City: Bengaluru

For many years now, I have been following the work of Yours Truly Theatre (YTT), a young Bangalore theatre group. They can be said to have pioneered Interactive Theatre in India. Called "Playback Theatre", it was started in the 1970's in the US, and is now hugely popular across the world. Instead of a fixed script, it is an interaction between the audience and the cast; the performers take the inputs provided by the members of the audience, and stage a scene with their own dramatic interpretation. Playback theatre has three established ways of presenting the stories: Fluids, Stories, and…

When an outstanding actor makes his debut as a director, the audience that has been faithfully following his cinema over the last decades expects much him from. But true blue Pankaj Kapur fans will find themselves disappointed with Mausam. Pic: Film's official website The film tells the story of Harry (Shahid Kapoor) and Aayat (Sonam Kapoor), who fall in love as young adolescents in a village in Punjab. Across time and over different seasons, they battle many quirks of fate and great distances to build a life together. Yet curiously, in a decade that brought the Internet, email and mobile…

Bangalore as a Creative City: An Open Consultation to discuss Policy Recommendations for Urban Arts and Culture SpacesThe Centre for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS), Bangalore, and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru are organising an open consultation on “Bangalore as a Creative City” to debate the centrality of arts and culture in urban planning that has until now largely focused on infrastructure. The event will take place on Thursday, the 29th of September, 2011 at 10:30 at the NGMA, Bengaluru.Here are the live proceedings of the consultation, covered by Francesca Rechia, an urban studies professional and writer.  …

Around 80 activists, both men and women protesting Kannada film industry's action during Darshan controversy were manhandled by Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) members and plain clothes men claiming to be police. The group of about 80 activists - comprising mostly women and a few men - had assembled in front of the KFCC, Kumara Park East, near Shivananda circle, on Saturday, September 24, holding a silent protest. A man who claimed to be from the police arguing with activists. His credentials could not be verified. Pic: Navya P K Problems started as soon as the group was about…

South Western Railway, Hubli beat Coorg Blues, 4 – 0, on 27th September, in the ongoing ‘A’ Division Hockey Tournament organised by Karnataka State Hockey Association. Nagraj H of SWR scored a hat trick at 28th, 29th and 40th minutes of the game and Kiran Gagade scored a goal in the 50th minute to spur the team to victory. Other match results: RWF Beat BSNL by 5-0:For RWF: Jayaraj.M - 21st min; Ravikumar - 44th min; Sampath S.N – 51st, 56th min; Harjeet - 59th min. ITI Beat SHBHC, Gadag by 2-1 For ITI: Somaiah - 56th min; Rajendra Kumar…

Former football player for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), C K Ranganatha, aged 61, passed away on Monday, 26th September at Vega Hospital in Malleshwaram where he was being treated. He is survived by a wife and two sons. He was cremated atHarishchandraghat at Srirampura the next day. Players from the football fraternity and employees of BHEL paid their respects. Ranganatha, who retired from BHEL earlier in February this year, was a multi-talented sportsman representing BHEL in football, ball badminton and cricket tournaments.  He was instrumental in taking BHEL from ‘B’ Division to ‘A’ Division in 1976. He played for…

Ever since I can remember-and that means since I was three or four years old, Lalbagh has been an inseparable part of my childhood. Whether it was to just run barefoot all the way (from Sajjan Rao Circle where I used to live) and play there with my umpteen friends, or go with my family and get my dad to click pictures with his Yashica camera or to go for Ganapathi Visarjana, or for the flower show; Lalbagh was the only awesome place one could think of. Since then it has also been my dad’s place of pilgrimage literally. He…

For Samaksh Kapoor, 22, a M.Sc. student, a laundry service is the only way he can get his clothes washed and ironed. He gives 4-5 kilos of clothes every week to Sancy’s Launderette in 3rd Phase JP Nagar. “My family does not live in Bangalore. As I am busy with studies, I don't find time to wash my clothes.” He says that the service at the launderette is quicker than a traditional dhobi. “So, this is my only option,” he says. Village Laundry Service Kiosk. Pic: Yogaraj Mudalgi Bangalore has had a steady influx of students and professionals from outside…

For Suthinthran Rao, 39, an entrepreneur, it was a rare chance to play one of his favourite childhood games cricket, after several years. "As children, we played cricket even in mid-May in Chennai. Now, Bangalore city has very less open space left for children to play. I brought my seven year old son to see what he is missing out on." said Rao while he took a break from batting for his team, Himagiri Meadows. Suthinthran Rao and son watching cricket match. Rao was playing at the ApnaComplex Treamis Premier League, a 15-over, tennis ball cricket tournament being played at…

The bright yellow walls of the building, a bountiful vegetable garden and smiling girls bring cheer to your heart as soon as you step into the '' Baale Mane'' premises. A home among the lush green ragi fields, eucalyptus groves and farm lands serve as the ideal retreat for the girls to grow in a nurturing environment. Baale Mane at Gopalapura. Pic: Suja Sukumaran. 'Baale Mane' meaning 'Girl's Home' is situated in the sylvan surroundings of Gopalapura, near Nelamangala, off Tumkur Road. It was founded in 2001 by Paraspara Trust, an NGO providing shelter and a home for girl children.…