Modernity meets tradition
A modernist whose work intricately weaves traditional tribal art forms with contemporary aesthetics, Jharkhand-based Haren Thakur's art reflects a deep engagement with nature, life and spirituality. 'The relationship between man and nature forms an integral part of Haren's visual language,' says show curator Dr Alka Pande.
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India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Rs 90 crore jewelry, Rs 17 crore saree, Rs 5 crore invitation card and…, This was India's most expensive wedding EVER, not hosted by Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani
In India, we often talk about how weddings that have become grand and expensive in recent years. One recent example was the wedding of Mukesh and Nita Ambani's youngest son Anant Ambani which was held in July last year with great grandeur. But did you know that a similar kind of grand wedding had already happened back in 2016? This was the wedding of Brahmani Reddy, the daughter of former Karnataka minister, Janardhana Reddy. She got married to Rajeev Reddy, the son of Hyderabad-based businessman Vikram Dev Reddy, in November 2016. It was one of the most lavish weddings the country had ever seen, lasting five full days. Around 50,000 people were invited. One of the biggest highlights was the bride's outfit. The bride, Brahmani wore a stunning red Kancheevaram saree which was designed by famous designer Neeta Lulla. The saree was made with gold thread and various media houses reported that it cost around Rs. 17 crore. She also wore very expensive jewellery including a diamond choker worth Rs. 25 crore, and other accessories which were said to be worth a total of Rs. 90 crore. Her makeup alone cost more than Rs. 30 lakh, and 50 makeup artists were hired for the bride and guests. It is believed that Rs. 500 crore was spent on the entire wedding. To welcome and take care of guests, Janardhana Reddy booked 1,500 rooms in five-star and three-star hotels in Bengaluru. About 2,000 taxis and 15 helicopters were hired to transport guests. There were even 40 royal-style chariots used inside the venue to carry guests around. The wedding meals were also grand. The thali meals served to guests cost Rs. 3,000 per plate, and included 16 types of rich sweets. Even the wedding invitation was unique and luxurious. It cost around Rs. 5 crore, and had an LCD screen that played a special video featuring the Reddy family. The wedding took place at the Bengaluru Palace, and the entire 36-acre venue was decorated to look like the ancient city of Hampi.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
When a mall's atrium turned into a stage
The atrium of VR Chennai in Anna Nagar echoed with music and sounds of the salangai during 'Pradosha Arpana', an event curated by Laasya Dance Academy, Bengaluru. Anchored around the legend of Pradosham, when Shiva drank the deadly poison and danced to restore the cosmic balance, the evening unfolded before a majestic 10-ft Nandi. The evening featured Bengaluru-based young Bharatanatyam artiste Nithyashree, who presented three pieces that she performed more as an offering. She commenced with 'Pradosha Samayadi', set to raga Purvikalyani and Adi tala, which made for a fitting invocation. Composed by Padma Charan and choreographed by Gowri Sagar, the dance evoked the solemnity of twilight, when Shiva dances in response to the gods' prayers. The interplay between the rhythm of Ganesha's drums and Shiva's cosmic dance was conveyed through confident footwork and apt abhinaya. The second item 'Thillai ambalam shabdam', brought a shift in the tone . This Ragamalika piece, set to Adi Tala, traced the emotional arc of a devout woman pining for Nataraja, the Lord of Chidambaram. The shabdam, composed by Thanjavur Arunachalam Pillai, offered Nithyashree an opportunity to delve into the layered emotions of Virahotkandhita nayika (one of the eight types of heroines in classical dance called Ashta Nayika, who suffers the pangs of separation) . The final piece, a Shiva padam, was a crescendo in every sense. Composed by G. Gurumurthy with music by Bala Subramanya Sharma, the choreography celebrated Shiva as the embodiment of the five elements, the seven swaras, and the Omkara. Nithyashree's transitions between vigorous Tandava and delicate Lasya mirrored the duality of Ardhanarishwara, the union of Shiva and Shakti. Pradosha Arpana was not just a Bharatanatyam recital, but a reclaiming of a public space for cultural memory — reminding you that even amongst the most urban settings, spirituality can be invoked through dance .
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
‘I don't mean to sound naughty, but I fell in love with myself while playing Hamlet': Jayant Kripalani
From powerful stage performances to acclaimed TV shows like Khandaan, Jayant Kripalani has been a towering presence in Indian theatre and television. A veteran of over four decades, his work reflects a deep commitment to the craft of acting and storytelling. Though he has appeared in several popular films and helmed TV shows, it's the stage that remains closest to his heart, where his love for character-building and the dramatic arts truly comes alive. After a quiet phase post-2019, his return to the stage came through a serendipitous collaboration with Kolkata-based director-actor Kaushik Sen with Marx in Kolkata. In Howard Zinn's Marx in Soho, reimagined for a contemporary Kolkata audience, Kripalani stepped into the shoes of Karl Marx, in turn bringing both intellect and empathy to a role that demanded internal transformation. We caught up with the veteran in his element – amid books, memories, and renewed passion for the stage. Excerpts from a freewheeling chat. In your long and notable acting career, are there characters you have played that you are particularly fond of? That's a tough one, because when I play a character, I have to fall in love with the person that I am playing. It is only then that I enjoy the role to every fibre of my being. I know it sounds dramatic, but that's the way I feel about each of the characters I play. One of the first roles I played on stage was Hamlet, hence, it remains special. There are many others that I thoroughly enjoyed, especially in black comedies and dramas. I loved directing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, where I played Guildenstern. I believe I've been lucky, as most of my characters have been favourites. I played a truly nasty role in the play Miss Julie – but the audience liked him. It was an eye-opener. I realised how people interpret and even sympathise with such characters How did you get that role in Hamlet? By pure chance! I'd gone to pick up someone from an audition, and the director said, 'Why don't you audition?'That's how I got the role. It was one of the turning points of my life. Hamlet was one of the toughest roles I've ever comprised. I don't mean to sound naughty, but I think I fell in love with myself while playing it! How was your experience working with Kaushik Sen, his troupe Swapnasandhani, and also with Srijit? I want to adopt the three – Kaushik, his wife Reshmi and son Riddhi – as my family. After the production's first performance, Reshmi was so warm to me, and during the whole process, I never once felt out of place. I had my apprehensions, but it all turned out to be organic. The troupe is young, talented, and dedicated. I've rarely seen such a well-balanced group. Reshmi keeps things together while Kaushik brainstorms. Srijit was fun – he kept us all on our toes with his take on the Devil. Working with them was a wonderful experience and quite the ideal return after a hiatus. Becoming Marx Portraying Karl Marx on stage had its own challenges, and Jayant knew he couldn't depend on past performances for reference. 'I knew a few things about him, but I had to reach into my home library upstairs, and the one in my head.' Extensive reading helped him piece together the man behind the ideology. 'He wasn't perfect. He made mistakes, lived in poverty, and didn't see much success during his lifetime,' he reflects. To make the role his own, he went beyond the history books. 'I started wondering – how would he perceive present-day Kolkata?' Jayant says. The process became an exploration not just of Marx the man, but of Marxism itself – its ideals, contradictions and continued relevance. 'I had to understand his philosophy, its scope and limitations, and how he viewed money, love, life.' A return to the Kolkata stage Jayant Kripalani's return to theatre came after an unexpected break post-2019. 'I was working on a serious project in 2020 when COVID hit,' he says. Though he'd worked extensively in film, TV and theatre, not much had happened in Kolkata. 'As I said, I was apprehensive about working with a Kolkata-based director,' he admits. But after meeting Kaushik, things changed. Originally planned as a conversation piece, the project evolved into a reworked version of Marx in Soho. 'The play was received well,' adds Jayant.
