23 June 2016
A MA in Media and Communication Studies Initiative
BANGALORE’S BACKYARD BRINGS BACK CARNATIC MUSIC AND DANCE
Bangalore:Bangalores Backyard brings back Carnatic Art and Music. For anyone who wanted to view everything that is Namma Bangalore-CreatHives had bought. Bangalore’s very own carnivalBangalore’s Backyard on the 12th of June. The show displayed the culture and heritage of the city through an immensely talented line of artists. The line up had over 100 artists that included big names like The Raghu Dixit Project and Vasu Dixit. As a part of Preservation of Traditional and Dying Arts Campaign Dollukunita (performed by Santosh& Team), Huli kunita (Santosh & Team), Yakshagana (Yakshagana Kendra) performing a scene from the Ramayana were all participants. The Loop station (Anup Kr), Project Mishram, which was a mix of beatboxing and international genres of music along with Grammy award winning Dr.Prakash Sontakke presented
how foreign instruments can be used to create Indian music. Aneesh Vidyashankar, Fire dance (Agnii), Tall-man Puppetry (Agnii), Clay Modelling Workshop (Yash), Indian Contemporary Dance (Nivesaa), were followed by DJ Notorious, Beat boxing and Street Magic. The event did not end with just music and dance performances. Bangalore’s Backyard had more than 25 food stalls and more than 10 flea stalls. The event also had something very interesting to excite the little children. A special kid’s corner was dedicated to the youngest members of the audience to try their hand at pottery and painting at workshops along with games and competitions. Manasi K Meghnani
Volume , Issue
SHAKESPEARE IS COMING TO BANGALORE!
Rajat Kapoor brings his adaptations of Macbeth, What is Done is Done to Bangalore next month. Director Rajat Kapoor has chosen Macbeth for his third Shakespearean outing for the play titled “What is Done is Done”. Rajat Kapoor has previously adapted many of William Shakespeare’s works like Hamlet, King Lear and this time he is back with What is Done is Done, his take on Macbeth. He brings to Bangalore the adaptation with a cast that includes big names like Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Kalki Koechlin, Jim Sarbh and others. The play had its premiere in Mumbai on June 5 and is all set to enthrall Bengalureans on the 1, 2 and 3 July at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. Don’t miss out the fun! Manasi K Meghnani
‘TORRENT’ OF TROUBLES
It seems “Udta Punjab” has been exposed to a torrent of troubles from day one. The film was recently in news for being the latest subject of the Censor Board’s excessive scrutiny. It was only after a court intervention that the film was given a A certificate and allowed to release. But soon, the controversial drug-themed Bollywood film, ran into more troubles after it was found that the movie was leaked online on Wednesday, two days ahead of its scheduled release in theatres. Though the film team tried to remove it from online torrent sites, the damage was already done. It was a copy of the film submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and also featured some scenes which the censor board had objected to. Allegations are Udta Punjab was leaked online by a member of the Central Board of Film Certification, with the filmmakers claiming that the film was being sabotaged by Pahlaj Nihalani's men. Nihalani re-
jected the allegations and said that, "The leaked copy is not the one submitted to the censor board for examination. We will cooperate with the investigation. “Udta Punjab” supposedly showcased Punjab in a poor light, with a spotlight on its festering problem of drugs.This is the considered to have been the reason for the censor board’s demands for cuts. Butthe problem that has surfaced now puts the team, the movie and the production house in a loss of audience and profits. This raises a question on cyber-crime (anti-piracy) regulations and surveillance in our country. Also the plight of a filmmaker and the troubles he has to go through leaves people questioning the freedom of expression in our country. Or is this to be looked at as an act of sabotage and power establishment by the censor board of film certification, which is known as a despot in its area. This incident has left the team and fans despondent and many sensitive questions unanswered.
While our film industry tries to emulate with the world cinema, certain people make it difficult for the industry to rise probably for the next 50 years. -Gaurav Uniyal Did you know? 1. Eating chocolate before studying and or taking tests, increases your chances of understanding info and passing with a high grade. 2. In 1997, Yahoo turned down the offer to buy Google for one million dollar-today Google is worth about 200 billion dollar. 3. Iron Man, the movie had no real screenplay and was mosly improvised. 4. Sweden recycles so well that it has run out of garbage and now must import garbage from Norway to fuel its program.
Breaking Walls
The first year students of Media and Communication Studies had a theatre session conducted by actor/director Rajesh P.I of the Actors’ Collective theatre group on the 11 th and 12 th June. The session was conducted keeping in mind that all students come from various backgrounds and from across the country. The session would help them develop closer bonds among each other.
The theatre related activities and exercises would help students understand themselves, their surroundings and each other better. Group activities like forming alphabets using their bodies creatively,enacting tableaus, and entire skits without speaking were all designed to encourage co-operation and creativity. The one and half day long session was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The students at the end of it admitted that they had had a lot of fun and was looking at each other in an entirely new way. They were now friends and individuals who could be trusted and not strangers as they had entered.
Recr ea tin g M omen ts : Students crea ting a s cen e fro m a railway station by assuming different positions (above). S t u d e n t s f o r m i n g a l p h a b e t s u s i n g t h e i r b o d i e s c re a tively ( to p r ig ht a nd left)
Ahoy and Welcome Aboard! A Fresher’s day celebration was held for the first year students of Media and Mass Communication on 9th June. The event organized by the second year students was held at the PU quadrangle of Christ Junior College. The whole event was packed with fun, laughter and entertainment. The second year students put up a great show with their sarcastic comments and genuine concern to acquaint the newbies to the college faculty and what they could and should expect from their course. The musical and dance performances also added to the warmth and welcome that they extended towards their juniors. The sessions aimed at improving relationships between each other and familiarize the first year students to the college environment.This was kept in mind when everyone joined together to sing the Fish Rock Song, or to encourage the efforts of the seniors. The show ended with the seniors passing on what is considered to be a ‘legacy dance’ to the first years and everyone coming together a few cherished moments.
THE WOODPECKERS IN SAMPOORN SANTHE
Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat is an Art institute and gallery in Bangalore, showcasing various art forms mainly through exhibitions like Sampoorn Santhe and the famous Chitra Santhe, which is organised every year. Sampoorn Santhe- 2016, organised from 16th to 26th June is an art and handicraft exhibition with various products such as jewelry, home accessories, clothes, bags, shoes etc. in more than 80 stalls with artists from various parts of the country. Along with various artists, Kumud from Jodhpur runs the store- ‘The Woodpeckers’ specializing in furniture and products made of wood and brass! All the products are designed and made by local artisans in Jodhpur, in which, majority of the products such as small furnitures, trays, cupboards, lockers etc. are exported! Kumud began the store when she explored these great pieces of art and realized that they would have great value in places like Bangalore where more people have spacious house which could accommodate these kind of wooden products.She
has been associated with this team for almost 11 years and is a frequent visitor to Bangalore! People like Kumud experiences immense satisfaction through ensuring the quality of the products which is evident in the happy customers over years! -Anand Johnson
An app to socialise while you fly Two 20-somethings, childhood best friends Rahul Maheshwari and Tarun Lala, come together to create a new app that helps people network at the airport. The app is called LEVO and will be useful for all. The app is all set to launch in the next 6-8 weeks. The brains behind the app have gone all out with their risk-taking by not involving investors at the initial stages. They want to prove to the market that their product really works. Rahul and Tarun share common interests like socializing and travelling. On the flights they get so bored that they want to talk to some like-minded people. Tarun jokingly calls it “Tinder for profes-
sionals”. What is surprising is that Rahul had pitched the app in his MBA class during a presentation. He got back to India last year and met up with his best friends from school that included Tarun-the man who was immediately on board when heeard the idea. Initially Rahul thought how the app would work in India. Later he found out the culture of Bangalore had changed from what it was when he had left. People are now more open to networking and to start-ups. As a part of their research, they took multiple flights to Bangalore and Mumbai to interact with travellers. They shared their ideas with the people they met at the airport and received positive feedback. The team also includes two app developers- Jason Titus for the front end and Tanmay Rajagopal, who is not surprisingly from IIT Madras, for the back end. He also doubles up for them as a consultant. Rahul himself has been a Risk Consultant for KMPG, a job that helped him save for his dream app. Tarun also had an IT related job. He has worked at EMC, Boston and Bangalore in their sales and marketing department. Though his family business is of making luxury ceiling, this young man can sit in his office for more than an hour with the fan working to finish his presentations. Other interesting people at their office is the social media intern. The young 21 year old Jenell is from Singapore and is studying in France. These interesting bunch of people have now come together to put an end to boring traveling. Its time to make friends at the airport! -Manasi K Meghnani
THE FIGHT TO EXPRESS Every newspaper over the past couple of days had reports and discussions on Udta Punjab and its censorship issues. The film was not one of its kind, but rather, one of the many which faced the stink eye of the Censor Board. The filmmakers’ right to freedom of speech and expression being questioned is also certainly not a first. This has happened in the case of films like Fifty Shades of Grey, Game of Thrones and others. In these cases, the morality and damage to the fabric of the culture of the nation was cited as reasons. That Punjab would be seen in a bad light was the justification for the Censor Board demanding the filmmakers to drop Punjab from the title and make as many as 13 cuts to be given the certificate. In the light of these events, let’s take a look at the other side of the cinema world- the silver screen. Consider the fact that most Indian households now have incorporated into their lifestyles the routine of watching serials. Most elderly men and women, housewives and many youngsters too are undoubtedy influenced a lot by the content aired in these. It is evident that the TV programs are more influential than films or other sources of entertainment. Now, add to this that the content of TV programming has never been censored. Does this not seem unfair? Although TV serials have long since moved on from the saas-bahu dramas, it is far from being positively influential. Barring a handful like Balika Vadhu, Diya aur Baati Hum, Udaan and others, most of the content in the serials now seem plainly frivolous. Competing with these social issue based serials are dramas like Naagin, where a snake-
woman (is that even the right word) comes into a family to wreak vengeance on the people who killed her parents. The episodes see her frequently turning into a snake and back again into a woman while carrying out her agendas. Then there is Sasuraal Simar Ka, where actors take turns to die and come back to life. The attest twist to the plot in this serial is that the main lead,a.k.a, Simar, has turned into – a fly-thanks to some voodoo magic and can be seen trying to desperately communicate her plight to her family! Star plus is not far behind in the race to churn mindless dramas, and has serials like Saath Nibhaana Saathiya, where the supposedly too innocent lead washes laptops with soap and water-probably for that extra shineand can be seen crying her way through her problems. If censorship was really such a big deal and has a major role in the effect it plays, why is senseless content like these allowed to LOVE FOR ART Sublime Galleria at UB city, Bangalore is conducting an exhibition of artist Sachind from 3 June- 2 July. Sublime Galleria is India’s first sky gallery founded by Ms Uzma Irfan- executive director of prestige group- in 2009. It is dedicated to the support and promotion of fine arts,performing arts and regularly organises exclusive features work of both upcoming renowned artists. Sachind’s works are a collection of art and paintings. At the age of 3 Sachind used his imagination to draw fishes and thus began his artistic journey. He
broadcast? If Fifty shades of grey was subjected to so many censor cuts, what about bedroom scenes from serials like Bade Acche Lagte Hain and others allowed to be aired on prime time television? Is there no censorship for the content that single handedly control all evening activities of a Indian household and the influence it exerts on the billion plus families in our nation? Freedom of expression is one of utmost value to all artists. The hard work that goes into making a film by each and every crew and member of the film is often jested when subjected to so many unnecessary regulations, and the whims and fancies of those in power. The urge to scrutinize very film that India churns out has probably made the officials forget that there are more important things like imagination, creativity, emotions, passions and motives that follows a work of art rather than just being a product. -Anand Johnson worked alone at his skill and his perfectionist nature, with an eye for detail makes him work on every dot of his artwork. His interest in art and design led him to peruse graphic design and civil architecture. He always believed that being true and pursuing excellence is the pathway of perfection. Sachind has created many wonderful artworks and his work can be categorised as sharp focus, realism, abstract and surrealism. They are made of acrylic on mount board. Sublime Galleria regularly holds exhibitions such as these. The gallery is open from 11 am to 8pm. -Sneha NC
Dreaming Big Stanley Hector,a first year student of MA in media and communication studies is all set to attend and cover the World Youth Day event hosted by World Catholic society in Krakow, Poland. This annual event welcomes youth from around the world in the presence of Pope Francis. Stanley is one of the two people representing India at the international event. This is indeed a proud moment for Christ University. Talking to Commix, Stanley shares his inspiration and ambitions about film-making. ter manager as it is all about managing multiple departments at the same time,” he says. From a journey that began in college, Stanley has come a long way now. “After making promotional videos for my college I gradually realised that film making is what I have been searching for all my life. It gives me soulful satisfaction and also the feeling of creating something on your own is priceless”. He directed his first short film ‘Pedal’ which found its place in the Top 10 national submissions of IIT Indore’s cultural fest Fluxus, and was At the age of 21, Stanley has sev- selected by Pocket Films- an online eral recognitions to his credit. Sev- YouTube channel for short film eral short films, directed by him promotions. The short film was have been screened at major film also nominated among the top 5 out festivals in India and outside. of 50 entries in Sutradhar Film FesHis fascination towards the art took tival, Indore and was sent for judgbirth during a college event where ment to FTII, Pune. His second he made promotional videos for his short film ‘The Wall’ got screened college’s E-Cell and gained instant at SIGNIS Film Festival, Malaysia appreciation for it. Stanley has a and Patna. animated look on his face when he ‘The Pink Scarf’-Stanley’s third talks about films and filmmaking short film was based on the issue of “Film making, as I see it, is the best acid attacks on women. The film form of communication. It sends a got selected at the Intershort Online strong message to the viewers to Film Awards, Tanzania and was alter their thoughts on any given one of the movies sent from India, subject. As a film maker, I also feel competing among twelve different that film making makes one a bet- countries. ‘The Pink Scarf’ won the
award for Best Cinematography at the Indore International Film Festival and made its place in the Pune Short Film Festival. He has also attended a 15 days media workshop of SIGNIS as ‘Artisans for a new culture of Peace’ at Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2015. Talking about his inspirations, Stanley says that his favourite directors are Satyajit Ray and Wong KarWai. In his leisure time, he loves watching Korean, French and English cinema, paint and listen to Indian folk music. When asked on what he would be if not for a filmmaker, Stanley gives a thoughtful pause and says, “If not film making, I think I would’ve been an entrepreneur. But I’m not sure about that because I just cannot think of anything else apart from making films”. A talented individual, a free soul and passionate filmmaker, here’s wishing Stanley the very best in all his endeavours. -Uniyal Gaurav
Myth with a Twist “After all, one's reality is but perception, viewed through various prisms of context.” Amish Tripathi, in his Shiva trilogy books, rightly articulates a powerful thought. Truth or its versions, depends upon the person. It differs when viewed through different contexts. Perhaps this is the reason for books like Asura, Ajaya, Palace of Illusions, Karna’s Wife, Jaya and others connect so well with audience. Who would have ever thought that the classic villain Raavana would actually have such a soft side, as portrayed in Asura, and especially one that makes a reader sympathize with him. Who would have thought that Shiva could have been a common man from a small tribe who would go on to become the Mahadev? That Draupadi life could have been so tumultuous but at the same time a powerful read was only known because of Palace of Illusions. Asura by Anand Neelkantan, talks about the Indian epic Ramayana through the perspective of Raavana. This book was among the
top bestsellers in India. The same author has also given other books Ajaya and Rise of Kali- the Mahabharata told from the perspective of the vanquished. Other interesting reads for people who enjoy Indian mythology is now available in plenty. What is the reason for these books to be such a huge hit? We have always been told stories from our epics as bedtime reading with clear distinctions made between heroes and villains, good and bad, truth and courage. These tales are always told from the perspective of the winners. It is said there was a time when the Asuras( demons)
MASTER CLASS Good news for photographersJungle diary is back with another mega event called Bandipur diaries. Jungle dairy is a team of photographers headed by Praveen Premkumar Pai who recently won the All India Silver Award in photography category,by Prafulla Foundation. He has also won 10 national awards including Dada Saheb Pahlke award with his team Aarvi films which is cur-
rently the best production house in India under short film category. Praveen has been listed among the 5 best photographers around the world for 4 consecutive years on the famous Pixoto –an international gallery. Having previously conducted various workshops and events on photography, Praveen has now launched a new event called ‘Bandipur diaries Vol. 1’ which
were the pinnacle of growth and progress and as time progressed they were portrayed as the bad guys when the Devas(gods) took over. The stories of the Devas were told far and wide and the vanquished lost their voice. But it is also told that there will be a time when the vanquished will tell their stories and the tales of courage will have new heroes. Perhaps that time is now. The rising trend in publication of these fictions may not compensate for a lifetime of being the villains. Even though the Gods and the heroes may be so forever, the losers will not be seen in such a bad light anymore either. A fresh perspective may throw light on the reasons behind deeds, motives behind actions and courage and heroism will get a new meaning altogether. After all, “There is your truth and there is my truth. As for the universal truth, it does not exist.” For the sake of broadening horizons these books must certainly be read by all. -Ashwini Raj
is a workshop for people who are passionate about photography, and more precisely Wildlife Photography. This is a wonderful opportunityfor those who want to learn basic photography under passionate mentors. Join them in this chilling adventure at Bandipur Tiger Reserve on 25th and 26th of June. For more details, log on to their Facebook page and get yourself on the team!! -SNEHA NC
Those Quirky People Jayelle Cochran says, “Being weird adds spice to your life. Having weird friends deepens the flavour.” I have to agree with her on this one. But it’s not just friends; it is also that one classmate or a relative, or maybe a stranger too. It is these people who turn a boring lecture into a source of entertainment or fill a redundant family gettogether into a fun filled one. There may be 30-40 people in our class, but there is always that one classmate that greets with the usual waving of arms that ends with the person sitting next getting hit, accompanied with a high pitched squeal like that of a pig culminating in a huge bear hug. It makes you wonder if it wasn’t just yesterday that they met. Then there is always that one guy/girl who can imitate any teacher that he/she meets. The precision withwhich he moves, the tone he uses, and the minute details he imitates - it sets off a series of uncontrollable giggles the next time you see the teacher. There is also one smart guy in every class
every year. A minute detail of history leads to a one hour lecture- not by the teacher, but by him/her. So the next time you want to stall the teacher, appeal to him. His brain always comes handy. Added to this ensemble of a classroom, is that girl/guy with an exaggerated accent even though they may be a thorough localite, the guy with the funny one-liners and so many more people with funny habits. Moving on to our beloved teachers, wehave all had that one cool teacher with PJs, desperately trying to be funny, or that one teacher who repeats one word multiple times. There is also that special teacher who on being asked a doubt repeats the same thought again, just sprinkled with some ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. These are the ones who later prove to be a source of precious memory even after passing out from the school/college long ago. Have you ever met that dear aunty, who does all her chores sitting next to you, while travelling to her destination, in the bus or the train?
(People who have used the local buses in Bengaluru will definitely relate to this).She successfully manages to string a garland, or shell peas, or have her breakfast. Ofcourse, the remnants always end up as a decoration for the road through the window. Then there is also that young mother who lets her child urinate through the window. So who cares if it falls on some innocent passerby? The dear, not-soold uncle also comes to mind now, who regardless of anything, sits in one of the ladies’ seat and politely requests us to stand or adjust somewhere else while he enjoys himself. Next time you see him, do congratulate him. He makes everyone’s life so very interesting. Nevertheless, whatever they do, however they are, these quirky people cannot help themselves, because as the saying goes, “Some people are born weird, some others achieve it, while some have weirdness thrust upon them.” -Ashwini Raj
Quotable Quotes
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny when compared to what lies within Henryus. S Haskins The Team: Anand Johnson, Uniyal Gaurav Harishchandra, Ashwini Raj, Manasi K Meghnani, Sneha NC Faculty In-Charge: Suparna Naresh,Fr.Biju K Chacko
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