PICTURE SPEAK

Performance by Sharanya Chandran

Making the most of the opportunity, diva after diva gave vent to her woes, with "I" dominating every sentence spoken. "I paid money to sabhas which featured me in their festivals," said Ragini Chandrashekharan, a Bharatanatyam dancer. "I am a young dancer. Is that a fault? Every festival organiser says, 'you are too young?' ", rues Vijaylakshmi, a Mohiniattam dancer.

But clearly, dancers are finding it difficult to survive in a market economy where packaging and commercialisation play a dominant role. Besides, at a time when modernism rules the roost, the classical dancer feels isolated. As Vidyun Singh, programme director at the India Habitat Centre, said, "Corporate sponsors want something that will appeal to a non-dance viewing audience. They ask me to "sex it up." Dance critic Leela Venkatraman says things have come to such a pass that everyone wants to dance, but not watch others dance. This is one reason halls these days are largely empty. In an attempt to "reach out", dancers are getting sucked into the razzmatazz of contrived choreography and the subtlety of abhinaya is getting lost. "There is no quietude left in dance today," she says. But as Vijaylakshmi says, she will continue to dance even if she has to go hungry. Never give up. Or give in.

-By S. Sahaya Ranjit

PICTURE SPEAK

Bachchan in Darna...

You know the universe is off-kilter when the superbly seductive Bipasha Basu is married to Mr Grunge Makrand Desphande. Unfortunately, in this horror sequel, it isn't off-kilter enough. So over six different stories, six different directors, including Varma, try to make you jump out of your skin. But there isn't one moment that rivals Varma's own spine-chilling Bhoot, in which when the ghostly apparition first appeared standing near the steps, the audience screamed and then nervously laughed.

In Bhoot, Varma made the mundane creepy. Lifts, buildings, watchmen, maids became unnerving. Here he and his protégés pull out the stock horror tactics-old houses, lightning, rain, creaking doors-but most of it is comic rather than scary. The only two stories that stand out are Sajid Khan's take on a chicken-chomping movie fan-actor Manoj Pahwa is excellent-and J.D. Chakravarthy's eerie story of a ghost taking revenge on the family which burned her. The rest of it is Ramsay with a bigger budget. Darna zaroori bilkul nahin hai.

-By Anupama Chopra

PICTURE SPEAK

Stills from Gangster

Doob tum rahi thi aur jaan meri nikal rahi thi. When Emraan Hashmi utters this to a picture-perfect Kangana, who is supposed to be on a self-destructive alcoholic binge, many in the audience titter while others gag. Not surprising, because despite being fairly new in the profession, Hashmi has a very clear image of one who substitutes soulful dialogue with grabs at various parts of the heroine's anatomy. The movie is beautifully shot in South Korea and the location lends a freshness to an old story (gangster in love with a woman, comes up against guru, even as the Indian Government is hot on his heels). Shiney Ahuja, with little to say but much to do, is perfectly underplayed as Daya Shanker (really, dons in Hindi movies need a new set of names) but there is only so much that atmospherics can do to stand in for a screenplay. The grande amour is never played out fully. Perhaps Kangana was too busy fixing her hair.

-By Kaveree Bamzai

Devotional music has a sort of cleansing effect on the singer. So even classical singers and practitioners of traditional ghazals do not hesitate in lending their voices to this booming genre. Classical vocalist Rakesh Kumar Pathak sings Raksha Mantra and it is said these mantras provide a shield from untoward incidents. The other mantras are Shri Shivaraksham stotram and Shathapadi stotram. Being trained in classical music, Pathak's voice hits all the right notes. There couldn't be a better way to begin a day.

RAGA DIVINE

Bharat Ratna
Music Today Rs 295

When you think of the shehnai, whose name comes to your mind? Bismillah Khan, who else, who has taken the simple wind instrument to glorious heights. Shehnai in Persian is said to be the "flute of royalty" but it has become a vital part of worship and celebration in temples and cities. In this CD, Bismillah Khan plays raga Durga and Khamaj, and a dhun in raga Mishra Pilu. These are short lilting compositions. Go for the masters. Legends are forever.

-By S. Sahaya Ranjit

Index