And how can I not say anything about ‘Gurgaon’ the film, with two people dear to me having done stellar work in the film, along with the entire cast and crew. Shanker Raman and Vivek Shah (to all those of you who know him as Teja, 🙂 ) My review at Upperstall Continue reading Gurgaon (Shanker Raman, 2017) – a poetic parable on human greed
Walking in the rain yesterday, alone. On a road walked on, many years ago. Many times. Maybe it only seems like we walked on it many times. Maybe it was only once. A dozen of us, more or less, out on a picnic. There is a photograph, all of us only kids. We took a train. The boys teased me because I had short hair … Continue reading the yellow flowers
Photo: Teja and Bhai, shot by Teja’s sister A. As I grew a little older, and the people around me, my mother, my parents-in-law, my aunts, my uncles, much older, their ailments increasing, I began to wonder what is a good age to pass on? What if we could turn off our lives painlessly, effortlessly, at a decent time, a good exit that was not … Continue reading on old cranky parents and the like
Photo: by Teja At 4.22, it is still night. The traffic sounds, untrammelled from the clamour of the day, hum long and relentless. There is the other relentless hum of crickets that seems to come from within you, and goes back into your ears, trapping you in a continuous cycle of breath. You imagine that you can even hear the stars. Yes, there are stars, … Continue reading night cricket
***This post is a complete spoiler. So don’t read it, if you think anything could spoil the fun of ‘Agent Vinod’ (Deepak Bahry, 1977)*** So she decides to wear yellow at night, on a secret assignment. She takes photos, she gets caught, she invokes Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad, willing to sacrifice her life for her nation, as did Hussain at Karbala. Her name … Continue reading Agent Vinod (Deepak Bahry, 1977) – or above all, Rehana Sultan
Just before they go, we see many, many silly films. ‘Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hain’. Tushar Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. ‘Haseena Maan Jaayegi’. Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Kareena Kapoor, Pooja Batra. ‘Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya’. Bobby Deol and Aishwarya Rai. Thus ‘Housefull 3’ (Sajid-Farhad, 2016). Just because it’s going to be a long time before we watch silly films together again – Shy, Dhanno and me. It … Continue reading housefull 3 – who says it’s only words
Day Zero of Solitary Writing Camp I am excited about the air hostess with small eyes made slanting almonds with loads of eyeliner, and her strong voice that teases everyone, promising not sex, oh, that would be too obvious but maybe longer conversations, giggles and shared secrets and the pretty East Coast Road which I see between bouts of dozing off and the pink damp walls … Continue reading and i am not even close to finishing
