Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, Rita Bhimani, Chandreyee Ghosh, Sudipa Basu, Parambrata Chatterjee, Bijoylakshmi Burman, Suchanda Ghosh and Pramita Mallick (left to right) at The Bard’s Muse at Café Coffee Day Abhishek Dutta, Priyanka, Pinky and Eina Ahluwalia at Little IndiaGerard Primus, Fauzia Marikar, Madhumati Sen and Biplaw Singh at the Jewels of Tomorrow concert at Gyan Manch

Café Coffee Day believes that a lot can happen over coffee. And, in keeping with this, the café recently played host to The Bard’s Muse — a performance comprising monologue plays and recitals to pay tribute to Rabindranath Tagore.

Tagore’s works have a universal appeal and in his writings, he has underlined certain issues ahead of his times. To his women characters, he has imparted both beauty and brains. Discussing the universality of Tagore’s works at the event were public relations consultant Rita Bhimani, veteran stage actress Bijoylakshmi Burman, Rabindrasangeet exponents Pramita Mallick (who has also transcreated Tagore’s music in English) and Suchanda Ghosh, television actresses Sudipa Basu and Chandreyee Ghosh, stage and television actor Sudip Mukherjee and actor-musician Parambrata Chatterjee as well as Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, who scripted the entire show.

To begin with, Rita Bhimani and Sujoy cited excerpts from Tagore’s works to indicate that his internationalism wasn’t planned. The poet tried to understand the character of every person, Indian or otherwise and believed that, underlying every human being was a unity that was spiritual in nature. Suchanda Ghosh’s rendition of Durey Kothay Durey Durey was an attempt at self-discovery. While Sudip embarked on a discovery of Tagore’s roots, the great prose epic Gora was discussed briefly. Gora is a story of self-discovery, a blend of ancient spiritual values and Western values, a resolution of inner conflict. Pramita Mallick broke into full throated ease with her recital of Sharthok Jonom Amar at this point. Chandreyee read excerpts from Tagore’s novels with particular emphasis on the character of Mrinal in Streer Patra to prove that Tagore’s heroines were self-assertive. What emerged at the end of her performance was that harsh words are the consolation of the weak. Kobe tumi aashbe bole by Suchanda Ghosh seemed an apt song for the extract. Sudipa Basu delineated the characters of Sohini and Nandakishore from Laboratory, Tagore’s last short story even as Pramita Mallick sang Kaar Milon Chao. Parambrata also made an impression on the audience with his reading and impromptu rendition of Tagore’s Aapnake Ei Jaana Aamar Furabe Na.

Spotted at the show, which was conceived by Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, were the US consul general in Calcutta, George Sibley and wife Lee Alison, author Bani Basu and actress Debolina Dutta among others.

Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, Rita Bhimani, Chandreyee Ghosh, Sudipa Basu, Parambrata Chatterjee, Bijoylakshmi Burman, Suchanda Ghosh and Pramita Mallick (left to right) at The Bard’s Muse at Café Coffee Day Abhishek Dutta, Priyanka, Pinky and Eina Ahluwalia at Little IndiaGerard Primus, Fauzia Marikar, Madhumati Sen and Biplaw Singh at the Jewels of Tomorrow concert at Gyan Manch

Local lights

Some of the nation’s top-dog designers retail from Little India, an atelier on Elgin Road catering to the city’s swish set. Jostling for shelf space here are ensembles from Rohit Bal, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Raghavendra Rathore, Priyadarshini Rao, Anita Dongre and Krishna Mehta. Recently, however, the fashion hot-house in its endeavour to infuse a little local flavour to its offerings, roped in a couple of young talents — Abhishek Dutta and Eina Ahluwalia — both designers, but each exploring creativity in different mediums.

With a degree in fashion technology from Wigan and Leigh, Abhishek’s clothes have been turning heads from the very beginning of his career. He was branded the most creative designer at his graduating ceremony and even picked up a Smirnoff International Fashion Award in 1999. Truly a fusion of Western style concepts and ethnicity, Abhishek’s style statements are made with handlooms, natural fibres, knits, leather and denim. Catering to both men and women with the zing thing, the label comprises both prêt and couture lines and prices start at Rs 2,000 onwards.

For Eina Ahluwalia, it’s the gleam of silver that gets her going. This young jewellery designer plays with silver and a whole lot of precious stones to come up with some breath-taking jewellery. Fun and funky or smooth and elegant — whatever your style — Eina has something for you. There are large Mughal-type earrings and jhumkas, stunning tribal chokers and necklaces, chunky lockets perfect for keeping a snap of your significant other, and sleeker alternatives involving colourful gems and even fossils. The price of flashing an Eina Ahluwalia design: at least Rs 500.

The formal launch of both Abhishek and Eina took place at the store with an interactive styling session that saw models Priyanka Jha and Pinky being given rocking new looks. With make-up man Prabir Kumar De adding his touch, the statuesque Priyanka was given a short, spiky hair-do, beaded eyelashes and of course, stunning co-ordinates and tribal jewellery from Abhishek and Eina respectively. Pinky’s was a more untamed look taking in cat-like eye make-up, a traffic-stopping red bra, a three-toned layered skirt and plenty of silver at the neck.

For more on the latest from Little India, call: 3090 2011.

Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, Rita Bhimani, Chandreyee Ghosh, Sudipa Basu, Parambrata Chatterjee, Bijoylakshmi Burman, Suchanda Ghosh and Pramita Mallick (left to right) at The Bard’s Muse at Café Coffee Day Abhishek Dutta, Priyanka, Pinky and Eina Ahluwalia at Little IndiaGerard Primus, Fauzia Marikar, Madhumati Sen and Biplaw Singh at the Jewels of Tomorrow concert at Gyan Manch

Young guns blaze

Three of the brightest young Indian stars in the Western classical music firmament performed at Gyan Manch recently at a concert titled Jewels of Tomorrow. Organised by A. Sirkar Jewellers in an endeavour to nurture exceptional talents in the fields of performing and visual arts, and provide them a platform to exhibit their skills, the Jewels of Tomorrow concerts are slated to become annual affairs. The talents will be chosen from various gurukuls, teaching institutions and associations of artistes spread across the country. This year, Fauzia Marikar, a notable name in the western classical music circuit in India and a former teacher and principal of the Calcutta School of Music (CSM), selected the young performers — Biplaw Singh, Madhumati Sen and Gerard Primus.

First up was Biplaw Singh who played on his guitar Bach’s Fugue in C minor, which was transposed for the guitar from G minor, Granada and Asturia by Isaac Albeniz and Recardos de la Alhambra by Francesco Tarrega. Biplaw, who is a student cum teacher at CSM, began playing the guitar after his older brother bought him an instrument. He started learning the guitar under Shyamal Dey and soon enough, was appearing for the Grade 8 Trinity College of Music, London examination, which he cleared with a merit. Biplaw, who last year won the prestigious Presidents’ Cup from CSM, now wants to be a professional guitarist.

Madhumati Sen, the next performer at the concert, is passionate not just about music, but also about painting. With a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, this piano teacher at CSM played Beethoven’s Sonata in D Minor and Impromptu in G Flat Major by Schubert.

ike the other two musicians, who stay in Calcutta, Gerard Primus, who took the stage last, hails from Ooty. He began taking violin lessons at the age of 13 and appeared for the Grade 4 examination the next year. His subsequent music education came from J. Ranjore, who also helped him to pass Grade 8 ABRSM with a merit. He, accompanied by Fauzia Marikar, performed Londonderry Air, Berceuse by Gabriel Faure and Larghetto by Vivaldi among other melodies.