‘A LOT OF THE EARTHINESS THAT TYPIFIED INDIA IS GONE'

Juhi Chawla is back with a new movie on school and the education system. She gives suchayan mandal her take on cricket, its commercialisation, her films, history and motherhood

Charming, cute, bubbly would fit her but if Juhi Chawla were to be personified, she is innocently gorgeous and high on humour. Recently in Delhi, to speak on the ill effects of radiation, the soft spoken and “laugh-out-loud” actress was candid on how mobile towers were harmful for people. She even discussed cricket, its commercialisation, her films, history and motherhood. She was particularly excited about The Statesman’s Kolkata connection. Excerpts from an interview:  When did you decide to make people aware of mobile radiation and why?

Four years ago I was happily clueless about any harmful effects. Suddenly mobile antennas started cropping up, which my husband explained to me were harmful for us. Alarmed by this, we hired an agency to check radiation. Getting such an agency was a task itself. Then finally the agency checked and audited a report, which showed which areas of our home were most affected by radiation. I brought this to the notice of other residents in the locality. I wrote to several authorities, requesting them to remove or push back the antennas. They replied but only to inform us about some other bodies, who were the concerned authorities. Nothing majorly moved. I was about to give up as I had other preoccupations. One-and-a-half years later, my neighbour, a retired senior official, offered to help. Six months later, these were removed as most of them were found to be illegal. Now people started approaching us to help them. They would say, “Humare ghar ke bahar bhi hai!” (We have antennas outside our home too.) So I started giving them suggestions. One thing we did was to put banners on our flats with the words, “Harmful effects of radiation. Please remove antennas”. And they were noticed by people.  

What is your suggestion on the same? Ideally, you shouldn’t give these things (mobile phones) to little children to hold and chat. Today, kids are playing on iPads connected to 3Gs and that’s so dangerous! Constant exposure to radiation may harm them because they have soft skulls. Small babies have thin and soft skulls. It keeps developing until they become adults. Now everyone has phones, starting from my driver to the maid and to everyone. There are so many warnings in the phone itself on radiation, which I never knew. So you don’t expect most people to know about the ill effects. They have no clue of the harmful effects. Young men and women keep phones in their jeans pockets, close to reproductive organs and soft tissues. It’s not clear what happens, but that constant exposure for hours will surely have an effect! Remember, it’s not a toy. When you use it for gaming and photos, you can set it in the flight mode. Technicality about a mobile is clear but not the biological effect.
 Many stars are endorsing mobile phone brands. Can they contribute to this? It is definitely convenient for a celebrity to draw attention to a subject. But only when a celebrity says so, people tend to listen more attentively. If you can build that bridge, nothing better than that. You have to believe in it. Fifteen years ago I didn’t do all this, so let the other celebrities come to my age and maybe then they will understand. But it is a fantastic thing to do. More than anything, you can do something for people.  

  Talking about Gulab Gang, why did you choose to work with Madhuri while earlier you always refused to do so?    Earlier, when we were both into a career path, I was like “No! No! I won’t work with her because I have to share the limelight.” We were both doing similar things! We were vying for the same hero! When we danced together, comparisons would arise. Now when they came to me with the script and read it to me, I enjoyed the moment. The dialogues were strong! I was saying, “Kamal ke dialogues hai yaar! Kya dialoguebaazi! Bahut din ke baad aisi film aayi hai!” (Amazing dialogues! Such a film after ages!) But then I said, “Tum logon ka dimag kharab ho gaya! Aisa role main ne zindagi mein kabhi nahi kiya!” (Are you people mad? I have never done such a role!) Nobody will believe I can be that person you want me to portray! Three meetings later, they tried to soften the character. They were trying to justify the character. That just spoilt the whole thing. I realised it had to be in its earlier form. The way director Soumik Sen would read it, I tried to copy him in the movie. I tried to do what he was saying. Madhuri’s role and mine were completely opposite so I thought these were two different roles so people couldn’t compare us and I approved.

What was your reaction when the director offered you a negative role? Initially I almost said, “Watchman please inko bahar le jao! Aise script kyu leke aya!” (Watchman, take him out. Why has he got such a script?) For 23 years I have played positive roles. I realised this was very interesting. I thought, “Chalo theek hai! Try kar lete hai! (OK! Let’s try!) By God’s grace, this was the most exciting role I have ever played in my career!  You’re a co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders team. What’s your take on commercialisation of sports? (Thinks.) Both good and bad. What Test cricket used to be and shrinking them to into two hours! It’s like someone making a feature film being asked to make an ad film. This is like injecting a fast forward button into a Test match! It’s becoming exciting for viewers, players and then there’s a lot of money spinning around. On the other hand, so many sportspersons are benefiting from this. Earlier, it used to be if you aren’t selected for the national team you remained relatively unknown. Here, if you perform well in IPL matches you can grow big time! It offered lot of opportunities to players. And thanks to IPL, there is a football league and even a kbaddi league now. I think others will follow. Before, schools used to focus just on studies. Now no one will stop a shooter or a kabaddi player! Who knows, he might be giving autographs tomorrow.   Does your daughter Janhavi want to follow in your footsteps? She is inclined towards academics as of now. She is reading books and books and books. Right now she is confused, “Main banoongi kya?” (What will I be?)   How did you meet your husband? Woh din kya tha! Mere life mein twist aagya poora! (What a day. It totally twisted my life!) I had gone for dinner with my friends. I knew his family for quite some time. I had just started doing well. That evening I met him and from then onwards he stayed in touch. For a year-and-a-half he wooed me! And after that I said OK.    How has Bollywood evolved in front of your eyes? In many, many ways! But always films reflect what happens in society. So as society has changed, films have changed. But, yes, like earlier there used to be 500 films a year, where five were very good, 50 good and rest like “Na dekhne se bhi chalega!” (Can give it a go-by.) And that ratio hasn’t changed. Music has always been a strong part in Indian cinema and now music has developed much. Today, Indian cinema is very Westernised and a lot of that earthiness that typified India is gone. We are catering to more global people.  
 

Compared to the films you worked in during the ’90s to the ones you work in now, like My brother Nikhil, what change do you notice in choosing films? I am glad that I now get films that are story-based. Now I can fit into films and I am glad that there is still an opening for me.  
 

Who are your favourite actors and actresses? I have always been a Sridevi fan. I can say this shamelessly that I used to copy her. She was cuteness personified. Today I think, Deepika is doing very well. Priyanka works really hard and is a very good actor! Alia is like a confident star.  Ranbir Kapoor is cute! He has done such diverse roles and done each one well. “Kuch bhi kar le ta hai!” (He does any role!) I have seen a lot of kids grow up in front of me. There’s Varun Dhawan and Imran. I have to say they are my favourites.  

Tell us about your upcoming projects? As of now I will start working for Chalk and Duster. It is a serious take on school and education. This is a film by Jayant Gilatkar. It has Shabanaji, Divya and Anupam Kher. However, casting hasn’t been totally finalised yet. In about two-three weeks, you will have complete picture of it. 

 How do you plan to celebrate Diwali? This time, because of my brother’s demise, I won’t. Otherwise, every year I do celebrate. We do what every household does. We make rangoli and take an hour to make one flower. In the evening, I would pull my children to light up diyas.  Also I would say this, avoid the crackers. Let Diwali be green and non- polluting. Earlier, pollution wasn’t of this level. Laxmiji won’t like that way.

(Published in The Statesman)

‘They have a very limited understanding’

Hate him or love him, Chetan Bhagat can never be ignored. his books have deeply influenced young urban indians. After his latest novel was launched, suchayan mandal catches up with India's paperback king

"Mother died today. Or maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure." When Albert  Camus wrote this in the opening line of his novel, The Stranger, the  uncertainty of the fiction got merged with the strange reality Camus lived in. On a similar note, Chetan Bhagat’s uncertainty that he lives in and the one he writes in has often been questioned by critics, who have many a times discarded his writing as literature. Bhagat came under fire, probably because his English was the same that the tank top wearing girl in club speaks and also the young chap at CCD ~ which better defines urban India. His writing has always been “filmy” and based on middle class mentalities rather than delving into post Partition crisis.
 In his sixth novel and seventh book, Chetan underlines an issue that is crucial and needs to be highlighted. Excerpts from the interview:

Why is it Half Girlfriend?
It’s a love story. Half Girlfriend is a novel about a timid, non-English speaking Bihari boy’s journey in a world dominated by “English types”, and who “half-romances” a rich Delhi girl. The girl knows that the guy is more than friends but unsure whether to date him because he can’t speak English.

Isn’t the title too sexist?
It’s from the guy’s perspective. Had it been from the girl’s perspective, it would surely have been half boyfriend.

Do you think that a Bihari who can’t speak isnt a dating material?
The whole country suffers from complexes. There is a lot of inferiority around this language. There’s a line in the book: he says, ‘My English is not that good. I have a Bihari accent.’ He says French people have French accent and it’s considered very sexy. So why is it? There’s an assumption of inferiority associated with the whole culture.

Right from Five Point Someone to Half Girlfriend, we have noticed a decreasing numeric value?
Yes. That’s because I was an engineer and a banker. And that’s the reason for my love for numbers.

Half Girlfriend is  being adapted into a Bollywood film even before it hits the stands? Your opinion.
For me whether Twitter or movies or books ~ it's everywhere. It helps in creating a hype around the book. People want to know what the book is all about, if a movie is made on it. I had asked them to first see if the audience is picking the book or not. But yes, they had read the book beforehand. I am not doing anything extra for them. If they want to come and make something then it’s OK with me.

How is the experience seeing your book’s characters on screen?
The first time, I remember, I saw Salman and Katrina playing the roles, it felt bizarre. It was like wow, what’s going on here! But now I am used to it. It does feel beautiful, whenI see the trailer of the movie and I know I am the one who created it.

Critics have often said that Chetan Bhagat’s isn’t literature. What would be your response?
I think they have a very limited understanding of what literature is. Literature, I believe issomething that mirrors society. And it has to reach the masses. There can’t be just one kind of literature. If something is accepted by the masses in such huge numbers we must try to understand that something must be there so that people are accepting it.

Do you believe that since Five Point Someone you have become a better writer?
 I think so. I have improved as a writer from my first book. The flow of writing has got better. There’s a lot more confidence. As a person, I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve been writing so much or it’s because of age, I’ve just become more mature, calmer, less reactive and more in touch with myself.

How did you deal with the criticism? Did it affect your self-confidence?
That’s where I feel in 10 years I have changed. I have become much better at handling it. I can dispassionately talk about it. It cannot bother me enough to disrupt me. But in the initial stages there were real moments of doubt. Maybe I write very badly. I don’t know. Do I write really awfully? Why are so many people criticizing it?

Can you define which genre you write for?
No, I don’t think I can do that. I think it’s like the DNA. It’s like your face, your writing. I don’t think you can alter it too much. I don’t want to. Why would I? I enjoy doing it. People love it. Is there a certain need? Am I supposed to feel inadequate somehow after doing so much? I don’t feel the need at all. It’s not a competition with other writers for me. Ever. It never has been. I have to wean the young kids away from YouTube, from WhatsApp, from Candy Crush and make them read my book.

What is your upcoming project?
I haven’t decided anything yet. I’d concentrate on my health as of now.


Half Girlfriend has been published by Rupa Publishers. INR 176
Available through: http://www.flipkart.com/half-girlfriend-english/p/itmdys62bm3pvww8

Published in The Statesman dated 16 Oct'14.

Can spring be far behind?

With winter round the corner, the designers just got busy to showcase their collections for the next season. At the Wills India Fashion Week Spring Summer edition, glamour took a front row with aesthetics to beat the heat. SUCHAYAN MANDAL reports from the runway 

 

Bold trikinis, polka dots, pencil skirts, sheen of gold and silver, pastel hues, light weight linen and bead work will be in vogue next summer, predicted the just-ended Wills India Fashion Week Spring Summer 2014. The five-day  extravaganza of glamour that concluded in the Capital last Sunday was replete with all the good things of life. Par lights beaming on the ramp and models sashaying the ramp and setting the trend is nothing new. But each season brings with it an innovation in creativity that hypnotises one’s senses to make one believe in a luxury that’s not just lavish.
 People often question the “wearability” of the showcased outfits on the ramps. However, FDCI organised WIFW designers never conceptualise anything that can’t be worn by the off-the-ramp people.

 

Aboriginal art 

Debutante Vivek Karunakaran’s  tops, crop tops, palazzos, jackets, pants, shorts, dresses in gorgeous Chanderis mixed with voile, georgette, linen and poplin have been inspired by the Papunya Tula artists of the Western Desert of Australia. Their patterns consist of dots primarily, and also lines, circles, footprints which when put together narrate a tale. Having introduced  tulip yellow for the first time in his collection, there’s also electric blue, ivory, black, flamingo coral and elephant grey. The designer has played with volume, texture and colour-blocking. Hand-embroidery, appliqué, pleats and gathers enhance the appeal of the colourful garments. Apart from jackets, anarkalis and gowns, dhoti pants ruled the roost.

Deconstructed pants
Much like the global scenario, deconstructed pants are a new trend this time. Wendell Rodrick’s version of this pant has a Goan relax mode, borrowing from the designer’s home town. Tarun Tahilani’s satin dhoti pants have a velvet waist bands and side pocket flaps. Arun Saluja adds an androgynous touch on this trend.
“A deconstructed pant needs to be teamed with something a little less dramatic as there is a lot happening in that one piece of garment. I would team it with a corset, simple stilettos, a tote and ‘just-out-of-bed’ hair. This year, I was inspired by old school Irani cafés, so my variation of the deconstructed pants for my Spring/Summer 2015 show on Sunday at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week are deeply pleated culottes paired with a simple crop top”, believes Nida Mahmood.  Pair the pants with fitted tops, or boxy crop tops or even a classic men’s shirt that is partly tucked in the front and you will be setting the trend.

Kashmir ~ an issue

 
Rohit Bal’s collection “Gulbagh” was a tribute to the people of the Valley, who have been affected by the floods that wrecked the state last month. “My heart goes out to the local people who have borne the brunt of the devastation caused by the floods. There is a huge problem there and the people continue to suffer a great deal,” said the designer.
Having liberally used fine handlooms like Chanderi, fine mustard and matka silk, hand block printing has been intelligently used with vegetable dyes and gold leaf embossing. “I grew up surrounded with a variety of flowers. So this collection has chrysanthemums, wild roses, which capture the pristine beauty of the place. There are other elements like the dual stitch technique of Kashmir,” he said to the press.
“On the whole, I would say this collection showcases our Indian sensibilities. I don’t understand why the present designers borrow so much from the Western art and architecture but fail to discover the beauty of our temples, mosques and other heritage sights,” he reasoned.

Denim is back
Dear to heart, denim became designers’ pick at the fashion week. Raakesh Agarvwal’s collection had a lot of distressed denim followed by white distressed pieces with a lot of colour on it. The designer teamed them up with free flowy tops with lot of fringing work to achieve an elegant look. Apart from denim wear range, Agarvwal has also gone back to his initial years of his design career to revisit his collection of 2008 and 2009 and give it a feel of 2014. There were lot of chiffon gowns, free flowing dresses and jumpsuits with intricate cuts and smart detailing.
Veteran designer, Rajesh Pratap Singh’s love for denim was much more than just jeans. With his collection Blue Blood, Singh etched in the collection his love for indigo-dyed raw selvedge denim ~ a dying craft that owes its origin to India. Using varying weights ofdenims for shirting and bottoms.
 The selvedge detail featured uniquely in each piece; sometimes as a seam, in the bias, as a placket detail, or as a minimal stripe down the back of the garment. Shirts, tunics, jeans, jackets, waistcoats, dungarees and culottes made up the ensembles. Experimental silhouettes were displayed in the menswear selection, in the “engineered shirt” and “bias tunic shirt”. An innovative step up showcased stainless steel blended denim, khadi-linen weaves and jacquards with selvedge detailing. Embroidery, applique, patchwork, polka dots and the label's signature pin-tucks and usage of ikat were all highlighted.
The collection was also a tribute to workers in the denim industry, dubbed the “blue-blooded tribe”, to whom the purity of denim is an heirloom and a legacy in itself. This was further reinforced by the fact that Pratap seated his workers at the entry to the stage, like a set of immovable columns in the structure of the industry. Black and white video footage showing the process of denim construction formed an artistic and stirring backdrop that ran throughout the show, saluting the efforts of those true to the art that is denim.

Aussie influence

 Roopa Pemmaraju, a Melbourne-based and Bengaluru-born designer, showcased a luxury ready-to-wear collection, featuring original artworks by indigenous Australian artists on garments, using fabrics created by Indian artisans. The collection has been created in collaboration with renowned indigenous Australian artists, including Warlukurlangu, artists from Yuendumu, Rosie Napurrurla Tasman from Warlpiri culture and Reko Rennie, whose art incorporates his association to the Kamilaroi people.

Be bold
Delhi-based designers Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja  showcased maillots, bikinis and trikinis on the ramp. Their work reflected the modern women and the prints embody the work of Calder through the elements of the duo's work.
The designers created two signature prints ~ the hued Influx and the Calder's eye print. They made good use of colours like vermillion, chrome and moss. The palettes worked wonders with beautiful caramel Indian skin. The models looked stunning as they walked down the ramp with wet tresses in order to recreate a resort or pool look around.

Tinsel touch
While Aditi Rao Hydari, Sania Mirza sauntered ramp as show stoppers, sitting on the front row were actor Rahul Bose, Neha Dhupia and Nina Gupta apart from many other celebrities.
 Make-up is always the core part of fashion shows. Nidhi Shar'ma, Delhi based stylist associated with Wills India Fashion Week explained the backstage story. “The designers were getting little more inventive with tonal shades and neutrals. All high sheath and sheer is what this spring summer is all about,” said Nidhi, explaining the make-up trends for spring.
“ The look is both sexy and demure. Quirky prints and old school silhouettes ruled the ramp in Nida Mehmood show with her interesting spring summer line good look Irani cafe inspired from those old Parsi eating joints in Bombay,” she added.
This fashion week wasn’t a ramp tale but included style quotients off it. First timers who made into front row had loud make-up that didn’t synchronize well with the ambience. Yet Devil Wears Prada-inspired fashion editors in corset supported outfits redefined glamour. And to conclude, one often wonders how come most of the designers look so suave yet simplistically dressing up for bowing to the cheering crowd!