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FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
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Diversity not all about skin color, says Freida Pinto
BRIEFS Abhishek all praise for Aish’s purple pout
The Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire actress says the debate on diversity would be pointless and redundant if it does not extend beyond skin color SUGANDHA RAWAL, NEW DELHI
F
or Freida Pinto, diversity is not about being “black or brown” or isn’t just confined to what one sees on camera but is what goes behind it. The USbased Indian actress, who found fame with the Oscar winning “Slumdog Millionaire”, says unless the debate on diversity extends beyond skin color, it is “pointless and redundant”. From veteran actors like Shashi Kapoor, Kabir Bedi, Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Anil Kapoor and Lillete Dubey to names like Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone — Indian actors have made their mark in foreign filmdom. While most of them have evaded stereotypical presentation, Freida feels there’s a need to broaden the definition of ‘diversity’. “Everybody wants to talk about diversity, but I like to broaden the definition. It is not just diversity in terms of ethnicity and skin colour, as in black or brown. It has become a redundant conversation. It is not about representing people on sexual orientation. That should never be a barrier for the kind of roles that people play,” Freida told IANS over phone. She added: “I think diversity is a compulsory subject matter and, yes, there is a certain issue in films. But look at the world... It does not look like a white persons’ world. There are all different kinds of people in it and all different kinds of actors and languages.”
US-based Indian actress Freida Pinto feels there’s a need to broaden the definition of diversity.
The 31-year-old, who has already worked with the likes of actor Christian Bale and filmmaker Woody Allen, feels there is a need to focus on other important aspects of filmmaking than just see what meets the eye. She said: “It is not only the representation that you see on camera;
what about the people who write, what about the people who direct, what about the people who produce? So for me, diversity becomes a very pointless conversation after a while if people are only talking about and sticking to color of skin. “Color of the skin is not diversi-
ty.” In a short span of her career in the entertainment industry, Freida has carved out a niche of her own in world cinema through her roles in films like “Miral”, “Day of the Falcon”, “Immortals”, “Desert Dancer” and “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”. Freida was also seen with Bale in Terrence Malick’s film “Knight of Cups”, which brought to light Hollywood’s underbelly. On her part, she is glad that she didn’t wander on “the path where there is a lot of negativity” in the industry. “There is a lot of criticism, a lot of temptation that is always around you and I could see it. I was pretty much protected by the group of people around me and I never had one of the things.” Her journey, the Mumbai girl says, has been a great ride. “I feel it is important to basically take an opportunity that comes your way, but also kind of be able to sit back and enjoy. It is harder for me to do the latter as I always think I am so young that I have to keep going...I have to keep doing that. “It is great to have an ambition but it is kind of a little sad when people don’t enjoy their success,” said Freida, who was a model in Mumbai before she hit the jackpot with Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire”. As far as her current work slate is concerned, Freida will be voicing Mowgli’s adoptive mother in “Jungle Book: Origins”, Warner Brothers’ motion capture live-action adventure.
MUMBAI: While actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s pop purple lip color during an appearance at the 69th Cannes Film Festival got mixed reactions from her fans and the fashion police, her husband Abhishek Bachchan found her look “fantastic”. Asked to comment on Aishwarya’s purple pout, he told IANS: “I think she looked fantastic ... She always does.” Aishwarya’s choice of lip color turned out to be a head turner at the red carpet, but her look was trolled widely on social media. She paired it with an embellished light pink Rami Kadi dress.
Mallika Sherawat attends Unicef dinner CANNES: Actress Mallika Sherawat, whose film "Time Raiders" was screened at the ongoing 69th Cannes Film Festival, attended the Unicef dinner in a gorgeous gown by ace designer Alexis Mabille. The “Murder” actress shared a photograph of herself on Twitter, flaunting Mabille's creation — a shaded, net ensemble. “On my way to the UNICEF dinner, thank you Alexis Mabille for the lovely gown, make-up by Dior, hair by Dessange," Mallika tweeted on May 18 night. This is not the first time that Mallika has made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival. The actress made headlines in 2014 in a pale, pleated Pucci dress she wore to the amfAR Gala.
Dinner at SRK’s home for ‘Azhar’ not an honest depiction Apple CEO a starry affair A MUMBAI: Dinner hosted by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan in honor of Apple CEO Tim Cook on May 18 at his residence ‘Mannat’ turned out to be a starry affair. Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Farhan Khan, A.R. Rahman, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Sania Miza, among other celebrities, made their presence at the event. Cook is in India on his first official visit to the country. He announced that the tech giant will establish a design and development accelerator
facility in Bengaluru, the home of India’s startup scene. He also took out time to visit the Shree Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 21 during his Delhi visit.
film by the name of “Azhar”, based on the life of Mohammad Azharuddin, the legendary cricketer from Hyderabad, is bound to arouse curiosity and attract cricket fans and cinegoers alike to the theatre, but alas! This dramatized version of Azhar’s life, as stated in the disclaimer, is neither an honest depiction nor a captivating one. Chronicling Azharuddin’s life selectively, with a focus on the three match-fixing allegations which were a stigma on his cricketing career and earned him a ban from cricket, the film lacks drama and entertainment and does not delve deep into his life. A combination of innuendoes
Film: “Azhar”; Director: Tony D’souza; Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Prachi Desai, Nargis Fakhri, Kunal Roy Kapur, Lara Dutta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Gautam Gulati; Rating: **
about other cricketers and courtroom scenes, the film hurriedly skims through some parts of his life and ends up being a half-baked attempt at redeeming Azharuddin, which too, it does not succeed in doing.
“Azhar” lacks, pace and energy. The narration drags, not riveting the viewer to the screen. Nowhere does the film throw light on any aspect of his life that the audience doesn’t know already. Emraan Hashmi as Azhar, makes a sincere effort and that is evident in fact only in his scenes on the ground, where he is playing matches.