‘Would there be takers for a series like Adolescence in India?': Nandita Das
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
When a mridangam maestro meets a marxist leader
What could be common between a mridangam exponent and a Marxist leader? Music. The friendship between Umayalpuram Sivaraman, who describes himself as a hardcore traditionalist, yet ultramodern, and M.A. Baby, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a connoisseur of Carnatic music, dates back decades. The two came together to share their story at a special conversation session at The Hindu office, where N. Ram, former Editor-in-Chief, explained how an unusual association blossomed into an enduring friendship. It was during the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that the world of Carnatic music first opened its doors to Baby. Then a student, who almost went underground and later courted arrest, he found an unexpected path to music. 'His elder brother advised him to visit a temple and listen to concerts. That is how he first discovered the great music of Sivaraman,' Ram said. Baby fine-tuned his taste in music by attending concerts of past masters, who were often accompanied by Sivaraman on the mridangam. To this day, he vividly recalls the songs rendered at those performances and the way Sivaraman's artistry elevated each concert. He once even travelled to Erode to hear him accompany K.V. Narayanasamy, after seeing an announcement about the concert in The Hindu. 'That day KVN sang 'Evarimata' in Kamboji. The elaboration of the raga, the rendition of the kriti, and the tani avartanam that followed are unforgettable,' Baby said. So thorough is Baby with Sivaraman's bani that when he was a Member of Parliament, he once asked Arun Kumar, after listening to him perform, whether he was a disciple of Umayalpuram Sivaraman. When the mridangam maestro was thoroughly impressed when he came to know about this. Recalling the incident, Sivaraman said, 'Later, I received a call on my landline — I still don't have a mobile phone. The person at the other end said, 'I'm Baby. I'd like to meet you.' So I invited him over, and that's when I realised he was the person Arun had mentioned. We again met with some friends, and ended up discussing music till late in the night. 'My wife, who was worried, called to check if I'd been kidnapped,' he laughed. Appreciative of Baby's deep sensitivity to music, Sivaraman pointed out how we can identify the style of most artistes, both vocalists or instrumentalists. That's a rare quality. Baby, who has organised many concerts, was instrumental in bringing together Chenda melam exponent Mattanoor Sankarankutty Marar and Sivaraman for a performance. He even arranged for the latter to accompany Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj. Babyrecalled Sivaraman's decision to call Neyyattinkara Vasudevan to sing a Pallavi for the inauguration of the Kerala University Students' Union. 'When Vasudevan saw Sivaraman walking in, there were tears in his eyes.' Referring to himself as a honeybee, Sivaraman said, 'Wherever there is good music, irrespective of caste or religion, I offer to accompany the artiste'. Believe it or not, he has also composed music for a fashion show. Sharing his experience of accompanying stalwart musicians, Sivaraman pointed out how each possessed mastery in their respective field. ' Your imagination should come through in your playing. Through hard work, you reach the top and maintain your place by constantly improving. Otherwise, others will overtake you,' he said. Speaking on the subject of creativity, Sivaraman said, 'Don't think everything old is good, and don't term everything new as bad. People with wisdom always choose the best from the old and the best from the new.' The conversation also featured Sivaraman's friendship with the actors Sivaji Ganesan and M.G. Ramachandran. He played for the Sivaji Ganesan starrer Mridhanga Chakravarthy. 'Sivaji Ganesan used to call me vathiyar (teacher). Before every shot, he would ask me if he was playing it right. Such was his humility,' he said. Sivaraman also recalled the presence of MGR and Devaraj Urs at the Music Academy to attend a concert of M. Balamuralikrishna, the year he was conferred the Sangita Kalanidhi award. 'I accompanied him. After the concert, we went to meet both the Chief Ministers. MGR came up to me and said, 'You played well. He had prepared the pallavi at home, but you played on the spot. You are great.' Will anyone say that? That shows how deep his musical knowledge was..'
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
5 Bollywood movies with the most-expensive costumes and jewellery
When we watch period dramas or fantasy epics, it's easy to get lost in the storytelling, the grandeur, and the emotional arcs. But what often escapes the spotlight, ironically, are the clothes. In Bollywood, costume designing is not just about fashion; it's about time-travel, culture preservation, and cinematic immersion. Some films have gone all-out, investing crores in their costume budget. Here are some of the most iconic — and most expensive — costumes in Bollywood history. The red bridal lehenga worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Jodhaa Akbar has now found a permanent place in global fashion history. Recently added to the Academy Museum's Colour in Motion exhibition, the lehenga is a celebration of India's textile heritage. As the museum noted, 'A lehenga fit for a queen, designed for the silver screen.' With an embroidered peacock crafted from jewels and traditional Mughal-era silhouettes, the design process took months of research. Costume designer Neeta Lulla collaborated closely with director Ashutosh Gowariker and cinematographers to pick fabrics that wouldn't glare under natural light. The result was a palette of carefully chosen colours for the Mughal and Kachhawa clans, stitched with brocade-like zari embroidery. The real showstopper? The jewellery — 300 kg worth, designed over 600 days by 200 artisans. Aishwarya's bridal set alone weighed 3.5 kg, and it's a feat she's said was one of the toughest aspects of the role, according to her then interview with The Hindu. In Devdas, every swirl of Madhuri Dixit's dupatta oozed opulence. Designers Neeta Lulla, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, and Reza Sharifi crafted costumes that weren't just beautiful, but historically resonant. Each of her looks reportedly cost more than ₹15 lakhs — a staggering number, but every rupee is evident in the embroidery, textiles, and silhouette precision. When Rimple Narula designed Deepika Padukone's costumes for Padmaavat, she went for authenticity — even if it meant a literal weight on the actress. Deepika's wedding lehenga weighed 30 kg and cost ₹20 lakhs, as per the designer's interview with ANI in 2017. It took the actor nearly three hours to get into the full look, every single day, with detailed embroidery including Mukke ka Kaam, Salma Sitara, and Gokru Dunka techniques. Bajirao Mastani is a visual ode to opulence, and Deepika Padukone's iconic pale gold outfit in the song Deewani Mastani was perhaps the most breath-taking. Designed by Anju Modi, the flowing ensemble may look like a lehenga but is actually cleverly structured pants beneath a flared silhouette. The gold-threaded embroidery, the mirror palace backdrop — everything worked to evoke Mughal-E-Azam-level grandeur. Reportedly, Deepika's wardrobe for the film cost about ₹50 lakhs in total. When Shah Rukh Khan stepped into his superhero avatar for he didn't just play the part — he wore ₹4.5 crore worth of it. 'It's a million dollar costume — that's four-and-a-half crore rupees per costume,' SRK told Hindustan Times back in 2010. 'And there's not just one costume, there are 20 such!' Crafted using advanced materials for stunts and VFX, the suit was a blend of tech and tailoring. It remains one of the most expensive costumes ever made in Indian cinema.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Veteran actor-producer Dheeraj Kumar passes away after battling pneumonia
Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar, known for his work in Hindi and Punjabi cinema, passed away at the age of 79 at a private hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday (July 15). According to sources, Kumar was suffering from acute pneumonia and was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit. Yesterday, he suffered multiple organ failure and was put on ventilator support. Kumar breathed his last at around 11 AM today, with his son present at the hospital during his final moments. Kumar entered the film industry in 1965, after participating in a talent show in which late superstar Rajesh Khanna participated and emerged as the winner. 'In a talent contest in Mumbai in the 1960s, three were selected to be actors among some 10,000 aspirants — Rajesh Khanna, myself and Subhash Ghai, who went on to become a director. So our journey in the industry started together. Subsequently, he became a superstar,' said Kumar in a conversation with The Hindu after the passing of Khanna in 2012, recounting the memories of working with the late superstar in the 1977 film Tyaag, and later, a television series in 2019. As an actor, Kumar made his debut in 1970's Raaton Ka Raja, co-starring Shatrughan Sinha. He went on to act in several notable films such as Heera Panna (1973), Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974), Sargam (1979), and Kranti (1981). Between 1970 and 1984, Kumar reportedly starred in 21 Punjabi films before starting his television production company, Creative Eye. The banner went on to make popular television shows, like Om Namah Shivay (1997) and Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann (2006). In 2019, Creative Eye produced the ZEE5 web series Ishq Aaj Kal. The news about the death of Dheeraj Kumar has come as a shock to the entertainment industry. The cremation is expected to take place tomorrow.
