Independence Day

August 15th is the most important day for indians around the world. Independence day for us indians is a big occassion like any other festival. Once my dad took us for an independence day celebration in his office. The airforce office were all decorated and with all the jets and helicopters for us youngsters to gaze upon. That day my dad was in a parade, and it was so proud for us to see him in uniform and march along. In my School we all used to come dressed in white uniform standing in line and singing various patriotic songs in unison. The first few years i failed to understand the value behind it, i could not understand us standing under scorching sun and listen to some special guest giving his long long speech. But the sweet which were waiting for us were the usp for the day.

Once in our history(one of my fav. subjects) lessons we started to learn about the freedom struggle and the 'n' number of martyrs behind this divine cause. Now this day had much more importance for me as a person. The independence day parade which happens in redfort(laal kila) New Delhi honoured by the Prime Minister and President of India is one of the most eye-catching scenes you will ever see. It is telecasted in national television across india, and i used to adore watching the parades. Every State showing their glory and flourishness as a theme on top of a big truck. The armed forces exhibiting their skills and weaponry. Young students parading with pride and giving the big salute to the president of india.It still remains as one of my biggest dream to attend this function live.

In our neighbourhood, early morning at 7 we used to celeberate independence day too. Our ward councellor used to hoist the flag and give speech about Gandhiji and freedom struggle. The freedom fighters in our locality are honoured and they too do not fail to speak a few words of wisdom to us kids. Years have gone by, still independence day has not lost its glitter and importance in our heart and souls. One of the reason that shows our country is in right direction.

Jai Hind!!!

Listen to your Heart....

Another year goes by, another birthday looming around. Time to rewind another year that passed by and reminisce and plan for the feature. Years go by, but i never felt a big change in me. Ask my school friends they would say am still the same (not physically though). Some say its great not to change and be yourself, but the way i see my life is just stale and stagnant. Mankind thinks about growth by virtue of the money he earns or the big career move he makes. Some even say the car a person owns says his change in life. But ask me i would answer, Bullshit!! God gave me this wonderful family and friend circle who do nothing but support me. I am grateful to them to the core, but the point is as a person i dont see or feel any change in me after all those years.

It is an evasive mechanism my mind takes to be lazy and loom around the present. My dad used to called me an escapist, because i never ever liked responsibilities. I was happy to fool around and show off. Now you might think why i have to think about it now?? I feel kinda bored at this colloquial speeches, and wanna really do something different. But am confused to say the least, as the fun am having is not less either for a common person like me.

Last week one of my friend said on phone "There are certain moments in life where you gotta be selfish and just listen to your heart..." I could relate to this one easily, as every decision in my life ever had been from my brains rather than my heart. A song says, "My heart said Yes but mind said No". ...yeah guess what i went for 'no'. I could relate to what he said, there was a moment long time back where we seperated saying "In another life may be.." it was a mindful thought. Had i listened to my heart, i may not be writing this blog. I may not have escaped (or ran away) to where i am now. May be i would not have been an emotional wreck. May be life would not have been stale...searching for milestones....

Mind is a big cauldron of emotions where everything just burns and burns and bursts out at the most inappropriate moments of life. And my jovial mind is tortured by this so called remembrances. I regret at certain things, but i am not gonna sit and wimp about it. So what am i gonna do? I am gonna try to listen to my heart...lets see the future in a different angle may be.
Some say never let out your birthday wishes, before blewing off the candles on my cake...My wish is ...you know by now...

Attaboy Heath!!

I went for a movie at a theatre near by after a long break, am a big movie freak but i prefer watching in a cozy environment lying lazy at my house. Being a restless soul i hate to sit hands tied at a moviehouse. So once in a while i go to theatre, i want the movie to be that special. Special need not be hit, a different movie in all angles thats what i want. So i went for this movie - "The Dark Knight", yeah the Batman one. Though the movie was a bit too long for my liking, a deluge of action scenes and too many stars for the smallest of roles. I liked the movie for its darkness, and for the quintessential reason 'The Joker' a psychopath villain enacted by Heath Ledger.

The movie had everything a superhero/comic movie wanted.The well shot action scenes, lots of explosions, kidnapping, superhero who cant kill.But joker was one par above them. His introduction was good with an obscure make-up. A small glimpse of his face and he says "Its simple, Kill the Batman"The tongue clicking, the unsure body language, an appalling walk..you would never see any villain of this craziness. Its not the charisma but its something more of in his performance that attracts you to him. Not to forget the voice modulation. There is an ominous pause between the words, making him that bit extra clear to audience. The 'Joker Clap' also is a key attraction in his tantrums. He was able to generate a voice and tone with no empathy, but he was too stylish in his own sense. Yes, there were a lot of comparison with previous jokers in other batman movies, especially with Jack Nicholson. But Nicholson was more about his persona, style and charisma which made joker a bit attractive to ones liking. Heath makes it ultra sure that you hate him to the core as a person. There is a moment when he unleashes his dogs on to Batman. While the dogs attack batman mercilessly he too joins the bandwagon like a tenacious dog. I can write and explain each moment of the heath in the movie.
But may be my writing wont pay the due dividence to it.

Performance wise, i always preferred to watch the anti-hero. I think that brings out the best in actors. Thousands of indian movie fans are still drooled over after they listen "Arrey ohh Samba, Kithne aadmi the??" Gabbar Singh from sholay is considered as an acting manual for villains.100's came after Amjad Khan, but he still shines like a star. How many of us can forget the scene in taxi driver where robert de niro stands in front of the mirror and evokes"You talkin' to me? Well I'm the only one here". Heath ledger has given a similar performance in that strata. Mixed with chaos, schiznophernia and humour he is an unpredicatble villain you can ever see.And given this a super hero movie, the joker has no magical/scientific skills. He has a liking for destruction, is not lured by money he just finds thrill in killing.

As i told you before i do a lot of homework before i watch a movie in theatre, to make it that bit extra special. Heath Ledger apparently isolated himself from his family for 2 months in order to prepare for this what-he-calls a ''lifetime of a role''. The maniacal laugh is not developed by any sound effect, but toned by heath in his own voice after trying different modulations. Director Christopher Nolan added no "digital effects" to alter Heath Ledger's actual performance posthumously.

Its unbelievable and sad that heath ledger is no more in this world. Among lot of pranks god plays on us, lets add this one too i guess. As one of the video in youtube said 'Ledger you live in our Hearts'.
"Lets put a Smile on this Face!!!!"