Game Over

Many of the big shots in the audience were nonchalantly chewing gum,as was one of India’s top athletes who handed over the baton to Prince Charles. Looking at them one would imagine we host events like this everyday. But purely from a spectator point of view I found the show confused,with too many contradictory elements thrown in,of yoga merging with tiffin carriers and laser shows. It was a display of chaotic India in all its glory. Hopefully the closing will throw up some pleasant surprises.

It would be interesting to know who decides on the artistes who perform,and the sequence of events for ceremonies like these. Do we have the absolute best of Indian entertainment on display for the world to watch and be impressed? For,as far as I could make out,at the CWG opening,besides Rahman,all the old timers of the music,dance and fashion worlds,whose heydays were back in the 90s,had managed to wheedle their way in.

The last big thing I remember Bharat Bala Productions did was the video of Maa Tujhe Salaam ,outstanding indeed,in the 1990s. The FDCI had proposed a multi-designer show with top names like Manish Arora and Rajesh Pratap Singh,which was shot down. Costume design work for the Games eventually went to a well-networked and pleasant designer duo based in Delhi,commercially successful but far from the best that Indian design has to offer. The adorable seven-year-old kid,Keshava,who performed on the tabla was lovely,but apparently,even he has had no formal training. Ana Singh is a popular Bollywood designer,but of late has been completely overshadowed by newbie stylists like Anaita Shroff and designer Sabyasachi. Many of these people have had a lucky chance to resurrect their careers and be thrust back into the limelight via the CWG,but in the final evaluation,these choices should be questioned as well.

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