Sound of music

Roll on the drums. Noted percussionist and music composer Bickram Ghosh hopes to create what he calls his own brand of world music in the Raj Basu-directed thriller, Piyalir Password. “I hope to have some music that will have an Indian quotient but with an Arabic flavour in the form of a very distinct violin score by (Algerian musician) Djamel Benyelles and maybe even use a saxophone,” he says. Benyelles, of course, has made beautiful music with singer and former actor Jane Birkin — so Ghosh’s score is something to look forward to. “My previous music compositions for movies had a classical feel, but this will have my own brand of world music that is very much new age, as the film is about characters based in the United States,” he says. Ghosh’s heart, clearly, beats for India — and the world.

Brigand brigade

It’s been a year, but Kerala’s moral policemen haven’t forgiven Kannada actress Jaimala for touching the Ayappa idol at the state’s Sabarimala temple. Last week, Jaimala was scheduled to inaugurate an exhibition of Kannada theatre in Kasaragod, Kerala. As the actor reached the venue, she was welcomed by a group of black-flag waving political workers of the Yuva Morcha. The demonstration forced the organisers to cancel the programme, and Jaimala returned to Bangalore without cutting the red ribbon. Kerala’s moral cops call it divine justice. Others see it as just another move by the holier-than-thou brigade.

Cry freedom

Ram Guha is not the one to be happily ensconced in an ivory tower. Now, a move by the writer-academic-journalist is being seen in some circles as a step that may help save the life of a much-respected medical and social activist in Chhatisgarh. Protests have been raging across India ever since PUCL member Binayak Sen, who helped set up a hospital built and run by Durg mine workers, was picked up by the state police last week for allegedly being a Naxalite sympathiser. But there is some hope, for the Supreme Court has just admitted a PIL filed by Guha and two others recently against civil atrocities carried out by the Chhattisgarh police in the name of Naxal eradication. “The court has also asked for an inquiry committee to be set up, which would look into the violation of human rights of tribals living in the area,” says Guha. The court’s interest, the activists hope, will bring Binayak Sen back to where he belongs. Among his people.

Lip service

Poor Jiah Khan has a problem. The young lady, who tried to seduce Amitabh Bachchan by kissing him on his cheeks in the film Nishabd, says that she is troubled by her lips. The actress points out that she is in the habit of biting her lips — a gesture that gives boys ideas they shouldn’t really nurture. “I have this strange habit of biting my lips. In puzzling situations or when I am very thoughtful or sometimes even without any reason, I lick and bite my lips.” The habit, she complains, prompts young men to think that Jiah is messaging them. Some start following her and “that becomes a nuisance sometimes.” So, boys, don’t blame her if she gives you lip for not quite succeeding in reading her lips.

Bioscope buzz

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal is a card-holding member of the biopic lovers’ club. After his film on Subhas Bose, the director has now zeroed in on Noor Inayat Khan, a descendant of Indian royalty who was executed as a British spy during World War II, as the subject of his next film. Based on Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan, written by London-based journalist Shrabani Basu, the film will be an international, multilingual effort. With a screenplay by Lord Meghnad Desai and Kishwar Ahluwalia, it will be the first Indian film in English, French, German and Hindi. For Benegal, the world’s a village!