Dussehra: Let's kill the true evil

On the eve of Dussehra, I remember staring up at huge effigies of Ravana (the antagonist in Ramayana) with dewy-eyed awe.  In the black sky, the gaudy drape drenched in yellow paint of jewelry and the big round eyes with fiery intentions would spread an eerie glow in the darkness as if Ravana, lurking over us, had singled me out.  Ah! The adrenaline of the horror.  Ah! The excitement of imminent victory over it!

The next day, the Dussehra, just when my father slumped in relaxation on one of his rare holidays, I, with my sister, would begin pestering him for an annual round of Dussehra viewing.  It simply meant hopping into our new Maruti Zen and going on a morning trip to view all the effigies in the neighborhood, the big ones built in all glory and the amateur ones, a product of local donations, all ready to be obliterated at dusk.  I simply loved it. It was more entertaining than the best film of my favorite star.

The world, the neighborhood and the house, bustled with festive yelps. Even the air was saturated with subtle moisture of sweets and the inevitable celebrations of upcoming Diwali season  (when Rama returns after defeating Ravana).

More than a decade later, on October 24, Indians across the globe once again celebrated the defeat of evil (Ravana) by the paragon of good, Lord Rama.  But things have changed.  No longer do I get excited about Dussehra.   No longer do I feel connected with the celebrations of upcoming Diwali.  Yes, the color is there and so is the sweetness of festive warmth.  But somehow, we have ceased to grow up from our fairytales.

Have we ever pondered that Tulsidas meant to write the greatest epic of good and evil that resides within us and those qualities he bestowed in characters of Rama and Ravana? Maybe Ravana is within us. And so is Rama. But it seems as though our moral weakness has manifested itself in burning pieces of cardboard and gifting the planet with an annual dump of toxic gases. We celebrate as if Ravana is an alien, almost an underworld don being publicly executed.

But I say, let's at least try to kill a Ravana within us. Only then we attempt to rise above the childish acts, float with the good, let the children enjoy the hoopla when we celebrate the true Dussehra! 

iREVIEW: The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans and Denis Leary. Written by James Vanderbilt et al. Directed by Marc Webb. 

I watched it for Emma Stone.  Here I said it. I saw the superhero flick for the chick in it. After Sam Raimi Spider Man trilogy's eventual slide to mediocrity, the world of spider man had convinced me that it's not for reasonably aged.  Rebooting any film requires at least a decade of fermentation from its last serving, but The Amazing Spider-Man caught all of us unaware by returning in half of that period.

Toby Maguire's cuddly looks and cry-baby melodrama was still fresh and salty when Andrew Garfield stepped into his shoes.  I thought the film wouldn't work, not at the conception level, not at the casting level and not at the release level. I was wrong... to some extent.

This film takes the zest factor a notch higher than before.  The love angle is definitely a sigh of relief.  Peter Parker, in this installment, really stepped up to his guts, understood his responsibilities as much as a high school chap would be expected to and of course had fun with the whole thing.  He realized that Gwen isn't going anywhere and it's not end of the world to focus on bigger things. After watching this film, I am confused with what makes a love angle interesting - it's constant bickering into every scene or a soothing scent in the backdrop.  You probably know what.

My beef with Raimi's series was that Parker really didn't party with his doppelganger.  I mean if we had all those powers at Parker's peppy age, crying in Mary Ann's longing and regurgitating the big time responsibilities that come with being "so cool" would be the last thing on our mind.  Webb's Parker is just like that and that's what made the first half so hip, funny and kinda cool.

But the second half was a letdown.  It was watchable of course but only in the capacity of special effects high dosage dripping all over the screen. I wish the film had given some more time to Peter Parker, his pet peeves and flaws.  We had so much fun exploring and abusing the powers to some extent without caring about hardcore moral philosophy.  That's what people do when they are entitled to such a privilege.  They take some time to evaluate but first they party!

Despite the two plus hour length, I didn't get enough of Parker's metamorphosis into his sassy alter ego - the egoistic, the arrogant and the more confident Peter Parker with powers. Having said that, I am not disappointed in any capacity. This film has definitely brought some much needed spice after the lackluster finale of Raimi's series.  Yes, the film didn't change much as far as the story goes but the characters have been brought to their senses!

Most Interesting Interview Guests

L-R: Javed Akhtar, Salman Rushdie and Bill Clinton

Some like it, others can't stand the apparent tedium of having to listen without any interjection. But I like to listen to the few I admire because of their sheer audacity to ride against the tide to represent humanity.  Here is a list of quadruplet of my favorite interviewees (in order)! I prescribe listening to them!

1. Neil deGrasse Tyson (American Astrophysicist, and Science Communicator) 
Neil is one of those personalities you have to listen to believe they exist. His sheer devotion to perpetuation of science and rejection of baseless faiths transmitted in public speeches through his splaying arms and powerful cadence in voice is like watching a progressive witchcraft.  His hawk eye vision in detecting even the minutest of betrayals to science, his first and only love, is one of the very few ways his love for the field manifests itself.  Only passion can explain Tyson's willingness to answer audience's questions with equal vehemence that he exuded in the actual lecture.

2. Javed Akhtar (Indian poet, lyricist, screenwriter and activist) 
If you want an interlocutor who is going to win the argument for you, Akhtar is your man. Co-writer of many blockbuster films of 70s and 80s and countless songs and poems, Akhtar has used his starlight to raise voice against many social evils in India, from class warfare to restriction on freedom of expression.  His memory, smart sense of humor and blunt attack on conservatism allows him to top the list of most interesting interviewees.  And  of course, he's an atheist!

3. Naseeruddin Shah (Indian film and theater actor) 
Shah is probably one of the finest actors to hit Indian screen ever.  Regarded as the superstar of parallel cinema, he has "crossed over" to western shores at several points.  But he is angry! Shah has never shied away from bludgeoning the indiscipline in Indian cinema, shoddy scripts of bollywood and communalists.  But things get really tasty when he takes names without any regards to sharp criticism and unnecessary controversies he ends up attracting.  His friends may be few but the man's respected!

4. Bill Clinton (42nd US President and activist) 
When he talks, you listen. Even if you don't understand a word of it. One of the most notable ex-politicians alive, Clinton never loses his cool demeanor and cadence even in the fieriest of political melodrama.  One of the few guys who seem to be experts in just about everything, Clinton's magic, in fact, is not entirely in the content but also in the style of it.  His interviewers can seldom gauge the width of his knowledge spectrum but even if they have some idea, it is never enough to refute this smooth ex-President.  All in all, if Clinton told you that you don't exist, you will probably not question it!

5. Salman Rushdie (British Indian novelist) 
Late Christopher Hitchens described Rushdie as "the wittiest user of the English language" and I think that sums it all.  Listening to Rushdie is like experiencing an interlocutory poet  playing with words just like a Jazz musician who makes riffs for the sheer joy of the sound it creates.  Unfortunately, unless there is an outburst in public rage concerning Islam or his book "The Satanic Verses" surfaces, Rushdie, an atheist, is seldom called to speak on other widespread issues.  It's a shame that one book that forced him into hiding for a decade has shadowed some of his less known but equal, if not greater, masterpieces.

People who just missed the list (or maybe they are all number 6!)... 
Richard Dawkins, Late Christopher Hitchens. 

iREVIEW: Oh My God (Movie Review)

Starring Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Govind Namdeo, Poonam Jhawer and Mahesh Manjrekar. Written by Bhavesh Mandalia and Umesh Shukla.  Directed by Umesh Shukla. 

Sometimes a film is memorable because it smears the underlining message in your face with unabashed gumption and not because its some refined piece of art.  You like it or not, OMG tries its level best to convince you the inefficacy behind temples and other "paraphernalia" to reach God.

It is a simple story of a fundamental phenomena - human insecurity, greed and deception.  During times when human weaknesses have restricted the idea of God to the shenanigans of religion pettifogs and saints and priests to colorful buffoonery, OMG puts crosshairs right on its subjects, that is you and me, and shoots them with bullets of awakening.

Tersely, OMG places Kanji Bhai (Paresh Rawal), an atheist, right in the center of religious hooliganism when his shop is destroyed by an earthquake, an act of god, and the insurance company denies all claims of compensation.  The most rational breed of man, an atheist, then embarks on the most ludicrous journey of all - a lawsuit against God, since it's an act of God and God needs to recoup. Of course, as an atheist, his agenda is not to mingle with the idea of God but to recover his money and in process drag the colorful "gurus" into the court who have been maddeningly buzzing on his rationale shoulders for eons.

This film is a preachment sprinkled with entertainment and not the other way around.  The whole court session, the "God's" (Akshay Kumar) repeated conversations with Kanji and the entire flow of the film inclines towards decontaminating the idea of God from the political strata of religions.

Honestly, I want to bottle the filmmaker's gumption and sell it in black market for so bluntly refusing the idea of religion, temples and other "gateways" to God and that too in such an outlandishly direct manner. From Mithun's effeminate take on Swamis to Poonam as babe of a saint, we smirk to the images of real life "gurus" these characters remind us of (Swami Nithyananda and Guru Ma, perhaps!).

Such overt films require a personal connect with actors to look convincing.  For Paresh Rawal, I believe this film is as  personal as it could be.  He is awe inspiring.  Akshay is passable as an actor but he does look like a Greek God.  Mithun is fantastic, so is Govind Namdeo.  They are loud but lovable as mischievous gurus.

If films could change the world, this planet would be a much better place.  Oh My God will probably not even make a dent in our minds contaminated with insecurities and superstitions.  But at least they are trying.

Deferred Action (DACA) update: Approval Timeline and details

The following is the prediction for approval dates for DACA applications based on fingerprinting dates.  For example, people who got their fingerprints done on 10th October should expect a reply by 18th November. Note: These are not official numbers, but merely linear approximations. Actual results may vary significantly.

Biometics  Vermont

2-Oct	Past due
3-Oct	7-Nov
4-Oct	8-Nov
5-Oct	10-Nov
6-Oct	11-Nov
7-Oct	13-Nov
8-Oct	15-Nov
9-Oct	16-Nov
10-Oct	18-Nov
11-Oct	19-Nov
12-Oct	21-Nov
13-Oct	22-Nov
14-Oct	24-Nov
15-Oct	25-Nov
16-Oct	27-Nov
17-Oct	28-Nov
18-Oct	30-Nov
19-Oct	2-Dec
20-Oct	3-Dec
21-Oct	5-Dec
22-Oct	6-Dec
23-Oct	8-Dec
24-Oct	9-Dec
25-Oct	11-Dec
26-Oct	12-Dec
27-Oct	14-Dec
28-Oct	16-Dec
29-Oct	17-Dec
30-Oct	19-Dec
31-Oct	20-Dec
1-Nov	22-Dec
2-Nov	23-Dec
3-Nov	25-Dec
4-Nov	26-Dec
5-Nov	28-Dec
6-Nov	29-Dec
7-Nov	31-Dec
8-Nov	2-Jan

[Biometrics taken before the date in the first row should expect a result anytime now, hence, past due. Not enough data is available to predict approval dates for Texas Service Center applicants.] Updated: 11/07/2012 Other Important links:  DACA: From submission to approval  DACA: Frequently Asked Questions

Freedom of Speech: Responsibilities of Humanity

Salman Rushdie once said "true test for our love towards freedom of speech is when we advocate showcasing an idea that offends us personally."

I am not personally perturbed but simply lured into a write up by an anti-Jihad ad scheduled to be showcased across NYC subways next week.  Well, let me start by restating my respect for freedom of speech: I advocate putting this ad up and running.

But this doesn't mean I endorse the contents of the ad, it means I endorse the idea that an ad is showcased without any fear or threat.  And this is the greatness of a free society.

However, Pamela Geller, executive director of the organization paying for the ad, has come up with this poster as a retaliation to several anti-Israel ads displayed around the big apple.  Although I empathize with her, I must say that sometimes we have to understand the repercussions of our personal actions on lives beyond us. But she clearly doesn't. The sole purpose of this ad is... God knows what (or blunt hatred?).

I firmly believe in Gandhian philosophy. The most potent reply to hatred is silence. "They" darted hatred while endorsing anti-Israel ads, we don't have to reply with our canon balls of animosity.  We can simply wave the flags of peace. "They" will stop in shame when facing an opponent of such a high character.

But alas, peace reduces us to mere humans. Hatred creates organizations, gives us positions. 

Say hello to my little friend! Kitty!!

Look who I found outside on my porch, prying in my house, clawing at its reflection through the front door, desperately in need of affection, love and care - a kitty!

Looking for a new home, perhaps? Aww! Eyes that leave an indelible emotional mark! 

I try to shy away from everything that arouses a pang of emotion in me. It sounds a bit dark but do we really need an additional burden of a new friendship, and that too of an unconditional kind, in this already packed world of emotional voodoo? Well, against all odds, I guess we do. It reminds us of something so selfless. Something that simply needs love and nothing else. Well, maybe some food and water but that's a deal not to be missed comparing all that hassle people go through to bargain for much less in humans.  

The bowl was filled to the rim with milk first but milk isn't something kittens prefer, I found out pretty quickly (thanks google).  I replaced it and to my relief, kitty did lick some of that low fat yogurt.  It didn't go gaga over it. It's probably the low fat content (apologies for hideous Blackberry camera but more pics on its way)!

And the most trying part: the kitten didn't want me to go in. I've never been close to adorable felines,  thanks to the irrational Indian superstitions that stamps cats as bad omens,  so I was taken aback by the kind of affection the little guy exuded, something that we usually connect canines with.   And yes, that piece of dirty old curtain like thing towering next to the beauty are my pajamas! 

If I stood still, it weaved through my legs, if I walked, it stubbornly followed me. So, I simply stood on the porch till the kitty gained some confidence and a sense of security that I was there and wasn't going to leave. It started looking around as little bugs caught its fancy but if I moved a muscle, it bolted right back in between my legs. Aw! Well, I stood still for a little longer. Merely within minutes, it started doing its thing. Very lively and playful, it went after bugs. I lost its sight for a second and sneaked back in. I wish I could just stand there. Well, the yogurt is out there and so is water.  Maybe, the kitty will return. I want it to.