There is something about women. Something which I cannot describe. Something intangible. Something inherently sexy.
So, when a girl, tilts her head at five degrees, gives me that wonderful smile, looks at me straight on with some sort of innocence (every girl has innocent eyes - even the bitchiest of them !) then it just drills through my heart. And I can feel the adrenaline, the chemistry, the incredible possibilities of a fulfilling romance just round the corner - all because the girl just stopped and said 'hi' ! (sometimes they don't even stop !) I lose all of my senses, my logical, pragmatic, rational thinking which I am so proud of just seem like utter nonsense.
According to some, I am an "intellectual Bengali" (since Judgment At Nurmeberg is my favourite movie!) synonymous with being a compulsive thinker. And since this case already has 'enough' material to think about, I start thinking. The eternal question that bothers me always is "WHY did she say 'hi' to ME?"
The possibilities are of course, invariably many. But after a ten to fifteen minutes of nerve-wracking, brainstorming session to find out a plausible answer, I come to the conclusion - that it was 'just' a 'hi'. Yet I seem to fall in love with her.
And if this brief encounter is followed up the very next day by a substantial "How are you doing?" then all hell breaks loose. The next thing that I start thinking about is whether 'we' are mentally compatible, whether she has that laidback sexuality about her, whether we can spend a nice, quiet evening at the Marine Drive !! (Yeah, I AM an intellectual Bengali !!)
If by a miracle, there occurs a further epilogue to that conversation, then I just hit the roof. Marriage, is the next logical step. I try to visualize about all the beautiful things that would be part of 'our' world, the movies we would watch together, the dinners we would have, the places that we would enjoy - all in a flash. Sometimes I just stand in awe of my ability to visualize and imagine creatively ! (Amit is right, I should have been in Marketing - though they don't really 'think' in Marketing but I am ready to sacrifice my honourable epithet of an intellectual Bengali)
This is not a one-off event. It has happened time-and-again. And continues to happen. And it is wonderful. It is so much fun, so exciting to build castles of non-existent love stories, of splendid unspent evenings by the seaside, of sharing sublime moments of bliss through silent conversations and of all the untold stories of hurt and passion which will never find expression.
This is what life is all about, isn't it ?
Monday, August 21, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
The Cinderella Man
No, this is not about James Braddock. But this is about what he stood for. To the americans of 1930 James Braddock stood for hope in a rubble of depression, unemployment and hopelessness. This is about that same spirit - of hope. And the torchbearer of that hope is none other than Karan Johar !
Apprently, Indian cinema is now being recognized by the rest of this world. We have successfully beaten the demons of ignorance of the rest of the world and they have woken up from their deep slumber only to find that their worst nightmare has come true ! There is a school of thought which argues, and quite forcefully too, that our movies are 'different' - and besides there is absolutely no need for us to 'ape' the Hollywood style of movie-making and that our song-dance routine is the most marvellous piece of discovery in the history of cinema. Indeed, Charles Chaplin and Sergei Eigenstein would have been proud! And this giant stride of the Indian cinema is being accentuated by none other than Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. Obviously not Madhur Bhandarkar, Nagesh Kukunoor, Ram Gopal Varma, Shimit Amin, Vidhu Vinod Chopra (Who are they !)
Today I watched Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (KANK) - Karan's latest offering.
It is a wonderful movie. It is the best movie ever to grace the Indian screen. I am incredibly happy that such a 'bold' subject has been taken up by Karan Johar and even more happy that the Indian cinegoers are fortunate to have amongst them in this generation a director of his ability. Let us get back to KANK.
KANK is a rivetting, short, crisp drama of only three hours and thirty-five minutes ! It is about a love that broke all relationships unlike Johar's previous offering where it was only about loving your parents. Basically, after you have had enough of your parents, you can now think of loving your lovers !
Such is the power of love in the movie that the people who are in 'love' are actually apologetic about it throughout the movie and have to do penance for their unholy act of falling in love. The first half of the movie is about realizing that the lovers are in love. The second half of the movie is about again realizing that they are in love ! (Yeah, it was not a typo, it is actually true!) And Karan in all his interviews tries to emphasize the point that "this time he has not taken a safe subject" reinforced by the critics, some of whom are the stooges of Yashraj and the Johars that this is a movie that has over-the-top performances by all the cast and is one of the best to be offered to the Indian public in a long time.
All of the cast sucks - big time. Except Amitabh and Abhishek. Specially Amitabh. He actually makes the most sensible and pragmatic statement in the entire movie on his deathbed. The subject of the movie is amazingly novel. Never before in the history of cinema has the subject of marital 'infidelity' been addressed. In fact, Karan Johar and Taran Adarsh ought to be lauded for finding a completely new dimension to humanity for exploring extra-marital love for the first time ! Awesome Karan ! Just mind-blowing !
A story which could have been told in an hour and a half, which could have charted a new territory in Indian cinema, which could have been short and sweet and actually bold, upfront and revolutionary to the pseudo-liberal, self-sacrificial Indian mindset was not told even in three and a half damned hours. Instead, unfortunately, the James Braddock of Indian cinema chose to churn out a half-baked, commercial, unimpressive story made with 60 crores which neither had love nor relationships.
Apprently, Indian cinema is now being recognized by the rest of this world. We have successfully beaten the demons of ignorance of the rest of the world and they have woken up from their deep slumber only to find that their worst nightmare has come true ! There is a school of thought which argues, and quite forcefully too, that our movies are 'different' - and besides there is absolutely no need for us to 'ape' the Hollywood style of movie-making and that our song-dance routine is the most marvellous piece of discovery in the history of cinema. Indeed, Charles Chaplin and Sergei Eigenstein would have been proud! And this giant stride of the Indian cinema is being accentuated by none other than Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. Obviously not Madhur Bhandarkar, Nagesh Kukunoor, Ram Gopal Varma, Shimit Amin, Vidhu Vinod Chopra (Who are they !)
Today I watched Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (KANK) - Karan's latest offering.
It is a wonderful movie. It is the best movie ever to grace the Indian screen. I am incredibly happy that such a 'bold' subject has been taken up by Karan Johar and even more happy that the Indian cinegoers are fortunate to have amongst them in this generation a director of his ability. Let us get back to KANK.
KANK is a rivetting, short, crisp drama of only three hours and thirty-five minutes ! It is about a love that broke all relationships unlike Johar's previous offering where it was only about loving your parents. Basically, after you have had enough of your parents, you can now think of loving your lovers !
Such is the power of love in the movie that the people who are in 'love' are actually apologetic about it throughout the movie and have to do penance for their unholy act of falling in love. The first half of the movie is about realizing that the lovers are in love. The second half of the movie is about again realizing that they are in love ! (Yeah, it was not a typo, it is actually true!) And Karan in all his interviews tries to emphasize the point that "this time he has not taken a safe subject" reinforced by the critics, some of whom are the stooges of Yashraj and the Johars that this is a movie that has over-the-top performances by all the cast and is one of the best to be offered to the Indian public in a long time.
All of the cast sucks - big time. Except Amitabh and Abhishek. Specially Amitabh. He actually makes the most sensible and pragmatic statement in the entire movie on his deathbed. The subject of the movie is amazingly novel. Never before in the history of cinema has the subject of marital 'infidelity' been addressed. In fact, Karan Johar and Taran Adarsh ought to be lauded for finding a completely new dimension to humanity for exploring extra-marital love for the first time ! Awesome Karan ! Just mind-blowing !
A story which could have been told in an hour and a half, which could have charted a new territory in Indian cinema, which could have been short and sweet and actually bold, upfront and revolutionary to the pseudo-liberal, self-sacrificial Indian mindset was not told even in three and a half damned hours. Instead, unfortunately, the James Braddock of Indian cinema chose to churn out a half-baked, commercial, unimpressive story made with 60 crores which neither had love nor relationships.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
I Know Best !
Thats typically an attitude of an MBA-in-the-making. At least, thats what 'they' say. And they are right ? I would just LOVE to believe that. In fact, one of my friends out here, in course of a pretty animated discussion had once remarked "Always assume that others are stupid". (Disclaimer: I have really quoted him out of context here)
Almost all MBAs I have come across in my life so far have one thing in common. They are cocky, too bloody damn confident, almost invariably bask in self-glorification, mostly superficial and almost all believe that "they know best" !
So, am I any different ?
No. Obviously I know best. I always knew best. Except.
1. That I still don't know what I want to do in life.
2. That I still don't know whether what I believe in is worth or not.
3. That I am absolutely certain that there is no reason for a company to pay me for anything that I will do for them.
4. That I thought, friends are there, they will be there.
5. That I felt that the world is really a just and fair place.
6. That hard work do get rewarded and phony people are someday punished.
7. That after an MBA, you do know best !
Apart from these illusions, I do really know best.
Almost all MBAs I have come across in my life so far have one thing in common. They are cocky, too bloody damn confident, almost invariably bask in self-glorification, mostly superficial and almost all believe that "they know best" !
So, am I any different ?
No. Obviously I know best. I always knew best. Except.
1. That I still don't know what I want to do in life.
2. That I still don't know whether what I believe in is worth or not.
3. That I am absolutely certain that there is no reason for a company to pay me for anything that I will do for them.
4. That I thought, friends are there, they will be there.
5. That I felt that the world is really a just and fair place.
6. That hard work do get rewarded and phony people are someday punished.
7. That after an MBA, you do know best !
Apart from these illusions, I do really know best.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)