King Stud
It’s a movie about peace emerging in the midst of war. But ShahrukhKhan’s Asoka is generating inordinate interest in the most unlikely of sets.First, President K.R. Narayanan released a coffeetable book on the making of the movie.Later, at a party hosted by Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla, the Bollywood icon worked hisdimpled charm on an extremely non-filmi crowd of politicos, bureaucrats and the oddex-cricketer. He recognised Digvijay Singh from the PM’s lunch for Musharraf andpromised Natwar Singh a copy of the book.
In fact, when Natwar was told that it was quite out of character for him to come to ameet-Shahrukh-party, he quipped, "Maybe he’s come to meet me!" Shahrukh toolaughed off the suggestion that he’d hugged Sanjay Nirupam because he belonged to theShiv Sena. "It’s because he belongs to Bombay!" he explained. So,geography—not politics!
As to why he chose Asoka, Shahrukh counterposed: "Why not? It’s a role.Sometimes the role calls for a Raj or a Rahul. Now it’s Asoka." But in betweenvarious helpings of dessert, Juhi Chawla’s husband Jai Mehta explained that the filmwas anything but a bland footnote from history. "Did you ever think you’d enjoya film about the Titanic," he asked?
So now do we see Shahrukh turning ascetic as well? Well, the star did call on the DalaiLama but fortunately for his fans the film ends at the point Asoka embraces Buddhism.
Priya Sahgal
Wedding Rights
The three-day Bridal Asia 2001, held recently in Delhi, had it all. The brainchild ofDivya Gurwara, a jewellery designer from New Delhi, the show’s come a long way sinceits debut in 1999 with 48 participants and 10,000 visitors. The biggest names among thefash frat—Ritu Kumar, J.J. Vallaya, Ashima & Leena Singh and Mona Pali—werethere, but the bonanza this year was the truly representative subcontinentalparticipation. So we had Bangladesh’s Reena Latif and Maheen Khan with naqshikanthaand jamdani, fine chikankari on malmal rings and a collection of stylised men’s wear;Pakistani Mehreen Noorani and Faiza Samee with their block prints coupled with zardosi,and Nilofer Shahid’s elaborate bridal as well as pret line embellished with realgemstones. Also on display was Calcutta’s intricate jali and fine filigree collectionby Nemi Chand Bamawala and Yogendra Durlabhji’s fabulous selection of emeralds fromJaipur. Add to all this sparkle Rajeev and Amita Kanwar’s Window Passions, an amazingrange for interiors and Amar Aggarwal’s many ways of utilising Swarovskiembellishments.
Bobby John Varkey
Trash Of The Fortnight
Deepak Chopra, the Bill Gates of New Age industry, has mastered the art of packaging oldwine in new bottles. His latest brew, Grow Younger, Live Longer, is yet anothertestimony to his alchemic skills. The book is largely a rehash of his 1993 bestseller AgelessBody, Timeless Mind, where he tried to demonstrate, with the charming artfulness of atrue sophist, the deep links between the principles of quantum mechanics and the ancientwisdom of Ayurveda. (Remember Fritzof Capra’s Tao of Physics?)
Who cares if the gullible got the hang of his theory or not so long as they kept thesales spiralling? Anyone familiar with his oeuvre can spot tired platitudes and formulae:change your perception, exercise, eliminate toxins from the body, love, eat healthy foods(including age-defying veggie recipes!), etc, etc. For the perpetually adolescent.
Life On The Fest Track
Mainstream filmmakers have often said that only those directors who show water boiling for20 minutes should take their movies to international film fests. But with Lagaan, Asokaand Lajja doing reasonably well in the festival circuit, big banners are now willing totake the road they’ve been avoiding so far. Lagaan won the audience award at theLocarno film fest.It also visited the Toronto film fest and is now on its way to Chicago.Asoka too has been to Venice and Toronto. In fact, it must be a rare commercial film tohave had its maiden screening in Venice. Says distributor Shyam Shroff of Shringar Films:"The appreciation of mainstream cinema at the festivals translates into additionalmedia coverage. That’s good for the box office." But, counters Mahesh Bhatt:"It only satisfies the need to get a nod from the white man at the New YorkTimes."
Manu Joseph
Safe Hands
Her mom told her to switch from kho-kho and shotput to cricket, and now 25 years later thelady has no regrets. Today, Sunita Sharma (42), the country’s most successful womencricket coach, is a proud lady as her protege Deep Dasgupta makes it to the national squadcurrently touring South Africa.
Deep is not the only ward who has made it big. Sharma has coached Ranji regulars VishalSharma, Goutam Gupta and Subhas Chowdhuri as well. As also more than 35 camps for womencricketers. "I coach like a man and the kids say I also act like one," she saysjokingly of the gender divide. Yes, the undercurrents do exist, specially from mencolleagues, but she remains unmoved.
Deep’s association with ‘Sunita auntie’ has been a long one. A youngDeep had initially joined gymnastics but was more than eager to go through the cork andwillow rigour. And after the transition at the age of seven-and-a-half, there’s beenno looking back. "Be cool and take one match at a time," that’s been themessage from the coach, and whatever we have seen of him, Deep surely has kept it in mind.
Arijit Barman
Of Frills And Thrills
Girlish, sexy, sassy, naughty and full of attitude—that’s Ritu Beri’s newSpring/Summer 2002 collection. "It’s for the little girl in every woman,"she says. Tantalisingly called B6Y (sms for ‘be sexy’), the collection’sheaded for Paris Fashion Week. A sneak preview, held in Delhi recently, began with a denimand washed cotton display: short skirts, zip-front jackets and vests and wide-leg, lowslung pants. It was followed by frills and flounces: lacy blouses and flowing dresses inchiffon and crepes. The cherry on the cake: the playful choreography. Models never hadmore fun sashaying downramp.
Desi Chic, Videshi Dreams
The king of good times now wants to be king of Paris. Following Beri’s success,Delhi’s gudda Rohit Bal has tied up with Kingfisher and is carrying his Spring/Summercollection 2002 to the couture capital. His strategy: win Parisian hearts with desi chic."I’m only relying on homegrown treasures for the collection," says Bal. Thefabric, textures and the motifs are indigenous and emphasis remains on embellishments andornamentation like sequins, applique and hand embroidery. Although Bal’s publicityteam would hardsell the fact that the collection upheld the spirituality which reflectshis Indian state of mind, it sounds a tad hollow. It’s high time our designers droptheir fusion fascination and, for christ’s sake, leave our tribal art alone!
Arijit Barman
