CHAK DE India - A review

This one is must watch. “Chak De India’, in a way, symbolizes a resurgent India, breaking free from the shackles of the past and looking ahead for a glorious future.
A film, which , I am sure, has touched a chord ( or two ) , in every person, who has seen the movie.

It’s the story of ‘ Kabir khan’ ( played by a subdued SRK), who is a commited captian of the Indian hockey team, which, loses to pakistan in the final of the world cup. Kabir, who takes the last penalty shot, miscues it and is ostracized by the country , with allegations on having ‘ sold’ the country for the sake of money.

Kabir, then disappears in the oblivion, only to reappear after 7 years, to exorcise the demons of the past, by coaching a team of 16 girls, which, the Indian sports bureaucracy
has written off even before they leave for the world championship.

The movie revolves around the grooming of this ‘underdog of underdogs’ team into a world-beating outfit. The grueling training that their coach puts them through, the sense of self – belief that he instills in them, the camaraderie that he builds in them and ‘can-do’ spirit that he puts in them.

The movie touches upon the sorry state of affairs of women’s sport in the country and the chauvinism, which is omnipresent, even 60 years after India gained her Independence.

The movie has its poignant moments and for once, King Khan has let the limelight shine of this bunch of young girls and a sport, which even the men’s team has very few takers in this country of Cricket lovers.

The Director has kept the pace of the movie even and there isn’t one lax moment. The portrayal is realistic and the characters, very life-like and very believable. The movie does make you sit up and take notice and it involves the audience, in this women’s team tryst with destiny.

You feel a wave of patriotism run through you, as this team, manages to surge ahead, in spite of all odds, and beating some of the top teams of the world. And even as you walk out the theater, you will still find yourself basking in the after-glow of the ‘cinematic’ victory of ‘ our’ girls!!

This is a must-watch for every movie-lover , and not just for the joy of watching a good movie , but also, to reaffirm the film industry’s faith in this so called ‘ off-beat’ cinema, which also make commercial sense.

The audience is waiting to lap up and endorse good cinema and the powers-that-be of bollywood better take cognizance of this fact and encourage and support fresh talent, with ideas , which may not be main-stream , but are very refreshing and saleable.

The clock is ticking!!

Ever wondered what the most precious commodity in this world is?! Something which all the money and wealth in the world, you cannot buy; its time.

We all fret over it; and we are cribbing almost perpetually that’ I don’t have enough time’!! Yet, we don’t think twice about wasting this precious resource. In the daily humdrum of our busy lives, we seem to lose track of time, every time.
Mornings are rush hour ‘time’, to get to work ‘on time’, to catch that 9.15 churchgate local ‘ on time’; to finish that backlog at work ‘ on time’, to meet up with friends for an after-work drink ‘ on time’…..the list is endless.

We don’t really pause for a minute to mull over the importance of time, which we have in very limited quantity. Ever caught your self thinking, ‘ wish I had done that dance course while I still had time!’… ‘ if only I had chosen to it while I still had time!’.

Years , as we live them out, give us knowledge and experience; Time , is our life-long teacher..with us all through our lives…through the ups and downs in life..through the shine and dark of life..teaching us lessons and making us wiser, for better and for worse.

Man has been in quest of ‘New’ , since time immemorial; to discover a ‘ new’ land’, to discover a ‘new’ civilization, to find out something ‘ new’ about his own species. This quest has seen ‘ him’ evolve over a period of ‘ time’; Time, which has stood witness to the rise and fall of many dynasties, to the triumph and miseries of mankind, to the jubilation and depression of this race, which, is the most intelligent of all the known species, created by the almighty.

Man has been blessed with mental faculties, which has got us to where we stand today. But yet, for all the scientific and technological advancement that we have achieved thus far, the essence of life still remains the same.

We have to try and use this time , given to us by the almighty, in the best possible way. Don’t miss a chance to take a break from the rigmarole of life , to express your gratitude for the simple joys in life. Pause for a while and indulge your mind in some introspection. to understand yourself, to set your priorities, to list down your goals…and most importantly, to remind yourself , that you are one of those 6 billion odd beneficiary of this precious gift of ‘ time’; how we utilize this rare gift, is upto each one of us.

And hurry up, because, the clock is ticking and TIME indeed is running out!

And Thou shall wither with passage of Time...

The problems related to everyday city-life are never ending. City ( read Metros) are subjected to a glut of issues, personal , professional and otherwise. The problems are, sometimes, mere creations of overstressed minds. But importance of sound mental health cannot be over-emphasized in modern times

We are constantly trying to meet certain expectations on day-to-day basis; Expectations of our peer group, families, and more importantly, expectations from ourselves. Depending on how we prioritize these expectations and how well we are able to live upto the same, affects our mental health and in turn, our physical well being.

Humans are a product of society. We are social animals; as it is rightly said ‘ No Man or Woman, is a island unto himself ‘. We live, breathe, thrive, and evolve as part of a society; a society that is dynamic, a society which is ever-changing. This change also requires certain adjustments from our side.

The kind of lifestyle that we lead,. the clothes we wear, the thoughts we conjure up, the attitude we posses; all of this is a function of the dynamics of the society we live in. Our work life is the lubricant, which also ensures that our personal lives are also well oiled and on-track. How well we strike a balance between these two, determines, how fulfilled a life we are able to live!

The idea is to harness and develop our mental energy and channelise our physical energy; nuture a hobby; indulge in your favorite activity; plan a weekend away from the daily humdrum of our busy lives; learn a new skill; hone your existing skill-sets.

Very often, the solutions, to apparently complex problems, are very simple. We need to understand , what drives us and excites us to deliver our best, at work and otherwise too.
The rigours of city-dwelling cannot be wished away; so lets not succumb to it; lets try to prepare ourselves mentally and physically to take on these challenges HEAD-ON!!

Love- The elixir of life!

The modern day theorists are still trying to put a scientific reasoning to that elusive emotion called ‘ love’. Incomprehensible, indiscernible and yet all pervasive. That is what ,this emotion called ‘ love’, is.

Legends have been written, told and re-told down the centuries. People have tried to live these legends in “ earthly’ lives, wishing to experience that magic of ‘love’ , which these legends have very endearingly crafted.

Some scientists have labeled it as a chemical reaction, which chemicals inside our brains, create; Some try to give it a more ‘layman’ feel and call it the meeting of hearts. Others say that it is indescribable feeling which can only be felt and not expressed.

Yet, down the centuries, man has craved for this so-called elusive feeling. Much abused; over-used and hackneyed word that love is, humans have used it to express a host of emotions. Love can be platonic or the romantic type. Yet, we , almost unconsciously, use it to express our innermost feelings, in the most succinct manner possible.

‘I love to dance; I love this song; I am in love with this place; I absolutely love this dish..i am in love with his voice…the gamut of expressions and the references in which this term is used, is unlimited. Sometimes, the thin line between what we ‘like’ and what we ‘love’ is blurred; and these two terms are used interchangeably.

Perhaps in these times of strife, we all are indeed better off with our daily dose of ‘love’; that tingling sensation inside you, the bounce in your steps, the glow on your face, the exuberance inside your heart, can really act as a antidote , to the host of ailments; real and imagined that we face today.

And maybe that age-old saying still holds ground ‘ Make love not war”!

Life in a metro- A review!

“ Life in a metro”; the sound of this title conjures up images of a pseudo , modern-day take, on what is a life in a metropolitan city all about.

The director has more then surprised me on this one. Anurag basu, coming from the “bhatt” school of film making, has really carved a niche for himself with this splendid effort.

The casting is just right and the script, as crisp, as a corn flake! The pace of the movie, fast enough to keep u engrossed and yet , the movie captures the essence of city dwelling.

The protagonists , there are 7 of ‘em, do have something in common, its one of them!
KAY KAY and SHILPA SHETTY, are living out a failed marriage…something neither of them have been able to fathom.
SHARAM JOSHI, as the eager-to-please, exec at a call centre, is believable. KAYKAY, as a disillusioned husband, indulging in sexual liaisons with his starry-eyed secy KANGANA, is good. But , he has to look at doing varied roles to avoid the risk of getting stereotyped a ‘ serious’ actor.
The surprise package of the movie is easily, IRFAN KHAN…a late-thirty something bachelor, with his dry sense of humour and rustiness , which tends to rub , KONKANA SEN, who plays , SSs sister in the moive, the wrong way initially, is adorable.
SHINEY, who, makes his entry, pretty late in the movie, also, has very little to offer, as a out-of-work, theatre artist, trying to find his feet, in a city, which has long buried its theatrical roots!

The director, along the way, also touches upon, some simmering, social issues, like homosexuality and infidelity, without really losing the grip on the film.
The film revolves around the lives of these people, who are seeking salvation, in some form or the other.
Be it Shilpa’s quest , to search for love outside marriage, or Konkana’s charmingly sketched, character, who metamorphoses, from a goody-2-shoes, all- believing girl , to a well groomed , with-it girl for the most sought after DJ at her work place, only to discover later, that he is gay;

Be it Irfan khans, search for a ‘eligible’ arrange-marriagble girl, with his libido on his sleave, which turns KonKana off; or Sharman joshi’s heart tugging at the sight of Kangana, who , in the mistaken belief of money-can-buy-me-everything, sleeps with her boss , KAYKAY..

Shilpa has again showcased in this film, that given the right canvass, she can act well. The mental battles , which her character fights, when , she decides to take that forbidden step into the world of infidelity, are well executed.
Both shilpa and Shiney , share a good on-screen chemistry, and that helps to enliven the characters..

The music score is also a big plus. PRITAM, has doled out some excellent tracks, with rock as a base, and this is a sure fire chartbuster.

This movie is a treat to watch, a break , for those seeking some refuge from glossy, pop-corn movies.
Watch the movie carefully, maybe, someone in the film, may bring a sense of ‘ been there done that to you’!

Marriage- An institution which needs to be redefined?

It’s a question which begs for a debate. How relevant is this centuries old institution in the modern times, where, egos have become fragileler and personal ambition supersedes everything else. Where, ‘success at all costs’ seems to be the credo and ‘relationships’ are sacrificed at the ‘altar’ of ‘success’.

The all-american consumerism is seeping into modern India. No dream is too distant now. The incomes are soaring, our standard of living has improved, we are no longer a ‘impoverished’ nation, which we were almost a decade and a half back, when, the then congress-led government had to usher in economic reforms to prevent India from falling into a debt trap.

Since then , there has been no looking back for India and Indians. We have tapped into our huge ‘human resource’ pool and turned a potential’ roadblock’ ( read population explosion) into a opportunity. The services sector ( BPOs and ITES) employ more graduates then any other industry and there is only one way the economy can and will head- northwards. This, inspite,of the political uncertainty and other problems that still plague this nation.

So if indeed we are progressing and growing economically, why is satisfaction in our personal lives eluding us? Inspite much higher disposable incomes and all the ‘trappings’ that comes with ‘more money’, we are struggling to find peace and stability in our married lives.

The answer in part , lies in the fact, that the Indian woman, has donned a new avatar. She is no longer the meek and submissive house-wife, who was content, being a mother , a home-maker , and someone who would always pander to the male ego and happy playing the ‘second’ fiddle to her ‘MAN’. The modern-day woman, is a career-oriented financially independent , who is breaking free of the traditional shackles, and asserting herself , in what was, till some time back, a man’s world. She is no longer content being a ‘house-wife ‘ or a ‘ home maker’..she is demanding ‘her pound of flesh’ so to speak and her place in the sun. The socio-economic order is changing in India. And , women, are at the fore – front of this change.

But why is this socio-economic upheaval making Indian men frantic? The reason is because, even though women have made a smooth transition from donning the apron in the kitchen to calling the shots in the boardroom, sadly, men have remained laggards. Traditionally, the bread-winners of the family, find themselves in a situation, where, just earning a fat salary every month will not ensure a stable married life. Men who have been conditioned since a young age to believe that, it’s a ‘mans world’ out there, are finding it difficult to adapt to the change in the woman’s psyche.




While women have broken the glass ceiling and are now marching shoulder-2- shoulder with men, the so-called ‘stronger’ sex is getting jitters about their ‘terrain’ being taken over by women. Robbed off his traditional role as the sole ‘bread-winner’, the Man is facing, a identity crises of sorts. Today a woman is demanding; she expects to be a equal partner in a marriage and not get treated like a ‘door’ mat or a ‘trophy’ wife.
Their financial independence means that, they no longer are willing to compromise ‘ everytime’, in order to sustain a relationship. They rather walk out of a relationship ( read divorce) , then continue with a dead relationship.

The woman is more content today, except for a traditional society, that stigmatizes single women/men, being single and independent. But if she decides to settle down, she rather bide her time and meet a Man, who is Man enough not to feel insecure around a successful woman.
She wants to see a strength of character in her man; A man who doesn’t believe in stereotypes, who sees a woman, as his equal in every sense and who respects a woman’s individuality and sense of independence. A man, who is willing to lend her support, encouragement in her endeavors and is willing to shoulder his part of the bargain , by being a good home -maker too. ( after all, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up your culinary skills and toilet –train the kids, would it?). The modern careers are as demanding for women as they are for the men. So, men , who understand the demands of a modern career , can prove to be a good life partner.

Women are mutli-faceted; they have been conditioned and groomed to be ‘ home-makers’. So, for them , doing a balancing act, between a ‘career’ and married life, is not that up-hill a task. On the other hand, a man, who has always been largely a one-dimensional being, is not quite willing to accept any change from the routine. He has hardly done anything more than playing the role of a bread-winner This is especially true in a patriarchal society, such as ours, where a male child is still favoured over a girl child.

Also the women have to deal with the jealously factor. When a woman’s job demands her to put in late hours at work, she is shirking her household responsibilities but for a Man , this is a norm. Infidelity is a pardonable sin as far as a Man is concerned; but if a woman is caught even harmlessly flirting with a male colleague, she would be labeled as a ‘loose’ woman. So given the double standards and the stifling atmosphere under which women survive, the least they can expect from their life-partners is their undaunted support.

Between a man and a woman, the woman is far more emotionally stronger and hence, her survival instincts are more robust then that of a man. So, the question to ask is, whether, the Indian Man will evolve and do his bit to uphold this age-old institution of marriage. Will he develop the gumption to stand by his woman’s successes and yet not feel threatened by them? Will he recognize and accept his new role in this changing socio-economic order, of not just being a bread-winner but also, a part-home maker?
Until then, women, would have to be content with half-baked versions of the so-called ‘alfa male’ and ask that perennial question “where have all the good men gone?”

India Triumphs!!

The young guns have done it for India. After almost 2 decades, the Indian cricket team, has brought home, the coveted World Cup, albeit, of a shorter, more action-packed, so to speak, version of this sport.

The just concluded T-20 World Cup, saw an unlikely team emerge as champions. Yes, for once, our boys have ‘snatched’ victory from the jaws of ‘ defeat’ and not the other way around. And they achieved this feat, without their stalwarts around..i.e. Sachin, Rahul and Saurav .

To put things into perspective, ICC, having woken up from the slumber, realized, that a new generation (read X- generation) of audience, just isn’t ready to sit thru a 50-over per side cricket match. The game has to evolve and suit the palate of a generation, which thrives on right-here-right-now!! And they had to produce something special, to get the advertising fraternity back to this “love of the nation”.

Thus was born, T-20! A Format of the modern day one-day cricket, which is crisper, faster, provides a adrenalin- rushing, edge-of-the-seat excitement, which you get to see, in a game of soccer or the likes. It’s a batsman game. The audience is hungry for those “ huge” sixes and back-to-back boundaries. This initiative, has redefined the contours of a game, which, till a decade back, was the preserve of the purists.

And India, where, cricket is practically a religion, this sport, already had won over a legion of followers and brought back hordes of old-timers. All this augurs well for the sport. And the superb and much deserved-victory of the Indian team, in the first ever T-20 world cup, has brought about a sense of collective pride in the lovers of this game in this country.

This team of young guns, with no prior reputation to protect and nothing to lose, played some exhilarating cricket. Under the captaincy of the newly-appionted M.S Dhoni, this team delivered against all odds. A mixture of youthful exuberance, skilful captaincy, measured aggression, and do-or-die attitude, saw these ‘green horns’ reproduce the magic of that golden chapter in India’s cricketing history, 1983!

Is this victory a harbinger of change?! Is the old guard willing to step aside and give the ‘young blood’ their chance to bask in the glory and establish India as a world-class team in the cricketing arena?!
Only time will tell…….