Karan Johar’s life reads like an open book now, literally. Anybody can pry into and look into the insides of a man-boy who rules Bollywood. The story of the Movie Moghul unfolds in exactly 352 pages and is worth a princely sum of Rupees three hundred and forty-nine on Amazon, everybody’s new bookstore and more. Its Karan’s outpourings on his life penned by journalist Poonam Saxena in a book titled An Unsuitable Boy. Welcome to the world of Karan Johar.
The book traces Karan’s childhood and growing up years, initiation into the film industry, experiences with movie making and helming Dharma Productions. It expands on things like his equations with friends like Shah Rukh Khan, Aditya Chopra and Kajol, and of course, the subject of his sexuality.
Unsuitable Boy is different because it is honest. Karan talks at length about his sexuality, his close friendship with Shah Rukh Khan (there’s an entire chapter dedicated to SRK), him breaking away from one of his oldest friends and so-called lucky charm in films, Kajol. Karan also talks about his battle with depression, and how got to be at peace with himself and his life choices.
Karan was the only child of Yash and Hiroo Johar. His father was in the export business apart from being a film producer. Being a single child Karan had to deal with the loneliness of growing up alone, taunted for being feminine in his ways and socially awkward. This made him withdrawn into a shell and binge on food which added one more problem to his existing ones – overweight.
The breaking point came when he was sent away to boarding school where his life turned more miserable. The story goes (Karan too has spoken about it) that it was Twinkle Khanna (daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia) who was at the same boarding and convinced him to run away. But even there luck was not with and he was caught by the school guards and brought back only to be told off by the school principal in front of the whole school at the morning assembly.
That broke Karan’s heart and he returned home. But at home, a distressed mother awaited him which only made matters worse. But one thing he remembers from the long talk that his mother had with him after he returned home was whether he wanted to be just a mediocre person for the rest of his life. That stayed with him.
Soon Karan was back at his old day school. But his life was about to change. Partly by chance he got involved in a club at school and gets picked for an interschool elocution contest (it was here that Aditya Chopra sat next to him as a fellow contender). Young Karan won the big prize; that gave him the confidence that was to change his life dramatically and also a true friend in Aditya Chopra. It is hard to believe when you see the suave, confident, self-assured and almost arrogant Karan of today to imagine him to be a shy and awkward boy.
The next phase of Karan’s life was to bring him on the track that would or could determine his future in films. His closeness with Aditya Chopra and Anil Thadani (who married Raveena Tandon) had a common passion – they were all diehard Hindi film buffs. Karan talks fo how the three would talk about movies for hours in the day. And when the time came for Karan to take over the father’s business, it was Adi who convinced him to assist him with the making of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ). Not only did DDLJ go on to make cinema history, but it launched the careers of many a star on celluloid. From here on there was no looking back – it was the starting of his long friendship with Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri even though his friendship with Kajol predates DDLJ. The superhit film was Karan’s training ground and his launchpad into a career in films. It also lay the seed for his biggest turnaround, the film that would forever place him in the bubble-gum genre and a big hit with the youth and children.
The next few years would take Karan to a new high. He made Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, followed by Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Karan is not shy to reveal the insecurities he faced as a filmmaker while making KKKG. Even as he was shooting his blockbuster, Lagaan released to great acclaim and later earned an Oscar nod. That same year Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai also came to the theatres, and Karan writes of how he was struck by how genuinely cool it was. Karan admits to feeling threatened like his own work would not match up, and wanting to make something that had the same authentically cool feel of Dil Chahta Hai.
That came in Kal Ho Na Ho (KHNH) which was scripted by him but directed by a young filmmaker Nikhil Advani. Even while he was busy with his all-time iconic film, his father Yash Johar was diagnosed with cancer and in June 2004 died. It was a shock that would take Karan a while to recover from.
Karan would have been happy just with the creative aspect of the movie-making business. But with his father gone, he had to come to learn the business side of it which was not easy. His closest friend from school Apoorva Mehta came to his aid. Apoorva quit his job at the YRF London division to take charge of the financials at Dharma Productions. Today it is one of the most successful production houses in the country. It was a slow process of trial and error. And with Dharma’s growth, Karan too evolved into the Movie Moghul that he is today
There’s no better person to analyse the secret of his success than Karan Johar himself. Karan entered the Big Club of 100-crore profits in 2010 with Agneepath, directed by Karan Malhotra. It posted around Rs115 crore. Since he turned producer in 2003 with Kal Ho Naa Ho after directing two titles under his family banner, the 41-year-old filmmaker has displayed an astute sense of what audiences want to watch, and need to watch. His transformation from secondgeneration filmmaker to a one-man mini studio testifies to the power of family-run companies to teach a few lessons about popular Hindi cinema to the suits flitting through Bollywood.
The Karan Johar name guarantees business today. The Dharma stamp in Bollywood is also the mark and triumph of commerce over creativity. The banner has been able to grasp the aspirations of a post-liberalisation generation and its consumption patterns, also personified by the poster boy Shah Rukh Khan starring in many of the Dharma productions
Dharma has hit upon the formula of dealing with love stories that Indians can identify with. Karan’s got his finger on the movie goers pulse. His publicity skills are excellent and his eye for talent enormous. He has so many newcomers who have gone on to become stars in their own right.
One of Dharma’s trademarks has been its young appeal. Karan’s friend Aditya’s Yash Raj films set up the Y Films which have done exceedingly well to feed Indian audiences with mega hits, but Dharma has veered towards the urban, affluent fun-loving adolescent and young adult who simply enjoy his offering of style and pizzazz. In fact, Karan is obsessed with the youth. Karan was an accident in filmmaking as he had studied BCom and learned French for six years, hoping to go to Paris to further it. So he says that in his youth he did not do anything adventurous and hence the longing for the ebullience of youth which reflects in his films.
Dharma is buzzing with a youthful zest; young people, enthusiastic and creative are encouraged by Karan to showcase their talent. It’s a great training ground for assistant directors some of whom have on to direct films for the boss with aplomb. Karan himself was not too old when he took over Dharma. He was just 32. He was born into a film family but it was by accident that he turned it into a huge business advantage
His father Yash Johar got into film production in the Forties and produced films such as Dostana (1981) and the original Agneepath (1990) with Amitabh Bachchan and Danny Dengzongpa
Karan as a boy was growing up in South Bombay’s spiffy Malabar Hill far from the city’s north where the factory that spun celluloid dream was located. It was a clear divide, the city’s upmarket centre and its growing suburbs. His world was made of people who preferred Hollywood and pop icons like George Michael and Madonna. But Karan himself was drawn to the Bollywood magic, watching a Hindi film almost every day and dancing to filmi songs.
His innate sense of good and bad on screen stood him in good stead. It also worked for him on television – his chat show Koffee With Karan turned iconic holding urban audiences in its spell. He also appeared as a judge on shows like India’s Got Talent and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. These associations boost his movie promotions— conversations with actors on Koffee With Karan are timed with the release of Dharma movies in which star and others whose films are about to release. He is the master of PR and promotion.
But Karan seems to have had a personal longing to be part of the media too, it was on his bucket list of to-do things in life. He says he always felt he had the ability to say something irreverent things without offending people. And since his job was to speak to movie stars anyway, he thought why not get paid for it too. He was surely having fun and the nation was smelling his brew.
His stylish, suave, witty presence on the small screen could give any professional television anchor a run for ratings but Karan merely enjoys the medium as a break from the big screen and does not want to give into the TRP madness. As he says nonchalantly, “I don’t get the medium and I can’t do it week after week. In any case, I have to take a pill to keep my blood pressure under control. Movies have already taken a toll on me.” His movies have also taken a toll on the cinema going public, they seem to ask for more and more of his youthful tapestry.
Indians were not allowed to visit South Africa until the Apartheid regime was dismantled in 1994 after the great Nelson Mandela formed the first non-racist government. So it was a matter of great pride when I managed to get a visa for South Africa (Indian passports would be duly stamped those days with – Every country except South Africa) to mark the historic release of Nelson Mandela’s 27 years of incarceration. One of the greatest statesmen and human beings was to walk free and I was going to be a witness. History it was!
Having witnessed history as the slightly weak and bent Nelson Mandela with Winnie Mandela by his side, walk out of Victor Verster Prison in South Africa’s windswept Cape Town at the southernmost tip of the African continent. Still reeling from the momentous event where even in 1990 there were hundreds of television channels with private choppers hovering over, the World Report team was the only one from India hoofing the event with its meager resources. On our way back like good journalists we decided to do some Vox Pops and what better than to start with a bunch of school kids making their way back home.
They were barely 10- 12 year-olds and an odd mixture of all the so-called ‘colours’ of South Africa. When asked if he was happy, the White boy nodded a vehement ‘No’ while the Black kid cheerily replied that he was happy. On being asked why such opposite reactions, both the boys shied away from an answer, but at that moment an Indian boy perked up and said, “That’s because he is White” and pointing towards the other kid said, “And he is Black.” Then as if to make his own distinction he stated,”And I am Indian.
The encounter was revealing. Later on in Durban, the port city where a large population of Indians live and are clearly far more prosperous than the Blacks, we witnessed a typical Indian wedding where a Gujarati family was in the process of sending the bride and groom away in Bidaai at the driveway. It was clearly an allIndian affair, no outsiders. The father of the bride, when asked about it, made a shocking declaration: “If we mix our mental fundamentals will not remain the same.”
It got me thinking, especially since Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s journey began as a lawyer fighting for the oppressed Indian and black people in South Africa. In Durban, I was lucky to spend a few days with Ismail and Fatima Meer at their Clare Estate home. A truly hospitable couple Ismail Meer and Fatima were both at the vanguard of the African National Congress (ANC) along with so many other Indians who gave direction and leadership to a movement which finally saw the toppling of the oppressive Apartheid regime a few years after Mandela walked free.
Fatima, in fact, wrote Nelson Mandela’s first biography, Higher Than Hope, published in 1988, along with more than 40 books, essays and lectures. Her book on Gandhi’s life, Apprenticeship of a Mahatma, was made into the 1996 film The Making of the Mahatma, for which she wrote the screenplay.
Nelson Mandela has always spoken of Mahatma Gandhi as the greatest inspiration to the South African struggle. In a letter from prison in 1980, he wrote: “The oldest existing political organisation in South Africa, the Natal Indian Congress, was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894. He became its first secretary and in 21 years of his stay in South Africa, we were to witness the birth of ideas and methods of struggle that have exerted an incalculable influence on the history of the peoples of India and South Africa. Indeed, it was on South African soil that Mahatmaji founded and embraced the philosophy of Satyagraha.”
After the abolition of slavery, the British settlers in the Natal arranged with the Indian Government to recruit indentured labour for their sugar, tea and coffee plantations. Thousands of poor and illiterate Indians were enticed to go to South Africa with promises of attractive wages and repatriation after five years or the right to settle in Natal as free men. The first indentured labourers reached Natal on November 6, 1860. They were soon followed by traders and their assistants. After some time, the whites faced serious competition from the traders, as well as the labourers who became successful market gardeners after the expiry of their indenture. They began an agitation to make it impossible for Indians to live in Natal except in semi-slavery as indentured labourers. In 1893, when Natal was granted self-government, the Government began to enact a series of discriminatory and restrictive measures against the free Indians
The Indian traders who had settled in the Boer Republic of Transvaal were also subjected to similar discrimination, while Indians were excluded from the Orange Free State.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a young and diffident barrister, arrived in South Africa in 1893 to represent an Indian trader in Natal in a civil suit against an Indian trading firm in Pretoria. Within days, he encountered bitter humiliations such as being pushed out of a train and being assaulted for walking on a footpath. The experience steeled him: he decided never to accept or be resigned to injustice and racism, but to resist.
He helped found the Natal Indian Congress in 1894, bringing together Indians of all classes, speaking a variety of languages, into one organisation to struggle for their rights. It was the first mass organisation in South Africa.
Similar stories abound in countries such as Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad & Tobago where the once indentured population became heads of state in all three. In Fiji, the government of Mahendra Chaudhury was toppled in a coup by local Fijians whereas in T&T and Mauritius Indians have been at the head of government.
In fact, even as I write this, an Indianorigin doctor is making news having emerged as the frontrunner in the prime ministerial race in Ireland. Leo Varadkar, 38, the Dublin-born son of a Mumbai-born father and Irish mother is currently Ireland’s welfare minister. By the time you would be reading this, he could well have become Ireland’s Prime Minister.
India has the largest diaspora population in the world, with 16 million Indians living outside the country they were born in, according to United Nations report on migration trends.
The survey, conducted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, found 224 million people lived as international migrants, or in a country other to the one they were born in, in 2015 - a 41 per cent increase from 2000.
The richest Indian diaspora is in the US, where Indians counted for the third-largest ethnic group in 2015, making one per cent of the total US population. Mexico had the second largest diaspora population at 12 million, followed by Russia and China. The Indian diaspora story is old having begun when Indians were transported thousands of miles from their homelands across seas to work in the New World on the sugarcane and rubber plantations of Trinidad, Mauritius and Fiji. The Indians have turned that long and arduous journey into stories of great success in lands across the globe. They have risen to become prime ministers and presidents of distant lands, businessmen and tycoons, artists and filmmakers, poets and writers, chefs and chaplains. It’s been a heart-warming journey, so far
Abottle of Rum, a few bottles of Indian Whisky, a bottle of Vodka and “one good bottle of Scotch (for the boss),” was pretty much the standard for parties at Indian homes, in the nineties. Occasionally, there was a guest, who drank only wine. And, more often than not brought their own bottle
Cut to 2000 and the scene had changed dramatically. Even non-drinkers knew that Sula and Grover were “good Indian wines.” Carrying a bottle of Indian wine to a party was quite acceptable
By 2017, even those who formerly swore by “Californian,” “Chilean,” or “Australian” happily extol the virtues of a “plummy” Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Shiraz or a Fratelli Reserve.
The Indian wine industry has maintained a consistent growth rate of between 25 and 30 per cent for the past 15 years. The figures are staggering – from just two million litres of production from India’s first four wineries at the beginning of the century to 18 million litres last year from 90-odd producers
As with any consumable, Indian wines started to improve after the first decade (the nineteen eighties). In the nineties, people bought Indian wine as a gift for parties but continued buying the ‘better stuff’ (French or Californian) for their own drinking pleasure.
Accessibility was the ace in the pack, which the turn of the century ushered in. “You do get some amazing imported wines in India, but what you get in Bangalore, you won’t find in Delhi... If it is available in Mumbai, that’s the only place you can get it,” says Kasturi Jacob, who hosts exclusive, limited-audience, wine-tasting sessions in his Delhi basement. He usually offers only one imported wine per session to aid comparison. “Indian wine, on the other hand, is available across the country and there is a consistency in terms of prices, brands, and availability... very important for regular consumers,” he says.
The availability of an array of wines in even the most humble liquor vends also played its role. Whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Chardonnay, and even Rieslings are easily found. The Reds include Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Merlot. And all of these are ‘Made in India’
An added bonus is that now liquor vends in several major cities have “women only” outlets to enable women shoppers to browse undisturbed while they choose their favourite wine. “Madamji, yeh Chandon Brut leke dekhiye, yeh bilkul Champagne jaisa hai par ek bottle Champagne ke daam mein chaar bottle milegi,” says the helpful attendant at one such vend in East Delhi’s Mayur Vihar. He’s not just trotting out manufacturerdriven advertising spiel when telling you that this sparkling wine is similar to Champagne but at a quarter of the price. Prem Singh says he routinely asks returning customers for feedback on Indian wines they buy.
Clearly, if sales are any indication, wine drinkers in India are quite happy to pay a few thousand Rupees or more for a good Indian wine. With Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka producing the lion’s share of Indian wines, prices range from as low as Rs 170 for a bottle of Figueira Ruby Port to Rs 5000 for a Zampa Insignia
Rolika Batra and her husband began educating their wine palates a few years ago. “One weekend a month, we get a bottle of wine and spend Saturday evening drinking it, listening to music. The Indian wines that we’ve been trying have been mostly very good.” Husband Suveen says, “for instance in February, we tried Reveilo Chardonnay Reserve after reading somewhere that it is India’s first Chardonnay. I paid less than Rs 1500 for it. We bought it a few more times after that to serve at home parties and everyone agreed that it goes well with typical Indian tandoori snacks.” The couple’s other favourite has been a Krsma Sauvignon Blanc.
An element of nationalistic pride in the industry is evident even in umbrella body websites such as that of the Indian Wine Academy. Its banner says, “Don’t say Cheers! Say Jai Ho!!”
The coming of age of the Indian wine industry has included the development of tourism-friendly vineyard properties. The Four Seasons Vineyards in Maharashtra include a spa and a swimming pool in addition to the expected vineyard trails and tasting sessions. The York Winery offers you a tasting room overlooking a lake, while Sula, always the pioneer, offers public educational tours, India’s first heritage winery resort – The Source - and of course the annual Sulafest.
The Indian wine industry’s investment in educating the drinking audience about the advantages of domestically produced wine has also paid off. “When you account for the import duties tacked on to a bottle of imported wine, often it is easy to find a much better option made right here in Maharashtra,” a Mumbai-based sommelier advises.
“An imported wine selling here for about Rs 1000 may be selling only for about Rs 300 in its country of origin. Not all imported wine is excellent and not all domestic wine is trashy,” he informs. The fact that hotels and restaurants have also ditched their earlier bias about offering only the cheapest Indian wines on the wine list, has helped educate people about what’s available. “You drink a glass of York Sauvignon Blanc at Rs 300 or a Sula Blush Zinfandel for Rs 400, and then if you like it, you can always go home and buy a bottle for your next wine expedition,” said the manager at a Delhi fine dining restaurant.
Industry insiders say exports of Indian wine, primarily to Malaysia, some middleeastern nations; Bhutan, Germany, and the UK are worth well over seven million US dollars with around two million litres of export sales. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc are what foreigners want from India.
Indian Vineyards have also come a long way from the nineties. They now offer Reserves and make special blends for hotels, tailored to suit a specific menu or cuisine.
Wine industry observers across the world are now conceding that Indian wines are here to give the rest a run for their money. The odds that have been overcome are incredible. Winemakers in India have found ways to produce outstanding wines despite the tropical heat, the traditional disfavour with which wine consumption was viewed, the complicated system of taxes and levies, which vary from state to state.
So what do experts recommend for those who want to drink wine? Experiment, be adventurous, it is only a bottle of wine. Order by the glass at restaurants, try the cheaper varieties first when you buy bottles, and most importantly, remember the wine is for you to enjoy. Jai Ho!!
Today, essential oils support a thriving industry and are used in everything from flavoured foods to candles and perfumes to treatments at top spas and bodywork centers. Aromatherapy’s power comes from the fact that high-grade, organic essential oils are naturally healing and therapeutic. They can be beneficial for physical ailments such as stomach aches, allergies, migraines, or sore joints, as well as for finding emotional and spiritual balance. To access an oil’s curative properties, all you have to do is smell the oil or gently rub it into your skin. You can also try using the oils on a hot compress or in a bath, diffuser, or a humidifier. Just be sure to always follow instructions for use, and only ingest oils if you’re guided by a certified practitioner since some are toxic and may cause reactions. Also, check the expiration dates of your oils, because some have relatively short shelf-lives, while others seem to last forever.
The quickest way to benefit from essential oils is by deeply inhaling the scent, and then just allowing your brain to psychologically process it. Hold the oil under your nose and breathe it in for a count of three, then slowly exhale through your nose. The effects can last up to about 45 minutes, and you can repeat this process as many times as you want throughout the day. You’ll experience firsthand the powerful connection of the mind and body as the oil works its healing magic, spurred by simply breathing in the essential oil’s scent
If you want to experiment with applying essential oils to your skin, a good place to start is your pulse points—your wrist, temples, neck—because the oil is quickly absorbed in these areas. Once it’s dabbed on, it works its way into your bloodstream and throughout your body. Since oils are potent and concentrated, remember to dilute them with a carrier oil, which is generally vegetable, nut, or fruit-derived, such as coconut oil, avocado, jojoba, or hazelnut oil. These have healing qualities themselves, and also function as a protective layer for your skin.
When we are exposed to an aroma, the molecules are exposed to our olfactory epithelium, our nasal receptors. The transmission of this signal from the exposure of the fragrance molecule to our brain leads to interpretation of the scent in our brain centers, which involve memory, sensory perception, general processing center, and to a gland in our brain that mediates chemical secretion into our blood and other parts of our brain, just to name a few effects. With such intricacy of neuroprocessing involved in our body’s interpretation of a fragrance, it’s no wonder that many patients eventually become staunch supporters of using aromatherapy to help them with a variety of daily health concerns.
Smells shape our moods, behaviour and decisions, so why have they barely registered in our conscious lives.
Emmanuel Macron, 39, is married to Brigitte Macron, 64, a school teacher whom he adores as well as relies on for political and spontaneous advice. In the stormy French realm of the romantic tradition, stretching all the limits and boundaries of relationships, and celebrating love and intimacy as a national landmark of private celebration, they make an ideal couple, with Macron as a fabulous step-father to her three children. In the atmosphere of permissive patriarchy and xenophobia which is stalking large parts of the world, theirs’ is a love story which begins with an opera and is still going strong like a classical symphony. It’s a textbook case of an impossibility turned into a dream sequence. For the French people, and many in the European Union, this is an ‘Ode to Joy’, as refined and as liberating as Beethoven’s great classic of great joy.
Truly, the world needed this sublime rupture when hate politics, racism, sexism, mass phobia and strange insecurities stalk part of the Western world, as much as the middle-east and our sub-continent.
Between Brexit and Donald Trump, or the rise of fundamentalism and Islamic terror in the Middle-east, Macron, a centrist, has shown the middle path to the world, and has consolidated the liberal and democratic voices led by Angela Merkel in Germany, a Christian Democrat, and stretching across from Netherlands and Austria to Greece and Spain. The marching song of the jackboots of the Neo-Nazis has been finally stopped in Paris, even as the French, from the rich to the poor, in a spectrum of many colours, voted for an unlikely candidate in Macron, who was not really in the race in the beginning and who was pitted against the fascist rise of Le Pen, a scary and dangerous phenomena in Europe fighting with terrorism and the phobias against immigrants. No wonder, both Barack Obama and Merkel, among other democratic world leaders, backed Macron.
In the troubled times before the election rounds in France, with Neo-Nazis gaining ground in a spectacular sign of the success of hate politics and isolationist politics, very similar to the shrill electoral campaign of Trump, the Brexit, and the Right-wing in countries like Netherlands (where too they were defeated after a huge high and upsurge in the beginning), the far-Left candidate in France was cutting into Macron’s vote and support base. Why is the Left yet again making this terrible mistake, even while the fascists were on a surge? Have they not learned the lessons of history, the World War II, Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust, and in recent times, from the defeat of the Labour Party in Britain?
Wrote the legendary Yanis Varoufakis, former Marxist finance minister in Greece and a great intellectual, who resigned in the wake of ‘austerity’ measures being forced down the throat of Greece, in ‘Le Monde’ of Paris: “I refuse to be part of a generation of progressive Europeans who could prevent Marine Le Pen from winning the French presidency, but did not do so,” Varoufakis wrote. “Is Marine Le Pen really a less unacceptable option than her father?” he wrote, referring to Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was thrown out of the Front National Party by Marine for his anti-Semitic statements. “Is Emmanuel Macron worse, from the Left’s point of view, than Jacques Chirac in 2002? If this isn’t the case, then why do certain leaders from the Left today refuse to support Macron against Le Pen? For me, it’s a veritable mystery.”
Thankfully, despite appeals by Marine Le Pen to Left supporters and the disgruntled working class to vote for her party, most of them voted for Macron or stayed away. The middle path, despite the initial hiccups, stayed its course.
Since then, there has been a wave of celebration being marked in Europe, and for the backers of a united Europe, even as Macron is being compared to the dashing, liberal and young Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, in an era where Obama is being sorely missed. Obama himself celebrated his victory, even as South Korea elected a liberal dissenter and human rights activist as president. Clearly, the world is not really getting Trumped all along, despite the best wishes of the xenophobic dream.
The centrist president has remarkably chosen a cabinet which stretches from the Left to the Right, with the new ministers outshining each other in terms of their professional track record and their impressive CVs. In a unique spectacle of gender balance, there are 9 women and 9 men in a cabinet of 18, including a female Olympic champion as sports minister. Their photo-op after the swearing in ushered in yet another era of a refreshing diversity for the world to see, as much as the high level of competence and academic achievement. Only time will prove if they can stand up to the great expectations.
Macron’s high profile meeting with Merkel soon after has set the trend for a realm of liberal synthesis in Europe. Merkel has braved anti-incumbency and internal criticism to accept more than one million refugees from Syria and the Middle-east in Germany. She has stood her ground and gained in stature consequent to her brave, steadfast and magnanimous position. She, once again, proved to the world, that history and the bad faith and bad memories of the past can be turned upside down with sheer willpower, as a large number of Germans came out on the streets to welcome the marooned refugees. She has proved, indeed, that it is not really the guilt of the past, the unimaginable crimes of the Holocaust and the gas chambers when millions of Jews were killed in the concentration camps, but it is the optimism, openness, and bigheartedness of the present, which will open new doors of perception, a new world order, and a united Europe which stands for liberal and democratic ideas. And, mind you, Merkel is not a Leftist. She is as centrist or right-of-the-centre as Christian Democrats can be. And, yet, she has chosen to tread the offbeat path and taken a tangible risk.
Macron, clearly, will be following her footsteps, even as he does a tightrope walk in a critical economy, with the country still recovering from the wounds of deadly terrorist attacks on ordinary citizens. He has to be as tough and flexible as he can be in the balancing act so as to prevent terrorist attacks, as much as to consolidate the French position against the Neo-Nazis in France, as well as in support of the new paradigm shifts in the European Union dynamic of a capitalism in crisis. Even as Brexit seems to score a potential victory in neighbouring Britain, Macron will still mark a refreshing change as the new French symbol of liberalism. With Merkel and others in the EU, he will certainly bring a new language of consensus and inclusiveness, as a new political synthesis in a conflict-ridden and troubled world.
Certainly, his wife and his love story will be an advantage he will cherish. As the metaphor goes, in the beginning, was love. At this moment, undoubtedly, there is no end to this love story
Gone are the white flannels and the laid back pace. Gone are the nuances replaced by aggression and accounts. Big bucks and the big bang, that’s what the new-found cricket carnival is all about. And it’s growing bigger by the year. The IPL’s tenth edition ended in May with full page advertisement by the champions Mumbai Indians the next morning thanking the fans. After all, nowhere in the world will you get thousands and thousands of fans turn up night after night to be part of this cricket extravaganza. To watch a game of cricket which lasts about four hours and gives you enough band for your buck.
IPL is no longer just about Cricket. It is a brand that people are consuming. When a sport replaces entertainment like the IPL does, it is only obvious that entertainment joins hands with it. Ironically, no other sports property has managed to create as many versions as the IPL has. HBO has created HPL – Hollywood Premier League, SONY MIX has created PPL – Pix Premier League, Hungama.com has created HPL – Hungama Premier League, ArtistAloud.com has created AAPL – Artist Aloud Premiere League just to name a few
IPL is not about the sport of cricket as much as it is about the business of sport. It is the only global Indian brand and can truly and proudly claim to be Made in India. It is one of the few businesses which are multi-crore in volume and yet fully Indian. It is truly an Indian business model which has come good and is being replicated by many others around the world.
One could argue that it is largely modelled on the EPL or European Premier League of the many other soccer leagues abroad what with its skimpy clad cheerleaders, mostly blonde and east European. Whatever it may be it is a business model that has worked and worked well for 10 years now
Many hardcore cricket lovers who swear by the languid gentlemen in whites engaging bat with the ball over five full days may have nothing but contempt for the Indian Premier League and, by extension, the Twenty20 brand of ‘instant’ cricket itself. Yet the fact is that IPL — the strange animal which burst on the scene in 2008 showcasing Twenty20 cricket played by men dressed in garishly coloured clothing with ad labels falling off their apparel, cheered along by film stars and scantily clad cheerleaders — is now a hot brand valued at $4.2 billion (by valuation and corporate finance firm Duff & Phelps). Whether the purists like it or not, the fact is that the 45 days that the event plays out in mid-summer every year is eagerly anticipated by fans and players, not to mention sponsors who faithfully backed the property every edition.
Even after Pepsi backed out of the title sponsorship after the betting scandal threatened to take the shine of the IPL, BCCI not only rode the storm but managed to tie-up the title sponsorship with Vivo at a quarter more than what Pepsi was paying. It only goes to show the popularity of the game across the country where it becomes a source of great family entertainment giving TV soaps and dramas nervous nights. Not only are the stadiums packed even TV viewership is huge. No wonder Sony Pictures Networks India which has the telecast rights for the ultimate television show is said to have earned Rs 1,200 crore from the event last year.
Similar events have mushroomed in other sports too such as football, kabaddi and badminton; only goes to show how IPL has defined sports to be good business. It also helps the country’s economy with hotels, flights, stadiums giving a fillip to the local ecosystem wherever matches are played. The business of sport is here to stay. And we will wait eagerly for 2018 to bring to us the greatest show on the greens – the IPL or Indian peoples League
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. She was only 15 when a bullet was put through her head in her school bus on her way back home. Malala survived not only to tell her tale but transform herself into an icon of girl power. Her journey from Pakistan’s remote Swat Valley to the hallowed halls of the United Nations in New York has been extraordinary, culminating in the Nobel Peace Prize at just 16, the youngest recipient ever; going on to become a global symbol of peaceful protest.
Malala is not the only one fighting a battle against the Taliban’s cultural choke. Afghanistan was once a liberal society where more women were in the workforce than men. All that changed once the Taliban took control rapidly changing the contours of Afghan society – music was banned and women shackled.
Prior to the rise of the Taliban, women in Afghanistan were protected under law and increasingly afforded rights in Afghan society. Women received the right to vote in the 1920s; and in the 1960s, the Afghan constitution provided for equality for women. In 1977, women comprised over 15 per cent of Afghanistan’s highest legislative body. It is estimated that by the early 1990s, 70 per cent of schoolteachers, 50 per cent of government workers and university students, and 40 per cent of doctors in Kabul were women.
But those days are gone. Fifteen years after the end of Taliban regime, gender parity remains a distant dream in Afghanistan despite claims of progress.
According to a National Bureau of Statistics survey conducted in 2016, just 19 per cent of all Afghan women had attended school. Of women and girls under the age of 25, only 36 percent of those surveyed said they had been to school.
But then you can’t keep them down for long as they say. A group of young Afghan girls is doing just that, challenging the oppressive Afghan patriarchy simply by playing music. Welcome to the world of Zohra, an ensemble of 35 women who play both western and Afghan musical instruments.
Music has offered the Zohra’s girls the chance of another life. Those now adept at playing the violin, piano and traditional instruments of Afghanistan, were once street working children
At 18, violinist Zarifa Adiba has already performed at the Carnegie Hall in New York. At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, she conducted four pieces as the second conductor of the orchestra, where the young Shia Hazara girl with high cheekbones knew how to obtain focus and silence among the excited young troops.
But it is the story of the main conductor which is awe inspiring.
Like many teenagers, 19-year-old Negin Khpalwak from Kunar in eastern Afghanistan loves music, but few people of her age have battled as fiercely to pursue their passion in the face of family hostility and threats.
Negin took her first steps learning music in secret, before eventually revealing her activity to her father. He encouraged her, but the reaction from the rest of her conservative Pashtun family was hostile.
Except for the father, everybody in the family was against it. How can a Pashtun girl play music when even the men in the tribe don’t have the right to do it was the outrage among her relatives.
She now lives in an orphanage in the Afghan capital of Kabul and leads the Zohra orchestra, an ensemble of 35 women at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music
Zohra’s ensemble of 35 young musicians is largely aged 13 to 20; some orphans, some from poor families. The orchestra is led by Negin who celebrated her 20th birthday on the return flight from Europe after performing at Davos in January. The girls have overcome death threats and discrimination in this deeply conservative war-torn country to play together.
With their hair hastily knotted, eyes focused on their instruments, the musicians perform in unison under Negin’s baton.
She is proud to be Afghanistan’s first female conductor. Dr Ahmad Sarmast, the musicologist who founded Afghanistan’s National Institute of Music (Anim) and the Zohra orchestra, understands the risks facing women in Afghanistan who pursue music — banned during the Taliban’s repressive 1996 -2001 rule and still frowned upon in the tightly gender-segregated conservative society.
Zohra is very symbolic for Afghanistan. It’s hard for these Afghan girls. Some fathers do not even let their daughters go to school, forget about music school. For most Afghan men, women are to stay at home and clean up.
But Negin’s strong parents stood against her entire family to allow her to attend music lessons. In fact, it was her grandmother who threatened her dad that if he let Negina go to music school, he wouldn’t be her son anymore.
Since then, her family has left their native Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan, and moved to Kabul.
Life is hard in the capital city, jobs are scarce, but Negina feels it is better than being dead. And she is not going to forget her uncle’s words easily: “Wherever I see you, I’ll kill you. You are a shame for us.”
Negina wants to go to a prestigious US university on a scholarship and then to become the conductor of the Afghanistan National Orchestra.
When she went home on a recent visit, her uncles and brothers threatened to beat her for a performing appearance on television, and she had to return to Kabul the next day. But Negin remains fiercely determined to continue on a path that has given her a new sense of identity.
With their hair hastily knotted, eyes focused on their instruments, the girl musicians perform under the watchful eye of Negin, transporting them to a brave new world of music and hope. And a new tomorrow.
it is all about, but the programmes allow an entirely new language with an infinite scope of mechanical tools. But it is up to the designer to make use of it. And the catch is that there are no footsteps to follow
He takes inspiration form internationally renowned English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector Damien Steven Hirst, who is undoubtedly one of the most influential artists of his generation. His groundbreaking works include The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991), a shark in formaldehyde; Mother and Child Divided (1993) a four-part sculpture of a bisected cow and calf; and For the Love of God (2007), a human skull studded with 8,601 diamonds. In addition to his installations and sculptures, Hirst’s Spot paintings and Butterfly paintings have become universally recognized.
Digital form of art is contemporary and cutting-edge. It is a new trend where one can experiement a lot and also use the digital tools to express themselves. The audiences have welcome the change and art is now global. Artists have broken the mould of conventional ideas and floated into a new sphere of creativity.
The term ‘computer art’ refers neither to a specific style nor to a particular quality, it merely characterizes the instrumentarium. The computer proves to be a universal dataprocessing system, the invention and development of which came to be linked with technological considerations solely for historical reasons. Under different circumstances, the computer might equally well have been invented as an instrument of art, e.g. in the socio-political environment of ancient Greece, where art as well as science and technology was considered a noble pastime.
In the most general sense of the term, art can be regarded as a special form of communication. It is the task of the artist to provide a message, which in this particular case is also subject to certain esthetic considerations, however they may be defined. Formerly, colors, sounds and tones were regarded as the raw material of art; today they would be considered information carriers. The elements of art are data, i.e. immaterial components. Even though this statement may sound rather sober, it does imply that art is not a material but rather an intellectual process.
The means of expression of an artist are adapted to the faculties of human perception. Complex patterns are perceptible only via the eye or the ear, thus making music, poetry and the visual arts in all their combinations and variations the most sophisticated areas of artistic activity.
A statement on computer-assisted visual arts that is often meant as a criticism is true: basically every static image presented on the monitor could also have been created in a conventional manner, the only difference being the time needed to produce it.
Therefore, the significance of computer graphics lies only in animation. This, too, is an important aspect. While conventionally produced images can hardly be put into motion, the computer lends itself almost naturally to this possibility. This is largely due to the possibility of constructing single frames within seconds, which is easy when high resolution is not required.
Talking about the challenges in the artworld, Das reflects, “The more flexible illustrations pose even greater challenge. Here what is required is creatively cooking up images using the modern tools.
Nilanjan’s choice of digital art is because of the enhancement of technology and a firm belief that it is the future. He dreams of creating a digital art-ring where people from different sections of digital art interact to give this art form newer perspective. Currently he plans to set up a studio of his own, which would cater to all the forms of digital art, from animation to digital painting.
Work everyday provides new vistas of creativity. From the tiny little heading design to two-page illustrations, Nilanjan is ready to put in his best at everything. No wonder that he can do with only six hours of sleep — for him work is more than a profession — it is life.
Avoid wearing thick clothing materials like denims, cords, or thick cottons. Stock your wardrobe with light bright t-shirts either in floral prints or in pastels. Capris, skirts, cotton leggies and many more are all good monsoon wears. Wearing layered dresses in the rainy seasons will only add to the muddle, avoid wearing them.
Wear really nice thin comfortable tee shirts in vibrant colors, which would be easy to dry if you get wet in the rain. Funky designs in many hues on these tee shirts compliments the gloomy weather. Perfect for style conscious college goers, t-shirts can be paired with the above mentioned comfortable denims and you're good to go in the rain. But remember just like the denims, loose fit tees are advisable for the monsoons. They are breezy and do not irk your body when wet
Go for some funky and colourful waterproof bag if you are outdoors. Jewellery made of silver or other metals that can be easily tarnished is a strict nono during the rains. So go for statement pieces made of plastic, ceramic and beads, which are ideal for the season and look chic, too.
A proper choice of footwear is very necessary to avoid smelly and sweaty foot. Floaters are the best bait as they are cheap as well as comfortable. Alternatively there is waterproof footwear. Plastic sandals are also a good option and are more comfortable and stylish too as they dry up very easily.
Ajourney of the mind, body, spirit and soul, Espace brings in the feel of a spa within the city limits. A pure indulgence zone for the senses, Espace is a spa that offers it all under one roof. A spa specially conceived to take your body and mind to new heights of inspiration and rejuvenation. Espace is a spa, not just about de-stress or detox. Your destination in Noida for rejuvenation and re-energizing, the Espace Spa & Fitness Center blends comfort and beauty into a soothing experience for the senses. This spacious retreat offers stateof-the-art workout facilities as well as treatment rooms, a unisex beauty salon and sparkling pool. Thanks to the spa’s service, you’ll find it easy to schedule some muchneeded pampering.
Relax with a traditional Swedish massage or body wrap, or revitalize your skin’s elasticity and glow with an exfoliating almond, apricot or Dead Sea mineral scrub.
The Espace salon uses high-end products to gently condition and purify your skin. Available for men and women, the relaxing treatments loosen surface blockage for deep purification and stimulate blood flow. The Fitness Center with Cardiovascular equipment from Techno Gym and strength training equipment from Cybex is designed for people who want to get the most out of their workout. Chill at the outdoor swimming pool. The Pool overlooking the intricately landscaped garden serves exotic health drinks and specialties. You may also join an aerobics, yoga or meditation session led by a qualified instructor in the parquetfloored fitness studio. Afterward, you can experience the soothing warmth of the steam and sauna room.
Enjoy a leisurely swim with a picturesque view of the manicured garden filled with exotic plants. Espace also offers a wading pool for a pool-time recreation. Well-trained attendants and internationally trained therapists work out special menus for the body and soul with personalized attention, indulgent therapies
Begin your day by unwinding in the steam or sauna room before experiencing a full body exfoliation that draws upon the essential ingredients of papaya. A detoxifying aroma massage that will calm your mind and draw in the serenity of your surroundings. This energizing experience is enhanced by a deep cleansing facial to awaken your complexion. Allow the therapist to offer you a soothing herbal tea and a few minutes to leave the cares of the world behind.
Duration: 140 minutes.
Rich in the antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C, rose oil has a tonic and astringent effect on the capillaries that lie just below the skin surface. Espace's Signature Rose oil treatment includes a Rose Scrub. The rose petal and herb hydrating face pack, and Aromatic Body Treatment that uses a Signature HeartWarming Massage Oil consisting of rose oil, bergamot oil and ginger.
Duration: 120 minutes
• Other facilities: Zumba classes, Aerobics, classes for weight loss and also dance classes for Salsa, Jive and various other forms of dances.
• Our USP: Espace ensures that guests receive an unparalleled experience, in the perfect environment of luxury and pampering. Creating Ayurvedic treatments in Espace, the main philosophy involves realising unity with nature and recognising divinity within the self. The décor and ambiance of Espace spa creates a delicious balance of the subtle and opulent to make it one of the best spas in Delhi & NCR.
While in Ludhiana, take a break from your routine with a visit to Espace Spa, at Radisson Blu Hotel Ludhina, where therapists pamper patrons with a range of relaxing treatments. Connected to the spa, the fitness centre features modern equipment for a thorough workout, and the salon lets you refresh your look before an important presentation or night on the town. The outdoor pool provides another option for a refreshing break. When it’s time to get back to work, take advantage of the well-equipped business center and free high-speed, wireless internet access. Busy travelers also appreciate on-site parking as well as the transport services to airports and train stations.
Espace, the spa and the fitness centre is designed with a higher dimension evolving around the touch of the senses and the stirring of the soul. The sprawling spa boasts of therapy rooms and a unisex salon. The spa is not just about de-stress and de-tox but addresses the time immemorial question of holistic beauty.