I had a miscarriage, fine now: Dimpy Mahajan

There were reports last year that reality TV couple Rahul and Dimpy Mahajan were expecting their first child together. Dimpy confirmed the news, but informed that she suffered a miscarriage.

“It is true I was pregnant. But since doctors advise you to not reveal the news until the first three months, we didn’t speak about it. But I don’t know how this news leaked. Unfortunately I suffered a miscarriage in the very first month. It’s a normal thing and I am fine,” Dimpy told IANS on phone from Mumbai.

Dimpy married Rahul on national television in 2010. She pipped 14 contestants and over 16,500 applicants on Imagine TV’s reality show “Rahul Dulhania Le Jaayega” to marry the son of late Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan.

However, just four months after marriage, trouble started brewing when the Kolkata-based model accused Rahul of “punching, kicking and dragging” her. However, both of them later sorted out their differences and were back together. Dimpy says after two years, their bond has become much stronger.

“Our relationship has grown stronger over the years. We have had our share of ups and downs but now we understand each other much more than before and everything is going good,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dimpy is set to make her small screen debut as Naagin Jwala on Sahara One’s “Kahani Chandrakanta Ki” and says she is really excited about the show.

“I am playing a naagin (female serpent) in the show and I am really excited about it. Historical and mythological shows have always fascinated me. As a child I loved watching such shows because of their grand sets, clothes, jewellery and being part of it now is amazing,” she said.

But carrying the costume and jewellery is not easy, says Dimpy.

Another reason behind her taking up this show was to clear the misconceptions that Bengalis can’t speak pure Hindi.

“There is a misconception that Bengali people can’t speak proper Hindi and what can be better than to be a part of a show like this and to prove people wrong. All the dialogues in this show are in pure Hindi language,” she said.

So what kept you away from small screen for so long?

“The way we got married, I wanted some time to settle down, we had to understand each other more. Rahul always encouraged me to be a part of TV industry but I needed time and now after two years I feel it’s time that I do something for myself,” she said.

Goraay Gondogol

Cast: Rahul, Sampurna, Rudranil, Rajatava, Locket, Koneenica, Manasi, Kharaj, Biswanath, Dipankar, Rajesh Sharma, Saswata, Kanchan, Pradip, Biswajit Chakraborty Sankar, Lama and others

Movie Review: One is a ticket blacker (Saswata), the other a kidnapper (Rajatava). There’s one who runs a country liquor shop (Kharaj) and the rest earn their living by the sex trade (Manasi, Locket). And then there are Limca (Koneenica) and Noche (Rudra), both small-time thieves. Together they form Rik’s ( Rahul) joutha poribar. Rik, a software engineer, in love with Pola ( Sampurna) but whose marriage is left in the lurch for lack of a joint family. Pola’s mamababu cooks up a lie, rattling off about Rik’s ekannoborti poribar and palatial home. One lie leads to another and then another. Hence, ” Goraay Gondogol”.

Highly unlikely, you feel? But isn’t that what films are supposed to be? To make you subtly believe that dreams just might be true and give you a reason to expect the unexpected. Aniket Chattopadhyay, a master at comedy with his third, does exactly that and at the same time makes a point. That the so-called social outcasts have a heart too. Given a chance, they too can make a difference.

Mind you, Aniket preaches but without being preachy. He resorts to laughter to make this point. So, you laugh with the characters, get sentimental with them and even let those eyes moisten for a split second. Thanks to the sheer competence of the cast, the director’s job is easily done.

But there are a few portions you wish could have been more crisp. The climax, for one, seems a bit hurried, but you are ready to pardon it because of the way the cast unfold the characters. The best part is that Aniket doesn’t let any particular character stand out. He gives each character its screen time. So, when the film is long over, you take a little of every character back home. That’s the magic of this comedy of confusions.

Maach Mishti ’n’ More’s calender launch

The team of “Maach Mishti ‘n’ More” gathered at a city hotel on Friday evening for the calender launch of the film. The star cast – Soumitra Chatterjee, Swastika Mukherjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Rachita, Parno Mittra, Neha, Anubrata – was in full attendance. Also present was director Mainak Bhaumik.

“The purpose of launching the calender is to have an everlasting place in the homes of our viewers. As people relate to Bengalis with maach and mishti, I have tried to keep the essence of Bengal throughout my film, which is about three brothers belonging to a middle class Bengali family,” said Mainak.

Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who is playing a happy-go-lucky character, said, “I play the grandfather of the three male protagonists. He is a lively person, who does not believe in generation gap. He m o t ivat e s others to follow their
heart.”

Bobby Chakraborty gets on stage

Bobby Chakraborty is on a roll. Says the actor, who is now part of a play, “”It has been six years since my last English theatre, The Lesson”".

I starred as well as directed it for Theatrecian. I got a call recently from Debashish Raychaudhuri telling me that he is directing Tagore’s play Raja and that he was searching for Vikrambahoo, the villain. He got my reference from Barun Chanda (actor), Tathagata Roychowdhury (Theatrecian) and Sujoy Prosad (performer and ideator). Debashish da said, ‘Bobby, I want you to play Vikram.’”"

Bobby met him and read the script. “”I was floored by the play and the character of Vikrambahoo, who goes through a change in conscience from being an extremely arrogant, scheming, lecherous man to a humble, spiritual person in search of The Raja, who is actually God or Life, as one may interprete. I was extremely excited with Debashishda’s narration and the way he is planning the lavish production, which will have video footage, special effects and live theatre, filled with songs sung by Debashishda and his daughter Rohini, who is also a part of the cast,”" adds the actor.

Having done theatre in English, Bengali, live music shows, standup comedy, dance shows etc, in the past 10 years, Bobby is in love with the instant audience connect. “”It gives an actor a great high! One has become greedy for it, over the years. So this challenging offer to play Vikram was long awaited. I shuffled my shooting dates immediately to space out my rehearsal time. It was problematic with the committed dates, but I had to.”" William Radice will be playing Raja. He is an eminent British poet, writer, translator and lecturer in Bengali in the University of London.

Mirchi Music Awards Bangla 2011

The stage was set and the red carpet was rolled out. With music, dance and bonhomie, it was a night to remember on Saturday when the Mirchi Music Awards Bangla 2011 were given out to the stalwarts who struck the right chord last year.

Show hosts Mir and Rimjhim got the event to a smooth start and ensured that the laughathon was enjoyed by all. Be it quirky English translations of nationalistic Bengali songs like “Mother given coarse cloth, take it on your head brother,” or impromptu jigs on stage with Bandage upping the tempo, Mir was a hit with the audience and had Rimjhim giving him good company.

Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee was one of the firsts to walk in. And keeping him and others enthralled were scintillating performances by Sonalee and Soumili. In between, awards were given out and Anupam Roy seemed quite a happy man with five awards in his kitty. “He’ll need a coolie to take the awards home,” quipped Mir. Pratul Mukherjee bagged the Best Male Vocalist award, while the Best Female Vocalist award went to Shreya Ghoshal, who, however, could not make it to the do.

When Paoli took the audience on a retro journey, Mir was heard saying, “Duto jinisheri dam bereche, petrol ar Paoli.” We caught the actor backstage after her scintillating performance and she said, “This is the first time that I danced to Bengali retro numbers. I just loved it. An awards ceremony like this is so encouraging.” And considering the growing Bollywood interest in Bengali film music, Kunal Ganjawala’s performance came as no big surprise. He enthralled with his Bengali chartbusters, while an injured Abir was seen enjoying backstage. “My injury is not that serious, and I couldn’t have missed out on the awards night. Bengali film music is doing well and one can do better with some recognition,” he said.

Gaurab Chatterjee, better known as Gabu, walked away with Best Upcoming Composer award and was seen having a blast with his band members.

Joy Goswami catching people’s attention

The Joy Goswami stall at the book fair is drawing crowds and inspiring the author to write more poetry

The book fair – with all its madness and tumult, commerce and craft – has a nook dedicated to Joy. It’s where minds meet, conversation flows and over their love for one man – writer Joy Goswami – people find joy in literature.

Little wonder that the small stall – “Ekahne Shudhu Joy” – has been drawing young and old by the droves ever since the book fair opened on January 25. The brainchild of Prasun Bhowmik of ” Bijalpa Prakashan”, the stall is the one-stop destination for all the works by the author. It not only has his complete collection of works, but also his volumes of poetry, novels and other prose.

To the delight of his fans, there’s an array of merchandise on sale as well. There are pretty, peppy greetings cards inscribed with his poetry and coffee mugs that have his photo. A lot of admirers were also seen picking up audio CDs of his poems and colourful posters that are a collage of Joy’s pictures and writings.

What does the author have to say about the stall? “When Prasun Bhowmik first came up with the idea of a stall completely dedicated to me, I didn’t pay him much attention. But when I finally visited the stall, I was overwhelmed. The cups, posters and greeting cards have left me speechless. I didn’t have any idea that so many beautiful things could be designed from my creations. My entire collection of writings and CDs are arranged here, which is a good effort. All my different publishers helped immensely to prepare this collection. From what I’ve seen, readers are happy with this.”

The crowd at the stall comprises mostly teenagers and young adults. “I plan to propose to my long-time girlfriend with one of these cards. I’m sure she’ll be so happy that she’ll not say no to me,” said one 20-something Joy admirer with a wink.

The author admits that he had no clue that so many youngsters were interested in his poetry. “The crowd inside the stall surprised me. Most of them were students, some of them my daughter’s age. Their response is so positive that it inspires me to write more. I haven’t written any poetry in the last three years, but now I feel inspired to write for them. I’m overjoyed with the love they’ve showered on me.”

Just goes to show that some inspiration and oodles of creativity can go a long way in giving joy to both author and reader.

Aparajita Tumi

Cast: Prosenjit Chatterjee, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Kamalinee Mukherjee, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Tanusree Shankar, Indraneil Sengupta and Kalyan Roy, among others.

Movie Review: Aparajita Tumi” is the story of a man torn between two women. It’s a story of a woman coming to terms with the fact that the father of her two children can and does have fondness for another lady. It is the story of five lives, each fighting his/her own demons and trying to exist peacefully in a world that’s scarred by scabbed-over sensibilities.

The film, an adaptation of a Sunil Gangopadhyay story, deals with a wafer-thin plot surrounding the lives of two NRI couples – Pradip (Prosenjit), Kuhu (Padmapriya) and Ronojoy (Chandan Roy Sanyal), Ushashi (Kamalinee). As the friction between Kuhu and Ushashi increases, Pradip finds himself slowly dragged into the matrix of another relationship. The lives of Kuhu and Pradip vector into a different space where the latter’s sensitivity nurses the loneliness of the former’s cold marriage. Then comes the filmi twist in the tale, what with the news of Pradip’s malignancy rearing its ugly head.

Can crisis dissolve hatred enough to forgive a person? Can leftover emotions of attraction be erased because one has reconciled with his partner? Aniruddha answers a few questions and leaves behind the rest for the audience to figure out. What sets “Aparajita Tumi” apart is the treatment. The lyrical quality of Ranjan Palit’s lens, the sensitive dialogues of Shyamal Sengupta and a haunting sense of love in the times of loneliness that is partly reminiscent of Mira Nair’s “The Namesake”, saves the film from being a case of old wine in a new bottle. As one enters the life of a solitary woman (Padmapriya) walking down the shore while leafing through the pages of a book gifted during the second coming of her former partner (Yusuf), one ponders the meanings that unfold from her line: “Relationships are not about bonded labour.”

In terms of performances, Prosenjit comes up with a restrained and mature act. Combining an interesting blend of vulnerability, sensitivity and a person with a glad eye, he comes across as a character for whom life exists in spaces that are not defined by water-tight compartments of right and wrong. Then, there is Padmapriya. She internalizes her role and is all complete with her American accent and broken Bengali. Chandan is the dark horse, who surprises with his queer mix of cynicism, wit and world view (“lobhe e paap, paap e mukti”!). Kamalinee, as Chandan’s wife and Prosenjit’s love interest, has to precariously balance her act to retain the viewers’ empathy. Indraneil (both in terms of look and Bangal accent) comes across as a pleasant surprise as Yusuf. He keeps it very understated and yet makes sense while saying: “Shomoy er sathe sathe mone hoy odhikar gulo chole jaye”. While Soumitra Chatterjee’s guest appearance only adds a touch of nostalgia and curiosity value, Tanusree Shankar as Padmapriya’s mother is a good choice for the role.

If there is another hero in the film, it is Ranjan Palit. All credit goes to the master cinematographer who makes a modestly-budgeted Bengali movie look lyrical. There is loneliness written over the montage of images that tug at the heart even as composer Shantanu Moitra (with his team of Anindya Chattopadhyay, Chandril Bhattacharya, Neha Rungta, Shreya Ghoshal, Hansika Iyer, Monali Thakur, Suraj Jagan and Rupankar) musically articulate what is essentially “Bola baron”.

The film’s languid pace might work for some but for the restless others, it runs the risk of making it a boring film. But, the in-film branding is quite an eyesore and no matter how much the director argues about the need to recover money, they remain like irritating ink blots on the rich and aesthetic tapestry of Palit’s canvas.

On Saraswati puja celebs walk down the memory lane

First smoke and first love. anjali and bhog. watching films and getting caught. Saraswati puja – Bangalir valentine’s day – is as much about the devi as it is about the divas and dudes. celebs walk down memory lane with TOI

Soham, actor

Para puja first
Imet my fiance, Tanaya, on Saraswati Puja. And I proposed to her the next year on the same day. For the past 15 years, three of my close friends and I have been organizing the puja in a big way in our neighbourhood. Earlier, we would be involved in the nitty-gritty, from pandal-making to preparing the bhog. Once we even chased a purohit, who left the puja half-way, as he had many other puja commitments! The best part about Saraswati Puja is that most girls on the street resemble the devi. It’s such a pretty sight. I love being involved in my para puja. If there’s an outdoor shoot, nothing can be done, but I try my best not to keep work on the day. It has to be only for celebrations.

Raj Chakrabarty, director

My first smoke
I had my first cigarette hidden behind a Saraswati Puja pandal, some 25 years back. The idea behind doing an elaborate para puja was to impress the neighbourhood girls, who would come draped in basanti-coloured saris with shampooed hair neatly tied up. I would religiously serve them generous amounts of khichudi, apart from aloor chop and a soft drink each. Seeing them feast on the bhog was such a treat to the eyes! Yes, attempts were made to spell those three charmed words (read, I love you) quite a number of times to quite a few girls, but all in vain. The best part about Saraswati Puja is that for Bengalis, it’s a universal free-mixing day. During my childhood, no one snubbed me on stepping out on that day without informing the elders. Though I miss those days, Saraswati Puja is still celebrated in a big way by my friends and family. I have a puja in my office, where my unit gathers for lunch. Like trained cooks, we make our own
khichudi. It’s fun unlimited.

Sidhu, singer

Love doctor
The best memories of Saraswati Puja are from college. I was a student of Calcutta National Medical College and the girls’ hostel was within the campus. But throughout the year the gates would remain shut on us. There was a strict security guard and the girls too were not too willing to let us in. It was only on the day of Saraswati Puja that we would be given the
permission to enter the hostel. We were more than willing to know which girl lived in which room and being the perfect hosts, they would cook stuff for us. What’s more, Lady Brabourne College was next to the campus and we would have non-stop adda with the girls all day. For the past three years, I have been busy judging school pujas. This year, Surajit and I will be judging pujas on college campuses. Apart from the idol and pandal, another parameter is the ambience. For me, that’s synonymous with how girls and guys come together for the puja.

Anindya, singer

Day to do or die
The girls with whom I shared the same bench in coaching classes, would suddenly become dignified women on Saraswati Puja. In dhuti-panjabi, the boys too would turn into men. There was always the license to mingle with those from the opposite sex. For one day, it would not attract the wrath of elders. When I was in Scottish Church College, I would look forward to making some female friends on that day. The common perception was: ‘This is the day. Do or die’. I would also go out with those special friends on that day, taking rounds of para pujas. Now, when I see youngsters doing the same, I stand on my balcony and curse my fate. This year, I’m planning to take my son, Juju, out for anjali. Visiting quite a few friends’ places is also on the cards.

Shiboprosad Mukherjee, director

Brahmachari? never!
I was a student of Baranagar Ramakrishna Mission. There was a girls’ institution nearby – Rajkumari School. Many of the girls would come down on Saraswati Puja to our school. My mom, who always wanted her son to be a brahmachari, got a rude shock when I held many a hand while distributing flowers for anjali. I remember the Maharaj telling me, “Tomar mon khub chanchal, tomar sanyasi howa hobena.” Whenever I saw a girl in a sari walking past me, I would start imagining her as my bride. These days, I feel so envious when I see young girls and guys walking down the street, engrossed in each other. I desperately want to go back to my school days, but that’s not to be. But the puja still has a special place in my heart. I still don’t have plums before the puja.

Rudranil Ghosh, actor
Books to phonebook
Iused to study in Kedarnath Institution and next door was Tarasundari, an all-girls school. Obviously, Saraswati Puja was a day to look forward to. Dolled up in yellow sari and bindi, the girls would look divine. Once I remember I was at Tarasundari, but since the school didn’t have a guy’s toilet, I had to use a restroom for girls. And the trauma after that – with close and not-so-close friends, ribbing me on that adventure! Ever since then, I’ve made it a habit to find out about the gents’ loo before entering a venue. The best part about Saraswati Puja is that every girl looks her prettiest on that day. Since I don’t score too high in the looks department, I never got any proposals on what’s known as Bangalir Valentine’s Day. And I would be so puzzled seeing so many beauties together that I, too, never managed to pop the question. These days, Saraswati Pujas are spent judging the pandals and idols. Earlier, I would offer books for puja; now I offer my phonebook instead!

Subhashree, actor

The diva and her prem divas
Wearing a sari is a must on Saraswati Puja. In our family, it’s customary for every girl to wear a new sari and my mom gets me one every year. When I was a kid, I would offer anjali at home with my cousin and then head straight to school. Since it was a girls’ school, by the time the puja got over, a lot of guys would gather to catch a glimpse of the sari-clad divas! On a certain occasion, I remember having used the pretext of Saraswati Puja to catch “Koi Mil Gaya” with friends. But my father, being the accountant of the school, caught us red-handed! Yes lots of guys would pop that one question (Do you love me?). After all, it’s known as Prem Divas. Now, when I have a puja at home, I miss those childhood days spent in Burdwan. But still, wearing a basanti-coloured sari is a must. And even today, my mom gets me one.

PAOLI, actor

An evening of blank calls
When I was in Class VIII, I received my first love letter on Saraswati Puja. Since I was in a missionary school, fun for me began only after school hours, when I would go out with my cousins for a para trip. It was during this time that many young Romeos would ask for my residence number, and I, too, would oblige some with it. Evening onwards, there would be constant blank calls on the phone, which my mom would receive, leaving callers at the other end disheartened. The best part about the day is that there’s no moral policing and for me, it’s the ideal day to offer love. These days, if I am in the city, I start with the puja at home. Yes, visiting the para, even today, is a must.

Film with city cast in Oscar race

A film shot almost entirely in Calcutta, and featuring mostly a Bengali cast and crew that included Arindam Sil as executive producer and actor, has been nominated for this year’s Oscars.

Raju, made by Germany’s Hamburg Media School, is in contention for the Best Short Film (Live Action) at the 84th Academy Awards, to be given out at the Kodak Theatre on February 26. The nomination was announced on Tuesday.

The film revolves around a German couple who come to Calcutta and adopt an orphaned boy. City lad Krish Gupta essayed the title role.

Besides Tolly actor Sil in production and acting roles, the 24-minute film has Suchismita Dasgupta as its costume designer.

“I can’t believe it,” was how Sil reacted when Metro shared the Oscar news with him. “I knew we were making something special but an Oscar nomination is really incredible news,” he gushed.

Director Max Zahle and producer Stefan Gieren had zeroed in on Calcutta after their research revealed illegal child adoption was rampant in the city. “Although they were film students, it was a huge learning experience for all of us in the methodical way they approached the film,” recounted Sil.

Raju has already won many accolades and awards, including the Bronze Medal at the Student Academy Awards.

Calcutta has become a regular feature at the Oscars. In 2008, Salim Baba, a documentary about a roving Cinemawallah from Marcus Road, was nominated for an Oscar. In 2004, Born Into Brothels, a look at kids in Calcutta’s red-light district, won the academy award for Best Documentary.

Kabir Suman at a musical do in Kolkata

You would hardly see him in socializing, let alone singing in a public forum.

However, Kabir Suman made a rare appearance at The Basement, Hotel Samilton, on Thursday as he mingled with the crowd and, on their insistence, sang along with Arko, Ludo and their bandmates. Actor Parambrata and director Srijit also dropped by to enjoy the music.