The Shell

On a cool breezy afternoon, I dragged myself out of the house and got behind the steering of my small red car, to go to the gym. I took the shortest route to reach my destination, windows of the car rolled down. On the way an old acquaintance noticed me and shouted my name out. I stopped the vehicle. The friend came over from the other side of the road and greeted me, heartily. We struck an immediate conversation, although I didn’t get down from the car. The smile on his face widened with each memory about the past, but I remained passive during most parts of the chit chat. Soon he realised my lack of interest and withdrew himself, gently. He waved goodbye and I drove ahead, rolling the windows down.

After the workout, drenched in sweat, I got back into the car, kept the windows open, again. As I drove past a departmental store, I saw my distant cousin getting out of it. I guess she noticed me, (perhaps hoping for a lift or maybe just a small conversation) but I pretended to not have seen her, and continued to drive. Having no intensions of returning home early, I opted to take the longer route. I shut the windows, put on the air conditioner and the car tape, and started humming as I passed a few concrete structures. I kept shuffling songs on the stereo while I stopped at the signal waiting for the light to go green. Just then, a familiar girl strode past on the right. She was my muse, my secret love interest (whom I hadn’t met in ages), and wondered whether I could talk to her. She seemed to be in no hurry to walk, and as the light went green I was almost parallel to her, driving slow along the footpath. I could’ve stopped but didn’t, and reluctantly sped up. Despite the fact that my home was just a couple of kilometres away, the way back felt long, and lonesome. And just then, I caught sight of a wretched man, a bottle of alcohol in one of his hands, and a dagger in the other, chasing another man from across the road. The man with the weapon splinched the second man’s arm and stabbed a blow on the chest. He took off, and the wounded man collapsed just about 3 feet away from my vehicle. Once again I did not get down off the small red car, and just like before, drove away, leaving the man to breathe his last.

As I reached home, I felt suffocated. I felt uneasy and just lied on the bed. It dawned upon me that all the events that had occurred on the way to the gym and back, had an emotional bearing on me. I felt angry for being uninterested while talking to my old friend, felt sad for not helping my cousin by being lazy, felt hopeless for not talking to my love interest because of hesitation and felt shameful for not getting down to help the wounded man because of fear. All this just because I did not get out of my small red car, my shell.

This is what we do majority of times; repent for something which we could’ve done had we come out of our shells. Fear, hesitation, doubt, laziness all of these make us get into the shell and situations worsen as time passes. I guess it’s prudent to face a situation the very first time so that the next time we’re armed and alert to deal with things in a better way, just like before. 

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (Analysed)

-------------------------------------Contains Spoilers-------------------------------------------


Well I wouldn’t bother to mention the story here as the whole world by now knows what the film is all about. However, for those who haven’t read the books, this part 1 of the epic finale is about how the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione leave their comfort zones and set out on the hunt for the Horcruxes (things in which Voldemort has concealed a parts of his soul). During their journey they face all kinds of challenges, emotional as well as dangerous, and also learn about the tale of the Deathly Hallows.

Now let me get straight to the point. The film sets the dark tone right from the word ‘go’; this perhaps is the darkest film in the series. David Yates and Steve Kloves have tried to be absolutely faithful to the book and they succeed to do so with all the major sequences present in the film almost ditto to the book. This is the first brownie point for the duo. The telling is a little different from the rest of the Potter films though, as this time Hogwarts is nowhere in the scheme of things. The film cannot be assessed completely, I believe, as it’s not complete, not even in itself. Thus I think it’d be only fair to assess the whole of Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2, combined. However, this is my take on what I felt about DH-Part 1.

Acting: The film fully belongs to the trio. The young brigade’s hard work shows; particularly Rupert Grint, who plays Ron with complete élan. Dan, Rupert and Emma prove that they’re capable of lifting the burden of the entire film on their young shoulders. They manage to grab eyeballs even when only one of them is on screen. They’ve done a marvelous job and this is the best combined effort of the three, by far. Other notable performances are that of Helena Bonham Carter as the nasty Bellatrix Lestrange (she’s superb at belittling), and the menacing Dark Lord (Ralph Fiennes).

Cinematography: Eduardo Serra had a greater challenge on hand than the past cinematographers of the series as this time majority of the action happens in the exteriors. The Portuguese has taken some exceptional shots involving landscapes, barren lands and woods. He’s done a great job especially in the Malfoy Manor and Godric’s Hollow scenes. Some of the shaky cam shots are brilliant.

Music: I for one didn’t quite like Alexandre Desplat’s music; perhaps I was too engrossed in the telling and the visuals. But I can surely say there’s nothing extraordinary about it. However, the very first soundtrack, Obliviate, is a gem. 

Editing: Mark Day has done a fine job by cutting the scenes at crucial points where the telling becomes more than effective. It’s contemporary and gives the feel of edginess and anxiety.

Screenplay:  Steve Kloves has woven the most important and intriguing situations and detailed them so well that you live virtually every moment of it and yet do not get even a wee bit bored. The scenes are weighed so perfectly in all terms that the film doesn’t falter anywhere; you get a full dose of every genre.

Direction: There could’ve been no other better director than David Yates to direct this one; simply because of two strong reasons. 1) He’s a master when it comes to emotions, which is the most important factor in DH-Part 1 with the trio put in all sorts of situations. And 2) Because he’s already worked with the cast in OOTP and HBP, therefore he knows exactly what could be extracted from each individual. Besides, his take on the majority of the sequences is untainted and enriching. This one is a class act by Yates.

Highlights

1.      They’ve shown Hermione’s house for the first time.

2.      All the Death Eaters at the table.

3.      Fred and George’s short but effective comic relief.

4.      The entire Ministry of Magic sequence involving the trio.

5.      Harry and Ron’s fight.

6.      The Harry and Hermione dance in the absence of Ron.

7.      Destroying the locket.

8.      The Tale of Three Brothers visuals and narration.

9.      Dobby (A tear trickled down my cheek when he died).

10.  Malfoy Manor confrontation.

Lows

1.      The aerial fight in the 7 Potters scene could’ve been better.

2.      Voldemort missing from the Bathilda Bagshot/ Nagini scene at Godric’s Hollow.

3.      Mad Eye’s death has been given no significance. (I hope Snape has a better death)

4.      Pettigrew doesn’t die, forget the silver hand.

5.      None of the Order members appear ever again, after the trio leaves the burrow.

However, I feel these lows are too weak to shatter the greatness of this epic. In short, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is spectacular and full of entertainment good enough to keep you at the edge of your seats and your eyes glued to the big screen for the 142 minutes. It’s worth watching twice and even thrice. On a second thought, how about 7 times!!!!

Toying With Love

I was seated in the comfort of my chair, and was sipping on some hot coffee from my favourite blue mug, as it showered heavily outside. I looked out through the window and noticed a couple walk by, cuddling, under a rainbow coloured umbrella, which I assume belonged to the feminine. I felt butterflies in my stomach. It was the ideal romantic evening, the one on which you’d like to go out for a long drive with your loved one, romantic Bollywood numbers playing on your car stereo, or perhaps a long walk on a deserted beach. Since I wasn’t fortunate enough to do any of that, I resorted to my sofa and took another sip of the piping hot coffee. Curled up, I pressed the remote button and put on the TV. I couldn’t find anything appealing and kept flipping the channels until a reality show caught my attention.

Emotional Atyachar on UTV’s Bindaas, is a show based on testing the fidelity of the concerned. The show goes like this…. A committed person (Lead) approaches the channel to do a so called Loyalty Test on his/her better half (Suspect). The channel keeps a tag on the Suspect and his/her activities with the help of the latest, technologically advanced hidden cameras, after setting up a co-incidental meeting between him/her and an Undercover Agent . This Undercover Agent, a person from the opposite sex, is employed by the channel to strike a bond with the Suspect and lure him/her. The cameras cover the journey from persuasion to the start of a new relationship over a period of six days, during which the Suspect’s lewd character is revealed. On the sixth day, the Lead is called to the studios and is shown all the six days’ footage by the anchor. Thus, the Lead assesses the Suspect’s trustworthiness on the basis of the recorded footage. Generally, the Lead ends up drenched in tears, or on a furious high, till he/she reaches the sixth day’s footage. At this point the Lead is shown the live footage of the Suspect and the Undercover Agent, and is taken immediately to that place for confrontation.  

The Lead launches a war of (swear) words, sometimes even a physical combat, with the Suspect, and the two end their relationship. All of this, on national television.

This show, since its commencement, has been a topic of debate for more than one reason. Many have ridiculed the vulgarity aspect, while some have written about the unauthorised access to the Suspect’s life. I’ve also read and seen views questioning the show’s authenticity and degree of genuineness. Agreed, most of these aspects need to be considered from several viewpoints. However, these things do not matter much when we see the larger picture (which many have failed to address); and no, the larger picture isn’t about saving one’s life from a hell bent rogue. It’s about spreading negativity and encouraging skepticism, especially amongst the youth, towards love and relationships.

Every other day, we see, read or hear about a case of disloyalty, broken relationships and even divorces. Many years ago these things were pretty uncommon and perhaps even unheard of. I know times have changed and people have learnt to move on for good, but this shift has also brought unwelcomed changes. One of them is the drop in people’s tolerance levels. What once was considered a great virtue is now rarely found in the present generation and its scheme of things.  

We are living in mad times where break ups are happening at an alarming rate, and life of solitariness is a road to grief.I know the participants of such television shows typically hail from the ‘not so good’ families, or have inferior moral standards. But there are also some who take such a stern step out of sheer helplessness or depression. Besides, these shows also unfold the truth and the partakers get some sort of justice. Celebrities have also started making appearances on shows like Emotional Atyachar. Thus, anyone could get tempted to go on the show. Which is why I think something that instills faith, especially in love, and spreads the positivity of a relationship at a mass level, should be aired rather than shows which glorify tales of infidelity and lead to suspicion, particularly now when we relationships are falling apart. This might help reduce the distrust among people and they might soon again start believing in the power of love and relationships.

Think about it and let me know if you think likewise or otherwise. Love you all unconditionally.

Film Review - Inception

Following, Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige and, The Dark Knight; after you make such mind boggling films which are a combination of fantastic complex cinema and breathtaking entertainment, the audience expects something even better, and you’re bound to end up scratching your head, running short of ideas. But, Christopher Nolan is one such man whose excellence has no boundaries; his creativity never seems to drain out.

It all starts at a sea shore. Dom Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio), is found unconscious by an armed guard, who takes him to a rich, elderly man’s chamber. The old man recognises Cobb at once but Cobb does not. Next, we know that Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state. He and his friend Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are assigned by a company in England to extract secrets from a Japanese bigwig, Saito’s (Ken Watanabe) mind. It turns out that Saito knew about Cobb’s plans and was in turn auditioning the team for his own mission. He offers Cobb a one last job, against a competitor company inherited by Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy), this time creating the whole idea and dream, known as Inception. The reward: Lots of money and a clean chit for Cobb to go back to the US, as he is not allowed to enter the nation (reason revealed later in the film). So Cobb now starts assembling a team along with Arthur. He recruits a new architect, a student named Ariadne (Ellen Page), who creates the dream world architecture. Then, Eames (Tom Hardy), a forger who can shift his identity inside the dream, and, Yusuf (Dileep Rao), a chemist who formulates the sedatives needed to enter the dream world. Throughout the recruitment process, the rules of entering the dream world, surviving there and coming out are explained. The main plot is about how this team tries to enter Fischer’s mind and if they succeed in their heist.

If you found this story exciting and complex, it is just 10% of the entire film. Inception is full of surprises right from the beginning, one of them is the subtitles, which I think the Indian distributors wanted to incorporate not because of the varied accents but they wanted the Indian audience not to miss out on even the minutest details. The build up to each stage of the film is fascinating. The cast is awesome throughout, especially Leonardo Di Caprio and Ellen Page. Although, Marion Cotillard’s character Mal (Cobb’s wife) has not got a great scope in the film, she’s done well. The high scale cinematography is stunning, while the editing is crisp and sharp. And the background score adds a cherry on the top. But the main hero of the film is the Inceptor of the idea, the film’s creator, Christopher Nolan. His storytelling is compelling and innovative to the core. He has weaved the magic of this dream world in the most believable manner almost effortlessly, combining visual extravaganza with intellectual brilliance. Writing something like this is challenging, and executing it is more so; but Nolan's done it with ease. There are some sequences in the film that he has designed simply to sweep people off their feet. That this man is the best filmmaker today, is incontrovertible.

Inception is a treat for those who love their minds to be questioned by the filmmaker, those who love to be involved right from the first frame of the film, and those who are ardent fans of the sci-fi/thriller/mystery/action genres. You really wouldn’t want to watch this one with a lover. Please don’t watch if you thought you could keep your brains locked at home and enjoy. The only loophole in the film is the interval which is like a speed-breaker that spoils your 300 kmph drive on the expressway. They should screen this one without an interval.

Certainly the best movie of the decade contender followed by The Dark Knight. For me, it’s way better than Avatar, as Cameron took a 12-13 years long break before he came out with the 3D spectacle with a less interesting story. With Nolan, it was just a matter of exactly 2 years to make this flawless film. This one's beyond the reach of our film industry. Hail Christopher Nolan!!!!

Rating: 5/5

Film Review - Prince: It's Showtime

Warning: Contains some innocuous spoilers

This week was sort of a comeback week. I’m making a comeback to The Intellectual Kiosk after exactly a month, Shoaib Malik and his would be wife Sania Mirza, were back to the front pages of the tabloids and caught all the eyeballs certainly for reasons other than their sporting proficiencies (have doubts about Ms. Mirza’s proficiency though), and a certain Mr. Viveik Oberoi made a colossal comeback to the silver screen as the solo lead, and how.

Well, the story (haha) of Prince begins at a huge diamond corporation (in Hiranandani), Mumbai. The so called world’s best, an international thief, Prince (Viveik Oberoi), breaks in, and with the help of his friends (who’re outside the building in a van with all the fancy gadgetry), steals several diamonds. All of this, in the Minority Report and Mission Impossible style. Next we see newspaper flashes of various heists in different parts of the world. (This is how our hero is an international thief) And there comes O Mere Khuda! with titles. Next, we go 3 months ahead in time and we see some super locations of Durban, South Africa, and amidst a beautiful countryside scenery is an exotic villa in which the same Prince is lying on the bed (wish he never got up). His irritating servant tells him how he got there but our hero remembers not even a bit. There he goes trying to gather every bit of vital information that could lead him to his real identity and reveal the deadly secrets (LOL). Prince comes across 3 women (Niroo Bajwa/ Nandana Sen/Aruna Shields), all of whom claim to be Maya, his girlfriend. The CBI, lead by Sanjay Kapoor, is after him; the IGRIP (Indian Government Research and Protocol), lead by Dalip Tahil is after him; the 3 women are after him and so is the villain (some Mimoh look alike) (Soon the distributors and the audiences will be after him, too). We gain the ‘essential’ knowledge that they are chasing him in order to fetch a 3,000 years old ancient Sri Lankan coin, (which he stole as an antique) within which is concealed a chip which our Indian scientists made after 8 painstaking years. The chip, capable of erasing and reloading memory from human brain is the reason behind Prince’s loss of memory (wish I had a similar chip to erase my memory of watching Prince). In the rest of the movie we see thousands of bullets being fired collectively but none piercing the hero, parachutes and gliders moving around seamlessly (wonder how each time these characters managed to land with utter perfection), crashing cars and idiotic chase sequences. I wouldn’t even like to admit what happens in the end. The most irritating thing in the film is when the cast keeps uttering the film's tagline : It's Showtime.

The fact is that the makers gathered every possible failure from the industry, stuffed them in an attractive package and delivered the same with no shame. The makers right from the start assume that the viewers are outright dim wits and they could be fooled at every stage of storytelling. Viveik Oberoi has perhaps made the biggest mistake by signing this lucrative big budget film with a view to rise from the ashes. He was better off doing meaningful roles in a multi starrer. What can I say about the 3 women! Believe me; if any of the actresses (I’d like to call them something belittling but will have to observe my niceties) had a shred of self respect they would have rejected the roles first time they got the offer. All of them have nothing to do except creating some doubt in the minds of the viewers (that’s what the makers tried unsuccessfully), dance around in cheesy skimpy attire, and look foolish. Neeru Bajwa would regret quitting television soaps as she looks nothing more than an ugly oaf in this film. Nandana Sen is the curvaceous who is tattooed all over the body. As for Aruna Shields, she needs to work on her Hindi, her acting and be prepared to dub her own dialogues, then think of even signing a film. Total waste all of them. I think it would not even interest you to know how the rest of the cast has performed.

This one is a total waste of time, money, energy and perhaps even careers. A cheap attempt to make an action/thriller, a 2nd grade Hollywood action/thriller is a much better option than this one. I care less to split the review into the various aspects of film making as I had done for MNIK because there is not even a single point that acts as the saving grace. I would not be surprised to find everyone associated with the film muttering O Mere Khuda, Haadsa Ye Na Jaane Kab Hua!

And why I cared to write this review in the 1st place is because I wanted to save all of you, my loved ones, from experiencing something as atrocious. My friend Dhaval dozed off twice and was ready to leave in the interval. There were merely 25-30 people who had come to watch the show, and on a Saturday afternoon that is a poor number. Things are bound to get worse in the coming days. I hope after reading all this you shall not dare go to the theatres and if you still possess the courage then all the best. Bhagwan aapko bachaye.

Rating: 1.5/5

P.S.: Adi, once again I've written a review but I've saved you the pain of watching a horrendous film like Prince.