THE NATION ASIANEWS April 19-25, 2009
TRAVEL, FOOD & DRINK, STYLE, ARTS AND TRENDS IN ASIA
L au g Hot!
n r a e l h an d
Burying the money
So long, Valentino
Got video vision?
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www.staralliance.com Information correct as at 09/2008
TRAVEL, FOOD & DRINK, STYLE, ARTS AND TRENDS IN ASIA THE NATION ASIANEWS
April 19-25, 2009
NOMAD MOVES
P10
WASABI WARS
P11
Royal farce p6-7
SCREEN-KID PERILS
P16-17 IMPORTED TATTOOS
P20-21 team
Editor: Phatarawadee Phataranawik | Deputy Editor: Khetsirin Pholdhampalit | Photo Editor: Kriangsak Tangjerdjarad | Photographers: Ekkarat Sukpetch and Anant Chantarasut| Writers: Manta Klangboonkrong and Pattarawadee Saengmanee | Contributor: Pawit Mahasarinand, Pin-Anong Panchuen and JC Eversole| Designers: Nibhon Appakarn, Pradit Phulsarikij, Ekkapob Preechasilp | Copy-editors: Luci Standley and Rod Borrowman | Sub-editor: Paul Dorsey | Contact: www.nationmultimedia.com, e-mail: ace@nationgroup.com. (02) 338 3461 ACE is published by NMG News Co LTD at 1854 Bangna-Trat Road, Bangkok
C o v er / P h o t o c o u rtes y o f t h e M a h a C h akr i S i r i nd h o rn F o u ndat i o n
Around Asia
COVER
P hoto cou r t e s y of vasan s i tth i k e t
What’s Hot
Eat the rich !
A
fter joining last year’s PAD demonstrations against the government of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, outspoken artist/activist Vasan Sitthiket is back on the local art scene with a new solo show. “Capitalism is Dying!” will be on display at Thavibu Gallery from Saturday to May 17. The vivid figurative paintings portray the corrupt Thaksin government, the conflict between the red and yellow shirted protesters as well the male sexual organs — Vasan’s signature. His new works are priced between US$4,800 (Bt170,000) and $5,200 – some have already been snapped online by collectors. Visit www.Thavibu.com.
A F P / L I O N E L B O N A V E N T U RE
Digging up China’s buried truths
C
W
alk past the Louvre museum’s pyramid by night this month for a different take on this City of Light landmark. “Xenon for Paris”, a lighting installation by US conceptual artist Jenny Holzer is now projecting text-based artwork on the pyramid as well as the Louvre’s facade to commemorate the pyramid’s 20th anniversary. Holzer’s work was first created in 2001 for the Festival d’ Automne in Paris and subsequently acquired b y t h e Fr e n c h N a t i o n a l F u n d f o r Contemporary Art. | |
A F P/ F r e d e r i c J. B R O W N
The Paris pyramid light’s up
hinese artist Ai Weiwei sits at his computer in his design studio Fake, in an arts district on the outskirts of Beijing. His latest challenge is finding the names of all the children who died from the Sichuan earthquake in May last year, while criticising government efforts on his personal blog for still not having provided a full account of the children’s deaths, which many have blamed on poorly constructed schools. Ai says each time he has posted the list of the children’s names on his blog, they have been removed. Ai collaborated with a Swiss firm for the National Stadium, also known as the Birds Nest, for the 2008 Summer Olympics, a project from which he later distanced himself. - AFP April 19-25, 2009
P h o t o c o u rtes y o f Valent i n o : T h e L ast E mper o r
Trends
That was Valentino
‘The Last Emperor’, a new documentary film, is a glimpse of a bygone world
V
alentino Garavani was claiming his place in the sun. He was in California’s Beverly Hills last week to discuss his 45-year run as founder, figurehead and creative visionary behind the $1-billion-plus fashion empire bearing his name. The Italian designer resisted a valet’s efforts to move him beneath a rooftop pool cabana at a Beverly Hills hotel, preferring to remain in the hard glare of afternoon sunlight. He looked impeccable in a silk blazer and slacks, his skin self-bronzed to a lustrous cinnamon hue. “I had such an unbelievable fashion life,” he said. “I achieved the maximum. And I stopped at the right moment also.” But asked about his initial reaction to “Valentino: The Last Emperor” — the documentary about him that premiered at New York’s Film Forum last month - the deApril 19-25, 2009
signer recalled his dismay at seeing his personal life laid bare on screen. “I was in my little shoes when I first saw the film,” Valentino said, seizing the nearest fashion metaphor -
faces such as Elton John, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vogue’s Anna Wintour traipse in and out of his opulent parties. And the designer throws a couple of diva-worthy hissy fits.
never mind that it doesn’t quite make sense. “I was always a very, very low-profile person.” Chronicling his fashion empire’s final two years, culminating in Valentino’s decision to retire in 2007 after a corporate takeover, the film captures a bygone era. You see Valentino’s gilded lifestyle: the private jet, yacht travel, butlers and manor homes. Famous
Producer and director Matt Tyrnauer, a Vanity Fair correspondent, says his impetus was to tell a love story - to illuminate Valentino’s symbiotic relationship with Giancarlo Giammetti, his one-time boyfriend and long-time consigliere. Giammetti is responsible for growing the Valentino brand into a global presence, but also for buffering Valentino, 76, from the outside
world while perpetuating his public image as one of Italy’s national living treasures. Tyrnauer was granted unprecedented access. He shot about 270 hours of footage over two years, shuttling between Valentino’s French chateau, his Roman atelier and various runway shows. About a year into filming it became clear that a secondary narrative was developing. Faced with greater interference from the corporation that had bought a controlling interest in Valentino SpA, the designer was looking to make a dignified exit. So in addition to providing an overview of his storied career outfitting such luminaries as Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy and Julia Roberts, “The Last Emperor” serves as Valentino’s swan song. “The economics of fashion have entirely changed,” says Tyrnauer. “And now with the economic crisis, the light on the world of couture was extinguished.” — Los Angeles Times |5|
COVER
‘THE GOOD INTERPRETER’
Found in translation The doyenne of contemporary Thai theatre returns to stage with a comedy penned by King Rama VI
Boonpong
Pawit Mahasarinand
country’s first tertiary institution to offer a bachelor’s degree in Western thearama students have tre. That’s where she earned the title of read her books. Actors respect and affection “Khru Yai”. and acting coaches Her translations and presentations of Saranyoo modern European and American Wongkrachang dramas introduced Thais to a and Onchuma wide variety of Western draYuthawong among them - have eima. Noteworthy examples are ther studied with her or started Tennessee Williams’ their career in her stage pro“The Glass Menagerie” ductions. and Henrik Ibsen’s Now we have a “Hedda Gachance, a rare bler”. one indeed, to She also watch Sodsai Pana p p l i e d toomkomol’s new Western techproduction “Lam Di”, niques in directing the which means “The Good 1985 television drama Interpreter”. It’s her first in “Khum Pipaksa” (“The six years. Verdict”), which she The Fulbright scholar adapted from Chat who became known to AmerKobjitti’s novel. Both ican filmgoers as actress Sondi the book and the series Sodsai turned down a conearned awards. tract with 20th Century In retirement, Khru Fox and came home to Yai continues to lecteach at Chulalongkorn ture on acting, playUniversity. writing and directSomphol In 1970 she founded ing and advising the Department of theatre troupes. Dramatic Arts, the In 1995 the
D
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Phol
prize in the country’s first playwriting competition, the Sodsai Award, was named in her honour, and a theatre at the downtown campus, scheduled to open next year, will be named the Sodsai Pantoomkomol Dramatic Arts Centre. “Lam Di” was translated from Tristran Bernard’s 19th-century farce “L’Anglais tel qu’on le parle” by King Rama VI, one of his numerous contributions to Thai theatre. “The play has both universality and Thainess,” says Khru Yai. “Due to the King’s immaculate translation and theatre skills, the audience never feels it’s a foreign play. “It’s a farce, but the characters are realistic, even if the dialogue, dramatic action and situations are exaggerated to trigger laughter. “But beyond that,” she says, “the play has many important messages. Apart from being entertained by human fallacies, the audience comes to understand the mentality of Victorian England, and that by opening our arms to foreigners we Thais have been able to remain independent.” Khru Yai has the help of many of her former students in this project. Among them, film critic and award-winning April 19-25, 2009
Sasithorn
Yanee
Khru Yai
P h o t o c o u rtes y o f t h e M a h a C h akr i S i r i nd h o rn F o u ndat i o n
translator Nopamat Veohong and playwright Daraka Wongsiri are her co-directors. Buranee Ratchaiboon designed the lighting and Sinnapa Sarasas composed the music. And Khru Yai is reunited with two of her best acting students, Atcharaphan Phaibunsuwan and Somphol Chaisiriroj, whose acclaimed performance in “The American Dream” six years ago is still fresh in the memory. Other alumni include TV drama director and scriptwriter Yingyod Panya and movie actor Sasithorn Panichnok. Two younger students who attended her lectures are involved - Sao Soong Theatre’s Kitti Meechaikhet and Cherry Theatre’s Boonpong Panich, who has the title role of Jon. Phol Tantasathien, who will play Richard Dickson, was never one of her students but has certainly read her book. “She’s one of my heroes,” he says. “A chance to work with Khru Yai is a dream for many actors.” Veteran actor Yanee Tramote, who’s worked with Khru Yai before, has another reason to be enthused. “My grandfather served in the court of King Rama VI. The language of the King’s plays has such finesse. April 19-25, 2009
Every actor has to be very precise to get across its beauty.” And so, amid all the political trouble, it’s comedy time onstage - and for a good cause indeed: All proceeds go to the Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Foundation.
Here’s the set-up Richard Dickson, a clerk for a British company in Sai Buri in Malaysia elopes with Betty Smith (played by Sasithorn Panichnok) and they check into the Songkhla Hotel. Jon is the hotel’s stand-in translator but can’t speak English, thinking there’d never be any foreign guests. Betty’s father John (Somphol Chaisiriroj), the police suspect he’s a burglar and, thanks to the translator’s abysmal efforts, total chaos ensues.
Grab a seat quick See “Lam Di” any day from this Friday through May 3 except April 27 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Weekday shows are at 7.30 and weekends at 4pm. Tickets are Bt500 through Total Reservation outlets and www.TotalReservation.com. For more details, call (02) 218 4802 or (081) 559 7252.
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Go SHOPPING ‘Khao niew tua dam’ candles look like the real black-beans with sticky rice. The price is Bt150.
Candles,
not candies!
At Chatuchak Market, Ruen Niramitr lights the evenings with clever candles that look like food Pin-Anong Panchuen
photo / A nant C hanta r asut
T
he thong yod eggdrops and the fried mackerel — namprik platoo — certainly look good enough to eat, but you don’t want to be eating the things they sell at Ruen Nimitr. They might look like food, but they’re candles and resin-clay models. Warissanan Thanaittikunakorn, who was famous 20 years ago as TV actress Roongnapa Chitchanok, owns this “candle bakery” in the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Her carefully formed models started out as an award-winning Otop item. “I used to make artificial flowers,” she says. “Then I enrolled in a class with Khun Sakree Ma, who taught how to make these candles that look like desserts. “You use paraffin, PE, polyethylene, beeswax, aromatic oils and colouring.” The focus at the store remains on the dessert impersonators. There are more than 30 candles to choose from. You can but tab tim krob — ruby-like water chestnuts in a coconut-cream | |
sauce — or bualoy dumplings, lodchong, the green rice noodles, or the roasted rice in bamboo called khao lam. Then there’s mor kaeng custard pudding and khao niew kaew, the sugar-glazed sticky rice. But way of more substantial “snacks”, there are resin-clay miniatures of pork sate, padthai, yen ta four rice noodles in pink soup, khao pad krapao koong — the fried minced prawn with chilli and basil — and namprik platoo tod, deep-fried mackerel. And here’s a pair of great items to give wedding guests as keepsakes: steamed Chinese New Year confectionery and fried popovers. Ruen Nimitr is in Chatuchak Market’s Section 11 Soi 12/3. It’s open Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 6. Call (02) 291 9121 or (084) 642 4834.
A plate of ‘padthai’ fashioned from quality resin-clay sells for Bt1,500.
‘Thong yip’ candles cost Bt250. Paraffin mimics ‘khanom piek poon’, the black coconut sweet pudding’, and ‘mor kaeng’ coconut custard squares for Bt50 apiece.
Have your home glowing by the light of sweet mango with sticky rice and coconut cream for Bt250 per set.
April 19-25, 2009
Wellness A study in contrasts g r aph i c / e a k phob p r e e chas i lp
Save the Earthbucks
Shoot ‘em up video games sharpen vision says the latest research Marlowe Hood
S
laying hordes of bad guys — the more the better - in fast-paced video games improves vision, a study published last week showed for the first time. Far from being harmful to eyesight, as some had feared, action games such as “Counter-Strike”, “Call of Duty”, or “Left 4 Dead” provide excellent training for what eye doctors call contrast sensitivity, the study found. Contrast sensitivity is the ability to notice tiny changes in shades of grey against a uniform background, and is critical to everyday activities such as night driving and reading. It often degrades with age. The findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, reveal a previously unsuspected adaptability in the brain, and could open the way to new therapies, the researchers said. For the study, Daphne Bavelier, a professor at the University of Rochester in New York state, compared the contrast sensitivity of hard-core action game players with video game aficionados of the same age who preferred less rapid-fire fare. In action games, players typically target and shoot figures that pop up suddenly April 19-25, 2009
on a computer screen. The researchers found that the action buffs were 50 per cent more efficient at detecting contrast. But there remained a chicken-or-egg question: had their vision been improved by playing, or did they become action game players because they had better than average contrast sensitivity to start with? To find out, Bavelier asked two groups of non-action video game players to undergo 50 hours of training. One played a popular point-and-shoot game called “Call of Duty”, and the other played a game that offered a rich visual experience, but one bereft of action. We found that the people in the first group improved by 43 per cent, and the other group not at all,” she said. Is there some limit beyond which playing action games loses its positive effect or becomes detrimental? Can you, in other words, have too much of a “good thing”? “For your visual system, probably not. For your social life, perhaps,” said Bavelier. –Agence France-Presse
Earth Day is on Wednesday, and Starbucks Coffee Thailand will set things in motion with a free Earth Day Forum at 2pm on Tuesday at its Central Ladprao location. Come hear “green celebrity” Varisara “Rose” Mahagayee, co-founder of the conservation-minded Rabbit in the Moon Foundation, compare notes with Post Today travel editor Chomlong Boonsong. Reserve a seat by calling Ms Korawee at (02) 627 3501, extension 114. At 4.30 you can join “Green Up” and plant a tree in Wachirabenjathas Park.
Neither red nor yellow Organic farmers share the secrets of thriving in harmony with nature in “Living Green Together”, a 244-page book about such successful projects as Surin’s Green Market and the Thai Health Foundation. Organic-food shops and markets around the country are listed in the Thai-language book from Suan Ngern Ma Publishing House, available at leading bookshops for Bt180.
Pattaya pleasure principle Until September 30 the Sheraton Pattaya Resort will be rubbing guests exactly the right way with its “Recreation Leisure Spa” package. As well as a two-hour treatment at the resort’s Amburaya Spa involving algae and massage, you get to ride an elephant, visit the Tropical & Botanical Gardens or enjoy a “sanctuary of truth trip” to Towering Castle. The cost is Bt4,900++ per person and Bt8,600 for couples. Call (038) 259 888 or e-mail spa.amburaya@ sheraton.com. | |
Hip Hangout
Nights at the
Nomad
The new thunder on Soi 12 is emerging from a huge and very dedicated dance club Manta K langboonkrong
P h o t o s / E kka r at S u kpetc h
M
oving to that mystic Moroccan rhythm, the Nomad Club is a spacious nightspot that promises lots more variety in music and theme parties for the Bangkok owl circuit. A few metres into Soi 12 and opposite the scene of the Ministry of Sound’s demise so long ago, the Nomad demands your attention with a stunning red and purple facade. Inside, all glitter and drapes, it can easily fit 400 people, but there are some cosy corners too. The DJs work from a platform right in the middle of the club, overlooking a vast dance floor. There are sofas with low tables and high-rise stools at the long bar, the better to witness everything that’s going on. Intended as a serious dance club, the Nomad has a monstrous sound system – just ask the neighbours – and an
extensive DJ line-up every night. The DJs are local – no foreign spinners yet – and the music ranges from house and sub-house deviations to techno, reggae and dancehall, electro with hip-hop twist, funk and even soulful Motown. Theme parties by groups like Whatever, Salsa Night and Soul Sessions take place often enough to provide many excuses to come out and play. And most event nights are admission-free. Kudos to that! Food-and beverage-wise, Nomad has a restaurant adjacent, and you can order anything to be served in the bar, including tapas until 11.30. The full bar has prices starting at Bt100 for a small beer and Bt300 for a standard cocktail.
The Nomad is open every day from 6pm till 2am. It’s on Sukhumvit Soi 12 near the Asoke Skytrain and Sukhumvit subway stations. Call (087) 804 9542 or check out www.NomadBangkok.com.
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April 19-25, 2009
Keep that sushi coming! Nippon Kai Deluxe proves its appeal with a third branch joining its Paragon and Emporium sisters
T
he major renovation that Nippon Kai Deluxe at the Emporium has just u n d e r go n e – a n d t h e opening of a third outlet on Sukhumvit Soi 33 – should be ample proof that Bangkok has room for more Japanese restaurants. It may also indicate that Japanese cuisine is so popular here that it’s recession-proof. Nippon Kai Deluxe’s other branch is at Siam Paragon, where the shopping (and dining) never stops. The company behind the chain started out distributing fresh raw seafood imported from Japan to restaurants and supermarkets around Bangkok. Opening its own restaurants was a natural extension. “We believe Japanese food will remain very popular despite other operators’ expansions and newcomers to the business,” says food-development manager Ramate Amarapala. “Our sales focus will be on freshness and cleanliness – sashimi is the star here.” The renovated Emporium outlet, with a vast window offering a view of April 19-25, 2009
Benjasiri Park, is flooded with natural light, giving it a sense of spaciousness. White ceiling lamps contrast with sofas and pillows upholstered in dark purple and strong pink. Nibblers tend to gravitate to the raw-food bar, where they perch on stools and watch the tantalising parade of sushi and sashimi. Among the premium dishes are Kobe beef, the fish called hamachi and kohada, the red clam akagai and the small freshwater crabs known as sawa kani and the king crabs, taraba. Ramate says all the sauces, soup bases, broth and curry powder are made at the restaurant with fresh ingredients and no “instant” short-cuts. Even the wasabi plants have been transplanted from Japan to make the strong paste. The menu has an extensive range of sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki and ramen. Among the appetisers, try the spring rolls stuffed with minced toro and chopped spring onions for Bt180, or
the seafood combination tempura for Bt220. Raw-food lovers can opt for hamachi, the meat of which is firm and fresh, or akagai if you prefer it strong and crunchy. Both dishes go f o r B t 4 9 0 . S h i t a ke ramen is also a satisfying meal. The restaurant has a weekday lunch promotion from 11 to 2 with dishes priced at Bt99 to Bt129, including tomyam ramen, seafood yakisoba and salmon teriyaki. For an additional Bt40 you can also get gyoza, a poached egg garnished with seafood, fruit and iced green tea. A lot of cocktails are on tap, averaging Bt180. Among them are the Saketini – sake and dry vermouth – and the Cosmopolitan, with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lemon juice. Spoiled for choice Find Nippon Kai Deluxe on the fifth floor of the Emporium, open daily from 11 to 10. The number there is (02) 259 9392. For the Sukhumvit 33 branch, call (02) 662 1744, and for Siam Paragon (02) 610 7622.
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P h o t o s / E kka r at S u kpetc h
K he t sirin Pholdhampalit
Yang S u ng -jin/T h e Korea Herald
LIFESTYLE
COZY: Comic Cozzle, the biggest offline comics store in Korea.
Heaven For Comic Buffs comics lovers still prefer visiting offline bookstores to browse popular titles and pick up their favourite series SEOUL
Yang Sung-jin The Korea Herald
K
orea’s comic industry has steadily grown in recent years. But the growth largely comes from the internet where online cartoonists churn out timely comics on major portal sites. Nonetheless, comics lovers still love visiting offline bookstores to browse popular titles and pick up their | 12 |
favourite series. The only problem is that big booksellers are not devoting much space to comics under the assumption that comics titles are mainly for minors. Masato Noda, general manager of Comic Cozzle, does not believe that only children and younger readers read comics. “There are plenty of good titles for adult readers in terms of entertainment and information,” Noda said in an interview with The Korea Herald. Noda, a veteran bookstore manager, is a unique figure in Korea’s comics April 19-25, 2009
industry. He had long expert who signed on worked for a major for a Korean bookstore, bookstore in Japan first developed the before coming to Korea POP techniques while on the invitation of he was working in Haksan, a Korean Japan. The POP comics publisher which decorations are now set up Comic Cozzle two widely employed in years ago in Seoul. Japanese bookstores Noda’s expertise in since people are likely arranging comics titles is to recognise the COMIC TIMING: Comic Cozzle attracts visitors with unique decorations and fully visible in the characteristics of the original drawings by famous Korean and Japanese comics artists. decorations of comics series through Comic Cozzle, offering minor visual aids, which are manually which is Korea’s publishers and even produced. biggest offline rare comic books Haksan chief executive Hwang comics store. that are not availKyung-tae noticed Noda’s talent and The bookstore, able in other offline offered him a job, opening a new which also runs and online stores,” chapter in Korea’s publishing indusan affiliated café he said. try. Comic Cozzle is now offering on the first floor, The walls leading about 30,000 comics titles, the comes off as a to the second floor largest number in Korea. FAMOUS: Doremon, one of the most popuheaven for of Comic Cozzle are Noda said he wondered why lar comic character. comics lovers, crowded with Korean comics readers are mostly in thanks to Noda’s efforts to make it a drawings by leading Korean and their early teens. His decision to come friendly place for browsing comics at Japanese cartoonists. Top rated artists to Korea and work for Comic Cozzle is a leisurely pace. actually visited the bookstore and left in fact designed to address the issue of “Major bookstores in Korea such as their original drawings along with expanding the readership of comics to Youngpoong and Kyobo handle brief messages. Visitors can take a adults and other target groups. mostly major comics titles, but we are glimpse of the masterful drawings by As for the similarities between leading Japanese artists who created Korean and Japanese comics, Noda such bestselling series as One Piece, said things are changing at a rapid 20th Century Boy and Crayon pace. Only three years ago, no one MR COMICS: Masato Shinchang. would argue that Korean comic strips Noda, general manager “Many of Japanese cartoonists are fairly similar to Japanese manga of Comic Cozzle. come by here when they visit Korea,” series. But with the advent of online Noda said. “This bookstore is now comics, otherwise known as Webtoon well known among Japanese comics here, Japanese publishers began to publishers and cartoonists, and many notice the potential of the Korean Japanese newspapers also came here comics series. to cover what we are doing here.” More and more Korean comics The most attention-grabbing artists are making inroads into the feature of Comic Cozzle, aside from Japanese market, and the positive the much-coveted original drawdevelopment is expected to help ings by renowned cartoonists, is Korean comics industry establish its what is called ‘POP’ decorations. own identity on the international Noda asks his staff members to market, Noda noted. make a wide range of pictures and Comic Cozzle celebrated its second comics images as part of supportanniversary on March 31 with ive devices for visitors. organising a special discount event for “We are helping customers to find its customers. high-quality titles through the POP The bookstore is near Exit No 1 of decorations where brief introductions Sangdo Station on Subway Line No 7. about the comics series and authors The business hours are from 10am to are presented on a separate sheet of 10pm. For further information paper,” Noda said. call (02) 823-5432 or visit www. Noda, the first Japanese publishing comiccozzle.com. April 19-25, 2009
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PHOTO ESSAY
Natural Nantou P H OTOS A N D T E XT BY N G KO K L EO N G T H E STA R
T
he guide book on Nantou county in central Taiwan is a photo essay in itself—there are mountain ranges that go on forever, blossoms that paint grey pavements pink, and buildings that boast architectural beauty from hundreds of years back. Anyone would feel like going there on an impulse just by looking at the pictures, if only to sniff the fresh air and be close to nature. Sure enough, all of that, and more, can be savoured once you step off the train after a two-hour ride from Taipei. | 14 |
April 19-25, 2009
April 19-25, 2009
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MANAN VATSYAYANA /AFP
ENTERTAINMENT
Pester Power
For most child stars, the story is one of meteoric rise to fame and equally quick is the crash
CHILD’S PLAY: Slumdog Millionaire child actors Mohammed Azharuddin Ismail (L) and Rubina Ali Qweshi pose in the green room prior to the start of Indian designer AshimaLeena’s show during the Wills India Fashion Week (WIFW) in New Delhi on March 19. Time will tell if these kids’ star won’t fade.
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April 19-25, 2009
KOLKATA
Derek Bose The Statesman
I
ndian Filmmaker Ajay Monga was in for a rude shock when he went to sign Darsheel Safary for his upcoming film, Padduram. The 12-year-old star of Taare Zameen Par has a business manager now, Shobha Sant who, in the presence of Darsheel’s mother demanded 10.25 million rupees (US$202,806) upfront for the boy to act in the film. “Mine is a small-budget film worth 10.5 million rupees ($207,788),” pleaded Monga. “I am very keen that Darsheel does the title role. But if I have to pay 10.25 million rupees to him, how can I do the film? The project will become unviable. These days, even big stars do not charge this kind of money.” With Sant digging in her heels, Monga was left with no option but to follow the advice of his friend, Nikhil Panchammiya who is making Mastang Mama. The latter had also tried to sign Darsheel and finding him unaffordable, settled for Tanay Cheda—the boy-on-crutches in Taare Zameen Par and the middle Jamal of Slumdog Millionaire. Then there’s 10-year-old Azharuddin Ismail of Mumbai’s Garib Nagar slum who was Jamal’s brother in Danny Boyle’s film. On his return from the Oscars’ ceremony at Los Angeles, he told the world that he had gone to where even Amitabh Bachchan could not go! And when he started throwing attitude, refusing to speak to visiting journalists, his father rewarded him with a resounding slap! Problems however, lie elsewhere. Like the stereotypical tyrant-monster that pushy parents of child stars tend to be, Azharuddin’s father is demanding more money for the boy working in the film. Boyle says that the family has already been paid “generously”, which includes $1,000 during filming and another $25,000 placed in a trust. But that, according to the father, is not enough.There are countless other issues filmmakers have to put up with while engaging child actors in films. Temper tantrums, ego clashes and bratty behaviour are some of the common ones. Quite often, filming gets disrupted when the unit gets drawn into domestic disputes, as in the case of a
April 19-25, 2009
recent television shoot being held up when an estranged couple suddenly showed up on the sets, each parent claiming custody of a child star. Filmmakers also complain of being made victims of emotional blackmail, both by the little monsters and their manipulative parents. “Parents are actually bigger pests,” opines ad-filmmaker Gautam Grover, speaking from experience. “I had to do this 20-minute commercial for an IT firm with Rahul Roy playing a middleaged guy who learns about a particular website from his 10-year-old computer savvy son. Father and son are shown on a holiday at a beach resort and there is a laptop in their room the kid keeps playing with. I had booked an extra room for the kid’s father who was present during the shoot. And would you believe it,
“Limited shelf-life, coupled with cut-throat competition in the field, breeds insecurities and in turn, a sense of desperation among child stars.” —Deepak Roy, Indian filmmaker
this fat old slob did not step out of his room even once? All through, morningnight, he kept gorging on food and booze like there’s no tomorrow. His phone bills itself were more than the room charges. I could see he was a total embarrassment to his son.” Children are sensitive beings, quick on the uptake and usually, do not disappoint on screen. All it takes to draw them out is a little patience and careful handling. Some children, mainly girls, graduate into popular stars on maturity. There have been some equally dismal failures as well. For the boys, the journey to adulthood is particularly tough, even cruel. Given this uncertainty, is it any wonder that most kids (and their parents) tend to be over-demanding, determined to milk filmmakers dry? “Limited shelf-life, coupled with cutthroat competition in the field, breeds insecurities and in turn, a sense of desperation among the kids,” says Deepak Roy, a filmmaker well-experienced at handling child actors. “Greed is just one
manifestation of insecurity. The bigger worry is when the estimation of selfworth is out of proportion with reality. You cannot blame a kid for that. Anybody would get taken in by all the attention, the sudden rush of fame, the frills that come with stardom. On young, impressionable minds, the effects are even more drastic. The kids begin to regard themselves as privileged, larger than life. And when the fall comes, as it inevitably does, they are left devastated.” Roy recalls the case of a 10-year-old boy he had cast as the hero of his film, Dhanna in 1997. He was the son of a poor, rexine bag maker from Paharganj, Delhi, but believed he was no less than Shah Rukh Khan and expected everybody to treat him so. At a village near Rewa (in Madhya Pradesh) where the film was shot, he terrorised the unit with demands that included an air-conditioned car exclusively to himself, change of clothes thrice a day and so on. Food every time meant butter chicken, mutton curry, four eggs, two apples, four bananas... much of which was left uneaten. Why? Somebody had told him that this is what Shah Rukh Khan does regularly. “The amazing thing about the boy is that when he was in front of the camera, he did not have to emote,” continues Roy. “He could slip into the skin of his character in a blink. Unlike other actors, he did not have to labour on his lines. So when he won the national award for the best child actor in 1998, I was not surprised. He was a total acting natural. It was a tricky role he played—that of a mentally retarded boy who, at a time of crisis, when the village is faced with drought, repairs the only tube-well there. Dhanna got me a national award as well—as the best film on a social issue. But much of the credit should go to that little devil.” Roy is no longer in touch with the boy. His one-room tenement at Paharganj has been razed to make way for a sprawling shopping complex. In all probability, that actor has become a family man, with a wife and kids. After all, he is an adult now—not the cute, mischievous moppet who had walked up to the President of India to collect his national award 11 years ago. The lights have since dimmed on him and the applause died. He is another person today, another face in the crowd. Sadly, this is the fate that awaits most child stars. | 17 |
C h ina Daily
LIFE
BEIJING
He Na China Daily
The victim
Matchmaker From Hell A matchmaking agency has conned several Chinese women into believing that they will marry a foreigner and live a rosy life overseas | 18 |
L
ured by the prospect of marrying a Westerner and living a comfortable life overseas, 39-year-old Liu Qian (not her real name) sold everything she had, only to harvest tears. In 2005, Liu’s Chinese husband dumped her and their young son and moved into a new pair of sheets. Liu became so desperate that she almost contemplated suicide but held back only because of her 5-year-old boy. Just as she was reconciling with her failed marriage, she saw an advertisement making tall claims of facilitating successful marriages with well-heeled foreigners. When she first saw this ad in 2006, she was suddenly filled with hope. She sold her minibus, her only source of income, and paid 24,000 yuan (US$3,500) to the Jilin Yiguanglian marriage agency, to become a member. Some days later, Qiao Chunxian, manager of the agency, brought her some letters, which she claimed had been mailed from foreign countries to Liu. “Qiao said a foreigner had shown great interest in me, and was going to visit China in August, 2007,” Liu recalls. However, after waiting for more than half a year, the only news she got from Qiao was he had lost contact with the foreigner. April 19-25, 2009
The agency attributed his disappearance to Liu’s looks. “Qiao suggested that I undergo cosmetic surgery. I followed her advice and spent more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,462) on the operation. I did look better than before but Qiao still could not put me in touch with the foreigner,” Liu says. Qiao then began coming up with all kinds of strange excuses such as Westerners do not like women with children and that the feng shui of Liu’s house is bad. Liu swallowed all this as she was desperately holding on to the possibility of marrying a man from the West. But more than a year passed and Liu had still not set on her eyes on her prince charming. It was only when she met several women like her asking for refunds at the marriage agency, that she realised it was all a scam. “I was devastated and just kept crying,” she says. Liu’s experience is a bitter example of the growing number of marriages between Chinese and Westerners as China opens up to the world. Inter-cultural marriages, once never heard of in China, are mushrooming across the country. Dreaming of an affluent life in the West, not only young Chinese girls, but also middle-aged women, are jumping on to the mixed marriage bandwagon without a second thought. However, they often have little knowledge of foreign countries or of their language, and this can cost them dearly. Li Li (not her real name) in her 40s is another victim of the Yiguanglian agency. She paid 20,000 yuan to become a member. The agency agreed to arrange a foreign mate for her, but wanted Li to cover all his expenses in China. Li agreed. And then the agency told her that pre-martial sex was common in the West and persuaded Li to sleep with the Westerner. Believing that the marriage would take place, Li agreed to this, too. One day, suddenly, the man disappeared and when Li went to the agency to enquire, she was shocked to see several women there asking for a refund. She was further horrified to learn that a April 19-25, 2009
few of those women had been hooked up with the same man. More than 70 victims made a report to the police and after investigations, Qiao Chunxian was arrested in February 2008. Hu Chuanbin, a policeman from the Changchun Public Security Bureau, says that 94 women in the province have been scammed by the agency, with the oldest being 54 and the youngest, 20. Most of the women were laid-off workers or farmers. Many had paid at least 20,000 yuan to the agency, which had reportedly raked in 2.5 million yuan in Jilin province alone.
ten years in prison and a fine of 2 million yuan. Middle-aged women are often an easy prey for such scams as they place security ahead of marital bliss, says Shi Qingpan, a marriage expert from the Beijing municipal lawyers’ association. “They usually shoulder a double burden—of their ageing parents and of their children. A divorce can affect them not only emotionally but also deal a real blow to their living conditions,” he says. “A divorce breaks their confidence, and many reach out for support.” Marrying a Westerner, they feel, is a guarantee of a comfortable life in the PLOY: The scam marriage agency use the pictures of ‘happy couples’ to lure single women into its trap.
According to the police, Qiao employed several translators to hunt for Westerners through some international networking websites. Most of them were without a steady income, and some were even alcoholics. As soon as the agency sensed a Westerner could be interested in a Chinese partner, it made him an irresistible offer such as a free trip and female company. The Jilin agency was only one of the branches of the Yiguanglian Group. With Guangzhou as its headquarter, Yiguanglian had established marriage agencies in more than 20 cities. In the past eight years, more than 1,000 women fell victim to the scam. Last November, Yiguanglian Group chairman Qi Yaomin was sentenced to
developed world, Shi says. Ignorance is the No 1 culprit, says Zhang Weiping, lawyer from the Jilin Faxu Law Firm, adding “not a single agency arranging mixed marriages is legal in China”. According to Chinese law, no marriage agency is allowed to engage in international marriages. “The whole thing is a hoax from beginning to the end,” he says. “I wonder why the law enforcement department did not nip them (such agencies) in the bud.” As for Liu Qian, she still hopes she can get back her money. “I am gradually recovering from the loss and hurt. My experience has definitely taught me not to rush into any marriage.” | 19 |
ARTS & CULTURE
EXOTIC MARK: David Beckham has one side of his torso etched with a Chinese saying.
BEIJING
Jules Quartly China Daily
C
Sign Of
Times Chinese tattoos have become a mark of collective identity among western celebrities | 20 |
WORSHIP FOR DRAGON: A dragon tattoo with a Chinese character “long” or dragon.
elebrity Chinese tattoos are indelible proof of the country’s growing cultural clout, but also evidence that where body art is concerned local is global. Dragon and Mandarin character designs are ubiquitous in the West but less visible here, where a relatively conservative attitude toward tattoos still exists — they used to be the mark of criminals. While up to 35 per cent of NBA stars have some kind of Chinesethemed motif inked into their skins, the number of Chinese sports stars or entertainers with tattoos is minimal. Since Dennis Rodman (“Ink not mink”) broke the mold in the 1990s the NBA has become so tat obsessed that Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian’s unblemished skins are the exception to the rule. Being a “bad boy” can be a positive selling point in the West, where individualism and thug culture like hip-hop is as likely to be celebrated as castigated. Marcus Camby of the LA Clippers wears his heart on his sleeve and has the Chinese characters “strive for the clan, the family” on his right arm. Allen Iverson, one of the most decorated NBA April 19-25, 2009
GOOD VS. BAD: The Denver Nuggets’ Chris Anderson has the Chinese characters “good” on his left arm and “bad” on the other.
players, in terms of tats and stats, has the character for “loyalty”. The irony here is that tattoos have become a mark of collective identity, rather than unique personality. One of the few NBA players to have lived in China, the Denver Nuggets’ Chris Anderson briefly played for the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons in 2000. He wanted the character for “good” on one arm and “bad” on the other — accurately summing up his character and performances. Unfortunately, something got lost in translation as the character for bad also means “nausea”. He’s not the only one to get it wrong. Shawn Marion of the Toronto Raptors calls himself “The Matrix” and wanted to tell the world by inscribing it in Mandarin on his leg. But to Chinese it reads: “Demon bird camphor”. Pop star Justin Timberlake has the character “qu”, which means “song”, but also “bent, crooked or wrong”. Clearly, most Western celebrities who opt for Chinese tattoos don’t know exactly what the characters represent. They want them because they are exotic, different and therefore cool. Take the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, for example. Among the singer’s many tats is a shark on his left bicep, accompanied by the characters “hai shen” for Poseidon. Mixing Chinese characters and Greek mythology is unique, even if it doesn’t really signify anything. April 19-25, 2009
Britney Spears had a flower with the character “mystery” stenciled near her navel, probably thinking that in Chinese it would be even more enigmatic. And she’s got a point. To most people in her entertainment circle the characters are a mystery. Tattoos have never been more popular. The first series of hit TV show Prison Break revolved around the puzzle of tats worn by actor Wentworth Miller and made him a star. In the cult TV program, Lost, the lead role played by Matthew Fox has a four character poem written by Mao Zedong, which translates as: “Eagles high up, cleaving the space.” Fox’s screen life followed art when the show’s plot incorporated the tattoo, which he had inked before filming began. Another celebrity inspired by Mao is boxer Mike Tyson, who had a picture of the leader drawn on his bicep after visiting his mausoleum in Beijing. Since China has become more visible on the world stage its cultural products, including tattoos, have become fashionable. The 2008 Olympic Games featured the most tattooed bunch of athletes ever assembled. Naturally, many of them added to their collection, including British archer Laurence Godfrey, who inked a Chinese dragon to go with his Olympic Rings. Another visitor to Beijing for the
Games was David Beckham, who on an earlier trip to Hong Kong had one side of his torso etched in traditional characters, written top to bottom, with the Chinese saying: “Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honors depend upon heaven.” Like Beckham, megastar Angelina Jolie, has a one-world approach to her collection, mixing tattoos from different cultures to create her living canvas. In addition to the Tennessee Williams quote “A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages”, she has “strength of will” in Arabic, “know your rights” in English and a Chinese-style dragon and tiger on her lower back. Animals have always been popular because they represent characteristics the wearer has, or wishes to possess. Chinese-style designs are just one among many styles of tattoos — biker, Celtic, Japanese, Maori, erotic, old school and sailor — that can be picked to adorn the body. Opting to have a Chinese tat may not signify anything more than people now have a world of choices. And while celebrities appear to popularise tattoos, it could equally be argued they reflect the general public’s fascination with the art form in recent decades. Tattoos have become mainstream because they are seen as mainly decorative. Pop culture icons give them a stamp of approval. | 21 |
Explore
ANCIENT PAGODA: Tsui Sing Lau is Hong Kong’s only surviving ancient pagoda.
The Walls Of Time Two heritage trails take visitors to Hong Kong on a fascinating walk through 700 years of history | 22 |
April 19-25, 2009
TIN HUA TEMPLE: Tin Hua is the Goddess of the Sky and Queen of Heaven.
Hong Kong
two restored heritage trails opened more than a decade ago by the Hong Sirin P Wongpanit Kong Antiquities Advisory Board, AnThe Nation (Thailand) tiquities and Monuments Office and the Architectural Services Department. sui Sing Lau is Hong Kong’s Ping Shan is the first trail and lies to the only surviving ancient pago- southwest of the New Territories while da — it was declared a mon- the second, Lung Yeuk Tau (Mountain ument back in 2001 — and it of the Leaping Dragon), is to the northmarks the start of the histor- east, near Fanling. ical route to Ping Shan walled village, No matter which of the two heritage built by the Tang clan, one of New Ter- trails you choose to explore on your ritories’ five great clans, about 700 next trip to Hong Kong, you’ll come years ago. They moved here in the 12th back to the Tang clan, believed to be the descendants of the eldest son of the princess of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The princess, a daughter of Emperor Gaozong of Song, took refuge in the south, and married Tang WaiKap of Kam Tin. The eldest son of the royal couple moved to Lung Yeuk Tau at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and as the clan prospered, they branched out to the neighbouring areas, establishing five walled villages. Some of these are well preserved OLDTIME PRACTIsE: Temples still play key roles in ancient communities. and can still be seen throughout Ping Shan and century and set up their system of local Lung Yeuk Tau. government, constructing schools and In ancient times, government offictemples for their community. ers were paid in slabs of bricks. The For all their sophistication and busi- more the bricks they amassed, the ness savvy, the people of Hong Kong wealthier they became — as witnessed have a yearning to learn about their by the walled villages built by the Tangs past. The ancient pagoda is a part of the and their vast farm land in the New
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April 19-25, 2009
Territories area. Visitors will find the restored remains of walled villages at Lo Wai on the Lung Yeuk Tau trail and at Sheung Cheung Wai in the Ping Shan trail. Some oldtime residents still live there and say they appreciate the privacy and silence afforded by the 1.5-metre thick walls. Temples also play key roles in these ancient communities. In a remote location off the Ping Shin trail is a one-storey Yeung Hau Temple, named after the god of loyalty and bravery and home to Kam Fa, the patron saint of expectant mothers, and To Tei, the Earth God. There’s another Yeung Hau Temple on Cheung Chau Island, 10km southwest of Hong Kong. In Lo Wai on the Lung Yeuk Tau trail, you’ll find a Tin Hua Temple. Tin Hua is the Goddess of the Sky and Queen of Heaven and she is much revered among Hong Kong residents because of her proximity to the sea, hence the large number of Tin Hua temples around the city. The Tin Hua temple in Lung Yeuk Tau is ancient, with one of the two bells on the floor of the left chamber cast in 1695 and the other in 1700. Taking time to discover these historical trails offers a very different perspective of Hong Kong from the usual bustling city scene and is a great experience for those not familiar with the New Territories. The journey there is painless too thanks to the comprehensive light rail network that makes both trails easily accessible from the town centre. | 23 |
Explore
Eating Gastronomic tours around the region to taste local cuisines have surged in the past year
SINGAPORE
Cheryl Tan The Straits Times
W
hen Nelson Lee went on holiday in Hokkaido earlier this year, he packed more than just a digital camera to snap sights and a handycam to record activities. Just as importantly, he brought along a healthy appetite. Unlike those who are enticed by the things to see and do on a vacation, the 26-year-old computer engineer was hooked by the mouthwatering line-up of speciality food such as Hokkaido crabs, sashimi and traditional Japanese steamboat. He paid more than $6,000 (US$3,900) | 24 |
for himself and his girlfriend to go on CTC Holiday’s nine-day tour to the northern-most Japanese island. “The Japanese food and seafood in Hokkaido is so different from what we have here,” says Lee, who put on nearly 3kg after his trip in February. Such food-centric holidays have been available for about five years, but tour agents say people have been signing up in droves in the last year. ASA Holidays has seen a 70 per cent year-on-year increase in the demand for such “merged itineraries”, which include sightseeing and food tasting. Its spokesman Louisa Chin says Singaporeans “have a great passion for food” and are adventurous enough to “try new tastes”. The agency started to include food gourmet segments in its tours nearly
three years ago. For example, its nineday North Eastern China tour takes travellers to feast on locally flavoured and prepared ginseng chicken, roasted duck and seafood buffet. Chan Brothers’ slew of gourmetthemed holidays, including a one-day Peranakan food tour to Malacca and a six-day Taiwan Night Market Explorer tour, has seen a 30 per cent jump in sign-ups annually. It also conducts tours to Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Mai for travellers to participate in cooking demonstrations. Such Asian destinations in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Vietnam are popular as these countries’ “cuisines are palatable for Singaporeans’ taste buds”, says Chan Brothers’ spokesman Jane Chang. April 19-25, 2009
CTC Holidays, which started offering food tours five years ago, adds Japan, South Korea and China to the list of Singaporeans’ favourite eating hot spots. Its first gourmet tours had local celebrities, such as comedian and foodlover Moses Lim, leading tour groups to Tohoku and Hokkaido in Japan to sample the local cuisines. It now incorporates the food components into their normal tour packages, with the agency’s local representatives making the recommendations. Getting a taste of a destination’s local cuisine does not come cheap. The food tasted on gourmet tours are usually in popular and more upmarket restaurants well-known for their quality local fare. CTC representative Alicia Seah notes that those who sign up for food tours April 19-25, 2009
are usually “affluent and well-travelled Singaporeans above 40 years old”, since “the difference in costs for meals on a gourmet tour could amount to more than double the price of a normal tour package”. She adds: “They are usually adventurous and like to try different types of food and delicacies which may not be available here. Younger travellers are more into free and easy travelling and sightseeing. They do not want to spend so much on food.” Given the current depressed economy, she predicts that the new food tours might “settle for reasonably priced cuisines instead of forking out a substantial sum of money for high-end quality food”. SA Tours, which has seen a 9 per cent annual increase in its gastro-
nomic packages since it started offering them four years ago, has a different game plan. Instead of omitting the more expensive food places at a destination, it has made “provisions to cut back on the number of days to lower the costs of such tours”, says its spokesman Ruth Lim. But recession or not, retiree Fong Mee Fah is determined to go on her annual holiday to enjoy the eats. The 59-year-old has paid more than $800 ($525) for a five-day Chan Brothers Guangdong gourmet tour next month. Fong, who has heard of the region’s famed cuisine, hopes to try as many of the local dishes and snacks as possible. She says: “My children have all grown up already, so I tour the world now. I live to eat.” | 25 |
DATE BOOK S I N GA P O R E
World Gourmet Summit 2009
C
ombining fine cuisine with great wine, WGS 2009 promises a unique dining experience in the company of internationally renowned masterchefs, wineries, celebrity chefs and mixologists. Wine enthusiasts can look forward to the Chianti Classico Wine Fair and tutored-tasting Symposium, presented by the vintners of the top five wineries from Chianti Classico region. Gourmet enthusiasts can also look forward new culinary discoveries at the Le Cordon Bleu dinner and outreach symposium presented by three of the finest masterchefs from Le Cordon Bleu in Australia, Japan and Mexico. When: April 19-May 2 Info: www.worldgourmetsummit.com
Tin Hau Festival
T
he fishing town of Sai Kung is at the heart of the celebrations for the birthday of Tin Hau, the goddess of the sea. Every year, traditional rites are observed at community temples, but more eye-catching are the colourful parades of floats, fireworks and lion dances and the sailing of hundreds of multi-coloured junks and sampans in Victoria Bay. Tin Hau is supposed to quell the seas, allowing bountiful hauls for fishermen and keeping sickness away from all seafaring types. When: April 18
S I N GA P O R E
Yogamania
Y
ogamania’s mass workout takes place on the Formula One race track, just in front of Singapore’s observation wheel. As well as the mass workouts in the evening, there are workshops led by different yoga masters during the day. There’s something for everyone, from kids’ yoga to yoga that’s practised while sitting in a chair.
yoga mania web site
HONG KONG
Thawechai Jaowattana /THE NAT ION (T HAILAND )
When: April 18-19, 9am-10pm Where: Singapore Flyer Cost: S$40-S$46 (US$26-US$30) Info: www.yogamania.com.sg SHANGHAI
Formula One
T
he Shanghai International Circuit hosts the third race of the 2009 Formula One season, the Chinese Grand Prix. The circuit measures an impressive 5.451km and participants have to speed their way through 56 laps. PATTAYA
Songkran Festival hile the rest of Thailand usually celebrates its biggest festival from April 13-15, the resort town of Pattaya, does the water splashing a week after. Songkran is without doubt the most popular of all Thai festivals. It marks the beginning of a new astrological year and its exact dates are determined by the old lunar calendar of Siam. While the festival has its roots in Buddhist heritage and marked by the washing of Buddha images, merit making, traditional family values and the sprinkling of water in respect for elders, it is best known for the fun and everyone gains from splashing copious quantities of water on all who happen to pass by. When: April 19
AFP
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When: April 19, 2pm Where: Shanghai International Circuit Info: www.formula1.com