India on the Verge of Epidemic

The numbers are sobering.

According to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 400,000 people in India die of AIDS each year. An estimated 5.7 million are carriers of the HIV virus.

That’s more than any other country in the world.

In a Reuter’s report published earlier today, Ashok Alexander, head of the Foundation’s $258-million Indian HIV-prevention project, says the situation is serious: “The huge challenge is scaling up prevention efforts. 2007 is when we need to have this done by.”

If not, the predictions are dire, with estimates suggesting the HIV virus could infect as many as 30 million people in India within the next ten years.

Last week Bill Gates made headlines with his pledge of $23 million to help the Indian government with its prevention and treatment efforts.

Visit the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to learn more.

Mighty Heart in Mumbai

Angelina Jolie, sex-pot Oscar winner turned inspired humanitarian, is currently filming in Mumbai (the movie, called A Mighty Heart, is about the real-life 2002 slaying of American reporter Daniel Pearl).

But true tabloid-junkies care less about the film than they do about Jolie’s personal life.

Celebrity bloggers have been shvitsn over gossip that Brangelina is looking to adopt an Indian child. According to Perez Hilton, the couple recently spent time at the Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra family adoption center, where orphanage director Roxana Kalyanvala told In Touch Magazine, “every move and every look of the couple was filled with love for our children. “

Not all of Brangelina’s publicity has been so positive.

Jolie’s bodyguards were accused Friday of manhandling parents during a shoot near Mumbai’s Anjuman-e-Islam school.

One guard was also overheard calling a parent a “bloody Indian.” Earlier today, Jolie released a statement in response, saying:

“As for this horrible rumor that someone referred to a local man as a ‘bloody Indian,’ let me say this: I would never work with anyone that was derogatory towards another man’s race.”

Three of Jolie’s bodyguards–all British nationals–have subsequently been arrested.

(Update: Brad Pitt gives his first interview to Indian television. Click here to see him address the racism allegations)

Where Were You in ’92?

Sri Lankan British recording artist M.I.A wants to know.

Her latest track, called XR2, represents a deviation from the trademark hyper-politicized songs of her debut album Arular.

XR2, which hasn’t officially been released yet, is more a re-visitation of 1992 and all of its kitschy pop culture, than it is a journey through her old lyrical stomping grounds (you know: the land of consumerism, teenage prostitution, war, and poverty).

We covered the edgy, punk-ragga princess two years ago and have been fans ever since.

Have a listen to XR2, the ‘Turbo’ remix and let us know what you think.

This song and others are available for downloading on M.I.A.’s MySpace page.

Cage Becoming Sadhu?

Self-described comics fan Nicholas Cage (He named his son Kal-El–that’s pretty hardcore) is slated to play the lead in the upcoming film The Sadhu.

The movie is to be adapted from the Virgin Comics series of the same name. Sadhu is the brainchild of Deepak Chopra’s son Gotham and is ultimately about “one man’s choice between his spiritual oath and his human instinct.”

That man would be James Jenson, the character Cage is set to play. Jenson is an army officer who, upon being sent to colonial India, ends up engaging in a different kind of battle—one that doesn’t involve guns, but rather the state of his spirit.

Call me Debbie Downer, but I just can’t get excited about (yet another) celluloid depiction of “mystical”/colonial India. Why does everything have to be about spiritual journeys dammit?

But enough about what I think. What’s your take?

Blast Off! Sunita Williams Heads Back to Space

The space shuttle Discovery is getting ready for a December 7 launch on a mission to the international space station, and Indian American astronaut Sunita Williams will be on board. She’ll be in space for six months, replacing German astronaut Thomas Reiter as flight engineer.

Back in October 2004, Nirali interviewed Sunita, and she had some inspiring words for other women interested in pursuing what can seem like far-fetched careers for women, even in these modern times:

Don’t ever let anyone tell you, “You can’t do it.” That’s the biggest thing—I had one squad commander who said, “Being an astronaut is for jet pilots, not for helicopter pilots.” If you know that’s what you want, you’ve just got to go for it. You do the best you can do at what you’re doing and find out what you need to do to get in this field.

Wise words, indeed. Good luck to Sunita and the entire Discovery crew on a safe and fruitful mission.

Read the October 2004 Niraliinterview with Sunita Williams

Kavi Ladnier on Heroes Tonight

Move over, Sendhil. There’s a new brown face on Heroes—that of the very gorgeous Kavi Ladnier.

Ladnier will appear on the hit NBC show tonight playing a mysterious someone from Mohinder’s past. You can see a preview of Kavi’s appearance in this little trailer online. Will Ms. Ladnier, who’s quite a superhero in her own right (she’s a busy lady who juggles a flourishing acting career with being a mom), make future appearances? Who knows. We do know that Nirali scored an interview with her, so look for the scoop in our story in the upcoming weeks.

Ash Rana: Growing Up Royal Is Hard

Mili sent me a link to New York magazine’s Look Book featuring Nepalese fashion designer Ash Rana. I don’t know much about his work (and the article doesn’t really get into it), but we’ll certainly look into it for a future story. But here’s what was most interesting about the article:

“My mother was adopted by the prince of Nepal, so I grew up in the palace, but I don’t have the royal blood. It did come with its own perks, but when I moved to the U.S., it was almost like a handicap because I didn’t know how to do anything for myself, like laundry and things like that.”

I wonder what the royal palace of Nepal is like? Forget his designs; I want to know the details of growing up as a semi-prince. Apparently Gawker has picked up on the story, as well (albeit with a cheekier take).

Also, according to Rana, “Men are more fashionable than the women because they have more freedom” in Nepal. Is that true? What does he mean by that? Can Nepalase readers shed some light?

Get Your SALTAF on This Weekend in DC

NetSapDC in conjunction with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program is sponsoring SALTAF, the 6th annual South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival.

This year, for a small entrance fee, you can hobnob with the cognoscenti during the opening night fundraiser and cocktail reception at the Fly Lounge. Here are some tips on how to mingle and mix with the literati: Don’t forget to ask Kiran Desai if a Booker Prize is actually a prize—is it a statue, is it a piece of paper, huh, huh? While you’re at it, make sure to inquire after Devyani Saltzman’s mama’s project, Water. If you don’t come across as a complete bumbling idiot, maybe they’ll let you hang around after the 9 p.m. closing call. Why so soon?

And if your hangover wanes by Saturday morning, you’re in for an all day (10 a.m.–6: 30 p.m.) FREE desi artsy-fartsy extravaganza at the Baird auditorium. You’ll be privy to the US premiere of DOR, followed by a Q&A session with auteur Nagesh Kukunoor. Damn, how exclusive are you?

Soon thereafter, you’ll have a lunchbreak. You’re on your own here (the event is FREE after all) —although what’s a macacafest without food, yaar?

Next up are two literary panels: Writing on the Edge: Collapsing Borders in South Asian Diasporic Literature and Second Chances in Life and Literature. The panelists are Kiran Desai, Samrat Upadhyay, Tarun Tejpal, and Devyani Saltzman—moderated by Terry Hong and Jyoti Mohan. Uh, we don’t know everyone on this list, but we promise you by the time these panels end, we’ll all be reschooled in Homi Bhaba, Gayatri Spivak, Edward Said and every other post-colonial theorist we couldn’t wrap our heads around in college. Ah, the agency, the difference, the location of culture, and the binary orientalism of it all!

After a short break (Yay!), you can kick back and watch the DC debut of a Sundance and Tribeca film festival selection: Punching the Sun, a film by Tanuj Chopra.

Keeping company with all the accolade-ridden artists for a whole weekend may rub off but we’re not promising anything except a few morsels of enlightenment.

A Film Festival for Every Fancy

Last week I attended the press conference for the upcoming Sixth Annual Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival, and judging by the filmmakers who spoke, this festival promises to be one good show, so to speak. If you don’t already know that Mira Nair’s much-awaited film The Namesake is premiering at the festival’s first night, where have you been? Seriously, opening night is going to be quite the event—there will be the requisite red carpet, of course, followed by speeches from a line-up of South Asian gliteratti: Aroon Shivdasani (IAAC executive director), Salman Rushdie and Mira Nair herself. Word on the street is that Padma Lakshmi and Kal Penn will be there, too. And here’s what is making my mouth water: After the show, Jhumpa Lahiri herself will be part of a discussion with Mira Nair (led by Premiere magazine editor-in-chief Peter Herbst). Don’t have your tickets yet? What are you waiting for? (Sadly, the gala dinner after the screening and discussion is already sold out.)

It’s obvious that The Namesake is getting a lot of press, and for good reason—it seems to be the holy trinity of South Asian who’s who (Nair, Penn, Lahiri). But that’s not the only reason you should check out the festival (which runs November 1–5 in New York City). There are some other great gems that are going to be showcased. Besides the popular favorites such Aishwarya’s Umrao Jaan and Rehana Mirza’s Hiding Divya, here are my picks for must-see movies:

Kabaddi Cops: Um, can anyone say hilarious? This short film is about Toronto cops who decide to take up the ancient sport of kabaddi so they can bond with the South Asian community. I am not going to miss this one.

My Bollywood Bride: I want to see this if only because it stars “Smith Jerrod” from Sex and the City! But seriously, this film is about an American guy who meets an Indian woman on vacation. Turns out she’s—wait for it—a Bollywood star! Hilarity, I’m sure, ensues.

Sita Sings the Blues: Nina Paley’s interpretation of the Ramayana set to American jazz classics isn’t nearly done, but you can catch two episodes from the animated feature at the festival.

American Blend: If Anupam Kher isn’t enough reason to see this film, check it out for Sunkrish Bala, a rising Indian American actor whom Nirali will profile next month.

Riding Solo to the Top of the World: This flick won the best documentary award at the Mumbai International Film Festival. It’s about a guy who rides his motorcycle all the way to the remote Changthang Plateau, in Ladakh, bordering China. Bonus: Our esteemed photo editor, Vikram Tank, knows the filmmaker.

Of course, this is just a sampling. There are tons of other films that deserve our attention, so check out the complete schedule online, and get your tickets at MeraTicket.com.

Clap Your Hands Say Yaar

The New York Times and Newsweek magazine have both decided she is one of the most influential South Asians in the US. She has performed with Outcast, Rah Digga and The Roots, but is perhaps better known for putting Bhangra on the map (of New York City—at 200 Varick Street, to be exact).

DJ Rekha (née Rekha Malhotra) is the powerhouse behind Basement Bhangra—a popular desi dance destination, and what New York magazine has called “the best party in NYC.”

Last Sunday Rekha was featured on CNN where she dished on identity (“to me it’s a shifting idea”), the future (a CD featuring collaborations with Bikram Singh and Panjabi MC) and what it’s like to be a woman in the male-dominated world of DJs.

The first Thursday of each month you can catch Rekha holding down the decks at the club SOBs—lower Manhattan’s address for Basement Bhangra.

Check out www.sangament.com for details.