A Perfect Poach

Hey guys ! Sorry I've done the vanishing act of late...this BEd course is so damn tasking, what with its endless lesson plans before and now all the pedagogical analyses and simulated lessons that we have to pen for the practical papers (English and Bengali)...and more charts and models ahead...a computer project (my topic is 'Terrorism : Role of Media')...class tests...oooooooooof !

I'm all the more bugged because I have so much to share with you all and no time...it's so unfair ! :-(

Any way, I'm on top of the world this morning...because I made a perfect poach at last ! I've made decent poaches before , but this time I was able to transfer it intact from the frying pan to the plate, which I've never been able to manage before. My FIL says the secret is to get the amount of oil just right while my MIL insists that it's the letting it 'rest' in the pan for a couple of mins that makes the removal easy. Whatever. At this moment, all that matters is that I just have to share the photo with you guys. Cheers !

I'll try to be back with more news soon...take care, everyone !

MIRCH : the Film

(Photo courtesy : Wikipedia )

MIRCH : A film worth watching.

Humour, pathos, suspense, sexuality...in short, an aesthetic feast. Wonderful performances from all concerned (Arunoday Singh's a revelation !): Raima, Konkona, Ila Arun, Boman Irani, Shreyas Talpade, Shahana Goswami, Sushant Singh...an ensemble cast who complement each other to perfection and compliment the director's faith in them. Tisca Chopra in a brilliant cameo. Great cinematography, amazing dialogues, intricate and compelling sets, visual delight in the form of costume selection and sweeps of landscape and especially the presentation of "Kaare kaare badra".

Those who interpret the 'A' certification as offering a lot of lurid sexual excitement would be in for disappointment. Sex is a character by itself and one that infuses vibrant life into the characters, stories, dialogues, landscapes, sets and scenes. The film, however, is more than just four stories. Each is a carefully executed little gem. My personal favourite is the third one, I have to confess. And I can't recall Raima looking as exquisite as she does in this one.

I was especially taken by the director's careful use of colour (black & white vs rich colour) to separate the connecting narrative to the stories narrated. It is evident that a lot of hard work has gone into making the film since it translates into considerable visual subtlety.

Music has been used sparingly but to excellent effect, speaking for the characters when it would not do to say much for themselves. I just can't get over Shankar Mahadevan's "Kaare kaare badra"...it is the song of the moment, walking about the corridors of my heart-heavy mind.

And I hope people don't find gender issues in the film. The complexities of a human mind have been evocatively portrayed and I personally feel that sexual biases would mar the intended empathetic depth of the viewer. Just go with the flow of the film and it should please you. If uncertain, just remember, the direction is by Vinay Shukla.

Well then, what are you waiting for ? Go watch it !

Striking back

Ok, so there was a strike yesterday. There was violence before that. People were hurt, people were killed. Our BEd pre-test exam got postponed by a day amidst unprecedented controversy and widespread resentment.

My question : Would the tragic hero want his memories to be sullied by people (who didn't even remotely know him) recalling his name as that person who was (in)directly responsible for turning the course of that one day totally awry ?

I don't think so.