Tags:
Journalism of Courage
New Choper8217;on the block
For all those who hang on every word of the guru of mind-body spirito-babble here is good news. Now a second generation is being groomed to earn the mega-bucks from a new generation of faith seekers. Yes, the son also rises, or in this case, a new Buddha is being incarnated. Deepak Chopra8217;s twenty-four year old son Gauthama is all over the US, making an appearance at Pope John Paul8217;s recent US tour to hanging out with the Pope of Pop, Michael Jackson. But this young spunk seems to be one up on his dad in his appeal. He speaks with a twangy accent, has a designer haircut and changed his name to the more with-it sounding Gotham. As this soft-spoken scion to the Chopra millions explained to Rick Marin of the New York Times: quot;I don8217;t identify as a Hindu.quot; And the name change with its hip association with New York and Batman was part of his Americanisation process.
When Gotham was 15, his father took him to the Gloved One8217;s Neverland ranch where he became one of the many kids who hung out with Jackson and on occasion slept on the same bed with him. quot;We would play video games, order pizza, eat candy and just act nuts till five in the morning and then fall asleep on the bed or floor, whateverquot;. He quickly defends Jackson over the charge of sexual impropriety with minors, quot;I never saw anything, felt awkward or anything.quot; Jackson is one of Gotham8217;s many admirers and said in an interview, quot;I knew when I first met Gotham that he was a spiritual godsend capable of inspiring and empowering the youth of thisgeneration!quot; High praise indeed for this mini-guru who currently is working on three screenplays, a second novel and keeps making famous and powerful friends, paving his path for his enlightenment.
Post colonial rewrite
Ibrahim Alkazi is well known for his legendary visual eye and theatrical mastery. Now in New York an exhibition showcasing his collection of over 40,000 photographs of South Asia, many of which record some of the earliest photographs taken in India in the last century, is creating a stir at a gallery in Chelsea. The exhibition titled Re-orientations: Photography From South Asia, 1845 -19208216; is an amazing depiction of how the then-new medium was used to promote and propagate Imperialistic interests and shape the image of India in the western world, the effects of which still stunt Indian imagery to this day. Photographs on display show the pomp and splendour of India8217;s aristocracy as well as its abject poverty. Many photographs were the result of the then-budding sciences ofethnography and anthropology which at the time stemmed from a distinct belief in the superiority of the white race and showed the natives to be lesser humans in need of civilisation. This unique exhibition attempts to expose this historical fact and in doing so re-examine its effects that last to this day. Effects that are often glibly brushed under the term quot;post-colonial historyquot;.
Shahjehan Riz
That CNN International8217;s star anchor Riz Khan is moving up in Atlanta society is underlined by the news that he has moved into his new home in a plush suburb. Friends who have visited the place say it8217;s been done in incredible good taste and is almost palace-like, in that it has some 15 rooms and all the amenities fitting a star of his stature. Oh, it8217;s been dubbed quot;Riz Mahalquot;, a kind of Taj built by Riz for the greatest love in his life. Who8217;s that you ask? Why, it8217;s Riz of course!
Riyad Wadia, avant garde film-maker, is currently at home in New York.
