Many decades back, composer Madan Mohan had said that it was the great fortune of music directors that Lata happened in their time. Like several wonders of history, Lata Mangeshkar was a product of her time and that makes her life and success impossible to replicate. Talkies came to India in 1931 with Alam Ara... Continue Reading →

Yesterday evening I heard that Carnatic vocalist Radha Vishwanathan was no more. In the melee of Margazhi, not many even noticed it. My childhood was incomplete without Bhajan Govindam and Vishnu Sahasranamam in the voice of MS Subbulakshmi. Several south Indian homes had this cassette next to their tape recorder all the time. On some... Continue Reading →

Usually an interaction done over phone is less enchanting than a face-to-face interview. But not this one. How many times have you been on a call to be treated to a gem like Narumugaye from the other end out of the blue. It's bliss. Serendipity has its way of working with our lives. It was... Continue Reading →

This story was published in The Times of India in 2013  On a busy junction on the Mount Road, in Chennai, Shanti Theater is gearing up for the upcoming festive season. K Bhaskar, the cinema operator of Shanti Cinemas, is quite used to activities happening at a frenetic pace at this time of the year.... Continue Reading →