The Musical Marvel

A piece I wrote for The Hans India a reputed daily in Telangana

Unbeatable is perhaps the word that best describes Bahubali 2 – The Conclusion, success. The movie has swept the nation with a never-before craze and is steadily edging towards a mind-numbing record of 1500 crores at the box-office. A feat that is sure to be etched in golden letters in the chronicles of Indian cinema.  

While Bahubali 2 is blazing guns at the box office, the songs of the movie are receiving rich accolades for their high-octave compositions and soothing lyrics. Hats off to M.M. Keeravani for his masterpieces! Poignant drumming, restful violins, melodious guitars and haunting choruses have all been breathtaking. Even the background score is highly evocative.

While the songs are lauded across on all parameters, fervent discussions on global platforms are rife as to in which language one should listen to these songs?  However, YouTube comments’ section is flooded with remarks from across the world that mellifluous Telugu lyrics have struck the right chord and added their own charm to the songs. Many north  and south Indians  have also laid it threadbare that Telugu lyrics have a soul of their own and are greatly pleasing to the ears. News that is sure to put the Telugu speaking states on a different plateau altogether with delight. 

For those who are a little unaware, Telugu language is considered to be the sweetest among the 22 other languages that exist in India. 

Whether its Saahore, Dandaalayyaa, Hamsa Naava, Kannaa Nidurinchara or Oka Praanam, it doesn’t take a genius to sort out that all lyrics end in vowels. Perhaps the reason why the language has a very calming and soothing effect on people. This unusual vowel-ending was first noticed by the 16th-century Venetian explorer Niccolo' de' Conti, who visited the Vijayanagara empire. He discovered that almost every word in Telugu ends with a vowel much like his native language - Italian. It is no hidden fact that Italian is one among the sweetest sounding languages on Earth. Similarly, Telugu is mellifluous to listen and boasts of 56 alphabet just like the Italian language. Little wonder it  is called "The Italian of the East".

Speaking on the beauty of the language, Rabindranath Tagore, the great Bengali poet and writer, when he heard Telugu, exclaimed ''Is this language or music?'' The distinctness of Telugu language was also noticed by other renowned poets and writers of yesteryears. Tamil poet Bharatiyar praised the language as 'Sundara Telugu' (Beautiful Telugu). 

The unforgettable praise, of course, comes from Sri Krishna Devaraya, the south Indian king and non-native speaker of Telugu, who said "Desabhaashalandu Telugu Lessa" (Telugu is the best language in the country) which has become a sobriquet of sorts and is often taken as a reference to revel in the grandeur of the language. 

There exists a good influx of Sanskrit words into Telugu language. Telugu retains a lot of the features, especially with regards to the pronunciation of some vowels and consonants. Approximately 10,000 inscriptions of Sanskrit exist in Telugu language. In fact, the melodious Telugu lyrics of Bahubali 2 movie are so captured that their Sanskrit flavour is at its peak. No wonder the lyrics are incredibly outstanding! 

Click on the link to access the epaper

http://epaper.thehansindia.com/1215276/SUNDAY-HANS/SUNDAY-HANS#page/20/1

The Man Who Made the World a Better Place

A piece I wrote for Hans India, a reputed daily in Telangana 

Born on 16th April 1889, Charlie Chaplin was an incredible English script writer, actor, and filmmaker. He is perhaps one amongst the most brilliant actors to have ever graced the silver screen. His inimitable acting, unbridled energy, and impeccable timing are sure enough to rib-tickle anyone into splits. Even today, close to a century later, his movies strike a chord amongst audiences and are hilarious without a trace of being archaic. However, if you thought he had it all on a silver platter, you are miles away from the truth.

Charlie Chaplin’s is more of a ‘rags to riches’ story’ and perhaps the only kind of it. Early on, his father abandoned the family. His mom, who was an occasional nurse and dressmaker, was barely able to make ends meet. Financially, the family was on a terribly rough patch. Chaplin was living in utmost poverty, struggling for basic necessities.

As a result of the financial crises, Chaplin along with his brother was sent to a workhouse twice before the age of nine. Later, his mother, as a result of malnutrition, developed mental illness and was admitted into an asylum.

Undaunted by poverty that set him to fend for himself, Chaplin started acting at a young age. He started out touring music halls and performing as an actor and comedian. At 19, a lucky break with the prestigious ‘Fred Karno’ company took him from England to America. His scorching desire to star as an actor in Hollywood led him to scout for acting roles. Subsequently, he appeared for keystone Studios. This was when he developed the Tramp Persona and honed his film personality further. Shortly, he changed companies from Essanay Film Manufacturing Company to Mutual Film Corporation to First National Corporations. Steadily his fan base grew and he became an extremely popular actor! By 1918, Charlie Chaplin’s fame knew no bounds; people across the world recognised and adored him for his funny yet affable acting.

Chaplin was greatly obsessive about his work. His obsession, which fringed on impractical levels of perfection, led him to script, compose and direct his own films from an early stage. In 1919, with the intention to have complete control over his films, he co-founded the distribution company ‘United Artists’.

The move ensured he got the opportunity to do some phenomenal films, which went down the history as unparalleled. His first feature-length film ‘The Kid’ (1921) was made after the unexpected death of his child with his marriage to his first wife.The movie’s phenomenal success ensured there were others in the pipeline: A Woman of Paris (1923), The Gold Rush (1925), and The Circus (1928). Later, he refused to be a part of the sound films in 1930s, and went on to shoot silent films like City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) which have gone on to script a new history.

Looking at the funny acting, he dons in his movies, one could easily assume he might be a nice person, but definitely not courageous. But sorry! Nothing could be more wrong.

During the Nazi regime, Hitler had Chaplin's name printed on the hit list in a book of Nazi propaganda. The book, Juden Sehen Dich An (The Jews are Watching You), brands him a "pseudo-Jew".  In response to this, in 1940, Chaplin makes a complete mockery of Hitler in his first talkie movie, ‘The Great Dictator’. Chaplin plays a Nazi-like tyrant, Adenoid Hynkel, dictator of Tomainia, obviously satirising Hitler. This proves how audacious this seemingly slapstick comedian in reality was.

Unfortunately, the 1940s also saw his fame gradually dwindle. He abandoned the Tramp image in his later films like Monsieur Verdoux (1947), Limelight  (1952), A King in New York (1957), and A Countess from Hong Kong (1967). Towards the fag-end of his career, his personal life was in lot of legal entanglements because of marrying women much younger to him. He was compelled to leave the United States and settle in Switzerland.

In 1972, for his contribution to the world of motion picture and as part of a renewed appreciation for his cinematic work, Chaplin was handed out an Honorary Academy Award. An achievement totally well-deserved! Even after all these years, a glimpse of his acting and the way he donned the Tramp persona with a panache none could match, Chaplin will forever remain an actor par excellence.  

Today, as the film industry celebrates his 128th Birth Anniversary; let’s remember this soul who often delighted in lighting up our faces with smiles! Frankly, the curtain might have fallen on his film career, but the memories of his awesome acting won’t cease playing in our minds…

Click on the link to view the article on the epaper 

http://epaper.thehansindia.com/1173170/SUNDAY-HANS/SUNDAY-HANS#page/22/1

Sound of Love

This was published in The Hans India, a reputed daily in Telangana 

Come 14th February, Valentine’s Day carries its own mystic air of romanticism for young couples - assorted chocolates, bunch of fresh blooms, colourful love bands, cuddly teddies, are the norm of the day. However, what’s a romantic day without a few soul-stirring love songs to warm up the heart?!  This 14^th February, here’s our pick of 14 most beautiful love songs to revel in and cherish the bond of love all over again.  

First on the list, Beatles’ ‘She loves you’. A foot-tapping number whose lyrics happened almost accidentally - John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote them on a tour bus to Yorkshire, England. The rest is history, the song caught up with love birds like wildfire.

Stevie Wonder’s ‘I just called to say I love you’ never fails to strike the right note. So much so that Bollywood film makers snatched and played a part of the melody as their theme song in the flick ‘Maine Pyar Kiya.” What’s remarkable is even in Hindi the melody was a runaway success.

Another haunting love song is ‘Nothing’s gonna change my love’. Although singer George Benson was the first to sing this pulsating number, it was Glenn Medeiros, the Hawaiian singer, who made it hugely popular. Sung way back in the early 80s, this enchating number even today connects with young couples like no other.

Lionel Richie’s ‘Hello’, when it first got released, swept people off their feet. The story behind the fascinating lyrics is that when Richie greeted James Anthony Carmichael, with the words, ‘Hello, is it me you are looking for?’ Carmichael said, “Lionel, finish that song’s lyrics please”. It’s needless to mention the heights of popularity the song scaled later.

Berlin’s ‘Take my breath away’ is no less romantic either. The theme song of the flick ‘Top Gun’ has made inroads into the youngsters’ hearts with its breathtaking music and has won awards for its haunting rhapsody. Roxette, Swedish pop rock duo, performed an array of interesting love songs. Sung by Marie Fredriksson ‘It must have been love’ is a romantic number, which served as the perfect background song for the movie ‘Pretty Woman’. Undoubtedly, a must-listen for young couples.

Another perfect illustration of how a lovelorn feels is ‘Everything I do, I do it for you’. Brian Adam, who shot to higher plains of glory with this number, tenderly puts forth how the world of youngsters turns up-side down when in love. A song definitely for the love-stricken.

Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’ speaks of her musical genius. The song gives chills as the composition peaks to unimaginable heights, which only Whitney is capable of performing. It’s bound to give you goosebumps.

‘My heart will go on’ is much on similar lines. Celine Dion’s iconic theme song from ‘Titanic’, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s thrilling escapades on board the Titanic, has transcended and grown to be one among the most sought-after romantic numbers.

‘You are still the one I love’ - Shania Twain, who also sang several heartwarming country songs, stops dead in your tracks as she croons this unorthodox number in her soulful voice. A love song whose melody you can’t but appreciate for its sensuous appeal.

Beyonce Knowles, the diva of today’s music world, has her own inimitable style for ‘Crazy in love’. With rapper Jay Z lending a touch of class to the love song, its rendition is so magical it places youngsters on a different plateau altogether.

Taylor Swift’s songs are incredibly haunting. ‘Love story’ is one among them. Based on her own life, the song outlines the story of Romeo and Juliet, ironically, with a happy ending. The tune is so soothing; it would be hard to get it out of your head, once you hear it.

Adele’s ‘Make you feel my love’ is a soothing melody that comes as a breath of fresh air. First, written by Bob Dylan, many artists have sung this song later. But with her soulful voice, Adele literally owns this number.

Rihana’s ‘Diamonds’ is another classic love song in its own right. Interestingly, the song’s a tad different as it sidesteps her regular theme of songs and presents zestful feeling of love towards life. A must-listen love song on the Valentine’s Day.

To access the e-paper please click on the link below:

http://epaper.thehansindia.com/1102651/SUNDAY-HANS/Sunday-Hans#page/15/1

Awesome Anthem. Irksome Move!

It’s been sometime, since I watched a movie in the theatre. I knew they were playing the national anthem in theatres, but was completely surprised that I had to stand and religiously honour it. This is sheer non-sense. I don’t mean to demean the national anthem, but I feel this is supposedly useless and ill-thought of ‘calisthenics’ of the white kurtas.

Why should the general public be put to inconvenience? I go to a theatre to get entertained, not to entertain anybody – especially not the government, which hasn’t had the decency of offering me one single government job so far. All it did was to stealthily put its fingers into my wallet and pick my money in the name of taxes.

Well, if you think I haven’t applied to government jobs, you are wrong. I had applied to several and a few of them called me for an interview and few others didn’t even bother to. The ones, who did, asked me all the wrong questions - deliberately. Later, I came to understand the jobs were handed out to people who didn’t even appear for an interview. Perhaps I wasn’t into greasing hands except watching few snippets of ‘Grease’, where John Travolta greased his hair so much, I lost all appetite for greasing. You don’t believe it?! Believe it (Stole it from the Ripleys! Sorry, it was too good to miss it ;))

Anyway, talking of government driven issues, the sliminess gets even dirtier. I once wrote a PhD exam and the results looked a little tampered. Later, the newspapers carried in the headlines that the pre-doctoral entrance exam was all gobbledegook.

Worried about my future, I rushed to meet the Director. His interest in what I was doing and why I was wasting my time pursuing a doctoral degree caught me completely unawares. When I questioned what he was driving at. He moved closer and whispered, “These exams are for time-pass. Most students get into the doctoral stream so they can avail the university’s boarding and lodging for at least five years”. I was gobbledegooked, again!

Cutting to the chase, why on earth does the government play the national anthem in theatres?! The other day while surfing on the topic I thankfully found a friend who aired similar views – Ram Gopal Varma, the notorious film director. Not all his views match with mine. Which incidentally is a good thing.
  

Ram Gopal Varma’s stinging remarks “If you plan to play the national anthem in theatres, why not in bars? Why not in nightclubs? Why not print it in the first page of the newspapers, everyday?!” created a quite an uproar. But the point wasn’t really taken seriously for the simple reason that it was Ram Gopal Varma’s opinion.

Varma isn’t taken seriously by anyone. Well, how can they?! Especially, when he writes a book and names it ‘Guns & Thighs’! The title is so horrendous, people from literature background wouldn’t know where to hide?! And Nobel laureates would die of shame. Unawares, Varma shamelessly claims the book has a terrific title and is selling like hot cakes. One can do nothing but pity him at times!

However, with all his insanity, he shared one sane opinion ‘Ban the national anthem from playing in theatres’. Finally, someone calls a spade a spade. Although never a fan of Varma, I for one wanted to hug him on his perspective of this illogical and dim action of the government. May Varmas of this kind increase in their tribe!  

New Year Greetings

For long, it has been mandatory on my blog to begin the year with greetings. This year, I won't bypass that rule either. So, here's wishing my readers a happy new year and adventurous and fun-filled  days ahead. Though this greeting comes a tad late in February, it's my request that you dwell on my sincerity rather on the delayed greetings. Cheers! 

Hyderabad’s fast disappearing Deccani Tehzeeb!

Hyderabad is like a delicious dish. Having tasted it once, the tourist or visitor is sure to come back for more. Alas! The city’s glory is fast fading. The broad roads then are crowded with heavy traffic today. The laid-back attitude of Hyderabadis’ relaxing in cafes is no more the norm of the day. Chai and "Biscoot", which formed the daily delights of casual talk, are fast losing their sheen. As it is the morning shows in small theatres have already stopped. The slow-paced lifestyle is evolving to be a life in the fast lane!

However, the legacy of Hyderabad’s richness cannot be fathomed. Like the proverbial saying the proof of the pudding is in the eating, Paradise hotel has classic snapshots of a few places of 1960s and 1970s, which are hung inside the hotel. These snapshots can easily transport to an era where famous places of the city enthrall you with their beauty. The calmness ushers in an unknown peace. There are lots of such nuances which refresh the memories with erstwhile glory.

For instance, the Irani Cafés then had an aura of richness of Mughals. Cafes were designed like western saloons. Chairs had oriental designs. Walls were plastered with Mughal motifs and works. Women on murals wore thick jewellery with eyes delicately touched up with Kajal. Surprisingly, cafes had huge sound systems. Rolling out from these were Hindi classicals doled out by Rafi, Kishore and Mana Dey.

The city of pearls was also known for its rich Nizami legacy. The old city still holds to an extent the allure of bygone eras. The multi-hued, rainbow tinged bangles, the sarees with rich embroidery work, the sweet paan, which is a delicacy tasted after a sumptuous Biryani. Attar, the rich perfume which comes in sparkling colours and in even more dazzling vials… are a few among many things that make Hyderabad an incomparable abode.

Ironically, how many are aware that Hyderabad was known as a city of Gardens? The bio-diversity of the land had attracted many a traveller. The jubilee hills was a jungle where tigers, panthers and snakes used to habitat. Uppal also boasts of a similar story. In fact, I was quite taken back when I heard my boss, who is hitting his 60; mention that Masab Tank was a thick jungle where his father used to go hunting. Imagine all these places, which were once jungles, today leave no traces of such wondrous glory. Slowly these interesting facets of Hyderabad are fading away.

Where am I going with all this, well, I came across a book that had a few classic pictures of Hyderabad that instantly struck a chord with me. I simply couldn’t resist sharing these snapshots, here they go…

Pretty Woman. Pretty Movie.

Flashback to 1994. The day was scorching hot, the comforts of an air-conditioned theatre sounded like a cool option to two college going lads; a quick glance at their time-table revealed they haven’t much to lose. They decided to jump on the bandwagon of college bunkers and sneak into a theatre which had a classical rating of ‘A’. Though a little trepidation and hesitation nudged their hearts, yet, the will triumphed. The movie was ‘Pretty Woman’ starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

‘Pretty Woman’, a rom-com genre, has a story as fresh as a rose and a cast that’s truly refreshing! However, it did rub a few critics on the wrong side. Cutting to chase, Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) the lead actress in the movie stars as a prostitute. Apart from a few unmentionable scenes, the film was quite an eye-opener on lot of issues. The story is all about a rich entrepreneur, who accidentally meets a prostitute and consciously falls in love with her. Sacrilegious?!  No, it isn’t.

Though it sounds incredibly ridiculous, given the circumstances they meet and the peculiar situations the heroine manages to hastily rush into – falling in love for both seems inevitable.

 A few scenes clearly turn you misty eyed, especially the one where Vivian, who is by then a transformed person, enters a showroom only to be shown the door on account of her tawdry dressing. When Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) hears about the cheap treatment meted out to Vivian, he decides to visit the showroom along with Vivian and flex his powerful, financial muscles - the staff is ready to fall down and worship.

Another occasion is when Vivian is at loggerheads as she must attend a formal dinner, but doesn’t know anything about dining etiquette. That’s when hotel manager, Barney Thompson (Hector Elizondo) steps in to show the ropes. The relationship these two share on screen is extremely touching. Scenes like these are quite a few, which never fail to soothe the emotions and add a twinkle to your eye.

What stands as the icing however is when Vivian’s dreams get answered. Vivian’s childhood fantasy of seeing her Knight in the shining armour riding out to her brandishing a sword comes true, when Edward comes searching for her atop a limo, brandishing an umbrella. 

Inside the theatre, half way through the movie, one young lad notices the other lad slowly bring out his hanky and wipe away the tears that seem to well up in his eyes. The other lad tries to hide a guffaw!

On the whole, it wouldn’t be right to say that the movie was good. Actually, it was incredibly haunting and highly romantic. In fact, last year, ‘Pretty Woman’ movie stars celebrated the completion of twenty-five years.

Twenty-five years?! That’s a long a time, you might scream. Definitely it is!

Since then, lot of water has passed under the bridge. Young lads then are grown up adults now. While one lives in America, the other, in India. While one is working as software professional. The other is wasting his time writing reviews… like this one.

Time passes on. 

However, ‘Pretty Woman’ still remains young.