New Turn for Cafes

Why don't Indians play in the world cup soccer?
Because the moment they get a corner, they build a restaurant.

This might be a chauvinistic joke in East Africa, but in Hyderabad, corners have always meant Irani chai. They are called Irani café cafes, but serve only chai. And there are over 10,000 of them. And they are changing. Not just the interiors with cane chairs and marble tops making way for chrome, wood and glass. Not just the addition of Chinese finger foods to the Osmania and Chand biscuits. But the very corners where they have existed are now being threatened as the city's roads get widened.

The importance of corners can be seen where it all started: the Karvan (the first Irani restaurants were started to serve the brew to the Irani cavalrymen who were part of the Golconda kings' frontline soldiers).

It is a crossroad connecting Purana Pul to Golconda, on one corner is Sunah Hotel, in another there is Hotel Mehfil, in another corner is Faizan Café and in the other, Bharat Hotel.
At pre-dawn darkness at 5 a.m., as the young sleepy boys scratch themselves, the Sunah is nearly full of people having their first sips of the hot brew. Cross the Purana Pul and you know that parts of the old city have already seen the effects of road widening. In one corner of Murgi Chowk near the Charminar is Mohammed Ishmael's tea shop Mohammedia, started by his father some 48 years ago. Step out of the place and you can be run over by any of the zooming vehicles.

"What used to be a 150-sft place is now reduced to a 50-sft place which has translated into a loss of about 20 chairs and a decline in revenue," rues Ishmael.

To be über cool you and your partner have to order a ek chai (don't call it single) and pour half into the saucer and keep the remaining half in your cup and: shluuuurp. At Chaderghat, sitting inside Niagara, which is one of the few Irani joints that are not in corners, the man serving chai says wickedly:
"It is good if they are demolished, some of the competition will be out."
But right now the big action is happening this side of Musi.
Omega, where countless debates were brewed over the chai is now a hulk of its former self, Paradise has retreated and reinvented itself as a hep place for biryani rather than an adda for chai.

What used to be Friends Café in Somajiguda is covered in blue plastic sheets.
But prepared and living for worst case scenario is the Garden.
"The talk about bulldozers coming has been on for past seven years. Three years back we even purchased furniture and placed it in the premises that we own across the road," says the man counting the money and dispensing tokens to the waiters.
"Have you got a notice?"
"No, but the fear of bulldozers is always there," says F. Khan, summing up the welling fear among the corner landmark owners across the city as the roads get widened by the day.

But, why are all the Irani restaurants in corners? Because, according to the lore, no Hyderabadi was willing to take up the space for Vastu consideration and the band of Iranians grabbed them.
So, is this the revenge of the corner vastu?

~ Serish

To read more authentic and interesting stuff on happening Hyderabad, visit nutserish's blog.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

The Exact Pint

This beer beaker will give measure your pint to the T. It costs you only $6.99 at the ThinkGeek store. It is a plastic beaker (NOT GLASS) just incase you've had a pint too many. For the people on the British Isle, this may be a bit of a problem! The pint here is not in Brit measure, its the US measure; by this I mean, a pint is not 20 ounces but rather 16 ounces. All the same, Cheers!



Not your Ordinary Doormat

This rather unusual doormat is not something everyone will just walk over. I am sure the techie brain will easily decipher the WELCOME written on it in binary code. It costs about $39.99 at ThinkGeek.

For more amazing gift ideas, visit Moo's blog.

Fashion queen

A WOMAN of style and substance - that's what can be said about designer Nandita Mahtani, who was in the city recently to showcase her creations in western and fusion wear at `also' boutique, White House building, Begumpet (Tel: 23412047). Look at her and you would prefer to believe that she is either a model or a star-to-be. Dressed casually in military green hipsters and an off-white embroidered spaghetti top, the designer is quite in with it.

Her interest in "clothes and anything related to fashion" made Nandita source clothes for the young-and-hip crowd initially. Later, she started her own showroom, Ananya, in Bandra, Mumbai. The growing popularity of her store made her open another outlet for the Delhiites about three years ago. "In fact, my sister and myself are working together. She opened a store in London two years ago and I am sourcing out things for her. Actually, I'm also retailing my stuff in certain departmental stores abroad," says Nandita.

How did she think of Hyderabad to display her clothes? "My experience in Delhi was pretty good and so I wanted to try out a new city. Hyderabad is definitely an upcoming city - from what I heard and what I have seen in these two days - where youngsters are pretty cool with what they wear and how they carry off their clothes and accessories," she says.

So, can we expect to see her outlet, Ananya, here? "Well, let's see. It is too early to decide, even though the response till now has been good."

Though not a trained designer, the self-taught style expert loves to work on bright colours and trendy cuts. "I'm quite a `blue' person. And I like a mix of bright and subtle colours, skin tones basically - nothing gaudy but simple shades of yellow, white, crèmes and beiges," says Nandita who thinks the slant at this year's LIFW was towards western wear, at least in the last few days she got to view. "I was happy to see a couple of new designers making inroads into hi-fashion. While most designers try to stick to straight cuts, there are those who experiment with new styles and funky cuts. That's what makes LIFW what it is."

What does she specialise in? "My stuff is primarily Western and a bit of fusion. Besides the in-house brand, I also stock western wear by designers from France, the U.S.A. and the U.K. Even the Indian designers' creations are of export quality." Fusion comes into picture where the separates, embellished with embroidery, sequins and beadwork, are concerned. Her mix-n-match collection comprises mostly trousers, jeans, tops, skirts and scarfs, among others. Of course, anything designer comes with a tag - perhaps unaffordable to many but definitely quality stuff. "Original is original, after all," she says justifying the price range (Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 10,000). "Initially, I thought that Indians would not want to spend so much on western wear but I was proved wrong," she says. Elizabeth Hurley, Madonna, Beyonce Knowles and Gauri Khan are some of the loyal 'celebrity' customers of this pretty designer who is planning to open more stores overseas, including Paris.

What are her plans for future on the personal front (after the upheaval of separating from ex-hubby Sanjay Kapoor who is now married to actress Karisma Kapoor)? "I don't know what the future has in store for me. But, I'm pretty much into my work and I'm happy with the way my life is going. And, I really don't want to plan anything ahead," she says.

SHANTI NANISETTI

Appealing to the senses!

JEWELLERY IS not only a pointer to the lifestyle of an individual but also stands testimony to the social, political and cultural changes of a particular era. Today, the concept of wearable jewellery has pushed many big business houses to venture into this field . So, it is only natural that Eros Gems, which has been in the coloured stones business for the past 17 years, has also plunged into manufacturing trendy jewellery through its subsidiary, Eros Jewelry.

Within six months of launching in the U.S.A., the Jaipur-based company, which boasts of clients like Cartier, Tiffany and Movado, launches its jewellery in India too "because Indians have a high purchasing power and they love jewellery," says Kapil Bagga, M.D., speaking for Abhay Godha, founder chairman of Eros Gems. One more feather in Eros' cap is its tie-up with NIFT where "we tried to custom-make the jewellery as per the creations designed by the students."

Today, say amethyst, agate, opal, tanzanite (one of the most expensive semi-precious stones) and topaz, and people not only recognise the names instantly but also talk about the colour, cut and finish of each stone and what goes well as its base. "The growing awareness about coloured stones made us ensure that we sell the same high-end export quality stuff in the domestic market as well," says Bagga. "Why should we deprive Indians of good quality products when they have the ability to spend and a taste for good things in life," he adds.

Priced in the range of Rs. 20,000 to 50,000, Eros' jewellery caters to today's woman of substance in the age group of 18-40 years. "We are trying to give women things which she can wear with both traditional Indian outfits and also western outfits. The 50 designers exclusively working with us to create 200 new designs each month, lend an Indo-western/ fusion touch to the jewellery and also ensure that exclusivity in designs is maintained," says Bagga.

The company's future plans include dealer networking (wherein they are planning tie-ups with various dealers) and also shop-in-shops in lifestyle stores. After Delhi and Mumbai, Hyderabad gets the highest attention and focus, as "it is a bigger metro than Kolkata. With its inherent culture of precious jewels and pearls dating back to many centuries, Hyderabad is definitely a potential market. Besides, Hyderabadis love beaded jewellery and also colours," he says.

Universal and unique designs are the company's forte which makes its jewellery appealing to women the world over. "We have ensured that our jewellery is affordable to a large extent (to a large segment of the society) by avoiding many middlemen in the intermediary stages. And, it is Eros all the way - right from sourcing the stones from the mines to cutting and polishing, and finally crafting them into beautiful pieces," he says.

Each beautifully crafted piece of jewellery, inspired by nature, its myriad colours and themes, is aesthetically packaged in an imported wooden box and comes with a certificate, a silk cloth with exquisite embroidery. "So, what you get ultimately is quality stuff and value for money," vouches Bagga. The jewellery is likely to be available at major lifestyle stores shortly.

SHANTI NANISETTI

Carry on Kochchar

HER NEATLY done up copper-coloured, slightly longish, hair speaks volumes about her profession. The famous daughter of renowned beautician Blossom Kochchar, Samantha Kochchar entered the beauty and fashion scene when she was 11. At 13, she went abroad to study hair/ skin care and make-up. And when she was 15, Kochchar received the `youngest teacher' award having taught the same subjects she is passionate about to students abroad.

"Though I'm a brand ambassador for Sunsilk, I see to it that my workshops and lecture-demonstrations are quite general. I try to bring different trends together to give the consumers an idea about what is the latest trend and what is available in different brands," says the creative director of Pivot Point India, her mother's hair care and beauty institute.

Talking about the new trends in hairstyle, she says, "Earlier, crossover collection (male touches in women's hairstyle) was in. In the case of men, it was vice-versa. But today, `natural' look and long hair are sailing strong. We are also focussing on the `bulk' feel — which can be arrived at by building up layers on top and creating streaks by dividing the hair into different sections — to those who have straight and scanty hair."

Kochchar takes care that all the hairstyles, colouring/highlighting aspects and make-up techniques are Indianised. About what is in this season, she says, "While in the fashion circles, the frizzy look is in, for everyday wear, straight texture with a `wave' feel is good enough. Similarly, layers are emphasised now and tapered hugging at the nape can also be tried."

As for colouring, block (or asymmetrical) colouring with a lot of layers in the front and back, orbit colouring - going around the area which needs to be emphasised, and multiple colouring - where the basic colour is kept light and two, three shades are built up in layers, are considered fashionable. The newest in styling is to retain the natural colour and add some funky element to it. Like applying colour on the roots alone and blending it into the natural black of the hair for a different tinge, for instance. Or one could go for hair extensions/ attachments (false hair which can be added and removed as per requirements). The colours of the season include gold, ash, cinnamon, lilac, browns (caramel and coffee shades especially), copper and purple.

Beauty is skin deep. One has to be well from within to have healthy, shiny hair, believes the hair expert. "If you go on crash diets, forget about your hair, it surely is going to fall. Women who are on contraceptives, young mothers post-partum, and recuperating patients have to be extra careful about their hair," she says. "Use the right styling products to give your hair that boost and bounce. One can use serums, frizzy control conditioners and spray wax to maintain it well," she adds.

Is Hyderabad aware of new trends and styles? "Though women here are receptive to new make-up and hairstyles, colouring is still a taboo. Hyderabadis love long hair and are hesitant to experiment. Beauticians too are making extra effort to update themselves and educate the customer," says the hair expert .


* * *
Time out

CAUGHT IN her busy schedules, Samantha Kochchar would be really glad if she could take out time for:

* My six-and-a-half year old son.

* Read - both related to my field as well as other kinds.

* Paint - using watercolours as the medium.

* Exercise (which I try to do as and when I can as it is a great de-stresser)

* Getting to know more about the latest in my field.

SHANTI NANISETTI

Invasion of the body art

KALIYON KA chaman jab banta hain... the song addresses you as you jostle your way up to the dance floor. The pulsating music makes it difficult to hear what your friend is trying to tell you, hysterically pointing at something glittering. And the cannot-miss-your-eye shimmer makes you really curious.

As psychedelic lights hit you and the shiny disco ball highlights your shimmering belt, you finally get to see what the girl in red spaghetti is wearing... Something glittering around her navel. Amid arguments of what it could be, you realise it is a glue-on, something like a bindi, that could be stuck on to suit one's fancy.

What you get here is a peek at a way of life, a culture and a style statement. Look around, and you will notice that the girl in red is not the sole soul wearing these once unheard of adornments to highlight largely ignored body parts. Her friend in black jeans and tank top has two bichoo (scorpions) tattoos around her waist. The third girl turns around, and you notice her eyebrows are strangely shimmering. Certainly part of the upwardly mobile crowd, the trio sport the latest trends in fashion accessories with a `devil may care' attitude to match.

And there are hordes of others (both girls and guys) — awaiting your attention — who are flaunting their arms, waist, lower neck, collarbone, lower back or navel with accessories like tattoos, stick-ons or junk jewellery.

"Bracelets, thread-based bead chains and ethnic-looking stuff is in and moves fast with teenagers, vouches Pradeep Pillai of Shoppers' Stop. "The low-segment jewellery and funky items are making inroads into teen fashion. What was once considered to be Adivasi stuff and hence unfashionable, has made a dramatic comeback now," he says.

Fashion accessories are not just about "navel highlighters". It incorporates a whole range of things that are fast catching up particularly in discs, pubs and college parties. At Lifestyle, Begumpet, one can check out the mind-boggling range of products available under the `teen accessories' category.

Tikkas, earrings, ear/navel-highlighters, arm bands, waistbands, tattoos - all stick-ons - and what have you. "There are also transparent bra-straps which go well with sleeveless/ spaghetti tops. These move pretty fast with teenagers," says Virginia, who looks after the junk jewellery section at Lifestyle. "Masks and dragons find a place in youngsters' accessories in the form of chains and bracelets," adds Ajit, her colleague.



"Oh! I enjoy making up myself in junk jewellery and stick-ons," says 18-year-old Shamira, a B.Sc. student. And where do teenagers find the time to dress up with all those practicals and lessons taking up almost an entire day?

"Never mind, we get to meet up at some place, party or get-together. Then of course, we have occasions like birthday bashes, college dos and discs, besides Rose Day, Friendship Day and Valentine's Day," says Shayantana, giggling.

And, how would they accessorise themselves? "The three Js - jeans, junk and jewellery - make an ideal combination when coupled with stick-ons. And you get separate things for each part - eyebrows, ears, forehead and arms," says Padma, an intermediate student. Sometimes, the glue-ons come with an adhesive, which makes it last a little longer.

Asif and Anwar, who own a bangle store in Abids, have to place fresh orders for accessories, almost every week. "Our stock gets over within a week and some girls come back requesting for the same piece, and we find it little difficult to get as the stuff is sourced mainly from Mumbai and Kolkata," they say.

Whatever be the problems of shopkeepers in trying to supply what is in demand most, youngsters do not really give a second thought about what they are sporting as long as they are `in' with it, without price (though starts at Rs. 65 each) and what-will-others-think concepts coming in the way. Now, what are you waiting for?

Packaging a lifestyle

Apartment culture is the base. And middle-class people are the target. This holds true as far as the furniture scene in the city goes.

Be it ready-and-easy-to-assemble beds, sofas or tables, imported furniture comes in attractive packages and price ranges.

From Malaysia, Thailand and China to Sri Lanka, U.S.A. and France, the furniture travels thousands of miles to take different shapes and sizes to suit Indian apartments and budget.

Though teak and rosewood are all-time favourites and considered classy, they are slowly giving way to red oak, European birch, Burma teak and cedar, besides metal, steel and wood combined with glass.

With the intention of making the middle-class people (who constitute the majority of the consumers) feel special, furniture showrooms have come up with different schemes and packages.

These make sure that a common man's specific needs with regard to each part of his apartment are taken care of.

The `Manhattan Apartment Package' offered by Usha Lexus and `Deck-up Your Home' package by Bantia furniture are an attempt to woo customers with budgetary limitations and precise needs.

So, people can buy about 10 to 15 pieces of furniture at one go (in the form of apartment packages) within a budget of Rs. 50,000.

"Keeping in tune with the changing needs of middle-class families, we give specific instructions to our dealers with a two-bedroom flat in mind. We also ensure that the pricing is reasonable, at the same time does not compromise on the quality," says Deepak Agarwal of Lepakshi Furniture

"Actually, customers have a wide choice now though mass production moves fast. However, everyone wants to have a look at the entire range — both heavy/ antique-looking and lightweight — before deciding on what to buy," says Agarwal.

All that a newly wed middle class couple looks for are a dining table with four chairs, one double-cot, two single cots, a sofa set with centre table, and a cupboard. Priyanka and Srinivas had exactly these things on mind when his job brought them to the city and they had to start life anew here.

"Coming from a joint family, I didn't know anything about furniture. Carrying heavy stuff from Ahmedabad is quite difficult. Thanks to these package deals, we have to bother only about basic amenities," say the beaming couple. "Today, the outlook of people has changed — they want a luxurious and modern look. So, it is no wonder that items like bunk beds and computer/study tables for children sell fast.""Package deals are the starting point from where people progress to choose different items based on their specific needs and tastes. Space constraints make those in the disposable income group go in for the fashionable and compact range," vouches Surinder Bantia of Bantia Furniture.

"One advantage of imported furniture is that it comes in complete knockdown condition. They are lightweight too, unlike the yesteryear teak antiques. All that the customers need to do is assemble the parts," says Prakash Gupta, a retailer for a well-known Italian furniture brand.

Standardised designs, modern touch, rich and ethnic look, good quality stuff and nice finish mark today's furniture.

That shows both sides of the coin. The dealers offer exactly what the consumers want and, perhaps, more.

The customers are a happy lot too with many things on offer — antiques, replicas, period, imported and ultra-modern furniture.

For those who do not want to stick to one style or look, there is scope for experimentation. Why hesitate?

Carrying on his father's legacy...

When Nitin Mukesh steps into the spartan Railway Officers Rest House , apologising profusely for being late, you enter a comfort zone. Wife, sister, traffic and unfinished retail therapy delayed him, admits the soft-spoken singer insisting that he is "usually punctual". Son of the legendary Mukesh, he seems happy to carry on his father's legacy. Mention his father and a broad smile spreads across his face. "Following my father's footsteps was natural to me. Of his five children, who are all musically inclined, I was destined to be a professional singer. Besides my father's encouragement, it's the divine grace that helped me choose music as my profession," says Nitin who always found "Mukeshji's humility and god-fearing nature appealing".

"He is the ideal man for me.He was a great father, and a great human being. He always used to tell us, `Art you are born with, but values and qualities you cultivate'," says Nitin. Mukesh didn't mind that his nine-year-old son Nitin had to miss school often, to accompany him to concerts around the world. Nevertheless, Mukesh senior wanted his son to study management. But Nitin's heart was elsewhere and the passion for music made Mukesh understand and accept the latter's dedication, and decision. And, Nitin trained in music under teachers like Pt. Jagannath Mishra, Ustad Faiyyaz Ahmed Khan and Chhote Iqbal.

"When I got my first assignment in Mera Naam Joker, I was elated beyond words as it was a dream come true for both me and my father," says Nitin."Though life hasn't been easy, I took the struggle in my stride because of my love for the art. Looking back, I feel that I couldn't have been happier doing anything else."

Offers kept coming though, mostly from people who had been closely associated with his illustrious father. "But if I didn't deliver it would not have continued for long". On the euphoria created by Noorie, he says it was a result of family friend Yash Chopra's well-kept promise. "After my father passed away, Chopraji told me that he would give me a song that would do for me what Kabhi Kabhi did to my father. And Noorie happened. It was my first taste of stardom, recognition and success," he says.

And, it was also the first time he felt "worthy of being his father's son, and being a Mukesh". A look at his track record shows that quality, rather than numbers, marks Nitin's career. Songs like Main kaise usse pasand karoon, Gapuji gapuji gum gum, Zindagi ki na toote ladi, Tumhare palkon ki, Hanste hanste, Woh kehte hain humse, One two ka four, Tere mere hoton pe and the recent O Priya O Priya Priya followed, and kept reiterating his position in Bollywood.

Nitin has consciously distanced himself from playback singing and the 55-year-old singer is today content with live shows around the world and music albums.

"There are so many new talented singers in the field now but the recording scene has changed; the compositions have become different. Nevertheless, if I am offered a challenging number, I would be willing to take it up," he says.

Nitin is okay with the current remix trend, provided the song is not accompanied by an obscene video. "Remix is after all an expression of a creative person, and an experiment. Some of the songs, including Noorie, are quite enjoyable," he says.

If he were given a chance to do a remix of his own songs, he would choose Woh kehte hain humse and So gaya yeh jahan, besides a few of his father's songs like Jaane kahan gaye woh din, Kehta hai joker, Hum tujhse mohabbat karke sanam, Pyaar hua ikrar hua, Sawan ka mahina and Dum dum diga diga which incidentally happen to be his favourites. Now, that's what we call being the worthy son of a worthy father.

*************

WHAT MADE NITIN HIS FATHER'S SON:

"I trust in the Almighty. He looks after me and my voice," says Nitin Mukesh. Nevertheless, these are what help him go on and maintain the mithaas in his voice.

A lot of singing and a lot of care.

Eating right, a slight adjustment here and there in the lifestyle, and proper sleep habits.

Discipline, and faith in the Lord, and himself.

Love of his, and his father's, fans.

Happiness at home and the support of a loving family including his mother, wife, siblings and three children (daughter Neha happily married to Alakshendra, elder son Neil who is making his debut as an actor, and younger son Naman).

Carving a niche

"Kaadedi kavitakanarham kukkapilla, sabbu billa, aggi pulla... (Nothing is inappropriate for a poem - a puppy, a bar of soap or a matchstick)."

SO SAID Sri Sri, one of the greatest poets the `Telugu-nadu' has ever seen. Deriving inspiration from this, Narsapet-based Goka Rama Swamy moulded the source to suit his context and area of interest. Today, Rama Swamy made the widely-used-but-most-neglected-and-easily-forgotten `sabbu billa' (soap-bar) an apt medium to craft beautiful art pieces.

"It all started as an experiment at a Scouts camp 15 years ago - as a Scouts teacher, I was required to carry a kit containing basic things essential at a camp field (like soap, towel, a small knife, etc). Also being a drawing teacher, my attention was drawn to the name of the soap carved on it. Using it as the base, and a blade as my tool, I carved out the Scouts' emblem. My commander appreciated it and that was it! There was no looking back," says Rama Swamy.

Using something as insignificant as a soap to make beautiful pieces of art is unique to the artiste. "I found it quite interesting because nobody ever thought about it. And, why should I stick to what others do," he asks. The down-to-earth artiste carves not just human faces and animals but also picks up socially relevant themes to drive home messages against certain evils like smoking and alcohol/drug consumption as a subject.

Whether it is Ganesha or Nandi, a chimpanzee or a hungry man, personalities like Atal Behari Vajpayee, Lenin and I.K. Gujral, each piece attains a magical charm in his hands. But, how does he go about the carving? "First, I choose the colour of the soap bar depending on the subject I have on mind (and also on the colour of the person/ animal/ things), make a plan mentally and start carving. And, since I cannot dedicate hours and days together, one piece takes from two hours to 20 days depending on the detailing," says the soap sculptor.

The most memorable moment for the 48-year-old artiste is the time when he was appreciated by then Prime Minister I.K. Gujral as Rama Swamy personally handed him his `piece of art'. "But for my wife (and friends), I would not have been able to reach this far - her patience to put up with all the dirt while I work was all I could ask for. If she didn't encourage me, my craving for the art would have been nipped in the bud," he says, full of admiration for his wife. "And then, there were those agonising moments to overcome when a carving which took me about 20 days to complete just slipped and fell off somebody's hands," he adds.

"I cannot carve the same thing again, and I cannot bring myself to carve things on request. I should be inspired to do it," says the non-commercial artiste. If you are interested in what this teacher-cum-sculptor specialises in, you could contact him at gora@yahoo.com, gora@rediffmail.com.

SHANTI NANISETTI

Different strokes

'AITHE' (Hindi remake is called 'Pachaas Lakh'), THE much-talked-about slick thriller, is one of those quiet successes that crossed a milestone by celebrating its diamond jubilee recently. But, mention about the film to its debutant director Chandrasekhar Eleti, and he surprises you saying, "Out of ignorance, I went for the theme. Of course, I thought it would click commercially and it did."

"The movie was made for an urban audience," he says about 'Aithe', calling his film "different, but definitely not an offbeat venture. I was a part of the audience before becoming a director. As a viewer, I never watched a film for the sake of songs or fights. The mindset of today's audience is changing. With exposure to English films, they are willing to experiment," he says.

"The $100m reward on Osama Bin Laden following the WTC attack inspired my film. The whole idea sprung from my imagination of what I would do if I earn $100m," he smiles.

Watching the rushes, Chandrasekhar felt the film "was pretty long for a one-song film. So, we cut a few scenes. And, I felt some parts should have been worked out better. But, on the whole, I was happy."

The reason for casting newcomers, says the director, was "the audience cannot accept four heroes running away from the villain. The only option was to go for newcomers. And, we also made the movie in Hindi simultaneously with the same cast. So, we selected northerners like Pawan Malhotra and Virendra Chauhan too."

Before entering films, Tuni-based Chandrasekhar did a Marine Radio Officers' course, after schooling in St. John's School, Gannavaram. After writing the Morse code exam, he came to Hyderabad in 1995, and started his career as a copywriter for Font Cards, his cousin Gangaraju's (producer of this film) business venture. Soon, realising that copywriting was not his cuppa, he was about to pack his bags when producer-director Gangaraju ventured into filmmaking with the award-winning film 'Little Soldiers', a Just Yellow production. Chandrasekhar worked as his assistant director for the film.

"That was it. I realised I belonged here. But, it is my cousin's inspiration all through. He is everything to me - friend, senior, boss and guide. Raju is very creative. I mould myself along his lines," he says. Chandrasekhar believes that "from the outside, things appears larger than life and filmdom may look bad. But, the field is not as bad as people perceive it. Films can be taken up as a serious profession," he says.

Did the field change him? "It did, in a way. Of course, I took some time to get adjusted. I'm shy. I don't talk or party much. While some think I'm arrogant, many, including bigwigs like Chiranjeevi, are quite supportive and encouraging. I'm still not comfortable with the publicity angle of it as I'm with the creative part," he smiles. On future projects, he says: "Whatever my projects are, I'll give my best to each film I work on - which will all hopefully be `different' like Aithe."

Apart from movies, Chandrasekhar enjoys reading. "Earlier, I used to read fiction. Nowadays, I read a lot of books on the science and technology, biographies, and sometimes, philosophy. Recently, I read this book on Saddam Hussein," he says.

Any favourite food? "I'm not a foodie actually. And, I like home-cooked south Indian food. I don't enjoy seafood much. I enjoy eating at Dakshin at ITC Kakatiya Sheraton, and I like Dum Biryani at Dumpukht. I frequent Shikaar restaurant, mostly to avoid traffic," he says.

Cool cat:

WHAT'S A day in Chandrasekhar's life like? On a day he is shooting he wakes up by 4.30 a.m. in order to reach the location at 6 a.m. He just manages about three-four hours of sleep just because of tension and not on account of lack of time. But he does not let this affect him on the sets where he is cool.

Like most people Chandrasekhar gets up late (8 a.m.) on the days he does not have to be on the sets. He relaxes on such days by watching TV, reading a book, thinking of subjects and story ideas and catching up with meetings.

Chandrasekhar is at his creative best from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. when everything around him is calm and quiet.

SHANTI NANISETTI

Diwali lost its sparkle

THE VISUALLY delightful spectacle of sparklers, ribbons, ground wheels (chakkars) and flowerpots which light up a child's face and lift people's spirits is something one cannot dissociate with the `festival of lights' or Deepavali. Yes, Deepavali is all about firecrackers and the sparkle it brings to every child's face.

But over the past two years, the sale of fire crackers (wholesale and retail) has certainly been hit, the fire accident last year in a cracker shop in Burgula complex at Begum Bazar being one of the causes. Added to this is the increasing awareness against noise pollution and child labour and the restrictions imposed by the Fire and Police departments following the accident. Following this, 14 shops in cracker business in Mehbub Mansion in Malakpet (considered to be the biggest local market) have been shut down and the numbers of stalls opened in each area has reduced. Praveen and Ramulu, who managed to make huge sums of money earlier by setting up a stall every year at Ameerpet, are finding it difficult now. "It has become hard to get things from Sivakasi. Sourcing them locally is now a little difficult. And, half of whatever we managed to procure was already sold out even before Deepavali. At this rate, we would not be able to make much money," they say.

At Yousufguda, Rajender Goud is unhappy that he could not include new crackers that hit the market elsewhere because of their non-availability. "Otherwise, Hyderabad is a potential market for experimental goods," he says, adding, "now, it is only sparklers, flowerpots, bombs, rockets, ladis (100, 500 and 1,000 ones) and chakkars (both hand and ground), which have always been hot favourites, that are selling the most."

Penchalaiah, another small-time stall-owner at Bowenpally says, "We are forced to sell whatever material is available at higher rates as it is only a one-time profit for us. Once the festival is over, we have to look for other means to sustain ourselves." This explains why adults find buying crackers as per their child's wishes a burden on their pockets. N. Sailaja, mother of 12-year-old Anusha says, "I realised the margin these small stall keepers have when I shopped at a hyper market for crackers. Though the M.R.P. was Rs. 50, we got it for Rs. 11 and the stall owner in our locality refused to give it for less than Rs. 45."

Whatever elders might think, the enthusiasm in children is ever increasing. Says Akash, a class VI student at Yousufguda, "last year, I burst crackers worth Rs. 1,000. But, they got over even before 10.30 p.m. So, this year, I'm going to make papa buy me more." Chip in his 11-year-old friend P. Naveen and his sister eight-year-old Neeraja, "we love firecrackers. And, it is only once a year that we spend money on crackers. So, what's wrong if we spend a little extra? Since last year, we got into this habit of saving up our pocket money for things like these."

However, another set of children is not very keen on crackers. "All our cousins and friends get together at one place and enjoy more by being in each other's company and by symbolically bursting a few firecrackers which are noise-free and pleasant to watch. Of course, we buy a few for our maid's children and sometimes give away some at an orphanage or home for street children," says Sri Deepti, a B.Sc first-year student. Will Deepavali be as colourful as ever is a million-dollar question. But, the smile on every child's face prove the point.

SHANTI NANISETTI

Rocking rhymes for Telugu kids

In an era of Johnny Johnny Yes Papa... , Chubby Cheeks... , and Rain Rain Go Away... , it is truly heartening to know that there are some attempts at keeping children of the Telugu households rooted to their language. And albums like these which offer a lovely compilation of age-old rhymes are truly of help.

Chitti Chilakamma compiles about 20 Telugu rhymes for children while Aadudaam Paadudaam has 23 such rhymes, which speak of a bygone era and forgotten traditions, relationships, et al. Rendered by children themselves, the pearls of wisdom include Chitti chilakamma, Chuk chuk railu vasthondi, Burru pitta, Chitti chitti miriyalu Enugu enugu nallana,Tarangam tarangam, and Chal chal gurram, among many others.

Aadudaam... , on the other hand, has rhymes like Vana vana vallappa, Chemma chekka, Oppulakuppa, Chandamama Rave, Bava bava panneeru... But one rhyme that really takes the cake in this compilation is Ramuni bantu Ramuni bantu Hanumantulavaru which makes the children acquainted with the Lanka dahanam episode of the Ramayana.

Each of the gems has a story and a moral to tell, besides familiarising the child to his surroundings and also indicating a particular stage in the child's growth. Tarangam tarangam, for instance, which talks of the infant's sixth month when he starts recognising and understanding the use of hands.

Enugu enugu nallana is sung by the mothers when the child starts taking solid diet as this also involves a kind of exercise to help the infant's easy digestion. Music by J. Satyadev is an asset, as it makes memorising the rhythmic rhymes quite easy for a child. So, how about adding to your child's ever-increasing vocabulary and making him recite, in his own sweet way, what you thought you had yourself forgotten ages ago!

A true must-buy for every Telugu household, which values the worth of spoken Telugu and the richness of its content. The cassettes have been brought out by Aditya Music and cost Rs. 35 each.

SHANTI NANISETTI