MindMeld

Why We Ride

2015-03-20T16:10:00.001+05:30

"All that is fine. But, why the bike?"
Every biker gets asked this question!

Truth be told; there are dozens of reasons why a person falls in love with cycling. There can't be any one post that can capture it all.
Anyway, here's my 'top 5 reasons why we ride; and you should too'.

We ride because it is hassle-free.It is the unhurried way of commuting and can often get us there faster. We ride for health & fitness. We ride to remind ourselves that we still-can. We find pleasure in the cool breeze against the sweat on our face. Actually, we go all out to seek it.

We are adventurers.We ride through the woods, down the trails, over the logs, in the slush, on the gravel and pretty much everywhere else. We are not afraid of either getting dirty or totally drenched. Be it rain or shine, we always ride with a smile. We ride because it is often the journey that is more enjoyable than the destination.

We are connoisseurs on two-wheels.We get up early, pedal our way to that perfect place to enjoy the sunrise. We slow down to listen to the chirping of birds and enjoy the masterpiece of white clouds against the big blue canvass. There is something about that sunset-ride along that beach that intrigues us every time.

We are explorers on two wheels.We ride to discover new places and re-discover the old ones. We are curious about the local history, culture, art and cuisine. We ride to discover the little-known secrets and gems within our wonderful cities. We meet like-minded people, make new friends, exchange stories and few laughs.

We climb the mountains.There is something about the hairpin bends; and the view of the city disappearing beneath you. Do you remember what Sir Edmund Hillary said - ‘It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves’. We ride to prove him right.

We simply love our ride.Our uncomplaining companion has led us to new possibilities. When we ride, we find people friendlier, outdoors more vivid and the world in general becomes a tad brighter.

In short, we ride because it’s just too much fun.

“It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about.” – Lester Burnham (American Beauty)

Do you agree with my top 5 reasons?
Do share your top reasons to ride.

Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) - Solo Motorcycle Roadtrip

2013-10-14T00:29:00.000+05:30

There ain't no journey what don't change you some - Cloud Atlas.

Let me lay it down nice and straight. I’m an addict for the concoction of motorcycle and open highways. There is no denying it. It’s been so for quite some time now.

What started as fun and adventure did take a rather serious turn. In a matter of few years, the esprit-de-motorcycle evolved from being a passion to an insatiable craving for something bigger - an instrument of freedom, a sense of individuality and a elixir for solitude.

It is said, “If you want to be happy, ride a motorcycle”. I was craving for the sort of bliss that stays with you for 8 hours a day uninterrupted for 14 days in a row.

In September 2013, I did the Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) solo motorcycle road trip. A long cherished dream and a favorite item from the bucket list.

This ride has all the right motivating factors.

Distance: A journey across the length of India is not meager by any yard stick. The endeavor is risky and rewarding to the equal extents
Motorcycle: Blackbird (Well, every biker has a name for his bike) has been the great love of my life.
Solo: Long distance solo rides gradually develop a certain degree of courage and individuality. Helps you make peace with some of those unsettled thoughts, lends valuable perspective on life & quality living. YOU are the one person YOU ought to know well in life.

So, as I kick started the bike, I hoped that the journey would be two-fold; of self exploration and at the same time firsthand experience of the Incredible India. And of course, I had to find the answer to the million dollar question. “What will break first. My back, My bike or My spirit?”.

The awe and bliss of this ride unlike anything else I’ve been through till now. I must tell you that some experiences are so majestic that they can neither be articulated nor imagined. One can only live them through. #K2K #Solo #RoyalEnfield is definitely one of those things.

So, I’ll just elaborate on some of the merits & nuances of K2K solo ride; hoping to inspire some of you.

My Ride Statistics - Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) & then to Bangalore

Total Distance : 5,043 kilometers
No. of days : 14 days
No. of riding days : 12 days
No. of states: 9 (JK, PB, DL, HR, RJ, MP, MH, KAR, TN)
Bike : Royal Enfield Thunderbird (TBTS)
Road & journey: Refer to this post

The ride from Himalayas to the Indian Ocean is challenging, inspiring and scary; all at the same time. It’s an in-person exploration of the rich pluralism of our country and the delicate fabric that binds it together. I can’t tell you what is more charming; experiencing the vibrant & endearing diversity or exploring the delicate similarities every day of the ride. Truth be told, these delicate similarities are what makes up India. Without them, we would be just be 20 odd countries speaking a different tongue and following different traditions. Think it over.

On the K2K ride, you see a lot of things change on a daily basis. In each state/region, you’ll find a different terrain and weather. The local cops wear a different uniform. The women dress differently (men don’t have much of an option anywhere). The name plates and signboards are in a different language. The local rickshaw/tuk-tuk looks different each day. Something as simple and ubiquitous as tea/chai tastes differently all along. It is quite amusing that your mobile phone service provider will welcome you to a new telecom circle every day.

Ride Pictures

If the slideshow isn’t rendering correctly, try this link.

I’ve organized the rest of my experience and learning in these three posts:

K2K– The journey

K2K– Soul of Solo rides

K2K– FAQs & Best Practices

Do explore them and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.”

- Andrew Zimmern

K2K - Soul of Solo Riding

2013-10-14T00:12:00.000+05:30

In September 2013, I did the Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) SOLO motorcycle road trip. A journey from Himalayas to the Indian Ocean all by myself on a RE Thunderbird covering 5,043 kms in 14 days. (read more)

Most people are convinced that long distance SOLO biking is a colossal-bore and that such an endeavor interests only the lonely souls. They say, “Why would anyone go out ALL ALONE while you can go out with family and/or friends”.

But, very little do they know of finding peace in silence or the bliss in discovering oneself. Far less do they understand that biking is a two way journey; you’re traveling further along the road and at the same time delving deeper into yourself. People whose sense of SELF is defined by materialistic things and other people do not very well comprehend the metaphysics of biking.

So, this post is not for them but for you.
Here are some of my learning along the long road.

1. THE virtue

If I were allowed to pursue one and only one virtue of biking, it’d be this.
“Ride slow. For faster you ride, less you witness and lesser you’ll experience”.

Let me highlight the technicality; the bliss of self-actualization trumps the fun in burning adrenaline any day. Hands down!

Now, let me elucidate the same in layman’s tongue.

If you’re riding too fast, all your attention & energy is spent on NOT falling down than on actually enjoying the ride. You’re gripping the handle too tight, you’re pressing your legs into the fuel tank; you’ve lowered your head and forced yourself to see nowhere else but the road ahead. So, instead of a fulfilling and enriching experience, you’ve merely managed to come out alive from a self imposed risk.

I’m told that there is a certain degree of sportsmanship, competitiveness, discipline and focus required in motorcycle racing. Well, I say that this situation is akin to drowning oneself in alcohol and then competing to remain focused. There are competitions that drunkards play and there is motorcycle racing. They are guilty pleasures in self inflicted chaos. I ride my bike for another thing altogether.

I seek an endearing & liberating experience. I ride for a blissful journey through clarity & awareness; not a survival mission through danger and chaos.

Also, think about it. Faster one rides, sooner he gets tired and distracted too. If you’re riding at 120 kmph, you’ll hardly notice the paddy fields along the road. However, if you’re riding at 80 kmph, there’s a good chance you’ll smell the moist air, notice the different shades of green and even spot a farmer or two aging about their chores.

Needless to remind, if you ride responsibly; you’ll live longer and actually get to ride lot more.

2. Absolute reality; the here-now

For long man has been a confused creature. Every single one of us has a mistaken identity. We form a complex idea of who we are based on what we were yesterday and what we dream of being tomorrow. We’re struck too badly in the unforgiving past of the dreamy future. Little do we realize that both of them don’t matter and ruin our present with the burdens of the past and the uncertainties of the future.

The faculty of living in the absolute reality; the here-now eludes most of us.

However, I think there is a close approximation to this absolute reality. There is one thing in life that treats you to your face value. It does not care who you are, what you did, or where you’re headed. It’s the open highway.

On an open highway, you’re judged not by your past and weighed not by your intentions. The open highway does not discriminate; you’re handed just as much luck as the other guy. Nothing less, nothing more! You’re tested for awareness & responsiveness every moment. It’s funny that the punishment and reward is the same – life!

Couldn’t it be that one lives in the here-now on an open highway?

3. Reset your senses K2K ride helps you discover the multitude shades of green and blue that you did not know existed. It’s a full blown awareness of the entire color spectrum. The interplay of colors is so amazing that it’ll make your 1080p television look like pencil sketch.

Keep your eyes open, ears attentive and smell the fragrance of the fresh air. Lose those goggles and iPods. You have something more majestic to experience here. It’s the ultimate reset option for the five senses.

Did you know that the air smells differently while you ride along the sugar cane fields and paddy fields? The air always smells of dampness over the paddy fields. Did you know why? Or more importantly have you ever cared to notice?

4. TRUCKS

One more thing that you can’t miss on K2K ride is the TRUCKS. In a matter of 10 days or so, you’ll see more trucks than you’d have seen in the last 10 years. Trucks in India transport everything and/or anything than needs transportation gets dumped on a truck. While you’re struck with the great Indian truck rally, might as well get some laughs out of it.

Tractors on truck

Trucks on truck

140 feet truck. Notice my bike in the pic?

Railways on Roadways

Thoda kam pee meri rani, Mehanga hai Iraq ka paani

I wouldn’t comment on their driving sense, but truck drivers surely do have a good sense of humor. Next time you’re bored, try reading the quotes inscribed on them. You’ll sure in for some enlightenment and entertainment.

5. Nostalgic Moments

Well, what’s wrong with indulging in a little bit of humor coupled with Bollywood stardom? Here’s some to get started.

Rajesh Khanna Moment: I was riding along Malegaon-Shirdi highway chasing a goods train all along. I couldn’t help humming, ‘Meri sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu’.

SRK moment: The sunflower fields were in full bloom. But then, Simran was missing. So were the cows and the bell.

Sunny Deol moment: That is a fine handpump along the Indo-Pak border. I wasn't Bollywood-enough for uprooting it with my bare hands. But, I did stare at that innocent structure laughing for a while.

Dhoom Moment: A Govt of India safe was being carried with minimum security. I was on my bike, tempted, followed it for quite some distance. In the end, I told myself, "Sour Grapes" and moved on. Maybe another day, a fancy mask and a faster bike; things could've been different. Dhoom..Dhoom..

Don Quixote moment: I am not Quixote-enough to charge windmills. But yes, did manage to see a lot of them along the ride.

6. Be spontaneous

If you come across a river bed like this; don’t be a douchebag and ride along. Get down, do some dirt/sand biking and convince yourself for some cleansing. In scenarios like these, people don’t really care for the right costume.

Once you get past the customary broken beer bottles, you’ll actually realize that the water is lot cleaner than you thought and definitely more rejuvenating than your swimming pool. Spend some more time. Try swimming against the current. There’s a good chance, you’ll find some kids playing in the vicinity. Teach them a trick or two of yours. Learn one of their own.

I’ll assure you, by the time you get out, you’d have lost whatever little back and neck ache. You’ll even come out with a big grin plastered over your face.

7. Discovery of India

Nothing can be more boring than being handed out a tourist brochure to explore the place. Pleasant surprises are a better idea. Here's my top 3 discoveries/realizations along my ride.

Cricket bats town: There this little town/village along the Srinagar-Jammu highway. It seemed as though all the shops in the road sell one thing only - Cricket bats.
Pathankot, PB (Camo Goods): There's a particular street in Pathankot, where you get plenty of camouflage gears - the whole range. You name it and they have it. All at wholesale prices.
Kumarapuram, TN: This little town is located at an hour's distance from Kanyakumari. It seemed as though this is a town of windmills with few humans and not the other way around. It seemed as though there ere more windmills in the town than people and cattle put together. The localities told me that the blades of the wind mills never stop rotating in this town. Quite a place, I tell you.

Wishing you a long and blissful ride. May the force be with you.

Let me know your thoughts about the post and solo riding in the comments section.

K2K - The Journey

2013-10-13T22:53:00.000+05:30

In September 2013, I did the Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) solo motorcycle road trip. A journey from Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, covering 5,043 kms in 14 days on my RE Thunderbird.

Click here for ride pictures and additional info.

View Larger Map

The K2K ride took me through nine states and the rich pluralism all along. One can’t help feel the fragrance of the terrain, weather & culture all along. The good thing is, some of that fragrance clings on to you for the rest of your life.

Next time you think about a particular state/region of India, you’ll recollect and remember with absolute clarity, what it meant to be there. How the air smelled there, the landscape, the crop fields, the weather, how the local language sounds.

Here are my observations about the terrain, roads and traffic in each region.

Kashmir:

This is undisputedly the most scenic and beautiful landscape in the entire trip. Let me put it this way. Kashmir is lot more than the amplified version of the most scenic dreamland you can imagine.

Baglihar Hydel Project, Kashmir

This terrain has pretty much everything that you can stare and awe at. Kashmir has mountains, valleys, waterfalls, gardens, lakes, rivers; and all of them unlike anything else you’ve seen before. As you’d be aware, these mountain ranges are the biggest in the world. The rivers are mighty and lakes so big that you’ll feel like a Lilliput in the Eden Gardens.

The road from Srinagar to Jammu (NH 1A or NH 44 of about 300 kms) is replete with the most awesome view possible. These roads built by Border Roads Organization (BRO) takes you through valleys, dam, waterfalls & tunnel (Jawahar Tunnel is 2.5 kms). The view is so good that I was tempted at least once every minute to take pictures.

Contrary to my expectation, it’s a very busy road with heavy traffic. Army convoy forms the most ostensible contributor to the traffic.

Jammu – Pathankot - Amritsar

Dream over. Kashmir has passed. Wake up.

Wake up to the great Indian TRUCKs.

This stretch gets you on a psychological overdose of trucks. I swear, I saw more truck in 5 days of my ride than in the last 10 years of my life. Trucks of all brands, age and size carrying just about everything. You name it - Food, Cattle, People, Cargo, Construction material & Automobiles. For several hours you’ll find no other vehicle other than trucks.

This stretch is also an overdose lush green crop fields. I’d never witnessed such lush green spreading as far the eye could see. Also, when in Punjab, drink lassi instead of the tea.

Amritsar – Jallandhar – NCR

The assault of the trucks continues. However, the intensity reduces. Roads are good all along; the highway occasionally crossing through the irrigation channels. However, the terrain gets increasingly devoid of vegetation as you get close to the National Capital Region (NCR).

NCR – Jaipur – Ajmer – Chittorgarh – Indore

Don’t bother asking anyone. Every hillock in this region seems to either have a shrine or a fort atop it. And they are somehow linked to Ramayana, Mahabharata or at least, Indian independence struggle. Explore as many as you can. At times, the stories can get real funny and interesting.

Needless to say, look out for the camels too. The roads are as good and wide they can get. By now, the amount of trucks on the road too comes down to a psychologically healthy number.

Indore – Shirdi – Pune

Welcome to the lands of Misal Pav, Kanda-Poha and Bhaaji-Pav.
You’ll come across some interesting terrain; gorgeous valleys with steep incline/decline of the roads. This stretch also takes you across some of the big rivers – Narmada, Tapi and their tributaries.

The Malegaon – Shirdi stretch is a single road with two-way traffic and NO divider. The roads aren’t too good and drivers too aren’t very courteous. I have a hypothesis that drivers of pilgrimage cabs everywhere have too much faith in their deity. So much so that they put it to test with passengers’ lives over narrow curves.

Pune – Bangalore (NH 4)

If Kashmir-Jammu highway has the best view, this stretch gets the distinction for the ‘best maintained divider’. The NH 4 is perhaps the most scenic highway in central-south India wherein even the divider is competing for your attention.

Among the highlights are beautiful one-way curves, a tunnel and in a certain stretch, road that is dead-straight. One can literally see the straight road ahead for upto 5 kms (or until the horizon).

Bangalore – Madurai – Kanyakumari

Master Yoda says, “May the Idli-Sambhar, Dosa and Pongal be with you”.
Around here, coffee and tea will be served with sugar. But, thou shall stir it yourself.

TN is the homeland of Rajnikant and Royal Enfield. Thou shalt pay thine respects to both the Superstars.

Coming back to our ride; one can’t ask for better roads. This stretch is also temple and pilgrimage fest all around the year. As you get close to kanyakumari, even though you cant see it yet, you can hear the ocean. That damp and moist smell of the sea rings those jingle bells in the head.

I couldn’t help recollect the golden words of RED from the Shawshank Redemption and make few of my own customizations.

“I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it to the very end. I hope the Ocean is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”

The Big Q.

Every biker has this question. I’d hoped to find my answers along this ride. The question was, “What will break first? My Back, My Bike, or My spirit.”

Fortunately, none of them did break. Unfortunately, the elusive question endures. I will to seek my answers another day.

Also read, other posts related to my K2K ride:

K2K– The Bliss

K2K– Soul of solo rides

K2K- FAQ

K2K - FAQs

2013-10-13T22:42:00.001+05:30

FAQs & Best Practices

In September 2013, I did the Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) SOLO motorcycle road trip. A journey from Himalayas to the Indian Ocean all by myself on a RE Thunderbird covering 5,043 kms in 14 days. (ride pics)

This list is a compilation of answers to the questions I had prior to the ride. While the specifics relate to the K2K ride, the ideas/opinions holds good for any long solo bike ride.

1. How far is Kashmir from Kanyakumari by road
Of course, there is more than one route. Hence the distance will depend on the actual route you chose. Google Maps suggests that the shortest distance between Srinagar, J&K and Kanyakumari, TN is 3,618 kms. However, if you’re exploring and improvising the route along the journey, the distance can significantly increase. My K2K ride was for 4,331 kms; K2K and back home (Bangalore) was 5,043 kms.

2. What is the ideal time for the K2K ride?
I’d suggest August – September (soon after the monsoons). The monsoons will make everything look lot more pristine and serene. At some point along the journey be prepared to be enlightened to the truer meanings of deluge.

3. How long does it take?
This will depend on a lot of factors; your endurance level, your bike, the weather conditions and of course, personal priorities among others. Some people do this ride for the record/milestone. I urge you to be a explorer/traveler and relish every moment of the ride; not just the podium finish.

It took me 12 riding days (14 days in all) to complete K2K and return to Bangalore.

4. How many kms should I cover every day?
I personally believe, “Faster you ride, less you’ll witness and lesser you experience”. The idea is to ride at a pace you can enjoy every moment. On an average I would ride for about 8 hours a day and cover about 400 - 450 kms.

5. Is it possible to ship the vehicle to Delhi/Kashmir
Yes. Trains and roadways are two options. I shipped my bike from Bangalore to Srinagar, J&K with NITCO Roadways. It cost me Rs. 7,000.

6. Should one start from Kashmir (North-South journey) or Kanyakumari (South-North journey)? Inconsequential. However, if it’s any solace to you, start from the farthest point from where you stay. That way, you’ll feel good for getting closer to home as the days pass.

7. Does the bike need any modification prior to the ride.
Not necessary. A general service and oil change will suffice. Truth be told, the Royal Enfield is built to outlast you. On the K2K ride, it’s definitely not the bike that you’re pushing.

8. What spares should I carry along ?
I’d recommend Clutch Cable, Accelerator Cable, Tube (rear tyre), Fuse and Chain link. A bottle of engine oil (for top-up) is optional.

9. Motorcycle maintenance along the journey
As the saying goes, “You take care of the bike; the bike takes care of you”.

Late evening (few hours after ride)

Inspect for flat tyre (Avoid early morning surprises)
Check for wheel wobbling/fork alignment
Inspect and adjust optimal chain slack

Morning (before riding out)

Inspect for Engine oil level; top-up if necessary
Chain lubrication
Adjust the brakes

10. Bag packing, riding gear etc.

I can’t overemphasize the need to pack lightly. Just keep to the essentials. You’re not going need those fancy clothes or accessories. Leave them behind.
Avoid jeans trousers on long rides. The fabric becomes annoying after long durations; worse still if it is raining.
Wearing that bag over your shoulders while riding is a strict NO-NO. You either dump all stuff into a 40-50 litre backpack (cover it with a good dust & rain cover) and fasten it with bungee cords on the pillion seat or use a double sided saddle bag.
I understand that you’re a photographer and all. But seriously, leave that tripod back home. The trouble of carrying it around far outweighs its actual use. I made that mistake; hope you don’t.

11. Best practices.

Start Early.

Make it a point to get up early and ride out (preferably 6:30 AM). Idea is to beat the city traffic, enjoy the bliss of riding in the golden hour and putting about 100 kms before breakfast all at the same time.
Earlier you start, longer you can stay on the roads and more things you can explore along.

Avoid night riding.

It’s not that your riding skills fail you after sundown. It’s just an unnecessary risk that you don’t deserve when your body and mind seeks relaxation.
Also, managing a breakdown in the night (without light, mechanic on a lonely highway) isn’t all that fun.

Replenish and Rejuvenate

Make sure you eat healthy and get plenty of rest. Don’t get into that late night gossip or parties. Remind yourself, “Better things await tomorrow”.
The key factor determining the journey and the quality of experience is you. It’s not the roads, weather or the bike. YOU are the prime mover of this entire endeavor. Remind yourself, “Tomorrow, when rubber meets the road, YOU are all YOU have.”

Notes from the Mountaintop

2013-05-05T12:06:00.002+05:30

Sometimes, just as sleep is hard to come by after a tiring day; peace can be hard to find at the end of an eventful life. Especially if one's done and endured so much in a lifetime.

At least, HE believed so. One more thing HE religiously believed of was, "When in doubt; consult the Old Monk". In all likelihood, today seemed like an important consultation.

Old Monk was his oldest pal and the also the most faithful. He was there by his side all though his life – in the good, bad and the ugly times.

GULP... GULP.... GULP... AHHHHH.

It's funny how the old monk, can go down the throat and clear the insides of the head. The lights in his bunker seemed a bit dimmer now. The night was cold & he was alone; it didn't seem a big deal anymore now. He started breathing easy and let his mind slip from the alert mode to remembrance mode.

He remembered how HE was 24 years old when he had to make his life's first big decision. THEY said, "We Want You! We want you to join the finest and bravest men for the noblest task. You will be the protector of your bothers and uphold highest morals. We offer you a life of honour and respect". HE did not understand much but looked around. EVERYBODY said, “Your mother will be proud”. Mother said, “You'll make your motherland proud”. So, that was how he got enlisted for the camp and earned himself an uniform.

The next few months at the camp was exciting. He learned new things, mostly dangerous and explosive things. He trained with other like-minded friends; friends who wore the same uniform and were addressed as comrades. They were all fed three times a day with concentrated doses of self-righteousness and the will-to-act. On the last day at the camp all comrades received a GUN and a shiny piece of metal was pinned to their uniforms.

In the final speech at the camp, THEY said, "The gun will be your truest companion till the end of life and this shiny badge a symbol for righteousness. Outside the walls of this camp, EVERYBODY will look up to you. For you're fearless, selfless, brave and a little more patriot than rest of the people outside this camp.
Remember, EVERYBODY will be looking up to you. You cannot fail them. When in doubt - remember the training. Remember what you were told in the training. The will-to-act is your biggest weapon".

That speech and camp was a long time ago. Thousand miles and 15 years later, today in this cold bunker atop the mountain, he couldn't help recollect that speech and smile. "Funny", he thought. "THEY specifically said when in doubt, remember the training. They did NOT say think. THEY really meant, spare the thinking for us and just do what you're trained to do".

GULP... GULP.... GULP... AHHHHH.

When in extreme pain, it's really hard to focus. The Old Monk may not be able to cure or suppress pain, but he can sure help take some attention off it. It now was becoming more evident how cold the bunker really was. His breathing was steady now. The mind automatically shifted from remembrance to introspection.

It was not very long after the speech that his moment of TEST and his GUN's day in the field came along. Battlefield is a very weird and confusing place. Also, one day on the battlefield can teach you more about the world than a lifetime inside the cosy home.

In spite of the years of training, sophisticated equipment and hours of strategizing; once that first bullet is fired, battlefield is all about manifestation of chaos theory. So many get killed, even more get injured and entire cities are scarred for decades. All of it in so little time. That's the weird part.

Interestingly, that first bullet brings 2 changes to the equation battlefield. One, it makes the cause of the war redundant, and secondly, it establishes survival as the sole objective. In the scramble for survival, nothing matters anymore; neither the cause nor the means.

Think about it. If you hypothetically place an external observer in to a battlefield, he pretty sure can't tell the right from the wrong nor can distinguish the bad guys from the good ones. The truth about battlefield is that everything and everybody are equally justified. That makes one think, "If everybody is right in their own way, why kill each other over it?" Now that's the confusing part.

One might think that killing another person is hard. But once you’re in the war-zone, the reality is more like what John Rambo would say, “When you’re pushed, killing is as easy as breathing”. The hard part about killing is having to live with it for the rest of your life. All those faces and voices can stir up quite a nightmare.

GULP... GULP.... GULP

Pain had turned excruciating now. He looked around to re-assess the situation & evaluate his options. His bunker on the mountain was ambushed by the enemy. They fought back and managed to scare the enemy off temporarily. All his comrades were dead; he was severely bleeding. Now, there was only one way this could end. It was only a matter of minutes before the enemy will regroup and return to complete their unfinished assignment. He’d be killed if not already passed out from the bleeding. That much was clearly written on the wall. Either way, he had only a few minutes left.

A decade of killing flashed before his eyes. There were too many of them, too frequent and too much to digest now. His head was full. He had too much to say and express before all the blood drains out of that head.

GULP... GULP.... GULP. That was the last bit of Old Monk from his hip flask.

He was now breathing slower than normal. Clearly, too much blood had drained out of his body. “One last thing left”. He told himself. He pulled his little journal from his jacket and scribbled the following.

*****************************************************

Note from the mountaintop
It took me 15 years of crawling through the depravity of our civilization to get here. This mountaintop lends a certain perspective; one that is hard for men in valley on both sides of the fence to comprehend. For this is the lesson that one learns at the end of a painful journey and I am writing it down so that no one else has to tread this path.

Fence/Border

Seen from this height & perspective, I cannot see any fence or border.
If you believe this world was created by a force
or an order higher than this, it’s a good bet that
a fence was never intended.

Right & Wrong

Your stance on most disputes depends on which side of the
fence do you reside as each side sees the same thing differently.
There are equal number believers and unequal
number of guns on either side of the fence.
So then, the fight righteousness is always a question
of who owns more/bigger guns?

Man with a gun

Uniform or otherwise, there is nothing moral about the
man with a GUN. He merely symbolizes threat and intimidation.
He can never be trusted nor should be.

***************************************************************

He wrote this and put the pencil down to contemplate on the last thought of his life, “If I should put this gun in my mouth and pull the trigger, will I actually hear a gunshot or pass out before hearing it”?

That seemed a difficult question. But then there was only one way to know the answer. He did what was necessary and what he'd trained to do. He sputtered the walls with stains of dark red.

Ironically, nothing had changed in the world’s equation.

One man less but the number of guns still remained the same.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) - Movie Review

2013-02-24T20:22:00.001+05:30

Once there was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub.
Even after a million years, the scientists and moviebuffs of the future will be delighted to know it.

Directed by Benh Zeitlin, 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a compelling piece of art about a mystical land of the beasts and love of a father and his daughter.

The plot is set in the fictional island/community called 'The Bathtub'; a secluded locality on the other side of the wall of civilization. The movie follows the lives of it's residents leading a life of beasts and in particular HushPuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) and her father Wink (Dwight Henry).

The movie is narrated as experienced and understood by it's 9 year old protagonist HushPuppy. This transforms the audience into a mystical world innocence and a universe built over interesting ground-rules. The equation of life on The Bathtub is simple; even though the dynamics are harsh and unforgiving. The man and the beasts are one and the same. The inhabitants are uneducated, have no jobs, eat uncooked meat, make merry and do not cry in the face of hardships. Everything and everybody living is considered meat; all part of the grand buffet of the universe.

The story takes a turn when the melting of polar ice and an imminent storm poses permanent submersion of the island. The inhabitants have to either choose between facing extinction or evacuation. While most of the inhabitants relocate, a handful of people including our protagonists choose to stay back.

The best part of the movie is the father-daughter relationship and of course HushPuppy's mystical world and its revelation over 90 minutes. Wallis as HushPuppy is an absolute delight (youngest actor ever to earn an Oscar nomination for the leading role). Her emotions are real, actions affable and dialogue delivery impeccable. The charm and innocence lending an undeniable sincerity to the narrative and the plot.

Strong animals know when your hearts are weak.

Dwight Henry (first time actor) portrays the complex character of Wink; striking the balance between a concerned father and the fearless beast of the community. His concern and love for is daughter in the most unorthodox ways forms some of the best moments in the movie.

In spite of an offbeat plot and narrative, the outcome is exceptional. The camera is consistently shaky, but the background music more than just makes up for it and any other technical irregularities. The music succeeds immensely in simultaneously painting the dual picture of the grim situation and the cheerfulness in its protagonists.

There are also subtle social messages driven in the movie such as the preservation of nature, ecological balance and even man-beast relation. But it not what makes the movie an above-average experience. In the run-time of 90 odd minutes, one can't help being smitten by HushPuppy and life in The Bathtub.

In the end, 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' packs a compelling narrative and powerful performance in a heart warming story. One of the spectacular movies made in the recent times. Do not miss it.

My rating: 8.5 / 10

Related Trivia:

Quvenzhané Wallis was five years old when she was chosen for the role
Dwight Henry is a first time actor and a victim of Hurricane Katrina

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) - Movie Review

2013-02-01T00:21:00.001+05:30

Based on a novel by the same name, 'Silver Linings Playbook' may not be the most memorable of movies. But it definitely has an inescapable charm driven by an ensemble of affable characters and sterling performances.

A testimony to that being the 8 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Written & Directed by David O. Russell (director of The Fighter), the movie deviates to a large extent from the book as well as genre of RomCom (Romantic Comedies).

The movie follows the life of Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) and his near ones. Pat is a mentally not-normal person who has recently rejoined his parents after a brief stint at a correctional facility. We soon learn of his strained relationship with his wife who has sought a distance from him through a legal restraining order.

However, Pat refuses to accept the fact that his wife has left him for good while everyone around him is convinced about it. He refuses to accept that the fact is determined to set things right and get back to his previous life; so much so that it defines his craziness.

Along the line, Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence); someone more mysterious and crazier than him. What follows next is no big surprise. But, how it unfolds is surprisingly fresh and quite charming.

Coming back to the ensemble of impressionable characters and sparking performances.

Jacki Weaver plays Dolores Solitano (Oscar nominated performance for Best supporting Actress); the caring mother who defies the court's suggestion to bring her son back home from the mental institution. Her portrayal of the over protective and concerned mother makes an noteworthy performance.
Robert De Niro is cast as Pat's father (Oscar nominated performance for Best supporting Actor); a pensioner and die-hard fan of the local football team. He delivers an impressionable performance in a character that juggles between being a loving father, superstitious gambler, an angry husband and even a man who can beat up his 30 year old son to teach some discipline.

Chris Tucker (as Danny) and John Ortiz (as Ronnie) cast as Pat's cell-mate from the facility and neighbor respectively. They both lend valuable laughs with their spirited performancess.

Anupam kher + Cast of Silver Linings

Veteran artist Anupam Kher plays the role of Dr. Cliff Patel, the consulting psychiatrist for Pat & Tiffany. His screen presence is brief and character not very significant to the plot. The Bollywood audience have seen him delivering more powerful performances.

Frankly speaking, Pat's character suffers from few inconsistencies. His level of craziness is inconsistent along the length of the movie. Several times during the movie, one is unsure if Pat is really crazy or is it just has anger management issues.

Bradley Cooper has done a better than average job in portraying Pat (Oscar nominated performance for Best Actor). He is very convincing in the first half of the movie after which the inconsistencies surface.

Unfortunately for Pat, Forrest Gump & Raymond (from Rain Man) have pushed the bar for such characters till exosphere.

Unmistakably, the single largest charming aspect of the movie is Jennifer Lawrence's performance as Tiffany (Oscar nominated for best Actress). Tiffany is an instinctive, emotionally spontaneous and the girl next door with a mystery buried deep inside her. Jennifer portays this mystery and craziness with a flair and conviction that makes the audience curious and connect with her role. Her acting is convincingly consistent all along the movie.

Another highlight of the movie is that the movie never slips into pure comedy mode. In over a large part of the movie, the plot takes itself quite seriously. The part in which the not-so-normal protagonists try to make sense of the seemingly abnormal world is quite convincing.

In fact, the serious confrontations between Jennifer & Pat about each other's craziness forms some the most powerful moments in the movie.

In spite of a plot that strikes the right balance between seriousness and romantic drama, 'Silver Linings Playbook' is a movie made special by sterling performances.

My Rating: 7.5/10

ps: I've intentionally NOT include a link to the trailer. They seem to be giving up too much about the movie. Avoid if possible.

Les Miserables (2012) - Movie Review

2013-01-26T22:56:00.000+05:30

It wouldn't be just to review this movie in isolation to the masterpiece from Victor Hugo. So, I wouldn't even attempt to do it. All the more when Les Miserables (2012) remains so faithful to the novel. After all, who dares flirt with near perfection.

The Plot:
For the unaware, Les Miserables is a timeless tale; one that will test the corners and the depths of the heart and stir up every emotion residing in there.

Set in the early to late 19th century, the tale follows the life of Jean Valjean enslaved by the law for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's dying son. After serving 19 years for the petty theft, he gets released on parole. But then, the society humiliates him further into desperation & hatred. Finally, a priest takes him in, offers food, wine and shelter. Allow him to rest from pain and wrong; motivating him to give up hatred.

Jean Valjean then decides to give up his old life and to start afresh. Only this time around devoting his life to the way of god and righteousness in the process breaking his parole. But it wouldn't be easy as Inspector Javert (his parole officer) will stop at nothing to put him in chains.

What follows is a heart wrenching tale that puts Valjean's conscience to test in turbulent times. Can Valjean walk the path of righteousness till the very end? Can he keep his promises against all odds? Will his past haunt him and those he care about? Will he finally learn to let go, forgive & love?

The Review:
Prior to this, there have been at least 12 movie attempts based on this novel; the earliest of them (in English) being in 1909. As Victor Hugo pointed it out himself, "As long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless". One can easily replace the word 'useless' with 'irrelevant'.

Even the smallest characters (if there were such a thing) in the novel have such interesting persona about them. Their battles of the heart and mind, even though set against the backdrop of the Paris uprising in 1860's are still relevant today; and across the world. That's what perhaps makes 'Les Miserables' a timeless classic.

The 2012 adaptation on the big screen is worth every penny. The director, Tom Hooper (King's Speech) has done full justice to the novel deserving 8 Oscar nominations including the 'Best Picture'. The movie drags you into a magical world right from the first scene and the first verse. The visualizations are near perfect and the technical aspects equally flawless.

The performances by the actors are brilliant. Most of them have lived upto the high expectations of the novel; few seem to have surpassed it.

The novel introduces Jean Valjean as someone with of extraordinary physical and mental toughness. Hugh Jackman (6' 2") fits right into the description and delivers a convincing characterization. His acting and voice modulation are commendable. He personifies the man who has to frequently break the law to keep his conscience. He brings out all of Valjean's rage, hatred, confusion, fear, doubt, joy, bliss, possessiveness, love in vividness worthy of the Oscar nomination. I hope he wins it.

Inspector Javert is a man who follows duty without a conscience. He only sees things as lawful or otherwise than right or wrong. Russell Crowe meets expectations of this character. His voice has a natural essence of authority that lends some advantage.

Anne Hathaway surpasses expectations as Fantine, the lady who has been wronged in all possible manner. A hard working single mother, burning at both ends to keep her child alive. Look out for her rendering of 'I dreamed a dream'; one of the most powerful moments of the movie and also most poignant moment in the tale.

Another actor who surpassed expectations is Samantha Barks in her role as Éponine.

Why this movie works:

The Narrative: The most appealing aspect of this movie is clearly it's musical narrative. This is perhaps, the most successful mainstream Hollywood movie in over a decade with this narrative. The lyrical dialogues and background music makes the saying more powerful. It is commendable how the actors have balanced their acting and singing simultaneously.

Overlapping dialogues: One of the beautiful things that music allows is to have overlapping dialogues presented in the same tune. This has been used to great effect several times in this movies. In multiple scenes, protagonists sing out their lines (unconnected to each other) in the common tune leading upto a crescendo.

Renderings/Lyrical: No better way to express your emotions than to sing it out. Les Miserables is a treat of some of the finest musical pieces. Here are my top 5 picks (in the order) from the movie.

I dreamed a dream - Fantine (Anne Hathaway) - The undisputed No.1
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables - Marius (Eddie Redmayne)
On my own - Eponine (Samantha Barks)
One Day More - (Several actors from the cast)
Javert's Suicide - Javert (Russell Crowe)

I think, if you haven't read the book, you're missing something big in life. If you skip the movie, you wouldn't realize that something this-good even exists.

This movie is a 9/10

The novel will forever remain 11/10

Django Unchained (2012) - Movie Review

2013-01-19T01:06:00.003+05:30

Yes, the old jungle saying is still true."Nobody can film a bloodbath better than Tarantino and none can spill blood more beautifully than his characters".

Surprise to none, Django Unchained, written & directed by Quentin Tarantino is indeed a glorified account of blood sputtering revenge; set in an age of nobody's seen no nigger on a horse.

In keeping with the code of Tarantino-esque school of film making, the first scene sets the tone and standards for the next two-and-half hours to folow.

Opening credits flash in over sized block RED letters to the tune of Django by Luis Bacalov.

Django, have you always been alone? Django, have you never loved again?
Love will live on. Life must go on... You cannot spend your life regretting.
Django, you must face another day.

The protagonist, Django (Jamie Foxx) and few other slaves in chains are being dragged barefoot across a forest on a chilly night. They come across Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz); a German dentist turned bounty hunter looking for our protagonist.

Sooner than than you know, Shultz lures Django to join him in the bounty hunting business. Django unsurprisingly accepts the ludicrous offer of killing white men and even getting paid for it. Then we're told of some German mythology and also of Django once having a wife who is now the property of Calvin Candi - a hard core slaver, powerful and wealthy man in Mississippi. The duo then decide to travel South and retrieve the girl. The rest of the movie is a no-surprise tale of Django becoming the fastest gun in the South.

In spite of excellent story telling, the plot never by itself becomes the highlight of Tarantino movies. This time around too, his movie will be remembered for 2 things - A set of impressive characters and some convincing satire on human nature/morality. Full credit to Tarantino for introducing 4 more characters and in such stye. The actors have done equally well in characterization.

Christoph Waltz (Oscar nominated for this performance) steals the shows in the beginning with all his flamboyance. Watch out for the scene where he draws comparison between the business of bounty hunting and Slave trade. Calling one as 'Cash for corspe' and the other as 'Cash for flesh' trade.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays the hard core slaver madman. In one convincing scene, he tries to justify why the niggers are a submissive lot and need a master. (I couldn't help remembering the squirrel-rat analogy with German-Jews from Inglourious Basterds).

The best performance in this movie comes from Samuel L. Jackson. His portrayal of 'Stephen', the black caretaker of an estate will perhaps be the most memorable part of Django Unchained. He portrays the role of an old man confused with his hierarchy in the social order.

Having spent 7 decades as the estate care taker, Stephen behaves like a master and looks down on other colored folks.

Over the course of the movie, Jamie Foxx's Django transforms from a lost soul to a legend and to put in his own words - 'One in a thousand Nigger'. Once he is armed, there is no stopping.

The intensity of gun shots and blood sputtering in this movie sets new standards. The gore is just one part of it. The choreography of the bloodbath is replete with close-ups and slow motion that one can be certain of director's over indulgence.

In the end, Django is a glorified tale of brutality on slaves and one man's revenge with the gun.
Will be loved by Tarantino's fans.
Rest will wonder, yet again - "What was so special"?

My rating: 7.5/10

Personal rant:

Call it Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds or Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino's movies don't seem to be too different from one another. They all conform to the same plot/thinking.
An underdog protagonist. Meets a mentor. Trains on combat skills. Seek vengeance. Connect these with blood & gun shots. Your movie is served cold. And in blood.

Not that Quentin Tarantino has an unassailable lead in depicting bloodshed. Tim Burton, Sylvester-Rambo-Stallone and his expendable men are catching up fast. It's about time something fresh comes from the superstar director.

Lincoln (2012) - Movie Review

2013-01-14T00:11:00.000+05:30

Lincoln (2012) infuses life into the history books; unlike any other on this topic. This winner from Steven Speilberg is a delight for historians as much as the Oscar jury. With a total of 12 nominations that include Best Picture, Best Direction, Best performance in the lead and supporting roles, Lincoln leads the race for the Oscars (85th Annual Academy Awards).

As the American civil war (1861-1865) between the United States (Union/North) and the Confederate States (Confederacy/South) draws to an end, it puts a nation and it's leader through a great test - one that will define both for the time to come. This biopic vividly captures the dynamics leading to one of the most proud moments of American history and perhaps the world as well.

During the course of the war, Abraham Lincoln exercised his warpowers to pass the Emancipation Proclamation - a temporary war-period arrangement that liberates (not having to return back to their masters) the captured slaves. While Lincoln was captivated with the idea of abolishing slavery, the confederate states and a large majority of the congress do not share his enthusiasm. The people too look at the arrangement as an act of negotiated peace than a permanent solution.

As the war reaches its final days, Lincoln is fully aware that his and warpowers will end and the judicial reversal of the Proclamation inevitable. He has to push for the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the US constitution thereby formally abolishing slavery. Lincoln has to walk a tight rope. Not only does he have to convince the Congress against the popular sentiment, but also race against the time to get it done. If the forces of the South surrender before ratification, they will most likely negotiate to keep their slaves - a condition that his cabinet won't mind.

In the end, it comes to either winning the civil war or abolishing slavery. But not both. This equation opens up the plot for some very interesting drama.

Can Lincoln kill two birds with one stone? Can he push an idea before it's time has come? How will he convince the Congress against the popular sentiment?

Will he pursue unconstitutional means in getting the constitution amended? Will he keep the war going, endure loss of lives and money to buy more time? Can he keep the war updates a secret untill the voting?

And well, add to all this the turbulence in his own personal life; strained emotions with his wife and son.

Why this movie works:
As it is evident, there are several parameters and people influencing the the dynamics and each one of them connected to every other. Lincoln (2012) shines not only for the immense research that has gone into the script but also for how intriguingly these nuances are dramatized. Director Steven Spielberg asserts his genius yet again in binding the several threads of the story to the common end.

The acting department is a powerhouse to say the least. Lincoln is popularly known to be calm, composed and confident. But Daniel Day-Lewis (2 time Oscar winner) takes you on an exploration of Lincoln-the-lesser-known and the grey shades of his personality. The president hops from being an inspiring leader to a perturbed father, a repenting husband, an advocate, a negotiator and at times, even being a dictator. As the movie explores the twin faces of the president, the vivid portrayal of the Lincoln's character is clearly the high point of the movie.

Daniel Lewis fits right into the role - in form and character. His humanization of the legend - all his confusion and conviction truly deserves a third Oscar.

The acting from the supporting cast is equally brilliant. Sally Field (2 time Oscar winner) is cast as the first lady and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the rebellious son. David Strathairn plays the Secretary of State and Tommy Lee Jones (Oscar winner) plays Thaddeus Stevens, one of the party leaders who has a difference of opinion with Lincoln.

The technical aspects of the production are also top notch. The lighting and sets takes to back to the 19th century and the war scenes are as real as they can get. In the end, Lincoln (2012), is a winner and deserves half a dozen awards at the 85th Academy Awards. If you enjoyed Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List and Munich. you'll most certainly like this too.

However, it might take a bit of patience to appreciate the nuances. After all, the civil war and the politics behind getting an amendment passed is not a very popular topic.

My Rating: 8/10

Related Trivia:

Liam Neeson was first chosen for the lead role. After the project started, he decided to drop out
Steven Spielberg spent 12 years in research for this movie
Initially, the movie was conceived of as a bio film exploring Lincoln's entire life story. Later it was decided to cover the last 6 months of Lincoln's life
Daniel Day-Lewis had his reservations in taking on this challenging role. Eventually, it was Leonardo DiCaprio who convinced him.
In 2012, Tim Burton also made a movie titled, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

About Daniel Day Lewis:

Several times offered and turned down the role of Aragorn (Strider) in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Zack Snyder offered him the role of "Jor-El" in Man of Steel (2013). Role went to Russel Crowe in the end
Was considered for the role of Jesus Christ in The Passion of the Christ (2004)
He won 23 acting awards for his performance in There Will be Blood, including the Oscar.

INK (2009) - Movie Review

2012-12-23T16:33:00.001+05:30

Thought Provoking | Mystery | Adventure

INK (2009) is well conceived and equally well presented. Written and directed by Jamin Winans, this movie blends innocence, mystery and suspense in all the right ways to deliver an engaging and thought provoking watch.

Having said that, INK (2009) may not appease everyone for it demands a certain level of innocence even to indulge in the plot.

At the outset, this movie is a battle between Angels and Demons for the soul of an 8 year old girl. But dig a little deeper, INK strikes the right balance between being a fairy tale, mindfuck and sci-fi thriller all at the same time.

The movie introduces an alternate plane of reality; one inhabited by Storytellers (read Angels) and Incubis (demons). Both of them have a world of their own that transcend time and space. Every night, they descend to earth and influence human lives/souls.

The storytellers (angels) give good dreams to people and inspire positivity. On the other hand, an Incubi (demon) gives nightmares and turns people into narcissists who don't care enough about their loved ones.

In addition to the storytellers and incubis, there are another set of creatures called the drifters. Drifters are sort of dead-but-not-totally-dead creatures.

The protagonist INK is a drifter and a shame/guilt ridden ugly creature. One night, he steals the soul of Emma (Quinn Hunchar) and sneaks into the world of Incubis. Emma is separated from her father John (Chris Kelly). The angels put up a brave fight but in vain. INK is determined to deliver the girl's soul to the Incubi; prove his loyalty and become one of them.

In the living world, Emma's body goes into comatose state. The Storytellers, Allel (Jennifer Batter) and the blind pathfinder (Jeremy Make) stay back in the human world. At the same time another storyteller Liev (Jessica Duffy) follows INK into the Incubis world to rescue Emma's soul.

From here on, the story unfolds in parallel tracks in parallel worlds. The director has visualized the three worlds very distinctively using the lighting; the effects are crafty and convincing.

On earth, Allel fights Incubis to unite John with his daughter. In the Incubis world, Liev risks her own life to save Emma's soul. What follows is a roller coaster adventure that sifts through the concepts of timespace continuum, afterlife, chaos theory, subconscious mind and the 'beat of the world'.

The beauty of this movie is in how the plot is unveiled over time. In fact, even the premise remains a mystery for a long time keeping the viewer curious. Full credits for the writer/director for choosing a script like this and presenting it so convincingly within the available resources (read low-budget). The performance by the supporting cast is average.

The movie ends with a subtle message on introspection into our lives, on the choices we make in life and its implications on people we care about. If you liked Dark City and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you'll most certainly enjoy INK (2009).

An interesting thought form the movie:

The downward spiral of humans

Man has a weakness
He feels flawed
Flaw leads to guilt
Guilt turns to shame
Man hides shame with pride and vanity
When pride fails, despair takes over
Despair leads to destruction

It becomes FATE ..
Something's gotta stop the flow!

My Rating: 8/10

Khiladi 786 (2012) - Movie Review

2012-12-08T13:19:00.001+05:30

There are two reasons why Bollywood churns these no-brainer multi-starrer movies every 15 days. One is to make a lot of money and the other is to make a point - "Bloody hell, I can do it. So what are you going to do about it?"

Khiladi 786 throws that question in your face right in the very first scene.

How you answer that question will decide if you will find the movie entertaining or otherwise. If you can surrender to the theology that masala movies need no plot and do not conform to the laws of physics; Khiladi 786 is quite enjoyable. The movie is original, actors convincing, the VFX great and the humor works.

This movie has no resemblance whatsoever with the earlier Khiladi movies. One wonders why the dead/dormant series was even revived after 12 years.

The movie thrives largely on fresh humor rather than the charm of it's protagonist - Khiladi. The dose of humor is clean and regular;the characters succeed in making you laugh without behaving cheap or dirty.Mind you, that is a steep ask from a Bollywood comedy these days.

All men in the hero's family have numbers instead of first-names. The father (played by Raj Babbar) is 70 Singh (Sattar), uncle (played by Mukesh Rishi) is 71 Singh (Ikhatar), our protagonist gets to be 72 Singh (Bahattar) and his long lost brother is 73 Singh (Tehattar). Add to it that none of the elders in the family were able to find an Indian bride for themselves. Neither is 72 Singh getting any luckier.

Mansukh (played by Himesh Reshammiya) is a marriage broker who lies his way in to arranging an alliance between meets the local don's sister and 72 Singh. Mithun Chakraborty is cast as Tatya Tukaram Tendulkar aka TTT, the don and Asin Thottumkal as Indu Tendulkar, the female lead.

Akshay Kumar is undoubtedly one of the finest actors in Bollywood. He can act, dance, cry and even fight better than most of his peers. With a role like this, he cannot fail.

Asin's role demands keeping her mouth shut and looking pretty at the same time. There are none more talented when it comes to it; genuine mirror-cracking material.

This has to be Himesh Reshamiya's most decent outing as an actor. He delivers the funny lines and expressions without looking like a buffoon. Good or bad, one can always rely on him for catchy tunes (the title tune for one). This dude never disappoints even when he is co-writing the script and co-producing the movie at the same time. I wonder if this was supposed to be a comeback movie for Khiladi or Himesh.

Mithun and Raj Babbar too lend their limited yet noticeable contributions. There is also a sparkling cameo by Johnny Lever as inspector Bhalerao Kambli. He utters a lot of tuzya mai la and something in between them.

The brightest spark in the supporting cast is Rahul Singh. He plays Azad Reddy, a local goon with heavy Hyderabadi accent. Some of his dialogues and scenes involving him form the most laughable moments of the movie.

The two-and-half hours of unnecessary nonsense that is called Khiladi 786 isn't entirely unwatchable. The director (Ashish R Mohan) has done an average job in binding the random music videos and comic scenes into a plot. However, what he has excelled in is hurling men and automobiles into unbelievable trajectories in the air. The VFX & slapstick is so neat that it can give Rohit Shetty a complex.

The movie delivers on its two promises - humor and slapstick. Some decent comedy that doesn't get dirty or stoop to being buffoonery.

Avoidable, yet not something you will regret.
My rating: 6/10

Talaash (2012) - Movie Analysis

2012-12-02T03:21:00.003+05:30

*** This is not a movie review but an analysis with spoilers on the plot and the other nuances of movie experience. If you haven't watched the movie and intend to do so, please skip reading this. ***

There are two kinds of movies that the connoisseurs relish. The ones that awe you with a brilliant story and the others that delight you with great story telling. Talaash (2012), directed by Reema Kagti and starring Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherji, Kareena Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead is really an average story told convincingly well.

Talaash not only revives the genre of movies comprising of Bluffmaster, Superstar, Karthik calling Karthik and Dhobi Ghat but also succeeds in raising the bar a notch higher.

Plot Analysis: In an age of Bollywood where the norm is to outsource the script, lyrics and dialogue writing to the perverted retards, Talaash is a serious deviation. The credits for writing include critically acclaimed biggies such as Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap. This wise investment has thankfully paid off and compensates for the obvious loopholes the story.

The plot isn't anything new and frankly speaking, is something that can neatly fit into 2 episodes of a TV serial. To be even more candid, every TV serial that touches upon supernatural has told us this story at least a dozen times each.

However, the real revelation of Talaash is the beauty with which the plot unravels; the plot grows wide while as the characters gain depth simultaneously.

Characters and characterization: The key characters in the movie are deglamorized (except for necessary bling on the call girls) lending a realistic look and feel to the story. Surjan Singh Sekhawat's character strikes a fine balance between guilt, curiosity and righteousness that drive his actions as well as the plot. Aamir Khan looks tough and cries convincingly; doing justice to the role of an upright cop and a guilt ridden father.

Shekhawat's wife and the psychic neighbor have comparatively little screen time but lend valuable perspective.

The tricky and challenging aspect of the plot and its characterization was undoubtedly that of the beautiful ghost - Simran/Rosy. This one aspect had to be perfect for the rest of the movie to be convincing.

The writers have succeeded in keeping the obvious from being glaringly-obvious. Kareena Kapoor slides effortlessly into the role of a call girl; the pretty face concealing the obvious and her seductive eyes concealing the real meaning of the dialogues.

Highs:
The movie starts with a certain seriousness, sustains it all along and concludes equally well. No clown characters retrofitted in the name of comedy, no item numbers or even hero-heroine escapades to Switzerland for a dance. That for a Bollywood movie intended at mass-audience is quite commendable.

Even though the context of the plot is deep rooted into prostitution, extortion and murder, the movie doesn't really get into either skin-show or violence. The subject is handled maturely and characters don't even get preachy on any of these topics.

Kareena Kapoor has done a good job with the key dialogues that needed to be delivered while attracting least attention or focus. Thinking of which, her seductive eyes taking away the while

Unlike, Om Shanti Om (that sits pretty high on my personal list of hate-movies) the climax is far more subtle and convincing. The plot sets enough groundwork (the psychic, dead son and a believing wife) before summoning the supernatural to solve the puzzle.

A spooky thought: In a certain scene, the psychic lady asserts that spirits at unrest choose to reveal themselves to people who are sad, depressed and in pain. The spirits confuse such people to be one of their own kind.

That is spooky interesting enough to mull over.

My rating: 7/10

Engaging watch and good story telling of a tale you've heard at least a dozen times before.

Life of Pi - Book Analysis

2012-11-23T01:07:00.000+05:30

Life of Pi restores the good old faith back in to life. A vivid narration that blends powerful metaphors and subtle humor into a tale of adventure and miracles.

*** Spoiler Alert - This article is an analysis of the book and essentially goes far beyond revealing the story/plot. If you haven't read the book (or) seen the movie and intend to do either.. PLEASE skip this ****

Published in 2001, Life of Pi is a novel by Yann Martel. After a shipwreck in the pacific ocean, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel survives 227 days on a life boat stranded with a Bengal tiger.

The tale of Pi is a fresh perspective on faith; a roller coaster ride through some of the elemental and potent instincts of life. A journey that traverses fun, frolic, innocence, shock, loss, denial, disbelief, grief, barbarism, fear, terror, despair, exhaustion, persistence, friendship, adventure, hope, mysteries, miracles, realization, bliss and not the least - faith.

The adventure unravels in three parts/acts; each covering significant ground. Put in a very crass manner; first part scratches the surface of the concept. The second covers the breadth and the third sinks in deep.

Act 1: THE CALM - (Author calls it 'Toronto and Pondicherry')

The plot in the first part of the book is generous and is set in the coastal Indian city of Pondicherry. The story emphasizes on two important aspects of Pi's childhood; the two powerful belief systems that will guide him through the ordeal to come.

Animals and Zookeeping: Yann Martel is renowned for employing animals and their instincts as metaphors to dissect human behavioral patterns. In this part of the book, author talks about the nature of animals and zoo being a stable ecosystem (contrary to popular belief). However dangerous and unpredictable, mutual fear can establish a self sustaining relationship between man and the beast.

Spiritual unity and religious pluralism: The protagonist is a follower of 3 popular religions - Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. This part of the story introduces the basic belief system in all the three religions. The author finds common ground in the three religions and pitches for the viability of religious pluralism. The larger objective here is to prepare the readers to see the miracles in life from a religion-neutral perspective.

Act 2: The ordeal (The author calls it 'The Pacific Ocean')

Pi is the lone survivor of a shipwreck. He is stranded on a lifeboat with 4 animals. An injured zebra, a female Orangutan, a wicked hyena and a terrifying Bengal Tiger. First the hyena devours the Zebra organ-by-organ while it is still alive and then kills the defenseless Orangutan too. Pi senses a threat t his own life but just in the nick of time, the Bengal Tiger (named Richard Parker) springs to life and kills the hyena.

"When your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival." - Life of Pi (Pg 120)

The second part of the book is the longest and follows Pi's ordeal across the mightiest of oceans with the most unlikeliest of companions. The plot here elaborates on the groundwork laid in the first. While the first act of the book introduces the reader to miracles and spirituality; the second tests it.

The two go through an unbelievable ordeal across the pacific ocean. This part of the tale is really about Pi realizing the elemental instincts of life and coming to terms with it. In this framework of endless space and time, the author draws upon the readers the paired extremities extremities of human nature. The most prominent being the co-existence of Fear-Hope. Fear drives hope and asserts a sense of purpose to life and assigns meaning to the things one does.

Pairs of related extremities that Pi learns in his journey

Bright and Dark (day/night)
Heat / rains
Feast / Starvation
Calm Sea / High tides
Overwhelming vastness of the sea / Suffocated in the tiny life boat
Boredom / terror
Courage / helplessness
Celebration / depression

"When you've suffered a great deal in life, each additional pain is both unbearable and trifling." - Life of Pi (Pg 5)

“Oncoming death is terrible enough, but worse still is oncoming death with time to spare. You see with utter lucidity all that you are losing.” - Life of Pi (pg 147)

The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity; it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can.” - Life of Pi (Pg 6)

In short, the second part talks about confronting fear and living with adversities while the two sail through miracles of life.

“Life on a lifeboat isn’t much of a life. It is like an end game in chess, a game with few pieces. The elements couldn’t be more simple, nor the stakes higher.”(Pg 217)

Act 3: the realization (Author calls it 'The Infirmary')

This is the most interesting part of the book. This is precisely where the book becomes more than just a story.

Pi and Richard Parker make it to land after a miraculous journey (spanning 227 days) that the world would not believe possible. As soon as the boat hits the land, Richard Parker vanishes into the woods, never to be seen again. Pi finds himself explaining to a fact-finding committee the possible reasons for shipwreck and his journey from there. In spite of Pi's best efforts, the committee does not believe in this story for two reasons.

The tale is not verifiable through facts
The tale does not conform to logical reasoning

The committee, in reality represents the vast majority of people living a life of preconceived realities and impossibilities. The reason is only a function of known knowledge. Our understanding of the world and its governing forces is constrained and only limited to known knowledge. Is it then correct to categorize everything that is incomprehensible as impossible?

Many aspects and incidents in life are beyond reason and logic. Not everything in life can be verified and reasoned out. What do you do when you witness the incomprehensible-unknown in life?

"World isn't just the way it is; It is how we understand it." - Life of Pi (Pg 303)

in order to satisfy the fact-verifying committee, Pi narrates an alternate version of the story. A version that is the exact opposite of the first. In this version, the animals are replaced with humans and miracles by acts of horror and barbarism. Both the versions are equally unverifiable yet the reader/fact-verifying committee has to choose one among them.

The book raises the following question. How would you like to understand the incomprehensible-unknown? Without verifiable facts and logic, what do you choose to believe are the driving the forces of life?

Since it makes no factual difference and either versions cannot be verified, which version of the story do you believe in?

In other words, what do you CHOOSE to BELIEVE? FAITH or FEAR ?

The gentlemen hearing the story decide to go with the story involving animals and miracles. Pi Patel says, "Thanks you. And so it goes with the god."

"Atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them - and then they leap" - Life of Pi

The Expendables 2 (2012) - Movie Review

2012-08-26T11:28:00.000+05:30

The Expendables 2 (2012) is silly and nostalgic. Silly to the extent of being humorous and and nostalgic to the extent of gratification. However, in spite of a zero-plot and sub-zero intelligence, the movie still manages a visit to unexplored territory.

The most ostensible aspect of the movie is it's star-cast; which respectfully is a who's who list of Hollywood action figures assembled from across multiple generation. Directed by Simon West, the movie has Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Liam Hemsworth, Scott Adkins and others.

When you have have so many biggies under one roof, there are only two things you can do. Either get really serious in business or party really hard. The director here just decided to party.

Expendables 2 is definitely not your Avengers. It doesn't even look in that direction. The theme here is NOT how do good guys team up against the evil. The question is, given a gun and a knife who can kill more people in under a minute. Now, that's unexplored territory and 30 seconds into the movie, one knows what is coming.

All characters in Expendable2 are very straightforward, both the good guys and the bad ones. Every single one of them is above the law, devoid of emotions, combat trained, hot-head, bloodthirsty and has an unlimited supply of ammunition. Their objective in life too is equally simple. Blow up the buildings and automobiles. Anything that has two legs and walks, either kick it in the face, shoot it in the head or stab it in the heart. Actually, even the glamor girl (Nan Yu) of the movie dispenses a dozen-and-half people herself without breaking a sweat.

That is the kind of silliness that Expendables2 celebrates. It becomes humorous when the old guns Stallone (66 yrs), Arnie (65 yrs), Norris (72 yrs), Bruce Willis (57 yrs) and Van Damme (51 yrs) compete with each other in painting the town red. It is as though, every time they pick up a gun, hundreds of men magically volunteer to get their heads blown or severed.

Now about nostalgia and gratification. Let's admit it; the 103 mins of runtime is a dream come true for every action buff. Good thing that the movie is presented in good humor. The movie actually makes fun of itself and the lead characters. watch out for Chuck Norris cracking 'Chuck-Norris' jokes, Bruce Willis making fun of Arnie's 'I'll be back' line, Stallone's Museum comment and many more such gems.

Of the star cast, Van Damme is the most charming and Statham the most lethal. One can't help but grin at Van Damme's trademark kicks, Noris' one-man shows, Bruce Willis' one liners, Stallone's I'll-Kill-You looks and Arnold with the big guns. All of which are reminiscent of different periods from the yesteryear's of Hollywood. Extremely nostalgic to see'em all in one plot and in one frame.

The movie in the end, with lots of blood and an unintelligent plot will not be remembered for higher standards of film-making. It'll more likely be remembered as one action-party that all Hollywood biggies showed up at.

My Rating: 6.5/10

My fav line:

Arnold: I'll be back.

Bruce Willis: No. you've been back too many times. This time, I'll be back.

Suggested reading: Movie review of The Expendables (2010) - http://jayanthj.blogspot.in/2010/08/expendables-movie-review.html

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) - Movie Review

2012-07-21T01:57:00.000+05:30

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises (TDKR) is a worthy conclusion to one of the most acclaimed and entertaining superhero franchisee of our times.

TDKR succeeds in the rare feat of achieving 3 things at the same time; offering something more to the audience, doing justice to the comic series and last but not the least, lead the legend of Dark Knight to a logical and convincing conclusion.

This movie is set 8 years after TDK ends and Batman takes the fall for Harvey Dent's death. The city of Gotham is now governed by the popular Harvey Dent Act which has succeeded in putting behind bars almost all of it's criminals. The crime and civil unrest is at an all time low without the need of Batman. The city of Gotham is just as calm as before the big storm.

On the other hand, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is torn between his inability to either leave behind Batman or the death of Rachel Dawes. He keeps to himself and refrains from ever going out of Wayne manor. Enter Bane (Tom Hardy), a man who the legend says was born in hell and is on a mission to destroy Gotham. Add to it the fact that Bane is lot more faster and physically stronger than Batman.The Dark Knight is forced to come back from exile and confront his biggest nemesis till date. What follows is an action adventure to save the city of Gotham. However, that's just for the uninitiated (In Nolan's own words).

Deep down, this movie is lot more of something else altogether. It's not really about the battle for Gotham. The first two movies of the series followed Bruce Wayne becoming more than just a man; a symbol of uncompromising values and a silent guardian. TDKR is about the epic conclusion to the legend; unbecoming of both Bruce Wayne and Batman.

Batman stood by certain uncompromising ideals and Bruce Wayne had to make personal sacrifices. Both endured pain for reasons beyond their control. Eventually, either one of them had to break. This movie is really about this journey of the protagonist.

The movie ponders over bigger issues. How long can Baman be the silent guardian of Gotham? Will he ever learn to let go? Will the city ever learn to stand up and fight the evil within? Will the rich and the oppressed ever make peace with each other? Can there ever be a Gotham without Batman? What then becomes of the legend?

TDKR takes you through a roller coaster adventure. One replete with witty one liners, spectacular visual effects and brilliant performances. Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine reprise their roles as Commissioner Gordon, Lucius Fox and Alfred. However, the pick of the actors is Christian Bale for a brilliant performance that makes audience relate to Bruce Wayne more than the Dark knight.

Having said all that, TDKR is definitely not without loopholes. There are one-too-many cliches and in fact, last 5 mins is entirely devoted to hootes and whistles. However, one will have to admit, even when Nolan plays to the galleries, it still seems cinematic brilliance.

At 2 hours and 44 mins, the movie is long but doesn't really appear so inside the movie hall. Once the Games Begin, there is no slowing down or looking back.
In the end, I can't really choose if TDKR was well made or better concluded. I found both the journey and destination equally entertaining.

My rating:

As a standalone movie - 8/10
As a conclusion to the Dark Knight series - 9/10

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire hunter (3D) - Movie Review

2012-07-15T09:35:00.000+05:30

Based on a novel by the same name,‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ takes the concept of fantasy to a whole new level of silliness. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov and is co-produced by Tim Burton, this movie narrates the nonexistent secret life of the the 16th President of the United States. Walk into this one only If you're looking for some cheap thrills and have a stomach for blood and gore.

The plot is devoid of intelligence or wit except for the tagline, 'You're either a patriot or a vampire' - reminiscent of a very similar statement by another contemporary US president.

The young Abraham watches his mother die of unexplained symptoms. He grows up to learn that vampires are not a myth but a reality walking the streets alongside men. Driven by vengeance, he sets out to find the one particular vampire and kill it. In the process, AB befriends Henry Sturgess (played by Dominic Cooper) who teaches him the fine-art of the AXE and vampire hunting. Henry also convinces AB that it's not all about personal vendetta but fighting for a bigger cause. However, after the personal revenge AB retires to nation building.

Silly enough; one fine day, the ruling elite of the vampires decide that it's about time they had an entire nation for themselves. All at a time when US citizen are busy fighting the civil-war. So, the now-president is forced into one last show-down. In between all this is Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead); AB's love interest and Henry's own little secret.

First of all, let's extend the axe it's due credit. As evident from the trailers, the movie is more about the fine-art of the axe than the president himself. With 3D and a budget of 69 million dollars, Timur-Burton duo have created plenty of camera-wow-moments.

Clearly, this movie is an indulgent extravagance for those that relish close combat, blood spills, vampire slaying, knives and the fine-art of it. Apart from this, movie fails in every other department. Benjamin Walker looks appealing as older Lincoln; only in costume and posture. However, the dual lives of the Abraham Lincoln is neither consistent nor convincing. Dominic Cooper is the pick among the cast with a charming screen presence.

If you're looking for morals or the struggle of one man or the struggle of a nation; sorry there isn't any of these. Timur-Burton specialize in a very specific skill-sets. there is plenty of that and nothing more.

In the end, either you walk out with curses for the production team or deep appreciation for the axe and all that it can do.

Rating: 6/10. The rating is only an acknowledgement of the technical brilliance; no reflection of the plot or its intelligence.

Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) - Movie Review

2012-06-28T01:53:00.000+05:30

Mr. Anurag Kashyap has always been guilty of indulgent film-making; Gangs of Wasseypur (GOW) assumes epic proportions. Wilderness and finesse seldom co-exist; neither do documentaries and commercial cinema blend. But then this is no ordinary movie. If I were allowed to make one comparison, viewing pleasure of GOW is strikingly similar to reading pleasure of 'Catch 22'.

Finally, a truly desi gangsta movie that has every aspect of Hollywood film making that one yearns for. GOW is raw, wild and very vivid in portrayal of rage and hate - animal instincts of humans.

The Plot: As eminent by the title, the movie follows the gangs and the gang-wars in Wasseypur; a small town in the Coal Capital of India. Shahid Khan (Jaideep Ahlawat) is banished from Wasseypur for looting trains in 1940's; a privilege that the village had exclusively bestowed the Qureshi family. He takes refuge at a coal mine in Dhanbad under the coal mafia head Ramadhar Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia). Shahid secretly aspires to kill Ramadhar, take over his emapire; go back to Wasseypur and kill those that put him out of the town. However, Ramadhar comes to know of his ulterior motives and disposes him off (read, kills him).

Enter Sardar Khan (Manoj Bajpayee), son of Shahid Khan with a single point agenda to avenge his father's murder. Before we know, Manoj Bajpayee has two wives and three sons between them and Ramadhar becomes an elected member of the people. The power and control is now divided between 3 parties, the vengeful Sardar khan, the coal mafia Ramadhar and the oppressed members of the Qureshi family. Pankaj Tripathi is cast as Sultan Qureshi, butcher and henchman wanting to kill Sardar Khan.

The bloody fued for power, ego and vengeance forms the rest of the story.


Don of Wasseypur

The Review: The story is based on a exaggerated version of several real stories put together. Zeeshan Qadri, who is the story writer (who also plays a role in the movie) actually hails from Wasseypur.

The plot isn't the most intelligent or original we've seen in the recent past. However, the success rides on the characters and narration. The movie rides on several protagonists, each of whom is either a Bewakoof (fool), Harami (bastard) or both. And all of them are trigger-stab happy and driven by either rage, hatre or misplaced sense of righteousness. Put in one word, the theme and plot of the movie is CHAOS.

What sets GOW several notches higher than any other desi movie is the raw depiction of this chaos and the finesse in capturing it. It is as though watching a disturbing video on high definition screen and with Dolby surround sound. While the content itself is discouraging, you cannot help appreciate the brilliance with which it is presented.

The casting is perfect and performances are stellar. It will surely be a hard time for the jury at all award ceremonies. I am sure more than half the nominations for the best performances in lead/supporting roles will come from GOW.

Look out for:

As the story is spread over 7 decades and 3 generations, the movie also mirrors the socioeconomic and cultural transformation that India went though during the period. Along the movie, you will notice the transformation from train-robbers to local-goons to armed gangs.

From dhoti-baniyan to kurta-pyjama to bell-bottoms to polga-dots.

From knives to country-pistols to hand grenades to automatic pistols.

From bicycle to motorcycle to jeep to ambassador car.

From country music to radio, to music bands, to Bollywood and eventually K-Serials.

This transformation blends very well into the narration and sets the stage for changing priorities and also evolution of gang-warfare.

You better know:

At a run time of 5 hour 20 mins (both parts put together, GOW will test your patience for sure
With over 350 actors, the movie is easily 100 characters more than what average mind can register. At times one may even wonder, how are the two characters in one frame related to each other and to those that were murdered in the previous scene
Be prepared to sit through hazaar (a thousand) gaaliyaan (swear-words). All characters unabashedly pack a mouthful at every opportunity. GOW really makes Delhi-Belly look like a trailer. Even the female protagonists know their adjectives well.
Anurag kashyap likes to leave his movies open ended; without an obvious conclusion. So, even after all the while, it might not all add-up.

Watch Trailer - GOW

My take:

GOW is consistent with Anurag Kashyap style of film making. De-glamorized presentation, humor blends with the script, gripping screenplay and a narrative that is noon-conforming to say the least. It shows when a creative team is let alone to pursue art without much worrying about RoI.

I'm sure Anurag & Co made this movie with the same fervor that Howad Roark would erect his buildings; uncompromisingly.

GOW may not appeal to those that seek definitive conclusion or a social message. Watch it if you like off-beat movies and there's a good chance you may even appreciate it.

My Rating: 8/10.

Sneak Peak - Gangs of Wasseypur (Part 2):

I have a strong feeling that GOW could be our very own bihari version of Godfather; a good one at that. However, the director has clarified that the sequel will explore honor, love, friendship and loyalty. Last but not the least, the hidden innocence in the misguided vengeful soul that knows nothing but to kill (source).

YouTube in India

2012-06-27T19:26:00.001+05:30

Google India conducted a multi-city road show to help Bloggers and online content creators leverage video as an alternative means of expression to complement text/graphics. The session also highlighted the YouTube Partner Program and revenue sharing model.

Event details: http://googleindia.blogspot.in/2012/06/youtube-workshops-for-bloggers-content.html

I attended the session in Bangalore on June 16, 2012. This post is a summary of key points and some of the related thoughts that my mind pondered over.

YouTube in India

Google is of course, the undisputed leader among search-engines. It is relatively, lesser known that YouTube happens to be the second largest (not Bing or Yahoo). These are some of the India specific numbers that the G-Team shared (as of June 2012).

25.2 million unique users; up from 16 million last in 2011
Average consumer - 'Young, Wealthy and Male'
49% of Indian audience is between 20-29 years
70% of the audience is male
86% of audience access YouTube at home; 18% on the move and 31% in the office
The average session lasts for 25 minutes
Indian watch about 7 - 15 videos in each session
Usage is maximum during October-December (Diwali-Christmas-New Year season)

Value proposition: What really stands out from these data points is that YouTube reaches out to wealthy young Indians. It has been able to engage the audience more effectively (25 mins) than any other contemporary channel and an overwhelming majority (86%) connect to YouTube when they are relaxed (at home). Furthermore, every time you visit YouTube to watch a video of your choice, statistics say that you will almost certainly watch 6-10 more videos that Google suggests you.

Now that's a terrific proposition. Both for entertainment and business; there is enough money to be made.

Who owns the content? Who makes the money?

Suppose, you come up with a cute-cat-video or the next best thing to Kolaveri-Di and upload on YouTube. If your video can get a million views, can you encash that creativity of yours into some hard cash? Can you host advertisements on your video and make some cash? Do you need Google's permission?

Also, it is interesting to note that Google too cannot place random advertisements on all videos on YouTube. Because, user-uploaded videos are Intellectual Property (IP) of the user and Google cant make money out of its popularity without the user's consent.

Here's the common ground. This is the deal that Google offers.

"You post interesting videos; we will place relevant advertisements on them. Let's split the revenue in 55:45. Users get the larger share. Oh yes, you'll have to sign up for the partner program"

Well, the Google team took additional efforts to emphasize that revenue sharing model is standard across the globe and the company does not negotiate on this.

Here's a video on the partner program.

One can sign up for the partner program through the link below.

Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEMyNGl1X1V6bFVqY1dCZHk1elh5UlE6MQ#gid=0

Mind Matters - Tabula Rasa

2012-06-06T23:30:00.001+05:30

What differentiates the man from the beast?

Clearly, MIND has been the potent force and the distinction between mankind and any-other-kind that there is. It is ultimate coordinator of all organs in the body. It is also the ultimate logic algorithm that has analyzed the world, pondered over the secrets of the nature and championed them.
The human mind has also created and defined the good, bad, god, evil, heaven, hell and everything in between. Mind defines everything in this world - the weather, living things, lifeless things, dead things and ghosts.

While the human mind has unraveled the mysteries of the universe, very little has it pondered on itself.

Do you think we are beyond this and that the neurosurgeons have it all sorted out; all the connections and chemical reactions inside your brain? Here's something for you ...

Tabula Rasa or Not?

Even though the word/phrase 'Tabula Rasa', sounds out-of-the-world'ish, it is the most popular and widely accepted axiom concerning the matters of mind. The theory of Tabula Rasa states that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that all knowledge comes from experience and perception. In other words, when we are born (the zeroth second of our lives) we've nothing in our heads. Our mind is a clean slate; no memories, no experience, no emotions, no knowledge, no information & no-nothing. All that the minds learns and assimilates is through our experiences and perceptions of the world.

Fairly simple and believable. Lets put this to test.

Test one. Consider a hypothetical scenario in which two babies (healthy and without any anomalies) are born at the same time. We know that they have an absolute no-nothing in their heads. Let's isolate them in separate test rooms. Assume that the environment in these two rooms are identical and that parameters such as temperature, humidity and lighting are similar at any point in time.

Now, let's keep these two babies in their respective test rooms (without knowledge or contact of the outer world) for say, 20 years. The logic of Tabula Rasa suggests that any two humans that grew up in the exact same environment would have the exact same mind. Is that what you believe?

At the end of 20 years, will person A and person B react/respond to situations in a similar way?
Hmmm... I think, Maybe!

Let me rephrase it.
At the end of 20 years, will person A and person B react/respond to EVERY situation in the EXACT same way?
Hmm.. Now, I am thinking, NO! Not always and not everything.

Now, this hints at the possibility of some wild card. A factor X that has deep influence on the mind; one that is more intrinsic and individualistic to every person. Could it be the combination of genes? Hereditary factors? What would happen if we put identical twins through this test?

Test two. Let's summon Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

Put in layman's words, Darwin postulates that that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers - all are related.

Furthermore, successive generations of any species will have to be more adaptable (if not superior) than their immediate ancestors.

However slight the improvisation, you are more adaptable than your parents; that's what Darwin implies. But going by the theory of Tabula Rasa, successive generations are born with a clean slate; a blank mind. This means either evolution does not apply to the mind or evolution never happened.

Now, this brings us to the million dollar question. If every human being comes with the same biochemical brain composition, it stands to logic that all of us must be equally wise. No one wiser/dumber than the other. How is it that only few attain the heights of wisdom and rest end-up as bums?

Is it the environment and circumstances that holds the key? Or, how we respond to the situations that maketh the man? Either ways, can we really claim to have evolved?

In the race to break the space frontiers and fathom the deepest seas, most of us as individuals care less about the matters of the mind. Could we have got the game wrong?

What if we were meant to deep-dive not the oceans but ourselves? What if winning meant understanding yourself better than unraveling the mysteries of the universe?

Rowdy Rathore (2012) - Movie Review

2012-06-02T11:42:00.000+05:30

Watching Rowdy Rathore is like seeing an IPL cricket match in the stadium. It's loud, devoid of sense and proud to be so.

The party starts from the very first scene/over followed by mindless fighting/bashing for the next 2.5 hours with intervention from skimpy clad cheerleaders every 15 mins. And the audience love this madness regardless of what happens in the end.
But the point is, both of them sell and how?

Rowdy Rathore (2012), produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and directed by Prabhudeva is one for the masses; tailor made for the front benchers and those within 15 rows behind them.

And why wouldn't they love it? Akshay Kumar oozes with charm and confidence in a double role, both of which sit right in the middle of his comfort-zone. He is very convincing in both action and comedy scenes and pulls off the entire movie almost by himself. The movie works because for once, Akshay hasn't overdone himself (as in his previous 8-10 outings). Cast as Shiva and Vikram Rathore, he reprises a charm that I think he lost after playing Sunny in Mujhse Shaadi Karoge.

He is supported well by Paresh Ganatra (cast as 2G), his sidekick. Between the two, they share plenty of healthy humor that isn't cheap without getting cheap making the first half very entertaining. Also, watch out for cameos from Kareena Kapoor, Vijay and Prabhudeva himself.

The plot, which is clearly 15 songs too much and 15 yrs too old is the movie's real set back. With so many holes, the script can give a serious complex to a standard fishing net. The story is cliched; even in the non-hole areas.

Half the story unfolds in Mumbai and the other half in a Patna version of Sholay's Ramgarh (called Devgarh in Rowdy). An honest police officer comes to a village run by the local goon; goes through the usual stuff. He is separated from his super-cute little daughter; who in Mumbai finds a baap-ka-hamshakal. Akshay is in double role and you can predict the rest. Oh yea, somewhere in between all this mess is Sonakshi Sinha (as Paro), with the only task of showing off her kamar at every opportunity.

The style of film making has Prabhudeva stamped all over it. The costumes of Akshay Kumar remind us of Govinda era to say the least. Even the Pritam Pyaare item girls religiously perform the signature prabhudeva steps. There is enough and more of gory in the movie - throats slit, reads rolled, talwaar-stabbing,

All in all, the movie is loud, stupid, full of gore and celebrates it. Enjoyable, only for the Akshay-Rowdy-Kumar who can act, fight and makes us laugh; all in the same movie. Add to this the Dont-Angry-Me attitude, he delivers a performance that is a tad better than Salman-Dabangg-Khan.

Watch this movie if you want to experience that guilty pleasure of having indulged in something below your standards. Nothing more.

My Rating: 6/10

Don't Angry me. Please leave your comments :)

Men in Black 3 (3D) - Movie Review

2012-05-26T15:18:00.005+05:30

The third installment of MIB is refreshingly new and surprises you with an engaging plot that goes beyond just one-liners, space guns and alien busting.

The challenge with making sequels to cult movie franchisee is two fold. Firstly, the style of film-making should be consistent with the prequels; the loyal fans of the franchisee like it that way. Secondly, there ought to be something new in the sequel. The director Barry Sonnenfeld strikes this fine balance too well in Men in Black 3.

Boris-The Animal (Jemaine Clement), an alien convict escapes from the max-security lunar prison. He reaches earth and vows to go back in time and kill Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) who shot off one of his arms and put him in the prison for 40 years. Agent J (Will Smith) goes back in time to the good old hippie-days to stop Boris, and more importantly, save his friend and partner. Oh yes, as ever the world needs to be saved as well.

Lets review the list of expected things first. It's been 10 years since the last MIB. But that doesn't show up one bit in the chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.

However, the best performance in the movie comes from Josh Brolin (the younger Agent K). The casting is so perfect here that you'll end up enjoying every moment younger Agent K is on screen and comparing him with the elder Tommy Lee Jones. In fact, of-age-J and younger-K interactions forms some of the best moments of the movie.

The alien creatures in MB3 are grotesque than ever to say the least. There are plenty of action and chase sequences. While they are not the best we've seen in recent times (read Avengers), at least it justifies the viewing pleasure in 3D. In the end, MIB3 does not stand out because of the action, aliens or the time travel plot. The secret ingredient is something else.

The real surprise, the charm of MIB3 is in the human angle to the lives of the Secret Agent story. For the first time, MIB franchisee explores the dynamics of the relationship between it's lead characters. The plot delves into Agent K's dialogue, "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to". In addition to it, the time travel lends additional insights and interest to the popular characters.

The best however, is saved for the climax that is intertwined with a significant moment of human history and sort of connects the dots of MIB franchise.

My Verdict: MIB3 is not an absolute watch. But, in all probability, you may like it.

My Rating: 7/10

Avengers (3D) - Movie Review

2012-05-02T22:26:00.000+05:30

For all superhero-movie fans, The Avengers is nothing short of a Christmas party. A magnum opus that put together some of marvel comics' most popular characters into one script. With characters such as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America & Hulk, and accomplished actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, this was one movie that sure captured everyone's attention. However, there was just one question that movie audience had.

"With all the superheroes, did they do justice to every character and the script at the same time?"

The answer is a resounding YES.

The movie does not waste any time in introducing the lead characters and hence saves a lot of time. Instead, the running time of 142 mins is rightfully spent on building a visually stunning sci-fi action flick blended with light humor.

Loki (Thor's infamous brother) sneaks back to earth, reclaims the Tesseract (an energy source of limitless potential) and threatens to conquer the world with an army of extra-terrestrials. Nick Fury (from S.H.I.E.L.D) reopens the Avengers project and brings together the group of extraordinary humans in a bid to save the planet.

The Avengers works for several reasons.

Firstly, with all the super-hit superhero characters bundled into one script, the Avengers is an indulgent experience; a bliss of floating through multiple movies at the same time. The director (Joss Whedon) has done a commendable job in balancing all the characters equally well. The good point of the movie is that all the protagonists have a sub-plot of their own and the best part is that they are intertwined. In the end, all the fans of each and every superhero have something to cheer about.

Secondly, the script neither takes itself too seriously nor lightly. The intense sequences (action and/or drama) are blended well with humor. Frankly speaking, the witty one-liner between the protagonists forms some of the most memorable aspects of the movie. Each of the characters lend to the plot a charm that they have earned in the prequels (so to say).

Third point. The action sequences are neat; some of the best in the recent times. Makes you feel, this is the kind of movie for which 3D technology was invented. Some of the sequences in the climax, those that feature all the 6 protagonists fighting side by side is extremely indulgent to say the least.

In the end, plot isn't the most intelligent of what we've seen. But then, few loopholes doesn't spoil the viewing pleasure. For all the superhero-movie fans, this is an experience not to be missed in 3D.

My Rating: 7.5 / 10

Update (May 5, 2012): This movie review was adjudged the best by Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN).
Link: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masand-the-avengers-is-incredibly-smart/252779-47-84.html

Biking is meditating

2012-03-08T23:43:00.000+05:30

What’s the craze between a guy and his motorcycle?
Now that the simple answer, “Biking is an attitude and a way of life” wouldn’t suffice, let’s complicate …

Don't get shocked. This is a democratic land (some are trying to privatize internet though) and we are all entitled to our opinions. Yes, I believe that biking has the meditating effect. Before I can connect biking with meditation, allow me to break down the meditative state of mind for you.

The human mind, with all its complexities still retains the beauty of holding just one thought at a time. Let us take an example for clarity. Suppose you are in the middle of a road and all of a sudden u hear the sound of a speeding truck. Now, the following things simultaneously happen.

You feel a shock wave running down your spine alerting all your senses
Your eyes tries to confirm the if the truck will indeed hit you or miss you
Your ears complement your eyes in ascertaining the time to collision

In the end it is left to the brain to assess the situation, revisit previous such encounters, evaluate options and take a decision. The drill is pretty much the same for most circumstances. It really doesn't take a speeding train or a truck to experience this. The falling glass of water, stumbling over a stone, catching a ball or even something as subtle a beautiful girl walking past you.

If you carefully observe, there are always three distinct forces at work determining our actions; our senses, sub-conscious self and the conscious mind. It would do good to draw comparison with the computing world to understand the role of each one of the forces.

Your 5 senses are like the peripheral data gathering I/O devices. They are in the business of sensing the external environment. Every waking milli-second of our lives, the senses are seeing things, capturing noises, smelling the surrounding and feeling the air. They are constantly capturing raw data and passing it on to the next stage. Raw data includes everything from the sound of the truck to unpleasant odor to sighting of a beautiful girl.

The sub-conscious self is into the business of conducting sophisticated big data analysis over the information passed on by the senses. Our sub-conscious self specializes in finding patterns and trends in random data. For example, a shrill sound with a rapidly increasingly intensity could mean oncoming truck; your left foot not finding ground in time can mean that you've tripped and about to fall; a sudden burst of blinding light can either mean someone is flashing a torch at your face or you could be witnessing an atomic explosion. If you've been reading the newspapers, you'd know that IBM Watson does this very well. It literally read through (almost) all the digital garbage of the world (at least America) and posed meaningful and grammatically correct questions to random sentences on a TV show. Congrats Watson. Now that you have championed English grammar, I dare you with table manners !!

let's get back. The mind is your the ultra complex and turbo cooled processor (unfortunately single-core). It reads the information from the peripheral devices, evaluates possibilities and takes all decision. In the laymen lingo, mind is the king who collects intelligence from the pawns (read senses), gets counseled by the ministers (read sub-conscious self) and eventually takes a decision on what needs to be done. If it's bad odor, try not to breathe for a while. And if it's the hot chick in the red dress, forget everything and thou' shalt stare (Yea, this brain is definitely male).

Now to the question big question. Are the meditating and dreaming states very different from each other ?

Lets see. The eyes are usually closed in both cases. The heartbeat is steady. The subject (saint/dreamer) is relaxed and is in deep thinking mode. On a serious note, both the states demand suspension of senses and sub conscious self. Take a minute to mull over it.

In deep sleep, you don't feel your surroundings so you can dream for long durations. The moment there is a loud noise (alarm) or somebody alerts your senses (mom trying to wake you), dream is gone. Same goes with meditation, you will either have to suppress your senses or find a quiet place so that you can concentrate on one thing only.

As in dreaming so with meditation; the senses distract your concentration and the sub-conscious tends to bias the direction of thought. More you control the two forces, better can you meditate; delve into a singular thought. You know why day-dreaming was not as effective at the college. Your senses were constantly looking out for that possible chalk-piece thrown at your face.

Silence and a serene environment will reduce distractions and help dream/meditate better. That explains why the saints prefer to sit down at ashramas or mountain tops for meditation than at Bangalore International Airport or Kempegowda bus stand.

So, the point I am stressing on is that the deep meditative state is characterized by two things - lack of distraction from senses and interference into the thought process by the sub-conscious. Now munch over it for some time.

What happens with biking

Please note that commuting between work and home on a two wheeler does not qualify as biking. More so, if you are in Bangalore. Our senses are most active when navigating within heavy traffic. When I say biking here, I mean riding on a two wheeler for long distances.

Long distance riding is like playing a cricket test match. You can afford to forget for a long time where you are, how many runs to score and just play for beauty of the game. The first 25 kms of a bike ride is most painful. All your senses are strained, with constant interruptions to the brain. After about 50 kms, the traffic is sparse and you pick up speed. Your senses still has to be at their peak (making up for the speed), but the number of interruptions are less and far between. After 75 kms, your sub-conscious and and the five senses find an equilibrium. Even though there are no interruptions, your five senses are fully alert and transfixed on the road as you are cruising at high speeds.

Voila! Your mind is now in the test match mode.

There are hardly any interruptions on the road; so senses aren't alarmed and hence your thought train goes on uninterrupted. It is as though your mind is detached from your body; inert to interruptions and prejudices (sub-conscious self throwing its weight around).

Now, lets compare the state of mind while biking and meditating

State of Mind: Senses do not interrupt/interfere the mind

Meditation: Saints either suppress their senses or find a calm place wherein senses do not get alarmed.

Biking: All senses are too busy monitoring the road and hence do not interfere in the thoughts in the brain

When I ride my Royal Enfield Thunderbird for few hundred kilometers without much interruptions; I find myself in this meditative state. I am sure most riders feel this way too. While others believe in rolling out their yoga mats in the morning, I prefer to taking out my blackbird (RE TBTS) on a long ride. Long distance riding has often helped me delve deep into a thought without interruptions. Given the time in this state, mind has almost always found its answers and resolved the conflicts.

In the end, but for a sore ass; long distance biking is a rejuvenating experience for both the mind and the body.

Meditation gurus, Fellow bikers, Yoga practitioners, Cricket fans and Dreamers at large... Please let me know your thoughts/gyaan in the comments section.