RUPAREL COLLEGE Students impress judges with their fiery performances

 Students impress judges with their fiery performances



Day 3 of the Oppo Bombay Times Fresh Face 2016 saw power-packed acts by youngsters at DG Ruparel College and SIES College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, Sion
DG RUPAREL COLLEGE

The amphitheatre at DG Ruparel College was jam packed as students thronged in to support their classmates, who were participating. Celeb judge Ruhi Singh (Miss Universal Peace and Humanity 2014), thoroughly analysed their talents and gave feedback after each performance.

Leaving no stone unturned, students ensured that they were prepared enough for the same. So, armed with their guitars, dholaks and minus tracks, they performed on Hotel California, Sawaar Loon, Iktara, Louis Armstrong's La Vie En Rose and This Is What You Came For, among others.

The high point was seeing the otherwise shy contestants open up during their performances.Finalist Shefali Gupta's classical dancing to angrezi beats and a few aspiring rappers delivering foottapping performances engaged the audience. After answering ques tions on death penalty , gender issues and other current affairs, Tanay Patvardhan's act on Dharamvir Bharti's Andha Yug, and Rutuja Kulkarni's melodious vocals helped them win the title.

SIES, SION

There was never a classroom that was this full of enthu cutlets! And it didn't matter if the students were all from different classes and facul ties. Cheering for every performer, the line-up of acts put up by partici pants here, was not only interesting but also high on ener gy. What added to their enthu siasm was the presence of Mr World 2016, Rohit Khandelwal, who shared anecdotes from his own journey and his early days as a model.

Shaking a leg to hardcore Bollywood numbers, students doing the Ganpati dance... there was plenty to watch out for. Sainethra Hariharan's rap in Korean and English and Neha Sheikh's belly dance on Jhingat were among a few highlights. An athlete at heart, first runner-up Tirupati JK's act as a tantric who spots a ghost was spine-chilling. Blessed with the gift of the gab, second-year mass media student Sapna Iyer was announced the first runner-up. However, it was Pratik Chordia's Shahid Kapoor-like moves on Gandi Baat and Insha Malik's rendition of Hamari Adhuri Kahani's song, Hasi, which helped them seize the title.

 Jazz music has been an integral part of the Hindi movie

 `JAZZ'ING UP BOLLYWOOD

Jazz music has been an integral part of the Hindi movie indus try since the early 1950s, an era that is also referred to as the Golden Age of film music. The unmistakable strains of the woodwind instruments -trombone, trumpet, saxophone and clarinet along with the piano, guitar and drums -would bring the genre alive with beautiful, seductive and swinging melodies.

Master composers like ShankarJaikishan, Madan Mohan, OP Nayyar, SD Burman and Salil Chaudhury worked in tandem with Goan music arrangers of the time, including Anthony Gonsalves, Frank Fernand, Chic Chocolate and Sebastian D'Souza, to create some of the most unforgettable jazz-influenced songs in the history of Hindi cinema.

FORAY INTO FILMS

Jazz was the pop music of its time.Back in 1920 upto the '60s, it featured heavily in the West.Composer Dhruv Ghanekar says, “Post Independence, there were many Anglo Indian musicians who studied jazz harmony .“ As film music grew and become mainstream in the '50s, a lot of these musicians who'd play at jazz clubs and hotels, began to look at the industry to supplement their income. Dhruv adds, “Many composers hired them to create orchestrations and arrangements for their melodies. Through the '60s and '70s, RD Burman, who was heavily influenced by Latin and jazz harmonies, worked with famous arrangers like Kersi Lord and Louis Banks.“

BACK IN THE DAYS

One of the finest genres to play around with, jazz lent itself beautifully to Indian music. Gore Gore O Banke Chhore (Samadhi 1950), Shola Jo Bhadke (Albela, 1951), Babuji Dheere Chalna (Aar-Paar , 1954), Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu (Howrah Bridge, 1958), Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si (Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, 1958) and Dil Deke Dekho (1959), are some examples.

Singer Shibani Kashyap says, “RD had a lot of jazz flavour in his music. In his song Jane Jaan Dhoondta Phir (Jawani Diwani, 1971) bass guitar and harmony was used for the first time in Bollywood.“

Songs with jazz influence have always been the ones that made you go `Aha!' -with their unexpected harmonies and challenging rhythms. The improvised solos of a saxophone would tug at your heart and that was what made Bollywood jazz so popular.

IT IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE

Though many music composers and singers love jazz, most feel that it is an acquired taste. Singer and music producer Clinton Cerejo says, “I would only use jazz if a film demanded it by design. It's a fine balance between doing something really musical and alienating your listener. I honestly don't think Bollywood songs can truly be called jazz songs. Jazz flavour, there are many . But a jazz song goes beyond an idiom and a genre. It extends to the life blood of the people that truly make that music. In fact, most true jazz musicians are often reluctant to call themselves that because it's not a title one can wear loosely .“ There are definite markers to a stereotypical traditional jazz arrangement like the use of a shuffle or swing beat, possibly an acoustic stand-up bass, a big band or horn section, etc.

JAZZ IN BOLLYWOOD NOW

“These days, Bollywood music has many styles.Though not many songs are actually jazz, there are some that have these elements,“ states songwritercomposer Mikey McCleary . The use of sax and trumpet often give a jazzy feel to Bollywood songs and so do walking base lines. Mikey adds, “I've noticed that there is more experimentation with harmony and using jazz chords in film songs.One of the characteristics of jazz is a swing feel in the rhythm. Jazz will continue to influence Bollywood music, but it may not always be a traditional jazz sound.“

Last year, composer Amit Trivedi came up with an entire album of songs with a heavy jazz influence -Bombay Velvet. Also, in the last two decades, there have been many Bollywood movies that have had a lot of songs with prominent jazz music.Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's Sheher Mera (One By Two, 2011) with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya is a fab, jazzy number. The song, sung by Thomson Andrews, has drums by Gino Banks and saxophone by Ryan Sadri.Listening to this one makes you yearn for more jazz in movies.

Peppy numbers like Girls Like To Swing (Dil Dhadakne Do, 2015) and Aunty Ji (Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, 2012) will remain popular. Slow tracks like Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein (Rock On!!, 2008), Aise Na Dekho (Raanjhanaa, 2013) and the title track of Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2008) are fine examples of jazz.

WON'T EVER GO OUT OF STYLE

Jazz is essentially improvised music and it won't go out of fashion easily. Dhruv says, “Audiences always want to be dazzled by virtuosity . I think music evolves and people's tastes change every decade or so, but the jazz influence is here to stay.“

THE HIJAB HITS THE SPOTLIGHT


The burkini and the hijab, typically worn by Muslim women, are at the epicentre of public attention. While the former creat ed a viral storm after a few French beach towns banned it, the latter has just shot into media glare.

Canada has got its first hijab-clad news anchor; a Muslim woman entered the semi-finals of the Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing one; and a designer sent models on the ramp wearing a hijab at the New York Fashion Week to a huge applause. The recent instances are slowly making people sit up and take notice of this attire. Here's more on how it's becoming mainstream...

WHERE IT REALLY KICKED OFF

The trend goes back to this year's Rio Olympics when Egyptian Doaa El-Ghobashy became the first beach volleyball player to wear a hijab. Pictures of her facing a swimsuit-clad German player went viral. It was hailed as how volleyball should not be sexualised, but give room to players to wear what they want. “I have worn the hijab for 10 years. It doesn't keep me away from the things I love to do, and beach volleyball is one of them,“ Doaa said.

SHE JUST COMPETED IN A BEAUTY PAGEANT IN A HIJAB

Halima Aden, 19, made headlines two days ago, when she became the first contestant to participate in Miss Minnesota USA pageant in a hijab and burkini. The Somali-American teenager made it to the semi-finals wearing a hijab. She also wore the full-body burkini dur ing the swimsuit competition, standing out in contrast to 44 other contestants. A website also quoted her as saying, “An extra layer of clothing does not define your beauty , because beauty is within.“

CANADA MADE WAY FOR IT

A Toronto television journalist, Ginella Massa, is believed to be Canada's first anchor to don a hijab on air. The 29-year-old ended her broadcast last week with this tweet: “That's a wrap! Tonight wasn't just important for me. I don't think a woman in hijab has ever anchored a newscast in Canada.“

She later added that her phone was ringing non-stop. “ As much as I knew it was important, I didn't expect the reaction that I received. My phone hasn't stopped buzzing for the last week,“ Massa said.

IT'S HUGE ON THE RAMP

This October, Indonesian designer Anniesa Hasibuan, defied the norm when she showcased all the models in hijabs for her collection at the New York Fashion Week, winning praise from critics for her glittering gowns, lacy trains and flowing tunics. Hasibuan was delighted and said it was “totally unexpected“. It was the first time that the event saw this happen.

THIS HIJABI WEIGHTLIFTER IS EYEING THE OLYMPICS

Dubai girl Amna Al Haddad, a hijabi weightlifter, smashed stereotypes and inspired women around her when she created secured an Olympic berth for the UAE in weightlifting. She is the only Muslim to do so in a headscarf.

AUSTRALIAN BALLERINA WEARS ONE

Australian schoolgirl, Stephanie Kurlow wants to be the first hijabi ballerina in the world and loves to pirouette in her headscarf. For someone who loves to dance, she wears a headscarf over her tutu and plans to open a dancing school for girls.

MAKE-UP BRAND FEATURES FIRST MODEL IN HIJAB

This November, a well-known international make-up brand launched a campaign featuring a woman in a hijab for the first time. In a statement, the woman, Nura Afia, said she never thought she would see Muslim women represented on this scale after “growing up and being insecure about wearing the hijab“.

IT GETS ITS OWN EMOJI, TOO

A 15-year-old Saudi girl who lives in Germany -Rayouf Alhumedhi -proposed the idea of a series of `headscarf emoji'. She realised in a social media chat with her friends that there was no emoji to represent her, a headscarf-wearing woman. She then sent the proposal to an organisation that develops new emojis, saying, “In this day and age, representation is extremely important.“

The emoji was approved.

HAZEL KEECH IS NOW GURBASANT KAUR Actress Hazel Keech, who married cricketer Yuvraj Singh



Actress Hazel Keech, who married cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Wednesday , was rechristened Gurbasant Kaur according to Sikh tradition.Hazel, who is British-Mauritian by origin, was given the new name in accordance with the Indian tradition of marriage. Her new name was announced at the Anand Karaj ceremony at the gurdwara near Fatehgarh Sahib where the couple got married.

Running nearly four hours behind schedule, the grand wedding of Yuvraj and Hazel near Chandigarh finally concluded late on Wednesday evening. The couple was to reach the gurdwara in Fatehgarh Sahib at 12 noon, but instead landed there at nearly 4 pm.Resplendent in true Sikh avatar with a full grown beard, maroon turban and sherwani, Yuvraj looked every bit the dapper sardar groom. His bride, actress Hazel matched his charisma dressed in a deep maroon lehenga.

Before leaving for Fatehgarh Sahib, a haldi ceremony was held for Yuvraj with close buddy, actor Angad Bedi, in a Chandigarh hotel. The Anand Karaj was a sober affair attended by close family members from both sides. The only non-family attending the wedding were Angad and Gaurav Kapur, both sporting turbans for the gurdwara ceremony .

The Anand Karaj was followed by a post-wedding party at the newly constructed house of Yuvraj in Panchkula.The Indian cricket team was expected to attend this evening party.