Pursuit of happyness : Moving and so relevant

Happiness is not mere an emotion, not just an expression but a state of being. A state where the mind and the complete self is in equilibrium, in complete sync with everything around.
What can guarantee you this happiness? 
Family, friends, spirituality, love? Arguably, Money. Money seems the primer, a facilitator, a primary foundation and more importantly a platform for pursuing happiness in any which form.

This mutualism between money and happiness makes me recall one of my all time favorite movie: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS. It is a special film for varied reasons. It is about a homeless father who finds extremely difficult to make ends meet. He is a struggling salesman selling bone scanners and barely manages to make a living. He is pretty intelligent, just devoid of an opportunity. His responsibility towards his son further compounds his predicament.

The film is a deep insight on how a financially deficient man craves and longs for a decent living. Money for him is oxygen, a necessity for him and his son to exist. He doesn't want the riches of the world, he just wants a home to go to everyday. His emotional turmoil simmering underneath needs solace, solace only money can provide. He aspires to be happy, banking on money. Money kicking emotions?
Absolutely, The human emotions rub their shoulders to the materialistic facet.They only become relevant, when the elementary requirements are taken care of. The heart feels and the mind thinks logically only when one has the basic necessities covered. You only think of the world, when you have a roof on your head, meal in your stomach and money in your pocket. The entire rationality of our existence makes sense only when one is sure of his security the next day.

Speaking differently, The film projects the grit, the resilience and the never say die attitude of the protagonist. The odds are always against him but his determination is at display each moment. His efforts are inspiring, his mettle and tenacity unbreakable and his endeavours uncompromising. He is never found sulking, though tears roll down his eyes in despair, he is never found complaining, no matter how unfortunate the circumstances be. His immunity towards giving up is so very contagious. Every strength he musters feels so elevating.
No matter how hard life keeps hitting him, he still manages a few laughs for his son and carries the same honest and earnest approach to his work.
Your sympathy goes out to the man, your affinity towards the father-son team keeps growing, their every discomfort and distress hurts you and you get sucked into their lives. The biggest victory of the screenplay is that 'You' become 'them'.
There are instances when the viewer wants to give up, but the man doesn't.
A scene in which the father-son duo,  exhausted of all options, spend the night in a public toilet at a Metro station is absolutely heartwrenching.

The film is filled with deep, incisive and penetrating scenarios offering us to form an outlook and a perspective. The world is not forgiving, it shows no mercy. It has this pseudo charm, false sense of generosity. The only way to make a mark is to dig it out. You can't find a place to fit in, make one. And once you do, you feel happy.
The final scene is so emotionally stimulating, you just want to cry your heart out. The triumph is not only his, his rise as the Wall Street legend is symbolic, deeply invested within us for long.

Grab a DVD quickly,  if you haven't seen it yet. You won't want to miss out on this one.

Money will always be a dimorphic entity. It is a necessity in one form and a luxury in another. When one said, Money can't buy you happiness, he probably meant the luxury part. 

Money sure can't buy you happiness, but it can definitely provide you with the options and means to choose from. It functions in the form of an impetus, driving you smoothly in your pursuit for happiness.

Movie review : Avengers 2: Age of ultron

Superheroes saving the world never gets out of fashion and better still, never gets redundant. It is a delicious recipe for cooking some extravagant, imaginative and compelling storytelling, even though it gets outrageous and implausible many a times. Who cares even if it gets preposterous as long as it keeps delivering unabated fun.

Avengers 2, for the very same reason fuelled very high expectations. Also, an assumption that an ensemble superhero brigade that had such a marvellous beginning might just enhance their repertoire and surpass its predecessor.

The film, though far from being disappointing, falls short of its prospects. It has the same old strengths from the earlier franchise and even better: bigger spectacle , the stakes higher, the action enthralling but sadly, the premise offering no novelty, the consequences none, the tension miniscule and the end result: just about faintly tickling your senses.

The movie, for most parts, is enjoyable if you have your expectations restricted. There are moments of genuine humor, charismatic flair of protagonists, unusual but endearing romantic track and brilliant set pieces. Also, there is an absolutely brilliant action sequence which has the Hulk and Iron man battling each other out. Sheer joy to watch.

But rest just ain't stimulating. No urgency in the proceedings. Nothing captures your imagination and never for once, you feel the adrenaline rush. Cities being demolished, and you don't even feel an itch. Heroes saving the world, and you don't feel the triumph. There is fun but it feels adulterated.

You can't dismiss the director for not trying. He tries hard, gives every character ample screen time and even succeeds in giving each of them their characteristic charm. But he fails in keeping up with the flow intenity and above all fails to spring up any surprises.

Still, it isn't a bad way to spend your money and your time. For the franchise lovers, surely nothing to complain either.

Indian filmmakers to watch out for

A medium so captivating, a vessel so elaborative and an idea so poignant : Movies being one such enterprise, in all essence amalgamate all the above mentioned facets and hence weigh their worth in gold.
But more than movies themselves, it is in the cerebral hemispheres and the motor skills of brilliant filmmakers, where the talisman resides.
Good movies, like fine art crave for imagination and innovation. And who better than a filmmaker delivering the exact recipe, garnished with his exuberance and perception.
Movie making is no walk in the park. It is mentally, physically and financially exhausting. It demands a broad spectra of specialised skill and talent, microscopic view and magnified understanding of the subject and bucketful of temperament and patience.
Unlike art, movies are not exactly abstract and does not amplify via interpretations. But still, they are viewed and scrutinised, are subject to criticism and analysis, and eventually detested and applauded. A filmmaker, for the same reason, needs to strike a balance. He needs to be imaginative yet rational, innovative while being contemporary, he needs to be classy, yet target the masses. You might have a message but you can't be preachy. You need to make a point, but can't be in the face. You need to make a meaningful film, but it must also entertain.

An able filmmaker is a scientist in pursuit. His idea once reproduced, needs to be nurtured into a story and then developed into a film. The idea needs to function as a virus, replicating and spreading prolifically and targeting what it is meant to strike. His work needs to make sense and needs to be enjoyed by a wide array of the public. People need to Accept, their denial will be fatal.
Belief, trust and faith drives a credible filmmaker. Belief in his craft, trust in his endeavours and faith in his audience. Any of the virtues missing, writing pretty much on the wall.

Here are some Indian filmmakers who have shouldered the responsibility of good, sensible and engaging cinema. Personally speaking, these are a few rare species that have kept my hope alive in bollywood:
1.Rajkumar Hirani : The man is nothing short of a genius when it comes to movie making. He understands the pulse, the emotions and the sentiments of the Indian audience better than anyone. Be it the human connect, selfless warmth or the harsh reality, his sublime treatment makes for a compelling watch.
Man with the Midas touch.

His gems:
Munnabhai MBBS
Lage raho Munnabhai
3 Idiots
Pk

2.Shimit Amin: Powerful filmmaker who has carved a niche for himself with arguably the most brilliant films made in the country. His narrative style and shot taking are second to none. The urgency, the build up and the finale is all so very exciting.

His work:
Ab tak chappan
Chak de
Rocket singh: salesman of the year

3.Zoya Akhtar:  A cerebral filmmaker who understands the dark, visceral and obscure human psyche. Her films are a reflection of the modern society, with their promises and let offs, their credentials and debacles. All with her very own perception.

Her movies:
Luck by chance
Zindagi na milegi do baara

4.Vikas Bahl: Though only one film old, the man has been quite a revelation. His first and only movie Queen had almost everything from women empowerment to male chauvinism to hypocrisy and eventually culminating into a celebration of life.
Debut film:
Queen

5.Anurag kashyap: An unorthodox and inventive filmmaker whose unconventional approach on screen is a joy to watch. The rawness and streetsmart projection is his biggest forte.
His flicks:
Black Friday
DevD
Gangs of wasseypur
Ugly

6.Anurag Basu: A sensitive filmmaker who has mastered the art of exploring relationships and their adversity. Though many of his films have been bit of a mixed bag, one must not forget that he was the man behind the epic Barfi.

His films:
Barfi
Life in a Metro
Gangster
Kites

7.Imtiaz Ali: If it is a love story: nostalgic, intoxicating  or unconventional, it just has to be an Imtiaz Ali film. He has redefined romance and restructured the expression of love. His films are straight from the heart and absolutely liberating. 

His films:
Socha na tha
Love aaj kal
Jab we met
Rockstar
Highway

The sorry tale of Bollywood

Cinema in India is quite underrated, under-utilised and has always been below par. There is a huge disparity in what it could amount to be and what it has actually come to being. A medium of such enormous potential and far reaching implications has been reduced to a self indulgent, self righteous and an abominable caricature.

Great cinema, like all great art, can be a lot of things. It can be incisive,penetrating, thought provoking, insightful and even disturbing.It can be both, a representation as well as a reflection of us and the society we inhabit. A tool for improvement, a tool for improvisation but all only in the hands of an able maker.

Even if not so, it surely can be a stressbuster to our everyday chores and chaos: an entertainment entity which is both acceptable and easily accesible.

But the present scenario in bollywood is far from appealing, infact it is appalling. The current movies hitting the screens are puerile and abysmal. So much money at stake, so much propaganda and promotions , but so little to comprehend, and even so little to applaud.

They say, everything evolves for the better, but then what happened to our very own bollywood? Why is it still stuck? Worse, why on the wrong side of the curve?

Whom to blame? Us or them? The makers or the viewers? Are the Indian filmmakers really so non-cerebral and insensitive?Don't they know their audience? Don't they trust them and their intellect? Have they become so arrogant, nonsensical and have lost all moral obligations to the society?Have they hit a dead end? Loss of ideas, or just loss of intent? Is the apathy towards the viewer justified?

Or is there a different story?  Do they really know the viewers and are absolutely certain of their sentiments and urges. They know for sure what keeps the mass and the money flowing. They are more than happy to keep selling the same old, clichéd combinations, no matter how pungent and toxic it has become, because we keep on buying, over and over again. Demand still exists in abundance, why alter the supply? Why act if there is no complain? What to correct, if nothing seems wrong?

Vicious circle it has become? Tough to transform and even tougher to reform?

But something needs to be done. If not now, then when; If not you, then who?
To spare us from the dreaded Fridays, we need to participate and participate collectively. Look into the book, beyond its cover and apply sense and rationality before going to the movies next time.
Read the reviews and boycott bad films, even if it means missing out on your favourite stars.
Small is the new big, low and medium budget films are plenty and in most probability won't disappoint. Avoid hysteria,  celebritymaniasm and mass flow.

In the end, There will still be average and below average films, there will always be a time when the implementation and execution of certain ideas will go awry, there will always be stories which might not engage a major section of the public, but then let there be an intent and a genuine motive to make something good.
Nonsense that inevitably keeps happening every friday or so in the name and disguise of money spinners have to go. We don't need coming off age movies every friday, all we need is an entertaining enterprise that can keep our mood upbeat and our faith restored.

Movie review : The Imitation game

A marvellous film that will stay with you for a long long time.

Set in the 1930-51, the movie is about an Engilsh mathematician (Alan Turing) and his associates who work on breaking and decoding  the encryption German machine ENIGMA and help end the second world war.

But the film is so much more both in terms of the narrative and the content. The lead protagonist is the heart of the film and his tussle as he goes on decoding the ENIGMA is both intriguing and captivating. His emotional undertone and turmoil is absolutely heartwrenching.

The movie inspired by true events is a delightful watch as it has a genuine urgency to the proceedings, the characters are beautifully written and the dialogues weigh their worth in gold. The entire last half an hour is so beautiful and literally had me in tears.

Highly recommended

One Movie to watch this weekend

Whiplash : It is a film every student must watch,  every mentor must watch, infact everyone must watch.

This film means the world to me not only because of my profession, but because of the sheer perception it brings forth.

The movie underlines the zeal, the hunger, the passion, the effort and above all the never say die attitude of a talented and ambitious  student despite the odds against him.

At the very core is the mentor; A bullying, ruthless, harsh, cold blooded, and heartless man who hates the word 'Good Job' and who will not settle down for anything short of brilliance.

As ironical it may seem, the entire essence boils down to the fact that in the wake of deamening, insulting and abusing the student emotionally, the mentor succeeds in getting out the best in him, even making the student outperform by his very own standards.

Never be discouraged no matter what,  for history is made and excellence happens when one gets pushed to the wall and has no option but to push back.

How can you not stand up and applaud the final 15 minutes which would take your breath away.

The movie is all about student mentor relationship but with a difference and a perspective.

Do watch it

Fast and Furious 7: Movie Review

 And we all believed that cars were only meant to ride on roads. Call it preposterous or bizarre , but the entire idea of cars being dropped off an airplane and landing on the streets unscarred or cars being air borne and penetrating skyscraper buildings makes for a hell of a watch and are an absolute treat to the eyes, however improbable and implausible it may seem for the mind. The film for the same very reason, is surely not to be missed.

 The fast n furious franchise have always been cosmetic in their appearance, stylish, fashionable and trendy. They have never been anything more i.e never associated or known for their storytelling nor expected to be inventive or authentic in their proceedings.

You don't go in to watch the wit, the ingenuity of film making or the intelligence of the script on display. With films like these, you go in to get entertained and get your pennies worth and in that regard,  this film is pretty much a safe bet.

There is a lot to feel good about. The beautiful locations shot brilliantly, the charm and flair of Vin diesel and Jason Statham, the action sequences which ,though not very innovative, but still engaging and urgent enough are more than a handful to keep the interest going.

The drawbacks with the franchise would always persist: The dialogues will always be corny and make you cringe, the acting will just be about passable and the situations will again be uninviting.

But then, the entire purpose is to keep the fun going even if it means throwing anything and everything, most of it without making sense. The saving grace is that it is never meant to be taken seriously. No brainstorming here, pure muscle and adrenaline rush to be had while munching your popcorn and sipping your soda. All one cares for is the cars and people to keep defying gravity.

It is fun till it lasts, though I must admit that the last 15 minutes or so of the mayhem climax got the better of me and literally had me to take off my 3D glasses. Too chaotic it turned out to be.
 In the end and so very unlike of the film, a fitting, subtle and emotional tribute to Paul walker seemed just perfect.

I had a nice time watching it, you all sure will.