Vinnay Thandi Varuvaya- Review.

I know, I know that its a bit (very?) late for a review considering that its been running in the theatres for a fortnight but I have two excuses- one, that I have this policy of watching films only in theatres as a paying customer (to discourage piracy and not to cause loss to the film industry I love) and my second and more valid reason for the late viewing is due to the perfidy of a friend (traitor?) of mine who promised to take me along for the movie but ditched me to go with another group of friends- forcing me to go alone to watch the movie today (Satyam- Matinee). So my apologies for the late review..

First Impressions? - It does something to your heart. I'm still slightly under the influence. Anyway for once in his life there is no Simbu in a Simbu movie. Its the characters who live on the screen. Hats off to Gautam Menon for pulling this off. And Trisha- the actress has done a brilliant job- we alternately sympathize and get exasperated with Jessy- so much so that we forget it is Trisha who is playing a role. Never thought that she had the talent to pull this off- a landmark film for her.

Finally, the story- every knows the tagline by now - you can be friends with your ex. But it still seems such a pity that there was no happy ending- after all that they went through it would have been fitting if the two had got together in the end. Realism is Ok - that's what we always get in everyday life- where parents and society force two people apart. Atleast in films the hero should get the heroine- the heroine, for a change, should blackmail emotionally her father and walk away with the hero. I was rooting and praying for a happy wedding in the end...but the climax scene at the preview theatre completely floored me - with its dignified ending - when they both walk out together with no hard feelings/no rancour inspite of a love which as Simbu repeats "I will give my life for her".

So verdict- A film which moved me to tears. And yes, two people who if they somehow connect together and have unbelievable chemistry should stay as friends even if fate robs them of their chance for a deeper relationship. Sometimes friendship is Enough.

What is it with Religion and Sex?

"Catholic Priests Abused Boys"
"Nithyananda caught in a Sex-Tape with an Actress" "
Delhi Sanyasi hires call-girls"

These headlines are seen on the Front pages of newspapers almost daily. So what kind of religion are these men practising? Or should we worry about that at all? Isnt it their private lives and should we worry about what they do with their spare time? These are issues I have mulling about this week....So here goes.

1) Preach what you practise.....or vice versa. If as a sanyasi you have been telling others day in and day out that women are evil-temptresses and salvation of the soul lies in control over the senses -shouldn't you atleast make an effort to "listen to yourself"? If you find that you cannot control your own bodily urges please dont falsely label natural physiological urges as someting evil to be avoided...you dont realize the pschylogical damage you are causing to innocent young IDIOTS who listen to you.

2) Decide if you are a real Sanyasi ...A wise man once told me that a lot of people who should be house-holders (temperamentally) turn sanyasi's and there a lot of sanyasi's who would be better-off being house-holders. So these people should get their act together and really decide what they want out of life instead of muddling along...can I suggest pscho-therapy? Long long ago the ancients prescribed the four stages of a mans life - sanyasi comes last when you have already had a satisfying forty years(two stages-grihastha and vanavasi)of married life and sexual pleasure and are atlast mentally prepared to move on from matters of flesh.

3) Marriage- there is view that enforced celibacy is the reason for these trangressions and that the example of Protestant Pastors who are allowed to marry can eliminate this problem. But I would disagree - marriage has got nothing to do with this. You can be married and you can still be a lecher- looking at a neighbours wife - priest or not. Most men will stop at this - some dont....in fact you are more apt to stray if you are getting it daily - then if you have totally sublimated all your bodily desires to spiritual accomplishments.

4) So the whopper comes now.... does sex impede realizing God? Can we do both - have sex and be religious?. I see no contradiction- it is simply a matter of living in the moment- God rules everywhere - but inside the bedroom wife rules. As simple as that. There is no need for high-falutin discussions on attaining god through sex, like Osho says. Just compartmentalize your life and you can be a sanyasi within a marrige too. And as for those who mix up the two - my message is "get real guys".

These views are very personal and I am not accusing or advising anyone... so keep the rude comments to yourselves.

Wall- E and Gans-P......On Feeling Lonely.

This will be an intenesely cathartic post for self-analysis so readers please excuse- if found boring.

It's been a long time since I found the time/inclination to blog but now I feel an itch to do so - courtesy Star Movies. Specifically - Courtesy of a Friday Premiere show of the movie Wall-E. For those who haven't watched it yet- it shows a lonely robot on Planet Earth cleaning up the garbage in a post-modern world. There was one scene which was an "Epiphany"(with bugles blowing) of sorts for me- Wall-E watches a Classic movie where the hero and heroine hold hands together and then in a fit of sudden desperation almost unknowingly it joins its two hands togther as a metaphor for the loneliness it feels as the sole survivor of planet Earth.

Something struck me then and I realized (this was a late-night 11PM Show) that I too was in a similar mood. How could this be? Haven't I always prided myself as "THE LONE WOLF?", "The El- Mariachi?" the lone Gun-slinger who walks into town, biffs a few bad guys and walks away. The one who never has any Romance in his life, because, face it - any Emotional involvement means Commitment to hang around in one place long enough to gather moss and turn meek. Wasn't I Clint Eastwood with the Swagger and the Sneer? Didn't my life consist only of what I could carry on my horse-back with me? So why this sudden weakening?

And then I realized that I was no longer in my twenties- the biological clock was ticking and I could no longer feel like travelling "LITE" in this world. I found it strange to feel that I no longer considered romance and family as Extra-baggage- something which holds you back in your life/profession. I have been a hard-worker all my life- worked my butt off to get where I'm today. But strangely, as of recent times, all that success which hard work brought me doesnt have the same flavour. I no longer feel the elation I used to do when i Kick-butt professionaly- when people praise me as "the Next Best Thing" or congratulate me on "having a National Reputation"- which was what I could have killed for a few years back.

Coming home late at night- after leaving home with early light- and then to find that my parents have retired for the night and I have nothing to do but watch TV - no one to talk to or share stuff with/have fun with has brought home the message to me that Professional Success/making money is not everything of life. I suddenly miss my Twenties- how I never even tried for romance- never waited in bus-stops or malls for girls, never bought film tickets for two and kept waiting at the entrance while everyone else went in. I have always watched moives alone- because I felt it was a waste of time/money to go watch a movie and then keep talking in the theatre. I missed so much that others of my age enjoyed back then- of course, I was making a lot of money, but it doesnt seem to have made me happy.

I now realize the errors of my ways. I know now that a certain amount of money is enough and too much/too soon means sacrificing everything else. Is it too late to change my life? Can I suddenly go back to being a youth? Start romancing a girl? Any girl? Will my middle-class upbringing allow me to cut back on earning money to spend it on enjoying life? Wont everyone from my parents on-wards say Gans-P has suddenly gone mad? But thats society for you- unreasonable, biased etc.

But, I do feel like Wall-E that I have no one to hold hands with. With all my money and success and fame- how pathetic is that? So, there are Lots of dilemnas/unresolved issues to think about....