An Ageless Character

Very recently, I have been surrounded by words of appreciations for Aamir Khan from all parts, be it newspaper, magazine, critics, friends and my parents. His movie, 3 Idiots has broken all time records of Hindi Cinema. Everybody is applauding his character of a 20 year old boy. I always love his performance, but when asked about my favorite actor, I always choose Shahrukh Khan. But at this moment, I couldn’t restrict myself from writing about the all-age actor, Aamir Khan.
I hardly remember earlier movies of Aamir Khan. He was just another actor for me before Lagaan. I do remember some of his movies, which I liked the most. Sarfarosh, Ghulam, Ishq to name a few. But in current Bollywood, he is a raging moolah. His past six out of eight films were runaway hits, some of them even breaking records becoming the highest grosser. And most of the time, Aamir Khan’s movie is breaking the record of another Aamir Khan’s movie. What makes him the Midas touch of films?
I was watching a tata sky advertisement of Aamir Khan, in which he is the husband of Gul Panag and introducing us with the advantages of Tata Sky Plus. Then I remembered a few more advertisements by the same actor but in totally different and unrecognizable getups.
1. An gray beard Sardar, fed up with Tata Sky.
2. Husbandfrom one part and Wife from the other part, introducing Tata Sky.
3. A Nepali offering a couple with Coca-Cola.
4. A whole family, with each member played by Aamir Khan, in a Coca-Cola advertisement.
These are some of my memorable ads of Aamir Khan. Maybe, there are some more, but the above four really left a mark in my memory. All these advertisement are different from one another. And what fits Aamir in all of them is his meticulous effort in each one of them. He makes the character so real that it is hard to believe that you are actually watching Aamir Khan in the role of a sardar or a middle-aged auntiji.
What really attracted me about Aamir Khan is the huge age differences between him and his roles and the diversity in each of them. If we take a look at some of his last fewblockbuster movies.
1. 3 Idiots – A 18-20 year old student studying Engineering.
2. Ghajini – An amnesia patient in search of his lover’s murderer.
3. Taare Zameen Par - A teacher and also, the director of the film.
4. Fanaa – A terrorist
5. Rang De Basanti - A 25 year old spoilt lad but immense guts.
6. Mangal Pandey – Historical figure
7. Dil Chahta Hai – An aimless young guy (perhaps my all time favorite)
8. Lagaan – A villager in pre-independence time.
Lately, he has chose all different and diverse roles, and in none of them, age is being a factor for him. Whether it’s DJ, who doesn’t care about his country but can die for his friends, or an amnesia patient with a physique difficult to achieve in the age of 43 when your metabolic rate has slowed down. And the most important and the latest one, a boy full of chirpiness and gaiety, Rancho, played by an actor more than twice than the age of the character. Not even once, I felt that Aamir has grown old to fit in such kind of roles. I was watching Rancho and his naughty innocent expressions found in every college boy.
I am not trying to epitomize Aamir Khan, what I am merely trying to imply is that Aamir is god-gifted. His acting has really broken all barriers of age, and has shifted the focus on square one, perfect acting.
I never think that I will ever say Aamir Khan is my favorite actor, since I am used to write ShahRukh Khan’s name in every slambook I fill, but I would always remember that the actor with great abilities will always amuse people worldwide with just pure acting, may be every year till earth lives.

Paranormal Activity

Oren Peli, the director of the film wouldn’t have thought that it would be a blockbuster hit all around the world. And he has proved that it is not necessary to scare people with makeup and scars. Sounds are enough to keep a person on his toe.
A couple, living in the suburb tends to hear noises in the house at night. The husband buys a video camera to shoot the night activities while they sleep. And then, as the camera rolls in the night, the fears increase day by day and the movie gets scarier. Not many special effects, even the camera was not a film camera. But Oren Peli has proved a point. That is we fear what we can’t apprehend and sometimes it gets on our head. Fear stems from the brain, and if we keep on thinking of it, our fear increases.
This was the first horror movie I watched on screen. And even if I slept all nights after that unlike my friend, I couldn’t wipe out the fear of going in the dark alone at night till later days.
And my piece of advice which is the most important. The movie has three alternate ending, the actual one visible in the screen only. So, try to watch on-screen only. And if you are watching at home, please wait for the original dvdrips to arrive and watch it in a dark room. Surely, you will get scared.

Ayn Rand - The Fountainhead

It’s a big novel. Atleast for me. The maximum pages I am accustomed of range from 300-400 with a font size of 11. The Fountainhead is a book of 700 pages and with a font size of 8, and yes, it is in its centennial edition. I heard about this book in a radio show and learnt that it is a classic written in 1943. I was getting used to reading novels and immediately searched for the book. Bought it in August in a book fair, but didn’t read it. My brother saw the book and laughed impudently. Once my semester exams were over, I started to read the book all over again and made it my forte to complete the book. It took me 44 hours divided in 12 days to complete the book.
I started to read the book and found it complex enough. I understand philosophies much easily and finely than any other counterpart of my age. But Ayn Rand’s philosophy took time to apprehend. It deals with the sheer complexities of human being, the urge of power, the urge to be the greatest, rule the world. And if you think, I mean literally, think again.
Ayn Rand dealt with the dark emotions of the human being. She has given the perfect description of every character. She has introduced so petite twists in the tale that they are unimaginative although evident. I found it difficult sometimes to keep up with the book, because even if different, Ayn Rand is bit too verbose. But I think that’s because she wanted to present her thoughts in detail. I think I am a little young to understand all the emotions, because I have never surfaced any of them myself, but I am sure I will read the book some years later, and I am sure it will be more than just abstruse at that time.

FPS vs 3I

Thursday, 24 December 2009. Paid premier of 3 idiots. Rumored to be a Five Point someone adaptation, but foiled by Chetan Bhagat himself, an interview I saw in the television days before. I clearly heard him that the only thing same about the two entities is that the boys involved are Engineering Students. So, while watching the film I completely forgot about comparing them.
The movie is surely a hit. A master plot penned by Rajkumar Hirani, with drastic twists and turns, compelling you to laugh and cry at the same time. And if you are an engineer, you can relate and learn more from it. A heavy movie, that’s what I said when my friends asked for reviews.
Its only after my father, who has read and criticized each and every book of Chetan Bhagat including the latest, 2 states, told me that it’s a true adaptation with maximum plots taken from the book. But I refused to accept it because both of them made different marks in my mind, then how can be both of them similar?
Five point someone is a book with a tagline, what not to do in IIT. It tells the story of Chetan Bhagat with fictionalizing some of the parts. But 3 Idiots is totally a different motive film, it focuses on the lost causes of life and education. It stresses on the point that Excellence is more important than success. So, are we forcefully trying to prove that both the novel and the film are the same thing?
No. We are not trying to prove the same. Neither Chetan Bhagat is. The film production team came to him and bought the rights of the film, and paid him the commission he is entitled to. He was told that the movie will be only 5-10% of the book. It doesn’t matter when you have bought the whole rights of the book. What matters is that Chetan Bhagat has no name from starting to the end of the movie. He does have a name in the end of the film, in the rolling credits, but to see that, I had to go to the hall and sit till the end for the second time to catch a glimpse of it. The name of the novelist and the book appears after a long list of the cast. More than that, the director of the film, Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi took the whole credits of writing the story, without mentioning that it is adapted or re-adapted.

Generally, when a film is made on a novel, in the very start or just after the last scene of the movie, the name of the novelist appears, atleast the phrase, “BASED ON”. Many films in Hollywood are made in the same manner and they gice due credits to the original writer, no matter what or how they adapted it. Even our bollywood movie KAMINEY had the initials, “based on the story of CAJETAN BOY”. So was it so hard for The 3 Idiots team to give due respect to the original writer, or do they think they can escape this plausible situation?
Even if they deny and say that Chetan Bhagat is doing all this for mere publicity, people of India know which part of the story is correct. Those who have read the book and have seen the film, must have lost some respect for Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan.
I liked the book and the film too. And according to me, it was wrong in the 3I’s part that they didn’t give the respect Chetan Bhagat deserved. Novelist in our country need to be encouraged and not merely discouraged with such incidents, because truth can be barely hidden in such cases.

Resurrection Part II

Read the previous part of the story here



All friends were sitting together. Looked much like a round table conference of the UN. It was Tarun’s academic success celebration party. But the ambience didn’t feel the same. Sangeeta was already furious of him. She was like the commanding chief of the group. Equally disgruntled was Shataksh, Pawan and Akanksha. Only Sameer had a content look. Tarun was expecting to get some support from Sameer.
“Can you now explain your position, Tarun?” fired Sangeeta. “It has been one month your results are out. Your future is set. Now you will be a MBA. Can you explain now why didn’t you contact us?”
“But I am here. Here to meet you all.”
“That is when Sameer called you up. You didn’t even take the initiative to inform us when you got selected. It was Pawan who told us.”
“Hey, I was busy buddy. I didn’t want to tell you after I cleared the first round. The interview was still left. I was definitely going to inform you but as soon as I cleared the interviews, I got busy with admission formalities.”
“You could have atleast sent us a message.” Hinted Shataksh.
“I didn’t get the time dude. Else why won’t I message you all guys?”
“May be because you don’t feel like talking to us anymore.”said Sangeeta. “Maybe we don’t match your standards anymore.”
“What? Have you gone mad? Why would I think so? I have highest regards for everybody here. You all are the more successful people than me. You all are doing what you want to, what your heart desires. Akanksha is an architect, you are a teacher, Sameer will be a software programmer. You are on much higher grounds than me.”
“Please cut the crap, Tarun.” Started Pawan. You already tried to break up yourself from us half a year ago. You cut all your communications with us, never messaged us. Everyday, you visited your orkut facebook accounts, checked mails but never tried to buzz me even when I was online. You fought with Sangeeta, hurt her and still we didn’t say you anything. Do you think you will always escape all explanations and still enjoy the favors of everyone?”
“What are you talking about man? I already apologized Sangeeta for what I had done. And the same day I explained to everybody here that I wont be able to talk to any of you for some days. Now I am free and now I have all the time to talk to you.”
“This is not ethical, Tarun. We all respect you and the friendship we share with you. You cant leave it midway and then come again to explain yourself.” Said Shataksh.
“ Well, I am not here to explain you. I thought I explained you all perfectly that day about my position that day. I was having a bad time and I wanted some time alone. I told you all, everybody that I wont be able to talk to you for some months. I think that you must all support me because I helped you all at your worst times. Ask Sameer, I never shied away from any of you when you all needed me. Then why are you all accusing me when I wanted something from all of you.”
“We understand your problem Tarun. We understood your problem. But how would you explain not informing us about your status even when you got free?”
“I forgot man. I forgot. I got busy with many works. I forgot. But today we are here to celebrate my success and we shouldn’t spoil that. Akanksha, start to eat. Sameer, Pawan, Shataksh, start your meal man. Sangeeta, please start.”
“Sorry Tarun but we are full.”
Sangeeta announced this line. Sameer was going to pick up a fork and eat but stopped midway. Akanksha, Shataksh and Pawan didn’t even roll their hands up as if they knew this was coming. Tarun was dumbstruck.
“Ok I think we are getting too serious on this matter, Sangeeta. Let’s not drag this further.”
“There is no need to drag it anymore, Tarun. It is quite clear now. You have got your new life and we don’t matter much in your life. Today we can’t share your happiness with you. I am leaving. Maybe we will talk again when you realize your mistake.”
Sangeeta opens her purse and takes out two five hundred rupees notes and keeps them on the table. Sangeeta gets up and leaves immediately. Everybody else follows. Tarun remains sit there, still not able to understand what just happened. Sameer tried to calm down all his friends but without success. Finally, he also had to leave.
Tarun was left alone with all the food still remaining untouched on the table.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
“Sir…………………….. Excuse me sir……………………. Are you here?”
Tarun came back to his senses. Aditya was standing besides him holding the cup of coffee. Mary was standing with the orange juice and the buttered bun and omelets. Both were awe-struck by seeing the tears of their boss’ eyes.
“Are you okay, Sir?”
“Ya. I am ok. Mary, sorry but I am going home. I realized I had some work to complete in home. So, I am just taking this orange juice with me. Serve the hot bread to Aditya. He has a big day today. And Aditya, your presentation is at 10am and not at 9am. So, just cool down and have some nice breakfast. Bye”
Aditya, now, not only couldn’t believe his eyes but also his ears because his colleagues haven’t trusted in him even on this big day and gave him a 9am time so that he could reach for the 10am meeting.

Ressurection Part I

“Any orders sir?”
“Yes. Can I get a Cappucino? And do you have anything to eat now?
“Of course sir, we have oatmeal and sandwiches. Fresh breads will also arrive in few minutes.”
“Hmm. Okay, so do one thing. Please give me one strong cappuccino as fast as possible. Then I will have some breakfast of bread and orange juice when it arrives. But the coffee first.”
“Of Course sir. Anything else?”
“And yes, can you give me the newspaper if it has arrived?”
“Sure sir.”

……………………………….. few minutes later…………………………….
“Hi Mary, how are you sweetheart?”
“Hey Aadi. Isn’t it too early you arrived at office?”
“I have a presentation today. First time after I was promoted last month. Am quite nervous since last night. Couldn’t even enjoy with my friends properly. Arrived early today so that I can cut the tension a bit.”
“Oh. Then how can I help you cut your tensions?”
“As of now, a sweet coffee served with your soft hands.”
As Mary turns around, Aditya started looking around and saw the guy sitting with a newspaper across the hall.
“Hey Mary. Who is that guy sitting over there?”
“You don’t know him? He is our company’s Finance Manager. He is the one behind your promotion.”
“Oh. Is he Tarun Sir? Man, he is too young for his post.”
“He really is a heartthrob. Within few weeks of his arrival, he became the lunchtime chat of all ladies of our company. Calm, composed, awesome personality. You can actually feel the aura talking to him.”
“I saw him today only. Need to take this golden opportunity to talk to this hot cake of our company. Okay, do one thing, send my coffee to the table.”
“Best of luck. He doesn’t speak much actually.”


“Hi. Sorry to disturb you. But can I join you?”
Tarun looks up to him and says benevolently. “Ofcourse” and started glancing at the newspaper again.
“Thank you. Hi. I am…”
“I know. You are Aditya Arora. Senior Research Manager, R&D Department. Please have a seat.”
Aditya was bold over by the information kept by his front. He started wondering whether he knew the names of all the staff of the company, near about a thousand atleast. He himself still wasn’t well versed with all the names of his department only. Tarun was back to his paper.
“Were you here whole night?”
“Yes.” Tarun looked up again and thought that it would be unethical if he didn’t give an ear to him. He folded the newspaper and kept it on the table.
“I was actually doing an important work which got completed at dawn only. So, there was no point of going back home today. You here so early in the morning?
“Oh yes. I have a presentation at 9am. Came early to prepare for it. It’s my first presentation actually.”
Aditya’s coffee arrived too.
“Sir, the breads are yet to arrive. Do you want something else?”
“No. Its fine. You just ensure that I get the first bite of the fresh bread arriving.”
Mary left.
“Do you want to go to the verandah and have the coffee? It’s a sunny morning after so many days.”
“Ofcourse. Mary, we are outside. Just inform me when my breakfast is ready.”
………………………………
“So, do you have a family here?” Tarun asks Aditya.
“No. My family is at Chandigarh. We are natives of Punjab. Where do you belong?”
“Delhi. I have grown up there. My whole childhood was spent in Delhi before I came here to work.”
“Great. Do you miss your family?”
“Kind of. But I remain busy with my work. Only the Saturdays and Sundays are little boring to spend.”
“I completely miss my family. It feels very different here. Never went so far from them. But when you haven’t got your family, your friends are always with you. I have a group here in Mumbai. Old Buddies of School. All of us had a stint of fate to get each other’s company in this unknown terrain. Friends are life, they are refreshment. I am sure, you too have friends.”
Tarun’s eyes filled with blankness, as if his past revisited to haunt him. “Yes, I used to have.” And he got transported to the day he last had the meeting with his school friends.