I was warned, scoffed, mocked, kicked and laughed at when I expressed my desire to go watch this movie in the theater. They described it as a completely giveup 4 hr colossal torture.........Now that I have watched the movie I know why khalid mohammad should retire...not only from his work but also from his nationality.....
Yes, Jodhaa Akbar is not a movie...its an experience, majestic in its demands, refreshing in its message. Those who are still crying over distorted historical facts-should go back and read history for what it is. We do not read history for knowing what the real name of somebody`s wife was-but instead we read it to understand how 500 years before, in a monarchical era, one man stood up to unify the whole country irrespective of religion, caste, location, sex or ethnicity sacrificing even his own beliefs--as opposed to what we see today, when in a "democratic" setup we come out to kill on the basis of who is north and who is mumbai.....ring a bell !
Jodhaa Akbar is a celebration of the rich culture that India manifested, something we dont even bother about now. It was amazing to watch the Azeem-o-shaan song which looked more like a republic day parade representing every cult that has ever lived in India. In a scene there were 9 different circles of people around Akbar each of different religion, caste or region......how much more amazing could a scene like that have been for an Indian who is proud that such a thing can happen only in India!
The golden yellow royal texture of Akbar`s face, the fear in jodhaa eyes when her mother hands her over the poison, the lust in same when she voyeurs half naked Akbar playing with his "sword", Mahamanga slightestest nod when she meets Jodha, the lush undeniably rich and real interior sets and costumes, the way an emperor of India starts dancing with a group of spiritual sufis, how a modest bhajan lights up the darbar at Deewan-e-aam, how a little Rajput princess makes her mark(literally) on the whole of the majestic Mughal empire and how the ruler of the subcontinent decides to fight hand-to-hand to a warrior stronger to him on paper, just to keep peace and soldiers on both sides alive...........
I know I couldnt have asked for more....sitting with a riveted audience around I never quite came to know how the much talked "4 hr" length came to an end........I came out enlightened perhaps nostalgic of I dont know what but all I wanted was to raise my hands in the air and dance to Khwaja, Akbar, India, Rahman, me and Ashutosh who brought them together.........
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
5 phases of ANGER
a IMPULSE
The stimulus that triggers it all. The first phase, that comes to me once a month without fail. It comes a surprise, something I was not expecting or rather wanting to happen. Something that disrupts the normal behavior of an invisible boundary layer around my life. It hits like a gust of sharp wind and shatters all laws of stability......
n EXPLOSION
BOOM! There it goes. An extremely loud and violent discharge of energy where I scream seamlessly at the top of my throat at everyone "I think" is responsible for the Impulse. This explosion, not only leaves everyone choking in the smoke, but it also leaves on them deep scars of distrust and dislike....
g SILENCE
The toughest part ! Its the stillness that follows every Explosion. Nothing moves or makes a sound. Time, suddenly stops and I find myself sitting in a dark and cold place, straining my ears to listen my own heartbeats. There is no one around and the guilt starts setting in, questions start emerging in dark shadows-Was it worth it ? Did I do anything wrong this time ? Wasn't the impulse too trivial to cause everything ? Haven`t I done it before and ended up all alone ? Isn't it going to happen again?
All the answers seem a simple yes except for the first question....
e COMPROMISE
So the Adrenalin heads back to the glands. With my Silenced head miles deep in guilt, I find out things. Things like-After all who is being affected most-me, of course; because its me who was, is and will be dependent on them. Strictly speaking, they don't need me-but still if they show no objection to me hanging around, it must be only out of fondness or pity perhaps. And every time they have their own right to make decisions that don't include me.
Realizing that I am not a part of the thrust, but the drag, I make a compromise-a settlement with my own self.....
r ABATEMENT
Its over! The final nullification. With a Compromised self, I stand up to put on the lights in my head. I then look around and find everything falling back into place. Although abated, a final healing is yet pending. I still need to go back and ask for forgiveness, which I know I will get-because they love me...and so do I...........
The stimulus that triggers it all. The first phase, that comes to me once a month without fail. It comes a surprise, something I was not expecting or rather wanting to happen. Something that disrupts the normal behavior of an invisible boundary layer around my life. It hits like a gust of sharp wind and shatters all laws of stability......
n EXPLOSION
BOOM! There it goes. An extremely loud and violent discharge of energy where I scream seamlessly at the top of my throat at everyone "I think" is responsible for the Impulse. This explosion, not only leaves everyone choking in the smoke, but it also leaves on them deep scars of distrust and dislike....
g SILENCE
The toughest part ! Its the stillness that follows every Explosion. Nothing moves or makes a sound. Time, suddenly stops and I find myself sitting in a dark and cold place, straining my ears to listen my own heartbeats. There is no one around and the guilt starts setting in, questions start emerging in dark shadows-Was it worth it ? Did I do anything wrong this time ? Wasn't the impulse too trivial to cause everything ? Haven`t I done it before and ended up all alone ? Isn't it going to happen again?
All the answers seem a simple yes except for the first question....
e COMPROMISE
So the Adrenalin heads back to the glands. With my Silenced head miles deep in guilt, I find out things. Things like-After all who is being affected most-me, of course; because its me who was, is and will be dependent on them. Strictly speaking, they don't need me-but still if they show no objection to me hanging around, it must be only out of fondness or pity perhaps. And every time they have their own right to make decisions that don't include me.
Realizing that I am not a part of the thrust, but the drag, I make a compromise-a settlement with my own self.....
r ABATEMENT
Its over! The final nullification. With a Compromised self, I stand up to put on the lights in my head. I then look around and find everything falling back into place. Although abated, a final healing is yet pending. I still need to go back and ask for forgiveness, which I know I will get-because they love me...and so do I...........
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Still......
It goes back in time...stays there for a moment and returns to a D chord. What is it..!.....Chinmay knows better. But there is "Still" something that he doesnt know, and I wish he never finds out !
The song he loves so much....has a little more than what meets the ears.....and I just dont want to destroy it for him !
The night I saw you walking through the wind all alone..
It seemed a dream made me forget everything I had ever known..
I wish I pass by you, take your hand, and run away
Into the dream of the night, to the other side of the day...
I just want to say that I still love you
I just want to say that my love is true....
Back in time, this song played in an entirely different setting...amazing as it was....it was also true. So it stays Still........
I just wanna say that my love is true......
The song he loves so much....has a little more than what meets the ears.....and I just dont want to destroy it for him !
The night I saw you walking through the wind all alone..
It seemed a dream made me forget everything I had ever known..
I wish I pass by you, take your hand, and run away
Into the dream of the night, to the other side of the day...
I just want to say that I still love you
I just want to say that my love is true....
Back in time, this song played in an entirely different setting...amazing as it was....it was also true. So it stays Still........
I just wanna say that my love is true......
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Fate of a MONSTER !
In all the monster stories that i read, heard, saw,made or thought of, the end was virtually the same. The monster finds defeat in the hands of the hero, who then rides on happily with the treasure, the woman(or perhaps whatever he likes more) and a story of another victory over a monster ! The point is-the monster gets defeated in due time, and every time !
Back in the "real" world where I am living right now I have tried everything to eat up this monster of infinite proportions. With his belly full of assignments, his quizzing eyes, miles of journals wrapped around his feet, he shrieks in loud vivas and carries a weird xx shaped weapon. Every time I go anywhere near to cracking him down, he laughs and reminds me of his midsem brother and an endsem father who are still not back from the toilet. I tried everything (even politics) to tame him but he is just invincible and I, puzzled, keep looking at him trying to pretend to struggle...
Well, sometimes I think, if the monster stories are true, then the hero, me of course, must defeat him everytime and in due time, but the fact that the opposite happens, makes me wonder......afterall, who of us is the monster in this story?
Back in the "real" world where I am living right now I have tried everything to eat up this monster of infinite proportions. With his belly full of assignments, his quizzing eyes, miles of journals wrapped around his feet, he shrieks in loud vivas and carries a weird xx shaped weapon. Every time I go anywhere near to cracking him down, he laughs and reminds me of his midsem brother and an endsem father who are still not back from the toilet. I tried everything (even politics) to tame him but he is just invincible and I, puzzled, keep looking at him trying to pretend to struggle...
Well, sometimes I think, if the monster stories are true, then the hero, me of course, must defeat him everytime and in due time, but the fact that the opposite happens, makes me wonder......afterall, who of us is the monster in this story?
Friday, February 8, 2008
Rise Of The DEMENTORS
Its a perfect Harry Potter like setting at IIT this month. A big war is just going to begin, the warriors of which have already started acquiring sides (That sounds more like LOTR! ). An average Harry keeps running all day through infinite dark corridors, sometimes looking for attendance, searching a surprise quiz or just finding his coveted NOC that Professor Deanbledore has probably thrown into the fire of his phoenix. Midway during his run he is stopped by a warrior who starts scaring him about the war, and tells him how only he can save Harry and others like him. Potter doesnt listen (though pretends to), he just smiles and nods and moves on to find another warrior waiting for him.......Its going to be a long war !
Amidst all these, a high alert was announced on the cold Thursday morning as some random guy spotted a strange soulless creature in a dark black hood, mysteriously floating past the trees. It was later confirmed (as feared) that he was one of the guardians of the prison of Aerozaban , who had escaped by choice! But before anything could be done...it was too late. They were everywhere !
Amidst all these, a high alert was announced on the cold Thursday morning as some random guy spotted a strange soulless creature in a dark black hood, mysteriously floating past the trees. It was later confirmed (as feared) that he was one of the guardians of the prison of Aerozaban , who had escaped by choice! But before anything could be done...it was too late. They were everywhere !
The Frozen Dream
It has been cold. The nights this winter week have been peculiar. They have been strangely quiet, silent perhaps parched. All day long ice cold winds race towards the night, freezing everything in the way to death. Those who manage to survive, holding on somehow to a frosty thin edge can feel their body turning into ice from the inside....all they can do....is wait.......
It has affected all, frozen every desire, every expectation that anyone ever had. Achyoot`s unrest threw his paranoia to new heights; Satyam`s most avid passion this season- Shantaram, ended in a disappointment enough to discard itself;and me...well i nodded my head in refusal to something/someone I had always wanted ....the reason? Everything looks so cold.....so still. So much so that everything we always wanted- in Achyoot`s case the process....for Satyam the end....and for me the beginning, was right in front of us....but our hands were too cold to reach over and embrace them into our warm hearts......
How the week ended i couldn't get....I still remember last week this very same night i was speeding past the blazing lights on the Pune highway with the wind hitting straight my face. It wasn't as cold. Raghav had asked me to close the window which i didn't. I didn't even listen him. With open eyes freezing and drying in the chilled gust....I was perhaps dreaming!
It has affected all, frozen every desire, every expectation that anyone ever had. Achyoot`s unrest threw his paranoia to new heights; Satyam`s most avid passion this season- Shantaram, ended in a disappointment enough to discard itself;and me...well i nodded my head in refusal to something/someone I had always wanted ....the reason? Everything looks so cold.....so still. So much so that everything we always wanted- in Achyoot`s case the process....for Satyam the end....and for me the beginning, was right in front of us....but our hands were too cold to reach over and embrace them into our warm hearts......
How the week ended i couldn't get....I still remember last week this very same night i was speeding past the blazing lights on the Pune highway with the wind hitting straight my face. It wasn't as cold. Raghav had asked me to close the window which i didn't. I didn't even listen him. With open eyes freezing and drying in the chilled gust....I was perhaps dreaming!
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