Category Archives: Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Sakshi Dhoni thanks Robin Uthappa for bringing her and MS Dhoni together

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

MS Dhoni and Sakshi had tied the knot in 2010 and have a three-year old daughter named Ziva.

Sakshi Dhoni with Robin Uthappa and his wife Sheethal (Photo posted by Sakshi Dhoni on Instagram)
Sakshi Dhoni with Robin Uthappa and his wife Sheethal (Photo posted by Sakshi Dhoni on Instagram)

HIGHLIGHTS

– Sakshi Dhoni recently celebrated her 30th birthday with family and friends in Mumbai

– Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and Robin Uthappa were also in attendance at the party

– Sakshi thanked Uthappa and others who attended the birthday bash
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Sakshi Dhoni has “thanked” Robin Uthappa for bringing her and MS Dhoni together. Dhoni and Sakshi had tied the knot in 2010 and have a three-year old daughter named Ziva.

Sakshi recently celebrated her 30th birthday with family and some close friends in Mumbai.

Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and Robin Uthappa were also in attendance at the party.

Ziva was once again the star attraction of the party while Sakshi was seen cutting the cake with another individual, who shared his birthday with Sakshi.

Playback singer Rahul Vaidya entertained the crowd singing some hit Bollywood and Hindi numbers. Sakshi and Pandya also joined Vaidya in singing ‘Channa Mereya’ from the film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

After the party, Sakshi thanked everyone who attended the birthday bash and there was also a special mention of Uthappa in one of her posts.

“Thanks to this man here, Mahi and I are together!!! It was great meeting you Robbie and Sheethal…Thank you guys for coming and lot’s of cuddles to the little one! And Sheethal you looking Hot as ever,
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Sakshi wrote on her post on Instagram.

INSTAGRAM

sakshisingh_r

Thanks to this man here Mahi n i r together ❤️!!! It was great meeting u Robbie and Sheethal … Thank u guys for coming and lot’s of cuddles to the lil one ! And Sheethal you looking HoT as ever! 😘 and just to clear out to people mahi n r not childhood friends n first time i stepped into Ranchi was after marriage !
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Uthappa played a key role in India’s inaugural World Twenty20 triumph in South Africa in 2007. The 33-year-old is also an important member of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

Dhoni is currently on an international break after he was left out of the Twenty20 squad for a three-match series in Australia starting November 21.

2018 has been Dhoni’s worst year in international cricket since he sensationally announced his arrival. In 19 matches this year, Dhoni managed to score only 275 runs with a highest score of 42 not out.

With the 2019 ICC World Cup a few months away, Dhoni’s form with the bat is the biggest cause for concern for the Indian cricket team.

Despite not scoring runs, Dhoni remains an important member in the team because of his experience and is still the best person in the team to take decisive decisions in crunch situations, as we have all seen in the past couple of years since he gave up captaincy.

His judgment with the Decision Review System (DRS) is unparalleled and if often seen changing the fields and sharing the tricks of the trade with Kohli during matches.

Dhoni has only a handful of ODIs left to prove his doubters wrong before India decide on their core group for the 2019 ICC World Cup.

source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Sports> Cricket / New Delhi – November 22nd, 2018

Bridging the Gap

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Bengaluru ByDesign promises handmade and cutting-edge innovation

Karolina Merska Ola O Smit
Karolina Merska Ola O Smit

Writer UR Anathamurthy was instrumental in Bangalore becoming Bengaluru. In November 2006, when the city symbolically made the shift, his intent, he wrote in an essay, was to give the city “the ability to belong to the world at large even as one is rooted in one’s Kannadaness”. Even as Bengaluru ByDesign takes over the city from November 23, the focus of the 10-day festival will be on transformations, from the handmade to technology and sustainable interventions.

From installations and exhibitions, to workshops and conferences, the festival at multiple venues in the city, hopes to bridge the gap between what is design and what people imagine to be design. Some of the highlights:

Choose Flight
Kavya Madappa’s Bluecat Paper presents Unchained Symphony – Birds, a site-specific installation. At the grand marble stairs of UB City, abstract forms of paper birds will rise towards the high-vaulted ceiling and soaring arches of the mall, symbolic of freedom and flight. “We make handmade paper from cotton, coffee and corn husks. We have nearly a 1,000 birds for the 80 steps there,” says Madappa.

Closing the Loop
At St. Mark’s Circle, Total Environment will display its strength in sustainable practices through green installations and landscaping. Designed as a twirling ribbon, the green pods will house various stages of construction, from plumbing to electrical wiring. “As a company that provides experiences in sensitively designed structures, we hope these pods will help people see the craft involved in making a home,” says Founder-Chairman, Kamal Sagar.

Everyday Design
A pop-up called “Museum of Everything” at Kafnu, curated by Sarayu Hedge, will have everything — from origami lamps to recycled cork décor, glass jewellery to organic garments.

Total Recall
London-based designer Karolina Merska honours the traditional pajaki (pah-yonk-ee) paper chandeliers, famous for drawing inspiration from architecture, costumes and flowers. “I will visit Bengaluru’s flower markets and decorate my installation at UB City with fresh marigolds instead of paper flowers,” she says.

It’s a Wrap
Bengaluru’s Town Hall has become synonymous with protests. Festival Founder Suprita Moorthy wants to change that with a makeover that will drape handmade textiles from Aadhyam around its Tuscan columns. “With pure ikats and Banarasi brocades, we will play with colour and contrast. We hope it will direct people’s gaze to its architecture and purpose,” she says.

Rajshree Pathy,
Director of the festival

What are the changes you have seen in the design industry since the inception of the India Design Forum (IDF) in 2012?
When we started IDF in Delhi, it was something very new for the city. People were aware of art but not design and conversations on design thinking were very new. Now there are several design exhibitions, events and talks, all of which is very good for designers as it allows them to present their works outside their own studios.

How has design made a difference to your life?
Design is really a way of thinking about how to make a product or create an experience. Design is not about decoration, it’s about ease of living, minimising wastage and being sustainable and affordable, otherwise design is meaningless. For me, starting IDF has been the most fulfilling experience, as I am passionate about spreading this message and removing the idea that design is elitist or about luxury.

What are the three things to watch out for at the Bengaluru ByDesign festival?
Bengaluru ByDesign is a city-wide, all-inclusive event that makes people stop and think differently about their city and its spaces. It opens up new dialogues on preservation, conservation and celebrates the city for its architecture, craft and so much more. The Town Hall pillars dressed in fabric, the UB city mall stairway clad in beautifully cut paper collage and the workshops everywhere are amazing.

How do you think design can become mainstream?
With the growth of the automotive industry, the real-estate boom, the lifestyle industry like furniture, household products, jewellery, clothing and IT, design is already mainstream, though people are not aware of it. Designers are wanted for all the above businesses. More schools need to come up across India for our fast-growing requirements.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Lifestyle / by Shiny Varghese / November 21st, 2018

Bopanna assures assistance to Kodagu

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Sports
Tennis player Rohan Bopanna is felicitated during a programme held at Kodava Samaja in Madikeri on Monday.
Tennis player Rohan Bopanna is felicitated during a programme held at Kodava Samaja in Madikeri on Monday.

Tennis player Rohan Bopanna has assured of providing further assistance towards the reconstruction of Kodagu district.

He was speaking after receiving felicitation during a programme, organised by Coorg Education Fund and Kodava Samaja, on Monday.

Bopanna said he was not able to visit Kodagu at the time of natural calamity. He said he had provided a little assistance to flood relief work and would extend his help in future as well, he said

“Students are being trained at Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy in Bengaluru. The academy will also provide training to children in Kanakapura in the days to come”.

He said he was not taking part in any tournament in the near future and had come to Kodagu on vacation. Bopanna, however, stated that he was hopeful of winning international tournaments. “I felt privileged to be conferred with Arjuna Award by the Central government in 2018.”

Coorg Education Fund Chairman Kootanda Uttappa said, “Rohan Bopanna has not only made Kodagu but also India proud with his achievement in tennis.

Rohan’s parents M G Bopanna and Mallika Bopanna were also felicitated on the occasion.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Districts / by Adithya KA / DH News Service,Madikeri / November 20th, 2018

One frame, many stories

Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Educational institutions were first started in Kodagu after the British takeover in 1834. Kodavas took to education enthusiastically.

In 1909, St Joseph’s Convent was founded by Catholic nuns in Madikeri. It was primarily for girls, but boys were allowed up to 7th standard. The school catered to both boarders and day scholars.

I recently came across a remarkable group photograph taken in 1911, of the students at the time, along with the European nuns who ran the school.This school offered quality education to the children of those locals who aspired to see their children well-prepared to take advantage of lucrative jobs and career opportunities under the colonial dispensation.

This school saw several generations of students, especially women, pursue higher education and excel in diverse professions at a time when women were not very much involved outside the traditional responsibilities of raising a family.

Poovaiah sisters, Sita, Chitra and Lata, with their guru, Jailal.
Poovaiah sisters, Sita, Chitra and Lata, with their guru, Jailal.

One family in this frame, frozen in time, has members who went on to become famous during 1930s and 1950s. They are the seven daughters and one son of the first lawyer from Kodagu — Codanda D Poovaiah. Six of his daughters continued their education outside Kodagu. The sisters excelled in various fields and soon came to be known as the ‘Poovaiah Sisters of Coorg’.

One of them, Rohini, was the first lady from Kodagu to get a degree. She later became the principal of Crosthwaite College, a well-known institution in Allahabad. She was familiar with the Nehru family and had a brief role in the education of a young Indira Gandhi. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1973.

Another sister, Ashlesha, was one of the first lady doctors from Kodagu. Yet another sister, Swati, did her nursing degree and later went on a scholarship to Columbia University in 1948 for further studies. The three younger sisters — Sita, Chitra and Lata, became renowned Kathak dancers and were much sought after not only for their performances, but also to direct dances in Hindi movies. All the sisters took part in the freedom movement. Chitra and Lata defied prohibitory orders during the ‘Quit India’ movement and were arrested and jailed for two weeks.

Sita went on to earn a PhD in Arts from Bombay University and became the first Kodava lady to get a doctorate degree.

Vivid memories: A century-old group photo of students of St Joseph’s Convent in Madikeri.
Vivid memories: A century-old group photo of students of St Joseph’s Convent in Madikeri.

Over the years, several girls who had their early education in this school went on to achieve in various fields.

Konganda Accamma who studied here in the 1920s joined Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi. She was one of the first Kodava women to earn an MBBS degree and headed Vanivilas Women and Children’s Hospital for several years.

C B Muthamma, India’s first woman IFS officer.
C B Muthamma, India’s first woman IFS officer.

One of the most distinguished alumna of this school is C B Muthamma, who was the first woman to qualify for the Indian Foreign Service in 1949. She also has the distinction of being the first lady ambassador from the IFS cadre. Muthamma had to face gender discrimination while in service. She fought against the government and went to the Supreme Court in 1979 for redressal. The apex court passed a judgement in her favour which paved the way for other women civil servants from being discriminated against. She also authored a book titled, Slain by the System, in 2003.

St Joseph’s is now a co-ed school and continues to provide quality education.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum / by C.P. Belliappa / November 10th, 2018

Rashmika Mandanna checks into Dhruva Sarja-starrer ‘Pogaru’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

The Saanvi girl, who became an overnight sensation in Tollywood, has been finalised for Dhruva Sarja-starrer Pogaru.

Actress Rashmika Mandanna. (Photo | Facebook)
Actress Rashmika Mandanna. (Photo | Facebook)

I am open to working in any language film as long as the script is strong,” Rashmika Mandanna had said in an earlier interview with City Express. And now, looks like a meaty story has come her way, with Rashmika having signed her next Kannada film.

The Saanvi girl, who became an overnight sensation in Tollywood, has been finalised for Dhruva Sarja-starrer Pogaru. Our sources further tell us that she will be paired opposite the Bharjari hero in Nanda Kishore’s directorial, which is being produced by Gangadhar. The school portions were shot with Dhruva in the first schedule, after which the makers took some time off to work on the script. That’s when Dhruva’s uncle Arjun Sarja took up writing the story.

Even as the prep work was in progress, the team was taking time to finalise the right heroine. Going by the script, they were keen to cast Rashmika, who they felt would fit the bill. In fact, Rashmika and Nanda have been in discussions ever since the latter was worked on a project with Dhruva.

The first-time pairing of Dhruva, Rashmika, and Nanda is something to watch out for.While Dhruva is currently concentrating on Pogaru, the teaser of which released on October 6 (the actor’s birthday), the second schedule of the film will start from November 20. Rashmika, who will be completing the pending song shoot for Darshan-starrer Yajamana, is said to joining the Pogaru team. The Chamak heroine will now be juggling between her Telugu film, Dear Comrade, starring Vijay Devarakonda, and this Kannada project.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Kannada / by A Sharadhaa / Express News Service / November 05th, 2018

Basketball: After success at FIBA Asia U-18 C’ships, Coorg girl Harshitha aims for bigger targets

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Harshitha was India’s leading scorer as the team progressed to Division A after beating Kazakhstan in the final.

HarshitaKF05nov2018

There’s a sense of inevitability when Harshitha Bopaiah picks up the basketball for her sixth free throw in the Division B final of the FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asian Championships. Her body language doesn’t attempt to mask with fake nonchalance the pressure within. Her face doesn’t give false looks of insouciance. She’s focused.

Kazakhstan’s an easy opponent on paper as they lost two of their three group games and only won against Samoa. But they are in the final after beating Syria.

This is Harshitha’s first final of any tournament as an India player. She’s performing in front of her family and friends at Sree Kanteerava Stadium and the home crowd has not stopped cheering. There’s tension which you can see on her face. But all her five previous free throws of the night – and two in the semi-final – were executed to smooth perfection. Hence, the sense of inevitability.

Harshitha picks up the ball, pauses for a fleeting moment, breathes twice and, once again, makes the perfect parabola that earns her team an additional point. Six free throws out of six.

The point stretched India’s lead in the third quarter to 47-24 in the third quarter. They eased to a 68-45 win over the Kazakhs to earn a berth in Division A of the Championships in 2020.

Harshitha, who’ll turn 20 by then, won’t be there to play that tournament. It’s been just three years since started playing basketball. But she reluctantly admits to having bigger ambitions.

“I would like to play for the Indian senior team, and perhaps, play abroad as well,” she tells Scroll.in.

But she barely had those ambitions when she began hooping back in Coorg.

The 18-year-old was encouraged to participate in various sports as a kid as sports ran in her family but of a different kind. Her dad played hockey for the state team and her brother represented his University side.

However, Harshitha excelled in athletics – long jump and high jump – at school.

“I’d come for a selection trials for athletics. A coach there told me that I have the height (now 5’9) for basketball. So, I went for the selection… and, got into the team.”

As a 15-year-old she joined the sports hostel in Vijaya Nagar for further training. Initially, she would face challenges on the court having never trained in the game before. But with time she adjusted.

“But I enjoy playing the game a lot,” she says.

The Indian team was without the injured teenage sensation Vaishnavi Yadav, who scored 71 points in a Junior Nationals Game in Ludhiana. But in her absence, Harshitha stood out, scoring 75 points in five games to finish the tournament as India’s leading scorer.

Putting the ball in the basket, of course, is fun for Harshitha. But she finds greater relish whilst defending – blocking and stealing the ball from the opposition (she made four steals in the final against Kazakhstan).

But Harshitha never imagined herself playing in front of her home crowd in the Indian jersey. Atleast not so early in her career.

“I never thought I’d make the side. I gave my best in the national camp. And, when I got into the team, it was a little scary because I knew I would be playing in front of my home crowd. But, two-three matches later, I got encouragement from the crowd, the coach. I felt proud of myself that I ended up as my team’s leading scorer in the tournament,” she said.

Certainly, India coach Zoran Visic was proud of her. He is incharge of India’s three teams – U-16, U-18 and the senior – in Bengaluru. But he was more than impressed with her consistent performance.

“Harshitha was very good, on both the rebounds as well as scoring points for us. In the semi-finals, too, she got a double-double, almost triple-double. And, she’s an important member of this team,” Visic said.

Both Harshitha and Visic would hope that she can be an important member of the senior team as well.

source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> The Field> Basketball / by Praveen Sudevan / November 04th, 2018

I really love using my head: Ashwini Ponnappa, the leader, is relishing the mind game in doubles

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Sports

The 29-year-old shuttler has really come into her own this season in terms of taking charge of her partnerships with Sikki Reddy and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.

Reuters
Reuters

It’s hard to believe sometimes that Ashwini Ponnappa is already 29 years old. Just two years ago, at the Rio Olympics, she was the junior doubles partner of the experienced Jwala Gutta. Now, she is the leader, in not one but two doubles partnerships.

Ashwini has really come into her own this season in terms of taking charge of her partnerships with both N Sikki Reddy, 25, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, 18. In April, she assumed charge and guided Satwik through to a brilliant win over the current world No 6 pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia to help India win the mixed team gold.

Throughout that one-hour-15-minute long match, Ashwini was seen constantly talking to Satwik in between points, guiding him tactically and also motivating him to push on. She did the same later with Sikki, as they won a historic bronze medal in the pair events.

Earlier this month, at the Denmark Open, Ashwini and Sikki defeated the world No 7 pair Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan from Korea despite going a game down. While that match was unfortunately not televised, Ashwini’s leadership was there to be seen in the quarter-finals, where the Indians faced the top-ranked Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota of Japan.

Even though the Indians, currently ranked 24th in the world, lost that match in straight games, the way Ashwini took charge of their partnership was heartening.

Reading the game
“I don’t see it as a leadership role,” says Ashwini, during an interaction in Mumbai at an event organised by Red Bull, which sponsors her. “It’s just a partnership where I have a lot to say,” she added, laughing. “My partners have been kind enough to let me voice my opinion and accept it.”

Sikki, butting in, says, “She reads the game very well. Being a very experienced player, her guidance is good for us because it makes it easier for us to play. We don’t need to think too much. Just go for what she says,” she adds, laughing.

From starting out as someone who hardly worked her grey matter during matches, Ashwini says she has evolved over the years into someone who loves using her head while playing.

“I love thinking,” she says. “Over the years, I have just evolved as a player from someone who used to just hit and hit, to someone who just really loves to watch my opponents, see things and figure out how we can get better as a pair. That’s something I am relishing. I really love using my head, I’d say.”

Ashwini Ponnappa believes she and Sikki have become more consistent since the Commonwealth Games (Image: PTI)
Ashwini Ponnappa believes she and Sikki have become more consistent since the Commonwealth Games (Image: PTI)

While Ashwini has all the intentions to play at the Tokyo Olympics in two years, when she will be nearly 31, does she see herself going into coaching after she hangs up her racket? “I don’t know, maybe, because I really enjoy thinking and analysing,” she says.

“I do love figuring things out – what’s good for us, what sort of drills would help us get better, what kind of rotation we could work on… those are things that of late my mind really thinks about. I love watching and learning, so maybe, yeah. I would love to [coach], I guess.”

Gaining consistency
Ashwini is quite pleased with how this season has gone for her, despite not going past the quarter-finals in any BWF World Tour tournament. She has been able to get the odd good result with both her partnerships but not really challenged for a medal, apart from the Commonwealth Games.

However, Ashwini believes their consistency as pairs has gotten better after the Commonwealth Games, especially with Sikki. After their bronze at Gold Coast, the Indian women’s doubles pair reached the quarters at the Asian Games and the Denmark Open.

“We have figured out the way we want to play,” Ashwini says, of her partnership with Sikki. “The Asian Games was good. We had a great match in the quarters [against the current world No 4 pair from China]. We could have won it. We were close but not quite there.”

Ashwini believes they are heading in the right direction, ahead of their last three international tournaments of the season: the China Open, the Hong Kong Open and the Syed Modi Championships.

“We are quite keen to do even better in the future,” she says. “The quarters is a start but hopefully we’ll win a Superseries soon.”

source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Badminton / by Jaideep Vaidya / November 01st, 2018

Shubra Aiyappa, Diva Dhawan find it ‘memorable’ shooting for Kingfisher calendar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

ShubraAiyappaKF02nov2018

New Delhi:

Actress-models Shubra Aiyappa and Diva Dhawan, who will be featured in Kingfisher Calendar 2019, say that shooting for it was a truly memorable experience. Commenting on her experience shooting for the Kingfisher calendar, Shubra said, “Being a part of this year’s Kingfisher calendar campaign was indeed a one of a kind experience. I was quite nervous in the beginning as this is my first swimsuit shoot, however the whole journey was a lot of fun. Working with a crew, who have been shooting the Kingfisher calendar for more than a decade was truly an unforgettable moment.

“The calendar has been shot in some stunning locations across the globe, but this year’s destination Sardinia was indeed a wanderlust paradise. We shot some stunning swimwear in some gorgeous locations and are still recovering from the Sardinian after-effect. There was never a dull moment or a time where I didn’t feel comfortable, only vibes I felt were the Good Times. Looking forward to the years Kingfisher Calendar.”

Diva Dhawan also shared her thoughts on being part of this year’s calendar shoot. “Being a part of the Kingfisher calendar was truly a great experience indeed, as it celebrates Indian women and beauty in all forms. I think it’s nice to be part of something that has been around for so long because everyone in the team has been working together for years. The Kingfisher calendar truly was a memorable experience,” she said.

Kingfisher, The King of Good Times, has the calendar featuring four top models shot by ace photographer Atul Kasbekar.

The other two ladies who will be part of the calendar are beauty queen from Orissa Sushrii Mishraa and Hayley Parr from the United Kingdom. Sardinia, a gem of an island in the Mediterranean Sea, will form the breathtaking backdrop for the Kingfisher calendar 2019.

The Kingfisher calendar has featured stars like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Nargis Fakhri, Liza Hayden over the years.

source: http://www.freepressjournal.com / Free Press Journal / Home / by IANS / October 31st, 2018

It’s not easy to speak up and voice your opinion: Ashwini Ponnappa backs India’s #MeToo movement

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

The ace Indian shuttler said she felt ‘lucky and blessed’ that she had not faced any sort of sexual harassment in her career.
AshwiniKF31oct2018

Ace Indian shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa on Monday backed the country’s #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, saying it’s important to stand by the women who are sharing their experiences.

Since October 5, several women have used social media to make allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against several journalists, media professionals, actors, writers and others.

“In a nation like India, you need to be tough and careful as well,” Ashwini said. “It’s important to stand by them, listen to them and give them strength and courage. It’s not easy to speak up and voice your opinion.”

Ashwini said she was “lucky and blessed” that she had not faced any sort of sexual harassment in her career. “It’s quite unfortunate with all the things I have read and that’s happened,” she said. “But all I can say is that I am fortunate in that respect that I don’t have much to complain about or say. I am grateful for that.”

Ashwini was speaking to reporters in Kolkata while promoting the inaugural Badminton Express League. The all-amateur meet will have six teams with 14 players each, who will compete for top honours at the Ordnance Club from November 28 to December 2.

Ashwini and her current partner N Sikki Reddy caused a massive upset at the recent Denmark Open, ousting seventh seeds Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan of South Korea to make the quarter-finals. Their fine run came to an end against top seeds Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota in the quarter-finals.

“It’s important to understand that when you play doubles, you win and lose together,” Ashwini said. “Sikki and I had a great quarters match and that has given me a lot of confidence that we are going in the right direction.”

She added, “In the quarters [of the Denmark Open] against the Japanese, we tried doing the same as we did against the Koreans. It did not work. We cannot have the same game style against everyone. We need to get better in a few tactical areas too. It’s important to have something special so that we work it towards the end.”

With the Olympics in two years time, Ashwini said she and Sikki are hopeful and working extremely hard to get better. “We are stretching the top players and it’s about time we start winning,” she said.

“Satwik [Rankireddy] and Chirag [Shetty] have had a great run. Sikki and I have had great matches, Satwik and I have had great matches. We are going to do everything we can to qualify and win a medal.”

With inputs from Scroll Staff

source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Field> Badminton / Press Trust of India / October 30th, 2018

Gulshan Devaiah: Web-series Smoke looks at greed and power from different perspectives

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Videos

The Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota (2018) actor speaks about his upcoming roles in Eros Now’s Smoke and Commando 3.

Gushan01KF29oct2018

More and more actors and actresses are being drawn to web-series these days. From Amazon’s Inside Edge to Netflix’s Sacred Games, all have boasted of versatile ensemble casts. Now it is the turn of Eros Now to unveil its latest online series, Smoke.

The show, which take a look at the drug mafia in Goa, stars Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Mandira Bedi, Gulshan Devaiah, Amit Sial, Satyadeep Mishra, Neil Bhoopalam, Prakash Belawadi, and the late Tom Alter.

Actor Gulshan Devaiah spoke to Cinestaan.com about why he took on the role of gangster Jairam Jha in the web-series.

Gushan02KF29oct2018
“When the producers came to me, they offered me the character of Jairam Jha who is from Bihar. Being a proper South Indian, I thought it was pretty gutsy of them to offer me a role of a Bihari,” he recalled.

He told the producers he would need time to prepare. But he later agreed to the part, saying, “I take a lot of confidence in people having a lot of confidence in me.” That person was producer Faisal Malik, who had faith in Gulshan Devaiah’s abilities.

“I don’t buckle under such pressure, I thrive,” the actor continued. “I want to try and I do believe that I am a versatile and diverse artiste. These are opportunities that I jump upon when they come to me. This is an opportunity where I can actually put my money where my mouth is. So I was really happy. That’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to do this.”

Further, he believed in the producers and directors on the web-series who wanted to raise the digital content being produced in India.

“I think we suffer from not paying enough attention to quality,” he said. “These people that I was working with, they seemed like they had their hearts and minds in the place where they would say that we want to make something entertaining, that people will like, but we want to make a good product at the end of the day which will take this genre forward in a positive direction. I was in agreement with that.”

source: http://www.youtube.com
SMOKE Trailer | An Eros Now Original Series | All Episodes Streaming Now

Smoke’s impressive cast was another strong selling point. Asked if he knew who was working on the project before he signed up for it, the actor replied in the affirmative.

“I knew everybody that I was working with,” he said. “I didn’t know them personally. It was the first time I was working with Mr Tom Alter, who was such a fine actor and a thespian. We will surely miss him. Mandira Bedi is also a proven actor and it was fantastic to work with her. Kalki and Neil are friends, so it was easy with them.

“Amit Sial, whom I have always admired, he is a fabulous actor and it was a great opportunity for me to work with him and another gentleman from Bangalore called Prakash Belawadi who is a very prominent theatre person,” he continued. “They put together an interesting and diverse cast so that was also an incentive to see how it would be.”

The web-series, directed by Neel Guha, examines characters through the lens of greed and power.

“It looks at greed and power from different perspectives, of all these characters. They are all after the same thing. Everything is in grey and there are different shades of grey depending on the situation and on who they are and what they want. So it looks at that, which is an advantage in the case of Smoke, because in a film it would be a much more narrowed down point of view, and greed and power are things which are very common and we are suffering the effects of that as we speak.”

Besides Smoke and his double role in Vasan Bala’s Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota (2018), Gulshan Devaiah has also signed on to play the antagonist to Vidyut Jammwal’s lead character for the third Commando film, for which shooting has begun. The actor joked that he did not require any training for the film as he already knows karate after training for Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota.

“My attempt is always to try and do something different, try and see how I can create and contribute,” he said. “This, to put it simply, would be an out-and-out commercial film. I also feel that I don’t restrict my sensibilities as an artiste to certain kinds of films. Sometimes, you have to do as many films as possible.”

He sat down with the film’s producer and director to work out how his character would take shape.

“We play villains like villains. That’s exactly what I’m not trying to do. For the sake of everybody understanding how exactly I fit in, it’s the antagonist, but from my point of view, I’m not playing it as the antagonist. I would completely disagree and say I’m not the antagonist, I am the protagonist,” he said.

With his approach he hopes to give fans of the Commando franchise something exciting to look forward to. The third Commando film is scheduled for release in 2019 while the 11-episode web-series Smoke was made available for streaming on Eros Now on 26 October.

source: http://www.cinestaan.com / Cinestaan / Home> Interview> Hindi / by Sonal Pandya / Mumbai – October 28th, 2018