Times exclusive update 19 jan 2014

Karan Johar to start his next film by December this year

 

 

Mumbai: Filmmaker KaranJohar, who last directed the 2012 movie "Student Of The Year", says he will go behind the camera again by the end of 2014.

He is currently seen on the small screen as one of the judges of the reality show "India's Got Talent" and also on his chat show "Koffee With Karan".

"I will direct by the end of this year. December this year, I will start my next film. That's all I can say at the moment," Karan told .

There were reports that Karan may direct a period drama, but he denied it and said: "It's not a period drama. It's a different film which I can't talk about it right now."

Karan first donned the director's hat for the 1998 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". He went on to make films like "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" and more.

Matching steps with culture

 

The Hindu A high in Paris Laxmi's career was her performance for Prince Charles on his Kerala visit.

Bharatanatyam dancer Paris Laxmi believes art and music are in her blood and that she was destined to become part of Kerala’s culture

Even before she categorically embraced the Indian way of life through marriage, dancer Paris Laxmi aka Myriam Sophia Lakshmi was familiar with the sounds and sights of the country. Her parents being self-proclaimed Indophiles, had brought up Lakshmi (Paris Laxmi) and brother Narayan in the traditional Indian way. Stories from Hindu mythology were part of her growing-up years just as Indian food and clothing were. Today the 21-year-old, living in Vaikom, poised as a promising Bharatanatayam dancer and married to Kathakali artiste Sunil Pullipuram feels that she is in the place and the land where she belongs.

One of the recent highlights in her budding career was her performance for the visiting royal couple from England, Prince Charles and his wife, and her brief but colourful dalliance with Malayalam films, in 2007, where she performed a song, ‘Oh January’, for the film Big B.

An early start

Laxmi’s dance journey and relationship with India began at a young age. She enrolled, as a five year old, to learn western contemporary dance and remembers the image of baby Krishna hanging in her room in Aix–en-Provence. It was at school that she was introduced to Bharatanatyam by Armelle Choquard, her first teacher. Later, as a nine-year-old, she began learning the dance from Dominique Delorme, a disciple of Padma Subramanyam. Along with Indian dance she continued her practice of jazz, contemporary and classical ballet.

“Learning different styles allow for a holistic approach toward dance,” says Laxmi who got her stage name from Thiruvarur Bakthvathsalan, a mridangam maestro who taught mridangam to her brother Narayan.

Laxmi’s unconventional induction to the classical art was the reason that she did not have a formal arangettam or a traditional stage initiation. She does not regret it and reasons, “In the beginning I learnt Bharatanatyam under French teachers but could not pursue it professionally. In a way my parents did my arangettam. They made me perform every year. It was in 2009 that I performed at Vaikom temple during Kumbhashtami.”

Amidst her travels between India and France Laxmi decided to hone her dance skills. She went thrice to Pune and studied under Sucheta Chapekar and spent a year at Padma Subramanyam’s school Nrithyodaya in Chennai. She met Kathakali artiste Sunil in Fort Kochi and found an instant rapport. “Though there is a big age difference between us our minds and interests are the same,” she says beaming. Sunil agrees and says with pride, “I saw her practice in 2007 and knew immediately that Laxmi was a good dancer with nimble footwork and natural expressions.”

He began helping her professionally and in charting a career and the two decided to marry in 2012. Together they have started Kalashakti School of Arts in Vaikom where the duo teaches Bhartanatyam and Kathakali and have teachers for other arts.

“Dance is my way of living. It is a passion and a job,” says Laxmi through thick kohled eyes and a very Indian face. Coming from an artistic family, her father Yves is a drummer and mother Patricia is a sculptor, Laxmi believes that art and music are in her blood.

Her evolving career is marked by several performances in temples across Kerala and in a few theatres in Chennai. Her recent performance, “a small part from a tillana”, in front of Prince Charles has been an exciting high point. She says, “He remarked about my foot work and expressions. He spoke in French and said the dance was incredible.”

Happily ensconced in her new home, teaching her students, busy with local performances - Laxmi feels that she was destined to be a part of Kerala and her deep culture.

Sexual crimes less against fully dressed Chennai women: MP Min

Bhopal, 2014 January 19: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babulal Gaur today said there were few sexual crimes against women in Chennai as they dress up fully and regularly visit temples. Gaur who recently returned from a trip to Chennai said that the crime rate against women in the capital of Tamil Nadu against women was much less than what it was in Bhopal. Gaur said that the rate of crime against women in 2012 in Chennai was 19.32 whereas in Bhopal it was 71.38. "The crime rate for women for the whole of Madhya Pradesh was also 71.38 that year," he said. The Minister said that during his visit to Chennai he met a number of senior police officers there who had told him that women in their city dress up fully and regularly go to temples. "They told me that it was because of this that the crime rate against women was much less as compared to that in other states," Gaur said.           Aam Aadmi rule: people get easy access to Kejriwal, ministers inside Delhi secretariat I   New Delhi:  The Delhi Secretariat, the national capital's seat of power, has always remained out of bounds for the common man. However, thanks to the unconventional ways of the three-week-old AAP-led government, the imposing edifice has undergone a major transformation by opening its doors to all. Be it the issues related to inadequate water supplies, inflated electricity bills or even giving advice to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on how to run the government efficiently, people from all walks of life are heading to the secretariat in the heart of Delhi to get their concerns addressed. Following the criticism of the chief minister for mismanaging the first Janata Darbar, or people's court, on Jan 11 outside the secretariat, an octogenarian gentleman came calling a couple of days later to give advice to Kejriwal on how to manage such gatherings efficiently.           By Design RANJANI RAJENDRA     The Hindu Masaba prefers using natural fabrics as far as possible. Photo: G.Ramakrishna   In Hyderabad to showcase her designs, Masaba Gupta talks to the writer about heading two distinct brands and setting milestones She is the youngest Indian designer to showcase at the Lakme India Fashion Week and at 24 was appointed the creative director of Satya Paul, the youngest in the history of the fashion house. Her designs, like her, are bold and edgy, yet easily wearable and a lot more affordable when compared to other labels. And while there is a lot riding on her, Masaba Gupta seems to be carrying it all of with élan. “I still have a lot of ‘Oh My God’ moments when I think of how Satya Paul happened. Being chosen to head a brand that is older than me is overwhelming and although it has been over a year since I was appointed, I still wonder how it did happen,” says the designer, who was in the city to showcase her designs at a recent exhibition. “It is very easy to be a part of a crop of emerging designers. But to cross that bridge and actually becoming the next big thing is what matters; I could do that because of Satya Paul,” she adds. Given that she made her debut on the fashion circuit at the age of 19, it was but natural for her to be looked upon as a baby in an industry of veterans. “Being appointed the creative director of Satya Paul did make people sit up and take notice. In an industry where seniority is gauged by the number of years a designer has put in, this helped. I believe young designers are more enterprising, willing to do more and defy the rules of conventional selling.” The designer, who is known for her quirky prints and use of natural fabrics, is also one of the most copied in the industry. Unfazed by the rip-offs, Masaba, who tried her hand at music, dance and acting before making it big in the fashion industry, says her biggest style icon is her mother, Neena Gupta. “I remember growing up in a bucket of clothes. My mother would pick up outfits from different stores and then create something new. She never wore anything in its original form. I think that influenced me a lot. She taught me the importance of character in clothes and also organic fabrics. How a person dresses speaks volumes of who he/she is. Which is why, I believe that style is an extension of oneself. Style is not something that can be borrowed. It is something you have to develop for yourself,” she says. Organic fabrics have played a huge role in her career as well. “I use a lot of muslins, hand woven ikats and pure silks in my designs. I think it has a lot to do with how my mother raised me to use organic products. Till date we use Margo soap at home. Until sometime back I never threaded my eyebrows. My mother never has in all her life. In fact she would comb mine after I washed my face. She completely believes in all things natural and I carry a lot of it with me. Of late I’ve begun experimenting with lycra, but that is more due to the need of the market.” With her designs being endorsed by various celebrities, brand Masaba has been growing exponentially. The designer has a couple of new stores being launched in Mumbai and Kolkata soon and a surprise label coming up. Quiz her on her plans to set up a store in the city and she says, “I think I need some more time to gauge what Hyderabad likes. At the moment it is difficult to decide what works here. Maybe a couple of more exhibitions and I will have a better understanding of what works here.”