Entertainment
'Plays were part of the air we breathed': Amal Allana remembers Ebrahim Alkazi
New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) As his daughter, he treated her with the utmost care and was loving and protective. As a student, he was a hard, even harsh, taskmaster and pushed her to give her very best. But when she designed costumes for some of his productions, he treated her as a professional and gave her complete freedom to express her creative ideas.
Former Chairperson of the National School of Drama (NSD) Amal Allana, who recently wrote ‘Ebrahim Alkazi: Holding Time Captive’ (Penguin), told IANS that in all these associations, her relationship with the father of modern Indian theatre altered, thus giving her an insight into different aspects of his character, personality, and sense of aesthetics.
Alkazi was not just the founding director of NSD but also someone who lent new metaphors to Indian theatre and metamorphosed it through his unique vision, as through his production of Girish Karnad’s ‘Tughlaq’ at Delhi’s Purana Qila in 1972, which is considered to be one of the finest theatre productions till date, and trained a generation of theatre persons who have been instrumental in breaking new grounds in every sense of the word.
Allana said that in writing this biography, she has had the opportunity to study her father’s life and work in greater detail, albeit more dispassionately.
“Also, yet another aspect of my research included studying his artworks, leading me to curate several projects on him,” she said. “Working on these projects has helped me clarify and gain a fuller, overall perspective of what he aspired for and set out to achieve throughout his life.”
One wonders if the daughter was under any ‘pressure’, considering she was writing about such a towering personality. She confessed that unconsciously she may have felt the pressure, though her father allowed her the greatest freedom to find herself as a theatre artiste.
“Once I left NSD, he never offered any criticism of my work but was supportive of it from a distance. It was my mother, on the other hand, who took a great deal of interest in where I was heading creatively and would ask me about my work. I think my father’s attitude of a certain distance helped me to grow and develop independently,” Allana said.
Not much is known about Alkazi’s Arab lineage, but the daughter constructs it in the book by interviewing her father’s immediate siblings, the father himself, and discovering some recent material from a few academics on the Arab merchant families who had settled in India, mainly in Bombay.
“Several of my first cousins were born in Bombay and left for other countries by the late 1950s and early 1960s, staying back for a full decade after Hamed and Mariam Alkazi, my paternal grandparents, along with some of their children, had left Bombay post-Partition,” Allana recalled.
“My cousins and I went to the same school in Bombay — Cathedral. I grew up with them and around them and experienced how the Arabs lived in India, which was very unlike the way my parents lived. We lived as western-educated Bombayites and artists!” she added with a smile.
Remembering that theatre was not just a profession for Alkazi but an indispensable part of his being, Allana said: “Even at home, practical aspects of mounting productions, as well as the deeper meaning of plays and rehearsals were part and parcel of the air we breathed. As you know, our home at Vithal Court also doubled up as my father’s workspace.”
Many of his students describe Alkazi as a strict disciplinarian, but Allana remembers him as someone very kind, loving, and generous as a father. “Art was incorporated into our daily lives in a simple, organic way, becoming an enjoyable activity in which we all participated,” she recalled.
Stressing that he had a positive attitude to life and was always very optimistic, who believed that great things could be achieved in simple ways, Allana pointed out that for Alkazi it was all about hard work, focus and discipline. She also says that he had a great sense of humour and was brilliant at communicating deep, complex thoughts in an effective simple way.
Someone who has devoted her life to theatre, she feels that not only does the country need more theatre schools, but also professional theatre companies in all the languages, so that trained students can be employed.
“Well, we all know, most NSD graduates tend to gravitate to Mumbai and get absorbed in the film industry,” Allana said. “Others return to their home states and struggle to do theatre in mostly abject conditions. Surely, nearly 80 years after Independence we should have understood that the performing arts need to be subsidised in major ways.”
Stressing the importance of introducing art appreciation courses in schools, Allana said that art widens our horizons and helps us build a sensitivity towards other cultures.
Allana was quick to add, though: “Remember, appreciation is not enough … art needs to be practised. Subjects like dance, music and painting are not given the attention they deserve in any school curriculum. They are treated as peripheral subjects. We should understand that talent and skill for the arts come naturally to us Indians.”
She concluded with a timely reminder: “There are few countries such as India with our rich traditions in painting, architecture, sculpture, dance, and folk performing traditions. A majority of Indians are artistically inclined; it is in our genes. We should have special schools devoted to the arts of India, which will allow children to create and fashion art from a young age so that these traditions do not die out.”
–IANS
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Allu Arjun is poised to dominate the box office with his highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, set to release on December 6, 2024. The excitement surrounding this film is phenomenal, already making headlines with an impressive pre-release collection of RS 1,085 crores! This achievement is particularly notable, given that it reached this milestone well before the movie even debuts in theaters.
Fans are eagerly looking forward to Allu Arjun’s return as Pushparaj, the character that earned him a National Award for Best Actor in the first installment, Pushpa: The Rise. The buzz surrounding Pushpa 2 is unparalleled, and the film is expected to break even more records upon its release. The pre-release collection includes a record-setting deal for theatrical rights, sold for ₹640 crores, making it one of the most lucrative film deals in Indian cinema.
Additionally, Pushpa 2 has secured a significant digital distribution agreement with Netflix, which acquired the rights for ₹275 crores, highlighting the high demand for the film. The overall pre-release earnings have been impressive across various regions, with ₹220 crores collected in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹200 crores in the North, ₹50 crores in Tamil Nadu, ₹30 crores in Karnataka, ₹20 crores in Kerala, and ₹40 crores from overseas markets. The music rights were sold for ₹65 crores, while the satellite rights fetched ₹85 crores, contributing a total of ₹425 crores from non-theatrical rights.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2: The Rule features a talented cast, including Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil alongside Allu Arjun. The film’s music will be released by T Series, further adding to the anticipation.
With Allu Arjun’s National Award win and the remarkable pre-release collections, it’s clear that Pushpa 2 is set to be a blockbuster. As the release date approaches, fans are excited to see how this film will perform at the box office. If the pre-release collections are any indication, Pushpa 2 is bound to shatter records and become a massive success!
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Anu Aggarwal, who rose to fame with “Aashiqui”, and “King Uncle”, recalled the time when filmmakers would come to her with money for signing a film and would not have a script ready.
In a conversation with Lehren shared on Instagram, the actress could be seen talking about it.
“I was shocked to see that people who don’t have their scripts are not ready when they would come to sign me up for a film. They would have the money ready and I would say I don’t want to sign with the money. I would like to hear the script.”
“They would say the script will be made so you can sign,” she added.
“This was the way and because I am an actor I would like to see what my role, story is. Everything is important. Nobody would have a script… 98 per cent of people would not have the script,” she said.
Anu Aggarwal gained immense popularity in the 1990s after featuring in the musical romantic drama “Aashiqui” directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
She starred alongside Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori.
The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers.
The soundtrack album has been rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their “100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks”.
It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release.
The film was remade in Kannada as “Roja” in 2002.
A sequel to the film, “Aashiqui 2”, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri, with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released in 2013.
–IANS
dc/khz
Entertainment
Ram Charan's daughter Klin achieves this milestone on grandfather Chiranjeevi's birthday
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) On the 69th birthday of actor and politician Chiranjeevi, his son Ram Charan has shared a peek into their family vacation to Paris, France, which is also the first trip of his daughter Klin Kaara with her grandparents.
Ram took to his Instagram account, where he has 23.9 million followers, and shared a family picture from Paris.
The snap shows his parents– father Chiranjeevi, mother Surekha, his wife Upasana Kamineni, and their furry friend–pet dog. We can see Chiranjeevi holding his granddaughter Klin adorably in his arms.
Ram looked dapper in a black shirt, matching trousers and an olive green jacket.
They are posing against the backdrop of Eiffel Tower.
The post is captioned as: “Klin Kaara’s first trip with her grandparents!!! Memorable”.
In another post, Ram dropped a photograph with his father, wearing matching South Indian ethnic outfits.
He wrote in caption: “Happpiest birthday, Appa!!”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Chiranjeevi’s birthday, UV Creations and director Vashistaa Mallidi have unveiled the highly anticipated first look poster for ‘Vishwambhara’, a fantasy adventure film.
Sharing the poster on social media, the makers wrote: “When darkness and evil take over the world, a Magnanimous Star shall shine bright to fight, Happy birthday, MEGASTAR @KChiruTweets, Let the world witness your aura with #Vishwambhara, Get ready for a MEGA MASS BEYOND UNIVERSE, In cinemas from January 10th, 2025.”
The movie promises to be a cinematic spectacle, featuring Chiranjeevi in a lead role. The film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashika Ranganath and Kunal Kapoor.
The film will be released on January 10, 2025.
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Telugu action drama ‘Bhola Shankar’ directed by Meher Ramesh. It also featured Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.
Meanwhile, Ram Charan last appeared in action drama ‘Acharya’, directed by Koratala Siva. The film starred Chiranjeevi, alongside Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta.
He next has ‘Game Changer’, and ‘RC16’ in the pipeline.
–IANS
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Entertainment
Rani Mukerji: Shivani Shivaji Roy shows how a woman can lead from front in a male-dominated field
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Rani Mukerji has talked about why she loves her character Shivani Shivaji Roy from “Mardaani,” which has completed 10 years in Hindi cinema on Thursday.
She said: “Shivani Shivaji Roy is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field.”
As the film celebrates its 10th anniversary, Rani is grateful for all the love and acclaim that she has received.
She said: “I’m truly proud of my ‘Mardaani’ franchise. It is a franchise that keeps on giving. The love, adulation, and the respect that I have received from Mardaani is truly humbling.”
On Thursday morning, the makers of the film teased fans about the next chapter of the franchise.
Production Yash Raj Films banner took to YouTube, where they dropped a teaser of sorts, which begins from the first installment, which first released in 2014.
The production company captioned it: “10 years of #Mardaani and the next chapter awaits… Celebrating the feisty, daredevil cop #ShivaniShivajiRoy and the spirit of #Mardaani today. Thank you for a decade of love and appreciation for our beloved franchise. We are inspired… again… thanks to you. #RaniMukerji #10YearsOfMardaani.”
Rani is too excited to reprise the role and don the cop uniform once again.
She said: “I’m looking forward to bringing back Shivani Shivaji Roy on the big screen soon. It’s been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country.”
“Each (woman cop) one of them relentlessly works hard to keep our families safe and I have always loved to salute these fearless women. Shivani will be back and I hope you will give as much love to her as you have always showered for 10 years now!” added the actress.
–IANS
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Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor brought out her A-game in fashion, where she flaunted “minimal, bold and effortlessly on point” look.
The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures. In the pictures, she is seen wearing a powder pink shirt, paired with a blazer and long skirt. She completed her look with sunglasses.
“Celebrating @perniaq season 2 podcast drop with that sleek @phoebephilo energy—minimal, bold, and effortlessly on point. Shoutout to the squad for keeping the vibe,” she wrote and also mentioned that she is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor.
Recently, Sonam shared several glimpses from her son Vayu’s vintage car themed cake as he turned two on August 20.
Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of the two-tier toddler friendly, refined sugar free chocolate cake. It featured a vintage ice blue car atop of the cake with the number 2 written on it.
The actress had also penned a heart-felt note for her son Vayu.
“My baby turns two today!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, precious Vayu! W Being your mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. You’ve filled our lives with so much joy, laughter, and wonder,” Sonam said.
The actress shared that with her son, everyday is an adventure filled with “your boundless curiosity, your infectious laughter, and your sweet, loving nature.”
“You’ve brought so much light and happiness into our world, making every moment more beautiful and every relationship stronger. You’ve deepened the love between your dadaa and me in ways we never imagined, and you’ve brought pure, unfiltered joy to everyone who loves you-your nani and nana, dadi and baba, kaaa masa, Masi and chachu,” she said.
“Your sweet spirit and playful energy make our family complete, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.”
She tagged Vayu as her sunshine, music, little genius, and their endless “source of happiness”.
“We love you more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will continue to bring into our lives,” Sonam said.
–IANS
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