In defence of Delhi 6

Buy your opinion ?? Why should we buy your opinion, Mr. Critic ! Had we gone by your and your word alone, we would have missed the Fight Club or The eyes wide shut and so many other movies which we are really glad to have watched.

First of all, see the many wonderful things that Delhi 6 made us see. The magical camera of Binod Pradhan did much justice to the charisma of the magical city. The specifics and the meticulousness of the direction is also to be much appreciated. I never found a Ramleela so interesting and artistic that I think I watched it without a blink. The way the khaan-paan was put into limelight speaks of the research and passion to bring out the soul of the city. It felt as if the khaan-paan itself was a character which touches the lives of every other character, brings communities together and of course makes the elan vital of Delhi's life.

Yes, 'Delhi 6 is too much to fit in just one movie'. Yes, the 'director seemed to shed light on more than the audience could digest'. But isn't that what Delhi is actually about? Too less space, too many people. Too little opportunities, too many aspirations. Too few resources, too many dreams. Small mohallas, so many houses. Narrow roads, so many cars. Just one city, so many manifestations.

I agree that it would have been greater still if Mehra wouldn't have gone for that supernatural ending and would have kept the movie consistent with everything so realistic otherwise. I think he should have just finished the movie when Abhishek is shot at and left it open ended. Cause Mehra's task pretty much finished at that scene. He had conveyed his message and should have left it to audience to make whatever of it. He did not :-( well, thats OK. Just ignore that small part! Come out of it and look in totality. What I got from that move is so much worth those last five minutes of boredom.

What we should realize is that when a man or a woman is passionate about something, they strive to go deep and deep into it. And when they present it to you, they can't help but try to give u the picture in totality. They just don't want to summarize that journey to you. Cause every bit of that journey was so dear to them. What an intelligent audience should realize is that this was likely to happen. But they should also realize that its only from a work of passion that they can hope to see stuff which is authentic, real and hard to find elsewhere. Rakeysh Mehra had a passion for Delhi. He just missed on being a 100% professional about it. But I give it to him !

You are my Song

When lots need to done at Office tomorrow and sleep doesn't even come. When lying down on your elbow you have only one hand free to type, you pen down some words in haste and waste and let your mouth do the rest.

you are my song.wav - Aman Rathi

Colorless

She came with no colors
she was colorless
like water, like silver
like you can see
yourself in her

she came light blue
in the morning sky
wrapped an orange
in an evening sigh
and shone yellow
in sunshine dry

Do you see the colors
in the colorless, my friend ?
For Colorlessness is not
the absence of colors
but presence of all.

---------------

Whole day spent in bed...8" thick snow outside..dont really know what to do. I see snow.. I adore it..I step into it a bit..but then step back.. I dont have any shoes to move around in snow..Buses are not plying..I can't drive either with such snow laden roads..Remote login to office isnt working either..All in all I am physically cutoff frm outside world except for cellphone and internet. I do have minimal supplies of food to survive a few days.

Anyways, such a wasteful day gave me a chance to watch two gud movies - Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia.

A Slum Affair

It grew like a weed.
गली की गन्दी कीचड़
में उगता हुआ
वो नन्हा सा पौधा

लोगों की नज़रों से
बचता बचाता अब

बड़ा हो रहा था

नहीं ऐसा नहीं
की किसी ने उसे
कभी कुचला न हो
या शरारती बच्चों
ने कभी छेडा न हो
इनकी तो आदत
हो गयी थी उसे

झुग्गियों में जहां
पैर रखने की जगह नहीं
उसे अपनी अलग ज़मी
कोई कहाँ से दे

आज शाम भी
किसी ढोर से
बाल बाल बचा

इन्तेज़ार है रात होने का
जब नाले की बदबू में
ज़रा खुलके सांस लेगा
और सोये हुए मोहल्ले में
ज़रा चैन से अंगड़ाई लेगा

उन झुग्गियों में
इश्क की कहानी भी
कुछ वैसी ही है


Watched Slumdog Millionire a few days back. Among other things I was tempted to think how love survives in slums.

Ek Gumshuda Khwaab (A missing dream)

Hopped on to this movie called 'choti si baat' just by chance. Was surprised to find that the following song is from this film only.

Haven't finished the movie yet, but the rib-tickling bus-stand romance of Amol Palekar and Vidya Sinha is already making me want to toast a few lines.

एक गुमशुदा ख्वाब

है कोई ख्वाब
क्यों मुझे याद
नहीं आता है

किसी धुंध की
चुनरी में
दुबक जाता है

किसी फूल
की गोदी में
सिमट जाता है

किसी गैर के
कमरे में
सो जाता है

कभी हवा
कभी पानी में
घुल जाता है

किसी मर्ज़
किसी दर्द
सा तड़पाता है

जिस रोज़ तुम्हे
बस स्टैंड पे
खड़ा पाया था

बस उसी रात
वो गुमशुदा ख्वाब

मिल पाया था

Mob vs Individual

I am the mob
who suppresses
my individual,
so-called heretic,
aspirations
which talk of
change.

The mob in me
kills
the individual in me
every time.

My Experiments with Solitude - Living Alone 2

And here comes part 2, much better than part 1(i.e the first few days). I guess I had made a mistake by judging it prematurely before even passing a week :). Part of the dilemma could have been due to the house not being set-up , no food & grocery and hence it was somewhat uncomfortable and that too all of a sudden. Though house isn't set up even now ( am working on it ), things are already becoming better and infact setting up the house might be some fun stuff too :) . And I also need to start cooking soon.

Living with friends is surely fun..no doubt..and I do miss that at times. But still wanted to live alone for a while..may be just for an experience i guess..may be because I always thought that I should do it once.. .

Anyways, Looks like its going to be interesting seven months ahead !!