01 November,2020 08:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Aastha Atray Banan, Jane Borges, P Vatsalya, Prutha Bhosle
In Hindi, santati means continuum, or an infinite loop. A new experiential book, Santati: Mahatma Gandhi Then. Now. Next (HarperCollins India; R1,799), authored by Delhi poetess Navkirat Sodhi, explores this continuous search for the Mahatma within us. Inspired by a travelling exhibition of the same name, which was curated by Lavina Baldota to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the book offers a unique compilation of photographs and paintings spanning nearly a century, accompanied by Sodhi's reflective verse. "Gandhi's ideas stand before us stark, mirror-like to ask some uncomfortable questions. His work and findings form a prophetic blueprint of two journeys - the one we could have taken and the one we did not take to get there," shares the author. The book is split into three broad themes - Then, Now and Next. Each theme imagines how the Mahatma inspired art and the artist. The one that we found most moving was photojournalist Kulwant Roy's rare photos of Gandhi, retrieved from broken negatives, now part of the National Gallery of Modern Art archives. But saying this book is about Gandhi would be limiting the scope of the experience that Sodhi and Baldota hoped to recreate. It's also about the artists, who envisioned the many values represented by Gandhi - ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth) and aprarigraha (non-accumulation) churning within.
Izma Hakim is all of seven and a star in every sense of the word. The social media star has only 12 posts on her account so far, but a dedicated follower count of 20k is already in place. Her account is managed by sister, Sofiya Shaikh, who shoots and directs the videos.
Hakim's most recent video features her playing a variety of students and teachers found in a classroom setting. It has received over 1.3 lakh views. Our favourite is her imitating Sunny Deol and Paresh Rawal in a hilarious mashup. Hakim also has her very own take on the now-viral 'rasode mein kaun tha?' song created by music producer Yashraj Mukhate.
On the face of it, one might think that Hakim's life is fun and games. But she is fighting a rare disease called Spina Bifida. She can't walk unless she slips on specialised shoes. Her expressions, gestures and confidence are a treat to watch.
@the_divine_child_, Instagram
David Guetta and Sia's track Let's Love is a pitch for optimism at a time when fighting gloom is an everyday challenge.
The two wrote the song through Zoom sessions during the lockdown. "The year after the global financial crisis in 2009, I produced I gotta feeling for The Black Eye Peas. It became the number one track globally. I think it's because the song tapped into the mood of that time. People wanted to listen to music that made them feel good. Last year, I was producing a lot of club tracks and darker music, but now, I'm inspired to make feel-good music," he says, adding that Sia was perfect to collaborate with on the power anthem. "I texted her my idea and the chords and within 24 hours, she had turned it into lyrics and melody!" Guetta hopes the world is able to return to festivals and gigs safely and soon, but he knows it could be a long way off.
An old letter written by an uncle. The post is captioned: "He didn't give us a lot of presents but he did give us the best presents of all time - to stay curious to gain more knowledge. His letters moved from rhymes like these to literature."
When Sampada Srivastava had a knee surgery last December, she was cooped up at home for two months. By the time she could step out again, the lockdown was in place. "I realised despite technology, everyone was feeling displaced. I decided to flip through my father's old letters in a bid to find my emotional beatings," she says.
Veteran actor Bharat Kapoor reads out a letter
It inspired her to launch the Letters With Love page on Instagram to keep love alive by falling back on old memories. The project is an attempt to curate letters from now and before shared by people, that are later read out or recreated by artistes and performers.
Sampada Srivastava
With Remorse was the first letter she received for the page. "It was about a stranger's journey of fighting alcoholism, sex and drug addiction and coming out of it stronger. It was overwhelming that a stranger had trusted me with their story. We got television actor Ayesha Adlakha to read it," she says. If you have a letter with a story to tell, Srivastava is happy to recreate it with an artiste.
@letters.wl, Instagram
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