No one killed Jessica - review

The movie (dis)claims to be a mix of fact and fiction. They didn't tell me the ratio, but it must have been 10:90. Otherwise, what else can define the liberty taken in portraying the characters not the way they are in real life, specially when you have direct references available and that itself could make for great cinema. 

Story is of a murder, of jessica, by a rich and powerful lad because she refused to serve him a drink. Its also about the legal fight fought-lost-reopened-and-won by the deceased's sister with help of media.   

I found the movie oversimplified and caricaturesque. Not a bad movie, considering the performances and music (specially the music including background score by amit trivedi, which infuses soul in the scenes, delhi has been painted with music). But it fell short of what it could easily have been, had it avoided the card board characters (like that of murderer's mother who had just three lines in the movie (kuchh bhi ho jaaye, mere monu ko kuchh nahin hona chahiye)). Sabrina is a very strong woman in real life. She has wrongly been shown timid and at the mercy of media in the movie. NDTV didn't do all that (as has been shown in the movie). It was Tehelka, not NDTV. And the positive portrayal for Barkha Dutt immediately after radiagate smells fishy. Its good cinema, but not great cinema. There were moments when it touched (the honest police officer investigating the case telling Sabrina that he had taken Rs. 70 Lakhs just for not raising his hand on the accused and the expression of sabrina (vidya) after hearing this; or the one when the accused's parents visit sabrina's home and put a wreath on jessica's photo and jessica's parents, instead of asking them to get lost, ask for tea.) But these moments  were far and few between.

All said and done, bringing this contemporary story to life, in a format which appeals commercially, is remarkable. I feel the liberties that the director  Rajkumar Gupta took are because he wanted the film to a commercial hit. I don't doubt his (or ronnie screwala's (the producer's) intent). But the execution could have been better. Better than this, atleast. 

But that doesn't mean that this movie is bad cinema (likes of housefull or laaga chunri mein daag). It is notches above the crap that indian cinema has seen (except for the small budget wonders like do dooni chaar and phas gaye re obama). And one must go and see it, just to pass on the message that this kind of cinema is supported not less than Housefull or Khatta Meetha.

Review - Rock On - the Hindi Movie (genre: musical)

I have seen two movies in last two days – ROCK ON and WALL-E.

'Rock on' ke baare mein kya kahoon! It’s a wonderful musical, lekin who music rock hai is baare mein shak hai mujhe. Music behad acchha hai, kahani ko aage badhata hai aur film ki jaan hai, lekin pop-music ki tarah sunayi deta hai aur mere ROCK jaanane waale dost kahte hain ki electric guitar use kar lene se aur drum ke sounds highlight kar dene se koi music rock nahin ban jaata.

Criticism aside, the film has got something that keeps you engaged (depsite its slow pace), mixes emotions in to stories and songs to good effect and when the film credit rolls you can see everyone humming one or two lines from one of the 6 songs……….. lyrics are ajeeb – pedestrian but unique and hence its difficult to decide whether its lyricist’s genius to write such simple and well meaning lyrics or its one of those ‘chance’ products. Farhan, Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab are top-class performers – on stage and in acting. All said and done, one of the rare musicals made in India that really shall find its place equal to “once” or “singing in the rain”.

Are TV serials barometer of societal paradigms?

What precedes what - TV content or socially popular/ acceptable norms? Its a classical debate just like "Do films affect society or society gets reflected in films?" If saas-bahu serials are famous and have lot of viewership, does it make the content "in-vogue". Logically, YES.

There will always be people who will have a niche liking for specific content. And there will be a choice of masses. Many a times, the short-tenured fashion (fad) lives like a tornado - momentarily powerful and just that. The bitchy programs are perhaps like that. It was attempted earlier too - in 2001, Neena Gupta presented "Kamzor Kadi Kaun", a game show with participants eliminating by group vote the one they all feared was most likely to succeed, thus increasing individual's chance in next round..... and the program was a flop, signifying perhaps that India was not ready for such a show then. But it seems to have changed now, with Raodies, Big Boss, Get Gorgeous, Splitsville and many other shows capturing/staging the acrimony between participants/ mentors to enhance their TRPs.

High viewership for such programs do reflect achange in Indian choices, even if they may be limited to a specific section of population (read youth). There will always be alternate programming available for arty/ serious/ moral/ traditional/ cultural viewers and its possible that many choices of their are not "mass choices". But so be it.

Guruji of Adilabad

Dec 2002: I was at Adilabad for two months. It’s a tribal area of Andhra Pradesh, very close to the Maharashtra border. Ashish, my senior from IRMA, introduced us to Ravindra Sharma (fondly called Guruji). This man, in such a place, spoke to me in a Hindi that put me to shame "Aapki dincharya kya hoti hai? Aapke shodh ka vishay kya hai? Iska prayojan kya hai? Aapne vishraam kiya na! Agar sihran ho to mutthhi baandh lein, thand muthhiyon mein band ho jaayegi!!!!"............

http://pa-jugalbandi.blogspot.com/2007/10/besaba-baat-badhaane-ki-zarurat-kya-hai.html

What he remembers well is Rama's story in Awadhi, and his knowledge of languages is intact....... his cow's family has grown now to three, and NIFT students are now taught by tribal supervisors....... He still speaks to Ashish in the same SHUDHH HINDI.

He signed off a recent conversation by saying, "Ye purabiya log (people from Bihar and West Bengal) sangeet ke rasik hote hain. Maine desh bhraman ke beech dekha, unke jeevan ki har lay mein ek geet hai, har kartavya mein ek sur mila hua hai, har kadam mein taal ki anubhuti hoti hai. Isliye hi wahan chinta nahin hoti....... desh mein kuchh bhi ho, garibi kitni bhi aaye, baadh aapki saari jama poonji baha ke kyun na le jaye.... agli subah wo phir muskura denge. Samaaj ka dhancha wahan mazboot hai, saahitya sabal hai, aur shayad isliye arthvyawastha kamzor. Woh geet nahin suna - O ram-e-ram, saiyaan daaru pee-ke unghalad khet mein....... naayika roti hui apne sasur se keh rahi hai ki mere pati ko dhund laaiye. Sood bahut chad gaya tha, to saahukaar ne hal waapas le liya........ Acche log hain ye purabiya, unke jaisa nazariya rakho to jeevan mast hai, sahal hai, sulajha hua hai."

Chicken Soup for the soul - In Hindi. Nahin!?

What makes music soothing?

What is it in music that makes for good listening, and, at a higher plane, for soulful relaxing. Perhaps its "naad", a sanskrit word meaning "origin of sound", which generates this experience of sound, thus words, and thus songs - giving human existence an exalted position in universe. Perhaps its because music has rhythm, a flow, which helps human atoms synchronise itself with his/ her surroundings. Like a magnet helping electorns in iron bar straigtening themselves, giving them power hitherto unknown to them to attract metal henceforth. Music does it with our heart....... giving a sense of belonging to otherwise chaotic and unattached existence.

Just watched "Music and Lyrics " starring Barrymore and Grant. Genre was musical, but what I loved was the way words unfolded the story, in themselves evolving but helping the progression in an easy flowing manner. And, at the end was the question that i asked at the start of this piece - What is it in music that makes for good listening, and, at a higher plane, for soulful relaxing.

Amrita and Imroz

Amrita and Imroz...... its almost a decade since I first read about them. Since then, have read or heard quite many times of their unique relationship which is difficult to define in terms of social or familial ties but not that difficult to understand.

Amrita Pritam is one of the famous punjabi-Hindi writer from 1950s, imroz is an impressionist who sketched for the publishing house that published Amrita's novels. Amrita was from present day pakistan, she was a rebel of sorts. First married when she was a teen, she took divorce and started living in Delhi. There she met imroz first in late 1960s.

Imroz is a very good artist. I have seen his published work. Amrita is a good writer, specially when she writes about herself and her surrounding. Her autobiography "raseedi Ticket" - The revenue stamp - is a masterpiece in Indian literature. Her creative writings are not as good. But this book alone places her on the top.

Imroz is younger to Amrita by some 6-8 years. Amrita moved with him with her children. They never lived like couple. They were soul-companions. Their collection of letters I read at piyush's place last week at pune. It rekindled life, a part of it, inside me. Its intensity touched me. Amrita writes for Imroz - mere mehboob, my letters are like 800 kms long hands of my love reaching you. On women, she had views that you can't term feminist. She says: Any civilisation will be termed evolved when a woman is able to say no to any physical advances made against her wish. Amrita was criticised for her exressions in Punjabi literary circles, but she was much liked in hindi. Imroz paved that way by being there, caring for her, being more than a friend and almost like a soulmate, except for physical intimacy.

They lived with it, made their life the talk of folk lores. Their love and friendship is an example, not only of mitigated differences of religion, language and cultures, but also of intensity, dedication and companionship.

Where u can touch clouds bare-handed!!

Saw the natural beauty strewn in post below. This is how I responded.

Is this Heaven!! I bet it is. It’s so beautiful, it almost seems like a fake. Another way of saying – too good to be true. But I have known atleast one place as beautiful and tranquile as this – Jharipaani – near mussuorie. I almost lost myself there…….. clouds would cut-across you when you walk on thin rounding aisles on mountainous roads. The mist woould be all-pervading, yet one felt a clarity. A connect with the surroundings. It was as if you can extend your hand and touch the beauty all around. And I was fearful if I raised my fingers I will destroy the equilibrium. So, I sat, for hours, looking at the picturesque scene, not moving, just observing – a pony carrying load of grocery, another carrying box of cold drinks (huh!! Pepsi in so cold a region, who will drink it??)…….. a farmer ploughing his –stair-cased field…. a car moving on the road, appearing on each upward bend for a split second and taking another 5 minutes to reappear on even upper one again, thus keeping me engaged and thinking………

Koi kah de mujhe aake, ja raho tum pahadon pe
Khush ho-oonga ja rahunga, prakriti ke nikat jaake.

Sorry, flow mein bah gaya zara. Never mind.

Rainbow at Elam Bend - Missouri

Disclaimer - I received this as a forward, but didn't change the first person account.

On this day a rare February Rainbow was seen here in Northern Missouri at sunset. This rainbow was visible over much of the area and was noticed by many people. It was seen as a partial bow in some areas and completely full and even double in others depending on where the rain was falling. The photos on this page were taken at the Elam Bend Conservation Area near McFall, Missouri.

As I pulled the truck up next to one of my favorite trees I looked over my left shoulder and there sat the most vivid rainbow that I had ever seen. It appeared to me to be about a 100 yards away or maybe even closer. I was unable to get a great shot at first. I couldn't get out of the truck with the camera because it was still raining fairly hard. I didn't want to get water on my lenses. notice that the sky inside of a rainbow is much brighter than the area outside

As the rain moved on and the rainbow dissipated the view was still picturesque to the east. Notice that a small portion of the rainbow (primary and secondary) is still visible on either side of the tree paralleling the trunk

Five at Five: Welcome 2008

Not till now I have welcomed a dawn like this.

Five of us (Amit, Kiran, Hafsa, Ananda, and I) welcomed turn of an year at midnight at Restaurant 5. Sitting till 5, sipping hot cappuchino at Barista, we rejoiced in randomness. Thoughts flew like cotton wisps, all bright and light all around.

Ananda told us, in single breath, how the hollywood classic "Fistful of Dollars" was made in to masterpiece and how Ms. X (of KMBL) was qouted out of context to be depicted as a lone desperate woman appearing in Agony Aunt Column. Kiran spoke about Mandal and politics of caste, and also how his favourite dance step is of Govinda's partner sequence. Hafsa and I dreamt of a magazine called View Points, to which amit Added "RVP" or random view points. Amit parodied few famous songs, and also told us how Pakistan fears disintergation due to Baluch-NWF-Sindh-Punjab divide and threats from destructive forces.

It was 4 when we actually realised that we have sat through night, chatting and gossipping as if there will never be another day. It reminded all of us our PG days when such events of not sleeping through night was common.

In the morning Amit has gone back to Bangalore, sleepy eyed but smiling. Ananda told me aroudn noon why he felt good. He said that we spoke for such a long time, without pulling anyone's leg and discussing everything under the sky. This doesn't get any better these days.

Year has started on a positive note. Work is half done. And I do not feel sleep-deprivwed despite the late sessions. Good for me. Touch Wood!

Bottom of the Pyramid - Aravind Eye care System

In his famous book titled "fortune at the bottom of pyramid", C K Prahlad enumerates with help of case studies how fortune can be made by serving people at the bottom of economic and social pyramid (BOP). He pools in examples from developing countries across the world to show case the strength of business innovations in making seemingly unattractive consumption group of poor yield unthinkably high profit. To quote him, "The problems at BOP are not new. However they represent a new challenge….. the solutions must be affordable, easy to use for low literacy, and available."

Innovations cold be in terms of processes, procedures or product (and its delivery). He has included more than two dozen examples from India. One of the most successful such innovations is Aravind Eye Care system, which provides gift of vision to more than 12 lakh patients every year at costs 100 times less than developed world, and does all of with a profit which even the best hospitals in India do not make.

Aravind Eye care system, which was established by Dr. G Venkataswamy (fondly called Dr. V) in 1976 at Madurai (TN, India), treats more than 13 Lakh patients and conducts more than 2 Lakh surgeries every year through its series of 3 hospitals and around 1500 rural camps. Its standard of medical care certified as top quality by independent bodies like UK Health survey puts it in the league of best in world (some say it is best in world). It is speedy (minimum 10000 patients per day); efficient (each doctor does around 25 surgeries in half day), and dirt cheap (Cost wise it is 1/100 th of a similar surgery in USA). To top it all, it is hugely profitable (Rs. 21 Crores net profit in 2005 achieved with no grant money involved).

Productivity per Medical Officer of Aravind Eye Care system is at least six times more than other doctors working with Public or private clinics/ hospitals in India, and perhaps highest in the world. There are colleges and research centers of the institute doing cutting-edge research in ophthalmology. All this achieved while serving with a simple mission – of eradicating needless blindness, first in the state of Tamilnadu and then in India.

The book tells us two main factors lying behind success of the system are– its inspirational leadership and ability to constantly innovate. Dr. V, a Padmashree awardee, has been a constant source of inspiration for all staff. Innovation at Arvind Eye Care has come in area of processes (screening off at camps, and parallel operations by single doctor), product delivery (quality paramedics trained inhouse, low cost but scientifically designed movement system for patients cutting the time and space requirements), and quality (improvements in higher end products and medical procedures, reducing aftermaths).

In another case study on leadership published by ICFAI, leadership style for business and social ventures has been put into three categories – Charismatic, Hands on, and Inspirational. The case writer had put Dr. V under the last category of leaders, and narrated an anecdote to explain his point.

Dr. V worked like there won't be any tomorrow. He had a senior member called Dr. Bala responsible for all rural camps. One day, Dr. Bala came back suffering from fever and infection from a far-off rural camp. It was morning time when surgeries are started. No doctor can afford to take leave from this responsibility at Arvind Eye Care. Dr. V, as was usual at the day-start at 7 AM, was taking round of hospital. He saw Dr. Bala, who was supposed to be getting ready for surgery, lying on a bed herself. Dr. V asked what happened to her. She answered she caught infection and had fever at the rural camp and was taking rest. Dr. V said, "I have fever of 104° F. How much is yours?" She got up and performed that day so many successful operations that she made a world-record. She has fever of 102° F. Dr. V was aged around 80 years then.

BoP captures few other similar stories. These anecdotes have woven a culture of purpose, ethics, respect, and excellence at the hospital. Attitude to serve is given highest weightage and no deviation to the rule "speak with patients in soft tone" is tolerated. Girls from big joint families and specially those who have had the experience of taking care of their younger siblings or children of relatives are considered better candidates for nursing jobs. These, and many other such native wisdom has helped the hospital to grow organically, remain profitable and excel in its continuous delivery of quality medical care to all. Around 40% of its patients are given free treatment, but the hospital doesn't do it as charity. It earns profit on rest 60% and cross-subsidizes the BoP. It is the world's largest, most respected, and most productive system of eye care that boasts of world class outcomes. But what is the most satisfying of all this to its founders is the fact that the clientele it serves comes from Bottom of the Pyramid. The fortune, not only monetarily but in terms of social capital as well, has been successfully incubated and delivered under this system, concludes C K Prahlad.