LONDON: Before I get on to the dangers of comparing cologne with perfume, let me make a passing reference to 27-year-old Rishti Diwan, a model student about whom I hope to be writing in slightly more detail by and by. Rishti shows what talented Indians can achieve in Britain given the opportunity.
Having been brought up in Calcutta (where she is getting married, incidentally, later this week), she came to the London College of Fashion, where, initially, she found the going tough as she was up against the best students from all over the world. Within a year, her designs were being stolen by those who made clothes for the beauty queen who won the Miss Universe contest in America.
When Rishti arrived in Britain, she conserved her funds by living on tea and biscuits. But now, her unique qualities have been recognised by the London College of Fashion, which has appointed her a roving ambassador who will promote what Britain has to offer to fashion students in India and elsewhere.
The society that produced Rishti Diwan also produced Lakshmi Mittal and many other achieving Indians Monty Panesar, the England spinner, for example who have made their mark in Britain over the past year.
The following are some of the highs and lows of 2006, plus what to look out for in 2007:
What is the best thing about Britain?
Britain has its bad politicians but no one quite as destructive as Mamta Banerji, a woman clearly determined to keep poor people trapped in misery and poverty so as not to lose political control. In Britain, someone with Buddhadeb Bhattacharyas vision could aspire to be prime minister or something even more important, such as the boss of Manchester United.
Whats this cologne vs perfume controversy?
Jagmohan Mundhra, the LA-based director who now lives in London, has given up making adult movies for the time being. His Provoked, starring Ash, premiered in Cannes and is worthy of a big release in India and the UK. Sonia Gandhi should think again about saying no to Jag, who wants to make a film about her lifeFrankly, given the hostility he faced, I never thought that Lakshmi Mittal would win his battle against Arcelor. Guy Dolle, Arcelors chief executive, had characterised his company as perfume, as against Mittal Steels cologne. But Mittal would not have won without behind the scenes help from the Indian government, especially Kamal Nath.
Mittals landmark victory has raised hopes that Ratan Tata will also defeat the bid from Brazils CSN for Corus, the Anglo-Dutch group. Part of me wants Tata to outbid CSN, but the other part feels he should walk away because Corus is now grossly overvalued. 2007 will see many Indian companies investing in the UK.
The best book of the year?
Kiran Desai won the Booker with The Inheritance of Loss. But worth a mention is the beautifully illustrated Made for Maharajahs: A Design Diary of Princely India by Amin Jaffer, curator in the Asian department at the V&A (published in London by New Holland, 40, and by Roli in India).
Meghnad Desais perceptive Rethinking Islamism: The Ideology of the New Terror (IB Taurus, 8.39 suggests that Islam must not be confused with the political ideology pursued by extremists but tackled in the same way as other ideologies such as anarchy, fascism and communism.
Most unlikely marriage?
Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto meeting in London to announce their love of democracy and a common front to oust President Musharraf, whose Line of Fire (Simon & Schuster, 18.99) achieved the impossible. The work of fiction was knocked down to half price at Waterstones in Piccadilly but did so well it was put back to full price.
Most important visit to India?
It may prove to be that by Tory leader David Cameron, who wants to see Britain and India establish a new special relationship.
In January, 2007, though, Indians should pull out the stops for Gordon Brown, who is expected to make his debut visit. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is counting the days till he takes over from Tony Blair as prime minister. What is worrying is that Brown keeps emphasising that the rise of India poses an economic threat to Britain.
Did flattery go a degree too far? Not quite, but after Amitabh Bachchans honorary degree at De Montfort University, Leicester, and Manmohan Singhs at Cambridge, the time has come to award doctorates only to people who have submitted a thesis.
Amitabh Bachchan at his degree ceremony at De Montfort University, LeicesterBollywoood at BAFTA?
Bollywood films do brilliantly in Britain, no matter how badly they bomb in India. This explains why Bollywood actors bond with their undemanding fans in Britain. Some have been willing to buy tacky 24.99 dolls of Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan at Harrods. BAFTA put on a Bollywood weekend with Yash Chopra, Aamir and Shah Rukh, Karan Johar and Preity Zinta.
The IFFA ceremony in 2007 will be held in Yorkshire, thereby giving the areas large Pakistani population a chance to see their favourite Indian stars.
There ought to be a blacklist of Bollywood stars who behave unprofessionally for example, at the Birmingham Mela this year, organisers complained about Ajay Devgan and Kajol and especially their discourteous flunkies at the Marrakech Film Festival, the couple failed even to turn up to their own homage. Such behaviour gives the whole industry a bad name. But one man who always behaves impeccably is Amitabh Bachchan.
