I was thrilled to find the first comment by Jose on my post on Taare Jameen Par... It looks like my views on this movie are in opposition with the entire world except me and that rock outside my house.
My primary opposition to this movie is was it necessary that, that kid wins the competition in the end. I hated it. Jose says it was fine, as the guy was not pushed. The point is not about being pushed or being unpushed. The point is winning... 80% of guys and gals in this world are very normal, mediocre, unachivers, who will never win in one or any other competition or space. What do their parents do? That’s why i said, the entire message of that movie was lost when he won.
Movies are about heroes, and mind it heroes might not be winners. A guy who had been failing in a class for years, just manages to pass the grades is a hero. He might not have come first or second or even somewhere at the top, but he is hero, having won his own little battles with himself... his circumstances... his shortcomings, he struggled against the odds. That’s a story.
Now convert the same situation to; A guy who has been failing for years in a class, finds something else that he is good at and achieves success... lets say win a drawing competition. Where is the story, where is the struggle... where is the fight... what are the odds… where is that heroness. It was all too easy, he was special and in the end he won.
Aamir did show Darshil able to learn his studies, and managing to pass, but then this part was diluted by showing it as a series of jump cuts and montages. The focus and finale still went to winning. That’s where my problem is.
My problem is why is winning so part of our psyche, our social system, our family setup. For me pushing is still ok, but the real pressure on kids comes from the expectation to win.
That’s what i so liked about "Suraj Ka Saatwaan Ghoda", That’s why i had a post on it. It was a movie about these mediocre unachivers, invisibles, mundane… but the movie appreciated their daily struggle. That’s why i so liked Rocky Part 1, if i remember correctly, Balboa didn't win his last fight, but he was a hero. He triumphed over his situation, his inner doubts, faced his daemons. Underdog, he stood up with every blow. The movie was not about winning the fight; it was not even about the fight itself. The movie was about life, and the fights that we fight against it not the fighters in the ring.
Being a hero does not mean to win a fight, a competition or some award. The external enemies and competitions are secondary… easy. The real fight is within, against yourself… It’s in reclaiming yourself... The struggle is about making a decision, taking a stand...
By showing a win in a fight that you had picked up, the importance of picking up a fight is lost... to show success in every stand that you take... the importance of taking a stand is lost.
Its never been about winning a fight… its about picking up one.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Maharastrians, UP'ites and Gorrillas
"Me and my brother against my cousine, me, my brother and my cousine against an outsider."
This Arab proverb captures everything to do with human hatred with fellow humans ranging from Holocaust to Darfur to Partition riots to recent UP'ite bashing in Mumbai. There is no need for a complex social study or other anthropological explanations. Except the fact that we have been hardwired to hate or at least be weary of fellow humans, ever since our ancestors were living unclothed in Africa. With resources always scarce evolution has taught us to form group and drive away the outsider. And if it comes to that it will be me against my brother.
Not a very optimistic signs, but i am sure this is genetic.. is far deep rooted and so connected with our basic instinct that in our hearts we will always be suspicious of any outsider and given half and chance and no conscience, will not hesitate to bare our teeth.
There has always been this struggle between the conscious thoughts and basic instincts. Agreed we have been hardwired to be suspicious, but then we have come long way from being the gorillas in some African jungle who have defend their territory and food.
The solution is conscious thinking and effort. Maybe things would have been different had Germans in 1933 would have paused and had a second thought when Hitler appealed to their basic instinct. Don't blame the evil alone, the guy was voted into the office first with clear set of agendas.
Same applies to outsiders as well. Do not ghetto yourself, mix and adapt... blend… It might be difficult but at least don't ghetto and be too damn concerned with your uprooted roots. After all you have moved. I am not saying forget your culture and roots. What i mean is don't be too overly concerned about it, don't be so romantically attached to it that it stands out like a sore thumb. We all have this tendency to be more protective and demonstrative of our roots and culture especially when we are uprooted.
I know it is a very emotional issue, about our culture… our past… our lands… our roots... but then keep it such that it doesn't appears an invasion. Respect the locals and the customs. How many of us always complain, crib, degrade and bash the local culture in our private gatherings even when we are living and earning there. This applies to everyone, anywhere… a UP'ite in Mumbai, a Maharastrian in US, a Jew in Germany, a German in Japan or a Muslim in UK.
Just think about it… we live there, we earn our living there but still in private we enjoy degrading their culture to our culture, their ways to our ways, their people to our people. And then the locals respond. Same basic hardwired phenomenon is at work. The hatred for people unlike us is always been there, whatever the situation, place or our type is. It applies to the outsider and the local equally.
What is the solution…?
Leaders or Situations, when they appeal to our inner hatred… our basic instincts, we should stop and think. I am sure each and every one of us the first reaction would be yeah... kick that outsider. But then stop and think… is it right… are you hating him just because he is an outsider, he can't speak your language, he not like you, he dresses differently or he has more money and success then you.
“Conscious thought” is one thing that differentiates human kind from animals. A gift that evolution has given us so that we can think on higher planes, we can drive our actions with greater goals in mind then just hunger, thirst or sex. If we stop and let our conscious thought take over, i am sure a lot of hatred would disappear.
Let is hate others for their actions not for what they are. Let us hate him if he is thief, not because he does not speak our language or he is a brother of a thief.
All of us have teeth… hard, white, vicious... bare them if needed. But mostly… use them to offer a warm smile to a stranger.
This Arab proverb captures everything to do with human hatred with fellow humans ranging from Holocaust to Darfur to Partition riots to recent UP'ite bashing in Mumbai. There is no need for a complex social study or other anthropological explanations. Except the fact that we have been hardwired to hate or at least be weary of fellow humans, ever since our ancestors were living unclothed in Africa. With resources always scarce evolution has taught us to form group and drive away the outsider. And if it comes to that it will be me against my brother.
Not a very optimistic signs, but i am sure this is genetic.. is far deep rooted and so connected with our basic instinct that in our hearts we will always be suspicious of any outsider and given half and chance and no conscience, will not hesitate to bare our teeth.
There has always been this struggle between the conscious thoughts and basic instincts. Agreed we have been hardwired to be suspicious, but then we have come long way from being the gorillas in some African jungle who have defend their territory and food.
The solution is conscious thinking and effort. Maybe things would have been different had Germans in 1933 would have paused and had a second thought when Hitler appealed to their basic instinct. Don't blame the evil alone, the guy was voted into the office first with clear set of agendas.
Same applies to outsiders as well. Do not ghetto yourself, mix and adapt... blend… It might be difficult but at least don't ghetto and be too damn concerned with your uprooted roots. After all you have moved. I am not saying forget your culture and roots. What i mean is don't be too overly concerned about it, don't be so romantically attached to it that it stands out like a sore thumb. We all have this tendency to be more protective and demonstrative of our roots and culture especially when we are uprooted.
I know it is a very emotional issue, about our culture… our past… our lands… our roots... but then keep it such that it doesn't appears an invasion. Respect the locals and the customs. How many of us always complain, crib, degrade and bash the local culture in our private gatherings even when we are living and earning there. This applies to everyone, anywhere… a UP'ite in Mumbai, a Maharastrian in US, a Jew in Germany, a German in Japan or a Muslim in UK.
Just think about it… we live there, we earn our living there but still in private we enjoy degrading their culture to our culture, their ways to our ways, their people to our people. And then the locals respond. Same basic hardwired phenomenon is at work. The hatred for people unlike us is always been there, whatever the situation, place or our type is. It applies to the outsider and the local equally.
What is the solution…?
Leaders or Situations, when they appeal to our inner hatred… our basic instincts, we should stop and think. I am sure each and every one of us the first reaction would be yeah... kick that outsider. But then stop and think… is it right… are you hating him just because he is an outsider, he can't speak your language, he not like you, he dresses differently or he has more money and success then you.
“Conscious thought” is one thing that differentiates human kind from animals. A gift that evolution has given us so that we can think on higher planes, we can drive our actions with greater goals in mind then just hunger, thirst or sex. If we stop and let our conscious thought take over, i am sure a lot of hatred would disappear.
Let is hate others for their actions not for what they are. Let us hate him if he is thief, not because he does not speak our language or he is a brother of a thief.
All of us have teeth… hard, white, vicious... bare them if needed. But mostly… use them to offer a warm smile to a stranger.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Suraj Ka Saatwan Ghoda
An good review of the movie is here.
http://jackofall.blogspot.com/2005/03/suraj-ka-satvan-ghoda.html
The seventh horse of sun is described as
1) the weakest and the slowest OR
2) youngest and the slowest
of the seven horses that pull Sun's chariot. Depending on which one of the definition you prefer there are two meanings of this movie.
As i would like to see, the seventh horse here characterizes the transparent, non-powerful or the middle class of the society. The men or women who go about there daily life, fighting for every inch of their living, unnoticed, transparent. Who are no heroes, no revolutionaries, no leaders of the society. They are the innermost of the horse who work tirelessly, invisible at most times, still controlling the pace and direction of the chariot.
If you look at them as weakest then the weakest are the ones that control the pace of the society. Slowest, tired, yet unruffled, still the innermost, with most of the others having to match their pace with them. They take all the blame, all the rough, all the stress, but keep on going, ever trying. Keeping check on everybody else.
If you look at them as the youngest then they are the hope. Though they are slow now, but with time they will gain strength and control, but still being the innermost and the controlling force.
The movie (I hate to admit i have not read the original novel by Dharamvir Bharti) tells the story of all these non-hero, invisible people who on the exterior live a mundane life making no difference what so ever to the society or state but have to bring in all the heroics/courage, to continue their daily struggle. Just to keep have another satisfactory tomorrow. Each day they live is a story in itself; every 24 hours they make a decision that can govern the rest of their life. Seemingly talking conservative, unheroic, middle class decision, just so that they can life another day.
Imagine how much would it cost oneself to take a conservative decision when one knows that you have very little to gain, maybe just a leverage to stay on, when the other way could have brought you all the joy and success. Isn't it courage, you can call it cowardice but believe me when every day and every moment of you life is struggle and pain. It is much easier is go out all guns blazing then to just live and fire another precious bullet from the trenches and continue the agony just because you don't want the fight to end.
You may die in the trenches in all misery and filth, but you gave that bitch of a life a hell of a fight. Think which of the options is easier. Doesn't this middle class, invisible guy keep on doing this same thing each and every day in his life?
The movie shows us in all its glory or the horror, (choose which ever suits your taste) this battle with life, direct from the trenches.
The supposed hero, or the guy who is telling us different stories is not a hero at all; he fails each and every time in life, he fails each and every invisible character in film who turn out to be a real hero. A film that shows even invisible guys have their story… even an invisible guy fights to his last with his chakku(knife) even when everything else has failed... story of an invisible guy who chooses to stay in the trenches then to go out all guns blazing... story of an invisible guy who sometimes finds and enjoys glimpses of happiness buried in his struggle and defeats… story of an invisible guy who refuses to let go.
This film is the story of the seventh horse of the sun, who chooses to fade slowly into the hazy background then to a glorified last flash in brilliance.
http://jackofall.blogspot.com/2005/03/suraj-ka-satvan-ghoda.html
The seventh horse of sun is described as
1) the weakest and the slowest OR
2) youngest and the slowest
of the seven horses that pull Sun's chariot. Depending on which one of the definition you prefer there are two meanings of this movie.
As i would like to see, the seventh horse here characterizes the transparent, non-powerful or the middle class of the society. The men or women who go about there daily life, fighting for every inch of their living, unnoticed, transparent. Who are no heroes, no revolutionaries, no leaders of the society. They are the innermost of the horse who work tirelessly, invisible at most times, still controlling the pace and direction of the chariot.
If you look at them as weakest then the weakest are the ones that control the pace of the society. Slowest, tired, yet unruffled, still the innermost, with most of the others having to match their pace with them. They take all the blame, all the rough, all the stress, but keep on going, ever trying. Keeping check on everybody else.
If you look at them as the youngest then they are the hope. Though they are slow now, but with time they will gain strength and control, but still being the innermost and the controlling force.
The movie (I hate to admit i have not read the original novel by Dharamvir Bharti) tells the story of all these non-hero, invisible people who on the exterior live a mundane life making no difference what so ever to the society or state but have to bring in all the heroics/courage, to continue their daily struggle. Just to keep have another satisfactory tomorrow. Each day they live is a story in itself; every 24 hours they make a decision that can govern the rest of their life. Seemingly talking conservative, unheroic, middle class decision, just so that they can life another day.
Imagine how much would it cost oneself to take a conservative decision when one knows that you have very little to gain, maybe just a leverage to stay on, when the other way could have brought you all the joy and success. Isn't it courage, you can call it cowardice but believe me when every day and every moment of you life is struggle and pain. It is much easier is go out all guns blazing then to just live and fire another precious bullet from the trenches and continue the agony just because you don't want the fight to end.
You may die in the trenches in all misery and filth, but you gave that bitch of a life a hell of a fight. Think which of the options is easier. Doesn't this middle class, invisible guy keep on doing this same thing each and every day in his life?
The movie shows us in all its glory or the horror, (choose which ever suits your taste) this battle with life, direct from the trenches.
The supposed hero, or the guy who is telling us different stories is not a hero at all; he fails each and every time in life, he fails each and every invisible character in film who turn out to be a real hero. A film that shows even invisible guys have their story… even an invisible guy fights to his last with his chakku(knife) even when everything else has failed... story of an invisible guy who chooses to stay in the trenches then to go out all guns blazing... story of an invisible guy who sometimes finds and enjoys glimpses of happiness buried in his struggle and defeats… story of an invisible guy who refuses to let go.
This film is the story of the seventh horse of the sun, who chooses to fade slowly into the hazy background then to a glorified last flash in brilliance.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Kuch sust kadam raste.. kuch tez kadam raahen
As promised.. only difference is review was a wrong word.. maybe my feeling about him is more close. Reviewing Gulzaar is too big the shoes to fill... Just what my thoughts about him is more appropriate. So here we go...
Is mod se jaate hain.. kuch sust kadam raste.. kuch tez kadam raahen..
How much more visual you can get with words, using all those book full of superlatives. Gulzaar for me is more of a painter then a writer. Three strokes... and you have the picture... and all the words used above are as simple as they get in Hindi. This is for me the most endearing face of Gulzaar, simplicity.. minimalist and grounded.
He used those basic few tools to tell his story... be it his lyrics or his screenplays. Not to say he didn't try otherwise, Gulzaar for me is more of Angoor then Aandhi, more of Parichay then Hu tu tu.. Complex stories and ways somehow were at odds with his natural flow. That’s why Aandhi left us unsatisfied, and Hu tu tu confused.
But then we had Angoor, where Ashok trying to play footsie with Sudha ending up disturbing Tanu, coz Sudha is sitting cross legged on the Chair. Or the other Ashok saying "Bhag gaya" for the chor in train bathroom. It was such a movie with no ornaments or slap sticks at all. Or Jeetender jumping of the train in the climax of Parichay, hurting his leg in the process, that was climax and this was the peak of action. As simple as it gets. But one of his most lovable movies.
He has handled successfully complex subject like Izzazat and Lekin. But then they were never my favorites and as the look of it the neither the favorites of at least the most of the general public. His best part was always his simple straight reading of the subject on the ground level.
Same applies to his lyrics. I have chosen “tujse naraaz nahin zindigi” as my anthem just because of such few simple Hindi words describing entire philosophies of life. Life always asks us those masoom sawaals with simple answers just that we never have the courage to answer them. And then we go round about, avoiding them. Or a raunchy "Bidi Jalayle ..", or as-romantic-as-it-gets "aane waale pal" with its "ik baar waqt se lamha gira kahin". He is a Picasso with words, And that too, a cubist for he uses minimum simple words to tell his picture.
Last question.. gulzaar the lyricist, gulzaar the writer, or gulzaar the director.. Who do i like best? Well for me the answer is very simple. Gulzaar - the lyricist. He writes better poetries, maybe his movies are just an extension of them, so i have few of his Films as my favorites as well but for his songs, the few turns to be all. I think i can recognize his lyrics correctly in most of the songs even if i don't know them. Coz nobody would write… "Thandi safed Chaadroon par jaagen der tak.."
Is mod se jaate hain.. kuch sust kadam raste.. kuch tez kadam raahen..
How much more visual you can get with words, using all those book full of superlatives. Gulzaar for me is more of a painter then a writer. Three strokes... and you have the picture... and all the words used above are as simple as they get in Hindi. This is for me the most endearing face of Gulzaar, simplicity.. minimalist and grounded.
He used those basic few tools to tell his story... be it his lyrics or his screenplays. Not to say he didn't try otherwise, Gulzaar for me is more of Angoor then Aandhi, more of Parichay then Hu tu tu.. Complex stories and ways somehow were at odds with his natural flow. That’s why Aandhi left us unsatisfied, and Hu tu tu confused.
But then we had Angoor, where Ashok trying to play footsie with Sudha ending up disturbing Tanu, coz Sudha is sitting cross legged on the Chair. Or the other Ashok saying "Bhag gaya" for the chor in train bathroom. It was such a movie with no ornaments or slap sticks at all. Or Jeetender jumping of the train in the climax of Parichay, hurting his leg in the process, that was climax and this was the peak of action. As simple as it gets. But one of his most lovable movies.
He has handled successfully complex subject like Izzazat and Lekin. But then they were never my favorites and as the look of it the neither the favorites of at least the most of the general public. His best part was always his simple straight reading of the subject on the ground level.
Same applies to his lyrics. I have chosen “tujse naraaz nahin zindigi” as my anthem just because of such few simple Hindi words describing entire philosophies of life. Life always asks us those masoom sawaals with simple answers just that we never have the courage to answer them. And then we go round about, avoiding them. Or a raunchy "Bidi Jalayle ..", or as-romantic-as-it-gets "aane waale pal" with its "ik baar waqt se lamha gira kahin". He is a Picasso with words, And that too, a cubist for he uses minimum simple words to tell his picture.
Last question.. gulzaar the lyricist, gulzaar the writer, or gulzaar the director.. Who do i like best? Well for me the answer is very simple. Gulzaar - the lyricist. He writes better poetries, maybe his movies are just an extension of them, so i have few of his Films as my favorites as well but for his songs, the few turns to be all. I think i can recognize his lyrics correctly in most of the songs even if i don't know them. Coz nobody would write… "Thandi safed Chaadroon par jaagen der tak.."
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