Kaand starring Kumud Mishra, Shubhrajyoti Bara follows two policemen through a series of nights, as they combat the monsters that roam the streets while battling the more dangerous demons within. On the same day at Stage Talk sharing her experiences is the queen of theatre, Vijaya Mehta at Prithvi House but it is not certain whether Bai will be able to make it to the workshop.

In Literature section author Pervin Saket recaptures the mythical journey of love and longing in contemporary India inspired by the story of Lakshman’s wife from Ramayana, Urmila traces a tale of rejection and a woman’s passionate search for love, rekindling questions of devotion and desire.

Pervin Saket was shortlisted for the Random House India Writers’ Bloc Award in 2013. Her fiction has appeared in Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction inspired by the Ramayana, The Asian Writer Collection, Earthen Lamp Journal and other works.

To be continued…

@bhawanasomaaya

Some of India’s finest theatre personalities talk about their work, their journey, aspirations and theatre at large, today the talk is hosted by Manav Kaul whose film Tumhari Sallu with Vidya Balan has been in the news for some time.

Raahen’s Sangeet Manapman tells the story of Dhairyadhar, a trusted lieutenant of King Prithvidhar chosen to marry Bhamini, the daughter of the affluent Babasaheb. A day before the marriage, Bhamini walks out of the marriage even without meeting Dhairyadhar just because he is poor. On her father’s insistence, Bhamini lives in disguise as a poor girl under the name of Vanamala to observe Dhairyadhar closely and discovers her folly.

Starring Rahul Deshpande, Priyanka Barve and Siddhesh Purkar Sangeet Manapman appear the traditional play but there is a difference.

To be continued…

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Today is showing Iron where Josie is visiting her mother Fay, serving life for murder for the first time in fifteen years and both are haunted by memories and frightened of what is to follow. Rage Productions cast includes Shernaz Patel, Dilnaz Irani, Meher Acharia-Dhar and Kenny Desai. Written by Rona Munro and directed by Arghya Lahiri.

The winter has set in and the evenings at Prithvi Café are more than comfortable. Sitting at the black table I often overhear conversations of people discussing plays, actors, movies.  This is probably the only place in Mumbai where stature does not matter and nobody is mobbed. Superstars mix with struggling directors and discuss ideas, which is why successful actors and directors even after making big in movie business keep returning to Prithvi for the real theatre experience.

To be continued…

@bhawanasomaaya

Qarib Qarib Single is almost enjoyable

Film: Qarib Qarib Single

Producer: Zee Studios, Jar Pictures

Director: Tanuja Chandra

Writer: Kamna Chandra

Music: Anu Malik, Rochak Kohli, Vishal Mishra

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Parvathy 

In between advising her mother not to nag her father and pulling up her distracted secretary addicted to an online dating site, Jayshree/ Malyalam actress Parvathy associated with an insurance company finds time to attend the wedding of a friend who introduces her as a widow to her groom.

Though it has been a long time Jayshree lost her husband she has yet to come to terms with her life and when her younger brother defies her to get adventurous, Jayshree logs on to a marriage portal only to be bombarded with obscene responses.

One out of them comes across decent and Jayshree decides to meet Yogi/ Irrfan Khan over coffee. Yogi says he is a mechanical engineer but doesn’t seem so from his appearance, attire or conversation. He is informal, over chatty and almost annoying while Jayshree is refined, unduly reserved and visibly uptight.

They have nothing in common but they continue to meet over generous mugs of Latte coffee and on Yogi’s insistence the workaholic Jayshree actually considers going on a joint holiday with her new friend

What go in favour of the film are the music and the locations. This short journey travels from Mumbai to Dehradun, then Rishikesh and Bikaner to all the way Gangtok and through the missed flights/ trains and never-ending taxi rides, we are treated to strangers turning friends and sometimes foes.

The downside is the pace gets slow in the second half and the banter between the quarrelling strangers turn repetitive.

There is chemistry between Irrfan Khan and Parvathy and it reflects in their sparkling performances

Qarib Qarib Single has moments, moods, simplicity; it is the kind of film you will enjoy watching with your dating partner.

I rate Qarib Qarib Single with 3 stars.

@bhawanasomaaya

There’s no way you can miss this shaadi

Film: Shaadi mein Zaroor Aana

Release: 09 November 2017

Director: Ratnaa Sinha

Writer: Kamal Pandey

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Kharbanda

As the title suggests Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana is the story of wedding, new and old relationships, age old customs in contemporary times.

Satyander Sharma/Rajkumar Rao and Aarti Shukla/Kirti Kharbanda meet for an arranged marriage and are pleasantly surprised that they like each other. Both agree for marriage and gradually fall in love as well.

The parents are overjoyed and excitedly preparing for the D Day which for pertinent reasons does not take place.

Five years later Aarti is a PCS officer and Satyander an IAS officer in coincidentally the same city.

In my opinion, there are four reasons for watching Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana and they are as follows:

1. While we have watched many films shot in Lucknow and Kanpur, we’ve never really been exposed to a love story set against the India Civil Service which makes Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aaana the first and therefore refreshing.

2. Most of the subjects addressing women empowerment are either about her identity or dignity, Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana puts up a case for Aarti’s capabilities and her ambitions which is rare and a reality.

3. The family always comes first in our stories and individuals always sacrificed in the name of honor. This time everyone comes together in quest of a dream and strangely nobody thinks they’ve done wrong.

4. In all stories of marriages, especially those relating to small towns dowry is the inevitable villain, Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aaana proposes that there is life beyond dowry…

Rajkumar Rao has time and again proved that he can shine in any role; he does it once again, ably supported by Kirti Kharbanda and writer Kamal Pandey.  The crowning glory, of course, is debut director Ratnaa Sinha.

There is no way you can miss this progressive, sensitive, responsible wedding. I rate Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana with 3.5 stars.

 @bhawanasomaaya

Udayswar is a rare and truly unique acoustic experience of Indian Classical Music in the manner it was originally designed, for an intimate baithak without microphones and amplifiers. Based on the 8 Prahars (time spans) of the day, this Indian Classical Music concert features morning ragas of the second Prahar performed by Pelva Naik and various artists.

Born in 1986, Ahmedabad, Naik was brought up in a family of artists, art lovers and connoisseurs; where she was nurtured amid affluent virtues of Indian culture, literature, art and music. She has been trained in the Ancient Indian classical music form- ‘Dhrupad’ under the eminent Dagar Gharana of Indian Classical Music. She is a disciple of legendary Dhrupad maestro Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar and has also received proficient guidance from Rudraveena maestro Ustad Mohi Bahauddin Dagar.

Pelva Naik is India’s foremost young Dhrupad vocalist of International stature and performed at most of the prestigious music festival all over the world.

To be continued…

@bhawanaasomaayaa

Being a holiday there is a bigger crowd at the venue, some have come to soak in the ambience and relish a drink, some to eat food with friends and chat and some, to watch the play.

Today is a Marathi play based on Heera, a renowned Tamasha artist who by the diktats of nomadic community is not allowed to get married. Her profession however only engages her with men and attraction is natural as a result of which Heera becomes the unwed mother of Ratna who grows up to become a journalist.

Life carries on for the mother and daughter on different tracks until Heera is felicitated by the Sangeet Natak Acadamy and Ratna is assigned the task of interviewing her. The incident unfolds many uncomfortable truths and Heera/ Rajashree Sawant Wad decides that time has come to lay bare the drama of her life to Ratna and to the rest of the world.

To be continued…

@bhawanasomaaya