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Touching on all Aspects of Life

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The Malayalam superstar's posts have been collected in the book, 'Mohanlal – An Actor's Blog Book'

By Shevlin Sebastian

On March 15, 2010, Mohanlal went to Mumbai, along with Mollywood film director, Major Ravi, to meet Amitabh Bachchan. As soon as the Bollywood legend saw Mohanlal, he said, “You are a Padma Shri, a Lieutenant Colonel and now a D.Litt as well. What else do you wish?”

Mohanlal did have a simple wish. He wanted Bachchan to act in a Malayalam film, 'Kandahar', which he was producing. After hearing the script, Bachchan agreed. When Mohanlal took out a cheque to give to Bachchan, the latter said, “Mohanlal, I am acting in this film for you, and not for any money. I like the actor in you so much.”

This is part of a post from the blog, 'Complete Actor', which Mohanlal has been writing for the past four years. Several of these posts were collected and brought out in a Malayalam book, 'Hridayathinte Kayyoppu' (The Heart's Signature) in June, 2012. Not surprisingly, it became a best-seller.

Now, an English version, 'Mohanlal – An Actor's Blog Book', with an introduction by writer Anita Nair, has been brought out by Mathrubhumi Books. The 104-page book, which is translated by Dr. KP Premkumar, has 38 posts, written between 2009 and 2012.

Most of the posts are only two to three pages long. However, the subjects are varied: God, the Indian Army, theatre, the Malayali psyche, mobile phones, the trauma of old age, death, road safety, denuded forests, blood donation, schooldays, friendship, terrorism, and the loss of privacy.

The lack of privacy is something the superstar endures all the time. During a trip to north Kerala, Mohanlal estimates that more than a thousand photos of his were taken, mostly on cell phone cameras. “Each and every moment is being recorded,” writes Mohanlal. “That too, unmindful of all courtesies. Some guys dash towards us, put their arms around our shoulders, click their own cameras, with the left hand, check the preview, and dash out.”

This is a rare post that reveals Mohanlal's irritation. Most of the time, like a true artiste, he writes with a mix of sensitivity and toughness. Here is an example: “We emerge when our father merges with our mother. We toddle within the halo of their love and care. By the time we grow up, as high as the skies, they are exhausted and dream of relaxing in our shade. But what do we do? We shove them into lonely old-age homes. What else is crueller than this?”

The posts make clear that Mohanlal has a rich inner life. And this is a remarkable feat, considering that he has been lionised by Malayalis for three decades now. He could have easily become arrogant and pompous, and lost his equilibrium.

After reading this book, we could try to live life the way Mohanlal does: “I too have a mind that reaches out and relates with the world around me. Like a piece of blotting paper, it absorbs and keeps abreast of every pleasing scene, every marvellous move. In a language with no sounds, I talk with rivers, flowers, fluttering winds, rippling waters, surging seas, setting suns....it renews and rejuvenates me; turns me creative. It keeps me never far from love.” 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)

Best Friends Forever

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COLUMN: Spouse's Turn 

Prerna Sharma talks about life with the artist Gigi Scaria

By Shevlin Sebastian 

Photos by Ravi Choudhary

One day, in May, 1995, Prerna Sharma was standing near the Art Faculty section of the MS University in Baroda. She had come to give the entrance examinations for the arts course.

Gigi Scaria, whom Prerna had met the day before, with a group of Trivandrum College of Art students, saw her. He invited Prerna to have lunch with him. She accepted. They went to a small Malayali hotel inside the campus. Communication was difficult between the two, since Gigi did not know Hindi, while Prerna did not know Malayalam. They used a few English words.

It was the first time I saw somebody eat so much of rice and curry,” says Peerna. “In Chandigarh, where I grew up, we ate chappatis.” But during the meal, Prerna had a strange feeling. “I noticed that we felt happy together,” she says. “Gigi was intelligent and charming.”

In the end, Prerna did not get admission at Baroda. So, she tried her luck at the Jamia Millia Islamia at New Delhi and got through. Gigi and Prerna went out of touch. When Gigi also did not secure admission, at Baroda, he came to Delhi, with his artist friend, PS Josh, and got admission in Jamia, a year later, in 1996.

One day, both of them came to see me,” says Prerna. “Gigi had brought a cake, and a bottle of mango pickle which his mother had made. Thereafter, we would meet often at the Lalitkala Akademi at Mandi house. We would talk for hours together at the library. I enjoyed the friendship so much. It was so natural.”

But marriage was not going to be easy. While Prerna is a Punjabi Hindu, Gigi is a Malayali Christian. But this was how they worked it out: Gigi took Prerna's parents to Kerala, where they stayed at his parents' house at Kothanalloor for ten days. After a fortnight, Gigi's parents went to Chandigarh and stayed with the Sharmas for five days. “Both families liked each other,” says Prerna. “So, in the end, it became a love-cum-arranged marriage.”

There were two marriages. The first one, on April 26, 1999, took place at the Sanatan Dharam Mandir at Chandigarh. The next evening, a Christian wedding took place at the St. Francis De Sales church in New Delhi.

I will never forget how I got ready for the church wedding in Gigi's house,” says Prerna. “It may be the first time a bride and groom got ready in the same house.”

Unfortunately, the couple did not have any money to go for a honeymoon. Instead, they went to an aided school at Bhiwadi in Haryana. Both Gigi and Prerna held a fortnight-long workshop for art students, at the invitation of the principal, Vijay Bhandari, who was known to Prerna. “We taught during the day and in the evenings we would wander about,” says Prerna. “I remember we talked a lot about art.”

When they were leaving, to show their appreciation, Gigi made a Shiva statue for the servant who cooked for them, and a bust of Buddha for Vijay.

Asked about his plus points, Prerna says, “Gigi is always laughing. He makes the atmosphere charged and happy. He is very helpful. If a relative wants to construct a roof or a toilet, Gigi will provide the money. All the workers, our neighbours, family members and relatives love him. He is the most marvellous person I have met.”

Like all creative people, art is his first and permanent love. Not all women can adjust to that. “I don't have a problem with that,” says Prerna. “For me, it is his creativity that comes first. I married him because I admired his talent. I wanted a man like that. The moment an idea comes to Gigi he will immediately tell me. I always feel that I am participating in his creations.”

Before making the stainless steel bell, Gigi's popular work at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, he kept telling Prerna, “What to make, what to make? I want to make something very big.”

Then one day, it suddenly clicked: what about a bell? “I said it is a superb idea,” says Prerna. “Then he started doing the drawings. Then we did research together on the Net.”

Watching all this was their 13-year-old son Aviral. “As a father Gigi is really close to Aviral,” says Prerna. “They crack jokes and laugh all the time. Both are foodies. It is a great relationship. We are like three friends who are living together, all positive-minded.”

But Gigi has an unusual negative attribute. “The moment he comes home, from the studio, he will switch on the TV,” says Prerna. “Gigi watches Malayalam movies for hours together. Even when my son's exams are going on, he is unwilling to switch off the TV. That is the only time I get angry with him. The reason is that he has a passion to make films. I am sure he will become a director one day.”

Finally, when asked to give tips for a successful marriage, Prerna says, “You should always be friends with each other. It is the friendship that keeps the spouses together. You should also give space to your husband. Lastly, you must know your spouse's aspirations and offer full support for that.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvanthapuram)

Eating cooked raw jackfruit reduces insulin dependency

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By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: Jackfruit being sold in Kerala; a traditional raw jackfruit meal; James Joseph 

One day, at Koothattukulam, Fr. Thomas Brahmanavelil had invited a fellow priest for dinner. The dinner consisted of cooked unripe jackfruit. It was after one hour, after his friend left, that the diabetic priest took his insulin injection.

Within minutes he collapsed to the floor. Fr. Thomas had become hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar). He somehow managed to reach a sugar sachet lying on a bedside table and had it. After two hours, he regained some strength. When Fr. Thomas checked his sugar level it was 50 mg/dl (milligrams per decilite). The normal is 82 to 110 mg/dl.

Fr. Thomas was puzzled. He did not know why this had happened to him. At this time he met businessman James Joseph, who runs the company Jackfruit365, which sells freeze-dried jackfruit. “I got worried by what happened to Fr. Thomas,” says James. “Because I am selling raw jackfruit. Will it be a health problem for a diabetic patient? I had once read that jackfruit can regulate sugar levels.”

James got in touch with the Delhi-based scientist Dr. Vivek Garg, who is an expert on diabetes. The doctor, confirmed through a paper, which appeared in the Ceylon Medical Journal, that after taking a raw jackfruit meal, the sugar levels drop shortly, as compared to a standard meal.

So then what happened to Fr. Thomas? “When you take a normal meal, the sugar will go up, and gradually it tapers down,” says James. “But when you take the jackfruit meal, it goes up and drops suddenly within 30 minutes. Fr. Thomas took his insulin one hour later which means his sugar was already on a downward spiral. At that moment, if you inject insulin, it will further accelerate the decline of the sugar levels.”

Incidentally, raw jackfruit has only one-fifth of the sugar of the ripe jackfruit. “For dried raw jackfruit the sugar is 10.2 mg/dl for 100 grams, while for the ripe ones it is 57.6mg/dl,” says
James, who confirmed this result through a lab test at Kochi.

The conclusion: When you eat the high-fibre raw jackfruit, it transfers less sugar to the body, as compared to a meal with rice or wheat. So you need less insulin.

The father of Dr. Johny J. Kannampilly, Consulant Diabetologist of Lakeshore Hospital, Kochi, would use 38 units of insulin at night, after his chappati or rice meal, to get the sugar at 120mg/dl. “When he began having raw jackfruit, his insulin dose was reduced to 18mg/dl,” says Dr. Johny.

The evidence seems to suggest that if you are a person with a low insulin dosage, you can avoid taking it on the days that you have raw jackfruit for dinner. Which is what Fr. Thomas is doing. “In the past two months, he has skipped insulin 20 times,” says James.

Says Dr. Johny, “There is a benefit when you have a raw jackfruit meal. But this needs further research and study. However, since diabetes cases are increasing in large numbers, we need to encourage food which has high-fibre and low sugar.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kerala editions) 

All people should be Free and Equal

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Lawyer K.K. Saratchandra Bose has served a mandatory notice to the Centre to ban the caste system. He has been on an all-India yatra talking about the ills of casteism

Photo of Bose by Pattabi Raman

By Shevlin Sebastian

In February, 2001, the Dubai-based lawyer K.K. Saratchandra Bose went to Gujarat following the massive earthquake. “I was a one-man NRI commission who had gone to investigate what had happened and how we could help,” says Bose. While there, Bose observed that the relief distribution was based on caste and religious lines.

A group of Dalits told Bose, “Sir, dogs and cats can enter the house, but not us. We are untouchables. For earthquake relief, there are two queues: one for upper castes and a separate line for us. The upper castes have been getting all the help and support from the local people, as well as the state government.”

In 2008, Bose went to Satna in Madhya Pradesh, as a member of a group that belonged to the World Hunger Project. There were people from Australia, Canada, Singapore, Sri Lanka and other countries. Bose was the only Indian representative.

At a village, the locals asked the foreigners, “Is there untouchability in your countries? We have a well in the village which we cannot use. It belongs to the upper castes. We have to walk five kilometres to get access to drinking water. When we don’t have drinking water, how can we have a bath? We have been sidelined from society.”

The people said that members of the upper castes would go to the houses of the lower castes in a jeep, grab the girls and rape them. The foreigners could not believe this. They looked at Bose, who said, “This wretched system exists only in my country and nowhere else in the world.”

Later, Bose organised a borewell to be dug, so that the Dalits could have access to water. Then he began to do extensive research on the caste system.

Bose's conclusion: the caste system was originally based on colour. "Those who were fair and white were called Brahmins,” says Bose. “The hot-blooded warriors were identified by the colour red, the Vaishyas were yellow or brown, while the Sudras were black. In the end, the Aryans and the Dravidians got together to get rid of the Adivasis, who were the original landlords in Kerala, and grabbed their lands.”

Based on his research, Bose wrote a 208-page book called 'Caste Away! India, Hinduism & Untouchability'.

On November 30, 2013, Bose served a mandatory legal notice to the Union Government asking the Centre to ban the caste system within 13 months. He also sent the notice to all the MLAs, MPs and Supreme Court judges. It was also sent to member countries of the United Nations.

I have two demands,” says Bose. “The Centre should amend the constitution and remove the categories of scheduled caste, untouchables and Dalits. There should be no caste-based reservations. Instead, it should be based on economic considerations. All people should be
treated as equal.”

On these demands, Bose received support from an unexpected quarter. On February 4, 2014, senior Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi said that caste-based reservations should be stopped. “This has never happened before in the Congress,” says Bose. However, the next day Congress President Sonia Gandhi refuted Dwivedi by saying, “The empowerment of the scheduled castes has been an article of faith of the Congress.”

Meanwhile, when the government did not respond to Bose's notice, in June, 2014, he embarked on an all-India Bharat Yatra from Thiruvananthapuram. Accompanied by 34 volunteers, Bose held several meetings all over the country, where he spoke about the ills of casteism. “Not one person spoke in favour of the caste system,” says Bose. “Even the Brahmins are fed up with the system.”

In Tripura, Bose spoke at a Buddhist Sangha. “After listening to me, they told me that they were with me,” says Bose. “They also want a casteless society.”

Finally, after a journey of 18,000 kms, Bose reached Delhi in end-July.

Many people do not know that the use of the term ‘caste’ goes against the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” says Bose.

In fact, in February, this year, Pope Francis, at a meeting with newly-appointed Cardinals in Rome, asked them to shed their 'caste' mentality.

Bose is now going to embark on a second Bharat Yatra from Padoli in Kannur district on May 9. This time, he has a specific agenda: anybody who wants to wear the sacred thread, according to pre-Vedic rites, will be able to do, in the presence of a five-headed idol of
Lord Brahma, which is 9 feet tall, and weighs 500 kg.

Bose is being accompanied by a team of priests who will perform the rites.  “I will not give up till the caste system is eradicated from our society,” says Bose, 63, who belongs to Mezhuveli in Pathanamthitta district. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 

Sound Track

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COLUMN: Spouse's Turn

Ashley talks about life with the singer Sayanora

By Shevlin Sebastian

One day, at the City Centre gym, Kannur, the singer Sayanora Philip approached the trainer Ashley D'Cruze, and said, “My parents are looking for a boy that I could get married to. I like you as a person. Would you be interested?”

For a moment, Ashley was taken aback. Then he said, “Let's see.”

Ashley was already impressed by Sayanora. She was the only woman in his batch of 18 students. “I admired her self-confidence,” he says.

On the next Sunday, after Mass, Sayanora and her parents dropped into the D'Cruze household, which was less than 100 metres from the church. Sayanora introduced Ashley to her parents as her trainer. Later, when things became clear, to both sets of parents, they agreed to the marriage. But the date was fixed eight months hence. The reason: Sayanora was going on a world tour with AR Rahman and his troupe.

It was while she was on this tour that Ashley began to learn new words. “Sayanora would call me up and talk about tracks, recordings, and stage shows,” says Ashley. “She recounted to me all her experiences. It was a new world for me. Most of the time, I was just listening.”

Eventually, Sayanora came back. The wedding took place at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Burnacherry, on May 18, 2009.

It was supposed to start at 4 p.m. But there was an unscheduled power cut.
It was a tense moment for me,” says Ashley. “So many people had come. And it was quite hot.” In the end, the ceremony began at 4.30 p.m.

After the Mass, when the couple were waiting for the car to take them to the reception hall, they got a shock. A vintage Baby Austin came up, covered with red balloons. “When the car had to be started, the driver went in front and turned a large handle,” says Ashley. “It was a novel experience for us.” The car was arranged by Sayanora's brother, Swarag Philip, and sister Sruthi. The guests at the reception included Vineeth Srinivasan, Rimi Tomy, Afsal, George Peters, and music director Alphons.

For their honeymoon, they flew to London because Sayanora was performing in a few shows for actor Jayaram and his troupe, which included stars like Kottayam Nazeer, Samvrutha Sunil, Meera Nandan, Bala Bhaskar and Stephen Devassey.

And it was at Birmingham that Ashley and Sayanora got a big surprise. At a farmhouse the troupe organised a party for the newly-wedded couple.

There was singing and dancing,” says Ashley. “Jayaram toasted us and said, 'May you live forever and be happy, like now'. My eyes filled with tears. I will never forget it ever.”

Asked to list the plus points of Sayanora, Ashley says, “She cannot keep a grudge with anybody. Five minutes later, she will forget and hug the person. She loves pets. I am so happy about that. For me, my dog, a Labrador called Rambo, is like a family member.”

Sayanora is also generous. “When we go out for dinner, after it is over, Sayanora will ensure that she takes two to three packets of food from the restaurant. Then she makes me give it to the homeless near the Kannur railway station.”

Birthdays are also celebrated with the same feeling of generosity. The second birthday party of their daughter, Zena, was held at the Santhwana Bhavan orphanage at Echoor, Kannur. “Sayanora took the measurement of all the 38 girls and bought dresses for everybody,” says Ashley. “A birthday cake, made in the form of Zena's favourite animation character, Dora, was cut, and lunch was served for all. We ate with them.”

Meanwhile, when asked to list his wife's negative traits, Ashley says, “Sayanora becomes angry very fast. But she also cools down quickly. Sometimes, I do get upset by this. But she makes up by being such a sweet mother to Zena. When she goes for shows, she misses her daughter very much. There have been times when Sayanora has cried on the phone.”

And so life goes on for the Kannur-based couple. Ashley tries to be with Sayanora as much as possible. Six months ago, he flew with her to London where she had a performance. And he was much impressed by her.

On stage, Sayanora is like a lioness,” says Ashley. “She is a powerful and dominating singer. Sayanora sings western songs so well, as if she has been born and brought up outside. But she also has a knack to sing in any language perfectly. I never get bored listening to Sayanora.”

Once Kottayam Nazeer told Sayanora, “You singers are lucky. You can sing a song for an entire lifetime. People never get tired of listening to good songs. On the other hand, I have to come up with new skits all the time.”

Finally, regarding tips for a successful marriage, Ashley says, “There should be a transparency with each other. Be open and honest. I have also never hindered Sayanora's freedom. She can go anywhere she wants. I have never asked her to change her personality. I want her to remain just the way she was, before her marriage. I think this has made her happy. She always tells me, 'I don't feel that I am married at all'.”

(Published in The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)


A Plea for Humanity

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Prof. TM Paily, in his book, ‘Human Religion’, urges people to develop tolerance and love for all faiths

By Shevlin Sebastian

Like most Indians, Professor TM Paily, the now-retired principal of Mar Athanasius College in Kothamangalam, was anguished when the Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992, and it resulted in communal riots all over the country. “That was when I began thinking about the destructive effects of religion,” says Paily. “Religion is meant for the good of mankind, yet it does so much of harm.”

But he was not surprised. “Most religions create animosity and hatred towards other faiths,” he says. “This is to serve the selfish interests of the leaders. The more followers they have, the more they are able to amass wealth and gather power for themselves.”

Paily says that if religions propagate brotherhood, it will create peace between people. It is to this end that he has written his book, called ‘Human Religion - my conscience is my God’. It is a translation of his Malayalam book, ‘Manushyamatham’, which was published in 2006. “Well-wishers and friends had told me that it would be worthwhile to publish it in English,” he says.

The 70-page book, published by DC Books, is priced at Rs 60. There is an eye-catching cover: two hands clasped in prayer and around it is the outline of a head drawn with white lines.

And it has been written in a simple and easy style. Here are some thoughts which Paily has expressed: ‘An excess of importance given to religion may lead man to communalism which is a curse of the present-day world’. ‘If a religion can ensure that all its followers are essentially good and their acts are conducive to the welfare of humanity in general, then that religion is a blessing in all respects’. ‘One need not go to the temple, church or mosque in search of God. God is within us and all that we need to do is to kindle the divine power that is already within us.’

Poignantly, there is an undercurrent of anguish in the work. “I want to tell everybody that they should accept all religions and get along with people of all faiths,” he says.

One way is to teach tolerance to children. “The religious teachers should tell youngsters that they should love and respect all faiths,” says Paily. “So, from childhood, they will be able to develop positive thoughts and a broad-minded attitude towards others.”

For adults, one way to develop this mind-set is through meditation. “The main purpose of meditation, according to Swami Vivekananda, is to escape from the cosmic illusion or what is known as ‘maya’, the cause of all suffering in the world, and to bring peace and bliss to the mind of man,” says Paily.

Another way is through prayer. “It is the only way to experience God fully,” says Paily. “But prayer should not be aimed at personal gain only. Every individual should pray for the well-being of his fellow beings all over the world. We have to ensure that the mind is free from evil thoughts like hatred, jealousy and revenge. It is only then that prayer can be effective and meaningful.”

The third way is through fasting. “All religions have prescribed fasting as a way of life to make people aware of the hardship of others,” says Paily.

This work, with well-meaning suggestions throughout, is a soothing balm, in these times of fierce religious fundamentalism, and offers a way out of the fanaticism that is gripping the planet. 

(Published in The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvanthapuram) 

Unbelievable Vir

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The stand-up comedian Vir Das enthrals an audience at Kochi

By Shevlin Sebastian

At stand-up comedian Vir Das's recent show, 'Unbelievablish', at the JT Pac, Kochi, there is a touch of the Indian Premier League. A screen clock winds down from five minutes and at the end, there are shouts of five, four, three, two, one ….and on cue, the comedian appears on stage.

Vir is of slight build, in a blue shirt and black trousers, but looks confident. One woman shouts, “Vir, I love you.” Another says, “The tickets are pricey.” And a quick-thinking Vir says, “I agree with you on that.”

Vir begins the show with a song and then says, “This is my first-ever stand-up show in Kochi. So happy to be here in God's Own Country. You are the most educated people in India, and yet you call your state a country? What are you? Kashmir?”

Thereafter, Vir sets out on a story-telling spree, talking about events from his own life, which included his first kiss in childhood, how he got his chance in Bollywood, his experiences in an American clinic, and being ditched by his girlfriend on Skype. But he began with an anecdote about how he performed for the “last great President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and the 16th most powerful person in India.” And as he talks about Kalam, it is expletive-ridden, but funny. But, suddenly, Vir says, “All you older people, be prepared, it is going to get much dirtier than this.”

And it does. But Vir says all his jokes in such a good-humoured way that it is difficult not to enjoy it: “The inside of your mouth is like a Ramgopal Varma movie,” he says. “There is no lighting or content.”

It is no surprise that screams and laughter resound often from the audience, among whom was the Mollywood star Prithviraj. And in the end, the Twitter reviews are great: 'Killer show in Kochi.''Fantastic two hours of stand-up comedy'. 'Vir Das was amazing.'

Like most good things in life, Vir came to stand-up by accident. For his final thesis programme in theatre at the Knox College at Illinois, USA, he decided to do a stand-up show. It was a 90-minute show, called 'Brown Men Can't Hump', in front of an audience of 800.

One joke went like this: “Americans don't understand how important Indians are. We drive your taxis, we are your gynaecologists, we sell you condoms late at night, we sell you petrol, we sell you newspapers and books. Without Indians, you would be starving, stranded, sexless, sterile and stupid.”

And the positive audience reaction was the reason that made Vir take up stand-up as a career option. Today, he has done more than a thousand shows. “You find your voice in stand-up once you have done about 10 years,” he says. “By this time, you are done with cricket, airline, Bollywood and other generic jokes.” That was when Vir started writing original material, taken mostly from his own life. “I felt that if I don't do that I would not be honest,” he says. “Every comedian has a distinct voice. It is not about the punch line. It is about being the punch line.”

Some of his recent shows include 'History of India', 'Politriks' and 'Battle of the Da Sexes'. Interestingly, before a show, Vir does something unusual. He peeks at the audience from backstage. “I want to catch their vibes,” he says. “And I also want to see the composition. Are they mostly young or mixed?”

Even as he is busy with his shows, his Bollywood career is taking off. Just before he came to Kochi, he finished the shoot for the sex comedy, 'Mastizaade', where he is playing opposite Sunny Leone and Tusshar Kapoor. “Bollywood is taking 70 per cent of my time,” he says. “I am doing four films a year. But in my contract I ensure that I don't shoot on Saturdays, after 6 pm, and Sundays. So I manage to do my stand-up shows on the weekend.”

His most unforgettable show was at Dubai in front of a large crowd. Suddenly, Vir fell off the stage.“The people then carried me all the way back to the stage,” he says. “This lasted for seven minutes and as I crowd-surfed, I managed to crack three jokes.”

Asked whether the audience has changed over the years, Vir says, “They are more open to edgy material now: sexual, adult, religious and political humour.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi)


Sailing In the Backwaters

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Joe Nejedly makes boats and, through the Ernakulam Sailing Club, is trying to inculcate a culture of sailing in Kochi

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: Joe Nejedly by Mithun Vinod; Joe Nejedly and his wife Karen with the Samudra Cup; a GO catamaran

For the Samudra Cup boat race, Joe Nejedly decided to take part with his wife, Karen. It was the first time he was doing so. The boat was a catamaran. There were six other competitors. The event took place on a sunny March afternoon in Panangad, 12 kms from Kochi. A swift breeze was blowing. They set out. While Joe as the helmsman, handled the outrigger, Karen kept an eye on the sail.

A catamaran is a difficult boat. Since it has two hulls, it does not turn easily. “You have to adjust the sail at the right time to make it turn,” says Joe. “If you don't do it correctly, you can get stuck. But Karen did everything right.”

In the end, the couple won the cup. On the shore the people clapped. They included several members of the Ernakalum Sailing Club (ESC), of which Joe is the President.

At the courtyard of the backwaters-facing club, one can see different types of boats with their multi-coloured sails. These include the Topper, Enterprise, the Laser, and the Optimist which costs Rs 70,000. Through his company, Praga Marine, Joe makes cheaper versions of the Optimist for Rs 30,000 for the children to learn sailing. Joe also makes catamarans called the GO-Cats. “GO stands for my sons Gregory and Oliver,” he says. “They are very easy to sail. Catamarans do not capsize easily.”

Joe also imported second-hand Toppers, the most popular class in the world, from Britain at Rs 1 lakh each. “It is ideal for India where we cannot afford to use expensive boats,” says Joe. Unfortunately, he had to pay a steep duty of 80 per cent. “These are sailing boats for kids,” says Joe, with a pained smile. “I am trying to develop a culture of sailing. But the taxes made it a huge investment for me. This became a discouragement for me.”

Nevertheless, things are happening at the sailing club. About 60 children have been trained so far in the past few years. Two of them, Prince Noble and Manu Francis, represented Kerala at the recent National Games held in the state.

They did pretty well,” says Joe. “They are the sons of the local fishermen and come from poor backgrounds. But they have shown a keenness to learn. Middle-class children have many options, like cricket, badminton and tennis.”

Also, education is the primary focus for children in India. “For sailing you have to spend between four to five hours at the weekend,” he says. “Parents are unwilling to spare so much time for sailing. But it is such a beautiful sport.”

Asked to describe its charms, Joe says, “You are essentially harnessing the power of the wind, to make you move forward. And that is so exciting. You are one with nature. And there is nobody around to disturb you. I always encourage people to leave their mobile phones behind on the shore.”

Sometimes, the weather can get very rough. Joe attended the world championships in Wales in 2014. The competitors were sailing in 30 knots of wind, two miles out at sea, with huge breakers. “It was incredible to watch the skills of the sailors,” says Joe. “Frequently, the boats capsised, but they would right it and get on once again.”

There has been action in Kochi, too. The Ernakulam Sailing Club has hosted three national championships. During the last championships, held in December, 2012, there were 62 participants from all over India. Future plans include a Topper Grand Prix in May, as well as an invitation regatta where all the boating clubs in Kerala will be invited.

Joe, incidentally, is of Czech origin. His father, Josef, came to India before the second world war, settled in Coimbatore, and became a successful businessman. Josef got married to a British woman called Audrey whom he met at Lahore.

Joe was born at Coimbatore, but did his schooling and college in the UK, where he developed an interest in boats. “I love India,” he says. “I cannot imagine staying in any other place. And thanks to the backwaters, there is immense opportunities for sailing here.” 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)    

Love Aaj Kal

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COLUMN: Spouse's Turn

Subodh Maskara talks about life with the actor Nandita Das

By Shevlin Sebastian

On August 11, 2009, Subodh Maskara waited, with a mix of tenseness and expectation, at the coffee shop of the Four Seasons hotel in Mumbai. His friend, the well-known model, Milind Soman, had set up a blind date.

Suddenly, the woman walked in. “She was wearing a simple salwar and kurta, but had a radiant smile and a sparkle in her eyes,” says Subodh. “I felt that she was special.”

The woman was none other than Nandita Das, the famed actor, who has acted in Malayalam films like ‘Kanaki’ and ‘Naalu Pennungal’. Subodh and Nandita got along well immediately. While Nandita spoke about her career and her new job as the chairperson of the Children’s Film Society, Subodh talked about his business activities and life.

Soon, they felt comfortable enough to go for a movie, ‘Love Aaj Kal’, which starred Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. “We met the next day and the next, and the next,” says Subodh. “Within a week we became attached to each other. We felt that there was something special between us.”

And within months they agreed to get married. It took place, on January 2, 2010, in front of a small group of family and friends, at Subodh’s home. And it was conducted in the way that Mahatma Gandhi would do so, at his Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. In fact, a Gandhian had come all the way from the ashram to oversee the ceremony.

The difference is that the girl is not given to the boy, as is usually the case in most weddings,” says Subodh. “There is equality between man and woman. This is unlike in Hinduism where they say a woman will serve her husband and make him happy. This was Nandita’s idea and I liked it.”

As for the honeymoon, it happened two weeks before the wedding. In December, 2009, Nandita had been selected to become a member of the jury of the Marrakesh Film Festival (December 4 -12).

So they left a week earlier and travelled around. They arrived in Casablanca and had meals at the famous Rick’s Café. Inside, there were large photographs, apart from tables and chairs, used by screen legends, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, during the shooting of the classic, ‘Casablanca’. Of course, it is another matter that the film was shot entirely in a studio at Hollywood.

When they had to leave for Marrakesh, 244 kms away, they got a shock. There were no train tickets. In the end they managed to get standing-room in a third-class compartment. “The organisers were surprised when we stepped out from a third-class bogie,” says Subodh. “They had arranged for a big limousine to take us to the festival centre. It was an awkward situation.”

Asked about his wife’s plus points, Subodh says, “She is a down-to-earth person. I never feel that she is Nandita Das the celebrity. She is always Nandita for me. She is very attached to her family [her father is the great artist Jatin Das]. She is also very engaged with social issues and meets so many interesting people. Her exposure is far greater than mine as a businessman. We have a lot of meaningful conversations and that has helped me to grow as a person.”

Subodh also appreciates Nandita's integrity. “She will never endorse a gold or diamond brand because she does not wear it,” says Subodh. “In fact, Nandita has received big offers to do so, but she has always said no. I believe 99 per cent of the people would have compromised and opted for the money, but she belongs to that 1 per cent.”

Thanks to this special woman, Subodh has had many memorable experiences. One of them was to see Nandita, with their son Vihaan, at the Breach Candy hospital on August 11, 2010. “This was exactly one year after we met,” says Subodh. “It became an unforgettable date for me.” Incidentally, 'Vihaan' is a Sanskrit word which means the rays of the morning sun.

And the birth changed Nandita. “She is an amazing mother,” says Subodh. “However, I had to convince Nandita to have a child in the first place. She told me motherhood is overrated. So I said, 'If you don't become a mother, you may regret it later. But if you become a mother, you will never regret it'. In fact, she tells me now that it was the best thing that has happened to her. It opened a part of her self which is unconditional love. You have a special attachment to your child. And your priorities change. You think of the child most of the time.”

Finally, regarding tips for a successful marriage, Subodh says, “The cause of hundred percent of divorces is marriage. Jokes apart, it is up to you to make the marriage work. And if it does not work, you are to blame. You have to take individual responsibility. Most marriages break up when one spouse blames the other. The challenge is to get along with the other person. There is no happily-ever-after. There are many problems. And you have to work hard to make your marriage a success.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)  


Capturing the World in Black and White

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The Holland-based Malayali artist, VN Aji's charcoal drawings, at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, focuses on the eternal questions facing mankind

Photo of Aji and Italian artist Franscesco Clemente by Ratheesh Sundaram

By Shevlin Sebastian

The Holland-based artist VN Aji has a touch of humour. When a female journalism student asks him, with an impish smile, whether any girl offered to marry him after seeing his drawings, at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, Aji says, “Not yet.” This elicits a loud laugh from the girl.

As Aji talks, suddenly, a foreigner, in a black sherwani, comes up and hugs him. “So nice to see you, friend,” says Aji, to the Italian artist Francesco Clemente. Warm smiles are exchanged. Then Francesco looks keenly at Aji's works.

They are untitled, but Aji's forte is doing charcoal drawings on paper. In one, which is 8' 2” in length, there are thick shrubs in the front with a vast undulating land behind it. Up above is a forbidding dark sky, with thick white clouds, at one side. “It began as a landscape of Kerala and then it went off in a different direction,” he says. “There is rain at one side. It is a scene at night.”

Like many artists, Aji likes to ask questions. “Where do we come from? Where do we go? Who am I? What is life? What is death?” he says. “These are some of the subjects that I am exploring in my work.”

In another work, he has drawn a seashore, with the waves hitting the shore in a crash of white foam. The sky is jet black and so is the shore. Despite the blackness, it looks like a scene from a Kerala coastline.

I was born and brought up in Kerala,” he says. “So every cell of mine is a Malayali. And that gets reflected in my work. But I also do cityscapes, like Dubai, because I have been there. The city is located in the vastness of the desert. How do you build a city like that? The Netherlands has also influenced me in my art.”

Aji's life changed when he met and fell in love with the Dutch artist Juul Kraijer at a camp in Thiruvananthapuram. “The attraction between human beings is always a mystery,” he says. “But since we are both artists we could find a mutual wavelength.”

They got married in 2000 at Thiruvananthapuram. Ever since, Aji has been based at Rotterdam. Both of them have their own individual studios. Aji works there from morning to evening every day.

Asked whether he has faced any racism, Aji says, “Not at all. On the other hand, I have received the highest scholarship for artistes in the Netherlands. My works have been exhibited all over Europe.”

Aji says the biggest advantage of being based in Europe is that he is able to see world-class art, both contemporary and historical, all the time. “At any moment I can go and observe the works of Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin or Vincent Van Gogh,” he says. “They serve as a huge inspiration. When you see their paintings, you get an idea of the talent, dedication and hard work that is needed to produce timeless art.”

But there is also timeless art in India. “And the people love art also,” says Aji. “If I tell somebody that I am an artist, they will say 'Oh that is so nice'. I get a lot of respect. They think artists are great people. It is part of our heritage. It is through art that we find ourselves.” 

Suddenly, a blonde girl runs up to Aji. “This is Uma Maheswari, my three-year-old daughter,” says Aji. “But she only speaks Dutch at the moment.” Then Aji pauses, smiles, and says, “But as an artist and a father, that is not an issue at all. Because art transcends all the languages in the world.” 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi) 

The Joys of Cooking

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Ramu Butler, the corporate chef, as well as the F&B Manager of the Ramada Cochin, who recently won the Smart Chef National award, talks about his experiences

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos by Ratheesh Sundaram 

A few years ago, at the New York Hilton Grand, 300 guests were present at the pre-Oscar bash for the Hollywood fraternity. There were a constellations of stars, including Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Pamela Anderson.

In the kitchen, Ramu Butler, along with a team of chefs, were working in a frenzy to make the dishes for the seven-course meal. For Ramu it was a moment of high tension. His immediate boss, a Swede, by the name of Franklin Gilles, was unwell. So Ramu, as second in command, had to take responsibility. And he oversaw the making of several dishes, including the classic Escargot Bourguignonne. “It consists of snails,” he says. “We use butter, garlic, shallots, parsley, and cognac.”

The end result: the organisers thanked the cooking staff profusely. The chefs came from countries like Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Switzerland, Germany, Sri Lanka, and the USA. “I was the only Indian,” says Ramu. “It was a make-or-break day for me. But it turned out well.”

At the Hilton, Ramu learnt European, Asian, American, and Latin American cuisines. “I also spent time at the Hilton in Mexico, so I was able to learn their cuisine,” he says. Things were moving smoothly for the Ooty-born Ramu, who is of Portuguese descent. But, owing to personal reasons, he had to relocate to India.

Today, Ramu is the corporate chef as well as the F&B Manager of the five-star deluxe Ramada Cochin Resort. And he is doing well. At the World Chefs Biennial Conference in Chennai in March, organised by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations and the World Association of Chefs Society, Ramu won the Smart Chef National award, as well as one for Culinary Excellence.

These awards were given for one's contribution to the hotel industry,” says Ramu. “I help the younger generation by holding classes and doing cookery shows on TV. I also go to disadvantaged schools and orphanages and teach children the joys of cooking.” Incidentally, Ramu has won the Smart Chef award for the second time in a row.

In his classes, Ramu stresses on the importance of presentation. “Food is not just about taste,” he says. “The first thing people do is to see the food. When they go close, the aroma hits them. When both are positive your senses start reacting. But the taste should be as good. Only then will guests enjoy the food.”

In Kerala, the trend is towards traditional food mixed with fusion. “So, for a chicken tikka, I will use the ingredients of a fish curry, and wrap it in a banana leaf,” he says. “I can also make an onion payasam. People get shocked when I tell them this. The method is a secret, but the payasam tastes as sweet as ever.”

Sometimes, he indulges in the latest international trend: sous vide cooking. It is a French method in which food is put in airtight plastic bags. Then it is placed in a water bath or in a temperature-controlled steam environment, and cooked longer than normal. “The advantage is that the inside is properly cooked, without the outside being overcooked,” says Ramu.

He also does slow cooking. “Slow Food is organic food,” says Ramu. “It is fresh, healthy, free of pesticides and chemicals, and produced and accessed in a way that is beneficial to all – from the farmer to the eater.” To demonstrate his allegiance, Ramu is a member of Slow Cooking, USA.

When asked for tips to be a good chef, Ramu says, “You have to be passionate about the job. In other words, you have to give your soul to every dish.” 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi) 

"All Artistes are Explorers"

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Says Japanese curator Yuko Hasegawa. She talks about her experiences while on a recent visit to Kochi

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo of Yuko Hasegawa by Ratheesh Sundaram; the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo

Yuko Hasegawa has spent a lot of time travelling all over the world seeing art. So, she is well placed to distinguish between Western and Eastern art. “In the West, the human being is regarded as omnipotent,” says Yuko. “In the East, the individual has an organic relationship with the world around him. In Asia, when we look at a tree, we also see its spirit. We have that same attitude towards a brick, also. We think it is alive. The East believes in co-existence with nature. This wisdom is much-needed in the 21st century.”

On a recent trip to Kochi, Yuko laughed when asked to describe the character of artistes. “Some are well-organised and excellent businessmen,” she says. “Some are thinkers, while others are good craftsmen. Many are good communicators. Sometimes, they are like wild animals. They might grab your throat when they are angry. At other times, they are like children. But all of them are interesting, because they are creative and tread a new path every day. They are explorers. And I try to shepherd their work and bring it to the public eye.”

Yuko is the Chief Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo. She provides the artistic direction by fixing the programme for the year regarding exhibitions and educational programmes. “To make the museum more interesting to patrons, apart from art, we also showcase architecture, design and animation,” says Yuko. This has worked out well in terms of footfalls. Last year, the museum got more than 5 lakh visitors.

Despite her busy schedule, Yuko also travels a lot to buy art because the museum has an annual acquisition budget of $600,000.

So far, she has had a stellar career. Yuko has been curator of the 2001 Istanbul Biennial, the co-curator of the 2002 Shanghai Biennale, the Mediacity Seoul in 2006 and the 2010 São Paulo Biennale. She was also artistic adviser to the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Yuko also serves as a board member of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art, as well as a member of the jury for the Hugo Boss Prize, 2002, and a commissioner of Japanese Pavilion of the 50th Venice Biennale, 2003.

In 2013, she was the guest curator for the Sharjah Biennale. “I travelled a lot in Latin America, Asia, South Africa and the Middle East in search of interesting art,” says Yuko. “To get good works, you should have endless curiosity.”

However, the Biennale authorities placed two restrictions on Yuko while selecting the works. There should be no nudity or representations of the Prophet Muhammed. “It is important that we give respect to local cultures,” says Yuko.

And she was happy to see the second edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. What was amazing was that a group of artistes [Bose Krishnamachari, Riyas Komu, Jitish Kallat and others] organised this Biennale and not the government,” says Yuko. “So the motivations are completely different. It is creative, flexible and fresh. I liked most of the works.” Her favourite artistes included Sahej Rahal, Susanta Mondal, Parvathy Nayar, and Gigi Scaria.

And Yuko is sure that the Biennale will have a long-term impact. “I have already seen the local people talking about the art works,” she says. “The Biennale brings new awareness and curiosity. The people will start thinking about art.”

Asked whether the Kochi Biennale has been established in the international art community, Yuko says, “It is a new biennale. So, it will take time to get attention. And there has to be more editions. The Istanbul Biennale is in its seventh edition. And it is established now. It will take a few more years before the Kochi Biennale is established.”

Finally, when asked about new trends, Yuko says, “Many artists are making images using 3D printing. They also use inkjet prints that make images look like a new painting.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 

A Love Of Indian Cuisine

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The Toronto-based David Rocco was in Kochi recently to shoot episodes for his hit cookery show, 'La Dolce Vita'

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo of David Rocco by Ratheesh Sundaram; Curried Pasta

As David Rocco stepped out of the Brunton Boatyard hotel at Fort Kochi, a bus screeched to a halt in front of him.

Where do you want to go?” said the conductor.

To the barber shop,” said David.

The conductor nodded. David got on. And it stopped in front of a barber shop.

This can only happen in India,” says David. “A public transport bus makes an unscheduled stop, just for one person. And that is also the beauty of the country. It is so unpredictable.”

David is at the East Indies restaurant of the Eighth Basti​on hotel, at Fort Kochi, as he recounts this. The Toronto-based chef, of Italian origin, had come to Kochi recently to shoot episodes for his popular cooking show called 'David Rocco's Dolce Vita' (The Sweet Life) which has been telecast in 150 countries. “The reason why it has become well-liked is because we take the viewer on a journey,” says David. “It is about travel, people, and locations.”

And experimentation, too. David shot a scene with fishermen standing next to the Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi. But he made them all eat spaghetti with their hands. “It was so much fun,” says David. “They showed me their system of fishing, while I showed them my method of eating spaghetti.”

Like most foreigners, David is enamoured of Indian cuisine. “Every region is like a different country,” he says. David was in a small village called Mundota in Rajasthan. “They did not speak English, and I did not know the local language,” says David. “But through sign language, I learnt how to make ghee.”

Then the men took David to a nearby hill. There, using a knife and a bottle of water, they sliced up a small goat. “It was done with the utmost cleanliness, respect and efficiency that I have ever seen,” says David. “Sometime later, we ate the meat along with chappatis and it was delicious.”

David also enjoyed the cuisine at Fort Kochi. “There are Portuguese, Anglo-Indian, Gujarati, Tamil and Malayali influences,” he says. “Thus, there is an opportunity for fusion to take place. Chef Shiju Thomas, at the East Indies restaurant, has invented the curried pasta, which consists of coconut, turmeric, zucchini, lemon grass, basil and curry powder.”

What David enjoyed the most was to see the creative energy of Shiju as well as chef Dominic Joseph. “They don't want to please their patrons by giving safe dishes,” says David. “They are willing to try new variations. For example, the herb-crusted pork chop, soaked in green sauce, has sauteed spinach and plantain chips, dusted with bacon and shrimps. Mostly, the dishes have lots of spices and flavours. It is usually rounded off with creamy coconut milk which gives the food a subtleness.”

As he talks, David slices up beef sliders. Apart from the meat, there are eggplant chips, chillie sauce, and tomato salsa. “This is what makes cooking so exciting,” says David. “There is no right or wrong. Everyone makes dishes based on their preferences and passions. As a result, the dishes are so different and unique.”

But there is a similarity between the cuisines of India and Italy. “In Italian cuisine, like in India, we use garlic, onions, legumes and chicken,” says David. “We are both family-oriented societies. And food has the ability to bring families together. However, in the USA, food is treated like a necessity. It is not a multi-course meal, like in India and Italy.”

When asked to give tips for aspiring chefs, David says, “Youngsters are getting into cooking, because they want to be stars on TV. I tell them that if that is their desire, they should take acting lessons instead. The most important thing is that you should love cooking. If you don't like it, you are in trouble. But if you do, you don't have to work for a single day in your life.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvanthapuram)

Pushing his Creative Limits

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Vinu Daniel is one of the most promising green architects in Kerala today. His Umbrella Pavilion at the recently-concluded Kochi Muziris Biennale received plaudits

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo of Vinu Daniel by Ratheesh Sundaram; beer bottles form an arch

Some years ago, Vinu Daniel met the singer KJ Yesudas in Chennai. When Yesudas came to know that Vinu was an architect, he asked the latter whether he could build an eco-friendly low-cost home for a poor family on the banks of the Periyar River, near Aluva (28 kms from Kochi). Vinu agreed.

But two months into the construction, Vinu ran out of the money that Yesudas had given him, through the latter's Divya Karunya Trust. He was reluctant to ask for more. And there was an an arch in the drawing room that had to be covered with glass. “Glass is expensive,” says Daniel.

It was then that he came up with an innovative idea. He told his workers to go and collect empty beer bottles, at Rs 2 per bottle, from the local bars. Finally, 700 bottles were used to cover the gap. “This was the first time I used waste materials for construction,” he says.

Vinu hit the limelight a few months ago, when he made a pavilion at the Aspinwall House, the main venue of the second edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. Made in the shape of an umbrella, the walls and the sloping roof were made with a mix of chicken meshes, concrete, and jute sacks.

Lightning struck for Vinu, when one of Britain’s greatest artists, the India-born Anish Kapoor, stood in front of the pavilion, and said, “This is a unique structure and has a wonderful scale.” Then he hugged Vinu and his team members one by one.

Indeed, Vinu is one of the unique young talents working in Kerala today. His recent work, the St. George Malankara Orthodox Syrian church, at Mattancherry, is also striking. It is made entirely of mud and has large arches, and curved staircases. But it is the design above the altar that stuns because of its simplicity. Vinu made a gap in the brick wall, in such a way that when sunlight streams in, it looks like a cross. “I was inspired by Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s Church of The Light in the city of Ibaraki, Osaka,” says Vinu.

Vinu’s life changed when he met the greatest green architect of Kerala, Laurie Baker (1917-2007) in December, 2004. Baker told Vinu, “When I see a plot, and if there is a coconut tree in it, my only desire is how do I save the tree and make a building on the plot. It takes 10 years for a coconut tree to reach its proper height. Why harm a tree which has never harmed you? Nature should be respected at all costs. Every piece of land has a story. And we should retain that story.”

An inspired Vinu completed his architectural course at the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, and spent a year at the Auroville Earth Institute at Puducherry. “I learnt how to make buildings with mud,” says Vinu.    

And people noticed his work soon immediately. His high point took place when he was featured in the ‘Architecture in India’ book, a prestigious tome brought out by architect Rahul Mehrotra, who is today Professor of Urban Design and Planning at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

At the book launch function, in 2008, Rahul showed slides of Vinu’s ‘Valsala Cottage’ in Mavelikara, and said, “This kid is doing amazing creative work. You will rarely find art, function, sustainability and integrity all together in one design. But it is all there in this cottage.” 

An elated Vinu, who was in the audience, realised that he was on the right path. “My aim, ever since, has been to keep pushing my creative limits,” he says. 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)  

Full of Love and Hope

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Bhumika Shrestha, Nepal’s first transgender politician, talks about her experiences

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: Bhumika by Melton Antony; Bhumika with director Nicola Desouza

In the two-minute film, 'I AM: The Transcender', a slim person stands next to a light in a darkened room and says, “I am Bhumika Shrestha. I am a transgender. I am going to be a transgender in my next life. This is not my only identity. I am a Nepali, a Hindu, a sister, a daughter, a politician, an actress, and a human rights activist.”

Bhumika looks attractive, with her doe-shaped eyes, high cheekbones and coiffed hair, an easy smile and with a beaded necklace around her neck. On a recent to Kochi, with the film's director Nicola Desouza, the Kathmandu-based Bhumika says, “When I was seven years old, I began to think and feel like a woman. I put lipstick, used make-up and wore my mom’s sarees. But my family always supported me. They never questioned my behaviour. They felt that since I was a child I was behaving like this. But once I grew up, I would become all right.”

But Bhumika did not. At the Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School, the students as well as the teachers mocked her. Once the teacher said, “You look like a girl with your long hair. You have to change.” Like most transgenders, she went home and cried. In Class 10, Bhumika was thrown out of school.

There were many times when she felt suicidal. Once, she bought a bottle of sleeping pills. But Bhumika could not go through with it. “I loved life too much,” she says. “But I know of many transgenders who killed themselves.”

Bhumika's life changed, in 2003, when she joined the Blue Diamond Society, which caters to sexual minorities. “I saw many people like me,” she says. “I felt that I belonged. And I finally accepted my sexuality.”

Thereafter, Bhumika did something unusual. She joined the Nepali Congress Party in 2008 and became the first transgender in the country to do so. She wanted to stand for elections and got the go-ahead from the party leaders. Unfortunately, because of a technical glitch she could not contest. In the election form, there were only two genders: male and female. So, she could not identify herself. Nevertheless, she has been fighting for the rights of transgenders. And Bhumika won a significant victory recently.

In January, Nepal became one of the few countries in the world to add a third gender in their passports. Apart from male and female, there is now a category called transgender. (Incidentally, there are three lakh transgenders in Nepal).

But for a long time, Bhumika experienced stress when she travelled abroad. In her passport, she is identified as Kailash Shrestha. Once when she was going to the USA, she had to transit at Doha, the capital of Qatar.

They looked at my photo and stared at me. Then they directed me to the female line,” she says. “I told them that earlier I was a male, now I am a woman. Since it is a Muslim country, they could not understand the meaning of the term, transgender. So, they took me to a separate room and physically checked me. It was only then they understood who I am.” 

Meanwhile, last year, director Nicola saw a film called, 'The Other Nature', by the Kathmandu-based Nani Sahra Walker. It was about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities in Nepal. “There was one shot of Bhumika, wearing a white bridal dress, and dancing at an annual gay event,” says Nicola. “She was dancing wildly. I have never seen anybody dance like this.”

So Nicola contacted Nani. Then she went to Nepal in August, 2014, to see Bhumika. “We spent time with each other,” says Nicola. “She told me about herself and her life. Even though Bhumika has been threatened and harassed and gone through so much, she is full of hope and love. She has no hatred or anger against society.”

So Nicola decided to make a short film on Bhumika. So far, it has been shown at the Script International Film Festival, Kochi, 'Gender Reel' in New York, the Transgender Film Festival in San Francisco, and the British Film Institute Festival on the LGBT community called 'Flare' in London.

Meanwhile, following the massive earthquake, on April 26, at Kathmandu, the Mumbai-based Nicola was stranded in the town of Kirtipur, just 5 kms away. But later, she met up with Bhumika. 

She is okay,” says Nicola, by e-mail. “In fact, I am living with Bhumika and her family in a tent at Kathmandu for the past several days. Unfortunately, Bhumika lost two of her close friends. She is very upset about that. Both of us had gone for the cremation.”

(Published in The New Indian Express, Kochi)   

"All Great Music Is Melancholy"

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Says music critic, Shaji Chennai, who has just published his first book in Malayalam called 'Paattalla Sangeetham' (Music is not a song)

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo of Shaji Chennai by K. Rajesh Kumar; Salil Chowdhury 

The late Mollywood film director Ramu Kariat was much taken up by the music in the classic Hindi film, 'Madhumati'. When he enquired about the music director he was told that it was a Bengali called Salil Chowdhury.

When Ramu heard that Salil was in Chennai doing re-recording work for a Hindi film, he went there and met Salil. He requested Salil to compose the music for his film, 'Chemmeen' (1965). Salil had no idea about Malayalam films, but agreed to work for Ramu.

And today, the songs that Salil did for 'Chemmeen' have become immortal. They include 'Maanasa Maine Varu' and 'Kadalinakkare'. “But the music is based on the folk music traditions of Bengal, Assam and Nepal,” says music critic Shaji Chennai. “Very few people know that. In fact, people outside Kerala say that 'Kadalinakkara' is a fisherman's folk song of Kerala.”

And it is hugely popular. “If you ask any Tamilian which is the one Malayali song they like the most, they will mention this song,” says Shaji. “They may not have seen the film, but they love the song. That is the genius of Salil Chowdhury.”

Like Salil, Shaji is also immersed in the world of popular music. He is a trilingual writer (English, Tamil and Malayalam) of popular music in newspapers and magazines in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. So far, he has published five books on music in Tamil. And recently, the Chennai-based writer had come to Kochi for the release, by eminent director KG George, of his first book in Malayalam, called 'Paattalla Sangeetham' (Music is Not a Song) (Green Books).

Most of us believe that music means songs,” says Shaji. “But a song, especially the vocals, is a tiny part. Music is a language by itself. That is why we still enjoy the works of Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart which were composed centuries ago.”

Music, worldwide, is more about instrumentals than vocals. “All the Western classical compositions are instrumentals,” says Shaji. “In Hindustani and Carnatic music, also, the lyrics consists of a few lines. These are repeated again and again.”

Even in a film song, there are so many instrumental portions: the percussion, chords, backing arrangements and lead instrumentals. “But most people don't pay attention to this,” says Shaji. “Instead, they only listen to the lyrics. In a way, many are uninformed when it comes to music.”

Incidentally, Shaji's book is divided into two sections. In the first one, on Indian musicians, he has written about PB Srinivas, Madan Mohan, T M Sounderarajan, Manna Dey, MS Viswanathan, Dakshinamoorthi, Hariharan, Johnson, Mehdi Hasan, Kannur Rajan, and the unsung Philip Francis. “Philip was a ghazal singer and an accomplished tabla ustad of Kerala,” he says. “Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 43, in 2008, in a bike accident.”

According to Shaji, the late Kannur Rajan is one of the greatest Malayalam composers he has come across. “Unfortunately, he is not even regarded in the top five,” says Shaji. “But Rajan had the ability to explore the intricacies of Hindustani music. Since most of his songs were featured in films which had a brief run in the theatres, very few people have heard the songs. 
There are so many factors which have to come into play for a song to become popular.”

Asked to identify a common character trait among all composers, Shaji says, “Most of them are sad. There is a Persian saying that says that all great music is melancholy. The fastest dance song that you hear, from a good composer, at the core, there will be a feeling of melancholia. That's because all musicians are on an unknown quest to know the meaning of art and life.”

In the second section of the book, Shaji has concentrated on English music stars like Michael Jackson, Engelbert Humperdinck, the Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress, and Boney M. “I wrote about the impact of Boney M's music on Malayalis as well as Indians,” says Shaji. “I also pointed out that the group which came to India were not the ones who sang the original songs.”

Asked about the current trends in music, Shaji says, “Because of the invasion of computer music, it has become kid's play. Anybody can make a song. Owing to the ease of composition, there is not much of creativity. That is why there are no legendary composers these days.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

Nice Job

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COLUMN: Spouse's Turn

Athira Raj talks about life with the singer and composer Job Kurian

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos by A. Sanesh 

At a studio in Thiruvananthapuram, in August, 2006, rehearsals were taking place, under the guidance of music director, Alphons, for a reality show on a private television channel. After Job Kurian and Athira Raj finished singing, both looked at each other, and said, almost at the same time “You sang well.” Athira had sung 'Beri Piya' from the Hindi film, 'Devdas', while Job had sung 'Teri Deewani' from a Kailash Kher album.

Everybody loved Job's version,” says Athira. During the break, an effervescent Athira went around talking with the other participants. But the one who remained aloof was Job.

I thought he had a bit of an ego,” says Athira. “But when I spoke to Job, later, he told me that he had a sore throat and could not speak. Soon, we had long conversations and liked each other.” At that time, Athira was 17, while Job was 24.

Eventually, Athira was eliminated through audience voting. She returned home to Kannur. But they remained in touch, as Job went on to become the first runner-up. Slowly, they became close.

One day, Job called Athira up and said, “I am not an easy person to live with. But, nevertheless, I would like to marry you.”

Athira reminded Job that they belonged to different communities. While Athira is a Hindu, Job is a Christian. “Despite this, Job told me to think over the proposal,” says Athira.

She thought hard and wanted to say yes. But when she told her parents, they were opposed to the idea. “They felt that I was too young and might change my mind later on,” says Athira. “Plus, they were not keen on an inter-caste marriage.”

So life went on. While Athira finished her Bachelor of Business Management degree from CMS College, Coimbatore, Job was studying piano with a tutor at Thrissur. But, every three months or so, they would meet, either at Shoranur or Thrissur. Later, Athira completed her Masters in Human Resource Management at the Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies, at Kochi.

Thereafter, she again told her parents that she wanted to marry Job. And this time they agreed. “They realised that my love for Job was genuine and long-lasting,” says Athira.

The marriage took place, on November 10, 2012, at the St. Joseph's church at Thiruvananthapuram. At the reception that followed, at the Sree Moolam Club, an impromptu music concert, with eminent musicians, like Stephen Devassey, Rex Vijayan and others took place. “We sang a duet --  'Vaikkathashtami', written by Sreekumaran Thampi,” says Athira. “It was a memorable moment.” One week later, they had a reception at Kannur, also.

Soon, after this, the couple left for Chennai. Job was singing the title song of the Malayalam film, 'I love me', by music director Deepak Dev. “We had a good time in Chennai,” says Athira, who now stays with Job at Thiruvananthapuram.

Asked about his plus points, Athira says, “Job is very genuine. If there is a show or he has to do a composition, his commitment is hundred per cent. Even if he has to perform for a college show, he will give his best at all times. He always works hard. Unlike many musicians, he avoids drinking and smoking and remains focused on his music.”

Athira also likes his selflessness. “Job is keen to help others and maintain good relationships with his relatives and family members,” she says. “He is a lovable person. Whenever he goes to Thrissur, he goes and meets his teachers.”

And Athira does not have a problem that, for Job, the music comes before her and the family. “Because I am a singer myself, I understand his dreams and desires,” says Athira. “This is probably why we get along so well with each other.”

However, like most creative people, Job has a short temper. “There is no way to predict when he will lose his temper,” says Athira, with a smile. “It might be about the smallest of things. But he cools down very quickly. But all artistes are like that. They are very emotional and sensitive and have mood fluctuations.”

Another drawback is Job’s tense nature. “This becomes extreme just before he steps on stage before a show,” says Athira. “Sometimes I am scared about whether he will be able to perform at all. But, once on stage, his personality changes completely. He has a commanding presence and sings in a powerful voice. By the grace of God, all his shows have done well.”

The couple's happiest moment occurred when their son, Cyril, was born on April 25, 2014, at the Fatima Hospital in Kannur. “I will always remember the joy on Job’s face when he held Cyril in his arms for the first time,” says Athira. “Job is extremely close to his son. If he does not see Cyril for two days, he will start missing him very much. He wants to come back home quickly.”

As for tips for a successful marriage, Athira says, “If a spouse has a weakness, instead of trying to change it, we should accept it. Both husband and wife should learn to adjust. Think positively all the time. If the husband is down, the wife should lift his spirits up with her optimistic attitude.”

(Published in The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 


Making Make-Believe Images

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The Kerala-born Jishnu P. Dev has worked as a Visual Effects Supervisor in a string of Bollywood films, including ‘Queen’ and 'Aap Tak Chappan 2
By Shevlin Sebastian
Photos: Vishnu P. Dev. Rajkumar Rao and Kangana Ranaut pose in front of a green screen in the first shot. In the second, the India Gate image has been inserted

Vikas Bahl, the director of the Hindi film, ‘Queen’, was in a tizzy. He needed to take shots of actors Kangana Ranaut and Rajkumar Rao at India Gate, New Delhi. But at that time there were daily protests at the war memorial over the Nirbhaya rape case. “So even though Vikas would have loved to take shots at the original location, he had to give up,” says Jishnu P. Dev, Visual Effects Supervisor.
So both the actors were made to pose in front of a green screen. “The advantage of standing in front of a green or blue screen is that it does not appear on the screen,” says Jishnu. “Later, I inserted shots of India Gate behind Kangana and Rajkumar on the computer. I also put moving cars in the scene. But those were taken in Mumbai.”
Jishnu gives another example from the same film. “There was a scene, which was eventually not used, of Kangana standing atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris,” he says. “But since shooting at that height was not possible, we again made Kangana stand in front of a green screen and inserted an image of the Eiffel Tower behind her.” Incidentally, the number of such altered images may range anywhere between 150 to 300 shots per film.
Jishnu has worked in 15 films now. They include ‘Aap Tak Chappan 2’, ‘Titoo MBA’, ‘The Attacks of 26/11’ and the Marathi film, ‘Poshter Boyz’. He has worked with directors like Ramgopal Varma, Vikas Bahl, the acclaimed Marathi director, Paresh Mokashi and Madhur Bhandarkar for his upcoming film, ‘Calendar Girls’.
And for Jishnu every director is different. “Each has their unique vision, ideas and ways of working,” says Jishnu. “The experienced directors know what they want and they tell me that in a precise way. Some directors take a lot of time doing research. Others work instinctively. And this is what makes my work so exciting.”
Visual effects are of paramount importance, especially when you are setting scenes in an earlier era. “The film, ‘Bombay Velvet’, is set in the Mumbai of the 1960s,” says Jishnu. “It is difficult to recreate all those scenes. So, a lot of visual effects have been used. This was also the case with ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!’, which was set in the Kolkata of the 1940s.”
Meanwhile, when asked about his experiences in Bollywood, Jishnu says, “I am working in the entertainment industry, but there is no entertainment for me. It is hard work, almost 24 hours a day. Sometimes, I am unable to watch the film I had been a part of, even though I was invited for the premiere. That’s because I am already busy working on the next film. Right now, I am establishing my career in Bollywood, so I don’t want to take it easy at all.”
In fact, last year, Jishnu set up a company called Corridor Studios Pvt. Ltd., in partnership with his friend, Siddhesh Ware. The last film the company worked for is ‘Massan’, an Indo-French collaboration, which has been showcased at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival. “I am very excited about it,” says Jishnu.
Indeed, it has been an exciting and amazing journey so far. And it is one that Jishnu could never imagine could happen to him. He was born at Kudakkachira, near Pala, in Kottayam district. After his Plus Two, from Our Lady Of Loud Higher Secondary School at Uzhavoor, Jishnu joined the three-year BA animation course at the Media Village in Changanacherry. Thereafter, he worked for the US-based MCN (Malayalam Community Network) TV for one year at Kochi.
Later, he went to Mumbai to specialise in special effects. He studied for a year at the FX School. That was when he got his first break. He was selected to work for Ram Gopal Varma’s Telugu film, ‘Dongala Mutha’, which stars Ravi Teja. “My work was in pre as well as post-production,” says Jishnu. The movie, incidentally, did well at the box office.
After that, through word of mouth, Jishnu has been getting projects regularly. In fact, his first Bollywood film was also another Ram Gopal Varma movie called, ‘Not A Love Story.’ “I believe I am doing a good job,” he says. “It is a big thing for me that I am getting Bollywood movies.”
But his heart beats for Kerala, too. On a recent visit, to see his parents, after a one-and-a-half year gap, Jishnu says, “I would love to work in Mollywood. There are a lot of good visual effects taking place in Malayalam films. Many of my friends are working in the industry. My aim is to work to the best of my talent in both industries.”
(The New India Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

The Mystery Of The Kidnapped Girl

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Hi Friends, my e-book journey continues. Here is the fourth one, and third for children for the age group of 9-12. A relatively fast-paced work. For those who are on Kindle and have children please pass on, so that they can have a read.

Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XXKBIN2

The story is set in Kolkata. 

One day Susan, her brother Ben, and their neighbour Rony were going to school. Suddenly, a white Maruti van came up, two men jumped out, and before anybody knew what was happening, Susan had been kidnapped. Why did this happen? Who were the kidnappers? What did they want? Find out as Ben and Rony, along with Rony's dog, Kabu, go on a roller-coaster journey in search of Susan

From Spain, with love

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The Spanish clinical psychologist, Olga Martin, has set up 'Street Heroes of India', which helps homeless children to cope with the trauma of sexual, emotional and physical abuse

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos by Ratheesn Sundaram 

When Olga Martin was 12 years old, she went to see a film about street children in Valencia, Spain, with her parents. And during the course of the film, she saw a few scenes set in India. “The sight of the children in India moved me deeply,” she says. “From that moment on it was like a call. I felt that I had to do something.”

When Olga grew up, she became a trained clinical psychologist. By then, she had begun supporting a NGO called 'Mumbai Smiles'. Then, in 2008, she came to Mumbai and spent some time in the slums. It was then that she had an epiphany.

There were many care-givers who were offering food, shelter and education,” says Olga. “But nothing was being done to heal the trauma that the street children had gone though. Many were victims of sex trafficking and child labour, and had suffered from all kinds of brutalities.”

When Olga returned to Barcelona, she prepared a project which focused on the psychosocial aspect or emotional rehabilitation of children. “My research revealed that 90 per cent of abused children tend to repeat the same behaviour,” says Olga. “I felt that the chain had to be broken. But, to set up this project, I needed the help of an institution.”

So Olga got in touch with Fr. Angel Asurmendi of Don Bosco, Barcelona, who told her that she should contact their Indian branch. In September, 2010, Olga met Fr. Kuriakose Pallikunnel, the director of the Kochi-based Don Bosco Youth Counselling Service, who agreed to support her.

Today, the unit that Olga has set up, with her partner, Marita Solá, is called 'The Street Heroes of India'. “This consists of a group of professionals, based in Spain and India, who provide psychosocial training to caregivers and counselling to children,” says Olga. This scheme is now functioning at 17 centres of Don Bosco in Kerala and Karnataka.

Many of the children have escaped from places like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Mostly, they go to the railway station. If they do not fall into the hands of criminals, they take a train and go anywhere. “When I do art therapy work, the children always draw a train,” says Olga. “Because it is the train that has helped them to overcome their situation.”

Olga narrates the case of Shanti. One day, when she was five years old, Shanti was waiting in the railway station at Chennai with her mother. Suddenly, a woman, carrying a baby, came up and told Shanti's mother, “I am tired. My baby needs food. Can you buy something for me?”

When the mother went to buy something, leaving Shanti with the woman, a train arrived. The woman took Shanti and went inside a bogie. They travelled to Bangalore. For the next 11 years, the woman forced Shanti to have sexual relations with all types of men. And it was only at age 16 that Shanti managed to get up the courage to escape to Kochi. At the station the police spotted her. They took her to Don Bosco at Palluruthy, a suburb of Kochi.

Thereafter, Olga stepped in to help. “Healing can be done through counselling, music, drama, art and dance therapy,” she says. “I encouraged Shanti to talk about her life. And now, after two years, she feels much better.” In fact, in a letter to Olga, Shanti wrote, 'This is the first time in my life that I have shared my sufferings with someone. Please don’t talk about this to anybody. I need you.'

There are many cases like Shanti. In fact, a recent UNICEF report provided the alarming figure that 39 per cent of the girls and 40 per cent of boys in Kerala have been sexually abused. “This is usually done by family members, like fathers, uncles, and other relatives,” says Olga. 

A worried Olga says that there is an urgent need for sex education in schools. “Children should be taught to identify between a good and a bad touch,” she says. 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)  
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