Weaving Stories Carving Niche - Harish Masand

WEAVING STORIES

CARVING NICHE - Harish Masand

Expressing himself through different art forms has been Harish’s endeavor for three decades. He carved his niche as a bilingual broadcaster at All India Radio Delhi in early 1990s. Soon it led him to becoming a voice artist for dramas and plays. With expertise in diction, tone and dialogue delivery, doors opened in the world of stage and theatre. Three years with Barry John’s IMAGO theatre group in Delhi polished his acting skills, but under the wings of this maestro Harish realized his strength lay in writing and storytelling. Masters in English Literature and passion for Hindi language gave him the freedom to express himself in both languages, and thus a writer was born. He has been writing poetry, plays and short stories since then and continues to do so till date. His poems have been part of many anthologies published all over the world.

Harish migrated to Canada about a decade ago, but his journey of self discovery is still on. Though a full-time banker, he continues to serve the community by promoting the heritage of Indian art, culture and language in his spare time. Hindi Literary Society of Canada B.C. released his first book in Surrey in 2017, a collection of short stories titled Harf Adhure meaning Incomplete Words. He received many accolades for his style of writing, language and choice of words, but more importantly for writing and promoting Hindi language while living in Canada. The release was widely covered by local media. Soon Harish was invited by HLSOC to become its member, then a director and now has been appointed as the President of this prestigious Society promoting South Asian Language and Literature amongst the Indian diaspora in North America.

Recently Harish wrote the screenplay, produced and directed his first short film The Lounge being showcased and receiving accolades in International Film Festivals across the globe. Made under the banner of Masand Productions, this film has won 14 international awards & nominations. His profile on FilmFreeway with winning Laurels as a screenplay writer and director has been noticed and he has been offered to work with ‘Lonely Wolf International Films’ in England. During his visit

to India last month, Harish was also approached by Mr. Prakash Bhardwaj from Mumbai Film Industry to explore the possibilities of working together. Mr. Bhardwaj has been working with Mr. Aamir Khan for 15 years as his dialogue coach. Mr. Bhardwaj also runs his acting and dialogue training classes in Mumbai. However, Harish prefers to work locally and promote the talent in the lower mainland as he sees a lot of potential here.

For the immense success of his maiden film The Lounge, Harish gives full credit to his team and family, especially his wife Anupa Masand who believed in and supported his vision. The movie was shot locally in Surrey with cast & crew from lower mainland including Jayesh Kodwani, Andy Kalirai, Chhavi Disawar, Melanie Chevrier and Nutan Thakur to name a few. Its success story has already been aired on Red FM and Spice Radio. Harish believes one doesn’t have to create stories, they are all around us, we just need to spot them and weave them in words.

This is how he weaved his next story and is now preparing for his second film in Vancouver which is going to address the issue of intercultural integration and the challenges faced by the new immigrants, particularly the youth. There is a great message for the entire community in this film. He is very excited and gearing up for this venture and soon will start auditioning for the roles.

Harish Masand Contact: 1-604-537-2538 onstage212@gmail.com

DIL DIYAN GALLAN

The team behind Dil Diyan Gallan, an initiative to spread awareness about Mental Health in the South Asian community, has been working hard to shift the narrative about mental health. As a community we continue to separate Mental Health from Physical Health. In doing so, we are not only doing ourselves an injustice, but also an injustice to those currently struggling and needing support.

What happens when we separate mental and physical health? How does it impact how we care for ourselves and for our loved ones?

An example of this separation is shown to us clearly on how we care for our

The Times of Canada

physical health versus our mental health. Many of us try to incorporate some form of physical activity in our daily/weekly lives. We do this to stay physically fit, to protect ourselves from medical conditions, and to ease some stress. We also know what to eat and what not to eat to be physically healthy. If we are not feeling well physically, we make an appointment with our doctor. If our body hurts we might go for a massage. The point is, is that we have an arsenal of weapons to fight physical ailments and we have a tool kit of tools to support our physical wellbeing.

Do we have that same daily commitment when it comes to our mental health? Do we have an arsenal to fight mental/emotional ailments or a tool kit to help our mental wellbeing? For the majority of people, the answer is ‘no’.

Recently, a counselling client that I have been seeing for 5 years, asked me a question “Raman, is it normal or okay that we still see each other?” Now, when we first saw one another it was weekly, my client was dealing with a crisis in her life. Then we saw each other bi-weekly, then once a month, and now we meet every 3-4 months. health, I asked her a question, “You go for a walk five times a week to keep your physical health in check. You have been doing this for at least 10 years. Without any physical issues, you take care of your body. Why is it that we can take care of our physical health daily without questioning it but cannot do the same for our mental health? Why do we believe that if someone is seeing a counsellor there must be something wrong with them? Counselling is a tool in the mental health tool kit, just like walking is a tool in the physical health tool kit.”

As a society, we have made it normal to take care of our physical health daily, but we tend to mostly take care of our mental health when something is ‘wrong’. If we don’t make it a daily practice to, at the very least, acknowledge our mental/emotional state daily, then when we are faced with a mental health issue, we will not have the awareness or the tolerance to deal with what is going on. This also extends to supporting someone else and accepting that mental health is a daily, moment to moment, part of our existence. When we know this, we can be there for others, knowing that the individual will be needing support for duration of time, not just for one day.

The Dil Diyan Gallan team continues to put out weekly videos on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram in the hopes to shift this narrative towards looking at mental health as a part of our overall health, as a part of our daily wellbeing. The team has held an awareness promoting event at Payal Business Centre; it is on our local radio stations, our local TV networks, volunteering with seniors, Church groups, all in the hopes to BREAK THE STIGMA and CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.

Our team urges individuals to ask themselves, “What is my relationship with my mental health? Do I have a tool kit for my mental wellbeing? Do I have a safe space to explore my mental health? And am I able to offer others a safe space to explore their mental health on a regular basis?” The reality is, until we each see mental health and physical health as a part of our daily wellbeing, we cannot provide a

safe, tolerant and patient space for ourselves, or for our loved ones.

Please connect with the Dil Diyan Gallan team if you have any questions about mental health, topics you would like to see covered, or if you wish to support the initiative.

With care, Raman Gill (Clinical Counsellor ), Sunil Munjaral, Chahat Munjaral @ Dil Diyan Gallan team member

Kindly follow us Instagram@dildilyangallansurrey TikTok@dildilyangallansurrey FacebookPage@dildilyangallansurrey Youtube@Dildiyangallanletourhearttalk

Now this client understands mental health, she works in the field, yet, she was not sure if continuing to see a counsellor was okay or normal. Knowing how she cares for her physical

TRAVEL TO GAIN LIFE EXPERIENCES

Life is all about having adventures. And, unlike material possessions, experiences follow us wherever we go. Every day, we confront the difficulty of figuring out how to make the most of our life experiences. We like to assign a monetary value to the things we pursue as humans. We want to believe that what we’re doing is meaningful. This purpose is critical to our well-being since we learn and grow from our life experiences. Pursuing our passions teaches us essential lessons about ourselves and the world. What could be better than traveling? Traveling is a unique experience because it allows you to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life. It allows us to forget about our domestic issues, frustrations, and concerns. We encounter life in a variety of ways

throughout our journey. We go to new locations and learn about new cultures, cuisines, traditions, and ways of life. We could never have these experiences at home. This is why travel is such a special and priceless life experience. Furthermore, there are other advantages to traveling, including enhanced health and the acquisition of new skills. We gain more significance in our life as we learn and profit from travel.

TRAVELING GIVES US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF

THE WORLD – It is difficult to truly know the world if you spend your entire life in your hometown or country. You will never have the opportunity to learn about the difficulties, celebrations, and traditions of other countries.

Every country has its own distinct characteristics. Dialects, cuisine, music, religion, and traditions are all different. Exposure to these distinct cultures encourages us to become more open-minded and recognize that, while we may appear to be different, we share many commonalities as humans. Despite our differences in appearance, we have the same ambitions and dreams. All cultures adore their children, are proud of their heritage, and strive to enhance their families’ living conditions. We are brought together by our similarities.

Traveling allows us to appreciate diversity while also urging us to be more accepting of one another.

TRAVELING CHALLENGES OUR BELIEFS AND VALUES IN LIFE

– Your viewpoint on life will never be challenged if you spend your entire life staying at home in your familiar surroundings. You’ll never be able to compare your home experiences to those of others outside of your little group of friends and family.

Traveling allows us to see how people live in different parts of the world. We learn about their priorities and how people think about things like family, employment, education, the environment, and so on. This may cause us to reconsider our own ideas and opinions about how to spend our lives. Traveling will expand our horizons and expose us to new opportunities. of traveling. It is through sharing our travel experiences with others that it becomes a more fulfilling life experience.

Meeting new individuals is quite easy when traveling. Whether we’re in a hotel bar or on an expedition, we’re constantly surrounded by other people. Food, new places, music, and culture are all great ways for us to connect. We generally share similar interests and values, which make communication, go more smoothly. Even if we only met someone for a few days, the bond and memories we form with them can last a lifetime. These ties are more vital than ever in our globalized environment. They may provide us with fresh opportunities in the future.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT IS ENHANCED BY TRAVEL–

As a result, traveling is a fantastic learning opportunity. It’s up to you to figure out how to implement what you’ve learned in your own life. The skills you get while traveling will benefit you for the rest of your life, whether you are learning a new language, doing new activities, developing new passions, or simply becoming more confident as a person.

TRAVELING ALLOWS US TO ESTABLISH NEW

RELATIONSHIPS – The

ability to form friendships and relationships with individuals from all over the world is one of the most valuable aspects Traveling frequently requires us to leave our comfort zones and try new things. These new encounters are unique to our everyday routines and assist us in personal development. Each voyage presents its own set of problems and challenges to overcome. When traveling alone, for example, you may be forced to become more responsible and independent. You will learn about your own strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and other characteristics by coping with various scenarios. Self-awareness is essential for personal development and realizing who you truly are.

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