Fourteen year old Reese Witherspoon runs towards home after a swim on the TV screen. I suddenly notice the shoes. Did she have them before or was it her starry tantrums that refused to run bare foot? Too shy to feel the earth? Feel of earth, isnt there some sort of hype around that. To let go and feel in its bare form. Then I am reminded of the gravel, how it pokes your feet and the hurt. not so romantic then the feel of earth, I suppose.
Labels: utter rubbish!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
God of small things - book report
Wrote this a long time ago
This was a re-read/re-visit or re-return. I must admit when I read the book earlier or rather flipped through it, I misunderstood the love laws she wanted to break. Naturally assumed that to be the reason for the book being best-seller. I was right & wrong.
The first few chapter have undeniable rushdie style - the gobblygib & dibblydobs, the story-telling through the eyes of children. Ofcourse, she does not do as good a job as Rushdie.The word plays just don't run as wild denying us the crazy world that rushdie lets us live in. (the man is truly crazy, this one is faking it). But she does manage to recreate the child's world perfectly well. In this regard, three of the famous Indian authors - Rushdie, Rk Narayanan and Roy are equally gifted. In one page she has the narrative of the incident from the seven-year old and recalls the same incident from the 31 -year old. The transformation is amazing.
I have read few interviews of her. And the similarities between her own life & Rahel's are easily noticeable. Roy's mom runs a school, rahel's mom wanted to run one. Roy a student of delhi school of architecture, had a failed marriage, bengali dad- syrian christain mom, ditto rahel.
Neverthless, eventually as characters begin to emerge I was a little disappointed with unipolar characterisations of the wilful baby kochamma, conniving pillai, victimized ammu. But what was more disappointing was not the last chapter but the last but one. Pardon me, to me incest chapter does not even seem to fit the flow, seemed unrequired. Infact, I had to google to understand what she was trying to do there.
Otherwise she pretty much uses the usual element for an international book-seller from india. The freudian connection to the motherly love of mammachi is totally unimaginative. Why exactly would mamamachi motherly love have to blemished and ammu's luv for her kid the usual holier kind? Is it because ammu is the one of the protoganist and roy decided she is good? God!
The book also has worst experience a child can have, robbing them of the their innocence of childhood. It was handled very well in the novel from the child's point of view. The confusion, the fear that the child undergoes captured very well.
Roy ensures that the "white" margarest kochamma the better person, while the "brown" baby kochamma has to be conniving one. How else can you sell the book for 1/2 a million dollar. By the by, Kochamma i think means aunt in malayalam, close to athai in tamil?
I wonder if I remove the last but one incest chapter of the book, would the book this successful? Wouldn't yet be another novel.
Once again, is the book-writing all about dark characters. Are all human beings that way?
I thought I was a minority.
Now, don't get me wrong. She is a gifted author.I did end up almost crying reading about Ammu & velutha. The sadness that the children had to live for the rest of it is too heart breaking. Roy's writing shines through most of the book. Wonderful writing again.
But...
Loveable, pitiable ammu, velutha
detestable, conniving baby kochamma & pillai
If only were life was so straight-forward.
This was a re-read/re-visit or re-return. I must admit when I read the book earlier or rather flipped through it, I misunderstood the love laws she wanted to break. Naturally assumed that to be the reason for the book being best-seller. I was right & wrong.
The first few chapter have undeniable rushdie style - the gobblygib & dibblydobs, the story-telling through the eyes of children. Ofcourse, she does not do as good a job as Rushdie.The word plays just don't run as wild denying us the crazy world that rushdie lets us live in. (the man is truly crazy, this one is faking it). But she does manage to recreate the child's world perfectly well. In this regard, three of the famous Indian authors - Rushdie, Rk Narayanan and Roy are equally gifted. In one page she has the narrative of the incident from the seven-year old and recalls the same incident from the 31 -year old. The transformation is amazing.
I have read few interviews of her. And the similarities between her own life & Rahel's are easily noticeable. Roy's mom runs a school, rahel's mom wanted to run one. Roy a student of delhi school of architecture, had a failed marriage, bengali dad- syrian christain mom, ditto rahel.
Neverthless, eventually as characters begin to emerge I was a little disappointed with unipolar characterisations of the wilful baby kochamma, conniving pillai, victimized ammu. But what was more disappointing was not the last chapter but the last but one. Pardon me, to me incest chapter does not even seem to fit the flow, seemed unrequired. Infact, I had to google to understand what she was trying to do there.
Otherwise she pretty much uses the usual element for an international book-seller from india. The freudian connection to the motherly love of mammachi is totally unimaginative. Why exactly would mamamachi motherly love have to blemished and ammu's luv for her kid the usual holier kind? Is it because ammu is the one of the protoganist and roy decided she is good? God!
The book also has worst experience a child can have, robbing them of the their innocence of childhood. It was handled very well in the novel from the child's point of view. The confusion, the fear that the child undergoes captured very well.
Roy ensures that the "white" margarest kochamma the better person, while the "brown" baby kochamma has to be conniving one. How else can you sell the book for 1/2 a million dollar. By the by, Kochamma i think means aunt in malayalam, close to athai in tamil?
I wonder if I remove the last but one incest chapter of the book, would the book this successful? Wouldn't yet be another novel.
Once again, is the book-writing all about dark characters. Are all human beings that way?
I thought I was a minority.
Now, don't get me wrong. She is a gifted author.I did end up almost crying reading about Ammu & velutha. The sadness that the children had to live for the rest of it is too heart breaking. Roy's writing shines through most of the book. Wonderful writing again.
But...
Loveable, pitiable ammu, velutha
detestable, conniving baby kochamma & pillai
If only were life was so straight-forward.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
This happened few years ago. One evening after coming back from college. My mom started, " Guess what happened today? Remember the India today subscription we had ordered? I forgot all about it. A parcel came today, I didnt recall the subscription gift. what with all the bomb scare going around, I got all scared."
"Then, what did you do?"
"I went outside the house and opened the parcel"
"How would have that helped, if there was a bomb, you would have anyway blown off"
"But the TV, fridge and computer wont be affected"
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Yes, that is exactly what everyone would have felt, a mother was blown off but in a valiant effort saved TV, Fridge and the computer.
"Then, what did you do?"
"I went outside the house and opened the parcel"
"How would have that helped, if there was a bomb, you would have anyway blown off"
"But the TV, fridge and computer wont be affected"
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Yes, that is exactly what everyone would have felt, a mother was blown off but in a valiant effort saved TV, Fridge and the computer.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Different Worlds
Saturday evening, went out with S, her friend and his friends. We did dinner, a desi dance party(I can never never dance) and played carrom. Every word uttered was a double entendre. All of us in our late twenties and a girl who was in her 30s. Headed home at 4.30am. Typical day or night of youth.
Sunday evening DB, L and her parents came home. Typical family talks.
Then there is the blog world. I alternate in and out of. It is a diverse world, some closer home than others but for the most part an interesting world.
Past two days at work has been filled with meetings. An half hour meeting got extended to an hour and a half. The meeting group consisted of two indians, a vietanemese, an italian, an american, and a chinese. Jokes. Some lame. Some decent but almost every one of them requiring an explanation.
Today, dinner at L's house, again familial environment.
Then there has been yoga class for the past 2 days where i am constantly asked to feel the bad feelings and good feelings. Turns out I dont have any feelings, take that you morons.
Way too many worlds to traverse through in two days.
On saturday afternoon, I spent half an hour with doestevesky's white night. That 26 year old young man who calls himself a character, nothing more, is the last world I seemed to have related to.
Sunday evening DB, L and her parents came home. Typical family talks.
Then there is the blog world. I alternate in and out of. It is a diverse world, some closer home than others but for the most part an interesting world.
Past two days at work has been filled with meetings. An half hour meeting got extended to an hour and a half. The meeting group consisted of two indians, a vietanemese, an italian, an american, and a chinese. Jokes. Some lame. Some decent but almost every one of them requiring an explanation.
Today, dinner at L's house, again familial environment.
Then there has been yoga class for the past 2 days where i am constantly asked to feel the bad feelings and good feelings. Turns out I dont have any feelings, take that you morons.
Way too many worlds to traverse through in two days.
On saturday afternoon, I spent half an hour with doestevesky's white night. That 26 year old young man who calls himself a character, nothing more, is the last world I seemed to have related to.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Confession time
It was one of those regular calls to the cable company. You know how they give you time-bound offers lowering the price, then they hike the price after the time period, at which point you call them again discussing with them your financial plans like dropping some features(to savethe price) or move to the rival brands and then they put you on some other offer and ... life's endless cycles.
I made that call. Except this time the permutation and combination ended up in such a way that I had to take a Hindi channel to get the best deal(dont ask, apparently that is consumer market). Chose the cheapest Channel. Star plus.
I have two friends addicted to the Serial thingy, so should have seen it coming. One watches the episodes missed on google video the very next day. The other refuses to step out of the house during the time inspite of a DVR. They work and live in Silicon valley.
At my own house, I can see the ghost nearing me. At first I couldnt believe the mind-numbing episodes reminding you once again of the moniker idiot box. But slowly i can see the convenience factor kicking in. You dont need to know the origins. cant really differentiate between preview and the actual episode. One night, I couldnt even notice that they had moved on to a different serial. The previous serial had this letter lying under a bed. I was listening to something on youtube so had muted the tv. When I watched it again, there was money lying under the bed but it apparently was a different serial. One can never tell.
I had alteast hoped for some film based programs. During the early days of cable TV, the print media wrote all sorts of articles about how the cable TV was filled with programs based on movie without any original products. Sometimes people dont count their blessings and are plain greedy, result, you get the atrocity that is mega-serial tv with exactly one movie per week.
If I probably go missing from blogosphere I am most likely watching the Star plus re-runs or catching up on the whole bank of episodes.Do inform the office of the same.
PSA: Say no to mega-serials.
I made that call. Except this time the permutation and combination ended up in such a way that I had to take a Hindi channel to get the best deal(dont ask, apparently that is consumer market). Chose the cheapest Channel. Star plus.
I have two friends addicted to the Serial thingy, so should have seen it coming. One watches the episodes missed on google video the very next day. The other refuses to step out of the house during the time inspite of a DVR. They work and live in Silicon valley.
At my own house, I can see the ghost nearing me. At first I couldnt believe the mind-numbing episodes reminding you once again of the moniker idiot box. But slowly i can see the convenience factor kicking in. You dont need to know the origins. cant really differentiate between preview and the actual episode. One night, I couldnt even notice that they had moved on to a different serial. The previous serial had this letter lying under a bed. I was listening to something on youtube so had muted the tv. When I watched it again, there was money lying under the bed but it apparently was a different serial. One can never tell.
I had alteast hoped for some film based programs. During the early days of cable TV, the print media wrote all sorts of articles about how the cable TV was filled with programs based on movie without any original products. Sometimes people dont count their blessings and are plain greedy, result, you get the atrocity that is mega-serial tv with exactly one movie per week.
If I probably go missing from blogosphere I am most likely watching the Star plus re-runs or catching up on the whole bank of episodes.Do inform the office of the same.
PSA: Say no to mega-serials.
Friday, June 12, 2009
i havent grown up yet....
I carefully inspected the chair for any thorns, needles or any thing that can prick. Couldn't find anything. Then why exactly, my dear readers, do i have this urge to get out of the chair at the slightest possible excuse? Go look at the snack corner. Get some water. Head downstairs to make yourself some chai or get some diet coke. Visit the loo as a consequence. Head down for lunch. Head up for a light banter with D. Go for a walk.
But the moment there is a deadline that is realized well after it is definitely going to be missed, all these urges disappear. Key board becomes the weapon, cursing for stupid mistakes another. why? why? why god why me?
ushhhh.... dont tell any one now. .. not my boss.
Ps: I wrote this long time ago, as of today we are working not just sitting on the chair but even sitting on the couch at home. That is how it looks for couple of months.
But the moment there is a deadline that is realized well after it is definitely going to be missed, all these urges disappear. Key board becomes the weapon, cursing for stupid mistakes another. why? why? why god why me?
ushhhh.... dont tell any one now. .. not my boss.
Ps: I wrote this long time ago, as of today we are working not just sitting on the chair but even sitting on the couch at home. That is how it looks for couple of months.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Movie dialogue quiz
Often, some random dialogues from movies would get registered in my head. Some good but mostly cheesy ones. To the extent, that i hate them but yet remember them. Here are few of the dialogues and guess the movie if you can.
1. " Patha hi nahi chala maa ki kaab pyaar ho gaya, pathi hi nahi chala maa".
- The wierd thing is for a long time all I could remember was the dialogue, not the movie, not the scene, not the actress. And then I read it in another blog and figured the movie. It wasnt a 80s movies as I thought.
2. " yenna, en mansu enkita ella.."
- err.. from my favorite director and favorite director, you can take the dialogue and make a grilled cheese sandwich out of it!
3. " Shaadi Karne ke liye, kisise pyaar karna bahut zaroori hai "
4. " En brother, cobarathan quarry-la kal odaikarar"
5. "Ethni saari kushiyan kahi ghum agle mod pe tho nahi?"
- C'mon this was a good one.
Updated with answers
1. Hum dil de chuke sanam
Check out 0.47 of this video:
2. Every one guessed it right. Mouna raagam from my favorite director and favorite actor.
3. Dil chahta hai
Check out at 0.40 secs of this trailer
4. It is our cult movie, ella?
5. Kal ho na ho. Yes, I watched it, i think except for last half hour and shahrukh, the movie was tolerable. nope i am still sane coz i dont like other karan johar movies.
1. " Patha hi nahi chala maa ki kaab pyaar ho gaya, pathi hi nahi chala maa".
- The wierd thing is for a long time all I could remember was the dialogue, not the movie, not the scene, not the actress. And then I read it in another blog and figured the movie. It wasnt a 80s movies as I thought.
2. " yenna, en mansu enkita ella.."
- err.. from my favorite director and favorite director, you can take the dialogue and make a grilled cheese sandwich out of it!
3. " Shaadi Karne ke liye, kisise pyaar karna bahut zaroori hai "
4. " En brother, cobarathan quarry-la kal odaikarar"
5. "Ethni saari kushiyan kahi ghum agle mod pe tho nahi?"
- C'mon this was a good one.
Updated with answers
1. Hum dil de chuke sanam
Check out 0.47 of this video:
2. Every one guessed it right. Mouna raagam from my favorite director and favorite actor.
3. Dil chahta hai
Check out at 0.40 secs of this trailer
4. It is our cult movie, ella?
5. Kal ho na ho. Yes, I watched it, i think except for last half hour and shahrukh, the movie was tolerable. nope i am still sane coz i dont like other karan johar movies.
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