One of the most surprising roles Deven Verma did was that of a domineering husband in Gulzar’s Mere Apne. He makes a brief appearance as Meena Kumari’s memory of a man who she feared as much as she loved. Feared because he was unpredictable and almost cruel. And loved because he could give his life for others. There […]
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Month: December 2014
Intimations Of Mortality
Atul Gawande`s Being Mortal (Penguin Books) cuts rather too close to the family bone, so an impersonal review is difficult. To rage or not to rage against the dying light? That is what the author asks in this book. Dr Gawande, author of a set of very thought-provoking books like Complications, Better and The Checklist Manifesto, tackles […]
Secrets of the River
A thick green forest, vast grassy stretches, and a river running through the undulating landscape. And to think all this is a mere 100 km away from Bengaluru Cross Kanakapura, and you will get to see hamlets of about 30-40 families punctuating the forest. As we go past Sathanur and take the Muthathi road (which […]
Charles Correa: The Wagner Of Architecture
It’s architect, planner, activist and theoretician Charles Correa himself on the stage of the JN Tata Auditorium in Bengaluru and what he once said about Corbusier’s architecture in Chandigarh, comes to mind, “Corbusier has sought to create an architecture of passion. No sotto-voce, no politeness but like Wagner-thunder in the concert hall.” * Correa’s voice is weak and broken but […]
Kamla Bhasin: ‘Rapists Are Made..Not Born’
On November 19, Men’s Day was celebrated across the world and promotional videos by consumer companies tried to remind us of the men we could always count on in our lives.Coincidentally, in the season finale of Satyamev Jayate, various participants debated the meaning of a ‘good man’ and how misunderstood the idea of masculinity was in […]
Talat Aziz: 34 Years Of Timelessness
Sometime in 2008, Talat Aziz was singing at a concert when the audience began to request a Mehdi Hassan ghazal. Hassan was grievously sick back home in Pakistan but on an impulse, Aziz called him from the stage and put the conversation on speaker mode so that the ailing maestro could hear chants of, […]
Gliding through the skies in Bir-Billing
Bir-Billing, located in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, is an adventure destination for paragliding. Bir-Billing is roughly a 2-3 hours drive from Mcleodganj – another tourist destination also famous for housing the monastery where His Holiness, The Dalai Lama resides. Bir-Billing is a well known destination among paragliders the world over and it also hosts […]
Phil Hughes: Gone Too Soon
The unfortunate death of Phillip Hughes, who was hit by a bouncer while playing a domestic match, has understandably brought an outpouring of emotion and grief. Players across the world, cricket administrators, media, fans and the sporting fraternity have condoled the sad demise of the young player. He was in all likelihood, poised to replace […]