January 23, 2007

Moview Review: Chokher Bali

  • Released on: October, 2004
  • Watched on: 23rd Jan 2007 (just 2.5 yrs late)
  • Place: Office
  • Chokher Bali loosely translates to “sand in the eyes”.

Story of a lady, Binodini (Aishwarya Rai) who becomes a widow within a year of her marriage. Binodini is an educated and liberated woman - who refuses to conform to her expected widow status - something completely taboo in that era. She tries to draw 2 men towards her in a different manner. Till the end, I was trying to understand the psychology of Ash's Character.

Movie was obv not a commercial one and would not interest people who are looking for typical bollywood flicks with action/comedy/tragedy. This would interest a niche segment. I somehow wasnt pleased by Ash's work. She lacks confidence in the role, which was very much required. She looked artificial and forced herself on character. She does not completely live up to Binodini’s bold & rebellious character. Guess she needs to refine her skills for such kinda roles.

However it is Raima Sen that completely steals the show. She brings life into Ashalata’s rather dull and underdeveloped character. Has done fairly well and I would rate her better than Ash in living upto expectation.
Again a movie that depected a problem existed in our society years back. Director, Rituporna Gosh, has done a good job.

Water Nominated for Oscar: Kudos to Deepa

Deepa Mehta’s Water is headed to the Oscars but no it is not India’s entry but rather Canada’s official entry to the Oscars.

As per the members of the right-wing Hindu group, the Shiv Sena,-" It insults Hindu sentiments and depicts Hindu culture in a poor light."

"Water" shows abandoned widows living in extreme poverty, some of whom are forced into prostitution by powerful Hindu priests who run homes for widows at holy Hindu sites. Hindu nationalists say that these conditions no longer exist but a visit to the ashram where widows live — whether in Varanasi or Vrindavan in north India that is known for its large widow population — can vouch for the fact that little has changed.

Widows must wear only white; break their bangles; stop wearing jewelry; shun meat, hot food and sweets; keep away from happy occasions such as weddings and births; and, in many cases, shave their heads.

According to orthodox tradition, widows of high caste Hindus are responsible for their husband's death by having brought him bad luck. They are not allowed to live with a family — neither their parents nor their own children — or to remarry. These rules are intended to demonstrate that a widow is only half-human after her husband's death and must therefore lead a life of penance until she can join her dearly departed into the afterlife.

Benarasi Hindu extremists did not allow the director to shoot for the movie in its said location, the Benaras ghaats, because of the said controversial content.They shot secretly in Srilanka.

I dont understand why these extremists have to create a problem everytime. The protest did not stop the director to shoot the film and i think she raised a valid point. The same was pointed out in the movie Babul which again had a social message of widow marriage. Just because that was displayed as a family movie everyone accepted it and just because this movie shows a scenario which existed in 1930's feels weird?

Whats wrong with us? Why do we find it hard to accept truth?

January 21, 2007

Zindagi Rocks!

I don’t think I need anything if I have few great friends who r always there and count me in their life as an imp person. I was chatting with a friend of mine and he was telling abt his weekend plans and life these days and told me about the weather of US as it was snowing while he was chatting with me. Snow, always seen in movies and never seen in actual gives a different excitement, a curiosity of how it is like. I guess my friend was quite a mind reader. He switched on his webcam just to show me how it snows and how roads, trees and things get covered by it. What a pleasant scene it was. He then showed me what a snow ball was like…Seeing a world from someone’s eye is another experience. Watching it on TV looks different and the way he presented was quite different.

Few minutes later I got another call from my dear friend Pomi, who worked with me in last org. She was quite upset and hence called up @midnight. Her first statement was “ hope u were not sleeping…” She thought of calling her mom but considering the time was too late to disturb them with her worries, she decided to call me instead. She said she was expecting me to be awake and now I m like second option after her mom…and I joked saying yeah step mother is another alternative u have now…we spoke for almost one hr before we decided to hang. I am so lucky to have these kind of friends…

I always used to feel that I wasn’t born lucky. I was loved by everyone in the family, friends and teachers but somewhere deep inside I carried the unlucky-in-love notion abt myself. I don’t know what complex I had. There was no reason for this insecurity of mine. Before possessing anything I preferred to let it go coz a feel of loosing it later, used to send shiver in my body…strange in its own way. Everybody has a different way of thinking and different way of convincing themselves. Mine is quite strange. I feel the victory in loosing coz I can conquer my own fears. Loosing something feels bad no doubt, and like any other human being I too feel bad but only thing that keeps me gng from different phases of life is the convincing power which always says “dear u haven’t lost anything, infact you are a winner, life cud have show u a worst situation later and by giving upon it now u have saved yourself” Quite a mixed view. Sometimes I used to feel that I was a pessimist, but convincing myself this way gave me a feel of being optimist, but in reality it belongs to no particular way of looking at it.


I was surfing TV channels and saw Sushmita’s latest release Zindagi Rocks! It did stir my emotions but the slow pace story was the reason for its failure. It was more like an art movie than to a commercial one. I thought the name suggested something related to fun but whole perception was washed away. A story of a mother (Sush) who is energetic, happy-go-lucky nature and her adopted son. Story takes a turn when her son is diagnosed with a hole in the heart. A transplant operation is needed to save the young child’s life, but the problem is to find a donor. In the desperation to save her child Sush decides to make the ultimate sacrifice. The final moments of the film does bring a tear to the eye. I loved the last scene, where Shiney Ahuja realizes that sush will take a drastic step and barges in her room, and finds her standing near the glass window. As he walks towards her, in the fear, that she might jump out of the window, sush takes steps backward and she collapse on the floor. Her last kiss followed by a death was quite a painful sight.

Justification: This movie disturbed me a little and hence an emotional post. :(

Yeah Zindagi Rocks!...it sucks at times but still rocks...

January 12, 2007

TGiF

One of another cute memory from this office will be carried forward. Today all team members were supposed to get one item made at home, for lunch. People got Paneer bhurgi, Mutton, Pulao, Pooris, different sabzis, Raita to cake and sweets. 13 members and 13 items to eat, rather hog. The lunch was at roof top and it was fun packing and unpacking apart from eating. Boss too was invited but he was on diet so showed up when we were almost done. I must say he has strong willpower. He felt nice to see his team members together enjoying lunch.

The best moment was when our friend Kapil said he got the items for raita and since there was no one at home to prepare he got it here. He is half married, i mean currently engaged but getting married soon. So at rooftop, team took the curd out in a bowl, stirred and then added the boondis, salt and pepper in it. The instant Raita was prepared. Ahh the Team Work!!!

Work continues to be on freeze and the best official paid free time is what we r having.

Latest You Tube's Controversy

Just saw the You tube’s (Gandhi) controversy in NDTV. Came to system and watched the video. It is indeed shameful. Gautham Prasad, the creator of this funny video has made fun of a figure, who is respected by Indians. How can he do that when his roots are from the same country. I don’t like Gandhi and never liked his strategies but this mocking pole dancing Gandhi wasn’t a good sight. Like it or not but people who leave the country feel that they can say/do anything they like in India. The protests have clearly indicated that Gautham’s creation was not supported. But one thing gautham gained was the popularity which I guess he as a clown would never had.

If you out of curiosity feel like watching this video then search for “Time to get sexy” and Gautham id there is “Yogamime”.

January 11, 2007

Me the virtual mother

There was a guy who used to call me on my extension to chat and his calls became a pain to handle. I avoided them to the extent possible by telling abt my meetings or another call..or some work. Just bore him coz he was my colleague’s good friend. One day when I was in hurry for leaving home at 6.00 p.m i got his call and in desperation of keeping it down I told him that I have to go urgently and when he asked reason, I thought of getting rid from this problem for ever and told that "my kids are waiting back home and i need to spend time with them". Generally I don’t lie and don’t like liars either but the water had crossed my levels and i wanted to breathe. This guy could not believe and in turned asked me “what does your husband do” ...To this I had no answer so told him that I m not very comfortable discussing such things rite now, shall discuss this later. There I went little rude.

My rudeness was interpreted in a different manner. He assumed that i was married but separated and was handling kids. Before leaving, I told my colleague to support my lies as I don’t like guys calling me for no reasons. She understood and actually supported it. This guys call reduced and life became peaceful. Few days later he tried my ext for some work and i wasn’t in office so he called her up and asked abt my well being. She wanted to have fun so told him that my younger daughter turned 3 yrs old and hence i was on half a day off.

When I came back she told me what she had told. I was little shocked and then had to digest. So facts as of now are:
My younger daughter is 3 yrs old. Her name is Sanya
Elder one is 5 yrs old and she is Simran

Not bad. She chose nice names and I don’t have to worry about it anymore. She is way too ahead and can handle it now :)

Sometimes out of desperation and frustration we say stupid things but these things help in short term. Incase if he comes to know then i will tell him that i was joking and if he doesnt then i will let him live with the nice misconception.

I dont look like an aunty though...:(

Intutions..hunch

Today in office i got a chance to read through my old posts. Sometimes we just feel like flipping thru pages of life and i felt like that today. Read few posts and then came to a post when i was joining my second organisation. There i wrote that i had no excitement and feelings and infact not had a very positive feeling but joining was must coz they promised me a delhi transfer.

Today i realised whats intution and sometimes when our heart says its not going to work, there has to be a reason behind. May be inner self evaluates things and keeps inside and we just get the vibes. Today those intutions of past were confirmed as i browsed through my old posts.

Will try to listen to them now onwards..

January 08, 2007

First ever appraisal

I have been working since 3 yrs and I attended the very first appraisal of my life last weekend. Last 2 companies I quit right before appraisal due to personal reasons. I wasn’t nervous as I had almost met my targets but I was wondering what was I supposed to say in my strength and weakness. As expected my manager did ask but unexpectedly he himself answered the question. 6 months back when I had the first review I was told my areas of improvement..and there was gud amount of scope. This time when I sat across the table, manager himself said that I have grown as an individual in last 6 months and he feels that I need to learn more about people. He felt that I was too honest and innocent and people around might not be as simple and natural as me. So he cautioned me on that front.

Cutest part was when he said “ U are different with other people and very formal with me even now. I understand that ur previous company’s environment must have been different but I guess it will take sometime for you to even take me as a normal person and not just as boss” That was quite sweet of him.

He did ask me if I wanted to ask/share or complain about anything and I had nothing to tell. I never knew I was so happy with my work, environment, and managers that I had no concerns at all. He rated me nicely. With others he spent 40 mins on an average but with me it was a matter of 15 mins. Guess he knew me better this time. He has told me to learn new things and appreciated all my efforts made last few months.

I still remember that when I joined my first organization, I always wanted to come to this current co. but I guess god wanted me to experience something else. Even after I joined this organization my experiences were not great. It took me 6 months to understand and sort things and make my environment according to my needs. But today everything seems to be set. My dream co. has become my fav. company now.

i m happy and feel contended

January 01, 2007

Happy New Year: 2007

Date: 1st Jan 2007
Time: 1.15 a.m
Place: home sweet home

Had a hectic week with relatives and cousins around. They left yesterday and I had no energy to celebrate it further. Morning went out with mom dad and was back home at 6 in the evening. Made chocolate cake and snacks. Yup I know I m a weirdo. Get crazy ideas on the wrong days.

Reason why I entered my kitchen: Day before yesterday a colleague of mine casually forwarded a mail and I replied back. After exchanging few mails he said…looking at you I can make out that you can not cook so don’t dare that ever and get me something made by your mom. Quite an insult. Felt like going upstairs and hitting him but then that was pun and I was supposed to take it easy. Later when I was thinking as what made him say so…I realized I actually haven’t entered my kitchen in last 6 months and incase if I stepped in that was coz I wanted to get my glass of juice/milk which mom prepares for me every morning. Gosh what an irresponsible daughter. So thought of making tea, snacks and cake. That’s a different story that cake is lying on my table and mom dad expecting me to finish it!!!!

Then sat with dad and narrated what all happened in office in last 2-3 months. I think this time dad stayed over night after a long time. He will be going back tomorrow morning. Both mom & dad slept at 10. I got so many sms and at 12.30 got couple of calls which were quite unexpected. I am lucky to have friends who out of blue call and make my day. Everybody was shocked when they found that I spent my evening at home. I think I didn’t even thought of going out this time. Thankfully tomorrow its off. I will get up late. Have to wish some of my friends both New Year and Eid.


Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year

P.S: I am quite impressed with the new blogger. Just took the tour to its new feature and there is an option where you can make your blog private. Just to be viewed by your family and friends. Great so here my other blogs go private and this remains open for others.