TheBrewJanuary

CINEMA, MUSIC & ART WITH THE

JANUARY 2012 VOL 02 ISSUE 04 ` 40 www.thebrewmagazine.com

genially yours genelia d’souza

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EDITOR’S NOTE FOLLOW US>// http://www.facebook.com/ thebrewmagazine

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Dear Readers The Brew wishes everyone a very happy 2012.

Like we promised the last issue, there’s a lot in store for this year. We are very happy to have collaborated with ace photographer and a very dear friend G.Venket Ram for his calendar 2012 featuring the hottest ladies of the south Indian film industry.

On cover this issue, we have the very beautiful Genelia D’souza and in all probability this would be her last “single” cover. Am sure you got what I meant by that.

Thanks to Venket for the brilliant cover picture. He is also now on the advisory board of The Brew. Alongwith him, we have another amazingly talented and accomplished individual joining our board - Kavita Baliga. So, you will experience a better “Brew” from now.

Keep Brewing!

Sameer Bharat Ram Editor

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.

CINEMA, MUSIC & ART WITH THE

Creative Director 01 Mihir Ranganathan

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Art Director 02 Sibiraj Bastin Sr. Graphic Designer 03 Ajay Kumar

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Sub-Editor 04 Poornima Nair

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Asst. Editor 05 Amrutha Anandanathan

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Operations 06 Tapass Naresh 07 Jai Kumananthaa Raaja

BRAND PARTNERS Circulation & Sales 08 Seeman Ezhumalai

www.thebrewmagazine.com 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

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CONTRIBUTORS AND ADVISORY BOARD Lord Jeffrey Archer Jeffrey Archer established himself as a literary force with the publication of his first novel, Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, in 1975. His third novel, Kane and Abel became a number one best-seller in hardcover and paperback all over the world and has sold over 3.5 million in the UK paperback edition alone. Now, 36 years later, Jeffrey continues to defy his critics and delight his fans. Published in 97 countries and more than 37 languages, Jeffrey Archer is firmly established, with international sales passing 250 million copies.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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..

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CONTENTS

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VOL 02 ISSUE 04

FEATURES

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THE GRAND

MUSIC FESTIVAL

COVER STORY

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genelia d’souza

genially yours

- Violinist Dr. M. Lalitha (M. Nandini)

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Alwida Khan Saab

a personal tribute to the Sultan of Sarangi - Veejay Sai

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INTERVIEW

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Ananth, Anirudh, Iyappan, Vivek and Aravinth

TEAM KOLAVERI

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Flora Saini

Flora Floored

center stage with THE 42

Totem

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Music and

its Versatility -Dr. MINI RAO

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REVIEW

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GUSTAVE FLAUBERT’s

MADAME BOVARY - QUEENIE SUKHADIA

Framing

Destiny in Colours - Veejay sai

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Brewing with

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MUSIC

THE GRAND MUSIC FESTIVAL —Violinist Dr. M. Lalitha (M. Nandini)

C

hennai city becomes vibrant with music during Margazhi with the Madras Music Season that had its birth in 1927 to commemorate the opening of the Madras Music Academy. Known by various names the Chennai Music festival or the Margazhi Music festival is a biggest musical festival in the world in par with the International Summer music festivals conducted all over the globe. It is held during the months of December – January but now it starts off even by November and runs through till January with the Dance festival taking over.

Carnatic music had its origins in the Vedas and is highly devotional in content. The compositions are in praise of different forms of Gods and Goddesses like Ganesha, Muruga,

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Kamakshi, Bhuvaneswari, Devi, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Shiva and Vishnu. Hence it is apt to have the festival in the Month of Margazhi having great spiritual significance and is a sacred month of the Hindus.

Margazhi is regarded as the brahma muhurtam (which is early morning) for the devas and is the most appropriate time for meditation, worship of the Lord through various forms like music, pujas etc. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that He is Margazhi among the twelve months.

CONTENT The festival features mainly the traditional South Indian or Carnatic music though other genres like Dance, Harikatha, Jugalbandi, Fusion, Hindustani, Western Classical, Sampradaya Bhajan, lecture demonstrations are included in the

music season concert schedules.

Music Festivals for composers Tyagaraja, Othukadu Venkata Subbaiyer, Narayana Theerthar Tharangams and Hanumath Jayanthi Festival, Iyyapa Music Festival are also part of the Music Season since some of them occur in the month of Margazhi according to Tamil calendar.

The sabhas or organisations hosts the festival which might range from a weeklong to 15 days and some sabhas also end up doing a month long festival.

Thematic concerts on compositions on Devi, Krishna, Rama, Shiva, compositions of different composers like Tyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Syama Sastri, Swati Tirunal, Tamil Compositions, Pre – Trinity composers, Post Trinity Composers are some of the themes that are handled during season, though other unique themes are also introduced now and then.

PROMINENT SABHAS

SABHAS

Artistes, Scholars, Organisers, critics, festival directors and art lovers from all over the world participate.

The names of all sabhas are too numerous to mention hence only some of the prominent old sabhas that regularly organise concerts during the Music Season are mentioned below.

hh Brahma Gana Sabha hh Indian Fine Arts Society hh Kartik Fine Arts hh Madras Music Academy hh Nandi Fine Arts

hh Narada Gana Sabha hh Nungambakkam Cultural Academy

hh Sri Krishna Gana Sabha hh Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha hh Sri Tyaga Brahma Gana Sabha hh Tamil Isai Sangam SPONSORS AND VENUES Sabhas host these festivals with the help of the sponsors. The sponsors range from corporate, banks, individuals, private firms etc. The venues range from big halls, temples, open air halls.

Those days the concerts were mostly held in areas Mylapore and T. Nagar but now festivals are held in different areas of Chennai like Adyar, Besant Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur, Tambaram,

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All India Radio and the FM Radios also contribute a major role in popularising this Cultural Extravaganza.

Guide books having the schedule of the concerts are specially released during the season.

Season specials like daily coverage by magazines are being brought out.

MY EXPERIENCES

Velachery, Tiruvotriyur etc.

DURATION

Initially there were only a few sabhas those days but now it has out grown and there are literally more than hundreds of them in different parts of Chennai each hosting its own festivals.

Some of the sabhas have their own place while the rest hire auditoriums or host in temples.

The concerts of the senior artistes are of normally 2 and a 1/2 to 3 hours of duration while for the youngsters it varies from 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Stalls by the sponsors, books, CDs on music by various artistes are also displayed along with the banners of the sponsors at the Venue.

TITLES / AWARDS Each sabha honours every year a musician with a title or award like Sangeetha Kalanidhi by the Madras Music Academy, Sangeetha Kala Sikhamani by the Indian Fine Arts, Nandikeswara Nada Kaladhara by Nandi Fine Arts, Nadha Brahmam by Narada Gana Sabha, Gana Padmam

by Brahma Gana Sabha. Some of the sabhas now give multiple titles for artistes from various fields like Music, Instrumental, Percussion, Dance and Drama. Organisations like Bharat Kalachar and Kartik fine Arts honours young artistes with the title of Yuva Kala Bharati and Isai Peroli.

FORMAT The artistes usually follow the traditional format of a concert starting with the varnam and rendering minor, major ragas with major kritis, niravel, kalpana svaras followed by the Ragam Tanam Pallavi and ending with the semi classical section, though thematic ones also are part of the schedule.

PERFORMANCES The concert schedule is both vocal and Instrumental. It is normally Vocal recital with a Violin Accompaniment, Mridangam as the pakka vadyam (accompaniment) and / or upa pakka vadyas like Kanjira, Ghatam, Morsing.

Instrumental concerts like Violin Duets, Veena, Flute, Mandolin, Gottuvadyam having Mridangam and upa pakka vadyas are also part of the fare.

The concerts are held throughout the day from morning 8 till 9.00 pm and sometimes last even up to 10 pm. Performances by very popular musicians and also the upcoming artistes are also part of the season.

In the mornings paper presentations, discussions and conferences in music are organised by the esteemed organisations on varied topics relating to Music and also Dance.

It is said that there are over 2000 performances by about 800 artists (about 700 vocal, 300 instrumental, 200 dance, 50 drama and others) happening in Chennai.

MEDIA Of late there is vast media coverage for these events with top magazines bringing out special editions, reviews of these concerts including interviews of artistes. Television networks, the

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I have been in this music field for the past 3 decades and being brought up in a family of musicians.As a child, I have witnessed concerts of my family members,my guru Sri V. Lakshminarayana Iyer, my mother Mrs. Subbulakshmi Muthuswamy (also my guru-a reputed singer herself) and of course Violin Trio performances by my illustrious uncles Sri. L. Vaidyanathan, Dr. L. Subramaniam and Dr. L. Shankar. As a child my mother used to take me to concerts of great legends like Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi, Smt. M. L. Vasanthakumari, Smt. D. K. Pattammal, Sri Madural Somu, Sri Pinnakapani, Sri Voleti Venkateswarulu, Sri K. V. Narayanaswamy, Sri Alathoor Brothers, Sri Palghat Mani Iyer, Smt. T. Brinda, Smt. T. Mukta and many more. I was fortunate to have had listened to these stalwarts.

The scene became different from listening to performing when I started performing in the prestigious Madras Music Season along with my sister M. Nandini. I can never forget the first season concert for which I was gearing up with assiduous practises and rehearsals with my mother and guru. She used to plan the concert and see to it the songs were not repeated in different venues. This calls for a wide repertoire - thanks for my gurus and the training I have had with them.

Our father Sri. K. Muthuswamy is our great source of encouragement and support in all our concerts.

Normally we begin our concerts with the Varnam and render it in four to five speeds which is a unique feature in my school of violin playing. Our fans used to wait for us to begin the Varnam. I remember performing the

Manohari Mala Ragam Tanam Pallavi for one of the Music Season concerts for which we had acclaim from different quarters. It is also our special trademark to introduce the raga, tala, composer and other minute details in the composition that we are rendering and it used to be heartening to see the rasikas with books and pens during our concert waiting to jot down points.

I still cherish the comment made by the famous music critic Sri Subbudu who wrote after listening to one of our music season concerts `“`Music runs in their blood, they must have played music even when they were in their mother’s womb. I will also have to mention that we were given double promotion for Violin Duet to perform in the evening slot by the Madras Music Academy which is a history.

We have done regular violin duet concerts, violin solos, thematic, Jugalbandis and Trans Global fusion- which is our brain child.

Similarly we became the pioneers to present concerts with Multimedia presentation. We presented the Devi Kshetra Kritis, Sarvam Vishnu Mayam with Multimedia during the Music season which was well received. In between the Music season I will never forget having had to fly for a few days to perform in the World Routes for BBC London where we became the

FIRST SOUTH INDIAN VIOLINISTS to have been interviewed and performed

by BBC Radio 3.

My collaborations during the Music season with Ustad Shahid Parvez, Carl Rathus – Australian Shahuhachi player, Fazal Qureshi - Tabla, Pirpauke – Finnish band, Sameer Chaterji - Tabla, Tiruvalaputhur T. A. Kaliyamurthy - Tavil, Tirupungur Muthukumaraswamy - Tavil, Tarun Bhattacharya - Santoor, Mannargudi Vasudevan - Tavil, have been well received.

Now I am a part of the Music season performing in different sabhas during season sometimes even two to three in a day. Though hectic, still I enjoy doing it. During the Music Seasons I was awarded the prestigious title of Yuva Kala Bharathi by Bharat Kalachar, Srividhya Tapasi by Tapas, Best Senior Violinists both from Madras Music Academy & Indian Fine Arts Society during the same year, Best Concert of the Season with the Tambura Prize by the Indian Fine Arts, `NADA VINODINI’ awarded by Sri Ranjani Trust,

RAJAMANIKAM PILLAI CENTENARY AWARD for `Excellence in Violin Playing’ by the Sri Ragam Fine Arts, Chennai to name a few.

Each year I look forward for performing in this prestigious internationally acclaimed Chennai Music season. It is an experience to be a part of this huge festival.

In a lighter vein, apart from this, the Music season is also famous for its canteens at various sabha outlets as also the mami’s with pattu sarees and vaira thodus who come to listen to concerts making this a true celebration of not just music but deep rooted culture.

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MUSIC

Alwida

Khan Saab a personal tribute to the Sultan of Sarangi —Veejay Sai

O

n a cold winter evening in Bombay in the late 1990’s, after much hesitation he decided to give an interview in his house. The bargain was that he had to be a part of the tele-serial I was researching for Star TV. When I arrived, he was all ready, well-dressed and waiting to welcome.

A bit disappointed that it wasn’t going to be a videographed interview, Sultan

Khan opened up his world of music and passion on a rather emotional note. A modestly furnished home with a wall to wall navy blue carpet and floor seating with pillows adorned his humble living room. ‘ main anpad hoon yaar, angrezi me baat nahi kar sakta hoon. jo bhi hain mere paas, yahin hain! Aakhri dumm tak mere saarangi ke saat rehna chahtaa hoon (I am an illiterate and cannot speak in

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English. Whatever is here is this. I just know that I want to be with my sarangi till my last breath), he said with a choked voice. ‘ mere saari zindigi bhar ki kamayi ek batuye me daalke zakir ko diya is ghar lene ke liye. Aakhir bombai me rehna koi choti baat nahi hain ham jaise artiston ko (Whatever I had earned all my life, i bundled it and gave it to Zakir and we managed to buy this little house. After all it’s not easy

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to live in a city like Bombay for artistes like us) ’, he went on to explain. Over endless cups of chai and samosas, we spoke late into the night. That formed an unforgettable bond of friendship between us over the years.

Over the last few decades the sarangi had almost started fading off the concert stage because of its ridiculous association with the music of tawaifs by caste-conscious event organizers and musicians. Many artistes like Sultan Khan faced the backlash.

Constantly out of work, and catering to requests of egomaniacal film music directors and the like had hurt the maestro beyond repair. And that emotional side of him reflected in his music eventually. He was more popular in the west than in India. ‘yahan ke log ya sarkaar hame kahan dekhte hain?’ he would question.

Born into a family of artistes, Sultan Khan started learning Sarangi from his father Ustad Gulab Khan and his grandfather Ustad Azeem Khan of the Indore Gharana. As a child, like others his age, his interests lay in various sports and games but it was the Sarangi that shaped his destiny.

He gave his first concert at the age of eleven. Not a small achievement for a kid of that age to master one of the most difficult instruments. ‘Sarangi ke liye hamne khoon beh chuke. Yeh hamari khushkismati hain. Iske saaz ke andar jitna kashish hain, who kahin aur nahi hain (I’ve shed blood for the sarangi. It’s my good fortune to be with it. The pain you find in its sound isn’t found anywhere else)’, he would say on how the sarangi chose him as an instrument for its propagation. Fond of the three gharanas (Agra, Indore and Patiala) that he was highly influenced by, he even cut an album as a tribute to the gurus he learnt from.

He was solely responsible for the growth and popularity of the instrument in the west. Having toured and performed with the likes of Pandit Ravi Shankar, George Harrison, Peter Gabriel and others, he had an ardent fan in none other than Madonna and Duran Duran. He accompanied all the greats of his time and shared a great

bond and friendship with Sufi singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan which he loved to talk about often. ‘How does it matter what language each one speaks? We are all musicians and we understand each other’s language of music and gestures and that is more than enough to make music’, he would comment.

Khan saab had a great sense of humour. Once at a concert, an organizer insisted on asking him if he was south Indian and that irked him.

‘I am north Indian, I am Rama. You are south Indian, you are Ravana!’, he retorted lightheartedly not realizing the mike was on and the audiences who heard this were in splits. ‘Once I was sitting in my room and watching some French movie on the TV when Zakir came in and asked how I was able to understand what is going on in the movie. I said how do I care if its French or English, either ways I don’t understand both and both sound same to my ears’, he would laugh narrating another joke on himself. Sitting with Khan saab, one never knew how time flew by with his constant tirade of jokes. Behind this hearty façade of his was an emotionally fragile artiste who opened up to very few close friends and colleagues.

With the onslaught of indie pop albums, his popularity grew beyond leaps and bounds when he recorded ‘Piya basanti re’ and ‘Albela sajan aayori’ for the film ‘Ham dil de chuke sanam’. Though he never intended to be a singer, he became a household name and there was no looking back.

Endless offers from music directors came his way after that. Although he accompanied every other artiste, his favourite was to give a sarangi solo performance with either Ustad Zakir Hussain or late Ustad Shafat Ahmed Khan playing the tabla for him. He got emotional when he played the rajasthani maand. And on his request when we finally managed to record for the tele-serial, he insisted on playing the maand and we aptly titled the episode ‘Sounds of Rajasthan’.

He recorded another of his favourite piece ‘dheemo re’ in rajasthani putting the whole crew of our recording unit to tears with the most emotional

rendering of it one could ever listen to.

A double bonus for the unit was Khan saab bring his grandfather’s century old Sarangi, which he maintained in the best condition and performing with it. ‘Iss ke upar mere dada aur baba ka khoon aur paseena hain. Yeh meri amanat hain (this instrument has seen the hard work of the hands of my father and grandfather and I’ve inherited it), he announced to all of us there.

Over the years we shared a great friendship and spent good time on several occasions we met at, backstage, concerts or airports while he was traveling. He was ailing and unwell for quiet sometime. He leaves behind his son Sabir Khan and several students to take on the legacy of the Sarangi. He recollected an incident when an American journalist asked him what the ambition of his life and music were and he replied ‘Pyaar se gaata hoon, dil se gaata hoon, isiliye khuda bhi sunta hain. Marte dam tak yahin karna hain (I sing with love and with my heart, that’s why even god listens to me. I want to do this till my dying day)’. Forever he shall be remembered as the Sultan of Sarangi in the history of Hindustani classical instrumental and world music.

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MUSIC

Hindustan University supports young talent in Music and art.

This initiative with The Brew magazine is to get young bands noticed and promoted.

center stage with

THE Totem H

ow do you take good ol’ rock and roll and make it better? Give it a twist, turn it up, experiment with it and form an alternative rock band. This is exactly what Totem, the experimental alternative rock band from Chennai is all about. Formed in January 2011, they owe their origin to Powerchords, a musical competition in Saarang for all those college bands trying to make it big. This is when they debuted their talent for the public and the audience could not help but want more.

The band consists of five talented

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young musicians who have come together because of their passion for music and their urge to try something a little different. The line up of the band has gone through several changes but by the latter half of 2011 things had settled down and were looking good for Totem.

The band features Yohan David, lead vocalist, Sashank Manohar on bass, Siddharth Raghunandan, guitars and supporting vocals, Hrashan Radhakrishnan, Keyboards/ samples and Mark ‘Spitneck’ Thopil on drums/ percussion.

So what kind of music can you expect from an experimental alternative rock band? They play around with different types of music and a colourful soundscape of various styles is something you can look forward to from Totem. Their influences and inspirations are deeply rooted with modern alternative icons like Porcupine Tree, Mute Math, Radiohead, Muse, Karnivool, The Ocean, Omar Rodriguez Lopez and

so on. They draw inspiration for their music from these artists but are also determined to stand out in their own way.

The band plays a few covers of songs such as Slave Called Shiver by Porcupine Tree and Circles by Incubus as an ode to these bands. In addition to covers they also perform some original compositions. A few of their most recent compositions that have been very well received by the public include Horizons (part I and II), A Little Gravity and Searching for the Second Sun. These songs showcase what Totem is all about and bring to light the musical talent of the members of the band.

The themes of the songs revolve around the human mind and its metaphysical impacts. They do not stick to one particular genre so rather than try to impose a particular style in their compositions, they create almost all their material in the jam room and work on it thereon. This has been

Totem’s way of doing things ever since they started out and it has definitely worked in their favour.

2011 was a truly formative year for Totem. From opening for the UK Metal band, Cyanide Serenity to playing at the biggest experimental music festival, The Big Mushroom Cloud, the band has had a very promising run so far. This year the band plans on doing a lot more. Totem is recording some of their material to release a single/EP circa February. Apart from this they are also touring the country in an attempt to open more people up to their music. The future seems bright for these five young musical entrepreneurs, here’s to wishing Totem a great run!

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MUSIC

Music and its Versatility —Dr. MINI RAO

“M

usic is like a language, all on its own, with or without words.

Music has been described as “the language of the soul” ; Singer/ Songwriter/Composer Mr. Stevie Wonder.

Music comes from deep emotions from the bottom of our soul and manages to convey a wide range of thoughts, feelings and emotions. It relates to reality and at the same time, a fantasy.

From a psychological angle, music is soothing as well as intellectually and emotionally stimulating. It is a positive force that makes changes in our mind, our patterns of thinking and behavior.

It imparts ideas and ideologies in such a powerful yet subtle way. Sometimes people’s choices in music can actually give us a glimpse into their personalities. Some of the greatest

composers were borderline geniuses but also, many had personalities that could be described as deeply emotional or even volatile. Also when we listen to music, we feel a certain connection with the composer, the band or singer. We identify with the music and bond with the ones who are singing, and playing and sometimes going to the extent of becoming our role models.

Music has a big influence on a person’s mental health. It can have a calming influence and instill a feeling of well being. Some people listen to music as something light and in the background, others absorb every note, every emotion, and it becomes a deep part of their psychological profile. Ironically people who are very talented musically and who are creators of new and innovative music, have a tendency towards mental health disorders. Music borders on the spiritual. It can be something that

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stirs up from the very depths of one’s soul, one’s emotion, and is the subject of study in emotion psychology. Some psychologists acknowledge and have written about the effect that music has on mental health and how the chemical balance of our minds can be altered by music. Music is a highly emotional form of communication.

Music can be interpreted in different ways. The same music to one person may mean something totally different to another depending on the listener’s mood, present situation, circumstance etc. It can convey a message of sadness and loyalty to one while conveying anger and betrayal to another. Music bridges gaps between people of different walks of life, it also creates bonds between people who might otherwise have little in common.

Music can convey messages of peace, harmony, happiness, warmth and brotherhood. It has even been known to stir patriotic fever in the masses.

a child to play an instrument these days is of value. Some research shows that among higher secondary students (who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music) show “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.” Some research even suggests students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

Music and Language both of these are processed in the same area of the brain. Children and adolescents who play an instrument often develop greater language capacity as well as the greater ability in learning a new language.

Music has no age barrier, people of all ages benefit from music. Pregnant mothers often play soothing jazz music while carrying a baby in their wombs and when they feel the baby getting restless, the music is known to actually calm the baby down. In lower grades, soft and soothing music is played to help the children relax at nap time. In some high schools, classical music is played in the hallway speaker in the morning just for a peaceful and calm atmosphere in the schools.

Music also boosts Brainpower. Music stimulates a child’s intellectual and cognitive development. Studies have shown that participating in musical activities can increase a child’s success in school, I.Q. scores, and cognitive skills such as “reasoning and memory.” Playing music can promote “healthy brain development”. To teach

Music also contributes to SelfEsteem. Participation in playing music and music appreciation has been demonstrated to increase self-esteem.

Learning an instrument can ward off hours of boredom and other people’s appreciation of one’s talent can boost one’s self esteem considerably. With self esteem being such a significant part of an adolescent’s life, it is no wonder many teenagers are taking to music in a big way.

Music and Cultural history, another interesting aspect of music is that it allows the youngsters of today to get a better perspective on cultural history and allows them to relate that music to the music of today. There have been centuries of rich cultural heritage in many diverse cultures which have produced a wide variety of fascinating styles of music which are being reintroduced and enjoyed and remixed with the current trends in music and

which seems to be setting a trend these days among the youth.

Music and Therapy, Music therapy is a specific branch of psychology that is being used in professional therapy, in clinical settings to impart pleasant thoughts and to calm the mind of the troubled patient. The patient is made to listen to relaxing music and when he slowly starts to listen he begins to identify with the mood and emotions of the song and this influences his present tense mood and the emotions of that relaxing music become his own. Music therapy is even effective on animals and plants. There have been studies carried out and research done and findings show that plants and trees that grow in company of good music show a growth percentage much more than normal ones that live without the aid of music. Animals too, reflect their behavioral patterns much better when exposed to music.

Music is universal and no matter how much evolved a form of music is or how sophisticated its approach, music touches everyone’s soul. If you do not connect to music, you probably are losing something precious, a part of yourself. Let’s celebrate this form of art with a quote by Shakespeare, “If music be the food of life, play on”.

Cinema, Music & Art with the Brew | JANUARY 2012 | 21

MUSIC

TEAM KOLAVERI or commercial.

From traffic campaigns, Mullaiperiyar dam to Team Anna and Ramdev - it is like Kolaveri decodes it all. Do you think they should just let the song be?

Honestly, it felt good for a week. But we do think that people should give it a rest and wait till the album is out and then decide if the hype is equaled.

Ananth, Anirudh, Iyappan, Vivek and Aravinth - The team behind the music of the nation’s latest anthem - Why this Kolaveri? Every song has a long list of people to attribute its success to – one among them being musicians. In the same vein, to make it a little interesting, we now unmask the boys behind the music of the stupendously successful Why this Kolaveri? and get them to share with us things which hitherto have not yet been revealed. The band Zinx, formed by Anirudh, Kishor and Vivek, plays a unique genre called CARFUSION which is a blend of the rich Indian Carnatic music with the other genres from the west like Jazz, Blues, Funk, Rock, Western Classical. Now over to the questions and answers: Zinx has been the formative years or the moulding stage of the Kolaveri team. How did it all start?

We were a 3 piece band in eleventh standard and had taken up this competition in a reality show “Ohlala”, so we got 4 more guys in the band and Zinx started from then on. After school, the band stopped being as active as we were in different colleges and our aims varied from one of us wanting to focus on carnatic and commercial to the other wanting to be a lawyer! When this movie happened, it seemed like the best reason to get back together.

“Kolaveri di” didn’t need any item girls or a music video even, it just clicked and rather well. What do you think is that one factor that sets this apart?

We think it’s a combination of 3 things-a simple tune which is very

hummable, tanglish lyrics that are very funny and an external force that you cannot describe, be it luck or something even better. The situationa love failure, being very relatable is a plus.

So basically everyone around has had a sorry love life?

(laughs) Not everyone, it is just about being in love and losing it at least once.

There is a lot of expectations from this album, post-Kolaveri. Can we expect experimental music or have you played it safe?

We really don’t know. In fact the only reason Kolaveri released was because the rough version got leaked online and given a chance we would’ve released another song called ‘come on girls’. On the 23rd the audio is releasing, we think you should be the judge and decide if it is experimental

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All of you have played in bands.

With the popularity of band hunts in Chennai, Do you think bands of the same genre should compete because that narrows down the details and also gives enough space for every genre to grow without sidelining any?

Ultimately in today’s world it is not enough to just have talent, you need to be enterprising. You need to know your audience and make sure that your music reaches them. Unless they play the same song it cannot be directly compared because again even in one category there are various styles. So the current trend suits fine.

Hype destroys it all because it invites criticism of the same magnitude?

Hype is always good, it creates a lot of responsibility and makes us want to create a better product. It doesn’t come for all and it comes only for few things like movie vise if the combination is big then there is hype, if the audio is good then there is hype.

A movie’s opening is that influenced by the hype maybe sometimes it doesn’t live up to it but it is in the first three days that people collect all their money and if the movie has an interesting promo or a song then that drives people to watch it irrespective of whether the movie is good but in case they do like it then again it creates all the more hype. It is a complete winwin situation.

A certain lot of women organizations took great offense with the lyrics.

How was that dealt with?

Anirudh had someone tell him in his twitter page that a case was filed against him! (laughs) and funny enough, the lyricist was not him!

It is not supposed to be taken so personally. The song by itself is a fun song for the situation without being stereotypical and sad.

Various revised versions of the song has been out in the internet, what are your personal favorites?

Ananth: The acapella version was particularly good.

Anirudh: I personally like the R&B version Iyappan: the Ravi K Chander music video was interesting Vivek: I liked the gujarati version Aravinth: The uncensored version (laughs) After we finish our days work, we go on youtube and check out the new versions!

Recent flash mob in Chennai saw the crowd dancing for Kolaveri. Out of the innumerable kuttu songs, why this? Is it the popularity over the dance quotient?

It’s not a fast rhythm, actually it’s very difficult to dance to. You tune in to the radio and you’ll hear Dhanush asking people to send him moves for the song.

With actors singing for their movies being the new trend, doesn’t that go into the singers’ domain?

With this song it wasn’t planned that way. It just happened. In this album, four new playback singers have been launched. As an actor, he was able to evoke the emotions rather well.

Javed Akhtar recently tweeted his opinion about the song which came out rather negatively. How was it coming from one of the biggest names in the industry? Do you think he should have been easy on you guys because it was your debut?

Anyone is entitled to their opinion and he is a legend. For my song to

be heard by him is a great thing so m happy and if hundred people liked it and five don’t, it is a good majority.

South Indian industry is the stepping stone to Bollywood or is it that the best talents mushroom here?

All the best talents do mushroom here! The country’s best musician, cinematographer, technicians, superstar are from Chennai. People think Bollywood is bigger only because it has a bigger market.

Have you been able to get A.R Rahman’s opinion of the song?

He loves the song. He sent us all a mail saying that it’s the biggest range of the year and he is playing it to everybody. We were like is it for real!

WTK is the new WTF. Tell us 5 instances when you go WTK?

We asked Ananth to hit the gym and he was like Why this Kolaveri? (laughs) And to all the people who have liked this song - wtk?

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CINEMA 26 may, 1943 Manorama was born at Mannargudi, Tiruvarur district.Her real name being Gopi Shanta at the time.

1955 She begins her acting career as a drama artist 1958 S.S. Rajendran invites her to act in Kalaignar’s drama Manimakudam at Madras and she acts as a comedienne for the first time in a film called ‘Malaiyitta Mangai’ 1963 She plays the heroine for the first time in ‘Konjum Kumari’ 1976 she acts in 19 movies this year including ‘Unakkaga Naan, Rojavin Raja, Nee Oru Maharani, Grahapravesum, Paaloothi Valatha Kili’ and so on.

1978 She acts in her 50th movie ‘Rudra Thaandavam’ along with 16 other movies.

1980 She acts in the movie ‘Billa’ 1989 She wins the National Film award for best supporting actress for the movie ‘Pudhiya Pathai’ in 1989.

1993 She acts in 8 movies including Pangali and Uthamaraasa 1995 She acts in 11 movies such as Velusaamy, Muthukaalai and Parambharai 2000 She stars in Kannal Pesava, Snegithiye, Kannan Varuvaan and many more!

2002 She is given the Padma Shri Award.

Versatility Unmatched

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2003 She acts alongside actor Vikram in the movie ‘Saamy’ 2004 She stars in Perazhagan and the well known movie ‘7G Rainbow Colony’.

2006 She acts in Imsai Arasan 23m Pulikesi, a hit comedy featuring comedy star Vadivel.

2009 Almost a thousand and a half movies later she continues to appear in movies such as Arundhati, Laadam, A Aa E Ee 2011 She marks her presence in Ponnar Sankar!

ADVT

Airtel’s ‘har friend zaroori hai, yaar’ campaign goes viral

New Delhi, 4th January 2012:

Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced that following the success of its ‘har friend zaroori hai, yaar’ (HFZ) brand campaign – the company has further extended this brand idea with the launch of an all new online viral campaign at its YouTube channel (www.youtube. com/airtel). Created by Taproot, these twenty videos are inspired by interesting ‘friend types’ or tags created by the online audience on Facebook (www.facebook. com/airtelindia) during an outreach programme initiated by Airtel earlier.

Launching an online campaign that encouraged everyone to create unique friend types on Facebook, it received a whopping 65,000 entries in a span of days.

It has now chosen the most interesting friend tags of this crowd sourced lot (like ‘Status Update fried, Activist Friend, Dhinchak friend’, ‘Filmi Friend’, ‘Chipkoo Friend’ and ‘Proxy Friend’) to create new HFZ online viral videos.

Depicting the way the current generation consumes and accesses information, Gamification is an infusion of gaming techniques and unique story telling that makes discovery content more fun and engaging. As part of this ‘Gamification’ led initiative by Airtel, everyone keen on watching these videos will need to visit www.youtube.com/airtel and will then be provided interesting cues, by responding correctly to which, they will be able to ‘unlock’ video levels and gradually move ahead watch all videos.

Tagging others and sharing these videos on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ will allow viewers to gather points on the leaderboard. And then finally you can upload your own friend type video in order to win a Nokia Lumia 800 and a trip to Ibiza, Spain to party with your friends as the grand prize.

As a complete deviation from traditional media strategy, Airtel will release these videos on the web starting 4th January 2012, for the online audience for view and share. Watch out for more HFZ viral videos that Airtel will release in the coming weeks.

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CINEMA

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genially yours genelia d’souza For a girl who has bubbliness and contagious enthusiasm along

with a lot of talent innate in her, it is difficult not to rise to the top of the field she is into. Without doubt, this can be perfectly attributed to the girl on our cover, Genelia D’Souza. Right from being a national level football player to pondering over switching to a job in a Multi National Company, she has been into a lot of things before setting her foot firmly down into the Indian Film industry. As for the other details about this chirpy lady, read through this cover story.

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Do you think tagging actors (female) as “hot”, “homely” or “bubbly” in your case is a healthy practice. Do you think that narrows down the chance that the audiences accept new roles that you take up to?

I think everyone has a certain USP they bring to the table and it helps ascertain one’s strong points.

However, that doesn’t mean that the USPs are all one can offer. Actors have to however have to constantly push the envelope and find finer nuances and attributes to add value to the various characters we play.

What do you do when you are not doing what you regularly do?

When I’m not shooting, I enjoy spending time with my family and dogs at home.

As cliché as it sounds,tell us the transformation from the chirpy “parker pen” commercial genelia to chirpier hot “force” genelia.

Well it’s been an incredible journey from when I started to today. It seems like yesterday when I think of my initial days. I have learnt so much through my journey and have so much more to experience moving forward. Thus, even as an actor, you feel like you’ve grown from when you started out and have a lot to offer even in the future.

The roles I was offered give me the chance to unravel finer nuances of each character and study them to gain a deeper understanding right from the aggressive and emotional Aditi to the soulful Maya.

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BREW IT UP.

(Rapid fire questions!)

Cats or dogs? - Dogs Best buy so far? - My Guissepe Zanoti black stilletoes Bollywood or kollywood? Both Football or athletics? - Both

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If you were given a chance, would you enter Big Brother?

I don’t think so :) You always described yourself as “tomboy with feminine side”.

How does that help in being in an industry where dressing up is THE most important thing.

What matters most when you style yourself is that you wear what you feel most comfortable in. It’s more important to feel a sense of ease with what you wear than to always need to follow trends. That way you create your own unique style statement. So whether tomboy or girlie, it all boills down to ease and comfort.

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ART

Framing Destiny in Colours —Veejay sai

A

option for livelihood and graduated in sciences under parental pressure, Vasudev’s journey as a student of art at the Government College of arts in Chennai, is an inspiring story for all and sundry.

The film captures not just the life of Vasudev as an artist but also the growth and institutionalization of visual arts in south India with his missionary zeal. Shot in his farm house and house in Bangalore and the Cholamandal Artists’ Village on the outskirts of Chennai, the documentary raises some important questions on what was going on in the artists’ community in the pre-globalization era. Born in Mysore at a time when no one dared to make art as an

The film opens dramatically with Vasudev staring into an empty white canvas readying the viewer for the exciting trip the he is going to take them, into his world of colours through the course of the film. Beginning with Vasudev’s narration of how he cultures his canvas with many layers of white art, before he actually paints it, sets the film on a meditative note. His visual language is based on intuition while his inspirations are drawn from every walk of life and nature around him. ‘My art is not separated from life’, says Vasudev to his interviewer and eminent writer and scholar Lata Mani, in a later part of the film. As the film traverses Vasudev’s journey from his early years as a clandestine illustrator to his formal studentship under the legendary Panicker in Chennai till

decade or more after India’s independence, what was the state of her performing and visual artists and the various allied communities?

How much of it was documented and how much assumed unimportant in negligence? Watching Chetan Shah’s documentary ‘The Open Frame’, a professional biopic of renowned painter and artist S.G.Vasudev, one gets a sense of how less has been done to archive the modern history of art and artists in India.

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his dream to have an exclusive space for artists in creating Cholamandal Artists’ Village, is a passionate account of a go-getter.

The director takes us through the popular series of Vasudev’s works like ‘He’ , ‘She’, ‘Vriksha –The Tree of Life’, ‘Maithuna’, ‘Theatre of life’, ‘Earthscapes’ giving us glimpses of the artist’s surprising sophistication in his works. Nature is strewn all over his canvases in its primal incarnation and supple entirety. The use of perspective to focus and foreground objects, the bright earthy range of

colours and the repetition of forms for metaphor and outline, all derive from his confessed admiration for life around him. Vasudev’s ingenious division of space and surface come from a layered and graded narrative smartly completed with Navroze Contractor’s cinematography. These juxtapositions nudge at levels of intellect and intuition, containing and creating fluid shifting points of view.

Vasudev’s creative collaborations with various master craftsmen, to create his exquisite tapestries or his copper reliefs, are presented aesthetically in

the documentary.

A shade of grey overtakes the viewer as Vasudev shares his personal agony over the loss of his first wife Arnawaz, his classmate who was also the inspiration behind setting up the cottage in the Cholamandal Artists’ Village. Losing one’s best friend and life-mate is the most painful experience anyone can have. ‘I’ve seen it all’, says Vasudev with a calm on his face, and the viewer is left swallowing a lump in the throat with the strong emotional undercurrents in this scene.

Setting up the ‘Arnawaaz Vasudev

Charities’, a non-profit organization to support and encourage young artists, Vasudev continues his service to the world of art. It is as if god couldn’t withstand an artist’s agony that he gifted Vasudev a new life partner.

Eminent writer and journalist Ammu Joseph continues to shares his artistic journey. ‘I love to be in the company of strong women’, adds Vasudev. The poetic quality of Vasudev’s canvases comes to us in the most sensitive and subtle manner. His shift from Chennai to Bangalore was a swing in his approach to art. ‘Earlier I looked

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commentary by eminent writers like Girish Karnad and U.R.Anantamurthy, critics like Sadanand Menon and Geeta Doctor, fellow artists like K.G.Subramanyam, administrators like Vitthal Murthy and other colleagues and friends the film shows various perspectives of Vasudev as a person, as an artist and as an inspiration to many more generations of art lovers.

inwards, now I look outwards’ says Vasudev on the positive change his life that reflects in his art as well.

Moving to Bangalore meant so much more for Bangalore’s art scene as well. Thanks to Vasudev’s untiring efforts, a Visual Arts department in the Bangalore University took shape and art students in Bangalore no longer had to travel to far off places to get educated in arts. Another landmark in Vasudev’s career was to enrich Bangalore’s artistic life by establishing of the National Gallery of Modern Art. In addition to these the camera pans a few glimpses on Vasudev’s artistic endeavors in public spaces and buildings in Bangalore. Showing how geographical boundaries don’t limit an artist, Vasudev proves to be one of the very few visual artists equally loved and respected across the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala without much thought, as his ideas of art are all encompassing like his philosophy and zeal for life.

maestro M.D.Ramanathan or Sanjay Subramaniam (both his favourite carnatic musicians) or to a Malhar

by Pandit Madhav Gudi. Strokes of his brush mingle in the rustic terrain of his canvas, like fantasy, interpolating to engulf Vasudev’s work as if in a mystic trance. With excellent

In addition to the soft and pleasant music scored by Guitar Prasanna, Vasudev’s own passion for Indian classical music is revealed as he goes about filling a canvas, sometimes to a Hamsadhwani Ragam by

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In a time and era when biographical documentaries are considered boring and tediously repetitive, Chetan Shah’s work brings in a freshness that is much needed. Every student of art, film-making and cinematography must watch this documentary and own a copy of its DVD (which the director promises, will have many additional features) in their personal collections for future study. It would be a double bonanza for art and film lovers if the director could edit a sequel to this documentary with the many hours of footage that they possess. ‘The Open Frame’ is one of the finest documentaries made on the life and works of one of India’s best artists.

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ART

MADAME

BY GUSTAVE FLAUBERT —REVIEW BY QUEENIE SUKHADIA

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E BOVARY I

t is a classic but evergreen. It still leaves readers awestruck. It still captivates. There are novels of equal caliber, but Madame Bovary is still a world apart. A masterpiece in its time, its allure has never faded. Flaubert has artistic sensibility. He is a master, a maestro.

What better way to explore this artistic dexterity than to read this novel- a work that has astonished, confounded and stupefied.

A mid-nineteenth century novel, Madame Bovary is an intriguing work about women and feminism. This novel tells the story of a compelling and powerful heroine- Emma Bovary.

Married to a middle-class, average doctor she is rather unhappy. She is a woman who lives in her dream world of balls, rich gowns and exciting romances. However, reality provides a rude shock to Emma. Neither is she wealthy, neither is her marriage full of romance that makes every hair on your body shiver. Her life is average, and this is something that irks Madame Bovary. Passion, love, tumultuous affairs and betrayals are woven into this tale – the tale of a woman who seeks a larger than life existence.

Undoubtedly, Madame Bovary is a tragic tale. It shows the disparity

between idealism and reality. It shows disappointment and disillusionment.

It shows us a sliver of life all of us live but try to shy away from. Flaubert paints a beautiful picture of 19th century Norman life. The rich and poor are romanticized and then contrasted with reality. The colors, the seasons, the festivals, the villagers are all described and showcased with embellishments that make life look rosy and pleasant. And just when we begin to fantasize about living in this fairytale era, Flaubert presents to us Madame Bovary, who continuously gazes out of the window, looking for something beyond, yearning for something she does not have. Yes, she is just like any other woman. Her passions are the same, and so are her desires. She wishes to explore and probe. She wishes to live a fairytale life. She wishes to escape. There comes the magnetic pull of this book.

In the life of this young woman, we all see a reflection of ourselves- our own failures, successes and stark confrontations between our dream world and the real world.

The magic of this book lies in the fact that each one can relate to the characters- be it the average Charles, his sometimes cantankerous mother, the charming womanizer

Rodolphe, the hesitant student Leon, the pompous chemist Homais, or the ruthless lender Lheureux.

Madame Bovary is a sneak peek into the different characters we play everyday. They provide us a glimpse of the many personalities that lie dormant and fallow within us, waiting for inspiration, waiting to manifest themselves. The text feels ‘alive’ because it emotes and explores the depths of human desires. This novel is a truly a work of art.

A story of a woman caught between two worlds, this novel is apt for study in a literature class or for leisurely reading. The language is not stilted and the story very fluid. Written with a detached irony and profound witticism, Gustave Flaubert’s great work has created waves across the globe.

High romance and fantasy have been weaved together in an enchanting tapestry, enchanting readers from the time it was written to the present day.

Powerful but understated, this book delves into the depths of a woman’s psyche. It performs a fine balancing act between the desire for a steamy romance and the frustration at its impossibility.

Madame Bovary is tongue in cheek and unflinching. It will surely leave you thinking.

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ART

With

Lord

JeffREy Archer Merry Christmas and Happy New Year This is my last blog for 2011 as I’m off to Cambridge for Christmas, before going on to Majorca to write book three (untitled) of The Clifton Chronicles. Book two, The Sins of the Father has been completed, and will be published on March 15th, and by then I should have finished the first draft of the third volume. On behalf of Mary and myself, thank you for your interest in my blog (1.46m readers a month), but as I am going into writing hibernation for the next six weeks, I’ll only occasionally be able to bring you up to date. Have a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you will all enjoy a successful and prosperous New Year.

With permission from Jeffrey Archer’s Blog

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Snippets

Kollywoods newest flavor

M

ayakkam Enna, Dhanush’s new triumph is out to set change to tamil cinema. Director, Selvaraganvan has brought in a different kind of taste to Kollywood. The movie begins with Karthick Swaminathan, an aspiring photographer who dreams of working as a wildlife photographer for the National Geographic. However things keep going downhill. His only family being his younger sister, he tends to live around few close friends who support him financially and emotionally, one being the character Sunder who introduces the hero to the heroine(Richa), at the time, Sunder’s girlfriend!This movie goes through scenes that have never before aired on kollywood! The movie does have a happy ending though after a long struggle when the heroine tries her best to sacrifice all in order to rehabilitate her lover back from his inner rage, something that troubles him after his dreams dont come true.

The movie seems to be one that should be watched with an open mind. It isn’t one of those cheesy, punch dialogued, action scene rooted movies that the general kollywood crowd appreciate. With tasteful beats, a different story line, realistic dilemmas of life and love and youthful emotions to ponder on, Mayakkam Enna is adored by the majority of tamil movie buffs!

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India’s favorite villain is back!

T

he Don remake of 2006 worked!Here we are 5 years later, waiting for december 23rd when Shahrukh would be back on the bigscreen as the Don again, looking macho and all set to entice his fans worldwide.This would be Khan’s return to the dark side, playing a villanous role, and also Farhan Akhtar’s return to direction after a 5 year gap! The movie is to be released in both 2D and 3D formats. The movie, being shot in India, Germany, Malaysia and Switzerland should be able to grasp and hold on to the viewers attention as it takes them through an international chase. The cast consists of some of the most reputed and brilliantly talented actors of today’s indian cinema including Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Om Puri, Kunal Kapoor, Sameera Reddy and to top it off, the hunk Hritik Roshan in a special appearance. With songs like ‘Dushman Mera Don’ and a new ‘Mujkho Pechaanlo’ the movie should be able to serve that special spice that hindi movies bring to the table and entertain viewers to the max. And thats not all... comic books, fb apps and video games have been released featuring Don!So all in all Don 2 has the whole package...original script, fantastic destinations, a villian with a rebellious, rough look and a promising cast, not to forget the promotional video games and comics that might lead to revolutionary ideas for other films yet to come! Let the chase begin, again!

Reliving the beat

(meaning, the beat generation of the 60’s/70’s)

J

ack Kerouac, after travelling across America wrote ‘on the road’ over a duration of 3 weeks! “It changed my life like it changed everyone else’s,” Bob Dylan would say many years later. Now this spectacular book is to be turned into a must see movie, which will be released in 2012. It seems to be a promising movie that might excite young hipsters all over the globe. The cast consists of Sam Riley, who acted in the movie ‘Control’ 2007 as the late Ian Curtis (Lead singer of Joy Division), Kirsten Stewart who will inspire twilight fans all around to watch the movie, Garett Hedlund who will play a lead character named Dean Moriarty and Kirsten Dunst, the heroine of Spiderman who will also have a prominent role.

This is a movie all free spirited people should love! It certainly will prove to be one of those classics that change people’s lives and approach to seeing the world in a different way, through the wandering story teller, Kerouac’s eyes.

Their journeys consist of scenes of rural wilderness, sleepy small towns, urban jungles, endless deserts-all linked by the road, the outlet of a generation’s desire and inner need to get out, break its confinement, and find freedom, liberated from any higher belief, notion, or ideology. The desperation and the lack of fulfillment made these youths feel that “the only thing to do was go”, searching for their personal freedom, and finding pleasure in sex, drugs and jazz.

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CINEMA Your best filming experience.

Have had many memorable experiences.

To start off with, I never felt like it was a shooting during the filming of 143 with all my friends around. Aa Intlo was very challenging and everyday was like a day of serious working and great satisfaction.

The other films are Narsimhanaidu and Broker for the accolades both the films got. One for completeing its mammoth 100 days and the other for its entry in the National Awards category.

Favourite co star.

Favourite co-stars will be JD Chakravarty and Sai Kumar sir, I must say two real gems I get along fantastically with. I like Balakrishna and Venkatesh for their immense star power and Junior NTR for his unbelievable energy.

Bollywood or South?

South is always my first love. Love it for the punctuality in all actors and technicians and the perfect planning and schedules. Its fast work is something that I really like. Moreover, the people here are all so down to earth.

What would you have been if you weren’t an actress?

I wanted to be a pilot, but scored bad in physics. So wanted to be an IFS officer but for that would have had to study a lot. As a last option really wanted to try my hand at being a lawyer or a forensic expert.

Talents that people don’t know.

I love to cook and I am very passionate about cooking but just don’t know how to yet. Love to dance and paint once upon a time but haven’t held the brush in a long time now.

Flora Floored

Who do you think is the hottest Indian Actor/Who would you like to date?

I am a smart girl and I love my single status. But if i had to, it’s Surya for me all the way. Also Allu Arjun and Ramcharan because I love their energy and the way their dance. (Atleast we can share a common link - Dancing while on a date) Your sex appeal?

I think its my eyes.

A role which you would have loved to play?

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