Paradox

I had always wanted to see Zakir Hussain perform, and yesterday I had my chance.
Two weeks ago when the tickets opened up the general public, I pounced and bought 2, now knowing who my accomplice would be - it turned out to be this nutty fun friend from Spanish class.
We made our way to Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion East, Mumbai - I had heard a lot about the auditorium and yes, it lived up to the grandeur I expected.

Here is what I went for: (Courtesy: Bookmyshow.com)

When geniuses come together, magic is the only outcome!

Hello classical fans, You won’t believe what we have in store for you. A unique combination-a first time ever - Pandit Birju Maharaj (Kathak) in session with the magical Tabla beats of the great table master Ustad Zakir Hussain. If that was not enough, the vocal renditions of the legendary maestro Pandit Ajoy Chakravarty will merge their brilliance into a crescendo. Dr. Trichy Sankaran, the world famous master on the Mridangam with his co-artists will also join in, in celebrating Pandit Birju Maharaj’s 75 glorious years. Date : Dec 13, 2012 Time: 6.30 PM Venue : Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai I am a music lover. I love most kinds of music and no, house and club don't qualify as music (yet). I can listen to Indian classical music for hours; the thing about Indian classical music is that if one gives it its due attention it can be quite strenuous on the brain, in a pleasant way. Dr. Trichy occupied the stage for a good hour and it was phenomenal. Zakir came on after the 15 minute interval and Brijmohan Mishra (Birju Maharaj) made a grand entrance - and this was after a wonderful introductory speech by one of the organising dudes. Birju will celebrate his 76th birthday in February! And he was a sight for weary minds. Was amazing to see someone dance this way - I think dance ought to be this, rather than the shaky swivelly nonsense from the West. More blues. Zakir impressed me - I think it's because I could see why he is a maestro. I don't understand Indian classical music but I appreciate its nuances and the ingenuity that seldom tags along. It's in his eyes. I didn't like Pandit Ajoy even though I did like his voice. There is a difference you see... It is what one had once said: There is good casting, there are no bad actors. He didn't belong on the stage last night according to me. But I am a lowly commoner and know not what all that music 'meant'. The evening was cut short because it was past 10pm and Ajoy's singing is not what me and my friend signed up for. May be we were weary. The thing about Art is that it is all around us and with this note I will move on to the next phase of this post: I found it hilarious that people were bumbling in like drunk minstrels at 730 pm when the performance had started at 640 pm. And by hilarious I mean that I wanted to punch them in their punani region. I also found it hilarious that one of the ushers had his cell phone ringing to a bhojpuri/ bollywood type song. I made my way to a bar where my friend was drinking for me and I saw a conglomeration (yes, a conglomeration) of people pretending to have a merry time by jiving to techno/ house. They looked like pigs and the smell of smoke hid their foul stench. And the following is the reason why I may be writing this post... I dropped my friend home and made my way through a lane I have been driving through for the last 2 years. A couple of families had made their quaint shanty home there, away from the populace and usually playing with their dogs. Last night, I found their homes torn down and shrouded in rubble. Imagine that, you are living your life and one fine evening a vindictive tsunami decides to rid you of your iota of belonging. Yes, that is capitalism where the strong survive and the weak are washed away into the gutters; it is what a lot of city dwellers secretly desire and socially ridicule. I stood there looking at the canvas. And someone opened the trapdoor beneath my feet. I knew not how to swim. But did I ever exist? To the music inside us all.

Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi

Emotions when hidden, stories when unsaid, and love when unconsummated can create pieces of art that stay engraved.
I cried twice during this movie and was filled with rage once.
The name of the movie means: "A thousand desires such as this..." The literal translation may not be possible as the name implies something and is open to interpretation.
A story that seems to be about ideologies but is in fact about emotions, behaviours, choices, helplessness and unbridled suffering; great work by Shiney Ahuja, Chitrangada Singh (possibly one of the most beautiful women I have seen) and Kay Kay Menon.

Period movies rarely rear their heads from the Indian stable; there are a lot of untold stories from India's past, possibly because Indian film-makers do not have the courage to make them - which is quite understandable.

Technically unsound, weird editing, but the silence spoke and the story was told. A movie that should be seen for there are a lot of things that this movie can make one think of, because art, at times, has rough edges, because pain is difficult to feel - and this movie gets one close to it. I may sound a bit too poetic about this, but such is the movie.

East of Eden

Shakespearean - that's what I would like to call this movie. A story about lust, jealousy, greed, naivety and ambition. I had often heard about James Dean and always wondered why he was so critically applauded; now I know why. He was a child in this movie (metaphor) and he played that character to perfection. The movie revolved around relationships within the family, flaws of human society and customs and James's search for himself.
What makes it special? The character is not loud or in your face; rather, one can see the confusion on the child's face and every drop of emotion comes out so strongly. There is an elan coupled with confusion and aggression. There were moments when I simply gaped in awe at James's face; partly because he seemed flawless, and partly because he was a gorgeous guy.
Physical struggles are difficult to perform convincingly, but emotional struggles are near impossible to portray well; I do not know how James managed to do so, but he did it very well.
I saw in this movie what I see everyday - flaws in human society and the idiosyncrasies of each individual, and I saw in this movie an actor that could have been cherished.

The Shawshank Redemption

A well-said story that went about at its own pace just to surprise us with a smile in the end - but highly overrated. For me, it was a story about a man who tried to keep his peace, work his way through pain; he lived with complete knowledge of his innocence; he knew that he had to find a way out, and was determined. Perseverance, Focus and Humility.
I couldn't help but think of all that we take for granted; particularly, freedom. This movie brings out a different perspective to life - Get busy living or get busy dying.

Quotes:
"What the fuck do you care, new fish? Doesn't fuckin' matter what his name was; he's dead."

"You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific?"
"No."
"They say it has no memory; that's where I want to live the rest of my life... One place with no memory."

"Get busy living or get busy dying."

Fight Club

There is a particular scene from Fight Club that has stuck with me. It's when Tyler speaks of pain, control, acceptance and reality.

Excerpts: After Tyler sprinkles lye on the 'Narrator's' hand.

Narrator Voice Over: I tried not to think of the words searing flesh.
Tyler: Stop it! This is your pain. This is your burning hand its right here.

Tyler: This is the greatest moment of your life and you’re off somewhere missing it
Narrator: I am not! [sobbing and grunting in pain]
Tyler: Shut up. Our fathers were our models for god, if our fathers bailed what does that tell you about god?
Slap.
Tyler: Listen to me! You have to consider the possibility that God does not like you; never wanted you; and in all probability... he hates you. It's not the worst thing that can happen. We don't need him!! Fuck damnation man! Fuck redemption!!
We are God's unwanted children? SO BE IT!!

Tyler: Listen to me. You can run water over your hand to make it worse, or, look at me. [Their eyes meet.] Or you can use vinegar to neutralize the burn
Narrator: Please let me have it!! Please!! [sobbing]
Tyler: First you have to give up. First you have to know, not fear, know that one day you are going to die.

Tyler: Its only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.

Thank you to : http://blaiseryan.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/fight-club-quote-%E2%80%9Cits-only-after-we%E2%80%99ve-lost-everything-that-we%E2%80%99re-free-to-do-anything%E2%80%9D/
Although, there was a part in the middle about God that, I believe, he was too scared to write about :D



Quotes:
"With insomnia nothing's real; everything's far away; everything's a copy of a copy of a copy."

"This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time."

"If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?"

"Things you own end up owning you."

"You're not the car you drive, you're not the contents of your wallet, you're not your fuckin' khakis; you're the all singing all dancing crap of the world."

"Listen up maggots: you're not special, you're not a beautiful or unique snowflake, you're the same decaying organic matter as everything else; we're the all singing all dancing crap of the world."