Back to the movies

I have started watching movies again – for the fun of watching them, and not for serving the social necessity of hanging out with friends. I probably have never liked watching movies with friends. Well, except Ray perhaps – but, Ray and I had a special chemistry which set us apart from anyone else. Coming to think of it, even Ray used to like going to the movies alone, more often than not exploring the realms of cruising. I’m digressing…

I watched three movies over the last week or so. “Clash of the Titans” was horrible as a movie – but movies aren’t meant to always titillate our “cinema” sense. It served as an educational medium that lent its hand to me and dragged me into the world of Greek mythology. Movies like this help me put faces to Greek Gods and other characters and would definitely help me in understanding the intricate web of stories that Greek mythology comprises.

Then came “Date Night” over the weekend. It was really funny with sexual innuendos and stuff. Steve Carrell and Tina Fey are masters in their art, and Tina Fey is a master in imitating the now infamous Sara Palin. The plot was not all that riveting, but the characters had enough eccentricity to keep the movie entertaining all throughout. Plus the vignettes from my dream city, the Big Apple, helped to make the movie not forgettable, if not memorable.

Having done two, almost at leisure, I needed to see something more substantial. I was surprised to find “The Hurt Locker” listed on the newspaper when I was searching for something interesting. Three years back, when “Brokeback Mountain”, “Syriana,” and “Crash” were competing against each other at the Oscars, I made it a point to watch all these before the Oscars were announced. This time, however, I was in my “I can’t watch no movie because they are pricey” mode – pricey is because you go with other people who want the whole movie “experience,” with pop-corn and stuff like that.

Thanks the previous two movies, I went to this movie, alone, on a weeknight. The movie hall had about 30 other people – amazing how people pile up to watch bullcrap like “Prince” and other stuff. “The Hurt Locker” is an amazing movie just because it opened my eyes up to what’s happening in the world outside of my countries borders. It’s incredible how we are so infatuated with our own lives and forget what’s happening in a country near you – how people and families from other countries are affected by acts of craziness of certain minority of people, be it the protagonist or not.

This has been a rewarding experience to me – especially as a movie admirer, and as a seeker for inspiration from everything that I come across. It finally liberated me from the social locker that I had hid myself in – to make me believe that I can’t enjoy movies just because they are expensive. They aren’t, especially if you pick the right shows and the cheapest of tickets, and more importantly, if you are alone and can enjoy it all by yourself.

Random updates

• What are the odds of a 28 year old graduate getting malnourished in a metropolis? Not too high. But the scary fact is that I might very well be. It has been over a week since I had some ‘sabji’. I have been eating dosas, noodles, home-made rice soup and coffee. And in this period, I have had two eggs, a piece of chicken and half a carton of milk. No wonder, why I felt rather tired and giddy yesterday at the gig.
• 
  AV’s insomnia is worsening. The sedatives that were prescribed to him have seemingly lost their effect and he was prescribed a new medication. This time it’s an antidepressant, one which is not regularly prescribed for inducing sleep. Naturally, I’m worried to death. Nowadays, he spends almost 20 hours of day in bed. The other four is the time he spends with me. I’m trying to make him do something by asking my friends to ask him out. And guess what, he says ‘no’ to every such invites!
• 
  They say adversity is the most inspiring stimulus for an artist. It surely does seem to be for me. In the last week or so, I have been able to construct a few chord progressions and melodies. It came at the right time for me as I was really wondering if I had lost the art altogether. The only problem that is left is that I should try and write a few lines for these tunes. I really suck at poetry.
• 
  My good friend May committed something sinful last week. She had this crush on this rather successful, geeky guy from the states. She had stumbled on to him on his Facebook profile. Since then both of them had been chatting and exchanging messages occasionally. Without even thinking twice, she put across the question ‘Are you interested in me for a relationship’ clothed in a not-so-elaborate conversation across text chat. The guy, understandably so, was a little confused and conveyed that he didn’t think so. She’s sad. Oh I wish she had waited and played along the rules. What do you guys think? I say you should never propose over text-chat!

The 16 rupee dosa plate

In the drudgery of daily life, we often fail to enjoy the wonderful things that you stumble by. We forget to take note of the beauty that our life has to offer and act benumbed shirking away anything that do better with some recognition. We run to the same bus stop every morning, catch the same old-bus to the railway station, board on an amazingly overflowing compartment of a local train oblivious of the smell of the guy standing next to you and reach your work place. Just to start another working day – eating, chatting, blogging, e-mailing and of course working.

I am strangely above such limitations. I don’t have a daily life. I don’t have a job. I don’t have a routine which takes the fun out of life. I have a truck-load of time which could be used in creative processes. But I don’t have the prowess to manage time. Yet, startling similar to others in the above category, I (hardly) eat, chat, blog, e-mail all around the day when I can. And the price that I pay is simple – poverty.

But with the money that I have, I am still able to enjoy the finer aspects of life that some other might not. For example, going across the road and eating this amazingly tasty dosa plate at a road side shack for just Rs. 16. Maybe it’s the hunger of not having had anything to eat for dinner or maybe it’s the memories that come flooding from my childhood when my granny used to make dosas for me – when the first bite gets chewed, I feel really good! In less than 7 minutes, I finish up 5 dosas (thin, medium sized ones) return back home content and peaceful.


For all of you people, who think that life’s getting too boring, try these shacks when you get time. They are on the Link Road, Andheri (W); on the right side of the road when you go towards Lokhandwala just after Star Bazaar and just before the turn to Veera Desai road. It’s simply an astounding experience!