Ramakanth's Ranch - Interesting

 Sanjay Reddy invited us to his cousin Ramakanth's Ranch somewhere beyond Shamshabad. It was a quaint 25 acre property with horses, antique cars, antique bikes, cows and other farm like stuff. Ramakanth took us on a off road experience in his WWII jeep or Ford and it was an interresting experience with us being frequently at angles we are not used to on the road (or off it).

Some pics

 

An interesting day out. Met some interesting people around too. We went for a walk along the farm and came back and they told us there were deadly snakes around!

Anjali - Head Girl at PORPS

 Anjali applied for the Head Girl's post and got it. There was an Investiture ceremony for which I went more decently attired than the last time when I apparently wore my 'Sotally Tober' T shirt. 

Congratulations Anjali. 

Head Girl Stars

The Head Boy Akshit and Head Girl (Anjali) gave a joint speech at the end. We were served some nice samosas and tea.

All the best!

Ullozhukku - Movie

 2024. Malayalam.

I'll shift to Kerala Ithink - I love these guys. But then the flood they show is crazy. But the boats and backwaters are so nice. Anyway the movie takes off like a shot with the central character Anju who is a Christian in love with a jobless Hindu boy Raghu (I think). But owing to the boy's in ability to get a job or the girl, she is married into a rich Christian family to a rather sick young man who it is later revealed has had some exiting tumour. His health deteriorates, the girl takes care of him with her mother-in-law, sees her boyfriend on the sly to escape the constant pressure of caring for a terminally sick patient. 

All hell breaks loose when she discovers she is pregnant. MIL assumes its her son who is the father, DIL knows its not her husband but the boyfriend. Husband dies without knowing the truth but MIL soon finds out. DIL tells her MIL that she will leave once the funeral is done but its crazy floods and funeral is getting delayed increasing the tensions at home. Now pretty much everyone knows the truth. A blame game starts about who is more to blame - the husband's family for hiding the truth about his health, the girl for marrying him despite having a boyfriend on the side and getting impregnated by him. In the end the funeral is done, the MIL makes peace with her DIL and lets her go.

On the way back DIL is about to leave with her non-committal husband who is more keen on her MILs property when she sees her MIL, who shows character in backing her despite the public opinion, and gets in the boat with her.

Quite empowering. Lovely movie. It fully takes on all kinds of social conditioning - why can't she have a love affair, who is bothering to ask her what she is going through, who has asked her what she wants. In the end she decides on her own - not her father, not her mother, not her boy friend -she has to ask herself what she wants and do it.

Could be a lesson for all.  

Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison

 One may have understood from the title that this is a book for teenagers - but what caught my eye ws the snogging bit. What is snogging was my question. And full frontal? And who is Angus and why are thongs in the title.

The book is about the confessions of a fourteen year old teenager Georgia Nicholson who is dealing with teenage angst of thinking she is ugly, worrying about not having boy friends (and therefore not being able to kiss - which by the way is snogging I think), worries about being a lesbian, hates her dad, barely puts up with mom, loves Angus (her cat) and such stuff.

It's written in short diary entries with a smattering of the new languages she is learning - French and Spanish. Overall Georgia's confessions are certainly funny and she comes across as a seriously likeable character.

Enjoyed reading. Must go back and read a bit of Sue Townsend and Adrian Mole again. Also just found out that Louise Rennison has written ten books in the confessions of Georgia Nicholson series which has also been made into a film!!

Paradise - Movie

 2024. Malayalam.

Award winning film with lots of stuff written about it so I was waiting for it. It's well told, slowly builds up to a dramatic and unexpected climax. No wonder its won may awards. Its about a young couple Kesav (Roshan Mathew) and Amritha who go to Sri Lanka in the middle of a political crisis - and get embroiled in circumstances which strain their relationship.

That one moment when the Amritha (Darshana) takes a loaded gun from the waiter at the hotel they are staying says it all. On a holiday we somehow seem to stretch our boundaries, feel more powerful, and go into risky places we normally would not otherwise. The film is layered - the socio-politico-economic aspect in society, marriage, religion, commerce and its impact on lives. 

Slow, but I loved it.

 

Barah Aaana - Movie

2009. 

Seems so long ago! Anyway its set in Mumbai but funnily I got the Jaipur, Rishikesh feel especially when it dealt with the foreign girl. Three unlikely roomies - an aged driver, a middle aged watchman and a young waiter, get caught in a crime and end up falling prey to their personality triggers. The title is perhaps a take from the popular line 'khaya nahin piya nahin glass phoda barah aana'

Interesting film. Also interesting to know that the director Raja Krishna Menon directed films like Chef, Airlift, Bas Yun hi - I watched all of them I think. Looks like a director to watch out for!

Srikanth - Movie

 At 33 Srikanth Bolla has achieved a  lot. A lot more than many who have full use of their faculties. He is the Chairman of Bollant Industries, was the first visually impaired student at the Sloan School of Management at MIT, fought cases in the court for the rights of those with disabilities and more than anything else taught the world that all you need is a clear vision, a clear head, a learning mindset and effort- anything is possible.

The movie itself was very well made and there was not a moment of lag. Raajkumar Rao was excellent in his portrayal of the visually impaired Srikanth and so was Jyotika as his teacher, friend and mentor. I had read Ravi Mantha's book 'All About Bacteria' which threw some interesting light on French kissing (apart from many other things) and was very happy to know that these two gentlemen had teamed up. Its a lovely story which deserved to be told, and told very well by Tushar Hiranandani.

Watch it.