Music has always been staple fare of Indian cinema, but now Bollywood is playing a new tune. Rather than bolstering the script, music is emerging as the key storyline in a number of forthcoming films. It’s a celluloid salute to musicians with a magical touch.

Jabbar Patel’s Antardhwani journeys into the musical realm of Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, The Man and his Music is based on Pt. Ravi Shankar’s life and genius, Beware Dogs and Living Home track the success of fusion band Indian Ocean. Biopics on musicians are gaining favour in Bollywood, and filmmakers bold enough to walk the unconventional path are paying "reelistic" homage to our country’s great musical legacy.

Each new trend can often trace an ancestor. Today’s Indian moviemakers seem to be taking a leaf out of the bygone era of musical classics such as Tansen (1943) and Baiju Bawara (1952). While Hollywood has scored many a success with classics on musicians, such as The Eddy Duchin Story and Elvis And Me, many feel that the time is right for Bollywood to foray in this sphere. "Today’s audiences are tired of love stories and other conventional subjects. They need movies to which they can relate to. They need different recipes and some ‘realistic’ masala for movies to be a blockbuster," says Abhisekh Kapoor, director of Rock On!, the first rock flick of India.

"Making movies on the lives of musicians isn’t easy. A lot depends on the cooperation of the artiste. I know many musicians who are not very cooperative," says Jaideep Verma, the director of Living Home, a movie on Indian fusion act Indian Ocean.

Abhisekh adds, "Making movies on real characters demands a lot of research. the challenge is to create a movie that even the musician would appreciate."

Many believe that making movies on musicians is a profitable venture, as they usually have controversy associated with their lives. But there’s more to it. "I don’t think anybody will make a movie on a musician for the sake of highlighting controversies or with an aim of making profit, and if one does so, that is not at all appreciable," says Rahul Sharma, santoor player and son of Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.

Dr Jabbar Patel, director Antardhwani, is of the opinion that consent of the musician is a prerequisite before making a biopic on him/her. "A viable option is to involve the musician in the process. When I made Hans Akela (a movie on the life of Kumar Gandharva), I personally asked his entire family to be a part of the crew, and even made his grandson narrate the story of his grandfather in the movie."

So, do musicians feel insecure when movies narrate their personal lives in front of the public? Says Rahul, "I would not like somebody to make a movie on me 20 years from now. Firstly, there should be proper communication between the director and the musician. They should first sort out which aspects of the musician’s life they would highlight. my father is very satisfied with the kind of treatment the director has given to the film Antardhwani."

Rahul further adds that movies on musicians have much significance. He says, "Movies on musicians do not release every Friday. These are unique experiences. Later such movies would be part of libraries of various institutions, and would also make Indian moviemakers proud in international film festivals."

However, unlike movies of yesteryears that focused only on Indian classical maestros, today’s moviemakers are keen on presenting stories of musicians from different walks of life, irrespective of the genre of music they play (both classical and contemporary music). Critics are of the opinion that today one doesn’t identify Indian music only with classical music, as there are various other genres that too can be blanketed under the term, and hence movies featuring only Indian classical maestros won’t do justice to the Indian music scenario as a whole.

Speaking about the issue, Jaideep says, "It is true that today’s moviemakers are not focusing only on classical musicians. Even if they want, they can’t. In my opinion, making musicals are still in a very nascent stage in India. And there is a new genre of music emerging almost every day. So, if one is making a movie based on a classical musician, he/she can’t leave out the changes that affected his music or life."

Comparing Indian biopics on musicians with that of Hollywood’s, Jabbar says, "The whole biopic genre is not popular in India. Indian moviemakers are more into fiction. I am not only talking about biopics on musicians, as even biopics on politicians too are rarely made. I don’t know why people are not interested to know about interesting personalities."

This perception is changing. both Bollywood mainstream directors and independent moviemakers are divided on this issue. While Bollywood directors are more interested in making movies based on contemporary genres like rock music, independent moviemakers are holding their focus on featuring journeys into musical realms of Indian classical maestros.

So, in terms of box office returns, which would prove more profitable?

"Box office returns are one of the most unpredictable things in the whole movie-making process. Though many believe it all depends on the movie, at times, even good movies fail at the box office. In my experience, no matter what you are making a movie on, you should be systematic in your approach, and the movie should be a good experience for the audience," says Abhisekh.

Stressing on the popularity of fiction-based movies among Indian audiences, Jaideep Verma says, "People love well-told stories. Though documentaries evoke a completely different feeling in people, it is the fiction-based movies that are more popular."

Devraj Sanyal, CEO of Percept D’Mark and vocalist of desi rock band Brahma, opines that topping the box office is directly proportional to the distribution of a movie.

"Whether it is a movie on terrorism or musicians, without proper distribution a movie cannot be a hit," he adds.

While its profitability awaits the box office verdict, the new trend of biopics on musicians is blowing in a refreshing wind of change in Indian filmmaking.

Whether they are based on classical musicians or contemporary artistes, directors and scriptwriters are on the search for interesting biographies that they can mould into movies.

Though still in a very nascent stage, Indian moviemakers are gradually gearing up to give their answers to Hollywood’s timeless classics such as Ray Charles and Walk The Line.

A human being is a mental brute with a conscience. The little voice which emanates from the silence of the heart, despite the achievement-oriented rush of life, just loves to pose choices to us. You could be sick of the holier-than-thou attitude of your wife (or her subtle ways of stealing your pants, figuratively of course!) and on a business trip meet a warm, attractive and compassionate business associate. You share a meal with her and something tells you she also feels the magnetic spark. Do you allow the evening to get romantically intimate? What would be the most appropriate answer to this tempting dilemma?

Or, as a single parent who has brought up her daughter against life’s odds, you are shocked to discover that your only child is in the habit of stealing. You feel guilty, disappointed, angry. On a retrospective analysis you hold yourself responsible: "I should have given her some quality time and not spent so much time at work." So you spend the next few years filling in all that was missed by way of loving care punctuated with strictness. Five years down the line she is still stealing. Now what would your duty be towards your daughter and her evolving inner self?

Let’s take the prototype idealist who encounters that a certain section of his organisation is corroding the guiding values of the parent institute. You are aware that if you sweep this under the carpet it damages the base of your alma mater. But experience tells you that the top guns are maybe not as morally awake as you are. You still go ahead and report the misdemeanour to the authorities and find yourself facing an unfair onslaught from both the parties. What’s your duty and how should you effectively execute it?

A thinking individual faces such and other choices often enough. Of course, how sensitive and responsive we are to the inner voice depends on one’s stage of evolution from the physical aspects of healthy/unhealthy to the subtler principles of just/unjust and good/evil.

When Arjuna, in the epic war of Mahabharat, was driven by his guide-friend Krishna to survey the battling Kauravas and Pandavas, the bravest of the brave warriors lost heart. On seeing the array of childhood friends and revered teachers on the enemy side, his hands trembled and the morbid futility of his victory engulfed him. He lay down his weapons and said, "I will not fight."

That is when Krishna switched roles from the flute-playing heartthrob to a spiritual guide, or the spiritual guide of the struggling soul. And from there ensues the best known pearls of spiritual wisdom in the dialogue between the Divine teacher and his Mortal counterpart — both of whom happen to be located in the depths of one’s own consciousness.

Some of the most sincere spiritual seekers and sages have been the affluent. When most of his basic needs are met with, man searches for the meaning to his extremely significant and pathetically brief appearance on earth. However, to reach a juncture in the journey where he searches and probes, questions and seeks, an individual generally has to go through the rigmarole of sheer materialism and this is even more precise of a society.

Once he has tasted material wealth, ambition and greed, and by his experience realised their fundamental futility in giving happiness or prolonging life, then the pendulum swings to the opposite end of ascetic withdrawal. Generations, societies and countries follow this transition from material to spiritual till the harmonious balance is struck of a materialism imbued with a spirit of inclusion, a world-involved spirituality which revels in, rather than rejects, life’s beautiful colours. And along the way dawns a blend of the four endeavours of human life, called the Purusharth of the Vedas — Dharma (righteousness), Arth (material acquisitions), Kaam (pleasures), Moksha (salvation).

Dharma is put at the top of the list because it is the means to winning the other three. Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit root dhri which means to hold/uphold. Dharma is the cosmic law which holds the innumerable universes and their component parts together and provides the impulse for a see-saw of rhythms rather than planets crumbling, stars flying off their track, seasons surprising us with their untimely appearance… Dharma maintains a predictability in the cosmos, justice in society and an integrity in the human being which ensures a secure living and a forward evolution.

A thought, condition, person or country which respects the sanctity or oneness of life is dharmic or pro-dharma. That which destroys or damages the universe or its inhabitants is adharmic. Planting a tree is dharmic, wasting food is adharmic. Polluting the environment, neglecting one’s child, turning a deaf ear to truth are omissions amounting to adharma.

Dharma on another level also signifies duty or appropriate action. A heap of clothes waiting to be turned into the washing machine becomes your duty on a Sunday morning much as you would like to procrastinate. Since Dharana (which means to take on oneself) and Dharma have the same etymological root, that which one takes on one’s self — be it the body, a commitment of marriage, a family or a job — becomes one’s self-assigned duty. However, in a conflict of dharmas, the greater dharma wins. For instance, if there is a marriage where there is a threat to life, it would be one’s greater dharma to walk out and save one’s self.

One of the many facets of the word Dharma is the intrinsic nature of a substance or person. For example, the dharma of fire is to burn — whether it is a grain of rice or the finger of an innocent child that goes into it. Similarly, each of us has an intrinsic nature that compels us to act and live out our destinies in several unique ways. So, if the criminal’s innate nature is murderous, a bodhisattva’s is to save. Does that mean the innate nature of a human being cannot change?

If the law of cause and effect is at work in manifesting past actions into the personality of the present, there is also another law by virtue of our human birth. And that is the law of evolution where each individual consciously or unconsciously encounters forces generated by his own actions which shake him out of his complacency, which generate a discontent for the status quo. A desire to better oneself stirs and in its wake a new consciousness is born which breaks outdated patterns and creates new.

The supreme dharma of a human being is to embrace ever new horizons. When the words/concept of "my family" gets replaced in my heart by "the world my extended family" and I feel a genuine responsibility towards those I am intangibly connected to, the law in turn begins to protect me as an inevitable reward for love’s labours.

The writer is a psycho-spiritual counsellor, alternate therapist, medical specialist and pathologist

There have been many moments in my life when I felt very close to God. There have been times when I have moved ahead because of God’s support. God for me is a belief that can’t be defined in any way. It is an instinctive feeling. I can feel God near me every time I’m happy or sad.

I still remember the time when I had some health problem and I was scared. My first test was over and I was waiting for the second test report that was to come the next day. It was scary to wait for something like a diagnosis report. It was a tough moment. I kept praying to God throughout.

Finally, when the report came, it was negative. This was one moment in my life that strengthened my belief in the Almighty.

Prior to venturing into the making of the epic Kahani Hamare Mahabharat Ki, I visited Sreenathji. While praying to Krishna, I felt that I must work on a show that involved Him. It was a very strong feeling. Throughout the way while returning home, I kept thinking about it. The idea of making Mahabharat struck me at the same point.

When I reached home, my astrologer told me that I would venture into something very big in the next few days. But he said that whatever I take up would get me into trouble and I’d face a lot of criticism. His words came as shock to me, as I had just started thinking about Mahabharat.

Though I do I follow my astrologer’s advice most of the times, for whatever I do, this time I didn’t go by his prediction and trusted my gut feeling.

Interestingly, my astrologer told me that I would face criticism in the beginning, but later the same venture would turn out to be a landmark achievement for me.

Gradually, my astrologer’s words are turning out to be right. People didn’t accept the look, sets and many other things in the beginning, but now I’m getting good comments. This one incident has totally changed my view of God.

I believe God watches over whatever we do and helps us take right decisions at the right time. He is always there to keep an eye on us and support us.

I always knew God existed, and this was proved when I was released by the Bhopal court which declared me innocent. This was the word I always wanted to hear; I prayed to God to establish my innocence. I didn’t want freedom; I wanted to be proved innocent to the people, to the media and most importantly to my family.

Spending five years in jail was not easy, and nobody can give me back the time I lost. I was brought up in Norway, and I led a simple life. I could never have imagined that I would go to prison one day.

When I met Abu (Salem) I was not aware of his reality. I was deeply in love with him and I have never tried to hide this from anyone. The only regret is, by the time I came to know who he was, it was too late.

My staying with Abu was on a condition that he will forget his past and try to live a better life. And he had agreed as well. We had just started living a new life, Abu was making efforts to take up something new, but it was our bad luck that we got arrested.

While in jail, I was treated well. I used my time to meditate and do yoga. I also read the Bible and taught others as well. people in jail are not as bad as we think they are. All of them were nice to me. That said, the five years that I lost in jail can never return.

Life has become easier now; it is not as difficult as it was prior to Bigg Boss.

My objective behind taking part in Bigg Boss was to portray my real self in front of the people. The media and others had projected a certain image of ‘Monica’ to the public. And it was this that I wanted to break free from.

I wanted to show the public what I am in real life. I feel people know me better now and I thank Bigg Boss for making it happen.

I get a lot of offers to act in films, but I am currently working on my biography. I feel people will understand me better through this medium.

My past has been horrendous because of my mistakes. And it was largely because I was young and foolish. I neither had the power nor the intelligence to break free from the clutches of my doings.

Even now people dislike me because of my relationship with certain people. I just want to tell them that I was a victim of circumstances.

A lot of producers are approaching me for the rights to my book, to make a film on my life. I want to complete my book first and only then I will decide who should get the rights. I don’t think any director will want to make a film on the life I have lived. I’m sure they will like to make it filmy. I don’t want that. I want my life to be portrayed the way it is.

In my book, I will tell the whole truth. I am not going to hide anything. I want people to know everything about me and my life.

During bad times, God and my family were my biggest support systems. Nobody came forward to help, even the best of my friends walked out. It was a very difficult period for me and my family. I am happy that we have come out of that.

Now, I want to move on in my life. I want to concentrate on my acting career. I have made mistakes, but now when an elderly person blesses me and says everything will be alright, I feel good.

I am two months into my stay in Brazil, and I am proud to say that I am on my way to becoming a true Brazilian.

And this is the proof of it:

1 I receive phone calls with a Portuguese "Oi" instead of the English "Hello".

2 I eat rice with beans everyday.

3 I no longer mind when people kiss me on the cheek every time they say hello or goodbye, and I am expected to follow suit.

4 I no longer bother correcting people when they assume that I am a local.

5For the 19 exchange students living in my city, and coming from different parts of the world with different dialects, accents and vocabularies, Portuguese is the common language and not English.

6 At a restaurant, I now know what I am ordering. And I am able to pronounce the name of the dish right.

7 The top twenty highest played pop tunes on my iPod have been replaced by Brazilian funky music.

8 Coke, Pepsi or Sprite are never ordered. only Guarana (a soft drink produced only in Brazil).

9 I can conduct a conversation in decent portuguese without having to pull out my dictionary or resorting to wild hand and facial gestures.

10 The size of the Brazilian bikini (or the lack of it) no longer makes my jaw drop.

11 Every time I have to pay for something, I no longer convert the currency into Rupees. Instead, when I am speaking to someone in India, I mentally convert Rupees into Reish (Brazilian Currency).

12 I know the bus routes and schedules better than the locals.

13 Whenever I make plans to meet a Brazilian, I know that I should not expect them for at least half an hour after the decided time, and that I too am not expected to arrive before that.

14 I have an account on Orkut, because every Brazilian has one, and no one has heard of facebook here.

15 I am out clubbing till 3 a.m. and my host family has not yet called to ask me where I am.

My friend Ashok in the US is just one of the greatest guys you can ever meet. He is intelligent, handsome and happening. But for the last six months or so he has been very unhappy with his job. Rather than changing his job, he is changing men almost on a monthly basis to make up for the lack of fulfillment in his work life.

We often use relationships to ‘make up’ for the lack of some other aspect of our lives. This is apparently balancing out his ‘happiness equation’.

I asked him to elaborate on what this ‘happiness equation’ meant. He says, ‘look, there are multiple aspects of our lives which combine to make us happy. Career, recognition, health, relationships etc are a few. So if one aspect starts to fall weak you need to derive a bigger chunk of happiness from another area of your life. So in my case I am unhappy with my career, hence I am banking on my relationships to give me more happiness. This is balancing the ‘happiness equation’ and I am happy’.

I couldn’t help but ask him, ‘if the area of relationships is providing you with this added happiness then why are you changing men every month?’.

The response which followed really got me thinking. He said, ‘Well, some of the men I have been in relationships with in the recent past are men whom I normally wouldn’t date. But I just need to have a man in my life right now to make up for my lack of satisfaction from my career’. I wondered if Ashok was confusing ‘thrill’ to ‘being happy’.

I could not get this ‘happiness equation’ out of my mind. Suddenly I realised that for years I have been trying really hard to balance my own. In my case, it’s not the career. it’s my weight. I look to my relationships to provide me this added level of comfort and happiness. As a result I have often been in relationships, which I really shouldn’t have gotten into. However, this desire to make up for what is lacking pushes me to do this.

Can a relationship really fix unresolved issues of our lives which only we can resolve? Isn’t it time that we start looking at building a strong relationship with ourselves first? Maybe a relationship is like the icing on the cake. But the cake has to be fully baked first.

You can email your experiences to ayush@bigindian.in

It doesn’t seem to matter how many women vehemently declare they only dress for themselves, don’t give a hoot what their man thinks about their new frock (despite the fact they’ve spent their entire month’s salary on it) and say they’d rather eat toenails than be poked by fashion policewomen Trinny and Susannah.

Because the truth of the matter is that whether a woman is single, casually dating or even happily married, she can’t deny the fact women the world over relish a man noticing her strut down the street. (Even if it’s by a progesterone-starved tradesman.)

The trouble these days is that when it comes to single women attempting to catch a man’s eye and give him tingles up his, er, spine, apparently we’ve got it all horribly wrong. Well, this according to matchmaker Patti Stanger, whose new television show titled Millionaire Matchmaker teaches desperate dateless women how to win the hearts of wildly wealthy gents. (Who said there aren’t plenty of gold diggers out there willing to admit it on international television?) ‘

While Patti’s managed to match up thousands of happy couples in the past, her strange mantras and peculiar rules have shocked many, and left me wondering this: when it comes to what men like, are we completely on the wrong page? Or are her dubious methods completely misleading?

According to Patti, if they want to nab a man then the first thing modern women need to do is to fix their hair. "Men like long hair that they can run their fingers through," she quips. Hence short, curly locks need to either be grown long, "or get hair extensions and perm it straight". (Apparently the theory goes back to evolution when cavemen viewed long-haired women as more fertile and therefore attractive as mates.)

Oh, and as for all those carrot-tops among us? "Die it brown!" says Patti. (She sure is tough!)

Then there’s the way we dress. Patti says women need to say no to trashy and cheap and yes to knee-length dresses, push-up bras, knee-high boots, minimal makeup and no OTT (over-the-top) accessories.

And if we’re ever truly going to turn those male heads, "girls should be aiming for that wholesome girl-next-door look that is welcoming and non-threatening to men," she told Iconocast media. "You should look sexy, but also like you could bake great bread."

Huh? If you’re suddenly mightily confused, you’re not alone. But over recent girly cocktails the other night, my lawyer friend Gigi seemed to know exactly what the heck the "baking-bread-but-still-sexy" dress code really means.

"The thing is, men hate pregnant tops," she said, pulling at her loosely fitting designer top. "Yes, it hides our bloated stomachs, and we don’t have to worry about overeating, over-drinking or our muffin-top peaking out, but men like to be able to see our bodies."

"They don’t like baby doll dresses either," quipped another friend who disclosed the fact that she was heading home after dinner to change into something a little more "man-friendly" before hitting the town on the prowl. Her reasoning? "Baby doll dresses remind men of pregnancies, and they definitely don’t want to be thinking about having a baby when they’re just trying to chat you up." Makes sense to me.

Finally there’s the issue of grooming. Patti advises that you invest in regular manicures, pedicures and highlights. Patti’s final tip? Don’t smoke. "Even male smokers tell me they hate dating a woman who smokes." Can I hear an amen to that?

The writer is an author, columnist & dating expert (You can mail your responses to asksambrett gmail.com)

My favourite shoot was with photographer Farrokh Chothia, Malaika Arora and JoJo in 1993. It was special as the images were not planned. They were a natural record of what we were all creatively reaching towards at that time. As a result, the photos became iconic and all four of us benefited from the experience. Farrokh and I firmly established our reputation as stylemakers. JoJo went on to become India’s first couture makeup/hairstylist. And Malaika became a supermodel and actress. After all these years the photos are still arresting.

Malaika Arora Khan was not seen too much on the ramp at the time. She broke all boundaries when Hemant put her petite frame on ramp. Since there was no theme to the shoot she was her beautiful, elegant and sexy self.

That shoot made me realise what a versatile and beautiful model she was. When we began the shoot, JoJo and Yatan were doing Malaika’s hair for a good two hours. The result was spectacular but we had to undo the entire hair for some reason I cannot remember. Through all of this Malaika read Archie comics. At the time we finally began shooting, it was 2 pm. Siesta time in Goa. So even though we were on the main road to the village, no one was around and we could pretty much do whatever we wanted. We shot at this huge banyan tree near my home in Goa. It has a special energy and we just went with the flow. Farrokh was in his element and we all at our creative best.

Industry News

The entry of BIG TV from Reliance (ADAG) has turned out to be a damp squib. The timing and pricing both are not right. With Dish and Tata Sky trying hard to outbeat each other by offering very attractive packages the DTH market is already quite hot and competitive. In this scenario the comparatively more expensive package from BIG TV will not attract new subscribers nor will it lure away subscribers from the two already established platforms. The promotional campaign is also quite ineffective. In fact it is confusing for the main theme harps on the superiority of a BIG TV and the storyline of the lady with a large size remote seems to suggest that the advertisement is for a BIG (screen size) TV set and not for a DTH service. Dealers and industry sources confirm that they are receiving enquiries for a large screen TV rather than a DTH system.

Mega memory Microchip

In our last column we had written about retro AV scene. Today we also take a look at the future which revolves around the nano, the rapidly enhanced memory and shrinking size of the memory chip.

The Vinyl record gracefully faded into the retro category and made way for the CD. However, the time gap between the introduction of the vinyl and the commercial launch of the CD was quite long thus enabling the classic vinyl records to have a long and fruitful sway over the market. However, the CD format will not enjoy similar longevity and will soon reach premature obsolescence due to the new micro SD Flash memory card which is significantly smaller in size and larger in capacity. Industry reports are already confirming this trend and report noticeable decrease in CDs sales over the last 12 months.

What is Micro SD Flash Memory?

The Wikipedia definition of Micro SD is a format for removable flash memory cards. It is derived from ScanDisk TransFlash and is used mainly in mobile telephones, but also in handheld GPS devices, portable media players, digital audio players, expandable USB flash memory drives, and for Nintendo DS flashcards.

It is currently the smallest memory card available commercially. At 15mm×11mm×1mm (about the size of a fingernail), it is about a quarter the size of a ScanDisk card. There are adapters which allow a micro SD card to be used in devices intended for SD, but some of these are not universally compatible.

Readers are invited to email their queries/suggestions/comments to sadhwanis@vsnl.com

Less than two years ago, the only presence of international cinema in India was in the form of films produced by Hollywood studios or released in collaboration with them. Film libraries were few — with a limited number of DVDs of films by directors like Ingmar Bergman or Michelangelo Antonioni. Very often, that was the end of the road for those in search of "alternative international cinema".

Since then, a lot has changed for cinema aficionados. There are a lot more film titles available — and not just for rent. The list includes not only the classics, which one could procure only through the illegal downloading route, but also many contemporary award-winning films.

Cinema aficionado Monish Nair can now buy DVDs of not just his favourite Bergman films, but also titles from Japan, France, Belgium, Iran, Lebanon and Israel, to name a few. Entries at Toronto and Cannes are now being shown at a theatre across the road. "Had it not been for the pirated DVD market, I would never have been able to watch the films of Kurosawa," says Nair, as he shows his collection of more than 200 titles downloaded from the Internet or bought from black market.

He likes to appreciate a film for its story, narration and picturisation. "It doesn’t matter who the actor is — if he is famous, or if it is in English," he adds.

Four years ago, two companies, Palador and UTV, through a joint venture, began working on acquiring rights for international films to truly bring in international cinema to India. But after a dispute in 2007, which was settled recently, the two have gone separate ways.

Palador has established itself as the largest content provider in India in the world market category — mostly classics — with close to 1,000 films from internationally renowned directors. UTV, on the other hand, through its 24-hour film channel UTV World Movies, is competing for viewership with the likes of Star Movies and HBO.

The market, according to Palador, is estimated to reach a valuation of Rs 1,500 crore by 2009 and comprise 20 per cent of the non-Indian language movie segment in India.

"There was always a market for this kind of cinema," says Gautam Sikhnis, managing director and founder of Palador Pictures. He says that film libraries in India had very wide reach, and most of the titles they rented were international films.

Factors like the attendance at film festivals, the video piracy market and the increasing number of film clubs in India influenced their decision. "The market was always there but untapped," he adds.

Dilshad Master, chief operating officer of UTV World Movies, which shows films in almost all the languages of the world, says language is not a barrier in promoting the channel. "In a study, we found that most people watching English films preferred to switch on subtitles when the option was provided. Reading subtitles is not an issue if the plot and narration is interesting," she adds. The channel showed some of the films from the Cannes and Toronto film festivals recently.

NDTV Lumiere is the latest to bring contemporary film titles to India on DVDs and in theatres. Recently, the company released Far North and Goodbye Bafana in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. It also released films like Caramel and Crossed Tracks.

It is also planning to bring in its 24-hour movie channel in the next two-three months. Dhruvank Vaidya, senior vice-president new ventures, NDTV Imagine says, "The response to our releases was tremendous."

Unlike UTV World Movies, these companies are also increasing their presence by tying up with film clubs and DVD rental stores for an extensive reach. NDTV Lumiere has tied up with the Zenzi Film Club and Taj Enlighten Film Club, while Palador has tied up with Mocha Film Club.

Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets
By Sudhir Venkatesh,
Penguin,
Rs 430, pp 320

Armed with a questionnaire, Sudhir Venkatesh heads into the local "hood", the Lake Park Projects, Chicago and asks a group of jittery young drug pushers. "How does it feel to be black and poor?" Choose from the multiple choice answers: "Very bad, somewhat bad, neither bad nor good, somewhat good, very good."

Stephen D. Dubner, in his introduction, says he believes Venkatesh was born with two abnormalities, "an overdeveloped curiosity and an underdeveloped sense of fear".

Dubner knows him well. Freakonomics, the book Dubner co-authored with Steven D. Levitt, first featured Venkatesh’s research in chapter three, otherwise known as "Why do drug dealers still live with their moms?"

Venkatesh’s research, extremely rare in its depth, scope and perspective, illustrates a reassuring parallel between the economics of regular, legal trade and drug cartels. Quality control at the raw material supply stage is the same whether it’s wheat or unprocessed drugs. Processors, whether they’re rolling you pasta or cooking up crack-cocaine, need to be supervised and have quality checks in place. And so it goes… suppliers, distribution, salaries, bonuses, extortion, taking chances and working against the mathematical probabilities of getting arrested, wounded in the range of flesh to fatal or getting killed (1 in 4). Well, perhaps the parallel veers away towards the end.

Gang Leader For A Day is a sociological study. It begins with Venkatesh being inducted into a research project head by William Julius Wilson, one of the most eminent African-Americans in the field of sociology. Wilson’s idea is to examine the effects of neighbourhood on the potential of the young black community. Does growing up in the crime-ridden projects necessarily preclude them to a poorly educated, ill-informed, invariably outlaw existence? Is there an opportunity to opt out? Could research help policy makers develop that opportunity?

Giving up his clipboard approach, for obvious reasons, his honest attitude, unwavering determination to get his information, a certain doggedness and not a daft bravado, but an almost congenital blind eye to the staggering potential of danger soon gain him the wing-cover of J.T., the leader of the gang the Black Kings.

Over the course of six years, Venkatesh’s involvement with J.T. and the community throws up a beautiful tapestry of kinship in a parallel world where cops don’t come if you call them, ambulances are too scared to drive through, grandmothers protect their prostitute neighbours and street parties are occasionally broken up by drive-by gangland shootings.

J.T. rises up in the gang hierarchy and Venkatesh is gradually privy to the higher echelons of the drug syndicates. Simultaneously, he develops warm bonds with people within the circle, notably J.T.’s mother who feeds the rogue, vegetarian, sociologist okra and cornbread and keeps his notes safe for him.

Gang Leader For A Day is no rosy picture of honour among thieves or hookers with hearts of gold. The facts of black inner city life stand out, education sometimes guarantees no more than a minimum wage. Drug lords will pay more than the local McDonald’s and your prospects of getting promoted are better. And an entire economy springs up, prostitutes need protection and baby-sitting, squatters pay "rent" and double up as lookouts, street mechanics pay tax to the local gang to be allowed to fix cars…Perhaps you know this already. What is not obvious on the outside though, is the strangely benevolent/malevolent stronghold the matriarchs in this set up wield. Serving soulfood with one hand and patching up a bullet wound with the other, the women in this study come across as masters of guile, invention, charity and judgement. They draw up a moral code that is a watertight survival policy for an existence that is outside so many normal laws and codes of conduct.

As a sociological study, the book is sound-proof that not enough has been done by both policy makers and researchers to unravel the intricacies of those living in the projects in America. But, this new information makes the process of rehabilitation seem even more daunting.

As a story, it is a seamless, focused foray into a dangerous, urban hinterland — you are forced to admire Venkatesh’s determination and bravery even though his writing underplays the hazardous situations he is always in. He is wily (letting J.T. believe he is writing his biography), adaptive but morally incorrupt, perhaps incorruptible. Venkatesh displays the same restraint and subtlety with the telling of his story that must have earned him the trust of the Black Kings.

The book ends before anything obvious comes to pass. But, if you do read the book, which you should, go back to Freakonomics and read chapter three again. If all’s well that ends well, then all cannot be well in the projects.

Two weeks ago, this year’s Man Booker shortlist was announced. Before rejoicing (two Indians are in that list), some thoughts. Before that a bit of memory refurbishing. English is now spoken and written in most of the civilised world (whatever it means).

The British conquered most of the world in the 17th and 18th centuries, and thrust this language, for their own benefit, down the throats of the gullible, especially those people, dumb in most cases they are, who did not have the luxury of weapons or any other means. So, we learnt this great language, with great pomposity and glamour and people like the Bengali bhadralok and Madrasi Brahmins took it as a status symbol, a feather in their cap, to escape from their then-existent despondent lives.

Then the worst happened. We (now, I only include Indians in this category) started writing in this foreign tongue. And, the ever-grinning firangis wanted this: someone to lap up what they had left behind; thus manufacturing Macaulay’s Children. Nirad C. Chaudhuri was one of the first to believe that the English way is the best in the world to live by. Not all were, to be frank, subscribed to that theory. R.K. Narayan, Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand and Kamala Markandaya did break the barriers to write in and write to the western audiences in their own language, without breaking away from the very Indian psyche and spirit.

So far, so fine. Then? Then came Salman Rushdie. He wrote — with tremendous success — Midnight’s Children. A path-breaking work, no doubt. Destroying the till-then norms of how not to write the Victorian, stiff-upper-lip, politically-correct English, and, to the Brits’ bafflement, chutnifying the English. The book did wonders and spawned hopes among thousands of aspirants in the Indian subcontinent. Till today there are few successful writers from this part of the world who could match Rushdie’s oeuvre. What did he achieve? Fame. Money. Fatwa.

No one could emulate Rushdie’s success story. Then descended a beautiful lady named Arundhati Roy, writing an above-average novel called The God of Small Things. By then the global geopolitics had changed — for good or bad. India was no longer held a pariah. In India existed a great market; one of the biggest English-reading markets where the West can peddle their wares. (Why do you think India got so many Miss Worlds and Miss Universes? Is it because all of our damsels suddenly started looking sexy? Of course not; it is just because here was a market for multinational fairness creams.)

Same thing happened in Indian writing in English. Thus, how do you get attention and reap in profits when the massive book publishing from the US and the UK has to be unleashed in this country? By awarding Indian writers, obviously. Suddenly this over-inflated Man Booker Prize started short-listing or/and occasionally awarding their "great" award to some of our mediocre writers. Kiran Desai, one to get celebrated recently, is an example. And celebration of mediocrity did not stop there: a Pulitzer award to Jhumpa Lahiri, too.

It is all about market, honey. So when Rushdie, though he won the Booker of Booker for the second time this year for Midnight’s Children, has been dumped now, Amitav Ghosh and Aravind Adiga have been included among themselves in the final six novelists this year.

To give their respective honours, both Ghosh and Adiga write well and their works are good by any international standard. Should we complain? Shouldn’t we rejoice? Pick your choice. Some questions crop up, nevertheless. Why should we be overjoyed by some western award that is thrust upon us? A Ghosh or Adiga would not have been in our vocabulary if they were not promoted (for all the materialistic reasons) by the firangi critics. Giving Rushdie and Ghosh their due credit for the way they effervescently write in whatever language they might have imbibed, one thing is straight: we, Indians, have a rich literature which is still unsurpassed by any new-fangled European language. We should be, and have to be, proud of the great literary traits some of our stalwarts in Indian languages have left behind: be it in Bengali, Punjabi, Malayalam, Hindi or even Konkani. We do not need any recommendations from and by any ex-colonialists and neo-imperialists. They, today, depend on us. But, we still think ‘good’ is better only if it comes from the west. What a pity.

The writer is the publisher and managing editor, Frog Books, an imprint of Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd, Mumbai. Write to him at poolani@gmail.com

And now friends for the "piece de resistance", the main entrée, I present Abu Simbel. World-renowned not just for its monumental proportions, but also for the heroic and successful efforts of Unesco and countries around the world to relocate it on a cliff to save it from a watery grave due to rising waters of the Nile caused by the Aswan dam. Stone by stone a perfect reincarnation took place at the cost of millions of dollars plus massive human effort.

Local Egyptians themselves say, miss the pyramids but don’t miss Abu Simbel at any cost. In order to spend more time at the site, we took a short flight. However, the return flight was cancelled leading to our cruise — boat leaving without us. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?) Anyway, due to our diligent guide, we caught up with it at another location.

Of one thing I am totally certain. any person, who views Abu Simbel for the first time, will be truly awe-struck by this gigantic temple with four monumental statues of the Pharaoh Ramses II sitting on a throne wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. I gawked like a villager.

This massive piece of architecture was built by the most prolific builder of the Egyptian Pharaohs — Ramses II. The purpose behind this huge effort was to project the might of the Pharaohs to the conquered people of Nubia, as well as to glorify the divine aspect of the kings and queens of Egypt around the known world.

The torso and head of one of the statues is missing and is supposed to have fallen down during an earthquake in 27 BC. On the massive pedestals holding the thrones are carved rows of Nubian and Asiatic prisoners. Above the seated Pharaohs is a carved frieze of 22 baboons that were a representation of the cult of the rising sun.

As you enter the interior designed like any traditional Egyptian temple court, one faces huge rock hewn pillars to which are attached stone statues of Ramses II in a royal posture of arms crossed upon the breasts and holding royal sceptres. There are no windows and due to lack of light the effect is magnified and awe-inspiring.

In the sanctuary are four standing statues — Amon, Re-Horakhty, Ramses II and Ptah. The temple is so constructed that twice a year during the solstice, the rays of the rising sun would penetrate the temple and rest on the gold-covered statues of Amon, Re-Horakhty and Ramses II briefly, leaving Ptah in total darkness.

In front of these four statues is a stone block on which rested the royal barge holding a statue of Ra-Horakhty which was carried ceremoniously by the priests in festive processions — as in all temples of Egypt. On the walls of the hall were painted scenes of the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites. At the entrance of the temple a rock cut inscription commemorates the political wedding of Ramses to the daughter of the Hittite king.

Nearby is a smaller temple built by Ramses for his favourite queen — Nefertari. The facade is equally arresting with six standing statues of Ramses and Nefertari in a Hathorian aspect (with ears of a cow and a curved head-dress). The interiors are of a cult character. The pillars are headed by the face of the goddess Hathor. The vestibule has paintings of Ramses and Nefertari making offerings to the gods. The innermost sanctuary holds a statue of Hathor in the form of a cow.

On the way out, I stopped for a while to view the colossi of Abu Simbel, and verily felt like a small beetle scuttling around. What visions these Pharaohs had in their eternal search of immortality, resulting in these mind-blowing gifts to humanity for centuries gone by and centuries to come.

I felt extremely privileged to have witnessed this monumental effort of human endeavour.

When I was growing up, India was traditionally aligned towards Russia, and there was a lot of cultural exchange. I was a big fan of Raj Kapoor saab, and he was revered in Russia. So Russia always held a strange emotional bond in my heart for a long time before I first went there. And it has only grown since.

Hindi movies of old times are still watched with a lot of curiosity and enthusiasm even by today’s youth and they make Indians feel so welcome there that it almost feels like a home away from home. Indians might struggle with the rough weather, freezing temperatures in winter and it doesn’t get much warmer in the summer either. So that’s one thing you need to be prepared for.

Moscow is one of the biggest cities in the world and there is a glorious history attached to the city that every street corner has a story to tell, which makes your experience fascinating. Moscow is also one of the most expensive cities in Eastern Europe, which otherwise is much cheaper to travel and within reach for us as compared to the West of Europe. So taxis are horribly expensive to get around in the city, and given the distances within the city itself, it’s advisable to use public transport, which is the lifeline of the city. If you have to splurge, a prepaid car rental service for a four-day deal is not a bad idea. But if you intend to explore Moscow by foot, you might take a few weeks. The Moskva River on the banks of which the city is based, is intimidating just by its expanse. And it’s a bit strange to see this big river right in the centre of the town. Try thinking of Ganges running through the middle of Connaught Place or Mumbai.

I’d advise tourists to make a list of things they want to see in Moscow and then plan their days accordingly, because there’s just so much to see and never enough time. The Red Square probably is the most famous and known sites in Moscow for Indian tourists. So it’s not a bad idea to start your trip from there. There’s this absolutely beautiful St. Basil’s Cathedral there, lined next to the State History Museum, which is a must visit if you are a history lover.

The essence and the strong indelible mark of communism is everywhere and you can walk at the Red Square where you will meet locals, who will engage you in really serious, stimulating conversations. A stone’s throw away from the Red Square is the Mausoleum of Lenin, another famous structure that you might recognise from many movies. It holds the embalmed body of Lenin; so be prepared to encounter long queues to get in.

The Kremlin, the fitting political but never centre of Russia, is a gigantic, towering structure and as a tourist you can access certain parts of it. There are some beautiful churches that it houses, along with beautifully maintained gardens, where you can spend your entire day. You can also visit the Gorky Park, which is just extraordinarily beautiful.

There is a strong presence of the army within in the city, which can be a bit unnerving. There are some restricted areas within the city limits, which you might not able to figure out instantly. It’s important to stay away from trouble and read the signs carefully. You will notice the extreme contrast between the very rich and very poor in Moscow, like you see in Mumbai or Delhi, and it’s fascinating to note how two cultures can be so similar in many ways. And while you are in Moscow don’t miss one of the many famous circuses that are based in the city. You will find a lot in Moscow that you can relate to.

In Delhi, The Embassy of Sweden is organizing an inter college quiz as part of the Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week. The theme of the quiz, in keeping with the week, is Nobel Prize & Nobel laureates. Date: 11th October Time: 11.30 AM Venue: IIT, Delhi. Three member teams. Multiple entries from colleges allowed. The winners will get an all-expenses paid, weeklong trip to Sweden including a visit to the Nobel Museum. The prize will be awarded by a member of the Swedish Royal Family at the Grand Nobel Party. Register for the quiz by writing to Georgia.morrison @foreign.ministry.se

This week’s theme is national holidays in various countries.

Write with your suggestions, questions (with answers) to D4/11 (GF), Exclusive Floors, DLF Phase- V, Gurgaon – 122002 or email senjam@gmail.com

Public holidays

1. Which country observes a public holiday on October 19 as Mother Teresa Day?

2. India celebrates August 15th as Independence Day. How does Egypt celebrate 15th August?

3. Which country marks February 4th every year as Waitangi day to commemorate signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 often described as the country’s founding document?

4. The Groundhog day celebrated in Canada and United States on February 2, follows an interesting ritual to determine the end of winter. What is the ritual?

5. 11th November is celebrated as Armistice Day in France, Independence day in Poland and Remembrance Day in UK. What does 11th November commemorate?

6. This national holiday is known as Vesak in Singapore, Visakha Bucha in Thailand, Ph?t Ð?n in Vietnam, Waisak in Indonesia and Saga Dawa in Tibet. How is it known in India?

7. 14th July is a national holiday in France and officially called the Fête Nationale ("National Celebration"). What does it commemorate?

8. The second Sunday of August is celebrated in Turkmenistan as a national holiday. The day is commemorated to which fruit?

9. Which country observes October 11th as physical fitness day?

10. The last Monday of May is celebrated in United States as Memorial day. What is the significance of this day?

Anything Goes

1. Which iconic speech started with the words "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation,"? (Ram Kapur, Secunderabad)

2. Benzaiten is a Japanese goddess and equivalent of which Hindu deity? (NV Suguna, Chennai)

3. Treskillling Yellow is the most valuable what in the world? (Ravikumar C. Jolarpet)

4. Who is the only non-test pilot who flew the Air Bus A-380 recently? (U Narasimha Murthy, Secunderabad)

5. A boy named Kinas who wore a red shirt and green shorts was the mascot of which sporting event? (Abhijit Basak, Dum Dum)

6. The daughter of Col.M.N.Choudheri was known as ‘The first lady of Indian screen’. Name her? (Sushil Kumar Poddar, Kolkata)

7. Name the only wicket-keeper to score a century on test debut? (Mitraditya Dasgupta, Secunderabad)

Answers

Public holidays

1. Albania
2. As flooding of Nile day. 
3. New Zealand. The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 was an agreement between Maori chiefs and the British Crown.
4. On this day, if the ground hog  does not see its shadow, it is said winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, winter will continue for 6 more weeks.
5. Symbolic end of World War 1 was on 11th November in 1918.
6. Buddha Purnima
7. Bastille Day
8. Melon. The second Sunday of August is the Melon Day.
9. Japan
10. Memorial Day  remembers the members of US military who died while on duty It first honored union soldiers of the American Civil War and  was expanded to include American casualties of any war or military action.

Anything Goes

1. Gettysburg address. The speech ended with the immortal lines “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”.
2. Saraswati
3. Stamp. Treskillling Yellow from Sweden is the most valuable stamp in the world. Its current value is more than 2 million dollars
4. John Travolta.
5. Euro 2004 soccer tournament
6. Devika Rani
7. Matt Prior (Eng)v/s West Indies at Lord’s in 2007.He scored 127 not out