Slumdawg!!!!

'India's Films are finally being recognised world wide. It is time for India to shine.' This seems to be the 'Breaking News' on every channel and paper! The media frenzy around Slumdog is at its peak!

People! I have some breaking news of my own:

"Slumdog Millionaire is not an Indian Film"; 

It is just a film about India. 

When a Karan Johar makes a film based in New York, Washington doesn't wake up to say... 'Finally its time for US to shine'

Slumdog is as English a film as Chicago is. It is directed by a Englishman, produced by an English company, made for an English audience. It has just used Indian actors because of the role requirement; just like Lagaan used Captain Russel!

So really what is the hype all about? 

It is no doubt a brilliant film. And A.R. Rahman rocks. And both deserve the glory they got at the Golden Globe. But the film was nominated for the Golden Globe and is being nominated for the Oscars because it is an English Film. Also where else will you nominate an English film? Definitely not at Filmfare, right? It is their award ceremony for their films. And for films as good as Slumdog, that is the best platform to be appreciated.

The only category an Indian Film can be nominated for at the Oscars is 'Best Foreign Film'. And when you are competing with 70 other countries in that category, it is no doubt tough competition.

As for an Indian composer like A.R. Rahman, this film was just another medium where he showcased his impressive mastery over music. True Rahman fans will agree that Slumdog was not Rahman's best work. He has much much better tunes to his credit. But the reason his work is being nominated and has won is because it is for an English Film.

So people! Stop claiming rights for something that is not yours, just the way you do for all the achievements of people across the globe because they have remotely Indian names. 

You need to stand and applaud the work of all the Indians involved with this film, but this film in no way, marks the entry of 'Indian cinema' in Hollywood. It, in fact, opens our eyes to that India to which we have had blinders on for years!

Ok! I admit it!

6.25 PM, Thursday, Jan 29th

I begin writing this post when I know I should have already gone for a bath so that I can be on time for meeting friends. I also know 'Amu' is going to kill me. He told me 500 times already that I am going to be late and I convinced him with more conviction than I had, that I am going to be there before time!

But this is one of those rare confessions! Especially for a person like me, who has enjoyed being (or in A's not so true words, prided myself on being) a tomboy. So I had to pen it down before I chickened out again!

It is time to admit - I just love rom-com mush movies! I don't know what is it about romantic comedies that always, ALWAYS brings a smile on my face. I have seen the crappiest of them, lousiest of them, mushiest of them, funniest of them, but I have enjoyed every one of them.

Just the concept of 'Happy Endings' being a surety is such an adrenaline rush (this statement is lifted from a Mills and Boons book introduction. Now don't ask me how and when I read this line ;) ).

The probability of not being disappointed at the end of any movie is a rare, almost impossible thought in today's world. Which is why such movies are such a welcome break. They assure a 'Happily Ever After'.  

It is just as mood lightening as a B-grade flick is, when watched with a group of equally whacky friends.  You put the TV on mute and try to make up your dialogues and when u have inventors like 'Amu' and 'VB' who can twist any dialogue and make it rapturously hilarious, it is the best time you have spent in the day! And those are the times you cherish forever!

Just like the endings of rom-coms! Maybe the reason I enjoy them so much is because it transports you to a world where all is good. And thats is the kind of place I would like to be in. Maybe I live in my 'ideal world' , but it sure as hell is better than the one we are living in today.

Which brings me back to reality: Reached Poptates very late and got yelled at real bad for being late AGAIN! And apparantly Amu is going to hold it against me for life!! I mean for LIFE!!! Like I told u, real world is very very bad!! :D 

Love Actually!

12.27 AM, 17th January, 6Years!

It is one of those days which you definitely want to remember because u know history is being made. 

It is one of those days where you are overwhelmed with emotion looking at pure unadulterated love around you.

It is one of those days where life seems just and fair and even maybe benevolent!

It is one of those days that makes u believe in love again!

Becoz today is the day my two best friends are celebrating 6 years of togetherness.

There are some people you love......

And then there are some people you love to see together as a couple. 

But life seems its rosiest best when the people you love the most are TOGETHER. 

The icing on this awesome cake is the fact that they are together for 6 years!

Seeing J and her 'Amu' together brings back so many memories; memories I have been privledged enough to witness for all the time they have been with each other. 

There are so many things that make me feel you both are perfect for each other, 

So many little qualites that make me sure you both are going to be with each other forever!  

So many reasons why you both will always be my 'BEST COUPLE'

 

For never losing track of the big picture.. yet experiencing every small joy!

For growing up in 6 years.... yet never failing to pamper the child in each other!

For being each other's shoulder to cry on... yet never failing to bring in that smile!

For being with each other through the times... yet always being yourselves!

And kudos for always ALWAYS keeping the magic intact!

Cheers to you guys and heartfelt love and wishes for many many more anniversaries to come!

Life seems beautiful whenever I see you two with each other!

Love you both sooo very much!

Passion

I read this line on facebook and I just had to share it! This line defines me and my passion for anything! I loved it! 

"It's hard to wait around for something that you know might never happen, but it's even harder to give up when you know it's everything you want."

Disclaimer : I particularly told 'I am going to steal this line' to the person from whom I eventually did. So this doesn't count as plagiarism! :D

The art of persuasion

12th January, Monday, 2.15 PM

On one of those previously rare, but now very regular, boring days, I came across this film of Morgan Freeman called '10 Items or less'.. a praise-worthy film. It is one of those films which you either think as a beautiful depiction of how to live life or you dismiss it as mindless.

Maybe because of the state of mind I was in, I found this film very clever. It simplifies those gloried talks of loving and living life and converys the message mildly and beautifully. There is a retired actor (Freeman) who finally decides to take up a script and in order to study his role of a convenience store manager, he goes to this remote store, and there he comes across a check out counter girl. She is a girl who had had many dreams but had given it all up because of circumstances. Now she wants to pursue them again but is scared she will fail. The movie is the journey of Freeman making the girl believe in herself and she, in turn, making Freeman believe in the spirit of good-will and happiness. It is up to you as to how much you want to gain from that film. It does not push its message down your throat.

But what makes me write this post is not the film itself but one aspect of it which I saw a live demonstration of in our very own local train. At the convenience store, there is this sales lady who has to convince the patrons to buy a mop even if they dont need it; something like a real life tele shopping network! But she has to be so good that the patrons think they are getting the best deal possible. So when Freeman asks her to teach him how she does it, she shows him some tricks: 1) The nodding of the head continuously which makes the buyers also nod involuntarily

2) The perfect places to lift your hand and hold the product in full view

3) To maintain eye contact

4) To make it look as if you completely believe in the product

5) To smile and keep saying to random people 'So yes there we have one buyer' and ultimately they end up buying it.

So when I was on my way to classes, there was this salesman on the train selling a hand juicer. It was a small steel structure with which u can squuze out orange or lime juice by inserting it in the fruit. What was interesting about this whole observation was that he was following the sales girl's pointers to the T. It was as if he has just seen the movie and is implementing every instruction. The style of handling his product, the eye contact, the nodding and the belief in this product! He made every housewife in my compartment buy one of his strange looking steel structures. 

No idea whether the 'juicer' works or not... but his selling strategy definitely did and I was mighty impressed!  

Happy 2009

Friday, Jan 2nd, 2009

Ahhh.... finally it has arrived!!! After 12 months of a directionless life, the new year has arrived-- to give another change to get things right this time.... 

When I began writing this post, I wanted to write about all the things I would like to forget about 2008- the crappy year that it is was... but then i said to myself, if I do want to forget them, then why write them at all in the first place!!!! :)

I look back and I see a lot of mistakes and numerous number of fuck ups! But I am hoping that all I get to recollect about 2008 is only the lessons I learnt in life and not how I learnt them.

 

So instead, here I am, writing about my dreams, my hopes and my wishes for a wonderful 2009. To live life wonderfully

To love unconditionally and 

To laugh uncontrollably!!!

And when you have people who will let you enjoy this kind of freedom, nothing else matters!! Not a crappy previous year, not a directionless 4 months!!

So here's to a great great year ahead... a year that will embellish my blog name (smilethrulife) and enhance my blog title! Here's to a 'New Beginning' .... really!!! :)