Of hang-outs

I happened to watch this hang-out video where the Finance minister of India interacted 'publicly'. Some comments on the same.

Let's round up the participants: Head of an automobile company, head of a private bank, a woman employee in formal clothing, son of the head of an IT company, a Google employee (of course), chief economist at a multi-national private bank and a housewife (surprise surprise). Not to mention a couple of impromptu chats with a Punjabi farmer (who spoke good English) and another from a concerned Indian I suppose. That should give one a fair idea of where discussions would be headed and what issues would be discussed. The minister felt that the chosen panel represented all segments of the Indian society. Fair enough, everyone has feelings about things.

There was a lot of quibbling about numbers and industry lobbying; not a surprise. There was  an appeal to the people by the minister to help reduce gold imports; that explains the housewife being chosen---I didn't pay attention to the jewelry she was wearing, a gold lined Saree perhaps. The lady had a question as well: about maintaining a standard of living with increasing costs of essential commodities. Of course, the urban (upper) middle class needs to be strict about standards. After all, aren't the poor treated equally in that they stick to a standard of 26 Rupees a day. Why should the middle-class be singled out for not having a standard of their own? At one point during their question-answer session, the minister reluctantly asserted that he could not tax the poor; if he could he would have is what he meant.

At times, the minister would address the panelists by their first name giving a casual observer the impression that they were his acquaintances at the very least. The hang-out may have been cooked up to fulfill prior commitments of the minister with the industry big shots: immaculate planning one must say.

nuff said.

On lyrics

Lacan's assertion:  The unconscious functions like a language. Discuss.

Symbolsim in TDKR

I am back after watching The Dark Knight Returns (TDKR) in the cinema hall and thought it better to pen down my thoughts in a blog (after a rather long hiatus, I must admit). My reading of the movie has been largely influenced by this book by M.K. Raghavendra.

TDKR concludes the Batman trilogy by Nolan. In doing so, it reasons why Batman should return for one last time: to keep the bad guys out of course! It is established from the opening scenes that Batman is not what he used to be: powerful and feared by his enemies; a reference I feel to the current state of affairs in America: a nation bruised by the recent financial crisis and lumbering to a recovery. It is implicit in my previous statement that Batman himself epitomises the American nation-state. One could read more into this symbolism by recapping that in the movie's prequel, Batman takes the blame for Harvey Dent's [representing the administration/ruling class] demise somewhat playing to the American common man's subconscious reading that the nation state tolerated the presidency appeasing the filthy rich in the bail-outs it gave out during a crisis which is the business classes' own doing. Be that as it may, the symbolism does not end there.

An ailing Batman cannot nurse the city back into normalcy without the help of aides (Cat woman and Robin). The latter, I believe characterises the American middle-class: the bourgeoisie. Cat woman if not Robin, is disillusioned about the prevailing state of affairs in Gotham city; she goads Batman into running away from the crisis since he has done enough for the people already. Also, she is somewhat nihilistic in that she does not think there is going to be any normalcy after what has happened. However, in the end, it is not without the help of Cat Woman that normalcy is arguably restored in the city: an appeal to the middle-class to not lose hope and stay the course. Robin, on the other hand, believes in Batman's ability to fight evil and help the people overcome the crisis. He can be seen as the segment of the bourgeoisie that still believes in the spirit of America to overcome its present troubles.

Bane represents the angst of the working class, the latter epitomised by the inmates of the city's prison most of whom have been unlawfully convicted by the Dent act. This is a more conscious play on the Occupy Wall-street movement and the woes of the 99%. The film features scenes from a kangaroo court where people decide the fate of the rich and powerful: the first one to be sentenced is evidently a businessman; someone who in an earlier scene is shown to care for nothing else other than money.

Cat woman feels that the overthrow of the ruling class is for the better: the rich peoples' homes is everyone's home now. However, the topic of the overthrow of the ruling class and the ensuing anarchy is dealt somewhat cautiously for, the true goal of Bane is to blow up the city and NOT to give power to the people. This, according to me, signifies a warning by the American State (Batman): although the present state of affairs has led to a lot of injustice, be wary of what might replace it. Cleverly, I feel, Bane is presented as someone from erstwhile U.S.S.R (he speaks Ukrainian afaik) forwarding the views of a communist-style revolution. To add to this, the fusion reactor that is being used by Bane to annihilate the city is one designed by a Russian scientist, albeit originally meant for the noble mission of providing a sustained source of renewable energy. The casting of the villain as the other person (non-American) speaks of a perceived threat to America from the outside.

In the end, the film consciously chooses not to provide a solution to the present state of affairs. One is angry about how things are but also cautious about how to move forward. The working class is forgotten towards the end by proposing to the audience the Bane (the working class hero) and his accomplices are truly wicked and don't deserve sympathy. So is Batman confined to stopping "evil" and "saving the city": one knows little of how things will play out in the city after Bane and co. are removed.

Chuck that pot

Take a classic Doors song.Take the sound of monsoon rain. You have before you a very potent mix. Now, play both, sit back and relax. Of course, speakers make a world of difference.

When I learnt about this website which had a very simple offering: that of the sound of 'gentle rain', I was curious to experiment it with some of my favorite songs and somehow the first song that came to mind was the Doors' classic-Riders on the storm. The original actually begins with the sound of the storm and probably that's why.

It didn't stop with that. I went ahead, a change of genre this time, a husky voiced cat power song and I was excited. The combination of rainy weather and some good music can really do wonders as the rainymood website suggests.

Well then, if you ve had a rough week, a bad fight or something of that sort, this is therapy. Actually, its better with a calm mind.

Here is my 30-minute playlist (Link here):
1. Riders on the storm- The Doors
2. Love and Communication- Cat Power
3. Nutshell- Alice in Chains
4. Long gone day- Mad Season
5*. If you were my guitar - Soulmate (goes out to Ra and CJ)
6. Come here - Kath Bloom
7. Space Oddity - David Bowie

Enjoy! Time to make your own playlist.

When friends leave and others return

It is not hard to explain how one feels when friends--dear or not so dear--leave. There is a certain social experiance we get used to that is a little sad to let go of. Sooner than later one is bound to get used to a different social setting--minus the departing friend--alright; however, as cliched it might sound, memories remain.
One such friend is leaving us soon and a train of thoughts led me to ask myself: What is it that I will recall first at the mention of this friend. There is some part of oneself that you associate people with, innit? Its as though that small part of you has lost a play companion of sorts.
This particular friend was quite an opinionated person; mostly about politics and world affairs. That's too broad a description. To put it simply, if one asked him what he felt about the India-Pakistan scenario, instead of the more common Pakistan is villian view, he would argue from a more academically balanced standpoint. He knew his history books quite well.
It was he who inspired me partly to take to historical reading; mostly penned by academicians:political scientists and historians alike. It is this part of me I discovered during interactions with him. I will miss those long discussions debating about popular view on things of interest! Putting things in perspective history was definitely not a favorite subject during my schooling. The subject was such a bore because of teachers torturing us with the exact dates of events and all.
I nearly forgot! About the same time this friend will move another long-lost friend of mine is coming hither. This friend brings memories of whiling time in discussions on issues from a cultural standpoint. The chap being a culture-vulture of sorts has an eye for perspectives of people from daily life most would miss. Like the time he was speaking in high regard about the Dutch for being so simple and straight-forward in their lifestyle.
I wish the two meet. It will be interesting to observe a mix of strategic world affairs and their cultural underpinnings!

Dear insanity

After being hammered from inside and out, I set out to cycle back home. The hundred odd bucks I owed to Lausanne Roule came to mind and buried stupid impulses. Burning the hand makes sure one learns the lesson. I set out walking with a lot of frustration and anger at having let it be. A perspective change was needed for the moment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Libido is sometimes hard to explain I say!' opined an aged headmaster. 'That Freud was so obsessed with its contribution to human behavior that he used it to explain everything. What he did not was reason for libido itself.'
'Saar, I'll tell you full story, matinee balcony ticket, weekday leave from office, shady siddeshwara tent, rats under seat, premature... whistles I mean. It is the simple story saar. Hero meet heroine; ding-dong happen; heroine slap hero; hero impressed and bp raise; ding-dong happen again; heroine slap again but stopped by big muscular hands of hero; heroine knees week and girly voice of anger; kaput!'
The lady agreed although headmaster was furious. I was rejoicing with the triumph of fine oratory over intellect. Or so I thought...
'Although you are right,' began the lady 'there is a slight predisposition in your argument to make the whole thing somewhat male chauvanist. It is true that women like it that way and thats exactly why they let it be. Its a way of letting you be the boss when they know who is in control; a designation or a lack of it doesn't hurt them you see.'
'wowowow!! From where you went where maydam! I was talking of picture in siddeshwara tent. Its like that only, once I buy ticket and we go. But don't worry maydam, I keep porki fellows out. They one nuisance they are!'
'Ok maadesha. We will do that but first, where is the tea I asked for? And won't you ask what headmaster ji would like?'
'oooo...sorry maydam! Saar, what you want?'
'hihihi...whatever maydam has!'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

A perspective change had happened and I was back to the usual grind. Listen to voices in your head. It helps to!

Fact sheet

I was going through Divsy's factsheet and found some questions raised therein worth pondering over. It is the content of this post.
Summarising a case study on a San-Francisco-based pharmacy company that promised monetary rewards to locals for preserving certain medicinal trees in tropical rain forests of South America (notably in Equador and Brazil), the following question was asked:

Should we use the means of market economy to implement nature conservation?

I would go further to ask:

How often can we use the means of market economy to implement nature conservation?

My understanding native medicine wrt the case study is limited. But I would first want to find out if this is a specific instance of commercialisation favoring nature conservation. It is not hard to see that the Pharmacy company can continue to do business provided they have continued access to those trees used in making the medicine. It follows then that the forests in which these trees grow need to be conserved. But, does commercialisation always favor conservation where ever nature is harvested for commercial use? I would not believe so for the simple reason that there are continuing protests world-wide where commercialisation and conservation are at loggerheads.
The study goes to show that there are instances where the two are not in conflict. But, are there more instances like the pharmacy company?
It is a different matter if the compensation promised to the locals was indeed handed out? It turns out it wasn't as good as promised because the drugs failed to make profit.
Another important question that the fact sheet poses in the context of action taken for environmental conservation in developing countries, is:

Is it really a ‘first world luxury’?

To gain insight into this question, I would like to know to what period in modern history of the world could any concrete action in environmental conservation be dated? Lets take the instance of the insistence of World bank in the 1940s and 50s to build dams on rivers. The case for conservation being damage due to submersion of surround land areas (damage to human settlements and bio-diversity in the vicinity). I would like to know what the U.S did in containing reported environmental damage[1] due to the construction of Hoover Dam in 1936. For example, how does it contrast with the Narmada dam project in India in this regard? The reasoning is that India today could be more fairly compared with America in the past and not in the present due to delayed development (because of reasons this post is not concerned with). It is a question of fairness really. Did the U.S (first world) have the moral authority to hold India (third world) responsible for its present day actions? Or Is this a fair question to ask at all?
In the view of true-blue environmentalists, it pays to conserve and not quibble about moral obligations or the lack of it? In other words, India (third world) cannot hold a lack of action wrt conservation on the part of U.S (first world) if any against it. The argument that 'You did not conserve then, so I won't now' although a morally correct argument cannot be an actually correct one,for, both are mis-using nature. The problem with this line of thought is the economic implication of conservation. Noting instances where economic development (commercialisation) is the antithesis of conservation, is it fair to ask India (third world) to compromise economic prosperity for a greater duty to conserve? Please note that the need and importance of conservation is not being questioned here? What is being questioned is the fairness in weighing all in the same scale.
Honey, I have some questions for you! :)
P.S: Sweetheart, I really enjoyed reading the document. Keep 'em coming :*

Time of change

There was something amiss, something that felt as though a peculiarly integral part of me was not there. It is not too abnormal I thought, reminiscing the pensive days and nights that seemed not so long ago. It used to be that there were thoughts of conflict sometimes, thoughts about thought itself in the more youthful days of my life. Not that these days aren't any more youthful; well, a small digression here seems apt.

About five months back, when I was at the brim of a youthful 23 and the beginning of a less youthful 24, it struck me that I was past my prime, literally (the number 23) and figuratively! It seemed to me that, here I was brushing past yet another eventful day in my life, yet all I would do was serenade it with no less interest than its predecessor. Probably, Einstein was in his late teens at the time thoughts about the origin of the universe engaged him. I know! Could I have thought of a more unequal comparison?! No, but the point is... lets make it point blank for reasons of rhetoric. Suppose a dark villian was to hold a gun to your head, point blank, and asked you to do something crazy: do something that would be remembered beyond your time. Success is an appropriate word! Well,what would you do?

Digressions make stories in themselves and are sometimes antithetical to one of the main purposes of storytelling: getting to the end! Having a notoriety for stealing my audiences of an ending, for which they have patiently yearned and failed, I reluctantly shorten this piece which I have called "Time of change".

Talking of pensive days and nights from where I flamboyantly took a detour, they are common. Aren't they? That's what I told myself and thought that would be the end of it. If it were, what you are reading wouldn't be as colourful.

Being someone so devoted to time that jokes of being born with a strap around the wrist being not funny any more (to me that is. Somehow, it is always a different person with the same wisecrack); on a more serious note, a constant reminder by my sweetheart that it has been the victim of repression for long and needs to be liberated, in a manner imaginatively analogous to the British freeing the sub-continent after two centuries of occupation, had made me time conscious. Conscious of my extreme time-consciousness rather!

But I could live with that. What was bothering me was a feeling that this somehow weakened our enduring friendship: between time and myself. It was weird. Words fail when I have to describe it. I still wore it everyday. And all the time. How could I feel its gentle grasp slipping? I was confused.
As the sun set on the silver-coloured clouds that had descended upon Lausanne, and my lips slurped the first sips of coffee from shiny cream-coloured cup from the terrace cafe of EPFL (my graduate school), and at the stroke of 5 (I somehow happened to notice my second love then), a eureka moment was born.

It was the hourly chime. My first love doesn't approve of it. It irritates her.

Brooksley Born of Yalandur

Prologue: Yalandur is a small taluka town in Chamarajanagar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Kannada conversations have been translated.

Sometime in the late 90s in Yalandur...
"Don't give that son-of-a-bitch any money! Give it to me. This is not the first time we are having this conversation. Either illicit liquor or that son-of-a-prostitute!", hollered Muniyamma to her fractious husband, Halappa. By now he had learned the art of ignoring her shrill abuses to an extent that he was already thinking of who to borrow money from for tomorrow's "quarter".

Sometime in the late 90s in Washinton D.C ...
After having been among the elite few female law graduates out of Stanford University in the 70s, Brooksley Born who was later made the head of a financial regulatory agency during the Clinton years, stood up against the brutal defiance of the Titans of Wall Street. Sadly,like Muniyamma, her cries fell on deaf ears as unscrupulous investment bankers in America continued to package debt and sell it.

Epilogue: In America, making money from derivatives is still legal. In Yalandur, Halappa is jobless while Muniyamma is earning a living under NREGA.

Inspired by 'The Warning', a documentary by Frontline (aired on PBS).

after (a prayer) and before (another)

O lord! Why do you make us hungry?
Give me some Heineken. Bottoms up. Cheers!
O lord! Why do we have to spend empty evenings?
Give me some Kingfisher. Screw everyone. Hail the king!
O lord! Why do we have to listen to our bosses?
Shove, instead, some empty Fosters bottles up their asses!
O lord! How do we protect our lasses from third man's stares?
Give me some Strongbow. Third men?! Who cares?
O lord! How do I make this poem private?
So people don't think I was drunk when in front of thou I was prostrate.

Black in White

"42.7% of statistics are made-up on the spot"
-Gaurav Vaz, RadioVerve host

Under ciel bleu, through the ventilator glass, I saw just that: ciel bleu. Optimist for all practical purposes, yet housing a strange masochistic pessimist inside, I began to think "si j'ai mange' mon pain blanc" - an idiom new to me in a new language. In a quirky way, an eagerness for things new that had led me to discover what the idiom meant, manifested itself as, well, a sort of a strain of noice in an otherwise tranquil background.

It was unclear to me how, when things around were nice and beautiful and mirrored by a similar inside, there was scope for dark thoughts. Was it something Indian or otherwise that we are told at a young age "Don't laugh so much; you will soon cry"? I mean whoever the peep said that! What (and why) sadism? And some strange psychological phenomenon brings that to focus when you are 24, enjoying a pleasant autumn day in Switzerland. Temporal butterfly effect!

On a happy note, Je crois que j'ai mange' mon pain noir!

Life is good!

Luckily we left for the main street thinking there would be no cops around. Indoors it is hard for people to notice you but outdoors is different. Fuck! It is different. Engaging in a stress-busting monologue, I told myself,'Don't panic, Don't panic', hoping things would go better. It wasn't enough as I was soon going to find out. Soothing moonlight had other plans for me as I was suddenly confronted by a stranger. Graceful jab it was that gave my turning sleeve a vent. 'Oh My God!', I mumbled as I was being chased wishing I had taken a turn. Onto what looked like a dead end, heart in my mouth and feeling the dance of a gust in my face, I ran, I ran, I ran! 'Dead meat!', I thought!!


To be continued...

Legendary Kashinath

Ananthana Avanthara means Ananth's confusion. Once upon a time, when kannada films were dominated by the Rajkumars and Vishnuvardhans, came a maverick. The name is Kashinath. Not only did he think out of the box, but had the balls to go all out and do what he really believed in. Respect!
When Anantha realises that contorted Yogaasanas wouldn't curb his urges and he hasn't the balls for a fling, he decides to get married. His secretary has the hots for him but he really likes a Menaka next door. An accidental meeting leads to nuptial day. His secretary, however, has plans of her own.
What follows are comic episodes narrating testing times for our hero on his honeymoon. With a decent BP monitor-urgeness analogy, simple yet communicative, a cot-banging neighbour to rub it in and medication from in-laws to make it worse, the movie is a hilarious satire on the closer-home mindset of not talking about problems down there and the mental torture therein.

Watch out for a Mr.Uppi aka Kashinath's sisya (Student)as Kamanna, intelligent screenplay and dialogues, clever use of songs and a nice background score by Hamsalekha in a film scripted, produced and directed by Kashinath.
The movie is off the ordinary in Indian cinema. Like it or not, take some time to appreciate a change that Kashi brought. An openness hitherto alien, and personally a feeling of traditional in look and modern in thought. A talent well ahead of his time.
Adding, Anjali, who plays Menaka's character, deserved more than the dagar roles she got later. An undervalued actress! Will finish quoting Ajji Lehya Ajji.
(When Menaka's Mum asks if Anantha would really heed their advice and have the Lehya)'Men, who have no problems, go searching for things like this. Someone with a problem, like Ananthu, will be licking it off his hands by now"

Dinner with friends

R: You are either really lucky or unlucky. Just the extremes.
V(laughing it off): yeah!
B: I would give it more time when it comes to me.
R: You would come to know after around 6 months what kind of a person she is.
V: You would not know the real person until that person is really under pressure.
Me(Smirking): Pressure a? What pressure?
V: You know when you have a kid and are working at the same time and you have to manage a lot of things.
R: But come on, if you live with a person for 6 months, you will pretty much know who she is.
V (Nodding): Yeah, but the real character you will know only in pressure situation.
R: But you'll know with high probability(sic) if the person is ok for you or not.
V: Yeah, that I will know. If it will work or not. I'll just have to live with it anyway, it works or not.
R: If it doesn't work out, you can always leave V.
V(Innocently): Who will marry me then?

V's marriage has been arranged. '99%!'

A pro-arranged marriage opinion: An Indian woman's take[1]
"Here, we get married without having feelings for the person. We base our marriage on commitment, not on feelings. As our marriage progresses, the feelings develop. In America, you base your decision to marry on feelings, but what happens when the feelings wane? You have nothing left to keep the marriage together if you get married according to feelings and then the feelings go away."

A pro-love marriage argument
A marriage should be based on love. How could someone enter wedlock with someone he/she is not in love with?(as with most arranged marriages)

A balance
A marriage requires love and commitment. The romance of a marriage is incomplete without love and it's essence is a commitment. Overlooking one over the other is not right.
A commitment solely based on love wavers like the vicissitudes of life. A higher motivation is needed for it to be stable. What could this higher motivation be? Well, that is what you need to think about.

Bolt

A dog lover's delight is Bolt: A superhero dog, superdog!
The movie brought a smile on my otherwise pensive face today. I mean full stretch!
What happens when a superdog doesn't know that reel is not for real? An enjoyable movie reminiscing the days you first brought your dog home, the first things he chewed on, his first collar, his cute little face, his antics that never tired you. A trip down memory lane!
Bolt, a thoroughly enjoyable story of a dog who leaves the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to rescue his best friend from the clutches of a villain only to return later after a period of self-discovery is truly a must watch!
Bolt is a dog actor in Hollywood. His day starts with slick chases and escape sequences, powers that leave his worst enemy crippled and a superbark to save the day. After a scene where Penny gets kidnapped, the shoot closes for the day. But the little sweetheart doesn't know what a movie is. In his effort to save her, he accidentally gets packaged to NewYork, a whole new world. What follows is a tale of true self-discovery.
Watch out for a wise little cat Mittens who is a friend, philosopher, guide of sorts and Rhino, a hamster who is a Bolt fan.
The animation is really amazing. They have really captured varied emotions of a dog to perfection. I really missed Jhini around :(
A must watch for all!

The president came and went

I don't remember many wholly satirical movies in hindi cinema. 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron' is one that comes off the top of my head. It is a seminal movie in this genre comically mocking at corruption at all levels in the Indian society. You could call it a socio-political satire.
Of the recent lot, I am reminded of 'Loins of Punjab',a movie that parodied the NRI population in the U.S . The director, Manish Acharya, chose not to mix satire and questions of morality. The movie stayed away from evoking judgements on it's characters. I am not saying that the audience couldn't have an opinion,they could, but the movie did nothing that would enforce a certain line of thought.

'The President is Coming',co-written by the writer of 'Loins..', follows the footsteps of it's predecessor in it's presentation. The two movies rely on a competition as a central platform where the story unfolds.
'The President is Coming' is about the one Indian who is to be selected to shake hands with the then U.S president George W. Bush during his 2006 visit to the country. What makes the movie unique apart from it's 'mockumentary' style is it's characters who come from different sections of an urban Indian population. Six finalists are short-listed for the shake hand. One would be finally chosen.
What happens when a holier-than-thou writer from Calcutta(Konkona Sen), a wealthy stock broker from Mumbai, a male chauvinist social worker from Nagpur, a pretentious voice-accent trainer from Gurgaon, a bimbo from Delhi(Ira Dubey) and a Microsoft nerd from Bangalore compete to shake hands with the president? A laugh riot! Adding flavour to the khichidi is the kleptomaniac head of a P.R agency contracted by the U.S embassy in Mumbai to select the one.
As the competition progresses, the characters sub-consciously bring in their own prejudices. Highly motivated to be selected the winner, all of them give their best shot at instant fame. You know it's a gut-buster when on being asked how they intend to select the Indian to shake hands with the prez, the PR chief says: 'The American way...Reality TV!'. And what follows is a gruelling competition running for rounds. The movie might feel a little repetitive towards the end but it is a minor shortcoming and can be easily traded for a laugh marathon. Watch out for A Namaste gesturing Bush mannequin at the end!
Watch the movie for timepass. Don't take it too seriously and you won't be disappointed!
Some funny quotes:
Ajay Karlekar, the social worker:'I can say phuck and all uh!'
Kapil Dev, the stock broker: 'It's not like famous peepul are someone else no. They are peepul'
Archana Kapoor, the millionaire daughter: 'Dad, is it ok for like a strange guy to touch me...yeah, he's in uniform'
Maya, the writer: 'Please don't touch my brests'
And the best of all...
Ramesh, the geek: 'You want to ride on my love machine a?'

VCB-Go for it!

It's been a boring week and more empty days to come. I had decided that I will watch a movie a day. In the night, after a good meal, with a bar of white chocolate and tucked cozily under my quilt. And so it happened. I watched "Oye Lucky!.." three days ago, a film noir movie called "Out of the past" the day before yesterday and the classic AH thriller "Vertigo" yesterday. 'What today?', was an obvious question. I had settled on "One flew over the cuckoo's nest"(No, I haven't seen it yet.period) but unfortunately or otherwise couldn't download it by night.

I cooked a nice meal for myself, a sensual mix of mushroom sauce and pasta topped with some authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I finished dinner quite quickly brooding over the dullness of eating a good meal alone.
After cleaning up chores in the kitchen were over, my night life started! I looked online for a timepass movie that could take me through to bedtime. After a disastrous selection, I decided to watch "Chandni Chowk to China" and updated my status message appropriately.

However, I was not able to find a working link to watch it. In the meantime, Sha having looked at my status message, pinged me to find out how the movie is. In the hopeless situation I was, I asked him to suggest something to watch. Persepolis.Seen. Vicky Christina Barcelona. Ok.

In a few minutes, I was neatly tucked in my quilt watching the movie. It started with a breezy spanish guitar and a not exactly sweet vocal in the background with the intro credits rolling.
Two friends Vicky(played by the lesser known Rebecca Hall) and Christina(Scarlett I have the hots for you Johannson) are on a holiday in beautiful Barcelona and hence the title. All's well until a strange artist guy (Javier Bardem) turns up to the table where the duo are dining and makes an offer of a "fun-filled" weekend in Oviedo. Vicky, an engaged commitment-phile is taken aback by such a casual offer of sex and is the least interested. Christina, being more liberal by nature, doesn't see any harm. And so the story begins.

As the movie progresses, it shows the internal conflicts that the two protagonist characters face. Vicky is confused when a chance encounter with Juan Antonio (Bardem's character) begins to question her convictions about love and commitment. Christina, always only sure of what she doesn't want in life, goes on a journey of self-discovery. Going deeper would be playing spoilsport! How can I not mention Cruz's character Maria Elena. She plays the ex-wife of Juan Antonio to perfection.

The movie is thoroughly enjoyable. Entertaining yet making you think (Well, if you are the thinking types in a movie hall!:). I can only seem to talk of the positives. The beautiful landscapes of Spain, romantic candle-lit dinners, ancient bungalows with lovely gardens, medieval architectural beauty and Woody Allen couldn't have chosen a better location for the movie. I read that Spain is close his heart. In fact, there is a life-size statue of his in Oviedo, where parts of the movie have been shot.
The characters in the movie are real and those you could relate to in some ways. In fact, Vicky and Christina are antithesis of each other. So, you would share your views with either of them. In a movie, for one to really appreciate the acting, I feel that it has to be effective in bringing the characters to life and in the audience's focus. And all the four main actors Hall, Johannson, Bardem and Cruz deserve such appreciation. Kudos to them.

The background score, with lovely spanish guitars only play second fiddle to the goodness of the movie. The music adds flavour to the eye-catching visuals and the mood of a scene.
Woody Allen's narration is articulate yet precise. The movie to me is like a good book. The story blended with an objective interpretation of it by the narrator is classic Woody Allen!

I am like Christina when it comes to my view of things around me. This movie review for one. I am only sure of things I don't like. And there isn't such a thing about this movie! :) Go for it! For planning a trip to Spain if not for anything else!

And last but not least, thanks to Mr.Sha for an awesome reco!

Dev D OST

I am surprising myself by talking about a hindi movie OST. Well, I can't NOT write about this varied compilation which I bumped into when switching channels and heard this funky track called "emosional athyachar". The song was so catchy that I downloaded the OST right away.
The first few days were dedicated renditions of athyachar in spite of protests from near and dear ones! Little did I know that there were 16 other songs on this album, each one different from the other. The album is a melange of folk sounds, western classical pieces, rock ballads, groovy rhythms, classic pop and closer home melodic hindi music. It is basically a soundtrack for a Devdas flick and has songs of love, desperation and eventually madness.

More than the vocals behind the songs, which any review will talk about elaborately, I was floored by the arrangements for songs. This includes instrumentation, their timing and feel, and the rhythm which gives a particular groove to a song.
If you don't know what I am talking about, please get the Dev D Soundtrack and give it a listen. I think you'll find something interesting in it for you.

This post ain't complete without writing about some of the songs themselves. Here are a couple of reviews:

Emosional Athyachar:
The cover song of the movie if you can call it, the brass band version as they call it, will catch you in splits. It has the feel of orchestra bands that play during processions in marriage ceremonies up in north of India. The sound is not really original but what is, is it's adaptation to the theme song of the movie. Who would have a conceived such a thing?
The rock version of the same song has a serious rendition in a rock balladish way. It is after all a Devdas story. On a first listen, I was somehow drawn to compare it with 'Die,die,die my darling' by Metallica mainly for the drumming and the tempo. The song is not great if you've grown up listening to Queen, The Who et al. But it's still good.

Paayaliya:
I pressed the next button on my pod, and what started as an old classical song with a touch of violin, moved into a faster tempo with a little synth and sounds of shehnai here and there, then the veena with carnatic chants and some Ghatam with the Shehnai still playing hide and seek, suddenly breaking off on a western chorus and being lulled back eastwards and finally heading for a climax with a delightful mix of everything! Wow! Never heard so much in one song! For me, this song is a must listen.

Oye Lucky - A good watch

When ma soeur spoke of "The president is coming" that released in theatres today, I was happy to be witnessing a definite change in hindi cinema. I looked for this movie online without luck but I was lucky to have remembered about this other movie in my playlist that was pending a watch. This one is called: "Oye Lucky!Lucky Oye"

Having heard good things about it from Masand (a mean movie critic), I didn't think twice before watching it. Starring,rather upcoming starring Abhay Deol as the protogonist conman, this movie never really stops entertaining you. Beginning at the backdrop of a punjabi family in Delhi, it tells the story of a suave thief.

The movie is replete with witty dialogues and screenplay. From Lucky's question to a Veterinarian Paresh Rawal on distracting a ferocious dog for ostensibly gatecrashing into his girlfriend's house, to after being nabbed, resolving a skirmish over a piece of jewellery he had robbed.

Another good point of the movie, is the way it shows the growing up years of Lucky and his romance with a girl in the neighborhood. This part of the movie has been particularly well handled and builds up the story to the movie ahead. I should point out that the background score (Nope, there are no songs in the movie) is mostly punjabi but apt.

However, the movie is not flawless. The technicalities are good but there are loose-ends in the story. For one, Lucky's approach seems a little too vulnerable to work so consistently well as in the movie. Also, the story seems to get a little monotonous toward the end.

You can forgive and forget it's little imperfections and enjoy this refreshingly good comedy any day! If you are not too critical and there for a hearty laugh you won't be disappointed. This movie is an entertainer!

I like Abhay Deol for choosing his roles carefully and maybe wisely. From a journalist in 'Manorama 6 feet..' whatever, as a contemporary Devdas in an upcoming flick directed by Anurag Kashyap, a smooth operator in OLLO and hopefully more to come.

What's the one thing I'd like to do differently in 2009?

I'd like to deal with loneliness and hope to understand myself better. I also want to be less selfish and more pro-active (though they have nothing to do with each other!)