Lounge Loves: The Looksmith, ‘Thudarum' and more
As an Indian man in my 40s, I can bet I'm not alone in being distressed by the changing contours of my body. On bad days, my disobedient waistline feels like a personal betrayal. Instead of reaching out for variety, I would veer towards dull 'unclewear', lifeless pinstripes and relaxed-fit trousers to look and feel age-appropriate. Until I discovered Parker York Smith, a Los Angeles-based men's fashion influencer. Every day, Smith styles unusual, eccentric looks based on popular requests. He is as good at sporting styles inspired by characters from the Super Mario Bros games as he is at styling a purple wedding suit for an adventurous groom. He doesn't do cosplay, nor is he peddling brands to make you shop. Smith can make even a white shirt, printed tee or loafers look classy. Bonus: his accessory game is absolutely on fire.
While growing up, glass bangles from Hanuman Mandir in Delhi were an integral part of most family weddings. I remember the intricately etched glass boxes that my grandmother would store those bangles in. Name a colour, and you could find a bangle in it. Recently, with a wedding in the family, I decided to revisit that memory and landed up at Hanuman Mandir to get some glass bangles. The vibrant array at the Babu Churiwala shop caught my eye—I ended up buying bangles for the entire family. The elderly owner added to the experience with his stories of Delhi of the 1970s-80s, when glass bangles would adorn many a wrist. A visit is strongly recommended for some gup-shup over tea and stories of bangles.
Paper usually holds language, the alphabets forming sentences and running across the surface to convey ideas, laws, policies, formulas, confessions, solutions. Artist Ravi Kumar Kashi turns this concept on its head by creating a delicate lace of letters cut from different kinds of paper, and suspending them from ceilings and walls, giving an altogether new weight to words. Kashi currently has a small show of six works, We Don't End at our Edges, on till mid-June at Bengaluru's Museum of Art and Photography, and it's entrancing. Scraps of Kannada poetry, literature, his own thoughts… everything is jumbled into these installations that are part sculpture, part tapestry. It's beautifully lit, too, and the shadows the installations cast have a vocabulary of their own.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Sholay@50: How Soorma, Jailor, Dhanno became legends
In part 4 of our series celebrating Sholay's 50th anniversary, we spotlight the unforgettable minor characters who, despite brief screen time, became cultural icons. In the rich history of Indian cinema, certain characters become so iconic that their very names evoke a singular image. Dhanno is forever the faithful mare, Sambha the unforgettable sidekick, and Kaalia the ill-fated dacoit loyal to Gabbar Singh—even though Amitabh Bachchan later portrayed another character with the same name. Such is the enduring magic of Sholay (1975), directed by Ramesh Sippy, a film widely regarded as one of India's greatest. While the main characters like Jai, Veeru, Gabbar Singh, and Thakur dominate the limelight, it is the film's memorable minor characters that have also carved out a timeless place in the hearts of audiences across generations. Soorma Bhopali, played by Jagdeep, is a loud, boastful timber merchant who loves telling tall tales about his bravery. His funny Bhopali accent and line, ' Hamara naam Soorma Bhopali aise waise hi nahin hai, ' make him unforgettable, even though he's not on screen for long. Soorma brings humour to the serious story, balancing the danger of Gabbar and Thakur's revenge. His character is like the funny storyteller in Indian villages who exaggerates everything. He was so popular that he got his own movie, Soorma Bhopali (1988), which is rare for a small character. Mausi, played by Leela Mishra, is Basanti's strict but loving aunt. She's the typical Indian auntie—gossipy, caring, and always ready to scold. Her famous lines are funny and warm. Mausi feels like family to audiences because she reminds them of their own aunts. She keeps the story grounded by showing village life and traditional values, making her a character everyone relates to. Imam Saheb, played by AK Hangal, is the village's blind imam. His sad scene mourning his son's death, with the line ' Itna sannata kyun hai bhai? ' touches everyone's heart. Even with little screen time, his quiet dignity and grief make him unforgettable. He shows how Gabbar's cruelty hurts the village, making Jai and Veeru's fight feel more important. His line is now used everywhere to describe a heavy, sad silence. Sambha, played by Mac Mohan, is Gabbar's quiet henchman. He says only one line, ' Poore pachaas hazaar, ' from atop a rock, but it's enough to make him a legend. His serious face and loyalty to Gabbar make the villain seem even scarier. Sambha's simple but powerful presence sticks with audiences, and his line is often quoted in jokes and pop culture. Ahmed, played by Sachin Pilgaonkar, is Imam Saheb's son. His death by Gabbar's gang is a sad moment that pushes the story forward. Though he's in the film briefly, his innocence and sacrifice make audiences care deeply. His death makes Thakur and the heroes more determined, showing how even a small character can change the story. The Jailor, played by Asrani, is a funny character who acts like Hitler and says, ' Hum Angrezo ke zamane ke jailor hai. ' His silly behaviour in the opening scenes sets up Sholay's mix of action and comedy. He makes audiences laugh with his over-the-top style, poking fun at old colonial times, which people loved. Dhanno, Basanti's mare, is more than just an animal. She's Basanti's loyal partner, pulling the tonga in exciting chase scenes. Her name and Basanti's calls of ' Chal Dhanno! ' became famous, standing for trust and strength. Dhanno feels almost human, making her a beloved part of the story. Kaalia, played by Viju Khote, is one of Gabbar's henchmen who appears in two key scenes. He leads a raid on Ramgarh village, taunting Thakur with lines like ' Aao Thakur aao, abhi tak zinda ho, ' but gets beaten by Jai and Veeru. Later, he faces Gabbar's wrath in the iconic scene where Gabbar asks, ' Tera kya hoga Kaalia? ' Kaalia's reply, ' Sardaar, maine aapka namak khaya ,' and Gabbar's chilling ' Ab goli kha! ' made the exchange legendary. Kaalia's brief role shows Gabbar's ruthless nature, and his lines became a pop culture staple, often quoted for their dramatic flair. Hariram Nai, played by Keshto Mukherjee, is the prison barber and the Jailor's sneaky spy. He eavesdrops on Jai and Veeru's conversations, reporting back to the Jailor to gain favour. His funny, nosy behavior adds humour to the jail scenes, making him a memorable part of Sholay's comedic opening. Hariram's antics, like his sly attempts to please the Jailor, make him a classic sidekick, loved for his quirky charm. The writers, Salim-Javed, gave each character a special job in the story. Soorma and Hariram add humour, Mausi brings family warmth, Imam Saheb and Ahmed add sadness, Sambha and Kaalia make Gabbar scarier, the Jailor sets the fun tone, and Dhanno adds action and loyalty. Every character, no matter how small, helps make Sholay feel like a big, complete story, like characters in Indian epics. The actors made these characters come alive. Jagdeep's loud, funny Soorma feels like a real person you'd meet in a village. Leela Mishra's Mausi is every Indian aunt, with her caring but scolding voice. AK Hangal's quiet grief as Imam Saheb breaks hearts. Mac Mohan's serious Sambha needs only one line to shine. Sachin's innocent Ahmed makes his death feel real. Asrani's goofy Jailor is hilarious. Viju Khote's Kaalia is both tough and pitiful, making his scenes with Gabbar unforgettable. Keshto Mukherjee's sneaky Hariram is perfectly funny. Each character feels like someone the audience knows. These characters, with their unforgettable lines and heartfelt moments, have galloped, schemed, and laughed their way into India's soul, much like the dusty trails of Ramgarh. They remind us that in a story as grand as Sholay, every role, no matter how small, can spark a legend that burns bright for generations. You can read Part 3 here : Sholay@50: RD Burman's Beer Bottles and Whistles Crafted an Iconic Score You can read Part 2 here : Sholay@50: The Making of Gabbar, Bollywood's Greatest Villain You can read Part 1 here : Sholay@50: The film that died at birth to live forever
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
How Sholay Pulled Off A Casting Coup, With Amjad Khan Not Being The First Choice For Gabbar
New Delhi: A film which has attained the status of a cultural symbol and pride; a film which defines the golden era of Hindi cinema; a film which is an emotion for the cinelovers - Sholay, in all its glory, is on its way to complete its golden jubilee on August 15 this year. Ahead of its 50th year of release, several inside stories, which have also become a repertoire in itself, resurfcaed on social media. The casting of the Ramesh Sippy film is an all-time talking point among the cinelovers. Interestingly, the actors who played the iconic roles of Jai (Amitabh Bachchan), Veeru (Dharmendra), Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar), Gabbar (Amjad Khan) were not the first choices for the respective roles. The Curious Case Of Gabbar Every other actor seemed to eye the character of the dacoit Gabbar, while Amjad Khan was not in the picture initially, according to reports. If reports are to be believed, Amitabh Bachchan wanted to play the role of Gabbar. Even Sanjeev Kumar, whose iconic Thakur was at loggerheads with Gabbar in the film, wanted to play the fascinating character. While the makers found their Jai and Thakur in Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjeev Kumar respectively, the offer for Gabbar went to another actor, and not to Amjad Khan. Danny Denzongpa, known for his menacing roles back in the day, was offered the role of Gabbar. He was already committed to Dharmatma, which was being shot in Afghanistan. So, he didn't take up Sholay. His unavailability made the path for Amjad Khan who cemented his place in eternity through one powerful character. Even when Amjad Khan stepped into the role, the screenwriter duo Salim-Javed were not convinced enough. Salim-Javed, reportedly, had doubts about whether Amjad's voice was commanding enough for the fearsome dacoit. But Amjad Khan put the suspicion to rest with his stellar performance. Dilip Kumar Rejected The Role Of Thakur The character of Thakur Baldev Singh was first offered to legendary actor Dilip Kumar. However, he turned it down. He felt the character didn't have emotional depth much, as per reports. Years later, he admitted that he missed a golden opportunity by rejecting the offer. Dharmendra Was Offered Gabbar And Thakur Dharmendra once told IANS that he was originally offered the role of Thakur and even the menacing Gabbar Singh. He, however, knew exactly what he wanted, and it was Veeru. How Big B Became Jai - Veeru Showed The Way During a conversation with ANI, Dharmendra shared how he recommended Amitabh Bachchan's name for the role of Jai. The veteran actor said, "It has already been mentioned. Yes, I recommended him. Mai to kehta nahi maine unko (Amitabh Bachchan) role dilaya. Ye mujhe milne aate the Amitabh sahab (He used to come to meet me. Mr. Amitabh). He used to sit next to me. To maine Ramesh Sippy ji ko kaha yeh naya ladka hai usko awaaz se to lagta hai bahut acha kaam karega. Unki jo andar se chahna thi. Jo khud se pyar karne ki khoobsurati thi vo achi kaha inko lelo (So I told Ramesh Sippy that this is a new boy. Judging by his voice, he will do a great job. I liked the desire he had from within. The beauty of loving oneself. I said take him)." Dharmendra added that he enjoyed working in Sholay."Yeh film mere khyayal se sadiyun ke liye ban gayi hai (this film will be there for centuries)." As per reports, Shatrughan Sinha was offered the role of Jai before Amitabh Bachchan. Sholay At 50 The restored version will have its North American premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 6. The gala screening will take place at the 1,800-seater Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. The uncut version of newly-restored Sholay and featuring the original ending - which shows Gabbar Singh being killed by Thakur instead of arrested by police, and previously deleted scenes that were not part of the widely distributed theatrical cut - had its world premiere on June 27 on the large open-air screen at Piazza Maggiore in Italy's Bologna to commemorate the film's 50th anniversary.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Sholay Climax Was Changed Due To Emergency, Reveals Farhan Akhtar
New Delhi: Ramesh Sippy's classic Sholay, led by Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Amjad Khan, Hema Malini, will complete its glorious 50th year on August 15 this year. The climax - Gabbar being arrested by police - was not the one that screenwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar wrote originally. The original climax was changed due to the pressure during the Emergency era (1975). Farhan Akhtar, during a promotional event for his upcoming film 120 Bahadur, revealed what the orginal climax was and why it got changed. What Farhan Akhtar Revealed In the original climax, "Sanjeev Kumar AKA Thakur was originally meant to kill Gabbar Singh with his bare feet in a brutal act of revenge after losing his family and arms to the dacoit," said Farhan Akhtar. "That was the emotional core of the film - Thakur plotting his revenge after his hands were cut off. We get lost in the Jai-Veeru friendship, but the real spine was the honest cop going after the dacoit who ruined his life," Farhan added. "They had to change it due to the Emergency, and the original ending is now available. That is actually when he cries - after crushing Gabbar with his own feet," said Farhan. Describing the frustration of his father Javed Akhtar and writing partner Salim Khan, Farhan added, "They were wondering about everyone showing up - the villagers, the police, the protagonists - and joked that the only person missing now is a postman. The ending didn't make sense to them, but they had no choice." Sholay At 50 The restored version will have its North American premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 6. The gala screening will take place at the 1,800-seater Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. The uncut version of newly-restored Sholay and featuring the original ending - which shows Gabbar Singh being killed by Thakur instead of arrested by police, and previously deleted scenes that were not part of the widely distributed theatrical cut - had its world premiere on June 27 on the large open-air screen at Piazza Maggiore in Italy's Bologna to commemorate the film's 50th anniversary.
