Kurbaan (Sacrifice) – Hindi movie on terrorism

http://www.kurbaan.com/index.html

Controversial (in India) bare back Kareena posters and "over-hyped" first reviews compelled me to step into cinemas and watch this movie. Well! My first impression – a very intelligent and bold attempt in Indian Cinema, matching international standards. The motion picture lives up to all the hype. We may have come across many terrorist based creations in the past but this is one of a kind. The beauty is, the story does not take any side. It is a literal copy and paste of emotions and happenings from blood shed earth onto silver screen.

In essence, the movie is about

• a terrorist whose mission is to carry another 9/11 in New York
• his wife trapped in marriage with him and in the hands of his group
• and an undercover reporter who at any cost determined to save New York.

Trust me! The viewers get gripped to their seats for the next 2 hours and 40 minutes witnessing the events unfold with huge appreciation. The good news is one need not worry about not understanding Hindi. More than 60% of the conversation between characters is in English as the movie is solely based in Newyork and the characters are well-educated professors and reporters.

The USP of the film is the dialogues – stunning work by Niranjan Iyengar and Irfan Siddque. It really pierces your heart when an old father on being accused as a fundamentalist by his son, with all agony in his eyes, retaliates “From when supporting one’s religion did become fundamentalism son?”

However the penultimate moment is the conversation in classroom between students, on the subject Islam and Modern World. A must watch sequence! It is a tight slap on face for countries hogging Iraq. On the other hand the depiction of ruthless one-dimensional hardcore terrorists certainly creates discomfort in your bottom stomach. The sequence where an airport official does a random check on a genuine Muslim traveller, leaving free the actual terrorist just before him deserves chuckle.

Kudos to Karan Johar (Producer) and Rensil D’silva (Director) for making this impeccable and intelligent effort. Salim-Sulaiman’s music and background score adds justice to the mood of the movie. My favourite number is “Ali Maula”

On performances – one word, Top-notch. Saif Ali Khan as an introvert terrorist and disguised professor does a commanding job. The character has been under-played with all emotions bottled-up; he brings how a real terrorist will be at large before our eyes. Kareena Kapoor does a neat job as wife of a terrorist who was deceived by everything but love. She takes all applauds in the climax while asking her dying husband his real name. Vivek Oberoi as reporter Riyaaz Masud – a revelation. He plays with all conviction portraying today’s true Muslim, struggling for a normal identity, confronting his demons trying to save New York. His characterisation pulls a very brave question from the black bag. How tough is it to live happy and loyal in the current climate, born Muslim?

It has been more than 48 hours since I watched the film; it still remains fresh in my thoughts. I can vouch that, this movie is not just another Bollywood flick. It redefines Bollywood in international arena. 

Copyright © Sivi 23-Nov-2009

Victory Vs Virtue

Football World Cup 2010 qualifiers! A knock out game between 1998 WC champions France and unseeded yet brilliant Ireland. The winner gets coveted ticket to South Africa and be part of "once in a four year" opportunity – World Cup Finale. At the end of 90 minutes the aggregate score between the teams was 1-1. In this Ireland radiant match, the unbelievable happens during extra time. Theirry Henry – the lifeline of French Football handles the ball, leading to William Gallas’ goal, securing the slot for France in World Cup 2010. The act went unnoticed by match referee and the line umpire, but not from Irish Players, the media and millions of viewers across the globe. The referee then blew his final whistle not just for the match, but also for the gallant Ireland’s hopes reaching World Cup Finals. 

As expected there was huge outrage from Irish media and subtle defense from French camp. It’s evident that this will be marked as one of the dark moments in Football history. Well let’s look back at history! Who can forget the infamous Maradona quote “a little with head and little with Hand of GOD”. In 1986 football world cup, quarter finals between England and Argentina, England was on the receiving end from Maradona’s Hand of GOD bravura act, scoring a goal not only to win the match 2-1, but also the World Cup of 1986. He made us swallow “Righteous Prevails – is for losers” 

Henry and Maradona, two football legends, do not just believe in winning a match, but winning it at any cost. Everything is now fair in sports. On post match interview, Henry very easily shifted the onus onto match referee’s shoulders. There is neither conscience nor decorum in players anymore. 

It is unfortunate that young aspiring kids look up-to these successful professionals and learn these sleazy techniques only to improvise them in their time. 

Why not FIFA appoint a general body to monitor these malpractices and fine the player post match, issuing Red Card?

Copyright © Sivi 20-Nov-2009

Nostalgia - An Inevitable emotion.

Many yearn rewinding their lives to commemorate those treasured moments whilst some long a dig into the past to re-live in a better way. In actuality, we loose the present chasing future and desiring the lost past.

My top 5 nostalgic moments:

• Barbapapa – Periodically I wonder how this cartoon occupies a slot in my mind. I was six years old when i last last watched this classic in a black and white television. It is true that thoughts in young brain stands like a nail in banana tree. Every Sunday morning around 9ish, i used to sit before television, trying truly hard to swallow a cup of complan drink and watch the Barba family changing shapes like amoeba to entertain me and other characters inside the show. I was just one of them. Innocent Days!.
•  8^th grade – The most successful year in my life till date. I was school topper in academics the whole year. I was unsurpassable. All teachers loved me. I tasted my first success in badminton, acquired my first gold medal for excelling in academics and won an opportunity to be part of my first ever science project at school. I have never ever been so successful in my entire life. Golden Days!.
  
• 1^st year college – Clueless of life outside school I still remember my first day at college loitering like a lost lamb. Despite yearning to rewrite most of my moments in college, I still cherish the first year. New friends, first college cultural, first fashion show; and very first time I came across girls who can scream at top of their voices in auditorium.  It was the beginning of a whole new life. Rejuvenating Days!. 
• 1^st IT job – After few non-IT job stints I landed in one stable career as an IT trainer. Our world was very small. Just 4 us, who ran the complete show in the company with great efficacy, right from training, to development, to setting up computers in network for 50+ people to carry out their project work. The more the responsibility the more we self educated. Our ensemble had an innate knowledge of “fun at work”. I rarely remember even a single day with no fun despite huge boulders at job. We laughed and we dreamt high. Simple yet Ambitious Days!.
  
• 1^st week abroad – From a little caterpillar I was endowed with an opportunity to break from cocoon and empower in becoming a butterfly to fly far away from my comfort zone. Being my first time away from my parents and homeland, it was bemusing and amusing. The transition from a roasting hot weather to freezing cold conditions, change in time zones, variety of characters with diverse cultural background; it was tough initially yet a gleeful experience. The new found independence taught me mammoth lessons in life. Adventurous Days!.
  

After few years from now, when I look back will the list remain the same? No clue. But these wonderful days carved its niche in the journey of my life.   Copyright © Sivi 14-Nov-2009

The Men who Stare at goats - Review

Okay. What are the odds, for my previous post and this movie having a common ground? The movie speaks (mocks) about the power of mind and controlling them to kill goats.

My hubby and I have cultivated the habit of watching at least one movie each week. Being a huge movie buff with strong opinions, strangely this is my first movie review ever on paper… well on web. It’s a strange move that we decided to watch this piece of work by Grant Heslov in cinemas.  Normally we watch chick flicks, documentaries, etcetera on DVDs.

Well having not read the book written by Jon Ronson myself, I am in no position to comment on whether the movie does justice to his work. However I can vouch for some rib-tickling moments in the presentation. In essence, the movie is about a secret psychic division in US military, its neurotic followers and the voyage of a journalist to middle-east with an eccentric psychic monk. The movie takes its pace when journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) runs into weirdo Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), who declares that he was on a secret mission to Iraq. For the following 40 minutes per-say, the whole cinema auditorium was roaring with laughter. Be it, speaking about splitting clouds and leaving the car to crash, or talking about intuitions and taking 30 minutes to choose a road, Mr Clooney as Mr Cassady, excels. On the other hand Ewan McGregor gives a neat performance as a common man with fresh wounds from a broken relationship, clueless of what to do, join Clooney and realizes his stupidity when captured by some terrorists in Kuwait desert where it was too late. Normally tough to match Clooney’s performance when he is in song, McGregor delivers the impossible. Other person deserving applause is Jeff Bridges (Bill Django) as founder of this, one of a kind psychic division. Jeff occupies most of his screen space in Cassady’s flash backs as dynamic boss and steals the show.

However after an hour’s time, I suddenly realized that my eyes were burning and I was yawning uncontrollably. Anyone would have expected fireworks when Kevin Spacey (Larry Cooper) joins this three men team. In contrary, the movie slows down on introduction of emotional quotient and vicious Larry Cooper. The viewers had to literally push the last 30 minutes for the movie to end.

On the whole, the movie is worth the first half and some spectacular comic timing from George Clooney and Jeff Bridges.

Copyright © Sivi 12-Nov-2009