This is an awesome soundtrack from an awesome band. I have long been a fan of Indian Ocean's unique blend of Indian, Jazz and Western music. The result of this fusion is that music that one cannot stop listening to. Sometime in the last year or so, Indian Ocean's music for Anurag Kashyap's controversial film about the Mumbai bomb blasts - Black Friday - was released. The soundtrack is very good, and seems very situational, with tracks titled as "RDX", "Memon House", and "Bomb Planting".
The soundtrack also includes three songs performed by the band - Bandeh, Badshah in Jail and Bharam Bap Ke. The lyrics by Piyush Mishra are very good, and the music is unlike any heard in Indian movies before. It is very Indian Ocean, and seems directly suited to the theme of the movie.
A few days back I was listening to some of Indian Ocean's early albums. I realized that Bandeh is loosely based on their song "Torrent" from the self-titled album "Indian Ocean". Also, "Bharam Bap Ke" is an updated version of "Brisk Lonely Walk" from the same album. Both tracks were purely instrumental in their original incarnation. The added lyrics and vocals, as well as the use of additional instruments (probably sarangi) in the new versions gives an entirely new feel to the tunes. It is amazing what such talented musicians can do when revisiting some of their older material!
And how I wish I could attend a live performance by Indian Ocean sometime soon!
December 31, 2005
December 02, 2005
Rosa Parks
Today marks 50 years since the day Rosa Parks refused to vacate her seat on a bus, and sparked the movement that changed America forever. The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority paid its tribute by marking Rosa Parks's seat on its buses. Simple and wonderful tribute!
The Argumentative Indian
Disclaimer: As an Indian, I have a stake in what the "Indian" character is perceived to be. In my own view, I regard it to be inclusive and broad-minded, open and welcoming to ideas, proud of its own heritage and respectful of others. Prof. Sen's book makes great arguments towards such a view. I must humbly admit that what is below are just the themes I discovered and thoughts I had upon reading the book. I do not consider myself qualified to comment on the book; rather I restrict to how it appealed to me.
The title itself is intriguing, characterizing an entire nation as "argumentative". The book is a superb ride through the history, culture, religion, philosophy and politics of the Indian subcontinent. The perspective is modern, and very strongly in support of India's pluralist tradition, tolerance and encouragement for heterodox views. Prof. Sen addresses the issue of India and Indianness using the cultural, religious, philosophic, and historical record of India in many ways. Importantly, from this record, he draws connections, shows parallels and provides context to a lot of contemporary questions about India. I see the book as a guide to Indianness, that focuses on a particular aspect of being Indian - the rich heritage of reasoning and argumentation about important questions. Prof. Sen explains the argumentative tradition well, and himself presents compelling arguments in the discussion of various current issues facing India, from the nuclear bomb to gross inequality.
The book is a collection of essays written over the past several years. The essays have been woven together in the book's theme. The four sections of the book, "Voice and Heterodoxy", "Culture and Communication", "Politics and Protest"and "Reason and Identity" are all based on Prof. Sen's many decades of research into these issues. Prof. Sen draws on results from his work in the economics of poverty, famines, and gender and class divisions. He uses a rich variety of documents, from religious texts such as the Vedas and Upanishads to modern Indian thought expressed in Tagore, Nehru and Gandhi's writings and Satyajit Ray's cinema. He relies on many foreign records of India in the past, such as those by Alberuni, Yi Jing and others. The arguments made by Prof. Sen are forceful yet put forth gently, with great care to respect a different point of view. He considers each narrow view carefully, and rejects it with great reasoninng.
Some of the important questions that Prof. Sen addresses include
The title itself is intriguing, characterizing an entire nation as "argumentative". The book is a superb ride through the history, culture, religion, philosophy and politics of the Indian subcontinent. The perspective is modern, and very strongly in support of India's pluralist tradition, tolerance and encouragement for heterodox views. Prof. Sen addresses the issue of India and Indianness using the cultural, religious, philosophic, and historical record of India in many ways. Importantly, from this record, he draws connections, shows parallels and provides context to a lot of contemporary questions about India. I see the book as a guide to Indianness, that focuses on a particular aspect of being Indian - the rich heritage of reasoning and argumentation about important questions. Prof. Sen explains the argumentative tradition well, and himself presents compelling arguments in the discussion of various current issues facing India, from the nuclear bomb to gross inequality.
The book is a collection of essays written over the past several years. The essays have been woven together in the book's theme. The four sections of the book, "Voice and Heterodoxy", "Culture and Communication", "Politics and Protest"and "Reason and Identity" are all based on Prof. Sen's many decades of research into these issues. Prof. Sen draws on results from his work in the economics of poverty, famines, and gender and class divisions. He uses a rich variety of documents, from religious texts such as the Vedas and Upanishads to modern Indian thought expressed in Tagore, Nehru and Gandhi's writings and Satyajit Ray's cinema. He relies on many foreign records of India in the past, such as those by Alberuni, Yi Jing and others. The arguments made by Prof. Sen are forceful yet put forth gently, with great care to respect a different point of view. He considers each narrow view carefully, and rejects it with great reasoninng.
Some of the important questions that Prof. Sen addresses include
- The historical record and present state of India's argumentative tradition. From the Vedas to the current democratic process, India's record of debate, dialog and discussion. How argumentation and reasoning is a truly indigenous tradition, not an influence of the west.
- The heterodoxy inherent in Hindu tradition. How does the concept of Hindutva being advanced by communal forces relate to Hinduism? In particular, how Hindutva restricts itself to a narrow, incomplete view of Hinduism, belittling a great tradition.
- India's global connections. How does (and should) India relate to the world - in the past and the present.
- The Indian identity. How do religion, class, caste, language and other factors relate to beind Indian. How is identity "defined", not "discovered" by an individual, and why it matters.
- Mistaken perceptions. How the western perception of India as a "mystical land of spirituality" is mistaken, in view of India's achievements in philosophy, science and literature. How do Indians' perceive India, and how that perception is influenced by Western beliefs.
November 28, 2005
Tiger's whimper
As the Shiv Sena stands on the threshold of disintegration, Kumar Ketkar's words from a year ago ring true. Check out the article, in particular this concluding passage:
Today the Sena has become a pathetic shadow of its supremo. With no ideology or faith to hold on to, with no organised set-up apart from the undependable network of frustrated and militant lumpens; with no second line leadership or charismatic successor, the Shiv Sena stands on the threshold of disintegration. The internecine rivalry between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, as well as between Joshi and Rane will soon consume the outfit. As for the Icon that has presided over the Sena's fortunes, it has become a mere Cut-out.
November 21, 2005
The Lone Surfer Tour 2005
Yesterday evening, I went for Davy and Pete Rothbart's (buddies from my ultimate frisbee group) "Found" show. They had been on tour across North America, doing shows in 51 cities in 54 days (wow!). The tour was to promote Davy's (awesome) new collection of short stories "The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas" and to share and collect new "found" stuff.
Davy puts out the "Found" magazine - a collection of notes, to-do lists, letters, diaries and all kinds of other things - lost by their authors, and subsequently "found" by someone else. It is a rather odd concept - printing a magazine of found objects and creating a show based on it. Davy makes it work and how! He imagines the remainder of the persons' lives, from the snippet that he gets to see. He writes stories about them. He weaves their notes into anecdotes, and some ribald comedy. And Pete writes songs, sometimes based on found stuff, borrowing and extending lyrics, and adding his own touch, to create songs such as "Damn! The Booty Don't Stop" (You've to hear it performed live! Its awesome, vulgar, funny, an absolute blast!!). Together, they are terrific entertainment!
Davy's book, "The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas", is a collection short stories. Here's what he says about his inspiration for the title story, and his book:
I just finished reading a few other stories from the book. They are really good. The heroes of Davy's stories are mostly young men who haven't found a path in life. Narrating in the first person, Davy provides the reader a close-up of his characters. Davy's stories are set in odd places across America - an old people's nursing home in Florida, a strip joint in a Mexican border town, a prison in Michigan, and in the title story, rural Kansas. The characters are raw, their language coarse, and their feelings out in the open for anyone to see. They are humane, rough, compassionate, mean, lost. And just when it seems that they've "found" themselves, the world seems to crumble around them. Thus, a lost love, a sad father, and a congenitally lying dead friend. Davy's characters don't find redemption - that would be too easy. Rather, they are left alone to themselves. In a way, the stories are just like the found stuff Davy works with - snapshots of a stranger's life, accidentally found.
Hats off, Davy! (and yeah, see you on the field soon!)
Davy puts out the "Found" magazine - a collection of notes, to-do lists, letters, diaries and all kinds of other things - lost by their authors, and subsequently "found" by someone else. It is a rather odd concept - printing a magazine of found objects and creating a show based on it. Davy makes it work and how! He imagines the remainder of the persons' lives, from the snippet that he gets to see. He writes stories about them. He weaves their notes into anecdotes, and some ribald comedy. And Pete writes songs, sometimes based on found stuff, borrowing and extending lyrics, and adding his own touch, to create songs such as "Damn! The Booty Don't Stop" (You've to hear it performed live! Its awesome, vulgar, funny, an absolute blast!!). Together, they are terrific entertainment!
Davy's book, "The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas", is a collection short stories. Here's what he says about his inspiration for the title story, and his book:
A few years ago, I was driving on a small two-lane highway through rural Kansas when I saw a bizarre and riveting sight—-a teenage kid had slung a surfboard between two dead tractors in the middle of a cornfield and was balanced on top, like he was practicing how to surf. Here he was, thousands of miles from either coast, the sun setting in glorious colors behind him—-I was mesmerized and sat there watching for ten minutes or so, and then I drove away; I don’t think he even saw me. But that image of him surfing in the cornfields stuck with me, and my curiosity about him kept growing more intense, so finally I decided to write a story about him, imagining what his life was like and what might have happened had our paths intersected. I called the story The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas (Montana is the name of a tiny town in Kansas) and it’s the title story of my new book.
I just finished reading a few other stories from the book. They are really good. The heroes of Davy's stories are mostly young men who haven't found a path in life. Narrating in the first person, Davy provides the reader a close-up of his characters. Davy's stories are set in odd places across America - an old people's nursing home in Florida, a strip joint in a Mexican border town, a prison in Michigan, and in the title story, rural Kansas. The characters are raw, their language coarse, and their feelings out in the open for anyone to see. They are humane, rough, compassionate, mean, lost. And just when it seems that they've "found" themselves, the world seems to crumble around them. Thus, a lost love, a sad father, and a congenitally lying dead friend. Davy's characters don't find redemption - that would be too easy. Rather, they are left alone to themselves. In a way, the stories are just like the found stuff Davy works with - snapshots of a stranger's life, accidentally found.
Hats off, Davy! (and yeah, see you on the field soon!)
November 10, 2005
Midival Times
A wonderful album, fusing techno beats and Indian classical music. Kudos to the Midival Punditz ! Try the NPR feature here for a sample, or read the review at ethnotechno.
October 16, 2005
The Cost of War
The cost of war in Iraq crossed $200,000,000,000.00 this weekend. According to National Priorities Project, that's the same as the cost of fully funding global anti-hunger efforts for 8 years.
This is just the measured economic cost of war expenses. The lives of those killed (Iraqis, Americans, British, and others), the violence that's spread in Iraq, and the damage caused by future terrorists created by this war are unmeasurable.
This is just the measured economic cost of war expenses. The lives of those killed (Iraqis, Americans, British, and others), the violence that's spread in Iraq, and the damage caused by future terrorists created by this war are unmeasurable.
October 10, 2005
Freakonomics
I read this over the weekend. A well-written book that explores how much truth "Convention Wisdom" holds. Or how economics describes the actual world. The book explores many diverse topics, including parenting, racial and cultural issues, crime, and other matters. The common point is the use of data and econometric methods to analyze the data to draw conclusions. Several commonly-held beliefs are shown to be unsupported by data, while several surprising ("freaky") results emerge from the analyses.
A nice collaboration between a smart economist, and a quality writer. Worth a read, just for fun and also to know a little bit more about the world.
A nice collaboration between a smart economist, and a quality writer. Worth a read, just for fun and also to know a little bit more about the world.
September 16, 2005
Grand Canyon Trip
The last weekend of August, I hiked the Grand Canyon - rim-to-rim. The travelogue and a few pictures are here. Comments/feedback welcome.
Grand Canyon is awesome. A must-do hike.
Grand Canyon is awesome. A must-do hike.
August 23, 2005
Bombay First - McKinsey Report on Mumbai
Post-flood, there's been a sharp increase in the news coverage and expert articles on Mumbai. There have been several suggestions from various people. Among all the articles, opinion pieces, discussions and arguments that have filled the media, one report that has been hotly debated in the Bombay First - McKinsey Report on Mumbai.
From the corporate visionaries that see Mumbai as an image of glowing far eastern cities such as Singapore or Shanghai, sometimes with scant regard for the environment and the temperament of Mumbai, to traditional or new socialists blind in opposition to any suggestion of reform, everyone has expressed an opinion on the report.
Thus, the link above. My views and comment on the McKinsey report in a few days.
From the corporate visionaries that see Mumbai as an image of glowing far eastern cities such as Singapore or Shanghai, sometimes with scant regard for the environment and the temperament of Mumbai, to traditional or new socialists blind in opposition to any suggestion of reform, everyone has expressed an opinion on the report.
Thus, the link above. My views and comment on the McKinsey report in a few days.
Broken Flowers
A new film from director Jim Jarmusch, starring Bill Murray.
I saw it at the Michigan Theater this past Saturday. It's a lovely film - languorous - dreamy and lazy. Fascinating, with a lot of hidden meaning.
The soundtrack is awesome too.
I saw it at the Michigan Theater this past Saturday. It's a lovely film - languorous - dreamy and lazy. Fascinating, with a lot of hidden meaning.
The soundtrack is awesome too.
August 18, 2005
Building a house...
My friend Dan is building a 5000 sq. ft. house near Ann Arbor. Dan is quite amazing - he is a Civil Engineer; he has many different skills - and experience - with wood, concrete, and other building materials. He's doing everything related to building the house - getting land, acquiring government permissions, passing the exam to be qualified to design a house, and of course, doing all the hard work building the house. Besides, as I found out, he's a willing teacher, and very patient with unskilled laborers such as I.
It was thus that I spent a few hours a couple weeks ago helping Dan waterproof the walls. It mainly involved slapping mixed cement onto the walls using a flat, duster-shaped tool. Slapping cement on walls without dropping much on the ground, and getting it to be even surface is tricky! I have never really participated in activities that demand physical work and repetition of the same task a thousand times. This was good exercise - picking up the cement, bending the tool at a slight angle, lightly pressing it against the wall, and then moving it up with a slight wavy motion to get the finish just right. All this while standing on a delicately balanced styrofoam surface. Fun!
It was a surprise how much I actually liked doing this (ignoring a slightly sore back!). As it stands, I've never really worked much with my hands. I always had great appreciation for people skilled in handling tools, fixing things, or making objects, being unable myself to handle the simplest of tools. I admit that all through workshop practice in my engineering classes, I wasn't really sure why I was "being made" to do it - I much preferred electronics and computers then.
This was different though. After spending a day in front of the computer at office, I was surprised at how nice it felt to be outside and working. The warm weather, the smell of cement, the rock music on the radio, and the site of walls that were slowly getting waterproofed thanks to our efforts - it all had an effect. I'm definitely going again.
Kevin, Dan and I spent the better part of the evening doing this work. Later, we took a dip in Mirage Lake, adjoining Dan's property. That was awesome!
It was thus that I spent a few hours a couple weeks ago helping Dan waterproof the walls. It mainly involved slapping mixed cement onto the walls using a flat, duster-shaped tool. Slapping cement on walls without dropping much on the ground, and getting it to be even surface is tricky! I have never really participated in activities that demand physical work and repetition of the same task a thousand times. This was good exercise - picking up the cement, bending the tool at a slight angle, lightly pressing it against the wall, and then moving it up with a slight wavy motion to get the finish just right. All this while standing on a delicately balanced styrofoam surface. Fun!
It was a surprise how much I actually liked doing this (ignoring a slightly sore back!). As it stands, I've never really worked much with my hands. I always had great appreciation for people skilled in handling tools, fixing things, or making objects, being unable myself to handle the simplest of tools. I admit that all through workshop practice in my engineering classes, I wasn't really sure why I was "being made" to do it - I much preferred electronics and computers then.
This was different though. After spending a day in front of the computer at office, I was surprised at how nice it felt to be outside and working. The warm weather, the smell of cement, the rock music on the radio, and the site of walls that were slowly getting waterproofed thanks to our efforts - it all had an effect. I'm definitely going again.
Kevin, Dan and I spent the better part of the evening doing this work. Later, we took a dip in Mirage Lake, adjoining Dan's property. That was awesome!
June 28, 2005
Book-tagged..
I was book-tagged today, by Ajit. Here I go then :)
For every book I own and have read, I have 3 or 4 that I bought, but haven't read. And I am very comfortable with that. I think having a full bookshelf, with a lot of books to choose from is a really good idea, rather than be stranded without one. The mere thought that there are so many more books to read excites me and provokes me to read. And it doesn't slow me down in purchasing books. Even when I am not really interested in making a purchase, I still like to visit bookstores, just to browse, wander and lose myself amid the stacks of books, and the seemingly infinite world of knowledge and fantasy that man has built.
Living in a city like Ann Arbor is a great advantage in that regard. Ann Arbor is the home of the Borders bookstore chain, and has a nice independent bookstore Shaman Drum. A greater benefit however is that it has numerous used and rare bookstores such as the Dawn Treader Book Shop, After Words, David's Books, and many more. These are places of regular visits for me, and every visit holds a new surprise.
Number of books I own
I don't count, its probably around 250 or 300.
Last book I read
I often read several books at a time, switching from one to the other as takes my fancy. Thus the multiple entries below :)
The last book I finished was Absolute Friends by John Le Carre. The last non-fiction book I finished (the same weekend as the above) was From Socrates to Sartre: the Philosophic Quest by T.Z. Lavine.
Last book I bought
Being Logical:A Guide to Good Thinking by D.Q. McInerny. I bought this book as a gift.
Books That Mean A Lot to Me
Fiction: The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham, MukhavaTaa (मुखवटा) by Arun Sadhu, Catch-22 and Picture this by Joseph Heller
Non-fiction: Man's worldly goods by Leo Huberman, जग बदलले by Sulakshana Mahajan
Books I wish I had completed
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Daniel C. Dennett
People I am tagging
Tapan | Ashutosh | Shrihari | Pradnya
For every book I own and have read, I have 3 or 4 that I bought, but haven't read. And I am very comfortable with that. I think having a full bookshelf, with a lot of books to choose from is a really good idea, rather than be stranded without one. The mere thought that there are so many more books to read excites me and provokes me to read. And it doesn't slow me down in purchasing books. Even when I am not really interested in making a purchase, I still like to visit bookstores, just to browse, wander and lose myself amid the stacks of books, and the seemingly infinite world of knowledge and fantasy that man has built.
Living in a city like Ann Arbor is a great advantage in that regard. Ann Arbor is the home of the Borders bookstore chain, and has a nice independent bookstore Shaman Drum. A greater benefit however is that it has numerous used and rare bookstores such as the Dawn Treader Book Shop, After Words, David's Books, and many more. These are places of regular visits for me, and every visit holds a new surprise.
Number of books I own
I don't count, its probably around 250 or 300.
Last book I read
I often read several books at a time, switching from one to the other as takes my fancy. Thus the multiple entries below :)
The last book I finished was Absolute Friends by John Le Carre. The last non-fiction book I finished (the same weekend as the above) was From Socrates to Sartre: the Philosophic Quest by T.Z. Lavine.
Last book I bought
Being Logical:A Guide to Good Thinking by D.Q. McInerny. I bought this book as a gift.
Books That Mean A Lot to Me
Fiction: The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham, MukhavaTaa (मुखवटा) by Arun Sadhu, Catch-22 and Picture this by Joseph Heller
Non-fiction: Man's worldly goods by Leo Huberman, जग बदलले by Sulakshana Mahajan
Books I wish I had completed
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Daniel C. Dennett
People I am tagging
Tapan | Ashutosh | Shrihari | Pradnya
April 12, 2005
Bose - The Forgotten Hero
The soundtrack is masterful. The songs, instrumental versions and themes that together are the soundtrack for "Bose - The Forgotten Hero" are all wonderfully composed. A R Rahman has infused traditional songs such as "Ekla Chalo Re" and "Kadam Kadam Badhaaye Jaa" with emotion and energy, and also created some good songs on his own, the most impressive being "Zikr" - the continual chanting of Allah's name. The themes that form the background score seem to be composed to go with the situations and locations of the various scenes in the movie.
A must-buy soundtrack.
Now waiting for the movie.
A must-buy soundtrack.
Now waiting for the movie.
April 09, 2005
Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi
One of the most acclaimed Indian movies of 2005. I saw "Hazaaron... " on VCD. It is truly a different movie by most hindi movie standards. It stands out in many aspects, most importantly the top-notch performances in leading roles by Kay Kay Menon (who has recently begun to receive the attention his talent and screen presence demand), Shiny Ahuja (supremely confident in a terrific role) and Chitrangda Singh (wow! she sets the screen on fire!), and small but effective parts by other actors.
Hazaaron is set in the late 1960s through 1970s period in various North Indian locations. The director, Sudhir Mishra, truly brings this period to life. The language, clothes, and setting all seem very real. Neither is there any attempt to "glamorize" the past, as seen in the lavish sets in melodramas such as "Devdas" or "Parineeta" nor the big scale of the unknown past of 1857 as seen in "Mangal Pandey". The music, costumes, dialogue and situations are all straight out of the 1970s. More than anything else, the film succeeds in capturing the India of 1970s - full of uncertainty, youthful energy, and idealism.
The film is a series of really quick scenes - the story moves very fast, from Meerut to Delhi to rural Bihar, and from the late 1960s to the later period of emergency rule and naxalite movement. The quick cuts, and lack of "obvious" dialogue leaves a lot of room for interpretation, a valuable characteristic for a movie such as this. It is highly entertaining and provocative. Through each of the lead characters, and the different directions their intertwined lives take, we see various forces at work on the minds of young people in that period.
Hazaaron succeeds at two levels - in telling the story of its characters and in telling the story of that period. It is a classic love story, with true to life characters - each moving to their own rhythms, each dreaming their own dreams. This story is set against the backdrop of a nation in a period of turmoil. I was impressed by how the movie conveyed the essence of each character - how their thoughts and motivation leads to actions that may seem irrational to an outsider.
There are three central human characters in the story. Siddharth, Vikram and Geeta. They are all college students in an unnamed Delhi college.
The idealist Siddharth, a rich father's son, moved by leftist thought and the extreme divide amongst the haves and have-nots, decides to leave the pleasures of the city and his born with a silver spoon life for a stint in rural Bihar, joining similarly motivated young people in the naxalite movement. His revolutionary, non-compliant nature is conveyed through very simple things. He calls his father by the name Judgesaab, in a firm refusal of the personal relationship , preferring to stress the class divide between the masses of poor and the very few rich. In spite of all his revolutionary spirit, he cannot give up his love for Geeta, a college sweetheart, herself conflicted in many ways.
The pragmatic, go-getter Vikram, the son of a Gandhian is skeptical of Siddharth and his Marxist friends. He has keenly observed the corrupt bureucracy, sycophancy, and the way the world works. He believes in working for his own upliftment, whichever way possible. He succeeds in almost anything he tries - property deals, brokering agreements between government and businesses, and keeping politicians appeased. A true lobbyist, broker, a man seemingly with no ideals but his own gain. Yet, he is defeated in many ways - the idealistic Geeta, whom he loves, is in love with Siddharth; his Gandhian father, for whom he cares refuses his help, choosing to go to jail during the emergency. No matter how much money or power he earns, he cannot win the respect or love of those that matter to him.
And Geeta. She is torn between her love for Siddharth and a sincere desire to do something good, and her middle class fear or pragmatism on the other. Geeta is unsure of what her dreams really are. She drifts, she searches, she loses and then she wins. Geeta is the most fascinating character of the movie.
As the characters progress towards their future, we see India through their eyes. Geeta is most likely the character viewers will identify with - the many forces pulling her in many directions, all at once, a thousand desires unfulfilled. Yet, while the outwardly strong Siddharth and Vikram discover their failings, Geeta finds her strength. Many missteps along the way, but by the end of the story, Geeta is firmly set along a path that I believe will be hers throughout life. The changes are remarkable and very moving.
A truly amazing film, on many levels. I could probably write hazaaron more words, and yet not say enough!
Hazaaron is set in the late 1960s through 1970s period in various North Indian locations. The director, Sudhir Mishra, truly brings this period to life. The language, clothes, and setting all seem very real. Neither is there any attempt to "glamorize" the past, as seen in the lavish sets in melodramas such as "Devdas" or "Parineeta" nor the big scale of the unknown past of 1857 as seen in "Mangal Pandey". The music, costumes, dialogue and situations are all straight out of the 1970s. More than anything else, the film succeeds in capturing the India of 1970s - full of uncertainty, youthful energy, and idealism.
The film is a series of really quick scenes - the story moves very fast, from Meerut to Delhi to rural Bihar, and from the late 1960s to the later period of emergency rule and naxalite movement. The quick cuts, and lack of "obvious" dialogue leaves a lot of room for interpretation, a valuable characteristic for a movie such as this. It is highly entertaining and provocative. Through each of the lead characters, and the different directions their intertwined lives take, we see various forces at work on the minds of young people in that period.
Hazaaron succeeds at two levels - in telling the story of its characters and in telling the story of that period. It is a classic love story, with true to life characters - each moving to their own rhythms, each dreaming their own dreams. This story is set against the backdrop of a nation in a period of turmoil. I was impressed by how the movie conveyed the essence of each character - how their thoughts and motivation leads to actions that may seem irrational to an outsider.
There are three central human characters in the story. Siddharth, Vikram and Geeta. They are all college students in an unnamed Delhi college.
The idealist Siddharth, a rich father's son, moved by leftist thought and the extreme divide amongst the haves and have-nots, decides to leave the pleasures of the city and his born with a silver spoon life for a stint in rural Bihar, joining similarly motivated young people in the naxalite movement. His revolutionary, non-compliant nature is conveyed through very simple things. He calls his father by the name Judgesaab, in a firm refusal of the personal relationship , preferring to stress the class divide between the masses of poor and the very few rich. In spite of all his revolutionary spirit, he cannot give up his love for Geeta, a college sweetheart, herself conflicted in many ways.
The pragmatic, go-getter Vikram, the son of a Gandhian is skeptical of Siddharth and his Marxist friends. He has keenly observed the corrupt bureucracy, sycophancy, and the way the world works. He believes in working for his own upliftment, whichever way possible. He succeeds in almost anything he tries - property deals, brokering agreements between government and businesses, and keeping politicians appeased. A true lobbyist, broker, a man seemingly with no ideals but his own gain. Yet, he is defeated in many ways - the idealistic Geeta, whom he loves, is in love with Siddharth; his Gandhian father, for whom he cares refuses his help, choosing to go to jail during the emergency. No matter how much money or power he earns, he cannot win the respect or love of those that matter to him.
And Geeta. She is torn between her love for Siddharth and a sincere desire to do something good, and her middle class fear or pragmatism on the other. Geeta is unsure of what her dreams really are. She drifts, she searches, she loses and then she wins. Geeta is the most fascinating character of the movie.
As the characters progress towards their future, we see India through their eyes. Geeta is most likely the character viewers will identify with - the many forces pulling her in many directions, all at once, a thousand desires unfulfilled. Yet, while the outwardly strong Siddharth and Vikram discover their failings, Geeta finds her strength. Many missteps along the way, but by the end of the story, Geeta is firmly set along a path that I believe will be hers throughout life. The changes are remarkable and very moving.
A truly amazing film, on many levels. I could probably write hazaaron more words, and yet not say enough!
March 12, 2005
The Turing Test: A Coffeehouse Conversation
CHRIS: If you could ask a computer just one question in the Turing test, what would it be?
SANDY: Uhmm....
PAT: How about "If you could ask a computer just one question in the Turing test, what would it be?"?
(From The Mind's I: Fantasies and reflections on self and soul composed and arranged by Douglas R. Hofstadter and Daniel C. Dennett)
SANDY: Uhmm....
PAT: How about "If you could ask a computer just one question in the Turing test, what would it be?"?
(From The Mind's I: Fantasies and reflections on self and soul composed and arranged by Douglas R. Hofstadter and Daniel C. Dennett)
January 15, 2005
The Great Indian Middle Class
An insightful look at the historical roots, cultural and social behavior and economic influence of the Indian middle class. Pavan K Varma offers an excellent introduction for anyone with interest in understanding the Indian middle class.
He traces the history of the class, and the strong influence of Gandhi and Nehru's ideology. Further, he offers an explanation of the perceived subsequent ideological decline, and the role of the middle-class in subverting the nation's goals to serve its self-interest. He also explains the hypocrisy common in middle-class behavior - private practice of ritual and casteism while publicly projecting a secular image, relentless pursuit of self-interest while maintaining a belief in social justice and so on.
Varma's book cites several examples, from the Mandal commission recommendations, to the rise of Hindu fundamentalism. It offers insight into corruptness of Indian society, and critical analysis of the role played by the middle-class in the 50 years since independence.
The book is not full of statistics, or rigorous research results. It draws on common examples, probably familiar to most readers, rather than esoteric academic work. It is easy to relate to, even though somewhat simplistic in presenting the analysis. The book falters somewhat in the final chapters, where the author switches from diagnosis to prescription.
Many might disagree with the author's opinions. It is undeniable though, that it presents a hard look at the self-obsessed Indian middle-class.
January 05, 2005
Books read in 2004
I started 2004 with a lofty, unrealistic goal of reading 50 books through the year, knowing at the back of my mind that it was a bit ambitious to plan reading a book a week. I got through only about 17 books (including a couple of partial reads). Upon reflection at the end of the year, I am quite happy with the variety of topics that I read about.
Here's a list of books that I read through the year:
1. Jhumpa Lahiri - The Namesake
2. Gurcharan Das - The Elephant Paradigm
3. Sulakshana Mahajan - "Jag Badalal'e" (Marathi)
4. Sulakshana Mahajan - Arthavyavasthaanche Swabhaav (Marathi translation of Jane Jacobs' "The Nature of Economies")
5. Lawrence Lessig - Free Culture
6. Bhisham Sahni - Tamas
7. W. Somerset Maugham - The Moon and Sixpence
8. Michael Frayn - Copenhagen
9. John Gribbin - In search of Schrodinger's Cat
10. Chintamani Deshmukh - Homi Jehangir Bhabha
11. Richard Posner - Antitrust Law: An Economic Perspective
12. Laxman Londhe and Chintamani Deshmukh - Devaansi Jive Maarile (Marathi)
13. Guy De Maupassant - Selected short stories
14. Robin Wilson - Four Colors Suffice
15. Peter Drahos with John Braithwaite - Information Feudalism
16. Lawrence Lessig - Code and the Other Laws of Cyberspace
17. Pavan K. Verma - The Great Indian Middle Class
Here's a list of books that I read through the year:
1. Jhumpa Lahiri - The Namesake
2. Gurcharan Das - The Elephant Paradigm
3. Sulakshana Mahajan - "Jag Badalal'e" (Marathi)
4. Sulakshana Mahajan - Arthavyavasthaanche Swabhaav (Marathi translation of Jane Jacobs' "The Nature of Economies")
5. Lawrence Lessig - Free Culture
6. Bhisham Sahni - Tamas
7. W. Somerset Maugham - The Moon and Sixpence
8. Michael Frayn - Copenhagen
9. John Gribbin - In search of Schrodinger's Cat
10. Chintamani Deshmukh - Homi Jehangir Bhabha
11. Richard Posner - Antitrust Law: An Economic Perspective
12. Laxman Londhe and Chintamani Deshmukh - Devaansi Jive Maarile (Marathi)
13. Guy De Maupassant - Selected short stories
14. Robin Wilson - Four Colors Suffice
15. Peter Drahos with John Braithwaite - Information Feudalism
16. Lawrence Lessig - Code and the Other Laws of Cyberspace
17. Pavan K. Verma - The Great Indian Middle Class
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