Author: farooq Page 8 of 45

I’m slowly growing tired (present continuous) of the ‘Yaar, hamara time kab ayega’ tone thrown casually in conversations reeking of ungratefulness. This can be heard while sipping an overtly expensive coffee, sitting at a pub by paying an exorbitant bill for a ‘good weekend’, from the windows of an Uber or from the seats of an aircraft flying miles above, popcorn stuffed mouths in a movie theatre and probably from every nook & corner in a typical Urban landscape.

There’s always a level-up we look towards. Nothing wrong in that. But why with an ungrateful attitude?

Just stop for a good 5 minute. Time it, if you like. Look at your life now. Look back to what it was before. Has it become better?

‘Yeahh.. but..it could have…”
Stop!

Think of the good things. You know what they are! Think hard.
In an earlier post, I wrote about ‘What should be our life’s metrics?’ The most appropriate answer for it that I think of it is, ‘Happiness’. Just this. Define that happiness at each stage of your life and then look back to see, have you achieved it?
No, this isn’t the ‘Have I made it large’ moment. You don’t and you might not always be able to make it. But don’t define your life with just the achievements. Leave it for your annual appraisals. Not for your happiness.

It is tough not to crib when it is the fashion. Cribbing about everything is increasingly becoming the norm of our generation. Downplaying our own achievements is what keeps us pre-occupied and supposedly keeps us grounded. It’ll ‘supposedly’ help us achieve our goals and being pompous about it might derail that process. It’ll boost that hunger driving one towards their goals. Feeling content might create problems. Fair enough, if you think being content about what you HAVE now might not push you.

But, how is cribbing and being ungrateful for what you have now, going to help?

Your basic necessities might have shifted from the ‘Roti, Kapda, Makaan’ to fancier versions of it and much more, but more than haHamaralf of the world is still struggling. Hell, your own neighborhoods can give you a picture of the stark contrast.

My Ammi always, Always says this, to look at people who don’t have what you have, be thankful to God. This isn’t an original thought but is something to be passed around. Empathy for people living at a lower standard of life should always be higher than sighing over the fancy car that got past you.

To answer the question, ‘Yaar, hamara time kab ayega’.
Maybe it is already here and you don’t even know it.

Lucknow Central Review: An underplayed prison drama that works

By farooq

On September 17, 2017

In Movies & Entertainment

What can you expect from a prison-break drama? I mean what ‘unique story’ can you expect from one? Having watched quite a few over the years, I wasn’t looking forward to ‘Woah! That’s new’.

I wasn’t entirely wrong. The story is most definitely ‘an-innocent-jailed-trying-to-escape’ with a Hindi heartland story and a musical twist to keep you interested. But there is more to the Lucknow Central apart from the music and the obvious escape strategies. The underplaying of every character by all the actor is something unique about this movie. Not one or two, but almost the entire ensemble has made sure to keep themselves in check to not go overboard to the point that the first half buildup appears a tad bit slow apart from a few high moments.

Farhan Akhtar takes time to grow into the UP Bhaiya role he plays in the movie but as you progress with the plot, you realize maybe they wanted to play a low-key and grounded role, instead of an over-the-top-emotionally-draining role. The character is part-fun part-helpless, whose dreams are what every small town guy can relate to. Making it big. However, he still doesn’t outshine the slew of amazingly written characters of Ronit Roy, playing the jailor, and other inmates who plan to escape with him. This includes, Gippi Grewal, Deepak Dobriyal, Rajesh Sharma and InaamulHaq. Each of them putting their best foot forward in aiding the central character of Kishan, played by Farhan, by making a mark of their own. Credit definitely goes to the writing for well-written characters.

It was also good to see no romantic involvement between Kishan (Farhan’s Character) and Diana Penty who plays the role of Gayatri Kashyap, helping in prisoner reformation. Considering how Bollywood movie stories are written, this is a good change.

One scene where he walks next to the projector where they’re playing Amitabh’s Vijay Deenanath Chauhan is the right amount of epic. Same goes with many of the prison-drama scenes, the ragging, the gang-fights and the fun. Each of them characteristically giving you an insight into what goes on behind the jails.

Music isn’t overpowering the narrative and that in a way is a good thing. So are the dialogues.

Lucknow Central has a slow 1^st half start and picks up towards the second half as the screenplay goes. However, the beauty of the movie is in the underplayed performances by its ensemble and some action-packed second half and a good climax.

Lucknow Central is a decent watch in the theatre for how it deals with a concept that isn’t alien to audiences and for its mature handling of the subject.

I’m going with a 3/5 for Farhan Akhtar starrer, Lucknow Central.

Peeping over the other side

By farooq

On September 17, 2017

In Random Philosophy

Anticipation. Anxiety. Over-thinking. We always throw ourselves into the circle of it with a certain hopelessness, which is only characteristic of us, the humans. Not faulty characteristics, just a methodical process we’ve kept ourselves believe that is the way of life. It is arguable, whether we’ve made ourselves believe it or the society has. At our expense.

Already happened. Decided. Done and dusted.

It is with them all. Without a sense of partiality. Uniformly spread.

But some crossover, too. Over to the other side where life is lived without the anticipation. The side with the absence of the thought called ‘What’s next’. Not that everyone is consciously trying to head to that side. In an aptly described clichéd sense it can be the ‘living like there’s no tomorrow.

But there is. For us. Not for them.

Our present swindle between the regrets of the past and the uncertainty of the future. Making us feel guilt and fear, respectively. Romanticize and glorify the past; Sky-high expectations-driven optimism for the future. While they remain constantly in bed with the present. Enjoying the view.

What is the secret? Is it the wiring or a transition from one side to the other a possibility?

We stand at the junction of the present with a leg in the past while deciding where to put our other leg on the map of future. Every decision from our careers to relationships is with our eyes diverging into the above-mentioned directions.

Agreed, that sensible decision making has to take stock of past learnings and an analysis of what can be expected from the future. But is it just an excuse to justify our approach. Or, is it ?

The Crazy Old Adult Me

By farooq

On September 8, 2017

In Random Philosophy

The age when you just start to realize that you’re becoming an adult, the thought worries you. Not about getting old but realizing, ‘So, this is how it feels’. I’m an adult now!

Before this point of realization, college still seems to be just a yesterday’ thing and a work-life appears to be fresh as the day. And then at this juncture, where we allow ourselves to become aware of it, life stands still. Not confused, just still. Trying to gather thoughts in a motionless equilibrium where everything moves, but you. You, with your head, sided against the wall, while observing your blinking glances in a slo-mo. Thinking.

Quantifying bits of achievements to justify this moment slowly dawn on you. Justification for everything is so critical, right?
Scaling the road ahead towards vaguely sketched dreams in that very instant. A progress report ab tak ka. Analysis. Lacking Actions. Playing the devil’s advocate, like always.

All of it is maybe for nothing. These thoughts, the plans, the supposed actions. All for nothing. Just the struggle to remain relevant in distinctive sets of spheres, all in the hope of forming an intersection spot when those spheres meet when we end our life. The perfect Venn Diagram for each of us.
Heaving a sigh of breath being held with patience, and twitching the unibrow (Yes!).

A voice echoed. I need to write about this. But no one will get it! At least, the crazies would!

And then again stood there glancing over the coffee-maker in the kitchen. I need that.

Choosing Writing over sleep? You’ll waste your weekend morning again! Weekend Tradition, after all.

Of work and taking a leap (Not)

By farooq

On September 5, 2017

In Random Philosophy

On the first of September, I completed 2 years at my current job. And I was like woah! Time Flies fast. To be precise, 51+ months in two different companies. Ironically, I had to take a day off from work because of a cold.

Maybe it was life’s way of telling me to press a reset button, at least try to, by taking rest.

The job has been pretty good. The people, work and the off-work life hasn’t been bad. Few draggy whining sessions notwithstanding. That’s part of the package called work, right ?

There are very few movies which I watch over often. Today I happened to watch one of them. Devil wears Prada. I know. Not everyone likes it. But I do. It doesn’t have much meat in it. And yet it is so relevant. About work. And the life around it. One can never know at what point your work overtakes your life.

I love the narration-less subtelty of the climax. It speaks. Or maybe I want it to speak. Don’t we do that with all slice-of-life movies?

When do we get out of the nest? How do we fly or just dive? Where does our true calling lie? Will that even lead us somewhere? What of we are just not meant to become what we aspire for? Do we even have what it takes? Are we even willing to put in the effort required?

Aah! The questions that a caffeinated mind throws up! Add to that, the tablets that I’ve had to take to get rid of this cold. Yes, this cold, which persists. A long lost friend who isn’t ready to bid adieu.

I think it is pointless to come up with these thoughts unless I’m going to act on it. Maybe for once I won’t play it safe and take a big leap. These leaps look so good in my stories. The stories I want to tell (Aah, my plans!).
But the what-ifs scare me back to the drawing board. To the theory of it. Nestled inside. Reluctant to dive. Impractical aspirations. Overtaken by laziness.

How does one change it?

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: Shattered stories of our times

By farooq

On August 28, 2017

In Book Reviews

‘How to tell a shattered story?

By slowly becoming everybody.

No.

By slowly becoming everything’.

True to this, Arundhati Roy is able to become the shattered selves of each of the characters she pens down in the book. It is a story of one, and it is the story of others, as we read.

‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ is a fiction about current affair calamities woven together into a book about the modern conflicts. It mirrors through the length and breadth of the country’s many tragedies like a pendulum swindling across unsymmetrically.

I’d still rate ‘God of small things’ as a better book but this is still one amazing book I’ve read in a while. Although, full disclosure, I read only a select few. The half-read books on my shelf are now shouting, ‘Say..finish reading only a few’. However, if you are looking for a recommendation, then I’ll say, yes, go ahead and buy one!

It has been a few years since I read ‘The God of Small Things’ which was Arundhati Roy’s first novel. A Booker prize winning debut novel. When I first read it, it was a fascinating insight of Kerala, at least a little, Communism, caste-system among other things which formed the backdrop of the lives of two twins. They were central and everything else was background.

‘The Ministry of utmost happiness’ keeps the background running parallel along with the many protagonists that are scattered through the storyline.

It has an interesting ensemble of characters. There is a ‘hijda’ Aftab who became Anjum, who is central to her world of other characters, ranging from her gharana, to people who walk through and along with her, literally to the graveyard. A graveyard which gives refuge to the shattered souls of the world. Then there is Tilo, the non-beautiful dark skinned woman, who is loved by three distinctive men with shattered stories of their own. Each of the characters walks across others’ lives. Making a difference, to their own, and others they touch.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness captures the unrest in Kashmir as well as the plight of ‘naxals’. It talks about transgender lives and their conflicts, changing face of our society, communal riots, political commentary, and things which as a subject, you won’t tag as fiction.

Yes, sometimes, Roy seems to go overboard in blurring the line between political commentary and fiction, and if you’re acquainted about the happenings, appears like a view point pushed deliberately. But this happens in the case of issues, I’m familiar with, the ones I’m not; seems fascinating for the lack of a better word. But, even with this, the commentary does work in giving you an overview of the times.

The joy of reading the book was in how the characters appeared to say so much without telling it. The book is like a narration of a theatre play where the actors are very emotive, grabbing your utmost attention and giving you a semblance of happiness, grief and more importantly an understanding of their worlds.

Thank you, Arundhati Roy for your second novel!

When will we get freedom from fears?

By farooq

On August 13, 2017

In Politics & Social Issues

Just a little over a day is left when we’ll be celebrating Independence Day. The 70th Independence Day!

If I were in school, the practice for a patriotic group song or a speech in remembrance of our Freedom movement would be what everyone would be looking at. And not to forget sweets at the end of the program. I also remember heading over to the nearby Police Station with dada to get the sweet packet from. No problems in admitting that sweets were the only motivation for the visit to the local thana.

The last time I attended Independence Day celebration, it was in 2013, when I was still a student. Although thanks to the National Anthem being played in theatres, singing the national anthem has become synonymous with movie-watching. Of course, there is no harm in standing up for less than a minute to sing along our National Anthem. And even if there was, we should just shut up. Who knows a hyper-nationalist sitting next to you might kick you out of the theatre, right?

This fear isn’t limited to a closed theatre only. Posting anything against this holier-than-thou government and their actions, might land you a few abuses, a long-never-ending argument and maybe even a trip down to the local police station. Even if I wouldn’t like to believe that, all the relatives and family friends on my timeline, make sure to tell my mother about the possibility of it.

When will we get the freedom from thi fear?

If people of the stature of Hamid Ansari can be targeted for speaking about this ‘fear’ among the minorities, then who the hell am I? I’ll be bulldozed by a mob or my inbox filled with hate! And no, I don’t even need that goddamn Sararara app for it!

Remember that time when Aamir Khan opened his mouth and got branded as an anti-national? (I had written about that here: https://reveringthoughts.com/2015/…/24/intolerance-reactions/) and if we can just change Aamir Khan with Hamid Ansari, I’ll still hold true. The reaction to the statements about Intolerance is actually proof of where we stand. This has become such a routine thing that the irony died a long time back. The backlash multiplies if you happen to have a Muslim name.

After 2 days, I’m certain to find out skull-cap-donning kids with the Indian Flag from across the country to reiterate our patriotism all over my Timeline. Frankly, only when we don’t have to show or share such images, then I’d be truly proud.

The expectation from the majority that we have to ‘show’ our loyalty is the saddest thing to witness on a day when our country got independence. Of course, how optimist I would like myself to be, I know that things are not going to change. Especially with the current narrative being pushed through mainstream media and the thousands of paid trolls.

Anyway, all of this isn’t something new and of course, there’ll be another version of this after a few months. The divide between communities and ideologies will keep on increasing.
Remember that time when we used to say, ‘Sab neta chor hain’ and almost everyone used to agree on that almost unanimously? Now, can you say that? Now, only the Congress Netas are corrupt, regional parties not with BJPee are minority-appeasement parties (as if that’s a bad thing), and only BJPee can do Vikas.

After all, 3 saalon me bas vikas hi hua hai. Hai na ?

What goes in my head when a trip ends?

By farooq

On August 5, 2017

In Random Philosophy, Travel & Food

“….it ain’t me..” with its strummings and beats fill my ears as the bus whooshes towards Bangalore. Selena Gomez is good. I never realized before that she sings this well. For me, she reminds me of ‘The Wizards of Waverly Prince’. Aah! Disney Channel back in the day.

Anyway!

“….who’s gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning…”

I’m left to think of what I’m taking back from this trip. When you’re traveling alone, a lot of these thoughts come dropping by. Of course, the extra kilos and pictures, are a given. But, what else do we take back from a trip?

What do I take back from a trip?

The feeling of this place?

A sense of exploring something new?

Another place ticked off from the checklist?

Content for my blog?

Meeting people? And friends?

What is it that I’m taking back with me?

The bus stops to pick a few more passengers. As I notice other vehicles go past ours, I try my best to form an answer.

I’ve hated the feeling of getting stuck. Of not moving. This miniature depiction of my emotion is apt. Is this the answer?

Travel helps in knowing, if I intend to, I won’t get stuck. From decisions. From questions that life throws. I might end up choosing the wrong direction. Catching the wrong bus. Missing my bus. Getting delayed. Been there, done that. Fashionably.

I can try to not confine my boundaries. And even break the ones that I’ve set. Others haven’t.

What else do I take back?

The randomness of conversations. Ones you would remember as long as you’re part of it. You’ll remember the laughter. The faces. The sadness behind those eyes that they hide. The excitement of capturing something new. The people. Yes, them. I take parts of them with me. Imagine how they’d deal with situations. Making them part of my stories. The ones I write, the ones my reveries write on their own.

What does travel teach me?

A lot. And nothing.
I’m not being vague. This is how it is.

I’ve realized people, wherever you go, end up being a lot alike than we picture them in our stereotype. Travel helps break those very stereotypes. Language never seems to be the ultimate barrier. Communication isn’t limited by the language when you want to talk, get help or help others.

Travel teaches adjustment. Type of food with varying spice levels, adjusting to ways of answering the nature’s call, sleeping in different places, talking, listening or just learning more about cultures.

Sometimes traveling sucks too. Just like life does. The edited pictures might not tell the stories of those places. And they should not. It is a different experience for each of us and is so subjective. No one can live our lives. And no one can travel for us, but we.

Baby Driver Review: The coolest film of the year!

By farooq

On August 5, 2017

In Movies & Entertainment

Once you’ve watched Baby Driver, your definition of what you consider cool gets an upgrade. After all, it IS one of the coolest movies you’ll watch this year. I’m pretty sure, you haven’t watched it yet. But take my word for it: Watch it!

It’s unlike any other movie you’ll invest your time (and money) in. From an expression of awe, your jaw drops by a few minuscule inches with every scene. You laugh from one scene to another without having finished your first laugh. The music booms past your ear along with the car chase that essentially is core to the plot of the movie.

The story is about a young car driver, to put it humbly, working for a heist planner (Kevin Spacey) who creates plans and leave it to expert individuals who are good at doing this type of work. While our driver, Baby (yes, that’s his name), who’s a devil behind the wheels helps them escape. You should also hear the remix/mash-up tape of ‘devil-behind-the-wheel’ version that the baby driver creates.

Each scene is iconic in its own way. I’m not going to divulge any other details about the plot. The plot is essentially very basic and mostly momentum driven. It is the treatment that is wonderful. The amalgam of music with cars and the background story is a beautiful symphony being played on-screen.

It is one of those movies which you can shout ‘once-more’ at the end of it. Yes, it was that awesome. It is, actually.

Ansel Elgort is perfect as the baby driver with a hearing issue. Seasoned actors like Kevin Spacey, John Hamm and Jamie Fox are at their usual best.

Apart from the adrenaline rush of the action involved, which keeps you hooked onto your seat, the romance between Baby driver (Ansel) and Deborah (Lily James) give you the feels. Not overpowering and just the right amount. The dream sequences are classy.

There’s nothing that I can point in the movie which isn’t good. Sure, if this isn’t your type of movie then you might not find it to be as awesome as I did, but it is worth giving a shot. Edgar Wright, who has directed Scott vs pilgrims, and co-wrote Ant-Man, and screenplay for Scorcese’s Tintin is spot on here.

I’m going with a 4.5/5 for Baby Driver. Watch it! The devil behind the wheel will take you on a ride.

The Cycle of Trials

By farooq

On August 5, 2017

In Random Philosophy

For close to 2 minutes, roughly, I stared at my keyboard, instead of the blank screen like the usual. I could see the stains of my fingers on almost all the Twenty-Six alphabets of this QWERTY keyboard. And yet, some of these had been troubled more than others. While some looked ignored.

Q J Z X V B

Yes, my non-magnifying eyes, managed to separate the most-used versus the less-used Keys. Quite a Job! Zealously Xeroxing Various Brain imprints of Scrabble words! Doesn’t makes sense, huh! Well, that’s what forcing myself to use these letters makes it look.

I will admit that being hard on myself comes naturally. Forcing myself to even accept a compliment with a ‘Thank you’ is like pushing too far. Gradually, becoming better at it, with practice, of course.

The natural way is easy. Just as downstream is easy. Like heading downhill is effortless.

Changing the course isn’t. Pushing against the current isn’t. It’ll never be.

People preach about getting out of their comfort zones to learn. Learn new things. Challenge yourself. Preaching comes easily to all of us.

I’ve gone in search of challenges, took them head on, and failed. A lot. Crushed. Scared. Reattempted. Failed again. Left the cycle many-a-times. Got back on the saddle again few-of-the-times.

Realization? The Challenge isn’t in the achievement. Or even the aspiration to achieve. It is that cycle. The challenge is the process and that process’ refinement to get back into that cycle.

Maybe I’ll get better at it someday. The hope shines the pathway. And if not? Well, I still love Cycling!

And irrespective of whether you like or not, the cycle will run its due course. Why not enjoy the ride?