1. rearwindow dna.sunday 20 Mumbai, July 5, 2009
MEMONICS
America’s next Bolly idol Saluting success
And the theatrics US insurance giant can crowd.
American marketing exec-
will go on sponsors Bollywood
karaoke contest in
utives say they like to lavish
attention on the two-million-
B
strong Indian American com-
uffoonery is not new to Indian politics, as many
who watched the exchanges between Mamata
search of a singing munity as it has the highest
per capita income of all im-
Banerjee and Lalu Prasad Yadav in parliament af- sensation migrant groups in the US.
ter the railway budget was announced, may have imag- “The buying power of the 45
ined. Those of my vintage — and surely those interested Uttara Choudhury million Latinos in the US
in Indian history — would have heard of Raj Narain. market is less than the Indian
He was the giant killer deemed as big as David who Americans by about $250 bil-
had felled Goliath in the immortal NEW YORK: An American lion so who should you really Mehul Choksi, chairman, Gitanjali was felici-
Biblical story no less. But having de-
, lucky enough to win a Bolly- pay attention to if you are a tated by Amitabh Bachchan
feated Indira Gandhi, in the after- wood karaoke contest in a Su- marketer?” former Goldman
math of the Emergency Raj Narain
, san Boyle-like breakout mo- The State Farm Bollywood contest is also likely to attract Sachs banker turned entre-
DNA Correspondent
gaan (Movie of the
soon (and sadly) showed himself to ment will be sponsored by US talent from US collegians who take inter-college preneur Marcus Stuart, earli- decade), Rakesh Roshan
be no more than a country bumpkin insurance giant State Farm to Bollywood song-and-dance competitions seriously er told DNA. (Director of the decade)
interested in only his 15 seconds of sing and possibly dance on- The State Farm Bollywood The third night of the and AR Rahman (Music
public adulation rather than chang- screen in an upcoming Bolly- or by uploading a video to ing director of Saavn. “We’re contest is also likely to attract IIFA weekend, to be tele- of the decade).
ing the profile of Indian politics. wood film in Mumbai. www.bollystar2009.com. Saa- really opening up an amazing talent from US college stu- cast tonight, celebrated Mehul Choksi, Chair-
Ergo Raj Narain, otherwise more “With Bollywood at the van, which is the world’s opportunity for an aspiring dents who take inter-college the spectacular IDEA man, says, “Gitanjali
Ayaz Memon famous as a sidekick of Charan heart of South Asian enter- largest digital distributor of singer,” added Singh. The Bollywood song-and-dance IIFA Awards with the in- was honoured to be able
Singh (who was prime minister tainment here in the US, Bollywood content is hosting winner will be selected online competitions very seriously. troduction of the Video- to pay a handsome trib-
fleetingly) earned great fame for his conquest, more no- we’re thrilled to sponsor this the contest and will ensure by Bollywood fans in the US. Dance crews from Brown, con Golden Decade Hon- ute to the achievers who
toriety for his idiocy, and ultimately faded out quicker competition that gives people the winner gets screen time Bloomington-based State Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, ours. It was held at at have been at the fore-
than the Janata Party of which he was a such crucial el- a chance to realise their singing in a Bollywood movie Farm, which is the leading Massachusetts Institute of The Venetian Macao-Re- front of propelling Bol-
ement to begin with. dreams,” said Mark Gibson, being shot in Mumbai. insurer of homes in the US, Technology Carnegie Mellon,
, sort-Hotel, China. lywood onto the global
That said, I don’t think either Mamata Banerjee or assistant vice president of ad- “We can’t wait to see the is clearly targeting Bolly- Temple, and Columbia often Crafted and spon- stage.”
Lalu Prasad Yadav are as banal or hollow as Raj Narain vertising, at State Farm. submissions. Who knows? wood-mad Indian Americans start practicing new grooves sored by the Gitanjali Gitanjali has been as-
turned out to be. Both have spent more time in the hurly Contestants can enter ei- Maybe we will find the next and South Asians through in September for fierce Bolly- Lifestyle, the trophies sociated with IIFA for
burly of India’s parliamentary life, and willy nilly have ther by taking part in live au- Sonu Nigam or Sunidhi this contest although US wood dance-offs in the winter were awarded to Shah the last five years and
had a greater say in how we lead our lives — and not just ditions in Edison, Fremont Chauhan,” said Paramdeep basement bhangra parties and early spring. Rukh Khan (Male star of Choksi was felicitated
when travelling by train. and Artesia on July 11 and 12 Singh, co-founder and manag- pack a very eclectic Ameri- thinksunday@gmail.com the decade), Aishwarya by Amitabh Bachchan,
Of course both are obviously into theatrics and melo- Rai Bachchan (Female Brand ambassador,
drama, but not with- star of the decade), La- IIFA.
Lalu Prasad’s deliber-
ated ‘rustic’ approach
has not only kept us
out fun or substance.
Lalu Prasad’s deliber-
ated ‘rustic’ approach
has not only kept us
Will an Indian ever play a Grand Slam final? Why tennis needs
entertained, but also From p1 you also have to be mean to be a good com-
entertained, but also
clued into what the
clued into what the
‘non-urban’ India is
thinking. It must be
Marcelo Rios was the number one player
in the world for about a month. But then he
petitor. This is not easy for Indians.
I hope that our academy can work with
India on a long-term basis, where I can From p1
to be Fed showing that the speed
‘non-urban’ India is admitted, however, disappeared from the top level. He was the also help train Indian coaches. In the long and strength of today's
that this did not quite most talented player I have taught in the 53 run, it is difficult to make an impact in He is in fact a first-rate, pro game are merely its
thinking. This did not work to his advantage years of my coaching. But talent alone is your country without 200-300 coaches who kick-ass power-baselin- skeleton, not its flesh.
work to his advantage, in the recent general not enough. have a more intelligent view of the physi- er. It's just that that's not He has, figuratively and
elections, but it was Twenty years ago, kids thought that if cal and mental requirements, the tech- all he is. There's also his literally re-embodied
,
but was engrossing engrossing nonethe- they could hit the ball, they could play for niques, and the competition. intelligence, his occult men's tennis, and for
nonetheless less.
In a different sort of
college and be a pro. Today you need men-
,
tal strength, a sound strategy, support
We also would like to put in place pro-
grammes throughout the country, and
anticipation, his court
sense, his ability to read
the first time in years
the game's future is un-
way this is also true of
, staff, and financial assistance. search out the best players with the help of and manipulate oppo- predictable. Genius is
Mamata Banerjee, though her feisty political profile has Coming to India, you have had a few your coaches, and bring them here. And nents, to mix spins and not replicable. Inspira-
been different from Lalu’s easygoing charm and won her good players. You have Yuki Bhambri who Nick Bollettieri with a student then let us keep them for 2-4 years. This speeds, to misdirect and tion, though, is conta-
power again. While in keeping with her image she has won the Australian Open. As soon as he at his academy requires sponsorship from corporates. disguise, to use tactical gious, and multiform -
been indignant and sanctimonious, she has actually been puts on 15-20 pounds, he has the chance to lacking programmes that can support and You need a good support system that foresight and peripher- and even just to see,
appealing to the same constituency as Yadav. truly be a professional. But its hard to develop players over a period of five to includes parents, coaches and funding. It al vision and kinesthet- close up, power and ag-
All things considered, however, Lalu Yadav’s protests imagine that a country of your size barely eight years. isn’t any one thing. The sports ministry , ic range instead of just gression made vulnera-
that Mamata has rehashed his budget and passed it off as has anybody even in the top 100. You must We had your top 20 boys and girls over too, needs to back you up, with the full rote pace — all this has ble to beauty is to feel
her own has squealing of sour grapes. Lalu has many consider having a plan that starts with here for almost 2 months. It’s too bad that I understanding of what it means for the exposed the limits, and inspired and (in a fleet-
things to his credit, including making the Railways prof- youngsters in the 7-12 age group. The kids didn’t have some of them when they were image of the country . possibilities, of men's ing, mortal way) recon-
itable. But he never did say, as Mamata Banerjee has will need financial assistance, and they 10 or 11. I remember that the kids who (Nick Bollettieri is the founder of the tennis as it's now ciled.
vouched, that the toilets in train will be clean like will need coaches who know the direction came here were too nice. The trend in your Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, played. Excerpted from an es-
never before. ayaz@dnaindia.net of the game and all its aspects. India is country is to be very polite. But sometimes USA. He spoke to R Krishna.) Roger Federer is say published in NYT
Vol. 1 Issue No. 27 ■ Printer & Publisher: M Venkataraman ■ Executive Editor: R Jagannathan ■ Printed & Published by Diligent Media Corporation Ltd. Printed at EL-201, MIDC, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 705, Phone No: 3980-2200 and published at 1st Floor, Oasis Complex, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai- 400 013, Phone No: 4388-8888