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Business magnate Dr. J Rajmohan Pillai, the younger brother of the late Rajan Pillai, has started the Nutking Kerala Tennis League. He has plans to start an all-India league, apart from a tennis academy along the likes of the Britannia Amritraj Tennis (BAT) Academy

Photo of Rajmohan Pillai by Manu R Mavelil

By Shevlin Sebastian

On a humid afternoon in September, 2015, at the Trivandrum Tennis Club, TP Rajaram, the joint secretary of the Kerala Tennis Association was playing a game with Dr. J Rajmohan Pillai, the chairman of the transnational Beta Group, which has a turnover of $2 billion. The group has a major dried fruits and nuts business.

During a break, they had a chat. That was when Rajaram told him about his plans to hold an inter-club championship. “Why inter-club?” said Pillai. “Let's make it bigger. We should get teams from schools, colleges and corporates. That is the only way to unearth the best talents.”

And thus was born the Nutking Kerala Tennis League. For the inaugural league, (November 15 – January 25), there were 37 eight-member teams from all over Kerala, from Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south. “We have also encouraged people above 45 to take part,” says Pillai. “Once the parents start playing, the children will definitely follow. I want to create a movement for tennis.”

The league has been divided into four zones. “Each zone had a round robin,” says Rajaram, the tournament director. “The top two will go to the knockout stage. The third and fourth teams will play another knockout for the Loser’s Plate.”

The winner gets Rs 60,000 while the runner-up will collect Rs 40,000. The Plate prize is Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. The total investment is Rs 15 lakhs.

Pillai says that for the next year's league, he will increase the amount substantially, because he has been encouraged by the response. “Tennis has become very popular, thanks to the Grand Slam exploits of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Sania Mirza,” he says.

Moments after the Wimbledon final in 2015, Rajaram took an autorickshaw in Thrissur town. “The driver spoke to me about the brilliance of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic,” he says.

Pillai has been brilliant on court, too. In December, 2015, he won the doubles gold with his partner Shashi Bhushan Sharma (a Deputy Inspector-General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police) at the inaugural Malaysian Open of the seniors circuit of the International Tennis Federation.

But the interest in tennis goes back a couple of generations. “It all started in the early 1960s when my parents used to play tennis at the Cashew Club, Kollam,” says Pillai. “Soon, my elder brother Rajan [Pillai of Britannia Biscuits fame] who is 16 years older than me, began playing. I started at the age of six.

Later, when Rajan settled in Singapore, I would go there and he would provide coaches for me. In fact, his house, on Ridout Road, was one of the few places which had a tennis court in the early 1970s. In the end, both of us developed a passion for the game.”

And in the early 1980s, Rajan (1947-95), who was the chairman of the Beta Trust, contributed $12 million to set up the Britannia Amritraj Tennis (BAT) Academy in Chennai. Later, the academy would produce players like Leander Paes, Somdev Devvarman, Gaurav Natekar and Asif Ismail. There was some good news for Kerala trainees, also.

Jaco T. Mathew won the junior national hardcourt title in 2001 by defeating Somdev Devvarman in the final. Unfortunately, he faded away.

Meanwhile, Pillai has plans to start a second BAT, with an investment of Rs 100 crore. “We are looking for a location in Bangalore,” he says. “Or we might even take over a functioning academy.”

He said that his centre would place an emphasis on scientific training. “Otherwise, it would be difficult for Indians to match foreigners in a gruelling five-set match,” says Pillai.

An academy could provide material help, since tennis is not an affordable sport for most people. “If you want to be a pro, you have to spend between Rs 16-22 lakh a year, for travelling, equipment and taking part in tournaments,” says Pillai.

In September, 2016, Pillai will unveil another ambitious plan. His firm Beta Sports is going to hold a pan-India tournament, in the manner of the Indian Premier League. Says Pillai: “So, what was started off by two people at a tennis club could soon become a movement to unify the game in India with one gigantic league!”

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

(Memories of the actress, who died, aged 51, on January 25)

Photos: Usha Uthup; Kalpana

By Shevlin Sebastian

Veteran television producer Diana Silvester is in shock. Just two days ago, she had called Kalpana in Hyderabad. She asked the actress if she could attend the inauguration of the new building of the St. Joseph's Bethlehem Church at Chullickal, Kochi, on January 30.

Kalpana promised to get permission from the producer of the Telugu film she was working on. Meanwhile, singer Usha Uthup had already agreed to attend. There is a reason behind the request: at the function, Diana is planning to play the video of the hit song, ‘Palavattam’, which had been sung by Usha. She had also danced with Kalpana for the shoot.

Here's a flashback: at a television studio, in Kochi, on a day in August, 2008, it is difficult to recognise Usha. She is wearing a wig of brown curls and a body-length black gown as well as a dazzling golden necklace.

Standing next to her, in black top and jeans and boots, topped by a black wig, is Kalpana.

Usha and Kalpana move their hands and shake their bodies from side to side, in rhythm to the beat of 'Palavattam', which is being played over the speaker system.

There is an easy camaraderie between Kalpana and Usha. When Kalpana does some quicksilver moves on the dance floor, Usha, who is watching from the sidelines, shouts, “You are a rock star!”

When Usha says, in mock protest, to Diana, “I don’t want to dance next to Kalpana, she makes me look old,” the actress crooks her finger and says, “Come here, little girl.”

During a break in the shooting, Kalpana says this is the first time she is acting for an album song. “The biggest plus is the dynamic voice of Usha Didi,” she says. “And to act with her is a second big plus. Lastly, the director is a lady. So, this song is a collaboration of three women.”

Later, hands-on director Diana keeps coming onto the set from the control room and says, “Kalpana, your lip movements are not synchronising with the lyrics,” or “the expression is not precise.” Kalpana always takes this in a sporting spirit and is ready to do, take after take, to get it right.

As for the song, it has a thumping beat and soaring above it, is the rich velvety voice of Usha. "Who can resist swaying to this song?" says Kalpana, with a smile.

So, it is sad to know that death has snatched away this effervescent actress on the cusp of middle age. Or, as Usha says, from a recording studio at Kolkata, “It was heart-breaking for me to hear the news.”

(The New Indian Express, Kerala editions)

Despite a small role, Lena makes an impression in the Bollywood box-office hit, ‘Airlift’

Photos: Lena in a scene from 'Airlift'; Director Raja Krishna Menon (left) with Akshay Kumar during the shoot

By Shevlin Sebastian

In March, 2015, at Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, a sandstorm blew up. On the sets of the Bollywood film, ‘Airlift’, director Raja Krishna Menon was thinking of packing up, but it was Akshay Kumar, who plays the hero, who suggested shooting through the sandstorm to create a sense of authenticity.

As a result, Mollywood actress Lena got an opportunity to encounter a sandstorm first-hand. “The only problem was that it took all of us two days to remove all the sand from my hair,” she says, with a laugh. Says a grateful Raja: “The actors were patient and we shot a beautiful scene which, unfortunately, I had to take out in the edit.”

This is Lena’s first role in a Bollywood film. She plays Deepthi Jayarajan, the wife of George Kutty (who is played by Kannada actor Prakash Belawadi). He is forever complaining about all the problems the Indians are facing. ‘Airlift’ is a fictionalised version of the evacuation of 1.7 lakh Indians from Kuwait when Iraq invaded the country in August, 1990.

In the film, Lena has only a few sentences to say. “I was clearly told that there would be very few dialogues, so I was aware before-hand of what I was getting into,” she says.

Says Raja: “Roles are never small or big. Lena took up a challenging role and has blown it out of the park. She is unforgettable as George's wife. She brings life to a very difficult character. I always say quality over quantity.”

Indeed, Lena impressed with her facial expressions. She was able convey powerfully her exasperation at the way her husband is behaving.

In fact, in one of the striking scenes in the film, when George Kutty complains, yet again, Akshay’s on-screen wife Nimrat Kaur lashes out, reducing Kutty to a stunned silence. Again, it is Lena’s shame and embarrassment, which are revealed through the eyes that is eye-catching.

Asked how she got the role, Raja says, “I was looking for a Malayali actor and my casting assistant brought me a clip of a film she was in. Lena was brilliant in the clip, but when I looked deeper, I realised she is quite a big star in Malayalam cinema. Anyway, I spoke with her, explained the part and she agreed to be a part of ‘Airlift’. I am really glad that she did.”

Meanwhile, when asked about the striking difference between a Bollywood and Mollywood production, Lena says, cryptically, “The budget. [Airlift had a budget of Rs 30 crore]. Everything is on a large scale. We cannot even compare.”

Interestingly, Lena has yet to see ‘Airlift’ because she is busy shooting for the Telugu film, ‘Dr. Chakravarty’, where she plays the hero’s wife. “I am told that ‘Airlift’ is doing very well in the box office,” she says. “So I am very happy about that.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

Thanks to her many achievements, Nirmala Lilly has become the first Indian to be interviewed in the Toastmaster international magazine

Photos: Nirmala Lilly; the cover of the December Toastmaster magazine

By Shevlin Sebastian

One day, in September, 2015, Nirmala Lilly got an e-mail which took her by surprise. It was from Shannon Dewey, an editorial team member of the Toastmaster international magazine. (The Toasmasters is a world-wide institution which helps members to improve their speaking and leadership skills). "I am very interested in interviewing you for a 'Member Moment' profile, in an upcoming issuem," wrote Shannon.

Following Nirmala's assent, there was a regular exchange of mails for the next few weeks, as Nirmala had to answer several questions sent by the editorial team.

And, finally, in the December issue, the article appeared. Thus, the Kochi-based Nirmala created a bit of history: she is the first Indian Toastmaster to be interviewed in the magazine. "What really excited me was to see the small Indian flag that was placed next to my photo," she says. Incidentally, the magazine is available in 135 countries.

In the interview, Nirmala said, "Toastmasters was and is the medicine, as far as articulation is concerned. It gave me the courage to quit and get better jobs, better positions and better [salary] packages and, of course, recognition."

Like most good public speakers, Nirmala was painfully shy for several years. "I was petrified to stand in front of an audience," she says. "This affected my career in the earlier years."

Thanks to the encouragement given by CM Daniel and Paul Manjooran, the founders of the Toastmasters movement in Kerala, Nirmala attended a few meetings, but could not commit herself to join. The turning point came when a Toastmaster, by the name of George Mathai, said, "Nirmala, it is nice to have a honeymoon. But it is better to get married and have a honeymoon."

So, Nirmala joined in August, 2006. "Thereafter, I took to it like a duck to water," she says. "There was no looking back."

Recently, Nirmala was felicitated by her club, the Kerala Toastmasters (KTM), at a function in Koch for being featured in the magazine.

"Nirmala has many achievements to her credit," says KTM president Shawn Jeff Christopher. "She is the first Lady Charter president in Kerala, as well as the first area governor."

Nirmala was given the best area governor award, of District 82, which consists of India and Sri Lanka. She is also the first lieutenant governor-marketing. As a result, she holds the highest position in Kerala. "Nirmala is also the first person to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster rank," says Shawn. "She has set a benchmark. We have to follow in her footsteps."

At the meeting, Nirmala thanked her mentor, Daniel, apart from many other eminent members. A happy Daniel said, "Nirmala is a person who pursues her goals through relentless efforts. Despite ploughing a lonely furrow, she perseveres, no matter the obstacles."

Says KTM member George Johnson, "Nirmala is the sole reason I joined the Toastmasters. The way she mentored me and the positive energy she imparted, it has always helped me."

Nirmala has spent more than 25 years in the hospitality industry, having worked with the Taj Group of Hotels, the Ramada Resort, Flora Hotel, and the Wonderla Group, among many other assignments. Today, she is the owner or CEO of Infinity Hospitality Services, which focuses on tourism, consultancy and training. Nirmala is also a member of the Institute of Directors, New Delhi, and a managing committee member for several businesses and organisations in Kerala.

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)

Major DP Singh lost his right leg as a result of the Kargil War. Today he is a runner as well as an inspirational speaker

By Shevlin Sebastian

At the start of the Spice Cost Marathon in Kochi, in November, 2015, Uday Bagde, a participant from Ahmedabad, had a moment's hesitation. A member of an all-India group called The Challenging Ones, he turned to founder Major DP Singh and said, “Sir, is it necessary to wear shorts while running, instead of trackpants?”

Singh replied that runners can only wear shorts. So, Bagde took off his track pants and set out in his white shorts. Immediately he caught the eye, because he was wearing a prosthetic.

Later, when he completed his quota of five kilometres, he told Singh, “In this short span, I have changed as a person. Earlier, I was shy about showing my prosthetic in public. But during the run people told me, 'Oh my God, you are an inspiration for me.'”

Singh is also an inspiration. He is India's original blade runner, in the manner of South Africa's famed running champion Oscar Pistorius. “When I wear a blade, it gives me the same posture as a normal runner,” he says. “One part of the blade works as a toe. It gives a push, and helps me to move forward.”

Thus far, Singh has taken part in 18 half marathons (21 kms) in places like Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Chandigarh, Ladakh, and Sangla. Incidentally, these type of limbs are not manufactured in India. Singh has imported one, made of carbon fibre, at a cost of Rs 7 lakh.

The Delhi-based runner began running six years ago. “I wanted to do everything that a normal person can do,” says Singh. “The most difficult aspect for someone, without a leg, is to run, and to run long distance. Once I began running I felt an immense self-confidence.”

And there was a changed attitude among the people towards Singh. “There were no longer any looks of sympathy,” he says. “Instead, they quickly accepted me as a normal person. Running also releases endorphins in the brain. As a result, I feel good and happy. And in control.”

But Singh had experienced moments when things went haywire. On the morning of July 15, 1999, he was part of an Army team taking part in 'Operation Vijay' during the Kargil War between India and Pakistan. A bomb burst just five feet away from him at the Chicken Neck section in Akhnoor. By the time, he regained consciousness, the situation looked grim. Gangrene had set in. Despite the best treatment in several hospitals, the doctors had no option but to amputate his leg.

And his first thought was highly unusual. “I felt that now I will be able to see life from a disabled person's eyes, and do something about it,” says Singh. “Today, I believe that this is the path chosen by the Almighty himself, so I cannot question Him at all.”

Singh carries on in this vein: “My present life is much better. Had I not been injured, I would have been a mediocre person. But because of the amputation, I touched the nadir of my life. And from there I bounced back. It is the bouncing back that makes you a different person.”

It gave him the confidence to start an organisation for amputees called The Challenging Ones. “The name comes from being physically challenged,” says Singh. “We wanted to convert members, through sports, to become a challenger in life, and help them adopt a positive attitude.”

There are 800 members from all over India. For the Kochi race, Singh was able to persuade IDBI-Federal Life Insurance to provide air tickets and five-star hotel accommodation for 18 runners from all over the country. Out of them, 11 were coming out of their home city for the first time since their amputation. “It was an emotional moment for them,” says Singh. “I felt happy that I could do my bit for my fellow amputees.”

In his day-to-day life Singh is an inspirational speaker. He has talked about his life experiences at companies, school and colleges. “Now, you tell me, wasn't my amputation a good thing?” says Singh, with a smile.

The London-based artist Tatiana De Stempel's exhibition focuses on the impact of skin colour on people

Photos: Tatiana De Stempel. Photo by Albin Mathew; Muslim women at Trafalgar Square, London

By Shevlin Sebastian

In June, 2015, the London-based artist Tatiana De Stempel noticed a group of young women, from Saudi Arabia, wearing black burqas, and holding expensive handbags, laughing and taking selfies at Trafalgar Square. “They were having a ball,” says Tatiana. “I was struck by them because, usually, Muslim women are very sombre in public.”

So Tatiana approached them. And they immediately agreed to her suggestion to stick their tongues out as she took photos. Over several months, Tatiana took photos of all types of people – blacks, transgenders, whites, Indians, Chinese and Japanese – all sticking their tongues out for the camera. She also took photos in Greece and Kochi.

Several of these photographs have been put up at Tatiana's show, 'What colour would you choose', which was held at the Backyard Civilisation Gallery at Mattancherry, near Kochi. The show (January 15-24) has been curated by the Delhi-based author Manoj Nair. “I wanted to show how, even though people have different skin tones, they have the same pink tongue,” says Tatiana. “In other words, deep down, we human beings are the same.”

This idea came to her, when at the India Art Fair, in January, 2014, at New Delhi, Tatiana, along with Manoj, met up with Kerala artist Binoy Varghese. “We were talking about the matrimonial advertisements in India, where the preference is always for ‘fair’ girls,” says Tatiana. “And there is a high demand for fairness skin creams in India. That was when I decided to do this project.”

She was also prompted by an incident in her childhood. In London, there was a Black & White Minstrels Show, in the 1960s, where people, who are white, would be dressed up as black persons and wore black makeup, but the area around the eyes was painted white. “It looked weird,” says Tatiana. “And I never forgot it.”

However, during the year-long project, Tatiana came across some paradoxes. “In England, as soon as the sun comes out, everybody steps out to get a tan,” she says. “They want to turn brown. That's why they go for summer holidays to Greece and Spain. No one is happy with the skin colour they have.”

In Athens, a young girl called Maria summed it up well: “White people want to be black, and black people want to be white. As for me, it is good to be tanned, because all your marks and scars can be hidden.”

In Kochi, when Tatiana held a workshop on skin colour, the responses confirmed to her the deep-rooted desire among Malayalis and Indians to be fair-skinned. “All the women participants wanted a light-coloured child,” she says. “Somebody told me that women are told not to eat mangoes, or drink coffee, so that they can become fairer.”

Apart from photographs, Tatiana has done watercolour drawings of people who have undergone plastic surgery because they have been unhappy with their skin tone and colour. “I have done a drawing where the face has been changed by Botox surgery,” says Tatiana. She has also focused on French performance artist Orlan, who has done a lot of a plastic surgery on her face as part of her public performance.

The third aspect of the exhibition is a video in which Tatiana asks people their views regarding their skin tone. A black man, by the name of David, says, “Skin colour is a hierarchy, with white on top. As to whether I have the same opportunities as my white contemporaries, the answer is no.”

As Tatiana speaks, local artist Pradeep Kumar comes in to view the works. “This is interesting,” he says, after walking around. “Apart from the tongue, everybody has red blood. Maybe, this could be the subject of your next exhibition.”

Tatiana smiles and nods. A practicing artist for the last 20 years, Tatiana has exhibited in London and San Francisco. She has done paintings, etchings and photography. For the past 16 years, she has also been a visiting tutor at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design at London. But her heart is in India. “I am having a great time in Kochi,” she says.

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

Former Australian MP Pat Farmer is on a 4600 km journey across India to inspire people and impart a message of peace

By Shevlin Sebastian

The first sight of Australian long-distance runner Pat Farmer, 53, at a hotel in Kochi, comes as a shock. There is not an ounce of fat in his body. He is sinewy and lithe. The second impression is how red his skin has become.

On January 26, Pat set out from Kanyakumari, on a 4600 km journey, called ‘The Spirit of India run’, all the way to Srinagar. He plans to do it in 65 days. Pat is being accompanied by a television crew which is making a documentary that will be shown in film festivals all over the world.

And Pat has a reason to do this. “I want to inspire people,” he says. “When they look at me, they see the pain in my eyes, the blisters and bruises on my feet, they see I am struggling with the heat, but they also see something else. They see an ordinary man doing something extraordinary.”

But Pat is no ordinary man. For eight years he had been a Member of Parliament. And during a 20-year running career, he has run from the North to the South Pole, across Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam North America and Wet Asia. In the process, Pat has raised millions of dollars for charity. In 2000, the then Australian Prime Minister John Howard presented him with the ‘Achiever of The Year’ Award.

But Pat says anyone can do what he has done. “I want to tell people that they are capable of great things themselves,” he says. “We all have setbacks and difficulties. But it does not matter how many times you get knocked down, as long as you can get up one more time. And that is what this journey is all about.”

Pat has a couple of other goals. “I want to show Australians what a beautiful country India is,” he says. “I am also collecting donations to further girls’ education in India” (online contributions can be made at patfarmer.com).

For this journey Pat is being supported by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs – Public Diplomacy Division, Indian Association of Tour Operators, and the Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India.

But the run is taking a physical toll on Pat, because of the intense heat and humidity. “Pat is exposing his body to extreme conditions,” says Dr. Joseph Grace, the medical and safety director of the team. “He has not experienced this level of humidity before. I have advised Pat to drink plenty of water plus salts.”

And Pat has discovered a quick-to-take food: chicken soup. “It has the necessary salts, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron,” says Dr. Joseph. “And it tastes delicious.”

Earlier, during the reception, Kochi Mayor Saumini Jain said, “Nowadays, within nations and even localities, there are differences on the basis of religions and other issues. That is why these efforts are very important. It brings people closer to each other.”

Says Pat: “This run is not about recognising the trouble, but the hope in the world.”

Nevertheless, it was in West Asia that Pat experienced first-hand, what Saumini had mentioned. “When I was in Lebanon, the people said, ‘Don’t go to Israel, they are all murderers there,’” he says. “And in Israel, they said, ‘You have been to Lebanon. And you have survived?!’ All I want to say is that, at the end of the day, whichever country we belong to, we are all human beings.”

And Kerala is a shining example. “When I set out on my runs in the early mornings, I saw people praying in the mosque,” he says. “After a while, I saw groups of men and women enter a church. Thereafter, I saw devotees in a temple. There are people of so many religions in India but they are worshipping in different, but peaceful ways.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

COLUMN: LOCATION DIARY

Guinness Pakru talks about his experiences in the films, 'Swantham Bharya Zindabad', 'Ambili Ammavan', and 'Joker'

Photo: Guinness Pakru in 'Swantham Bharya Zindabad'

By Shevlin Sebastian

Director Biju Vattappara placed his camera on the bank of a river in Thodupuzha, on a day in 2010. On the opposite bank stood Guinness Pakru, the 2’6” hero of the film, 'Swantham Bharya Zindabad'.

Pakru, who plays a Communist by the name of Vettoor Sivankutty, is supposed to commit suicide by jumping into the river. Associate Director Roshan Nair (name changed) stood next to Pakru, the script under his arm, and showed Pakru how to jump into the water.

But so engrossed was Roshan in showing Pakru how to do it, that he slipped and fell into the water. “And right in front of my eyes, I could see the papers of the only script we had slip out and float on the water’s surface,” says Pakru.

A panicky Biju arranged for a boat. Crew members got in and began collecting the pages from here and there. In the end they managed to get all the sheets. Thereafter, they came to the shore. The engine of a Tata Sumo was switched on, and the pages were placed on the bonnet, so that it could dry out.

“That was the only way we could shoot the next scene,” says Pakru. As for Roshan, he became the butt of jokes by colleagues on the set.

In his very first film, 'Ambili Ammavan' (1985), Pakru had to sit on top of an elephant. The background of the story went like this: A rich man's son comes to school in a Mercedes Benz. When Pakru complains to his father, a mahout, played by Jagathy Sreekumar, that the family does not have a car, the latter announced that, from the next day, Pakru will go to school on an elephant.

“I felt it would be exciting to do a shoot with an elephant,” says Pakru. “But when I sat on top, the bristles were like needles on my bum and legs. I started crying because of the pain. And it was Jagathy Chettan who soothed me and told me not to worry.”

And in one sequence, the elephant wrapped Pakru around his trunk and brought him down. “For a few moments, my legs were up in the air, and my head was facing the ground,” says Pakru. “Both the director [KG Vijayakumar] and Jagathy Chettan said that we should not do such risky shots. I will never forget the support offered by Jagathy Chettan throughout the shoot.”

Sometimes, stunt sequences can cause injury. At the shooting of Joker (2000) by director Lohithadas, at Cheruthuruthy, near Ottapallam, Pakru plays a joker in a circus. Since there was very little income, there was a scene when the performers steal coconuts from a nearby field.

Pakru goes to one such field, along with actor Bindu Panicker, who carries a ladder. “I was supposed to climb up a tree and throw coconuts to the ground,” says Pakru. “There was one scene where the ladder falls away and I am hanging from a branch. Then the branch breaks and I fall. As I head towards the ground, Dileep is supposed to catch me in his arms.”

But Pakru gained so much of momentum that Dileep could not hold him. “Instead, I slipped from his hands and fell, just as Dileep did,” says Pakru. “In the end, he hurt his hands, and injured his back.”

Unlike most actors, throughout his career, Pakru has had to all the stunt sequences by himself. “There is no question of a stunt man replacing me, since I am so small and there is nobody of my height doing these scenes,” says Pakru. “But I have got used to it. And, by the grace of God, so far, I have managed to do all the actions safely.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)

COLUMN: SPOUSE’S TURN

Smitha talks about life with the Mollywood film director Ranjith Shankar

Photos by Albin Mathew

By Shevlin Sebastian

As Smitha was getting her make-up done, on the first floor of the KM auditorium in Manissery, her cousin suddenly rushed in and said, “Ranjith has already arrived.” Smitha, as well as the beautician, Reshma (name changed), rushed to the window and looked down. Indeed, Ranjith had arrived an hour early for their 11.30 a.m. marriage on November 22, 2003. As Ranjith stood around, in front of the car, in an off-white shirt and mundu, Reshma said, “He looks serious and focused.”

Smitha then borrowed the mobile phone from her cousin and called Ranjith. He said, “Where are you calling from?”

“Upstairs,” said Smitha.

Ranjith looked up, but could not see Smitha.

“I will never forget that image, of Ranjith looking up, during our wedding day,” says Smitha, at her well-appointed villa, at Kochi, where she stays with her husband, daughter Tara, 11, son Tarun, 7, and her in-laws. It was a few days after the successful reception of 'Su Su Sudhi Vathmeekam', starring Jayasurya, so it was a happy household.

Asked to list Ranjith's qualities, Smitha says, “He is very patient. At times, when I am down, I would like a bit of pampering. And Ranjith always provides that. Ranjith also never talks ill about anybody, no matter how badly some people behave with him. He has the ability to look at things from the other person's viewpoint.”

His negative point is that which afflicts most families these days. “Ranjith is always on the mobile,” says Smitha. “He likes to stay connected with people. I tell him that sometimes he should switch it off so that he can give an undivided attention to the family.”

Sometimes, Ranjith asks for attention from Smitha. Every day when she comes back from her office, at an IT firm in Info Park, Ranjith asks Smitha whether he could read something that he had written that day. “He feels that there will be something I can suggest,” she says.

And Smitha does offer suggestions, not only in the writing stage. “For ‘Su Su’, there was a scene where the actor Ershad, as Kurup, is holding the collar of Sudhi (Jayasurya),” she says. “I saw it during the dubbing stage. But in the first cut, the scene had been taken out. I told Ranjith that the scene was powerful. It shows the negative character of Kurup and the helplessness of Sudhi. So he put it back.”

Like most directors, the day before the Friday release is a tense day. “He does not know how the audience will react,” says Smitha. “On Friday morning, as a family, we go to the Thrikakkara temple and pray for the film's success.”

On the release day of 'Su Su', (November 20, 2015), Smitha took leave, and the couple left the house at 9 a.m. They spent the next few hours wandering around Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. “It was only by 2 p.m. that we got the news that people had liked the film and it would become a hit,” says Smitha. “We were so relieved. In fact, 'Su Su' is one of my favourite films of Ranjith.”

As Smitha talks, suddenly Ranjith comes in. And within minutes, he has to leave, because son Tarun is crazy about cricket, so the father is taking him to attend a cricket camp at Edapally. “We share parental duties,” says a smiling Smitha.

Asked to give tips to youngsters who are about to get married, Smitha says, “The most important thing is to understand the family’s background and culture. Then the girl should act in a way which does not disturb the rhythm. Apart from that, one should be patient and try to understand the husband's viewpoint. Be willing to come to a compromise. In my experience, there is nothing which you cannot work out through dialogue.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

COLUMN: LOCATION DIARY

Director Geetu Mohandas talks about her experiences in the Hindi film, ‘Liar’s Dice’

By Shevlin Sebastian

On a day in January, 2013, the people in the remote village of Chitkul in Himachal Pradesh were feeling nervous. There was an endless rumble in the mountains. And avalanches were taking place on different slopes.

They rushed to inform the 18-member crew of the Hindi film, ‘Liar's Dice’, that it was time to leave. “They said we would get stuck,” says the film's director Geetu Mohandas. “It was a call that my husband [and cinematographer] Rajeev [Ravi] and I took. We needed to take that last shot.”

It was a sunset scene. “A woman (Gitanjali Thapa) accompanied by a three-year-old child (Manya Gupta) and a goat was leaving the village, without informing anybody,” says Geetu. “She wanted to go in search of her husband in the city.”

By the time the shoot was over, they saw that the road was submerged under a huge mound of snow. “It was scary,” says Geetu. “We were stuck. We could not move forward.”

The local people informed the Army. Although it was 6 p.m., it had become pitch-black all over. “The only light was from the headlights of our car,” says Geetu. “The temperature was below freezing. And the sound of the rumbling was frightening. It was like stones breaking. But, really, it is an indescribable sound. And all of us felt frightened to hear the

sound of Nature, when it is angry.”

By the time the Army arrived, two hours had gone past. Then they realised that that they needed machines to clear the road. It would take at least three days. That was when the local people, using shovels, began to make a narrow passage at the edge of the road. “They took close to two hours,” says Geetu. “The cliff-edge was jagged. The road surface was slippery. They told us to cross, but without touching each other. Because we could slip and fall down.”

One by one, the crew members crossed. The one who was the most relaxed was Manya, the child. “She was laughing and singing a song,” says Geetu.

But it was not so for Geetu. “My husband knew about my fear of heights,” she says. “He was worried about how I was going to cross. Then Rajeev said he was going to walk and asked me to hold his hand and walk behind him. But at that moment, I saw that Gitanjali was looking scared. So, I told her to go ahead and hold Rajeev's hand.”

Rajeev was unaware that it was Gitanjali's hand that he was holding. At the half way mark, he turned around and saw that it was Gitanjali. “He became red in the face,” says a smiling Geetu.

Since she was the director Geetu waited till everybody had crossed. Now it was her turn. She walked in a gang of six. Two drivers in front, and two behind her.

“We began to walk slowly,” says Geetu. “I felt breathless. And suddenly I lost my balance. So I was literally held by my hands and legs and taken across. I felt like Jagathy Sreekumar in a comedy film.” The crew finally made it across to safety.

But there was one unforeseen result. “For so many days I was the no-nonsense director,” says Geetu. “Now my whole image lay shattered. Thankfully, the shoot had been completed.” When she returned home, to Aluva, she got another shock: she had been two months pregnant during the shoot. But it all ended well. Today, Aradhana is a lively three-year-old.

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)

Raja Krishna Menon is thrilled that his Bollywood film, 'Airlift', has become a hit and initiated a conversation all over the country

Photos: Raja Krishna Menon; the director with Akshay Kumar

By Shevlin Sebastian

Raja Krishna Menon watched a group of youngsters, from Iraq and Syria, in T-shirts, jeans and sneakers, amble into a changing room, at Ras El Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, on a sunny March morning in 2015.

Later, when these junior artistes came out, in Iraqi Army uniforms, black boots, and holding AK-47s, they looked different. “They walked about with a swagger,” says Raja, the director of the Bollywood film, 'Airlift', which was released on January 22. “They began waving their guns about. One teenager stepped onto the main road and began directing traffic with his gun. Their transformation was scary.”

In fact, when the star Akshay Kumar stepped onto the set and saw the intensity of the soldiers, he turned to Raja and said, “It looks like a real war.”

'Airlift' is the story of the evacuation of 1.7 lakh Indians in Kuwait, following Iraq's invasion of its neighbouring country in August, 1990. It is told through the eyes of millionaire Indian businessman, Ranjit Katyal, played by Akshay. The film has become a box-office hit and crossed Rs 100 crore in earnings within a few days of its release.

Understandably, Raja is feeling happy. He realised the potential of this story as a film in 2003. “A friend told me, 'Man, this was a huge effort by India'. And when I heard the number of people who were saved, it amazed me,” he says.

For the next ten years, Raja read articles, did research on the Internet, and spoke to the people who were involved. Then he sat down and wrote the script. It took one-and-a-half years. “I knew that I needed a big budget to make a film,” says Raja. “The only way was through the presence of a big star.”

That was when Raja's friend, the producer, Vikram Malhotra, stepped in. He sounded out Akshay, who showed interest. So Raja met Akshay at his Mumbai home in 2014. “The narration lasted for two hours,” says Raja. At the end, Akshay agreed to star in the film.

“It was Akshay [as actor and producer] who made it happen,” says Raja. “He told me, 'Raja, if you need anything at all, just call me. I want this [Rs 30 crore] film to be made the way you want it to be'.”

And all this seems like a dream to Raja. The Thrissur-born Malayali grew up in Bangalore, and, following his graduation from Christ College, joined an advertising film company.

A few years later, he moved to Mumbai and began to make advertising films. In total, he has made 300 commercials as well as eight documentaries on dowry harassment and other social topics for various NGOs. In between, he made his first film, 'Bas Yun Hi' (2003) starring Nandita Das and Purab Kohli, but it sank.

Following that, he made the critically-acclaimed 'Barah Aana' (2009) which featured Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Raaz, and Tannishtha Chatterjee. “It confirmed to me that you must always make a film from the heart,” he says.

Which is how he has made 'Airlift'. Asked to analyse why the film has done so well, Raja says, “There is so much of negativity in the country these days. As a result, there is a deep hunger for life-affirming stories. My film provides that.”

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

The Kochi-based Arvind Kumar Pai has one of the largest collections of Mahatma Gandhi stamps in the country. He talks about his passion

Photos by Ratheesh Sundaram

By Shevlin Sebastian

One sunny Saturday afternoon, several years ago, Arvind Kumar Pai was at home, at Cherthala, Kerala, when he saw the postman dropping some letters inside the post box at the gate. Since the box was at a lower height, the boy ran out of the house and collected the letters.

On one envelope, there was an orange stamp with the face of a bald man with round spectacles. “I was immediately gripped by the image,” he says. “Today, I cannot explain why I got so fascinated with Mahatma Gandhi.”

Ever since, he has been collecting stamps of Gandhi. He followed the method of all children: tear the side of the envelope which had the stamp, place it in a mug of water, to weaken the glue. Then he would put the stamp out to dry in the sunlight, and put it inside an exercise book. “My father would encourage me in my hobby,” says Arvind.

Today, at 30, Arvind, a professional trainer, has more than 10,000 stamps in his collection. In late 2014, he was given an award by the Asia Book of Records for having the largest collection. They include first-day covers, setanant (series of four) and ordinary stamps from India and abroad.

Not many people know that America, in 1961, was the first foreign country to bring out a stamp on Mahatma Gandhi. It is a 4 cent stamp, in orange, with an image of Mahatma Gandhi inside a circle.

The words, when read clockwise, went like this: Apostle of Non-Violence/1869/Mahatma Gandhi/1948. At the top are the words, 'Champion of Liberty'. Arvind got this from a philatelist in Thiruvananthapuram. “Most of the stamps that I get from abroad have been sent by friends,” he says. “All of them know about my passion.”

So, he has stamps from Mauritius, Ghana, Turkmenistan, Bhutan, Madagascar, Zambia, Belgium, South Africa and Costa Rica.

The Costa Rica stamp was brought out in 1998, the 50th death anniversary of the Mahatma. The stamp fittingly costs 50 Colones. (Colone is the country’s currency). Interestingly, the South African stamp features a young Gandhi, in a lawyer’s suit. Gandhi went to South Africa in his early twenties and worked as a barrister for many years.

“In 2009, the United Nations declared Gandhi’s birthday, October 2, as the International Day for Non Violence,” says Arvind. “They also released a stamp, which I have in my collection.”

But Arvind is not taking it easy. To increase his collection, he regularly attends philately exhibitions in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Thrissur, Chennai and Bangalore.

“The price for a Gandhi stamp depends on the year it came out,” says Arvind. “A Rs 10 stamp, which was released in 1948, has an asking price between Rs 30,000 and 60,000 today. For some people, stamp-collecting is only a way of making money and not a passion, like it is for me.”

Not surprisingly, Arvind idolises Gandhi. “Gandhi has never died,” he says. “He lives on in the currency notes, statues, photos and stamps. He is India itself. His vision was to make India self-sufficient. I am very happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come up with the ‘Make in India’ idea. But that was originally a Gandhian concept. And Gandhi has always said that we should love and respect each other. These are values which we desperately need in our country.”

To propagate the principles of Gandhi, Arvind holds exhibitions regularly. The last one was on October 2, 2015, at a school in Thuravoor.

“A wide variety of people came,” says Arvind. “But what was a surprise were the presence of a large number of political science and history teachers from schools and colleges. Since they teach Gandhi in their syllabus, they were keen to know more.”

There were many youngsters too. “They asked me a lot of questions about Gandhi,” says Arvind. “Like, how is Gandhi relevant for them? Also, why do I collect only Gandhi stamps? In the end, the exhibition was a learning experience for them. They became aware of what a great man Mahatma Gandhi was and remains so.”

Top HR consultant, Ashish Arora, the MD of HR Anexi, says that family-run businesses have to change in order to remain successful

By Shevlin Sebastian

Rohit and Malini Ranade were feeling restless. After twenty years in the plastics industry, their business had not grown the way they had liked it. From a turnover of 35 crore, they wanted to make it Rs 100 crore, but they did not know how. So they got in touch with Ashish Arora, the MD of the Mumbai-based consulting firm, HR Anexi.

When Arora studied the company, he saw that the Mumbai-based outfit had a large factory in Silvasa, with an 800 plus staff. He also noticed that Rohit, 41, an engineer, as well as Malini, a chartered accountant, were dominating personalities at the workplace.

“They never allowed the senior staff to express their views,” says Arora. “But when we studied the team, we noticed that they were some good team members, who had been with the company for over ten years.”

Arora then took the entire staff out for a two-day ‘visioning’ session. But he requested the Ranades to remain silent on the first day. So, when he asked for a vision for the company, the staff said that they could become a Rs 500 crore company. “The Ranades were shocked,” says Arora. “They thought that the staff had gone mad.” Later, the senior team stayed up till 2 a.m. and came up with a business plan, which included increasing exports and introducing a slew of new products.

A smiling Arora says, “In six years, the company has done a turnover of Rs 360 crore.”

Among his many skills, Arora is an expert in dealing with family businesses.

“There are a lot of positives in a family business,” he says. “The decision-making is very quick. Most family businesses are run by entrepreneurs who are passionate about doing something.”

It is usually run on strong family values. “The owners bond with the employees,” says Arora. “There is no hire and fire. Employees are respected and taken care of. And they are always given financial support during bad times.”

However, there are weaknesses also. “Usually, owners have a tunnel vision and can rarely see the overall picture,” says Arora. “One reason is that they spend too much time on the day-to-day operations: purchase, people, production and supply-chain issues. So, they are not able to come up with a long-term vision and strategies for growth. The best way out is to hire top professionals to run the day-to-day operations, leaving the owner free to concentrate on expansion plans and getting more funding.”

And in order to remain successful, there should be a proper succession plan. “Most entrepreneurs want their children to take over,” says Arora. “But the son or daughter may not have the same passion or excitement about the business as the father. Usually, they are better educated and want to do something else.”

So, the parents have to find out whether their children are keen to carry on the business. If they are not inclined, then the company has to be run by professionals, but it can remain family-owned.

“[Infosys owner] Narayana Murthy's son, Rohan, could have taken it over, but he has not,” says Arora. “Instead, it is in the hands of professionallys, but Rohan remains an owner. This has increased the future prospects for the company.”

Of course, there are many instances of the second and third generation taking over, and increasing the turnover of the business. “Like their parents, they also have enormous passion and dreams for the company,” says Arora. “When this happens, the parents should consider themselves lucky.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

On a recent visit to Kerala, Dr Charlotte Sleigh gives an insight into the behaviour of ants and how scientists have an ever-changing perspective about the tiny creatures

Photo of Charlotte Sleigh by Manu R. Maveli; Ants by A. Sanesh

By Shevlin Sebastian

When Charlotte Sleigh was doing her doctorate in science, in 1998, at the University of Cambridge, in England, she came across a book by the biologist Julian Huxley called 'Ants'. “In the book Huxley said that ants are very similar to human beings,” says Charlotte. “That sparked in me a lifelong interest in ants.”

In fact, she is known as the 'ant woman', having published two books on the insect. One is called 'Ant', while the other is 'Six Legs Better'. “I have shown how social and cultural perspectives have shaped the ways in which scientists have looked at ants,” says Charlotte.

For example, in the 19th century, scientists felt that ants are wonderful because they are hard-working and helped one another. “They said that human beings should imitate them,” says Charlotte.

However, in the 1930s, when Fascism and Communism were sweeping the world, people looked at ants and said they are nature's fascists. “Because there is no individualism,” says Charlotte. “Everybody acts the same. They cannot leave and set up home on their own. They have to serve the colony. Big Brother is always watching them. Scientists swung from admiring ants to fearing them.”

But once World War II was over, their attitude changed once again. “Scientists became interested in understanding how ants exchange information,” says Charlotte. “The colony is like a computer. It is always processing information in how to act. Perhaps we can make a better computer if we can make it like an ants' nest.”

Charlotte, a Lecturer in the School of History at the University of Kent, had recently come to Thiruvananthapuram, to give a talk for the British Council’s ‘Science and Beyond’ series.

When the 'Ant Woman' was asked about the number of species of ants, she says, with a smile, “There are more than 10,000 types. They grow a bit bigger in hot climates like Asia, while they are smaller in Europe.”

And she gives an easy answer as to why ants can always be seen moving in a straight line. “They are following chemicals called pheromones which have been dropped by other ants,” says Charlotte. “The first ant goes wandering about and finds a good food source. So, on its way back, it leaves a trail, which is a way to tell the other ants, go this way. The next one follows the trail. The path tends to be straight.”

This is something similar to how humans behave. “When you move to a new town, you might ask your neighbour the location for the best shop for vegetables,” she says. “And they will tell you a particular spot. The reason why they said that was because when they moved to the town for the first time somebody else told them that.”

When the ants get the food they return to the ant colony. This colony is entirely female. There is a Queen, but she is not the boss. “It is similar to the big city, but there is no governor saying, 'Do this and do that',” says Charlotte. “At the same time everybody is buzzing about doing their thing. Ants work for each other and for the colony.”

But there are few males present. Unfortunately, unlike human beings, males are only used for reproduction. In fact, the male and female meet up only once a year to reproduce. Then the females go out and establish new colonies, while the males tend to die.

Charlotte sounds fascinated whenever she talks about ants. “We should never stop looking at this tiny creature, because there are always new things to learn from them,” she says.

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

COLUMN: LOCATION DIARY

Manoj K Jayan recalls his experiences in the films, ‘Kaazhcha’ and ‘Mallu Singh’

Photos: Manoj K Jayan. Poster of 'Mallu Singh'

By Shevlin Sebastian

Superstar Mammooty was not sure. In early 2004, when debutant director, Blessy, told him that there would be a shoot for the film, ‘Kaazhcha’, on the steps of the St. George church at Edathua, which led to the Pampa river, he said that it would be risky since there was not adequate security and huge crowds would be watching the shoot.

Nevertheless, Blessy decided to go ahead. The next morning, Manoj K Jayan, who plays a character called Joy, stepped into the chest-deep water, wearing only a white mundu. “In the shot, I am supposed to come up from below the water’s surface and say that the water is so bad,” says Manoj. “Then another character says, ‘It has come to a stage where we are unable to have a bath in the river’. Then I get back on the steps and wipe myself with a towel.”

At 9 a.m., as Mammooty had predicted, a large crowd had formed. The superstar himself was waiting in a house on the opposite side, since his shoot was to take place later.

Next to the church, there was a wall. People sat on it. “I could see from the water that it was shaky,” says Manoj.

Meanwhile, noted Tamil cameraman Azhagappan and Blessey remained on the steps, near the camera. There were three huge lights that were also placed nearby.

While the take was taking place, the wall collapsed. About 40 people went tumbling down the steps. They hit Blessey and Azhagappan. Both fell into the water.

“The camera also fell into the water, right in front of me, and sank to the bottom,” says Manoj. “The camera is the most precious equipment while making a movie. During a shoot, if somebody wants to spray the actor with perfume, first they will cover the lens, before it is done.”

Azhagappan made it back to the shore. “There were shouts and screams,” says Manoj. “Blessey was going up and down, swallowing water. He did not know swimming. So, I held him up.”

Blessey was distraught and began crying. “My life is finished,” he said.

“The liability will be on me. There will be talk in the industry that I am an unlucky director. The film is doomed. It cannot do well now.”

Suddenly, a boat arrived. Blessey and Manoj climbed on to it. “We decided to go and meet Mammooty,” says Manoj. When Blessey told Mammooty the news, the latter said, in a soft voice, “I told you not to do the shooting here. I did feel it was unsafe.”

Anyway, the producers, Xavy Mano Mathew and Noushad, reacted with speed. A camera was brought from Kochi in the evening and shooting commenced once again. The original camera, priced at Rs 1 crore, was recovered, and sent to Germany for repairs. Thankfully, there was an insurance coverage.

“Today I can say, with certainty, that all these superstitions do not matter at all,” says Manoj. “If the film is well-made and has a good story, it will do well. Blessey was so sincere while making the film. So, it was no surprise that ‘Kaazhcha’ was a critical as well as a commercial success.”

‘Mallu Singh’ was another film that did well at the box office. In December, 2011, Manoj was in Patiala, along with Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon and Sooraj Venjaramoodu for its shoot.

“It was while there I understood that Punjabis have a good sense of humour,” says Manoj. “Once, during an off-day, Kunchacko and I went roaming around Patiala in a car. At one point, we stopped at a traffic signal. Right in front of us was a Sardarji on a Bullet motorcycle. On the back, it was written, ‘Left Hand Drive’.”

Manoj also realised the vastness of India, when, in rural Punjab, he met a couple of farmers who asked him where he is from. “I said, ‘Kerala’,” says Manoj. “Then they asked earnestly, ‘Is it in India?’”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvasnanthapuram and Kozhikode)

The Malayalam author C. Radhakrishnan has brought out a few of his acclaimed novels in English: e-books as well as printed versions

Photo of C. Radhakrishnan by Melton Antony

By Shevlin Sebastian

In 1970, Edatata Narayanan, the New Delhi-based chief editor of the 'Patriot' newspaper,asked for a volunteer to go to the jungles in West Bengal and meet up with the Naxalities, led by Charu Mazumdar and Kanu Sanyal. Assistant Editor C. Radhakrishnan agreed to go.

In the district of 24 Parganas, Radhakrishnan was able to get in touch with the Naxalites. “I stayed with them for 14 days in the forests,” he says. “After that I told the leaders that I had to return to Delhi. But they said I could not leave because I knew too much. In case I am caught, I may be forced to reveal their whereabouts.” So Radhakrishnan ended up staying with them for three months.

“It was tedious, painful as well as unforgettable,” he says, at his home in Kochi. “I saw, first-hand, all the police operations. Some of the Naxalites were lined up on the banks of a river, shot point-blank, and pushed into the water. The police conducted numerous fake encounters. These poor Naxalites did not have any weapons, clothes to wear, food to eat or soap to wash their bodies.”

Finally, Radhakrishnan managed to escape, met a police officer in Kolkata, who, after confirming his identity, by calling the 'Patriot', provided him with clothes and money.

This experience proved the inspiration for Radhakrishnan's acclaimed trilogy: 'Munpe Parakkuna Pakshikal', 'Karal Pilarum Kalam' and 'Iniyoru Nirakanchiri'.

Recently, all the three novels have been brought out in English: 'Birds that Fly Ahead', 'Heartrending Times' and 'Now For a Tearful Smile'.

These fluent translations have been done by a Hyderabad-based English teacher, Kairali Narayanan. This happened by accident. One day, Radhakrishnan received a couple of chapters, of 'Iniyoru Nirakanchiri' (Now for a Tearful Smile), translated by Kairali, in his e-mail inbox. He liked it and asked her to do the entire work. Following that, he sent it to his critic-friend, Professor V. Sukumaran who stays in Kozhikode. “After reading it, he said that this was one of the best translations of a Malayalam text,” says Radhakrishnan.

The author has a specific reason for publishing in English. “We are not known outside Kerala,” he says. “Whenever I go abroad, I look for books by Indians, translated into English but I hardly find anything. The many foreigners I have met have no idea about our vernacular literature. Now, technology has come to our aid. The e-book has enabled us to reach out to a global audience.”

In fact, after placing his book on Amazon, Radhakrishnan has got some responses from the USA and UK. “Today, most reading in the west is in the e-book form,” he says. “People don’t have the time to go to bookstores. The e-book is the present, as well as the future of book-reading.”

Keeping in touch with current trends has been a feature of Radhakrishnan's writings. As a result, he has won numerous awards, like the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Vayalar Award, the Bharatiya Jnanapith's Moorti Devi Award, the Mahakavi G Award, and the Lalithambika Award for his contribution to Malayalam literature.

He is one of the few writers in the world who has been able to live off his works. Amazingly, he has 75 titles in print. And several of them have been best-sellers for several years. Asked the reasons for his success, he says, “I write in a simple and straight-forward manner. I learnt this method as a journalist.”

And, again, unusually, for a writer, he publishes the works himself through the imprint, Hi-Tech Books. But the distribution is done through well-known publishers like DC Books. “Thanks to my readers, I have been able to carry on,” says the 76-year-old.

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)

Eminent Bharata Natyam danseuse Padma Subrahmanyam enthralled an audience at Kochi with her performance on the Bhagwad Gita

Photo by Ratheesh Sundaram

By Shevlin Sebastian

At the valedictory function of the centenary celebrations, at the Sanskrit College at Tripunithara, eminent Bharata Natyam danseuse Padma Subrahmanyam was presented with a gift. But instead of a plaque, she was given a silver band. “This is worn by the women characters in Koodiyattom and Kathakali,” says Padma. “They first tie the band on their forehead, before they apply the make-up. It is a typical Kerala tradition. I felt very moved.”

On her part, Padma presented a unique dance: a bird’s eye view of the 18 chapters of the Bhagwad Gita. “It was an ambitious presentation,” she says. The former Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala Kalamandalam Dr. KG Paulose gave a brilliant introduction in Malayalam, so the audience could understand what was being portrayed.

“I played both Krishna and Arjuna,” says Padma. “The people were completely with me and I was completely with them.”

Not many people will know that this is Padma’s 63rd year of non-stop public performance.“God has been kind to me,” says the Padma Bhushan winner. “All my gurus and parents have blessed me. The admiration of my fans has sustained me. You need to have good health and lead a disciplined life. You also must have a passion for the work that you are doing. Lastly, I manage the physicality of it, through constant practice.”

And Padma gets inspirations all the time. Last year, she met the great Kathakali dancer Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair. “At 100, he is still dancing. He is the oldest living performer in the world. So, I have a long way to go,” says Padma, who is in her early seventies.

Asked to give tips to young dancers, Padma says, “Try to live life devoid of ego. If you feel that you have achieved everything in life, you will not work hard any more. As for me, I try to ensure that I am always like a student. There is a saying in Tamil: ‘What the goddess of learning has learned is the size of one finger. What has yet to be learned is as big as the world’. There is so much that needs to be explored.”

But, today, Padma is focused on a new project. She is setting up the Bharata Ilango Foundation For Asian Culture as a centre for artistes all over Asia to interact with each other. “We are going to have a museum, as well as a seminar hall, auditorium, and library,” she says. “There are many common features within Asia which needs to be recognised.”

The building, near Mahabalipuram, is coming up on five acres of land, donated by the Tamil Nadu government. “I am looking for monetary help from corporate and other sources,” she says. “Lots of artistes have come forward. Shobhana, Priyadarsini Govind, the present director of Kalashetra, and actor Vineeth, who was my student, have performed for free at fund-raisers.”

Meanwhile, she has placed the band that she got from Sanskrit College on the forehead of the idol of Bharata Muni that they have at Mahabalipuram. She also has plans to put up 108 granite sculptures of Shiva and Parvati, all of which have been designed by her. But Padma got a surprise when she discovered that her design tallied with the dance sculptures at the temple of Prambanan in Central Java, Indonesia, which she had not seen earlier. “This was an eye-opener,” she says. “I knew that India’s imprints are there in other parts of Asia, but this confirms it. It will make people understand that all of Asia is one.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

LOCATION DIARY

Director Siddique talks about his experiences on the film, 'Godfather'

By Shevlin Sebastian

Director Siddique felt nervous. Crew members of the film, 'Godfather' (1992), had told him that to start a shoot on a Sunday would bring bad luck. When he informed this to the producer, Swargachitra Appachan, the latter told his long-time astrologer, “Many films, which began their shooting on Sunday, had become flops. So, should we avoid it?”

The astrologer was adamant that there was nothing wrong in filming on a Sunday. “We believed in him,” says Siddique. “For our hit films, like ‘Ramji Rao Speaking’ and ‘Harihar Nagar’, he had given us the auspicious time to start shooting.”

So, the crew gathered at Kozhikode on Sunday, August 18, 1991. Only actor Mukesh was present. Initially, Siddique was planning to do some outdoor scenes with the star. But the omens were not good. It began raining so heavily, that there was no chance to do any shooting. “In fact, the streets had become flooded,” says Siddique. “The weather forecast said that it would rain for another four days.”

So, they went in for an indoor shoot at the government guest house on West Hill. Later, at Kappad beach, the song, 'Pookkalam Vannu Pookkalam', sung by Unni Menon and KS Chitra was picturised with Mukesh and Kanaka. “Again we were told that whenever songs were shot at Kappad beach, the movie flopped,” says Siddique. “But we ignored it. Then we went to the top of a nearby hill, which is a familiar spot for film-makers. This was also a place which had a lot of bad luck. On top of that, the shoot was on a Sunday, too.”

On Kanaka’s last day, thereafter, she was scheduled to act in a Tamil film, the scene was supposed to take place at the government guest house. The shot shows Kanaka coming to visit Mukesh and Jagadish who are staying in a room. “But the room we were supposed to shoot in, to ensure continuity with the earlier scenes, had been occupied by a judge,” says Siddique. “The manager immediately said he can provide another room, as he could not ask the judge to move. We were in a dilemma. And did not know what to do.”

Finally, production executive Babu Shahir got up the courage and approached the judge and told him about their predicament. “The judge immediately agreed to move,” says Siddique. “Members of our crew helped to take his luggage to another room. And we could do the shooting.”

Then two days before the release date, the wife of the noted writer Muttathu Varkey filed a stay order in a court in Kottayam stating that the story was plagiarised from a work written by her husband. Somehow, Siddique managed to get the stay vacated, and released the film on time.

As is now well known, 'Godfather' became a huge hit. And it set a unique record when it ran for 405 days in Sreekumar theatre at Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile the case went on for two years. “The lawyer made several attempts to reach a financial compromise, but I refused,” says Siddique. “I was determined to win, because it was a slur against my integrity.” In the end, the case was thrown out of court.

Asked about the success of 'Godfather', despite so many bad signs, the multi-hit director smiles, at his home in Kochi, and says, “The film industry has too many blind beliefs. If your mind is clean, if the road you take is straight, if you are truthful, and the script is great, then the film will do well.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram)

Members of the Kerala Urban Development Society offer their suggestions for the improvement of Kochi

Photo: (From left) Sooraj Sasikumar, Anup Joachim and Kenny P Joy. Pic by Ratheesh Sundaram

By Shevlin Sebastian

Anup Joachim can never forget the time when his late mother, Prof. Mercy Williams, the Mayor of Kochi (2005-10) had to go to Thiruvananthapuram to get around 25 signatures from various departments to make an official trip to Europe, which was being paid for by the hosts. The Chief Minister gave the final signature.

“To do something, you need permission from too many agencies,” says Anup, a Kochi-based patent lawyer. “When a project gets passed, it happens only in January or February, while the funds get lapsed at the end of March. The processes should be speeded up. Only one or two permissions should be needed, to avoid the enormous waste of time and energy.”

So, when Anup's US-based friend Abraham George Vatakencherry, a teacher, suggested that they start an organization to provide suggestions for urban development, the former did not hesitate. “Abraham is a city enthusiast,” he says. “He keeps track of all the developmental activities in Kochi. So we decided to do ahead.”

Abraham gives his own reasons. “The future of Kerala depends on how quickly our cities can adapt to meet the challenges of the globalized world,” he says. “Kochi is not only competing with other Indian metros in IT, biotechnology and tourism, but with major South Asian cities as well.”

So the Kerala Ubran Development Society (KUDS) was set up in 2009, with Anup as the Secretary. On February 12, in the presence of Mayor Soumini Jain, KUDS has started a Centre for Advanced Research in Urbanism.

“The strength of our team is that it is multi-disciplinary,” says Anup. “We have urban planners, lawyers, architects, businessmen and financial consultants.”

One of the key issues for the state, as well as Kochi, is the disposal of solid waste. So KUDS has come up with an application, ‘Ciolve’, a Mobile Redressal System. “Suppose, there is waste in your locality which has not been collected,” says architect Kenny P. Joy, a member of KUDS. “You can send photographic evidence, along with the location, to the Corporation and they will send somebody to collect it immediately.”

Of course, this depends on Corporation officials co-operating with KUDS. “There are competent people in the Corporation,” says Kenny. “But the system is bad, which is why they tend to become complacent. But change is coming to Kochi. The Metro rail, many new flyovers, as well as the Smart City will have a good impact. The Goshree Bridge has been made, while the Children's Park has been renovated. Soon, there will be a change in the mind-set, also.”

KUDS has teamed up with leading urban planners to give suggestions on setting up minor satellite hubs, as well as a walking plaza on MG Road. “Another aim is to make Kochi the state's first solar city,” says Sooraj Sasikumar, KUDS member. Initially, there are plans to set up solar lights, as well as toilets, at public places, including Subhash Chandra Bose Park, the Nehru Park, at Fort Kochi, the Jankar Jetty and the Fort Kochi beach.

There are ideas for an Aerotropolis (a development zone around the Kochi airport). This will be done in consultation with Dr. John D Kasarda, the pioneer of Aerotropolis projects across the globe.

What is heartening to see is the sincerity of the members. And unlike most middle-class people, who shy away from public involvement, they have stepped forward. “We felt that being involved is far better than just criticising from the sidelines,” says Anup.

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)

The Malayali author's novel, 'Yellow Lights Of Death', is a murder mystery, a far cry from his best-selling 'Goat Days'

Photos by Albin Mathew

By Shevlin Sebastian

In 1502, Andrew Pereira, his wife Catherina, and son Diego embarked from Portugal, in the company of the famed explorer Vasco Da Gama and reached Kozhikode. Thereafter, Pereira decided to settle down in Kochi.

Initially, the King of Cochin appointed Pereira as a treasurer and later, as the chief trainer of the Army. Following the death of Pereira on January 9, 1520, his son Diego was given the same positions. In 1545, the King made Diego a 'Madambi' (a local chieftain). And he was the only Christian among 71 Madambis.

The Andrappers [a corruption of Andrew Pereira] married Portuguese women, but in 1786 Kochandy Andrapper married a local woman called Anna. It was then that the integration of the family to Kerala became complete. Over the years, some members moved to Pondicherry, Diego Garcia and Africa.

In 2005, Benyamin read, with rising excitement, the family's history in a Malayalam magazine. This became the spark behind the novel 'Manjaveyil Maranangal' or 'Yellow Lights of Death', which has just been published in English by Penguin Books.

In the novel, Benyamin does a fictional exploration of the history of the family. He also writes about the history of Kerala in the past 500 years, including the life of Thoma of Villarvattom, the head of India's only Christian dynasty in Udayamperoor.

At the same time, the book is a murder mystery. A killing in a restaurant in Diego Garcia sets in motion a series of events that has the reader gripped. “I had deliberately written a thriller, because I did not want to repeat myself,” says Benyamin, at his home in Pathanamthitta. “In every book, you should try a new style, theme and story.”

Benyamin's earlier book, 'Goat Days' (‘Aadujeevitham’) had been a big bestseller. It tells the story of a shepherd who lives like a slave under a cruel landlord at a farm in a desert at Saudi Arabia. “'Goat Days' was liked by many ordinary people, because it is a simple book,” says Benyamin. “Anybody could understand it. But 'Yellow Lights' will not be accepted by all.”

Nevertheless, the book has done well. Publication Manager AV Sreekumar of DC Books, one of Kerala's leading publishers, says, “The Malayalam version has already crossed 50,000 in sales. We are very happy.”

Interestingly, Benyamin says that the Malayalam edition has got a new readership. “The young generation has embraced this novel,” he says. “One reason is that I have written about social networks and other contemporary subjects.”

One great attraction about 'Yellow Lights', ably translated by media person Sajeev Kumarapuram, is the clear and lucid writing. Benyamin says that it is a deliberate decision. “This is the only way to lure people, who are hooked onto the visual media, to start reading,” he says. “The era of literary gimmicks is over. We have to attract a reader within the first five pages, otherwise we will lose him or her forever.”

Benyamin would feel the loss of readers since he is a full-time writer. Two years ago, he gave up a job in Bahrain, after working there for twenty years, and returned to Kerala.

Asked about his current life, Benyamin says, “It is much more pleasant being a full-time writer. For one I can devote more time to literature. Secondly, it has become easy for me to travel, as I am not working for anybody. I am able to attend a lot of literary meets in Kerala, and abroad.”

In November, last year, Benyamin went to attend the annual conference of the Literary Association of North America in New York. “The drawback is that there are a lot of literary meets which take place, and it is difficult to say no,” he says. “But truly the writer should be always at his desk writing.”

Today, Benyamin is doing research for a historical novel which will be set in Central Travancore, from the 1970s to the 90s. “For me, research is a basic tool of writing,” he says. “It is necessary to have historical supports for a novel.”

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

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When Usha Uthup Danced with Kalpana

Making a Mark…Yet Again

Many Firsts To Her Credit

India’s First Blade Runner

Ebony and Ivory

On The Run

Falling From A Branch

Behind The Scenes

Working during an Avalanche

The New Raja On The Block

Holding a Torch to a Great Man

It’s Not All In The Family

The Fascinating World of Ants

A Wall Collapse Triggers Panic Scenes

Reaching Out To A Global Audience

Going On And On... Brilliantly

When Everybody Said It Was Bad Luck

Ways And Means To Get Better

The Lights of Benyamin