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Rajini can
If his son-in-law can, so can Rajinikanth. After Dhanush’s Kolaveri di went viral across India, his superstar father-in-law is now crooning a number composed by A.R. Rahman for an upcoming Tamil film, Kochadaiyaan. And even though, as a Rajini joke goes, the evergreen hero can play the violin with a piano, it is a fact that he’s singing a song after 20 long years. The first time Rajinikanth sang for a film was in 1992, in the Tamil movie Mannan. Clearly, there is nothing that Rajini “kanth” do.
True grit
Director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film Paan Singh Tomar, the Irrfan Khan starrer that tells the true story of a national level athlete turning into a dacoit, is getting rave reviews. But Dhulia has had to wait a long time for this day. “The story was with me for more than 10 years and now to see it materialise into a film and running to packed theatres fills me with immense pride,” he says. Dhulia is, in fact, truly gratified that the audience has warmed to his film. “As a director, it is very encouraging to see that the audience is ready to see films that redefine the general norms of filmmaking,” he says. Way to go, Tigmanshu.
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Spring fever
The suitable boy is back in the capital. And it’s spring fever that has brought the acclaimed author to town. Penguin India’s annual literature festival, Spring Fever, was launched with Vikram Seth reading from his latest book, The Rivered Earth. The 10-day-long literary jamboree will see a host of writers reading from their books, debates and discussions, and cultural performances by different musical groups. Actors Anupam Kher and Yana Gupta are also slated to talk about their respective books. What’s also on the cards are previews of books by Amit Chaudhuri, Gurcharan Das’s India Grows at Night and Shashi Tharoor’s Pax India. This one promises to be a feast for literary junkies.
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Asin speak
So you knew Asin was a comely young actress who has put in stellar turns in films like Ghajini and Ready. But did you know that Asin was also a crack speaker? Well, the southern actress is now busy preparing a speech. No, it’s not for some awards night, but for the Second Annual Young Change Makers Conclave in Mumbai. The US Consul General, Peter Haas, has specially invited Asin to speak at the conclave. And guess what? This isn’t the first time that the actress has spoken at such an event either. She was judged the best speaker at the India Today Conclave in 2010. She has also spoken at the “Lighting a billion lives” initiative by ecologist R.K. Pachauri. Clearly, when Asin speaks, people listen.
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Thumri funk
Purists may sneer, but Abhijit Pohankar is absolutely convinced that thumris can be funky too! So the music composer-cum-Indian classical keyboardist has come up with an album called Thumri Funk that combines the Indian classical music form with contemporary world music. Says Pohankar, who’s always tried to make classical music “cool” for the youth, “It’s a fusion of traditional thumris with contemporary arrangements and a few world music instruments, keeping the soul of the thumri intact.” The album features seven thumris, including Naine more famously rendered by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Pohankar shot to fame in 2002 with his fusion album called Piya Bawari. Mix and match never got better.