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YOUNG AND HAPPENING
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M. RAGHURAM on three hot Mangaloreans who're making waves elsewhere
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Sheetal Mallar: `I feel strongly for animal rights. I want the country to put a halt to violence against animals.'
EVEN AS placid Mangalore is getting more hip, there are young people from here who have moved on and made it big elsewhere. Sultry model Sheetal Mallar, who sets the catwalk on fire wherever she goes, has her roots here. In fact, her family still has a home in Padubidri.
Animal rights
Ashok Salian, photographer known for his work in the fashion world and outside of it, along with Sheetal, mobilises support for various social causes, including animal rights. In fact, they are both closely associated with People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Ashok Salian, photographer, known for his work in the fashion world and outside of it, mobilises support for various social causes, including animal rights
It was through the good offices of Anuradha Sawheny, Chief Functionary of PETA, Mumbai, that MetroPlus got an email interview with Sheetal, who was shooting for an ad film in Florence, Italy.
"I feel strongly for animal rights. When Anuradha and her colleagues were fighting for the rights of animals, all I did was to sign the document appealing to legal luminaries of the country to put a halt to violence against animals. I had to do one more chore: sport a T-shirt saying `Treat Us Right'."
Sheetal Mallar stands along with other celebs touting for animal rights such as John Abraham, Ruby Bhatia, Rajneesh Duggal, Rahul Khanna, Shaimak Davar, Ashok Salian, Pooja and Adam Bedi, Hemant Trivedi and Karan Johar. Just across the continent from where Sheetal was shooting her ad film, another Dakshina Kannada girl, Chitralekha Bolar, was busy planning an Indian tour. Chitralekha has made England her home and has floated her own dance company. She has received rave reviews in the print media and has been featured on several television channels in Europe.
The Guardian had this to say about her performance: `...the overall effect of the performance... both startling and entrancing, powerful and harmonious ... an extraordinary yet natural phenomenon". The Times commented about her troupe that "... however far they travel within Britain, it is nothing compared with the imaginary journey of their extremely varied programme..." The Independent described the performances as "dramatic miracles".
Transporting culture
Danseuse Chitralekha has made England her home and has received rave reviews in the media across Europe
Chitralekha set up her own company in 1990 after migrating to England in 1978. Her first production, Amokta Maalyada, was well received. This dance drama told the story of 13th Century poetess Andal and fused the power and precision of Bharatanatya with the joyous energy of the folk traditions of South India. Her other productions that became popular in Europe had to do with Loka Natya, janapada and the Panchatantra.
Chitra, who plans to perform Bharatanatya in various places in the country including Kasargod, MetroPlus she is grooming a motley group of students of various nationalities. The local Art Council in the U.K. has been very supportive of the dance culture of India, especially Bharatnatya. The costumes, the chaste visage of the performers and the riot of colours are appreciated by the British audiences. To this day, she relies on suppliers in Chennai for the costumes.
Chitra takes regular classes for children at the Midlands Arts Centre at Birmingham and at the Victoria Centre in Wellingborough. She has also given lecdem for various education authorities in England.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Madurai
Mangalore
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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