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Rev’erberate! – An Inteview with Revathi Sankkaran

Rev’erberate! – An Inteview with Revathi Sankkaran

Interviews, People

Seeing the multifaceted Revathy Sankkaran on TV is one thing. But nothing prepares you for her warmth and exuberance when you actually meet her. Ever popped the cork on champagne? That’s her. So how does one begin to define Revathy? She has modeled for TV commercials including one where she played a nun totally engrossed in munching a chocolate bar! She scripted and produced many radio dramas and short films, has done voice-overs and also sung the title track for a TV serial! She says, “Director K. Balachander calls me his ‘find’ – he brought out all facets of my personality in his TV serials. I’ve acted in four of them – Anni, Kasalavu Nesam, Kadhal Vangi Vandhen and Adutha Veettu Kavidhai.” With her two sons away in the US, and a very supportive Mr. Sankkaran, Revathy packs in quite a schedule in an average week. Despite this, she does stop to smell the flowers often enough. She says, “I guess I’ve retained the little girl in me – even a kite can make me happy! Glass bangles are my indulgence. And people who know me, are aware that I won’t balk at shaking a leg!” Has she always been this way? “I celebrate the clown side of my personality and have always been an entertainer. At the age of three, a typical scenario at home was that we would return from a movie, and I would perform the dances for the family. I used to insist that the cook also join the audience, as I didn’t intend putting on the show again separately for her benefit! My two favourite pastimes were climbing trees and riding a bicycle!” she recounts.For sure, this is one lady who doesn’t live her life based on stereotypes! Post her 60th birthday, Revathy has been anchoring Mangayar Choice, a TV program for women that stands apart for its conversational style and focused content. She is also editor of Mangayar Malar, a womens’ magazine, with her key focus now being to increase circulation without compromising on content. She has also played sutradhar (narrator) in Anitha Rathnam’s programs. For harikathas, she transforms herself into a character, Sakku Bai, innovatively weaving concepts with song. She says, “As Sakku Bai, I can combine my love for music, dance and story-telling! I love wearing the costume and the jewellery and going on stage!” she says and adds, “The highpoint in life for me was when I performed a harikatha on the life of M.S. Subbulakshmi, in her presence on her 83rd birthday. Imagine my audacity – singing her songs in front of her! When she applauded me and said Sabash, I felt like I had won the Bharat Ratna!” “Every phase of my life – the translations, the editorship, the TV serials and programs – all these came to me. I believe that if something good comes your way, you must respect it, take it up and give it your best shot. In fact, more than my belief in my ability to so something, if another person shows confidence in me, I go the extra mile.”, she says. On a more serious note, she says, “After the age of 50, one tends to take things to heart. But what happens is, one’s wise side also becomes stronger. When one is hurt, there’s also a voice telling you that you’ve been through so much earlier, this too shall pass.” So how does she define life? “Life is like a walk on the beach – there will be some pretty shells, pebbles and also crabs. We have to accept the entire package and be amazed by its wonders every day.” REVATHY SANKKARAN’S ADVICE TO SENIOR CITIZENS – After the age of 60, every day is a bonus. Those who think their lifetime is over, and that there is nothing to look forward to, are missing out on so much! – At this age, we must ensure that we have (a) enough money to live so that we needn’t borrow, (b) a roof above one’s head so that there are no debts, and (c) the ability to live within one’s means. In short, be independent. – Think like a 40-year old. Meditate and do yoga to maintain yourself. – Stop living for others – especially your children. They are merely arrows shot through you into this world. Rise above the mindset and go beyond caring only for your family. – Be like an umbrella. But remember that those who seek your shade, are not yours. – Think good thoughts for the world. Think of people who are sick – if you can’t spend time with them, at least send up a prayer. Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu (May all have happiness) is not only a motto, it’s a way of life. – Consider pledging your body to research. This is the ultimate sacrifice. An ego-less life is a life of happiness.
(edited version published on May 26, 2005 in Madras Plus, the city features supplement of The Economic Times, Chennai)
Telling Nadia’s Tale – Dorothee Wenner

Telling Nadia’s Tale – Dorothee Wenner

Interviews, People

“I find it ironic that for a country where films are woven into the very fabric of daily existence, there’s so little preservation of Indian Film history.”says Dorothee Wenner, a German film-maker and the author of ‘Fearless Nadia: The True Story of Bollywood’s Original Stunt Queen’.   As a programmer on special assignment for Indian films at the Berlin Film Festival, Dorothee is a true Bollywood-phile, if ever there was such a word! She can rattle off trivia about Indian Films, and has also made a film about the Mercedes in Bollywood films!  Dorothee was in Chennai this week, for the screening of Riyad Vinci Wadia’s documentary, ‘Fearless – The Hunterwali Story’, that inspired her to write the book.   “In 1995, I watched Riyad’s documentary on Nadia and it immediately captured my imagination. Coincidentally, a German publishing house also approached me at around that time, to write a book on a female rebel of my choice. So, I chose to work on Nadia’s story, and arrived in Bombay, still unsure of how this project would go off.”, says Dorothee.   One invaluable source of information and assistance for Dorothee to set about researching and documenting the life of Nadia, was Riyad, who had made the documentary that had inspired her. Riyad was also the grand nephew of Nadia and the scion of Wadia Movietone, the film company that had launched and furthered Nadia’s career.   “Riyad helped me with translations, as well as shared with me, the background work he had done for his own documentary. The Wadia family history itself, can easily fill up 12 huge trunks!”, says Dorothee.  One incident that stands out in her mind, was the time they interviewed Pramila, an actress and contemporary to Devika Rani, as also, the first Miss. India in 1947. Dorothee reminisces, “Pramila had become so old and frail, that I wondered whether we should just abandon the interview. She also fainted twice in our presence due to excitement. However, she insisted we stay, and she did narrate many interesting things about that era.”   So, what was it about Nadia, that inspired Dorothee? “Her indomitable spirit. For a blonde, blue-eyed, busty white girl to capture the collective imagination of Indians in the pre-Independence era, was no mean feat! Add to that the stunts she did! She was, along with the Wadias, a pioneer in the Stunt Film Genre in India. I pride myself for being a feminist, but Nadia represented a fearlessness with a dash of sparkling wit, that’s unmatched in any actress of any era.”  Dorothee Wenner’s book ‘Fearless Nadia: The True Story of Bollywood’s Original Stunt Queen’ was originally published in German in 1999. It has since been translated by Rebecca Morrison and launched in India recently and is available at bookstores in the city. (edited version published on March 19, 2005 in Madras Plus, the city features supplement of The Economic Times, Chennai. Pic courtesy Seven Shots, as published in Madras Plus)
American Desi – An Interview with Stephen Alter

American Desi – An Interview with Stephen Alter

Interviews, People

“While working on my book, ‘Amritsar to Lahore: A Journey Across the India-Pakistan Border’, I travelled in a 3rd class compartment by train to Pakistan. Although it’s just a distance of 40 kilometres, it took nearly 15 hours, for the authorities to check the travel documents of all the passengers. I did have the option of taking a flight, but I wouldn’t trade it for the experience!” says Stephen Alter, who was in Chennai last week to speak on creative writing to students at a few city colleges.

Having collaborated on 2 screenplays, and written 4 books each of fiction and narrative non-fiction, not to mention innumerable short stories and reviews, the word, ‘prolific’ comes nowhere near describing Stephen Alter!

Those looking to dismiss him as an American tourist enamoured by Indian mysticism, may please note that Stephen is a third generation American in India belonging to Mussoorie. He studied there at Woodstock School, before moving to the US for further studies and research. At one time, he even taught Hindi at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, although he doubts very much if his students learned any Hindi from him! And yes, he is cousin to Tom Alter, a familiar face in Hindi films and English theatre.

Having straddled various genre in his writing, Stephen says, “It’s been a long time since one of my novels has been published, and a couple of them are still lying at home, waiting for a publisher. I still think of myself as a writer of fiction, although my recent books have been in the area of narrative non-fiction.”

Stephen’s foray into narrative non-fiction began with a memoir of his Mussoorie days. He then wrote about the journey from Amritsar to Lahore. For the next book, ‘Sacred Waters: A Pilgrimage up the Ganges River to the Source of Hindu Culture’, he undertook a Padyatra!

Stephen Alter’s latest book is Elephas Maximus: A Portrait of the Indian Elephant. “The subject itself was very interesting, and the research gave me the opportunity to visit wildlife sanctuaries and travel extensively across different parts of India from Kerala to Assam.”

Under the Fulbright Research Grant, he is currently based in Mussoorie, researching for his new book on nature-related folktales from the Himalayas. “Do you know that although some birds are common to different habitats, the folklore concerning them are different?” He says, of stories about bird-calls, that were his inspiration for the project.

India is at the heart of Stephen’s writing, be it fiction or non-fiction. Add travel to that equation, and you have one contented soul in Stephen Alter.


(edited version published on March 18, 2005 in Madras Plus, the city features supplement of The Economic Times, Chennai. Pic courtesy Seven Shots as published in magazine.)

Pulling Strings – Ram Lal

Pulling Strings – Ram Lal

Interviews, People

“Man has less freedom today, than puppets!” This statement, from innovative folk puppeteer, Ram Lal from Dehra Dun, dispelled all my notions of a run-of-the-mill interview!  “People are constrained by too many things today. For some, relationships are binding, For others, responsibilities. People are not free to even speak their mind without drawing flak. But a puppet can freely express itself!” says Ram Lal, who’s in the city to conduct a series of puppetry workshops courtesy Goodbooks.  Hailing from a 4th generation family of puppeteers from Rajasthan, Ram Lal found that in its traditional form, puppetry with wooden marionettes is tough. Also, the stories were always the same. So, he started working with NGOs, using puppetry, and developed new themes on various issues. As he didn’t find inner growth in this too, he spent 8 years in the Himalayas and is now part of a non-registered non-funded commune called Sanchar in Dehradun.   “Subsequently, my puppets changed to nature-related ones, as nature is an intrinsic part of life, and cannot be bypassed. However, I stopped writing stories, and now the audience and I collaborate on the story and the issues. There’s a constant debate in the story, and the story evolves based on the decisions of the audience. Even the end is open-ended to enable introspection. However, the end has to make people take that first step forward.”,he says.  For example, in one childrens’ workshop in Rajasthan, the theme of alcoholism was taken up. The session began enactment of an alcoholic husband beating up his wife and kids. The wife then asks the audience how she should handle this issue. The audience makes suggestions, and she weighs the pros and cons of all the options, including asking the bootlegger not to run his business. It finally ends with an audience member summarising the next step.  Ram Lal visited the UK last year, for what was initially a ten-day workshop, which extended to a 3-month one. On that trip, he had also worked with children with special needs. He cites the example of an extremely introverted child who started expressing himself and sharing his experiences with his parents.  “For a puppeteer to be effective, he has to be spontaneous. Things that come from the heart reach straight into the audience’s heart. That spontaneity only happens when one’s body, mind and heart are aligned.”, says this travel-loving puppeteer, who has already travelled to Norway, Pakistan, Nepal, U.K. , loves Czech puppets and wants to someday open his own puppet museum. Pic Courtesy Seven Shots, as published in Madras Plus
Tarrega to Thyagaraja – Nacho Corral & Belen Cantos

Tarrega to Thyagaraja – Nacho Corral & Belen Cantos

Interviews, People

Flamenco is the common platform for Nacho Corral, a guitarist and Belen Cantos, a vocalist, who were in Chennai recently to perform at the Alliance Française de Chennai as the band, Beuroshna. The other common factor is that both study music at the Swati Tirunal College in Trivandrum. Nacho, is learning the Veena while researching the ‘Sopanam’ style, native to Kerala. Belen is learning Carnatic Vocal formally under a Guru. Both find the ‘Gamakas’ a challenge. “Initially, I had trouble learning the vocal technique in Carnatic Music, as my breath control was different. But with time, it has adapted, and now, I find that even Flamenco singing has become easier.”says Belen. Nacho recounts the beginnings of his interest in music. “I suppose music was all around me. My father loves to listen to music. My brothers had a band of their own. It was a natural transition for me to become a musician too.” Belen’s mother, a gifted vocalist, has been an inspiration for her. Their music, far from being given the generic epithet of ‘fusion’, is a combination of Indian ragas with Spanish lyrics and Flamenco talas (Belen’s coinage!). More interestingly, the Flamenco beats are played on a Mridangam, an instrument that has enthralled the two ever since they heard it being played. Both recall a particularly amusing incident, when they were ‘advised’ to perform in as many places as possible, to gain exposure. Belen says, “We represented University of Kerala, at an inter-collegiate festival just outside Chennai. The funniest part was that our Professor, visiting Chennai at that time, thought we were playing at the December Music Season!” Nacho adds, “He actually tracked us down, and saw us perform ‘80s hits at this college complete with guitar string snapping on stage. We went on to win 2nd place! He then whisked us away to his hotel, to stay the night more comfortably, before we headed back to Trivandrum the next day.” “One experience that helped acclimatise us to India rapidly, was in an unreserved compartment on a train journey from Trivandrum to Chennai. There was a sea of people in the compartment, and we could hardly move. At 2 a.m., at Madurai station, we were quite shocked to see what looked like a group of mustachioed men in sarees! We then figured out, that they were transvestites.” Nacho and Belen have come a long way, not only in terms of the physical distance traversed from Spain to India, but also in the learning and unlearning that they have done, in their quest to raise the bar on their skills. Here’s wishing them all the best in their musical careers! Pic courtesy Seven Shots, as published in Madras Plus
Double Act – An Interview with Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash

Double Act – An Interview with Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash

Interviews, People

Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash do a sound check just ahead of their performance at Saarang 2005, the IIT Madras Cultural Festival on January 21, 2005. The few students, who have turned up in advance, are enthralled. The brothers depart to the greenroom, and as though in protest, the heavens open up, and there’s a downpour. “It’s a good sign.” reassures someone. And suddenly, it’s my turn to interview the brothers. Most people know that Amaan Ali and Ayaan Ali Bangash are Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s sons. Not many are aware that they belong to the 7th generation of an unbroken tradition, the Senia Bangash Gharana. The tradition was started by Ghulam Bandegi Khan Bangash, credited to be the inventor of the Sarod. Ayaan, the younger of the two, says, “We have been handed down a legacy and count ourselves fortunate for it. However, a legacy is no substitute for hard work. If we perform poorly, our legacy is no longer adequate.” Amaan adds, “The instrument has changed since its creation, more from the angle of expression. Our father is responsible for making the sound as expressive as the human voice.” Both Amaan and Ayaan are also disciples of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. Initially, they saw it as a complex relationship, but were later able to mentally separate the roles of disciple and son. They played their respective solo debut concerts when they were eight. Amaan says, wistfully, “As children, we were more interested in what we were wearing for the concert. The turning point came for both of us during one concert abroad, where there were many eminent musicians in the audience. After the performance, there was a dinner, which our father did not attend. He was so disappointed with our performance, that he developed high fever. This was when we realised the extent to which our performance mattered to him.” Since then, the brothers have performed extensively in India and abroad, and won accolades aplenty. They have also gone off the beaten track by hosting Sa Re Ga Ma, for Zee TV, when their name and popularity reached the living rooms of many an Indian family. “We did Sa Re Ga Ma for two years. Popularity apart, it brought a new section of audience to our performances.”says Ayaan. Amaan and Ayaan have also authored a book, ‘Abba – God’s greatest gift to us’ for Roli Books as part of its Family Pride series. The book is said to be written with great sensitivity and grace, the very qualities that Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is renowned for. As for their composing skills, the duo have worked on the soundtrack of a film set in an Indian call-centre, ‘American Daylight’, directed by Roger Christian. Due to its setting, the film will first be released in Bangalore and then move to other cities. “But do buy the album”, insists Ayaan. So, what are Amaan and Ayaan’s plans for the year? “We perform at a concert in memory of M.S. Subbulakshmi at Delhi on January 28th, 2005. After that, it’s the usual concerts in India and abroad. We will, of course be coming down to Chennai as often as in the past.” “One thing we don’t understand is, why don’t the Sabhas here invite us to perform? Be it Carnatic or Hindustani – at the end of the day, Music is Music.” chips in Amaan. (edited version published on January 27, 2005 in Madras Plus, the city features supplement of The Economic Times, Chennai. Pic courtesy Third Eye, as published in magazine)

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