All Eyes on Indiana Jones Series Installment.

Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg coming together to shoot the fifth sequel in the series of Indiana Jones is yet another occasion to showcase their brilliance in Hollywood fiefdom. Harrison Ford, who has been lauded for his countless roles, mostly for his iconic role as ‘Han Solo’ in the Star Wars series, is a man of unusual talent.  What perhaps stands him apart are his rugged looks and smug attitude, which never failed to ignite a captivating onscreen presence! No wonder he excelled over six decades in the massively competitive arena of Hollywood. 

Where looks matter more than acting does, how does the 73-year-old still manage to grab roles right under the noses of the younger cast?!  A question that still goes unanswered even today. In 2003, American Film Institute hailed him as the second greatest hero of all time!  Seven of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry. He has to his credit numerous hits which include: ‘Blade Runner’ ‘Witness’ ‘Patriot Games’ and ‘Clear and Present Danger’ both of which are book adaptations of the renowned author - Tom Clancy.  ‘The Fugitive’, ‘Apocalypse Now’, ‘Presumed Innocent’, ‘Air Force One’, ‘What Lies Beneath’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ are few other notable flicks.

His ability to breathe life into the role and live it with an ease akin to none is what perhaps keeps the average movie-goer glued to the screen. Acting flows naturally to him. Whether he punches villains or utters sly remarks with his sarcastic trademark smile, one is bound to go weak in the knees. His recent appearance in the sequence Star Wars ‘Force Awakens’ has also won him decent reviews while putting him under the spotlight. More than the sequels of ‘Star Wars’, it’s the Indiana Jones’ series that catapulted him into unprecedented fame.

Known as Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a professor of archaeology, adventurer, and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones, his character is reckless, adventurous and action-oriented.  Though rumour mills were rife that a new actor would don the role of Indiana Jones, Steven Spielberg affirmed that Harrison Ford is the only actor who fits the bill flawlessly. The reason perhaps is that Harrison has carved a niche for himself with his typical bullwhip, fedora Satchel, leather jacket and his sarcastic trade mark smile. – A role that is a snug-fit for the character.

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ was a phenomenal success. It’s obvious that Spielberg came out with sequels, which proved equally good. Unfortunately, ‘Indiana Jones and ‘The Temple of Doom’, which was a prequel to ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, but released afterwards, was banned in India as the movie chartered into troubled waters. Indians missed the brilliant performance of Amrish Puri, who is better known as “Mogambo”, to this side of the audiences. However, the movie did significantly well in other parts of the world.

‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ had some breathtaking scenes too – be it riding horses alongside jagged mountain ridges or getting persistently attacked by Nazis. What’s more, the flick also had Sean Connery who puts on an impressive performance with his spot on rib-ticklers.

‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’, which released in 2008, was as gripping as the rest with the plot centering on discovering the secret behind the mysterious artefacts – Crystal Skulls. Harrison puts on a deadly show trying to avoid the soviets while strategizing to lay his hands on the Crystal Skulls.

In fact, all Indiana Jones series are racy, exploratory and palpitating with action - the reason why they appeal to almost everyone. With Steven Spielberg vouchsafing that the fifth installment of Indian Jones is set to roll into action, audiences are ever eager to catch them both in another flick which in all probability would set hearts’ thumping and adrenalin pumping.

Lamakaan – The Heartthrob of Artists

Quite recently, there was a lot of hue and cry to close down Lamakaan.  However, many youngsters took to roads with placards saying it must exist. Their will prevailed - at least, for the time being. 

For those who aren’t aware, Lamakaan is an interesting hangout for youngsters and an awesome place for art and theatre lovers. It’s an independent bungalow nestled in the posh Banjara Hills vicinity. What adds a touch of spice to this hangout is its nonchalant existence. It’s a quaint joint quietly hidden in one of the by lanes. Unless one distinctly knows the interiors of Banjara Hills, the chances of missing it are huge.  

Interestingly, the building in itself takes an informal shape, free flowing spaces that effortlessly blend with the environment. The stage for theatre performances at the ground floor seamlessly merges with the jutting rocks and plants surrounding it. The loosely spread tables and chairs add a rustic yet a classic look to the ambience, lending a feeling of complete serenity. 

I still can’t place my finger on as to who owns this awesome place and why is it being given away for an hangout when the owner can easily spin loads of money out of it? 

Nevertheless, it’s an idyllic site that sets the ball rolling for chats, snacking, and reading or for that matter simply indulging in small talk with friends. The canteen almost resembles the ones you have within the college premises, stocked with all goodies you nonchalantly love to ransack from time to time. Yes, reminisces hit quite hard.

Fascinatingly, the tea, served in glasses, gives a feeling of having it on a highway to a faraway destination. The assorted dishes include; piping hot Samosas, Dhai Wada, Bread Omelet, Nimbu Paani, and all those appetizing delicacies. All dishes are dirt cheap yet tantalizingly appealing and satiating. 

The crowd encompasses a wide spectrum of ages. You find all sorts here. The moustaches, the beards, the completely bald and of course how can we forget the pony tails. Hey, hang on; we haven’t started talking about the girls. Not yet.  

The girls are often spotted here in groups stealing glances at spicy food laid out on the table or at the pony tails or moustaches across. Some of the bold ones even sport a cigarette on their lips while discussing movies and directors. Many budding talented movie directors as well as music directors make a stopover before they climb on to the top of the success ladder. Of course, you have all sorts buzzing around the joint. 

If you have the itch for good paintings, trust me, this is one of the best places. Whoever you are - an artist or an admirer - your thirst would be quenched. The bungalow hosts art shows quite frequently. The same goes for the theatre too! Screening of plays happens at the drop of a hat. 

The last time I read of a joint resembling this place was when I read about Shantiniketan.  Of course, Ravindranath Tagore exists in his full breath here.All said and done, this is an awesome place to let one’s hair down without really feeling out of place. Youngster or an oldie you can have all the fun you desire by simply stepping into this out-of-this –place.  

The Eternal Stories of Love

This was published in Hans India - A reputed daily in Telangana. 

It’s Valentine’s Day. While the love birds take to crooning to each other on this special day, the time is ripe for taking a sneak peek at novels that break hearts with their profundity and sensitivity. These stories will either break your heart or overwhelm it, while transporting you to a different world. The beauty of these novels is, unlike a few lovers, they don’t desert when you need them. They sit pretty adorningly on shelf, waiting on the moment you would take them into arms and fall in love with them. 

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy:  

Set among the echelons of power in Russia, the story is about Anna Karenina who visits her brother Stiva in Moscow to help him restore his marriage. Although a married woman, she falls in love with Count Vronsky. Fraught between her desire for Vronsky and her loyalty to her husband, Alexei, she leaves her husband. Paradoxically, she is denied a divorce. Torn between love life and married life she leaves Vronsky in anger. 

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak:

This is the story about one man torn between two women. Set during the 1917 Russian Revolution, the protagonist, Yuri Zhivago, is a well-known doctor and poet. While he is married to rich and aristocratic Tonya, as a twist of fate, falls in love with Nurse Lara. This is an interesting love triangle that is caught between love and wartimes and is scripted to emotionally appeal to the readers. 

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Love Story by Erich Segal:  

A story about two school mates - Oliver and Jennifer. They start out skirmishing with each other and later unknowingly fall in love. Oliver, who is cut off from his inheritance by his father, for falling in love with Jennifer, is jobless and has to live on his wife’s earning. After a couple of years of struggle, he lands a plum job only to realize that Jennifer has Leukemia. The intense love between the two and hapless situation they are caught in is sure to tear the heart. 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: 

This is an ageless classic. The plot revolves mainly around two characters Elizabeth, one of the five daughters of Mrs Bennet, and Darcy, a reasonably wealthy man. Darcy on the outward seems like an arrogant man is actually a sensitive and caring individual. The initial disagreements between the two slowly transcend into love. While To everyone’s astonishment the two end up in blissful matrimony.   

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare
This is one of the most celebrated works of William Shakespeare, albeit a tragic one. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who fall in love, come from two different famed clans of literature. The rivalry among the clans is so bitter that both kinfolk express their dissent towards the lovers’ marriage. The family’s disproval of love eventually leads to demise of lovers. 

Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hester Prynne’s love for Arthur Dimmesdale is uncompromised even when she is tortured and publicly humiliated. On the other hand, Arthur Dimmesdale, who is the priest, seems to be torn between his position and his love. The confession of Arthur Dimmesdale as the father of Hester’s child, pearl, and his sudden demise shocks everyone and leaves Hester in a complete quandary.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: 

This perhaps is the only book where the narrator remains nameless all through. The protagonist meets Maxim de Winter and soon becomes Mrs. Winter. At every step of her journey, she finds it difficult to fill the shoes of Rebecca, Maxim’s dead wife. She is constantly harassed by Mrs. Danvers who is quick to point out that Rebecca was far better any every manner. But the twist comes when she finds out Rebecca was actually murdered. It is an undeniable page-turner. 

Click on the link below to access the article on epaper

http://epaper.thehansindia.com/721494/SUNDAY-HANS/SUNDAY-HANS#page/15

Naked Truth

Guess whose books are grabbed off the shelves moment they hit stands. Sidney Sheldon, of course! However, there are many who criticize him. But, I adore his craft so much that I commit his sentences to memory for sheer pleasure of using elsewhere to recreate a similar effect. Though I read his books countless times, I still wouldn’t back foot in picking any of his titles and re-reading again for nth time.  Mildly put, most of his sentences are hotly branded in my mind. 

Unaware of my passion for Sheldon’s books, out of the blue, a blogger friend handed out an autobiography of Sheldon ‘The other side of me’. I hadn’t an inkling, Sheldon’s biography even existed. The tome looked no less than 400 pages and I was filled with pure delight.

The book was phenomenal and quirky punches all through were resplendent of Sheldon’s streak of genius.  As always, I wished that the book wouldn’t end.  ‘The other side of me’ picked up pace in early pages itself; As a result, read past midnight. The book gave me new insights. New perspectives. New understandings. All doubts I had about his writings instantly erased. 

What always surprised me was how Sheldon knew so well about pits of poverty and highlife of wealthy which he depicts so commonly in his stories. After reading his biography I understood he swung from one extreme to the other frequently. It was clear that failure and success were his buddies all through life. 

Fascinatingly, even names accorded to characters in his stories were from his real life though they have been altered a bit. While immensely talented, he hardly comes across real success in life. He won an ‘Oscar’ yet he was always out of job. His scriptwriting for broadways didn’t really put him in spotlight either. Neither did the movies. 

It was only when he went on to script novels; he found his groove. He affirms unlike scriptwriting, which constantly got altered by directors or adapted to scenes, he was free to write whatever he wanted to. This, I believe, has granted him enormous scope for exercising his creative judgment. ‘The naked face’, the first book he wrote, based on a Psychiatrist, is actually picked up from his own life story. Sheldon was diagnosed for ‘bipolar disorder’ – a disorder where the patient suffers from acute bouts of depression and euphoria almost at the same time.  If I am not mistaken even the Psychiatrist’s name ‘Judd’ remains the same in novel. 

Here's what I found incredibly interesting about his launch of the first book, ‘Naked Face’. On the same day, there were three other writers, who launched their books. For book signing, all of the three had long queues. But there wasn’t a single person in front of Sheldon’s desk. Sheldon didn’t know where to look, so he put his head down and started scribbling on a piece of paper. After sometime, an old woman appeared and asked, ‘What’s the name of the book. He replied, she said, ‘Alright, I’ll buy it’. Sheldon goes on to say, “It was not out of pleasure that she bought it, but as an act of mercy”. I like the candidness with which he views everything. Incidentally, the book went on to become a phenomenal best seller, winning an Edgar award for the best mystery novel. 

His embarking on writing novels has whetted the appetite of many a soul hungry for mystery stories. The twists in the plot are no less praise worthy either. Each book takes you through a feeling of free falling and landing on an enormous comfortable cushion. Of course, not always a cushion. But definitely through a high you can’t really put in words. I guess many of us owe it to Sheldon for playing his role to the hilt. 

Warm Greetings 2016!

Before January slips away into oblivion, let me wish all readers a happy and prosperous new year 2016.

I guess I am tad late on my New Year wishes to readers. Frankly, I have absolutely no idea how many take interest in reading my blog. Ironically, when I glance through friends’ blogs I witness diehard followers and heartwarming responses. Since, hardly any comments come in on my blog; I am possessed with a feeling that none is aware of my existence. Nonetheless, the number of page hits is fairly good. It’s a little assurance that people do read the blog which is inspiration enough to keep plodding on.

However, what upsets me a bit is I couldn’t do 100 posts which I promised in 2015. Not that I didn’t make any efforts. I was caught up with loads of works on professional front. When I thoughtfully weighed the options, work ranked first, the blog, second. I know that’s not an excuse. So, this year, I am revising the strategy and will do at least 8 posts per month, this way, instead of checking progress at yearend, I keep a tab every month. Perhaps this will see me through 2016’s target.

If I can be boastful, let me mention on the professional front, I did some decent work. My work featured in National Geography Magazine. As if that’s not enough, another client of mine won a national award and another, global. Though I was directly behind them, I know it’s the client who will hog the limelight. But, I am quite satisfied at the outcome.

Running a marathon took a backseat. But gym took the driving seat, as I made some visible progress. And I have well-defined abs to vouch for me. Of course, I can’t show it here. ;)

Intentionally, I set 100 goals last year. I was able to achieve only 30% of targets. The rest got defocused, diluted and debunked. This year too it’s 100 goals but aim at achieving at least 70% of them. One major decision of course is to launch my own company which seems near impossible considering market’s slit-throat competition. Anyway, setting aside some capital to start in near future, this could take couple of years. 

However, I have a lot to thank friends who serve as inspiration and egg me on to success. And once again I thank readers and wish them a bright year ahead. Keep looking at the stars, that’s how we aim higher and further. Happy 2016! 

Heady Combo. Melodious Number.

There’s no better combo than a man and a woman when it comes to reeling out staggering songs that put you on a different level altogether. When the combo is Kenny Rogers and Dolly Patron you can lose sight of the ground as you float high among the clouds. ‘Islands in the Streams’ is one song that really was a blast – the duo nailed it perfectly. 

In retrospection, I think 70s and 80s had a wide spectrum of songs that stood out. It was the era of Queens, Princes, Oceans, Stevens and others. Of course, the Jacksons trailed behind too! Then, owning a two-in-one player was a status symbol.  In most well-to-do houses, the gold gramophones shone in style sitting pretty in a corner while doling out melodies. The songs were either played on a 33 rpm or 45 rpm or 75 rpm. No jazz. Just lively music.  

When I first heard ‘Islands in the Stream’ on our ‘Sanyo’ in the late 80s, it was so heavenly; I simply couldn’t shake the song out of my head. That’s when my quest for Dolly Patron’s and Kenny Rogers’ other songs took root. However, we were a disadvantaged lot who needed to run from pillar to post to get hold of good songs. But this particular song remains as the most cherished as it was a deadly combo of bass and tenor. You know the bonding between Rogers and Patron takes the song a notch higher. The amazing stage presence and highly melting chemistry becomes obvious when you watch them live.  Having goose bumps is saying the least.  

Though the duo has belted out many gospel as well as secular songs, Islands in the Streams will always be one of my favourites for the varied emotions it stirs in me. Kudos to the duo!

Art Days

The artist in me sometimes breaks out without the slightest clue to me. Call it in MPD. Or call it passion. Or call it stupidity. It’s right there staring deep into my eyes. The best part about the whole issue is the other side of me sometimes takes a liking to the artist. That’s when the fireworks happen. Some of the chef d’oeuvre take place. So, it was one of the moments recently that welled up inside me and brimmed over with colours. I wouldn't say this painting is entirely mine, I had borrowed the idea from Karrie. a well-known artist.  I don’t call it brilliant but a step in the direction of an artist's destiny.