Year: 2012

Most of us know Anupam Kher as an actor par excellence. Mr. Kher is renowned for his versatile acting, both in the world of theatre and films and his stage is truly the whole world. What many of us may not know is his love and commitment to the profession of acting that has culminated in starting an acting school called ‘ACTOR PREPARES’. The school, founded in 2005, now operates in Mumbai, Chandigarh, Chennai and the UK with a mission to prepare competent and professionally committed actors, skilled in every aspect of an actor’s art and craft – physical, mental and emotional. It lays the foundation for a self-fulfilling and meaningful career as a performer.

On a warm Monday afternoon of June 11, 2012, we (Ameet Patel and Nandita Parekh) had the rare opportunity to meet with Anupam Kher to understand from him the profession of acting, the commitment required, the opportunities and challenges and the future of the profession. We share with you, his thoughts, as communicated to us . . . . . .

Unfortunately, we cannot share with you the eloquence with which he dealt with each question and the warmth with which he received us in his ever-busy schedule.

BCAJ – Is ‘performing arts’ just an art or a profession?

Anupam Kher (AK) – To me, performing arts, be it dancing, singing, acting – is a profes-sion. Art is an expression of one’s emotions, one’s feelings and to that end, everyone is an artist. All of us have drawn pictures as children, but that does not make any of us professional artists. Similarly, most people will have an ability to dance or sing or even act – but that does not make them professional performers. One of the differences is that a professional artist shares his work or his art with others, and pursues it as the main purpose of his life. For a professional artist his art is not just an expression of his emotions, but a driving force of his life, a source of livelihood combined with a compelling need to share. To this end, I am of the view that performing arts in general and acting in particular is definitely a profession that needs specialised skills, training and orientation.

 BCAJ As I understand, the acting school founded by you – ‘Actor Prepares’ is committed to helping talented individuals become professional actors. How much of the acting profession as you see around you has gone through some professional training? And is it very different in other countries in Europe or the USA?

AK -We are a young country; we got our independence in 1947. Before that for 200 years we were ruled by the British and before that by the Mughals. Yet, if you see, art in its various forms is an integral part of our culture and the early architecture – the carving of Ajanta, the miniature paintings . . . . all depict scenes of dancing, singing and other forms of performing arts. Each state has its own folk art and thus, we are a culturally rich country in terms of various forms of performing arts that have been handed down from earlier eras. As a country, we have given to the world the earliest available book on acting and stage craft called the ‘Natya Shastra’, written somewhere between 200 BC and 200 AD. In the early periods after independence, the country had many priorities – agricultural reforms, industrial reforms, poverty eradication, education and so on – acting and performing arts were clearly not a national priority. On the other hand, the people of the country were hungry for entertainment and were ready to lap up anything that was given to them as ‘entertainment’. The audience was not discerning, and hence, we have a situation that many of the movies made in the early post-independence era, we may enjoy today due to nostalgic reasons, but find that the acting skills were often non-existent. In these last 60 odd years, there must be over 20,000 actors who have appeared in our films. How many are remembered for their acting skills? Hardly 10-12, a number we can count on our fingertips. This was mainly because cinema was the primary source of entertainment; the only other option being ‘khetiwadi’ programmes on black and white TV or a once a week show such as ‘Chhayageet’. Watching a movie every weekend was almost a religion for seekers of entertainment during this skewed demand-supply situation. In such a situation, most actors did not have any formal training – professionally trained actors were few and far in between, I being one of them. Interestingly, performing artists in the music and dance space always went through rigorous training, primarily because of the classical forms and schools of music and dance . . . . Or perhaps because it was easier for the audience, however undemanding, to distinguish the good from the bad in these art forms. Today, the scenario has dramatically changed. With globalisation, people in India have a wide choice in the area of entertainment, from multiplexes to multitude of TV channels and live performances by world-renowned artists. So, the person who used to sit at the edge of the seat and watch a movie, today sits back in his chair and says “Okay, let me see what you have!” The audience today is discerning and demanding and that has created a need for professionalism in the performing arts. The ‘fluke’ artists will no longer hold centre stage – the future clearly belongs to actors who are not only trained to be good actors, but are also professional and disciplined in their conduct.

BCAJ -What are the macro changes that are likely to impact the profession of acting?

AK It is only 8-9 years back that cinema was given the status of ‘industry’ by the Government of India. Till that time, the Government did not even recognise cinema as an industry. With this recognition, there is a sea change in the way the movie industry is viewed. The access to commercial financing, the corporatisation within the cinema industry, the international platform for screening Indian movies – all this has led to professionalism all around. This includes the technology used, the distribution systems, the pricing and also, the acting. Otherwise, till recently, anyone with a trace of talent believed that ‘I too can act’. And, perhaps that is somewhat true – because I believe that anyone who can lie, can act; for lying is the first form of acting. So, most of us can act!

BCAJ -On that note, we would like to know how do you deal with situations where you are required to act in a role or propagate a message that you don’t personally subscribe to. Does this create a conflict in your mind? And if so, how do you deal with it?

AK Acting always requires you to portray yourself as a person you are not. It is my job as an actor to represent the character that I am required to portray. When I am Dinanath or Asgar Ali in a movie, that is not who I am. Anupam Kher the actor is not the same as Anupam Kher the person. When I fight against corruption and go on stage with Anna Hazare – that is me as a person. Thus, an actor will play roles that are different from what he stands for, what he may be as a person – and, in my mind, there is no conflict in this respect. Acting is part of my life, it is not my life. (For us, at BCAS, Anupam Kher who voluntarily and readily agreed to speak to demotivated CA students after a very dismal examination result and helped them regain their self confidence – is Anupam Kher, the person!)

BCAJ -An actor has a great influence on the audience and to that end a greater social responsibility. In that light, does it matter what kind of roles you choose to do?

AK – A movie or a play is entertainment, not education – it is not good, not bad, just entertainment. The meaning that a viewer derives from the movie is his prerogative. Also, an anti- hero or a villain is required to show the contrast. A ‘Raam’ is viewed in comparison to a ‘Raavan’; without ‘Raavan’, ‘Raam’ has limited significance. I do not think that people judge an actor by the roles he plays. The well-known villains of the Indian film industry are some of the best individuals that I have come across and I believe they are well respected by society. I have played a diverse set of roles and not restricted myself to the role of a hero or a villain or a comedian. There are nine emotions and as an actor it is important for me to express a variety of emotions – for that it is important to do different roles.

BCAJ – Do you think that there is adequate mentoring in your profession for the newcomers that helps them to clearly understand the distinction between their real life and their reel life?

AK – While acting is a profession, cinema is an industry. It is for each actor to determine his personal philosophy on how he wants to treat his reel life and real life – there is no reason for any mentoring in that respect. A profession requires training – and with that training how you pursue your profession, whose guidance you seek and who you choose as your role models is your personal choice.

BCAJ – Actors have a capacity to create a significant public influence and opinion. The profession of acting trains you to communicate very effectively with your audience and hence, gives you an ability to reach out to a vast audience effectively. But, on the other hand, the private acts of a well-known personality are also minutely examined by the public. Do you think there is a need for actors to conduct them-selves any differently in their private lives?

AK – Well, as a chartered accountant you too have an influence on the public, and so does a leading doctor or a lawyer. It is for each person to decide how he wants to conduct himself in his personal life, irrespective of whether or not he has the ability to influence others. As actors, perhaps we are more conscious of the image that we create of ourselves – but that does not make us any different from others. We all have to conduct ourselves in a manner that suits our conscience, our value system. Also, at a different level, no one forces you to watch a movie – it is a choice that you have. So, the kind of movies you choose to watch is entirely your choice.

BCAJ – Earlier you mentioned that a professional actor needs to be disciplined. We as outsiders often hear that movies get delayed due to the inability of the actors to live up to their committed schedules. Any views?
 

AK – I thought we were to talk about performing arts as a profession – this is a question on individual behavioural traits. However, when you hear that an actor did not meet his schedule there could be a variety of reasons, like the payment that was committed to him is not made, that a number of times when he has blocked his time for a producer there have been last-minute cancellations from the producer’s side and so on. I do not believe that without a valid reason or a serious constraint any actor would not adhere to his commitment, as he too is interested in a timely release of the movie. Further, the time discipline that was not very important till recently is now becoming of paramount importance due to corporatisation of the movie industry and the manner in which it is financed. The word of mouth agreement has been replaced by crisply worded contracts that run into 20-30 pages and there are consequences of not meeting the commitments made. Internationally this has been the practice for a long period now, but in India, we are seeing this now.

BCAJ – Is there adequate opportunity for a new-comer who wants to enter the profession of acting to learn or to acquire structured training? We know that you have founded a school of acting, but are there adequate such institutions? Is there room for consolidation of training, larger institutes and accreditation?

There are many acting schools and many of them are fraud institutions. We are masters at replicating and selling something that has no value. But ultimately the institutes that will draw students are the ones that provide honest, sincere training and make a long-term commitment to training. The product that comes out of the school is the strongest evidence of the quality of training. Also, today’s newcomers have an ability to learn quickly and to gather knowledge and training from a variety of sources. So, the courses that required 3-4 years earlier can now be taught in months. This Internet and Google age has made information easy to seek but has taken away the sense of wonder from today’s generation.

An acting school is not just about teaching the acting skills. It is education and all education teaches primarily one thing – the ability to distinguish the right from the wrong and the good from the bad. Thus, a good acting school also helps an actor make better decisions and choices. Also, training is not something that happens at the beginning of your professional career – it is something you go back to every time you realise the need for further enhancement to your skills. It is an ongoing process to an actor’s career and very often, the persons who seek training have already acted in plays, in TV shows/serials and movies.

I believe that every individual, whether an actor or not, gets at least one chance that will materially change his life – if he is able to rise up to that chance and seize the opportunity when it is knocking at his door, he will have a different future than when he lets that one chance pass.

BCAJ –   What is the future of the profession?

AK – I firmly believe that this is the golden era for professional actors. The audience is educated and has an appetite for a wide range of movies. Earlier, the movies were all made on a standard theme and dialogues such as ‘maine mere haathonse kheer banaayi hai’ ‘kaash tere pita aaj jinda hote’ became so clichéd and predictable. Today, we have movies like Shanghai, Kahaani and A Wednesday that appeal to the audience. The audience is intelligent and appreciates good cinema, good acting. Further, globalisation has also had a big impact on the acting profession. Many Indian movies are screened across the globe and that has created, for some actors, opportunities to work in international films with very credible directors and production houses. This is definitely the most exciting period for an actor who wants to make a mark. But, it is also a period where an actor will have to work hard and display a high level of sincerity and commitment to the profession.

As we ended our meeting, we realised the common string that runs between the acting profession and our profession. A professional actor benefits from training, just as a good articleship makes a world of a difference to a chartered accountant. Further, training imparted at the beginning of the career is not enough – there is a need for ‘Continuing Professional Education’. The times have changed and globalisation has had an impact on the profession of acting, just as it has had on the profession of chartered accountancy. For some, the world has opened up, for others there is a dismal future – for it is in these time that the destiny of a professional, be it a chartered accountant or an actor, will be defined by his training, his hard work, his commitment and most of all, his ability to recognise and seize that one chance that offers him a very different future!

Having said this, one can also look at the use of the word ‘architect’ — Jawaharlal Nehru is referred to as the ‘architect’ of modern India, or Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is the ‘architect’ of India’s Constitution, or Mahatma Gandhi is the ‘architect’ of India’s struggle to freedom from British rule. In all these cases, the term ‘architect’ is no technician, is no maverick artist, is no façade designer; the architect, clearly in all these instances, is someone who has shouldered responsibility and has been the shape-giver to important ideas — modern nation, constitution and a movement. The term is not engineer of modern India or doctor of the freedom movement, but ‘architect’ is the idea that is used. So then what defines an architect? What job does an architect do? What role does he perform in society? And the answer to all these will depend on — What is architecture?

Architecture is surely a profession at one point, with the architect a trained and licensed professional who is expected to provide a certain set of services to the best of his capacity. However, architecture is also a discipline — it is a subject with its own history, its theory and its ideas on issues of space, beauty, cultural interventions, role within a social set-up, cultural implications, etc. Architecture deals with making of buildings, but it is much beyond the building — architecture is a broad field of ideas and practices. Architecture has always had historians and theorists, critics and writers who discuss architecture and challenge the contemporary practices of their times. So the realm of ideas and thoughts, theories and critical propositions also makes up the world of architecture. Just as the knowledge of materials and plumbing is important to architecture, so is the awareness of issues and theories that challenge the field is very important. One can say, that from nuts and bolts to the realm of dreams, architecture has to deal with it all.

 Architects also work within their own peer pressures. The architect trained in a particular set of ideas and principles of design, is also living and working in particular contexts. Contexts are made up of cultural images, political inclinations, social relationships that you may or may not agree with. These contexts and the architect’s training generates influences on the design board where decisions are judged against popular imaginations, economic constraints, hyped practices like vaastu, personal convictions or lack of it, and desires or aspirations of clients. The studio of the architect is a complex combination of strains and stresses, desires and convictions. Who is the architect addressing his/her questions and designs to – the client, the user (who she/he may never meet), the fraternity, the critic, the economic demands, space crunch, real estate wars, technicians that supply plumbing and electricity? As much as this dilemma is a reality of conditions, and as much as we realise how architecture stretches much beyond making a ‘good building’, the question is not simply a technical issue of how many questions and demands an architect can answer satisfactorily. The point that needs investigation is — what is the idea of architecture that we as thinkers and professionals in the field of architecture subscribe to. Do we understand our responsibility towards ‘architecture’ itself, to begin with?

Architecture is a realm where imaginations and values will have to be resolved. How do universal values of humanity translate into architectural values and imaginations? To acknowledge that architecture operates as the physical fabric within which our homes, neighbourhoods and cities are defined is very crucial. This physical fabric constructs the way we imagine our world, and this physical fabric is inherently visual and material — we see it and we feel it. The visual as well as the material is always a coded logic — if the Mughals used white marble it was to imagine the sense of beauty within the sense of grandeur that political and pristine, making the political an aspect of technology and geometry; if the new stock of corporate towers feel the need to shine in the hot sun as they shoot to crazy heights, tallness and brightness mean something — aspirations to unashamedly compete, rather make competition a value and loudness of domination a virtue is what this architecture signals. Is then at times the patron, the developer, the client the real designer, the real architect? Is then the architect simply a handmaiden to the forces that make his profession possible? But then can the architect simply moan his status in the chain and continue being the handmaiden? Does architecture have the power to reject and change that which is given and practised in the world? Or does architecture simply mirror the culture and society that produces it?

Architecture is a condition much more than a building here and a building there. Architecture, especially with the world taking an urban turn is the site where ideas and cultures are shaped and human societies are constantly shaping and re-shaping. Architecture is no stage for the drama of life, but a constant game-player in this scenario. Architecture, as a dynamic set of ideas and elements, is part of the narrative that we call culture and socio-political world. Whether new buildings are built, or some old ones are conserved, and some others are lost in time, or whether housing in the avatar of slums is demolished — architecture is constantly shaping and redefining itself. One of the most crucial aspects of architecture — Space, is one of the most cov-eted and discussed subject. Space of the family or the space in your colony or mohalla, or the space from where hawkers are thrown out in the name of discipline or beautification, or the space of mills converted to tall apartment blocks — are the versions of space that architecture choreographs and gives it a logic and a language. The architect can be the handmaiden and provide an architectural language that feeds into the popular idea of life and the world provided today by globalization and capitalism, else that architect can use his skills and language of architecture to challenge the dominant ideas. With the design of better homes, flush with appliances and its interiors designed with high-end materials, does family life automatically become better and more affectionate? The idea of architecture constantly weaves through all these situations and events; then is architecture a physical structure any longer or is it just about events and reactions? The sociality of life, as much as it is embedded in architecture, also seems disjointed from the generally and commonly appreciated properties of architecture.

Does the idea of architecture — a discursive field of knowledge on the one hand, a profession on the other — accommodate the notion of ethics? Ethics here is not an issue of morality, but one of integrated principles and convictions guided by vision and a critical understanding of the world and life. Principles are not meant to be stringent and unchanging, but they are guidelines that can be adequately and appropriately changed, redefined and interrogated. Convictions need not be misunderstood as rigid belief, but convictions is a tool box of imaginations and critical argumentation that is built up through a keen observation of life and culture, and a constantly reworked understanding of one’s own field. Visions are not dogmatic and cast-in-stone diagrams, but they should be projections of ideas that can generate a dialogue and argument, that can make us see the world with fresh eyes but not forget that we come from a past that is loaded with dreams and nightmares. Ethics of architecture help us build arguments and methods towards a world, a city that is other wise a chaotic mix of loud voices — demolitions, developments, change, preserve, conserve, beautify. These words for most of us are only images and not concepts that mean certain real-life situations. These words will become valuable ideas to be discussed and debated when a sense of ethics is the basis for their existence.

Architectural ethics are not about which colour looks good, or which building has a fancier façade than the other, but architectural ethics is a way to our understanding of what world and society do we wish to live in. Can we talk of sustainable environments and economies while we view the hawker on the roadside only as a nuisance? Hawking is an essentially urban condition, that produces a set of urban values and conditions, which are also part of existing economic networks. But hawking is also an understanding of values in space, the architecture of reuse and repair. Are gated communities with taller and taller high-rises packed behind tall compound walls and gates the future of living? Have we not enjoyed mohallas and padas where sharing spaces with neighbours and shopkeepers was a way family and city life developed? A sense of architectural ethics will give us ways in which we can innovatively address some old issues. To question the idea of architecture is central to establishing relationships in a society and understanding them. No human life, and no human social or cultural group lives in isolation — with our different eating habits and different religious preferences, we still are a species that needs exchange and interaction with others who are not like yourself to survive a wholesome life.

Architectural ethics of sharing space, understanding quotients of privacy and openness is very important to a healthy social world-space.

Whether we look at questions of women and social space, or issues of caste and cultural space, or theatre and the traditions of space and costume, or whether we simply evaluate how we perceive shared and public space like a railway station in Mumbai or a park or a maidan, we will realise that architecture deals with aspects of value and ethics as much as it deals with scale, colour and materials. The architect is the builder, he is the thinker, he is also often a philosopher — but in the world of today this bleeding of different roles is also the cause for dilemmas and confusions. But these dilemmas need to be occasions for asking questions and thinking — where new meanings for architecture could be discovered, debated and argued. The new meanings will provide new occasions and new tools for the architect to work with. As long as a sense of ethics and values in architecture is understood, the architect can remodel his profession and his field, with growing understanding and an evolving vision.

In the context of the changes in the business pattern in India during the last two decades both the professions are required to work shoulder to shoulder acting as supplement to the services rendered by each other.

Over the past few years, we have witnessed unprecedented economic advancement and growth, which has resulted in the globalisation of the world’s economies and has opened up the world’s economies. This wave of globalisation and economic progress has resulted in huge opportunities and potential for businesses to expand their footprint all over the world. This, coupled with the rapid growth of the Internet has resulted in a truly global market place. It has literally resulted in a ‘world without borders’. India has been at the centre stage of this economic revolution over the past decade. Over the years, India has witnessed a large amount of both inbound and outbound foreign investments. Today, leading companies from all over the world are either in India, or are queuing up to enter. Similarly, numerous Indian businesses have acquired or are acquiring businesses outside the country. Over and above this, with the inflow and outflow of investments, businesses have begun to scale up and have today reached enormous sizes, scales that could not have ever been imagined a few years ago. All of this has resulted in a huge demand for professional services. The changing economy has resulted in a complete change in the operating dynamics of professionals. I propose to deal with some of the common issues and challenges faced by law and accountancy professional firms in today’s changing times.

The role of a professional has evolved dramatically over the past few years and is far different from what it used to be a few years ago. The increase in demand for professional services has resulted in a very large growth in the professional service space. Every day, there are new entrants in the sector, resulting in intense competition. With the increasing demand of professional services, professionals are facing new challenges and new burdens every day.

Earlier, whilst any professional had to contend with a certain limited number of issues, the number of issues faced by them today have increased greatly. This can be attributed to various factors. With economic progress, business transactions are becoming more and more complex by the day. Businesses are becoming more competitive and focussed on factors like growth, performance, etc. Further, the ever-changing economic landscape and globalisation have resulted in new and complex legislations and regulations being introduced by lawmakers.

As a result, the need for professional advice on business transactions or on legislations has become ever increasing. This has therefore resulted in a great demand for services of professionals and more so for accountants and lawyers. This great demand for the services of professionals has resulted in an unprecedented number of new entrants into both the professions, which has resulted in an increase in competition amongst professionals themselves. Whilst, the entry of an increasing number of professionals in any field is always welcome, it has triggered intense competition amongst rival firms. It may be argued that with the present growth in the economy, there is enough space for a large number of new upcoming professionals to enter into the professions and grow. But at the same time, it is interesting to note that the increasing competition has resulted in various issues, which professionals may not have faced earlier.

Some of the major issues faced by a professional (whether a lawyer or a chartered accountant), in carrying on his profession today are:

(i) Professional ethics

(ii) Professional responsibility;

(iii) Professional liability;

(iv) Building and retaining teams;

(v) Keeping abreast with the latest updates;

(vi) Advertising/promoting services;

 Let us now examine these issues in detail.

(i) Professional ethics

Both the legal and the accountancy professions have their own rules of professional ethics. The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 and the Regulations made thereunder prescribe certain rules in this behalf. Similarly, the Advocates Act, 1961 and the Bar Council Regulations govern the legal profession. Professional ethics are codes of practice that have been laid down by bodies governing the profession to ensure that the highest standards of integrity and professionalism are maintained in the profession. Each professional organisation must ensure that the ethics and codes laid down in that profession are followed. A professional is a person who is specially trained and possesses specialised skills and knowledge. He must, in providing his services, adhere to the highest standards of ethics to ensure that not only the interests of his client are safeguarded but also that standard of his profession are maintained. Some of the virtues that fall within the ambit of professional ethics are virtues like honesty, integrity, transparency, etc. Of late, various incidents have come to light where leading professionals from large professional service firms have been caught committing certain acts in the course of their professional duties which go against the very basic canon of their profession and against the basic virtues of professional ethics. At this juncture, one would question as to why would a professional who is associated with a multi-national firm at a very senior level, become involved in such acts. The answer to that question is quite simple. With increasing competition amongst professionals, clients often try to pressurise a professional to commit acts or give them advice as per their needs. The professional, in the fear of losing the business of the client, is likely to buckle down under the pressure of the client and do whatever is required of him to retain such a client. This sort of pressure often leads to professionals committing various acts which are against the very basic guidelines/codes that are governing them. Though it is important in today’s time to retain clients and expand, a professional must never forget his duties and must always carry out the same within the prescribed boundaries.

ii) Professional responsibility

Similarly, professionals have a responsibility to their clients. They must act in a responsible manner and must ensure that there is no breach of fiduciary duties on their part whilst dealing with clients. In a large firm, where there are a large number of partners and senior associates, it is possible that the firm may, unknowingly take up an assignments, which is conflicting in interest with some other assignment being handled by the firm. Such a situation must be avoided and the firm must take steps and build systems to ensure that there is no conflict of interest between the firms’ clients. Another important aspect that a firm must safeguard is confidentiality of clients’ information. A firm must ensure that the clients information that has been provided to it must be kept confidential and that the same should not ever be revealed by any person, save and except in the manner prescribed under law or authorised by the client.

(iii) Professional liability

A professional in exercising his duties and advising his clients, must always exercise due care and caution and ensure that he has fulfilled his duties to the best of his ability. A professional must ensure that he has considered and reviewed all possible scenarios before advising the client. Professionals, being experts in their respective fields, are liable to their clients for any act of negligence on their part. A client comes to a professional because a professional is an expert in the field and that he possesses specialised knowledge. At the same time, since a professional is an expert in his field, he must ensure that he takes greater care and caution when advising his client as compared to an ordinary person. A professional would thus be responsible to his client in the event that a client suffers and harm or prejudice as a result of any act of negligence on the part of the professional.

(iv) Building and retaining teams

With increasing competition amongst professionals today, a major challenge faced by firms is that of attracting and retaining the best manpower. Over the years, the number of persons entering various professions has greatly increased. This has resulted in a huge pool of manpower being made available to firms to choose from. Even then, there is an intense competition amongst firms to select the best talent that is available. Firms today invest huge amount of time, effort and money in training associates to ensure that they are able to offer best services to the clients. However, with increasing competition and increasing amount of work, there is always a dearth of good talent that is available at any time. Competing firms are always looking out for good talent. A firm must ensure that it retains good talent by not only offering good remuneration but by also providing a good working environment.

(v) Updated knowledge
As stated above, with the ever-changing economic climate and with new developments taking place practically on a daily basis, it is important for professionals to always keep themselves updated and abreast with all the latest developments in their fields. With the advent of technology, it has become relatively simple and easy for one to keep updated with the latest developments at all times. Referring to and using tools like the Internet, e-mail, news media, academic journals, etc., are helpful in ensuring that one is updated with the ever-changing situation in ones profession at all times.

(vi) Advertising

The increasing demand for professional services and the increase in the number of professionals offering such services has resulted in intense competition amongst rival professionals. In India, till date, both the legal and accountancy professions have restrictions on advertising, which by and large restrict professionals from advertising their services. Recently, Bar Council of India which governs the legal profession has allowed lawyer/law firms to set up websites but with limited information. Of late, we have also witnessed a large number of professional firms being associated with various events organised by various bodies, chambers, societies, etc. now whereby representatives of such firm make presentations/speak at such events. Another practice that is gaining quick popularity amongst professionals is of publishing articles/research papers/reports across various media like newspapers, journals, magazines and on the Internet.

From the above, we can see the number of common issues and challenges faced by both the professions in todays times. Whilst, the picture is rosy and there is great potential on the horizon for both the professions, the professions of lawyers and chartered accountants have largely benefited by the recent upturn of economy and increase of high-value business transactions. Both the professions have been working as complimentary to each other and as a result, the client gets the advantage of double expertise. Let us hope this sangam will get stronger day by day.

Before I end, I would like to refer to one recent trend which I consider to be against the interest of the clients and may even term it as dangerous. Some chartered accountant firms have been keeping lawyers on their role and try to render legal services to the clients including drafting of complicated documents while some law firms have recruited chartered accountants on their staff, with a view to extend the services to be offered to the clients. It is felt that the junior-level assistance availed in this way may not do proper justice to the clients and is even likely to affect the quality of the services needed in a particular case. It would be in the ultimate benefit of the clients if each profession sticks to its own expertise without trying to encroach upon the field of the other.