This should be a small one and that should reflect my impression about the novel in the very first line.
The book is centred around a 18 year old boy, living in Dharavi and working as a waiter in some bar. He ends up winning the largest amount on a show called as Who Will Win a Billion (W3B). This is followed by an arrest because of the claims of fraudulent win and 12 stories narrated afterwards to a lawyer - of 12 different incidents and happenings in his life, which gave him the answers to all questions, coincidentally striking luck with events of his life. Each story ends up with the related question.
The novel started as a good one, I must say. Different stories giving highlights of the real picture behind Indian metropolitan slums, foreigners' view about "Bloody Indians", poverty, molestation. Even homosexuality (not sure how realistic that is in a statistical sense of word).
But as I say all of the above, it becomes already clear that all negative features are well manifested and projected. Something that doesn't feel right. Not only for my love for the homeland but also from a realistic point of view. All the above considered (still not accepting homosexuality to the levels it has been projected ...), there are also good things about Indians. Things which are more innate in nature.
What is further not-so-good about the book is this aspect of serendipity and the "revelation" that the world is round and it is getting smaller. I mean everything goes well in the end and all bad people are finished, all good characters are united in a family. I was hoping (badly) that one coincidence would not come, but alas, that too came.
Some stories are very interesting and very well narrated and that is a good part of the book. The book is also simple to read - very easy English. Hence, it is not very strong from literature point of view but then it is easy to finish it at a go even for someone like me (what to say of my voracious friends?).
Anyways, for people who like to watch chiller Bollywood movies to appreciate Hollywood or better Bollywood movies more, this is an (anyway) entertaining novel. After reading it, you would definitely appreciate a better novel ever more.
The novel, I read, is set for becoming a movie and theatre. Strange, interesting stories with the feel-good and coincidental aspects, I still maintain that it will be a good and entertaining movie.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Being John Malkovich
When I first heard the name, I had a mis-impression that it would be more like a biography film on the actor John Malkovich, who would have lived a strange or special life and this movie would cover that. But this movie, was really about "being" John Malkovich. And it is not one but many being John Malkovich.
The main poster (or the punchline at the bottom) says it all:
I don't know which genre would best descibe the movie. Drama yes. Sci-fi - people might disagree but I think it is a subtler sci-fi than the likes of Star Wars and others who have crazily dressed people and out-of-the-world guns and instruments (no offence!). This is imagination which feels plausible at the psychological level. I would like to call it bio-psy-fi.
The movie is centred around three characters, one of whom (a talented and unsuccessful puppeter) finds a secret portal which leads into the mind of John Malkovich, from where one can peep into, involve into John Malkovich and also compell John Malkovich into doing something - for 15 minutes. The wife of this one discovers herself to be transexual when she has peeped into Malkovich. The third one directly meets and indulges with Malkowich. And with the wife.
What turns out is a total mess of which the biggest victim is John Malkovich, the puppet, himself. There are other suspenses and twists-n-turns in the movie, but I better don't disclose them.
The story writer is none another than Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind and Adaptation fame: John Kaufman. He is fast becoming one of the idols for me and I am definitely going to buy Adaptation. As for rest, the characters and performances don't need any mention. Í couldn't recognize Cameron Diaz first and I hadn't seen Catherine Keener before (am telling myself, "Zindagi barbaad hai meri, abhi tak Catherine Keener ko nahin dekha tha" :-P). And I hadn't seen John Malkovich too before. His performance too was stunning.
The best part of the story is the end. I must admit that I had misunderstood the end a little before I got it clarified from the internet. But anyways, all my top favourites have something about the end - drama, beauty, tragedy, shock etc. - but of a higher level. But this is one movie, that has in its end - happiness (for the girls), , drama (all), comedy (on end result), tragedy (for man) and beyond all - wonder (for all the occupants and subsequent vessel).
Sorry but not more disclosures but I recommend all to watch it. There is a lot of adult talk and little adult stuff in the movie and if that is not a barrier, it is a movie worth watching (unless you don't like or appreciate complex movies).
After all, some movie, after long, has finally managed to surpass my favourites (the likes of Life is Beautiful, American Beauty, Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind, Amadeus and The Matrix) and emerge as the top favourite on the list.
The main poster (or the punchline at the bottom) says it all:
I don't know which genre would best descibe the movie. Drama yes. Sci-fi - people might disagree but I think it is a subtler sci-fi than the likes of Star Wars and others who have crazily dressed people and out-of-the-world guns and instruments (no offence!). This is imagination which feels plausible at the psychological level. I would like to call it bio-psy-fi.
The movie is centred around three characters, one of whom (a talented and unsuccessful puppeter) finds a secret portal which leads into the mind of John Malkovich, from where one can peep into, involve into John Malkovich and also compell John Malkovich into doing something - for 15 minutes. The wife of this one discovers herself to be transexual when she has peeped into Malkovich. The third one directly meets and indulges with Malkowich. And with the wife.
What turns out is a total mess of which the biggest victim is John Malkovich, the puppet, himself. There are other suspenses and twists-n-turns in the movie, but I better don't disclose them.
The story writer is none another than Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind and Adaptation fame: John Kaufman. He is fast becoming one of the idols for me and I am definitely going to buy Adaptation. As for rest, the characters and performances don't need any mention. Í couldn't recognize Cameron Diaz first and I hadn't seen Catherine Keener before (am telling myself, "Zindagi barbaad hai meri, abhi tak Catherine Keener ko nahin dekha tha" :-P). And I hadn't seen John Malkovich too before. His performance too was stunning.
The best part of the story is the end. I must admit that I had misunderstood the end a little before I got it clarified from the internet. But anyways, all my top favourites have something about the end - drama, beauty, tragedy, shock etc. - but of a higher level. But this is one movie, that has in its end - happiness (for the girls), , drama (all), comedy (on end result), tragedy (for man) and beyond all - wonder (for all the occupants and subsequent vessel).
Sorry but not more disclosures but I recommend all to watch it. There is a lot of adult talk and little adult stuff in the movie and if that is not a barrier, it is a movie worth watching (unless you don't like or appreciate complex movies).
After all, some movie, after long, has finally managed to surpass my favourites (the likes of Life is Beautiful, American Beauty, Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind, Amadeus and The Matrix) and emerge as the top favourite on the list.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
B E A utiful
I have never been very creative with words, so I am just exclaiming with the Title as Jim Carry would do, had he seen such a beautiful nazaara. I was thinking of giving the title as 'The Ultimate Beauty' but my English savvy friends would regard that as a cliche and possibly disregard the post as unworthy. Then I thought of something more complicated like 'Sundartaa ki Paraakashthaa', but I fear many of my young Indian friends would ask me whether this is Hindi or Sanskrit and bring the language to a shame.
I came to India at the worst possible, but at least for me, the best possible time. Although it was raining hard in Mumbai and Pune and later in Banswara (what to say about the excellent weather in Tiruppur!!!), it killed the heat, which otherwise would have killed this spoiled Dutch boy.
Coming to the point, I was flying Ahmedabad to Mumbai by Jet Airways (and again digressing...) and as all my India visits are, this one too was full of running (despite all rains!), trying to catch up with as many friends and family and relatives as I can, not forgetting to mention visiting the Ashrams and meeting the Master. So it was a morning flight and I was very tired.
The breakfast 'bell' woke me up. I was sitting on a window seat with my sleeping face turned towards the window and then what I saw was pure beauty!
My Gujju neighbour was kind enough not to mind my disturbing his (already served and started) breakfast and getting the camera out of my bag. In fact, he too took out his mobile and started clicking pictures.
Now what would you call it?
I really have no words. My breakfast was still waiting and later the flight attendant too but I didn't mind.
I continue clicking pictures, keeping in mind the scratches in my window. My Dutch colleagues and acquaintances must see these pictures and then they will realize (they already know) that what they call heavy rain is nothing more than a drizzle for us.
The following is the best photograph from the lot and possibly the best photograph I have ever clicked. Just look at the split sun, the vivid colours, the ocean of clouds ... ah! I never believed G I Gurdjieff when he says, "The power of the sun is divine", but I don't mind agreeing him for the moment.
I came to India at the worst possible, but at least for me, the best possible time. Although it was raining hard in Mumbai and Pune and later in Banswara (what to say about the excellent weather in Tiruppur!!!), it killed the heat, which otherwise would have killed this spoiled Dutch boy.
Coming to the point, I was flying Ahmedabad to Mumbai by Jet Airways (and again digressing...) and as all my India visits are, this one too was full of running (despite all rains!), trying to catch up with as many friends and family and relatives as I can, not forgetting to mention visiting the Ashrams and meeting the Master. So it was a morning flight and I was very tired.
The breakfast 'bell' woke me up. I was sitting on a window seat with my sleeping face turned towards the window and then what I saw was pure beauty!
My Gujju neighbour was kind enough not to mind my disturbing his (already served and started) breakfast and getting the camera out of my bag. In fact, he too took out his mobile and started clicking pictures.
Now what would you call it?
I really have no words. My breakfast was still waiting and later the flight attendant too but I didn't mind.
I continue clicking pictures, keeping in mind the scratches in my window. My Dutch colleagues and acquaintances must see these pictures and then they will realize (they already know) that what they call heavy rain is nothing more than a drizzle for us.
The following is the best photograph from the lot and possibly the best photograph I have ever clicked. Just look at the split sun, the vivid colours, the ocean of clouds ... ah! I never believed G I Gurdjieff when he says, "The power of the sun is divine", but I don't mind agreeing him for the moment.
I also tried catching the clouds without the sun. Luckily I found some gaps and but we were at a height of 11000 m, we could hardly see the ground. Rather, the gap looked like liquid water contained by these enormous clouds, ready to burst and let the hell loose over the doomed.
This is another beauty I clicked when I was lucky to find a mountain of cloud in this ocean of clouds.
In the beginning, another name that occurred to me was 'Kahin Khushi, Kahin Gum', because though I and others were feeling lucky above the clouds, people below were praying or doing a yagya or just cursing Indra bhagwaan (while fearing at the same time his powers and rage to repeat 26th July or recreate the history). 
Towards the end, the clouds started resembling ice, especially at the distance. Ocean and Glacier, at the same time!
This is another beauty I clicked when I was lucky to find a mountain of cloud in this ocean of clouds.
In the beginning, another name that occurred to me was 'Kahin Khushi, Kahin Gum', because though I and others were feeling lucky above the clouds, people below were praying or doing a yagya or just cursing Indra bhagwaan (while fearing at the same time his powers and rage to repeat 26th July or recreate the history).
After clicking such rare pictures, I got a little easy and the pictures to follow are marred by the scratches in the window. Nevertheless, they are a small treasure, which will be with me. I also took 3 vidoes but I doubt they will add any beauty to this blog. Anyway, they are more than 50 MB and I dare not to upload them and later give the link to others. The end had to come and I also had to finish my breakfast. I was the last to finish, just about the time when the plane was preeparing to land.
Towards the end, the clouds started resembling ice, especially at the distance. Ocean and Glacier, at the same time!
I have waited long to write and publish this because my desktop doesn't have a slot for the SD card and well, I did not dare attempts to upload so many pictures on my gaanv's dial-up network. But now that I have done it, I feel happy about it. If someone wants these picture(s), just mail me the picture number(s) from the top and it (they) should reach your inbox in 2-3 non-working [:-)] days. Tot ziens!
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