CINEMA, MUSIC & ART WITH THE
Creative Director 01 Mihir Ranganathan
EDITOR’S NOTE
Art Director 02 Sibiraj Bastin
Dear Readers,
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
Welcome to yet another exciting and colorful edition of The Brew. Colorful, because of the man who we have on cover. The very shy and reclusive Lingusamy who is known to all as a successful director and producer. His film “Vazhakkuenn” won the National Award for the best film this year. What we present to you here is a different facet of this man. He is also a brilliant poet and an artist. He is holding his first show at Art Houz, Chennai this month. He writes his poetry in Tamil and we are extremely thankful to the popular director Gautam Vasudev Menon for coming forward and translating some of his poems into English, for The Brew.
Graphic Designer 03 Abhilasha Kushwaha 04 Adithya Sowmy Operations and Marketing 05 Niteesh Menon 06 Rajesh Manoharan 07 Manish Magesh Kumar Circulation & Sales 08 Seeman Ezhumalai
BRAND PARTNERS
We also have an interview with the beautiful Gwyeneth Paltrow and a lot more. Keep Brewing. Until next time. Sameer Bharat Ram Editor www.thebrewmagazine.com
FOLLOW US>// http://www.facebook.com/ thebrewmagazine
TO ADVERTISE: Call: +91 98409 39339 e-mail: info@thebrewmagazine.com
The Brew takes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs or material. All PHOTOGRAPHS, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED ARE USED FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSE ONLY.
Edited and Published by Sameer Bharat Ram, and owned by SM BrandMuni Consulting Pvt. Ltd, Published from No.609, Lakshmi Bhavan, Anna salai, Mount Road, Chennai - 600 002. Tel.: +91 44 4208 9392. Printed by K. Srinivasan at Srikals Graphics pvt. Ltd, No.5, Balaji Nagar, 1st street, Ekkattuthangal, Chennai - 600 032. Editor: Sameer Bharat Ram
CONTRIBUTORS AND ADVISORY BOARD Sethumadhavan N. Sethumadhavan.N holds an MBA from XLRIJamshedpur and has a background in the FMCG & Retail sectors. It was while leading the editorial team at PassionForCinema.com (a popular movie portal that’s now defunct) that Sethu realized that his true passion was Cinema and everything connected to it, including the business side of it. Currently based in Mumbai,Sethu works in the education sector and also runs www. madaboutmoviez.com, a portal dedicated to Indie/Small films,Regional Cinema and World Cinema. Sethu has also been associated with filmmaking workshops and film festivals.
Venket Ram Venket Ram is a leading Indian celebrity & fashion photographer, who has shot principal photography stills for several notable films as well as portfolios. He quit his engineering studies to work with cinematographers for a while, then joined a course in Visual Communication at Loyola College. After that, he worked with photographer Sharad Haksar and in 1993, started his own studio. He recently released the first two editions of his annual calendars in 2011 and 2012 with an overwhelming response.
Kavita Baliga The young American Soprano, Kavita Baliga has sung in concerts around the U.S., Switzerland, Italy and India with repertoire ranging from Opera and Oratorio, Musical Theatre to Indian film. In 2008, Ms. Baliga joined A.R Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory as a faculty member and founded the KMMC Chamber Choir. She is presently developing performance programmes in India.
Mallika Sarabhai Educated as an economist and a business manager, Mallika Sarabhai is one of India’s best known Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancers. She has taken her work and her company Darpana to not only over 90 countries around the world, but also to the farthest parts of India.
Ashok Verghese Is one of the youngest education entrepreneurs who is making a great difference in this field in the country. He is the Director of the Hindustan group of Institutions, again one of the pioneering educational groups in the country. He supports the cause of promoting young talent in art and music.
Neeru Nanda A graduate from Delhi University. Passionate about writing, she freelanced as a feature writer for ten years before switching to publishing. Author of a collection of short stories titled “IF” (Rupa & Co), Neeru is now working on two novels and a series of books for children.
Veejay Sai An award-winning writer, editor and a culture critic. He has written and published extensively on Indian classical music, fashion, theatre, food and art, and loves traveling, researching literary and cultural history. He is an editorial consultant with over 40 brands and designers in and outside India and is on the jury for several prestigious awards in the arts across the country.
Dr. M. Lalitha and M. Nandini Internationally acclaimed, award winning Violin Maestros Dr. M. Lalitha and M. Nandini have been widely applauded as the ‘Queens Of Violin’ and have enthralled audiences across the globe. They have been selected as Cultural Ambassadors and dignitaries to the US and UK respectively. They have published books and written numerous articles relating to Music and religion..
2012 is the year that saw Vishakha venture into Film production. She has Coproduced ‘Peddlers”, directed by Vasan Bala, produced and presented by Guneet Monga/Anurag Kashyap Films Pvt Ltd. The film as selected at the Cannes Critics week at the Cannes Film Festival 2012.She has also coproduced Haramkhor wth Guneet Monga and AKFPL directed by Shlok Sharma. the film is set to release in 2013.
brandmuni.com
Vishakha Singh Vishakha is an Indian Film Actress/Producer. She started her career appearing in various Tv and Print commercials. She is currently working as the leading lady in Vikram Bhatt’s next production Ankur Arora Murder Case, a film on medical negligence where she plays a medical intern. She is also one of the leading ladies in Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainments’s upcoming film Fukrey based in Delhi directed by Mrig Lamba.
CONTENTS
VOL 03 ISSUE 08
COVER STORY
08
Lingusamy
38 GLASS ART
FEATURE
INTERVIEWS
30 GWYNETH PALTROW
20 IN CONVERSATION
24
BOMBAY TALKIES
08
26 ANGRY BIRDS 30
28 TRIBUTE TO ROGER EBERT
36 TRIBUTE TO T.M.Soundararajan
WITH NAMRATA RAO
COVER STORY
Lingu
A Man for all Seasons IN COVERSATION WITH SAMEER BHARAT RAM
“Istri Podum Tozhizhazheein vayitril surukkam” - Lingu
Sameer Bharath Ram: So this is your Fifth dimension now…we have seen you as a director, writer, Producer, Poet and now an artist…it was a huge and a pleasant surprise for me when I heard from A.P Sridhar Sameer Bharath Ram: I guess you should start acting too. All problems solved. Lingusamy: My problems might be sorted. Only the viewers might have a problem with that…(laughing) Sameer Bharath Ram:- When or where did this passion start?
just happen if you keep it alive. Lingusamy:- When I first started
one topic “LINGU POEMS”, derived
vaitril surukkam” Which translates
with writing, my three lines poems
“Lingu” from here, which is also
for –“Wrinkles on the belly of the
Sameer Bharath Ram:- Tell us about
in Tamil getting famous, paved my
the title for the book. I have a great
laundry man” He removes wrinkles
your younger days and how you came to
way to Cinema. When my poems got
deal of respect, passion, happiness,
off people’s clothes but has them
Chennai and about your typical success
published in Anantha Vikatan that’s
eagerness for these poems, which
in his own belly because of poverty.
story, which you might write as an
when I got the confidence that I will
feels like having earned cores of
This was my first and most famous
autobiography after 10 years?
survive in Chennai at least with my
money, that’s the kind of joy it gives
poem. Famous writer Sujatha has
Lingusamy:- Always had a flare
writing skills. The three lines poems
Yugabharati, Muthukumar, Kabilan,
also mentioned them in ‘katradhum
for achievement, even before my
happen in a process. In these 25
Arivumathi or any other lyric writers
petradhum’, under the topic the
consciousness broke in. Why I say so is
years I’ve written only 48 poems.
whom I have had a conversation
‘Poems I like the most’. The first
when I analyze where the seeds of my
I don’t sit and slog for it, it has to
with. I have searched for good
income I got out of it was 30 rupeess
gift are from. My bench mates from my
come on its own, and it’s more like a
poems to such an extent that if you
with a letter attached to it that said
3rd and 4th grade tell me that even back
penance that is my proof to the fact
tip it off I will be able to tell you
my poems are now famous and here
then I would say stories, that’s when I
that I am in the present. The thought
more that 500 poems right now.
is the gift money. 30 rupees for
realized that I had the roots from my
for these poems cross my mind from
While having conversations with
three lines is how I started. The local
very beginning…in my village record
my past experiences or some visuals.
contemporary poets like Ilambarai
writers would come home asking
dance would happen..... Even if I am asleep people would wake me up and put me on stage, dance, have to dance when insight of a stage. With maturity peeking around 9th -10th grade I started feeling bad about dancing on every stage I see…felt like a different person then, now an interest in speeches, writing, participating in competitions. My focus shifted in this direction, even as early as 6th grade I had a special attraction to the magic of cinema…to another level, felt a shift where I felt like another person altogether. This time a craze for literature, started searching for books, everything from Balakumaran’s introduction, started reading writers Sujatha, Janakiraman, Kitcha’s stories. Vivekananda’s stories, eyes glance through these, I don’t remember if stories came first or poems did to my head but most of my stories
All these 48 poems were written at
or Jeyabhaskaran, they have asked
how I reached vikatan asking how
came from lies…which in a way helped me
different times, in different situations
me how I have been able to precisely
they could send their writings to
improve my talent. At home my mother
and locations. Of which 13 poems
recollect the poems with the name
vikatan, since vikatan gives a nice
would tell me brilliant stories, even my
came across in one go, started in the
of the poet, sometimes a few
exposure to budding tamil writers.
grandmother. I feel the genes have been
morning went till 1 in the night, like
poems are published with the name
The thing I realized from my success
passed on, my grandfather used to put up
how a fever shoots up once the flow
“Anonymous” literally, the reason
is that if you have a fire inside of
dramas, my dad had unbloomed desire
starts, it just wouldn’t stop. When
being passion.
you, a passion for something and if
to act in movies. All these factors put
you are able to keep that fire alive,
together I had a green signal from my
I am at home, food has to come to the room…so that the flow doesn’t
Sameer Bharath Ram: What was your
it will take you to a position where
family towards movies. I had very well
stop. I won’t even feel like going out
inspiration for your first poem?
Vikatan asked me if they could print
planned up with my parents during my
anywhere, will not get away from
Lingusamy:- Once when I was
my poems voluntarily. My first poem
high school about my film career. I had
the paper and pen. That is exactly
walking on the backyard of a college,
got published somewhere around
no clue of how much hard work goes
how these 13 poems came into
I saw something interesting- a
1991 and now in 2011 they published
into or even what a director had to do….
being; it’s more like a trip. It became
laundry man. That was my first
a book on my poems. You may call it
what his responsibilities were. But blindly
pretty famous in Vikatan, less than
poem.“Istriri Podum Tozhizzhiyin
a fire or luck or hard work, but it will
wanted to become a director, that is what inspired me to come to Chennai.
the knowledge I will utilize them
Sameer Bharath Ram:-What has been
As to art as a kid I had done a few
properly. I will never do everything
the general public’s reaction…?
small scribbles nothing much…did
and overstress myself. I am focused
Lingusamy:- People are shocked! I
not have that much of a interest in
about direction. I concentrate on
would mock at myself at the mirror,
art, but when I bought an iPhone and
direction, production is the other half
on me doing so many things, as to
an iPad, Editor Anthony had installed
of the same responsibility, they are
if my grandkid might think I used
an app by the name “Mypainting”,
not two different things. Right from
to be a crackpot. Art critics and top
then I started scribbling at leisure.
Sreedhar Sir and Balachandar sir to
artistes say the colors I use are from
Once I had drawn a picture of actress
everybody have their own production
these great artists from the past.
Anushka. I had sent it over to her;
houses, that’s why I produce, if a
Picasso apparently would not give
that was my first appreciation for
an explanation to his paintings,
art. How I picked up art is by
I also intend to follow him
means of
(Laughs)…who knows, I
erasing after drawing to my
started it playfully.
hearts content, just like elders say, if you remove unwanted
Sameer Bharath Ram:-
parts of a rock it becomes a
Though you started it
statue. So yeah that’s how I
playfully it is now serious and
learnt art, but to find out that
you are presenting it to the
these are now being used
public.
for my poems it feels really
Lingusamy:- Both good and
good. A.P.Sreedhar had seen
evil begins playfully. At first
my work and suggested that
it would have been playful,
both can be published side by
sneak smoking that now we
side and asked me to do so
would be repenting how we
in their computer as it would
are unable to quit smoking.
have a better resolution.
So i decided to turn every
That’s how the canvas got
good habit a bad habit, as
made. I generally have a habit
in follow the good thing as
of scribbling before writing
intense as we follow the bad
the advent of a thought, that
one. On a everyday basis I
scribble is art, that is how
have my hare of bad habits
I look at my art…I do the
like i have to discuss story
scribbling on a digital medium.
in the morning, if I take up a
At the end, we all have an
project must have my fullest
energy level, on whatever we
effort in that. In this past
focus the energy on, that is
month because of the fear of
success. There is no limitation
my upcoming art show I have
as to what talent it is…the level
composed about 99 digital
might be lesser or more. I even click
person had written good 3 line poem
painting in a span of 15 days, went
good photographs; you might even
that is their visiting card to see me,
to Norway film festival, attended a
be astonished as to if I clicked them.
anytime I come across a person
family function wherever I went I
Suddenly that will go on as a show,
who’s written a poem I would shake
had my iPad in my hand doing the
people will be surprised at the fact
hands with that person before I leave.
paintings…was so committed to it
that I click photos ; on set people
Under any circumstance, a good
that I worked dawn and dusk. That
complement me on my ability to
poem would brighten up my mood.
is what it takes, commitment, the
act and teach acting, so we should
Writing poems is my passion it has
best part being, A.p.Sridar after I
not be jack of all trades and master
moved me so much. If you are from
came back informed me that i I had
of none. Just because I can write
japan and you write 10, 3 liners you
sent him 99 paintings, earlier we had
poems, I will not turn lyricist…there
would be called a Zen philosopher,
planned to have 40, now there are
is a Na.Muthukumar to do it, people
poems are the proof to the fact that
around 108, after which
have specialized in lyrics trained
I have a heartbeat, it is a sign of my
and practiced to do it. Since I have
lifeline.
I plan to release the book in Paris too
inspiration or source of my learning
produce like “Vazhakku yen18/9”.
along with the art exhibition. Denuga
screenplay was Devar Mahan. I might
I basically direct mainstream tamil
is a top art critic in tamilnadu, just
remember the dialogues better than
movies, I make movies for those
like Kanasu the tamil story critic.
even Kamal sir, I am great fan. I feel I
audience who come rushing into
Tharani sir longs for him to write
am able to connect to him.
the theater whistling celebrating to
about his art, wherever he has his
watch the film. I love making such
exhibition he would definitely call
Sameer Bharath Ram: Enlighten us
movies, I want my movies to be
Denuga who praises my art…Life is a
more about your current Project with
entertain right from beginning to
Risk…the more risk you take greater
Kamal?
end, without the tempo dropping,
the heights you will reach. The real
Lingusamy: I am producing it and
how best to entertain the audience at
winner is the one who comes without
Kamal sir is doing the screenplay and
the same time respecting what they
a background in that field; in my
direction…. it is dream come true for
prefer watching. Doing commercial
family I have become a role model.
me….
content is very difficult…it is a form
So I have be a living example, I prefer
of art…making art movies is like
not do get into any immoral activities
Sameer Bharath Ram: What is your
cooking in a house for a few family
.The question of right and wrong
method of making a film?
members but making commercial
depends on the person, what I feel is
Lingusamy:- I like to have technical
movies is like cooking at the
right is what I do, I do not smoke or
content with a commercial punch to
restaurant to cater everybody’s
drink, i did not mean that…(laughs)
it….
taste….
Sameer Bharath Ram:-What was
Sameer Bharath Ram: How do you
By Sameer Bharat Ram
Kamal sir’s reaction when he found
decide as to which script to direct
Manish Magesh Kumar
out about your book release?
and which one to produce?
Photos by: Rahul Dev &
Lingusamy: He really loved it he
Lingusamy: The projects that, I
Tamizhthambi
himself being a writer and literature
appreciate and would not be able
lover, loved it, him being my
to do those are the kinds of films I
L ing u ’ s V e r s e s “Crows cawing at the graveyard. Maybe announcing the arrival of somebody?” “Thunder crashes. I wonder if she’s afraid too” “It was Bharathiyar who sowed the seed for the rice , I put out for the crows” “House still isn’t up and running but the tenants have moved in.. Sparrows...” “High rise and a maze of houses...But your purple dupatta showed me where you live.” “I could have sworn the ant carrying that grain of rice was smiling.”
At Lingusamy’s Art Exhibition, Art House
“Guessing that Newton was on a full stomach when the apple fell” “The sounds of birds chirping heard only on ringtones these days” “Couldn’t resist the desire to buy this little Buddha.”
BREW thanks Mr. Gautham Vasudev Menon for translating Lingusamy’s verses into English
“It poured so much at the funeral of the old man who was always seen with an umbrella in hand” Photo: Tamizhthambi.
L ing u ’ s
A R T
INTERVIEW
Other than Vidya Balan, there’s another girl who is responsible for the super success of the latest toast of Bollywood – Kahaani, its editor; at least that is what director Sujoy Ghosh has been telling everyone at every given opportunity. When you first meet Namrata Rao, her dimpled smile and the pretty-girl-with-a-dimpled-million-dollar-smilenextdoor looks make it a little hard for you to believe that she has edited films like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Band Baaja Baraat, Ishqiya, and most recently, Kahaani. In a candid conversation she spoke to us about her first meeting with the borderline mythical Aditya Chopra, her professional equation with her directors, the loneliness in the edit studio, her fear of asthma and how much she likes to make documentaries and just observe
“I was scared before meeting Aditya Chopra for the first time”
In Conversation with
Namrata Rao - Keyrun Rao
people whenever possible, at malls, traffic signals et al. Even while we were talking animatedly, she was observing everything that was happening around us…
The First Cut After a few false starts like getting into the IT field, trying her hand at copywriting and designing for an advertising agency which wasn’t even accredited, working as a production assistant at a TV channel; much to the disapproval of her parents, she decided to study filmmaking at the prestigious Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata. This is where she was exposed to lots of films from across the world and the thumb rules of film editing which she had to later unlearn when she set foot in Bollywood.
22 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 23
Her stepping stone to commercial ‘masala’ entertainers was her stint as an editor of hardcore, brimming with reality documentary films, which she is still fascinated about. During the conversation with us, she mentioned about an idea that she had struck upon, that of making a documentary film based on a film journo and his life which revolves around talking to film stars who are probably bored of answering the same questions over and over again, before and after the release of their films. (If she does get around making that documentary film, you know who to thank.)
Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! Given the fact that film editing wasn’t her primary career choice and that too without hailing from a film family, bagged her first film, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, she considers herself to be very lucky. When asked about the kind of competition that exists between film editors, she says she has hardly seen any other film editors. She talks about seeing Aarti Bajaj and a few others, thanks to her editing assignments for which she has to frequent the Yash Raj studio, in suburban Mumbai. She rues the fact that she hasn’t been able to get her assistant any project because he isn’t experienced enough to take on big assignments. Director Dibakar Bannerjee signed her for OLLO, impressed by a documentary film that she had cut, I am the very Beautiful, directed by Shyamal Karmakar. He wanted a similar documentary film-feel for his film. It’s another matter that OLLO became something else, but the documentary film-look was later used in parts for his next outing as a filmmaker, Love Sex Aur Dhokha.
The Kahaani Unfolds… Director Sujoy Ghosh was not in a very comfortable position in his career, thanks to the fact that his last two films, Home Delivery and Aladin, didn’t fare very well at the BO. He had brought Namrata on board because of her experience of making documentary films, as it was the kind of look and feel which he wanted for his Vidya Balan-starrer. Namrata was first shown the rushes which Sujoy and his team had shot and then she got to read the script overnight. Other than the written script there was a lot of material which the makers had come back with, which was supposed to be used in the film and present Kolkata as a character in the film. Namrata says that it was a very challenging thing to do; while retaining the essential qualities of a thriller, taking the audience into the bylanes of a city which they all aren’t aware about. She says that she loved the unpredictable and warm nature of Sujoy and how he goes that extra mile to ensure that everyone is taken care of. On being asked about why there was so much of explanation happening in the film, Namrata admits that though it was a little too much for an evolved audience, it was essential to reach out to the 24 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
masses who may have not understood what is happening, without the hand-holding. She adds that a lot of explanation was edited out but to make the film more accessible to as many in the audience as possible, it was a hard decision that had to be taken. She says that she is very happy that Kahaani turned out to be such a huge success, especially for the director, who was going through a lean patch. Suddenly he has become the toast of the town and people are talking to him with a newfound respect and admiration.
The Big Picture Working with the biggest production house of Bollywood, Yash Raj Films, isn’t a cake walk and you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. Namrata has the highest regard for the production house, for all the caring she got while editing Band Baaja Baraat. She was working in tandem with Aditya Chopra, who is almost a mythical figure in Bollywood, because not many (even the B-towners outside the YRF camp) have seen in real life. Namrata shared with us about how scared she was, before meeting Chopra Jr, especially because of the digs taken on him in Love Sex Aur Dhokha, which she had edited. She said, “I was so scared of meeting him and to see him angered if he found out that she had edited that film. I used to avoid meeting him.” She adds, “He was a total sport and said that he had watched and liked LSD.” Namrata is now editing the Shahrukh Khan-Katrina Kaif starrer, being directed by the veteran, Yash Chopra. She is totally smitten by how Sr Chopra ensures that everyone is having a good time, while working on his film. Namrata calls him a totally different school of filmmaking, as he knows exactly how he wants things done. She also spoke about how much she loved Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and now she is editing a film in which Shahrukh Khan is playing the romantic hero. Smiling like a gushing fangirl, she said that she even called up her mother, just while she was at the editing console, watching King Khan serenading Katrina.
The Next Cut Namrata has found a comfortable space for herself in the Bollywood terra firma and is in no rush to make her own films in the capacity of a director. For now, she is planning to buy a car soon, because she can’t stand the pollution in the city and is afraid of contracting asthma.
Note- This conversation happened just a short while before the release of Jab Tak Hai Jaan and was originally published in www.madaboutmoviez.com
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 25
CINEMA
BOMBAY TALKIES A REVIEW BY SETHUMADHAVAN N.
As I sat in the dark dingy single screen in nondescript Katpadi village a forty two second teaser of my favorite superstar’s comeback film unspooled on the silver screen. Just a glimpse, a fleeting glimpse of the star on the big screen five years since the last outing drove me to tears of joy. That is the power that cinema holds in this film crazy nation of ours. It is this power and hold on the collective conscience of the masses that Bombay Talkies celebrates. Bombay Talkies is a unique experiment. Four voices as different as chalk and cheese coming together to make an anthology, that is being sold not on the names of the stars acting in it, but only on the name of the directors making them- a first for Bollywood for sure . The trailers made me to expect a mish mash of the gaudy and the high art mumbo jumbo that no one can understand. What one gets instead is something that’s nuanced, well-crafted and delectably un Bollywoodish in many ways. The anthology starts with Karan Johar’s piece. On the face of it, KJo sounded the only disharmonic note in the entire orchestra that BT was- what was the maker of bubble gum candy floss cinema, whose last was a beef and bikini charade SOTY- doing in the company of Kashyaps and Akhtars of the world? KJo nonetheless makes you look hard at your judging ways with his short. The story of an exuberant gay intern who blasts into the lives of his married boss only to push the boss’s husband out of the closet shocks you to put it mildly. KJo pulls out all stops, even getting the male leads to lock lips, while ditching his trademark OTT melodrama and penchant for grandeur. There is subtlety and sensitivity in the way he handles the story of closeted gays living a life of lies and masks. Aided by some amazing actors, he delivers his masterstroke in the process taking a giant leap ahead as a story teller. Rani, Saqib and Randeep slip into their roles with the ease of a chameleon. They play with metaphors the dialogues throw up creating moments that force a thought and at times even jolt. As Rani removes her makeup saying she is now free, it’s almost an unmasking of her husband’s real self. As Saqib asks Randeep out for a coffee, his come out almost begs for his closeted self to liberate. What is the connection 26 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
to cinema you ask? The evocation of emotions through Hindi film songs- every moment every emotion sung in verse immortalized by the songs of our movies. Who would’ve thought KJo could come up with this! Dibakar Banerjee enthralls next with his short based on Satyajit Ray’s Patol Babu Filmstar. A story of a failed actor bogged down by life, regales his immobile daughter with movie stories. A random brush with shooting crew gives him the chance to redeem himself in his daughter’s eyes, for he now has a story where her father is the hero. Nawazuddin delivers a power packed performance, even as Sadashiv Amrapurkar takes us into a surreal realm questioning the ideas of when and where we are acting, in reel and real lives. The short leave you with a lump in the throat. Post interval, BT does drop down the bar it set with the first two stories. Zoya Akhtar takes centre stage with her story of how cinema and filmstars are idols for millions of impressionable minds. From Salman’s hair cut to Aamir’s goatee, trends are followed religiously. In her short, a small kid is awed by Sheila and Katrina, and wants to be a Sheila when he grows up. On the face of it, there is a lot that troubles me with the story, why encourage cross dressing, why Katrina and not Hrithik or Shahid, how right is watching a kid dance to Sheila ki Jawani and enjoy the performance, not bothering about the lyrics and gyrations and the vulgarity of it all. Yet, as the kid dances to the song, one cannot but feel the joy of utter liberation that cinema brings to us, the belief of following ones dreams that film stars and their cusses stories give us. Anurag Kashyap’ s is the last act, with his story of a guy who comes to Mumbai to meet Amitabh and make him taste murraba made by his mom, at the behest of his dad. Now this is a complete Bollywood fan boy saga where the obsession we have to films and heroes is brought to the fore. Matinee idols are Gods, part of our families, and that is what the story tells us. However, it is a tad too long, with too many songs and repetitiveness. Enjoyable nonetheless, this is the surprisingly weakest story of the four.
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 27
CINEMA
future projects together.”
ROVIO’S
David Maisel and John Cohen said, “We are very excited to join with Sony Pictures in presenting this movie to the world in 2016 and we will have many more announcements as we begin production in the coming months.”
Entertainment’s first foray into feature films, although fans have already been introduced to the Angry Birds world with the weekly Angry Birds Toons animated series. Rovio launched the series in March through its Angry Birds apps as well as on select video-on-demand channel providers, Smart TVs,
Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products,
ANGRY BIRDS
FEATURE FILM
CULVER CITY, Calif., May 15, 2013 – Sony Pictures Entertainment has won the exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the eagerly anticipated Angry Birds animated film, making it one of the most high-profile deals of the year. The 3D film is being developed, produced, and financed by Rovio Entertainment and will be released worldwide by Sony Pictures on July 1, 2016. Several major studios pursued the global film rights in recent weeks, with Sony Pictures Entertainment emerging as the winner. Michael Lynton, Chairman & CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment,
28 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
Amy Pascal, Co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Mikael Hed, CEO of Rovio Entertainment jointly announced their partnership today. John Cohen and David Maisel – producer of Despicable Me and executive producer of Iron Man, respectively – are both on board for the new Angry Birds feature film. Cohen will serve as producer and Maisel is executive producer. Commenting on the announcement, Mikael Hed said, “Sony impressed us with their great attitude, determination, and professionalism. They convinced us that we have found the right partners and team
to help us market and distribute our first motion picture. Michael, Amy, Jeff Blake, Sony’s marketing and distribution head, and their teams will be the best possible collaborators as we get set to take our franchise to the next level.” Lynton and Pascal said, “Every studio in town would love to add Angry Birds to their slate. There are few titles out there that bring this kind of excitement, brand awareness and built-in audience to the table. We’re thrilled to be distributing this film and we hope this is just the beginning of what will be a long relationship with Rovio as we look for ways to work on
NESTS WITH SONY PICTURES
Angry Birds is one of the world’s biggest entertainment franchises, starting in 2009 with the original mobile game that remains the number one paid app of all time. Angry Birds has expanded rapidly into entertainment, publishing, and licensing to become a beloved international brand. Angry Birds has been praised for its great value and simple, casual gameplay. Players use a slingshot to launch birds at green pigs in an attempt to get their eggs back, with the game setting the model for what is possible in terms of game development and commercial success. To date, the Angry Birds and Bad Piggies games have been downloaded more than 1.7 billion times across platforms and versions. The upcoming movie marks Rovio
connected devices, and on select TV networks around the world. Paving the way for a full-length feature film, Angry Birds Toons has been a massive success for Rovio clocking in over 150 million views from the Angry Birds apps alone within the first six weeks. While known for distributing world renowned motion picture franchises such as Spider-Man, Sony Pictures has been building a strong reputation in contemporary animation through its house production unit, Sony Pictures Animation, and hit films including Hotel Transylvania, The Smurfs, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Surf’s Up, Open Season, and Aardman’s Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! Band of Misfits. ABOUT SONY PICTURES Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based
services and technologies. For additional information, go to http:// www.sonypictures.com. ABOUT ROVIO ENTERTAINMENT Rovio is an industry-changing entertainment media company headquartered in Finland, and the creator of the globally successful Angry Birds franchise. Angry Birds, a casual puzzle game, became an international phenomenon within a few months of its release, and is now the number one paid app of all time. Angry Birds has expanded rapidly into entertainment, publishing, and licensing to become a beloved international brand. www.rovio.com FOR MORE INFORMATION: Steve Elzer Senior Vice President, Media Relations 310-244-7142 steve_elzer@spe.sony.com
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 29
CINEMA
A Personal Tribute to
Roger Ebert
The Man who gave me the cinema of ages for the ages - Hithesh Devasya
I woke up at around 7.a.m and like always I logged onto Facebook and as I started looking at the notifications, I saw that my dear friend Prashanth had written,“4/4. It’s definitely more than a coincidence. Four Stars for the life lived by Roger Ebert.“My groggy mind hadn’t yet registered what the status meant and I started looking at the other notifications but in about a minute I saw another update that read “R.I.P Roger Ebert” and then the moment came. The moment of realisation that the hero you aspired to be, the hero you admired was no longer around. Even though the thought of him not being on the earth anymore registered in my mind, I didn’t feel anything more at that point. No, I wasn’t too numb to feel anything and I wasn’t past feeling but even with all the proof staring at me, the blog entries that came up when I googled, the twitter feed and the facebook updates, I couldn’t take it into my heart that my hero was no more. You see, I was introduced to Roger Ebert‘s writing through another one of my dear friends, Arjun, without 30 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
whom I wouldn’t be the Cinephile I am today, and Mr. Ebert was already affected by cancer for around 5 years by then. I learnt that he had beaten cancer not once but twice at that time. It was around the time I was finishing my 11th grade and starting 12th grade that I was introduced to Mr. Ebert’s film reviews. And from that eventful day, I have been a religious follower of Mr. Ebert’s writing. When you read Roger Ebert’s reviews, you see a man with wit, a man who loved cinema, a man with a very subtle sense of humor, warmth and great intellect and you are drawn to him. I read everything about him like one does when you get a hero and I found that both Roger Ebert’s professional and personal journey were in a way a triumph in my eyes. He was doing what he loved the most, i.e watching movies and was also a strong willed man who had stared death in the eye and come back to tell the tale. Not everyone beats cancer twice and not everyone can continue writing reviews in the same tone as they did when they were 25, young and eager to take on
the world.This was something that happened when I was in 11th or 12th grade, before he had his third bout with cancer. And in the third bout, he won. Again.Now you know why I couldn’t take it that Roger Ebert was no more when I read those updates on the internet. For Roger Ebert, cancer was like the common cold. It comes and it goes but he stands tall above everything else. It might take the function of his jaw, his salivary glands and his voice but it doesn’t take his spirit, his all conqueringspirit. An hour passed and I got ready to leave for office. I was in a daze but I hadn’t succumbed to the feeling of nothingness that was creeping around the corner of my heart. I felt the coldness coming but I thought I would be able to shake it off. I don’t remember having cried before when a person died. As I was riding pillion on my friend’s Honda Activa, I started thinking about how Cinephiles around the world have journeyed with him. It was then that I felt numb and the tears started pouring down.
For around an hour in the traffic, I kept thinking about those memorable 5 years when I started my journey as a Cinephile and how that was shaped by Arjun and Roger Ebert. The only connection I’ve had with Roger Ebert apart from the movies is a signature of his that a Facebook group that I am part of received from him through Krishna Shenoi, one of Roger Ebert’s Far Flung Foreign Correspondents. That’s the closest I’ve come to Roger Ebert, a signature on paper that I haven’t touched but there are just a couple of people who’ve influenced me as much or more. Whatever I’ve learnt about the movies came from Roger Ebert and through him, other writers and books about the movies. When I watch a movie, one of the first thoughts that goes into my head is how would Roger Ebert react to such and such a scene. Would he be equally enthralled or would it be just another scene for him or would he be disappointed. For many a person, Roger Ebert’s analysis of a movie is critical to understanding or appreciating a movie. For me, Roger
Ebert was a journeyman, whose views were something that fellow minded Cinephiles and I would ponder upon. For us, Roger Ebert’s writing was something to analyse, not just the movie.In 2012, he was into his 46th year of reviewing movies for Chicago Sun Times and he had reviewed 306 films for that year, his highest for a year in all of his 46 year career. On April 2nd, 2013 he wrote a fitting blog entry, “A Leave Of Presence”. And he wrote, “So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I’ll see you at the movies.“ For a man who had made cancer seem like just another little disease not once or twice but thrice, fighting it another time wouldn’t have been the issue. But Roger Ebert knew that he didn’t want this again. He had seen enough of the world through his physical self and had lived a life that was 4/4 as Prashanth rightfully put. He was staring death in the eye and letting it know that he was coming on his own terms and that it didn’t have a say on him. He was having the final say, like he always has. I haven’t
seen a single episode of Ebert on television and I don’t know what his voice sounds like. If he wrote something as his final piece, “A Leave Of Presence” would qualify as the stuff of legends. Leaving the material world when you have reached a high would be perfect, even if there’s more that you can offer. It is the cinematic ending everyone aspires for and very few achieve. Mr. Ebert has achieved that.When Roger Ebert left the world, he left behind a legacy of great writing, the kind that makes words seem too little and too less. He left behind a legacy of journeymen who consider themselves Cinephiles and a legacy of people who aspire to one day do what they love the most. After I finish writing something, I always feel inadequate; like haven’t done enough. I feel like I have meandered from what I have to say and have written too much and said too little, like a pseudo – intellectual. Aspiring to write like Roger Ebert is something I dream about and if I live half the life that Roger Ebert has, I’d be a happy man. It gives me immense pleasure to see that there are so many people out there whose lives have been touched by Mr. Ebert. It is lovely to see all those loving tributes being poured. This is a man deserving of such love and there’s nothing as beautiful as love being given as conditionally as what we’ve witnessed today. I look forward to the journey that you have now left me behind in, the journey of discovering cinema, a journey of unending love with your colossally beautiful work keeping me company. Mr. Ebert, consider me as one among the many who’ve been inspired by you and like you said ; “See you at the movies!” R.I.P. Note- This was originally published in www.madaboutmoviez.com
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 31
CINEMA
Q
&
A
W
I
T
H
GWYNETH PALTROW GWYNETH PALTROW(Pepper Potts) is one of today’s most accomplished and celebrated actors in both television and film. For her role in the feature film “Shakespeare In Love” she won the Academy Award® for best actress. She won the Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild® Award for the same role. In 2011, she won the Emmy® Award as guest actress in a comedy series for her role as substitute teacher Holly Holiday on the hit musical series “Glee.” Among her other recent film credits are “Thanks for Sharing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Contagion,” “Country Strong” (for which Paltrow also recorded original music on the film’s Academy Award® nominated soundtrack) and “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2.” Additional credits are James Gray’s “Two Lovers,” brother Jake Paltrow’s “The Good Night,” John
32 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
Madden’s “Proof” (for which she received a Golden Globe® nomination), “Sylvia,” Ryan Murphy’s “Running with Scissors,” Douglas McGrath’s “Infamous,” Neil LaBute’s “Possession,” Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums,” Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s “Shallow Hal,” “The Anniversary Party,” Bruce Paltrow’s “Duets,” “Bounce” opposite Ben Affleck, Anthony Minghella’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and Andrew Davis’ “A Perfect Murder.” Paltrow’s early career credits include “Sliding Doors,” “Emma,” “Great Expectations,” “The Pallbearer,” “Seven,” “A View from the Top,” “Moonlight and Valentino,” “Jefferson In Paris,” “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle,” “Malice,” “Hook” and “Shout.” Her first role was in the critically acclaimed “Flesh and Bone” opposite Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid. Paltrow also co-wrote and co-directed the short film “Dealbreakers” with Mary Wigmore.
In April 2013, Gwyneth will publish her second cookbook with Grand Central Publishing, which follows her New York Times bestseller titled “My Father’s Daughter” (published April 2011). She first established her credibility in the field of gastronomy when she co-wrote “Spain, A Culinary Road Trip” with acclaimed chef Mario Batali. Born in Los Angeles where she spent the first eleven years of her life, Paltrow comes from a very close-knit family deeply entrenched in the entertainment industry. Her father, Bruce Paltrow was a highly successful producer (“St. Elsewhere,” “The White Shadow”) and her mother is the award-winning actress Blythe Danner. Paltrow and her younger brother Jake spent their early childhood in Los Angeles where she attended St. Augustine by the Sea (now known as Crossroads).
Paltrow currently resides in Los Angeles, New York City, and London. Q:Where do we find Pepper in Marvel’s “Iron Man 3”? A: When we find Pepper in “Iron Man 3,” she and Tony Stark are very much in a relationship. They’re living together, she’s moved into his house in Malibu, and she’s still running Stark Industries, so their lives are very intertwined and there’s a lot of comfort between them now, so it’s not the kind of tentative relationship they had in the first one. It’s very comfortable. I think you get the sense that they know each other very well and they’re in a serious relationship. Q:Is it fun to get to play more romantically with Robert in this film as opposed to the tension? A:It’s very nice to have the relationship evolve over the course of a few pictures, and especially now. Robert
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 33
and I have always had a really great working relationship and we’re very happy working together, and it’s nice to phase it into something else. It’s still all the banter, but it’s less tenuous. Q:You get to wear the suit in this one. Were you ever expecting to do that? A:There were talks of Pepper getting in the suit at the end of “Iron Man 2,” but Marvel wasn’t ready to do it yet. I think in the comic books she does eventually get into the suit and she has her own suit, and I know Robert was really interested in having Pepper do more in this movie, and it was also a factor in me coming back and getting to do things that were a little bit more fun and different and a little bit more adventurous. It would’ve still been nice, but it would’ve been very much the same thing just tobe buttoned-up Pepper, and in this movie there’s a whole different experience of her. Q:How hard is it to physically wear that suit? A: I didn’t mind wearing the suit at all. I thought it was light and perfectly comfortable and my children thought I was extremely cool. They were here on a day where I was in it, so they were trying it on and when my son saw me in the suit, he had the biggest eyes, so it was definitely worth it. Q:Is it cool for them to see Robert Downey Jr. now that they understand he is Iron Man? A:It’s funny because they didn’t realize it for a long time. My son was only one on the first movie, so obviously he had really no clue for “Iron Man 1” or “Iron Man 2,” but now for this movie he’s six and he’s super into Iron Man and Hulk. I remember the day he kind of put it together that Robert was Iron Man, because he has had an affinity for Robert his whole life. He really loves Robert, and now the fact that Robert’s Iron Man just puts an extra little spin on it. My kids loved him anyway, but it’s really fun I think for a little boy to realize that he’s friends with Iron Man. 34 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
Q:How hard did you have to commit to get into shape for Marvel’s “Iron Man”? A: I’m a person who works out anyway, but I felt like for this movie that I needed to be in excellent shape. So a couple of weeks before I came back, I really hit it super hard and I tried to watch what I ate, which I’m not so good at doing. But I was very focused because I really wanted the whole end sequence to be unexpected and I thought if people saw me like that, fighting and in really good shape, that it would be an extra bonus for the movie to have. Q:In this movie it seems like Iron Man is more vulnerable than ever before. A: I think the reason why Tony Stark is such a popular cinematic hero is because of his vulnerability. I think in the second movie he was at his least vulnerable. In the first movie, he goes into his vulnerability and he finds it, and he sort of finds his humanity. And in this movie you really see his cracks. You really see the psychology behind why he is going through this metamorphosis that he needs to go through. He went through a dark period in his life, but I think in this movie he’s really trying to reconcile what’s what and who he wants to be andthe direction that he wants to go in. Robert plays that kind of thing so beautifully. He’s an actor that can play so many notes at once, and so it’s wonderful to see. The scene where he sends a fake Iron Man to Pepper and pretends it’s him could be that classic man thing of, “I just don’t want to deal with my girlfriend,” but I think it’s really Tony not wanting to be intimate. It’s a barrier between Pepper and Tony that he doesn’t necessarily want to cross. I think it’s painful for him to fully commit to her with his whole heart, because there’s a lot in there and he’s still reckoning with how to deal with it.
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 35
Q:You and Favreau have a lot of great scenes together in this movie. How is it working with him in this film? A: I was so thrilled that Jon was coming back. It was a little weird because I was used to him in the director’s seat and at first it was strange having him on set and listening to somebody else tell me what to do. But Jon is so valuable to this franchise; he’s an integral part of Marvel’s success. It’ so cool that he came back to reprise his role of Happy Hogan and be in the film. It was really great to have him. I can’t imagine being on an “Iron Man” set without him. Q:Why do you think “Iron Man” seems to be the cornerstone of the Marvel films and the one audiences always go back to? A: I think the reason that “Iron Man” is so successful is because it’s that classic archetypal figure of somebody with incredible light and darkness, and that’s the story of all of us. We’re always trying to reconcile both sides of ourselves and all parts of ourselves, and there’s something about Iron Man that encompasses all of those qualities and it’s what we strive to do—accept our dark and make our light brighter. Robert is incredibly charismatic and funny, and I think the Pepper and Tony relationship is always at the heart of the movies. People love to see that relationship. So many people said about “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “I’m so happy Pepper was in ‘The Avengers.’”It gave the movie a center. Even though it was one scene, I think Pepper’s relationship to Tony is something that keeps the movie grounded. It’s always in reality, and it’s always funny and full of love but always witty. It’s a real 36 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
relationship. I think people like to see that and they like to see a woman who’s so loving and supportive of her man but also keeps him in check. It’s a really sweet relationship. Q:Set up the relationship between Killian and Pepper. A: The idea is that Pepper and Killian knew each other previously. She mentions that she worked for him a long time ago and that he had asked her out and she wasn’t interested, so he’s always carried a little bit of a flame. And it turns out to be a very complex layer of the plot—this sort of unrequited thing that he had for Pepper—and it motivates him to do some very scary things. Q: This third installment is going to be a bit of a shift from the first two. What do you think this film is going to be? A: I’m really curious to see this film because I feel that where it begins and where it ends is kind of brave and different and really interesting. And I think we’ve set ourselves up well for that. At the end of the first movie Tony Stark says, “I am Iron Man,” which is an unexpected thing. Normally, it’s left in the dark. The movies always end in an unexpected way, and I think this movie ends in a really unexpected way, and there’s real heart to it. It’s about discovering yourself and what’s really important. And of course it’s done with all the fireworks and action and excitement, but there’s really heart underneath it.
MUSIC
TMS
A TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND
The legendary singer T. M. Soundararajan , fondly called as TMS, is no more with us today. But, he lives in the hearts of thousands who admired his masculine and majestic voice, won over with his unparalleled voice modulation, unmatchable pronunciation and above all an unbeatable range. People called him “Vengala Thondayan”, which means the throat and vocal cords of the great TMS are made of bronze. It is not an exaggeration at all! His blessed throat suited any form of music and when sang, we experienced the divine through music. It was rightly said by the renowned music director Sri K. V. Mahadevan that TMS could exceed the expectations of music directors when it came to song delivery with “Raagam” and “Bhavam”. TMS used to say that he believed in the every word in the song and would give his maximum to express the words in the lyric with passion and sincerity. Whether it was a love song, a sad song , an inspirational song or a devotional song, one could clearly experience the “ bhavam” and “life” brought to the song by the golden voice of TMS. It is doubtlessly true that there is no other playback singer today who can be compared with TMS. To know more about this legendary singer, one should listen to his songs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s . Each song he rendered, had his mark on it and his style of singing was unbeatable. T.M.S. was and still is considered as the legendary, top rated, veteran, playback singer in Tamil Cinema Industry of the yester years. His debut in the film industry was in the year 1947 (film
38 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
“Krishna Vijayam”) at the age of 25 and his last film song was recorded in the year 1997 at the age of 75. Wow! 50 years of active presence in the film industry with several thousands of stage programs all over the world. Over 10171 Tamil film songs, 1634 devotional, light music and other language songs by the legend have been recorded. TMS even rendered one song each for Malayalam and Telugu movies respectively. After 1993, he had appeared in few albums, but continued to participate in stage shows even till 2010! Based on the results, honestly no one can agrue that he is not better than several other national award winners. Although the “Padmashree” award was bestowed on TMS in 2003, by not awarding TMS with national recognition, one could think that the charm and value of such an award is lost. More than any formal recognition and awards, TMS enjoyed the praise and admiration of thousands of people throughout his career even after he stopped singing for movies many years ago. That is enough to establish him as the greatest playback singer the Tamil movie world has ever seen. Long live the fame and glory of T. M. Soundararajan!
Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 39
art of
ART
glass
- by Vidya Magesh Kumar
Before proceeding to write more about the next craft form, I would like to congratulate Mr. Sudarshan Patanaik for winning the Copenhagen sand art competition. I suppose, it couldn’t have been a better opportunity to have written about this art form. Art In Glass Art in glass can be created in many ways. Techniques include stained glass windows, leaded lights, glass that has been placed into a kiln so that it will mold into a shape, glass blowing, sandblasted glass and copper foil work. Stained glass, As a material, stained glass is glass that has been coloured by adding 40 | JUNE 2013 | Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew
metallic salts during its manufacture. The coloured glass is crafted into stained glass windows in which small pieces of glass are arranged to form patterns or pictures, held together (traditionally) by strips of lead and supported by a rigid frame. Stained Glass such as the windows that are seen in churches, are windows that contain an element of painting in them. The window is designed and after the glass has been cut to shape, paint is applied that contains ground glass, so that when it is fired in a kiln, the paint fuses onto the glass surface. Following this process the sections of glass are placed together and held in place with lead cane that is then soldered at the joints. Leadlight and stained glass are manufactured in the same way, but
the former do not contain any sections of glass that have been painted. Glassblowing Glassblowing is a glass forming technique that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble, with the aid of a blowpipe (or blow tube). Glassblowing is one of the most used techniques for creating “art glass”, and is still favoured by most of today’s studio glass artists. This is because of the artist’s intimacy with the material, and almost infinite opportunity for creativity and variation at almost every stage of the process. Glassblowing can be used to create a multitude of shapes and can incorporate color through a wide range of techniques. Coloured glass can be gathered out of a crucible, clear glass can be rolled in powdered colored glass to coat the outside of a
bubble, it can be rolled in chips of glass, it can be stretched into rods and incorporated through cane working or it can be layered and cut and fused into tiles and incorporated into a bubble of glass for intricate patterns through murrine. Lampworking To make things like miniature glass figurines and glass beads, crafters usually use a way of glass working which is called lampworking. Lampworking is a type of glasswork that uses a gas fueled torch to melt clear or coloured glass rods. Glass in semi molten state is formed by shaping with tools and hand movements. Different colors are added to the figurine with some molten glass of other colors. In the end the ready figurine is cut with cutting jack and then cooled.
This way of glass working is also known as flame working or torch working. Lampworking can be done with many types of glass, but the most common are soda-lime glass, sometimes called “soft glass,” and borosilicate glass, often called “hard glass.” Art in Clear Glass Glass can be used as a canvas to create art either by painting or engraving on it. Painting is either done a Stained Glass Painting or Reverse Glass painting.In recent times, stained glass painting has become very popular. In this, the lead joints of stained glass are mimicked with a lead outliner and transparent paints are used to colour the glass according to the design.
Glass Etching Etching refers to the technique of creating art on the surface of glass by applying acidic, caustic, or abrasive substances.Glass etching cream available from art supply stores consists of fluoride compounds, such as sodium fluoride and hydrogen fluoride (very dangerous). The fluoridation of the glass causes the characteristic rough, translucent qualities of frosted glass. The transparency of glass is protected by first sticking stencil on the required area and then applying the cream. The area where the glass comes into contact with the glass becomes frosty or translucent. Sand Blasting Abrasive, such as fine sand, is sprayed through a sandblasting gun on to glass which is masked up by a piece of stencil in order to produce inscriptions. This is more
of a commercial glass engraving technique employed by companies. Laser Engraving Engraving on glass using laser involves computerized laser machines that bombard the surface of glass with high speed laser to create pre-programmed designs. Glass art has been practiced since ancient times. Some of the dying art forms are being revived in recent times.
traditionally made of copper, with a linseed oil and fine emery powder mixture used as an abrasive. The basic principal behind hand engraving is that when the surface of the glass is scratched it catches the light, so by roughing it up the area will appear white. When the surface is smoothed a little the light passes through and the engraving appears grey. When the glass is smoothened even more it appears dark, clear glass is darkest. Another form of engraving are “stipple” and “drypoint” in which the surface of the glass is abraded with the use of small diamond tipped burrs. The scratches and small dots made in this method can, in the hands of a skilled artist, be used to produce images of astonishing clarity and detail. Copper wheel engraving basically gives a deep sculpted effect. A wheel (usually copper) is fitted to a
lathe and fed with an abrasive compound. The glass is held to the wheel to engrave it. Stone or diamond wheels may also be used on the lathe. The Author speacilised in Glass Engraving.
Intaglio Intaglio work is a technique where images and inscriptions are cut into the surface of the glass through abrasion. Glass engraving tools are therefore small abrasive wheels and drills, in case of hand engraving, and with small lathes used for wheel engraving. Engraving wheels are Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JUNE 2013 | 41
brandmuni.com