Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 96

Deep Focus
30. 4. 2013, Mumbai

I was in Trivandrum for Indian Film Festival Kerala when the premier issue of Deep Focus Cinema was launched. Edited by George Kutty, this is in all earnestness India’s most in depth quarterly on cinema with boasts of an impressive list like PK Nair, Adoor Gopal Krishnan and Girish Kasaravalli on its advisory board.

The second issue devoted to 100 years of cinema is even better than volume one. Featuring interesting subjects and presenting perspectives of both on and off screen personalities the magazine caters to all regions and all generations.

Award winning Marathi filmmaker Sumitra Bhave’s associate Sunil Sukthanka describes her journey in cinema, the stories behind her various films and her urge to integrate the female gaze. A feature on Telugu cinema profiles the political and the social challenges the state is undergoing. Writer Izquierdo Tobias breaks the stereotype to examine the cinematic representation of the old city of Delhi in the context of globalization and cites examples of three films – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Monsoon Wedding and Delhi-6.

Superbly packaged and printed on art paper you can read the stories online on www.deepfocuscinema.com.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 95

Archive of Indian Music

29.4.13, Mumbai

Ever thought of listening to Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and H. H. Aga Khan III and didn’t know where to find their voices…? Ever craved to relish poetry recitations by Rabindranath Tagore & Kazi Nazrul Islam and didn’t know where to find them…?

It is unfortunate that many of these rare records are on the verge of destruction and without timely action, these would be lost forever. To restore the old treasures is the brain-child of Bangalore based author/historian and Sahitya Akademi award winner Vikram Sampath, Srinivasan and Nagamani. Their primary objective is to preserve the voices of our ancestors and make them easily and electronically available through an online portal for researchers, musicians, students of music and the public at large.

The Archive of Indian Music (AIM) seeks to digitize and preserve old and rare gramophone records of our country. The range of gramophone records IT will restore include Hindustani / Carnatic classical music/ Folk music /Early Cinema /Theatre /Speeches of great leaders of the country and voices of common Indians that were recorded starting 1902. The pilot website of AIM is ready and can be accessed at www.archiveofindianmusic.org.

The archive features about 200 artists and close to 1000 clips. Tracks including Gandhiji’s Spiritual Message that he recorded in 1931 in England, the country’s first recording by Gauhar Jaan in 1902, Tagore reciting his poetry, the first recording of the National Anthem by the Viswa Bharati Chorus, the first recording of M S Subbulakshmi as a child of 9 years are just a few of the rare gems in the website!

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 94

'Aashiqui 2' too long – 'Shree' too complicated.
26.04.2013, Mumbai

1990 directed Mahesh Bhatt Aashiqui - aspiring singer Rahul aur anath ladki Anu ki love story thi.

2012 directed Mohit Suri Aashiqui 2 – superstar singer Rahul aur uski shagird- Aarohi ki prem kahani hai.

Aashiqui - chotti kanani ki lambi film thi – jiski highlight Nadeem Shravan ke 11 superhit gaane thhe.

Aashiqui 2 aur bhi zyada lambi aur repetitive film hai jiske 11 gaano mein - sirf 2 superhit tracks
hai.

Aashiqui 2, Aashiqui film ka nahi balke - film ke characters ka sequel hai…

Tab Rahul ko apne career se zyada - Anu ke career ki parwah thi… Ab Rahul ko Arohi ke career ki parwah hai.

Tab bhi Rahul unreasonable tha..! Ab Rahul aur bhi unreasonable aur dramatic hai!

Anu tab - darri aur sehmi hui thi – Aarohi - Rahul ko milne ke baad- seham jaati hai!!

Director Mohit Suri unke emotional outpourings mein itne ulajh jaate hai - ki wo kiissi aur detailing par dhyan nahi dete.

Na Rahul ka failure convincing hai - na Aarohi ka success...

Film ka plus - film ke 2 gaane aur lead pair Aditya Roy aur Shradha Kapoor hain.

Film ka minus – balke sabse bada problem - hero ka characterization hai.

Samajh mein nahi aata ki Rahul ke paas - paisa - pyaar – pariwar- shohrat – ghar - business contacts - efficient manger – hote hue - wo sharabi kyon hai?

Na aap ko Arohi ke liye dukh hota hai – aur na Rahul ke liye sahanubhuti!

Aashiqui 2 ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3 stars.

***

Vikram Shah produced aur Rajesh Bachchani directed Shree –ek sadharan aadmi ke asadharan din ki kahani hai.

Shree ka boss- uss se apni zindagi ke 12 ghante mangta hai – aur ye 12 ghante uski zindagi badal deta hai.

Main qubool karti hoon ki mujhe kahani - kirdar samajh nahi aaye. Wo shayad isliye kyon ki subject 12 ghanto ka tha aur film do ghante ki.

Mere hisab se hero Hussain ko filmmaker se - apni zindagi ke 12 ghate wapas maang ne chahiye.

Shree ko Big Entertainment ratings milte hai 1 star.

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 93

Final Solution
25.4 2013, Mumbai

Film Writers’ Association will be in a few days presenting a screening of the award-winning documentary film Final Solution followed by a discussion with director Rakesh Sharma at their office in Andheri. It is a film FWA is extremely proud of and has been screened at various film festivals and won various awards, including the Berlin International Film Festival where it was described as a compelling and thought-provoking documentary.

Final Solution is a study of the politics of hate. Set in Gujarat during the period of Feb 2002 to July 2003, the film graphically documents the changing face of right-wing politics in India through a study of the 2002 genocide of Muslims in Gujarat. It specifically examines political tendencies reminiscent of Nazi Germany of the early/mid-1930s. The documentary film Final Solution is anti-hate/ violence as “those who forget history are condemned to relive it”. The ‘Final Solution’, (German: Die Endlösung) which the title of the film refers to, was Nazi Germany's plan during World War II to annihilate the Jewish people, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust, the destruction of Jewish communities in continental Europe.

Prescribed as a must-watch for all Indian filmmakers and writers, the film has to still release in India. For further information about the event, please visit our website http://www.fwa.co.in/SitePages/Final-Solution-Screening.aspx

Bhawana Somaaya/ www. bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 92

God of Ahimsa

24. 4. 13, Mumbai

The unenlightened produce suffering. Self deluded they produce more and more suffering – Mahavir

Today is Mahavir Jayanti and Jains celebrate this day to follow his teachings which is in fact fairly simple. Jain religion proposes right faith, right knowledge and right conduct by thought, word and action.

My neighbor Usha Jain is a follower of Mahavira and explains that Jainism is linked to five auspicious moments in an individual’s life.

The first garbhadharma – which relates to sanskaras while a child is still in his/ her mother’s womb.

The second janmadharma – which relates to sanaskaras imparted to an individual on his/ her birth.

The third is dikshdharma – which is about renunciation when an individual decides to live a life of austerity.

The fourth is kevaldharma – which is about welfare of others and the fifth nirvanadharma where you find salvation!

As Mahvir said: There is no knowledge without faith, no conduct without knowledge and no liberation without conduct.

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 91

Angry Young World
23.4.2013, Mumbai

Most of them one receives rubbish as forwards which is instantly marked as spam but sometimes there are surprises. A stranger associated with anger management sent me a promotion mail which was long and garbled. But snatches were interesting like did you know that when you are about to flare up you there is an exercise to control your anger? Counting 100 is an old myth. This is a new one and similar to what the Raj Yog of Brahmakumaris profess. All you have to do is to visualize a home - create a special room within that home that generates peace. Now bit by bit fill up thre empty space with sound, smell, colors, objects and symbols of what you perceive as peace!

Next, visualze the sun streaming into the room, flooding it with light, visualize self seated in that room receiving vibrations of everything peaceful under the sun. If you have a problem with memory write down on paper what makes you feel peaceful, stay still for as long as you can and you will feel lighter, you will sense all the anger seething within you evaporating.

It is believed that only those who serve are blessed because serving is caring and sadly we are living in a world where projection is more important than reality. Often we find ourselves in situations where we are a part of a problem or maybe we believe we are! The more we defend our stand, the more we talk and the more we talk, the more complicated it gets. This is a negative exercise and our effort should be to become a part of the solution rather than mourn the problem. The only way to become a part of the solution is to contribute towards change and that is possible only by first altering one’s attitude.

Unless the mind is free from judgments it is not possible to make the right decision. The lesson to learn is to approach every new situation, person or a problem without the baggage of our previous experiences. If we do that, we will stop making old mistakes because detachment brings distance and distance objectivity and objectivity ensures a right decision. Well, almost…

Bhawana Somaaya / www. bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 90

Fighting Fear
22.4.2013, Mumbai

Life is all about changing and Ram Katha guides you to cope with life by coping with changing circumstances. We have to change tracks and learn to survive without fear. There are eight kinds of fears

in universe. Fear of Death /Mrityu can be overcome by Remembrance/Smaran that all of us have to the world to go one day. Fear of Reputation /Apkirti can be overcome with acceptance that we are trapped in a Delusion /Mayaa can be overcome by discretion /vivek. Fear of Malady/ Maha Rog can be overcome by seeking company of wise.


The effort we put into any task is Karma Yog /Path of Actions), the intention and the company we use to reach our goal is Gyan Yog /Path of Wisdom and Bhakti Yog /Path of Devotion. The Lord describes our life and the universe Rasmay / Passionate. All we need on our path to devotion is good intent. The universe can provide us with light but the radiance has to come from within ourselves.

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 89

Beware of long braid women...
19.04.2013, Mumbai

Bharadwaj - Kapoor produced aur Kannan Iyer directed - Ek Thi Daayan – ek jadugar ki kahani hai.

Har raat – jadugar Bobo – yaane Emraan Hashmi - magic shows karta hai – aur har raat - unhe show ke dauran – kuch anubhuti hoti hai.

Bobo samajhta hai wo apni bachpan ki yaadon se pareshan hai – isliye naye sahare ke saath -nayi zindagi banata hai.

Magar aisa hota nahi – jadu ki duniya ke saath saath – Bobo ki duniya mein - ek aur bhayanak duniya shamil ho jaati hai.

Ek Thi Daayan – abtak ki saari horror filmon se alag hai. Film ki imageries aur unhe pesh karne ka tarika stereotypes ko todti hai.

Film technically superior hai. Har department –sound/editing/ cinematography subject ke rhythm mein hai!

Film ka music /lyrics /song situations/ even writing bilkul hi natural hai.

Film ki kuch baate pareshan bhi karti hai - jaise subject andh-vishwas ke khilaf hote hue bhi – hypnosis -jadu tona ke references se superstition ko badhava deti hai.

Film thodi sexist bhi hai – jaise Daayan hamesha burri hoti hai – magar male Daayan - yaane Pishach – ache bhi hote hai!

Research mein kuch inconsistencies hain– kuch sawalon ke jawab nahi milte - aur climax samasya ko resolve nahi karta!

Ek Thi Daayan superbly packaged/ presented/ performed hai magar bohat darawni bhi – film akele - aur raat ko bilkul na dekhiyega!!

Ek aur baat – lift mein mat jayega – jao toh 666 mat dabaiyega aur lambi chotti wali ladkiyon se door rahiyega!

Ek Thi Daayan ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www. bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 88

Chanting Chalisa

18.4.2013, Mumbai

Morari Bapu mentions that in Ram Charit Manas Hanuman saves five lives /Praan Daan : Sugreev from physical terror of Vaali. Sita from Sorrows while a captive at Lanka. Laxman was revived with sanjeevani when he turned unconscious. Bharat was spiritually guided to return to Ayodhya with his brother’s slippers. Fifth and final, Hanuman guided his vanar sena on trail of missing Sita to a tranquil spot where they find water and grants them jeevan daan...

When an individual recites ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ four things get eradicated in his life. First, the Mind/ Mann arrive at state of ceasing thought/Nirvichaar which enables him to arrive at Nothingness/Shunya. Second, Hanuman Chalisa pacifies the waves in the Intellect /Buddhi and makes it Tranquil / Shaant and this clarity leads you to a higher attainment of Buddhi

Yog. Third, focused concentration leads to what Yoga Sutras describe as Chit Vritti Nirodh or neutralizing the waves of Consciousness. Fourth, the greater the Chintan the faster your chances of connecting with the Supreme Being...

Bhawana Somaaya/www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 87

State of Zero
17.4.2013, Mumbai

The only complete truth about the universe is Nothingness/ Shunya. Nothingness or Zero is pure unlike a Triangle/ Square/ Hexagon that has corners and collects impurity. If we understand Shunya we understand Purity and mediums of finding the same in our daily lives.


The first medium to arrive at the state of Zero is to steal away from Wrong Company/Kusang). There is an old saying that follow a vile man and lose your lifetime saving. The second medium is to seek the company of the wise and the virtuous through (Satsang). The final stage to purify self is to strive towards detachment (Asang). The sky is detached, so it is Shunya. Gandhi Bapu called Asangta as Anaskati Yog or Yoga of Detachment. Finally attraction for Colour, Form, Shape/ Name/ Rang/ Roop/ Aakar/ Naam prevents purity, so become conscious and assert yourself to stay away from temptations and transform your life…

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day: 86

Word speech deed
16.4.2013, Mumbai

Lord Krishna professes Swa Dharme Nidhanam Shrey / Your daily practice by word speech and deed. He emphasizes that while everything is in your control, you are in control of Almighty which is why a furious Parsuram in his attempt to axe Lakshman is unable to do so as his hand hangs midair because this is not to be! Laxman is destined to be protected by divinity!

Everyone who has read the 'Mahabharata' knows the story about how Manthara provoked Kaikayi to force Ram to exile…we also know that Mantharaa was provoked by Goddess Saraswati…and Goddess Sawarswati was provoked by Devatar but who was behind the deities…?

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day: 85

Four types of Dharma
15.4.2013, Mumbai

Today is Guddi Padwa, the New Year for Maharashtrians. Today is also the first day of chatur maas Navratra dedicated to aaradhya or worship of the deities which is why a lot of Hindus fast on all the nine days. I will devote the coming week to extensively quoting from Morari Bapu’s Ramkatha conducted at Kailas a few years ago.


To be able to conduct a katha in such excruciating circumstances is a miracle by itself and I reproduce Bapu’s message in the way I understand it.

…The Bhagvad Geeta says, only one with faith finds wisdom, so it is imperative to discover faith in one’s life. The second important lesson is to find a guru. One who is aware of himself, his circumstances and his role in life is an evolved soul and who we describe as a saint. Shiv is evolved and therefore a saint. Parvati is evolved but for Shiv to accept her as his consort had to offer prem pariksha.

Shiv explains Sapta Rishi - the seven stages that represent seven constellations that work under the guidance of the highest creative intelligence. Sounds complicated but is simple when you focus to understand – Dharma/ Religion comprise four types: The first is Yug /Kaal Dharma which is the practice of an era or time. The second is Desh Dharma/ Practice of a country, the third is Guna Dharma / Practice of virtue and the fourth Swabhav Dharma / Sahaj Dharma are practice of our nature.

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 84

Nautanki disappoints and Commando numbs
12.04.2013, Mumbai

Iss hafte do releases hain – ek Action aur ek Comedy.

Nautanki Sala – do bade banners –T Series aur Ramesh Sippy Films ka joint venture hain - jinhone hume bohat saari yaadgar filmein di hain.

Romantic film Kuch naa Kaho/ fun film Bluff Master aur thriller Dum Maro Dum ke baad director Rohan Sippy iss baar Comedy of Errors laaye hai.

Problem ye hai ki film mein comedy kum - aur errors zyada hain:

Ye kahani hai Ram Parmar ki - jo theatre abhineta hai – magar kabhi rehearsal nahi karte.

Parmar play ke director bhi hai – isliye kabhi bhi- show ke dauran - actors / kirdar/ scene / line – badalte rehte hain.

Parmar se apni zindagi sambhali nahi jaati – magar beech sadak mile ajnabi ke liye -wo paisa paani ki tarha baha dete hai.

Film na engaging hai – na convincing - aur thodi bohat muskurahat jo humare chehre par aati hain - wo actors Ayushman Khurana aur Kunal Roy Kapoor ki wajah se.

Comedy ke shrrey mein sab kuch – art design/ costumes/ song / situation / character/ dialogue/ humour – banavti lagta hai – aur aap ke dil se director Rohan Sippy ke liye bas ek hi aah nikalti hai – Nautanki Saala!!

Nautanki Saala ko -Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai – 2 stars.

Vipul Amrutlal Shah produced aur Dilip Ghosh directed Commando - jaise ki posters par likha hai – One army film hai.

Commando Vidyut Jamval ki Vipul Shah ke saath -doosri film hai aur action director-Franz Spilhaus ki Singham aur Force ke baad- ye teesri film hain!

Jiss tarha se court mein gawah Gita par haath rakhkar- sach aur sirf sach bolte hai – ussi tarha se action director aur hero- Commando mein – sirf aur sirf action paroste hain.

Ye film weak hearts ke liye nahi hai- isliye theatre mein wohi jaye- jisse martial arts/ kick boxing/ shooting/ chasing/ violence/ bloodshed entertaining lagta hai.

Commando ko bohat hi stylish aur jaanbaaz action ke liye- Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai - 3 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 83

Guddi Padwa &Chaitra Navratri
11.4.2013, Mumbai

Today is the first day of the Chaitra month which marks the New Year -Guddi Padwa for Maharashtrians and Hindu Konkanis in India. It is said that Lord Bhramha created the universe on this day and is the most auspicious day to start any new venture or to get married without a mahurat.

It is said that Lord Ram killed King Bali on this day and residents of Ayodha celebrated his victory with preparations of his return to the kingdom. So they washed the streets, decorated their homes with flowers and put up individual flags – made of long sticks –cloth and upturned vessel to express their happiness. It is a tradition that has continued over the years.

Today also marks the start of a new year in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka popularly known as Ugadi Pachchadi –a dish involving five ingredients-jaggery, tamarind, mangoe, neem and water. The philosophy being that we absorb the sweet and the bitter experiences of life in the right spirit and move on.

Starting from today begins Chaitra Navratri dedicated to the worship of Lord Ram - I will celebrate the coming eight days sharing excerpts of Ramcharitra Katha as narrated by Morari Bapu at Kailas Manas 700.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 82

Now a Drama School
10.4.2013, Mumbai

Actors are a hungry breed and no matter how good, there comes a time when the best needs guidance, says Jehan Sam Manekshaw and Tasneem Fatehi founders of Theatre Professionals who launched a theatre training, education, and professional capacity-holding workshops way back in 2008. It was attending a workshop that Kalki Koechlin nursed a dream before she became a diva in Dev D. Here that director Rakesh O Mehra recommended his actor Kunal Kapoor to visit before the shoot of Rang De Basanti.

Come July 1 and the duo is all set to back more hungry actors with the launch of India’s answer to world class drama school which brings faculty members trained from across the world, together with masters from the deepest traditions of Indian theatre - The Drama School in Mumbai. The goal is to formally train acting hopefuls and effectively equip them towards a professional career in theatre and the creative industries.

India has an inseparable relationship with the stage and the screen, but for the number of film acting schools we have in Mumbai and outside, there have been very few professional theatre schools. Now Drama School Mumbai will give performers an opportunity to groom in an environment hitherto unheard of in theatre training in this city.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 81

More Secrets
9.04.2013, Mumbai

The element of time delay allows you to reflect what you want and to make a new choice therefore decide what you want to be…Do it and think thoughts about it, emit frequency and your vision will become your life..! Nothing can come into your life unless you summon it through persistent thoughts. Our feelings tell us what we are thinking but our thoughts are the cause of everything…

…Believe in the unseen, in the moment you are, in the universe that shifts to bring you closer to your scene. You must act, speak and think as though you are re-living it now. All experiences including our feelings. You can have whatever you want in your life but there is one catch you have to feel good..!

…There are no exclusions to the law of attraction. If something came to you, it is because you drew it with prolonged thoughts. Law of attraction is precise therefore it is important to know what you are thinking about yourself how you are feeling. If you are feeling calm – it means something extra ordinary is on your way. Emotions are valuable tools that tell us what we are thinking. The feeling of love is the highest frequency you can emit. The greater the love you feel and emit, the greater the plants you are harnessing...

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 80

A Secret to share
8.04.2013, Mumbai

Sharing excerpts from Rhonda Byrane’s self help book Secret that touched my heart so that you can share the same with someone meaningful in your life…

…The simplest way to look at law of attraction is to think of yourself as a magnet and attract all you desire. If you set it in your mind you are going to hold it in your heart. You are the most powerful transmission tower in the universe. The frequency you transmit, reaches beyond cities, countries. It reverberates and transmits that frequency with your thoughts. The pictures you receive from the transmission of your thoughts are the pictures of your life. If you want to change anything in your life, change your thoughts....

…See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it. It works every time, with every person. Listen to your thoughts and listen to the words you are carrying. The law is absolute and there are no mistakes. So think and speak what you want. The law of attraction gives you whatever you are thinking about. All you need to do is to focus on them with all your intention. You create your life through your thoughts. Make your last thought before going to bed, good thought….

…When you focus, you are summoning what you want with the mightiest power in the universe. Your life transforms when you focus on what you want rather than what you don’t. There is no such thing as hopeless situation. Every single circumstances of your life can change. You draw everything to yourself - people, job, circumstances health, wealth, joy, home, even a car…Whatever you think about you bring about...!

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaay - Day: 79

Reinventing Remakes

5.4.13, Mumbai

Saal 1981 mein - writer director Sai Parnjpye ne - teen doston ki bohat hi hasmukh film banayi thi - jsne ek tarha se Hindi cinema ka rukh badal diya tha – Chashme Baddoor.

Aaj kariban 30 saal ke baad – ek aur mashoor director – David Dhawan – issi film ka remake laaye hain – ek bilkul hi naye andaz mein.


Nayi Chashme Baddoor dekhne ki 5 vajah hai:

Pehli – Purani Chashme Baddoor story/ screenplay ko credit dete hue – nayi film uska remake nahi intelligent adaptation hain.

Doosri – Dialogue writers Sajid-Farhad - original writer - Sai Paranjpye ki naqal na karte hue – unki soch ko apnakar – chatpatta banate hai. Iss swadisht recipee mein - music ka tadka lagate hain Sajid Wajid.

Teesri – Performances - Faroque Shaikh ke role mein Ali Zafar –Rakesh Bedi ki bhumika mein Divyendu Sharma – Ravi Baswani ke role mein Siddharth - Deepti Naval ke role meiin nayi ladki -Tapsee Pannu aur mature romance ke liye Rishi Kapoor aur Lilet Dubey masti se bharpoor hai!!

Chauthi – Remake hote hue bhi film mein surprises hain – kuch characters aur kuch yaadgar pal mein adla badli hain. Kabhi na bhulne wala ‘Chamko’ scene - lead pair ke bajai -Rishi – Lilet par darshaya hain.

Paanchvi – Aakhri aur sabse aham baat – director David Dhawan purani film ko naya twist dete hai. Film uss daur mein na jaa kar - wo masumiyat ko purane music mein piron kar mahaul banati hain.

Aisa nahi hai ki film mein koi khamiyaan nahi hai – magar film ki spirit – aur entertainment – unn saari khamiyon ko bhula deta hai…

David Dhawan ko wapas box office par lane ke liye - Chashme Badoor ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3.5 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 78

Morari Bapu’s Manas 700
01.04.2013, Mumbai

A few years ago Morari Bapu held Ram Katha at Kailas in the peak of winter. Titled Manas 700 his sermons have been produced in a booklet compiled by his devotee Nitin Vadgama. I read it and have reproduced excerpts of Bapu’s teachings from my understanding.

Bapu began his katha with a confession, he said, ‘Ram is my truth, Krishna, my love and Shiv my compassion and all they want from me or you is love. It was those who were incapable of love that commenced the started the ritual of puja. Truth cannot be won or defeated, nor can love or compassion. Kailas where we are assembled now has four qualities and Sadgaru values all these four things. Ucchai / Height symbolises high thinking. Stheerta / Stability because Kailas is undeterred by threat and Sheetalta / Tranquility because here you communicate amidst nature and Ekant /Solitude because eventually all of us are alone...

Bapu says prayer is uninterrupted remembrance of God and if you are able to do this painlessly it will cure you of all your sufferings. There are simple ways to live a good life and remain happy but we forget them. Shudh Bhasha / Good Speech is one, then Shubh Bhav / Good Feelings and finally Shubh Darshan/ Good Vision. There is a reason for my naming this this katha as Manas 700. Ram Katha comprises 7 Sopans – Bal Kand, AyodhyaKand, Aranya Kand, Kiskindha Kand, Sundar Kand, Lanka Kand and Uttar Kand.

He emphasized on the importance of chanting Hanuman Chalisa – said doing so religiously makes you Buddhiman / Intelligent driving you gradually to Asangta and Vairagya / Reflection and Detachment which is the ultimate freedom from sorrow!

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 77

Copyright rules notified
31.3.2013, Mumbai

According to an article on intellectual property published a few days ago in The Ecomomist ‘The conventional way to protect intellectual property is to patent it. This gives an inventor legal protection for his idea: if others want to use it, they must pay him.’ According to the paper digital thieves hail from all countries, but one stands out. In the 16 years since America’s Economic Espionage Act (EEA) made the theft of commercial secrets a federal crime, a third of all EEA prosecutions have involved people born in china or seeking to help its government or businesses. Since 2008, 44% of cases have had a Chinese connection.

Most trade-secret thefts like most tax raids involve insiders. These are typically employees or contractors who are given access to sensitive information, which they snaffle via flash drive/ mobile phone/ email. Respondents to the McAfee survey rated insider threats above those posed by software vulnerabilities or cyber-terrorism. We are privileged that our generation is a witness to dramatic changes in intellectual property globally.

The government of India has enhanced the registration/ license fee for copyrights issued by the Registrar of Copyrights. This follows an amendment in the Copyrights Act, 1957. Under the new Copyright Rules, 2013, the minimum fee for registration has been increased from Rs 50 per work to Rs 500 and maximum fee from Rs 600 to Rs 5,000. The Minimum fee for licenses has been upgraded from Rs 200 to Rs.2, 000 per work and maximum fee from Rs 400 to Rs 40,000. The new fee structure provided under Second Schedule of the Rules is applicable from March 14, 2013.

The Copyright Rules, 2013, have been notified by the Copyright Division, Department of Higher
Education and Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Bhawana Somaaya / www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 76

Publishing is changing
30.3.2013, Mumbai

The Washington Post is all set to charge frequent users of its Web site. The paper will for a fee from those who look at more than 20 articles features a month, although the fee amount is not yet decided. The paper wants their readers to pay as their digital package is as precious as the print edition. The new decision could drive away a lot of advertisers and audience but the paper is willing to take the risk.

It is not just the publishers of newspapers but also books that are all set to write a new chapter in book business. All it needs is the right title and the right idea to market it. Westland has already made inroads into its departmental store Westside, having set up racks for its latest Shiva Trilogy. They have also launched five Café Coffee Day (CCD) outlets in Chennai to sell its top titles. Their goal is to reach out to salons like Lakme and outlets like Star Bazaar with a side promotion for e-books with Croma which distributes products such as Kindle. As part of Tata Group, retail formats such as Tanishq and Titan will be new destinations for Westland’s future titles.

Unlike many publishers Westland is all for experimenting and not threatened by technology.

The argument being that majority of the sales abroad happen online, so why not in India?.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 75

You have to be a Himmatwala to watch this one!
29.3.2013, Mumbai

Iss hafte ki release hain – Himmatwala.

1983 ki Himmatwala - Kader Khan likhi aur South filmmaker Raghvender Rao directed Jeetendra -Sridevi starrer - 80 ke dashak ke mahaul aur mijjaaz ki superhit film thi.

2013 ki Himmatwala Vashu Bhagnani produced aur Sajid Khan directed Ajay Devgan – Tamanaah starrer purani Himmatwala ka adaptation hain.

Kahani – kirdaar – soch – neeyat – music – action – yahan tak ke choreography bhi purani Himmatwala se prerit hain – iske bawajood baat nahi banti.

Iski bohat saari wajeh hain …

Tab bhi aisi vahyaad likhawat - double meaning gestures aur dialogues na-gavara thhe...

Naye avtaar mein -aisi zabaan aur ashleel vichar - bardash ke bahar hain!

Tab bhi inappropriate costumes – provocative dance steps aur invasive camera angles embarrassing thhe...

Naye avtar mein – unhi sab baton ko - Remake ke bahane dohrana - vulgarity ki saari hadh paar karna hain!

Film mein na emotion hain – na drama – nahi imagination – ya originality - aur entertainment ko toh aap dhoondhte reh jaoge...

Iss se zyada film ke baare mein kuch kehna film ko wajood dena hoga.

Vashu Bhagnani aur Sajid Khan ne ye film kyon banayi wo woh jaane.

Afsos iss baat ka hain ki Ajay Devgn jaias kabil actor - shayad 100 crore club ka hissa banne ki chah mein - aisi film ka hissa ban gaye.

Himmatwala -wo nahi jo sher yaane Tiger se ladta hain…

Himmatwala wo hain jo 3 ghante aisi film ko jhelta hain….

1983 ki Himmatwala ko tab film critics ne tab kitne stars diye thhe ab yaad nahi…

2013 ki Himmatwala ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 1 star.

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com