Aamir Vs. Sarkar Raj

Aamir Vs. Sarkar Raj
My Choice : Aamir.
So why Aamir ? For one, the title track of Aamir was a sweet and refreshing reflection of the life in Mumbai. But then that's just the beginning. Aamir is a well made movie with honest intentions of communicating a message rather than sensationalising a concept. At no point in the movie, you get a feel that the director is overdoing something. Yes, like all the movies a few things sound unconvincing. But when you look at the complete product, Aamir makes you think about today's realities while you walk out of the Theatre. Its a reflection of the divided society we live in today and the thin line all of us walk. It highlights how everyone of a particular community is looked up with suspicion. But at the same time it also highlights the division within the community itself wherein some like Aamir want to take the ownership for setting things right in their life by their own efforts, there are others who blame the society for the miseries of the community and want to avenge it on everyone. Aamir means 'a leader'. Aamir does come out as a leader: I hope more movies like Aamir see the light of day.
so what's wrong with Sarkar Raj ? For one, the first half has a terrible background score and just too many shaky camera shots that tend to make you feel like search for the forward button or the mute button. But then you can't find it. But that's not the end of it. The shots seem to be repeating over again and again. So we have someone speaking in the dark and then he comes to the forefront to show his face. Repeating the similar shot over different actors isn't a great direction. And then there are these closeups:just too many of them. Overall, the direction just reminded me of Sarkar(part-1). There wasn't anything new in the direction and the story wasn't any powerful. Well obviously, Ram Gopal Verma wasn't planning to make a thought provoking movie. If he took the entire Bachchan clan in, it was to make money. But I shelled out Rs. 200 and I don't think it was worth it. I should have waited for the DVD. I hope RGV doesn't go out now making a remake of Sarkar Raj.

Good Morning India!

This blog entry was written on 25th May 2008. The posting got delayed due to multiple reasons including my laziness.

Good Morning India !
So finally, I am back in India, and guess what ? One of my luggages has gone missing :( Lets rewind a bit. So I get onto the Air India flight in Chicago and when I get to my seat, I see someone else sitting there. It turns out that I was allocated seat 43A(next to window as per my pref) and the person who was occupying my seat was allocated seat 43C. I politely told the guy that its my seat but the elderly lady sitting on 43B(probably his mother) started explaining to me that the window seat is 'C' and the aisle seat it 'A'. She appeared to be ready for a confrontation and in my better judgement, I called on the Air Hostess to sort out the matter. I was right: 43A was the window seat, and I was in no mood of being the Danveer Karna I usually am ! For one, I had to travel a long distance and needed the wall to place my head against while sleeping, and secondly, in the last few days, atleast 3 ppl had given me the feedback to get rid of my ever so helpful attitude and start thinking about myself first. Frustrated, the lady went looking for another window seat(which I guess she didn't find) and eventually moved elsewhere to sit and her son took the aisle seat, and all was quiet after that.
Miraculously, the flight took off right on time, and landed on time at Heathrow. On the Heathrow-Mumbai sector, a girl took the aisle seat. She worked with a major Indian IT firm as a QA analyst and was in London for past 3 months. Both of us being in the IT field, we found quite a few things to talk about. Overall, the 2nd sector was much etter than the first one.
If one miracle wasn't enough, the flight took off from Heathrow about 30 mins late and landed 10 mins before time in Mumbai. I was beginning to wonder if the people back in Chicago/Milwaukee were making sure that there shouldn't be any reason for stay longer than necessary at any place except Mumbai :p
But all good things come to an end. My trouble started on the conveyer belt when after waiting for about 90 minutes, I discovered that one of my luggages didn't show up.This suitcase was the more important one because apart from a bunch of valuable stuff and clothes, it also carries the tradition RTS send-off calendar. The calendar means a lot ! Anyways, I headed off to file a missing baggage report but the way things move for Air India, it took another 90 minutes(!!!) to report the lost baggage. Yeah, that's something I immediately drew a contract with how things worked in US. Hopefully, someday soon, things will be a lot more faster in India. Finally by about 4:30 AM IST, I was able to get out of airport and reached home by about 5 am.
The first thoughts after getting out of the airport was : its hot and humid ! For the last 2 years, I had lived pretty much in a controlled climate environment. Whether it be home or car or office or anywhere else, anytime I was indoors, it was all controlled through some or the other equipment. That wasn't the case in India. But I am not complaining;I have lived in this climate for 23 years: 2 years away from here isn't going to change me !
It's almost 5:30 am and the sun rays are appearing over the horizon. Good Morning India !

Goodbye Milwaukee

This blog entry was written on 23rd May 2008 at Chicago O'hare Airport while I awaited the departure of my flight.

Looking Back...
2 years 1 month 22 days...Thats the total duration of time I was in Milwaukee. That's a long time, and finally I return back home today. Am I excited ? YOu bet I am. Am I satisfied ? I don't think so.But then, its human nature:we never feel satisfied. For one, on professional front, I feel I haven't really done much over the past 2 years to 'polish' myself up. I guess, I still am pretty much at the same level where I was 2 years back. Personal life hasn't been any better. If anything, its messed up all the more.
So as I return back to India today, I seek a new beginning, something that's different, something that's real me, something that everyone expects of me, something that Sheetendu would have done in a normal world 2 years back. Well, actually 5 years back when I was every bit of the level headed 'practical' guy. I seek to find myself again.
What comes to my mind is one of my favorite quotes : Today is the first day of rest of my life. Or is it too early to say that?