Best Lifestyle Blog of Goa
I think, there would be a hardly a person whose life would not have been inspired by films. At some point or the other, we relate to the situations in films, or their characters and these films sometimes prove to be a lesson for life. Whether we implement those lessons or not is a different story, but it does move us a bit. I am listing out 10 films that have inspired me somewhere or the other.
Thanks to OTT channels like ZEE5 there is hardly a dull moment ever. While surfing through the channel, I always look for comedy and thriller genres since these are the only two genres that keep me glued to the screen.
I was keen on exploring ZEE5. To my amaze, I stumbled upon this new show called, ‘Lockdown’, a ZEE5 Original. This is a musical show, which has an extraordinary concept that rules out the stereotypical concept of music shows. It features various artists, both from Bollywood as well as digital who join hands to recreate 2 songs. The challenge is that the songs have to be created within a span of 24 hours.
The first episode has rapper Badshah and singer Jonita Gandhi who come together in the beautiful town of Chandigarh and create a new version of the song ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani’ and ‘Kala Jora’, which is a Punjabi folk song.
The second episode featured Kailash Kher and Raja Kumari, who in the town of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh crafted a new version of two songs with their talent.
Episode 3 features Benny Dayal and Bryden and Parth, who follow the same concept of coming together and crafting a beautiful melody for the audiences. They are amongst the beautiful beaches and bylanes of Goa. Apart from the limited time frame given to the artists to create the song, another tough challenge is for them to choose the right song. But what marveled me was their unique way of choosing the right songs through a little game they play. They chose Gilheriyaan from Dangal and Gulaabo from Shaandaar to recreate with their magic touch.
The entire idea of this show focuses on the fact that the artists have to seek inspiration from the exotic locales that they visit and recreate the melodies, making it completely different from the already existing one. If you want to watch something interesting then this show on ZEE5 is a perfect mood lifter for you, especially after a tiring day.
Kingdom of Dreams, the first to introduce a unique, Broadway style theatre in the country are now taking it a step ahead. KoD has now added four new shows to their schedule, which are performed on ice. Called ‘Theatre on Ice’, the first performance is on the childhood fantasy tale, Alice in Wonderland. Ice Vision, a troupe from St. Petersburg, Russia, is bringing the theatrical extravaganza to life. Ice Vision is famous for their unique style of performance and has worked with leading music composers like Gennadiy Gladkov and Alexsey Rybinkov. The troupe consists of more than 25 actors and stars, known world-wide like Alexey Urmanov, Irina Slutskaya etc.
We caught a preview of this musical extravaganza, and have to say that the performances, the choreography, the graphics and the way entire show was put up demands an applause. The hardworking that has gone into making it a success is evident when you see the show. The entire show is performed on ice where in the artists are wearing ice skates. Wearing ice skates, and gliding on the snow as they act and dance in itself is a treat to watch.With a healthy mix of projections and props, the performers told us the tale of Alice and her adventures in Wonderland.
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Speaking about the new shows, Mr. Anumod Sharma, MD, Kingdom of Dreams said, “We are proud to bring such unique art form to India. Performance on Ice needs a lot of practice and precision and the ICE Vision does it brilliantly. Such story telling is being performed for the first time and we can’t wait for the audiences to come and experience this grand performance. It is something the audiences will never forget.”
The troupe will also perform 3 other stories namely, ‘Dracula – The story of eternal love’ , ‘Arabian Nights’ and ‘Nutcracker and lord of the darkness’.
“We always give our audiences something unique and artistic. The Theatre on Ice is another one of our attempts to live up to our reputation off being pioneers in promoting Broadway style shows,” Sharma added.
Speaking about the performance, a member of Ice Vision said ‘ We are excited and thrilled to perform in India and looking forward to an amazing experience. We have performed in a lot of countries but never in India before. We hope we get a great response from the audience and look forward to receiving some great Indian hospitality”.
These shows will be added to the current schedule of Kingdom of Dreams. Zangoora and Jumbo will continue to be performed. The Theatre on Ice shows will be performed only for a limited period at the Nautanki Mahal. So please make the most of it while it snows.. don’t forget to watch these timeless tales in a new avatar and enjoy these moments with family and friends.
Music for me is something that soothes my soul, it sets me free, lifts up my mood and helps me unwind in the most relaxing manner.
Music doesn’t provide just entertainment, but also has lots of positive effects on our health. I came across this wonderful article on Music for Well Being: 11 Positive Effects of Music on Health.
Read the full article here
Podcasts can be considered another type of blogging, and can be just as full time. Everyone can make their own podcasts nowadays about anything they love or find interesting. Yet even when you’re blogging you’re going to need some essential equipment, so it’s the same for going bigger with your recording activities. It can often feel like a closer way of interacting with your audience, and your friends and family as well as you can invite on special guests. So feel free to run your own podcast, but what technology do you need to record and edit your own audio show?
There’s three staple things you’ll need to create a podcast worthy of upload:
A Good Microphone
If your computer comes with a built in microphone, you can use that to start off with. However, if you want something more durable and long term, USB microphones make the whole recording loop a lot easier to monitor. This is because you’ll often be able to see the sound levels in wave format on your screen.
If you need some comparisons for the best models, look here, and keep an eye out for entry level microphones as they’ll be best to start and get to grips with. Microphones don’t have to be necessarily complicated however, but are a little bit of an investment so it’s good to know what you’re buying.
A Recording Device
Use your own computer or have an external method of recording. It’s often easier to just use your computer’s built in software if you have nothing else and want to get started straightaway. However, this does mean your files will be harder to find and more easily corrupted as computers are not specialised for this activity long term.
Invest in an external device if you want to try making a podcast long term. These devices will keep your files safe in a format that’s ready to edit, like a WAV. file. They also won’t corrupt your data with trying to store it in a compatible way after being recorded.
Reliable Editing Software
Editing software can be found at many places across the web, but make sure you’re downloading a safe file, and that your software is easy for you to use. You could try something like audacity, which is easy to get to grips with and is completely free.
If you’re confident with what you do, you can use a mixer for your post production effects. These can be used to make a show intro if you’re so inclined, and can create some special effects if you have a themed show or want to dabble in the art of audio mixing.
Creating your own podcast couldn’t be easier with the modern world. Everyone can be their own mini celebrity with online culture, and as long as you have a few listeners you’re in business and everyone can make their own podcasts nowadays about anything they love or find interesting, especially with the help of Music Critic’s Top 10 Best DAW Recording Software of 2018 review for new software for recording! Of course it can always be done for yourself, as it’s another blogging platform, and is a good way to express your creative freedom.
Pelican Entertainment brought to the city the play, Namaste Jai Shree Krishna on 02.09.17 at the Pearey Lal Bhawan, New Delhi.
The play directed by veteran theatre and movie artist K K Raina who also enacts along with the irrepressible Ila Arun and ably supported by Aditi Sharma, Ashutosh Pandit and Abhishek Pandey is a hilarious take on the conflict between old traditions and the emerging values of the new generation.
It takes you skillfully and humorously through the continuous conflict of the old and the new. It takes you through the journey of the youth not ready to accept old ideologies readily and the old not accepting the progressive view point of the youth.
The play takes you through a gamut of emotions from philosophy to humor to laughter to sadness and nostalgic at times.
The cast deserves a special applaud for bringing on each and every emotion beautifully across. A really rivetting play which makes you laugh and think at the same time. And the best part is that you just can’t stop applauding.
A treat for the theater lover. Not to be missed at any cost.
Aditya Chauhan, CEO, Pelican Entertainment said, “Theatre is that moon in my past which will glitter throughout my life no matter what profession I pursue. It is something that will help you to explore your personality better and I guess this could also be the reason that people after doing theater even for once can never really get detached of it.”
Moving to a new location or starting a job is never easy in the first place, but one of the more challenging aspects of this is making new friends in your area. You might have met them at your new working area, in your apartment complex or when experiencing a random and strange event occur at a supermarket. No matter how you came together, what is important is that you did.
You might like to cement the budding friendship by inviting them and their significant other to your place for a simple meal and entertainment. This can be nerve-wracking. How are you supposed to make the right impression on people? How can you seem relaxed without coming across as too relaxed? How can you look interested in them without seeming
desperate for friends?
Not everyone is a social butterfly, and for some people, these questions pose genuine and significant worries. First impressions matter, and being rejected by someone after a first meeting is a real and justifiable fear people hold. You shouldn’t fear, though. With the following tips, any person worth knowing will react well to these post-dinner entertainments.
Don’t Be Afraid Of Conversation
Deep conversation is maybe to be discouraged with new guests, but it isn’t to be prevented entirely. If the topic heads that way, let it. People who hold naturally opposing viewpoints should be able to discuss them with grace and decorum. If the person you’re hosting can’t do this alongside you, then that person isn’t worth knowing in the first place. Often the unlikeliest couplings form the strongest friendships, so don’t be afraid to disagree with your guests. Just be respectful of their opinion.
Introduce A Little Liquor
Alcohol can help you overcome the initial social inhibitions and allow the conversation to move freely. It can also allow a vast majority of people to feel comfortable in their skin in a new situation. You needn’t spend too much on overpriced liquor, finding alcoholic local store promotions or the best kikori whiskey price can allow you to host cheaply, but with quality drinks worth drinking.
Video Games
For the uninitiated, this might seem silly. Surely board games or party games are more sociable? It all depends on what game you play. There are many party games available for groups of people, and you might just have a more fun and reactive experience this way. How else could you get in a competitive game of bowling, a boxing match and a quiz all in one room?
Ambient Music
Music allows you to set the tone of the evening, even if this is in more of a subtle way. Slow, gentle music promotes unwinding, while happy, upbeat music brings an energetic vibe to your entertaining. It all depends on the hour of your relaxing with your new friends, and how you assess their temperament.
Include everyone, ask questions, and be sure to hold a genuine interest in your new potential friends, and you might just make reliable contacts for the years to come.
The stage, the camera and the mic have been familiar territory for Aadar Malik from an early age of seven. And today, as he is one shy from thirty, he has accomplished more than most performing artistes could ever imagine in their entire career.
Actor, musician, singer and stand-up comedian, Aadar is a one man army who thinks of the stage as his second home. One of the country’s most sought after stand-up comedians; he has performed in multiple cities in front of packed audiences of all age groups curating his content that has them in splits. His satirical song about his pet goat won the bronze medal at the Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival in London.
Besides his solo performances, he is also a part of the comedy ensemble SnG Comedy that have together performed enumerable improvisational comedy and stand-up comedy shows. They are a regular at The Comedy Story, Laugh Factory in Mumbai.
One of the country’s most popular YouTuber, Aadar’s original comedy ranges from music/ parodies, satirical sketch comedy to live stand-up comedy videos. With over a million views on most of his digital content, his fan base ranges from teenagers to grannies – something that Aadar didn’t expect. Little did he know, everyone loves to laugh and he has his way of hitting the right chord with every age bracket!
A trained singer from Trinity College, London, Aadar also plays the guitar and the piano with equal finesse. And this year, Aadar brings all forms on talent on a single platform is a one man musical comedy show, The Sound of Comedy will showcase him singing live (lyrics that are comic in nature), playing the grand piano (yes you read that right) amongst other musical instruments and will entertain the audience like never before. This is the first of its kind show in India. Stand up – The Musical is also a part of Amazon Prime’s Comedy Special from India!
Here are some questions he answered exclusively for Ikreate, read along
Ikreate: First of all please tell us about Stand Up Musical as a concept
Aadar: It’s the first time someone has tried to blend music and comedy to this degree. It’s my songs, they are stupid songs with foolish lyrics, tedha hai par mera hai. Musical standup comedy is an extremely new concept here and I’m trying my best to make the audience ease into the fact that this can exist. Full fledged songs that are not parodies can be funny, and be musically impressive.
Ikreate: You are a trained singer, then how come you started performing stand up comedy
Aadar: I trained at music for a very long time. But I had severe stage fright, I took and acting class to get over it and realized I’m better at this. I was playing a standup comedian in a play and that character has since been in development. He is tweaked and changed after every show and every video. I may never be satisfied with him. I have finally become and Indian parent.
Ikreate: Tell us something about your struggle days
Aadar: Yes last week was particularly tough. It’s still a struggle. No magic has happened. We do not live in mansions and bathe in gold. I’m very thankful that when my parents are asked what their son does for a living, they don’t have to explain the origin of standup comedy to neighbors.
Ikreate: Whats your inspiration, how do you prepare yourself before a show
Aadar: This might just be the worst show I will perform, but its ok. No! thats a lie, I can’t afford the worst show ever, it’ll destroy years of work. So you better make it good. That’s enough to psyche the hell out of anyone.
Ikreate: How much of your show is a preparation, and how much is spontaneous.
Aadar: I like to write every word perfectly and then improvise on stage. But then there are the days when you just go, why not and walk on stage with just an idea. It changes from show to show. Now I do complete shows that are improvised.
Ikreate: Have you faced criticism, how have you dealt with it.
Aadar: Yes. I wake up to YouTube comments of “kill yourself!” I take solace in the fact that a critic is just a sorry human being who never really put himself on the line. There are people whose opinion I respect and I will listen carefully to them. Other than that any person who’s seen 7 standup comedy videos online thinks he/she is a connoisseur of comedy. Those are the worst. These are people who will try to look down upon a fart joke. To quote Louis c.k., “You don’t have to be smart to laugh at farts, but you have to be stupid not to.”
Ikreate: Tell us something about your family, did they approve of your choices
Aadar: They didn’t know what I was doing until they saw me on stage. My father still doesn’t. His opinion is, if the audience is liking, it you’ll be alright. My mom is like a real Indian mom, my son is doing good whatever it is.
Ikreate: Who is your biggest critic and your biggest support system
Aadar: My family is both. Anyone else can take a hike.
Ikreate: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now
Aadar: If I do my job right? Jail.
Ikreate: Whats been your most memorable show
Aadar: The first time I managed to get an applause break. I’d had plenty of those while performing plays, but this one was all mine. Written by me, performed by me. It was an open mic at a tiny restaurant. And another comedian won. But I went back home with a career. I really don’t know what happened to the other comic. He had a lot of friends in the crowd that night maybe he still entertains them at the office water cooler.
Ikreate: Share an embarrassing moment from any of your shows
Aadar: I have honestly never been embarrassed at a show. Ever. I honestly leave shame backstage when I go up. Once a guy called me ISIS at a show because I made some inter-caste jokes. That’s when a comic of one religion makes jokes about all religions. He was the embarrassed party that night. His fiancée broke up with him that night. More power to her.
Ikreate: Whats a message you would want to share with the aspiring artists
Aadar: Stop reading inspiring messages and go practice.
Ikreate: Success doesn’t come without failure, so can you share one of your failure stories with us
Aadar: Performing for a bunch of drunk corporates where they broke up my 30 min set into 3 parts and had Russian dancers in between my bits. It was so bad that the Russian dancers who didn’t know English were consoling me by the end of the gig. I got two of their phone numbers. But it was in Russian.
Some Rapid Fire
Ikreate: Your favourite singer
Aadar: Adele.
Ikreate: Your favourite stand up artist
Aadar: Let’s not.
Ikreate: Who do you consider your idol
Aadar: My dog.
Ikreate: Your relationship status
She called me Bhaiyya.
Ikreate: Your favoutrite food
Aadar: Ice cream.
Ikreate: When you are not performing, you are…?
Aadar: Netflix and chill.
Ikreate: Your favourite holiday spot
Aadar: Bed.
Ikreate: Whats the worst thing you have ever put in your mouth
Aadar: Cricket.
Ikreate: You like to eat…
Aadar: Alot.
Ikreate: Beaches or hills, whats your favourite
Aadar: Beach.
And here are some of his acts for you to enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSY5y44EQFc
Thanks Aadar for taking time out and having a great conversation with us, wishing you all the luck for your future endeavours!
How many times has it happened that we’ve madly hoped, prayed, for our favorite international artist or band to perform in India? How many times has it materialized ? How many times do concerts cancel right before the event date?
Remember the cancellation of Bryan Adams event in Delhi back in year 2011, Korn in Mumbai was cancelled in 2012, David Guetta in Bengaluru in 2017? None were cancelled because tickets were not sold. Various realities have scared Indian Music promoters from taking risks and bringing India’s favorite International artists to perform live.
Wanting to make a dream come true, to watch a favourite international artist in India, made two veteran entrepreneurs and music lovers, Kabir Bhasin (co-founder of Furlenco) and Kanishka Sharma (Ex-Flipkart), come up with an idea. This idea is called Fanagig.
The idea is simple. If they themselves are willing to pay to watch their favourite band perform in India, then there must be a few thousand more that would put money down for the same band? If yes, then the concept Fan-A-Gig will be a break through platform to revolutionize the whole live music scene in India!
How does Fan-A-Gig work?
Prerequisite: You are a fan of live music.
All you have to do is go to www.fanagig.com, browse existing campaigns and vote for the one (or more) bands you love. Your support, your vote, will go a long way in making the dream come true.
Votes must reach the goal before Fanagig will take the next step.
If your favorite artist is not in the on-going campaign list, then Fan-A-Gig gives you an option to create your own campaign.
Share campaigns through your social media, get other fans to vote and watch the magic happen.
Once there are sufficient votes, Fan-A-Gig then does the rest of the work for you. After that, all you have to do is pay for your ticket and pack your bag for the concert of your dreams!
Sign up for the cause! Bring the revolution! Let’s make a change! Let’s spread the word and make sure every Indian fan gets the chance of enjoying their artist perform live .
And wait, we are not just talking about big international bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Eyed Peas or The Cranberries but also great Indian bands like Indus Creed, Parikrama, Raftaar or Badshah! Since it’s about music, there are no boundaries of genres. There is something for every fan. All you need to do is sign up or run a campaign and get this going.
