Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe

To

My friends, wherever they are

Hi y’all

Another vacation is upon me.. but sadly, it is the last one, in the next 3 years. So, I intend to laze around, and make it as unproductive as possible. Of course, being me, that won’t take much effort.

In the grand tradition of all the students, of seasons past, and seasons to come, hols are the perfect opportunity, to catch up on all the movies that you miss while college is on.

I have been averaging around 3 flicks a day.. I am not complaining at all, but my mom is already budgeting the cost of my next, MORE POWERFUL spectacles.

I caught up on Don(no comments please,,,) and vivah.. now that is a movie which is a brilliant example of identifying your core target audience, and catering to them, unabashedly.

It is structured to tug at the hearts and the hands holding the handkerchiefs, of the Bhabhis and saas, across the hindi heartland. While I did not think too highly of it, it remains an ok, watchable film. But word of caution, don’t watch it with the female of the species.. you run the risk of being labeled “ Insensitive”, when you cant help sniggering at several sequences.

I did not think too much of Dhoom2. it remains an expensive, yet thoughtless imitation of several movies which we have committed to memory. And it baffles me, how a skinny bones Ash, can become an object of admiration.. watchable on DVD or Tv, when it comes out.. that’s my opinion..

Gonna catch up on Casino royale this week.

I heard the music of Guru.. as usual, for a Rehman score, you have to grow close to it.. but it is def one of his best scores to date.. 4 and a half thumbs to Mani and A.R.

And for literature, I read Jude the Obscure.. I would recommend this book to anyone, wishing to be a journo or a writer, not because the writing is brilliant, but because I think, that the book is a work of courage.

Let me explain. Thomas hardy wrote it in the 19^th century. The book deals with failed marriage, divorce, marriage between cousins, separation from the church, searing dismissal of the papal doctrines of leading life, child murder and adultery.

Now, imagine writing all this, in today’s times... there would be a parliamentary inquiry, and the book would be banned.. TV channels would have material for their talk shows for a month and so on..

Now, hardy wrote it in 19^th Century, and braved the cold shoulders of the church, the parliament, and ostracism by his peers. As a favor to the publisher, he modified the ending, to show that JUDE, an immoral man, by society’s standards( a point that is debatable, which is the essence of the book), must suffer, as “ Wickedness must be punished!” sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Apart from that, I have been reading a 7 part volume, called the Krishna Avatara, by K.L. Munshi.

It is a practical take, on how the legend of shri Krishna could have come about. It also offers information, that we generally do not get, as most of us, have only grown up on 3 interpretations of Ved Vyasa’s Mahabharata and the Vishnu Purana.

I recommend reading it, for those interested in reading about Indian mythologies.

In other news, I watched the Lok Sabha session today, for a change. While the behaviour of the Honourable Members has not improved a lot, I was very impressed by the arguments, put forth by Shrimati Sushila Mahajan( I think that was the name), who raised the issue of inflation, in the house at 5in the evening, when the parliament was empty.

While her points would merit a whole post, I will stick to the last point she made, to Mr. Sharad Pawar, who was also present.

She wanted to know, why, a government, which pays it’s farmers, only 700 per quintal of wheat, and had tonnes rotting away in storage, paid a huge sum, of around 1100 per quintal of wheat, from Australia, to feed the same farmers!!

Mr. Pawar’s mind was noticeably elsewhere( might I suggest, that he was preparing for interviews on ganguly’s return, to the team?)

A scandal of massive proportions, is being ignored by all, in the wake of a delayed sanju judgement, and shibu soren’s conviction.. which exposes BJP’s hypocrisy, as JMM was part of NDA once..

and i am disgusted with a news media, that has more airtime for Aishwarya's Kundali and Sanjay Dutt's judgement, and little on the increasing deforestation in tribal areas( save for the Hindu) and the rise in personal Loans to foreigns Banks.. trust me, that is heading us on the Argentinian way, yet not a whimper of concern, from our Economic experts..

Well, that’s about all I have done thus far.. what have you been upto? Do keep me updated on what’s going on..

Catch up with ya later..

Bye

archith