It’s been almost 5 months since we met. The last thing I posted was Corona and Coco ka, Rona. Coco has grown now, sadly he didn’t have any option. I would give anything to keep him Mishtu small. When we thought he was a girl and could fit on my palm. Isn’t that the irony of life as we know it, when we are kids we want to grow up and when we are all grown up and adulting we want to go back to a time when the multiplication table for 12 was one of life’s biggest issues. But that’s the thing none of us have any option for growth, evolution on progress. Change is the only constant they say. Growth in these tough times isn’t avertible it’s unavoidable.
Instead of rising up the bar and staying safe, I see people loitering on the streets, getting vegetables that are available in sabzi mandis, the Baghjan gas leak in Assam has become a tourist spot, IPL has failed to divert the attention of the masses, CAA is a forgotten cause and we have a newfound rivalry for local Chinese products that we once referred as kaam chaalau. But let me address the elephant in the room, Sushant Singh Rajput’s unfortunate demise has divided the nation. To be honest, I never thought, that the entire nation would be collectively angry for a common cause other than corruption, food security, labour issues, or even Independence for that matter. Yes, include Independence in that list. Let’s face it, all we wanted was freedom from the British pre-1947. What would happen after we get freedom is something no one ever contemplated. It’s the emotional equivalent of bunking a lecture in college, the question of what to do always arises.
Let me not divert, all I am saying is that as Indians we never had a common opinion on one single thing apart from the fact that Banno chaabiss (26) ki ho gayi hai Banno ke samdhi ne gaadi ki demand ki ha. Yep, just like this note, the lockdown/ unlocks have made my mind go crazy. I am filling up with any sort of news just to avoid any news around the sad demise of Sushant Singh Rajput, that even might include the possibility of another moon-like orbiting satellite. Another thing that has possibly united and then divided the population of India is Cinema. I want to call it Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telegu etc. or the Indian Film Industry and not Bollywood.
It is true that Dadasaheb Phalke started the Film Industry in India and that too in Bombay (It was called Bombay then and I will call it Bombay now). Phalke wanted cinema to mean something beyond the magic of entertainment. Only ardent fans would know that the first movie Phalke made was a demonstration of the growth of a Pea Plant called Ankurachi Wadh. A film that portrayed growth, a film that possibly showed the magic of cinema, a film that possibly portrayed the known, the read about, the obvious but it was that magical growth of the pea plant during the month seen in 10 seconds, made his audience wonder - that is the power of cinema. Even for such small scale movie he acquired the equipment from London and told one of his sons to keep an eye on the plant and keep rolling every day at the same time, his other son was in charge of keeping the plant in the proper light to ensure healthy growth and he brought best quality water for the plant which was first boiled, cooled and then fed to the plant 5 minutes after sunrise.
What I’m trying to bring out is that the first film in India was not easy and that no film in India or anywhere else is easy just because one actor/ director/ producer has done something allegedly wrong. Boycotting the Industry is not only unfair but also very unjust for the hundreds of people working tirelessly toward the goal of making cinema. However, just like this beautiful short film got lost, uncredited and forgotten, hundreds of other movies have gotten lost. This is the reason why Detective Boymkesh Bakshi and Sonchirya of Sushant Singh Rajput failed, a good movie is not what everyone wants. The masses want to forget their mundane life and enjoy the exaggerations offered by the movies by watching something like a Dabangg or War where the impossible happens, the protagonist is flawless and has a happy non-thought-provoking end. Let’s not forget the item song, the romantic song, the party song and the festival song which will sell.
During this lockdown, My Mother-in-law gave me a #challenge that went viral on Facebook, to upload 10 favourite scenes from 10 different movies without any explanation or any justification. I thought the whole idea was to start a conversation but it was only then that I realized that this is another tactic of Facebook or content aggregators to capture attention on their application and ensure more hits. My expectations of having a meaningful conversation on the scene probably descended by the day but by the 10th day I was striving to have a conversation and then the death of Sushant Singh Rajput just polarized the nation.
No one cared about the fate of the immigrants (because unless you are one who cared and then Sonu Sood was there to the rescue for some.)
No one cared about the rising number of corona cases (because they had to rise and will continue rising)
No one cared about lockdown norms (because the turmoil of a mental lockup had broken physical boundaries.)
And now because everyone is being selfish, I too shall be egocentric and share why loved these movies and their respective scenes, in what I like to call – teardown. The description of the scene would give away the movie but I’m going to try not to reveal the climax, however, SPOILER ALERT just in case, I reveal too much.
1. Shwaas.
No one cared about the rising number of corona cases (because they had to rise and will continue rising)
No one cared about lockdown norms (because the turmoil of a mental lockup had broken physical boundaries.)
And now because everyone is being selfish, I too shall be egocentric and share why loved these movies and their respective scenes, in what I like to call – teardown. The description of the scene would give away the movie but I’m going to try not to reveal the climax, however, SPOILER ALERT just in case, I reveal too much.
1. Shwaas.
Forget the fact that this movie was the actual Academy Award Nominee and has an exceptional cast, the plot gave me the chills. A village boy has retina cancer and the only treatment is removal which will make him go blind, he would lose the colours that he would have seen at a tender age. The scene, that I loved the most was his grandfather after confronting this kid about his surgery abducts him from the hospital a day before the surgery and shows him all possible colours in that one day knowing that it would not last a lifetime. The kid lives that one day to the fullest not caring about his visionless tomorrow but capturing every ounce of memory so that his loss of sight would not affect his future.
Ab tak jiska khoon na kaula, khoon nahi woh paani hai. Jo desh ke kaam na aye, woh bekar jawani hai.
With this thought, I led much of my college life and the first five years of my career. Trying to do as much as I could, trying my 0.00000000001% by making this country a livable and understandable place. But it is in tough times like these that reality strikes because as an individual I am unable to decide which side to choose. The line between wrong and right has been replaced by wrong and more wrong. Anyways, jumping to the scene here is when Maddie’s character goes – No country is perfect, one has to make it perfect. My question is does anyone want perfect? I don’t think I need to state anything about this movie, except this – a blockbuster, a whole sum entertainer but everyone – even me – has forgotten the thought behind this movie.
Sometimes, I am jealous of the people who were born around the freedom struggle, at least they knew who was right and to whom one has to put up a fight.
I am a fan, of this Era of SRK, he was bold with his choices and did not mind playing a hopeless romantic. Although there is a lot in this movie about India and Pakistan, feminism, sexism, etc. what stood apart is this last scene when Veer narrates his journey as a captive, neither does he blame his love nor his decisions or captivator, he rejoices his memories. That is the way to enjoy life! – by narrating your own tale and celebrating small victories. He always looked out of the doors of his Jail …
Again another blockbuster movie, which was not appreciated much because of its impossibility and exaggerated storyline, surprisingly though provoking because jaisa des hai tera wise des hai mera.
We were fed up with studying on our preparatory leave, Aakash said let's go and watch this movie, Anurag Kashyap has backed it and has excellent reviews. I said 12 hours to go for the Contracts – 1, paper – fail hona hai kya?
Had I said no to this offer, I would have regretted it. I saw Udaan that night and I understood what freedom is you, would get this if you’ve seen the movie – pata nahi chappale kahan uttari thi, magar ab lakta hai unki zarurat nahi.
Just a thought - If you want to achieve the freedom you have to fight for it, till the end. This freedom that we have achieved because the British suffered heavy losses in WWII isn’t what they gave us, it is what they unbound themselves from.
Most of us saw the movie for the first time as an entertainer but have you ever paid attention to the discussions in the movie about “nature finds a way”, the theory of natural selection /evolution and chaos theory. I fell in love with this movie for its dialogues more than its special effects and later I became a fan of the author’s, i.e. Michael Crichton’s works – Westworld, Prey, State of Fear, Andromeda Strain and the derivative series Westworld on HBO.
There is a dialogue in the film that goes “ you people were so busy in trying to work the impossible, never did the question arise, should we do it?”.
It all leads to chaos!
The whole idea of devotion, faith, belief and superstitions took a U-turn in my mind after watching this Marathi movie. In this scene Upendra Limaye is taking out his frustration on the music of the deity he is obligated to sing for, his eyes haunt me till date, not to scare me, but disturb me. The story of this movie revolves around the superstitious belief that due to certain irregularities in one’s physical condition, he or she should devote her life to the service of a deity. I thought only Jihad was misinterpreted. The story transforms into a beautiful narrative of rebels amongst scarce circumstances in a blasphemous crowd. What is ironic is that these devotees address the deity as a mother, can a mother ever be this cruel? It is the society that has made these devotees outcast.
This movie introduced me to a blind photographer, I saw it at a time when I doubted my skills as a photographer. It’s not easy to escape your own realities in a mean world, but Ship of Theseus had a big role in encouraging me again, not that I went far but - I found my focus. Directed by Anand Gandhi, and produced by Sohum Shah starting Neeraj Kabi, Sohum Shah and Egyptian filmmaker Aida El-Kashef is an amalgamation of brilliant minds asking the age-old question ‘If the parts of a ship are replaced, bit-by-bit, is it still the same ship?’. Watch it for the brilliant dialogue. The aesthetic beauty of this movie cannot be summed up in one shot hence the shot that revealed the least was posted by me on Facebook. Very underrated movie, watch it on Google Play.
Mujhko kuch bhi pata nahi tha, Waqt bada hi acha tha,
Mere koi dharam nahi tha, Jab main chota bacha tha,
Phir ik mazhab milte hi. Mera bachpan choot gaya.
Dooje dharam ka dost wo mera, Usse rishta toot gaya,
Wo zinda hai ya marr gaya, Uska koi zikar nahi.
Nahi Ishwar maula mera, Mera maula Ishwar nahi
Allah hoo Allah hoo, Hey Ram Ram Ram
Excerpts from MAULA - Puneet Krishna (Bangistan)
2. Rang De Basanti
Ab tak jiska khoon na kaula, khoon nahi woh paani hai. Jo desh ke kaam na aye, woh bekar jawani hai.
With this thought, I led much of my college life and the first five years of my career. Trying to do as much as I could, trying my 0.00000000001% by making this country a livable and understandable place. But it is in tough times like these that reality strikes because as an individual I am unable to decide which side to choose. The line between wrong and right has been replaced by wrong and more wrong. Anyways, jumping to the scene here is when Maddie’s character goes – No country is perfect, one has to make it perfect. My question is does anyone want perfect? I don’t think I need to state anything about this movie, except this – a blockbuster, a whole sum entertainer but everyone – even me – has forgotten the thought behind this movie.
Sometimes, I am jealous of the people who were born around the freedom struggle, at least they knew who was right and to whom one has to put up a fight.
3. Veer Zaara.
I am a fan, of this Era of SRK, he was bold with his choices and did not mind playing a hopeless romantic. Although there is a lot in this movie about India and Pakistan, feminism, sexism, etc. what stood apart is this last scene when Veer narrates his journey as a captive, neither does he blame his love nor his decisions or captivator, he rejoices his memories. That is the way to enjoy life! – by narrating your own tale and celebrating small victories. He always looked out of the doors of his Jail …
Again another blockbuster movie, which was not appreciated much because of its impossibility and exaggerated storyline, surprisingly though provoking because jaisa des hai tera wise des hai mera.
4. Udaan
We were fed up with studying on our preparatory leave, Aakash said let's go and watch this movie, Anurag Kashyap has backed it and has excellent reviews. I said 12 hours to go for the Contracts – 1, paper – fail hona hai kya?
Had I said no to this offer, I would have regretted it. I saw Udaan that night and I understood what freedom is you, would get this if you’ve seen the movie – pata nahi chappale kahan uttari thi, magar ab lakta hai unki zarurat nahi.
Just a thought - If you want to achieve the freedom you have to fight for it, till the end. This freedom that we have achieved because the British suffered heavy losses in WWII isn’t what they gave us, it is what they unbound themselves from.
5. Swades – We the People.
Just the thought of this movie saddens me, depresses me and leaves my throat parched for a glass of water. A glass of water that Mohan Bhargav had from a kid who is making a living from selling water in kullads in some godforsaken station on some godforsaken route in our godforsaken land. This scene is the acceptance of reality for Mohan and the naked fact in today’s times, in the nation where the class differentia is a metaphor for the distance the water cup travels from the hands of a kid to the throat of an awoken Mohan.
Hats off SRK ! and Ashutosh Gowarikar for making the masterpiece that Swades is, the movie is filled with conflicted ideologies and metaphors. While Yeh Tara Woh Tara was not about stars but about Unity, Pal Pal Hai Bhari was about stagnant mentalities. No! He did not help the villages build a dam or get electricity he showed - hope – he lit a bulb. Sadly and maybe due to lack of publicity, the movie boomed at the box office.
Moreover, as mentioned earlier, the masses do not want a thought-provoking cinema to build in a sense that will spark the grey cells, the audience wants the death of grey cells by watching impossible stunts, news that will keep you on the edge whether true or false, baseless rumours that would keep the mind off the mundane thing that is your life.
Hats off SRK ! and Ashutosh Gowarikar for making the masterpiece that Swades is, the movie is filled with conflicted ideologies and metaphors. While Yeh Tara Woh Tara was not about stars but about Unity, Pal Pal Hai Bhari was about stagnant mentalities. No! He did not help the villages build a dam or get electricity he showed - hope – he lit a bulb. Sadly and maybe due to lack of publicity, the movie boomed at the box office.
Moreover, as mentioned earlier, the masses do not want a thought-provoking cinema to build in a sense that will spark the grey cells, the audience wants the death of grey cells by watching impossible stunts, news that will keep you on the edge whether true or false, baseless rumours that would keep the mind off the mundane thing that is your life.
6. Jurassic Park
Most of us saw the movie for the first time as an entertainer but have you ever paid attention to the discussions in the movie about “nature finds a way”, the theory of natural selection /evolution and chaos theory. I fell in love with this movie for its dialogues more than its special effects and later I became a fan of the author’s, i.e. Michael Crichton’s works – Westworld, Prey, State of Fear, Andromeda Strain and the derivative series Westworld on HBO.
There is a dialogue in the film that goes “ you people were so busy in trying to work the impossible, never did the question arise, should we do it?”.
It all leads to chaos!
7. Jogwa
The whole idea of devotion, faith, belief and superstitions took a U-turn in my mind after watching this Marathi movie. In this scene Upendra Limaye is taking out his frustration on the music of the deity he is obligated to sing for, his eyes haunt me till date, not to scare me, but disturb me. The story of this movie revolves around the superstitious belief that due to certain irregularities in one’s physical condition, he or she should devote her life to the service of a deity. I thought only Jihad was misinterpreted. The story transforms into a beautiful narrative of rebels amongst scarce circumstances in a blasphemous crowd. What is ironic is that these devotees address the deity as a mother, can a mother ever be this cruel? It is the society that has made these devotees outcast.
8. Ship of Theseus
This movie introduced me to a blind photographer, I saw it at a time when I doubted my skills as a photographer. It’s not easy to escape your own realities in a mean world, but Ship of Theseus had a big role in encouraging me again, not that I went far but - I found my focus. Directed by Anand Gandhi, and produced by Sohum Shah starting Neeraj Kabi, Sohum Shah and Egyptian filmmaker Aida El-Kashef is an amalgamation of brilliant minds asking the age-old question ‘If the parts of a ship are replaced, bit-by-bit, is it still the same ship?’. Watch it for the brilliant dialogue. The aesthetic beauty of this movie cannot be summed up in one shot hence the shot that revealed the least was posted by me on Facebook. Very underrated movie, watch it on Google Play.
9. Dil Chahta Hai
When I saw this movie as a kid 10 years old I always wondered who was I? The free-spirited, carefree Aakash who falls in love with Shalini who has committed only compensates for her upbringing. The confused, immature and goofy Sameer fell too many times but only once in love. Or the mature, artistic and incomprehensible – Sid whose idea of falling in love was neither conquest nor conquer. It was only 20 years later I realized that Aakash, Sameer and Sid are phases of life leading to adulting. I chose this scene, not because Aakash had it coming but because it's only towards the end of the movie that a grown-up Aakash, accidentally dials Sid instead of Sameer because it was Sid who said – Grow Up Aakash! Zaroori nahi hai ki Hame Ek dusree ki hare ek baat Sahi lage.
When I saw this movie as a kid 10 years old I always wondered who was I? The free-spirited, carefree Aakash who falls in love with Shalini who has committed only compensates for her upbringing. The confused, immature and goofy Sameer fell too many times but only once in love. Or the mature, artistic and incomprehensible – Sid whose idea of falling in love was neither conquest nor conquer. It was only 20 years later I realized that Aakash, Sameer and Sid are phases of life leading to adulting. I chose this scene, not because Aakash had it coming but because it's only towards the end of the movie that a grown-up Aakash, accidentally dials Sid instead of Sameer because it was Sid who said – Grow Up Aakash! Zaroori nahi hai ki Hame Ek dusree ki hare ek baat Sahi lage.
10. Shahid.
Shahid Aazmi was shot dead on the 11th of February 2010, by four assailants in his Kurla Office. He was just 32. In his brief career of seven years, he secured 17 acquittals in court. It was while he was defending Faheem Ansari in the 26/11 attacks case that he was killed. Ansari was eventually acquitted of all the charges by the Supreme Court of India due to lack of evidence on 19 August 2012. Hansal Mehta creates this gem of a movie and Rajkumar Rao just justice to the part. But sadly even 10 years of Shahid Aazmi’s death activists, critics and revolutionaries who challenge the deceptive Acts of the ruling party are arrested under draconian laws, for they had found a solution a long time ago by nipping the bud.
In conclusion, it’s not like we want to change, it is just that we are happy with our happiness. As Indians, we are happy with the idea of adjusting and those who don’t are either behind bars, suppressed, depressed or have given up hope. I probably belong to the last of the lot.
I wrote a note on Facebook 10 years ago that I want to be a terrorist to infuse terror in the minds of those labelled as terrorists as per our laws.
It’s only now that I realize that the real terrorist is somebody else and yes! We ELECTED THEM!
Somewhere I feel I was better of as a kid.
Shahid Aazmi was shot dead on the 11th of February 2010, by four assailants in his Kurla Office. He was just 32. In his brief career of seven years, he secured 17 acquittals in court. It was while he was defending Faheem Ansari in the 26/11 attacks case that he was killed. Ansari was eventually acquitted of all the charges by the Supreme Court of India due to lack of evidence on 19 August 2012. Hansal Mehta creates this gem of a movie and Rajkumar Rao just justice to the part. But sadly even 10 years of Shahid Aazmi’s death activists, critics and revolutionaries who challenge the deceptive Acts of the ruling party are arrested under draconian laws, for they had found a solution a long time ago by nipping the bud.
In conclusion, it’s not like we want to change, it is just that we are happy with our happiness. As Indians, we are happy with the idea of adjusting and those who don’t are either behind bars, suppressed, depressed or have given up hope. I probably belong to the last of the lot.
I wrote a note on Facebook 10 years ago that I want to be a terrorist to infuse terror in the minds of those labelled as terrorists as per our laws.
It’s only now that I realize that the real terrorist is somebody else and yes! We ELECTED THEM!
Somewhere I feel I was better of as a kid.
Mujhko kuch bhi pata nahi tha, Waqt bada hi acha tha,
Mere koi dharam nahi tha, Jab main chota bacha tha,
Phir ik mazhab milte hi. Mera bachpan choot gaya.
Dooje dharam ka dost wo mera, Usse rishta toot gaya,
Wo zinda hai ya marr gaya, Uska koi zikar nahi.
Nahi Ishwar maula mera, Mera maula Ishwar nahi
Allah hoo Allah hoo, Hey Ram Ram Ram
Excerpts from MAULA - Puneet Krishna (Bangistan)
Disclaimer: I claim no copyright of the Images, dialogues, ideas, or videos embodied herein in the Note. They have been taken from relevant sources with the objective of fair usage.
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