The year was 1998. I and my sister decided to watch a movie on a cold summer evening in Oslo. The movie playing at that point was Jackie Brown directed by Quentin Tarantino .Those daysmy exposure to multiplexes and foreign cinema in general was bare minimum and restricted to World War movies thanks to my mama who used to rent it out whenever he came over. Being my first trip abroad as an adult, I was eager to soak up every new experience.
We reached the cinemas in time, I was fascinated by the concept of ticket stubs, alcohol being sold in theaters and of course the idea of a theater which could seat 100 people and had air conditioning ! Also I had not seen any Tarantino movie prior to the same and my sister kept raving about Pulp Fiction a lot.
Considering the limited finances one had access to during college, my approach towards going to a cinema was to try really hard and take away positives from every movie going experience . Even after the most mundane/brainless movie watched,I would try and extract positives from the experience. But there are days when some experiences stand with you for life
Adapted from the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, the plot is woven intricately with each character unveiling themselves slowly and establishing themselves in the psyche of the audience. Pam Grier in her titular role as a flight supervisor who is not afraid to live life in her own terms is exceptional . Ably supported by Samuel L Jackson a , Robert De Niro as gangsters and the highly underrated Robert Forster as a bail bondsman who was nominated for the Academy award for the role.
Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen
Establishing a character by using all elements of cinema is one of the telling points which attributes to a good screenplay .Tarantino's mastery in drawing out characters perfectly, is executed well in this movie Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen( A Tarantino favorite) play out their small roles equally well and leave their mark.
Pam Grier and Robert Forestor
The characters have lot of supposedly inane conversations and they showcase a human and humourous element even as gangsters who are generally perceived to be unlike ordinary people.The one-on-one conversations actually take the story ahead highlighting and bringing out each of the characters. The climax of the movie is well shot using interwoven timelines and in-spite of a re watch of the same premise from different perspectives,there is a subtle differentiation unfolding from each characters point of view.The camerawork through the movie is perfect and is well synced with the background score and does play a good role in establishing the scenes.
Samuel . L Jackson and Robert De Niro
As is the case with Tarantino movies, the soundtrack is quite apt and has a very well executed background score.Some 60's classics like "Didnt I blow your mind" by the Delfonics resulted in a spurt of interest being revived and new fans forming for the group. A mixture of blues and soul music with dialogue from the motion picture forms part of the sound track.
Tarantino presented a different perspective to the movies I had seen with the forte being a water tight screenplay with a gripping storyline narrated in a unconventional manner.The above understanding sowed the seed in my head that movies could be made in a different way, with emphasis on the screen play and thus was on of my early lessons in my forthcoming movie watching experiences.
Over the years, I feel that inspite of his eccentricities, plagiary , Tarantino knows how to tell a story in an entertaining manner keeping the audience intrigued and immerse themselves into the movie
That experience on that cold day in Oslo was one of the pivotal moments that made me perceive cinema to be more than just entertainment. Over the years based on numerous movies watched, I can say with conviction that cinema is a medium which currently is the most superior expression of art .Cinema makes me think, understand, react, interpret,laugh and also occasionally leave you with a big lump in your heart.Cinema can speak with all but have a meaningful conversation with few people. I have enjoyed having such conversations over the years and hope to do it even more .
After a long hiatus , I begin with a disclaimer : With no immediate elections, the following thoughts may seem out of sync with the current political and administrative scenario, but nevertheless the same would be quite 'relevant' soon.
Flying into Mumbai is always a wonderful experience for a Mumbaikar. Depending on from which part of the city area your plane is approaching into the city, one usually cranes their neck to see the lights at night or the sea line touched with skyscrapers during daytime. This sight usually symbolizes the stability,spirit of the city which comforts the person and makes him feel welcome.
The stability, spirit etc etc of which are used often with respect to Mumbai is embodied by its Working Class. Who consists of this 'Working Class' ? .They primarily consist of the middle class or higher middle class people who use the public services and also pay taxes.This Working Class comprises this lot whose voices are seldom loud and only heard among each other in whispers .They are usually the intelligent,diligent, hard working and professional people in the true sense. Any work they do is done to the best of their ability and easy money makes them restless.
The aspect which differentiates the city from other metropolis especially in India, is that both the long arm of the law or public services don't make any obvious efforts in taking the Working Class for a ride unlike other cities.This benevolent apathy if I may say ,shown towards them is according to me is Mumbai's USP to everyone in India. People come in with aspirations, dreams and get the confidence that dreams can be realized and that hard work pays off . Granted they bear the brunt of the crowded local trains, the endless traffic jams and in general are taken a ride by the people in power who promise a lot and deliver less but the obvious benefits enjoyed due the trickle down effect outweigh any of the above discomforts.
This ubiquitous spirit of the city is built by the Working Class who prefer to work hard to survive with a hope of prosperity gleaming in their eyes.The rickshaw driver @ any station station does not charge a rupee more at midnight than the stipulated fare because of the understanding he shares about the person hiring him is actually coming back after a tiring journey in the train and works hard to earn his livelihood.
Having said that there would be stray instances which may time and again surface and create a ruckus but in general, the veins of Mumbai are nurtured well by the Class . The occasional strike by motormen ,taxi and rickshawallas is quite spaced out and people usually deal with it nonchalantly going about their work as they do after any terrorist attack or a bomb blast.
Each man/woman aspires to earn more but all of them recognize the effort of his/her counterpart.This unique understanding by a Mumbaikar also shapes the city's spirit.Lineage or inheritance are rarely factored by the City who judges an individual only by his/her output. To put it simply borrowing from Munna in Rangeela, "जिस में अपना पैसा वसूल नहीं, उसका डब्बा गुल !"[If there is no value derived from a person [actor], he/she will not be valued]. Right from AbhishekBachchan to Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, all of them know the above fact ergo are trying to desperately make their mark and would have to be constantly on their toes.
The efforts of Uddhav and Raj with respect to the city may be misguided but the fact remains Mumbai is a melting point for all of India. People who come in are enamored by its spirit and resilience. This oft quoted resilience of Mumbai comes from the fact that the Working Class whose 'spirit' breathes life into the city simply don't know any other way of living . Each day is a struggle but each night the struggle results in a peaceful sleep for many. This spirit is imbibed in very inhabitant of this city ergo which is what defines its soul. Mumbai is a big tree whose roots are quite widespread .For every Working Class person, this is what makes him a Mumbaikar irrespective of their roots ...
Being quite tied up with work & lack of incentives to write about something probably kept me away !...Anyways in the meanwhile I managed to catch up on a very simple but beautiful movie..Thanks to the new interest groups in our city ,most of the multiplex chains are focusing on bringing good foreign films as a part of their regular screenings...Gone are the days where one had to wait for a film festival to see some of the best works abroad...In that series I managed to see one beautiful French movie 13 Tzameti
The movie epitomizes simplicity of content and screenplay.There are NO elaborate sequences which "explain " why a certain character is committing an act .It brilliantly captures the feelings and perspective when his existence is determined by sheer chance. The Russian Roulette games keep the viewer intriguedand at the edge of their seats and make the viewer feel the emotions experienced by the protagonist at every stage.
Seeing movies like this makes me wonder why do Indian film makers lay so much emphasis on "explaining" actions or sequences in a movie.The audiences sometimes should be left to ponder and analyze movies with his/her own interpretations.Considerably the film makers may argue that the audience is not ready to accept such"thoughtful" movies as they look at them as means to get entertained only.To all filmmakers who come up with such ridiculous theories and insist on spending 25 crores to make Akshay Kumar/SRK or anyone just woo their heroine in different locations and build a tale with characters interacting with the heroine /hero, I would just tell them to answer honestly why did they like Om Shanti Om .
P.S : OSO is one of my most favorite movies in the recent past.
Australia deservingly won again & so did Milan :-) Anywayz I still hope United thrash their derby rivals & Chelsea lose to Arsenal,so that the Premiership goes back where it belongs... The manner of defeat may shock people but it bears testimony to only one thing...Experience...Experience of playing with one another...Milan has had a largely unchanged squad for over 5 years now & that helps ...Especially in big matches where experience helps overcome nerves & thus allow the players to demonstrate their highest skills... ..However please dont draw parallels to our cricket team...Our team is a bunch of individuals...Each wanting to leave his/her authority on the game...Football is one of the best examples of teamwork as individual brilliance rarely helps a team win tournaments....In our cricket team has any of the players heard anything about being "complementary to each others skills"..that helps teams win...2 great strikers never can succeed in the same way unless they complement each other...Same applies to bowlers/batsmen...In the final when Gilchrist stepped up,Hayden took a back-seat....In one off cases 2 individuals may shine individually & the team may win...However such victories are seldom repeated & in the long run complementary skills alwayz rule the roost....
& then there were four...Four of the top teams in World Cricket deservingly made their way into the semi finals...No surprise packages like Kenya which actually took a a lot of sheen of the last world cup...giving India a virtual cakewalk in the semi finals where if my memory serves me right,Tendulkar failed(oh what a surprise) & Ganguly scored a ton(His 2 centuries were against Kenya & Namibia btw) took us to the final..nwayz why rake up the past when they still seem to be the future if we take the word of our selectors...They will be there in their own inimitable way & be a constant 'inspiration" to the Dhonis,Yuvrajs ,Harbhajans etc.
Let me now draw you to the one man who has been the unsung hero of Indian Cricket for the last 11 years...He never got the limelight ,he deserved ...is a complete team man & a player whom you could rarely find fault with once he had made his mark...A player who was completly aware of his strengths & whose weaknesses are quite insignificant..A player who matured over the years &has been the complete player for the country ...
Everyone knows whom I am talking about...But then one can say that I may have a bias against Dravid ..To that I ask why not??? Its not that he has single handedly won matches like Ganguly used to & Sachin rarely did...As regards Sachin,even today apart from the epic innings at Sharjah where you saw certain fire in Mr.Tendulkar's eyes ,you could say that a man of his talent& ability has not delivered when it matters.Why??? Because cricket is a team game..It s not important just to score runs but its also important to allow/facilitate the other person to also score...A players value is alwayz with respect to the team..I still remember the innings Ganguly played in Toronto or in Karachi or in Dhaka...In all those innings he played as a team guy..Putting his hand up when needed & that's why his stock/popularity rose...Everyone likes winners & in sports like Cricket its always the team that wins...A superlative hundred would have won you a game earlier...Today it just might put your team in a better position...
Unfortunately this knowledge was lost to the two of the best players of our generation...Sachin's position in the team was never questioned till the arrival of Ganguly & Dravid..Until then we had only on outstanding young player in our team then suddenly we had three.Post their arrival the little genius somehow stamped his authority over others with his batting performances.Albeit that the others also were not upto the mark in many areas..but time & again it was alwayz seen till 2000 that India was a one man team with Tendulkar...Things also didn't quite work for him during his captaincy as India lost more matches..
Ganguly's record says it all...However he did the cardinal sin of focussing his importance in the team only as a leader but not by example...His batting skills hardly improved from his debut...He was a suspect against quick short pitched bowling ,is & will alwayz probably be...The adjustment in one's game which is absolutely essential was never seen with his game...
Contrast this with Dravid who was primarily seen as a Test Batsman..His hard work & dedication saw him make changes to his game,improve tremendously in running between wickets & he became one of the best finishers in the game...He has done exceedingly well in the short form of the game thereby showing the progress he made as a player...Adaptability is the key which makes the career of a sportsman long & helps him indispensable to the team & allow him to call the shots on his career rather than have people like you &me who have never played for the country at the highest level & some journalists,ex cricketers whose claim to fame is having represented their country, have a say & the audacity,if i may say to question their worth in the side & call for them to QUIT....
Therein probably is the mistake which Tendulkar & Ganguly have made & probably should look into...
What a Night ! Awesome..My most memorable match ever...Although my eyes are red & have got a long day ahead...am fresh as ever....Now tats the stuff United have been known & will be known for......
On a side note came across a nice blog + thread in Orkut where a true united fan shouldn't be referring the club as "Man U" ever ...
BCCI reacted & how....The presence of former captains & inviting their suggestions was a good move...Even better was to ask one of them to be the "manager" of the national team... So the former captains spoke about "restricting endorsements" ...Well BCCI went ahead & pulls out a clause(as a suggestion of course) which limits number of endorsements...Former captains are outraged as the representative of the BCCI fired from their shoulder they felt "....a "media" gag was put on players...The "endorsements" stance is widely rebuked...The former greats (understably) distance themselves from the same...as they had not suggested the same...Oh ..How I could have forgotten...Greg Chappel is called a complete thorough "professional" ..He is asked to contribute to the development of the game as an advisor to our National Cricket Academy..Wah Wah ...BCCI demonstrated that it had taken actions to please its target audience (customers) which comprise of :
a) Corporate Sponsors for BCCI (Including Sahara,Nike etc)
b) Indian Public
c) ICC
d) Outstanding former "Employees" ( Meaning ex cricket stalwarts :))
e) Sister Companies ( State Associations)
However in doing so it conveniently forgot its own "employees" .ie the players...Thee players are the "face" of the corporation...They are the ones who go out there & perform...These players are not only their employees but also their "products" whom they sell/market.
Any company worth its salt would agree that " The quality of the product/service is paramount & the focus should never shift from there" ...The only point made by the BCCI in this regard was to develop State Cricket Academies from now on who will in turn supply the "products" to the National Cricket Academy...Beautiful Concept ..But what about the "raw materials" for the products...What about the "products" in schools /colleges which are the foremost link in the whole supply chain...That is beyond the scope/purview of BCCI one may argue...Then how can it expect the products to be good even at the second stage...
The solution,a simplistic one would be to have tie up programs with selected schools...If the State Cricket Academies come into existence soon...the logical process for them would be to have tie ups with various schools in the state directly/indirectly through District Cricket Associations etc.....This tie up is existent in many areas but in an informal/unstructured manner which gives rise to favoritism/unprofessional methods of training/unequal infrastructure /facilities...If this problem is solved due to the apparent "knee jerk " reactionary approach adopted & the money actually filters down..It would be the BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT of the whole debacle of the world cup performance & thereby giving meaning to the statement of " Taking positives from failure"
Tarantino presented a different 
