A hand-picked basket of cherries from the world of most talked about books and popular posts on creative literature, reviews and interviews, movies and music, critiques and retrospectives ...
to enjoy, ponder, wonder & relish!
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The L&C-Silhouette Basket
A hand-picked basket of cherries from the world of most talked about books and popular posts on creative literature, reviews and interviews, movies and music, critiques and retrospectives ...
to enjoy, ponder, wonder & relish!
Born in 1950, Vijay Kumar’s ancestral roots were in Uttar Pradesh. He took early schooling in Ludhiana, Punjab; secondary school and college education in Kanpur; a post-graduate in Statistics, and much later, obtained a law degree from the Delhi University.
A government job brought him to Delhi, where he had the opportunity to handle national policies on education and culture. His last professional engagement was in the Ministry of Tourism, where he was the Director, heading the division responsible for the promotion of education and skills specific to the tourism sector.
Vijay Kumar is a recipient of the National Hospitality Education Award 2011-12, in recognition of his contribution towards skill development initiatives for the tourism and hospitality sector.
His early childhood was shaped by a familial milieu that was quasi rural, with songs and music for every occasion. His mother had a good memory for Kabir and Tulsidas and she recited them. This music sensitization mutated into a love for the Hindi film music as he grew.
'I have often wondered, who do I like more – an occasional Abhas under the patronage of Sachin Dev Burman or a prolific Kishore of the seventies in sync with Rahul?' Vijay Kumar explores...
Abhas turned Kishore midway. Abhas is a felt intangibility, a suggestion from within – something not material. Kishore is one who is young, energetic, exuberant, visible, impactful. ...
When Guru Dutt picked up Bimal Mitra's acclaimed Bangla novel Saheb Bibi Golam, he made certain significant changes to tune the story for its cinematic adaptation. Vijay Kumar takes a 360 degree view...
Devdas handles not just love but love platonic. It handles love sans sensuous - love that has self-effacement for its soul. A study of Bimal Roy's Devdas by Vijay Kumar as a tribute to the master filmmaker....
Johnny Walker’s greatness sourced itself much deeper than the distinctiveness of his physical persona. An innate sensitivity, a humaneness informed and radiated through his being. Johnny Walker worked under...
Amitabh Bachchan, one of the finest actors and easily among the biggest stars ever to have graced cinema, has played a myriad range of roles, moods and characters in his illustrious career....
Shakeel Badayuni is considered to be one of the finest romantic poets of the previous century. And Naushad among the monarchs of Hindi film music. When they teamed up, the result was...
Shakeel Badayuni is considered to be one of the finest romantic poets of the previous century. And Naushad among the monarchs of Hindi film music. When they teamed up, the result was...
Dev Anand’s creative effort reached its apogee in Navketan’s Guide, a film that accommodates more than one perspective. On the occasion of Dev Anand's birth anniversary (he would have been 95 today), Vijay...
The earnestness, the depth and the genius of Khayyam led to the creation of masterpiece ghazals, songs and nazms that are among the most beautiful melodies in Hindi film music. Vijay Kumar explores a few of Khayyam's...
Teesri Kasam – the name given to Maare Gaye Gulfam for its cinematic version – was hailed a classic and collected reasonably well at the box-office though a little too late for its producer - the great poet...
"In Pyaasa, Mujhe Jeene Do, The Guide, Teesri Kasam and Kaagaz Ke Phool – Waheeda’s best four movies to my mind, Waheeda played the women who traded their charms for sustenance." Vijay...
Bimal Roy's films refrained from preaching even as they handled problems of such serious dimension as the abuse and exploitation of farmers (Do Bigha Zameen) or the untouchability (Sujata). Vijay Kumar explores...
Sahir’s literary genius resourced the lover within him for expressions. But these expressions, coloured by Sahir the rebel, often took him beyond the contours of conventional poetry. Remembering the iconic...
Shailendra versified every human emotion, every mood in a lingo that was kabirusque, that connected. A tribute to the ace lyricist on his birth anniversary by Vijay Kumar....