PK movie review

Though the title says review but this is no professional review. This is a musafir review. You can close the window if you want. Ha ha. Anyways I write for fun on this blog.

I had gone to watch the film without any clue of the story or without any story based reviews. I guess I will have to keep the suspense here as I dont intend to share the script with you.


Mr Hirani has the ability to make a film on a sensitive issue and yet let it sound totally uncontroversial. To make a film on Gandhi in India and not have any public unrest is phenomenal. In PK, he draws an amazing script on an issue as difficult as religion...and gets away with it. No protests till now.

The most phenomenal thing in the film is that everything is questioned within the film...including the origin of the hero. You dont have to believe in the story but gradually you start believing in the origin of the hero...and then you are in for a ride as the protagonist asks questions and goes to the origin of religions in a very organic manner. An enquiry so deep and yet so simple that any common audience would relate to it. The fact that the protagonist happens to choose Bhojpuri accent by accident is a part of the script I guess.

Though the film has the conventional Hindi film drama and melodrama but it is amazing in what it does and delivers.

Aamir is as usualy but I think an actor like Pankaj Kapur or Shahnawaaz could have made the film 10 times more powerful. But I guess, the fact that a mainstream super actor chooses to do such a film is in itself a nice thing.

I happen to see the film with an upcoming AD of a film and we both agree that it takes a lot of friendship between Vidhu Vinod and Hirani to produce such films.

If you have some interest in communal harmony...this film will appeal you.

The tears of a woman

I was speaking to a dear friend and colleague this morning and he shared a very profound thing as I complimented him about he was looking today. I told jhim any woman would fall for him today if he proposes.

He is already in a committed relationship as I presume. He said: One should never play with women as if you hurt a woman, her tears remain with you for life"

I agreed completely.

But as I sit to write this blog...I realised that even for men its true. Men dont cry but even their thoughts perhaps would emit the same radiation if played with.

I think the gospel would then be that no matter its a woman or a man...dont play with anyone.

Miss Spontaneous

Spontaneity in life is the best virtue one can have. Not only in academic parlance but in relationships. You can just spot people in your life who are spontaneous. By God's grace I have some people like that in my life.

But a few days back a lady came into my life whom I called Miss Spontaneous, for obvious reasons. On a shayari spree, I wrote a couple of lines contexted around our conversations and engagements

Kehti ho ki yeh hai akhiri tasveer,
Na Jaane Kitni aur tasveeren hain meri takdeer
Milenge tujhe kabhi agar rahi mehr faree-e-peer

Scotland referendum

Its so interesting that it came to a referendum in Scotland and the world media didnt have anything to say about it till a month ago. Its now that the referendum is now happening that we find so much of news for the last month or so.

I was just discussing it with a friend that how many countries have come up in the last 30 years of so. Russia broke up into numerous countries. People called it the downfall of the the Russia...it weakened and it split.

But the split in United Kingdom is interesting as UK is no where close to be a weak state, though it may become one if the split happens.

Being the dreamy kinds...I think British have gotten back what they gave to the world and India in particular...a split.

But the good thing is that if this split happens, it will be in a civilised manner.

The problem of looking formal in India - suit...safari suit?

So, you have an official meeting or a formal party...what do you wear? A suit... thats the answer. Men dont seem to have any other option. But speaking from an Indian point of view and taking into consideration the tropical kind of climate here...why would anybody want to wear an extra layer of clothing when its already hot out there. Rationality says you shouldnt but still I see people wearing coats in summer despite the 40 something temperature. Enough to prove that humans are not rational minds after all.

The worst to bear this brunt are the corporate guys and lawyers. Unki rag rag men coat(read suit) basa hota hai.  I feel wearing a coat in summer is the height of stupidity. Thats the reason I have always looked down at people wearing coats in peak summer (winter its still ok).

I have always preferred to wear a kurta pyjama as a formal attire but there was a time when I was to be interviewed by some top notch corporate guy and on the suggestion of a friend...wore a suit for the interview. Obviously I had to tell everybody around...could you put on the a/c ...its hot!.

 But do we have an option. There is no other way to look formal. A simple formal shirt isnt considered formal enough in many scenarios.

Thats why millions of Indians go that way. The neck tie is another such story by the way...extremely irrelevant for India...but yet the easiest way to be formal is to wear a tie. I am glad some progressive schools have now banned it.

One thing that has gone in favour of the suit is that the usage of air conditioners in India has increased and thus you could afford to wear a suit in you air conditioned office or car. But still for God sake...its summer.

I had at some time contemplated putting a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) to stop this inhumanity. Imagine a sales guy wearing a tie and suit...running after a bus. All lawyers are subject to this humanity by wearing neck ties or something similar  right in the Supreme Court.

Anyhow, I was travelling in the metro the other day and saw a gentleman wearing the safari suit. Now thats something hard to find these days. Its probably left to some old government clerks or business people to wear. I can remember the scene from the film Bunti and Babli, where Abhishek Bacchan wears the safari suit and sells the Taj Mahal.


Reading up about the Safari suit on the net was joy. With origins in Asia, perhaps Australia, designed to go on a safari and with multiple pockets, it became a city thing and had become a rage in the 1970's and 80's in India.  As an article said:

"The 70s and 80s saw the reign of the safari. In fact, one would see both a clerk and his managing director wearing a safari."  - http://www.dnaindia.com/speak-up/report-rise-and-fall-of-the-safari-suit-1072575

Another remarkable must read article on the safari suit is here - http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/south-asia/hail-the-safari-suit-vanished-symbol-of-modern-india

Though I also don't look at it as something fashionable these days but I think it was perhaps the best way to look formal or something like that for a country with a climate like India. At least you wear only a single layer and over that its a half sleeve suit.

May be our designers need to reinvent the safari suit and give an option to the 'slaves' we are to the Western  fashion with origins in cold climate countries. I know there are numerous designers from India doing great on the fashion scene. Kuch to karo bhai.

I saw this interesting website which sells safari suits...exclusively. Check out http://safarisuits.biz/ I am putting an image from their website...Doesnt it look cool.

The Metro Washbasin tap approach to life

Dont get bogged by the name. Its a simple approach - The Metro Washbasin tap approach.

The washbasin tap in my new office has been irritating me for a while now. It has sensors and when you get your hands around the tap...it senses movement and then automatically dispenses water. At least that is what it is meant to do. Its been over a month in office now and I find the sensors moody...they just wouldnt sense my hand movement...even if I just give the tap a pat near the sensor...no water.

But I am also the experimentative types...I have expertise in closing(read turning off) taps (read tooti) which no normal person can close. You just need to give the tap a vertical push downwards and simultaneously rotate the knob and turn it off. (I didnt want this traditional knowledge/secret  to go with me to the grave...so sharing it here).

But this being an electronic type...my prior experience with mechanical taps was no help. Also, had better sensor taps at my previous office.

But, now I have found the way to make it work. If at first it doesnt work despite the pat....just move your hand back a good one feet away from the tap...and straighten up (as if you are not interested in the tap)...and then...again put your hand at the sensors...and magic...it dispenses water.

I realised the same principle works at the metro station. If despite repeated attempts at the entry gate...trying different angles to touch the card/ticket on the scanner...it doesnt work...the gates dont open. All you have to do is take a step back....pause...(and pretend to the gate that you dont want to come in) ...and try again...and yes it works.

So, as I walked out of the loo...I started thinking..how true is this philosophy/approach in life. We keep on fighting with a situation...trying different ways to get out of it...and we keep fighting. Perhaps its good to just stop that...take a pause...step back (take a break) and then try. IT SHOULD WORK.

Well I think as I figured it out with the washbasin tap...I also figured that out in life. I am at the moment doing that in a relationship in life. And...things seem to be working out...though I think human beings are a little slower than taps in dispensing.

Before writing this entry, I just shared this approach with a colleague and she started sharing a similar or perhaps the same philosophy from Buddhism. The discussion later led on to another discussion on the concept of metaphysical hesitation...which great figures faced in life. Buddha after attaining nirvana hesitated if he should share the wisdom with people (or are people ready for it?)...he hesitated...but finally he did.

I think people are ready to understand this approach to life...No metaphysical hesitations!

Highway film review and thoughts

Oh what a film!

Its truly some great cinema. I just went to watch this film considering some good reviews on facebook. Had never thought that I would be writing about it soon.

The best thing about this film is some breathtaking cinematography...great shots of Indian countryside and Himalayas...so inspiring that I am considering hitting the highway tomorrow...really. One feeling that you get at a lot of places in the film is to break free.

Alia Bhatt and Randeep have perhaps given their best perfomances ever. The script of the film would have been very difficult to carry but the Director does it amazingly well. Portraying a relationship between a contract killer and a rich lass is extremely difficult...but if flows in this film. Randeep plays the perfect Haryanvi Bhati...accent is perfect.

The Stockholm syndrome is tough to depict...but it just happens in the film.

Some scenes in the film are extremely memorable...whether its Alia playing with the pistol as it snows or its Randeep Hooda breaking down towards the end. Zabardast. All the more the movie is very realistic.

Also, the film is about transformation as Alia transforms from a carefree rich girl to someone who can take on the world and break free. And Randeep from a cold contract killer to someone extremely soft.

This film is worth the hours spent in the theatre.

We need more of such cinema. Great work.