Slapped, Kicked and Butted

SANJAY DUTT – I am freaking getting bored of this name. Every newspaper, news channel is giving some or the other update every hour after his appeal has been withheld. It is not going to stop, when he gets to jail, there will be everyday news, who is meeting him, what is he eating, his clothes, his water, his toilet schedules, every thing will be discussed. TV is not provided to Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Dutt is distributing his DVDs for free in jail. Another level of stupid absurdity will be played in Indian Media.

Debates are programmed, right or wrong, good or bad. Indian Legal System is lethargic or stupid, whatever. Sanjay Dutt is a good Bollywood actor, whose father allowed beggars and street peddlers to live on street. His mother died of cancer in early 1980’s when scientists were trying to define cancer. Maybe his influential and fearless deceased father is the reason. Whether or not he is a victim of political rivalry.

Is he the only one in our Indian system? Or is he the most underprivileged child or man in this country? Let’s assume he is innocent, so a lot of people get punished even if they have not committed the crime. His case is wrong place at the wrong time, perhaps. But he himself admits, I was young and I was stupid. So he is praying the price of his stupidity.

Sanjay Dutt is an Indian citizen who has been sentenced to 5.5 years of imprisonment. Period.

Actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been convicted under the Arms Act for his role in the 1993 Mumbai bombings, said Thursday that he would surrender when the time comes and would not be seeking pardon. Speaking out for the first time since the Supreme Court ruling last week, Sanjay appealed to the media for privacy and said: “...When I am not going for pardon, there is no debate.”

An emotional Sanjay, who broke down while addressing the media, said he had the highest respect for the court. “This a very, very tough time,” he said. “Just let me be in peace till I go in.” He said he would be completing his work commitments. He was accompanied at the press conference by his sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt.

I enjoy his acting, particularly his Munnabhai character. I am saying this. One of our leading Judge, the man who words become law, Justice Markandey Katju said Sanjay is a good actor and he entertained, hence he should be pardoned.

Lets say if I commit a crime and I say, I am a joker in my face so on those grounds, kindly pardon me.

Sanjay Dutt today only some miracle can keep him prison. What is this crap?

A reminder, this sentence was earlier granted by a Special Court which has been appealed at the Higher Court and Higher Court upheld the verdict. Sanjay himself, I believe in the Indian Justice System, then what’s there to make a fuss about?

Press reports, he is overworking and trying to complete his commitments, which man or person wouldn’t finish or try to finish his/her commitments before going to jail. Besides Sanjay Dutt has already spent 18 months in prison in early 1990’s, so he has only four years left to do his time in prison.

There are laws in a country. Anybody who defies it, should be punished. In India, whosoever gets caught gets punished.

Sanjay Dutt should be fighting for the cause that he had whatsoever no hand in any of the bomb blasts that took place in Bombay.

In India, whenever media starts drumming the story, the cause or the purpose is always lost.

Sanjay Dutt may or could have found a way to avoid jail for some more time but once the media takes over, they take away your happiness and the genuine concerns, which need to be highlighted get lost in the high profile drama like a Bollywood Movie’s plot.

Brief on LIFE

I love Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), the King Khan of Bollywood, there cannot be an entertainer like him. When I am referring to his entertainment credentials, it’s off screen and not on screen. Here I am not referring to the latest hype created around his Wankhede row. SRK, truly is a man who is democratic, who can charm his way to people’s hearts. A man who made it on his own, this big in life and in an industry where decade is considered to be a career and a lifetime. But SRK is and continues to remain strong for last 25 years. He is best performer, entertainer, media grabbing of his team, Kolkata Knight Riders and the most profitable as well. In a country where Cricket is Religion and Sachin is God, there the owner of the team is the HERO.

 

The most amazing part about his personality is his charm and his sense of humour. Whatever he says is a QUOTE, it’s a CLICHÉ. “SRK said it”. The way he can make fun of himself, always. Couple of years back, Pakistan’s cricket team was visiting India after a long hiatus and SRK is hosting the show for welcoming both the teams. What better man to represent both India and Pakistan. He says, I don’t feel anything whether India wins or Pakistan wins. My mother came from Pakistan and father from India. So if Pakistan wins, I say Ammi jeet gyi and if India wins, I say walid sahib jeet gaye.

 

Anyway this post has nothing to do with SRK, Cricket or Bollywood. A couple of quotes/words have come out of SRK’s stable after his team won the IPL-5 title that actually touch your soul and the way he has put it, we all feel something like this, not many times in our life. It is not fun from the funny man. Rather when funny people talk serious, it showers rains. Like Charlie Chaplin said, “I enjoy walking in rain coz nobody can see my crying”.

 

Follow the news story as it appeared:

Shah Rukh Khan is not elated, thrilled or vindicated by his team's victory over Chennai at IPL 5 this year. He even penned a quiet soliloquy to himself at 5 am the next day, after the post-match party on May 28.

He reveals his pre-match frame of mind, saying, "I have never been in a zone where I have prayed so much. I pray a lot, but on that day I was praying a lot more. I had to make this happen in my head and heart. I write whenever I am alone, and don't know what else to do..."

But post the victory, it was a different feeling for Shah Rukh. "I didn't feel anything after the win, so I tried to put across what I was feeling on paper. I was feeling empty inside. Any of the things I thought I would feel after winning the IPL were missing. I've realised I have never been able to learn cold-blooded objectivity. I'm extremely subjective — good, bad, selfish, self-centered. I don't behave how people think I should — a role model."

He says he's also realised that people exist in very small boxes of judgement and limitation. And they hurt him. "For years they have hurt me, though they have no power over me. Whenever I see those people, I react because I am honest and they symbolise my hurt. Why? I am a middle-class guy and I have wanted nothing more than to be accepted and seen as a good actor. I have always wanted to be universally loved. That's an issue. I have always given and they have always taken. Then they have asked for more and again I have given... When they asked as an entitlement, I gave them again. In the last six months, a few people close to me have hurt and betrayed me by their actions... I am not scared of anyone, but I have given because I have felt that I will be liked by them all the time. And yet they don't see it because I remind them of the things that they didn't have the capacity to do themselves. And now my anger has passed..."

After the win, he was going to jump off the balcony of the VIP section and he genuinely felt he could fly! "People will think I am narcissistic to talk like this, but it's not that. I am one of the few people in the world who has been made to believe that I can do this!"

He goes on to add that while he has the influence to make people happy, he is anything but a role model. "I don't tell my children to be what I am. A role model is someone who can take on the onslaught of being in the public eye and still stand for correctness. He plays a role. Sachin Tendulkar is what a role model should be,.. He's the perfect human being and I am not. I don't want to be. I will never be a God of reality... I only sell dreams. I will do a cartwheel or tear off my clothes when I am happy if I feel like it."

Everyday, when some news comes out about him (like the Wankhede stadium fracas), he has to make a joke out of it. "My kids need to know that it's not serious. I have to reassure Suhana and it's very difficult. I get angry and disturbed then... but why do I feel empty now? Winning the IPL is perhaps the greatest thing, it is my victory but this is not the happiness I worked for. I don't feel vindicated, or like a champion or winner!"

Man, do read it over and over again.

(One of the rare photographs when SRK looks down and out, always smiling and smoking)

Toffee/Candy as a Currency

Last week, I was paying 75 bucks for my beer against payment of Rs. 100 bill and the vendor returns two Rs. 10 bills and a packet of bhujiya (snack), manufactured in the backyards of Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar or some other shady industrial/trading area of New Delhi. That was too much for me, one rupee coin has long been replaced by toffees/candies/chewing gums, everybody has understood the concept and nowadays at times, even I trade toffees/candies. In case some shopkeeper offers me toffee/candies for a rupee or two, I try to give it back to him or other shopkeeper (in case he is offering toffees/candies as a currency replacement). The only argument from my end is always, if you are offering toffees instead of coins, then you can accept it also.

But five bucks took me by a jolt, not in the sense that five bucks is very crucial to my existence but then I believe, first I don’t want that packet of bhujiya and second as a legal contract he is bound to pay me five bucks. Third shopkeepers are cornering tidy profits by offering their wares as currency.

One of my friends, who runs wholesale drugs (medicine) shop, has a big box candies in his drawer. He puts his hands more in the candy box then in his cash box during the day. Not that he is fond of toffees/candies. He clarifies, “One to four rupee leftovers are made in terms of toffees/candies. It’s difficult to obtain coins from the banks and to manage coins is another hassle.”

It sums up the state of the Economy of the world’s largest secular democratic nation in the world. The central bank is not able to print/float/manage enough currency in the market. Whatever the reasons are?

On the contrary, it’s not about the efficiency/inefficiency of central bank. A large part of the coins printed/floated in the Indian economy are offered as service to Gods, beggars control a significant amount of coins. Even beggars don’t appreciate who offer coins, they want rupees. But then they are not saving/spending completely in coins, a lot can be said and heard about the same, perhaps we need some study to figure out the dilemma, functions, operations and issues around the same.

India is a developing nation, perhaps second nation with a consistent growth level achieved globally. There are new classes emerging in India, from low, middle to upper to very poor, poor, middle, middle burgeoning, middle splurging, rich, urban rich, rural rich, newly rich, techie rich, idea rich, filthy rich, freaking rich, globally rich. Compared to America, we are still an anna size economy, but still it knows, understands and respects the value of 1 cent, the smallest denomination of their currency (Dollar). And India, a land of feudals and tribals has discarded the value of One Rupee. So much so, it is totally into extinction and the value of the same is lost.

In the same vain, Rupee Five Currency Notes is not in print and RBI plans to replace Ten Rupee Currency Notes with coins. The heavy steel coin encased in a copper shell, what is the point of floating such heavy currency in the market. It’s difficult and cumbersome to carry and trade with such heavy coins. In developed nations, we find such a wide range of coins and currency and never once would find 1 cent, 1 Yen will lose its value, the way it has been discarded in India. A day will come when toffees/candies will become currency or is it already so? Keep thinking what will toffee/candy manufacturers might become?

Toffee and candies have taken the position of One Rupee and One Rupee is lost in the glitter of our so called and ultra famed burgeoning booming economy of India.

Live enjoyment in Peepli

The LIVE word can be construed as live as in live matches or live as we live our lifes.

Peepli Live, most of my friends comprehended, it will be a bore. So what if Aamir Khan is promoting it, it need not be a good movie? And why not Aamir Khan should promote it? He is the producer. When you watch the movie, you realize, you required Aamir Khan to promote this movie? There are interactions, press conferences, you need a face to represent the movie. The posters do reveal a lot about the movie, a poor rural family, few mikes hanging from the top, media swarming from the top, LIVE word in frame and a handpump. So what if the whole caste and the issue is pasted on it? You have little or no idea, how its going to play? One of the rare posters, which captures and narrates the real characters of the movie and summons it at appropriate places.

Take a dig at the other poster pictured below. It a tempu, the mass transporter of rural India. In my native place, it is known as bhoond (Punjabi word for honey bee). It is distastingly painted black with some part of it yellow, may be the front hood or the top part. But the sight of tempu is the same in any part of our truly majestic India, people are hanging from all sides and their daily wares.

Peepli Live is one of the rare movies of Bollywood, which was running without (count it), a named and famed director, no famed actor, no famed actress, no dream sequences, no dances, no item number, no burning issue, no action, no romance, no melodrama, no crying, barely music (definitely can be defined as antonym of musical). What the movie contains? Just the way India was and currently it is progressing. A very nice written and delivered script revolving around a very small incident but a very big issue for India. We should learn to laugh at ourselves that is what director has tried to aim. If you feel ashamed, do something about it? Until then keep laughing at your plight.

Peepli Live is a satire on farmer’s suicide. But I believe, honestly, it is a satire on media and our political system or perhaps the way our country is being run. The moot point the director raises, a farmer may not till his/her land, may not require money/food. All they want is the respect for their lands. We are not able to provide them with a single way of existence, aim, mission, vision and dream of our life.

Media star characters are brilliantly brought to the front. Perhaps a spoof or original cut-outs of Barkha Dutt of NDTV and Chaurasia of AajTak (don’t know if this fellow has switched employers, well must have, we all do). Media is the most creative industry in India. They can make and create a movie and an issue with nobody. This is what they have depicted in the movie. They are trying to address an issue of farmer suicide. Yet it is the last thing, on their mind.

Every character plays to his part with such elegance and poise. The media personnel as they are hogging like dogs and spewing like donkeys. Natha, the real face of the movie, has barely one or two dialogues. But his expressions make his character. I have no idea what is happening in my life, why is it happening and what I am supposed to do about it? Just listens and barely responds. Raghubir Yadav, one of the finest actors in India. The wife, as women are (oh sorry as rural woman are), always screaming and abusing their husbands and in laws.

Politicians and IAS officers, as they are in real life, we are only here to show and project that we are trying to do things. The only beneficiary in the name of WE the people is me, me and me. The handpump in the picture below is granted under the Lal Bahadur Shastri scheme by the District Collector. Natha does ask for the fitting expenses but that is not part of the scheme. Nobody talks about his loan or his land in possession of the bank.

Finally the amma, whose only working limb is her tongue and she uses it to perfection to abuse at every opportunity and appropriate time anybody who comes in front of her. Especially her bahu (daughter in law) with kulta, naaspiti, karamjali, abhouri, naagin, daayein and yes there are few prefixing family relations too.

The ending does not possess a happy ending like a typical Bollywood masala, boy hugging the girl’s parents. Such movies never have a happy ending, instead it creates another level of disruption with no conclusion.

Conclusion or no conclusion, do watch it in theatre and definitely finds a place in the selected DVDs section.

Tere Bin Laden - Watch it or Laugh it

The name of the movie suggests, it’s a satire. It’s a satire on Osama Bin Laden, THE MAN on this earth with $25 million for its headless body and couple of billions or trillions already in the drain for his head. I really admire him for the way; he has made Americans to stalk the Afghanistan. Normally the world wants to stalk or hound Americans till the time they abuse you in public.

For the movie, Mr. Laden raises cocks and hens. He runs a mini poultry farm of his own. He loves and adores his cocks and hens. The irony and parody running in the movie is remarkable and phenomenal. A young Pakistani reporter working with some stupid Danka TV wants to go to America, the land of his dreams. The movie comes at a time when in reality, the Americans have made Pakistan a bigger mess than Afghanistan, that too for supporting America and not fighting them. Though for the reporter, Mr. Ali Zafar should remain stuck to his singing and not acting. He barely knows and seems to show little potential to become an actor.

The irony and parody in the movie, a Pakistani reporter wants to visit America riding on his success of an interview with a fake Osama Bin Laden. What on Earth went in the maker’s mind? Everybody is laughing their way including the producers. I never expected the movie to be a laugh riot. You are laughing and laughing, till it hurts with all the quirky one liners from Noora aka Osama Bin Laden. The best one is “tere behan nu lassi pilawa”. Or Sikander, my star murga, who won the competition; “he, alone has taken control/incharge of 1000 hens”.

The whole effort goes in building the characters, Osama Bin Laden aka Noora, cameraman, owner of the channel, make-up artist, Ted ji, Pakistani brigadiers. Definitely a must watch for all the Asians. In introspection of what we are and what we aim to become and definitely the means we attach to it.

Tweet or Text

One of my friends commented on facebook, “this is most shared video amongst my friends”. I congratulated her on this feat and suggested to put it on resume. Before I begin, personally I don’t have anything against the social networking world/arena/sphere/geography. Really don’t know how anybody wants to define it. It is a great way to connect. I have found schoolmates, friends, love, lost love, found love, have done and used it for all the practical and not so practical things (actually more for it).

Aamir Khan is not normally found in news too much. Except around the release of his movie, he virtually pastes his name, his movie’s name on every wall, street, road, lips of India. But for the past some time, he has been in news for joining twitter. The news reads, Aamir Khan decides to join twitter.

The media frenzy has little or no job, hence they try to make a BREAKING NEWS of any monkey climbing the wall or even falling from it. Aamir Khan’s twitter joining/commencement/launch date was even more anticipated than any of his movies. People lose jobs/stature due to twitter. Big B was the most busy actor till recent and now he is persuading his community (Bollywood) people to join Twitter. As long as Big B is concerned, he never uses a product is he is not endorsing it. He is endorsing all the things that are required in daily life.

Media stays on job for following Twitter of celebrities. The name, profile pic, mahurat of first tweet, every silly aspect, which Aamir otherwise may not have thought for movies even. “Twitter ka baadshah kaun”, we will hear this news and analysis, few months down the line.

Aamir Khan got 37,500 followers on his first day of tweeting.

This morning he joined Twitter officially and said in his first message: "Bhala gardish falak ki chain deti hai kise Insha, ganimat hai ke hum surat yahan do-chaar baithey hain. Esp for you sir. Love. Thanks for the warm welcome guys. Love. Aamir."

Amitabh welcomed him saying, "Thank you Aamir... You give more due than I deserve ... Happy Tweeting ...."

In this narrow world, where SMSes have replaced letters. Tweets are replacing the real touch of a human being.

Raavan – Why and How of it?

I know it’s too late to actually discuss about the movie, “Raavan”, especially these days when the highly anticipated are doomed in three days (maybe first date or during pre-release even) and the much celebrated last 10 days. But still its better to let out the autopsy report after all the dust has settled.

As the saying goes, an exceptional filmmaker is granted pardon for one exceptional blunder of his career. But its still hard to digest, when you name, Mani Ratnam.

Honestly I was not so bored as everybody was while watching Raavan. Not because I have spent money and we should try to enjoy the movie. Every movie has something or the other to offer. In case of Raavan, it was Santosh Sivan’s work. The way he has shot the visuals of the movie even if Abhishiek sliding down the mountain goes out of the frame is worth it. Just enjoy, we only dream about such visuals and places. When you visit, it’s never so enchanting or out of the world, so definitely a high point of the movie.

So the big question is, Why was Raavan made at the first instance? Everybody said before the release, it’s the career defining film for the first couple of Bollywood. It’s definitely career defining movie, I hope they make more sensible choices in future.

Yesterday watching a repeat telecast of IIFA awards and Amitabh was receiving award for Best Actor for his role in PAA. How many great actors in Bollywood have won a Best Actor award without a trophy like actress in their arms in movie? Leave aside SRK, Aamir, none. Actually barring the two, hardly others get a chance. Amitabh Bachchan out of his magnanimity in 1991 or 1992 gave his Best Actor award to the other nominees in Best Actor category and told the baton should be handed over to the next generation. Not that he is less magnanimous or his craving for awards has increased. Its perhaps the first family of Bollywood should only get such awards, since the next generation is not taking the responsibility (the son), hence the elderly has to take the charge (the father). In Bollywood, its not your work or the character you have played, but rather you and your out of the movies personality should exhibit that yes I do deserve an award. The big award winners are always in media circles for most of the things which are not related to movies.

I can bet on it, the best villain award for 2010 goes to Abhishiek Bachchan husband of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (former Miss World) and yes he is still son of Amitabh Bachchan, the lead actor of Bollywood.

Couple of years back, Abhishiek said, paa got an award, maa got an award, I was nominated; I would have been good had I got an award even. I truly and with whole heart sympathize with you Abhishiek. When you are brought up in the setup where only receiving awards and adding honours is the need and purpose of your existence. It definitely feels bad. Even I am undergoing similar type of circumstances, my brother and sister always agree with my father and I am the one, who is always arguing and add to the fact, they always scored good in academics and I was always floundering.

Everybody in the Bachcan family has been awarded Padma Shri, except Abhishiek Bachchan. Going by the profile of the family, isn’t it justified and time for the junior AB to be awarded few or most of the stupid Bollywood awards and followed by the big Padma Shri award in 2011 or maximum by 2012.

Some people have already started crying for what?
For his stupid, uniconic and very useless and superficial act of Beera. The most boring and disturbing element of Beera was his trademark bur-bur-bur-bur or bak-bak-bak while shaking his head, which is like a necessity to be provided to any villain in a Bollywood movie. Gone are the days, when Mogambo would say, “mogambo khush hua”, everybody would get sad on hearing about his khushi. Children living in villages, towns and cities actually feared the Gabbar of Sholay. That was where Mr. Mani failed, casting the Bachchan scion as the villain, a villain never deserves a sympathy. Even if he deserves, it is for his situations and not for his way and means. Beera got it all. Ram and Sita were like unfit blocks disturbing the Raavan. Even the actress was convinced with the villain. The hero, the quintessential good man of Bollywood movies was lost looking for his place in the script. Perhaps that’s the reason it was named RAAVAN and not Ramayana. For the audience, the real RAAVAN still is Mr. Mani Ratnam.