DAY 772 - Prithvi Theatre: Memorial Concert

Late Jennifer Kendall was a big fan of music specially Zakir Hussain and whenever he performed in the city, Shashi Kapoor would make sure to wrap up his shooting on time to be able to take his wife for the concert.

When Shashi Kapoor launched Prithvi Theatre in Juhu, Zakir Hussain made a promise to Jennifer that he will try and perform as often as he can at thir theatre. Zakir maintained the tradition by performing on Jennifer’s birthday every year.

Yesterday the theatre was lit up like a wedding attended by the regulars and other distinguished guests.

Zakir was in ful form and the audience thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The best part about the concert is getting to fnd Shashi Kapoor in the same spot, as always smiling.

@bhawana somaaya

DAY 771 - Aligarh is dignified

Apurva Asrani likhi, Hansal Mehta directed Aligarh kahani hai university ke Marathi Professor Sirras ki. Sirras, apne pariwar se door, campus ke staff hostel mein rehte hain aur Marathi sahitya ke alava, Lata Mangeshkar ke gaano mein ruchi rakhte hain.

Ek raat, Sirras ke kamre mein ek haadsa hota hai, jiske baad Sirras ki zindagi hamesha ke liye badal jaati hain…

Aligarh ko hum shehar ki kaahnai keh sakte hain aur naitikta ki kahani keh sakte hain. 

Ye shayad pehli eklauti sachi ghatna hai, jo ek saath bohat saare muddein uthati hai – vyavsayik muddein, samajik muddein, legal issues, moral issues aur sab se aham, vyaktigat muddein – yaane right to privacy!

Film ka plus:  film ka courageous subject, director Hansal Mehta ka sensitive treatment aur saare performances -Public prosecutor, Siras ke vakil Ashish Vidyarthi aur channel reporter, Rajkumar Rao.  Film ka minus: film slow hai, serious hai aur uncomfortable bhi!! Phir bhi, Aligarh dekhni chahiye, director Hansal Mehta ke thehrav aur hero Mano Bajpayee ke outstanding performance ke liye. Bajpayee Sirras ki karuna aur akelepan ko iss tarha se apna lete hain, ki jab hum theatre se bahar nikalte hain, toh Professor Sirras ko apne saath lekar aate hai. Aligarh ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3.5 stars.

DAY 770 - The Magnetic Maharashtra

As part of the makeIn India initiative inaugrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the installation of Maharashtrian textile industry curated by Shaina NC in association with Indrayani Handlooms the flagship store of Maharashtra State Handlooms Corporation Limited, Nagpur features some of our traditional Maharashtrian wear like the Paithani, Chanderi and Tussar silks by leading designers like Shruti Sancheti,Ambika Jain,Krishna Mehta and Divya Kapur (Dabiri), Raghuvendra Rathore, Archana Kochhar, Swapnil Shinde.

Some exclusive fabric made from tussar yarn, skillfully interlaced on handllom by the local weavers of Maharashtra, so rare because it takes more than eight days to produce one saree on handloom.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 769 - Howard Hodgkin

For four days 20-24 February the Curator’s Gallery CSMVS, shows new work by Howard Hodgkin, in the exhibition Made in Mumbai, 2016.

The film Howard Hodgkin in India, produced by the British Council brings the celebration to an end of the festival.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 768 - Art and the Artist

Renowned artist Sakti Burman is in the city for a solo exhibition of his works and draws his inspiration from several sources, ranging from the Ajanta caves to the paintings of the Italian Renaissance

Burman will be in conversation with cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote on 22 February and the evening promises us insights into an artist who has embraced two cultures and created from them, his own unique world of fable, fantasy and myth.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 767 - Documenting an era

For those interested in the fascinating history of Indian cinema, here is a unique coffee-table book on the subject. This book was published to mark the 150th anniversary of the Times of India and the content in the book is culled from the vast archives of the newspaper during the 150 year period of 1838 to 1988. As such, this book is a major historical survey of the Indian film movement and industry right from the very early days of the silent era.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 766 - Valentine Collection & film

This Valentine’s Miss India and Actor Cum Singer Gwen Athaide released designer Asif Merchant collection. Gwen posed with model Nayan Chowdhary and SIddarth Raj.

Gwen Said, “A Great experience to be all dressed in a Valentines special edition of reds and white. May the season of love capture our hearts to those near and dear”

Mukta Arts celebrated this Valentine’s Day releasing a new short movie Queen of Hearts featuing seasoned actors Darshan Jariwalla and Smita Jayakar. 

The film establishes that Valentine’s Day is to be celebrated with entire family and not in isolation with your partners. Smita Jaykar who plays the ‘Queen of Hearts’ revealed that the new medium is trying to redefine the Valentine’s Day as a family day”

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 765 - Fitoor is outstanding

Abhishek Kapoor directed Fitoor Charles Dickens ki mashhoor kitab Great Expectations par adharit hai.Film Kashmir se shuru hokar, Dilli-London ghumte hue, wapas Kashmir khatam hoti hai aur iss dauran hum milte hai film ke kirdaaron se…Begum, yaane Tabu, jinhe apni beti Firdaus se dher saari umeedin hai…Firdaus, yaane Katrina Kaif, jisse bachpan ke dost Noor se kuch na izhar karte hue bhi apekshaein haiAur Noor, yaane Aditya Roy Kapoor, jo sab ki umeedon par khara utarna chahta hai…

Film ka plus: Film chitra se zyaada khoobsurat aur kavita se zyaada dilchasp hai aur iska shrey jaata hai film ki extra-ordinary cinematography, art design aur sangit ko.

Film ka har frame mulayam aur har shann manmohak hai, jisme chaar chand lagate hai film ke bahtareen costumes, sensitive writing aur dil chhoone waale gaane.

Film ki casting lajawab hai jisme shamil hai Noor aur Firdaus ka bachpan nibhate kalakar aur cameo mein Lara Dutta...

Saare performances sur mein hai…Aditya Roy Kapoor ka Noor junooni hai aur Katrina Kaif ki Firdaus rahasmayi…

Aditi Hyadri hatash hai aur Tabu ki Begum humara chalni karti hain...

Film ka minus bas itna hai ki second half lambi aur repetitve hai…

Kuch filmein, hum popcorn khaate hue dekhte hain…

Aur kuch mein, sahi mizaaj ki zaroorat hoti hai...

Fitoor barfeeli vaadiyaan, sukhe ped aur jhadte patton mein tootte dilon ki dastaan hai.

 Fitoor ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3.5 stars.

@bhyawanasomaaya

DAY 764 - Surprises from Sonakshi & Nishikant

There is no scarcity of surprises in show business. This week two celebrities, an actor and a filmmaker surprised us on a personal and professional level.

First the personal, Sonakshi Sinha is never short of adventure in her life. Recently on a holiday to Australia Sonakshi went scuba diving with a special under water camera. When out of water Sonakshi could not stop talking about a turtle she spotted inside and wanted to carry home but was disuaded by all. 

The second and professional surprise comes from filmmaker Nishikant Kamat who will face camera for his next directorial Rocky Handsome. This is the film John Abraham plays negative and Nishikant a Goan gang lord. The role was to be played by another actor but due to a last minute change everyone felt that since the director is familiar with the script and character will do justice to the role.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 763 - Ghayal Once Again is bumper too

 Sunny Deol was nervous when he turned producer with Ghayal in 1990 and twenty five years later, he is nervous about turning director with Ghayal Once Again starring but he can now heave a sigh of relief as the audience has given him a clean chit for his directorial debut.

I was at the theatre to catch first day first show and was unprepared for a housefull. Not only werte the audience clapping but remembered the old doialogues by heart. 

Currently there are celebrations at Deol household as the film opens to a whooping 7.20 CR net on Friday and they are still counting.

Box Office Collection -  Fri collections Rs 7.20 CR. Sat 7 7.65 CR. Sun 9.05 CR Total 23.92 CR approx. Film Budget Rs 40 CR approximately

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 762 - It is all about Love

Sometimes one swallow does not make summer and one has to wait for the second chance.  Music Tycoon, Kumar Taurani’s son Girish Kumar made his debut in Prabhu Deva directed Ramaiyya Vastavaiyya. The film had outstanding music and action but was rejected at the box-office.  While other star sons would have been demoralised, Girish Kumar says he will continue to try till succss smiles at him because he has seen his father and uncle rise and fall and rise again and he will follow in to their footsteps.

Girish Kumar’s leading lady of Love Shudda is Femina Miss India 2013 Navneet Kaur Dhillon and like Anushka Sharma comes from an army background.  I chatted with both at my studio and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there is more to our newcomers than just arclights, costumes and parties. They are grounded, sensible kids who have a world view and are unafraid of sharing their opinions.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 761 - Gujarati cinema comes of age

 LJ Institute of Media & Communications (LJIMC), a Media Institute at LJ Campus, Ahmedabad organised a one day symposium on Gujarati Cinema: Gujarati Film Industry - The Way Forward and it was attended by the cream of academics and enthusiastic students.

Various stakeholders of Gujarati cinema participated in the event and debated on the current challenges faced by the Gujarati Film Industry. The most important thing about the symposium was that the lectures will be documented in form of a journal and referred to as an advocacy tool for the upliftment of the industry.

Veteran actor Ragini of Dada Ho Dikri and Kashi No Dikro recounted her experiences of shooting milestone films with utmost candour, easily the best session of the day.

DAY 760 - Sunny Deol scores a director in Ghayal Once Again

Saal 1990 mein filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi ne Sunny Deol ko film Ghayal mein as an action hero launch kiya. Ab kariban 25 saal baad, Sunny Deol Ghayal ka sequel, Ghayal Once Again laye hain chaar naye kalakaron ke saath. Pichhli baar Sunny Deol boxer thhe, iss baar woh patrakaar hain aur unke akhhbaar Satyakam ke zariye, jhooth ka parda faash karte hain...

Yaane iss baar, woh system ko bahar se nahi, system ke andar se ladte hai.

Film ka minus: film ka second half lamba hai aur action zyaada.Film ka plus: Film ki writing contemporary hai, issues relevant hai aur sabse badi baat, film ki pace engaging hai. Gahayal ka sequel banana ek badi zimmedaari hai aur Sunny Deol apni ore se puri koshish karte hain. Ghayal Once Again ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 2.5 stars.  

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 759 - Sanam Teri Kasam launches a dream pair

Eros produced aur Radhika Rao Vinay Sapru directed Sanam Teri Kasam kahani hai ek hi building mein rehte do kirdaar, Inder yaane Harshvardhan Rane aur Sarru yaane Mawra Hocane ki.

Sarru Shastri naukri karti hai aur apne pariwar ke saath rehti hai, Inder akela rehta hai aur kya kaam karta hai ya nahi karta hai building mein koi nahi jaanta…

Ek raat, do ajnabee, Sarru aur Inder k e bech paristhiiyan kuch aisi ban jaati hain, jiske baad, Sarru ko apna ghar chodna padta hai.

Isse hum love story keh sakta hai, family drama keh sakte hai, ya phir samaj par tipnni bhi sakte hai…

Film ka minus:  film ek hi kahani mein bohat saare mudein milati hain, iske alava film lambi hai, kuch purane khayalat ki hai aur kuch exaggerated bhi hai.

Film ka plus: film ka music, energetic song picturisation aur film ki shandaar nayi jodi - Mawra Hocane aur Harshvardhan Rane.

Sanam Teri Kasam ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 2.5 stars.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 758 - Sanam Teri Kasam

The lead pair  soon to be released of Sanam Teri Kasam, Harshvardan Rane and Mawra Hocane came to 92.7BigFM Studio and we had an engaging interview  where  Mawra, 24, and a renowned actor in Pakistan discussed her journey from neighbour country to show business. Apparently the director was on the look ourt for an actor who could cry and look beautiful and a common friend spoke to Mawra’s mother and Mawra was called for audition.

Hero Harshvardan ha s an interesting story about how he eloped from home at the age of 17 did odd jobs did until he landed a role in television and the rest is history.

While Harshvardhan taught Mawra to eat and relish Indian vegeterian food like dossa and idli, Mawra enlightened him on Urdu.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 757 - Symposium in Ahmedabad

Lit fests, book fairs and now symposiums, a One Day Symposium on Gujarati Film Industry - The Way Forward, is to be held on Feb 6 at LJ Campus and they have lined up an impressive list of eminent speaker/panellist for number of sessions lined up for the whole day. What’s interesting is not just the list of speakers but the choice of subjects to be discussed which includes debates on Gujarati cinema- challenges faced and crisis overcome and discussions on content, finance, distribution and media.

Looking forwward to be a part of the festival and listening to experts.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 756 - The Drama School

 In July 2013, Theatre Professionals founded The Drama School, Mumbai. Currently, The Drama School, Mumbai offers a One Year Certificate Course in Acting and Theatre Making, numerous monthly workshops, and the India Theatre Programme residency at Adishakti. The one year course will now grow into an 18 month programme on Acting, Theatremaking and Entrepreneurship. The admissions to this course will open in March this year.

The annual production is a highlight of the One year Certificate Course at The Drama School, Mumbai. It brings together all our students into one stage performance that is, in essence, an amalgam of their skills, learning and growth under the tutelage of the The Drama School, Mumbai. In the past the group has staged and toured The Curious Climb of Cutter Chee: A gangster spectacle (based on Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) Tartuffe: A two faced Comedy (Hindi adaptation of Moliere’s play) and The Dragon (Hindi adaptation of Evgeny Shvartz’s play)

This year, the third batch of The Drama School, Mumbai students will bring onstage Shakespeare’s immortal story of love, betrayal, dreams and death that has inspired everyone: Romeo & Juliet.

@bhawanasomaaya

DAY 755 - Surat Book Fair

Surat Mahanagar Palika hosts 15^th Swami Vivekanand National Book Fair. For five days top writers and poets associated with the Gujarati literature will assemble under one roof and share their ideas.

Judging by the list of prominent speakers confirmed for five days it promises to be a festival worth remembering.

I guess we were wrong when we thought that Surat was only popular only for diamonds and diamond dealers.

@bhawanasomaaya