Thursday 12 December 2013
Wednesday 27 November 2013
An Open Letter to Mr.Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Dear Mr. Bhansali
Firstly I would like to congratulate you on the massive
success of your latest film, Ram-Lee… Oh! Sorry, Goliyon Ki Raas
Leela~Ram-Leela (thanks to those in UP who were religiously offended)! The
country is glad you are back to your multi-coloured film making days of Hum Dil
De Chuke Sanam and Devdas and have snapped out of your fixation for Blacks and
blues, forever (hopefully).
It probably is your most commercial film till date but on
the whole, it retains most Bhansali trademarks- ensemble casts, magnificent
locations, grand sets, larger than life song and dance sequences, drama and an
engaging storyline. Of course, not to forget some brilliant acting by the
protagonists and supporting actors alike. The cinematic experience of Ram-Leela
(can’t bear to type the latest version of the film title; touchy ones in UP kindly
excuse me) is great. Ranveer Singh’s performance is superb. He has shown his versatility
as an actor in the few films he’s done. The same goes for Deepika Padukone too.
The current reigning Queen of Bollywood has excelled in a variety of roles (a
party animal/bold and strong character in Cocktail, a geeky and charming
sweetheart in YJHD to this role now). She seems to be going from strength to
strength and there is no stopping this talented girl. With 4 blockbusters in a
single year coupled with critical appreciation for YJHD and Ram-Leela, I am
sure it is going to be very hard for you to not cast her in your next as well.
You have translated the classic Romeo and Juliet quite
successfully into yet another ‘tragic musical drama’. Your film is set in the
backdrop of a village in Gujarat where 2 ancient enemy clans are fighting among
themselves for supremacy, per se. While Ranveer & Deepika fall in love (at
first sight) though their families can’t stand the sight of each other, their
clans are busy pulling the carpet from underneath each other’s feet and killing
members of either community by taking advantage of a corrupt local administration
and police sytem. Here, like in many parts of India, the Mafia rules the area
rather than the Government or the Police. The storyline, script,screenplay and
plot are engaging with the right amount of twists and also a dash of sensible humour.
The chemistry between the lead pair is electrifying.
The song and dance sequences are breathtaking. You have
really lent a beautiful soundtrack to this film. In my opinion, yet another
musical masterpiece like all your other movies. The background score by your protégé
Monty Sharma was slightly overdone in some parts. The choreography is simply
superb! The right blend of folk, classical and Bollywood styles! In-fact, the
choreography managed to enlighten me that Garbha was not all about going round
in circles and clapping your hands randomly. It’s indeed a beautiful dance form
and you have managed to capture this from all angles flawlessly! And the sets…
wow! Just wow! Brilliantly realistic and gorgeously majestic! The attention to
detail is so fabulous! A special mention here again to the picturization of all
songs, especially Nagada Sangh Dhol and Ang Laga De Re. Also want to ask here
that though Priyanka Chopra’s dance number is good and she looks fab, what
exactly was the purpose of it in the storyline? Just added another 3 or so
minutes to the runtime. Oh well, I guess we would have to give you that liberty
in this age of the so called item songs. After all, even you have been craving
for a hit for quite some time now and the occasional stooping to promotional
antics can be excused. Just hoping it doesn’t become a habit. You are one of
the few of the kind who don’t do it, we have left!
Another special mention here to Supriya Pathak. She was
amazing! Also Richa Chaddha has proven once again that she CAN act! A powerful
performance. Same with Barkha Bisht. Really great work by her. So much better
than her tacky roles in TV soaps. She should stay in the movies. Supriya and
the 2 sisters-in-law of the 2 protagonists really add dimension and depth to
the plot and it is hard to imagine anyone else pull off these roles with the
same impact.
A few negatives are surely the Dabangg-style over-the-top action
in 1 particular scene with Ranveer Singh where he goes to Supriya for the first
time to offer peace. Looked really fake and didn’t go with the
whole scheme of things (I guess it was for the ‘masses’ again… hmmm) ! I have
already mentioned the unnecessary ‘Ram Chahe Leela’ song and the overdone
background score at parts. But Mr.Bhansali, I must say you are back! As
multi-coloured and multi-faceted producer, director, music director, script-writer
and everything in between! Just stick to what you are brilliant at. Bhansali
movie loyalists will surely love this one and even the others could… credits to
commercialization.
Final Verdict- Super Hit! 4.5 / 5
Wednesday 20 November 2013
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Monday 4 November 2013
‘Net’as On and In the Net…!
Few
days ago, I was watching a panel debate on a leading TV News Channel according
to which ‘the nation wants to know!’ (No points for guessing the channel or the
show). It was about how extensive and effective the role of the internet and
social media is in creating political awareness and whether it is an important
sphere to look at before and after elections and all related tangential topics.
The guests being spokespersons from the 2 largest national parties and a poor
columnist who barely got a 3rd of the time the others got to make
his point. However, he made the most sense that night and even managed to
silence the moderator to my surprise.
Jokes
apart, this debate is a comparatively new one and understandably so, because use
of social media by parties itself is a recent concept. The Bharatiya Janata
Party has an obvious advantage as they started off earlier and they supposedly
have social media teams working round the clock. These teams mainly maintain
Twitter and Facebook pages of the party and the leaders, apart from keeping
websites updated and posting feeds and blogs occasionally. The PM candidate of
the same party has a huge social media presence. His followers are unparalleled
in number and active as ever, even composing anthems that have gone somewhat
viral on YouTube. The Indian National Congress dismisses this presence by
alleging that most of his followers are fake/paid. At first, I thought that
this was just a defence to the abysmal numbers on pages of leaders from their
own party, but after the night of that particular TV debate, it got me
thinking. Mr.Sanjay Jha and Mr.Tehseen Poonawallah, who speak for the Congress
made a remark that 72-74% of Modi’s followers are fake. In a huge blunder,
Ms.Meenakshi Lekhi of the BJP refuted the argument saying that only 60-65% were
fake. I find it quite funny… 60% is still huge and if they are trying to fool
the media and the people with large numbers, it isn’t working. Rahul’s rallies
in UP had humongous attendance at every place but the results of the elections
spoke a different story. Go figure!
The
social media is definitely a way of connecting to the semi-urban and urban
classes, mainly the youth. We spend a major chunk of our time on these sites
and a significant number of us track news stories and national issues through
these sites as the updates are live and happen in real time. Parties across the
board must realize this and step up their game. The medium must be used as an
agent to reach out to the youth and connect with them. It should not be just
for some kind of propaganda and campaigning for the next elections. Having said
that, elections cannot be fought on the internet alone. Majority of the country
still does not have access to computers and internet, forget Facebook and
Twitter. Some political commentators are also warning the BJP that these
supporters and followers (40-60% of them that are supposedly the ‘real’ ones) on
the internet are the ones that do not come out to cast their votes. They remain
mere ‘keyboard warriors’ that flood cyberspace with love and support but do not
care to step out on polling day.
For
the past few days, websites and news have been filled with stories of
‘CoalGate’. That an FIR was filed against Kumara Mangalam Birla was the
trending topic for a while and hazaar comments from various ministers,
politicians and corporate honchos filled the screens of TVs, mobiles and
computers. An ex-babu making a statement about the PM made matters worse for
the Govt and the ruling party. His silence is baffling and credibility at an
all-time low. He might not be guilty, but that is not the point.
The
Government has already suffered embarrassment over withdrawal of the bill
shielding convicted lawmakers after Rahul made his voice heard. These days, the
Vice-President of the Congress and probable PM candidate is in the news for all
the right reasons. The ‘this nonsense deserves to be torn’ remark brought him to
the forefront of change in ideology the youth want see. As a result, Lalu
Prasad Yadav(been in the net for a while now), an ally of the INC was sent to
jail. His speeches at recent rallies have struck a chord with the people too.
But is this too little too late? Modi has been better at this and that too for
quite some time now.
Getting
back to the other ‘net’, some suggest that in the future, voting should be
allowed on the internet too. This will cater to the ‘keyboard warriors’ and
might really increase voting percentages and voter participation. It is an
important time for the country when political awareness and activism is taking
centrestage and a huge number of regional and local alternatives are coming to
the forefront of the political landscape. A few ‘clean’ alternatives like Aam
Aadmi Party and Lok Satta Party also seem to be gaining popularity but the
actual results will be seen in the forthcoming assembly and general elections.
These parties too, since they are new and do not have massive ‘funding’ are
trying to use the internet to its maximum potential to reach out to voters.
A
few allege that I am biased towards the Congress party and some even say that I
am a paid agent. These preposterous allegations are baseless and the fact
remains that I have and never will be biased towards any single party. My
support or the lack of it is totally issue-based and the country should also
steer away from fearful thoughts of imaginary riots and unrest in the future
and vote for a stable model of governance, harmony and progress. The
constitution, media and of course the citizens will never allow anything wrong.
In conclusion, it is up to the actual voter and not the keyboard warriors to
decide the future of the country. @Confused? #don’t
be… remember to vote! J
Tuesday 13 August 2013
The Big Fight: LCD vs LED Technology in TVs
WHAT
IS LCD TELEVISION?
Liquid-crystal display televisions (LCD TV) are television sets that
use LCD display technology to produce images. LCD televisions are thinner and
lighter than cathode ray tube (CRTs)
of similar display size, and are available in much larger sizes. When
manufacturing costs fell, this combination of features made LCDs practical for
television receivers.
WHAT
IS LED TELEVISION?
It is similar to an LCD TV;
however, it uses LED as the source of backlight. A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light
source.
BY WHO AND IN WHICH YEARS WERE THEY INVENTED?
LCD: - The
exact date and inventor are not known. LCD TVs came to be after a series of
various inventions based on research and development by various people and big
electronics MNCs. Combined efforts of researchers, scientists, universities,
electronic giants and industrialists led to the LCD TV. However, James Fergason
is commonly and widely accepted as the inventor though he is not the sole
individual involved in the process.
LED: - In the
case of both commercial LED screens and domestic versions, several companies
have adopted the technologies at similar times. It is safe to say that no one
person or company "invented" the LED television although credit must
be given to the engineering teams who first applied LED technology to
television and video displays.
LED
VS LCD:-
An LED TV uses less power, provides
a brighter display with better contrast, a thinner panel, and lesser heat
dissipation than a conventional LCD
TV. This is because an LED TV uses light-emitting diodes for
backlighting versus CCFLs used
by conventional LCD TVs. An LED TV offers more colors, especially ones that use
RGB-LED backlighting. On average, LED TVs are priced higher than traditional LCD TVs that use CCFLs for backlighting. LED
TVs use energy-efficient light emitting diodes (LED) for backlighting. These
consume less power than cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) used in
traditional LCD televisions. Power savings are typically 20-30%.
WHICH IS MORE POPULAR?
As of now, the LCD
technology is extremely popular as people have dumped the conventional bulky
cathode tube TVs for the better option. Although huge numbers of people,
especially in poorer nations like India still use the old box-type TVs they are
slowly going out of usage as even big companies have stopped manufacturing them
due to low demand. An important point to note however is that even LCD TV users
are slowly but steadily switching to LED TVs due to various benefits they offer
like better picture quality, thinner panel, substantial electricity consumption
reduction etc. One of the reasons that deter the “aam aadmi” from opting for
LED is due to its slightly higher costing.
FUTURE OF BOTH TECHNOLOGIES:-
Various studies and reports
show for sure that the conventional cathode TVs are not going to be prevalent
any longer than a decade. Populations the world over are shifting to modern
technologies like the LCD and LED to stay with the times. As of now, the LCD
market is stable but the LED demand is on the rise. Having said that, it is
hard to forecast in the world of technology- because as we all know, every
second of the day, there is a new discovery/invention/development taking place
and it is surely going to be hard to keep up!
RIGHT TO EDUCATION:What,Why and How?
India is a vast and huge country. According to the Preamble of our country, we follow the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. India is also a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic. We are approaching the 66th year of Independence and we still face a number of hurdles and challenges. The path to attaining economic development and stability is long and arduous. However, we Indians are known to be fighters and we have hope that we will be a global super-power someday. We face a lot of challenges as of today and these include poverty, population growth, poor healthcare and sanitation, poor urban and rural infrastructure, high infant mortality rate, low per-capita income, corruption, malnutrition, etc among many others.
One of the biggest and greatest
challenges we face today though is from the field of education. A huge section
of society in India is still illiterate. India currently has the world’s
largest population of illiterates. Although literacy rate grew from 12% in 1947
to 74% in 2011, a six-fold improvement, it is still much below the global
average of 84% literacy rate. The gender disparity is even more disappointing.
Around 82% of men were literate in India whereas only around 65% of women were
literate. This is slowly improving and the disparity is reducing but it should
happen faster and in a better way.
The Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies
minimum norms in elementary schools. It requires all private schools to reserve
25% of seats to children (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the
public-private partnership plan). Kids are admitted in to private schools based
on caste based reservations. It
also prohibits all unrecognized schools from practice, and makes provisions for
no donation or capitation fees and no interview of the child or parent for
admission. The Act also provides
that no child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board
examination until the completion of elementary education. There is also a
provision for special training of school drop-outs to bring them up to par with
students of the same age.
The passing of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education (RTE) Act 2009 marks a historic moment for the children of
India. This Act serves as a building block to ensure that every child has
his or her right (as an entitlement) to get a quality elementary education, and
that the State, with the help of families and communities, fulfils this
obligation. Few countries in the
world have such a national provision to ensure both free and child-centered,
child-friendly education. This Act is also important because it is
inclusive in nature and brings into its ambit the SCs, STs and OBCs as well as
the disabled, HIV positive children, transgenders, orphans etc. This will
result in free and quality education for all sections of society. This in turn
will lead to increase in literacy rates, increase in employment, reduction in
poverty and thereby benefitting the nation on the whole.
THE POLITICS OF FOOD
Recently a food security ordinance was passed by the union cabinet and signed by President Pranab Mukherjee to fight hunger and malnutrition in the country. This is going to be achieved by providing highly subsidised foodgrains to about 67 per cent of the population.
Touted as a ‘game-changer’, the Government led by the Congress Party is looking to push the bill in the monsoon session of Parliament. Simultaneously, the Government is also looking to push through another ‘game-changer’ – the land acquisition Bill.
If these two are implemented and executed in the right manner, many believe it would give some hope to the Congress of not completely embarrassing themselves, if not coming back to power, when the country goes to the polls next year (or at the end of this year).
Many parties oppose the rushing through of the food Bill though they agree in principle with the need to make India hunger-free. They also want to sort out some issues through debate in Parliament.
However, several sections have expressed their reservations about the Bill. The first concerns the intention of the political parties. The timing of the decision and the urgency with which it was pushed through is also under question. Neither the Government nor the other parties show a similar urgency and unity on issues and policies regarding stabilising and strengthening the economy. Yet, the Opposition parties will not make much noise as no one wants to be viewed as being anti-poor.
The Bill envisages a minimum expenditure of Rs 6.82 crore to implement the programme. With India lagging behind in healthcare, education, sanitation, infrastructure and so on, it is shocking to see so much being spent in just one area.BIGGER FOCUS
We want India to be hunger free but is this the right path to take? Will it work in the long run? Will tax-payers’ money lead to results on the ground? Especially given that the PDS system we have is riddled with corruption, adulteration, diversion and pilferage. The PDS system should first be rectified. The Direct Benefit Transfer system is a really good measure and the Government should first ensure that all the districts they look to include in the ambit of the food security Bill has 100 per cebt aadhar enrolment along with bank account-linked citizens. This will ensure the money reaches the actual beneficiaries.
Similar schemes have been launched in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. The Chattisgarh scheme should serve as an example. The one in Karnataka was a poll promise made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. It gives 30 kg of rice per month to BPL families at Re.1 a kg. Although the scheme has been launched and is running smoothly, the CM faces funding difficulties.
The focus should also be on creating jobs and attracting industries to rural areas so that the youth over there can earn a livelihood and lead a better life. Education and healthcare should be given importance in rural areas. Empowering the people and getting them to work and earn a living for themselves is better than providing food at throwaway prices. The old saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” comes to mind. With parties and politicians politicising every issue from education to sports, natural disasters to the economy, it is hardly surprising that we are in a Catch-22 situation today. An inconsistent, irresponsible and disruptive Opposition doesn’t help.Instead of having meaningful and constructive debates in Parliament, they shout their lungs out in TV studios every evening.
Shoddy implementation and an aggressive approach just to win votes has taken the sheen off bold economic measures such as FDI in multi-brand retail and deregulation of fuel price, among others. Whether this gets the Congress back to power for a third stint is something we’ll have to wait and watch!
Monday 8 July 2013
Animated About Animation
With
astounding successes of Rango, Wall E, Cars, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Rio, Happy
Feet, Ice age and other recent animated feature films along with the slightly
older ones like Toy Story, Chicken Little, Aladdin, Tarzan, Beauty and the
Beast and Bugs Life among others, the international focus is slowly turning
towards the animation industry. Major players like Walt Disney, Pixar and
Warner Brothers still have a huge market stronghold but smaller studios are
slowly gaining popularity.
Although India's film
industry has
a long history, it is a relatively newcomer to the field of animation. A decade ago, there were hardly 10-15
animation related studios in the country but today, there are hundreds of them
purely dedicated to animation, graphics and special effects. This steep and
speedy growth can be attributed to huge demand for quality animators and
professionals in the field. This profession not only pays well but is also
lucrative due to its connection with the glamorous film industry. Animation in
India is currently riding on two key factors - a large base of highly skilled
labour, and low cost of production. While the industry is gaining prominence
steadily, several important factors such as the government's role in supporting
the animation industry, and producing original content locally. The industry is
growing at the rate of 30% and is estimated to reach US$ 1.5 billion by 2015.
Lots of international studios and production houses are outsourcing film-making
processes to India. Animation and graphics are used everywhere nowadays-
Movies, TV serials, advertisements, trailers, promos etc. The advertising
industry is also a major employer of trained professionals from this field.
Careers in the new media industry which include the
internet, websites, multimedia, games, digital entertainment etc are
non-monotonous and each day is different. Each day poses a new challenge. The
media industry, particularly off-late is best described as a field where
“Technology meets creativity” (As the institute I am doing the course at-
Animaster Academy, Bangalore, puts it) . Jobs are aplenty and courses and
specializations to choose from are vast. A student can either pursue an
undergraduate degree and start working or pursue higher studies to specialize
in a department. There is also freedom to study and work abroad or even enter
the Journalism field.
With such a huge scope and amazing opportunities
beckoning young, vibrant and energetic individuals, the animation and new media
industry is sure not to disappoint!
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