Monday, March 18, 2024

Bhakshak - Movie

 2024. Based on the 2018 Muzaffarpur Shelter case, 'Bhakshak' kept me in my seat till the end (which is what a good movie does especially if you start with 'let's watch for 15 minutes and see!) I had dropped two films like that after a 10 minute start so this one worked. Starts with a crime against young girls in a shelter home - rape, abuse and murder -and then you watch how Bhumi Pednekar as Vaishali Singh, keeps at the story until the villains are arrested. I liked how they captured the essence of Bihar.

Watch. Not for the faint hearted or for those who cannot stand violence.


 

Up in the Air - Movie

2009. 

Have the book, didn't read. Planned to watch the movie, didn't. Until the other day.

Finally got that right. Enjoyed watching it. Now even a 2009 film seems like a classic. George Clooney was good and so was Vera Famiga (she looks so familiar)!



Saturday, March 16, 2024

Abhishek's Blog

 Abhi, my nephew started a blog recently. He writes well, intensely, honestly, and prolifically and I am so glad he started writing. Sharing his blog link.


https://hashbike.blogspot.com/2024/03/taking-chance.html

Song of the Day - Guzar Jaye Din Din

 Last night while driving back from Shamshabad with Mani in his nifty Range Rover I asked him to play music and he instantly switched on the FM. I caught a strain of an old song that had a nice uplifting mood to it and checked it out on YouTube. 

'Guzar Jaye Din Din' by Kishore Kumar from Annadata. Fell in love with the way he goes '...kisi ki haye yadon mein, kisi ke haye baaton mein, kisike mulaquaton mein, hai yeh silsile, kab se chale, khwab mere, ho gaye rangeen...' (someone wrote in the comments section on YouTube that Kishore Kumar had to do 18 retakes for this song).

I played it a hundred times today on my walk and was singing aloud many times without realising it causing other walkers some amused looks and smiles. But what to do when a song hits you like that, reminds you of all that filled your heart in so many years! Makes you want to do a SRK and open your arms wide - and receive all that the world has to give.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1ZBFOzNUxw


 Interestingly, I asked Mani his fav song and he said 'Jab deep jale aana' and one more song I fail to recollect.

Friday, March 15, 2024

American Fiction - Movie

 2023. The film is a directorial debut by Cord Jefferson and is based on a novel 'Erasure' by Percival Everett. Its about a black novelist who writes regular fiction and finds no market and when he writes 'black' fiction with all the stereotypes as a joke, he finds amazing success. Perfect story.

My theory - you always get the most acclaim for the project you were least invested with. Or one which was easy for you.

And yes. Watch it!


 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Thought for the Day - The Loss of Decency

 Today I got a call from my friend Vinod. We had met last evening and enjoyed time out - laughing, eating haleem, bajjis. Normally he does not call me unless there is something important. he said - shocking news. I have been sacked! Vinod worked for seven years in a reputed government institution headed by an IAS officer at a DY Director level. For someone to be told in the morning one fine day that they have been relived and can go and join their parent department the next day is shocking.



It's downright rude. It lacks decency. Lacks grace.

The least we can give someone who is going away is a decent farewell. A recognition and acknowledgement of their work, maybe a few kind words from colleagues. Time to gather their breath, collect their stuff, say good bye properly. 

But no, this has to be like death. Now!

Then I wonder what happened to decency in public life.What we see is a reflection of what we have become as a society. Someone dies, we do an RIP and then post a joke right after. Everything is ok - lies are ok, half truths parading as truths are ok, character assassination is ok. No one think twice about it because every single leader seems to be doing that.

Who cares for decency any more.

But I'd like to believe that somewhere in their corroded souls there is a small part where a sense of decency remains. I hope that we find that and grow that. Like the trainees who learned of his sudden transfer who quickly bought a gift for him. I hope they did not learn the stupid things from their seniors - of not treating people like people, with respect and dignity and decency.

But its also true - that we cannot expect it from those who do not have it. I do hope and pray for incidents like the ones with the trainees that reinforce my faith. For every single a..hole leader, we just need one incident like this to offset that.  

    

Aattam - Movie

 2023. Malayalam.

Loved it. A play with about 11 men and one girl. One new star comes into the play and steals the main part and all the limelight. The actor who lost the main lead and the heroine are in an affair. The girl complains after a party that someone groped her and she accuses the new hero. The rest of the cast is in a dilemma - the actor has promised them something lucrative and the girl's story is not looking very solid.

Loved the ending. Loved the characters and their frailties. Must watch.