The Magic of YJHD lies in ...

So finally I watched YJHD today. This is a universally loved movie, but not for a universal theme. I bet, everyone liked this movie for his own reason. What was my reason then? Why I liked this movie? Or rather, why this movie made me dance for a while, made me buzz my friends n shower kisses n love... what was the magic? 

I dunno about the world - the big world on map. But I know about my friends and the little world we have and each one of them, wants to run away, to visit the exotic places, wants to have different experiences, fulfill their dreams - everyone wants to fly high breaking the chains of responsibilities behind and that's exactly what the movie portraits through the character of Ranbir (Kabir) . Dreaming is not wrong, but then what's wrong with him?  Instability. 

Well, unexpectedly it is not Ranbir or Deepkia I could co-relate to . It was Kalki. Yes. Recently even I took a decision that turned my life Upside-down. That brought me - ME- the banjaara types-  back  to home, back to normal life with friends and family, life full of love and togetherness, life of slow but steady growth, life of Stability and Sincerity. 

There are two favorite quotes of mine from this movie - first ,

 " jitna bhi try karo bunny life me kuch na kuch toh chhutega hi , toh jahan hain wahin ka maza lete hain na..." (Deepika - YJHD) 



and second, 

 " kuch logon ke sath sirf waqt bitaane se sab thik ho jaata hai..." (Kalki - YJHD)

Kalki had loved an old buddy but it was on sided love. When she met an engineer through her parents and spent time with him, she realized ; probably what I realized myself, when someone loves you, cares for you, calls you his own and commits to spend whole life together no matter what - you know where your happiness lies. 

You know what, the chase still goes inside my soul, there is still the times of chaos and struggle, but I am glad - I am out of the confusion , and in spite of Million dream lives I wanted to live, I have chosen one dream for this life - the dream of love n cozy companionship. 

The magic of YJHD lies in its message, which the youngsters getting crazy after their freaky dreams need badly today. And the message is - you can not have everything in just one life. If you will run after having all and fulfilling all dreams of yours, you will end up losing all in the end. Not wanting to miss anything, will make you miss a lot in life. So rather than having-all , just have what you have and live it to the fullest. Choose one frame, Accept the limitation, and Paint the best Possible picture. 

Heroine

The movie - Heroine.

A story of the struggle of a heroine.

Just that?

No... it is about fears, insecurities ... you can't trust anyone around you. It is about making a mistake, going into depression, and trying Gracefully to come over it. You know what this movie is about, it tells you, its okay, its okay to commit a mistake, and its never too late.

 No one would understand why you like a certain film, they think you have been fooled or you are over emotional. They don't realize, somewhere it brings to your conscious, some "unconscious urge", they don't understand, you relate to a certain character so well, that you forget about the narration, the slow line story or any damn thing. Only thing that matters to you is, you feel what character feels. You learn a thing for
yourself or what you should do, through a Reel life character.

Well, Kareena is really A STAR.

Johnathan Livingston Seagull and Tuesdays with Morrie

 I read two great books today -

1. Johnathan Livingston Seagull (Richard Bach)

2. Tuesdays with Morrie ( Mitch Albom)

In months, today had been the day I realized, I am the same girl who was five years back. Engrossed in a book, lost the track of time and thinking a lot about life.

I want to talk about these books, although I haven't even talked to myself yet. I can't point out at one thought. But yes, there was something in both the books that made me feel good in many ways.

Johnathan Livingston Seagull is a superb fable that tells you, "heaven is not time, it is not some space, it is perfection." and that " it is for the joy of flight that you fly." and that, ultimate lesson is that of love and compassion, and you don't go up in heaven, but you come back and see good in everyone and see what they can become rather than what they are. But it also tells something more, something subtle, something hard to believe at first and pushes you to try your limits...for that , you have to read the book yourself.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a kind of book, you would love to read again and again in any point of your life, and specially, when you are going to shrink in your body. A dying professor gives his Last lessons to his favorite student about the meaning of life and the meaning of death and lots of in between. It is a very common book, specially for those who have lived in Indian society because they inherit the values of love, relationships and family. But still, the book has much to tell you which you tend to forget in your busy lives.

What being a woman is for me.

What beauty is in there to hold on to your childhood? To hold on to something which is gone, is to "be the native of No Land". People say they don't want to grow up, they want to be still a kid they were. But what good will it do? Beauty is in to flow with the current. If you are on a journey and , childhood was a beautiful country, why you want to stuck up there, the next station may be as beautiful as the last was. 

When I was still a teen, friends would tease as to, oh you have become an aunty ;  ah what crap! you want to marry ; oh there is no fun to celebrate at home.. and so and so... pub, dance, drink, hang-outs, movie, multiplexes, chatting, messaging were the highlights and of course " I want to make a boy friend was a pet dialogue". But would it seem proper to behave the same when you are twenty two? 

At the beginning of my teen, I was almost rebellious and my pet dialogue was-" I hate society". If society thought I should dress up like a girl, I would wear faded jeans and take a boy-cut hair style. At the end of my teen, I thought, the youth is superb, it should never end, I wanted to be as Ir-Responsible, as Careless , as 'Never-Mind' as I can. I craved for an Escape. My fantasies knew no bound. I counted experiences as I counted friends. I wanted More and More and More of all things under the sun. At one moment, I wanted to Live fullest, and just another, I wanted to Die. I suffered from mood-swings. But still, I wanted to be a Girl and I thought Marriage would end it all, staying with parents will kill my Freedom. 

And then there came a moment. I don't know when it came. I can't exactly trace it. But it came slowly and only right now I can talk about it. I couldn't even tell or rather admit this to my friends that now a days, I feel like a woman. Why? What changed? How it happened?  All of these questions can be clubbed into one question - What being a woman is for me? 

So, What being a woman is for me? 

Being a woman is like being a mother. It happens. It is a subtle thrilling feeling. It is miraculous. You become aware of your Wholeness. Remember, 'whole' comes from the same root as 'holy'. You don't care about the contrary opinions. You just listen to them and being unable to make them understand, you just smile and go on. Being a woman doesn't mean you have grown old, dull or boring. But you have opened yourself to the new experiences. It only happens to those who flow with current. Who do not cling to anything 'good or bad'. Who are Natural like trees who do  not stop to grow taller or become fatter, like river who do not say, I don't want to run out of this city. Being a woman is, to humbly accept the responsibilities. And certainly, a woman's responsibilities are much more than hat of a man. A man can, to some extent, afford to be irresponsible but a woman can not. 

A woman is made differently. A man can experience only a few body reactions inside, but to a woman, a whole new world opens up inside. To, what is considered Impurity from Divinity , she experiences all inside her. For me being a woman is, to have immense faith, devotion, tolerance and patience. Only a woman can take all into her being and still have her integrity. When a girl realizes her woman-self, she turns into the most graceful being. 

Satyam Shivam Sundaram

I happened to watch this movie , Satyam Shivam Sundaram , yesterday. It is a beautiful movie. And more so ever, when you realize it has very universal themes. I wanted to write the "emotional reaction" in Hindi, but I decided to write it in English, so that I can convey my message to a wide audience. Specially to those, who wouldn't ever watch this movie.

The movie is directed by Raj Kapoor and acted by Shashi Kapoor and Zeenat Amaan. It is one of the best movies of its time since it conveys a universal message, which in my simple words, is that beauty is not what eyes see, but it is the Truth which heart feels. Doesn't it remind you John Keats?

" Beauty is Truth, Truth beauty ;
That is all ye know on earth,
And all ye need to know. "

I had misunderstood the Keats' message at first, due to my own inferiority complex, perhaps. But the movie captures and justifies with its message completely. Beauty is an idea and our idea of beauty is a reflection of our own heart and soul.

" ye dariya jo tujhe moh leta hai,
dil bhi tera ek dariya hoga ... "

The hero of the movie, is influenced  by his own idea of beauty , of whose glimpse he finds in a village girl, Roopa. Roopa is considered an ill-omen by birth and her face was disfigured by an accident in childhood .No one in village is ready to marry her.While a town boy, Rajeev asks her hand from her father. She refuses to marry Rajeev. But she is married to him. Rajeev when discovers that his wife has an ugly face, he disowns her saying, you are not my Roopa. The Roopa (the idea of his beauty) of his mind does not match with the real life disfigured Roopa.

There is a striking conflict between Idea and Reality. Roopa is awestruck. She has no other option to split herself as Mehbooba and Wife. Rajeev loves her as Mehbooba, meeting her under the bushes when the sun sets. And discards her as Wife, leaving her alone to cry over her destiny. He doesn't realize both are the same person.

There lingers the clouds of pathos in the story at this point. There is also an irony here, a striking one. Rajeev asks his Mehbooba to show her face, while at home he doesn't even bother to look at the face of his wife. Here comes a song... a pathetic , deeply agonizing song, presenting the two point of views.

" Woh Aurat Hai Tu Mehbooba
Tu Sab Kuchh Hai Woh Kuchh Bhi Nahi ... (sings the hero)

Woh Aurat Hai Main Mehbooba 

Woh Sab Kuchh Hai Main Kuchh Bhi Nahi ... (sings the heroine) " 



The most touching nerve of this song is - She is your wife , therefore she is everything. The beloved is same, but the love given in marital relation is much more pure, respectful and enduring. When Roopa's reality of split persons is discovered by one of the servants of Rajeev, and he asks Why? She says, what is not given to me being a Lawful wife, I had to take it by being a Whore. It is her faith, her hope that one day Rajeev will accept her as she is. One day he will realize she is the one whom he loved.

The situation is in literary terms called, Dramatic Irnoy. When the actual situation is known and understood by audience but not by the characters. We know the Mehbooba and Wife are the same person, there is only one Roopa but Rajeev doesn't realize it. The best thing about it is. there is a multiple layer of meaning in this situation.

1. We as human beings , always look things by splitting them into two - Day - Night, Good - Evil , Beauty- Ugly. But the Truth is one. The both things are same, two sides of a Coin. Not even the two sides, just a thin veil of Illusion.

2. We as human beings are fallible. We have an idea of beauty and happiness in our mind, and keep hunting for it through out our lives, like a Kasturi Mrig but what we dose not strike us is, we could have found (or create) beauty and happiness in things that are just there in front of  us.

3. Like Rajeev wandered here and there in search of beauty, but overlooked what was in front of him. Most of us do ignore what is in front of us, and keep looking all life, what is not there.

The dialogues are heart touching. Specially, that are spoken by Zeenat Amaan. She says to Rajeev, you could have found at home, for what you wandered in Jungles.

When he disowns her publicly, pronouncing that you are bearing an illicit child. She says, " Dil ke tutne ki aawaaz nahi hoti, lekin jab wo tut.ta hai to jaljale aa jate hain, tufaan aa jate hain..."

The songs are as meaningful and touching as the movie . You can't miss the title track , and specially these  lines - Radha mohan sharanam , satyam shivam sunderam...

Ajintha: An Untold Love Story

Ajintha : An Untold Love Story directed by Nitin Desai is a Brit-Marathi movie.
This I watched at JIFF (Jaipur International Flim Festival) .



" Story: Known for its classic beauty world-wide, 'Ajintha' caves came into the limelight in 19^th century. What happens after that when a British officer Robert Gill (Philip Scott Wallace) comes to replicate the world-famous sculptures with the help of a tribal woman Paro ( Sonali Kulkarni) is the story of 'Ajintha'. " (TOI) 

The beginning is quite robust, and slowly it takes u in for a sensual and spiritual ride to discover the heights of love and devotion. What I liked best is, the entanglement of Buddha's Message , the Jatak-Kathas , and Buddha's own personal story with the love story of Paro, the tribal girl and Major Gill. Where on hand it reveals the love between two people who can;t even understand each other's language and on the other hand society's rules and intolerance over such love.

A parallel in the story could be Buddha's own tale. Like Buddha leaves Yoshodhra n Rahul behind to pursue his own duty n calling, Robert Gill also leaves behind Paro to organize an exhibition of Buddha's paintings in London, to spread Buddha's message. Another prominent theme of the movie is - Faith.

After Paro's brother has sold her to the Mukhiya, she has devoted herself to the Buddha. Its her faith that she has been chosen for this work, and its her faith in Buddha as well that stops herself to become a hindrance in Gill's path of spreading Buddha's message. She is an epitome of Innocence. She devotes herself like a flower on Gill's feet.



The power of movie lies in the strong amalgamation of sensuality and spirituality. As an audience you feel a sudden urge to live life one moment, and on next you experience the depth of devotion, sacrifice and heights of love. This is an amazing piece of Art and Cinema. Specially an achievement of Marathi Cinema. 

Midnight's Children - Watch it just while you are reading the book

A very Engaging movie. A true Indian Masaala blended with infinite names and fantasies. *oh i can smell the movie...its the roasted beef with paanipuri masaala. Oopz.*  The movie is a treat for those who didn't understand the book, at least they can flaunt what the work is about. The movie is also a Must-Watch for those who don't know Shabana Aazmi, Rahul Bose, Siddharth or Darsheel Safary. Or if you are from SRK camp or Fans of the-heroins-who-don't-know-how-to-act , please watch it. There is Solid acting by Solid horde of actors.

Let me tell you, what to expect from the movie, nothing... nothing but entertainment. Its a pack of entertainment. And yes, a bit of history and fantasy too. But the magic n dream stuff is really a Thing, and now you realize, why the heck it got the biggy award, and the Man biggy, i mean the Booker award.

Undoubtedly, screenplay was written very well. After all, Salmaan knew what all parts are worthy to showcase. If you ask me, what I remember after a day of watching the movie- I would say- Enlightenment. Sudden enlightenment of - - - oh...okay so this was the story, I wonder where was it lost when I read the novel. Alright , there was one more thing - the bed-time song - You can be what you want.... I could feel this was also in relation to - India, as a nation. The movie ends on a happy and hopeful note.

Anita Majumdar as Aunt Emerald

Among star cast , I guess the best acting was done by Anita Majumdar , an Indo-Canadian actor, who played Aunt Emerald. The movie is worth watching. Under the heavy names of Salmaan Rushdie n Deepa Mehta, it has to be, isn't it? 

I am Fool

I was thinking about this for a long, but couldn't find time to pen down my thoughts. Yesterday I was reading about Socrates. It was said, that once this word went on around Athens that Socrates is the wisest in the whole country. Many disbelieved it along with Socrates, so he decided to test wise men in order to prove that he is not wisest in the country. He tested many but they turned out to be not so Wise and at last he sighed and said, alright, I think I am the wisest because at least I know that I Don't Know Everything.

People are arrogant because they think they have knowledge. There are also another kind of people, who are arrogant because they have Knowledge-Thirst. Now this is utterly funny. To me, knowledge is really not everything. One man , who thinks he has all knowledge of the world is nothing for example, if he doesn't understand why his baby is crying or when to speak and when not to.

I have analyzed many strange people and after thinking for months I have come to this conclusion (after years the conclusion may again change, but anyway) To me, an integrated personality would include below points in their order -

1. Knowing your priorities
2. Knowing your responsibilities
3. Knowing what to say and when.
4. Being Positive and Having Problem solving attitude
5. Trying to Improve everyday

* The wise men always speak less, listen more, and express liking and disliking even rarely.

Now let me explain it, those who speak a lot, like,  enthusiastically about the world, its problems, what they like and do not like, how things go about, what went wrong, what was best and so on till the day they die ... they are actually proving (almost every human being, including me) they are Fool, because at one moment you say , this world is Illusion, and next moment you take it for Real. And the most foolish living being on earth ,  call himself, knowledgeable , wise, great...or want to be...

P.S. - she laughs, looks up at the sky, gazes at the stars and at the mystery twinkling through them, she calls them, calls to the wind - 'I am fool, and I am grateful.' 

That Girl in Yellow Boots

"Who's that girl in yellow boots ? "
"Oh I don't care much. But I like her boots."




Well ,  : P Okay. Watched That Girl in Yellow Boots yesterday. The first thing I noticed about the movie was that it was written by Anurag kashyap and Kalki Koechlin in collaboration. Did you notice it too ? And last thing which struck me was- a question , which I ask you now - does it not remind you of Lolita by Vladimir Nobokov?

A nice movie. Just nice if you see it after Gulaal. Nice and different. As the TOI review tells the plot , you can read it below :

Story: Ruth ( Kalki Koechlin), an illegal immigrant in Mumbai, refuses to return to England unless she finds her father, an Indian who abandoned the family when she was a kid. She works in a massage parlour for her upkeep and tries her best to fend off the local goons who want to take advantage of her situation. With a drug addict as a boyfriend, life doesn't seem too much of comfort, except for the presence of the avuncular Naseeruddin Shah, one of her regular customers. Does Ruth manage to find her father? More importantly, does he turn out to be the ideal dad she had always dreamed of....  (TOI)


What I saw in the movie : - a girl and many sick minds who are possessive about her. Now I am almost on the verge of disclosing the climax. Ahh.. no I won't spoil it. But here is something - Ruth is smart, brilliant and shiny British girl who has a boy friend , who is possessive about her and Naseeruddin Shah who seems like the only genuine person around Ruth also shows his possessiveness at one point , though he covers it with the words - I care about her. 

But what with the Yellow Boots? Why she is shown wearing them all through the movie? And why she is shown as holding them in her hands at the end? Will talk about them later. :)

There is one theme Possessiveness that goes through the movie but it has many facets. And at some points it almost overlaps with Obsessiveness.

All I can say in the end is - I tried to pick up Lolita several times but couldn't go through it , thank you Anurag, though with so many limitations of cinema, you provided us with a better Indian flick of Lolita than what the real Lolita could provide.

And yes, loved her Yellow boots :P

Love, Peace & Happiness : What more can you want? By Rituraj Verma

I knew what does insanity mean long before I had read Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. I knew from where it stems, how it grows and unfolds slowly into the dim light of your own head. When I picked up Rituraj Verma's bright-covered book, "Love, Peace & Happiness : What more can you want?" , I didn't know how to read it? No, I am serious. I have read dozen of books this year already, but I didn't know how to read this particular , since it provided alternative endings to the stories which one can read on web-links given at the end of each story. I was not even sure I would like the beginning. But I liked it. I liked the beginning of the book. The foreword by Smriti Verma, the author's wife. And I knew then I would like the book as well. 

Let's not talk about each story the book presents, for you would come to know yourself when you read them. Since there are many stories in the book and many characters who freely move in and out or make a fleeting appearance in other stories, at the end there may be things rather than the characters, you remember. As the author claims that you might relate yourself to at least one of the characters from the book, well, I would say, it is not necessary that you do so. But you might relate yourself to one Feeling at least. The book is grand basil of feelings put up together,mixed well,stirred well, tasting both sour-sweet at the same time  which definitely leaves a mark somewhere on your mind. 

It is rather weird, but looking at the book, all I remember is a word : Penance. It comes from the story - " The Practitioner of Austerity",  I may not feel akin to the protagonist Aparna, but I feel related to the dark word -  Penance. 

From the very first story of the book, one realizes, things are falling apart. Can one blame the sight of the rare Brahma Lotus at the height of the great Mountain? Or as one progresses, one frowns at the speed life is running. Is the Metro City to blame? But then didn't one choose to live in the same city that he blamed? So is it always a matter of choice? What happens when the choice is between your own desire and your duty? is the answer, duty and penance? is it necessary? Who is not a penitent in the falling-apart world? When we don't have any answer for our present miserable condition, we still have a ready-made answer - the penance.   

Like a pinch of salt that makes the food tastier, a bit of supernatural, fantastical and poetical element enriched these stories of common people. These are in fact common people, made uncommon by their very common emotions and actions. When I finished the book and put it on the table, the title glared back at me, it was rather the sub-title that struck me -" what more can you want?"  I had an instant answer. Insanity. Only...only after you have lost some of your senses, you will realize that Nothing matters. And if nothing matters, you can choose anything, you can choose to love, to live with peace and to enjoy happiness. Just Anything !

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

I am a sinful reader, a sort of, an author may desire or not, at the same time.

If Wuthering Heights is my favorite novel, undoubtedly, Thomas Hardy is my favorite author. Hardy is a brilliant author, who stands at the crossroads of Victorian Literature and Modern Literature. Critics , rightly count him as a Modern writer, or if I may say, the first major Modern Writer and also the first Major writer who faced censorship. Of his all three novels that I have read , 'The Mayor of Casterbridge', 'Jude the Obscure' and 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles', I found the last one most moving and poignant tragedy, without the melodrama of 'Jude..' and the overdoing of coincidences in 'The Mayor...'.

There are two things that the title convey - 1. Tess is the protagonist of the novel and 2. Her fate is unwittingly  connected with her ancestry - d'Urberville. The story begins with the discovery on Tess Durbeyfield's father's part that they are actually of the descent of famous and ancient knightly family of the d'Urberville who came from Normandy with William the Conqerer in 1066. After this Great discovery they have become ironically attached to the Dark fate of d'Urbervilles.

In the due course, Tess as well as readers are informed of a rather haunting tale of d'Urberville's non-existent coach(the tale goes as- one of the family of d'Urberville abducted a beautiful lady, who tried to escape from the coach in which he was carrying her off, and in the struggle he killed her , or something like this happened...), whose voice can be heard by one of  d'Urberville blood, and it is held to be of ill-omen to the one who hears it. It has to do with a murder, committed by one of the family, centuries ago. This haunting tale serves as a Foreshadow in the novel. But can one not just Reverse the tale in Tess' case and see it in a light that Tess be the beautiful lady who was abducted and d'Urberville whom Tess killed is the abductor ? But coming out of this ghostly tale, the novel means Much more.

Though Hardy's philosophy be the same in all his major novels, that, 'Happiness is just an interlude in the general drama of pain', here he brutally satirizes the hypocrisy and social conventions of rural Victorians. Tess who was raped by her rich Cousin d'Urberville at an early age of sixteen (or so) , it is she actually who is labelled a criminal and whose execution is demanded to restore justice. Hardy attacks such Irnoy in the last paragraph of the novel -

 'Justice' was done , and the President of the Immortals, in Aeschylean phrase, had ended his sport with Tess.

Hardy is called a Pessimist. But to me he is not a Pessimist. The one who is fighting with God, he at least believes in the existence of God. And his spirit of fighting only indirectly suggests how eagerly he wants to reconcile with God. He is more frustrated at the hypocrisy of Victorian society. Hardy's sympathy is completely with Tess. He shows Angle Clare as a gentleman who is confused with his Religious beliefs. He sympathizes with him at some length but mocks at him behind his sympathy. He shows him regretting his act of leaving Tess behind in England while he has come to New Zealand. And finally strikes a blow at him when he tries to reconcile with Tess :

His had been a love, 'which alters when it alteration finds.' 



Thus inverting Shakespeare's famous line, love ' does not alter when it alteration finds.' Can one call it pessimism? I have a better name for it - Realism. The more extreme form can be traced in his another inversion , that of Browning's famous line - 'God's in his heaven; and all's right with the world'.  "God's Not in his heaven; and all's wrong with the world."  But again I would rather call it Bitterness than Pessimism.

An artist is also a seer, a visioner, a man with sensibilities, a man who has a big picture of the Universe in his mind rather than just seeing what the eyes see and hearing what the ears hear.

Hardy's tragedies reach up to the level of Shakespeare's tragedies. But instead of an 'error' on character's part. which is a hallmark of a Shakespearean tragedy, in Hardy's tragedies, the characters fall at the hand of merciless Society and disinterested Divine Power. Though they are not of Royal lineage in Hardy as they are in Shakespeare but they are humble and with " more sinned against than sinner ". They win our sympathies in their fight with all Powerful Fate and win our heart in showing their Grace even at the worst moments.

Tess makes all the more a gripping tale because it has universal relevance. The way d'Urberville rapes her and laughs away his mistake, the way Angle disowns her although it was he only who persuaded her to marry him, the way d'Urberville blames her to attract him again with her beauty, the way d'Urberville succeeds to persuade her and so on... 

But the most beautiful and perhaps unexpected part for a Hardy's reader is the ending of the novel. In spite of its gloomy ending , it surprisingly leaves us light hearted (shall I call it a Cathartic Effect?). When I finished it, it instantly reminded me of 'Gunaahon ka Devta', by Dharmveer Bharti. There can not be any comparison between the two books though. Again , of the three novels I read of Hardy, Tess is most realistic and balanced one. Tess gets what she deserves at the end at least. And it is much due to the 'changed' Angel Clare, who gets rid of his state of confusion and does not judge Tess. 

P.S. - Some tragedies have enlightening effect, they do not leave us hopeless but more hopeful, for ' what has to come will come', there is only one thing you can live by and that's Hope. 

Gulaal – My Perspective

(While the words ringing in my ear - )

ye duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kya hai ...

 An impressive movie with a remarkable beginning and a little experiment with narrative. After a long gap, that of a week almost, suddenly the images from the movie have began to flip in my mind.

The whole mood of the movie is Disillusionment, and it is also one of its prominent themes. The Rajputanas of Rajasthan are disillusioned after Independence. They realize that their sacrifice, their blood, their treasure has all been wasted. They have not been given the Rights, the Reverence, the Privilege that they deserved. The Rajputs are only giving voice to the general disillusionment felt by everyone after Independence. Moreover, their agony has been highlighted by the fact that the Democracy or Government is doing the Same Thing that they have been accused of. And so,  we all agree. 

The political disillusionment is soon shifted to the disillusionment in all spheres of life : friendship, love, filial relations. Dilip Kumar is the one, trapped in all sorts of disillusionment. Beginning with his enrollment as a Law Student, paradoxically he ends up doing Unlawful actions. He is again disillusioned when he gets to know the Real Politics behind much simple looking college elections for college development. And at last, his disillusionment with Love.

One of the achievements of the movie is - it is symbolical - and the symbol is so well woven that only a critical and observant eye can catch it. Kay Kay Menon is outstanding while Ransa deserves much accolades. Piyush Mishra plays the Elizabethan Fool to the Court and King, here represented by  Kay Kay Menon. The songs of the movie are Poetry in its best progressive movement tone (*). 

There is a sort of Mass Mania in the movie. A mass mania, I would say, is, when common sense has been  given up for a foolish purpose by a certain group. The first thing that hit me was, a different side of Politics. Apart from all mania, stupidity, impossible and almost laughable purpose of Politics shown in Gulaal , the striking thing is , it is shown, grossly at the grass root level - College politics. Where the movies like Singham, Gangajal, Rajneeti, show you the Climax and End, from a very common perspective, of the Honest Policeman or Honest Game-playing Rajneta- Gulaal takes you back to the Beginning - the College Elections - the most hideous side of Politics.  

Another fascinating thing about the movie is - its Title. Such a title invites number of interpretations, which is a pleasure to a searching mind like me. What Gulaal represents? Gulaal is the red color powder used in the Hindu festival - Holi. Thus it is symbolizes happiness, fraternity and love. But have you noticed Gulaal has been used since ages by Revolutionaries? Gulaal, in much Indian sense, also symbolizes Revolution. I have noticed one more thing these days, in all Hindu dharmik yatra or Julus , in which people dance in frenzy, Gulaal has been used, then, does it also symbolize Mania, Frenzy?  Of course, the red color is a dynamic color - representing Contradictory emotions - On one hand, Anger, Hatred, Blood and one other hand,  Love, passion, revolution. One color - many faces. That makes it just a perfect Title.

Well, look at the poster carefully.

(*) - Progressive Movement in Poetry of Hindi Literature was affected by Marxist Movement of Europe, Political turbulence at home and as a reaction of Chhayavaadi Kaavya. The most efficient representative of this Poetry is Ramdhari Singh Dinkar , and one of his most famous lines are - ' Sinhasan khali karo ki Janta aati hai...' , which was used by Jay narayan Prakash as a motto for his revolution. 

Gulaal - Thoughts on my Mind

Just watched Gulaal.



Thoughts on my mind -

1.) Gulaal is a good movie.

2.) At least , it Provokes.

3.) Piyush Mishra ; eh ! he is a Man !!!

4.) Songs - Would have to Read the Lyrics, (as one had to do with the lyrics of Rockstar's songs) that's a compliment, isn't it. And well... the beats will remain for long in the heart. They are very conventional and yet afresh, anew aroma lingers about them - a compliment that even Rockstar missed.

5.) Ground-level Politics - that was the first striking thing.

6.) Violent , abusive, rash, coarse - and yet a poetic feeling wraps them all. Credit goes to the - Symbolism, Dark Characters, Madness, Tragedy ??

7.) Nothing is made up, added for flavor - what is , it is.

Second Thoughts -  


1.) Read about Anurag Kashyap - his life is itself like a movie, interesting ! inspiring !


2.) Madness always adds a poetic touch to the life, literature and movie. Madness mirrors the life within - incoherent, inconsistent and irrational.


3.) The place of Ransa is the Post-Modernism Alive. Bob Marley with Pornographic light effects, sharp red-Green erotic lights, with frames all over the walls. Its not just to create a dark-lusty atmosphere but to emphasize the underlying Plotting and Deceit. 

King Lear and 'an ordinary old man'

Every old man is a King Lear, said Goethe once. But I would rather say, Every old man must be a King Lear.

It is in fact painful to see if an old man is a King Lear half a way and very much an ordinary man , rest his life. I don't know if it was good to read literature. Literature, out a way, did nothing good to me. I keep on meeting Symbols on my way, finding parallels hopelessly and remembering experiences from revered poet's and writer's works. Every day looking at my granddad the lines echo in my ears - 'where palsy shakes a few sad last gray hairs.' or 'when you are old and gray and full of sleep.' What good it is to be alive and be dependent. But I think of King Lear often. It is good to be alive if you are going to have some realizations.

But 'an ordinary old man' is one who : Like King Lear, has lots of Ego, has Dreams for old age, has few good friends, misunderstands one of his child, experiences Ingratitude on other's part and is doomed to a dark fate. And Unlike King Lear , he is thoughtless, repeating mistakes, doesn't realize his mistakes till ends.

Only if 'an ordinary old man' was a King Lear , he would be , in spite of his Ordinariness , 'every inch a King'. Sometimes it is irritating to be with an old man and more because you have read poets and writers about old age , that they disliked being old and they still have immortal yearnings and poetical thirst of knowledge. It is irritating when you are full of Lofty thoughts about old age and what all you get at the end is 'an ordinary old man' dying 'an ordinary death.' You realize you lived in a different world of poetry and imaginations. Because the old age reflected in poetry is still some graceful than the old age seen in reality, let alone experiencing it.

It seems King Lear doesn't exist these days. The towering figure, every inch a king, with capacity to bear the Ingratitude and Storm and a courage to Die... when the reason to live has died.

It is, good to know when to quit Gracefully. 

Between and Beyond : An Impression of two movies - The Piano and The Reader

I deliberately chose a movie. It turned out to be The Piano. I liked something in it at the first glance, I don't know what it was. But I chose a terrible day to watch it. I must confess, I was already lost that day and I couldn't get much out of the movie. The next day early in the morning when the sky was quite blue, blue like the ocean, the movie slowly came upon me. Every scene began to roll in my head and as if I were a Piano myself, knots began to play in me.

No, I am not allowed to be poetic here. For the more prosaic side, I would say, the movie reminded me of another compelling story, The Reader (2008). Why? I guess you would know it only if you watch both movies with a long forgetful gap in between.

To quote IMBD summary of The Reader, " Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial. " Well it is about love. Love which creeps you in a strange way. It creeps you in through a dark passage of desire, passion and anything but Platonic Love.

And the summary of The Piano goes like this , " A mute woman along with her young daughter, and her prized piano, are sent to 1850s New Zealand for an arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner, and she's soon lusted after by a local worker on the plantation. " (IMBD)

Lust? Is it the keyword? But it isn't just Lust - 

George Baines: Ada, I'm unhappy. 'Cause I want you. 'Cause my mind has seized on you and can think of nothing else. This is why I've suffered. I am sick with longing. I don't eat, I don't sleep. So, if you have come with no feeling for me, then go. Go. Go. Get out. Leave!  (The Piano)

I feel am quite powerless to say about both movies. But I do feel about them, I feel about them differently. I read them through my colored senses. And all I read is - Passion. Whether for Piano, a quest to one's own voice or for Letters, uneasiness over one's mortal flaw. Have you ever been ashamed of something? So much so that you put your life in brackets? The Reader is a story of such a character who prefers confinement to reveal a shameful secret - that she can not Read. 

The crux of both movies is love and yet it is not just the love. The movies revolve around strong Female characters who can just not let go of something so Precious, though they can let go of anything else. Ada, in The Piano, let go of her Self, allows Baines to ... do something with her while she plays the Piano. It is a deal. But isn't it more than a deal? One finds the answer when Ada , after he has returned her Piano, being restless, goes to Baines, only to Slap him hard and submit herself again, this time Unconditionally. The Reader is more complex to understand. I watched it perhaps an year or two back. And now I realize I hadn't understood much at that time. 

The human quality and touchiness of both the movies is just enough to make you leave in trance. And when in this trance the words like Lust and Love echo in your mind, you know it, you know there is something between the Lust and Love - something between and beyond...