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Talk
of the Town
EVERY TIME a top celebrity drops in for a guest appearance, fans throng
the venue for a `darshan'. And, when it is one celebrity too many, it
turns into a mob.
So it
was no surprise that Music World played out a chaotic note, quite
different from the promised patriotic fanfare. There were foul- mouthed
security people, who were herding the crowd around like P.T. masters at
middle school.
The
special screening on the occasion of Independence Day featured music
director A. R. Rahman, Vikku Vinayakaram, Sudha Raghunathan, violinists
Ganesh and Kumaresh.
The
flock strayed in 35 minute late, as enthu security people collected
audience for the show, showing customers the way out one and half hours
before the actual appearance.
Then
the strings. For staying inside Music World, one had to buy a tape or CD
of Rahman's latest album `Jana Gana Mana' under the Bharat Bala banner,
that features some legends of Indian music.
The
group was mobbed by mediapersons, fighting for space, quite literally, as
the organisers pushed people around. The climax of the show was when
Rahman got up to speak. His words drowned in the cacophony of sound
created by the organisers who were vocal, in high pitch.
After
permitting one question, mediapersons were told: time up.
KA
VISIT to Kishkinta, the theme park and a sight-seeing trip around Chennai.
That is the prize that success brought for them.
Nearly
60 toppers in the tenth standard and plus two examinations from all over
the State became the ``Mudhalvan'' awardees, and got their honours at the
hands of the Chennai Mayor, Mr. M. K. Stalin.
The
awards, jointly offered by Raj TV and Kishkinta, had the students excited,
for it was a three day holiday in the State capital. They packed in a trip
to the War Memorial and got an introduction to the world of channel
television, at Raj TV's headquarters.
The
youth went round the IIT campus, a sumptuous lunch and then went home with
some gifts to show off to their friends: a bicycle, personal stereo, wrist
watch and a Rs. 1,000 gift hamper.
POLITICIANS
NEVER retire. Years after hibernating in the wilderness, the former AIADMK
Minister, Dr. H. V. Hande, now with the BJP, is again trying to get over
political arthritis.
Dr.
Hande is writing a book on the ``mischief done by the Congress(I) to the
Constitution during the Emergency period''. The other day, speaking on
Constitution review, he railed at the Congress(I) for ``daring to change
the basic character of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Constitution''. His claim is
that the book will expose the party's present stand in opposing the
Constitution Review Committee.
Some
may recall that Dr. Hande had at one stage in his career, announced his
retirement and wanted to work on the Kamba Ramayanam.
ONE OF
the regular participants at official events is the Union Minister, Mr.
Murasoli Maran. His absence at some recent official functions led to some
gossip.
However,
he was back at the opening of the two flyovers in Chennai a few days ago,
and that set things at rest. Mr. Maran is a man in hurry and talks of
quick changes in the way things work. Perhaps he should drive more often
through many of the roads of Chennai or TIDEL city, to see how badly they
are in need of repairs by the Corporation and the State Highways.
By
Sudhish Kamath, V. Prem Shanker, K. Ramachandran and S. Vydhianathan.
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