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Indian cinema has often been categorised into either commercial or art cinema. Is a further bifurcation now emerging between low-budget and big-budget films? Courtesy: Taurian. These were some of the many interesting questions that surfaced at the screening of Kannada film Navilaadavaru at Surana College, and the subsequent seminar on the topic "Navilaadavaru in the context of Endhiran". Navilaadavaru, made by director B M Giriraj, is an interesting experiment in more ways than one. Prior to this film B M Giriraj has also worked as Associate Director on Kannada film Moggina Manassu. Giriraj's first full-length feature film, with its own…

BBMP gets tough on garbage collection contractors Noting the hazardous conditions under which pourakarmikas work, BBMP has decided to pull up the contractor. Manjunath Reddy, Chairman, BBMP standing committee on health, directed the contractor from Neelasandra to provide gloves and shoes. HC dismisses Nityananda challenging the charge sheet The Karnataka High court rejected godman Nityananda’s plea of providing him with a copy of charge sheet filed against him by the CID. The charge sheet is related to the rpe case he is facing. BBMP buys up TDRs to speed up road widening BBMP has assured residents on the Sumanahalli and…

Bangalore being a land locked city, many are not aware as to what the Indian Navy is all about. In fact the role and responsibility of the navy is not very clear to the majority of the nation. I still remember an incident, which happened way back in the early seventies when I was coming by train on annual leave to Bangalore. A fellow passenger asked me where I was working, I told him "I work in the Indian Navy". He gave my answer a very serious thought and after much reflection he said, "You people must be getting fish…

Why don't shark attack lawyers? Professional Courtesy!However lawyers with failing practice are sharks minus the teeth.  Lacking the ferocity, the honourable practitioners of law turn to fictional tales of courtroom victories to rope in unsuspecting clients - RangaTantra"Bandavaalavillada badayi " loosely translates to "Bluffing with no bounds", The  central character of this play is Ahoblu Rao, a practicing lawyer who is, practice challenged.  While his limited courtroom success partly explains his living condition, his is a story affected by a no-nonsense wife, getting nowhere son, assistants who expect to be paid for their services and clients who don't expect to…

After repeated extortion attempts by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) members from their stores, Bengaluru-headquartered printing solutions company Printo filed a complaint against the organisation on Tuesday. The complaint was filed at the Commercial Street police station after eight KRV activists allegedly threatened to ransack the company's Infantry Road outlet. However, an FIR itself was not filed. Printo has 14 centres in Bengaluru. KRV is a pro-kannada organisation with branches all over Karnataka. Customers waiting for printing services Pic: Navya P K The activists allegedly asked Andrew Abishek, Store Manager at the outlet on Wednesday night, to print 200 photos of…

After a two-year-long struggle against corrupt BBMP officials and a hostile Resident Welfare Association, residents of Sachidananda Nagar layout in Bengaluru are finally about to receive their khatas - without paying any bribe. Today, BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah issued a letter to the BBMP Additional Director (Rajarajeshwari zone) K M Ramachandrappa to issue khatas to the nearly 800 residents. The letter says that the decision was made after considering the Gandhigiri protests held by residents and a directive from the Lokayukta last week. Residents at BBMP office demanding khatas be issued. Pic: Loksatta. The battle for khatas started in 2001 for…

With holidays and the sparkle of Diwali in the air, we thought we'd keep a look out for films that make for good viewing with the family. So this week's recommendation is Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - a film directed by Zack Snyder (of 300 fame) in the fine tradition of Hollywood's computer-animated fantasies. The film tells the story of a young barn owl Soren, who travels across the universe to find the legendary alliance of owls known as the "Guardians of Ga'Hoole", and save the owl kingdoms. The film itself has familiar themes like courage,…

Cantonment Railway Station, Bangalore is currently housing a unique train – The Sanskriti Express Exhibition Train, hosting in five coaches an exhibition on the life and works of Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). The exhibition, which will travel through different parts of India over the period of one year, is part of the celebrations of the 150th birth Anniversary of ‘Kabiguruji’ as he was fondly called, and is running as ‘a tribute from the Indian Railways’. Tagore with his children, displayed in the Sanskriti Express. Pic: Lina Vincent Sunish. Curated under the direction of Saoli Mitra, Chairperson, Committee on Heritage and Culture,…

BMTC Bangalore runs two types of ordinary services - the black board routes covering upto 15 kms (numbered 1 to 209) from city centre and the red board routes covering areas longer than 15 kms from city centre (numbered above 210). The bus passes cost more for red board buses than those for the black board buses. But in reality - the red board buses are at times cheaper and faster than their black board counterparts. Despite the longer distance, they have lesser stages. However boarding a red board bus might mean walking a few more yards to the appropriate…

Mud Ganesha. Pic: vinita. Ganesh Chaturthi marks the start of the Hindu festive season that continues through the rest of the calendar year.  Due to its relative lack of rituals, it is also said to be less of a religious and more of a social event.  Building on the social nature of the festival, Chetan K S and his wife Vijayalakshmi, founders of The Living store (Chamarajpet) are attempting to spread awareness on being more ecologically sensitive on Ganesh Chaturthi, this September 11th. Last year they held a workshop at their premises to make clay Ganeshas and the overwhelming response…