Category: Event

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Theatre comes alive on the Internet

Here’s some good news for theatre: Astitva and Mumbai Theatre Guide launch eNatya Chaupal, a web hangout for theatre lovers.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Astitva and Mumbai Theatre Guide have recently launched ‘eNatya Chaupal’, a unique web hangout for all those who love and enjoy theatre. This initiative aims to bring the ‘liveness’ of theatre online. 

The first e-chaupal will see Jehan Manekshaw of ‘Theatre Professionals engage noted playwright and director Mahesh Dattani in dialogue about theatre and a discussion on the latter’s recent book, Me And My Plays.

“eNatya Chaupal will enable all those interested in theatre to participate in a manner that’s engaging, convenient and interactive. It will host play readings, conversations and talks related to theatre. ‘Chaupal’ is a meeting place where it’s possible to engage in debate and in discussion and this is what we hope eNatya Chaupal will facilitate. Given its format, eNatya Chaupal will not only easily connect theatre lovers in India and from around the world, but will also bring an added value to the ongoing discussions about theatre in India. We strongly believe in strengthening the online resources that our theatre community in India can avail of. We hope that eNatya Chaupal will be a significant step in that direction,” says a release from Mumbai Theatre Guide.

The first ‘chaupal’ will take place on June 15, 2014 at 4.30 pm and will feature Jehan Manekshaw in conversation with Mahesh Dattani at www.youtube.com/enatyachaupal. 

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Event

‘Come out and Play’ concludes with a bang

Mumbaikars turn up in large numbers to participate in The Metrognome’s maiden event at Mahalaxmi Racecourse on Sunday, June 1.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It was all that anyone had hoped for – a fun Sunday with the family, spent playing traditional Indian games at a beautiful ground, and with loads of laughter and friendly camaraderie to help. The Metrognome’s maiden event in Mumbai – Come out and Play’ went off with a bang amidst much cheering and competition among participating Mumbaikars.

At stake were family passes from Adlabs Imagica, apparel vouchers from Libas, and a bumper prize for the best performing family of the day – the Suranas – who won a helicopter ride from Shhaawn Aviation. Other families present to the end received gift packets from Hakim Masala.

Said Sajid Shaikh, who registered for the event with a family of 22, “We had been looking forward to this event excitedly, and we even cancelled a family trip for it. It was great fun reviving memories of our childhood, with games like langdi, lagori, sack race and dog and the bone. I hope the organisers host this event again.”

The event was jointly hosted by The Metrognome and I-deators Events.

(Pictures courtesy Urvashi Seth Ranga)

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Event

Kashish Film Festival registrations currently on

The festival’s theme this year is ‘Dare to Dream’ and recognises progressive movements for equality, dignity for the LGBT community.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival – arguably South Asia’s and India’s biggest LGBT film festival – is back for the fifth year, with a huge collection of 154 films from 31 countries. India’s only mainstream lesbian, gay and transgender film festival and one of the first to receive clearance from the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will take place between May 21 to May 25, 2014, at the iconic Liberty Cinema, New Marine Lines and Alliance Française de Bombay.

The festival’s theme this year is ‘Dare To Dream’ and recognises the progressive movements for equality and dignity for gay, lesbian and transgender persons across the world, including India. “Kashish 2014 will highlight, reflect upon and celebrate the people, communities and movements that ‘Dare To Dream’”, says a press release by the organisers.

Kashish jury membersThe festival’s jury this year comprises trailblazing actors and filmmakers with multiple National Film Awards between them. National award winning actor Sarika, filmmaker Onir whose film I Am won the National award in two categories, actor and former Member of Parliament Nitish Bharadwaj, costume designer Pia Benegal, actor Avantika Akerkar and Wadia Movietone director and LGBT rights activist Roy Wadia will judge the films in competition at the festival for the seven award categories. (See pic of jury members on left)

“Equality is the foundation of a peaceful society and equal rights is what Kashish is all about,” said Bharadwaj, who is still remembered for his role of Krishna in BR Chopra’s Mahabharata, at a press conference to announce the festival. “When I was asked what I feel about the LGBT community, I said that they are human beings just like me. The respect that I get, they too should get. The day when Kashish no longer needs tags and labels, only then can we say equality has been achieved. One of the main reasons I agreed to be on the jury was the hunger as an artist to see and appreciate good cinema.’’

Akerkar said that initially she had questions about the word ‘queer’’ in the film festival’s name. “I was told that there was nothing wrong with the word and was in fact, a way of appropriating words to empower,’’she said. “It’s great to see that Kashish will have 11 world premieres. I haven’t even seen this in many mainstream festivals and speaks volumes about the status that this film festival has achieved.’’

“This year’s Jury reflects once again the diversity and richness of professional experience that the Jury panel brings to Kashish every year,’’ said Sridhar Rangayan, festival Festival Director- Sridhar Rangayandirector (in pic on right). 

“At a time when LGBT rights are under attack by powerful players in India and overseas, no doubt in response to the gains we have made in recent years, it’s more important than ever for Kashish and similar events to prosper,” noted Roy Wadia, LGBT rights activist and Director of Wadia Movietone.

Key highlights for this year:

* 154 films from 31 countries.

* 11 World, 17 International and 39 Asian premieres.

* New venue is India’s finest art deco theatre – the iconic Liberty Cinema with over 1,000 seating capacity.

* Crowd funding to raise part of the funds to put up the festival – the first film festival in India to do so.

* This year, the ‘Country Focus’ will be on Canada with more short and feature films including Winter Kept Us Warm (1965).

* ‘Filmmaker in Focus’ is Canadian actor Charlie David.

* Special focus on Transgender lives

* Films on HIV.

* Queer films from Turkey, Srilanka, Uganda, Bangladesh will be screened.

* Opening Film Out In The Dark from Israel and Palestine.

* Closing Film is John Apple Jack from Canada

* Tribute to late filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh and screening of the movie Memories in March.

* Indian Showcase: 28 films from India – some in regional languages including films in Marathi and Bengali.

Register to attend Kashish at www.mumbaiqueerfest.com. Offline registrations are currently on at Liberty Cinema, New Marine Lines and Humsafar office in Vakola and Khar.

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Event

Come out and Play, Mumbai!

The Metrognome brings to you the city’s first family games event – and all of Mumbai is invited! Register now.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The vacations will be over soon, and all of us will go back to the grind, so how about some good family time before we all slip into our routines?

How about if we come out of our houses and play?

The Metrognome and Ideators Events have conceptualised a unique games event for Mumbai – where entire families are invited to step out of their homes for a day and bond with each other over fun games. The event is slated to happen on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, from 9 am to 3 pm. Says Vrushali Lad, editor of The Metrognome, “Children these days are hardly stepping out of their houses to play, since gadgets and the TV at home keep them reasonably occupied. And then there is the question of where to play, if one does step out. There aren’t enough good grounds to play on, and if there are, most of us remain unaware of them.”

Adds Ketan Ranga of Ideators Events, a city-based company, “We thought of bringing children out to play, but more importantly, we thought it would be fun if children stepped out with their parents. Let’s face it, the games we played in our childhood – langdi, chippi, sack race, lagori – how many children play them now, or have heard of them? Parents can introduce their children to these games. Besides, the family that plays together stays together.”

What’s in store

The event will feature at least 10 games that are traditional in nature, and which will be modified to include entire families. For instance, if there’s a sack race event, an entire family will compete against another. “It’s not just about playing a game – anybody can step out and do that. Mumbai is fast losing the space and the will for collective community activities. Imagine the level of fun and laughter you can get out of playing at a sprawling ground, with so many others. Besides, when was the last time our parents played anything?” says Vrushali.

Entry to the event has been kept free, but participants will have to register. “We’ve created dedicated email IDs and social media pages for people to register on. We are tying up with citizens organisations to ensure that word spreads and that more numbers of people can join us to play,” explains Ketan.

The prizes

Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria will be the chief guest at the event.

Winning families get passes from the event’s Entertainment Partners Adlabs Imagica and vouchers from Apparel Partner Libas. One lucky family will get a helicopter ride in Mumbai from Sshawn Aviation.

RWITC is the venue partner for the event.

Register for ‘Come out and play’ by sending an email to comeoutandplay2014@gmail.com. You can register by tweeting @Comeoutplay2014 or liking the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Comeoutandplay. The first 1000 registrations will receive ‘Come out and play’ T-shirts. 

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Seniors will laugh their way into the record books

Today, over 1,500 senior citizens in Borivali will attempt a new world record for laughter, to celebrate World Laughter Day.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

World Laughter Day was celebrated yesterday, May 4; it is observed on the first Sunday of every May. While we may have laughed (or not) yesterday, senior citizens in Borivali are geared up to celebrate the day with an ambitious goal – to set a new world record for laughter!

The Pushpa Maa Foundation, which runs a highly active Dada Dadi Park in Veer Savarkar Udyan in Borivli, will attempt to set a new world record for laughter – or laughter yoga, to be precise – this evening at the Udyan. There is every chance of the feat being recorded in the 2015 edition of the Limca Book of Records. The name of the feat is ‘Maximum numbers of senior citizens (age 60 and above) from a single organisation doing Laughter Yoga and laughing collectively.’

The Foundation has already received an email confirmation from the Limca Book of Records to attempt the record. Says Jimmy Dordi, part of the Park’s Managing Committee and Advisor, “We will have over 1,500 members of our Park congregating on Monday at 5 pm, to attempt the record. They will do Laughter Yoga continuously for 15 minutes for the record.”

However, the idea behind the endeavour is not merely to set a record, but also to stress on the importance of laughter in our daily lives. Says Sailesh Mishra of Silver Innings Foundation, which is the social media and PR partner for the event, “The record is actually aimed at building a global consciousness of health, happiness and world peace through laughter. In today’s stressful times, Laughter Yoga is a good solution to combat several diseases.”

The programme is supported by Dignity Foundation, Silver Innings Foundation, Inspired Bharat and Apex Hospital. The Metrognome is the online media partner for the event.

(Picture courtesy www.satyamevjayate.in. Image used is a file pic)

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Event

Eight weeks of eating right

PD Hinduja Hospital will organise a free ‘Mindful Eating’ seminar from May 6, to introduce Mumbai to innovative eating approaches.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

We all want to eat the right things and follow a diet that suits us, but where does one get reliable information from? For starters, PD Hinduja Hospital is happy to help.

Dr Roshani SanghaniThe Hospital will organise a free mindful eating seminar in its premises on May 6, 2014. The workshop will give an insight into the 8-week ‘Mindful Eating’ workshop being launched by PD Hinduja Hospital headed by Dr Roshani Sanghani (in pic on left), Consultant Endocrinologist. “The workshop will introduce you to an innovative eating approach through interaction with a compassionate facilitator, and the motivation and support of a group that faces the same challenges as you. The difference between this approach and conventional ‘diet’ approaches is that this approach helps you get in touch with your own body’s wisdom and helps you manage your eating over the long term from the inside out, rather than following ‘diet rules’ coming from the outside, which is difficult to sustain long-term,” explains Dr Sanghani.

To register and know more details about the workshop, call +91-9757262570/022-2444 7167, or email faculty@hindujahospital.com.

(Pictures courtesy standingsittinglying.wordpress.com and PD Hinduja Hospital)

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