BEVERLY HILLS, CA: Dr. B.K. Modi, founder of Mod Corp Global and head of Buddha Films, and his wife Veena hosted a dinner reception on Wednesday evening in honor of 150 people at their lovely Beverly Hills home to welcome the upcoming Indian Splendor Film and Art Festival which will be held from August 10-15 at UCLA.

Indian Splendor, in association with the UCLA Film & Television Archives, will celebrate contemporary Indian film, art, music and dance in a five-day festival which will culminate on the anniversary of Indian Independence. Dr. Modi told the gathering that “There is a lot of excitement all over the world for this event. Indian Splendor brings a feeling of brotherhood, equality, harmony and love.”

Renowned film producer Ashok Armitraj, was presented as the Indian Splendor cultural ambassador. “Indian Splendor means creating one world,” said Mr. Armitraj Dean Rosen, Chair of the UCLA department of film and television, said and added that the film is the marriage of art and commerce and Dr. Modi is a master in both areas.” Toni Robbins, motivational guru, was the guest of honor. “Dr. Modi is a man driven not only by business success but by the heart.”

Also present to support the launch of India Splendor were Tom Levyn, former mayor of Beverly Hills and Reginald Hudlin, President of entertainment, BET Networks.

A lively contemporary Indian music played in the background while the guests dined on a delicious buffet of delectable Indian dishes.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - Vidhu Vinod Chopra fans in Los Angeles were in for a rare treat on March 24 when the eminent director headlined the event preview of Indian Splendor Film and Arts Festival. He fielded questions from 'LA Weekly' critic David Chute and members of the audience after a special screening of his latest film 'Eklavya.'

Hosted by the UCLA Film and Television Archive and ModiCorp Global, the event was held at the newly opened state-of-the-art Billy Wilder Theatre at the Hammer Museum, here. Indian Splendor will be hosting a festival of new films and art from India in August.

Asked about the chances of 'Eklavya' getting the India nomination for the Oscars, Chopra was outspoken and called the Producers Association (who recommends Indian films for Academy Awards) "a bunch of idiots." The director was quizzed on his latest film as also on his filming style and a number of other related issues. Asked about "how exaggerated" was 'Eklavya' "so far as the royal families and their faithful servers go" Chopra, who is returning to directing after seven years, said that the story was based on a real life situation and that 'Eklavya' represents present day India where both the contemporary and the past live side by side. "I didn't want to go away from reality. It is a marriage between contemporary and the past." Explaining the theme behind the film, the director said it is a story of "reason versus rituals."

Chopra, who is all set to start work on his first Hollywood project titled '64 Squares,' said that he "wants to make global films" but "out of India." Recounting how he had been asked by Francis Ford Coppola to join him after being nominated for an Academy Award for short documentary in 1979, he said that his ambition was never to make "great money or settle down in Hollywood." He said that he was very thankful for what he had. "I am who I am because I grew up in Kashmir." He explained that Kashmir has the tradition of the Sufi culture where "Sufis slept in a coffin and thanked the lord for another day". He said that he did not make films with an eye at the box office but made "films for posterity."

The evening commenced with live performances by artists from Artwallah after UCLA Dean of Film and Television Robert Rosen and ModiCorp Chairman B.K. Modi introduced the idea behind 'India Splendor' to the nearly 300 odd attendees. Modi said that India known for its "Hitech, thanks to Silicon Valley" should also be known for "Heritage and Holistic". He explained that the world should know about "the Indian heritage of not invading any nation" and that India has always "been all inclusive and nothing exclusive".

Dancer Parijat Desai's 'Padam' had the audience asking for more as she dexterously interpreted the Fugee number "Killing me softly" in a rare combination of traditional Bharatnatyam and modern day hip-hop. The other notable performers were Ashwini Srikantiah who sang a couple of songs at the piano and Bernard White who read out a short story by Bhargavi C. Mandava.

Srikantiah is the artistic director for Artwallah, White a Sri Lankan-born American actor who has made appearances in 'Scorpion King,' 'Matrix' and 'City of Angels' and television serials like 'CSI' and 'X-Files' while Mandava is a young Indian American writer living in Los Angeles. Her novel "Where the Ocean Meets" was published in 1996. The piece de resistance of the Artwallah presentation was the emcee DLo. Tamil Sri Lankan American DLo had the house in splits with her gags targeted at the South Asian community.

http://www.indiajournal.com

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