Former Union minister Matang Sinh's Rs 100cr property attached

Former Union minister Matang Sinh's Rs 100cr property attached





ED Calls TMC MP Arpita Ghosh For Questioning Again

Former Union minister Matang Sinh, whose arrest in the Saradha scam led to the removal of home secretary Anil Goswami, is in fresh trouble. Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached property worth Rs 100 crore belonging to Sinh in Delhi NCR. This is in addition to Rs 200 crore worth of property already attached by the agency in Mumbai and Assam. ED sources said two flats (7B and 7C) belonging to Sinh in Doctor’s Lane of Gole Market in New Delhi were attached by the agency. Apart from this, two more properties (A29 and A30) in Sector 4 of Noida where Sinh had opened the corporate office of M3M Media were attached by the agency. On December 23, ED had attached a flat belonging to Sinh in Versova, Mumbai and an entire building (the NETV building) in Guwahati. While the cumulative deed value of all these properties is only Rs 48 crore, the market value goes over Rs 300 crore.
According to ED sources, Sinh had entered into an agreement with Saradha MD Sudipta Sen to start a TV channel. For this, he had received Rs 28 crore. There was allegedly also an illegal transfer of shares between the two parties. Part of this money flowed into purchase of the said properties.
Meanwhile, ED has summoned TMC MP Arpita Ghosh for a second round of questioning on February 13 in connection with the scam probe. “Some of the Saradha money had gone to her as well. In the last questioning, she could not provide details of some bank accounts. We want her to furnish the same now,“ said an ED official.
Sinh was recently arrested by CBI in Kolkata and was charged with criminal conspiracy , cheating and misappropriation of funds related to Saradha Realty, one of the companies of the group which is being probed by the agency .Sinh had allegedly been using the name of a senior bureaucrat to get deals settled and getting work done.
Sinh takes refuge in hospital a second time, CBI fails to get his custody
Kolkata: The CBI on Friday failed to get the custody of former Union minister Matang Sinh, who was arrested in connection with the Saradha scam. Sinh to ok refuge in the jail hos pital after being rel eased from the state run SSKM hospital on Friday evening.
He complained of a stomach ache just after his arrest and was rus hed to SSKM hospital.
The CBI had to make a paper production and Sinh was sent in jail custody for 13 days. On Thursday, Sinh was released from SSKM hospital and the CBI decided to produce him before the court on Friday.
After entering Alipore Correctional Home, Sinh complained of chest pain. He was rushed to the jail hospital. On Friday, the medical superintendent of Alipore Correctional Home wrote to court officials that Sinh would not be able to appear before court on Friday as he was not medically fit. Sources in the correctional home said that doctors were monitoring his physical parameters and nothing abnormal has been found so far. TNN

Ban English, says Jnanpith winner Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade

Ban English, says Jnanpith winner, hits out at Naipaul and Rushdie





On a day he was declared winner of the 2014 Jnanpith award, India's highest literary honour, Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade described English as a “killer language“ and calling for its banning from the field of education in India. He also sharply criticized two Indian-origin writers, V S Naipaul and Salman Rushdie, for “pandering to the West“ and dismissed their works as being of little value. “Primary as well as secondary education should be in the mother tongue. What is so great about English? There isn't a single epic in the language. We have 10 epics within the Mahabharata itself. Don't make English compulsory; make its elimination compulsory ,“ Nemade (77), who himself has been a teacher of English and comparative literature at various universities including the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, said. He was speaking at a function in Dadar organized by the Matrubhasha Samvardhan Sabha.
Nemade is only the fourth Marathi writer to win the award, after V S Khandekar (1974), V V Shirwadkar aka Kusumagraj (1987) and Vinda Karandikar (2003). Espousing his pet theory of `Deshivaad' (nativism) that rejects globalization, the writer of the 1963 novel Kosla, which is considered one of the seminal works of 20th century Marathi literature, said English had destroyed languages. “In North America, there were 187 languages 150 years ago. Now just 37 remain. Australia had 300 languages; only 65 remain, and of five languages in the UK, only Irish has survived alongside English,“ Nemade, who is also a linguist, said.
While urging Indians to look up to the works of Premchand and others, he excoriated Naipaul and Rushdie in particular. “When Naipaul came to India, he saw an area of darkness. Then he saw a wounded civilization and blamed Islamic rule for the wounds and not the British because he was staying in England. This is how you get your knighthood,“ Nemade said, quoting from the poet Derek Walcott's acerbic attack on Naipaul in verse. He also questioned the literary value of most of Salman Rushdie's works after Midnight's Children, saying much of the stuff such writers had written did not have a great deal of literary merit.
Nemade, who is now working on the second part of a tetralogy (the first part is titled Hindu), said he was rooting for the mother tongue not out of emotionalism but pure science. “Cognition is possible only through the mother tongue,“ he insisted, and quoted from a 1963 UNESCO document, astatement by linguists made at a Paris convention in 1968 and even a World Bank report to make the case for education in India's native languages.
Finally, making a concession for English, he said, “It's not that we shouldn't learn English. We should. But we don't need education in English. Let us treat it like footwear. Keep it outside the home, to be used when needed outside the home.“

ओबामा तर चर्चचं बाहुलं- विहिंप

भारतातील धार्मिक असहिष्णुतेवर टिप्पणी करणारे अमेरिकेचे राष्ट्राध्यक्ष बराक ओबामा हे चर्चच्या हातातील बाहुलं असल्याचा टोला विश्व हिंदू परिषदेनं हाणला आहे. ओबामांनी आधी अमेरिकेत कृष्णवर्णियांवर होणारे अत्याचार थांबवावेत, मग भारताविषयी बोलावं, अशी चपराकही त्यांनी लगावली आहे.

गेल्या काही वर्षांत भारतामध्ये धार्मिक असहिष्णुता वाढली आहे. एखाद्या धर्माच्या श्रद्धेला इतर धर्मियांनी लक्ष्य केल्याचे प्रकार घडलेत. ही परिस्थिती पाहून महात्मा गांधींनाही जबर धक्का बसला असता, असं वादग्रस्त निरीक्षण नोंदवून बराक ओबामा यांनी परवाच नरेंद्र मोदी सरकारवर निशाणा साधला होता. त्यांचं हे मत ऐकून केंद्रातील बडे अधिकारीही चक्रावलेत. ख्रिश्चन लॉबीला खुश करण्यासाठीच त्यांनी ही टिप्पणी केल्याची कुजबूज काल प्रशासकीय वर्तुळात होती. अगदी परराष्ट्र खातं आणि पीएमओचे अधिकारीही याकडे, ओबामांची 'राजकीय अपरिहार्यता' म्हणूनच पाहत होते. अर्थात, त्यांच्यापैकी कुणीच जाहीरपणे काही बोललं नाही, पण विहिंपचे सहसरचिटणीस सुरेंद्र जैन यांनी ओबामांवर टीकास्त्र सोडलं.

बराक ओबामांनी आधी आपल्या देशातील परिस्थिती तपासावी. ते स्वतः कृष्णवर्णीय असूनही अमेरिकेतील कृष्णवर्णियांवर अन्याय-अत्याचार सुरूच आहेत. ते आधी थांबवा, नाहीतर भारताला सल्ले देण्याच्या फंदात पडू नका, असं जैन यांनी सुनावलंय. ओबामांवर ख्रिस्ती मिशनरींचा प्रभाव आहे. किंबहुना, चर्चच्याच पाठिंब्यावर ते राजकारण करताहेत. ते त्यांच्याच हातातील बाहुलं आहे, असा टोमणाही त्यांना मारला. अमेरिका ख्रिश्चनांची चिंता कायमच वाहते. बांगलादेशात हिंदूंवर होणाऱ्या अत्याचाराविषयी ते कधीच काही बोललेले नाहीत, याकडेही त्यांनी लक्ष वेधलं. भारत दौऱ्यावर आलेल्या ओबामांनी ख्रिस्ती धर्मप्रसारकांना धर्मांतर थांबवण्याची सूचना करायला हवी होती, पण या गंभीर मुद्द्यावर त्यांनी मौनच बाळगल्याचंही त्यांनी नमूद केलं.

Review of Movie "Shamitabh"

शमिताभ

कलाकार : अमिताभ बच्चन, धनुष, अक्षरा हसन

निर्माता : सुनील लुल्ला, आर. बल्की, राकेश झुंझुंवाला, अभिषेक बच्चन, एकता कपूर

दिग्दर्शक : आर. बल्की

संगीत : स्वानंद किरकिरे, कौसर ‌मुनीर

वेळ : 153mins

सिनेमा प्रकार : Drama

आर. बालकृष्णन अर्थात आर. बल्की याच्या प्रत्येक सिनेमाची प्रकृती वेगळी असते. मानवी नातेसंबंधांचे सूक्ष्म पदर उलगडून दाखवितानाच विचित्र परिस्थितीमुळे आलेली अगतिकता बड्या कॅनव्हासवर रेखाटायलाही त्याला आवडते. प्रेक्षकशरण सिनेमा आणि कलात्मक मूल्यांची मांडणी करणारा सिनेमा या दोन्ही चित्रपटांमधील मध्यममार्ग दाखविण्यावर त्याचा जास्त भर असतो. 'शमिताभ'ही अशीच एक वेगळी प्रकृती आणि नातेसंबंधातील द्वंद्व मांडणारा सिनेमा आहे. वेगळ्या प्रकारचे कथानक, संपूर्ण पडदाभर व्यापून राहिलेला अमिताभ, मध्यंतरानंतर शेवटाकडे जाताना पडद्यावर घडणाऱ्या वेगळ्या घडामोडी आणि चित्रपटाला एका वेगळ्या उंचीवर नेऊन ठेवणारा शेवट अशी अनेक वैशिष्ट्ये असलेला 'शमिताभ' पाहणे हा एक सुखद अनुभव ठरतो. सध्याच्या काळातील प्रेक्षकशरण सिनेमाच्या अतिरेकामध्ये आर. बल्कीचा शमिताभ काहीतरी वेगळं पाहिल्याचं समाधान देतो. अर्थात नेहमीच्या हिंदी सिनेमात असणारी 'जुळवाजुळव' येथेही आहेच; पण चित्रपटाच्या एकत्रित परिणामाध्ये या 'फिल्मी' प्रकाराकडे काहीशी डोळेझाक करता येऊ शकते.

‌शमिताभची गोष्ट आहे इगतपुरीमध्ये राहणाऱ्या दानिश (धनुष) या मराठी मुलाची. जन्मतः वाचा नसलेला दानिश चित्रपटांसाठी वेडा आहे. सातत्याने वेगवेगळे चित्रपट पाहणाऱ्या दानिशला चित्रपटसृष्टीत हिरो म्हणून चमकायचं आहे. इगतपुरी सोडून तो मुंबईला हिरो होण्यासाठी येतो. बोलता येत नसलेल्या दानिशमध्ये अभिनयाचा जबरदस्त सेन्स आहे. मात्र, बोलता येत नसल्यामुळे त्याला निर्माता-दिग्दर्शकांकडून नाकारलं जात आहे. दानिशमधील अभिनयाची चमक इंडस्ट्रीत असिस्टंट डायरेक्टर म्हणून काम करणारी अक्षरा (अक्षरा हसन) पाहते. एक माणूस दुसऱ्या माणसाला आवाज देऊ शकतो, असं तंत्रज्ञान फिनलँडमध्ये विकसित झालं असल्याचं तिला डॉक्टर असलेल्या वडिलांकडून समजतं. हे तंत्रज्ञान दानिशसाठी वापरण्याचा ती निर्णय घेते. फिनलँडला जावून ते तंत्रज्ञानही समजावून घेतलं जातं. मात्र, भारतात आल्यावर दानिशला नक्की कोणाचा आवाज द्यायचा याचा शोध सुरू होतो. एका कबरिस्तानामध्ये भणंगासारखा राहणारा, दिवस-रात्र दारूमध्ये आकंठ बुडालेला आणि कोणे एके काळी फिल्म इंडस्ट्रीने खराब आवाजामुळे नाकारलेला अमिताभ सिन्हा (अमिताभ बच्चन) अक्षरा आणि दानिशला भेटतो. दानिशसाठी अमिताभचा आवाज वापरायची कल्पना यातून पुढे येते. सुरुवातीला यासाठी नकार देणारा अमिताभ यासाठी परवानगी देतो. दानिशसोबत एखाद्या सावलीसारखा वावरणारा अमिताभ दानिशचा 'बोलविता धनी' होतो. चित्रपटसृष्टीमध्ये येण्यासाठी दानिशकडून शमिताभ असे टोपण नाव धारण केले जाते. (दानिश मधील श आणि अमिताभ हा शब्द, यांच्या एकत्रीकरणातून) अक्षरा या साऱ्यासाठी मदत करते. शमिताभ पहिल्या चित्रपटातच सुपरस्टार होतो. मात्र, अर्थात अमिताभविना दानिशचे स्वतंत्र अस्तित्व नसते. त्यामुळे दोघांमध्ये खटके उडू लागतात. कोण कोणामुळे श्रेष्ठ आहे, कोणाला कोणामुळे किंमत आहे, असे 'इगो' दुखविणारे प्रकारही होतात. या दोघांच्या द्वंद्वामध्ये एक पत्रकार शमिताभचे कोणालाच माहित नसलेले रहस्य शोधण्याचा प्रयत्न करतो. या पत्रकाराकडून होणारा संभाव्य धोका लक्षात घेता सत्य काय आहे हे चित्रपटसृष्टीला कळावे अशा हेतूने हा 'आवाजखेळ' जाहीर करण्याचा निर्णय दानिश, ‌अमिताभ आणि अक्षरा घेते; पण....हा पणच जास्त महत्त्वाचा आहे. एकमेकांच्या अस्तित्वाची ही सरमिसळ नक्की कोणत्या स्तरापर्यंत जाते? दानिशने दडविलेलं सत्य चित्रपटसृष्टीला समजतं का? का नियतीच्या मनात काही तरी वेगळंच आहे? या प्रश्नांची उत्तरे शोधण्यासाठी शोकांतिकेनं भरलेला शेवट असणारा 'शमिताभ' पाहायला हवा.शमिताभ या व्यक्तिमत्त्वाचं मूळ बलस्थान असणारा अमिताभचा आवाज हा चित्रपटातील एक अदृश्य असणारा नायकच आहे. संपूर्ण चित्रपट अमिताभच्या धीरगंभीर आवाजाने भरलेल्या संवादांचा आहे. दोन स्वतंत्र व्यक्तिमत्त्वं, त्यांचं स्वतःचं असं अस्तित्व, एकमेकांना असणारी एकमेकांची गरज, एक नसला तर दुसऱ्याचं अडून राहणं... असं सारं काही आर. बल्की हळूहळू मांडत जातो. चित्रपटाच्या सुरुवातीपासून शेवटाकडे जाताना एखाऱ्या रंगत जाणाऱ्या मैफलीचं समाधान तो आपल्याला देतो. चित्रपटाची विस्ताराने केलेली मांडणी आणि अमिताभ-दानिशचं द्वंद्व रंगविणारी पटकथा चित्रपटाचं बलस्थान आहे. सिनेमॅटिक लिबर्टीच्या नावाखाली काही न पटणाऱ्या गोष्टीही दिग्दर्शक दाखवून घेतो. काही कच्चे दुवे निखळून जातात; पण वर म्हटल्याप्रमाणं त्याकडं दुर्लक्ष केलं जातं. ७२ व्या वर्षीही ज्या अफाट ऊर्जेच्या साह्याने अमिताभ चित्रपटात वावरतो ते पाहणं जास्त महत्त्वाचं आहे. अमिताभ सिन्हाचा विक्षिप्तपणा, लहरीपणा आणि ऐन मोक्याच्या वेळी दानिशची त्याने केलेली कोंडी याचे दर्शन घडविणारे प्रसंग मस्त जमले आहेत. अमिताभसोबतच्या अनेक प्रसंगांमध्ये धनुष म्हणावासा प्रभाव पाडत नाही. मात्र, तरीही त्याचा अभिनय प्रसंगानुरूप होतो! अक्षरा हसन केवळ दिसतेच छान! संवादफेकीपासून ते अभिनयापर्यंत तिला अजून बरचं काही शिकायचचं आहे, हे वारंवार जाणवत राहतं. आर. बल्कीच्या चित्रपटांचं बलस्थान असणारं इलायराजाचं संगीत इथेही महत्त्वाची भूमिका बजावतं. अमिताभच्या आवाजातील स्वानंद किरकिरेने लिहिलेलं 'पिडलीसी बाते' लक्षात राहतं. पी. सी. श्रीराम या अनुभवी सिनेमॅटोग्राफरने चित्रपटातील अनेक प्रसंगांना दिलेली डार्क शेड आणि आशयातील उदासपणा टिपण्याचा केलेला प्रयत्न उल्लेखनीय आहे. एकूणात काय तर मनोरंजनाच्या रूढ वाटा न चोखळता शमिताभ अस्तित्वातील सरमिसळीचं द्वंद्व बेमालूमपणे पडद्यावर मांडतो. पडद्यावरचा सिनेमा खोटा असतो हे माहित असूनही आणि सिनेमॅटिक लिबर्टीच्या नावाखाली दिग्दर्शकाने केलेली योग्य जुळवाजुळव लक्षात येऊनही 'शमिताभ' खरा वाटतो, सच्चा वाटतो. दिग्दर्शक आर. बल्कीचं हेच यश असतं. चित्रपट संपला तरीही मोकळ्या पडद्यावरही अमिताभ आणि अमिताभच व्यापून राहिलेला असतो.

तुम्ही जर हा सिनेमा पाहिला नसेल आणि लवकरच पाहणार असाल, तर इथेच थांबा. पुढे वाचू नका.पुढे वाचलंत तर, कदाचित सिनेमा बघण्याची मजा निघून जाईल.

‌शमिताभची गोष्ट आहे इगतपुरीमध्ये राहणाऱ्या दानिश (धनुष) या मराठी मुलाची. जन्मतः वाचा नसलेला दानिश चित्रपटांसाठी वेडा आहे. सातत्याने वेगवेगळे चित्रपट पाहणाऱ्या दानिशला चित्रपटसृष्टीत हिरो म्हणून चमकायचं आहे. इगतपुरी सोडून तो मुंबईला हिरो होण्यासाठी येतो. बोलता येत नसलेल्या दानिशमध्ये अभिनयाचा जबरदस्त सेन्स आहे. मात्र, बोलता येत नसल्यामुळे त्याला निर्माता-दिग्दर्शकांकडून नाकारलं जात आहे. दानिशमधील अभिनयाची चमक इंडस्ट्रीत असिस्टंट डायरेक्टर म्हणून काम करणारी अक्षरा (अक्षरा हसन) पाहते. एक माणूस दुसऱ्या माणसाला आवाज देऊ शकतो, असं तंत्रज्ञान फिनलँडमध्ये विकसित झालं असल्याचं तिला समजतं. हे तंत्रज्ञान दानिशसाठी वापरायचा ती निर्णय घेते. फिनलँडला जावून ते तंत्रज्ञानही समजावून घेतलं जातं. मात्र, भारतात आल्यावर दानिशला नक्की कोणाचा आवाज द्यायचा याचा शोध सुरू होतो. एका कबरिस्तानामध्ये भणंगासारखा राहणारा, दिवस-रात्र दारूमध्ये आकंठ बुडालेला आणि कोणे एके काळी फिल्म इंडस्ट्रीने खराब आवाजामुळे नाकारलेला अमिताभ सिन्हा (अमिताभ बच्चन) अक्षरा आणि दानिशला भेटतो. दानिशसाठी अमिताभचा आवाज वापरायची कल्पना यातून पुढे येते. सुरुवातीला यासाठी नकार देणारा अमिताभ यासाठी परवानगी देतो. दानिशसोबत एखाद्या सावलीसारखा वावरणारा अमिताभ दानिशचा 'बोलविता धनी' होतो. चित्रपटसृष्टीमध्ये येण्यासाठी तो शमिताभ असे नाव धारण करतो. शमिताभ पहिल्या चित्रपटातच सुपरस्टार होतो. मात्र, अर्थात अमिताभविना दानिशचे स्वतंत्र अस्तित्व नसते. त्यामुळे दोघांमध्ये खटके उडू लागतात. कोण कोणामुळे श्रेष्ठ आहे, कोणाला कोणामुळ किंमत आहे असे 'इगो' दुखविणारे प्रकारही होतात. या दोघांच्या द्वंद्वामध्ये एक पत्रकार शमिताभचे कोणालाच माहित नसलेले रहस्य शोधण्याचा प्रयत्न करतो. सत्य काय आहे हे चित्रपटसृष्टीला कळावे अशा हेतूने हा आवाजखेळ जाहीर करण्याचा निर्णय दानिश, ‌अमिताभ आणि अक्षरा घेते. मात्र, या कार्यक्रमाला जात असतानाच दानिश आणि अमिताभच्या गाडीला अपघात होतो. यामध्ये दानिशचा मृत्यू होतो आणि अमिताभची वाचा जाते. एका विचित्र वळणावर येऊन चित्रपट संपतो. 

 

वाचा आणि सांगा, या सिनेमाविषयीच्या गमती-जमतीतरच वाचा

- चित्रपटाचं चित्रिकरण महाराष्ट्रात झालं आहे. ८० च्या दशकातील सेटवर उभारलेलं इगतपुरी लक्षात राहणारं आहे.
- दिग्दर्शक आर. बल्की ने या चित्रपटापूर्वी चिनी कम आणि पा या चित्रपटाचे दिग्दर्शन केले आहे. तर, इंग्लिश विंग्लिश या चित्रपटाची निर्मिती केली आहे.
- अक्षरा हसनचा हा पहिलाच चित्रपट आहे.
 

Review of Marathi Movie "Baaji"

झुंजार आणि तितकाच मसालेदार!

आजवर मराठी सिनेमाचा इतिहास पाहता आपला सिनेमा हिरोला प्रमोट करत नाही. तो आशय सांगतो. म्हणूनच आपले सगळे नायक हे तुमच्या आमच्या घरातले वाटत. अगदी सूर्यकांत, चंद्रकांत याच्यापासून रवींद्र महाजनी, अरुण सरनाईक, लक्ष्मीकांत बेर्डे, अशोक सराफ अशी बरीच नावं आहेत. आताशा हा ट्रेंड बदलू लागला आहे. सिनेमाचा 'हिरो लार्जर दॅन लाइफ' बनवण्याकडे कल वाढतो आहे. त्याला मोठ्या पडद्यावर उतरवताना प्रेक्षकांचे डोळे कसे विस्फारतील याचा विचार होऊ लागला आहे. याचंच पुढचं पाऊल 'बाजी'ने टाकलं आहे. पुढचं पाऊल अशासाठी की या सिनेमातल्या नायकाला आपला असा पोशाख आहे. वास्तविक त्याच्या अंगी 'सुपरपॉवर्स' देऊन त्याला सुपरहिरो बनवता आलंही असतं. मात्र, तसा गेम इथे दिग्दर्शकाने खेळलेला नाही. सिनेमातल्या हिरोला आपल्या कर्तुत्वाने 'सुपर' बनवण्याकडे या सिनेमाचा कल आहे. म्हणजे हा बाजी अष्टपैलू आहे. घोडेस्वारी, तलवारबाजी, मुष्टीयुद्ध आदींमध्ये तो पारंगत आहे. आता हिरोला ताकदवान दाखवण्यासाठी त्याच्यासमोर तितक्याच ताकदीचा खलनायक असणंही आवश्यक आहे. तसा इथेही आहे. या दोघांच्या डावा-प्रतिडावातून बाजी आकाराला येतो. सिनेमा रंजक बनवण्याकडे दिग्दर्शकाने विशेष लक्ष दिलंय. म्हणजे या सिनेमात अॅक्शन, रोमान्स, ट्रॅजेडी, कॉमेडी, आयटम साँग असा सगळा मसाला दिग्दर्शकाने ठासून भरला आहे. त्यामुळे हा सिनेमा व्यवस्थित मसालेदार झाला आहे. अडचण इतकीच आहे की हे सगळं ठासून भरता भरता या सिनेमाची लांबी वाढून वाढून पार १७० मिनिटांवर गेली आहे. विशेषतः पूर्वार्धात हा भरणा जास्त जाणवतो.

निखिल महाजन या दिग्दर्शकाने बनवलेला पहिला सिनेमा व्यावसायिकदृष्ट्या तितका गल्ला करू शकला नाही. परंतु, या सिनेमातून तो त्याचं म्हणणं मांडू पाहात होता. त्याला पडद्यावर दिसणाऱ्या 'चित्र'पटाबद्दलचं आकलन त्यातून स्पष्ट होत होतं. परंतु तो त्याचा पहिला प्रयोग होता. आपल्याकडे पहिल्या प्रयोगातूनच दिग्दर्शक बरंच काही शिकत असतो. तो करत असलेल्या या दुसऱ्या सिनेमाचं औत्सुक्य त्यासाठी होतं. कारण हा दुसरा सिनेमा करताना त्याने विषय रंजक घेतला आहे. केवळ रंजक घेऊन तो थांबला नाही. तर मराठीतला सुपरहिरो आणायचं आकांक्षा त्याने बाळगली. श्रेयस तळपदे, जितेंद्र जोशी, श्रीकांत यादव, इला भाटे असे सिनेमा या माध्यमाची जाण असणारे कलाकार त्याने निवडले. त्यावरच न थांबता अमृता खानविलकरसारखी ग्लॅमरस अभिनेत्रीही निवडली. प्रत्येक दिग्दर्शकाची आपला असा कम्फर्ट झोन असतो. आपलं म्हणणं मांडताना त्याची आपली अशी वेगळी स्टाइल विकसित झालेली दिसते. पहिल्या सिनेमातून त्याचा अंदाज आला होता. हा दुसरा सिनेमा करताना त्याने गोष्ट आपली निवडली आहे. परंतु त्याची मांडणी करताना मात्र पठडीबाज वाट धरतो. तो ठामपणे त्याचं म्हणणं मांडताना त्या आड येणाऱ्या काही गोष्टींना नाकारत नाही.

श्रीरंगपूर नावाच्या गावाची ही गोष्ट. हे गाव स्वयंपूर्ण आहे. सगळे सुखाने रहातायंत. याच गावात चिदविलास रहातो. अत्यंत भोळा. साधा. स्वच्छ मनाचा. किरणा दुकान आहे त्याचं. या गावात त्याची मैत्रीण गौरीही रहाते. त्याचा मित्र आहे गोलू. सगळा निवांत मामला आहे. चिदूचं गौरीवर प्रेम आहे. पण त्याला सांगता येत नाहीय. गौरी लहान असताना तिला बाजीने वाचवलंय. त्यामुळे गौरीच्या बोलण्यात सतत बाजी आहे. पण गेल्या २० वर्षांपासून तो दिसलेलाच नाही. त्यामुळे त्याची आता दंतकथाच बनली आहे. अशा ग्राउंड झीरोपासून या सिनेमाची गोष्ट सुरू होते.ही गोष्ट मांडताना दिग्दर्शकाने फार हुशारीने कथा, पटकथा लिहिली आहे. यातल्या संवादांमधून तो बाजीबद्दलची उत्सुकता ताणतो. हा बाजी १०० वर्षांपासून असल्याचे उल्लेख होतात. तो गेल्या २० वर्षापर्यंत असल्याचेही दाखले तो देतो. तो आताही गावात येईल, असाही विश्वास गावकऱ्यांना असल्याचं दाखवतो. त्यामुळे हा बाजी नेमका कोण आहे, याचे आडाखे तो आधी प्रेक्षकाला बांधायला लावतो आणि पुढे ते मोडून काढतो. अशी वळणं घेत ही गोष्ट पुढे जाते. पटकथेत येणारं गाव, खजिने हे नेटकं दाखवण्यावर भर देण्यात आलाय. चिदविलास, गौरी यांच्या पात्रांसोबत पटकथेत आलेलं मार्तंड या व्यक्तिरेखेने बाजीला वेगवान बनवलं आहे. सिनेमाचं छायांकन या विषयाला अनुसरुन झालंय. सर्व गोष्टी इथे सांगता येणार नाहीत. परंतु, ज्या गोष्टींचं, व्यक्तिंचं लार्जर दिसणं आवश्यक आहे ते तितकं दाखवलं गेलंय. संगीतापैकी गाण्यांवर दाक्षिणात्य संगीताची छाप जाणवते. तर पार्श्वसंगीत भरीव आहे. कलाकारांबाबत सांगायचं तर श्रेयस तळपदेसारखा नट बऱ्याच काळाने हिरो बनून मराठीत आला आहे. तो तीन वेगवेगळ्या भूमिकांमधून समोर येतो. या तीनही भूमिकांमधला स्वभाव, वृत्ती त्याने अचूक हेरल्याने त्या तीनही वेगळ्या झाल्या आहेत. श्रेयसने वठवलेल्या बाजीच्या झंजावाताला तितकीच तगडी टक्कर मार्तंड वठवणाऱ्या जितेंद्र जोशीने दिली आहे. त्याचं विकृत, क्रूर असणं त्याने अप्रतिम साकारलं आहे. अमृता खानविलकरने आजवर दिलेल्या उत्तम परफॉर्मन्सपैकी हा एक मानायला हवा. याखेरीज इला भाटे, श्रीकांत यादव, संदेश कुलकर्णी आदींनी नेटकी कामं केलीत. ओव्हरऑल, मराठीतल्या नायकाला लार्जर दॅन लाइफ बनवण्याचा हा बऱ्याच वर्षातला पहिलाच प्रयत्न म्हणायला हवा. या दिग्दर्शकाने केलेला हा प्रयत्न प्रामाणिक आहे. इट्स अ गुड अटेम्प्ट; पण काही गोष्टींना ठाम नकार दिता आला असता तर या सिनेमाची लांबी कमी झाली असती. ही लांबी आणखी ३० मिनिटांनी कमी झाली असती, तर हा सगळा मामला पॉवरपॅक झाला असता.

 Ever see the history of Marathi cinema does not promote his movie hero. That purport to tell. So you think your all this hero of our house. Even Surya, Chandra, from R banking, Arun Sarnaik, Laxmikant Berde, Ashok Saraf there are a lot of names. Now this trend has started to change. The film 'Hero Larger than Life' banavanyakade Increasingly tomorrow. He began to be thought of vispharatila how the eyes of the audience utaravatana large screens. Yacanca around the foot is put bajine. Around the foot so that the sinematalya Nayak is that your attire. They possess real 'superpowers' by him would alanhi make superhero. However, as the game is not played by the director here. Sinematalya your kartutvane Hero 'Super' banavanyakade this film is bent. This is a clear winner is versatile. Equestrian, Fencing, Boxing and others in that it is ready. Now the powerful Hero is necessary to show him being a villain as strength. As is granted. Or both of the left-pratidavatuna wager size. Cinema pigment banavanyakade provided by the director of special attention. This is the film's action, romance, trejedi, comedy, item is packed full of all the masala director Song. This movie has been properly spicy. The problem is that it fills the packed snow has been paid to 170 minutes per cent over the length of the film. Especially in the first half of this left a greater payment.

Nikhil Mahajan director could not drove much of the first movie made commercially. However, merchandised looked express his contention. See him on the screen 'citrapatabaddalacam assessment was not clear it. But it was his first performance. We are learning a lot about the first prayogatunaca director. It is possible that this was the second song. While for the second movie he has taken interesting content. But it has not stopped the pigment. If the picture superhero aspirations, he started to trust. Shreyas Talpade, Jitendra Joshi, Shrikant Yadav, Ila Bhate the selected artist with his knowledge of the medium or the cinema. Interesting without stopping the most glamorous actress Amrita khanavilakarasarakhi selected. Each direction is that your Comfort Zone. They also set his contention seems to have developed his style different from that of his. It was estimated that in the first merchandised. While the second movie he has chosen his thing. But hold for a while, but pathadibaja its disposal. They also set a few things from the way they denied it emphatically is not to say it.

The name of the village is srirangapura. It is supporting the village. All easy rahatayanta. The rest of the village cidavilasa. Extremely credulous. Plain. Clear-minded. Rays is his shop. Gauri and his girlfriend stays in this city. His friends Golu. The case is all sleepy. Ciducam Gauri is love. But I can not tell him. Gauri small when she won vacavalanya. So to speak, Gauri is constantly wager. But in the last 20 years, it is not disalelaca. It is now become a myth. Ground Zero from the start of the war that the film is very smartly They also set the story by the director, wrote the script. Write communications from tanato warmth that bajibaddalaci. The winner gets a mention of 100 years. He said that enrollment in the last 20 years. Now it will be in the village, the villagers also believe that it displays. The winner, who is due, this puts shaped building before it and the audience broke out. The curve is taking this thing forward. Patakatheta its side of the village, has been given to the coffers of the netakam show. Cidavilasa, Gauri's patransobata patakatheta true martand is formed faster or vyaktirekhene game. As has been the topic of this film photography. All things not to be here. But, the things, vyaktincam Larger Was require vast that is not shown. Southern music songs feel the imprint of music. If the background is solid. In other kalakarambabata talapadesarakha actor Shreyas has been a long time in Marathi becoming a hero. It comes from three different roles before. All three bhumikammadhala nature, have the attitude that he had three different heralyane accurate. Collision sells the same sreyasane vathavalelya bet of jhanjavatala martand vathavanarya has Jitendra Joshi. It is perverse, cruel being, he is amazing sakaralam. Amrita khanvilkar air likewise a paraphormansapaiki the best ever. Moreover Ila Bhate, Shrikant Yadav, messages started acting smart Kulkarni and others. Overall, quick Nayak Larger than Life should say the first attempt to make a long past. This is a serious attempt by the director. It's a good attempt; But some of the things that would reduce the length of the film had been pronounced rejection of the genre. This would reduce the length and 30 minutes, but when all the matter was povarapeka.


Ājavara marāṭhī sinēmācā itihāsa pāhatā āpalā sinēmā hirōlā pramōṭa karata nāhī. Tō āśaya sāṅgatō. Mhaṇūnaca āpalē sagaḷē nāyaka hē tumacyā āmacyā gharātalē vāṭata. Agadī sūryakānta, candrakānta yācyāpāsūna ravīndra mahājanī, aruṇa saranā'īka, lakṣmīkānta bērḍē, aśōka sarāpha aśī barīca nāvaṁ āhēta. Ātāśā hā ṭrēṇḍa badalū lāgalā āhē. Sinēmācā'hirō lārjara dĕna lā'ipha' banavaṇyākaḍē kala vāḍhatō āhē. Tyālā mōṭhyā paḍadyāvara utaravatānā prēkṣakān̄cē ḍōḷē kasē visphāratīla yācā vicāra hō'ū lāgalā āhē. Yācan̄ca puḍhacaṁ pā'ūla'bājī'nē ṭākalaṁ āhē. Puḍhacaṁ pā'ūla aśāsāṭhī kī yā sinēmātalyā nāyakālā āpalā asā pōśākha āhē. Vāstavika tyācyā aṅgī'suparapŏvarsa' dē'ūna tyālā suparahirō banavatā ālanhī asataṁ. Mātra, tasā gēma ithē digdarśakānē khēḷalēlā nāhī. Sinēmātalyā hirōlā āpalyā kartutvānē'supara' banavaṇyākaḍē yā sinēmācā kala āhē. Mhaṇajē hā bājī aṣṭapailū āhē. Ghōḍēsvārī, talavārabājī, muṣṭīyud'dha ādīmmadhyē tō pāraṅgata āhē. Ātā hirōlā tākadavāna dākhavaṇyāsāṭhī tyācyāsamōra titakyāca tākadīcā khalanāyaka asaṇanhī āvaśyaka āhē. Tasā ithēhī āhē. Yā dōghān̄cyā ḍāvā-pratiḍāvātūna bājī ākārālā yētō. Sinēmā ran̄jaka banavaṇyākaḍē digdarśakānē viśēṣa lakṣa dilanya. Mhaṇajē yā sinēmāta a̔ĕkśana, rōmānsa, ṭrĕjēḍī, kŏmēḍī, āyaṭama sām̐ga asā sagaḷā masālā digdarśakānē ṭhāsūna bharalā āhē. Tyāmuḷē hā sinēmā vyavasthita masālēdāra jhālā āhē. Aḍacaṇa itakīca āhē kī hē sagaḷaṁ ṭhāsūna bharatā bharatā yā sinēmācī lāmbī vāḍhūna vāḍhūna pāra 170 miniṭānvara gēlī āhē. Viśēṣataḥ pūrvārdhāta hā bharaṇā jāsta jāṇavatō.

Nikhila mahājana yā digdarśakānē banavalēlā pahilā sinēmā vyāvasāyikadr̥ṣṭyā titakā gallā karū śakalā nāhī. Parantu, yā sinēmātūna tō tyācaṁ mhaṇaṇaṁ māṇḍū pāhāta hōtā. Tyālā paḍadyāvara disaṇāṟyā'citra'paṭābaddalacaṁ ākalana tyātūna spaṣṭa hōta hōtaṁ. Parantu tō tyācā pahilā prayōga hōtā. Āpalyākaḍē pahilyā prayōgātūnaca digdarśaka baran̄ca kāhī śikata asatō. Tō karata asalēlyā yā dusaṟyā sinēmācaṁ autsukya tyāsāṭhī hōtaṁ. Kāraṇa hā dusarā sinēmā karatānā tyānē viṣaya ran̄jaka ghētalā āhē. Kēvaḷa ran̄jaka ghē'ūna tō thāmbalā nāhī. Tara marāṭhītalā suparahirō āṇāyacaṁ ākāṅkṣā tyānē bāḷagalī. Śrēyasa taḷapadē, jitēndra jōśī, śrīkānta yādava, ilā bhāṭē asē sinēmā yā mādhyamācī jāṇa asaṇārē kalākāra tyānē nivaḍalē. Tyāvaraca na thāmbatā amr̥tā khānavilakarasārakhī glĕmarasa abhinētrīhī nivaḍalī. Pratyēka digdarśakācī āpalā asā kampharṭa jhōna asatō. Āpalaṁ mhaṇaṇaṁ māṇḍatānā tyācī āpalī aśī vēgaḷī sṭā'ila vikasita jhālēlī disatē. Pahilyā sinēmātūna tyācā andāja ālā hōtā. Hā dusarā sinēmā karatānā tyānē gōṣṭa āpalī nivaḍalī āhē. Parantu tyācī māṇḍaṇī karatānā mātra paṭhaḍībāja vāṭa dharatō. Tō ṭhāmapaṇē tyācaṁ mhaṇaṇaṁ māṇḍatānā tyā āḍa yēṇāṟyā kāhī gōṣṭīnnā nākārata nāhī.

Śrīraṅgapūra nāvācyā gāvācī hī gōṣṭa. Hē gāva svayampūrṇa āhē. Sagaḷē sukhānē rahātāyanta. Yāca gāvāta cidavilāsa rahātō. Atyanta bhōḷā. Sādhā. Svaccha manācā. Kiraṇā dukāna āhē tyācaṁ. Yā gāvāta tyācī maitrīṇa gaurīhī rahātē. Tyācā mitra āhē gōlū. Sagaḷā nivānta māmalā āhē. Cidūcaṁ gaurīvara prēma āhē. Paṇa tyālā sāṅgatā yēta nāhīya. Gaurī lahāna asatānā tilā bājīnē vācavalanya. Tyāmuḷē gaurīcyā bōlaṇyāta satata bājī āhē. Paṇa gēlyā 20 varṣāmpāsūna tō disalēlāca nāhī. Tyāmuḷē tyācī ātā dantakathāca banalī āhē. Aśā grā'uṇḍa jhīrōpāsūna yā sinēmācī gōṣṭa surū hōtē.Hī gōṣṭa māṇḍatānā digdarśakānē phāra huśārīnē kathā, paṭakathā lihilī āhē. Yātalyā sanvādāmmadhūna tō bājībaddalacī utsukatā tāṇatō. Hā bājī 100 varṣāmpāsūna asalyācē ullēkha hōtāta. Tō gēlyā 20 varṣāparyanta asalyācēhī dākhalē tō dētō. Tō ātāhī gāvāta yē'īla, asāhī viśvāsa gāvakaṟyānnā asalyācaṁ dākhavatō. Tyāmuḷē hā bājī nēmakā kōṇa āhē, yācē āḍākhē tō ādhī prēkṣakālā bāndhāyalā lāvatō āṇi puḍhē tē mōḍūna kāḍhatō. Aśī vaḷaṇaṁ ghēta hī gōṣṭa puḍhē jātē. Paṭakathēta yēṇāraṁ gāva, khajinē hē nēṭakaṁ dākhavaṇyāvara bhara dēṇyāta ālāya. Cidavilāsa, gaurī yān̄cyā pātrānsōbata paṭakathēta ālēlaṁ mārtaṇḍa yā vyaktirēkhēnē bājīlā vēgavāna banavalaṁ āhē. Sinēmācaṁ chāyāṅkana yā viṣayālā anusaruna jhālanya. Sarva gōṣṭī ithē sāṅgatā yēṇāra nāhīta. Parantu, jyā gōṣṭīn̄caṁ, vyaktin̄caṁ lārjara disaṇaṁ āvaśyaka āhē tē titakaṁ dākhavalaṁ gēlanya. Saṅgītāpaikī gāṇyānvara dākṣiṇātya saṅgītācī chāpa jāṇavatē. Tara pārśvasaṅgīta bharīva āhē. Kalākārāmbābata sāṅgāyacaṁ tara śrēyasa taḷapadēsārakhā naṭa baṟyāca kāḷānē hirō banūna marāṭhīta ālā āhē. Tō tīna vēgavēgaḷyā bhūmikāmmadhūna samōra yētō. Yā tīnahī bhūmikāmmadhalā svabhāva, vr̥ttī tyānē acūka hēralyānē tyā tīnahī vēgaḷyā jhālyā āhēta. Śrēyasanē vaṭhavalēlyā bājīcyā jhan̄jāvātālā titakīca tagaḍī ṭakkara mārtaṇḍa vaṭhavaṇāṟyā jitēndra jōśīnē dilī āhē. Tyācaṁ vikr̥ta, krūra asaṇaṁ tyānē apratima sākāralaṁ āhē. Amr̥tā khānavilakaranē ājavara dilēlyā uttama paraphŏrmansapaikī hā ēka mānāyalā havā. Yākhērīja ilā bhāṭē, śrīkānta yādava, sandēśa kulakarṇī ādīnnī nēṭakī kāmaṁ kēlīta. Ōvhara'ŏla, marāṭhītalyā nāyakālā lārjara dĕna lā'ipha banavaṇyācā hā baṟyāca varṣātalā pahilāca prayatna mhaṇāyalā havā. Yā digdarśakānē kēlēlā hā prayatna prāmāṇika āhē. Iṭsa a guḍa aṭēmpṭa; paṇa kāhī gōṣṭīnnā ṭhāma nakāra ditā ālā asatā tara yā sinēmācī lāmbī kamī jhālī asatī. Hī lāmbī āṇakhī 30 miniṭānnī kamī jhālī asatī, tara hā sagaḷā māmalā pŏvarapĕka jhālā asatā.

Lady Gaga to collaborate with Paul McCartney for new single

Lady Gaga to collaborate with Paul McCartney for new single Popstar Lady Gaga is the latest singer to collabo rate with Beatles legend Paul McCartney for a song, it has been reported.The 28-year-old singer shared her pic on social media with McCartney with a caption: `Always a good time with my buddy. I'll never forget when he called me last year to work and I hung up the phone cuz I thought it was a prank! (sic)'. The 28-yearold musician is currently making the follow-up to her third solo studio album Artpop, and has been working with the Let It Be singer as well as disco producer Giorgio Moroder. McCartney also features on Rihanna's new single FourFiveSeconds as well as Kanye West's emotional track Only One. 

Jennifer Hudson, Rita Ora to guest star on TV show
Oscar-winning actress-singer Jennifer Hudson and singer Rita ra will be seen on drama Empire before the first season ends. The two music stars are tapped as guest stars on the new series, which centres around a hip hop music and entertainment company. Their roles have not been revealed yet, reported a portal. Hudson, 33, has appeared in movies like Dreamgirls, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She previously guest starred in several episodes of musical drama Smash. Ora, 24, has made guest appearances in films like Fast And Furious 6 and will make her acting debut in upcoming movie Fifty Shades Of Grey. 

INXS guitarist severs finger and may never play again
Guitarist Tim Farriss from Australian rock band INXS has undergone surgery after his finger was severed, his record label said Thursday, raising fears he may never play again. Farriss' left hand was injured and the ring finger severed by an electric anchor winch while working on a boat in Sydney late last month. “The accident has caused perma nent damage to Tim's left hand and one of his fingers has been severed,“ said a statement.
He has undergone two extensive operations to reattach his finger. Tim is now at home under going further treatment to assist with his recovery. In an e-mail to his bandmates, Farriss said: “It was horrific. I don't know if I will be able to play properly again.“ Agencies

BLASTERJAXX DUTCH DJ-PRODUCER DUO

BLASTERJAXX DUTCH DJ-PRODUCER DUO 

  This hunky Dutch twosome is responsible for big room singles like Koala and Griffin. Thom Jongkind and Idir Makhlaf, better known as producer-deejay duo Blasterjaxx in the music industry, are anything but the same. While one is often prominent and empowering, the other prefers staying quietly in the background ­ a fairly high contrast in character. However, there is one significant reason for the phenomenal connection between these two personalities ­ their passion and love of music. On the day of their performance in Mumbai, the duo talk about their short but sweet journey into electronic dance music. 

On their a-ha moment:
Together with D-Rashid, they produced the Reborn EP with two tracks ­ Reborn and Where We Go in 2012. The EP is symbolic of Blasterjaxx's renewed sound and Laidback Luke even signed them on.Blasterjaxx experienced one of the highlights in their relatively young career in early 2013, as they produced Loud And Proud together with Billy The Kit. Top DJ Tiësto approached the guys personally to sign the track at his own record label. “Another big moment was when Tiësto personally asked us to remix his singles Adagio For Strings and Love Comes Again,“ says Thom. Their single Faith officially made it to the status o Dance Smash (a weekly track nomination chosen by a bigname radio station) in Holland. Another milestone was being ranked No. 71 in the list of top 100 best deejays in the world. Their latest biggie is their single with Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren.
On their brand of music: “Behind the decks are we pure energy, we play so well as a duo. We receive a lot of com pliments from club owners who are impressed by our teamwork behind the decks. For us, the most important thing is that the crowd is having a good time. We like to play big bangers with some tracks that bring a crowd clos er together. Because we've played a lot in the Netherlands we are used to playing eclectic mixes. That's what makes us so good together. We are flexible and always able to read the crowd. Giving them whatever they need, no mat ter what it is. Weather it is house, urban, trap or techno,“ says Thom.
On their influences:
“Musical influences are hard to relate to other artists because it's more about the feeling that the whole sound brings. We have seen a lot of sounds and elements of it come and go. We created something new with the elements of music, which was hot at one particu lar moment. We have a lot of respect for other artists, but we try to be as original as possible,“ says Idir.
On their way forward:
Says Idir, “We have just had a mas sive release with Beautiful World and Mystica. We are working on a couple of new tracks. We have a lot of shows coming up, which is great! We will be part of many major music festivals and are quite excited about it. It will also be f the first time we will be coming to India, something which we are really curious about.“





REVIEWS

REVIEWS





ROY -ANKIT TIWARI, MEET BROS ANJJAN, AMAAL MALLIK, T-SERIES Rs 199
Bollywood:
Neo-noir romantic thriller Roy has music by Ankit Tiwari, Meet Bros Anjjan and Amaal Malik with Kumaar, Abhendra Kumar Upadhday and Sandeep Nath having given the lyrics. Young composer composer Amaal Mallik makes deft use of EDM (electronic dance music) on the happy-go-lucky opening track Sooraj Dooba Hain. Arijit Singh's singing is endearing and Aditi Singh Sharma supports him ably. She takes over the reins in the alternate version which shows off her singing chops. Ankit delivers a tune in his signature style with Tu Hai Ki Nahi, which also features his voice as a melancholic lover.However, the song is too slow and Abhendra's words don't really stand out from the usual ballad fare. The unplugged version by singer Tulsi Kumar doesn't impress either. Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan features the hit pairing of composer trio Meet Bros Anjjan, their Baby Doll collaborators, singer Kanika Kapoor and lyricist Kumaar. The girly track sounds like something straight out of a happy Hollywood musical of yore. The trio has even managed to infuse some trap music into it.Ankit fares better on Boond Boond, thanks to the arrangement and the use of harmonium and guitar. Ankit's voice captures the sensual mood brilliantly. His next composition Yaara Re has KK gliding through an otherwise average number with grace. His voice lifts the song above the mediocre. An album that is equal parts soulful and peppy.


FOR YOUR PLEASURE (REMASTERED REISSUE) ­ ROXY MUSIC, VIRGINPOLYDOR, Rs 295
RockPop: Roxy Music was a British glam-rock band whose most notable members were Brian Ferry (who would later have a successful solo career) and Brian Eno, a brilliant producer and sound engineer who has worked with the biggest names in music. This album was the second and last one with Eno. So, the musical styles in here are eclectic and for a first-time listener, somewhat lush and exotic too in terms of vocals and the electronic work on all the tracks. Do The Strand is definitely avant garde in style, with some jagged saxophone soloing and textured work on the VCS3 analogue synthesiser (the same synth first used by Pink Floyd on Dark Side... and by the Beatles on Abbey Road).
Beauty Queen is about Ferry's then-girlfriend who was, incidentally, a beauty queen. The title track has Eno's presence stamped strongly throughout with bold synth swathes and, quirkily enough, a much younger Judi Dench saying a few random phrases at the fade-out.
In Every Dream Home A Heartache is a song that will always resonate with those who lead emotionally bankrupt lives within a comfortable cocoon they call home. But before you think it's a heavy `message' song, it forays into tongue-in-cheek territory lyrically with references being made to inflatable dolls. In Every... was also one of Roxy Music's most popular cuts.Bogus Man clocks in at a little over nine minutes and is an instrumental. In most tracks, Ferry's suave delivery and tricky lyrics make for an interesting match.


UPTOWN SPECIAL ­ MARK RONSON, SONY Rs 499
PopRap:
Mark Ronson is a DJ, producer and singer and this, his fourth album, seems to be a concentrated effort on his part to capitalise on the success he achieved after the release of his second album Version. Keeping things varied, you'll find elements of funk, soul and jazz. He's stepped aside from lyrical duties in about half the songs though, leaving that job in the capable hands of one Michael Chabon, a Pulitzer Prizewinning novelist. The only issue with this is that the songs and the music by itself really sound a bit disparate at rare times ­ like the work of two distinct identities rather than the cohesive work of a single artiste. But thankfully, this feeling is only there on a few tracks. You get to hear Stevie Wonder on harmonica on the opener, Uptown's First Finale after which comes the gentler Summer Breaking.Feel Right is brisk, with a brass session and an attempted Motown feel. I Can't Lose has a funky feel, while Daffodils, with a falsetto style vocal is more mellow.Crack In The Pearl is another ballad while Leaving Los Feliz is smooth pop and Heavy And Rolling's best part is its jazzy coda. The best track though, is its UK chart-topping Uptown Funk, with Bruno Mars. Hip sounds indeed if you're looking to spice up your contemporary music playlist. This album is definitely a step in the right musical direction for Ronson.


NEVER BEEN BETTER (DELUXE EDITION) -OLLY MURS, SONY MUSIC Rs 599
Pop:
It has been more than five years, and Olly Murs has survived the long stretch from televised talent show to the dog-eat-dog pop world. Did You Miss Me? has Olly in his best cheeky demeanour. The riffs and chuckles are entertaining. His swagger is a lot like Justin Timberlake in Take Back The Night.Travie McCoy features in Wrapped Up, which has lascivious lyrics like `You got the lock, I got the key You know the rest, you know just where I want to be'. However, Olly is more comfortable in the laid-back, easygoing tracks where his natural charm shines through. Demi Lovato joins him in the folkdriven Up. However, the duet isn't what you'd expect, the lyrics are predictable and the sentiments aren't new. Olly is equally unnatural in the slow piano-driven Tomorrow and Nothing Without You. The best song on the album is Hope You Got What You Came For, co-written by Take That and One Direction collaborator Steve Robson. It asks the fitting question, how much do you really want from pop? While the answer is subjective, it is time for Murs to get over the balladdriven song wagon and get on to a lighter caravan of fun and frolic, because the best moments on Never Been Better are when Olly lets his personality shine through.

Ed Sheeran will gig in Mumbai

Ed Sheeran will gig in Mumbai





After months of `will he, won't he' guesswork, the news is confirmed. Unorthodox Grammy-nominated pop star Ed Sheeran will take the stage at the race course on March 1 as part of his world tour. He confirmed the news on his social media page this week. Barely 23 years old, the soulful acoustic guitar-weilding singer has become popular over the past two years for his catchy songs and collaborations with hat-toting singer-producer Pharrell Williams and British diva Jessie Ware. While his international collaborators won't be joining him in Mumbai, we are curious to know which Indian acts will open for him.





Interview of Caralisa Monteiro

I HAVE NEVER DONE THINGS THAT DON'T KEEP ME HAPPY





Caralisa Monteiro on being a self-taught singer, on advertising and singing Sha Sha Sha Mi Mi Mi for Shamitabh

How did Sha Sha Sha... happen? R Balki (director of Shamitabh) called me one day to say he needed me to sing. I have known him and Gauri (Shinde) for a really ong time, as I have worked in a number of ad campaigns with them. So, I assumed he was conceptualising a new campaign and hence had called me in person. But as it turned out, he wanted me to sing this amazing, quirky song. There was a scratch laid out. Balki always knows what he wants. He called me because he wanted what I could offer in terms of the voice.Raja sir (composer Ilaiyaraaja) is a humble genius who always knows very specifically what he wants down to the last inflection.Sha Sha Sha... was something I just sang in my voice and brought my soul to it.Everything else was already laid out by Raja sir and Balki.How was it singing for Akshara Haasan?
I never got to meet Akshara Haasan before I sang for her. I was told to make the song peppy. As a recording artist, that was not at all the most difficult brief. I have a dozen or more ad films on air right now and if you listen to them, you wouldn't be able to say this is the same person who sang Sha Sha Sha... This is what recording artists do. We become characters in the booth.
You did some catchy scatting in the opening.

It's thanks to my advertising background. I have done scatting (style of jazz singing where meaningless syllables are sung to a tune) a number of times in several different accents and genres like Middle Eastern, Gothic, Celtic and others.

How different is singing jingles compared to Bollywood songs?
In the past 16 years, I have done over 5,000 ad films as a singer and voiceover artiste.The challenge is staying fresh on every job, which makes film music easier for me. I always follow what is told to me. I am rather intuitive in following the brief laid out to me, and then improvising, if required.
You made your Bollywood singing debut with Jaane Kyon (Dil Chahta Hai). Why didn't you pursue a career in playback back then?

I consciously want to be the best, not the most famous. I have very rarely done competitive singing in school and college, but the six-odd times I have, I have never lost.I have film work and background scores too. It's stuff you might recognise when you hear it, but probably won't know it's me.Most artistes who sing in films follow it up with shows. I follow it up with more advertising. I have never done things that don't keep me happy, not even for insane amounts of money. I received offers after Phir Dekhiye (Rock On!!) as well, but didn't do a single show. It is important for me to keep my soul intact, and I think that's why I have been around for 15 years and not burned out, still enjoying what I do.
How did your musical journey begin?

My father was considered the best bass opera singer in Asia. My mother was also a gifted natural singer and was fondly called the nightingale of Dadar. My sister was like Aretha Franklin, a big black mamma with tons of soul. There was always music around me while growing up -in school, at home and in church. There was music from all over the world being played at home, thanks to my father. I never received any training. I loved Whitney Houston growing up and would play her cassettes over and over and sing along at home. We did not have the greatest means back then and singing was one way of staying happy and expressing ourselves.
What is keeping you busy these days?

I recently released my debut album Illusion.All proceeds from its sale will go directly to help breast cancer patients.





To live in or not to live in?

TRIAL RUN

‘To live in or not to live in?’ might be the Hamlet-esque dilemma of today’s generation; as more and more couples give it a shot before tying the knot, we weigh the pros and cons

Living in isn’t always hunky-dory.

What if you break up? Who keeps the toaster? Who gets the LED TV you paid for together? Even if you’re madly in love and staying together, what if your parents decide to land up and
say, “Surprise”?

From page 01 Bachelor or family?” The question is familiar to anyone who’s tried to rent a place in Mumbai. Ad executive Samar Patel was faced with it when, after living in a “dark, damp little room in Bandra”, and with his girlfriend living in a PG, they decided to move in together. “It was a big step; something we’d have dilly-dallied over in any other city; but it made practical sense in Mumbai. We’d been dating for years, and paying money separately for terrible accommodation,” he says.
So, “family” said Samar –– most young couples tell this practical lie, since “we’re going to live in” doesn’t quite fly — as he and Akshara moved in together. Three years, two apartments, and a few dodged visits from parents later, they tied the knot.

But living in isn’t always hunky-dory. What if you break up? Who keeps the toaster? Who gets the LED TV you both paid for? Even if you’re madly in love and staying together, what if your parents decide to land up and say, “Surprise”?
As rumours surface of yet-another celebrity couple parting ways after living in (actors Abhay Deol and Preeti Desai are rumoured to have split; though it’s unlikely they’re fighting over the toaster), we look at the risks, benefits and challenges of living together.

Step one: moving in

Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it, once you’ve decided your relationship is at that stage? Well, not always. When Aditi moved back to Mumbai after studying in Chennai, her boyfriend Stuart mustered the courage to tell his parents they wanted to live together. “They threw a fit,” says Aditi. So, instead, “Stuart moved in with a friend, said so to his parents, and then we moved in together,” she adds. But finding a house still proved hard. “We had decided to say we’re engaged. But after agreeing to give us his flat in Chembur, an owner turned us away at the last minute. ‘We can’t have a non-married couple; that, too, a Hindu and a Christian’ was the logic. Next time, we just said we’re married,” says Aditi.
Setting the rules
“‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be’. Split all costs...” is the rule Avni and Manish live by. Explaining their reason, Avni says, “Some people stop splitting costs, but that’s a mistake. You should never become a liability. That way, you also keep the sanctity of a ‘date’ intact. Every now and then, we take each other out for a drink or dinner, and it still feels like doing something special. It stays fun.” Avni says it’s also important to give each other space. “You’re always coming home to the same person, so it’s not a bad idea to sometimes do your own thing.” So, Manish gets his PlayStation gaming nights, and Avni uses the time to “blast music that he doesn’t like”.

Dealing with parents
Aditi and Stuart’s parents met for the first time when they decided to get married. “My parents knew about us living together, but I had to tell them not to say anything about it to Stuart’s parents,” says Aditi. “They still don’t know about it.”
Avni, on the other hand, says, “My parents knew Manish; he was a friend before we moved in. I told them we had decided to stay together, to share the rent… Every time they visit, Manish either moves out, or stays in

Actor Dhanush Interview

I READ 33 SCRIPTS BEFORE I SAID YES TO SHAMITABH





After Raanjhanaa, Dhanush read 33 scripts before saying yes to Shamitabh. During a recent visit to Delhi, we spoke to him over breakfast, where he was not eating South Indian food as we were expecting, but was happily enjoying aloo paratha with dahi. Excerpts: 

 

Your doing a Hindi film generated quite some buzz the first time around, and your second choice in this unfamiliar language was sure to be keenly analysed. What was it about Shamitabh that you chose this film to be your second Hindi project after Raanjhanaa?
It's definitely not about moving to another language or establishing myself somewhere else. After Raanjhanaa, there were many scripts -33, to be precise -in a period of about eight-and-a-half months. But then I felt it is not for me, some scripts I felt were not good enough -none of them, actually . Then I thought, should I do a film just to do a film? Maybe not.I didn't mind waiting. I'm very happy I waited. After eight-and-a-half months, I got a call from R Balki, who called me over to his office. He narrated the script, and when he was done, I knew, this is it, this is my second Hindi film. The script was really new. These days, you can't really say that you have a new story because every story has already been told. It's all about how gripping your screenplay is. But when this man had a new story to tell, it really fascinated me.He has come up with a very fresh concept. He also told me that Amitji is there in the film, so then I said, `Okay'.

Was the film's name given after you and Amitabh Bachchan joined the movie, since the title is derived from your names?
I think the name was already there. I think it's a coincidence that `Sh' from my name and Amitabh' from Amitji's name ` made up the title. But the title has some other significance.Nobody other than Balki can think of a weird title like this.I am not called Dhanush in the film, that I can tell you.
Who is the guy you play in the film?
This guy is an aspiring actor from a village, who is mute. He needs a voice, and Amitji gives him his voice. Akshara plays the part of bringing these two talents together, and then begins the clash of the egos.

Given your devotion to Ilaiyaraaja's music, how does it feel to have him compose for your Hindi film?
Forget Shamitabh, any film that I do, any shot that I give, is inspired by his music. His music is everything for me, my heart and soul. I was not brought up to be an actor -I derive my pain, love, joy and happiness from his music.That's how much he means to me. Shamitabh is blessed with Ilaiyaraaja sir's music. He doesn't make songs just to make an album. He tells his version of the story through his songs. Watch out for the background score of Shamitabh, it's going to be phenomenal.
You have earlier said that you are slightly unaccustomed to giving so many interviews while promoting a film.
This is really tough, I don't know how everybody does it. I think I give about three-four interviews per film down South. It's not like I'm having a tough time, it's just that I am not used to it. There are fourfive common questions for every film. Those tire you out.

There is a scene in the trailer where you are dragging Bachchan by the collar. How difficult was it for you to do such a scene?
I would like to correct that.The character in the film was pulling another character by the collar. If I think `Oh no, I am pulling Amitji by the collar,' then I won't be able to do justice to the character. So I went there without any hesitation. I didn't have any kind of reservations. For all of us who have worked in the film, the film is bigger than everything else. I give major credit to Amitji because if not for him and his generosity and the way he made us comfortable, we probably couldn't have done it. He was kind and patient.
It's difficult for the film audience of Hindi cinema to understand how stars are revered in the South ­ we don't understand, for instance, how there can be temples of an actor!
Trust me, nobody in the South also understands this.

But is there still a difference between the way fans look at actors in North India and fans in South India look at stars there?
Yesterday , we went to a mall in Delhi and you should have seen the kind of crowd that had gathered to see Amitji it's pretty much the same down South also. If Rajini sir goes to a public place, that is what would have happened.

The only difference that I have seen is in the first-day-first show celebrations. You should see it for yourself, there is no way for me to explain that. It's a celebration that they have for the films of the top five-six stars. There's Diwali, there's Pongal, and there's a Rajini film. Diwali and Pongal come every year, but we have to real ly wait for a Rajini film, so it becomes bigger. It's a festival for us.

What about younger stars, people of your generation ­ do you feel like stars?

They definitely make us feel like stars. The unconditional love from the fans and their support, the way they make us feel special, we are grateful and honoured. It's nothing to that extent though, probably one or two per cent of what a demigod is.
You have said you're painfully shy and have stage fright. Doesn't confidence come with fame?

Probably that (the love of fans) gave me confidence in front of the camera. I come from a very humble family -my father used to walk 7 km to save a rupee to feed us. And we are four children, he could feed us only one meal a day till I was about seven or eight.From there, he has brought us till here. I've seen every stage till I reached here, so that's why probably I am confident now, because I have seen how that life is.

What is Balki like?
Balki is a weird man. I don't know where his thoughts come from. When he narrated the story , I thought, how does this man come up with all these things? He is a great craftsman and a sound technician. He knows exactly what he wants. He is one of the finest filmmakers in the country, and a very weird man! Without his guidance, I don't know how I would have done this character. I'm very thankful to Balki for giving me Shamitabh and for believing that I could carry off Amitji's voice. That kind of majestic voice in this tiny frame is something no one could have imagined. I don't know with what confidence he approached me.

Amitji said that he suggest ed your name to Balki...
It's a great honour for me that he knew me and my work. If I am not wrong, Balki asked Amitji who this film could be done with in the South, and he said Rajini sir and Dhanush, and then Amitji said why not Dhanush here also. That's very generous of him.