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Hans India
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
The Mantra of Mother India
'Mother India' has been remarkably authored by the phrasal monarch Arbind Kumar Choudhary and comprises 99 Indianised versions of Arbindonean sonnets. In this breathtaking anthology, cultural culmination, mythical monarchy, patriotism, spiritual sanctity, and lyrical outbursts bloom and zoom from one sonnet to another with great poetic precision and vision. Most of these Arbindonean sonnets contain three rhymed quatrains and one rhymed couplet, which bring to light the fusion of phrasal words, artfully woven like the beads of a garland. As we delve into this engaging work, we find a painterly depiction of a strife-stricken society that highlights the greatness of Mother India. The inclusion of mythical gods and goddesses lays fertile literary ground for India's mythical monarchy to shine globally. Themes of camaraderie, cultural synthesis, and above all, the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, elevate India as a superpower of humanity. In this work, the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, is portrayed as the messiah of the downtrodden and voiceless, while Sardar Patel is depicted as the architect of India's unification. Vinoba Bhave's Bhoodan Movement is equated with the greatest movements in Indian history, while Subhash Chandra Bose is glorified as a man of iron—mighty and majestic. India, heralded and addressed by names such as Hindustan, Aryavarta, and Jambudweep, has remained a sacred land of gods, goddesses, saints, messiahs, gurus, and incarnations since time immemorial. The book's poetic brilliance shines through its rhymed passages, personifications, alliterations, assonance, striking imagery, phrasal clusters, and sensational presentation—making 'Mother India' a masterpiece in Indian English poetry. Buddha is revered as the celestial Sultan of Hindustan, while Mahavir enlightens the intellectual knights for the betterment of society. Indians are depicted as wise as Vidur amidst a world of Bhasmasurs. As a social critic, the poet presents socialists as selfish as Dhritarashtra. Consider this couplet filled with phrasal richness: 'The merchant of doom is he / Who breaks a butterfly on the wheel for the social butterfly?' Another couplet exemplifies alliteration: 'Pitambar of Porbandar / Perfumes the passage for the pauper.' Fruits like Ramphal, Sitaphal, Hanumanphal, and Amritphal symbolically revive India's cultural essence time and again. India is referred to as the mythical, cultural, historical, religious, and Yoga capital in one of the Arbindonean sonnets, crafted with poetic beauty. Life is portrayed as a treasury of misery on this virgin land. Shravan Kumar's filial love, Modi's diplomacy, Vibhishan's loyalty to Janakiraman, Ambedkar's struggle against untouchability, Savitri's ultimate sacrifice for Satyavan, the cultural river Ganga, the Kashinath dynasty, and many others leave behind an eternal fragrance. Vajpayee's uncompromising stand against corruption earns him the title of the king of morality in Indian history. Horse trading is portrayed as a curse to a man like Vajpayee: 'Like a bird of passage / Who embraces defeat from one vote for morality's sake?' The concept of love is captured poignantly in the couplet: 'What the eye does not see / The heart does not miss?' Indian cultural heraldry becomes the artillery of Choudhary's poetry amidst many a starry territory.
News18
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
DYK Badmaash Company Director Nearly Rejected Anushka Sharma?
Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: Shahid Kapoor also initially declined the offer as he was working on his father's film. Badmaash Company, the Shahid Kapoor and Anushka Sharma starrer crime-comedy, completes 15 years today, May 7, 2025. Directed by Parmeet Sethi and produced by Yash Raj Films, the film was a commercial success and received praise from both fans and critics for its engaging storyline and strong performances. However, not many know that director Parmeet Sethi was initially hesitant to cast Anushka in the lead role due to her 'Indianised" image. In a report by The Indian Express, director Parmeet Sethi opened up about the casting process for Badmaash Company and recalled how Aditya Chopra gave him full freedom. He shared, 'Aditya told me, 'Tujhe kaun chahiye? Tu bas naam le, main usko lekar aaunga' (You just name the actor you want, and I'll bring them on board)." At the time, Shahid Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, and Imran Khan were in high demand. However, Parmeet was interested in Shahid since he believed the actor had a wide range and could easily play both a middle-class boy and someone immensely wealthy, as his film required a similar shift. 'I think Ranbir was working on a film comparable to this at the time, Rocket Singh. So he was out. But my first pick was always Shahid Kapoor. I really hoped he would say yes because he was working on his father's project at the time," said Parmeet. 'Initially, Shahid declined the offer as he was working on his father's film, but later when he read the script, he dropped his father's film to do Badmaash Company." While Parmeet was happy with Shahid's casting, he was quite sceptical of Anushka. 'Aditya suggested Anushka's name to me. He said, 'She's very good. You only meet her once.' I had seen her in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, so her picture was heavily Indianised in my mind. I wanted someone who looked very modern, was outgoing, and had an attitude. But when I met her, all of my preconceptions were wiped away. She is God-filled and has a very unique spontaneity about herself." Apart from Shahid and Anushka, the film also featured Vir Das, Meiyang Chang, Anupam Kher and Kiran Juneja in significant roles. The film is about four young friends from middle-class Mumbai who launch an import business in the 1990s. They first thrive by 'beating the system" through unusual business practices, but their lives change as personal troubles arise. The film depicts their path from a promising company to confronting the obstacles of success and personal struggles. First Published:
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Banh Mi Babe is a Vietnamese diner in Hyderabad
In a quiet lane in Jubilee Hills, shaded by trees, sits a cosy 30-seater diner. Inside, the decor is understated — no more than six framed photographs adorn the walls. This is Banh Mi Babe, Nirmala Vanamali's take on Vietnamese food. Do not expect sushi, gobi manchurian, or chicken 65 here; the menu remains firmly and unapologetically Vietnamese. In a time when size often equates to status, this diner proudly positions itself as a straightforward neighbourhood café with a compact menu. The idea was born from Nirmala's love for banh mi, discovered during one of her trips to Vietnam. There, she indulged in banh mis to her heart's content. After returning to Hyderabad and missing the flavours, she set about recreating them to satisfy her cravings. Following several trials — once she felt she had perfected the recipe — she began sending banh mis to friends and family. 'Sharing is caring,' she laughs. 'The good thing about having a big circle of friends and family is that sharing becomes easy.' At the time, there was no thought of turning it into a business. Her trips to Vietnam, she says, continued purely for the love of the food. Practice makes perfect, and for Nirmala, it did just that. As she perfected her craft, requests for her banh mi kept coming from friends. Whenever friends planned a get-together at her home and Nirmala asked what they would like to eat, the answer was always the same: 'Babe, banh mi!' Meanwhile, with each visit to Vietnam, she would return home inspired to recreate another dish — from spring rolls to pho. 'I noticed how everyone relished stuffed rice paper rolls, so I decided to try those as well,' she says. Within a year, she had curated a mini Vietnamese menu for her home. After a few pop-ups, Nirmala realised she wanted to share her love for Vietnamese food with a wider audience. 'While it's not strictly authentic, it's also not Indianised with curry powders, heavy oil, or chilli-laden fries,' she explains. Banh Mi Babe does not serve tea or coffee, and they are still working on developing their non-alcoholic beverages. I tried one, but eventually preferred to stick to water. For lunch, I ordered a selection of dishes including Vietnamese rice paper rolls, chicken spring rolls, pho, slow-roast pork with vegetables, fried rice, and, of course, the banh mi. For vegetarians, the rice paper rolls are a perfect choice. The condiments and dips served alongside provide a flavourful kick to this simple, fresh starter. However, once the spring rolls arrived, it did not take me a second to abandon the former. Served with baby lettuce, the spring rolls were an absolute delight. Did I need any dips or condiments to enhance the flavour? Not at all — the juicy, well-seasoned meat filling more than held its own. Then came the banh mi. As a bread enthusiast, I was eager to try it. Notes from the first bite: a good baguette, flavourful meat, and no overload of sauces. This combination allowed me to appreciate the bread, the juicy meat, the melted cheese, and the crunch of fresh vegetables. Too bad I had to share my banh mi with Nirmala. But since more food was on the way, I decided to be generous. The baguette for the banh mi is customised by Nirmala through a Hyderabad-based D2C brand. The chicken pho's portion easily serves two. They offer two versions — the original and a spicy variation (slightly tweaked from the classic pho). I opted for the spicy one and polished off the broth bottoms up. A humble bowl of pho, however, is not for those who only enjoy 'Chindian' food. If pork is your preferred meat, go straight for the slow-roast pork — it's worth it. After that came the fried rice. I tasted a spoonful or two and, while it was good, I decided to save the rest for dinner. Dessert was a coconut cheesecake — an unexpectedly delightful combination.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
A Vietnamese diner in Hyderabad called Banh Mi Babe
In a quiet lane in Jubilee Hills, shaded by trees, sits a cosy 30-seater diner. Inside, the decor is understated — no more than six framed photographs adorn the walls. This is Banh Mi Babe, Nirmala Vanamali's take on Vietnamese food. Do not expect sushi, gobi manchurian, or chicken 65 here; the menu remains firmly and unapologetically Vietnamese. In a time when size often equates to status, this diner proudly positions itself as a straightforward neighbourhood café with a compact menu. The idea was born from Nirmala's love for banh mi, discovered during one of her trips to Vietnam. There, she indulged in banh mis to her heart's content. After returning to Hyderabad and missing the flavours, she set about recreating them to satisfy her cravings. Following several trials — once she felt she had perfected the recipe — she began sending banh mis to friends and family. 'Sharing is caring,' she laughs. 'The good thing about having a big circle of friends and family is that sharing becomes easy.' At the time, there was no thought of turning it into a business. Her trips to Vietnam, she says, continued purely for the love of the food. Practice makes perfect, and for Nirmala, it did just that. As she perfected her craft, requests for her banh mi kept coming from friends. Whenever friends planned a get-together at her home and Nirmala asked what they would like to eat, the answer was always the same: 'Babe, banh mi!' Meanwhile, with each visit to Vietnam, she would return home inspired to recreate another dish — from spring rolls to pho. 'I noticed how everyone relished stuffed rice paper rolls, so I decided to try those as well,' she says. Within a year, she had curated a mini Vietnamese menu for her home. After a few pop-ups, Nirmala realised she wanted to share her love for Vietnamese food with a wider audience. 'While it's not strictly authentic, it's also not Indianised with curry powders, heavy oil, or chilli-laden fries,' she explains. Banh Mi Babe does not serve tea or coffee, and they are still working on developing their non-alcoholic beverages. I tried one, but eventually preferred to stick to water. For lunch, I ordered a selection of dishes including Vietnamese rice paper rolls, chicken spring rolls, pho, slow-roast pork with vegetables, fried rice, and, of course, the banh mi. For vegetarians, the rice paper rolls are a perfect choice. The condiments and dips served alongside provide a flavourful kick to this simple, fresh starter. However, once the spring rolls arrived, it did not take me a second to abandon the former. Served with baby lettuce, the spring rolls were an absolute delight. Did I need any dips or condiments to enhance the flavour? Not at all — the juicy, well-seasoned meat filling more than held its own. Then came the banh mi. As a bread enthusiast, I was eager to try it. Notes from the first bite: a good baguette, flavourful meat, and no overload of sauces. This combination allowed me to appreciate the bread, the juicy meat, the melted cheese, and the crunch of fresh vegetables. Too bad I had to share my banh mi with Nirmala. But since more food was on the way, I decided to be generous. The baguette for the banh mi is customised by Nirmala through a Hyderabad-based D2C brand. The chicken pho's portion easily serves two. They offer two versions — the original and a spicy variation (slightly tweaked from the classic pho). I opted for the spicy one and polished off the broth bottoms up. A humble bowl of pho, however, is not for those who only enjoy 'Chindian' food. If pork is your preferred meat, go straight for the slow-roast pork — it's worth it. After that came the fried rice. I tasted a spoonful or two and, while it was good, I decided to save the rest for dinner. Dessert was a coconut cheesecake — an unexpectedly delightful combination.
