Onir, Director of I AM, was in Sydney recently to promote the film and spoke to Rohit Revo.

‘I Am’ is one of the biggest crowd sourced films in India – co produced by over 400 people from 35 cities across the world. How did you get the idea of doing this.
This is opening up to another cinema which is entirely funded by individual contributors. We decided to use Internet as a platform to raise money to make films. I believed there is an audience who can put in the money and can make a truly independent film happen. I AM is a purely independent film. For me, the most important thing in my life is to make my films the way I want them to make.  I AM would probably be the first crowd sourced mainstream feature film in India thru social network.

We have not only raised finance but also volunteers for crew and cast thru social network. Moreover I feel this is a way to build an active audience while making the film.

Bollywood today seemed to dominated by family owned production houses or corporates. Do you think with initiatives like yours the independent film industry in Bollywood now has something to look forward to.
This model of working could become an important tool for filmmakers of independent cinema. It shows independent cinema is really on the rise. Certain films cannot take a burden of worldwide release or even a pan India release. We do not have alternative platforms for such films but in the West, they have emerged. In India, we need to move fast on that.

Where do you see India cinema go over the next decade. We have seen a lot of movies targeting NRI audiences abroad. Do you think to grow we need to get we more Non NRI audiences for Bollywood films?
Absolutely. One has to accept Indian cinema has a huge audience in the country itself and thus people are very complacent about reaching out more. But we have to accept we need to reach out to the non Diaspora audience as well, to widen the reach of the Indian cinema. There is however a new emerging group of filmmakers who are making films which can be considered both as part of Indian cinema and also global cinema and that will widen the reach of Indian cinema.

You are making 4 films as part of this I AM initiative. Can you talk a little bit about the structure of the film?
It is actually 4 stories which are interconnected and the actual characters move from one story to other. These are stories about modern people living in modern contemporary India. The first story shot in Kolkata is about a women’s desire to be a single mother without the burden of the marriage. The second story is about a Kashmiri Pandit lady returning to Kashmir after 20 years and meeting her Kashmiri Muslim friend. Juhi Chawla stars in the film alongside Manisha Koirala playing the role of a Kashmiri Pandit, who returns to the valley after 20 years. If you look at the current situation in Kashmir one has lost her identity at home and other is stagnating in a situation related to militancy and military. The third issue is about a child abuse survivor and the fourth issue is how police uses the article 377 to harass and blackmail gay men.

All these stories for me are inspirations from a poem of Rabindra Nath Tagore in Gitanjali …Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high ….and reminds me about my father who had to flee his home. Each of these characters in this film are thriving for that space where they can live in dignity and live without fear and trying to be free in spite of gender, sexuality or personal or political history.

Onir you have been born in Bhutan and lost a home…like most of we Kashmiri Pandits too…Did these influences of loosing a home influence the making of this film’?
When I went to Kashmir I had gone there for another film and I had already heard stories of my co producer Sanjay Suri who had lost his house. I remember I went to his house even before he went back there. I could immediately connect Even I have never gone to my home for the last 17-18 years and nothing can replace it and I have heard how Kashmiri Pandits have come to Delhi and Mumbai but have lost their home. I could immediately connect to the situation and nothing can replace your home. Same thing for Kashmiri Pandits they are happy in Delhi but nothing can compensate a loss of home and no one should be forced to leave their home that should be the choice of that person. A home is a part of your identity. No one should be forced to leave a home, home that should be the choice of that person.

You have been to International Film Festival of Kerala, Vancouver International Film Festival, Engendered IView Film Festival New York and Hamburg. How confident are you of the commercial success of this film.
I think we have made it in a certain logical budget for the kind of subject we are portraying in these films. There is a growing audience in India for new cinema. Look at last year a Lot of non commercial films made money be it Phas Gaye Re Obama, Bin tere Laden and all these films are project films and there is growing appetite for new stories in India and at the same time the Diaspora audiences at the same time are opening up to the other cinema. So we are hoping for good reviews and expect good audiences.

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There is concern in the community over the continued attacks on the Auburn Sri Mandir?

This is not the case. There have been 6 incidents in the last 10 years and police has started extensive patrols. We have also initiated Operation Spartan since October 2010 and as part of this we have arrested over 100 offenders for a variety of offences. This will continue to be an ongoing exercise.

Why did the police not release the details of this vicious attack in the media? Is there something to hide?

The attack happened at 10.30 pm and police was there in the temple by 10.45 pm. The local area commander contacted the temple priest and also informed the Indian High Commissioner, the Indian Consul General and the local member for Auburn. So all known people who needed to be informed were told about this incident. We were waiting for a window of opportunity to check the CCTV footage and view it first and then possibly arrest the culprits or put it out to seek some assistance. We realised later the footage was of poor quality in this case.

People of the Indian community have a feeling that the temple has become a soft target for vandals?

We don’t believe there is sufficient evidence that this is a targeted attack. We have 142 different cultures living in Auburn who are living peacefully, however there are some individuals who don’t respect anyone. Some other incidents have also happened with other religious places in the past in this area as well and we continue to investigate them. We have put more constables and have increased the length of the patrol during day and night and also increased the number of ongoing patrols. People of the Indian community should do what they normally do and we will do what we need to do. We have also carried new risk assessment of the area.

Have there been any arrests related to previous incidents of attacks on the temple

There is no official record of the bottles and eggs being thrown at the temple in the past. We have got footage of some offenders but we could not clearly identify them. We got 2 suspects but found later that they were not involved with this crime. We will continue to investigate this.

There is a serious risk to the life of the temple priest and his family who live in the temple premises. Should he move out from the temple?

Police officers have spoken to the priest and he should continue to live there. No… He should not move out of there. We have got continuous patrols. There are lot of Chinese whispers going on at the moment and we need to stop them.

What steps are being taken to restore confidence in the police?

The attack happened at 10.30 pm and shortly thereafter police came over to the temple and notified everyone of the incident. We have done risk assessments and increase police patrols. The matter is still under investigation and we actively seek assistance from the local community. In this incident no one saw the culprits. We are doing a number of canvasses around the area to find the culprits. There has been no more evidence since then. The local area command is working overtime to solve this problem.

These lines have been written by Indian Consul General, Amit Dasgupta in his book, “India For a Billion Reasons.” And this book is making waves worldwide. Amit Dasgupta is part of a growing list of elite Indian diplomats who have turned out to be very capable writers. Editor-in-Chief Rohit Revo interviewed Amit Dasgupta. Excerpts.

Q.Tell us something about this new book of yours and how has been the response to it?

CG: Its actually a companion volume to the earlier book which called was ‘Indian by Choice’. The earlier book was a graphic illustration book and this one follows on the traditional side with chapters on different subjects. The difference is that this book has fantastic photographs and is written in a very new, refreshing and engaging style and people like it. The response has been very positive and far more than I would have accepted.

Q: Is it difficult to be a writer and a diplomat?

CG: Well it depends on what you are writing about. I don’t write books on foreign affairs and foreign policy etc. so it is not at all difficult. India is a subject which is so vast and so extraordinary that it is quite easy to write about India.

Q:One of your accomplishments in Sydney is the installation of the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the heart of one of the largest universities of Australia. How big an achievement is this for you and the Indian community living in this country. You said it was a very emotional moment for you.

CG: Yes it was an emotional moment but I would say that it is one more small step towards the direction. I am pleased that the bust is here, I am delighted that it is on the library lawns and the library has very large number of books on India. So it is like a small baby step in the growing and the fantastic relationship.

Q: How important do you think is the ideology and thinking of Gandhiji and is Gandhism still relevant in today’s context?

CG  Yes. Gandhi stood for peace, Gandhi stood for truth, for non-violence, for self-discipline and a host of other important messages. His own saying “My life is my message” simply meant that you don’t just give out theories and principles that other people should follow, its only when you live by the creed that you stand for, that it makes a difference.

Q: One of the hallmarks of the way you have been operating is your passion for establishing linkages with Australian universities and education. Rabindra Nath Tagore Chair in Macquarie University, setting up of India Centre in the same university. Why made you chose this strategy?

CG: I think the true test of leadership is when you see an opportunity in a challenge. While the students issue had several challenges, I saw it as an opportunity to build links with establishments of higher education and then doors opened up and I grabbed the opportunity. I hope Rabindra Nath Tagore Chair in Macquarie University is the starting point for many more chairs in Australia. We also had the book donation system because we felt that it will be a great idea if the libraries would house some important books on India which will then encourage people to read and to have a more informed view when they talk about India.

Q: When you first discussed this idea, did you find more resistance or more acceptance.

CG: I just found immediate ready acceptance which was fantastic. Books are being picked up and people are happy. Look at the home they have given Gandhi bust, it is terrific. The kind of resonance with which the Chairs have been welcomed and starting of the India research center at Macquarie is terrific.

Q: You have donated 65 Indian books, covering a range of topics from Indian economics, travel, politics and literature, to the New Castle University and have also donated a collection of 75 books to the UTS Library. Which other universities are you working with closely.

CG The books have been gifted for instance to University of NSW, to University of Sydney, UTS, Macquarie, Wollongong, New Castle even to University of South Australia, University of Adelaide. So the whole step is actually not to keep duplicating what you are doing in one particular university. The books have been of different kinds for instance ones at University of NSW are predominantly of contemporary Indian literature so we will now expand over here because there is an India Institute over here, there is an India Center as well and the idea will be to strengthen that.

Similarly with University of Sydney one needs to find out where exactly the resonance lies and then tapping to that resonance so that you can then build connections if you like between institutions of academic learning and higher education in both places. India has some fantastic institutions and the idea is to be able to link up with them.

Q: Last 18 months have been a watershed year in the bilateral relationship between India and Australia? What is your view of the postive things and negative things?

CG Well the negative is quite simply that we didn’t know much about one another and the positive is that we are both willing to know more about one another.
Q: Sydney Morning Herald during the height of attacks on Indian students said, “One man who has kept his diplomatic cool is Amit Dasgupta, the consul-general of India in Sydney. During a long interview with the Herald he did not accuse Australians of being racist, but instead highlighted the importance of perception.” You kept your cool but were you angry inside.

CG: I needed to solve a problem and I don’t think that you can solve a problem by getting angry. I normally don’t lose my cool and that possibly makes me a good chess player.
Q:Who is your Favourite chess player?

CG: Well it has to be Vishwanath Anand but I do like the games of Bobby Fischer. I think Kasparov is a legend and it is very sad that Kasparov and Fischer never played. The players that influenced me were old players much before your time were Alexander Alekhine and Mikhail Tal. These were the great legends I was very fond of. Of the Indian players apart from Vishwanath Anand, there is Manuel Aaron.
Q: Irrespective of the bad news emanating we have seen Indian businesses in Australia and Australian businesses in India expand leaps and bounds. What is the Indian business saying about doing business in Australia.

CG: One of the very useful things is that while there was problem in terms of perception with regard to student issues and while to some extent this perception was based on solid facts, what is important is that it did not affect business and industry between the two countries. It flourished because of the proactive steps taken by the high commissioner in Canberra and my colleague in Melbourne and the office in Sydney. We all worked as one team and that is obvious in kinds of results we are seeing. It is terrific to see growing interest and there is a recognition of where India is positioned. I don’t think that Australian businesses and industries want to lose us, so its a win-win for both sides.
Q: There has been some concern in the members of the Indian community regarding delays in getting consular services particularly in the past peak season. Have those concerns been addressed now.

CG:I think the concerns were legitimate. There was a time when we had a major slippage and for these I have publicly apologised. We have now taken a lot of corrective measures. We were hoping to deliver services within 9 days but it was actually taking 15 to 17 days. Our turnaround time now is 3 days and we have maintained this for a substantial period of time and I am confident whatever changes we have introduced will make it easier for people to go to India.

You can watch the complete interview at http://rohitrevo.com.au/wp/2011/01/cg_interview/

Amit Dasgupta, Indian Consul General in Sydney

Interview location is courtesy University of New South Wales, Sydney. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was installed inside the campus of this university and is the first bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Australia.

Check the link below to view the interview.

She is a great fan of Vani Jayaram. Shreya caught the attention of film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali when she participated in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa for a second time, this time as an adult. In 2000, he offered her the opportunity to be the voice of Paro, the lead female character of his film Devdas, who was portrayed by Aishwarya Rai. Shreya sang five songs under the musical direction of Ismail Darbar in the film. Her performance won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer, as well as Filmfare’s RD Burman Award for New Music Talent, given to upcoming talents in music. She also won a National Film Award for the song “Bairi Piya“.

Her songs “Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai” from Jism, “Mera Dholna” from Bhool Bhulaiyaa, “Teri Ore from Singh Is King”, “Yeh Ishq Haaye” from Jab We Met and “Barso Re” from Guru are all smashing hits you can’t ever forget.

Rohit Revo interviewed Shreya Ghoshal on the eve of her tour to Australia.

You are the only singer to get four national awards at the age of 26 in the Hindi film industry. How does it feel to achieve so much at such a young age?
Well, frankly I have never sung for awards.. I am blessed that I have received so much love and respect from my audiences and jury all throughout. I would say, this is just my beginning, there is a lot to do. I am still evolving as an artist.

June 26th, 2010 has been declared as “SHREYA GHOSHAL DAY” in the state of Ohio in US in recognition of your musical contribution? What was your reaction when you heard this?
This is a big honour and completely unexpected. It was a surprise kept for me when I arrived at Ohio for my concert.. The Governor’s wife presented me this honour. I was too overwhelmed!

From Devdas to Guru and peppy Latto in Ghajini. ….you have had a great going. Where is Shreya Ghoshal heading in the future?
Hmmm! Absolutely no idea where I am headed.. The only forces which drive me in life is a hunger for excellence and the need to do different things. So that will decide how my life shapes up in the future..

Do you think reality TV contests are the right medium to attract new music talent to the film industry?
Ans- This question has been asked to me just too many times. Let’s talk something more interesting.

Did you like your experience of being a judge in TV musical contest?
Was fun.. Different kind of experience!

You have sung in many genres. Is there any particular type of song you love to sing?
Indian folk has always attracted me. I would like to experiment more in this genre. And Jazz, which is a very difficult music form, would like to learn it.

DNA INDIA ranked you as #41 in its list of INDIA’s TOP 50 POWER WOMEN. Your reactions please.
Wow. I feel awesome:) but to know that I am powerful is actually intimidating, because with power comes responsibility so, I got to be very careful with every step I take in life, as everyone’s looking here:)

You had a very successful show in Sydney Opera House last time? What is the best part about performing in Sydney?
The last concert I had in Sydney was simply mind-blowing. One of the best I can say the audience was simply awesome! And the venue was really prestigious. I love the Sydney spirit…Ekdam mast Very lively responsive audience. Big music lovers. Can’t wait too see them again

You sing so many songs. But what songs do you listen to when you are free.
Hmmm. Lots. From Indian classical to Jazz to old Hindi film to new ones to a little bit of rock

What is your advice to young singers aspiring to make it big in the film industry
Before u decide to take the plunge into taking up a career in this industry, you must learn music, make your art really perfect. And be unique, don’t blindly copy someone’s style.

You have such a pretty face and many of your fans want to see you acting as well. Do you have any plans of acting.
I can’t act.. I am a drama queen only at home.

If I ever do an album I will feature in the video (Laughs)

Can you give us a peep into what your fans can expect to see and hear in your upcoming concert in Sydney.
Come to the concert. I am sure I will be able to touch all music lover’s hearts somewhere

There will be songs from all my films, and if requested may be some old Hindi songs, a few of my regional hits.

Its all up to the audience’s mood So be ready to make some noise! And make your requests heard

What message do you want to give to your fans in Australia?
Excitement is building up, can’t wait to see you guys. Australian fans know how to show their love for the artists and I want to give them that back too.

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Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma talks to Rohit Revo on the eve of the Freedom Concert 2010.

Australia is looking forward to having you perform at THE FREEDOM CONCERT 2010, how have your past experiences in Australia been?

I have been visiting Australia for the last 20 years.  First time I came in 1980 for the Adelaide Festival, since then I have performed several times and each time I have got bigger audiences who are appreciative of Indian Classical Music

What is going to be the theme of your concert on the eve of India’s Independence Day in Sydney and also in Melbourne?

The Theme of the Concert will be – Freedom comes when there is love, peace and harmony amongst all the people of this globe

A decade back there was a resurgence of interest amongst the youth in traditional musical forms, do you think these people have now moved again in droves to Bollywood music. Especially after the Rahman years youngsters have been attracted to filmi music?

I don’t think we should ever compare film music with traditional classical music.  These are two different genre’s of music.  Film music has always enjoyed mass following whereas Indian Classical Music has niche audience.   The only difference right now is, media is projecting Bollywood Music and not showcasing Indian Classical Music. In the last 40 years followers of Indian Classical Music has increased sharply and organisations like Spic Macay have generated lot of interest amongst the youth for Indian Classical Music

Indian students in Australia had a very tough period last year. Will you be carrying any message for them?

As said earlier, Music crosses the barrier of Religion, Caste and creed.  Therefore, Music is known as Universal language and that language gives the message of love, peace and harmony

You have collaborated in Bollywood and created beautiful music which is a pleasure to listen to even after so many years. Tell us about it, and also working closely with Hari Ji?

I don’t like to use the word Bollywood Music which is used for Hindi Film Music. Yes, I enjoy composing Music for films like Silsila, Chandni, Darr, Lamhe etc. alongwith Hariji.  It is a very challenging field to compose music for a film where one has to keep in mind the storyline, character and locations.  It is a totally different approach from playing Concert on stage.   With God’s blessings our Music has been appreciated and is still very popular.   But still my first love is Indian Classical Music and will always remain so.

How did you come up with the beautiful music for Silsila movie. While creating the music did you ever think it will be such a big hit?

It is not planned.   Music compositions happen by instinct.   The method we followed was – first Yash Chopra had explained the whole film story and the situation where songs were to be played.  After working on the Music for one month, we met again and within 2-3 days all melodies of the songs were finalised and then the remaining work like getting the lyrics written and orchestration started.  By the way Javed Akhtar the well known lyricist wrote film songs for the first time in Silsila as a song writer.

What are your experiences about playing with Western musiciains?

I have performed with the likes of George Harrison of Beatles group, Billy Preston famous keyboard player of that time and later with John Mclaughlin, famous guitarist.  It is a big challenge to combine with Musicians of this caliber.  I enjoyed the experience.

What message do you have for the Indian community living in Australia?

Indians living in Australia should assimilate with local culture and should not forget our own roots and traditions of more than 3000 years and make local people aware of our culture also.

Your son Rahul had successfully scored music for Bollywood films like Yash Chopras’ Hritik starrer Mujhse Dosti karoge and is one of those few musicians who goes classical, fusion, bollywood and world collaborations.

Are you happy with his progress?

Yes,  of course I am very happy and very happy about one aspect i.e. after doing all these genres he has preserved traditions of Indian Classical music.  When he performs Indian Classical music he sticks to the traditional way

The Santoor is a folk instrument from the Kashmir valley? Are you satisfied now with the recognition that Santoor has now got world wide.

Santoor is not a folk instrument.  It is called as Sufiana Music in which Santoor is used.  When, I started playing Santoor nobody had heard or seen the instrument.  With the blessings of My Guru and Father, Pt. Uma dutt Sharma, I am very satisfied that today Santoor has become an integral part of Indian Classical Music.

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia are coming to Australia to perform at the Freedom Concert 2010. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia answers questions on the eve of his Australian performance.

Australia is looking forward to having you perform at THE FREEDOM CONCERT 2010, how have your past experiences in Australia been?

I have visited Australia a number of times, and each time has been better than the previous one. I am really looking forward to perform in Australia and celebrate our Independence Day with all of you this time.

What is going to be the theme of your concert on the eve of India’s Independence Day in Sydney and also in Melbourne?

Music is my love. And because it is my love, music has become my religion. I consider music to be the best way of spreading love and harmony, and I am going to spread the message of love and harmony. I am playing for the audience. But between us, I can see Lord Krishna. And the audience can also see him. It is this experience that I wish to share on that day.

A decade back there was a resurgence of interest amongst the youth in traditional musical forms, do you think these people have now moved again in droves to Bollywood music. Especially after the Rahman years youngsters have been attracted to filmi music?

Well, this trend won’t last. Even when these youngsters do these remixes, they are going to the old songs. Eventually you cannot stop the sun from rising, the water from flowing, the moon from spreading its light and you cannot change the seven notes to anything else.

Classical music will retain its luster-the pollution will be washed away. I’m really not worried by this temporary deviation. All music eventually comes out of this form, so sooner or later, you see them back in this form, because this is where from it all originates. Whoever gets involved in this field becomes spiritual because the music itself is purely spiritual. This music is a prayer, a rare kind of prayer. Music is created by the Supreme entity (‘Brahma’) so that we can get an understanding or a view (‘Darshan’) of that entity.

Indian students in Australia had a very tough period last year. Will you be carrying any message for them?

I would like to tell them to believe in love and harmony, carry on working hard, and make all of us proud.

You have collaborated in Bollywood and created beautiful music which is a pleasure to listen to even after so many years. Tell us about it, and also working closely with Shiv Ji?

I worship Shiv Kumar Sharma from the deepest interiors of my heart. He is the elder brother I was lucky to have. Shiv ji is not of this world, I realized that the moment I set eyes on him. We met in the 1950s at a youth festival and then again in Bombay in 1961, and became very close. Creating music together has been a fascinating experience each time.

How did you come up with the beautiful music for Silsila movie. While creating the music did you ever spiritual inner self, ever think it will be such a big hit?

Music flows with the moment, and all that matters is to make something which inspires you spiritually. One would never know how big a certain soundtrack can become, it is that moment, that state of mind and that thought of creating something new that gives us great music. It happens by establishing your connection with the divine.

What are your experiences about playing with Western musicians?

I have collaborated with several western musicians, including John McLaughlin and Jan Gabarek. It has been extremely satisfying and creative.

What message do you have for the Indian community living in Australia?

The amount of happiness I get when I see our culture so well preserved with them is something that makes all Indians very proud. I wish all the community a lot of prosperity and happiness.

We listen to Hariprasad Chaurasia. What does Hariprasad Chaurasia listen to?

I love traditional music, and folk tunes. I was in Korea recently and asked them after my performance to play their traditional music. They did and I had a wonderful time.

You celebrate “Janmashtami” with your students at Vrindaban Gurukul by paying tribute to Lord Krishna by playing the flute for 24 hours. How do you manage to perform for such long hours?

I dare to dream that through my playing and through my students my flute will be left behind as the memory of Krishna. It is this dream that gives me my strength, and I don’t feel that I have played long enough. I could still perhaps, go on for longer hours, because I have the blessings of Lord Krishna. Like I said, music for me is very spiritual, and so there is no fatigue when one is playing. I guess I don’t get the time to get tired! There have been occasions where I have flown to a different country for a 1 hour recital and flown back immediately after to perform somewhere else. For me my music is my aradhana, my prayer, and each auditorium a temple. Music rejuvenates and energizes me and the love I have received in return is the greatest reward.

It has been a long standing demand of people holding Indian passports especially in the Gulf to get voting rights in India. Group of ministers (GoM) has cleared a draft bill that will allow persons holding an Indian passport studying or working abroad to vote. Can you explain this a bit.

This is a long standing demand of the Gulf people. In the last UPA government, in our 4^th year we introduced the bill. It has been sent to the Parliamentary standing committee. They have come up with suggestions to the bill and also sought clarification about who has voting rights. Then it had to go again to the Indian cabinet and then the Parliament. Prime Minister has appointed a Cabinet committee which consists of AK Anthony as Chairman of the Committee, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Veerappa Moily and myself as members. The new draft had made it clear that those who are holding the Indian passport can vote. We made a provision to the People Representation Act.

If anybody was not staying in their regular residence for more than 6 months then there name would be deleted from the list which included the names of people working in the Gulf and many students who go abroad and they are Indian passport holders. The clause of this bill is simple. By the reason of employment or studies, if anyone holding Indian passport is  living abroad, their name will appear in the voters list of their village, They can vote whenever they are in India during election time.

One of the important deliveries of your ministry has been to implement a scholarship scheme for Diaspora children. How is it going?

It is going on very well and we increased the amount for this scheme and also increased the numbers. We took a decision that minimum 50% must go to PIO children. We want to increase the numbers but budget provisions is a constraint. But I plan to increase the number further.

The Indian government has been seriously considering “an institutionalised mechanism” to prevent attacks on Indian students in Australia. During this trip can you tell us whom you are meeting and what subjects are you covering.

Very good question. I had a very long and a good discussion today with Parramatta Police Commander  Robert Redfern in the presence of students. Later we had a meeting with the Parramatta Mayor, Paul Gillard. These meetings were very fruitful here. Tomorrow in Canberra we are meeting almost 8 ministers. I had met many of them in India, including Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith.

My visit to this country at this time will be very helpful. I can sort out and talk to them. Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese had a discussion with me in my office in Delhi and I told him that the bill introduced in lower house in Australia is being made retrospectively. Retrospective means it will affect those who are already here. This is a matter of concern which I thought I must discuss and tell them the anxiety of Indian students living and working here.

Attacks on students has been controlled in Sydney but Melbourne is still a problem. What is your feeling behind Sydney’s success story?

Yes I know. The police in Sydney reacted and were sensitive and concerned for the students who study here, not only Indians but also other foreign students and took action against the culprits. So there was a fear among the unwanted elements who created problems. Maybe there were stray incidents but students got a confidence boost but it appears that actions taken by Melbourne side were not as effective as in Sydney.

We put a question to ourselves if Sydney could succeed why the Melbourne police could not succeed. When Victorian Premier visited India we impressed upon him that the police action should be strong. Moreover we should also remember that a larger number of students are in Melbourne.

The Union Cabinet of India has approved setting up Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) in Indian missions in 24 countries to meet contingency expenses for welfare of overseas Indian citizens who are in distress. How can Indian students in Australia access this, in times of need?

It was 24 countries initially, I increased it to 44 countries and Australia is one of them. It is my Ministries fund and we send the money.  This is under the discretion of the Ambassador which can be used when students are in distress, when women are in distress, or if people die unfortunately and body needs to be sent back. We can give this money for covering the ticket expenses.

We charge some consular fees maybe 2 dollars and people are happily paying them which helps generate funds. I am happy because it is being welcomed by people of Indian origin all across.

Right now, many missions do not have a picture over how many Indian students are there in the respective countries. If the ministry has its way, a separate budget could be made to provide country-specific group health insurance cover as an incentive for students to register their names.

It’s a welcome suggestion. In fact we have an insurance scheme called Pravasi Yojana but that is only for workers who pass through immigration clearance. That is a wonderful scheme. They get money for injury and separate fund for treatment but unfortunately there is no such system for students as such because students are not going through our ministry. They don’t need an immigration clearance. They are taken straight by the agents and the educational institutions here and they land here.

Definitely this is a good suggestion and I will discuss this with the Ministry of Education as the subject belongs to them and we will talk together and also talk to Foreign minister and come up with something.  I will try to work it out in whatever way we can to make sure that students take this insurance.

Your ministry has a Know India program. Would you please tell us about this program?

This is a wonderful program. Usually we give it to 40 students in 4 stages. When I took over we used to give only 50% air fare to participants. I said no give them full fare. We take the students to India and earlier they would go to different states and Nehru Kendra was the nodal agency and which took them to a few cities and they come to Delhi and meet the President and go back.  Last year there was a little change to the program. I made sure that children stayed in the villages and stayed with the families. They later came and told me it was a wonderful experience and never thought India was such a wonderful place. They go back with the impression that this is not the India that their father and grand parents had left. They realize this is a new India with great pride.

That a real life version of Bollywood movie “Khosla ka ghosla” happening in India which is Illegal encroachment and unauthorized occupation of properties as was highlighted during this Pravasi Bhartiya Divas. Property dispute is one of the most common complaints by NRIs. They are unable to protect their property due to long absences or lack of awareness of laws?

There is a problem. I admit, especially the inherited land from ancestral property. Some people go abroad to western countries and neighbours will encroach their land. I need the help of state governments in this. I used to write to them and wrote to Chief Ministers to take steps to protect the properties of NRIs.  Some time back I had been to United states and a person complained to me about his flat in Mumbai which had been taken over by bad elements. I talked to the then Chief Minister, Vilas Rao Deshmukh then and resolved the issue. …so we do that sort of an effort. There is a problem and we need to find the solution.

That solution can be done only by state governments. We are yet to formulate some system. Let me assure you when there is any communication to me or my office I take it up with that respective Chief Minister for somebody to follow it up.

Indian community members always raise demands to you and expect so many things from you. What is your expectation from the community?

The Government of India is doing whatever we can. Last thing was the voting rights and the OCI/PIO card. OCI card holders can come and stay as along as they want and get all the benefits. What we expect from them is close association in their countries and we want them as Indian ambassadors in their countries. Indian community has made a political presence in many countries which is good. We understand their first loyalty is to their countries where they are citizens but at the same time they can become partners in the development of India. India is emerging as the major economic power in Asia so we always wish they are party to that. We wish they create a name for themselves wherever they go.

We want our children to go abroad and want their children to come to India. Few years ago when I was in US, people in a conference complained that there is no phone, no road in their village. I told them we are very happy there. In my village around 25,000 people live and we have only 5 telephones there. They were comparing India with America in those days. Today they say what a wonderful country India is.

In the 2011 Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) can we have some focus Areas for Australia/New Zealand for us to participate in larger numbers.

You are always welcome. We have one PBD in India and the other PDB abroad. Last year it was in Singapore and this year we scheduled this in Durban. Definitely we will encourage more people from this part of the world to attend the conference. Last year the most discussed subject was the loss of property and I felt the first day of the conference were very useful as Chief Secretaries  of States were there and they took a note of the problems.  I believe two bodies of GOPIO are my hands and expect them to get more delegates.

What is your message to the Indian community living here in Australia?

My message is very simple. They are here in large numbers I wish and hope many of them will be citizens in this country which means they are going to be part and parcel of this society. They should make an impression on the Australian society that Indian community is one of the best who live along with them.

Students must be helped by society and society must guide them how to live in this country and students must go along with culture and tradition of this country and community can help them. Indian community which lives here can advise then.

You are the best persons who came here with your own tenacity and with your work. Remember there is big country where you were born which is coming up in a big way and you may come back and definitely one day you will come back and when you come back you are always welcome.

Sanjay Suri visited Sydney recently and was one of the judges for Miss India Australia 2010. He spoke to Rohit Revo about his work in Bollywood.

Off late Bollywood has started producing off beat or unconventional movies like Paa and Firaaq which have done well commercially. Do you think there would be a bigger audience for such non masala movies in coming days?

I feel non masala films have always existed but now they definitely have a bigger audience within India. The Industry always underestimates the tastes of audiences. In the last few years non formulae films like Khosla ka Ghosla, A Wednesday, My brother…NIKHIL, Jhankaar Beats and many more have found audiences with ease. The real challenge is the overseas market. Traditional distributors do not have the taste or the vision of how to market these films abroad hence most of them do not find a theatrical release. The demand from the audience overseas for star studded masala films is far more than sensible cinema.

How do you mould yourself into the characters you play like playing the HIV-infected leading man in ‘My Brother Nikhil’ or the politician in Sikandar?

Aren’t actors supposed to do that …(smiles). Well, to put it in words, if the script has a detailed character sketch that really helps or else one draws out a sketch with the Director and the writer and I feel that really gives the nuances to the character. Also sometimes one extracts from within and many times use borrowed experiences.

Bollywood seems to have been caught by the Twitter bug. How is your following going.

Hahaha! Social networking if used well, can be an asset. I have a modest following ..

There seems to be a long gap between your movies. Is this planned or do you wait for special roles to fall into your lap?

Picture Credit: Raj Suri

No real planning here, but surely the script has to excite me. As an Actor one’s association with a film is for more than a year and it’s important to feel equally passionate about the film the way one felt at the beginning. So maybe I am selective..(smiles).

You seem to have been teaming up a lot with Juhi Chawla…Is this some special bonding…?

Oh yes I love working with her. I have done four films with her (Jhankaar Beats, MBN, Bas Ek Pal and now I AM) and she is a great co star and a person. Over a period of time one always develops a comfort level and a working relationship with few people and I can say I have a great working relationship with her. She has been a part of important films in my career.

Give us a preview about Megha…

I AM MEGHA is a part of the feature film “I AM” that has four stories interlinked to each other. It’s a story of two friends – a Kashmiri pandit woman and a muslim woman – separated by conflict  against the backdrop of the ethnic cleansing in Kashmir in the late 80’s and early 90’s, this story tells a tale of loss of home and identity.

The concept of producing Megha is completely different…How did you come up with the idea.

Let me re phrase this, concept of producing I AM as Megha is a part of that.

Its pretty simple, we did not want to chase Studio’s as in most cases they only fund star driven films. Since we are independent film makers, we decided to go a step further and make the first crowd source film at this scale. I call it the Democratisation for film making. We used Social network platforms and our own data base to raise funds and still continue to do so. We realised that there is an audience out there who want to be a part of film making, so this was the best way for them to be associated to a full feature film in India. Today we have more than 400 people from 30 cities across the globe attached to the film and there is still a growing interest.

Is the shooting done in Kashmir

Oh yes, in fact the entire film is in last stage of post production.

Did you relate to your childhood experiences while acting in the movie.

Actually Juhi and Manisha Koirala are the leads in this story. My inputs were only at the script level.

Your father was shot dead by militants in Srinagar. How have you coped with the pain and anguish?

Some events in life one can never cope with, it’s just that time superficially heals but the scars never go away.

Juhi Chawla and Mansiha Koirala have spoken a few Kashmiri lines in the movie Megha. How did they cope.

They did a fine job and both are accomplished actors.

Tell us about your experience of shooting in Kashmir

People go to holiday in Kashmir, but we went for work J. It was a great shoot and we got a lot of support from the Tourism Ministry, JK Police and the CRPF. They all were very welcoming and supportive. For me it often felt strange as I felt torn being treated like a guest and then feeling like a host. I was a guest for the locals but for my own unit from Mumbai, I felt as if I was the host and they were working on my soil.

How marketable are Kashmiri characters in Bollywood? Isn’t there a danger of being type casted the moment you say Kashmir.

I don’t think one should burden a character with its marketability. Cinema is also about learning about other cultures and people. It gives a peep into another life, another milieu, another world and unless we don’t explore that there is neither a growth for the filmmakers or the audiences.

Do you think Bollywood has a fascination of making terrorists as central characters rather than the Kashmiri Pandits who were selectively killed and forced to flee.

I think people like to explore drama more than tragedy. Unfortunately there has been no film that has dealt with the Hindu ethnic cleansing of Kashmir. There has been this tragic silence for two decades and it also surprises me that one of the most intellectual minds like the Kashmiri Pandits never used the medium of films by writing a script that could tell that story. I have always wanted to and I will someday,

Rohit Revo spoke to Aruna Chandrala in a free wheeling conversion.

How difficult is it to be a women and be the head of 23 bodies, with men manning almost all the executive positions.

At the time of my birth my father was young and successful President of the village, I had the privilege of watching village court proceedings while sitting in his lap in the foyer of our house. Being youngest in the family I was pampered a lot. I had 3 older brothers and more male cousins in an extended family which made me very competitive and I think it was the foundation for my determination and confidence. My father named me Vasantha Lakshmi, Aruna is the name I chose for my self at the age of 6.

My association with a loyal Muslim and a priest from Rama mandir, working for my father and a converted Christian who is my mother’s uncle at a very early age gave me tolerance to all these religions.

And this was in India.

Yes in Gowripatnam village in West Godavari district. We came to Australia in 1986 and before that we went to NZ in 1982.

Was it easy to adjust in UIA

UIA is a good and well established organisation to work with. UIA has most efficient and dedicated team of volunteers which I have never seen in any other organisation. UIA Governing council members are prominent members of the Indian community and each one of them has their own support networks and have been serving the community for long time. Most of them are presidents of their member organizations. I find it intellectually stimulating and challenging to work with these GC members. Although I had to face unforeseen family circumstances and my personal health issues I have been able to perform efficiently to keep UIA as the number one organisation with the support of UIA EC/GC members. My Family has been excellent support for me throughout my life.

When you first told your family you want to be President of UIA, did they ask you how much time will you commit for this

It didn’t surprise them as I was involved with UIA as GC member and have worked hard to set up of UIA office prior to becoming President of UIA. I have been in public life since long and have been member of several committees. I was a representative of my class, President of Telugu Association here for their 8^th, 9^th and 15^th year, have been member of committees like Sri Venkateswara temple, Diwali Festival, CRC working committee among others. I also broadcast on Telugu Vani programs for community radio on 98.5FM MHZ.I was called a born leader and community work is my passion!!

I conduct study classes on every last sunday of the month at Strathfield Satya Sai centre. I am always doing community work and take it in my own stride. I guess my family will be worried if I don’t do these things.

Did you face any harassment or resistance in conveying your ideas in UIA

In any organizations people would always welcome me as I work hard. Once they see my work, they believe in me and support me unconditionally. So far I have never felt any harassment  in UIA. Infact I was called Mahalakshmi after the India Australia Friendship Fair 2009 for getting the Premier’s grant $50,000 for the first time as this nothing happened in UIA before.

But is this amount in UIA Bank account.

Yes it is already in the bank account. India Australia Friendship Fair is a high budget program, last year we had 130K budget. As you know we are all volunteers in UIA when we put so much effort in showcasing Indian culture, although we had major sponsors and gate collections we were worried we may not break even. I actually had sleepless nights, fortunately having Premier’s grant this year IAFF 2010 would be a pleasurable experience.

How much money did you make in the UIA Friendship Fair last year

Last year we made $10,000 profit. April 25^th was the election last year and once we  realized our committee had to organise India Australia Friendship fair 2009 on 9th of August in Sydney Olympic Park. Once I started working for the IAFF 2009 as a Fair Director it was mind boggling as it is a high profile and high budget program and there are lot of expenses involved.  I realized there is no way to get the money quickly and till last minute we were not sure if we could get the sponsorships in the light of Global Financial Crisis.

What is your biggest achievement

Apart from getting Premier’s grant I would say setting up UIA office and making sure it is open Monday to Friday during working hours with the help of volunteers,   UIA member organisations and other Indian community groups have been using this office for their committee meetings free of cost.

Is it a fully functioning office now

It is fully functional working from 10 to 5 and phone lines, computer and printer are all in working order.

Do you think the constitution of UIA should change

My personal view is that constitution is in order but member organizations have to maintain their standards and come up and meet the standards of constitution.

Some organisations are 15 years old and are taking it easy. How do you purge those members from UIA

At the moment we are thinking that we will bring out guidelines and give it to all member organizations and ask them to meet them which will improve their organizations and increase standards of UIA.

What about member organization who don’t hold elections

When we issue these guidelines and ask them to provide AGMs and this will clean up their act.

Do you think UIA is worse off or better off after you became President

I would say better off as we have fully functioned office to work from, we have 50,000 grant money in bank, Benevolent fund has been established with seed money of $5000 to help the community as the need arises, Voice Of India news letter has been launched at our Republic Day 2010 function and 3 organisations are showing expression of interest to join UIA.  I would like to make one point clear though,  any success of UIA is a combined effort. You may see my photo or hear my name as a President of UIA, my success has been possible only due to our EC/GC members and well wisher’s support.

Some other bodies have reclaimed leadership for Indian community

I think because of my mother I had to go to India couple of times and I was away from action. We never had this kind of situation in Australia before. When the fireball effect of students issues came, no one knew how to solve it but everyone came forward. Although lot of people from UIA were involved in student issues, we have organized 4 student forums I think we have not been given due recognition in the community.

Whatever work we have done we have involved CG, CRC, student leaders including Anglo Saxon. But some people don’t mention UIA at all and some people are doing negative publicity for us. I have been asking the UIA committee elders about this as this is puzzling me.

When the Indian External Affairs Minister was here you had to wait for 2 hours before meeting him. Were you hurt?

It was bit disappointing because 4 minutes before the room was closed I was called and it was known I was coming. There was possibly some misunderstanding which caused this.  I waited there till the meeting finished so that I could give the Invitation to the Minister for the India Australia Friendship Fair. I would say I was more disappointed that Minister SM Krishna missed the opportunity to address the largest Indian community gathering at the fair which was also well attended by both State and Federal Parliamentarians.

Do you feel victimized when people hurl accusations at you. How do you react when such things happen.

I work hard and sincerely and my focus is always to bring the name of organization to higher levels. I believe empty vessels make more noise than full vessels. When we are in public life we have to be responsible and I believe in actions speak louder than words.

What is your message to your critics

Whatever questions they have I would prefer that they pick up the phone and clarify their criticisms. I do receive lot of respect and support from the Indian community and I do appreciate constructive criticism. I am still young and I would like to improve myself in serving the community at large.

So there was no active interest in getting these grants earlier

Organisations like UIA should be getting Federal as well as State government grants. In May 2009 when I have attended the meeting which decided Federal Gov’t grants. Then we realized we should have applied in October 2008 for getting the grant for 2009. Now we are applying for all the grants as they advertise.

Is the Indian government liaising with you correctly or do you think there should be more interaction.

Most of our UIA organization members are Australian Indians, still we have always maintained good relationship with Indian Consulate office in Sydney and High Commissioner’s office in Canberra. UIA’s main aims and objectives are to help the Indian community especially the most disadvantaged sections of Indian community which are students, women and seniors. we conduct the forums for these groups to bring their concerns affecting these communities to the attention of both Indian and Australian relevant departments to get results.  Each and every one of these forums are always attended by the representatives from  the Indian consulate office.

Will you stand for next UIA President Elections.

Yes, I would like to continue. Usually UIA President can stand for 2nd year term. I now know in and out of UIA and I have been able to establish the contacts.  We have also applied for CRC and few other grants which I would like to make sure they materialise.

She is the first candidate of Indian or Portuguese origin to ever be a finalist in the competition since it started. She has also been a National finalist for The Miss India Australia Beauty Pageant 2008. With a mixed heritage of Indian and Portuguese background, she has an amazing on screen presence.

Preity does meditation four times a week and is a Certified-Neuro-linguistic programming-Practitioner (NLP). Her next aim is to do Vipassana training. Preity is also a professional Latin American dancer and has performed professionally for shows and also for Music Videos.

When asked how she ventured into the world of modeling she says, “Think it was divine intervention. I worked as an IT consultant for an investment bank and lost my job due to relocation. My world was crumbling down and somehow I got introduced to meditation and personal development. I did some soul searching and enrolled in NIDA for acting classes. I realised I had an inner ability to perform on screen and that was the start of my modeling career.”

Preity does meditation four times a week and is a Certified-Neuro-linguistic programming-Practitioner (NLP). Her next aim is to do Vipassana training.

Who has been your inspiration and when did you first start looking at modeling as a full time career.
Firstly, I will start off by saying that my mother has always been my greatest source of inspiration and motivation in my life compelling me to achieve whatever I desire in my life. In terms of role models, in the fashion industry, fashion Icons like Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren have been a big influence for me. In particular, Ms. Aishwarya Rai has always been a source of great admiration in terms of what she managed to accomplish as an international Model, Face and brand. I would be extremely privileged to pursue the same dreams in fashion and entertainment. I started modeling full time about 2 years ago, after I won a modeling photo shoot with a studio and they wanted me to some model for them professionally. They convinced me to pursue it full time as they beloved that I had a lot of potential and a very sensual and exotic “look”. I made a decision and never looked back.

What sort of a fitness regime do you maintain.
I am a professional Latin American dancer, so I’m always burning up the dance floor which keeps me in top shape As well as having fun at the same time! Other than that I practice Bikram yoga regularly and meditate for long periods of time. I also have a very healthy diet and am blessed with a very fast metabolism. Which is just as well as I have a sweet tooth and can’t keep my hands off the chocolate cake!

Do you think being of Indian portugese descent is an advantage or is it a disadvantage?
I am blessed with a very exotic and sensual look as a result of being mixed heritage- Indian and Portuguese. I feel that it gives me a very unique look and has a huge advantage. In the beginning I wondered whether my look has a market or not in the fashion scene here in Australia. That very “look” is doing wonders for me today and has made me very unique in almost any shoot or show that I do and is extremely appealing here I Australia and especially overseas. I also speak 5 different languages and am learning basic Spanish which makes me very versatile as an actor and model and I can tap into various film industries including European, Hollywood and Bollywood.

You have a vast circle of friends from the Indian community here in Australia. What do you hear from them about the incidents of student violence? Do you have a solution to solve this issue.
It is a sad thing to hear about the situation with student violence here in Australia. It is important to remember that this does not happen every day, and it was a one of those unfortunate situations, where many incidents happened at the same time and it not a reflection of Australian society in general. The solution to solve the incidents of student violence would be more education in the general community about multiculturalism and the changing face of Australian society. Also, there needs to be more laws and protocols in place to help victims of such violence.

Where do you aim to be in the next 5 years.
I am a visionary and have big dreams and goals in the upcoming few years. In the next 5 years, if I can do what I love and have the opportunity to serve the world in doing what I am passionate about, I would be a very lucky gal indeed. I aim to be a successful, recognised actor in Hollywood film industry portraying the powerful and intense roles that I dream of playing. Being a pioneer in terms of one of the first Indian actors to really make it in tinsel town. I would also like to further my modeling work and be the ambassador and face of luxury cosmetic and jewellery brands. Most of all, I’d like to be an inspirational role model and use my gifts of public speaking and writing and continue with philanthropy work.

Girls from Australia have not been able to find a foothold in Bollywood. Any reasons why?
The booming bollywood industry usually has the casting done in Mumbai itself, and there are few opportunities for actors outside India to be a part of the films. I have been lucky to have appeared in 2 bollywood films and a number of short Australian films so far. I think it goes both ways, as an actor needs to be extemely ambitious and driven to get somewhere substantial in the movie industry. There are few serious actors here in Australia to being with anyway, and few will do what it taken- even if it means that they have to relocate to pursue their career. Also, there are few Indian movie being filmed and made here in Australia, if that changes, there might be more opportunties. Also, a lot of talented actors and models in Australia head overseas to try and make their big mark there, in countries such as the US, UK and even Mumbai, so often Australia is ignored.

Check Priety Uupala’s portfolio at http://www.starnow.com.au/preityiuupala/

How did you come up with the idea of organising the Freedom Concert 2009?
I have been doing entertainment related work in this sector for some time, and always felt that there are some important days in the life of every community, which need to be celebrated in a different way.

Amongst so many global cities why did you choose Sydney for the venue?
Well, ever since I have formed my company, Core4 Entertainment in Australia, my emphasis is to do work here, and Sydney with the maximum number in the community seemed to be the perfect city for the 15th of August, also a Saturday, convenient to all.

Your critics say you are as a rank outsider when it comes to organising such shows in Sydney and that you have no prior experience of doing big shows in this market. Are they right in pointing this?
I am glad I already have critics here in such a short span of work. Event management is an art, a business, and a skill, and needs no boundaries or fixed locations. In fact event management as a term is very global in itself, so one does not really need to be living in Rome to do events in Rome.

I as a singer am 400 plus shows old, and my company in India has organised shows for several corporates. We have been associated with artists like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Jassi, Harbhajan Mann, Sagarika,Mehnaz, Pankaj Udhas, Daler Mehndi, Rajpal Yadav, Shibani Kashyap, Annamika,and not to forget to mention that we also got the famous band BONEY M to India. Perhaps my critics are ill informed.

What other events are you planning to host in Australia?
I have the next two years nicely lined up with very interesting events and concepts that people in Australia will love. You ill hear about them soon as soon as our marketing activity starts.

What is the kind of feedback you have been getting after hosting the Freedom Concert?
Would like to say it in just the words that have been told to me:
Amazing,awesome, unforgettable,brilliant,fantastic. That should say it all  I guess.

Where do you see the market heading off to. Do you think there is appetite for more quality shows? Also people are saying the ticket costs are too high for them to afford such performances.
The market will only grow. Quality shows always have place and cant fail. As regards the ticket prices, they vary from artist to artist.

Some of the artists from India complain of getting a raw treatment from show organisers in Australia and abroad? What is your view about this?
It is most important for organisers to keep their word, and not think of short term gains. Only then would artists give their best and only then can an organiser succeed. Our artists are very proud to be associated with us.

How appealing is the Australian market to artists and performers in India?
The Australian market is very inspiring, to say the least. I myself as an organiser love the vibrant audience here, and so do the artists.

Would you like to tell us which other shows are you planning for the next year in Sydney.
Well, we are going to have some events prior to next year too, but most certainly would we have our flag brand THE FREEDOM TOUR every year.