Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Grace Under Pressure

One thing you cannot help but notice about former Finance and Home Minister, and Congress leader P Chidambaram, is his ability to demonstrate grace under pressure.

One thing you cannot help but notice about former Finance and Home Minister, and Congress leader P Chidambaram, is his ability to demonstrate grace under pressure. As is known, both he and his son Karti are currently fighting the CBI tooth and nail. Regardless of this, the Harvard-educated Tam-Bram has not flinched from being an outspoken critic of the ruling regime, communicating his stringent criticism on various platforms and never letting his personal woes blunt his attack. Unsurprisingly, his latest collection of essays to be released this Friday is titled ‘Undaunted’. The word aptly sums up Chidambaram’s present position. The launch, to be held at Delhi’s Teen Murti Bhavan, will see the politician and leading Supreme Court lawyer engage in a discussion on ‘Saving the Idea of India’, the general theme of his recent writings, with the likes of Former Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid; TMC leader and MP Dinesh Trivedi and young Congress leader and MP Sushmita Dev, amongst others. The book will be released by former Vice President of India, Hamid Ansari. And given that the crucial general elections are around the corner, no surprises either that the event is being viewed as an important milestone in the Opposition’s concerted efforts to challenge the status quo and is expected to see Delhi’s political elite in attendance.

P Chidambaram (HT File)

Modern Day Fairy Tale

Asha Puthli (left) with a friend. (HT Photo)

The Asha Puthli story might just be a modern day fairy tale. Celebrated as much for her exotic personality as for her music in the 70s, Puthli, the daughter of a well-heeled business clan from Mumbai who became a prominent member of Andy Warhol’s underground factory scene, when she moved to NYC has released over 10 albums and 25 singles in over five decades. At one time it appeared that the musician was something of a Zelig of her day to be found at all the significant scenes of the time, from the coronation of the Shah of Iran, to the London drawing room of the Maharani of Jaipur and at the back of the bus on tour with members of Earth Wind and Fire at the same time. And then, with the passage of time, Puthli’s star appeared to wane as new music trends and personalities arrived on the scene. But with social media, IT connectivity and easy access to her archival material, recent events have proven that Puthli, now in her 70s, might just be on the cusp of a huge career resurgence. A recent performance in Mumbai at G5A got the ball rolling. A tie-up with the Red Bull Music Academy for a lecture series and an airing on RAI TV Italia of her performance in ‘Squadra Antigangsters’, coincidentally on her birthday, have added momentum. Yesterday, when we spoke to Puthli, who is currently in Florida, she sounded delighted by the turn of events. “I am totally overwhelmed with the love and good wishes I have received this week from all over the world,” she said. One of these was a birthday greeting from internationally-renowned caricaturist Robert Risko featuring a portrait he’d done of her, which was used for an album of children’s songs titled, ‘Asha the Puppet’. “The Planets must be in conjunction,” she said. And the consensus is, it could not have happened to a nicer person.

Artistry And Craft

(From left) Ishita Moitra, Kirti Kulhari, Rangita Nandy, Sayani Gupta, Maanvi Gagroo and VJ Bani.

To say that we watched the first season of the recently-launched web series ‘Four More Shots Please!’, all in one go for its artistry and craft, might sound akin to those who say they bought Playboy magazine for its articles. But there it is; with its well-worn trope (four single gal pals in a big city) and its fast pace and racy dialogues, it could have turned into yet another of those Sex In The City rip offs, but in fact, its seeming simplicity, belies a deep understanding of the grammar and craft of the medium. The characters are well developed. They are not only believable, but they also draw the viewer in. The treatment is mature and sophisticated and the dialogues are witty and authentic. What contributed to its success, we asked its creator Rangita Nandy, who along with her sister Ishita Moitra had created the series. Her response was insightful. “The fact that this is a story about female friendship told by women. That it is very personal. That it treats women as equals. And that women are the central narrative, but the men are not villains, they don’t do ‘bad’ things to women. The women’s enemies and demons lay within themselves and amongst them,” she said. And what has the response to her maiden web offering been like? “We’ve got such an abundance of love and surprisingly, it’s not all from women. Men love the show even more!” said Nandy, adding, “But I do get thrown a bunch of strange questions as well, like: who are these women who wear such fancy lingerie? Who are these women who orgasm so loud? Why must they drink so much? How do they have the money to drink four shots?”
“Who are these women who orgasm so loud?!”
Four more shots please!

Modern Dictionary
Mamata (verb): To bludgeon one’s opponents into submission by a show of combined histrionics, temper tantrums and aggressive argument, until it retreats or declares defeat. (Example: He entered the stadium and proceeded to Mamata his rival)