I am...

Destiny. What does exactly this word mean? Is it something like some pre-defined screenplay and we’re all just the actors who are performing on the stage of life OR is it some is it some randomness introduced into that screenplay where the algorithm of life works exactly how we want it to work except in some cases where it acts completely self-driven random OR is it chaos theory in which each event is completely random and outputs are unpredictable as hell!!

Well, I don’t know but it’s something!! Something really good, something really exciting!! As Einstein said, ‘God doesn’t play dice with Universe’. I like to believe it!! There is no randomness in relationships because there is no randomness in feelings. We humans (except some werewolves sitting at Parliament), are feelings-driven, and feelings is organized chaos, a fuel driving our vehicle. We try a lot to keep everything planned, well-organized, predictable BUT that’s when life plays its mysterious role. You can’t keep your feelings organized for long, because it’s fluid of emotions, chaos is its nature. It will slowly find its way to organized anarchy.

And love, relationship?

It is exactly same, driven by feelings, finding its own way just like river. If you try to control it, it will still find its own way!!

*****

Natalie was perfect, a perfect 10!! Beautiful! Smart! Talented! Successful! She had everything what any girl could dream for!! Looks? Yes. Popularity? Yes! Excellent academic record? Yes! Focused goal? Yes. Loving boyfriend? Yes... Loyal friends? Yes. Everything... Yeah Almost!! She tends (not ‘like to’ because she doesn’t know what ‘unpredictable’ is!) to be well-organized and focused!! That’s why she keeps her daily To-Do list. She has got immense motivation (and pressure!) from her family to be incredible in almost everything!! Her day starts with six-hour Tennis training followed by school. She has rigorous plan to achieve maximum points so that she can get scholarship at one of the top universities. She has also found equally good-profile handsome boyfriend, who is top transfer-student from Brazil. They start getting along with each other. Everything is perfectly smooth as it ‘should’ be!

Sometimes we don't know what void is inside for. Everything seems cool until some unpredictability is encountered. Rain keeps raining easily until its hit by storm. River keeps flowing seamlessly until its adventure ride of ‘fall’ come in its way!!! One day, she meets Harry in chemistry lab, as a lab partner. Harry!! a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky guy whose behavior is weirder than his talks. A guy who doesn’t have any plan where he is heading after finishing the current work! He loves adventures, loves excitement of unpredictability. He is not doing anything in the way he is supposed to do. He does silly things like putting bowling balls at teachers’ front porch, breaches security into one of the corporate premises to have his lunch in one of the meeting rooms.

She He lives life like there is no tomorrow! He had no groups of friends, no usual aspirations for life!!! His spontaneous, anarchic attitude towards everything had sort of contagious charm. Both were the extremists of their kind. One is organized and the other is anarchic. One is focused and the other is omnipresent. But now, in the chemistry lab, some sparkling effects of his unusual persona start working on her. She finds him rude, eccentric, and weird, which definitely he is. He is rude because he asks her out if she wants help with chemistry assignment, assuring her that it’s not a date. He is eccentric because he is like a mischievous kid who lives on his own way without caring much about society, grades, future! Friends warn Natalie to not to mingle much with Harry as he might be stalking her. But she has already started falling into his rapture which is like unknown blind-mode roller-coaster. She starts realizing that she was just breathing life rather than living it. All success-proud and happiness was just a tip of iceberg. Inside she was completely lost and unhappy. And Harry, he keeps putting surprises after surprises in front of her, making her more lively. She realizes that she has her own set of dreams and passions. She has realized there are more possibilities to her, new dimensions which she never knew even existed.

But, there is something about his weird behavior. On one side, she is becoming more and more affect   ionate to him but oscillations of his weirdo-act starts getting more intense. One day, both goes to the group hang-out spot of their school, but on the opposite side of the river where Natalie comes every weekend with her group of friends. So, they land up in a place where he had always been and she has never been. She says, ‘I didn’t know there is other side of that place too. So you have been coming here all the time, huh?’ Harry says, ‘It’s the place where I belong to. But you didn’t like this place, right? away from all your happenings and celebrations?’ Natalie says looking into his eyes: “Nope, I think I liked this much better. I think you can’t even compare.” And, they realize their moment and briefly kiss. Suddenly realizing, Harry backs away quoting it has to be strictly lab-partnership. They leave the place.

     But, from the next day, Harry is somehow absent in the chemistry lab. But now, it has turned very difficult for her to stay away from him. She becomes more and more restless as he doesn’t come for two more weeks. She follows the address he had shared with her but it turns out fake. She breaks into his college-locker and finds out his real address. She rushes to his place where she finds out that he has been lying not just about his address, but his family and everything. She learns that his family is just his father. His place is filled with utter sadness. His father tells him that Natalie is visiting him. He denies visiting her by increasing his music stereo volume. She feels huge setback because of such an unpredictable and intense behavior of him.

In the late evening, he comes out his place to start his van. He rushes to his favorite lake spot. Reaching there, he stares at the lake water for awhile. He seems frustrated with his eyes moistened. Suddenly, he learns that someone is behind him, moaning. He doesn’t take much time to realize that Natalie has been following him in his van. He doesn’t even have to turn around to confirm.

“I don't... I don't care where you're gonna be next year. I don't care if you're crazy. God, I just know I wanna be with you. I don't understand what you're doing. It seems so pointless, I mean everything... It just seems pointless but when I'm with you it's different. I don't know why"

She can’t hold enough and starts bursting into tears.

Harry takes a pause, deeply sighs and then rushes towards her to take her into arms and kiss her. They may have kissed each other for a while with eyes shedding tears. Then they make love in the back of the van to lose her virginity, finally. After all this time, she couldn’t move along with his boyfriend but now she finds his real-affection towards Harry.  

On the way back, she is seeking wonderful life ahead with Harry but she is left heart-broken when Harry suggests not moving their relationship further saying they are very different from each other. She, with moistened eyes rushes to her bedroom. Her heart just had devastating setback.

Now, she is living into some limbo with no interaction with family and friends. Her performance starts deteriorating in school, her tennis rank drop and she also dumps her boyfriend. One day, on the way to back home, she learns that Keith is hiding some terrible truth from her. Natalie confronts Keith in lab with frustration.

‘What’s this? Really... I always hated your guts. I wanted to take you down. Can’t you see? I have screwed you, and screwed you big time.’

‘Ok. You screwed me!! So what!! Me? I made love to you…’

After looking straight into his eyes, confronting his loose efforts to keep her away from his life:

‘Try again!! Try again!!’

Finally, Keith gives into her feelings. This story is not about Keith, it’s about Keith’s influence on the girl who predictably comes under his rapture and ends up into 360° transformation of herself. At the end, she starts living the excitement of uncertainty and chaos instead of dying every day in dread disciplines and boring plans.

*****

The movie is not so cult or great. Neither its’ plot nor its’ story! But it’s so emotionally astounding that slowly it grabs you in magnetism of intimacy, intimacy of chaotic adventures!

Once upon a time in Hollywood...

It’s 1964 –

Just after finishing black war comedy ‘Dr. Strange Love’, a super-genius film-maker Stanley Kubrick becomes fascinated with the concept of possibility of extra-terrestrial life. He begins searching for some equally Sci-Fi crazy and creative companion who can explore the universe along with him. Finally, through the common acquaintance, he meets another super genius Sci-Fi writer Arthur C. Clarke. Kubrick tells Clarke that he wanted to make a movie depicting the relation of human with universe, a work of art which sparks the emotions of wonder, terror and affects directly on their subconscious. Kubrick picks one of the short stories ‘Sentinel’ of Clarke. But to create a full-fledged 3 hour movie, they needed more study materials. Both spent almost 11 months just to research new materials and to construct the story-plot. After almost 4 years of penance along with novel development in parallel with the movie, in 1968, (To note, moon-landing occurred in 1969, a year later) film gets released as 2001: A space odyssey and creates permanent benchmark of Hollywood Sci-Fi and with that, begins the modern stream of space Sci-Fi movies. Every watcher’s reaction was falling into ‘O Jesus, I haven’t seen anything like that before’. The film is great and is now considered as bible for visual effects and space adventure movies. It was such a huge milestone that, all the upcoming space Sci-Fi films will be compared with the heights of 2001.

*****

Cut to 2013 –

There is huge advancement in technology, life-style and of course human ambition. World is witnessing the phenomenal impact of technology on Hollywood as well. In space epic genre, there has been series of world-class masterpieces by the time now, ranging from legendry cult Star wars to animation gem Wall-E, horrifying Alien to war-saga Independence Day, and ingenious Planet of the apes to delightful Elysium. Steven Spielberg to George Lucas, Ronald Emrich to our own Night Shyamalan kept making this genre richer. But, the masterpiece of all masterpieces hadn’t come yet which can deliberately take you to experience the agitating atoms of emotions, which uses 3D technology genuinely and at its best, which allows you to experience the silence that initially makes you at peace but later that solitude tests human fragility in a brilliant manner. But now…

*****

…it is no longer true, because another genius Mexican film-maker Alfonso Cuarón has already achieved the feet. After several years researching the space science and related books, movies, and qualifying them with professional advisors and scientists. Along with his son Jonás, he first finishes the writing and polishing of his stupendous screenplay. Then to cast for the main lead, the search began and after several candidates like Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Marion Cottillard and finally they select talented beautiful actress, Sandra Bullock along with charismatic, George Clooney after the same role turned down by Robert Downey Jr. The film is already under shower with applauds from critics and audience. Some critics are already citing this movie as the best space movie in the recent years or even this decade. Why? What is so special this space Sci-Fi movie has, which other movies don’t? Special effects!! Yes. Of course, with today’s technology, it’s far richer. Thrill? Yes. With just two characters (actually only one, other is just like cameo) and that also into space without any noise or external villainous interference, it’s commendable job to hold audience for more than two hours and not just hold but keep them well-engaged, connected. But above all, it’s a wonderful spiritual experience, just like 2001. Less dialogues, more connective!! I confidently say that, this is by far the only space Science fiction film which connects the audience at emotional level. First space-visit, predictably random chaos of ‘space debris’ (waste of destructed satellites moving in space orbit), Stranded protagonist, fight for survival, loss of hope, death confrontation, divine survival idea, final fight and redemption. This seemingly simple story is not about dialogues, temperament but it’s all about experience. You will be speechless at certain points because you may never have felt that terror, sorrow, faith and spirit so nearly, so lively.

*****

Medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone is on her first space visit along with mission commander Matt Kowalski, who is on his last trip. Their task is to service the Hubble telescope. At the final repair stage, they get abort message from the control station quoting that debris of destructed Russian satellite is coming towards them. Waste hits the space shuttle severely and only both turn out to be the sole survivors. Later, Matt also sacrifices to save Ryan but before that he fills her up with survival plan. Now, how can she survive, get redemption in her first space visit? Here, each character can be thought of as an alternate analogy. Ryan represents the prime subject who is burdened by her past (death of her only child), who is trying hard to run away from her past, her sadness. Matt represents the hope whose flamboyance and cut-to-edge love for life, influences Ryan. Under highly inadvertent circumstances when she is actually alone and when she realizes that she’s is going to die just ‘today’, that also in alienated and boring space where none will be around during her last moments, she discovers the power of spirit and invaluable gift of life. Her return journey to earth begins with the moment of self-realization, after knowing value of limited ‘Oxygen’ (Read: Breath of life) after going through hard fight for it in space. She determines to move back to earth by getting into dispatch capsule of the Chinese station which is entering into earth atmosphere, de-orbited by debris attack. In one of the most intense scenes when she starts ‘falling’ into earth atmosphere, now fearless, strong and unattached with the final result, she thanks to God and Life, ‘’No matter what’s the outcome, Either way, it's going to be one hell of a ride!!” The last landing scene is actually the first scene on earth in 2 hour movie. That’s the genius part!! Just like Ryan, you have felt nostalgic just by witnessing beautiful mother earth from the boring black-out space.  So when capsule lands on the lake and she starts drowning into water, she abandons the baggage (heavy space-suit) of grief and guilt and re-breathes freshness of new-life. After reaching the lake-bank, she kisses mother earth and begins the ‘baby-walk’ (physical side-effect of zero-gravity) towards her re-born life…

Above words won’t suffice because words can never beat experience!! That initial long-shot of conversation between astronaut team with adoring view of earth in background, that ‘predictably unpredictable’ (90 minutes, the orbit completion time) chaos of space debris, and that tight 90 minutes survival window before another ‘attack’ comes, that thrilling journey towards the shuttle before O2 expires, that heart-melting scene of belt abandon, that sudden confrontation of raw helplessness after realizing that burst of ridiculous talks and flamboyant charm of Matt is no longer going to be around her which was unknowingly filling hope and fighting spirit in her subconscious, that state of hard certainty that she is gonna die today, that setback of abandoning all hopes by reducing O2 supply to have less painful death, that intense nostalgic realization of social importance when listening to dog barking on radio, that brilliant scene where Ryan free-heartedly weeps but her tears don’t fall but float in space due to zero-gravity, and finally the thrilling last ride towards her home just like kid desperately wants to hide into mother’s lap, is all brilliant!!! But, the last but not the least, this unparallel movie experience won’t be this rich without Steven Price’s masterful music score. It is like the silent, third character of the movie. You can’t filter-out the extremely appropriate musical score from the film without compromising the rich quality of experience and apprehensiveness. It’s a soulful under-current of the film. It was similarly important in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The best thing this movie effectively conveys that very less number of other movies do is ‘whether there is space’s zero-gravity or free fall in atmosphere, direction and gravity of human emotions always determines his destiny!!!’

*****

DESSERT:

“The camera is a third astronaut, and that astronaut is the audience. The audience is floating in space, following these characters that are bonded by the loss of physics in zero gravity, floating and rolling and spinning. The idea is to immerse the audience so that your emotional experience is projected onto the screen in a primal way.”

-  Alfonso Cuarón [Director, Gravity]

-   Harshil

'Ship of Thesis' ~ Sailing into my world of words

Once upon a time in a last century before the world witnessed Christ, A Greek historian, named ‘Plutarch’ raises a philosophical dilemma,- 

“If a ship‘s (Let’s say ‘Blue Vader’) planks have turned old and weak so they are replaced by new stronger material and so eventually the whole ship. So will it still be the same ‘Blue Vader’?”-

                                  

-*-

Centuries later, British philosopher, Thomas Hobbs extends the paradox:-

“Now let’s assume that another ship is built using recycled material of planks of ‘Blue Vader’. Now, which one of ships is to be called, 'real' Blue Vader’? ” -

*****

“Pictures are wonderful. How are you managing to do this?”

“Well, I just sense the situations and surroundings using voice and touch. I just let my camera follow my intuition.”

“That’s wonderful. You are icon, you see? You can be huge inspiration for others who have such limitations (physical). ”

“I actually don’t see it as limitation but just the new way of conceiving …”

- Her name is Alia. She is a celebrated photographer who has lost her eyes (but not vision!!) due to some cornea infection. She uses her intuition and auditory conscience to 'capture' surrounding arts. Later, she goes through cornea transplant to regain her eye-sight. Miracle happens? Nope. She used to perceive the world with her own inner sense and intuition. When she struggles to cope up with new 'replaced' sense to perceive the world, she realizes that she has lost her own ‘sense’ while gaining the other, new one.

*****

“Universe is so huge. How does it matter even if our actions are not aligned to it?”

“That’s the only thing what really matters. If it doesn’t matter then what else would?”

- His name is Maitreya, a mid-forty rational-minded and moralistic monk. He is not ‘Jain’ Monk. It doesn’t even matter here what the religion is and the director hasn't even mentioned. Maitreya can very well debate with his pure rationalism and sharp insight. He is smart, rational who strongly oppose the pharmaceutical companies which use animals for trial-testing of their drugs. He is fighting for the cause in Court. Now, his life takes interesting turn when he is diagnosed with ‘liver cirrhosis’. Doctor suggests him to undergo operation and for that, he will have to take lot of medicines. Now, his moral dilemma is that these medicines are manufactured by the companies to whom he has been fighting with. He denies it. Doctors, Friends, monks,

all try to convince him but he is not able to choose between saving his life and compromising his morals.

*****

“He must have been given a huge amount of money for this. Now, how does it matter?”

“My friend, it will still be the same wrong, won’t it be?”

- His name is Naveen, who is not interested in anything but money. He keeps himself sunk into trading and share market. His moralistic grand-ma sometimes criticizes him to be so money-minded. She is angry with him as he doesn’t care about significance of his existence to the society. Such ‘moral-talks’ make him annoyed. But due to incidental suspicion regarding his kidney transplant, he comes to know about kidney-stealing case of a poor labourer, Shankar. Following the roots of the scandal, he ends up reaching to Stockholm, to confront the receiver of Shankar’s stolen kidney.

*****

Now, imagine the ‘body’ as ‘ship’, ‘organs’ as ‘planks’ and 'dilemma of existence' as ‘Theseus Paradox’ then this crafts the one of the best Indian masterpieces, which can stand proudly in the line along with World cinema. Finally!!! Finally, a movie with such a humungous international appeal with fantabulous screenplay and stupendous cinematography is becoming the epicentre of quality fresh and masterwork vibrations of Indian Cinema. Finally, we have the movie to which we can proudly tag, ‘MADE IN INDIA’ and really ‘boast’ about it. When premiered in numerous European film-festivals, the film achieved huge acclaim and praise from gem chaps of the world cinema and some of the champion directors of Indian cinema. Veteran film-maker Shekhar kapoor excitedly said, ‘Thank God, finally I will be able to retire peacefully!!’ Genius film-maker Anurag Kashyap appropriately said, ‘Easily the best movie made in Indian cinema in decades. Anand (the Director) has put ‘all’ of us to shame!’ A very talented director who is known to make brilliant films on hugely diversified subjects, Dibakar Banerjee says, “’Ship of Theseus’ has given me serious doubts about myself as a film-maker. I seriously introspected myself for two-three days as a film-maker.”

*****

‘What is so special about (and in) the film?’ - Probably the first brave and well-crafted attempt in Indian Cinema, which correlates and eventually converge the Morality, Identity, Existence and Spirituality into a dense but still very well digestible and multi-layered drama [so easily, the one with lose-motion effect for those who just enjoy mind-less and sense-less stereotyped drama.] This movie is definitely out-of-league for the traditional ‘halla-gulla’ type entertainment lovers. It addresses the theme of existence, philosophy but not like heavy boring lectures but a brilliantly simple, a genuinely aesthetic and a sheer entertaining way. ‘Honest’ pace is one of the strongest USPs of ‘Ship of Theseus’[I get confused when I hear when people say the movie is very slow or fast, After all, it’s a movie not a Rajdhani express!!!Wherever and whenever it is needed, it should halt and give audience a chance to explore the moment and surroundings in the context of movie plot which is rarely taken care of in Indian cinema.] It brilliantly follows with Maitreya’s daily walk-ride and also halts sometimes to capture the living-on-the-edge, very transient existence of caterpillar. [One of the best scenes in the movie, showing sheer perishable life of insect whose existence depends on others (our)’ moves] It also addresses the restlessness of Alia when she realizes that along with her eyes, something else also has changed. It also depicts human duality in terms of sharp, rational arguments of Maitreya and his life-saving moral-dilemma. It also salutes ruthless, so-called (rude, emotion-less who doesn't care and listen to their parents) but also frank, nonmanipulative, self-righteous youth and also shows tragic-reality of kidney scandals and shallowness of anger, pain and sorrow in the shadow of greed of money. [One important beautiful scene where Naveen slams his grand mother (old generation) for hypocrisy and at the same time, helping her to get cleaned like good grandson.] It is just the absolute genius of the director that how wonderfully all three stories converge together in the end. Master-stroke (or Master-reference) of the film?: As ‘Theseus’ Paradox’ addresses, ‘If a ship is modified, plank by plank, at the end, will it still be the same?’ Same paradox in the context of the movie: “If an organ is changed in the body, will it still be the same or it will change something? If yes, then what is that? ’- Movie tries to provide the answer: 'a soul'. Remember, ship is just the symbol! If some physical part is changed then something else definitely changes, what can that be? As in film, it may be your photography instinct or your moral values or even the surroundings! Biologically, our body also entirely 'regenerates' cell-by-cell in seven years. So the question is still the same: ‘are we still the same???’-

*****

It is very rare and fortunate that such piece of gem (in typical other words, 'so-called' boring art film) is still waving ‘House-full’ sign at theatres when it is not even got to released other than big cities. So, PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Don’t miss this ‘pioneer masterpiece’ and as one of the critics (of course, non-indian, dude!!) rightly said, ‘hidden gem of Indian Cinema.’ It’s nothing but the delicious treat to witness this masterwork on a big-screen.

DESSERT:

“You have an intricate problem that you can’t solve, and sometimes even simply articulating your problem brings you closer to the answers. Sometimes the solution lies in articulating.”

– Anand Gandhi [The director, ‘Ship of Theseus’].

**-**

Forgotten heroes...

Under the loud cheers and celebration of 'Centurions', 'Walls' and 'Match-winners', some tired voice of champion national athletes which was once ignored OR unheard, suddenly gets resurfaced and gets the stage to speak-up in the commendable voice of arguably the most stupendous "actor" of current time (In the unique league of Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar) and one of the most "versatile" artists since the great Sanjeevkumar... "Irrfan khan" and masterfully "screen-play"ed and executed by Tigmashu Dhulia... The best and must watch tragic and heart-sensational satire on the bull-shit treatment and disappointing attitude towards "Non-cricket" Indian athletes. No wonder why the 2nd most populous country and world's biggest democracy is still in the "stone age" in the highly competitive world of athletics where even small African countries have much more commendable performance just because of fucked-up treatment and so ultimately resultant deprived athletes like "Paan singh Tomar"... 

Rain Drop...

..... Rain Drop is liberal as it is "free", while coast is not, as it is “fixed”. That’s why rain drop as a playful baby unleashes its home of clouds and transforms into young, vibrant girl of current. It wets with drizzles of pure enthusiasm and zeal, whoever comes in its way. If some metal-headed rocks(Read: inert and inanimate people) come in the way, even it blesses them with purity and coolness. Even in its loud (not noisy!!!), fast flow, it puts us into tranquility. Continuing the journey, it matures into composed and calm woman of River, who blesses everyone and becomes life-savior. But still it doesn’t stop. Because this is not ultimate destination. The ultimate dream is to embrace the supreme, to reach nirvana and to dissolve into the one. So journey continues. it achieves emancipation into the ocean. Again due to the intercourse of cloud and water in the sensuous stimuli of heat, it changes the form to steam and enters into a “fetus” of cloud and and finally with the “medical” help from heavy lightening, again descends into the world as a rain drop…. 

Simple... so divine (with some new improvements)

"If this wind is able to grasp my feelings,
then I would simply give it to it
and ask it to breath by you...,

If this water is able to dissolve my feelings,
then I would fill each drop of water with my love
and ask it to drink by you...,

If you are able to listen birds singing,
then you will find they convey my love message…,

If you look at the rose in the early morning,
your touch to the moisture on it, will be as warm as my feelings…

If you are able to listen the suppressed music pattern in metro traffic,
that much deep I feel for you...,

If you look at the trees in the full wind,
they dance fully because they know what I feel for you...,

If you are able to listen my heartbeats..,
you do not have to go ask to above elements...,

Because they convey you,
what my heart feels for you...

this would be my love-poem...,
when I want to write for you..."
.....
.....

….

                           (Written long back on a beautiful rainy night…)

            Just imagine a simple man, an ordinary middle class person who daily starts office at 9 carrying small bag along and returns at evening 6. He is not so good looking, not so strong physique, not with so good fashion-sense and not with extra qualities. His tongue falters when he has to encounter with any girl. He does not know dreamy star-moon romantic DDLJ dialogues. He doesn’t know about rock or jazz. He does not play guitar. He can’t write love-poems. He is not even good at effective articulation. We all must have seen this guy in our daily life. Can this ordinary man have an extra-ordinary love story? What is so special about this guy? Let’s just figure out.

He is not so good looking but his pure mind makes everything look good to him. He does not have strong physique but his convicted faith is his biggest power. He is not so good at fashion but his love is his only passion. He doesn’t have extra qualities but he knows one thing: To unconditionally dissolve the self completely into love. He doesn’t know much about rock/pop/jazz, but he can very well understand the rhythm of her heartbeats. He does not know how to dance but whenever he sees her smile, his each red-white cell of his blood dance like beautiful flowers hangs in the first rain of the season. He does not know Chikni chupdi baatein but knows to talk simple and to the point. He does not know to pretend because he is simple and honest [not only to others, but himself]. He is not good at loud heavy words but silent simple actions (unlike our politicians). He doesn’t walk around with a burden of expectations/conditions from his partner in his mind. He just takes whatever comes as is. Those girls, who are impressed by hot looks, bike riding and crazy outfits, yell insanely: ‘Oh.... He is so hot.... so handsome...’ Compared to that macho guy, a simple ordinary lover will always look low-profile and dumb. Aaah!! It’s so boring!!! Their yelling is loud but shallow just like their life. Come on!!!! We are not purchasing sexy outfits on 50% Sale; this is all damn about our life.  They haven’t tested an experience of one simple and gentle touch of reliable and trusted hand like it is always there to make you happy. That wonderful sentence is absolutely worth: A single honest gentle touch communicates much effectively than bunch of thousands of words.

         If we consider a love as seed, honesty is its root, faith is its water supply and sex (healthy!!!) is its natural fertilizer. All of these constitutes to a well-developed and a grown tree of relationship. Has expressing love become just confined to gift red roses on valentine?  Is it just about long-drive? Is it just to write romantic poems? Is love become so stereotyped and soul-less? Under loud discotheque beats, obviously how will soft heartbeats be listened? Love is not just about impressing with artifacts like gifts/cloths at unnecessary time/place. It is all about expressing your feelings with strong conviction when it is truly needed. It is just not about holding her hand and walk ‘proudly’ in the shopping mall; it is about to hold her hand when she is lost or when she needs. It is not just about showing a romantic movie at hall; it is about showing your love portrayal filled with colors of your true emotions. It is just not about to disguise the self to impress her but it is about to dissolve the self to make her happy. It is not about winning her through words but it is all about losing the self into her happiness. Love is thing-driven for extra-ordinary man with ordinary heart but it is feeling-driven for ordinary man with extra-ordinary heart.

                                       

                                                  *****

  

             So that’s the whole point, my friends!!! And it is conveyed and manifested in simplest and beautiful manner without any big trouble of titanic-weighted emotions or unnecessary complex dialogues in my personal favorite Rab ne bana di Jodi. The film was written in just 12 days and shot in 45 days by a brilliant film-maker Aditya Chopra. In today's massive flow of shallow and fabricated romantic movies, this movie shines like a drop on the leave in a tender sunshine after rain and moistens our feelings. Simple heart is not at the end of season sale. It is more exclusive than even diamond. It is priceless nowadays you know… 

  

[So story is simple. Due to some sudden accidental circumstances, Tani has to marry Suri (as a last wish of her father at his last breath). Girl is in trauma due to sudden series of tragic events. So on the second day itself after marriage, she confesses to her husband:

'I will never be able to love you'. 

Composed husband replies calmly:

"I do not know what love is... Today in a marriage party, as you kept my reputation among my friends (by just being present), that's love for me. Love more than this, neither am I used to nor I need." 

          Whholla!!! Just think of couples who just break up in a fraction of moment; claiming (and blaming) that their partners don’t love them enough or they are too demanding. They measure their relationship depth with their bullshit shallow expectations. When expectations (read: ego too) are less in relationships, such 'suri'edean eurekas' happen. Suri’s mind is free from all kinds of prejudice. That simplicity sees just her presence in the party as love. Wonderful!!! 

Then he adapts noble disguise of 'Raj' to make her happy and to show colors of joy. He loves her so much that he sees god in her. He is not macho guy with six pack abs but he is the ‘real man’ who dissolves his existence into his love for her happiness. He is a Rose who spreads fragrance of love after crush. He is true unconditional love-maker. He does even know how to ask for something. All he knows is to give, to surrender to a fraction of divinity he sees in her. He has never found anybody in his life on which he can shower all his love and care. So eventually girl finds herself in dilemma having two choices. One: his funny, handsome hunk and romantic lover. Two: his simple, faithful dumb husband. Both avatars are of the same person, still she is unable to recognize. She is confused... Why? If looks has been a problem, just do a make-over. Problem solved!!! But here question is not of looking but of true love. She has it, but is not able to identify or respect it. His each romantic proposal seems to her like a favor. That is why she is frustrated. So she comes over to Raj's place.

Tani: "How can you be so happy even though I don't love you? How can you love me without expecting love from me? Don't you feel pain?"  

Raj: "Pain??? Love is a blessing from God. How can it be painful?"

Wonderful thought!!! How can love itself be painful or hurtful?  It is a true and pure gift from almighty. Love can always cure. Love can always care.

             Girl decides to leave husband and to run away with Raj. But he does not panic. He decides to make his disguise as his permanent face. He is the true ‘Macho' who loves her more than himself and is ready to change himself completely just to make her happy not even for her love. Finally girl realizes what she has to: His unconditional love dissolves the separation of dream man and real man and she finally discovers gem of Suri’s priceless heart. When she admits how he can love so much even though she hasn’t love him a bit. Suri just says:

I have seen God in you. When I surrender to it, I am gratified. When I see it happy and smiling, I am just more gratified…]

                                                 *****

Almost all the moments, starting from serious introductory scene of silent commencement of marriage life to brilliant metaphoric dance sequence along with unfolding of past scenes for girl’s self-realization; everything reiterates its spontaneity and simplicity. Be it brilliant choreography of shiamak davar or be it soft situational background music from Salim-Suleiman. Be it cheerful set of Amritsar or be it colorful (both: mood and clothes) jigari-yaara of Surinder, Bobby khosla; everything in this movie is just second to none; it just makes you feel that you want to be a part of it. 

Shahrukh khan, who portrayed amazingly both avatars of 'Ram' and 'Shyam' talks a brilliant point in this context: "When we go to purchase a car at the showroom, we look at their looks, their colors, comfortable sits, AC but we never look to the most important part, its engine. Till date, whatever popular characters of Raj, Rahul I have played, they have been so popular because behind their funny act, glamor and romance, there were no lies or ego but pure and honest heart. Suri is their engine, their heart."

DESSERT:

"Tujh mein Rab Dikhta hain..." 

      --- Cute, simple (and romantic of course) love confessions at all religious places with wonderful angels (child-dancers). Astonishingly beautiful!!! :) 

Suckerpunch..

May angels rest beside your door, 

May you hear their voices sing. 

May you feel their loving care for you, 

May you hear their peace bells ring. 

May angels always care for you, 

and not let you trip and fall, 

May they bear you up on angel's wings, 

May they keep you standing tall. 

May they whisper wisdom in your ear, 

May they touch you when you need, 

May they remove from you each trace of fear, 

and May they keep you from feeling greed. 

May they fill you with their presence, 

May they show you love untold, 

May they always stand beside you 

and make you ever bold. 

May they teach you what you need to know 

about life here and here-after

May they fill you always with their love 

and give you the gift of laughter…  

                                                  

                                     *****

Who is an angel?  


How do I recognize angel?

When I just thought of these questions, this wonderful poem which I read long back by some“unknown” (angel???) suddenly popped up in my mind. Let’s just put the question “who” apart. Let’s just take “how”. Since childhood, due to a “family ritual” of night story telling by guardian, somewhere around in our subconscious, a picture of our angel (might be hazy) is developed in our mind and as we grow we paint them with different colors of properties/characteristics on it like “Angel will give all the happiness to us”, “angel will take away all sorrows from our life”, “Angel will bless us with the way when we call them”. But how do we recognize angel? They come in any form, any shape and anytime, anywhere. Everyone meets angels daily. So many people might have experienced a crucial call (in a highly crisis situation) from an “unexpected” person who comes over as an ‘angel’ to rescue for financial help. Sometimes at the cricket stadium when IPL ticket is lost, some security guy as an angel restlessly rushes to you to handover your lost ticket. When you are about to get engaged, your friend becomes an angel to bring your engagement ring you have forgotten at home. When you misplace your purse/tie while going office, your wife is your “everyday angel”. Sometimes you are tangled up with your creative design/writing; a small cute girl playing around near you; becomes an angel (by the way, all kids are “certified” angels from God) and shows you much simpler solution/way. Sometimes angels do come in the form of an evil or a monster; sometimes they just come so harshly in the form of challenging situations. Sometimes adverse situations or worst realities become an angel to remind us that “We hold the power to control the world we create”; to remind us about our true power, our true form, the true self. 

When worst circumstances are to be faced, when worst situations are to be fought; when screwed up reality is to come over, our eyes just simply close for a while and which eventually ignites the power of imagination inside, then you start dreaming about happy events, favorable circumstances, situations you like, situations you control. Yes, this is the world you create; yes this is the world you can control because it is all yours. In our ancient Vedas, our rishis also teach the same that “Go inside; you will find all the answers.”  Reality is just not enough; it simply makes us institutionalized (Refer The Shawshank Redemption for the manifestation of 'institutionalized'). It forces us to think “JUST LOGICALLY”. (A bit of craziness or stupidity is necessary to have an exceptional pleasant change from monotonous boring logical reality). To unlock reality, God has given us a key of imagination, power of conscience; intuition. Open the eyes of the mind and run the super power horses of imagination in the direction you like because you are the master of it, you are the rich owner of it.

                                                   *****

With the tagline of 'Reality is prison' one of the most unique and multi-metaphoric movie came very recently which I unfortunately missed for theatre watch; Sucker Punch from a brilliant and maverick film-maker, Zack Snyder (Remember, a brilliant power packed, 300???).  This guy is just exceptionally amazing. As a gaming freak (used to be), the first thing caught me that he has created a big screen multi-layered video game in the form of an Imax cinema in which some hostage girls use weapons of Indian philosophy and power of imagination to escape from their hell-like reality (Congratulations!!!; again discovery of India is rediscovered by US and gifted back to us with the tag:Made in USA. Actually it is a sucker punch from Hollywood on the face of some of our shallow Indian film makers [of course with some pleasant and respected exceptions]…).

A cute teenage, Baby doll is sent to a mental treatment center on the allegations (false obviously) of sister’s murder. She sees so many girls like her trapped there. Trapped?? Yes. Because this center called 'Lennox House' is just a false curtain, behind which those authorities run a billion-dollar business of sex and striptease under the monitoring of owner named, Blue. Here Snyder has smartly and extra-ordinarily portrayed the stage of girls’ mental treatment center with the backdrop of porn industry by showing all the girls in school-dresses (Which are the most popular outfits in porn industry). He has brilliantly shown so many fantastic relevant metaphors like: Music played in the Lennox house is the metaphor of distraction for the people outside and intoxication of drugs, cocaine and heroines for innocent girls forcefully trapped inside the hell of sex industry. Dance is used as the metaphor of sex and striptease. Tired of observing and facing all these bitter realities; Baby doll creates her own imaginary world to escape from this hell. But she can’t accomplish it all alone. There are other girls also who join her in this redemption plan. One of them is: Sweet pea, who is just as normal as other girls but is voluntarily trapped here to rescue her sister (Rocket). Altogether, mission redemption starts:

Baby doll in her imaginary world (where she is the super woman and controls her world) goes to a guardian (read: her Subconscious/Conscience) to seek a guidance for how to rescue. Guardian (again remember, her conscience) tells that she would need 5 weapons in this escape mission: Map, Fire, Knife, Key and XXX (5th one, which remains mystery and which can only be revealed by her, no one else). Here also, map is used as the metaphor of path (path of life), Fire as the metaphor of 'Light' on the path (read inspiration/motivation), Knife as the metaphor of values, ethics; skills which are our strengths to fight and take appropriate decisions in any damn situation. And finally Key as the metaphor of 'effort' ('sincere' effort), a final shot; a final knock at the door of destiny. Finally Baby doll reaches at the door of redemption with Sweet pea (the only other survived girl) using these 4 weapons. When they finally come out of the premise, she sees some security guards. If they are caught by them, they will be dead for sure just as other girls were shot during escape. Only one of them can escape from it. Now there is a choice between her life and the life of Sweet pea. She pauses for a while, remembers what guardian said and wonders where the 5th weapon is? As guardian told; the 5th weapon is the secret which will only be revealed by her. She realizes that 5th weapon is nothing but she, herself. How??? She realizes that, this is not her story; this is the story of Sweet pea. Baby doll now realizes that she wanted to escape just for herself while Sweet pea had voluntarily accepted this prison-life just to save her sister. Sweet pea was suffering in that hell just to rescue her sister, who is now dead. Sweet pea should be the one who needs to be escaped. Wow!!!The moment of self-realization!!! The rediscovery of lost self!!! So just like the main protagonist of the drama goes into the background; takes the back seat and supportive character becomes the center of the story, Baby doll asks Sweet pea to escape alone. Does freedom mean that we have to be free from ‘deed’? Nope, it’s not possible. We just have to be free from the feeling of ‘doer’ of that action. (Again: a metaphoric reference from ‘Shrimad Bhagwad Gita’). She realizes that this redemption fight was not for her own escape but she was just the cause (omen) for the rescue of Sweet pea. Bravo!!! She distracts the security guards and finally Sweet pea successfully escapes. What happened to Baby doll??? She has got the emancipation of her life, her destiny, her true freedom.

In the end, relieved Sweet pea finally catches the bus towards her home and asks:

Who honors those we love, the life we live?

Who sends monsters to kill us and at the same time sings that ‘we will never die’?

Who teaches us what’s real and how to laugh at lies?

Who changes us?

Who holds the key that can set us free?

And movie concludes with the simplest (and the only) answer of all the complex questions in the universe:YOU…

You have got all the weapons you need…

NOW... FIGHT !!!

DESSERT:

' If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.'

                                  --- A powerful punch line from Sucker Punch.