Page 64 - English Tehelka Issue 1&2

• Priyanka bats for theStack RELEVANCE OF GHALIB

gender equality IN PRESENT SCENARIO

Ideas for IndIa: faster-HIgHer-stronger
timelessness and universality, points out the
By Bibek Debroy; Wisdom Tree Work of the North Indian poet is imbued with
Priyanka Chopra believes most people still new book on the 19th century ghazal veteran
don’t understand what feminism actually India is probably in the middle of the most reform-friendly phase
is. There is more talk and less action in the in its history — open to conceptions that can help transform the One Of the most oft-quoted poets of the nine-
teenth century, Ghalib was an intellectual colos-
nation faster, put it on a stronger firmament to help it
area of gender equality, believes the 35-year- leap higher. This book, a collection of ideas, by one of sus, whose poetry is imbued with timelessness
old star, who is a UNICEF Goodwill India’s foremost thinkers, marries his deep academic and universality. Born and brought up in North
Ambassador. The overuse of the words understanding with the rich practical experience; India, he wrote both in his mother tongue, Urdu
“feminism and empowerment” has belittled • ‘Don 3’ is in the The penetrating macroeconomic analysis with the and in Persian, the established and privileged
their essence, she reportedly said. “There is making: Sidhwani intricate microeconomic observations; And the vast language of literature and officialdom. He wrote
movement but it is very nominal. We need Work on the script for the knowledge of the governance ecosystem with the exquisite prose, but is better known for his po-
to work so much more. In our country third installment of Don fran- challenging requirements of the governed. The ideas etry, particularly his Urdu ghazals.
and across the globe, girls are treated as chise, featuring Shah Rukh captured in this book present a fresh and inspiring In The Evolution of Ghalib, the author, Hasan
Khan, has started, producer
secondary citizens. They face violence and Ritesh Sidhwani said. On result-based approach to the pressing problems Abdullah, provides a detailed introduction that
abuse everywhere. And feminism is a way December 23, Don 2 com- India faces today. Innovative, precise and practical, describes Ghalib’s life history and brings out
his persona and situates his work in time and
solutions offered in this book are a treasure trove, not just for India,
to control that situation, but it has become pleted six years and Sidhwani but other developing countries of the world too, for both their con- space. He briefly discusses the Urdu language
a negative term,” Priyanka told PTI in said the film will happen stitutional arms as also the civil society. and ghazal as a literary form and familiarizes the
an interview. For the actor, who has soon. “It will happen sooner -------------------------------------------------------------------------- reader with the words, sym-
successfully crossed over to the American than you know as we have bols and concepts crucial
showbiz world with the television show started working on the script tHe Power Paradox: How we gaIn and Lose InfLuence for understanding Ghalib’s
“Quantico” and made her Hollywood debut and the story. I think we need By Dacher Keltner; Penguin Press poetry.
to crack the story as the re-
with “Baywatch”, feminism is “not about sponsibility is more (to get it Based on a chronologi-
superiority but equality”. “I believe a lot right for the third part). With A revolutionary and timely reconsideration of everything we know cal reading of Ghalib’s Urdu
of people still don’t understand the actual the next film in Don franchise about power. Celebrated UC Berkeley psychologist Dr. Dacher Keltner ghazals, the author identi-
argues that compassion and selflessness enable us to have the
fies the different stages
meaning of feminism. Feminism and we won’t take that much time, most influence over others and the result is power as and phases of the poet’s
empowerment are two words which people we will make it fast,” he said. a force for good in the world. Power is ubiquitous — development and from
overuse, without even understanding the According to Sidhwani, the but totally misunderstood. Turning conventional wis- each of these phases, se-
meaning properly.” Feminism for her, Priyanka team would make an official dom on its head, Dr. Dacher Keltner presents the very lects and interprets verses,
stressed, is about women getting opportunities announcement about Don 3 idea of power in a whole new light, demonstrating not including those that differ
next year. Excel Entertain-
that men have always enjoyed. The fact that ment, owns the rights of the just how it is a force for good in the world, but how from the dominant trend,
women are still “judged” for being ambitious Amitabh Bachchan-starrer — via compassion and selflessness — it is attainable in order to reveal Ghalib’s
bothers her, said the actor. 1978 film Don. for each and every one of us. It is taken for granted intellectual evolution. The
that power corrupts. This is reinforced culturally by
book aims to make reading and understanding of
everything from Machiavelli to contemporary politics. Ghalib’s Urdu ghazals a pleasurable and enlight-
But how do we get power? And how does it change ening experience.
our behavior? So often, in spite of our best intentions, The book describes Ghalib’s life history and
we lose our hard-won power. Enduring power comes from empathy brings out his persona and situates his work in
Grateful for the and giving. Above all, power is given to us by other people. time and space. He briefly discusses the Urdu
• LETTER FROM THE PAST ---------------------------------------------------------- language and ghazal as a literary form and
familiarises the reader with the words, symbols
John Lennon’s handwritten statement is up for saLe opportunity to play tHe LIes of tHe Land: a BrIef HIstory of PoLItIcaL and concepts crucial for understanding Ghalib’s
A handwritten letter by Beatles legend John Lennon BalasaheB thackeray’ dIsHonesty poetry.
will be up for sale for US$35,000. In the note, the By Adam Macqueen; Atlantic Books Based on a chronological reading of Ghalib’s
renowned singer has accused the EMI record label Urdu ghazals, Abdullah identifies the different
of blocking distribution on his 1968 experimental Trust in our politicians is at an all-time low. We’re in a “post-truth” stages and phases of the poet’s development
album ‘Unfinished Music No 1: Two Virgins’ as he era, where feelings trump facts, and where brazen and from each of these phases, selects and
appears in the nude on its cover with Yoko Ono, his rhetoric beats honesty. But do politicians lie more interprets verses, including those that differ from
then future wife. The album was one of the very than they used to? And do we even want them to tell the dominant trend, in order to reveal Ghalib’s
initial non-Beatles LPs he made. According to the truth?In a history full of wit and political acumen, intellectual evolution. Although the quantum of
FemaleFirst, an angry Lennon writes, “EMI (who Private Eye journalist Adam Macqueen dissects the Ghalib’s poetry in Urdu is much less than in Per-
have the real control) wrote warning letters to all gripping stories of the biggest political lies of the last sian but he has become ‘Ghalib’ (predominant)
their puppets around the world telling them not to half century, from the Profumo affair to Blair’s WMDs for posterity because of his Urdu ghazals.
handle it in any way.” The singer’s ambition was to to Boris Johnson’s GBP350 million for the NHS. This is Abdullah felt that a chronological study of
ensure that he would not let past experiences with the quintessential guide to dishonesty from our lead- Ghalib’s Urdu ghazals would help in better ap-
EMI interfere with the future. Nawazuddin Siddiqui ers — and the often pernicious relationship between preciation of his poetry and shed some light on
• About EMI Legendary writing (Actor) parliament and the media. what are, or appear to be, divergent views.

Tehelka / 31 january 2018 64 www.Tehelka.com Tehelka / 31 january 2018 65 www.Tehelka.com

64 VanityFair.indd 2 12/01/18 4:18 PM 65 Stack&BookReview.indd 3 12/01/18 4:18 PM