Kurbaan (2009) November 22, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Bollywood, Hindi, Indian, Movies.Tags: Karan Johar, Kareena Kapoor, Rensil D'Souza, Saif Ali Khan
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If you shoot a majority of a movie in the US, have a large production budget, why do you shoot in India for a really small office sequence?
I don’t know.
If you have seen Fanaa (2006) or New York (2009) there is really no need for you to see Kurbaan. There is no need for you to see Fanaa, or New York in the first place.
I won’t waste blogspace trying to tell you about the acting. Where Om Puri starts acting like the rest of the cast, there isn’t any point mentioning how people have acted in the movie. Kirron Kher completely disappoints with her over-Afghanified accent, which you can just about tolerate, however, Vivek Oberoi should strike out “can do American accent” from his resume.
There is nothing worthwhile about the direction, it is plain and staid. The worst of all is the story. Sorry, my mistake – the story is not bad – it just doesn’t exist!
Predictable right from the word go, Kurbaan is an absolute waste of the money spent in making this film. I feel really sad, I added to the waste.
Inglourious Basterds (2009) October 4, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Hollywood, Movies, War.Tags: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Mélanie Laurent, Quentin Tarantino
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There are some movies, if I see them in a theatre, I come out very quietly. Often times, these are violent. Most of the times, the movie isn’t boring. Often times, I say to myself (or to whoever accompanies me) that I need to get the DVD of this movie.
Inglourious Basterds was one such movie. I loved it at first shot; what can I say? And I want to see it many times over. Happened to me with Kill Bill (both volumes), happened to me with Death Proof). And I must say, it helped, that I saw Valkyrie (review pending), a few days ago. The mood was well set to continue in the WWII thought mode, with Germans involved.
There is something about this movie however, that was an away from the usual Quentin Tarantino stuff, yet the entire footage is marked with his unmistakable signature, which was absent. (Yes, yes, I do know what I am saying, this is a QT movie, remember?) There is classic QT in the met-presentation and in some of the micro-scenes.
Brad Pitt does a decent job, but the content, character, and charisma of Christoph Waltz’s role, doesn’t give a large canvass to the other players. Waltz has an extremely strong screen presence and does immense justice to QT’s vision. Mélanie Laurent was also a pleasure to watch, first time for me, especially in the scene where she first meets Goebbels.
Inglourious Basterds is master craftsmanship and the skill of this craftsmanship will be clearer as you see this movie a few times over.
Purple Cow, Seth Godin August 26, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Books.Tags: Advertising, Purple Cow, Remarkable, Seth Godin
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I never expected this book to be one of the finish-in-one-sitting books. But it ended up being one. Interestingly so, till Seth Godin does not actually tell you what a Purple Cow is, I did not make the connection. But he moment he did, I immediately thought of The Black Swan, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
In short, the Purple Cow (like the Black Swan) is what doesn’t exist. (I haven’t completed reading the Black Swan, so I’ll refrain from any further comparison)
This is the first book by Seth Godin that I have read, and while it is similar in structure to some of the recent popular non-ficion books of recent times (The Corporation, Blink, and such), it does make for good reading. Recent non-fiction books seem to follow a common structure, which make for dull and monochrome reading. When putting a powerful idea forth, it seems to me that the way to do it, is to present a very short idea in your head and then overload the reader with repetitive examples that prove the point – some examples are straight and directly relevant, some are far-fetched and seek your imagination to contextualise the incident.
While The Purple Cow does something similar, the theory is well presented, formed and delivered. The proverbial proof is well set and relevant to the items that make up the idea. The writing is simple, clear and allows for easy mental digestion. The idea that Godin presents is valuable and quite inspiring. Inspiring, however is a very relative term. Unlike Godin, I believe that most people strive to be remarkable, but allow constraints and circumstances to enslave them. This book is meant for those.
In life and work (and I don’t make a distinction between the two) we are surrounded by a continuum of dreariness and everything pale. When everything is bright-red, bright-red is pale. As I was reading through, the first image that came up was the supermarket shelf where biscuits are stored. It is almost impossible to identify a good biscuit. Heck, nowadays, even the packaging doesn’t stand out. Of the masses he talks of I am the obvious one: I never get carried away by a mass-media ad and never have to buy something that the ad hypes. Buying behaviour is more complex than we seem to have imagined.
If you are one of the (what I believe) many, who are tired of the commonplace and insipid, this is a tangy book that will spice up your thoughts, if not action. This is not an answer book, however, and Godin makes it clear somewhere in the middle. But then, personally, most how-to books have failed for me unless they teach a “tactile” how-to. There are some interesting insights (case studies that you may already know of) that I was happy to discover.
I wish, however that non-fiction structure evolves soon. I wish for a Purple Cow in non-fiction books.
Dabawalas, Shrinivas Pandit August 9, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Books, Indian, Non-Fiction.Tags: Business, Dabawalas, Shrinvas Pandit, Six-Sigma, Value
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The story of their success is not new. It has been around for a while and has been excitedly spoken of in various business events and discussions. They have made Mumbai proud by placing an otherwise taken for granted enterprise on the global map. I am, no doubt, talking of the Dabbawallas of Mumbai. Those pyjama-donned and Gandhi-cap clad busy-bees who are ubiquitous every morning during your commute to office.
I finished the very unputdownable book, Dabbawalas, by Shrinivas Pandit, yesterday, in one sitting. The entire book is a set of dialogues between the office bearers of the Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust and the author and Anita Dalal. The author has inserted takeaways at the end of every dialogue and has summarised them at the end of the book. It is a very simple read, does not use complicated business jargon, neither does it present an over-analytical view of the dialogues. In fact, the analysis, if you insist on calling it that, is embedded in the conversation seamlessly and does not require a separate process in your brain to comprehend that.
The dialogues provide a deep insight into the functioning of the Dabawalas: not as a process of implementation, but the philosophy and the value system of an enterprise. The dialogues often touch upon the concept of durability, which had me mesmerised, thinking of how these people look at their business and how most businesses are superficial in their mission definition.
This book is an important read for anyone in business for one very important reason. This book explores the psyche of the enterprise. Often, most business-self-help books provide you the tools of success — describe what has been successful in one business that you may implement in yours. This is a classic posture for failure. Most processes are built on foundations of a value system that is often ignored. To adopt a process without it’s underlying value system is a mistake that many businesses make. In my opinion, every enterprise is unique based on the value it creates for customers and markets. Therefore the processes that they should adopt must be derived out of the value systems that they follow. Processes that are orphaned from their biological value systems are doomed to fail or at best achieve mediocre results.
A significantly large population who knows about the Dabawalas story, will focus on their six-sigma performance — one error in 16 million transactions (99.999999%). This would be the fallacy. Dabawalas, by Shrinavas Pandit, helps provide the perfect context of this error-rate. The context of the belief-system in mission; the spiritual density in action; a discrete single-mindedness of a business (not financial) goal, and the arresting inclusion of every stakeholder in the enterprise.
The book, if you are willing to delve in its takeaways, is even a guide for how you may live your life. Read it completely, if you want to make sense of why certain things work and why certain don’t. In the fast-paced life that we live, it will be useful for us to take a few scoops from this book, rather than scrape the icing, mistaking it for the cake.
Love Aaj Kal (2009) August 4, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Bollywood, Hindi, Movies.4 comments
It was the traffic, and the news that there was an accident on the highway that made me turn back to Inorbit Mall and catch up a movie till the traffic diluted.
Ever been tempted to remove the thin plastic wafer on a new mobile phone? The one that covers the screen and such things? It’s almost not there, but of course you know that it is there and there is always a dilemma in your head whether you should remove that thin and transparent plastic film from the screen or not.
That’s Saif Ali Khan in Love Aaj Kal. He is there in the movie, all through, just, it’s very easy to peel him off and he isn’t there. And boy, is he losing touch (rewind to Dil Chahta Hai (2001)) and hair, for that matter. His delivery is losing the smoothness that he once had. Scene: afternoon discussion at he Chowk with Rishi Kapoor. There are instances when he is brilliant – most of the funny scenes – but the moment he tries and emotes, I wish I was in traffic.
Deepika Padukone is good looking. No doubt about it. We all know it. She knows it. The best asset being her smile. She knows it. So, even when she is in bang centre of a heartbreak, she is smiling. When she is drunk, she is smiling. When she is teasing, she is smiling. When she is brushing dust off old fort walls, she is smiling. When she isn’t smiling, she is clumsy. When she isn’t clumsy, I wish I was in traffic.
Rishi Kapoor is his consistent self; his laugh keeps bouncing between the inner walls of his cheek. No one else in the movie is worth a mention.
And then, there is the mystery of Harleen. Doesn’t appear in credits. But what a wonderful blast of fresh air! Giselle Monteiro, a 19-year-old Brazilian model, plays the 60’s village beauty perfectly. There isn’t much for her to do in the film except look beautiful, which she does with exceptional ease, or look frightened, which isn’t too difficult for her either (she probably was imagining working in a Hindi Movie for the first time).
And the highlight of Harleen is when she grows old and becomes Neetu Singh. What can I say? (Update: even if certain filmy types think otherwise) All my wishes of rather being stuck in traffic vanished without a trace.
The concept of the film is lacklustre and trite: discovering love. The movie is often over saturated, and you wish you had a desaturating control in your eyes. Yes, everything Indian is colourful, but we don’t use a ‘photo shop’. The constant saturation/desaturation shift between the 60’s and 2000’s is equally troublesome. On a personal note, I was happy to be taken back to images of London; places I knew and frequented.
All in all a very average film, and bearable only because it was better than being in traffic. Slightly, slightly better.
Eyes Wide Shut August 1, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Books.Tags: Blink, Malcom Gladwell
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It’s about six-forty in the morning and I just finished Blink, by Malcom Gladwell. I have yet to read The Tipping Point by the same author, but now, I am not sure that I will.
The problem with any book is its reputation – especially if there is a lot of it. For some reason – it kept reminding me of Freakonomics – only this was esoteric on the dull side.
There is a trend (I am not sure who started it) of looking at the world as if suddenly we are finding new things. These books go on with examples and experiences – and it just seems never ending. Some examples are interesting – but then it does get boring after a while. India Unbound, The World is Flat (left it halfway), and now Blink. I am given to believe that the Tipping Point is similar. I call these, the “books that tell us what we know”. And I may add, “that we choose not to know”. Possibly we are bang in between a revolution of how we see our world – and these are the small changes that we dont notice. Hmm. Need to read Tipping Point.
Freakonomics stands out – because the relationships that it talks of – are curious, to say the least.
Blink is a good book, mind you, nothing wrong with it – but it failed to impress. At least as much as the promise that people said it held. The theory that the book talks about is absolutely bang on! And I should have known. I don’t pick up books recommended by some people. Then many people talk about it – I know all the more I shouldn’t pick it up. But then you feel left out – because everyone is talking about it. That is not the Blink moment. The moment I choose not to pick it up is the Blink moment.
Recommended only if you want to be told, with never ending examples of, what you possibly already know. Yawn, need to get forty blinks…er…winks, or more.
(Originally posted on Oct 12, 2008)
Intuition: Knowing Beyond Logic, Osho June 29, 2009
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It was the most innocent pick-up of the year, I think. When I picked up Intuition: Knowing Beyond Logic, by Osho, you could say, it was intuitive.
I am amused and smiling as I write the review. One of the resonating themes of the books is to let go of the shackles of the belief system(s) that you have adorned, imbibed and ingrained over the years. Whatever these may be – religious, spiritual, social or political.
Osho says in a section of the book – to be in the moment and not necessarily agree or disagree with what he says – just be with him him. Like you do not agree or disagree with a sunset or a rose, just be – do not agree or disagree. Significant social conditioning denies us this pleasure of being. The mind needs to settle everything in one of lobes.
So, I have nothing to tell you about the book. No experience is ever the same – especially with books and what we gain (or not) from them, this book is a shining candidate. I was just going along reading without thinking (which was a huge effort, I will admit).
In the end, it was an enjoyable experience.
The Importance of Possibili, Edward deBono May 18, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Books, Non-Fiction.add a comment
Though I have not yet finished reading The Black Swan, I was reminded of it in the first couple of pages of The Importance of Possibili.
Edward de Bono is truly a thinker for these desperate times. We seem to fail to notice the cookie cutter world that we have created and live in. Denial is the natural response to possibility – more so because there is comfort and knowledge in that which we know.
The book itself is presented, almost as a book for children. To present such a powerful thought in such a simple way is probably the genius that Edward de Bono is. The presentation appeals to the child in you. There is eagerness to absorb and complete absence to question. The cynic’s questions may come later, but while reading there is complete surrender.
Progress, growth, imagination and belief, are the few themes that salsa in your mind after you put down this very small book. A very goodread after a long time.
Richard Bach said, “Don’t turn away from possible futures before you’re certain you don’t have anything to learn from them.” deBono has picked up this thought and applied structure to it: How not to walk away.
There is a possibili that you may think of your life differently after you read this book. It’s possible.
The Ranee of Jhansi, D. V. Tahmankar May 7, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Books, Indian History, War.Tags: Tahmankar, Rani, Jhansi, 1857, Revolt, Tatya Tope, Gwalior
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One of the many books that I have finished a single or two sittings. While the obvious genre of the book would be historical analysis or biography, I would happily put this on the storybook shelf.
The story of the Rani of Jhansi is one that most of us have heard in our childhood – without the details and the context of the circumstances prevalent during the Revolt of 1857. We heard the story of being brave and being patriotic – to an extent the passion of freedom – Mai apni Jhansi nahi doongi! (I will not give up my Jhansi).
This book was written by D. V. Tahmankar (d. 1982) and first published in 1958. Little information about Tahmankar is available on the Internet. According to the book, he:
[…] was a correspondent of the Marathi newspaper Kesari before becoming the UK correspondent for the Deccan Herald till 1980. He set up the Lokmanya Tilak Memorial Trust and also wrote the biographies Lokamanya Tilak: Father of Indian Unrest and Maker of Modern India (1956) and Sardar Patel (1970).
His stint in the UK undoubtedly helped in the writing of the book (though it isn’t clear if he was in the UK when this book was published), however, according to the Open Library, this book was first published by Published in 1958, MacGibbon & Kee (London). He acknowledges the ungrudging help from the Librarian of the Commonwealth Office Library
The premise and the purpose of the book has been defined right from the first page. The story of this character has been biased by accounts of the British officers, and Tahmankar is out to ensure that
her career [which] has borne a blemish all these years as a result of one-sided accounts of the massacre at Jhansi of English men, women and children.
is cleared through the reference of other sources and a deeper analysis of existing sources. And he does it well. I only regret the lack of a formal bibliography, and cross-references are embedded in the book rather than listed at the end. The references to Vishnu Bhatt Godse’s Majha Pravas (My Travels), published in 1907, by Chitrashala Press, Pune is something I’d like to lay my hands on. One clear assumption, when reading the book, I had to make, was that the references were valid.
More often than not, when an Indian writer picks up a story to be presented in the “correct context”, it usually leads to a blanket negation and grandiloquent discrediting of all British accounts and the glorification of all Indian historical personalities as heroes – usually, without valid references. This is not to say that the British accounts were in any way accurate – however an argument loses credibility without necessary support and references.
Tahmankar, on the other hand, presents a very balanced view of the personalities in his book. Whether it is Tatya Tope or Nana Saheb or Sir Hugh Rose, he relies on multiple references and their verifiable actions to present the true character of the personalities. Where necessary he is surgically analytical and boldly critical without being under duress of presenting a pompous or glorious Indian edition of the story.
The language he employs is simple and clear, with interesting shades of Indian English would have been prevalent at that time. It flows without interruption and each word is well-placed like a jig-saw puzzle that has been gently sand-papered to create a picture without the distorting grooves. He writes, for example:
This economic impact of British rule changed the even tenor of Indian social life with brutal suddenness. The process of disintegration was accentuated by the disrupting aspects of Lord Dalhousie’s administration which showed little respect for religious susceptibilities and political sentiments.
All through the book, Tahmankar makes precise use of adjectives to set the mood for the story. There is an uncanny tension that prevails throughout the book, and keeps your opinion balanced without making the book an effortful academic read.
Immensely enjoyable, I wish for more writers to take up the challenge of writing about Indian history that comes close to Tahmankar’s cogent presentation.
Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy (2009) April 26, 2009
Posted by Gaizabonts in Indian, Marathi, Movies.Tags: Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Siddharth Jadhav
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After Valu (2008), this is the first (new) Marathi movie that I have enjoyed watching. The cinematography and the pace made it for me. The camera-work is practical and well-employed and the story progresses along a fine pace. However…
Warning: Potential Spoilers Ahead
… I did feel at times that the premise of the story was quite a bit contrived. Sachin Khedekar (playing Dinkar Bhosale) though doing pretty well in the role, is a character that you (or, at least I) cannot relate with. Attributing the weakness of the character to people belonging to a region seemed a bit far fetched to me. In telling the story (of how a community must rise to the apparent subjugation by extra-regional infiltration), the entire community gets defined by the lack of a particular person’s self-respect. To me, that is unacceptable. All through the earlier part of the movie the protagonist undergoes severe humiliation, which is fairly exaggerated. How the above-mentioned subjugation has occurred is pretty vague and (deliberately?) left to the imagination of the audience. Irrespective of the region you belong to — what kind of a person would accept the humiliation from a shop assistant and a fish-seller, as has been depicted in the movie?
I do not imply that such events never occur at all, however, they can never be the basis of defining a community’s ethos. The character suffers from a severe victim complex which is highlighted by his relatively difficult economic state. It is fine as a specific case.
When I think back on the purpose of presenting the character the way it was portrayed in Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy (2009), I am forced to think that it addresses the ever-growing folks who do actually feel like the character in the movie. It is not addressed to the region at large. I take solace in that.
As the story progresses, the protagonist meets with the king and complains of how he has been continuously robbed of opportunities by people coming in from the rest of the world. The dialogue by Mahesh Manjrekar (playing Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) about how the protagonist wears his deficiencies as a garland of pride, really was the key to the entire movie, for me. (“What you should be ashamed of, you sound out as your pride.”). Chatrapati reminds Dinkar Bhosle of his lineage and kindles his pride. This part of the movie was most interesting, for me. I have always wondered, when someone evokes a sense of pride in us what do they truly intend? For us to make a show of slogans? Or to own the sense of pride itself? Pride is a characteristic, not an ornament. Most people, don’t understand that. As an ornament, it is something outside of you — doesn’t “belong” to you. As a characteristic, it is a part of you and you never have to try and express it. Your existence is a factor of that pride.
Towards the second half and nearing the end of the film, all interactions that the protagonist commits — with the film producer, with the police man, the BMC officials or the builder — are very fungible. They could be true of any community in any region. All communities carry their share of good and bad and mad. The terrace speech, in fact, has national appeal.
Technically, I wish the movie was slightly better edited. I think I remember seeing a TV tower as Chatrapati races down to Mumbai on a horse. It could have been avoided, but I guess there is an element of cross-over of time-spaces, so that could be forgiven. The repeated low-angle hooves are a bit overdone. Mahesh Manjrekar could do well with some make-up for the black circles, but he played the character well. Siddharth Jadhav (as Usman Parkar) is a treat to watch (you half-expect him to do something funny!)
All in all, an enjoyable movie (Marathi humour’s sensibility seems to have found it’s way back, a bit) with a message — but you will have to see the movie to decide what it means for you and what your take-away will be.
