Jaipur Literary Festival

It is said to be the biggest of its kind in Asia. Every year,everyone who loves books assembles in Jaipur, an Indian city known for its forts and monuments. The annual meet is a conclave of authors,publishers and bookworms.Authors from India and other countries participate in the conclave enthusiastically. The festival is embellished with music,theatre and movies too. Into its fifth year, the festival has carved place for itself in the literary world. This year, the eminent list of writers included Hanif Kureishi, Niall Ferguson and others.The authors are predominantly English. There has been criticism over the festival that it highlights only authors writing in English and regional writers are sidelined. Nevertheless, it remains as an attraction among book lovers. Some eminent authors pay compliment the festival saying that one doesn't need to spend a penny and can spend hours together talking here.

Few Questions On Western Music

With Beyonce sweeping the Grammys once again with six awards,a few questions are lingering my mind. Beyonce Knowles has made a record of sorts for a female artist-in fact she has broken her own record. I have always felt that it is the composers who deserve all the accolades. I am not questioning Beyonce's singing skills,but I believe if there is not a good tune,no singer can give a hit. There are hundred good singers who can lend their voice to a good tune,but the song doesn't become a hit for the singers.A good tune will still be a hit regardless of the singer.Given this, I am surprised the western world gives all the attention and awards to a singer not a composer. Off course, there are separate awards,but why should the singers take centre stage. In India, the scenario is entirely different. Record producer A R Rahman has gone up to the Oscars and Grammys and rightingly so. It is not his singers who get all the attention. However, it is totally different in the western world. I don't know where it emerged from,but I don't approve this. I invite readers to leave their thoughts on this.

Everything For Music

Not many Punjabi musicians are so lucky as Punjabi MC to team up with artists like Jay Z. Back home in his home state Punjab,an Indian province, his fellow bhangra musicians go to an extent of selling their ancestors' land just to cut an album. A wannabe singer has to pay his music producer anything between $8000 to $17000. Add to it the cost of using a recording studio,producing a music video and other sundry charges,it is not easy for a person from a middle class background to release an album of his own. Many passionate singers aspire, but few continue the fight. It is more difficult if the singer is a female,coz she has to adjust with the more western life in metro cities like Mumbai.The producers have their own story. They say a studio has to shell out a little over $42736 to launch an artist and they don't want to take a risk.The singers vie for a share of pie,as known voices are invited for wedding ceremonies,radio stations and TV channels. And like Punjabi MC and the now famous RDB alias Rhythm Dhol Bass,they would like to record an album in a western studio too. Every year,over 400 albums are released in Punjab.

Double Delight For A R Rahman Again

For many one Oscar or Grammy in their lifetime will be a dream. But music producer Rahman has won two Oscars and Grammys in the same calendar year. He has now virtually won all the awards in the world. Followed by his Oscar win,he also won state honors from the Indian government. I still remember the time when he made his debut as a music director for a Tamil film. He was just 25 then. During that period,Ilaiyaraja was ruling the roost.If anyone said that he would overtake Ilaiyaraja and go on to win Oscars and Grammys one day,it would have been only a joke. Today,that has happened. Whether A R Rahman deserves the awards for Slumdog Millionaire is a big question. I am a fan of Ilaiyaraja and a little sceptical about Rahman's success. Nevertheless, it is celebration time for Indian fans.Rahman started his career as a keyboard player and scored jingles simultaneously. It was Mani Ratnam,one of the most successful film makers in India discovered Rahman. Since then,there was no looking back. There were a lot of factors other than musical skills which decided Rahman's success. Watch this space,I will post a comprehensive review of Rahmans's work and his ascent to the top.

The Making of Indian Economic Revival

China and India are two of the leading economies in the world apart from the United States. It is said that China may soon overcome the USA. India was on the brink of economic collapse in the early 1990s. It was burdened by a 70% increase in the bill to pay for its crude oil import. Meanwhile, the flow of money from Indians living in gulf countries was on a decline. It was then the now-famous liberalisation began. Licensing for over 80% industries was relaxed which triggered a huge growth in the country. Economic policies were altered to bring more foreign direct investment and several industries were decontrolled. Coincidentally, the IT industry found a new fillip due to the Y2K crisis and thousands of young graduates were benefited by the boom. The government had to face stiff resistance from the local industries to alter the economic policies. However,the government went ahead with the economic measures. Banking underwent a huge change too. . Banks started giving away loans more freely. Reforms made their presence in other major industries. Along with this, the government focussed on infrastructure development like the four-laning highways which link four metro cities. And then in 1993-94, private players were allowed to enter the airline industry. This ushered in a huge inflow of domestic airlines. Now, the country is in a healthy shape attracting good foreign direct investments. The only industry which has been sidelined is agriculture. Its share in the GDP is declining.

Early Adulthood And Lost Childhood

Todays children become adults very fast and don't behave their age any longer. It may be due to the influence of things like computers,Internet,TV and mobile phones,but we have a tough time handling them. Some studies see children who are barely aged 9 getting depressed,because they don't find a partner from the opposite sex. There has also been some confirmed reports that when some school students go out,they find some partners to make out. As a result,students who are left out feel marginalized and get confused about their identity. Fearing their children may go the wrong way,parents of high society appoint escorts to monitor the activities of their children. A factor which has changed young kids behaving like adults is the early attaining of puberty among girls. The harmone change causes drastic behaviorial shift among the girls. As the young tweens behave like adults they are also very conscious. With the help of iPill, the rate of abortion has come down. Parents of girl children complain that their daughters are more interested in applying make-up and buyin high heels. There is another danger here-these girls face attacks from some prying eyes among men-due to their mature look.

3 Idiots -A Mini Review

Rajkumar Hirani has made 3 Idiots on the screen and 3 million idiots in front of it.

For all the hype in the media and among the movie goers and for the director's pedigree,I chose to watch 3 Idiots in a theatre.

The first half an hour went okay. Particularly the sequence in which a student hangs himself. The transformation from fun to tragedy in a minute was excellent. It also made me believe that a dark film was in store for me. What followed was a mega serial on big screen.The way the story unfolds suggests you are watching a TV soap,not a film.

Let me ask a few questions to the people who loved the film. To make a film,you have a plot,a script and dialogues. And then the plot is executed as a film. Come back to 3 Idiots. What is Rajkumar Hirani's contribution as a director here? Is film making just the plot,script and dialogues? Where has gone shot-making? Where is execution here? Gentleman Hirani has forgotten cinema's proxy name, motion picture. At least in three quarters of the film, I didn't feel like watching a motion picture.

For every ten minutes someone weeps badly and gets on our nerves. And in fact I cried in a sequence whenMadhavan's father agrees to his son's career switch. I cried at Mr.Grace of Tamil Cinema's fate of being reduced to a mega serial star. Add to it,the background score and the mega serial is complete. That is one of the worst film sequences I have ever watched. Is Hirani a film maker or a stage play director?

Ameer Khan lets out a barrage of thoughts in the film. Sadly,there are not many of them,which wouldn't have struck anyone who has crossed 25. If the system is faulty and stupid,then the movie is more stupid than the system it denounces. Mr.Hirani,please do some justice to the trade you are in and then criticize the system!

I can tolerate a bad film, but not a TV series played in theatres.

Rating : * (Actually,I have dropped another star,which the movie deserves,for launching an attack on my cinema senses)