SAJA-NY presents an evening with Gotham Chopra Tuesday, July 16, 2002 6:30 pm-8:30 pm Maharaja Restaurant 230 E. 44th St (btw 2nd & 3rd Aves; two blocks from Grand Central) Tix: (includes admission, appetizers & cash bar) $5 for SAJA; $7 for non-members (PUBLIC EVENT); $5 for students with ID RSVP: sajarsvp@yahoo.com (subject line = "Chopra event") Gotham Chopra, the son of bestselling author Deepak Chopra, is an anchor and correspondent for Channel One (the in-class TV channel) and the author of "Child of the Dawn." His latest book is Familiar Strangers: Uncommon Wisdom in Unlikely Places (April 2002) Living in a world fraught with change and uncertainty, many people have understandable questions about the meaning of their lives. In Familiar Strangers, Gotham Chopra travels to many of the world's hot spots, from Pakistan, China, and Kashmir to Chechnya and the Yucatan in search of answers to these age-old spiritual questions. Everywhere he goes, he encounters people who have had to dig deep within themselves to survive horrible realities and bear heart wrenching losses. From a harrowing week spent among boys toting guns in Pakistan to a sojorn in a small Yucatan village where he witnesses firsthand the collision between the romance of the past and the uncertain promise of the future, Chopra shares the wisdom, idealism, and sense of purpose he found in ordinary people living under extraordinary circumstances. A comic book he wrote, "Bulletproof Monk," is being turned into a film starring Chow Yun-Fat and Seann William Scott and is due Fall 2002. Set in San Francisco, this is the story of a mysterious immortal Tibetan kung fu master (Yun-Fat), who has spent the last 60 years traveling around the world protecting an ancient scroll, who is now mentoring a street kid (Scott) in the wonders of his ancient ways... (King plays a "Russian mob princess"; Roden plays an evil kung fu master who is seeking the scroll) o o o o o Here is a profile and interview from the Channel One Web site... Birthday: February 23 Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts High School: Belmont Hill High School Resume: Varsity basketball and baseball. Won a creative writing award. President of community service program. What is your hidden talent? I'm waiting for an NBA team to pick me up for my three-pointer skills but . . . Seriously, I think it's my writing. I wrote my first novel "Child of the Dawn" while I was in college and got it published. I've always loved writing, especially writing stories, making them up, and sharing them. I also love writing for music and for film. I hope it's a talent that doesn't stay hidden for much longer! How I came to Channel One: I was working in New York City writing my next book and on a number of projects, and Channel One contacted me. Like with most things in my life, without much deliberation, I wandered West and started this new adventure. When and where in history would you like to have lived? Probably in ancient India where my ancestors are from. I would have been a warrior and hung out in palaces and forts with kings, beggars and mystics. What makes you happy? Life in general. I like the excitement of wandering from one moment to the next, meeting friends and strangers all along the way. What makes you sad? When the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, or Bruins lose -- especially the Red Sox! Are you a cat person or a dog person? I once went to a psychic, and she barked as soon as she saw me. She said it was my aura, not my odor -- so I guess I'm a dog. What do you believe in? Mahatma Gandhi once said "We ourselves must be the change we want to see in the world." I believe in that. If you could sit between any two people at a dinner party, who would they be? Hitler and Gandhi -- the sinner and the saint. I think that would be a trip. If they're busy, Michael Jordan and (as always) my mom will do. What is your favorite movie of all time? That's tough. "Braveheart," "Glory," and "Star Wars" to name a few. I guess I'm into war. What is your favorite TV show of all time? ESPN SportsCenter -- hands down! What music do you take on a long trip? Probably some old-school stuff -- a little Madonna pop, some Michael Jackson soul, and some Prince funk (his old name!). If you weren't working at Channel One, what would you be doing? Probably wandering the world trying to get paid to do it.