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Experiments are great if they usher in something new and meaningful. When the <keyword id="303" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Director">director</keyword> is <keyword id="189787" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Devika-Bhagat">Devika Bhagat</keyword> and one of the lead characters is <keyword id="34091" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Abhay-Deol">Abhay Deol</keyword> (hailing from the legendary <keyword id="9281" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Dharmendra">Dharmendra</keyword> clan), one hopes to see a plot as intriguing as <keyword id="30024" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="manorama-six-feet-under">Manorama Six Feet Under</keyword> where Devika was the story &amp; <keyword id="236139" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="screenplay-writer">screenplay writer</keyword> and Abhay was the lead character. So we have expected the actor-director combo to set the screen on fire this time, with a new format of storytelling. Deol has co-produced the rom-com and his real-life girlfriend <keyword id="76307" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Preeti-Desai">Preeti Desai</keyword> has also teamed up with him, but all to no avail. Thanks to an inane plot, the flick has literally crashed at the <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword>. 
 The numbers are quite dismal after Day 4 (February 3) and the flick has grossed a paltry Rs 4.6 crore as per industry estimates. According to <keyword id="255727" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Box-Office-India">Box Office India</keyword>, “<keyword id="1526690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="One-By-Two">One By Two</keyword> fared poorly at the box office as it collected a little over Rs 1.50 crore nett over the weekend. The collections were around Rs 50 lakh nett on Friday and Saturday each while there was a little jump on Sunday to Rs 55 lakh nett (approx). The film is a disaster all over as some circuits hardly had any contribution.” 
 
The movie has been released on January 31 and has hit about 500 screens across India. But unless it witnesses some miraculous jump in collections, this one may not be able to recover the costs. 
 
Now, let’s have a look at the story itself and what it brings to the audience. One by Two revolves around the <keyword id="2045033" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Parallel-lives">parallel lives</keyword> of two people – <keyword id="49316" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Software-engineer">software engineer</keyword> Amit Sharma (Abhay) and <keyword id="2045034" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="aspiring-dancer">aspiring dancer</keyword> Samara Patel (Preeti), born out of wedlock but trying to connect to her rich father. Both Amit and Samara have struggled to cope with their personal hard luck stories and a lot of coincidences bring them together, but not until the last scene. That may hit you hard, especially if you are waiting to watch some bubbly romance, while the surprising twists and turns are not enough to see the movie through. 
 At best, you get to see stereotypes – a jobless Amit dumped by his girlfriend; his loving mom (<keyword id="15316" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rati-Agnihotri">Rati Agnihotri</keyword>) anxious to see her son settled and Samara’s alcoholic mom (<keyword id="12972" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lillete-Dubey">Lillete Dubey</keyword>) helped by her daughter. There’s an extremely weak subplot – that of Amit hacking into a dance reality show to wreck the producer who is now dating his ex – which finally connects the central characters. 
 Serious movie-goers might have expected some Luis Buñuel-type <keyword id="2045045" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Neo-reality">neo-reality</keyword> in a plot where <keyword id="2045053" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Disjointed-storylines">disjointed storylines</keyword> suddenly converge. But the movie doesn’t step beyond the ground reality; nor does the urban sparkle contribute to the freshness of theme or originality of characters. The gags look tired after a time; the plot fails to impress in spite of endless possibilities and the lead duo can’t display the kind of acting prowess that would have broken the traditional mould and taken the flick to a new height of <keyword id="2045050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Urban-isolation">urban isolation</keyword> and <keyword id="2045051" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chance-connections">chance connections</keyword>. 
 
Image: Indiatimes

One By Two: Fragmented
Storytelling Fails To Impress, Flops At Box Office

Mumbai, Filmmaker <keyword id="19932039" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="farhan-akhtar" source="keywords">Farhan Akhtar</keyword> and his wife, actor <keyword id="20026978" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shibani-dandekar" source="keywords">Shibani Dandekar</keyword> are joining hands for "<keyword id="20775333" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dabba-cartel" source="keywords">Dabba Cartel</keyword>", a new Netflix series. Directed by Hitesh Bhatia, the upcoming show revolves around five ordinary women in Maharashtra's Thane who start a drug cartel through the 'dabba' (tiffin) delivery service. It will star Shabana Azmi, Jyotika, Farhan Akhtar, Nimisha Sajayan, Anjali Anand, Gajraj Rao, Sai Tamhankar, Lillete Dubey and Jisshu Sengupta. The first look of "Dabba Cartel", created by <keyword id="20775332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dandekar" source="keywords">Dandekar</keyword>, was revealed on Thursday at the Next on Netflix event here. Akhtar has backed the show via his production banner Excel Media &amp; Entertainment. "We like narrating stories, and it's been a great association (with Netflix) and there are many more shows (to look forward to). This is an exciting show. It is a special show as <keyword id="20122101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shibani" source="keywords">Shibani</keyword> is the creator of the show and this gives a special place to the show in my heart," Akhtar said at the event. Dandekar said it was great working with her husband on the series that started off as a "tiny idea" in her head. "It has been a long process. The interesting part is when you have a tiny idea and you sit with writers, and to work with Excel Entertainment, Netflix, and Hitesh Bhatia, and it all begins to grow. "To see the show come alive is, creatively, collaboratively. It has been an incredible surreal experience. I couldn't have asked for anything more as a creator. Working with my husband, and working with the producers, Abbas and Kassim, and Hitesh, was all wonderful. I couldn't have asked for more as a creator as I'm working with my husband," she added.

Farhan Akhtar, Shibani Dandekar team up for Netflix series 'Dabba Cartel'

From December 16, artists and art connoisseurs gathered in large numbers in <keyword id="826" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Goa">Goa</keyword> to witness first edition of the week-long Serendipity <keyword id="459683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arts-festival">Arts Festival</keyword> (<keyword id="3976491" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="SAF">SAF</keyword>), that brought together dance, photography, music, theatre, food, science and visual art blurring boundaries and thus widening the narrow perspective that art festivals were previously viewed with. 
 
As India's first multi-disclipinary arts festival, SAF had a difficult work set out in front of them- to drive enough crowds so as to make it an integral part of Goa and the country's cultural calendar and for making art relatable through a cohesive cultural experience for every visitor. 
accustom laymen with the concept and make art relatable. 
 
In both these counts, the festival, spearheaded by Sunil Munjal, outperformed itself, despite logistical snares and initial low turnout. With fourteen curators, over 40 commissioned projects and performances, spread daily over eight beautiful venues ably delivered what it ambitiously promised- morphing all its parts seamlessly into a wholesome cohesive arts festival. 
 Praise, in part should be also be bestowed on the eminent list of curators the organisers managed to get hold of. From <keyword id="6517626" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shubha-Mudgal">Shubha Mudgal</keyword>, Lillete Dubey to Manu Chandra and Wendell Rodricks, to name a few, each of the curators put up a delightful never-seen before experience in front of the visitors. 
 
Mornings started off with admiring art at the majestic Adil Shah Palace and listening to conclaves comprising art aficionados like Tishani Doshi and Ranjit Barot debating what an art art institution in the city should look like, followed by a relaxing wine or feni appreciation workshop which were usually succeeded by superlative dance and music performances that had the collective power to magically transform you into a different world. 
 
If there was one complaint, it would be missing out on a chance to see the legendary Shubha Mudgal perform. Keeping that grief aside, here are our top six picks from the first edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival that concluded today:

Five reasons why Serendipity Arts Festival could be a game-changer in Goa's cultural calendar

People who know what acting is know that it is not only a profession that brings with it money and fame. In fact, those are mere perks for a person who gives his heart and soul to performing arts. Though it is true that acting can not be taught as this is skill that comes from within, there are many courses available in a number of acting institutes in India that help you polish this skill and learn the intricacies involved. 
 
Following is a list of acting schools from where you can enrol in acting courses and get a degree or diploma in performing arts. 
 
National School of Drama, New Delhi 
 
National School of Drama, or NSD as it is fondly called, is the Mecca of acting in India. An autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, this school has produced some of the best acting talents of the country including Pankaj Kapoor, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Irrfan. It provides a three-year full-time diploma course in dramatic arts, following which you can pursue your career in theatre or films. The requirement for admission in this course is a graduation degree in any subject and participation in at least 6 theatre productions. A preliminary test/audition is conducted at five centres, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Guwahati. 
 
Film And Television Institute of India, Pune 
 
If NSD is the Mecca of actors, FTII is no less. Known to be the origin place of some of the best talents of industry, this autonomous organization under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting offers a two-year post graduate diploma in acting, and has produced actors like Jaya Bachchan, John Abraham, Rajkumar Rao, Shabana Azmi and the late Smita Patil. The prerequisite for joining this prestigious course is a Bachelors Degree in any discipline from a recognised university, followed by a screening by a team of selectors. 
 
Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida 
 
AAFT is another institute that provides graduate, post graduate and diploma courses in acting. Alma mater of Arjun Kapoor, this upcoming acting school has seen some of the best minds in the industry paying a celebrity visit and guest lectures. Founded by Sandeep Marwah who is closely related to the family of Anil Kapoor, this media school has seen some established film and TV actors as its alumni. 
 
The <keyword id="22547" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Barry-John">Barry John</keyword> Acting Studio 
 
Known for training Shah Rukh Khan in acting, Barry John is accredited for training many young talents in his acting studio. Varun Dhawan, Sushant Singh Rajpoot, Dia Mirza, Freida Pinto, Lillete Dubey, Manoj Bajpai and Richa Chadda are some other prominent names to have featured in the alumni list of this studio. Having branches in Delhi and Mumbai, it offers part time and full time courses in acting for anyone above 18 years of age. 
 
<keyword id="6534" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Actor-Prepares">Actor Prepares</keyword> 
 
Who better than a national award-winning actor to teach you the minutiae of acting? Padma Shri Anupam Kher runs this one-of-a-kind acting school in Mumbai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and London. Ali Zafar, Preity Zinta, Manish Paul, Ruslan Mumtaz and Kunal Kapoor are some of his alumni to have made it big in the show biz. Offering part-time courses and diploma courses as well as customised workshops and children workshops, Actor Prepares is the only acting school to be founded by an actor who is professionally active in acting and theatre. 
 
Image courtesy: Thinkstock

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One By Two: Fragmented Storytelling Fails To Impress, Flops At Box Office

Sanghamitra Mandal

Farhan Akhtar, Shibani Dandekar team up for Netflix series 'Dabba Cartel'

PTI

Five reasons why Serendipity Arts Festival could be a game-changer in Goa's cultural calendar

Poulomi Das

Top Institutes In India Where You Can Learn Acting

Nandini Sharma

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