The builder

Came out from "Jazz by the Bay', a club in Mumbai, into Marine Drive. Called the 'Queens Necklace', this area is among the most desirable and expensive real estate in Mumbai. Was approached by a really old bent and gnarled woman begging for some money. I asked her where she came from. 'Sholapur' she said, [...]

Hollywood vs Bollywood ?

I took part in the NDTV debate and realized we were not talking about the same things. The medium and the technology may be the same, but the culture, both of viewing and of creating are completely different. Our films satisfy a completely different need from our audiences, Over the last 50 years they have [...]

Ballroom Dancing in Beijing

So you thought China was alll about economic growth ? Early every morning at the beautiful gardens at the Temple of Heaven, these people come to learn and practice ballroom dancing. The wonderful thing is there are actually no class distinctions. One a retired fashion designer, one an ex- factory worker, one an internet entreprenuer, [...]

virtual reality and the human touch. Open Forum

No doubt, virtual reality will change the way behave, as will social networking across the various internet platforms. We will be more connected, more communicated, more informed, more educated and in many ways more aware. This minds of this interactive networked generation will develop far faster than ours did. Thats all good news ? Or [...]

China immigration

I landed in China expecting a long wait at immigration. Surely this must be one of the most security conscious and bureaucratic regimes in the world ? Think again. As the immigration officer stamped my passport, 4 lights came on, asking me to press one. Whether I was completely satisfied , somewhat satisfied, not satisfied [...]

Flying Kites in Tiananmen Square

Beijing is full of surprises. Walking back to Raffles Hotel I pass the walls of the Forbidden City and into Tiananmen Square and look up into the night sky. Maybe a hundred kites. Some so far into the night sky that you could see them only by their twinkling lights. Twinkling lights on a Kite [...]

Blogism

Just wanted to share with a quote from my interview with the 'Australian' that is making the rounds n Australia : AS a director, Shekhar Kapur has become used to working with one of the world's most expansive mediums: cinema. But the filmmaker and activist is pondering how to tell his stories in under five [...]