26112024-LSTL-01.qxd 11/25/2024 8:21 PM Page 1 c m y b WHEN TAYLOR GOT EMOTIONAL It is an emotional time for Taylor Swift as her Eras Tour comes to an end. During her Toronto show, Taylor received a standing ovation after she performed Champagne Problems, which left her in tears on stage. TRIBUNE Fired up Saiyami Kher trained with real-life firefighters and visited Mumbai fire stations multiple times to gain first-hand experience for her upcoming film Agni. LUDHIANA | TUESDAY | 26 NOVEMBER 2024 PHOTOS: RAVI KUMAR TSERING GURMET MOHD. IQBAL Carving magic around the theme of zodiacs, 13 sculptors from various parts of country made each piece of stone talk at Kalagram AJESH KUMAR KANDALLOOR Statuesque! Mona E VERY block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it, famously said Michelangelo. And, 13 sculptors at the recently concluded 20day National Sculpture Camp-24 at Kalagram, Chandigarh, lived up to it. The theme was zodiacs and the sculptors from various parts of the country, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Ladakh, Kashmir, Bihar, Chandigarh, Punjab and Delhi, were part of this mega camp. It was organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and concluded on November 23. Each one was entrusted a huge block of black marble, six-by-six by two feet. Working in a row, there was a storm of dust covering the entire lane; not smog but the dust of stones due to the constant cutting and grilling. Each artist had his face covered as the cacophony of machine drowned other sounds. Maquettes — small, preliminary models — sat pretty, but looked forlorn amongst the tools and blocks of extra stone. What was heartening in the melee was that one could see the shapes taking forms — a robust lion, a muscled crab, a fish and a strong bull, just about getting ready to charge! Narinder J S Maloya was rather happy working on the sign Cancer. Having studied the crab in detail, he was creating a giant one. A post graduate from Government College of Art (GCA)-10, he is much in love with stone. “This black marble looks grey since it’s being carved, but once complete and polished it will be jet black.” His entire focus was on getting the proportions right. “Art should be SHUBHAM SANTOSH SALVE accessible to all — rich, poor, man, woman, old or young,” shared the artist. Next to him was Simarjeet Sekha, who had the sign Leo to work upon. An impressive lion, robust and roaring was taking shape. Interestingly, Simarjeet loves to create animal forms, his favourite being a dog, for which he won an award too. Keralite Ajesh Kumar Kandalloor, who teaches at Stone Artisan Park Great platform The in-charge of NZCC, Yashwinder Sharma said such theme camps were organised from time to time. “Besides offering a platform to artists to showcase their subtle skills, these camps provide an opportunity to upcoming artists to rub shoulders with the masters,” he said. Training Institute, Gujarat, had Aries as his theme, and we saw the outline of horns shaping up in a huge chunk of stone. Sanul Kuttan was dealing with Gemini. Two human figures being his sign, he was seen making full figures. Kuttan was here before at another sculpture workshop. At that time in the wake of farmers’ protests, he made a figure of a farmer with hay. Mohammad Iqbal teaches at Anantnag. Carving a weighing scale, the symbol for Libra, he shared, “I love being here. I haven’t seen such a large collection of sculptures anywhere else.” Devi Das Khattri, who is with the Lalit Kala Akademi, Garhi, Delhi, was busy making a goat as he was assigned the Capricorn sign. Surakala Appalaraju, from Andhra Pradesh, was seen painstakingly carving a bull for Tauras. Not ready to waste any of the heavy stone, he was making a robust figure. Abhishek Singh also freelances at Garhi. Working on the symbol Sagittarius, half-human, half- horse, he did Masters from GCA-10. He fondly recalled, “College ka mahaul bahut acha tha.” Alay Mistry from Ahmedabad was chopping off a bulky stone. The theme assigned to him was Pisces. He was scraping a stone to carve lean meen (fish). Rajender Kumar was making a woman for the sign Virgo. While he was enjoying the workshop with fellow sculptures, he was on a deputation at Burail Jail, an experience he spoke highly of. “Mostly, I worked with under-trials there. Their zeal to learn was unparalleled amd I enjoyed the stint.” Tsering Gurmet from Ladakh was busy shaping a big block for his sign — Scorpio. Hugely inspired by Leonardo’s horse, Gurmet shared, “We have bustling art scene in Ladakh. While art there has largely been religious and Despite her busy schedule, Shivangi Verma takes out time for exercise Shivangi Verma, who has been a part of shows like Choti Sarrdaarni, Control Room, Reporters, Bhootu, and web Series Tera Ishq Mera Fitoor talks about her fitness routine. ■ What motivates you? I think it’s about feeling good and confident in my own ■ How do you work-out with a busy schedule? Staying fit is a priority, so I make time for a quick workout, even with my busy schedule. If I can’t go to the gym, I stay active wherever I am. I carry resistance bands and fit in a 20-minute workout in my room or on sets ■ What benefits do you get from working out? Working out gives me energy, focus and positivity. It helps me handle the stress of long working hours and keeps me balanced, both physically and mentally. ■ What’s your advice for youngsters out there? Make fitness a habit and stick to it. Find out what works for you at your own pace and don’t focus on meeting a specific standard. Fitness should be about feeling good. ■ Do you follow a diet plan? I believe in eating healthy, but don’t follow a strict diet plan. I focus on balanced meals with protein, fruits and veggies. I also have a sweet tooth, so treat myself occasionally to something sweet, but in moderation. ■ Can c m y b traditional, we, the first generation of sculptors, are getting a huge response.” Aquarian Shubham Santosh Salve from Maharashtra had the Aquarian sign to chisel. While most of the artists were non-committal to zodiac concepts, Salve seemed to have happily embraced it. Keenly displaying his sculpture — a water bearer — he said, “Aquarians are eager to spread knowledge just like the flowing water in their symbol.” Away from this din was Jagdeep Jolly. He was seen putting all the symbols in a circle in fiberglass. Having studied from the Delhi College of Art, he teaches at Chandigarh. SURAKALA APPALARAJU ‘Make fitness a habit’ skin. Fitness isn’t just about looking a certain way; it’s about feeling strong and energetic. That’s what keeps me motivated, even on days when I can’t stick to my usual routine. DEVI DAS you share two fitness tips for beginners? First, make small changes, like adding more veggies to your diet. Second, don’t push too hard. It’s okay to take rest days and listen to your body. Just keep moving and enjoy the process. ‘I absolutely loved his films’ Hugo Weaving on how Satyajit Ray introduced him to Indian cinema Actor Hugo Weaving, renowned for his portrayal of the iconic villain Agent Smith in the Matrix franchise, spoke about his latest film The Rooster and shared how legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray introduced him to Indian cinema. The film is directed by Mark Leonard Winter. In a conversation, Weaving revealed why he chose to work on the film. “I loved the script. Mark and I have worked together numerous times and got on very well. We’ve had many wonderful discussions about films, filmmaking, acting, and charac- ter, and we just enjoyed each other’s company. Mark drew me to the film, and then Mark’s words drew me to the character,” he said during the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The Matrix star also shared how Satyajit Ray influenced his appreciation for Indian cinema. “I actually remember watching his films when I was 16. I absolutely loved them.” — ANI