17052022-LSTC-01.qxd 16-05-2022 23:25 Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE No show Kiara Advani has denied being approached for superstar Prabhas’ next titled Spirit directed by Arjun Reddy fame Sandeep Reddy Vanga. IANS LUDHIANA | TUESDAY | 17 MAY 2022 PHOTO: MANOJ MAHAJAN Golden era of art T Mona HE seat of Chandigarh’s cultural hub, Tagore Theatre, celebrates its golden jubilee on May 30. Designed by late architect Aditya Prakash, who worked closely with the city’s founder Le Corbusier, Tagore Theatre was constructed in 1961 to mark the birth centenary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. DOJA CAT High-octane gala Olivia Rodrigo, Drake take home top honours at Billboard Music Awards The Billboard Music Awards returned to Las Vegas for its 2022 edition, delivering a starstudded evening in celebration of music’s most chart-topping artists. Before the awards ceremony aired, Billboard announced many of the night’s winners, including Drake, who Megan took home five awards Thee for top artist, male Stallion artist, rap artist, rap male artist and rap album. Olivia Rodrigo took home the most awards of the night with seven, including new artist, female artist, Hot 100 artist, streaming songs artist, radio songs artist, Billboard Global 200 artist and Billboard 200 album. Meanwhile, Ye was hon- KAL I UCHIS ored with Christian artist, gospel artist, Christian album, gospel album Christian song and gospel song. Sean “Diddy” Combs hosted the awards show, which featured performances from controversial figures Morgan Wallen and Travis Scott. The show also included performances from Bryson Tiller, Jack Harlow, Christian Combs, Teyana Taylor, Becky G, Burna Boy, Dan + Shay, Ed Sheeran, Elle King and Miranda Lambert, Florence + the Machine, Latto, Maxwell, Rauw Alejandro and Silk Sonic. Machine Gun Kelly dedicated his acoustic performance to his “wife” Megan Fox and their “unborn child”. South Korean K-pop act BTS won three of the six categories they were nominated. The band took trophies in Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and Top Selling Song categories. —IANS Tagore Theatre, which will turn 50 soon, has undergone transformation in terms of its infrastructure, but the memories that it evokes among its patrons remain unadulterated... The blank brick-walled cuboidal structure for exteriors, the interior of the theatre was constructed with the emphasis on acoustics, sightlines, size of stage in relation to the size of auditorium, and optimal distance for un-aided facial recognition. Run by Tagore Theatre Society which was formed in 1962 with late Prithviraj Kapoor as its first chairman, Tagore has been central to city’s artscape for decades. MARI COPENY CHANGE FOR BETTER OR WORSE... Tagore Theatre was renovated in 2008 with architect Namita Singh as consultant. Increased seating capacity, extensive use of glass and wood, and the new stage came under attack. ‘Heritage’s being razed’ was the accusation levelled by artistes. While the original stage was famous for being acoustically so sound that even if a needle dropped, a person sitting on the last row could hear it clear and distinct, the new design lacked such perfection, alleged the artistes. TAGORE IN NEXT 50 Chakresh Kumar first saw Tagore Theatre in 2002 when visiting the city. As he moved to Chandigarh for studies, visiting Tagore to watch plays became a habit which later helped him while learning his craft. After performing for 144 hours non-stop, he realised the positive aspects of this stage. As he took over as the director of Tagore Theatre, he wants to pour in all his energy and experience to improve this place. Having discontinued as the president of Alankar Theatre Group, he wants to take this Chandigarh’s landmark to international heights. “In next 50 years, I wish Tagore Theatre to shine internationally, wherein not only we have collaborations with theatre artistes from across the globe but also have other forms like music and films to use it as their seat. We could do with a recording studio and a budget for in-house productions. The need of the hour is not to ignore any art form but bring everything under one roof,” says Chakresh Kumar, director, Tagore Theatre. Tagore Theatre is my favourite. I love the vibe of the place – always pleasant, and positive. SARVER ALI DOWN THE MEMORY LANE It was a Nehruvian concept that every city must have a theatre, be it Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chandigarh or Thrissur. It was a part of this vision that Tagore Theatre came into being. I liked the old fashioned space, the same pattern and essence, a sense of memory and comfort when I moved to Chandigarh. I have been a regular visitor at this place. From Chandralekha’s performances to spectacular NSD productions, one’s memory is dotted with Dastangoi, Kumar Gandharva and Bismillah Khan taking to the stage. When the new building came up, it wasn’t the same. I have always wished for a great cafeteria at Tagore on the lines of Triveni Kala Sangam, Prithvi Theatre and Ranga Shankara for deliberations, discussions and dialogue, and a bookshop to bring the space alive. Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry, theatre director FORM OF IBADAT Tagore Theatre is my karambhumi, from where I started my journey. I have had many a memorable performance there, and look forward to many more. The audience so close, swinging and swaying to your tunes, is another kind of ibadat. Tagore Theatre has been central to Chandigarh’s cultural landscape, and would continue to be so. Gurdas Maan, singer THE LADOO STILL TASTES SWEET In the early 70s, I lived close to Tagore Theatre. Seeing a crowd gathering one day, I with my friends entered it hesitantly. I don’t recall what the event was, but I distinctly I wish Tagore Theatre shines internationally, has collaborations with artistes from across the globe. CHAKRESH KUMAR remember how midway through it, we all got prasad of samosa, laddoo and cold drink. And, we were hooked. Dance, music, play, whatever it was we were there. And by and by, being the permanent fixture in the evening started helping out, bringing a table or gamla, whatever was required. One fine evening, the sipahi in one of the plays didn’t show up, and I was there holding a bhaala, playing a sipahi on stage. Decades on, this sipahi of rangmanch has continued to hold fort, the prasad of samosa, laddoo and cold drink continues! Sudesh Sharma, theatre director PLEASANT AND POSITIVE My first time at Tagore Theatre’s stage was on September 29, 2013. The play was A Midsummer Night’s Dream that I directed and acted in. Since then I have performed at Tagore regularly. Over the years, I have been to theatres all across the nation, but Tagore, Chandigarh remains my favourite. I love the vibe of the place – always pleasant, and positive. Each time at Tagore feels like the first time, the fresh feel. Sarver Ali, theatre director Mumbai falls in love...& rises in it, gloriously Nonika Singh Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Modern Love: Mumbaiis not a series to be binge-watched, rather to be savoured at your own pace Series: Modern Love: Mumbai Directors: Alankrita Shrivastava, Hansal Mehta, Dhruv Sehgal, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shonali Bose, Nupur Asthana Cast: Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pratik Gandhi, Ranveer Brar, Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah, Meiyang Chang, Yeo Yann Yann, Wamiqa Gabbi, Chitrangada Singh, Masaba Gupta, Danesh Razvi, Ritwik Bhowmik and Sarika Rating:  A bunch of celebrated directors, a bevy of gifted actors, new as well as veterans and an adaption of The New York Times bestselling column and the Amazon series Modern Love. So, what do you get? As expected a mixed bag and many shades of love, from taboo to those within the grand institution of marriage, but one in which each take on love and relationship makes a heartfelt connection. Six one-hour long stories seem to have a common thread that of bonding of hearts, a few amidst loneliness. So, My Beautiful Wrinkles has Sarika as Dilbar and Danesh Razvi as Kunal connecting, yes sexually too, despite an obvious rather humungous 30 year age gap. Trust director Alankrita Shrivastava, to talk of women’s sexuality, yes of senior citizens too. As the elderly yet still so beautiful Sarika and handsome Danesh Razvi meet over a tutorial session during which she gives tips on how to crack an interview, the chemistry between the two is palpable. Alankrita, however, does not cross the line and plays safe NET, FLICKS & MORE and leaves the relationship in the area of fantasy. As Richard Bach would say, “True love stories never have endings.” But some do as in Hansal Mehta’s Baai. Same sex love surfaces and can easily be counted as one of those rare stories that not only normalises the gay relationship but touches more than one emotional chord. Malleable face of Pratik Gandhi as Manzu whose family believes “being gay is one way ticket to hell” mirrors all the emotions there are to love, forbidden by the society. His partner in love is played by Chef Ranveer Singh Brar who makes an endearing presence in the acting world. Tanuja as the grand matriarch of the family is impressive, though the episode has an unwanted reference to communal riots. Since Manzu happens to be a singer, we have a waft of a beautiful song Kaisi Baatein Karte Ho – composed by Jeet Gannguli, heightening the beauty of same-sex romance that is slowly finding acceptance in India. Love stories and how can music not elevate the story telling? Here, we have lilting ones composed by the likes of Nikhil D’Souza, Ram Sampath, Vishal Bhardwaj, Jeet c m y b Gannguli, Neel Adhikari and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. If music be the food of life, love and food are interconnected in Vishal Bhardwaj’s segment Mumbai Dragon. It brings to life IndoChinese community in Mumbai in a flavourful (and we just don’t meant the aroma of Chinese food) story in which local talent Wamiqa Gabbi makes an impression apart from superb Meiyang Chang and competent Yeo Yann Yann. The microcosm that Mumbai the maximum city is unfolds in myriad ways. Cycling down a flyover in Mumbai becomes a symbol of freedom for a Kash- miri girl in Raat Rani. Fatima Sana Sheikh is a breath of fresh air as the Kashmiri girl Lalzari, jilted by her husband after ten years of marriage. The crux lies in how she learns to be independent. Not a new thought but the manner in which she finds love in her own being and emancipation in Mumbai is portrayed adeptly by the directorial aptitude of Shonali Bose. The broken roof over head is not just mended but transforms into realisation of a dream in a definitive yet allegorical representation of selflove. Fatima is a delight to watch, both when she is pining for her husband and more so when she learns to live life on her own terms sans him. If Mumbai is a character, stories have a quintessential Indian feel and do not appear transposed from another environment. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the six-hour series may not qualify as binge watch. Rather to be savoured at your own pace, these make you believe in love and as in Masaba Gupta and Ritwik Bhowmik-starrer I love Thane (Dhruv Sehgal’s directorial signature), it offers many definitions of love like ‘I judge myself less around you.’ And rising above the humdrum of married life floats Cutting Chai, directed by Nupur Asthana, where Arshad Warsi and Chitrangda Singh take us into the married lanes of love leaving us with a fuzzy feeling. “If life is as complicated or simple as you make it,” so is love whose magic echoes in the Shankar-Ehsaan- Loy song Shuru se shuru karte hai. Only don’t miss the epilogue which describes Mumbai above all as the city of hope which we dare say is another name for love. Find its glow here.