The Simple Things in Life...

I was just sitting at home one day, with this rectangular piece of paper in my hand. It had a picture of one of the most respected Indians world-wide on it. It also had the number 500 on it. It wasn’t the first time that I was holding such a piece of paper. But what was different about this one is that it took me almost a whole night of sitting in front of a computer screen, doing something that I don’t actually have a clue about, to earn that piece of paper.

I have always believed the old cliché ‘Money can’t buy you happiness’. Now though, I think that line needs to be modified. The right way of putting it is ‘You can’t walk into a shop, ask for happiness, and expect the shop-keeper to say ‘kitne kilo doon?’. I think the happiness I got when I paid my first electricity bill, for electricity that only I had used, is something I can’t explain. I realized that in a strange way, money can buy you happiness. I also realized that at least for me, at this stage, it is all about the simple things in life.

I keep thinking, everyday, that God has been extremely kind to me in that everywhere I have gone, at every single step of my life, I have always met such amazing and great people that I feel privileged and at the same time, dwarfed by their sheer presence and magnanimity. Just when I thought that surely, after my family, my relatives and my friends, I couldn’t be possibly fourth time lucky with my office colleagues also making me wish that I was at least a little bit better, I was proved wrong for the umpteenth time in life. They too make me wish that I could be at least a little bit better. Be it someone whom I already look up to as an elder brother, to someone whom I see as an amazing friend, to someone whose dedication to work amazes me, to some one whose smile can light a million lamps and whose mere presence can make all problems seem to go away, every single person I have met at my workplace makes me again feel honored to continuously meet such great people. And then there is always the hope that some of it just might rub off! In fact, I can go on to say that probably, every single person in the world is on some level or the other, a really good human being. I’ve even read that Dawood Ibrahim stands up every time a woman enters the room. Now I’m not saying that he does not deserve to be brutally murdered for all of his heinous crimes. In fact, I would only be too happy to oblige if someone asked me to do it personally. But if what I have read is true, then it does tell you something. So anyway, what I am really trying to say is, just observing all the wonderful people around me, thinking about all the wonderful people i know and have known, is something that I truly enjoy these days. As I said, it really is all about the simple things in life…

One example I would like to narrate regarding this. I was in Big Bazaar the other day, shopping for nothing in particular. (Digressing a bit, I just realized that I like shopping! Weird, I know, but then with me, it would be weird if I didn’t do something weird!). Well anyway, in Big Bazaar, I saw someone who looked as out of place in Big Bazaar as I did in college. He would have looked more at home in a rock concert. Not in the audience mind you, but on stage, performing. He seemed to be about my age. He had long curly hair, was wearing intentionally torn jeans, had some sort of leather band around his arm, and basically looked every bit the kind of person you meet these days who'll keep talking bout how Indian movies and Indian songs and basically everything Indian just sucks. But what was truly weird was the fact that he seemed to pushing a trolley filled with normal household stuff life groceries and bathroom items and stuff like that. But the real whopper was when he shifted a bit, and this woman he was with came into my view for the first time. She looked like a typical South-Indian housewife, and their conversation seemed to confirm my gut feeling that she was his mother. I was just so happy to see this unlikely mother-son duo just standing at the counter, waiting for their turn to be billed. The idea that Mr. Linkin Park had accompanied his mom to buy the month’s supplies thrilled me no end. Here, I would like to borrow a bit from this credit card commercial I see often on TV. Communicating to and from Big Bazaar – 100 Rupees. A month’s worth of supplies for the house – 2000 Rupees. The expression on the mother’s face when her ‘rockstar’ son asked the woman at the counter for a Diwali discount – PRICELESS…

Movie Review: Saawariya

One question popped into my mind (& I'm sure everyone else's as well), after 'Black', what next for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. And then came news of him taking Rishi's son and Anil's daughter for a film titled 'Saawariya'. I dont know about others, but I was immediately interested, and was eagerly awaiting, first the promos, and then the actual release, of this movie. I have always felt that as far as visualizing a frame is concerned, SLB is peerless. With Saawariya, he reaffirms his position as a visualizer, but disappoints as story teller, mainly coz he picked too plain a story to tell.

A free-spirited guy falls for an enticingly pretty girl, but the girl is actually waiting for the return of a stud who left her with the promise of returning in a year. All too simple and plain. The movie takes its own time to progress, and while the visualization is outstanding and some of the performance are really good, for me , this movie ends up as a flawed masterpiece. Make no mistake though, I really like flawed masterpieces. Company and Lagaan are two such movies which come straight to mind. Although I do know that Saawariya wont be nearly as critically acclaimed as Company nor as widely loved as Lagaan, simply coz this movie was released in the real world. Had it been released in a world similar to the one SLB has created in the movie, it would have gone down as a classic similar to the way Mughal-E-Azam is considered in our own world. In fact, I have a better way of expressing what I think of Saawariya. If a 'flawed masterpiece' can be considered as one standard entity, then this film is a flawed 'flawed masterpiece'! :-)

Technically, the movie is outstanding. The editing is good, the sets are magnificent, and the cinematography is some of the best you will see. SLB's vision of the place where the story is set may be questioned in terms of concept, but in terms of look, it is pure class. Why ask the question 'Where does such a place exist?' when you would be much better off wondering 'Wouldnt it be great to live in,or at least visit, such a place?'. The writing of the movie could (and should) have been better. The pace of the movie is slow to the point of coming across as indulgence on the part of the director.

Coming to the performances, Ranbir is really confident and looks like a future superstar every inch of the way. He portrays a likeable character and it is hard to imagine anyone doing it as well as him. Sonam is saddled with one of the weakest-written characters for the female lead of a Hindi film in ages, and she doesnt really help matters with her acting prowess. She is just passable. Rani is good. Watch one of the earliest scenes in the movie, where she progresses from happiness to sadness in the space of one dialogue from her about how dreams dont get fulfilled. The happiness is over-the-top, but the subtle signs of sadness with the hint of tears welling up as the dialogue progresses is something which, I confess, I dint think Rani ever had the potential to pull off. Salman is quite good in his very brief appearance.

It is quite plain that Om Shanti Om will win the box-office race between these two movies quite easily, simply because OSO offers more to the average viewer who goes to the movies during the festive time to get entertained. But I feel no shame in saying that I liked Saawariya a lot more than OSO. I give it 4 on 7.

P.S : I'm glad that no one may read this coz I cant believe I mentioned Mughal-E-Azam in the review of a movie that is not Mughal-E-Azam!

Movie Review: Om Shanti Om

After all the hype surrounding 6 packs and dard-e-disco dancers and Deepika Padukone, perhaps the most highly awaited movie of the year is finally out. Does it live up to the hype? Well, for me, not in a million years...

My problem with this movie is not the idea of reincarnation, coz i love Karz. Even the numerous holes in the screenplay dont bug me so much, coz lets face it, we are all just too used to fishing-net-type-screenplays now. My problem with this movie (and with all the other reviews of this movie that I have come across) is the fact a lot is promised, but what is delivered is much much less. Right from small things like the length of SRK's hair oscillating like a sine-wave from one scene to other, to major things like the inconsistent writing and direction of this so-called masala entertainer, almost everything about this movie has disappointed me. Of course, I am not saying that this movie is totally horrible. Certain scenes do stand out, like SRK's 'South Superstar' act, or the Filmfare Awards nominees scene, or even the portions in the pre-climax where SRK and Co try to scare Arjun Rampal into confessing that he's a bad guy. Certain lines of this movie are genuinely funny, and the numerous references to movies and stars of the 70's do bring a smile to a every 70's hindi movie fan.

Technically, the movie is fine, with decent (but not outstanding)editing and cinematography. I found the 31 Stars song a bit too gimmicky, but overall, even the music of the film is good. Amongst the performances, SRK hams, but to good effect, in the 1st half as the over-the-top wannabe superstar. He is highly adorable in the 1st half, and I still think no on can cry like him on-screen. His character evokes a warmth and sympathy in the 1st half. In the second half Farah Khan seems intent on making us think SRK is gay, and sometimes succeeds in her endeavour as well. Deepika can act, but whoever dubbed for her (i'm pretty sure she herself hasnt) has done a bad job. She looks awesome, and dances like a dream. She definitely is a 'Dreamy Girl'. Arjun Rampal is quite easily the best in the movie, not as much for his acting as for his sheer presence and personality. The swagger with which he walks as a young man, and the panache with which he does so as an oldie, just emphasize that he is truly one of the most stylish guys around. Shreyas Talpade and Kirron Kher are effective. Farah Khan's direction is patchy, and one small thing that kind of bugs me is the way she has claimed that there was so much attention to detail for the portions depicting the 70's when clearly all the long sideburns have clearly been done wrong. Watch any Bachchan flick of the 70's and you will know that I am right about atleast this.

So basically what you carry home from this movie are individual sequences that have been treated brilliantly (though most of dont really contribute to the story), and the decent music. But overall, this film is highly disappointing and eminently forgettable. It will be a hit for sure, coz its SRK and its Diwali, and nothing makes me more happier than an SRK hit. But for my own sake, I wish i had liked this movie more. I give this movie 3 on 7.