
For Kerala musician Alex Immatty his songs are a means of protest
'That is the beauty of democracy — you can protest. And I am exercising that right through my songs,' Alex says. The song, which has a distinct blues feel, showcases his individualistic style.
This is not his first song of protest. One of his first such songs was 'Ente roadum…', which was a critique of the condition of the roads in Kerala. 'I was inspired by something I saw — a mother and son walking down a potholed road, and a bus whizzing past. I could not help thinking about how precarious the plight of pedestrians like them is. One wrong step, they would fall on the road and in all probability would have gotten run over by the bus.'
Although written and rendered more than a decade ago, he says, it is still relevant especially since it is raining and the roads are in a bad condition. 'My songs are politically-driven. It is not directed at a political party or ideology. I have no malice towards anyone nor do I stand for a political party. I just want to show the mirror to the powers that be. I am doing it for society. The pathetic condition of the roads in Kerala and social conditions led me to compose the 'Ente roadum' song and the other songs. It is not just society and infrastructure, I criticise myself as well and the chauvinist in me in my songs like 'Aval paranju panchasara' and 'Ari venthodi'.'
He counts musicians such as John Lennon, Chris Rea, the two Bobs — Marley and Dylan, and John Fogerty among his inspirations. 'Their songs of love and peace, and against social inequalities, the establishment and wars had a deep impact on me.' He has experimented with genres such as reggae, rock, blues, swing rock, and tribal folk.
It is not just politics in his songs. Alex is part of Thrissur-based rock band, Anjuvilakku. Before that he was part of the late 1990s band Rockwag, has been an associate of Jassie Gift and a rookie drummer for the band Avial. He works as a music trainer for the band of Sahrdaya College, Thrissur.
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The Hindu
22 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Ever been to a fake wedding? It's the newest party trend in town
What's not to like about weddings? The food, the dance, the music, the gossip... But for those seeking a more relaxed experience without perhaps the unpleasant bump-ins, forced conversations or long queues for food, there's a new trend on the block — fake wedding events. It's quite simply a wedding without the bride and groom or the attendant stress and pressures of the ceremony. 'People want to dress up and go to a wedding. And at our parties, we don't want folks to simply turn up, have a few drinks, dance and leave. We want to give them the entire wedding experience — family-like bonding, great food, Insta-worthy photo-ops, and so on,' says Ayaan Vaid, co-founder of Delhi-based events company, Jumma Ki Raat. The company is one of the first to organise ticketed wedding-themed parties in India. Since its launch in October 2024, Jumma Ki Raat has organised two fake sangeet parties, the recent one held just last week. New age partying? Earlier this month, an invite to one such 'fake wedding' in Noida went viral on social media. The artfully designed invitation promised 'live band and dhol' and a complimentary alcoholic beverage while asking guests to be attired in traditional wear. Entry prices ranged from ₹999 to ₹1,499. The idea seems to have takers across India — bar and restaurant chain Lord of the Drinks organised fake sangeet nights at some of its outlets in Madhya Pradesh recently, as did Bengaluru's Raahi Neo Kitchen & Bar with a 'Big Fat Fake Indian Sangeet'. Bengaluru-based Third Place, Kolkata-based event organiser Blackout, and Auckland-based BollySphere have welcomed guests to similar events as well. A window into culture The fake wedding trend probably began in the U.S., where South Asian student bodies across campuses such as University of Washington Bothell and Cornell University have been organising mock wedding events for years. 'It's a way for students to experience South Asia beyond classrooms and textbooks,' says Avneet Mehr, a third-year student of biology and sociology at Cornell. This year's annual shaadi extravaganza (around two to three days long), complete with a mock bride and groom, organised by Cornell's South Asian Council, was attended by nearly 500 students, adds Mehr. Time to collab When you walk into a faux wedding event (with an average runtime of four to five hours), there's everything you need to make it seem real — elaborate decorations, marigold flowers, live bands, mehendi artists, photo booths and even an 'astro' parrot picking out fun cards to determine the romantic fate of the party-goers. 'Pinterest and social media pages of wedding planners are my go-to places for research when it comes to décor ideas. I even picked up the idea for gol-gappa shots online,' says Alisha Chouri, one of the founders of Mumbai-based Saddi Galli. The two-month-old brand has so far hosted three 'Scam Sangeet' events in Nagpur and Mumbai. Goa, Kolkata and Miami are their next stops. One of Saddi Galli's fake sangeet events, which was attended by nearly 800 guests, says Chouri, saw the company bring cosmetics brand Lakmé on board as a hairstyling and make-up partner. Tickets for such events can start at ₹299 and go up to ₹7,000. At Third Place's Sangeet Socials, collaborations take a musical turn. 'A songwriter friend of mine, actually released his original at our first Sangeet Social last week. It was a nice addition to the programme, to set the overall vibe of the event,' says Anurag Pandey, founder and CEO. He says that these events, while being all about fun and partying, must also result in a curated, thoughtful and meaningful experience. And to achieve that, the Sangeet Social isn't an 'open for all event'. Once the guests (capped at 40) sign up to attend the event (tickets are priced at ₹1,911 inclusive of food, drinks, games, and activities), they're expected to take a personality test, after which they are added to a waiting list. 'We organise the events in a way people can truly connect. We use an algorithm to thoughtfully curate groups and maintain diversity and confirm the guest's participation a day before the event,' says Pandey. It's also perhaps why the first Sangeet Social event, which included games like antakshari and a mehendi corner, kept things sober. 'At our event, people aren't just dancing at a bar and heading home drunk,' adds Pandey. Guests also walked out with a shagun ka lifaafa (gift envelope) that contained coupons to Barmen, the official drinks partner of the event. Not just a Gen Z affair It isn't just Gen Z flocking to such events for the promise of a good time. Vaid says their fake sangeet events (tickets priced between ₹800 and ₹3,000) have had encouraging participation from people in their 30s as well as early 40s. 'Honestly, we all want an excuse to dress up and dance to Bollywood music. We don't really get that opportunity often, especially in a safe space,' says 29-year-old Delhi-based businessman Anant Gupta, who has attended all of Jumma Ki Raat's events so far. Mumbai-based businessman Stanley Lawrence, 55, made a group outing out of Saddi Galli's Scam Sangeet event with his friends and colleagues. 'I was just curious to know what this fake sangeet was all about. But I didn't feel out of place. Not once did we see any of the kids there look at us and wonder why people of our age were at the party,' he says. Adds founder Chouri, 'One of the slightly older guests we hosted even told us he had more fun at our scam sangeet than he did at his own sangeet years ago. But are we trivialising tradition for the sake of a good time on the dance floor? It's the exact opposite, argues Vaid. 'We are in no way disrespecting our culture. If something like this was done abroad, people would've praised it for promoting Indian culture,' he says. For Chouri, who has other wedding-related event ideas in the pipeline already, there's so much the theme can do to quench the party-goer's appetite. But Pandey says that the trend might run its course soon, unless thoughtful curation draws focus. 'If you just host events, you won't be able to sustain it. But if you curate it and add nice themes to it, it will stick around.' The writer and theatre artist is based between Bengaluru and Delhi.


News18
an hour ago
- News18
Shweta Tiwari Recalls Shooting For 72 Hours Straight: ‘Ektaa Kapoor Didn't Sleep…'
Last Updated: Shweta Tiwari talked about her gruelling TV shoot days, and revealed that she would get paid for 45 days in a 30-day month. She also praised Ektaa Kapoor's unmatched dedication. Television actress Shweta Tiwari recently shared her experiences with demanding shoot schedules in the television industry. She recalled working for 72 hours continuously while shooting for daily soaps. Shweta also praised Ektaa Kapoor for her relentless hard work and dedication, and revealed that she wouldn't sleep either! In a recent podcast on the Bharti TV YouTube channel, Shweta Tiwari talked about the intense working conditions, mentioning the television industry's reputation for never sleeping. She recalled her schedule, working 72 hours straight, and being paid for 45 days in a month because of her exhaustive shifts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and then from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day. 'Hum log poori industry main famous hai ki koi sota nahi tha. Mai 72 hours shoot karti thi. 30 days ka mahina hota hai, mereko 45 days ka cheque milta tha. Subah 7 se shaam ke 7 tak ek hota tha, shaam 7 se agle din subah 7 tak do hote the. (We were known across the entire industry for never sleeping. I used to shoot for 72 hours straight. A month has 30 days, but I used to get paid for 45 days. One shift would be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and then another from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day)," she said. Shweta Tiwari Praises Ektaa Kapoor's Dedication Shweta also commended Ektaa Kapoor's commitment, noting that it wasn't only the actors who had such gruelling schedule. Ektaa, managing 22 shows, rarely slept and was always available to answer calls promptly. Her detailed explanations ensured that no one went wrong, and her passion was evident during rehearsals where she often delivered lines better than the actors. 'It wasn't just us actors who worked like that, Ektaa did it too. Ektaa didn't sleep; she had 22 shows running. Whenever you called her, she'd answer in just one ring. She would explain everything in detail, and once Ektaa explained something, there was no way you could go wrong. Whenever she delivered a line during rehearsals, it felt like she was saying it better than you. That's how passionate she was!" said Shweta. Shweta concluded by reflecting on how Ektaa used to create shows to satisfy her creativity and imagination rather than just for audience approval. She lamented that now, it's all about TRPs, with content being driven by viewer ratings rather than creative satisfaction. Shweta Tiwari is known most popularly for her portrayal of Prerna in the television show 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay', which aired from 2001 to 2008. She also emerged as the winner in Bigg Boss 4. Shweta has also starred in other television shows such as Parvarrish, Begusarai, Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, and others. Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Why ICJ ruling on climate change is significant
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a landmark ruling on Wednesday that can breathe new life into the climate movement, and potentially open the floodgates for litigation seeking greater accountability from countries on climate action. The Hague-based court, which is the main judicial branch of the United Nations, has held that countries are under a legal obligation to take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and could be held liable to pay compensation if they failed to do so. The ruling has come in the form of an advisory opinion of the court, and does not on its own impact any country immediately. It can nonetheless have significant implications for the global fight against climate change. By making it clear that climate action is not just a policy imperative for countries but a legally-binding commitment under international law, the ruling strengthens the position of developing countries and everyone else advocating enhanced climate action from the rich and industrialised world. The ruling was delivered in a case resulting from a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in March 2022, seeking the advisory opinion of the court on climate change. The UNGA wanted the ICJ to address two very specific questions: (i) what are the obligations of countries under international law to protect the climate system and, (ii) what are the legal consequences for countries that do not fulfil their obligations. The court examined the provisions of the three climate treaties — the 1994 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the 2015 Paris Agreement — and several other environment-related international laws that have a bearing on the climate system. These include the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1987 Montreal Protocol for protecting ozone, the 1992 Convention on Biodiversity and the 1994 Convention to Combat Desertification. The court concluded that climate action was not a matter of choice or preference, but a legal obligation: countries were obligated to take measures that contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, rich and industrialised countries in Annexure I of the UNFCCC had an obligation to take the lead on emissions reduction, and facilitate technology and financial transfers to developing countries. It identified several other obligations of countries, and said that failure to fulfil them would constitute 'an internationally wrongful act' which could have legal consequences. These could include being held liable to provide full reparation to countries that suffer on account of climate disasters, or other impacts of climate change. Countries could be held liable even for the irresponsible actions of private businesses or corporations, if they had failed to exercise due diligence and not taken adequate regulatory or legislative measures to prevent the irresponsible behaviour of private actors, the court held. The advisory opinion of the ICJ is not international law, and it is not binding on countries. However, it is the most authoritative interpretation of international law on the subject, and it is likely to be relied upon by courts around the world in deciding matters that come before them. This ruling is expected to put the spotlight back on climate change. In recent years, progress on the global fight against climate change has been severely undermined by the lack of adequate action by countries, particularly those in the developed world. The emissions reduction targets for 2030 will almost certainly be missed. The withdrawal of the US, the world's biggest historical emitter and a major laggard nation on climate action, from the Paris Agreement has put a question mark on the future of cooperative global action on climate. The credibility of international climate negotiations is at stake, with developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable ones, very upset over their concerns being ignored. The ICJ's advisory opinion does not directly set right any of these. Several parts of the ruling could be difficult or impractical to implement, and these are likely to be hotly contested in courts. What the opinion has done though, is to reaffirm the legal sanctity of the provisions and principles mentioned in international laws on climate change, and declared that non-adherence to these could be reason to impose penalties on countries. This is important because the climate actions mandated under the UNFCCC or the Paris Agreement are, barring a few, largely suggestive in nature, and there are no consequences for countries for non-compliance. For example, the US suffered no consequences for pulling out of the Paris Agreement, and the developed countries as a whole got away with not meeting their finance obligations. Most developed countries did not meet their emissions reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol either, and some of them walked out of the treaty — again without any consequences. The ICJ has not spelt out the consequences for any of these countries. That will be for other courts to decide, if any such matter comes before them. The ICJ's opinion that countries that suffer from climate impacts — it calls them 'injured states' — are entitled not just to compensation, but full reparation, is a major development. Developed nations reluctantly acknowledge that small and vulnerable countries require assistance, financial and otherwise, to deal with climate disasters, but reject any suggestion of liability, compensation, or reparations. With this, the ICJ has strongly endorsed the concept of loss and damage in climate laws, which call upon developed countries to take the lead in raising financial and other support to help countries recover from impacts of climate change. This is likely to trigger a wave of litigation seeking compensation from the developed countries. Corporate polluters too are likely to be taken to court. The advisory opinion is likely to be contested — and not just by the developed world. For example, the ICJ has opined that merely initiating some climate actions is not sufficient compliance with the obligations of countries— the scale or magnitude of these actions is open to scrutiny. However, under the Paris Agreement, countries are free to decide their climate actions, and the only requirement is that every subsequent set of actions must be a progression on the previous ones. There is no provision to ascertain the sufficiency of a country's climate action, or the lack thereof. The actual impact of the ruling will become evident only when it begins to be cited as precedent in individual cases on climate-related disputes, and from the treatment that it receives from governments.