Life of Pi * *

Life of Pi isn't just another movie, rather a spiritual journey of Pi Patel who got his peculiar name after his dad more than liked a French swimming pool. Does that sound weird to you? Man, there is a lot waiting for you here. So our protagonist Pi hails from Pondicherry, has these intellectual and spiritual cravings. Like most of us do. But we don't have time to pursue them. He had a lot of it apparently so much so that he followed all the religions. But none gave him the answers he was looking for. Little did he knew that God had planned a grand voyage for him to understand the meaning of life.

His parents who run a zoo decide to move to Winnipeg, Canada in light of the disturbing times in India and plan to sell the animals off in North America to start a new life. They start their journey on the same ship which carries their zoo animals. But unfortunately they hit bad waters and the ship sinks but somehow Pi finds himself on a boat with an injured Zebra, a Hyena and a Bengal Tiger. Rest of the story of how Pi survives a record 227 days after a ship-wreck is suppose to make you believe in God. Suppose to, mind it. He also offers a parallel story as people don't believe him. But doesn't seem to mind as the outcome is the same.

Irrfan Khan plays the grown up Pi who narrates the story to a writer seeking an enlightening adventure. He is brilliant as usual and there should be no doubts why Ang Lee chose him. His skills play a very important role in movie as they force you to believe the ultra-strange narrative of Pi. And this convincing narration is coupled with the mind-blowing visual landscapes envisaged by the visionary director Ang Lee. We all remember the stunning visuals of Avatar. Time has come to replace them with Ang Lee's version of flying fishes, algae island and mirror like waters. The sea has never looked more beautiful, mysterious and horrifying at the same time.

Those who have read the book would be disappointed as the movie accommodates so less from it. Yes, not everything can be shown in the flick but Ang Lee seemed to have missed the much relevant parts as well. Have to give credit to him though because not many people can engage the audience for long given that they only have a lean-man and a tiger at their disposal. The movie is gripping enough in the making but the end part will disappoint many as it leaves a big question mark behind. The movie is all about belief and faith which might be the very essence of our lives but not many people give a damn about it these days. You keep on waiting for the awe moment and the build up forces you to do that. But ultimately, its plain KLPD!

If you are going anyway, watch it with the third dimension. 

Girl in the city

Will I ever be free? for real?
I often ask myself.
I try to be hopeful. Brave.
But these false consolations don't last.
The reality makes them squeal.
At best, they are ephemeral.

Is there a place, in the city,
where i can feel secure?
where i lie down in peace,
and close my eyes.
And where there is no fear,
of men groping me from behind.
Will I ever be free?

Is there anyone, i can trust?
in this scary crowd,
i see only eyes, lustful eyes.
I try my best, not to look special,
just to avoid their stare,
but these eyes never spare me.
I do feel scared, will i ever be free?

I want to be free,
want to walk into the moonlight,
without fear,
without interruptions,
i want to close my eyes, without hesitation.
Will I ever walk free?
asks, the girl in the city!

English Vinglish * * * *

In our lives, we are often mean to people. Sometimes it's deliberate but most of times we have no freaking idea how badly our words or gestures can hurt somebody. We, powered by our false pride, develop certain notions of modernity and only value those who possess a higher MQ (Modernity Quotient) than us. We, are so ignorant.

English Vinglish is one such journey back into our lives which is going to embarrass us, but teach a very important lesson. Remember our school days or college days whatever, when we used to be embarrassed by the simplicity of our parents, especially our mother, when they had to entertain our next-gen, modern and yo type friends and all the efforts we used to put in to avoid such encounters. Just because she could not speak English, we had no right to judge her, we had no right to feel embarrassed and we had no right to be rude to her.

Gauri Shinde is a genius. The way she has picked up an innocent, small but a very touching concern, and has presented it with such simplicity. It's so sublime. It's so beautiful. It's a story of almost all the Indian Housewives. How many times and in so many ways they feel insulted just because they never had the exposure to English which apparently has become the cornerstone of modernity even in India. And the worst part is that we have started judging people based upon their ability to speak this foreign language. The bottom line being, it's just a language, anyone can learn, so hush up with all the attitude!

The movie touches all such aspects so crudely and the resurrection of Sri Devi is the icing on the cake. She is still brilliant. The movie also has humor and a cutely done cameo by big B. Rest of the cast have done well to match up to Sri Devi's aura. The direction does not at all look rookie. In fact, would be hard to digest that she is a debutante director. So, this is a chance for you, to take your mother, your father, your grandparents, to whom you been rude, knowingly or unknowingly. This is an important lesson, go learn!

P.S. R. Balki, make way for Gauri Shinde, in all ways, she is your better half!!!!

ये ज़िन्दगी उसी की है

मुश्किलों से डरना कोई हल नहीं,
उनसे भागने वालो में दम नहीं।
निरंतर संघर्ष जो कर सके,
ये ज़िन्दगी उसी की है,
हर बार हो जो उठ खड़ा,
परवानगी उसी में है,
हार पे जो हस सके,
जीत भी उसी की है,
जीत बस उसी की है!

इस रफ़्तार भरी ज़िन्दगी में,
धैर्य का मूल्य समझ जाये जो,
बिना शर्तो के प्यार कर पाए जो,
डर को कुचल पाए जो,
ये ज़िन्दगी उसी की है।

आगे बढ़ने का जूनून हो जिसमे,
कुछ कर दिखाने की आग हो दिल म़ें,
मजबूत इरादे हो जिसके,
ये ज़िन्दगी उसी की है।

इसी ज़िन्दगी की तलाश, हमें भी है।
इसी आग की प्यास, तुम्हे भी है।

Barfi! * * *

There are very many talented Anurags in Bollywood but Basu has taken a giant stride forward and delivered a beautiful masterpiece backed by excellent writing and exceptional blue-moon performances by Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. And people now are seen having serious doubts that this comes from the same Anurag Basu  whose Kites could not fly for long recently.

Barfi, a deaf-mute mischievous boy from Darjeeling is full of life and pranks who one day comes across Shruti (played by Ileana D'Cruz, one of major causes of global warming) and falls for her not knowing that she apparently is engaged (like most of the beautiful girls in our country) to a rich hunk with a mustache. She tries her best to stay away but Barfi's silent charisma is simply too much to take. Sadly she lacks the courage that's needed to walk that extra mile on the road less traveled. On the other hand is the autistic rich lass Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra) having trouble at her fortress with her drunkard mother and debt-ridden father. Clearly we have always seen autism as some kind of acute mental problem and as a result, these love-deprived cases become worse and go through irreversible emotional set-backs. PC has pulled it off brilliantly with utter innocence and elegance. Perhaps junglee billi got some tips from that guy whose name is khan.

Ranbir Kapoor as Barfi is terrific in the most grandiose sense of the word. Rockstar took him closer to becoming a superstar, Barfi has made him that superstar. You see shades of the showman in him and our chocolate boy has become a man! There are numerous things we learn from Barfi like how easy it is to find happiness around us, how easy it is to be happy, how well we can express our feeling without words, without voice and the simple nature of love. Apart from that we also learn why we should not pee in the tea plantations of Darjeeling and the repercussions of riding a bicycle along the rail track!

The writing and direction by Basu are as beautiful as the green valleys of Darjeeling. As the story proceeds, Barfi finds love in his childhood acquaintance Jhilmil and Shruti realizes her retrospective love for Barfi. This coupled with an element of suspense which probably we could have done without, keeps the flick ticking but stretches it too far. If not for the story, watch Barfi for performances of the decade, for realizing the simplicity of love and for the revelation on finding happiness in life. Although not a Yash Raj production featuring SRK widening his arms, still would say go fall in love. Even if you are a diabetic, this Barfi is worth trying.

Sky-fall

I have been looking up,
into the clouds,
hoping that it would rain.
So that the sad tears mingle well,
with those drops of hope.
So that others don't confront me,
when I am this much vulnerable.

Have seen ups and downs,
but this sky-fall,
has pushed me so deep,
to unprecedented hollows.
It's dark down here.
Struggling for that ray,
that ray of hope.

The Dark Knight Rises * * * * *

It wouldn't be really fair to call TDKR a movie. It's much more than that. And so where the first two movies of this ultimate trilogy which is sure to become a perpetual phenomenon of a kind. The first was a sublime narrative of the making of a hero of our times. Second about the ultimate sacrifice when he takes the fall so that people keep their belief in good. And the third where he rises from the darkest of hollows to be the Hero that Gotham always deserved. It couldn't have ended better.

Set up eight years after Batman took the fall so that Gotham's white knight remains the symbol of hope, it starts with the 'trademark' breathtaking sequence which  blows your mind right at the beginning. And unlike other movies this one needed no time to pickup the rhythm which exponentially 'rises' till the very end. In fact, it's more like a tan curve where towards the end the magnitude becomes par excellence and immeasurable. After eight years of peace time, Gotham is again in the shadows with the revival of the league and the legacy of Ras al Gul.

As promised in the first, the Wayne Manor is rebuild with improving the foundations in the southeast corner but the Dark Knight overwhelmed after losing everything is to be seen nowhere. But then comes the greatest of threats to the order in Gotham which ignites that very fire again. Michael Caine as Alfred who is the emotional side of Bruce has again more than impressed. His conversations with Bruce have so much meaning in them. His is a very crucial role in the trilogy as he never gives up his faith in Bruce. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman has lived up to the likes of Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman who continued their sublime performances.

Tom Hardy who plays Bane had a really tough task at hand as the standards were set sky high by Heath Ledger as Joker in the previous flick. But I say it isn't fair to compare these men who had only one thing in common. They just wanted to watch the world burn. Given that Bane had monstrous braces wrapped around his faces which must have made it quite difficult for the expressions to surface, he did an awesome job. Merely his body language and dreadful eyes were enough to create an atmosphere of fear and horror. And finally Batman got his match in Bane as both find it hard to enunciate! But the part that will take you off the ground is the climax. And on one hand you will surely agree that this is the perfect ending to the trilogy, the other half becomes sad as it comes to an end. The dialogues and the screenplay in all the three movies are so meaningful and we find all of that having so much relevance in our very own lives. This is perhaps one of the reasons why we connect so much with Nolan's Batman. This masterpiece is an epic!

Sir Nolan, you have become more than just a man. A legend.

P.S. The 'Man of Steel' trailer seems promising!

Rise!

You were just a kid,
when they took them away.
Lost in the shades of vengeance,
you were driven by your anger.
It would have destroyed you,
but you chose justice over vengeance.
You chose to fight injustice,
You made your fear, a weapon,
a terrifying symbol, something indestructible.
You became more than just a man,
A legend. And it began!

You wanted a hero with a face,
but the clown had his way.
That even the best can fall.
But you took that fall, so that hope lives;
so that people believe in good.
like a Silent guardian, watchful protector,
you were truly incorruptible,
you were the dark knight!

Evil has resurfaced, with a different face,
faith is broken, hope lost.
To save Gotham, to keep that hope alive,
Batman has to come back,
Rise, O Dark Knight,
Rise!

To Labor!

All of those who will read this post belong to a fortunate bunch of people. Not because of the obvious awesomeness of the post but because of the fact that you got a chance to go to school and to college as a result of which you are enjoying a comfortable work culture sitting in a cozy chair in an air-conditioned room.

But what about that unfortunate lot. They are left with only one choice. Physical labor. They pull rickshaws, carry commodities and so on. It would still seem reasonable if they get enough remuneration to lead a decent life and get a chance to send their kids to school. But that is miles away from the reality. After a strenuous long day of work, they don't even get near the amount which we spend often on a Pizza. Even a regular size one. Sometimes they don't even get paid. Forget about sending their kids to school.

Is it their fault that they could not go to school? Is it their fault that they had to work in a restaurant when their peers from affluent sections studying in International schools were bunking their classes to watch 'Madagascar 3' ? It's a vicious cycle you see. If the Government lacks the will to intervene and uplift such unfortunate sections then this would go on forever. Perpetual exploitation of the labor class is a bitter reality.

There is this guy at work. I see him working non-stop over the clock on a meager salary. I asked him," After all this hard work, you should have a good meal and should wake up late the other day". He smiled innocently and said to me,"Sir, this salary is not enough for my family, so I wake up at 4 in the morning and distribute newspapers". I could not react. Suddenly this relative deprivation of labor class overwhelmed me. It's so unreasonable to give them so little just because they are not white-collared. Labor throughout all the professions should be given decent wages so that they can live with dignity.

Lets respect the work they do. Take a bow, to labor!

Shanghai * * *

Dibakar Banerjee's latest is a political thriller based on the contemporary question engaging the best in the country regarding how and where development should happen? And to facilitate this very 'development' what sacrifices are to be made?
But everyone knows who has to make the sacrifice. The lower strata. The movie revolves around this very central idea and comes at a time when there are so many real time agitations to relate to. Post Oye Lucky Lucky oye & LSD, the transition to this genre is not discomforting and Dibakar's fast paced plot makes it look easy.

Setup in a fictitious city called Bharat nagar, it is the struggle between various strands of it's social fabric as a result of a flagship program of the State Government which intends to make an International Business Park(IBP) after relocating the local people.  This IBP is branded as the panacea for the local people giving them everything they ask for. But only a faction of the people can anticipate the truth that it would rather take away whatever they have. Rest is the struggle for justice. On one side we the the govt. and the lobbies that fund them. And the poor and a few good men on the other. And in between is the sandwiched bureaucrat who has a lot of potential but is overdone with the political games. The screen play is very mature and one has to be quite alert to keep up with the pace. Dibakar speaks more with actions this time rather than words. But the first part comes out as a little vaguely edited collage and the audience would find it hard to relate or to get attached. But as we move on one would realize that nothing was random. Everything was part of a brilliantly scripted political thriller. And the climax is just icing on the cake.

This film has many new things to offer. A new and improved Imran Hashmi who finally resorts to acting as he apparently gets time off from the kissing-spree. His wicked smile and his mannerism are the only things that comprise the comic space of the flick.Abhay deol plays the South Indian bureaucrat and boy he does that in some isstyle. Hats off DevD. Kalki does the regular, no special mention. Summing up, an intense fast-paced political thriller with top class direction and some good acting.And a must for those who are aiming to reach the realms of bureaucracy or politics.

Jai Pragati !

Prometheus * *

The legend returns. No not Nolan as we still have 42 days to go for that. We are talking about the Alien fame Ridley Scott. But apparently the 75 year old director is suffering from dementia as he forgets to answer the many questions which starred as the USP of the marketing campaign. People bored with Darwinian theories were expecting an innovative answer as they thronged the theaters on the opening day but were only flooded with more questions.

The first frame goes back thousands of years where a human-like creature drinks some toxic liquid degenerating his body and possibly sowing the seeds for the evolution of life on planet Earth. Then in 2089, humans discover some pre-historic inscriptions pointing to a distant planet at various places on Earth. Out of no where, the diggers start to believe that these creatures termed 'engineers' created humans and have left signs so that we can reach our creators some day. They could have just stayed you know. It seems even they had a close connection with our 'Riddley' Scott.

Sponsored by a rich old psycho, a human crew along with a humanoid start off a journey on a ship 'Prometheus' to this planet with the so called answers about the origin of life on Earth. The initial screenplay and the resulting tempo is breath-taking. The idea of witnessing a new theory of origin of life is fascinating. The part where Prometheus lands on this alien planet and when humans go scouting inside the puzzling cavities is full of thrills and gives you a high. The first half of the movie takes our expectations sky high and the latter part is like the upcoming bond flick. Sky fall. Meanwhile humans discover dead bodies of creatures which resemble human beings. Later on, the DNA match confirms the link between the two. But we have made our ancestors angry for some reason and now they want to destroy the human race with a fleet of biological weapons. But somehow we humans always manage to survive irrespective of the magnitude of alien forces.

Apart from raining questions on the viewers, Scott also manages to show a lot of Chutiyaaps. A bunch of scared nerds who cried all the way, find the alien funny when they confront it. When a ship is failing down why would you run in the direction of it's falling head. Then, what the hell was the cave all about? Why our creators wanted to destroy us? Who created them? Why did they leave Earth? And blah blah. How can you end a movie on such a note without a promise of a sequel. Forget sequel, you should have given some closure to the audience. All the grandeur and fanfare about being alien savvy is fruitless without a closure. With all due respect Mr. Scott, if you die before Prometheus 2 (which is nowhere on the cards) we will rescue you from the grave. We want fucking answers!

Reddish blues

 Varicella zoster virus has crippled me. Chicken Pox is what they call it. It used to be common in children but these days when humans are violating all patterns setup to create a balance, why should the nature not violate the agreement ? I used to feel lucky enough having escaped from it in my childhood but now i feel that perhaps that is a better time to handle the repercussions that surface. Thousands of itchy red boils all over the body coupled with recurring fever and headaches. You cannot read, you cannot sit, you cannot sleep and you cannot curse. The last inability due to my mothers presence which is the only good thing i can see these days. Also, these are the worst days look wise. Aah, terrible joke right. Even my sense of humor suffers.


 And such disasters are worse to digest if they stand in your way during the most crucial times of your life. But sometimes we have no control over things that happen. Sometimes you just need to accept it and look forward. In such times, we do tend to feel that destiny is only screwing us. But when I look around, there are so many others in pain. Much more in quantity and longitude. In light of their agony, my sufferings are infinitesimally small. I keep telling myself that. And that kinda helps. Positive attitude and a strong will are required. And in such times, the voice of Thomas Wayne resonates in my mind.


" Why do we fall......" 


And i keep on telling myself, " ... so that we learn to pick ourselves up...."

Vicky Donor * * * *

"Huh, ye bhi koi donate karne ki cheeze hai....waise bhi waste hi karte ho na, usse accha donate hi kar do.."

Well, yes to many people in our desi audience these lines might not convey what they are meant to as apparently sperm donation is a novel thing here and though it has been existing since ages even in India no body talks about it for sure. But this brilliant and intelligent script has presented the whole concept in a way that is a sure sell out and entertaining in the purest sense. Juhi Chaturvedi's story is top notch and Shoojit Sircar's direction makes it even better.

So, Vicky is a typical punjabi munda from Delhi. Stud-types, handsome, charming, sportsman, well-built & what not. Oh yes, one thing, he is not employed. This healthy and highly potent fish is grabbed by a mediocre fertility doctor(Anu Kapoor) who is struggling to keep his fertility clinic alive amidst the scarcity of good swimmers in Delhi. The doc after a background check on Vicky, finds out that apparently he has unusually high fertility like a pure cross-breed of the Aryans and Alexander the great.He then tries to convince Vicky to make good use of his tadpoles. What follows is a hilarious depiction of changing attitudes, his bong love affair, the superb chemistry between his mother and grandma and the outstanding performance of Anu Kapoor. Take a bow, ladies and gentlemen. For Anu Kapoor. Perhaps he has always been the underdog and the most unsung for sure. But this role will give him the applause that he sincerely deserves. His punjabi accent and mannerism is spermtastic!

Another great thing about Vicky Donor is the array of superb performances. Be it our punjabi Munda Ayushman Khurana, or Dolly Ahluwalia as his mother. The modern grandma who drinks scotch like a fish is too good to be true and produces zillion lol moments with her witty one liners. Vicky's Bengali love affair and the whole Punjab vs Bengal debate is presented beautifully. The film moves on so effortlessly that you fall in love with all the characters which eventually helps to cope up with the slow pace of the movie towards the end. You do not get bored as you get connected very well in the opening half. The songs Rum & Whisky  and Pani da rang  are superb and complement the movie well. The end is kinda predictable but the first part is so impressive that you cannot simply afford to leave before the titles. So, Vicky donor  is one of those experiments which play with newer subjects using the not so famous cast. But a very successful experiment for sure. Worthy of 4 sperms! Oh, I mean 4 stars.Go and have a blast with the sperms ! Not literally though.

The Hunger Games *

Set up somewhere far in the future, this movie is yet another satire on the stratification of the world into rich and poor sections. Hunger Games is the annual event organized by the capitol i.e. the riches who control the world. Two residents, one man and one woman  from each of the twelve districts are reaped to take part in this barbaric sport. And they have to fight each other till only one is left. These games were instituted as a retribution of the rebellion by the poor people against the wealthy of the capitol. These games are meant to remind the poor that they are doomed to be poor. Forever.

Although the movie takes off on a damn hot premise but soon collapses given the below-average screenplay, mediocre direction and not-so-impressive portrayals by the cast. The initial phase where the audience needs to be sensitized with the atrocities of these poor districts, fails to connect. The much needed intensity to pull off such a script is missing throughout. The whole portion depicting the preparations to the games comes out to be totally irrelevant and unnecessarily stretches the movie too far.

At the beginning of the games, you again get the thrill and the various possibilities that one anticipates keeps you occupied. But that happens only for a while. This part again fails to engage your attention. Talking about the action sequences, oh wait, there aren't any. The Hunger Games should have been something more intriguing. The only thing you might like in the movie is the way it ends. It exemplifies a great philosophy that the world runs on hope and if you take the hope away, it is bound to collapse.

It also highlights the simple truth that rich are rich because there are poor. The rich cannot let go off them. So summing up, it is a semi-boring satire on the rich-poor divide coupled with an apparent sci-fi dimension. High possibility that you won't like it. Although Karl Marx would have found it interesting!

Rare earth elements

In this Kalyug, where morality has taken a back seat, people are driven by rage and seek vanity. In fact vanity has become their favorite sin. Selfishness has become pervasive and as a result it has moved on from the chambers of amoral values to those of practicality. No one questions the phenomenon which is ubiquitous. If everyone pees on the wall, it's not a wall anymore. Rather a public urinal. Of late , it comes in-situ with human beings.

Money has replaced self-actualization from the Maslow's hierarchy of needs and apparently there is nothing you can't buy. Apparently. There is nothing wrong in going for money. Even the Protestants preached the spirit of capitalism and even our vedas underpinned the essence of Artha i.e. livelihood. At least it keeps you occupied. Empty spaces are vulnerable and the devil seeks then desperately.  I never understood the point in leaving everything and ascending to the forest hills to seek nirvana. They say  sab moh-maya hai. But then why the hell are we here. At least ambitions give us a purpose to pursue. Way better than just sitting under a damn tree all your life.

People do get carried away though. They take this purpose so seriously that they seek it by all means possible. And most of us are lost in the scramble for self gratification. And  even if we reach there someday, we realize that we have been moving so fast pushing aside everyone in the way. The goal stands conquered but coupled with alienation and loneliness.

There has to be a balance of sorts. Balance is everything. We as a species will only survive if we maintain a balance with the nature. We as an individual would survive only if we balance self-gratification with the selflessness. Only if we live for others as well. Only if we have a shared vision. There is joy in achieving but only if you have people to share it with. But the thing is, there are few good people around these days. So if you find any, make sure you don't loose that person because of petty infatuations of pride and prejudice. Such people are like rare earth elements. Hard to find & most precious for sure.

Housefull 2 * *

"Naajayaj are born out of love and jayaj out of duty!"

Housefull 2 is a collage of numerous such loling wisdom lines presented via a gamut of stars spread across all sections of Bollywood. Like the original edition, it is based upon silly confusions and manipulations comprising a family crisis with humungous scope for situational comedy.

Wicked Sunny(Akshay Kumar) is back and well he has done quite well after a long time. His lustful character is funny and so are the sensual noises he makes all over. May be not like Rowdy Rathore but surely a super tharky one. Right from his first frame, Sunny outshines others is whatsoever aspect of comedy.'Ye mera baap hai, aur main iska paap'; 'Langurs, have my angoors'; and many more!

Some scenes really make you go rofl. The one with the croc and python; The one with Sunny's swinging bandwagon; etc etc. The elder cast has done a relatively better job. The Kapoor fraternity playing the Kapoors did it convincingly. Mithun da & Co support the script well. The girls though have not got much to do as usual but to shake their booty once in a while. Anarkali Disco Chali  is surely a hit and Maliaka even gets a couple of dialogues. A new for her sensual stints in Hindi Cinema.

Sajid has done a good job on the situational comic front but the unnecessary action sequences stretch the movie too much at times. The boring song sequences are also apparently a waste. There is no story as such and it's just a nonsensical series of unfortunate events which do provide laughter. So, it delivers what it promises. People who are bored with sinking ships and blood shedding Titans might enjoy some laughs here. And this is running Housefull.  Not joking!

iFrenzy epidemic

The way Apple products are gaining popularity is surely taking us to a time when all the words in the dictionary would start with 'i' as by then they would have prefixed every damn thing with their trademark 'i'. You can see how crazy people are for the iphone and ipad in India which has become the ultimate status symbol. This is perfectly depicted in their tag line which goes like - If you don't have an iphone, you don't have an iphone!

But apparently we Indians are way saner than our developing rivals i.e the Chinese. They may have small eyes and a baby spine but they are super crazy when it comes to the 'i' stuff. There have been many reports of violence in the Apple stores all across China by people missing out on gadgets on the very first day of their release. They are out to kill on the streets for the latest version of gadgets by Apple. But recently, they went too far. There have been reports of teenagers selling their body parts to get money so that they can buy the latest iphone and ipad.  There is this 17-year old who sold his kidney to get an ipad. You got to be kidding me!

Smart phones are next in line. What good are you if your phone doesn't have a touchscreen. Oh, you still stuck with Nokia 1100, are you from Mohenjodhero or something.? Move on dude!

Apparently the materialistic aspirations of people are taking big leaps and the middle class probably wants the Poverty Line redefined as the 'i' line. If you don't have an iphone, you are poor and the government then should provide you an iphone at subsidized price. What crap! This has resulted in a proverbial revolution. There were times when 'necessity was the mother of invention'. Today, if they invent something new, it becomes a necessity. So, role reversal. Invention is the mother of necessity.

Lets first make sure every one gets Roti, Kapda & Makaan. We can go ifrenzy then.

Titanic 3D *

It's the era of 3D and 3G where the two-dimensional realms are becoming passe. While Indian film industry is planing to digitize it's colossal collection of block-busters, Hollywood is one step further. Re-releasing the legends with an added dimension. And James Cameron is the apparent torch bearer fallen so deep in love with the ocean that he managed to reach the Challenger Deep of Mariana Trench.

This opportunity is actually for those who haven't seen the class act yet. But for those who have seen it even on the small screen, it is sheer waste. And also it's 3 hours 15 minutes long. There is nothing 3D about it. No difference whatsoever from the original. And the fuzz created by the newspapers that the censor board hasn't censored anything is apparently a rumor. You don't get to see Kate Winslet's assets in 3D. What a disappointment!

Things have changed now. People's taste has surely. No body likes stretched and tortoised screenplay. After witnessing the mind boggling heights of animation in flicks like Avatar, Transformers and so on, the viewers expect much more than what this 1997 cult has to offer. It did win 11 Oscars then, but today even in 3D, it's not worth even one. Yes, the original did deliver stuff that will stay forever. The duo stretching hands and embracing the sea. The collapse of the titanic into two parts and the sheer gigantism of the efforts needed. The 3D adds nothing. Except it makes Kate look real fat and almost like a motherly figure to Dicaprio. In all possibilities, avoid it.

Kahaani * * *

Whenever we go for a Bollywood flick, we always get deja vu. And specially in case of thrillers. Rather than the plot of the movie we are gripped by the question that Where the hell I have seen this before? And in case we find out the answer, this desi version seems like an inferior adaptation. And in case we don't, we still get this feeling that whichever movie that was, it was way better than this chutiyaaps.When will we learn to make originals.

Kahaani is the answer to all this. With all the elements of a super-thriller coupled with an Indian context makes it total paisa-wassool. The protagonist Vidya is the pregnant wife of a Bengali computer engineer and herself is from the same profession. The couple lives in London but her husband comes to Kolkata, India for some work assignment and goes missing. Vidya already in the late stages of pregnancy comes to Kolkata in his search. She goes to the local police and the hunt begins. But it ain't that simple. A new mystery awaits them at every crossroad and eventually this case gets mingled with another one which is under the Intelligence Bureau (IB) related to some terrorist. This complicates it even more and sets the stage for the grand finale climax. At the end, you find your self totally violated and outsmarted by an intelligent script and diligent direction.


Vidya who just received a National for The dirty picture is all set for a consecutive win. She leaves you awestruck at times and pulls off a very difficult role with complete authenticity. The supporting actors are smartly picked from the Bengali film fraternity which brings a kind of local appeal to the screenplay. Although the first half is kinda slow and gives away too many clues to doubt Vidya's claim but leaves enough in the air to keep you guessing.  But the mythological parallel drawn on a contemporary plot is too good and too original. Another interesting aspect the innovative portrayal of Kolkata which is sure to impress the locals.

So, Vidya's skill and the climax are the two highs of this Kahaani which make it a good watch. This one is for those who like stories to be told in a freaking twisted way and of course for those who belong to the city of joy.

Being Benjamin

Sometime I feel possessed by the idea which David Fincher planted via Benjamin. What if the clock of our life ran backward. What would have happened if we had arrived old  and grew younger day by day. Would that have made a difference in the way things are in this world. Quite a mesmerizing idea. Isn't it.

The first couple of decades would be immensely enriching as we would we in the company of the old. Those who have seen it all, traveled across the world and played every role. We would be learning from their experiences. They would tell what all one should surely do in life and what all is just a mere waste of time. The initial years in the company of the wise would surely bring a sense of maturity. But in way, we would be doing away with the worst of times beforehand. Imagine having all the troubles of old age early in your life. We would age from all the suffering and grow stronger. There would not be this regret that you missed doing something in your youth.

But then it will always be an escape from the people that we will be seeing in the cross-roads of our life. It would be hard to forget the fact that we are going in the wrong direction. The fact that we would not be able to grow old with the love of our life. The fact that we would not want to have children and then get younger than them. And the most difficult of all things, you would be seeing so many of your people die in front of you. That's the hardest of all.

Everything that goes up, comes down. It doesn't matter which way you are going. You will end someday. There is no escape from mortality. But what matters is the choice you make, the people you love and that very feeling of satisfaction. Satisfaction that you did all of those things which you wanted to. That you lived to the fullest.

Paan Singh Tomar * * * *

This is stuff we have been waiting for since long. A truly inspiring and touching biopic of a steeplechase legend who was forced by situations to run with a gun. And I know we all adore Irffan, but this outstanding portrayal of a rebel is surely taking him to the hall of fame. In fact, in Bollywood there have not been many  performances with such depth, conviction and intensity. All hail Irffan !

The story is set in the wild bihads along side the Chambal river where a local joins the Indian Army instead of the dacoit gangs. Soon his extra-ordinary running capabilities attract attention and he becomes the star athlete of the services grabbing all sorts of medals and world records in steeplechase. But things turn ugly back at home and he is forced to leave the army and comes back home to look after his kin and farm. Then the ugly becomes worse and he is left with no option but to use the power of the gun. The corrupt police and bureaucracy play a lead role as a catalyst to provoke the vengeance. Our runner turned Robin Hood takes his revenge and does a lot more for the poor people. Refusing to surrender to the useless government he is eventually killed in an ambush.

Mahie Gill who plays the wife has done well in her little space. The chemistry with Irffan is outstanding and a couple of their acts are absolutely hilarious and witty. The direction seems so international and the fast paced screenplay keeps you on your tips. Although, he could have shortened it a bit towards the very end. Irffan, right from the very first frame of his arrival brings in tremendous power and authority as Paan Singh. The authentic portrayal coupled with numerous punch lines in desi languageva & accentva is just perfect. This is a performance that deserves much more than a National. Oscar, here we come.

Although centered around the life of Paan Singh Tomar, this movie stands for so many people. The plight of the unsung sportsperson in our country who are not given the deserved attention. Many of these have died penniless and some due to insufficient medical attention. This is a real and painful story. The credits at the end of the movie dedicated to the unsung sportsperson of our country are equally painful. This film is about how rebels are born out of national heroes. An entertaining film with a strong message. Don't miss!

P.S. Respect to all the unsung sportsperson of India. You make us proud !

Defeat

Defeats are difficult to digest. Some more than the others. And sometimes none of the stress busters help. Sometimes it takes a while to even realize that the defeat is real and you are not going to wake up from it. Your subconscious tries to tell you that it's just a bad dream. And that the dawn is coming. But when you do realize it and have to face the world around you, that is when you need to be at your strongest.

You should not care about what people would say. Only you know what it takes to win and only you know that you did all that was possible. In these desperate times, you get to know people who actually belong to you. Who actually care.

Make peace with the defeat as soon as possible. This time is not for grief but for introspection. To regroup and to fill in for the lacunae. There is this feeling inside you which tells you that you can do this. You should not let this very feeling wither away. Rather amplify it. Feed on it.  Let it drive you.  And it will take you places.

And I know it's a big cliche but it's equally true, there is always next time. This wasn't the last strike.

Believe

I am fascinated by red dresses. When ever I see a girl in a red dress, I get kinda lost. The reason being, it's part of the perfect date which I envisage. I would drive up to her place to pick her up. She would be waiting. She would then come out of her house sensing my presence.I would then get out of the car and open the door for her.She would be wearing that red dress and I would be dressed in Black. With the red tie of course. It would be sometime in the spring with the lovely breeze playing with her hair. We would then go to our favorite place with dim lights & with her playlist on. It would be just the two of us. And of course the red wine.

I would then look into her eyes and would let the eyes do the talking. She would then sense the moment. We both had been waiting for this moment. For long, really long. She would smile with tears coming off her eyes. I will take out the ring. And get down on my knees. The moment would then become real.

That's pretty much it. But sometime even the smallest of things become huge in the sense that you get caught up in other things which need to dealt with first and you just loose track of these small things which you have always wanted. And out of the blue someday it occurs to you that for that other bigger thing you seemed to have kept too much on hold.  The stack of these small things might reach unprecedented height one day. And might even collapse.

But you need to believe in yourself and that you made the right choice and all these things are going to come true one day. You need to be strong, patient and positive. You need to believe. Come what may.

Ek main aur Ekk tu _|_

If you think this will go well with this season of love, you are wrong. If you think that Kareena will recreate the magic of 'Jab We Met', wrong again. If you think, they look super cute together and that's enough, wrong again. And if you still think that the music will be the saving grace, bloody wrong again!

This so called rom-com has apparently no element of rom or com. Nothing new and striking about the story either. A rich boring guy suddenly transforms into this cool dude after some tequila shots and accidentally marries a stranger. Although the director claimed that the whole stuff is her own creation, but c'mon whom are you kidding, we all have seen 'What happens in Vegas' and we all have seen Ross and Rachel. What's more embarrassing is this stupid originality claim crap, plagiarism is apparently an accepted cliche when it comes to Bollywood.

The thing(cannot call it a story/plot) goes on at an miserable pace and in the course, our male protagonist learns to be a man so that eventually he can gather all his energy and guts to tell his parents that they suck! & that he sucks because of them. There are some new innovations though. Kareena's hip-hop parents who feel comfortable making the ball jokes and to share a fag with their daughter in the bathroom. And an unusual ending which can claim to be a bold one too. But these don't have any effect at the sucking prevails and dominated most part of it.

So, with no story, fewer dialogues, bad music and terrible acting, this is not even an option you should consider. Unless you are just looking for an isolated place to make out with your mate as there will be very few people in screens showing this disaster!

Days of our lives

Time is so dynamic, unbiased and unprejudiced.
It's this flow that keeps us going.
It's these possibilities that keeps us moving.
For everyone, there are days,
some good, some bad and some ugly.

But some of them, stand out,
you want to relive them,
again, and then yet again.
These are the days when we are happy,
and there are no pretensions.
These are the days when we want time to freeze,
the moments to stand still,
so that we can hold on to them, a little longer.
These are the days when we feel, life is beautiful!
These are the days which stay forever.
These are 'the days' of our lives.

Although, irony breaks in here as well,
we often are saddened, even in these good times,
at the thought of vulnerability, at the risk of loosing them.
Such cowards we are, sometimes.
Live the moment, to the fullest.
So that if ever we loose them,
these memories would keep us going,
the memories of 'those days' of our lives.

War horse * * *

One might wonder that how can a story which has a horse as a protagonist work? Well, Steven Spielberg not only makes it work but the outcome is a cinematographic beauty which will definitely find a special place in people's hearts. His work convinces you beyond doubt that story telling is an art and he is the best artist in town.

It all starts in a small village of England before the first World War when an old farmer decides to buy a horse or rather is tricked into it by his own landlord. The farmer's wife scolds him over his stupidity but his son(Albert), who had seen this horse grow, is overwhelmed with joy and decides to train him and use him as a plough-horse. The magic of the movie starts right here when you begin to see Joey(the horse) as a person and the chemistry he has with his master is lovingly cute. It all makes you wonder, are we really a superior species and what gives us the right to rule the other ones.

Joey does wonders in their fields and gives them the hope of a good harvest but the rains spoil the show and the farmer sells him to a military general who plans to take  him to war. Albert is crushed deeply and you feel his pain through his eyes. Joey then takes on a long journey through the battle fields, touches numerous hearts and then somehow comes back alive from the no mans land to meet his very own Albert. But before that, Joey befriends many and proves to be much more than a horse. The way all these little stories have been portrayed, makes you fall in love with Joey. Makes you feel that it's just not humans who have hearts.

The symbolism throughout is just amazingly befitting. Joey comes out as a rainbow of human emotions comprising the agonies of destitution, brutalities of wars, atrocities on animals, heartbreak of an orphan girl and above all the absolute feeling of love defying all artificial boundaries. The scene where Joey desperately runs away from the battle fields is brilliantly shot and the subsequent collaboration among enemies to save a horse barbed in no mans land, stands out loud. The scripting is equally good and some of the dialogues are here to stay. Overall, yet another Spielberg master piece with a creative confluence of war, love and destiny. And of course, Joey, the horse, who btw is more deserving a candidate for a golden globe for best actor, more so than George Clooney in The Descendants!

Agneepath *

Are we out of new stories? Are all the good directors and script-writers on a sabbatical lately? Have we already exhausted all the creativity in our cinema ? Apparently, yes. Here comes yet another attempt to recreate a legend. And again, it will just be an attempt. Nothing more than that. Time and again we have seen this happening. The newbies seem to prefer replication over innovation. But soon, they will have to accept the truth that legends cannot be recreated.

This remake of the original Agneepath is not even comparable to the magic which was created by Amitabh Bachchan & Danny Denzongpa. Hrithik fails to convince you that he is the angry young man of this age. The only saving grace of the movie is the overpowering performance of Sanju (as Kancha) and his extracts from Gita & Ramayana.

As in the original, it starts with the brutal execution of an honest and Gandhian teacher who comes in the way of a local goon and stands up for the sake of his village people. He is ambushed and falsely accused of an heinous act. His son Vijay, the protagonist, is imprinted with the image of his father being hanged over the Banyan tree. And he resolves to take revenge at any cost. And rest are all colors with the shades of vengeance. Sheer vengeance. To power up for the battle, Vijay plans to team up with a rival goon so as to rise to a level where he can negotiate with Kancha. There are some scenes where you feel your heart beat on a rise with the intense build-ups and all you want to do is to grab a dagger and hop in. Specially the scene, where Vijay gallops to save his sister along with his Hijra- Army. But all this build-up is screwed big time by the unwanted sentiyapa between brother-sister.

PC has been wasted in the movie and the filler family dramas retard the pace and take away the ephemeral thrills created. Even towards the dying moments, Vijay lacks the charisma and his eyes fail to convince you of the anger that powers you to unprecedented levels of insanity. In spite, Kancha seems to be more assertive than the protagonist. We all knew that there wasn't any story here. We just wanted to see madness, vengeance, insanity and revenge painted in the colors of heroism. We wanted to see a man driven only by vengeance. We wanted the angry young man. We wanted an eye for an eye. But sadly, we don't get all this. Those who haven't seen the original, may like it, and for rest i would say..

तू नहीं देखेगा इसे,
तू नहीं चाहेगा इसे,
कर शपथ! कर शपथ! कर शपथ! 
ये मामूली दृश्य है, घोर समय व्यर्थ है,
अश्रु श्वेत् रक्त से,

लथ पथ, लथ पथ, लथ पथ !
अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ!

The Descendants _|_

                                   

Suck-fest seems to have started and here comes yet another shitty movie. After the shockingly disappointing J.Edgar, comes yet another googly which achieves new levels of sucking. And for the absolutely paradoxical reviews put up by various leading Newspapers, critics and the high IMDB ratings- Screw you guys, may your souls bleed in hell.Vafanapoli !

Apparently, the movie is about the interplay of human emotions and the complications in the relationship of a father and his daughters. Although it is actually an utterly boring and mind-numbingly slow portrayal of a man who loses his wife in an accident and then has to deal with his daughters, family and the extra-marital affair of his wife. The character Clooney plays  (Matt King) seems to be pulling too many strings and confuses you all over. The drug-addict elder daughter alias motherless whore undergoes a sudden dramatic change and becomes all goody-goody and perfect daughter material. The extra-marital affair seems to lead in front and the movie tries to convince you that even these pigs who betray should be given chance to express their emotions. Give me a break, Christ! The sub-plot of selling the ancestral land keeps on coming randomly in between but remains utterly weak to gain any importance.

Director Alexander Payne proves to be a real Pain in the ass. Although unconsciously, he puts an element of mystery in this family drama. The mystery of this title. The descendants. Was it meant to highlight the relationship between generations of a family? Or was it in reference to the safeguarding of ancestral property by the protagonist ? Either way , it fails to convince you, as both feel not more than a sub-plot. George Clooney, who is attracting so much of attention for this mediocre performance, is yet another mystery. This Matt King is no match to Micheal Clayton and everything here seems Up in the air.  At the end, you feel like killing yourself and those who praised this disaster. Let me make this loud and clear, THIS IS SHIT, MAINTAIN DISTANCE!

P.S. It deserves not even a single star but only the middle finger.

J.Edgar *

Well, not always can we expect a superb director-actor double to work. And certainly this biopic on John Edgar Hoover, the man responsible for the inception of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and also for taking it to an unprecedented level, fails to impress. Miserably.

Clint Eastwood's direction seems dull for most part of it and he stretches it too far at the end. And because of that, the result would definitely not fetch him Million Dollar Baby.  Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Edgar lacks the charisma of the person who supposedly out rooted the seeds of communism in America. He was not that bad. It's just that he is capable of so much more. You find it difficult to resist from the glimpses of his similar portrayal of a famous man in the cult Aviator. And in comparison, Edgar clearly losses to Howard.

The movie uses the passe flashback cinematography to interlink various stages of Edgar's life. Set up in the backdrop of the rise of radical communists in America in the earlier decades of twentieth century, the plot revolves around the unshaken determination of a man to fight crime and to institutionalize the skills that developed in the due process. The problem here being that Clint decides to go micro on some of the issues and the audience fails to visualize the gigantism of this extra-ordinary man.

The highs of the movie- The speeches which Edgar makes to the Congress defending his Bureau, impressive depiction of the influence of his mother on his persona and powerful narration in the voice of DiCaprio. And yes, the part of Edgar's life, when he was gay. The bloody man-to-man lip-lock gives the audience something to talk about. At the end, it doesn't even qualify for a movie. If you missed the documentary on Edgar which was aired on History Channel, you can think about going. But even then, I would say, avoid it!

CBI cracks pink puzzle

New Delhi. For the last couple of days, Indian markets all over where missing something which is the biggest turn on for girls. All of sudden the textile market seemed to be out of stock for pink apparels. Name anything, from caps to socks, from purses to pants, and it was not available in the color 'pink'.

As per the National Sample survey organization, the sale of anti-depressants went up like anything in the last couple of days and women buyers accounted for like 99.99% of it. On a similar note, a study conducted at AIIMS revealed that multitude of women came in for psychiatric assistance complaining of severe depression. Numerous cases of women fainting were seen in CP, Palika Bazaar and Rajouri.

Amazed by the turn of events, the chairman of National Commission for Women(Maoist), Rakhi Sawant had made an appeal for an CBI inquiry to be made in this regard. She had also approached the PMO seeking a relief package of 5000 Cr to fill in for the shortage of Pink apparels. She had also demanded that 100% FDI in single brand should be implemented in a mission mode so that global giants like Versace, Giordino and Gucci can help India to recover from the pink crisis.

But as per the latest developments, the mystery has been solved. CBI has revealed in it's report that the reason behind these unfortunate series of events that almost brought the female population of the country on the verge of extinction, was the demand pull of Pink cloth in UP so as to cover all the Mayawati statues and her elephants. One UP official who did not want to be named told the media that there were so many statues and elephants that they had to cut supply to all other parts of India and used all the pink cloth available in the market. These set of events have attracted serious criticism from women sections across the world and has again highlighted the gender bias in India. The Election Commission has apologized and said it did not see this coming, but this is not enough to stop Rakhi Sawant who plans to sue the Election Commission.

Bayern, Bhutia and Indian Football

I remember it was back in December that I had heard about Bayern Munich coming to India for a friendly. And somehow completely lost track of it like other Hindu readers. And was a little shocked to read that the match was today. Holy cow, would I get the tickets now. Ephemeral sadness, only to realize that this was India, where Cricket is the religion.

But the scenes at the Nehru Stadium scared the hell out of me. The last time I saw these many people with Indian flags was the agitation for Lokpal. The queue was so long that for a moment I thought I stand no chance. But then this group of people, standing just next to me, had an extra ticket and I pounced on the opportunity. That was good luck and those were pretty good seats as well. Thanks stranger.

Even from outside the stadium, I could feel the electric atmosphere being generated by the rare Indian football fans. And when I got inside, to see the 65,000 capacity Nehru stadium almost full, was a nice surprise. But probably the Indian sports administration did not see this coming at all. All the seats on the upper tiers were covered with a thick layer of dust. Looks like post-commonwealth games, no one gives a damn. It was really pissing to see the wonderful stadium in this disgusting condition. But the fans seemed too excited at the prospect of witnessing mesmerizing Robben and Ribery,

The game started. And I bet everyone was aware of the vast difference in the levels of both the teams. And we were just happy cheering the moment Indian team got the ball or we went into their half etc. To be frank, these were very rare moments. At least in the first half. They scored 4 in the first half mostly from open play and the one from Schweinsteiger was mind-blasting. But kinda got the ball in the second half and created a couple of chances which was nice. And the moment when Bhutia was called off, every one in the stadium stood up and bowed to the man who is the face of Indian football. Respect. It felt kinda nice not to let them score in the second half. Something of a achievement we can say. Moreover, defensively we did pretty well restricting a world class team to just four. And our goal keeper surely deserves an applause.

Overall, a step ahead for Indian football I would say. More clubs need to be contacted and invited to play in India. The football fans seems to be multiplying like anything. It was great to see a near houseful football match when even cricket matches these days are unable to attract crowds. Big names like Bayern are surely a crowd puller and next in line should be none other than the most followed club in India. Manchester United. The only way to catapult Indian football to higher levels is to use such established brands to sensitize the Indian crowd.

P.S. The only thing bothering me was the empty seat next to me. 

Inception and UPA II

Somewhere in the dark corners of the capital, a cabinet meeting was scheduled off the record with media totally unaware of Government's secret project.All the cabinet ministers were dressed up in black and their faces covered with their hoods, except that of the PM, because you know... The agenda was two-fold. How to deal with Anna and Mayawati ?

Suddenly the discomforting silence was broken by the PM.'I have an idea. On my recent tour to America, I met Nolan who taught me something about inception. We can use this rare skill to plant ideas in our rival's mind that would ultimately benefit us.'

KS : I have heard of that. But what if this idea is not actually yours and has been planted by them in your mind. And how do we know that this is not a dream.

PM : Even I had this doubt when I became the PM for the first time. But Madam told me there was a reason why I was chosen. Our kind, have different type of brain. Something much more complex and cannot be incepted by the opposition.

KS: Oh, Nice! What is the plan then?

PM : We will plant the idea that Lokpal can be too dangerous in Anna's brain and to break up Uttar Pradesh in Mayawati's brain!

All  cabinet minister(in chorus) : Singh is King !!
PM raises his hand in response to the applause.

KS: But I am not sure if Mayawati has a brain.

PM : I know. Odds are against us but we don't have a choice.Ok. PC, you deal with Anna and KS you go to Maya.
***************************************************************************
PC goes to Anna's fast venue where he is asleep. He enters his dream disguised as Swami Agnivesh.

AH : What do you seek SA?

SA: I seek a path to fight the corrupt.

AH : I offer you the path of ombudsman.

SA: He will not become a hero, you also know it deep down, don't you?

AH : Yes, but he's the hero India deserves, not the one it needs right now. So we'll flaunt him because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.

SA : We need a hero with a face and not some vigilante.

AH: What do you mean ?

SA : You are making him more than just a man. You are devoting him to an ideal. And if they can't stop you, it will become something else entirely. Lokpal, Mr. Hazare.

AH : Corruption is killing people SA, what would you have me do?

SA: Endure. Take it back. They will hate you for it. But you have already lived your life. You can take it. You can be an outcast.Only you can make this choice, the right choice.

******************************************************************************
KS goes to Mayawati's place. He tries to enter her dream as her party promoter but finds out soon that  dream levels are not possible and the only possibility is the limbo. He finds her there siting alone and contemplating of forming a party to fight election.

M : I think there are enough dalits like me who can ensure enough votes.

PP : Right, but they seem to be restricted to a certain part of the state. Only if others weren't in this state.

M : People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Mayawati, as a woman. I'm flesh and blood I can be ignored. I can be destroyed but as a symbol, as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting. I need a symbol.

PP: What kind of symbol?

M: Some thing really big and terrifying.

PP: We can use your face.

M: No. Not an identity, we need a symbol.... Elephant !

PP : But won't people pity more if we chose a symbol like ...I don't know... a pig.

M: It's not what we are beneath; but it's what we do that defines us.

PP: Inspiring. But we need to break the state, so that we isolate our vote banks.

M: Yes, someday , we will.

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

In days to come, Anna takes back his fast and Mayawati decides to break the state four ways. The cabinet rejoices the success. PM only smiles though. He still is not convinced that all this is reality and he actually became a PM. He throws his totem on the table waiting for it to stop. But the totem shows no signs of stopping. He look at Madam. She smiles.