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Thirty minutes before his talk show goes live, the blind host decides that it will be his last show. It’s an intriguing decision considering that the show has been pretty successful and thus begins a series of questions in the minds of the viewers. In the midst of all this, there’s an ongoing interaction between the host and the co-host of the show (both played by Amit Sahu). “The host has been helped by various people to reach this stage. So he remembers all their gestures and unravels their stories, by playing those characters,” explains Sahu. A one-man show, Anubhuti was staged for the first time in 2016. It was the result of Sahu’s quest to push himself as an actor. “I wanted to do something to push myself out of the comfort zone. I have acted in ensemble plays, co-acted and so on. So I thought why not do a solo show and see how it goes,” says Sahu. Sahu, who has also scripted and directed the predominantly Hindi play, put together six stories of various characters. He neede...

With Mahesh Elkunchwar’s name as a writer associated with Pratibimb (Reflection), you know nothing in the play will be at face value. Nothing is what it seems. It is difficult for commoners to get into Elkunchwar’s mindspace, which is precisely the subject of the Marathi play, which was staged earlier in August and will now be performed again on Friday, September 15 at Sudarshan Rangmanch, Shaniwar Peth. While watching the play, it’s evident that the viewer has to peel various layers to get to the core of the story — Who are you? What does ‘self-identity’ mean? Is it so bad if your reflection goes missing or if you have no identity? Thokale (a white-collared office goer) wakes up one morning and finds his reflection missing. Enters Bai, his landlady, who tries to assure him that nothing is lost. In fact, it could be a ‘breaking news’ for the newspaper. This perhaps could have led to a lot of chaos physically. Instead, we are led to the darkness looming large in our dystopian minds...

Have you sat through Kattaikkuttu’s all-night performance held in Chennai villages? The eight-hour long musical theatre combines stories from the epics, especially the Mahabharata. There are several versions of the Mahabharata in southern as well as northern India. But Kattaikkuttu Sangam performances are very much attuned to the local audience and how it relates to everyday life of people, in one particular region. It’s similar to a nautanki or a jatra in Bengal. “It used to be an all male tradition; but now we have both male and female characters. And, that’s quite empowering. People in villages are still surprised to see women on the stage. They appreciate it as long as it’s not their wife, daughter or sister!,” explains Dr Hanne M De Bruin-Rajagopal, Programme Director of Kattaikkuttu Sangam and Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam at Kancheepuram. Dr Bruin-Rajagopal will be getting the young performers of Kattaikkuttu to Pune and interact with students of Delhi Public School (DPS) during...

After three years of collaboration with ‘Junoon — arts at play with schools’, cinematographer Ajay Noronha has stopped being surprised at how bright, open and forthcoming the children are. The Pune edition of the festival will take place between November 4-10 and Noronha is a part of ‘Meet the Artist’ segment. He will be interacting with kids of Delhi Public School on November 9. When asked what he has planned for the interaction, Noronha says, “I am trained as a cinematographer and make my own documentary films. What I share with the kids is the idea of multiple perspectives. As an introduction, I give them a peek into what a cinematographer does. But, eventually, all I want them is to escape the school atmosphere, and ask questions.” Find your story As a cinematographer and photographer, Noronha creates images and emotions. That’s his way of telling stories. And, he wants kids to find their stories, starting with, ‘Where do we get our stories from’. “One way is to get them to...

A chat with Dr Irene Judah who has written a book tracing the history of Bene Israel community in the Konkan region When Nimkar ajji-ajoba passed away, the Judahs felt a personal loss. It so happened that in the ’90s when Dr Irene and her husband Dr Judah, along with their friends, were travelling in Thal village, they met the Nimkar couple. “We were exploring the Konkan countryside for synagogues. In Thal, there was one synagogue. But since it was a public holiday, it was closed. We wanted to use the loo and so requested the Nimkars. At their home, we heard the ajji singing Shabbath songs in Hebrew! We learnt that there were hardly any Jews left and so no one gathered for the prayers any more. Having lived opposite the synagogue for several years now, the Nimkars knew which prayer to sing at what time, in which order,” recalls Irene in chaste Marathi. A few years later when they were in that area, they went over to Nimkars again. But learnt that they were no more. “The shock I ...

Her book Wild Child and Other Stories by Puffin fetched her Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Purasakar for 2017. Her stories are simple, real and cut quite close to our bone. Would you consider reading a story about a child who lost her father to terrorism? You should. It’s not preachy, it doesn’t make you angry. It makes you believe in faith, friendship and love. There’s another story of a girl, who’s shunned by others. Because she is ‘different’, ‘weird’, ‘not like others’. She turns all the negatives into her strengths and comes back to fly high. Excerpts from an email chat: Are stories read or written to escape into a world of fantasy? Or come face to face with the reality that is plaguing us? Why not both? Sometimes you need to or want to escape reality and sometimes you just have to face up to the reality that surrounds you. Mine do a bit of both, I hope. The stories of bomb blast, terrorism are tales of our torn childhood — kids born in late 80s and 90s. Many authors usually tweak...

Author Trisha Bora’s What Kitty Did is a laugh out loud comic caper. She talks about her ditzy, witty heroine, who can bake delicious cakes Kitty, aka Ketaki Roy, is an English Lit grad, working for a lifestyle magazine in Delhi. She is a sugar addict, alcoholic and well, always bungles up her assignments. But like all the underdogs, Kitty emerges a champ. It’s a familiar premise, but makes you laugh, chuckle and giggle, when Kitty is in her elements. What Kitty Did (HarperCollins), written by Trisha Bora, a commissioning editor at Juggernaut Books, is a hilarious take on the coming-of-age story of the 20-something protagonist. And, if you have read Susan Coolidge’s What Katy Did, then Kitty Roy of untamed wild hair, will certainly appeal to you. Here’s what Bora has to say about her heroine: Who is Kitty — a person based on many people you have met or is she your alter ego? She is a caricature of many 20-somethings I’ve had the pleasure to meet and observe, and also a figment ...

Journalist and author Saba Imtiaz is eager to see her book, Karachi, You’re Killing Me, come to life on the big screen through someone else’s vision and interpretation Ayesha Khan is goofy, endearing, worried about piling on calories and looking for that elusive love. This makes her like you and me. But that’s where the similarities begin and end. Ayesha is a 28-year-old journalist and for her, dealing with fundamentalists, bootleggers or a Guantanamo Bay detainee is all a day’s job. And she’s from Karachi. Yes, the city which is touted as “the most dangerous” to live in. Now, Karachi becomes Mumbai. And, Ayesha becomes Noor. Sonakshi Sinha portrays the bespectacled Noor Roy Choudhary. The fiction novel written by Saba Imtiaz is being adapted for Bollywood. And, unlike Ayesha (Noor) who might have got all frazzled with the attention, Imtiaz is all calm. Excerpts from an email conversation: Was it easier to write Karachi, You’re Killing Me, because you are also a journalist and...

In 2005, Atul Dodiya inaugurated Maharashtra Cultural Centre’s (MCC) Sudarshan Art Gallery. And, 12 years later, he is going to be back at the gallery to deliver a retrospective of his creative journey of the last three decades. On Saturday, Dodiya will be engaging in a dialogue with students and members of the art fraternity, wherein he will be making an audio-visual presentation of his paintings. Speaking to Sakal Times ahead of the ‘Chitra Sanvad’ initiative of MCC, the senior contemporary artist says, “In my talk, I will explain the variety of mediums and subject matter of paintings that I have experimented with. As far as explaining art is concerned, I talk in the same language with the layman and the artists. My articulation is very simple. I myself don’t understand too much critical and theoretical approach.” This sets the tone for a free-wheeling and candid chat with the Ghatkopar-based artist. Excerpts... STYLE OF WORKING A senior artist once revealed that he prefers b...

What if you had to leave your home overnight and escape to safety carrying minimal stuff? What would you take with you? Aanchal Malhotra, whose Daadi (paternal grandmother) escaped to this side during the Partition, took out her coin collection — belonging to British India — after her husband passed away. With Malhotra watching her, Daadi said, ‘Humne kya kya din nahi dekhe’. Malhotra went on to meet people from both India and Pakistan to talk about their memories and the belongings they escaped with. The stories have been compiled in a HarperCollins book titled Remnants of a Separation — A History of the Partition Through Material Memory. Excerpts... Interesting title. It says ‘Separation’. Are you voicing the sentiments of those who were displaced from their homeland and who hope to be back someday? That is certainly one way to look at it: the line that separates this side from that, a person from their homeland and childhood. Several people that I interviewed spoke about thi...

Historical novels afford a large canvas for any writer: to research and recreate the old world for the youngsters, to imagine and fill in the gaps. N S Inamdar, who has penned 16 historical novels in Marathi, was successful in writing about the past and towering personalities, and then presenting them before his readers in flesh and blood, warts and all. Rau, one of his most successful novels, was received very well when it was brought out by Continental Prakshan in 1972. The novel, now released in English by Pan Macmillan India, depicts the poignant love story of Bajirao-Mastani, which is far more impactful than Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grandiose film project. The film is based on Inamdar’s novel and so the text will not be entirely unfamiliar to those who have watched the movie. However, as it is with most cinematic adaptations of books, the latter provide a more linear graph of the plot and the characters. That’s the case with Rau as well, in which Kashibai, the wife of Peshwa B...

The sheer sense of relief that is palpable on the curly haired boy’s face when he uses a razor to cut open his wrist, speaks volumes. There are several such scenes in Kaasav, the National Award-winning film. In fact, the storyline progresses with the interminable silence looming over the busy Mumbai’s local railway network and later over the Konkan coastline. The curly haired boy (Alok Rajwade) is called Niche, by Janaki (Irawati Harshe) who finds him burning with fever on the roadside. Something about his state of mind connects with Janaki, a researcher, who also suffers from panic attacks. In the process of sifting through her emotions, and trying to put herself in his shoes, she attempts to establish a tenuous bond with Niche. But the lad rebuffs her overtures. And, thus begins our involvement with Niche — who comes across as an ungrateful brat with pseudo-angst up his sleeve. A regular youth, who has it all, and is yet ‘lost’, inviting derision from the ‘sorted’ folk. What is ...

Picture this. At home, after her surgery, a woman in her mid-60s, is recuperating. Her sister comes to inquire after her health. When she is leaving, the lady ruffles gently through her sister’s sparse hair. The gesture reflects the deep love and affection that only sisters can share. Sisters — they fight, they care; they make you laugh, they bring you to tears; they make your lives hell and also make the world a much better place to live in! And, those who don’t have a blood sister to turn to, search for this bond amongst their lady friends. Techie Parineeta Chettri has two elder sisters and one younger brother. And, the bond they share is quite thick. “My eldest sister and I have a five year age difference, so I am a little careful while talking to her. It’s not what I am talking to her, but how I talk to her. I accord Pratima Didi utmost respect,” she says. Rajashree Marathe, who has two elder sisters, shares a cordial relation with them. “Umatai is 8-years-older to me, whil...

In 19th century North India, devotees of Lord Krishna would narrate his tales in the temples. They were called kathas from which originated Kathak, inclusive of song, dance and drama. The music compositions were called thumri — thumri is derived from thumakna (associated with Kathak dance) and ri means baat-cheet. Thus Dr Pournima Dhumale explains the semi-classical genre of Indian classical music — thumri. She, accompanied by Dr Chaitanya Kunte on the harmonium and Arun Gawai on the tabla, will revive and reconstruct some of the rare thumri compositions this evening at Jyotsna Bhole Sabhagruha, Tilak Road. “The programme titled, ‘Recherché Thumri’ or unpublished thumris, will be performed on the third anniversary of Dr Ashok Da Ranade Archives (ADRA) Pune,” explains Kunte adding, “The idea is to revive and reconstruct archival material and present them in the form of performances. Most performers don’t turn to archival material, preferring to concentrate on their practice. So we ...

A former journalist on education beat, Swaha Sahoo, is currently heading Parag Initiative of Tata Trusts. Speaking to us ahead of the Big Little Book Awards (BLBA) nominations, Sahoo outlines the achievements of the initiative and their plan to strengthen the practice and discourse around children’s libraries in India. How do you decide on the ‘language of the year’ for the BLBA award? The criteria for the award has guided our choice of language. The language we choose (this year it’s Bengali) must have some authors writing dedicatedly for children over the last decade. Authors should have an original body of work, must have contributed to creating readers and demonstrated growth and willingness to break known barriers in what defines a children’s author. At the same time, they have not been recognised widely outside of the state. And there is enough scope for the Big Little Book Awards to create that platform, promote their work and take it to a wider audience. Which Bengali t...

Fashion designer-author, Wendell Rodricks in his second book Poskem — Goans in the Shadows, writes subtly about the horrors of child labour and documents history He is known as the ‘Guru of Minimalism’, when it comes to his designs and style. We can also say the same for his stories — Wendell Rodricks’ second book, Poskem — Goans in the Shadows (published by Om Books International), tells the tales of his four protagonists simply but empathetically, drawing us into their tales of pathos, revenge and small joys. Wendell weaves a masterful story of the island state that we, as tourists, are perhaps not aware of. His writing is complemented by the late Mario Miranda’s illustrations. We caught up with the fashion designer-author in between the book’s launch parties. Excerpts: How long did the idea simmer in your mind before putting pen to paper? I think it must have been a decade ago that the idea of writing about the Poskim (Poskem is female, Posko is male and Poskim is plural) ...

On a simplistic level, Sita — Warrior of Mithila — is a reinterpretation of the consort of Lord Ram, giving her character more heft. However, the subtext is deeply political. Not the petty, narrow political wheeling-dealing, but debating the ills that we grapple with, offering us the egalitarian point of view which was the hallmark of our ancient past. ‘Imbalance’ is the core of Amish’s second book in the Ram Chandra Series. And, to address and correct the ‘imbalance’ are the two protagonists and also Vishnu-in-partnership, Ram and Sita. This version tells Sita’s story beginning from the apaharan and then going back to her birth and gurukul, discussions with Guru Vishwamitra, and her skill of archery and wielding the lathi. The warrior in the title is clearly justified and challenges the popular image of Sita as a meek and submissive woman. In the book, it says that most of our history is oral. And, it is so because it can be changed to suit the changing circumstances of society. ...

Omar Zafarullah’s A Hundred Journeys — Stories of My Fatherland is a sane commentary on Pakistan and consequently India too. Born in 1971, the watershed year in Pakistan’s political history, Zafarullah has written about his country, warts and all, for his children to understand where they come from. A part memoir and part living manual, the book traces his family’s history, its migration from Ropar in Punjab, British India in 1910, to Gojra in the present-day Pakistan. Zafarullah’s A Hundred Journeys, brought out by Rupa, is an ode to the author’s father and also recalls the indomitable spirit of his grandmother, Maaji, and the British India’s policies, which gave his family a chance to lift themselves out of poverty. Excerpts from an email chat... Does the title A Hundred Journeys have any reference to Quran? And, why the ‘Stories of my Fatherland?’ The story traces the history of my father’s family; a major incentive for me was to explain better to my kids about my father ...

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the US Consulate General, Mumbai, are organising Green Heroes Film Festival in Mumbai on Tuesday. This programme will recognise individuals and organisations who work relentlessly at grassroots level to protect the environment in their neighbourhood and communities. As part of this effort, TERI identified Green Heroes in five cities in western India — Ahmedabad, Indore, Mumbai, Panjim and Pune — and enabled up-and-coming storytellers to make films on the initiatives of Green Heroes through workshops in each of these cities. The programme has resulted in 22 insightful, heart-warming short films on the heroes who are working in diverse fields such as forest and water conservation, composting, wildlife protection, waste management and clean energy. Four of them are from Pune — Jeevit Nadi Foundation, Sunil and Priya Bhide, R Cube, Charity Store and Sharad Shinde from Mawal. Three Green Heroes share their stories with us: Cause of a riv...

Photojournalist Raghu Rai’s camera trailed Mother Teresa for five decades. In his pictorial biography, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, you get to see the iconic images of the lady who was mother to all The diminutive figure draped in a white saree with a blue border was a personification of compassion and love. She continues to be so even after her death. In his pictorial biography, Saint Teresa of Calcutta — A Celebration of Her Life & Legacy, (brought out by Aleph Book Company) photojournalist Raghu Rai captures the story of Mother Teresa and the work of Missionaries of Charity. Rai’s camera was a witness to the daily and eventful happenings in the life of Mother and did its job faithfully, adhering to instructions of Mother — to respect the dignity of the poorest of the poor. Divided into three sections — The Canonization of Mother Teresa, Her Life and Work and Her Legacy, the book also has an appendix with a chronology of events in Mother’s life. The book, which is scatter...

For someone who takes a long time in opening up, chatting up random people in the queue while boarding the ferry from Dabhol-Dhopave and then to Tawsal-Jaigad, surprisingly became easy. Away from prying, judgemental eyes, it seemed perfectly natural to lie down in the shade of a shut kirana shop or walk barefoot on the cool grass. Sitting on a blue tarpulin sheet under a makeshift bamboo roof, it was easier to understand a farm hand’s woes about the ‘winter’ in Konkan which spoils the fruit crop. Two Health Departments workers wait for passengers with kids at Tavsal jetty These impromptu halts, while doing a l00-km run on a daily basis for six days along the coastal Maharashtra, were postcards to myself; the images were familiar, but they were dipped in different hues. When you are working in a newsroom, you are inundated mostly with stats and a not-so-rosy picture of the world around you. This is not to say that what we saw during this trip from Alibaug to Goa was free of dark cl...

What makes a home? The people, of course. And also the surroundings. Can a house made of cement and concrete find itself in harmony with the greenery around in a forested area? Not really. Gone are the days when every region had its unique architecture, suiting the landscape and lending it an exclusivity. For instance, Konkan was known for its chiryachi ghara (red brick houses) and Marathwada for its dhabyachi ghara (flat-roofed houses). Now, these structures are few and far between. Cement and glass constructions have mushroomed both in rural and urban landscapes. We have gone wrong trying to bring in a ‘homogeneous’ look, and, more importantly, ignoring the region’s climatic conditions. The house of a farmer at Palsunda village which won the Design Jatra team HUDCO prize It was this which acted as a trigger point for architect Pratik Dhanmer when he returned to his village Murbad near Dahanu. “My village consists of 70 houses. In the past, we relied on traditional architecture — ...

The news of Indian soldiers mutilated by the Pakistani army has set off a fresh wave of protests among the countrymen. The daughter of Head Constable of Border Security Force, Prem Sagar, wants 50 Pakistanis to be beheaded as revenge for her father’s death. A long round of Pakistan bashing and war-hate will occupy the news space for a few days to come. In the midst of this, a few peaceniks, like Tehmina Dadyseth, will try to talk about people and humanism. Before the hate mail for Tehmina starts, here’s a disclaimer. She is the heroine of Anuja Chauhan’s Baaz, a war romance, if one can categorise it. Daughter of a retired General, Tehmina aka Tinka, doesn’t support war. Her love interest, Ishaan Faujdaar (Shaanu), is a flying officer in the Indian Air Force. Quite like ‘maverick’ (Tom Cruise in Top Gun), he believes in his duty to the nation. Until his and Tinka’s views clash and, make us, the readers, squirm. Unlike her other books, which too had an element of conflict in the plot...