Happy New Year's Eve

Now some garfield :)

Bye Bye 2008

My views abt new year are also like this.. 

The problem with the future is that it keeps turning into the present..

Memento lovers stay away..

Movies like Memento gets made once in a while. It has nothing to do with the story, it has nothing to do with the direction, it has nothing to do with the cinematography, it has everything to do with the execution (Now, I'm not saying that direction,editing,cinematography was not good. It was A-class. No second thoughts there for sure. But, the point here is the movie doesn't STAND out for me due to these factors.) I mean the whole movie was played backwards. How more innovative can you get? And not only it was innovativeness, Nolan did a damn cool job of changing one's thought process and the way one analyzes each character. You side/sympathize/loathe with some characters in the beginning and after a point it is the other way around. How many movies have been able to achieve that? Not many. I'm sure. This is what makes Memento great. This is what makes Memento MEMENTO. This is film making raised to the power infinity. Memento is too good to be remade. 

And then comes Murugadoss, says he was inspired by Nolan and he wrote his own version of the film. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing. Although, I still feel Aamir's body tattooing( just like Leonard's method of remembering things) is too much of a coincidence if not anything else. Now, the movie might be completely different from what Memento is, or what Memento showed. But, it would be very tough for me to watch the movie in isolation. I mean granted, the movie might not be a Memento, but hasn't it taken the central idea( and also the tattoo's part?) . And then what does the director do? He adds an Asin, subtracts some clothes, adds some songs again, shows us a love angle? Why? Why so accommodating all of a sudden Murugadoss? I'm not against songs, romance in the movie( esp. Hindi movies) but, just for the heck of it? Build up an original idea, do what so ever you want to do with it. But the idea has to be yours.

Now lets keep Memento aside (which is still difficult for me) and then let me write something about it. 

The movie was entertaining in some parts. But it was toooooo long.. 3 hours 15 mins. 

The action scenes looked like from south or old bollywood movies (one blow and 4 on the ground)

There are also a lot of loopholes in the movie.

But if you are someone who loves Aamir khan, and you really want to know that how can a teacher from Taare Zameen Par, can transform into a 6-pack, muscular, all flying piece of Jason Statham kind action hero, go and watch Ghajini. Ghajini takes you for a ride of a lifetime. It feels more commercial script and too full of violence. It could have been a bit more intense, not just bodies flying here and there. It has all the characteristics of a good bollywood masala movie, but it is NOT a masterpiece, NOT a Taare Zameen Par or Lagaan or Swades. It is more of a Mohra (old days masala violence) kind-of movie, which takes you and your friends for a joyride, and you can enjoy it with pop-corns and a cola. Sit-back, relax, appreciate, forget abt the logic and loopholes and enjoy. That's what 'commercial bollywood' is all about.

So if you watch it, with Memento running at the back of your head, its just about OK, if you are generous. If you watch it without prior knowledge of Memento, then its Good.

Keep running.....

In this fast paced world, you need to keep running, even to remain where you are!

dost kanhu tujhe?

dost kanhu tujhe?
ek janam hi to dosti nibhana hai

aaj khwaish bas etnihi rakhta hun
aapne gam ko chupaye ek bar tujhko hasana hai

chand mulakato ka bahana hai fir
tujhe kanhi aur, mujhe kanhi aur jana hai

Calvin and Hobbes Pics

The Times Change..

My current status..

"The times change.. and we have to change with them"

Solo Performer

Always I have been
a solo performer
On the stage of my life
I walked alone
I struggled to be a human
still alone

I joined those teenagers
who enjoyed in their
parent's car
I sat with them
but looking out of window
amongst loud music

I joined those college guys
who sat in shade to stare
each girl and I still
sat on the side
waiting for a special
appearance

I joined professionals
who talked about daily lives
and I still ate my plate
very unnoticed

I talked to everyone
to be a part of human industry
but all reacted
I am different

I searched someone
to share my last night dream
but there was no one
she too was busy
in similar world

I ran to find you
all over the ground
now I wish to tell you all
what implanted in me
I dreamed you ohh God
but I am still running
to find you
to tell you I am always
a solo performer.

P.S : This is not written by me. This is written by a friend of mine. 
I liked it very much and somewhere found its relevance to my life.. hence sharing..

An eye for an eye

Arun Shourie’s speech at Rajya sabha.. 

For full speech : click here 

That is why, Sir, when you look at this figure, Not an eye-for-an-eye, not a tooth-for-a-tooth.
That is completely wrong. For an eye, both eyes! For a tooth, the whole jaw!
Unless India has that determination and that clarity, we will continue to bleed like this all the time.

 

Is baar nahin

Lyricist Prasoon Joshi wrote this poem after the Mumbai terror attacks.
Says the ad guru and film lyricist, "I believe it should reach as many people as possible because it is our collective pain and voice".

 

Is baar nahin
Is baar jab woh choti si bachchi mere paas apni kharonch le kar aayegi
Main usey phoo phoo kar nahin behlaoonga
Panapney doonga uski tees ko
Is baar nahin

(This time when that little girl comes to me with her bruises, I will not blow gently at her wound, nor distract her, I will let her pain grow.
Not this time.)

Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga,utarney doonga andar gehrey
Is baar nahin

(This time when I see pain on faces
I will not sing the song that eases pain
I will let the pain seep in, deep.
Not this time.)

Is baar main na marham lagaoonga
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankein band karlo,gardan udhar kar lo main dawa lagata hoon
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav
Is baar nahin

(This time I won't apply any balm
Nor will I ask you to shut your eyes
and turn your head
While I gingerly apply medicine
I will let everyone see the open, naked wounds
Not this time.)

Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga,chatpatahat dekhoonga
Nahin daudoonga uljhee door lapetney
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake
Is baar nahin

(This time when I see difficulty, uneasiness
I will not run to solve the problems
I will let them become complicated
Not this time.)

Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main,tedhey medhey raston pe
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye
Is baar nahin

(This time I won't pick up my tools as a matter of duty
I will not make a new beginning
Nor will I stand as an example of one dedicated to my job
I will not let life easily return to normalcy
I will let it descend into muck, on the twisting paths
I will not let the blood on the walls dry out
Nor will I let its colour fade away
This time I won't let it become so helpless
That you can't tell blood from paan-spit
Not this time.)

Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai
Gaur se
Thoda  lambe  wakt  tak
Kuch  faisley
Aur uskey baad hausley
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai

(This time the wounds need to be watched
Carefully
For a long time
Some decisions are needed
And then some brave moves to be made
We have to begin somewhere 
This time this is what I have resolved)

... Prasoon Joshi

The capacity to receive

A friend gave me this quote...  he read from somwhere.. 

The capacity to receive asks for humility. Humility makes mind an empty vessel which then can receive.

The capacity to receive expands when you return back what u have received. It is only when you give what you have received you are blessed to receive even more.

Status

Mumbai is back on its feet.. but now it is time to use the feet to kick some ass..

Non Violence or Revenge..

One of my friend had the following status message in gtalk for around last 6 months.
And me too liked the quote very much.
"An eye for an eye will make the whole country blind"
This is the quote by Mahatma Gandhi and used in the movie Black Friday.

(it means that if somebody hurts ur eye then u shouldn't hurt their eye. Revenge is not gud)

But today i don't like that quote anymore. Was discussing with the friend today in office about a new quote which he should use.

The quote which we were thinking about was..
"Revenge is a dish best served cold"  -(suggesting that emotional detachment and planning "cold blooded" are best for taking revenge)


Apart from this change (from non violence to revenge) in status message i don't think anything else will change in me.. for me the life will be same.. they say this is mumbai spirit.. dont agree with it..

Anyways me hoping that this winter will end soon and the spring will come quickly..
(If u didn't get the above line then my status is - "If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?")

Enough is enough...

When will our tolerance end?

When will we stop reacting and start acting?

When will the killing of innocent people end?

When will we become a true secular country (whch we state we are) without anybody as a minority?

Will the 1992-93 riots ever leave us in peace or even our next generation will have to suffer for that 1 incident?

When will we feel safe in our own home?

When?? When?? When??