June 15, 1998

Husn revives memories of this Pakistani actress-singer's memorable performance in the Hindi film, Nikaah. She's in full form here, with her trademark nasal tone . In this album, Agha sings of pain and longing, love lost and found. Side 1 has the catchier numbers. If you like her kind of voice, this album is certainly worth picking up.

Distant Voices --Partners in Rhyme
(Sony Music: Rs 65)

Combine the sounds of bhangra, Hindi pop and qawwali, and what do you get? A unique form of music with global appeal, something like the songs churned out by Apache Indian and Bally Sagoo. This album contains Dum maro dum and other interesting stuff.

THEATRE
Aamita's Drama Festival
(Shri Ram Centre, Delhi: June 13 to July 5)

Asmita has earned a loyal following for itself in Delhi over the years. This festival showcases some of the group's best plays, including Court Martial, Operation Three Star and Rakt Kalyan. Also on the programme is the premiere of Swadesh Deepak's latest work, Sabse Udaas Kavita.

ART
Exhibition of Paintings -- Reuben Sinha:
(Triveni Kala Sangam, Delhi; June 13 - July 5)

US-based artist Reuben Sinha is here on a Fulbright Fellowship to research the influence of Tantra on Indian art. These works -- the result of a year spent in India -- are impressive in their detail, but not always in the uniqueness of the chosen subject.

ODD ENDS
Spic-Macay Annual Convention:
(Maulana Azad College of Technology, Bhopal: June 20-24)

The four-day convention has a wide-ranging agenda: a play directed by Habib Tanvir, films of Satyajit Ray and Akira Kurosawa, a Kathak performance by Pandit Birju Maharaj, a flute recital by Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, workshops, exhibitions and plenty more.

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