Anil kapoor at the Oscars..somebody tell this guy off!

Anil Kapoor, after introducing himself and his companion Irrfan Khan to an enthusiastic American reporter at the Oscar awards ceremony, went on to say how thrilled he was because an "Indian film" had made it so big. What followed it was even more embarrasing. The man then beamed " Jai Maharashtra, Jai Mumbai" from the red carpet (after self-congratulatory saying that how till now, a billion people knew us - referring to himself and a rather shy Irrfan Khan - and how that number has gone up phenomenally after this success), thus completing our embarrasment. For starters, Kapoor and a lot of our fellow Indians, who seem to share his euphoria, need a reality check. Slumdog Millionairre, is not an "Indian Film". It, sure, is an Indian story. But that doesnt make it "our film". We have to remember that Danny Boyle, the acclaimed director of this film, is a British citizen. This film, probably, was just another project for him, a hugely successful one at that. There's nothing to suggest that his involvement with the subject goes "deeper" than that. It was simply an adaptation of a book by an Indian author which seemed cinematically promising. Add to it the already exploited potential of Mumbai as the setting, what with all its chaos, colours and the spirit of survival against all odds, which itself makes for a great rags-to-riches, happy-ending film formula. Haven't there been more "Indian" films than this one? There sure have been. Perhaps, what we should remember at this point, is that it took a Westerner's gaze to validate us as worthwhile. It took a foreigner to make "real" India visible on the world stage. Whether that gaze was only focussed on the poverty-ridden, filthy underbelly of India, is another issue altogether. But what remains is that this win is certainly not "ours". The victory is A R Rehman's ( and ofcourse Gulzar's and Resul too). Let's pat their backs, not ours. All three of them accepted the honour with utmost grace and humility. It is indeed a proud moment for us, to have internationally-acclaimed talents like them within our film industry. It would certainly benefit Bollywood in more than one way. But that's that. Let's not claim more than we should. Let's celebrate these achievers, not ourselves. Slumdog Millionairre is Danny Boyle's film. Certainly not ours. Let's get "real", for once.

Song of Victory...

(This is my interview with Saregamapa Little Champ Kartiki Gaikwad as it appeared in Sakaal Times. I can tell she's going to go places when she grows up. Watch out for this kid...) (Pic Courtesy: Maitreyee Ambade, Sakaal Times)

Marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa winner Kartiki Gaikwad, who won hearts with her devotional songs says that she will always work towards bringing lesser-known songs to the fore
She came, she sang, she lost, she came back and she conquered. That's Zee Marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa's newly crowned Little Champ, Kartiki Gaikwad's chequered journey to the top. A few months back, when she was eliminated from the show and subsequently called back, she knew it was a God-given second chance she couldn't take lightly. "I'm not worried about the results of the finals. All I wanted to do after the call back was to work very hard and give it my best shot," the precocious 12 year old, affectionately titled 'Little Record Maker', had told us when she was in Pune last month to perform with her other finalist friends at Vasantotsav. Yesterday, when we caught up with her, she was returning to her home in Alandi for her 'victory procession'. "I never thought I would win" - she said, eyes wet, while receiving the honour on Sunday night. Does it feel real yet? Could she sleep the night she was announced the winner of the nail-biting, closely watched competition? "It's dreamlike… but yes, I did sleep peacefully that night," Kartiki told us, the smile in her voice ringing clear.
Victory has been sweeter, because it didn't come very easily. "What also makes her triumph more special is that it was not judged purely on the basis of sms and popularity ratings. She was also chosen as the winner by a jury of distinguished experts, who know a lot about music," feels Kartiki's father, Kalyanji Gaikwad, a music composer and singer himself.
It was his compositions, lesser-known among music lovers, that Kartiki popularised on this highly-viewed music show. "There are so many composers, like my father, who work so hard to create these beautiful compositions and they go unnoticed. I want to sing their songs and bring them to the limelight" - this was the cause that the Little Champ ably championed and was lauded for, throughout the competition.
And she wants to continue with the effort. "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa provided an ideal platform for these songs to reach out to the audience. I want to sing all kinds of songs - popular, playback, Hindi, but my emphasis will be on these lesserknown abhangas, folk music and devotional songs," Kartiki vows, once again flashing the confidence and maturity that sparkled in her performances over the last few months.
"My father used to explain the meaning of each song that I sang. When I understood the essence of the composition, it was easier to get the right expressions and be one with the song," Kartiki says, decoding the trick that helped her do justice to the highly nuanced and difficult compositions of stalwarts like Vasantrao Deshpande, Jitendra Abhisheki and so on.
Kartiki's evolution from a brilliant singer to a compelling performer has been remarkable and she owes it to the gentle, yet valuable feedback that judges Vaishali Samant and Avdhoot Gupte gave her after every round. "I've grown a lot in these few months. I've realised that it's not enough to be a good singer. You have to be a good performer too. And many people think that my kind of songs don't have much scope for performance, it's not so. Even abhangas and devotional songs have a lot of emotion and a singer can bring a great deal of expressions to them," she says, adding, "Though performance is important, it's imperative to have a strong classical music base."
Even in some dramatic moments of glory (the victory procession saw people shouting the famous slogan 'Kartiki devincha vijay aso' - (Victory to the goddess Kartiki), there's a sense of responsibility that grounds her. "I'm going to go back to school, study, play, learn music and live a normal life," she signs off to rest a little, before the eager crowd gives her a cheery welcome in her hometown. For now at least, life is hardly normal for this Little Champ.