Can Shreya Ghoshal be called a prodigy ? At the age of 26, she has won four national awards and seven filmfare awards. By no means a small achievement. Her last national award was for songs in Bengali and Marathi. The other three were for Hindi.
Her voice is malleable and can suit different occasions, be it pathos, romance or classical. But to me she is at her best in romantic and sensuous songs. You’ve to just listen to `Jaadu hai nasha’ from Jism. When I first heard the song, I was hooked without knowing who the singer was. Later I found out it was Shreya who had won a national award for Devdas in the previous year. I’ve been a fan of this Bengali singer ever since.
She has sung in several other languages including all the South Indian languages. And mind you she has sung quite well in regional languages. She won a filmfare award for `Munpe vaa’ song in Tamil. In Malayalam what surprised me was her diction. Unlike the other North Indian singers be it the greats Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, Talat Mehmood or Udit Narayanan, Shreya did not sound like non-Malayali.
That is a rare quality and probably her strength. To sound like a Tamilian or Malayalee or Kannadiga when singing the songs in these languages is quite difficult for a North Indian singer. But several South Indian singers have sung beautiful songs in Hindi or other languages.
I think we’ll hear a lot more about Shreya in the coming years. After all she is just 26. By the time she hits 50, she could be having even ten national awards, definitely a record. Here is wishing the very best to her.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
West Indian T-20 team
It is indeed a formidableT 20 team. Will the West Indian T-20 team highlighted in The Hindu be the world’s best team like the Carribean test team? From the look of it one has to say yes. The names inspire awe: Greenidge, Haynes, Lara, Richards, Lloyd, Dujon, Marshall, Holding, Garner, Ambrose, Roberts and Walsh.
The big question is who to leave out. It has to be a bowler. Even then it would be five fast bowlers. No team has come up with such a lineup. There are no genuine spinners or all rounders. Richards is a part time spin bowler; Lloyd bowls medium pace; Marshall can bat a bit. That is it
Another point to ponder is that will the bowlers be able to stick to the strict rules on wides and no-balls restricting the height of the bounce of the ball. Most of them, except perhaps Marshall, will be well over six feet. I remember once English batsman Alan Lamb said jokingly that when Garner jumps before the delivery of the ball, his hand goes above the sight screen and hence the batsman will not be able to see the ball. It will be difficult for them to contain the bounce unless it is quite a placid pitch. The bowlers also have long run-ups and hence take longer time to finish the overs.
So the opposition may have a chance if the pitch is grassy. The team can amass a good total from extras if the bowlers try to bowl fast. But if they stick to line and length then there is not respite from the great fast bowlers. The ball doesn’t get old in T-20 for the spinners or medium pacers to operate. So no luck for the batsman there either. The batsmen will have to play like Sehwag and hope that the luck will favour them
The big question is who to leave out. It has to be a bowler. Even then it would be five fast bowlers. No team has come up with such a lineup. There are no genuine spinners or all rounders. Richards is a part time spin bowler; Lloyd bowls medium pace; Marshall can bat a bit. That is it
Another point to ponder is that will the bowlers be able to stick to the strict rules on wides and no-balls restricting the height of the bounce of the ball. Most of them, except perhaps Marshall, will be well over six feet. I remember once English batsman Alan Lamb said jokingly that when Garner jumps before the delivery of the ball, his hand goes above the sight screen and hence the batsman will not be able to see the ball. It will be difficult for them to contain the bounce unless it is quite a placid pitch. The bowlers also have long run-ups and hence take longer time to finish the overs.
So the opposition may have a chance if the pitch is grassy. The team can amass a good total from extras if the bowlers try to bowl fast. But if they stick to line and length then there is not respite from the great fast bowlers. The ball doesn’t get old in T-20 for the spinners or medium pacers to operate. So no luck for the batsman there either. The batsmen will have to play like Sehwag and hope that the luck will favour them
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Marvellous Martin Scorsese
I happened to watch the movie `Alice doesn’t live here anymore’ and was moved by both the performance of Ellen Burstyn and direction of Martin Scorsese. It is one of the earlier films of Scorsese, but his talent is quite evident. I had seen and enjoyed his `Mean Streets’, also made in the seventies.
The point I’m trying to make is that though he hit the big league with the classic `Taxi Driver’, the seeds of great things to come were sown years before. I’ve enjoyed most of the movies of Scorsese and continue to enjoy them. He is certainly one of my favourite post-war directors.
Just look at the bewildering variety of movies he has made over the years and it is hard not to like his movies. I’ve missed some of them like New York New York, The Last Waltz, King of Comedy, After Hours, Kundun and Age of Innocence. I’m still searching for the DVDs of these movies.
Take your pick from the list: Raging Bull, The Colour of Money, The Last Temptation of Christ, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed and now the Shutter Island ( I’m waiting to see the last one). If Robert DeNiro was his favourite actor earlier, now it seems to be Leonardo DeCaprio.
My wish is that he should go on making films till his death for directors of his kind don’t come often.
The point I’m trying to make is that though he hit the big league with the classic `Taxi Driver’, the seeds of great things to come were sown years before. I’ve enjoyed most of the movies of Scorsese and continue to enjoy them. He is certainly one of my favourite post-war directors.
Just look at the bewildering variety of movies he has made over the years and it is hard not to like his movies. I’ve missed some of them like New York New York, The Last Waltz, King of Comedy, After Hours, Kundun and Age of Innocence. I’m still searching for the DVDs of these movies.
Take your pick from the list: Raging Bull, The Colour of Money, The Last Temptation of Christ, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed and now the Shutter Island ( I’m waiting to see the last one). If Robert DeNiro was his favourite actor earlier, now it seems to be Leonardo DeCaprio.
My wish is that he should go on making films till his death for directors of his kind don’t come often.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Models of Humility
After scoring 200 for the first time in the history of one day cricket, Sachin Tendulkar was humility personified like he always been despite his enormous achievements. No great celebration for a record that is not likely to be beaten easily. During his speech at the award ceremony, he dedicated the double ton to the people of India who had supported him during the ups and downs of his 20 year career.
Throughout his career, Sachin has been an ambassador for the game. His personal life also has been exemplary. It is when you compare him with other greats in sports like Tiger Woods, Maradona or Shane Warne that you realize Sachin’s greatness. He is a worthy model for the children to emulate, particularly his passion, dedication, hard work and commitment.
Are there other personalties in India in this list of humble great achievers? I could think of two more. One is our former President and great scientist A P J Abdul Kalam. To many he was the most unassuming, friendly and approachable President India ever had. His great achievements as a space scientist sit lightly on him. His speech and action are humble to the core. Another worthy son of India.
The third personality I could think of is singer K S Chitra. She could be more famous in South India. But her achievements cross all boundaries. She has won six national awards till now, more than any other female singer in the country. That too, for Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi songs. Yet look at her. Always smiling and always humble and never blowing her own trumpet. I haven’t read anybody saying anything harsh about this gem of a singer who is sure to rise to greater heights with such an attitude.
Throughout his career, Sachin has been an ambassador for the game. His personal life also has been exemplary. It is when you compare him with other greats in sports like Tiger Woods, Maradona or Shane Warne that you realize Sachin’s greatness. He is a worthy model for the children to emulate, particularly his passion, dedication, hard work and commitment.
Are there other personalties in India in this list of humble great achievers? I could think of two more. One is our former President and great scientist A P J Abdul Kalam. To many he was the most unassuming, friendly and approachable President India ever had. His great achievements as a space scientist sit lightly on him. His speech and action are humble to the core. Another worthy son of India.
The third personality I could think of is singer K S Chitra. She could be more famous in South India. But her achievements cross all boundaries. She has won six national awards till now, more than any other female singer in the country. That too, for Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi songs. Yet look at her. Always smiling and always humble and never blowing her own trumpet. I haven’t read anybody saying anything harsh about this gem of a singer who is sure to rise to greater heights with such an attitude.
Pallavur Appu Marar
Watching the Chenda melam at the temple festival in Maradu, my thoughts went to percussion maestro late Pallavur Appu Marar. He was considered a genius, equally proficient in Edakka, Chenda and Thimila.
I had seen his performance only thrice in my life, though I’ve read and heard about him lot more. First time I saw him was in Thiruvananthapuram in the eighties when I was in college. Marar was performing on Edakka at a jugalbandhi with other percussion artistes at the Central stadium during one Onam celebration. Somebody from the audience became restless at the slow build-up of tempo and let out a catcall. This upset Marar who immediately stopped the performance saying that he didn’t want to perform before such an unappreciative audience.
Second time I saw him was in the nineties during the Ilanjithara melam at Thrissur Pooram. Marar was leading the melam standing in the middle. He cut an imposing figure with a long chain and gold locket shining on his ample bare chest. I took many photos with my camera and completely enjoyed the melam forgetting the unbearable heat.
Our last meeting was I think during the late nineties, when he came to perform on Edakka at the Maradu temple festival. This time I got to talk to him. Along with my colleague Pradeep, I went to interview him for the Indian Express. He was tightening the cord around Edakka. After all those countless melams, he was hard of hearing and we had to repeat our questions again and again but he answered all of them with a smile. Later I got to listen to his skill on Edakka
I had seen his performance only thrice in my life, though I’ve read and heard about him lot more. First time I saw him was in Thiruvananthapuram in the eighties when I was in college. Marar was performing on Edakka at a jugalbandhi with other percussion artistes at the Central stadium during one Onam celebration. Somebody from the audience became restless at the slow build-up of tempo and let out a catcall. This upset Marar who immediately stopped the performance saying that he didn’t want to perform before such an unappreciative audience.
Second time I saw him was in the nineties during the Ilanjithara melam at Thrissur Pooram. Marar was leading the melam standing in the middle. He cut an imposing figure with a long chain and gold locket shining on his ample bare chest. I took many photos with my camera and completely enjoyed the melam forgetting the unbearable heat.
Our last meeting was I think during the late nineties, when he came to perform on Edakka at the Maradu temple festival. This time I got to talk to him. Along with my colleague Pradeep, I went to interview him for the Indian Express. He was tightening the cord around Edakka. After all those countless melams, he was hard of hearing and we had to repeat our questions again and again but he answered all of them with a smile. Later I got to listen to his skill on Edakka
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Invictus
Managed to get a DVD of `Invictus’ directed by Clint Eastwood. It is definitely a good movie but may not be the best of Clint. What sets it apart is the brilliant acting of Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. I haven’t seen many other Oscar nominated films this year. But Freeman’s performance is worthy of winning a best actor Oscar. It reminded me of Frank Langella’s excellent portrayal of Richard Nixon in the film Frost/Nixon in 2008
It is a refreshing change for Matt Damon who has been appearing in a spate of action movies in the recent times like `The Bourne Ultimatum’. His acting ability is evident in the subdued manner in which he enacts the character of Springboks captain Francois Pienaar. A good candidate for best supporting actor Oscar .
The political turmoil in South Africa after the release of Mandela is relegated to the background and the focus is on the world rugby competition. Mandela manages to make the blacks forget the past misdeeds of the whites against them and support the South African rugby team in the world cup competition. To extract an entertainment value from such a theme is not easy but Clint Eastwood handles it well. But perhaps where he falters is the long drawn out rugby match scenes which are a drag on the tempo of the film especially as rugby is not a popular sport here.
Clint brings in lot situations for drama like initial rancour between the white and black security guards which later gives way to camaraderie,the surprise invitation of the South African rugby team captain for tea to the office of Mandela etc. Plenty of quotable quotes like ` Soccer is a game of gentlemen played by hooligans. Rugby is a game of hooligans played by gentlemen’, `I was thinking how a man could spend thirty years in prison, and come out and forgive the men who did it to him’... and "We didn't have 62,000 fans behind us, we had 43 million South Africans."
The title of the film was a mystery to me till I watched the film. It is the name of a poem written by English poet William Ernest Henley. Mandela used to read it for inspiration while he was incarcerated. He gives the poem to Pienaar before the start of the rugby world cup. Wikipedia says Mandela actually gave Pienaar an extract of Theodore Roosevelt’s ` the man in the arena’ speech..
Here is the poem Invictus which means `unconquered' in latin
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
It is a refreshing change for Matt Damon who has been appearing in a spate of action movies in the recent times like `The Bourne Ultimatum’. His acting ability is evident in the subdued manner in which he enacts the character of Springboks captain Francois Pienaar. A good candidate for best supporting actor Oscar .
The political turmoil in South Africa after the release of Mandela is relegated to the background and the focus is on the world rugby competition. Mandela manages to make the blacks forget the past misdeeds of the whites against them and support the South African rugby team in the world cup competition. To extract an entertainment value from such a theme is not easy but Clint Eastwood handles it well. But perhaps where he falters is the long drawn out rugby match scenes which are a drag on the tempo of the film especially as rugby is not a popular sport here.
Clint brings in lot situations for drama like initial rancour between the white and black security guards which later gives way to camaraderie,the surprise invitation of the South African rugby team captain for tea to the office of Mandela etc. Plenty of quotable quotes like ` Soccer is a game of gentlemen played by hooligans. Rugby is a game of hooligans played by gentlemen’, `I was thinking how a man could spend thirty years in prison, and come out and forgive the men who did it to him’... and "We didn't have 62,000 fans behind us, we had 43 million South Africans."
The title of the film was a mystery to me till I watched the film. It is the name of a poem written by English poet William Ernest Henley. Mandela used to read it for inspiration while he was incarcerated. He gives the poem to Pienaar before the start of the rugby world cup. Wikipedia says Mandela actually gave Pienaar an extract of Theodore Roosevelt’s ` the man in the arena’ speech..
Here is the poem Invictus which means `unconquered' in latin
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Dearth of Killer Instinct
Dale Steyn’s scorching pace and swing, which grounded a high flying India in the first test with South Africa, has set me thinking. Why India doesn’t have a true fast bowler, who can be called for short bursts by the captain to create a breakthrough when the rivals are going great guns. It is a question that is often asked in the cricket circles. Other than the spin bowlers, the most successful bowler for India has been Kapil Dev, who at best was a fast-medium bowler. Before the advent of Kapil Dev, the job of `fast bowlers’ of India was to roughen the ball for the spinners
By true pace I mean those bowling consistently above 140 km per hour. Take the crop of bowlers who emerged after Kapil like Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khan, Ashis Nehra, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, R P Singh, Munaf Patel etc. All of them can hit 140 km and above, but not consistently.
Is it because of the slow nature of pitches in India ? I don’t think so as Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangaladesh, which have similar kind of pitches have produced good pace bowlers. Pakistan had Imran Khan, Waqar Yunus, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akthar. Sri Lanka has Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando. Bangaladesh has Shahadat Hossain and Mortaza
Look at the other cricketing nations of the world. All of them have produced a genuine fast bowler over the years. West Indies had a string of fast bowlers in the past. Legends like Wes Hall, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcom Marshall, Joel Garner, Curtley Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. Even now their cupboard is not empty. Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor may not be as successful as their predecessors, but they are really quick
Australia fast bowling tradition of Lindwall, Miller, Thomson and Lillee is now carried on by Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson. Before Steyn, there was Allan Donald for the Proteas. New Zealand has Shane Bond and England has Steve Harmison. True, England hasn’t produced many genuine fast bowlers in the recent times. But they had Larwood, Freddie Truman, Brian Statham, John Snow etc. in the past.
In terms of physique our bowlers are tall and compare favourably with those in other teams. So it is not the reason. Perhaps it is the lack of killer instinct. Does vegetarianism affect the killer instinct? May be or may be not as it has not been proved scientifically. Moreover,majority of the present Indian bowlers may be meat eaters. It could be that from our early years we are constantly advised to be good to people and to curb our aggressive instincts. Some bowlers like Sreesanth do show aggression outside, but it is not reflected in his bowling.
Well this is my thinking. I could be wrong. I invite comments
,
By true pace I mean those bowling consistently above 140 km per hour. Take the crop of bowlers who emerged after Kapil like Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khan, Ashis Nehra, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, R P Singh, Munaf Patel etc. All of them can hit 140 km and above, but not consistently.
Is it because of the slow nature of pitches in India ? I don’t think so as Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangaladesh, which have similar kind of pitches have produced good pace bowlers. Pakistan had Imran Khan, Waqar Yunus, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akthar. Sri Lanka has Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando. Bangaladesh has Shahadat Hossain and Mortaza
Look at the other cricketing nations of the world. All of them have produced a genuine fast bowler over the years. West Indies had a string of fast bowlers in the past. Legends like Wes Hall, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcom Marshall, Joel Garner, Curtley Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. Even now their cupboard is not empty. Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor may not be as successful as their predecessors, but they are really quick
Australia fast bowling tradition of Lindwall, Miller, Thomson and Lillee is now carried on by Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson. Before Steyn, there was Allan Donald for the Proteas. New Zealand has Shane Bond and England has Steve Harmison. True, England hasn’t produced many genuine fast bowlers in the recent times. But they had Larwood, Freddie Truman, Brian Statham, John Snow etc. in the past.
In terms of physique our bowlers are tall and compare favourably with those in other teams. So it is not the reason. Perhaps it is the lack of killer instinct. Does vegetarianism affect the killer instinct? May be or may be not as it has not been proved scientifically. Moreover,majority of the present Indian bowlers may be meat eaters. It could be that from our early years we are constantly advised to be good to people and to curb our aggressive instincts. Some bowlers like Sreesanth do show aggression outside, but it is not reflected in his bowling.
Well this is my thinking. I could be wrong. I invite comments
,
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