PICTURE SPEAK

Mohiniattam set to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake

DELHI India International Centre (IIC) is like a river. The water changes, but the river remains the same. No, this is not some geographical explanation of changing climatic patterns but Karan Singh holding forth on one of the city's premier cultural and social hubs. There have been many pretenders, and some close rivals as well, but the brick-and-mortar building which houses the IIC remains unbowed.

Not just that. It is in a positively celebratory mood, ready to shake off its somewhat fuddy-duddy image, with "The IIC Experience: A Festival of the Arts", being held for the second consecutive year, between October 20 and 26. The festival opens with Bharti Shivaji performing Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in Mohiniattam. For Shivaji, it was "inspiring" to work on a concept which explored the similarity between the western ballet and the Indian classical dance.

Tradition with a twist seems to be the broad theme of the festival. Today it is unusual to listen to morning ragas, so soak your senses in Madhup Mudgal's eclectic approach in the Hindustani tradition and O.S. Arun's presentation in Carnatic. For evening ragas on instruments, it is over to Shubhendra Rao (sitar) and Rahul Sharma (santoor).

The idea of a fusion presentation with prose, poetry and music manifests in "wo/man", which revolves around the key words desire, divinity, and denouement. It explores the relationship between text and body, writing and performance, erotica and spirituality. The poetry and fiction of Sudeep Sen, vocals by Vidya Rao, instrumental music by Srinibas Satapathy, Odissi dance by Moumita Ghosh and erotic art by Turkish poet and painter Ilhan Berk complete the contemporary picture.

For art lovers, there is "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", an exhibition of sculptures by K.S. Radhakrishnan, while others can swing to jazz. As for those who relish good cuisine, there is something new every day-from the Mediterranean to Awadhi. All events are open to the public. At Fountain Lawns, auditorium and Rose Garden.

-By S. Sahaya Ranjit

PICTURE SPEAK

S.H. Raza's Surya Namaskar

DELHI From M.F. Husain's modernism to Ram Kumar's love for Varanasi. From Jogen Chowdhury's distinct lines to Jehangir A. Sabavala's sensuous metaphysical hues. How about experiencing them all under one roof? The Palette Art Gallery promises the aficionado an art treat with "Works by 10 Masters of Indian Contemporary Art". Through the paintings of Husain, Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee, S.H. Raza and others, the exhibition takes one on a retrospective odyssey through the most creative periods in the artists' careers-and of modern Indian art itself.

The gallery has also brought out a coffee-table catalogue of the works on display along with write-ups on the artists. From October 14 to 29.

-By Gaurav Rajkhowa

PICTURE SPEAK

The Wadali brothers

DEHRADUN For a taste of Indian culture, be there at Virasat 2005, the International Folk Life Festival of Uttaranchal organised by Rural Entrepreneurship for Art and Cultural Heritage (reach). The array is impressive-concert by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Purna Das Baul singing Baul songs, sufiana by the Wadali brothers, Javanese Ramayan from Indonesia and films of Amol Palekar and Sudhir Misra.

Trek to the hills for your fix of fresh air and art. From October 14 to 28 at venues across Dehradun..

PICTURE SPEAK

Sengupta and Yadav

MAIN MERI PATNI AUR WOH
Director: Chandan Arora
Starring: Rajpal Yadav, Rituparna Sengupta

Chandan Arora is a well-meaning young man. What he is not is an exciting director. As in his debut film, Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon, he has managed to take an interesting premise-taller, more accomplished woman and shorter, less worthy man-and pound any possible humour out of the situation.

Much of the problem lies in the casting. Rajpal Yadav is a fine comic but it doesn't necessarily make him a versatile actor. So instead of the usual gags, the ones which have audiences in splits, he tries to do a Dilip Kumar. Which means he says his lines extremely slowly as if he is addressing a confederacy of dunces, and tortures himself-and the audience-with all manner of imaginary woes.

Rituparna Sengupta, a National Award-winning actor from West Bengal, is a luminous presence who tries hard to be natural- despite a lipliner with a life of its own and a costume designer with no brains-but is hopelessly dulled by a stodgy script. Kay Kay Menon is startling as a rather swish gentleman who arouses envy in Yadav's tiny little heart. Startling, because he assumes playing a character who doesn't murder or rob, as he usually does.

The winner in all this is the small-town ambience of Lucknow where the story is based. The friendly auto driver, the gung-ho sports coaches, the evening soirees soaked in whisky and Urdu poetry and the golgappa breaks are captured with a certain undeniable charm. Plus, if Yadav can play a librarian, then perhaps it is time for everyone to become Einstein.

-By Kaveree Bamzai

PICTURE SPEAK

A silk patola

DELHI Silk patolas from Gujarat which were once sold in Southeast Asia, prayer cloths in kalamkari work from the Coromandel coast and exquisite Kashmir shawls. "Masters of the Cloth", an exhibition of textiles traded from India between the 13th and the 20th century, will be on at the National Museum. It will be on display for a month from November 11.

-By Aditi Pai

It is not lyrics that Gulzar writes, it is more like love poetry with all its pangs and passion. This special pack of four CDs-which has 57 songs from films and non-film albums like Mirza Ghalib and Mirasim-celebrates this very individualistic strain in Bollywood. And also the rare journey of a man who has dabbled in films and literature-and brought the beauty of the latter to bear on celluloid.

In an age where tunes are lifted and item numbers are celebrated, Gulzar stands apart with a Tere bina zindagi se from Aandhi or Aapki ankhon mein kuch mehke hue se khawab hain from Ghar. These are classics which have survived the rise and fall of many a superstar. Only if the CDs had come with lyricsheets.

-By S. Sahaya Ranjit

Next

Index