On Jatayu...

Much to my dismay, there is no subject in the world about which I can say, "What I don't know about it, is not worth knowing."
But, one that comes really close, is - Feluda.

Review - Apur Pachali

Rarely do we come across a film which lives up to all its predictability, and then we are swept off by it. Yet Apur PNachali manages it without any effort at all.

On a day like today.....

Everyone speculates about these days often, I believe. The day Amitabh Bacchan would die, the day Viswanathan Anand would retire, the day Roger Fedarer would hang up his racket, and so on.

The Lunch Box - An attempt to review

I believe someone somewhere said,

"Movies that really make you think are rare, but movies that really make you feel are almost unheard of...."

As with any great film, its pointless to compare "The Lunch Box" with any other film.

A confession

"Jodi binodeenir opomanta bujhte na paro, tahole tumi or loRaita bujhte parbe na."

The Revenge paradox

A city celebrates the death of two religious fanatics back to back. While mourning is in vogue for one, elation is the general order of the day for the other.
How does that even sound?

Kolkata Book Fair 2012

A few days back, it was the last day of Kolkata Book Fair 2012, probably the most celebrated cultural event of the cultural capital of India.
Well, no one can question the celebration part, of course. Two million people sweating on a February evening in an open fair ground will testify for that. However, the age old questions linger as well.

The first sermon...

I have always thought that every religion chooses its praying musical instruments according to the emotion it celebrates.

The New Reality

Looking back at the ‘70s Bollywood films, one can’t help feeling how crap some of them are. I mean, a woman having blood from three donors simultaneously through live chords!!!! I don’t think we have achieved such a medical monstrosity even today. They matched blood group to check parenting!!!
I mean, what did they take the audience for? They would know better if they were making films now. We don’t stand that kind of crap. No sir. We are much more intelligent now. We can point out in jiffy, what is utterly unrealistic in a film. We need what we see to be much closer to the truth. Sorry, a better word would be "reality".

We need to believe what we see.

Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather - thinking aloud...

If this wasn’t my blog, I probably wouldn’t even bother to write this.
I mean, this is THE mafia movie, THE cult, the stepping stone of this genre. If this was meant for public reading, who are even going to expect they’ll find something new in this review?

Aarekti Premer Golpo

“…Where society can display inclusiveness and understanding, such persons can be assured of a life of dignity and non-discrimination. This was the 'spirit behind the Resolution' of which Nehru spoke so passionately. In our view, Indian Constitutional law does not permit the statutory criminal law to be held captive by the popular misconceptions of who the LGBTs are. It cannot be forgotten that discrimination is antithesis of equality and that it is the recognition of equality which will foster the dignity of every individual.”
- Supreme Court Of India, On legal decriminalisation of same-sex behaviour among consenting adults.

Amazing!!!

After the last post, naturally I was having this urge to sound terribly sexist and smart ass.
Hence, this post.

Men Will Be Men….That’s The Point!!!

Men and women are NOT equal. They were never meant to be. If they were, we wouldn’t have had any after the first two. They are not. Nor biologically, neither intellectually.

Its not a question of being superior or inferior, because they think and react in two skewed lines and any comparison is inherently impossible.
But, the problem of women being stepped over in modern society lies somewhere else. I’m concerned mostly with the social aspect of the issue, so let us concentrate on that only.

A Pen-Friend

It feels so wonderful!!!
We were not allowed ink pens in school till class VI. I still remember, I’ve never been so anxious to pass an annual exam as I was in class V. From pencil to pen, - the first step towards adulthood!! It was so cool!!!

The Other Side

Its pretty iconic, if you think about it.
I managed to avoid it for about four and a half years and finally, I had to leave India for the first time on a 15th August, at midnight!!!

Bibaho....

Asroy nebo, thik kora cchilo. klantio cchilo chena.
Charti deoal, puber janala - hatkoRa beche kena.
Tateo hoyni, kicchuta shekol rakhte hoyecche bNaadha,
Dorja banabo, ei bhoy cchilo – kothao paini chNaada.

Long long ago, far far away...

Generally, I’ve been pretty much on top of my literary taste since I turned 20.
Be it the fact that Chetan Bhagat is not fit to be mentioned as an author, or that P G Wodehouse showed the English language some feelings it never knew it had, - if I have a stand, I’m pretty much convinced about it.

Life of a Legand

Writing about a legend, as you can imagine, is tricky stuff.
And when he/she has become an institution, the person is a perfect pain in the wrong place to write about. If we say anything against the popular belief, it’s craving for cheap publicity and otherwise…. its cliché.

As The Ink Flows...

Things have changed.

The New Beat!!!

Last Saturday, there was a party at my place.
That’s not a big deal in itself, but this one was an ultra male fantasy!!!

200!!

There are days when I’m sure I would consider myself a lot luckier if I was alive when Sir Don Bradman ruled the game....
And then there are days, when I’m not so sure.

We’re Just Joking!!!!

There’s so much been said on this topic, I doubt if anyone remembers anything at all.

Premer hisheb.....

keu porechen pagla preme,
keu feshechen shorte,
keu premete lengi kheye,
P.W.D. - r gorte.

Thinking aloud...

It wasn't the past that brought me now,
It wasn't just me who showed me how.
I wonder why I happened to me,
Why I am, what I was supposed to be.

The 'Bitter' Half

15th October, 2009

Its been two years now. Well, not of being together, but rather, acknowledging it to the mass. And naturally, all of a sudden its sounding so special to everyone. Everyone is asking “What’s keeping you going?”

Samudrik...

Tomar icchegulo mone niye felechi.
Ora ki kobita hobe?

“A Resurgent Bengal Is An Impossible Dream”

This was the topic for Telegraph – National debate this year. It was on last Sunday in Lake Club, Kolkata. The speakers were eminent names from all over India.
I must say, it was a good show.

My GOD, my way….

Do you believe in GOD?

Please, please, please, please, PLEASE…don’t close the page. There’s no need to panic. This is not about any philosophical journey towards the realization of the existence of almighty. This is just......thinking aloud.

The Unknown Thinkers....

In my engineering college days, during the campus interviews for jobs, there could be noted an intense fervor for 'studying general awareness', which was considered to be the only key to success in the group discussion sessions before the last round of interview.

Aamar Shakti

Podyo keno shobdo diye baaNdha?
Na hoy hoto nihshasher rosh,
Naari cchNera jontronamoy shukh,
Kingba shudhui fushfusher othbosh.