Pride and Prejudice.

There are some movies that unintentionally tweak places deep in your heart and make you think twice, about things you wouldn't have otherwise. Makes you look at people in your life in a way you never have before. Makes you look at yourself and your actions and reaction. Makes you account for everything. It's like a splash of ice cold water on your face to wake you up from deep slumber. And it's usually not the movie itself but just a part in it that you can completely relate with.
The movie that is responsible for causing all the trouble and turmoil is "2 States".
I know uncanny right. Believe me it's not the romance or love story or the mushy love stuff. The movie is no doubt an eye candy and filled with cliches that you are bound to expect in a romantic movie. But it's not the cute and cuddly stuff at all that tweaked my emotions. It's the father-son relationship, that is portrayed so beautifully and ingeniously acted on by talented Ronit Roy who nailed the character.
For most parts it's a strained relationship where the son doesn't talk to father for their past rifts and his father's temper and dominance and demons of the past. Though the father triesmany times, in his own stiff manner, to communicate with his son. But the son won't have any of it till very end where his father does something so unexpected that proves his love.

Watching the character of father unravel, I realize how similar the situation is with me and my father. Now don't get me wrong I love my father but for most parts we have a strained relationship. And I have had always blamed his temper, blatant opinions and dominating character, until today. I realized that I am no better. Infact for most parts I am rude, insolent and bratty. I can see that he tries to be less of all those things, tries to communicate in his own way. He is not a man to show emotions quickly and open up. His emotions are camouflaged by his blunt manner but they hold a truth in them. The truth that I would rather not hear. I realized he tries but I don't. And isn't it the story of our budding generation? Don't deny it.
Our parents are not molded to accept the new ways easily. They are rigid. They have had their experiences. It's difficult for them to change. But they try in their ways. But do we? Do we try to understand them? Why does it feel like we are walking on tight rope while talking to them? If they can try, can't we make an effort to expand the rope into a walkway to accommodate both? Because an undeniable naked truth is they love you and always will and in moments when you need them the most they will be there. And you too love them, no matter how much you think you hate them in the heat of moment.

Here's another thing. The above just doesn't apply to parent-children relationship, but every relationship. Not everyone can open up and do things or say things that you expect them to. Not everyone can show emotions. Not everyone is moulded equally. But that doesn't mean the emotions aren't there. They have their own way of showing it, doing unexpected things. Little as they might be it's a big thing for them to do. It's just the way they are. And only if we can see the little things, the little efforts, Only if we could keep our eyes open we would see how wonderful they are. Try to understand the other person. Do your part because believe it or not they are doing theirs, in their unique ways.

Say sorry. It won't hurt your ego as much as it would salve the hurt of the other.

Smile. Not only is it free it make you look good.

Say thankyou. You never know if you might get another opportunity to be thankful.

Love but don't expect. Keeps you much happier.

Life is simple. Keep it that way.

Movie Review : Dark Knight Rises

A tribute to Christopher Nolan’s Epic Masterpiece – The Dark Knight Rises
(Now I am an avid fan of Christopher Nolan’s movies.. but I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible and give this amazing rare breed of a director, who makes movies for his own creative fulfillment while never leaving the epic cinematic sense that has gotten a pop culture following, a well deserve ovation.)

The Dark Knight Rises begins years from where The Dark Knight ended and what follows is a piece of cinematic perfection. The first hour of movie is a slow steady buildup for a journey to doomsday and that when the movie takes a breathtaking pace. The Doomsday in itself is one of the best visual representation of the worst a society can get.

Where The Dark Knight, though a great movie in itself, left us with a sense of gloom at the end, this installment is full of surprises and definitely leaves you with an awed expression while leaving the movie theatre. And yeah the vehicles at disposal of batman are an art in themselves. (And damn, if I wouldn’t want that bike for me!)

Christopher Nolan’s mastery not just the strong story and direction but also lies in his characters. Each character has depth and a story of their own. Our Batman himself is not ever-present but deals a battle with himself; his darkness, his fight with his will and power and fear or lack there of, his self destructiveness.

This is a must watch movie and not just once. Even if I know all the surprises there lies for the viewers I wouldn’t miss to see the story unfold again and again.

Movie Review: The Pianist (2002)

To watch hands flying over keys of piano, as they play Nocturne C sharp major op. Posth by Chopin, in the pivotal scene in the movie. And I mean literally flying...the flick of wrist and finger so quick and light at some points and sharp thrusts on other. It was mesmerizing. Only love for the instrument and music can creat such an effect, really.

I would have loved to say the whole movie is about music. But it's not. Though music is the major part of it. Its an account of a Jew Polish musician Wladyslaw Szpilman, a pianist from Warsaw, who survived the holocaust. For those who want to compare it with other holocaust movies like Schindler's list, don't. It's not a hero's tale. It's a survivor's account. The only things common in both movies are the gruesome acts of German so vividly brought to our sight; and that both are based on true stories. But here, there is no hero.

The movie is about how our protagonist survived merely due to shear luck and a lot of help from many friendly but also some unexpected sources. For some it might seem that some parts are detached from emotion but what Director Roman Polanski, himself a holocaust survivor, wants to portray is that most of the survivor did survive mostly by hiding, wandering off from places to places and because of help and support of friendly sympathetic hands. Their survival is not a hero's account because they had lived, carrying the knowledge that their loved ones died, and they couldn't do anything but live with the weight of it all their lives. His own experience and attachment to the horrific war is brought out elegantly in his work in movie. Adrien Brody's acting as Szpilman is commendable. He makes the character most believable.

The background score for most parts is best of Maestro Chopin's work, as Szpilman was known for his work on Chopin's compositions. They form the most key moments of the movie.

The Waiting Room

A common room. A place where all the stranded try to while away the time... waiting for the ever-so-late train.. A place where i learnt a lesson on life and choices.

Waitng... waiting... waiting..

I see an old couple, waiting just like I am. The man sitting, reading the news paper, and the wife sprawled, not in an undignified manner, besides her husband, her head on his lap.

I see other people. Many sleeping. And why not? Its 4 am after all!

Others, just like me, killing time...

But my eyes keep wandering off to this particular couple. Keeps tracking their movements if they change places. There is nothing special about them, really. Both in their early 70's, bedraggled just as we all are.

But it is what the old man said to us earlier that keeps repeating in my head like a broken record.

"God bless you", he'd said before leaving. "God bless you!" Again and again. Just the 3 words.. and shame fills me. Suffocates me.

You see we all are travellers, travelling to and from great distances, stranded here in this waiting room , waiting for our trains. Stranded and waiting, trying to make a haven out of this crowded place for those few hours.

Finding a seat just to sit, even at 4 am is a difficult task. We were lucky enough that a family just vacated their sanctuary for the waiting hours, as we arrived. We were even lucky enough so that two of us could sleep, leaving the other two to play guard-dogs.

As we settled in our new santuary this same couple trotted towards us asking for place to sit. Had i been the one sleeping i would have immediately sat up and made a place for them to sit. Not because i'm a model citizen but because they were as bedraggled as we were and looked very tired. I know what state they were in. Been there, done that stuff. But it was my cousin and my aunt who were sleeping. One awake all night, vomitting all the contents of any food that we had eaten and other tending to him.

The old man tried to reason with my uncle to give them place to sit. My uncle (at any other given time a your-most-model-citizen when it comes to doing what is right) retorted with a somewhat rude... "we have travelled long distance. just leave us alone" jesture. After a few exchange of words and a bit of glaring (and coaxing by the old lady to her husband "to let them be"), the old couple had to leave. But not before letting us know exactly what he felt of our model citizenship and humanity.

"You would let an old couple stand so that you young people could sleep comfortably?" --silence-- "God bless you"

And he left.

He was ofcourse right. But when it comes to that, the choice between our family and strangers is not really that difficult, is it? Even if our family is wrong. Right?

But shame on us. You see because the same old couple after trying a while finally got two sofa's and tried to take a nap till their train arrives. One on each sofa. but when another stranded passenger came along, the old man immediately sat up and gave him place to sit. I am sure if it was his wife sleeping he wouldn't have asked her to sit up and provide place for a complete stranger to sit. Or may be i'm wrong because you never know how people react when it comes to family or following principles of life. I can never guess nor would i try to. I know we made our choice. But thats life. Its all about choices, and right or wrong doesn't matter when it comes to family. But the incident still leaves me with shame and now i think does the choice we make really matter?

Replubic day

Its Replubic day!!!
For our Government its a very important day.. Why? Because our constitution was formed..the Assembly met... in sessions... for 166 days, which were, by the way, spread over a period of 2 years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution....yadi..yadi..ya.. and so and so forth... it was "finally" finalised today as 26th January, about 61 years earlier...
So all in all a very big day for our "Gorvernment"- 'By the people, for the people'
And yet the "people" don't even know what the hell government does. Atleast most of us don't. Neither do we care much. For "us" common people, its a mere Holiday. Well apart from the part where we hoist our flag in honor of...
Of what?
Well no one really gives a thought.. besides... 'now i'm gonna go home, rest, watch TV... do "stuff".'
So over all today symbolises...
For grown up - holiday, rest, TV... hit a mall may be
For kids - No school..hurray!, miniature flags waving in small hands or pinned to clothes, and total oblivious of the "republic day"
But for me... its nostalgia!!!
Oh it has nothing to do with Republic. Neither did i know then nor do i know now what's it mean...
Call me unpatriotic! immoral!
May be... but hey i'm just a face amongst most others.
My nostalgia is for this very day we spent at school and it takes me back...

I hear shuffling feet...innumerous feet.
I look down...what i see is canvas copper brown colored shoes.. worned, a bit tattered at the edges.. the rubber soles and tips peeling due to all that running around...dusty with typical copper red soil of school grounds.
The ground it self so dusty due to all the loose, same copper red soil.
Much of that soil has settled on my socks. They are new. Just bought a month ago or so.. so the elastic isn't worn and all lose and rolling off to curl at ankles, as does for many feet when i look around.. All in all, they seem like small pillars of brown boots and socks in two shades darker than soil...but all are soiled, shuffling, impatient, tired from hours of standing, feet raising small clouds of dust.
I can hear the speaker going on and on about country and constitution. But i'm not listening and i know i'm not the only one.
The ground seems increasingly interesting and i draw small circles in soil with my feet.
More dust rises and now its on my well-ironed biscuit-colored tulip, as well.
I fidget with the crimsom tie rolling it on my finger. It has red cross lines and red school symbol. "Red house".
I look around. We are arranged according to standards-divisions-houses in that order ascendingly.
Five standards. Four divisions in each standard. Four houses - red, green, blue, yellow, in each division.
But from here, all i can see is a sea of heads. I have to tip-toe to even see the stage.
Drum rolls and parade marches.
Every head turns around.
I can hear them march but can't see, since, like me, everyone is tiptoeing now. So I quit my efforts and turn my attention back to the stage. I know I'll see them in front, which I do!
I see them march, a bit unco-ordinated but in unison they come to a halt in front of the stage.
And now the big event... Flage hoisting! The fun part being, seeing the flag hoister stumbling on the cords and somehow managing to tangle it even more, than untangling it.. After about 10 mins into this he finally manages, not without help, to finally raise the flag and it unfailingly flies with the wind as if they belong together!!!

They are not good memories or bad.. but they are memories among all the innumerous ones we fail to remember. These are the ones i remember and i associate. After all isn't that what everything falls back to. Remembering the day constitution came in to existence. Remembrance!!!

Kids are kids!

Have you ever observed kids? They have an amusing way of reverting back from a phase or a mood so quickly, like Jack in the box?! It's amusing! Uncanny even!

There goes an impish little kid, happily galloping away, aiming to leap over the super low brick hardly-can-be-called-a-wall divider. And... Thwamp!...he goes down sprawling... For a moment he just stays like that, still and silent... and then starts the wailing... And God! what a racket! How can such a petite little thing make such a lot of noise defies logic? Though, besides the wailing he is still not moving much. So I go there and try to get him wobbly on his feet. The wailing subdues a bit. Thank goodness, for that! This close to the source of all that racket, I might as well be at a risk of damaging my hearing.
So he wobbles, a bit unstably, wiping tears and smearing his face with dirt in the process... and just like that... in what seems like a part of a minute.. his face brightens and he shoots off, galloping towards the nearest just vacant swing, like nothing ever happened. And now he is swinging away merrily with such a vigour that he might as well be falling off again.
Like I said, uncanny!

A ray of light…

Like a ray of light through dark rain clouds, the best part of my whole tiring day was my visit to my school. Well when we are in school we never really realize its importance to us. And I don’t mean it in the way by imparting-education-which-helps-us-in-life-ahead-of-school. No not that way, however true it maybe. But I mean it emotionally. It is the place where you belong, where you can relate to, to which you can look back. Now I know you must have heard this a lot many times and I really can’t hold you guilty for being bored. But if you have to decide…

This is the day when I had to go to school to get some documents attested. Frankly speaking I was really nervous and excited. The person who was in my school and knew Lorna Demello only would understand why. As I entered my schools vicinity I was welcome with a welcoming smile from one of my teachers, Arpita teacher to be specific. Which helped to perk me up a bit. And as I entered the premises I was really welcome to my school by a clerk Satish mama’s warm, hearty, joking laugh.

But it was just not him, all the staff from my school recognized me. It was really a welcome to me. And the best part was that I didn’t even have to meet Lorna Demello, teacher, though I would have mind it after that.

After that though my whole day was really hectic and really, really tiring, I think the nostalgic memories kept me going on.

It just makes me laugh and now a little embarrassed, when I think about the time, I had once said to my friend. I was really enraged at my school’s inhumanity to call us all early at 7.00 am to give our respects to the national flag on the Independence Day. I said, to quote in my exact words “I so hate this school. Calling us so early in the morning! What do they think they are going to achieve? When I get out of here forever I’m never going to look back! Oh I can’t wait to get out of school and go to college!”

My friend totally agreed with me. Now I could easily give a good reason that I was groggy and infuriated. But that would just be a totally childish and relatively ignorant reason.

Today I don’t know about her but I know that now I regret saying it. Cause I know the only truth is when I look back after a long, hard, tiring, day, when I’m totally void of any strength, the only thing that really makes me smile is the smiles on familiar faces from school, my school.