Here’s wishing all of you a very happy Christmas, and much joy, good health, and prosperity over the year to come. And, just in case you were wondering: this painting is a Mughal one. It’s by the very accomplished Basawan … Continue reading
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) at New Delhi is currently hosting—since November 21st, 2013, up to December 31st, 2013—an exhibition titled ‘The Mughals: Life, Art and Culture’. I’d read a notice about this in the newspapers … Continue reading
Pretty much in the heart of Lutyens’s Delhi is the imposing mansion known as Teen Murti Bhawan (named for the three bronze statues that stand on the traffic island in front—the statues commemorate the Indian cavalry regiments that fell in … Continue reading
This was not the post I had intended for this week. As a matter of fact, I had not given any thought to what I’d write about, but I had imagined it would be something light-hearted (perhaps a song list I’ve been working on for a while). Something, definitely, cheerful—to help me get over the sadness of one of my favourite actresses having passed away. Something too, to build up the spirit of good cheer for Christmas.
Instead, I began the week by learning that another favourite actress of mine, Joan Fontaine, award-winning lead of Hitchcock’s Suspicion (and the female star of his superb Rebecca), had passed away, at the age of 96, on the 15th of December. Just a day after the death of another legendary star, Peter O’Toole, the Lawrence of Arabia (which I heard about only on the 16th, as it happened).
Mention the name Shalimar Bagh, and most Indians are likely to immediately think of the beautiful terraced Mughal gardens in Srinagar (Pakistanis would probably think of the Mughal gardens of the same name in Lahore). But ask a resident of … Continue reading
On my laptop, I have a bunch of wallpapers of some of my favourite actors and actresses. Every now and then, depending upon whose films I’ve been watching—and therefore, who’s my current favourite—the wallpaper changes (right now, in anticipation of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, it’s Richard Armitage). For a short time, the wallpaper had been one of Eleanor Parker.
The other day, someone commented on my long-ago list of ten favourite Robert Mitchum roles. It reminded me that I hadn’t watched a Mitchum film in a long, long time (unpardonable, considering he’s one of my favourite actors). And, since Mitchum’s role as the chilling Harry Powell in The Night of the Hunter is one of the landmark roles of his career—well, it did seem appropriate to review the film.
Carrying on from last week’s ‘focus monument’, this time it’s another historic waterwork. Like Rajon ki Baoli, not too well-known, though it’s very visible: Satpula, on Press Enclave Road.
Despite my love for historicals and Madhubala, I was surprised when Ava mentioned this film on her blog. A historical (and a Sohrab Modi one, too), with Madhubala, and I’d never heard of it? Ava recommended it, so I decided to keep an eye out for it. Fortunately, I discovered Raj Hath on Youtube—therefore, this post. Ava, thank you. This was an enjoyable film.
I’m feeling a sense of elation right now, because I’ve submitted the manuscript of the next Muzaffar Jang book. It will probably be about a year before the book’s published, but getting this done and out of the way has … Continue reading
Dustedoff 