Friday, September 29, 2006

Atlas shrugged?

Thurday's aren't days, one associates with fun. Generally. Even, if previously, I did have that impression about thursday, it turned out to be a myth.

On invitation from a friend of mine, I decided to join her in the Dandia celebrations hosted by her organisation. She had roped in quite a few of our friends too. Dance to me, is cricket to Michael Schumacher. Haven't i told you that i am the Emperor, of the Empire of two left legged? I haven't? Okie, that's me. For all those, who smirked, who do you think you are judging? Huh? :-)

The amphitheatre (?) where the event was hosted , contained (or did it? ;-)) a vibrant crowd. The event unleashed the "dancers" , who welcomed the break from rigmarole. The jockey manipulated the crowd to his whims and fancies, not that we begged to differ anyway! From the traditional Dandia numbers, there was a smooth(?) transition to Bollywood numbers, culminating with the disco dandia.

There was something about the atmosphere. It was charged up! The gang members were all crackers of enthusiasm. The music lasted long enough, the energy never seemed to die down. All this may a little too trivial to some of you guys who can 'groove'. To borrow, a cliche, "It may be small steps to you all, but its a gaint leap to me" . :-) . Ah, some gyrations i witnessed , yesterday, made me even forget " jhatkas" of Urmila. Yes, Urmila of Rangeela fame.

Overall, i relished every moment. Thanks to the gang , i had joined up with. Oh, by the way if you guys experienced some mild tremors in and around Bangalore, between 7 - 9 pm yesterday, I take responsibility for the same. :-) .

Valuable lessons, I learnt yesterday.

a) Anyone can dance. The emperor, says so. Trust him!
b) All they need is a conducive environment. :-)
c) When it rains, it pours.
d) Thursday's aren't that bad, after all.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Lage Raho ....

A simple story. The protagonist , inspired by the Mahatma, experiences hallucinations. Unaware, that he is hallucianting, he feels, he can communicate with the Mahatma. The inspiration, he has drawn from the man, makes him impart this to the rest.

The message in the movie, was not like a sugar coated bitter pill, but more of a sugar coated calcium tablet, with loads of chocolate layers in between. The movie does not preach, but just reminds us of the values , that we must not have forgotten in the first place. The director, has indeed taken a big risk, in casting Gandhi as one of the characters around whom the movie revolves. The movie, is clean. It is a thorough entertainer. The chemistry amongst characters, the dialogue delivery, the screen play ........ it's composed of the right ingredients, to make a thoroughly lovable movie.


This is a movie, that kind of makes you ponder about this enigma called Gandhi. Will Gandhiism actually work, in today's world that is strewn with violence? Was there a clear cut understanding of what was Gandhiism? Or was Gandhiism, just a collection of *best practices* from the religious scriptures, and epics? Was the Satyagraha, a passive means to solicit victory? Was he a lateral thinker amongst his contemporaries, that he devised a means that was unthinkable as a path to victory? Is tolerance, an act of bravery? Is n't Honesty, giving up your right to be a survivor? The protagonist, in real life, being embroiled in a controversy, that aimed to destroy the very fabric the Mahatma, intended others to adorn? An irony?


Ah, this movie makes you think, albeit subtely. "Lage Raho Munnabhai" ............ the title seems to be a stab at "Lage Raho 'Insert your Name Here' " ......to the values that were once *noble* and now ..... out of vogue..........