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IN PASSING
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Photo: Vivek Bendre
For 45 mesmerising minutes, author and Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk transported his audience to the streets of Turkey. Known for his outspoken views, Pamuk during the reading and interactive session demonstrated that he was not only a master storyt
eller, but also had a great sense of history combined with wry humour and sensitivity. Pamuk no stranger to persecution after his remarks about the alleged genocide of the Kurds and Armenians, clarified “all that is now in the past. They don’t use that law against authors.” He said he was not comfortable either in his home country or in the West where he teaches. “But that is what drives my writing; the essence of Turkishness, the feeling that you are never comfortable in your own land or anywhere else.” Though his books are set in his native land, he has garnered a literary following the world over. “This is due to translation,” smiles Pamuk. “I write for people all over the world. I work closely with my translators. They are not always perfect. That is why once I yelled at my German translator, ‘don’t translate what I write, translate what I mean’. A writer writes for the entire world. His main concern should be to identify with others who are unlike him. That is his biggest challenge and reward.” On Turkey not joining the European Union, Pamuk adds, “I am sad about it. But then I am always sad and will be to the end of my life.”
Oh no! Mamma
Photo: K. Murali Kumar
It’s Mum’s word against hers. But actor Soha Ali Khan refuses to let sleeping dogs lie and is ready to quash any rumours of her returning to her books. “I have done my Masters; I have no intention of studying anymore. My mother is t
he one who wants me to do a Ph.D. but it’s so not true,” said the distressed Khan. Khan who holds a Masters in history from the London School of Economics added, “even though my mother is going about telling anybody who will listen, I am not going back to my books.” Khan, who has already established herself as an actor, said that she would continue to hone her skill sets on stage. “I am going to pursue my career as an actor,” said Khan and to prove that she is nowhere near being written off, she proceeded to tick off the many films in which she will be acting.
Time for masala
Photo: Thulasi Kakkat
Lisa Ray continues to turn heads even today. In the city to launch a international watch brand, Ray said that she was raring to go and ready to “act in a masala movie, Bollywood style”. If this is f a shock for those who have followed her
career, she explains, “Now that I have established myself as a serious actor I want to do a masala movie. The offers have always been there but I first wanted to do other kind of roles.” Ray said that she felt that with the current economic downturn, the world was turning back to family values and basic human values. Comparing the popularity of Indian actors on the international circuit, Ray said that today the opportunities were many and “younger actors are aware of the choices handed out to them. In my case it was different; it was more about personal growth.” But now Ray is ready to take on a different challenge having established her credentials already.
SUCHITRA BEHAL
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