Rakul Preet Singh is an Indian film actress and model who predominantly works in the Telugu film industry. She has also appeared in a few Tamil, Hindi and Kannada movies. Currently, she is appointed as the brand ambassador for Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao programme by Telangana State Government.
She started career as a model while in college, during which she also made her acting debut in the Kannada film Gilli (2009). In 2011 she participated in the Femina Miss India pageant in which she was placed fifth and won five pageant titles including People’s Choice Miss Indiatimes, Pantaloons Femina Miss Fresh Face, Femina Miss Talented, Femina Miss Beautiful Smile and Femina Miss Beautiful Eyes.
She subsequently opted to become a full-time actress, making her Telugu debut in Keratam the same year and her Tamil debut in Thadaiyara Thaakka, the following year. In 2014 she also made her Bollywood debut in Yaariyan in which her performance was better received. She was part of the commercially successful films like Venkatadri Express (2013), Current Theega (2014), Loukyam (2014), Kick 2(2015), Bruce Lee - The Fighter (2015), Nannaku Prematho (2016), Sarrainodu (2016), Dhruva (2016), Rarandoi Veduka Chudham (2017) and Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017) and established herself as one of the leading actresses in Telugu Cinema.
Nithya Ramesh met heartthrob Rakul Preet Singh to discuss her work and plans including the new upcoming projects.
To be an established actor you need to be able to measure your success and build on this. How do you evaluate success within your roles?
There is a common saying that success means different things to different people at different levels and I am one person who doesn’t really evaluate success. I’m an actor infact that is not even something that I don’t let it seek. For me it’s a 9 to 5 job like anybody else, sometimes I don’t finish my work so I work until night. My profession is like any other job and I don’t really sit and evaluate as to what all have I achieved because I believe success shouldn’t get to your head. Of course, I’m aware of what I am doing and what I want to do next and I don’t evaluate the past and see if I had a successful film or a blockbuster film that how I am. I always think of what next because past is done and my way of looking at things is practical and you won’t grow if you start living in the past.
What have you learnt from previous roles and your past experience that would be of benefit to you in this role?
Learning is a very subconscious process, it is not a certain project that will teach you everything as you grow each day. I have been in the industry for such long and got exposed to different level of people and had let myself grow. Your personality is carved out with that and new learning happens subconsciously when you are always open to learning, which I feel I am. I’m very adaptable and I always seem that I have never achieved anything big be-cause the day that you realise or the day that you think you have achieved everything that’s when the plane is going to crash. Personally, I’m a much more mature person, I am able to handle other departments of my life as well much better because I am working and multitasking. So, it’s a very weird process of growth.
What role would you love to play as your dream role?
I as an actress don’t want to be pigeon-holed into a particular role, but you have to start somewhere. It is important to know your strengths and be willing to take on new challenging roles. I have a clear sense of who I am and what am I good at. I prefer to act in movies like ‘Saala Khadoos’ or a sports Biopic like ‘Mary Kom’.
You always look so great how do you stay in shape...what’s your secret, hardwork or genetic?
Fitness is something that many people think that going to the gym is a burden and its not that way to me. I own three gyms and I also like to stay fit all the time. The secret is my lifestyle and me working out.
Lifestyle because I’m in a show biz and getting paid to look a certain way. I don’t believe in being disproportionate and wanting to do glamorous role as a heroine but as an actress it really doesn’t matter. Recently I have lost more weight because I’m doing a film here in Bollywood which needed me to be a certain way and down South it didn’t need me to be that way so I always maintain a certain level of what is expected out of me while I’m working for Tamil or Telugu films.
Work out for me is like a stress buster. I work out when I’m happy, sad and work out even more when I’m angry [Laughs]. Working out is like a rejuvenation for each cell of my body breathing. I make sure to work out 1 hour a day and 5 times a week and If I don’t get to work out for two days simultaneously then I get very moody and I just don’t feel happy. I feel my happy hormones don’t release. Last but not the least, I follow eating healthy and eating clean. I stay away from sweets and fried food.
What drew you to make the transition from South Film Industry to Bollywood?
For me, it is really not a transition... it’s an expansion of my creativity, I mean all I want to do is to grow in life and I’m just challenging myself more than ever, so I don’t really see this as a transition. I will continue doing films as long as I get good roles and love my role irrespective of regional films or Bollywood films.
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding your upcoming role in ‘Aiyaary’. What drew you to the project?
It is Neeraj Pandey’s Film. Every-body wants to work with him. He is a great film-maker and his films have a certain credential. When I first got to hear about the movie, he asked me to think about it and let him know and I immediately said there was nothing to think about as I wanted to work with him and Siddharth Malhotra and ‘Aiyaary’ being an army film I had no second though to work for this project. So that is how it happened and it was a wonderful journey.
Do you feel there is a lot of pressure on you to portray a certain body image and appearance? How do you handle that?
I don’t believe in the word pressure as I think pressure is something that you build on yourself when you are competitive with others and my competition is always myself. Of course, I want to do well but that doesn’t mean that I will step down on other people. I don’t get pressurised if I am the way I am, I give my 100% to people who want it for a certain film. Recently I read through this line which says “few people are taking stress management techniques to handle and relieve stress” which means they are already preparing themselves for stress which they are expecting to happen to them and their mind to manage. Money, work or business needs to be managed but not stress. I believe to adapt and enjoy the process of what I am working and I am one of those people who is aware of my likes and dislikes at work, I’m lucky that I’m doing it the right way and I’m happy and proud I am doing it well so I don’t find any reason to be pressurised. Why should I add stress to something that I should enjoy, blossom and cherish.
How has stardom changed you?
Stardom has changed me as a matured person but not in the conventional way most people believe. I am the same person that I was five years ago and will always be the same no matter how big I grow. However, stardom hasn’t changed me it has changed my circumstances.
You were paired up with stars like Sidharth Malhotra, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu. How was your experience working with them?
It was an amazing experience working with each one of them as they are humble and supportive during shoots. Sidharth Malhotra is from Delhi, so we both keep talking about Delhi. He speaks his heart and is always fun to be with.
Allu Arjun is very hardworking and a nice person too, he is one actor who always brings a change with whatever film he is doing. Ram Charan is one of my favourite co-stars with great dedication and patience. Mahesh Babu is the most grounded and dedicated at work with no attitude or arrogance in spite of being a super star.
Tell us about your experience working with director Neeraj Pandey?
It was an outstanding experience working with Neeraj sir as he is the nicest and most keen. He knows who he is so he does everything he can to make you feel comfortable. He is a pleasure to work with and one of the best at his work and style. He makes sure to get the best out of you so he needs you to be relaxed and comfortable. He helps you find your best with many actors throughout the film and you do know you are in safe hands, which really helped me concentrate on doing my best at what
I need to do while he makes you feel at ease and guides you through.
What are your upcoming releases?
I have ‘Aiyaary’ releasing this month. I’m working for another Bollywood film apposite Ajay Devgan and I play a very interesting role which is set to release in October.
Then I have got two films in Tamil, one opposite Suriya, directed by Selvaraghavan and one with Karthi which is a love story. There are talks for two films in Telugu which I will be announcing soon.
(Nithya Ramesh: Bureau Chief – Entertainment & Fashion, Opinion Express)
Air India, was the Maharaja in scheduled air transport service and domestic scheduled passenger airline until it started facing severe competition from private airlines such as Indigo, Spice Jet, Jet Airways etc. Air India used to be the largest international carrier from India, controlling 14.6% of the domestic passenger market. However, with private airlines expanding their capacity, Air India’s domestic market share dropped to about 13% as of March, 2017. Currently, Air India is burdened with a debt of about 52,000 crores and has salary arrears of approximately Rs. 1,200 crores accrued from the year 2012. The salary arrears are to be paid to approximately 27,000 odd staff of Air India that includes pilots and cabin crew. Due to unsustainable debts suffered by the airline company, the Government has decided towards disinvestment and privatization of Air India, which seems to be the only solution to revive the ailing national carrier.
Seeking disinvestment of Air India– Government options available
For the purpose of disinvestment of Air India, various options were considered by the Government, such as hiving off certain assets, a possible demerger, strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries. Amongst the above options, the Government also initially contemplated effecting the dis- investment by selling either its entire 100% stake or 74% stake or 51% stake to a third party. A parliamentary panel had sought details from the Government on giving in-principal approval to divest its stake in Air India. On June 28, 2017, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave their in-principle approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries.
Pursuant to the in-principle approval, the ministry received two proposals, one each for the airline’s international operations and for its assets from Bird Group and IndiGo. Tata Group (which originally established the airline in the early 1930s) has shown an interest in buying the government stake in Air India. In September, 2017, the Government invited bids to appoint financial and legal advisors for the disinvestment process and also invited applications for appointing an asset valuer for Air India as well as its subsidiaries and overseas offices. Currently the Government has received bids from six consulting companies and investment banks for the man-date of advising it on the divestment of its stake in Air India.
does privatization of Air India hold opportunities for foreign investors?
According to the Foreign Direct In- vestment Policy, 2016 (the “Policy”);
Thus, even though FDI is permitted in Indian aviation companies including Air India, it restricts foreign airlines to invest in Air India. With the proposed 100% disinvestment by the Government from Air India, foreign airlines will be free to invest in Air India.
Accordingly, once Government divest its stake from Air India it would definitely be an opportunity for foreign airlines to invest in Air India.
Legal Challenges perceived due to privatization of Air India
The employees of Air India including pilots are demanding clearance of salary dues before adoption of any formal decision for the proposed privatization plan. Air India has almost 7 (seven) unions opposing privatization of Air India. The salary arrears may pose a serious con- cern for the airline as majority of Air India unions are opposing the privatization process. Further, while negotiat- ing the sale, due caution will have to be taken to ensure that there are no job cuts on divestment by the Government.
The insurmountable debts of Air India may pose a problem to find a suitable buyer. To overcome this issue Government is willing to write-off the debt for the potential buyer. Air India has 4 subsidiaries, Air India Express Limited (AIEL), Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), Air India Transport Services Limited (AISTL) and Alliance Air. Each subsidiary has different valuation with experts estimating Air India Express Limited valuation at 8,000 crore, AIESL at 3,000 crore and AITSL valued at roughly 2,000 crore. It also has a joint venture with AISATS which provides ground handling for domestic airports, with a rough estimate worth Rs. 1000 crore.
Further, the profit making and loss making divisions of Air India will have to be strategically demarcated and the airline will have to go through a systematic corporate restructuring to maximise the benefit of privatization. However, this could result into a time consuming and a costly affair. With the expeditious rate at which global airline alliances are taking place, it could be difficult for Air India, albeit post privatization to thrive in such a market.
The advantages for the Buyer on privatization of Air India
Air India has the largest domestic and long haul fleet of 140 planes in the country and flies to approximately 140 international and 72 domestic destinations. Apart from the planes, it also has vast land holdings including its well- known headquarter at Nariman Point costing more than Rs. 1600 crore and nearly 32 acres in central Mumbai. Air India also has properties in New Delhi, Hong Kong, London, Nairobi, Mauritius and Japan.
The sale of prime market slots of Air India like the peak hour landing slots in the busiest airports such as London and New York could fetch the Government a whopping price estimated to be at least Rs 3,000 crore. This could act as a helping hand in clearing the debts of the carrier. Also, the sale of the prime market slots in airports like Delhi and Mumbai would attract foreign airlines to invest in India. Further if both foreign and prospective domestic buyers are allowed to bid freely for the airline, it could attract more value than it could realise from a normal sale. To sum up Air India has an extensive network, a strong brand name, momentous experience, valuable access to airport infrastructure with prime landing slots internationally, and an ideal geographic location for a global hub, thus advantageous in all angles to the buyer.
Conclusion
Air India chief Rajiv Bansal, who has been appointed as the interim Chairman and Managing Director of Air India is working on ways to improvise the airline’s on time performance (OTP) and reduce costs on various fronts prior to the sale of its stake. However, the airline will have to battle its own internal task force as seven of Air India’s unions are expected to meet in New Delhi to draw out a strategy for opposing the privatization process.
Despite numerous challenges and hurdles, the Government is currently in the process of selecting two key players to provide consultation services in the oncoming advisory process. Nonetheless, in light of the recent changes and developments that have taken place in the disinvestment process of Air India, one can only wait and watch how smoothly the entire process progresses.
By Tejasvini Shirodkar, Partner, Rajani Associates; Pearl Boga, Senior Associate, Rajani Associates and Karen Issac, Associate, Rajani Associates
Why Should Air India Be Privatised?
There is a fresh move to turnaround ailing, loss-making Air India. The decision to merge Air India and Indian Air- lines taken in 2007 gas not made Air Indian a strong viable carrier. Efforts of successive governments to infuse funds have not yielded desired results.
1. Case for Privatisation Strong
There is a strong case for its privatisation. The equipment and planes are old and services are pretty bad, depending on the crew assigned to take you on flight. Flights are generally late and often unpleasant as air crafts are old.
2. the Market Share
The market share of Air India is barely 13% and most of its customers enjoy freebies. Politicians, government servants, travel by Air India. Those who have options hardly choose to travel by Air India. The carrier is not a popular choice.
3. Lots of options
The government is considering various options such as disinvestment, sale of stakes to strategic partners etc. Privatisation will not trim the size of Air India and improve efficiency. It will also give a clear message that Indian economy is now market driven on principles of sound governance.
4. end of the era of Controlled economy
If privatisation takes place, it will mark an end to the era of centralised planning and controlled economy. It is an established principle of nationalisation that the government should only interfere when there is market failure. When JRD established Air India as a private carrier, there was hardly any business case for its nationalisation.
However, after nationalisation, the cost of employee per aircraft grew beyond reasonable expectations. At present, there are 221 employees per aircraft. To provide services, to tool several non viable routes. These operational costs were hidden in days of monopoly when there was lack of competition from other operators.
When Air India perceived competition, it failed to keep up and turned into an ailing giant. The only cure is privatisation.
The government’s attempts to infuse capital especially after 2007 have not yielded desired results. Certain dimensions like to acquire aircrafts on lease and surrender of profit making routes further added to its woes. Finally the government is of the view that Air India has no business being a PSU. Certainly, managing an airline should not be the business of the government.
Privatisation/disinvestment will be a step in the right direction to turn around Air India and release the government from the burden of servicing huge debts and using the funds more efficiently elsewhere.
Filed by Opinion Express News Bureau.
New delhi: Why exactly is the Modi government going ahead with plans to privatise/disinvest Air India? Is it because of the airline’s continued losses, demand for government funding under a previously approved turnaround plan and its dismal share of the domestic market? Or is Air India’s dismal share of international traffic, to and from India, the real driver behind the privatisation move? Well, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had listed out the first three reasons when he initially divulged that the government was willing to look at disinvestment in the national carrier.
Now, in the Economic Survey vol- ume II, tabled in Parliament on Friday, the Chief Economic Advisor says dis- investment in Air India will help boost Indian airlines’ international market share. “Reforms such as privatisation/ disinvestment of Air India, creation of aviation hubs and reconsidering the 0/20 rule are some suggestions to improve Indian airlines’ share in the international market.”
The Survey further says there is a need for “committed action plan on privatisation/ disinvestment of the national carrier Air India to enhance its operational and management efficiency because it is a major carrier of international traffic to and from India, account- ing for 11.4 percent of the total international travel. The recent announcement of the government towards privatisation of Air India is a well thought out decision.”
The government seems to lack clarity on its motives for disinvesting its stake in Air India, never mind the over- all benefits of such an exercise. By not being sure of what it is selling out for, the government runs the risk of getting private investors in for wrong reasons and this could well derail the process itself.
Though Jaitley has declared that the decision to privatise/disinvest Air India is on, there is still no clarity on key parameters like whether the government will exit completely or retain some stake; whether foreign airlines will be allowed to participate in the bidding process etc. Besides, how does getting private investors into Air India automatically improve its share of the international market? Remember, IndiGo, India’s largest airline by passengers, has said that it wants to preferably only acquire the international business of Air India and Air India Express to augment its own plans of a low cost long haul operation.
Anyway, as per the latest figures available with safety regulator DGCA, 62 percent of total international traffic to and from India was carried by foreign airlines in Q1 2016-17, leaving just about 38 percent for domestic airlines. This means only about a third of the international traffic was carried by domestic airlines. And even here, Air India was not the first choice of passengers, Jet Airways beat it by a significant margin. Anyhow, Air India’s standalone share among domestic airlines flying to overseas destinations was 28 percent but in the overall scheme of things, when we consider all airlines flying to and from India, Air India’s share was a tad below 11 percent. When numbers for Air India Express (a subsidiary) were included, the market share was about 17 percent. So not even a fifth of the market. How will this improve by merely divesting/privatising the airline remains a mystery.
The argument that makes more sense than using Air India privatisation to increase desiairlines’ international traffic share is the creation of domestic aviation hubs and further easing restrictions on Indian carriers’ overseas flights. On the first, the Survey quotes figures from FY16 to show that the maximum international traffic to and from India was to the UAE almost a third. “The top destinations of passenger traffic to and from India are the Gulf countries of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
UAE alone accounts for 33.6 percent of the total passenger flows. However, these countries are not the end destinations of all passengers. In fact, these countries are invariably being used as stop-overs/ hubs by their respective home airlines to carry passengers for onward destinations of USA, Canada, Europe etc. This is the 6th freedom of air which allows foreign airlines to fly from a foreign country to another while stopping in one’s own country. The 6th freedom has to a large extent been responsible for reducing the share of direct long haul flights for Indian carriers from 25 percent in 2011-12 to 20.5 per- cent in 2015-16”.
This is the nub of the problem. In- stead of gifting away growing international traffic to and from India to foreign carriers, India should encourage development of domestic hubs so that our desi airlines can take passengers directly, in- stead of foreign carriers first taking passengers to their home countries and then offering them onward connections.
On easing current restrictions on Indian airlines to fly overseas, the Survey has advocated a further liberalisation of the 0/20 rule. This rule allows Indian carriers to fly overseas as long as they own a fleet of 20 aircraft. This is dilution of the earlier 5/20 rule where in addition to the fleet specification, the airline had to have a five-year domes- tic flying record too. “There is need to reconsider the 0/20 rule so as to allow private airlines to fly abroad. In return, private airlines can be mandated to fly to under-served airports in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in order to have greater regional connectivity (UDAN is a good initiative in this direction).”
R.Madhavan, popularly known as Maddy is riding a wave being the only actor in India who leads charmed life as a star in Bollywood and Kollywood. He has acted in more than 50 movies and also won few Filmfare awards. He is not only an actor but has worked as a film producer, as a writer for few of his films, hosted television programmes and has been a prominent celebrity endorser for multiple brands. He is one of the few actors in India who garners pan-Indian appeal, with his success in establishing himself in the North and the South Indian film industries. He is noted for his contributing activities and promotes various causes such as environment, health and education. Interestingly, last year, Madhavan’s critically acclaimed movie, Irudhi Suttru (Tamil remake of Saala Khadoos) was screened at the Prestigious International film festival and met with a fabulous response from global people and the media.
Nithya Ramesh Model, Actor and film critic interacted with R.Madhavan for opinion express Magazine.
How are you enjoying your recent success of Kollywood release vikram vedha?
I’m really happy with the movie vikram vedha making a big hit at the box office in India as well as overseas. It is nice to know that the audiences are adapting the new and different genres of movies that are made these days which is taking our Indian cinemas to the next level.
What is the most extreme change to your personality, hair, body weight, etc that you have done to prepare for a role?
Saala khadoos was an immense transformation for me. It was tough and it took a year for me to work and get right for the character to look like a retired boxer. I had to grow my moustache and hair. It was well worthy effort that I had put in.
How do you choose a script?
I listen to hundreds of scripts, but it has to excite me and at the same time my role should fit within my parameters. I look for scripts that are intelligent, age appropriate and which would fit in the right experience that the audiences are looking for.
Is it true that you have to change yourself in order to be accepted into the entertainment business?
No not at all. One has to be unique to be accepted. First you need to understand that like everybody else you are unique too in some or the other way, you should always be inspirational and have the ability and strength to portray the role assigned to you. That is when you will be accept- ed by the audience. If you have qualities that the common man wants to have after seeing you then you don’t have to change yourself.
If you were offered two movies simultaneously, one of which is a commercial movie with a reputed director and will make a huge gross worldwide whereas second one is a truly artistic film which requires great method acting and which may not be a box office hit, but will earn huge accolades for you and your entire team in a long run … what would you choose?
The commercial movie as I am strong believer of Box- office hit.
How do you prepare yourself so that you’ll bring the right amount of realism and emotion to a scene?
I try to own the scene. If a scene is given to me, I don’t try and do it like somebody else would have done it. I don’t want to do it like my criticizers or other actors who might have already done that sort of scene. I want to make it “The Madhavan’s” so being within the character that has been defined helps me to try and make it my own. Therefore I think it becomes unique and one can achieve the right amount of realism and emotion to a scene.
you are one of the few actors from South to have made a successful career both in Hindi and tamil industry. Could you please elaborate?
I was lucky born a Tamilian and was brought up in the Hindi backdrop and this worked as the biggest strength for me to get into Bollywood. I’m more of a Hindi north based guy and I always write my dialogues in Hindi as my Hindi is good and there was never a doubt that I was not a Hindi guy.
Does history interests you? What historical figure would you be interested in portraying some day?
I’m a historian. (Laughs)To be honest I was always interested in history and knowing the past in simple terms. I believe in this saying “those who do not know history will forever remain nothing more than a child”. I would love to play Alexander The Great. He was spectacular and inspires me the most. He conquered most of the world when he was 32 and died fairly young. He was arguably the most influential ruler in history I would say.
tell us about what you’re working on now?
I am doing a Bollywood flick Chanda Mama Door Ke. I have my next year kind of full and got a couple of films in Tamil and a biopic which will be made in both Hindi and Tamil as well, also probably the remake of vikram vedha in Hindi.
Thanks to her success, India equals Venzuela for producing maximum number of beauty queens
India is a factory of producing beautiful girls – quoted a media person covering Miss World event. An Indian medical student has been crowned Miss World following a glamorous event in China, making her country the joint-most successful nation in the pageant’s history along with Venezuela. Manushi Chhillar became India’s sixth winner of the prestigious beauty show, following in the footsteps of successful Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai. Chhillar’s win means that India and Venezuela have both won the competition a record six times each over the course of its 67-year history.
The 20-year-old beauty winner is a trained Indian classical dancer who enjoys painting. The Miss World website also says that she hopes to open a chain of non-profit hospitals in rural areas. Miss India Manushi Chhilar wins the 67th Miss World contest final in Sanya, on the tropical Chinese island of Hainan on November 18, 2017 Contestants hold hands and pose during the 67th Miss World contest final in Sanya, Chinese on Saturday.
Indonesia’s Kevin Lilliana was crowned Miss International 2017 on Tuesday at an event held at the Tokyo Dome City Hall. This year, a total of 71 women participated in the beauty pageant that was won by Kylie Verzosa of the Philippines in 2016, reports EFE news. “It’s like a dream come true. Indonesia, we made it,” said the 21-year old Lilliana, adding she would use her win to promote world peace and cultural exchanges.
The other finalists of the 57th edition of the pageant, held in the Japanese capital for the fifth consecutive year, included Chanelle De Lau from Curacao (first runner-up) and Venezuela’s Diana Croce (second runner-up).
Two other finalists, Japan’s Natsuki Tsutsui and Australia’s Amber Dew, won the awards for best national costume and Miss Perfect Body respectively. Lilliana also won the award for being the best-dressed contestant.
Ace cinematographer reflects on his 26-year journey in film world
Indian cinematographer and director, Ravi K. Chandran has worked on Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi movies. He has won the Film- fare Award for Best Cinematographer for movies such as Virasat, and Black, and the Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – South for Kannathil Muthamittal. His best known works in Bollywood are VIRASAT (1997), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), yuva (2004), Paheli (2004), Black (2005), Fanaa (2006), and Saawariya (2007). Ravi has won two Filmfare Awards and one Southern Filmfare Award
Ms Nithya Ramesh Model, Actor and film critic interacted with Mr Ravi K Chandran for Opinion Express Magazine.
? Do you have a favorite experience in your work as a Director of Photography? What film are you most proud of?
There’s nothing like a favorite film experience because every film is by itself an experience, I have been shooting since 26 years, still everyday when you are on the set there is always a new challenge like light may not be correct or rain during shooting, some actors have to leave by certain time so in the morning we will be shooting the night scene or in the night we will be shooting a day scene according to the script all these issues happen. Everyday it’s an exciting shoot only if you don’t see your work as a problem then it’s not a problem. When you start seeing your work as a problem then it is a problem.
My favorite films are ‘Dil chahta hai’, ‘Black’, ‘Kannathil Muthamital’, ‘Ghajini’ and ‘Saawariya’. ‘Virasat is an important film in my career. each film has got a plus and minus but every film is part of life. you spend almost a year in a film. So if I do 20 films then 20 years of my life is gone. That is very crucial period of life. you have to leave your youth, family and go and travel, you end up eating food on roads, rains. Basically it is very important journey in every film and every film is an important film in life or career. So that’s how it is. I’m very proud of ‘Virasat’, ‘Kandu Kondain Kandukondain’, ‘Black’, ‘Kan- Nathil Muthamital’, ‘Minsara Kanavu’ and ‘Saawariya’.
? What type of film would you love to work on that you haven’t worked on yet?
See I haven’t worked on a periodic film like ‘bahubali’ with a lot of special effects and action film. I like that kind of film and it would be very exciting to do those kind of films.
? What do you look for when hiring your main team?
I normally work with the team who are with me for 2 or 3 years. When recruiting new team we generally ask for what kind of interest they have. I talk to them, I get to know what kind of interest they have in cinematography, what they actually want to become and what they really mean by they are interested in cinematography. Some people come and say that they like cinematography a lot and love it but if I ask them tell me a good cinematographer in India or internationally, they don’t know. They wouldn’t have watched any of those films of great cinematographers but they have all the updates about new film of their favorite actor or actresses. They know where to get good food but they don’t know about the job they want to do. It is like I love music but I don’t who is Illairaja or A R Rahman. If you were interested then you would know or find out about your interest. This generation has access to the best of internet, make use of it and seek for the information where your interest lies. Why I have to say this is because I come from a village, I used to come to Chennai to read about America’s cinematographer and then to become that I came and got registered myself for the American library. So every week I used to go and read and that is the kind of interest one should have. If you are interested in that subject then you should know much about it in depth. If I want to know the top 10 cinematographers in the world then I google it and watch their films. If I want to know about the lenses in the market then I buy it and test it. I grow with the technology.
For upcoming cinematographers I would like to say it is an evolving process. If you want to learn cinematography then you should learn the basics, composition, structure, colors and art of cinematography. Also there are many books available on the internet buy them online or borrow books and read them. The main thing is that you should read and get to know what you are dealing with.
? Where do you see the future of camera/lighting technology in film?
It’s growing every day. There’s no limitation. It is like a cocoon, you don’t know what it is. It just keeps growing. I would say technology is growing so much that you can shoot a small movie or video with 4K resolution on phone. New technology like virtual cameras, 360 degree camera and others are doing great in the market. Technology will never stop and will only keep growing.
? What film, besides the ones you’ve worked on, have you seen the most times in your life?
I have never watched my films again and again. If I do then I would want to redo the entire film again (….. laughs…..)
? What according to you is film making all about?
I would say that the film making is a privilege and not everybody can get a chance to do a film that was the case earlier because you had to rent cameras, equipment’s, processing till editing the footage. Now everything can be done on phone. If you want to be a film maker, you can shoot everything on your phone and see whether you can tell a story effectively. editing, sound design can be done on phone and computer and these are the two things that you will be requiring to make a film.
? How can one be a successful director?
If you want to be a director just make one Short film and see whether you can tell a story and if you are successful at that then try and tell more stories and upload them. Stories come from life and not from anywhere else. So you should look around for stories in life. Take personal stories that always translate into something else otherwise it will never works. If it is about thriller then there are thousands of movies made on that genre all over the world. If you think you are doing it for the first time, they have done it all. you name a subject they have done it all, unless you say something unique about your story in personal voice only then people look up to it and notice.
Say ‘Dil chahta hai’ is a personal story and was told brilliantly on screen and that’s what inspires me. It is difficult to direct without knowing the environment, body language. People think it’s very easy and it is not at all easy trust me
? How do measure an achievement in the film world?
I would like to say that there are no shortcuts for achievements. you have to get in depth and study about what your interest lies in because for every achievement you will be judged. For example there is a difference between a taxi driver and a professional race driver. To be a professional driver you need to learn the art, then practice, and then go on the tracks. you will have a coach to train you and he will judge you if you are eligible to race. And at the race you will be judged to win. So you will be judged everywhere and at every step. (….signs off….)
OE News Bureau ( Mumbai )
For all those who don’t know anything about this classic, here is some information. It was the play Anarkali, written by Imtiaz Ali Taj way back in 1923 and staged hundreds of times before it was released as a Bollywood film by K Asif, starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar on August 5, 1960. Though historians questioned its historical accuracy, the film became the highest grossing Bollywood film (Rs 55 million), a distinction it held for 15 years.
In 2004, the movie was released, in color. The opulence was such that even today, most remember the mirrors, Madhubala and the iconic number Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya… To recreate the movie on any other medium would be a disaster, director Feroz Abbas Khan was told. “The day I had decided to stage Mughal-e-Azam as a stage musical, people looked at me with scepticism. They felt it would be a decisive mistake. Mughal-e-Azam is a legacy of memories. And memories are fragile so one needs to tread carefully. If you disturb these, the reaction would be strong. I have done this with great respect to K Asif. If I had made a film, the comparison would have been direct. But since I am doing it in a different medium, I have unburdened the idea of who is acting in the play. The actors sing and perform live, it is not a recording. All I have done is keep the memories alive and add a few more,” Khan tells you.
In the process, he has created a completely new theatre experience. “Even in theatre, it had to match the scale, grandeur and quality of the film. The Shapoorji Pallonji Group (owners of the movie) and the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) wanted that it should have the same scale and imagination as of the movie,” Khan says.It was an uphill task even for Khan who is known for works like Tumhari Amrita and Mahatma vs Gandhi. The challenge here was to get so many live performers together and put out a show in just two-and-a-half months. “I was constrained by time.
But I had an extraordinary team and collaborators to bring it all together,” Khan says. This team includes choreographer Mayuri Upadhya and designer Manish Malhotra who has designed the around 600 costumes used in the show.
Upadhya, a Bharatnatyam dancer and director of Bengaluru based Nritarutya Dance Collective, feels that the challenges are innate to the title. “The biggest one was to create a team. I didn’t want to use my own team as I wanted to go with pure Kathak and maintain the authenticity. To audition 200- 250 dancers from all over the country, choose from them and ensure that they are in sync with each other was a challenge,” Mayuri says. Pyar Kiya toh…, the sheesh mahal and the dance steps were retained. But it was only after listening to MS Subbalaxmi that the inspiration came to her for choreographing Pyar Kiya…
“one can cheat through the camera in a movie. on stage, it is always about truth. But risks need to be taken. In the song Pya Kiya…. the magic is in Madhu bala’s eyes and her ada, not steps. But on stage, the challenge is that the actor has to sing and dance and move with a lot of energy. There was need to keep the audience glued in,” Mayuri tells you.
Then there were discussions on costumes with Manish, especially for Pyar Kiya… The song is the defining moment of this musical. Mayuri hopes that through musicals like this, people get an experience — whether it is watching a movie or a dance recital that changes their lives forever. “Musicals are entertaining and have artistic value and flavor. Musical dramas should be just a trend but something that stays with you forever. I am glad we have finally woken up to this,” Mayuri says.
When went to seek Shapoorji Pallonji Group director Deepesh Salgia’s go-ahead, his only demand was that the musical should be as grand or grander than the film. “When Feroz narrated the concept, I told him it had to be 10 times the scale of what he had then envisaged. That would be mandatory if my Group will become a part of this musical. The response thus far has been in our favor, a work of art watched by thousands last year,” Salgia adds. “People want entertainment. As long as the show is great, it will be loved. The skill lies in storytelling and not the format,” Salgia adds.
Khushroo Suntook, NCPA chairman, says he came aboard when Feroz was looking for a venue and told them he also needed a partner. “We agreed because we had not done anything on such a large scale. The show has the best artists from India and global technological props,” he adds.
But to bring this musical to Delhi was not easy for lack of a a venue to stage such a grand show. Even for Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, the entire set- up had to be done from scratch which incurred crores. “It’s not about profit for this artistic venture,” Suntook says. Perfection is such that for every lead artiste, there is a back-up. Also, as the show-makers are doing more than one show a day, there is could be need for another person to take over.
For Anarkali, Priyanka Barve and Neha Sargam have been roped in and for both it is a lifetime opportunity. “It is a nerve racking but exciting and unforgettable experience for a singer, artiste,” says Sargam, a singer, dancer and actor with singing being her first love. Hailing from Bihar, she comes from a musical family. Acting never entered her mind till one of the producers approached her for a TV show Chand Chhupa Badal Mein on Star Plus. After TV, came theatre.
Barve has a similar journey. “When I was offered this role, I did not want to give so much time to the show. But after six months, Feroz sir wanted to discuss it again. I had seen Phantom of The opera when I was 21 and was blown away by its grandeur. When I realized that this show too would be at that large a scale I decided not join,” Barve says.
The costumes designed by Manish Malhotra are heavy and rich, some- times difficult to lift. “But now that we have done four seasons and I am used to it,” Barve says. Her favorite parts are Pyar Kiya… and Khuda Nigehbaan Ho Tumhara. The first is something she waits for as an act. “There is this energy and transformation that takes place in Anarkali. She is scared of Akbar but here, in this song she has a devil may care attitude and expresses her love for Salim. The second song is touching,” Barve tells you.
Director Khan is happy with non- Bollywood leads and feels having stars from films “would have been a disaster,” Khan opines. “A theater actor can go into cinema but for a film actor to get into theatre is next to impossible. I had a girl from TV who was excited about the show. But the first day she came half-hour late and that was her last day. The discipline of theatre, the integrity with which you have to work since it is live, is crucial. In theater, you work with humility,” he says. But viewers will not be disappointed, whether it is Pyar Kiya… with the mirrors sequence or any other aspect of the show. “It is a visually stunning musical,” Khan says.
– Shalini Saksena
After four seasons and 60 shows, stage musical Mughal-e-Azam is in town to wow Delhiites. SHALINI SAKSENA of The Pioneer unfolds the bigness of this magnum opus
For all those who don’t know anything about this classic, here is some information. It was the play Anarkali, written by Imtiaz Ali Taj way back in 1923 and staged hundreds of times before it was released as a Bollywood film by K Asif, starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar
On August 5, 1960. Though historians questioned its historical accuracy, the film became the highest-grossing Bollywood film (Rs 55 million), a distinction it held for 15 years.
In 2004, the movie was re-released, in colour. The opulence was such that even today, most remember the mirrors, Madhubala and the iconic number Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya… To recreate the movie on any other medium would be a disaster, director Feroz Abbas Khan was told. “The day I had decided to stage Mughal-e-Azam as a stage musical, people looked at me with scepticism. They felt it would be a decisive mistake. Mughal-e-Azam is a legacy of memories. And memories are fragile so one needs to tread carefully. If you disturb these, the reaction would be strong. I have done this with great respect to K Asif. If I had made a film, the comparison would have been direct. But since I am doing it in a different medium, I have unburdened the idea of who is acting in the play. The actors sing and perform live, it is not a recording. All I have done is keep the memories alive and add a few more,” Khan tells you.
In the process, he has created a completely new theatre experience. “Even in theatre, it had to match the scale, grandeur and quality of the film. The Shapoorji Pallonji Group (owners of the movie) and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) wanted that it should have the same scale and imagination as of the movie,” Khan says.
It was an uphill task even for Khan who is known for works like Tumhari Amrita and Mahatma vs Gandhi. The challenge here was to get so many live performers together and put out a show in just two-and-a-half months. “I was constrained by time. But I had an extraordinary team and collaborators to bring it all together,” Khan says. This team includes choreographer Mayuri
Upadhya and designer Manish Malhotra who has designed the around 600 costumes used in the show.
Upadhya, a Bharatnatyam dancer and director of Bengaluru-based Nritarutya Dance Collective, feels that the challenges are innate to the title. “The biggest one was to create a team. I didn’t want to use my own team as I wanted to go with pure Kathak and maintain the authenticity. To audition 200-250 dancers from all over the country, choose from them and ensure that they are in sync with each other was a challenge,” Mayuri says. Pyar Kiya toh..., the sheesh mahal and the dance steps were retained. But it was only after listening to MS Subbalaxmi that the inspiration came to her for choreographing Pyar Kiya...
“One can cheat through the camera in a movie. On stage, it is always about truth. But risks need to be taken. In the song Pyar Kiya.... the magic is in Madhubala’s eyes and her ada, not steps. But on stage, the challenge is that the actor has to sing and dance and move with a lot of energy. There was need to keep the audience glued in,” Mayuri tells you.
Then there were discussions on costumes with Manish, especially for Pyar Kiya... The song is the defining moment of this musical. Mayuri hopes that through musicals like this, people get an experience — whether it is watching a movie or a dance recital that changes their lives forever. “Musicals are entertaining and have artistic value and flavour. Musical dramas should be just a trend but something that stays with you forever. I am glad we have finally woken up to this,” Mayuri says.
When went to seek Shapoorji Pallonji Group director Deepesh Salgia’s go-ahead, his only demand was that the musical should be as grand or grander than the film. “When Feroz narrated the concept, I told him it had to be 10 times the scale of what he had then envisaged. That would be mandatory if my Group will become a part of this musical. The response thus far has been in our favour, a work of art watched by thousands last year,” Salgia adds. “People want entertainment. As long as the show is great, it will be loved. The skill lies in storytelling and not the format,” Salgia adds.
Khushroo Suntook, NCPA chairman, says he came aboard when Feroz was looking for a venue and told them he also needed a partner. “We agreed because we had not done anything on such a large scale. The show has the best artists from India and global technological props,” he adds.
But to bring this musical to Delhi was not easy for lack of a venue to stage such a grand show. Even for Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, the entire setup had to be done from scratch which incurred crores. “It’s not about profit for this artistic venture,” Suntook says. Perfection is such that for every lead artiste, there is a back-up. Also, as the show-makers are doing more than one show a day, there is could be need for another person to take over.
For Anarkali, Priyanka Barve and Neha Sargam have been roped in and for both it is a lifetime opportunity. “It is a nerve racking but exciting and unforgettable experience for a singer, artiste,” says Sargam, a singer, dancer and actor with singing being her first love. Hailing from Bihar, she comes from a musical family. Acting never entered her mind till one of the producers approached her for a TV show Chand Chhupa Badal Mein on Star Plus. After TV, came theatre.
Barve has a similar journey. “When I was offered this role, I did not want to give so much time to the show. But after six months, Feroz sir wanted to discuss it again. I had seen Phantom Of The Opera when I was 21 and was blown away by its grandeur. When I realised that this show too would be at that large a scale I decided not join,” Barve says.
The costumes designed by Manish Malhotra are heavy and rich, sometimes difficult to lift. “But now that we have done four seasons and I am used to it,” Barve says. Her favourite parts are Pyar Kiya... and Khuda Nigehbaan Ho Tumhara. The first is something she waits for as an act. “There is this energy and transformation that takes place in Anarkali. She is scared of Akbar but here, in this song she has a devil may care attitude and expresses her love for Salim. The second song is touching,” Barve tells you.
Director Khan is happy with Non-Bollywood leads and feels having stars from films “would have been a disaster,” Khan opines. “A theatre actor can go into cinema but for a film actor to get into theatre is next to impossible. I had a girl from TV who was excited about the show. But the first day she came half-hour late and that was her last day.
The discipline of theatre, the integrity with which you have to work since it is live, is crucial. In theatre, you work with humility,” he says. But viewers will not be disappointed, whether it is Pyar Kiya... with the mirrors sequence or any other aspect of the show. “It is a visually stunning musical,” Khan says.
Stunning and dramatic scenery and landscape is found throughout Norway. The west coast of southern Norway and the coast of northern Norway present some of the most visually impressive coastal sceneries in the world. National Geographic has listed the Norwegian fjords as the world’s top tourist attraction. The country is also home to the natural phenomena of the Midnight sun (during summer) as well as the Aurora borealis know also as the Northern lights.
The 2014 Environmental Performance Index put Norway in tenth place, based on the environmental performance of the country’s policies. Peace and My first impression of Norway’s beautiful capital was rather accurate. Oslo is a charming, laid-back city. There’s plenty to see and do, but out and out tourist spots are few. Instead, enjoying Oslo is about taking in all those truly ‘Norwegian’ experiences. Adventures on a fjord:
If you’re in Oslo on a bright summer day, you will notice that the city’s waterfronts are buzzing with activity. Aker Bryggae is Oslo’s hip waterfront located on the Oslo Fjord, home to an eclectic bunch of eateries and watering holes. At one end of Aker Bryggae stands Akershus Festning, a medieval stone castle and fortress dating back to the 13th century. Don’t miss the fjord cruise around the Oslo Fjord. It offers a stunning experience, being enveloped by the vastness of nature.
Ships in museums: I’m not really a fan of museums, but enjoyed my time in Oslo’s museums. Maybe it’s because Norwegians seem to love putting giant ships into museums each of the three museums we visited boasted of a life sized ship exhibit!
A silver mine and a ski jump: I’m always looking for unlikely experiences on my travels. So when I heard about the opportunity to visit The King’s Mine (located 500 meters below the ground) near Kongsberg, Oslo, I was sold. The King’s Mine was closed in 1958 and has been preserved since. Holmenkollen is home to an eponymous ski jumping hill which has been hosting competitions for over a century. Inside the ski jump is the Holmenkollen Ski Museum, the oldest of its kind in the world. The observation deck on top of the jump tower offers panoramic views of Oslo.
visit the Christmas House: The quaint town of Drobak is located just 40 kilometers from Oslo a perfect day trip! Drobak is straight out of a fairytale with charming wooden houses painted in bright colors lined up against the picturesque coast. Vintage cars were parked by the sidewalks and every house had a perfectly manicured rose garden. Dozens of sailboats bobbed in the shallow port (it seems that everyone here owns a boat!) Drobak is packed with scores of tiny eateries, cafes, bakeries, galleries and shops run by the locals. The town’s Christmas House (Julehuset) piled high with festive souvenirs. In here, it feels like Christmas all through the year. There is an adorable traditional-style bakery on the center square called Handverksbakeriet. We had some delicious apple and plum cake, with dessert wine for the Christmas feels!
walk atop the opera House: Oslo’s fabulous opera House was special simply because it let visitors like us simply walk onto the roof of the building and enjoy the view! We saw dozens of locals sunbathing on the roof, while others jumped off the roof into the adjoining water body.
Hiking and more: What is a Norwegian’s favorite weekend activity? Without a doubt, it is hiking and tenting in the great outdoors! Norway’s ‘Right of Access’ law means that everyone can freely camp anywhere in the open country side. This translates into Norwegians literally pitching a tent anywhere that catches their fancy! For a true taste of the land, go out tenting in the Norwegian countryside around Oslo.
The most tourist area of the Oslo and the core of the city, with the main street Karl Johan in the middle, have a wide variety of different pubs, bars and nightclubs that attract all kinds of people. The west side of the city center, Majorstuen, Vika and Frogner, is characterized by its fashionable, flashy and beautiful guests that want to see and be seen. In the Grünerlokka district the atmosphere is more relaxed and low- maintained; the guests are still trendy, but more laid-back and carefree. Boat parties are hugely popular in Oslo (why not, given how gorgeous the fjords are). Explore the sunniest capital of Scan dinavia with this 24-hour ticket aboard a City Sightseeing open-top double Decker bus. See all the main sights of Oslo as you hop on and hop off at 17 conveniently located stops around the city.
With great views from the top of the bus, strategically placed stops and an interesting commentary, this truly is the best way to see the main sights of Oslo. You can hop on and off as many times as you like aboard this City Sight seeing open top, double Decker bus. There are 17 stops, and the entire route takes approximately 90 minutes. The bus departs every 30 minutes from each stop. Tickets are valid for 24 hours only.
Oslo, the oldest and sunniest of the Scandinavian capitals, was founded by Harald Hadrade in the 11th century and is surrounded by mountains at the head of a 70 mile (100 kilometer) fjord. You can visit Akershus Fortress, or feel like a real Viking at the Viking Ship Museum.
A single trip to Norway during life time is highly recommended to Indian globe trotter to broaden experience of realizing how beautiful the world is constructed by super natural power. A lot of credit must go to the native people of Norway for adhering to strict environment policy resulting in impeccable clean country.
– Mithila Mehta
Glamour girl Piya Sharma is a rock star of showbiz in India Piya Sharma is a very charming and confident anchor, actress and model and human being. The emcee star was born in Patna, Bihar but is a true blue Punjabi from her roots and larger-than-life spirit, attitude and persona. Piya bravely fought all odds and pursued the path of modeling and anchoring, a field of work that may look all easy and glamorous from the face of it, on the outside, but requires tons of hard work. With dedication and commitment exerted by her in 8+ years of her event hosting and modeling career, she is one inspiring self-made woman.
Ms. Super Sharma has done all kinds of print advertisement assignments and marketing campaigns being the face of various product lines and generously endorsing brands. This stunning lady, who loves to add her magic to any event with her alluring presence and work; has walked the ramp and hosted mainstream events like product launches, fashion shows, dealer meets, business meets, conferences and seminars etc for reputed brands like Vodafone, MTS, RBS, Accenture, Max Life, Apolo Munich only to name a few.
She has been a successful ambassador for top-notch companies creating brand value and positioning, playing a significant role in several corporate films and brand shoots. You may be surprised and well impressed to know that she has graciously done more than 1000 PR, business and Social events as a lead anchor, model and performer for noted firms including Valvoline, HT Media Ltd., Johnson Tiles, Kargil India etc.
Piya was first getting hands on job experience before realizing that she is meant for something bigger and more impactful. She was the marketing head in an event management company and then one thing led to another, making her one of the most sought after name in the media industry, nationally and internationally. Yes, she has given smashing performances as a host not only on the Indian Soil for Indian and expat companies, but also been an elegant and attractive anchor and overall element for events and productions overseas.
Sharma was a part of acclaimed 2017 Silver Screen drama – ‘Zindagi ki mahek‘ on the popular TV Channel Zee TV. Apart from shows, promotional print projects and shoots, she has been an integral part of a Music video called ‘ladki selfie queen’ with singer-rapper Abhinniks.
When a lavish gathering like grand birthday parties or big fat Indian weddings comes in mind, you need a confident, mature and beautiful energy to take over and get the show going; and Sharma has been a favorite among known event organizing brands like Katalyst, Akshara Communications, Moksh AEPL Plan my shaadi, Creative Star events, Musical Dream Events, Saiworx Entertainment, JR Events and many more.
With her Glitz and Charisma she has also handled a versatile range of events like Press meets, exhibitions, seminar etc. She has also taken in the lead in corporate HR activities like employee day, family day celebrations and large-scale team building gatherings, off sites trips, R & D events etc. organized by who’s who of the market. In the Pipeline, she has 2 music videos, a few Punjabi and Bollywood movies, along with current media, brand product shoot and social assignment commitments.
Inputs from Mumbai Bureau & fashion desk of OECEL.
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