READ@PEACE

THE WAY ONE WAS

2009-10-17T01:05:00.004Z

My first real job was with The Times of India, yes the Old Lady... as she is still called.

Those were heady days. After cracking the written test and the interview, four eager beavers imagined word weavers, all in their early 20s, entered the paper, wanting to do the expected - change the world.

We were opinionated, argumentative and we were always up for a healthy debate (the rest of the newsroom read it as picking fights) with our then editor Tushar Bhatt.

One would have thought after what we put him through - right from questions about why a story was being spiked to why a story could not be published to why a sub-editor could not write as much as a reporter, why was a Page 1 story tucked in an inside page - he would want to forget us all.

Yes, when one is 20 one does believe one is always right.

Which is why, this note I received from him took me totally by surprise.

"I came across a piece in your blog, which mentioned my name. I thank you sincerely for remembering me. It was so many years ago but it seems like yesterday. I vividly recall the young, earnest faces keen to change the world through their words. The world keeps changing but not exactly as we all visualized when we were young. From your prolific output, I conclude that your romance with words has deepened. A few fortunates among the pen pushers can manage to achieve so much."

A reminder why a blog still has its space and why I must continue to write here, even if it is during the crevices of the day, the night, the bewitching hours.

Happy Diwali all.

As you can tell, I am all lit up anyway....

LITERARY EXPECTATIONS

2009-10-15T12:54:00.003Z

At a panel discussion, the affable Kiwi author Lloyd Jones (of Mister Pip fame) shared this:
"After one of my book readings, a lady walked up to me and said: 'You are so normal'."

That's not half as bad as another reader's remark at a session I did with Vikram Seth at the Galle Literary Festival.
"I am so disappointed, you are such a small man," she said in front of a packed crowd.

Closer home, chitter chatter took a new twist when a lady walked up to me and said:
"You look a lot taller in your byline photo."
Not quite lost for words yet, I responded: "How is that possible, when all you see is my face cut in a size smaller than the lowest priced postage stamp?"
"Oh, I mean you look more statesque in your byline shot."
"Statesque?"
"I mean you look a lot better in your picture."

Sweet!

INCREDIBLE AMEENA

2009-10-15T09:10:00.015Z

In the beginning, there were blogs....
Regrettably....
If only....
Twitter....
Another space...

Several times over, I have been tempted to spell the death of this blog. It happened often enough. I felt, I owed it to the wonderful readers who had become friends over the years. But something made me stop.

Deep down, I knew someday, somewhere, there would be that story which would not fit the confines of the space a newspaper allows, a story that can only be told sans editing, a story which would bring me back to the blog.

So, here I am. Almost a year since I last blogged.

This time, it is to talk about a remarkable, beautiful and spirited woman. Her name is Ameena Hussein. She is well known in literary circles. Her debut novel The Moon In The Water was longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Award and she has published two collections of short stories - Fifteen and Zillij.

I first met Ameena Hussein, a trained sociologist turned book editor, publisher and novelist at the inaugural Galle Literary Festival in 2007.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, she came across as the rare writer who believed in keeping her text short and sweet. Little did she know (and little did we) that the sentences were short for a reason (you will find out, if you read on).

Over the weeks, months and now years, we spoke, exchanged emails and met several times - in Sri Lanka and now in Singapore.

I learnt many things about her and her wonderful husband Sam, starting with:
1) Always invite them home for a meal because they won't let you pick up the tab - not even in your land.
2) She will almost always make you laugh. "If I am a manglik, you should be dying," she told Sam on one occasion.
3) That if any cancer campaign, ever needs a poster girl, they should look no further than Ameena.
4) That nothing can and will ever get her down
5) "I only have long stories left now and I better write them," she told me at our last meeting.

Between her writing, her treatments, she and Sam work on the story they started when they left their jobs in Geneva and headed back home.

"I always knew I would return to Sri Lanka. I was very clear about that," she once told me.

So here it is, Ameena's story in Ameena's words, unedited, just the way it should be:

How did you start writing? Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
I never thought I would be a writer. When I was young, I think my parents would have liked me to be a lawyer or a doctor. You know the normal Asian aspirations. However, I married young and went off to Los Angeles with my husband and entered university there. While I was studying Sociology, I would gather so much material during my research projects that were so rich and interesting that could not be entered into my boring academic papers. Writing fiction seemed to be a natural consequence and became an outlet for all the stories I would hear.

What were your childhood years like?
Perhaps slightly weird. We belonged to a conservative Sri Lankan Muslim family with parents who thought slightly differently from the rest. So while my cousins were in shalwar kameez, we wore dresses. While my cousins learnt sewing and cooking, we went for music and speech and drama. In retrospect, I think my childhood was wonderful. We had plenty of cousins and aunts and uncles who lived all around us. We met daily and played and chatted and had very close family ties. We tried to balance our school friends with our cousins, but there were so many restrictions regarding school mates, unrealistic curfews etc, it was difficult to have close ties with non-family children. We didn't have television or computers in those days. We spent our days reading, imagining, playing and dreaming. How different from children of today.

How did you and Sam meet? And what made both of you decide you wanted to head back to Sri Lanka?
Sam was working in Geneva and he had come on a holiday to Sri Lanka and we first met at a dinner party. After my divorce, we kept in touch and eventually got married. I had always known I wanted to live in Sri Lanka. And Sam was not averse to the idea. But the deal was that after marriage I would go and live in Geneva for three years and then we would return to Sri Lanka. I kept my part of the deal, and he kept his. I feel very strongly about the land of my birth. There must be something in my blood that ties me to this country that doesnt allow me to stay away for too long.

How did the family respond to the news that you were giving up your cushy jobs in Geneva and returning to Sri Lanka?
Today, thinking back, I can't remember going through any opposition from the family in our return. My immediate family however, was concerned as to what we were going to do in Sri Lanka, because we were already telling people that we were going to come back and start a publishing house in Colombo and have a farm where we would grow trees in the rural areas of Sri Lanka. They thought that was a rather strange venture. Publishing houses were practically non-existent in Sri Lanka. And then there was the matter of growing trees. I do not come from a farming tradition, so it quite perplexed them. Today, I think they are amused, proud, and a little non-plussed that we haven't fallen flat on our faces.

What made you start a publishing house? Did you feel not enough was being done to promote Sri Lankan writing?
When I came back from Los Angeles mid way through my PhD at the University of Southern California, I was working at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies. This was headed by Radhika Coomaraswamy, now the undersecretary general for the UN on Children and Armed Conflict and Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam, who was assassinated by the LTTE. During my time here, I found that it was more than a research centre. It was a cultural centre, it was a literary centre, it was quite a wonderful place to be working in at that time. They offered to publish my first collection of stories Fifteen. I then realised that we didn't have any publishing houses in Sri Lanka to publish works in English. There were Sinhala publishing houses, I am not sure about Tamil publishing houses, but if there were any English writing publishing houses, I was certainly not aware of them. So at that time, the seed was germinating in my mind. I began thinking of a Sri Lankan publishing house that dealt with works written in English by Sri Lankan authors.
Most of us in Sri Lanka grow up reading Western authors and not enough authors from the region or other 'South' countries. When I was in America, I discovered books written by Indian authors, Egyptian authors, Kenyan, Japanese, Chinese, Russian - it was like another world for me. When I visited Sri Lanka I discovered that here too there was a burgeoning of writing in English. At that time, I don't know what the state was doing to promote Sri Lankan writing in English. Now I know they have the State Literary Prize which is held every year, but other than that, I can't see other events to promote Sri Lankan literature in English. I am not sure if even the local universities teach the younger authors. There seems to be an attitude that change is very difficult and no-one seems motivated enough to embark on a process of change.
In richer countries the state will support writers and artistes in many ways. Here, it is the survival at a most basic level. I wish somewhere, somehow a fairy godmother will appear to promote Sri Lankan writing in English.

What was the first year like? How many authors did you start off with? How many authors do you publish now?
2003, our first year was fun. We were launching the publishing house with my second collection of short stories Zillij. The whole year was spent on that one book. Today, that is unimaginable. On the back flap of my book we put in a little mission statement and after that manuscripts started coming in. So the next year, we published another book, and so it went on and today we have published a total of 19 books.

How do you manage to do your own writing and balance them with the full time demands of being a publisher?
This is a tough job, I find that I barely have any time for my own writing. During the day it is impossible, at night the last thing I want to do is open my computer. In addition, I am involved in so many other things that ask me to write up reports, or fund raising letters or edit articles that there seems to be very little room left for my creativity. However, I have started on my second novel though it is very slow going. I repeat, very slow going.

You have also been one of the pioneers of the Galle Literary Festival. Do you feel the festival has achieved what it set out to achieve?
The GLF as it is called, is one of those amazing successes that you find in the world. It started off when Geoffrey Dobbs, an Englishman, who has lived in Sri Lanka for many years has this marvellous idea to start one. He approached a few people, of whom I was one, and when we first started we were doing everything, designing the programme, engaging with bureaucracy, arranging transport etc etc. It was really hands on and totally exhausting and wonderfully rewarding. Now, we are so much more organised, we have a efficient and dedicated team to attend to all those things, and I see the festival going from strength to strength and actually am quite proud and pleased about where it is today. Not only have we showcased Sri Lankan writing in English, the festival does outreach programs throughout the year involving rural schools and encouraging the reading habit among children.

When did you learn that you have cancer? Each time I have met you, you have been incredibly strong. I'll never forget your party in Colombo, just as I was grappling with a suitably sad look for the evening. Do you find battling cancer has made you even more steely in your resolve to continue writing and finding more Sri Lankan voices?
I discovered I had cancer quite by accident. I had been having breathing problems for seven months, in fact during the first Galle Literary Festival, I wrote my welcome speech with short sentences so that I wouldn't be gasping for breath. Little did I know. Then in June 2007, I nearly collapsed and then I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Having had cancer actually made me very humble. Because I was shown such love and caring by a multitude of people. When you have a life threatening disease, it makes you appreciate and value each day. I am not exaggerating, not a day goes by when I don't think I am so grateful and happy to be alive. I hope cancer made me strong, but not just in my writing or work but as a decent human being.

How much of your life made it to your novel - The Moon In The Water?
The theme of the story is fiction. But the details of belonging to a Sri Lankan Muslim extended family came from my life, my cousins lives, my aunts, uncles, grandparents they are all in the book I suppose.

To reach Ameena & Sam, contact The Perera Hussein Publishing House
Web: www.ph-books.com
Email: ph-books@sltnet.lk

THE WHITE TIGER

2008-12-22T06:22:00.005Z

Since its Man Booker win, Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger has sold over 285,000 copies in the UK alone. It has been sold to publishers for translation in over 26 countries.

I first read the book in May this year (and have been meaning to blog about it since then!), loved it and gave it a glowing review in the paper. When I visited India in June, I saw it had significant shelf space in the some of the hole in the wall bookstores you find next to the dhabas. It was a sign the book had arrived, well before the Booker judges ruled.

Aravind beat off competition from five other authors, including Amitav Ghosh, to win the prestigious literary prize this year. Judges felt the book won in the end because it "shocked and entertained in equal measure."

Michael Portillo, chairman of the judges said that through its protagonist Balram Halwai, "the novel undertakes the extraordinarily difficult task of gaining and holding the reader's sympathy for a thoroughgoing villain. The book gains from dealing with pressing social issues and significant global developments with astonishing humour."

I'd interviewed Aravind for another story after the big win. For those of you who missed it, here it is, in continuation of the spirit of sharing.

Q : Are you still surprised to see how well The White Tiger has travelled? Is the Booker recognition sinking in?
A : Yes, I'm absolutely delighted. It's my first novel: I had no idea how it would be received. Every young writer dreams of being on the short-list of the Man Booker Prize; I'm overjoyed that the White Tiger made it there.

Q : What about critics' reactions about the other India - the no saffron, no ornamental prose, no silk saris etc?
A : The book is set in the country I live in; and the problems that Balram Halwai, my protagonist, grapples are the problems that millions of Indians grapple with every day. Far too many Indian novels deal only with the middle-class. That class is real, but it covers only maybe one-third of this country. Below the middle-class starts another, greater India, of many hundreds of millions: men and women who are all but invisible in most Hindi films and English novels that come out of India. If this underclass is depicted, it is depicted incorrectly: the poor are sentimental, humourless, and obsessively religious weaklings who beg for the readers' pity. I've tried to capture a voice from the underclass that should delight, provoke, and disturb my readers.

Q : As a first time author was it hard to get your book published? Any painful rejections?
A : Yes, I've been rejected many times. It's especially a problem when you live in India, with no real community of writers or critics around you - there is no support network when you face rejection. But failure forces you to confront the core issues: why do I write, and what do I want to write about if no one, absolutely no one, will ever read my writing?

Q : I still marvel at the fact that you managed to balance your journalism with your fiction. Did the two ever get in each other's way?
A : I've always wanted to be a writer - there's never been any doubt in my mind as to which calling was more important. But you can't support yourself by churning out unpublished novels; and there is the danger that you get trapped in a room if you are just a writer. Journalism paid the bills, and gave me a chance to travel throughout India; it also forced me to overcome my innate shyness and talk to people. I always knew, however, that one day I would give up my job to write. I resigned from TIME magazine at the end of the 2005 to concentrate on my writing. Now I'm doing more journalism again.

Q : You've said Balram Halwai is a composite of various men. Who are some of these men? Did you entirely fictionalise the character?
A: Yes, Balram Halwai is a composite; many different men have been blended into this character and his voice. One example: some years ago, during my stay at a corporate guesthouse in Bangalore, I made friends with the cook, who was from Bihar. We got along famously. None of the other guests paid him any attention, but I found him delightful. He wanted me to buy him mutton (which was too expensive for him to get on his salary); in return, he told me stories about the rich men who had stayed at the guest-house, including one of India's most famous tycoons.
"The rest of the world thinks of that man as a saint," he said, "but I know the truth."
"What is the truth?" I asked him, as he was licking the mutton off his fingers.
"He makes his servants shampoo his dogs." He scowled in disgust. "What kind of human being forces another human being to clean his dogs?"
This became an episode in my novel; and the Bihari cook's tone of contempt towards the rich strengthened Balram Halwai's voice.

Q : What about Ashok? He has his moments, though the lesser ones seem to dominate.
A : I've never thought of Ashok as an evil man; he has quite a bit of myself in him. He's liberal and essentially decent, as most of the middle-class is in India; but he is weak. He recognises the political system around him as corrupt and unjust, yet allows himself to be sucked into it: when his wife is involved with a fatal accident, for instance. Far too many of the liberal middle-class know that something has to change with the system, but they also know, secretly, that the corruption of the system will work in their favour if they get into trouble. This reduces their incentive to change how things work. Therein lies a great danger for India: because in the end, a bad system will bite everyone, the rich and the poor alike. And indeed, the middle-class in India, people like Mr Ashok, are as much the victims of the system as the under-class, even if they haven't yet realised it.

TIME FOR Q&A

2008-12-22T06:07:00.000Z

Slumdog Millionaire is anything but an underdog film. Its made the critics sit up and take notice. But the film wouldn't have happened if not for Vikas Swarup's book Q&A.

Recounting an earlier interview done for my book show Off The Shelf. Yes, it was many Christmases ago.

Vikas Swarup, India's latest literary sensation earned a whooping six figure advance for his debut novel. Interestingly titled 'Q & A', the book has already been translated into fifteen languages.

And that's not all, a Hollywood movie based on the novel is already in the works. The book recounts the adventures of Ram Mohammad Thomas, who makes off with the jackpot on a quiz show called 'Who Wants to Be A Millionaire'.

A charming book, made even more fascinating by the name of its protaganist. Between travels to Pakistan and Afghanistan, diplomat and author Vikas Swarup takes the time for this exclusive chat with Deepika Shetty.

Q : Vikas, why the name Ram Mohammad Thomas?
A : I wanted him to represent the richness and diversity of India, not just as a cliche.
And if you read the book, you'll see the name means a lot in the book. Ram Mohammad Thomas is not just a name.
He actually uses the three elements - the Hindu religion, the Christian religion and the Muslim religion when he interacts with various characters.
So for his Muslim friend Salim, he becomes Mohammad, for the Australian diplomat he becomes Thomas and for the Indian actress who is wary of keeping a Muslim servant he becomes Ram. So he does utilise his name to meet various circumstances.

Q : What was the inspiration for your plot?
A : I had come across a news report some time back that slum children had begun using a mobile internet facility.
That is what set me thinking because normally you associate the internet with a certain level of sophistication.
You would expect people who are well educated, who read newspapers who would use the internet and here you had children from a slum who had never gone to school, had probably never read the newspapers, who were logging on to the worldwide web.
And that set me thinking that perhaps there is some innate ability in all us, that given the right opportunity can surface.
At the same time I wanted to tap into this global phenomena called 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'. This is really the first televised globally syndicated quiz show.
So the idea was let's juxtapose the quiz show with a rather untypical contestant and that's why you had Q & A.

Q : You are a first time novelist, did you imagine the book would be this big?
A : No, never. In fact when I wrote it, I wrote it primarily as an Indian book for an Indian audience. I had no idea it would be picked up publishers everywhere and would emerge as a global novel.

Q : Critics have called your book 'sweet, sorrowful and compelling'. In fact, your writing style has even been compared to the bestselling author Mark Haddon. That sounds like a dream come true for any author. How do you feel about all the positive reviews?
A : I feel very, very gratified. I wrote this book primarily for myself. The book is about an Indian milieu, its set in India.
There is no attempt to exoticise places, it deals with the sordidness with India in a certain sense, the underbelly of urban India.
In fact, there is no attempt to pander to Western audiences, which is often a charge levelled against Indian authors who have an eye on the Western market.
So the fact that this has been accepted so willingly, and before the English publication, that is the best thing. Normally, a book becomes big in India and then its picked up by the rest of the world and then people say its all because of the hype.
And here I am an unknown author, I haven't been published in India, yet my book has been picked up by publishers from Brazil to Barcelona, that means something.
So I am very very gratified. I suppose the reason for that is that maybe at the core there is something universal about the book - its about the underdog winning and that's something that appeals to people in all cultures and communities.

Q : How long did it take to write it?
A : The actual writing took me only two months. I wrote this towards the end of my posting in London, when my wife and children preceded me to India and I was to go back to India after two months. That's when I decided to try my luck at writing and it just happened.

Q : Wow! What about the movie, were rights snapped up even before the book was out?
A : Absolutely! Film Four - they were very interested in the book. They felt the plot was compelling and that it would easily translate into celluloid. They snapped up the movie rights within a month of the acquisition of the book by Random House.

Q : Continuing our Q & A, are you already at work on your next novel?
A : (Laughs) No, I am at work in the office and I think I need a little bit of R&R (rest & recreation) before I start work on my next novel.

Q : You are a career diplomat in India, how did writing happen and how do you even find the time to write?
A : I suppose that is one of the big mysteries. I suppose all of us have some free time on our hands, diplomats do when they are posted abroad.
In India, of course its a nine to nine job and so there is no question of thinking anything beyond non-fiction. When we are posted overseas, we do have the time. It all depends on how you want to use it, some choose to spend it watching movies, reading books or with the family.
Since my family was away for two months, I decided to use my time thinking about a book and writing about it. I don't know if I'd be able to do this thing again in two month, maybe my wife has to go away again.

Q : What have been the influences on your writing, any writers you admire a lot?
A : Well, I've read a lot of writers over the years - everything from Albert Camus to James Hadley Chase. Subconsciously what you consider to be good writing does have an influence on you but in terms of writing style, I don't think you will see echoes of any particular writer or style.
I have written as only I can write. If I wanted to copy a writer, I don't think that's possible, you can only copy a plot. If you have a unique plot, like mine, then you have to write in a new style altogether.

Q : Did you have to deal with rejection in any form when it came to publishing 'Q & A?
A : No that's the surprising thing. I think I've been a very lucky writer. Basically I wrote four and a half chapters and sent it off to 10 agents.
I picked up the 11th agent off the internet, he liked the book and I had a deal. I am really one of those lucky authors who does not have a pile of rejection slips in my cupboard.

Q : Since you have no rejection slips, what would you say to aspiring writers?
A : Always chase your dreams. If you want to be a writer, then don't get disheartened by the first couple of rejection slips. As I have discovered it takes just one good agent to help you make your mark in the world. But the important thing is that your product must objectively be good.
There are writers I am sure, who think they have written the next Nobel Prize winning novel, but maybe the novel is not so good. So get objective advise. Consult your friends, your colleagues, consult those who read books and if they like your book then I don't think you should give up, you should keep on trying and I'm sure you will hit the jackpot someday.

Q : And before I let you, I just can't resist this question - will be see a Bollywood remake after the Hollywood version is out?
A : I certainly hope so.

DHOOM 2: How to LIKE Say It?

2006-12-03T23:35:00.000Z

After reports of the upcoming wedding, the ceremonies, the rituals and the reports of Aishwarya Rai having to tie the knot with a tree before an actual wedding with the Abhishek Bachchan, the joke doing the rounds goes:

- The tree and Aishwarya act in a film together. The tree acts better. (what can I say - life's LIKE that only!)

That pretty much sums up Aish's showing in Dhoom 2 (never mind the short skirts and bikini tops). Every time she has to say like, it is with such effort that you wonder didn't even hear this when the shots were being done. One minute, she is this small time con woman Sunehri, the next minute you can hear her spouting English with the pucca clipped accent. As if that weren't painful enough, tough cop Bipasha Basu who makes an appearance as Shonali transforms into the rather forgettable Monali.

I'm not even a Hrithik Roshan fan, but he was the only one who impressed in this sequel that falls flat compared to its predecessor.

In typical Hindi movie style, the action takes you to a robbery in Namibia, where a five-year old non-shooter gifted with a gun, would have done better than the beefcakes, making a go at the King of Cons - 'A'.

Similar scenes repeat themselves throughout the movie. 'A' (Hrithik Roshan) reinvents himself several times including as a rather sad looking Johnny Depp avataar, he saves the dances and proves ACP Jay Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan) really shouldn't be asked to shake his leg in the same dance sequence as him.

The action was supposed to be riveting. I went to watch the flick with a bunch of pals and each of us took turns catching a couple of winks watching the deadpan events unfold in an even more brain-dead fashion.

If babes in bikinis mark your kind of movie watching, then go ahead, add to the Dhoom:2's already bursting at its seams revenues, otherwise be sensible and just wait for the VCD.

If I was in the business of popping those popcorns, I'd seriously give it just one.

It's like that bad. Give me Dhoom and John Abraham anyday.

WHAT A DON!

2006-12-05T03:03:00.000Z

While I'm at it - this business of raving and ranting, let me get down to my long overdue post of Don. It was triggered in part by a comment that came my way at a dance party a couple of winks ago. The minute Khaike Paan Banaras Wala came on, someone next to me went : "No, one likes the new Don."

Perfectly fine statement to make if there were no neo-Don lovers in sight. But I liked it and I said it. Then the statement changed to "only 5% of those who watched it liked it." I have no clue where that statistic came from, but I count myself fortunate to be a part of that 5%.

We'd finally made it Don after a long day. A bull run (ie a run featuring man and his best friend) meant I spent an hour in traffic in a vain bid to pick up Bala in time for a book launch. When Catherine Lim is launching a book, you want to be there to catch her unscripted speeches. Much to my dismay, I missed the launch and the speech and barely managed a couple of words with Catherine before she had to leave.

Then we spent several minutes toggling between which movie we'd like to watch. 'Good Year', 'Don'? 'Don', 'Good Year' - things finally swung in favour of Don. We made it to Shaw only to realise that the show was at midnight. But you know how it is, when the mind is set on a movie, the mind is set on a movie. With a two hour long wait before the movie, I even had time to nap and that's pretty much what I expected to do when we ended the theatre.

How wrong I was. Right from the start, the movie exceeded my expectations. Ok, I would have preferred to see a real item girl instead of Kareena, but no one seemed to mind. Shah Rukh was brilliant from the word go. The quiet evil Don chilling you to the very bone, then the tapori who emerges in the Ganpati Visarjan. The 9/11 bits didn't seem overtly contrived unlike in Naseerudin's directorial debut 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota'. The empire in Don unfolds smoothly as do the splits right at the top of the Evil Empire - so to speak.

Farhan Akhtar captures Malaysia in all its glory. Anyone, who has been to Genting will tell you it actually looks better through Farhan's lens. Then the Bollywood heroine emerges in a new avataar. No more grin and bear it kind of heroine here. Priyanka Chopra is all ready to kick butt and she sure does with some stunning results.

Boman Irani proves yet again, there is no role scripted or otherwise that he can't do. As DCP De Silva he gives no indication of the twists that were to follow in the movie. Twists that had me like the other 5% at the edge of my seat wondering if good will eventually win?

If there are a couple of late bloomers like me, who take forever to watch the movie, let me not spoil it for you.

The official reviews don't quite leave the right impression, having watched it, let me tell you 'Don' on the whole is enjoyable. Each actor has fleshed out his character superbly and Arjun Rampal deserves a special mention. As does the man who put it all together. Farhan, who make me so proud of Indian cinema. The music rocks, can we expect anything less from the magically lyrical Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy?

Yes, I am an unapologetic Don fan, no ifs, buts and likes about that.

Since I'm making it my business to dish out some popcorns, I'm going to give it a four out of the full five.

A READ TO REMEMBER

2006-12-06T02:27:00.000Z

He has written about Kashmir, riots within, the clashes between the West and the rest - by all accounts scholarly discourses which have been deeply insightful. Yes, we know about his stellar achievements which include being at the helm of some of the leading publications of our times in his 20s. But this is a man of grit, who remained unfazed by the 'exigencies of space' and continued writing. His real learning began at 17 in a manner that almost sounds like the stuff of fiction. But M.J. Akbar's immensely engaging 'Blood Brothers' draws on his life to capture the biggest story of India's history.

It tracks the lives of three generations of a Muslim family (largely his own) to unravel what happened in the last 150 years, starting with starvation, "the slow fire that sucks life out in little bursts, leaving pockets of unlinked vacuum inside."

From here you are drawn to the fascinating world of Telinipara. There is a conversion, there is love, humility, humanity and food - lots of it. As the family grows, so do the events marking the lives of the memorable characters in the book. They collectively make the leap from one page to the next ensuring you flip the pages to find out what happens next. Just like Akbar's earlier books, this one turns out to be a quick history lesson as well. If like me, you can't put your book down till you reach the end, then be prepared to travel through Bengal and Punjab before, at the time of partition and post-partition.

Then is a fleeting mention about the capture of the Haji Pir pass - something that remains close to my heart. See this earlier post -
http://readatpeace.blogspot.com/search?q=haji+pir+pass

Beyond being a memorable lesson in the trials and tribulations of a country that has lived through its share of crises, the book also gives you insights into events that marked one of 'India's most cerebral editor's' journey into the world of words. To tell you about it, would mean wrecking this post with a spoiler alert. Let me only get away with saying, it's worth reading 'Blood Brothers' to find all about that and a whole lot more - including Sharmila Tagore's bikini.

Celebrity endorsements never hurt and 'Blood Brothers' has deservedly received its fair share, including one by Henry Kissinger, that is bound to be seen in the next edition of the book (which will definitely be soon). So I'll end this by letting some of the blurbs do the talking - that is if you are still trying to make up your mind about picking up the book:

"M.J. Akbar's Blood Brothers is a marvellous work of history in the form of a deeply engaging story of a Muslim family in Bengal. The exploration of the complex interface between Muslims and Hindus over the last 150 years has the freshness of a first-person experience which it actually is. A work of considerable charm, grace and insight."
- Shyam Benegal
Acclaimed Film-Maker

"A skilfully crafted family saga down three generations packed with information of events in the country and the world, particularly changing Hindu-Muslim relations. It could be a textbook on how to write, mix fact, fiction and history. It is beautifully written; it deserves to be in Category A1."
- Khushwant Singh
Author & Historian

A CELEBRATION OF FIRSTS

2006-12-07T03:15:00.000Z

Still from 'Dombivli Fast'

Still from 'Omkara'

It's not Sundance, nor does it claim to be. It's a festival that evolved like all good things do - over a cup of coffee and a conversation. And it's all set to grow.

Into its second year, the Asian Festival of First Films opened another window of opportunity for first-time film-makers, producers, actors, writers, cinematographers - and just about everyone involved in the art of film-making. The gamut ranges from alternative, documentary to commercial cinema.

We all learn from our firsts, so did the festival this year. The venue was better, the production slicker. The presenters - the charming MTV twins May and Choy did a fine job of pronouncing the Indian names in addition to providing some live Mandarin to English translation. If anything was lost in the process, I am sure the discerning audience couldn't tell.

The glitz factor was upped. In attendance this year were veteran actors Anthony Wong, Gina McKee (of Notting Hill fame), Cecilia Yip, award-winning scriptwriter of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', Jim Hart, noted Indian film director Ketan Mehta and German director Volker Langhoff and two time BAFTA winner Michael Yorke.

Adding to the substance, were the excellent speeches by the jury members. Yes, Mahesh Bhatt did a fine job last year, but that's the only one I can remember from that time. This time round Hart, Yorke, Mehta and Langhoff all left you with several points to ponder. Right from the quality of films, to the trials and tribulations of first time film makers.

Speaking of first films, Kunal Kohli (of Fanaa and Hum Tum fame) who had helped in the first round of selections this year had likened it to the 'first kiss' - something you wouldn't forget even if it was bad.

Though what made it the final round looked like award-winning stuff. Some of my favourites were there. Grace Phan's, stunning documentary 'A Hero's Journey', Vishal Bharadwaj's 'Omkara' and Ramakant Gaikwad's 'Dombivli Fast'.

I was a tad disappointed not to see 'A Hero's Journey' make the final cut, but apart from that the jury did a fine job of picking the best from movies that they said didn't even look like first time attempts at film-making.

If you've seen Omkara, you'll find it impossible to believe that this is Taasaduq Hussain's first feature as an independent cameraman. If you've watched Phan's documentary, the results are likely to be same. Ditto for many of the other films that made it to the long and the short lists.

They opened windows to a whole new world. Worlds that Hart pointed out are "connecting through art". In a clear indication that art knows no borders over 200 films all the way from the US, Israel, to New Zealand came together in Singapore. Though in the end, India and China emerged as the clear power-houses.

Beyond the awards, beyond the platform it provides, the Asian Festival of First Films was a clear celebration of the fine craft of film-making in all its forms.

We saw the first rays of hope shine through it last year. After a second successful year the only way forward for Sanjoy and Shweta's vision is forward.

On that note, the winners of the night were:

Best Screenplay
Zhang Jiarui & Daju Yuan for "The Road"(China)

Best Director
Ramakant Gaikwad for "Dombivli Fast" (India) & Lam Nguyen for "Journey from the Fall" (USA)

Best Producer
Ramakant Gaikwad for Dombivli Fast (India) & Lam Nguyen for "Journey from the Fall" (USA)

Best Actor Male
Le Go in "The Road in the Air" (Taiwan)

Best Actor Female
Kangana Ranaut in "Gangster" (India)

Best Cinematographer
Tassaduq Hussain for "Omkara" (India) & Bobby Singh for "Gangster" (India)

Best Documentary
"One Show Less" (India) produced by Nayantara Kotian

Best Director Of Documentary
Roseanne Liang, "Banana in a Nutshell" (New Zealand)

Best Film
"The Road" (China)

Foreign Correspondents Association Choice "Purple Orchid" Award
The Road (China)

Though you'd do better to read more about all the nominees here:
www.asianfirstfilms.com

THE ECONOMIST'S BOOKS OF THE YEAR

2006-12-14T02:42:00.000Z

I'm usually suspect of lists, particularly those that attempt to set apart the best from the rest. But when such lists happen to be from The Economist, I do happen to sit up, read the fine print and take notice. Not that they always give me what I want.

Often a lot of South Asian writers are simply ignored. This year too, I was hoping to see Vikram Chandra's 'Sacred Games' somewhere on the list - it's not. Nor is Kiran Desai's Booker prize winning 'The Inheritance of Loss'. While one of my favourite reads of the year, Claire Messud's 'The Emperor's Children' makes the cut, Hisham Matar's stunning debut 'In The Country of Men' doesn't.

Apart from these literary heart-breaks it is encouraging to see James Kynge's 'China Shakes the World' and Edward Luce's 'In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India' get the mention they deserve in the 'Politics and Current Affairs' section.

The book that's caught my eye this time round is:
"Journey Through Great Britain
By Iqbal Ahmed. Coldstream; 190 pages; £9.95
A deceptively simple account of travels in Britain by a Kashmiri immigrant. It shows the British as others see them -not as they think they are."

Though several searches show the correct title of the book is 'Empire of the Mind: A Journey Through Great Britain'. A sequel to his first book 'Sorrows of the Moon', a moving investigation of the immigrant experience in London, Iqbal Ahmed moves beyond the capital to make a journey through the remnants of Britain’s imperial past in 'Empire of the Mind'. Ahmed who was born in Kashmir in 1968, has lived in London since 1994. His first book was chosen as a Book of the Year in The Guardian and The Independent on Sunday. He is currently working on a novel.

Read more about how a hotel doorman by night, turns into a writer of note by day here: http://www.thecnj.com/review/033006/books033006_01.html

So if lists determine your reading, you'd do well to head here before setting out for the nearest bookstore...
http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8380365&fsrc=nwlgafree

A DELIGHTFUL WEB

2006-12-15T02:51:00.000Z

By E.B. WHITE
First Published - 1952
Pages: 184. Price: $7.99 (US)
Publisher: Harper Trophy, an imprint of HarperCollins

They say great stories never age. 'Charlotte's Web' is a case in point. With the movie set to hit the screens near you, there has never been a better time to revisit the book.

The inspiration for the movie is the E.B. White classic 'Charlotte's Web'. The book which was first published in 1952, tells the story of a spider named Charlotte and her friendship with a pig named Wilbur and the story of this bond is evocatively narrated.

Illustrated by Garth Williams, it has been ranked one of the best-selling children's paperbacks of all time. Recording sales of 45 million copies so far, it has been translated into 23 languages.

No surprise then that it has had two cinematic versions. The first one hit the big screen in 1973. And the second one releases this year.

Such is the charm of the book that it has drawn big Hollywood names like Julia Roberts, Robert Redford, John Cleese and the queen of talk-shows - Oprah Winfrey.

Dakota Fanning brings alive the character of eight-year old Fern Arable who saves Wilbur from being slaughtered by her father. With that she wins the hearts of all the animals in the barnyard helping unravel this lovely magical tale.

Charlotte is the spider, who spins lessons on life in her lovely little web. Take this little soul-searching that Wilbur goes through for instance:

"Well," he thought, "I've got a new friend, all right. But what a gamble friendship is! Charlotte is fierce, brutal, scheming, bloodthirsty - everything I don't like. How can I learn to like her, even though she is pretty and, of course, clever?

Wilbur was merely suffering the doubts and fears that often go with finding a new friend. In good time he was to discover that he was mistaken about Charlotte. Underneath her rather bold and cruel exterior, she had a kind heart, and she was to prove loyal and true to the very end."

The book packs several powerful lessons like these. Lessons that resonate with the young and old alike. So if movies drive your reading, let the big names draw you back to this charming tale of loving and caring. Flip the pages of the book, before you catch the movie.

BATTLING THE WAVES

2006-12-18T02:05:00.000Z

There are stories and there are stories.

Some of the people behind those stories fade away, others remain etched in your memory forever. The story of the remarkable Captain Elmo Jayawardena is one of those - that you will never forget once you hear it, that is.

News of his book launch came to me during the early days of my book segment, over two years ago. I'll be frank. I'd never heard of him or of his book 'Sam's Story' which had won the prestigious Graetian Prize, instituted by none-other than the Booker Prize winner Michael Ondaatje. The book had made waves internationally before being picked up Singapore-based publisher Marshall Cavendish. The press release also mentioned the fact that Elmo Jayawardena happens to be a full-time Singapore Airlines pilot who runs a humanitarian organisation when he is not flying planes or writing.

My curiosity to find out more about this man was adequately whetted. So on a rainy Saturday afternoon when I would have liked to be snug with a cup of coffee, I made my way to the book launch at the Library@Orchard. For a minute, I thought I had stepped into the wrong room. The room was packed. The seats were taken - not that I minded standing.

When Captain stepped on the podium, uttered his first line, it drew instant laughs. The first volley was about his best pal's tennis game and it was advantage Elmo. From there he went on to talk about how everyone in the room mattered, how they had in one way or another contributed to AFLAC - the Association For Lighting A Candle - an organisation he had formed to reach out to the less fortunate in Sri Lanka. In fact, all the proceeds from the sale of his book 'Sam's Story' were also to go back to the charity. Speaking of publishing dollars, he told a rapt audience. "I leave the issue of royalties, entirely to my publisher's conscience."

Just why does he do that? That question led me to unravel Elmo's life. 'Sam's Story', which had opened so many literary doors for him was only a small part of the bigger story that Elmo was telling the world. And what a story it turned out to be.

Elmo was born into a reasonably wealthy family. His father was a Sri Lankan fighter pilot who went on to work as a senior captain at Air Ceylon. But at 12, life dealt a cruel blow. His father lost his job and the Jayawardena world collapsed. By the time he was 14, he became the breadwinner, while attending school at the same time. All that was left of the family fortune was a small property where he plucked coconuts.

At the age of 17, he was making fan blades for the Brown's Company. A minor break came when he was working as an accounts clerk and someone showed him a newspaper advertisement calling for air stewards for Air Ceylon. Elmo applied and got the job. Though finding a suitcase for his first flight turned out to be a challenge. After walking through his hometown, he and his mother could only find a big canvas one, that had to be filled up with his and his brother's clothes for his first flight to Bombay. The suitcase turned out to be the butt of all the cabin crew's jokes. For Elmo, those jokes only turned out to be another one of life's many lessons that taught him never to look down on anyone.

Despite those leg-pulling sessions, kindness showed up in strange forms. When a senior colleague who had developed a fondness for Elmo suggested he take flying lessons, he dutifully followed. He went on to clear the prestigious Flying Nine exams and landed a job with Singapore Airlines.

The next couple of years were focused on raising his two children with his wife Dil. In 1995, when their children were older, Elmo and Dil decided it was payback time. Driven by a sense of purpose, but no clear idea of how it would all work, they formed AFLAC. Like all good things, it started small. Backed by funds from foreign and local donors, health and education were and still remain AFLAC's key priority. Since its formation the group has also diversified into the field of shelter, clothing and food.

People came forward from all parts of the world to help and AFLAC grew over the years reaching out to students, cancer patients and anyone in need. That was till the deadly tsunami waves lashed the coastal belt of Sri Lanka. Galle alone had over 5,000 displaced families. Given the enormity of the disaster that faced them, within days, a new direction was charted.

Post-tsunami initiatives included a housing project, a pre-school in the south of Sri Lanka, stipends for students, boats for fishermen.

Today, the charity stands out with the reach that only a gifted writer and an international pilot's connections can bring. While the work may be local, the donors who support it come from all parts of the world. Perhaps what draws them to it, is Elmo and Dil's belief in the proverbial saying : "It's better to light a solitary candle than to curse the darkness."

To think he does all of this between flying passengers on 747s to all parts of the world and writing. I have often asked him about it. "There is no secret formula," he always tells me, "it's all very simple, it's about connecting one person's generosity to another person's need."

I know all of this is easier said than done, which is why as AFLAC's 'Swim for Safety' project takes off on the second anniversary of the tsunami, I can only say a humble Salaam to this amazing Captain.

For more on AFLAC's work and how you can be a part of it visit : www.aflacinternational.com

KABUL EXPRESS

2006-12-19T04:18:00.000Z

Two recent films have brought back the powerful images of the twin towers collapsing. When it happened in Naseeruddin Shah's directorial venture Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota somehow it seemed a little contrived, you almost expected something like that to happen.

Not so in Kabir Khan's first feature film Kabul Express. It opens in true documentary style, pictures from the APTN archives, the rich baritone telling you about 9/11, how Afghanistan was forgotten, then remembered in its war-ravaged state.

Just when you are expecting the movie to go into full documentary mode, Suhel (John Abraham) and Jai (Arshad Warsi) who play the role of television journalists arrive on the scene to report on what's happened post 9/11. Their mission is to get at least one Taliban interview on tape. That happens when they and their Afghan driver Khyber (played by Afghan actor Hanif Hum Ghum) are kidnapped by a Taliban fighter on the run. He is Imran (played by Pakistani actor Salman Shahid). Along the way an American photographer Jessica (Linda Arsenio) ends up with them.

Each of them has his/her own agenda. Jessica wants to tell the world about the war, while at the same time hoping that publishers would line up for her book that will speak of the battles largely forgotten. Imran, who incidentally is from the Pakistani Army and was sent to fight with the Taliban simply wants to get back to his country. Khyber wants him out of his Kabul Express. While Suhel and Jai desperately want their story, which has to include an interview with a Taliban fighter.

Their wish is granted when they are kidnapped and thrown together by Imran's gun. With that starts a journey none of them will ever forget. A journey that is made even more memorable thanks to Warsi's presence and comic dialogue delivery - all done with a poker face.

John has his moments too, that come fairly early in the film. The time when he asks a young boy to join him while he is exercising only to discover that the sweetest smile often hides the deepest pain. The boy emerges with his crutches and smile intact.

The movie throws up several such scenes but none of them get overly mushy. Kabir Khan effectively makes the crossover from documentary to mainstream cinema by delivering some serious messages in a light-hearted way, by bringing together actors from different countries and using mainstream ones like John and Warsi together with Hanif Hum Gum and Salman Shahid.

Yes, cricket is a major point of debate, but when the Hindi songs come on, its same notes that connect, quite like the actors. There's Madhuri Dixit, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, who end up bridging the barriers when language fails.

Now, if you are thinking all of this would be happening in a dreary desert landscape, think again. Anshuman Mahaley's cinematography makes the setting almost picture-postcard perfect. It might even tempt you to pack your bags to re-discover Afghanistan.

At a little over two hours, the film is tightly knit and edited. Beyond the drama that unfolds on the rocky road to Pakistan, the movie throws up several tough questions. Key among them is that of war. We all know that war teaches us many things, but does it ever tell us who the real enemy is? The movie leaves you with some soul-searching for answers to that elusive question. For the sheer depth of its purpose and the directness with which it addresses it, I'll dish out a four out of a five for the splendidly done Kabul Express.

The movie has already premiered at several international film festivals including Pusan and Toronto. In fact, the next time you hear of it, its bound to be on the prestigious awards list. You wouldn't want to miss it.

FULL CREDITS:
Principal Cast: John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Salman Shahid, Hanif Hum Ghum, Linda Arsenio
Director: Kabir Khan
Executive Producer: Rajan Kapoor, Swaratmika Mishra
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Screenplay: Kabir Khan
Cinematographer: Anshuman Mahaley
Editor: Amitabh Shukla
Sound: Rishi Oberoi
Music: Julius Packiam

BOLLYWOOD BOOMING

2007-01-01T03:18:00.000Z

I have often wondered if I would have been so wildly optimistic not to mention crazy about Indian cinema had I stayed on in India. As a typical Army brat, growing up meant taking the toss between either the Tuesday or the Thursday show - that is the English or the Hindi. The big deal, in those days wasn't quite the movie, it was the popcorn, the canteen Cola and the oil drenched hamburger.

Since our choice was narrowed to one movie a week, we always opted for the angrezi show, even if it meant sitting through the 'Guns of Navarone' for the 50th time in different stations. I can count the number of times I've either given classics like 'Sholay', 'Aandhi' even 'Don' a miss, because these Hindi movies were considered 'just so boring no.'

It was hip to maro the fake English accent, which could be easily acquired after one and a half hours of being transported through dialogue half of us didn't even comprehend. Though throwing lines like, 'how about a drink, mate' sounded way cool in those days. And whoever delivered it with the max punch had a style quotient rising faster than the fizz in the shaken and stirred cola.

So it was that I would get a major stomach ache if my parents threatened to drag me to 'Amar, Akbar, Anthony' or 'Khubsoorat' or 'Satte pe Satta'. Never mind that it was treated with an awful dose of Pudin Hara, which would make me sick anyway. I'd rather see 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.'

Even after I grew up, my only fatal obsession with Indian content - movies and on telly was with 'Shanti'. That was till a couple of movie reviews were sent my way. 'Oh if you can write about art, you can do movies too' was the Editor's logic when I was handed my first review for none other than 'Roja'. One movie followed the next and my long overdue love affair with apna cinema slowly but surely started.

Moving to Singapore, meant movies became the great connector. Over the years, as the number of visits back home dwindled, the number of movies that we ended up watching increased.

Then came the IIFA Awards ceremony. Getting ready to speak to the stars, meant not just reading all about them but re-visiting their work too. What a spectacular journey that turned out to be. There were lots more movies to be seen, lots of comparisons to be made and tons of proud moments. Like seeing the time the security barricade almost gave way when the Big B and the King Khan strolled down the red carpet. The photographer lose their footing and almost their shot when Shilpa Shetty breezed in. The look of shock around me when the stars spoke. I still remember the comment from someone beside me, "they actually make a lot of sense." I mean what else did you expect - they are our best ambassadors. In one sitting, the Big B could talk about his films, politics, the economy to his pen collection.

Their work on and off screen has been phenomenally impressive and after years of talking about it, I finally managed to put together a print and TV piece together as my year-end tribute to Bollywood. Yes, they hate the term, but it still works.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/163163.asp

The colourful telly tribute showed how 2006 was a year that said it all for Bollywood.

With 'Don' we showed the world we know all about the twist in the tale that is rendered with all the glitzy stuff. 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' showed how to appeal to everyone from a demographic of 3 to 90. 'Omkara' how Shakespeare should be told. 'Khosla ka Ghosla' tugged at the heart strings and showed us how to win a battle. 'Dor' brought two worlds together, '15 Park Avenue' established beyond a shadow of doubt that there is nothing the enormously talented Konkana Sen Sharma can't do. 'Kabul Express' that we don't have to pass off Poland for Kashmir, we can make real films, about real places, with a real star cast.

Yes, our cinema failed us at times. 'Umrao Jaan' being the biggest dud in point. But when the bigger story of Bollywood is doing the talking, I'm not about to go into complaining mode. As I mentioned in the piece, with all the big releases slated for 2007, it looks like history could be repeating itself. My eyes, for obvious reasons, are peeled on 'Eklavya' for starters. A friend who saw my interview said "I sounded very patriotic", but the likes of Mani Ratnam, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Nagesh Kukunoor - among a host of other talented film makers give me every reason to feel that way about our films.

MY BOOK OF THE YEAR

2007-01-01T04:06:00.000Z

By now you have done your reading, read the lists, made your choices. Not that you need the critics for that. Reading is after all a personal pursuit. You might like crime fiction, I might detest it. You might like fantasy, I might like the real world. You might like chick lit, I might read only literary fiction. There you are, in the long drawn cycle of critics telling you what to read. More often that, the critic hasn't even read the book in any case. Or even if they have they haven't engaged with the book. Which is why, I try to tell everyone I meet, there's tons of good stuff out there, make your choices. It isn't that difficult to get yourself to a book store or even a library to decide and pick what you really want to read, not what others say you should be reading.

It's an entire universe out there. You can get lost in it, depending on which genre you choose. Most books are defined ever so often by genre, though once in a way you come across a book that defies definition, that merges styles, themes, takes you into a parallel universe with its evocative characters. This year, after tons of brilliant reads notably Hisham Matar's 'In The Country of Men', Peter Carey's 'Theft', Claire Messud's 'The Emperor's Children', Kiran Desai's 'The Inheritance of Loss' - towards the end of the year, the seven year wait for Vikram Chandra's 'Sacred Games' did it for me.

A short review on the relative merits of the book is here:
Http://www.todayonline.com/pda/162233ag.htm

Beyond what is mentioned here, it is passages like these, that have propelled it to my book of the year:

"War comes upon us. We are led in leaning curves towards the battlefield. You may try to avoid it, but find that last flower-lined turn you chose was really an entrance into a blood-soaked arena. So we were here. 'Good,' I said. 'Let's start.'

"And one of these sisters was Navneet, beloved and best of all, now lost for ever..... It was useless to remember. The histories had already been written, and what had happened, had happened.....There was no running away from life, and trying to wish away suffering only made it more present. She took a deep breath: bear it."

"There was a sloping river in the sky, a sinuous curve of light. There was the sky above, and us underneath..... Everything sits in pairs, in opposites, so brutal and so lovely."

And there's that bit on writers, that isn't going to win Chandra too many fawning fans. I'm not about to reveal that here, save the best for the read and take your time to fill in the dots for the text above.

Here's to another year of great reads.

BLOOD DIAMOND

2007-01-02T00:51:00.000Z

The bullets fly, blood is everywhere, families are displaced, it is conflict at its worst. Bearing witness journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) comments how this would get an insignificant hit on the news somewhere between 'weather and sports'. The reality of our times. Think of the number of times you've seen the most expensive painting, the grandest party, the sleekest phone - the list goes on. Often conflicts in countries like Sierra Leone are viewed as conflicts that are simply too far away.

But as Greg Campbell, author of 'Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World's Most Precious Stones' (Westview Press) noted "the story of Sierra Leone's diamond war has proved unequivocally that the world ignores Africa and its problems at its peril. Events far from home often have very tangible impact, and Sierra Leone has shown the world that there is no longer any such thing as an 'isolated, regional conflict.' Perhaps there never was."

Perhaps that's one of the reasons why 'Blood Diamond' - the compelling cinematic rendition of the ugly side of the diamond industry tugs at the heart strings. An action film with a serious social message, it is set in Sierra Leone during the bloodshed of the 1990s.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Archer, a diamond smuggler whose only ticket out of a dangerous, hellish life in Sierra Leone is Solomon, a fisherman played by Djimon Hounsou. Solomon who was picked up the rebels is forced to work in a diamond mine. Here he comes across a rare pink diamond, which could re-unite him with his family. The two have a chance encounter in prison and Archer makes sure their paths cross again.

Enter Maddy Bowen, a determined American journalist intent on exposing Archer and his ruthless employers. 'Blood Diamond' weaves the journey and unlikely alliance of these three people. All on different missions. One wants the truth and the expose, another wants escape, and still another wants his family back.

So what will be the price of riches, the ultimate scoop or peace? Together with the diamonds, the gritty depiction of child soldiers calls for soul-searching. As the actors take you on a journey you will never forget, you end up getting a new perspective on your bling.

DiCaprio who has got a Golden Globe nomination for his street-smart yet violently unpredictable character shines. But for me it's the intense Djimon Hounsou who does it together with his son Dia (Kagiso Kuypers). When you see him in his child soldier avataar, its impossible to believe that this is the 14 year old's screen debut. Together the father and son, trapped in an unfortunate conflict, embody the never-say-die attitude of this immensely gripping film.

If you think what you see on the screen is exaggerated, then read more about the UN General Assembly's resolution on 'conflict diamonds' here:
http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html

More proof that blood diamonds are for real appears in this chilling report in the Amnesty Magazine:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/diamonds.html

GALLE LITERARY FESTIVAL

2007-01-22T00:48:00.000Z

Back after a week in Sri Lanka. What a week it was. Between the spectacular Galle Literary Festival, we squeezed in day in Colombo, a day at Captain Elmo Jayawardena's River House in Moratuwa to visit AFLAC's 'Swim for Safety' project. And soaked in all things literary at the Galle Literary Festival. Making this one of those trips where you come back longing for more.

First things first. Since this trip happened largely due to the Galle Literary Festival let me get to that. It all seemed to come together with a chance meeting with the amazing Libby Southwell at the Ubud Writers Festival (strange how so many things invariably go back to Ubud!). I was lugging my cameras and my books after a long day of sessions when I bumped into Libby. One thing led to another. We spoke about many things - her book, her life and then the festival. When she mentioned in September that she was putting together a festival that was to take off in January - four months time - I had half a mind of choking on her drink. 'No way', I thought to myself, just as did a bunch of other writers and people in attendance.

Over the next couple of days, as Libby told us more about her life and started with her checklist of - accomodation (no problem), transport (no problem), writers (hmmm!) I knew the makings of a great literary festival were there.

So the critics (who are now hopefully chewing their own words) did their damaging bits in the run up to the festival. But after addressing all the issues at the opening press conference, the festival founder Geoffrey Dobbs and Libby ensured that it took on a pace of its own.

And it sure did. It was four action packed days of all things literary. It took us to 12 stunning locations. It brought 61 writers - both Sri Lankan and international names together.

For me it was yet another occasion to catch up with old friends like Janet de Neefe and Nury Vittachi. As Nury rightly said "we almost feel like family now." Yes, we truly do. We've collectively seen the trials, tribulations and of course the critics. Then there were writers we'd all met before - Romesh Gunesekera, Suketu Mehta, Christopher Kremmer, Madhur Jaffrey and Elmo.

As always, there was the process of learning about new names. Last year's Man Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai was a true revelation. If only every other author could remain as modest as her despite the laurels, meeting the writers could turn out to be quite another story. A full Q & A with her will be up soon.

Speaking of revelations, meeting Sri Lankan authors turned out to be quite another. I bought Ashok Ferrey's 'The Good Little Ceylonese Girl' after listening to the fantastic reading at Sun House http://www.thesunhouse.com/sunhouse.html and it hasn't disappointed. I got my induction into Dilmah's 'Lover's Leap' tea courtesy Manuka Wijesinghe who turned out to be a laugh a minute. Had the most entertaining van ride from Geoffrey Bawa's stunning estate Lunuganga http://www.lunuganga.net/lunuganga.html to our Galle abode 'The Lighthouse'. Our meetings may have been brief, but we knew this was a friendship meant to last. As a parting gift, I got a signed copy of Manuka's debut 'Monsoons and Potholes' - which happens to be next on my reading list.
I was also visibly impressed by Professor Emeritus Yasmine Gooneratne. She has penned 20 books, leads a busy life between Australia and Sri Lanka. Offers editorial services to budding authors and runs a residence for all creative people alike - The Pemberley House. She responded to each of my emails in great detail and I believe we had a truly fine session. I learnt so much from her, that her life and her writing merits another post.

All of this happened thanks also in part of the hospitality extended to us by 'The Lighthouse' - http://www.lighthousehotelandspa.com/. A special thanks is due to Gehan de Silva and Sanjiva who ensured we were truly at home.

If the setting is the story, Galle had just about everything to offer. Full marks to Geoffrey and Libby for ensuring that writers went out and explored every bit of the beauty in and around Galle. There were times when I wished I didn't have to drive out for an hour and risk getting lost. But when I take one look at the footage I've got I'm not complaining.

Putting it all together, in addition to the festival committee, were the volunteers who were their bright and cheerful selves from morning till late in the night. They ensured each festival day ended on a high note. Often it was their smiles that made my night.

In his closing speech, Geoffrey set all wagging tongues at rest by promising yet another spectacular festival next year. If you haven't already marked your calendar, you'd do well do it. The longlist is still in the works, but if the inaugural Galle Literary Festival was anything to go by, it's bound to be a week to remember.

ONE ON ONE WITH KIRAN DESAI

2007-01-26T02:16:00.000Z

This one couldn't make it to the papers thanks to its sheer size. Here's where our blogs come in. I am going to make no bones about it. Kiran is an absolute delight to be with, a dream author to interview, this is what we chatted about after our hour and a half long session followed by a loooong book signing by Kiran. It was worth every moment of her time and I am truly appreciative of it. Yes, some day, I shall attempt to transcribe the session too, since the audio isn't fantastic. In the interim, enjoy this....

Meeting award-winning author Kiran Desai is almost like bumping into an old friend. I was to do a one-on-one with her at the inaugural Galle Literary Festival in Sri Lanka and apart from two brief email exchanges we hadn't found time to chat. I finally bumped into her at a book reading at the Sun House and was struck by how slim she is in person. In fact, she could easily pass off as a school girl. We speak about that before attempting to get down to what we should really have started off with - our session.

It's hard to get to that because the Man-Booker-win had transformed Kiran into the literary equivalent of a rock star at Galle. Fans wanted a quick word, some wanted to discuss the book, others wanted to get it signed. Being the wonderful person she is, she obliged everyone along the way. She isn't one of those authors, who just asks your name, scribbles it on the page and hands the book back to you. Her interest in her reader is genuine, 'after all they give us our stories' she points out matter-of-factly. Having met her mother at the Ubud Writers Festival, it's easy to draw parallels and say like mother, like daughter. Despite her splendid work and rapidly growing list of literary awards – Betty Trask, Man Booker - Kiran has inherited her mother's modesty. She considers prizes incidental. She throws me off by speaking of her struggle to write and when asked about the seven year gap between her debut 'Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard' and the award-winning 'The Inheritance of Loss', she simply points out that publishers weren't exactly rushing to her with huge advances for the next book. Instead of dwelling on the Man Booker laurel, she chooses to highlight the struggle of getting her book out. She talks with ease, delivering her thoughts in a lilting convent-school accent. Despite her informality, she has a certain presence that makes her captivating -- a quality that's translated in her writings and has won the hearts of many a fan.

Excerpts from a conversation with the youngest female recipient of the prestigious Man Booker Award:

Q : We've seen the backdrop of partition, post 1985 Punjab but the issues of North-Eastern India have remained largely unexplored. What drew you to them in your award-winning book 'The Inheritance of Loss'?
A : I was surprised I went back to the North-East and made this return journey to a part of India where I partly grew up in and I think its because I was an immigrant to America that I started thinking so much about issues of immigrants - the issues of politics, what it means to leave a poor part of the world and go to a so-called wealthier one. Beyond the monetary issues what does it mean in human terms. Also when you look at it so many generations on, what does it feeling at home in any other country mean. Of course, its a debate that exists all over the world. We tend to think of it as a Western issue but it isn't. I realised that I'd never really thought about that period of my life when I'd been growing up in India at the time of the conflict in the North-East. It was the Gurkha movement when Nepalese Indians were standing up and demanding political and economic rights. They found that several generations on they were being treated as cheap labour and that their rights were not being respected. So I wanted to explore what does it mean for a country and a nation-state. So it was a way for me to examine both these issues together. It took me back to India, it took me back to Kalimpong, which was wonderful because it took me back to a time when I was growing up. Among other things, it helped me explore what it means to grow up in such a complicated, complex environment.

Q : What was it like to capture all the nuances of a life gone by? You do it so beautifully, from the description of the setting right down to the chocolate cigars which were and hopefully still are a Kalimpong trademark.
A : You know it's such a beautiful part of the country, really wild and beautiful and also complicated in many ways. As a writer, it's such a joy to go back to a place that offers such richness and to use language in a totally different way. I was glad to return to those childhood memories, remembering and recreating some of the characters I knew from my childhood. It was a wonderful experience.

Q : Reactions to your book have been totally amazing, the Man Booker Award is a testament to that. Did you ever imagine the kind of response you've received?
A : Not at all. It's a difficult book about a difficult subject. I just didn't want to write a book that looked at immigration like a shiny way of advertising that shows that everything in the West is alright. It may be a beautiful picture for some immigrants, but it isn't for so many others and for these people there is perhaps a greater degree of loss. There is this huge imbalance between the rich and the poor, privileged and the under-privileged, the class divides are there and I was exploring these issues in India and in the west. So it was a tough book and it was hard for me to get it published. In fact, after several tries it got picked up by Hamish Hamilton in the UK. The process of writing it, finding a publisher for it was hard work and I was quite amazed to see this turn around from rejection to recognition.

Q : You've often acknowledged the debt of gratitude you owe to your mother, Anita Desai. How much of an influence has she been when it comes to writing?
A : So much. I mean not only in terms of what it means to be a writer. It's been a very deep experience to be able to write this book in her presence and she's written so many books about so many hard subjects, she has looked at so many difficult issues and dealt with them so beautifully in her writing. I really learnt so much from that.

Q : Kiran, readers waited seven long years for 'The Inheritance of Loss'. You've won the Man Booker now and I am sure the pressure of the next novel must be intense. Are you already at work on it?
A : Not yet. I'm just travelling, doing book tours, promotional events, literary festivals and it looks like that's going to be my life for several months ahead. I really long to write. I think prizes just don't go with good writing, that doesn't really help. Writing comes from a very private and often difficult place and I think it takes isolation to get there, I'm looking forward to resuming my writing, maybe this summer.

Q : So once the dust settles, you are pretty certain you want the solitary confinement of a writer?
A : It's hard to live a lonely life. It's certainly difficult, but I need it for my work. I know its difficult but I do love it in many ways and I have learnt to appreciate it.

Q : Noted travel writer Paul Theroux once said that his biggest fear is not running out of ideas but writing a dull book. What's your greatest fear as a writer?
A : Worrying about the next subject for the next book. I never know in advance what I'm going to be doing. It's a process of sitting at my desk and a book is revealed gradually, so there's always the worry that there's going to be nothing else there but I do long for the sitting at my desk.

MEETING YASMINE GOONERATNE

2007-01-29T01:48:00.000Z

Another session I greatly enjoyed was with Professor Emeritus Yasmine Gooneratne. We exchanged several emails before our session and I almost felt like I knew her before I met her. It helped that she gave me a spontaneous pat on my back by saying "I was a fine moderator" during the session itself. Usually, such words, should they be merited at all follow in subsequent emails. But Yasmine has spent a life-time grooming people - students and writers alike. And just like her writing, her real life has taken on many forms. A University Professor, literary critic, editor, bibliographer, award winning novelist, essayist and poet, she has published 20 books so far.

She has won several awards for her distinguished work. These include the Marjorie Barnard Prize for Fiction, India's Raja Rao Award for outstanding contribution to the Literature of the South Asian diaspora and the Order of Australia for her services to literature and education. Many of her books have been commended internationally and 'The Pleasures of Conquest' was shortlisted for the 1996 Commonwealth Writers Prize.

Despite her busy schedule, Yasmine hasn't just stopped at writing. She runs 'Guardian Angels' (more on it in the interview) and together with her husband, Dr Brendon Gooneratne, she established 'The Pemberley House' http://www.pemberleyhouse.com/ in Haputale, on a tea plantation 4,000 feet above sea level. The House which was inspired by their stays at some writers residencies also hosts 'The Pemberley International Study Centre' which opens for Residential Scholars from June-August. Over they years, Yasmine tells me how this labour of love has played host to writers, poets, musicians and just about anyone interested in the creative arts.

Strangely or not quite, all Yasmine ever wanted to do was to be a Cordon Bleu chef. That's till she expressed her thoughts to her teachers. They ensured the knives would be laid to rest, her bags would be firmly packed and life would point in the direction of a literary career. So cooking's loss, has been writing's gain. Most of this is from an email interview and I've added what I can remember from the session. Trouble is, we got lost while getting to Lunuganga. I barely made in time to get this session started and in the flurry that was marked by pulling the tripod, fixing the camera, yanking the tapes, I forgot thee most important thing - the battery. Not all is lost though since I still have the email interview with Yasmine. Here are the excerpts:

Q : You dreamt of being a chef and ended up being drawn to the world of writing and teaching. How did the best laid plans change?
A : Due to the influence of two English teachers, and the University Arts Scholarship, awarded on my Finals at Peradeniya, which took me to Cambridge University rather than to cookery school in Paris or London.

Q : And absolutely no regrets about the shift?
A : None at all.

Q : Can you still combine dream cooking with writing?
A : Yes. A character in my new novel (Latha) does this too.

Q : How big a role did your family, your school and your teachers have in helping you discover your creative self?
A : An essential role. My husband, especially. My family are all great readers, and wide reading is, after all, the foundation of good writing.

Q : You have always been quick to express your gratitude about growing up in Sri Lanka - "the biggest influence on my writing as regards to
subject matter has inevitably been the fact that I had the good fortune to have been born in Sri Lanka, and to grow up and be educated there at a "golden" period in the island's cultural life." So much has changed in the island, how does it reflect in your writing?
A : One cannot expect life in the island - or anywhere, for that matter - to stand still. But I have discovered that I can recapture and recreate lost Edens and Arcadies through writing fiction. That was a really happy discovery, especially when I found I was able to 'recover' people I had loved as a child, and give them a permanent life in my book 'Relative Merits'.
(In 'Relative Merits' nostalgia, research, detail are matched by the charm and intimacy of personal reminiscences. Delightful anecdotes bring to life an array of eccentric uncles and the rest of her family.)

Q : Given such a rich and varied up-bringing, it is no surprise that you have a multi-faceted professional life. How do you combine all these roles?
A : Teaching, research and creative writing have all dovetailed satisfactorily in my experience. I think I've been very lucky in this.

Q : You've said and I quote: "To write poetry, you have to be pushed into it by some deep emotion - it could be love, happiness, despair or dislike, but it has to be strong enough to resonate in your poetry. " What pushed you to it?
A : A death in the family. My father died in 1969. I was his youngest child, and we were very close.
(Her father's death led her to pen a poem called 'Review' and she ended up writing poetry almost non-stop resulting in the first volume of poetry 'Word Bird Motif' in 1971.)

Q : When you wrote to me, you mentioned that you never consciously set out to be a 'writer' or even a 'teacher'. What other experiences shaped your writing?
A : Travel, expatriation, and a love of reading 18th century English authors and 20th century Indian authors are three of them.

Q : What was the point when you stopped thinking that 'fiction was for other people' to write?
A : When I wrote my first story that was entirely set in Australia.

Q : A dear friend and a writer whose work I admire a lot - Meira Chand - discovered her writing self when she moved to India and there was no stopping her after that. You moved to Australia and discovered you could barely write any poetry. What was that period like?
A : A barren desert. Fortunately, it didn't last very long. My enjoyment in teaching carried me through it.

Q : How did being in Australia impact your writing?
A : Australia provided a new perspective on life, introduced me to people from a variety of backgrounds, and removed me from what had been a somewhat confined society in Sri Lanka.

Q : In fact, it was during this period that you wrote your first short story wholly set in Australia - 'How Barry Changed his Image'. What predicament were you trying to portray through this story?
A : The predicament of immigrants who find they must change themselves in order to settle comfortably into a new and unfamiliar society and participate fully in it. It's a challenge that demands a great deal of the newcomer, and not everyone can meet such challenges, or wants to do so. Many immigrants prefer to retreat into the safety provided by numbers, live a ghetto existence, and dream of returning 'home', not realizing very often that 'home' has changed, and is no longer what they once knew.

Q : That story became Chapter 15 of your first novel 'A Change of Skies' (1992) - did it inspire work on the novel?
A : The opening sentence of the story, 'My husband was having problems with his image', spoken by my narrator, a young and pretty young woman who comes to Australia from Sri Lanka, was the starting point of the novel.
(The novel won the Marjorie Barnard Literary Award for Fiction that year. It has since been reprinted several times and shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize.)

Q : It is never easy to write about family. Often readers love such books, but there will be at least one person in the family who will be invariably unhappy. At the Ubud Writers Festival, Michael Ondaatje had narrated this hilarious incident from 'Running in The Family' where an aunt had to be in an 'either, or' situation due to pressure from the family. Did you experience anything like that when when you wrote 'Relative Merits' (1986)?
A : Not at all. On the other hand, editing it was not easy - there was so much marvellous material ready to hand, and I could not use all of it. So some things had to go. But I was - and still am - very happy with the result. And no one has sued me yet for libel!

Q : Your third novel - 'The Sweet and Simple Kind' has some real life parallels - what did you hope to capture through it?
A : I wanted to capture - or recapture - the 1950s, a period on which I look back as a kind of Golden Age in Sri Lanka.

Q : Through your writing you have delved into so many issues of our times. Do you think the future is still filled with possibilities?
A : I think you are referring here to political issues. If so, you have got me wrong - I don't write about political issues, I write about human issues, and human personalities. As for the future: where writing is concerned, there are always possibilities, if one keeps an open mind.

Q : Being a Professor you are constantly interacting with students, you are in a public space as it were, what happens when you have to do your serious writing. How do you isolate it from your real life role or is there no conflict of sorts?
A: I am not conscious of any conflict or difference at all.

Q : You are an author of studies on Jane Austen, Alexander Pope, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and Leonard Woolf among others - what drew you to their work?
A : In each case, excellence and sincerity. Pretentious writing - what is sometimes called 'beautiful writing' - turns me off. But I read and re-read the writers I admire: Austen, Pope, Jhabvala, Leonard Woolf. There is always something to discover and to learn.

Q : Apart from these authors, which other author/authors work has inspired you?
A : R.K. Narayan, V.S. Naipaul, Paul Scott, Dr Samuel Johnson. Among Sri Lankan authors, I believe that by writing and publishing 'The Jam Fruit Tree' Carl Muller liberated Sri Lankan writers from convention and hypocrisy. I'm personally very grateful for that, and I think the first two books of his 'Burgher Trilogy' should be required reading for beginning authors.

Q : Criticism isn't always easy to handle - so whose advice do you take most seriously?
A : My family are my first readers and my most reliable critics. But I have two or three close friends outside the family whose advice and criticism have always proved worth taking.

Q : You are also an avid traveller and movie buff, which places have had the maximum impact on your writing?
A : India, most of all. America provided good material for satire. And Australia and Sri Lanka, of course.

Q : Have movies been part of your text?
A : Yes, indeed. I have had the pleasure of teaching Ruth Jhabvala's novels to third-year and Honours students in Australia. (In fact, I put her novel 'A Backward Place' on my text list long before she won the Booker Prize with 'Heat and Dust'.) Part of my interest in her work focuses on her ability to bring her screenplay-writing technique into her writing of fiction. Her novels 'A New Dominion' and 'Heat and Dust' are especially interesting in that regard.

Q : Ever experienced the dreaded writers block?
A : Never experienced it, I'm glad to say. But if I ever did, I'd turn to work of some kind that doesn't engage the emotions - tutoring, editing, compiling bibliographies and activities of that kind - and wait for the inspiration to start flowing again.

Q : I shouldn't even be asking this, but what's next?
A : Who knows? Maybe I'll go back to my first ambition, and write a cookery book, as one of my characters - Jean - does in my first novel, 'A Change of Skies'.

Q : And before we wrap this up, let's hear about another project that's been keeping you busy - 'Guardian Angels'.
A : Yes, I find literary editing a very satisfying activity. It's also very restful to focus on someone else's writing; and after completing 'The Sweet and Simple Kind', which went into over 600 pages, I've needed a rest. I have gained a great deal myself from the help given me by Australian literary editors when I was writing my first two novels, and I'm very much aware that writers in Sri Lanka don't have the benefit of such expert assistance. I really love making someone else's writing sparkle and shine; and if I think highly of a work, I'd be ready to spend a lot of time and effort on it. I felt like that about Nihal de Silva's book 'The Road From Elephant Pass', and also about the little sketches about a village boy and his friends that he wrote for The Sunday Times. I suggested the issuing of the Paduma stories in the form of a children's book.

See related posts on Nihal here:
http://readatpeace.blogspot.com/search?q=nihal+de+silva

POST FEST MUSINGS....

2007-01-31T00:29:00.000Z

The fun, they say, usually begins after the festival. In this case it was the smiles. Founder of the Galle Literary Festival, Geoffrey Dobbs (behind Kiran) had reason to be happy. Together with Libby Southwell (who even at this point in time was sorting out someone's transport!) had pulled it off in a record time of four months. The critics had finally been silenced. The writers seemed happy as did the audience. It was a festival that had taken inspiration from Ubud - the Fest Director Janet de Neefe is here and also got lots of advice from the Founder of the Hong Kong Lit Fest Nury Vittachi.

Well, inspiration is one thing, bringing it to life quite another. And the writers did a fine job of that. Collectively, Kiran Desai, Suketu Mehta and Romesh Gunesekera shone at their respective sessions. They also ended up taking the discussions at the last panel 'An Englishman Abroad' to another level. A lot of fun ensued here.

Sir Arthur C Clarke couldn't hear half the things that were said, perhaps that drove him to poetry and tales from another galaxy. Mark Tully and William Darlymple happily agreed to disagree - who doesn't love a writerly disagreement?

As part of the conversation William D also announced Suketu's book on New York and dragged both Kiran and Suketu into the 'Insider, Outsider' debate. Smart way to stretch the debate I say. Thoughts were shared on their stories, their writing, their styles, though in the end it was Romesh who stole the thunder by posing the profound question 'Is there a South Asia in London?' I hear the issue is still being debated.

Also on the sidelines, I was mistaken for Kiran Desai twice.
Once before our session, when two lovely ladies walked upto me with their pens and said "Are you signing books now?"
Since I haven't written any books, award-winning or otherwise, I replied, "You know I'd love to do just that if only Kiran would part with half of her Booker.""Oh my God! You are NOT Kiran?"
Then they flip to the last page and show me the picture I've seen so many times before and went: "Gosh, you look just like her."

I didn't have the heart to disagree, though to set the record straight, Kiran is whole lot slimmer, taller, nicer. I'm a grouch most mornings. More importantly, she has written theee book, I haven't.

Just when I thought the case of crossed identities was over, the next morning as I am rushing to set up my camera for the last session, a gentleman walks upto me and proclaims with the utmost seriousness of purpose:
"I don't mean this as a criticism of you but it's not fair that your session drew over 300 people."
A happy problem indeed!

So I tell him he'd do well to say that to that lovely lady in brown sitting quietly in one of the seats there.

"You mean...."

MEETING MARK TULLY

2007-01-31T01:47:00.000Z

I shall forever kick myself for having missed out on the chance to moderate Mark Tully's session. Such are the exigencies of schedules that it ended up clashing with my workshop.

So I just couldn't believe my luck when the man himself decided to take a stroll of the picturesque Amangalla and reached our little space just as I was desperately trying to fit the laptop back into the bag. In the ensuing excitement, I forgot to yank out the zip disk which went khatak into two. I ask him if he is he in a tearing hurry. Prompt comes the reply 'bilkul nahin'.

So can I take a picture with you?
Sure.
So here is the star-struck picture of yours truly with the man himself.

Can I get my books signed?
Sure.
So out came the books.

You've actually been carrying all these around?
Absolutely (in the hope of bumping into you, I tell myself).

For years, I tell the media legend, I've been waiting for this moment. Now, that it is here, it sure seems larger than life. I tell him about his book (co-authored with Satish Jacob) on Operation Blue Star - 'Amritsar, Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle' and what a deep impact it had on me. It was then and is even now widely considered an authoritative word on what happened in 1984 at The Golden Temple. The gun-fire that was exchanged changed so many lives forever. Families ran away from homes, shops were razed to the ground, thousands of innocent lives were lost. My Dad who had fought in the war endured the saga of searches from his own men. All because he was a Sikh. But that didn't stop him from making several trips from Dalhouse (where he was attending a NCC Camp) to Amritsar and back to get as many stranded people out of the hills. I told him about the Punjab I'd never seen before. Brought to a standstill all the way from Pathankot with tanks lining the roads and then coming back to Amritsar to the booming sound of guns. Try as hard as one might, these things just don't go away.

Tully knows. He has seen and lived through it all and tells me about some of those battles, about what happened at Ganganagar and what it took to get some of those stories out.

A gripping conversationalist, he has me hanging on to his every word.

From the days of Blue Star to covering every conceivable disaster on television, he goes on to delve on the current state of television reporting.
"So much has changed," he says and I know the next thing that's coming is not in a good way.

We talk of Page 3 becoming Page 1. Movie stars engagements, birthdays et al passing off as headline news when so much is happening in the world around us. Worse still is seeing pictures thrown on to scripts that don't come together.

Then we talk a little bit about how much India has changed, the economy, the booming and 'my rising rent'.

Why is he still living on rent, I wonder, only to have my question answered the next day.

At 'The Englishman Abroad' which brought together the likes of Arthur C Clarke, William Darlymple and Tully, he stands out like a true son of the soil.

He hasn't ever attempted to run away from the Indian weather like his fellow panelist. He loves the sights, sounds and smells. He speaks of the Indian text and writing in Indian languages with an unmatched fervour and passion. He truly stands up for everything Indian, even the seeming weaknesses. He is beyond the pretension of the starched kurta. For all of that and a whole lot more, I give him my humble salaam.

WHO TAUGHT?

2007-02-08T00:56:00.000Z

I joined the old Lady of Boribundar in the good old days. When copy had to be edited on actual scripts which took a painstakingly long time to emerge out of the printer. The salmon sheets had to be attached to the copy with an indication of the font size, the upper lower cases marked for the heading and the sub-heading. Once you did all of that it would be sent to the Chief Sub-Editor, who if you were a newbie, would routinely spike your copy.

If you were lucky, it would make it to the copy checker, who would in a sheer demonstration of prowess make a couple more changes then put it back in a red tray to send it back for the Chief Sub to look at. All of that would then make it to the type-setter, bromides would emerge from a freezing room. They would be put back on a tray, sent back to the desk. The Chief Sub would look at his clock. If he was the confident sort, he'd take the lead and get cracking on his pages. The not so self-assured ones would wait for the Bombay Times headlines to arrive before deciding on their pages. Then with lotsa bromides in hand, we would all march to the paste-up room to start making the pages. Once that process was completed, it would go the camera room for the negative of the real page which would then make it to the press located strategically on the other side of time.

Those were the days. Laborious but lots of fun. We discovered so many things, often by looking at the negatives. On night, for instance, just as we were walking out I glanced at the negative and felt the R.K. Laxman was ulta-pulta. Imagine that! I told the Chief Sub about it who shrugged it off as the 'paper is upside down no'. So we walked to our waiting van and had driven past C.G. Road, when the Chief Sub started having his doubts. Given that we didn't have the luxury of cell phones, we had to turn the van back to get to the newsroom. The page was on its way to press and we intercepted it just in time to realise the said cartoon was indeed upside down.

A lot has changed since then. Blogs, for instance, give you total control of your content (in a sense) and the medium itself. You can cut, copy, paste without having to go through the whole selection and rejection change. Getting content out there is almost as easy or as difficult as the speed at which you - the writer can generate it. We spoke about this, after the blog panel got on, then off, then on again at the Ubud Writers Festival. A comment on media, straddling between three - print, TV and blogs was something that stirred one of the participants there who first mentioned the word 'workshop.'

Having never addressed anyone beyond my children and facing rejection as a teacher in the extreme degree when it came to teaching them, I wasn't sure if I was entirely upto. But you never know till you try. So when Libby asked if I'd like to do a workshop at the Galle Literary Festival, I decided it was time to get my act together and go through the world of print, TV and blogs - worlds I live in.

The venue provided by Amangalla was perfect for straddling between worlds as it were. And my master-class even more so. There were two students on holiday from Melbourne and their enthusiasm and ability to pick the right angles as well as pitches for stories was amazing. The Brandix team taught me so many ways of pitching more than just their own products. Rohanti Alahakoon, an award-winning poet entrusted me with some of her work. Sanjiva Gauthamadasa from 'The Lighthouse' taught me more than a thing or two about marketing 'single estate tea.'

Gehan de Sliva (a separate post on him shall follow) turned out to be an eco-warrior in corporate clothing. Janet de Neefe, as always touched me by her sheer presence. And at the end of the three hours, I'd learnt as much from the charged participants as I hope they did for me.

So when the question was asked : "Would you do again?"
I responded, "If you give me the platform, absolutely."

ON MY SHELF.....

2007-02-08T02:48:00.000Z

There's lots more Sri Lanka to go but my books are piling up. I know the publicists want me to wait for this one. It will be out in March. So look out for Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist. I finished reading a proof in two straight nights - yes, the eyes hurt forever and copious coffee drinking followed at work, but it was worth every eye-burning moment. It's post 9/11 America and no you haven't heard the story before. I haven't read his first book - the critcally acclaimed Moth Smoke, though I do know it won the awards and set the bar for the second book. Well, it definitely doesn't disappoint. And buzz, buzz, he will be at this year's Ubud Writers Festival together with lots of other exciting authors. Pull that calendar and start marking the dates.

PRECIOUS ADVENTURES

2007-02-08T02:58:00.000Z

He published his first book - a children's book at the age of 28, went on to publish 40 more books, then he introduced 'PRECIOUS' - the founder of the first ladies detective agency in Botswana to readers in Britian. It all started as a short story which grew into a set of stories, then a novel and quite simply changed its creator's and readers lives forever.

At last count, the series boasted more than six million copies in print and that's in English alone! It earned two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement

To think it all started when the distinguished Professor of Medical Law and best selling novelist Alexander McCall Smith saw a woman chasing a chicken around her yard in Botswana. The woman became the inspiration for the series. Though the author has admitted it took 15 long years from the time he saw her to bringing her alive in print. A lesson to be learnt in character building.

Interestingly enough The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series was first published by Polygon, a small Edinburgh-based publishing house. There was no major marketing campaign, word-of-mouth took it everywhere and it became the phenomenon it is today.

The gentle Professor has since given up Medical Law to write full time and he's back with Blue Shoes and Happiness. Intense delight pervades as he re-visits Singapore. Hear him at the Arts House on Tuesday, the 15th. Too precious a talk to be missed.

McCALL SMITH CHARMS

2007-02-14T04:11:00.000Z

We all buy books that we don't read.
Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History in Time', Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy'.

The first line is important often that's the only line readers read.

I had no characters, no plot but there was no other problem.

Such were the revelations that flowed freely at the talk delivered by the creator of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith.

On a Tuesday night, the Playden at Singapore's Arts House came alive with the sound of unbridled laughter, often the author's own. I've spent the better part of this morning, trying to imitate it, much to the amusement of everyone around.

"He doesn't actually laugh like that?"
"You bet he does, I have it on tape," I respond.

That laughter was enough to send my camera rolling literally at least thrice resulting in rather shaky visuals at some points. Apart from the visuals I came back educated and entertained, quite like the rest of the audience that queued for almost an hour to get their books signed.

Such is the charm of McCall Smith.

I first read him and met him when I was putting together a special for the Singapore Writers Festival and was charmed by his characters, Mma 'Precious' Ramotswe in particular. It was a character that he had seen 15 years before he actually created it. The picture was that of a woman chasing a chicken in Botswana. That's the power of that aha moment. That's also why he advocated the need for a little notebook (red or otherwise) to jot down your thoughts because you never quite know when it'll all fit together.

A 'serial writer' several of his books and characters have been based on things he's heard, events he's seen or comments that have touched him. He's happy to give his readers what they want - cake eating, tea drinking, fixing cars, or fixing life's other problems. Along the way, his books have ended up doing a lot for his readers and for Botswana as well.

"You know there is actually a No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Tour. A one-day tour and a two-day tour. I don't know what they do over two days, I guess they probably take it slower."

Apart from the tours in Botswana, he's been doing the rounds with 'Blue Shoes and Happiness.' Yes, the apprentices are still apprentices, but he did assure everyone present something will move along in their lives. Considering he's got 11 books planned in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, it might take a bit of waiting.

"A reader once wrote to me and asked how long does stay an apprentice in Botswana? (immense laughter all round) So I'll have to do something with them," he revealed as he talked about the immensely popular series.

The stories will continue and will be read by people across the world in over 40 languages. While on one level, his stories seem to be that of the characters that the growing legion of McCall Smith fans have come to love, they are also a celebration of life itself. In a rare serious moment in the talk, McCall Smith acknowledged, "there are problems and there always will be, but there are also lots of people who lead lives of quality and dignity in exceptionally difficult circumstances" and it is there lives that he has chosen to talk about and chronicle.

Like a master calligrapher, he spoke of the brush stroke, the one fluid touch that help draw attention to an issue or a problem rather than drumming about it ceaselessly. His books have more than proved that. "The bush tea sellers love me."

He talked about his characters. 'Precious' which was the same of his friend's daughter, ended up being scribbled somewhere in his note pad and got a life of its own the series.

There was no time for scribbling though when it came to 44 Scotland Street series. It all started with a column he wrote that was followed by lunch with the Editor of The Scotsman paper. In his piece, McCall Smith had said it was a pity that the days of serial novels in newspapers were over. As it turned out, not quite. The Editor proposed a serialised novel, to which the author responded:
"I couldn't do it weekly."
"Whoever, said weekly, we'd like it daily."

With that there was no turning back. Real people ended up being characters in the stories that followed resulting in 'Espresso Tales' and more.

Fiction, McCall Smith admitted is created in the sub-conscious mind, little ideas, little things people say, hence the importance of listening.

As someone who has delved into the minds of readers it was interesting to see a question on whether J K Rowling would kill Harry Potter and what impact would this have on young readers. McCall Smith had it spot on. He couldn't imagine what Rowling would do with Potter, "it will reveal itself on the said date at the said time." But children, he pointed out are exceptionally resilient, they are used to monsters, they are used to things being eaten up, so long as the end result is something guey.

With that, he left us adults with lots of points to ponder over before starting on book signing, which went long past dinner. Whoever said writers had it easy?