slum dog and dev D

I watched “slumdog millionaire” over the weekend. I came out of the theatre with great admiration to the director for his excellent style of narration. Not so avid movie buff that I am, I can’t relate or compare movies. However, from the limited experience I have in watching movies (on an average of 1 per week – on TV :)) I know that this is one of the best. As I have not read the original book “Q&A” on which this movie is based, I am not sure if the book is also same or the director has adopted this style. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every moment of the movie. Each one of them has done a splendid job in their own areas.

I personally liked the “happy ending”. How can Jamal not get Latika? Especially when Jamal is so genuine, true and simple. Isnt these the ingredients for love?

2 weekends later, I watched “Dev D”. A record of its sorts for somebody who watches on an average only one movie in the theatre per year. So, I have to be very choosy about what I’m watching.

I was drawn to this movie only because of 5 star rating. Only after done with the movie, I realised after a little bit of googling that it’s the modern version of Devdas. I couldn’t believe my coincidence as I watched Sharukh Devdas just a week ago. So, I could draw a lot of parallels of Dev D.

Though the whole movie was flawless, it’s intended for adult viewing. I was surprised to see some kids. Anyway, our modern Devdas does not have any problem in marrying Paro except he himself. And our Paro too is the women of today who doesn’t ask him “again” to reconsider marrying her though both of them are madly in love with each other. The love triangle is completed with the entry of Chanda, which draws some kind of reality inspiration from the MMS scandal that happened in a school sometime back. Nice to have some kind of social message in an entertainment media. Overall, a nice movie. Again, happy ending as Devdas gets Chanda which is not the case in the original Devdas. I like happy endings.

After these two movies, I’ve vowed not to even wander anywhere in the vicinity of any theatres for the next two years.

idea...

"Everyone who's ever taken a shower has an idea. It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference". ~Nolan Bushnell

I can easily empathise with what Nolan wants to convey. Most of us are like this. There are so many ideas that take birth in the head - sometimes at a fraction of a second. At a double speed, the idea dies an infant death. If I may term it "abortion". What if Thomas Alva Edison too did like this? If not for him - we would not be here - reading this.

Here's somebody who went beyond just thinking about the idea. A friend of mine who has various story ideas, great passion in writing wants to write scripts for movies and one day probably direct them. This friend though is currently sitting and writing codes to make world class software, dreams of writing stories for the movies. On and off, I get to discuss with him the script or the story line, the various modes of approaching the current big directors or latest trends in turning a story into a movie. We both at times laugh it off - but deep down both of us know - he will make it. His idea that has been conceived has gone beyond just being an idea. Never know, he may come out with a blockbuster after 999 stories. Doesn't a beginning of a great journey begin with one step?

This is a toast for him for his grit to go beyond the ordinary. I know he will reach there!

So what's your idea that has not seen light yet?