INDIAN FOREST RIGHTS: Indian forests are in danger? Well, there's nothing new about it

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India's connection with greenery and environment is nothing new. The green colour in our national flag indicates India's relation with land, love for greenery and care for the environment. But our forests and the issue of deforestation are some of the critical issues that India grapples with. Perhaps that's why the forest cover in India had dramatically declined over the years. Before Independence, the forest cover was around 40 per cent of the total land area, which declined to just 22 per cent in 1951, and to just 19 per cent in 1997. Out the total forest area, only 2.54 per cent can be considered as high density forest and even the moderately dense forest cover is merely 9.71 per cent. However, government claims that it has taken a note about the problem of deforestation and forest cover slightly increased to 21.02 per cent in 2007. The Centre passed Forest Rights Act in 2006. The 10th Five Year Plan, however, envisaged to increase forest cover to 33 per cent by the end of 2012. But things have further changed when the Centre recently asked the state government of Orissa to stop acquiring forest lands for the $10.9 billion steel plant project of the South Korean giant Posco. N.C. Saxena, who heads the four-member panel probing into the alleged violation of the Act in the site of the proposed project, confirmed that the project violates the Forest Rights Act.

But all is not well. There have been widespread violations of the laws. Private companies as well as government undertakings are acquiring lands in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa violating the forest rights. Apart from ambiguities on innumerable issues with regard to slum-dwellers' right to reside and other community rights, including minor forest produce, the state governments don't have concrete industrial policy for inclusive growth. In addition, though the Forest Rights Act is in place, it is facing extensive manpower and financial shortage. Another important aspect of the debate is that natural resources enriched states like Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are witnessing huge investment inflows, but their proportionate contribution in eradicating poverty is not satisfactory. Further, there is no adequate alternative rehabilitation policy for thousands of tribal people who are vulnerable to such risks.

Above all, industrialisation is as imperative as aforestation. While industrialisation has to be there to boost productivity, aforestation replace extensive import of wood items. However, restoring environmental sustainability is important as Indian agriculture is extremely vulnerable to irregular monsoon. The per capita forest land has declined dramatically from 1.2 hectare during 1950s to just 0.066 hectares in 1997-98. Significantly, with over 16 per cent world population and 15 per cent of world's livestock, India has only 2.4 per cent land area and a mere 1.7 per cent of world's forest stock. To tackle this, India needs strong political will, administrative back up, budgetary and infrastructure support for implementation. It's high time to ponder over the issue and find solutions becomes more urgent every day.

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DESPICABLE ME: Endearing fare for the whole family

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'Despicable Me' is an adorable flick for kids and elders alike with some great voices, cute characters and nicely done 3D effects. The kids would undoubtedly adore the various gadgets, grandiose plans and the action. But the humour isn't only for the kids, but for the elders too. The clever use of pop culture clich's and the pun intended is rather interesting in various sequences, such as in the initial conversation with the neighbour and the name of the bank. The voices given by Steve Carell (Gru ' older villain) and Jason Segel (Vector ' younger villain) are worth appreciation, especially Gru's thick accent.

The story begins with an evil Gru starving for his mother's appreciation of his work. In order to prove his worth to his mother, this super-devil approaches the evil-bank for some loan. But the bank also decides to invest in someone young and dynamic such as Vector. Gru, a veteran of the trade, uses his countless minions (small yellow one and two eyed pegs/darts), and extraordinary gadgets, but fails to even get close to Vector, let alone defeating him. In the meantime, Gru discovers three orphan girls and uses them as pawns for his scheme after adopting them. This mastermind then decides to pull off something unheard of - stealing the moon. But soon these little adopted girls peck their way to his cold heart and without his realisation his fondness grows for them too, transforming a devil into a loving daddy.

An interesting and melodramatic series of events entertain all through the movie with action, drama and comedy well packaged together even if the story isn't always a smooth ride.

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AISHA: A sashay down style boulevard, but where's the story road

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For all its glitzy glossy glaze, 'Aisha' has a few shenanigans to deal with and while the film is great eye candy (fab art design to capture the modern chic; the designer brands pitch in too), it remains an incomplete viewing experience. Sonam Kapoor had the golden chance to own the film (it is titled after her character, after all) but bungles it through a below par performance ' her character may be carefree but it doesn't explain her rather cavalier approach to acting. And while Abhay Deol tries his best, the weak script doesn't give him too many options. Aisha (Sonam Kapoor) is the classical high brow spoilt brat, complete with her sarcastic dismissals and exclamations of 'whatever'. She keeps herself entertained eavesdropping on others' lives and their juicy secrets before moving on to a rather radical project ' transform Haryanvi village girl Shefali into a modern city girl. All the while, there's Arjun (Abhay Deol) trying to get Aisha to quit interfering with other people's affairs.

'Aisha' has pretty deep shades of Jane Austen's 'Emma' that dominate the canvas but its look at the Page 3 kinds in Delhi has nothing new to offer. The characters look authentic but feel hollow and the music barely registers. Just like a Page 3 party, the film opens with a lot of buzz but becomes insufferable soon, thanks to an overdose of chic. If you must go to check out the shoes, be my guest.

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Aamir Khan Live

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After having maintained a fair distance from the media till recently, aamir khan has decided to open up. in a freewheeling chat about his career and the upcoming 'Peepli Live', which he is producing, neha sarin tries to find out if the man measures up to his 'perfect' reputation

As a creative person, working in the Indian film industry has always been an uphill task and I have been swimming against the tide for most of the way

You played a college kid in 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' and in '3 Idiots'.

What were the different challenges playing a college kid in these two different films?

Well, the biggest challenge when I was doing '3 Idiots' was my age as I was not of that age anymore. It was a big challenge, not only physically to look that age but also mentally to get into that age and feel young and react in every moment that I am in front of the camera like a 20 year old; that was difficult.

So what did you say to yourself to overcome that?

(Laughs) Well, I got a lot from the writing and the way it was written and'I don't know'I do things instinctively and intuitively. I don't know if I can verbalise it as often I am not able to verbalise things or how I do things. It's a lot by what I feel like doing at that point in time I think in the case of '3 Idiots', I kind of perceived Rancho as a person who has a lot of buzz and has a lot of things going on in his head, so he is never still and physically also he is constantly moving, he is quick in his responses.

After a film is over and done with, how long does it take the character to finally wear off?

(Laughs) That's not easy to say, sometimes it stays longer. I don't become the character in real life really' the character stays with me, his characteristics and mannerisms stay with me for a long time. Often, it's up till I start with my next film.

You have worked with actresses from Juhi Chawla to Kareena Kapoor and from Supriya Pathak to Asin. With whom did you feel you shared the best on-screen and off-screen chemistry with?

Well, Juhi was great to work with, she is a really wonderful person and a great actress. I really enjoyed working with her. Rani is another one, who I think is a great actress and someone I enjoyed working with. I really had a good time with Kareena when I did '3 Idiots' with her. Again, someone who is great to work with and a very good actress. So yeah, there are a number of them. Also, Kajol during 'Fanaa'.

All these years you've stayed away from the media and very recently you have started opening up to them. What caused this change?

Well, I guess, I was not happy with the fact that I am cutting myself off from my audience and the media is a key link between me and my audience. So it was not something I was happy doing. During 'Rang de Basanti' and 'Fanaa', I was not speaking to anyone in the media. And then I did 'Taare Zameen Par', which actually also changed me a lot as a person.

In what way did TZP change you?

It kind of made me more aware of other people and how all of us as human beings have different qualities. Each one of us is unique and different and that's how I should receive people, instead of just assuming that all of us are of a particular kind.

So what made you withdraw from the media, in the first place?

I didn't know how to deal with the media, I just kind of withdrew.

Did the controversies that the media created bother you?

Not the controversies, so much. It's more the intrusion and the intrusive nature of the media as we see it.

Does the constant comparison and the media's crazy desire to put a number on you, bother you? Is it possible to live a real life being a movie star?

No, it doesn't bother me. I don't even take all these numbers seriously. I am actually quite lost in my work and most of the time, I am not even aware of what's being written about me and what's coming out. A lot is written about and its really impossible for me to keep tabs on everything and usually when I am in the film, I am quite lost in that, so I don't know what all is written. So, no it doesn't bother me (grins).

What according to you is the future of cinema and entertainment?

Well, I think cinema, at its core, will always be storytelling and that's what it is' and there'd be newer techniques and newer platforms which will keep coming in and affecting it in different ways but it will always remain a medium for storytelling and I think with technology getting easier to use in so many different ways, to make a film is much more accessible to a common man. He just needs a video camera which everyone has an access to, a computer with a software where one can edit a film and the Internet where you can actually show it. So, all you need is an idea and a story to tell.

You have been around for over two decades and you are still giving newcomers a run for their money. What has kept you well grounded and involved in cinema?

Hmmm'I think I enjoy doing what I am doing and that's how I work'for me, cinema is my life and each film takes at least a year or two years of my time, so it's very important for me to do work that makes me happy, that I enjoy doing, so the process is as important to me as the end result and that's how I work. I've had a great journey and I've had the opportunity of working with a lot of very talented people and I've learnt a lot. I think I like to learn new things and grow as a creative person and that's what keeps me going.

Is that the reason why we saw you play drums at the "Peepli Live" music launch?

Oh! That is something I used to do long back. As a kid, I learnt the drums a little bit and Indian Ocean got to know about it and forced me to join them, it was just a fun thing.

You have been an integral part of the transition cinema, and it has been undergoing transition for so many decades. Where do you think it stands today?

Well, I think for me, as a creative person working in the Indian film industry has always been an uphill task and I have been swimming against the tide for most of the way because the kind of films that I have enjoyed doing and believed in were not considered mainstream by the market till they released and they did well. So, all along I have done films that the market doesn't have much faith in. But it's after the film releases and the audience likes it that it gets the kind of support that the market is a little surprised by. So, I've just done stuff that I like and I believe in. I haven't ever considered changing things as I am willing to take the risks, if there are any.

Like you said, you always swam against the tide, but it's not easy. In the beginning, how badly were you run down and did you ever consider caving in?

Ummm'No, I never considered caving in, it just made me stronger. I was very clear that I wanted to work in a particular way and do a certain kind of films that I believe in and made me happy and I was very clear that if it meant that I don't have a place in the industry, that's okay but I still want to do the stuff that I want to do. So, it was tough in the beginning as I had to prove myself again and again each time. But, I guess that's part of the journey, part of the fun and part of the challenge. And sometimes when I look back at my career, I feel that I'm very fortunate and someone up there is looking out for me because a lot of decisions I took were not very practical, and a lot of them had huge risks involved. So I'm really glad and I feel blessed with the kind of love and support I've received right through my career. So, I am glad it worked out well!

And you also provide these opportunities to newcomers. So what about the story of 'Peepli Live' touched you?

I thought it was very funny and humorous and at the same time, very heartbreaking and thought provoking- so it moved me and touched me and made me laugh and made me think and so that's what attracted me about it. Anusha is a very fine creative mind, someone who has a very unique voice of her own. I felt that if she has something to say and express in her own way, I'd be happy to try and support her.

Is it a sign of success or failure to know that you have people who'd be happy to see you fail?

Neither. I don't think it reflects either of these because it depends what you mean by success or failure and for me, success is a combination of a number of things, one of them being that when we set out to make a film, when I see the film once it's complete. Do I feel we have achieved what we set out to do? That's the first hurdle that we have to cross. If I feel that we have achieved what we set out to do, then I feel that's the first step of success for me, in my own heart and in my own mind and then, I wait to see how the audiences react as its them that I've made it for. It's once when both of these get a tick that I feel we have been successful.

How did Aamir Khan's blog start?

Oh! That happened a few years ago, when the DVD of 'Lagaan' was being released and it was released six years after the film had released in the theatre which is unusually long. So, the distributors of the DVD requested me to start to blog which was originally called 'the Lagaan DVD blog'. That's what it was called in the beginning and I began blogging on that platform but after the first few posts, I realised that I had much more to say than 'Lagaan' or the DVD and it became something else. Then I even converted the name to my own website.

And did that give people an opportunity to know the real Aamir khan?

Well, yeah, that is one of the ways and the other way, of course, is through interviews with someone like you because you are the person, who is actually experiencing me as we speak. And then you would write about and share your experiences of your conversation with me, with so many thousands and millions of readers. So through the media, it is a very important link.

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