Broken Images: Shabana Azmi at her best

There are such gifted playwrights and actors on the Indian stage (we are indeed very lucky to live during their times) – its hard to choose one best performance out of so many.


However if I had to choose the second ten best  – this would be one of them. (I think top ten would be hard for me... and just to rub it in - I just recently read Naseeruddin Shah's excellent memoir "And then One day" where in the photos section he lists the ten greatest performances on theatre he has ever seen - and each of them stellar actors. The closest I have come to the list is - to see a few of the actors live, or a couple of performances from other actors - not exactly fulfilling - close but no cigar...)

Broken Images is a play written by Girish Karnad and the English version directed by Alyque Padamsee and stars Shabana Azmi.

                             

I had watched Shabana before in Tumhari Amrita where it was fairly staid and not really the best showcase of her talent (I think!).  But Broken Images is truly a testimony to her enormous talent.  Even better – it pits her, against herself.  So she’s competing with the very best – herself!!

Theatre - One of my true loves

Watching a good play is possibly the most unbeatable experiences, and the BEST way to spend an evening. And mix this with great friends, lovely food and you are living life to its best

But for me, even more special and the best experiences I have had have been in my favourite city Mumbai (yes, that one's coming soon)

For me the theatre scene in Mumbai is possibly the best (though I suspect Delhi gets better thanks to the NSD) and the absolutely lovely ambience.

Quizzing - perhaps my only real hobby past time ever

I was never really into much sports, neither indoors nor outdoors.

So the only competitive activity I indulged in was quizzing, and you could call it a hobby or a sport.

Even if I am not taking part I usually find it fun to watch either on TV, or in person live quizzing events.

Ratatouille - the movie

Would you like to be a movie that won an Oscar for best movie – or one that didn’t win any – but instead created a whole new category so that Oscars could be awarded to films like yours?

Ratatouille is exactly that movie – and what a wonderful movie, one that continues to warm its viewers with each viewing and bring hope and inspiration to everyone.

                                                   

 

MY MBA BATCHMATES

(As I write this I am struggling to adhere to the unspoken and un-written rule of ‘what happens in campus, stays in campus’. Hence trying not to reveal as much or as many about people and experiences as possible).


The turning point of my life was doing my MBA from a reputed institute. This meant being holed up in a remote campus for two whole years of my life, with some of the smartest, brightest minds in India and getting to learn and think like them.  It is but natural to thank them from the bottom of my heart and count them as one of my biggest favourites in my life.

I would also like to think this was a really special bunch of folks who IMHO  were the most unassuming folk that took on the additional special responsibilities bestowed upon them and went on to complete them selflessly without any complaints, and move on to their careers and personal life.

A South Indian Breakfast

If you are like me, then you firmly believe in the philosophy "live to eat, and ...eat to live as well' so here is one of the things I simply love the most.

Possibly among the best things India has to offer, and in my humble opinion un-paralleled by any other breakfast I have eaten, a south Indian breakfast (SIB) is the love of almost every Indian I can safely say. (might be eaten as a meal or a snack even)

Puliyogare Rice – one of the most yummiest creations

How would you like to have a meal that offers you every great taste that Indian food offers right from tangy, spicy, sweet, savoury, and is crunchy and is filling too? 

Yup this is one dish that elevates a snack to a meal. I know Chaat especially a good Paani Puri would be one answer, as some would think it qualifies for a full meal – but the right answer for me is the Puliyogare rice (also called Puliyodare,  Puliodharai etc.)

ABBA – the the group (and Mamma Mia, the movie!)

Another one of those admissions which might attract scorn and get even a bigger lot of folks looking down upon me and mah tastes!!

I loved ABBA – one of my first loves, and rediscovered their wonderful talents and body of work through this absolute delight of a movie : Mamma Mia!

A R Rahman - the inspiration

One of the few pleasures in life is getting to listen to a new song that really provides you with the variety you are seeking (usually when you are tired of listening to the old songs).

I am listening to the songs of the film Highway and after a long time A R Rahman’s songs have that instant connection which make it a favourite on your playlist.

Steve Martini

OK for this one, I need to thank Preeti Zinta in Dil Chahta Hai – no, actually the quizzing scene (yes, that’s another topic coming soon) – for introducing Steve Martini.

I am a late laggard in practically every area but especially in the case of arts. I usually watch a movie only once the buzz gets out loud and then, maybe I get around to watch it (now on DVDs).  But I never watched Dil Chahta Hai when it was in the cinemas, not even when it was a huge hit.  Finally someone gave me the file for this – he’d seen it a 1000 times on DVD.

Anyways I distinctly remember someone asking a question on what book is Priety Zinta reading in some song from Dil Chahta Hai.  So when I finally saw the movie on mylaptop I froze that scene to see which book was she reading and who the author was.

And yes, as a late laggard I had not been reading Steve Martini either.

But the next time I was a book store I picked up a copy of Steve Martini, and it was hard not to fall in love with his writing.

Krishnaa - the musical by Sobhana

Can you collapse the infinite into two hours?  Well actor-danseuse Sobhana tries hard to do just that in her musical Krishnaa.

                              

The result is this hi-octane, mostly chaotic ensemble performance that seems to move at the speed of light; and even before you absorb a scene, a dialogue or enjoy the thrill of a dance, its already over and the stage has shifted to the next story on Lord Krishna.

Err… why is this then making to my favourites?   Well, let me first complete the reality bites part about the show.

Seema Goswami's recommendations of books to read

Sharing things that bring you joy is such a simple and fundamental delight – it’s not celebrated enough.  This is not gifting, but telling people you know (and others) that you discovered something new or unknown, exciting and loved it, and now are recommending others to try them.

Marketers dub it 'word of mouth' and try influencer marketing to get opinion-leaders to push their wares (nowadays through SEO).  This gets so overboard that it’s hard to find the real expert advice from say a paid testimonial.  Further, it is hard to get a recco that sooo much meets your requirements and matches your tastes that you simply have to go and get the recommended product – and, of course recommend this to more people – just like I am doing right now.