9.9.08

News meeows - 17

Barf

The Supreme Court finally pronounced the verdict that M F Husain’s painting ‘Bharat Mata’ is a “work of art’’, The painting has been the focus of protest of right-wing individuals and groups in different parts of the country.

The petitioner’s argument that the painting, which depicted a nude woman as Mother India, had hurt the sentiments of every sane citizen did not impress the bench. It asked: “Does the sentiment of the petitioner gets scandalised by the large number of photographs of erotic sculptures which are in circulation?’’

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It took the court four years. I don’t know how these petitioners can decide how every sane citizen must react. However, I think the judge has used a wrong analogy. Getting scandalised and hurting sentiments are two different things. The erotic sculptures are seen as heritage; the problem arises when someone interprets such figures as art. It is all right in temples, or so goes the thinking. I have had a problem with Husain’s way of operating, but that is another matter.

What citizens should be hurt about is how we strip India all the time. The India of poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, female foeticide. The India where people don’t have enough drinking water or so much water that whole villages drown.

This painting is not titillating, but it is not great art, either, in my limited opinion. That Asoka chakra seems displaced; the sun looks tacky and the man meditating behind is so Indo-exotic. If it is to pay obeisance to the Mother, then he ought to be in front. You do not sit behind a ‘deity’. Also, it lacks pathos. The artist likes primary colours and uses red often. What does the red mean here? Anger, passion, a bleeding heart? None of these emotions come through.

Of course, now that he can return home from self-imposed exile, all those socialites who don’t give a damn about Mother India except when they organise their annual August 15 theme parties and tri-coloured pulaos (or is it pasta now?), will talk about the victory of art.

Larf

“Guddi buddhi zhali pan akal aali nahi (The ‘Guddi’ has grown old but not wise)sounds like a typical Raj Thackeray reaction. He also said, "Maharashtrians should boycott all products endorsed by the Bachchans who have poison in their minds for Marathi people.”

Raj Bhau, Chywanprash khaila nasal tar tumhala buk-buk karaichi shakti kithun yenaar (Brother Raj, if you don’t have Chyawanprash then where will you get the strength to yap)? Simple question I am asking.

One thing is clear, though. Jaya Bachchan is a smart cookie. She made a remark at the music launch of the film Drona, ticking off her son Abhishek: "Hum to UPwalle hai, hume Hindi mein hi bolna chahiye. (We are from UP we should only speak in Hindi)."

She is not originally a UPwalli. If she is trying to wangle something out of the Samajwadi Party, then she needn’t bother. Amar Singh is in their pocket already.

Someone rightly commented that she chose this to push her son’s film. Any controversy is good. There was no need to mention Hindi because I have always heard Jayaji speak in English at award functions, and I am talking about those functions given out for Hindi films.

Does she give interviews in Hindi? And, oh heck, the moment she opens her mouth her faithful tribe of mediawallahs rush to her and talk about how outspoken she is. If she is really outspoken without any motives then I would love to hear her views on the nuclear deal and Rahul Gandhi’s attempts at finally becoming a real youth Congress leader. Since she says she is a serious parliamentarian, one would like to know. Or does she say things only when she wants some footage? Last time she took on Sonia Gandhi, it perfectly suited her political ambitions. Now that the SP is tangoing with the Congress, she will keep quiet.

Shh…

Gaffe

Barely three days ago, Riyaz Lone and Ashfaq Ahmed Tak were whisked away from their families in a sensational midnight raid in Kathmandu and deported swiftly to India as dreaded Dawood Ibrahim henchmen who had played key roles in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

However, on Monday it became clear that the Nepal police were high on enthusiasm, but had not got their facts right. The arrested duo, it turns out, were victims of mistaken identity.

I am surprised. Not because this happened, but because such quick action was taken. What gives? And Ujjwal Nikam, the CBI’s own Man Friday, said, “They are innocent Kashmiris living and working in Nepal…After verifying their identities from the CBI records and from their hometown in Kashmir, we have ascertained that these two men are not the ones who are on the list of the absconding accused.’’

The CBI will pay for their return.

Please pinch me. Within three days they managed this when thousands of undertrials are rotting in our prisons for the same cases. Is the government just trying to act like it is very responsible and understanding and cares about Kashmiris all of a sudden? Would it like to do something about all those other innocents in jails? Come on, it is possible. Before the elections are announced.

Zap













Here’s to President Asif Ali Zardari:

“Yeh kya hua, kaise hua, kab hua, kyon hua, jab hua, tab hua, oh chhodo yeh na socho…”

9 comments:

  1. FV:
    “Yeh kya hua, kaise hua, kab hua, kyon hua, jab hua, tab hua, oh chhodo yeh na socho…”

    Kuch to log kahenge, logon kaa kaam hai kehna...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't understand why women in paintings are always nude. Like right here, I don't see why Bharat-Mata couldn't have worn clothes and stuff. Are painters lazy and they don't want to put clothes on their painted women?

    Weird stuff, but I never understand paintings anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  3. PS:

    "Kuch to log kahenge, logon kaa kaam hai kehna..."

    You are rooting for the Zardari?

    SM:

    Nude art has some artistic validity, and there are male nudes too.

    Re. Bharat Mata, he was painting in the formation of the map of India.

    ReplyDelete
  4. FV:

    Only taking panga with THE FV :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just read this post of yours and got this on email. I think it is hilarious.

    Where You Stand Morally!!
    This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally.
    The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision.

    Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous.

    Please scroll down slowly and give due consideration to each line.

    THE SITUATION:
    You are in Sindh, Larkana to be specific. There is chaos all around
    you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding.
    You are a photo-journalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. The situation is nearly
    hopeless.

    You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing into the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

    THE TEST:
    Suddenly, you see a man in the water. He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer...
    Somehow, the man looks familiar... You suddenly realize who it is...
    It is Asif Ali Zardari!

    You notice that the raging waters are about to take him under forever.

    You have two options:
    You can save the life of Zardari, or, you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the country's most powerful men!








    THE QUESTION:
    Here's the question, and please give an honest answer...

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    Would you select high contrast color film, or, would you go with the
    classic simplicity of black and white?

    ReplyDelete
  6. would FV be supporting the 'tharki' MF Hussein if he had painted the islamic prophet or his six year old wife in such a pose?We all know the answer,don't we?

    ReplyDelete
  7. The most interesting item here is on the kashmiri arrests. You ask the proper question about other under trials. Raj Thakerey is a gunda. Why did you use the song for Zardari??

    ReplyDelete
  8. PS:

    Hmmm...

    Madiha:

    My honest answer: 10 % blur, 10% film grain, 10% sepia, 10% tinted, 10% saturation. The rest 50% will be specialised lens that will form a gauze with the stars and stripes.

    PS: That was a hoot. Thanks for sharing!

    KB:

    I know Raj is a goonda, but here we weer discussing the 'internal' politics of guddi as well.

    The song conveyed that eh does not know what is happening; it also went well with the picture.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Left out my 2 cents on this,next time I need to visit Mumbai , i will need a Visa because I dont speak Marathi ....I am a north india born in delhi and to make matters worse I am an ardent Ghazal fan...ghazals are not wriiten in marathi ...I would ratehr go to Lahore ....I know punjabi ...a bit of pastho and saraiki ....not sure when i saw Indians being chased away on train stations in Pakistan ....in Mumbai yes ...I wish I could share that with grandfather ...he died at 96 ....unneccesararily braved his way to India through riots

    ReplyDelete

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