Sunday, May 14, 2017

This is my Review of Bahubali (both movies)

Let me tell you first and foremost that Bahubali is a truly amazing movie that you have to see in a theatre to soak in the full vision of the director. But what makes the movie so truly amazing? Is it the actors, the graphics, the stunts performed the huge cast or is it the one true vision of the director who had the immense self restraint and self confidence to produce a film to his true vision not succumbing to any industry standards and giving too much credit to characters where they did not deserve. True hero worship is a huge thing in Cinema these days but S.S Rajamoli gave equal credit to all characters as and how the plot required. The thing that I liked the most is the strong female characters portrayed in the film, making the heroine word valid again to the female leads in the movies ( Most movies these days show females in movies are just a little more than dancing girls and the only dialogues they get to say are peons of the Hero who does everything in the movies). Its refreshing to see that a director is given lease to make a film his way and the heroes are villains stick to their roles, like in the old days, and let the director bring out the best in them. When I used to watch the old movies, I used to observe that it was the character that was given importance not the man who was portraying the character and so the movies were honest and had a good story to tell, entertaining and worth watching. After a long time that is what I felt watching Bahubali.

The story: The story of Bahubali, moved everyone, because it is an age old story that we all know and understand all too well, it is a story that has been imbibed in our blood as Indians as it is told and retold many times, in many places, by hundreds of people, in many different ways. Don't believe me? Then let me narrate it to you this way... A physically challenged person is passed from the throne that is rightfully his, to his younger brother, who unfortunately dies leaving the throne in the care of his brother and a council of elders. The big brother only wishes that his son could claim the throne in his stead but his brothers son is offered the throne which turns him and his son both bitter and longing for the throne. The elder brother's son makes the younger brother's son leave his throne and go to exile by shaming his wife in the presence of court and then plots to kill him. May be  the similarities end here but you might have already got the idea, it is the story of Mahabharata narrated in the writers own unique way, may be that is the reason the the story appealed to all Indians cause its not South Indian or North Indian it was the story of India.

The Characters : The characters in the movie are not complicated, they were as outright that even a child could figure them out. there were no layers to the characters, no complicated mind boggling reasons for why they did the things they did.
The hero was our quintessential good guy - Kind, Clever, Charming, Brave, Loyal, Loving.
The heroine - Beautiful, Strong, Independent, Outspoken.
The villan - Mean, Cunning, Evil, Ambitious
The mother - Loving towards her kids, unforgiving towards her daughter-in-law.
The slave - Loyal, bound by duty, yet human.

All the other characters were also not too distant and  work towards the ultimate fight between good and evil.

The Computer Graphics: Here I stop ... take a breath and continue... The graphics in the more were Amazing, I would not say realistic but they did come real close to it. And that's a great thing because in all the movies I have seen so far they either went too far or lacked the refinement when it came to Graphics but this is another of S.S Rajamouli's Movie that I like for his restraint and lease in the Graphics department. No where has the graphics been overly used but, only to the point where the story requires it.

Although during the fight scenes I felt the stunts were totally unrealistic but my husband, on the other hand enjoyed them a lot. May be all the Action Jacks out there won't mind that if people catapult from trees and land on their feet they are bound to break so many bones in the body that they would not even be able to get up let alone fight with vigour. But hey! as long as it is exciting and keeps them on the edge of their feet, who am I to douse their fun.

The Music : An important part of any Indian Cinema is up to the mark. The songs melt into the movie so well they are not a distraction to the story line but seemed like an integral part.

Bahubali is a Well Planned and Well Excecuted movie in Indian Cinema that it must be considered a Landmark in Indian Cinema, It already has a dedicated and passionate cult following catapulting it to the status of Cult Classic. Well done!!!  Well done Bahubali Team.

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Monday, May 8, 2017

Nritya Gram - Dancers Village

The entrance to Nritya Gram
The first sight to greet us on entering the premises that promises Dance at its heart and soul

When we started for Nritya Gram I was excited to see a thriving community of dancers, an ode to dance and I was hugely disappointed that there were barely a dozen dancers in the place and the whole are is left in neglect covered in fallen dried leaves everywhere. Though a few who are still dedicated to the art are still there trying hard to maintain a respectful disposition, but there is not much that they can do without proper patrons.


The unique flora found in this place

When we talked of going to this place to the aged people in our apartments they were reminiscing of the good old times when there were spectacular performances that went on all through night and jubilant events performed in this place. This made me feel even worse that I was unable to see it in its hay days. But now there is not a hint of the once talked of splendor.






The amphitheatre, which must have hosted exclusive dance performances lay silent, haunted by its own memories, waiting for anklets bound feet to once again perform. This here is symbolic enough to let us know that how fine arts have been neglected in the recent years.


 The view from the stage of the Amphitheatre.


 Art found on the walls of this place



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World is full of Beautiful things...

Here's a song with beautiful lyrics I loved so much...
I heard it in Etihad Airways Ad and instantly fell in love with it.
People think Music is so important and that music makes the song a hit but to me Lyrics are important too. Lyrics give the song a Character. If you like the lyrics you will love the song too here go to the link in YouTube and enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGaaPJAfxD8


The world is full of beautiful things
 Butterfly wings, fairy tale kings
 And each new day undoubtedly brings
 Still more beautiful things

The world abounds with many delights
 Magical sights, fanciful flights
 And those who dream on beautiful nights
 Dream of beautiful things

Beautiful days for sunshine lazin'
 Beautiful skies and shores
 Beautiful days when I can gaze
 In beautiful eyes like yours

You wonder why the nightingale sings
 Lovers have wings, people wear rings
 The world is full of beautiful things
 Beautiful people, too
 Beautiful people like you
Beautiful days of sun kissed showers
 Beautiful sea kissed breeze
 Beautiful nights of moon kissed hours
 Beautiful dreams like these
Our lives tick by like pendulum swings
 Delicate things, butterfly wings
 Life is full of beautiful things
 Beautiful people, too
 Beautiful people like you
Like you, just like you, people like you
 Beautiful people like you

Read more: Bobby Darin - Beautiful Things Lyrics | MetroLyrics

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