Mundane life

Life has become so dreary and mundane, 
Every face I see is expecting a Sunday. 
And here I am wishing for a Monday, 
To become one of those faces, expecting a Sunday. 
I have always marvelled at the unexpected life, 
But never imagined all that strife. 
May be its all part of it or maybe its destiny, 
No matter how hard it gets, I know somewhere there's a silver lining. 

Movie Review: Rustom

I was torn between Mohenjo Daro and Rustom. But I picked Rustom, maybe because it was the only movie that was on the 1:45PM time slot.

When I first saw the trailer, I was pretty impressed. Because of the fact that Jury system prevailed in the Indian Justice system. But even more interesting was the tantalizing fact of why it was removed for ever. To answer this question you have to Google, for you will find a vague answer in this movie. The acting chops were average, the story line was interesting. The judge played a crucial role and didn’t just sit there like furniture. There were, however, a few things I wanted to clarify with the director. Like, why Commander Rustom Pavri
always wore his uniform, even in the prison, even at night yet the next morning he would be in a fresh uniform, clean and wrinkle free. Who did his laundry? Anyways, Ms. Esha Gupta was so primed with fancy
clothes and red lipsticks that she forgot to display expressions, except for a shrug or a smirk once in a while. Ileana D’Cruz wept for more than half the movie so I guess she had it easy. Akshay Kumar did his part well, he carried himself like a Naval officer would. The one thing

I loved about this movie was that the court room drama never really dragged, especially when Akshay’s character never tried any theatrics which usually Indian court room dramas feed on. Anang Desai was a delight to watch. He was not sitting there as a spectator but was moving the plot ahead. Jamna Bai filled the court room and
the movie hall with unexpected laughs. The wardrobe was great but I am still sceptical whether they really were 1960’s everyday wear.

Over all, I loved the genuine attempt at a court room drama that was unique for its cast and the story line. 

A Writer's Responsibility

Every individual is born with responsibilities. The mere fact that each one of us is responsible for our own life proves the fact. As a writer, the greatest responsibility lies in how they mould their readers through their characters and the story they present. A writer can make a nation and also break a nation. Mein Kampf is one such example of destruction. Through the course of history we have witnessed the change in writing styles according to the socio-economic temperature of the nation. Such as the 70’s, that brought out many revolutionary poets and writers in Bengali literature and several others in different parts of the country who came together to form the Revolutionary Writers Association, in support of the Naxal Movement at the time. India is a growing nation and as we grow, a lot of the responsibility falls on our shoulder, which has to be borne by every citizen of the country. A nation is a reflection of its own citizens. If India is great then we have to be great as well. A writer has the power to make it a great country. A revolution can be brought with just one story or one article. Today, every Indian writer should feed the nation with literature of courage, vision, unity and above all empathy. In unison, every writer has to aim at making each reader into a better citizen and ultimately lead the country to become a great nation again. That, is the responsibility of a writer. It is said that a good story talks about the characters and a bad story talks about the writer. Let us not be the writer who is talked about but rather the characters that the writers want us to become. Writers like Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kiran Desai, to name a few, are striving towards it. They are the masters of the art. Even if one is not a master but just a student, an effort never goes to waste. A nation is waiting to be transformed and it can only be done with a pen and not with guns. 

My Life's Crescendo

It started so peacefully, life. 
Serenity settled but for how long?
Time takes its hold and becomes unstoppable. 
So adventurous journey turns to anxiety, 
and keeps filling up the my pages, life. 

Alter Ego or hidden innuendo

Zayn Malik's Pillow Talk made me switch from shuffle mode to repeat single on my phone. I couldn't get enough of it. His soothing rich voice and the lyrics had me captivated. And then the music video happened. Needless to say that the first time you watch, it is a visual delight. The second time, I realised there seemed a few subliminal innuendos to it. Gigi Hadid was gorgeous, Zayn Malik was covered up to his neck in black but at certain points there popped an African-American girl who was mostly naked with a very strategically placed exotic flower and sometimes with a spiked face. You could tell that Gigi was the princess of the video. But why was the African-American girl so garish? What did the exotic flower signify? These were just a few of the questions that came at first which obviously had to be answered.

While trying to find answers, I read a research by Richard L. Allen, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, University of Michigan. It stated that television and cinema has shown African American people in comedic stances and in degrading ways. The images of African Americans, when not controlled by African Americans, serve a specific purpose for those who control those images.
This was quite an eye opener, when I looked back at certain movies and videos that I enjoyed as a young adult. The African-American girl definitely seemed like an alter ego against the beauty of Gigi Hadid. We know that an alter ego is always the darker side, was it necessary to put it across so literally? How could Zayn Malik, being a minority, use such imagery for another minority? I felt that the point made by Prof. Richard L. Allen, was driven home with this video. With so many creative minds at work behind the scenes of such a multi-million dollar industry, I wonder why no one could imagine a better portrayal of an alter ego.

I have so many questions for Zayn Malik at this point of time. I wish he followed my blog and answered a few of my questions. But all is not well because it surely didn't end well with Pillow Talk.

My Life Now

Life had moved on a long time ago. Today I stand the test of time wondering whether I will be able to make it through. I was the one who tread every step on the rose bed. I was the one who could turn sour milk into cheese and make it delicious again. He wronged me and went away and took my charms with him. I never realized when I had gifted him. It was love then.

Today I have my life with me and the most amazing part of it is that even without my charm we still try to make it like a leaf bed, even if not a rose bed. We try to make the best out of whatever littlest thing that we possess. We enjoy even if it rains just one drop, or if its blistering hot or if its bone chilling cold outside. That’s life. But sometimes I wonder, I wish I could gift my charms to my life rather than the love I once had. Not for me but for the heart that he possesses and the value he bestows upon me.

The charms are working wonders for my love and I only want the best. But what about my life which I now value more than love! But then the clouds parted and God said, “don’t you see, he is your charm. You don’t need one anymore”. And he was right, my life is my charm and the littlest thing that we enjoy are the wonders of the charm, otherwise who could enjoy more than 12 hours of drive without air conditioning in blistering summers, well, we did. I do miss my charm but I wouldn’t give this one up for anything in the world.

This epiphany came upon me while I was writing this piece up. Yes, I did lose my charm and all my good luck. I am struggling more than ever and I see my life suffer because of my failures. But he never once blinks in dismay. He encourages me to move on and go ahead. If ever the phrase “behind ever successful man there is a woman” were true, then there ought to be one more. “Behind every successful woman there is either a loving husband/ father or a conniving boyfriend.” Its true women are much stronger than men. I am stronger. I am stronger for my life and all the hardships that I need to bear to make it into a leaf bed, if not a rose bed.

I am truly thankful to God for blessing me with such a life as this. A life with my love I had seen, it was difficult and unimaginable. But a life with my life is exactly what was meant for me.

How has life played it out for me,

I never realised that it was destiny. 

You were the one who looked me up,

And brought with you memories to fill my cup. 

I wonder how my life would be without you, 

I know now that no one could love me like you do. 

I wish I could give you the world and more,

but alas, all I have is my heart that was already sore. 

You took my heart and made it precious again, 

Thank you dear, for mending my broken reign. 

You are my life now, my love now, 

You are my everything and forever now.

Thank you Neel!