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Karan Johar emotional to walk ramp at Royal Opera House

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[Nasheman news] Mumbai For filmmaker Karan Johar, walking the ramp at the Royal Opera House here brought back a flurry of childhood memories.

Karan was one of the star showstoppers apart from Tabu for designer Gaurav Gupta’s opening show for the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2019 at the iconic venue, which continues to hold significance in the cultural fabric of contemporary Mumbai.

After the show here on Tuesday night, he said: “This is very emotional moment for me. I have so many memories of watching movies in this particular space. Royal Opera House is where I have come as a child several times, watched movies, and I can’t believe that this has now transformed into this hugely iconic space.

“Just walking the ramp in this particular place makes me feel like life is completing an entire circle.”

While talking about life in circles and orbiting things that are beautiful, Karan said these things make him think of Gupta. whose work, he feels, comes with an edge.

On walking the ramp, the filmmaker who was dressed in black with a red embellished blazer adding spunk to the look.

“When I heard Tabu was opening the show, it was kind of a given that I will be here because Tabu and I go a long way back and I do believe in what Gaurav said that she is truly one of the country’s best actors — versatile like Gaurav’s garments, adaptive like Gaurav’s garments and timeless like Gaurav’s garments,” said Karan, who was recently in Davos for the World Economic Forum.

Nepal’s Chhaupadi Tradition

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The Practice Of Exiling Menstruating Women & Girls From Their Homes & 0ften To A Cow Shed

 By: Husna Rizwan 

The tragic recent deaths of a mother & her 2 sons in a Chhaupadi hut in Nepal has again brought the issue of this exclusionary practice to the forefront of international human rights & media attention. 

 Despite being illegal, Chhaupadi, the practice of exiling menstruating women & girls from their home, often to a cow shed – is still practised in some areas of Western Nepal. Chhaupadi is an extreme example of the stigmas & the restrictions around menstruation that exist not only in Nepal, but also globally. 

The recent protests at the Sabarimala temple in India, in which women of menstruating age are not allowed to enter the temple, are another example of menstrual pollution beliefs. The image of menstruating women & girls being forced to leave their homes & be confined to a cow shed dominates the media coverage of the issue in Nepal.

 But this view over simplifies what is a much more complex issue. Chhaupadi is not only limited to the physical practice of sleeping in a shed, it goes beyond this to include deeply rooted cultural beliefs about impurity, which sees women & girls as inferior & often lead girls to internalise these feelings. Girls are told they are impure from a young age, which can have a damaging effect on their psyche & sense of self -worth. 

Many NGO’s & activists are destroying the sheds & the Nepalese Government has introduced new penalties & sanctions, such as removing state food support & other service. While this might seem like a welcome move, in some areas there are reports that this can make it more dangerous for women & girls as instead they sleep outside in the caves or the jungle without even a shelter or a mosquito net.

 These practices are deeply ingrained in the culture & even the society. So many women may leave their homes despite sanctions for fear of bringing harm if they don’t. 

Tham Maya Thapa, Nepal’s minister for women, children & senior citizens, believes it will take time to end the rituals of the Chhaupadi, as this is a custom that has been deeply entrenched in a Nepalese society for 100’s of years.

Nepal is an exceptionally diverse country of 125 ethnic groups. To tackle Chhaupadi, a nuanced understanding of how menstrual practices & beliefs differ amongst varied religious & ethnic backgrounds is required. Although the tradition of Chhaupadi hits the headlines, there is no one all -encompassing single narrative on menstruation in Nepal.

A research on gender education & gender – based violence in Nepal over the past 2 & a half decades has been going on & they are working on a project on the origins of menstrual beliefs & practices which explores the diverse range of the beliefs, the practices & the historical & the cultural roots which underpin menstrual health customs in all the 7 provinces of Nepal. 

They are working with the local organisations & the activists such as Radha Paudel, to challenge menstrual stigma, as a deeper understanding of the diverse menstrual practices beyond the Chhaupadi is needed to do so. Their previous research has highlighted a range of the stigmas & the restrictions, such as not being able to visit the temple & even to participate in religious ceremonies, as well as being forbidden to look in mirrors, cook, or have any contact even with the men. Because while Chhaupadi is a serious human rights issue, other issues of gender – based violence, such as thesexual violence & even the domestic abuse do not get the same widespread media coverage that it really deserves.

 A range of the academics & also the activists are challenging even the media representation with their photography, their films & also their art which empowers the so called women & even the so called girls to speak out about their experiences. These can be powerful tools, ensuring that the voices of the women & the girls are heard & highlighting that the women & the girls can be the most active agents of change, rather than simply the passive victims of oppression. 

Collaboration with local communities & partners is a key to the changing attitudes & this can be done using participatory & creative methods. For example, a team of experts from the University of Pittsburgh in partnership with the Nepal Fertility Care centre used collaborative filmmaking to include girls in the conversation around menstruation.

 The girls who made the film have gone on to be advocates for change & are challenging menstrual stigmas & taboos in their community. Bringing them to Kathmandu increased the confidence of the girls & engaged policy makers, Government ministers & NGO’s. The film received an international audience at the Kathmandu Film Fest as well as media coverage.

 Meanwhile, the  MenstruAction conference in Kathmandu in Dec, 2018 brought together local expertise working towards challenging stigmas & restrictions thereby enabling & empowering women to realise their sexual & reproductive rights & their basic right to be free from harm & discrimination. 

The Government ministries need to engage in these events & work together with grassroots activists to promote change. Complex problems require complex solutions. Menstruation is often framed as a “health & hygiene” issue, but a range of actors are needed to bring about a long – term change. The media have a role to play in raising awareness, but they must be careful not to sensationalise the issue & to also listen to & report, the voices of activists & change makers in the community.

Only when we put women & girls & their voices at the centre of research, policies & interventions, can we truly understand the nuanced nature of the deeply embedded practice of Chhaupadi.

In conclusion one would also like to point out that the similar practise of menstruation stigma between women & girls has been prevalent & eradicated in most part of Indian villages for centuries but unfortunately it has come to the light like Nepal even now it is prevalent in some parts of India & a positive steps should now be taken firmly to finally eradicate this age old practice forever no matter wherever it is still prevalent in India. This taboo should be removed as now women empowerment is gaining momentum as women & girls certainly & definitely deserve equal rights as compared to their male counterparts.      

Vidya Balan to make Tamil debut with ‘Pink’ remake

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Nasheman News : Actress Vidya Balan, last seen on screen in Telugu film “NTR Kathanayakudu”, will be making her Tamil debut via upcoming yet-untitled Tamil remake of Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu starrer “Pink”.

The film’s producer Boney Kapoor, who is foraying into southern filmdom with this project, said in a statement.

Vidya has been paired opposite Ajith Kumar in the remake being directed by H. Vinoth. The shoot is underway in Hyderabad.

“Happy to introduce Vidya Balan to Tamil audiences. She is paired with Ajith and her role is very special. Shraddha Srinath has also been roped in for a pivotal role. Rangaraj Pandey plays a very important character,” Kapoor said in the statement.

The film also stars Adhik Ravichandran, Arjun Chidambaram, Abhirami Venkatachalam, Andrea Tariang, Aswin Rao and Sujith Shankar among others. 

Apparently, it was late Sridevi’s wish that Ajith does a film in her husband’s production.

“While working with Ajith in ‘English Vinglish’, Sridevi had expressed her desire that Ajith does a Tamil film for our home production. Nothing exciting came up till one day last year. 

“Ajith suggested remaking ‘Pink’ in Tamil. She immediately agreed as she thought it was most appropriate and timely film to make and Ajith would bring all the elements required to make it into a great Tamil film,” Kapoor had previously said.

The film, slated to release on May 1, will feature music by Yuvan Shankar Raja. Popular lensman Nirav Shah has been roped in to crank the camera.

Kapoor also confirmed that he has another project with Ajith in the offing.

“We hope to bring the remake of ‘Pink’ to theatres on May 1. We are subsequently doing another film together and that will be scheduled to go on the floors in July 2019 and will be released on the April 10, 2020,” he added.

Bollywood Buzz

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Tiger Shroff Shakes A Leg With Ganesh Acharya 

Tiger Shroff recently shook a leg with Ganesh Acharya at the launch of his newly launched dance academy named GADA.

 Choreographer Ganesh Acharya recently launched his dance academy in Mumbai. A lot of biggies of Bollywood including veteran actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha and others had congratulated the choreographer for the same on Audio Visual. 

Tiger Shroff, donned in a black T – Shirt with “Gada” scribbled all over it had also attended the launch & did a few dance moves by shaking his leg with the dance GURU. Ganesh Acharya then also performed with his academy dancers to officially launch the academy.  

Can many languages make one Indian literature?

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Nasheman News : Indian literature stands at a junction of diverse cultures, languages and histories but their inter-connectedness is seldom seen. An aptly-titled session “One Indian Literature” at the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) featured literary stalwarts deliberating on the diversity within Indian literature – and the connecting factors lying theirin.

Harish Trivedi, professor of English at the University of Delhi, and author of “Colonial Transactions: English Literature and India”, observed that there are certain advantages as far as writing in English in India is concerned but, he said, “let the other languages also bloom and prosper”.

Priyamvada Natarajan, Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University, said: “We have the power as Indians to redefine what English is to us.”

Natarajan elaborated on the importance of translation in establishing greater social equality.

“The more stories and narratives are written in different languages that get access either through English or through translation, the better the chances of enabling a shift in the power balance, because then, all people feel that they all have a voice,” she said.

She also emphasised the importance of writers knowing there will be a readership for one’s writing whilst acknowledging that some write simply because they have a creative compulsion to express themselves.

“Most of them are writers who want people to read what they are writing,” she said.

Naveen Kishore, the owner of Seagull Books, affirmed his willingness to create a “Library of Modern Literature” to further boost the recent upsurge in literary translations and support their passionate and growing readership.


An Interactive Session With Debutante Actress Madhumita Biswas

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“It Was My Childhood Dream To Be A Well-Known Actress Of Bollywood” – Madhumita Biswas  

The latest beauty with brains to make her debut in B-Town’s celluloid silver screen is, hold your breath, the stunning & the gorgeous Madhumita Biswas. But of course Madumita Biswas has already made her debut on small screen platform with a cute cameo & other substantial roles in small screen serials like Pavitra Bandhan, Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyar, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Kumkum Bhagya, Bhagyalaxmi, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai & TV Biwi Aur Mai. Time to have a Telephonic interaction with the charming actress!

*Tell us about your pre-filmic background in a nutshell?

*I hail from a small town Navapara Rajim in Nagpur district. Basically I am a very happy go lucky girl, normally boys are like that, but I become extremely serious & a very hard working girl once I am saddled with work.

*So you became extra serious when you got a chance of acting?

*No I didn’t get a chance or an offer to act just like that. I had to literally struggle it out. Even pass through the gruelling process of auditions where I was rejected most of the time in spite of the fact that I had done an intensive course of acting from Nagpur before landing up in Bollywood.

*So what was the resultant effect?

*With a slow & steady process I am finally reaching my destination of fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a well-known actress of Bollywood.

*Was it really tough to achieve your goal?

*Yeah! You can say that first & foremost it took me almost 3 years to understand the real Bollywood & its real people & be extremely comfortable with most of them. The real point of frustration was that even after passing through flying colours in a few auditions I had landed up with miniscule cameo roles in half a dozen small screen serials & when I finally landed up a full-fledged role in TV Biwi Aur Mai its transmission was stopped just within 2 months & even pulled off the channel for lack of proper TRP ratings. Can you believe that?

*And then what happened?

*Thankfully destiny changed the course of my luck as I got an offer for enacting the lead heroine in Ajay sir’s upcoming movie titled SUSPENSE!!!!! And I was very determined to achieve my childhood dream & not quit half way.  

*So what is Ajay sir’s movie SUSPENSE all about?

*You see sir! When the film’s title itself is SUSPENSE then of course the movie itself will be full of suspense. Aur woh suspense khol ne ke liye sabko movie hall mein toh jana hi padega na!!!!! Moreover the movie SUSPENSE is full of thrill, chill & pill of the entire gamut of commercial ingredients intact. So guys & Gals get ready, the movie SUSPENSE ka suspense finally open hoga very soon.

*So what is your character in your upcoming movie SUSPENSE?

*Actually speaking I am playing the role of Ananya, the wife of the lead actor Vikram & together they face the many ups & Downs, the highs & lows & the good & bad phase of their life.

*How was it working with your big ticket director namely Ajay Yadav?

*It was just a fantastic experience working with Ajay sir & also a superb experience of working with my costars Antara & Vikram. Not to forget the entire team of thre movie SUSPENSE.  

*Who are your favourite Bollywood directors with whom you would like to work in future?

*The very first ever name that comes to my mind is Sanjay Leela Bhansali, He makes such superb historical movies. Then I would also like to work with prolific directors like Raj Kumar Hirani & Anurag Basu.

*Who are your favourite Bollywood actors & actresses?

*My most favourite actress who has highly inspired me is none other than Deepika Padukone who always does such awe inspiring roles with all her own favourite directors. And then amongst the actors Ranvir Singh & Ranbir Kapoor are my most favourite actors and yes it is my wish that if given a chance I would definitely like to work with both of them. That too time & again!

*One last question! What do you think of the #metoo movement which had gained momentum in Hollywood & has now even reached the Bollywoodian shores.

*What can I say about it! Whatever I say will be like ‘Chota munh badi baat’. But of course I would like to point out that even I have met many such people but I know very well how to handle them. Period!!!!!

An Interactive Session With Vikram Mastal Sharma

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Vikram Mastal Sharma’s Journey From Small Arena ‘Alif Laila’ To Celluloid Silver Screen ‘Suspense’

Vikram Mastal Sharma who is now a handsome hunk & a good looking dude, had begun his Bollywood journey as a child actor in the year 2005 with small screen serials like Alif Laila, Aankhen & Prithviraj Chauhan. As a teenager he had dabbled with small screen serials like Ramayan enacting the role of Hanuman & subsequently in small screen serials like Koi Toh Ho Apna in negative role, Razia Sultan, Sankatmochan Mahabali. Currently he is in the news for his act in 21 Sarfarosh: Saragrahi 1897 which is now being streamed on the Netflix Digital platform as a Web Series for which he is garnering a lot of critical acclaim. And now Vikram Sharma is all set to make his debut on the Bollywoodian Horizon with Ajay Yadav’s upcoming movie Suspense as a main leading hero.           

*Right at the outset give us a little insight into your pre-filmic background?

*Nothing much to reveal on that score. I hail from a small town of Saklanpur 70 kms away from Bhopal, and before I could realise anything I found myself in filmy studio’s donning grease paint & facing arc lights as a child artist. TV Serial karte karte kab bada ho gaya pata hi nahin chala but I did achieve my academic qualification.

*You are earning a lot of acclaim of late. How come?

*I have done 1 more, small screen project for the Channel Discovery Jeet titled 21 Sarfaforsh: Saragrahi 1897 in which I had enacted the role of Balvinder Singh an army man which became immensely popular & now since it is streaming continuously on the Netflix digital platform I am once again garnering a lot of critical acclaim as well as fan popularity.

*Fine! So how the transition from the small screen arena to the celluloid silver screen happen & why did take it take so long?

*As I had recounted earlier I had made my debut as a child actor & I had never even dreamt about it. Maybe I was destined to be an actor so the opportunity just kept knocking on my luck’s door. So here I am. Yes now that I had grown up I did want to make my silver screen debut. So I kept on circulating my biodata & pics & once again opportunity knocked on my door & Ajay sir saw my pics & I got a call from him and after a few preliminaries I was signed on board as a main leading man for his suspense oriented film Titled SUSPENSE.

*Right! So what is ‘Suspense’ movie all about?               

*Well! Suspense is all about a suspense that the movie goers have to go to the cinema halls & discover for themselves. But I can assure one & all that Suspense has all the shades in lieu with all the commercial trappings. I am enacting the character whose name is Vikram & he has mission to fulfil in his journey, he comes across emotions, laughter, romance, revenge, action & of course a murder mystery.

*How was Ajay Yadav as a director?

*Ajay sir was one cool guy on the sets he gave me a lot of freedom to portray the role in my way. He accepted some of my suggestions & even rejected some of them explaining that it was all for the betterment of the film. In fact he was very practical in every sense of the term.

*What kind of actor do you consider yourself?

*I think I am a very spontaneous actor & not at all mechanical.

*How was it working with your co-star Madhumita Biswas?

*There is one more co-star in Suspense. Antara & I think both were very good & will go very far in the long run.    

*What do you think of the #metoo movement which had gained momentum in Hollywood & has now even reached the Bollywoodian shores.

*I think one finds these so called #metoo movement in each & every professional arena. One should know how to deal with this in one’s own way. And as you rightly said sir that main bach gaya because I had started my career as a child star.

*Which Bollywood director is in your wish list?

*To name just 2 I would say Neeraj Pandey & Anurag Basu. They always make realistic cinema.

*As a parting shot tell us what is your ultimate goal?

*Right now & even since I started I was always focussed on my work, But yes my ultimate aim is to bag a National award one day aur woh toh main lekar hi jaoonga. Period!!!!!  

I feel responsible: Karan Johar on Pandya, Rahul row

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Nasheman News : Filmmaker Karan Johar feels “very responsible” about the repercussions that cricketers Hardik Pandya and K.L. Rahul have faced since they made some misogynistic remarks on his chat show but says he has no control over answers that come his way.

Karan, who is currently at the World Economic Forum, spoke about the controversial episode in an interview to ET Now.

He said: “I have to say that I feel very responsible because it was my show and my platform. I invited them as guests, and so the ramifications and the repercussions of the show are my responsibility. I have had so many sleepless nights wondering how can I undo this damage, who is going to listen to me…

“It has now gone into a zone that is beyond my control. I have to say, and I don’t defend myself with it, but the questions I asked the two boys are questions I ask everyone, including women. Even when Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt were there, I asked them those questions.”

Pandya and Rahul faced a lot of flak for their comments on women when they opened up on their personal life on Karan’s celebrity chat show “Koffee With Karan”, aired on Star World.

Karan, who has mostly had Bollywood celebrities as guests on his shows, said: “I have no control about the answers that come my way. And post the show, I have a control room which has about 16-17 girls. The show ‘Koffee With Karan’ is run entirely by women and I am the only man there. None of them came up. Some thought, ‘Oh, he’s wild, he’s crazy, he’s cracked, he’s mad, he said funny things…’ No one came and told me it was inappropriate or that ‘Karan, maybe we should edit it’, and as a result, I didn’t think… I regret what has happened to them (Pandya and Rahul).”

Following the episode, the two cricketers were sent home midway through a three-match ODI series in Australia.

The filmmaker added: “I don’t care about the TRPs… People don’t understand that an English language show is never dependent on its ratings. We are nowhere on the radar of ratings. It was meant to be my show, and I want to say it, it is frivolous, sometimes a completely borderline, ridiculous, irreverent, candid, ‘stop making sense’ is our mantra… That’s the show.

“But I am not saying or justifying the conversation that happened on the episode. I am just saying that perhaps that things were said that crossed the boundaries, and I apologize because it was my platform where it happened. I feel the boys have paid the price for it already.”

Karan also said he will be “conscious about shooting any episode now”.

“I would be worried about asking the kind of questions… I was being edgy, and that’s the vibe of the show.”

Does he think cricketers are off his list now? “I think I am off their list,” he quipped.

Congress has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for absence at seer’s funeral.

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A day after 111-year-old chief seer of the Siddaganga Mutt, Shivakumara Swamy was laid to rest in Tumakuru, the Congress has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not attending his funeral. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara took to Twitter to question the Prime Minister’s absence and added that repeated requests to confer the Lingayat seer the Bharat Ratna have gone in vain.

“Swamiji (Sri Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt) served humanity. PM should have attended the cremation ceremony. I am not saying where else PM should have gone. I am not a small-minded person. If PM would have attended, it would have raised the level of his office,” Parameshwara said, speaking to the media on Wednesday.  

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had come to Tumakuru to pay last respects on behalf of Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday. The body of the deceased seer was kept on display at the Gosala Siddeshwara Vedike at the mutt throughout the day and lakhs of devotees turned up to offer their tributes.

“PM Modi attends celebrity weddings, meets movie stars but skips the funeral of our NaDedāDuva devaru, who dedicated his life to help the poor and the marginalised. Repeated requests to confer Bharat Ratna on him have gone in vain,” Parameshwara tweeted.  

Agencies

Karnataka seer laid to rest with state honours

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Nasheman News : Amidst a sea of humanity, Karnataka’s iconic Lingayat seer Shivakumara Swami was on Tuesday laid to rest with state honours in the Siddaganga Mutt after about 10-lakh people paid homage to his mortal remains here.

After a three-round gun salute by the state police as a mark of respect, playing of the National Anthem and sounding of bugles by a music band, the seer’s frail body clad in saffron robes was lowered in the ground in a sitting posture as per the customs in the Mutt’s newly-built temple.

The 111-year-old popular and influential seer of the powerful Lingayat community died on Monday in the Mutt after protracted illness.

Though ceremonies related to the last rites began earlier in the day with the purification of the final resting place and special rituals, the last journey began at 5.00 p.m in a flower bedecked wooden chariot from the open ground in the Mutt where Swami’s body was kept in a glass showcase for public viewing since Monday afternoon.

According to Mutt’s head priest M.N. Chandrashekharayya, Swami had wished to be buried in the temple, as it was located facing the Vedic-cum-Sanksrit school in the heart of the Mutt.

“The body has been buried in the 6-by-6 feet dug up area in the Rudrakshi mantap, with about 1,000kg of sacred ash, 900kg of salt, 50kg of river sand and one sack of herbal (Bilva) leaves,” a Mutt’s official told reporters.

Junior seer Siddalinga Swami of the 600-year-old Mutt performed the last rites, amid chanting of the Vedic hymns and religious mantras of Shaivas by about 50 priests.

About 100 seers and swamis of various Lingayat and Vokkaliga Mutts from across the state were present on the occasion along with thousands of the seer’s devotees from all over the country.

As the temple premises could not accommodate more than 100 people inside, the last rites, including seer’s burial, was beamed live on giant screens erected in and around the Mutt for viewing by thousands of people.

State Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy handed over the Tricolour the seer’s body was draped with to Siddalinga before the last rites.

Baba Ramdev, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, state Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, state Home Minister M.B. Patil, state BJP’s unit President B.S. Yeddyurappa and former Congress chief ministers Siddaramaiah and S.M. Krishna were among the several prominent leaders present on the occasion.

Elaborate security arrangements were made around the Mutt and about 3,000 police personnel were deployed in the town to ensure peaceful movement of people for the last glimpse of the seer and divert vehicular traffic from the Mutt area.

Defence Minister Nirmal Sitharaman flew to Tumakuru, about 70km northwest of Bengaluru, in a military helicopter from the state capital and paid her respects to the seer by laying a floral wreath on behalf of the President, Prime Minister and the Union Government.

Chants of “Swamiji ki jai” and “Bharat Ratna beku” (we demand Bharat Ratna for Swami) by hundreds of devotees and students of the Mutt’s schools rent the air.


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