Pyaasa (1957) – A Film By Guru Dutt

I am on course to fulfill my zest to take a glimpse at some of the finest films crafted in Indian cinema. Pyaasa definitely ranks amongst the top and I need to tell you folks that I just witnessed a work of a genius.

We all have heard, read and applauded the craftsmanship of Guru Dutt, but if we really have to take a glimpse of his talent, then you have to watch his movies. His script, the dialogues and the monologues, the melancholy that surrounds the apt story-line and mellifluous rendering of the divine words (Sahir Ludhianvi) by Rafi saab are just perfect. Pyaasa kept me glued to the screen for approximately 3 hours and even though it was not very positive frame by frame, but extremely thought provoking and inarguably, very intriguing and subtle. The casting was impeccable too. Waheeda Rehman looks like a deprived angel and Mala Sinha looks very beautiful.  Rehman as Mala Sinha’s consolation husband is impressively crooked. A young Mehmood was refreshing to watch and Johnny Walker was immensely entertaining.
I always wanted to watch Guru Dutt’s films (especially since I have heard and read so much about him) and Pyaasa proves that he was indeed a filmmaker beyond his times.

The Monarch Gets His Share of The Pie.. Finally..

He has belted every record with phenomenal ease and an effortless display of authentic batsmanship. Today, was no different. When Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar touched the 200 mark, we all witnessed history in Gwalior. The man possessed with almost every record in the cricketing fraternity (A triple century in tests and highest individual test score still eludes him), achieved this feat in an incredible fashion. Every shot of his was class and punctuated with all his favorite strokes in the book. The wagon wheel displayed the true picture, he was there everywhere. The Master eclipsed the long standing record (13 years) of Saeed Anwar (which was later equalled by Charles Coventry in 2009) and the great sigh of relief was evident. If someone could surpass it with style, it had to be him. And he delivered with a bang, which eventually sealed the series for India.

Sachin, as we all know, never displays his emotions explicitly. Even this monumental occasion could not invoke reactions out of the great man and the only gesture was his usual way of thanking god, raising both his hands and closing his eyes for few seconds, while the crowd went berserk.

I don’t think the ‘Guru’ of cricket will ever have disciples, simply because his exploits can never be emulated, superlatives are just not enough for the batting maestro.


Hail Tendulkar!

Drama & Euphoria at the Eden..

It was a stupendous test match on a perfect platform, ‘The Garden of Eden’. India scripted a historic victory when they were almost on the verge of losing it out to the weather gods. But fortunately, rain stayed away on the final day’s play and it was left to the Indian bowlers to chop the remaining of the proteas line up. And did they do it in style..?? Oh yes. Despite losing Zaheer, we kept the momentum up and the fantastic bowling performances added to the glitter (Bhajji was back to his exploits in Eden and Amit Mishra played havoc with his leg breaks).

Earlier on, the South Africans lost their last 7 wickets for just above 30 runs and that for me (and MSD) was the biggest turning point of the game. And from their on, our in-depth batting line up came to the foray and we simply batted south africa out of the game. The last time we had 4 centurions in an innings was way back in 2007 in Bangladesh. That, in itself, is a testimony to our performance and control over the proceedings. Laxman continued his run feast at a venue which became his own in 2001. The visitor’s biggest asset and take away from this tour was the phenomenal run feast from Hamla’s willow. He was nearly invincible and would not forget his exploits of this tour in a hurry (except the outcome of the last test). But after the swashbuckling win in the first test, the visiting team didn’t do too many things right at the Eden.

A great advertisement for test cricket, this victory helped India retain the No. 1 spot in tests, but how long will they sustain it is a debatable subject to ponder on. For now, we are basking in Eden’s victory josh and let’s all live this moment to applaud the Indian team. Way to go!!

Rann – Intensity with Panache

I always watch RGV’s films with a sense of unpredictability. He is one of those few maverick filmmakers who can make an absolute gem one day and a disastrous dud on the next. Rann, fortunately, falls in the first category. And in the process, has ended up in creating a classic from his stable.

The very serious and sensitive battle of media, politicians and the middle men has been portrayed with an impeccable sense of responsibility and controlled aggression. The characters have shown discipline and have delivered their parts with conviction. It is not easy to make a film on a subject which is not only global, but equally invigorating, yet an enigma. More than the story, the treatment of the subject has been terrific (as is the case with most of RGV’s flicks).
Now, coming to the casting and technical aspects. Most of the cast is well etched but the biggest disappointment for me was Rajpal Yadav. He is a very talented actor, but off late, he has got in to the wrong side of the wall, I thought he was wasted in his role here, anybody could have done this, why him? I don’t think a film like Rann needs such characters to survive. Others are all their in frames and have done their job decently. Ritesh was restrained, Paresh Rawal was at his usual self and Sudeep was okay. The ladies of Rann were subdued (understandably) and though all of them looked ravishing, special mention for Neetu Chandra. It was nice to see Suchitra Krishnamoorthy on screen after a long time and Gul Panag was just about there. Mohnish Behl probably landed up on the role of his lifetime, and he comes up with a strong and arguably, the finest performance of his career. Last but never the least, I don’t think I have much to say about Mr. Big B. He was definitely towering above everybody else, and needless to say, comes up with yet another performance which could be touted as one of his most admirable. The last 30 minutes belonged to him and he proved why he is the Baap of bollywood.
In all, it was a film made with lot of sincerity and RGV is back after a series of not so impressive flicks. For me, Satya still remains RGV’s finest ever, but Rann is definitely up there with few others.

Avatar – A Series of Bizarre Occurrences..

Avatar for me was an extravaganza of superlative visual graphics and mind boggling execution of 3D technology. And with that, I am done commenting about all the good things about this multi million blockbuster.

Let me make myself very clear that fantasy has never excited me, probably I am too much in to the fraternity of realism and method cinema. Some commercial flicks do entertain me and I am fond of sci-fi thrillers, but this one was a bit too much for me. The entire episode of experimentation and belligerent entry in to the world of the ‘Pandora’ clan was fascinating, but not convincing. What unfolds after a dull beginning is the dramatics of the entire gamut of human desires, emotions and sacrifice. I admit, some of the action sequences were legendary and the 3D glasses did a world of good to all of us. But I still could not figure out what was happening.. At a given point of time, I started wondering if I was watching a pedestrian ‘Bollywood’ commercial potboiler. I also felt that it was a bit dragging in bits and pieces.
I know that most of you, after reading my review, would be cursing me for disliking one of greatest blockbusters in box office history. Certainly, it is. But I probably don’t belong to this genre of filmmaking and Avatar (& James Cameron) proved this point with a big ‘Y’.

Apple’s iPad – How revolutionary could it be..??

The first looks of the iPad are indeed a revelation and going by the vehement statement made by Steve Jobs, it could be the magical multimedia device we all have never seen. But for now, all of our ideas, feedback and the critic’s review could just be a speculation.

If you ask me, I am definitely fascinated by the mere infrastructure of the iPad and undoubtedly, is a part of the collector’s edition for the gadget freaks (like me..). But I would not want to go overboard with whatever we have seen till now. The tech specs are nothing to rave about (except the feature of eBook in collaboration with some of the giants in the publishing industry) and could generally be touted as the parent of ‘iPod Touch’ and ‘Phone’. It is sleek but not very portable (admittedly it cannot be with a multi touch interface and boasting a gorgeous 9.7” high definition display). I am hoping that it will have the ability to load large pfd files to read and browse books, which sadly doesn’t work in ‘Pod Touch’. I am also keen to find out the actual resolution for the pictures and movies (it would have been fantastic if iPad supported avi and divx files).

As of now, I and many others have numerous questions lingering in our minds, which I believe, would be answered when iPad finally arrives in April.

Till then, the reviews, the bashing (and the laurels) of the critics and the unprecedented expectation of possessing another world class gadget would keep me occupied.

CPI(M) will never be the same again..

The demise of Jyoti Basu marked the end of an era. An era that witnessed some of the finest leaders this country has ever seen, and they were an embellishment to the fraternity of our political history.

For many, Mr Basu might already be a part of folkfore, but for me, he has always come across as a phenomenal force behind India’s Marxist revolution and how he has carved a niche for himself. To be honest, politics for me has always been confined to the awareness of knowing the names of the ‘Prime Minsiter’ and the ‘President’, I seldom have respected the existence of few unscruplous individuals in the so called business or responsibilty of running an entire nation. To be precise, I admire leaders, but detest politicians. Jyoti Basu might be an exception in my list.

Right from those days, when I was a student and a teenager, who grew up in the City of Joy, I have always garnered positive vibes about the man in question. He still remains an iconic figure in Bengal and Calcutta, and perhaps, all this ambience contributed to my notion that Mr. Basu might be one of those leaders, who really cared for the state and had the passion to fight for what he believed in. I would not be proficient enough to quote instances or statistics to justify, but the his aura has certainly had an impact on numerous youngsters like me. Today, when I read the obituaries and the tributes showered on the patriarch, I feel that I was not wrong. Here was one person who led from the front and sustain a major revolution in contemporary India.

His career path, however, has not been without blemishes. From his early days of struggle as a freedom fighter to the revival of Bengal and then a lean patch till its rejuvenation, it has been a fascinating tale of dedication, sacrifice and perseverance. He had his own share of failures and disappointments, but then, who doesn’t..??

We are in dire need of leaders like him, who have the heart and the zest to execute what they believe in. I hope he leaves a legacy behind, which would be an inspiration to produce personalities of such calibre to the future generations.

Hail Comrade!

Pitch in for ‘Pitches’..

The ‘Kotla‘ debacle has raised quite a few eyebrows on the infrastructure and the management of the regional centers, across India. On this occasion, the DDCA was found guilty and by all means, this does not augur well for the country’s reputation, who is all set to host the ‘World Cup’ in 2011.

The BCCI has universally been accused of resource tampering and the inflow of cash has not helped matters, surprisingly though. BCCI happens to be the richest cricketing body and one of the wealthiest sports institution of the world, and such a mishap in the international arena is simply not acceptable. Moreover, now the ball would be tossed, pounced, punched and bounced to various courts, to decide the accountability factor. I am certain that an individual cannot be held responsible for this event, but certainly, few heads would roll and frankly, they deserve it.
It has been an occasion of extreme ignominy for the nation, who proudly states that cricket is it’s religion and Delhi is evidently in news, for all the wrong reasons. While we wait for a verdict on this, I hope this serves as an alarm to raise the bar in every cricket ground of our country and we strive to prepare pitches, which would live up to the standards of international cricket.
I am being optimistic and have reasons to believe that it could be one-of-those-days syndrome. The sooner we resolve this, the better for us.

3 Idiots – VVC & Raju churn out another classic from their stable..

Once in 3-4 years, comes a movie which touches our heart, tinkers the strings of emotions within us and breezes through our minds as sheer poetry. ‘3 Idiots’ is one such flick. Vidhu and Raju come back together after the ‘Munnabhai’ series and their films have just one thing in common. They create magic on screen. And ‘3 idiots’ has that charm written all over it.

Raju comes with yet another heart warming script and the screenplay is just perfect. College euphoria, friendship, emotions, wacky humour, candy floss romance. They are all hallmark of a Rajkumar Hirani film and ‘3 Idiots’ is filled with these stuff in abundance. Above all, in a very uncanny fashion, it raises a strong yet meaningful question mark over the authenticity and essence of the ‘Education System’ in our country. Right from take one, the message is loud and clear, substantiated with significant instances and timely humour. Nice to hear nicknames like ‘Millimeter’ doing the rounds, especially after ‘Munnabhai’ happened to all of us.
The film has it’s own share of blemishes but treatment of the subject and the presentation rules the roost here. The entire ‘Aal Izz Well’ syndrome, riding a scooter and entering the hospital with a half dead patient and the landlord’s servant-genius-proxy-engineering-romancing the director’s daughter concept is all so bewildering, yet cutely acceptable.
It’s Aamir all the way, who comes up with yet another spell binding performance but the supporting cast has been equally brilliant. Sharmaan and Madhavan have given commendable performances as his buddies and Kareena is at her vivacious best. Boman excels as usual in his lisping role and the character named ‘Chatur’ (Unfortunately I missed to get the actor’s name) has been impressively irritating.
In all, a blockbuster from the word ‘Go’, 3 idiots has already become the biggest hit of the year and arguably, the best of 2009. Significantly, Raju is one of the few filmmakers in contemporary cinema, who has achieved commercial and critical success with amazing consistency. 
"Aal Izz Well" :)..

As 2010 arrives..

“The glorious past can never be a yardstick for the unpredictable and yet, juvenile future. Let us pray and wish for a year, filled with plethora of challenges to encounter, and plenty of opportunities to excel.”

I wish all my readers, a progressive and hugely successful new year!

A Visit To ‘God’s Own Country’..

I have always heard (obviously nice things..) a lot about the state of Kerala and its picturesque locations, and post my vacation there (which ended a bit too soon!!), I would agree with most of the claims made. The place is an absolute must for folks who admire diversity. We all had a whale of a time!!
I would obviously not go gaga over the place just because I ended up on a vacation there but would echo my experiences there and how I felt about the places visited during the week long period. Moreover, my articles are known for being genuine, open and explicit (If you all have failed to acknowledge the same..!!?).
The voyage started with darshan in the sublime land of Guruvayur. And I must confess here that my parents were extremely disappointed with what they encountered. After spending around 3 patient hours in the long but passive queue, we were deprived of a decent witness to the domineering presence of Lord Krishna in this part of the world. The deity was tiny in structure and the so called volunteers behaved ruthlessly to whisk us away from the darshan site within seconds. My mother, especially, was furious but of no avail. We did compensate that with visits to other temples but I realized that my parents had a regret which would linger in their minds for some time to come. Otherwise, the small town of Guruvayur is always abuzz with commuters and visitors hogging the streets 24/7.

Our next destination was Allepey (Aalapuzha in local language), the most popular hide out to watch the legendary back waters of Kerala, amidst luxurious and decorated house boats. Definitely, one of the most endearing experiences of my life till date. The sprawling back waters provides a soothing touch to your journey, as the house boat slowly but steadily takes you away from the shores of the land. The 20 hour ride was worth every second!
Our next stop was Kovalam, which is around 16 kilometers from the capital city, Thiruvananthapuram (formerly known as Trivandrum). We did have a night’s halt in the city, before proceeding to the final phase of our trip. A paradise in it’s own right, Kovalam is a gorgeous piece of land and water, lying around the shores of Indian Ocean. It looks like a ‘Brazilian Endeavor’, with foreigners scattered all over the place like beehives. I could hardly spot Indians or locals there, except the hotel and restaurant owners, who carry a sober smile on their faces to keep the tourists engaged. Moreover, we were their during X’Mas time and the stage could not have been set better for the tourists to have a blast. My encounter with the waves was nothing short of a battle but nevertheless, was a memorable one.
The most disheartening aspect of the entire trip was the weather. It was difficult to believe that the state of Kerala could be so humid during the month of december. I always thought that Chennai was one of those places that did not have an authentic winter, I now have another name added to that unceremonious list.
Vacations always get over in a hurry and this one was no different. But for people who are on the verge of planning their forthcoming ventures, I would strictly recommend that a visit to ‘God’s Own Country’ is a must.

The Serenity of Hogenakkal Falls is Enchanting!!

This is my 3rd visit to Hogenakkal Falls and I must admit, that every time I make it to this place, it never ceases to take the charm away from it’s picturesque locales and the incredible scenic beauty of the waterfalls.

This time, I made it with my friends from the ‘City Of Joy’ and they labelled this trip to be one of their finest in near future. And, I am not surprised. My third visit was equally enthralling and ended up relishing the experience, more than they did. Right from the beginning, whether it was our stay in Hotel Tamil Nadu or our exploits in venturing in to the falls, the entire event was nothing short of an adventure. The journey in the ‘Parisal’ is always exciting, especially when the fear of tumbling down in to the 150 feet water body never disappears..!! We almost lost our way, while returning back in the evening and were closest to divinity at that point of time. But we managed to sneak through darkness to find our way back home. The fishes proved to be our saviour for the day and we all feasted on them like never before. Evidently, the taste got the better of us. We wrapped up the day by witnessing the falls on the other side of the state and it was, arguably, one of the most spectacular sights that nature could ever offer from its kitty. The water looked like as if it was pouring straight from heaven to have a conversation with all of us and we were almost lost in its ravishing beauty. My camera refused to listen to me and I ended up capturing every frame of this spectacle. But it was never going to be enough. As they say, “Nature has the capacity to be insatiable, in its own endearing fashion”. How true..!!
It was indeed a visit, which would not be forgotten in a hurry.