In and out the idiot box !

Television is not only a source of visual entertainment but a means of relieving boredom. There exists the old school, which believes in reviving tradition and in remaining deep rooted followed by the new school, which is into glorifying anything and everything to gain viewership. I was surprised to see a leading actress and her fiancé face the heat in a recent interview on a leading Malayalam channel. Their romance was being publicly exposed, imposing questions on its credibility like, if the actress took the right decision by getting engaged to a married man who was seeking divorce from his first wife. There were rebellious justifications from the couple's side followed by fiery questions by the journalist. The couple shared their happy times which were juxtaposed with tears, too. I couldn't understand the big scene that was created to entice spectators. It's a fact that the couple faced this interview with courage and the demeaning process of exposing their personal space was done with their consent. But, the channel would have never come up with such a steaming concept if there weren't any spectators, right? What fun do we, as spectators, get in showing such worthless curiosity in someone's agony? I mean, coming to think of it, whether they get married or not is really not our business!! What have we come down to as viewers, and most importantly as humans?

 Are we running out of talent, or is it just a coincidence that reality shows have been shelved to weekends due to lack of viewership? I have nothing against them, just that they are a little too glittery in my otherwise lucid life. I have a feeling that spectators are taken for granted too often that we're expected to lick every bit of the dish they serve. I know it's easier to shut up and change into some channel that satisfies me in a better way. But, what is it that actually satisfies us? Watching a star couple being cross questioned over their marital decisions? Certainly not. Or maybe, yes! Then it's time to start worrying about what we have become.

Even in the recent Guwahati molestation case, though the girl's face was blurred, her stripping was evident in the video which was being replayed throughout the day. It was Times Now that took the humbling decision of not telecasting it anymore, as it made no sense. While we may never stop referring to the TV as the 'Idiot box' .. who are the actual idiots here - creative channel people who cater such insensitivity , or the viewers who buy it ?!?

Problem child

Here I am, bed ridden with one of the most easily communicable sicknesses, the common cold. In the silence of my bedroom, I seek something beyond the ticking of the clock to accompany my loneliness. I am, interestingly, on a self-discovery mode. Having experienced a cold-prone childhood, ice creams and other cold savouries were told to be my perennial enemies. Little did my parents know that I would outsmart them into including these edibles in my regular diet, so much so that now I am daring enough to have one even on the day of my concerts! Don't get me started on how good I sound on all those occasions ;)
Apparently, they affect the vocal chords over a period of time and the unlucky few, like me, will end up coughing at old age, while Asha Bhonsle would still be judging Indian Idol. But my idea of not giving up ice creams revolve around a totally different logic. I am in the process of making myself immune to them :D . Ok! Stop there, Mr. know-it-all, who is prepared to attack me with a scientific theory that'll prove otherwise :p !

Aruna Shanbaug, around 40 years back, was a smart young lady who planned her life with great conviction, only to be hit irreversibly by fate. A single rape by a sweeper, which was an act of revenge, dented her life forever, multiplying pain and sheer torture by several amounts. While people from all over India visited KEM Hospital to get a glimpse of the 'damsel in distress', she became just another 'object of display'. Captivated in a single room for forty years, it's the spirit in her that keeps her alive and kicking even today! In this vegetative state, all I would pray for her is euthanasia, though I might be denying the hope within her, despite diminishing health. Pinki Virani, a journalist, has written 'Aruna's Story' which is a true account of the rape and its aftermath. She initiated the request to allow mercy killing for Aruna and has been unsuccessful so far.

...and every time I read of such pain-stricken stories, I instantly forget all the pain in my life, which half of the time is in my thoughts rather than in reality. But the fact is it all creeps in once I'm over with empathizing. Our problem is actually our problem and no once can ever get it how much ever they try empathizing. Some smart tweeter had once said that - if we were given a chance to sit across the table and exchange our problems with others, within five minutes we would leave back with our own.

Like Chris Martin had sung in Coldplay's 'For you' .

Everyone of us is scared
Everyone of us is hurt
Everyone of us has hope

Melle Kollum - New Mix !!

Singing melle kollum was a different learning experience for me. Being a part of 22 Female Kottayam was actually unplanned. It all began with doing the tracks for Rex ettan, for the video shoot of the songs. But eventually my voice ended up in the main version, too, only because of him. And when Aashiq felt that he wanted to try out a single female voice, representing Tessa, he invited me to do the 3rd track, Neeyo, which is composed by Bijibalji.

My favourite is Melle Kollum. I guess deep down everyone is a romantic. I am one, too. For someone like me who has a two-way communication with music, I can best express my heart and mind and soul via music.  I remember Rex ettan asking if I am in love a few days before recording this song, to which I asked if it would affect how I rendered. He just smiled. Music is such. I like how I can be just another person in love, soul-singing every word, justifying romance. Melle Kollum is an out of the world song. As in, it's abstract and larger than life. I was asked to sing my portions dominantly, as at that part Tessa takes a huge step in her life by moving in with Cyril. Rex ettan wanted power in the singing, one that comes with security in love, trust in a relationship. That is why the words used for my part are vast and open and infinite, like horizon.

Chirage..thelivaname..

ulle..ullil melle... veeshum thennale

kanave.. kadale ...

I didn't know how Tessa actually must have felt.. till I got to see the video. Beautifully shot in Bangalore, Aashiq Abu took it to a different level altogether, with an enticing chemistry between Rima and Fahadh. Penned by Venugopalji, Rex ettan just did a new mix for the song.. and I would like you guys to give it a listen..

This new mix is for his satisfaction, as an independent musician. So here is melle kollum..

"blank"

blank.

blank space.

blank space filled with umpteen ideas.

random and familiar; inspiring, yet deceiving

on the outset, my imagination begins to clutter, feeling confused. 

but now they align into several parallel paths

not meant to collide, until my mind wants it to.

Cherish the day

This is the second time that a bird, whose breed I'm unaware of, is nestling her babies over the highest layer of the chandelier, upstairs. Though I've heard of how beautiful the process of giving birth is, it never occurred to me until I got to experience its warmth in real . Every day the bird would bring layers of twigs to construct a nest, a home for her eggs which were soon-to-become babies. The very first time the eggs hatched, baby birds would twitch their neck upwards to gulp whatever little grains their mother fed them with. Eventually the day arrived when they had grown big enough to fly, filling the room with plenty of chirps and pips. As melancholic a day it was, it soon succumbed to silence when they flew out of their ways, to explore a world of their own.

The same process repeated and now the new ones are in their feeding days, occasionally taking a peep from the top of the four layered chandelier. Beautiful. Now I get it when they say how giving life to something is one of the most beautiful creations of God. It will be a dry day when they too will leave their temporary home. Life is beautiful, no doubt! Perhaps, what makes it beautiful is realizing how useful we can make it by nestling every second with utmost will.

The presence of shady people in your life shouldn't make you hate life. Somewhere, they have been hurt too, to be that shady. It's unfair to blame them or your destiny when things don't go as planned. Today you're happy, and tomorrow could be just another unhappy day. But who cares? It's just another sunset that will soon be followed by a sunrise, if you're willing enough...to let go!

I'm glad that the expensive chandelier came of some use to the birds, who could generate life, instead of being covered in dust. See, now this was not something that was called for while purchasing it, right? Sometimes, the most unexpected could play a pivotal role in shaping who you are.

So...  "Let go, let go, because there's beauty in the breakdown" - Imogen Heap

As I end this blog, the birdy is now guarding her sleeping beauties, without winking an eye.

"Life being what it is,we all dream of revenge.
Open your eyes for a second,just to roll them at me."

It is. Isn't it ? No matter how bright and illuminating the sun is, we just can't help but groan over the dark side of the moon. But down the lane, remembering the dark side of life could not mean more than a tear drop. They say it's a part and parcel of life. Be it yesterday's plane crash or the chirpy bird's nest over my chandelier or thousands of natural activities that are accelerating global warming, they'll happen for a reason. It was funny when just the other day, I and couple of my friends were talking about the Big Bang theory and how whatever is how many ever light years away! The way it evolves, connects together in an unbalanced manner, for a purpose that unintentionally celebrates that imbalance. So I guess every obstacle in our life creates an imbalance, making it the only possibility to get over it successfully! So happiness or success or any such positive moments would be impossible without these obstacles. How amazing it is! Life being what it is...  a reality to be celebrated every moment!

IFFK 2012

It’s better late than never, is what I felt after the eight day long IFFK held at Trivandrum, last month. I always regretted not attending the Festival so far, but my first time was a super-enjoyable experience for me, one that’ll remain etched in my mind for quite some time. I am no critic to judge the quality of movies screened this year, but some of the movies I got to watch at the festival were enriching in several ways. ‘Delhi in a day’ , directed by Prashant Nair was a delightful watch, comprising of a tiny mishap that takes place between an upper class family in Delhi and a foreigner who wants to feel the real essence of India. The director got it right with the casting and by portraying an India devoid of slums and snake charmers. Though, I was advised not to indulge much into Indian films, I couldn’t stop myself from checking out ‘Palas in bloom’ by Shalini Usha Nair which was engaging to an extent. With killer acting by Fahadh Faasil, this book adaptation was narrated through his perspective, which made it interesting in certain shots, like the climax. The final Indian movie I watched was ‘At the end of it all’, a Bengali movie that was a total art movie cliché. The initial innings looked promising, but it got too boring with stereotype characterization, where in, almost all the characters spoke poetically, not to forget about a dragging narrative.

Among various categories including an exclusive list of football films, ‘Games of their lives’ came as a surprise as the synopsis given in the handbook was of a completely different one! This documentary told about the development of football in North Korea. French master Robert Bresson’s films were featured in the retrospective category and his ‘Ladies of the Bois de Boulogne’ was a decent black and white experience. Depicting a vengeance filled extra marital affair, this one highlighted French culture of women of those times, which was aptly supported by subtitles. Denying it of unnecessary melodrama, the characters had a balance between emotions like ego, innocence and pride. ‘The Puzzle’ spoke of a bored housewife who leads a monotonous life and finds her true calling in solving jigsaw puzzles. The written material has been well adapted on screen and also has really good performances by the main leads.

My favourite pick from the Festival films has to be Asghar Farhadi’s ‘A Separation’. Every character was simply interwoven within the storyline, connecting with the spectator in an empathetic way. Farhadi is directorially brilliant in his flawless style of narration and kudos to the realistic cast. I couldn’t take my eyes off for even a minute, despite having to keep in pace with the subtitles and facial expressions. Adrian Sitaru’s ‘Best Intentions’ was another flick with unintended humour that came out of serious situations. It juggled with subtle comedy and an over anxious protagonist. The movie mostly comprised of long shots, where in, the leading character had long dialogues to deliver, doing justice to his neurotic personality in the film. But it lagged in few places, yet, stroke back with funny punch lines. ‘The First Grader’ is based on a true story, beautifully directed with the non- fiction element intact. Though, it doesn’t boast of a great technical side, the movie on a whole was very inspiring with some impactful dialogues, speaking of how empowering education is. Visualizing Columbian country side in a modern day portrayal of daily life, ‘The Colours of a Mountain’ is a simple story of a nine year old’s world. In the context of a larger, dangerous issue of the killing of civilians, all that matters to the children is a damn soccer ball. Even in this earthbound hell, a huge round of applause came for Manuel as he risked everything to get his ball.

I had my share of good and not-so-good movies, but watching them with friends and loitering around Kairali theatre for snacks and shamelessly waiting for a free auto is all too memorable to be forgotten. As inspiring as some of the movies were, that enriching it was to share it with friends of the same mind set. Like they say, great minds think alike :p