Kuldip Patwal -I Didn't Do It

This review is for my friend, Priyanka Sethia, who plays Kuldip's wife. Its been awaited and asked for by another friend who wrote this film - Rahul Ramchandani for almost 8.5months now. When the movie was there in the cinemas, I couldn't find the time to watch it and when I had the time - the movie was inaccessible. Finally, we both agreed upon giving time to each other.

The movie has a very real touch to it where a common  man can easily relate with it.

It deserves to be watched by people.

One thought that crossed my mind was : Blame Game is never conclusive where both are then the victims and neither gain anything except delusions.

There were quite a few instances in the film which were absolutely not needed, the edit in the film costed it to serve poorly.

Scene Deepening techniques are missing.

Art Direction is also very basic. Where there are props on the sets which do not relate with the content of the scene.

The content and point raised is pertinent yet personal. There must be a much wider appeal and connect when its a feature film, which is a USP of this film, that that is not there.

The movie is pretty soft for the subject matter at hand. For instance, there is only one strong attack on the conscious of the viewer. The screenplay of a film does not warrant scope of over emphasis on the repercussions of an action or effect unlike TV serials. I refer to the loss of twins.

The justification showcased towards the helplessness of a poor man is done well. 

The wink in the end scene killed the film. Open ending leaves the audience confused even though it secures the threats upon the film maker and his crew against any surprises. 

Unleashed - The Colloquium By Manan Vasa

To put it bluntly, this man just provides a mammal - drowning in the oceans, the land they need to walk, in order for them to survive. He is simply doing an ordinary thing in the most extraordinary manner. He pumps your heart to wake up and do the job it has come into this world to do, instead of being lazy and going into auto-pilot mode. 

Manan Vasa 

He runs a workshop which spans over a period of 2-3months. Those 3months I committed to Unleashed, which means him and his team, was a truly life changing experience for me. It was a gift I presented, not just to myself but to everybody who were directly engaged with me in my routine - be it my work life, personal life or just me. 

His Colloquium expanded the limitations I held within myself towards the goals I'd set for myself  -to the borderline first and then to limitless - unstoppable : never give-up mode. I am indebted to him for doing that. 

I am a poetry publisher, by the way, the challenges I've faced in life - are phenomenal. The driving force he has ingrained into me reminds me every time the forces against me try to break my pace and I remain firm and undeterred and those forces grow stronger and yet I remain strong - such is the invincibility he seeds into you. 

The structure he provides as the material, helps me write the books I've been meaning to write but I would 'not find the grounding' to kick start with them.   

He gave it to me!! 

If ever I'm asked- You did the Colloquium. What do you think, should I try it out? 

My answer to that person will be : "Shut your eyes and take the plunge. The 1st session will itself wipe off that uncertainty I can see in your question." 

THANK YOU MANAN ☺

Power of An Autograph Book

My mother taught me how significant it was to develop a habit of reshuffling and organizing your own possessions. To compliment that thought, I came across a book which spoke of 'Feeling Touched' that gave life even to things that were there - long forgotten and forsaken. After all Old is Gold. I learnt that mastering the art of organizing can unravel hidden treasures. In my opinion, I'd call it a quality of people who live royally. It was a powerful emotion which made one act in a manner to devote their time to organize and neaten their own belonging, expressing out of them how intricately and deeply they valued each and everything they had - how much hard work had gone into acquiring those things and that they were very caring towards their possessions. 

Anyway, so whilst she was organizing, she came across few postcards, greeting cards and Autograph Books which belonged to me. I browsed through the pages of the autograph book which had on its back cover 'friends forever' , 'forever young' written from Archies. Those words seemed to speak to me that here lies the proof within this book which shall make you feel forever young and realize the true meaning of friends forever. The pages were sectioned with columns such as : Name and Address, Contact Number, Most Unforgettable Person, Most Happiest Moment, Lines For Me, What is a friend?, Birthdate,Star Sign and Best Friends. Each of this been filled up by my school friends, other friends and family. 

I realized the value of what was mentioned in these autographs books as I was flushed with nostalgia with every turning page. The transparency of the emotions felt by those who filled the pages of my autograph book was clearer now than it had been in the moment they'd been filled. There was genuineity in some whereas others pored out envy. 

For instance, I had my grandmother i.e. Geeta Sonthalia's autograph here in my pages. Whilst I read through the contents I expressed surprise at learning that her birthday fell on the same day (5th May) as the marriage anniversary of my parents. Then, my recollections reminded me that she had not known her date of birth. A little while later I remembered she did not even know how to write in English so someone else around her had filled this up on her behalf in her presence. It had the essence of clear jealousy as someone had played dirty by putting it in a small childs mind that the day his parents got married was the day when his grandmother had her birthday. Her happiest moment was when she got married and her best pals was God. 

As I turned the pages, there were some more revelations about friends and family I'd known. I felt sad when I touched upon 'Mithul Vijan' as he had passed away due to Cancer a few years back. Then, I came to the page of a friend I'd been remembering in the last few days - using Facebook had tried to place him down but was unsuccessful. I'd only known his pet name I called him with -Jittu ... he'd shifted out from my neighborhood, somehow I was remembering him dearly in the last couple of weeks. And there , in the autograph book I found he'd given his full name - the real one. With so many leads as how i could find him - such as which school he'd gone to, his date of birth. He'd filled his autograph on 12th September 1998. I was moved and touched by having discovered this page and immediately succeeded in finding him on Facebook. I cannot put it in words how elated I felt the moment I found him. 

Emotions, that one feels in the present moment may deceive the other person in that moment and might make the person feel victorious for having deceived the other person in the moment but time has its way of showing that 'truth is eternally victorious' nothing else is more powerful and joyful than the achievements one gets via truth. The pain one is made to endure and the path one walks through is laid with pain in the present moment, which never seems to end - however that which leads the person forward is the knowledge that truth is eternal and as time passes, it will acknowledge you as the true victor in the past where you were made to believe that you'd lost, where actually you'd won, just so that the other enjoys the short term pleasure of feeling good about themselves for having defeated you. 

How extraordinary is this Autograph book, I'd never really thought it would gift me with so much in a single moment. Sadly!! I doubt anybody uses or knows about it today... 

Stone Soup - A weekly gather

Stone Soup is a weekly meetup community operating, to my knowledge, in Mumbai. It set off by having events in the residence of one- Leslie and Mayuree Pandit from Juhu. However, now they are opening up to new venues whenever someone attending stone soup offers to welcome people to their homes.

It is a space where everyone can come and share -ANYTHING. 

I have seen people cry, laugh, sing, dance, crack a joke, and simply just share an experience which was painful, thrilling, loving, enriching, momentous, intimate. I have  seen people expose their weaknesses. I have seen people talk about varied circumstances which they put themselves into or life offered to them.

I have seen people embrace each other. 

Its a space where people from diverse backgrounds come to mingle and create something never tasted before. 

I came across the man who stands to promote and holds it in broad daylight without moving  : "Apna Dharam ka paalan karo" board in Versova here. Saw him cycle back home in the dead of the night after the event. I spoke to him for the first time and he was like - this is my calling. This is it. This is all I have to say, rest shall come to you with self realization. 

I came across a lady who lives in old age home for woman. She shared her experience about how a simple crack in the dining table led to a split of 6 woman dining together into 2 groups of 3. They dint want to join the table back. As if, enjoying the change. She felt split in her heart and wondered how was she supposed to heal that. 

I came across someone singing a song.. it was called " I Love myself the way I am" by Jai Michael  Joseph .. Oh!! Its a must to listen to the lyrics it is so healing. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yz-1mOohm4 : Youtube Link 

As an expression of gratitude I felt let me talk about it and spread the word around. 

Well thats about it!! 

Come experience it with me. 

Suzad Iqbal Khan

Its been a while to me having found a non-cliche subject to pen my next review. Today, I finally found it, when, I attended a feature film premier of - "My Father Iqbal" at PVR Juhu, Mumbai.

The art of film making involves getting the viewers' heart throbbing with strong emotions. I believed that era was long passe where film makers displayed the most simplest of stories enriched in emotion and life to win the appeal and love of the audience, until today.
Having been so exposed to commercial cinema, this film makes its mark by standing out amidst the usual content with which films are being made.
The causes it addresses are very simple and connects easily with the common man. In fact, the biggest strength of the script lies in its disposal of glamsham cinema, laying its dramatics into the grounded realities and stories of true lives led by simple people.
I'm very lucky to have met someone who is keeping the heart of the industry alive through their work. It takes great courage, initiative and strong sense of purpose to put across the message this movie is expressing. The last scene is so moving that it fills the viewer with nostalgia with examples of people all around one person who fit the bill so to say.

With the emotional touch the film has expressed a genuinity that stands unopposed universally.

I understand the hard work which goes into a work of art, which one makes with nothing other than passion. I wish Suzad all the very best with this mind blowing film. May there be many other films and maybe  someday I will get to be a part of one of them :) 

Suzad Iqbal Khan came forward and did videpgraphy and photography of my wedding. He has left no stone unturned in making me realize that I made the biggest blunder of my life. His work after final edit delivered to me is atrocious. I cannot even think of sharing it with my family and friends. 

He had promised a cinematic video + an Album for the photos. He has not delivered either of them to me. I should not have laid my trust on him. 

I should let him keep his forte limited to film making. His deliverance in the most precious moment of my life has been disgustingly poor and spiteful. 

Bombay Salad Company

So I visited this place called .... at Linking Road Mumbai ..

With a ' who goes out for having salads' attitude and my perspective was in for a surprise when I checked in here.
If you can't resist eating out at least once in 3days then this place is for you. Healthy option - will keep you fit.
And their options are really very good.

Id rate this place as 5star.

Now, go and gain opulence of health without having your tastebuds suffer. 

World Of Haiku

There is a craze these days. Firstly, what exactly is this word  'craze' and who is the perpetrator of such movements. What is even more interesting is how come the masses expose vulnerability to being led on to 'join the winds' creating a turbulent shift of perception of what one thinks poetry to be.

It is so amazing had I spoken of Haiku to anyone few months back - I'd probably receive a response from the listener that I should consider migrating to China or else it is rather irritating for them to be served a bashful volley of ignorance on a sweet dished out word tray. But today, if I approach anyone it is taken as : Oh! you have written an Haiku, can I get to hear it?

Interestingly, Haiku is an upgraded adaptation of an Japanese poetry form called : Tanka - wonder how many out there know THIS? Tanka, originally was a single line poem consisting of 31 syllables. Before it got broken down into 5-7-5-7-7 syllable lines. Waka was another word used for this form.

I recently met a poetess from the U.S., who teaches Literature with her focus on Poems in a university. Awkwardly, she didn't seem to like the idea of a Haiku being called a 'form of poem' entirely. A Poem is an expression of an ocean of visuals which enrich the emotions of one person - not just reading it but also the one writing it. That was something she seemed to impress upon the audience. This was supported by several examples of poets she's had fun spending hours with exploring their exchange of the art with stress to each poet exercising their strengths in the words they expressed, where the poet either excelled in expressing a particular emotion most outwardly, the vibrancy of visuals which magicked out of the pen, a story poring out of a poem unanimously.

But Haiku was nowhere there in the decades of experiences the professor spoke of.

Haiku emerges as an art form like a sapling craving for the skies. It captures an essence and thus opens the Pandora's Box to storytellers with innumerable untold stories hidden in its meaning. Sticking by the old saying - Brevity is the soul of wit : it captures the most ordinary happenings in the simplest of words,

Isn't it thought provoking? Care for a coffee..