A bright morning

Waking up early in the morning is very gratifying. Today is one of those rare days. It gets even more gratifying when you cook and treat yourself to a lavish breakfast of toasts, omlette and down it with a large glass of orange juice. Just perfect ! I am spirited and ready for the day.

Lets get on with the happenings of the year gone by as promised. I wont yet sign off on my list of good movies. Cant afford to without talking about Taare Zameen Par . Premiered towards the end of year and swept the nation with a wave of emotion. Aamir has been my favourite always. But with this movie he has gone a notch up. This kind of cinema is like a whiff of fresh air. So purposeful and relevant. I have vowed to gift the DVDs to any obscure parent I know personally. We have always wondered why a country with more than a billion people cannot get that one coveted olympic medal ? Well people, here is the answer. Go watch this movie. Its because they are all nipped in the bud. No one wants their children to pursue a path that will not earn them respect of that neighbouring aunt with a big nose. How good will it be if a childs interestes are identified and they are groomed for it for the rest of their lives. We could have lots of gymnasts, painters, swimmers around. We could compete in the football world cup. Come to think of it. We would be a country of people who are good at what they do. Our economy will soar and the world will be our oyester.

Other than the noble message it imparts, Taare zameen par also takes you on an emotional sojourn. While watching the movie, I had so big a lump in my throat that it started to hurt. Eventually I let go. Tears were just flowing. Especially when Ishaan says bye to his mother on his first day at the boarding school. It took me back by 17 years. I relived that evening when I said bye to my parents.
And the song -

Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main,Dikhlata Nahin
Teri Parwaah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata, Hain Na Maa ...

These are not mere words. These are a thousand stories told at one go. Thank you Aamir for making a movie that will remain with me forever.

The pursuit of happyness

Let me start off with the movie that made a lasting impact on me last year. Its called - The pursuit of happyness. It tells the story of a struggling single father who later goes on to become an investment banker.Chris has a tough time trying to pay taxes and secure a job for himself even as his wife leaves him. Amidst all this he enrolls for a trainee program with a popular Broking firm which gives job to only one from the class of 20. He makes a little money for his meagre needs by selling a machine to doctors that gives a slightly darker image than an X-Ray. A vagrant on the street thinks it is a time machine which Chris uses to travel in the past. Chris is not amused. Nevertheless, when he is kicked out of his house by his landlord, he uses this illusion to sweet talk his 5 year old son into spending a night in a public toilet by saying, ' This is a cave and we are taking shelter from the dinasours outside.' You can only relate how the world is like a dinasour for the lesser mortal. Chris performs exceptionally well in his program and is awarded with the job of a stock broker at last. Thats when he says,' This part of my life is called happiness.'

The movie has moments that stays with you and lingers in your thoughts. When Chrish mutters to himself while watching smiling faces on a busy street, ' They all look so happy. Why cant I look like that? '. Then there is this scene where he is talking to his son the night after his wife leaves him ,' Don't let anybody tell you, you cant do it. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. Period!' as if more to himself than to his son.The part that got me thinking (again??) was when he wonders how Thomas Jefferson managed to put in the word pursuit before happiness in the declaration of independence. As if he knew it so very well that happiness is something that can only be pursued. One can never actually have it. Someday, I would love to think otherwise ...

Happy New Year !

From amongst the few new year resolutions I have made, being regular on the blogging circuit is one of them. Though I have become wary of forging new relationships, I hope I can live up to this one and post atleast a blog a month.
Beginning of a new year prompts one to take a look back at the year gone by. Year 2007 has been interspersed with many highs and lows. Over the next few days, I am going to try and capture the year gone by through my own small world. For now, I will have to take leave as I am not at my best. Here's wishing everyone out there a very happy and prosperous new year..