Creating History
Aamir Khan steers away from mushy romance in lush locations in his first production, Lagaan. The formula-busting period film on colonial arrogance, backed by good acting, promises to give Indian cinema a classy makeover.

Governance On
The Hold
Absent ministers, coalition politics and an unwell prime minister paralyse all decision making at the Centre. With business sentiments diving and industrial growth rate receding, the alarm bells have begun to ring.

Super Clinic Inc.
Patients will be treated as customers with some companies hoping to revolutionise the Rs 60,000-crore private healthcare market. They are setting up a chain of neighbourhood health clinics that will provide quality medical care.

Fostering Ill-will
The arrest of Jayalalitha's foster son may be linked
to the sour relationship.

Crescent Classroom
An organisation has given madarsa education in the state a communal slant.

FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF

I'm not much of a Hindi movie buff. I see the odd Hindi film which gets talked about. Last week, I saw Lagaan at a preview. For 3 hours 42 minutes I sat enthralled by this quirky period tale of colonial arrogance getting its comeuppance from a bunch of poor Indians villagers in, believe it or not, a game of cricket. That I enjoyed the film is not why it's on this week's cover. It's there because a big-budget film has broken away from the recent trend of designer clad stars in mushy love stories in exotic foreign locations and has the makings of a hit.

Aamir Khan is not your typical Bollywood star. This fiercely private but amiable perfectionist concentrates on one film at a time and bets his career on it. Lagaan has a similar distinctive flourish to it. It's set in rural India, has authentic British actors and its music and technical quality are already talking points. Through savvy marketing, it has created a buzz in India and abroad.

We have profiled Aamir the actor earlier. Now we look at Aamir the producer and Aamir the gambler, who has to ride the roller coaster of celluloid economics, not just be its big ticket expense. "Everybody in Bollywood is in grudging awe of Aamir," says Senior Editor V. Shankar Aiyar who wrote the main story. "Apart from talent, he is constantly pushing the envelope." To get a unique sidelight, Special Correspondent Sheela Raval and Staff Photographer Fawzan Husain also travelled to Kutch where Aamir screened the film for the locals.

Lagaan apart, there was another reassuring development in real rural India. In the May 21 issue, Raval broke a tragic story of how some 500 infants died of malnourishment despite a surfeit of foodstock in Maharashtra's Nandurbar district ("Consumed by Hunger"). Union Food Minister Shanta Kumar read it and started an inquiry. The official report said there was "corruption, inefficient administration and non-existence of the PDS". Kumar has directed the state Government to take remedial action. A small step but it reaffirms our faith in what we do: make a difference.

(Aroon Purie)

MetroScape

Pak Unplugged
Fresh-faced youngsters were cheering through qawwalis, pop songs and poetry reading at India Habitat Centre, Delhi. The occasion? A week-long workshop, "Rehumanizing the Other", was all about promoting neighbourly feelings in a period of bad press.
more...

Looking Glass

Mumbai Exhibition:
"Potters in Peril"

Chennai Coffee Bar: Barista

Bangalore Resort: Angsana Oasis Spa and Resort

The Delhi Government's campaign to clean up the Yamuna was impressive but needs to backed up by measures that can weed out the root causes of the pollution. INDIA TODAY's Special Correspondent Sayantan Chakravarty reports in Long Drive