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Category Archives: Art, Music & Dance

* Conditions Apply…a Joke of a Play!!

Mandira Bedi and Darshan Jariwala

Mandira Bedi and Darshan Jariwala

As one grows in life we all understand that all things that come to you in life have conditions attached to it!! Whether you take it or leave it is totally your prerogative. So when our friend came selling tickets for an upcoming play in the city of Kochi (Cochin), I decided to take it, as the play itself was deceptively titled “*conditions apply”!!

Being high on plays after Rajat Kapoor’s – Hamlet – The Clown Prince & Naseerudin Shah’s Antigone , which were brilliantly put together, I had great expectations from “*conditions apply”.

Street Art / Graffiti Art

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image: Priya Q

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image: Priya Q

This blog is dedicated to all the anonymous artists whose work doesn’t ever seek any recognition or reward.

Paresh Rawal the great

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I could have stayed for few more days at home in Chennai but I simply had to be back in Kochi, in time for the much acclaimed play by Paresh Rawal called shaadi@barbaadi.com.

What a name! Quite ominous I must say. Does shaadi really have to be barbaadi??…well I will take that topic up in my subsequent blog posts. For now, let me share with you my experience of the show.

Jai ho AR Rahman ki

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AR Rahman brought Calicut (Kozhikode) dancing on their feet during his first music concert in India after his Oscar win on 3rd May 2009.

Around 40k people shrieked in joy on watching Rahman each time as he walked on the stage. Khwaja mere Khwaja, Hamma-hamma, Vande matram, Urvasi, Mustaffa and but of course the Oscar winner Jai ho were few of the songs sung by AR Rehman and the experience explains why he is, what he is.

Jazz all the way – music concert by Usha Uthup

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Usha Uthup or didi (elder sister) as she is fondly referred to, was in Cochin (Kochi) city recently, to enthrall the crowd with her contemporary music concert.

Held at JTPac, the concert was the second performance or initiative by the management after the astounding sBesame mucho,how put up by Dr.L Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy earlier this month.

What a performance and what a performer! Didi connects with her audience like nobody’s business. Even a bathroom singer feels inspired to sing with her as she encourages all to join her in singing lines from songs like Words, Besame mucho, Kaisi paheli hai ye…etc..,

Kathakali

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Where to watch Kathakali performance in Kochi?

Kathakali, the classical dance drama is quite popular amongst the tourists and locals in Kochi / Cochin. There are many art centers who organize Kathakali performance on a daily basis. However, it’s important that you go to an established and reputed center. I have a bad experience once. Without taking the name of the center, the dingy auditorium coupled with a Malayalam accented English speaking narrator, I was ready to sleep!
Since, a layman totally depends on the narrator to understand the various gestures and facial expressions of the artist; the role hence played by the storyteller becomes very important. I am giving you here, names of two centers that you can surely go to…

Dr.L Subramaniam & Kavita Krishnamurthy – the musical duo

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JT Performing Arts Centre (JT Pac) brought the most reputed classical musician and singer to perform for their inaugural show here in Kochi. Dr.L Subramaniam accompanied by his wife and famous singer Kavita Krishnamurthy Subramaniam and Louis Bank performed at the audience filled auditorium. JT Pac is the joint dream of that of entrepreneur Jose Thomas and the famous actor, musician Mohanlal.

Jai ho…



Hearty congratulations to A R Rehman and all those connected to the much acclaimed Slumdog millionaire. As I was reading the news from the red carpet I chanced to read a small opinion article of that of Aadesh Srivastava (music director in Bollywood). He, like few other critics, appear to be furious at the movie and the fact that India through Mumbai has been shone in the bad light to the extent that foreigners have started calling Indians the slumdogs!

Chill Mr. Srivastava! You stay in Bombay. Ever heard of Dharavi? By playing ostrich you cannot ignore the ground realities. Let’s stop being hypocrites and give the movie its due credit.

Wah Ustad Wah!


Inaugurating the year long programme for the Dharani society, (an initiative by the Dharani School of performing arts) it was none other that Ustad Zakir Hussain, the great great table maestro who graced the stage by his unbelievable performance, here in Kochi (Feb 17, ‘09).

Having grown up watching him fleetingly on various shows on the television (I don’t have the patience to watch music concerts on TV, prefer live) and the most famous wah ustad wah advertisement that intercepted the then popular chitrahaar, the weekly much awaited movie or other soaps, it was an enchanting experience to watch him performing live.