27092024-LSTC-01.qxd 9/26/2024 7:36 PM Page 1 c m y b TRAILER OF JIGRA RELEASED TRIBUNE Her choice Sonam Kapoor has expressed her affinity for roles that originate from literary works, highlighting her passion for stories that transition from page to the screen. The trailer of the film Jigra, directed by Vasan Bala, was unveiled on Thursday. Starring Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina, the film is about a prison break. Alia wrote on Instagram, “All set? #Jigra theatrical trailer out now! See you in cinemas on October 11.” LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 27 SEPTEMBER 2024 PHOTOS: PRADEEP TEWARI Collage of Mohinder Tuli, who is holding a solo exhibition —Contemplation: A Show of Collages and Carbon Drawings— not just gives us a glimpse of his unique creations, but also a first-hand account of the city’s evolving art scene Prof BN Goswamy put a name to it — collage. That gave me validation. Otherwise, I used to wonder ‘I don’t use paint or brush, only waste papers. Does that make me an artist?” His art made him popular. But on the flip side, he earned the name kabadiwala. “This is a name I own with pride,” he laughs. Well, once settled on the genre, Tuli became part of a group called Chandigarh Art Forum, which was established in 1967 by the likes of architects MN Sharma, Aditya Prakash and SS Bhatti, art historian BN Goswamy, artists Prem Singh and Sohan Qadri. “We were given a room in Sector 22 dispensary for our art activities by historian and civil servant MS Randhawa. We put up our work there and later at the canteen of PGI before we were given space at the Tagore Theatre and KC Theatre. In 1970, Punjab Kala Bhawan was conceptualised by Randhawa and finally art found a place of its own here,” he recalls. While the city struggled to find a place for art and artists, Tuli’s transition from a student to an artist was smooth. “I was plain lucky,” he contradicts. “The Chandigarh Administration had invited MF Husain to put up his exhibition at the art gallery of the museum. When he refused, they approached me and I got my first solo exhibition in 1967.” There has been no looking back since then. memories Parbina Rashid D OES art help people remain young? Scientists think so. Mohinder Tuli knows so. This 81-year-old artist tells us with a twinkle in his eyes, “Preparing for this exhibition and finally watching it come to life has turned my body clock back by 10 years, at least.” The spring in his step reiterates his claim. It is a win-win deal for us, who gather for the launch of his solo exhibition — Contemplation: A Show of Collages and Carbon Drawings. Who would mind if almost six decades of creativity comes wrapped with childlike exuberance and youthful enthusiasm? After all, a glimpse into Tuli’s art den also means a peep into the city’s evolving art scene. Tuli loves flashbacks. As he guides us through the 40-odd frames on display at Gov- ernment Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, he travels back and forth in time. He recalls his childhood in Karnal, his fascination for kites, paper accessories for mythological plays, folk art and his journey to Chandigarh as a young student of School of Arts. “Coming from a small town, the art school was a revelation. I saw works of great artists like Shobha Singh, Kartar Singh, Jaswant Singh for the first time and that left a lasting impact,” he says. Tuli is happiest when he sees reflections of their style in his work even today. Despite his admiration for those great artists, Tuli chose his own technique. He started collecting waste pieces thrown away by students and then tore them, reshaped them and arranged them on cardboards to recreate something new. “I didn’t even know the name of the genre of art I was dabbling in. It was much later that For actor Harry Parmar, quality of roles matter more than the quantity Vikrant Parmar He played the role of the terrorist codenamed Doctor in the recently released Netflix series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack with aplomb, as for actor Harry Parmar it is all about being methodical and meticulous. So, was this role challenging? Says Harry, “Being a trained actor, I have essayed a broad range of characters. Having said that, any adaptation from real to reel requires preparation and I read the right books to get into the skin of this character — a terrorist, the mastermind behind the hijack.” Directed by the talented Anubhav Sinha, the experience on the sets was a learning process for Harry. “Anubhav sir gave a lot of trivia that helped me essay the role better. Inside the plane where we shot in, there was a true feeling of a hijack that pervaded. That, in itself, brought out the best in me.” For this Hoshiarpur-born, Delhi-bred boy, to be an actor was a childhood dream. “During my college days, I was into theatre. I also completed a two-year diploma in theatre acting from Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts, Delhi.” After he moved to Mumbai in 2002, the first ‘Want to be smart about mychoices’ few years were all about struggle. “Getting work is not easy, it’s a process that takes time. My first big break in acting came with Laal Singh Chadha,” he reminisces. Harry, who was also seen in projects like Lootere, Ghoul, Asur and more, has never been a part of the television world. As for the comparison between the big screen and OTT, he says, “The grammar for both is the same; there is not much of a difference. But in a web series, the length of a project is longer, like as many as three movies in a single project! Also, OTT is never linear and there are production challenges. I believe it is a tougher format, but quite enjoyable at the same time.” Over time, Harry has learnt how to take crit- icism in his stride. “In the world of social media, there is bound to be mudslinging, but one learns to deal with it. I believe nasty comments mostly emanate from fake accounts. Faceless people sure can be ignored.” As for his choice of roles, he says, “For me quality of any role matters more that the quantity of roles coming my way. I have just started and will keep experimenting with genres, but want to be smart about my choices.” His advice to young actors out there is meaningful too, “Never come to Mumbai with a timeline. It will take time to set yourself up in the industry. There will be no jaadu in a couple of years. You need to love your craft and need patience.” c m y b He has participated in all major art exhibitions. Has won many state and national awards, and his art has found place at all leading art galleries, including National Lalit Kala Akademi and AIFACS. Tuli’s art has evolved too. In fact, a new phase for him started in 2007 when he worked extensively on collages and carbon drawings, which he makes with carbons produced by burning of earthen lamps. “My work can be divided into three major phases — art school phase, pre-2007 phase and post-2007 phase,” he says. This current phase sees his art work getting more complex in terms of composition and themes. There is this Ukren series that captures the plight of people caught in the Ukraine-Russia war. It’s dark and thoughtprovoking. And then, there is Rebellious, a woman asserting her feminity. In the same line, there are Dancer and Socialite. Tuli’s philosophical side reveals itself in Drifter, Pathos, Moody and Fragmented that symbolise conflicts and resilience of the human mind. These are bright frames with golden yellow as the dominating hue. Compared to his earlier works, distortions of forms are more pronounced in this series. For him, an abstract figure adds to the allure quotient. The same principle goes for his carbon drawings too. The history of collage-making may go back to the 20th century art movements, when artists like Picasso and Braque used discarded objects and paper to challenge traditional forms, but Tuli does not want to venture into that area. “Whenever I see a discarded piece of paper, I see a form in it.” Simple words to describe his creative process. In fact, Tuli likes his life simple. Anything complex, he saves it for his canvas! (On till October 1)