First Rains

I was sitting at marine drive before sunset one evening in early June and starting listening in to a dad- daughter conversation amongst the all the other banter of hawkers, lovers and Gujju families.
The young lady it seemed, worked in Mumbai, and now that her dad had come to visit, she was proudly showing off Mumbai; drawing a contrast to Kolkata (her hometown), whenever she could. Her dad glancing nervously at the dark sky kept proclaiming that it was time to leave. Young lady kept negotiating with dad saying few minutes longer would do no harm.
It was the evening Mumbai would get its first rains.
Amidst the chatter, I sat dangling my feet, allowing the blackening sky and cool breeze from the darkening water to envelop me. Ah a pleasant change from the concrete skyline coming to consume you. Dad finally called the shots, “it’s getting dark my dear, we must go now”..with that our young lady reluctantly gives in. With them, I get up too… thankful for my short tryst with nature marine drive ishtyle. Minutes later, the rains come swooping down.
Mumbai is a ruthless city, but can be tender too. In the monsoon, you can let your scattered thoughts go – the sea absorbs them unto itself, giving you a relief, albeit a temporary one.

By,
Soma

Movie review - Anurag Kashyap’s 'shaitan'

This movie was about the youth of today. Stuff I don’t much care about, having safely passed the age perhaps has something to do with it. It reminded me of youth reality programs that show up annoyingly on music channels.
'Shaitan' had a strong realism to it, a story woven around a gang of friends stuck in a difficult situation they get themselves into, and how they deal with it.
I liked the techniques used – attached-to-protagonist camera shots like that we have seen before in Kashyap’s DevD; high speed camera shots increasing the drama manifold; the manner in which the conversation is shot when two people meet for the first time at a party sitting on a swing; the beautiful Khoya Khoya Chand song playing in the background in the most gruesome scenes; well done.
Frightening was the reality of how childhood traumas shape who you really are and somehow never let you go, however hard you run from them. Frightening also, how immaterial human life has become today, a life where nothing matters, much except saving your skin, covering your ass. Violence, murder, stealing, rape nothing counts for anything, all is cool. The only ethic the youth in 'Shaitan' follow is to stick to a friendship code they set... at least try to.
The performances were quite competent, all known faces, from tv, theatre or earlier offbeat movies. Ok for a dekho, I asked myself did I need to go to the movies to see this? Maybe I did, to show me that the worst was not over, yet…
By,
Anonymous