Letters to the Editor — July 19, 2025
The article, 'The musical bond', which covered the conversation between mridangam maestro Umayalpuram Sivaraman and Marxist leader M.A. Baby, at The Hindu office (Friday Review, July 18) took me back in time. Comrade A.S.R. Chari (Delhi), an eminent barrister, was so fond of Carnatic music that every year he would arrange for a programme of Chamber music in his sprawling bungalow in Defence Colony. He was a close friend of Flute Mali. I attended a performance of Mali in his house where Mali played the Kapi Rag for four hours — it was the favourite Rag of Chari.
Indira Parthasarathy,
Chennai
Clean city
It is commendable that Indore has been recognised for sustained cleanliness (Page 1, July 18). No programme can become a success without the wholehearted cooperation of the people. Every city and municipal corporation must emulate Indore's success story.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
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The Hindu
14 hours ago
- The Hindu
A monthly rendezvous with music for special need children and caregivers at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Tarang, the monthly cultural initiative for persons with special needs, their caregivers and family members started by V-Excel Educational Trust, has turned 15. The seeds of this initiative were sown in 2011 by Sumanasa Trust and V-Excel Educational Trust under the name 'Sushravya' to bring music closer to children with special needs and their families. As part of this initiative, renowned musicians were invited every month to V-Excel Educational Trust's Mandaveli campus. As it gained popularity, the monthly programmes moved to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and it was renamed Tarang. Tarang was kickstarted with musician Bombay Jayasree's support. S. Sowmya came on board later as a supporter. Other personalities from the world of performing arts including vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers and harikatha artistes also started backing this initiative. Since June 2018, Usha Suresh has been leading Tarang which offers a platform for both eminent personalities and upcoming talent in the field of music and dance. With a good mix of contemporary music, light music, Carnatic music, bhajans, harikathas and dance recitals, Usha has brought variety and vibrancy to the concerts. Performers such as Unnikrishnan, Sai Vignesh, R. P. Shravan and Sikkil Gurucharan have enriched Tarang through performances. Fifteen instrument players were the highlight of the 15th year celebration. One might ask how children who are known to be sensitive to sound deal with concerts. In fact many of our performers were left spellbound by the interactions they had with children and how the children and adults in the audience were able to match taalams and sing known songs with the performers. In the last couple of years, Tarang has provided special needs children and trainees with an opportunity to listen to instruments such as nagaswaram, flute, sarangi and ghatam. Children with sound sensitivity learnt to accept echoing sounds and melodious music, those who are restless learnt to sit in a place for an hour at a stretch, those who were shy, came out of their shell to present on the stage with the performers. Some in deep musical trance would even run on to the stage and dance to the music being played. Some learnt to request songs and some learnt to recognise songs in the same raagam. During the pandemic, programmed videos were uploaded on youtube premier, and many times artistes gave live concerts. What started with a small set of children of V-Excel Educational Trust enjoying music has gathered momentum. Today, Tarang goes full house. We continue to invite students from two other special schools for our events. Tarang is open to everyone who wishes to be part of its journey. What started as a tiny seed of goodwill to the society has been able to transform a few lives and give motivation to some for brighter and calmer space in this world. Links to the concerts are available at V-Excel Educational Trust's YouTube channel. Tarang is organised every 3rd Thursday of the month at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore and is open to all. For more details, call 9360087484 (Nitya Venkatesh is special educator with V-Excel Educational Trust that has centres in Adyar and Mylapore)
Economic Times
a day ago
- Economic Times
Malayalam star was betrayed by all the men she loved. Died all alone at 53
Agencies Malayalam star Srividya died lonely at the age of 53 Srividya, an iconic figure in South Indian cinema, captivated audiences with her grace, charisma, and emotional depth. While her presence on the silver screen evoked admiration and reverence, her personal life was marked by pain, heartbreak, and an unfulfilled longing for love. Beneath her luminous performances was a woman who yearned for sincere affection—love that she was ready to give unconditionally but tragically never received in return. Despite being cherished by fans and respected by peers, she lived a life burdened by betrayal, loneliness, and sorrow until the on July 24, 1953, in Chennai, Srividya came from a family deeply entrenched in the performing arts. Her mother, M. L. Vasanthakumari, was an acclaimed Carnatic vocalist, and her father, 'Vikatam' Krishnamurthy, was a Tamil actor. Despite her lineage suggesting a future in music, Srividya gravitated toward dance and acting. Her early exposure to classical dance helped her develop expressive facial movements and poised body language—skills that later defined her onscreen magnetism. Srividya began her cinematic journey at just 13, making her debut in the Tamil historical film Thiruvarutchelvar (1967), which featured veterans like Sivaji Ganesan, Savitri, and Gemini Ganesan. It was a modest role, but it ignited a lifelong connection with 1969, at the age of 16, Srividya entered the Malayalam film industry with the movie Chattambikkavala. She was cast opposite Sathyan, a legendary actor who was 57 at the time. Her poise, maturity, and beauty surprised many. The following year, she featured in Kumara Sambhavam, playing the celestial nymph Menaka. Her elegant dance in the song 'Maya Nadana Viharini' garnered widespread appreciation and highlighted her as an emerging her versatility and grace, Srividya swiftly became a sought-after actor in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films. Filmmakers were drawn to her ability to balance glamour with gravitas, and she transitioned seamlessly from one powerful role to another, building a formidable body of work across made Srividya distinct from her contemporaries was her readiness to play characters beyond the conventional mold. While many actresses of her era pursued glamorous leads, Srividya embraced roles that were far more layered—even those where she played older women or secondary characters. Rather than chase stardom, she prioritized the depth and relevance of a like Kattathe Kilikkoodu, Ente Sooryaputhrikku, Innale, Kabooliwala, Aniyathi Pravu, Aaraam Thampuran, and Randam Bhavam featured her in motherly or supporting roles, which she portrayed with incredible emotional depth. Her performances resonated so strongly that audiences frequently remembered her more than the leads. Even on television, she left an indelible impression with her nuanced roles in various serials, maintaining her connection with the audience until her final the height of her career in the early 1970s, Srividya fell in love with Kamal Haasan, who was then a rising star. Their relationship was intense and, by many accounts, genuine. They even considered marriage. However, as Kamal's career took off, he asked Srividya to postpone their plans to tie the knot. She, unwilling to delay her dreams of building a home and family, expressed her desire to move later recalled, during an interview with Kairali TV, that Kamal had visited her home one day. Her mother advised them to wait a few more years, suggesting that both had bright futures and shouldn't rush into a decision they might regret. This advice did not sit well with Kamal, who left abruptly. Soon afterward, he married dancer Vani Ganapathy, and their once-promising relationship ended in silence. Despite the break, Kamal always remained a significant emotional figure in Srividya's her heartbreak, Srividya found comfort in her connection with filmmaker Bharathan. Their relationship, as revealed by screenwriter and Bharathan's friend John Paul on Safari TV's Charithram Enniloode, went beyond societal definitions. It was an intimate, soulful bond that didn't conform to labels like KPAC Lalitha, who eventually married Bharathan, recounted that he often visited her home just to talk to Srividya over the phone since her family disapproved of male callers. Lalitha, who worked with both, revealed that Srividya once confided her doubts about the relationship, citing Bharathan's growing mistrust. Eventually, the two parted ways. Though he later married Lalitha, Bharathan reportedly attempted to reconnect with Srividya—but she distanced herself for emotional turmoil, Srividya crossed paths with George Thomas, a film producer involved with her movie Theekkanal. He appeared attentive, caring, and aligned with her need for emotional security. Desperate to feel loved and hoping to prove to her detractors that she had moved on, she decided to marry him. Despite warnings from her mother and close friends like actor Madhu and veteran performer Manorama, she converted to Christianity and married George in Mumbai. However, Srividya's dream of domestic bliss soon turned into a nightmare. Contrary to his claims, George was not a wealthy film producer but a salaried employee appointed by a chit fund company, Star of Cochin, as a frontman for their film ventures. He had misrepresented himself entirely, using her fame for personal and financial gain. Having realized the deception, Srividya had no choice but to return to work. Offers still came her way, and her performances were consistently appreciated. However, her husband began siphoning off her earnings. Director Alleppey Ashraf once stated that George forged her signatures to access her bank accounts and depleted her if financial exploitation wasn't enough, he also abused her physically and emotionally. Rumors of his infidelity surfaced, further damaging their already crumbling marriage. The arguments between them became frequent and intense. After enduring years of pain and betrayal, Srividya left George and returned to her separation initiated a long and arduous legal battle. Because the marriage had been registered under the Christian Marriage Act, divorce proceedings were complicated. George held on to much of her property and assets, and the case dragged on for 14 years. Srividya eventually won, but the personal toll was immense. She had lost years of her life and most of her emotional compound her misery, her mother—her only close family—passed away during this time. Srividya, already devastated by her failed relationships and a bruising legal fight, now found herself utterly alone. Her relatives, sensing her vulnerability, abandoned her too. Despite all her public acclaim and cinematic triumphs, she had no one to turn to in her most difficult pained Srividya most was not the loss of money or status, but the emotional void. She had always longed for a loving partner, a child, and a peaceful home—experiences she was denied throughout her life. Her own childhood had been devoid of warmth, as her parents were locked in a loveless marriage. She had hoped to create a better life for herself, but fate seemed determined to keep happiness out of dream of settling in America to escape the scars of her past also collapsed when she was diagnosed with cancer. It was an aggressive form of the disease, and as her health deteriorated, so did her hopes. Those who cared for her during this time reported that she would often plead with doctors to end her suffering.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu' box office: Pawan Kalyan's film mints ₹9.25 crore on Day 3 after sharp drop in earnings
Telugu star Pawan Kalyan's historical epic, Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1, hasn't had the opening fans of the star were hoping for. The film, released on Thursday, earned ₹9.25 crore on Saturday, bringing the total to ₹64.75 crore. According to Sacnilk, the film opened to ₹34.75 crore on Thursday, after minting ₹12.75 crore from preview shows on Wednesday. However, due to unfavourable reviews and calls for a boycott due to a political controversy, the film saw a 76.98 per cent drop in collections on Friday, earning only ₹8 crores. Trade reports suggest that Sunday (July 27) wouldn't be much different either. Directed by Jyothi Krishna and Krish Jagarlamudi, the historical action drama revolves around the titular character, Veera Mallu, a rebellious outlaw. Bobby Deol essays the role of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the antagonist in the movie. Niddhi Agerwal is the female lead. Anupam Kher, Jisshu Sengupta, Nargis Fakhri, M Nassar, Sunil, Raghu Babu, Subbaraju and Nora Fatehi are the other actors in the movie. The film features music by Oscar-winning composer MM Keeravani, with Manoj Paramahamsa serving as the cinematographer. Veteran Thota Tharani is the art director of the movie. Hari Hara Veera Mallu is produced by AM Rathnam under his Mega Sura Production banner. The Hindu's review of the film reads, 'The first half drags along, saved occasionally by M.M. Keeravani's music. While the story feels patchy, a couple of action scenes show Veera Mallu's knack for stealing diamonds and standing up for the oppressed. A wrestling sequence highlights Pawan Kalyan's martial arts background, and his past as a stunt choreographer adds value to the 18-minute pre-climax action stretch. But everything in between feels flat.'
