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Article 15 is NOT an uncomfortable film

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 It’s already established that Article 15 is an important, progressive and powerful film. But the perspective that this film is uncomfortable to watch bothers me. In my opinion, this is not an uncomfortable film for a socially aware individual. We are not really unaware of the kind of events shown in the film. We’ve come across them as headlines in newspapers and articles on social media pages, perhaps on a daily basis. And that is what it is for a large section of our country, a recurring reality.

So why is it deemed a disturbing experience on-screen? Because the film reverberates our knowledge about such incidents into visual images that are hard to get past, the film makes you intimate with the people who appear in those headlines; and mainly because it holds a mirror at you. Yes a mirror because most of us consider ourselves above casteism because we don’t engage in it; but what we fail to realize is we are very much a part of the complacency around such discrimination since we are also a fragment of this system that normalizes such social divides. Ayan Ranjan, the lead protagonist of the film played by Ayushmann Khurrana is our representative, the educated, idealistic urban citizen; and just like he’s pulled out of his comfort zone, so are we with him.

One of the key elements of Article 15 is the camera work by Ewan Mulligan. It goes beyond the usual beautiful images and consumes the tension in the air into the frames, provides various allegories to the central plot.  Another attention worthy aspect is editing by Yasha Ramchandani which renders us with a gripping piece of art. Not a moment is wasted; film is packed but never overriding or crowding. Despite the multiple incidents and information consolidated into the two hours twenty minutes run-time, the film never loses the crisp format.

Article 15 plays to the strengths of a conventional pot-boiler movie while being a serious niche film. The film goes off to make a hero out of Ayan, he’s the savior who’ll fight corrupt systems and “unmess” things. In a way the film employs the masala movie format that caters to the crowd interest by assessing their reactions to scenes beforehand and setting the tonality accordingly. Slow motion walks and other heroic tropes find its place without the story or film-making losing its essence. Anubhav Sinha touches upon a subject not many dare to address in all bluntness but does so by slightly maneuvering the film to incite a few cheering here and there. But never does it stick out or become a minus point for the film. Instead it’ll appeal to a larger audience and result in wider awareness and maybe effect a minuscule of change. In a way, Sinha proves to be a smart filmmaker with Article 15.

That said, I’d like to read the heroism of Ayan in a different light. Ayan is essentially the representative of an educated citizen of India who has some props up his sleeve. So when Ayan gets the heroism kicking, it can also be read as an individual using his education, his position, in short his power in whatever capacity to impact a change. It can possibly be Sinha’s bigger picture.

The highlight of the film is a pack of terrific performers who enliven their roles to glory. Ayushmann does take time to fully immerse himself into Ayan Ranjan and might not be able to top his Akash from Andhadhun, but does convincingly convey the ignorance, complacency, fear, anger and empathy of Mr. Ranjan effectively. Manoj Pahwa as the layered Brahmdutt is poignant to the narrative. Kumud Mishra as Jatav is subtle and offers some of the light moments of the film and is a must watch out performance. Mohammed Zeeeshan Ayyub is impactful and conveys layers to his character in the few minutes he’s on screen. Sayani Gupta and Isha Talwar are fiery women whose individuality shines through despite their screen time. Ashish Verma and Sushil Pandey get notice. One thing I found alluring is how the grey shade is explored in literally every character. They have their moments irrespective of the ratio.

Gaurav Solanki and Anubhav Sinha take the film a notch higher with catchy dialogues and well etched screenplay. In one scene where Ayan inquires the caste of his subordinates, we realize the normalization is deep rooted and the complacency around caste discrimination is the scary moments of the film, than the scenes of violence.

One argument against the narrative is the protagonist Ayan Ranjan being a Brahmin, thereby the story offering Dalit community a Brahmin savior instead of fighting their battle on own without such upper class crutches. But why do we need to address Ayan’s caste when he’s communicating a change? Maybe this is what Sinha wants to say; look at Ayan as an individual, as a citizen, a police officer, not by his caste. And if at the end of the film, we’re worried about his cast than him actually using his position to do the right thing, breaking off his idealism and complacency then maybe more films like Article 15 is still needed.

“I don’t want a hero, but I also don’t want people who wait for a hero” – a very impacting line from the trailer of the film. Apart from its central theme, this line drew me to the cinema halls. And trust me when I say I’m not disappointed. And it seems like it has become a habit for me to watch films that end with resounding applause in the theaters. Article 15 is undoubtedly the latest addition to that list.

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VIRUS: A Neat Medical Thriller

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If you’ve ever been to a casualty before, you realize from the beginning of the movie, which portrays the daily grind in a hospital casualty, how real the film is going to get. Director Aashiq Abu has made a medical thriller with a sensational core to it; but refreshingly he chooses to not add the sensational tone to the narrative. He handles the theme with scientific clarity and sensitivity. It could’ve been more of an emotional thriller, than a medical thriller, if the film went behind formulas to elicit heightened emotions and reactions. But Virus is safe in Aashiq Abu’s hands. He has made a real reel film.

Yes, real is the right word because once you enter the world of Virus, the realness of it all gets to you. Malayali audience while watching the film can only think about, how they could have been one of the characters, how close this situation was to their lives. A nice quantity of fictionalisation has also gone into the narrative but it never sticks out. The film offers a real take on the outbreak of Nippah virus in Kerala.

 Writers Muhsin Parari, Sharfu, Suhas deserves the utmost praise when it comes to this film. A strong script is essentially the backbone of a film and Virus is no exception. Their taut narrative with accurate pace and non linear narrative adds to the thrills. Its commendable, how despite a familiar and still fresh in mind theme, the screenplay never fails to keep us intrigued. They present before us a jigsaw puzzle and make us play the game to unravel the layers of Virus.

Virus is a film about a bunch of heroes sans heroism. From ministers to doctors to layman, all are heroes in this story. Every character walks into the film with ease and blend into the story. They go about a tough situation in their lives with whatever props they can manage, to simply survive. And their tale when portrayed as one whole is overwhelming.

 It’s not every day you get multiple stars to play an ensemble cast which offers them screen time of few minutes. But top stars like Parvathy Thiruvothu, Tovino Thomas, Soubin Shahir, Rima Kallingal, Revathy, Kunchako Boban, Asif Ali, Rahman and many more come together for Virus. However the screen time doesn’t affect the importance of the characters. Literally every character is relevant to the narrative and has a moment to offer, an impact to leave. The story and execution does full justice to each one of the ensemble cast.

Not to mention, every actor is in top form. Parvathy Thiruvothu as Dr. Annu portrays a key role in the film; gets more action in the second half and is convincing in her quest for the missing pieces. Soubin Shahir as Unnikrishnan is pitch perfect with his roguish edge and hapless misery as a patient. Rima Kallingal pays befitting tribute to Nurse Lini with her character Akhila. Indrajith Sukumaran as Dr. Baburaj offers fleeting comic respite with his peculiar character. Indrans as Razak, is effective even when his dead body is getting freed from medical equipments. Sreenath Bhasi as Dr. Abid has his best role and performance ever to offer. Despite cursory appearances, Dileesh Pothan, Sharafudheen, Rahman, Savithri Sreedharan, Vettukili Prakash gets noticed. There are many more names which deserves mention.

The film travels beyond the central theme to various subplots offering us quick insights into the stories of each character involved. It discusses the religious and political angles with accurate emphasis. It’s a scientific film through and through but it’s a humane story as well.

Maturely explored emotions and feelings lend a benign foundation to this medical thriller. Sublime melodrama is on a roll throughout the film. A husband’s profile while he gazes at a chimney emitting smoke from his wife’s cremated body, a mother’s painful stuttering words as she voices her pain over the hate her child might receive, who happens to be the index patient (the first patient to infect the virus), a patient jokingly greeting his doctor with a longer salutation stating this might as well be his last – are standout examples.

Another positive of the film is its spectacular cinematography by Rajeev Ravi. The landscape visuals of Kozhikode City as the terror sweeps in, how audience are centered in the chaos within the casualty ward, close up shots of Unnikrishnan (Soubin Shahir)’s agony are few of the gems added by Rajeev for the film’s elevation. Sushin Shyam’s score adds to the mood of the story efficiently. Rima Kallingal and Aashiq Abu deserve appreciation as producers for mounting this brave attempt.

The non linear narrative and edgy editing by Saiju Sreedharan, which can be deemed striking on one hand, along with the medical jargon can work against the film for a layman, but on multiple watches it becomes a non-issue. Film has repeat value and is bound to age well.

As the tagline of the film claims, it’s a tale of fear, fight and survival. The pulse of the film reverberates within you long after you leave the cinema halls.

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UYARE: A beautiful film that redefines the definition of beauty

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When a theatre is almost packed for the morning show on a working day; audience applaud and cheer for scenes in which an acid attack survivor is embraced with acceptance, you know the film has struck the right chord.

Uyare is an overwhelming experience. Debutant Director Manu Ashokan offers a case study on sensitive filmmaking when he deals with a highly relevant issue in this film. Backed by a sound script from Bobby and Sanjay and brilliant pack of actors elevating the visual impact, Manu has half the work done for him; but there are no flaws in execution for a debut.

 Mahesh Narayan’s editing is crisp and though the film wraps around a little more than two hours, the film encompass a complete feeling. Music by Gopi Sundar especially the powerful background music, well etched cinematography by Mukesh Muraleedharan adds value to the movie. Zuby Johal and Rajiv Subba from Dirty Hands Studio handle the prosthetics and make up; the perfection of their work is one of the strongest points of the movie. Applauds to the sister-trio Shenuga, Shegna, Sherga who produced the movie; thereby put their money on a relevant social issue as their maiden project.

Parvathy Thiruvoth as Pallavi Raveendran, is indeed, the captain of this ship. Her powerful, nuanced and impacting portrayal of Pallavi affects you. Pallavi is driven by ambition, passionate in love, equally vulnerable and strong when struck by crisis. Her evolution and empowerment is the major crux of the film and the varied layers of this development are safe in the hands of a mature performer like Parvathy.

Asif Ali delivers a convincing performance as Govind and outdid himself. Govind is perhaps the best role of his career. Asif easily shift gears between a man who can cry easily to being generally insensitive.

Tovino Thomas is once again in his forte, with the charming Vishal Rajashekharan. The role doesn’t challenge the actor in him but his performance offers the much needed comic respite in an otherwise hard hitting narrative.

Siddique as Pallavi’s father is in terrific form. He is subtle but effective in every scene he appears. So is Anarkali who plays Pallavi’s best friend. Literally every small and big lead of the film adds to the greatness of the final product.

The film has its strong moments, when Pallavi takes inspiration from her role model and decides ‘it’s not over yet’. She stops covering her face, pose for a selfie with hesitation, and adorn make up once again and admire her face. The cameo by Shereos Hangout owners is another empowering moment in the tale. But Manu doesn’t insist on looking only at the positive side; he juxtaposes such incidents immediately with how insensitive society can be to give us the full picture.  Also Mukesh’s camera unabashedly focuses on Pallavi’s burnt face whenever she’s ready to let the veil down. So much so that after a few minutes we are able to look beyond the scars on her face and into the person she’s becoming.

Towards the interval, I concluded the film is going to have a fancy or filmy climax one which probably won’t do justice to the endless struggles an acid attack survivor overcomes on a daily basis. But the climax of the film is perhaps one of the most emancipating moments I’ve witnessed in a movie. The confidence she oozes when Pallavi faces mirror for the last time in the film is impacting; it reaches beyond the screens. She outgrows her vengeance, anger, insecurities and is ready to tackle the world on her terms. She is definitely rising above, like the title insists.

Other than the prominent theme of acid attack and its horrors, the film also touches upon themes like toxic relationships, gender violence etc. For instance, Anarkali’s fingers theory to explain how a relationship should work is an interesting analogy. The film also throws light upon how the legal system sometimes unknowingly let victims have a harder run to get justice. The importance of support from friends and family to regain mental strength after the trauma is highlighted all through the film.

It’s 2019, and like a character in the movie says, beauty can be redefined as your personality, confidence and attitude. The film powers this important message and hopefully can be successful in changing narratives around the notion of beauty. Uyare is not a tale of pity which reeks of melodrama but a bold story of courage and empowerment.  

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PARVATHY – Bold, Sensible, Fearless

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7th April is the birthday of a feisty soul – Parvathy Thiruvoth Kottuvata, a well established actress of Indian cinema. In her 13 years long career, that spans over four languages including a Bollywood film, she has done 23 films. She’s a proud feminist who walks the talk. A gifted speaker, her interviews are laced with honest disposition and clarity of thoughts. She’s the first ever Indian actor to win Best Actor award at International Film Festival of India.

My first tryst with Parvathy on celluloid was witnessing her as Pooja in Notebook (Malayalam). She played an ambitious, practical teenager who valued her career, life and her family’s safety over friendship, justice and righteousness. Almost a decade later, I see a woman who has thrown her flourishing career away, gets rape and death threats daily via social media trolls and has put her peaceful life in line for friendship, justice and righteousness. Perhaps the most beautiful irony I’ve witnessed in life.

In Notebook, her second film, I saw her potential when she was attuned to the nuances of the grey shade her character held. But somehow I didn’t expect to see her much on the big screen after that; or worse see her limited to second lead roles. And yes she did toil a bit before establishing herself as the most promising talent of the industries she worked in, especially in Mollywood.

She became a sensation with Kaanchanamala, the eternal lover of a real life tragic love story, in the film Ennu Ninte Moideen (Malayalam). She won several accolades and adulation for the film.

Her RJ Sarah in Bangalore Days (Malayalam) allowed her to win more hearts; the partially paralysed girl who out beats her physical limitation and becomes a radio jockey, motivational speaker and even seeks love without bars was safe in her hands.

In the film Take Off (Malayalam) she’s Sameera, a nurse who struggles with debts on her family, divorce, a son and an unfortunate life incident. The film is based on the ordeal of Indian nurses in Iraq, 2014. Her character is loosely based on Marina Jose who played an instrumental role in the rescue operation. Her performance in the film is hard hitting and unforgettable. She won National Award Special Mention for this role.

Birthday girl is going to grace the screen this year with two powerful films and characters. Uyare (Malayalam) has her playing an acid attack survivor and in Virus (Malayalam) which is based on the nipah virus that shook Kerala, she plays a pivotal role.

When I think of her, the words that come to my mind are bold (in her choices), sensible (in her outlook and repartees) and fearless (to stand for the right). Parvathy and controversies have been best buddies for a long time now. A woman with a spine, tongue and attitude is a dangerous combination and Parvathy is one.

 When she speaks, she speaks her truth, her opinions and never hesitated in calling out the wrong attitudes and practises. She has always proved her fight is not against one person or a group of people but against attitudes and approaches. When she spoke up about the existence of casting couches in film industry or when she voiced against how cinema kind of perpetuates misogyny with their ‘heroic’ dialogues or when she scratched the caste surname from her identity, she won bouquets and brickbats with equal fervour. Online trolls went into a frenzy of slut shaming, threats of varied kinds but that never stopped her. She took a break from social media when it was too much to handle but continued to work for what she believed in.

When one of her colleagues went through the worst trauma of sexual harassment and decisively took the legal route, Parvathy along with some other likeminded colleagues joined hands to support the survivor. They formed Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) to address the rights and injustices meted out to women in the industry. She’s been an active member of the organization and bravely voiced out against the Mollywood industry. Despite constant and persistent social media attacks, the lack of interest, disdain and pregnant silence on the part of other colleagues, both men and women, to voice against the injustice, dwindling and drying up work opportunities, Parvathy along with her WCC members still strive for their basic rights. The anger, grief, disappointment is channelled into determination, persistence and fearlessness.

It’s not easy to lend your voice to bring about a change, because there’s more to lose than gain. Her performances have been enthralling and so has her grit to stand for the right. She’s today an actor par excellence and an inspiring human being.  Happy Birthday Parvathy, wishing a great year ahead on and off screen, may you thrive as an actor and a human being in years to come.

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LEADER

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I usually don’t indulge in the political discourse. But Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, with her actions made her way into my blog. It’s not every day you meet a leader like that and of course I’m charmed, inspired.

I remember once during a random discussion with friends, a question had popped up – what kind of a leader do you envision for your country? The popular and majority approved answer was someone who entertains people oriented leadership. When Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, described Ardern’s leadership as people oriented, I found myself agreeing.

At the wake of an unfortunate crisis in her country, which may or may not have happened because of a lapse on the part of the government, she readily ordered for top level inquiry. Royal commission is the highest level of independent inquiry under New Zealand law which can pinpoint the flaws in their own system. A daring and effective step of rectifying themselves to ensure there’s no repeat of such a scenario again. Secondly, she showed up for her people, for the minorities of her land and thereby bringing her entire country and its people under one firm stand of humanity, compassion and solidarity. The Amendment of gun laws, swift labeling of the action as terrorism, refusing his very own identity to the terrorist thereby crushing his evident thirst for publicity are some of the few moves on her part. She’s efficiently working around the current emotional atmosphere of her country.

To be honest, her each move being lauded as extraordinary is in one sense sad, because this should be the basic norm. She’s a global phenomenon today for basically doing her job effectively which is worth reflecting. There’s evident hate rhetoric generally in the world and it is in this chaotic atmosphere Ardern’s unapologetic and decisive approach becomes a potential game changer. She perceives the people of her country beyond their origin, religion and color and just as human beings who chose her country as their home. Her powerful words – “Victims are us, attacker is not” is indispensable and applaud worthy. Her powerful assertion holds a promise of peace and justice.

Ardern displays her emotions through her voice, expressions, body language and her actions. Even while openly grieving for the lost lives she balances it with insightful measures taken; thus becoming a refreshing visual for the world. She has adorned her position with humanity and resourcefulness.

Yes probably it’s easier to implement humanistic leadership and blend the nation to a unified emotion, in a peaceful country where the cracks don’t run deep. But that doesn’t reduce the gravitas of her actions towards the country she’s serving. In the aftermath of such an untoward incident she didn’t allow fissures to deepen and effectively tried to maintain the unity and peace of her country. Neither did she try and evade the chances for justice or a proper probe on her own government’s failure. The new gun laws to avoid a rerun,  all point towards her coherence and makes her worthy of all the praise coming her way.

 Hopefully Jacinda Ardern will be an inspiration and role model for generations to come. And I hope she continue to strive for her country and thereby initiate a change in world political rhetoric.

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SHOBANA: The Nagavalli of our Hearts

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21st March, marks the birth date of a prominent contributor to Indian cinema, Actress Shobana Chandrakumar. The 80s and 90s of Malayalam cinema is resplendent with Shobana’s charisma. Though she worked in more than 200 films across six languages, her standout performances emerged from Malayalam cinema. How can any Malayali forget her show-stopping performance as Nagavalli. She is considered omnipresent in the list of all time Top 5 actresses of the industry. Conferred with Padma Shri in 2006 for her contribution towards arts, she is also the proud recipient of multiple national awards.

 During my growing years, watching her on the big screen filled me with a euphoric experience. She was the quintessential commercial heroine who passionately romanced, pulled at heartstrings with emotions and lit up scenes with comic timing. She was a dancing diva and a maverick performer on celluloid. It’s hard to be oblivious of her timeless beauty and grace. After spending almost two decades of her life on the big screen, she voluntarily stepped back to focus on her passion for dance. Today she is the proud owner of Kalarpana Dance School and visits cinema once in a while.

Her Ultimate Excellence

Despite myriads of impacting characters enacted on screen, the iconic performance of her career is Ganga-Nagavalli of Manichitratazhu(Malayalam). Her menacing act as Nagavalli and mild mannered Ganga, highlights the psychological and supernatural elements in the narrative. As she oscillates between the dual personalities of vengeful Nagavalli and meek Ganga realistic acting gets its definition. She indulges the complex role with absolute ease and fluidity. The shape shifting she adopts in the body language and mannerisms is stupendous. In the famous song ‘Oru Murai Vanthu Paarthaaya’, she swings between a mentally unstable persona and trained dancer with charismatic excellence. Shobana becomes the hero and villain of the film, and hits it out of the park. Despite the countless remakes (Chandramukhi, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Apthamitra, Rajmohol) even after 25 years, Shobana’s Nagavalli remains immortalized and unmatchable.

Shobana’s Romances

Padmarajan’s Innale (Malayalam), a cult classic, has Shobana enacting the central character of a girl who undergoes amnesia after an accident and finds herself in a love triangle. It’s a beautiful film and she shines as Padmarajan’s heroine.

In Priyadarshan’s Thenmavin Kombath (Malayalam) she’s the feisty Karthumbi who teases Mohanlal’s Manikyan with a Kannada word ‘Muthugavu’ which means kiss and tickles our laughter bones.  The celebrated pairing gives us an equivalent of Tom and Jerry saga with this film.

In I. V. Sasi’s Kanamarayathu (Malayalam) she’s a young girl who falls in love with Roy (Mammootty) despite their age gap. Despite it being her second film, she plays the over possessive Sherly with panache. She is a lover who pursues a man who interests her and fights for that love.

Mohan’s Pakshe (Malayalam), has Shobana and Mohanlal play star-crossed lovers. In Pakshe and Kamal’s Mazhayethum Munpe (Malayalam) she plays the part of a mature lover who hackles with the realities of life but still savours the lover in her.

Shobana is undoubtedly one of the evergreen romantic heroines of Malayalam.

Shobana’s Comedies

Siddique’s blockbuster movie Hitler (Malayalam), presents her as the happy-go-lucky Gauri who offers enough comic moments to the narrative. The way she dramatizes her kidnapping, fakes pregnancy before a prospective groom and family or lures the attention of eve-teasers to get them into trouble – will make you lose yourself in peals of laughter.

Thulasidas’s Minnaminuginum Minnukettu (Malayalam) sees her handle a character with shades of grey, yet works around humour quotient leaving us in splits.

In the comedy dramas Minnaram (Malayalam) by Priyadarshan and Thulasidas’s Kumkumacheppu (Malayalam) she makes us swing between laughing at her quirks and drowning in her sad fate. She plays the role of suspicious wife to the gallery in Kumkumacheppu bringing in the humour element to the story. Whereas handles comic scenes with a straight face as required by the narrative and still stands tall beside Mohanlal’s animated act in Minnaram.

Shobana’s Tragedies

Shyamaprasad’s Agnisakshi (Malayalam) has her portray a Nampoothiri woman, who fights the shackles of tradition and caste; and when she’s ousted from a failing marriage and orthodox family for the same, she spearheads a movement for the emancipation of women. Shobana as Devaki portrays a seasoned act in the film; she goes through the beats of a bildungsroman and in the end as Sumitrananda, an ascetic, who finally walks into spirituality, paints a slow burning performance.

Vineeth Sreenivasan’s Thira (Malayalam), has Shobana headline the thriller after a gap from silver screen, yet have her deliver a power packed performance as Rohini. Despite the break from cinema, she owns the role with prowess and commanding screen presence. Shobana as Rohini is an authentic performance done right. Rohini’s courage, anger and spirit are a spellbinding watch under Shobana’s mastery.  

Noteworthy Performances in other Languages

In Maniratnam’s Thalapathi (Tamil) she plays the fragile lover of Rajnikanth’s Surya. She is naive and dreamy eyed and speaks with expressions. In the Mahabharat inspired plot, she plays Draupadi and despite the small screen time, her Subhalakshmi holds her own against the stellar cast.

Mitr: My Friend, an Indian English film, is the directorial debut of another renowned actress Revathi which has Shobana headlining it as Laxmi. Laxmi is synonymous to many housewives who sacrifice their age for a family who will ultimately take her for granted and finally run over her. It’s a sensitive portrayal where Laxmi’s flaws are as much highlighted and hence paves way for self realization. It’s one of those films that teach self love without much effort.

There are many more gems to her credit; it’s difficult to contain them in one article. Cinema and audience still awaits this talented artist to come back and shower us with many more powerful performances.

To the one who made my childhood a festival, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOBANA.

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The Mandatory Romance

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How many times have you called yourselves losers? How critical are you with yourself? When was the last time you prioritized your needs? When did you last take some time out to enjoy a favourite hobby?

If your answer is positive to first two questions and negative to the last two of them, then you need a serious lesson on loving yourself. February is celebrated as the month of love. I don’t think there’s a better time to talk about the most essential love in our lives – Self Love.

It’s a concept that’s gathering attention off late. Counselors, social activists, celebrities many are addressing this topic with a novel energy. Self aware individuals are realizing the slots they’re getting reduced into by various kinds of pressure. This discernment helps them to learn how to take the steering of their lives into their own hands. In the film Rani Padmini (Malayalam), Padmini asserts, “appreciation thrown at you for conforming to societal standard expectations are actually a trap, to not evolve, to not find your voice, to not love yourself as much as you deserve to be loved”.

Most often women are the last in line to absorb the topic of self love. In the film How Old Are You (Malayalam), Anupama is a woman who cuts all ties with her friends because she’s ashamed to acquaint them with the present Anupama who is a mother, wife, daughter in law, government employee but not herself. The firecracker girl of college days is now a meek woman afraid and in tune with the polished norms of society. She subconsciously hates herself but doesn’t even have the time to realize this truth. Her plight is similar to that of many women around us and probably you and me. We all go about our busy routine playing the roles in our life to perfection without taking a moment to pause for ourselves. Also there’s the sense of guilt attached to loving yourself – prioritizing one’s needs over that of spouse or children seems ‘wrong’ to most women.

However the guilt pinned to the concept of self-love is now being accepted as a misconception. When you are prioritizing yourself and taking care of your needs there is no space for guilt. It is the most natural thing to do for your well being, to live a fulfilling life. The paradigm shift of locating time to nurture oneself, instead of placing oneself at the end of the to-give-attention list is the lane self love pursues.  

That said let’s not confuse it with self obsession or narcissism. It is not synonymous to selfishness or vanity. Self love doesn’t imply to focus on oneself, to the point of exclusion of others and limiting compassion, attention and understanding to one’s own self; it’s far from it. When you fall into an irrevocable love relationship with yourself, you are more likely to have deeper compassion and understanding for others. Arjun of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Hindi), believes material wealth is what guarantees happiness. In his chase for it, he ignores everyone and everything in life to the point of being selfish and aloof. His whole life changes when he dives into an adventure sport overlooking his fears; he breaks down in pure bliss. He decides to love himself enough to live in his present, to live for today’s smile. It automatically reflects in his interactions with his peers and external world.  

Now what exactly is self love? Dr.Kristin Neff, pioneer of self-compassion research, defines self compassion as treating yourself with the same kindness, concern and support you would show to a good friend. Imagine a friend going through a bad moment; your first impulse will be to comfort. Trying to direct this compassionate mindset towards oneself is the best definition of self love. It’s as simple as to say, be your best friend. Treat your inner voice with an identity of its own. Imagine it as the voice of a friend or loved one.

Accept that you are not perfect, before truly loving yourself. Imperfections are not a crime, and by lending love to yourself, you’re able to deal with your inadequacies without judgement. Self love enables you to equally embrace your weaknesses and strengths. It’s all about accepting yourself. Self love helps you live healthier. A positive interaction with oneself leads to less anxieties, enhanced optimism, better handling of stressful situations and ailments like depression etc. Exactly what Rani in Queen (Hindi), recognize through her journey. She learns to accept herself, to love her own self more than she ever did. It helps her get over one of the depressing phases of her life.

So how do we go about this self love business? It involves a deeper commitment to oneself. And it takes shape through small and large steps of care:

  • Finding time for your basic needs is the first go to option in practicing self love. Giving body the rest, exercise and pampering it needs – occasional spa visits, regular fitness activities, proper sleep patterns and ample amount of relaxation revitalize your body physically. Allot time for healthy social interactions that rejuvenate your intellectual, spiritual, emotional and intimate needs.
  • Protect yourself from activities and people that can have an adverse effect on your life. Re-plan your life with the right people and right activities which can enhance you.
  • Forgive yourself when you make mistakes. As long as you’re able to turn your failures into lessons learnt or make amends there’s no room for harsh judgements and self criticism.
  • Make way for your love interests is another important part of being in love with oneself. It needn’t necessarily be individuals, it can be hobbies that gives you happiness but which is often chucked out of life because there’s no time to waste! When Laxmi in Mitr my Friend (English), can’t bear the vacuum in her life created by her busy husband and volatile teen daughter she decides to seek refuge in her passion for carpentry. It gives a new leash to her life.
  • Celebrate yourself in every which way possible. You are unique, with your set of quirks, strong and weak points. Celebrate everything about you, be your own favourite like Geet from Jab We Met (Hindi) film asserts.
  • Be happy with yourself even on the darkest days. Not every day can be done right, so when you skid, ensure you don’t beat yourself over it. Self love is all about loving yourself in your lows as much as in your highs.
  • Enjoy your own company, and then the lonely hours won’t get to you. Take yourself out for a dinner, or go for a trip or spend an evening or watch a movie all by yourself. Do things you do with a friend, with yourself. When you find your best friend within you, there’s not a moment of solitude that awaits you.
  • Follow the gut in every matter. Yes there can arise moments when the mind and heart wages a war. But listen to that inner voice.
  • When we are talking about listening to the inner voice, another point to be noted is how many times have you told yourself, you’re a loser? When you say things repeatedly, your subconscious registers it overtime. So try and play the game in reverse. Practice self love affirmations to control that inner voice to be less judgmental and more receptive.

It reads in Bible – “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”. So love for the self is considered natural and normal even in religious scriptures. It’s a basic necessity for a healthy existence.

Loving yourself is powerful. That power enables you to see yourself and your life in a new light. Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow, like Shahrukh Khan repeats in Kal Ho Na Ho, so love yourself today and enjoy the exhilaration it offers.

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Love Stories that Show the Ropes

Posted on by adhitiaravind92

Romances that toed a different line are my absolute favourite. Yes I’m a die-hard romantic and can lap up any film that has the ingredient romance; but realistic romances strike a chord like no other. When lovers from the daily grind of life occupy the screen I’m glued to it. From the legendary Padmarajan films in Malayalam to Maniratnam’s trysts with love, there are many gems celluloid has offered us. Love stories that are true to life and to love; romances that show the ropes or educate us on the real deal of love. Let me take you through some of the love stories that matter!

  • Namukku Parkkan Munthirithopukkal (1986, Malayalam)

This is a landmark film of its era and one of the greatest love stories told in Malayalam. In the climax shot, when Solomon (Mohanlal) comes to take his Sophie (Shari) to their vineyard, audience witness the most powerful declaration of love on silver screen – she is more than her hymen to her lover. Padmarajan (Filmmaker) is a maverick and he casts a spell on our hearts with this pioneering work of art. He breaks glass ceilings with this film, when the hero accepts the raped heroine; he doesn’t let her turn into a tragic queen or the hero to be a man whose love anchors on her chastity. In 1986, it was revolutionary; he challenged the prudish concepts attached to romance. The film features one of the most beautiful proposal scenes.

  • Alaipayuthey (2000, Tamil)

Alaipayuthey in one line is a love story that is not about happily ever after. It’s a pragmatic take on love marriages. Maniratnam’s romances have a beating heart; Alaipayuthey is no different. The film portrays fights, jealousy, insecurities and egos between married couples with stark honesty. The silky nature of love and stringency of marriage are depicted with reverence. But the climax accentuates the true meaning of love. Be it through Arvind Swamy and Kushboo who appear as side characters, another married couple, who deal with a critical juncture of their life in parallel to Karthik (Madhavan) and Shakthi(Shalini). It’s a timeless classic that reflects on the journey of a couple from love to…love.

  • Queen (2014, Hindi)

What is it like to fall in love with oneself during one’s honeymoon? You’ll know when you see this film. A woman ditched at altar is an apt premise for tragedy. But we see Rani (Kangana) reshaping her life despite that one dark event. She finds her armour in herself once she seeks the unplanned self discovery. Romancing yourself is one of the most beautiful love stories you can be part of, Queen tells us exactly that.

  • Aniyathipravu (1997, Malayalam)

Lovers facing opposition from family is not a new theme for love stories. But the twist in tale happens when the lovers decide to place their parents’ happiness over their own. When Sudhi(Kunchako Boban) and Mini(Shalini) decide to part ways to make their parents happy, a decision not many would take, the love story becomes trailblazing . The film got welcomed with much adulation for this distinctiveness. It received humongous success and was remade into many languages. It’s a beautiful tale of love, which speaks the language of a more universal love, love between parents and children.

  • Munthirivallikal Thalirkumbol (2017, Malayalam)

It’s a family drama with romance at its core. A couple going through mid life crisis attempts to revive love back into their marriage. Bogged down by the mundane life, they go through the grind with a defeated apathy; until they rouse to the truth that loving each other, once again, is the only way to add colour to life. The film does get diverted by subplots but the message it holds at centre is valuable. Children get influenced by the domestic reality at homes. Romance between parents is generally considered a taboo topic, if one can take into consideration recent hit Badhaai Ho which also deals with a middle aged couple who savoured their love which forces their children and society to accept them as man and wife, beyond their ages. In that sense, this film is refreshing because Ulahannan (Mohanlal) and Annieamma (Meena)’s children are enamoured by the re-blooming romance of their parents. There’s a beautiful scene in the film where the husband and wife discuss openly about the infidelities they had. It’s not a perfect film but it’s relatable, insightful and entertaining because of its theme.

  • Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000, Tamil)

As popularly known, it’s an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Aishwarya Rai plays Meenakshi in the narrative who is a girl lost in her romantic ideals to the extent of being ignorant to love. Her poetry laced mind yearns for a prince charming to come sweep her off her feet. When this effervescent dreamer meets Srikanth (Abbas) one rainy day, her idealistic self is floored. She tends to overlook the practical lover Bala (Mammootty) who encourages pursuing her passion in music for the charming Srikanth who shares her passion but values his ego more. But when she encounters deceit in love, she awakens to the man mercilessly rejected by her all this while. The emotional scars bring Meenakshi and Bala together and she experiences the true meaning of love. In real life, it’s about meeting that imperfect suitor who makes your life perfect. A prince/princess charming is someone who loves you for who you are. Any individual, who has passed through the different stages of infatuations to love, will fathom Meenakshi and her love story.

Not all the films I mentioned above are perfect, but the way they deal with the idea of love is perfect. These are the top six films that impacted my idea of romance. Love is subjective; hence each individual can have their own set of impacting choices. These are my picks, what are yours? Oh and before I forget, Happy Valentine’s Day Readers!!!!!

PS:

  • Alaipayuthey has a Hindi remake in Saathiya
  • Aniyathipravu was remade into Tamil as Kadhalukku Mariyadhai and in Hindi as Doli Saja Ke Rakhna. It also has a Kannada remake, Preethigagi.
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What to Infer from Me Too Movement?

Posted on by adhitiaravind92

Me Too movement has been embraced and rejected equally by the Indian mass. On one hand survivors have found their voice and salvation; but on the other hand the intricate pattern of oppression and power infested in our society doesn’t allow the movement’s evolution to the full form. Agreed it’s not a movement without its flaws but what it is teaching is noteworthy. Only if we can absorb them the movement can have its right impact on us. So all who feel its giving rise to an unnecessary line of fire; sit back and reflect on what we need to infer from this movement.

First and foremost, listen with open ears and open mind. All stories may not be authentic, concrete proofs can’t be produced in majority of the cases. But the only thing we can do is listening without preconceived notions. Hear the undertones of suffering, torture, the strength and weakness that revolve around each confession. Try to be empathetic to the fact that in most of the cases reported, survivors are displaying the scars on their souls more than their bodies!

Build up solidarity against the culture of oppression in every sector of life – office, family and social circle. There are millions who will identify with each story revealed; someone would have encountered something alike or barely escaped a similar situation or is at the least not ignorant of such a thing happening around them. Create a meaningful bond with colleagues, friends, and family, so that you can be each other’s support system. It will ensure a repeat of unpleasant situations never happening again. There’ll be likeminded people to stand up and fight for your right or at the minimum is on your side without judgements. It can take us a long way.

Say goodbye to sexism. Start by not laughing to sexist jokes when your friend or colleague or relative cracks one. “Make the person who crack sexist jokes feel uncomfortable” Parvathy Thiruvoth, actress said. Let him or her realize there’s something wrong in what they said, don’t normalize it for the sake of not destroying the moment. Don’t trivialise the prevalent sexism in our daily life thinking raising an objection will result in you being ostracised or get categorised as over reacting. Do a quick recap of your words, actions or thoughts in past to check if it had sexist colouring and make sure you make amends. If it all still feels like making a hill out of a mole, reverse the experience and think how you’ll feel in an identical situation. That’ll do the trick.

Relearn to acknowledge and respect an individual. Take a quick lesson on how to be attentive to a person’s space, feelings and dignity. Then there won’t be any lines crossed or unintentional words or actions made which you won’t be proud of later.

Don’t make flippant jokes on Me Too. Understand, what gets weighed down under jokes is, the simple fact that all that is asked of you is to not be a sexual predator, to not hurt someone intentionally or unintentionally, to not make someone uncomfortable, not violate someone’s personal space, not practise barter system, ask for their body in return of work opportunities.

 Relearn the concept of consent; make sure the next generation is raised with adequate education on the concept of consent. . Learn to distinguish between badly conceived ideas and reality – like stalking, a woman’s ‘no’ means yes on repeated perusal etc. Realize that these ideas that are often encouraged and glorified in films, books and other mediums are wrong.

Don’t ignore or maintain silence; that’s the biggest disservice one can do to society when such a revolutionary movement is taking shape. Never keep quiet, just because it’s not affecting your life. If a major chunk of your fellow beings are dealing with a suffocating social scenario it immediately becomes your job to recreate a conducive environment for them; to ensure that they are not alone. Don’t silence them; a questioning glare at one survivor has the power to shut up thousand others. Realize that this epidemic of sexual harassment is not limited to the survivors who spoke; it extends to our family, friends, colleagues, to ourselves since we inhabit the same atmosphere. So when you lend a hand of support, it is to help your own tomorrow.

Remember most of the masks that fell so far were the crème de la crème of sophisticated woke society. So understand that it’s sometimes even more complex for a survivor to raise their voice because forget getting the accused to hold accountability, they’ll first have to prove their own credibility. Also don’t be blind to the fact that most of the voices raised are of women. It just goes on to imply, how much harder it is for a woman in our society and how difficult it is for a man to voice a similar experience. So be gender neutral when you face this revolution. Don’t make it a man v/s woman situation, it never was. If statistics are to be believed for a smaller ratio of false allegations don’t run over the larger ratio of true sufferings. There’s a healing power in your support, don’t deny the survivors that beacon of hope.

The biggest take away from Me Too movement is how a fear is instilled in the minds of wrong doers. It is also great that everyone is pausing for a moment to cross check if they ever blurred a boundary by a message or stare or joke; it’s a welcome change. It’s a positive shift in culture that will impact our lives in the long run. Stand by the survivors and set a benchmark for a decent livelihood in future for all and sundry.

It is all about doing the right and not doing the wrong, as simple as that.