 |
Nice gesture
What’s common between southern actor Ajith and Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachchan? Well, just as Amitabh Bachchan has declared that he isn’t keen on getting paid for his role in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, Ajith too has decided to do his cameo role in the Tamil version of Sridevi’s comeback film, English Vinglish, free of charge. Apparently, Ajith has even refused to be reimbursed for his flight and hotel stay. Needless to say, Sridevi and company are in love with the man. So why this display of self-denial, you might ask. One doesn’t know. But it’s never a bad thing to follow in the footsteps of the Great B.
Freedom fabric
Here’s a book on khadi with a difference. Released amidst Independence Day celebrations, Khadi: Gandhi’s Mega Symbol of Subversion by Peter Gonsalves delves into the semiotics of India’s iconic handloom. Gonsalves, who teaches communication at Salesian Pontifical University in Rome, began his career as a community worker for rural development in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. He gives us an insight into how and why Gandhiji chose a particular kind of clothing that served as a powerful metaphor for “unity, empowerment and liberation from imperial subjugation”. With the help of historical evidence Gonsalves examines not only the “subversive” influence of khadi, but also the well-planned strategy of using khadi as a communication tool for achieving purna swaraj. As he puts it, “This was sartorial communication at its most creative, its most daring.” Call it the fabric of freedom.
 |
Clone tome
It’s a debut book written by an aeronautical engineer who has worked with the Indian Air Force. But no, this isn’t some high octane, up-in-the-air combat tale a la Executive Decision. On the contrary, Rajiv Seth has chosen to deal with human cloning in his book Never Say Goodbye. “Human cloning is a subject I have researched extensively,” says Seth. He hopes that his book will help the youth take a position on human cloning. “The older generation may reject cloning outright and teenagers are too young to decide,” says Seth, who has leavened his serious subject with a love angle. Hope the former IAF man can make this fly.
 |
Playing director
From director’s darling to director’s cut? Well, that’s the trajectory Kangana Ranaut seems to want to follow. The actress, who won plaudits for her performance in movies like Gangster, Fashion or Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, looks all set to try her hand at a spot of direction. Written in association with an Australian scriptwriter, the short film, which is a complex story of a child and his pet dog, has been shot in Los Angeles. “It took six months of thorough groundwork. Kaden (the boy) is very little. We had to place hidden cameras, play games, and pretend to be aliens and trees in order to get him in the frame,” laughs Ranaut. “But it was fun. He is adorable. The dog was well- trained too and not difficult to work with,” she says. Child’s play? Not for Ranaut, that’s for sure.
 |
Ancient advice
Chanakya, India’s Machiavelli, is going mainstream. The “world’s first management film based on Chanakya’s teachings” was screened in Mumbai recently. Titled Chanakya Speaks – The Seven Pillars for Business Success, the film revolves around the quest of a young business executive trying to rediscover the teachings of Chanakya, the 3rd century BC statesman who was advisor to Chandragupta Maurya, and adapt these to modern corporate conditions. While at it, the hero meets some of India’s best known business leaders such as Infosys founder Narayana Murthy (in pic), Vinita Bali, managing director, Britannia Industries, Subroto Bagchi, chairman, MindTree, and so on. Even experts are impressed with the effort. Says author Radhakrishnan Pillai, who has written books on Chanakya, “The film aims at bringing out leadership qualities in every person — the Chanakya way.” Old, as they say, is gold.