Song sung blue
Guru Dutt must be turning in his grave. An old song from his film, Aar Paar, has kicked up a furore 52 years after it was released. Babuji dhirey chalna… has been taken to court, but the row is not yet over. Last week, the Calcutta High Court told music company T-Series that the song — now reproduced in a film called Salaam-e-Ishq — cannot be sold until further orders. The ad interim order came in response to a petition filed by Saregama India Ltd, once known as the Gramophone Company of India, which holds the copyright to the song. Saregama says the producers of the film had asked permission to use the song in the film. Saregama agreed, but on the condition that while the song could be picturised, it could not be sold as a recording. But the song was released — leading to the litigation. The issue is now going to come up next week in court. Till then, all the babujis are treading softly.
 |
Good girl award
Nandita Das has been making waves. The old student of Miranda House, a well-known women’s college in Delhi, is being felicitated by her alma mater for “excellence and achievement”. Writer Anita Desai — another old Mirandian — also figures in the list of awardees, as does dancer-choreographer Jalabala Vaidya. And that’s no mean feat, for the list of MH alumnae is a long and impressive one — ranging from politician Brinda Karat and feminist Madhu Kishwar to artist Anjolie Ela Menon. For alumna Das, this is quite a proud feather in her cap.
Oh Boy!
We have had star sons outdoing their dads, but singers’ offspring have never really made it that big. Now one youngster is giving his dad a run for his money. Bengal’s Kumar Sanu — who filled in the gap caused by the death of the genius, Kishore Kumar — has reason to be proud of his 12-year-old son, Jaan. Mumbai-based Jaan Sanu made quite a mark in a music contest telecast by Star. And while the father — despite his fan clubs — didn’t quite figure in the pantheon of India’s best singers, young Jaan is going places. “Jaan has definitely got sur and taal as a genetic gift from his father but what I admire about him is that he is using this gift to the best of his advantage and trying to get ahead in life on his own effort,” says actor-singer Sachin, who is on the jury. Now we have to wait and see if the child is the father of the man.
 |
Stitch in time
If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Gayatri Khanna has it — and that’s a name in embroidery and beadwork. Some of the top names in global design — Roberto Cavalli, Givenchy, Oscar de la Renta and Anna Sui — are clients of the Mumbai-born, self-made entrepreneur. Khanna, who has offices in Paris, New York and Mumbai and is soon to have one in Dubai, recently launched her own prêt line, Gayatri, focusing on lounge and evening wear for men and women. “It’s a very New York look, which is reflected in the glam, chic and bold designs of the collection,” says Khanna. “I didn’t look at any specific designer for inspiration. We only wanted very trendy clothes and western clothes are all about fit, form and styling details. So that’s what we focused on.” And, clearly, with considerable success —if her list of clients is anything to go by.
Bose will be Bose
 |
Rahul Bose is not the man to sit and twiddle his thumbs. Happy with the reception that his film, Anuranan, got at the Goa film festival, the actor is now planning his next move. The activist-actor is taking up a project to fund six children from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to study in the upmarket Rishi valley School in Bangalore. “They will join the school in the next academic year,” he says. And, clearly, Bose is too busy with all his social work to be wooing Nandita Das, as recently hinted by sections of the media. “There is absolutely nothing and it is all smoke and no fire,” he says. Famous last words, or is that the poet in him?