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METROSCAPE
METRO MINUTES
At the launch of
her second autobiography, Shadows of Words, at Delhi's India Habitat Centre
(transcreated by Jyoti Sabharwal from Rasidi Ticket ), Amrita Pritam yet
again lulled the audience into silence with her verse and voice. The launch
was followed by a discussion on "The Growing Significance of Translated
Works". Why limit works of writers like Pritam to only one language?
That's some words for thought.
Need a diet of slapstick cinema? Sabkoooch
Naqli Khaana Asli, a promo in Delhi's Le Meridian, was a spoof on the
cult baddies as Mogambo, Kalia and supergoon Gabbar Singh become insidious
couriers of Shahi Korma, Raan-e-Mughal and other delicacies. No, they
hadn't poisoned the food for fun.
It wasn't easy being the GRT Grand-days Mrs
Chennai at Kamraj Arangam. The 14 final contestants, survivors from
the 150 initial applicants, included Carnatic singer Sowmya and newsreader
S. Ratna. But Gayathri, a resilient home-maker with a flair for repartee,
ultimately got the crown adjusted on her by former actress Jeychitra.
Organiser Latha Krishna says the show aims to "bring women out of
their post-marital shell". Behind most successful women are usually
other successful women.
Simi Garewal, as an unusually glamorous
hack in frosted white, used her charm to get tongue-tied celebs to loosen
up before the camera. At a fundraiser at Bangalore's Taj West End organised
by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India, the roles got reversed when
biotech entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar Shaw put Garewal in the spotlight.
But Shaw was no Garewal. The interview was a routine run of questions;
the only tense moment came when Shaw asked her about her age. Garewal,
sensibly, kept the magic figure to herself.
 Of
course they can (can). Even though they were not Parisians or a part of
the film. It turned out that the three Moulin Rouge dancers who
were going to perform at Kolkata's London Pub for a month were actually
Ukranian. Taras, Elena and Ina are also going to teach Kolkatans a thing
about doing tango, mambo and even some belly dancing. If they have any
energy left, that is.
Wrong And Write
The corners of
their lips curve upwards only slightly. Their eyes betray nervousness.
Nothing surprising about their demeanour. They-Ranjit, Tarun and Rajkumar-are
after all undertrials at Cell No. 5, Tihar Jail. What their appearance
doesn't give away is their aspiration: freedom for themselves and a virtuous
life for others. But rarely do people ask them about such desires. So
when Katha, an institution involved in education and publishing, organised-as
part of the playwright Vijay Tendulkar literary fest-a creative-writing
contest, they got a chance to pen their feelings. Snippets from Tendulkar's
plays were put up at cells housing women inmates. Some 120 adolescents
and 30-odd women wove a story around them. Wrote Prem Devi, who is serving
a 10-year sentence: "You might think I'm happy/ it's only that I've
got used to smiling even in grief." That's deception.
—Mridula Chettri Singh
Star Struck
A musical invocation
of astrological stars? Navagrahas-Signs of Destiny, Music Today's four-pack
album of chantings and slokas on the nine governing planets, was appropriately
launched by Kanchi Kamakoti Peetaathipathi Sri Jayendra Saraswathi last
week. Three major publications and two experts were consulted for the
final contents of the album which comes with a 140-page booklet of explanations
and mantras. The highlight of the music (which also has elements of western
fusion to "appeal to a wider audience") is the original compositions
of 17th century astronomer and musician saint Muthu Swamy Dikshitar, laudably
preserved by L. Vaidyanathan, who has also directed the music. Sri Jayendra
Saraswathi was impressed. "Nowadays, people don't have time for elaborate
invocations. So listening to this album at home or in the car is a good
idea." Driving home could now be a celestial journey.
—Arun Ram
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