Jodhaa Akbar – some views Friday, Feb 29 2008

I finally saw Jodhaa Akbar today, a film that I was waiting to see ever since it had been released. And I was not displeased with what I saw.

I was completely blown over by the tender romance between Jodhaa and Akbar. Their love has been portrayed in the most beautiful of ways. I liked the way they progress from being complete strangers to friends. Aishwarya gracefully plays the role of a Rajput princess and Hrithik fits that of Akbar just perfectly. The facial expressions of both, conveying millions of unspoken words, is something really worth watching in this movie. The chemistry between them is just too good.

The music is good; however, except for Jashn-e-bahaara and Mann Mohana, all the other songs don’t roll off the tongue easily. I fell in love with the Jashn-e-bahaara song ever since I saw it for the first time. It easily qualifies as one of the most romantic songs on screen in some time.

Yes, the movie is too long, but I honestly didn’t feel bored even for a single second. Some of the scenes are excellent, and some are, well, typical Hindi film commercial scenes. ‘Rukiye, usse mat khaiye, usmein namak kam hai!’ ???? Akbar regaining conciousness immediately after Jodhaa prays for him. ?????? Come on! Give me a break!

The jewelry and costumes are worth a watch, definitely, and the sets too.

Jodhaa comes across as a strong woman with loads of self-respect and guts. Spunk, you could say. If what is depicted in the movie is true, the lady deserves a salute. The way she puts forth her requests to Akbar and maintains her dignity after being wedded to him is commendable. I loved Jodhaa’s character, in fact, and somehow felt that it could have been fleshed out more to reveal more of the mature and strong woman that Jodhaa was.

Akbar comes across as the perfect emperor, with no faults at all. I was expecting to see  more of Jodhaa and Akbar’s struggles and conquests together, but was somehow disappointed on that count.

All in all, I felt it to be a nice movie, definitely worth a watch. The-nice-but-could-have-been-better types.

4 Responses »

 

Faasle Wednesday, Feb 27 2008

Hey folks! I am back on my blog after a week. The world did not exactly stop in its tracks while I was gone, but I am still glad to be back.

The past week just did not happen to be one of the best in my life, me being a bit under the weather with viral fever. :(  Eating pathetically bland food, checking the temperature 1001 times a day, taking meds that suck, feeling groggy all the time and sleeping and waking up at ungodly hours – these have been the highlights of the past week, with reading and music being the only saviours.   And, of course, being fussed over by family.

It looks like it is going to take a few more days to get out of it all. Frankly, I am fed up and bored and hope to get back to my normal self and routine soon.

Now that the cribbing is done, let me get down to the main subject matter of the post.   An attempt at shaking off the cobwebs that seem to have enveloped those creative cells in my fuddled brain of late:

Faasle 

Ek mere sapnon ka nagar hai,

Ek vastavikta ka,

Ek meri manzil hai,

Dooja mera gaon;

 

Dono ke beech

Faasla hai gazab ka,

Is faasle ko mitane chala hoon,

Shayad khud hi mitne chala hoon;

 

Vismit hoon main

Is faasle ko dekh kar,

Ik sawaal utthta hai baar baar-

Wahan pahunchunga kaise?

 

 

Na raaston ki khabar,

Na koi humsafar,

Na hi hai saath

Kisi margdarshak ka;

 

Yun hi

Asamanjas mein,

Sochta hoon, mehsoos karta hoon,

Apni manzil ko;

 

Phir

Nazar aane lagte hain

Raaste,

Apne aap se;

Phir

Nahi rehta dil mein

Koi ranj,

Koi shak ya shikayat;

 

Phir

Shuru hoti hai

Ek nayi koshish,

Aur faasle mitne lagte hain….

_________________________________________________________

A futile attempt at translation, taking some creative liberties:

There is the land of my dreams,

And there is the land of reality,

One is my destination,

The other where I reside;

A huge distance there is

Between the two,

Set off have I to close this distance,

And this may be, just maybe, the end of me;

Dumbstruck am I,

Looking to this great distance,

A question rises in the mind time and again-

How am I going to make it?

No knowledge have I of the paths,

Nor have any fellow traveller,

Neither do I have

A guide to show me light;

Weary in soul,

Worried,

I think of my destination

And feel what it would be like;

 It is now that

I see the paths,

Almost magically,

And I know then what to do;

There is no weariness in the soul then,

No doubts,

No regrets,

No complaints;

Then begins

A new endeavour,

A new journey,

And the great distance begins to close….

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Birthday bash Wednesday, Feb 20 2008

18th February, 2008, my birthday, turned out to be a memorable day, not only for me but for all my friends too. It was the day when some things went wrong and some were just perfect. That is precisely what made it exciting and memorable.

At 0.00 hours, I was watching Ash and Hrithik’s interview on T.V. when Amma and Appa got up from their half sleep and presented me with a HUGE Fruit&Nut bar. T.V., chocolate, calls from close friends – quite a good combo!!!! (Er, I began the year eating chocolate, so does that mean I’ll see no dearth of chocolate the whole year? )

In the morning, I had just finished calling office that I wouldn’t be coming in when Manmeet and Pinky dropped in home as a surprise with a bouquet and gift. The initial conversation went something like this:

M&P: Happy birthday, Priya.

Me: Thanks.

M: Here’s your bouquet. Where are the others?

Me: **Blink blink** How am I supposed to know?

It so happened that Manmeet, Pinky, Ganesh, Sonia and Shilpi had planned to meet outside my house at 8.00 hours sharp. Well, plans badly misfired and what resulted was chaos. Certain facts had not been taken into consideration – like Ganesh having gotten a new cell phone, their forgetting to exchange numbers, the possibility that Shilpi’s vehicle might go phut on the way, the possibility that there might be a delay in the preparation of the bouquet, as well as complete unawareness of the fact that a 48-hour auto strike had started in Ahmedabad at 0.00 hours on the same day. (I had nothing to do with it, ok?)

The result – A very confused me! Ganesh waiting for an hour outside my place, not able to contact anyone, thinking there might have been a change in plans and going back. Sonia waiting at a certain place for Shilpi to meet her and take her to my place. Shilpi being stranded on the way and not able to find an auto. Pinky and Manmeet getting delayed due to the bouquet and arriving at my house later than planned, not finding anyone there except me. The chaos was sorted out in some time and everyone reached where they were supposed to be.

In the late evening, we met at a restaurant, as I was told by Shilpi over the phone, only to be told by her that there was a problem. They were waiting for me so that we could go somewhere else. I came to know that a surprise cake cutting had been planned, but the restaurant would not allow it. So we headed off to another restaurant nearby.

Half an hour later, we were finally settled at one place. We borrowed a knife from the restaurant, which happened to be something extremely long and thin. I cut the cake Jodhaa-style and there was the customary candle blowing, wish-making, cake-thadavifying-on-the-moonji and photography sessions. We asked the waiter to pack the rest of the cake and placed our order.

We were done and ready to leave in some time. I paid the bill and asked for the cake parcel.

The waiter: Madam, I threw it in the trash.

A collective gasp from all of us. It turned out that the waiter had heard us wrong and he had thought it was to be thrown away. If looks could kill, that guy would have died on the spot. How could someone even think of throwing away sinfully tasty chocolate cake in the trash? Chocolate cake, for God’s sake! It’s criminal!

Our very own Jhansi ki Rani Manmeet demanded compensation. Finally, a fair-enough compensation was worked out. Soft drinks for all of us – on the restaurant.

We headed home, refreshed after a slurpalicious meal and some hearty laughs.

My day ended with some phone calls and messages with warm wishes. Some unexpected wishes, the wishes I had expected, going to the temple and giving ladoos to poor people, the chaos, the dreamy evening, me catching up on some reading and music, me gifting myself Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Pilgrimage’ and Helen Fielding’s ‘Bridget Jones’ diary’, as well as the lovely surprise gifts I received – all this made my day for sure!!! All in all, a wonderful day. With lots of moments worth remembering!

Song on my mind: “Ae kaash ke ab hosh mein hum aane na paayein“

Pinky, Manmeet, Ganesh, Sonia and Shilpi – Guys, I thought I was a one-of-a-kind specimen that God once made and then stopped making any more. I met you people and realised that I was wrong. There are even bigger sample pieces than me! We rock together!!! A special thanks to all of you guys for making the day so lovely.

Thanks as well to all those from family, other friends and blog buddies who took the time out to send cards and wishes. It meant a lot to me.

21 Responses »

 

One down, not out Monday, Feb 18 2008

One more year has rolled by in life, giving way to a brand new year with new challenges, new opportunities, new conquests, new realisations, new beginnings, new joys, new understanding and appreciation of the old.

A treat for all of you:

I’ve had my share, in case you’re wondering about the missing slice from the cake.

Song on my mind today.

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2 pictures for Valentine’s Friday, Feb 15 2008

Came across two pics while randomly surfing the net. Just felt like posting them.

Here goes the first one:

The second one, the Google logo for the Valentine’s season:

 

Quite a contrast, innit?

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Thinking of you Thursday, Feb 14 2008

It is the day of joy,

The day of magic,

That time of the year

When there is

The fragrance of love

Everywhere;

I look up

At the night sky,

The moon

Resplendent,

Majestic,

In the midst

Of a group of stars,

Charms me,

I wonder,

Are you, just then,

Gazing at the moon too?

Maybe….?

______________________________________________________

Music for the day:

Mann dola dola dola

Ae nazneen suno na

Saathiya tune kya kiya

Tujhe dekha toh ye jaana sanam

Chand sifarish jo karta

Main koi aisa geet gaoon

Ek din aap hum ko

______________________________________________________

Thanks all those of you who commented on my last cry-ey post, and all those who sent mails and messages. It made a lot of difference to me. Thanks once again.

Yappy valentine’s to all of you, people!!!

15 Responses »

 

UP out of order :( Wednesday, Feb 13 2008

Uniquely Priya is out of order. She is feeling disgusted with the severe neck pain and not-so-severe fever she has been suffering from the past couple of days.

This is one of those times when she wishes she could just say good bye to all the crappy things in life she puts up with on a daily basis and go on that much deserved vacation. Some place with loads of greenery and water. Preferably alone. Without any means of communication. With just a handful of books and some music and, of course, loads of money. But, as of now, she does not see even a tiny inkling of probability of this dream of hers coming true in the near future. There is as much chance of a vacation happening as there is of UP becoming Queen of Timbucktoo.

As of now, she is just where she is. And tired. She wishes that someone could atleast wring that neck of hers, so that it would be peaceful forever. She is sure that there would be some, if not many, volunteers ready to do that. Till then, ‘Hail white-collared labourers! You are just great!’

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My very own sun Tuesday, Feb 12 2008

The sky is overcast,

The clouds the deepest of gray,

The sun in hiding,

And the air cold,

Terrifyingly so;

 

The icy fingers of darkness,

Gloom and despair,

Reaching out,

Spreading,

Every place;

 

Beneath the dark sky,

In the dreary cold,

I sit,

Thinking,

How cold I am;

 

It is then when 

My very own sun

Shines bright, 

My very own sun,

That lives in my soul;

 

The warmth seeps through,

Coursing through my veins, 

Then there is light,

The darkness inside disappears,

As if someone said ‘Kazoom’;

 

I change,

I am born anew,

As if the darkness, 

The cold and gloom,

They never were at all;

 

I know now

To keep this sun

Alive in me,

To never be cold again,

To never know darkness again.

9 Responses »

 

Real performance pressure Monday, Feb 11 2008

Couldn’t resist posting this one. It’s as true as it can be.

Source: A forwarded mail

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On garbage trucks and life Friday, Feb 8 2008

A friend sent this article to me quite some time back. It has helped changed my attitude towards ‘garbage trucks’ a great deal.  

Read on:  

How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood?  Do you let  a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?  Unless you’re the Terminator, for an instant you’re probably set back on your heels.  However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly one can get back their focus on what’s important. Sixteen years ago I learnt this lesson.  I learnt it in the back of a New York City taxicab. Here’s what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station.  We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!”

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.”

“Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. When
someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You’ll be happy you did.”

So this was it: The “Law of the Garbage Truck.”I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, “I’m not going to do it anymore.”I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the little boy said, “I see Dead People.” 

Well, now “I see Garbage Trucks.” I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. 

He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. 

Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.

What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here’s my bet. You’ll be happier.

Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so…
Love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don’t.

_____________________________________________________________

A quote on similar lines that I read somewhere and loved:

“When you are talking to a fool, make sure that he is not doing the same thing.”

12 Responses »