Joie de vivre!

This was supposed to be my BIG break, sort of my career-changing thing but like all things promising it crashed because my Editor thrilled as she was with my work (her very words I swear) couldnt carry it this month. I took great pains in writing this and was seriously pertubed when I was not disappointed enough! I really dont know if you can make head or tail of it (it's long, was supposed to be a two page feature!!) but I had to put it up to honour my vanity!!

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Dominique La Pierre in his masterpiece “The City of Joy” remarked wryly that the French don’t party they celebrate! If the festivities of Bon Jour India were anything to go by, his assessment was most accurate! Known as much for their love of art as for their wines and sense of style, the Festival of France was nothing short of spectacular. In collaboration with the Krishnakriti Foundation, the Alliance Francaise brought to Hyderabad the pomp and grandeur of any Parisian art festival.

The Penn Masala concert at the Lumbini Park was a show stopper in the true sense. With the laser show as the perfect backdrop, they wowed one and all. The group’s repertoire of fusion music was synonymous to the event’s theme which was a perfect confluence of the East and West. No wonder that the applause reverberated long after the group performed their last song!

China Moses, the very embodiment of an all round entertainer and an MTV host performed alongside the reputed French pianist Raphael Lemonnier to bring to Hyderabad the finer nuances of Jazz. With this artistic pair at the helm, the evening was a memorable one.

Thoranayudhum, the Kudiyattam performance by Margi Madhu and troupe showcased the rich heritage of India. This ancient theatrical form depicts scenes from the rich mythological history of India using dance as a medium. Immensely enjoyable, the performance can be rightly called as “a divine display of dance”.

Other noteworthy performances included that of Dobet Gnahore, the famous percussionist of the “Bete tradition”. Discussions were held, opinions were heard and workshops conducted. The “Mayakkam-Oxymore”, a dance, music and light show was a collaboration of three different disciplines and appealed to the spectators because of their unique combination of sensibilities and aesthetics. The French film festival at Prasad’s introduced the classics of French cinema to the movie lovers of Hyderabad. Mention also must be made of “Les giraffes”, the animal operetta at Necklace Road. It was a whirlwind of images, sounds of emotions! All the shows had a unifying thread of uniqueness and passionate performers.

Each performance had a story to share. As different as chalk and cheese, the plethora of stunning shows could easily rival that of Broadway’s! With elements of Indian culture, the French ethnicity beautifully interwoven, the festival was on par with any on the world stage. No stone was left unturned to ensure that the events were a resounding success. The diverse range and the sheer assortment meant that Hyderabad has finally arrived as one of the premier art destinations of the country!

Hyderabad had a taste of its erstwhile Nizami splendor, with the interesting blend of performers and quality music. Be it an old couple (wrapped up in woolens because of the cold), youngsters tapping their foot to the energy of the music or connoisseurs who are particular about what they listen to, the festival was a celebration of the coming together of some of the oldest civilizations bound together by their passion towards art and commitment towards providing quality entertainment. By the time the festival was over, everyone had only one word on their lips. Enchante!

Wow!

This week I two things happenned that made me go that!
- Saw the absolutely brilliant, Sherlock Holmes and loved it to bits. From Robert Downey Jr's class act to the razor sharp wit, I loved every bit of it. The amazing photography, Jude Law as the sidekick and the actress who plays Holmes love interest. Everything was just right.

-Attented the Penn Masaala concert with Pt which was simply mind blowing! It is the Worlds' first acapella music group and they performed at the White House recently.The band(12 of them) actually is formed by students of University of Pennsylvania and what's special about them is that they use no instruments but make all the sounds(including drum beats and bass) themselves. They brought the house down when they sang "Mere Mehboob mere sanam" from Duplicate and fused it with the Notting Hill OST. I interviewed them as well and it was great fun!

I am absolutely in love with the music of Ishqiya, there are only four songs but each one is a masterpiece in itself. The promos themselves look so promising! Hope it does not do a Delhi-6!!

I am turning matchmaker and have found the perfect bride for Rahul Mahajan. No its not Rakhi Sawant but the amazingly chirpy anchor of Headlines Today's show "Grand Stand"...what say?

PS(added two hours later), Wanted to rave about Meryl Streep's wonderful movee Julia and Juliet but dont wanna overdo it!!

Mirror Mirror

who's the most idiotic of them all- it replies, it's a photo finish with each one tripping over the other!!

The above surmise is apt for the unnecessary controversy over the script of 3 Idiots. Anyone who calls that script "original" needs to be taken to the nearest copyright court and sued their pants off! Honestly, I aint no fan of anyone involved here. Chetan Bhagat, a C- grade writer who always pisses me off because in a country like us which produces an Anita Desai, Amitav Ghosh and Rohinton Mistry he is best selling English author (granted he made reading possible for the masses but it's a heavy price). Aamir Khan is one of India's biggest hypocrites who for all his perfection, cheated on his childhood sweetheart and for all his brouhaha over the multiplex fiasco supported the doubling of price of the tickets of 3 Idiots. Vidhu Vinod Chopra is a luckier version of Vindoo Dara Singh, with absolutely nil grace or sophistication. So, I was really amused over this "free for all fight" when it broke out yesterday. Firstly the movie was an absolutely copy of the book. anyone who has read half a book will notice it unless you are a thick headed Troll like Vidhu Chopra. Secondly, Chetan Bhagat was paid the sum he was promised so it's just a matter of credit. Why they chose to fight in such an undignified manner beats me, the movie needs no publicity it's already a huge success! The childish squabbling on television with some very bad grammar was hilarious. I only hope that no more of this fellow's horrendous books are adapted!

New Year is upon us and there is so much my heart yearns for. I only pray that atleast a part of it stays true to the promises made.

Really?

A poll last week on TV suggested that more than 80% of the younger generation( the under 20 brigade) think that reading is sad and that people who have a life wont do it! That made me sooo teribly sad. While the poll might or might not be accurate, it is true that the young-uns of today dont give much impetus to reading. One look at the Crosswords or Landmarks prove that readers are a vanishing lot. I am seriously troubled by this, because for me reading is probably one of the most important things in life and books are friends I'm so glad to have. Reading is both important and fun, important because it broadens your horizons, honestly! fun because it introduces you to an entire new world. The satisfaction a book gives you and the manner in which you can lose yourself in something so worthwhile is such a gratifying aspect of life! That the yarns which spin sorcery, transport you to alien lands and make you a part of it so naively should go out of fashion is a huge loss. Of course, this is my personal choice but give it a try and you'll understand the magic of rustling pages!
Like my professor in MBA used to say always "Read baba Read"

It's bitterly cold in Hyderabad and I'm enjoying every single minute of it. Also, is anyone still watching Roadies?

You never know

the intensity of the storm unless it hits you! The statehood demand is everywhere. From my absolutely apolitical mother(till now) who is calling in on live programs on TV to stupid socialties discussing it at the event to launch a Marc Jacobs bag ( yeah, more of it below)Telangana has split people like never before. What's really shocking is that even after 10 days, half the state is shut down. I'm hearing all sorts of conspiracy theories each as likely/unlikely as the next one but see no end to this chaos. The only people having a blast are the 19 Telugu news channels who are adding salt to an already wounded state. One thing I've learnt this past month is how important your roots are- the city you live in becomes a part of you, any damage inflicted on it becomes a scar on your body. Hyderabad has taken a lot- annexation by the Mughals, fall of the Nizam, riots and many agitations. I am confident that this too shall pass....I only hope it's soon!

Covered my first page 3 party today! People were celebrating the "launch" of a bad, insanely priced bag ( five lakhs, for crying out loud) when the streets were eeriely empty! Fake people, fake smiles and the two people I've noticed-fake body parts! I was constantly thinking of Konkana Sen in Page 3 and could not stop laughing!

For idiots like me still following the Kasab trial, I have only one thing to say...This happens only in India.

Sorry "state" of affairs

The Cast: A strangely reluctant Chief Minister, inept police, an ailing politico who is as much as a martyr as Nathuram Godse was and Naxals who are intent on staging a comeback.

The Method: Violence unlimited and uninhibited.

The Storyline: Separate Statehood.

For us in Hyderabad following this bizarre drama, nothing is more irritating than another bandh call. Last Monday was lost, the entire city shut down yesterday and today! And there is more to the madness. One man's dream of being the CM (a desperate despot called KCR) has split the State right in the middle and with a mob of 2000 students having held an entire city of 81 lakh people to ransom, the citizens are mute spectators in this illogical script. The demand for Telangana is not new, started in the 50's it's an emotive and contentious issue. I hail from Telangana, one of the most backward regions of the country and its most affected district (Medak) but fail to see the logic behind this senseless violence. Telangana is not feasible because

- It could become another Jharkhand or Chattisgarh as the Naxal menace originated here and looms terrifyingly large.
- Andhra Pradesh was carved out to be one state to all Telugu speaking people. The SRC report of 1967 clearly states "four states in the South because of four main languages"
- the main reason simply put it's not feasible. Where would you find water (No river in 11 districts) or resources?

All these reasons may not cut ice with its supporters but I really hope logic prevails. It was uninterrupted chaos on Saturday with petrol bunks closed, offices being pelted with stones and streets being disturbingly empty. The movement has been started by KCR but is no longer in his control what with students and naxals chipping in. If you want to protest don’t make life miserable for everyone around. And seriously, for once the CM should act decisively rather than flying to Delhi for advice! Act and do it now!!

The Big C and a ray of hope.

Lisa Ray acted in a Telugu Cowboy flick along with Bipasha Basu a few years back, after seeing that pretentious flick I was she was just another Bollywood type, but she proved that she is better than most of us. I've always thought of her was a devastatingly beautiful chick err bimbo and that was that. Last week after I read about her cancer struggle in the papers and read her blog (Lisaraniray.wordpress, for once I wish that I was not tech- challenged and provide an actual link to her blog but I successfully fail to figure that feature out) I was forced to eat my words and applaud her warmly. Her immense courage in the face of such a torrid illness is an inspiration to many and a remarkable example to her tenacious spirit. Cancer is as much dreaded as TB was in the beginning of the last century. This is worse because it has a cure which is as potent as the disease itself. I lost a beloved and the most cherished member of my family to the disease and know how much it strips you off your decency, bit by bit. Lisa Ray has shown that she is not only astonishingly beautiful but equally courageous and my salute goes out to such indomitable strength. That amazing Nusrat Fateh Ali khan video, Afreen where she blends so beautifully with his voice is also ironic; Afreen which gave her first big break translates into “encouragement”. That is what she stands for today- an inspiration for many who are bogged down by far mundane troubles and cannot get out of the rut. Not only is she fighting a belligerent battle but is also doing her bit but spreading awareness about it and sharing her struggle with the world. Kudos and hopes she beats the odds.