EGO Magazine

Let’s talk about… V-Day

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:23:53 -0500

"Directing a non-American production of the play, I found that things that I had taken for granted in my college versions of the show were totally changing. For example, one might say that the monologue called “My Angry Vagina” was probably written for an American woman with a lot of attitude...."

EGO presents, resident feminist columnist, Piyali Bhattacharya's take on V-Day (i.e.: Valentines day in feminist speak) through the lens of Eve Ensler's famous (or perhaps infamous ?), 'The Vagina Monologues'.

Khan in My Name is Khan

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:14:23 -0500

My Name is Khan (MNiK), presented by Fox Searchlight Pictures, is truly a global phenomenon. Legendary actors from Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan (popularly known as SRK) and Kajol Devgan, act in a movie set in the US. It already premiered in Abu Dhabi last Wednesday via “Imagenation”. It was shown to a few in New York on Thursday evening, at a small theatre called the Imaginasian.

So what does the movie have to offer?

The story is simple enough. A man travels across the US hoping to deliver a message. That message? Also simple - “My name is Khan. And I am not a terrorist.”
The reason? The oldest in the world – love.
The complication? He suffers from Asperger's Syndrome.
The journey is a personal quest but this simple, endearing man manages to connect with people in a unique way even as we learn more about why and how he started on this quest.

When Doubt Makes a Traitor

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:06:14 -0500

At the recently concluded Jaipur Literature Festival, an annual event organized by writer William Dalrymple and an insightful five-day journey through the literary world, Ayaan Hirsi Ali made an unannounced stop to speak about her book 'Infidel' and her views on Islam. The Somalian-born filmmaker and author was accompanied by her ever-present bodyguard, the result of the Fatwa issued against her....

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a non-conformist, any which way you look at it. The former Somali-Dutch politician's story is one that called for self-reinvention. EGO contributor, E. Nina Rothe writes about Ayaan Hirsi Ali's indomitable presence at the Durbar Hall.

Let’s talk about… Parents

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:36:29 -0500

EGO's resident feminist columnist Piyali Bhattacharya writes about negotiating adult relationships with parents and presents a call to Asian writers in the Diaspora to submit their works for an anthology she's working on:

MAMA SAYS GOOD GIRLS MARRY DOCTORS
Retaining Control, Negotiating Roles:
South and East Asian Diasporic Women and their Parents

Let’s talk about… Celebrities

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:44:52 -0500

Not very often do you find Mythili Prakash, Medha Patkar, Susheela Raman, Ginu Kamani and Rachel Roy on the same list.

EGO's resident feminist columnist Piyali Bhattacharya, informs us why these are precisely the five women who make her "must-meet" personalities list.

"So it got me thinking: who are some Desi female celebrities I might want to spend an hour getting to know? And thus was born this column, in which I list the five women I might most like to meet and get to know from the South Asian and diasporic communities....."

Didactic Drivel

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:27:20 -0500

On a recent Indian viewers' choice awards ceremony for Hindi movies, the host lampooned seasoned critics by quoting some unforgiving reviews for films that went on to be blockbusters including Khalid Mohammed’s harsh dismissal of the legendary ‘Sholay’ back in 1975. The purpose of the exercise was to illustrate that no correlation existed between a bad review and a film’s greatness (qualified solely by box-office receipts). This logic is warped. Ringing cash registers signify a successful business venture not brilliant film-making.

The verdict on 3 Idiots, a Reliance BIG film, is in and commercially anyways, it is a success by any measure. However, a great film it is not.

A movie needn’t be high-brow to be celebrated but 3 Idiots verges on being insufferably didactic rather than a provocative or incisive expose on India’s educational system.

Pointillism Revisited

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:26:33 -0500

Fazil Jamali’s award-winning art is a refreshing combination of traditional influences and raw talent. The artist infuses Neo-impressionistic techniques like Pointillism with his own minimalistic style of drawing. The result is a varied, and sometimes haunting, body of work tied to together by Mr. Jamali’s love of nature. The lush colors found in his travels are reflected in loose brushstrokes and saturated tones that capture the eye. EGO Magazine talks to the talented artist about his life and art.

Let's talk about...Body Image

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:53:29 -0500

Most high end designers continue to believe that their brands are tarnished on 'regular' sized women. How's a girl with a fuller body to survive the onslaught of skinny media imagery? Earlier this year the London Times wrote about the 'Triumph of Curves' so there's hope that womens' fecundity will finally be celebrated.

Here EGO columnist Piyali Bhattacharya delves into issues surrounding body image in the newly created EGOFemme section.

Let’s talk about… The Holidays

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:19:15 -0500

By Piyali Bhattacharya
As we all recover from Thanksgiving weekend, I thought it might be time to write about how Desis do ‘The Holidays’.

Not a particularly feminist issue, but one that is definitely on my mind as the holiday seasons rockets (Rockettes anyone?) into full swing and I can hardly walk by a Starbucks without being tempted by an Egg Nogg Latte.

Share in the desi holiday experience with EGO contributor Piyali Bhattacharya.

Un-digitizing Herself

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:28:52 -0500

"Kriya" is the first solo show in the US by the graphic designer and self-taught artist, Jay Moorthy. Previously exhibited in India, this is her first showing in the United States.

Refreshing is the word that comes to mind when one views the works. "Kriya" puts on show three of the artist's collections. The oldest of her collections, a monochromatic homage to the cave temple sculptures of Mahabalipuram, has a quiet presence and eternal energy to it. Another collection takes scenes and cultural slices from the Indian subcontinent and presents them with modern, dashing, strokes. There is a playful yoga series as witness to Jay's eternal passion for the art. One can see why the artist says that she "draws inspiration from her diverse cultural background".

Love, Pray, Eat (dessert)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:20:22 -0500

A review of Lucky Everyday by Bapsy Jain (Penguin, May 2009)

A beautiful twenty-something Indian chartered accountant teaches yoga to prisoners at a New York State penitentiary.

I knew I had to review Bapsy Jain’s Lucky Everyday when I heard the plot outline. The thing that's always stuck in my craw about chick-lit is the consumerism displayed by the protagonists; the Shopaholic is but the most transparently-named member of her tribe. The idea of yoga (can we say anti-materialism here?) entwined with chick-lit was way too ~~twisted~~ intriguing to pass up.

Arranged Marriage

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:08:22 -0500

It’s time to engage with an issue that many readers have been asking me to comment on, and that would be the big AM: Arranged Marriage. A term that any young Desi worth her salt has passionate views on.

What I call 'Assisted Dating' is still often referred to as Arranged Marriage. There is obviously very little I can do to change this, other than advocating a new term for the issue. However, I myself often struggle with what to do with this. Like I asked about the word “feminism,”. Is it a term for which we update the meaning and expect other people to catch up? Or is it an issue for which we come up with an entirely new term like “Assisted Dating”?

Explore the term and its implications on EGO's fortnightly 'Let's talk about' series by Piyali Bhattacharya.

The Fakir of Venice

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:14 -0500

ANAND SURAPUR TURNS CINEMATIC ALCHEMIST WITH 'THE FAKIR OF VENICE'

Anand Surapur's yet unreleased film 'The Fakir of Venice' will be screened on Thursday, November 12th, as part of the upcoming MIAAC Film Festival, a favorite fall event to help heat up those chilly nights in the city.

E. Nina Rothe spoke with film-maker Anand Sarapur over Guinness and 'chai' at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

MIAAC, NEW YORK’S INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL - NOVEMBER 11-15, 2009 Complete program and ticket info at www.miaacfilmfest.org

Let’s talk about… ..Facebook

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:08:56 -0500

To announce the engagement on Facebook or not?

For anyone else, this would be a simple enough question: do I go for it and tell all my friends about the engagement at once, or do I wait and tell everyone I see in person?

Not so for your average Desi-American girl. See, putting something like an engagement up on Facebook is a highly politicized affair, and one that involves the consent of the entire family.

Made in Pakistan

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:40:20 -0500

“Fourteen-hour load-shedding, suicide bombings by the dozen, military operations, judicial crises and assassinations. Yet we smile, we persevere. That is the spirit of Pakistan and its people. Made in Pakistan aims to reflect this characteristic through the lives of four extraordinary individuals.” - ‘Made in Pakistan’ director, Nasir Khan.

Amitabh Bachchan’s film couldn't match the buzz that Khan’s documentary created at the 6th Annual South Asian International Film Festival.

Propelled by a cover story in Newsweek in Oct 2007 labeling Pakistan, “the most dangerous place in the world” the film seeks to dispel the prevailing perceptions of Pakistanis in the West.