New Delhi, December 14, 2009

Abay Deol learning Krav Maga

Interestingly, Akshaye Khanna was to play the lead in the film initially, when director Navdeep Singh was to direct it for Nikhil Advani’s production company. But the two parted ways due to differences and Deol stepped in to back his director ofManorama Six Feet Under.

Deol is so fascinated by Krav Maga that whenever he got time off  between shots while filming Aisha with Sonam Kapoor, he’d practise it with his trainer. Basra, which sees Deol in the role of a RAW officer, has extensive action sequences. And Deol wants to ensure that he does his stunts perfectly. Singh is planning to start the film early next year with a schedule in Iraq.

Indiainfo.com

Tuesday, December 29, 2009 10:48 [IST]

Mumbai: The different Deol boy, Abhay, is going all out to prepare himself for his home production Basra that will see him do action for the first time in his career. After Hrs has learnt that the actor has started training in the Israeli hand-to-hand deadly combat tactics Krav Maga. By doing this he joins Akshay Kumar, the only hero in India who can perform the art and international faces like Angelina Jolie, Michelle Yeoh and Keanu Reeves.

This deadly skill will see Abhay hit a variety of fast crippling attacks to vulnerable body parts of his enemies. He has to go through a mixed aerobic and anaerobic workout and has to also use heavy pads to protect his body from damage while training.

“The film will see me fight like a street fighter and I’m learning really fast. It is fun and I have to learn many things if I have to convincingly play an action hero. Plus, it’s my home production, I cannot take any shortcuts,” Abhay told DNA.

Sources close to the film reveal that the young actor has also set up a training area where he would look to challenge his body reactions and defense skills through simulated attacks. This will make him faster and agile at offense and defense. Abhay has been called a perfectionist by many critics and this clearly shows his diligent approach to cinema.

“I always believe that you have to know something to perform it with ease and convince people. Nobody buys a fake and if you are not good at something you are doing, it always shows. I know I have to perfect myself in action because that’s never been my USP,” he says.

When not fighting in the arena, Abhay is traveling the world visiting film festivals in Venice, Toronto, Cannes, Tribeca where he has also lectured on cinema. The actor is ecstatic that even though he has not done the so-called Bollywood masala movies, he has managed to rub shoulders with Hollywood icons like Martin Scorsese, Robert de Niro, Jodie Foster, Matt Damon among others.

“Hollywood is very excited and appreciative of Indian cinema. Whenever I have met people who are greats in their own rights, they have been very inquisitive about our industry. This just shows that Indian cinema has a global presence and it is a huge achievement. There is scope for everyone to get the spotlight even if you are not a traditional Bollywood movie star. That’s a healthy change for our industry,” he ends.

Express India

Karate and kalaripayattu are passe. A Delhi woman has kick-started the craze for Krav-Maga, the martial art practised by Israeli soldiers

Namita Kohli

New Delhi, February 22, 2007: She can kick butt like Jennifer Lopez in the 2002 film Enough. Or throw a punch like Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality. While these glam dolls may have given Krav-Maga — the self-defence system that has been battle-tested by Israelis — a celeb quotient, Delhi-based instructor Nirmala Bhanu hardly has glamour on her mind. “It is not a sport,” she says. “My mission is to train as many women in this technique as possible. They need to come out and know how to defend themselves, especially in this city.”

The 29-year-old, arguably the first woman Krav-Maga instructor in India, has been teaching at her studio in Saket for a year. She is also a black belt in karate and has taught action heroes Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Vinod Khanna a kick or two. “They are all masters. But it was great fun teaching them. I learnt from them as well,” she says with an impish smile.

How is Krav-Maga different from conventional martial arts? “This is close combat, with no rules. It helps in real street fight, unlike judo or karate that does not allow an all-out fight against the opponent.” Also, says Bhanu, it is easy, effective and works in any situation. “You don’t have to be powerful. It just tunes your reflexes to defend against an opponent.”

Krav maga was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld in the 1930s to help Jews defend themselves against the Nazis. It was adopted by the Israeli army and it eventually evolved into a highly specialised defence technique. What is taught to the civilians is, however, a simpler and easier version. “Students are taught to defend themselves against an attacker wielding a knife or a gun,” says Bhanu. A blow on the nose, a kick below the belt and the job is done. “You just have to look for the weak spots like the nose, eyes.”

A system that works on human reflexes rather than brutal attack, krav maga, says Bhanu, is custom-made for women. A one-hour workout can even burn 800 calories. “That is like killing two birds with one stone,” says Bhanu. Other than the 20-odd women who have enrolled at her Saket studio, Bhanu also teaches at the Army Wives Welfare Association.

Are women eager to join the Krav-Maga club? “Initially they were shy to try this out. Many do it to lose weight rather than for self-defence,” she says. A native of Manali, Himachal Pradesh, she has fought her way through various karate championships while her father wondered yeh kya thod-phod karti rehti ho (what’s this business of breaking things?).

Is action-packed Bollywood on her mind? “Yes, I would like to do that. Right now, they are using special effects, not the real thing.” Perhaps it is time for an action heroine.
Contact: 41764597 Fee: Rs 2,100 a month

Source: Express India

Aabhas Sharma / New Delhi February 25, 2007

Martial arts, like the corporate sector, has its own glass ceiling. Women martial arts instructors are few and far in between and I wasn’t sure what to expect when I set out to meet Nirmala Bhanu, who teaches Krav-Maga.

For those of you who have come in late, Krav-Maga is a martial art form with a simple, effective self-defence system that emphasises instinctive movements, practical techniques and realistic training scenarios. It not only improves your fitness but also trains you in self- defence much better than any other form of martial art. And she has the distinction of training the likes of Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty. These actors are about as macho as they come.

Having done Krav-Maga for a long time, Bhanu insists that it is one of fastest growing fitness form of martial arts. Krav-Maga helps in toning muscles and improves body coordination. While it does help in burning calories, most people who take up Krav-Maga do so for reasons of self-defence. Says Bhanu, “Toning and losing weight is not the main goal but many women say they see results during the training.”

Bhanu, who also has a second degree black belt in karate, feels that while people tend to join Krav-Maga classes for fitness but, after realising the importance of self-defence, get hooked on to it completely. Unlike other self-defence and aerobic programmes, there are no required steps or rules in Krav-Maga.

Instead, Krav-Maga techniques are practiced in simulated, ever-changing attack situations. This form of martial arts has found favour with fitness freaks only in the last couple of years.

Vicky Kapoor, who has been training students for over two years, feels that it is one of the most effective forms of self-defence. It not only helps in improving physical fitness, but also covers aspects like tackling crime situations which might arise in an everyday setting.

“One thing that Krav-Maga does is that it helps one be in control of situations even if one is unarmed. It uses simple techniques that are part of natural body movements and reflexes,” explains Kapoor.

Kapoor, who has trained the likes of politician Omar Abdullah, actor Sanjay Kapoor, and Shewta Nanda, also conducts classes for the special security forces. Kapoor learnt the art in Israel and says that it is not a sport where you can have fun and is actually serious business. “People who genuinely want to learn and are serious about it should take up this form as it is no child’s play,” he cautions.

Well, it can’t really be given that this form of martial art has been officially adopted for training armies in 25 countries including Australia and Sweden. There is no doubt then that this sport has got to be serious business.

Krav-Maga training hones a person’s ability to react, even if caught by surprise. Techniques and training methods emphasise the ability to function from a poor state of readiness, and to move from a passive to aggressive state immediately in order to defend yourself. Students are taught to react effectively under stress and to move efficiently from a position of disadvantage to a position of advantage.

Not only in Delhi, cities like Mumbai and Chennai too are catching up with Krav-Maga. A martial arts training centre in Mumbai had a woman inquiring about the form which Jennifer Lopez showcased in the movie Enough. “Self defence is very necessary these days, be it for men or women,” says a fitness expert from Mumbai.

“And this being one of the most flexible forms of martial art, it helps in maintaining physical fitness much better than other forms,” he adds. “Because physical fitness is closely interwoven into the system, the workout includes a number of cardiovascular and strength building exercises, as well as stretching to increase flexibility,” says Kapoor. Emphasis is put on speed, endurance, strength, accuracy and coordination, especially for those who undertake intensive Krav-Maga training. Although if you compare it with other fitness sports like kick-boxing or taekwondo, this improves a person’s flexibility.

And if you are wondering if you should sign up for a Krav-Maga class, keep in mind that this is more for those who want to learn self defence and improve overall fitness. It’s not for those who want to burn those ugly calories and shed excess flab. You can’t win it all, all the time.

Source: Business Standard