Innholdsfortegnelse for May 1, 2017 i India Today

A lost prince who can scale mountains and carry gigantic lingams on his shoulder. His conniving uncle who has usurped his kingdom. A grieving mother waiting for her saviour. A woman warrior who is disrobed by the playful prince. And a loyal slave who does as he is told by his master, even if it is wrong. A budget of Rs 450 crore, and a mythical Mahishmati empire at Ramoji Film City with a palace, statues and mechanical animals created by 2,000 carpenters, painters and prop makers. The result: a stunning two-part movie, which seems to have effortlessly segued from a Telugu blockbuster to a made-in-India epic. Baahubali makes the INDIA TODAY cover for several reasons. It’s the biggest movie ever made in India. It is a showcase of the…

Exporters of buffalo meat in UP are predicting losses of Rs 2,000 crore during the traditionally lucrative month-long Ramzan period, beginning May 26 this year. The UP government’s campaign to shut down illegal slaughterhouses and the unchecked violence of cow vigilantes have caused uncertainty in a booming industry. Buffalo slaughter, unlike cow slaughter in most Indian states, is legal and the export of buffalo meat, classified as beef by the US, has catapulted India alongside Brazil as the world’s primary source for beef. The demand for buffalo, for its fatty milk and its meat, is reflected in the growing numbers of buffaloes in India. By contrast, the revered desi cow is struggling to survive, with numbers falling since 1992, even taking into account imported and crossbred cattle ₹26,685 CRORE in…

In a parody of Cold War exchanges, India and Pakistan have a history of capturing and then exchanging ‘spies’ and innocent civilians straying over maritime or land boundaries. Kulbhushan Jadhav is the latest pawn between the two nations. Pakistan’s decision to sentence the former naval officer to death has plunged bilateral ties to fresh depths. India claims no due process was followed and that Indian consular officials have been denied access to Jadhav, while Pakistan claims Jadhav was a serving naval officer who was working as a spy, entering Balochistan illegally from Iran 46 PAKISTANI SPIES ARRESTED IN INDIA BETWEEN 2013 AND 2016, SAYS THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT; 0 SENTENCED TO DEATH 250 PAKISTANIS DEPORTED BETWEEN 2014 AND 2016, SAYS MOS HOME KIREN RIJIJU 7 INDIAN SPIES SENTENCED TO DEATH IN…

It’s not just BJP ministers who are singing the praises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A recent meeting of NDA allies hosted by the PM and BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi saw two allies at their effusive best. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Modi would be remembered, after his retirement, not as an Indian PM but as a global leader. Only to add quickly that leaders like Modi never retired. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said the country was lucky to have a PM who could be addressed as Narendrabhai. With this, Thackeray sought to make up for his past criticism of demonetisation, appealing to the PM to inform his allies about government schemes well in advance.…

India’s healthcare industry is expected to be worth $400 billion by 2025, fuelled by multiple demand drivers—an additional 500 million-plus in the middle class by 2025, 130 million-plus senior citizens by 2020, 300 million-plus at risk of dying due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by 2020, 45 per cent penetration of insurance by 2020 and the requirement of 2 million-plus beds by 2025. The sector is expected to generate 5.4 million jobs by 2025. Today, India provides quality care relatively cheap. If we build on this, the sector can double forex earnings by 2020 to $8 billion. Besides, the growth of the sector impacts other industries with its multiplier effect, as overall GDP growth strongly correlates with healthcare spending. However, there are many challenges in realising this potential. Inconsistent healthcare delivery,…

A former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist, Trivendra Singh Rawat, 56, was sworn in as Uttarakhand’s eighth chief minister on March 18. The new CM, known to be a strong-willed politician, spoke to Akhilesh Pandey about his plans for the hill state. Excerpts from the interview: Q. You won on the promise of freeing Uttarakhand from fear and corruption. Yet four of your ministers have criminal cases against them. A. There are no major criminal cases against them and there are certainly no corruption charges. The cases are a likely outcome of vendetta politics. We are having them checked and will take action if there is any truth to the charges. Q. Are you withdrawing cases against legislators? A. I have asked for withdrawal of mala fide cases against our workers and MLAs. If there…

₹ 450 CRORE The amount producers Arka Mediaworks have spent on making both films 615 DAYS Time spent over threeand- a-half years shooting the two films from July 2013 to January 2017 600 PERSONS The minimum size of crew on an average day on the sets of Baahubali: The Conclusion He dreamt, he dared and he delivered. What is emblematic of Baahubali holds good for its creator. Five years ago, the mild-mannered S.S. Rajamouli convinced his friend, producer Shobu Yarlagadda, co-founder and CEO of Arka Mediaworks, to take up an audacious period project, with Prabhas, an accomplished actor in Telugu cinema, as its central character. After a few weeks of meticulous planning, including a deliberate decision to make it a two-part enterprise, Rajamouli assembled an army of actors, technicians and…

S.S. Rajamouli tells INDIA TODAY Deputy Editor Amarnath K. Menon what it took to make his mega venture Q. In what ways has the making of Baahubali been a challenge? A. One of the biggest challenges had to be shooting the first part. We shot for around 380 days, and after 330 days, I could feel the energy levels going low. I don’t know how it is in other industries, but as far as our industry is concerned, everybody takes their energy from the director. I myself was very exhausted but I was acting as if I was full of energy and was pumping it into the whole team. No matter how challenging it might get, I don’t like to compromise on my vision. I’m well aware that I have put my actors…

A funeral serves many different purposes. For some, it is an outlet for grief; for others, a celebration of the life that just ended. In today’s world of hyper-consumerism, it is one more thing—the last occasion to tell the world that the departed soul had a great inning on this earth. And so, a thriving service industry has sprung up in god’s own country, offering a bouquet of ways to mark the ending of a life—in style. The competition to make the last journey a memorable event has even given a springboard to this thriving sector. The targets for the funeral business are NRIs, and those rich enough to spend millions of rupees burying their loved ones. And just like that, Kerala is slowly adapting to mega-stylish funerals, organised by…

AWAARA (1951) Raj Kapoor’s Chaplinesque vagabond was beloved all over the world including in China, where Chairman Mao was said to be a fan HOWRAH BRIDGE (1958) Before Helen the blonde, we fell for her as ‘Chin Chin Chu’. Okay so it’s a bit racist but in a creepily affectionate way… HAQEEQAT (1964) Chetan Anand’s war film pitted the doughty but outnumbered Capt. Bahadur (Dharmendra) against the Chinese hordes KUNG FU YOGA (2017) Jackie Chan’s film was not popular here and was slammed for perpetuating stereotypes of India. How dare!…

India has always had an identity crisis about alcohol: is it a pernicious colonial hangover or secular pleasure? Despite the rising tide of prohibition, whisky consumption is one of the few fields in which our country leads the world (we’re talking quantity, not quality). The coyness continues, but some high-spirited entrepreneurs have come up with new tipples that showcase our national genius for spiritual abstraction. With premium Indian whiskies like Amrut and Paul John winning international prizes, you might think that our less celebrated wine-makers might have a case of you know… sour grapes. Instead the clever people at Sula embraced the ancient Indian concept of jugaad and produced a ‘premium whisky’ called Eclipse, using a combination of grape spirits (something they are presumably not short of) and a dash…

Q: If you weren’t an actor, what would you be? A: A photographer. I studied it for a little while. Even now I carry a Polaroid around with me everywhere, with extra film handy. Q: One thing you dread? A: I don’t see a bright future for the country or the planet. I hope it changes. What disturbs me is that history repeats itself and we don’t seem to learn. Q: One thing you can’t do without while on a shoot? A: I carry a candle. Vanity vans are very impersonal, tubelit and sometimes smelly, so candles make things beautiful. Q: What’s something you did today that nobody would believe a star would do? A: I opened a sewing kit because I had a wardrobe malfunction. A thread had come…

SPOILT FOR CHOICE Kamadhenu Jewellery At Kamadhenu Jewellery, innovation begins at the store level where you will see a unique shop-in-shop concept. So, you will have mini shops for different sections. No long queues, no common attendants and specialised shops make it an exhilarating experience. With the jewellery too, there are fresh concepts where a diamond necklace comes with screw-on ruby and emerald stones to pair with different outfits. The gold section isn’t short on ideas either and long gold harams can be detached and reassembled to create different looks. Some of them are reversible too with traditional lakshmi motifs on one side and more contemporary designs on the other. ≫ AT No 68 HIG I, Nolambur Main Road Mogappair West ≫ TEL 2682 2682 ≫ PRICE Price on request…

With defence sec retary G. Mohan Kumar retiring on May 31, speculation is rife on his replacement. (Unwritten) tradition dictates cur rent secretary (defence production), Ashok Kumar Gupta, a 1981 batch Tamil Nadu cadre officer, succeed him. But bureaucrats bel ieve another Ashok, finance secretary Lavasa, a 1980 batch Haryana cadre officer, is in the running. TECH TWINS N. CHANDRABABU NAIDU ‘AP CM Connect’ mobile app GOAL Citizen-dri ven participatory governance in real time. Where people can reach him directly on everyday issues—pensions, ration, water and such LAUNCHED April 14, 2017 K. CHANDRASEKHARA RAO Geospatial mapping of all government assets like roads, hospitals and schools in every gram panchayat GOAL A comprehensive database to drive state policies LAUNCH Pilot project covering select villages scheduled by July 2017 —Sandeep Unnithan, Kaushik…

1 CENTRAL CHARACTER Amarendra Baahubali and Sivudu/Mahendra Baahubali Played by Prabhas The benevolent king of Mahishmati kingdom who puts people first, the Braveheart who inspires an army and the dutiful son-father 2 Avantika Played by Tamannaah Lover of Mahendra Baahubali. The feisty warrior princess who conquers the young hero’s heart with both her looks and her daredevilry 3 Bhallaladeva Played by Rana Daggubati Cousin of Amarendra, son of Bijjaladeva. The bad cop to Baahubali’s good cop. Loses his cool and then his kingdom only to regain it through unscrupulous means 4 Bijjaladeva Played by Nasser Amarendra’s uncle, Bhalla ladeva’s father. The power-hungry heir whose contempt for Baahubali and his family causes a rift in the Mahishmati kingdom 5 Devasena Played by Anushka Shetty Wife of Amarendra, mother of Mahendra. Aged…

JOINT VENTURE Jeff Gillette and Samir Parker in a Mumbai slum Colourful patches form a pixelated pattern across the shanties in Nargis Dutt Nagar, which have been part of the Bandra Reclamation skyline in Mumbai for the past 15 years. The squares and rectangles painted in distinctive pista green, Rani pink, Krishna blue, lemon yellow and white are part of an artistic collaboration between American painter and sculptor Jeff Gillette and Mumbai-based artist and designer Samir Parker over April 11-12. Based in California, where he teaches art to high school students, Gillette’s fascination with the slums can be traced back to his first trip to India in the 1980s. His most popular collection of paintings, titled Dismayland, with its post-apocalyptic slumscape peppered with Disney characters, is said to have inspired…

FRIEND OF MY YOUTH by Amit Chaudhuri Penguin Random House; pp 115; Rs 499 As the son of an executive at a large company, author Amit Chaudhuri enjoyed a gilded, if circumscribed, childhood in Bombay. Perhaps conscious that it was a temporary stop, a lounge to be waited in before real life could begin—a state analogous in some ways to childhood, which too can feel like an endless waiting— the novelist, critic and musician held the city at arm’s length. His childhood appears to have been a trudge through the familiar haute bourgeois route leading from Malabar Hill to the Taj hotel, where he would browse in Nalanda. The city itself, seething and cacophonous, barely impinged on this staid, decorous quiet. For Chaudhuri, the city he grew up in, where…

Who was A.C.N. Nambiar, and what did he do? Is he deserving of so engrossing, stimulating and well-written a tribute as Vappala Balachandran’s A Life in Shadow: The Secret Story of A.C.N. Nambiar, A Forgotten Anti-Colonial Warrior? Balachandran retired as special secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. He got to know Nambiar during the final years of his life, in Geneva, looking after and keeping him in good cheer. This was not easy, as Nambiar led a ‘messy’ and disorganised life. This book is a labour of love. A man whose close friends included Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Indira Gandhi and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit must have been endowed with rare qualities. Nambiar spent many years in Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy, Horthy’s Hungary, Petain’s Vichy France and Benes’s Czechoslovakia. He was…

1 Laugh Riot Comedian Sorabh Pant will be presenting his brand new solo titled Rant of the Pant. Watch him rant on about everything under the sun—politics, terrorism, internet trolls, gay rights, drugs, porn ban, etc. AT Museum Theatre, Pantheon Road, Egmore Price Rs 300 onwards Tickets bookmyshow.com 2 All Things Chocolate Learn how to make your own chocolates at the city’s first beanto- bar workshop. You will be taught how to roast, crack, de-shell and grind beans, along with an in-depth experience with well-known chocolate taster Nitin Chordia. At Cocoashala, 20, Besant Road, Royapettah Tel 9600064846 Price Rs 5,500 3 Magic Fest Renowned magician PC Sorcar and his team have returned to the city to perform after three years. They bring with them several shows spread across days, each with…

Journalist Dhirendra Jha’s new book, Shadow Armies, is a timely primer on the ancillary organisations that operate on the margins of Hindutva to help achieve the stated goal of the RSS to turn India into a ‘Hindu rashtra’. It is a political goal, whatever the RSS’s claims to being a cultural organisation that is above politics. In his introduction, Jha notes of the RSS and its subsidiary, the Vishva Hindu Parishad, that “[e]xcept for contesting elections they do almost everything a political party would do: mobilise masses, develop issues for political polarisation, and play a role in identifying electoral candidates and managing booth-level campaigns.” On the phone, Jha emphasises that this strategy is anti-democratic, that to behave like a political party while hiding behind the fig leaf of culture is…

@ShougatDasgupta Internet Warriors A video in which a CRPF soldier exercised restraint while being jeered at and kicked by a crowd was widely lauded online. Just hours later, another video went viral in which a man was shown tied to the front of an army jeep, a ‘human shield’ to deter stone-pelters. A columnist for The Wall Street Journal put up an impromptu poll in which nearly 75 per cent of his followers found the decision to tie a man to a jeep “totally justifiable”. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising. The debate online is dominated by ‘nationalists’ who fetishise the army and dismiss all Kashmiri grievances as ungratefulness or the product of Pakistani incitement. Snappy Trolls Indians online have a reputation for their thin skin and patriotic zeal. A rich,…

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was all set to address a rally and roadshow in Puri on April 18 when just two days before the event the state party unit announced that her visit was for personal reasons. Why? Mamata was apparently spooked by the enthusiastic response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the BJP’s April 15-16 national convention in Bhubaneswar. With the CBI investigating the Narada and the Saradha scams, Didi might want to avoid an open confrontation with PM Modi just yet. GIN-OCIDE 8 LAKH LITRES Seized alcohol the Bihar government is set to destroy EQUAL TO Water in the lake at Patna zoo…

Destiny’s child. Born for greatness. Superhero. Sivudu or Mahendra Baahubali was all of this and more in the epic blockbuster Baahubali: The Beginning. To play the inspiring figure, S.S. Rajamouli needed someone who caught everybody’s attention with his masculinity. In the tall, dark, mustachioed and ruggedly charming Prabhas, the filmmaker found one man to play two iconic characters. “I always dreamt big as an actor but not this big,” says Prabhas, seated in the outer office of his home on a quiet road in the upmarket neighbourhood of Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad. Dressed in a black shirt with a hoodie, the actor had just returned after arm-wrestling his co-star Rana Daggubati in Chandigarh, one of the many activities planned to promote Baahubali: The Conclusion. Playing two characters with the same…

There are some tedious monetary tasks best dealt with at the beginning of the financial year. Planning your tax-saving investments for the year should be at or close to the top of the list. Making a lump-sum investment in the last month of the financial year will burden your cash flows for the month. Also, if you are investing in tax-saving mutual funds, it is advisable to spread out your investments to avoid having to time the market. If the public provident fund (PPF) is your go-to tax saving instrument, investing at the start of the financial year earns you a higher interest. Banks deduct TDS (tax at source) on the interest earned on fixed deposits as well as recurring deposits if the interest is over Rs 10,000 a year.…

DAG Modern is gearing up for its third auction, the 20th Century India Art Auction, in Mumbai this week. Offerings include 75 paintings and sculptures by some of the finest Indian artists of the 20th century, including M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, F.N. Souza and K.G. Subramanyan. The collection includes less well-known pieces, such as a selfportrait by Amrita Sher-Gil from when she was 14. Another, S.H. Raza’s Peinture is a visually enchanting work that marks his departure from landscape to abstraction. Jamini Roy’s folk-style art is another big draw. Other works include those by modernists like V.S. Gaitonde, Manjit Bawa and Shanti Dave. The auction catalogue, with Husain’s Maya on the cover, has been broken up into themes to allow bidders to compare styles and genres. The real draw, though,…

NEVILLE SHAH Over on Amazon Prime, check out Gujarati- Parsi funnyman Neville Shah’s standup special What Are You Laughing At. Debuted on the site end-March. GUERRILLA Critics are calling this Sky/ Showtime miniseries about race relations in Britain in 1971 “exceptional”. Idris Elba is, well, Idris Elba. But Freida Pinto, too, is money in her meatiest role to date. Premiered April 16. VIR DAS The first Indian comic to get his own Netflix special. Will premiere Abroad Understanding on the streaming service April 25, joining the ranks of Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari and Russel Peters, among others.…

“We have borrowed from the microbrewery boom,” says Sahil Jatana, founder of Svami Drinks For decades, our version of ‘cold coffee’ has been a creamy, sugary milkshake. Today, coffeephiles have begun appreciating gourmet coffees, taking note of high-quality locally grown beans. Enter the cold brew, made with locally sourced beans, often roasted and ground inhouse. Instead of using heat to extract the bean’s flavour, it’s time that does the trick. Steeping the coffee in cold water, extraction takes between 12 and 24 hours. The result is a naturally sweet, smooth brew that is about half as acidic as what we’re used to. Enthusiasts are even taking this a step further by introducing ‘nitro coffee’. “We have essentially borrowed from the microbrewery boom. The serving of nitro coffee is exactly the…