Winds of change - Gulf Times.

Winds of changeCOVERSTORY

Five things that have changed in Hollywood

since the Harvey Weinstein case broke. P4-5

Wednesday, February 26, 2020Rajab 2, 1441 AH

Doha today 160 - 250

BOLLYWOOD BACK PAGE

For Karisma, MOM means

‘Master fo Multitasking’.

5

Pak embassy, Diwan AlArab to

hold Urdu poetry competition.

Page 16

Wednesday, February 26, 20202 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

Emergency 999Worldwide Emergency Number 112Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991Local Directory 180International Calls Enquires 150Hamad International Airport 40106666Labor Department 44508111, 44406537Mowasalat Taxi 44588888Qatar Airways 44496000Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444

Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365Qatar Airways 40253374

USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote

PRAYER TIMEFajr 4.43amShorooq (sunrise) 6.01amZuhr (noon) 11.47amAsr (afternoon) 3.05pmMaghreb (sunset) 5.33pmIsha (night) 7.03pm

“The fairest thing in nature, a fl ower, still has its roots in earth and manure”

– D. H. Lawrence

EmmaCAST: Josh OConnor, Bill Nighy, Anya Taylor-JoyDIRECTION: Autumn de WildeSYNOPSIS: Following the antics of a young woman, Emma

Woodhouse, who lives in Georgian- and Regency-era England and occupies herself with matchmaking – in sometimes misguided, often meddlesome fashion.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

Bhoot: Part 1: The Haunted ShipDIRECTION:Bhanu Pratap SinghCAST: Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Ashutosh Rana

SYNOPSIS: Based on a true accident, the fi lm tells the story of a couple on an abandoned ship lying static on a beach.

THEATRE: Royal Plaza

For movie timings and further details please scan

the QR code above with your mobile phone camera or visit qatarcinemas.com

3Wednesday, February 26, 2020 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

MIA Park Bazaar 2020WHERE: MIA ParkWHEN: Ongoing till April 25TIME: 2pm — 8pmMIA Park Bazaar is a modern version of

the Old Souq tradition with vibrant mix of around 120 stalls. You can browse and buy handicrafts, accessories, paintings, clothing, food, jewellery, photography and art.

Holi FestivalWHERE: Sealine Beach, A Murwab Resort WHEN: March 13TIME: 2:00pm onwardsGet ready to enjoy a day full of fun and

euphoria with vibrant colors, foot-stomping Bollywood music, delicious food and more! All these activities will be held on the beach and under a sunny sky! Brace yourselves for one of the most amazing Holi events in Qatar — ‘Beach Holi Festival 2020’. Book your

tickets online on qtickets.com to enjoy this lively, and colorful party.

Metro Street FoodWHERE: DECC Metro StationWHEN: OngoingTIME: 12:30pm Street Food is the ideal venue for a leisure

experience for the whole family off ering over 20 dine-in options and 18-hole World Mini-Golf setup.

Hobby ClassesWHERE: Mamangam Performing Art

CentreWHEN:Wednesday – MondayMamangam is an art and performance

centre started with a vision of spreading our knowledge, interests and experience in various disciplines in arts across different countries for children and adults.

We offer regular classes in disciplines like traditional classical dance, art and craft, Bollywood and hip-hop styles, Carnatic music, robotics, percussion instruments, keyboard, yoga, zumba and martial arts like Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu and Kalari. For those who wish to register e-mail at [email protected] or call on

33897609/44723680

Ballet LessonsWHERE: Music and Arts AtelierWHEN: OngoingTIME: 4pm – 8pmFor more info e-mail at registration@

atelierqatar.com or call on 33003839.

Qatar Food Fest WHERE: Sheraton Hotel ParkWHEN: Ongoing till April 30TIME: 4pm — 1amThe festival is currently happening at

Sheraton Hotel Park. Qatar Food Fest features 77 stalls, food trucks, and trolleys, bringing culinary and cultural experiences from all corners of the globe to visitors and residents in Qatar.

Public Speaking Classes for AdultsWHERE: Sharq Capital, C-Ring RoadWHEN:Ongoing till July 1TIME: 6:30pm – 9pmGet trained by experts to be a good speaker.

Smedley Toastmasters is conducting a six-month speech-craft programme that teaches new members to speak confi dently and develop leadership skills. For more information, 66053485, 33232490 or visit www.SmedleyToastmasters.org

Whiskers & Purrs WHERE: Tennis Courts, The Pearl-QatarWHEN: March 7Time: 1:00pm-6:00pmA fun-fi lled event for the family which

will promote responsible pet ownership. The objective is to raise community awareness about animal welfare and highlight the plight

of pets that have been abandoned by families.

2020 Grand Prix – Test and RaceWHERE: Losail International CircuitWHEN: March 6–82020 Grand Prix is set to take place from March 6 till March 8 at the Losail International

Circuit. Built-in just under a year, the circuit has been a regular venue of the MotoGP calendar ever since. You can watch the races with friends or family in an open-air setting where you will be surrounded by the uproar of larger crowds.

Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

By Ryan Faughnder

and Stacy Perman

Once known for Oscar winners like Shakespeare in Love, disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein’s

most lasting legacy will surely be the rise of the #MeToo movement triggered by his downfall.

On Monday, a New York jury convicted Weinstein of two of fi ve counts. Weinstein was found guilty of one count of rape and one count of committing a criminal sexual act, with each crime connected to an individual allegation made by Mimi Haley or Jessica Mann. He was acquitted on the more serious charges of predatory sexual assault, which each carried a potential life sentence.

More than two years after accusations of sexual harassment and assault ended Weinstein’s career as a movie mogul, the ripple eff ects of the revelations continue in casting meetings, executive suites and writers’ rooms. Weinstein, who also faces charges in Los Angeles, denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex.

The #MeToo movement, launched by Tarana Burke years before it became a rallying cry of hashtag activism, has ended or stalled the careers of powerful men, including actor Kevin Spacey, former CBS chief Leslie Moonves, TV host Charlie Rose, producer Brett Ratner and comedian Louis C.K. Industry organisations, including trade guilds, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and talent agencies have taken some tangible steps to address the dangers and discrimination women face in Hollywood. Groups like Time’s Up have emerged to transform the energy of #MeToo into practical solutions.

Structural problems, such as Hollywood’s persistent lack of women in positions of power and key creative roles, will take years to adequately address. Still, on top of the specifi c changes to industry practices, advocates say there’s a strong sense that the underlying standards of behaviour toward women in the industry have changed in signifi cant ways, despite rumblings of backlash from people (mostly men) who say the movement has gone too far.

“The bottom line is, the tectonic plates of the industry have shifted completely,” said Melissa Silverstein, publisher of Women and Hollywood. “There is always going to be this understanding that

egregious things have happened across multiple parts of this industry and people can see that.”

Here’s what’s changed.

New guidelinesThe Weinstein allegations

sparked much-needed reforms within Hollywood guilds and agencies — institutions that are supposed to protect their members and clients from being taken advantage of, but instead were criticised for not doing enough to prevent abuse.

Over the last two years, unions and agencies have taken steps to curb practices that make women vulnerable to sexual harassment. Performers union SAG-AFTRA in 2018 called on producers and executives to refrain from requesting meetings in “high-risk locations” such as private homes and hotel rooms as part of a seven-page code of conduct. Talent representatives have increasingly cautioned clients against taking meetings in such places.

The changes continued this year when SAG-AFTRA released a four-page guide on the use of intimacy coordinators to prevent abuse while fi lming intimate scenes. The use of such specialists has become more common, with HBO in 2018 announcing it would hire intimacy coordinators to monitor sets of its programmes.

“These guidelines didn’t exist before, so they’re incredibly meaningful,” Silverstein said. “I think what we need to understand is that every little piece counts.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences instituted new standards of conduct for its members and ejected Weinstein, Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski from its ranks.

Studios, meanwhile, have become more cautious when hiring directors and actors who may have a history of off enses. Distributors and streaming services have increasingly placed “morality clauses” in contracts that allow them to pull out of projects if people involved are exposed for wrongdoing. Those clauses can be very broad, said Akin Gump entertainment lawyer Vanessa Foltyn Roman. “The fi rst drafts we’re seeing could cover everyone from the lead actor to the makeup artists,” she said.

Legal changesThe allegations against Weinstein

have not only changed society, but also the law.

Last year, the National Women’s Law Center published a report noting that since 2017, 15 states have passed new laws protecting

Anything for granted now out the window

The bottom line is, the tectonic plates of the industry have shifted completely

— Melissa Silverstein, publisher of Women and Hollywood‘ ’

CONVICT: Harvey Weinstein arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court Monday, in Manhattan, New York. He was found guilty of third degree rape and criminal sexual act. The case now moves to Los Angeles.


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

Structural problems, such as Hollywood’s persistent lack of women in positions of power and key creative roles, will take years to adequately address. Still, on top of the specific changes to industry practices, advocates say there’s a strong sense that the underlying standards of behaviour toward women in the industry have changed in significant ways

employees from sexual harassment and gender discrimination, including banning or placing limits on the use of nondisclosure agreements and extending the statute of limitations for victims seeking to fi le civil lawsuits against their abusers.

“This culture of secrecy and protecting harassers and marginalising women once they’ve complained is much harder now,” said Nancy Erika Smith, a partner at the Montclair, N.J., law fi rm Mullin & Smith, who has represented former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson and Weinstein accuser Rowena Chiu.

California was among the fi rst states to restrict the use of NDAs when outgoing Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that went into eff ect last year prohibiting nondisclosure provisions in settlements involving claims of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination based on sex. Advocates have held that NDAs, routinely used in settlement agreements, helped enable predators continue to abuse and harass women.

Weinstein, Cosby and former Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly used NDAs when settling claims of sexual misconduct.

A number of states have expanded statutes of limitations for sex crimes. California passed legislation in 2018 giving victims of sexual violence 10 years instead of two to fi le a civil action against their abusers. Last year, both California and New York passed laws, allowing even more time for victims of child sexual abuse to fi le civil lawsuits against their assailants.

Advocates and legal experts point to the fact that Weinstein stood trial in Manhattan for multiple sexual assault charges (he also faces four counts of rape and sexual battery in Los Angeles) as an important shift.

Calling his prosecution, a “sea change,” Debra Katz, a partner at law fi rm Katz, Marshall & Banks, said: “This is a direct refl ection of societal changes since #MeToo took place. The New York DA chose to bring this case and charge Mr Weinstein with the most serious of felonies. As a result of this societal reckoning, we are bringing people to account when they assault women.”

In Hollywood, where actresses are often at the mercy of the male-dominated power structure for their next job, it’s no longer business as usual.

“I think this notion that you can simply invoke the casting couch culture as an excuse for rape, those days are over,” said Katz.

Corporate upheavalAllegations of harassment and

other sexual misbehaviour brought corporate upheaval at multiple major media companies, which became increasingly intolerant of questionable workplace behavior after Weinstein’s implosion.

Frozen co-director Jennifer Lee was named chief creative offi cer of Walt Disney Animation Studios after the ouster of John Lasseter, who lost his job after he acknowledged “missteps” in his treatment of employees. Amazon

in 2018 brought in Jennifer Salke to run its entertainment studio, replacing Roy Price, who left due to sexual harassment allegations. Ann Sarnoff last year became the fi rst female CEO of the Warner Bros fi lm and TV studio, replacing Kevin Tsujihara, who was pushed out following a sex scandal.

Putting women in positions of power is key to real change in the entertainment industry and beyond, Smith said.

“There have been changes, but nothing has changed until women share power, and I mean everywhere, in Hollywood and every other industry,” Smith said. “If they remain male-dominated, men will continue to harass, abuse and retaliate against women.”

Some men have begun to wage comebacks. Lasseter last year joined David Ellison’s Skydance Media as head of its growing animation division. Weeks after Moonves’ ouster from CBS, the embattled executive started a new

company based in West Hollywood called Moon Rise Unlimited.

Social activismThe hashtag #MeToo became

more than a rallying cry, it launched a social movement; leading to the formation of several organisations to address sexual abuse and harassment in the entertainment industry. Outside of raising awareness, measurable successes have been mixed.

In 2017, a group of powerful entertainment fi gures launched the Hollywood Commission for Eliminating Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality launched. Led by Anita Hill, who ignited sexual harassment awareness during the 1991 Senate confi rmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, its mission is to “tackle the broad culture of abuse and power disparity.”

The commission, backed by Lucasfi lm President Kathleen Kennedy among others, has

partnered with several major Hollywood organisations including Amazon, Netfl ix, Paramount and ICM. Last year, it initiated a survey to evaluate workplace culture within the entertainment industry.

Vowing to fi ght discrimination and sexual harassment and give voice and support to victims, 300 women came together in January 2018 to found Times Up. They took out “Dear Sister” newspaper ads and enlisted A-list actresses to dress in black at the Golden Globe Awards, where Oprah Winfrey used her speech to slam “a culture broken by brutally powerful men.”

The group says it has raised over $22 million for a legal fund to assist women. But its mission, eff orts and internal dynamics have fallen short of its stated goals. Last February, Lisa Borders, former president of the Women’s National Basketball Association, resigned as Time’s Up president and chief executive after sexual misconduct allegations were levied against her son.

Still, activists have kept these issues in the public eye.

“What I do see is a consciousness that hadn’t been there before and community building, particularly among women,” said producer and former studio executive Amy Baer, board president of Women in Film. “There’s a lack of trepidation about speaking up and speaking out for people with powerful voices like actresses and prominent fi lmmakers, and that’s been an amazing thing.”

RepresentationThe #MeToo movement resulted

in a broader focus on female representation in Hollywood, especially the lack of opportunities for women in the director’s chair and in top executive roles. For the second year in a row, no women were nominated for best director at the Oscars, despite numerous acclaimed female-helmed movies, including Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and Lulu Wang’s The Farewell.

Though disparities remain, studios are slowly beginning to hire more female fi lmmakers. A January study by USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that 10.6% of the directors of last year’s 100 highest-grossing movies were women, up from 4.5% in 2018. In television, according to the Directors Guild of America, 31% of episodes during the 2018-19 season were directed by women, compared with 25% in the prior year.

The 2020 fi lm schedule includes a handful of female-directed big-budget franchise fi lms. Both of this year’s Marvel Studios fi lms are directed by women: The long-awaited Black Widow, from Cate Shortland, and The Eternals, led by Chloé Zhao. Patty Jenkins is returning for the DC sequel Wonder Woman 1984, and the recent female villain movie Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey was helmed by Cathy Yan and written by Christina Hodson.

“If there’s ever a time for women to break down doors and for women to get female-led stories out there, it’s now,” said Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood producer Shannon McIntosh. McIntosh is currently producing a modern version of Cinderella, directed by Kay Cannon (Blockers), for Sony Pictures. “Before, it was, ‘Oh, no-one wants that kind of movie,’ and now people are saying, ‘You have more of that kind of movie? Great!’”

#MeToo-related stories have even made it to the big screen, including Bombshell, about the women of Fox News who took down Roger Ailes, which was nominated for two Oscars and won for makeup and hairstyling. On the Record, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering’s new documentary about the numerous accusations of sexual misconduct and assault against music mogul Russell Simmons, was picked up by streaming service HBO Max at Sundance Film Festival after Apple TV+ dropped it.

Appropriately enough, the release of writer-director Kitty Green’s The Assistant, a movie with clear parallel’s to the Weinstein case, expanded its release to 157 domestic locations last weekend. — Los Angeles Times/TNS

“What I do see is a consciousness that hadn’t been there before and community building, particularly among women”

— Amy Baer, producer and board president of Women in Film


COMMUNITYISL celebrates 7th International Family FairThe International School of London (ISL) Qatar celebrated its seventh annual International Family Fair (IFF) recently. It was a day filled with celebration of diversity and the spirit of friendship, multiculturalism and unity. The exciting event gave visitors the chance to travel the world in a day, where they experienced delicious food from all over the world and enjoyed games and performances followed by a prize draw.Over 1,000 visitors attended the IFF including students, parents, staff and the Doha community who came to enjoy the afternoon. The 70 diff erent nationalities represented in the school came together for a truly international event. Diversity is one of the pillars of ISL Qatar that is exemplified in the school events such as the IFF.The event also held a draw with 135 exciting prizes donated by sponsors: Qatar Airways, Arabian Link Travel, Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel,

Hilton Residence Pearl, Aemakeapp, Guerlain Spa Al Fardan, Mad Science, Evolution, Lebanese Qatari Dental Speciality Complex, Silkor, Curiocity, Maison De Sushi, Monoprix, International Physiotherapy Center, Nando’s, Minipolis, KidZania, Doha Sports and Arts, Ikea, Korea Taekwondo Center, Jean Louis David Nails, La Diva De Quafier, H & F Salon, Chocoginx, Shukran, BE Basketball, Plexi Art, BK Sports, Yunus Emre Turkish Institute Doha, Adventure Rooms, KidzMondo, Bubba Gump, Joe’s Crab Shack, Attila Mongolian Grill, Hollywood Stars and Aura Hospitality & Food Services.Prizes included a return ticket to any of Qatar Airways’ 170 destinations, 5 star hotel rooms, restaurant vouchers, beauty treatments, a makeover worth QR900, various gaming centres and much more. The school was able to raise QR15,000, which was donated to ‘Sponsor A Child’ by Qatar Charity.

City Exchange wins Banks Sevens Football titleCity Exchange’s football team won the title of fifth edition of Banks Sevens Football Tournament for banks and financial institutions recently organised by Qatar Central Bank.The team defeated Qatar National Bank 3-1 in the final. This is the first ever championship title for City Exchange in the tournament and it is the first time in championship history that a money exchange company team has won it.Satheesh was leading the victorious eff ort and Latheef, Shiyas and Mousif scored in the final. Ahmed Rateb scored the consolation goal of Qatar National Bank. Latheef showed strong performance throughout the tournament and was awarded with top scorer title. Shihas of City Exchange earned the best goalkeeper award in the tournament.Captain Satheesh received the trophy from off icials of Qatar Central Bank and Qatar Football Association. The winning team was the finalist of the last edition of the tournament. Sharaf P Hameed, CEO, and other off icials of City Exchange congratulated the players for the victory.

KMCC supports ICBF life insurance schemeKerala Muslim Cultural Centre’s (KMCC) Qatar central committee recently announced its full support for the life insurance scheme announced by Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) for the Indian community members staying in Qatar on a valid resident permit.During a meeting held at KMCC off ice, Juttas Paul, ICBF Head of Media & Development, presented the details about the insurance scheme to the KMCC central committee members and sought their support to get maximum Indian expats in Qatar enrolled for the scheme.S A M Basheer, KMCC President, declared support for the ICBF scheme and also promised to conduct campaigns for the same amongst all bodies of KMCC.ICBF life insurance scheme is drawing huge support and response from the Indian community in Qatar. So far some 10,000 people have got enrolled with the scheme. Abdulraoof Kondotty and Jerry Babu Basheer, ICBF development subcommittee members, also attended the meeting and explained the scheme in detail.Jafer Thayyil, KMCC vice president and ICBF advisory council member; Rayeesali Wayanadu, KMCC acting general secretary; O A Kareem, Haris Vadakara, Kunjimon Clari, Mammu Polaravida, Mustafa Elathur, Raees Ali, Koya Kondatty, Raheez Perumba, Ismail Poozhikkal also spoke during the meeting.


COMMUNITY

IESL Qatar holds AGM, ‘Engineers’ Night’

The annual general meeting 2019/2020 and Engineers’ Night of the Institution of Engineers of Sri Lanka

(IESL) – Qatar chapter was recently held at Mercure Grand Hotel – Doha. Kohularangan Ratnasingam, Minister/Head of Chancery, Embassy of Sri Lanka in Qatar, graced the event as the chief guest.

The event was started with the lightening of the traditional oil lamp by the invitees and there was participation of members with their families to enlighten the event. Special entertaining events were organised for the kids separately. The biography of the outgoing executive committee members was shared with the audience.

The welcome speech was given by Kamil Ariff, outgoing chairman of IESL Qatar Chapter. He thanked all outgoing members and previous chairmen namely; Niyamathulla, Saman Ranjith,

Sarath Wejisoma, Jagath Perera, Thilakasiri Ekanayake, Rohana Egodagama, Chandralal Mendis and Jagath Gunasekera. He also stated that there is need to produce great leaders who can take up the leadership in the future. Further, he requested all selected executive committee members to provide quality time and knowledge for the chapter.

Following the speech ‘A flashback of Qatar Chapter during last year’ was shown as a presentation which was presented by Prabuddha Lokuliyanage, outgoing secretary of IESL. The presentation conveyed the progress of the Qatar chapter in the year 2019.

The audited financial statement for the year of 2018 and draft accounts for 2019 were presented by Irfan Mohamad, outgoing treasurer. Kohularangan Ratnasingam also delivered a speech. The new executive committee members were inducted by Asoka Jayalath,

election commissioner.The vision, mission and action

plans of the IESL Qatar chapter were presented by Prasanna Janakasiri. Following the speech, an interactive session with the engineers was held. The annual general body meeting was concluded with the vote of thanks given by Manoj Vellaiyapillai, secretary.

After the completion of AGM, the sponsors namely; Sri Lankan Airlines – offi cial airline partner, Sampath Bank – offi cial banking partner and Sithula – offi cial media partner, presented their organisations and the products followed by a raffl e draw in which some members won various valuable prizes. Following that, a buff et dinner and musical night was organised. There were games for gents and ladies also; the best dancer of the night was also chosen.

The following members were inducted as new office bearers: Prasanna Janakasiri, chairman; Chanaka Guruge, Vice Chairman;

Manoj Vellaiyapillai, Secretary; Mohamed Fazil, Treasurer; Janaka Samarathunga, Editor; Prabuddha Lokuliyanage, M A A Rumais, A

M Mohamed Riyas, Saddhathissa Sirisena, and Nareshkumar Subramaniam; executive committee members.

New chairman of IESL Qatar chapter Prasanna Janakasiri delivering a speech.

GROUP: A group photo of the gathering at the 11th AGM – IESL Qatar chapter.

BPS hands over admit cards to Grade-XII students for board examBirla Public School (BPS) recently organised a ceremony to hand over admit cards to the students of Grade-XII, who will appear in the board examination as the 11th batch from the school.The chief guest on the occasion was Ankur Miglani, Chartered Accountant with Qatar Investment Authority. The ceremony was also attended by Lukose K Chacko, chairman; Gope Shahani, vice-chairman; Nevile Lukose, management representative; life members, principal, vice-principals, teachers, parents and the students.


COMMUNITY OFF B

Why do we cry – and what ca

It is common for people to scoff at tears as a behaviour and a subject of investigation. Tears are, they say, feminine, self-

indulgent and melodramatic. It is not hard to notice, in those beliefs, the patriarchal assumptions about what should be valued and what should be mocked. Writing teachers will instruct students not to show their characters’ sadness through crying, calling it cheap. On the other hand, there are those who proclaim the necessity of “a good cry”, who indignantly defend weeping of all varieties and who see tearfulness almost as an identity. “I’m a crier,” they declare, praising its soul-cleansing effects. “Get over it,” their opponents instruct, demanding the shift toward progress and action that they believe crying prevents.

But rather than looking at tears with a predetermined belief in their value, or away from them in embarrassment or disgust, it can be clarifying to look through, into or around tears, to trace the small and large patterns that they create and reveal.

Not all tears are alike. The human body produces three kinds: basal, which form an oily layer over the eyeball to keep it from drying out; reflex, which appear when an eye is bothered by cutting onions or a speck of dust and needs to flush the irritant away; and psychogenic, which are shed for emotional reasons. Notably, emotional tears have a higher protein level than basal and reflex tears, which makes them thicker and causes them to fall more slowly.

This thickness intrigues me. The longer it takes for these tears to travel down a cheek, the greater the chance that they will be noticed by another person and their message perceived. Tears are a social signal.

Some people disagree, arguing that humans also cry alone. But even without a witness, tears streak outwards, seeking care. That message can be socially directed toward the self; sometimes a solitary crier will wrap their arms around themselves, creating their own soothing embrace. One might, in those moments, think of the poet Arthur Rimbaud’s declaration: “I is an other.” Sometimes, a person is the sender and the recipient of the crying signal.

What the social signal of tears makes happen varies from culture to culture and depends on the identities, access to power and beliefs of the crier and their

witnesses. Think of the “school resource officer” who was called to the classroom of a crying seven-year-old African American boy and put the child in handcuffs. Think of the white police officer who cried in court when she spoke of killing an African American man in his home, and the hug she later received from the African American judge.

Tears often serve as a lubricant in the wheels of white supremacy. Many people (including Brittney Cooper and Ruby Hamad) have written about the harm of white women’s tears – how they have contributed to a long history of violence towards black people, indigenous people and people of colour.

Doctors have their own precise frames in which to interpret people’s tears. They can hang little paper tabs from a patient’s eyes to measure tear production, the slim rectangles slowly changing colour as the body does its work. When a psychiatrist is working to diagnose depression, she will ask a patient to describe his or her crying, offering a range of possibilities from: “I do not cry any more than I used to,” to: “I cry over every little thing,” before ending in numb dryness: “I feel like crying, but I can’t.” I am reminded of hypothermia, the growing, shivering pain that transforms just before death into a surprising warmth.

My depression has yet to reach that dry state. Instead, when an episode is at its worst, I can find myself shaking with cries for an hour after something as simple as dropping a knife to the floor. I am learning to say these things with what I hope is neither pride nor shame. But tears have a habit of magnifying and distorting. Their very nature – their emotional origins – makes it difficult to express these feelings plainly.

That is why I try, as much as possible, to say what tears do. Tears can form an intimate bond between people. They can also create a disgusted separation. Their effect depends largely on the degree to which people share common stories about who they are and how the world works.

I once read the claim that people sometimes cry from aesthetic experience, “such as the birth of a child or the unveiling of the latest Lamborghini”. Both examples bewilder me. I have gone through birth twice (once as child, once as mother) and I can’t figure out how it falls under the category of “aesthetic experience”. I should admit I have never seen a Lamborghini – newly unveiled or SHARING: Crying occurs when people have reached the limit of what can be said in words.

Weeping is informed by everything from culture and identity to social standing –

and studying it could help us better understand ourselves, writes Heather Christle

9GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYWednesday, February 26, 2020

BEAT

an we learn from our tears?

STIGMA: Emotional tears fall more slowly, increasing the chance that they will be noticed. They are a social signal.

otherwise – but when I imagine one, I feel no inclination to cry. It is hard for me to imagine any possibility of connection with someone whose ideas of aesthetic tears differ so hugely from mine. Honestly, it is hard for me to imagine his tears at all. I have a feeling they are actually tiny Lamborghinis running down his face.

The tears that seem most full of potential are those that surprise by breaking out of expected and systemic patterns, revealing the small and strange undercurrents in which people daily resist larger tides. This kind of crying neither confirms what I already find emotionally compelling nor leaves me rolling my eyes. Instead, it points toward new possibilities for understanding, new combinations of ideas. When my child was a toddler, she cried one day because the lemon she wanted to eat would not remain whole. Why did this move me so? I think because, looking through the lens of her tears, the lemon became more real to me than it had been since my own toddlerhood. It was not a commodity, not a metaphor from which to extract a lesson about sweetness. It was utterly itself, brightly containing its wholeness and its destruction. An impossible lemon – of course she was crying.

Perhaps you have noticed that it is almost impossible to sing and cry at the same time. The throat muscles cannot simultaneously obey the command to shape notes and the command to hold themselves open to maximise oxygen intake (a command that crying provokes unconsciously). This leads me to believe that the opposite of crying is not laughter (those two, I would argue, are sisters), but song. As a poet and as a human living on a planet careering ever more deeply and unevenly into capitalism-induced horrors, I want to attend to both: the moments of singing; the moments when a voice breaks.

I have been thinking about breaking points a lot lately, in part because of a conversation with the Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar about the limits of the English language and all the violence that has occurred in its tongue. Recently, he sent me a lecture he had just given on this subject, delivered as the US again threatened Iran with war. He wrote that English is “a technology that has been used to promote and protect genocides, chattel slavery, ecological decimation, the building and deployment of nuclear weapons and more. That’s our paint.”

Crying occurs when people have reached the limit of what can be said in words and what they are capable of managing on their own. This does not mean that their words up to that moment are necessarily good or true or to be

trusted, but it does signify that a breaking point has been reached. It means that it is time to pay attention to the systems the tears point towards.

The subject rewards that attention. Years into my research, I still found myself learning surprising

new ways of understanding crying, physically and metaphorically. For instance, it turns out that the lump in your throat when tears are imminent is not a lump at all. Obeying the imperative to keep breathing through distress, the muscles of the throat work to stay

open. When you try to swallow, the muscles resist, creating the sensation of an obstruction. Some people fi nd relief in this fact – that their throat won’t close up, that their body is taking care of them and bringing them much-needed air. What if we could look at crying

in the same way – not as a stopping point, but a passageway? What if we could look through crying to understand the abundance of patterns – of joy, oppression, grief, beauty, violence and transformative potential – that tears have the power to reveal? – The Guardian

“When my child was a toddler, she cried one day because the lemon she wanted to eat would not remain whole”


COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC

What happened?

Graphic: TNS

1

2

3

Try This

It looks old, but isn’t

Graphic: Paul Trap

You’ll need

Here’s how to make a piece of writing look like it was written long ago.

• White copieror printer paper

• Colored pencils

• Soft, light colored paper, such as white, tan or yellow construction paper

• Adult helper

• Piece torn froma brown paper bag

• Tea bags

• Large bowl

Use a black or dark brown pencil to draw a map, a message and a picture on different pieces of paper

Ask your helper to make dark, strong tea in the bowl, and let it cool

Put your papers in the tea, and leave them there for three days; squeeze and crush the papers and stir them each day

Take papers outof tea, and air dry them in a place where the tea will not cause a stain

Counterfeiters use stains like this to create fake antique documents

Scientists have ways to test documentsto see whether they are really old or not

The papers will look like old, brown documents

Tea contains tannin, a dark chemical that stained your papers

Your marks did not dissolve because colored pencils contain wax, which is waterproof


COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

Take extra time to tend to your appearance and show off a bit today,

Aries. Keep your shoulders back and head high. Be the proud person

you are. You should feel validated. Your job today is to simply uplift

people with your presence. This is no sweat for you. Happiness is

right up your alley, so have fun.

You have an innate psychic ability that only needs some fine-tuning

and strengthening for it to develop into a formidable power. Even

now you sometimes find yourself reading other people’s thoughts.

This sensitivity gets you into trouble sometimes, but mostly it works

to your advantage. In relationships, especially, you’re able to put an

end to hurt feelings before they evolve into something irreparable.

You’re bubbling over with confidence and enthusiasm, Libra.

Not surprisingly, those around you respond in kind. Your smile is

contagious, and you have people joking and laughing with you

throughout the day. You’ll have much success in whatever you

do today, although group eff orts will likely prove more rewarding.

Romance figures prominently in the evening, so make the most of it!

You will most likely be hungry for attention today, Capricorn.

You will look at others who are on centre stage and adjust your

appearance or attitude in order to be more like them. Be careful

of getting obsessed with attention. The key is to be yourself and

happy, regardless of who’s watching. A flower unseen blooms just as

beautifully and smells just as sweet.

You may be called upon to host a gathering in your own home,

Taurus. At first this could throw you into a panic because you

don’t think your house is clean enough. Don’t worry. It’s probably

impeccable. You’re the only one who will notice any dust, so don’t

sweat it.

You surprise yourself by signing up for a group lesson rather than a

private one. This is unlike you; nevertheless, you find you enjoy the

social interaction. Besides, whether you’re learning cooking or rock

climbing, it’s always much more fun to learn with others. That way,

you can learn from their mistakes and they from yours. It’s bound to

be a fun, adventurous day, Leo. Enjoy it.

Get into the spotlight where you belong instead of letting someone

else take credit for something you did, Scorpio. Don’t be shy about

strutting your stuff . You may usually turn away from people who act

this way because they seem shallow and self-centred. Realise that

you’re more sensitive. Be proud of who you are.

This is a great day to strut your stuff , Aquarius. You’re on top of the

world, so enjoy it, your family, and the people around you. You’re at

the forefront of the action and you don’t miss a beat, regardless of

the conversation buzzing around you. You’re able to whip out facts

and dates at the drop of a hat. Don’t let anyone bring you down or

talk you out of your good mood.

You feel confident. People can’t help but notice as you radiate a

loving, peaceful calm, Gemini. Eyes will turn your way, and complete

strangers may come up to you and tell you how attractive you are.

Be confident yet humble and you will inspire people just by your

peaceful, glowing presence. Take advantage of this wonderful day

by enjoying yourself for the beautiful person you are.

You may wonder why all the attention isn’t focused on you, Virgo.

Perhaps you feel cheated and irritable. The more annoyed you get,

the more you will drive others away instead of draw them to you.

Rather than get upset or angry because attention isn’t coming your

way, join with the prevailing happy-go-lucky mood. You will find that

your whole day turns around for the better.

Today can be a wonderfully productive day for you, Sagittarius, if

you learn how to compromise. If you insist on doing things your

way only, you will run into diff icult emotional conflicts. Realise that

this can easily be avoided by joining hands with your partner and

working together toward a common goal. There’s a great deal of

energy here, so don’t waste it on something insignificant.

You may feel tense, Pisces, perhaps because someone close to

you disregards the way you feel. You feel as if this person is more

concerned with his or her own issues and not concerned about you.

Meanwhile, your sensitive, caring heart is well aware of everyone

else. You support others and are thoughtful. It’s time to rearrange

your priorities. First care about yourself, then others.

Stress may lead to surprising social benefits: study

While too much stress can be toxic to your health, a new study suggests that despite its negative side eff ects, it may also lead to a surprising

social benefi t.The research, published in the journal

Stress & Health, found that experiencing stress made people both more likely to give and receive emotional support from another person.

This was true on the day they experienced the stressor as well as the following day.

“Our fi ndings suggest that just because we have a bad day, that doesn’t mean it has to be completely unhealthy,” said study researcher David Almeida from Penn State University in the US.

“If stress can actually connect us with other people, which I think is absolutely vital to the human experience, I think that›s a benefi t. Stress could potentially help people deal with negative situations by driving them to be with other people,” Almeida added.

For the study, the researchers interviewed 1,622 participants every night for eight nights. They asked the participants about

their stressors and whether they gave or received emotional support on that day.

Stressors included arguments, stressful events at work or school, and stressful events at home.

The researchers found that on average, participants were more than twice as likely to either give or receive emotional support on days they experienced a stressor.

Additionally, they were 26 per cent more likely to give or receive support the following day.

The researchers said that while this eff ect, on average, was found across the participants, it diff ered slightly between men and women.

“Women tended to engage in more giving and receiving emotional support than men,” said study researcher Hye Won Chai.

“In our study, men were also more likely to engage in emotional support on days they were stressed, but to a lesser extent than women,” Chai added.

The researchers said they were surprised that stress was linked to people not just receiving emotional support, but giving it, as well.

“We saw that someone experiencing a

stressor today actually predicted them giving emotional support the next day,” Almeida said.

“This made me think that it›s actually

possible that stress helps to drive you to other people and allows it to be Ok to talk about problems – your problems, my problems,” Almeida added. – IANS


COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Garfield

Bound And Gagged

Codeword

Wordsearch

Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once. Squares with the same number in have the same letter in. Work out which number represents which letter.

Puzz

les

cour

tesy

: Puz

zlec

hoic

e.co

m

Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The grid is

also divided into nine (3x3)

boxes. You are given a

selection of values and to

complete the puzzle, you

must fill the grid so that

every column, every anone

is repeated.

AMUSEDGLADJOYFULBEAMINGGLEEFULLAUGHINGBLISSFULGRATIFIEDMERRY

BLITHEHAPPYMIRTHFULCHEERFULHEARTYPLEASEDCHEERYJAUNTYSMILING

CONTENTJOCUNDSPARKLINGDELIGHTEDJOLLYSUNNYEUPHORICJOVIAL


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

Super Cryptic Clues

Solutions

Across7 Unintentional sort of invader gets temporary accommodation (11)8 Get on in time for an award (6)9 Get to grips with equipment (6)10 The name of a woman staggering in the bar (6)12 Is able to repeat a dance (6)13 Oberve the diocese (3)14 Naughty child allowed outside for shellfish (6)16 Cook clouts insect (6)18 Transport setback leads to quarrel (4,2)20 Sporting event has started, so go away (3,3)22 Mountaineer scrambling list (11)

Down1 Queen of Carthage swindled by love (4)2 Exit far from correct (3-3)3 More than shy - gloomy! (8)4 Indomitable courage - King George has it (4)5 Be a prisoner or a guiding light (6)6 Is a Latin translation for Europeans? (8)11 Gourmets providing us with recipe? (8)12 A vegetable Eric and Alec cooked (8)15 Off ended, having been expelled (3,3)17 Frank is a little unrealistic and idealistic (6)19 Look both ways (4)21 An excellent punishment? (4)


COMMUNITY HOLLYWOOD

Is intermission dead? Many hit musicals, plays skipping them

By Ellen Gray

If you’ve been to the theatre lately, you may have noticed something missing: the intermission.

The musical Come From Away, about what happened in Gander, Newfoundland, when 38 planes were stranded there on September 11, 2001, came and went from the Academy of Music this season without a break in its 100 heartfelt minutes. The Band’s Visit was even shorter. In 95 minutes, it also told a story about extending a warm welcome to accidental visitors, running straight through to their departure.

Ivo van Hove’s new Broadway revival of West Side Story, which runs an hour and 45 minutes, has been streamlined to exclude both the song I Feel Pretty and the original’s intermission. “I want to make a juggernaut,” the Belgian director told Vogue. “You feel that these people are running toward their death and there’s no escape from it.”

Add in intermission-free shows like Jacqueline Goldfinger’s new 90-minute Babel (through March 8, Theatre Exile), the 90-minute Once on This Island (May 21-June 21, Arden Theatre Co.), and the 90-minute The Wolves (April 10-May 3, Philadelphia Theatre Company) and it’s clear theatregoers can no longer take it for granted that there will be an opportunity to answer nature’s call — or visit the bar — before the curtain call.

On the plus side, going to the theatre on a weeknight doesn’t have to mean a bleary-eyed morning after.

If you’re a playwright today, “you have to earn that intermission,” said the Philadelphia-based Goldfinger (The Arsonists, Skin & Bone), citing Rajiv Joseph’s Describe the Night as an example of a meaty enough story to merit one.

“There’s so much history where you have to make connections between historical figures and what’s happening onstage. It’s not told chronologically, so your brain is working really hard to make those connections. By the time you get to intermission, your brain is ready for a break,” she said. “And the second act blows your mind.”

By contrast, her Babel, a play about one possible future driven by prenatal testing, is set “in a space we understand,” and without time jumps. “I can tell a satisfying story in the 90 minutes.”

And if there were an intermission?

Goldfinger said her story “relies on a building of pressure and momentum towards a decision. … If you’re in a high-pressure situation, and you take a break, and you let the pressure dissipate, it’s really hard to get it back.”

“I love when a show has no intermission,” said Satchel Williams, who starred in the one-woman play A Hundred Words for Snow, which also runs 90 minutes with no intermission. “A good story told concisely is incredible to me.”

Speaking as both “an actor and an audience member,” she said, “Some stories think they need to be long. But they don’t. … I think we’ve just gotten used to stories taking longer than they need to.”

Maybe not for much longer: A study of the 2019-20 US theatre season found that of 80 new plays represented in a survey, 62% were being presented without intermissions.

Locally, “that’s not a data

point we collect, for me to be able to say, ‘this many productions without intermissions were in the season,’” said Leigh Goldenberg, executive director of Theatre Philadelphia. She nevertheless said she’s seen a trend toward shorter, intermissionless shows, something she thinks is partly driven by finances. “What we’re encouraging our theater makers to do is to create smaller and smaller works.”

And then there’s the time/attention span issue (more on that in a bit). “We just want to get to the next thing quicker. In Shakespeare’s time your whole activity for the night was to enjoy a three-hour play, which you would stand up for,” said Goldenberg, whose organisation promotes the region’s theater and oversees the Barrymore Awards.

For those who still like an evening of theatre to take up the entire evening, there’s no shortage of longer shows.

The Lehman Trilogy, coming to Broadway in March after sold-out

engagements in London and New York’s Park Avenue Armory, has been running three-and-a-half hours, with two intermissions.

Dear Evan Hansen, the Tony-winning musical from Ardmore’s Benj Pasek and his songwriting partner, Justin Paul, is coming to Philadelphia’s Forrest Theatre April 7-19, and runs a more traditional two-and-a-half hours, with a single intermission.

On Broadway, The Inheritance, Matthew Lopez’s two-part reimagining of EM Forster’s Howards End, is running 3 hours, 15 minutes, with two intermissions, for Part 1, and 3 hours, 20 minutes, with one intermission and one 5-minute “pause,” for Part 2.

“If you look at what’s opening on Broadway this season, you’ve got Moulin Rouge and (the musical about) Tina Turner, which are two-plus hours with intermission. And then you’ve got a show as short as Six, which is … all but 80 minutes long,” said Frances Egler, senior director of programming

and presentations for the Kimmel Center.

A member of the Broadway League and a Tony voter, Egler books the Kimmel’s Broadway Philadelphia series, which in the coming months will include the intermission-free Jesus Christ Superstar (April 7-12, Academy of Music) and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (June 2-7, Academy of Music).

There was a time when intermissions were social occasions, “but that was a long time ago,” she said. “With the rise of other art forms,” things have changed. “Films can be 90 minutes with no intermission so why not a theatrical play? … What’s the length they need to tell their story?” she said.

“We don’t make a decision on booking based on whether there’s an intermission or not,” Egler said. The goal is to make sure that “whether it’s three hours or an hour-and-a-half, that (audiences are) going to leave satisfied.”

Asked about the perception that younger theatregoers might be attracted to shorter plays, “You don’t want to sound like, ‘Well, these kids can’t sit still for that,’” Egler said. “It’s how you engage them.”

“I chuckle at the idea that like millennials can’t sit still,” said Goldfinger. “Are you kidding me? They can sit still for hours and play games, and do board games and do entire runs of shows on Netflix.

“If you go and see some of these longer plays like August: Osage County, I saw that and it was almost all a millennial audience and nobody breathed for three hours,” she said. “You see “Describe the Night,” right now at the Wilma, that attracts younger audiences, they’re sitting through a three-hour piece and loving it. It has nothing to do with attention span.”

It might, though, have to do with how attention is paid.

“As our minds evolve, as technology evolves, we’re used to gathering in larger and larger amounts of information,” Goldfinger said. “If you go back and you read like (a Eugene) O’Neill classic,” it might “mention pieces of information two or three or four times to make sure the audience gets it.”

Today, “because our brains have evolved and our understanding of storytelling has evolved, we are just able to process a lot more,” she said. “We now can have a much wider breadth of diversity in our storytelling. … It’s like Netflix has come along in theatre.” — The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

“Because our brains have evolved and our understanding of storytelling has evolved, we are just able to process a lot more. We now can have a much wider breadth of diversity in our storytelling.… It’s like Netflix has come along in theatre”— Jacqueline Goldfinger, playwright

SPOTLIGHT: A poster outside the Broadway Theater advertises West Side Story in New York City. West Side Story is returning to Broadway for the first time in more than a decade, directed by Belgian Ivo Van Hove.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYBOLLYWOOD

For Karisma, MOM means ‘Master of Multitasking’

Kamal ‘should say sorry to Rekha for unplanned kiss’

SUPER-EXCITED: Karisma Kapoor.

Actress Karisma Kapoor is gearing up for her digital debut with the web series Mentalhood. She says there is meaning and learning in every episode of the show.

“I am super-excited and very emotional because there is a meaning behind this show. There is learning behind this show. Each episode has a message and it’s for everyone out there. Even men watching this show will be like, ‘Oh my God! I didn’t realise this’. In this show, we deal with bullying, gender issues, exam fever, surrogacy, health, and various other topics. So, it is actually entertainment but you also learn something at the end of the journey of each episode, which is so beautiful,” said Karisma, at the trailer launch of Mentalhood. She was accompanied by co-actors Sanjay Suri, Sandhya Mridul, Dino Morea, Shilpa Shukla, Shruti Seth and Tillotama Shome. The show’s producer Ekta Kapoor was there, too, as were Aparna Acharekar, programming head, Zee5, and series director Karishma Kohli.

The series explores the multitasking nature of mothers and their various eff ort at the best possible upbringing for their children.

“I guess I am the seniormost parent over here, with a teenage daughter and a young son, said Karisma, adding: “For me, it’s MOM — Master of Multitasking. A mother is a master of multitasking, so as long as you know your priorities and you can multitask them, you can do everything in the world,” she said.

On why she chose to enter the digital space at this stage, Karisma said: “When Ekta (Kapoor) approached me for the show and I heard this story, I just couldn’t say no. I feel this script is relevant today and being a mother has been the most important thing for me. I always said I’d keep all my awards on one side and my children on the other. My entire career is on one side and my kids are on the other. I think it teaches you a lot and it is relevant to so many mothers, and so many women out there. That’s why I just couldn’t say no.” Mentalhood streams on ALT Balaji and Zee5 from March 11. — IANS

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Kamal Hasan, left, and Rekha.

Tamil actress Rekha’s shocking revelation about the “unplanned kiss” by actor Kamal Haasan in filmmaker K

Balachander’s 1986 film Punnagai Mannan has raised a storm on social media. Many netizens have said that the veteran superstar Kamal Haasan should apologise to the actress for the kiss that, she added, was filmed on her without her consent when she was just 16.

“I’ve said this a hundred times. They shot the scene without me knowing about it. People ask me the same question and I’m fed

up of answering it,” Rekha told The News Minute according to bollywoodlife.com, insisting Kamal Haasan and the late Tamil cinema doyen Balachander tricked her into doing the scene.

She added that kiss helped the film in totality to bring out certain needed emotions.

“The kiss didn’t look ugly or aggressive on screen. There was a need for it, but I was a very young girl and I didn’t know about it. He (director K Balachander) said, ‘Kamal, close your eyes! You remember what I told you, right?’ and Kamal said that he did. Then

we had to jump when he said 1, 2, 3... we kissed and then jumped. It was only when I watched it in theatres that I realised it had such a huge impact,” she said.

Rekha was only 16 when she did the film after completing Class 10.

She also talked about being told that the Censor Board would not approve of the kiss.

She claimed: “They continued after that shot also, we had a location shift. Suresh Krissna and Vasanth were the associate directors, and I told them I wasn’t informed about the kiss and that

I wouldn’t have agreed to it. But they told me to think of it as a big king kissing a small child. They told me it wouldn’t be passed by the Censor. I asked them what the Censor was!”

Rekha says nobody believes her when she says the kiss happened without her consent and that Kamal Haasan is aware of it.

She said: “Only he and the unit that was there can confirm what I’ve said. Balachander sir is no more. Only those who were there at the shoot know that the kiss happened without my consent.”

According to the portal, she also said that neither Balachander nor Kamal Haasan apologised to her after the scene.

“Why would they apologise? The film was a superhit! I got many films after that, too, with Ramarajan and Ilaiyaraaja, like ‘Namma Ooru Pattukaran’. We were all so busy in those days, going from one schedule to another,” Rekha recalled.

She added that she would never have agreed to kiss if she was aware of the same in advance.

Rekha never demanded an apology from either Kamal Haasan or the late Balachander for the incident but, as the news spread, sections of social media said the actor should say sorry, reports sify.com.

“I don’t know about getting an apology but it is a fact that I wouldn’t have said yes to the kiss at that time. They just did the scene suddenly. It’s over now and I don’t want to revisit it,” said Rekha.

— IANS

Bollywood actress Kajol has been tutoring her actor-fi lmmaker husband Ajay Devgn on how to click selfi es!

Kajol yesterday morning took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of herself sitting on a stair case. According to the caption, it seemed that the actress wanted her hubby to feature in the photo with her.

She captioned the image: “Me: Baby let’s take a selfi e na... Hubby: Go sit there I will take it... Me: Selfi e means both of us together and someone in the pic clicks it. His answer: pointing fi nger.. laugh emojis.”

Ajay shared the same image and said it was his version of a selfi e.

“My version of the selfi e is usually myself behind the camera,” he said. — IANS

Kajol tutors Ajay on

selfies


COMMUNITY

Pakistan embassy, Diwan AlArab to hold online Urdu poetry competition

By Mudassir Raja

“Poetry is the spontaneous overfl ow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.” These are

the famous words by the English Romantic era poet William Wordsworth.

One of the best expressions of emotions and feelings comes in the form of poetry, which uses words in a rhythm to express a sublime thought in a given language. Urdu is known for its poetic expressions, and there have been a number of Urdu poets who made their mark in world literature for their skill and originality in thought.

Qatar has always been a hub where Urdu literary activities have consistently been organised by expatriates who speak and understand the language. There are numerous annual and monthly poetic sessions that are organised by Urdu speaking expatriates.

Keeping in mind the interest of people in Urdu poetry, Embassy of Pakistan in Qatar is going to organise an online Urdu poetry competition for the Pakistanis in collaboration with Diwan AlArab (Qatar Poetry Center). According to the information available on the website of the embassy, poets interested in the competition can send in their creative pieces from March 1 to 10. The winner will be announced in Doha on March 21 coinciding with World Poetry Day. The winner will be awarded QR10,000 in cash.

The topic for the competition is a line from the famous couplet of Dr Muhammad Iqbal, national poet of Pakistan, which is: “Jahan Hai Tere Liye, Tu Nahin Jahan Ke Liye” (Universe is for your [human beings], you are not for the universe). The participants can upload their poetry on the offi cial Instagram of Diwan alArab – diwanalarab_qa

As per the terms and conditions of the contest shared by the Pakistani embassy on its website, the organisers will not accept plagiarism or use of poetic expression of other poets. The poetry and the details of the participants such as the poet’s name, city name, national identity number, and phone number should be written in legible way at the end of the poetry.

The competition that is meant only for the residents of Pakistan and Pakistanis living in Qatar asks the participants to share minimum four and maximum fi ve couplets. One poet can share only one poem or one ghazal. The organiser will exclude the poetry containing religious, political, unethical

subjects or words. A panel of highly reputed Urdu poets will judge the competition and their decision will be fi nal.

In a video message, Syed Ahsan Raza Shah, Ambassador of Pakistan to Qatar, invited all those who are interested in Urdu poetry to take

part in the competition. He said: “I am very pleased to announce that the embassy in collaboration with Diwan AlArab, Ministry of Culture and Sports is going to organise an online Urdu poetry competition. We have shared the rules and regulations for the competition on

the embassy’s website, Facebook and Twitter account. The poetry will be examined by the panel of distinguished Urdu poets. I will urge on all interested people to take up a pen and test their creative skills.”

The Qatar Poetry Center works

to promote literary mobility regarding poetry, its templates, and its methods, launching it in a free creative space according to standards that take into account the literary heritage of the Qatari society and its cultural depth and to create the right climate for the Qatari poet and contribute to the development of his or her capabilities.

Commenting on the announcement of the competition, Mohamed Atiq, Chairman Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Qatar (MFUA), congratulated the embassy and appreciated the ambassador for taking the initiative. MFUA has regularly been organising a large annual Urdu mushaira in Doha for 25 years.

Atiq, a long time Qatar resident, said: “Urdu is not only the national but also the offi cial language of Pakistan. Promotion of Urdu poetry and language means promotion of Pakistani culture and traditions. The competition will urge the creative Pakistani writers to express themselves on the interesting subject.

“I congratulate Ambassador Syed Ahsan Raza Shah for taking the step and hope that competition will become a regular feature to promote and appreciate Urdu poets.” NATIONAL POET: The topic for the competition is chosen from the line of a famous couplet of Dr Muhammad Iqbal,

the national poet of Pakistan.

“I am very pleased to announce that the embassy in collaboration with Diwan AlArab, Ministry of Culture and Sports is going to organise an online Urdu poetry competition”

— Syed Ahsan Raza Shah, Ambassador

of Pakistan to Qatar

Winds of change - Gulf Times.

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