Tirusha Dave is the new Editor-in-Chief of Masti Magazine.

She became interested in writing at a very young age, but it was in college when she finally got the freedom to express herself through her writing. Before graduating with her B.A. in English (Creative Writing concentration), Tirusha started to intern with online portal, DesiClub. One of her first major interviews after starting this internship was with Bollywood director, Kunal Kohli, who in fate, turned up at her college graduation! After building her portfolio through DesiClub, Tirusha started to pitch herself as a writer to several South Asian print magazines, slowing starting off as a writer and then eventually building herself towards editorial positions. By the time she graduated college, Tirusha was a published writer in seven different countries.

In addition to being such an exceptional writer, Tirusha slowly began to push herself as a PR personality in the South Asian music industry, having worked with artists such as Karen David, RDB & Nindy Kaur. Through her writing, Tirusha has been invited to events such as Grammy pre-parties, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, film festivals and much more. She’s had the opportunity to interviews celebrities such as Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Kajol Hrithik Roshan, Freida Pinto, Dev Patel, Shahrukh Khan, Sean Kingston, Jay Sean...leading to an endless list!

"Tooting Broadway" Exposes Tamil Gangs in South London

Independent film, Tooting Broadway has just completed a rigorous four-week shooting schedule in the heart of South London.

Written by Tikiri Hulugalle and directed by Devanand Shanmugam, Tooting Broadway will shed new light on the issues around ethnic and community loyalty. The film is an urban crime drama set in 2009, one day before the Sri Lankan Tamil Protests outside The Houses of Parliament.

Set in multi-cultural Tooting Broadway, the locations naturally lend a gritty feel to a fast paced storyline that follows the fortunes of a second generation Sri Lankan Tamil man in his twenties: Arun, a man who has forged a life away from his murky past. He returns to his home turf under the cloud of a 24-hour deadline to stop his younger brother participating in a criminal act that could destroy his life.

Produced by Independent film company, Tooting Broadway Films, the film features a host of new acting talent, committed to making Tooting Broadway the next multi-cultural box office smash. Nav Sidhu, who plays the young lead says: “The characters and plot are quite complex, as relationships and loyalties are so intertwined. Lifting the lid on gang culture that is driven so strongly by cultural and political factors is going to take the film to a different level.”

Incorporating issues such as family, loyalty, love, honour, betrayal and obedience to the state, Tooting Broadway aims to propel the story above the average gang film. It also focuses on a community and culture rarely seen; Sri Lankan Tamil Gangs – whose infamy is such that Scotland Yard has its own taskforce dedicated to stopping them.

Director Devanand Shanmugam, applies his expertise in the story development and direction of a film, drawing inspiration from people he has met, seen, heard or known.

Currently living and working from Oxford, Dev has deep roots in Chennai’s magical cinema culture and says of his first feature: “Tooting Broadway is a dark and fast paced crime drama. My visual style for the film will be real, gritty and slick with lots of hand held shots to attain an almost voyeuristic feel.”

Shanmugam loves to experiment with topical stories of social and cultural interest that have not yet been exposed and need to be told. He continues: “The film has a strong social message and creates an awareness of a certain ethnic minority community (Sri Lankan Tamils) in the UK, their life and culture, and their integration with other racial groups in South London.

 “Being a Tamil myself I can connect to their lifestyle and issues and I am sure I

can make a great film based on this rich culture and community.”

Producer Joshua Clement who has worked on several Bollywood films including the hugely successful ‘Namastey London’ and the highly acclaimed ‘Black’ starring Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan says of his new venture: “At first glance, Tooting Broadway is as far from the glitz and glamour of Bollywood as you could get. But like Bollywood films, it has a moral, and questions loyalties and cultural bonds. It will open people’s eyes to a growing community in the UK and the challenges it is already facing.”

Adding both the female and local perspective to the film is Sri Lankan born Executive Producer Ruby Lovell, whose media background has spanned print and television journalism. She adds: “Growing up as a Sri Lankan Tamil in London from a young age, you have a strong sense of identity and affinity with your culture: from wearing saris to weddings, eating curry with your fingers and watching old Tamil movies on a Sunday. At the same time, you are listening to RnB, going to nightclubs and your best friend is English. All second generation immigrants have lived with this dual identity and this is another layer of what Tooting Broadway will expose: the reality of being caught between cultures.”

Tooting Broadway is a film primarily about what we are willing to do for the people we love, but deeper than that it focuses on the way we live our lives and the choices we feel we must make to survive.

 Tooting Broadway is slated for release later this year.

Bollywood Classic "Ina Mina Dika" Gets a Quirkily Awesome Twist!

Retro American Indie band Goldspot’s "Ina Mina Dika" is a reworking of the cult classic Bollywood song originally made famous in the 1950’s by Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar. This most recent arrangement was created by Goldspot for the soundtrack to the film "Today's Special" starring "The Daily Show" correspondent Aasif Mandvi. The actor also makes a cameo in the music video.

The video, releasing on 21^st April, came about after lead singer Siddhartha Khosla called video producer Nick Colett one Wednesday afternoon to see if he wanted to direct the video. “The track was so awesome I basically said yes straight away.... Because the song is a crossover between American and Indian musical styles I wanted to do a very literal visual translation of that by putting Indian performers in unmistakably American locations.” says Nick.

The video also features Bollywood dancer Payal Kadakia who endured three days of dancing barefoot around famous landmarks New York and New Jersey!

Goldspot have released several albums, under major label Universal Music Group (UMG) and independently.  Their most recent release “And The Elephant is Dancing” (2010) has charted its way across non-commercial radio stations across the US and into television, film, and advertisements.

“And The Elephant is Dancing” is the follow-up to Goldspot’s critically acclaimed full-length major label debut “Tally of the Yes Men” (Mercury UK/ Universal Music Group).  Hit single "Friday" put the band in the top 20 in the UK radio charts, and at No. 10 in the alternative charts. A Hindi version of “Friday” reached number 4 in the BBC Asian Network radio charts.  Follow-up single, “It’s Getting Old” was awarded an iTunes Single of the Week slot and became one of the retailer’s largest free downloads in its history.

 Watch the video for GOLDSPOT'S "INA MINA DIKA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bw5XdvXWKY&feature=player_embedded%20html

Director of Critically Acclaimed "Kidulthood" Returns With "Everywhere and Nowhere"

Recently released Bollywood film Patiala House tells the story of a Southall boy trying to reconcile thewishes of his traditional and dictatorial father with his dreams of playing cricket for England.

And now, Bangladeshi writer and director, Menhaj Huda, best known for the hugely acclaimed Kidulthood, is coming out with a new film, Everywhere+Nowhere focusing on the identity struggles of Ash, a young British Asian who is torn between the traditions of suburban family life and his passion for DJ-ing.

Young, good-looking and educated, Ash has a privileged life but he's trapped between a clash of cultures --hedonistic, multi-cultural London with his friends and a traditional Asian family upbringing in middle class suburbia.

Lead actor:  James Floyd (The Infidel, Tormented) plays the films central character, Ash Khan, who is joined by his three on-screen friends, Zaf (Adam Deacon - Kidulthood, Adulthood, 4.3.2.1, Shank, Anuvahood), Jaz (Elyes Gabel – Casualty, Waterloo Road) and Riz (Neet Mohan). As the story unfolds, each character battles on a quest to find their own identity facing many hurdles along the way. 

Adding to the cast, legendary Saeed Jaffrey, celebrated actor, Art Malik, Bollywood star Alyy Khan, singer-songwriter Simon Webbe and stunning actress Shivani Ghai all play integral roles in the film.      

Will Ash conform to his family’s expectations or will he break the mould and follow his dream?

 Everywhere + Nowhere releases in cinemas on May 6^th. 

Rohan Fernando's "Snow" Tells A Poignant Tale Via Stunning Visuals

BY MINI KOLURI 

Movie: Snow

Director: Rohan Fernando

Principal Cast: Kalista Zackhariyas, Ria Mae, Achala Hewaarachchi, Himaly Fernando, Mohan Fernando

Masti Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars -- Very Good

"Snow" follows the journey of Parvati, a Sri Lankan tsunami survivor who immigrates to Canada after losing her family and fiancé to the natural disaster.

In Canada, she lives with extended family and begins working in a hotel as a maid. Each member of her new family, in his / her own way, tries to help her adjust to her new circumstances and environment. The lady of the house, perhaps Parvati's aunt, encourages her to make her own choices and that's exactly what Parvati does -- she exhibits an independent streak in a quest to find inner peace and solace.

But Parvati is no rogue rebel. She is warm, considerate and genuinely interested in the different people she encounters in the strange land. Her ability to overcome barriers of race and background and connect with people on a human level helps her win herself a couple friends who act as a support system of sorts.

There are at least a couple of factors that make Parvati so endearing. One of course is the script. The other is the actress that plays her -- Kalista Zackhariyas. Kalista's portrayl of Parvati is sensitive, dignified and realistic. The level of empathy she is able to evoke in the audience is simply impressive. When Parvati smiles, the viewers smile too; when she grieves, their hearts ache and when she feels wonderment, their eyes widen.

And the audience partake in this love affair with Parvati in the backdrop of some stunning visuals -- at times ripe with tension, at other times showing contrast or just breathtakingly beautiful scenery. Rohan also uses water and snow as motifs to weave the story together. Relying heavily on visuals to tell the story allows the director to convey complex emotions without having to spell it out through loud acting or dialogue. This subtle treatment of cinema is in sharp contrast with the Tamil movies Parvati sees in the film.

While the film is a "must-see", what stops it from being absolutely spectacular is that the story seems a bit contrived at times. Also, some of the decisions Parvati takes seem unlikely choices for someone in her position.

But all in all, the film more than did justice to its status as the opening night film of the ongoing 2011 ReelWorld Film Festival in Toronto. 

Kalista Zackhariyas beaming at the ReelWorld Film Festival after the successful screening of "Snow" -- April 6, 2011