Londoners got a great fill of new Indian cinema at the third edition of London Indian Film Festival (LIFF). The new wave of Indian cinema is producing a large range of films- completely against the grain of formulaic Bollywood fare. These are regional and indie films made in Bombay. LIFF this year was more ambitious in its programming and besides its main venue at Cineworld Haymarket, had a number of other local venues showcasing their films.

The Festival kicked off with new cinema icon Anurag Kashyap presenting his much awaited Gangs of Wasseypur. An epic film about the coal mafia in Bihar, it is fast paced, gripping, often violent but deeply resonant with formidable performance by Manoj Bajpei. Speaking after the film, Anuraag talked about the autobiographical elements in the film and the challenges of making a five hour film over the last three years.

Kaushik or Q’s hardhitting underground film Gandu met with mixed responses at the NFT but the Gandu Circus band later rocked the auditorium and it was a sight watching the audience dance away to the rhythms of Bengali rap by Q himself.

Actress Tannishtha Chatterjee presented her new film Dekh Indian Circus and director Rajen Khosa presented his much loved children’s film Gattu. Aditi Roy’s debut film Abosheshey ( At Long Last) and the concluding film, Srijit Mukherjee’s  Baishey Srabon represented Bengal cinema and Raima Sen closed the festival with an interview. The golden age of 60’s was ruled by Suchitra Sen and the new golden age is definitely ruled by her granddaughter Raima Sen.

Besides screenings, there were industry meetings, workshops with directors and events spread across BAFTA, ICA, NFT, Watermans and Cineworld theatres. The Fest brought the best of Indian cinema and premiered new British-Asian films such as Tooting Broadway. The Satyajit Ray Foundation awarded the best short film and Kumararaja’s tamil neo- noir Aranyakandam won the audience award. Ten days of films to savour for a long time this summer!

Shobana Jeyasingh is innovative in the use of space in her creations. She fashions a new dialogue in her choreographies between the dancers and the space around them. “TooMortal”-her recent production which posits questions on human mortality, sits very well within the sombre confines of historic churches. TooMortal premiered in St George’s Anglican Church, Venice in June 2012  and is being presented by Dance Umbrella within the UK as a part of the London 2012 festival.

The St. Mary’s Old Church at Stoke Newington provide the extraordinarily eerie setting for a piece like TooMortal. With its history and simple interiors of unadorned walls it is the perfect setting for this piece. The use of a wash of grey cross lights make the setting more mystical. The music starts low and then churns to a higher sound that trickles through, reaching the soul. The music builds up as sacral chants summoning a deeper spiritual urge.

While the church setting adds to the experience and is an integral part of the theme, the dancers create patterns of movements engaging in a dialogue with the church building. The movements create ripples and make the bricks come alive producing an almost unearthly choreographic experience. The high wooden pews where the congregation sits has been used throughout the dance piece in a  way as though they are the resting place of the priests. From this abode they arise in frenzied prayer, gradually increasing in momentum to reach a crescendo, a molecular agitation emanating energy. This energy reaches out to the audience to captivate them and draw them in a collective spiritual experience. There are moments in the choreography when the dancers sink, completely disappearing from the audience’s view and then rise again from within the pews. This play of quick appearance and disappearance that is almost impossible to achieve on stage, is the magical touch that Jeyasingh has lent to her piece.The choreography with only the top half of the dancers visible to the audience creates a striking imagery of levitating hermits floating in space.

Through TooMortal Jeyasingh reminds her audience the power of the old churches and that history is intertwined with their existence. They are still, perhaps now a passive guiding force in the lives of mortals, allowing the space from where we can question our existence and our ultimate demise.

                                                                                                            Protima Chatterjee

Produced by dance house Sadler’s Wells, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Cornwall-based Theatre company Kneehigh and directed by Emma Rice, ‘Wah! Wah! Girls’ provide a fresh narrative on the British Asian cultural experience.

Over the years we have seen many different takes of the “east meets west” storyline in theatre, musical and in movies. ‘Wah! Wah! Girls’ is one of the productions which genuinely stand out for its original script, convincing milieu, great casting and lovely musical fusion.

The story unfolds in several layers and revolves around the life of Soraya- the mujra dancer. Shackled by the tyrannies of a patriarchal society, Soraya decides to flee. In the story she ends up in the east end- easily recognised as contemporary Stratford, lovingly created by Keith Khan, the set and costume designer.

Tanika Gupta, the playwright and lyricist has expertly woven a script which moves seamlessly between the present and past life of Soraya. Building up around this are several smaller plots- of a torrid love affair, of the relationship shared by a young group of girls and their love for dance, of the revelation of a long lost relationship, of the yearning of a teenage girl for freedom from family tyrannies to live life on her own terms.

The production has all the ingredients of a “spicy Saturday takeaway east end curry”. Foremost among them is a very well written and moving story. There is an effortless intermingling of classical Kathak and Bollywood dance juxtaposing timeless India against its contemporary values. There is heart wrenching melodrama- almost a throwback to the cosy family potboilers of the Mumbai film industry. All of these is topped up with sequinned costumes and originally scored music used alongside some very popular Bollywood tracks. The music and the dance combine to evoke a lost world of ‘Mujras’- dance by courtesans in India, as it used to be.

Niraj Chag’s music draws both from classical notes and from contemporary Bollywood music. This review  can hardly do without a special mention of the choreographers.  Gauri Shankar Tripathi’s riveting recreation of the lost world of  the mujras through the Kathak movements that she has choreographed to some well loved Bollywood songs, deserves a standing ovation. Bollywood choreographer Javed Sanadi made the audience tap their feet to each Bollywood number.

Lastly but not the least, of the ingredients that stand out  to me is the excellent casting. The handpicked cast, made the audience believe in the characters- be it the period dramas or the contemporary social milieu in stratford

The cumulative result of all of these is ‘Wah! Wah! Girls’ – a musical theatre based on an Indian storyline of traditions and relationships, told in a modern style using British sensibilities. The presentation exuded incredible emotion, maintaining its pace, poise and elegance. ‘

Wah! Wah! Girls’ has indeed made it’s audience say Wah! Wah! (pronounced as Vah! Vah!, meaning wow or well done by an audience to show their appreciation).

                                                                                     Protima Chatterjee

Larger than life cities like London don’t give up their secrets easily. The razzle dazzle of familiar landmarks and hotspots serve as diversions. The mundaneness of day to day living creates a forbidding obstacle.

So it’s not surprising that it took me almost the better part of a decade to discover “Just East” at the Safari Bar.

“Just East” is a jazz music band who play every first sunday of a month at the Safari Bar in North Finchley. My late personal discovery notwithstanding, they have been around for the better part of the last two decades.

I must admit I am not a Jazz aficionado myself, but have a bias for sounds of the sax. With Jeremy Shohan’s soul stirring saxophone and Neil Angilley’s teasing and rollicking piano, the cramped confines of the Safari Bar is transformed into a vibrant and lively place.

The music draws not just from Jazz but also from Middle-Eastern and North African influences. Some of the pieces conjure hot siesta afternoons along the southern Mediterranean.

‘Don’t flex with me’ hits the ground running with brisk, muscular determination, while Neil’s Eastern tour de force, ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’, is evocative and marvellous.

First Sunday evenings are  something I will look forward to. Sedate North London has given up one of her closely guarded secrets-the haunting sax of jeremy, and the lively piano of Neill with the feet tapping drumming of Rick.

                                                                                   Protima Chatterjee

It is a rare opportunity for dancers to be tutored in a particular technique by more than one choreographer in a day’s workshop. Unlocking Creativity 5 created a platform for its participants where they were led by two of UK’s dynamic contemporary choreographers  – Kali Chandrasegaram and Kalpana Raghuraman and the iconic choreographer and pioneer of South Asian Contemporary Dance – Shobana Jeyasingh. Held on the 28th April at the Luton Carnival Centre and the Hat Factory as a two part session, Unlocking Creativity provided dancers and budding choreographers a goody bag of useful ingredients for making dance, using the  Contemporary Dance technique.

The morning session led by Kali Chandrasegaram and Kalpana Raghuraman transformed the floor into a space where the dancers were challenged to make an inward journey exploring their deepest emotions and gradually transforming them into movements. It was as if the movements were naturally oozing out of their bodies as an effortless yet powerful dance metaphor. The use of space in the resulting choreographies was particularly striking, taking the session to a higher creative plane. The other aspect of the morning session was the interplay of the dance pieces with the music. The music sometimes served as a counterpoint to the movements bringing in variations in their creation. The final exercise for this half was exploring the use of props in dance making. The focus was in their effective and clever use along with movement and music to bring an edge to the dance. The props introduced a sharpness and sometimes even a wild fierceness to the pieces. The brilliant music accompaniment by Jesse Bannister aided and inspired the dancers creativity. His music blended in and faded out where needed almost giving a pre-rehearsed air to the session.

The second half of the day brought in noted danseuse Shobana Jeyasingh whose name is synonymous with the genre now referred to as South Asian Contemporary dance in the UK. It was a privilege for the participants to have guidelines, suggestions and what I would call the magic ingredients from Shobana to create a stage worthy dance composition. Participants were shown how the use of timing, proximity,levels,entrance and exit can be effectively used in choreographing a group dance piece. This insight into good contemporary dance making is what the participants were there for. Shobana had very generously passed that on for the dancers to  assimilate and execute in their own creations.

At the end of the session there was a panel of questions to the choreographers by Sanjeevini Dutta, the editor of Pulse magazine and artistic director of Kadam -Asian dance and music – the life force behind organising Unlocking Creativity. A very informative exchange of thoughts and information took place leading to the understanding and practise of contemporary dance in today’s world. How it is perceived, conceived, delivered and accepted by the performers and their audience.

Unlocking Creativity, as the name suggests has liberated not only new movements but also opened up an intriguing dialogue between classical and contemporary, their interdependence as well as their uniqueness. More of such sessions is what dancers of all genres will look forward to. Kadam has shown once again that it is unparalleled in connecting Asian dance and music communities. We hope that in the future kadam will continue to be the platform bringing in more opportunities for creative exchange such as this.

The Purcell room at the Southbank Centre resonated with the music of two young musicians. Soumik Datta and Arif Khan transported the ‘Sounds of Bengal’ from the banks of the Ganges and the Padma rivers of India and Bangladesh, right on to the banks of the river Thames.

Soumik and Arif represents a new generation of classical musicians who bring their own distinctive interpretation of a people’s musical heritage. In this case the ambition of evoking the spirit of a landscape and its people was achieved through some moving audio-visuals, energetic tabla playing along with the dulcet strains of the Sarod.

There was continuous references to folk memories especially in Soumik’s use of bhatiali  strains (traditional boat song) which he effortlessly mingled with Tagore’s music and classical notes on his sarod.

Arif Khan’s tabla  scaled new dimensions. He was able to transcend the usual adroitness of a tabla prodigy (which he is) into a different world of rhythm which resonated with the rain drenched visuals of  a bengal landscape.

As the show was introduced and the visuals on the cyclorama lit up the auditorium, audience was transported to the green fields of bengal.  The buzzing crowd, bustling colourful bazaars, commuters jumping on to revving public buses, the gentle tinkle of tram bells and of course the fish market in the audio visuals brought to life a way of living of a riverine people in the densely populated cities and villages of bengal. The captivating imagery so brilliantly captured by Souvid Datta, was the prefect backdrop to the music.

Each visual made a distinctive “sound”. Gradually the strings of Soumik Datta’s Sarod brought in the music accompanied by the brilliant Tabla of Arif Khan.They had a note for each of the images perfectly blending in to create a unique sound.  Where ever they were, not a string was missed! Very balanced yet fresh and new.

The show had also brought in Bengal’s famous poet Rabindranath Tagore’s music, presented in a different light. A great attempt, hope the Tagore lovers will see a new direction in this treatment of Tagore’s songs.

This was truly an electrifying performance and an audio visual treat by a young bunch of talents, soon to make a place for themselves in the world of music. Kudos to Alchemy Festival for bringing this refreshing new take on our classical traditions.

                                                                                            Protima Chatterjee

The Ideal Home Show London 2012 which took place at Earls court, as we all know , is a great place for a family day out for many. I was invited this Saturday 31 March by a friend, as her little six year old daughter was performing with Honey’s Dance Academy. I did my own little research on their website before I went as I wanted to plan my visit so I could take in most of what was available.

I was advised by my friend that on the day when I reach, I should head to the Ideal Woman section of the show and get myself seated by the CATWALK.

I had already learnt from the website that Ideal Woman sponsored by TENA is the perfect place to take time out from a busy shopping schedule. Women can indulge and relax at the various beauty and cocktail bars, browse the latest products and pick up hints and tips on this season’s fashion trends. The stunning CATWALK is the place to watch daily fashion shows, take part in fantastic workshops and enjoy fabulous performances from a variety of acts. I was happy because this is the kind of place that any woman would love be in during a weekend. I had decided that I would have a great time and so I did.

The shows at the CATWALK were fantastic. The first act started at 11 am and was called Catwalk Trends to High Street Looks. The catwalk show introduced the trends of this season. From pretty pastels to Jungle Fever, there was a trend out there for everyone, whatever your style, size or shape the presentation showed you how to work it!

Then came the Frameous DC – Dance Performance. Choreographed by one of London’s leading choreographers Christina Andrea, Frameous DC have worked extensively in the corporate and commercial field and continue to make waves in the entertainment industry.They performed a parody on the ever increasing rise in reality TV stars and a trip into the flamboyant and fabulous world of Frameous DC.The moves were bold and the dancers were stunning.

The other notable performance, the main reason why I was there was the bollywood show By Honey’s dance academy. It was truly entertaining. The energy of the dancers and their vibrant movements to some of Bollywood’s popular hip shakers created an electrifying atmosphere. As the company says ‘Enjoy the 3 F’s – Fun, Fitness and Funky moves through Bollywood dance!‘, was the base of every number. The performance was followed by a brief workshop where the audience had the opportunity to transform themselves to bollywood stars in just a few minutes.

The other notable presentation was The Olympic Fashion. This being a year of sporting celebration, this high energy dance show which jumps straight out of the starting blocks into a fashion dance, got the audience worked up about new clothes – and not just good looking sports wear but swimwear for the beach and old-school nautical looks too.

I was very pleased at the end of the day with the choice of events by the organisers  and the ease of presentation by the performers. Apart from the wonderful shopping experience, I think everyone went home with a very colourful and joyous experience on the whole.

For over 103 years the Ideal Home Show has been bringing ideas and inspiration to generations of British home owners and with this year’s show it has marked another successful year of its existence!

                                                                                Protima Chatterjee

Its a vibrant cosmopolitan scene here in London. The cultural picture is always colourful with a splash of paint from every community on the canvas. Its brought to life with the magic of varied forms of music, dance, songs and colour.

The evening of Sunday the 29th of January witnessed a brilliant performance by Baithak UK at the Victoria and Albert museum, celebrating Tagore’s 150th birth Anniversary. This presentation which has been supported and organised by the V&A and Nehru Centre, is a part of the year long celebrations taking place in various  museums, art galleries and performance venues for the occasion.

For those who don’t know him, Rabindra Nath Tagore was an Indian- Bengali polymath who reshaped Bengali literature and music. Author of Gitanjali, a collection of poems which became very famous in the west and was widely translated, he was the first non European to be awarded the Nobel prize in Literature in 1913.

The presentation started with a talk by Sangeeta Datta, Director of Baithak UK. and a renowned film maker, writer and a vocalist of Tagore songs herself. Then it gradually moved on to soul stirring songs by Sangeeta Datta and vocalist Shahana Bajpayee. The medium was bengali but the meaning of the songs was being conveyed to the audience in short simple verses in between. To add to the magic there were also dances performed to some of the songs by very graceful dancers namely Satarupa Chatterjee and Protima Chatterjee. The highlight of the evening being the debut performance by little Aishani Chatterjee who is just five years old but was equally joyous on stage performing to two of Tagore’s most beautiful songs. Her gorgeous smile and graceful movements showed that the Bengali community in the UK has successfully passed the torch on to the next generation to carry  Tagore’s legacy forward. The journey through the presentation was purely mesmeric and dreamlike.

We look forward to more of such beautiful stage presentations where both young and old participate to give the audience the best of any existing culture.

                                                                                              Protima Chatterjee