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EDITORIAL

INDIAN LINK PUBLISHE:R Pawan Luthra

Victoria steals the limelight

E:DITOR Rajni Anand Luthra ASSISTANT E:DITOR Lena Peacock, Sheryl Dixit ME:LBOURNE: COOORDINATOR Preeti Jabbal CONTRIBUTORS Grahak Cunningham, Vishma Mistry, Usha Ramanujam Arvind, Jyoti Shankar, Sukrit Sabhlok, Avi Chandiok, Roanna Gonsalve, Chitra Sudarshan, Minnal Khona, Dhanya Samuel, Nancy Jade Althea, Sanam Sharma ADVE:RTISING MANAGE:R Vivek Trivedi 02 92621766

ADVE:RTISING ASSISTANT Nitika Sondhi 02 9279 2004

DE:SIGN Danielle Cairis

PROUD MEMBER OF:

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Indian Link is a monthly newspaper published in tnglish. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to Indian Link Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 or GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001

Ph: 02 9279-2004 Fax: 02 9279-2005 E:mail: info@indianlink.com.au

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ollywood is an integral part of the Indian DNA: lndians carry tbis 'gene' with them ro whichever part of the world they travel, and th.is is passed down from one generation to another.

A great leve!Je.r, Bo!Jywood brings cogether people not only of different age groups, but also of different linguistic, social, cultural and educational backgrounds.

Melbourne's Indian commnuity is set ro bring in a ceiebration of a!J things Bollywood shortly. The state of Vicroria has managed co win the hearts of the local Indian community through their support of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. No ocher state has offered such support to their Indian co mmunity.

Only in its du.rd year so far, the Film Festival has grown in stature by leaps and bounds. Tc has become one of the most anticipated events in the social calendar of Victoria's Indian community. For this, credit needs ro go botb to the politicians wid1 a vision as

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well as to its contractual company, Mind Blowing Films.

As head of Mind Blowing Films, Mini Bhownuck Lange has constantly delivered ro the state o f Victoria on this venrnre. The festival bas been able co bring in India's lead acrors to Melbourne on a regular basis.

A-list names such as Rani Mukherjee, Vidya Balan, Shahid Kapoor, Prii1aoka Chopra, Malaika Arora Khan etc. have trekked down under to link both the state of Victoria and L1dia through Bollywood.

Quality events such as d1e diru1er at the residence of one of Austrnlia's most prestigious families the Pratts, the interaction and involvement of high society witl1 Bollywood, and the public events sucb as the dance competitions, short film contests and master classes with film-makers have brougbt in the masses not only from within the community bu t from d1e mainstream as well.

Like with most other endeavours, d1ere has been some debate of the value and people behind this veomre (che no-show of the iconic scar Amicabh Bachchan at last year's event was one such controversy). However, the success of rhe past IFFM functions have vindicated the confidence whicb the

Victorian government has placed in Miru Bhowmick Lange and her Mind Blowing Films. While most detractors have had vested interests in grabbing a headline, it seems d1at no one has yet been able to share ilieir vision of how an alternative can be established. Till another formula is found, one which is working ought to be appreciated.

This brings us to an interesting observation about Indian links in Victoria. What Victoria has done well, with t he efforts of well-meaning indi\7 iduals, is to blo ck at least two hig h profile events in the calendars of d1e local Indian community. The Victorian Festival of Lighrs at Federation Square (with its team headed by d1e dynamic and visionary ArLu1 Sharma) and the Indian Film Festival of l'v[elboutne executed by Mim Bhownuck Lange have established a new quorum on successfuI public events in the Indian communiry in Australia. The wider lndian communiry in Australia needs to appreciate these offerings and emulate them.

Of course, i f Victoria ever tires of these co rnmuniry endeavours, other states (especially NSW which is sadly bereft of anything subsrnntial Bollywood-based), could grab these great o pporcmuties co engage with local Indians who are bonded by all things Bollywood.

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COMMUNITYSCENE

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Bronze memorial 'World Peace Dreamer' is serenaded with Sri Chinmoy's own uplifting musical compositions musical offering of Sri Chirunoy's peaceful and uplifting compositions performed by local and interstate singers and musicians was offered at the '\Vorld Peace Dreamer' srame in the scented gardens of Sir James Jl,fachell Park in South Perth on Saturday March 15.

The statue depicts Indian born Sri Ch.imnoy (1931-2007) in a meditative pose and honours his efforts co foster global peace. ''Peace means a flood of love in the world family:' he said. "Sci Chinmoy was most well known as an artist, musician, spiritual master and for offering meditations at the UN headquarters in New York for over 35 years to the s taff and delegates".

The pet:formances were part of a celebration o f the third anniversary of the sran1es inauguration and to honour Sri Chinmoy who arrived in the West from his homeland 50 years ago. The free event was attended

by South Perth Mayor Sue Doherty.

"We are very, very luck y co have tbis sratue here in South Perth overlooking the city," Doherty commented. " I often come and pass by here; it is a special place".

The bronze statue which stands J. 9m high, was sculpted by UK artist Kaivalya Tocpy. The.r e are '\~orld Peace Dreamer' statues in Malta, Czech Republic, Goa, Bali and over a dozen other locations around the world.

Perth spokesperson from the Sci Chinrnoy Centre in Perth, Prabuddba Nicol, who organised the event, said the statue aims co help spread the idea of Sci Chirunoy's message of peace. "[f

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people can come to these public gardens and reflect o n the idea of peace in themselves then it can_ spread to the world at large".

Other free events in Australia this year celebrating Sri Chinrnoy's arrival in the west include a

touring art exhibition of his original bird drawings and 50 free medicatio n classes to the public in various locations througho ut our major cities.

Grahak Cunningham

APRIL 2014 5

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APRIL 2014 7

COVERSTORY

r Guests enjoy a Bollywood-themed party to celebrate the launch of IFFM2014

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histoncal Raheen Mansion in Kew in Melbourne is about the whole experience. The Italianate style, heritage-listed building that belongs to billionaires Jean and A nthony Pratt, has a wealth of character. From the imposing gates and lush manicured lawns through to the ritzy decor and tastefuUy done interior, the mansion bas been the venue o f choice for many of :tvfelbourne's high society parries.

It was the perfect location to host a BoUywood themed parry to celebrate the launch of the 2014 program of the Indian Film Fesrival in Melbourne (IFFM).

Louise Asher, Minister for Innovario n, l\lliuister for Tourism and Major E~,ents, and l\{inister for Employment and Trade attended the dinner event in a beaurifully handcrafted smi presented to her by festival director "tvliru Bhowmick Lange. Many other guests also made an efforr to sport fodian Bollywood style dothiug and looked magnificent, thanks to all the colours and bling. Former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu cut an imposing figure in his orange gold siU, k11rta teamed up unusually with a natty tie.

Orange was also the d10ice for V idya Balan, BoUywood 's reigning actress, who was the guest of honour at the event. The rest of the invitees comprised of a select group of festival sponsors, supporters, organisers aud media representatives.

Ms Bhowm.ick Lange invited V idya Balan, braud ambassador of the festival to join her on stage ro announce the program. Gracious as ever, Ms Balan thanked the hosts for their hospitality and complimeuted Minister Asher and other guests oo their Indian attire, particuhdy Ted Baillieu who she claimed could be 'the Arnitabh Bachchan of Melbourne'. ''Amitabh Bachcl1an will be here in :Melbourne soon, perhaps we could make both o f you stand together to see who is taller", she said with characteristic chutzpah.

8 APRIL 2014

i\lfs Balan continued to share the various highlights that festival attendees could look forward to, including details of the inaugural awards presentation scheduled to be held in May. She claimed that she had a love affair with Melbourne that made her want to come back to visit this 'wonderful city full of warm people' again and again.

The entertainment for the night was in the form of some beautifully rendered songs by Australian actor Simon Gleason and bis wife actress atalic O'Donnell.

John Molloy, festival co-director,

officially thanked the guests for their contribution towards making this festival happen. \l{lhile listing the main sponsors. John also took the opportunity to thank Visy and rl1e Prates for their generosity in hosting this event. He then went on to acknowledge all the lndian commilllity .leaders and the media sponsors for their ongoing support in promoting the festival.

According to Job □, one of the great things about this festival is that both sides of rl1e politics come to enjoy and celebrate the festival together with everyone.

As the executive chairman of Visy, o ne of Australia's largest privately owned companies,

Anthony Pratt is an avid supporter of the festival and is also on the advisory board along with M iss Manika Jain, Consul General of India in Melbourne. The festival advisory board also boasts names like Ronnie Screwala, founder of UTV group; Vikramjit Roy head of publicity at Sony Pictures E ntertainment, lndi.a; actress Simi Garewal; aud Pamela Chopra, wife of iconic lilrn maker the late Yash Chopra. With over 40 fi lms on offer, several renowned festival guests iocludiog legendary actor Amitabh Bad1chan, an accomplished jury and many festival favourites on offer, this year's IFF.l'-.f promises to be quire an exciting event. See you there!

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Big B to open IFFM 2014 Moviegoers and aspiring filmmakers will enjoy a range ofcinematic treats and activities during the film festival he lndian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is not only Vidya Balan's favourite event (as she herself ad.mies), over che last three years it has created much interest in the co1nmunicy as it has continued to evolve and grow. The latest announcemenr of Amirabh Bachchan's participation has offered another new dimension to d1is festival that is likely to attract lovers of Indian cinema like never before. According to Nlinister Louise Asher, "Victorians and all visitors to Melbourne are in for a treat of Indian films this year. We have a stellar international guest list starring Bollywood screen legend Amirabh Bachd1an who will open the festival on May 1. It \\,ill be an honour tO ha,, e Amitabh Bachchan here, just a year after he opened the Cannes Film Festival with his The Great Gatsby co-scar Leonardo DiCaprio".

After the disappointment of lase year where Amitabh Bachd1an did not attend the festival despite being announced as a guest, the news of his expected arrival this year was received with predictable speculation. "Yes, Big B is definitely coining to the Festival in Melbourne," confirmed a beaming V idya Balan, speal~ing at

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the formal launch of the festival recently. Vidya ,vas in Melbourne at the IFFM, as the festival's brand ambassador. "He could not say 'no' to me as l p layed his mom in a film called Pa," she added jokingly.

"We now have confirmation from i\fr Bachchan's office," assured Mitu Bhowmick Lange, the festival's director. " Having Vidya as our brand an1bassador has opened doors for us and her name and association with our festival makes it easier for us to gain access and get support," she added, whilst introducing the 2014 festival program.

Vidya was at her charming, effervescent best at the morning tea and subsequent press launch chat was held ar the A l Z Investment Centre. The meclia seemed parti.cularly interested in her marriage and pregnancy as most of the questions at the press launch bordered around her latest fihn Shadi ke Side tjfects, or sought to m ake comparisons with her marriage to UTV head honcho Siddharth Roy Kapoor (Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company India). Media savvy Vidya took all the questions in her sa·ide and answered chem with re.markable ease and qnick wit.

"No, I am not pregnant,"

emphasised Vidya for the record adding, "lam planning o n a two month break mainly co rejuvenate before 1 start promoting my next movie, Bobby Jasoos''. In response to how realistic she found Shadi ke Side Effects as a story and how she managed both her career and marriage Vi.dya said, "The movie Shadi Ke Side Effects seems to have found resonance with most people, even though I did not find any parallels in ilie story wirh my own marriage". Vidya claimed to be equally passionate about her work and her reL'ltionship with her husband SRK. "\Ve lead very hectic lives so there is joy in doing little things with each od1er and in sharing things Like travelling and reading, among others.

So I feel tl1ar we are stiU in the honeymoon phase of our relationship even though it has been over a year since we got married," said Vid jra.

Extending a warm welcome co those present at tbe press launch Vidya said, "Every year at the festival we like co push ilie envelope further and tbi.s year we intend ro ho.tel an awards ceremony where we would like to acknowledge the special work of Indian filtn makers and Indian talenL On May 2 we will be holding a special awards ceremony at the Princess Theaue here and

you will be able to see many people from Indian cinema whose work you have enjoyed over the years". Vidya comi.nued tO express bet pleasure ac being invited to be the brand ambassador of the IFFM tl1ree years in a ro", "Melbourne has always been wonderful co me and 1 feel very much at home when I visit here for the festival every year. I am hoping to come bac.k ,vitb my husband soon, as I am sure he will also enjoy visiting the city as much as I do," she said.

Following Vidya's bt:ief address, the official program of tbe IFFM 2014 was distributed amongst those present. The program promises an exciting range of activities and events between .May 1- 1J that will celebrate the cliversicy and vibrancy of Indian cinema. This year's program includes festival favourites like the Western llnion Shore Film Competition, Bollyw-ood Dance Competition to be judged by 1falaika Arora Khan, masterclasses ·with renowned Indian artists and a new section called New Voices that will feamre si.."< films from first tin1e filmmakers in l ndia. "The Victorian Governmenr has funded and supported the IFFM as it wishes to engage witl1 India at a cultural level, besides being friends in

terms of trad e and investment," said Minister Asher. "Tb.is understanding and appreciation of Indian culture will benefit the relationship between our two countries," she added.

Preeti Jabbal

APRIL 2014 9

COVERSTORY

All you need is merit. ..

IFFM Brand Ambassador Vidya Ba/an chats exclusively with Indian Link

stringent law enforcement Fo.r women to feel safe in general, tl1ese two need to be ou.r main focus.

ndian cinema's most awarded actress Vidya Balan was in cown recently to latmch the lndian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFF.M) 2014.

'Vidya has made a stellar career and carved an enviable niche for herself _in tl1e Indian film industry.Just before returning to India co receive the prestigious Padmashri award, India's highest civilian honour on March 31, Vidya spoke to Indian Li11k in an exclusive intervie,v.

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Preeti Jabbal (PJ): This is your foutth trip to Melbourne and the third as Brand Ambassador of IFFM. What has been different this time?

Vidya Balan (VB): (Laughing) This year has been m y shortest trip co Jl,'1elbourne and mat'.5 different! But the main difference tl1is year is that we are introducing competitive awards at the IF™, and we have a fabulous jury who will decide on the winners.

Wim each year we try to add a ne\v layer, and we are very excited about these upcoming awards. Overall me IFFM will showcase about 40 films in 20 different languages, there will be some fabulous master classes, a short lilm competition and a Bollywood dance competition.

T he Festival will host some very importam guests like Amirnbh Bachchan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, and SL1basini Maniracnam, among others. The IFFM 2014 promises to be full o f exciting activities and events.

PJ: There is a lot of excitement in India as many actresses have joined the election fray like Kira.a Kher, Rakhi Sawant, Gui Panag, a mong others. What

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PJ: There have been sonu: recent con tcoversial issues on the 'No Pregnancy Clause' in the lnclian film industry. How do you feel about signing this clause?

VB1 I don't have a problem with it.

PJ: Don't you think this is an infringement on women's rights?

VB: 1 think it's unfair if you are in the middle o f a film tl1at does not require you co play a pregnant character, and if 5rou get pregnant, it staHs the project. It's about commitment and l do not see how it is an infringement on women's rigb ts. \XTe a.re new age women and we lead our lives the way we want to, we are unapologetically professional. so l do not see any harm in signi ng a clause, if required.

You need to plan rou life accordingly. In any case I do not want to be working when Tam pregnant as I am sure I would want co take it easy. Most women like to be pampered at that time.

is your opinion on the coexistence of films and politics in India?

YD: I tl1ink people leverage meir stardom by entering poli tics, but 1 am not abom to join the fray. I believe that if there is ever going to be a time when 1 am ready to do more for tlie country than myself, that is when l may emer politics; however, currently I do not

have a political beur of mind at all. M y contribution will be that of an average citizen as I am hoping to cast my vote and help elect me right representatives, and hopefully have some good leadership in tl1e counrcy.

PJ: In .r ecent times lnclia has earned a bad name in Australia

on the issue of women safety, do you think this situation will 1ntprove? \'B: Yes, mere have been lots of unfortunate incidents of violence against women and rapes in India, however it's not something tliat will change overnight; we will req Lute attitudinal changes and more

PJ: Traditionally in the Inclian film industry once an actress marries, she tends to get insignificant roles or she simply fades away. Has your experience been any cliffereat?

VB: By God's grace I have even beccer opportunities than I had before Igor married. I am tnvolved in some ,,ery exciting projects and have a lot co look forward co. l'vfy marriage has 11or changed anythi ng for me. I am sute of my relationship with films, and people are sure of my commitment to films. I feel things are changing ra~idly and tliankfolly within tlie i ndustry, but I can only speak for myself, not for otl.1ers. Being an actor is a

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non-negotiable part of me even if 1 was to take a break, and no matter what happens, I will always be passionate about acting.

PJ: Melbourne girl P a llavi Sharda has done well in Indian films with out a godfa ther, similar to you . Can other peop le also be assured that they too c an be successful b a sed on merit in this ind ustry?

VB: Abso1utel)7 ! l was forn1.nate ro have God, my parents and my family who have always supported me. Merit is the one and o n ly thing that goes a long

way cowards being successful. I strongly believe that merit is nonnegotiable. That's the only thing chat takes you far. For example, belonging co a star family can give you the initial opportunities, but beyond that you have to prove yorn own credentials. 1 am Jiving proof of the fact that aU you need is merit.

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Vidya With Ind,'1 L Counsu/ Genera/Monika J . . m·1tu Bhowmikan ange and Minister Lo . a,n, festival director u1seAsher

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APRIL 2014 11

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HEALTH

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eev1 s o e 1e Awareness of this neurological disorder is still relatively unknown, despite a growing number of sufferers

s [ began to th.ink about ways ro fundraise and build awareness for a very important cause in March, l recal.led memories of how that one thing changed the story of my life and to this day, still plays on my rnind. This thing is called epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a neurological diso.rder of the brain funccion and rnkes the form of convulsive and non-convulsive seizures. A person diagnosed with epilepsy suffers from reoccurring seizures, for which no specific cure has yet been fowid. In fact, .it is a family of different seizure types. It is like the unwelcome guest that n u:ns up unannounced at any time in a person's life. It doesn't look at age, gender o r lifestyle. Nothing can prevent it from coming into a person's life, and nor can they be warned. And just like that, it came. into our lives - unwelcome and unexpected. Not once, but twice.

At barely nine years, the word 'epilepsy' had no meaning to me; I had no understanding of what it was. AH I knew was my mum carried a little gold cylinder keychain, which had the green

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14 APRIL 2014

first-aid cross primed on it, witliin which was a scroll of paper which read: 'I am Epileptic'. l encountered what epilepsy was for the first rime at home one afternoon; having returned early from school, my sister, who was probably only four or five at the rime, and myself were watching Neighho11n; while mum was vacuuming. Then the next minute she was oo the floor, she had had a seizure. My dad had cold me what ro do if this were to ever happen, but at that age how ,vas 1 to know the seriousness of \vhat he had said?

Too frightened to climb over her and call the ambuJance as I had been told, 1 remember switching off and unplugging die Hoover, taking her keys and telling my sister to stand at the front door as I wenr ro shop next door to ask for hdp.

Can you imagine how fcighteoiog it must be for a young child to see such a thing happen (0 their parent?

Even to this day tlie visual of my mother lying on the floor, blood coming om the side of her mouth, caused from having severely bitten her rongue, with her eyes rolled to the back of her bead, as her body stiffened and shook as the seizure took control are srili freshly etched in my memory.

In the end, epilepsy took her life and she was only 36. She left behind three children, the )'oungest, my brother - had only just turned two.

Epilepsy soon returned to our

lives, and this time it was my younger sister, who was barely 10. This time epilepsy showed us how much power it had to change a person's life, and nor just by destroying them. My sisrer suffered from seizures almost every six months, and as the years went by, it took over her life, rnking away everything she bad.

She was oo longer the cheeky, highly organised young girl who used to make sure 1 had her clothes ready for tlie next clay, and wouJdn't let me sleep lltltil I did. She was no longer the girl that used ro call me 'Vish-a-n' instead of 'Vishmaben'.

Her health had deteriorated, the seizures had affected her so much so chat she was no longer able to speak, walk, eat, see - in simple words she was unable to do anything! She too was rnken away from us, at only 16.

Epilepsy doesn't only affect the person suffering from the condition, but also the famil)' and friends of that person. It changes everyone's life, just as cancer does.

No matter how long ago d1ings happen in our life, no matter how old we were, and no matter bow much we try to move on, there are certain snippets from our lives that leave their mark in our memories and bit by bit are pieced together, almost like making a short film a memoir of The life o/ ..

Even today, visuals from the past play o n my mind, raising wiwanted questions such as, am I next? What

if it does happen to me? Is it passed on through generics? And is there a possibility of it being passed onto my children?

But greater tl1an this, the one person who's life it changed, the one person that struggled and suffered but never complained, never gave up and still stood by and supported his family with strength, smiles and positivity - my father. A man that spent his nights in the hospital, and ·12-hour days at work. A man who was not only a fadier, but also became a mother.

A man who became a best friend to his daughter, something a sister would normally be, and yet he never complained.

Epilepsy is a life-changing disorder for everyone involved and not only die person directly affected by it. Here are a few facts chat everyone should be aware o f: • Epilepsy is the wodd's most common serious brain disorder.

• There are more people with epilepsy in the world tl1an there are with cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease and motor neurone d isease combined.

• Anyone at anytime can be diagnosed with epilepsy.

• One in 10 people will have a seizure in their Ii fetime.

• 70% of people have their seizures well controlled by medicacion, however, for otliers it may have severely disabling consequences.

• People living with uncontrolled

epilepsy may suffer from wide ranging physical, psychological and social issues; including disadvantages in obtaining an education/ employment and social isolation, to name a few.

• J\ccording to the Wodd Healtl1 Orgaoisarioo it is probably the most universally neglected condition, clue to lack of resources, social stigma and a low profile.

There are many, many more facts about epilepsy; however chis is tlie most important one: according to a number of researches, 'there are just as many, if not more, deaths from epilepsy than there are from breast cancer'. And yet epilepsy is underfunded and there are minimal efforts put into raising awarene,~s of this serious d isorder.

If breast cancer can be given so much. time, research, attention and funding, why can'r the sanie be given to epilepsy? Wby aren't more efforts being made to better and save the lives of those suffering from epilepsy?

Time and money should be invested into research of its cause, and in raising awareness of this condicion. \VJe can make a difference and help individuals and families suffering from epilepsy by supporting and donating to charities such as Epilepsy Australia, and fundraising on Internacional Epilepsy Awareness Day, celebrated on !vbrch 26 annually, by simply wearing purple.

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APRIL 2014 15

SPECIALREPORT

Forging a new identity for the relatively unknown Chinese Indian community has been an award-winning venture 'II

All photos are from Kevin Bathman's The Chindian Diaries

hen former advertising professional turned social emrepreneur Kevin Bathman hunched The Ch11l{/ia11 Diaries, it was primarily to trace his roots and explore h is true identity. Yet, today i[ has not onJy become a much-needed forum for Chindians worldwide, but also a compendium of ethnological e"--periences of this community.

Most of us are familiar with coinages like Indo-China, SinoIndian and Indian-Chinese, but what is Chindian? The term is relatively new and loosely refers to families of mixed ethnicity who trace their an cestry to both China and India.

1n die South East Asian melting pots of Singapore and Malaysia, the experience of growing up biracial is no[ uncommon, particularly in the last five decades.

The experience however, has not been an easy one. Statistics tell us that up to 2% of Malaysians and Singaporeans ate Chindians.

However, the Chindian

16 APRIL 2014

descendants are even m this day recognised in official records only by d1eir paternal lineage.

Raised in Kuala Lumpur, Ch.indian Australian Badunan was born into one such family.

Back in die mono-racial era when marrying outside the caste, Jet alone conm1Lu1iry, was still taboo, his paternal grandfather, an Indian-Tamil from rural Thanjavur, fell in love wirll and married a Ch.inese-N yonya. \Xlhat followed was a difficult journey of cross-culmral integration and an even more painful search for personal identi ty.

It is this ethnological journey mat The Chi11diat1 Dia1ies so poignantly traces. \'Vhat scarted out as a Facebook page, e.xploring the many culmral strands of Batbman's extended family, eventually reached out to Chindians all over me world.

A " deeply personal side project" as Bad1111an calls it, the diaries were the direct outcome of a weekend workshop with Performance 4A. "The purpose of the workshop was co delve into our stories, and it was bere chat I began the journey of discovering my own ancestry", Bathman mid Jndirm Link. ''When 1 was growing up, my dad often told us many stories of m y grandparents' struggles in coming

cogetlier", he explained. ''My grand father was nicknan1ed 'Hak KJ/(11' or 'Black Devil', and my grandmother was eventually disowned when they married.

M y Granclmodicr Ang embraced ber husband's cnlmre by learning how to speak Tanill and cooking Indian cuisine. She mastered ir so well that she began cooking for her Indian neighbours. She even adopted an Indian name, Jeyah Ang. M y dad used to say he liked to see the puzzled look on people's faces when they saw a Chinese woman speaking Auently in Tamil. Because of tl1e challenges wim their own ml.ion, my paternal grandparents were open-minded and liberal in raising rneir children".

A very private person, sharing .inti.mace derails of bis fan1ily life was nor somed1ing Bamman bad originally intended to do. But the photos obviously stirred deep sentiments and brought back vivid memories of an era of innocence, wbere simple things meant a lot. ''ReAecting on my own iden tity crises and cuJmra.l confusion when I was younger, I decided to embrace m y mixed heritage and decided to [ell the world about it; by rllis I hope d1at it may help anomer young person wbo may be confused about meir identity", he added.

In weaving his pictorial, Bachman has chosen to paint ilie hards11ip as well me beautiful aspects of belonging to the Chindian cuJrrn:e. "I mink people resonate with d1e brutal honesty depicted in me stories and die photos", he added.

Growing well beyond mose small origins, The Chi11di,111 Dimies has evolved into an arts and community project char documents the stories of individuals and couples who identify themselves as Cl1india.ns. ''The ma.in intention is to collect stories and photos d1at showcase a subculture mat is often overlooked and rarely ever written about", he revealecL By capturing these stories and photos, The Chi11dio11 Diaries hopes to act as a resource for future generations, and ensure they are never forgotten. The scories typically range from identity crises, cultural clashes, struggles and m isunderstandings, to stories of Jove and acceptance. "From my own observations, most Chi.ndians experience an identi ty crisis in tl1eir lives as they have co straddle between the two distinctly different cultures • Chinese and Indian", Badunan believe!"..

And by sharing stories, he hopes there will be less isolation and prejudice from other people

on mixed children. "T l1is in turn helps young Chi.ndian children to have a sense of belonging and forms a unique identity, char it is okay to have pa.rents from a diverse background", he states.

An advocate of multicultural parrnerships, Bad1man staunchly believes rllat interracial marriages ate a solurion to end racism.

According to Batlunan, most C11indians lean towards che Indian culture, because there were 1nore Indian men marrying Chinese women in me 30s till the 90s.

"For families with an Indian father, it was common to see d1e dlildren follow the more dominant paternal culture", h e explained. ''In terms of d1e look, some Cl1indians look Malay, but some may look more Chinese or Indian.

1 have been told by Chindians in omer parts of the world mac tl1ey ate often mistaken as Spanish, i\liexica.n, Latin American and

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Bachman single- handedly.

"It's always a juggling act co keep the project alive, whilst working on your day job. It has consumed most of my free ti.me", he admits frankly. "But I really do enjoy seeing chose phocos and helping others write their own stories. lt's a privilege to be able to listen and write d1e ir stories. I do have a very encomaging Chind ian community. When I embarked on this

even Polynesian", he added.

Bathman's novel social initiative has gathered a lot of momentum, attracting wide-ranging publicity in A L1stralia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The Chindi,m Diaries was a finalist at the prestigious 2014 NSW Premier's Multicultural Media Awards.

"The vision is to someday mm it into a performative piece, docw11entary or videos to put d1e stories out there", Bachman stared.

The Chindiall Diaries interestingly is a one-man show, with everything from submissions, tech s upporr, finance and publicity managed by

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project, I never realised chat I would be meeting other Chlndians li.ke m yself, let alone helping them co write their stories. In a way, getting to my own story was the hardest, but the most rewarding part", he admitted.

The enterprising Bathman has also forayed into communication strategies for social, humanitarian, culniral and environmental cause.5, through yet anorher initiative Cnalition of Nlischief.

A snapshot of comments from the initiative's Facebook page (facebook.corn/ TheChindianD airics): "So grateful for this project and love seeing pictures and reading people's stories! My husband (parent$ from Hong Kong) and I (parents from Chennai) we.re married five years ago and have two little Cbindians of out own. I'm so happy to have this page to show my girls that there are

ocher little girls and boys o m there just like them! Thank you!" Divya Balachandar Wong. "l loved looking at iliese picmre.s. They are joyous, playful, tender and evocative. And sometin1es very stylish! Can't get enough o f cbe large shades, svelte saree,, cool hairdo's, beU-botroms and pleated pants," Sandepp Ray. "l truly miss everything which existed from that era.

The warm th, simplicity and ilie ability of nor being too conscious when posing for pictures, are quire rare nowadays," Raji Shurunu.

"This is the most unusual Facebook (page) I have found. So poignant and reminiscent.

1 an1 rea1Jy moved by ir. Thanks so much for sharing," Rushda Rajak. " Love how two cultures can blend so beautifully. I t felt like one huge celebration. I wish much blessings and love to the couple and tl1eir families," Jacqueline Tegjeu.

APRIL 2014 17

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INDIAN NEWS

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Straight from Melbourne to the Rashtrapati Bhavan: Actress Vidya Ba/an receives the prestigious Pad ma Shri award, one of India's highest civilian honours, from the President oflndia Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on March 31, 2014.

'Unrecognised' poll debut by motley group A former senior Maharashtra cop, a breakaway member of the AAP and an activist working among Sikkimese people - these are among the 24 people who have formed new political oudits that will make their elecroral debut, albeit as '\mrecognised parties", in the coming elections.

The 24 political parties, \Vith names as diverse as Hurn Sabki Parry, Rashttiya Vikalp Party, Apna Dal Uni ted Parry, Ex-Sainik Vikas Parry, Awa.mi Vikas Parry and eveo Free Thought Party, have been registered as U nrecognised Parties by the Election Commission for the April 7-May 12 L~1k Sabha polls.

With electoral promises ranging fro m introducing digital currency to tackling corruption, and working for tbe downtrodden to increasing participatio n of people in law making and administration processes, these new outfits have begun campaigning among voters across the country.

A leading news agency ttied co track these " new" political outfits - with many no t even having websites - and was able co trace three.

The Awami Vikas Party was formed last year by Shamsher Wazir Khan, a former t-.lfaharashtra assistant commissioner of police. " ln order to work for uplift of tbe downtrodden sections of society, there is no other option but to enter the poll fray," Khan said in a phone interview from Mumbai. The Mumbai-based parry is contesting for 22 Lok Sabha sears in Maharashtra and one in Uttar Pradesh.

He said that though 85 percent of the people in the country come from the Scheduled Castes and backward classes, they are always kept away from the mainstream o f society.

"So what if our party is ne\v? The party's ideology and our work an1ong the people will help us win seats," said Khan, adding that he formed the political ourfo co work for downtrodden sections of society, especially the mino rity communities, ro bcing them imo the mainstrean1.

18 APRIL 2014

Llke his part}; there are a staggering 1,617 unrecognised outfits in the country so far waiting co get the poll panel's nod.

At the moment, there are six national parties and 47 state parties.

According to a senior official of the Election Commission, "Registered uurecognised policical parcies are th e ones who neither come under stare-based, nor national parties. Therefore, tbey are nor even eligible for a permanent party symbol during the elections".

U nder the rules, these parties w ill be allotted symbols from a list of 87 'free symbols' only when they fulfil the criteria of contesting 10 percent of rbe total seats in a st,'lte o r the country.

Added the Election Commission official: "If they win the Lok Sabha elections, d1ey will represent their party in tl1e parliament.

But tl,e parry will not be acknowledged as state-based or national".

They will then need to be engaged in political activities for a continuous period of five years, and bag six percent o f tl1e valid votes polled, with at least rbree members elected to a legislative a-ssembly and one to the Lo k Sabha to get recognition from tl1e poll panel.

Once recognised, the parties are eligible for allo 1ment of permanent symbols.

Tbe only Delhi-based party to be registered among the 24 new outfits is the Garib Aadmi Party (GAP / Poor Man's Party), wbicl1 has fielded 50 candidates across rbe cow1try.

The parry was formed rwo momhs ago by Shyam Bharti, a former Aam Aadm.i Party (AAP) member. Among his poll promises, Bharti has proposed replacing paper currency with digital currency to "abolish corruption" and provirling ration cards and Aadhar cards to every poor individual in the coumry.

"Formation of Garib Aadmi Party was necessary as AAP, which initially clain1ed to work for poor people, has deviated from its objectives," said Bharti, who is to file his nomination from Varanasi - from where BJP prime ministerial caudidate arendra Modi is contesting.

A Hyderabad-based omfil, Mahajan Socialist Party, is focusing on ''injustice" to tbe Dalir Christians io southern India and is rargetcing its campaign among chem. ln eastern India, the Sikkim Liberation Party (SLP) is campaigning among the "original" Sikkimese communities in tl1e northeastern state in a bid to include tl1em in tbe development process.

"None of the political parties fighting in tbe elections are serious abom resolving the imporraor .issues relating co the development of Sikkim," said SLP president Duknath Nepal over the phone from Gangtok. " Our party's aim is co develop Sikkim, and tl1e people of Sikk..in1 understand this very well. So this rime we are confident of a win," said Nepal, a former social activist.

In their bid to bag as many votes, these new political oudits are focussing on speci.fic communities and raising issues that concern them during campaign time. But only time will tell whetl1er they will even open tl1eir accorn1t in this election.

RUPESH DUTTA

Children do not vote, hence ignored by parties Children cannot vote, they cannot make political demands and tl1erefore do nor have any say in electoral outcomes. fa this the reason why, year after year, political parties have been ignoring the needs of children in their poll promises?

This despite the face rbat children constitute over a diird of India's 1.2'l billion population. Children appear ro be tl1e most neglected segment in l ndia, with their rights being vastly ignored. "l t is time tbat our manifestos realise that we have an India with 440 million children below l8 years. U nfortunately elections ate about parnpecing the electorate and children do nor ·vote. Bur our political parties need co remember rbat our electorate values these children, politicians may not" ,Jayakrnnar C hristian., CEO of World Vision India, a grassroots organisatio n working for children, said recendy in New Delbi..

"Children cannot attend election rallies,

tweet or engage on social media. Bur our children will vote witl1 their disconten tment thro ugh rbeir parents and communities," h e added.

"If our finance 111iniscer is able to include child budgeting in the muon budget every year, why not in the mruiifestos," Jayakumru· asked.

An analysis o f the 2009 general eleccion rnanifestos of political parties by NGO Child Rights and You (CRY), reveals that the space received by children's issues range from a mere five percent to 14 percent across parries.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist and tbe DMK are at rbe lowest at 5 and 6 percent respectively wliile the Nationalist Congress Parry (NCP) scored the highest at 14 percent Pragya Vats, campaign manager ar Save the Children, ano ther NGO working for children, told IANS: "Government5 have rarely prioritised children, and fail to recognise that they have rights. lndi.a continues to hit the headlines for our staggel"ing statistics on all indicators relating to children's well-being.

"For a country which loses 1.4 million children w1der five years of age every year to death and disease and where eight million children still remain o ut o f school, tl1e welfare of children i:arely finds a mention in the campaign of any political parry:' she said.

India has the largest child population in the world: Over 17 percent of the world's child ren live in India.

Of tl1e 430 million children _in the 0-18 age-group, about 160 million are belo,v the age of six and abou t 270 million are between 6 and 18, acco rding to tl1e 2011 census.

"Children constitute 40 percent or a third of India's popuL'ltion bm these statistics reflect that we as a nation are not doing enough for our children. By ignoring child1·en, we are nor only putting our present at peril but also ()Ur future," Vats maintained.

She said issues concerning children n1ust emerge high on the political agenda and translate int0 cornminnents.

In February, a delegation of children, under tl1e aegis of Chetna, an r GO working for street children, mer Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik and G. Mohan Gopal, botl1 members of the manifesto drafting comniittee, ru1d presented a charter of demands. However, none of tbe demands were included in rbe party rn,'lnifes co released Marcl126.

"We were surprised to see that the Congress manifesto did not mention a single tl1ing w hich these leaders promised," said Chetna di.rector Sanjay Gnpra.

"The parties should take the issues o f children seriously," he added.

Recently, World Vision India released a manifesto for children which included the right to good health, health services in v illages and free and quality health services for all vuL1erable children in hospitals.

It also demanded strict enforcemeor of laws against trafficking and child labour ru1d better opportunities for disabled chil_d ren.

Add ed Gupta, "Children are rbe fumre of this cow1try. They are potential voters and their issues also affect the adult electorate. l e is high cin1e political parties thought about diem" .

SREEPARNA CHAKRABARTY IANS

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• US trying to rope in India, China to isolate Russia In a bid to isolate Russia over its annexation of Crimea, d1e US says it is talking with Moscow's friends like lndia and China, but it has not yet asked them to impose any sanctions. ''\'v'ell, I don't think we're there yet Obviously, we've been consulting very closely with the Europeans about sanctions," Stace Department spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters recently in Washington w hen asked if the US was going to seek Iran-oil like sanction from countries outside NATO. "\~'e have been talking with otl1er countries tliplomatically, though," she said noting that in the recent Security Council vote, " it was significant that China, for example, abstained and did no t vqte with Russia".

"So, we are actively working on the diplomatic side to isolate Russia and that means with countries lil,e China and India and others," she said. "Bue on tl1e oil part, we're just not there yet".

India has not directly criticised Moscqw though when Russian President Vladimir Putin called Prime :Minister Manmohan Singh lase week to explain the Russian position, Singh, according to the external affairs ministry, "emphasised the consistent position India had on cl1e issues of unity and territorial integrity of countries".

Manmohan Singh also "expressed hope tbat all sides would exercise restraint and work together constructively to find political and diplomatic solutions char protected the legitimate interests of all countries in the region and ensured long term peace and stability in Europe and beyond".

Back 1n \X/ashington , in response to a□od1er question, Harf expressed disappoin □nent over India abstaining from US-sponsored resolutio n against Sri Lanka ar the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. "lt is disappointing to us that India abstained from voring on chis resolution when cbey voted yes for cl1e last C\VO years," she said. ''\~e have made out disappoinrn1enr known to Indian officials. Beyond that, I'd refer you to them in terms of how they voted," Harf said.

The US resolution called for a probe into war crimes allegedly committed in cl1e final stages of the war against cl1e Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Rejecting the resolution, India said it ignores the efforts at reconciliation being done by Sri Lanka in cl1e predominantly Tamil norm, induding holding o f elections.

India's own satellite navigation system by 2014 end: ISRO chief India is expected to have its own satellite navigation system with tl1e launch of three more satellites before the end of cl1is year, said tl1e Indian space agency's chief in Chennai recently.

Indian Space Research Organisarion (ISRO) chairman K.Radhakrishnan said that lndian communication satellite INSAT-3E has been decommissioned a couple o f clays ago and the users are being migrated co otber satellites.

"We will be receiving the signals from our navigation satellite system by the end of mis year. We \Vill be lmmching three more navigatio nal satellites before the encl of tlus year," Radhakrishnan said over tbe phone from Bangalore.

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INDIAN NEWS

The ISRO will be lannching the second rrnvigational satellite badged Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System- lB (IRNSS- IB) .April 4 evening at 5.14 p.m.

The 1,432 kg satellite wiU be carried by Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

According to Radhakcishnan, tbougb the IRNSS is a seven satellite system, it could be made operational with four satellites.

The cwo more navigarion satellites will be launched during the second half of 2014.

Prior to that, ISRO will be launching the French satellite SPOT-7 and four otl1er foreign satellites in a PSLV rocket and also test its heavier rocl<et - the Geosyncluonous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark Ill version, said Rad.halmshnan.

The IRNSS-1 B satellite with a design life span of 10 years will be part of the sevensatellite Indian regional navigational system.

The first navigational satellite IRNSS-lA was launched in July 2013.

The navigarional system, developed

by India, is designed to provide accurate position information service to users witl1in the country and up to 1,500 km from the nation's boundary line.

The system is similar to the global positioning system of che US, Glonass of Russia, Galileo of Europe, China's Beidou or the Japanese Quasi Zenid1 Satellite System.

The system will be used for terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle cracking and fleet management, integration with mobile phones, mapping and geodetic data capture and others.

While the ISRO is silent on cl1e navigation system's strategic application, it is clear tbat the TRNSS will be used for defence purposes as well.

According co the !SRO, the IRNSS-IB has been realised within seven months of the launch of the IRNSS-1.A. Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)SHAR director M.YS.Prasad said: ''Even if a navigarion system has more than four satellites, cbe fu1.al precise data is picked from four sacelli res".

Meanwhile Indian space agency officials are getting ready for the 58 and half hour launch countdown slated to begin April 2 around 6.45 a.m.

"Normally 53 hour countdown is sufficient. But we have decided to an extended countdown so cliac some break rime could be given for the officials," Prasad said.

On the issue of 1NSAT-3E satellite, Radhakrish.nan said the .satellite was launched in 2003 and its life span has come to an end.

"Users are being migrated to ocl1er satellites," he said.

Three Indians, four NRls win US women's empowerment award Three Indians and four persons of Indian origin have received cl1e 2013 World of Difference Awards' from US-based The International Alliance for Women (TIA\'v) for tbei.r work for women's empowerment.

The 100 winners in different categories were presented d1e awards by TIAW president Lisa Kaiser Hickey at a ceremony in Washington recently.

Abbay Khandagle, a Pune Uiuversity professor of Zoology, has been recognised as "a champion for women's empowerment for tbe past 20 years".

He " has been teaching and designing

A Tarun Tahiliani creation during the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week in New Delhi, March 26, 2014.

courses for girl students who come from the rural and hilly areas to make chem financially independent," according to the citario n.

"As a m=ber of Board of Studies, he bas been instrumental in framing a curriculum d1at increases women's employability".

Aysha Rau, who founded The Little Theatre Trust in 1991 in Chennai to raise funds for her outreach programmes, has been given cl1e award for a "Non-Profit/ NGO".

"For cl1e last 18 yea.rs, she has scripted and produced musicals and shows. Her outreach programmes include theatre workshops and spoken English classes for 200 underprivileged children on a weekly basis," the citation said.

Achyuta Samanca, founder of The Kalinga Jnstitute of Social Sciences KISS) io Odisha, has been recognised as a "Champion, Women's Economic E mpowerment".

Starting with a smaU school in l 993 for tbe indigenous peoples in the region, KISS "has grown into the largest residenrial institute in the world for C\venty thousand tribal children providing education, food, accommodarion, clothing and health faciliries absolutely free".

Among cl1e Indian-ot:igin winners is Tamita Krul-Taneja from the Netherlands, who has been recognised for entrepreneurship.

Krul-Taneja has sec up her own business, New Yardsticks, "which assesses and improves existing social-development programmes that help marginalised women and develops new programmes".

"She is also involved in

WORK +SH ELTER, an organisation clrnc provides fair-trade work for desritute women, some of whom also need a safe space to live" in ew Delhi.

Mumbai-born Pervin Todiwala, cofonnder and patron of Cafe Spice Namaste, has been recognised for entrepreneurship in Britain.

"She is a rarity as the 'quiet' half of one of the most dynamic and successful partnerslups in d1e UK's male-dominated $3 billion Asian cui.sine industry," tbe citation said.

She is alsC> "a staunch supporter of women's business organisatio ns, including City \"(/omen's Network, Women in Marketing and TJAW".

Vijayawada-born Padmasree Warrior, Cisco's cl,ief technology and strategy officer, from the US bas been recognised in the corporate category. "\Xfaa:ior shares her knowledge as a mentor and coach, particularly in tl1e science, technology, engineering and math area (ST EtvQ, and has used her prominence to support otber women foUowing in her wake".

Originally from Guyana, NarineDae Sookram has been recognised as a "cban1pion, women's economic empowerment" for his work in Canada.

Spending his own cin1e and money "Sookram is dedicated to coaching women in business to give tl1em the skills tbey need to be economically independent," according toTIAW.

tANS

APRIL 2014 19

PHOTOGRAPHY

• An Australian artist in Kochi captures the essence of living through a medley of human subjects

hi (and photo to the right)

. I Connell at wor oanie

n my recent visit to Kochi, Kerala, I was pleasantly surprised to see an Australian in the newspapers and in what is a rarity with most news these days, it was heart-watmingly good news. " Daniel revisits Biennale to give a soothing touch" said tl1e Deccan Chro11icle. "Artist wields the brush for a cause" said The Hilldu.

They were speaking about Daniel ConneU, an Australian artist based in Adelaide who was in Kerala as part of the Kochi Biennale Fo1mdatioa's Arts and Meclicine project.

Amidst the ever-noisy din of

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20 APRIL 2014

k on the streets on Koc

Kochi, heading ro a quiet spot in a coffee shop, Daniel spoke to Tndia11 Link in a phone interview.

This was his fourth visit to the city. Wall portraits from his work at lnclia's first Biennale in December 2012 are stiU visible in the city. Daniel \Vas in the news for the wrong reasons that year when his portrait of tea seller Ach.lrn wa.s vandalised. "One year on however, the drawing is scill visible and I was warmly received back by the people of tl1e area", stares Daniel. " It turned out that the event was a turning point for the Biennale.

Ini tia.l.ly people felc chat ho.lcling such an art event was a waste of public money bm public opinion changed after the attack. There was an overwhelming support of my work, generating sympathetic publicity for the Biennale. This incident only proved what I always suspected - tl1at art cements the

ties between human beings and that is frs ultimate objective'', he add5 with emphasis.

Since 1500, the port city of Koehl (formerly Cochin) was ruled by the Portuguese, Dmch and the British. Daniel found the area of Fore Kochi in particular, a melting pot of culrures and densely populated with different communities such as Ioclians of various religious backgrounds and cultures. There are Hindus, Muslims and Christians of various denom.inations,Jews, as well as A fricans and Europeans - a perfect place to provide him with a lot of inspiration. " Here I am outside of my comfort zone, looking at different people in a different world", says Daniel.

"J am interested in the act of making portraits and how making portraits creates a sense of dignity and sacredness around the subjects. le does not matter tl1at 1 am not Indian. The act of giving someone attention for an hour or

so has the effect of breaking barriers and cultural clifferences".

Daniel likes the face dmc wich portrain1re, tJ1e subject shares an equal space wid1 the artist He experiments with drawing portraits in a variety of situations. ''When I drew portraits of cancer patients, ic clid not matter d1at Twas Indian or not.

The ritual of drawing and payi ng fuU attention to the person gives peo ple an opportunity for reAection time goes beyond culmtal differences", observes Daniel. The Arts and Medicine project is about offering peo ple opportunities for reAection. In a merucaJ situation, where the physical body is being treated, norma.lly there are no frameworks or strucru.res to give people rhe chance co attend ro the spiritual

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... ' lJ

(This photo and above) Exhibition at Ernakulam General Hospital

wim the subjects or their families, jc js

or emotional issues that arise. Daniel found that the act of drawing a pom:air offers patients and their families, oppormniries for a wider discussion to emerge, other than pain and pain management which happens to be the prominent subject in a hospital situation.

Language has not been a barrier to Daniel's work. There has been an ove1whelming demand for his arr. He drew rwenty portraits in the 6rst l:\vo days ac the E rnakularn General Hospital, later averaging about ten a day.

His subjects have been fishermen, bus-drivers, tea sellers, rickshaw drivers and people from many

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other occupations.

He patiently draws tl1ern all and was amused when the person he drew tl1e previous day earnestly described himself as a coo.lie. "It js such a colonial term", laughs D aniel. Whatever their occupations, be feels char at tl1e hospital, ther all are cemrestage.

They are the ones being cared fo.r.

Daniel is at home with all tl1ese people in spite of not being able to speak their language.

He has, at ti.mes, questioned the value of bis work but tl1e paliiative care doctors have given him overwhelming positive feedback. Art gives rhe patients something different com pared to solace offered by religion or formal counselling, they felt.

Daniel sadly acids, "Dying is terrifying and though I don't focus o n it or discuss thjs aspect

the elephant in the room. This is acknowledged witl1our words".

The portraits are now displa}'ed in an exhibition at the hospital and have been a huge success.

Working on tliis project has given Daniel an idea about doing a similar project j11 Australia when he remrns to continue research for his PHD thesis on 'Portraimre and Social Responsibility'. He says that it will be interesting to portray and contrast how people respond to portraiture in India and Austra.lia. He is also interested in the Inman diaspora in Australia stradd.ling two cultures, and is working witl1 the Sikh and Malayali communities.

The tenets of Sikhism particularly attract Daniel.

Referring to Guru Tegh Bahadur, he says, "The ninth guru sacrificed his l ife for the Hindu community.

In the process of fighting for our own identities in today's world, tl1is aspect of fighting for otl1er communities is 110\V lost. 1 want to keep that candle burning tl1rough my art" . .He is against overrating

art f01: art's sake. "The connection between people is more important and tlus leads to more resilient and stronger societies. Ultimacely this is what 1 am trying to achieve", says Daniel. "Art is a tap on the shoulder asking us to remember our relationships and the importance of connections", he adds philosophkaUy. However, art is oor what Daniel always rue!. He was part of a venrure for homeless people for 18 years, and involved with advocacy for human rights.

Feeling drained, jaded and cynical, Daniel says that I ndia provided the change he needed.

Why India? "1'.faybe a past life experience", he jokes. He finds lndia "very anarchic and compeUing" and life is never ordered or controlled as in Australia. His experiences have varied from "infuriating and exhausting" to "rusarming and Joyfi.tl". "On the whole, irresistible and very intoxicating", he laughs!

Daniel is grateful for the opportunity lndia has g iven hlm to reinvem himself as an artist and mellow down. He feels he can now use art in his activism in a more gentle \vay, in bringing about change.

APRIL 2014 21

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22 APRIL 2014

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OPINION

Osama bin Laden is gone, but terrorism is not

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New solutions need to be sought to eradicate terrorism, as a/Qaeda grows stronger in North Africa and the Middle East Doval and o ther iurelligence chiefs appear ro have forgotten one of the fundamental rules of solving crimes - the in1portance of establishing a motive. Io order to ensure the '\'far on Terrorism' is more s uccessful than rhe '\'<'ar on Drugs' or the '\Xfar on Crime', that is, in order for it ro lead ro a definite outco me rather rl1an continuing n March 11, I attended a lecture by Ajit D oval held at the University o n indefinitely for anorber 100 years, it is of Melbourne's Australia India in1perative that the underlying reasons for Institute. D oval spoke on 'The ChaUenges terrorism be addressed. of G lobal Terrorism', a topic on which There is a wealth of research largelr ignored by the heads of the major he is eminently qualified to speak, given intelligence agencies that directly addresses his past role as director of India's Central InteUigence Bureau. the question of how best to prevent Assuming one believes the official story individuals f-rom turning to terr~)rism in rl1e about the May 2011 killing of Osama bin first place. Most of this scholarship is by Laden by the American military, it would individuals with significant experience in be tempting to think that we are entering counter-terrorism and policing. lvlichael Scheuer - a former head of an era of safety and that groups such as alQaeda are on the brink of being defeated. the CIA's Bin Laden unit - argues that However according to Doval, such a view is Islamic terrorists are angered by America's the opposite of the truth. To the contrary, it support for corrupt and tyrannical Muslim is time to brace ourselves for a world that is governmen ts, western troops on the Arabian 111ore unsafe than the world Peninsula, western support for which existed pri0r to the Israd, American pressure on attacks o f September 11, Arab energy producers to keep 2001. oil prices low, the occupation There are several reasons of Iraq and Afghanistan, and First, there are the for Doval's pessimistic the support for Russia, India, tens of thousands outlook. First, there are rl1e and China against tl1eir Muslim in North Africa and tens of thousands in l orch militants. ln other words, the Middle East who Africa and the 1v1iddle East Islamic terror groups are not all irrational religious fanatics. who suppon al-Qaeda support al-Qaeda and its objectives. The They have rational objectives and its objectives. organisation has become that capitalise on rl1e public The organisation has stronger and its reach now resentment caused by western become stronger and extends further. Al-Qaeda meddling in the internal its reach now extends now operates as an almost affairs of Arab nations. Such further global organisation, despite meddling has led to many atrocities against residents who the efforts of rbe American Central Intelligence are then inspired ro support Agency, Federal Bureau of insurgent groups. Scandals Investigation and equivalent relating ro the Abu Gharaib agencies in the United Kingdom and prison, torture, rapes by American and Australia.

British soldiers, and collateral damage caused by drone strikes are just the tip of an iceberg The American-led war in Afghanistan against al-Qaeda's leadership has hurt the rime goes back to America's overthrow of organisation, yet Doval is worried about the democratically appointed leader of Iran what will happen o nce Western forces have in 1953. It is practical concerns such as these withdrawn from the Middle Ease. that have allowed al-Qaeda to thrive.

Scheuer's thesis is supported by Robert "\X'e thought the antidote (to global terrorism) was cutting off their finances Pape of the University of Chicago. Based on and the people's support, but it turns an analysis of 315 suicide attacks between om the antidote was really denying rl1em 1980 ro 2003, Pape finds "Ii ttle connection between suicide terr~)rism and l slamic sanctuaries," he stated in bis leca.u:e. "They have had sanctuaries in Pakistan in the fundamentalism, o r any one o f the world's religions... Rarl1er, what nearly all suicide past. ow if they get a Taliban-influenced government in Afghani5tan rl1ey could get terrorist attacks have in common is a specific sanctuaries in Afghanistan again and the secular and strategic goal: to compel modern situation could be very serio us". democracies to withdraw military forces Despite spending b illions of doUars from territory that the terrorists consider to and sacrificing hundreds of rl1ousands be rl1eir homeland". This 'logic' of suicide terrorism applies just as weU in Sri Lanka as of lives, experts such as Doval admit that anti-terrorism efforts have not led to stellar it does in rbe US, Saudi Arabia or L:aq. results. Yet Doval does not appear co offer In rl1e long term, lasting gains against terrorism will require all nations to any solutions apart from doing more of the same. He wants tlte US to b e harsher on truly understand their enemy. From this understanding will arise a strategy for Pakistan for harbouring terrorists; for there to be greater international cooperatio n; and reducing the support that groups such as al-Qaeda obtain from rl1e public in Arab for intelligence capability ro be significantly enhanced. Bur these are all attempts at nations. This can be done wiiliout appeasing terrorists, giving up legitimate strategic tinkering with a system that needs raclical targets or compromising national security. root-and-branch reform.

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APRIL 2014 23

ANIMALWORLD

• A country's national bird signifies its underlying pride in its independence

''

But Pakistan also has an 'unofficial' national bird; and yes, it is a falcon - a Shaheen falcon

'' Himalayan monal (danphe), the national bird of Nepal

ften the birth of a country cau be a lon g and painful process, as was India's th at stretched over a hundred years.

It can also be very violent as in the creation of Bangladesh. O ne thing common to all countries is that as soon as they are formed, they must have a national Rag and anthem. These become a symbol of national identiry and uni ty, and provide a rallying point for the people of d1ac nation. What is interesting and often overlooked is that, for some curious reason, all cow1tries also have a national bird.

I e's almost as if having a national bird is a necessary condition tO becoming an independent nation, and a must-have symbol of

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24 APRIL 2014

sovereignty. For instance, we know chat the emu is the national bird o f Australia.

Cotmtcies of south Asia are no exception in having birds as part of d1ei.r national symbols. Not surprisingly, d1e topography of a country's landmass will be a major determining factor on the types of bird s to be found in that country.

A collntry such as India has a very wide variety of features rangi ng from high mountains, plains, deserts and coastal ranges. So one would nanu-ally expect to find a large vaiiety of birds in India.

Bangladesh o n the other hand is low-lying, marshy and dominated by die delras of great river syscems. The variety of birds there includes a lru·ge proportion of birds chat rely on water systems.

But the bird that is chosen as the national bird of Bangladesh i s the oriental magpie-robin. lvfainJy black with some white markings and the tail like a robin's tail, they are not large. The most notable feamre is cbeir clear, p retty song

which they sing w hen perched on a branch.

Bearing in mind the historical association of falconry with the great Moghu.J emperors, T had expected to find chat cbe national bird of Pakistan would be a falcon. A common theme in .Moghul miniature pai11tings is that of a falconer in d1e presence of an emperor. Yet, the national bird of Pakistan is, in fact, tbe Chukar partridge. These grmmd-hugging birds live by foraging in bushes and undergrowth, and the colours of their feathers provide perfect camouAage against prey.

Bllt Pakistan also has an 'uno fficial' national b ird; and yes, it is a falcon - a Shaheen falcon. ] ts main feamres are the sharp, beady eyes and the typically hooked beak. Black head and matching feathers just go co confirm the no -nonsense character to be expected from a falcon.

Tbe national bird of Sri Lanka is the Sr i Lanka junglefowl.

This beautiful bird with striking co.lours is native to the country.

Proud as the proL1desc cockerel, this bird has magnificent shiny purple-black tail feathers that a.re perfectly po ised. A red comb with a yellow centre is on its head, and ics mane and body plllmage ranges from golden to orange red. It's easy to see this bird as the master of its Hock. In keeping with the natural order for survival in birds, the female is a dull brown grey giving it the perfect camouAage for nesting while the male as protector, in all its co.lours, is easily visible to prospective enemies.

The Llnbelievably colourful Himalayan monal or danphe is the national bird of Nepal. The colours on chis bird make it look unreal. I saw chem in Nepal at arottud 3,700m just before dusk, which is the time these shy birds come oul After a tiring 9-bour trek, just a look at. these multi-coloured birds was a very welcome sight. I was thrilled and qui ce privileged to have seen chem.

in their natural habitat of low bushes and grasses, and on freshly ploughed fields.

We all know that the peacock is tl1e national bird o f India. Easily one of the grandest and most majestic of birds, the peacock has been an inspiration in song, dance, design and the fine arts. This bird has even been mentioned in d1e Bible in relation to the Queen of Sheba. Connery houses and palaces in all of E urope regularly had peacocks on tl1eir estates.

This bird was the inspiration for the sensational Peacock Throne built for Emperor Shah Jahan.

The peacock's large size gives it presence and its shimmering fan of tail feathers i s a sight to behold and wonder at.

The 9uestion chat remains is ,vhy countries need co have a bird as a symbol of their national sovereignty? Bird s skip, they hop, they are always alert and beautifully groomed; d1ey never have a feather out of place. At a whim, they can fly high into tl1e sky. T hey seem so free. \V/e see their freedom . Man's greatest desire is co be free. To have a bird as a national symbol gives people a sense of hope and freedom, and tl1at is something to be cherished by all of us.

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APRIL 2014 25

TRIBUTE

a A tribute to the 'son of a gun; now immortalised through his writing

Khushwant Singh (191 5-2014 )

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BY ROANNA GONSALVES

ysonJadyn went missing in .Mumbai last year. We were at the Tata Literature Live Festival 2013 at the r ational Centre for the Performing Arts and we had lost each other in the fllda, so to speak. After looking for him in various comers of the building, I found him seated on a sofa near tables laden \vith books, his focus trnwavering from the book he was reading. Upon closer inspection, I realised it \Vas Khusbwant Singh's Big FatJok<! Book. An acquaintance who noticed what was going on raised his eyebrows to suggest drnt Khushwant Singh's jokes were not exactly suitable for a ten year old.

When l asked Jad)'t1 what he liked about it, he said with trademark ho nesty, "It has many rude words in idn It is for tl1e rude words, four-

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26 APRIL 2014

lettered and fearlessly multi-lettered, re.11 and symbolic, that I ,-vill remember Khushwaat Singh.

The 'son of a gun' is dead.

And with him an era has ended too. In the contemporary popular imagination, the nan1e of Khnshwanc Singh conjures up the image of 'the sultan of sleaze'. To be fair, one could be forgiven for thinking like this about a man who has writeen much that is sexist, much that treats women merely as objects of lust. But it will be a monumental shame if be is only remembered as a 'celebrated lecher', as die late Dhiren Bhagat cheekily called bim in a pre-obituary of Khushwanc Singh written in 1983.

In our contemporary rimes of paid news scandals erupting everywhere, the passing of Khusbwant Singh marks the encl of a more principled age in the media.

As the founder-editor of Yqjana, edicor of the l//11strated lP'fekg ef lndia, chief editor of New Delhi, and edicor of the Hi11dt1stan Times, he was irreverent and made no bones about bis views, saying he used "no condom on bis pea". He was born 99 years ago in Hadali village in what is now Pakistani Ptmjab. He

went to Oxford, practiced la,v; was awarded the Padma Bhusban in 1974, and controversially supported the E mergency. However, he remrned the Padma Bhusban in 1984 in protest against 'Operation Bluestar' where thousands o f innocent Sikhs were killed during and after the siege of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He was a Rajya Sabha Member at that time, from 1980 to 1986. He was also co.nsulcing editor of the newly established Pe11g11in India, and along with David Davidar, set up the foundations of what would become a powerhouse for contemporary Indian writing. He was awarded tl1e Padma Vibhushan in 2007. ln his masterful two volume History of the Sikhs, Singh pres en ts a social, religious and political history of the landscape, and Sikh communities o f Punjab. Apart from being meticulously researched, the works are fuU of love for the geographies of Punjab, the poetry o f Guru Nanak, the music of kirla11. Yet these two volumes are far from hagiographies of the Khalsa. Singh minces no words in cl1ronicling the 'holocaust' of Sikhs in I 984, and the blood on tl1e hands of all sides of the political spectrum. 1-Iis novel Train to Pakisttm introduced a generation of readers to d1e scories of the Western partition of India, and to rbe sorrow of Partition lireratute, more broadly. H is column With Jvlafice To1vards One and All in the T-findwfa11 Til!les was widely read for its irreverence and humour. It is this irreverence and the courage to say as be pleased without fear o r favour, aka, the 'rude words', that is an inspiration co us.

Singb's work on religion and agnosticism are like roucbsrones for our age, especially in a communally charged lndia juse before tl1e general elections later this year. ln his essay The Nefdford Neu, Religion - Without a God, he says, "On rare occasions when I visited ag11md1JJara of a temple, J made it a point to watch people making obeisance before the Granth Sahib (the holy book of the Sikhs) or their favourite God. Those who cook the longest cin1e co rub their noses on d1e grotu1d were usually

those who more than others craved forgiveness for having lied, stolen, fornicated and made illicit money".

If you scratch below tl1e surface of his reputatio n as a dirty old man, you will find a ma□ who loved women., beginning witb bis grandmother. In the title story of his collection of short stories, The Portrait ef a Latfy, he paints a render picture of his grandmother who raised him: " ... her face was a crisscross of wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere.

No, we were certain she bad always been as we bad known her. O ld, so terribly old chat she could nor have grown older, and had stayed at the same age for twenty years. She could never have been pretty; but she was always beautiful... " Death was o ften splashed across bis work. In his tongue-in-cheek story Porth11mo11s he imagines his own funeral and decides to die, "just for the fun of it," expecting his numerous friends and wellwishers to grieve publicly and long for their dearly departed friend.

However, bis tiny obituary notice appears at the bottom of page three in the newspaper, and only a few people mrn up to condole with his wife. By the time the hearse nears tl1e cremation grounds, there is no one witl1- him on bis final journey, except the driver, and ''even he seemed to be oblivious of tl1e enormity of the soul whose decayed mansion be was transporcing on irs last voyage".

Thankfully, this is not so in real life. In Australia, he will be remembered by those who have read him, and by those who have beard of bis larger-than-life personality. Ha.rwinderjit Singh, a prominent member of the Sikh community in Brisbane says, " He had a knack of seeing, appreciating and writing about the simplicity of God and religion. He would speal, up against bad praccices and 'man made' rituals, and habiL~".

Traditional and social media are abuzz witl1 tributes to Khusbwam Singh, from former subordinates gushing about their boss, to prominent media personalities acknowledging a great debt.

However, none can come close co the epitaph he wrote for himself:

''

In his masterful two volume History ofthe Sikhs, Singh presents a social, religious and political history of the landscape, and Sikh communities of Punjab

'' ''

Singh minces no words in chronicling the'holocaust' of Sikhs in 1984, and the blood on the hands of all sides of the political spectrum

'' Here lies 011e who spared neither 111a1111orGod !Waste not)'Ottr tea,,· 011 hi111, he was t1 sod 117riti,l!: nasty thi11g.r he regarded as

g-eatj,m Thank the Lord he is dead, this son ef a gun.

Vale Khusbwanc Singh! Tbank you for the rude words.

www.indianlink.com.au

ij

BOOKS

1ron1c, • • oneens1ona A succinctly written novel unfolds the not-uncommon life ofpeople in a mohalla

............................................................................................... .

Anees Salim

............................................ .

r,:,~ ,~ -

,,

I

BY CHITRA

SUDARSHAN

anuary and February seem co have been the season for literary festivals everywhere Chennai's The Hi11dt1 Literature for Life festival was held over three days between January 13-l S. This was followed by the now famous and established Jaipur Literature Fe.rtiua/held between January 17-24, which has at its helm celebrity writers Namita Gokhale and William Dalrymple.

The list of authors who attend this festival every year must be the envy of lit fests everywhere. The l....L1hore Literrdt11'B Festival, the most

J

INDIAN LINK

glamorous in Pakistan, was held between February 2124, was attended by Vikram Seth, Mira t air, J\mit Chaudhari and a host of other well-known aud1ors from arnund d1e world.

The 2014 Perth 117,iters' Festival and the recently concluded Adelaide IPiiten' Festival were attended by aud10rs Jaspreet Singh and Jeet Thayil. Jeet Thayil's book Narcopolis was reviewed in this column a couple of years ago.

Heli1tt11 is a novel by Jaspreet Singh, which has as its backdrop the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. \Vhen his business trip to Iceland en route co Delhi is prplonged by a volcanic eruption, scien tist Raj Kumar begins to obsess; the killing of his former professor in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the day after Indira Gandhi's assassination; the whereabouts of the

professor's widow; the troubling ro le his father may have played. in the killings, haunt him.

T·'a11i()• Bflgh (Picador India, 2013) by Anees Salim won The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction in 2013, announced at The Hindu's Lltem!111-e far Life write rs' festival in Chennai. It is the tale of a young man, lmran Jabbari and his friends, who, partly out of boredom and partly inspired by their local 1.e gend and aging Don, Abu Hathim, decide to form a 'gang' to emulate him. This ragtag group doesn' t really do much by way of big-time crime, until one day when their are hired to despatch some scolen scooters to different parts of d1e city. Nai've as they are, they think dus is their big break, and agree to do it.

Only after bombs go off in all the locations where they packed d1eir scooters, do d1ey realise they have been conned and inadvertently involved in a terrorist act.

Sentenced for 14 years, Imran is assigned to the bookmaking section of d1e prison, where each time he opens a book and stares at its blank pages, the memories of Vanity Bagh come alive and we are led gently tl1rough the notuncommon lives of the vzohallds inhabitants. lmran Jabbari is the son of the local /,nam, and like everyone else in the 111ohallc1, be was named after d1e successful, rich and famous of Paldstao. lmran is therefore, the

namesake of Imran Khan the cricketer, not d1e politician.

There's also Wasirn, Javed, Benazir, Zia, Zulfikkar, Navaz Sharif and Yabya, among a colourful array of characters. \Y,/e see the v1oha!I" mrough Tmran's musings from jail and one can't hel p loving Vanity Bagh d1e way he does. The authot uses tl1e right teno.r of optimism and resignation; clack, but wry humour that we are lulled into thinking this is a 'slice of life' - of families, neighbours and the community.

It is an extremely readable book, written wim wry, understated, self-deprecating humour, which will resonate well with Australians.

However, what I fonnd unsettling was the entire Nfuslim community in Va11ity Bagh identiiied with Paldstan, and that tl1e only 'other' was Me hend.i, a nearby suburb which is represented as a rnonolitluc, unvarie;gated Hinduextremist neighbourhood.

The only idiom of interaction between the (only) two gmups is along a binar)' divide, and of tense confrontation and perennial distrust teetering on cornmLtnal riot; there was simply no od1er form of inter-d.igitation, even of d1e commonplace everyday life. This may have served the author's narrative, bm such reductionism, even for d1e purposes of storytelling, seemed too simplistic and unrepresentative to me.

However convenient tl1is is for a storyline, such reductionism, and one-dimensional narrative is a little disquieting. This was rny only real grouse witl1 d1e novel. i\nees Salim is an advertising professional in K ochi ,vho bas written four novels and is working on his 6ftb. Va11i()1 Bagh is bis second novel. Others on The Hindu Book Prize shortlist included Manu Joseph (The T!licit T---ftlppiness qf Other People), Manjul Bajaj (Another Mcm'I Wife tmd Other S to,ies), Sonora Jba (Fm-eign) and Amandeep Sandhu (Rolf of Ho11our).

''

The author uses the right tenor of optimism and resignation; dark, but wry humour that we are lulled into thinking this is a 'slice of life' - of families, neighbours and the community

''

''

The only idiom of interaction between the (only) two groups is along a binary divide, and of tense confrontation and perennial distrust teetering on communal riot

'' APRIL 2014 27

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VIEWPOINT

The great political showdown India is gearing up for its federal elections, but severely lacks worthy contenders

he world's biggest democracy will go co elections soon, co choose a governn1en c for its billion plus citizens, for the next five years. The voting process will start on April 7 and its results will noc be announced w1til mid-Mar Such is the enormity of this process.

Righc now India stands at political crossroads. Perhaps, the most poli tically fragile India 1 have ever known. VuL1erable, edgy and unsure. Politically, that is.

There are the two craditional political giants heading this nation in a face-off. The once-mighty and che party currently in charge over the last decad e, the Indian National Congress (lNC). And tl1e Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that is furiously knocking on the doors of power in these upcoming elections.

The BJP is iu this position of slight comfort going into these elections mainly because of me overwhelming grudges held by people againsc tl1e Congress parry over meir rnle for me last decade, rather tl1an any evident merics of tbe BJP itself.

People are seeking a change, aod chat sentiment is daorn clear! You do not have to be a political analyst to feel thac.

Alleged corruption scams, and l mean, mega corruption scams.

Massive ones! Perceived inability to lead from me front and address these scams. The rising cost of li-\~ng. And a 'puppet' of a Prime 11inister are some of the major ailments haunting the Congress Party. And mese may eventually spell their fall from grace soon.

More recently, a chird dimension has been added ro mis political paradigm in India. A very serious third dimension. This is a political parry in its infancy, but riding on a massive wave of citizen goodwill.

A quasi-revolution in itself. It's called the Aam J\adm.i Party (/\AP).

Headed by a maverick, an activist, or as somelike to caU him, an anarchist, Arvind Kejriwal.

Love him or loame him, tl1e face remains time him and his Party are serious contenders in these upcoming elections. If nor to win a majoricy and form a governmem

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INDIAN LINK

tl1emselves, b ut certainly co cause enough collateral damage to dent the chances o f botb the BJP and Congress ro grab a clear majoricy.

And both parties feel threatened by tl1is last minute wildcard enrry .i.mo lndian. politics. They are deeply threatened. And they have themselves to blame for their predican1enr.

Now here is my rake on what all of this means for the people of India. No matter which way people voce in the upcoming elections, my view is that lndia will end up witl1 a 'sub-standard' regime. And a severely substandard o ne at chat. l n a recent incerview on national TV, tl1e second in command of the Congress Party demonstrated his lack of substance, charisma and leadership to tbe entire woi:ld.

His naivety and inaptitude for tl1e top job was on display in full splendour during this incerview. '\'<Tomen empowermem' is a great concept and has greac engagement potential, but only if you mink ic tl1rough and not use it as a tag p hrase (20-plus times) wimout any rational though t on national television. Perhaps it was suggested to Mr Gandhi by his media advisor. \'{feU, it backfired, and rightly so. A Congress victory is highly unlikely, .it seems.

However, if by a miracle tl1e Congress does win, a government under Rahul Gandhi or any other

leader for time matter, will spell yet another five years of naive experimen tation, sub-standard leadership, lack of accountability and no real cl1ange from me status quo.

The BJP have fielded Mr Modi as ilieir trump card. His stake to tl1e top job is being touted as the great economic transformation of his home stare of Gujarat, and a chord he seems to have struck wim the Indian youth, allegedly.

Also haunting 1\fr Modi is his pasc. The riots, tl1e bloodshed, the carnage. The courts may have provided hi m a clean chit, bur those communal taints linger on, vividly. Add chat to che already religiously polarised image of the BJP, tl1ey are bo1md to leave some serious doubts in tl1e minds of 'secular' citizens. The BJP is most likely to sweep the elections if you go by rnedia reports. But a sbi ft from che Congress ro BJP will merely mean a shift in religious and political ideologies. There is no real benefit for the ordinary citizen.

Then comes tl1e AAP. The dark h orse, the wild card. They tasted power in Delhi for aLuost a month. And tl1ey now crave the nation. They claim to cl1ange it all. Free me nation from corruption. Provide subsidised utilities. Encl corruption in India. l or lee corrupt politicians win. And that's pretty much what chey are all about, free

the nation from corruption. I agree it has to happen. But to form a government and run it for five years without no real po.licy or visio n outlined on an, major federal matters other than corruption is inadequate in m)' opinion. Kejriwal may be a wellmeaning person in his own right, but personally I have some serious do ubts abom h is capability and intem over time. I will be happy to be proven wrong, bur he has noc got my tick (n or t hat it matters). Yer. India needs a change, a significant change. lt needs respon sible and accountable governance. It needs a progressive, secular and enterprising lot of politicians.

Ones who will address intrinsic matters w hile keeping pace with the rest of tl1e world. However, as pessimistic as it may sound, none of che current parties fighting for power in the forthcoming election s will offer the balanced aod progressive government that India needs a c tl1is momem. They will all offer a government that is half-baked and inadequace. India will not achieve the change it so badly needs. The Congress and BJP are stuck in their craditional banter with little regard for che intelligence of the voters. The AAP on tl1e other hand is the lone alternative for people to turn to.

An untried alternative with noc much to offer than verbal bravado, for n ow.

APRIL 2014 29

BEAUTY

e's

e oo

Complement your dress with the right make up for a stunning look

i H /

''

BY

· '. J MINNAL . ft KHONA

The underlining factor to keep in mind at all times no matter what the trend or the colour of your outfit may be, is that the shade of cosmetics you choose should suit your skin tone

ow often have you boughc the perfect dress only to be confused abouc che right shade of lipstick or eyeshadow to wear wich ic? Or you have wanted co wear that b lue eyeshadow, bur don't know which dress would highlight it best? \X/orry not, here are some suggestions to pick the right shades for the perfect dress.

It is something we have all experienced at some time or another. Even the ubiquitous little black dress can prove a challenge at times if the makeup doesn't complement our skin tone. So in keeping with the trends this season, here are some tips for choosing the right shade of eyeshadow, blush and lipstick ro march your audit.

The underlining factor to keep in mind at aU times no matter what che r.rend or the colow- of your outfit may be, is that tl1e shade of cosmetic you d1oose should suit your skin tone. Jf that doesn't match, no matter what you wear, the look won't be right.

'' ''

Muted metallics are all the rage right now and wearing jewel tones, dulled out versions of copper, bronze, shimmering greys and greens, among others, is in

When nude is best \'Vhen you wear a fiery colour like red or orange, the actention natw-ally shifts to the outfit. And if it is a killer dress thac enhances your best assets, make sure your makeup doesn't overpower it in any way. Stick to shades of nude and you won't go wrong.

Wear nude lipstick or gloss, use brown or grey eyeliner, and apply a hint of blush from rhe copper tone family. Even if you don't apply blush and liner and just go w ith nude lipstick, you will have cracked ic because your dress will do all the talking for you.

Matte it for metallics Muted metallics are all the rage right now and wearing jewel cones, dulled out versions of copper, bronze, shimmering greys and greens, among others, is in. Buc you could go really wrong if you don't check these colours on your face. Whether it is an evening gown or a nibe top and a skirt, if there is glitter and glimmer in your outfit, the trick is to keep the shine off yom face. First, use a

30 APRIL 2014

'' matte finish foundation preferably in powder form, and without any hint of a shine in it. Then use face powder that has a matte finish and do the same witb tbe blush. Give the eyeshadow a miss because most of them come in glittering shades, and just go with mascara and liner in a neutn1 shade. Use a matte finish Lipstick in a bright shade of red or pink, depending on whac colour suits you and what shade of dress you are wearing.

Monochrome it at times If you are wearing a dress in a shade of b lue or green that is uot metallic in tone, nor is it very bright like the fire colours mentioned above, then the

makeup can be in a similar shade, o nly for the eyes. So, if your dress is a midnight blue, a shade of aqua, green or even purple, you can go to cown with your eye makeup for obvious reasons.

Firstly, you get some gorgeous shades of eyeshadow in blues, greens, aqua and purple, even with a hint of a shine co chem. Since your dress has no bling or glitter, you can bring in char element wirl1 your eyeshadow. Only o:y and choose a shade that complements your dress and skin tone. lf you are wearing a belt, ensure the colours don't clash. lf you feel it is too mucl1, just go with eyeliner in a complementary shade and a couch

of lipstick in pale pink or peach.

The pastel on tbe lips, the glitter on the eye and a monochromatic colour for rl1e dress wiU give you an elegant look rliat is also stunning.

Going for gold At most Indian weddings, wearing an outfit with lots of gold on it is de tig11eur and you can't escape it.

So whetbet ic is a cocktail dress or a /ehenga choli that is dominated b y golden Imes, you must know whac co wear on your face so that the overall look is classy. If your outfic is in a duU gold or has antique gold embroidery on it, you are halfway thete already, because yow- ensemble is subcle and not

loud. To keep the mal,eup classy too, go with a colour from cbe peach/ orange family. l\fost lnclian skins can carry off orange lipstid< and if you add a touch o f nude to it, you get a lovely shade of peachy onrnge that is underscared. lf you can carry off a bright orange, even better. But if your Lipstick is a bright orange, don't let rl1e eyeshadow be the same shade, and go easy on the blush.

Take a shade of nude eyeshadow and a hinc of a blush in a peachy colour to let the Lipstick and dress do all the talking.

With these simple tips, you can achieve a snmning look cbat will certainly have heads turning.

www.ind ianlink.com.au

ll

FOOD

Fee in

ot, ot,

An unusual use for chillies adds a touch ofspice and sweetness to warm up your winter

~

. ~~ANYA -::, SAMUEL

he practice of making jams is an ancient one, dating back as early as the 16'" century. There is a lot of hisrorical debate about the origin of this process, but i t is believed to bave started in the i\fiddJe East, where cane sugar grows naturally: Sugar was first discovered in Asia, but there is no documented evidence of jammaking from this region. It was the Arab traders who introduced jams to European society and since then, the popularity of this sweet preserve has risen tQ become the multi-billion dollar market chat it is today: It is believed that the idea behind making a jam or any fruit preserve began with a real need to preserve food. Before the ad vent of refrigeration, this was a key method to keep fruit and s<:>me vegetables from spoiling.

What is a jam? As per the culinary d efinition, a jam is prepared by using the pulp and juice of a whole fruit (crushed or chopped) which is then heated with water and sugar. This pmcess releases peccin, which gives the jam its jelly-like consistency, and the h igh concentracion of sugar acts as the preservative. These days, artificial pectin is added to jams to boosr its commercial value whicb detracts the natural taste and sweetness of the fruit, making it unhealthy for our body in the long run.

Jam s were considered to be a royal delicacy in early E uropean society and were often prepared Ltsing di e choicest of fruit grown in d1e royal garden or orchards.

Today, it has become the common man's food and you can find so many different varieties of jams on our supermarket aisles made widi almost every kind or combination of fruit.

Chilli jam - smmds quite retro, doesn't ir? And probably the last ingredient that we might iliink of using to make a jam. Though this may sound quite contemporary and a modern twist to traditional fruit jam, it is not so. Chilli jam is actually a traditional preparation of Soudi Africa, especially from the Cape Town region.

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INDIAN LINK

Chilli Jam 8 big, ripe red chillies, sliced or chopped fine 2 shalJots; sliced or chopped fine ½ cup brown sugar; acid more for extra sweetness A pinch of salt 2 cups of water

When you hear die word 'chilli,' all you can chink of is fiery hotness burning your tongue.

But chilli jam is a revelation, a burst of Aavours for those who have never e,xp eriencecl it before.

A jam which trul;• captures the real flavour and texture of chilli, wi d1out i cs fiery heat.

Bo th tbe red and g reen varieties can be used to prepare iliis jam, di ough the red one gives a more delectable appearance w hen made into a jam. It is imporcant that you use only the big chilli varieties, since these have relatively less heat. The smaller o nes usually pack a punch and can land

you in some serious 'hot' trouble!

Pick out ripe, yet firm chillies to make this jam. The pith and seeds need not be removed as this imparts just the right amount of heat, making this jam a spicy sweet o ne. But if you are a little wary or doubtful abour the beat quotient., men rake off die pitb and seeds. You could either slice the chillies into reaUy thin juliennes or finely chop chem up - the difference is on ly in d1e appearance of the end product.

Here's how rou make chis quirky South African jam.

Add aU the ingredients ro a pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook till the sugary water begins co thicken and forms a syrup coating the chillies and shallots.

Cool and store in an aircighr cornainer. Can be refrigerated for up to a month.

. .................. .

Traditionally, d1e chilli jam is served as an accompaniment to grilled meats or fried fish. But it is a wonderful accompartimenr to many lndian starters like potato tikki.r, vegetable cutlets, p11koras and other snacks. It is amazing when spread inside a grilled cheese sandwich; a s,veeter spin to the Indian chilli cheese roast!

APRIL 2014 31

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Contact father in Australia by email: rlagrawal55@gmail.com

Well settled family in Australia invites alliance for a 30-year-old, 5'10, who has a Bachelor in Software Engineering (honours). He is a Sood Punjabi boy, who works as a senior IT consultant for t he Aust ralian government (EL2). He is seeking an Indian girl,caste no bar.

Please send bio data and recent photo to: soodaust@gmail.com

Seeking groom for Hindu Punjabi girl, 32 years, never married. Well educated, modern girl with Indian values. Slim, fair and beautiful.

Looking for educated and well settled boy.

Caste no bar. Call: 0403252240 or email sh armaoz@outlook.com Looking for an intelligent, handsome, Punjabi/Hindu boy for my younger daughter.

She is 28 years old, 57: slim, fair, beautiful, and works in t he insurance industry with a finance background.on a high income. We have been settled in Sydney for the past 35 years. My elder daughter is happily married here in Sydney. Please respond back wit h your details and photo t o: 24advertiser@gmail.com Seeking qualified Hindu match for our daughter who is 5'1: 26years old and a vegetarian. She was born and brought up in Sydney with Indian family values. She has

Parents seeking match for tall, slim, smart, attractive Indian born Bengali doctor boy who is 28 years old and 57". He has been brought up in Australia with Indian family values, and works in a government hospital in Sydney. Contact: skandk55@gmail.com Well established Pharmacist Brahmin, 38, who owns two large pharmacies in Perth seeks very attractive, dynamic, caring, confident and cultured girl under the age of36.Shemust have family values well-tuned to western conditions. Ring 0411 770 755 or email: chetanh@westnet.com.au

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ARIES March 21 - April 19 The cards indicate that that this month you will not be bored. You have a lot of things going on which will be very exciting, and you will be feeling passionate and motivated. The presence of the Fool card shows that you are ready for anything. Be carefu I not to overdo anything that may cause you to have small accidents and annoyances. Watch your temper and make sure you pay attention to loved ones and matters on the home front

TAURUS April 20 - May 20 The cards indicate a time when you will be feeling stressed out with relationships, and you will be thinking about how to make things more comfortable. Your partner may be suffering from health issues, with the appearance of the Moon card. There may be fear about some situations.

Work will be challenging, but you will be gaining recognition and respect. There will be some Interesting meetings with old friends and you may even bump into someone from the past.

GEMINI May 21 - June 20 You will need to strap yourself in tight this month. However, you will be feeling totally loved, and feelings of sensuality and attraction for someone will dominate your thoughts In mid-month. Work will give you the results you require, with a possibility of promotion and recognition for your efforts. You may decide to book a holiday and be amongst nature and water. You may also look at changing your car or accommodation. You will be feeling very adventurous.

CANCER June 21 - July 20 This month you may be looking at getting married, with the appearance of the Empress Card. There will be some beautiful moments when you decide to propose to your lover. You will be feeling love and contentment. However, it is very important to take care of any excesses.

Keep up the physical activity to keep yourself calm and balanced and in good health. There may be a female member of the family who may be unwell, have tests carried out.

LEO July 21 - Aug 22 This month you will be feeling distressed about a relationship you have lost There wiU be some memories of a past love and how you could not get things sorted out. With the appearance of the Three of Swords, you ate feeling rather disappointed. Work will help take yout mind off issues, but frustrations may heighten so take it easy with people around you. Your health needs to be taken care of, with aches and pains in your body.

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sep 22

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This month you will be feeling very happy, and sociable. There will be a lot of invitations and events that you will attend. The appearance of the Tower means that you will want to start meditation and keep yourself grounded, as it's going to be very busy. Life at home is also a little strained, as you need to keep a balance. Your partner may be feeling ignored and wanting attention. Your relationship may go through some tests.

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 This month you need to be careful not to be over-sentimental with situations and circumstances. You will be drawn Into some discussions and family inddents. You will be taking time to exercise mote and will be walking and looking after your health. There will be issues at home with building problems that will need attention.

Some family members will be coming to visit you. The 3 of Pentacles shows that you are doing well financially, and feeling at ease.

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 This month you will be in a very flirtatious mood, your desire for fun and adventure will keep you available for love and romance. If in a relationship, you will need to make sure you take your partner on some romantic trips. You will be feeling happy and bal.anced.

There will be some colleagues at work who will be making life a little difficult for you, so make sure you keep calm and watch how you speak to them.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 This month you are feeling very restless and may wander to find new and exciting opportunities and adventures. You have a lot of ideas and dreams to travel extensively, and ideas about pastures anew. The appearance of the Ace of Wands shows that you are now on the road to making many changes and decisions about your life. You will be looking at trying to relocate from where you are currently living. An increase in finances is indicated here.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19 This month is all about new opportunities and meeting new people.

Single Capricorns will be meeting new partners with whom they will find a romantic connection, and will pursue a new journey together. There will be many offers from the opposite sex. You will concentrate on work and making many new plans and decisions about business. You will concentrate on your family and children.

With the appearance of the Lovers, it wlll be a great month ahead.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - f=eb 18 This month you will be feeling very excited and full of energy.

There will be some people of the opposite sex who may be trying to get your attention. You will need to be very strong and resist the temptation, especially if you are married. Work will be busy and will require your full attention. You will be looking at a new property to purchase or may be planning to invest in another land. Your family will need your help.

PISCES f=eb 19 - March 20 This month your love life will be very important to you. You will be feeling full of energy and excited, as you will finally find the courage to move your relationship to another level. You have the Ace of Cups, which is a great card for relationships. Your health will be a lot better and you will be feeling less stressed and able to handle any situation that may come up. Work will be busy and demanding, so be prepared.

I-IARROWING TALE OF SURVIVAL INAM STARRING: Sugandha Ram, Karan, Saritha and Karuna DIRECTOR: Santosh Sivan

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ar stories are challenging to narrate without being controversial. But cinematographer-filmmaker Santosh Sivan has crushed that notion to pulp with his film lnam, a war-drama which explores the lives of a group of orphans during the Sri Lankan civil war.

Without taking sides and not provoking political sentiments, Sivan tells an emotionally arresting tale of human barbarism, hope and survival. Even with a documentary style narrative, mostly slow, lnam tugs at your heartstrings and presents the story from two different perspectives.

Rajni (Sugandha Ram), a lone survivor of the Sri Lankan civil war, shares her harrowing story of survival to an interrogating officer (voice by Arvind Swamy). We are taken back in time and introduced to a group of orphans between age groups five and

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20, homeless, living under the care of 'Tsunami akka: played by Saritha. From then on, the story takes us through the lives of these characters, their struggle for survival, moments of joy and a lot more. What happens to these characters during the course of the war?This becomes the crux of the story.

From celebrating human spirit to capturing the worst bomb explosions, lnam tests human endurance on battleground. The willingness to survive is stronger than the fear of death. This philosophy is reinstated throughout the film, which is built around an array of anecdotes that take place in the orphanage.

While the story is told to us through Rajni's past, Sivan also wants us to see his work through the eyes of Karan, a special child, who plays the role of Nandan to perfection.

Through Rajni's story, he shows us exactly how innocent lives are lost in a war, children are orphaned, and young girls are molested. Through Nandan's story, we see that even in warfare, there's room for optimism, care and affection.

For instance, in a scene where bombs are being air-dropped and everybody

is running for cover, Nandan takes the effort to save a turtle. He befriends a human skull and calls it'Mr. Friend; builds a strange relationship with it and even saves Rajni from her molester towards the end of the film. lnam is backed by wonderful performances by an almost unfamiliar cast. From Sugandha to Karan to Saritha, Sivan has extracted raw performances from everybody.

And the reason the actors are believable in their respective roles is because they are unfamiliar.

The real star ofthe film undoubtedly is Karan, who entertains at regular intervals with his innocent mischief. He carries the film on his shoulders and you root for him more than you root for others.

Sivan's striking cinematography makes even remorse moments in the middle of a war-zone, a visual splendour to gaze at. One particular shot that stands out in the entire film is when we see a group of foreigners leaving Sri Lanka in a hurry with a polythene bag full of fish with a dead one floating inside.

You understand this particular shot little later when in another scene, people

pass through hundreds of unattended bodies in search of cover during the war because nobody has the time to even bury these bodies.

Vishal Chandrasekhar's music helps you connect with the film on an emotional level. Even though there are three songs included merely to give the film a commercial touch, it's his background score that draws your attention. lnam, coming straight from the heart of Santosh Sivan, deserves to be accepted, embraced and celebrated.

HARICHARAN PUDIPEDDI

JAANE BMI DO...

OTERI STARRING: Pulkit Samrat, Bilal Amrohi, Anupam Kher and Sara Jane Dias DIRECTOR: Umesh Bist

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ucki ly, this is not an official remake of Kundan Shah's classicJaane Bhi Do Yaaron. If it was, the makers of the original could have sued for defamation.

0 Teri borrows the concept of two bumbling, very unprofessional professionals who chance upon a scam from Kundan Shah's film and turn it into an extended Santa-Banta joke. It was Naseeruddin Shah and Ravi Baswani in the original. It is Pulkit Samrat and Bilal Amrohi in this remake, designed to give ulcers to a civilisation doped on the hope that cinema can shake the corrupt through satire.

0 Teri is like a stretched-out political joke where the raconteur forgot the punchline and is hoping he would rediscover it in the process ofundertaking

34 APRIL 2014

his aimless ramble.

Samrat and Amrohi are given lines that sound like bulk SMS messages. They try to enjoy the banter. But, poor freshers, they can't really savour the unpalatable. If television anchoring was meant to be as brainless as shown in this film, then our tainted politicians would safely find alternative employment.

And really, Sarah Jane Dias doing a Bhakti Bharve from Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron? That is funnier than anything this film has to offer.

Anupam Kher doing Pankaj Kapoor's role from Kundan Shah's original, is cast as a Suresh Kalmadi kind of brazenly corrupt politician who cannot be amusing unless given some kind of a humour platform beyond the ordinary rites of laughter.

Tragically, the intended satire is so frumpy and baggy that it collapses under its own weight.

Debutant director Umesh Bist would have done well to study Kundan Shah's cult classic for its contoured, sly comicality.

Bist attacks the material with wolfish relish, making a hash of the political satire, much in the way that the Kai ma dis of politics are

doing of our nation.

Save yourself the agony of watching this masala-mix version of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.

Just watch the original again.

SUBHASH KJHA

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OF YOUTM IN POLITICS YOUNGISTAAN STARRING: Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooque Sheikh DIRECTOR: Syed Ahmed Afzal

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ou have to hand it to this film for making an effort to be'headlineish' without toppling over with the temperament of topicality. This is a genre never really cracked in Hindi cinema. A political drama about a young foreign-educated NRI who is forced to take over his country's reigns after his prime minister father's sudden death.

Unlike Prakash Jha's Raajneeti, Youngistaan doesn't take itself too seriously. There is no attempt here to mythicise or demonise the politicians.

Think Rajiv Gandhi. Think Rahul...

Jackky Bhagnani plays an amalgamation of many political dreams. Never mind if some of them turn into nightmares in real life (think Arvind Kejriwal). Cinema is about hope and redemption. In a nation hurtling towards damnation, the

thought of some political wisdom, clarity and far-sightedness in this season of the election, is eminently welcomed. Young Bhagnani brings a temperance and sensitivity to his character. Wisely, the narrative never takes itself so seriously as to careen over under the weight of its conscientiousness.

There is a sense of mischief underlining the very powerful message about the young shouldering the governance of the country without resorting to the stereotypical morality and dress code of neta-giri in Hindustan.

Jackky's Abhimanyu Kaul is the need of the hour. He is young, enterprising and modern in thought and ready to take on the political humbug headlong.

He is also a considerate, generous boyfriend trying to make his somewhatoverbearing sometime-annoying lifemate understand the complexities ofthe responsibility suddenly thrust upon him.

In this season of the Lok Sabha election, Younglstaan raises pertinent questions on the quality of leadership in our country. While it gets its

political fundas right, the plot also accommodates the central romantic conflict into its structure.

Every character, big or small, is effectively cast. Jackky as the prime ministerial candidate, conveys a whole lot of sincerity in his performance. His scenes with his dead father (Boman Irani) are emotionally resplendent.

They play off well against the stark, sometime funny and outrageous reality of Indian politics.

Neha Sharma as his untameable girlfriend plays her character with intelligence and grace. This girl deserves more than what Hindi cinema has so far offered her. But it is the Farooque Sheikh as Bhagnani's quietly efficient personal

assistant who brings a twinkle-eyed wisdom to the table.

The film tells us it's okay to have dynastic rule as long as the job gets done. It also tells us that there's no need to get hysterical if our prime minister is in a live-in relationship.

It may not be cool for a prime minister to get his girlfriend pregnant at a time when he has a responsibility towards the nation, but if it happens, there's no need to get righteous and holierthan-thou.

And, importantly, that politics need not be a drab colourless vocation. It can be a bastion for the young.

SUBHASH K. JHA

TIRED TALE 01= MUMBAI GOONS DISHKIYAOON STARRING: Sunny Deol, Harman Baweja, Ayesha Khanna, Prashant Narayanan, Aditya Chopra DIRECTOR: SanamjitTalwar

'*".--'r,,n.:rc;{ apa preaches to his little boy, "Be Gandhian''. Boy turns the other cheek to a bully in school. Bully slaps our young hero again. Boy visits neighbourhood gangster Tony Mota and asks for a solution.

"Hit him back;'says Mota Tony, and instantly endears himself to the child-hero who grows up to be Harman Baweja.

Quite a stroke of luck for the burdened script. Harman brings to the narrative a residue of angst that serves the plot well. He plays a gangster who suffers constantly.

So, for that matter, do we, though for different reasons.

Debutant director SanamjitTalwar unnecessarily complicates the gangster flick with layer after layer of characterisation. Sinister characters, desperately in need to bathe, keep popping up and popping off for no other

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reason except to remind us that the Mumbai's underworld has not changed much from the time when Ram Gopal Varma madeSatya.

But while in Satya we genuinely cared for the sanguinary characters, here in Dishkiyaoon, we are too tired of the trigger-happy marauders to care whether they live or die.

The menacing characters all look like carryovers from Varma's Satya and Company trying hard to shield their jadedness with a swagger which only helps to accentuate their frozen renewability.

The characters' hands remain soaked in the same blood as Satya, no matter how hard the script tries to cover their bloodied track with streaks of cosmetic conceit. Try as it might, the narration's worn-out edges stick out of the sleeklydesigned format.

The film is stylishly packaged with some ear-catching background music (Amar Mohile) and cinematography (Axel Fischer) that fuses colour and black-andwhite in a hide 'n' seek with time.

Sad to say the impressive colour scheme lacks clarity, consistence and

logic. Much like the film which rambles on about the relationship between crime and comeuppance but doesn't offer us one reason to believe that these characters deserve our attention.

What redeems the film's inherently fagged-out storytelling are the actors.

Prashant Narayanan as Harman's mentor, Sumeet Nijhawan as a crime lord who doesn't use a gun and specially Anand Tiwari as a hot-headed goon, turn in implosive performances that ignite the frames when the director is taken up with intensifying the layering process.

Sunny Deol's Haryanvi accent is as

distracting as Harman's moustache.

But the young actor has returned to the screen with the language of languidity lending an aura of urgent doom to the goings-on. Newcomer Ayesha Khanna has a brief but effective part as the guitar-playing musician who wonders if she and the world around her would ever be compatible.

End of the film, we are faced with the same dilemma. While we warm up to the film's performances and its intelligent take on gangsterism, the constant barrage of slaying and screaming leave us cold.

SUBHASH K.JHA

APRIL 2014 35

Waheeda's tribute to Nanda

AND Tl-IE KELA GOES TO... t was an unmagical m oment for stars Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn and Sonakshi Sinha as they were winners of the Golden Kela Awards (Indian Razzies) held recently. The sixth annual Awards honoured the worst actors of 2013.

Aamir won an award for his performance in Dhoom 3, while Ajay carried away accolades for Himmatwala which was also named the worst film, and Sonakshi was cited for R. ..Rajkumar. An impressive list indeed!

"In Bollywood today, the box office figures have no correlation to the quality ofthe film. Our sincerest hope is that 10 years down the line, the figures will be forgotten, while the'Kelas'they got are remembered," said Anant Singh, creative head, Golden Kela Awards.

The honour for the worst actor in supporting role went to Aditya Roy Kapoor for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandes and Amisha Patel jointly won the worst supporting actor (female) for Race 2.

As part of the special awards, Deepika also won the Dara Singh award for the worst accent for Chennai Express.

The Kela for the worst director went to Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Goliyon Ki Raas

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Lee/a ... Ram Leela.

The Baawra Ho Gaya Hai Ke award went to Aamirfor Dhoom 3.

"Aamir Khan once said that he loves the Kela Awards, because all other awards are rigged. Wonder what he has to say about us now," quipped Singh.

Dhoom 3 also shared the Ra.One Award for Worst Premise with Krrish 3.

Voters chose Party all night from Boss as most irritating song.

But all was not lost. The Anti-Kela awards honoured some ofBollywood's good efforts like Saheb Biwi aur Gangster Returns, Go Goa Gone, The Lunchbox and Shahid.

Nice to see a touch of creative reality in Bollywood!

36 APRIL 2014

It pains veteran actress Waheeda Rehman to talk about her 'soul sister' Nanda in the past tense. She says she will always remember her friend of 55 years as a 'thoughtful, caring and loyal' person, who loved to cook and never let'an iota of professional insecurity' come in the way of their unique friendship.

Nanda died on March 25 in Mumbai aged 75, following a heart attack. The veteran actress led a reclusive life except for meeting her close friends.

Waheeda recalled her last meeting with Nanda, when they had lunch and coffee together.

"We were friends for 55 years, from the time when we worked together in Vijay Anand's Kala Bazaar. After marriage, friends, specially women friends, tend to drift away as they've their husband and children to look after. But Nanda and I remained close friends even after my marriage;' she added.

Waheeda shared that she and Nanda were very different individuals.

"Quite a study in contrasts, and yet we were very close friends. Or maybe we were close friends because we were so different... so we found t hose personality traits lacking in ourselves within each other': explained Waheeda.

Waheeda, 77, says people used to wonder how two leading actresses could be so friendly.

"There was not an iota of professional insecurity between us. Both of us believed in destiny and that whatever work was meant to come our way, would come. We were both very secure about our careers': explained Waheeda.

"Nanda and I never discussed work.

Our work never came into our friendship. We were both down-toearth and very Indian. We didn't quite fit into the glamorous image on screen.

We both attempted glamorous roles, but we realised it's better to do roles close to our personalities': she added.

"She was an introvert. Basically she was a loner. She was nervous of crowds. I am a little more outgoing. But like I said, we were like-minded people. We shared the same values. She went suddenly.

She deserved a lot more than she got': said Waheeda.

RIP, Nanda, may you live forever in the annals of Bollywood!

Evelyn's positive Bollywood experience She's a newcomer to Tinseltown and speaks with an accent, but Evelyn Sharma's half-Indian and half-German lineage has given her an edge in the Hindi film industry which has warmed up to foreigners over the past few years. She says being a 'foreigner'in Bollywood has been a boon for her.

Over the years, the globally popular Indian film industry has opened up

EVEL.'IN SHARMA

to talented foreign beauties with open arms. Cases in point are Katrina Kaif (Britain), Jacqueline Fernandez (Sri Lanka), Nargis Fakhri (US), Elena Kazan (Russia-born German), Elli Avram (Sweden), Lauren Gottlieb (US), Hazel Keech (Brit ain) and Kristina Akheeva (Russia).

"It's been a positive (to be a foreigner in Bollywood). It is up to the directors - ifthey dress me up in western, I can carry off the look well, and I can also carry the traditional look in Indian wear for an Indian character'; said Evelyn enthusiastically.

In fact, this flexibi lity has opened more doors for the 23-year-old, who turned to acting after a stint in modelling for Britain-based brands. She was born to a Punjabi father and German mother, but her dad died early. Coming to India three years ago helped Evelyn discover a love for chat, parantha, biryani and 'drama'.

Evelyn hasn't been in the industry that long, her first bit role being in From Sydney With Love in 2012, but she has played a mix of desi and videshi parts since. Her role as a sexy, glamorous beauty without brains in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani led to a role in the forthcoming Main Tera Hero.

And in the pipeline is Bhaiyyaji Superhit, in which Evelyn says she plays a cute, traditional, very desi girl -with an accent! She is brushing up on her Hindi as well, and has discovered yoga.

Well Evelyn, here's wishing you success in Bollywood, accent and all!

Acting is satisfying, says Sunny He has been wearing grease paint for over three decades and actor-producer Sunny Deal describes his journey as an actor as 'satisfying'. The 57-year-old began his journey with Betaab in 1983 and over the past 31 years, he has worked in about 90 films. Sharing his experience, Sunny acknowledges that "acting is a very satisfying profession''.

"As an actor you get an opportunity to portray different characters and experience different things. Acting is the best thing that happened to me. As far as a producer's job is concerned, it is to

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f SALMAN KHAN

keep the team happy;' said the actor, who recently featured in Dishkiyaoon, a gangster drama.

The film is actress Shilpa Shetty's maiden production venture and Sunny clarifies that he did the film because of its story. And although the actor is best recognised as the 'action hero' with the 'dhai kilo ka haath; Sunny says these are merely tags, which he can do nothing about.

"My persona has become such because of the films, but I am not like that in real life;' said the soft-spoken hero. "I don't like tags like action hero and 'dhai kilo ka haath: but we (actors) can't do anything.

The characters that I had portrayed were strong, so maybe because of that (I have been given these tags)': he added.

But regardless of whether he's in a gangster or action-packed flick, Sunny sure lends his presence and personality to the big screen. Here's wishing him box office success with Dishkiyaoon!

Salman snippets Salman Khan has covered almost the entire genre of Bollywood films, from drama to action to comedy. But what

ALIA BHATT his impressive repertoire seems to be lacking is a movie inspired by sport. And now the actor is keen to rectify this situation.

"I would like to produce a film based on sports,"Salman said recently, at the music launch of sports-based film Khwaabb. "I have played almost all kinds of sports. I have done swimming, have played football. I even used to play cricket;' he said, adding that "sports should be encouraged" in the nation. Salman, 48, lamented how due to lack of encouragement and facilities, sportspersons in the country are sometimes unable to deliver their best, and then face the wrath of their countrymen.

"Khwaabb showcases the life of two athletes, their struggles, ambitions and aspirations, and stars Navdip Singh, Simer Motiani, Rishi Miglani and Nafisa Ali. When you watch such films, you realise that there are no facilities for training and without these, how will our sportspersons perform better?"he asked rhetorically.

"And when they (sportspersons) do not perform in the Olympics, then we criticise them and say 'You didn't

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Deepika Padukone or Lady Victoria Hervey in Gaurav Gupta Couture Share your views with us on our Facebook page /lndianLinkAustralia

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SUNNY DEOL

win even a single medal'. There is no encouragement," he lamented.

Salman is also keen that small films should be given fair release. His own movies often mint over Rs.100 crore at the Bollywood box office, but the actor feels that small-budget films deserve as much fair visibility in theatres as big budget entertainers, as they too involve money and passion."People make small films with a lot of passion, they put their own money in it and ifthese films are not supported, then they would never see the day of light and hence, lot of money is lost'; Salman added.

The actor has earlier supported fi lms like Chillar Party and National Award winning film Filmistaan. Well, Salman's certainly making dreams come true by supporting small quality films like Khwaabb. Good on him!

Buzz about the Bhatts Actress Alia Bhatt, who has filmed some intimate scenes with Arjun Kapoor for her new movie 2 States, says she is an actor on screen and not anybody's daughter. Asked how her parents reacted to her intimate scenes, Alia said, "Have you seen my father's films?

I am an actor on screen and not anybody's daughter. And anyway, I don't think my dad has any problem with it''.

As daughter of film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, Alia certainly knows her dad! The talented young actress plays a Tamil girl in the film, and says her character is very mature.

"Ananya is much more mature. She is very intelligent... after all, she is an MBA. I relate to the character. She can do anything for the people she loves'; explains Alia .

Meanwhile Daddy, a film by her father Mahesh Bhatt is being adapted to a play by theatre and television actor lmran Zahid. The highly-acclaimed Daddy saw big sis Pooja debut on the big screen in 1989. Zahid has already created a play from Bhatt's compelling film Arth, but Daddy will be a tougher proposition to adapt. "lmran Zahid is on a high after tasting the success of Arth The Play. Daddy is a tough screenplay to adapt as a stage play. But lmran has the resolve to hit the bull's eye'; says Mahesh.

Let's hope the play is as successful as the film.

APRIL 2014 37

BACKCHAT

It's an unequal contest when one opponent has the stronger serve, and rightly so! volley itself, but here I am dishing out another low speed second serve straight to her strong forehand.

"So you took out the garbage bins and men checked your Facebook updates! Flicked through tl1e TV cl1annels while seated on the sofa!

Cursed and uttered opinions about the political chaos in lnd.ia!" was her account of my evening. And an accurate one coo! A voice in my head urged me to shm up and keep a check on my stupid utterances.

She was making sense and I was fast numi.ng out of responses, bang on, 'excuses'.

Score: 15-40. Gome Point.

By mis stage l am well aware of my deficiencies. I am no match

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fter a hectic day at work, running after our little boy and his dad as well occasionally, and getting things organised in the kitchen in the evening, my wife u sually tries to sneak in a few quiet

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moments. Jl.iloments of peace, on her own. Fiddling with her phone, watchin g something on TV of her own choice, reading a book, or sirring silently by herself and catching her breath. She caUs it her 'me time' for tl1e day. Her space to regain her 'sanity' as she sometimes puts it to me, when I try and be a 'typical man' crying to intrude on tliose moments. r often p rotest tint I 'deserve' some 'me tin1e' too. Caution, be mindful of the liberal use of the word 'deserve' wi th your wife, iL

can lead to a very complicated argument of its own, if m ishandled.

A cliscussion that you can not win, ever!

So yes, I often stake my claim to 'me rune' as well. After all, Thad worked ha.rd all day. 1n my office, rbat is. "I have worked hard too.

Same hours, same effort!" she says, as she serves a strong forehand volley tight pa.st my backhand.

Sco1·e: 15-AII. I scamper for a quick response in indignant defence. "I came home before you and bad tea ready for

us," I say, valiantly stating my case.

Here's tl1e response I am rightfully served. "l picked up our boy from school. Did the groceries on my way home (wirb the kid hanging off one knee), filled up the car tank," she retorts. Now mat.is a 250kmph ace right through me centre of rhe court. I do not even attempt to return serve.

Score: 15-30. ''1 took ou t the garbage bins," l respond yet again, a bit sheepishly this rune. I know I should have conceded me gam e at the previous

to tl1e skill, commitment and workload of my opponent. And rightfully sol So I plan to retreat.

Withdraw myself from the bou t mat I shouldn't have initiated in me first place. Bur the game point was yet to be scored.

As I tried co rush out of the door having conceded my shortcomings, I heard a final power-packed volley launcl1ed at me. I deserved i tl "\'v'h.i.le you were b usy pondering over world matters on me TV and if you failed to notice, I did me dishes, made sure the kid was fed, made the beds for the night, o rganised myself for the next day, sorted out the lam1dry, and put up ,,;,ith the tantrums of the boy," were her parting words. 1 did nor have a response as l hu rried towards the door, making for a quick exit. I would not have attempted to respond even if I had half a response ro that. She had been the better player and deserved her ' me tin1e\ Gc1111e. Set. lv[atch ...

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•Unbeatable fast result co1n11a1•e to otber For find Your local shop or more info: ti•eatn1ents at sa1ne 1>e1•iocl rree r ca11: 1soo 001101 www.101.com.au Ms.V.R. aged 61 years

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