Metro- A review

A lot has been written about these Multiplex Movies which are targeted towards a certain niche audience in the Metros. Life in a metro is one such film. I have wanted to watch it for a long time, but somehow one or the other reason I haven't been able to do so until today. It features two actresses who I have had a crush on for a long time: Shilpa & Kangana. I was weary of watching the film because I was afraid that it would disappoint me, and would have a non-existent storyline, with symbolic stereotypical characters. However, when I watched it, I was pleasantly surprised.

The story is a multiple-story, running parallel, which connect together in the end (Isn't that also the rage nowadays?). You have the sweet love story of Dharmendra and Nafisa Ali, the loveless marriage of Shilpa and Kay Kay, the unspoken love of Sharman for Kangana, the love affairs of Shilpa with Shiney, and Kay Kay with Kangan in addition to the unexpected love story between Irfan & Konkaana.

In spite of this somewhat complex character list, the Director has managed to make it an integrated story, which runs well. This is the strength of the movie. Before the climax, you don't have a single cliché dialogue or scene.

You have such a strong star cast, that they leave you spellbound in spite of the weak character development. Shiney plays a theatre actor, and he has one particular scene, where is giving a theatrical soliloquy on stage. This scene could have easily gone downhill with hamming, but Shiney manages to use just the right amount of control, that it appears to be something that would have been said on stage, but not hammed out. Kay Kay once again shows his immense talent and skill, as a husband in a love-less marriage. There is this scene where he confesses his affair and begs for forgiveness, only to hear Shilpa confess hers as well. You can feel the confusion in his mind, as he goes from the sorry one, to one wronged. Only He could play the chauvinist husband -who feels that his indiscretion should be forgiven while his wife's peccadillo is unpardonable- with such calm and total believability. His one movement of hands shows his entire state of mind.

Then you have these great actors: Konkaana and Irfan. They might have very few scenes, but when they meet, you can see the magic. Irfan has maybe 5-6 scenes, but he performs so well, that it is his dialogues that you remember. If lesser actors had been used, then the film would have surely failed. Sharman manages to do well with his limited character, and Kangana has once again to play the depressed and weak character that she has played in all her movies so far. The characters are one dimensional, but the actors playing them play them with so much gusto that we get a sniff of what they could be. I don't know why film-maker still think that character development means showing the audience what the character's life long ambition is.

This movie is more rooted in reality then the recent 'Metro' movies like Delhi heights and Ek Chalis ki local. Here Mumbai permeates ever scene, unlike Delhi heights, which could have been based anywhere in spite of the name. Now, I know I am a Mumbai-expert, but I can recognise every public place shown in the movie, be it the footpath outside Britannia, or the platform on Khoparkhairane. It is beautifully shot, with wide camera shorts that span, the entire scene, that make you feel as if you are there. The rain is also beautifully used in a number of scenes.

Along the way, it successfully deals with several competing emotions like, life ambitions, jealousy, Boredom, fear of society, lust, passion and loyalty. Now that is a very wide range, and maybe that is why the tagline of the movie is One city. Countless emotions.

Another thing I liked is the way the songs are pictureised. You don't have the usual song and dance routine by the characters. Now don't get me wrong, I love that a lot. I can't put into words how much I enjoyed the songs from 'Aap ka Surror'. Here whenever there is a song, the singers magically appear in the frame, behind, in the background to the main characters. It is a sort of magical surrealistic feeling to see them appear suddenly, and sing songs while the characters go on with their lives, but somehow I like it a lot.

After seeing this movie, a friend's sister had sent out a questionnaire, from which I'll like to quote:

hey everyone…last night I saw the movie “life in a metro” n was i glad i did..(hey! this is not a film review..it's better than that..) those of u who've seen the movie will agree with me that this film is nothing of the unforgettable or 'the one u take home' sorts..but something during the course of the movie really made me sit up and take notice of it (besides irfaan's performance tht is!) which is, that I could see almost everybody, and i mean everybody, stare at a reflection of themselves on d screen…and on not just one, but many occasions…The reality or rather the “familiarity” of the plot was just too strong to ignore and the next thing I knew, I was crafting this questionnaire to see how many of us could relate to the movie and in what way. The movie is definitely not a straight "A" but it does leave one with a strong aftertaste of the sex-driven, slick n fast-paced life we all call metro..the kind of life that we’re all subjected to..the kind of life that we’re all invariably bound to..and it was the realisation of this immense "common factor".......

Overall, I'll say it is a good film, definitely something I'll watch again.

You know that Reality Shows are fun

Ever since "Survivor" hit the airways, Watching Tv has been fun. Reality Shows have taken over the Channels, with reality shows featuring fat people competing to lose the most weight, to modern versions of Cacofonix, crooning for the hearts of the audience.
I have never liked the India Reality shows, because they seem scripted and phoney. I'll rather prefer shows like "The Beauty and the Geek".

But I read about a Show, that I'll love to watch. Where did I read it? In the crime section of the Asian Age. You can read it at http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/top-story/raj-santoshi,-himesh-death-plot-is-foiled.aspx

In Case the link becomes dead, I'll post the main paragraph

An Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on Wednesday arrested four criminals who had come from Mumbai to purchase weapons that were to be used to kill noted singer-actor Himesh Reshammiya and filmmaker Raj Kumar Santoshi. An earlier plot to kill Reshammiya in front of the cameras during the course of a TV show failed because the hired assassin was eliminated from the show in the early rounds.

I'm sure that if that guy had succeeded, I would have tuned in to watch it on Tv. I am sure that the channel would then have a sms vote, to figure out whether that guy should be hanged or given life imprisonment. Imagine the votes that would pour in for this guy...

You know

You know that you read too much, when this is what you call light reading, and you read it all in a week.

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You know you are truly blessed, when this is what you see landscape like this for 4 continuous hours










You know that people who told you not to bike on this highway, had no idea, what they were missing.

Chasing the Good Life: On being single

I found this book in the strangest of Circumstances. The previous night, I had this long conversation with a friend of mine, about being single. We discussed the benefits, the gains, as well as the travails of being Single. We talked about going over to the dark side, and whether it was worth it.

I went off to sleep in my parent's bedroom, because my mom was asleep in mine. The room was dark, it was late, and I was tired. So I went of directly to sleep. In the Morning, as I was woken up by the chirping of the birds, my eyes turned to the nightstand, and I saw this book. Chasing the Good Life: On being single, I read. I thought I was still dreaming, so to check, I took the book in my hands. It was real.

I proceeded to the Index. Khushwant Singh, Radhika Jha, Farrukh Dhondy, Dolly Thakore, Suhel Seth, Jerry Pinto; People I have read before and liked. So I was intrigued. I wanted to know what these people had to say about the Singleton’s life.

Don't get me wrong. At my age, I am not thinking of Marriage. But being single is not having that special someone to share things with. For most of my adult life I have been single, mostly out of choice, sometimes out of circumstances, because destiny willed it so. I have been accused of being everything: from a Gay to a misogynist, to even a venustaphobe. I have usually replied that I like the company. Very often the word single has a particular meaning which it is meant to express, without using the appropriate word. For Most people Single=Alone=Lonely. Now I don't think that, that is a valid assumption, but I can't change how other people think. I wanted to know what these people feel about the single life, and I began to read it with much interest.

As one contributor said, 'This... was meant to be a breezy, witty, sassy piece on the joys of the single state'. So is it? It most definitely is, but it's much more than that. It not only is a heartfelt, humorous take on single hood, but it also manages to capture the subtle nuances of their life.

The best thing about this book is the variety it offers. It has 28 contributors, from all ages. These singles, are not only the unmarried single, but the divorced, serially married, widow(er)ed, as well as one, who claims to be a Married Single.

It starts off with an introductory essay by Bhaichand Patel, who regales us with his reasons of staying single, and even mentions in passing, how he almost got married to Rekha. Khuswant Singh mentions how he enjoys the pleasures of farting, while Radhika Jha notes the problems faced by a single person in finding a place to stay.

As Kanika Gahlaut says, 'The trouble with Single in the City chick-lit outpouring is that they are as predictable as a J.J. Valaya fashion show. You know what to expect. Either they are well-written Whines or they put forward the 'I lead a swinging life, who needs a man anyway' argument- both streams having spewed avoidable isms and literature worldwide. The truth about singledom lies somewhere n the middle.' This anthology tries to follow the middle path.

You have a beautifully written piece on becoming 'Suddenly Single' by Gouri Dange, you have the problems of the single mother brought forward in 'One plus three' by Anjali Puri, while Annes Jung touches us with her piece 'A world of my own'. On the other hand you have the always entertaining Suhel Seth, telling us his secrets of Seduction, Renuka Narayanan informing us of the advantages of singlehood in 'Minority Report’ and Rahul Singh excusing his singlehood, by blaming it on his 'imperfections'.

The problem with this anthology is the one that is there in all. All the contributions are not of the same level. Karan Thapar's piece is not even worth reading, while Dolly Thakore's essay, though from the heart, seems like a school essay, given it's pedestrian language and banal ideas. As someone wrote in this book, 'It's difficult to write about something that is a state of being as if it were a choice.' Not everyone can do it, but those that manage, do it beautifully. The Book should be definitely read, for the wonderful insights of all these people, whether we get them or not.

The words that they use, the ideas expressed and the metaphors used are wonderful, and humorous at the same time. When Mahua Sen mentioned 'carrying the heavy corpse of my own life' I know exactly what she meant, even though she used it to describe a different situation. Somebody else talks of the word Singleton, being a cross between single and Skeleton. What surprised me, as well as the editor, is that few people have written about sex or lack of it. Apparently there is more to life then just sex.

In the end, if you can learn anything from the book, it should be what Namrata Joshi Says, ‘I guess most of us singles are idealists, hopeless romantics who are not denying company but looking out for that perfect attachment, a soulmate.'

Yeah Baby! I'm back

This Tuesday, I came from pune on my bike. I took 3 hrs and 50 mins for the 178 km ride. I didn't want to rush, given that the monsoon is on. The weather was so wonderful, with cool air, but no rain. When we go thru the Ghats, I felt like I was going thru the clouds...

I was Thinking of this ad as I was riding



I began to think, that who are the people that I am still angry at, and I need to forgive...As I rattled my brains, I came to the conclusion, that I had forgiven everybody. It seems, that I forgive people who hurt me quite easily. But, I know there was one person I was quite mad at; Myself. I had forgiven others, for hurting me, but not myself, for trusting them. Until I forgive myself, the healing won't be complete. With this realisation, I think I the job is half done.

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Did you read about the Road China is going to build till the Everest Base camp? It's indeed an sad day. I think we are loosing far too much in this race to be the best in the world. Hitler and Germany in 1930's had gone through the same phase, where they built the largest ships, the largest airliner, the best engines, believing that having material things makes you the best. It's sad to see a Wise civilisation like china, following the same path.

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When I was in Delhi, I had met Mr M.B. Lal, who asked me whether I read books. I had jokingly replied that I read far too much, probably too much for my own good.
I know that I am a geek/nerd & love reading books. But I truly realised the extent of my bilomania, when I saw the books that I have began reading in the past 2 days.

[I was going to put up a Picture of all the books I am currently reading, but I found out that I have left the camera cable at Pune. SO depressing]

I have began 6 books in all, which will add up to about 2500 pages in total. & I am sure that I will finish them all by next week

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The News coverage of the return of Sunita Williams has been disappointing, to say the least. I know that many people are interested in this story, and this could have been used as a way to teach people about the wonders of space, and teach them about Science. Instead we have News Channels here covering the Havans & the namazes that people are offering for her safe return. Now I am not saying that Prayer is bad; It does have it's benefits. What I am saying is that we have lost a wonderful opportunity to popularise Science and Space travel.

2nd Delhi Vignettes: 2 Proposals, 2 biharis, 2 movies....

As my stay in Delhi draws to a close, I think it's time for the second instalment of my observations.
Delhi is very weird city with the security apparatus being very in your face. You have traffic on large wide roads, crawling to a halt, only due to a traffic roadblock, manned by maybe one or two policemen. I wonder what they are looking for. You have two lines when you enter the metro station, one if you have no baggage & the second one, where you will be checked, if the guy is in the mood. Even at red fort, they have an X-ray machine, and you are physically frisked as you enter. The funny thing about all this is that even though there is a lot of security, nothing is secure.
The reason is not difficult to imagine. The checking is very often Perfunctionary. Like several times, I was more enthusiastic to get my bag checked then the guy was to check. Funnily enough, at Red fort, both my pant pockets were bursting forth with 2 cell phones, a camera, a water bottle & a pen Knife. The guy patted me down and let me go. I was left wondering whether he just wanted to feel me up or what...
Now we all know how I don't suffer fools gladly...You hardly need to be reminded about the fake ID scam or the incident at BARC. But I don't even want to resist here, coz it's really sad and scary. I'm having a hard time figuring out why there are not more incidents here, if the processes are so shabby.
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I have begun to realise how sad the life, of an immigrants to a city, is. You know hardly anybody, have pretty much nothing to do, and frequent the same places and meet the same people again and again. For example, two weeks back, when due to some medical emergency, we were not getting food at the guest house. So we had to go to the M-Block market to grab the grub. Naturally we frequented Subway, for its Sub of the day, which for just 56 bucks is filling, tasty, healthy and wholesome. What more does a guy want? We used to eat there everyday, except for Tuesday & Thursday, when the sub is Veg. I realised that we were visiting it, a little bit too frequently, when the guys started saying "Welcome back Sir". I used to go there with Rohan every time, and I'm sure they thought we like some gay couple or something, coz when I went there all by myself, they were quite surprised.
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I happened to meet my elderly Relatives on Friday evening, which was very depressing for me. They have known me from my birth, and it was a real pain to see them in their sorry state. Senile Dementia has set in, and they asked me the same question again and again. They didn't remember me visiting them last year, but could remember me as a 14 day old baby. These were one of the most well read and intelligent People I had known, and it was with a heavy heart that I was interacting with them. You have really grown up, when you start wondering about your mortality.
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The chicks in Delhi are weird. They come in only two varieties. Either they will be slim & come to your shoulder, or they will be hefty and you can see eye to eye with them. Another weird thing we have noticed is that it's very hard to guess the age of a female here. She can be an aunty, a college going chick, or maybe young enough to make you question whether you are a paedophile. It's really that hard. I never had this problem in Pune or Mumbai. There you can figure out her age with an accuracy of +/- 2years. Maybe the girl at matheran was a delhite. But this is not the weirdest thing yet. I am not joking when I say that I haven't seen a single chick with curly hair. No one. not one. Even the South Indians I know have Straight Hair. Rohan & I have a bet. The first one to see a curly haired chick wins. When Rohan and I were at CP, we were generally bird watching, and we must have seen at least a thousand of them, but not a single one with curly hair. The prize is as of yet unawarded.
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The project has finally come to an end. I decide to sit up for as long as it takes, and finish the work. When we showed it to our boss, he was quite impressed. He already made us a pre-placememnt offer. But the late nights and early mornings are having their effect. The Physical stress as well as the mental trauma and strain has finally caught up with me. I am having this really bad sore throat, along with a really runny nose. I think it might take a
couple of days to convalesce.
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Finally, I should be in Mumbai by mid next week. Yey!