Illu-Vision.
-NIMISH INAMDAR
(BE-IT)
Swoosh!!!! Comes a sword at you almost piercing your chest Your heart almost leaps out, you freak out and in those shrieks you realize your are safe and alive. Slowly relaxing you loosen your grip on the seat and in that surrounding commotion you realize that others in the theatre had a similar “Out of the world” feeling. Here you are watching a 3-Dimensional or a 3D movie. Shrek, Chota Chetan and many others have come ahead with the 3rd dimension in the cinema fraternity. In such movies you will usually find Shrek punching his fist hard at you, jumping from the screen to your seat and performing other acrobats that you will give you the 3rd dimension of Shrek. But have you ever imagined the 4th dimension of Shrek?? Imagine Shrek coming out of the theatre screen and moving in and around the theatre. Imagine you are on the seats rotating in 360 deg and the whole plot of “The Shrek” is playing around you as if it is an illusion. Introducing the 4th dimension or this is what I would nick name it as the “Illu-Vision” or I.V. I.V. should be the future version of our current T.V.
How would this work?? Lets move ahead in time by say 50 years!! Your kids as typical Indians should be die hard fan of our very own cricket. The stage is set and everyone in your kid’s friend circle has gathered at your place to watch the India-Australia match being played at Wankhede stadium (Let’s hope it exist till then). Your kid will click on the remote cum phone cum Music Player cum whatever are the requirements in those days. Beams slide down from four corners of the room and you see “VIDEOCON-The Indian Multinational” as the string of letters revolving at the center of room. Then comes the sports channel and you get the see a panoramic view of the stadium from the pavilion side. The dolby effect will make you believe that you are actually inside the stadium amongst the shouts and crowd. But as usual “North Stand rocks”, thinking so your kid zooms across the stadium passing across the pitch and reaches the “North Stand” side of the stadium. An Australian pacer runs with full pace and with all his strength hits the ball on the Batsman’s pads. Bing!! A bell is heard and the batsman is declared out. The RFID sensors in the batsman’s pad detected the stumps behind and compared it with the position of batsman. In disbelief you wish o get a closer look in the replay and your kid zooms the I.V. to the batsman’s leg, an illusion of a ball in full pace comes from behind and passes your body and hits the pads. With a view as close as 2 feet away from the batsman, there is no ambiguity that he is out and you again zoom out to get back to the “North stand”
Here in the scene above the match is taking place around you. You get to sit on the lawn, sit on the pitch, stand on stumps, run across the stadium, mute people’s sound, increase the volume, have various presets of the shouting stadium, stand besides the batsman and do all the weird stuff that you always wanted to do in real world. The only difference would be, this wont be real but its an illusion of reality. Welcome to the Illu-world, welcome to the 4th Dimension.
Our happiness, our sadness. Our success, our failure. Our strength, our weaknesses. Everything lies in this faculty of mind. How much of time money and effort have we ever invested in learning more about mind? Let's dive deeper to understand this mind that is indeed amusing!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Does Mumbai need the Malegaon Paathshala??
Maalegaon V/s Mumbai
-Nimish Inamdar
11th September 2006
We always boast of the resilience of Mumbai and its attitude to jump back to life, to help the decease and clog the blood banks right after any natural or man-made calamity. The very next day we all are seen in local trains or BEST busses heading to our workstation lamenting upon yesterday’s tragedy. “Jindadiili” is the word coined by media for the workaholics of Mumbai. But do we anytime question law and order?
Law and order is one of the highest contenders when it comes to annual budget. The police, their sources of information, their intelligence, forensic labs, arms and ammunitions and many other areas flourish in the taxpayer’s money. But its not about the money, its about the moral responsibility. Mumbaikars have a laid back attitude towards law and order. “What were the police doing??” “Where were their sources??” “What was the intelligence doing??” These questions are the ones always hammered by the opposition in Assembly; the govt. giving out lame excuses to it and the matter is sealed. We might as well talk the issue in trains, busses and just nod on the line “Is desh ka kuch nahi hoga.”
Maalegaon on the other hand had another outlook towards the matter. The cheques given by Sonia Gandhi were returned back, crowd gathered after two days and protested against the lack of policing, there people are anxiously and alertly waiting for one word; ‘justice’. Have people in Mumbai forgotten that word? Or is it that we have lost our faith in that word. How many of us have a track of what is going on with the pending case of 1992 blasts that took place 14 yrs back? The newspapers talk about it in one of the middle pages and the news is lost amongst few political debacles. How many of us know about the Ghatkopar blast case, the vile parle blast case, recent multiple explosions in trains etc. How many monitor the recklessness and inability of police to come up with the final outcome even after 14 years? Where is the justice?
I admire the courage and the attitude of those who returned the cheques of 1 lakh rupees. It was a slap on the face of politicians who grade money above all. I want to conclude the article with one moral that I learnt from the incident “ It is the duty of the police to take care of our safety, and it is the duty of citizens to police the police”
-Nimish Inamdar
11th September 2006
We always boast of the resilience of Mumbai and its attitude to jump back to life, to help the decease and clog the blood banks right after any natural or man-made calamity. The very next day we all are seen in local trains or BEST busses heading to our workstation lamenting upon yesterday’s tragedy. “Jindadiili” is the word coined by media for the workaholics of Mumbai. But do we anytime question law and order?
Law and order is one of the highest contenders when it comes to annual budget. The police, their sources of information, their intelligence, forensic labs, arms and ammunitions and many other areas flourish in the taxpayer’s money. But its not about the money, its about the moral responsibility. Mumbaikars have a laid back attitude towards law and order. “What were the police doing??” “Where were their sources??” “What was the intelligence doing??” These questions are the ones always hammered by the opposition in Assembly; the govt. giving out lame excuses to it and the matter is sealed. We might as well talk the issue in trains, busses and just nod on the line “Is desh ka kuch nahi hoga.”
Maalegaon on the other hand had another outlook towards the matter. The cheques given by Sonia Gandhi were returned back, crowd gathered after two days and protested against the lack of policing, there people are anxiously and alertly waiting for one word; ‘justice’. Have people in Mumbai forgotten that word? Or is it that we have lost our faith in that word. How many of us have a track of what is going on with the pending case of 1992 blasts that took place 14 yrs back? The newspapers talk about it in one of the middle pages and the news is lost amongst few political debacles. How many of us know about the Ghatkopar blast case, the vile parle blast case, recent multiple explosions in trains etc. How many monitor the recklessness and inability of police to come up with the final outcome even after 14 years? Where is the justice?
I admire the courage and the attitude of those who returned the cheques of 1 lakh rupees. It was a slap on the face of politicians who grade money above all. I want to conclude the article with one moral that I learnt from the incident “ It is the duty of the police to take care of our safety, and it is the duty of citizens to police the police”
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Pandit Nehru's views on reservation issue
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
TRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING LEADERS IN INDIAN POLITICS
Pramod Mahajan, the fighter of all times, lost the most important battle in his life today May 3, 2006 at 4:10 pm at Hinduja hospital. He was probably the most successful, self-made politician at his age in today’s political circles. Success invites friends and foes in equal numbers. May be in politics enmity tends to grow treachery and conspiracy.
But unfortunately it wasn’t a political treachery or a criminal conspiracy that pumped in the bullets within Mahajan, but an outrage or an ego clash that the person pulling the trigger turned out to be his own brother. Clueless and shocked as Mahajan lay wounded murmured “ Mi kuthe chuklo?” (“Where did I go wrong”) recalls Gopinath Munde. The answer to this question lies with perhaps only one individual who is currently in the police lock-up.
Pravin Mahajan showing no sign of remorse or regret has left both anguish and curiosity in the people’s mind about the backstage incidents that have not yet surfaced. Incidents that made Pravin bang four bullets to his elder brother and his father like figure.
Today as Pramod leaves the world for the eternal abode, I pray and hope that may his soul rest in peace. I give my condolences, to his family and to all the BJP leaders who may feel the vacuum. Indeed it’s not just a loss for the BJP, but a national loss as the man who could have been instrumental in shaping India’s future lives no longer to see it happen.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
To Times Of India
IT'S US... WE ARE INDIANS
This is in response to “I’m Dalit”, your article in Sunday Times dated April 16, 2006. I agree to the writer that the dalits were subjected to injustice for about 1000 years. Why me, I’m sure that the 1b populations of the Indian Peninsula wont deny that. I give my condolences, for the smart Dalit kids that were out of the system for so many years. My question here is, how long are going to play this seesaw game? Is it that the Dalits want to take some kind of revenge? So now its your turn, after another 1000 years it will be mine, then may be the millennia after that is yours. When do we become Human and become intelligent as we were meant to be? I believe that it’s high time that we reach the equilibrium and look ahead for the development of the country rather than fighting amongst us. The dalits were subjected to injustice, but so were Blacks in the USA, the tribesmen of South Africa. The world realized its mistakes and repaired it to move ahead in harmony and development. When do we as Indians match them?
I also want to make one more point. It was because of the few amongst the Brahmins that the communities began to recognize the Dalits as humans. Fighters like Sane Guruji, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand, and Veer Sawarkar etc were all from upper castes. Even at grass root levels, all of my fore fathers, who have worked for the Congress during the independence struggle never discriminated the “Indians”. Then why is it that the Dalits feel the need to take any such kind of revenge? Its us my friend, we are Indians.
Ref:
I am a dalit. I too have some reservations
A reader responds to the Times Review story last Sunday — ‘I’m a brahmin. I have some reservations’
Dear editor,
My father first encountered casteism when he went to a tea stall outside his native village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. The shopkeeper inquired about his caste and then offered him tea in a dirty coconut shell. My father was from the ‘Koliar Sambavar’ dalit caste. Tea was served in steel tumblers only to the forward castes (FC). My father’s uncles and aunts were aged over 50 but FC kids aged 10 to 12 years would stand outside our street and summon them by their first names. Government buses in those days would come only up to the FC streets as the drivers refused to enter our streets.
My father tried to enter the village school many times but he was driven away. The teachers were all brahmin. Brahmin children sat on mats, children from other castes sat on the ground while dalit children were shooed away. When my father discussed this issue with his elders, he was informed that brahmin children were entitled to all these benefits by birth.
My father, however, observed that most of the brahmin kids were lazy, some were plain stupid and one was even mentally retarded. But, they all went to school and sat on mats while brilliant dalit kids were kept out of school.
At the time of independence, 99% of all government functionaries of Tamil Nadu were brahmin whereas they formed only 3% of the population (The figure is disputed but is a reasonable approximation — editor). Rajgopalachari stated that children should be given training in the vocations of their parents, that is, children of cobblers should be trained to mend shoes etc, but he never talked about it after Periyar countered that the children of brahmins should only be trained to beg for alms.
In Tamil Nadu, as in all over India, dalits were restricted outside the village limits to
their own small clusters.
They are denied basic
facilities like well water,
education and temple entry. They are called by
derogatory names. Dalit
women are routinely
raped. They are supposed to
expose the upper half of their bodies (in the presence of higher castes). In FC-dominated villages, they are made to work as slaves. They are not paid anything. They are given enough cereals to survive. They are naturally expected to offer sexual services to the FCs. Dalit men are not allowed to ride bicycles. They are also not allowed to fold their ‘vesties’ in the presence of FCs. Dalit children are abused by their FC classmates and harassed by their FC teachers. Dalit kids who make it to the IITs are subjected to relentless abuse by vicious brahmin kids. These institutions are known as ‘Iyer Iyengar technology’ institutes.
My father felt insulted by the discrimination. He often discussed these tales of humiliation with me. I often felt that true equality would be possible only if the FC children were denied education for 1,000 years and our caste people were given 99% of all government posts. The FC children had enjoyed these ‘reservations/quota benefits’ because of their birth and not on account of ‘merit’. Dalits have enjoyed reservations for about 60 years, whereas the FCs have enjoyed reservations for more than 2,000 years.
I sympathise with T Surendar (author of the story this reader is responding to). The plight suffered by brahmins during the last 60 years is truly horrendous. Imagine being stripped of 100% domination by virtue of birth. Their children have every right to feel that they have been born in the wrong caste. The insults, humiliations, rapes, murders, tortures and house-burnings suffered by my ancestors appear to be a picnic in comparison. Truly, I am lucky to be born in a dalit caste. I thank my ancestors for the degraded lives they lived. They were treated as less than beasts but it is because of them that I have got reservations. I have been born in the right caste. After all, 22.5% reservations is life. My heart is overwhelmed by compassion for FC kids. I make them this offer. Please become ‘Untouchables’ from today. Live outside civilisation and be treated like animals. After 2,000 years of such glorious life, I promise you that your descendants will be given 15% reservation for 100 years in all government jobs. It is the offer of a lifetime, nay millennium. You will not regret it. It is a promise.
Brahmins have dominated every sphere of life for nearly two millennia because of their birth and not because of merit. Merit is not the issue. It never was. So drop these contrived pretences. FCs are not agitated on account of danger to ‘meritocracy’. They were happy with reservations for 2,000 years. In fact, they have the scantest of regard for equality, justice and fairness. The only reason for their agitation is that others will now enjoy the benefits, which they had cunningly cornered for themselves.
Yours truly,
Sam George
This is in response to “I’m Dalit”, your article in Sunday Times dated April 16, 2006. I agree to the writer that the dalits were subjected to injustice for about 1000 years. Why me, I’m sure that the 1b populations of the Indian Peninsula wont deny that. I give my condolences, for the smart Dalit kids that were out of the system for so many years. My question here is, how long are going to play this seesaw game? Is it that the Dalits want to take some kind of revenge? So now its your turn, after another 1000 years it will be mine, then may be the millennia after that is yours. When do we become Human and become intelligent as we were meant to be? I believe that it’s high time that we reach the equilibrium and look ahead for the development of the country rather than fighting amongst us. The dalits were subjected to injustice, but so were Blacks in the USA, the tribesmen of South Africa. The world realized its mistakes and repaired it to move ahead in harmony and development. When do we as Indians match them?
I also want to make one more point. It was because of the few amongst the Brahmins that the communities began to recognize the Dalits as humans. Fighters like Sane Guruji, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand, and Veer Sawarkar etc were all from upper castes. Even at grass root levels, all of my fore fathers, who have worked for the Congress during the independence struggle never discriminated the “Indians”. Then why is it that the Dalits feel the need to take any such kind of revenge? Its us my friend, we are Indians.
Ref:
I am a dalit. I too have some reservations
A reader responds to the Times Review story last Sunday — ‘I’m a brahmin. I have some reservations’
Dear editor,
My father first encountered casteism when he went to a tea stall outside his native village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. The shopkeeper inquired about his caste and then offered him tea in a dirty coconut shell. My father was from the ‘Koliar Sambavar’ dalit caste. Tea was served in steel tumblers only to the forward castes (FC). My father’s uncles and aunts were aged over 50 but FC kids aged 10 to 12 years would stand outside our street and summon them by their first names. Government buses in those days would come only up to the FC streets as the drivers refused to enter our streets.
My father tried to enter the village school many times but he was driven away. The teachers were all brahmin. Brahmin children sat on mats, children from other castes sat on the ground while dalit children were shooed away. When my father discussed this issue with his elders, he was informed that brahmin children were entitled to all these benefits by birth.
My father, however, observed that most of the brahmin kids were lazy, some were plain stupid and one was even mentally retarded. But, they all went to school and sat on mats while brilliant dalit kids were kept out of school.
At the time of independence, 99% of all government functionaries of Tamil Nadu were brahmin whereas they formed only 3% of the population (The figure is disputed but is a reasonable approximation — editor). Rajgopalachari stated that children should be given training in the vocations of their parents, that is, children of cobblers should be trained to mend shoes etc, but he never talked about it after Periyar countered that the children of brahmins should only be trained to beg for alms.
In Tamil Nadu, as in all over India, dalits were restricted outside the village limits to
their own small clusters.
They are denied basic
facilities like well water,
education and temple entry. They are called by
derogatory names. Dalit
women are routinely
raped. They are supposed to
expose the upper half of their bodies (in the presence of higher castes). In FC-dominated villages, they are made to work as slaves. They are not paid anything. They are given enough cereals to survive. They are naturally expected to offer sexual services to the FCs. Dalit men are not allowed to ride bicycles. They are also not allowed to fold their ‘vesties’ in the presence of FCs. Dalit children are abused by their FC classmates and harassed by their FC teachers. Dalit kids who make it to the IITs are subjected to relentless abuse by vicious brahmin kids. These institutions are known as ‘Iyer Iyengar technology’ institutes.
My father felt insulted by the discrimination. He often discussed these tales of humiliation with me. I often felt that true equality would be possible only if the FC children were denied education for 1,000 years and our caste people were given 99% of all government posts. The FC children had enjoyed these ‘reservations/quota benefits’ because of their birth and not on account of ‘merit’. Dalits have enjoyed reservations for about 60 years, whereas the FCs have enjoyed reservations for more than 2,000 years.
I sympathise with T Surendar (author of the story this reader is responding to). The plight suffered by brahmins during the last 60 years is truly horrendous. Imagine being stripped of 100% domination by virtue of birth. Their children have every right to feel that they have been born in the wrong caste. The insults, humiliations, rapes, murders, tortures and house-burnings suffered by my ancestors appear to be a picnic in comparison. Truly, I am lucky to be born in a dalit caste. I thank my ancestors for the degraded lives they lived. They were treated as less than beasts but it is because of them that I have got reservations. I have been born in the right caste. After all, 22.5% reservations is life. My heart is overwhelmed by compassion for FC kids. I make them this offer. Please become ‘Untouchables’ from today. Live outside civilisation and be treated like animals. After 2,000 years of such glorious life, I promise you that your descendants will be given 15% reservation for 100 years in all government jobs. It is the offer of a lifetime, nay millennium. You will not regret it. It is a promise.
Brahmins have dominated every sphere of life for nearly two millennia because of their birth and not because of merit. Merit is not the issue. It never was. So drop these contrived pretences. FCs are not agitated on account of danger to ‘meritocracy’. They were happy with reservations for 2,000 years. In fact, they have the scantest of regard for equality, justice and fairness. The only reason for their agitation is that others will now enjoy the benefits, which they had cunningly cornered for themselves.
Yours truly,
Sam George
Saturday, April 08, 2006
ANTI QUOTA system
THE ENCROACHING SHARE
I don’t understand, why does even Quota system exist in India till now? I agree that about a century ago certain sects of our society were subjected to injustice, but so does plenty of people all over the world. I don’t think there are about 50% reservations for the Blacks in USA. South Africa doesn’t have any law to protect their dark skinned citizens.
I am in fact proud of the fact that India almost unanimously decided to step down and uplift the downtrodden by giving them opportunities. But how long are we going to continue this? 10 yrs, 20 yrs or 30 yrs were fine, and may be the need to uplift an entire generation. But it’s been 60 yrs since our independence and about three generations of the so-called downtrodden are relishing the increasing appetite of the govt. policies for their vote bank.
It’s high time that we descend the tide of reservations and gradually end it all, so that at least the forthcoming generation of the open caste people can breathe in the free air. 60 yrs back we fought for our independence. British, as the invaders always believed in the policy of divide and rule. Don’t you think we the politicians are doing the same to our society? As a kid when I learnt of the whole system of quotas, I mocked the govt. as it they who teach us about equality in textbooks and it is they who do not follow it. Why are the upper caste individuals subjected to this injustice?
I wont be surprised to see another dhoti clad man, calling the open caste people as “harijans” and performing satyagraha just to give the open caste people their moral right to educate and work in an environment of equality.
Are we going to wait till the point that the future generations would be reading about another freedom struggle in their history books?
My letter here is not just protesting against the 50% reservations at IITs and IIMs, my protest is for the entire system of reservations and quotas that acts like parasite for the Indian administration.
I appreciate one dialogue in the movie “Apaharan” wherein they mention that caste certificate is indeed a merit to get into the Indian administration, a merit that can eclipse the intelligent and the bright.
I don’t understand, why does even Quota system exist in India till now? I agree that about a century ago certain sects of our society were subjected to injustice, but so does plenty of people all over the world. I don’t think there are about 50% reservations for the Blacks in USA. South Africa doesn’t have any law to protect their dark skinned citizens.
I am in fact proud of the fact that India almost unanimously decided to step down and uplift the downtrodden by giving them opportunities. But how long are we going to continue this? 10 yrs, 20 yrs or 30 yrs were fine, and may be the need to uplift an entire generation. But it’s been 60 yrs since our independence and about three generations of the so-called downtrodden are relishing the increasing appetite of the govt. policies for their vote bank.
It’s high time that we descend the tide of reservations and gradually end it all, so that at least the forthcoming generation of the open caste people can breathe in the free air. 60 yrs back we fought for our independence. British, as the invaders always believed in the policy of divide and rule. Don’t you think we the politicians are doing the same to our society? As a kid when I learnt of the whole system of quotas, I mocked the govt. as it they who teach us about equality in textbooks and it is they who do not follow it. Why are the upper caste individuals subjected to this injustice?
I wont be surprised to see another dhoti clad man, calling the open caste people as “harijans” and performing satyagraha just to give the open caste people their moral right to educate and work in an environment of equality.
Are we going to wait till the point that the future generations would be reading about another freedom struggle in their history books?
My letter here is not just protesting against the 50% reservations at IITs and IIMs, my protest is for the entire system of reservations and quotas that acts like parasite for the Indian administration.
I appreciate one dialogue in the movie “Apaharan” wherein they mention that caste certificate is indeed a merit to get into the Indian administration, a merit that can eclipse the intelligent and the bright.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
FUSION'06 is right here right now
span style="color:#666600;">Padmabhushan Vasantdada Patil Educational Complex
Presents
FUSION '06
.......INNOVATION AT ITS PEAK!
Be there to witness the mega event on 27th, 28th Feb. and 1st of March, 2006 at
Padmabhushan Vasantdada Patil Pratishtan's College of Engineering
Eastern Express Highway
Near Everard Nagar, Sion
Mumbai - 400022
CONTACT : Neil – General Secretary 9833660401
Nimish – Cultural Secretary 9323232329
Email us at: fusion.pvpp@gmail.com
“ We would highly appreciate if you could spread the word ”
FOLLOWING ARE THE EVENTS IN FUSION’06!!
1. Glitterati
1. FASHION SHOW
2. VISUAL IMPACT
3. BALL-ROOM DANCING
4. BRIDAL CONTEST
5. NUCH BALIYE
2. Musicals
6. ANTAKSHARI
7. SINGING COMPETITION
<
a. HINDI SOLO/DUET
b. WESTERN SOLO/DUET
3. Smart It Out
8. Ad-mAd
9. PRESCO
10. GROUP DISCUSSION
11. PAPER PRESENTATION
4. Dalal Street
5. Treasure Hunt
12. INHOUSE
13. OUTHOUSE
6. Gaming Zone
14. CS
15. NFS , ETC
7. Fusion Laughter Challenge
8. Adventure and sports
9. Pro-nite
Presents
FUSION '06
.......INNOVATION AT ITS PEAK!
Be there to witness the mega event on 27th, 28th Feb. and 1st of March, 2006 at
Padmabhushan Vasantdada Patil Pratishtan's College of Engineering
Eastern Express Highway
Near Everard Nagar, Sion
Mumbai - 400022
CONTACT : Neil – General Secretary 9833660401
Nimish – Cultural Secretary 9323232329
Email us at: fusion.pvpp@gmail.com
“ We would highly appreciate if you could spread the word ”
FOLLOWING ARE THE EVENTS IN FUSION’06!!
1. Glitterati
1. FASHION SHOW
2. VISUAL IMPACT
3. BALL-ROOM DANCING
4. BRIDAL CONTEST
5. NUCH BALIYE
2. Musicals
6. ANTAKSHARI
7. SINGING COMPETITION
<
a. HINDI SOLO/DUET
b. WESTERN SOLO/DUET
3. Smart It Out
8. Ad-mAd
9. PRESCO
10. GROUP DISCUSSION
11. PAPER PRESENTATION
4. Dalal Street
5. Treasure Hunt
12. INHOUSE
13. OUTHOUSE
6. Gaming Zone
14. CS
15. NFS , ETC
7. Fusion Laughter Challenge
8. Adventure and sports
9. Pro-nite
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Rang De Basanti : A Pathshala for today's youth
Rang De Basanti
-NIMISH
12th Feb 2006.
Rang De Basanti, is a movie with difference. What are the factors that differentiate the movie from the rest of the Bollywood? Well, to start with, there is no Amitabh Bachhan presence, neither vocal nor physical. Thankfully there are no item songs. For a change we have Amir Khan, the well-established actor who was introduced back in ‘The Rising’. To conclude, Rang De Basanti is a powerful script, and a wonderful story.
It is a story about D.J. (Amir Khan), Karan Singhania (Siddharth), Sukhi (Sharman Joshi), Aslam (Kunal Kapoor), Ajay Rathod (R.Madhavan)
and Sonia (Soha Ali Khan). These six friends consider friendship above everything else. All but Ajay have common interest and a common view about the nation’s plight, claiming that the country’s drains cannot be cleaned. Ajay on the other hand has an exceptional view to this and urges them to join IAS, politics, military and other such positions from where they can clean up the country’s gutter. It is perhaps because of this view that Ajay became an Air Force pilot.
Laxman Pande (Atul Kulkarni) who is a worker at a communal party often clashes with the beer parties of these friends. He has a specific hatred for Aslam because of his Muslim identity.
Ajay on an Air Force mission loses his life since his MIG crashes down, but in the process he rescues the heavily populated Ambala district, and drives his plane away to a remote area. The defense minister (Mohan Aghashe) blames the pilot for his careless driving rubbishing the media reports that the plane crashed down due to the cheap spare parts used in the planes. Ajay’s mother slips into coma, after the Rapid Action Force sent by the defense minister to disperse their protests, acts hard on her. Now the four freak out friends, along with Laxman Pande, plan to assassinate the minister.
What is it that gives them such courage to take such a drastic step? Here lies the genius of the movie. Sue, a London based filmmaker, after reading her grandfather’s diary, plans to come in India to make a film based on the lives of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad and their freedom movement.
Her grandfather was a jailor in India during the time of the freedom struggle. In India she finds her characters in these five people. Here comes a major twist in their lives, when they get into the characters they are assigned. They start feeling the freedom struggle, and the effort behind it, and most importantly, the reason behind it. Sue through her grandfather’s diary cruises all of them in the history pages giving them a glimpse of the bravery of the revolutionist, and their motive behind their sacrifice.
They start believing in communal unity, freedom and a way to demand our rights. After Ajay’s death and his mother slipping into coma, they correlate everything to the situation when Lala Lajpat Rai succumbed to death while shouting, “Simon, Go back”. And then came their turn to assassinate the Saunders of this era, the defense minister.
At every point the movie relates the current situation to the British era, indirectly claiming that, we again need to struggle to claim our independence, independence from the political atrocities. It is a shame that we’re fighting within ourselves to attain our own freedom.
I don’t completely support the message provided by the film. It says, “To clean up the system you need to come out of it.” While that in movies like Yuva was
completely contradictory. In yuva, the youth get into the system to clean it up, which I suppose should be the right way to influence someone. Although, they have made it clear, that in current system, it is not practical that a politician suffers punishment or is jailed. Do we have any other option to cure the corruption?
Also there are few errors in the movie that I’d like to point out. The movie is clearly underestimating the power of our fourth pillar: media. In a peaceful agitation against the defense minister, where about a thousand people gathered at the India Gate, TV news channels covered their protest, but nation couldn’t witness the merciless beatings by the Rapid Action Force. I can’t think of any reason that the media was not present during this shocking incidence, that led to severe injuries, and slipped Ajay’s mother into the state of coma.
The assassination of the defense minister is shown highly impractical. I don’t think that five immature students, who have never seen a real pistol, can drive on a motorbike, barge the heavy security, kill the Union Defense minister, and escape unharmed, and remain unsuspected for days. Again these assassins to reveal their motive easily barge into the All India Radio, a govt. building, go on AIR declare their crime and still remain safe in that building for more than two hours, without a single hostage on board. I don’t think it should take more than fifteen minutes for the cops to enter the building, once they declare the crime.
I just didn’t expect an Amir Khan movie to flow in this manner.
But overall, the movie is powerful and definitely with a difference. I can grade it as a must see movie. Certainly the generation will awake.
Rating: ***
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
FACE & EYES
FACES & EYES
-NIMISH
6th Feb 2006.
My eyes are extremely dry. And I’m not kidding when I say that I literally use an eye lubricant daily so that I could develop the most required tear film around my eyeball. Things that touch my heart do not generally come out of my eye. To be frank the last time I could feel my eyes wet with emotions was on 11th sept 2003, when an academic disaster rolled like a glacier and left me shattered. That was the time when I saw a major dead-block in my career graph, stooping down my hopes and my dreams. It took two and a half years ever since to feel the same experience.
It was 26th Jan 2006, when the director who has been doing theatre in my college for about a decade gave me an opportunity to perform in his play. Just a day before he made up this statement wherein he could make up some space for me, in his already set up play, and he did stick to his word when he called me back the next morning. I became nostalgic, about the fact that a year ago I had a dream to work for the college play that couldn’t work out since the play was scrapped. My audition then, helped me get a direct entry as a lead protagonist in another play released six months back, when another opportunity clashed its dates with this one, my dream to work for a college play never turned out to be a reality.
Stage had always been my passion. Back during my school days, I performed a role of a mere courtier in a king’s court. With no dialogues, no expressions, all I had to do was stand in a corner with my profile to be exposed to the crowd. All this was merely to get a feel of the stage. The lights above, the curtains moving apart and the crowd sitting below in an anticipation of some entertainment were all fascinating. Then came an opportunity to work in a modern art play in my college days. Being a hardcore Agni House group member in R.D.National College, I gave my fullest to make the best out of the Agni House play, titled “The Poster”. When the curtains then fell back together, I could feel how lucky I was to get selected in the audition. I pounced on every opportunity, whenever I got to entertain the crowd with my acting skills.
With so much of heat for the stage I wonder why did it take more than two years for fate to introduce me to the Drama group of my engineering college (PVPPCoE)? And in the second academic year of my engineering days, it was mere introduction to the drama group. Working with them never worked out. I could never see the stage lights, the crowd’s anticipation, the applaud, and the appreciation about my work. Everything seemed to halt for more than two years. It took more than just pains to say goodbye to a highly talented team, and a very much versatile director two times before, and thus it was a thrill to get the opportunity for the third time now.
It was evening of 26th Jan 2006, and I was in our college’s seminar hall in middle of about five to six actors amongst the regular troupe, the director and the person whose part I was about to perform. He had been a regular actor for the role given to me and won appreciation around the city to do complete justice to the character. It was his absence for the day of the play that generated my presence for the same role. All eyes poked me, and I entered the set with full zest to complete my part with an applaud of appreciation at the end. I didn’t feel victorious until the director pointed out the nature of the character that I portrayed, which was very much different from the one played before yet could fit in perfectly to complete to jigsaw. “Nimish makes the character look like a spoilt brat, which is exactly contrary to one that was played before.” These words boosted the confidence in me, as all could make out what I had decided for the character fifteen minutes ago while reading the script. In the same confidence I recited the second plot of my entry and marked victory in almost everyone’s book. But I was new in the group, the rest of the actors, director etc were certainly missing their old buddy, and welcomed my entry with a condition that if in any case, the original actor found a chance to come back, he will be given the first preference. I had to nod.
The next day, I kept juggling between my cultural activities and the play practice. Being the newly appointed cultural secretary of the college on one hand, and being an actor selected for a play to be showcased tomorrow, on the other hand, I felt the weight of both things equally heavy. That evening we could make it to the actual stage for a final real time rehearsal. A call from my friend few minutes before told me that I had fared very badly in my semester five result. But I could forget about it all, when the curtains closed, and it was I, and the rest of the troupe behind them now. Once again after almost two years I could see the stage lights flashing from above, the set all ready where we are about to perform. The experience was good enough to make me get into my character and give the best out of me. The show was brilliant with everyone’s contribution being the best. I was spotted with a sunken jaw when I saw the last dance sequence. It looked simply marvelous in the U.V. The night I went to college to witness my result, as well as to collect one of the props required for the final drama tomorrow.
Waving goodbye to everyone at home, on the 28th of Jan 2006, I took off for my first work with the college drama, and looking at few parameters ahead, probably the last drama. My grandparents took pride when they looked at me. I always assume that I have inherited my acting from my grandfather, who has won few accolades in his old acting days. Like him, even I wish to carry on with my acting as a well-polished hobby.
The green room of the auditorium was now packed with the clan. We went through the whole script twice to make sure that things are perfect. There were still 3 hours left for the show, and I was confident to be a perfect ingredient of the team. After the dialogue rehearsal, I went directly to the stage to get a complete feel of the situation I would be in after about three hours. The stage had perfect warmth to welcome me in. The set, lights above and the microphones everything was activated. On the blue covered empty chairs raised an illusion of about 350 people waiting for me to perform.
Everything was happening, as I would wish for. Suddenly in one corner of the auditorium, I could see the man for whom I have tremendous gratitude. It was his departure from the show that brought in my entry. Thus in a way it was due to him, that I got my first and probably the last opportunity to work on the stage for my college. But I wondered what he was doing in the auditorium, since he opted out of the play. According to the director, that boy had sacrificed the character for me, which need to be an obvious situation for me. I had worked hard to polish the character. Now anyone else performing in there would be like snatching away my baby.
But soon, I realized that the baby was never mine. When I was requested to back out by the boy, I placed he ball in the director’s court. Bound by old emotional ties, the ball got placed, not in my favour. I was selected to be out of the show.
“You were given warning before.” “But why did you have to be a good guy?” “What else could I have done?” “You could have just said no, when he asked you to back out.” “ I can’t do that on someone’s face” “You have to learn that, or else things will get complicated.” “Ok, what am I supposed to do now? Is it that I have lost my opportunity forever?” “I’m afraid, I should say yes” “What do you mean?” “I mean that, in future you won’t be able to find out time for all this. This was your first and last chance and you missed that too.” “Ok, so what do I do next?” I closed my eyes. All the events in past few days flashed back in front of me. The performance, the dance, the wonderful moments that I spent with few, the stage, the lights, the curtains etc. I was going to miss it all. I felt the tear film getting developed naturally. Then I opened my eyes and came to the realization that I was sitting on the edge at the Marine Drive, where in front of me lay an endless sea. Few rag pickers below were searching deeply for their rags. “Will it help you in any way if you just sit here?” “You are right. I’ll make a try.” “That’s the spirit” “I still won’t be a bad guy to snatch away his role.” “What, are you a kid?” “What do I do then?” “At least get up from here, go to him, and ask him whether he can take his words back.” “ Yeah, I won’t die in the process, huh!! Why not try that?” “You are a kid, now at least move your bump off this place”
I got up from the seat, crossed the road, and went straight to the auditorium, where just outside, people had gathered for a small party, a tea party. I directly approached the guy, but before I could open my mouth, he apologized. “I have no personal enmity with you. I have been doing this role ever since the play has started. The crew, our regular audience, the judges’ etc. everyone are used to see me play in that role. I have emotions attached to the role. I’d never raise a finger about your inability to pick up the role. As a matter of fact you were doing the part much better than what I do. But we just can’t break the tradition.”
“Where did I go wrong? How did I land into this position? This is unfair. May be this is marking the end of it all. May be my travel with the stage was only with this point.” I looked up at the lights again, the closed curtains, and few people practicing behind it. Then I went into the green room, found a lonely place, closed my eyes, and waved goodbye to the backstage in my mind. Now for the first time in past 2 and half years, I was actually crying. It is too hard to say goodbye to something you’ve always wanted to do.
“You are full of negative thoughts. What makes you think to mark an end here?” “Now I just want to adore theatre as a mere spectator.” “Is that your hobby?” “Yeah I want to be a critic. Even this can be a good hobby. I’d love to do that.” “But don’t you think you are killing your desire to act on stage?” “May be you are right. I just can’t kill my wish. There has to be some way out here.”
Now I looked straight, I could see the endless sea once again in front of me, the sun was now setting down. I looked in the watch, the show in the auditorium just half a minute away was just about to start. I got up from the seat at Marine Drive, and ran upstairs to the auditorium to watch the curtains just opening for a brand new play.
-NIMISH
Monday, January 23, 2006
Ad Review: Digestive Marie
I think Parle this time have goofed up with the concept of “Digestive” Marie. In the ad they show Kajol an officer of Anti Marie Bureau commanding a fat guy to eat Digestive Marie that helps in digestion. Now with this the product sounds like a medicine for digestion, rather than an enjoyable snack. It would be an embarrassing situation for someone to publicly buy the Digestive Marie from the shopping market, or serve a Marie of that kind to guests, wherein the person publicly reveals the problems of his screwed up intestines.
Even previous attempts of Parle to sell Krack Jack, by introducing Krack & Jack as two individuals replicating the sweet and salt taste was a total failure.
I personally love Parle products, and I am loyal to them as far as biscuits go. Hence I just hope that it doesn’t much affect Parle’s digestion.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Bourn to conquer
BOURN TO CONQUER
-Nimish Inamdar
6th Jan 2006.
The Alchemist.
Alchemy is what few would say as science, or a mere myth in definition of few, to convert any metal into gold. Writer Paolo Coehlo reckons that people or sages doing research in this direction, have put themselves through many tests, and people amongst these who have conquered their goal, can provide answers to all the questions on earth. Sounds impossible and completely impractical, isn’t it? Everything in the book is symbolic. And according to me even “The Alchemist” is a term used for person attaining his final goal in life.
The story began with San Tiago, a boy from Spain, living alone with his sheep in order to live life the way he wanted to. Despite warning from his father that gave his future a shady and unstable look, the boy listened to his heart, and became a shepherd. One day he decided to listen to his dream and set out for treasure kept for him miles away in Egypt near the Pyramids. On his way, he learned many things from life, and many ways to live. He found his love, his passion, and finally the bliss to complete his dream. He could also talk to his self as also to the soul of the earth.
I feel somewhere in some part of the book we can find ourselves in the boy. Some of us merely crush their dreams and prefer a practical, simpler life; while some of go crazy behind their dreams and keep up with the passion, or rather I say a hope, to complete their dream. This book reminds me of the Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a short story on the life of Jonathan, a seagull who goes off the track in the chase of fulfilling his dream.
In short the book says, “It pays to unbelong.”
-Nimish
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