“ज़िंदगी और कुछ भी नहीं, तेरी मेरी कहानी है |”

These words from the legendary song “Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai” underline the essence of love and life. But the irony of life is that Santosh Anand, the person who brought these beautiful words to life, is the one who is presently living life with just prized memories.

Santosh Anand, the legendary lyricist, was born in Bulandshahr, UP on 5th March 1939. He began his career under Kalyanji-Anandji in the film Purab Aur Paschim (1970). Throughout his career, he penned 109 songs for 26 films. Some of his superhits are “Aur Nahin Bas Aur Nahin” and “Main Na Bhoolunga” in the film Roti Kapada Aur Makaan; “Tera Saath Hai To” and “Megha Re Megha Re” in the film Pyaasa Sawan, “Mohabbat Hai Kya Cheez” and “Yeh Galiyan Yeh Chaubara”in the film Prem Rog. He won the Filmfare Awards for Best Lyricist in 1974 for “Main Na Bhoolunga” and 1983 for “Muhabbat Hai Kya Cheez”.

Truly, one of the greatest lyricists of all times, we celebrate him through one his most amazing song.

Known for his unique vine creation and being the first Indian Solo Youtuber to reach 20 Million Subscribers, Amit Bhadana has released his second Music Video in collaboration with the rapper, songwriter and producer Badshah. It hasn’t been long since Bhadana was gifted with the diamond YouTube button. His rise to fame was really organic as he started from the very bottom.

With fame come loads of love, appreciation and of course, some hate as well. Amit seems to be addressing the said ‘hate’ in this video and also expresses gratitude towards his family and fans for their support. The visualization of the music video is a clear indication of him narrating that he has indeed, worked hard to reach here where he is today; He is seen pulling a human sized rock with a thick rope representing his hard work.

The lyrics, written by Badshah mention several names – the ones Amit is thankful to for their constant support and encouragement in his journey. The 6 minute long music video features visuals of Amit’s life and how closely he appreciates some people of his life.

The child shown in the video seems to be the child counterpart of Amit and also represents dedication. Present Day Amit who was seen pulling the rock meets the child and he helps him reach his destination; The child then also draws a Diamond YouTube button – signaling Amit achieving 20 Million subscribers with his sheer dedication and talent.

The visuals of the video have many hidden messages and can be interpreted in many other ways. However, one thing that remains true is the message that dedication can make you reach heights.

Check out the chills evoking video here.

A celebrated painter, poet and art critic, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, born in Surendranagar, Gujarat, has been an influential figure in the Indian contemporary art landscape for over 6 decades. As Chaitanya Sambrani proposes, Sheikh’s art style flows into a narrative sphere, taking on the responsibility of charting the world around him in a manner which lets the subject address that same world as their own. Sheikh’s projects, in essence, take, upon themselves, the idea that art is a medium for the masses to navigate what is around them. For him, art explains and makes sense of the world we live in.

With numerous teaching positions under his belt, including teaching art history in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, Sheikh has been consistently recognized internationally for his work and art style, being invited as a Visiting Artist at the Art Institute of Chicago, amongst others. For a figure who is so steeped in established education, it is interesting how Sheikh’s career actually began. In 1963, Sheikh, along with 11 emergent artists, began Group 1890, a collective of artists that meant to be the antithesis to, what they saw as, the banal art of the previous generation.  The members of Group 1890 embraced the values of modernism that hinted at the idea of change. The collective held a single exhibition in October of 1963 at the Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan in New Delhi, India. To this day, that singular exhibition is the only existing record of the group’s exhibition history. 

Sheikh’s work can be seen as a direct parallel to what Group 1890 intended to be, a medium for artistic storytelling, drawing from the country’s own rich cultural heritage and imbibing an ethos of modernity that runs intertwined with a socio-political intent. Indeed, a famous piece of his, titled ‘Speechless City’, is an artistic political commentary on the Emergency of 1975. The painting, made in the immediate wake of the Emergency, explores the consequences that may become a reality if a government is allowed to rid itself of its critics.

Awarded the Padmashri in 1983 and Padmabhushan in 2014 for his contributions in the field of art, Sheikh’s life and work can be categorically summarized by the idea of attempting to explain the ubiquitous experience of what it means to be human. There is a sense of magical realism to his work that grounds itself in the cultural and mythological heritage of India. Through all his work, spanning decades, Sheikh has managed to build a miniature world, one that contains his personal memories and the larger circumstances of the cosmos.

Over the years Valentine’s Day has been celebrated as a ritual, a religious day and a commercial holiday. But the truth is, you can celebrate it however you want! Today is all about celebrating love. Whether that is for your partner, friends, families or someone you admire, it is all about appreciating people.

Usually, on the 14th of February, people would be out at family gatherings or parties, dinner dates and movies, etc. This time Valentine’s Day is going to be a little different considering the ongoing pandemic. But don’t you worry, the pandemic doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this day to the fullest. Virtual dates are the way to go! But if you do go out and meet people – don’t forget your masks and sanitisers.

Now, some love Valentine’s day and some love to hate it. Some people like elaborate gestures while some don’t care about it. Either way, you can celebrate the day (or not) in whatever way you please, for there are no rules.

The Artists!

And on that note, we bring you a few artists you can this Valentine’s day and appreciate their hard work as they spread love in the world.

Firstly we have Ashwani Machal covering Chand Se Parda Kijiye from the ’94 movie, ‘Aao Pyaar Karen’. His rendition of the song will put you in a trance! His voice blends with the music with perfection. And the videography just adds to it.

Next, we have Drabin Chatterjee’s classical dance performance on the Bengali song, ‘Radha Tumi Sobetei Acho’. The melodic tune will pull on your heartstrings, and his choreography will hit you with a thousand emotions, all at once! His expressions are simply magical. You will have to click below and experience it for yourself because words aren’t enough to describe how spell-binding his Valentine’s Day dance cover is.

And lastly, on the 6th of February, 2021, Tape A Tale uploaded a video titled, ‘Love Story Ka Side Kick – Vanika Sangtani’. In this 7-minute-long video, Vanika takes us through a story spread out over the years. For a new perspective on love, this Valentine’s day, you can watch her talk about the time when a third person arrived in her love story. ‘The ending is unexpected’, will be my only hint for you! Watch the full video to uncover who was the side-kick in her tale of love and who was the hero!

All is possible if you are committed to yourself and your dreams. And Manya Singh proved that. Being the daughter of an autorickshaw driver, Manya’s childhood wasn’t ever easy. But yesterday she proved to the world that dreams do come true. And she now holds the title of the VLCC Femina Miss India 2020 Runner Up.

The Beginnings

Manya Singh struggled throughout her childhood. Spend many sleepless nights without food, her clothes were all hand-me-downs. She yearned for books. While her parents worked extremely hard to provide for her, luck was just never in her favour. Eventually, they mortgaged every little piece of jewellery they had, so Manya could earn a degree.

In fact, up till Class 9th, Manya Singh wasn’t officially enrolled in any school. She used to go to schools only for exams as exams fee was all they could afford. Yet, she scored around 80% in her Class 10^th, as she simultaneously worked in Pizza Hut. In this world of nepotism, her parents were apprehensive about her dreams. How does the daughter of an autorickshaw driver become Miss India? You need to have strong background and she didn’t have that. But what most refused to understand is that she had faith and knew how to work hard. She believed in herself and her dreams.

When She Left Home

At the age of 14, in her early teens, Manya Singh realized that she would be married off after finishing her studies. But Manya was a young child with big dreams and the courage to go after it. So, she left. She somehow completed her studies during the day. Then she would go to houses to wash dishes and work in the call centre at night. Not only this, but she would walk for hours straight to save up the money of the rickshaw fare.

You see, Manya Singh had realized that for success, knowledge is important. She knew she needed to be fluent in her language, English or Hindi. Hence, the job at the call centre. And of course, she needed the money too. In college, She tried participating in the ‘Campus Princess’. Even though people tried to bring her down, discriminated against based on the complexion of her skin, Manya believed in herself.

She knew she couldn’t afford to groom, so she would sit at auditions and observe. She admits to learning a lot by observing other participants. The way they would carry themselves, their make up, how they were groomed for the auditions. And she learnt it all.

Her Learnings

When she entered the PI round of Miss India, she represented all women and not just UP. Manya Singh wanted to be an inspiration for all women who wanted to do something big. She further admits that it won’t be easy. The bigger your dreams, the harder the obstacles. But nothing is impossible. You have to believe in yourself.