MUMBAI/DELHI The "Made by Women" festival, celebrating women filmmakers, has grown both in terms of the number of films shown-13 to last year's five-and the genres covered-from just feature films to documentaries, animation and short films. Films from Iran, Finland, Israel, Norway, France, Australia, England, Germany, the US and India will be on view during the festival, which will travel to eight cities.

A tribute to Lotte Reiniger, one of the pioneers of animation film, whose The Adventures of Prince Achmed is considered the world's first feature-length animated film, is the highlight. "Her first animation film came out 12 years before Walt Disney. It's this kind of film history we hope to showcase every year," says festival co-ordinator Anuja Ghosalkar.

A still from The Day I Became a Woman

Reiniger's Harlequin is in the company of Mona Lisa Descending A Staircase by Joan Gratz, who won an Oscar for it in 1993. In feature films, don't miss The Day I Became A Woman, the debut film of Marziyeh Meshkini, who is married to the celebrated Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf and has even assisted him. Among documentaries, Margreth Olin's My Body reflects on issues such as body image, female identity and self-esteem with playful humour. Sancharram, the lesbian-themed first film of Ligy Pullappally, the lawyer-turned-film director who was born in Kerala and grew up in the US, elicited an encouraging post-film discussion in Thiruvananthapuram where she opened the festival.

Chennai: April 15-17; Bangalore: April 21-23; Pune: April 29-May 1; Delhi: May 4-6; Kolkata: May 16-18; Hyderabad: May 20-22; Mumbai: May 24-26.

-By Geetika Sasan Bhandari

Kung Fu demo at Distil

CHENNAI A Kung Fu demo by Shaolin Temple monks was on the menu at the Taj Connemara last week at the launch of the hotel's Pan-Asian restaurant, Hip Asia, and Distil bar. Guests can keep their date with Bacchus with "posh collins" (drinks flavoured with lychee, melon and raspberry) and caipirissimas (passion fruit, blackberry and mango pulp). Distil, a combination of the classic and the contemporary, has live performances and an interactive kitchen. The Japanese garden inside Hip Asia adds to its charm. Thai, Malay, Vietnamese and Teppenyaki food is dished out.

-By Arun Ram

The cast of Identities, a play by Scene Stealers

DELHI The glamour and glitz of showbiz has been in the spotlight like never before, with much dissection of the casting couch taking place in the media. In this context, Identities, a new play by Scene Stealers, which asks the question "But what lies beneath all the gloss and stardust?" is topical. Directed by Vivek Mansukhani and featuring Samara Chopra, Dhruv Jagasia and Shirin Madan, the play attempts to provide an insight into life beyond the greasepaint in the world of performing arts. The play seeks to capture an intimate journey through the private lives of four aspiring, talented artists and the dreams and desires that lead them to seek a life in the limelight, fraught with extreme professional and personal highs and lows. The play attempts to look behind their masks to see them as they really are, what compromises they are willing to make for success. On a bigger level, the play is about the discovering of one's identity. At India Habitat Centre, April 16 and 17, 7.30 p.m.

Cradle Rocks

LUCKY: NO TIME FOR LOVE Director: Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao Cast: Salman Khan, Sneha Ullal, Mithun Chakraborty

Lucky is an ambitious film. Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao give the Bollywood romance a fresh twist by placing it in Russia. So the lovers are torn apart not by the usual suspects-frowning parents, religion, money-but a rebel uprising in Chechnya. There are languorously lovely shots of the snowy wasteland, St Petersburg and Russian religious iconography. Adnan Sami's compositions are refreshingly melodious. The leads work nicely-Salman Khan's irreverent charm helps camouflage his cradle-snatching.

Unfortunately, none of this can salvage the second half, in which the passion and plot seem to peter out. The lovers spend most of their time battling bullets, nasty rebels and the unrelenting winter. There is also Mithun Chakraborty in an annoying cameo as an intelligence officer with many disguises and Kader Khan, who, believe it or not, spits out angry Russian dialogue. Sapru and Rao create compelling visuals. Perhaps next time around, they will lavish equal attention on the script.

-By Anupama Chopra

A work by Satish Gujral

DELHI An exhibition of paintings by artists such as M.F. Husain, Arpana Caur, Satish Gujral and Nupur Kundu in aid of underprivileged children of the Sewa Ashram School, is being held by Delhi Friends Round Table charity organisation. At Newton Hall, Hotel Intercontinental Eros, Nehru Place, April 22, 7-9.30 p.m.

DELHI You are familiar with Gurubani in gurdwaras. But this time listen to it at the Talkatora Gardens where 12 sessions are being curated. Madhup Mudgal, who always has new interpretations based on ragas of the scripture, and Ashiq Ali Bha Lal from Pakistan are among those who will perform. From April 22-24, 6.30 p.m.

DELHI E'thaan, the Craft Shop, is having its annual theme exhibition and sale of handcrafted home products and handwoven furnishings, from lamps and tableware to trays and bath accessories. At the Open Palm Court, India Habitat Centre, April 18-20.

MUMBAI A tarot follower? Check out "The Hierophant", paintings by Julius Macwan. At the Museum Gallery, April 25-May 1.

Ravi Kiran to play at the fest

Nature Night

BANGALORE The theme for this year's all-night Bhoomi Jhathre festival of music, films, dance, food and more is "The Tree God". Completely non-sponsored, the event has become more of a movement. Performers big and small will play under a giant banyan tree this time. On April 23, sunset to sunrise, at Fireflies, Kanakpura Road.

-By Nirmala Ravindran

Khokar

Noteworthy Step

Dance historian Ashish Mohan Khokar tirelessly brings out his seventh dance annual, complete with events, trends, obituaries, new stars and reviews. It celebrates three Ks-Kathak gurus, the Khajuraho festival and the dance of Kelucharan Mahapatra. Also featured are the Sangeet Natak Akademi under Sonal Mansingh and the achievements of dancers like Radha and Raja Reddy, Kiran Sehgal and Anita Ratnam. It has contentious articles by Dr Kapila Vatsayan, Guru Maya Rao, Madhavi Mudgal and others.

A particularly educative section is that on Orissi dance gurus-Pankaj Charan Das, Mahapatra, Deba Prasad Das and Mayadhar Raut. For the first time, the annual has some articles in Hindi. "I just serve dance. I am blessed that this annual is a small step to spread awareness of Indian dance and culture," says Khokar. There are memorabilia-rare pictures of the legendary singer M.S. Subbulakshmi in 12 dance postures and of Kathak down the ages from the Mohan Khokar Dance Archives. This is a commendable record of the dance world.

-By S. Sahaya Ranjit

Index