"Stop sleepwalking through life!" by IIT Prof. Devdas Menon

Caution: this provides a very uncomfortable read! Why? Here I go –

As the name suggests, the book is philosophical in nature. But this one stands way away from overly optimistic moral boosting books by management gurus and other motivators. The book is written by Dr. Devdas Menon, a professor of IIT Madras (enough to add credibility to his work).

Content –
The book aims to provide answers like "What happens when big dreams get fulfilled? What happens when you become rich and famous? Will you attain an enduring state of fulfillment? Will you then be able to live happily ever after?". It explains you the ‘practical-in-life’ meaning of awakening, ego-self, enlightenment, etc and being written using layman words and highly illustrative examples, it throws some very very uncomfortable situations to you. Anybody with mere English knowledge can get the message he wants to convey i.e. how messed up life is without awakening and what would an awakened life be like? Grasping of these concepts becomes more incase you have been exposed to fierce competitive systems (benchmark - Indian education system).

"Today's education may give us a livelihood, but not necessarily character."

Post read affects –
I was already on the path of reinventing my soul when this book pre-empted my plans in my never ending pipeline. This book has definitely brought clarity and objective definitions to abstract concepts like awakening, enlightened, suffering and many other concepts related to way of living. Categorization of happiness on the basis of its origin is written beautifully, elaborating scenarios ranging from simple things like sunset to winning a materialistic award.

Missing words –
Though the author does simplifies various complex terms of life with layman understanding, he has missed out to present his views on some of the some crucial words like ‘perception’ and ‘failures’. While reading, I had some annoying questions to which I can’t find an answer (sample - “what he thinks right may not be agreeable to me”). Hope that he accommodates these points in his next work.

Recommended for –
People having stormy reckless brain and to those who are just too successful in life yet are in search of contentment. If you are happy, but you don’t feel it – read this surely.

"Of what avail is it if we can travel to the moon, if we cannot cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves?"

The book is not a best seller and may not be available at every bookstore. The book cost around INR 125 (buying advice - Google the book and place your order through some good online bookstore).

Some lines from book –

"The 'joy of learning' is a fine example of this. In such activity, which is quietly performed to perfection, one does not need certification by others to realize the value of one's work."

"The awakened person is alert to the habitual tendency of the go-self to interpret facts by building imaginary stories around them. The stories reflect the 'judgements' of the ego-self, and reveal its fears and desires. There may be some measure of truth in these judgements, but the awakened person is able to view these with detachment and compassion."

“one suffers whenever one is worried, afraid, angry, upset, irritated, frustrated, jealous, hurt, impatient, anxious, agitated, stressed, suspicious, or just plain bored. However, one can truely claim to be totally free of suffering during the few moments when one is drawn into the 'deep sleep' state of consciousness.”

Jesus words – “For what does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

ps: got the book from Dad :)
pps: I am on my way to Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, hope I am prepared for it! Even if no, let me fake it this time :)

Peepli Live - Movie Review

Indians love satires and spoofs. Attend any ‘kavi sammelan’ in any college fest (which are full of satires and spoofing) and a normal answer will be ‘I DID ENJOYED IT’. And when you see such things of quality on 70mm screens, you will definitely ENJOY it. This does the trick for Peepli [Live]. Rating – 3/5

Story –
Script is brilliantly written by Anusha Rizvi (she is also the director). It is a story where the younger brother in the family agrees to COMMIT (suicide that is) to get the benefits of various ‘Gandhi-named-ones’ Govt. schemes. What follows is a heavy satirical entertainment dose of [Live] TV reporting and drama. We have already seen this many times performed by likes of Raju Srivastava and Sunil Pal. So, what’s new? The most admiring part of the script are the connecting dots i.e. the connection between a serious issue (like farmer suicide), daily drama (Indian politics where the ruler & the loser disagrees by default) and the [Live] TV news circus (press that remote now if you don’t trust me).

Jaane Bhi Do Yaroon, a cult ‘black comedy’ too took a dig (subject was corruption). It was hard hitting in message but carried subtleness in its dialogues. It had comedy, most of which was circumstantial in substance. Peepli [Live] on contrary is attacking and punching. Sometimes mellowing down a bit gets the better of intensifying things. Consequently, Peepli [Live] fails to reach that zone of cult and remains ‘just’ a good satire.

Cast -
Casting is perfect. Don’t think it could be better. Omkar Das Manikpuri (Natha) is the best casting of a character for me in 2010. When your face speaks your emotions, you don’t need lines. He manages that with perfection. Chances are Priyadarshan may just pick him and put him into his basket of regulars (current members – everybody knows them by now). Raghubir Yadav (Budhia) is permanent class. In addition to his acting, his voiced Mehngai Dayan is excellent. Rest of the casting is also good. No regrets that Aamir didn’t act in this one.

Music -
The music is earthly, lovable and welcomingly fresh. It’s not typical bollywood (the Pritam inspired ones or those solo singles by Mohit Chauhan, Atif, Kailash Kher, etc). A major hit which has helped this small budget movie to gain huge momentum in publicity is Mehngai Dayan (‘Inflation, the Bitch’). It sounds ‘bhajan’ style and captures your attention from its lyrics (which are so relevant in current India). And do listen to ‘Desh Mera’ by Indian Ocean (one of the few recognized Indian bands). Try to listen to the original one, sung with Late band member Asheem Chakravarty (its more indepth).

Hey ek minute,
An observation made (CID style). Aamir first venture as producer (MINUS Aamir Khan, the actor) was Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. A low budget movie which gained publicity from a song ‘Pappu Can’t Dance Saala’. It turned to be a hit at box office. Quite fascinatingly, Peepli Live too has gained publicity from the song ‘Mehngai Dayan’. Now you know why Salmaan Khan says ‘Aamir has got a Midas touch’.

Speaking Pictures's verdict – DO watch for excellent script, brilliant performances and different genre of music.

ps: Just recalling the ‘best black comedy of bollywood’ ever on this Independence Day. The ending lines from the movie “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron” -

“honge kaamyaab,
honge kaamyaab ,
hum honge kaamyaab ek din,
ho ho mann main hai vishwas,
poora hai vishwas,
hum honge kaamyaab ek din”

(also available at Desimartini.com)

Inception - ek din sapne mein dekha sapna

Once I was wearing an anaconda which hissed me and down I went with Alice to her wonderland with my band of brothers to steal the pink panther from the cinderella man.

Wondering kya ho gaya hai mujhe?
Dreams within dreams [or nested dreams, as some computer engineers will tell you]

Inception has this power. It takes you in a dream and gives a false sense of ‘reality’ inside that dreamy set up. It further takes you inside in a sub-dream and breaks into another. And with a very compelling storyline, your thoughts do get manipulated watching this plot, full of nested dreams.

Story -
Cobb (DiCaprio) and Arthur (Joseph) can infiltrate dreams and steal secrets out of those dreams. They try to rob secrets from a powerful businessman but fail to convince him. Assessing their power to steal secrets out of dreams, he tells Cobb to plant a dream in his rival’s mind instead of stealing them. In return, Cobb gets freedom to go to his children and stay with peace. Cobb forms his team – a guy for background check and requirements gathering, an architect for designing the dreamland, a manipulator who masters forgery and a chemist who prescribes the correct dope amount. Rest of the story is how they design and plant dreams inside dreams.
Inception’s story is original and something that is unheard of. It is a product of conscious thinking of how things shape up in unconscious world (dreams). Simple facts of life (like waking from a dream where you see yourself perish in it, protective antibodies in dreams if someone punctures an ongoing smooth dream, etc) have been transformed into a script which is so very engaging…creativity at its best.

Cast –
Leonardo DiCaprio gives a stupendous performance and goes on to prove his diversity even further (his previous was Shutter Island). Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur is appropriately casted as DiCaprio’s subordinate. Marion Cotilard (DiCaprio’s decreased wife) looks dangerous in ‘kill-with-knife’ scenes and acts well. Rest of the team which carries out inception is also good. The only one who relatively looked powerless was Ellen Page of Juno fame (played the character of Ariadne). Her looks seems too kiddy for this one.


The Real Hero –
Christopher Nolan. Last year I predicted 5/6 oscars correctly and won the oscar quiz at 24*7 news channel. This time, I can safely predict ‘atleast’ a nomination for best story, best director for Nolan. His forte of storytelling with lots of suspense and confusion has always been successful to create anxiety in his viewers. His past critical best (Memento) made him a pioneer in directing complex plots. 'The Prestige', a movie about illusions too was good. And his previous, 'The Dark Night', a Batman thriller with a psychic Joker made him commercially attractive. With Inception, he has amplified his credentials (especially as a writer). The man has never won an oscar; now that is due to him!!

“You're asking me for Inception. I hope you do understand the gravity of that request”-Cobb

Memento confused you, inception inseminate dreams in you!! Take caution.
Speaking Pictures’s verdict – 5/5…not to be missed, once in a lifetime movie (watch out for class than entertainment)

‘ek din sapne mein dekha sapna’...never thought I would experience this with my eyes wide open.

ps: if you are one of those smarties who likes to flaunt the concept of drink and drive, don’t add inception in between. That might be catastrophic

watchable ONLY 'once' upon a time in Mumbaai

ONCE UPON A TIME in Dilli, I watched ‘Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai’. It’s a tale of two gangsters where one wants to become another but doesn’t wants to adopt his means. The movie comes from Balaji Telefilms (producer - Ekta Kapoor) and directed by Milan Luthria.

Story -
The movie starts in a narrative format; an honest cop (Agnel Wilson) goes to his past (70s) and describes the rising of the two smugglers – Sultan Mirza and Shoaib Khan. Sultan Mirza (Ajay Devgan) is a smuggler driven by values, good intentions and commands respect from all corners, while for Shoaib Khan (Emraan Hashmi) money and power is everything and can adopt unethical ways to get them. The first half is satisfactory and quite nicely shot. The second half mainly speaks about the indifference between the two and the collapse of the Sultan’s sultanat. The most disappointing part of this movie is the ending. Just as you start to expect something really spectacular, the projector says THE END. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself sitting on the chairs with some ‘still-to-be-finished’ eatables with you. This movie does not ENDs, it STOPS, that too unconvincingly.

Cast -
Ajay Devgan as Sultan Mirza is perfectly casted and gives a superb performance. His aura that of a ‘localized Robinhood figure’ is aptly subtle and does not overdo in any sense. Kangna Ranaut (Rehana, Sultan’s wife) is superb for her looks but you do take time to get comfortable with her speech (yet again). Emraan Hashmi (Shoaib Khan), who incidentally gets the best dialogues in the film, delivers them with perfect timing and tone. Besides that, he does his regular romantic circling but this time it’s without that MUAH (man! he will surely remember this Once Upon A Time). On the negative side, his acting in aggressive scenes is a bit over the top but manageable. Randeep Hooda (Agnel Wilson) as honest cop is good but can’t be compared to KK Menon (remember ‘Black Friday’). Prachi Desai (‘Rock On’ fame) as Mumtaz is the only let down with respect to casting here.
('Tusshaar Kapoor', was not seen...bach gaye)

The music side is standard except the popular ‘Pee Loo’, voiced by Mohit Chauhan (undisputed king of romantic blues). Cinematography is good; make-up, sets gives an impressive 70s feel to the movie. However, the main attraction of the movie is the dialogues (credit to Rajat Arora) - ‘give-back-hard’ types, cheesy and entertainingly filmy.

"Main un cheezo ki smuggling karta hoon jinki sarkar izzat nahi deti, unki nahi jinki zameer izzat nahi deta" - Sultan Mirza

By the end of first half, I started to compare this movie with Company (a RGV cult by quality standards), but then the second half was not to my expectations. Once Upon a Time…is not a classic but doesn’t disappoint either. Should you watch it?
Speaking Pictures’s Verdict – WATCHABLE ‘just’ ONCE UPON A TIME…2.5/5

ps: In my long movie watching career, I haven’t concentrated on ear-rings that closely (ear-rings : a pricey asset that keeps dropping from ears). Why? Because the Punjabi aunty sitting besides me was whispering non-silently with her daughter about the fashion shown to her on 70mm. Without any fuss, the lead actress had a huge ‘christmas tree’ inspired asset hanging from her ears. Will surely remember this ONCE UPON A TIME…
(also available at Desimartini. com)