Idle musings

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 ...