I saw 2 very disparate movies over the past few weeks. The first was Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and the other Ghajini.
What can is say about a movie where the woman cannot recognize her husband just because he no longer has a dorky mustache and hairstyle and wears differently styled clothes? It was a light-hearted one-man show. The message they wanted to give out was simple enough – love must be honest, must surpass all sorts of boundaries (including those of logic), beliefs and has to necessarily be total in nature. That its ok to waver, its ok to like the flamboyant guy who makes you laugh and makes you have a good time but in the end, it’s the simple sweet one who would do anything for you in the world is the one who finally pulls at your heart strings.
I don’t think I will ever understand why this conception exists in the Indian mindset. There is nothing wrong with being aggressive, pushy and flamboyant. Just because someone is that way, is no reason to presume they will be a certain way. But we perpetuate these stereotypes all through our lives. The guy with the flashy sunglasses has to be obnoxious. The pretty well dressed girl must be snooty and therefore good to have fun with and nothing else. Walk into a room and you can feel people sizing you up based on the way you walk, talk eat, drink, dress – the list is endless. Yet, when you think about it, how many people who you know really well, have really lived out these perceptions. Often, the most flashy guy will be the most soft-hearted guy and make an awesome friend. The gorgeous woman with an air about her may be just shy or self conscious or may have that air to protect herself against people who judge her. The badly dressed guy with poor vocal skills may be a victim of a lack of exposure but may have the most intelligent thoughts. Every single person is a cocktail – it’s a mix that has to appeal. Somewhere, what we like to see on screen – is that the mix is completely perfect and universally acceptable. Even the most perfectly made margarita is not universally acceptable. You would expect more from people.
Ghajini – well it was weird on a whole different level. Well acted (a tad on the over-done side), a completely copied story line and misplaced (yet awesome) set of songs. While RNBD had someone who could not recognize stuff and use her head while she was completely in her senses, Ghajini had a person with severe amnesia, leading life with unexplained precision. No explanation as to how he begun to realize he had to live life that way. How he managed initially– and a host of other logical gaps- creative license is what its called I presume.
What struck me quite a bit again was the naïveté of the female lead. She can’t seem to see what evident to everyone around. Made me wonder – do we not like to see things just because they may be too unbelievable for us to digest? Its easier to presume ones own opinion to begin with still holds – because if we admit that things may not be what they seem or as easy as we like to believe, we may have to let go – and that’s never a pleasant or easy thought to live with. Another obvious observation – why is it that the women are the ones portrayed with the lowest level of logic? In both RBDN and Ghajini – inability to see the obvious seems to be a natural gift. When in reality, women usually have a reasonably good level of intuition and when dealing with people can often be at least (as much if not more) astute than is expected. So is expected the operative word?
Hum of the day:
Expectations form the basis of how we see life and things. It is recommended that for peace, renounce expectations. Do and don’t expect. Impracticality abounds a lot of our lives. To be human is to expect. To expect is to dream. And a life without dreams is mere existence.
Friday, January 2, 2009
The world will go around
After a long hiatus from writing, I am back to it. The past 2 months have seen the world around me go crazy in more than one way. I work in the line of finance, most of my friends are in a similar line of work and with the markets the way they are, doom abounds almost all conversation. But this is not specific to of finance professional because the world is an interconnected place. And this is a difficult time for everyone – especially for my generation i.e. people who entered the world of high-paying employment about 3-5 years ago. Because this is the blessed generation – or so we thought!
We began our careers with a silver spoon – institute, degree and caliber were compensated handsomely and perhaps more than was deserved. The market had more demand for our skilled manpower and hence sky-rocketing packages, mushrooming small businesses and a thriving consuming class. My colleagues and friends (and perhaps me as well) planned their lives assuming they would be able to live their dreams – and when the market kept growing and delivering – the dreams got bigger and the goals more ambitious. So assuming the salary would come in at the same level, assets were bought (often on loan), and deals were struck, personal decisions and life-plans were made. Then, one day, the euphoria was rudely punctured. We all saw the signs, most people knew trouble was brewing- but did anyone really anticipate this kind of a downturn – god knows!
Suddenly, the steady income was a problem. Suddenly those dreams looked further away or had to be put on hold with little hope of revival to that level. Our parents will say they have weathered these cycles, that was goes around comes around etc. But I somehow feel they lived in a slightly different world. The sheer quantum of money involved has inflated expectations to unimaginable level. So while a small house was enough to keep our parents happy, our generation dreams of the condo. While a fiat was an aspiration once, today, these material assets have taken a whole new proportion.
What is disturbing, however, is that the faith is diminishing. In a lot of urban circles, marriages are breaking, loneliness, poor health etc is relatively rampant and life is just not what it seems like it was for a generation before us. Somewhere, work-life and professional success has become a barometer for life in general. So now what happens in an environment where that barometer may not be available for so many? What happens to relationships, to life plans, to those dreams people had together or individually. Can they survive this downturn? Can they still be seen – maybe further ahead that’s all. Or will this mean going back to the drawing board – in life and work? Will it see relationships re-defined almost as much as pay-packages and work ethic? Will a generation that somewhere has got used to commanding and demanding, have to finally start really working, understanding and earning?
They say this recession will shake out the system, will consolidate and re-define towards more leaner, cautious and durable systems. Perhaps the recession will also take us back to a more grounded personal existence as well. Yes, this change is at a price, but I believe things happen when they are most needed. Maybe without this shakeout, no one would have even known they were in a mess. This could be a chance at re-evaluation and a honing of survival skills – only in a difference sort of jungle.
Hum of the day:
At times, love makes the world go around. At others, its money and somewhere it is also fear. But what makes the world survive at all is sheer faith. Faith that whatever it is that is making the world go around; the world will continue to go around. What’s lost will be found- as will the sheer will to look for it.
We began our careers with a silver spoon – institute, degree and caliber were compensated handsomely and perhaps more than was deserved. The market had more demand for our skilled manpower and hence sky-rocketing packages, mushrooming small businesses and a thriving consuming class. My colleagues and friends (and perhaps me as well) planned their lives assuming they would be able to live their dreams – and when the market kept growing and delivering – the dreams got bigger and the goals more ambitious. So assuming the salary would come in at the same level, assets were bought (often on loan), and deals were struck, personal decisions and life-plans were made. Then, one day, the euphoria was rudely punctured. We all saw the signs, most people knew trouble was brewing- but did anyone really anticipate this kind of a downturn – god knows!
Suddenly, the steady income was a problem. Suddenly those dreams looked further away or had to be put on hold with little hope of revival to that level. Our parents will say they have weathered these cycles, that was goes around comes around etc. But I somehow feel they lived in a slightly different world. The sheer quantum of money involved has inflated expectations to unimaginable level. So while a small house was enough to keep our parents happy, our generation dreams of the condo. While a fiat was an aspiration once, today, these material assets have taken a whole new proportion.
What is disturbing, however, is that the faith is diminishing. In a lot of urban circles, marriages are breaking, loneliness, poor health etc is relatively rampant and life is just not what it seems like it was for a generation before us. Somewhere, work-life and professional success has become a barometer for life in general. So now what happens in an environment where that barometer may not be available for so many? What happens to relationships, to life plans, to those dreams people had together or individually. Can they survive this downturn? Can they still be seen – maybe further ahead that’s all. Or will this mean going back to the drawing board – in life and work? Will it see relationships re-defined almost as much as pay-packages and work ethic? Will a generation that somewhere has got used to commanding and demanding, have to finally start really working, understanding and earning?
They say this recession will shake out the system, will consolidate and re-define towards more leaner, cautious and durable systems. Perhaps the recession will also take us back to a more grounded personal existence as well. Yes, this change is at a price, but I believe things happen when they are most needed. Maybe without this shakeout, no one would have even known they were in a mess. This could be a chance at re-evaluation and a honing of survival skills – only in a difference sort of jungle.
Hum of the day:
At times, love makes the world go around. At others, its money and somewhere it is also fear. But what makes the world survive at all is sheer faith. Faith that whatever it is that is making the world go around; the world will continue to go around. What’s lost will be found- as will the sheer will to look for it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)