Chiru...the eternal hero

The megastar of Telugu films Chiranjeevi recently completed 29 years of his film career. A function was organized to celebrate the occasion wherein his friend and another Telugu star Nagarjuna was present. Being one of the superstar’s quartet, (Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal and Rajinikant comprises other three in this club) Chiru, as he is fondly called by his fans, is undoubtedly the most prominent figure of the Indian movies. The word Chiranjeevi in Sanskrit means 'one who live on eternally.' Chiranjeevi's feats on screen and in movies make him really live eternally in the mind of the viewers.
Chiranjeevi was as Siva Sankara Vara Prasad Konidela, on 22 August 1955 at Narasapur, Andhra Pradesh, India
He was a student of the famous Madras Film Institute and later became a professional film star. His first public performance was in a government parade ballet at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 1976.
He started his professional career the film "Punadhirallu" in 1978. Though Punadhirallu was his debut, his first success came up with a negative role in the film 'Intilo Ramayya Vidhilo Krishnayya' which was released in the year 1981.
His roles in movies such as Abilasha, Adavidonga, Chantabbayi, Challenge, Gang Leader, Master, Kondaveeti Donga, Kodama Simham, Indra, Tagore etc. were all block busters in Tollywood. In the pre-90s, Chiranjeevi was first seen on Hindi scree. His first Hindi film released was Pratibandh (1990) with Juhi Chawla as his heroine. The films was a blockbuster and Rami Reddy, the main villain in the films also received much attention in the film. The success of Pratibandh prompted producers to make another movie with Ciranjeevi, exploiting his macho man and angry young man image. This films ‘Aaj Ka Gundaraj’ (1992) was a remake of Telugu hit Gang Leader. Meenakshi Sheshadri was the heroine in the film. As this movie minted money on the Box Office, Chiranjeevi’s popularity also soared.
Though his subsequent films could not recreate the magic that is Chiranjeevi is known for, his charisma as an actor remains in place as is shown by the number of dubbed movies. These movies appear in small cities and run to packed houses as well as in CDs and DVDs which have a good run on Cable cicuit. Besides Telugu, Chiranjeevi commande a huge fan following in Tamilnadu also.
He is married to Konidela Surekha on February 20, 1980 and is blessed with two daughters Susmita and Sirija, and one son Ramcharan Teja. His brothers Nagendra Babu and Pawan Kalyan are both into movies as well.
Chiranjeevi is the founder of the Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust, which is the state's largest recipient of Eye and Blood Donations. With the help of Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust more than 20,000 people have donated blood and more than 10 lakh people have pledged their eyes. Chiranjeevi also assists people for medical expenses in genuine cases.

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Spiritual Pull of the Hinduism

Eventhough world, especially English speaking literate class taked pride in deriding Hindu ethos. But the Hindu tradition and spirituality continues to overhelm people all over the world. This fact is corborated by a story that I chanced upon recenly. I reproduce the story as it is.

Allahabad : It was 38 years ago that Baba Rampuri, as this once Beverly Hills resident is now called, set out from Los Angeles in search of truth and peace. He was just 18 then. He has been at each Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh since 1971, and the son of an American dental surgeon turned Hindu ascetic says the English dictionary 'does not have a word to describe the bliss I experience each time I am here'.
His first halt was an ashram in Rajasthan, from where his guru took him to Haridwar, one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage centres on the bank of the Ganga, where he found his new home. By the time he was 20, he made up his mind to give up all worldly pleasures, including the company of the rich and the famous, to step into a contrasting world where abstinence was the buzzword.
The saffron clad 56-year-old - who refuses to give his original American name - is now camping on the banks of the holy river here, taking part in the 42-day-long Ardh Kumbh - the every six-year religious cornucopia during which millions take dip in the Sangam, the confluence of three rivers sacred to Hindus, in the hope of gaining salvation from what the faithful believe the unending cycle of births and deaths.
'A dip at the Sangam during the Kumbh Mela gives me more pleasure that one could get in a football match,' Baba Rampuri told IANS, taking a few puffs of the 'chillam' which he describes as 'part of the tradition'.
'I did go back to LA after my first visit here in 1968 but decided to return to India in 1971 once and for all ... and that too with just $20 in my pocket.'
Baba Rampuri was formally initiated into the world of Hindu ascetic life 36 years ago on these very banks of the Sangam. He was among the first few whites to find a privileged place in the Juna Akhara, which is considered the oldest of India's nine Hindu akharas, or religious orders.
There are many foreigners like Baba Rampuri, including women, who have left their homes in far away continents and have become Hindu sadhus. Most of them prefer not to reveal their original names.
Says Jasraj Puri, an Australian who became a sadhu: 'My original name was washed down in the waters of the Ganga and got immersed in the Bay of Bengal 15 years ago when I joined the ashram of Swami Maheshwaranand, who went from India decades ago to set up base in Vienna.' The 35-year-old former physiotherapist has picked up reasonably good Hindi as well and currently heads an ashram-cum-school run by his guru Maheshwaranand in Rajasthan. The polluted waters of the Ganga don't discourage him from a daily dip. 'The Ganga is spiritually so pure that pollution and even visible dirt becomes secondary and immaterial,' explains Puri to IANS.
Similarly, Ganga, 45, arrived here from her home in Britain nearly 10 years ago. 'I propose to spend the rest of my life in the Maha Nirvani Akhara,' she said. While camping at the Ardh Kumbh, Ganga makes it a point to take a dip in the Sangam every morning. 'But it was a different experience on Mauni Amavasya (Jan 19), the holiest of the holy bathing days,' she said after stepping out of the water in which an estimated ten million took a hallowed dip that day.
Hindu spirituality continues to attract youth from various countries. Verena, 25, is a first-time visitor to the Kumbh from Germany and is so overwhelmed by the spiritual rituals here that she wouldn't mind settling down as a disciple in the Juna Akhara. And 24-year-old Dase, another Kumbh first-timer from Latvia, is only too keen to give her company. Susan, who has come from the US, is still debating whether she should abandon her filmmaking career in California and settle down to a saffron life of Hindu renunciates.
'I will go back at the end of the Kumbh Mela but I might be back soon. The divinity I have tasted here has been an unparalleled experience, which I cannot describe in words,' said Susan. The list is endless. Besides the over 450 foreigners in the Maheshwaranand camp, the Juna and Maha Nirvani Akharas too boast of nearly 250 people belonging from 17 countries who have chosen to embrace the Hindu spiritual path.
By Sharat Pradhan/Indo-Asian News Service

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Tamil Films facing closed doors in South

It was not long ago that Kannada film industry, apparently raged over the diminishing collections on account of copetition with Tamil films, demanded to the State government to restrict release of non-Kannada films in Karnataka for the six weeks. The state government subsequently conceded on account of which non-Kannada films were barred entry for the first six weeks of their release in Karnataka. That decision affected all other languages films as well. On account of that step alone, Karnataka witnessed a high number of remakes in Kannada from Tamil and Hindi films. It did not though brought any worthwhile trend of original stories or new concepts in Kannada movies. Some trade bodies even went to the Supreme Court against this order in 2004 and now recently state government has denied having issued any such order.
These trade bodies feared that neighbouring States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala will be provoked to take similar decision against release and exhibition of Kannada and other language films in their respective states. Though these apprehension were not realised owing to the little popularity of Kannada films in other regions, it has came into existance for Tamil films. The same situation aroused in Andhra pradesh some time ago. Some Chiranjeevi films having failed to garner collections to the level they once did, at the same time Rajinikant's Chandramukhi dubbed in Telugu making records in collections and Santkozhi, Thimiru, Aanai etc. films making waves on box-office gave sleepless nights to the industrywllahs. Faced with a lacklustre performance of a majority of Telugu films and Tamil dubbed films making hay one after another, the film producers association there demanded a ban on Tamil films dubbed in Telugu. But this demand, arose as did subsequently vanished without a whimper and no concrete decision in this matter has not been taken till now.
After the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, it is the turn of the Kerala now to try to halt Tamil films at its border.
Tamil films, actor, actresses and songs have a huge fan following in Kerala. Anyone watching Asianet or Surya TV can vouch for that. Even Malyalam actresses have a harvest time now in Kollywood. Asin, Nayanthara are two heroines who can prove this point. Sometimes Tamil songs have more buzz than the Malayalam songs in Kerala. Old horses like Rajinikant and Kamal Haasan command a big fanbase with young guns Vijay, Surya and Vikram following the suit. So much so, that though Prithviraj is a face to reckon with in Tamilnadu, he is a big craze in Kerala girls. A distributor in Palghat has the bought rights for Shivaji-the boss for a whooping amount of Rs. 35 Crores, which is considered a record in Kerala.
It is hardly surprising then that Mollywood's insiders are alarmed at the pace at which Tamil films are gaining ground. To contemplate on this situation, some financiers in Mollywood recently had a meeting. It was decided in this meeting that Tamil films should be released in Kerala few weeks after their release in Tamilnadu. Even so, this restriction is less likely to affect the films starring Rajini, Kamal, Vijay etc. These films will be released simultaneously in Kerala.

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Humanity Goes to Dogs

Special Eating Zone?

This is what modern india has come to! The nation in its eagerness to embrace progress, has unlearned the basic dignity of human, body and et al! This photo taken at Sonachuri area of Nandigram, in the state of West Bengal. Stray dogs were feeding on a charred human body of all the thing! Six people were killed and scores more injured in clashes between villagers and ruling Communist Party members in India's West Bengal state in a dispute over the acquisition of farmland for industrial purposes, according to reports.

Government of India had a policy decisionon 1.4.2000 for setting up of Special Economic Zones in the country with a view to provide an internationally competitive and hassle free environment for exports. All the import/export operations of the SEZ units will be on self-certification basis.
The policy provides for setting up of SEZ’s in the public, private, joint sector or by State Governments. It was also envisaged that some of the existing Export Processing Zones would be converted into Special Economic Zones. Accordingly, the Government has converted Export Processing Zones located at Kandla and Surat (Gujarat), Cochin (Kerala), Santa Cruz (Mumbai-Maharashtra), Falta (West Bengal), Madras (Tamil Nadu), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Noida (Uttar Pradesh) into a Special Economic Zones. In addition, 3 new Special Economic Zones approved for establishment at Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Manikanchan – Salt Lake (Kolkata) and Jaipur have since commended operations. In addition, approval has been given for setting up of 42 Special Economic Zones in various parts of the country in the private/joint sectors or by the State Government.
But all is not going well. Questions over proposed changes in land use are piling up, even as the commerce ministry and State governments galore.
Among the proposals that have received provisional approval are SEZs on tribal land and ecologically sensitive coastal areas.
Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who recently shot off letters to the Maharashtra government and commerce ministry seeking information under the Right To Information Act, said, "I have found 87 cases of violations in allotment of SEZs, from approvals granted for land that falls under the coastal regulation zone and tribal land, which don’t even meet the minimum land criteria, being given approvals."
Somaiya added, "Worldwide, there are only 393 SEZs but the government has approved as many as 467 SEZs till date, in just 6-7 months."
Another case is that of Pune-based Kumar Builders. The company had applied for a SEZ status for its 49.1 hectare development coming up near Pune.
Initially, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation had expressed reservations and the state government’s screening committee had decided not to support the proposal. However, the builder later submitted clarifications on the basis of which the state is reconsidering the proposal.
While Somaiya contends that the ministry rushed the case through despite MIDC’s reservations, the state government official said the case was taken up for reconsideration only after receiving the developer’s clarifications on the objections raised.
The unusual haste shown at government and beurocratic levels have irked the common public. India is a country that is mainly dependant on agriculture. The farmers here love their land more than anything else. We in India call our country Motherland. That's why someone coming from outside and setting their business has made them angry so much that the care for their own brethern has left the farming commuunity. The irony of this all is that the Left parties who oppose SEZ and Globalization and new economic reforms to the hilt are in Government in West Bengal and Trinmul Congress is oppossing them. What more can one say!

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Nancy Pelosi: Sky is the limit

That the American polity in general and American politics in particular is more mature than many other parts of the world is a fact few can deny. This maturity manifests itself time and again. The occasion of Nancy Pelosi taking the speakership of the U.S. House of Representatives was such an occasion.

Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House who grabbed the gavel yesterday. She opened the 110th Congress with a beaming smile and a crowd of grandkids at her feet. I was more amazed at the way she spoke at the occasion and the outgoing leader of the house congratulating her and promising her the full cooperation. As the one who is accustomed to see bickering and heartburn each time there is a change in guard in the government or some unexpected results in elections, this smooth flow of political common sense left me amazed to say the least.

Everyone knew how Republicans tested defeat in the recent Congressional elections and forced President George W. Bush and his ilk to rethink their aggressive endeavors towards Irak. So it was widely expected that this tussle would reflect in the proceedings of the house. Though it is too early to guess whether that anticipation will come true or not, the start of the proceedings did not betray any inclination of that sort of the thing. The message Pelosi gave to her countrymen was more worthwhile enough.

"For these children, our children, and for all of America's children, the House will come to order," she said, "For our daughters and our granddaughters, today we have broken the marble ceiling," said Pelosi (D-California.) "For our daughters and our granddaughters now, the sky is the limit," was her statement.

The promised era of bipartisanship began warmly, with former Majority Leader John Boehner calling the moment "historic" as he gave Pelosi the gavel and a hug. "My fellow Americans, whether you're a Republican, a Democrat or an independent, today is a cause for celebration," said Boehner (R-Ohio).

The new session also marked the first day back for Sen. Hillary Clinton, who is set to to push the limit Pelosi mentioned all the way to the White House. Glowing at the Democrats' takeover, the New York senator said her priority was making sure they do a good job. Mrs. Clinton also said it's up to the new Congress to show America it can work together. "We'll see now whether we can do it," she said.
Pelosi, even as she committed again to the most-open Congress in history, emphasized she'll move ahead swiftly on the Democrats' agenda - in the first 100 hours. That means there would be little time to involve Republicans. "Congress doesn't have two years or 200 days," Pelosi said.

I was more perplexed with the words while she issued a guised warning to President Bush on Iraq. Though in a low note voice that message was clear for Mr. Bush: Stay away from Iraq.
"It is the responsibility of the President to articulate a new plan for Iraq that makes it clear to the Iraqis that they must defend their own streets," were her exact words.
Ms Pelosi is one of 86 women set to serve in this Congress - the highest number in US history - although the institution remains overwhelmingly male. This is what BBC has to say in her profile : Mrs Pelosi succeeded Richard Gephardt, who stepped down after 13 years as House leader following his party's setbacks in the mid-term elections. A congresswoman from San Francisco, Mrs Pelosi had public commitments of support from more than half the House Democrats to beat off the challenges from Harold Ford and Marcy Kaptur. Her election brings a leading liberal voice to the leadership of the Democrats in the House.
She has pledged to take a more aggressive line in stressing her party's differences with the Republicans. During the mid-term elections and the congressional vote on the Iraqi war powers resolution, she opposed President Bush's policy, unlike many of her Democratic colleagues.
She fought the battle to become House leader from the strong position of Democratic whip in the House of Representatives, and enjoyed strong support from women members, liberals and the large number of representatives from her home state of California.

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Bharati
Lucky Coincidence
By Tanya Kokoska

He will be the only, who speaks. Will tell of millenniums old myths and ritual, will report about the struggle between tradition and modern that is the country of India. And in between he will interlace cheerful anecdotes. He will provide the German public an understandign of the love story of the beautiful Bharati and Siddharta, which otherwise comes out without words. He will become the cue for an ensemble of hundred dancers, musicians and acrobats – and will even wear himself Indian costumes. He, Friedrich Karl Praetorius, will be Sutradhar - the narrator.

Actually they wanted to have an Indian actor for this roll in the Bharati-the specatcle in Germany, who speaks German well, Praetorius says, but they found none, as always. So a Dutchman stood there first of all on the stage who spoke with accent, that caused involuntary and strange comic scenes in this intoxication out of strange sounds, exotic colors and attractive dances.

Then the call of the organizer and the question came whether Praetorius did not want to get the roll. "I thought first, is that uch an Event-spectacle as a Shakira-concert,” he says Then he had looked at the show and had hesitated no longer. "It is as though India came to me after I went there so often. One can name it as the chance or fate. I feel the stroke of fate will be the best."

Friedrich Karl Praetorius, born in 1952 in Hamburg speaks about the Bharati as though a childe, that he once saw the story of Pinocchio played in a theater. At that time for a six year old, he tells , “I got the impossible for possible-that was a lovely feeling.”
He sits at the large wooden table in his working room, which he has decorated with Indian furnitures and accessory. Illuminated candles, they smell like green tea, and the CD-player plays pieces of the music, which will appear from tonight in 41 presentations in 14 cities. Now he learns his text, filled with the "Keywords", cues, that he must give in Indian language, so that he can make them understand others. Although he "hates" Frankfurt without naming a concrete reason for that, he remained like to the defiance in the vicinity of this city, bought itself 13 years ago a half-timbered house in Maintal-Hochstadt, lives there his woman and two children. Friedrich Karl Praetorius - actor, director, author and painter - wants to become here old, he likes the "province", the creaking of the halls, the large garden. And yet he pulls it often to India, "because one can experience adventure there " - and would be it a deader that lies between the waiting before the load ticket window.

This article appeared at http://www.fr-online.de/in_und_ausland/kultur_und_medien/feuilleton/?cnt=1039418

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I had written before about the growing popularity of Indian films and India thereof in Germany. At that time, I had mentioned about the show, Bharati, to be held there. That mention remained albeit passingly and now I chanced upon some details of this show.
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS is a name to be reckoned with in Germany and the man is playing Sutradhar, the Narrator in the show. I read a couple of interviews which appeared just before this show and are especially related to it. In these interviews, he talks about playing his part in the show, how he landed in the role, his fascination for the India and what’s surprising, at least I was surprised, his knowledge about the India. I so longingly wish to see his portrayal and the show, but alas...While reading these interviews, I thought I should translate them so that my countrymen could also know how far this actor, director and paintor go. These translations are very loose to be sure but it sure brings out the frankness and magnamity of FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS

Interview by Irmgard Berner.

Mr. Praetorius, You are famous as a stage actor, have worked with Peter Zadek and Hans Neuenfels, written books and Theater pieces and paint. From January 2nd you are venturing into the world of Showbiz as the narrator of “Bharati-Das Wunder von Indien.” How have you traveled so far?

FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS: It is a coincidence. I am a tourist in India and search for the unreached areas there. That can be very adventurous. Sometimes that means going where one can not find the water to drink, where one can’t find descent hotels. But Mr. Mark Lieberberg, the concert agent, did not know it all as he knew me as a theater person of all, and asked me almost shyly what to do with musical. Lieberberg himself takes interest in so many subjects, rising above the typical German classification mania to describe Musical as dubious and theater on the other side as intellectual.
What role the Narrator is playing in the spectacle?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS: The show consist of 17 brilliant numbers, which consist of 101 singers, dancers, acrobats and artists from various ethnic groups from the subcontinent are taking part in the show-and they are of only best quality. They bring with them the religious elements of their motherland. The producer of the show Ghashadh Deshe was searching farmost corners of the India last five years-for the balance act between show and religion, which consists of 350,000 Gods.
And is the Narrator your dear Marshal uncle?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS: No, the figure is rather disrespectful of the Gods and makes jokes with the public-and that as a Hindu.
How do you look?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS:I asked myself: Am I not too thick? But that is too crazy, in India to be thic is taken as rich and beautiful. I have no make-up, have an Indian costume, am barefoot and have a pole. Imagine: 100 performers in a masterly choreography, bombardment of music instruments and bits of Sitar-sounds. This constant change needs a quiet point, to give it the rhythm, it the single speaking figure. His speech is written very tactfully. The spectator gets this love story between Sidharta and Bharati in a manner, that goes with the pure dances. So a sensual magic unfolds, that can not be explained to uninitiated.
You stand with very beautiful person on the stage. How much Eroticism they have?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS:Their beauty is incredible! Few Europeans know India, but many know the Kamasutra. The eroticisms of this was chiseled and represented in stone already before over 3,000 years are so beatiful, they can be said in no manner unsavory or pornographic. For me, they connect the sacred with the sexual in an ideal manner, especially the femaleness. That is not only my perception, women also admire how the Indians controlled the form, long before the Romans. Look at the sex of the Middle Ages in pictures of Hieronymus Bosch: these pale women with its deadly renouncing faces. In India also, that old ideal has been lost in part. Today many women are seen doing laborus work, they carry stones. They live in poverty. In the show, one does not naturally see that, but rather dancer in more absolute, lustful harmony.
With humour as well?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS:Yes, it comes in various elements of the music. It is very similar to the Jewish humor. Indians do not pose that much problems as much we do. Indians are so joyful, bringing with them certain innocence. Nevertheless one senses this enormous power in the music and one recognizes the country that constructs atom bombs. It is a sensual Storytelling.
What does that mean to you personally?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS:India came to me! In cultural concentration, in thinking, it is a gift.
What do you wish for to take from the show?
FRIEDRICH-KARL PRAETORIUS:The equanimity of the indian - as of April I will work again with Zadek.

The original story in German appeared in

http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/print/feuilleton/615549.html

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