Tinto Brass explored by Amy R Handler

Tinto Brass explored by Amy R Handler

           

A film critic who understands the film explains it for audience to reciprocate or make them aware about the facts presented in the film. Amy Handler, a film critic to walk a mile ahead to explore his films. She takes a journalistic task to discover the facts which motivated him? What is that he wanted to say or what is that inspired him?  Amy R Handler who is a Boston-based filmmaker, film scholar, writer and critic has done this. She examined time, fate, coincidence and our capacity for good and evil. Apart   from Film International, her work appears at Cineaste, Film Threat, Moving Pictures Magazine and other magazines throughout the world. She is presently writing several chapters in the books: German Cinema: A Critical Flexography to 1945, and World Cinema France.

The infamous Caligula (1979), starring the renowned Sir Arthur John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole and Helen Mirren attracted the attention of Amy R Handler. Director Giovanni ‘Tinto’ Brass is considered controversial by most critics and spectators. 

Many did not know that Tinto’ Brass disowned Caligula after artistic disputes with one of the film’s producer Bob Guccione (founder and publisher of adult magazine Penthouse). He did not stand with the creative interference of them on final cut of the film and an implosion of pornographic sequences. Gore Vidal, who wrote and developed the original screenplay from an un-produced mini-series by Roberto Rossellini, likewise disowned the film, teaming up with Brass to file series of lawsuits against Guccione that stalled production for three years.

Brass directed films in a wide variety of genres, from spaghetti western Yankee in 1966 to avant-garde. Brass’s exploration of language, imagination, religion, relationships and the pursuit of freedom infuse his extensive cinematic range.  To mention his work like the disturbing, avant-garde, comedy-noir The Howl/L’urlo (1970), the drama Who Works is Lost/Chi lavora è perduto (1963), Ca ira – Il fiume della Rivolta (1964), a montage-style documentary on twentieth-century revolutions, as well as later erotic comedies such as Fallo! (2003) and Monamour (2005). Much like other film-makers, Brass initially attempts to find his voice in the creation of documentaries, historical dramas, film noirs and Italian-style westerns. He experimented with this genre, montage, intelligent comedies to explore subtle nuances of men, women and their fantasies.

The Howl is 1968 film banned for several years. Tinto Brass has showcased   a very powerful, universal tale of free-spirited, young woman named Anita, who is to be married to her boyfriend, Berto. While exchanging vows at a toxic waste dump, Anita spies a beckoning stranger. This jester, named Coso (‘thing’, or ‘object’), entices Anita to follow him, which she does, leaving Berto at the altar. Director used series of interconnected vignettes blurring the boundaries between poetry, music, live theatre and film, Anita and Coso embark on an amazing adventure, in a world of fantasy, violence, war, love and death. Finally, Anita clad in wedding attire, drives speedily back to her fate at the altar. After she has crashed, screaming and been pronounced dead, Coso explains that she was beautiful but crazy. At the wedding ceremony that follows, Anita and Berto exchange garbled, meaningless vows, while the priest looks on, clad in a necklace with a dangling, shrunken head.

In an interview with Film International Tinto Brass agree, his film The Howl is inspired by Allen Ginsberg’s poem ‘Howl’ (1956), “I am indirectly a poet, though I don’t write poetry. There is definitely some poetic emulation in my films, though not everybody understands that. I am convinced that these films are not of violence and hatred, but rather films of love, are poetic.”

He told his producer Dino De Laurentis, that we should make the movie as freely as the time, in mood and spirit. The movie should feel like change as change occurs, much like the changes taking place at that time. Yes, The Howl is certainly about memories appearing and disappearing in a certain rhythm. Also, my own memories appear in the film.

Tinto Brass explains the philosophical plain as explains, cinema is a dream that becomes true. What we cannot do in reality we try to do in movies. My scenes are not connected by logic, but by analogy. In this way, they proceed like poetry and dreams.

Today when we try and find the inspirational director for Tinto Brass he confesses to get motivated by Jean Renoir.  Tinto has spent some years together with Jean Renoir in Paris. He has been a close pal of him. Renoir shared his personal experience with Tinto Brass, when Renoir was kid his father  Pierre-Auguste Renoir  showed him the painting of [Lucas] van Leyden, The Healing of the Blind Man of Jericho (1531). He asked Jean what the painting meant. Jean answered that he could not tell him exactly because he didn’t know the history of the painting. Pierre-Auguste (Painter) became furious and told him that it’s not about context and meaning but how art is expressed and if it evokes emotion. The significance comes from the way art is made and its language. This incidence changed the life of Renoir.  Tinto Brassfilms use language or expression evokes emotion. 

Tinto Brass has made so many films but his all films focus females. He has used ally of women in his films.  He always explores the women with different role responsibility in society and her struggle with society and with herself. When asked how you direct films which focus on women psyche? He answers, “I try to express the thoughts of the woman because I find the female point of view more interesting, evolving and newer than the male’s. Women are naturally able to express feelings. I naturally react and take on the female point of view”. 

Tinto Brass is strongly against censorship. He strongly believes, the religion and any power manipulate people, stop them thinking for themselves. To me the word ‘erotic’ means a struggle for freedom. If you feel free, sexually, you are able to make changes in society. Social change takes place when one power is changed by another. Women are able to explore their erotic feelings easier than men. At any rate, they are more honest about these feelings. In this respect, I hope women will take charge of the world. This is our only hope.

Tinto Brass is a director known for his film which talks about the women and their struggle for freedom, fantasy, sex, and life. Director strongly believes on their freedom as a person and our freedom as a spectator. I sum up this article with his quote on freedom. 

“I don’t believe we can ever actually acquire our dream of freedom, but we must never give up the pursuit. True freedom is the pursuit, something we must continuously seek.” 

Tinto Brass - First, I check out the butt

Tinto Brass - First, I check out the butt

Italy has been the epic center in film making, in last century Italy was admired for the directors like Federico Fellini, Victoria De Sica they evolved the Italian neo-realism, they inspired  French New wave cinema.
Silvio Berlusconi the 50th Italian Prime Minister arranged a party and then attracted the eyeballs of the world by inviting underage girls in his private party. The eternal romantic county like Italy has the minority age of girls is 15 and not 18. This confused information was churned by press across the globe. Berlusconi is media tycoon and Italy has been famous for its romantic literature, poetry, music, painting, dance, drama and 7th form of art – Cinema.
Tinto Brass was in news for his world’s first 3D erotic film. Brass directed Caligula in 1979 with author Gore Vidal and magazine publisher Bob Guccione.  Now film will be made in 3D. He said "the time is right for 3D technologies to be used to create an erotic film." Tinto claims that this will also be the first 3D film made in Italy.  
The new Caligula would begin after the death of the Roman emperor's sister Drusilla. With Rome's coffers empty, Caligula comes up with a brilliant idea: the wives of the Roman senators should earn the State some much-needed cash by becoming prostitutes. But that doesn't go over all that well in the Roman Senate. As a result, a group of senators attempts a coup d'etat led by Claudius and Messalina.
“The first film discussed the orgy of power; this one will show the power of orgy,” the filmmaker affirmed, calling his 3D project “a magnificent hope.” Brass added that he's all set to begin casting and jotting down the screenplay. Filming should commence in the spring.
Tinto Brass gave an interview on his 75th birthday in March 26th 2008. Brasspointed out a subtle point in beauty and makeup, he quips, a face can be painted over with make-up, conceal its age or impurities; a mouth can spew cruel lies. A butt is definitely more honest than that. Does it mean that he is ass fetish? Perhaps no, he has his unique style of casting. He shared his method, “first, I check out the butt, even if it can't speak - a round behind speaks to me. Of course, I do not consider it detached from the rest.”
Tinto Brass has been in industry for 50 years and still rocking the silver screen.  He claims to keep making movies as long as he lives. He does not see any direct relation of pornography and his films. His work is based upon developing the moments of lust and desire out of the stories themselves.
Tinto Brass says thanks to 70s success of “Deep Throat" in mainstream cinemas which offered him new opportunities of big budget and sponsorship for explicit material. "Salon Kitty" his dream project was made due to it.  He is criticized for using the theme of ‘excessive power’ as central theme in   Be it "Kitty", "Caligula" or "Senso 45" Brass explains his motive to stage the dance on the figurative volcano. As that's exactly what happens when power reaches its zenith: The protagonists celebrate, and in full knowledge of impending doom the excesses become increasingly bizarre.
Brass justifies the use of the morbid charm of decay in his films as it goes with our theatrically inclined soul. He believes final stage of super dimensional power is not an Italian, European as a theme.
Avant-garde cinema of 1960s and 1970s knew Brass as a promising experimental and avant-garde director, and his debut film Who Works Is Lost received many favorable reviews at Venice Film Festival 1963.  In 1964 Umberto Eco commissioned him to create two short films experimenting with visual language for the 13th Triennale di Milano – Tempo Libero and Tempo Lavorativo. Brassdirected films in many genres, including western (Yankee) and crime (Col cuore in gola) throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. He used a very experimental editing- and camera-style.  In 1968, Paramount Pictures offered Brass the job of directing A Clockwork Orange, which did not happen due to scheduling conflicts Tinto Brass is referred as "rebellios   anarchistic and experimental"
Tinto Brass once said, “Pornography is there to give you an erection. Erotica is there to give you emotions” it became his famous quotation.” (I have put this quotation to liberate the view of the reader.)
After Salon Kitty and Caligula, the style of his films gradually changed towards erotic films. Caligula was originally supposed to be a satire on power instead of an erotic film, but the producers changed and re-edited the film entirely without Brass' consent, removed many political and comical scenes, and re-shooting pornographic ones, to make the film a pornographic drama. The director demanded that his name be stricken from the credits, and he is only credited for "Principal Photography". Despite this, the film remains his most widely viewed work (and the highest-grossing Italian film released in the United States). Other notable works of Brass' include The Key and Senso '45.
Brass' films follow an impressionistic style – they tend not to show immense landscapes, bits and pieces of the scenery and peripheral characters and objects through pans and zooms, they imitate how the viewer might see the events. This also gives the films an extraordinarily rapid pace. He often uses a television-like multi-camera method of shooting, with at least three cameras running at once, each focusing on something different.
There are many other directorial trademarks throughout his films. From 1976's Salon Kitty onwards, mirrors play a large part in his set design. Sometimes he begin a scene with a mirror shot, then pan over to the action being reflected, giving a disorienting feeling. His erotic films – especially The Key, Miranda and All Ladies Do It – often accentuate women's ample buttocks and pubic hair as well as underarm hair, almost to the point of fetishizing those particular physical features.
Brass' films in the 1980s and early 1990s had mainly been adaptations of famous literary works usually in the erotic genre, namely The Key (La chiave), The Mistress of the Inn(Miranda), the novel Le lettere da Capri by Mario Soldati (Capriccio), the novel Snack Bar Budapest by Marco Lodoli and Silvia Bre (eponymous), Fanny Hill (Paprika), and the novel L'uomo che guarda by Alberto Moravia (The Voyeur), while 2002 film Senso '45 is an adaptation of Senso, previously filmed by Luchino Visconti.
Many of Brass' works qualify as period drama set during World War II (Salon Kitty and Senso '45, set in Berlin and Asolo respectively), in postbellum Italy (Miranda andCapriccio), antebellum Italy (The Key), and in 1950s Italy (Paprika and Monella). Brass has a piculiear trait to appear in film as cameo for his friend Osiride Pevarello and himself as well. He was also featured as the presenter in the direct-to-video erotic short films compilation Tinto Brass presenta Corti Circuiti Erotici released in four volumes in 1999.
Hollywood actress Cinzia Roccaforte once said in her interview about her  one of the lead roles, as Lucia, in the film FERMO POSTA TINTO BRASS (English title: P.O. BOX TINTO BRASS), To work with Tinto was a dream come true for me. He's one of my favorite directors and a really cool guy. Some critics wrote Lucia as Tinto's Alter Ego.
To sum up my take on Tinto Brass I use his quotation – “I put two balls and a big cock between the legs of the Italian cinema!”

Long live the brand, long lives the capitalist

Long live the brand, long lives the capitalist!

“What is the future Indian Economy”? Is the question everybody is talking? Many businessmen are worried about their investment they have made in India. Indian politicians and nationals are waiting for the new investments to come. Indians have huge hopes for the new job generation.  A country with a large manpower is waiting for a futile dawn of development.

Everybody is waiting for the results of election 2014 but what new government will do to our wounded economy? Is an unspoken question that we are facing? Answer of these question lies in the definition development. Shopping malls, Skyscrapers, Theme restaurants and landscaped garden are enough to attract the upper income group for a concept of paid happiness, although it sounds vulgar but it is the order of the day. The sheer pleasure and happiness in life we have lost. Superficially fast and addictively hectic life has become an obsession.  As two minute fast food has replaced our breakfast habits and mobile apps have decided our social status. The very existentialist Albert Camus say. “To be happy we must not be too concerned with others”. But now it is applied in other way round. We are going away from life day by day.

In 2013 India became more brand conscious. All so called branded garments are either made in Bangaladesh, Nepal , Malesia, Thailand or China. But main office will be in Europe or US.  The neo-rich or confused intellects of India is crazy about brands. If you enlighten them the story behind the production then they suitably neglect the reality.

2013 has been the mélange year of virtual and physical world. The wow virus of pseudo globalization has been infected at large with the development of mobile telephony and internet. The line among private, personal and social is blurred for the urge of sensationalism and online status quo.

Every day you have to upload photos and information which is very private and personal on the other hand it is useless. Your beloved will relish this information and will tweet on it. You will do the same. This all ritual will take most of your productive time of the day.

It seems like we are only consuming the products and using services. In other words we are working for good earning and then we are spending for maintaining our social status and not making our living. Love, Satisfaction and Happiness are the hypothetical words we have not learned them.  Capitalist has defined them for us.

It seems we are live to spend on a brand to prove our honesty towards it. Long live the brand long lives the capitalist.

It is time to wake up now. Let us get back to life and communicate with the hawkers and the vegetable market vendors as they will be kind enough to offer us some extra as a courtesy gesture, which we do not find in shopping mall.

Recognizing need is more important than becoming brand loyal. There is a great difference between friend and acquaintance.  Friends always stand by us in good and bad time. We are surrounded by only acquaintances.

This year we have also witnessed the holy man business.  This is time to realize the need to be human. If we become human we will find no differences in the world and then there is no reason to fight. We can do many better things than just to hate and fight. I remember the lines of Victor Hugo “Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.”

Indian will be self sufficient if we unite and work. We need to remember the thoughts of Albert Camus “to be happy must not be too concerned with others.” Life is very simple only if we want to.

X-mass Indian way!

X-mass Indian way!

We are known for our diversity in language, culture and festivals, who celebrate festivals on event week and every month.  

In spite of various political parties and eccentric philosophies we grow with the faith we believe. It is really fun to observe the Indian festivals. Indian cinema has recorded many festivals and propagated Indian legacy across borders.  Many literary critics have criticized Indian cinema for becoming only a entertainment chunk. Many neo-learned film critics from regional and state dailies have not left any movie and any star to criticize and tried to weave the thread of yester year culture. 

As we approach the December every school children look forward to meet the Santa Clause and the gifts from parents.  Parents  wait for the X-mass sale as it is the another festival when automobile, garment and consumer goods manufacturers and retailers arrange the year end best offers.  Other than Christian people look forward this season as a holiday period. Schools and colleges are closed and hotel industry, event management industry is in boom for fixing up their venue and getting the biggest star for their promotion.

Advertising industry is busy with creative campaigns. Travel companies get the group booking. All tourist places are filled up with tourists and right from child to old age people enjoy the atmosphere of winter. Elderly people at home enjoy the pickle and spicy food as the winter glides further we even engage in barbeque and campfire activities.  Bakery products like cake and chocolates are the most favorite delicacies for this period.  Parents along with children go crazy for chocolates.  An X-mass cake is another hot favorite of many who have heart for celebration.  All over India Christians comes up with homemade wine. The most famous is ginger wine.  It is very easy, clean and time consuming process.  One would not miss this sweet surprise of Ginger wine in this season.

Greeting card is one of the favorite of children. They make greeting cards send it to their loved ones.  There are many children who write letters to Santa. As they feel Santa will read it. Santa Clause may be a myth but it is engaging children in their fantasy world.  

Film industry is not far behind. Many producers release their film during X-mass.  As it is a prosperous period for every business.  They even struggle to get their release in X-mass.  Everybody from a business tycoon to street vendor everybody find an opportunity to make their fortune. India is a wonderful country where the x-mass is enjoyed by everybody with their own private corner. Everybody becomes a child once again.  

It is not the gimmick of marketing but a simple and clear invitation for celebration and venture where only win-win situation is guarantee.  A festival which brings smile on many faces, there is no need for anybody to check books before celebration.

The wave of brownie and x-mass cakes, chocolates and wine is in the air. Everybody is curious to see the decoration of x-mass and the fun of Santa Claus.  It is different to enjoy X-mass in India than other counterparts of the world where the zeal meets with curiosity fun and celebration.

Salman Khan the Uncrowned King of Bollywood

Salman Khan the Uncrowned King of Bollywood

1989 year came with a tornado. Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic family drama Maine Pyar Kiya created a huge box-office hit.  It broke all records and gave a huge recognition to Salman Khan. Every lain and by-lain in India crooned the songs of this film. Salman Khan came-up as youth icon with his own style of wit and acting. He created his own fan following. Maine Pyar Kiya is been dubbed in English and Spanish and released abroad which gave him international recognition.  Very soon his films like Baaghi: A Rebel for Love, Sanam Bewafa, Patthar Ke Phool created his own style.
He then introduced the love triangle formula once again with film like Saajan. People took this film seriously and took Salman Khan became their style statement. The dare devil lover has become the fashion trend. He also tried the genres like drama in Khamoshi with Manisha Koirrala. Audience liked him as a comedy and action hero. He gave a romantic and passionate angle to hero who also has a corner of wit on silver screen. His films like Judwa, Hello Brother, Biwi No.1, Auzaar and No entry are very famous for his comic sense of acting. He has recently come in the avatar of action hero with films like Ready,Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, Dabang and Wanted. Today fate of box office is decided by the film of Salman Khan. If Salman Khan is acting then the film is hit for sure.

He also gave a break to so many heroines in the industry and many journalists have connected his name with many actresses. It did not shake Salman Khan as an actor. He grew mature by every film he acted and he gave his best with each film. Even today he is a fashion icon, Audience die to watch his each and every shot of the film. They imitate his style, dialogue and dance.
Bollywood song and dance is a special ingredient of Indian Cinema.  He never had any hesitation towards it. Many a times he developed his own style of dancing it may not gel with the classical background of Indian heritage but what the hell. Audience liked it. He is known for his style of dance and style and dialogue delivery. His movies like Dabang –I and Ek Tha Tigher portrayed his mature voice and his own style of passion for love and justice.
Now it is his 25 years of Bollywood. It is very difficult to stay on Silver Screen. His contemporaries and juniors are still scared to act with him. He was a hero 25 years ago and he is still the hero today. No single star in Bollywood acted as romantic hero of the film. There are some legends we have who gave successful presence on silverscreen but then they acted as uncle, father or elderly person. Salman Khan is been a heart throb for last 25 years.
Normally 7 to 10 years is the period of one generation who watch the films in their wild and wooly days. Then they become mature and start working their life changes. He is been a light house for lovers of last three decades. Today when many senior critics have declared the end of Indian Cinema with Mohomad Rafi  Sahab’s demise it is Salman Khan who hold the flag sky high to the lovers from all over India. At times he became Robin Hood at times a Comedian and at times he became Ranjha and at time Maznu. He came in many roles to offer hope to the loving young couples of India. He is been a grass root hero but always maintained his dignity.
Today when we listen his old film songs all middle age Indian population goes down in their own memory lain. It is the magic of Indian Cinema who always gave importance of human emotions and human values. Many critics take a suitable objection that Bollywood only produce Romantic films. My answer to all of them is please checking the reality. We are large in population and 75% in India live below poverty line. Literacy rate in India is also marginal. How do you expect them to be so enlightened to explore the issues of extra-territorial aliens? As Andrai Tarkavosky say Cinema is a reflection of society. Bollywood is reflection of India. As Salman Khan is been the heart throb of all Indians for last 25 years. I feel is the most successful uncrowned king of Bollywood. Today is his birthday lets us wish him to have more healthy and hearty 100 years for Bollywood.

2013 has been a year of various changes and experiments in Bollywood.

2013 has been a year of various changes and experiments in Bollywood.
This year came up with surprises on the front of finance, politics and cinema. Lets us take a close look at Bollywood. 2013 is peculiarly important year when elections are on the cards and recession is at its peak. Although Bollywood has become an industry, day by day it is getting more organized in its nature of work. Bollywood falls under the category of entertainment industry.  Due to recession every organization has cut down their budgets. First slash come on entertainment industry.
First hit movie was of the year was Special 26. The film is inspired by a real-life heist on 19 March 1987 where a group posing as CBI officers executed an income tax raid on the Opera House branch of Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri in Mumbai. Neeraj Pandey who directed this film also wrote for this film. A huge star cast and chain of incidents take audience on the journey to the exact time narrated in the film. It is nice to see the various characters developing their other side of personality and their planning for engineering the robbery. We just get amazed with their presence of mind and their backup plans. Audience liked this film.
Aashiqui 2 The film is the sequel to the 1990 musical blockbuster Aashiqui. Which was big success. Film was hit with all songs, those were the days of audio cassettes and people jumped on it. Every next boy on the corner use to sing the songs from Aashiqui. People even copied the film poster in radium sticker and put it on their bicycles and motorcycles. It was a trend of guy in a blazer and girl in a skirt. If we check the history then we find a trail of films following this fashion of clothes. Aashiqui 2 has given a tribute to old Aashiqui. I admire this film as this used the Bollywood film as a metaphor for bollywood film. This itself strengthen the standard of Bollywood cinema on larger horizon.
Race 2 is a Bollywood action thriller film directed by Abbas-Mustan . They are known for their grandeur of film making.  It is the sequel to the 2008 film, Stars that includes Anil Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan  as Robert D'Costa and Ranveer Singh respectively, while Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez,  Ameesha Patel and few more. This film is full of Heists, hot-babes, raging cars, gizmos and gags.  Director Abbas-Mustan have offered everything with pompous grandeur, and a riveting plot to shock and surprise. Indian audience like these kind of films to enjoy the cinematic experience.
Grand Masti is also known as Masti 2. It falls in Bollywood adult comedy genre directed by Indra Kumar. It features Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Riteish Deshmukh reprising their roles from the original, along with Bruna Abdullah, Karishma Tanna, Sonalee Kulkarni, Kainaat Arora, Maryam Zakaria and Manjari Fadnis.  The film received largely negative response from critics, but was received well at the box office. The film was declared a Super Hit in India by Box Office India. This film is made for entertainment and not delivered any message. It showed the maturity of Indian audience that they also like adult comedy.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a 2013 Indian biographical sports drama film. Vetran director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra directed it and it is scripted by Prasoon Joshi. It is based on the life of Milkha Singh, An Indian athlete who was a national champion runner and an Olympian. This film created waves on Bollywood in international cinema. This film is hit in India and it proved that Indian audience knows cinema as well as they has deeper understanding of their culture and history.
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela is a 2013 Hindi romantic-drama film directed and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It is an experiement by director as he also took interest in music of this film. The film is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set in violent times. As we all know the landscape of England and India is different but basic human attributes remain the same. Sanjay Leela Bhansali captured all these in this film. It will be more exciting experience once you read the Romeo and Juliet. Director has proved his strength by adopting a foreign drama and its essence in Indian soil without losing its original timber. This film stars Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone as the eponymous leads. Many critics have liked this film and it is declared super hit on box-office.
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is a 2013 Indian coming-of-age romantic comedy film. It is directed by Ayan Mukerji . He is a very young and dynamic director. Who won filmfare for his 2009 debute film Wake Up Sid.  This film stars Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in lead roles. This film catches the lime light for its song sequences and the style of film narration. All critics have praised it for its style and narration. Ayan has proved his own creative strength. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani has become the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time in India and worldwide.
Krrish 3 is a 2013 Bollywood superhero science fiction film produced and directed by Rakesh Roshan. It is the third film in the Krrish series following Koi... Mil Gaya and Krrish. Indian audience has an eye for science fiction as well. This film is admired right from children to everybody. The use of world class technology and special effects make this film shine on international horizon. Critics have liked it as very science fiction films are made on Indian turf. Audience made this film super hit on boxoffice.
Dhoom: 3 is a Hindi action thriller film, written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya who is  English Literature graduate. A young and dynamic who proved his mettle with the third installment of the Dhoom series featuring Aamir Khan as the antagonist who paired opposite Katrina Kaif. Actors Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra play their roles as Jai Dixit and Ali Akbar respectively as seen is previous franchise.  It is considered to be one of the highest-budgeted Indian films of all time it is the IMAX motion picture film format attraction. This action and thriller film has take audience by its awe.
Chennai Express is just another Indian romantic action comedy film, directed by Rohit Shetty. He is famous for his Bollywood masala formula. This film is half in Mallayalum and half in Hindi. ‘Don’t under estimate the power of a common man’ is the famous dialogue. Honey Singh sang songs for this film. A different fusion of rap, song and dance we find it in this film. This film is super hit on box-office in India and abroad.
From last hundred years Bollywood has created its own identity and created so many genres in itself, Indian films have narrated the changed on every occasion. If somebody would like to know about Indian then Indian cinema will be his first reference. Many critics from India and outside India have shouted about the Indian Cinema. To me Cinema is a art form for masses. Let masses decide the fate of Cinema. In 2013 Indian audience has given a warm response to Indian Cinema. Box-office has been noted it successful. It is one of the biggest cinema industries in the world take it seriously and enjoy the cinema in cinema hall. Small screen is too small to define what is cinema.

Circle of Prosperity and Aam Adami Party

Circle of Prosperity and Aam Adami Party

Several doubts have been raised over the capabilities and strength of Aam Adami Party. The strong opposition and the Indian nationals have never considered Aam Adami party as a threat. The very simple name of political party did not attract any vengeance.  A political party with just one year old history and party chief is an ex-IRS officer. Everybody was busy in guessing the hidden agenda of political parties.  By 2013 everybody has made up their mind that either politics is a money making business or it is a dirty mud. It is Aam Adami party who came up with the new agenda with a clean politics.
Delhi is yet another example of people mandate. People have proved the power of vote and elected a government that they want. The agenda to offer free water to Delhi and Power at a reasonable rate now raise the eyebrows. Kejriwal’s request for a CAG to audit of three private power companies has attracted nation’s interest.
Aam Adami party is a new political party and yet to expand its horizons across country. Yesterday Kejriwal has proved the mandate and now he has minimum six months in hand to prove his work. Next six months are very pivotal for all nations as we are approaching for elections very soon and the fate of nation will be decided.
Indian Industry is going through a constant trouble due to lack of decisions made in country and the weak economic conditions oversea. Along with Indian citizens the industrial fraternity is going through hard times from last three years. Indian investors and foreign direct investors are willing to invest in India but they are worried about the Indian policy and very off and on changes in policies. They are also worried about their investment. What they need is clear policy and infrastructure. Today we witness many infrastructure projects are pending or under progress. These are the problems of allied government.  Every citizen is annoyed with raising prices of daily utility to real estate. Apart from world economy there are other reasons for this price rise.
Mobile telephony made swing whole country with the magic of availability of internet in mobile. The complete youth went crazy with the social networking sites. Telecom companies and politicians were busy harping songs of development and the kind of freedom everybody get. As Albert Camus say, “Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better”. Indian youth witnessed the jasmine and pink revolution with the help of social media. A Gandhian devotee Anna Hazare gives a call to nation from Jantar Mantar and complete nation stood by it. We wrote the chapter in history of social networking technology and social development.
The rise in percentage of voting and increase in literacy rate in India now shaping the Indian politics. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  Nelson Mandela believed it strongly. Today we find education as a parallel to money and muscle politics. Now every single educated person will vote as they know their voice is noted.
While reading the daily headlines of honor killing, rape, suicide due to dahej, domestic violence, gunda raj Aam Adami party offers a pleasant surprise of development. This is not the only win of a political party but it is a positive symptom of human development.  We as India with such a talent, industry and legacy we need to do away with these inhuman crimes. Aam Aadmi party is a new option for all Indian who are ire with vote politics and gunda raaj. This is the time if we as citizens elect the perfect candidate then next five years will be pay back of our vote. One vote will help change the economic status of county and government in return will boost industry and industry is closely linked with generating jobs and livelihood for many and also fuels economy. This is a ‘Circle of Prosperity’. You help nation and nation will help you grow.
Vote to honest politician and clean party. Do vote and experience the ‘Circle of Prosperity’.

The Glory of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

The Glory of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

We proudly live in country of 1.237 billion population and 29 states, India is upcoming world power. We proudly have world business giants like Tata, Bajaj, Mittal, Reliance, Wipro, Kirloskar, Marshal, Sahara and many more. India has reign in information and technology for more than a decade. All out sourced work for call centers and BPO is the main contributor for development.
Our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is world renowned economist and Cambridge alumni. Who is the only very highly qualified person with man international awards. No other country in the world has such a highly qualified, visionary and prolific person. This is his second term to be as Prime Minister.
UPA government is made of 11 different political parties. We can imagine how it will be difficult for UPA to take a decision. UPA has to convince all the smallest parties who are in their alliance. Unfortunately they had a strong opposition. Many times when they have shown interest to pass a bill and it is opposed by opposition party.
Sensational news is what the new gizmo friendly Indians are looking forward. With this sensational news they can then share or tweet on social media. Telecommunication and internet reached at the remote end during this last decade only. This very promising development we over look and we cling to the age old human attribute of gossiping. Social media is only used today for gossiping in private domain. We as human have altered our private and social circle for social media. The result, we see what is been shown. Our analytical inclination is long gone.
In spite of the natural atrocities and international fund crutch and many difficulties India is remained untouched by the unfortunate events what have taken place on international canvas.
I personally feel, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has maintained the dignity and authenticity of the post of Prime Minister. In spite of loud voices from opposition and media he maintained a dignity of his position
It is time to cling our analytical skills before succumbing to any sensational report.

The Great Train Robbery merged in fiction and nonfiction

The Great Train Robbery merged in fiction and nonfiction

Any form of art is a replication of reality. Any artist get inspiration from real life to mimic the experience through some medium and that is art. As poetry is considered the creative creation of poet and his emotions some where it deals with real life experiences and aspirations. Novel is a literary form which opens a different platform for human life and experiences. Cinema came is considered to be very young form of art which came in to existence just 100 years ago. A Russian legendary film director Andreai Tarkavosky said long back, “Cinema is a reflection of life.”

Cinema is an art from which amalgamate all other forms of art right from poetry, literature, sculpture, music, drama and graphics. This particular form has been a powerful medium. It started 19^th Century and proved its power by invading Russian government and making a way for Communism.  Adolf Hitlar already used it during Second World War for his own agenda. Many film makers have made films on famous novels, famous personalities and social incidences. Film has made a great impact on humankind. Today we all humans are connected with only one language which is not bound by any border of country or state. It is the language of Cinema. It is always wonderful way to watch a film and analysis the social change. 

Special26 has been a successful film. This film is based on a real life incidence of 1986, a year of no mobile and internet. We vehemently notice this fact. We also see the neatly crated plan of robbery and their style of execution. Even today this case is pending. Last week police have caught thugs. Who has confessed, of their inspiration out of film ‘Special26’. The plan they have made and executed it. Certainly this is an unfortunate incidence. This should not have taken place and we are not the only country where this happens.

‘The Great Train Robbery’ 1903 very famous silent film it became noticeable for its use of cross cut of editing. Later many films have been made like that. In 1960 an incidence of Train Robbery took place in United Kingdom, where a train was traveling from UK to France. Five people were the culprits Ronnie Biggs who was one of them died very recently. In 1963 US made color film of this substance by the name of ‘The Great Train Robbery’. Novel on this got published in 1975 by Micheal Crichton. He wrote this novel on the incidence of 1805 robbery.

Train Robbery has been a part of classical plot in Bollywood. We can see some of the glaring examples like Sholey, Tees Maar Khan, Dhoom, Race and many more.

Films do not encourage crimes. Do not built criminals it is the audience who not only watch films they live it. This is high time to realize, Film is a powerful medium, and it has to be used judiciously. It helps records history and not it is proved that it is even shaping literature. All literary critis should expand their horizons by clinging films as a part of ‘art form’.

To be or not to be!

To be or not to be!

‘To be or not to be’ William Shakespeare from Hamlet are not just lines written by him. It is not only a soliloquy. It is much more. Hamlet made many film makers think over their history, their film making and sociology and psychology. In last century Avant Grade Director Jean luc Godard said.”To be or not to be. That's not really a question”. This is cinema which is a combination of all form of arts and it goes much beyond.
We as a human being we have different identity and liking what we like is different than other human and we may not find the cautious reason for it. Many a times we like a film may be for music, story may be for background or may be for a silly reason.
In India we live cinema. Due to my love for literature and the grace my friend I became a part of Pune Litrature Club. There I met a businessman Mr Kaushik. This gentleman is in his 60s and likes literature and an armature lover of films. On a cozy moment he requested me to find a film for him which he would like to gift it to his father. He is a south Indian person has spend some stint in Delhi and his parents have had some stint in Bombay (then Mumbai). They have some wearied reason to like that film for the portrayal of ‘Bombay Chawl Life’. It took me by complete surprise that, there are audience in India who take Indian films as a part of recorded history. They relate themselves with it. It is not only youngsters who relate themselves with some trendy film music and fashion. There are seniors too. They both are yet to understand the gravity of Cinema and love towards each other.
I tried my level best by asking 1984 Saeed Mirza’s Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!. I asked DVD stores and many vendors for this film. I checked out may web portals for CD and DVD but in vain. I could not gather it. As I learned from Mr Kaushik that his father is a very old person and as a loyal son he was doing every possible thing to get this film for him. Mean while I got bogged in to my commitments and could not attain the meeting but back of my mind his words were haunting me.
Last Sunday when we met in a Literature Club meeting, it was after a long time. He greeted me like a gentleman, I exchanged the greetings. After a while when we both were comfortable with surrounding I asked him about the Film ‘Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!’. He answered in a deep voice, “ Rahul, I got the film in a good condition but it was too late’. This thing is going to hurt him forever that he could not complete a simple wish. Same is from my end.
I remember the line by Godard, ‘Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self.’

Good Morning Call

Good Morning Call

After 64 years of Republic day we have 69,323 Newspapers in India. We
have 3418 Hindi and 594 English. We being the number one country for
population and with such a network of news paper a question comes to
mind is how many people read news paper? How many do discuss the news
and happening with others and how many of them give a thought beyond
for why this news is flashing?
Very recently when I asked a question about respected Delhi CM
Kejariwal and his protest on road? Very many said they did not like
this practice and could not give me a sensible reply. I asked them,
What AAP has achieved out of it? Everybody said sympathy. I
immediately realized, they are not reading the news papers and do not
have any follow up of current happening. A CM doing protest like AAP
party becomes breaking news for international Media. AAP party CM
takes press conference for progress report of 21 days it also become
the news on international agenda.
Just in last fortnight every news channel and news paper was buy in
the news of Devayani Khobragade. Yes, it is a very unfortunate
incidence on our part and India has taken the correct steps. Complete
nation is with her but this is not the only unfortunate incidence has
taken place up till now. One must read behind the line. Why there is
no other news on agenda? When our country is going through may
problems of food, money, infrastructure, electricity and issues and
policies of FDI. We soon are going to enjoy 4G and 5G. Every media is
collectively busy in portraying the one news and the follow-up of that
news. It seems ‘news value’ is just made for the academic syllabus and
not for practical use.
It is time to realize, India has great potential for journalism. When
we have more than 60,000 news papers in country, in coming days it is
going to increase. There will be many opportunities for new
journalists. There will be new trends in news paper journalism.
Internet facility will not erase news paper on horizon. News paper has
been an authentic source of information and it is going to be there.
It is one of the time tasted and genuine medium who has witnessed the
communication revolutions like Radio, Television, Internet, Mobile and
social networking. Every development in technology came like a
hurricane and went like a smoke. This social networking trend is like
a crossfire it will soon get over with a stroke of chaos. Everybody is
enjoying Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes of Fame. Very soon we will
realize Marshall McLuhan’s theory of extension.
News papers are going through a paradigm shift they are getting more
entertainment friendly but at the same time some news papers are busy
in maintain their genuineness and I am sure they will last long.
Today when I see people do not read news paper and do not write by
hands it is done by typing on tab. Very soon we are going to lose our
ability of reading, writing and remembering.
This is a perfect time to for those students who read news papers and
would like to carve their career in journalism. They just need to
study now; they are going to have a great career ahead.
A person is known by their company. Whose company we have now a days?
It is only gadgets we live with. They do not have self life and they
do not adopt change. We just discard them, sound too harsh but true.
Inculcate habit of reading, writing and listening and you will develop
your ability of thinking. It turns all success to you.
Let news paper be ‘good morning call’.

Scorsese’s wolf rule the Oscars 2014

Scorsese’s  wolf rule the Oscars 2014

“I would wish for any one of my colleagues to have the experience of working with Martin Scorsese once in their lifetime.” These lines are from world famous by legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis. Martin Scorsese who is famous for his noir films like Taxi Driver, GoodFellas, Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street. He handled many plots, time and social upheaval. Handling a character is his forte. Many directors from US work according to story and then create the character. Scorsese never give importance to story. This revolutionary director who make his film around the character, for him character is the most important factor. Film is about the character and his psychological landscape. His films offer us an exclusive glimpse of society, social scenario and its impact on character’s mind. We surrender ourselves to the screen and scream with a character because we never realize when his character becomes our alter ego. The Wolf of Wall Street is a film about Jordan Belfort's memoir. Jordan Belfort who worked as stockbroker and who is convicted for stock market manipulation. He has spent 22 months in prison. Now he works as a motivational speaker. Jordan who was greedy for money and who committed many frauds to experience all his whims and fancies of as a mortal. In this film we find anxiety, emptiness and despair amid the rampage of group hysteria throughout the film. As Scorsese say, “As you grow older, you change.” These lines come true when we watch films. This film showcases the characters of William Shakespeare’s characters from tragedies and comedies.  Representative stories of great men and their downfall, facing trial, drugs, daughter get kidnapped, car crash ultimately he become vulnerable. He realizes his self destructive urges.  This showing us how the world works, everything comes up with a price. Belfort gets scared once he goes to jail. Thus the Machiavellian Belfort, an anti-hero of late-capitalist finance selling the lure of wealth as an alchemical panacea , may be our equivalent of Richard III or Iago - who also charm us and immobilize our moral instincts by taking us into the confidence of their villainous schemes. Rothstein has much in common with Shylock, hated by his Italian associates as a Jew, and finally incited to self-destruction by a contradictory human passion for family. conceivably the damaged and driven, yet heroic Hughes that Scorsese and DiCaprio showed us resembles Coriolanus - a mother- figure of immense power whose uncontrollable personal demons shape our destiny. We can call it a psychological capitalist epic. It could be compared with Citizen Cain. It is a film with a serious subject when we are living in the time of fast change. 2008 financial collapse of financial world made him make this film.

Deconstruction of beats by bytes

Deconstruction of beats by bytes

With the wind of change everything is changing and leaving behind a discomfort of few. Many are yet to realize the aspect of ‘change.’ As Marshal Mc Luhan has noted, all the developments of 19th centuries are just the extension of our being. We have received all the technological change in our perspective but have we noted the other side of technology?

Albert Einstein once said “Learning is not about the learning the facts but the training of mind to think.” Today we find many solutions on education but do not find anything to develop our mind’s ability to learn and develop. I remember the lines of Aristotle, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” We have developed the tools of education to save time, money and energy but have we thought of human emotions and development?

In 1967 Jacques Derrida coined a term ‘Deconstruction-ism.’ Yes true today I with the passage if time and the array of technology I firmly believe it. A country like India which is famous for its population and legacy of education, today lacking behind for creating a creative talent for tomorrow.  With 42 central, 285 states, 29 deemed and some private universities are serving the more than 1.25 billion population.

As India entered in the phase of globalization in 1996 many changes have taken place on international horizon. They are fueled by the entry of internet and mobile telephony in the last decade. The user friendly technology wooed all young generation and business visionaries.

E-Learning companies came to India with a great hope and enthusiasm.  Many colleges and private universities have started online learning education. For students they opened online libraries and journals.

The very concept of college is de-constructed by the concept of online learning. The concept of library is replaced by online library. The concept of office, cabin, one assistant and storage, filing is replaced by laptop. These are the new developments which have changed the process of learning.

Long gone those days when students use to study the text books and reference books, notes are the in thing. Students have started studying only to get nice score and not to acquire education. The concept of education is deconstructed in last decade.

Internet in mobile has replaced laptop, computer, TV, radio, calculator, diary, writing ability, listening ability, moving and doing window shopping, reading ability and much more. It is the best example of de-construction.

When nothing is left to learn and everything is just at a finger touch. This very feeling of paradise is deceiving. We are losing our abilities one by one. We are becoming more dependants on gadgets who run on batteries and we live on heart beat.

French Revolution to Facebook

French Revolution to Facebook

                Social media has finally made its decade. A child prodigy Mark Zukerberg started a social networking site Facebook from his Harvard dormitory. It was 4th February 2004 and he altered the role of communication. Facebook became a harboring land of fantasy to communicate with loved ones and even to find someone who matches with your views. Along with developed countries even underdeveloped countries used it at large.

                Facebook once it was criticized for its sharing personal information.  It also received some complaints but over a period of time it became mature. They also faced many law suits against it. 31^st May 2010 is been celebrated as ‘Quit Facebook Day’. Nothing did shake its status.

                  17 December 2010 is known as a day which began ‘Arab Spring’ ordinary people came on street and changed their governments. It is a historical incidence like a French Revolution. It is only after French Revolution who came on road to change the governments. French Revolution changed the face of the world. Writers like Victor Hugo, William Wordsworth, W B Yeatws, Edmund Burke, George Bernard Shaw and very many intellects used ‘pamphlets’ as a mass communication medium to communicate with people. It was the most powerful intrapersonal medium of communication of that time. Writers, poets and dramatist who were involved in French Revolution were inspired by the work of Voltair and Jean Jack Rousseau. French revolution is a literary classic example for the world of mankind and world of mass communication. How people use to reciprocate the form of writing, may it be drama, poetry, news paper journalism or a pamphlet.  

                 ‘Arab Spring’ which changed the fate of Tunisia, Egypt ,Libya, and Yemen. It inspired civil uprisings in Bahrain and Syria  and protests in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, and Sudan. Social networking site played major role in to it. Facebook is also used as a modern and more effective and fast medium in India. When Anna Hazare did his protest in Delhi people from all over India supported him. It was facebook which joined India once again. We can proudly claim that we have witnessed the latest communication revolution.

                              In 2014 when India will be approaching election soon, Facebook will play a major role communication. Advertisers from all over the world have acknowledged its importance. Social media and social status has become new business avenues for business and domains of vital concern.  Unfortunately we do not have great poets, dramatist, writers or philosophers with us to lead and we no more use the pamphlet as a mass communication tool but we need to realist the power of mighty pen. May it be any medium, the importance of language is still intact only the medium is changed!  

                                 Mark Zukerberg who created Facebook which is worth of $19 Billion today and he is world’s 2^nd youngest self made billionaire.  Today more than 1.2 billion people use Facebook. May it be 18^th century or 2014 what is important is the language.  I remember the lines from Rumi “Words are a pretext. It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words.” 

David Balie a Lens man who crafted swinging 60s

David Balie a Lens man who crafted swinging 60s

David Balie a filmgoer who has fascination of silver screen and the images right from his childhood.  His housed was bombed when he was three and use to stay in Leytonstone and just next street East End where Alfred Hitchcock is borne. Mickey Mouse and Bambi have been his childhood fantasies. He started his career in 1960 with John French studio, as assistant, later he started shooting the fashion photography for Vogue.  He clicked many celebrities, actors and musicians. He captured the swinging 60s with his lens. Michelangelo Antonioni, made a film on London Photographer and his life, 1966 film Blowup. It was the recognition David Balie. It happiness very rarely, that when you are alive a film maker get inspired by your work and makes a film on you. It is one of its kind examples.  He later on clicked photos of Terence Stamp, The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Jean Shrimpton, PJ Proby, Cecil Beaton, Rudolf Nureyev, Andy Warhol and East End gangsters, the Kray twins. Everybody to him as a subject and camera has been his pen. He write a visual history of that period.
David Balie explored his skills in television commercials, documentaries on Beaton, Warhol and Visconti. He also made music videos of Rolling Stones.
He is been awarded in 2005 by Royal Photographic Society for his contribution for the art of photography. He always uses to say, anybody can be a great photographer if they zoom in enough on what they love. He had his own inclination while clicking the photo. He loved his craft. He experimented in his own way. He left school at his 15th birthday. All he learned was on his own.
In last 50 years of his career nobody has told him what to shoot and how to shoot. It is just he took photos, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar liked it.
He is the man who not only framed 60s but created a new chapter in fashion, modern and social photography. He well knew for his black and white portraits. If we see his color photos we find all the aesthetics of modern world. He never stuck himself in a particular era or style.  To call him a fashion photographer will be injustice his monstrous work. He clicked everything which he liked. On 6th February 2014 Vogue will be publishing his work and contribution to them over last 50 years.
He admires Bob Dylan and his singing. David as he has been the witness of WW II it has left a long impact on him. He always say, life has taught me, expects the unexpected. When asked what will be happiest moment for him in life? He answered, just one more day. He has been a liberal and always worried about communal violence. David Bailey’s Box Of Pin-Ups got published in 1964 and he gave his newly found aesthetics for poster.
David Balie is few of those photographers who has practiced film and digital both mediums. He left his mark on the world of photography. He himself is an institution; it is an opportunity for all photographers to jump on the work of David Balie. Let’s grab the issue of February and see how an enthusiast became a legend.

The Kiss - Photograph of WWII

The Kiss

                                     Initially photography was used to capture the portraits of then social elites and social landscape. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “There are no bad pictures; that’s just how your face looks sometimes.” Salman Rushdie,   went further by saying “A photograph is a moral decision taken in one eighth of a second.” Correct it is a mechanical process and your creative decision.

                                     I remember a very famous photograph ‘The Kiss’. They were the days of Second World War. People from all over the word were tired of this continuous ongoing war. Every day use to start with a bomb raid or some shootout. All café and public space were crowed to grab the updates of World War. An unknown photographer who has his task to click the photograph as he got the news war is over on 14th August 1945. He was on Times Square and what he saw was a ship just landed in harbor and people are running here and there. He had a ordinary camera and was wondering what to shoot. Suddenly he saw a sailor running on street and grabbed a nurse, who came out on road, didn't knew what to do. As she also received the news of World War is over. He locked lips with her and photographer captured them without knowing them as well as he also did not realize the potential of the photo. George Mendonsa was the sailor and Greta Friedman, a nurse, in her white uniform. It was world famous photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt who clicked this picture. Life magazine published this photo. George and Greta went home without exchanging any address or message. It was just the happiness they shared. Greta realized when she saw this photo in magazine. For Life magazine the pair is unknown and even for the world. This photograph acquired the iconic status of Second World War photographs. In 1980 Life magazine asked this pair to step forward. George and Greta who have already chosen their own path of life and did not meet each other before and after that photo they met once again.

                                   If we see the ‘kiss’ photo even today we find the sheer happiness of both people and the marvelous pose in enthusiasm. The end of war or VJ day is celebrated then onward every year and memories cherished. The very purpose of photography is to capture essence of life. It does not mean to go on clicking candid photos. We need to understand the event and its importance first. Then reset fall in place. World war is not only fought on borders or on land. It is also fought on the level of psychology, ideology, belief and mankind. A photo which will represent it has to portray all the emotions. What we find in ‘The kiss’ is the two human from different walk of life as their uniforms portray. They are on road, it’s a naked reality in broad day light and it is love gesture that they exchange. We find the sheer innocence and expression of suppressed emotions. This way it perfectly staples the VJ day or end of World War II.

                                 Even today we need to understand the importance of photography. Photography ignites your imagination to explore various thoughts associated with that particular time and place. Video kills your imagination and nothing left to further imagine. It offers a full stop to story. 

Kudos to Strand Book Stall

Kudos to Strand Book Stall

                                I remember the last summer when I was reading the books on Federico Fellini and his style of film making. The very subject fascinated me as his films inspired many film makers from all over the world. As a film student I did find a cord between French Avant Grade Cinema, German Expressionism and Italian Cinema. I admire Federico Fellini for his habit of observing reality and then to weave it for screen. He had a peculiar habit of writing in a diary and then implements it in to film. I got to know that there is a book published on his diary (Fellini's Diary of Dreams) which inspired his style of ‘Stream of Consciousness’ which has lured many film scholars from then up till now.  I started searching for a book but in vain and at the same evening a close friend of mine took me Pune Shivaji Nagar Engineering College for ‘Strand Book Stall’ exhibition. It was my first visit to Strand Book Stall sale. I was taking a glance over books and to my surprise I found ‘Fellini's Diary of Dreams’. I jumped on the book and told my friend what a co-incident that the book which I was searching today morning on net and at various book stores, I found it in a surprising way at Strand’s Book Store. I received a handsome discount. I was more than happy and I purchased many classics over the period of week from that exhibition.

                           Strand Book Stall made me rich by the experience. My dear friend Dr Paul told me it is a 60 year old book stall when is started in the premise of Strand Cinema Mumbai. Mr. T.N.Shanbhag has started it out of his love towards books. All newspaper editors from India love Strands Books from heart. R. K.Laxman use to be the frequent admirer of Strands Book Stall. All intelligentsia of Mumbai knows Strands Book Stall for it collection and fantastic discount of above 20%.

                              Many parents who were students once remember the Strands for the kind of discount they have enjoyed when they had small pocket money. Every book lover from India owes some memories to Strands Book Stall.

                            Internet and communication revolutions made no difference to Strands Book Stall but today after the very unfortunate demise of T.N.Shanbag in 2009 there are rumors that it might close in April or May this year.

                            I found the news in Asian Age Saturday 8.2.1014 and decided to pen down an article on it. I remember the lines by Oscar Wilde “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” 

                            Today when everyone is busy with tablet exposure and touch screen reality, I prefer a book when never damage my eye site and available to any time anywhere without a condition. I respect it more than my companion. I remember the lines of Umberto Eco – “A book is a fragile creature, it suffers the wear of time, it fears rodents, the elements and clumsy hands. So the librarian protects the books not only against mankind but also against nature and devotes his life to this war with the forces of oblivion.”

                              Strand Book Stall is a treasure for India and it should be preserved. In the days of fast change we are losing everything which has shaped mankind. It is time to realize the value of book and book store.

I sum up my article with a line by Cicero - “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”