Arts, Culture & Entertainment – Page 11

INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CRAFTS / FILM PRODUCTION: Karthik Vijayan Awarded ‘Gulf Achievers Award 2022’ for his Short Films

City’s Karthik Vijayamani speaks about his victory at the Gulf Achievers Award 2022 for his short films, making songs for the IPL and the nature of Dubai’s content creation industry.

When Bengaluru’s Karthik Vijayamani went to Dubai in 2014 for a job in the science and technology industry, little did he know that films were his calling. But after producing multiple short film projects in the past eight years, Vijayamani has recently been recognised for his contribution after he won the Gulf Achievers Award 2022 as the best short film content creator in Dubai. He was recognised for his projects Dad Says, Dance Battle 2022 and Chords of Love.

Now, after amassing recognition in the UAE, Vijayamani feels things worked out for him after his company, Avighna Productions, redefined the concept of an advertisement. “Our production house has made multiple ads. While working on those projects, we thought of taking a different approach. We took more of a narrative route in a short-film format. We felt it would help us relay a message to the audience better,” says Vijayamani about their work that also incorporated a few Bollywood celebrities to help the project reach a wider audience. These short-films were released in Dubai and Sharjah.

Outside of making short films, Vijayamani’s production house has also created fan anthems for the Indian Premiere League (IPL) teams Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore & Mumbai Indians. Of these three, the CSK one titled ‘#CSKReturns Anthem’ especially made the rounds during IPL 2019 and has over 3.6 million views on YouTube.

“Making music for the IPL is challenging because of the intense competition. There are thousands of people who make IPL songs. The game is not just about making the song but how we choose to market. A bad marketing strategy can ruin a good song’s success. In our case, we created a film that said that whoever in the audience will dance to the first few beats of the song and put it up on social media, we will give them a gold coin if they gain a huge number of views. That strategy worked out for us,” he shares.

Vijayamani feels the content creation industry in the UAE is different compared to India. “The biggest challenge is that the people of Dubai are not easily approachable. I first had to familiarise myself with all the top Sheikhs in Dubai and maintain a healthy relationship with them.

Once I started to gain their confidence, things started to get easier. In 2018, they gave me one opportunity to make a song about people of determination, which is the official term for specially-abled citizens in Dubai. We made an album with people of determination that year. The success of that project opened many doors for me,” he concludes.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022 / ARTS & CULTURE: Rochelle D’Sa’s ‘Hey Yo’ Video Song for FIFA World Cup Released on November 11th

The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar has begun from November 20.

A team from Mangaluru has composed ‘Hey Yo’ video song for FIFA World Cup 2022 which was released on November 11.

The song ‘Hey Yo’ is composed, written and sung by Rochelle D’Sa, music programmed by Dolwin Kolalagiri, and backing vocals by Joel Rebello, Dolwin Kolalagiri and Rochelle D’Sa.

The mixing and mastered by Srinivas at Daijiworld Audio Visual Studio. The camera, editing and DI by Relwin Melrin (horizon studio).

The song is dedicated to all the football fans around the world.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: HERITAGE / ARTS & CULTURE: Learn about Karnataka’s Heritage through innovative ‘Flippar’ Postcard Videos and Postal Covers

Want to know about the unique heritage of Karnataka, its wonderful festivals and ancient culture through a short video? You just need to step inside any major Post Office this week to do so. India Post on November 18 signed an MoU with Bengaluru-based Flippar to sell its eye-catchy postcards and postal covers through major post offices in Karnataka. “The Philately bureaux of the General Post Office in Bengaluru and the Head Post Offices in Mysuru, Belagavi and Mangaluru will be selling them,” Chief Postmaster General (Karnataka Circle) S Rajendra Kumar told TNIE.

Flippar has created 600 unique Augmented Reality (AR) cards, each priced at Rs 50, which showcase India’s rich heritage. The Lion’s share of them are illustrations on Karnataka like the Stone Chariot at Hampi, Vidhana Soudha, Badami, MTR and Koshys, India Coffee House, MG Road, festivals and many heritage buildings.

What is AR card?
An AR card or cover will have a video clip accompanied by audio about a specific landmark or tradition covered. “The duration of the clip ranges between 45 seconds and 90 seconds,” explains Vivek Mahaveer Jain, Director of Flippar. “One needs to download our app Flippar Go, available on both Google store and Apple store, click the Magic Eye button and scan the postcard to get a 3D view and for the video to play,” he said.

“They are already selling like hot cakes at book stores for over a year now. Post offices across the state will now help us have a much larger reach,” Jain said. It is a win-win situation for both as the Postal Department stands to get 20% of the revenue generated from these cards. Flippar has printed the cards in bulk and will be dispatching them to the post offices before Wednesday. “From Thursday, public can buy them,” Jain said.

Blossoms and Goobes bookshops on Church Street, Champaca bookstore on Cunningham Road, Bangalore Creative Circus at Yeshwanthpur and Paperback Bookshop at Rangasankara already sell them.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: SOCIAL/ CHILDRENs BRAVERY: Five Children Awarded the ‘Hoysala and Keladi Chennamma Bravery Awards’ on Children’s Day by the Department of Women and Child Development

Five children were awarded for their bravery by the Department of Women and Child Development, on the occasion of Children’s Day, at Bal Bhavan.

All the five hail from rural backgrounds, and were conferred the Hoysala and Keladi Chennamma Bravery Awards for displaying various acts of bravery over the last year.

The awards are bestowed by the department on children who have shown commitment towards the rescue of others in dangerous circumstances. The four girls and one boy were honoured at the Children’s Day State Awards Ceremony on Monday.

On November 6, 2021, Namrata, from Madikeri, had saved a senior citizen from drowning in a lake on her way home from school.

Prarthana, from Shivamogga, had saved her brother’s life after he was electrocuted by a TV switch board at their home on November 7, 2021.

Koushalya Hegade, from Siddapura, saved her father following an accident. After their car overturned, she made her way to a nearby village to call for help, as her father had suffered severe injury.

Keerthi Vivek, from Davanagere, also endured a similar ordeal, when his family car fell into a trench, jamming all its doors.

He used a metal water bottle to smash a car window, and was able to pull his sister and parents to safety, following which he called for help.

Kavya Bhaskar Hegde, from Chikkamagaluru, was on her way home when she found an elderly woman lying on a railway track, and rushed in to save her after she saw a train approaching.

The five children were also presented a cash prize of Rs 10,000.

The ceremony included awards distributed to four organisations and four individuals for their services rendered in the field of children’s welfare.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: POSITIVE / BRAVERY: 13-year-old Girl Kaushalya V Hegde to Receive the Kelada Chennamma Shaurya Award for Bravery

Kaushalya Venkataramana Hegde (13) is all set to receive the Keladi Chennamma Shaurya Award on November 14. She deserves every bit of it.

After all, it was because of her presence of mind, a fighting spirit and love for her father that saved his life. On March 15, 2021, Venkataramana Hegde, a cook, was on his way back home from a nearby village.

The jeep he was driving suddenly lost control and turned turtle. Hegde, who was travelling along with Kaushalya and her five-old-year brother, found himself under the jeep, crying and screaming in pain.

After a brief struggle to help her father, Kaushalya ran to get help which was 2 km away. People came and rescued Hegde. “I am really proud of my daughter. She saved my life on that day. It was a re-birth to me,” Hegde said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL (SOUTH INDIA): TRANSPORT / TRAVEL / BUSINESS & ECONOMY: INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION: PM flags off South India’s First Vande Bharat Express in Bengaluru making it the 5th in the Country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the inaugural special of south India’s first Vande Bharat Express at Krantiveera Sangolli Railway station here.

The train connects Mysuru and Chennai via Bengaluru. This is the fifth Vande Bharat Express train in the country.

It will enhance connectivity between the industrial hub of Chennai, the tech-cum-startup hub of Bengaluru and the famous tourist city of Mysuru, officials said.

The Prime Minister said, “The Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express will boost connectivity as well as commercial activities. It will also enhance ‘Ease of Living’.”

According to Railway officials, Vande Bharat Express is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features including an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.

It can pick up a speed of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 52 seconds, and a maximum speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour.

The country’s first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off in 2019 on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route.

On Friday, the Prime Minister also flagged off the ‘Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan’ train, which is operated by Karnataka’s Muzrai Department, under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ train policy of Railways.

“It (Bharat Gaurav train) will fulfil the dream of numerous travellers intending to undertake Kashi Yatra,” according to the South Western Railway. The train offers an eight-day tour package at discounted rates for pilgrims.

Official sources said the Karnataka government gives cash assistance of Rs 5,000 to the Kashi Vishwanath Yatra pilgrims. This train covers holy places including Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Karnataka is the first state to take up this train under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme in which the state government and the Ministry of Railways are working together to send pilgrims from Karnataka to Varanasi (Kashi).

The pilgrims will be provided with comfortable stay and guidance for visiting Kashi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj, the statement read.

After flagging off the pilgrims’ train Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan, Modi tweeted, “I would like to compliment Karnataka for being the first state to take up the Bharat Gaurav Kashi Yatra train. This train brings Kashi and Karnataka closer. Pilgrims and tourists will be able to visit Kashi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj with ease.”

Indian Railways launched the operation of the theme-based Bharat Gaurav train in November last year to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and historical places to the people of India and the world.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: HISTORY /ARTS & CULTURE / LANDMARK: PM Modi Unveils 108-feet Bronze Statue of Bengaluru Founder ‘Nadaprabhu’ Kempegowda making it the Tallest Bronze Statue of a Founder of a City

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday unveiled the 108-feet tall statue of the city’s founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, which is the “first and the tallest bronze statue of a founder of a city”, as per the ‘World Book of Records’.

Called the “Statue of Prosperity”, it has been built to commemorate the contribution of Kempegowda towards the growth of Bengaluru.

The statue weighing 218 tonnes (98 tonnes of bronze and 120 tonnes of steel) has been installed at the Kempegowda International Airport here.

It has a sword weighing four tonnes.

The project, besides the statue, has a heritage theme park in an area covering 23 acres dedicated to the 16th century chieftain, together costing about Rs 84 crore to the government.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and several of his cabinet colleagues, Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Math, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa, former Chief Minister S M Krishna, BJP legislators, officials, among others were present at the event.

Kempegowda, a feudatory ruler under the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire founded Bengaluru in 1537.

He is revered, especially by the Vokkaliga community that is dominant in Old Mysuru and other parts of southern Karnataka.

Renowned sculptor and Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Vanji Sutar has designed the statue.

Sutar had built the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat and the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Bengaluru’s ‘Vidhana Soudha’.

As a precursor to the unveiling, ‘Mruthike’ (sacred mud) was collected from over 22,000 locations across the state, which was mixed symbolically with the mud beneath one of the four towers of the statue.

Twenty-one special vehicles collected the sacred mud in villages, towns and cities during the last two weeks.

With the installation of the statue ahead of the Assembly polls next year, a competition of sorts seems to have erupted between political parties to claim credit for the legacy of Kempegowda, aimed at garnering electoral support from the politically dominant Vokkaliga community.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah had earlier said the Congress government led by him was the one which had first planned to install the statue of Kempegowda at the airport.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ARTS & CULTURE / ICON: Kannada Actor Puneeth Rajkumar Conferred ‘Karnataka Ratna Award’ Posthumously at the 67th Kannada Rajyotsava

South actors Rajinikanth and Jr NTR joined Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai at an event here on Tuesday to honour late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar with Karnataka Ratna award posthumously.

The event was held on the 67th Kannada Rajyotsava.

Chief Minister Bommai shared a video of the ceremony in which is seen sharing the stage with Rajinikanth and Jr NTR.

The award ceremony took place on the steps of Vidhana Souda.

Despite heavy rainfall, a large number of people attended the award ceremony.

Rajinikanth donned a simple white kurta pyjama, whereas Jr NTR opted for a white shirt and black jeans.

The Chief Minister had announced earlier that the state government has decided to present the ‘Karnataka Ratna’ award to Dr Puneeth Rajkumar on November 1.

“A committee would be formed to make preparations for the award presentation ceremony. Members of Dr Rajkumar’s family would also be included as members of the committee. We all together will present the award posthumously to Puneeth in a highly dignified manner,” Bommai had told the media.

The Chief Minister had also paid rich tributes to Puneeth Rajkumar on his first death anniversary. “His death has left a deep void in Kannada cinema. A multi faceted personality, he was a wonderful actor, playback singer, television presenter & producer. In our hearts forever Appu!” he said in a tweet.

The prestigious award has been conferred only nine times earlier.

The Karnataka Ratna was last awarded to Dr Virendra Heggade in 2009 for his social service. Apart from him, Puneeth’s father Dr Rajkumar was among the first recipients of the state’s highest civilian award in 1992 for his work in the entertainment industry.

Puneeth Rajkumar passed away last year on October 29 following a cardiac arrest at the age of 46. Colloquially known as Appu, he was an actor, playback singer, television presenter and producer.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: ARTS & CULTURE : New Tulu font ‘Allige’ developed by Prahlad Joshi , II PUC student released

“More than 800-year-old history substantiates that Barkur was the capital of Tulu state. Several documents and sculptures found in Barkur say its story,” said Barkur gram panchayat president B Shantaram Shetty.

He was speaking after inaugurating a programme on Tulunadu historic capital Barkur and Tulu script singara held at Mahatobhara panchalingeshwara temple, Barkur here recently.

“We have the responsibility of preserving the rich culture of Barkur. Though I speak in Kannada, the Kambala buffaloes inspired me to speak in Tulu,” he said.

Jai Tulunadu Sangha vice-president Vishu Srikera who presided over the programme said that we have the responsibility to create revolution in Tulu education and make Barkur the capital of Tulu state.

Barkur Panchalingeshwara temple head Manjunath Rao sought the cooperation of all to take Barkur to its lost glory.

Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy former member Dr Akash Jain released the new Tulu font. He said that the tenth century stone edicts have a mention about the Tulu language. “More than 56 stones with writings in Tulu were found. More than 1,500 writings on leaves and poems were found in Tulu language,” he said.

“There are 142 Tamil schools, 162 Telugu schools, 4,000 Urdu schools, one Gujarati and two Malayalam schools in the state but it is unfortunate that there is not even one Tulu school in the state,” he said.

Second PUC student Prahlad Joshi who developed Tulu fonts was felicitated. Teachers teaching the Tulu language were honoured.

Jai Tulunadu organisation treasurer Rakshit Raj welcomed the gathering. Sharath Kodavoor rendered the vote of thanks.

Jai Tulunadu Sangha chief secretary Avinash Mukka, members, members of local organizations and others were present.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

OVERSEAS NRI’s: KARNATAKA: ARTS & CULTURE: Dr. David Frank Fernandes to be conferred with Karnataka Sangha Sharjah’s ‘Mayura Award’

Karnataka Sangha Sharjah will be celebrating 67th Karnataka Rajyotsava Day as well as its 20th anniversary on Sunday November 13 from 3 pm onwards at Winners Sports Club, Ajman, UAE. During the programme, Karnataka Sangha Sharjah will also present the ‘Mayura Vishwamanya Kannadiga Award’ to Dr David Frank Fernandes.

To grace this occasion, Kantara, the blockbuster Kannada film’s lead actor-cum-director, Rishab Shetty will be the chief guest.

‘MAYURA VISHWAMANYA KANNADIGA’ AWARD 2022

Dr David Frank Fernandes, a businessman, film producer and a well-known orator has been selected for the ‘Mayura Vishwamanya Kannadiga’ Award 2022. He has been promoting Kannada language, literature and culture in this part of the world from several years and truly deserves the award. He is the managing director of Mosaco Shipping & Forwarding Company in Dubai which is serving in the UAE for the past many years.

As a part of the 20th anniversary and dispalying multi-religious togetherness in this part of the world, Naved Magundi, Mallikarjuna Gowda and Rajesh Sequeira will be specially honoured for their contribution towards Kannada language, art and culture.

‘CHINNARA CHILIPILI’ – A SPECIAL CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME

Celebrating November 14, Children’s Day, there will be a special ‘Fancy Dress Competition’ for children.

FREE ENTRY

President M E Muloor along with his managing team at Sharjah Karnataka Sangha have appealed all Kannadigas living in the UAE to attend the programme and make it a huge success.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)