..Na Jaane kis pe aayega.
Got up this late lovely Saturday morning with this song playing in my head. Have no idea why. Pulled up the song from youtube and walked with a skip to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Am off to work in a little while. Got to tie up some loose ends with the creation of a manual. If its successful, I can walk with the same skip to work on Monday as well!
A somewhat painful week came to a rather happy end on Friday. It started in the morning with me handling a crisis rather charmingly and dousing out some fires. I surprised even myself! By the end of the day, I discovered the seed of a potential career oppurtunity. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Come to think of it, it wasn't such a bad week after all. Tuesday had a guy sing a song to me in Kurdish, looking straight into my eyes, at no less an embarassingly public place than a Metro station. Earlier that evening, I had done somewhat well at the Swedish classes which I am finally attending. On Wednesday, I was sitting at the lunch table with The Snobs of my department, all listening with rapt attention to what I had to say. Thursday looked like it was gifting me with 2 new good friends. But ofcourse, I didn't appreciate all this, during that time, coz my head was overflowing with worries about work. Now, in retrospect, I can see that it was a lovely week. Makes me a bit worried about how many such moments I failed to appreicate over the years. ***shiver***
Btw, reading a book called 'Born confused'. The story of an Indian seventeen year old growing up in the US. Lovin' it :) Telling you again.. for a city with negligible Indian population, the number of English books by Indian authors that is stocked by the Stockholm City Library is amazing.
Ok.. signing off now. Gotta get the lunch - pasta, tandoori chicken and lemon cheese cake all waiting for me!
"Zamana Dekha Sara,
Hai Sab Kaa Sahara
Ye Dil Hi Hamara,
Hua Na Kisi Ka....
Na Jaane Kis Pe Aayega
Hai Apna Dil To Awara"
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Rotten Eggs
Have you ever been in a foolish situation where your good intentions badly backfire on you? Where people you were trying to help actually escape their intending doom and when they get off, they actually partner with the very person who you were protecting them from, to get you?
I have been there. Trust me, it’s not a pleasant feeling;
You just can’t help but laugh.
You look in the mirror and see a clown staring back at you.
And you laugh at yourself whenever you see that person pass by.
But then again, I also have been on the other side - shocking people who meant well. Damn!
Behold people! I own the Hall of Shame award for Bad Judgements. No one can take it away from me!!
I have been there. Trust me, it’s not a pleasant feeling;
You just can’t help but laugh.
You look in the mirror and see a clown staring back at you.
And you laugh at yourself whenever you see that person pass by.
But then again, I also have been on the other side - shocking people who meant well. Damn!
Behold people! I own the Hall of Shame award for Bad Judgements. No one can take it away from me!!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Stranger than Fiction
I might publish my own novel one day people! Atleast two novels that I read recently have protaganists whose lives have a striking resemblance to Someone-I-Know. I am referring to 'Namesake' and 'Inheritance of Loss'. They are both stories about Indians who've lived/live abroad when they were/are young. The similarites are so striking that I was like "Shit! Has SIK been talking a lot?! Or is this a mere coincidence?!" Growing up abroad, for some, may not exactly be a fairytale - especially if you stand out as an obvious foreigner.
Anyways, SIK's story starts with Namesake - his father is from a small village in India and his mother is a semi-literate simpleton. Since the father works as a clerk in the Indian embassy , are compelled to live in many foreign countries. SIK is born in one of these many foreign countries. Since the parents didnt know that a name has to be given to a newborn in the hospital itself, they fumbled and picked the first name that came to their mind. And guess what? Just like Gogol, he gets a total whako name! Stranger still, his name also has 5 letters and has the same consonant-vowel combo. He grows up with the same complex of bearing a weird name. Poor guy was constantly bullied at school (doesn't help if you are fat as well!) and grew up to become a young man like Judge Patel in the latter book. Their personalities match so much that it is weird! However, the good thing is while SIK didnt continue to live Judge Patel's life. And this is where my novel comes in! Can't let out the plot yet folks but I assure you that it's interesting. You would have to wait till I acquire the writing skills of randomrobin and the imaginative humor of silverine to read the rest of it!!
All the same, I'm gonna keep my eyes, ears, sympathies, empathies and all the other 'these' (he he, a weak pun!) open and watch people around me. I'll have plenty to write about!
Talking of English novels by Indian writers, I also read 'Mistress' by Anita Nair. It puzzles me to know why the novel wasn't a big hit! It's as good a read as 'God of Small Things' and talks more of Kerala and TamilNadu than the latter ever aspired to do. Perhaps she needs a better publisher - someone like Hamish Hamilton perhaps, a-la Zadie Smith. I'd recommend this novel to everyone and hope it eventually becomes a super-hit. Better late than never, right?
Read Chetan Bhagat's latest too - '3 mistakes of my life'. Was reading the book while on a train to Finland. I kept getting these looks from my fellow passengers after they saw the title of the book. "Fiction" I told this young girl who kept staring at me and the book. Good read.
Though I hate the ugly, dirty, old man Khushwant Singh for making racist remarks against Kamala Das, I decided to pick up his book, Train to Pakistan, just to see what the fuss is all about. Maybe it's just a load of bull like the rest of his novels are famed to be, so let's see.
Right now, I'm reading a rather interesting book called 'Death of Vishnu'. Here's an interesting quote from the book on religion, "Religion existed to control society, to monitor those without the capacity to think things through for themselves...so that the urges of the masses could be calmed and regulated." And this is just one tiny bit out of the many insights. Interesting story telling.
Anyways, SIK's story starts with Namesake - his father is from a small village in India and his mother is a semi-literate simpleton. Since the father works as a clerk in the Indian embassy , are compelled to live in many foreign countries. SIK is born in one of these many foreign countries. Since the parents didnt know that a name has to be given to a newborn in the hospital itself, they fumbled and picked the first name that came to their mind. And guess what? Just like Gogol, he gets a total whako name! Stranger still, his name also has 5 letters and has the same consonant-vowel combo. He grows up with the same complex of bearing a weird name. Poor guy was constantly bullied at school (doesn't help if you are fat as well!) and grew up to become a young man like Judge Patel in the latter book. Their personalities match so much that it is weird! However, the good thing is while SIK didnt continue to live Judge Patel's life. And this is where my novel comes in! Can't let out the plot yet folks but I assure you that it's interesting. You would have to wait till I acquire the writing skills of randomrobin and the imaginative humor of silverine to read the rest of it!!
All the same, I'm gonna keep my eyes, ears, sympathies, empathies and all the other 'these' (he he, a weak pun!) open and watch people around me. I'll have plenty to write about!
Talking of English novels by Indian writers, I also read 'Mistress' by Anita Nair. It puzzles me to know why the novel wasn't a big hit! It's as good a read as 'God of Small Things' and talks more of Kerala and TamilNadu than the latter ever aspired to do. Perhaps she needs a better publisher - someone like Hamish Hamilton perhaps, a-la Zadie Smith. I'd recommend this novel to everyone and hope it eventually becomes a super-hit. Better late than never, right?
Read Chetan Bhagat's latest too - '3 mistakes of my life'. Was reading the book while on a train to Finland. I kept getting these looks from my fellow passengers after they saw the title of the book. "Fiction" I told this young girl who kept staring at me and the book. Good read.
Though I hate the ugly, dirty, old man Khushwant Singh for making racist remarks against Kamala Das, I decided to pick up his book, Train to Pakistan, just to see what the fuss is all about. Maybe it's just a load of bull like the rest of his novels are famed to be, so let's see.
Right now, I'm reading a rather interesting book called 'Death of Vishnu'. Here's an interesting quote from the book on religion, "Religion existed to control society, to monitor those without the capacity to think things through for themselves...so that the urges of the masses could be calmed and regulated." And this is just one tiny bit out of the many insights. Interesting story telling.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Reel Weekend!
Remember, how reading books and watching movies was part of my winter agenda? Well folks, me is doing a grand old job in that area. (Though productive stuff like re-arranging room, cooking and learning to swim has taken a backseat!). Why is it that we always start with the least important things and always excel in it too?
Anyways, this weekend, me was at the laziest best. Did'nt even go out to get the groceries! Sat the ass at home for a movie marathon! Though, I must confess that, by Sunday evening - 8pm to be precise, I wasn't too pleased with this choice.
You see, back in India, I barely watched any movies - wasn't a movie buff at all. Ofcourse, it's quite another matter that I rarely did anything in India. So, when I decided to 'catch up', i went berserk! Quite a few of them I watched. Here's a list:
Miss Congeniality - Hip chick movie! (No, I hadn't see it before. See what I mean when I say I don't watch much movies?). Anyways, the movie was total fun. Totally enjoyed it. Missed my sorority from school!
Brokeback Mountain - Eye opener. You know, I used to be pissed with gay men in general who got married to women. Thot it was just not fair to the women. But this movie gave me the other perspective. Men who marry coz they are afraid of the society or coz they love children and want one of their own. I knew someone exactly like that - an Indian - who married for both reasons. Sad.. But here's a line from the movie which will make you understand, Protoganist (who wants to keep his affair a secret) to his partner "this thing, it grabs hold of us again... at the wrong place... at the wrong time... we're dead". Barring a few smart lines, this movie would have slipped into obilvion if not for the Oscars.
Scarface - Silly movie. (whether Hollywood, Bollywood or Tollywood, they seem to have made the same crap movies during the 70's. Oh, I must mention here that Al Pacino's twisted-mouth mannerism was so cuuute and he so reminded me of Kamal Haasan in Nayagan)
Pursuit of Happyness - Touching. Had to rewind the part where Will Smith tells the following to his son: 'Hey, don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you (that) you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period'. Gem.
And ya, the other part where Will is offered a job? He probably was given an award just for that one expression on his face - red-rimmed eyes, tears threatening to spill, voice choked over...
Rags to riches stories totally rock!
Eyes wide shut - Eerie. Ofcourse, I've read about sex rituals in 'Angels and Demons' but still, watching it on a movie was weird. There is a short sequence, (probably the highlight of the movie) where Tom Cruise witnesses a ritual.. the BGM, the chanting... everything was so...surreal. And one part of the background score, whaddya know, is Indian Carnatic, with the voice even singing in clear Tamil!!! I watched it mesmerised, until the sequence is spoiled by an irritating, totally irrational scene where a woman decides to sacrifice her life for a total stranger like Tom. I'm still trying to figure out the logic behind having all the men covered head to foot in cloaks but all the women appear nude! What-the-hell? Where is our visual treat?
Gone in 60 seconds - kewl!
Prize winners:
The best rotten movie award: 'A Clockwork Orange' - OMG! Seriously, Stan Kubrick must have been out of his mind (maybe he's like that most of the time). The movie was totally annoying. It was like watching a theatre show for the deaf. The sets were garish, the dialogues were screamed out, the acting was over-dramatic - it's like the movie was made for a course in acting school called 'How not to make a movie'. Worse still, there are several pieces of Beethoven which are played out distastefully loud, to the point of being noisy and guess what? They are played to gang-rapes- yep! There are several of those scenes. Art in its queer worst!
The best movie of the weekend: Slumdog Millionaire. What can I say? Can't believe that an English guy made such an honest and sweet Indian movie. The actors are great, the music is cool, the situation so damn gungho! Total prizewinner! (Pun unintentional!) I was cheering at the end of the movie and insisted that my flatmate watch it as well. She agreed (But i guess, more coz it had won a Golden Globe for best Picture than for my recommendation. Ya.. I'm quite honest that ways..) Anyways, I was impressed enough to google the director. Danny Boyle is the same director who made 'Trainspotting', a rather interesting movie. Am I the only one who thinks that the British have a way with these dark, tragic, realistic movies? Hollywood movies and British movies are like Tamil and Malayalam movies respectively. You watch one for the fun and the other for art.
Indian joke: Met this Indian dude who was born and brought up in France. Speaks Tamil albeit with a strong French accent which is sorta cute. Was talking to him over the phone and said that I was watching 'Thanmathra', a Malayalam movie; He goes 'He, he, he, he...', I am like 'What???' and he goes, "Indian porn, huh"? And I go 'Damn, even non-resident Tamilians? How do rumours get around so quickly"? Sigh! No matter how many awards Malayalam movies win or how many top actors the industry boasts of, looks like the soft-porn label of the 70's can't be shaken off!
Anyways, got some Boyle films on my 'To watch' list now.
As you can see, that's a lot of movies for one weekend. I still have got 'The Descent' that I haven't gotten around watching. Soon....
Anyways, this weekend, me was at the laziest best. Did'nt even go out to get the groceries! Sat the ass at home for a movie marathon! Though, I must confess that, by Sunday evening - 8pm to be precise, I wasn't too pleased with this choice.
You see, back in India, I barely watched any movies - wasn't a movie buff at all. Ofcourse, it's quite another matter that I rarely did anything in India. So, when I decided to 'catch up', i went berserk! Quite a few of them I watched. Here's a list:
Miss Congeniality - Hip chick movie! (No, I hadn't see it before. See what I mean when I say I don't watch much movies?). Anyways, the movie was total fun. Totally enjoyed it. Missed my sorority from school!
Brokeback Mountain - Eye opener. You know, I used to be pissed with gay men in general who got married to women. Thot it was just not fair to the women. But this movie gave me the other perspective. Men who marry coz they are afraid of the society or coz they love children and want one of their own. I knew someone exactly like that - an Indian - who married for both reasons. Sad.. But here's a line from the movie which will make you understand, Protoganist (who wants to keep his affair a secret) to his partner "this thing, it grabs hold of us again... at the wrong place... at the wrong time... we're dead". Barring a few smart lines, this movie would have slipped into obilvion if not for the Oscars.
Scarface - Silly movie. (whether Hollywood, Bollywood or Tollywood, they seem to have made the same crap movies during the 70's. Oh, I must mention here that Al Pacino's twisted-mouth mannerism was so cuuute and he so reminded me of Kamal Haasan in Nayagan)
Pursuit of Happyness - Touching. Had to rewind the part where Will Smith tells the following to his son: 'Hey, don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you (that) you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period'. Gem.
And ya, the other part where Will is offered a job? He probably was given an award just for that one expression on his face - red-rimmed eyes, tears threatening to spill, voice choked over...
Rags to riches stories totally rock!
Eyes wide shut - Eerie. Ofcourse, I've read about sex rituals in 'Angels and Demons' but still, watching it on a movie was weird. There is a short sequence, (probably the highlight of the movie) where Tom Cruise witnesses a ritual.. the BGM, the chanting... everything was so...surreal. And one part of the background score, whaddya know, is Indian Carnatic, with the voice even singing in clear Tamil!!! I watched it mesmerised, until the sequence is spoiled by an irritating, totally irrational scene where a woman decides to sacrifice her life for a total stranger like Tom. I'm still trying to figure out the logic behind having all the men covered head to foot in cloaks but all the women appear nude! What-the-hell? Where is our visual treat?
Gone in 60 seconds - kewl!
Prize winners:
The best rotten movie award: 'A Clockwork Orange' - OMG! Seriously, Stan Kubrick must have been out of his mind (maybe he's like that most of the time). The movie was totally annoying. It was like watching a theatre show for the deaf. The sets were garish, the dialogues were screamed out, the acting was over-dramatic - it's like the movie was made for a course in acting school called 'How not to make a movie'. Worse still, there are several pieces of Beethoven which are played out distastefully loud, to the point of being noisy and guess what? They are played to gang-rapes- yep! There are several of those scenes. Art in its queer worst!
The best movie of the weekend: Slumdog Millionaire. What can I say? Can't believe that an English guy made such an honest and sweet Indian movie. The actors are great, the music is cool, the situation so damn gungho! Total prizewinner! (Pun unintentional!) I was cheering at the end of the movie and insisted that my flatmate watch it as well. She agreed (But i guess, more coz it had won a Golden Globe for best Picture than for my recommendation. Ya.. I'm quite honest that ways..) Anyways, I was impressed enough to google the director. Danny Boyle is the same director who made 'Trainspotting', a rather interesting movie. Am I the only one who thinks that the British have a way with these dark, tragic, realistic movies? Hollywood movies and British movies are like Tamil and Malayalam movies respectively. You watch one for the fun and the other for art.
Indian joke: Met this Indian dude who was born and brought up in France. Speaks Tamil albeit with a strong French accent which is sorta cute. Was talking to him over the phone and said that I was watching 'Thanmathra', a Malayalam movie; He goes 'He, he, he, he...', I am like 'What???' and he goes, "Indian porn, huh"? And I go 'Damn, even non-resident Tamilians? How do rumours get around so quickly"? Sigh! No matter how many awards Malayalam movies win or how many top actors the industry boasts of, looks like the soft-porn label of the 70's can't be shaken off!
Anyways, got some Boyle films on my 'To watch' list now.
As you can see, that's a lot of movies for one weekend. I still have got 'The Descent' that I haven't gotten around watching. Soon....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)