Amnesty caravan hits new ground

A minibus has been touring higher education campuses across the capital to sensitise students to the debate over the death penalty, torture, and discrimination among other issues not typically college corridor conversations.

Amnesty International India has named its campus caravan Kabulliwallah Express. The caravan parks itself in college or university campuses to display photo exhibitions on Kashmir or the Dalits in Bihar, screens films on Burma or organises panel discussions on topics ranging from the humanitarian crisis in Burma to right abuses.

The vehicle has visited the Indian Institute of Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Delhi School of Economics, Lady Shri Ram College and others. It has collected at least 700 signatures for a petition against the death penalty likely to be sent to the Prime Minister.

Artistes travelling with the caravan have staged a play on the death penalty. The Kabulliwallah Express is a prelude to the International Week of Justice to be held in January 2008 in Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

Gujarati Sholay on the floors

Vikram Dodiya might make Ram Gopal Varma feel better.

Director Dodiya has lined up a Gujarati remake of Sholay, less than three months after the Bollywood ace’s take on the 1975 classic, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, singed all hopes that a cult movie could be adapted successfully.

odiya isn’t exactly a lone ranger: remakes of the film in Bhojpuri and Sindhi have already hit the marque. “I was only waiting for the right actors,” he says.

Varma’s run of disaster with the remake doesn’t worry Dodiya, who believes such ventures will never be a box-office dud. Dodiya has created his own Ramgarh, shown in the original, in a village about 55km from Rajkot.

However, Dodiya has kept a low profile, possibly to avoid a scrap with the Sippys who had made the original.

Diwali ‘yellow’ fever ebbs

The Diwali gold rush almost thinned to a trickle this time in Chennai, long known for its yellow-metal fetish.

Economists blamed the dip in purchases on the hardening rupee (against the dollar) but the explanation proved too far-fetched for the ordinary buyers.

With 22-carat gold quoting above Rs 10,500 (per 10gm), the easier reason to understand was that the precious metal had slipped far beyond the means of people.

The sales drop hit the jewellers hard but they hoped customers would come back after they come to terms with the higher prices. With the wedding season and Christmas ahead, the merchants feel it was only a matter of time before the crowds flocked back to the shops.

But some have offered another, and a more local, explanation for the slump. Three flyovers were being constructed in the T. Nagar area, home to many of Chennai’s big jewellers, causing big traffic problems that the traders believe might be putting off potential buyers.

Bookmark

On Children’s Day last week, the Delhi government has decided it should play it by the book.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit launched Kitabi Magic, an initiative to introduce children to the world of books to encourage them to read and participate in reading-related activities.

“Kitabi magic will also help in character building,” Dikshit said while launching the programme at a government school.

Dikshit said even in the age of television and video, books continue to be a friend, philosopher and guide for readers.

Delhi: A.R. Rahman stages in his first live show in Delhi, at the West Delhi District City Ground, Raja Garden, this Saturday (November 17). Tickets, at Rs 5,000, Rs 1,500 and Rs 500, available in the outlets of Music World or PVR cinemas. The show begins at 6.30pm.