THIS WEEK: Films, Music and Architecture

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PEEPLI LIVE: This year's Indian official entry in the foreign film category is the movie Peepli Live. The Peepli Live is a 2010 Indian comic satire that explores the topic of "farmer suicides" and the subsequent media and political response.It is written and directed by Anusha Rizvi in her directorial debut, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The film stars Naya Theatre company member Omkar Das Manikpuri as well as Naseeruddin Shah, Raghubir Yadav,  Nawazzudin Siddiqui, Shalini Vatsa and Malaika Shenoy along with a number of newcomers. Its one of the best movies I have had seen in recent times and as the Ayodhya verdicts hots up in Media, a perfect movie to talk about. But this movie has impressed me with more than one aspect. 

The other one is music by Indian Ocean. I have loved this group decades back and have enjoyed their songs, specially the Album Kandisa since ages. I am sure you that you would like it too... Click here to listen to Kandisa

Indian Ocean is a contemporary Fusion music band from Delhi, India. Some music critics describe its music as "Indo-rock fusion with jazz-spiced rhythms that integrates shloka. sufism, environmentalism, mythology and revolution".

MUSIC from Romania: Some times some songs just touch you and this is one such song from Romania.... Lie, lie, ciocarlie. Originally sung by Lătăreţu Mary a famous interpreter of Romanian folk music. She was one of the most beloved performers industry, being named as the "Nightingale Gorj", "Princess Romanian song".

Here is one of the versions that I liked a lot... sung by Mihal Traistariu. Click here to listen to the song.

Mihai Trăistariu is a Romanian singer and musician. He represented Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 held in Athens, Greece, with the song "Tornero". Since that competition the song has been broadcast in over 30 countries in Europe. Mihal is one of the few male singers in the world that has a five-octave range, earning him the nickname "the male Mariah Carey" and he is also the most awarded romanian singer) 

Architecture: Office Building as an anchor

GlobeVill - Designed by architectureRED, catches your attention as you drive by. A small scale, yet iconic building of ETA Star for their 350 acre development on the Chennai – Bangalore highway. The building was to house the marketing and sales functions for the project, and being the first construction on site, offered an opportunity to create a landmark that would draw attention from the highway and draw people in. Hence the team set out to design a simple yet sculptural form, elevated to enhance visibility from the highway and oriented to create a dramatic visual while seen from the highway. The minimalist form houses the sales area in a double height naturally lit atrium like space in the front, while the elevated portion in the rear houses the offices. Reflecting the sloping form is the visitor’s approach, which leads up a gradually sloping ramp, accentuating the form as an experience.

The idea was to create a building which is always in motion. The flow of spaces compliments that idea. The space inside becomes a continuation of the ramp itself. The corridor at the eastern edge continues that experience till the southern end of the building. The building is always in a dialogue with the exterior landscape. The terrace located at the southern end, continues that dialogue and starts engaging with the highway.