I was associated with the Nation's greatest, biggest, largest, bestest (if there is any such word) College Festival i.e. Mood Indigo at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. I spent four fantabulous days there. The atmosphere was simple mind-blowing, not to mention the sheer number of junta that turned up to attend this festival. IIT B was host to people in excess of 10^5 in the four days, a record of sorts, even by MI standards! The reason for that is obvious : Just have a look at the people who performed at MI 05.
Shaan, Vayu, Helga's Funk Castle, Sceptre, P. C. Sorcar Junior, Indian Ocean, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pt. Ronu Mazumdar.
Added to this were zillions of other attractions, including competitions galore with lots of prizes to be won. And if you were not interested in the competitions, there were a lot many single females roaming around on the IIT B campus, a highly unusual sight that! I propose to write a lengthier article about it later. Currently, I am recovering from the after effects of partying hard!!!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Beauty and the Beast
This article is really a review of the flick : "King Kong"
King Kong (KK) is the riveting tale of how a mindless, destructive creature is enthralled by the beauty of a New-York girl. In the recent past, I have had a really bad experience with Science Fiction type of movies, because they centred around special effects and failed to deliver on the storyline front. Not so with KK; Peter Jackson (of LOTR fame) delivers a stunning visual saga with a compelling storyline. The end effect is one that leaves the viewer spellbound and asking for more. Some of the scenes in the movie are not meant for the squeamish though and I would strictly advise junta not to take kids along to the movie.
The movie starts with what is probably a theatre in mid-30s era in a depression affected United States. It shows the female lead, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) as a performing comedian in the theatre which caters to the "not-so-rich" section of the society. People come their for their daily laughs, which they derive from other people falling on stage and in general making fools of themselves. But the lady hides a secret desire to work on a larger stage, one where the people appreciate her for her acting talent and not just for her foolhardiness. When the theatre closes down, she is forced to the streets and that is where she meets over-ambitious and notorious director Carl Denham (Jack Black). And then they set out for a haphazard sea-voyage with Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), as the wiry, skeptical script writer in tow. Carl manages to convince Ann that he is filming a love story aboard a ship that is on it's way to Singapore and he has a narcissist in Bruce Baxter (Kyle Chandler) as the male lead for the film.
Unbeknownst to all of them (although they do later find out), Carl hopes to find Skull Island, a mystical island which is rumoured to have a whole prehistoric ecosystem, complete with local tribals. And they do find the island. Till this point, the movie moves along at a slow pace, and indeed it does require to do that to build up the background. Once the film crew do set foot on the island though, there is no turning back; neither for them, nor for the audience. What follows is a visual extravaganza, which begins when the tribals capture Ann. They offer her as a human sacrifice to the malevolent King Kong. King Kong finally arrives on the scene more than 45 minutes after the movie has started. He does indeed capture the sacrifice, and takes her away. Meanwhile, Jack who has fallen head over heels in love with Ann mounts a rescue mission for her. Everything that happens after that is a blur. Sometimes the action is so fast paced, that people with heart trouble are advised to stay away from the film!
Be it King Kong's fight with three T-Rex's or the fight for survival of the motley band of Ann's "rescuers", Peter Jackson uses CGI to it's best. He has created such a wide and unbelievable array of creepy-crawlies and ghastlies, that one is sure to get a chill down the spine. The ten minute King Kong vs. T-Rex sequence is so intense that you have to grip the seat with both your hands in an effort to prevent your brains leaving your physical self! And then there are the nasty, slimy multi-legged creatures which attack Jack and co., in general making life hell for them in the mission for Ann's rescue. The movie has it's comic moments though. The scene in which Brontosaurs fall over each other in a huge heap is hilarious to say the least.
Where the movie really scores though is in the portrayal of King Kong as the "malevolent-turned-submissive" brute. The eyes of the beast are so real and so full of emotion, they speak more than words could ever have. The bond of the beauty and the beast is depicted marvelously. The visuals, although computer generated, are simply mind-blowing and the scene in which Ann and KK sit atop a mountain watching a sunset is out of this world. It shows a giant who has been captured by beauty. And just as Ann and KK are developing their unnatural 'love' bond, along comes the saviour, Jack. And KK follows them into a trap laid by none other than the wily Carl. Carl has ambitions to take the giant to New-York and earn his millions by putting him on display.
The tragic part of the movie comes when King Kong dies in trying to "protect" his loved one. He falls prey to the bullets of the fighter planes and the scene which shows his gradual fall from the building to the ground is heart rending. There is absolute silence and you can hear your heart weeping for the poor, mute soul of the beast. The emotions in the creature's eyes are there for all to see. It is overcome with grief at losing the "thing" it treasures so much; the "thing" which it has loved unselfishly and has had one hell of a time protecting. You can see the pain it is feeling, not so much from the bullets as from the prospect of never being able to see the loved one again. And after his departure, the only scene which sticks out as a sore thumb comes on. Just after Ann loses a "loved" one, enters Jack. And she immediately runs into his arms. We don't want to see that. We want her to mourn for King Kong.
The movie is brilliant and the reason I chose the title that I have for the article is because of Carl's comment, which aptly sums up the film :
"It wasn't the air-planes that killed him. It was beauty that killed the beast"
King Kong (KK) is the riveting tale of how a mindless, destructive creature is enthralled by the beauty of a New-York girl. In the recent past, I have had a really bad experience with Science Fiction type of movies, because they centred around special effects and failed to deliver on the storyline front. Not so with KK; Peter Jackson (of LOTR fame) delivers a stunning visual saga with a compelling storyline. The end effect is one that leaves the viewer spellbound and asking for more. Some of the scenes in the movie are not meant for the squeamish though and I would strictly advise junta not to take kids along to the movie.
The movie starts with what is probably a theatre in mid-30s era in a depression affected United States. It shows the female lead, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) as a performing comedian in the theatre which caters to the "not-so-rich" section of the society. People come their for their daily laughs, which they derive from other people falling on stage and in general making fools of themselves. But the lady hides a secret desire to work on a larger stage, one where the people appreciate her for her acting talent and not just for her foolhardiness. When the theatre closes down, she is forced to the streets and that is where she meets over-ambitious and notorious director Carl Denham (Jack Black). And then they set out for a haphazard sea-voyage with Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), as the wiry, skeptical script writer in tow. Carl manages to convince Ann that he is filming a love story aboard a ship that is on it's way to Singapore and he has a narcissist in Bruce Baxter (Kyle Chandler) as the male lead for the film.
Unbeknownst to all of them (although they do later find out), Carl hopes to find Skull Island, a mystical island which is rumoured to have a whole prehistoric ecosystem, complete with local tribals. And they do find the island. Till this point, the movie moves along at a slow pace, and indeed it does require to do that to build up the background. Once the film crew do set foot on the island though, there is no turning back; neither for them, nor for the audience. What follows is a visual extravaganza, which begins when the tribals capture Ann. They offer her as a human sacrifice to the malevolent King Kong. King Kong finally arrives on the scene more than 45 minutes after the movie has started. He does indeed capture the sacrifice, and takes her away. Meanwhile, Jack who has fallen head over heels in love with Ann mounts a rescue mission for her. Everything that happens after that is a blur. Sometimes the action is so fast paced, that people with heart trouble are advised to stay away from the film!
Be it King Kong's fight with three T-Rex's or the fight for survival of the motley band of Ann's "rescuers", Peter Jackson uses CGI to it's best. He has created such a wide and unbelievable array of creepy-crawlies and ghastlies, that one is sure to get a chill down the spine. The ten minute King Kong vs. T-Rex sequence is so intense that you have to grip the seat with both your hands in an effort to prevent your brains leaving your physical self! And then there are the nasty, slimy multi-legged creatures which attack Jack and co., in general making life hell for them in the mission for Ann's rescue. The movie has it's comic moments though. The scene in which Brontosaurs fall over each other in a huge heap is hilarious to say the least.
Where the movie really scores though is in the portrayal of King Kong as the "malevolent-turned-submissive" brute. The eyes of the beast are so real and so full of emotion, they speak more than words could ever have. The bond of the beauty and the beast is depicted marvelously. The visuals, although computer generated, are simply mind-blowing and the scene in which Ann and KK sit atop a mountain watching a sunset is out of this world. It shows a giant who has been captured by beauty. And just as Ann and KK are developing their unnatural 'love' bond, along comes the saviour, Jack. And KK follows them into a trap laid by none other than the wily Carl. Carl has ambitions to take the giant to New-York and earn his millions by putting him on display.
The tragic part of the movie comes when King Kong dies in trying to "protect" his loved one. He falls prey to the bullets of the fighter planes and the scene which shows his gradual fall from the building to the ground is heart rending. There is absolute silence and you can hear your heart weeping for the poor, mute soul of the beast. The emotions in the creature's eyes are there for all to see. It is overcome with grief at losing the "thing" it treasures so much; the "thing" which it has loved unselfishly and has had one hell of a time protecting. You can see the pain it is feeling, not so much from the bullets as from the prospect of never being able to see the loved one again. And after his departure, the only scene which sticks out as a sore thumb comes on. Just after Ann loses a "loved" one, enters Jack. And she immediately runs into his arms. We don't want to see that. We want her to mourn for King Kong.
The movie is brilliant and the reason I chose the title that I have for the article is because of Carl's comment, which aptly sums up the film :
"It wasn't the air-planes that killed him. It was beauty that killed the beast"
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Pressure and it's derivatives
This article is not a physics lecture. It has something to do with parental and peer pressure, a thing often experienced by students all across the world. Notice, I say all across the world and not just India. This is because the phenomenon is uniformly distributed across the globe. In India, it's manifestation is in the form of exams and the need to earn six figure incomes whereas in the west, it is seen in the form of the need to belong somewhere or be recognised for what you are.
The fallouts of this are immediatley obvious. Pressure is not good for everyone. Not everyone has the capability to withstand it. So, people succumb to it. Take the case of the student who recently committed suicide in IIT Bombay. He was aghast at having failed in some examination/s. And apparently, he did not have the self-confidence or belief to face his parents or his friends, which is why he chose the easy way out. I know that it's wrong to speak in a negative way about the deceased, but I cannot help it. I have no sympathy for the person who chooses to commit suicide. If there is anyone I do feel sorry about, it is the parents of the boy. What a waste of their efforts in bringing him up all these years.
Parental pressure is a term coined by certain psychiatrists who connived together, to fool people into parting with their hard earned money. It is so easy to blame somebody else for what you are today. And none better and easier to do the same with than your very parents! Because my parents forced me to take up Medicine, I am a failure today. Because my father was a strict disciplanarian, I am the under-confident person that I am today. We get to hear such comments all the time. I agree that some parents are obsessed with their child's future. In the sense that they often end up taking decisions for the child and in such cases the above statements may be valid. Still, there is a limit to being pushed around. In the formative years, the parents' decisions are probably for the best. However, they need to be questioned if they become too controlling or obtrusive. If a person says that he/she chose Engineering not out of his own choice but because of his parents' wishes, he/she can only be pitied. By the time you are 18, you are "supposed" to be mature enough to take decisions for yourself. And if you allow yourself to be pushed around even then, nobody can help you.
And then there are the people out there who go by what their friends say. They are no better off than those who go by what their parents say! Apparently, the boy who committed suicide had an aptitude for Computer Engineering. He however chose to take up Physics at IIT Bombay over Computer Engineering at IIT Guwahati. I am willing to bet that he had been told by his seniors or "friends" that IIT Guwahati is no good. While seniors' and friends' advice can come in handy, you need to make sure where the person who is giving you the advice stands. Does he/she have a personal agenda? What could be the motive, if any, of the person criticising some place or person? Find answers to these questions and then decide for yourself if the person is genuine or not. And if you fail in recognising someone as genuine, never mind. There will always be a next time. If you choose a wrong person, you can commit it to memory to ensure that you will not repeat the same mistake again.
I am sure that people will raise objections against this post. I am sure they will fall into one of the two categories that I have described above.
The fallouts of this are immediatley obvious. Pressure is not good for everyone. Not everyone has the capability to withstand it. So, people succumb to it. Take the case of the student who recently committed suicide in IIT Bombay. He was aghast at having failed in some examination/s. And apparently, he did not have the self-confidence or belief to face his parents or his friends, which is why he chose the easy way out. I know that it's wrong to speak in a negative way about the deceased, but I cannot help it. I have no sympathy for the person who chooses to commit suicide. If there is anyone I do feel sorry about, it is the parents of the boy. What a waste of their efforts in bringing him up all these years.
Parental pressure is a term coined by certain psychiatrists who connived together, to fool people into parting with their hard earned money. It is so easy to blame somebody else for what you are today. And none better and easier to do the same with than your very parents! Because my parents forced me to take up Medicine, I am a failure today. Because my father was a strict disciplanarian, I am the under-confident person that I am today. We get to hear such comments all the time. I agree that some parents are obsessed with their child's future. In the sense that they often end up taking decisions for the child and in such cases the above statements may be valid. Still, there is a limit to being pushed around. In the formative years, the parents' decisions are probably for the best. However, they need to be questioned if they become too controlling or obtrusive. If a person says that he/she chose Engineering not out of his own choice but because of his parents' wishes, he/she can only be pitied. By the time you are 18, you are "supposed" to be mature enough to take decisions for yourself. And if you allow yourself to be pushed around even then, nobody can help you.
And then there are the people out there who go by what their friends say. They are no better off than those who go by what their parents say! Apparently, the boy who committed suicide had an aptitude for Computer Engineering. He however chose to take up Physics at IIT Bombay over Computer Engineering at IIT Guwahati. I am willing to bet that he had been told by his seniors or "friends" that IIT Guwahati is no good. While seniors' and friends' advice can come in handy, you need to make sure where the person who is giving you the advice stands. Does he/she have a personal agenda? What could be the motive, if any, of the person criticising some place or person? Find answers to these questions and then decide for yourself if the person is genuine or not. And if you fail in recognising someone as genuine, never mind. There will always be a next time. If you choose a wrong person, you can commit it to memory to ensure that you will not repeat the same mistake again.
I am sure that people will raise objections against this post. I am sure they will fall into one of the two categories that I have described above.
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