Richa Chadda has been roped in by Pooja Bhatt to play the lead in Cabaret. Incidentally, Pooja had been looking out for the right actress for the part for nearly two years and had almost settled on a newcomer. However, she has now opted for Richa for the role of a seductress.

“It was a close call,” Pooja confirmed. “I was contemplating a newcomer for the part. But then I realised it was too much to expect a newcomer to deliver what the character required.”

Not only would the actress who essayed the part have to perform sizzling cabaret numbers, she would also need to be a top-notch dramatic performer.

Says Pooja, “It’s a very difficult role. Somehow Richa’s face kept coming to me. When I mentioned her for the role, some people told me she was too desi, too much of a Delhi girl. But I feel the sensuous side of Richa is ready to be tapped. Richa knows she’ll have to work very hard to get a cabaret dancer’s body-language right.”

To get that aspect of the role right, Pooja has asked her brother Rahul Bhatt, a fitness trainer, to put Richa through her paces. “Rahul will put Richa under a strict regime and make her slog to look the part.”

Gulshan Devaiah will star opposite Richa in the film. They have previously worked together in Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela, although they didn’t have many scenes together.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Entertainment> Bollywood / DC / Subhash K Jha / November 19th, 2014

Kodava Sahitya Academy, in association with The Highlanders Family Club, Kakkabbe, will organise a taluk Kodava Samskrithika Mela at Kakkabbe High School Grounds in Madikeri on November 15 and 16.

Addressing mediapersons in Madikieri on Thursday, Academy President B S Thammaiah said that the inauguration of the Mela will be on November 15 at 9.45 am. MP Prathap Simha, Zilla Panchayat Vice President Beena Bollamma, Major General (Retd) Bachamanda A Cariappa will take part.

An exhibition and Kodava folk games competition will be inaugurated at 11 am. ZP Member Biddanda Usha Devamma, Taluk Panchayat Member Bollachettira Suresh, GP President Kotera Naila Changappa and others will participate.

A cultural programme will be held at 5 pm. Madikeri Taluk Panchayat President Kandanda Prathija Acchappa, Kalyatanda Raghu Thammiah of The High Landers Family Club, Kakkabbe, Zilla Panchayat former President Shatheyanda Ravi Kushalappa, Taluk Panchayat member Neravanda Umesh and others will participate.

A Kodava cultural procession will be taken on November 16 at 9.30 am. Chamarajanagara Deputy Commissioner Appachettolanda Kunjappa, Kodava Sahitya Academy President Biddatanda S Thammiah, Additional DC Abhiram G Shankar, Nalnad Kodav Koota Convener N Ganesh Poonaccha, Moornada Vidya Samsthe President B G Madappa and others will take part. Dignitaries will be felicitated on the occasion.

Sessions will be held at 12 noon while a poets’ symposium will be held at 12.30 pm.
The valedictory programme will be held at 2.30 pm.

District in-Charge Minister K J George, Atrocity prevention law study committee President Meriyanda C Nanaiah, Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof K Byrappa, Zilla Panchayat President Shareene Subbaiah, MLA K G Bopaiah, MLC T John, former Minister M A Nanaiah, District Congress President B T Pradeep, district BJP President Suja Kushalappa, coffee grower Mittu Changappa will be present among others.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, November 15th, 2014

Noted Bharathnatyam and Yoga exponent Yamini Muthanna and her team will be presenting a unique dance drama called Navagraha – Lords of the Constellation at a programme to be held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kodagu Vidyalaya’s amphitheatre on November 28.

“Navagraha – Lords of the Constellation” is a theatrical presentation unique in its choreography, but in traditional Bharatnatyam format, said Ms. Yamini Muthanna, the artistic director of Kalasinchanam Yogastala Ancient Arts Trust (KYAAT), Bengaluru.

The music in the presentation has original Sri Shankaracharya’s Navagraha Slokas set in various ragas, said Ms. Muthanna is a statement. “The choreography is rich with complicated jathis, sancharies presenting the navagraha stories and karnas presenting the graha chalana or the movement of the planets”, she added.

The presentation scheduled to be held between 6.30 and 8 p.m. on Friday, November 28, has been organised as part of culture promotion programme by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan at Madikeri. KYAAT seeks to impart the essence of ancient art forms and scriptures, the statement added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – November 22nd, 2014

Madikeri hosts Jagrithi Samavesha

Kodagu should not be separated from Karnataka. Though the language of Kodagu is different, all kinds of transactions are being carried out in Kannada. Kodagu is an integral part of Karnataka, said Litterateur De Javare Gowda.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Jagrithi Samavesha organised by Karnataka Kavalu Pade at Cauvery Kalakshetra in Madikeri on Thursday. Rejecting any language is same as rejecting Goddess Saraswathi. Hence, one should learn and accept other languages, including English, he said.

Farmers’ movement leader and MLA K S Puttannaiah said that though the people from outside the state learn Kannada, our own people neglect the language. The culture, cuisine and solidarity in Karnataka cannot be found elsewhere, he added.

Linguistics expert Dr Kikkeri Narayan, delivering a special lecture, said that the regional languages are vanishing due to the effect of globalisation and westernisation. About 3,000 of 7,500 languages have been extinct over a span of 5,000 years, he said.

Litterateur C P Krishnakumar said that the language and culture of the place will thrive only when every Kannadiga contributes his share.

Karnataka Kavalu Pade State President M Mohankumar Gowda delivered a keynote address. Kavalu Pade Cultural Committee President Sathish Javare Gowda, District unit President M Krishna, City Municipal Corporation President Julekabi, Kannada Sahitya Parishat district President T P Ramesh were present among others.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, Novmeber 14th, 2014