Songs: Hamen Jab Se Mohabbat Ho Gai Hai

Nice song. I wonder why they don’t make such songs any more: 

Society: Chain-Smoker Actors of Bollywood

I went through an article telling about chain smoker actors of Bollywood:

Shah Rukh Khan to Ranbir Kapoor: Chain Smokers of Bollywood

https://www.ibtimes.co.in/shah-rukh-khan-ranbir-kapoor-chain-smokers-bollywood-802274

I had read earlier about Shah Rukh Khan being a chain smoker – we can also read that from the way his face is. 

But I was shocking to find that Ranbir Kapoor has been smoking since age of 15! How can he maintain his charm and charisma despite being a chain smoker? He must be an exceptional case.

The others from the list are not surprises. Everyone knows Sanjay Dutt was a bad guy. And Ajay Devgn’s face tells that he smoked. Shahid Kapoor, to some extent is a shocking realization. But he has quit smoking.

We can also understand from the article that several actors have quit smoking now. That is a good trend.

-        -  Rahul

Movie Review: Super 30

I watched “Super 30” where super star Hrithik Roshan plays the role of Bihari teacher Anand Kumar. 

I am a huge fan of Hrithik Roshan; but I would accept that before watching this movie I was skeptical whether this role fitted Hrithik’s image well. But after watching the movie, I can only say, “Wow!”. Hrithik has played the role of a Bihari character Anand Kumar so well! Kudos to Hrithik. 

The story is equally mesmerizing and immensely inspiring. After watching the movie one can only be left revering teacher Anand Kumar for his true contribution to the society. It is a story of rising against all odds, fighting the system, being vulnerable, losing his love of life not due to poverty but due to principles of life and what a gritty story this is. Story is gripping and so very touching.

While watching the movie I was reminded of my own struggles while preparing for IIT JEE (entrance exam). Coming from a small town in Bihar, I arrived in Lucknow to get admission in a coaching institute. I loved mathematics most and at the beginning of the session, the institute took a test to assess how much the students knew maths. I topped the exam. Then we were informed that there will be a second exam. When asked about its reason, the administrator said that even though the topper of the exam has scored good marks, the second topper and subsequent ones have not scored well. So, a second test was conducted and I topped it again! As a prize, I was given a thick book on mathematics of a foreign writer. The book was in yellow cover. A very similar episode happens in this movie too; when Anand Kumar tops a test and wins gold medal. But when he realizes that the runner up has got a foreign journal as prize, he wishes that he had won second prize instead of the first prize! 

The movie also reminded me of my love for mathematics and how I have missed it totally after leaving college. In my best days I would study and solve mathematics puzzles for 6 hours at a stretch. I plan to do something to still be in touch with mathematics. 

There are several touching episodes in the movie which have come up very well. The lovely relationship between Anand Kumar and his father is very touching; the way Anand Kumar loses his love due to choices he had made in life; Anand Kumar's brother and how he sacrificed for his brother's cause; and how Anand Kumar lost the Cambridge University opportunity - these events make it an epic story which viewers will remember for a long time to come. 

Three cheers for Anand Kumar and his Super 30! We need more people like Anand Kumar, especially in ignored places like Bihar, to make our country great again. India is on its path of resurgence and everyone needs to contribute for our nation’s progress for next many years; in order to make India a developed country.

Pankaj Tripathi has played the role of education mafia very well. He reminds of Manoj Vajpayee in his role in the movie Arakshan. Pankaj Tripathi has made his name very well with powerful performances. Another interesting aspect is that while Hrithik Roshan has used Bihari accent in his dialogues, the movie truly represents India as a whole and this story appears to be of any state of India. It is really magical the way movie-makers have made it that the broad horizon has come up very well. 

-      -      Rahul Tiwary

Pictures: Father Son Yearly Pictures Together for 26 Long Years

I came across this very interesting article. A father took picture of himself with his son every year in the same pose and collected the pictures in the form of a collage. Looking at the pictures sequentially we can see gradual ageing of both the father and his son; as well as changing look and expressions due to ageing. At one point, the son is too thin, and we get worried about his future. But in next year’s picture, the son looks okay and we are relieved. 

https://brightside.me/article/check-out-these-photos-a-father-took-with-his-son-over-the-course-of-26-years-4855/?image=766860

This is a wonderful way to capture growth and ageing and also shows the mutual love of the father and his son. And the last picture is a gem. Please go through above link and I hope you would love it.

-     -      Rahul Tiwary

Movie: Zero of Shah Rukh Khan

Happened to watch the movie “Zero” which is a Shah Rukh Khan movie. At first look I loved it. It reminded me of why SRK’s movies are always good to watch and a treat anytime anywhere. Such movies are so entertaining. At the same time, I need to make some casual remarks over it:  

  1. Bauwa in Zero = Pappu in RaGa

By giving SRK’s dwarf character a name “Bauwa”, Zero makers have done the same evil spin to the lovely word “bauwa”; which Rahul Gandhi haters did to the cute name “Pappu”. These guys should be prosecuting for trying to assassinate an innocent name.  

 2. Stephen Hawking = Aafia Yusufzai Bhinder = Anushka Sharma making weird face

And where do you remember “Yusufzai” from? Clue: Malala “Yusafzai”. 

Somehow, the makers of Zero thought to make Aafia, the scientist’s character Anushka Sharma was playing, to be a female (and younger) replica of Stephen Hawking. She twists her mouth as she speaks and her flawless skin shines. She gnarls and tries to make her voice sound weird and audience is left feeling “yukk” instead of feeling sorry. What the hell, Zero? 

  3. Every character spoke the same ‘rowdy’ language

There is something about the dialogues and language used in Zero. Language is blunt, perhaps trying to fit into the impression of “Meerut” region of UP where the earlier part of movie is set in. Perhaps everyone in Meerut is same? But it is hard to digest that scientist Aafia (played by Anuskha Sharma) and Mumbai’s actress Babita Kumari (played by Katrina) also speak the same language. “Bhaag ja Bauwe” resonates into my ears; along with the twisted face of Anushka as she speaks it. God save me “Bauwe”. 

  4.  Tyrion Lannister’s impact over portrayal of dwarfs

It seems Game of Thrones character Tyrion Lannister has changed the way the world of silver screen looks at dwarfs forever. The over-simplification of dwarfs tells the following, for example:

a.   Dwarfs are always angry at God and often curse God; obviously for giving them short height

b.   Dwarfs think that they have right to do whatever crime they want to do and they won’t go to “hell”, because they are already living it

c.   Dwarfs have a refined sense of humor, just because they are dwarfs

d.   Dwarfs hate their fathers most; and due to some weird reason, they do not hate their (respective) mothers

  5.  Dark Shade and a confused storyline

Dark stories present a completely new ground and captivate audience’s attention in a gripping manner which other movies can never do. But is Zero a dark-humor movie? Is Zero a comedy? Is it a commercial masala film? No one can tell what it is. Because it tries to be everything; it fails to be any single thing. 

-     - Rahul Tiwary

Movie: K. G. F. (Kolar Gold Fields) – Chapter 1 and Yash!

Happened to watch ‘KGF-Chapter 1’ movie and became infatuated with its actor Yash. KGF is a gangster movie which reminds us of Company and Rakt Charitram in parts. It is also a rags-to-riches story and a period drama. You can read about its plot here. But what differentiates KGF is its larger than life portrayal of actor Yash.

In front of Yash, biggest of the biggest Bollywood stars like Salman or Hrithik and even South stars like Rajnikant look pale. 

Yash: India's Brad Pitt 

Yash’s full name is Yash Kumar Gowda and he is a star of Kannada cinema industry. He is working in movies from year 2007 and it is a pity that I came to see him only now. You can read more about him on Wikipedia here. 

Yash as Rocky in KGF; India's answer to Michael Corleone

Still, I wonder about prevalence of violence and cult movies in South India and why it prevails while Bollywood takes dip into romanticism and comedy more often. Most movies from South India which we non-South audiences take note of, are set as action thrillers (e.g. Bahubali). Maybe it is because there is never a sunset for a good action film. And everyone understands the language of a ‘dhishoom’ – action films of Jackie Chan or Rocky Balbola broke all international boundaries and became cult movies everywhere. This may explain why such action films break new grounds every time.

Memories of KGF and Yash’s character Rocky will remain with me for a long time…

-      -   Rahul Tiwary

Stats: Drop in Fertility Rate across the World and in India

Nation: Economic Loss to India as Indians Spend Abroad

I have seen two clear trends around me. 

First, a lot of couples after marriage are going to foreign locations for honeymoon. If they can’t afford to go to Europe, they would not mind going to neighboring countries like Thailand or Srilanka. Basically they want to go anywhere buy India. 

Image: This poll done on Twitter by Kunal Shah shows clearly where Indians are headed to

Secondly, a lot of folks are going to the US and other countries for masters degree after working for a few years after B.Tech. They pass engineering in India, work for a few years in whichever company (mostly IT) they get job in, then spend whole of this saved money in funding their overseas education. Often they also take education loans (which come at a low interest rate than other loans) in India and then go to abroad. 

Both these trends are loss-making events for Indian economy. First, if Indians spent money on tourism and vacations inside India, local economy would get a boast. Similarly, if Indians did higher studies in India, the money spent inside India would help in our GDP growth. The Indian currency going outside is not helping our economy either. All those foreign counties are benefitting from the hard earned and saved money inside India, just because Indians choose to go abroad. 

There are no easy fixes to reverse this trend. The biggest challenge is to change the mindset. It is often said that Indians do not show patriotism unless there is a war or if there is a Cricket match. Jokes aside, it would be very tough for India to compete with other nations in this globalized world, if Indians keeps spending money abroad. I think our government must look into this trend and do something about it before too much harm is done. 

If you are reading this, try to think what your contributions are to Indian economy and how you can help our country to get better every day. Try to spend wisely, in a way which can help our national economy.

-      Rahul Tiwary

India: India Post Parcel Speed Post Rate Calculator

Do you know that India Post provides an online tool to calculate rates for its popular services like Parcel, Registered Parcel or Speed Post? I came across below link on the India Post website and you can check this feature out:

https://www.indiapost.gov.in/VAS/Pages/calculatePostage.aspx

On this screen, you need to select the type of service from Domestic or International then provide Source Location PIN Code, Destination Location Pin Code, select an Item e.g. Parcel, Book Packet, Letter, etc; then enter weight in grams, dimensions in centimeters and then click on “Get Available Services”. The website will provide the options, e.g. Parcel or Speed Post; then you can select which one you need and click on “Get Price”. The webpage will show you the monetary amount you would be charged!

Is not this service good and an important step part of Government’s “Digital India” initiative?

Use this and spread the word!

-      Rahul Tiwary

Psychology: Self-Perception

Kunal Shah has done a very interesting set of polls on Twitter; as you can see below:

Image: Poll Results at Kunal Shah's Twitter Handle

This explains that majority of people have higher or better option about self as compared to about others. They think themselves as noble and a good human being. But when we see at a macro level, the situation is otherwise. 

You can notice this same behavior in discussions about corruption for example. You would see that almost everyone denounces corruption and wants corrupt people to be sent to jail. But if everyone hated corruption, who is doing corruption in the first place? Such instances indicate “hypocrisy” in our psychology. We are not honest. 

-      Rahul Tiwary

Father - Son - Lions

Photography: White Lillies in Pune

-      Rahul Tiwary

Photography: Story of a Few Dogs

Once I hired two dogs to guard my library. And a funny animal to watch over them: 

After a while, one more dog arrived; hence his face was masked so that he couldn't eat their share. And the funny animal is still watching over them: 

Some more days and the new dog is still trying to feed himself: 

And the dog born with a silver bone in his mouth decided to take over the television under his watch:

(To be continued...) 

-      Rahul Tiwary