From shadows to the stars

I think the game of "dumb charades" was invented just to help people copy in exams. Imagine, It's just the perfect way to help a friend of yours. If you talk or whisper, you could be heard. If you pass chits, again the same. But signals. Who can spot that? You aren't making any noise and you do not have any incriminating evidence on your self. It's just perfect! All you have to do is pick the right moment (when the "invigilator" is walking with their back to you. When they are talking to some pretty girl, you know, whichever works). Only yesterday, in my exam, I had to tell a friend of mine the name of a theory. It was called "The magic Bullet Theory" (no, seriously, check this out  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypodermic_needle_model ). So I tried mouthing it out, but wasn't working. And then I realised. Dumb Charades! Eureka!! So I did an action which looked like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat. He guessed, rightly, tha...

"Requiem for a Dream" is a film by Darren Aronofsky. It was released in the year 2000. It tells an interesting story of four people addicted to drugs. The movie is one of the most emotional and engaging films I have ever seen. When the movie comes to an end, it inspires in me a lot of varied and different feelings (nausea, inspiration, depression, etc). The story, the direction, the screenplay and even the camera work are all amazing. Oh, and of course it's soundtrack. It's soundtrack is definitely one of the best composed ones in recent memory. In fact, I believe it is too good. Whenever people talk about "Requiem for a dream", they mention the soundtrack. The soundtrack has thrown the film into a shadow. Instead of supporting the film, it has dwarfed it. i.e, the soundtrack is discussed more often and with more reverence that the film it self. If the film had a less brilliant soundtrack, the film would have been discussed about in more detail ...

If you don't know yet that I am a HUGE fan of the TV series "Seinfeld", you obviously haven't spoken to me for even a few minutes. I'm pretty sure I would've brought up something related to the show otherwise. Recently, I have been trying to get more people to watch the show. A few have been hooked to it and a few others haven't. Recently, a friend of mine who belongs to the "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" faithful told me that he felt Seinfeld was boring and repetitive I was offended and shocked by what he said. Seinfeld doesnt follow a format of continuity. i.e, what happens in the 8th episode is not a continuation of something that might have happened in the 7th episode. So this means each show has a theme and subplots that are independent and therefore different. Not once have I seen anything repeat in the show. My friend told me that he found the characters to be doing the same thing. George (one of the characters) apparently found it hard to find gi...

Recently, I took a trip to Delhi and on the way, I stopped at Agra to check out the Taj Mahal. For those who are incredibly ignorant, the Taj Mahal is considered as one of the "Seven Wonders of the World". It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for "his favourite wife" (the same is written on a plaque outside the building) Mumtaz Mahal. It's her tomb. It was very beautiful and all that. But what struck me the most was the irony. Shah Jahan wanted the building to be in perfect symmetry. It's height is the same as it's width. It's four pillars are the same height as the building. It appears the same from any side you look at it. And so on.. it was built in symmetry. Mumtaz Mahal was buried right at the centre of the building. This sustains the symmetry of the building. Shah Jahan had achieved his goal of building it in perfect symmetry. But then, when Shah Jahan died, he was buried beside Mumtaz. This, of course, ruined the symmetry. The...

I am a guy who absolutely hates Golf from the bottom of my stomach (or heart, whichever is the right expression). I don't understand it, I don't like it, I don't know why anybody would like it. It would probably figure as one amongst the "List of "So called" Sports". I don't know who invented golf, but it certainly was a terribly rich guy. Did you see the cost of those bats (or whatever they are called)? What the hell man? And the grounds. Hundreds of acres of land. Just free land. And as if that weren't enough, they make lakes and play with the terrain. I can think of a million better ways in which this land can be used. A dumping land, for example. And the players. Their posh U.S Polo or Tommy Hilfiger Polo shirts. Their smooth pants and their huge goggles. Can you believe they have a car to carry them around the ground? I don't understand it at all. It's the rich guys' way of screwing with the poor (one of the many ways, rat...

When I feel that my life is getting a little too boring or monotonous, I generally take long walks in a nearby Railway Campus that is pollution (all types) free and peaceful. These walks give me time to think and I usually come back home feeling a lot better. So on one such walk, while I was still near the traffic filled roads, I happened to pass by a blind man. He must be in his sixties at least. He also is a beggar. I observed this man for a while. The ease and grace with he managed to navigate his way on this busy, chaotic road stunned me. He was feeling what was ahead of him with his stick and was moving a decent pace. After that one walk, I noticed him 3-4 times again. And always he looked at peace, happy and content with what he is. Looking at him, I felt ashamed that I complain about my life. I thought, "If this poor old man with nobody to help or care and even no eyes can live happily, what right do I have to complain?" So after that, when I feel that my life i...

Christopher Nolan is one of my all time favourite directors. I love his films very much and he is probably the most talented film maker of his generation. I have watched each of his films many times. And at some point during the re-watching of his films, I noticed that most of his films have a recurring theme - guilt. The lead character in general can be seen to have a heavy feeling of guilt for something that he (I'm no sexist, all of Nolan's leads are males, so you can see why I did not type he/she) had done. Human emotions are rather compelling and they seem to intrigue Mr Nolan. This theme can be observed in his films "Insomnia" (2002), "Batman Begins" (2005) and it's two sequels, "The Dark Knight" (2008) and "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) and also in the film "Inception" (2010). "Insomnia" deals with the guilt of the character of Al Pacino, Will Dormer - a cop, for mistakenly killing his partner. The ...