Idle musings

This post is long overdue,but here goes:I hope atleast some of you were fortunate to watch 'Olapeeppi' directed by Krish Kymal, when it hit theatres last September.It tells the tale of a family which falls into poverty once the zamindari system is abolished.The movie beautifully portrays childhood innocence and the village life and landscape typical to Kerala of the 1970s.Punasseri Kanjana, who returned to the silver screen at the age of 89 for this film, makes it worth watching.She is nothing but lovable as that grandmother everyone hopes to have.The movie also stars Biju Menon,Paris Laxmi,Sreejith Ravi,Anjali Aneesh Upasana and Reina Maria in lead roles.Sadly,this movie seems to have been vastly ignored by most viewers,but I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

We really like our elephants caparisoned,don't we? We humans like to dress up, so why not the animals too? I wonder if that is the logic behind this torture on domesticated animals. Adorning elephants in finery during religious festivals is one thing, but there are the other kinds of embellishments - practised especially on cats and dogs - which are painful to watch,even ridiculous.Owners making their pets wear silly dresses,hats, walking sticks and whatever comes to their fancy,and making a show of it by masquerading the poor animal through the streets, on two legs! As if to say,'See what I have accomplished!He is such a good boy!' Yeah,right. We shall see what happens when in a few hundred years, the situation is reversed. The very thought is entertaining.

November 27, 2016 Gauri Shinde's second directorial venture, Dear Zindagi, starring Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan in the lead roles, has already garnered attention for its offbeat take on life. Though it was not as soul-uplifting as I had expected, it was worth the time.The film can be called a letter to life; an introspection of how we lead our lives, the mistakes we tend to make, love, loss, fears, and how to live happily each day despite the obstacles thrown into our path. Alia delivers a convincing performance as Kaira,a young cinematographer, yearning to shoot that first feature film, rather then being trapped in the advertising world forever.She is still reeling from being abandoned by her parents in her childhood, and her relationships fail since she fears a similar abandonment. In comes Shah Rukh (Jehangir Khan),an unconventional therapist , or dimaag ka doctor , who breaks the shackles on taboos surrounding mental health and multiple romantic relationships, helps Kaira e...

The all-pervasiveness of social media is maddening.Silly issues are blown up, the important ones get sidelined, or are brushed away after sparing a few tears. Is that not what we do today? Instead of focusing on one thing at a time and exhausting your resources on it, you keep jumping to different distractions. That's the word for the moment: distractions. I used to think that celebrities must hate the media worst of all, because modern paparazzi has made it their duty to intrude into the lives of whomever they can and make a spicy story out of it.Lord help you, with the possibilities of publicity!You never know around which corner you might spot a camera staring at you.It's always going to be a lens, other stares are focused only on screens these days. Ad now I finally come to the point - film promotions, which have only added to the burdens of actors and takes out all the fun of watching the final product, for the viewers. But the fans don't seem to mind. They are just...

Marvel's 'Doctor Strange' has great talent onboard,including Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams and Mads Mikkelsen. Clothed in stupendous motion graphics is a tale touching upon spirituality, good triumphing over evil, reflections of Dr.Faustus, Christopher Nolan's 'Inception' and Harry Potter(magic,of course).

And Lalettan is back with a bang!Literally. Watching 'Pulimurugan,The Wild Hunter' gave me goosebumps.The character Murugan is reminiscent of Lalettan's 'Narasimham' days. True, I had seen the trailer, praising posts and reviews, but this is not what I expected(Sadly, I underestimated the director Vyshak based on his two earlier films, entirely commercial - 'Seniors' and 'Pokkiriraja').Such astounding reflexes, thrilling action sequences! Apparently, even the action choreographer, Peter Hein, applauded the complete actor's formidable flexibility, during training in Vietnam. There are a lot of themes to look forward to - life in the woods, the relationship between man and nature, illegal trade, how the innocent dwellers of the forest are exploited by the well-off and of course, a man's transformation to a hero. The 2 hour 41 minutes journey is worth it  because all that strenuous work spanning two years has obviously paid off. After two week...

How about this headline - 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, a well laid out rattrap' ? I admit, it's not that good, but atleast it tells you at a glance what all that hullabaloo has finally added upto. For almost a year, there has been an increasing build-up surrounding Karan Johar's new production, titled 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil', with a very interesting star cast, including Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan,Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan. There were even speculations of a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan. All talented, good-looking actors, who made this project sound promising. I needn't have mentioned their good looks, but this movie apparently banks on that as well.If you haven't already, take a look online and you'll know what I'm talking about.So you can imagine the state of affairs leading up to the Diwali release, on October 28,2016. Straight off, let me tell you that the movie is disheartening. It hardly keeps any of the promises made via the endless promo...

It is ironic how we hold certain 'sacred' beliefs close to our heart. We categorise people in the society based on their complexion, employment, ancestry , et cetera. When those we consider inferior to us enter places of worship or even homes, we make it a point to cleanse what has been 'polluted'.As if another person, constituted of the same flesh and blood, can be any different. All anyone needs is food,water and shelter, with a helping of love, if fate favours it. Only our minds need cleansing, nothing else. Bias, ego, prejudice, sense of superiority, vanity, and all those banes reinforced in the past decade need to go, so that we can see each other for the same corporeal beings in which an eternal spirit seeks abode. And that spiritual flame is being put out by all the soot - the dark, vile side of what is apparently the dominant species on the planet.

"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man"-Rabindranath Tagore Children bring such joy into the world.Even if you are not a mother yourself,the sight of a baby is assured to put a smile on your face,unless you are that cold-hearted or too busy to notice.Toddlers clinging to their mother,smiling earnestly up at everyone,with such purity of expression;tugging at hairs and necklaces;sucking on their thumbs;those eagerly seeking to know this new world they are only getting accustomed to...

It is really true, what they say about our ability to achieve whatever we want to. Paulo Coelho has been reminding us of the power of dreams for 27 years. It is just a matter of finding your anchor, be it spirituality, charity, literature or whatever it is that gets you through the worst of days. Yes, any good day can topple in a second, but, if you look close enough, there will always be some bright spot. Like many other things in life, it is easier said than done, but make an effort to think positive. Shake off your conceits and ego, take a deep breath and think the day through. And when struggling, hold on to your inner strength. Experience it and you will find it is so much better than reading or hearing about similar experiences. Experience is the greatest teacher.So, stay strong.

August 4, 2016 Nature is a canvas by herself.Or maybe she is a range of infinite canvases on which the Creator has showcased his unparalleled art. The other day, I spent quite some time in the company of a guy in a blue outfit, streaked with red and deep brown...a kingfisher. I decided to take a better look at his lovely plumage and stepped a little closer. Mistake. Probably presuming that I was about to cause harm, the tiny bird disappeared in a flash of feathers, flying away, away from the clutches of humanity.

Today, I got a chance to behold the changing art scene in my country, on attending a film festival of sorts.Filmmakers seem to be reacting to the noise on and off celluloid, through mostly silent creations.I list a few of my favourites here: A Beast Called Beauty - directed by Aakanksha Chitkara Maybe because I am a woman living at a time when India is renowned for objectification of and heinous crimes against women, this documentary film struck me the most and inspired this post.The film voices the common woes of our sex racked by the rigid concepts of beauty set by the society; a situation only worsened by the marketing techniques of fairness creams and other beauty products.However,the movie ends on a happy note, with the featured females professing to have realised that they have accepted who they are, and are content with themselves.I hope every girl out there does the same. In case your interest is piqued, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M1kI5FNz_g ...

For once, the rave reviews are justified.It is one of those rare instances when close to no promotion pays off for a film, and a socially relevant one at that.'Pink', directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury  is a slap in the face.How else do I describe the hard-hitting dialogues, the sheer bold attempt at honesty? The movie has been framed as "a courtroom drama" where three women fight for justice, the victim becomes the accused and not for the first time, society's views on women are dissected. The "girl safety manual" is ingeniously and impeccably explored. Amitabh Bachchan is undoubtedly the glorious driving force of this traumatic tale. Every single person out there, irrespective of gender, must make time to watch 'Pink', especially since we live in times of 'women empowerment' ,which has obtusely led to an appalling increase in heinous crimes and has twisted the concept of feminism, maybe even to the point that it cannot be salvaged. W...

Let's focus on the educational circle for the moment.There are teachers,and then there are students. We all have known the former breed,and there are several kinds.There are those who mug up , those who put up a charade of teaching, those who show up just to ensure their paycheck, those who constantly make excuses to bail on the students...but then,there are the Luminaries - exemplary, dedicated men of letters who put in their everything into the subject of their passion. Their love for the profession will be obvious in the way they light up from the inside while lecturing, their pure energy of a purpose being served, the happiness and knowledge they incessantly pass on to the pupils, their eagerness to be always engaged - I hope atleast most of you have come across one such tutor in your life, whom you can undoubtedly count on, perhaps on non-academic issues too.Thank your faiths for having that pedagogue touch your life. Be grateful, and keep learning. It's one way of being ...

Maybe my imagination is getting the better of me, but since the year 2010, I have noted too many artists passing on - not just worldwide,but closer home too- some in the prime of their youth, some with still greater work to contribute.There have been weeks dotted continuously with death in the news, and I couldn't help wonder - Why?Has some kind of ill fate befallen the worldly tribe of artists?I am not one for superstitions, but I do seem to witness a lot of losses in the world of creativity.Take the past few months, for instance - Prince,Paul Cox, Abbas Kiarostami, K.G.Subramanyan, Mahasweta Devi - and that is not the end of the list. Maybe it is a personal lapse;perhaps my memory is not helping,or I started noticing too late. Nevertheless, "Death,be not proud" ('Death',John Donne).

Lazy.sunny Sundays are so enjoyable.You can finally catch up on some reading, try out that new recipe, go on a short trip, or engage in whatever other activity which you find relaxing,before you plunge into work again tomorrow. Put a smile on someone's face today. Work out an exercise schedule.Drop in to surprise an unsuspecting friend or relative.Save the movies for the next weekend, because finally time seems to be taking it slow.Do something which energises you, enlightens you, empowers you.

Though the reviews were not encouraging, I watched 'Madaari' placing complete faith in the lead actor Irrfan. I was rewarded. The plot follows a middle-class man who loses his young son to a man made disaster,thus making him hate those in power.The anguish of not even the body being retrieved and no less guilt, instigates him on the path to retribution.He kidnaps a politician's son and the child in turn, brings out the father in him,as well as bitter memories.'Masoom Sa',chronicling the birth of his only child and his years of single parenting is a beautiful ode to broken families,offering hope of finding happiness no matter the circumstances. Irrfan proves his mettle yet again through seemingly effortless acting.Jimmy Shergill and Vishesh Bansal have delivered good performances.Amazingly, the kidnapper-victim duo who oddly strike up an understanding(Stockholm syndrome,as helpfully put forward by the boy himself,and reminiscent of Imitiaz Ali's 'Highway...

I watched Kabali more to know what the hype was about than anything else.I am not a Rajini fan per se, therefore I didn't try too hard to get tickets the same weekend of the release, never mind the first day.The worldwide promotions were hard to miss, with the trailer and songs popularised over varied media beginning a month or more prior to the film hitting theatres(not to mention the star adorning AirAsia flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur) , so much so that the 'Neruppu Da' score was a common favourite by that fateful Friday, with the background music (starring the toxic electric guitar and drums)blazing out of speakers and mouths several times a day.Even before the release date, Kabali broke several records, clear signs of fans lapping up the Thailaiver's salt and pepper,as well as vintage look, the world over. The tricky question is, did Kabali live up to the expectations?Yes and no.Director Pa.Ranjith has worked at bringing down the actor's stardom and awak...

Learn to laugh at yourself. While that is a lesson in humility, here I'm going to talk about another way of laughter.Perhaps because I'm in the middle stage - out of school and not qualified yet for a job - that I can look around and find many scenarios to laugh at.Mind you,this is not out of a feeling of condescension,patronizing or degrading others.Since I've chosen the arts, I can smirk when I see students poring over textbooks, preparing for entrance exams and a horde of others to get into reputed institutions.I can smother my snickers when I see newly employed youngsters('upstarts',in the words of Joseph Addison) making themselves look ridiculous while spending money, or parents having a hard time controlling kids who are a handful.Reading 'Marley & Me' brought to mind that last scene. Being in those situations is a world apart from witnessing it from a distance and though I sympathise with those I observe, I find relief when I see greater struggl...

Though in recent years, there have been considerable discussions regarding the unsung heroes that homemakers are, I still feel that theirs is an unappreciated breed.By 'unappreciation' I mean a general neglect and ingratitude for the tasks which they dutifully carry out every day. The receiving end(usually the spouse and children) are free to take out the woes of the day out on this one person managing chores which keep the delicate wheels of the family and thereby,the home, oiled and running.We tend to forget that they too might have had a bad day,might want to take a break,or might be suffering from some physical ailment.In short, we conveniently choose to ignore the fact that they need to taken care of once in a while too.Just a helping hand, a word of thanks, and an assurance of health and peace in every home, to every 'domestic engineer' out there can make a huge difference.Though the change will be gradual, at the end of the day, those involved will be all the mo...

Why do we judge so? A person who wears glasses or spends too much time reading is a certified nerd. That one person at the workplace who refuses to party or get drunk - ignore the uptight idiot.Not paying enough attention to your outward appearance?Uh oh, you are in danger of being labelled out. I doubt the words 'relationship' means anything anymore.Any kind,for that matter. Those of you lucky enough to have loved ones stay with you through the highs and lows, cherish them. Caste, creed, complexion, income, social status - all these mundane categories don't matter.It is ridiculous to assume you are perfect in every way possible and are thus eligible to label everyone else.If it takes a blow in life for you to get that fact into your thick skull, too bad. Ever heard of 'finding a gem in the trash'?Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles,but if you remain open-minded, you might one of the greatest discovery of your existence.One that really co...

Nowadays I often wonder where we are headed as a race.A sweep through the morning paper reveals the sad condition of humanity.Maybe my view is pessimistic, but ironically, we are doing all we can to erase homo sapiens from the face of the Earth.Not just disregard for the environment, but that for each other as well."No man is an island,unto himself" rings hollow in the present day when young men and women refuse to lift up their gazes glued to screens,which are apparently more gripping than life brimming around.Of course,technology, which has reduced productivity and made couch potatoes of many, is not the only bane of today.Unhealthy food habits and lifestyle, an increasing trend to imitate the Westerns, self-centered goals, severed family ties, rearrangement of priorities(often money comes first) all characterize the racy generation caught in an endless cycle of work. We forget to spend time with those dearest to us,or we simply put forward the old excuse of 'lack of ...

It can be said that a person is at their most vulnerable when they are asleep.Sure enough,even the most mischievous brat will seem oh-so-innocent in slumber.I know someone who gives magnificent postures in  siestas.It is delightful to watch,I tell you.I will attempt to describe a few of the poses I have beheld - mouth agape,neck bent backwards,seated on a wooden chair; one hand and one leg over each armrest,snoring like a king on the sofa; or on the bed,one knee bent and the other leg placed above it!How can a person slip into unconsciousness like that,I wonder.

What is it about travel that is so.. magnetic?So much so that Tennyson's 'Ulysses' felt the whole unexplored world always beckoning to him,never letting him stay idle? Even the common portals of a journey - a train station,for instance - are fascinating,even if you are not a traveller yourself.There are the expected sights - stray dogs,vagrants,porters,policemen,loiterers,who blend in with the constant smell of urine,the blaring television screens fighting for attention over the announcements of arrivals and departures of locomotives.But they never get boring.You look at these people crowding the platforms,the ticket counters,the waiting rooms,the overbridges,pretty much everywhere...and there is a plethora of emotions,ranging from hope to despair.Lone travellers descend and look around for porters,others alight to embrace their loved ones,and still others arrive in groups,fresh and renervated from shared experiences.The sense of discovery,of belonging and being alone at t...

A few hours of power outage is bliss.Well,assuming you are done with immediate tasks for the day.Then,one can resort to being old school for a while.To use any kind of electrical equipment(which sum up our lives nowadays)is impossible.If your phones and gadgets are out of charge,then all the better.Pick up that book you have been putting off reading for forever,or take the chance to spent quality family time by engaging in indoor games(dust off that old carrom board,will you?)or just conversing.I bet you haven't done face-to-face conversations in a while.Good old spring cleaning is bound to help.You could engage in some rudimentary cooking(fuel is still available)or just take a walk,minus the headphones.Do anything that fits your fancy,something you haven't done ina while but would cheer you up.If you quit complaining,this day could turn out to be a refreshing,much-needed break.Let's see how you do!

'Ozhivu Divasathe Kali' is striking in its sense of realism.Helmed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan,the film tells the story of five men engaging in an 'off-day game' on the day of elections.They find a comfortable spot in the woods for what is basically a booze party.Conversations border on politics and society.Predictably,the drunks individually make a move on the woman serving drinks and get paid for fooling around.Fights ensue,but alcohol comes to the rescue again,though temporarily,mind you.They decide to top off this day of drunkenness with a childhood game,but all goes asunder when the wild friends 'punish' the burglar(a fairly simple game involving the four characters of 'king','minister','cop' and 'thief' ;the cop must find the burglar and the king along with a fifth 'judge' will pronounce the punishment)  as per the rules.While four remain in a frenzy,the fifth sways from the railing,dead,swaying sadly like the rooster...

'Dhanak' is truly a splash of all colours. Laced with love,life and the innocence of two kids who set out on a daring journey,it is definitely everything the title offers,and more.Music and mirth light up the sands and humble homes of Rajasthan. Chotu and Pari are gems who are sure to steal many hearts. And when Chotu sees the world again,you can't help feeling a sense of contentment.Heart swelling up,the whole bit. Thank you, Nagesh Kukunoor ,for a film that is simply BEAUTIFUL!

You are reading 'If On A Winter's Night A Traveller' by Italo Calvino.You arrange yourself so as not to be disturbed by external forces.You are confused.Where is the story taking you?The lone traveller at the unknown station,the intriguing tale of Gritzvi and Zwida...one moment you are sitting up,caught up in the story and the next,your brows furrow,your fists clench unconsciously around the binding,and you helplessly try to snatch the thread that seems to be eluding you.Just when you have given up,things fall back on track,you smile in realization,giving yourself a little shake,even smacking your head,wondering at the unexpected revelations laid out before you.Your brows clear and the book has your rapt attention again. Neverthless,each cliffhanger brings out a sigh,until the parallel theories get you thinking deeply,foraying into annals of the mind previously unexplored.What seems to be the final novel seems to end things abruptly and violently,which you find rather out ...

You might think living life from one day to the next is boring - seeing the same people,doing the same things,even taking the same route.Apart from the changes you can bring in to infuse a sense of novelty into the usual,about which enough has been spoken,let me try and help you to find the new in the old. The key is to observe.Open your senses to your surroundings,whatever maybe the mode of travel - (unless you are the one driving,in which case,do focus only on that).Look around,watch life going on.The sights you see will vary slightly everyday,depending upon the timing, and of course,from place to place. One day,on the way home,I was just looking ahead at the usual view but suddenly spotted a bike with dancing taillights.That's right.Due to lack of proper fixing or whatever,both hindlights were bobbing up and down while the vehicle puffed and panted forward on the uneven road.Looked like they were animated characters doing jumping jacks,and that set me laughing,even reminding...

Cloud formations are fun to watch.From the time I saw them as mouth-watering dollops of ice cream,as a kid,to now,when these masses of moisture present themselves to me in different shapes,the sky has been an innovative canvas showcasing nature's varying moods.Sometimes I trace a horse,an elephant, a puffy chariot escorting the Sun,a giant spaceship,whipped cream smeared on the sky,or just an expanse of black,thickening until it breaks out in a heavy downpour - fury unleashed as light,water and sound,but also as a blessing to life on Earth.

What do you do if the unthinkable happens and you are stuck in limbo,unable to be of any real help to a loved one who is fighting for their life?Director Anu Menon attempts to explore the idea of two people waiting for the verdict of their respective spouses- a man(Naseeruddin Shah)whose wife has been in a coma for eight months, and a young woman(Kalki Koechlin)who finds it hard to cope in the face of her husband's accident,resulting in brain injury,in 'Waiting'.Shiv Nataraj is very amicable with the hospital staff ,has been married for forty years(with no kids)and has an impeccable schedule.He religiously takes care of his wife.reading to her,checking on her everyday, and constanly wishing for her to wake up.He reads medical journals and is aware of the advancements on that front.Tara Deshpande is the exact opposite,recently married and the symbol of the young generation who say whatever they feel,with no grace,in Shiv's opinion. Neverthless,they bond over their commo...

Superhero films are not all about made up heroes and villains,or the visual effects,even.Look closer consciously and you will find humanity peeping out of the frame.The triumph of good over evil is definitely a recurring theme, but played out beside essentially humane experiences and emotions,it almost always works,and for a wide audience too.The successful X-Men franchise,or standalone movies like Guardians of the Galaxy stand testament to this fact and are but a few examples in the wide spectrum of Hollywood(you have to admit,they are still the best at what they do).When a man with a tormented past turns villain,it is not altogether unexpected and the audience cannot exactly hate them;they are no longer the cliched Satan in disguise.The other characters too may possess supernatural powers,and may side with good or evil but they are all ultimately human and that makes the story relatable. Of course,these impossible worlds are conjured up by humans themselves,so it is inevitable that ...

Never miss a chance to enjoy nature in all her glory.One fine afternoon,suppose you step on to a terrace or balcony and marvel upon the unusual silence.With hardly any automotives on the road,the air is enlivened by the lively chirping of birds - robins,barbets,woodpeckers,parrots and several others you cannot spot.It is not very different from the early morning hours when the same winged creatures creep out of their nests and fill the air with their chatter.But now,you feel a difference - it is as if they are transmitting their carefree energy onto you.You look around,take it all in.Parallel homes,some flaunting similar patios,some not;birds flying or huddling together in the distance;leaves of the nearby neem tree swaying in a gentle breeze;a cat sauntering across the garden;a lone traveller walking on the street and pet dogs barking,issuing threats to strangers.A languidness evades you while looking at this relatively peaceful scene, of sleepy hours in a residential area.You look u...

It's an interesting thought : how the world transformed from a time of quiet villages,monarchs and highway robbers to suburbs,democracy and active nightlife.I suppose the underlying things are the same-make money,find a way to press on,whether you lead a sedentary or rural life.From an age when people feared to venture out at night and were superstitious about going on long journeys, to a period of freedom,changed ideals and a new,golden world(atleast that is what some like to believe,eh?).Life does not change much.Over the millenia,new generations of humans find novel methods of adopting deceiving appearances,a new order of society is brought in and so on.We like to think we will endure;that we have reached the supreme level among all things living and bring silent chaos upon each other anyway.

'Duma' is one film I always love to watch.Directed by Carroll Ballard,it beautifully portarys the relationship between man and animal.On the outset,we see a young boy,Xan, growing up with an orphaned cheetah for a pet in Africa and how his father's death leads to a chain of events - we see Xan facing life head-on and how the tame cheetah and the African wild help him embrace the truth.The delightful feature of the movie is that there are so few characters,and more of the animal kingdom than man.'Duma' upholds the fact of nature being the only unchanging,all pervading element in life, a home for anyone "who doth ambition shun" and is "pleased with what he gets" ,to quote the Bard of Avon.Recently,a video of a lion being reunited with his adoptive parents (albeit,human)brought back fond memories and initiated this long due post.Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZIQUb-d4GQ

Suriya's latest flick,'24' is obviously about  time travel,with humour and romance thrown in to amp up the audience.If H.G.Wells toyed with the idea of a machine that would take man through the ages,then Vikram Kumar has taken a more direct approach of a watch being the medium for experiencing a different lifetime.And the sets,the exotic locations,the impressive makeup(Suriya dons four roles)plus the visual effects all work in favour of the theme and make the film worth watching. Nithya Menen delivers a  noteworthy performance,but Samantha ends up being the atypical clueless heroine who serves only masala entertainment.Among the songs,'Aararo' is a lullaby worth lending a ear to.Expect a lot of punch dialogues,colourful songs and the many facets of an actor fighting the good old fight against,well,evil.

Arvind Swamy's acting skills were not enough to turn 'Dear Dad',directed by Tanuj Bhramar,into a successful coming-of-age movie.They cut to the chase too quickly,which works against the tide,especially for such a sensitive subject as a teenager('Shivam',essayed by Himanshu Sharma) coming to terms with the fact that his father is gay.Clearly,the movie could have been scripted better,exploring how the young son grows to accept his dad for himself again.Despite its faults,the film is watchable for the good performances and the cinematography.

If I had a say,I would state that 'James and Alice',directed by Sujith Vasudev,is a very underrated movie.Reviewers had lauded the film for introducing a new concept into Malayalam cinema,but I never expected the second half to give pleasant flashbacks of the likes of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', 'Bruce Almighty' and 'Inception'.Apart from stellar performances by the lead pair and the supporting actors,the film highlights family - "Is there a more beautiful scene to behold?"(than a happy family),in the words of Peter the godsend,who ushers James's soul into a retrospective of his past;an auditing of his mistakes in life,if you will.Though the trailer and songs deceptively point towards a love story,'James and Alice' is much more,with innovations in storyline,cinematography and other aspects of cinema I am sadly unaware of.As a viewer,I can definitely say that Sujith Vasudev's debut film is an unprecedented yet proud ...

Justice for Jisha.This has been the hashtag trending on popular social media for the past few days,while the public followed the impending investigation of the heinous murder and rape of a young girl in South India.For those of you who are uninformed,let me draw your attention to this small part of the world called India.Not too long after the Nirbhaya case(Delhi) rocked the whole nation into uniting for a just cause,an even more inhuman act was reported further south,proving that the ripple effects could spread closer home,Contrary to our beliefs that we,our homes,friends,relatives will always be safe (here I'm talking about any possible threat to human life),the incident has brought to light the frightening struggle that marks the survival of women in India.The victim was severely wounded,lashed at as if caught in an animal attack,in several parts of her body,resulting in 38 slashes and the surfacing of  internal organs .I do not need to describe any more the savageness of the e...

I call myself a book addict,and yet I haven't written a single post on my favourites(because that list keeps growing).For now,I'm just going to list out a few recent reads,which I would gladly recommend. WILD   by Cheryl Strayed HALF OF A YELLOW SUN     by Chimamanda Ngozhi Adichie TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD    by Harper Lee THE KITE RUNNER    by Khaled Hosseini ME BEFORE YOU    by Jojo Moyes

It's just an errant thought,not aimed at anyone in particular,but I sometimes wonder if humans are the stupidest race on earth.To be open-minded,to be kind,to help each other grow and live in peace are acts that come to us as easy as breathing.Which is why children are always born innocent.Their unexpected questions often shut us up,because adults,'who know best' are quick to build up walls in their minds,to butter their words rather than have a heart-to-heart talk and evolve into back-biting snakes with age.And to what effect?Call me behind the times or whatever,but if you think about it,it is plain simple that our selfishness only breeds negativity.J.B.Priestley's essay 'On Saying Please' comes to mind.Priestley talks about how if bad manners are infectious,then so are good manners.If only we realised the impact of the minutest of our actions!I personally feel that a simple smile,a positive remark or an act of kindness lightens up my day instantly.However,it ...

Aha!Yet another lucky choice.I had seen a few promos of 'Nil Battey Sannata',directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari at PVR,and was immediately hooked.Like many other previous films,I got the feeling that here was a movie that shouldn't be missed.I was right. Swara Bhaskar and Pankaj Tripathi rock the show in this profound tale of the power of dreams,education and the delicate mother-daughter relationship.There is a lot of innocence there,which we hardly see in real life.Also,the music blends with the storyline and beautifully adds to the emotions onscreen.From the first scene,we see a single mother urging her unwilling daughter to school,juggling jobs to make ends meet,ready to sacrifice anything,if only to make her child get that dream job and financial security that she failed to earn.She is initiated back to school by an understanding employer,whom she serves as a maid,to nudge Apeksha,her only daughter,in the right direction to write the Civil Services exam.In the process,cha...

All of us will have gone through that stage in life when we idolised celebrities,or people who represent our vision of life.Anyone who appreciates that feeling can connect with Gaurav Chandna in Shah Rukh Khan's 'Fan'.In a rare spectacle of Indian cinema,we get to see one of the greatest actors of the industry essay the role of a fan as well as the star he admires,or rather,obsesses over.In fact,the trailer itself proclaims this fact out loud - SRK in and as FAN.I have to admit,I've always liked his performances,but this movie catapulted me into the fan horizon(still only a mediocre one,though).Perhaps this development was aided by another ardent fan,a friend of mine,who is a walking encyclopedia of the Badshah of Bollywood.The lone song 'Jabra Fan',in which an adorable Shah Rukh establishes his fandom,was released as part of the spotty promotions but sadly,was not included in the movie.Ironically enough,a majority chose Gaurav(the fan) over Aryan Khanna(the su...

A short,sweet film based on the fable by Rudyard Kipling.That is the 2016 adaptation of The Jungle Book,in a nutshell.With commendable acting by Neel Sethi, astounding animation and dubbing,the film will surely appeal to all audiences.Not to mention we have Priyanka Chopra giving voice to the serpent 'Kaa' in this film(in the upcoming Hindi version)and the likes of Ben Kingsley(Bagheera) and Idris Elba(Shere Khan).The film is definitely sans the usual drudgery of remakes,which makes it all the more worthwhile.

'Kapoor and Sons',a hit? Surprising. Despite an interesting cast,but  with names like Alia Bhatt on board, I hadn't expected much from this movie. The songs are fine, the trailer left me fairly sure that the story involved a love triangle. The actors kept insisting that the movie is about family issues, though, and this is where they have played their cards right. The promos reinforce the image of the two brothers(Fawad Khan and Siddharth Malhotra)falling in love with the same girl(Alia Bhatt),but those who take the chance and actually watch the movie are bound to be startled yet happy. Yes, 'Kapoor and Sons: Since 1921' is the story of a dysfunctional family set in Coonoor,south India, with stellar performances by Rishi Kapoor,Rajat Kapoor,Ratna Pathak and Fawad Khan. Harsh and Sunitha's two sons are novelists - Rahul (Fawad) already has a bestseller to his name and is settled in London, hereas Arjun(Siddharth)is struggling to gain stable ground in the same ...

I am four days late,but better late than never. I am so glad that Leonardo Dicaprio has finally won an Oscar for Best Actor,and that too,for a spectacular film like The Revenant.I couldn't be more proud!Oh,this is such good news!There is a God.Thank you so much!

I was one of the privileged bastards who witnessed The Revenant today, in an air-conditioned theatre with refreshments, while Leonardo Dicaprio fought tooth and nail to survive all odds after being pummeled by a bear in the woods. The year is 1832 and the movie is based loosely on the novel of the same name by Michael Punke,on the fur trapper cum survivalist Hugh Glass, whose drive for revenge miraculously brings him back from the dead. Watching The Revenant is a spectacular experience in itself, I tell you. Each frame is so beautiful, perfectly capturing nature's beauty and wrath, in all its purity..it is nothing short of breathtaking. The entire film(156 minutes)has been shot in natural light and in the silence of the theatre I could truly appreciate the impact of every movement onscreen. Leonardo Dicaprio has shown us his best yet, with a character he himself admits has been the most difficult to film in his career, what with director Alejandro G.Inaritu daringly ven...

Films come and go,but a few are immortalised in our hearts for the sincerity the filmmaker has shown to the art,for the facts they have uncovered,for the untarnished ordinariness or just for the temporary purgation they offer.'Neerja',the biopic featuring Sonam Kapoor as the 22-year old braveheart who saved 359 souls onboard the hijacked Pan Am flight 73 in Karachi back in 1986,is a must-watch.Frankly,Sonam blew me to bits with her power-packed performance,shuttling between being 'Ladoo' to her Punjabi family,and her first day as head purser for Pan Am.As I read on reviews online,"She makes us believe that she is,was Neerja. Truly,"This is the Sonam we've been waiting for."As for Shabana Azmi,no one could convince me that she isn't Rama Bhanot.She delivers a heart-rendering performance,and her words a year after Neerja's murder would move anyone to tears.I am no mother,but I too felt her loss."Jeete Hain Chal" is a beautiful song wh...

*WARNING - SPOILERS* Wazir.What do I write about this film?I had followed its promotion faithfully,starting with the release of the simple love song,'Tere Bin',which is still a favourite of mine.Perhaps even mores so,after watching the film today.I knew there was something special about this film right from the moment I saw the trailer(I get this feeling only regarding rare films.'Iyobinte Pusthakam' and 'Piku' come to mind.).There is something truly charismatic about the bond Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar share in this movie.Both of them grieve for their lost daughters,murdered,no less,and unite for the cause of revenge-playing the roles of Omkar Nath Dhar,a prodigious chess master ,and Dhanish Ali,a brave ATS officer,respectively.The movie lasts a short 1 hour 43 minutes,and yet offers heart-rendering performances by the lead actors,and Aditi Rao Hydari looks every bit the beautiful mother she plays in the film.Hats off to Bejoy Nambiar,Vidhu Vinod Chop...

There is no end to my guilt trips.When I have to turn away,pretending not to see a beggar knocking on the windshield,I feel like a selfish prig.I want to help,I know it's unfair not to.But how do I know if their supposed poverty is legitimate?It is better to search out the needy personally and provide them with food or clothes,whatever they need,rather than giving money,which may or may not be misused.                                                                 -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - -  - Even while driving,if and when I invariably refuse to let pedestrians cross,or to hit the breaks just long enough for other vehicles get into line before me,I feel guilty.What would I feel if I were in their position?Someone has to adjust.One can't stay blocked in an intersection or a U-turn forev...