Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Arts & Culture

  • Meat millionaire, CBI chief: perfect friends?

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    Controversial meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi seems to have lots of clout with CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) directors. He is friend to former CBI director AP Singh and the visitors’ diary at the CBI director’s residence reveals that he is equally pally with the present incumbent Ranjit Sinha, according to a DNA report. “Prime…

  • ‘Lotus pond jar’ of surprises at London

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    Once in a while something truly rare, special and unique appears in the art market and the buzz being created at Bonhams by the sale of a small, fairly modest looking jar painted with a lotus motif from the Ming period, is tangible.  The jar comes from a European private collection and has not been…

  • Ask difficult questions: Zizek on Rotherham

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    Marxist philospher and cultural critic Slavoj Zizek in an article in Guardian has as said that anyone who wants to fight for emancipation should not be afraid to examine religion and culture.  “The outline of what happened in Rotherham is now more or less clear: at least 1,400 children were subjected to brutal sexual exploitation between 1997…

  • Contemporary British dance tests India

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    Leading British dance companies will wow audiences in India in the second edition of Impulse contemporary dance fest beginning Sep 5. Built around 15 performances by leading British dance companies like the Hofesh Shechter Company, Scottish Dance Theatre and Avant Garde Dance, Impulse 2 will run through September, October and November across the country, a…

  • INTERVIEW: Dimple Kapadia

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    Uma Ramasubramanian talks to Dimple, the star of Finding Fanny Veteran actor Dimple Kapadia, who will be soon seen on the big screen when the English-language film “Finding Fanny” hits the screens Sep 12, says she found the script of the film “brilliant” and her role “lovely” There are not too many filmmakers in Hindi…

  • Stress-free life? Here is a solution

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    Close relationships the basis of stress-free life We all know that deep and meaningful relationships play a vital role in one’s overall well-being but still, most of us are bereft of emotional bonding in life. It is imperative, therefore, to listen to your heart and stay close to those who love you the most. According…

  • GALLERY – Intl. Dance Fest in Germany

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    Pics from  the International Dance Fair Dusseldorf in Dusseldorf, Germany

  • Wah Taj, says reviewer

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    I’m mad for the BBC’s new fly-on-the-wall documentary series Hotel India(Wednesdays, 8pm), which is beautifully made and pulls off the great feat of leaving the viewer feeling deeply relaxed one moment and ragingly furious the next. In this sense, it reminds me of a trip I once made to India, during which I made like a…

  • Mumbai gears up for Ganeshotsav

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    Quaid Najmi looks into the preparations for Ganeshotsav in India’s commercial capital  Glittering decorations on roads and bylanes, rows of fairy lights, magnificent patriotic and social themes and an infectious religious fervour mark the start of the annual 11-day Ganeshotsav festival that begins on Friday. Since the past couple of days, big and small idols of Lord…

  • GALLERY: Notting Hill Carnival

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    The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event that since 1966[1] has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, UK, each August over three days (the August bank holiday Monday and the two days beforehand).It is led by members of the West Indian community. The carnival has…

  • OBITUARY: UR Ananthamurthy

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    Eminent Kannada writer Ananthamurthy dead  Renowned Kannada writer and literary critic U.R. Ananthamurthy died in Bangalore on Friday after a brief illness. He was 82. Murthy, who was admitted to a private hospital last week for treatment of infection and fever, was put on multi-support system, as his condition turned critical earlier in the day, hospital sources…

  • Asian Lite Bookshelf

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    Short stories, self-help and seduction  Overcoming emotional obstacles can be achieved only when one liberates the soul or learns new lessons of life from Mahatma Gandhi’s principles. On the other hand, there are women who will go to any length to fulfill their desires. All this and more is at the Asian Lite book stack this…

  • Yoga legend no more

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    World renowned Yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar, who founded the ‘Iyengar Yoga’ died at a private hospital here early Wednesday, an aide said. He was 96. A widower, he was suffering from age-related ailments and breathed his last around 3.15 am. The funeral will be held here later Wednesday. Author of several books on Yoga, its practice and…

  • Teaching Ghalib to Americans

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    Arun Kumar says India-born author Gopi Chand Narang gives a taste of Ghalib to Americans An India-born former World Bank staff member turned poet and novelist has penned a new English translation of famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib’s works to meaningfully engage American readers. Gopi Chand Narang, leading literary critic and former President of Sahitya Akademi,…

  • BSkyB sprouts ethnic wings

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    BSkyB has pledged that by the end of next year at least 20% of the stars and writers of its UK-originated TV shows will come from a black, Asian or other minority ethnic background. The broadcaster spends £600m a year on original UK commissions such as Stella, Moone Boy and Trollied, and said that the…

  • Ganesh takes on Hitler

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    A confrontational piece by the learning-disabled ensemble Back to Back Theatre recounted the Hindu deity’s visit to Hitler’s Germany to reclaim the swastika as a rightful symbol of piece in Edinburgh Festival. Ganesh Versus the Third Reich is poignant, heart-warming, beautiful, disarming, full of vulnerability and sly humour, questioning who has the right to tell…

  • PICS: Janmastami

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    Girls performing in the dance competion during Janmastami celebrations by Hare Krishna Movement, at Sonaram field in Guwahati

  • PICS: Banagalore Fashion

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    Bangalore, the garden city of India, is emerging as the capital fashion. Models walk the ramp during Bangalore Fashion Week 2014, in Bangalore

  • Incredible India!

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    Give up caste, communal poison: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to give up the “poison” of casteism and communalism and embrace unity for the country’s progress. During his Independence Day address, the prime minister said it was a shame that caste and communal politics continued even so many years after independence. “How long will this…

  • PROFILE: Subhas A. Khot

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    Quaid Najmi profiles Subhas A. Khot, the  Indian-born top Maths genius   Mathematics genius Subhas A. Khot who got the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize, a top Maths award in the world, has an “extraordinary academic talent and remarkable concentration power”, his school teachers recall. “We are very proud of his achievement which has brought global name and fame…

  • Jashan e Azaadi Mubarak!

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    In a televised address to the nation, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejected demands for his resignation and reiterated that his government will complete five-year constitutional term. Sharif’s remarks came at a time when opposition leader Imran Khan was demanding his resignation as he claimed that last year’s elections were rigged, Xinhua reported. The announcement came just…

  • CANADA EVENT: Jagannath Rath Yatra

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     The 41st annual Chariot Festival of India also known Jagannath Rath Yatra took place in Downtown Vancouver. This colorful and fun-filled cultural parade started at 11:30 am from Beach Avenue at Howe Street (under the Granville Street Bridge) and culminated at Stanley Park 2nd beach. The functional purpose of Chariots Fest of India is to…

  • REVIEW: The Hundred-Foot Journey

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    Troy Ribeiro  says ‘The Hundred-Foot Journey’ visually brilliant, lacks drama  Film: “The Hundred-Foot Journey”; Cast: Manish Dayal, Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Charlotte Le Bon, Michel Blanc, Farzana Du A Elahe, Dillon Mitra, Aria Pandya, Amit Shah, Clement Sibony, Juhi Chawla; Director: Lasse Hallstrom; Rating: *** 1/2 Based on the novel by Richard C. Morais and adapted…

  • Fauja supports WWI event

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    Fauja Singh urges people to join peace marathon in Britain India-born centenarian Sikh runner Fauja Singh has urged everyone to join a peace marathon organised in London to mark the First World War centenary in Britain, media reported. London-based 103-year-old Fauja Singh, who is believed to be the world’s oldest runner, has organised a relay…

  • Singapore marks national day

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    Singaproe celebrates 49th Independence Day on Saturday. Thousands attended the National Day Parade. The parade was officially started with a military tattoo for the first time, featuring a combined band and a precision drill squad strutting their stuff to the beat of well-loved classics like We Will Get There. Also performing for the first time…

  • INTERVIEW: Chetan Bhagat

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    When I need a new kick, I’ll consider direction, Chetan Bhagat told  Subhash K. Jha  Author Chetan Bhagat, who tried his hand at screenplay writing with the Salman Khan-starrer “Kick”, says he may try donning the director’s hat when he needs a new ‘kick’ in life. In an interview, Bhagat has spoken about his tryst with screenplay writing,…

  • Study or not to study English…that is the question

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    Nearly two centuries after Lord Macaulay championed the introduction of English as a medium of education in India in 1835, a debate is still raging on the suitability of what many describe as a “foreign language” in a polyglot nation that has 22 official languages and over 350 dialects. The debate was rekindled in the last…

  • Asian Lite – Book-Shelf

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    Reckless voices and poetic verses won a book the Pulitzer prize this year and other fictional tales made the longlisted and shortlisted list of several book awards: The book-shelf this weekend has the magic of imaginative richness. Take your pick. 1. Book: Three Sections: Poet: Vijay Seshadri; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 68; In an array…

  • Monkey owns copyright

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    A selfie taken by a black macaque on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi three years back has become a tug of war between Wikipedia and the photographer who claims he is the owner of the selfie. Wikipedia has refused to remove the famous selfie, saying the monkey – and not the photographer – owns the…

  • Portrait of a politician as a writer

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    Vikas Datta portrays politicians as successful writers  A British prime minister who was a novelist too, a US president known for works on history and nature, an Indian statesman who was a famous philosopher too… They make a compelling case that politics is not a full-time occupation and its practitioners can shine in other fields…

  • Big B’s Yudh fails to hit bulls eye

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    Amitabh Bachchan’s Yudh,  Directed by Anurag Kashyap, was one of the most highly anticipated TV shows this year. The series also features the likes of Kay Kay Menon and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. With a powerful star cast and an intriguing plotline, one would expect the show to have become a smash hit. The news however is different.…

  • Special Feature – KABADDI, KABADDI….

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    Abhishek Roy says kabaddi is now cool sport in India, thanks to Bollywood, corporates Kabaddi, an indigenous contact sport in India, is witnessing a resurgence, thanks to big-time commercial sponsorship and prime-time TV patronage. Riding on the IPL-style hockey and football leagues, kabaddi has come up with not one but two leagues to complement each…

  • Sex & Sensuality in Indian literature

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    Shilpa Raina looks into the new wave of literature from the land of Kama Sutra  No more is the genre of erotica alien to Indian literature and no more are publishers afraid of the word “sex”. But what is new is the way writers are exploring women’s sexuality, without shying away from writing about closed…

  • PICS: Canada Carnival

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    Performers during the King and Queen Competition and Show of the 47th Toronto Caribbean Carnival in Toronto, Canada.  the event gave the spectators an opportunity to experience the colourful Caribbean culture.

  • India inspires Colombian artiste

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    Karishma Saurabh Kalita meets renowned Colombian fusion artiste and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Balanta  Inspired by Indian music, renowned Colombian fusion artiste and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Balanta says he will incorporate the country’s rhythms in his latest album. Balanta regularly watches the Telepacific channel which showcases Bollywood movies and music on weekends. Balanta, who is all set to charm music…

  • INTERVIEW: Chetan Bhagat

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    Writer Chetan Bhagat told Nivedita that ‘Indian educational system broken somewhere’  Celebrated writer Chetan Bhagat feels that the college cutoffs should not bog one down because hard work can also take people places, adding that the country’s education system is “broken somewhere”. “A student securing 98 per cent is no less capable or intelligent than the…

  • ASIAN LITE – Book-Shelf

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    Death, spies and thrillers An exciting week for books with a variety of thrills, chills and spy stories. Take your pick. 1. Book: The Sad Demise of Manpreet Singh; Author: Patrick Bryson; Publisher: Hachette Dominic “Biscuit” McLeod is an expert in making the best of a bad situation. A viss fraud investigator at the Australian…

  • Tribute to ‘Pancham Da’

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    Musafir Hoon Yaaron’ is a befitting tribute to ‘Pancham Da’ Putting on a host of famous, well-remembered melodies, singers Vinod Rathod, Babul Supriyo, Hema Sardesai and Mamta Sharma evoked nostalgia as well setting up a peppy beat at “Musafir Hoon Yaaron” concert commemorating the 75th birth anniversary of composer R.D. Burman, fondly known as Pancham Da.…

  • Special Report – World Friendship Day

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    Natalia Ningthoujam says virtual friendship in, personal connect out Time was when Friendship Day meant hanging out with buddies and wearing colourful friendship bands. But now virtual connect through forwarded messages or mobile app stickers or a simple post on a friend’s wall of a social networking site overshadows the personal touch and people’s socialising…

  • A chance to feel France

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     When Helen Mirren-starrer “The Hundred Foot Journey” will release in India Aug 8, it will not just take viewers into a visual retreat into the Midi Pyrenees Region in Southwest France, but also give them a chance to try their luck for a visit to France. Reliance Big Entertainment in association with Dreamworks Pictures is…

  • Tarun Basu on Modern China

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    Chinese gambit: On an ancient route to modern greatness People’s Daily, China’s iconic newspaper known to the world as the voice of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), is constructing in the heart of Beijing a 32-storey office tower that will have 140,000 square metres of working space with new-media ventures alone occupying seven…

  • Plan for Intl. football culture club

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    Known for his rich oeuvre of politically-charged works as well as his diverse football related projects, artist Riyas Komu plans to open an international football culture club. Hailing from Kerala and based in Mumbai, Komu prefers to do “socially relevant” paintings and is famed for football-themed installations. The artist is in talks with internationally-acclaimed football…

  • FEATURE: Presidential Palace Museum

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     A flower petal that was found on the body of Mahatma Gandhi after his assassination, a piece of rock from the moon, gold-plated ceremonial chairs used by the British colonial rulers, Edwin Lutyens’ rough sketches of a grand sandstone structure that took the shape of what is now Rashtrapati Bhavan — such invaluable artefacts are…

  • I am not Mowgli!

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    Prantick Majumder says that he is from northeast… but he is not Mowgli! “Does the Rajdhani Express go to Assam?” I thought I had heard something wrong. When the question was repeated, I knew I heard it right. My blood came to a boil. But my conscience got the better of me as I realised that the…

  • Pak fashion due in Mumbai

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    Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) Winter-Festive 2014 will host four Pakistani designers Faiza Samee, Rizwan Beyg, Sania Maskatiya and Zara Shahjahan. Presented by POPxo.com and Hello! Pakistan, the designers will mark their LFW debut with a grand show Aug 22 at the winter-festive edition of LFW. “This season we are very excited to host four exceptional…

  • Musicologist Mohan Nadkarni dies

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    Mohan Nadkarni, a renowned Indian musicologist, died in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday following a brief illness, his son Dev said. He was 91. “He (Mohan Nadkarni) suffered from a chest infection a fortnight back from which he did not recover. Past couple of years he was suffering from age-related problems which hampered his movements, otherwise…

  • Cyberbullying is now more common

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    Cyberbullying and exposure to online sites with negative content such as messages of hate or self-harm is a growing problem for the UK’s children, according to a new report from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The report from EU Kids Online, a research programme based at LSE, examines how the UK’s…

  • Tulisa seeks action against Fake Sheikh

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    Former X-factor judge and singer Tulisa  Contostavlos seeks action against The Sun  journalist Mazher Mahmood aka Fake Sheikh for trying to tarnish her image and a year of torment over drug charges. In a statement, the singer said:  I have never dealt drugs and never been involved in taking or dealing cocaine. This whole case…

  • Delhi seeks World Heritage City tag

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    Shilpa Raina looks into Delhi’s campaign to become World Heritage City  As Delhi gears up to welcome a team from Unesco in September to evaluate the national capital’s bid for the World Heritage City tag, an NGO spearheading the move says this idea should have been proposed earlier and reveals how “frustrating” it can be…

  • ‘The Lunchbox opened the doors’

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    Nivedita talks to Nimrat Kaur, the lovelorn Ila in the super hit movie the Lunchbox   She was born and raised in a simple middle-class Indian family, but she got exposed to the world courtesy her internationally-acclaimed film “The Lunchbox”. Actress Nimrat Kaur says the movie “opened all doors” for her, allowing her to do…