The Canadian Parvasi - Issue 16

The International News Weekly VIEWS
October 06, 2017 | Toronto 14
By Subhash K. Jha
MUMBAI: Veteran
actor Anupam Kher's
appointment as Chairman
of the Film and Television
Institute of India (FTII) has
sparked murmurs about a
'clash of interest' that his
new job poses with his own
acting school. But he is
unfazed and says naysayers
have always been there
whenever he has held a
government position.
What does Anupam
have to say about those not
happy with his new post?
"Oh, them," he said.
"They have always been
around whenever I have
been given a governmental
position. When I was
made the Chairperson of
the CBFC, they said there
would be a clash of interest
with my relationship with
producers and the film
fraternity. When I took up
stage acting very seriously,
they said there would be a
clash of interest with my
film assignments.
"So if they had not
come forward now, I'd
have missed them. But no,
I am not worried about any
I don't care
about
critics,
says
Anupam
clash of interest. I prioritise
my various commitments
in a very systematic way,"
Anupam added.
What would Anupam
like to say to the students
of FTII?
"Wait and watch. Let
me first catch my breath,
interact with you and then
let me do my job. Judge me
after that."
On Thursday, the FTII
Students' Association
wrote an open letter to
the actor, drawing his
attention towards nine key
issues of the institute.
Has Anupam thought
of what he would like to
do at the FTII, a premier
institute for filmmaking
enthusiasts.
"It is too early to start
planning. I first need to
appraise the situation and
meet all my team members
there. From what I gather,
the FTII is running
smoothly, so I won't ruffle
the status quo just to let the
world know of my presence.
But yes, eventually there
will be changes.
"I've never been
scared of failing. If I was,
I wouldn't have played a
65-year-old man when I
was only 25 (in Mahesh
Bhatt's 'Saaraansh'). Today
when I am approaching 65,
I don't think there is any
responsibility I wouldn't
be up to," said the 62-yearold.
Anupam said he enjoys
every challenge equally.
"I had already started
making 'Ranchi Diaries'
in Jharkhand when I
suggested to the local
administration, why not
have proper film industry
in the state? 'MS Dhoni...'
was shot there, so was
'Begum Jaan'. They said,
'Yes, why not?' By the time
I landed back in Mumbai,
they had already appointed
me the Chairperson of
the Jharkhand Film
Development Corporation.
"I decided, why not?
Every challenge is fine
by me. I am being asked
why I did that small role
in 'Judwaa 2'? I did it for
the fun of being in both
parts of the franchise and
for my long association
with David Dhawan. I
don't forget friends or
abandon associations as
per my convenience or
inconvenience. I think
that's one reason why
I am given such huge
responsibilities."
How a Japanese girl falls in love with Urdu calligraphy
By Mohammed Shafeeq
H Y D E R A B A D :
Calligraphy may be
dying in an increasingly
digitalised world, but the
sheer love of the art has
attracted a Japanese girl to
India.
At a time when very
few youngsters are
taking to Arabic/Urdu
calligraphy, Yuko Takaji
took up the pen and is
learning the intricacies
of the art from Muqtar
Ahmed, a Bengaluru-based
calligrapher.
For someone born
and brought up in Tokyo,
Urdu is an alien language,
but the 32-year-old speaks
it with a fluency few
can match even in the
subcontinent.
After learning Urdu
from Tokyo University of
Foreign Studies (TUFS),
Takaji decided to explore
something which only a
few dare to experiment
with.
It looks strange as
there are no similarities
between her mothertongue
and Urdu. She learnt
calligraphy in Japanese
but the same art in Arabic/
Urdu is a totally different
ball game -- but she was
determined.
It was 15 years ago that
she decided to try her hand
at Arabic calligraphy. "I
saw a picture in a book. I
thought it's just a picture
but was surprised when I
read the caption that it's
made from the word 'Allah'.
It was so beautiful and I
decided that I should learn
Arabic calligraphy," Takaji
told IANS.
"There is a huge
difference between Arabic
and Japanese characters.
I like Arabic characters
because they look so
beautiful," Takaji said.
She learnt anaskh, an
initial style of calligraphy,
from her teacher Koichi
Honda in Japan and, on
his advice, came to India to
learn other styles.
She is currently
learning aruq'ah and is
keen to continue learning
till the anasta'liq level.
She aims to master the art
to the stage where she can
write the characters the
way she wants.
She first visited India in
2011 and learnt the basics
at a madrasa in Delhi for
a week. She came again in
2012 and this time spent a
month to learn the art.
Takaji has so far visited
India 16 times, not just to
learn calligraphy but also
to explore different parts of
the country.
"Mujhe India ke log
pasand hain. Logon se baat
karna bohut accha lagta
hai," (I like people of India
and love to talk to them),
she said in Urdu.
Takaji, who has also
visited Pakistan, believes
calligraphy can serve as
a medium to bring the
people of the two countries
together.
Muqtar, who is trying
to revive calligraphy,
is happy that the art is
getting support from
an unexpected quarter.
"There are 17 Urdu/Arabic
calligraphy centres in
Japan and 350 Japanese
are learning this art," said
Muqtar, whose works were
displayed at an exhibition
at Kyoto City International
Community House last
month.
Muqtar, who teaches
calligraphy at the Institute
of Indo-Islamic Arts and
Culture in Bengaluru, said
more youngsters in Japan
were learning calligraphy.
"They understand the
importance of this art,
which brings out the best in
a man. Unfortunately, this
is not happening in India
where calligraphy once
enjoyed royal patronage,"
said Muqtar, who plans to
work together with some
calligraphy centres in
Japan by imparting skills
to their students.
Muqtar, whose art has
been recognised at many
international events, said
three Americans also learnt
calligraphy from him.