Broken Images

Shabana Azmi is an Indian institution. In a career spanning nearly five decades in cinema, she has invented and reinvented herself and her craft on innumerable occasions. She has earned the respect of auteurs, actors and audiences.

Her activism gave her an edgy profile and a new dimension to her fame that was unnerving to the establishment. She was a part of a group of actors and filmmakers who spoke their mind.

Many of Azmi’s fans have not experienced her acting prowess on the stage, and it wasn’t surprising that hundreds turned up at Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre’s when Anu Srivastava’s newly-formed ARRA Arts announced Broken Images, a play, written by Girish Karnad in 2004, directed by Alyque Padamsee and produced by Raell Padamsee’s Ace Production.

Broken Images is about two sisters Manjula and Malini and their troubled relationship. Karnad presents it as Manjula’s monologue. She is the author of mediocre Hindi novels, who is suddenly shot to fame because critics and readers have loved her debut English novel.

She revels in this glory, albeit momentarily before self-doubt and inner turmoil take control of her emotions. At this stage, the play swiftly turns into a disturbing thriller as it explores the relationship between Manjula, her husband, her sister Malini.

The monologue is presented on the stage as a conversation Manjula is having with herself – with the main protagonist on the stage and the other on a giant television screen. This technological innovation appears to be gimmicky initially but becomes inherent to the play as the monologue progresses.

Monologues are challenging in theatre. The absence of a dialogue between two actors is always constricting and therefore a major hurdle to any actor. Additionally, in this play, the use of television as part of the monologue poses another challenge because it restricts improvisation and gives it a static, non-dynamic quality to the interplay between the two sets of monologues.

Azmi does well to ensure that there is continuity and no awkward or embarrassing silences or miscued timing during the chat that Manjula on stage as with Manjula on television.

Once we move past the innovative use of technology, Karnad’s play is about human relationships. It explores the relationship between the two sisters, the husband and wife, the sister and husband, the attitude Indians have to any creative work in Hindi as opposed to English.

It is a stunning depiction of infidelity and portrays the tremendously soul-destroying capacity intellectual infidelity as opposed to mere physical dalliance.

Having paid for our tickets, we were in those sections that John Lenon famously asked to clap (cheap seats). The others, whom Lenon just wanted to “rattle jewellery,” were in better seats. 

Much to my chagrin, I learnt that many of those occupying the better seats were invited guests of the main sponsors of the production.

Well, I guess, it pays to know the right people, and it doesn't pay to pay for your tickets.

Celebrating Canadian South Asian literature

The Toronto Festival of South Asian Literature and the Arts 2011 (FSALA-11) will bring renowned Indian playwright Girish Karnad and other literary stalwarts to Toronto

Toronto: The second Toronto Festival of South Asian Literature and Arts (FSALA-11) will be held between September 30 and October 2, 2011.

GirishKarnad – one of India’s foremost playwrights of the 20^th century, renowned for his plays such as Yayati, Tughlak and Naga-Mandala among several others – will be the main attraction at the festival where over 25 Canadian writers will participate.

Several writers from the subcontinent and the United States will also read and participate in several discussions. These include Meena Alexander (US), Kamini Dandapani (US), Mahesh Dattani (India), Asif Farrukhi (Pakistan), Neerav Patel (India), and Harish Narang (India).

FSALA-11 is a Canadian arts festival, whose purpose is to present to the public the works of writers, musicians, and other artists. The panels and lectures will discuss vital topics on Canadian and South Asian arts. It is as well a forum for the public to meet artists from across the country and for the artists to meet each other.

Special readings and recitals from the works of Rabindranath Tagore and Faiz Ahmed Faiz will also be held at the inaugural session of the festival. 2011 is Tagore’s sesquicentennial and Faiz’s centenary; former Governor General the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson will give a short welcome address.

On October 1, dance maestro Hari Krishnan’s dance troupe will perform Fallen Rain, following a reading by Girish Karnad from his recent autobiography. This is the only ticketed event of the festival and the tickets for the event are available on FSALA-11 website: www.fsala11.com 

Readers and participants include:

Canadian: Navtej Bharati (Windsor), Nandi Bhatia (London), Rana Bose (Montreal), Cheran (Toronto), Cyril Dabydeen (Ottawa), Ramabai Espinet (Toronto), Andrea Gunraj (Toronto), Sheniz Janmohamed (Toronto), Sally Jones (Toronto), Shaista Justin (Toronto), Surjeet Kalsey (Vancouver), Chelva Kanaganayakam (Toronto), Kwai Li (Toronto), Anand Mahadevan (Toronto), Rabindra Maharaj (Toronto), Ashok Mathur (Vancouver), Julie Mehta (Toronto), Ameen Merchant (Vancouver), Ananya Mukherjee (Toronto), Arun Mukherjee (Toronto), Uma Parameswaran (Winnipeg), Sase Persaud (Toronto, Florida), Ajmer Rode (Vancouver), Nuzhat Siddiqui (Toronto), Dalbir Singh (Toronto), Suwanda Sugunasiri (Toronto), Priscila Uppal (Toronto), Rahul Varma (Montreal), Padma Viswanathan (Toronto/US), Nalini Warriar (Quebec City), John van Burek (Toronto)

International: Meena Alexander (New York), Kamini Dandapani (New York), Mahesh Dattani (India), Asif Farrukhi (Pakistan), Girish Karnad (India), Harish Narang (India), Neerav Patel (India)

Scotiabank is the main sponsor of the event. The Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers’ Union of Canada have provided additional financial assistance to the festival. Other sponsors include Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, Random House of Canada, The Writers Forum, Sheridan College and the Humber School for Creative and Performing Arts. FSALA also acknowledges the following sponsors – Anil Balolia, Chandaria Family, Iqbal and Zinnat Dewji, Azim Jeraj, Atul Tolia, and Anonymous Donors.

The festival will be held at The Munk School of Global Affairs and Trinity College are next to each other and centrally located in Toronto.

The three-day festival’s program is:

Friday, September 30:

Inaugural, readings and recitals from Tagore & Faiz

Afternoon
Discussion: Whither South Asian Drama in Canada? Time: 3:00 to 4:00 PM Venue: Combination Room, Trinity College Participants: Nandi Bhatia, Sally Jones, John van Burek, Rahul Varma Chair: Julie Mehta	Lecture: Mahesh Dattani Time: 4:15 – 5:30 PM Venue: Combination Room, Trinity College Lecture: Mahesh Dattani
Evening
Formal Welcome Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM Venue: Seeley Hall, Trinity College Reading 1. Rabindra Maharaj Reading 2. Kwai Li         Break Faiz Ahmad Faiz Centennial: Recital Tariq Hameed, accompanied by Nadeem Shah at Tabla Rabindranath Tagore Sesquicentennial: Poetry Reading: Ananya Mukherjee

Saturday, October 1

Literary Sessions, Readings & Discussions, Art Exhibit

Morning
Readings Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM Venue: Combination Room, Trinity College Participants: Priscila Uppal, Sheniz Janmohamed, Uma Parameswaran, Ashok Mathur, Nalini Warriar Chair: Suwanda Sugunasiri	Panel: The Problems of Translation and Audience Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM Venue: Campbell Room, Munk School of Global Affairs Participants: Ajmer Rode, Baidar Bakht, Neerav Patel, Harish Narang, Asif Farrukhi Chair: Chelva Kanaganayakam
Discussion: Is there a case for a Canadian South Asian literary identity? Or does one think of a national or secular literary identity. Whither Multiculturalism? Time: 11.30 AM – 1:00 PM Participants: Priscila Uppal, Sheniz Janmohamed, Uma Parameswaran, Ashok Mathur, Nalini Warriar Chair: Suwanda Sugunasiri Chair: Rana Bose	Readings in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Tamil Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Participants: Nuzhat Siddiqui, Navtej Bharati, Cheran, Arun Mukherjee Chair: Harish Narang
Afternoon
Readings Time: 2:00 – 3:15 PM Venue: Campbell Room Munk School of Global Affairs Participants: Meena Alexander, Asif Farrukhi, Neerav Patel
Readings & Discussion: South Asian Canadian Literature: Concerns of a New Generation Time: 4:00 – 5:30 PM Venue: Combination Room, Trinity College Participants: Padma Viswanathan, Anand Mahadevan, Ameen Merchant Chair: Shaista Justin	Readings & Discussion: The Indo-Caribbean Phenomenon Time: 4:00 – 5:30 PM Venue: Campbell Room, Munk School of Global Affairs Ramabai Espinet, Cyril Dabydeen, Andrea Gunraj, Sase Persaud Chair: Rabindra Maharaj
Evening (ticketed) event
Lecture & Presentation: Girish Karnad Dance recital: Fallen Rain, inDANCE under maestro Hari Krishnan Time: 7:00 – 9:15 PM Venue: Robert Gill Theatre, University of Toronto

Sunday, October 2

Readings, interviews, music, book launch

Afternoon Venue for all events: Campbell Room, Munk School of Global Affairs

On-stage interview & classical vocal concert Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM Participants: Girish Karnad, Mahesh Dattani, interviewed by Dalbir Singh Refreshments Classical vocal concert: Kamini Dandapani

On-stage interview Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM Participants: Meena Alexander, Neerav Patel

Book launch Time: 3:00 PM Cheran: You Cannot Turn Away (bilingual Tamil/English poetry); Sasenarine Persaud: Lantana Strangling Ixora (poetry); Surjeet Kalsey: Colours of My Heart (poetry in English); Suwanda Sugunasiri: Untouchable Woman's Odyssey (novel)

For more information:

E-mail: fsala2011@gmail.com