I am not a true blue movie lover but I do love them in my own eccentric way. I cannot watch any movie just like that. For that I am quite unpopular amongst my friends and my sister too. But then my stubbornness is so powerful that it is still unconquered.
Lots of movies, here for the time being when I say movies I mean the products of our Hindi film Industry. When I would mean something else, I will specify, so read on.
So lots of movies which have went on to create history in terms of sticking to a theatre, or in collecting revenues or being winner of A to Z awards, have missed my company while they were serenading others. The reason differed from movie to movie. But today, I am not going to write about the movies I did not watched but, nor the movies the mention of which sends me to spasm of disgust; today I am going to talk about two movies that I watched recently and realized that my notion of watching movies depending on my gut instinct is not only perfect but also that movies are absolutely magical if conceptualized with passion and executed with finesse.
The first is the recently released 'Paa'. Let me be very clear, it is not a cult movie, it is not a movie that will hit you for your ignorance like 'Taare Zamin Par' did, that will make you grind your teeth less with anger but more with desperation like 'A Wednesday' but it will gently remind you to face life on ones' own terms. Because life does not live you, it is you who live it. It teaches you that if you have done something then accept the repercussions without making a fuss over it, without blaming the poor old kismet because who knows the mistake might just blossom into the most fragrant flower you have ever experienced.
Paa is not your three hankie weepy drama. You do feel bad and hurt for a life that could have been but in the same place while global terrorism, climate change and new kinds of viruses attacking the mankind is taking away all our attention at that time a life that teaches a lot without being didactic seems so preciously priceless. Any problem with that?
And then there was Shaurya. Ok, it is a blatant copy of A few good men but then copying also needs excellence. Although I do not support Rahul Bose's opinion again Ayn Rand but boy that guy is too good an actor. He makes you feel the same his character is going through. Jaaved Jaafri could do wonders only if someone sees his potential beyond the comic timings. And there is Mr. Kay Kay Menon. That wisp of a man is a treat to watch be it as the protective husband in Honeymoon Travels or the elder son gone awry in Sarkar or the student politician in Hazaaron Khwaishe Aisi. His acting armoury has more dynamite than Alfred Noble might have had ever imagined. He is a true gem in the treasure chest of Indian Cinema.
Two movies, two radically different stories yet bonded by one common thing. A real love for good cinema can lead to making of such movies.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The break continues....
After working non stop since Sept 2004, am on a voluntary break. Just felt the place was no longer inviting anymore so decided to move on. And because there was no final destination to move on to, am presently at home but very much working. Which in other words is called freelancing. Working for different people without being employed by anyone in particular.
I like the feeling but sometimes feel quite apprehensive about the situation, about tomorrow.
Then I thought of writing a story online. There are so many stories literaaly fighting for space in my head. Although a couple of them have been penned yet some are still there. Have decided to start with one today, now. So here goes.
Tomorrow is the reunion day. It's been 17 years since the seven friends had met at the entrance of their college to bid farewell to each other. They were graduates finally. After all the things they had done from bunking classes for movies, spending most of their time in canteens, hardly buying books for their studies but depending on guides and 10 years. It seemed a miracle that not one but all passed the final exams with enough percentage to be called proper graduates!
They were 7. The beautiful Devyani, the intelligent Dharam, the cool dude Gautam, the ambitious Maya, the filthy rich Abhinav, the sporty Tarana and the immensely gifted Surya.
The day their results were declared was the first day they had their serious meeting, ever. That was the day, they decided to go on their separate path and see where it leads. Except for Abhinav, none of them belonged to a rich family. Except for Dharam, none had highly intellectual individual as parents. Each one of them had some unique or better a different vantage point from where they could see their particular horizon and that where they decided to go. But without staying in touch. Actually this was practical and was first voiced by the one who always moved with rationality, Maya.
"Guys, it was great to have known each other, been friends to each other but its time to move on to more practical stuff, you know. Gautam bas kar yaar, stop looking at the facchis, they are looking at you." The others sipping their cutting chai at the canteen laughed uproariously. "So what are you proposing?" asked Dharam in his quiet but curious tone. "Simply, that we go our ways without bothering to stay in touch." "Whaaaaat?" The chorus got them attention from everyone in the canteen. Even people including students, freshers and their parents passing by also turned to see what the matter was. "Yes," Maya continued unperturbed "going our way for a fixed time then meeting to see how each of us has fared. To know how high or low each of us has traversed." Initially all were not ready to accept that mostly Gautam, Surya and Tarana. But finally they agreed and the time was fixed 17 years, why 17th, because they all had met for the first time on 17th of July.
I like the feeling but sometimes feel quite apprehensive about the situation, about tomorrow.
Then I thought of writing a story online. There are so many stories literaaly fighting for space in my head. Although a couple of them have been penned yet some are still there. Have decided to start with one today, now. So here goes.
Tomorrow is the reunion day. It's been 17 years since the seven friends had met at the entrance of their college to bid farewell to each other. They were graduates finally. After all the things they had done from bunking classes for movies, spending most of their time in canteens, hardly buying books for their studies but depending on guides and 10 years. It seemed a miracle that not one but all passed the final exams with enough percentage to be called proper graduates!
They were 7. The beautiful Devyani, the intelligent Dharam, the cool dude Gautam, the ambitious Maya, the filthy rich Abhinav, the sporty Tarana and the immensely gifted Surya.
The day their results were declared was the first day they had their serious meeting, ever. That was the day, they decided to go on their separate path and see where it leads. Except for Abhinav, none of them belonged to a rich family. Except for Dharam, none had highly intellectual individual as parents. Each one of them had some unique or better a different vantage point from where they could see their particular horizon and that where they decided to go. But without staying in touch. Actually this was practical and was first voiced by the one who always moved with rationality, Maya.
"Guys, it was great to have known each other, been friends to each other but its time to move on to more practical stuff, you know. Gautam bas kar yaar, stop looking at the facchis, they are looking at you." The others sipping their cutting chai at the canteen laughed uproariously. "So what are you proposing?" asked Dharam in his quiet but curious tone. "Simply, that we go our ways without bothering to stay in touch." "Whaaaaat?" The chorus got them attention from everyone in the canteen. Even people including students, freshers and their parents passing by also turned to see what the matter was. "Yes," Maya continued unperturbed "going our way for a fixed time then meeting to see how each of us has fared. To know how high or low each of us has traversed." Initially all were not ready to accept that mostly Gautam, Surya and Tarana. But finally they agreed and the time was fixed 17 years, why 17th, because they all had met for the first time on 17th of July.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Home again:)
Whoever had said, "Home Sweet Home" must have tasted hell on this earth to realize and accept the true value of home.
Now even I can say this! Although I have spent a meagre 5 months away from home and on top of it visited 'home'every weekend yet I have fully understood that there cannot be a better shelter than one's own home.
Our office shifted to Gurgaon, the Indian Manhattan (pun intended, surely) in Nov.08 and since the very thought of travelling 100kms everyday was frightening; I did the best I could do. Shift to Gurgaon. Infact within 15 days I got a nice place. It was nothing fancy I was to be a PG..not post graduate but a paying guest. I was to share a room with another girl. Nice room with attached bath, nothing can be more comfortable than that at the onset of winters.
But the most imporatnt part is food. WHich was not to be served by the PG people..Ohho I simply forgot to write about them. The house was owned by a bengali widow lady with a working daughter. Ironically I shared my surname with her but that did not turn fecund in any way!!! The lady was basically non-interfering kind but sometimes she was really a pain. Her daughter used to stay as a PG in East Delhi which was close to my place. Funny eh!
As for food we used to order from Dabbawalas or tiffinwalas. The food was okay but then tell me how long can one survive on 'Okay' food...tell, tell? The co-habitants did not really matter, I hardly got to meet them thanks to my i-dont-know-when kind of timings. Most of it I really did not want to be the only one who stays near the office. I bet you all know why:P
And on top of it no increments! So 'here I am' back home . Enjoying myself at papa ka hotel.
But I would like to venture out again:)
Now even I can say this! Although I have spent a meagre 5 months away from home and on top of it visited 'home'every weekend yet I have fully understood that there cannot be a better shelter than one's own home.
Our office shifted to Gurgaon, the Indian Manhattan (pun intended, surely) in Nov.08 and since the very thought of travelling 100kms everyday was frightening; I did the best I could do. Shift to Gurgaon. Infact within 15 days I got a nice place. It was nothing fancy I was to be a PG..not post graduate but a paying guest. I was to share a room with another girl. Nice room with attached bath, nothing can be more comfortable than that at the onset of winters.
But the most imporatnt part is food. WHich was not to be served by the PG people..Ohho I simply forgot to write about them. The house was owned by a bengali widow lady with a working daughter. Ironically I shared my surname with her but that did not turn fecund in any way!!! The lady was basically non-interfering kind but sometimes she was really a pain. Her daughter used to stay as a PG in East Delhi which was close to my place. Funny eh!
As for food we used to order from Dabbawalas or tiffinwalas. The food was okay but then tell me how long can one survive on 'Okay' food...tell, tell? The co-habitants did not really matter, I hardly got to meet them thanks to my i-dont-know-when kind of timings. Most of it I really did not want to be the only one who stays near the office. I bet you all know why:P
And on top of it no increments! So 'here I am' back home . Enjoying myself at papa ka hotel.
But I would like to venture out again:)
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