The Common Man Speaks

Satyameva Jayate: God’s interpretation on human division

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By: Keyur Seta

Time and again we keep saying India has developed over the decades. To justify our statement, we give examples of the emergence of malls, multiplexes, technological brilliance (laptops, smart phones, etc), skyscrapers, rail metros, high paying jobs in cities, etc. However, when it comes to equality and humanism, I am sorry to say India is one of the most underdeveloped nations. This is exactly what I thought after watching yesterday’s (July 8) episode of Aamir Khan’s Satyameva Jayate, which showed how inequality on the basis of caste is still prevalent in India in the most inhuman of levels!

No matter how much we develop in terms of science, technology and urbanization, we can never be called developed in the true sense as long as this cruel differentiation among the same species continues. In order to be called one, we need to develop a mindset similar to Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari. He is the real hero of India who proudly revealed on the show how he has discarded all identities born out of biological accidents (religion and caste).

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Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari

Following is my fictional interpretation of God’s reaction to this mindless man-made division amongst humans: –

One day, God was sitting with an expression of worry and disappointment. Seeing this, his disciple asked him, “Why are you looking so dejected?” God looked up to him and said, “I feel this way every time I look at humans living on earth. Thousands of years ago, I created humans, hoping them to be the most intelligent of all animals. But today when I look down, I am hardly able to find any humans. All I can see is Hindus, Muslims, Brahmins, Shudras, Kshatriyas, Christians, Parsis and what not!

“When I created them, I took special care in creating everyone physically and emotionally alike. Yet, they have created this division amongst them. If I have not created any difference between them, who are they to do so? Are they trying to show they are superior and more intelligent than me? What’s worse is, they have killed millions of people from their own species on the basis of the differentiation which they themselves have created! I feel insulted by my own creation!

“Well, like every time, I would now like to concentrate on other animals. They make me feel much better although they are unable to speak and are not as intelligent as humans. At least, they have preserved the identity which I gave them and have not divided themselves mindlessly.”

Social worker Bezwada Wilson provided a very interesting and easy method of degenerating caste system – inter-caste marriage. He rightly criticized those parents who strictly wish to get their child or children marry someone from their own caste. According to me, such parents are indirectly giving fuel to the inhuman caste system and encouraging the so-called superior castes to oppress the wrongly titled lower castes.

Many might argue that they are just following traditions and some religious books. But what’s the need to follow those traditions and religious books which divide humans and oppress innocents? To hell with such traditions and so-called religious books! After blindly following something so terrible, it’s high time the word caste is reduced to ashes!

Watch the eye-opening episode of Satyameva Jayate on caste system and untouchability: –

Bol Bachchan Review

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Director: Rohit Shetty

Producers: Ajay Devgn Films, Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevison Ltd.

Writers: Farhad-Sajid (Story, Screenplay and Dialogues) and Yunus Sajawal (Story and Screenplay)

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchcan, Krushna Abhishek, Asin, Prachi Desai, Krushna Abhishek, Archana Puran Singh, Asrani, Neeaj Vora

Music: Himesh Reshammiya and Ajay-Atul

Rating: * * * *

Plot: On the verge of bankruptcy, Abbas Ali (Abhishek Bachchan) and his sister Sania (Asin) have almost reached a dead end in life. They find a ray of hope when their family friend Shastri (Asrani) takes them to Ranakpur in Rajasthan in the hope of finding a job for Abbas at Prithvi’s (Ajay Devgn) place. Prithvi is the rough and tough hunk of Ranakpur who doesn’t think twice before roughing up liars.

At Ranakpur, circumstances force Abbas to reveal his name as Abhishek Bachchan when he comes face-to-face with Prithvi. Impressed by Abhishek’s (Abbas) nature and hardworking attitude, Prithvi hires him. But in order to hide his one lie, Abbas has to use a series of lies. This gives rise to a number of rib-tickling incidents. However, how will Prithvi react after knowing he is conned by the one whom he trusted?

Review: It is believed that great stories can be re-told in any time zone by using characters totally different from the ones in the original. Stories by the great Shakespeare are classic examples of this fact. But Rohit Shetty’s remake of Bollywood’s classic comedy Gol Maal (1979) as Bol Bachchan is (in my opinion) the riskiest remake since, apart from changing the time zone and characters, the filmmaker has replaced innocence and reality with utter craziness.

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Reading this, one might feel Shetty has insulted the original Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic. I felt the same when I heard about this and saw promos, especially after seeing how royally David Dhawan failed in a similar task in Chor Machaye Shor (2002). However, after watching Bol Bachchan, I was pleasantly shocked (not just surprised) to see the film turning out to be one of the most enjoyable comedies in the mindless genre. In this way, Shetty has indirectly proved the versatility of Gol Maal and has, I dare to say, paid a tribute to it.

The writers (Farhad-Sajid and Yunus Sajawal) have delivered just what you expect from a film of this genre: non-stop hilarity in the form of some whacky, crazy punches that make you laugh out loud after, at most occasions, almost every seconds. From these moments, Ajay Devgn’s unthinkably weird English interpretations deserve special mention. Devgn’s manner of delivering those lines and their unexpected timing make it further hilarious. In fact, you continue to giggle recalling those one-liners long after leaving the cinema hall, although there would be some who might wince at such homour.

The major incidents from the original are narrated with the use of some creatively funny incidents. These include Abhishek’s gay act and dance, the scene where Archana Puran Singh appears as Abhishek’s fake mother and the climax, which although totally mindless, is unpredictable which makes it funny. But the one moment which surely deserves appreciation is the manner in which Devgn and his comrades react after knowing Abhishek’s true identity.

Thinking of the flipsides, the first thing that appears is the action, which crosses the level of silliness. Surely, they could have done without these juvenile car stunts and fight scenes. Apart from this, the content of the film, including some part of the humour, will get thumbs down from a section of the audience.

The film is well supported by the music (Naino Se Baan and Nach Le), although the title song is simply poor. Technical departments like cinematography (Dudley), background score (Amar Mohile), art direction (Narendra Rahurikar) and editing (Steven H. Bernard) add to the plus points.

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It was vital for the lead actors to give top-notch performances and that is exactly what is seen here. Ajay Devgn succeeds in showing his macho side but at the same time is hilarious during the comic scenes, especially while mouthing his silly English. Another proof of his versatility. Abhishek Bachchan enacts two diverse characters – a simpleton and a naughty gay – with brilliance. His popularity might have lessened due to the fate of his films in last few years but with this performance, proves once again he is one of the most talented actors currently.

Krushna Abhishek continues his brilliant act from the television show Comedy Circus to his Bollywood debut. His comic timing is remarkable. Archana Puran Singh too doesn’t lag behind in an unusually funny role and so do Neeraj Vora and Asrani. Asin and Prachi Desai are average. They don’t get much scope. Jeetu Verma, in the role of the baddie, is strictly okay. Amitabh Bachchan’s cameo in the title song is not bad.

Overall, Bol Bachchan is mindlessness at its best if you can put your topmost organ away. Needless to say, the film will take the box-office by storm. And for those who believe 100 crore is a yardstick for measuring success, yes, the film will cross that milestone.

Bol Bachchan Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Rohit Shetty

Producers: Ajay Devgn Films, Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevison Ltd.

Writers: Farhad-Sajid (Story, Screenplay and Dialogues) and Yunus Sajawal (Story and Screenplay)

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchcan, Asin, Prachi Desai, Krushna Abhishek, Archana Puran Singh

Music: Himesh Reshammiya and Ajay-Atul

Release Date: July 6, 2012

Analysis:

Star Value: Despite his last two films Tezz and Rascals turning out to be complete duds, Ajay Devgn’s start power is still high. This is largely because his 2011 blockbuster Singham is still fresh in audience’s minds. Abhishek Bachchan’s star value has decreased in the last few years due to a series of flops but he is still a very well known face of Bollywood. Due to these factors coupled with Rohit Shetty’s mind-blowing record at the box-office, one can say the star value for Bol Bachchan is high.

Hype: The response for the promos of the movie has been impressive but not extra-ordinary. As the publicity and the promotions have also been low key, the hype for Bol Bachchan isn’t as high as one would expect from an out and out commercial caper with big stars. Having said this, one can’t deny that the film is becoming well-known slowly.

Music: Rohit Shetty’s films have never been known from their music. The same is the case with Bol Bachchan. The songs haven’t become very popular with the masses, although ‘Chalao Na Naino Se Baan Re’ and the title song are getting known.

Prediction:

As expected, Bol Bachchan will get a good to very good opening at the box-office. But since the hype is not too high, the response won’t be excellent. If it manages to impress initially, it will be one of the biggest hits of the year. If it doesn’t, it will still manage to make some good money.

Satyameva Jayate: No to alcoholism, yes to life!

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People indulging in harmful activities or habits doesn’t shock me anymore. What shocks me is when they raise their eyebrows after knowing that I have always kept away from a harmful habit. The habit I am referring to is drinking alcohol. People give strange reactions when they come to know that I have never tasted alcohol or any type of liquor ever in my life. In fact, some even feel offended! At times, this makes me speechless but since my beliefs and morals are super strong, it never affected me.

Yesterday’s (July 1) episode of Satyameva Jayate threw light on the terrible effects of alcoholism. After listening to the shockingly tragic tales of the victims of alcoholism, I am proud to have never tasted that thing and my belief has become even stronger. Let’s look at the experiences shared in the episode.

A youngster Vijay Simha ventured into journalism and tasted enormous success in no time. Nothing could have brought him down but yet he had to spend nine months on the roads of Delhi. His body deteriorated in such a way that he should consider himself lucky that he didn’t die! A journalist at the peak of success was reduced to a mere beggar! Reason for such a devastating downfall? Alcohol!

In another case, a man from a poor family, Lakshman spent Rs 20 lakh in consuming alcohol and another Rs 20 lakh in getting treated for alcoholism for which he was admitted 80-100 times! If he hadn’t tasted liquor ever, his life would have been completely different.

But the case of the death of Curran Anand at the age of just 15 turned out to be the most heart-wrenching one. Just sitting in a car driven by a reckless drunkard cost him his life and his parents, a non-curable grief! Such is the cruel effect of alcohol that it can be fatal even for those who don’t drink!

People can argue they drink only a small quantity but as Javed Akhtar, the guest on the show, pointed out liquor has a tendency to be addictive which can prove terrible.

Therefore, what is so strange in me totally avoiding something which can be fatal for me and devastating for my whole family? I know there is no harm in trying it just sometimes but my point is, if something has the potential to ruin everything I have, why should I try it even once? By the way, according to psychiatrist Dr Vivek Benegal, 50% of liquor-drinking population of India, drink more than what is considered normal (four pegs)! More reasons to stay away from the bottle!

Few youngsters proudly revealed on the show the reason why they drink. A guy said he drinks as it helps him forget everything and enjoy due to the sensation it creates in the brain. According to a girl, drinking helps her dance properly while another one said it is ‘cool’ to drink.

All I can say is I feel terribly sorry for them. Have they become so weak that they need alcohol to forget problems instead of facing and solving them? If drinking helps you dance properly, all great dancers of India should have finished thousands of bottles in their lives! And what is so ‘cool’ in spending your parents’ hard earned money in something that can mess up your life and ruin your family’s image?

A rather sensible reason given by a guy was that he has to oblige his seniors and colleagues by giving them company to drink. Well, I have been in such situations where people have even been adamant in making me drink. However, if you are totally firm as I have been, nobody can put that bloody thing in your mouth!

Watch the July 1 episode of Satyameva Jayate below and if the discussions in the show don’t shake you against alcoholism, nothing else would!

Maximum Movie Review

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Director: Kabeer Kaushik

Producer(s): Vainteya Films

Writer(s): Kabeer Kaushik

Cast: Sonu Sood, Naseeruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Amit Sadh, Mohan Agashe, Neha Dhupia, Swanand Kirkire, Rajendra Gupta

Music: Amjad Nadeem, Devi Shri Prasad

Rating: * * *

Plot: Encounter specialist Pratap Pandit (Sonu Sood) has climbed the ladder of success much quicker than his senior counterpart Arun Inamdar (Naseeruddin Shah). This has ignited a fire of jealousy inside Inamdar who starts using unfair tactics, including the misuse of people in power, to bring Pandit’s successful world crashing down. Who will bite the dust in the end? It is said that the film is based on a true story of encounter cop Pradeep Sharma.

Review: Director Kabeer Kaushik made a successful debut with his well written, engaging cop drama Sehar (2005). Maximum, his second venture also does justice to the same genre. But unlike his debut flick, this one turns out to be only for the admirers of the serious cinema courtesy a slow narrative and a lack of commercial value.

Kaushik has given a lot of onus on realism with respect to the conversation between the characters and live locations. Deliberately the sub plots are kept incomplete on few occasions without proper focus in the narrative. This works well in presenting a real-to-life picture but it will surely put-off the entertainment-hungry crowd. Naseeruddin Shah’s entry surely adds more life to the proceedings.

Thankfully, the rivalry between the two cops isn’t highlighted with this use of those clichéd dialogues where one character tries to rubbish off the other. Instead, it is nicely woven in the narrative. The proceedings are interrupted due to the forced item number ‘Aa Ante Amlapuram’. But the interval point nicely takes the story forward.

The post-interval portion has a good number of interesting incidents but after a point of time, the narrative becomes dreary. A number of scenes having some unnecessary dry discussions between few characters are largely responsible for this. But lastly, the way the final twist is presented is deceiving even though it doesn’t appear surprising. This leads on to a climax which, although not impressive, is quite descent. But one has to say that the plot could have used better in creating more thrill and drama.

Due to the nature of the subject, there isn’t any scope for songs. ‘Aa Ante Amlapuram’ is the only track that is actually used from the album. But it would have been better if the original south Indian song had been retained as the lyrics of the Hindi version appear juvenile. Krishna Ramanan’s camerawork suits the nature of the flick. The live location scenes, mostly involving local trains, are well shot. A particular background tune (Daniel B George) which appears throughout the film adds good effect to the narrative. The editing (Lionel Fernandes) is simple.

With this performance, Sonu Sood yet again proves his acting prowess. He lives the character of a tough cop perfectly with proper dialogue delivery and portrayal of different emotions. Naseeruddin Shah gives an honest performance. Although his fans would expect him to be more expressive but the nature of his character was such that he had to speak more through the eyes and expressions. Vinay Pathak gives an earnest performance as a north Indian politician.

Amit Sadh, in the role of a journalist, surprises with a mature act. He deserves more films. Neha Dhupia does well but her character doesn’t have much to do except mouth those age-old lines expected from a middle class Indian housewife. Mohan Agashe leaves a mark while Arya Babbar is strictly okay. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire makes his acting debut and surprisingly does well! The supporting cast including Rajendra Gupta, Murli Sharma, Ujjwal Chopra are likable.

Overall, Maximum is an interesting cop drama but the treatment makes it watchable only for a niche section of the audience. This fact coupled with a very low publicity makes sure it has no chance at the box-office.

Maximum (Hindi Movie) Box-Office Prediction

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Director: Kabeer Kaushik

Producer(s): Vainteya Films

Writer(s): Kabeer Kaushik

Cast: Sonu Sood, Naseeruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Amit Sadh, Mohan Agashe, Neha Dhupia, Swanand Kirkire, Rajendra Gupta

Music: Amjad Nadeem, Devi Shri Prasad

Analysis:

Star Value: Maximum is blessed by some quality performers like Naseeruddin Shah, Sonu Sood and Vinay Pathak. However, there is no star value as these actors don’t have the capacity to draw audiences to theatres.

Hype: There is just no hype for the movie as promos have not managed to impress that much. The way they have been crafted might be the reason for it not making heads turn. The makers have failed to promote and market the movie properly.

Music: The scope for music isn’t much in such films. The item number ‘Aa Ante Amlapuram’ is somewhat known but it has not impressed the audience.

Prediction:

Maximum will get a low opening at the box-office. Even if the film manages to impress a lot initially, it won’t have much effect on its performance. With Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan releasing next Friday, it looks like Kabeer Kaushik’s cop drama might be a one-week wonder.

The Amazing Spider-Man Box-Office Prediction (India)

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Analysis:

Star Value: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone aren’t considered stars in India. However, it’s the character of Spider-Man that is the real star capable of pulling audience to the theatres. And due to Irrfan Khan’s presence, there is an added interest in the movie in India.

Hype: The first promo of the film created tremendous hype for the film when it released. From then, the excitement for the movie has just increased. Irrfan’s presence has also helped in creating the hype.

Music: Being a Hollywood film and that too of a superhero genre, there is no scope for music. But anyways, such films don’t need music for becoming popular.

Prediction:

Considering the box-office scenario of Hollywood films in India, The Amazing Spiderman will surely get a very good opening. Dubbed in Hindi and some regional languages, this is the first Hollywood film to open with over 1000 screens across India. If the movie generates positive response initially, the decision will turn out to be a killer. However, its collections might drop after a week when Rohit Shetty’s comic caper Bol Bachchan releases.

Will Jindal become next Kasab?

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As expected, Pakistan has denied terrorist Abu Jindal, who was captured by India from Saudi Arabia for masterminding the 26/11 attacks, to be a national of their country and have even rubbished off all the proofs that India has against him. BJP leader Yashwant Sinha rightly said that even if you feed proofs in Pakistan’s mouth, still they will not accept it.

What is more surprising is the way Pakistan keeps on denying all terror evidences that India provides against their countrymen while our government fails to do much. For a long time, they even denied Ajmal Kasab being from Pakistan. As this is been happening since years, can’t we resort to some stricter methods while dealing with Pakistan when it comes to terrorism? But all we get is some spineless statements, mostly from our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has become a master in it over the years.

But the bigger question is – Even if Jindal is proven guilty, will he ever be punished? His dear friend and co-terrorist Kasab was seen carrying out terrorist activities by everyone and was even proved guilty but instead of punishing him ASAP, we have been showering crores of rupees (from the taxpayers’ pockets) on him as if he is India’s special guest.

Last year the US entered Pakistan by hook or by crook and killed the person who attacked their country – Osama Bin Laden. On the other hand, we have not been able to do any harm to Kasab despite him being in our custody! Looking at our governments indifference and, I dare to say, pro-terror attitude, I won’t be surprised if Jindal becomes India’s yet another special guest after Kasab, even if it indirectly means mocking the 26/11 victims and the people of India!

(This post is against terrorists from Pakistan and the government of that country. I have respect for the common people of Pakistan, some of whom are also my internet friends.)

Mantralaya Fire: How prepared are we for emergencies?

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Apart from the inability of the fire department to combat the Mantralaya fire, we have also been criticizing the authorities for not training their staff to cope with the emergency. But the big question is – Have we – professionals working in various sectors – ever received any training in our organizations to deal with such emergencies? In other words – How many organizations regularly train their staff for such disasters?

After the shamefully tragic incident of the fire, I recalled in the offices I have worked so far, I have never been trained for such a thing. In fact, I can’t even recall anyone even mentioning an emergency like a fire breakout. I even asked some of my friends (mostly working in private sectors) whether they have received any such training. Strangely, all answered in the negative except a friend who works in a bank.

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Picture courtesy - Ibnlive.in.com

It seems we don’t consider it important since incidents like a fire rarely occur. This is quite understandable as we are only concerned about finishing our tasks before deadlines. But one should remember that at the end of the day, staying alive is the most important thing.

In a city like Mumbai, hundreds of commercial complexes are crammed with thousands of offices. A thought of a serious fire breaking out in these complexes sounds scary considering thousands of untrained staff having no idea how to cope up!

It’s high time we consider the Mantralaya fire as a wake-up call and start mock drills. Let’s not wait for more fires to erupt!

Gangs Of Wasseypur Review

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Director: Anurag Kashyap

Producer(s): Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

Writer(s): Zeishan Quadri, Sachin Ladia and Anurag Kashyap

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Piyush Mishra, Richa Chadda, Reema Sen, Jaideep Ahlawat, Piyush Mishra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Rating: * * ½

Plot: Set in the lawless land of Wasseypur in Dhanbad, the film narrates the tale of Sardar Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) who is hell-bent to avenge his father Shahid Khan’s (Jaideep Ahlawat) death. Shahid was killed by Ramadhir Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia) in a battle to lead the coal mafia.

Review: Anurag Kashyap started the genre of unconventionally dark films in Bollywood. Irrespective of whether his films score at the box office, he has always been adamant in sticking to the genre. His latest offering Gangs Of Wasseypur follows the legacy of typical Kashyap films. Its promos triggered high expectations. But thanks to the off-track writing and the filmmaker’s desperate attempt to showcase his unusual style, the final product turns out to be an average fair with few wonderfully conceived moments and great performances.

The director and the writer should be lauded though for some creatively intelligent scenes in the first half. The idea of jumping to the flashback after the initial encounter works very well. A good foundation is laid by the way the story and the warring saga between Sardar Khan and Ramadhir Singh are built up. Some historical events are also smartly woven in the tale. Manoj Bajpayee’s entry adds fuel to the proceedings for it gives rise to a good number of thrilling as well as dark humorous moments. Despite some dullness, the first half provides descent satisfaction.

The post-interval portion maintains stability but soon loses focus. A number of sub-plots and too many characters create complication as well as confusion since they have nothing or very little to do with the main story. In addition, Kashyap’s over-indulgence of his unconventional style further hampers the narration. Obviously, this makes the film painfully lengthy. Although the climax creates some excitement for the second part of the movie, it is not entirely convincing.

But it is difficult to understand why a simple revenge saga needs to be told in five hours (this movie plus it’s sequel)? Considering that the second half of GOW Part 1 has hardly any story to tell, it looks like an adamant decision.

It is necessary to mention that the film is not for the fainthearted. The violence and gore presented is rarely seen before in an Indian film. This can be disturbing and depressing for many, especially since it is used unnecessarily at times.

Sneha Khanwalkar’s music fits the nature of the film perfectly although there was no need for these many songs. ‘Keh Ke Loonga’ and ‘Womaniya’ are the tracks that go well with the narration and bring a smile. Cinematography (Rajeev Ravi) is flawless except in few portions where the hand-held camera gives a documentary-like feel. Editing (Shweta Venkat Matthew) should have been tighter. The witty dialogues and the background score deserve special mention for they keep you engrossed when the script is going haywire.

It can be said that Gangs Of Wasseypur is Manoj Bajpayee’s return to the big league. He brilliantly carries the film on his shoulders as he plays an unusual character in an applaud-worthy manner. Easily one of his best acts till date! But it is Tigmanshu Dhulia who turns out to be the surprise element. The filmmaker, who is making his acting debut, gives a thoroughly mature performance as Ramadhir Singh. He should surely continue acting! Richa Chadda’s amazing act will prove to be a turning point in her career.

Piyush Mishra portrays his flawless acting skills. Reemma Sen showcases the oomph that was necessary and provides a descent act. With a realistically mature performance, Nawazuddin Siddiqui once again proves he is one of the finest young character actors currently. Due to his powerful act, Jaideep Ahlawat is remembered despite the small length of his character. The rest of the supporting actors (Mukesh Chhabra, Rajkumar Yadav, Jameel Khan, Vipin Sharma, Zeishan Quadri and many more!) play their parts with perfection.

Overall, despite being high on performance, Gangs Of Wasseypur suffers from over-indulgence. At the box-office, the film has a chance at the urban metros mostly.