.” said Shivdasani, in a statement.
The gala, which commences at 6 p.m., will be held onboard the Cornocopia Majesty, with a lavish waterfront setting. The yacht will sail around Manhattan while guests dine, dance and enjoy the spectacular entertainment on board with Master of Ceremonies Sree Sreenivasan.
The event offers guests a live jazz band by the Metrocard Jazz Society band, a photo exhibit of IAAC archival images from 1998 through today, video footage from 20 years of IAAC, cocktails, scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, gourmet dinner and dancing, according to the press release.
Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in an exciting live auction for hand-picked auction items. Adding to the excitement is a spectacular fashion show, and a dance performance by Battery Dance Company, creating a truly unique experience to celebrate the work done by IAAC for two decades.
Netflix is set to premiere a series called “Wild Wild Country” this month that tells the story of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the largest bioterror attack in U.S. history. In 1984, more than 700 people in The Dalles, OR, contracted Salmonella infections after followers of Rajneesh sprinkled the pathogen on salad bar ingredients in 10 local restaurants. The action was an effort to swing the results of an election. The documentary premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, will be available to stream on Netflix March 16.
The life of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, also known as Osho, who attracted thousands of followers to his ashrama headquartered in Wasco County, Oregon, from 1981 to 1985, has intrigued many for years. The new Netflix documentary is a series about the “controversial cult leader who built a utopian city in the Oregon desert, resulting in conflict with the locals that escalated into a national scandal.”
On a quiet day in 1981, disciples of Rajneesh suddenly appear in the small, conservative Oregon town of Antelope, dressed in all red and with portraits of their leader hanging from their necks. This, of course, makes the townsfolk uneasy, reads the series’ description on sundance.org.
The documentary goes on to show how Rajneesh’s followers spent over $125 million to build Rajneeshpuram, a 64,000-acre utopia, complete with a hospital, schools, restaurants, a shopping mall, and their own airport. The spokesperson for the movement is Ma Anand Sheela, a fearless disciple whose belief in the principles of Rajneesh are only outweighed by her feisty spirit.
It also highlights how in order to stack the results of county elections in their favor, the Rajneesh bus brings thousands of homeless people onto the ranch. When these new recruits are denied voting rights by the state, Rajneesh leaders surreptitiously infect local restaurants with salmonella, resulting in the largest biochemical terrorist attack on the U.S. soil.
The six-part docu-series, for which Netflix used archival footage and contemporary interviews, is directed by brothers Chapman and Maclain Way and produced by Juliana Lembi.
“Wild Wild Country,” according to The Hollywood Reporter, is “something wild, indeed,” and is “full of unbelievable twists and intriguingly short on easy answers.”
In an epic announcement that’s sure to send shockwaves around the globe, Archie Comics, home to some of the most popular characters in entertainment, including Archie, Betty & Veronica and Jughead, in partnership with Graphic India, one of India’s leading character entertainment companies, announced plans to develop a live-action, theatrical film based on the iconic Archie Comics characters, bringing Archie and his friends to life, Bollywood-style.
The production, which will be the first international comic to be translated for Indian screens, is in the early stages with an official release date to be announced. The companies have begun taking initial steps toward a modern, entertaining screenplay that will surely resonate with longtime Archie fans in India and beyond. The Bollywood film will reimagine the classic characters like Archie, Betty, Veronica, Reggie, Moose and Jughead as Indians and will feature all the classic elements of the hugely popular comic book series.
“We are supremely excited to partner with the great team at Graphic India to bring Archie and his friends to Bollywood,” said Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater. “Archie’s lasting and growing presence in India made this move the logical next step as our stellar library of characters continues to expand into other media. It’s a major moment for Archie and its fans around the world.”
“Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead have been a source of inspiration for numerous Bollywood films over the years, and now it’s time to take them fully into Bollywood in an exciting new twist of a story that we have planned,” said Sharad Devarajan, Co-Founder & CEO of Graphic India. “These characters have held a special place in the hearts of Indians for decades and we have no doubt that the new Indian cast of Archie and the gang will be an exciting moment for the country.”
Archie Comics is enjoying tremendous success with the hit TV series Riverdale, which launched in 2017. The company also recently announced with Netflix the upcoming Untitled Sabrina Series. Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion copies worldwide and are published in over 17 languages in over 55 countries.
Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Afterlife With Archie, the Dark Circle Comics superhero characters (The Black Hood, The Fox, The Shield, Sam Hill and more), Li’l Jinx and many more. Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, the Archie Comics characters are spotlighted weekly on The CW’s Riverdale TV series, the upcoming Untitled Sabrina Series on Netflix, and have been featured in animation, television, film and music. Follow Archie Comics on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the Archie Comics Store.
GRAPHIC INDIA is a character entertainment company focused on creating leading characters, comics and stories through mobile and digital platforms. Led by media entrepreneur Sharad Devarajan, Graphic India is owned by U.S. comic book Company, Liquid Comics, CA Media LP, the Asian investment arm of The Chernin Group, LLC (TCG) and Start Media LLC. The Company was founded by Sharad Devarajan, Suresh Seetharaman and Gotham Chopra. The company’s partners and investors bring together decades of experience in building businesses in character entertainment, media and India. Graphic believes that India is home to some of the most creative talent in the world, with more than 600 million people under the age of 25 and more than 850 million mobile phone users in the country. The Company’s mission is to create enduring stories and heroes that foster the imaginations and fuel the inspirations of a new globalized generation of youth in both India and around the world. www.GraphicIndia.com
When news of Bollywood actress Sridevi’s death in Dubai spread like wildfire late Saturday evening, it understandably met with shock and disbelief. Sridevi was a phenomenon – described as the first female “superstar” — she is being remembered not just by fans in India, but around the world. Sridevi, 54, died on Saturday in a Dubai hotel bathroom. The autopsy report called it an “accidental drowning” in the bathtub.
She was only 55 and looked hale and hearty. Sridevi was in the UAE for a family wedding and was seen cheerfully greeting people in videos circulating on social media. What followed though was pure grief from all over the world and a collective feeling of “gone too soon”. India’s ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri, was the first to confirm and condole the death:
“Absolutely shocked to get the report about untimely demise of #Sridevi. Conveyed my condolences to the family. Our consulate in Dubai is working with local authorities to provide all possible assistance”, he wrote in the tweet.
Sridevi, who had started as a child actor and rose to become a Bollywood sweetheart, left the scene for 15 years only to stage a resounding comeback at the age of 50, unusual in any film industry. News channels from BBC to CNN featured the star, and Twitter lit up with tributes and tears on her untimely death in Dubai at the age of 54.
Sridevi had already been a phenomenon in Tamil and Telugu films before she came to Bollywood, says Professor Gyan Prakash, who teaches history at Princeton and has included Bollywood in some of his courses. “In Bollywood, she could navigate both comedy and intensely emotional roles with ease – intensity in “Chandni” and comedy in “Mr. India.” There are not many in Bollywood who could cover this kind of range,” said Prakash, whose book on Mumbai was made into the film “Bombay Velvet.”
Indo-British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, who met Sridevi very recently at a get-together hosted by fashion designer Manish Malhotra, told BBC the Sridevi was, “completely and utterly, a force of nature on her own.” adding, “She is, and I don’t use the world lightly, an Icon.”
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who directed Sridevi in films like Great Robbery, Govindhaa Govindhaa and Hairaan, says that the late actress has been a “very unhappy woman” and her life was a “classic case of how each person’s actual life is completely different from how the world perceives it”.
In a personal note on her, Varma says that she was the most desirable woman and the biggest super star of the country but that’s just a part of the story. He wrote: “For many, Sridevi’s life was perfect. Beautiful face, great talent, seemingly stable family with two beautiful daughters. From outside everything looked so enviable and desirable… But was Sridevi a very happy person and did she lead a very happy life?”
People hailing from South India and living in the United States, have been listening to the continuous replay of the memorable song, Kanne Kalaimane” from her 1980s film with screen idol Kamal Haasan – “Moondram Tirai” (loosely translated to mean 3rd day of the new moon). “She was so innocent in that movie, nobody can forget that,” Purushottaman recalls, reminiscing further about the song that was composed by poet Kannadasan, who gave then child-actor Sridevi her first role as God Muruga in “Thunalvan.”
Sridevi’s remarkable comeback in “English Vinglish” at the age of 50, “was very significant for the Indian diaspora,” says Rochona Majumdar, associate professor in the Departments of Cinema and Media Studies, South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. “It spoke to a generation of middle and upper middle-class women who had an English handicap,” said Majumdar, who is a “huge” fan of Sridevi and feels a sense of personal loss. Majumdar also pointed to “English Vinglish” portraying the Indian-American community in the U.S.
“It is a great shock to our community. We grew up with her and she was a heartthrob for many of us,” said Ranganathan “Ranga” Purushottaman, president of the New York Tamil Sangam, adding, “We loved her from the beginning.”
Familiarity with Sridevi spreads across generations, according to Purushottaman. ” Even our children know her, with her latest movie “English-Vinglish” which had a great effect on us NRIs,” he said, referring to non-resident Indians.
“The Indian diaspora got to see how they are absorbing and melting into the American environment. And it was a very cosmopolitan environment that director Gauri Shinde showed, in which she (Sridevi) was very good,” Majumdar added.
Sridevi was the Grand Marshal of the Federation of Indian Association’s India Day Parade of 1996 in New York City. “On behalf of the Chairman, Board Of Trustees & the Executive Committee, our condolences to the Kapoor family. This is a dark day for the Indian film industry. We will pray to almighty god to give her departed soul peace and all strength to her family to go through this tough times,” the FIA said in a statement on Sridevi’s demise.
Millions of people joined film stars and celebrities to bid adieu on Wednesday to the first lady superstar of India, Sridevi, who was cremated in Mumbai with state honors amidst outpouring of grief by her fans.
Sridevi’s daughters Janhvi and Khushi performed the final rituals before the body was consigned to flames in the electric crematorium in Vile Parle with husband Boney Kapoor standing by.
The funeral, marking the final journey of Sridevi, who died due to drowning in the bathtub of her hotel room in Dubai on Saturday night, was one of the largest in recent times in Mumbai city.
It started near her residence before reaching the crematorium after a three-hour long journey in a tall, open truck, fully decorated with white flowers — her favourite colour — with the body being draped in the national tricolour and carried in a glass casket, as cries of ‘Sridevi Amar Rahe’ by her fans rent the air.
Maharashtra government accorded full state honors for the funeral of Sridevi — who was conferred a Padma Shri in 2013, which included draping her body in the national tricolour, elaborate arrangements by the Mumbai Police and a gun salute before the cremation.
Inside the truck was Sridevi lying serene with full make-up, a large south Indian style vermillion and wearing a ceremonial gold and maroon coloured Kanjeevaram sari. A heavy, large necklace adorned her since she died a ‘suhaagan’ (one whose husband is still alive), giving the appearance of a resplendent ‘devi’ (Goddess) in deep slumber.
Her grieving family members including husband Boney Kapoor, her step-son Arjun Kapoor and brothers-in-law Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor were among those who travelled in the truck with the body.
The truck slowly negotiated the approximately six km passing through some of the poshest areas of Andheri and Vile Parle suburbs, with a massive portrait of Sridevi visible from a distance.
Several lakhs of people including students, office-goers and others accompanied or waited on both side of the roads, looked on from buildings and bungalow terraces. Many climbed on signals and lamp posts for a last glimpse of their beloved heroine.
In terms of sheer numbers, Sridevi’s funeral is estimated to have attracted the highest number of mourners, ranking on par with the previous biggest funeral processions of the legendary singer Mohammed Rafi (July 1980: around a million mourners), and India’s first superstar Rajesh Khanna (July 2012: a little less than a million mourners). The other big funerals of non-political personalities in Mumbai included those of Raj Kapoor (June 1988) and Vinod Khanna (April 2017).
The procession was led by several family members, close relatives, friends and even neighbours of the Green Acres society where the family lived in Lokhandwala Complex. Among the prominent personalities who attended the funeral in Vile Parle were Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Randhir Kapoor and others who came to bid a final goodbye to Sridev
Earlier, since dawn, thousands of teary-eyed fans and admirers of the late actress, many carrying flowers, had queued up outside the Celebration Sports Club at Lokhandwala Complex for a final ‘darshan’ of their idol.
After the flower-bedecked body was brought to the club premises a steady stream of celebrities came in their vehicles and where whisked inside to pay their last respects.
Among the early callers seen were Rekha, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Arbaaz Khan, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Akshaye Khanna, Tabu, Farah Khan, Nitin Mukesh, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vidya Balan, Sushmita Sen, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Deepika Padukone, Sanjay Leela Bhandsali, Jackie Shroff, Farhan Akhtar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, John Abraham, Ajay Devgn and Kajol, Anupam Kher and Sulabha Arya, among others.
In the past four days since her demise, the Kapoor household had witnessed a steady stream of visitors including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Krishna Raj Kapoor.
Most of the visitors were sporting dark sunglasses to ward off the harsh early-summer glare, carrying flowers or small bouquets, embraced and consoled the bereaved family members, entering from the main entrance and leaving quickly from the other side as fans tried to catch a glimpse.
Sridevi’s body was flown to Mumbai from Dubai where she passed away following an accidental drowning in a bathtub in her hotel room around 11 pm on February 24, and from the airport was taken to the Kapoor residence in Green Acres. For the final journey, at the club and the crematorium, the Mumbai Police implemented elaborate security arrangements at various venues and arranged special traffic and crowd management
Apple has landed a series package from M. Night Shyamalan and British TV writer Tony Basgallop, which recently hit the premium/digital marketplace. The untitled half-hour psychological thriller has received a 10-episode straight-to-series order from the tech giant.
The streaming service has given a straight-to-series order to a psychological thriller series from writer Tony Basgallop (“24: Legacy”) that Shyamalan will executive produce, reports Variety. Plot details for the series are being kept under wraps. The half-hour series has received a 10-episode order, with Shyamalan also set to direct the first episode, adds the report.
Shyamalan’s Blinding Edge Pictures will help produce the untitled Apple thriller series, with Indian American Ashwin Rajan (“Split,” “Wayward Pines”) serving as executive producer. Jason Blumenthal, Todd Black and Steve Tisch of Escape Artists will also executive produce, with Taylor Latham co-executive producing.
Shyamalan, known for blockbusters like “The Sixth Sense,” and the more recent “Split,” is currently working on the post-production of “Glass,” a sequel which brings together the narratives of the 2000 film, “Unbreakable,” and the 2016 thriller, “Split.”
Actors Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, who played the characters of David Dunn and Elijah Price, respectively, in “Unbreakable,” will reprise their parts in “Glass,” which is expected to release in 2019.
This is the latest straight-to-series order for Apple which has been quickly building up its slate of originals. Over the last couple of months, Apple has ordered a Damien Chazelle drama series, Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories reboot, a morning show drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, a comedy series toplined by Kristin Wiig, a space drama from Ron Moore, and world-building drama series See from Steven Knight and Francis Lawrence. On the unscripted side, Apple has greenlighted docuseries Home from Matt Tyrnauer and Matthew Weaver.
Aicon Gallery is presenting Hyperreal, a group exhibition featuring the work of Jaishri Abichandani, Saks Afridi, Marcy Chevali, Mariam Ghani, Nitin Mukul, Aakash Nihalani, M. Pravat and Salman Toor. The exhibition looks at the various means through which artists explore realms either beyond or outside of reality, while not abandoning representation for the purely abstract or conceptual. Whether through visual or narrative devices, the artists in this exhibition seek to depict, in widely different ways, scenes that on the surface appear to be derived from recognizable forms and figures; but upon closer inspection reveal themselves to be operating in worlds that either do not, cannot, or should not exist…at least not yet.
Throughout millennia of art history and up until the late 19th century, visual artists strove to create objects and paintings that came ever closer to perfectly representing the forms, figures and stories they wished to present to us in a visual language based on the real observable world around them. However, with the advent of photography, where a simple device could perceivably capture reality more perfectly than any master of the figurative arts, the goalposts of painting and sculpture were moved, and modernism, arguably, was born. Indeed, this turning away from skillful representation of the real to an art that would focus more on conveying emotions, concepts, and ideas, would become the very foundation of modern visual art. Thus came in rapid succession modernity’s art movements ranging from impressionism and expressionism through abstraction, conceptual and performance art, and on to the postmodern and even, ironically, photo-realism, to name just a handful. But what about an art that does not shy away from the figurative or representational, but rather uses those very means to realistically depict the unreal?
The concept of “hyperreality” was originally developed by French sociologist Jean Baudrillard who defined it as “the generation by models of a real without origin or reality.” In the context of postmodern art, this idea was taken up as a way of visually blending reality and fiction to create images and narratives where neither the real, nor the representation of the real, exists any longer, and one is left viewing something entirely outside the realm of experiential reality; the hyperreal.
Saks Afridi, born in Pakistan but raised in several countries, takes a multi-disciplinary approach in his artwork. Saks’s art practice is two-fold: collaborative and personal. His personal work investigates the predicaments and perplexities of the life of an ‘Insider Outsider’. This is the practice of achieving a sense of belonging while being out of place, finding happiness in a state of temporary permanence, and re-contextualizing existing historical and cultural narratives with the contemporary. His work Scout 1, in this exhibition, marks the beginning of a hugely ambitious multi-disciplinary unfolding project known as the SpaceMosque Series.
Brooklyn-based artist Aakash Nihalani is best known for his street installations and his ability to playfully transform and manipulate the way we see the very city around us. Using brightly colored tape and conventional shapes, Nihalani transforms everyday streets into fantastic illusionistic environments where walls and sidewalks become visual playthings that reintroduce citizens to their everyday surroundings. Also operating from Brooklyn, Jaishri Abichandani has intertwined art and activism throughout her long career. Her work in this exhibition blends imagery from her feminist activist background with her long-standing investigations into terra cotta artifacts from 3500 B.C until the advent of stylization of the female figure (predating the emergence of Goddess Kali in the Hindu pantheon) in India. Through her sculptural and drawing practices, Queens-based artist Marcy Chevali creates places of ambiguity, where dualities are identified and explored within space, place and situation. By articulating these moments, her objects generate parallel duplicities, rather than a singularity of meaning. In her work, Cirrus, from the current exhibition, she uses flame worked glass as an artifice to create a sense of duality.
Being a first-generation Indian born in the U.S., Nitin Mukul’s hyphenated-identity plays a crucial role in his collages and paintings. Combining images from a variety of sources, including his own photographs, Mukul reveals threads of his dislocated heritage through his work. His work is a confluence of perceived and imagined realities and landscapes based on the visual world around him, but heightened by the histories and futures which have and will shape our perceptions of that world. In a similar vein, Mariam Ghani’s haunting dream-like video works feature diverse architectural, natural, and urban environments, which she plumbs to examine the complex histories of both the geographic and cultural landscapes in which they’re set. Known for her visually captivating imagery, Ghani’s videos create an all-encompassing experience for the viewer, using landscape, sound and the human body to tell a unique story of her filmed sites.
Delhi-based artist M. Pravat’s works predominantly begin with the examination of architectural forms or plans – some iconic, and some imagined – which are then deconstructed and built up again, in a visual manifestation of the process undergone by our personal memories of environments and events as they shift, blur and break down over time. Brooklyn-based painter Salman Toor’s works pay homage to Renaissance-era masters but present a unique vision of the complexities and exchanges between South Asian popular culture and the historical traditions of Western idealization. Toor paints intuitively, from memory, embracing the surprise of the transformations he encounters as an image comes to life. His paintings moves seamlessly between abstraction and representation. He uses text and figures to carve out a psychological space or site of fantasy, memory and deconstruction. The Exhibition runs from March 1st through March 31, 2018 in the New York Gallery.
Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform, is all set to reimagine VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 by making India’s greatest sporting spectacle more engaging and bringing it closer to U.S. cricket fans. As the official digital streaming partner for VIVO IPL 2018, Hotstar will live stream matches across North America beginning this April.
To celebrate this, Hotstar hosted the VIVO IPL Hotstar CricFest, a cricketing extravaganza at MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn on Saturday, February 24th, in association with event partner, CricClubs. Cricket legends Anil Kumble andHarbhajan Singh graced the occasion and interacted with fans, as they experienced cricket first-hand through live simulations, activities and entertainment zones. Ipsita Dasgupta, President – Strategy and Incubation and Hotstar International at Star India presented content and features of the Hotstar platform that make the experience unique, immersive and engaging for North American cricket fans.
“Hotstar aims to become a platform that connects and celebrates the South Asian diaspora by bringing rich and diverse entertainment across Indian movies, TV shows and live sports. It gives us great pleasure to bring VIVO IPL 2018 on Hotstar for cricket fans in North America,” said Ipsita Dasgupta, President – Strategy and Incubation, and Hotstar International at Star India. “Leveraging our technology, consumer insight and expertise in cricket coverage, Hotstar will deliver an immersive and engaging experience combined with greater convenience to our North American audience.”
“VIVO IPL is, undoubtedly, the most exciting cricket property in our country and brings together the best of cricket talent from across the world in an intense league,” said Anil Kumble, former Team India player, captain and coach. “Cricket fans in the U.S. deserve to watch the sport on a platform that understands their love for the game and is powered by technology that focuses on delivering a great consumer experience. I’m truly excited that Hotstar is the official digital streaming partner of VIVO IPL 2018 in the U.S.”
“It’s incredible to see such passion for cricket halfway across the world,” said Harbhajan Singh, former captain of Mumbai Indians and current member of Chennai Super Kings. “VIVO IPL 2018 will be an exciting season for all cricket fans and enthusiasts, including those in America, who can now participate in the same experience as millions of Indians back home do through Hotstar.” Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform for Indian TV shows, movies and live sports, is now also available in the U.S. and Canada. A subsidiary of Star India and 21st Century Fox, Hotstar was launched in India in 2015 and became the fastest app to reach a million downloads within a week of going live.
The platform offers a bouquet of rich and diverse content encompassing the latest movies, popular TV shows, documentaries and live sports. By delivering premium, on-demand content across devices and in multiple languages, Hotstar ensures South Asians across the world are never too far from their favorite entertainment. Hotstar can be accessed through us.hotstar.com, ca.hotstar.com or via iOS AppStore, Google Playstore, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire, and Android TV.otballers like Kathy Carter Kyle Martino and Eric Wynalda, the report said.
The popularity of Hotstar in India can be gauged by the fact that its app got 340 million views for all 49 matches during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, and over 200 million views during the IPL Season 8. Popular sports presenter Gaurav Kapur moderated proceedings during a press conference, and later, for a chat with Kumble and Singh amidst almost 1,000 invited fans, from the tristate area. “We are interested in the casual cricket fans here in the US, and we are constantly innovating to make their experience engaging and immersive,” said Dasgupta.
Indo- British actor Dev Patel is set to star in The Personal History of David Copperfield, a reworking of Charles Dickens’ novel from The Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci.
According to Variety, Patel will take the lead in the film, which “will offer a modern take on Dickens’ title character as he navigates a chaotic world to find his elusive place within it”. Iannucci will direct, from a screenplay co-written with his long-time writing partner, Simon Blackwell.
“[Iannucci] is a Dickens aficionado, so he wants it to be very authentic but it will have his own sensitivity,” BBC Films’ Christine Langan said of the project when it was first announced in 2015.
Patel, who rose to prominence in Danny Boyle’s 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire, was last seen in the 2016 drama Lion, the true-life story of a young man’s cross-continental attempt to reunite with his family, for which he won the best supporting actor award at last year’s Baftas. He is next set to star in Hotel Mumbai, an account of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. However, that film is currently in production limbo, due to its rights being owned by the troubled Weinstein Company.
Iannucci most recently directed The Death of Stalin, a darkly comic account of the political manoeuvring that followed the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in 1953. The film, nominated for two awards at this weekend’s Baftas, had its Russian distribution certificate withdrawn by the country’s culture ministry, with committee members describing it as “vile, repugnant and insulting”. The Death of Stalin has also been banned in Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
Patel is just coming off his directorial debut with “Home Shopper” a film featured at the Sundance Festival. He earned critical acclaim for his role in The Man Who Knew Infinity, the story of genius Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
Nirav Modi’s name is a stamp of corporate India’s growing global prestige. On Hollywood red carpets, his diamonds have sparkled on the necklines and dangled from the earlobes of actors and models like Kate Winslet, Dakota Johnson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Back in India, billboards above the traffic jams of New Delhi bear the image of Priyanka Chopra, a Bollywood star and former Miss World who is fast becoming a household name in the United States, also draped in Modi’s jewels.
Actress Priyanka Chopra, the global brand ambassador for Nirav Modi, is seeking legal opinion to terminate her contract now that the jeweler has been accused of committing a major banking fraud, her spokesperson said on Feb. 15.
Officials at the nation’s federal investigative agency announced it was looking for Modi as law enforcement officials fanned out to raid his jewelry stores and other businesses in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials told reporters the agency had on Feb. 4 issued a lookout circular in the country for Modi, who they say had left four weeks earlier.
Modi has not yet responded to the allegations and could not be reached for comment. His flagship company, Firestar Diamond, has said it had no involvement in the case. The setback in Modi’s climb to fame and fortune was abrupt, even by the rough-and-tumble standards of one of the world’s fastest growing major economies.
Amid revelations that Nirav Modi was the prime accused in a Rs 11,515 crore fraud involving the Punjab National Bank, there was speculation that Chopra would sue the brand for non-payment of dues.
“There are speculative reports that Priyanka Chopra has sued Nirav Modi. This is not true. However, she is currently seeking legal opinion with respect to terminating her contract with the brand in light of allegations of financial fraud against Nirav Modi,” the spokesperson said in a statement. Nirav Modi’s name is a stamp of corporate India’s growing global prestige. On Hollywood red carpets, his diamonds have sparkled on the necklines and dangled from the earlobes of actors and models like Kate Winslet, Dakota Johnson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
The news was a shock for the circles in which Modi moved. As recently as last month, he was at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Indian media carried a group photograph with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the foreground and Nirav Modi, who is no relation, grinning between rows of Indian business leaders behind him.
“Top industrialists invited him home to display his collections,” said a Mumbai investment banker at a U.S.-based firm who has worked directly with Modi’s company. “There was a personal touch in everything he sold. Nirav Modi is a brand.”
Firestar Group, the parent company Modi controls as a majority shareholder, saw its revenue grow over three years from 103 billion rupees (about $1.6 billion at current rates) to some 147 billion rupees ($2.3 billion) by the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to figures previously provided by the company.
In 2010, Modi launched an eponymous jewellery business branded NIRAV MODI, in capitals, with the tagline “Haut Diamantaire”. New boutiques in Las Vegas and Hawaii have since been added to a stable that stretches from New York to London to Beijing.
He became a man whose diamond necklaces were sold, with his name attached, by Sotheby’s: “pure feminine elegance,” says a Hong Kong auction catalogue note of one 85.33 carat diamond necklace.
The auction house posted an online slideshow of jewellery-on-stars at the 2017 Oscars and highlighted supermodel Karlie Kloss having “a major Nirav Modi moment with her diamond ‘Mughal’ choker.”
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan dived into a pool and went underwater after garnering over 33 million fans on Twitter. Shah Rukh Khan, who was sporting a tuxedo paired with dark sunglasses and completed his look with gelled hair, took to Twitter, where he shared a video and captioned it: “This didn’t go as planned… But on a lazy Sunday afternoon, with my limited floatation expertise, this is the best I could do! Judge nahi karna, feel karna (don’t judge, just feel). Thanks.”
Before jumping into the pool, Khan said: “Hi guys, this is me, and I thought every time we reach a big number… I should always do something special for you, but normally I do not get the time. But today I have got the time, so I gelled my hair back, wore my coolest dark glasses and I am even wearing a bow tie.
“A full tuxedo and today I want to give the most overwhelming loving message that I’ve given you in the last decade. So listen to it carefully because this is very heartfelt.”
After he dived into the pool, popular dialogues said by the star from his over two-decade-long journey, played in the background, like “pyaar dosti hai” and “bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai.”
Once he came out of the pool, the “Raees” star said: “I hope you heard every word I said it was right from my heart and so overwhelming that I am running out of breath and where are my glasses. Lots of love to you all.”
Once the video got over, the caption came: “Thank you 33 million.” Shah Rukh Khan is an avid user of social media platforms. On the work front, he is busy shooting for Aanand L Rai’s “Zero,” which also features Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. Scheduled to release in December, “Zero” will feature Khan in a dwarf avatar.
Amazon Prime Video has announced the return of the popular animated series, Baahubali: The Lost Legends with a much-awaited second season. Created by SS Rajamouli, Graphic India and Arka Mediaworks, Prime members can now watch all 13 episodes of the Amazon Prime Video Exclusive series starting February 16th, 2018. The first season of Baahubali: The Lost Legends quickly gained popularity after its early 2017 launch quickly becoming one of Amazon’s most watched shows.
“There are backstories for each character in Baahubali, some really powerful scenes which needed to be told and explored through different mediums. I have always enjoyed animation, and I’m glad we are able to visualize these stories through this medium,” said Baahubali creator and filmmaker, S. S. Rajamouli. “When we look at Baahubali and Bhallaladeva, what we see in the film is just a small fragment of their lives. In the bigger picture, there is so much more to know about them. The same applies to other characters too.”
CEO of Arka Mediaworks, Shobu Yarlagadda said, “We are thrilled to be working with Graphic India to bring new episodes Baahubali – The Lost Legends to fans of all ages.”
Lost Legends is set before the Kalakeya invasion depicted in the first film, when Baahubali and Bhallaladeva are still both young princes of Mahishmati. The animated series offers fans new stories about characters from the film, as well as an action packed accessible story for new audiences unfamiliar with the films. Baahubali: The Lost Legends, was created by S.S Rajamouli and Sharad Devarajan and is based on the blockbuster film franchise, beloved by millions of fans across the country. Whether audiences have previously seen the films or are new to the characters, Lost Legends is a stand-alone entertainment experience filled with political intrigue, betrayal, war, action and adventure. Season 2 features new stories revealing more about the events that shaped the lives of the film characters Baahubali, Bhalaladeva, Sivagami and Kattapa, and also introduces new characters including the dreaded sea pirate, Kaala Khanjar and the lone warrior, Chagatai who comes to Mahishmati with a grim purpose.
Amazon Prime Video has the largest selection of latest and exclusive movies and TV shows, stand-up comedy, ad-free across Indian and Hollywood movies, US TV shows, top/popular Indian and international kids’ shows, award winning Amazon Prime Original shows along with content from top Bollywood, regional, Indian and international studios – all available in one location/service.
To watch these and other new release Hollywood and Bollywood movies, US TV shows, kids’ programming and Amazon Prime Originals, please visit www.PrimeVideo.com or download the Amazon Prime Video app today and sign-up for a Prime membership.
Located in the heart of India’s capital Delhi is a hub of garbage disposal that has stood the test of time. It is a little world of that found refuge in Okhla- a name most would not have heard of and a place most would never want to visit.
On getting there, it looks no less than a miniature village, with cows and goats walking at an easy pace while they chew on mouthfuls of cud. Children play about bare feet in tattered to faded clothes and the dusty roads add to the environment. The stench of rotting garbage overpowers all the other senses that also bring in the flies and mosquitoes.
On entering the dhalao, one has to find a spot clean enough to set foot on as the only thing visible to the eye is waste and more waste, every variety, type and kind of waste. Their tools that include a long broom, a sifter and lots of over-sized plastic bags lay stained and peeling from being used daily.
In this world of waste too, the rag pickers have learnt to be happy, smile and celebrate the small things in life while they continue to try and achieve their dreams. Many a times they hum a tune of a famous Bollywood song to keep themselves entertained while they dig through piles of trash for the day.
The most common site in Delhi are tiny tipper carts that primarily pick up domestic and other daily life waste. From homes to shops to hotels, these carts have a specific time when they go and do their task of collection. Once the respective and assigned trash collection is completed, they bring their share to drop off at what is called a dhalao (an open shed-like structure found along the roadside). These dhalaos are the primary segregation spots where the major separation of garbage happens. The trash is untied and poured out onto jute sacks that are used as a base.
The concept of segregating garbage before throwing it away is not that prevalent in India so what comes out onto the jute sack is a mix of plastic, metal, paper, cloth and food. This has to manually be separated into the different categories so each can further be treated and taken care of. As each form of waste has a unique method of being treated, this primary categorization helps make the rest of the process easier.
The dhalao is open on 3 sides and has a roof to prevent any water from mixing with the garbage. As it is an open dump, animals are seen grazing through heaps in hopes of finding some edible substance. This causes them to end up chewing plastic and other harmful elements that led to deaths.
With rusting tools, bare hands and tearing footwear, the rag pickers work tirelessly on a daily basis. This is their home, their office and their little world where lies wrapped up probably their only meal for the day.
Most people who work as rag pickers are the lower class people who also do multiple jobs to bring home income. They are young to middle-aged migrants who come to cities like Delhi and Mumbai for better opportunities and for fulfilling their dreams. As this is a very tiresome task, one would rarely see women at the dhalao digging through heaps of garbage and sorting them as per material and quantity.
Occupational hazards such as getting cuts and injured is very common as the men come in contact with metal and sharp objects. Along with this, they are prone to being bit by dangerous mosquitoes that spread malaria and typhoid. Respiratory and gastric diseases are also commonly seen due to long exposures to waste and bacteria.
Once the segregation has been done, the garbage is then sent for secondary sorting. This happens deeper inside the Okhla region. As one drives into the narrowing lanes of this little garbage city, a smaller village set up is seen emerging.
Small shops, tiny huts and hardly any vehicles is this simpler smaller world with only these tippers have access. The whole scene changes where women now enter the scene. They are seen sitting outside their matchbox homes cutting vegetables, cleaning rice and some even managing shops. Children are seen helping their fathers and uncles off load and load the garbage carrying tipper carts into an open ground that forms the central common area in their so-called residential settled society.
The women get together to segregate the waste into more minute and focused material which some they sell to agents and some they send to higher authorities to deal with. Families are involved in this process of garbage disposal. Generations pass by in this practice and for many; this is a lineage and tradition that is only passed down. When asked what the young men feel about being a part of the waste management system, they proudly said that they are happy to do so as they have seen their ancestors work and gain from this.
This system is more than just a daily routine of collection, segregation and transferring further, and it is a business. Few people are aware that the garbage once segregated in the secondary spot is then sent to the waste to energy plant, which is located close to Delhi in a place called Gazipur. Here it is converted into fuel and manure that is then used further.
Talking about the business aspect of this process, the rag pickers compete with one another to be the most efficient and most productive. The business runs on the quantity delivered by each rag picker to the thekedar (a leader of a group. Generally used for a village leader).
When they trash out bags, they forget about the journey that waste would be going to. Though a job for many, it is below human level to having to take for granted that someone will segregate the waste one can do on their own.
The amount of waste that is produced on a daily basis is shocking and treating the same is a bigger cause of worry. Garbage city is surely a city that has endless stories that lay hidden under layers of trash. It contains dreams of a happy family, some basic education, a better tomorrow or for just some basic respect.
(Mandira Bahl, an Indian photojournalist based in New York. Having recently graduated from the International Center of Photography (ICP), her work is a blend of documentation and research. She shoots travel, fashion, runway, portraiture, architecture and wildlife.)
Indian actress Freida Pinto and Tony-winning Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. are set to star in Only, written and directed by Takashi Doscher. The film follows Eva (Pinto), who might be the only woman left on Earth. After a mysterious plague threatens to kill every female on the planet, the lives and relationship of a young couple, Eva and Will (Odom Jr.), are put to the ultimate test as they try to survive the disease and the dangerous people who want to hunt her down.
Pinto has two movies due out in 2018, “The Jungle Book,” a live action retelling of Rudyard Kipling’s classic; and “Love Sonia,” a film about sex trafficking alongside Demi Moore. Pinto recently starred alongside Idris Elba in John Ridley’s Showtime miniseries Guerrilla.
Pinto could not contain her excitement when she took to Instagram to inform her followers about the new film. “This gorgeous man and I are partners in crime on a soulful love story we are filming at the moment. Can’t wait for all of you to meet our Will and Eva. #Only,” she wrote alongside a cute photo of the two actors. The film will also feature “The Walking Dead’s” Chandler Riggs and Jayson Warner Smith.
Pinto, who recently starred on Showtime’s “Guerilla,” can currently be seen on Hulu’s provocative drama series, “The Path,” which returned for a third season Jan. 17.
The 70 films in the offering range from Narrative Fiction Features, Documentary Features, Short films in the fiction and documentary categories, VR/AR and 360 films, and a scriptwriting competition that also offers readings with a cast of actors for the finalist scripts, and represent 35 countries.
A number of workshops and panels complement the film screenings as the educational component of the festival, and these touch upon such topics as editing, distribution, pitching for film projects, filming in New York from the Governor’s Office for Film, Low Budget Film Production at SAG-AFTRA, Measuring the social impact of films, and others.
Through its TV access at MNN studios, SR Film Festival offers additional exposure to filmmakers through televised red carpet interviews. Spokespersons and guests of SR Socially Relevant™ Film Festival NY include Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, Erin Brockovich, Martin Sheen, Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning writer Robert Schenkkan, prolific and best-selling French novelist Marc Levy, Academy Award Nominee and Emmy Award Winner Guy Davidi, American TV commentator and author Gretchen Carlson, and Liaison Officer of Tibet and the Dalai Lama, Kunga Tashi.
SRFF partners with film schools, cultural organizations and representations of foreign consulates and embassies in New York, and socially responsible brands, focusing on specific topics and offering discounted access to their membership. Inquiries are welcome at ratedsrfilms@gmail.com.
The Fifth edition of SR Socially Relevant Film Festival NY kicks off March 16-22, 2018 at Cinema Village. “SR is sure to appeal to cinema fans of all interests. So come on and support New York’s latest festival.” Catherine Fisher: Tribecafilm
The Indian actor Adil Hussain starrer “What Will People Say” is set to open the fourth annual Dallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival, which will run from Feb. 8 through Feb. 11 in Dallas, Texas, and Addison, Texas.
The film, which will have its U.S. premiere at the fest, centers on the life of a 16-year-old girl, Nisha, who lives a double life: at home with her family she is the perfect Pakistani daughter, but when out with her friends, she is a normal Norwegian teenager. When her father catches her in bed with her boyfriend, Nisha’s two worlds brutally collide.
This drama highlighting the complex relationship between a father and daughter is among 19 shorts, documentaries and feature films which will be screened over a four-day period at the festival.
Six films will have their international premieres, while two will see their U.S. premieres, and one film will have its world premiere at the fest, which was recognized by Texas Governor Greg Abbott as the ‘Most Innovative Small Business in Texas’ in 2017.
“This is our most ambitious, comprehensive and well-balanced programming to date; it is also the most number of international premieres we have had at our festival,” said founder and festival director Jitin Hingorani. “Our major programming themes include: father/son and father/daughter stories, films with children as central characters and portraits of South Asian families living and working in Europe.”
The South Asian film festival’s centerpiece film is Arshad Khan’s personal documentary, “Abu,” a journey to the center of a fragmented family while they grapple with religion, sexuality, colonialism and migration. Through a tapestry of narratives composed of family footage, observation and classic Bollywood films, Pakistani filmmaker Arshad Khan takes viewers through the tense relationships between family and fate, conservatism and liberalism, and modernity and familiarity.
The Marathi film “Chumbak” or “The Lottery,” which is a coming-of-age story of Baalu, a 15-year-old boy in Mumbai, who is on the crossroads of his aspirations and morals, is the festival’s closing night feature.
In the film, Baalu dreams of escaping this wretched life with a small business of his own, a little sugarcane juice stall near his village’s public bus-stand. Having exhausted all means, a desperate and broke Baalu, along with his street-smart friend Dhananjay, aka Disco, makes a plan to put together the money with the only way they can think of – the infamous ‘Nigerian SMS Scam.’ But of the hundreds expected to respond to his text messages, no one but one man falls for it…a simple, poor, mentally-slow villager named Prasanna.
Caught between his guilt and conscience of fleecing such a man and the greed to fulfill his ambitions, Baalu will now have to make a choice. “Chumbak” is the story of these choices for Baalu that shall shape his life.
Some of the other films that have been selected to be screened at the festival include Mahesh Dattani’s “Dance Like a Man,” “Love and Shukla,” and “Bhasmasur.”
As part of the Indo-European programming, the French short film, “La Lune Folle,” and the Italian film, “Babylon Sisters,” will be showcased.
The LGBTQ shorts programming includes several shorts like “Aarsa,” “Sisak,” “Devi,” “Khol,” and “Maacher Jhol.” Several screenings will be followed by Q&A with the respective film’s actors or directors. For more information, visit www.dfwsaff.com.
Chicago, IL: On Sunday, Jan 21th, Launch of Pritam Live Chicago was hosted at the Thumka Grill in Schaumburg – Chicago, IL announcing the Launch of the much awaited and the historic North American Tour of Bollywood Musical Maestro Pritam Chakraborty dedicated to the cause of Opioid Epidemic awareness in America. “ Pritam – first Time ever tour in North America” A musical concert created by and around the musical Maestro Pritam Da, with more than 600 songs in 120 movies to his Credit, this tour will be the Biggest Bollywood musical journey North America has ever seen along with eight singers and extraordinary performers in seven cities across North America.
“It is a genuine honor that Legendary Pritam Chakraborty is pledging this historic tour to the awareness of Opioid Epidemic Awareness, most of us are still unaware of this America’s #1 crisis and that it has reached as a national emergency as declared by our President. Numbers are only growing each year, unfortunately, we experienced 500,000 American deaths, and the awareness is essentials to reach to all our youth to refrain from drugs abuse. This Historic Bollywood Tour is a genius and a powerful approach to bring the awareness to the South Asian youth and we are privileged to have the Legend Pritam Da, bring the message in a musical adventure for this noble cause.
Karl Kalra of Live2u, Mr. Gaurang Patel & Mr. Gaurav Anand of INXS Productions organized this successful Launch of Pritam Live Chicago, Expect the Unexpected 2018. Mr. Patel began the evening by thanking each and every one present at the launch, and appreciated God for giving such an enormous opportunity, he shared his experience of how this Tour has grown from day to day and has been blessed to support and spread the awareness of the noble cause. Mr. Patel than introduced the man himself, founder of Live2u Mr. Karl Kalra, thanked and appreciated each and each every one present at the launch and online and appreciated God for giving such an enormous opportunity.
Kalra expressed his appreciation and shared Live2u’s journey, Live2u was established 10 years ago by Mr. Kalra and Mrs. Karla’s hard work and dedication, their Dream was to make Live2u the Biggest Musical Company in the United States of America, and their Dream has truly come true. Mr. Kalra stated it was possible with the support of his dear wife; they worked restlessly day and night to achieve the success.
Kalra had a surprise for Chicago and he introduced, the man himself; Musical Maestro Pritam Da to Chicago Face-to-Face, Online. Audience present at the launch truly felt the energy and applauded and genuinely welcomed Pritam Da to North America for his Biggest Tour. Pritam Da genuinely recognized and appreciated everyone’s warm welcome, Pritam Da stated he is really excited and pumped for this April 2018 and can no longer wait. He stated him and his teams are working restlessly for the North America Tour. He assured this will be the most entertaining and remarkable Tour that we all have ever witnessed. He gave his remarks to bring the awareness of this epidemic. The audience present at the launch and online requested Dada to sing a couple of lines from one of his compositions, and Pritam Da sang for the crowd without thinking twice, it was truly an unforgettable and powerful moment for all. Pritam Da stated him and his teams are working restlessly to bring the audience of North America the Biggest Musical Adventure of all time.
Musical Maestro Pritam Da assured North America will experience the fun-filled musical concerts throughout the North America. The master Pritam Da, himself stated along with the team of the talented artists will take the musical event to the next level. He is passionate and dedicated fully to bring the awareness of the noble cause, He stated “I am tremendously pleased to be allied with this enormously vital cause and will support and go above and beyond with this historic North America Tour to help fight this epidemic.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, (President) of American Pain Association, online live face-to-face at the launch addressed that drugs are killing more people than traffic accidents and guns violence’s in America and is a foremost alarm. He sensed that regrettably this subject is so spoken or heard about and kept under a rug and has become a soundless epidemic. This Historic Tour will revolutionize the way we express and receive the awareness of this cause. This is a game-changing platform to reach South Asian Communities across Americas and beyond. Dr. Gupta gave his remarks and educated the present audience about America’s #1 crisis. Dr. Gupta acknowledged and appreciated; Pritam Da, Mr. Kalra, Mr. Patel, Mr. Anand and the entire Team of the North America Tour, to be part of this huge initiative and bring the message with the unexpected musical adventure.
The Pritam Live Chicago Launch Introduced the lineup of 8 singers who will be performing live of many of Pritam Da’s compositions which are the Highest Bollywood Hits. The super lineup is Harshdeep Kaur, Nakash Aziz, Shilpa Rao, Sreerama Chandra, Antara Mitra, Shalmali Kholgade, Amit Mishra and Amanat Ali.
Karl Kalra recognized and expressed heartfelt appreciation to the entire National Team for their hard work and restless dedication in making the dream to the reality and bringing the historic and the biggest Bollywood Concerts to North America. The Chicago’s Team embraces, Gaurang Patel, Gaurav Anand, Payal Shah, Manoj Singamsetti, Malla Reddy, Chandrashekhar Reddy.
Pritam Live Tour, “First Time Ever in North America” will take place in April 2018 as follows – April 6th in Chicago, 7th in New Jersey, 8th in Toronto, 13th in Dallas, 14th in Los Angeles, 20th in Washington D.C, 21st in San Jose.
The Launch was attended by Community Leaders along with Media Representatives, respected individuals, and music and life encouragers. The launch was a Super Hit Success in Chicago!
After the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Awards and the SAG Awards, everyone was anxiously waiting for Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, the Oscars, the nominations of which were announced early morning Jan. 23.
To the delight of many fans, “The Big Sick,” starring Pakistani American actor Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Anupam Kher, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, The Big Sick has found a spot in one of the prime categories of the award ceremony.
The comedy has been nominated for the ‘Best Original Screenplay’ award at the Oscar. Nanjiani starred in and co-wrote “The Big Sick” with his writer-wife, Emily V. Gordon. The story of the film, which was born out of the creative duo’s personal experiences, touched the hearts of critics as well as audiences. Loosely based on the real-life romance between Nanjiani and Gordon, it follows an interracial couple who must deal with cultural differences after Emily (played by Kazan) becomes ill.
A friend of him, Wright had predicted last year that Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon would be nominated for Best Original Screenplay for their film The Big Sick. If his prediction turned out to be right, Nanjiani would have to eat a heaping plate of a food he hates, brussels sprouts. That’s why, soon after the nominations were announced, Nanjiani found himself staring down at a pile of roasted sprouts and a glass of champagne.
“I’ve never been happier to lose a bet and eat a bowl of something I dislike,” Nanjiani tweeted before clarifying that he still didn’t care for brussels sprouts, despite the positive connotation they’re now associated with. So, bad news for parents of picky eaters. Getting your kid an Oscar won’t make them suddenly like the veggies they hate. “I can confidently say this was my last bowl of brussels sprouts ever,” Nanjiani added.
But Wright clearly wasn’t done with the Silicon Valley star yet. “But what if you win? What then?” the director tweeted. “I have it. If you win, you have to eat an Oscar made of sprouts.” So far, Nanjiani hasn’t agreed to this latest bargain, but since it’s been publicly posted on Twitter it’s basically legally binding. We eagerly await photographic evidence of this monstrosity.
“The Big Sick” will compete against original screenplays for “Lady Bird,” “Get Out,” “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” The announcement, in a first, combined live presentations from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, with pre-taped category introductions, which were featured in the first half of the announcement. The Oscar awards will be handed out on ABC on March 4.
Opioid abuse has become a serious public health issue, especially in the United States that affects almost every community and family in some way. Drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the nation. Each year, drug abuse causes millions of serious illnesses or injuries among Americans.
Bollywood’s legendary musician Pritam Chakraborty has launched a seven-city Bollywood music tour to raise awareness across the nation about the Opioid Epidemic. On Sunday Jan 14th, a press conference was hosted at the Indian Consulate in New York announcing the launch of the much awaited and the historic North American Tour of Bollywood Music Legend Pritam Chakraborty dedicated to the cause of Opioid Epidemic awareness in America.
In his address, Pritam stated,“I am extremely happy to be associated with this extremely important cause and will help in whatever way I can with this tour and even otherwise in fighting this epidemic. He felt that wrong messages are being given to young minds about drugs and using drugs is becoming a part of popular and hip culture. A large part of this epidemic is due to ignorance of harmful effects of drugs.”
With more than 600 songs in 120 movies to Pritam’s credit, this tour will be the grandest Bollywood musical journey America has ever seen with eight singers and extraordinary performers in seven cities across North America.
“We are extremely pleased that legendary Pritam Chakraborty is dedicating this historic tour to the awareness of opioid Epidemic Awareness, which as we all know is America #1 crisis and a national emergency as declared by our President. With more than 500,000 American deaths, the message needs to reach all youth to abstain from drugs. Indian kids are especially susceptible given the high pressure to succeed and we are glad that Pritam Da is so involved in this cause,” said Dr Sanjay Gupta, President, American Pain Association who along with Dr. Kavita Gupta , President of AAPI East Coast, Karl Karla with Live2u and Anand and Sona Dawda from Cinema On Stage organized this press conference.
Ambassador Chakravorty, while addressing the audience, stated that drugs are killing more people than traffic accidents and guns in America and is a major concern. He felt that unfortunately this issue is not discussed and kept under a rug and has become a silent epidemic. “We need more and more awareness and this tour will be a great platform to reach Indian Diaspora. I thank Dr. Sanjay and Kavita Gupta in taking this initiative and feel that involvement of Bollywood is one of the best ways to penetrate young minds and hearts,” he said.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta thanked Ambassador Chakravorty to be part of this initiative from the very beginning last year when Dr Gupta presented the initiative to the now New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Ambassador Chakravorty at Dr. Gupta’s home along with Dr. Kavita Gupta.
Dr. Kavita Gupta stated that we have more than 100,000 Indian Physicians in America and together we can help eradicate this deadly epidemic which is affecting our kids and youth. “We all need to take it seriously and put whatever effort we can, as safety and future of our next generation is at stake. We have one 9/11 happening every 3 weeks and it is time to stop this before more youth is killed,” she said.
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who has shot a film titled “God, Sex and Truth” with American porn star Mia Malkova, says a woman’s body is beautiful and monumental to capture.
“I truly believe that there’s no location on earth which is more beautiful and more monumental than a woman’s body,” Varma tweeted alongside a snapshot from “God, Sex and Truth,” focussing on Malkova’s bare abdomen.
The film was shot with Malkova in Europe. Its trailer was launched on Jan. 16, and the full film will be launched on India’s Republic Day, Jan. 26. The filmmaker said the video is about a “revolutionary sexual philosophy” as professed by Malkova and encapsulated by him. “It’s about telling the truth behind sex as intended by God,” he added.
In a detailed note issued on Jan. 16, Varma said: “It will have explicit nude imagery which will showcase each and every part of Mia Malkova’s beautiful naked body in a never before seen magnifique.”
“The camera will literally worship not only every square inch of her extraordinary body, but it also captures her every thought in the process of projecting it in almost a spiritual context within her deeply felt and also inbuilt sexual emotions,’ Verma says. “She also speaks graphically, and shockingly hard sexual words and that’s because the whole point of this endeavor is to enhance and elevate whatever people conventionally look down upon.”
In an old interview he had said that, “I begin my day by watching porn for 15 minutes followed by a documentary or a film. It gives me an instant high which lasts all day.” Therefore, he believes that sex is a form of power and Mia Malkova’s physical and emotional beauty will make GST look beautiful.
Mia Malkova also agreed to the fact that she and RGV share common beliefs as far as sex is concerned. “God, Sex and Truth attempts to bring sex out into the open instead of hiding it under the bed sheets. Power has been given its due place in the manner of action films but sex has always been relegated to films meant only for instant gratification. GST attempts to show a woman and her sexuality in an unimaginably beautiful form.”
“”Indian film maker Ram Gopal Varma shot a video with me in Europe titled ‘God, Sex and Truth’. I will be the second adult star after Sunny Leone to be shot by an Indian feature film maker,” she had tweeted. She also thanked the “Sarkar” helmer and said that it was an “exhilarating experience” for her.
“Thank you Ram Gopal Varma for shooting ‘God, Sex and Truth’ with me. It’s been an exhilarating experience to see myself through your vision,” she wrote along with a photograph of herself sitting nude in front of Varma, who is seen explaining her a scene from the video.
Varma replied to Mia’s tweet saying: “Hey Mia it was such an elevating and thought provoking experience to film ‘God, Sex and Truth’.” The video captures her every thought in the process of projecting it in almost a spiritual context within her deeply felt and also inbuilt sexual emotions.,” he said.
Acclaimed actress Vidya Balan will play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi onscreen in a project based on journalist-author Sagarika Ghose book “Indira: Indias Most Powerful Prime Minister.”
“I am happy to have acquired the rights to Sagarika Ghose’s ‘Indira…’ because I have always wanted to play Indira Gandhi. I haven’t decided yet whether it should be a film or a web series, but that will take a while anyway,” Vidya Balan, a National Award winner, said in a statement on Jan. 9. Ghose, elated about signing the contract, wrote: “Most excited to see ‘Indira’ on-screen!” She also called Balan an “ace.”
The book, published by Juggernaut Books, is a no-holds-barred biographical portrait that looks for answers to lingering issues: from why Indira Gandhi revoked the Emergency to her son Sanjay’s curious grip over her; and from her bad marriage and love affairs to her dangerous religious politics.
“Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister” was pitched by the publishers to the film and screen community at the Word to Screen Market 2017, organized by the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has decided to give a U/A certificate subject to no cuts, but five “modifications” – including a title change – to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial film “Padmavati.” The decision has not been welcomed by the Karni Sena, a Mewar royal and some members of the film fraternity.
There were reports doing the rounds that the board had suggested 26 cuts to the film, but in a statement, CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi clarified that they have only advised five modifications, including the title change, but “no cuts”.
The board has also suggested modifications in disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of sati and also relevant changes in the song ‘Ghoomar’ to befit the character portrayed, he said.
Uncertainty has been looming large over the movie’s release since a few months, but on Dec. 30, the CBFC – following an examining committee meeting — said it has decided to give a U/A certificate to the movie subject to modifications.
“There are no cuts suggested in this film by CBFC, only five modifications,” CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi told IANS via email, refuting reports that 26 cuts were ordered in the movie.
“Padmavati,” backed by Viacom18 Motion Pictures, is directed by Bhansali and features Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in lead roles. The film, which was to release on Dec. 1, has been embroiled in controversy over alleged distortion of facts regarding Rajput history, with Rajput outfits and some backed by the BJP, actively protesting its release.
CBFC has demanded modifications in the song “Ghoomar” to “befit” the character of Rajput queen Padmavati being portrayed by Padukone, and changes in the “incorrect/misleading reference to historical places.”
The decision was taken after an examining committee meeting was held on Dec. 28 in the presence of Joshi, along with a special panel comprising Arvind Singh from Udaipur, historian Chandramani Singh and Professor K.K. Singh of Jaipur University. As per CBFC, the film was approached with a “balanced view keeping in mind both the filmmakers and the society.”
Despite the go-ahead, Karni Sena, an organization of the Rajput community, which has been protesting the movie’s release on Saturday again urged a complete ban on “Padmavati” alleging “distortion of historical facts.” The CBFC’s suggestions were also slammed by a Mewar royal, who expressed his disappointment in a letter to Joshi.
Popular Bollywood celebrities like Anubhav Sinha, Renuka Shahane and Apurva Asrani, among others also slammed CBFC’s decision on Twitter, where some people edited Deepika’s photograph with her co-star Ranveer Singh, referring to the new title, “Padmavat.”
Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia was “disgusted” by CBFC’s decision. “Disgusted by the open and blatant use of political muscle to screw filmmakers during elections. Now that Gujarat and Himachal are won, ‘Padmavati’ has got its U/A, it will be praised. Rajputs’ heroism will be talked about by the same people who slammed it. Thank God we have not made a film called Gandhi! Can you imagine what title CBFC would suggest,” he tweeted.
PAD MAN releases in North American theaters on January 26
Even real-life super heroes need best friends – as the newly released song from PAD MAN – ‘HU BA HU’- featuring Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor shows! It takes more than one man to start a Sanitary Pad revolution, and ‘HU BA HU’ celebrates the people who come into your life and help you achieve shared dreams, as Sonam Kapoor’s character Pari does as she helps Akshay Kumar (Lakshmikant) bring his invention across the country.
‘HU BA HU’ shows the journey of the two as they traverse India, touching the lives of thousands of women. From meeting individual women to talking at schools and engaging with villagers, the song charts the pair as they grow from two people making a difference from the back of an Ox and Cart to recruiting their own pad women to gaining international recognition at the UN in New York.
The song also shows the growing bond between the pair, as they become closer as they achieve their shared dream. Akshay Kumar took to social media to eloquently explain his relationship with his friend and wife saying: his wife Gayatri (played by Radhika Apte) is the reason behind his success as Pad Man but Pari (played by Sonam Kapoor) is the strength behind him.
Pad Man is a fictionalized account of Padmashri Arunachalam Muruganatham, the man who revolutionized the manufacture of the low cost sanitary napkin in India. Lakshmi is a newly married, humble welder from a rural village in the heart of India. Lakshmi’s incredible journey starts when he is shocked to discover that his wife uses an unhygienic cloth during her periods. Unable to afford a branded pad, he decides to make a sanitary pad himself. After several attempts, his irate wife refuses to be a part of his experiments. Lakshmi’s love and concern for his wife, his determination to make the pad, leads him into situations that cause so much shock and embarrassment that it compels his wife to leave him and his village to banish him.
Lakshmi doesn’t give up. His simplicity of thought, his resilience, his focus and his complete disregard for convention finally leads him to his destiny. A machine that can make a pad! The revolution that follows…from spreading menstrual hygiene, to empowering women, to starting mini cooperatives, to a vision of making India a 100% Pad using country, to accolades, to international glory and to a final resolution of his personal life, makes the rest of the feature “PAD MAN”. His journey to make India a 100% pad using country goes on…even today.
Akshay Kumar takes a ride with his PAD MAN co-stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte and the three reveal their confessions in these fun new videos. PAD MAN hits North American theaters later this month on January 26.
The full movie soundtrack is now available including all the melodious songs from the motion picture. Check out the audio jukebox here:
Stanford freshman Prathik Naidu is one of three U.S. student representatives who are traveling to Stockholm to present their original research at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony this Sunday. Naidu earned this honor through his award-winning entry in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2017.
Stanford freshman Prathik Naidu will present his scientific work at the Nobel ceremony in Stockholm. (Image credit: Courtesy Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology)
Naidu’s research involves machine learning algorithms to identify three-dimensional interactions between segments of DNA in cancer cells – a process that Naidu said is challenging through lab-based methods.
“Rather than using experimental techniques, you can do this kind of research on the computer,” Naidu said, pointing out that while expensive, slow and sometimes unreliable lab tests exist, his program, called DNAloopR, can be run quickly from his laptop.
While genes are encoded along a linear strand of DNA, some segments interact in three dimensions, changing the way those genes turn on and off. In cancer cells, that 3-D structure can be altered, leading to unregulated growth and other effects. Researchers haven’t been able to easily and quickly understand the process or identify DNA segments that might be responsible.
Naidu has been working on this project for over a year and a half, through his senior year of high school and now into his freshman year at Stanford. He cites high school biology and biotechnology classes for sparking his interest in cancer genetics and the Broad Institute for helping him test his ideas on large sets of data, but said that he spent much of his time working independently to perfect his algorithm.
He entered his algorithm in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles last May. “I wanted to answer a cool question and support it with data,” he said, “and I think that my entire process over the last couple of years has been about that.” He thinks that his commitment to tangible results attracted the attention of the judges.
“I think they were also pretty excited about how this was a problem that was very different from conventional health care problems. I’m trying to understand it from a very fundamental level,” Naidu said.
When his project was selected as best in category in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Naidu was also chosen to represent the United States in Stockholm this week, where he will give a formal presentation.
“Did you know there’s something fancier than a tuxedo?” he asked. On his last night in Stockholm this Sunday, he’ll be present in white tie and tails for the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony itself.
Naidu will then return to Stanford and his classes. He said that his favorite so far has been his computer vision class, which is directly in line with his ambition of pursuing the intersection between advanced technology and health care.
(New York, NY – December 7, 2017) This weekend, Indian megastar SHAH RUKH KHAN will host the first-ever collaboration between TED Talks and a major Indian network, Star India, which will premiere on the online digital platform, Hotstar, before it hits television. Called TED Talks India Nayi Soch, the seven-episode series will showcase some of the best innovators and thinkers of Indian origin debuting their TED Talks in a language other than English (Hindi). Tune in to the world premiere, available starting Sunday, December 10th from 7:30 a.m. ET onwards at www.us.hotstar.com. ;
Host Shah Rukh Khan raves: “It is a huge honor to host this show. When two giants like Star India and TED come together, we are sure to fire up a billion imaginations. Bringing the power of ideas to people’s living rooms across India and reaching out to, especially, the youth of our country is something that’s really exciting. I want our youth to be inspired to think of new ideas…simple and unique ideas that pack a punch. Ideas that can change lives!” Another genre of original, cutting-edge programming that is exclusive to Hotsar is the CinePlay. In this era of constant innovation, Cineplay is a novel attempt at storytelling by combining the grammar of theatre and power of cinema. It is an innovation that presents timeless theatrical dramas as digitally-immersive experiences and is especially calibrated for all screen sizes.
CinePlays are not just live recordings of a play. Sets are created especially for each production, and much like a film, a CinePlay is shot over a span of several days. With an elaborate camera, light and production set up, CinePlays weave elements of cinema into stories from theatre to create a whole new experience for Hotstar audiences.
Some of the most popular CinePlays on Hotstar include: Dance Like a Man, Between the Lines, Bombay Talkies, Typecaste and Adhe Adhure, starring the finest theatre actors of the generation like Nandita Das, Saurabh Shukla, Lillete Dubey and Darshan Jariwala.
And Hotstar’s exclusive content does not end there…it ranges from riveting documentaries to incredible lifestyle and travel shows: On Twist of Taste, join Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna on culinary journeys across India and America that will inspire new experiments in the kitchen!
Style & the City is a travel show that marries fashion with street style. Indian designers Rocky S, Rina Dhaka & Ashish Soni will create ensembles for their celebrity clients. The show is hosted by Shibani Dandekar.
Design HQ: Join interior designer Ashiesh Shah as he decodes “how to design your own space” with the likes of Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Roy Kapoor and others. Hrithik shares how he uses quotes as art across his house and how he is extremely methodical when it comes to picking furniture, color and even art.
As Hollywood begins to embrace diversity and move away from offering stereotypical roles, a few Asian actors are having breakout career moments. And now as the award season nears, it’s bringing cheer for some.
Indian American actor Aziz Ansari and Pakistani American actor Kumail Nanjiani have scored nominations for the 23rd annual Critics’ Choice Awards. For both these actors, being the contenders for this prestigious award, which some say is a barometer for predicting the Oscars, is the best way to cap a pretty successful 2017.
Ansari, who has in the past got the critics’ nod for his Netflix comedy series, “Master of None,” is back in the race owing to the second season of the series, which was lapped by the fans. He has been nominated in the ‘Best Actor in a Comedy Series’ category for his role in the Netflix drama.
Nanjiani, a critically acclaimed actor, writer and comedian, recently starred in and co-wrote “The Big Sick” with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. The film, a romantic comedy story, which was released by Amazon Studios/Lionsgate, wowed critics and audiences alike. Nanjiani, also known for his co-starring role as Dinesh in the award-winning HBO comedy series, “Silicon Valley,” has collected multiple nominations, for his work on both “The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley.”
He is eligible for both film and television honors this year. Nanjiani is up for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ alongside wife Emily V. Gordon, and ‘Best Actor in a Comedy’ for “The Big Sick,” as well as ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’ for “Silicon Valley.” “The Big Sick” is also contending for the ‘Best Picture’ and the ‘Best Comedy’ awards.
CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” which stars Indian American actor Kunal Nayyar, is competing for the ‘Best Comedy Series’ award.
Netflix leads the television honors with 20 nominations, followed by HBO with 15, FX with 13, and ABC with 12.
The Critics’ Choice Awards are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. The BFCA is the largest film critics’ organization in the U.S. and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics. BTJA is the collective voice of journalists who regularly cover television for TV viewers, radio listeners and online audiences.
The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards gala to be held Jan. 11, 2018 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The awards show will air on The CW Network and will be broadcast live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
After getting several threats over her film “Padmavati,” actress Deepika Padukone says she would like to feel “safer and protected” at this point. In an interview with “Talking Movies: India Special” for BBC World News, the actress voiced her opinion on the whole stir. In a recent interview, Deepika expressed her need to feel safe. Asked whether she would like protection from the state, she said, “In an ideal world, yes. I think it is too soon to tell. But yes it would be nicer to feel safer or protected at this point.”
The row over filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmavati” continues to intensify after a Shri Rajput Karni Sena member threatened to chop off actress Deepika Padukone’s nose amid a call for “Bharat Bandh” (shutdown) on Dec. 1 when the film is slated for pan-India release.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s attempt to bring alive the story of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati on the silver screen with his movie “Padmavati” hasn’t gone down well with Hindu groups backed by the BJP. Bhansali’s Padmavati has been at the heart of a fiery controversy , which has now become a nation-wide debate. The film revolves around the tale of Rani Padmini of Chittor, and fringe Rajput groups are less than pleased about this.
It features Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as her husband and a warrior king and Ranveer Singh essays Alauddin Khilji.
Bhansali faced many hiccups while shooting the film, but the protests escalated as the film neared its release date. There are conjectures that it “distorts history” regarding the Rajput queen, and Bhansali has denied it repeatedly. The movie’s release date has been deferred from the original Dec. 1 date, but there are efforts from Hindu groups to have it banned.
Despite several clarifications by the Padmavati team, they’re convinced that there is a romantic dream sequence between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmini in the film. Spearheaded by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, they’ve been protesting for a ban of the film in every state, and have issued death threats to Bhansali and Deepika Padukone on a regular basis.
“Padmavati,” which also features Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is yet to be certified by CBFC. However, the Rajput community has demanded a special screening of the film for them before it hits the theatres. Shri Rajput Karni Sena member Mahipal Singh Makrana said in a self-made video that “Rajputs never raise a hand on women, but if need be, we will do to Deepika what Lakshman did to Shurpanakha.”
During the shooting of the film earlier this year, a few members of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had physically assaulted Bhansali in Jaipur. The party members also set fire to the film’s set in Maharashtra. Padmavati has been banned in Bihar, Madhya Pradhesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, even before its release.
A reward of Rs 10-crore was announced for beheading filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone over their film “Padmavati.” Kunwar Surajpal Singh Ammu, a ruling BJP leader in Haryana, said he firmly stands by his announcement of Rs 10-crore reward for beheading the two.
Ammu, chief media coordinator of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, said he stated a “Rajput” and not as an office-bearer of the party. Ammu said he had doubled the bounty on the heads of Padukone and Bhansali to Rs 10 crore. Ammu also issued a threat to break the legs of actor Ranveer Singh.
Various organizations, political parties, and individuals have stood up for the Rajput community and have opposed the release of “Padmavati” over apprehensions that it distorts history in telling the tale of Rajput queen Padmavati. The Congress party also said that if there are scenes that hurt the sentiments of a particular community then the same need to be reviewed.
On the other hand, Deepika Padukone in an interview with IANS said nothing could stop the release of the film. “It’s appalling; it’s absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation? We have regressed,” she said.
While the film is drawing a lot of flak from the political parties, Bhansali is getting unstinted support from the film community. “There is no fear, and one shouldn’t be scared either because I think this is a democratic country and everybody should be allowed to make films they want to make,” Aditi Rao Hydari, who is part of “Padmavati,” said.
Actress Richa Chadha, who worked with Bhansali in “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela,” said: “With all due respect and love, I am also a Hindu, and I don’t think religion is so weak that a movie can break it. And I think it is a specialty of India that we are a democracy, so watch the film before objecting.” Celebrities like Salman Khan, Karan Johar and Javed Akhtar also expressed their support to the film. Tamil film actor Kamal Haasan stands in support of “Padmavati” actress Deepika Padukone and says he respects the actress’ freedom. He also urged “cerebral India” to wake up.
“I want Deepika’s head.. saved. Respect it more than her body. Even more her freedom. Do not deny her that. Many communities have opposed my films. Extremism in any debate is deplorable. Wake up cerebral India. Time to think. We’ve said enough. Listen Ma Bharat,” Haasan wrote on Twitter.
India’s Oscar entry “Newton” won two awards at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane last week, with Rajkummar Rao winning the best actor and Mayank Tewari and Amit V. Masurkar claiming the best screenplay honor. Manipuri movie “Lady of the Lake” won a special mention.
Ecstatic over the win, Rajkummar Rao tweeted: “Won the best actor award at the most prestigious APSA 2017. Thank you Maa. Thank you team ‘Newton.’ Don’t stop chasing your dreams because they really do come true.”
He also posted a photograph in which the actor is seen kissing the trophy. The winners’ names were being updated on the event’s Twitter handle, which also gave a glimpse into Rao’s acceptance speech.
“Let’s keep doing this beautiful work, let’s keep making these wonderful stories. Here’s to cinema,” Rao said and thanked his late mother for blessing “Newton,” read a post on the official APSA Twitter page.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and actor Manoj Bajpayee congratulated the movie’s team. “Congratulations my darling Rajkummar Rao and amazing talents Mayank Tewari, Amit Masurkar. A win at the APSA is a huge achievement and should make India super proud,” tweeted Hansal Mehta, who has worked with Rajkummar Rao multiple times.
“Newton” is India’s official entry for the foreign language film category at the Academy Awards 2018. Produced by Drishyam Films and directed by Masurkar, the movie revolves around a young government clerk who is sent on election duty to a Maoist-controlled town and how the ideological struggle puts him in an awkward situation.
As for “Lady of the Lake,” directed by Haobam Paban Kumar, the APSA awarded it “a special mention for the Cultural Diversity Award under the patronage of Unesco.” The award represents the shared common goals of APSA and Unesco, to promote diversity of cultural expression and raise awareness of the value of culture at local, national and international levels.
Shehnad Jalal stood a chance in APSA’s achievement in the cinematography category for “Lady of the Lake,” but lost it to a Russian movie.
Indian director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was nominated in the achievement in directing category for his Malayalam movie “S Durga,” which is in the news for being excluded from the Indian Panorama section of the ongoing 48th International Film Festival in Goa.
According to variety.com, Warwick Thornton’s Australian movie “Sweet Country” was named best film while Russia’s Andrey Zvyagintsev was named best director for “Loveless.”
Superstar Akshay Kumar is a new kind of hero in the first must-see film of 2018, PADMAN, releasing in North American cinemas on January 26th, 2018. The brand new poster has premiered for this important new film from writer/director R. Balki which also stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte, and is produced by Twinkle Khanna.
PADMAN is inspired by the life of Indian entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine and brought cost-effective female hygiene to India’s rural poor.
The 69th Republic Day celebrations in the country will also see the release of the unconventional film Padman that is based on the real life story of Arunachalam Muruganatham.Padman traces the struggle of a man who makes his mission to find affordable and hygienic alternatives for sanitary pads for women in his village thereby helping the improvement of sanitation facilities especially for women during menstruation.
Chicago IL: Pratibha Jairath (Bollywood Sargam) and Altaf Bukhari (A. B. Entertainment) organized an astounding Diwali Party on the evening of Nov 3rd at Ashyana Banquets in Downers Grove with an attendance of close to 500 people dressed in vibrant and stunning outfits. The venue was buzzing with excitement as people started to walk in half hour before the party time.
The best part of this event was that it was not merely a musical extravaganza and variety show but it included people from different religions, states, and communities of India to once again show unity in our diverse India. After all, the festivals are about celebration and bringing out the good spirit, friendships and alliances.
Pratibha Jairath, the host and organizer of the event opened the evening with welcoming guests and presenting a prayer and Diwali Badhai in a creative style. For Lamp lighting, she started out by first inviting Mr. Sunil Shah from New York Life to say a few words followed by Mr. Anil Loomba (Home Mortgage Solutions), Dr. Anuja Gupta (project Veranda), Sponsor Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma, Co-organizer Mr. Altaf Bukhari. Shen then proceeded further and invited her consistent supporters and well known generous personalities like Mr. Brij Sharma (IEM President and UPA BOARD), Dr. Surinder Jain of Ashyana and Mr. Om Dhingra (UPA and HTC BOARD)..
The musical segment began by Pratibha Jairath who started with Diwali segment of Piya Tose continuing with both classical and new numbers such as Thode Badmash from Sanwariya and other hits like Channa Mereya. Within 15 minutes, the dance floor was full with energetic folks ready to rock.
Anil Sharma, a well-known established singer with a powerful voice mesmerized folks with Kishore kumar classics such as Neele Neele Amber, Dil kya kare and Arjit Singh’s hits like suno na sangemarmar.
Raju Bankapur, another well-known multi-talented singer kept folks on dance floor with lots of new and Bollywood hits such as Bacnha ae haseeno. His rendition of Badan pe sitare brought Sunil Ji and friends on dance floor.
Raju Bankapur’s flute numbers and Anil Sharma’s Mahobbat barsa and some unique numbers were applauded by all. The slide show of excerpts from films matching with song being performed was a great touch, thanks to Mr. Virender Kothari. Ms Jairath thanked her several friends for showing awesome support by bringing different circles and special mention to decoration and reception team starting with Vandana Bankapur and Asha Mehta.
Pratibha Jairath’s Qwali item with her friends became the talk of the town. It was a mix of few Qwaalies. It is such things that made this party a multi-dimensional variety show. Hitesh Masters’ Saregama Orchestra team with talented duos Kafi Khan and Richard Christian added ‘Char Chand’ to this musical Diwali party. The Ashiyana banquet food was sumptuous and appreciated by all.
Anil Loomba commented ‘Pratibha how do you bring people from different walks of life?’ She said “It is not me, the total credit goes to my friends that bring tables after tables, generous sponsors, a number of associations such as FIA, UPA and A.B entertainment of Altaf Bukhari and so many other alliances.
Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor shine in the new video for the song Ek Dil Ek Jaan, an epic love ballad between a brave king and a courageous queen, from the year’s most anticipated film PADMAVATI. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, this special motion picture event will be released in North America in 3D on December 1.
Set in 1303 AD medieval India, Padmavati is the story of honour, valour and obsession. Queen Padmavati is known for her exceptional beauty and is the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh and pride of the Kingdom of Chittor, a prosperous kingdom in the north west of India. The legend of her beauty reaches the reigning sultan of Hindustan – Allaudin Khilji. The sultan who is a tyrant, is fixated with wanting anything that is of exceptional beauty for himself.
He lays siege on the impregnable fortress of Chittorgarh. After a gruelling 6 months, He returns back to Delhi empty handed. He becomes obsessed and now wants to capture Chittor and its Queen at any cost. He returns back with a bigger army and raging fury. He attacks Chittor with brutal force and a bloody and fearsome battle takes places between the righteous Maharawal Ratan Singh defending his kingdom and the honour of his queen and Sultan Allaudin Khilji. Khilji manages to breach the fortress but in vain as the Queen chooses to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect her dignity.
Grosses Worldwide Box Office of Rs. 203 crore (US$ 31.2 million) in Week 1
Mumbai, October 27, 2017: Smashing several box office records, Golmaal Again, has now achieved yet another distinction, grossing worldwide box office collections of Rs. 203 crore (US$ 31.2 million) in the first week of release. The movie now enters Week 2 of release, poised to become the highest grossing Bollywood film of the year 2017.
The Producer and Director of the film, Rohit Shetty, said, “We waited more than 7 years for the right subject to take the Golmaal franchise forward. What we have achieved is very exciting and humbling, all thanks to the love showered upon us by fans across the globe.”
Shibasish Sarkar, COO, Reliance Entertainment commented, “Golmaal Again has been an incredible journey for all of us. Our friend and partner, Rohit Shetty and his team, have outperformed every benchmark, and we are delighted with their unprecedented success.”
Golmaal Again, the fourth part in the Golmaal series released worldwide this Diwali on October 20. The ensemble cast includes Ajay Devgn, Parineeti Chopra, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu and Tabu. The film is presented by Reliance Entertainment in association with Manglmurti films and Rohit Shetty Picturez.
Reliance Group, led by Anil D. Ambani, is among India’s major business houses, with a leadership position in telecommunications, power, infrastructure, financial services, and media and entertainment. The Group has over 250 million customers, serving 1 in every 5 Indians and has over 8 million shareholders, amongst the largest in the world.
Reliance Entertainment is the media and entertainment arm of Reliance Group and is engaged in the creation and distribution of content across film, television, digital and gaming platforms. Internationally, Reliance Entertainment has partnered since 2009 with iconic film producer and director, Steven Spielberg, in the formation of DreamWorks Studios, and thereafter, Amblin Partners.
This relationship has produced several highly successful films such as The Help, War Horse, Lincoln, The Hundred Foot Journey, The Girl on the Train, Office Christmas Party and A Dog’s Purpose. Reliance Entertainment is releasing “Thank You For Your Service” in November, 2017 and also Steven Spielberg directed “The Post” starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep on January 12th, 2018.
Indian American filmmaker Mira Nair has received an Art of Change Fellowship from the Ford Foundation for 2017. Mira Nair was born and raised in Rourkela, India, and went on to study at Delhi and Harvard Universities. She began as an actress before segueing into documentary filmmaking. Her narrative feature debut, Salaam Bombay! (1988), won the Caméra d’Or and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A resourceful and determined independent filmmaker who casts unknowns alongside Hollywood stars, Nair went on to direct Mississippi Masala (1991), The Perez Family (1995), Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996), Hysterical Blindness (2002), Vanity Fair (2004), The Namesake (2006), Amelia (2009), and The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012).
Her most recent film, Queen of Katwe (2016), starring Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo, is based on the true story of the Ugandan chess prodigy, Phiona Mutesi. Nair’s acclaimed film Monsoon Wedding (2001) was recently brought to the Berkeley Repertory Theatre as a musical, where it completed an extended, sold-out run this past summer.
A long time activist, in 1998, Nair used the profits from Salaam Bombay! to create Salaam Baalak Trust, which works with street children in India. In 2005, she established Maisha Film Lab in Kampala, Uganda, a nonprofit training initiative for emerging East African filmmakers. Maisha is currently building a school with architect Raul Pantaleo, winner of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and his company Studio Tamassociati.
In 2012, Nair was awarded the Padma Bhushan—India’s second-highest civilian honor—by the president of India.
Chicago IL: Telugu Association of Greater Chicago (TAGC – First Telugu Association) organized Volleyball and throw ball tournament on October 8th, 2017 at Pelican Harbor Indoor Aquatic Park, 200 S Lindsey Ln, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 This sports event was sponsored by Indsoft Inc. & Hyderabad House, Schaumburg location. TAGC President proposed and the Board approved unanimously that tournament to be called as TAGC and Bobbili Madhava Reddy Memorial Volleyball and Throw ball tournament. Late Sri Madhava Reddy garu was past president and founding member of TAGC. The main objective of conducting this event is to motivate and encourage TAGC members and Telugu community to stay fit and to offer refreshment from routine lives as well as making new friends.
TAGC Board and sports team’s dedication and hard work made this event a Grand Success with record number of teams registered in TAGC history. The event was publicized well by utilizing all means of social media and communication. TAGC has conducted volleyball tournament for men in 3 categories and Throw ball for Women. Volleyball categories are Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced. We had about 24 Volleyball teams, 4 groups, 4 courts, 9 hours, 90 plus games and 280 participants with 200 guests. Each team played minimum 3 games in group level that includes quarter finals, semifinals and finals. Thanks for being with us through the end with all your sportive nature and smiles. It was like a festival of Volleyball with Spikes all over. The games were very tight and were feast to everybody who was watching the games.
Kudos to our volunteers who took care of monitoring the games, tracking the wins and losses, updating scores, making sure teams and referees for the next matches are available on time and what not !! This event was planned together and executed flawless with help of our BODs Praveen Vemulapalli, Sapthagiri Sangem, Avinash Lattupalli, Vijay Bheeram, Anji kandimalla, Ramu Billakanti, Mamatha Lankala, Pradeep Kandimalla, Jyothi Chinatalapani and volunteers Sashi, Ramana Kalva, Rohit Akula, Santhosh Konduri and others volunteers. TAGC President Ramachandra R Ade along with entire sports committee team and sponsor Mr. Vinoz Chanumolu presented the trophies to winners.
Chicago IL: The Raas Garba Dancers, Clapped hands and Performed 6 steps around a centrally lit lamp or a picture or statue of the Goddess Shakti. The sponsors of this event organized the event to show appreciation for their clientele and the Community. There were over 2,000 people who enjoyed the evening. Prapti Mehta and her troupe did a great job of holding the energy in the room. The food was exemplary. The greatest compliment that we received was that clients insisted that we have this event again next year – Prapti Mehta & Rocking Group.
Hemant Shah, Prajesh Patel, Parthiv Patel, Dr. Manish Pandya, Dr. Ashish Patel, & Kashyap V. Trivedi. Organized ‘Incredible Raas Garba Ramzat’ on evening of Navratri Celebration in Excellent Elegance with International Artist Prapti Mehta, Along with very Talented Chirag Bhatt, accompanied by Stunning Band emceed by Santosh Gor & Jayesh Patel on Saturday, October 7, 2017, 6:30 pm at Concord Plaza Banquets, 401 Lake St, Northlake IL, 60164. The sponsors of this event organized the event to show appreciation for their clientele and the Community. Every Individual that participated with passion & enthusiasm, the Team work was reflects and Felt by the Audience. The Venue was a Full House with over 2000 people! From the keyboard artist to the Garba Dancers including the Entire Team, full Enjoyment, Passion, and Enthusiasm was echoed.
“Gujarati’s, who are core participants of this festivity, have Garba & Dandia in their heart”.
There were incredible participants of all ages of men and women of about 2000+ people, enjoying and celebrating the memorable evening. Many in the audience, especially ladies of all ages wore very Colorful and Stunning Traditional Dresses for this special occasion with appropriately matching ornaments and extravagant hairstyles. Navaratri Garba is very special as it honors Shakti in very rhythmic ways. “We all love the whole atmosphere of colors, the clothes and of course, the music and then there is always the fun of dressing traditionally”. Western dresses are replaced by Lengha-Choli, matching jewelry and foot wear. The sponsors of this event organized the event to show appreciation for their clientele and the Community.
Prapti Mehta and the Team began the evening by offering a prayer. The start of the Raas was with very famous Tran Tali Garba by Prapti Mehta and Chirag Bhatt. The evening was followed by mesmerizing rhythmic conventional Garba music with equally passionate and high energetic performance by the audience of traditional swirling dance around Mataji’s heavenly symbolic presence turned in to shrine adorn with flowers and decorations. The event concluded in wee hours of morning highlighted by devotional Arti of Mataji.
Garba, as usual, members adorned beautiful and traditional attire for Chaniya-Choli and Kurta-pajama. The whirling dancers, clapping hands, distinct sound of wooden ‘Dandia’ striking together, toe tapping music and people wearing vibrant colorful clothes marked the Navratri celebration at the Garba & Dandiya Raas dances held all over Chicagoland. This is part of the worship of Durga Mata who symbolizes the victory of God over Evil. Navratri celebration marks a festival of nine nights during which Hindus worship goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, the goddesses of health, prosperity and knowledge, respectively.
“Newton,” a Hindi film set against the backdrop of elections in the world’s largest democracy, has been announced as India’s official entry for the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ at the 2018 Oscars. The film’s team said that it’s an encouragement for filmmakers who are willing to take risks.
The Amit Masurkar movie, starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav and Anjali Patil, tells the story of polling officer Newton Kumar, who is bent on conducting free and fair elections in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh.
“Newton” was chosen from among 26 titles from different languages by a 14-member jury appointed by the Film Federation of India (FFI). “It was a unanimous decision. Titles like ‘Dangal’ and ‘Mukti Bhavan’ were part of the list,” Supran Sen, secretary general of FFI, said.
“Newton,” released on Sept.21, revolves around a young government clerk who is sent on election duty to a Maoist-controlled town and how the ideological struggle puts him in an awkward situation. It was shot in the interiors of Chhattisgarh.
Masurkar feels honored that a story rooted in the country’s political system was chosen. So far, “Mother India,” “Salaam Bombay!” and “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India” are the only Indian films that made it to the top five in the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ category at the Academy Awards, but none have won the honor.
Acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi, who features in “Newton,” believes this choice would encourage the entire film fraternity to support good content cinema and filmmakers. “It’s something to be proud of as we have a thousand number of films coming out each year and out of that number, our film gets an entry. The entry is making us feel proud, so the win (if it happens) will have an amazing impact on the entire film fraternity,” said Tripathi. “‘Newton’ is a film which will reflect real India and it is not at all a biased project.”
“There is a feeling of unbounded happiness,” said Tripathi. “I was cooking when I got the news. We are all still absorbing the overwhelming high praise from the critics and now this. It is a victory for talent and for independent cinema.”
Sunil Lulla, managing director of Eros International Media Ltd, tweeted: “It gives us immense pleasure to announce that our film #Newton is selected as India’s official entry to Oscars 2018! We at Eros are extremely proud, Newton is totally deserving of this huge honour. We will continue to back good cinema as always”.
Director Masurkar said it was a double celebration for the team. “We are really happy. The fact that the film is releasing today doubles the happiness. We hope that people will now really head to the cinema halls to watch the film,” he told the media. The next edition of the Oscar is scheduled for March 4, 2018 in Los Angeles.
Once every year or so in the past few decades the world has been exposed to a phenomenon that affects millions of people for the better in India and around the world, often with long-lasting impact. That phenomenon is the arrival of an Aamir Khan film, Forbes magazine reporteed.
Since 1973, when he made his screen debut as an 8-year-old in a minor role in the first Bollywood masala film, his uncle Nasir Hussain’s Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Aamir Khan has been delighting audiences with his natural charisma and his talent for creating empathetic characters in memorable, often award-winning performances.
If he were just a skilled artist, Aamir Khan would be a noteworthy actor. But it’s his enormous popularity and his business acumen that set him apart from just about every actor currently working anywhere in the world. Khan doesn’t just act, he also directs and produces under his Aamir Khan Productions banner. With the first film he produced, the superb Victorian era sports drama Lagaan, Khan proved he can simultaneously produce and star in commercially successful films that are also award-worthy. Lagaan was nominated for a foreign-language Academy Award, marking only the third time an Indian movie received that honor (Salaam Bombay was nominated in 1988, and Mother India was in 1957).
It’s in his capacity as an actor-producer that “Comet Khan” will once again circle back around from the movie star galaxy to bring his next film to his fans across the globe. This year his movie is the aspirational coming-of-age drama Secret Superstar, about a small town teenaged girl (played by his vibrant Dangal co-star Zaira Wasim) who uses the Internet to become a singing sensation. And given Khan’s extraordinary commercial track record, especially over the past decade, it’s perfectly reasonable to anticipate that the new picture, which opens at Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) on October 19th, will be a contender for membership in the rarefied 1,000 Crore Club.
For any other Indian movie star—yes, even Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan—the suggestion of a ₹1,000 crore target would be an outlandish one. But considering that Aamir Khan has set new box office records with almost every new feature film he’s released since 2008, and that his popularity is practically unrivaled in China, the world’s second-biggest movie market, Secret Superstar’s chances look pretty good.
Since 2008 nearly every one of Khan’s new pictures has been a blockbuster hit, and most have broken new ground in box office history. In 2008 Ghajini became the first Indian movie to reach ₹100 crore in worldwide grosses. The next year saw his film 3 Idiots become the highest grossing Indian movie ever with ₹395 crore, a record that stood for four years until his movie Dhoom 3 established the next all-time record with ₹585 crore. And so it went with his 2014 release PK, and with his 2016 film Dangal, the highest-grossing picture in the annals of Indian box office history.
To be sure, Secret Superstar will face a few important challenges. For one thing the movie isn’t about Khan’s character; he plays a supporting role as the movie’s over-the-top villain. For another, the movie will open day-and-date against another hotly anticipated Indian blockbuster, Ajay Devgn’s Golmaa! Again. And thirdly, Secret Superstar hasn’t yet been approved for release in China. It’s hard to imagine that not happening, but if it doesn’t then the movie’s chances of 1,000 crore glory become much slimmer.
On the plus side, Khan has expressed supreme confidence about his new movie’s prospects, predicting it will be “much bigger than ‘Dangal’. While both are about the empowerment of the girl child, I feel it [Secret Superstar] is a much bigger film,” he says.
If Secret Superstar doesn’t become the third movie to join the 1,000 Crore Club—after Dangal and the SS Rajamouli-directed epic Baahubali: The Conclusion—Khan will get his next shot at glory soon, when his action-adventure movie Thugs of Hindostan releases a year from now at Diwali, 2018.
Krithika Rajkumar, Marjana Chowdhury and Shivali Patel have been selected to be among the 16 who will be competing for the title of America’s Miss World 2017.
Rajkumar, 25, of Ohio, triumphed in the multimedia round while placing fourth in the ‘beauty with a purpose’ competition. She received a double-major bachelor of arts degree in political science and psychology and is currently pursuing a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. Rajkumar, who aspires to become a civil rights attorney, will graduate with her juris doctorate in May 2018.
Chowdhury’s ‘beauty with a purpose’ project of ‘The Young Women’s Leadership Network’s Collegebound Initiative’ landed her the third spot in the competition. Chowdhury, 23, received her bachelor of arts from Columbia University. She currently works as a legal analyst at BlackRock, Inc., an investment management company. She is also the lead coordinator with the Robin Head Foundation, New York’s largest poverty fighting organization.
Twenty-year-old Patel of North Carolina, who was the first runner-up at the 2016 edition of the pageant, was ranked third in the ‘top model’ round of the competition. She is currently obtaining her a double-major degree in psychology and communication with a minor in biology at North Carolina State University. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine.
Eat beef in your country and then come to India, says tourism minister
Newly sworn-in Union tourism minister K J Alphons has an advice for foreigners visiting the country: Eat beef in your own countries and then come to India. Asked whether cow vigilantism and restrictions on beef consumption in several states had affected India’s hospitality sector, the minister said on Thursday: “They [foreigner tourists] can eat beef in their country and come to India.”
He was speaking on the sidelines of the 33rd annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators in Odisha’s capital city. Alphons’s comment comes just days after he purportedly said people in Keralawould continue to eat beef. “As Goa chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, has said that beef will be consumed in the state. Similarly, it will be consumed in Kerala,” the former bureaucrat was quoted as saying after taking charge as tourism minister.
When asked about his earlier comment, Alphons said: “It’s a cock-and-bull story. I am not the food minister to decide on it.” Talking about the tourism sector, Alphons said his ministry had sought innovative ideas to promote tourism across India. “We are getting people to come and give us ideas and within a month we will have a plan for action soon,” the minister said.
In 2014, the Berklee Indian Ensemble, a Boston, Massachusetts- based group comprised of students and faculty of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, paid tribute to Grammy and Academy award-winning composer A.R. Rahman at Symphony Hall in Boston. On the occasion, Rahman also received an honorary doctorate from the college.
Berklee faculty and students paid tribute to the living legend, who joined them on select pieces in a concert celebrating his music and life. The repertoire for the concert spanned Rahman’s illustrious discography of over 25 years.
The college is now releasing all the 16 pieces presented at the concert featuring 109 performers from 32 countries representing The Berklee Indian Ensemble, The Berklee World String Ensemble, and Boston University’s Indian American dance troupe, BU Bhangra. Special guests included Carnatic guitar exponent and Berklee alum Prasanna, as well as Indian bass prodigy Mohini Day. On Sept. 1, the first video, Rahman’s “Bombay Theme,” was released. Additional videos from the concert will be released on the first of every month.
“The concert repertoire represented every single year of Mr. Rahman’s astounding body of work. Rearrangements and reinterpretations of his compositions made it a fresh perspective on Mr. Rahman’s music which, for many Indians, has been the soundtrack of their lives,” said Annette Philip, artistic director of Berklee India Exchange, and the producer of the concert.
The show, according to the Berklee College of Music, sold out five weeks in advance, and recorded close to 60,000 hits on the concert window live stream the night of the show. Since then, Berklee Indian Ensemble and Berklee India Exchange supporters globally have been clamoring for videos of the concert, claimed the college.
“The concert was a monumental event that raised $250,000 that created a full tuition scholarship model in A.R. Rahman’s name to support talented musicians from India to have an opportunity to follow their dreams to attend Berklee in the U.S.,” said Clint Valladares, co-producer of the event, and managing director of Berklee India Exchange.
New York, NY: Drive East presented 21 magnificent concerts in 7 days and 1200+ audience members at one venue — a feat that requires meticulous planning, a lot of coordination and a driving passion to salvage, promote and propagate Indian art forms with tremendous pride. From August 21-27, Dixon Place hosted this very prestigious festival, bringing a wide variety of performances, including some gems who did their debut performance in New York.
The festival opened with Grammy-nominated sarod maestro, Ustad Aashish Khan, playing intricate unrehearsed compositions in Hindustani classical music, followed by legendary Odissi dancer, Sujata Mohapatra, whose poise, grace, discipline and years of experience could be seen in even nuanced movement throughout her performance. Drive East hosted the premiere NYC performance of one of the finest Bharatanatyam dancers in the world, Apoorva Jayaraman. She is a disciple of the brilliant Priyadarshini Govind, and performed complex pieces that challenge both stamina and a wide range of emotion.
Drive East Leela Dance Collective dancers — Rachna Nivas and Rina Mehta (students of Chitresh Das of Chhandam school fame) — perform their New York debut where they collaborated with the very talented tap dancer, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, to bring out the parallels between Kathak and Tap Dance set to the same beats. Other Kathak collaborations included Kathak and Korean Drums set to the Seungmu tradition where in Jin Won performed Kathak to the beats played by Sue Yeon Parks. Yet another interesting collaboration was to see Battery Dance Company’s beautiful choreography meshing ballet with Bharatanatyam — which featured Unnath Hassan Rathnaraju.
While Odissi was performed by Sujata Mohapatra, we brought other rarer classical dance forms like Manipuri on stage. This year, Devdutta Sengupta Ghosh performed Manipuri along with her student Pramit Ghatak, where they showcased different episodes of Krishna’s life in Manipuri style. Kuchipudi came to the festival, with Pranamya Suri’s performance bringing out the feminine side of the style; contrasted with the fast-paced masculine approach used by Kuchipudi dancer Avijit Das. They both performed on different days and showed us so much variance in the same style, even though they used similar elements like dancing on the ‘tarangam’.
Our Bharatanatyam performers, though a handful, brought very different flavors to the table. Apoorva Jayaraman brought such crisp finesse and grace to her movements; while Christopher Gurusamy displayed the more traditional Kalakshetra style. Janaki Rangarajan brought dance theater to stage where she spoke and performed to help the audience divulge into her feminist explorations of Draupadi, a celebrated character in the epic, Mahabharatha. We also had celebrated duet Renjith & Vijna, who tandem dance to perfection and leave the audience mesmerized. Lastly we also had our own Navatman Dance Company perform with both our co-founders, Sridhar Shanmugham and Sahasra Sambamoorthi, along with 3 other dancers, to create complex choreography in fascinating unexpected ways.
On the music front, this year we had Hindustani Classical vocalist Indrani Khare perform beautifully. We also had 17 year old Shankhadip Chakraborty perform in New York, providing a platform for young artists to perform at prestigious festivals. Instrumental music graced the stage as well witha group of 10-12 year olds, Carnatic Guitar Power, who performed carnatic music on electric guitars. Other instrumentalist performances included, Ustad Aashish Khan on the sarod; Kinnar Seen on the sitar (accompanied by two tabla players and a tanpura player); and a band of musicians from the Rajasthani Caravan that combined mellifluous notes from traditional Rajasthani folk music combined with antics in both song and dance. Carnatic music was showcased by vocalist Shankar Ramani, who brought out such beautiful compositions throughout his performance.
We also had Ananya Ashok perform who has a voice that can transport you to another place and time.In addition, our very own Navatman Music Collective, a carnatic acapella group, performed a wide set of songs ranging from traditional carnatic to Bollywood music. Throughout the week, Drive East engaged both artists and audiences in conversations that include Indian art forms and finding opportunities to open up the dialogue to promote the arts to New York and beyond. We live streamed a panel discussion with male dancers, to see how they felt about being in a career that can sometimes be frowned-upon by society. Admist this was the creation for the Artist-Hub, a resource for artists to learn from each other, and from other experts in the field — exclusively for participating artists.
From topics like grant writing and fundraising, to creating a press-kit, to understanding physical therapy in Indian Dance, Navatman collaborators will be conducting a host of workshops to help empower our community of artists as a whole. In addition we also had Saturday Youth Day, to promote young artists like Shankhadip Chakraborty and Carnatic Guitar Power, as well as an interactive fair to engage little minds to develop a love for the art forms from a young age. Here is a link to some of their pictures.
About Navatman: Navatman, Inc was founded with an eye on creating a sustainable home for the South Asian arts in New York City and its surrounding neighborhoods, particularly emphasizing Indian classical music and dance. We are a game-changing organization dedicated to creating groundbreaking work in the South Asian classical performing arts in the areas of education, performance, and production. We are best known for our Manhattan-based classes, critically acclaimed productions, dynamic dance company, and stellar carnatic choir, all of which have received reviews in mainstream press including the New York Times, India Abroad, The Hindu, the Financial Times, and The Star-Ledger, to name a few. Navatman continues to see success in their goal to preserve Indian classical music and dance through democratizing these art forms by increasing their accessibility.
Prasanna, who is making his Bollywood debut with the film “Shubh Mangal Saavdhan”, which deals with erectile dysfunction, says the Hindi film industry is encouraging filmmakers to explore unusual subjects and thanks to the new age audience, such films are making a difference.
Considering the fact that the film is the remake of its Tamil version “Kalyana Samayal Saadham”, which was also directed by him, asked if it was a safe choice to make a debut with, Prasanna told IANS here: “Well, I think Bollywood has always encouraged experimental subjects. Therefore, films like ‘Vicky Donor’, ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ and ‘Hindi Medium’ have been made and accepted in mainstream cinema of Bollywood.
“Even when I was making the film in Tamil, I knew that the subject of erectile dysfunction has a universal appeal. So when in a conservative environment of Tamil cinema, the multiplex audience received the film well, I realised that the story touched the right notes. So yes, that gave me a certain level of confidence.”
While the Hindi version of the film is set in Gurugram, the Tamil version was set in southern India. According to him, it was quite an interesting process to set the film in a different city, capturing the culture of that city, its society and the texture.
“Making the transition from south to north was not a challenge for me because as a maker, I knew what story I want to tell. I worked with a wonderful team where the producer (Aanand L Rai) and writer (Hitesh Kewalya) are from that part of the country and managed to make their mark. So the collaboration was fantastic,” said Prasanna. “Shubh Mangal Saavdhan”, featuring Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar, is releasing on Friday.
Indian superstars Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are among the top 10 highest paid actors in the world in a list compiled by Forbes that has been topped by “Transformers” actor Mark Wahlberg.
Shah Rukh Khan is at the eighth spot on the list with earnings of 38 million dollars, followed by Salman on the ninth position with 37 million dollars. Akshay is completing the top 10 with 35.5 million dollar earnings.
Wahlberg is Hollywood’s highest-paid leading man, earning USD 68 million in the scoring period. Forbes said the Boston native recorded his highest-ever payday thanks to soaring fees for movies such as “Transformers: The Last Knight” and the forthcoming “Daddy’s Home 2.”
Wahlberg replaced last year’s top-ranked star, Dwayne Johnson who comes in at the second spot with 65 million dollar earnings.
On the third spot is “The Fate of the Furious” star Vin Diesel with USD 54.5 million earnings.
Rounding out the top five is Adam Sandler at the number four position with 50.5 million dollars and Jackie Chan at number five with USD 49 million dollars. Sandler returns to the list courtesy the lucrative deal with Netflix that allows him to produce his movies for the platform.
The world’s 20 highest-paid actors tallied a combined USD 720 million between June 2016 and June 2017, before fees and taxes. A quarter of this year’s list hail from outside the US, including the three stars from Bollywood. Forbes said this year, newcomers comprise one fifth of the list, including Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo.
Hollywood’s highest-paid actors continue to out-earn their female counterparts, Forbes said adding that the top 10 actors banked a cumulative USD 488.5 million –nearly three times the USD 172.5 million combined total of the ten top-earning women. While only three actresses made more than USD 20 million in 12 months, 16 actors broached the mark, it said.
Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri has been nomintated on the panel of celebrity judges for the final night of the Miss America Competition on Sept. 10. “I understand all too well the emotions of stepping on to the Miss America stage. I’m honored to be able to help shape the legacy of the Miss America Organization over the next year,” Davuluri said in a statement.
Davuluri, 28, was the first Indian American and South Asian to win the Miss America beauty pagent and she is also the host and producer of the new weekly reality show, “Made In America,” which premiered on ZeeTV Americas in North America, earlier this month.
The Miss America Organization, dick clark productions and ABC have announced that the former Miss America Nina Davuluri will join ACM Male Vocalist of the Year Thomas Rhett, author, actress and model Molly Sims, multi-platinum recording artist and actress Jordin Sparks and PEOPLE Editor in Chief Jess Cagle as the esteemed panel of celebrity judges for the final night of “The 2018 Miss America Competition.” The live broadcast will air from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 (9:00 – 11:00p.m. ET/PT) on the ABC Television Network.
The judges panel will evaluate the contestants’ performances in Lifestyle and Fitness, Evening Wear, Talent, Interview and On-Stage questions during “The 2018 Miss America Competition.” The evening will showcase the intellect, grace and exceptional talent of 51 accomplished women representing their home states (and District of Columbia) as they compete for the coveted title of Miss America. The seventh judge’s name for the final night of “The 2018 Miss America Competition” will be revealed closer to the competition.
Nina Davuluri is an acclaimed host, speaker and ardent advocate. Currently, she is the host & producer of the new weekly reality show, “Made In America,” which made its series premiere August 2017 on ZeeTV Americas in North America. The premise of the show is to empower young women to discover more about themselves through a series of challenges as they embark on a new journey to fulfill their dreams in America.
Nina first gained international acclaim by becoming the first Indian American and South Asian Miss America 2014; through her experiences, she realized how much of a need there was in the marketplace for this type of content to be created for young South Asian millennials. Since serving as Miss America 2014, Nina has logged approximately 500,000 miles traveling across the world to address an array of audiences on her platform: “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency.”
As part of her consciousness-raising efforts on behalf of diversity, Nina also launched a social media campaign, #CirclesOfUnity, to encourage constructive and civil dialogue on diversity issues. Through her social media channels, Nina asks people to share “representative thoughts and stories about their experiences on how we as a nation can advance cultural awareness.”
In addition to her personal platform, Nina also partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Education promoting women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related fields. Nina’s work in advocacy became apparent when she was first recognized by President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. In April of 2014, she was invited to collaborate with the First Lady on her campaign, “Let’s Move.”
She then went on to help launch “Act to Change,” an anti-bullying campaign led by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. In July of 2015, Nina was invited to be a speaker at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya during President Obama’s historic first visit. She was honored to be the youngest speaker on the main stage sharing her experiences as an entrepreneur & trailblazer in the field of diversity.
Voting is still open to the public for the “America’s Choice” contestant. The public can vote at missamerica.org/voteand facebook.com/missamerica and are permitted one vote per day, per user. Voting will close Tuesday, September 5th at 9:00pm ET and the chosen contestant will be announced during the live broadcast of “The 2018 Miss America Competition” with the Top 15. The remaining contestants in the Top 15 are selected by the Miss America Preliminary Judges Panel. It is possible for America’s Choice to also be among the judges selection.
Director Alankrita Shrivastava’s film “Lipstick Under My Burkha” is set to release in the US on September 15. The film, starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, explores women’s sexuality.
Sharma took to Twitter to share the news, writing, “So pleased that ‘Lipstick…’ will release in the US!! Please watch.” The film had won several prizes, including the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Oxfam Award for the best film on gender equality at the Mumbai Film Festival.
After a long fight with Censor Board, Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak Shah starrer Lipstick Under My Burkha has finally got a release date. The Prakash Jha production was released in India on July 28.
The film, which explores women’s sexuality, won the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Oxfam Award for the Best Film on Gender Equality at the Mumbai Film Festival.
Akshay Kumar sits down to talk about his latest motion picture TOILET: EK PREM KATHA, which was releases this Friday August 11, in this brand new interview.
Q&A WITH AKSHAY KUMAR
1. 25 years in the business and you are getting films as distinct as Toilet – Ek Prem Katha. This can’t be plain luck, right?
Nothing that I consciously do is plain luck. What I am blessed with is lucky. The decision to do films of this caliber are purely intentional, I’ve slowly, passionately & deliberately put myself in a situation where I can & want to do more with my films than just entertain!!
2. While you pick something like Toilet – Ek Prem Katha, it can’t be plain instinct, right? You must be doing some calculations at the back of your mind around how it would be commercially viable as well?
The subject is so strong, but without commercial viability, it will not be able to spread as far & wide as is necessary. And something like Toilet – Ek Prem Katha needs to be heard from every corner not only in India, but the entire globe!! The writers are so creative that this love story is all it needed to go from an unforgettable real life marital crisis to an important revolutionary subject, A love story based on the Pot ;o)
3. A subject like this could well have been a taboo for many out there. In fact most actors would have been content doing a token ad campaign or at a maximum chipped in for a documentary piece. What made you believe that this could well make for a big screen experience as well?
Because I wanted this subject to be heard, creating a voice about a serious issue while using humor as its back drop & drama as its driving force. But the secret ingredient being a genuine love story had me hooked from day one, whatever reservations I might have had were completely outweighed by the chance of making this into a reality for the World to witness, that India may have 3D movies but not a toilet!
4. I am particularly glad about the messaging through the promotion which clearly states what the film is all about instead of camouflaging it into something that it isn’t. That’s the case of some honest pitching before the audience, right?
I can’t lie to my audience, it takes one false move & they’ll never quite trust you ever again. This film holds a message so strong, but its delivery is so delightful that it’s like being taught how to drive in a Ferrari ;o) fast paced, dangerous if not careful, but beautiful around the edges.
5. Moreover, in your lady love Bhumi Pednekar too you have got an able partner who symbolizes an ‘aam aadmi’, or in this case ‘aam aurat,’ right? How has she turned out to be your partner in this movie mission?
Well Bhumi has shown nothing but disciplined courage when it comes to her choice of films, she was brave enough to take on this role without batting an eyelid, for she isn’t interested in being a typical actress, she is here to make a difference & show you don’t need to be a Barbie doll to be an actress. India is full of extremely talented actresses, & I’m hoping Bhumi receives as much success with this film as her last, because I genuinely want the industry to be filled with talent & not just beauty.
6. Sree Narayan Singh has been an experienced award winning editor over the years. How has he picked up his new role as a director here for a film like this?
He has stepped into his new found role with all religious heart, he’s one of the most interesting directors to work with, he prays for 3 hours every morning before every single shoot, even early morning shoots, he’s open minded, he’s not stuck in his ways, he’s willing to try everything to get what’s right for the film, his editing skills are literally like no others, this is a fast paced lovely film thanks to him.
7. From enjoying mass popularity for action films and comedies to winning national awards for your serious cinematic work. There has been a definite shift in focus in your career graph. Was it consciously planned or happened on its own?
In this line of work, everything has to be a conscious decision, timed & planned just like my comedy sketches… I didn’t suddenly wake up one day & say I want to be more serious about my career. The timing was right in my life, my intrigue into offbeat scripts, my desire to make a change in the substance of my films, the want to give my audiences more than a laugh & a giggle. I’ve made so many films that I felt it was time to reinvent myself, to really make a difference in my country, even if it’s teaching them a bit of history that didn’t sink in at school, or a reminder that we can change our society, our beliefs, our hygiene, all we have to do is want to. I don’t mind even if I have the smallest of impact in this world, I just want to be able to say ‘I tried…’
The 18th edition of IIFA Awards ensured the city of New York was in step with Bollywood with a rousing IIFA Stomp in Times Square on July 13th. In a free to attend event for the public, the iconic Times Square was transformed into a buzzing blend of music, dance and fashion with Myntra presents IIFA Stomp.
Badrinath Ki Dulhania star Varun Dhawan was the centre of attention as he showcased his dancing skills at IIFA Stomp alongside DJ Amann Nagpal, Electronica icon B.R.E.E.D, DJ Nasha, who raised the excitement with their rousing music. This was followed by a fashion show where Myntra presented its collection with show-stoppers Dia Mirza and Taapsee Pannu. Leading ladies Shilpa Shetty, Neha Dhupia and Disha Patani were show-stoppers for Shane and Falguni Peacock collection presented by NEXA. Huma Qureshi took the stage.
A huge crowd cheered loudly in Times Square when actor Varun Dhawan entered the stage to perform on his hit song “Badri Ki Dulhania” from his recent film Badrinath Ki Dulhania after the audience requested he do so. Dhawan also danced to other hit songs, including “Kala Chashma” and Guru Randhawa’s “Suit Suit Karda” encouraging somes fans to sing and dance along with him.
Prior to that, the crowd, who gathered from 5 p.m. to almost 11 p.m., were seen grooving to the beats of DJ Amann Nagpal, Electronica icon B.R.E.E.D and DJ Nasha, while enjoying fashion shows put up by Shane and Falguni Peacock and Sonaakshi Raaj, along with a 10-minute performance by multi-instrumentalist Karsh Kale as Myntra announced the launch of its Mogo logo and presenting its collection with Bollywood actresses Dia Mirza and Taapsee Pannu as their showstoppers. The event at Times Square was titled ‘Stomp’, a prelude to the IIFA New York, scheduled at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, July 15-16.
Bollywood actresses Shilpa Shetty, Neha Dhupia and Disha Patani also stunned everyone with their grace and beauty as they were showstoppers for Shane and Falguni Peacock’s black, white and rustic collection, while Huma Qureshi was the showstopper for designer Sonaakshi Raaj who was presenting the Gitanjali Jewelry collection.
More enthusiasm was spread amongst the crowd as special appearances were made by the Bad Man of Bollywood Gulshan Grover and Shahid Kapoor who came on the insistence of Varun Dhawan and Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, who appeared on stage and conducted a fitness contest.
Earlier, a press conference at the Sheraton Times Square saw Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon make an appearance. Actors Anupam Kher, Jacky Bhagnani and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, along with singer Armaan Malik also made an appearance.
IIFA New York got off to a wet start on July 14th night, with rain marring a musical tribute to celebrate maestro A R Rahman’s 25 years in the industry, but ended on a strong note on Saturday July 15th with some 20,000 plus fans gathered at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to watch the Awards show.
The music played on, and the excitement levels increased as he kept belting one hit track after another with a string of singers like Hariharan, Kailash Kher, Jonita Gandhi and Mohit Chauhan joining him on stage. Rahman’s performance at the MetLife Stadium came just days after some fans walked out of his concert at London’s Wembley Stadium for the lack of Hindi songs.Bombay. A.R. Rahman received an award for completing 25 years in the industry.
Bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Sushant Singh Rajput, Saif Ali Khan walked the IIFA Rocks (a music event) green carpet in their finest without being intimidated by rain. Salman and Shahid also shared the weather update on Twitter and said that the show must go on despite rain.
Salman Khan, who performed on the awards night on July 15, tweeted: “It’s raining in New York, loving the weather. If it does rain tomorrow it will be awesome dancing in the rain at IIFA.” Shahid Kapoor, who was nominated in Best Actor category for Udta Punjab, said: “#iifa rocks. Rain can’t stop the party. (sic)”
On Friday night, hosts Manish Paul and Riteish Deshmukh entertained a crowd of around 10,000 at MetLife Stadium. The ceremonial ‘Green’ Carpet was canceled because of the inclement weather. The show opened up with a musical tribute to Salman Khan by Kamaal Khan who sang some of his latest hits, including “Naach Meri Jaan” from Tubelight and “Jag Ghoomeya” from Sultan.
Punjabi actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh opened up his act on his hit number “Do You Know” continuing on with another recent hit “Move Your Lakk” from Noor, ending with “Ikk Kudi” from Udta Punjab.
Paul and Deshmukh also performed an act on Bahubali versus Laxman from Tubelight and lightened up the mood as they promoted Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha with a special toilet act.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil took home four technical awards, including Background Score, Best Engineer, Cinematography and Costume Designing and Pink won three awards in the technical category including Best Dialogue, Best Screenplay and Editing.
The Best Action and Sound Mixing awards were given to Sultan; Adil Shaikh received the award for Best Choreography for the song Kar Gayi Chull from Kapoor & Sons; Mirzya took home the award for Best Sound Design, Fan took home the awards for Best Makeup and Special Effects Visual and Neerja won the award for Best Production Design. The Myntra Style Icon Award was given to Alia Bhatt.
Jonita Gandhi opened up A.R. Rahman’s concert, the most awaited performance of the evening, with the song “Choti Si Asha” from Roja after which Rahman himself sang “Enna Sona” from OK Jaanu. Gandhi then again relaxed the audience while she performed with Haricharan Seshadri and Kailash Kher sang “Mangal Mangal” from Mangal Pandey in his devotional voice. Seshadri and Kher then continued on with “Yun Hi Chala” from Swades.
Aditi Rao Hydari came next to mesmerize the audience with her sweet and soothing voice. Gandhi and Seshadri again came to sing the hit number from last year’s “Agar Tum Saath Ho” from Tamasha after which Hariharan embraced the stage with his classic “Tu Hi Re” from
He continued with “Nahin Saamne” from Taal and “Aye Hairathe” and “Tere Bina” from Guru where he was joined by Gandhi yet again; Benny Dayal along with Neeti Mohan sang “Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gayi” from Ghajini and they continued on with “Tu Meri Dost Hai” from Yuvraaj after which Mika Singh came on stage to sing “Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai” from Tamasha.
Taapsee Pannu won the award for Woman of the Year and all performances included background dancers from Arya Dance Academy, who had been promoting the IIFA for the past four months. Actress Alia Bhatt received an award for Best Actress for Udta Punjab.
Other songs that were sung included “Maiyya Maiyya” from Guru, “Tanha Tanha” and “Yaayi Re” from Rangeela and “Sachin.” The show ended with Rahman’s super hit chart buster song “Humma Humma” sung by all artists present including Mohit Chauhan and Javed Ali, who sang a number of their songs composed by Rahman.
Complete List of IIFA Award 2017 Winners:
Best Film: Neerja
Best Actor in a Leading Role Female: Alia Bhatt; Udta Punjab
Best Actor in a Leading Role Male: Shahid Kapoor; Udta Punjab
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Female: Shabana Azmi; Neerja
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Male: Anupam Kher; M.S. Dhoni
Best Debut Female: Disha Patani; M.S. Dhoni
Best Debut Male: Diljit Dosanjh; Udta Punjab
Best Performance in a Comic Role: Varun Dhawan; Dishoom
Best Performance in a Negative Role: Jim Sarbh; Neerja
Best Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury; Pink
Best Story: Ayesha Devitre Dhillon and Shakun Batra; Kapoor & Sons
Best Playback Singer Female: Kanika Kapoor; Da Da Dasse – Udta Punjab, Tulsi Kumar; Soch Na Sake – Airlift
Best Playback Singer Male: Amit Mishra; Bulleya – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Best Music Director: Pritam; Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Best Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya; Channa Mereya – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Woman of the Year: Taapsee Pannu
efinite shift in focus in your career graph. Was it consciously planned or happened on its own?
