Friday, December 30, 2016

Dhangal


Have read the below by Chandramohan in 'The Cinema Company' - I did not feel like anything more:

Well, the apparent disappointment of not able to watch a Mollywood film this Christmas and new year season for obvious reasons has been put to shelves, thanks to Aamir Khan and Co through a terrific and brilliant movie in the form of Dangal. This is one movie which has earned its place to be called a masterpiece on all counts. Carrying a heavy burden of expectations on its shoulders, Dangal serves to appeal to every class of audience irrespective of the age factor and genre preference.


I was thinking before the release about how Dangal is going to make it count and sustain at the box office when a similar movie dealing with the sport of Wrestling in the form of Sultan hit cinemas and went on to taste success. But the similarities just end up there. The stories are totally different and poles apart even though both deal with wrestling. Sultan was more of a fictional story having prominence for romance and thrills, Dangal is more of a biopic on real life characters.

Dangal is the story of Mahavir Singh Phogat hailing from Haryana who was a national wrestling champion turned coach. He wanted to represent the country and win a gold medal. Fate had other plans as Mahavir could not realize his dream but he retain the ambition of achieving his dream through his son. There also fate played its part as to his disappointment the man is blessed with four girl childs. Whether Mahavir can achieve his long cherished goal is the big question and Dangal the movie show what happens next.

Bollywood has a special preference for sports biopics. Movies like Chak De India, Budhia Singh, Mary Kom, Baagh Milka Baagh and Iqbal are all ample testimony to the fondness the industry has towards this genre. Each of these movies were able to make a deep bonding and instant connection with the audience. Dangal also is also on a similar terrain, if not much more than them.

Its an all out Aamir Khan show with excellent support from his co-actors but a movie cannot taste success unless it is backed by beautiful presentation and exciting screenplay. It is here that Dangal score the perfect rank or the full marks to take it to another level. Singh is King says our professional boxing hero Vijender Singh but in a movie, to be effective and successful, i would say writing is the King.

Director Nitesh Tiwari who is in terrific touch here along with his writers have been able to come up with a special film, by far the best to come out of Bollywood for a long time. In fact the director has set a new bench mark as far direction goes surpassing some best movies. Chillar Party, Bhootnath Returns are some of the movies to Nitesh's credit and he has made Dangal an exceptional and outstanding film.

Geeta Kumari and Babita Kumari's exploits at the Commonwealth Games representing the country is a known and familiar thing to the people loving and following this sport. Now it is a matter of how their story is going to be executed. The big question that will be raised is, has the movie done justice to their story with less predictability and ample excitement as a movie? Well, the answer is pretty simple and straightforward, Dangal has more than lived up to the hype with a near perfect film and is a pure must watch and a clear winner.

He is called Mr.Perfectionist by his ardent fans and followers and the media too has only golden words to describe his credentials as an actor and the the film that Aamir chooses. The role of a perfectionist is to ensure that the standards set by him is maintained every time he is out there, no matter what the role he is enacting. Aamir Khan has just done that.

A brilliant display of acting where each and every scene has this perfection in such a way that we cannot pick a scene which is the best since each and every scene that the actor is part of is done in remarkable fashion. The transformation he has done to his body to show different phase of his life is truly laudable.

Even though we can see Aamir Khan claiming bulk of the screen presence, few actors in spite of his towering presence still made it count and made performances which are truly memorable. The first and foremost among them are the two people who played Geeta Kumari, the eldest of the four daughters of Mahavir. The little girl who portrayed Geetha's younger days was upto the task. It is Fathima Sana Shaikh who is the chosen one to play Geeta when she is in her youth and believe me she was simply awesome with her acting as well as fighting skills. I think she is a real wrestler and if not have taken time and efforts to learn the sport.

Same goes for Sanya Malhotra playing Babita Kumari bringing in lot of freshness to the role. The girl who portrayed the little Babita too was noteworthy. The guy who played cousin brother to the girls as well as the actress (Sakshi Tanwar) who did the role of Mahavir's wife too deserves a word of mention here though their roles were quite small.

Cinematography is excellent while the cuts were perfect. One can say that one hundred and sixty one minutes is on the higher side but never does the film makes you bored or for that matter overstay. Pritam has given soulful music with a local flavor. Background score also had the apt feel in it. Another notable area is the way in which all the fighting scenes (Wrestling) has been choreographed. Whoever has done it deserves a round of applause.

Dangal is one film that will make you weep and at the same time provide excitement, joy and inspiration by the time the final scene wrap up on screen. I would say it is a remarkable movie that is a must watch. Goosebumps started appearing when the climax of the movie was on display. Such was the feel and power that the movie had in its possession to win over the audience. Go and grab your tickets is the final word from me.


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What actually touched me is the father-daughter relationship and Aamirs words that while coching, he cannot mix his fatherly affection to bring out the best result.

Religion


Take any religion;
• There will be a group of people who claims to follow that religion, though not
• Those who will be identified as true followers by their conduct

For example for Jehovah’s witnesses:
Those who do the will of Jehovah and conduct their lives accordingly are the ones who will be marked as true Christians among the following 4 characteristics.

1. Their lives are governed by the principles of God’s word – John 17:17; when faced with temptations, Jesus quoted from God’s word, he taught God’s word, he had remarkable knowledge of God’s word.
2. They involve in the sanctification of God’s name – because that was what Jesus had done John 17:6
3. They involve in preaching the good news of the kingdom – Daniel 2:44- again that is what Jesus had done, who else the preaching work across the globe other than Jehovah’s witness
4. Love one another – John 13:34,35; We adorn ourselves with the cloth of Love which makes it easier to identify us – we belong to one family –Therefore it is necessary that we live as Christ’s followers – because everyone else, including who claims to be Jesus followers will be destroyed.

Not long before had written on the topic:

http://arunoday.blogspot.in/2016/07/religious-conversion-unrest.html


Even today there is lot of debate, and unrest on this topic. We all know we are one, same children of one God. Yet people need something to fight over. Prove their faith, their thoughts are right. Why? Why can we all not move forwards with unity, with oneness in our mind? Do all religion not teach us that?

One more year.....Reminiscence - A December to Remember



Wishing one and all Happiness Always!! Yet another change to a calender year, with somethings remaining the same, and somethings changing.....All memories do not last for ever, fresh memories erase off the old ones.If we try to grow where something, even a part of us has died, we will experience sickness. It is better to move, uproot overselves and start afresh; then we will flourish. Easier said, difficult to implement. Miracles only grow where you plant them. May you have a healthy, wealthy, peaceful and fulfilling year ahead!!! Thank God for the opportunity, Thank you dear ones for being there for me, hugs to my dear ones for your losses, we need to move on...Praying for eternal bliss .....Happy New Year 2017, may it unfold fresh memories....


Two most important thing to have in life –

• Health and
• Wealth

You never realise until you lose them. If wealth is lost, you can regain; but health lost is difficult.

The advise I had when leaving OPI/EXL was that the health is the first of life. But I had always taken it for granted and have seen them failing in the last couple of years. First father and the saga continue.

Blood Pressure

Two numbers are used to describe blood pressure:
• Systolic. The systolic pressure (the higher and first number) measures the force that blood exerts on the artery walls as the heart contracts to pump out the blood.
• Diastolic. The diastolic pressure (the lower and second number) is the measurement of force as the heart relaxes to allow the blood to flow into the heart.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A blood pressure reading is written like this: 120/80 mm Hg, where 120 is the systolic, and 80 is the diastolic blood pressure.
Blood pressures are now categorized as normal, prehypertension, hypertension stage 1, or hypertension stage 2. The categories are defined in this table:

Category Systolic BP (mm Hg) Diastolic BP (mm Hg)
Normal below 120 and below 80
Prehypertension 120 - 139 or 80 - 89
Hypertension Stage 1 140 -159 or 90 - 99
Hypertension Stage 2 160 and above or 100 and above

Blood lipids, including cholesterol

Lipoproteins are protein spheres that transport cholesterol, triglyceride, or other lipid molecules through the bloodstream. Most of the information about the effects of cholesterol and triglyceride actually concerns lipoproteins.

The cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins are commonly referred to as cholesterol. They comprise the low density lipoproteins (LDL), often called the "bad" cholesterol, and the high-density lipoproteins (HDL), referred to as the "good" cholesterol. The triglyceride-carrying lipoproteins are intermediate in density, and together with very-low density proteins, carry triglycerides.

Desirable total cholesterol: below 200 mg/dL (5.17 mmol/L)
Optimal LDL ('bad') cholesterol: below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L)
Optimal HDL ('good') cholesterol: over 60 mg/dL (1.56 mmol/L)
Normal triglyceride: below 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)

Dividing the total cholesterol by the HDL cholesterol levels gives a Total/HDL ratio:

The ideal ratio is 3.5 or below.
A ratio of 4.5 carries an average risk for cardiovascular disease.

Blood Sugar Levels

Normal blood glucose levels typically register between 70 and 150 mg. The level in someone's body will change during the day and is affected by many factors including what time of day it is as well as what your most recent meal was (or was not). There is danger associated with levels either below or above the range. If your level is below 70, you most likely have a condition called hypoglycemia or more commonly called low blood sugar. Other symptoms of hypoglycemia include lack of energy, focus and irritability. You can even lose consciousness if your glucose is too low.

If the level of sugar in your blood is over 150 mg, then you are considered to be hyperglycemic, also more commonly known as having high blood sugar. If you have persistent high sugar, then you are at risk for diabetes which can result in serious organ damage to your eyes, kidneys and other organs. If you do not have normal blood glucose levels, you should take all necessary steps to reverse the condition by calling you physician.

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Nothing last for ever - one more year gone by, like so many loved ones. Life goes one, hoping for the better.

Reminiscence - A December to Remember

Nostalgic end to a year. Meeting friends and relatives. A great reminiscence.

It was great being with my foster family on the Christmas Eve. Meeting childhood friends after years. Meeting old colleagues, and catching up with relatives. Reading the books one loved like Famous Five, and Arthur Conan Doyle's series of Sherlock Holmes.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Celebrating Public Spaces of India.


An amazing book by Archana Gupta and Anshuman Gupta. If you love travelling, photography or architecture, this book is for you. You feel like visiting each of these places, as they are well arranged and explained – dividing the urban public places into Monument plazas, cultural spaces, parks, markets, waterfront spaces, and religious spaces from across India. Beginning with the why and how of the places - how western and Indian perspective have influenced the formation. A worthy investment, not to be missed.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Dear Zindagi


Dear Zindagi deals with a 20s something aspiring cinematographer Kaira played by Alia Bhatt and her journey as she tries to deal with her professional and personal commitments. Her mistakes and her regrets eventually leads to a breakdown of sorts that results in her contacting a therapist, the Demak kha doctor - DD played by Shah Rukh Khan. Her encounter with Jug, an unconventional thinker, helps her gain a new perspective on life. She discovers that happiness is all about finding comfort in life's imperfections.

She is good at her work, but not getting that big break. Even her relationships in life – be it her parents or the men in her life are screwed up thanks to her own apprehensions.However when things get too much for her delicate mind to handle, she decides to consult a therapist.

Is finding the right partner in life similar to finding the right chair? That was interesting. If we go by Jug’s earlier theory, the chair only creaks when you are confused about love, then that means he is confused about his feelings for his last patient. So has Jug started falling for his much younger patient?

This is an Alia Bhatt movie, through and through.If you were awed by her performance in Udta Punjab, be prepared to be blown away by her sheer anguish here.

Thursday, December 08, 2016

ADHM - Ae Dhil Hey Mushkil



"Tu safar mera, tu hi mera hai suffering,Movie me jage rehna, ae dil hai mushkil." - Well for each their own, I just loved the movie.

What would you expect when you put together Friendship vs.Love from KKHH, Life vs. Death from KHNH, Kushi and Gum not like KKKG, The slap effect from KANK..what would you expect from a typical KJO movie put together traditional dance and wedding, foreign and beautiful locations, heart touching songs..what would you expect from a heartthrob Ranbeer, phataka Anushka and stylist Aish, Guest appearances of AB and SK..is what Matters of the heart are difficult or ADHM all about...Full timepass..If you enjoy THE TYPICAL Bollywood movie you would enjoy this...


ADHM is a mixture of KJo's past movies (ref. dialogues n songs from his own movies), he's back doing what he does best in showing the complexity in relationships with high emotion and drama at its peak, Ash looks stunning but very less screen presence than expectd, Anushka being impressive and in a matured role knowing exactly what she expcts from a relationship but its RK who completely steals d show from being comical to heartbroken to a confused lover, he has nailed down each n every moment shown...nothing new 2 expct from dis movie but still a beautiful story wid a blend of love and friendship..So for each their own..am a fan of KJo and Ranbir.

I did like the movie and ended up seeing it twice - first day first show...and again. My Cousins would say " Arengilum pogumo ranbir kapoorinde padam kaanan..Athum k Jo movie... Veruthe aarengilum trainnu thala vakkyo ?? And kept sending across:

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Spoof || Shudh Desi Endings

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But I did love the dialogues :

Ek tarfa pyar ki taqat hi kuch aur hoti hai ... auron ke rishton ki tarah yeh do logon mein nahi bat'ti ... sirf mera haq hai ispe.

Mohabbat karna hamare bas mein nahi hai ... us mohabbat se door chale jaana ... woh hamare bas mein hai

Aasaan hai kya aisi mohabbat karna ... jiske badle mohabbat na mile

Main kisi ki zaroorat nahi ... khwaish banna chahti hoon

Ajeeb kahani hai pyar aur dosti ke rishtey ki ... pyar hamara hero, dosti hamari heroine

Pyar mein junoon hai par dosti mein sukoon hai

Sau andheron mein bhi roshan ho, us haqeeqat ki talash hai ... teri dehleez pe chhod aaye, us mohabbat ki talash hai ... jhukne ki ibaadat ko toh samjhe jahaan walon ... katne pe joh haasil ho, us jannat ki talash hai (I'm looking for that reality which shines even in extreme dark conditions ... I' looking for that love which I left at your doorsteps ... people of the world, try to understand the prayer when one bows down ... I'm looking for that heaven which you attain after death)

Mujhe samjhane ki koshish mat karna ... kyun ki agar samjhaoge toh samajh jaaongi ... agar samajh gayi toh bikhar jaaongi

Kuch zakhmon ke karz lafzon se ada nahi hote

Jab main bhurji paratha khata hoon na ... toh joh khushi mehsoos hoti hai, mujhe woh wali feeling aa rahi hai ... you know jaise, dil ka pet bhar gaya ho



Top 10 tips to help with transitioning when thrown from your comfort zone



https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-i-learnt-from-being-made-redundant-jane-kneebone?trk=hp-feed-article-title-like

1) Leave with your dignity intact. Complete projects properly and do a handover if required.

2) Take a well-deserved holiday.

3) Make use of all the outplacement and job search services if you are offered them. I learnt a couple of good things from them.

4) Use the time off to think about what you really want to do and what your true values are. I now work in the not-for-profit sector and have never been happier at work.

5) Take any advice from head hunters and agents with a grain of salt. They all told me it would take at least 12 months to find work and it took me only 2.5 weeks.

6) The best advice I was given, by a very wise person, was only go forward and never look back. This advice meant no complaining about the past and what could have been. Move on… fast.

7) Keep in touch with the people you used to work with who you liked and enjoy spending time with. I find my old work buddies, who I class as friends, love to see me and invite me to all sorts of interesting things.

8) The world is in a state of flux so learn to live with ambiguity and the unknown. Don’t fight it, try to embrace it. I now love change and feel more alive.

9) Search for opportunities that you never did before. I have a voluntary role on a board now and am learning many new skills.

10) Get a life – work does not define you.