In which we get attcked and Come Out

Last week was very hectic of sorts. I had a charade of thing going on at the workplace where people were gathered and supposed to ideate at the new innovation station, in other words it was a week long training program where the only reason people showed some intermittent interest in the proceedings was when they wanted to win some brownie points in front of their Bosses. In our B-school days, we used to call it DCP, for the uninitiated it's short for Desperate Class Participation. I have never been known for my loquaciousness either at the B-school I went or the place I am working now, but I do make concessions especially if I am trying to seduce somebody with decent appreciation for english language with my Ally Mcbealesque blabbering- which incidentlly I used to find very cute but which also has backfired everytime without exception.

And my laptop has got infected with virus. I had heard so much about why not to download stuff from torrent sites and all, but never paid any heed. What is life without some bit of adventure thrown in?? ( yes, those of you who find my definition of adeventure a little lame, and are smirking right now. Let me just say you are right. I play safe). Now, this particular virus or trozan or some sortof thing was supposed to be kinda removed by running some remedial pogram. But I think any kind of historic ethnic cleansing be it nazi holocaust or serbian state sponsered massacre have been unsucessful-thank god for that; and closer home when I tried to kill these viruses happily marauding the efficiently running processes on my Core 2 duo processor I was pushing my fight against fate and historically correct statistics. You can crush them, thwart them, but you cannot wipe them off the face of your machine :(.

So, I gave up after a while when things stated to look like they were in order and I submitted to the idea that I could do without the blazing speed of my pentium processor. ( which has never been so fast but haven't I worked on P II? Yes, I have ). To cut a long story short, I can't open any google sites from my machine due to this virus. Be it my gmail, orkut, reader or BLOGSPOT. Of all the notorious sites in this world, this virus had to attack or block or some such thing, the Google. Seriously?? I mean my job depends on it. I can't breathe if I am not able to google any unknown/ unfamiliar hottie that you guys keep mentioning on your blogs. Besides, any B-school gradute will tell you that how google has saved her from a life time of misery where earlier one had to run through tons of books in the library where you were not even allowed to play footsie, to make a presentation, and now you have google where everything is just a click away.

Ok, enuff of google worship. But, some of you would surely wonder if google is not working how I am ranting in the usual fashion. Well, I just had to excavte an antique laptop that once belonged to my great grandfather and weighs a thousand kilos, gets extremely hot and subsequently shuts down if I am not in an AC room and use it. It's dead slow but I need my moment of catharisis.

Hmm, I feel so much better.

P.S.Did I just mention I came out to someone. That too thru this blog.

Filmsy facades

We often show more of something when we are hiding it.

This line set me thinking, made me realize what a facade my life has been. And the real problem here is that I don't know who is the real me.

• I smile profusely when I am nervous. I tend to think I look better this way.
• I give a guffaw in the middle of a serious conversation when I see somebody has fielded my volley better than I anticipated.
• I try to be very nice to people who have been nasty with me, hoping in vain that they will see their folly.
• I can use the choicest of abuses in front of my family but I can hardly cuss elsewhere. I can never understand why?
  
• I don't laugh a lot so that no one may think I am flamboyant or flimsy.
• I refrain from befriending good looking people to reassure myself I am not that bad looking.
• I act with all normalcy- no excessive eye, lip, eye brow, wrist movement- so that no one may think I am queer. I give a different meaning to 'Stiff'.
  

I know, most of these may sound like I am a definite mental case. But as they say, acknowledging the malady is the first step in treating it; and here I don't want to be treated.

Never judge a book by it's film

Last night, I watched two movies back to back based on books. First one was 'Kite Runner', a book which was stupendous commercial success with readers across world lapping it up, despite the fact that literary critics did not think very highly of the book. Notwithstanding the critics opinion, I was immensely moved by the book when I read it exactly two years back. This was perhaps the first work of fiction that was based on Afghanistan that chronicled the country from her 70's western influenced free spirit to post taliban era. Another notable thing that this book holds special place for me is because it's the only book I finished in one go. Unputdownable. That was one word I could describe it with, then. Planning to read this again, savoring each word this time to get more nuances from the book.


However, that day has not come till date, and I decided to watch the movie based on the book. The movie was shot in Kashgar,China because of prevailing tensions in the Afghanistan. The first thing you notice in the movie is the brilliant camera work and scenic beauty. The terrain shown in the movie looks similar to Laddakh but more breathtaking, captivating and bright. Now, I have one more place to visit on my 'place to visit' list.


The movie for most part stuck to the book, and I couldn't find scenes where they altered the sequences. However, in order to stick to running time, some of the portions were perhaps not filmed/edited out. The film was in persian dari with englsih subtitles thrown in. But the excellent acting by main cast did not need much deciphering on my part, aside from the fact that I had read the book.

The second movie I saw last night was 'Brick Lane' written by Monica Ali, a debut novel which was also shortlisted by Booker in year 2003. I wanted to pick this book for a long time but couldn't read it for some reason or the other. So I was excited to hear that the book is being made into a movie and would do the festival rounds soon. The book, along with the film had to face considerable opposition from Bangladeshi community since they felt it projected them in wrong light. But now, after having seem the movie, I strongly feel there is not much controversial in the film. Every community has some quirk, peculiarities and people like to read/ write about it; rather than the mundane and ordinary stuff. Just because 'God of Small Thing' is based in kerala and talks of illicit realtionship does not mean that all malyalees are sex maniacs/incestuous. By the same analogy, the movie did show some unpleasant aspect of Bangladeshi community, but it will only be juvenile to apply that stereotype to seventh most populous country in the world.



I didn't like the movie much, I think the device employed in the novel by the author was series of letters exchanged between sisters, one living in Brick Lane, London and the other in Bangladesh. This particular feature, though splendid in print, did not come out strongly due to limitation of cinema as a medium. The cast was first rate, and most Indians will be surprised to see Satish Kaushik playing the main characters in the movie. Satish Kaushik is a trained actor, and has been active on the theater circuit as well. My first recollection of his brilliant acting was when he along with 'Pankaj Kapur' came as 'Titu and Toni' on Superhit Muqabla on Zee TV. Satish Kaushik has donned the mantle of movie director succesfully, and his most notable films include ' Hum Aap Ke Dil Mein Rahte Hain', Roop ki rani Choron Ka Raja, 'Mujhe kucch Kahna Hai', etc.

Now, before I answer the original conundrum, I must list a few movies I had seen that were based on books.

• The Namesake ( read the book first)
• Chocolate ( read the book later)
• The Da Vinci Code ( book first)
• Pinjar ( book first)

Initially, I was of the opinion that it is essential to have read the
book to enjoy the film. But now I think it is not required unless we are talking about a book like Da Vinci Code which had to be compressed in 120 minutes

'The Namesake' was more colorful, lively and relatable than Jhumpa Lahiri's book. The movie had different focus on character of 'Ashima' than ' Gogol', opposed to the situation in the book. However, considering all the time constraints, the essence of book was preserved giving it a sharp flavor and pace by Mira Nair in the movie.



'Chocolat' as people who care to look at my blogger profile page might notice, is amongst my favorite films. I fell in love with everything in the book. From red haired Juliette Binoche, who I declared to be the most beautiful women I had ever seen; to sexy Johny Depp in an underplayed performance, not to mention the place the whole movie was set. I would have to google it, but my hunch says it has to be either Italy or France. And did someone mention chocolate?? umm, I don't think there can be any one in the audiance who does not fall in love with dark, creamy, gooey, sweet, bitter chocolate shown in various montage shots in the movie. ( I need to get a slice of dark chocolate cake, NOW)

I was disappointed when I read the the book which was quite different from what was shown in the movie. Characters were not as goodlooking, colorful, mysterious as they appeared in movie. The setting was not majestic, the chemistry between lead pair was tepid.

So, that was the moment, for the first time when I realized a better movie can be made out a book. And I adhered to the dictum 'never to judge a book by it's movie' since then.

P.S. I have neither seen or read the most famous book adaptation of our times- 'The God Father'. The reason is I get put off by universal praise, though I would like to see/ read it.

Ill effects of not blogging...

... for a long time is that you start thinking about everything that a post can be made about. And in that process, you end up accumulating so many threads that once you decide to actually start writing, the mind gets full of disparate threads like a hindi movies with eleven songs ( All hit ) without knowing how to structure them into a storyline.

So I have been thinking of doing a post on my dating experiences in delhi, a disastrous haircut I got last week, a few extra pounds that I gained while I gorged on sweets ( I love ghevar, It's seasonal so I have to eat it like a ritual), may be a post on my workout routine ( or lack of it), my unfinished painting classes, or probably something related to global economic slowdown. Ha, I'd never be able to write anything like that.

But I chose something easier which sparked my curiosity, and it will do good for ignorant souls like me as well.

As I have mentioned earlier how mainstream media is brandishing the gay cause, and with health minister's ministrations ( couldn't help the silly pun!), there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. HT city listed another place for heavy partying in delhi for our tribe.



Does anyone know what place they are referring to for dirty dancing?

Am I too old for Crushes??

I am currently reading 'White Teeth' by Zadies Smith. Ms. Smith is much celebrated writer and this was her debut novel which found much favor among the literary circle. I had picked her second book ‘On Beauty’ around a year back and started reading it, leaving it midway – not because it was boring or something, it’s just that I think I was not in the right frame of mind.

The first thing that strikes you about her is her uncanny beauty, dark piercing eyes, high cheekbones, and that caramel complexion thanks to her interracial parentage. Another striking thing about her is that her first novel White Teeth came when she was only twenty five. In today’s age, where anyone who knows how to string a few words together, and becomes an aspiring writer , I feel it’s a really big feat to get yourself published and get all that laurels.

I haven’t finished White Teeth and thereby I can’t write a formal review of the book ( Futile excercise I think, the book was published eight years ago). So why am I writing about her?? It’s because the book White Teeth- which was described as an Interracial tour the force, and which I thought would have to be dealing with Carrabian and English culture or amalgamation of it- is chiefly based on two couples: Bangladeshi couple and Jamaican English couple. I am close to half way through the book, and I can safely say that the main protagonists are Bangladeshi couple, unlike what I had surmised in the beginning.

Mian Samad and Alsana are two very unlike people and they share very few things other than their country of origin and the fact that they are married to each other. Now, coming to why I am writing about the book is a confession that I want to make.

Midway through the book, I realized how peculiar it is that the book is mirroring my feelings at present time. In the book, Mian Samad at the age of fifty seven is gripped by an intense infatuation- a desire which goes wrong against his faith, his standing, his age and his marital status- towards the music teacher of his twin sons in school. He repeatedly gets sexually aroused by mere thought of the teacher who he has met only for a few minutes in a PTA meeting. He can’t let her thought go, he is hard all the time and masturbation not being halal ( I don’t know the veracity of this) is in a continual ethical dilemma to do it.

Now, I have a very hot colleague of mine who I have recently started interacting more than I should. Though, I don’t find him super-intelligent ( a must for keeping me hooked to an individual), his easy manners, affability and good looks keep me interested in him. And to top it, this guy has six packs ( Never seen those but from the looks of his formal clothes I can make out a lot more than just his packs) with a great body. (Only minus point is he is shorter than me by two inches). Normally, I don’t like any competition to be close to me but this time I don’t care that much if he has better physique than me. ( I am not in a bad shape myself! Wink, wink).

One thing that keeps me intrigued is how or why this guy is single. He is good looking, intelligent, articulate, earns well, and has gone to good colleges. Not to mention, he has great fashion sense, h takes care of himself well. Is he a new age metrosexual male or I am reading too much here?? For Chrissake, he is a hot blooded punju who don’t give a damn about having new flings every fortnight!!

So, I don’t think I many have to explain how my situation is similar to Mian Samad and what’s keeping me awake/ disturbed/ aroused/ intrigued this entire weekend. In fact, I think this whole thing was reinforced in some way when I read it in the book and started imagining myself to write a similar novel in future with great deal of masala thrown in. I can call it ‘White Sheets”. I know that’s cheesy. But, aren’t wet dreams are made of ‘white sheets’ and ‘White teeth’

P.S: I wanted to do a post about comparing language style of British vs American authors; in fact, comparing Jhumpa Lahiri and Zadie Smith. I am not even remotely an authority on the subject of linguistics, nevertheless I think it will be an interesting post.