Idle musings

It's a strange thing about memories.We may not realize we are creating some when we are having fun, but later, we introspect and build castles in the air, brooding on how it could have been better.It is not uncommon to deliberately search out a painful remembrance and submit to grief - as a form of catharsis,perhaps.And then,today,we go about finding innovative ways of recording life which only make us forget to live.Our priorities have been drastically altered.

People react to grief in different ways.Some carry the wounds and bitterness all their lives;retaliating at any seeming approach of hurt, whereas others emerge matured and eager to offer love and care to the needy.It is interesting to observe human behaviour and trace actions back to possible causes.Many inherent flaws are caused by a traumatic childhood.

We conform and comply to societal rules to maintain a balanced environment.Suppose you no longer had to care what people said.Free reign has been granted.Imagine the things that you and I would do.We would probably be surprised to find the littlest things we have curbed in order to satisfy complete strangers - starting with dressing, reaching upto career goals and more.I am not envisioning total anarchy,but a world where an individual can follow his heart without worrying about external opinion.But human nature seems to make this seem impossible, as does the idea of a utopian society.

Reading Steinbeck's masterpiece, East of Eden , transported me back to the time when there was virtually no machinery to aid man in his toils. A time minus telephones, modern farming equipment,even refrigeration.It got me thinking about how much we tend to take things for granted.Steinbeck makes it seem so real;we can't help feeling the joys of the simple life,even if we do not have such memories.His insight into the human mind and his relationship with nature,which he effortlessly melds into his writing,never fails to amaze me. Could not a pastoral life in the countryside be better than a life lived within four walls in dingy cities?Money and luxury are never a substitute for happiness and health.Touching as many people's lives as possible,knowing and loving nature - now these are deeds worthy of pride , not a corporate promotion or a new apartment.

The realization  that funerals are for the living came to me only recently.It is a logical conclusion - after all,the dead are going to stay dead. Once a person 'passes on to another realm',so to speak, they are no longer burdened by the sorrows of this world.Compared to us,they are better off.They are not going to return and haunt you with complaints of not having had even a proper funeral. There are things far worse than death,as an experienced man can well testify.Though we do not have solid evidence on this subject which continues to intrigue us, death is a leveller and a welcome deliverance from the evils of this world.

"Malls represent everything that is wrong with our culture",lamented a thespian in a recent Hindi film.I am going to try and analyze that statement with what I know of this scenario.Basically,malls are a place where the well-off see fit to wile away non-working hours.On the other side of the city,the poor and the deprived only stay unprivileged.I feel that these modernized versions of shopping complexes entice the gullible with flashy,avoidable things while huge sums of money are rolling in business. There is massive wastage of electricity - which can be utilized in power-starved areas of our land.Plus,we can't afford to lose existing energy sources when a scarcity is imminent. Exploitation of water - we know our tendency to take advantage of available resources,otherwise the oncoming crisis could be averted. Canvassing - creating a feeling that you don't fit in if you don't possess the latest brand apparel or whatever(the media,especially advertisements,also ...

Think 'survival drama' and the kind of films that come to mind would probably be on the lines of Castaway and 127 Hours . Fast forward to 2017, and Vikramaditya Motwane proves one doesn't necessarily require challenging terrain or literal isolation to unravel a film of this genre onscreen. Trapped, starring the immensely-talented Rajkummar Rao, tells the tale of a man who becomes cut off from the bustling city of Mumbai,when he inadvertently locks himself in his own flat.Although he fails to grasp the gravity of the situation for the first few hours, the ensuing days bring out his resourcefulness,pain and hopelessness. Rao very convincingly portrays the nuances of a character caught in this virtually impossible situation. If you like what you've read, and are convinced you want to watch the film,stop reading;there are spoilers ahead. On further thought,some realities of existence are brought to the fore - how nature offers a helping hand when your own kind are nowhe...

There's a grimness pervading all through James Mangold's   Logan , that foretells death. It was disheartening to see the unbreakable Wolverine resort to drugs and count down his days on earth. Where had all his fury and fervour disappeared to? Doubtless, he has been through a lot, and the sentimental,cliche ending works - after discovering he still has family,Logan dies without being able to be part of it.This is the 10th installment in the X-Men series,as well as the third,and last,Wolverine film featuring Hugh Jackman. Logan serves as a sombre farewell to the unforgettable character,though a little too dystopian for my taste.

He peeked at me from behind trees and buildings as our bus rushed ahead of the morning traffic.All the way to the destination,we were playing hide and seek.Now, he would be blocked from my view by a long array of buildings,or mountain ranges.Suddenly,he would emerge forth again,still as dazzling as I saw him any day,dutifully waking up the world.He was the Sun - prepossessing,powerful and perpetual.

First off, thank you, Garth Davis, for not belonging to the usual stock of directors who perpetually shun India as a land of slums and poverty.Thank you too,Greig Fraser, for giving us such beautiful frames of our motherland.I couldn't be more grateful.Dustin O'Halloran and Hauschka's background score make watching 'Lion' a truly evocative experience.True, Dev Patel received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for this film,and he has delivered a convincing performance,but to me,Sunny Pawar wins hands down.As a young Saroo ,roaming the streets of rural India, who becomes estranged from his family, the eight-year old is astounding with his survival instincts and adaptability.Abhishek Bharate as the elder Guddu is the image of a loving brother,and Kamla(Priyanka Bose) exemplifies the fact that the bonds of motherhood run deep .John(David Wenham) and Sue(Nicole Kidman)are the parents whom any child would hope to have.Lucy(Rooney Mara),along with the s...

The walls of the fort spread out over the vast horizon,twisting and turning around trees and leading the limbs to a majestic view of the landscape.The view was breathtaking - the setting sun lent its rays to  make the most ordinary of sights, extraordinary.The sunset shades made a golden glow touch upon distant lakes and buildings.The eye lapped up the scene as if it was a camera clicking a panorama.Squirrels ferreted by the ruins in search of food,while  pigeons gathered on the rocks looming over the ancient stone structures.There stood  a tree barren of its leaves,and yet it held on to its beauty.Farther away, children could be seen playing in a school compound,making merry under the last rays of the sun for the day.A flock of birds flew away in perfect formation,away,away,back home.Youngsters posed for photos beside a lamppost.Security guards sauntered near the steps leading up to other landmarks in the fort.Occasionally, a few stones would pelter off the age-old ramp...