New tidings in 2014

Deepika Padukone was the star of the year who sparkled in four films namely ‘Race2’, ‘Chennai Express’, ‘Ye Jawani Hai Deewani’ and ‘Goliyon ki Rasleela :Ramleela’. The performer of the year was Farhan Akhtar who lived the role of Milkha Singh and gave three years of his life to look and run like the sportsman in ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’.

Writer Prasoon Joshi and director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra made you cry and laugh revisiting the story of an icon in BMB. Rakesh Roshan completed his trilogy ‘Krrish 3’ with star son Hrithik Roshan and proved that the best special effects can be done in India. Shah Rukh Khan re-emerged as an action/ comic/ romantic hero in ‘Chennai Express’ and Aditya Chopra proved the master of ‘Dhoom’ franchise by taking ‘Dhoom3’ to a 300-plus crore.

There were many professional and personal controversies. Apoorva Lakhia locked horns and lost out to writers Salim-Javed over ‘Zanjeer 2’. Katrina Kaif got upset about her bikini pictures on a private holiday with Ranbir Kapoor leaked in the media. Shah Rukh Khan had a surrogate baby and pleaded with media to respect his privacy and Salim-Javed after decades came together on a common platform to promote ‘Sholay 3D’.

There were some sad news too and on top of the list is the end of a fairy tale of Susanne and Hrithik Roshan who went public with their breakup. It is very easy to say let bygone be bygone, but how do you forget the passing away of so many beautiful people…Manna Dey had been ailing for a long time and this year the singer with a distinctive voice left us forever. Pransaab had been in and out of Leelavati Hospital for months and his Dadasaheb Award was brought home, where a few days later he breathed his last.

This year we lost audio genius Amar Bose, writer Sushmita Bannerjee, ghazal singer Shamshad Begum and filmmaker Rituporno Ghosh. We lost Jiah Khan who could have had a great future if somebody had held her hand when she was scared and lonely, that did not happen.

And Farooque Shaikh...I met him last at Big Star Entertainment Awards, he arrived in his trademark chikan kurta, long silky hair and mojris. He didn’t win the award and I said ‘Sorry’ to him. He was sporting as always, promised to meet me over coffee and catch up. We didn’t. He did not keep his promise. Like everyone else I paid him tribute via radio and columns. Why is life so cruel..?

There are great plans by a lot of people for the New Year but the biggest and the healthiest is by Sanjana Kapoor. In the 70s ‘Junoon’ was the title of her father, Shashi Kapoor’s film directed by Shyam Benegal. In 2013 ‘Junoon’ is the dream of Sanjana Kapoor for a big city. A dream to present the Mumbai Local programme - that will provide access to performing arts, revitalise cultural vibrancy and strengthen the sense of community across the city.

Sanjana wanted to do this for many years but her commitment to Prithvi Theatre did not permit her distractions until one fine day she decided enough was enough. She had done Prithvi for decades and it was time to move on. She did. A few months into planning and a few months on ground and Sanjana was ready with another baby. She chose the title ‘Junoon’ because it fitted the idea and more important the title belonged to Filmwala’s her father’s production company. Now the task was to explain to people what ‘Junnon’ meant.

In every meeting Sanjana explained that’ Junoon’ seeks to add vibrancy to existing spaces, to transform them into collective experiences an ongoing, regular feature of our urban lives. Initiating the Mumbai Local programme from January 2014 across four venues – Kitab Khana/Fort, MCubed Library/Bandra, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum/Byculla East, and Somaiya Vidyavihar/Vidyavihar East it will be a rare program where artists and scientist will share the magic of their journeys.

“Our aim is to intimate indoor spaces as well as open-air public gardens” says Sanjana, “ ‘Junoon’ is a broad-based community effort – where key stakeholders can contribute in their own way and which is the core to the spirit of Mumbai Local. We don’t realise it today but in time to come ‘Junoon’ will prove the backbone required for any healthy city. Well done Sanjana!

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya