16.3.05
14.3.05
Mathura Nagarpathi Kahe Tum...
The song that opens with the titles for Raincoat has me in a bind. Rarely has a song given me the bumps like this one ("Mathura Nagarpathi Kaahe Tum Gokulu ...") Set to Debojyoti Mishra's music, rendered by the ever-impressive Shubha Mudgal, the song has an innate quality to set the mood for the impending narration. So apt is Rituparno Ghosh’s lyric, every time you play the song, the whole movie plays out before you, no matter where you are. It was as if the Director put us next to Manoj (Ajay Devgan) as he begins his journey. The shots of the train accompanying the song remind me of Chinna Thai Aval… (Mani Ratnam’s Thalapathi), where an old steam engine makes its way through the bushes and tall bridges. This song hasn't left me or the CD player for four days now.
Piya Tora Kaisa Abhiman (solo renditions by Hariharan and Subha) and Raha Dekhe Saavan (Subha Mudgal) are lilting too. Never has a Hindi movie (in my limited exposure) exploited Music or placed the song so intelligently.
Raincoat must be what they call poetry in Cinema. Raincoat’s a subtly-done, well-timed and charmingly directed piece. Essentially a dialogue between to erstwhile lovers on a rainy day, Raincoat brings forward the art of Screenwriting (inspired by O Henry's 'The Gift of Magi'. Both of them indulge in lies and deceit about their dysfunctional lives, until they redeem themselves with a final act. There isn't a moment in this long dialogue, where you feel like getting you attention away from the screen. I just loved Ajay Devgan and Annu Kapoor's performance in the film.
11.3.05
Lakshmipathy Ensoi...
No, it’s not about Balaji. I know he's having the time of his life, but I know of someone else who's having a ball - ME. It's about that famous VKR liner. Reminds me, I actually saw that scene where Janagaraj goes "En Pondati Orrukku Poita..." (Agni Nakshathiram) being shot outside our school. Unfortunately, the name Mani Ratnam or P C Sreeram wouldn't have rung a bell to me (in the 80's) during that lunch break in Adyar. BTW, it took close to 10 takes for those guys to OK Janagaraj as he literally ran around the tree.
Back to my story, I've three weeks to make the best of my stay in St Louis. Wife and Kid back in Winston Salem, I have what is known to Indian Dads in America as Make-Hay-When-The-Sun-Shines days. While my wife makes all ends meet in Winston, I get to freak out like there was no tomorrow. I know it's a bad situation for her, but I plan to return this privelege some day.
Enrolled for the Blockbuster "Unlimited Rental" pass for $9.99; one DVD out at a time, instore. I checked out The Village, The Terminal, Troy, Man on Fire and Inspiracion (felt like this was Gautam Menon's inspiration for 'Minnale'); not a single disappointment so far.
Finally found the chance to rent a DVD at the Indian Grocery. Not many Tamil ones at Seema Enterprises, so I thought I'd pick Raincoat. I'm so impressed with Raincoat; I think I'll get the DVD. Not many Hindi movies push you so much these days.
Back to my story, I've three weeks to make the best of my stay in St Louis. Wife and Kid back in Winston Salem, I have what is known to Indian Dads in America as Make-Hay-When-The-Sun-Shines days. While my wife makes all ends meet in Winston, I get to freak out like there was no tomorrow. I know it's a bad situation for her, but I plan to return this privelege some day.
Enrolled for the Blockbuster "Unlimited Rental" pass for $9.99; one DVD out at a time, instore. I checked out The Village, The Terminal, Troy, Man on Fire and Inspiracion (felt like this was Gautam Menon's inspiration for 'Minnale'); not a single disappointment so far.
Finally found the chance to rent a DVD at the Indian Grocery. Not many Tamil ones at Seema Enterprises, so I thought I'd pick Raincoat. I'm so impressed with Raincoat; I think I'll get the DVD. Not many Hindi movies push you so much these days.
10.3.05
After the Race
Here's the promised update: Finished ahead of two (out of eight) other racers, so can pat myself for it ;) The motor literally sucked after the third (of 11) race. Just couldn't get it to move fast enough, no matter how hard I abused the controller.
If you're interested in Slot Cars or would like to explore, here're some resourceful links:
9.3.05
Slot Car League
Warning: this post may contain shameless bragging, in dangerous proportions.
Few weeks earlier, when we were at the Mall, our attention turned to a store that seemed to be abuzz with whining motors. We stepped in to check out what was going on behind the huge crowd that had gathered around the huge black table with black tracks on it.
Days later, I would own my first Slot car and spend much of my time at this part of the Mall, while my wife kept cursing herself for prodding my to try my hand at racing these Cars. She likes the concept, but she hates my talking about it everytime we're together and losing our Kid somewhere in the store, while the track grabs all my attention. The funny part is, my Brother had actually sent me a Ferrari F1 model a few months ago and I had no clue what it was supposed to do!
More days later, I think I can handle the heat of racing the local league and am enrolling for my first big race today. A league where guys (and ladies) from school kids to grand-daddies bring their best toys to the table. Mind you, its pretty serious business here. You've got to watch these guys huddle around the limited assembly desks, with all the soldering machines, trimmers, magnets and mini-tools. It gets very intimidating. I have mine tuned too, a Merc CLK and it looks a stunner – inside out. Will the rookie rock or will he be rocked? (Sadly) You’ll see it here tomorrow.
Few weeks earlier, when we were at the Mall, our attention turned to a store that seemed to be abuzz with whining motors. We stepped in to check out what was going on behind the huge crowd that had gathered around the huge black table with black tracks on it.
Days later, I would own my first Slot car and spend much of my time at this part of the Mall, while my wife kept cursing herself for prodding my to try my hand at racing these Cars. She likes the concept, but she hates my talking about it everytime we're together and losing our Kid somewhere in the store, while the track grabs all my attention. The funny part is, my Brother had actually sent me a Ferrari F1 model a few months ago and I had no clue what it was supposed to do!
More days later, I think I can handle the heat of racing the local league and am enrolling for my first big race today. A league where guys (and ladies) from school kids to grand-daddies bring their best toys to the table. Mind you, its pretty serious business here. You've got to watch these guys huddle around the limited assembly desks, with all the soldering machines, trimmers, magnets and mini-tools. It gets very intimidating. I have mine tuned too, a Merc CLK and it looks a stunner – inside out. Will the rookie rock or will he be rocked? (Sadly) You’ll see it here tomorrow.
8.3.05
Hey, its Women's Day!
- Indian Women abused most: UN Study. More.
- Fat Women outnumber underfed: Study
- Bollywood defends its 'bare all' trend
- Sonia brings up Women's reservation, again.
- Aspirin lets Women down
Either Women here speak up to surveys or UN's out to screw us again!
India's an exception though.
Ofcourse they'd explain anything on earth.
Good Luck this time Ma'am.
While it helps Men save thier heart, it only favours Women 65 or older.
Sorry, please try again later
I subscribed to India Today few weeks ago, online. After the checking out was done, the last page flashed a Temporary Subscription Id. I didn't care to note it down 'cause I was sure IT would have sent it with the email Confirmation. For the next 6 weeks I regretted not putting the number down on a piece of paper. No, I had no number in the email and worse, repeated emails (4) to the Subscription Department remained one-sided.
When I received my first copy in the mail, the first thing I wanted to try was jump to the Browser to access the exclusive material at their website. After trying out every single option (combination), I gave up ramming at the doors. So, I decide to do the logical thing next. I call up the India Today office in New York:
me: Hi, I'm trying to access your website, but it keeps turning my down. How do I login?
Him: Oh. I'm sorry Sir, it happens when we have high traffic. Please try again later.
me: So, my Subscription #xxxxx is right?
Him: Yes Sir, it should be right, it's just the Traffic.
It's time for "India's widely read Magazine" to get a wider Bandwidth and a better Web Server.
When I received my first copy in the mail, the first thing I wanted to try was jump to the Browser to access the exclusive material at their website. After trying out every single option (combination), I gave up ramming at the doors. So, I decide to do the logical thing next. I call up the India Today office in New York:
me: Hi, I'm trying to access your website, but it keeps turning my down. How do I login?
Him: Oh. I'm sorry Sir, it happens when we have high traffic. Please try again later.
me: So, my Subscription #xxxxx is right?
Him: Yes Sir, it should be right, it's just the Traffic.
It's time for "India's widely read Magazine" to get a wider Bandwidth and a better Web Server.
7.3.05
From Wall Street to Pudupattinam
If you ever come across a boat named "Bergen Count, N.J", on the Tamil Nadu shore, think Andrew J. Krieger. The Hedge Fund manager from New Jersey says his Life Packages kit has brought cheers and happiness to Pudupattinam, where no relief had reached. New York Times profiles Andrew Krieger's efforts to "repay" India through his charity work.
NY Times:
Mr. Krieger, 48, a former high-profile Wall Street currency trader, came up with the idea for a packet of supplies called Life Packages. A package costs $5,500 and includes a thatched roof hut, a boat, engine, fishing net, cooking utensils, stove, two months of food, furniture, bedding, children's books, school uniforms and clothes.
"They want a livelihood, they don't want charity," he said of the residents of Pudupattinam in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where he spent more than two weeks last month. "It seems so unbelievably practical."
His efforts had roots in one of his current business ventures, NorthBridge Capital Management, a hedge fund specializing in foreign currency. Two days after Christmas, Mr. Krieger, his wife, Valerie, their two young daughters and his four children from a previous marriage were at their second home in Livingston Manor, N.Y. Mr. and Mrs. Krieger were celebrating the fund's growth, wondering if it would pass 16.78 percent growth to reach 17 for the year.
Then they read about the devastation.
"Muslim Ethos In Indian Cinema"
Iqbal Masud has an interesting analysis of Indian Cinema, from a Muslim perspective.
Screen:
In the 70s, a new stereotype began to emerge. This was the common or garden Muslim. He would be a model of loyalty and discipline and when he died it would be with the Kalma (or Proclamation of Faith) on his lips. He no longer talked the flowery Urdu of the Shahenshah and the Nawabs but the patois of the street.
As mentioned earlier, Salim and Javed contributed to the toughening of the language. But Kader Khan as writer and Amjad Khan as the archetypal villain carried it further.
Kader Khan in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and later on in Coolie introduced a note of religious mysticism. In Muqaddar ..., Amitabh Bachchan does not play a ‘Muslim’ role but he evokes the nuances to build up the portrait of a Dervish fulfilling an exalted mission. In Coolie, he portrays a Muslim coolie who becomes a revolutionary. The old Mehboob syndrome of Muslim radicalism is reproduced in Coolie. Amitabh carries a hawk named Allah Rakha on his wrist. This is a direct reference to poet Iqbal’s hawk (Shaheen) a central symbol in his poetry. Shaheen for Iqbal represented the aspiring, soaring spirit of man as in the line. ‘Tu Shaheen hai parwaz hai kaam tera...’ (you are a hawk, your destiny is flight).
4.3.05
2.3.05
Yoga No Nos
Mid Day has a list of don't for folks before they hit the mat.
Mid Day:
Do not assume that yoga demands fasting, and excessively regimented food habits and lifestyle. In fact the proper practice of yoga will effectively guide you to choose the best food and a healthy lifestyle.
1.3.05
Thank You Academy, India Sucks
The Oscar for 'Born Into Brothels' offers some valuble lessons for Indian Filmmakers. Focus on India's stinky underbelly, make something that highlights India's poverty, illiteracy, social ills or something like that. May be we'll land some Oscar soon.
Next time you read about an Indian film doing its rounds in the U.S, check the subject, it should reflect a theme on Human Rights violations, abuses against Women, repression of the lower Class, the vice of Dowry, Child labour, a Tragedy, an Epidemic...
Next time you read about an Indian film doing its rounds in the U.S, check the subject, it should reflect a theme on Human Rights violations, abuses against Women, repression of the lower Class, the vice of Dowry, Child labour, a Tragedy, an Epidemic...
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