28042025-LSTC-01.qxd 4/27/2025 10:56 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE RAPPER YE’S WISH LIST WHAT’S HOT Jackie Shroff took part in an awareness programme on thalassemia during the launch of Mission 2035 in Gurugram, a nationwide movement aimed at eradicating thalassemia by 2035. CHANDIGARH | MONDAY | 28 APRIL 2025 NEVER LALIT KUMAR shimla say never! eat KURKEYZ, ANYONE? A TRIP to Shimla is not complete without tasting the mouth-watering snacks and bakery products of Krishna Bakers, one of the most popular eating joints located at the Mall Road. Known for its Kurkeyz, momos, pastries and other bakery products, the shop enjoys an enviable footfall on a daily basis. Great in taste but easy on the pocket, the bakery has made a name for itself as one of the best bakeries of the town. play COMEDY OF POLITICS S chandigarh HOOLINI University’s theatre wing, Shoolini Creative Studio, captivated audiences with its latest production Naatak Paracetamol—an adaptation of Molière’s iconic comedy — The Doctor in Spite of Himself. It was staged at the Tagore Theatre. Directed by Ankur Bashar, the play is a witty, high-energy satire that pokes fun at blind faith in doctors and the absurdities of societal norms. “This year, we chose comedy as a political act and in today’s world, the comic is often political and the political, deeply comic. Molière’s work continues to mirror the hypocrisies of modern society, making it ideal for a student-led performance that is both engaging and thought-provoking,” says Bashar. love CAN’T BEAT THIS! N EW YORK-based singer, songwriter and producer Rubal Sikka has teamed up with UK rap sensation Raxstar to deliver their electrifying new track, Haan Di. This song intertwines themes of heartache and resilience, resonating deeply with anyone who has navigated the complex emotional landscape of love, loss, and personal growth. Sikka says, “Working on Haan Di was an amazing experience. The energy of the track came together organically — from the beat to the vibe to the lyrics. It’s one of those songs where everything just clicked. I wanted to bring some high-energy and fun, but still rooted in our signature styles, and I think we nailed that balance. Collaborating with Raxstar again was a pleasure. We’ve worked together before on Pearls, and the chemistry has always been effortless.” chandigarh For a cause Life Rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) wished that he had children with Paris Hilton instead of Kim Kardashian. The rapper, who has four children with Kardashian, believes that having kids with Hilton would have brought him greater success and wealth. Nonika Singh A MAZON Video’s latest horror series Khauf has viewers horrified, stupefied, transfixed leaving them with not only a lingering feeling of dread but much to mull over. And probe, question to where the real horror lies. Co-director of the much acclaimed series Surya Balakrishnan admits how prior to being associated with the genre she was not exactly a fan of it. Maker of short films like Arre Baba and Kheer, she preferred slice of life drama. But today as she is digging deep into horror she has begun to realise its immense possibilities. In fact, the reason why she said yes to Khauf was how it builds up fear not only through its entity of ghost but it’s very many layers. Brought up in Mumbai, to begin with, she could not relate with the way creatorwriter Smita Singh had coalesced her experiences of living in Delhi and of working women’s hostel, the epicenter of horror in the series. Surya shares, “Often I would tell her; do we really need this.” But as more and more women are finding the show relatable, she observes, “We wanted to keep it real.” You might sense a dichotomy between harsh reality of life and phantasmagorical elements of the supernatural, but she explains, “The show deals with different kinds of horror, reflects fear which lot of us live with in real life. Even the ghost entity is metamorphical.” A woman (Smita) telling women’s story may or may not always be the best option, but for their show she feels, “It truly worked.” As for more than one director taking on the reins in the long format of storytelling, which has almost become a norm, she does not think it is difficult to arrive at a common ground. More so, since Pankaj Kumar, who has directed six episodes, Surya Balakrishnan, who directed a number of commercials, shorts, documentaries and co-directed the acclaimed OTT show Khauf, considers herself ‘medium agnostic’ A STILL FROM KHAUF also happens to be the director of photography. Thus maintaining the visual tone and tenor for all eight episodes was not so challenging. Trained in both graphic design and filmmaking, this alumna of New York Film Academy was drawn to filmmaking for she felt it’s the most powerful way of telling a story. More recently as she has finished a documentary Amar Katha on the Amarnath Yatra, we wonder if her film acquires more urgency in the light of recent Pahalgam attacks. She observes, I do not know if men’s reaction to Khauf is any different than women’s. Men too are able to look at the bigger picture. The crux of the story is being communicated in a similar way to both genders. “Well, it’s likely to attract more eyeballs. Kashmir will always remain an important subject for us.” The feature documentary chronicles how the yatra, a quiet peaceful affair looked after by a Muslim family, the Maliks, has over the years morphed into a spectacle after the Shine board took over. Ecocide is a word she uses in context of the environmental damage. She adds, “Indeed, it has affected the ecosystem, the environment around it and we need to pay heed.” As her film awaits the festival circuit, she admits cracking the festival code isn’t easy. Why, one noted festival programmer shared a vital piece of information with her. At the Toronto International Film Festival out of staggering 9,000 entries, only 25 are selected. Back in time she also got this dismal piece of ‘Great time for musicians’ Whether it’s performing at prestigious international music festivals like Coachella or winning Grammy Awards, music maestro AR Rahman believes Indian artistes are finally getting the global recognition they truly deserve. The two-time Grammy awardee, who is gearing up for his much anticipated The Wonderment Tour, said it is a ‘great time’ for musicians. “Music as an industry was never recognised. When you say, ‘Oh, my son is a singer’, people are like, ‘But what does he do?’ This is still happening. “Now, when all these things (concerts) are happening, there are so many pockets of independent bands making it to Coachella... This is one of my dreams that should happen, and it’s happening. People are winning Grammys,” Rahman said. In February, Indian-American vocalist Chandrika Tan- AR Rahman, who is gearing up for his The Wonderment Tour, says Indian artistes are finally getting the global recognition they truly deserve don won the Grammy under the category Best New Age Album for Triveni at the 67th edition of the musical awards night, a year after five Indian musicians picking up the coveted prize. Earlier this month, rapper Hanumankind of Big Dawgs fame performed at Coachella 2025, marking his debut at the American music festival. Rahman, 58, said the c m y b ‘universality’ of Indian music has the potential to captivate global audiences. “India has that culturally. Now, the important thing is how much we can spread it out in the world, which is dominated by Western culture. Because people today are looking at an alternate culture, and if we pull up our stuff, we have an option to be liked by every- one. There are already great fans in Russia and Japan...” he added. The concert, the celebrated composer said, is a heartfelt celebration of the blessings he has accrued in his three-decade career. “It’s exciting to interpret your songs in front of people who love your music. I see myself as an audience first... That’s the reason why we choose what we perform, the arrangements, and the visuals... “I thought of going back to something which celebrates every blessing that we’ve got. So, that’s my wonderment, a wonder of every breath, a wonder of love, and why they (fans) chose you,” said the musician, who performed his first live concert in Malaysia in 1996. The global premiere of the tour is said to be a grand concert under the aegis of the WAVES summit, taking place in Mumbai from May 1 to 4. — PTI advice from a well-wisher — “You will eat rejections for breakfast.” But nothing is stopping her or making her spend sleepless nights. She states, “Reel culture might be taking over more of our screen-time, but there is an audience for all kinds of films, including documentaries, also thanks to the fact that many OTT platforms are streaming them.” Navigating through commercials, shorts and documentaries, she agrees that the medium does dictate, but considers herself ‘medium agnostic’. She continues to love making ad films her ‘bread, butter and cheese,’ for “in ad world you are constantly in practice and nothing is better than practising your craft.” Her filmmaking skills will manifest once again in a web series based on a book, a short and more. Hailing from the hard-sell world of advertising, she understands ‘you never say never.’ But at the same time she would like her cinema to say something and not just be another random story. Just as Khauf isn’t your regular horror fest… Expect more surprises from her. Nostalgia alert Kambakht Ishq changed everything: Fardeen Actor Fardeen Khan on Sunday took a stroll down memory lane and shared how the Kambakht Ishq song from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya changed ‘everything for him’. Sharing a video of the hit song, Fardeen wrote, “24 years ago, the song, Kambakht Ishq, from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya changed everything for me. There’s a before and after this moment in my journey... what a ride it’s been. Grateful to everyone who was a part of it, but most of all to all of you who made it what it became. Thank you & sending all my love.” Fardeen’s post left fans nostalgic. In the comment section, a netizen wrote, “Omg! What a song! It was everywhere.” “This was the mega blockbuster song of the 90’s,” another user commented. Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya was produced by Ram Gopal Varma. It also starred Urmila Matondkar and Sonali Kulkarni. The story revolves around Ria, a young woman whose life takes a dark turn due to obsessive love. Fardeen made a comeback last year with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s directorial Heeramandi. He will next be seen in Housefull 5. — ANI