Latin epic

Long years ago Peter Brooks did a marathon play on the Mahabharata. Now choreographer Sandip Soparrkar and dancer-in-arms Jesse Randhawa are presenting the Ramayana in the form of a Latin dance drama. The husband-wife duo performed a part of the Ramayana at the Plymouth Festival in September this year. Says Soparrkar, “Mythologies do not interest the younger generation when presented in Indian classical styles, as many find the styles intricate and difficult. So I decided to present it through Latin dance, which is popular with youngsters today.” Their first show in India, to be staged in Mumbai today, will also feature Raveena Tandon. Maybe she’ll play Ravana? Just kidding.

 

Paint ’n’ scalpel

There seems to be a link between the scalpel and the paintbrush. Why else would the Royal College of Surgeons of England organise an exhibition of paintings by surgeons and various US universities run painting and clay modelling workshops for plastic surgeons? Inspired by the same idea, Dr Srijon Mukherjee, one of Calcutta’s leading maxillo-facial surgeons, is coming out with his first exhibition of acrylic paintings at a Calcutta art gallery this week. “I had never been to an art school even as a child,” says the good doctor. He also insists that he has an aversion to rigidity of rules and grammar in any form of art. His patients would know if he brings the same intuitive flexibility to his profession as well.

 

Ice route

Guess what Nagesh Kukunoor is up to these days? The director who made such acclaimed films as Hyderabad Blues and Iqbal is now busy exploring a space other than feature films. Kukunoor has been roped in to write and direct short films for ice cream brand Kwality Walls. The company has launched a nationwide hunt for young people to act in these films. Called Cornetto Luv Reels, looks like the films will show a romantic way to “chill” with ice cream. Now that’s a bit of a career diversion for Kukunoor. Naturally, his fans would be hoping that the talented engineer-turned-director doesn’t slip on ice and is soon back with a film to die for.

 

Art with heart

Dia Mirza, whose Bollywood career never quite rose to dizzy heights, and who has been forced to find solace in regional cinema, has her heart in the right place. Mirza, who likes to paint, is now using her artistic talent for a good cause. Her painting, The Gift of Life, will be on display at a Body Shop outlet in Delhi’s Select Citywalk mall for the next 10 days, and whoever spends the most at the store during this time will walk away with it. And, yes, the amount will go to a non-government organisation called Shakti Vahini that works for human rights. Lovely gesture, we’re sure. One question, though. Will a person spend enough on Body Shop products for it to be a substantial contribution to her pet cause? No matter. It’s the thought that counts, Dia.

 

Press photog

He wanted to pay homage to the city that “occupied” him from the moment he stepped into it. And that’s exactly what self-taught photographer Ananth Padmanabhan does in a solo exhibition titled “Calcutta — Walking in the City.” The exhibition, currently on at Delhi’s Habitat Centre, has 36 black-and-white photographs that he shot inside a historical printing press. “It was at the Swapna Printing Works that Penguin India published its first six paperbacks in 1987,” says Padmanabhan, who is also vice-president, sales, at the Penguin Group, India. And since the publishing house is celebrating its 25 years in the country, he decided to go back to the press and capture life inside it. “Our cities hold so much history that each one of us can discover some unique part of it. I decided to look at this part,” he says. Well, press ahead, Mr Padmanabhan.