News

The Hindu : y>

The record for a Formula One win from furthest back on the starting grid belongs to British driver John Watson, who won the 1983 United States Grand Prix West, driving for Mclaren-Ford, after starting in 22nd position.

Michael Schumacher achieved 22 ’perfect races’ (pole position, race win and fastest lap) in his Formula One career. Jim Clark is a distant second on the list with 11.

Nick Heidfeld holds the Formula One record for maximum career points earned without a win. The German currently has 206 points from 160 starts, with 12 podium finishes but no race wins as yet.

Shane Warne holds the Test record for most career runs without a century. A combative and usually entertaining lower-order batsman, Warne scored over 3000 runs without reaching the magic milestone.

<FONT …More

The Hindu : y>

Call of Lucre Dirty Sexy Money follows theDarling family

Star World brings you into the lives of the filthy-rich Darlings of New York with the series “Dirty Sexy Money”. The show premiers today at 10 p.m. and features a cast that includes Emmy nominee Peter Krause, Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland and William Baldwin.

The Darling clan is one of New York’s most powerful families. With their power and prestige, they are often involved in embarrassing scandals and serious legal issues. The family patriarch, Tripp Darling has recruited idealistic lawyer Nick George (Krause) to take care of their legal needs and protect the family name.

The show mixes intelligent drama with a very sharp wit. It’s strongest feature is the characterization of the main protagonists, each revealing themselves to have more depth than we are originally shown.

<FONT …More

The Hindu : y>A pre-school is increasingly being considered a good start for a young child to get a feel of social interaction, writes BINDU TOBBY

Photo: M. KARUNAKARANIT’S TIME To get school-ready and life-ready with friends

Those stay-at-home-learn-on-your-own pre-school days when we were busy giving mud baths to elephants (the small wooden kinds stolen out of the showcase), playing with pets (putting hands into their mouths and sitting on them), simply jumping around and running wildly, throwing yourself against a wall and darting back to touch the door to hail yourself as the winner, (even if you were the only one running the race) are apparently dated.

The new-age mantra requires your two or three year old to spend at least a few hours every day interacting with peers of his/her age, at a school that has a very scientifically-researched curriculum. Pre-schools these days come with a wide variety of approaches and specialisations — Montessori, kindergarten, play home, day-care, nursery, among others, each having its own style and philosophy that appeal to, awaken and build physical, mental and emotional well being of the child making them ‘school-ready’.

Gayathri Futnani, who has been teaching Montessori students for four years now says that formalised pre-school has now become a necessity, since “children need a broader environment to help them refine whatever they’ve already learnt and picked up at home. It is here that children interact with peers, learning social bonding. Also, since there are children of different ages in one class (ranging from two-and-half to six year olds) they learn how to live in a community, just like us adults — the younger children learn from older ones, who in turn become more sensitive to the needs of younger children. This approach makes them more independent, helping them to take their own decisions, making them more ‘life ready’!” She adds, “In this age you can’t afford to be too…More

The Hindu : y>

PRET COLLECTION

Appearance, by Vaishali Shah, showcases it’s prêt collection of tunics and Indo-Western wear at Mogra. The collection maintains it’s uniqueness of stylish and yet simple cuts and combinations, using various fabrics, from georgettes, hosiery to cottons, with a touch of embroidery and sequencing work. The exhibition is from August 21 at Mogra, Embassy Classic Building, # 14, Vittal Mallya Road.Call 42110170

FOR CHILDREN

EasyLib.com, the online library is conducting a weekend workshop called “Expressions” for children above eight years, starting August 21. Children are taught to employ theatrical elements such as rhythm, sound, movement, stances, dialogue, sketching, painting and writing to bring out their emotions. The workshop spread over two weekends, has theatre artist Vivek Vijayakumaran as the facilitator. The workshop will be at Easy Library, 972 H, 1st A Main, S.T. Bed Layout, 4th Block, Koramangala. Contact 41102231 or checkwww.EasyLib.com.

PLAY

Version One Dot Oh! (VODO) presents “Six Degrees of Separation”. The shows are being staged on August 22 (3.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.) at Ranga Shankara. Tickets are priced at Rs. 150, available onwww.indianstage.in or call 9845233788.

COURSE

iReboot is conducting an “Event Management Workshop” where you get to learn what goes behind all the glamour of an event from an award-winning event manager and get the opportunity to be a part of an event. The workshop is on August 21 and 22 at iReboot, Indranagar. Checkwww.ireboot.in. or call 0-9663857828.

FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

FilmCamp.TV! is conducting their “1:1 Filmmaking Workshop”, a one-day workshop where you make one-minute films. Participants who are complete novices, will learn to write, storyboard, enact, shoot and edit by doing it themselves (with instructors to guide) in small groups. It is a hands-on workshop where participants will be taught to handle and use cameras, computers and software to make their films. The fee is Rs. 1,500. It will be held at FilmCamp.TV Studio, 94/5, 8th Main, Jayanagar, 2nd…More

The Hindu :

Venkatesh Raghavendra’s book is a paean to the Big Apple

Photo: Murali Kumar k.A new york state of mind Venkatesh Raghavendra

Venkatesh Raghavendra is currently the senior director of the American India Foundation (AIF), an organisation that promotes philanthropic investment in India. He is also engaged with organizations in India working with urban unemployed youth and neglected sections of Indian society. He has turned author with “Venky Burger, New York Memoirs” published by Papyrus. Venkatesh has been in New York for the past two years and has fallen in love with the city, prompting him to write a book on the subject.

Venkatesh recently released the Kannada version of the book at Ravindra Kalakshetra and says the English translation shall be out soon.

He says, “From the moment I landed in New York, I was impressed by the vibrancy and diversity that the city offered. The people were friendly and helpful. The city is very cosmopolitan, with people from across the planet making it home.

“I feel at home in New York. I do not feel that I am in a different country or place. The city makes me very comfortable.”

The book, Venkatesh claims is a travelogue and a note about his experiences in the city. “The book discusses lesser known tourist places and locations and also talks about my experiences in the Big Apple.

“Many Indian tourists feel that the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State building are the only tourist spots in the city. This book will help in providing them many more places to visit and make them more familiar with the city itself.”

The book is a result of many trips, undertaken on foot, train and buses apart from taxis, says Venkatesh.

“I used to write about my experiences in New York in my Kannada blog earlier, when someone suggested that I should pen a book on this issue. I decided to make…More

The Hindu :

Luke Kenny makes his directorial debut with 13th Floor

Moving on Luke Kenny

Luke Kenny started acting in theatre and moved on to take up films, then turned VJ and shot into prominence with his performance in “Rock On”.

He turned producer and director with “13th Floor,” a movie starring “Rock On” co-star Purab Kohli, and Sandhya Mridul. Kenny says, “The movie is the story of two people who get stuck in a lift on the 13th floor and realise that they are very similar to each other. It talks about the manner in which this incident alters their lives.”

“I had initially approached many producers asking them to make this film. However, most of them were not very keen on the idea.” He decided to take up the project himself.

A still from 13th Floor

“It was a film that involved minimal sets and two principal characters. We decided to shoot it digitally and managed to finish shooting in a week.”

The film was 80 minutes long and was critically acclaimed and showcased at many film festivals across the world.Good stories work

Luke feels that the audience go to cinema halls to watch a good story. “The storyline is very important and is the reason that many low budget films like ‘Bheja Fry’ have become such hits. The story should always be more prominent than the stars acting in the film.”

He adds, “Movies should be made according to the storyline. The actor must be fitted into the role, not the other way around. The story should be paramount at all times.”

Luke contends “I do not feel that having a big star will help if you do not have a good storyline to back you up.”

In these times, it is easier to make money from small budget movies, though marketing costs tend to escalate, he admits. But this is not necessarily the case of…More

The Hindu :

According to filmmaker Gaurav Jani, One Crazy Ride attempts to capture the essence, the freedom and the romance of travel

Five friends rev up their ordinary 100cc motorbikes (including a 20-year-old bike) to take a crazy journey across the mountain State of Arunachal Pradesh, without once stepping into Assam, on a route that maps and locals insist does not exist. There is plenty to stop them: isolated tribes, wild animals, snaking rivers, no/rickety bridges, motor troubles. Oh! And the worst, they will also be on camera.

The five friends, (four guys and a girl) from diverse professions and different parts of the country, belong to a biker club called 60 kph. It is the love of the road that hurtles them forward in the biting cold, through mountain sickness and endless bike breakdowns.

No, this is not the latest reality show, but a passionate endeavour by documentary film-maker Gaurav Jani to “capture the essence, the freedom and the romance of travel.” And the result is “One Crazy Ride”, produced by Dirt Track Productions and 60 kph, which was screened recently in the city.

Unlike any Nat Geo programme, the movie is shot without a backup vehicle or film crew. That means there are no schedules and no way of knowing what the next breathtaking sunrise will bring. “Spontaneity just adds to the travel,” says the pony-tailed film maker, grinning.

As a result, “One Crazy Ride” has many endearing everyday moments: the hotel owner bursting into an impulsive jig when he thinks the bikers have left their camera behind, or the drunk chieftain with a long machete “to cut grass.” Even the riders follow no script, just being themselves in front of the camera even if it means being camera shy.

A la Ernesto Guevara’s epic journey in “Motorcycle Diaries”, the expedition across Arunachal is also a window to the hardy people inhabiting this unforgiving terrain.

Although,…More

The Hindu :

Head out to Eagleton – The Golf Resort for a complete experience

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR.KPutting it away A golfer in action at the resort

Eagleton – The Golf Resort, India’s first private golf resort is situated in Bidadi, about 28 kilometres from Bangalore. The 500-acre resort was conceived by Ashok Kumar Meda, the Chairman and Managing director of the resort in 1994. The resort was opened in 1999.

Chetan Meda, marketing director at the resort explains the concept. “A golf course is an urban park. Eagleton offers a serene and secluded area, away from the noise and pollution of the city and provides all amenities – basic and luxurious.”The Eagleton course was rated second in golf courses across India in a survey conducted by the Asia Golf Monthly in 2008 and has organised many Indian golf union category events. Chetan says, “The best moment was when we hosted the Indian Ladies Masters, the first ever Ladies European Golf tour event on Indian soil in 2007. The event helped put Indian women golf on the world map and encouraging the local talent to play the best in the business. It also helped showcase Eagleton as a golfing destination.” He contends, “The course comprises nearly 50,000 trees and 12 water bodies. The 18-hole par-72 championship course is spread over an expanse of 168 acres, with a 400,000 sq ft club house with a huge residential enclave coming up soon in the remaining area.” The course has been designed by Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Designs Group from Australia.

The resort also boasts of an ultra modern conferencing facilities, luxury rooms, a health club and spa, with options for leisure activities such as a multi-level swimming pool, auditorium, poolside volleyball, squash, indoor badminton, table tennis,, cricket, health club, gymnasium, steam and sauna facilities etc.Chetan says: “Eagleton is a place where conferencing meets golf- with many conference halls…More