Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Amazon’s Mini Series ‘Afsos’, Brings Back Gulshan Devaiah With A Twisted Story

Gulshan Devaiah, after Mard Ko Dard Nai Hota, is returning to the screen with another chilling character who is playing with life and death. Amazon Prime Video recently unveiled the trailer of their upcoming show titled, Afsos. The streaming service has called the series, as a suspense thriller about a suicidal man who hires a deadly assassin to kill him.

GulshanDevaiahKF01jan1520220

Starring Gulshan Devaiah, Anjali Patil, and Heeba Shah in the leading roles, Afsos, takes a look into the lives of depressed people. The mental illness that leads one wanting to take their life, can be a heavy burden and for our lead character, Nakul aka, Gulshan Devaiah, its a way out, but can’t get that right either.

In the trailer, Gulshan talks about feeling insignificant and wanting to take his own life. After his 11th attempt fails he hands over the task into another’s hand. A shady organisation, run by two assassins, who hand him a rate card for how he wants to die. In exchange for a hefty amount Gulshan then places an order for an assassin who is set to shoot him in the head. But after figuring out he wants to live, Gulshan has no option but to outrun his killer.

source: http://www.youtube.com

The events in the trailer then turn into suspense as, Gulshan is trying to run away with his therapist, Sholka, played by Anjali Patil. However, according to the trailer he does get killed. Anjali can be seen yelling out Nakul’s name, with blood splattered on her face. Heeba then can be seen walking away from the scene with a gun tucked in her shirt.

Another scene shows, Nakul standing next to his own body in the hospital, (which to be honest could be a dream or a hallucination). The show’s official description also calls the series as a dark comedy, it says, “A suicidal man and a deadly assassin encounter the world of immortality in this black comedy suspense thriller.” It hints that Afsos is more than a cat and mouse chase, and we might be able to see Gulshan develop a bond with his assassin.

Afsos, is sure to send a chill down your spin with the talented cast, good story. The dark comedy will also share some interesting concepts like a group of killers assisting in suicidal people. Ujjwal Chopra in the trailer can be seen complaining about how there is no dignity in killing people who want to die.

The trailer also sets an unusual tone for the story. While most of it comes off as an ironic comedy, it quickly turns into something dark to something supernatural. The text in the trailer, warns one about being careful what you wish for, in life and in death.

The eight-episode series is directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, who was part of films like the black comedy-drama Dev.D (2009) and crime-drama Gangs of Wasseypur (2012). Written by Anirban Dasgupta, Sourav Ghosh and Dibya Chatterjee, Afsos will air on Amazon Prime Video on, January 17, 2020.

source: http://www.filmibeat.com / FilmiBeat / Home> Television> Web Series / by Sanyukta Thakare / January 14th, 2019

‘Sri Bharatha Baahubali helped me test my acting skills’

SarahHarishKF12jan2020

Model Sarah Harish is turning actor with Sri Bharatha Baahubali. She started her modelling career at the age of 17, and became a popular face on billboard and TV advertisements, and it has taken her almost nine years to make it to the big screen. “Initially, I was not thinking about acting. Even though I was approached with various subjects, I didn’t consider it until Sri Bharatha Baahubali happened,” says the newcomer from Coorg. “Director Manju Mandavya spotted me in a commercial and offered this subject,” she adds.

While shooting for Sri Bharatha Baahubali, Sarah realised that acting for a TV commercial and facing the camera for a movie character are completely different things. “Not much of acting is required when you are doing a TV commercial, which is not the case in cinema. Sri Bharatha Baahubali helped me test my acting skills,” she says.

So does she consider Sri Bharatha Baahubali as the perfect launchpad? Sarah reveals that it took her a little time to get convinced. “I was very new to this world of glamour. But the story and the way the director narrated the character to me, made me say ‘yes’. I realised that I have scope for performance, and the role is as important as the lead characters, played by Manju Mandavya and Chikkanna,” says Sarah, who plays an NRI in the film. “I was also happy to have got the freedom to choose my costumes. On the whole, everything about Sri Bharatha Baahubali was in my favour,” she adds.

Sarah admits that handling the 8-hour shifts was a challenge. But the feeling changed after she completed the film. “I was clueless when I started, and to top it, I was the only female in the whole team. I didn’t know what to expect and how to go about it. However, once I started, the scenario changed, and I got comfortable. This film helped me developed patience, and I got to learn a lot. It wouldn’t have happened without the help of director Manju Mandavya and Chikkanna,” explains Sarah.

Recalling her first schedule with Chikkanna, she says, “My first few shots made me nervous, and I was hesitant to go for retakes, thinking I will be wasting Chikkanna’s time. But they told me to relax, and it helped me get into the character.”

Ask Sarah about what she misses about the film sets, and pat comes to the reply, “Food.” She adds, “I would wait to eat ragi mudde every day during the 45-day shooting schedule stretched over eight months. Being a first-timer, I was given a lot of importance on the sets, which I loved, and miss now.”

Working with Chikkanna was one of the best things about the film, Sarah says. “His sense of humour is too good, and it can lighten the atmosphere in any set-up. The best about being with Chikkanna is seeing him act. He is a one-take actor, and that’s something I should be learning from him,” she adds, also mentioning director-actor Manju Mandavya, who dons many hats in the film. “He is a multi-talented person, and I wonder how he manages to do so much, and still keeps himself calm. Even when there is a lot of chaos, he still handled it with so much patience,” she says.

Sarah is now waiting to watch her film, which is set for release on January 17. “There are bumper gifts on offer, and those who watch the film in the first two weeks will get an opportunity to win a car, gold, and gift hampers. I too want to be in the audience and get lucky,” she laughs.

source: http://www.m.dailyhunt.com / Daily Hunt / Home> English News> Cinemaexpress.com / by www.cinemaexpress.com / January 11th, 2020

Showcasin Kodava Culture

A fictional play ‘Pommodira Ponnapa’ based on the life of Pommodhira Ponnappa will be staged in the city.

PommadiraKF10jan2020

Bengaluru :

A fictional play ‘Pommodira Ponnapa’ based on the life of Pommodhira Ponnappa will be staged in the city. The play will also showcase Kodava culture.

It revolves around the life led by great Kodavas. The crux of the play is the friendship between the hero Ponnu and Kala. It celebrates the loyalty and sacrifice as it plays out in their relationship. It also highlights the unconditional love of the warrior woman Poovi towards Ponnu and her respect towards nature to live life meaningfully.

It has been directed by K R Ganesh Shenoy, one of the founding members of Sanchaya theatre troupe, Bengaluru. He has been an active name in theatre circle for more than three decades, He has contributed to many theatre, literature works and many Kannada programmes. Ganesh Shenoy has earlier directed ‘SuddiiduSuddi’ play for VASP theatre and he’s currently directing ‘Pommodira Ponnapa’ for the same. The play has been written by Lalitha KP.

This play will be staged at Ranga Shankara on January 10 and 11.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / January 08th, 2020

Patrade

Courtesy: Naren Thimmaiah
Courtesy: Naren Thimmaiah

At Karavalli, every dish is sourced from its region of origin, and the recipes learnt from mothers and grandmothers. Patrade, a popular Konkani dish, was sourced from Pangal Nayak’s ancestral home in Katpadi near Udupi on the Mangalore coast. Colocasia leaves grow wildly in this region, especially in the monsoon. These leaves are layered with a paste of lentils and spices, rolled, steamed and pan-roasted to make Patrade. It is a great evening snack. Of course, there are numerous variations of it across India.

Serves 8

Cook Time 01h

Plus 3 hours for soaking rice

Ingredients
250 gm rice
50 gm ghee
50 gm red chillies
25 gm coriander seeds
25 gm cumin seeds
20 gm roasted moong dal
20 gm roasted chana dal
20 gm roasted toor dal
20 gm salt
50 ml tamarind pulp
20 colocasia leaves

Preparation
Soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours and drain.
Grind the rice, along with all other ingredients, except the colocasia leaves and ghee, into a thick batter.

Clean the colocasia leaves and remove the thick veins. Place the leaves on a platform with the back facing up.
Spread the batter on one leaf in an even layer and cover it with another leaf. Spread another layer of batter on it. Repeat the process twice.
Fold both ends and roll up the leaves, ensuring no batter oozes out.
Once all the rolls are made, place them in a steamer for about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow the Patrade to cool.
Once cool, cut them into thick slices.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the Patrade (for about 4 minutes on each side) and serve with extra ghee.

Naren Thimmaiah

Chef Naren Thimmaiah has been the face of Taj Hotels’ iconic Karavalli for over two decades, ensuring that it has a permanent spot among the world’s finest restaurants. His culinary genius has won him and his restaurant multiple prestigious awards. He is popular on television, and serves on the Board of Studies at Christ University and Srinivas University in addition to numerous hotel management institutes. He also advises the food panel of MasterChef India.

source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Food> Taste Test / by Naren Thimmaiah / January 08th, 2020

The making of India

IndiaThroughPeopleKF10jan2020

In her latest book India Through People: 25 Game Changers, Devika Cariapa talks about the people who drove change
“Children are naturally interested in history,” feels writer Devika Cariapa. “Notice how carefully even the youngest of them listens to stories told by a grandmother or elder — particularly lingering on details of how they lived, what they wore, what they did at school and what they ate for lunch! It’s a natural progression then to get young readers interested in stories from history in a factual but fun way. Once they are hooked, it becomes a lifelong interest.” Devika, whose second and latest book for Tulika, India Through People: 25 Game Changers, was released last week, is also an archaeologist.

“The more I worked in archaeology, researching and visiting sites, the more I felt there were wonderful stories there that children would enjoy,” says Devika, over email. And so, when she became a full-time writer, she knew what her first book would be about — India Through Archaeology: Excavating History, is part of Tulika’s India Focus series. Devika explains that the series “will tell the story of India through the lens of different subjects”.

DevikaCariapaKF10jan2020

In India Through People…, Devika talks about India’s recent past, that she calls “a century and a half of great, radical changes”. To do so, she has picked 25 people who “helmed that change with great courage and vision”. She explains: “These game changers, all born after 1850, dealt with the challenges of the time and in doing so, not only left an imprint on their particular fields but also forged new paths for the nation.”

Narrowing down on the 25 men and women, however, was not an easy task. “This was probably the most difficult part of doing the book!” she adds. “For every one person included, there were at least two others that we felt could have been featured instead. We chose people from a range of fields and different parts of the country and ensured that those we could not fit in due to constraints of the size of the book were referenced in the timelines attached to each chapter.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books / by Akila Kannadasan / August 20th, 2019

Addanda C. Cariappa Takes Charge As Rangayana Director

AddandaCariappaKF01Jan2020

Mysuru:

Senior theatre personality Addanda C. Cariappa took charge as the 18th Director of Rangayana, Mysuru, after offering floral tributes to the portrait of theatre repertory’s Founder-Director B.V. Karanth in the Director’s Office at Rangayana here this morning.

Speaking to presspersons, Cariappa said that it was the blessings of his parents and his over 30 years of dedicated service to the theatre that had brought him to the post. Noting that he was delighted to become the Director, he said he would give his best to take the theatre repertory to much greater heights.

Maintaining that he had only aspired for the post, but had not expected it, he said that he was satisfied with his work of promoting theatre in Kodagu, which was not an easy task.

Admitting that the National Theatre Festival Bahuroopi is a challenge, Cariappa said that Bahuroopi should have been organised during Sankranti, but this year it has been deferred due to the delay in the appointment of the Director. Although the festival may be delayed, it will be ensured that the event will be organised as a prime theatre festival of the country, he remarked and added that he will be holding a meeting with senior Rangayana artistes later this afternoon to discuss the ways to take Bahuroopi to every nook and corner of the country.

Replying to a question on the removal of Rangayana Directors even before completion of their term, he said that the heads of all cultural Institutions like Rangayana should be allowed to complete their terms, as they will have chalked out programmes for 3 years. The removal of heads of cultural Institutions with change in Government will hurt the plans envisaged by them, he said while asserting that the Directors of any Cultural Authority, including Rangayana should not be disturbed till the completion of their term. Even Baragur Ramachandrappa Committee too had recommended the same to the Government, he said .

Replying to another question on whether his political affiliations with the BJP had helped him in occupying the top post, Cariappa said that as an individual he has been in politics, engaging himself in social work. “I have contributed a lot for promoting theatre in Kodagu along with my wife Anitha, also a theatre artiste and the Government recognising my work for theatre has appointed me to the post out of trust,” he said.

Replying to another question on whether there will be more Kodava plays in Rangayana, he said that ‘Rangabhoomi’ is in itself a language and as such there is no particular language for theatre. Asserting that many Kodava plays have been staged at Rangayana in the past, he stressed that languages such as Kodava, Tulu and Konkani are brotherly languages of Kannada and as such any harm to these languages will certainly hurt Kannada.

Rangayana Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunswamy, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa and others were present on the occasion.

Thereafter, Cariappa addressed Kodava Samaja members and Rangayana artistes at Bhoomigeetha, where a one-minute silence was observed as a mark of tribute to the departed Pejawar Mutt Seer.

Recalling the history of Rangayana since its inception in 1989, he said in a lighter vein how he married Anitha, who was a Rangayana artiste then.

Pointing out that Kodagu’s most acclaimed poet Appacha Kavi was inspired by Mohammad Peer, a professional theatre artiste from Mysuru in those times, Cariappa recounted his association with the theatre for over three decades.

Declaring that he will not be carried away by the top post, he assured that he would work honestly for bringing more name and fame for the city’s theatre repertory. Likening the work in Rangayana as that of a farmer, he said that a perfect co-ordination between all those involved was needed for bringing out the best of Rangayana.

Mysuru Kodava Samaja President K.K. Belliappa, Secretary M.M. Ponnappa, former Presidents Dr. A.A. Kuttappa and K.A. Cariappa, Corporator M.U. Subbaiah, actor Jadhav, noted theatre personality Nanda Halemane, senior Rangayana artiste Hulugappa Kattimani and others were present on the occasion.

Former Rangayana Directors

B.V. Karanth (1989), Y.K. Muddukrishna (1995-Incharge), C. Basavalingaiah (1996), Prasanna (2001), K.T. Chikkanna (2003-Incharge), Chidambara Rao Jambe (2004), K.T. Chikkanna (2008-Incharge), Dr. B. Jayashree (2009), K.T. Chikkanna (2009-Incharge), Lingadevaru Halemane (2010), B.T. Munirajaiah (2011-Incharge), Dr. B.V. Rajaram (2011), K.R. Ramakrishna (2013-Incharge), H. Janardhan (2013), K.A. Dayanand (2016-Incharge), M.S. Archana (2017-Incharge), Bhagirathi Bai Kadam (2017).

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 31st, 2019

A Father Figure Of Forest’s Flora And Fauna

KodavaForesterKF22dec2019

Title : An Autobiography of a Kodava Forester
Author : Dr. Kodira Achappa Kushalapa, IFS (Retd.)
Pages : 228
Price : Rs. 200
Year : 2019
Publisher : Dr. K.A. Kushalapa, Mysuru.

In the film of 90 minutes duration, titled “Beautiful people: Some call them animals,” a comic allegory produced in 1974, focussing on various animals that live in arid desert environment of Africa by Jamie Uys, humorously draws parallels between animal and human behaviour. Dr. K.A. Kushalapa can vouch for the message in the film that the denizens of the forest are indeed beautiful people in a wide sense of the term, having shouldered the arduous duties of conserving India’s forests, steadily shrinking as a percentage of the total geographical area of the country. His empathy for the denizens and concern for enduring the flora have not witnessed even an iota of diminishing to this day despite retiring from an illustrious service for long years as a professional forester. Circle for Mysuru’s intelligentsia and senior citizens who have known him can testify to the vast knowledge of the author about A to Z of forest and its importance of vital role in sustaining the balance between human beings and other species on earth.

The narrative divided into 16 chapters, each with a caption indicative of specific aspects of the author’s early life and landmark events relating to his professional career culminating in his elevation to the highest post in the Department of Forest in the State Government.

Writing about Dr. Kushal-apa, in his foreword, Man-depanda K. Appayya, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Karnataka, has expressed his admiration of the author’s noble qualities of head and heart, that earned him respect, recognition and rewards by his achievements both academic and professional.

The events of the author’s childhood and in later stages presented in all humility and graphic details trigger in the minds of readers what a person can achieve by being stoic and steadfast along with the support of family members, as revealed by the author himself in his preface. The trials and tribulations that he has encountered at different periods of life but overcome with courage and hope sound poignant. His life’s saga belies the myth of Kodavas as a community of only planters and warriors, by emerging as a star among them in the world of academics also. The 128 published papers listed in the book’s Chapter 14, 10 abstracts of technical papers and 10 titles of social articles listed in Chapter 15 give the readers an insight into Dr. Kushalapa’s deep interest in enlightening the lay people dispelling their utter lack of knowledge about forests.

Dr. Kushalapa has thought-fully included 69 photographs, many in colour, with images of his family members as well as people who were his colleagues, showing him as an impeccable handsome person. If his dream of generating in Kodava youth the desire to spread out into various areas of challenge by pursuing professions outside the ambit of restricted areas for which Kodavas are known, is fulfilled, the author’s autobiography gets full worth of the work of writing and publishing. The proceeds of the sale of the publication is meant to be utilised for philanthropic cause. —BRS

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / December 22nd, 2019

School Annual Day

The 37th Annual Day of Sree Cauvery School, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, will be held at its premises on Dec.20 at 4.30 pm.

Kodava Samaja-Bengaluru President and senior advocate Muckatira T. Nanaiah will be the chief guest.

Kodava Samaja Education Council Chairperson Dr. K.K. Seethamma will preside.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / December 19th, 2019

Where Devotees Offer Clay Dog Idols To Deity

ClayDogs01KF19dec2019

Napoklu:

Have you heard of a Temple where figurines of dogs are offered as a vow (harake) to appease Gods? There is a unique Temple at the remote village of Bethu near Napoklu in Kodagu District where visitors are greeted with thousands of dog idols that look like they are howling.

The historical Makki Shasthavu Temple at Bethu draws thousands of devotees to its Jathra Mahotsava where the figurines of dogs are offered. It has been a practice for devotees to offer clay dogs to the deity in fulfilment of the vow they made. Devotees visit the Temple in large numbers and offer such clay dogs, during the annual fair of the Temple. This year, the fair is being held from Dec. 16 (today) to Dec. 19.

Centre for Truth: The Makki Shasthavu Temple is otherwise known as the “Centre for Truth” and every year, two fairs are held. While the first main fair is held during December, the second main fair is held during May. The Temple fair is marked by pomp in the region. The Temple is surrounded by thick forest and as the number of devotes is usually large, the entire campus of the Temple is filled with clay dogs.

ClayDogs02KF19dec2019

On Dec. 16, clay dogs are offered as it is the day of ‘Dhanu Sankramana.’ Devotees climb the steps to have a glimpse of the stone idol of the presiding deity, ‘Shasthavu Devaru’, placed on a pedestal under a jackfruit tree and characterised by the trident (trishula). The circular pedestal is five feet in height.

The clay dogs are offered to the deity during the festival in December, on the day of ‘Dhanu Sankramana.’ The clay dogs, however, are prepared in the ‘Vruschika Masa’, a month before the festival. The order can be placed by paying Rs. 350 for a pair of dogs. The fairs are celebrated with rituals like Deeparadhane, Ajjappa Kola and Vishnumoorthy Kola.

Secret transportation: Once the clay dog idols are prepared, the idols are transported to the Temple during wee hours and they are carried in such a way that no one sees the transportation process. First, the idols are taken to the ‘Karpathachan Nade’ near the ‘Bethu Mandh.’ Here, the idols are worshipped with flowers, kumkum and sandalwood paste. Later, they are carried and deposited inside the Makki Shasthavu Temple around the pedestal that has the tridents (trishulas).

ClayDogs03KF19dec2019

Interestingly, so secretive is the movement of the clay dogs that villagers do not venture on that road before the idols are shifted. There is a strictly followed belief that no one must cross the way of the idols. As such, people desist from walking on that road during the festival season.

Rotis for dogs: There is a tradition of preparing rice rotis to be given as offerings to the clay dogs as Naivedya. Men from the families that take the vow of offering clay dogs prepare a fireplace near the Temple with stones and they collect firewood and deposit them near the fireplace. The women from the family stay overnight at a designated place near Temple and bathe in cold water early in the morning.

They later powder the rice to prepare rotis and bake them on the fireplace that their men had prepared. Once the rotis are baked they place them on plantain leaves all along the route through which the men transport the clay idols of dogs.

Why the vow?: The vow of offering a clay dog is taken to protect the dogs of households from external attacks. If the dogs in the house are safe, the properties owned by the families like land, crops and wealth too will be safe from thieves and other threats. This is the firm belief the villagers of surrounding areas have.

Of late, there is a scarcity of fine clay. Realising this, the Temple Management Committee said that the clay dogs meant for the offerings were brought to the Temple from Dharmasthala at a cost of Rs. 1.20 lakh two years ago. Clay idols submitted by devotees in the previous years are replaced during the Temple fair.

ClayDogs04KF19dec2019

The legend of the Temple

There are several legends associated with the Makki Shasthavu Temple. Many years ago, at the Temple, there was a ‘Thirula’ (a man who is possessed with a divine spirit). This Thirula was once imprisoned for some reason. During one of the festivals, there was a loud sound of drum beats at the Temple and this Thirula, under divine possession, broke the shackles of the prison and came before the Temple pedestal. Under divine influence, the Thirula was able to break the prison shackles and also free himself from the handcuffs by vigorously shaking his hands before the Makki Shasthavu deity. Due to sheer force, a broken piece of the handcuff flew and got etched to the bark of the jackfruit tree (see pic.). This metal piece can be seen even now. The clay used to prepare the idols is sourced from Balamuri village nearby. This has been the practice for the past 30 years. After preparing the idols, they have to be dried in shade. As per tradition, members belonging to 12 families of the village compulsorily bring 12 pairs of clay dogs and submit it at the Temple.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 16th, 2019

For the love of ‘magical’ beans

The book constantly reminds you why we need coffee in our lives
The book constantly reminds you why we need coffee in our lives

Harish Bhat’s new book takes readers on an adventurous journey from the coffee plantations of Coorg to graveyards in Japan—to remind them of the joy a hot cuppa brings.

An Extreme Love Of Coffee is an adventure story running on a caffeine kick. It’s simple, fast paced and constantly reminds you why we need coffee in our lives, every day, maybe even every hour.

It’s also a tribute to Indian coffee blends.

After writing two books on business, marketing and consumer behaviour—The Curious Marketer: Expeditions In Branding And Consumer Behaviour and Tatalog: Eight Modern Stories From A Timeless Institution—Harish Bhat, the brand custodian of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd and a Mint columnist, has published his first novel that blends coffee and magic, with enough servings of adventure and travel.

It follows a young couple, Rahul and Neha, who, after drinking a cup of “magic” coffee, are entrusted with a quest that promises to end in treasure. As they race from the lush green coffee plantations of Coorg to strange graveyards in coffee-loving Japan in search of the prize, they find Japanese assailants trailing them with swords, a friendly ghost and their passion for warm frothy concoctions and each other. A part of a poem by Neha sums up the spirit of the book: “Coffee love, do you rise like steam. Warm aromas that make my dream? With delicious magic by your side. On what carpet am I astride?”

The book reminds coffee-drinkers why they love the drink and gives non-drinkers enough reason to give it a try.

Write to us at businessoflife@livemint.compooja singh

source: http://www.livemint.com / LiveMint / Home> Explore / by Pooja Singh / December 17th, 2019