On Shah Rukh Khan's sixtieth birthday today there are volumes written literally everywhere on his stardom! Main point of his success as a star is his charm and the vulnerability that he portrays on screen. I was never a fan of Shah Rukh, but after watching his off screen presence and interviews, he does come … Continue reading Tribute to Shah Rukh on his Sixtieth Birthday
Category: Art: Thru the eyes of a Novice
Darpana Academy Celebrates 75 Years with ‘Meanwhile Elsewhere’
‘Meanwhile Elsewhere,’ presented by Mallika Sarabhai's Darpana, is an adaptation of Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. Marco is played by Mallika and three others in different scenes. Marco tells the tale of near dysfunctional cities and the alienation of the people in fictional cities.
Woman Ghatam Player: Sumana Chandrashekar
Ghatam, an earthen pot, is an Indian percussion instrument used mainly in Carnatic music. At the third edition of the History Literature Festival at Bangalore we were mesmerized by Sumana Chandrashekar playing the Ghatam. She is one among the few women Ghatam players in India.
Railways: In Cinema and Building Architecture
The History Literature Festival, 2024 was held in Pune, India during February 9-11. The format of this festival is to bring to the public books and discourses on the history of common everyday life. Among various themes discussed, such as the history of cinema and music, there was a fascinating session on the Railways in … Continue reading Railways: In Cinema and Building Architecture
Jawan: Solutions for the common man
A short review of the blockbuster Hindi movie ‘Jawan’ with the evergreen heart throb Shah Rukh Khan. Review is short as that is as much as I can say about this film! Is there a method in the madness?
Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022-23: Economist’s Delight
Art is not exactly my forte, but we enjoyed the Kochi Muziris Biennale of 2014-15 and 2016-17. We missed the 4th edition held in 2018. Then the pandemic hit and the Biennale was not held for a few years. So when we found that the 5th edition of Biennale 2022-23 was coinciding with our visit … Continue reading Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022-23: Economist’s Delight
Harry Potter and Rowling’s Amazing Futuristic Ideas
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is an amazing seven part fantasy fiction. It has not been classified as science-fiction as yet. In this post I highlight the many futuristic Sci-fi ideas embedded in the seven series novels. Please comment and let me know of more such ideas for the future that Rowling may have embedded in the novels and we may have missed.
All That Jazz!
An exciting evening of live jazz music, at The Crypt, St. Giles Church, London. The band was led by Tristan Mailliot on the drums. Mark (guitar) and Tom Ridout on saxes.. Matt Carter on the keyboard.
Super 30: A story of discrimination and search for excellence
I watched the Hindi film Super 30 again. It is based on a true story of a mathematics teacher who runs an educational program for poor children. The film scrutinizes the ambition of parents and children in India to enter the top engineering schools known as the Indian Institute of Technology and the ethics of coaching centers.
Creativity in the Art of Sewing, Crafting and Recycling
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but creativity is what you do with passion!! So I discovered and enjoyed writing this post about the art of sewing and crafting through recycling old dress material. An art that I have enjoyed doing since ever so long ago. Contemporary Accessory: The Mask: We now live … Continue reading Creativity in the Art of Sewing, Crafting and Recycling
Museums @Pittsburgh: Andy Warhol and The Mattress Factory
Visit to two unique museums at Pittsburgh, the Andy Warhol Museum and the Mattress Factory. Life and works of artists are pretty incomprehensible for those who worry about material things, the economy and society. But we learnt a lot about life, art, culture and even the environmental crisis from these art works.
Unni-Verse 