Rock On - It sure Rocks!

These are interesting times for the Indian cinema. Producers are willing to bank on projects which were untouchable few years back. 'Rock On' is one such movie.

It's probably India's first movie based on a rock group. The director Abhishek Kapoor may not be a successful actor but he has a bright future ahead in direction. He could have easily gone overboard with such a script but held on and the effort shows. The camera work also needs a lot of credit for the overall look and feel.

The movie, clearly inspired by the cult 'Dil Chahta Hai', is a realistic portrayal of 4 talented rock musicians. It's about the music that binds them and the issues in their separate lives. The trailers may have been promoting Farhan Akhtar but almost the entire star cast has put up a spirited show. Arjun Rampal is finally getting some meaty roles and is doing full justice to them. Of the rest I was particuarly impressed by Shahana Goswami who plays Rampal's wife. The pain and frustrations of her character shows in her performance. As for Farhan, he is a talented bloke. First direction, and now he both acts and sing. Everything seems to come naturally to him.

Music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is fresh and gels with the movie. Overall a novel effort, in tune with the times. I enjoyed it and am sure the multiplexes would have repeat audiences.

Just one complaint, the lyrics of the songs could have been better.

One Night at the Call Centre

Books are addictive! I'm glad I've this one adiction still left in me. This week I finished reading 'One Night at the Call Centre' by the hugely popular Indian writer Chetan Bhagat. Like his first book, 'Five Point Someone,' this one too is youth oriented. And since youth make the most noise it's no surprise that Bhagat's novels sell like hot cakes in India. His writings may not create ripples in the literary circles but have generated enough interest in the art of traditional reading (read books) in India.

In his second novel he has taken up a subject that the call centre generation would instantly relate to. It's the story of an eventful night at a call centre, as the name suggests. How the lives of a group of friends change with one call is what the plot is all about.

Bhagat's style of writing suits the young (or the young at heart). It's mostly in the form of friendly chat between the characters or the narrator talking to himself. And he does bring a smile to your face as you relive those golden days gone by. Nostalgia sells, isn't it?

Somehow Bhagat picks up his characters from the crowd, ordinary people we could all relate to. Maybe that's where his strength lies and that's what make him stands apart. We do need writers like him. They help you graduate to the next level. And that's why their efforts should be appreciated.

Pick up a copy of 'One Night at the Call Centre' today and chances are you would like to read it through the night. I certainly did!

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Those who have read 'The Kite Runner' will agree with me on the exceptional storytelling abilities of Khaled Hosseini. In 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' Hosseini does a role reversal. This time it's a female protogonist, rather two of them. If 'The Kite Runner' was about finding peace outside Afghanistan, 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' is all about finding hope in a war ravaged country.

The beauty of Hosseini's writing lies in his characters. Although both his books are different, still their characters are a lot similar. They all look real! The Amir of 'The Kite Runner' is now Laila and Hasan's place is taken over by Maryam. The characters, like in the previous book, show their inner strength in difficult times. And it's this style of story writing which sets Hosseini apart from the league.

As I started reading the novel I thought 'The Kite Runner' was better. It's only when the narrative starts to unfold, in the typical 'Hosseini' way, that you realise it's another classic in the making. Set against the backdrop of a country constantly at war (first the war-lords against the Soviets and then against each other), it revolves around the lives of two women. How the constantly changing political situation brings both uncertainty and hope in their lives. And how two ordinary women display exemplary courage is what it's all about. Anything more and I'm spilling the beans here.

There are times when you feel like giving reading a break, so powerful are the emotions generated by the novel. I did shed a few tears during 'The Kite Runner' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' was no exception either. The author has left no stone unturned in highlighting the plight of women in a Taliban governed Afghanistan.

You could actually feel the pain and suffering that Laila and Maryam go through, both, during the times of the Soviets and when Taliban took over. But inspite of all the difficulties around there's always an undercurrent of hope in Hosseini's writing, and it shows in his charaters. That's something you can always expect from an Afghan!

Khaled Hosseini's new book is an ode to the undying spirit of the people of Afghanistan in general and women in particular. This one too, like its predecessor, is not going off the shelf any time soon.

We did it finally!

As an Indian one of the most beautiful sights is to see the tricolour unfurl with the national anthem playing in the background. And for it to happen at the Olympics when the whole world is watching is exceptional!

As cool and composed Abhinav Bindra climbed the podium today to receive a gold medal for his stunning performance in the 10m rifle shoot, he made a nation proud. It took us 28 years to receive another gold and the first individual one. But it was all worth it in the end. It made me emotional just hearing the national anthem played again at the Olympics.

I hope it inspires the rest of the Indian contingent too. As for Abhinav he has already marked his name in the annals of Indian sports as the first sportsman to win an individual gold for India. Bravo Abhinav!

Their Prayers left Unanswered

I offer my heartfelt condolenses to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the recent Nainadevi temple stampede. This is not the first occurance and certainly not the last one if the authorities don't take stricter measures. Agreed handling a large number of pilgrims is always a problem but the flow can be regulated with smaller groups at a time.

The site of small children and women as they lay dead with flowers strewn around will stay a long time in memory.

The Naina Devi temple is situated on a hill top in Bilaspur District of Himachal Pradesh in India. And so even in slightly bad weather reaching the temple has its risk. This is not the first time that the temple has been in news for the wrong reasons. Way back in 1981 more than 50 people lost their lives in a similar stampede.

These are the times when you question your devotion but so are the ways of God almighty!

We can take solace in the following beautiful lines-

"Tumhara kya gaya jo tum rote ho
Tum kya laaye the jo tumne kho diya
Tumne kya paida kiya jo nasht ho gaya
Tumne jo liya yahan se liya
Jo diya yahan par diya
Jo aaj tumhara hai
Kal kisi aur ka tha
Parso aur ka ho jayega
Parivartan sansaar ka niyam hai"

"What have you lost that you cry
What did you bring that you loose
What did you produce that has been destroyed
Whatever you have earned, you earned in this life
Whatever you gave is in this world only
What's with you today
Was with someone else yesterday
And will be with somebody else tomorrow
Nothing is permanent but change"

---Taken from Bhagwat Geeta