Dear Mani,
Right at the onset, I apologize for the 100 odd lines of condemnation of your efforts that is to follow. I my defense, I bought a ticket worth 10$ (cash), popcorn an water worth 15$ and cringed in my seat for two hours and hence reserve a right to complain. Let me just shoot direct the two cardinal questions that I am sure every cine-goer is itching to ask you.
1. Did you give the wrong tapes from Ramanand Saagar's Ramayan to your script writers. I thought instead of seeing Raavan's footage, they accidentally saw Raavan's brother Kumbhakaran's footage and got so stirred that they went into a longgg siesta and have not woken up ever since. And I guess you decided to not compete in the "Best Story Award" category and let your script writers remain absconding. Sadly enough, we missed them.
2. Now I had a slight confusion, I thought the movie's lead star cast was Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vikram, but you relegated them to mere side kicks. The real star cast hogging most of the screen time was the terrific trio of the "gusty wind"s blowing at 1000 mph with a special fondness for Ms.Rai Bachchan's long tresses, "the incessant rains" or were they dollops of tears being shed by Ram and Raavanan from up above the skies for being reduced to such caricatures and the third important member of this trio; "the waterfalls"-these provided the perfect hiking entertainment trips for these side kicks whilst patiently waiting for the script writers to wake up. Oh I forgot, when hiking got boring, AB's baby entertained himself with some rain dances gyrating to some tribal moves with "Joker-like" expressions (hey pun unintended, I just meant a wannabe Heath Ledger like expressions).
Mani Sir, along with cine goers, you have hugely upset another community- The Editor's guild. These guys drove in straight from Ashutosh Gowarikar's editing table to yours. They were not let to do their jobs there and were hopeful that they get to wield their axes here- but alas there was nothing really there in the frames to ligate!!!!!
Dialogues....Enna Neenga Sir- Don't you just wanna compete in any department at the gala awards next year. Reallly...the search mission in the movie should have to rescue your dialogue writers that were hijacked and not really Ragini. In the bargain, you just put tremendous pressure on Ms Rai Bachchan's lungs who had to rely on screaming and shrieking to make up for want of dialogues (Hey, don't get mad at me.I just repeated these words twice, Ms Rai Bachchan repeated her screeching histrionics in all the 32 frames!!!!)
Ok now to some serious questions, that if answered could have spruced up the movie several notches higher. To be fair to you, this movie was certainly a visual delight and with Santosh Sivan helming the camera and Ms Ethereal Rai Bachchan filling up the frame, you expect no less, but you certainly get all the credit for creating an enchanting vision that certainly surpassed even Avataar for me. But the logistics all din't add up quite well for the simple reason- When a single man was wronged by the police, why does an entire clan wage a battle????
A little more detailing into Beera's character-The Naxal/tribal strife and tribulations, the rise of this Robin-Hood, his criminal past and more solid reasons of Dev desiring his captivity. Beera's was the most amateurish character graph.
Well my earnest desire that your writers shake off their self imposed "VanVaas" and may the Mighty Mani return with something in the likes of "Mouna Raagam, Agni Natchatram, Naayagan, Anjali and Iruvar" (Yes I am a loyalist to your tamil movies) and I can vouch that these efforts will remain unparalleled in the history of cinema.
Signing off!!
Yours Truly
An Ardent Mani Fan still recovering from post-Raavan depression!!!!!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
5 Simple Steps to Becoming a Youth Icon!!!!!
No prologue
The last month has been a "fodder rich" month for the media. For a change the source not being "Lal(oo)" but "Lal(it), the allegation being the "Mod(i)s operandi" (pun intended) of IPL being dubious. The other important "Cattl(e)st" (pun unintended here) in this fodder feed reaction being the media darling, Shashi Tharoor". Providing the final impetus to this fodder feed was Ajmal Kasab.
Sticking to the chronology of events, let me scrutinize the ministerial demise of Shashi Tharoor. The man was besieged by the same tool that had catapulted him to glory. "Twitter". I was amused at the way the youth of India reacted so vociferously to his resignation on twitter almost declaring that alongside Tharoor's ministerial coffin lies India's coffin". My thoughts to this outlandish declaration was that its so easy to influence the young generation of today.
So I decided to draw a roadmap to becoming a so-called "Youth Icon". Here goes the doctrine:
1. Pivotal step: Create a "Twitter handle". Well the idea being the youth feels very connected when it gets to keep in sync with your routine even if its just involves redundant accounts of the numerous intellectual conversations (read lunches) with the foreign ministers of various countries. Who bothers if anything even transcends beyond these stimulating talks!!!!!!!!!
2. Build your english speaking vocabulary. Examples-These are all thanks to Kunal Vijaykar (I love the guy's wit!!!) Defamation = Villification, Discontentment= displeasure, sue = litigate). In short try to convolute simple grammer.The point being an english speaking politician becomes the urbane twitterati darling.
3. Caution: If you choose to skip steps 1 and 2 or being loquacious is not your forte, then step 3 is very pivotal. Do not fret-Step 3 is no less than a brahmastra and will hit the bull's eye. Warning: This step involves invoking a little distress upon yourself, but trust me you gotta endure this only for a few hours to be precise "two".
3A. Go the Rail(way)....well again don hit the panic button-not any train, but the shatabdi with your battery of Z class security personnel.
3B. Spend an hour with a poor farmer in his jhopdi and try to relish his measly meal.
Voila-You are the next youth icon!!!!!!
Perks: You don't have to answer any price rise conundrum nor do you have to intrepidly participate in any debates concerning national issues like terrorism and corruption. All these issues are a politician's headache and remember you are not one, you are just a youth leader. Given the disdain for politicians amongst youth, you just earned some brownie points there.
4. Always be in the news: Embroil yourself in a controversy over disagreement with a fellow minister or face "certain paper tiger ke wrath ka Saamna" by saying "Mumbai for all!!!!! (trust me thats the easiest option today).
5. Buy benami stakes in IPL, be a part of IPL nepotism by brand Modi-but make sure to keep him away from the "twittering toy".
While I leave you to ponder over which route you may wanna take, a quick afterword...The media was at its dramatic best with headlines like "Before IPL ends, ends Modi's IPL dream" "How many people will Modi take along???". But the media forgot that that afterall politics is "Pawar Play" (pun intended again)-you cannot destroy the omnipotent player who has written the rules of this game. As expected this high voltage drama akin to a reality show lasted a few days with no concrete steps taken to unearth the secrets of this ugly "Indian paisa league".
The gears suddenly change-Kasab's trial now becomes the cover-story. More on that any my definition of who qualifies as an ideal youth icon later!!!
P.S. I apologize about the usage of "Tharoorific" vocabulary in the blog...Prolly my hidden desire to become the next youth icon-afterall does not seem so difficult!!!!!
The last month has been a "fodder rich" month for the media. For a change the source not being "Lal(oo)" but "Lal(it), the allegation being the "Mod(i)s operandi" (pun intended) of IPL being dubious. The other important "Cattl(e)st" (pun unintended here) in this fodder feed reaction being the media darling, Shashi Tharoor". Providing the final impetus to this fodder feed was Ajmal Kasab.
Sticking to the chronology of events, let me scrutinize the ministerial demise of Shashi Tharoor. The man was besieged by the same tool that had catapulted him to glory. "Twitter". I was amused at the way the youth of India reacted so vociferously to his resignation on twitter almost declaring that alongside Tharoor's ministerial coffin lies India's coffin". My thoughts to this outlandish declaration was that its so easy to influence the young generation of today.
So I decided to draw a roadmap to becoming a so-called "Youth Icon". Here goes the doctrine:
1. Pivotal step: Create a "Twitter handle". Well the idea being the youth feels very connected when it gets to keep in sync with your routine even if its just involves redundant accounts of the numerous intellectual conversations (read lunches) with the foreign ministers of various countries. Who bothers if anything even transcends beyond these stimulating talks!!!!!!!!!
2. Build your english speaking vocabulary. Examples-These are all thanks to Kunal Vijaykar (I love the guy's wit!!!) Defamation = Villification, Discontentment= displeasure, sue = litigate). In short try to convolute simple grammer.The point being an english speaking politician becomes the urbane twitterati darling.
3. Caution: If you choose to skip steps 1 and 2 or being loquacious is not your forte, then step 3 is very pivotal. Do not fret-Step 3 is no less than a brahmastra and will hit the bull's eye. Warning: This step involves invoking a little distress upon yourself, but trust me you gotta endure this only for a few hours to be precise "two".
3A. Go the Rail(way)....well again don hit the panic button-not any train, but the shatabdi with your battery of Z class security personnel.
3B. Spend an hour with a poor farmer in his jhopdi and try to relish his measly meal.
Voila-You are the next youth icon!!!!!!
Perks: You don't have to answer any price rise conundrum nor do you have to intrepidly participate in any debates concerning national issues like terrorism and corruption. All these issues are a politician's headache and remember you are not one, you are just a youth leader. Given the disdain for politicians amongst youth, you just earned some brownie points there.
4. Always be in the news: Embroil yourself in a controversy over disagreement with a fellow minister or face "certain paper tiger ke wrath ka Saamna" by saying "Mumbai for all!!!!! (trust me thats the easiest option today).
5. Buy benami stakes in IPL, be a part of IPL nepotism by brand Modi-but make sure to keep him away from the "twittering toy".
While I leave you to ponder over which route you may wanna take, a quick afterword...The media was at its dramatic best with headlines like "Before IPL ends, ends Modi's IPL dream" "How many people will Modi take along???". But the media forgot that that afterall politics is "Pawar Play" (pun intended again)-you cannot destroy the omnipotent player who has written the rules of this game. As expected this high voltage drama akin to a reality show lasted a few days with no concrete steps taken to unearth the secrets of this ugly "Indian paisa league".
The gears suddenly change-Kasab's trial now becomes the cover-story. More on that any my definition of who qualifies as an ideal youth icon later!!!
P.S. I apologize about the usage of "Tharoorific" vocabulary in the blog...Prolly my hidden desire to become the next youth icon-afterall does not seem so difficult!!!!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
"Raavan Rathore"
Honestly, I thought I shall begin the new decade's blogging session with my take on "3 Idiots" and was even a complete page into writing this piece. But even whilst writing, my mind was preoccupied with the "Ruchika Girhotra" case and how the system has made us all "IDIOTS" and how this case is a sheer travesty of justice. My thoughts, my questions or rather I, me myself may seem trivial in the larger scheme of things, a voice too feeble to be heard let alone leaving an impact. But I still think, in a society over-ridden by cynicism we must believe that "We the people" can still make a difference or at least attempt to make a difference however humble the beginnings are...
Coming to this case, my heart bleeds thinking about the father of that minor who was molested by the former Haryana DGP Rathore, to the same father whose son was falsely implicated in several cases, denied water and food, imprisoned for several month...Their fault-they took on the system, they took on Raavan Rathore..Nineteen years of relentless struggle yields them the unimaginable verdict from the perpetrators of criminal justice-" Six months bailable sentence for the accused-who goes scot-free on the very same day!!!!! Well as Kiran Bedi rightly put it-Its no longer criminal justice but in fact justice for criminals. The man walks out of the court with a big smirk on his face-a smile implying his money power, his political power, a smile that most transparently exposes the nexus between police, Bureaucrats and politicians. This historic judgement was pronounced taking into consideration Rathore's age and his mental agony over 19 years. A simple question to the man behind this verdict-Was he blind to the age of the victim-She was fourteen when this monster molested her. A bright child, an aspiring tennis player completely withdrew into a shell post this incident. Life was never the same.Finally the child succumbed to the torture three years later. I think why just single out Rathore as the villain in this story...There are several "Raavans" in this case..From the police who failed to even register an FIR, the government that most disgustingly recommended Rathore to a president's medal to the then ruling government that chose to hush-up the matter and played the perfect accomplice in this heinous crime.
Why did it take a public outrage, a media intervention to rake this issue up in an attempt to grant justice to this family. Even now the blame game continues...The Chautala and the Bansi Lal government passing on the buck to each other and no-one taking any affirmative action. The only person who hasn't changed loyalties in this case, a rare case of a witness not turning suddenly hostile and fighting with undeterred conviction is Aradhna Prakash-Ruchika's friend. Hats off to this woman and her family for taking on the system and facing the repercussions for a case that has not affected them directly...
Many cynics might argue that if there is a loser in this battle-it is Ruchika herself and her family for we all know that it is nearly impossible to emerge victorious in such a vicious battle. But should we really not do anything and accept corruption and crime as a way of life????????? Is everyone so stripped of conscience???? If only one public figure would have had the nerve to stand up for the cause....A closer examination at the cause itself-Why isn't molestation as serious an offence as rape?? Or we girls brought up with an immunity to face this in everyday scheme of things-be it traveling by bus, trains to any public place. I agree laws have been amended-Punitive measures against eve-teasers.But it's always the money-deprived, power-deprived offender that is targeted.But when the culprit is the law-maker himself everyone sings a different tune. In an attempt to glorify the diminishing crime statistics, the police even shy away from lodging an FIR let alone taking any action.
Even today, its only the media and a select "we the people" that are taking some affirmative action on this. Public figures are still embroiled in several trivialities. The political brigade is engaged in several important activities like keeping a tab on a peer's twitter, or playing the boss game with Krishna clarifying that he is the ultimate boss to his Parth tharoor (Pun intended)....or lambasting a book on Jinnah to seeking massages within the confines of Raj Bhavan...The entertainment Moguls are busy too fighting credit issues over story or blogging incessant self eulogies on their recently released film on progeria or paa or whatever.....Nobody takes a stand..Diplomacy is a deeply ingrained trait...
Until we have more people taking stronger stand or atleast recognizing pertinent issues, we will have several Raavans like Rathore and Kasabs who miraculously change their testimony every minute. Until such a time Mani Ratnam can consider making Raavan-2, Raavan-3 or may be even Raavan-100!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coming to this case, my heart bleeds thinking about the father of that minor who was molested by the former Haryana DGP Rathore, to the same father whose son was falsely implicated in several cases, denied water and food, imprisoned for several month...Their fault-they took on the system, they took on Raavan Rathore..Nineteen years of relentless struggle yields them the unimaginable verdict from the perpetrators of criminal justice-" Six months bailable sentence for the accused-who goes scot-free on the very same day!!!!! Well as Kiran Bedi rightly put it-Its no longer criminal justice but in fact justice for criminals. The man walks out of the court with a big smirk on his face-a smile implying his money power, his political power, a smile that most transparently exposes the nexus between police, Bureaucrats and politicians. This historic judgement was pronounced taking into consideration Rathore's age and his mental agony over 19 years. A simple question to the man behind this verdict-Was he blind to the age of the victim-She was fourteen when this monster molested her. A bright child, an aspiring tennis player completely withdrew into a shell post this incident. Life was never the same.Finally the child succumbed to the torture three years later. I think why just single out Rathore as the villain in this story...There are several "Raavans" in this case..From the police who failed to even register an FIR, the government that most disgustingly recommended Rathore to a president's medal to the then ruling government that chose to hush-up the matter and played the perfect accomplice in this heinous crime.
Why did it take a public outrage, a media intervention to rake this issue up in an attempt to grant justice to this family. Even now the blame game continues...The Chautala and the Bansi Lal government passing on the buck to each other and no-one taking any affirmative action. The only person who hasn't changed loyalties in this case, a rare case of a witness not turning suddenly hostile and fighting with undeterred conviction is Aradhna Prakash-Ruchika's friend. Hats off to this woman and her family for taking on the system and facing the repercussions for a case that has not affected them directly...
Many cynics might argue that if there is a loser in this battle-it is Ruchika herself and her family for we all know that it is nearly impossible to emerge victorious in such a vicious battle. But should we really not do anything and accept corruption and crime as a way of life????????? Is everyone so stripped of conscience???? If only one public figure would have had the nerve to stand up for the cause....A closer examination at the cause itself-Why isn't molestation as serious an offence as rape?? Or we girls brought up with an immunity to face this in everyday scheme of things-be it traveling by bus, trains to any public place. I agree laws have been amended-Punitive measures against eve-teasers.But it's always the money-deprived, power-deprived offender that is targeted.But when the culprit is the law-maker himself everyone sings a different tune. In an attempt to glorify the diminishing crime statistics, the police even shy away from lodging an FIR let alone taking any action.
Even today, its only the media and a select "we the people" that are taking some affirmative action on this. Public figures are still embroiled in several trivialities. The political brigade is engaged in several important activities like keeping a tab on a peer's twitter, or playing the boss game with Krishna clarifying that he is the ultimate boss to his Parth tharoor (Pun intended)....or lambasting a book on Jinnah to seeking massages within the confines of Raj Bhavan...The entertainment Moguls are busy too fighting credit issues over story or blogging incessant self eulogies on their recently released film on progeria or paa or whatever.....Nobody takes a stand..Diplomacy is a deeply ingrained trait...
Until we have more people taking stronger stand or atleast recognizing pertinent issues, we will have several Raavans like Rathore and Kasabs who miraculously change their testimony every minute. Until such a time Mani Ratnam can consider making Raavan-2, Raavan-3 or may be even Raavan-100!!!!!!!!!!!!
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