Witnessing A Breakup - Live!

This happened in office. 

I was having lunch in our office food court. There were very few people around when my attention went towards someone having a phone call. There was a boy who was talking to someone over phone in an animated manner. He was speaking using a blue tooth earphone and since his both hands were free, he was making gestures using his hands as if he was speaking to an invisible ghost standing in front of him. He was also a bit restless, since he walked to and fro while he spoke. Now I heard what he was saying. He was calling the person on the other side of the call as "kyun aisa kar rahe ho", "puch rahe ho", etc, meaning, he was using the term "rahe ho". That instantly reminded me that this is how boys speak to girls over phone if people are around them, in order to not reveal the gender of the caller. Ideally, they should say, "rahi ho" instead of "rahe ho", and "rahe ho" is said to a boy, but the pitch of their voice give away that the caller is a girl. Anyways, so I tried to ignore the boy on phone, but his call was going on and on, and hence I once again looked at him. 

The boy was well built, with great biceps; and while he walked, it was clear that he used to go to a gym. It is again a general phenomenon that boys who have girlfriends tend to look after their fitness more; after all they are in a highly competitive environment! 

Till now, it was only my hunch that he was speaking to his girlfriend. After some time, it became clearer. He was asking the caller, "ab kyun bol rahe ho? Pahle kyun nahi socha?" (why did not you think about this earlier; why only now?" Well, well! 

Next, he said, "Main nahi badla na? Nahi sudhra na? Nahi sudhrunga. Tumhe ye pahle bhi pata tha par ab bol rahe ho?" (You are saying I have not changed; I have not changed for the better, right? You knew me earlier also, why only saying this now?") Well, even now, there was no direct clue, while I was 100% sure the caller was his girlfriend. Male friends never try to "change" a man, only women do! 

Then he came to point, "Ek baar milne ke lie kah raha hun aur tum das bahaane bana rahe ho!" (I am just asking to meet once, and you are making a dozen excuses!" Now, this reminded me of horrifying crime stories from newspapers of killer boyfriends who take revenge on their ex-girlfriends after they stop seeing them by calling to meet "one last time" and then their body is discovered in the bushes near some hill, at a tourist spot. I only hoped this bodybuilder boy was not like that. 

In the end, he even started taking the person's name, calling "Nandini, aaj hi end karte hain" (Nandini, let us breakup today itself).

That's it! 

It was proven that he was calling his girlfriend and asking her to meet one last time, while she was saying she was not interested in taking their friendship forward because of how he was. And the boy was furious at her for she knew how he was and yet why did she remain friends so far? Who knows, may be the girl got a "better deal" (better boyfriend) now, that's why! Or maybe she was getting a "better deal" through "arranged marriage" (money won in 'money Vs muscle' battle). Or maybe she had reached her tolerance level with him, hit a wall and after that she could not convince herself to spend rest of life with him! 

Men are known to be "sore losers" and they can't handle rejections easily. This often results in horrible murders and suicides. If the boy is kind on his 'ex', he is probably not going to be kind on himself, and I suspect a large proportion of road accidents also happen to young men on motorbikes because they are disturbed after their girlfriend broke up with them. 

Hope the guy with big muscles does fine here on and does not become a killer on the run; and hope his girlfriend with a nice name really gets a better option and both of them live happily ever after. And may their paths never cross again. Because who wants to witness another drama over lunch?

- Rahul Tiwary 

Bombae Ad Controversy

If you are on social media, you would be knowing about a controversy which broke out last week. A girl achieved high rank in a state's board exam and her picture was posted in newspapers. She had clearly visible heavy facial hair. Some people started sharing her pictures and started making fun of her facial hair. In such cases, the social media controversies start growing "organically" following a "lifecycle" and it is difficult to stop those. After initial trolling of the girl, a second wave came when another set of people started trolling the people who were trolling the girl! Okay; they deserved it, did not they? But after a few days, another bomb exploded when a brand called "Bombae", gave out a print ad asking the girl to start using their safety razor or other hair removal products; so that people could focus on her "All India Rank", instead of facial hair! Fine. But this ad gave rise to a third wave of trolling where everyone started slamming the company for giving out such an ad. They said that the ad disrespected the girl and women in general. So, a "women's only brand", which made products specifically for women, was really disrespecting women?  

Men and women both were found trolling the company. Men, in such cases are motivated by "virtue signaling". In today's world, there is high pressure on men to be seen respectful towards women and not doing anything which could remotely sound "anti-women". Hence, their motivation to make use of this opportunity to do strong "virtue signaling" was understood. 

But women who spent half day doing "makeup" themselves were seen protecting the rights of a girl to keep "lady moustache". Such women need special kind of praise. If there is so much difference between what they preach and what they practice, are they not misleading young girls? Bombae may or may not have right to take names, but its intention was not wrong. I will explain how. 

Bombae is a women's hair removal brand by Bombay Shaving Company. It specializes in "hair removal razor for women" - exactly what the girl needed. Hence it used the opportunity to increase its brand awareness by giving this ad. 

Check products from Bambae like this: Amazon

At this time, we don't know if Bombae took permission of the girl to use her name. Maybe they did take her permission! But online mobs are running behind them with daggers in hands. What kind of hypocrites we have become? If you love "lady moustache", please ask your wife/daughter to grow it and see their reaction. 

I saw an interview of the same girl and she mentioned that she was used to people making fun of her facial hair and hence she was ignoring all this controversy. I think her mother was interviewed too. While the girl and her family are calm about this, I don't think their acceptance is what is needed in this case. When products are available to remove the facial hair, why not use it? 

I guess the girl will start using something eventually. Everyone does! But once she starts, how will people who wanted her to keep all that facial hair and "sue" the company who asked her to shave it, face her? Will they start another, fourth round of trolling, slamming her for falling in the hands of "patriarchal, capitalist propaganda"? Are not the people who wanted her to keep the facial hair in the same league as those who wanted to remove it - just on the opposite side of the fence? 

Teenage is a sensitive phase of life when we all witness changes in our body. Eventually everyone understands what is what, and deals with things in a manner best suited. When boys start getting facial hair, they keep it for some time too, scared of shaving. Eventually, one fine day, they start shaving. What is big deal, if the girl does that too? Are not companies like Bombae who are making products specifically for women based on their specialized needs, actually empowering women? I think they do. Then why do such companies deserve our hate and suing? 

- Rahul 

Movie Review: Barbie (2023)

The problem with radical feminism is that it projects men as "enemies" of women. And its second-best trait is that it teaches women to be "self-centered", even at the cost of breaking up anything that comes in its way. Could a movie in the name of "Barbie" be made without ideals of radical "feminism" in it? Certainly, for some time in future. Because "Barbie" of 2023 brings the same old rhetoric just colored in lots of pink. 

The first thing that comes to mind after looking at the cast of the movie is their age. Age is a polite way to put it, but it is the "baggy eyes". Or "tyres" around the eyes of Margot Robbie. Just look below: 

Just so that you don't misunderstand me, I have been a fan of Margot Robbie and last time I saw her in "Once upon a time in Hollywood" playing Sharon Tate in the most epic manner possible. In her roles, she always brings grace and positivity, and we always need more of her. 

At the same time, it is really interesting to notice how men and women age at a different pace. Because Margot Robbie is just 33 but looks 53 while Ryan Gosling is 43 and looks 35. At least in this movie. 

The movie starts in a confusing scenario where everyone was calling everyone else "Barbie". It went on like this and its weirdness did not wear off for long. Only later, the need to see Barbies in hoards stopped, as the "Steriotypical Barbie" moved to the real world. Ken, moved there with her too; because what would boys do in life if not chase girls? 

I guess the makers of this film knew that kids would also go to watch this movie (it has 12A rating). Then I felt that all the references to all the evil byproducts of modernity, including mental illnesses, feminism, patriarchy and "fascism" were highly objectionable. In an epic scene in this movie which I loved, a small girl calls Barbie "fascist"! 

The funniest part of this movie was when Ken shouted, "Men still rule the world!" and goes on to search books about how he could use patriarchy to "rule the world". He then goes back to Barbie land and establishes "Ken's land". It was hilarious and ironically, this part by Ken was the most enjoyable part of the movie. Ryan Gosling says, "Mojo Dojo Casa House" and it was so funny. 

One of the most boring part of the movie is when "Mattel" (the company which makes Barbie) starts using the screentime to give us a historical account of the types of Barbies and Kens which were made and later stopped. This was not supposed to be a "biopic" I guess! The other major boring part competing with Mattel is the part played by America Ferrera gives a very long lecture about how it is "difficult to be a woman". Come on, you are making one of the biggest blockbuster movies ever made, and here you are lecturing us on something which everyone always knows!  

In the end, Barbie land is saved, and Ken's land is dismantled in most ridiculous manner possible - the Kens forgot that it was the voting date! (men forget dates). And once Kens return to the venue, a "Black Barbie" uses a cussword (Mo*) against them (though the term is offensive to mothers, perhaps it works differently in the gospels of radical feminism). Well, all the kids who came to watch this movie certainly learnt something new. 

Now, how could men (Kens) deal with an abusive Black woman (Barbie)? The movie shows Ken "running away crying". Well, well, well. What did we expect? 

Despite all the rhetoric and pink, the most beautiful scene and dialogue of the movie is when Ken says, "I just don't know what I am without you". For a moment it seemed that even the most ridiculous scriptwriters get flashes of heart in between. But immediately, Barbie lectures Ken in order to prepare him to be "Ken without Barbie" (the ultimate heights of radical feminism) and then Ken repeatedly says, "Ken is me!", "Ken is me!" Why did not the world end before this movie was released?  

If it matters, the movie also generously promotes "fur" which is height of weirdness. 

The movie certainly tries hard to give us a mix of experience of Cartoon channel, Disneyland and fancy-dress competition combined.  

And in one scene, all men are "tickling" each other. Welcome to the world's most weird lost opportunity ever. 

By the end of the movie, Barbie is searching for an identity. And she ends up wishing to be a human. The long chat she has with the inventor of Barbie (btw, the inventor was a woman, not a Patriarchal man), is the most boring part of the movie as well as most boring part of my recent life. 

Due to the lack of priorities, lack of imagination and a plot which gets completely lost by the half-time, the movie of this name should be remade for the sake of Hollywood's worth. 

Making a "Barbie" movie was such a huge opportunity, and it is disappointing that the movie makers used it just to lecture the world on feminism and patriarchy. 

- Rahul  

Movie Review: Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

The best and the worst thing about this movie is its title. At its best, it is catchy and generates curiosity in viewers. But after watching it, we realize that it is just a regular "Cinderella" theme movie with everything "Western" replaced by "Chinese". To be honest, the title of the film should have been "Crazy Rich Chinese" since there is nothing else "Asian" in this movie. 

It is important to know that the movie is based on a novel of the same title, published in year 2013.

The plot is very simple, a regular girl and a super-rich boy fall in love and once the boy takes her to meet his family, she is subjected to humiliation and manipulation. By the end, she gives up and returns, but then, in a twist, the boy's family allows him to pursue her; and hence the movie ends in a typical "boy gets the girl" fashion. It is easy to see that the unequal marriage's survival is still questionable in the long term, but the film industry wants to keep viewers in a "fairy tale" world where stories end after a boy and girl marry, and now they do not even write "and they lived happily ever after" since we all know how convenient it sounds. 

The movie heavily relies on the acting and charisma of actor Henry Golding. Henry was born to a British father and Malaysian mother. The actress Constance Wu gets the most limelight in the movie though and does her job well but there is nothing extraordinary in her performance. There are several side characters in their small side stories, but everything in this movie looks like "stolen" from other movies made on Cinderella type marriage theme. 

As a final verdict, watching this movie is like watching a medley of two dozen other movies on similar theme. If one loves China, then it is a definitely a must-watch; because in the end, its glorification is the only takeaway from this movie. 

- Rahul 

Movie Review: Oppenheimer (2023)

When this movie came out last year, I assumed it would be boring; after all, how interesting can life of a scientist be? I know lives of artists were interesting enough, but what can a movie of 3 hours on the life of a scientist offer us? J. Robert Oppenheimer was not an Einstein, or a Niels Bohr and I never read about him in school days. Hence, I dropped the idea of watching it and I recently watched it on JioCinema. 

One interesting thing to know is that the movie is made based on the book "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer" by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. The book had won the year 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography. This explains the movie's tilt towards a particular episode in the life of the scientist: "security clearance hearing", to make it more interesting for the viewers. But I did not like the hearings during most part of the movie and it offered some good insights only at the end. The story about nuclear bomb's development was much more interesting and it would have been better if the movie makers covered the nuclear program part apart from giving some insights on other parts of life, like his childhood, parents, of the old age. It is supposed to be a "biopic" after all. 

The star cast of the movie is mind-blowing. It is like a dream to have a collection of so many actors and actresses I liked, and all have been included to make this movie.  

I have been a great fan of Cillian Murphy, and he has done a good job in this movie. After all, he got an Academy Award for Best Actor for this film. But I noticed that he has become almost skeleton like thin, and I am not sure if he became like this for this rule since the real J. Robert Oppenheimer was thin but not 'this thin'.

More than Cillian Murphy, I loved the role played by Robert Downey Jr. He has totally nailed the role of an old astute politician Lewis Strauss and he is hardly recognizable in his role, and it is so amazing to witness his great art of acting. I read that he got Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor too. 

Emily Blunt is great in her role of Katherine Oppenheimer, the wife of Robert Oppenheimer. 

Matt Damon is surprisingly "average" in the beginning and only by the end of the movie he justifies his huge name and fame. 

It is great to see Alden Ehrenreich in the role of a Senate aide to Lewis Strauss. I remember him from his amazing movie "Rules Don't Apply" (2016) and it was nice to see him again on screen. 

Coming back to my overall feeling after having watched it, I think the movie makers should have shortened it to 2.5 hours, and if they could have found any other backdrop instead of "security clearance hearing", it would have been better. I think as a "biopic" this movie definitely falls short of my expectation because it is about only two particular events from his life. 

- Rahul