BHUBANESWAR 10 | FRIDAY, JULY 6, 2012 Entertainment ‘Artist, Undone’: India’s first art fiction New Delhi, July 5: First it was Geoff of the art-related writing as it was the confusion that a country like India Dyer who spun the heady glamour of getting too dense and involved. That commands and this confusion's root the Venice Biennale with the magic of is what the art world does to you. cause is the question: What is Indian?" the holy temple town of Varanasi into Once it hooks you, it drags you in," "I have no clear answer. There is a lot "Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi" in 2009. the writer said. of churn in the contemporary art world Now, a native of Chennai, V. Sanjay The story is about Harsh Sinha - thanks to this and the impact of glob- Kumar, an art connoisseur and collec- who is as the painting is titled. Sinha alisation. This makes it interesting. The tor, has taken the cue to plunge head- is so moved by a painting bearing his art practice absorbs influences from all long into the whirlwind of the con- name and a compelling likeness to him parts of the world and this wrestles temporary art world in Mumbai in his that he spends a large chunk of his life's with local influences. The end result is debut novel, "Artist, Undone" - being savings on it. Announcing a year- quite often 'khichdi' and occasionally great described by critics as India's first post- long sabbatical from his advertising art," Kumar, who often curates shows, modern art fiction. job in Mumbai, he returns to Chennai said. The writer says the spread of the The unusual book has been inspired to his wife and daughter. Wife Gayathri art viewing culture is slow in India. by a painting, "Fat, Forty and Fucked", does not want him any more; she is "We do not have a museum going by contemporary artist Nataraj Sharma. more interested in the artist next culture because there are hardly any "The first time I saw the painting by door - Newton Kumaraswamy - an in- museums. Private galleries still intim- Nataraj Sharma, I was intrigued. There veterate womaniser and a famous idate people, who feel only buyers are were stories going off in my head thief who copies F.N. Souza. welcome here," Kumar said. even as I looked at it. Much later I was "It has characters who are not peo- Art's interaction with the world at large looking at constructing a novel around ple you meet every day. Yet the canvas is very limited and in the long run this people who in their forties were look- is of middle class India and people who is not a healthy state to be in, the writer ing for some place to get to and needed Sanjay Kumar said. come in touch with art and try to make said. The book published by Hachette directions at the same time. The two Kumar, a collector and the director- sense of it," the writer said. Kumar, will be released Saturday. IANS came together; the painting became a partner of a leading Mumbai art house, who has been col- beginning and men in their forties says, "The world of art is familiar and lecting art since 1988, Actors Salman Khan and Nargis Fakhri at the 8th Indo-American Corporate Excellence Awards became protagonists. For me the art it surprises me every single day." observes that the "art & Celebration of American Independence Day, in Mumbai, Wednesday night PTI PHOTO world became the canvas, so to speak," "At some point, I had to dilute some scene in India reflects Fun POST Sudoku NAUGHTY Hooda in ‘Cocktail’ Parisian feel to ‘Ishkq o solve the puzzle, each row, Tcolumn and box must contain the ctor Randeep Hooda, last seen in "Jannat numbers 1 to 9 EASY AT SCHOOL 2", is set to make a cameo in Saif Ali In Paris’ inger Katy Perry admits she AKhan-starrer "Cocktail". "He (Randeep) New Delhi, July 5: The first look was suspended from school just has a special appearance in the film. He has of Preity Zinta's debut produc- Sfor "humping a tree" while been kind enough to do it. He is an experienced tion "Ishkq In Paris" is out and it practicing for a play. The 27-year- actor and he doesn't think if a role is big or has a postcard feel to it with pic- old was raised by strict Christian small," Dinesh Vijan, co-producer of "Cocktail" ture perfect images set in Paris. parents and went to a reli- said. Randeep, was brought on board by Homi It features three settings-an gious school. "When I was Adjania, who has directed the romantic come- image of a man and a woman gap- in the sixth grade, I was dy."Homi has a good equation with him and ing at the Eiffel Tower in the suspended from school for when Homi asked, he evening; clinking glasses at a bar humping a tree! We were agreed. It's just a spe- lounge in the early hours of morn- doing a play on Greek cial appearance," ing, and then walking out of a li- mythology and I was added Vijan. brary cafe early morning. "Ishkq In Paris", directed by Aphrodite. My love interest "Cocktail", releasing The settings look classic, with Prem Soni, also features Arjun was absent and so I used the July 13, also marks the protagonists dressed in a chic, Rampal, French actress Isabelle tree as my partner. It was a the Bollywood debut formal way. The faces of the man Adjani and the new actor in the Christian school," of model Diana and woman in the poster cannot movie is reportedly TV actor Gaurav femalefirst.co.uk quoted her. IANS Penty. IANS be seen, but their outfits seem to Chanana, who has been rechristened be in tune with perfection. Rhehaan. IANS ‘GOW - Part II’ to release Aug 8 Memorabilia auction Katrina voted sexiest Mumbai, July 5: The mys- New Delhi, July 5: Playback tery surrounding the release singer Kishore Kumar's last woman for 4th time of the second part of gritty song, said to have been recorded thriller "Gangs Of Wasseypur" just three days before his de- Mumbai, July 5: Bollywood star Katrina about the clothes. The has been revealed the movie mise and not yet released, along Kaif has been named as the world's sex- sexiest thing is not will hit screens Aug 8, which with rare posters, costumes, iest woman for the fourth year in a row trying. For me to wear happens to be a Wednesday. props etc from various yester- in a magazine poll. a cotton sari, be with- "For all those asking and year films, is up for grabs at an The 27-year-old actress beat out makeup and to still be also those not asking but are upcoming auction here. Hollywood stars like Megan Fox, desirable is sexy." The most eager to know #GOW2 will While Kishore's fans may Angelina Jolie and Blake Lively as well Googled actress with the release 8th August," tweeted get an opportunity to pur- Cinefan auction. as her Bollywood contemporaries, in the maximum downloads, also- Kashyap. chase rights of the rare song, The film memorabilia arti- FHM magazine poll which was based joined the group of world divas MEDIUM Check for solutions of the puzzles tomorrow "Sunn toh liya hai aapne ab film buffs could also bid for facts and artworks for the July entirely on online and SMS voting. like Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross apni aankhon se dekh bhi lo memorabilia ranging from 31 auction, sourced from many "I am really excited with the news and Beyonce Knowles when she to yesterday’s puzzles (You've heard it, now see it the private family collection private collections is set to be since it means people are not voting for became the Indian face for the SOLUTIONS too)," he added with a mini- of Bollywood legend Shammi one of the highlights at 12th me only based on my physical looks. Barbie at the iconic poster that reads "'Gangs Of Kapoor to the eminent film Osian's Cinefan Film Festival They are looking at me in entirety," doll's 50th Birthday Wasseypur' releasing 8th producer Suresh Jindal and to be held here from July 27 Katrina said. When asked what sexy celebrations in August, 2012". IANS many others at Osian's to August 5 this year. PTI means to her, she said, "Being sexy is not 2009. PTI CROSSWORD Bill Watterson’s CALVIN AND HOBBES CROSSWORD Sudoku BREVITY EASY PEANUTS MEDIUM.