On the fifth anniversary of Irrfan Khan’s passing, his son Babil Khan shared an emotional message remembering his father. Posting an old photo together, Babil expressed his deep yearning to reunite with Irrfan and promised that when that moment arrives, he will hold him close.
Nostalgic Throwback Photo
Babil shared a throwback photo on his Instagram, showing him resting against Irrfan Khan’s shoulder while both sport sunglasses and pose playfully. Along with the photo, he penned a note, “With you, without you. Life goes on… With me, without me. Soon I’ll be there. With you, not without you. And we will run together, and fly, Drink from waterfalls, pink not blue. I will hug you so tight, and I will cry, Then we’ll laugh, just like we used to. I miss you.”
Irrfan Khan’s Battle and Last Film
After several years of battle with a neuroendocrine tumor, Irrfan Khan died on April 29, 2020, at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital. His final film appearance was in ‘Angrezi Medium’, released in 2020 just a month before his passing.
Shoojit Sircar’s Heartfelt Tribute
‘Piku’ director Shoojit Sircar also penned a heartfelt note, remembering the late actor. He wrote, “Friend, wherever you are, I know you’re doing well and have probably made many new friends there. I’m sure people have fallen in love with your charm, as we all have. Here, I’m doing fine. But there’s one thing you might not be aware of Irfaan – just how much you’re loved and missed here. You’d be surprised. I miss our jhal muri sessions and the laughter we shared. Your discussions on the magic of life were always fascinating. I cherish those moments. Remember our long conversations about spiritualism and science when you were in London? Those talks were incredibly deep.”
“I’ve got the books you recommended, and I often think about our discussions on life and death. Your smile and those mystical eyes of yours are etched in my memory. It’s not easy living every day without you; there’s a huge vacuum. Irfaan, I wanted to let you know that Babil and Ayan are doing well. Babil and I play football together, and I’ve become a bit of a guardian to him. Don’t worry, I’m looking out for him. Sutapa and I talk often. Me and Ronnie, we’ve just finished a film project with Babil. He’s growing into a fine artist, slowly carving his own space in the industry. I’m sure he’s on the right path, just like you always envisioned. I know you’re watching over us from wherever you are, and that’s a comfort. There’s so much to talk about, but for now, I’ll just say adieu, friend. Lots of love”, he added.
Babil Khan’s Recent Work
Meanwhile, Babil was recently seen in ‘Logout’.

What happens when a typewriter falls in love with the typist? Kovarty, the Malayalam short film, explores this strange relationship.

The short, with Rajisha Vijayan in the lead and directed by Rohin Raveendran Nair, is among the four short films selected for the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival’s MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone programme. This is the second edition of the programme in collaboration with Apple that showcases short films shot entirely on iPhones. This year one film each was selected from Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil and the filmmakers are mentored by established directors. In Rohin’s case it was Lijo Jose Pellissery.

Premiered in Mumbai a few weeks ago, Kovarty is set in Thozhuthilmukku, a village of the 1980s. A typewriter arrives at the sub-registrar’s office, much to the delight of the typist, also a new employee, Daisy (Rajisha), the office staff and the public. She names it Qwerty [stands for the usual layout on English-language typewriter], which eventually becomes Kovarty for others.

Daisy comes to realise that the typewriter is in love with her, a secret that is known only to the wall-mounted pendulum clock. Daisy, who is heart-broken after her lover abandons her, finds happiness in her relationship with the machine. Chacko, the sexton of the village church, who secretly loves Daisy, happens to learn about this, which leads to some serious repercussions.

Kovarty, which beautifully blends love and magical realism, is written by Rohin and Vimal Gopalakrishnan, the co-writer of Mukundan Unni Associates. “Vimal brought this idea and later we developed it into a script. We realised that the story has a great potential for romance and magic realism, especially because we both are huge fans of Marquez [writer Gabriel García Márquez].”

Rohin Raveendran Nair
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rohin adds that Lijo has been like “a big pillar of support. He told us that the script was so tight that he hardly had any changes to suggest.” Lijo has also given the voice for the clock.

It was on Lijo’s suggestion that the film, just over 30 minutes long, was shot at Kavalam in Alappuzha district. “We had scouted for locations in Kochi but could not find a spot that was untouched my any kind of construction work. Kavalam was perfect. The building was already there but we changed the interiors.”

Rajisha Vijayan in the Malayalam short film Kovarty directed by Rohin Raveendran Nair
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rohin says that Rajisha was their only choice to play Daisy. “That is mainly because of her body of work. Also, we have not seen her in such a role. Both Vimal and me were confident about casting her as Daisy.”

The crew of Kovarty comprises names from Malayalam and other industries. Among the Malayalis are production designer Sreelekshmy Sreekumar, who has worked with Krishand, and costume designer Gayathri Kishore, whose recent work is Identity.

Rohin Raveendran Nair (right) with cinematographer Swapnil Sonawane during the shoot of Kovarty
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Seasoned technicians Swapnil S Sonawane and Sunil R Borkar are the directors of photography. Besides frames that celebrate the milieu, especially the landscape and the water, there are some unique shots from within the typewriter itself, making them the machine’s POV. Using plumeria flowers in the narrative — Rajisha wears one every day on her braided hair, adds to the charm of storytelling.

Fact file

Rohin started his career as a camera intern in the Marathi film, Chumbak. Among his short films is the critically-acclaimed The Booth, produced by Vikramaditya Motwane.

As a cinematographer, Rohin has shot numerous commercials, non-fiction and fiction projects. He is the cinematographer of the documentary Testimony of Ana that won the National award for the Best Non-Feature Film (2022). He has also worked in the segment An Unsuitable Girl, which is part of the documentary series Love Storiyaan on Amazon Prime, and has worked in one episode of the Netflix series, Decoupled.

This year there were 1200 entries for the MAMI Select: Filmed on iPhone programme. Other short films selected are the Hindi film Tinctoria, directed by Amrita Bagchi, Marathi film Mangya directed by Chanakya Vyas, and Tamil film Seeing Red by Shalini Vijayakumar. Mentors for these filmmakers were Vikramaditya Motwane, Konkona Sen Sharma and Vetrimaaran respectively.

Rohin, currently based out of Mumbai, has roots in Kozhikode, Kerala. Born and brought up in Delhi, he studied cinematography at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He has written and directed a couple of short films. His first major work was the web series Sacred Games in which he was second unit director and cinematographer for both seasons. His recent release is the Netflix series, Black Warrant, in which he directed the third episode.

Rajisha Vijayan in the Malayalam short film Kovarty directed by Rohin Raveendran Nair
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rohin, meanwhile, plans to direct a Malayalam feature film, a thriller set in Wayanad, in which he is also the co-writer. “Even though I am comfortable in Hindi, in the current scenario it is difficult to make independent movies in that industry. And most of the good content there comes in the long form format. I think that the ecosystem in Malayalam is better for a filmmaker.”

Kovarty is streaming on YouTube.

Vaibhav Arekar
| Photo Credit: M. Srinath

In the Varkari worship tradition of Maharashtra, it is customary to open with a description or varnan of Vittala’s form. In his solo production titled ‘Nama Mhane’, Vaibhav Arekar adheres to this convention by commencing with an alarippu, the opening piece in the Bharatanatyam margam, the subtext of which is layered by an abhang ‘Sundar te dhyaan’. The Mumbai-based dancer-choreographer recently presented this at Anubhuti Dance Festival in Chennai, organised and curated by dancer Divya Nayar. 

Known for creating art that is thoughtful and deep, Vaibhav draws inspiration from various sources — Van Gogh and his paintings, contemporary dance legends such as Martha Graham and Pina Bausch, Bharatanayam stalwarts C.V. Chandrasekhar and the Dhananjayans. As a performer and choreographer, he takes on a variety of themes, and one defining characteristic of his work is getting into the mind of the character he portrays. Whether it is ‘Venugaan’, which explores Krishna’s struggles with life’s dilemmas, or ‘Shrimant Yogi’ that details Chhatrapati Shivaji’s conquests and coronation, Vaibhav lights up the stage with his imagination and creativity. It often liberates the art form from its own constraints, leading to unexpected and beautiful discoveries.    

Vaibhav with dancers of Sankhya Dance Company
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Vaibhav confesses he never chose Bharatanatyam. “The art form chose me. I do not come from an artistic background, but I always wanted to dance.” After obtaining his Master’s from Nalanda Nrithya Kala Mahavidyalaya established by his mentor Kanak Rele, Vaibhav worked as a faculty there for close to a decade before turning a full-time performer. “Active teaching takes away energy from performance. I wished to explore the possibility of making performances and riyaaz a major part of my living.” This was when he decided to take up mentoring. “Dancers who have graduated from institutions with a degree in Bharatanatyam needed internships to plug the gap between theory and practical application and my dance company Sankhya offered that space. I mentor around 15 full-time dancers and we explore movement, experiences and new ways of looking at the world.”  

From one of Vaibhav’s group works
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

When it comes to thought process, Vaibhav says Malavika Sarukkai’s thematic work was a major influence. He also looks up to Leela Samson’s Spanda for group work. “By selecting full-time dancers for Sankhya, I focussed on choreography. These dancers are constantly practicing, and can immediately transfer an idea onto the body.” 

He also points out that financial sustenance is hard for dance companies as no grants and monetary support are available. “This is why internship works — the dancers can leave and find jobs outside the company when they wish to.”  

Vaibhav’s approach to dance was shaped by his training and collaboration with Marathi playwright Chetan Datar. Theatrical elements are interwoven into his productions. Sometimes, he seems to delve into the traditional relationship among dance, theatre and music as described in the Natyashastra, and, at other times, like modern dancers, allows the audience to interpret the connection. For instance, in ‘Nama Mhane’, he goes into textual nuances to portray how saint Namdev humanises Vittala, getting exasperated when he does not consume the naivedya offered. Vaibhav’s performance seemed to demystify spirituality, making it a more personal expression. In the piece on Chokhamela, the saint who faced humiliation because of his caste, Vaibhav showed the inclusive philosophy of Namdev, who complains to Vittala and buries Chokhamela (who dies when the wall he was constructing collapses) outside the Vittala temple at Pandharpur where he was not allowed entry. Vaibhav depicted such poignant moments with rare sensitivity. Despite the theatricality, the raw emotion was palpable. 

Vaibhav presented ‘Nama Mhane’ at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Chennai
| Photo Credit:
M. Srinath

Music not just plays an important role in Vaibhav’s presentations, it shows what a fierce collaborator he is. In ‘Nama Mhane’, singer Sudha Raghuraman and musicians Satish Krishnamurthy and Kailshwaran K are a part of the visual and emotional landscape of the production. Vaibhav understands storytelling cannot be impactful without creating a suitable  atmosphere. This is where Sushant Jadhav steps in — his contribution in terms of artistic direction and lighting lends a distinct touch to many of Vaibhav’s works. 

“I realised in theatre every new play has a new structure, a new way of execution. I was used to repetition in Bharatanatyam, and wondered how to change this,” says Vaibhav. Although he finds much relevance in the structure of a margam, his choreographic works are structured based on what the themes demand. “Incorporating an alarippu and thillana in ‘Nama Mhane’ was important. But it doesn’t happen all the time. I allow my works to take their own natural course. Since we are dealing with an art form that is constantly evolving, there are no pressures to set boundaries.” 

As a soloist, Vaibhav comes across as a thinking artiste. But what does it take to make an ensemble fall in line with his thought process and technique? “Every member is part of the creative process from start to the stage. I tell them to not look at me but to look beyond the narrative and emotion to discover themselves,” says Vaibhav.