The king of canvas

The king of canvas:

"...one cannot be happy in exile or in oblivion. One cannot always be a stranger. I want to return to my homeland, make all my loved ones happy. I see no further than this.” - Albert Camus
"Anyone and everyone seemed to know (at least a bit of) Husain. Almost everyone seemed to own a Husain — if not a painting, at least a story, a gossip, an opinion. Celebrities and socialites crooned how they had met him in London or Dubai ‘recently’ and how he had always been sweet, humble, generous, entertaining, loving, caring... and so on. Media, expectedly, went on overdrive. Television channels showed anyone and everyone narrating their stories about the man. Interviews recorded in the past with the artist were hastily retrieved and replayed over and over again.

But why had everyone remained silent when the artist was still alive? Why did the art community not forcefully rise in protest against the senior fellow-traveller’s exile? Why did the government remain generally cool and indifferent about his security concerns? Why didn’t the likes of Raj Thackeray welcome Husain back to Mumbai, and offer him a safe and congenial atmosphere to work?"

Related articles

• Works of Indian artist M F Husain (ft.com)
• India's 'Picasso' M.F. Husain dies (cbc.ca)
• MF Husain, R.I.P. (webnerhouse.com)

Life Goes On - a new Indian movie in English

Image via WikipediaLife Goes On 

Life Goes On is a new movie being launched in the US this week, which is targeted to the South Asian American community. The story line is interesting - you can see the promo on the link above - and features such heavyweights like Sharmila Tagore, Om Puri and Girish Karnad, but also Ms Tagore and her daughter Soha Ali Khan together for the first time.

Here are some quotes from the actors:

Sharmila Tagore. "This is my first British film and I very much liked the process of working with a British crew, with Om Puri and with my daughter Soha for the first time."

Echoing her mother's sentiments, Soha Ali Khan stated , " Life Goes On is an original film, it is non-formulaic, and I am so happy that it is getting released now ..." " I had been wanting to share filmography with my mother and there had been several offers but none convinced us. Sangeeta's script was very convincing and it seemed almost organic for me to play daughter to my mother in the film. It was my first British film and in many ways I am the British-Asian girl Dia. I have been educated in Oxford and LSE and I have also worked in London. Working with my mother , who is a living legend, was daunting to say the least! For many reasons the film is very personal to me and the work I will always want to own and view whenever I want to". 

" I have enjoyed the process of Life Goes On and working with all the young talent in London. The film is about a Diaspora community in a multicultural world. Today it is important for all of us to understand different cultures and beliefs and respect it. To me the film is about tolerance - that is the most important message of the film. It also gave me a chance to do a romantic role at my age- opposite Sharmila- our "Sapnon ki raani!"stated Om Puri

Director Sangeeta Dutta expressing satisfaction over the release of the film in North America said, " I wrote Life Goes On as I started growing into the British Asian community in London. Here is a multicultural society and people have made long journeys to reach where they are here. Identity is about history, about the present and where you look for the future. I found it quite compelling to rework the King Lear story in a British-Asian Diaspora family. I found it most compelling to tell the story of a man who gets over his prejudice and fear and learns to look at a more hopeful, inclusive world. Working with some of my favorite actors from India as with a bunch of young talent from London was very rewarding- a great learning curve.." 

Kabbadi, a Punjabi Sport, Finds a Home in Queens

Image via WikipediaKabbadi, a Punjabi Sport, Finds a Home in Queens - NYTimes.com

After cricket and field hockey, now its the turn of the traditional Punjabi game of Kabaddi to woo New York. Its interesting how the 'melting pot" not only allows assimilation of languages, food and cultures, but also sports and fashion...

"Yet in keeping with the sport’s international appeal, Sunday’s competitors also included a London team of white blond women and an Australian crew with two African-American men from California, one of whom described himself as a mercenary of sorts..."

Related articles

• Kabaddi Competitions Are Heating Up (online.wsj.com)

Indian restaurant bottles its experience for homes

Indian restaurant bottles its experience for homes - The Globe and Mail

So its no secret that Indian food is fairly popular in most major cities in North America, and now branching into smaller cities as well...(there are 3 Indian restaurants in Nassau, Bahamas!) - but this article suggests an interesting concept - bottling sauces for DIY cooking. That concept is not new either - with companies now promoting "home made" Indian sauces in the likes of Whole Foods - but would consumers buy and experiment? Or are they now so used to the $9.99 buffet to even mess with it?

Related articles

• Real Indian cuisine: Spice world (independent.co.uk)
• What Makes Indian Cuisine Unique? (indian-food.suite101.com)
• India Journal: India's Inadvertent Exports (blogs.wsj.com)