On 01/03/2009, Vishwa Mohan Tiwari <onevishwa@...> wrote:
>
> Of course there is a difference between art and activism.
> The two need not be present in the same person, most of the time.
>
> But there are individuals who have both the qualities.
>  Umpteen examples can be quoted Kabir is a famous example,
> Tulsidaas, the author of Ramcharit mmanas is another,
> who started the tradition of 'Raamleelaa',
> which has been running throufh the last 4 centuries uninterrupted.
>
> Arts and social concerns are deeply, indelibly connected.
> Even without being an activist an artist or author may start a revolution,
> Voltair , an author,
> has been reputed to be the father of the famous French Revolution.
> Karl Marx is another such example.
> I understood Reema ji to imply that Slum dog fellow could have actively
> helped the slum persons.
> That small gesture would indicated that good of the poor is in his heart,
> and that he is not expoiting the poverty porn for self gain.
> La Dominique of Oh Calcutta fame did help the poor actively.
>
> The aim of the film was worse than  poverty porn; it was to dehumanize
> India,
>  to condemn India, not even to suggest a direction for solution. The
> suggested solution is wining a prize in a
> quiz, which is no solution for any serious problem, leave alone poverty.
>
>  India that is attempting to stand amongst the developed nations,
> India that is challenging the markets, inter alia, of space technology,of
> software etc. that
> India does not deserve to stand  with respect among the developed nations.
> Film Munaa Bhai deserved better than this slumdog.
> Let us not forget the main obective of the Oscar award givers, viz, profit
> making;
> and that is where beauty competition and oscars have the common root.
> They are not as different as chalk and cheese, they have commonality, a
> serious commonality,
> a source of exploitation of the weaker by the stronger.
>
>
> Vishwa Mohan Tiwari
>
>
>
> To: indiansciencefiction@...
> From: arnieswap@...
> Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:38:34 +0530
> Subject: Re: [indiansciencefiction] Please Don't Celebrate
>
>
>
>
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>             There is a difference between being an activist and being a film
>
> maker/ story teller. Why is Reema ji connecting the two. A story
>
> teller/reporter or a film maker's job is not to judge or to actively
>
> change the situation, his job is to sensitize the situation so that
>
> people can feel some empathy towards those who are in pathetic
>
> situation. As a film maker or as a writer, if I found some thing worth
>
> bringing attention of the masses - for example street children -- I
>
> will write a story or make a film on them. That doesn't mean that I
>
> will go to street and help them -- that is NOT my job. And there is a
>
> saying "jiska kaam ussi ko saje aur kare to danda baje". Second that
>
> is what I do best -- write story or make film. The one who has
>
> contacts with NGO and can manage resources may go ahead and help those
>
> kids. Same is applicable here in case of Slum Dog. Shyam Benegal used
>
> to make sensitive films but that doesn't mean he must put the camera
>
> down and go to street and take up the broom. We need to know the
>
> difference between activism and creativity.
>
>
>
> Now, awards. The music and editing has won Oscars -- great job! I
>
> don't know why we Indian's think of ourselves to be left out? Miss
>
> Universe and Miss World was a different phenomenon. You can't compare
>
> Oscars with that, please. Let's pat AR and Kutty for getting India
>
> acknowledged.
>
>
>
> But, make no mistake it is NOT an Indian film. But some Indian's has
>
> contributed greatly. So, let's be thankful to those Indians for
>
> earning some respect for us. While we have DONE NOTHING to make India
>
> feel proud. Yes, if one of us can get a Booker or Nobel, then we can
>
> talk. Otherwise, call for no celebration doesn't make any sense.
>
>
>
> I repeat. DON"T MIX ART WITH ACTIVISM.
>
>
>
> Swapnil
>
>
>
> On 2/24/09, CHANDRA MOHAN NAUTIYAL <cmnautiyal@...> wrote:
>
>> Well, those responsible for the slums and not having done enough to change
>
>> things can always take credit.
>
>>
>
>> I agree that this is not the best music by Rehman.  But let's understand
>
>> that that's how we got Miss Universe and Miss India- our 350 million
>> strong
>
>> purchasing capacity is weilding the power.  There are some other criteria,
>
>> not good to talk about, but international considerations always play a
>> role.
>
>>
>
>> But a fact must be acknowledged that India has been noticed.  The highly
>
>> westernised glasses have allowed India to pass through it and be
>> considered.
>
>> Judging poetry in translation is never easy, but is being done.  Long back
>
>> Geetanjali did make a mark.
>
>>
>
>> We may take pride in being noticed, though as to reasons, can be lost in
>> the
>
>> noise of JAI HO!
>
>> CMN
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> --- On Tue, 24/2/09, Reema Sarwal <reema.sarwal@...> wrote:
>
>>
>
>> From: Reema Sarwal <reema.sarwal@...>
>
>> Subject: [indiansciencefiction] Please Don't Celebrate
>
>> To: indiansciencefiction@...
>
>> Date: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 9:08 AM
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Dear Everyone,
>
>> Today, all the newspapers and News Channels are celebrating the Oscars for
>
>> Slumdog Millionaire. Every celebrity, politician and even the President of
>
>> India has declared that this movie has done India proud? PROUD? Of what?
>
>> It's a Hollywood movie with Mumbai slums as its location. Proud of the
>
>> location? The slums? It makes me sick. Physically.
>
>> Rahman has composed much better music millions of times. Not one
>> politician
>
>> had the courage to say that that soon these slums will be made a thing of
>
>> history by the efforts of the government and the people. Couldn't Rahman
>> use
>
>> the stage of the Oscars when he climbed it to receive the award that he
>
>> would like to take the opportunity to urge the Americans to support the
>
>> Indian struggle against poverty? (Tagore had publicly declared his wish to
>
>> return the Nobel Prize following the British atrocities.)
>
>> Now that the movie has earned so much revenue, is even a miniscule
>
>> percentage to be spent on the slums-dwellers? Can the filmmakers shoulder
>
>> the responsibility of even one square kilometre of slums? Forget about
>> that,
>
>> according to my little information, the child actors have been paid
>
>> something between Rs 35,000 to about 1 lakh. Did child star Radcliff get
>> the
>
>> same amount for Harry Potter?
>
>>
>
>> Hand out some Oscars and sit smug? And let silly Indians go into a frenzy
>> of
>
>> euphoria?
>
>>
>
>> It is my appeal that no one celebrate. Not now. Celebrate after the slums
>
>> are gone.
>
>>
>
>> -Reema.
>
>>
>
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
>
>>
>
>>       Connect with friends all over the world. Get Yahoo! India Messenger
>> at
>
>> http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/?wm=n/
>
>
>
> --
>
> Swapnil Bhartiya
>
> Assistant Editor
>
> EFYTimes.com
>
>
>
> *I use GNU Operating System, what do you use? *
>
>
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> _________________________________________________________________
> Express your personality in color! Preview and select themes for Hotmail®.
>
http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/LearnMore/personalize.aspx?ocid=TXT_MSGTX_WL_\
HM_express_032009#colortheme


--
arvind mishra

A DESERVING JAI HO FOR DR.UNNIKRSNAN ,Ms MEENU KHARE AND ALL OTHER
AWARD WINNERS OF NCSTC. IT WAS A GREAT PLEASURE TO MEET BOTH OF THEM
AT VARANASI.
THANKFUL JAI HO FOR DR.PATAIRIYA AND DR.ARVIND MISHRA FOR PROVIDING A
GOOD PLATFORM TO MEET CELEBARITIES.
-- HARISH YADAV

With reference to all my previous communications on Slumdog
Millionaire movie, I support the views expressed by Ms. Reema, Shri
VMT g, Shri CMN g, Shri Arvind g and ofcourse Shri Gene g. (Plz.
pardon me 4 shortening jee with g on the net 4 netizens, eh !).

The film is cruel joke on India's poverty - wrongly depicted and
rightly termed by many as 'Poverty Porn'. It's something like
stripping and outraging the modesty of a person and showing it in
the name of art, eh !

Let this foriegn film win Oscars or Golden Globes thrown by Uncle
Sams or Euro lords, hardly impressive. However, we may congratulate
the music maestro - AR Rahman (originally Dilip Kumar), Gulzar and
Ressul Pookutty for their original contributions and winning the big
award in their personal capacities !

Let the dust raised by the film settle down, till then resonate with
JAI HO .....

(rpr)

You can also find the coverage of the award at:

http://indisf.com/content/indian-national-award-science-communication

Team indiSF


--- In indiansciencefiction@..., CHANDRA MOHAN NAUTIYAL
<cmnautiyal@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Friends,
>  
> I apologise for my post on the forum which was meant to be a
personal e-mail to Dr. Patariya. 
>  
> I took Dr. Patairiya's mail to be a personal one and replied to it,
without realising that it was to forum. I have personally
congratulated one of he winners (one whom I knew) already but I wish
to congratulate all of them especially the two who came to varanasi. 
It's a distinction for our society as well.
>  
> CMN
>
>
>       Download prohibited? No problem. CHAT from any browser,
without download. Go to http://in.webmessenger.yahoo.com/
>

It of course is an article which must be read and commented upon
because we are important to ourselves as a human race. We must
understand what is happening to us genetically and culturally, and how
and why?

Read full comment of the editor of indiSF,
http://indisf.com/content/how-fast-are-humans-evolving#comment-20

There is a difference between being an activist and being a film
maker/ story teller. Why is Reema ji connecting the two. A story
teller/reporter or a film maker's job is not to judge or to actively
change the situation, his job is to sensitize the situation so that
people can feel some empathy towards those who are in pathetic
situation. As a film maker or as a writer, if I found some thing worth
bringing attention of the masses - for example street children -- I
will write a story or make a film on them. That doesn't mean that I
will go to street and help them -- that is NOT my job. And there is a
saying "jiska kaam ussi ko saje aur kare to danda baje". Second that
is what I do best -- write story or make film. The one who has
contacts with NGO and can manage resources may go ahead and help those
kids. Same is applicable here in case of Slum Dog. Shyam Benegal used
to make sensitive films but that doesn't mean he must put the camera
down and go to street and take up the broom. We need to know the
difference between activism and creativity.

Now, awards. The music and editing has won Oscars -- great job! I
don't know why we Indian's think of ourselves to be left out? Miss
Universe and Miss World was a different phenomenon. You can't compare
Oscars with that, please. Let's pat AR and Kutty for getting India
acknowledged.

But, make no mistake it is NOT an Indian film. But some Indian's has
contributed greatly. So, let's be thankful to those Indians for
earning some respect for us. While we have DONE NOTHING to make India
feel proud. Yes, if one of us can get a Booker or Nobel, then we can
talk. Otherwise, call for no celebration doesn't make any sense.

I repeat. DON"T MIX ART WITH ACTIVISM.

Swapnil

On 2/24/09, CHANDRA MOHAN NAUTIYAL <cmnautiyal@...> wrote:
> Well, those responsible for the slums and not having done enough to change
> things can always take credit.
>
> I agree that this is not the best music by Rehman.  But let's understand
> that that's how we got Miss Universe and Miss India- our 350 million strong
> purchasing capacity is weilding the power.  There are some other criteria,
> not good to talk about, but international considerations always play a role.
>
> But a fact must be acknowledged that India has been noticed.  The highly
> westernised glasses have allowed India to pass through it and be considered.
> Judging poetry in translation is never easy, but is being done.  Long back
> Geetanjali did make a mark.
>
> We may take pride in being noticed, though as to reasons, can be lost in the
> noise of JAI HO!
> CMN
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- On Tue, 24/2/09, Reema Sarwal <reema.sarwal@...> wrote:
>
> From: Reema Sarwal <reema.sarwal@...>
> Subject: [indiansciencefiction] Please Don't Celebrate
> To: indiansciencefiction@...
> Date: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 9:08 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Everyone,
> Today, all the newspapers and News Channels are celebrating the Oscars for
> Slumdog Millionaire. Every celebrity, politician and even the President of
> India has declared that this movie has done India proud? PROUD? Of what?
> It's a Hollywood movie with Mumbai slums as its location. Proud of the
> location? The slums? It makes me sick. Physically.
> Rahman has composed much better music millions of times. Not one politician
> had the courage to say that that soon these slums will be made a thing of
> history by the efforts of the government and the people. Couldn't Rahman use
> the stage of the Oscars when he climbed it to receive the award that he
> would like to take the opportunity to urge the Americans to support the
> Indian struggle against poverty? (Tagore had publicly declared his wish to
> return the Nobel Prize following the British atrocities.)
> Now that the movie has earned so much revenue, is even a miniscule
> percentage to be spent on the slums-dwellers? Can the filmmakers shoulder
> the responsibility of even one square kilometre of slums? Forget about that,
> according to my little information, the child actors have been paid
> something between Rs 35,000 to about 1 lakh. Did child star Radcliff get the
> same amount for Harry Potter?
>
> Hand out some Oscars and sit smug? And let silly Indians go into a frenzy of
> euphoria?
>
> It is my appeal that no one celebrate. Not now. Celebrate after the slums
> are gone.
>
> -Reema.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>       Connect with friends all over the world. Get Yahoo! India Messenger at
> http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/?wm=n/


--
Swapnil Bhartiya
Assistant Editor
EFYTimes.com

*I use GNU Operating System, what do you use? *

Why keep cross-posting? You've announced the existence of
"http://indisf. com/". Those interested will subscribe to indisf feed -
why spam here?

indisf@... wrote:
> Researchers discovered genetic evidence that human evolution is
> speeding up - and has not halted or proceeded at a constant rate, as
> had been thought - indicating that humans on different continents are
> becoming increasingly different.
>
> Read the full story here:
> http://indisf. com/content/ how-fast- humans-are- evolving- 0
> <http://indisf.com/content/how-fast-humans-are-evolving-0>

--
<http://variety-sf.blogspot.com/>


Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com

Researchers discovered genetic evidence that human evolution is
speeding up - and has not halted or proceeded at a constant rate, as
had been thought - indicating that humans on different continents are
becoming increasingly different.

Read the full story here:
http://indisf.com/content/how-fast-humans-are-evolving-0

During the 20 months that Fisher-Price spent developing the innards
and software of its latest animatronic Elmo. They made him more
animate than ever: He moves his mouth in time with the stories he
tells, shivers when he gets scared, and has a fit when he sneezes.

Read full story here:
http://indisf.com/content/humanlike-machines-do-deserve-human-rights