India in New York - November 14, 2014 by India Abroad

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VOL. XVIII NO. 21

India in New York A GUIDE TO EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FROM INDIA ABROAD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

OUR STORIES,

their words Inside the first IAAC Literary Festival

PARESH GANDHI

India in New York

Community

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INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

‘We are all scared. We need answers’ ARTHUR J PAIS

ver 300 residents of Edison and nearby New Jersey towns gathered last week to hear the police assure the community over four home invasions in the last three weeks targeting desi families. There seemed anxiety and fear everywhere, and there was also disagreement among community leaders over the police’s response to the violent crimes. Pradip “Peter” Kothari, businessman and an outspoken, persistent critic of the police, was cheered when he angrily denounced the police. Kothari, who had said earlier that robbers target Indian Americans because the community is perceived to be too tame and often does not want the police involved in their troubles, said the community will roar against injustices, discrimination and robberies. “The number of people that are here should tell you how we feel,” he said angrily at the town-hall-style event in the Edison Council Chambers. “We are all scared. We need answers.” Two Edison council members joined the police in assuring the community of steps being taken. Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan said they were working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to nab the armed robbers. He also spoke about the importance of neighbors. Edison Councilman Dr Sudhanshu Prasad, a physician who had run unsuccessfully for mayor, said while he understood people being nervous, he also knew “we are safe in our homes, and the township, the administration will do everything to protect them. We will put in all the resources that we need.” There cannot be a police officer in front of every home, he said in response to demands that there should be more police officers. “It’s true everywhere, so absolutely, neighborhoods have to watch out for each other also,” he added. Bryan urged greater community awareness. “The community, they’re our eyes and our ears, and it’s up to them,” he said. Councilwoman Sapana Shah — whose home is just blocks from where the most recent incident took place in which Rajesh Singh’s home was robbed by masked men — said she believes the police are doing “a good job”, and that

Rajesh Singh, one of the four people whose homes were broken into, speaks at the town hall meeting in Edison, New Jersey, November 4.

Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan addresses the gathering. neighbors have to look out for each other and everyone must become better educated. She has also asked for more neighborhood watch patrols with civilian volunteers not only in Edison but also other townships nearby where Indians have been targeted, their business premises vandalized, and graffiti drawn on the walls of their businesses and offices. “It might be as simple as telling somebody that if you have a security system, to turn it on,” said Shah, who is also an attorney. Parthian Kumar moved to Edison from Michigan about three years ago. On his very first day living here, burglars stole $8,000 worth of gold, he said, per the Star-Ledger newspaper. ‘That was the last time I had gold,’ Kumar said. He wants to buy a house for his growing family, and had thought about buying a single-family house. Now he’s conflicted and afraid and would perhaps prefer a gated community, he added. Gated communities are in short supply in Edison, the newspaper added, and in the town of some 110,000 people, about 35 percent are Asian Indians. Chief Bryan described Edison as

PHOTOGRAPHS: PARESH GANDHI

‘very safe.’ His department solves 78 percent of its burglaries, higher than the national average, Bryan said. The town has 158 officers, and is hiring 13 more as part of a budget agreement earlier this year, per the Star-Ledger. Kothari asked why there were no Indian-American police officers. “But how many of us apply for police jobs,” said an Edison resident later. Over the past 10 years, the number of burglaries in Edison has remained relatively consistent year on year, Lieutenant Anthony Marcantuono told the media. The town sees roughly 350 to 400 burglaries in a year, which spike during the holiday season around Christmas, he said. And they spike around Diwali too. ‘They (the robbers) certainly took away our freedom,’ Rajesh Singh, whose house was robbed, said at the town-hall meeting. ‘It’s different now. The way we are.’ Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at either (732) 745-3439 or (732) 745-3331. Crime Stoppers will also be offering a reward; that number is (800) 939-9600, or text messages may be sent to 274637 (CRIMES) with the keyword “midtip.”

Community

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

At Breakthrough gala, girl from Bihar wows New Yorkers ARTHUR J PAIS

ith 400 community leaders, social change activists and millionaire business leaders including PepsiCo CEO Indra K Nooyi on their feet and many with moist eyes lustily cheering her, Tabbu Afroz, 18, received the Inspiration Award at Breakthrough’s annual event at The Pierre in Manhattan November 7. The Inspiration Awards honors change makers — from corporate leaders to teenagers — who act for “women’s dignity, equality and justice in their own communities and beyond,” per Mallika Dutt, lawyer and human rights activist, who started Breakthrough in 1999. The organization fights for women’s rights, and the youth programs it runs reach thousands of young men and women, particularly in India, Malawi and South Africa. Tabbu, from Patna, spoke about how with Breakthrough’s help she had tried to convince her father to let her older sister Raunaq, who was to be married off at about 15, study in college. How her father had resisted her pleas. And how he had relented after Tabbu’s mother and sister saw a play against child marriage put up in her school by

PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi with MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga

Tabbu Afroz, her father Mohammed Ramzan, and Mallika Dutt

Breakthrough. The mother and sister convinced the father, Mohammed Ramzan, a cycle shop mechanic, and got him to promise that he would abide by Rounaq’s aspirations. Tabbu lost her composure for a minute during her acceptance speech as she described how her sister has completed her college studies in computer science and plans to work on her PhD. She also talked about the continued plight of thousands of young women in India. And she invited her father onstage — to a standing ovation. The event honored three people including Tabbu. Minutes before the awards ceremony, Tabbu bumped into another change maker honoree, Nick Jaegar. ‘I have read and heard a lot about you,’ Nick, 16, told Tabbu. “You are an inspiration to people across the world.” Nick Jaegar, 16, of California, began his activism about two years ago, Breakthrough said, ‘using his investment savvy to raise money for his local (anti-) domestic violence organization and to inspire his peers to take action.’ The third honoree for the evening, MasterCard CEO Ajaypal Banga who was awarded in the corporate responsibility section, received the award from Nooyi. Banga was hailed for his support for women’s causes and setting an example at MasterCard for hiring women from top schools even as the human resources department was telling him it was difficult to find women engineers. ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’ said Banga, father of two daughters. He learned to support women out of a survival instinct, he quipped, adding that he is in a minority at home, thanks to his wife and daughters. ‘Half of the world’s population, 40 percent of the work force is made of women,’ he continued. “But only 1-5 percent of the assets are owned by women. That’s a real problem.’ Mallika Dutt paid an emotional tribute to the medical student in New Delhi whose gang-rape and murder spurred widespread protests. ‘I am inspired by the courage it took one teenage girl to stand up to early marriage, and by the dedication of one teenage boy to challenge domestic violence,’ she said in a statement, referring to Tabbu and Nick. Referring to Banga, Dutt said she is encouraged by the leadership of a CEO who stands firm for women’s equal rights and full participation in society worldwide. Dutt recalled how discrimination and otherness affects women in their parents’ home even in loving families. She recalled answering a question about her work for women that she wanted to have a snake in her home. But her mother told her she could get one when she is married and have her own house. She wondered what the response could have been if one of her brothers asked for a snake.

Community

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

CRY gala features who’s who A CORRESPONDENT

hild Rights and You America Inc hosted its annual gala dinner, Pledge 2014, at the Taj Pierre in New York, November 7. Shefali Sunderlal, president, CRY America, and actor Madhur Mittal (Slumdog Millionaire and Million Dollar Arm), narrated how the organization has made a difference to the lives of underprivileged children. ‘Education is the key to succeed,’ Mittal said. ‘India has more children than the whole population of America. A sizeable number of these children live in poverty.’ He cited the example of two children who acted in Slumdog Vipp Jaswal, Madhur Mittal, Shefali Sunderlal and Dr Roshini Raj Millionnaire, who are doing well in Pledge 2014 was attended by over 100 high net worth their studies after the film opened new doors for them. He said he supports CRY because it does not emotion- guests from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These included Vipp Jaswal, Dr Roshini Raj, Scarlett ally manipulate people for donation showing photoPildes, Shikha and Mohit Bhatia, Anita and Ajay graphs of the misery of the children or narration of Agarwal, Maureen and Gerard Devas, Rishikant Singh, their life. and John Phillip. Sunderlal said all children are dreamers. Items auctioned at the evening — by Priyanka Mathew, ‘If we can get girls to schools many problems like early head of sales and vice president of Contemporary South marriage can be prevented,’ she said. CRY works through Asian Art at Sotheby’s — included paintings by artists its 50 volunteer chapters in the US. It organizes (events like Badri Narayan, Prakash Deshmukh, Anu Kulkarni, such as) CRY walk, CRY cricket etc to create awareness and Dattatraya Thombare; a cricket bat autographed by and raise funds,’ she noted. former India team captain Sourav Ganguly, jewelry ‘All children have dreams and aspirations. However, donated by Surat Diamonds, and a Beatles Album autoobstacles such as malnutrition, child labor, child margraphed by musicians Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. riage and lack of education destroy their childhood. Vipp Jaswal, head of international affairs, Fox News, CRY America has given wings to the dreams of said, ‘It is important for us to support organizations like 450,832 children by ensuring education, health care, CRY that ensures children have better opportunities to nutrition and protection from exploitation. This achievement has been possible only because of the sup- succeed in life.’ Sunderlal appealed to people to join CRY America as port received from 20,000 generous donors and 2,000 donors, volunteers and supporters. committed volunteers.’

Judges’ panel to hear Martoma’s appeal A CORRESPONDENT

three-judge panel of the federal appeals court in Manhattan has scheduled a hearing November 12 to consider a request by Mathew Martoma to remain on bail pending appeal in his insider-trading conviction. District Court Judge Paul Gardephe, who presided over Martoma’s trial and sentenced him to nine years jail term and a restitution of $9.38 million for the largest insider case, had earlier denied his request to remain on bail till the appeals court took a decision. The judge had asked him to report to prison authorities November 10. Martoma appealed that order to the appeals court and Circuit Judge Peter W Hall allowed him to remain free till a three-judge panel decided on it. As per the judge’s instruction, the prosecution filed its opposition to the bail application and demanded that he be sent to jail pending a decision in the appeal case. The prosecution said the jurors were given overwhelming evidence of Martoma’s guilt at his trial. ‘Martoma has failed to carry his burden of showing that his appeal raises a substantial question of law likely to alter the judgment of conviction, as required for this court to order bail pending appeal,’ the prosecution noted. In his bail request, Martoma claimed Judge Gardephe made errors during the trial, including excluding testimony by SAC founder Steven Cohen. Martoma claimed the government failed to prove that his source, a physician supervising the bapineuzumab testing, a medicine for Alzheimer’s, benefited from passing the illegal tips. US District Attorney Preet Bharara had sought a prison term of over eight years along with forfeiture of Martoma’s bonus. Meanwhile, Martoma’s wife Dr Rosemary has filed a petition in the court saying that she has a right to the property of Martoma and the government should not forfeit her share.

Naeem Khan pitches in for Wishwas A CORRESPONDENT

Ranjana Khan, Naeem Khan, Jessica Minhas, and Nivedita Chandrappa

ashion designer Naeem Khan and his wife, jewelry designer Ranjana, hosted a fundraiser for Wishwas at their fashion studio in Manhattan, October 28. Wishwas is a New York City nonprofit that helps low-income immigrant women to assimilate within society and trains them in vocational skills. The Manhattan studio was donned with a fashion display from Khan’s Spring 2015 collection. ‘I am so touched and honored for the support Wishwas has received from our community,’ said Nivedita Chandrappa, executive director, Wishwas. ‘The funds we raised at our gala will help us a great deal to better the lives of many women.’

Over 200 guests, including Congresswoman Grace Meng attended the evening of cocktails, fashion and shopping through an elaborate silent auction. Items up for bid included a range of jewelry from Ranjana, as well as accessories from Exclusively.In and a luxury Johnnie Walker VIP tasting from Le Malt. The most coveted items at the gala were two tickets to Naeem Khan’s runway show at Mercedes Benz Fashion week, and a dinner date with the designer. He matched the highest bid, making that single auction item worth $7,000. Sonali Skandan and the SA Dance Company performed at the event, which was hosted by human rights activist Jessica Minhas. Khan has styled celebrities including Beyonce, Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, Debra Messing, and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Cover Story

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

From Page to Celluloid: Adapting books for the big screen, a panel featuring, from center to right, filmmaker Mira Nair, actor Nandita Das, and author Mohan Sikka.

PARESH GANDHI

Chaya Babu attends the first IAAC Literary Festival

OUR STORIES, their words

s art exhibits, film festivals, fashion shows, and more dedicated to South Asian arts and culture become more vibrant and prevalent in the United States, especially in New York, visibility for literary arts with roots in the subcontinent has also flourished here. Adding a new chapter to that was the first IndoAmerican Arts Council Literary Festival, which took place in Manhattan November 7 to 9. Along with Columbia University’s South Asia Institute and India Abroad, India in New York’s sister publication, the IAAC brought together a litany of names from across the literary and publishing worlds through panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and readings. Taking place at Columbia’s stately campus in Morningside Heights, with opening and closing receptions at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the event traversed areas related to fiction and non-fiction, poetry, different types of media, and covered genres from comedy and food to urban life and politics. “This, our first IAAC Literary Festival, boasts a whole weekend of amazing sessions,” said Aroon Shivdasani, director, IAAC, pointing out that the entire affair was organized in just eight weeks. “And now for this evening,” she continued at the opening reception, “it’s really exciting: Best of the Booker, author Sir Salman Rushdie. Friend of the IAAC for many, many years, a supporter — we’ve twisted his arm for so many things. ‘Come and walk this carpet; please be here for a fundraiser; please be the fundraiser!’ And he’s rarely said no because he’s so, so supportive of young artists, and he

obviously recognizes and supports all the arts.” The brilliant Sir Rushdie — in all his usual eloquence and humor — joined in conversation with Professor Akeel Bilgrami, director, SIA. The two created an entertaining dialog that had the crowd engaged and laughing; Rushdie, on top of his mastery of the written word, possesses a captivating wit and charm on stage. He and Bilgrami wove through a range of topics: Rushdie’s life in Mumbai, London, and now New York; Manhattan in the 1970s; discipline in the practice of writing; rock and roll; Shakespeare; the decolonization of the English language in India; and more. “I think literature works at both ends,” Rushdie noted at one point. “Literature works when it’s minimal and when it’s maximal. It doesn’t work in the middle. So you can take one tiny hair from the head of the goddess and turn it to the light and write about that — that works. Or you can let the crowd in and the carnival and the noise, etcetera, and that works. Both ends work. Nothing in the middle works. The middle is ordinariness. And if you want to not be ordinary, don’t go there.” Saturday and Sunday were a look at the voices in the South Asian literary space, both high-profile and emerging.

Day 1

In ‘Writing the City: Tales from the metropolis,’ authors Suketu Mehta (Maximum City), Kalyan Ray (No Country), and K Anis Ahmed (Good Night, Mr Kissinger) discussed how stories are born out of cityscapes, their

characters and narratives shaped by the culture of chaos and energy inherent to bustling urban centers. From Mumbai and Delhi, to Dhaka to Dublin to New York, these places served as a starting point for a dialog on colonialism, violence, migration, and globalization. “South Asians should take liberty to write about any place we damn well please,” said Mehta, touching on the point of authenticity, and who gets to write about what. Mehta’s Maximum City is based in Mumbai, but he is working currently on a book about New York and has written extensively about Rio de Janeiro. We don’t have to be from or of a place to write about it, the panel emphasized, and even so, the meaning of that has changed. Mehta pointed out that people have allegiance to multiple cities, and even migration means something different from what it once did. “What is exile when a round trip ticket home is $500?” he asked. Ahmed added, “The challenge and the fun for us, where we are now, as part of a global conversation, is to move away from what used to be, in academic parlance, the ‘native informant position.’ I think you can speak in other voices without managing to leave that position — so it’s not just the act of picking up, but rather how you’re addressing (the topic) and who you’re addressing and if you’re actually managing to leave that position. And I see that more and more.” Mira Nair, Nandita Das, and Mohan Sikka spoke to a

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Cover Story

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

At the Finding your Digital Voice panel. From left, panelists Preeti Singh, and Ajit Balakrishnan; moderator Lakshmi Gandhi; and panelists Mitra Kalita, Rashmee Roshan Lall, and Sree Sreenivasan.

PHOTOGRAPHS: PARESH GANDHI

In one of the two final sessions of the day dedicated specifically to different types of fiction, five authors who hail from the subcontinent or whose writing reflect life there swapped tales of their experiences writing and getting published. The panel included Sharbari Ahmed, Renu Kurien Balakrishnan, Nayana Currimbhoy, Victor RangelRibeiro , Shuvendu Sen. Together their craft has included imaginative works of prose — short stories, novel and novella formats — and genres that run the gamut from thrillers, mystery, fairytale, romance, fantasy, science fiction to young adult and children’s books. “I wrote something that was curated for a very, very prestigious journal in the UK,” Ahmed, author of The Ocean of Mrs. Nagai: Stories, shared. “They wanted the story. But they came back to me and said, ‘There’s two protagonists; the

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room full of fans about adapting books into screenplays. Going into detail about how she transformed Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake from a beautifully written story centered around the identity struggle of a young Indian-American man growing up into an equally moving story about a couple and their enduring bond from the subcontinent to the US, Nair said that adaptations should make a story blossom in whatever art form they are created in. Nair, who also recently directed the movie version of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, is well-seasoned in the craft of adaptations, but Das and Sikka, who is actually on the other end of the process as a writer whose short story was made into a feature film, are newer to the scene. Das directed her debut feature, Firaaq, in 2008, and is currently a Yale World Fellow 2014, for a four-month fellowship, among 16 other emerging global leaders. Sikka’s 7,000-word Railway Aunty was adapted by Ajay Bhal, and he spoke from other side, saying it was an odd experience to see characters who were only “brush strokes” in his original written work come to life on the screen, fleshed out more fully by Bahl. The day also saw a lively conversation about digital media and the evolving field of publishing; Ajit Balakrishnan, publisher, India Abroad and India in New York, and founder, chairman and CEO Rediff.com; Sree Sreenivasan, chief digital officer, The Metropolitan Museum of Art; journalist Rashmee Roshan Lall, Preeti Singh, who has been in the publishing industry for years; and Mitra Kalita, ideas editor, Quartz, debated the best ways to transition into the modern world of literature and journalism. Sreenivasan cleverly threw out a couple of relevant phrases, such as “tradigital” — referring to the mix of traditional and digital aptitude — and “twiangulation,” the theory your influence on Twitter is not based on your followers, but rather your followers’ followers. Those rusty on their 140-character communication needed a moment

OUR STORIES,

their words to catch up. Kalita stressed the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity even as media forms change, and using a more dynamic mindset to determine whether a story is most effective as a tweet, a Facebook status, a blog post, an article, a book, or something else. Writers even a decade ago, when Facebook had just come out in its earliest iteration and newspapers were still papers, did not think in these terms. Balakrishnan, at one point asking what it says of our collective authenticity that we prefer only to trade stories in pithy bits and document our visual experiences in a way that allows the product to disappear mere seconds later without a trace — via SnapChat — said he’s skeptical about how the Internet has impacted us and our propensity for truthfulness. He mused about his desire to understand the connection between technology and the broader cultural landscape: “What looks like a technological breakthrough, Twitter for example, actually has a very deep social history behind it. That’s where my exploration is: What events in society create certain technological breakthroughs and how these feed back into society itself.”

From left, Renu Kurien Balakrishnan, Nayana Currimbhoy, Rajika Bhandari, Victor Rangel-Ribeiro, and Shuvendu Sen at a panel on fiction.

main protagonist is an African American male. Could you focus more on the Bangladeshi American protagonist because I don’t think that readers would really accept this.’ And I asked, ‘Is the voice inauthentic? Does it not sound like I have authority to write in his voice?’ And they said, ‘No, it’s a perception thing.’ This is 2014.” Again, the question of voice, position, and authenticity arose, a running theme throughout the weekend. And of course, the concept of blurred lines between memoir and fiction came up, but as writers, they all felt this ambiguity was natural: Everyone pulls from autobiographical knowledge. Rangel-Ribeiro, whose own work, in particular his novel Tivolem, is influenced by his time in Goa, mentioned that many of Charles Dickens’ books were based on his personal experiences as a child. “The place is real,” Renu Kurien Balakrishnan stressed, regarding the setting of her book The Four Aleys, which takes place in a metaphorical Kerala.

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Writing the City: Tales from the metropolis — a discussion featuring, facing the camera from the left, Kalyan Ray, Suketu Mehta, Arun Venugopal and K Anis Ahmed.

OUR STORIES,

PHOTOGRAPHS: PARESH GANDHI

their words

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All agreed that characters and events might all be made up, but intimate knowledge of location has a huge impact on a story. Toward the end of the hour, after playfully commiserating over the tough path of a writer, Rangel-Ribeiro made a statement that every participant in the festival as a whole could relate to: “Writing is an incurable disease.” This was the resounding feeling throughout the weekend. And it brought attendees back for more packed sessions on Day 2.

Day 2

One of the highlights of Sunday was a spirited session called ‘Writing the South Asian LGBT Community,’ with Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla, Rakesh Satyal, and Mashuq Deen, writers who spoke candidly about LGBT issues that continue to be taboo not only on the subcontinent, but also in the South Asian American Diaspora. Deen, a theater artist and activist, called out the need for much greater acceptance, stating that he was conflicted about coming to the space to discuss topics that could expose him to harm and even violence. For that reason, he said, it’s all the more important that the desi community support and embrace voices and perspectives from its gender and sexual minorities. But there was also hope. Dhalla, whose second novel, The Two Krishnas, came out in India (renamed The Exiles) with no resistance despite content that he

worried would be controversial, said he was surprised at its reception on the subcontinent. Satyal added that there are people in the publishing world who have made it their mission to make sure marginalized voices get out. Complications of religion and class as intersections with LGBT identities were discussed, with Dhalla stating that it was possible to find one’s own interpretation of not just tolerance but love for various gender and sexual orientations even in the most seemingly conservative faiths. Class seemed to be a bigger conflict. “In India, lower class folks have to deal with all kinds of things that upper class folks don’t,” Deen said. “Upper class folks can use words like ‘gay’ and feel very Western, have groups to meet with, and the other folks I knew were getting thrown

A discussion on Unpacking the empire: Colonial histories & modern interpretations.

out of their homes and being forced into marriage and had to run away, getting harassed by the cops, getting killed by the cops. All of these things are very real.” It wasn’t an atmosphere of utmost ease in the room, but people who came were hungry to hear more. The session ran over into lunch because of Dhalla, Satyal, and Deen. Additionally, with punchy remarks from moderator Paul Knox, who made a few gay yoga cracks, it was a hard session to leave. The laughs segued nicely into ‘Just for Laughs: The serious business of comedy writing.’ With Aasif Mandvi and Rakesh Saytal once again, and moderated by stand-up comedian Rajiv Satyal, Rakesh’s brother, the discussion centered around how they go about their work as comedy writers, from standup to sketch to their books, No Land’s Man and Blue Boy, respectively. Both men talked about the challenge of writing what they would not get to read aloud themselves to an audience; as comedians, so much of the voice they create in a story is intended to come out in the delivery. That fact was evident even in just talking about comedy writing — the room found most of what Satyal and Mandvi said amusing, purely because they are funny personalities. Mandvi, who is well-known for being a correspondent on The Daily Show, told a story about a class he took in college called Clown Class, which was about creating your clown. He recalled the instructor saying that anytime he taught the class, every student’s clown is a distorted version of one or both of their parents. This was a concept that almost every desi present could relate to, and Mandvi said his parents too have always been a source of raw material.

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The panel has similar tones to others in that the blending of fact and fiction came up, and Rakesh Satyal said he always tried to be aware of whose stories are his to tell, and that it was imperative to get inside the head of all his characters, whether inspired by real people or not. Mandvi added that, like in acting, he found a part of himself in every character: “Even if the character was a dwarf astronaut, I’m like ‘What would I do if I were a dwarf astronaut?’ That’s how I approach it.” When it came to writing in general, Rakesh Satyal had one of the best pieces of advice of the weekend for aspiring writers: “There’s this whole myth of the muse. The idea that you have to wait until the muse strikes you for something to get done, and the truth of the matter is that you just have to sit down and do the work. You’re either doing the work or you’re not. You’re either sitting down and actually writing, and not just thinking about writing, but actually sitting down and doing it, or you’re not.” The day wrapped up with ‘Cooking Up Tales,’ a conversation on food writing. Though Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi was supposed to be a speaker and didn’t make it, Floyd Cardoz, Jehangir Mehta, Beena Kamlani, and Krishnendu Ray provided enlightening information on what it’s like to work in the food space, either as chefs, food writers, or food critics. Both notable New York chefs, Cardoz (Tabla, North End Grill) and Mehta (L’Absinthe, Mehtaphor) pointed out that though attitudes about Indian food in the US had changed, there was still a lot of ignorance. Mehta said he was once asked, ‘Do you make food like Indiana Jones?’ But Kamlani, an editor and food blogger, said that when she got to New York, there was only Dawaat and Bombay Palace, and strides have certainly been made since then —

not only with the presence of Curry Hill and 6th Street in the East Village — but with Indian food having a place in haute cuisine. Ray, Associate Professor in food studies and Chair of the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, agreed. He said Indian arts and fashion coming to the West had impacted tastes and expectations in the culinary space, but he’d like to see more: “It’s still very difficult to find the richness and variety of Indian regional domestic cookery, like Dals should be relatively prolific in terms of variety and relatively easy to store and serve in large scale, but we seem to have a very limited imagination in terms of Dals.” Though there wasn’t quite as much talk about food writing, the dialog was interesting nonetheless and still indicative of the growing Indian presence in the culinary world, whether through restaurants or shelf space for cookbooks. And Kamlani spoke of how the desire to cook, particularly in India, represented a shift in cultural attitudes as the kitchen had long been considered a space where domestic workers prepared food, not those who lived in the house. The festival finale was another reception at the regal Musuem of the American Indian in Lower Manhattan. The closing treat was playwright Ayad Aktar in conversation with Patrick Healy. With interspersed clips from Aktar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play Disgraced, the evening provided a warm rapport between Aktar, Healy, and the crowd, which was captivated by Aktar’s eloquent narrative about his upbringing, his thoughtful selfreflection, and his philosophies about his craft and how he ended up as a writer. He had the quintessential bit about his Pakistani parents wanting him to be a neurologist, a memory of his dad’s stern advice about how to handle being different in

America, the perfect story about how a high school teacher changed his life by immersing him in literature and planting the seeds for his current success. “I fell in love, and I never fell out of love,” Aktar said. He found a way to move from lightness to profundity, imitating his parents’ accents as he told the audience about their reaction to Disgraced and explaining his relationship to Islam, his desire to make art about the Muslim American experience, the tradeoff between artistic integrity and political correctness, and, of course, the beauty of writing what you know. “(I went through) the process of understanding that I was not going to escape who I was and that I had been spending 15 years writing about stuff that had nothing to do with me, and so it should not be a surprise that I was not getting anywhere,” Aktar said, talking about the struggles on his path to success. “The reason I do all of these different things is because I failed at every one of them for so long that I decided I was going to start to do something else,” he continued. “But I had failed at it enough that when I gave up on it, it turned out I actually had learned something about it. So then I’d fail at another thing and realize, ‘Well I was actually better at that thing that I just gave up on, so let me go back to that.’ But when I’d go back to that, I would have actually acquired some other craft from the other thing!” Shivdasani expressed satisfaction with the weekend’s turnout. “I conceived of the First Annual IAAC Literary Festival to give South Asian authors a platform; I just did not realize how important it was until we experienced the enthusiasm, energy and fantastic participation of all the authors, veteran and debut!” she said. “We had authors from Kyrgyzstan, Canada, Britain, India, Bangladesh and all over the United States involved in a fun, stimulating weekend of fabulous sessions… I am really looking forward to the second edition in 2015.”

TEJ PATTISON/IAAC

OUR STORIES,

their words

A peek into the session with Sir Salman Rushdie.

Special

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

he Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened an exhibition of 60 pieces from over 400 years from the private collection of Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani in an exhibition titled Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection. The exhibit, which includes objects from the 17th century to the 20th century, tracks the evolution of jeweled arts in India from the Mughal period through contemporary times, the later pieces showing the increasing influence of the West on the designs. India has been a global center for jeweled objects and arts throughout history, its own mines replete with gold and resplendent gems, including diamonds and many precious and semiprecious stones. Situated on the trade routes that carried imports like Columbian emeralds, and jewelers and lapidaries looking to sell their wares, India has a long tradition of valuing objects made of luxury materials. Specifically, Mughal rulers had courtly paraphernalia and ceremonial treasures, and later the Maharajas kept jewels by Cartier and other Western designers. One of the highlights of the exhibit, from the Mughal period, is a fierce and majestic jade dagger, the hilt made for Emperor Jehangir and then rebladed for son Shah Jehan. “This really traces that whole arc of jeweled expression in India,” said curator Navina Haidar. “You have jeweled objects and then jeweled ornaments for the body. So, in today’s world we think of jewels as being just for the body, but up until the present time, objects were jeweled too. I mean, no one now has a jeweled hookah base or a jeweled bottle — not real jewels. If you think about it, in the 1930s and ’40s, people used to have these cigarette cases that were made of precious materials, and I think there’s very little of that left in our world.” Such examples include, as Haidar mentioned, an intricately encrusted hookah, as well as a jade inlaid flywhisk holder; a crutch handle with diamonds and agate; a rock crystal inlaid flask; a box with gold wire, rubies, emeralds and crystal; and more. A pair of falcon anklets, for a bird that denoted nobility, also appears in the collection, and a rose water sprinkler relates to a group of sprinklers that were given to the Russian court by Nadir Shah, who had taken them from Delhi in 1739. One case in the gallery is devoted to richly adorned turbans, crowns, and other headwear worn by Maharajas, and traditional jewelry for both men and women and from the North and South — gold bangles, earrings, nose rings, an upperarm cuff, and more, with varying jeweled details — are on display. “Certain types of ornaments in different regions represented marriage or virginity,” Amin Jaffer, International Director of Asian Art at Christie’s and author of Beyond Extravagance: Gems and Jewels of Royal India, explained to a small group.

Turban Ornament (Sarpesh). South India, Hyderabad, 1800–50. Left, Seal Ring with Hidden Key. South India, Hyderabad, 1884-85.

The Indian treasure trove

Aigrette. France, Paris, designed by Paul Iribe, made by Robert Linzeler, 1910. Finial from the Throne of Tipu Sultan. South India, Mysore, ca 1790.

Chaya Babu visits the Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dagger (kard) with European Head. North India, Mughal, ca. 1620–25 (hilt), 1629–36 (blade).

Diamond Necklace for a Prince (kanthi). South India or north India, 1850–75.

Belt Brooch. France, Paris, made by Cartier, ca 1920–30.

Punch Dagger (katar). North India, Mughal, ca. 1680-1720. PHOTOGRAPHS: THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

“Then if you became a widow, you also wore different things for that.” As the styles evolved, hybridized forms of European and Western jewelry appear. Historical photographs and portraits of Indian royalty wearing works similar to those on view add another layer to the space visually while also providing context for visitors. “The interesting thing that you see is that a lot of this jewelry is for men, not women, and that’s something that Western audiences often don’t realize,” Haidar said. “Another thing they don’t realize is that not all Indian jewelry is gobs of opulent strange shapes, because if you look at the Maharani of Indore in the picture, the pieces were very Europeanized. Obviously in India, you had connections to the rest of the world, but 1930s fashion was especially huge in India, so you can see that the Maharani is wearing a very ’30s dress, and she also has the kind of European setting of her necklace, and that’s the arc of the story that we wanted to show — going from the very traditional to the modern in India.” The exhibit represents a wide swath of Indian royalty through history, with jewels from Mughal rulers (1526-1858) placed next to those belonging to the Nizams of Hyderabad (1724-1948) and the Maharajas of the Rajput courts (18th-20th century). Design and material-wise, the pieces are diverse in their animal and nature motifs and later Western-cut gems and European floral aesthetics applied to very obviously Indian items, such as a jadanagam, or plait ornament. Later years of the collection have antique gems that were incorporated into modern settings by Maison Cartier, jewelry designer Paul Iribe, and others. Jacques Cartier first traveled to India in 1911, the year of the Delhi Durbar; this trip and subsequent ones fostered his relationships with gem dealers and jewelers as well as the Maharajas and princes who became his clients. An aigrette, several brooches, and a turban ornament are all from this phase, in the early 1900s, but the Ruby Choker made for the Maharaja of Patiala in 1931 is the stunner — even though only shown in a photograph. The contemporary works include pieces as new as last year. The ‘Star of Golconda’ Diamond and Brooch (Cartier, Paris, 2013) was named after mines in the Indian Kingdom of Golconda, where famous diamonds of the 15th and 16th centuries were mined. The origins of the specific stone in the piece are debatable between India and Africa, but the name conjures some of the most historically renowned diamonds in the world, such as the Koh-i-noor and the Hope diamonds. Treasures from India is being shown within the Metropolitan Museum’s Islamic art galleries, adjacent to the Museum’s own collection of Mughal-period art. It opened October 28 and runs through January 25, 2015.

Bollywood

THE ARTIST AND THE MUSE INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Randeep Hooda and Nandana Sen in Rang Rasiya.

Randeep Hooda discusses his two loves, films and sports, with Rajul Hegde

andeep Hooda is glad Rang Rasiya was delayed. The actor, who plays 19th century artist Raja Ravi Varma in the film, explains why. Rang Rasiya releases after five years. Was the wait depressing? The film has been going to film festivals, it hasn’t been dead. I am glad it’s releasing now, not before, because it would have been before its time. The wait was a bit demoralizing because there was a period when I had no work. I refused some movies — which turned out to be big ones — because I thought this would be my ticket to being a world famous artist. I have no qualms about the film’s delay because the story is years old and the way we’ve done it is not dated. Why do you think it would have been before its time if it had released earlier? We made this film at a time when biopics weren’t being made. People are now getting interested in watching such movies. Also, I was an unrecognizable face at that time. But with my releases in the last few years, I have some force behind me. And the audiences have become more educated now. What made you say yes to this film so early in your career? I would have said yes anyway because I am a big fan of (director) Ketan Mehta’s work. Ghulami and Mirch Masala are two of my favorite films. They are

original, have a message and are also entertaining. When I read the script of Rang Rasiya, I asked Ketan who this man was. Like most people, I hadn’t heard of him. He just smiled and opened a book of pictures. I had seen a few pictures. He then showed me pictures of Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati and they really got me hooked. I had the prints of similar paintings in my house and every Diwali, we would pray to it. The whole country has been praying to his paintings but nobody knows who the painter is! I started reading about him and the literature that Ketan gave me. I discovered that he was the first Indian rockstar, who was patriotic and had a very colorful personality. In those days, if you wrote a letter to him without writing his address, it would reach him. The Indian government could not handle his fan mail, so they put up a separate post office for his mail! What kind of homework did you do for this role? I practiced tying the mundu (a traditional south, Kerala, Indian garment) and walking comfortably. I learnt some aspects of painting from a painter from the ND studio art department. I tried the Malayali accent too, but it sounded funny in Hindi. We didn’t know how he spoke and walked, so we captured his body language from paintings and black and white pictures. How comfortable were you shooting the intimate

scenes? I never had any discomfort. People, who make a big deal about doing bold scenes, don’t look at them with the right perspective. It’s the same as doing an emotional scene; I don’t even consider them bold. It’s about two people having feelings for each other and it culminates in physical intimacy. Graphic pornographic images are not in the film. Yes, there is frontal nudity but that’s out of love from a muse to an artist. You play polo and off late we have seen a lot investing in various sports and promoting them. Would you also like to invest your time and money in a sport? Actors only put their name on the teams; they don’t even play those sports. I play sports professionally. I have got my own polo team. I do not do it for publicity, but I want more and more people to play it. It’s a great sport.

A difficult film and difficult questions, Nandana Sen tackles both with élan. A conversation with Rajul Hegde

e don’t see Nandana Sen in the movies too often. But a movie like Rang Rasiya seems worth the wait. The recently released film has cast Sen opposite Randeep Hooda, as Sugandha, artist Raja Ravi Varma’s muse. The actress speaks to India in New York about why she does not have a conventional Bollywood actor career graph.

Is this your comeback film? You have not acted in a Bollywood film since 2010. I did a Bengali movie called Autograph (in 2010). I have always had a rather unconventional approach to my work. The films I have chosen don’t always fit into the conventional Bollywood graph. I have acted in films in India, Europe, America, Canada. I also work as an activist and writer. I have taken many breaks and so I don’t have a conventional Bollywood actor career graph. But you have done commercial films like Prince and Tango Charlie and even Black.

Of all the films I have done, Prince was the only film that was commercial. It was a great film to shoot because of the action. I had a secret desire to do an action film! Tango Charlie is an anti-war film; it’s about cross border violence. I am against violence in any form. I am drawn to films that have some kind of social or political relevance: The War Within was about international terrorism, and The World Unseen was about apartheid. Black deals with the rights of children with disabilities. It’s very close to my heart because I am an ambassador of an organization called Operation Smile that works with children who have facial disabilities and deformities. Rang Rasiya is about freedom of expression and religious tolerance. It seems like a totally mad choice of films, but there is some kind of method to the madness, which has to do with the kind of films I am passionate about. I don’t have the habit of filling my

PAGE 13 g

Bollywood

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

‘I want to take on risky stuff ’ Akshay Kumar gives Rajul Hegde a peek behind his intriguing film choices

kshay Kumar says lust is in a man’s DNA. Perhaps that’s why he decided to remake Basu Chatterjee’s 1982 classic Shaukeen. He discusses his turn as co-producer and actor. As the co-producer, what attracted you to The Shaukeens? I found the original Shaukeen amazing. It’s the story of three old lustful men… There is no man who isn’t lustful. When a man looks at a woman, his imagination is bound to run wild. The catch is in how he behaves with the woman. Anyone who disagrees with this and says it depends on perspective is again trying to hide their lust because it is socially unacceptable to think free. The original film got an A certificate but our film has got U/A because the Censor Board saw the film and felt that the three old men are very cute and not lecherous. The only desire the men have in the film is they want to see Lisa (Haydon) in a bikini. When I watched the film, even I felt bad for these men… You’ll pity those men. In 1982, the film did wonders so I thought this subject will be just right in today’s time. But there are no similarities with the old Shaukeen. You play yourself — superstar Akshay Kumar — in the film, but he is an alcoholic unlike you in real life. I am a teetotaler. I don’t drink tea, coffee or smoke. If I portray that on screen, it will be very boring. So writer Tigmanshu Dhulia and director Abhishek Sharma decided to make my character colorful and added the alcoholic and angry man traits. I know some actors who drink vodka with tender coconut water and orange juice. You can see the change in their body language after some time, which is funny. So we decided to add that also. Rajesh Khanna, your father-in-law, was the biggest superstar we have had. What aspect of his life do you identify with? Is there any superstar from Bollywood whom you admire? According to my wife (Twinkle Khanna,

Akshay Kumar in The Shaukeens. Above, a scene from the film.

Rajesh Khanna’s daughter), I cannot reach there. I agree. I cannot compare myself to him. Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan are the two superstars whom I admire in Bollywood. What was it like working with Lisa Haydon? In Queen, she had a small role but it was one of the USPs of the film. She understands the camera, may be because of her modeling background. She actually talks to the camera and makes sure the camera does not move away from her. What was it like playing yourself and making fun of yourself in the film? To play yourself and make fun of yourself is a big job and fun too. It is easier to poke fun at yourself to make the jokes funnier. Nobody is interested in knowing what happened to a certain X Y or Z. But if you say the same joke about yourself, it will engage people better. What is the funniest thing about you? I didn’t know that I have a funny bone till I met directors Priyadarshan and Raj Kumar Santoshi. Initially, I was scared of comedy. They made me realize that I can do funny things. I think that the action image makes an

actor really funny. For example, Amitabh Bachchan had the angry young man image but suddenly, when he started doing comedy, people loved it. Bruce Lee used to do comedy in a subtle way and people liked it. Jackie Chan always mixed comedy with action. How do you deal with crazy fan/stalkers in real life? There have been many crazy fans. Like, a girl came from Lucknow and cut her wrist in front of my house. I took her to a nursing home and called her family. I gave her my secretary’s number so she could meet me once or twice a year. The best way to deal with them is to meet them and give them warmth. What are you shaukeen about in real life? I love sweets, which I eat in the day time so it gets digested well. I love sports. I love to travel in private jet planes. Was it a deliberate decision to choose diverse films like Baby, Air lift, Gabbar, and Brothers for your future projects? I don’t want to do only hero kind of films. I don’t look out for 100-200 crore club only. Like, Singh Is Bling is a hero-centric film

but I want to take on risky stuff too. I was warned not to do Oh My God because it’s on religion and may have faced a lot of problems. Also, I want to do films that my son can enjoy. If he doesn’t like my film, he tells me that he didn’t understand the film at all. How do you handle filmmakers who refused to work with you when you were going through a bad phase? It’s not their mistake that they didn’t cast me when I was a flop artist. You should take it positively and work hard. Not once or twice, but thrice the filmmakers have come back to me. Now when they come back, I shake hands, quote my price, and work with them. Can you talk about Brothers? I have lost about 10 kilos (22 lbs) for the role. I am fighting with Siddharth Malhotra in the movie, who has gained 10 kilos. He has bulked up and is looking fantastic. I am supposed to look weak in front of him. For the last six years you have sponsored the lodging and boarding of kids who participate in a martial arts championship. How do you plan to take this further? I have appealed to the government to make martial arts compulsory in the general school curriculum. Let’s see what happens to that. A few days ago, I was in Singapore where I met a person and asked him what the crime rate in Singapore was. He said it is 0.03 percent. He said everybody has to go for a three-year self-defense and military training course in school. Then you have to sign a paper to agree to help in military during a war and be a solider if required. After two years, you have to do seven days of military training again. How can crime take place when everybody is a soldier? So I keep telling the government that everybody should be trained in selfdefense.

Bollywood INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

ALL THAT GLITTERS

A PEEK INTO THE WEEKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GLITZIEST TINSEL TOWN EVENTS

The Hello! Hall Of Fame Awards 2014, held at the the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, was one of the most glamorous dos of recent times. Among those in attendance were, clockwise from top, composer A R Rahman, actors Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, tennis player Sania Mirza, New Yorkbased designer Bibhu Mohapatra, actor Sonakshi Sinha, and New York-based hotelier-actor Vikram Chatwal.

PHOTOGRAPHS: PRADEEP BANDEKAR

Bollywood

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

‘I want to move on now’ Shweta Basu Prasad speaks to Subhash K Jha about her trials

“T

here was no businessman, no politician in my room when the raid happened... I dare anyone to prove I made those comments about being forced into prostitution that were attributed to me,” says the very articulate Shweta Basu Prasad. The actress, who was released from a rescue home where she spent two months after a raid in a posh hotel in Hyderabad, rubbishes the quotes that were attributed to her after her arrest. In the statement that was extensively circulated, Shweta was quoted as saying, ‘I have made wrong choices in my career and I was out of money. I had to support my family and some other good causes. All the doors were closed and some people encouraged me to get into prostitution to earn money. I was helpless and, with no option left to choose, I got involved in this act. I’m not the only one who faced this problem, and there are several other heroines who have gone through this phase.’ Shweta says she never commented on this issue. “Quotes were concocted on my behalf and circulated everywhere, on every channel, in every newspaper and on all the websites. How could I say anything when I Shweta Basu Prasad was not around? I was in custody. I wasn’t even allowed “This made-up melodramatic statement has damaged to speak to my parents, how would I speak to the media?” my reputation. It suggests that I made a comment on she asks. other actresses and their lifestyle. Why would I do that? Shweta’s legal team has tracked down a leading newspaAnd why would I say that doors were shut on me? Cinema per in Hyderabad as the source of origin of the concerned has been my life from the age of 10. It is my identity. I’d quotes, and the actress promises stringent legal action never defame the industry. And why would it disown me?” against the publication.

f PAGE 10 schedule with one film after the other. Rang Rasiya has been in the cans for more than five years. Are you still emotionally attached to it? When you make a film, it’s done with so much love and conviction and you put heart and soul into it. You can do this film only if you are passionate about it. Now that it’s finally releasing, all I feel is extreme elation that the world is finally ready to embrace it and I hope it embraces it with an open mind. There is no point in thinking about what happened in these years. The moment right now is to look forward. Do you think this is the right time for the film to release? Absolutely. I am optimistic and always think that things happen for a reason… The theme is about the need to protect our freedom of expression. It exposes how vulnerable women are in Indian society. The need for religious tolerance underscores all of these themes that are more powerful today than ever before. Has nudity in India come of age? Nudity is a very complicated issue… What I can say is that as an artist you make a choice to embrace nudity, whether

Shweta asks. The actress says she has no complaints against the film fraternity. “I have friends in the film industry,” she says. “I am well-connected. I had been auditioning for roles even when this (the arrest) happened. I have spent threeand-a-half years making a documentary on Hindustani classical music. I turned down roles after my first Tamil film as a leading lady was a hit because I wanted to focus on my documentary. Now that it’s in post-production, I want to concentrate on my acting career. So which doors were closed? Such shallow emotions and vocabulary! Any sane person would have seen it’s made up. I can’t understand how it was used everywhere as my statement.” Another report in a leading paper says Shweta was let out of the rescue home because her life was in danger. The report quotes a source as saying, ‘Clearly, the people involved in this ‘business’ are extremely influential. They are worried that if she is in the remand home for too long, out of their reach, she might reveal their names and put them in trouble. If she is outside, they may be able to prevail upon her to keep mum.’ Laughing at the above report Shweta says, “Who are these sources talking about my life being in danger? Can we tone down the theatrics? And what names would I spill? When I was arrested and detained for interrogation, the police asked me the names of Tollywood actresses who might be involved. I didn’t even know many of their names. Why should I make comments on other actresses?” Shweta is ready to plunge into her acting career again. “I want to move on now,” she says. “My parents have suffered enough. I want to know what grave crime I committed, and why a section of the media was having so much fun at my expense. We, as a nation, enjoy watching (people) suffering. We are a sadistic people. I want to ask the journalist who made up this statement: how much do you know about me and my family?”

THE ARTIST AND THE MUSE

you do it as a painter like Raja Ravi Varma did, or as an artist like Ketan Mehta did, or as an actress like I did. You need to do it with lot of thought and responsibility because it’s not an easy decision to make. It was not an easy decision for me. I spent long hours of intense discussions and debate with Ketan about it and he was sensitive to all of my questions and fears. What were your questions and fears? I wanted to make sure that there would be no objectification of the woman’s body. I didn’t think there would be, because I knew his work. I wanted to work with him because I love the way he always has a focus on the power of a woman in his films. Be it Mirch Masala, Maya Memsaab or Bhavani Bhavai, the women are very different from each other and are vulnerable. This is one of the many aspects of Ketan’s work that I really love. I never really felt that this was going to be a problem in the film. I didn’t think that Ketan would objectify. But you still

need to make sure as it’s a difficult decision. It’s really important for both parties not to be shy. How many people are going to be there while shooting this and what exactly are we revealing? These questions are quite standard in international films. The reason I asked this is because I have been asked to do this before, and I had been in the situation a few times. I am absolutely comfortable with the level of nudity in the film right now. By the time I shot the film I had overcome the fears I had, but it took me a while to be comfortable with the thought of it. It not only meant I talked about it to Ketan, but also to my parents and my partner at that time because these are the people who know me better than anyone else in the world. It was a long conversation with the people who are close to me on how and whether I would be comfortable. Once I decided to do this I really decided to do it out of artistic and political convic-

tion. That conviction has never changed. I am as comfortable with the decision and those scenes now as I was when I shot the film. The moment for examining my feelings and fears came before I said yes to the film, not after. What was it like working with Randeep Hooda and Ketan Mehta? Both are really wonderful people and great artists. They are talented and passionate about their work. I admire Ketan’s sensibility as a director. He gives lots of artistic freedom. He really is the man to make a film about artistic freedom because he completely embodies that. He had very strong vision for this film and the characters. He allowed me to write a lot of additional dialogues for my own character. He was always open to any ideas I and Randeep had while doing a scene. I couldn’t have loved working with a director more than working with Ketan Mehta. How has life changed after your marriage? It has changed wonderfully because I share every moment of my life with my husband and that’s a beautiful feeling.

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India in New York November 14, 2014

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India in New York November 14, 2014

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Master of Indian Music

Kaushiki Chakrabarty Don’t miss this virtuoso with her extraordinary interpretation of North and South Indian vocal traditions in a rare New York appearance.

Friday, November 14 at 7p.m. Tickets start at $40. BRING THE KIDS FOR $1. Your ticket includes Museum admission on the day of the event. Prices subject to change.

Tickets on sale now metmuseum.org/tickets, call 212.570.3949, or visit our Great Hall Box Office

“the next big thing in Hindustani classical music” —Tehelka Magazine

Presented in collaboration with World Music Institute. This concert is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection, on view October 28, 2014—January 25, 2015. The exhibition is made possible by Cartier. Photo © Kaushiki Arts Pvt Ltd.

Bollywood INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Now showing: Brahmin Bulls

America after having played at a number of film festivals. It will open in New York at AMC Empire November 14. Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes), who played the lead and co-produced the film, will join Pailoor and Pradhan for a Q and A at the 6.30 screening. When Ashok Sharma, a scientist from Boston makes a surprise trip to Los Angeles to visit his estranged son, the two begin a journey to mend their relationship until the son, Sid, discovers that his father has come in search of an old love. A thirty-something disillusioned architect struggling to save his failing marriage, Sid has no patience for more conflict and emotional drama. Then suddenly, while working in the garden, Ashok suffers a heart attack. As Sid rushes him to the hospital, Ashok asks Sid to “bring her... Bring Helen.” Will Sid, who has lost his mother to cancer, be able to come to terms with his father’s past with another woman?

Roshan Seth, left, with Sendhil Ramamurthy in Brahmin Bulls.

ANU PRADHAN

rahmin Bulls, the heartfelt and often humorous family saga directed by Mahesh Pailoor who wrote it with his B wife Anu Pradhan, is hitting the popular venues across

“Brahmin Bulls is the story of a father and son coming together as adults on equal footing for the first time,” Pailoor tells India in New York. “It is a story of forgiveness and acceptance, of letting go of the past to live life fully in the present. There is a lot of drama here and some spirituality.” The independently made film also features the award

winning actor Roshan Seth, Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, and Oscar-nominated Michael Lerner. Pailoor, who grew up in Maine as the son of Indian immigrants, says, “As children we grow up under the notion that our parents are infallible; that they are the perfect models — our heroes. But as we get older and have families of our own and see our lives turning into complications, we slowly realize our parents are only human; that they were once just like us, young, hopeful, naïve, and completely capable of messing up.” His film is essentially a story about that reconciliation, he adds. Pailoor and Ramamurthy have known each other for over a decade, but the director is clear that this is not a South Asian film: “This is an American film with South Asian actors in the lead roles. I really feel like this is a film that will speak to a larger Diaspora audience in America. We took a long time to work on the script. Groundbreaking might be pushing it, but we are part of a new wave of second generation Indian Americans making movies. “ — Arthur J Pais

COURTESY: TWITTER.COM/RAJSHAH

Kajol’s cause

From left, Bollywood actress Kajol with Pranjal Sharma, consulting editor, Businessworld, and USAID Administrator Raj Shah at a Clean India Campaign panel discussion. Kajol is an ambassador for the #HelpAChildReach5 campaign.

Tirlok Malik, fifth from left, with the team of On Golden Years.

Tirlok Malik honored he Indian American Forum and the School of Visual Arts hosted the New York premiere T of New York Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tirlok Malik’s On Golden Years. This is the story about the retirement of the American Dream. It portrays the complex emotions at the time of retirement for immigrants. Through various characters, who are residents of an Indian retirement community, the film deals with the conflicts such as India vs America, contentment vs regrets and places to retire.

More than 500 people attended the premiere held at the SVA Theater and celebrated Malik’s journey as a filmmaker from Lonely in America (1990) to On Golden Years. Manhattan Borough President Gale A Brewer presented a proclamation to Malik for his work. In his speech, Malik acknowledged those who played an important part in his journey as a filmmaker, including his brother Chander Malik and his friend Ashok Wahi. Filmmaker Mira Nair, Sri Lanka’s ambassador to UN Dr Palitha TB Kohona, and Deputy Consul General of India Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra congratulated Malik. Reeves Lehmann, chair, film division, SVA, spoke about the film. The film also marks singer Falu’s film debut.

Bollywood weddings Kajol discusses hand hygiene with, from left, journalist Shekhar Gupta, Sril Lankan lawmaker Sarath Amunugama, Hindustan Unilever CEO Sanjiv Mehta, and industrialist Adi Godrej at the India Economic Summit.

ctor and television anchor Gaurav Kapur, seen in films like Darna Mana Hai, Ugly Aur Pagli and Quick Gun Murugun, married his long-time girlfriend Kiran Bhattal, who works as a A television host on a lifestyle channel, in Chandigarh November 2.

Actor Pulkit Samrat, best remembered as Lakshya Virani from the popular show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, also tied the knot this month. He wed Shweta Rohira in Goa November 3.

Bollywood

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

No PK for Sanjay Dutt in jail ajkumar Hirani’s Aamir Khan starrer PK is ready for release in December. And while the team must be making arrangements to have the film screened for close friends R and family ahead of its theatrical release, we have learned that at least one of the said

screenings has been called off. The Yerwada jail authorities have quashed Khan’s plan to hold a special screening for his co-star Sanjay Dutt, who is currently serving his sentence there for his involvement in the 1993 Bombay blasts case. Dutt, who plays a significant role in PK, had completed shooting his part of the film before he was sent to jail. Meeran Borwankar, director general of prisons, Maharashtra, said, “I came to know about the special screening (request) recently. For us, all inmates are equal and they have to follow the same set of rules. There is no question of special concessions.” Dutt has been released on extended furlough twice already. Since that attracted controversy, jail authorities are now treading with caution. — Devidas Deshpande

DIPAK CHAKRABORTY

ON SETS WITH THE STARS Amitabh Bachchan, who is currently shooting for Shoojit Sircar’s Piku, was spotted on the streets of Kolkata recently. Dressed in a pink kurta, a navy blue sweater-vest, trousers, sneakers and a hat, the veteran actor seemed to enjoy having all the perplexed eyes on him. Piku examines the relationship between a daughter, played by Deepika Padukone, and her father, played by Bachchan. The film will also star Irrfan Khan in a prominent role and is set to release on April 30, 2015.

Jacqueline Fernandez, who will be seen as a psychology student in James Simpson’s Definition Of Fear, shared her first look from the film. ‘Sneak peak from #definitionoffear can you guess my role in the movie?? Winner gets a shout out!!’ the actress tweeted. She is currently shooting for the film in Canada. The horror film revolves around four girls, who spend their weekend at a charming holiday cabin.

Shabana Azmi on the sets of The Black Prince, a bio pic on the life of Maharaja Duleep Singh, who was taken away from his mother at age 15, during the British rule in India, and taken to Britain where he was converted to Christianity. The film is being helmed by US-based Indian actor-director Kavi Raz in Northamptonshire in England. They are shooting at Althorp Spencer Estate where Lady Diana grew up and is now buried.

COURTESY: TWITTER.COM/AZMISHABANA

Kareena Kapoor and Salman Khan, who were last seen together in Bodyguard, have begun shooting for Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Peeks into the shoot came from director Kabir Khan, right, who shared a picture of himself with Salman in front of Delhi’s Jama Masjid; and designer Manish Malhotra, left, who is styling Kareena in the film.

COURTESY: TWITTER.COM/ASLI_JACQUELINE

Aamir Khan, left, and Sanjay Dutt in PK.

Special

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Snapshots from the Rajasthan International Folk Festival.

Tune in to THE DESERT

t’s just after midnight. You could be forgiven for thinking that 300-odd people had taken leave of their senses on a not-so-cool October night as they make their way through a broken, dusty path to reach the Rao Jodha Park just outside the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur in almost pitch darkness. The path is rocky, uneven and barely visible. But there is nonetheless a steady stream making their determined way. Once you reach the site, you hear a collective intake of breath at the magnificence of the location. With the stunning fort as the backdrop, bathed in soft moonlight (the festival is timed to coincide with Sharad Poornima, the brightest full moon of the year), its ramparts lit, stark and massive, you can for a minute believe you are back in the 17th century when the fort was at its prime. Mehrangarh Fort, which was originally built during the rule of Rao Jodha (founder of Jodhpur) in 1459, is now meticulously managed by a trust and is a beautiful example of how forts in the country can be scrupulously maintained if someone just puts his or her mind to it. A small group of dark-skinned men in red turbans on a low takhat are rendering what I subsequently learn is Rajasthani Sufi music accompanied by various instruments, most of which are unique to the state (khartal, morchang, derun, algoza, among others) but by now are familiar territory for veterans of The Rajasthan International Folk Festival,

Every year, Mehrangarh Fort comes alive with folk music from across the world. Anjuli Bhargava soaks in the lilting melodies of the Rajasthan International Folk Festival popular as Jodhpur RIFF. Three groups of performers — Darra Khan, Shakur Khan and Kachra Khan Manganiyar (all with party) — hold the audience, which had begun to thin out as the clock touched 2.30 am, enthralled with their lilting songs and melodies. What strikes me is how this is quite unlike the Sufi music one is accustomed to in Delhi, Hyderabad and other parts of India. I don’t know what the Sufi saints would have to say about this but there is hardly any mention of Amir Khusro, Bulleh Shah or Khwaja Salim Chisti otherwise incessantly revered and praised in song by almost all the great exponents of Sufi. Neither is there a touch of qawwali that one usually expects. Rajasthan has its own rustic brand of Sufi — less showy, perhaps more intense in its use of poetry and as easy on the ear. The vocals seem effortless, though powerful. The rich instruments (part of the derun is made from the intestines of a goat) lend perfect rhythm and beat to the singing. I see people around me clicking their fingers in consonance even though the lyrics are alien to most. To my mind, the highlight of RIFF this year was the afternoon interactive sessions — the audience can chat with the performers and try its hand at the instruments — which have, in fact like wine, improved with age. The beauty of the interactive sessions is as much in the venue — the stunning Chokelao Bagh filled with the season’s flowers in bloom — as in the intimacy it offers.

These sessions end up filtering the committed music lovers from the rest, simply by being around noon, when only the die-hard will brave Jodhpur’s blazing afternoon sun to sit under a large eye-catching tent, praying silently for a whiff of breeze. The best interactive session this year was the percussion players of Rajasthan who can make you break into a dance with their boundless energy, seductive beats and mischievous movements even in the midst of a sombre gathering. If you thought swaying hips, lurching waists and suggestive eyes were the exclusive preserve of women, think again. Men in Rajasthan can give any woman a run for her money. Nagada, Chang (my personal favorite), the derun players, the Manganiyars with their powerful dhol and the legendary bhapang player and singer Juma Khan — and suddenly the two-hour session seems much too short. Once hooked, percussion in Rajasthan alone can keep you entranced for a week. The main stage events — as every year, a big draw as they lend an international flavor to the festival — had an eclectic mix of blues from Yemen, soul from Africa and Scotland’s foremost drummer James Mackintosh at the Old Zenana courtyard, again in a lovely setting. But herein lies the rub. With the festival gaining popularity, the main stage events are attracting crowds like bees to honey and it is becoming hard to sift the music lovers from the party-seekers. If the sanctity and mood isn’t preserved, India’s foremost folk music festival may just end up taking a beating it little deserves.

Aseem in Delhi

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Charms of the fall Dancer Manjari Chaturvedi.

ovember is a lovely month in Delhi when the weather starts to cool down and the humidity is low. And in November, Delhi’s culture scene picks up in a big way before the temperatures drop in December. This past week I went to Delhi’s India International Center to attend a Kathak dance performance along with live qawwali recital. Organized by the Sufi Kathak Foundation, the stunning performance featured dances by Manjari Chaturvedi, who is from Lucknow. The qawwali was performed by Shabi Ahmed from Awadh. Kathak and qawwali are two separate art forms, but it is rare to see the two featured together. Usually Kathak dance is accompanied with just music. In addition, some of the dances were accompanied with Hindustani classical vocals by the singer Shephali Frost. It was a lovely evening in the open-air theater under a clear sky. It was just about cool, although some women were wrapped in winter shawls. And the dances and the singing kept us thoroughly engaged throughout the evening.

he theater scene in Delhi is buzzing with all sorts of performances, and despite the many options most shows are sold out. Last Sunday, I attended a sold-out performance of a kids play, The Boy Who Stopped Smiling, as part of the theater festival called Jashnebachpan focused on works for children. It was no surprise to see that more than half the auditorium at Delhi’s National School of Drama was filled up with children of all ages. The Boy Who Stopped Smiling is the work of a Mumbai-based group called Working Title. It is written by Ramu Ramanathan and directed by Jaimini Pathak, who also plays a supporting role in the play. The play, mixed with music, songs and dances, focuses on Malhar, a child prodigy who is a math and a chess genius, but finds himself at odds with his family who cannot seem to understand his gift. It was a wonderful way to introduce to children and adults that some of us can be more different than others. The play encourages the audiences to accept and appreciate what makes each of us different. The terrific cast — all adults, three of whom play young children — included Anshuman Jha, who has performed on stage as well as in smaller independent films. The audience enjoyed the show, but it was so encouraging to see kids sitting around me laughing and engaged with the performance.

The cast of The Boy Who Stopped Smiling.

A poster for Meet the Patels.

his past week I watch three documentaries online — films that will be showing next week at New York City’s Doc NYC festival. It was an interesting collection of three South Asian films dealing with very diverse issues. The first, Meet the Patels, has already made the rounds of a number of film festivals. Directed by Ravi and Geeta Patel, a brother-sister team, the highly entertaining film focuses on the two and their parents’ efforts to arrange Ravi’s marriage. They take a trip to Gujarat where Ravi is introduced to a few local girls. But back in the United States, Ravi starts to check on biodatas of young eligible Patel women and even goes out on dates with many of them. Meet the Patels has won audience awards at quite a few festivals, including the prestigious Los Angeles International Film Festival. I then watched Miss Tibet: Beauty in Exile, which looked at six young Tibetan women from locations around the world, including one from Minnesota, who travel to Dharamsala to participate in a beauty contest organized by a local promoter. The film balances the traditional Tibetan culture with the desires of the young people to keep up with modern times. It is entertaining and funny, but also deals with the pressures and heartbreaks that the young girls go through during and after the beauty pageant. And finally, I watched a gripping and brilliantly made documentary Every Last Child, which explores the war against polio in Pakistan, with the killings and threats to workers, many of whom are volunteers. The film examines the challenges the World Health Organization and its employees faced after the Taliban imposed a ban on polio vaccination. Beautifully shot, the film emphasizes the important need for Pakistan to eradicate polio. The real heroes in the film are the young women and men going door to door under difficult circumstances, often risking their lives, because they realize how important it is to reach and vaccinate every child in Pakistan. For more information on the festival, see www.docnyc.net

Health

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

5 emotions that will ruin your health Yogacharya Shameem Akthar maps out our emotions that are just downright unhealthy

t is passé to think of emotions as just, well, emotions. They are actually biological events that leave a terrible footprint on your body, and some of them can be even dangerous. Stress has been acknowledged as the dirty word in this regard. But what exactly is stress? And what cluster of emotions contributes to stress? If you examine it minutely, you will appreciate that stress is the symptom of a deeper malaise. It is the final outpost of an emotion gone dangerously out of kilter. Today, with greater awareness of the nascent field of psychoneuroimmunology, the long-neglected links between health and emotions are emerging fast. Evidence continues to pile up that proves that a majority of diseases, including chronic ones, are caused by emotions. Emotions, if not channelized well, can become negative, maybe even kill you.

Stress

It is implicated in several ailments and linked to most heart-related problems. It is known to weaken the cardiovascular system. Stress is associated with diabetes and blood pressure, including low blood pressure and thus, also linked to clinical depression. It is infamous for weakening the immune system and thus opening the body to infection. It is also said to delay wound healing and affects salivary chemicals, which in turn affect the digestive tract. Chronic digestive problems are directly linked to the digestive system since any evidence of adrenal glands (stress glands) going into overdrive, immediately sends it on a protective slow-down. Also, the stomach is very sensitive to stress signals and reacts to every emotion (it is said to change color with our emotions), whether it is constipation, or anxiety-induced diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, halitosis, anorexia, bulimia, or obesity. It also affects fertility and the overall health of the reproductive system.

Depression

This emotion is now recognized as a serious ailment and is being treated on an emergency footing. But, unfortunately, it has associated physical and emotional problems that are often left untreated, possibly worsening the depressive condition. These associated problems include — distancing from relationships that could help the problem (from a sense of isolation); repetitive or addictive behavior which seeks self-destructive outlets, including medications that are useless but are addictive, psychotic drugs, alcoholism, chainsmoking, or overeating; hypochondriac behavior that offers the sufferer an excuse to hide from normal life situations and also creates a behavior pattern that creates distances in relationships; occupational dysfunction meaning behavior that causes failure at work; and mental lethargy and disinterest in normal daily chores or pleasures, causing a breakdown of overall functional ability. Depression can affect memory, lead to age-related mental disorders that can be difficult to nurse, or require institutional support in the long term. It also affects the immune system, can be linked to thy-

ADNAN ABIDI/REUTERS

roid issues, problems with the reproductive system and strain the cardio-vascular and respiratory system.

Anger

It is linked to type-A personality, which is nowadays seen as a ‘cardiac’ personality, prone to heart attacks and other cardiovascular related ailments. It is said to cause heart arrhythmia — irregular heart beat. It thickens the blood, and is associated with inflammatory conditions in the body — ulcers, IBS, fertility issues, and poor absorption of nutrients, like stress is associated with cholesterol. It also causes life-threatening situations. These are manifested in, for example, road rage events, competitive behavior on the road (cutting lanes, jumping signals); selfdestructive behavior at work, including quarrelling with co-workers, and putting off supportive care-takers while sick by throwing tantrums. This can cause active isolation that in turn can acerbate the condition by creating more causes for feeling angry.

Anxiety

It is a known psychosomatic trigger in several physical problems, including vision health, memory failure, heart conditions, low blood pressure and/or high blood pressure. Anxiety is often accompanied by clinical depression because of the sense of helplessness it creates. It is often linked to many auto-immune diseases, where the body over-reacts and begins to attack itself from inside, whether it is bronchitis or arthritis.

It weakens immunity, affects wound-healing, and can delay overall healing in ailments. It encourages compulsive pill-popping, further acerbating existing problems. It can also trigger addictive behavior that gives temporary relief — over-eating, fasting, psychotic drugs, chain-smoking, and popping prescription pills for long-term relief.

Lethargy

It is not treated or taken seriously. Actually, lethargy is caused by several serious biological events and causes. Lack of iron or magnesium can make you dull — firstly, because it affects your cardiovascular health and secondly because it is linked to resolving the body’s trauma in adrenal gland overdrive. Hypothyroidism, a drop in androgen hormone levels, also makes one feel dull. Though regarded as a male hormone, androgen is functional in women too, and when it is down, it can drag you down with it. A high sugar diet (often sought as an addictive outlet for people with emotional issues) can cause a blood sugar crash that also is interpreted by the body as lethargy. A dip in feel-good neuro-chemicals is said to make one uninterested in simple things and prone to an attitude of ‘what’s the use anyway?’ This is often a precursor of or accompaniment to clinical depression. Shameem Akthar is a yogacharya trained with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center. Catch Shameem’s yoga tips on jaisivananda.blogspot.com.

India in New York November 14, 2014

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The Week That Was INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Army admits mistake, to compensate for killing two civilians in J&K

Faisal Yousuf, 13, and Mehrajuddin Dar, 18, were killed when Indian Army troopers opened fire on their car in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district, November 3. The army November 7 admitted it was a case of ‘mistaken identity’, and announced compensation of Rs 1 million ($16,670) each to the family of deceased and Rs 5 lakh ($8,330) to those injured. The deaths sparked protests in Kashmir. Meanwhile, Mohammad Ashraf Hafiz, 42, and a 10year-old pillion rider were killed near Dal lake in Kashmir when a Central Reserve Police Force vehicle hit their motorcycle, November 8. The locals set the police vehicle on fire.

Bardhaman blast ‘mastermind’ nabbed The alleged mastermind in the October 2 blast in Bardhaman, West Bengal, K Rahmatulla alias Sajid, was arrested November 8 by the state police from 24 Parganas district. The National Investigation Agency said Sajid is the chief commander of the Jammat-ul-Mujahideen terror group of Bangladesh, and a retired Bangladesh army lieutenant’s son. Meanwhile, While investigating the October 2 blast case in West Bengal’s Bardhaman district,

the National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate came across 10 bomb blasts in the state that were not properly investigated, The Indian Express reported.

Jharkhand: 889 pounds of explosives, 1745 detonators seized About 889 pounds of explosives and 1745 detonators were seized from Bokakhar-Ranidah area of Jharkhand’s Latehar district in an anti-Maoist operation by the state police and federal paramilitary troopers November 10. Jharkhand’s five-phased assembly elections begin November 25.

Supreme Court lifts ban on female make-up artists The Supreme Court November 10 allowed women make-up artist to work in Bollywood, ending a nearly six-decade ban. The petition was brought by makeup artist Charu Khurana whose application for an identification card was rejected by the Cine Costume Make-up Artists and Hair Dressers Association as she is a woman.

Modi appoints 21 new ministers, reshuffles portfolios Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 21 new people in his Council of Ministers. While Manohar Parrikar (defense), J P Nadda (health and family welfare), Suresh Prabhu (railways) and Birendra Singh (panchayati raj or village council and drinking water and sanitation) were appointed as cabinet ministers, 17 others were made ministers of state. Shripad Yesso Naik was given charge of ‘Aayush’, a new, separate portfolio to promote Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, Unani, siddha and homeopathy.

1 dead, 4 missing as navy vessel sinks A sailor was killed and four others were missing after an Indian Navy torpedo

recovery vessel sunk off the coast in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, last week during a naval exercise. There were 28 personnel on board; 23 were rescued.

Kolkata: School bus driver held for sexual assault on 6-year-old girl

A child at the protest in New Delhi, November 10.

A school bus driver allegedly sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl last week in Kolkata while dropping her home after a school function rehearsal. Angry parents staged a protest outside the school premises, accusing the school of trying to hush up the incident. Meanwhile, Lalhmingmawia, 30, a government primary school teacher in Saichal village in Mizoram’s Champai district, was arrested November 6 for allegedly sexually abusing 32 girl students over the last three years.

Mandatory voting soon in Gujarat ADNAN ABIDI/REUTERS

Bhopal gas tragedy victims on hunger strike Demanding more compensation for all victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy and revision of death toll to reflect the actual damage, five women survivors started an indefinite hunger strike while hundreds of victims held a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, November 10. The 30th anniversary of one of the world’s worst industrial disasters is December 2 and 3.

Gujarat Governor O P Kohli November 10 signed the Gujarat Local Authorities Laws Bill, which makes voting compulsory — and non voting punishable by law — and reserves half of local government body seats for women. Former Gujarat governor Kamala Beniwal had refused to sign the bill, arguing it violated Article 21 of the Indian Consitution that deals with the right to freedom.

Sterilization surgeries kill 8 in Chhattisgarh Eight women died and 15 were critical after undergoing sterilization surgeries at a family planning camp organized by the Chhattisgarh government in Bilaspur, the hometown of state Health Minister Amar Agarwal. The state government has announced Rs 500,000 ($3,330) as compensation to the families of the dead, and Rs 50,000 ($830) to the kin of those hospitalized.

UP: Muzaffarnagar flares up again Six people were injured in a communal clash over an alleged sexual harassment incident in Vehelna village in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district November 9. Earlier this year as well, violence in Muzaffarnagar had sparked from sexual assault cases.

45 taken into custody for Wagah blast The Pakistan police November 7 took 45 suspects into custody in connection with the November 1 Wagah border blast that killed 63 people. Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat Ahrar, one of the terrorist groups that claimed responsibility for the Wagah attack, threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter. ‘You are the

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The Week That Was

INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

f PAGE 22

tense before Muharram as a ‘Hindu mahapanchayat’ led by a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator declared that no Muharram procession would be allowed there even as Hindu residents vowed to lead the procession to preserve harmony.

killer of Muslims. We will take the revenge of innocent people of Kashmir and Gujarat,’ a spokesperson of the group tweeted.

Six of 10 Indian men violent to their partners: UN study Six out of 10 Indian men have been violent to their wives or partners at some point of time, says a new study by the United Nations Population Fund and the Washington, DC-based International Center for Research on Women. It is based on interviews of 9,205 men and 3,158 women aged 18-49 across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

Sunanda Pushkar case: Sleuths claim fresh evidence Forensic experts November 9 claimed to have found fluid marks on the bed and carpet and a broken glass in the Delhi hotel room where former minister Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar was found dead January 17.

In solidarity with Kerala’s kissing protesters The Kerala police detained the organizers and sympathizers of a novel Kiss day November 2, planned as a symbolic protest against moral policing. Reports said the police baton-charged the people — mostly youngsters — who were ready to kiss in public. The police action drew condemnation from across the nation. After youngsters staged a kissing protest in Jadavpur University, Kolkata, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi also followed suit.

Modi, world’s 15th most powerful leader: Forbes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his debut on Forbes’s list of most powerful people last week, ranked 15th. Russian President Vladimir Putin topped the list, and he was followed by Barack Obama. Indian-American Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella also debuted at number 64.

BJP demands Bihar CM’s resignation The Bharatiya Janata Party sought Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s resignation for appointing his close kin as personal staff. Calling it a highly immoral, unethical and unconstitutional step, the BJP also proposed recovery of salaries paid to his kin from Manjhi’s salary. COURTESY: PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in ‘Shramdaan’ as part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, at Assi Ghat in Varanasi, November 08. last week said his party would join forces with any democratic party that would defeat family-run political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP is confident of forming the government, he said, in the state in the fivephased assembly election that begins November 25.

court suspending the conviction of Salman Khan in the 1998 black buck poaching case so that he could go to the United Kingdom for a film shoot, the court pulled up the Bollywood star. It reminded Khan that he was still a convict, and that asking for leniency in the light of his career was not permissible.

Irom Sharmila’s fast enters 15th year

Indore: Rats outnumber patients in hospital

Irom Sharmila’s hunger strike demanding the repeal of the Armed Force Special Powers Act from her state of Manipur entered its 15th year, November 4. She started fasting in 2000 against the AFSPA, which gives security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention.

About 2,500 rats were recovered last week from the Maharana Yeshwantro hospital in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The hospital, which reportedly has 10,000 rat holes, has hired a pest control company for its ‘search and kill’ drive for the rupee equivalent of $91,670. The hospital can treat 1,000 as in-patients.

Japanese honor for Manmohan Singh Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh was last week awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, one of Japan’s top civilian honors, for his contribution to IndiaJapan relations and promotion of friendship between the two countries.

Haryana legislators to donate first salary to J&K flood relief fund Newly elected members of the Haryana state assembly will donate their first salary for the Jammu and Kashmir flood relief fund. The 90-member assembly accepted Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s proposal last week.

RSS leader who met former Kashmiri separatist hints Salman Khan poaching at alliance case: Supreme Court Confirming his meeting with former reserves order Kashmiri separatist leader Sajjad Lone, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Madhav

Even as the Supreme Court November 5 reserved its order on the Rajasthan government’s appeal against the Rajasthan high

UP minister takes family on official trip to Brazil Uttar Pradesh Transport Minister Durga Prasad Yadav took his family along on a week-long tour of Brazil for studying that country’s transport system. The tour was sponsored by the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings, which is under the federal ministry of road transport and highways. Accompanying Yadav were his son, daughter-in-law, private secretary, a few officials and the wife of one of the officials.

Fresh elections in Delhi, city in grip of communal tension Indian President Pranab Mukherjee dissolved the Delhi state assembly November 5 on the recommendation of state Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, paving the way for fresh elections. Meanwhile, A slaughtered pig was found inside a mosque in Okhla, November 5, but the community leaders did not let it blow up into communal strife. Earlier, Bawana in northwest Delhi was

Government scrutinizes suspect calls from Indian mission in Canada The Indian high commission in Ottawa, Canada, last week found that one of its office telephone numbers was being misused for making calls to Indian and Canadian nationals asking them about their passport details, The Indian Express reported. The mission issued an alert on its Web site and the Indian government is probing into the suspected security breach.

Navy withdraws warships from Kolkata port on threat alert Citing operational reasons, the Indian Navy pulled out two warships — the INS Khukri and the INS Sumitra — from Kolkata port November 5 after an alert of possible threats that could damage the vessels.

RSS tag, praises for minister and a job A job application with a reminder that he was a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh person and some praises for Human Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani made Vishram Jamdar the director of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, The Indian Express reported. His was the only name sent by the ministry to the President for nomination. Though appointments to 12 NITs were pending before Irani since June, she only sent the nomination for VNIT Nagpur.

3 detained over ISIS t-shirt A teenager who sported a t-shirt with the words Islamic State and Pakistan etched on it during a Muharram procession in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district was detained by the police. The man who printed the t-shirt and a relative who gave it to him were also detained.

Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

FC Goa, Mumbai City FC settle for goalless draw

their first face-off in the ISL, November 5. Atletico de Kolkata skipper Luis Garcia, coming back after an injury layoff, and the tournament’s leading scorer Elano Blumer, of Chennaiyin FC, scored a goal each as the two sides shared points in a top-of-thetable clash in a fixture, November 4. John Goossens struck a last-gasp goal to help Pune FC beat NorthEast United 1-0 C Goa played out a goalless draw in a hard-fought match, November 3. against Mumbai FC in a closelyA stunning goal from Nicolas Anelka contested Hero Indian Super helped Mumbai City FC to pip Kerala League fixture at Jawaharlal Nehru Blasters 1-0, in their ISL match at the D Y Stadium in Goa, November 9. The same day, Delhi Dynamos continued Patil stadium in Mumbai, November 2. Tolgay Ozbey’s late strike helped FC Goa with their winless streak as their match register their first win as they defeated visagainst Kerela Blasters was also a goalless itors Delhi Dynamos 2-1 at the Jawaharlal draw. Nehru Stadium, November 1. Brazilian striker Elano Blumer and Kerala Blasters FC also had their first Spaniard Koke scored two superb goals for victory at the ISL when they defeated FC their respective sides as Chennaiyin FC Pune City 2-1 in a fixand NorthEast United ture at the Shiv played out a highChhatrapati Sports octane 2-2 draw in an Complex Stadium, ISL match in Chennai, October 30. November 8. NorthEast United FC Dudu Omagbemi and goalkeeper T P Konstantinos Rehenesh made three Katsouranis scored in spectacular saves to each half as FC Pune deny Delhi Dynamos a City beat Atletico de win as the the two Kolkata 3-1 and sides settled for a goalsnapped the league less stalemate after an leaders’ unbeaten run entertaining match, in the ISL in Kolkata, October 29. November 7. Chennaiyin FC marMilagres Gonsalves’s quee player Elano second half strike Dudu Omagbemi, left, passes the ball Blumer and John helped Kerala Blasters in an FC Pune City-Atletico de Kolkata Mendoza fired two edge past FC Goa 1-0 fixture in Kolkata, November 7. goals each to steamroll to register its second a hapless Mumbai FC 5-1 and bounce back victory in the ISL in Kochi, November 6. from their previous match defeat in Mumbai City FC defeated Delhi Chennai, October 28. Dynamos 1-0 with Nicolas Anelka’s goal in COURTESY: INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE

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Clinical India beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets, seal series A Akashdeep Singh, right, passes the ball.

fter thrashing Sri Lanka in the first two OneDay Internationals, India scored a six-wicket victory over the visitors in the third ODI to seal the fivematch series in Hyderabad, November 9. If the bowlers, led by Umesh Yadav (4-53) and Axar Patel (3-40), set up the win by restricting the visitors to 242 all out on a good batting track, Shikhar Dhawan (91 off 79 balls) inspired the batting line-up that did its job to make the opponents look ordinary yet again. By virtue of the victory, India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The next ODI between the teams was to be played in Kolkata, November 13. Earlier, in overcast condiShikhar Dhawan walks back to the pavilion after being tions, Mahela Jayawardene dismissed for 91. struck a fluent century to wage a lone battle as the Islanders managed a respectable score in 48.2 overs after being reduced to seven for two and 158 for seven. In reply, India capitalized on a 62-run opening stand between Ajinkya Rahane (31) and Dhawan, and skipper Virat Kohli’s sublime 53, to reach their target in 44.1 overs, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. The left-handed Dhawan reached his 2000-run mark in ODIs at the start of the 23rd over and soon hit a six to register his 11th fifty. He (283 runs in 3 innings) continued to be the top-scorer in the series so far. Skipper Kohli (53 runs, 32nd ODI fifty) also joined the party to ably guide the team in Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s absence. The Delhi dasher became the fastest player to register 6000 runs in 144 ODIs.

BCCI

elivering a fantastic performance, the Indian men’s hockey team defeated world champions Australia 3-1 to win their third successive match and clinch the four-match test series in Perth, November 9. Opening the first quarter with all strength and dynamism, India came up with the initial goal in the 13th minute of the match by Akashdeep Singh, who perfectly converted a penalty corner. Though a couple of penalty corners were awarded to both the teams in the second quarter, no one succeeded in realizing the opportunity. Making a comeback in the third quarter, Australia’s Thomas Craig converted a penalty corner in the 36th minute of the game and the scoreboard displayed 1-1. In the final quarter, Singh again scored a stunning field goal in the 50th minute which was followed by S K Uthappa’s in the 53rd and they put India 3-1 ahead. Though Australia tried desperately to put the ball in the net, Indian goalkeeper P R Sreejesh’s brilliant saves held them from scoring.

India beat world champ Aussies on home turf

Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Legends speak emant Waingankar and Anil Joshi introduced me to Sachin and asked H me to see him bat. I had finished my

cricket at that stage. He was batting at the Wankhede (stadium in Mumbai) nets against Raju Kulkarni, who was a very slippery customer. In the nets, you don’t really think about no-balls and Raju was doing the same. The manner in which Sachin was punching the ball off the backfoot towards mid-off and mid-on impressed me. — Sunil Gavaskar

handpicked Tendulkar to play for the team after watching him easily negotiIating India’s best fast bowler at the time,

Playing it My Way: Tendulkar tells it all

Sachin Tendulkar, right, with former teammates Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman at the launch.

achin Tendulkar’s much-awaited autobiography, Playing it My Way, was launched in the presence of some of his former teammates, celebrities and family members at an engrossing function, November 5. The book was unveiled by Tendulkar himself amid applause from the packed room at a hotel in Mumbai. He presented the first copy of the book to his mother Rajni

HARISH KOTIAN

t was at an airport where medical student Anjali Mehta saw the wonder boy of Indian cricket and was floored by his ‘cute looks.’ Anjali, November 5, revealed that she wooed Sachin Tendulkar when he was just 17 because she found him cute, even though she had no interest in cricket then. Anjali, who has never gone public about her relationship with Sachin, recalled how it all began and then blossomed. ‘Sachin often tells me I want to put you in the middle of the cricket field in front of thousands of people screaming and get somebody to bowl fast at you,’ said Anjali. ‘For me, this (book launch) is equivalent to that. There is so much stress talking in front of everyone.’ ‘I didn’t know he was 17... I didn’t know who he was. I was with my friend Aparna, who told me, ‘Don’t you know who this is? He is Sachin Tendulkar, the wonder boy of Indian cricket and the youngest boy to score a hundred in cricket’. I didn’t care what he was or who he was; I had no interest in cricket. I just thought he was really cute.’ Anjali had gone to the airport to pick up her mother, who was returning from England. ‘In those days at the airport there was a viewing

earlier in the day. At the launch, Tendulkar presented a copy to his mentor and childhood coach, Ramakant Achrekar, in the presence of his daughter Sara. ‘I would like to present the first copy after launch to somebody very special in my life,’ Tendulkar said before handing over the book to a wheelchair-bound Achrekar.

Kapil Dev, in the Wankhede Stadium nets, where the Indian team had come to play against the touring New Zealand team. Vasu (Paranjape) said you should go and watch Sachin play. I said not now, but Vasu said, ‘No, no you should go.’ I was playing my 100th Test and we were practicing at the Cricket Club of India. I asked Kapil, Maninder (Singh) to bowl at him and at such a tender age he played them with ease. I told the (Mumbai) selectors we should pick him at least in the 15, but in the next three days, he didn’t come for practice. I was livid with him. I told Vasu to ask him the reason. Sachin said he had an exam. —Dilip Vengsarkar uring an innings in Pakistan in 1989 when he was at the crease, he looked D like a fish out of water, but a month later

he looked like a big shark in the water and continued to be so for the next 25 years. —Ravi Shastri

When Anjali fell for 17-year-old Sachin

Sachin Tendulkar with his wife Anjali.

PHOTOGRAPHS: HITESH HARISINGHANI/REDIFF.COM

gallery,’ she said. ‘I forgot about my mother and I ran screaming ‘Sachin, Sachin, so cute’. The funny thing is Ajit and Nitin (Tendulkar’s brothers) were there with him and Sachin was so embarrassed that he didn’t look at me. He just looked down and stepped into the car.’ ‘When we decided to get engaged I had to break the news to his family,’ she said. ‘It was not that he was afraid, but he was in New Zealand and he called me and asked, “Do you want to get engaged to me?” I said, “Yes”, and he then told me, “Since I am in New Zealand will you go to my family and tell them that we want to get engaged?” Speaking about their life together, Anjali said unlike the perception that cricketers’ spouses’ life is all about attending parties, it is rather difficult. ‘A lot of times your husband is not there so you have to manage everything on your own, and with kids is not easy,’ she said. ‘My main aim always was that Sachin should not be disturbed, and it was more important that he gets to sleep, as the next day he had to bat.’

Sports INDIA IN NEW YORK NOVEMBER 14, 2014

V V S Laxman told me I should only think about Test cricket M

anoj Tiwary is a man on a mission. In a career plagued by injury, the West Bengal batsman hasn’t found favor with the selectors despite making a few comebacks since his debut in 2008. After a good showing for India ‘A’ in Australia and a gritty century in the Duleep Trophy, the right-hander backed himself for a call-up to team India. But his name was missing in the 19-member squad announced for the Australia tour.

Manoj Tiwary remains confident of making his way back to the Indian team despite not making it to Australia. Harish Kotian spoke to him

Are you happy with your showing in the last few months? I am looking forward to the coming season. I started off this season by scoring a hundred on the first day of the Duleep Trophy. I would rate that as one of the best three innings of my career because the track was not easy to bat on. It gave me a lot of confidence. Before that, the Australia tour also went well; I scored a lot of runs, picked wickets and contributed in the field as well. I am happy with the way my game is going at the moment. I just want to carry it forward. Performing in Australia gives a lot of confidence. When you do well on difficult pitches with a lot of bounce you find it a lot easier on the pitches in India. You had a nets session with V V S Laxman in Kolkata. Can you tell us more about it? I wanted to work with him since he was in Kolkata for three days. I got to know he was keen to work Manoj Tiwary, right, with V V S Laxman. with me and that is why I approached him. always been to score runs whichever game I play. We spoke about our batting, the left shoulder and back I have always looked up to him. The way he played foot play. He told me when I play from the back foot my cricket, the way he made comebacks... I have always right has to be parallel while playing the short ball. He admired that. wanted me to work on these two areas. He has a great cricketing brain and comes up with good He told me to just prepare myself for Test cricket, ideas to work upon your game. He always encourages me because if you do well in the longer format, the ODIs and because he likes my batting. T20s will take care of themselves. You can do well in the He tells me it is just a matter of time before I get opporlimited-over format with lesser technique as well. tunities at the highest level. I was happy to work with him. It was important because You had so many injury lay-offs in your career. Did you I recently changed my batting stance. The new batting ever give up? stance is paying dividends; I have been scoring runs since The only option I have is coming back and doing well. I changed it. Obviously, injuries have come at the wrong time for me, Laxman bhai saw my batting in the nets; he was happy but it is part and parcel of any sportsperson’s career. The with my front foot movement and the compactness in my injury lay-offs were not easy for me. game. The only thing he wanted me to work on was my Going into rehabilitation for a few months was very back foot play. frustrating as well, but somewhere inside me I knew that I Do you also speak to Sourav Ganguly? had the game to make a comeback. I always speak to him whenever the opportunity arises. Age is on my side, and I am thankful to the selectors for He is now the secretary of the Cricket Association of showing faith in me after coming back from injury. Bengal and it is very easy to approach him. His advice has

They have given me the responsibility of leading the India ‘A’ team against Sri Lanka, the West Indies and in Australia earlier in the year which obviously makes my thought process very clear that these people are there for me if I do well. It shows that they are banking on me, showing faith in me. It motivates you to go out there without having any added pressure. My mindset is now to go out there and play to my best and score runs. As far as dealing with injuries is concerned, my shoulder injury happened a long time ago in 2007; that was the first major injury in my career. Getting dropped after scoring a century in the ODI against the West Indies in Chennai in 2011 must have hurt a lot. Obviously, I was very keen on playing after scoring the hundred, but somehow I didn’t fit into the playing eleven for the next match and I completely understood the situation. You can’t do much about the situation; you can only work on your game during the off period. It was not easy. After scoring a hundred you want to play because your confidence goes well and you feel you belong to this level. This is one of the experiences you go through and you learn a lot from it. You can learn a lot being part of the team and sitting outside as well, by observing and watching people and things. It was a new experience, but I learnt a lot by watching great players going out and play. Since you said making it to the Test squad is your priority, have you decided to change your approach for the upcoming season? If you watch my career closely, when I came onto the scene in 2004-2005, I was very aggressive. Over a period of time I knew if I had to make it to the Indian team I had to score a lot of runs and big. My aim always has been to play Test cricket. Keeping that in mind, in day matches I always think of scoring a big innings. If you go through my career, I have scored a lot of big runs, including five double centuries in first class cricket. If you score big runs it means you have been at the wicket for a long time. If your technique is not right, then you don’t survive for that long. I agree I am aggressive, but I maintain the balance between being orthodox and being aggressive. I know how to play the long innings during three or four-day matches. I know how to play and how to score runs; it is just that I am waiting for the opportunity. Whenever it comes, I will grab it with both hands.

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