Ten stories - one movie

Dus Kahaniyan

Have you read those Kumudam and Ananda Vikatan half page stories with a twist? After reading few of them, you can easily guess what the twist would be. Several stories of Dus Kahaniyan fall under this category. It should be interesting to the people who are encountering short stories(albeit in visual medium) for the first time.

Of the ten stories(dus kahaniyan, yaar!), Poorna Manshi and Rice Plate had received the maximum good reviews.

Rice Place stands out due to Shabana Azmi and Naseerudin Shah. I have never seen Naseer in a similar role, with a child like Smirk, he endears you. In general, I don't like Shabana Azmi and always felt if Smitha Patel had been alive, Shabana wouldn't have had the chance to rule the Parallel cinema world like she did. Inspite of the grudge, she stole the show in this Hindu Muslim Behen-Bhai story.

Poorna Manshi never gave me enough time to get into the characters. This was one of the stories that made me realize why this 10-15 minutes stories in a movie format would not work. umhmm.. that is me clearing my throat, what I say next might feel way too much of an analysis but the truth is, I feel(umhm..) it is very important to establish an emotional connect with the characters especially in a story as this. That takes time. Here, before I could empathize with Ma, Beti, the story was over.

'Matrimony', is a well executed story with Mandira Bedi and Sohail Khan would perfectly fit under the typical half-page short story with a twist. So do three more stories, 'Strangers in the night'(conversation between two stone faced people), 'Gubbare'(lovely acting by Nana) and 'Lovedale'(pathetic in all ways).

The Gangster one with Sanjay dutt and Sunil shetty(Sunil/Suniel - they can add all the alphabets they want, but I am going to use only the required alphabets in a name!) was going for something good, yet hadn't crystalised well.

With regard to actors, the already known good ones like Manoj Bajpai, Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin, Shabana stand out. To my surprise, Amrita was good too. Others don't surprise you either. Neha gave me an unintentional laugh. Sanjay dutt and Sunil shetty together kill the last story.

Compared to Scriptless bollywood movies, this is definitely a DVD watch.

Universe is conspiring

Thursday morning, I had it all planned. I would finish my work that is due friday so that I can be done peacefully what with long weekend, vacation and all. Or so I thought.

At some point while doing the work, I needed to discuss a few things couple of my colleagues, they weren't there. When I came back, the comp. started acting up. It would be extremely slow. And I hate rebooting. To re-open all the windows I have open and all that mess.

I couldn't catch hold of the colleagues the whole day and the computer was acting up at different points. I know if I decided to take it to the I.T, it would act all fine. At the end of the day, I finally decided to reboot.

Wierdest thing was, I pressed the up button in the office elevator, got into the door that opened, only to see the door wouldn't close. I got out of the elevator, pressed the up button again, the same elevator would be selected and I would get in, but the door wouldn't just close.

I got out of the elevator, waited for couple of minutes, what do you know, the door would close now!

Atleast now a different elevator could be selected.

I should have taken that as a sign. But I am me, you can through thousand signs and cues on my way, I would lay submerged in my lala land.

After this long day of fatigue and no progress, I decided I needed to treat myself to a movie. Rented out one of the latest releases from blockbuster. The DVD got stuck every 3rd scene.
DVD was released hardly couple of weeks ago.

Yeah, I know I could exchange it but by then I had realized universe is conspiring against me.
It is like one of those bad printing incident days, you could stand there and invoke all gods, but the printer would jam. My mom never taught me the printer dosham nivarna sloka.

So with this profound realization, I went to sleep with a smile.

Work never got done on friday either. I was travelling to LA this weekend to visit my brother.

At the nick of the time, brother called, "Anga weather epdi?".
"It was all 90s last week but this week has been cloudy."
"Oh engayam adpithan".
I was like "Oh, ok", with a tune that suggested, "Fine, whatever dude, I need to finish my last minute packing the last minute and leave."

Flight was wee bit delayed. I was told all the flights were being delayed. Somebody was talking about a storm somewhere. I enjoyed the experience of watching the rain up above the sky. Rain dashing against the aircraft wings was nice to watch.

And then I landed. It was raining in LA. It never rains in LA. My brother says he is not used to driving in the rain, because you know what?, this is LA. And LA is hot, always hot. But don't worry the sun shines right back on tuesday.

In the style of kupra vizhanthalam, meesai la mann otatha, I have decided to sit back and smile.

A music director analyzes the music of Rahman

oh well, I have wanted to provide this link for a long time. I also wanted to write my own story along with it. Let us just say, I decided to spare you guys(4 readers now, wonderful isn't it?) provide the link. for now that is. Story would be written another day hopefully.

Here is a Marathi music director Kaushal Inamdar, writing his own experience and analysis of Rahman's music.

It is interesting on several accounts.
For one, it's a professional analyzing Rahman's work. Instead of me saying I love love Rahman, Rahman's music is special, we get to hear what makes it special.
And this music director is no ordinary one in my head. One who loves music enough to look beyond Professional Jealousy.

I do have to counter on one point though. Kaushal mentions about how Rahman repeatitive phrasing makes his music catchy. This upset me, after all, Himesh 'nasal' Reshmayya does that too. But the difference ofcourse is the melody. That distinction is the key.

Rat race

" If you leave her in a desert with nobody around(no competition around), she wouldn't survive. She wouldn't learn anything."
-S, my roommate on another roommate fews years ago.

“I believe it’s just a psychological phenomenon. It doesn’t actually exist. If my potential is going to be judged only with respect to what the next person is capable of, I could be mediocre all my life....."
-T.M Krishna about competition in his interview.

A blogger remarks on reaching 30, how except for the occasional agony moments, one makes peace with their pace in the competition. You realize the compromises others make in order to reach where they are. They are happy making those compromises and you are happy not making them.

Living life, career and learning to ignore the competition.