Vinu Chakravarthy / 'Silk' Smitha.

(28 April 2017)

Chennai.

Veteran actor Vinu Chakravarthy died on Thursday night. He was 72. He was not keeping well for the past couple of years. A native of Melappudhur village near Usilammpatti in Madurai district, 

Chakravarthy, with his rustic look and rasping voice, was at home playing assortment of roles, even as one thought he would have been more suitable for theatre.  Before his entry into films, he was in real life, a sub-inspector of police and, a station master with the southern railway for four years.

One understands that it was Vinu Chakravarthy who chanced upon Vijayalakshmi Vadiapati, who later became popular as Silk Smitha.  

He spotted her at a flour mill when producer Thiruppur Mani was looking for a new face for his film. Impressed by her eyes and looks he called her. When asked what she was doing the girl from Andhra replied she was working as a domestic help in a house nearby. Vijayalakshmi revealed her interest in acting. She told Chakravarthy that she know dancing.
Thus she was roped in for 'Vandichakkaram' (1980) for which Vinu Chakravarthy himself was the script writer. 

Subsequently, he took her under his wings. She became Silk Smitha. Chakravarthy's wife reportedly taught the young girl English language and arranged for her to learn dancing.

A section of the media called him Smitha's 'boyfriend.' (Was he?) I think the English language media was against him when he opposed  Ekta Kapoor for her depiction of Silk Smitha in The Dirty Picture in 2011.

But in a television interview when asked about his relationship with the late actress, he quipped: 

"I'm like a father to her, and she like a daughter to me.If there is another life I wish she will be my daughter." 

ENDS.

It's the ideology that should be in the dock, not the artist.

Before we write-off Gaddar.

(Patabhedam Editorial by Civic Chandran Chinnangath )

Translated from Malayalam.

I’m sure, you’ll dismiss what I have to say. Yet, let me. An artist’s association with a political movement need not be primarily inspired by politics. It can be transcendental, instead.

In my case, at least, it was true. My Maoist links were more about sublimity than stateship.

It was in the early 80’s that I interviewed singer-poet Gaddar in Chennai. Maybe, it was the first interview of Gaddar by a Malayalee. It was meant for an English magazine titled `Distant Thunder.’ Unfortunately, the magazine did not see the light of day and I misplaced that notes as well.

In these days when reports suggest Gaddar has embraced spiritualism, I recall the revolutionary poet’s words shared with me. The words which went unpublished.

No, not now, two years ago I happened to visit Shanthigiri ashram along with Doctor M.Gangadharan.

In Thiruvanthapuram we got enough time. What will we do? Shall we meet O.V.Usha ? She was in the ashram. When we called her it was festival time there. `Come Sire, it was a long time since we met.’ Thus we ended up in the ashram.

As we rambled among the festival crowd familiar faces and ‘Hi’ calls emerged here and there. Who are these acquaintances among the devotees? Some friends of `Cultural Vedi’ days are addressing me by my name. Among them were some old accused' of Guerrilla Actions. No wonder Usha teased ; Suresh Gopi visited the ashram recently. But you have more comrades than him here.

When I ran into some of them, alone, I did indeed ask them. How came you end up here ?

The reply : We feel the same comradeship here which we felt in the movement those days.
More than politics, isn’t it an incorporeal closeness what the comrades of a movement share among themselves ?

It is not clear whether Gaddar has severed all his ties with the Maoist movement. We need not fear that Gaddar will triumph us. Because he is not a mere politician. What den would tame a lion that carries wilderness within?
But it is the movement and ideology that should do a soul searching as to why creative minds are abandoning it. It’s the movements and ideology that should be in the dock, not the artist.

Obits / Yevgeniy Yevtushenko

(Poet)

Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Poet Who Stirred a Generation of Soviets, Dies at 83 By RAYMOND H. ANDERSONAPRIL 1, 2017


https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/01/yevgeny-yevtushenko-russian-poet-babi-yar-dies-84


http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Russian-poet-Evgeny-Yevtushenko-who-broke-silence-over-Babi-Yar-dies-at-84-485854

In Nagapattinam...

(2 April 2017)

A call from Nagapattinam. On the line is R.Soundarajan.  

He was a reader of Indian Express who visited me at (my first assignment was in Nagapattinam) John Kennedy's --then Sun TV reporter-- office near the CPI (M) office in Nagappatinam.

He was a regular reader of my stories and used to encourage me. 

We exchange pleasantries. I inquire about his health.

 "I have arthritis. So, I'm confined to my house."

"What cannot be cured must be endured," he chuckles.

"I'm alright," he said as if to reassure me.

"I'm reading a lot," he said.

"Since I'm not able to move out friends come and meet me. Even recently friends from Bangalore visited me," he said.

"If you happen to come this side, we should..."
"Sure," I said.

As for food- morning, afternoon and night he has arranged with a hotel...

He inquired about family, our health, about my daughter...

I sent him a link of my story (a find of Rajaneesh Vilakudy) which appeared in today's editions of Mirror.

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31821&articlexml=An-old-boy-gives-back-to-Chathanur-LP-02042017008006

Soundarajan, who served with the postal department, is a bachelor. He didn't marry since he was taking care of his chronically ill sister. She passed away sometime ago.

P.S. I lost John Kennedy to Covid-19. Soundarajan? I dread what if he fails to pick up my call. God...!

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