See saw: Dinner Date with Master Blaster

As was expected,the first look of director John Madden’s next,The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ,visually subscribes to cliches. The film — with Dev Patel,Dame Judi Dench,Maggie Smith,Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson in key roles — is set in Rajasthan and has been shot at locations across Udaipur and Jaipur. The film stills see the characters explore the colouful bazaars,the desert and the palaces. But,hopefully,the film will rise above that since the story is unique. The film centers around a supposedly newly-restored palace-hotel in Rajasthan called The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,advertised as India’s solution to a problem faced by UK’s retirees — a place where they can spend their golden years surrounded by lush amenities. Seven retirees arrive on the front steps of the not-quite-ready resort but,enchanted by the contrasts that India offers and the warmth of its owner (Patel),they rediscover life.

Letters from Scotland

Rabindranath Tagore’s Scottish connection dates back to his early years spent in Europe,when he was drawn to the vibrant folk music of the country. Inspired,Tagore penned many of his poems and songs such as Purano Shei Diner Katha. He also counted Scotsman Robert Burns among his favourite poets. Celebrating 150 years of the polymath’s birth anniversary,the Edinburgh Napier University’s Institute of Creative Studies has launched a centre dedicated to Tagore. Called Scottish Centre for Tagore Studies (ScoTs),the centre is a culmination of a project that began in November when an MoU was signed between the Scottish university and ICCR. Courses on offer include Indian culture,education,philosophy,art and literature that would enable greater understanding of Tagore’s legacy. Indra Nath Choudhuri,academic director of the Indira Gandhi Institute,Delhi,will be its first Chair.