Zoocap

The five-star hotels in Delhi really are spectacular, and mix a heady combination of elements in one of the headiest mixtures of humanity on the planet. There is exquisite food, design that is world-class and extremely refined, and modern amenities to keep the traveler in touch with the rest of the world. Although for many travelers, the experience of being here is that this is the rest of the world, and staying here is like being connected to the heartbeat that drive human activity on the planet.

There are scores and scores of famous people inhabiting the city, and this has always been the case. Contemporary India is as fascinating as its complex past, and there are interesting changes that are reflected in the art from here. Nandita Das is a local celebrity who is making amazing strides toward work that has a profound global effect. She began with a background in social work, earning her master’s, before turning her career toward acting. As an actress, she is very successful, having worked with Deepa Mehta in “Fire” and “Earth,” and scores of other films, in Urdu, Hindi, and English. She also has an extensive theatre background, and knows the theories of Brecht well enough to quote them in her work.

Lately her attention has been toward directing, a contradiction as seen from an amusing interview from 2000, where Nandita Das passionately insists she is not about to direct any films, despite the rumors. She could not see the future, apparently, and her recent film “Firaaq,” has earned her very high marks from the global film culture. The film is a fictionalized account of the effects of sectarian violence, and its vision is deeply humane and compassionate. She is also very active in local issues, such as violence against women, human rights abuses, and HIV patients’ rights. This agenda, steeped in the here and now of a complex world, speaks to the possibility of real social change through art and action.