Critics' review: Ek Thi Daayan is a blend of horror, psycho thriller

Critics' review: Ek Thi Daayan is a blend of horror, psycho thriller

1. Saibal Chatterjee, NDTVMost of the critics have praised Mukul Sharma's screenplay and Kannan's direction. Saibal Chattterjee says, "What really is Ek This Daayan: an out-and-out horror film, an creepy paranormal thriller or a twisted psychological drama? It actually blends elements from all three genres and weaves around them the anguished love story of a man whose obsession with the occult gets the better of him." 

As the movie moves into the second half, it slips a few notches down. Saibal writes, ""But that’s about it. Take the surface gloss away from Ek Thi Daayan and all you have is a rather muddled film that meanders into a tame denouement that borders on the risible. The director overplays his hand and puts all his cards on the table a tad too quickly." 
The novel treatment of horror genre, nonetheless, impresses Saibal as she writes, "The riveting parts of Ek This Daayan are far outnumbered by the limp moments. Yet it is worth a watch owing to the idiosyncratic treatment of a done-to-death genre." 
Verdict: Once the element of shock and surprise are out of the equation in the first half, the film falls into a predictable pattern.
Rating: ** 1/2 

2. Gayatri SankarEk Thi Daayan may boast of high profile and critically acclaimed actors but it comes across as an average horror movie with done-to-death idea of witches. Gayatri writes, "The riveting parts of Ek This Daayan are far outnumbered by the limp moments. Yet it is worth a watch owing to the idiosyncratic treatment of a done-to-death genre."' 

The art direction and portrayal of scary sequences are impressive. As Sankar writes, "The Art Direction team has done a commendable job by giving a visual representation to their eerie side of their creativity. The sets emit a sense of supernatural presence and help boost an otherwise middling story." 
Verdict: You may watch the film for the fine show put up by the actors.
Rating: *** 

BY
RESHU AGARWAL
C2012761029

Should there be a minimum qualification to be a journalist?

Should there be a minimum qualification to be a journalist?

BY
RESHU AGARWAL
C2012761029

“Mahatma Gandhi was considered as one of the most prolific journalist, although he had no
qualification in journalism “

- Girish NIkam, Rajya sabha TV.

According to me, I am against the notion that a paper qualification is required for an individual
to qualify as a journalist. Journalism is like art where we need to possess integrity, enthusiasm,
character, courage and curiosity for serving millions of masses dedicatedly and according to me,
all these characteristics cannot be inculcated in an individual in the closed walls of a class. It’s
a well-known fact that a person tends to learn more when he is thrown into a practical world
rather than a theoretical world, the mantra is same for journalism. HK Dua said he got more
insight about journalism while working than in the premier institute where he studied.

When the PCI is keen in setting up a minimum qualification for the journalists, then why not
for the media barons too? Why not for the owner of various newspapers, magazines and media
houses? The benchmark should be set from the grassroots level. A journalist who is under
qualified is a loophole in the working of the media oriented global village, then the contribution
of prominent journalist like BG Varghese (Hindustan Times) and Nikhil Chakravarty should be
disregarded as vain and vogu?.

Mr Katju in his statement mentioned that like lawyers, teachers and doctors, a journalist should
possess a degree or diploma. Is it mandatory? Nani Palkivala in those days defied the myth
that, to be termed as a veteran or successful lawyer one should have a barrister degree. Later,
he went on to be termed as ‘The Courtroom Genius’. In many colleges in rural India, many
professors do not have a Doctorate degree (PHD) but still they impart knowledge to their
seekers. Then why it is preposterous when it comes to journalism?

Every coin has two faces, likewise every statement as a pro and a corn. When a paradigm shift
takes place it gives us an opportunity to pour in our insight, so these are my views regarding the
topic.

Smoking Effects on the Human Body

Smoking Effects on the Human Body

• Toxic ingredients in cigarette smoke travel throughout the body, causing damage in several different ways.
• Nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds after smoke is inhaled. It has been found in every part of the body and in breast milk.
• Carbon mono oxide binds to hameoglobin in red blood cells, preventing affected cells from carrying a full load of oxygen.
• Cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) in tobacco smoke damage important genes that control the growth of cells, causing them to grow abnormally or to reproduce too rapidly.
• The carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene binds to cells in the airways and major organs of smokers.
• Smoking affects the function of the immune system and may increase the risk for respiratory and other infections.
• There are several likely ways that cigarette smoke does its damage. One is oxidative stress that mutates DNA, promotes atherosclerosis, and leads to chronic lung injury. Oxidative stress is thought to be the general mechanism behind the ageing process, contributing to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and COPD.
• The body produces antioxidants to help repair damaged cells. Smokers have lower levels of antioxidants in their blood than do non smokers.
• Smoking is associated with higher levels of chronic inflammation, another damaging process that may result in oxidative stress.

10 health tips

10 HEALTHY TIPS

                                                                                                                                                                                    BY:   

                                                                                                                                                                                    RESHU AGARWAL

                                                                                                                                                                                    C2012761029

1. Get moving

Do 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week. One way to achieve this target is by doing 30 minutes of activity on five days a week. Fit them in where you can, such as cycling to work. 

2. Give up smoking

Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker. 
 
3. Manage your weight

Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to a well-balanced diet low in fat and high in fruit and vegetables, combined with plenty of physical activity.

4. Drop the salt

To maintain a healthy blood pressure, stop using salt at the table and try adding less to your cooking, or cut it out completely. You’ll soon get used to it. Also, watch out for high salt levels in processed foods. Check the food labels: a food is high in salt if it has more than 1.5 gm salt (or 0.6 gm sodium) per 100 gm.

5. Get your five a day

Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Add dried fruit to breakfast cereal, and add vegetables to your pasta sauces, curries, etc.

6. Eat oily fish

Eat oily fish twice a week. Fish such as mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna and salmon are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which can help to protect against heart disease.

7. Walk off stress

If you're feeling under pressure, clear your mind with a walk. It will help put your ideas in order and reduce tension. If it's a brisk walk, it will also count towards your daily activity.
 
8. Cut saturated fat

Small changes to your diet can have positive health benefits. Choose semi-skimmed over full-fat milk, leaner cuts of meat and steam or grill foods rather than frying. 

9. Drink less

Alcohol can be fattening. If you added three or four gin and tonics to your usual daily diet, you could put on nearly 2 kg over four weeks.

10. Read the food label

When shopping, look at the label on food packets to see what the product contains. Understanding what is in food will help you make healthier choices.

CRICKET AND INDIA

CRICKET AND INDIA

BY

RESHU AGARWAL

C2012761029

Craze, courage, fear, fantasy, win… and the list goes on and on, of words that have found entry in the cricket lexicon. What do these words signify in their association with the world of cricket?

Craze to grab the accessories of the favorite cricketers, courage to postpone the important activities when one knows the load of work pending can prove fatal if not done in time, fear of losing the match when six runs are required on the last ball, fantasy of imagining oneself among the names in the world of cricket and ‘lastly skipping the meals and praying for the last match win that can balance the series.

What more? Cricket is in our blood. We watch cricket six months in a year and talk about it for the next six Months. Have we ever bothered so much about any other sport? Have we ever given a thought to the fact that we compel a person to take interest in every bit of information on the day of match from reporting pitch conditions to the presentation?

Keeping aside intellectual reasons for the time being, we will realize that so many crickets have surpassed all possibilities for reasons. It is a mania a craze.

For some people playing cricket is an obsession, it is a way of life, it is a passion. Others enjoy themselves watching cricket and the real fanatic have a passion to know cricket. Playing and watching do not seem to satisfy their quest for cricket.

Knowing about players both professionally and personally charm the fans. It is the hot topic of discussion in the crowd of those aspiring to ornate the career with the achievements in cricket.

Should we take liberty to call it ‘mania’ or is it only an interest that has captured the prime importance in the life of individuals? Whatever it may be, the fact is that cricket entertains its fans, rejuvenates them and unites them on one platform.

Cricket has grabbed the attention of its fans all over the world. Those who are really mad about cricket spare time from the busy schedule to play, watch, collect information, discuss, understand and appreciate cricket.

In their words, “Cricket is a wonderfully civilized act of warfare, the greatest thing that God ever created/the craze, excitement and fun in cricket is the result of personal interests of the people. However, somewhere media has also come to play a vital role in the publicity of the game. Accordingly, there are two prime reasons for the cricket mania:

Role of Media:

“Media is the second most powerful thing in the world after God.” — Anonymous

This statement has hidden truth that can be understood and appreciated in the field of cricket.

Media has taken cricket to masses. Whether it is advertisement on television, sports columns in newspapers, movies on this subject or sports-time in the news, everywhere cricket tops the priority list. The reason is clear; ‘cricket is in demand’.

Apart from watching the players professionally, the fan club appreciates the players on television screen doing something not related to cricket.

Today the shining names in this game are in contract with one or the other company. Looking from the company’s perspective, return or investment on cricket is in the form of huge profits. Why not?

The ones, who adore Mahendra Singh Dhoni using Reebok accessories, feel that using these accessories can make them strong and look like the man himself. If it is Reebok for Dhoni, it is Boost for Sachin Tendulkar. Taking Boost day and night is necessary for the fans not because the product has something to do with health benefits — it is secondary — but because Sachin Tendulkar is the man behind promotion of the product; because at 5ft 4 inch, he continues to stand tall in cricket with the largest fan club; because after sixteen years in the business, he is still the highest earning celebrity and over Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

This fact was reconfirmed on May 6, 2006, when his management from ICONIX signed Tendulkar for a whopping Rs. 180 Crore for a three-year extendable contract. Earlier he had a contract with World Tel for RS 100 Crore. The landmark contract with ICONIX has come despite Tendulkar’s dry run with bat, injuries and age. Thus, it proves once again that he is a role model for millions of young and old Indians, and the value he commands comes from the love and respect people have for him.

It is quite easy for the corporate world to increase the customer base and face the heat of competition in this way.

In fact, they know the art of blending this pervasive mania in a direction that can suit their interests. Samsung India, during its falling months of business, endorsed the seven names of Indian cricket team that were in limelight. If the electronic goods brand can feel the presence of mania then where should we expect the MNC brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola?

In the year 2005, the hit advertisement ‘Oye Bubbly’ took Pepsi to new heights. Crazy ones appreciated not only the players but also did not mind Amitabh Bachchan wearing the Indian Cricket Team dress.

It may appear strange but it is a fact that, after the big release of Aamir Khan’s Lagan, the considerable part of audience was interested in spending money and time in the cinema halls so as to get the taste of cinematic cricket.

The beauty was that in more than an hour of the film, the characters entertained the audience playing cricket. May be this venture, the film Lagan, the brainchild of Aashutosh Gowarikarwas not written keeping in mind the craze and excitement behind cricket but it cannot be gainsaid that the part of success could be attributed to the story line-up that revolves around the game.

Cricket has ruled the hearts of people all over the world. Where there is cricket, Presidents, Prime ministers and tycoons, all turn into fans. Even the newspapers and news channels can no longer remain aloof from this fact and have accepted cricket as an integral part of the process.

Early realisation of this is already paying dividends. If in the coming days, the sports page is seen in the form of cricket columns then it will not be a surprise package because currently also 3/4^th of the sports page is more or less occupied by the tit bits of cricket.

Special time is allocated to the cricket news with different set of sponsors and all other games are grouped together, separately. This game has so much to talk about, so much to think about that even the news channels cannot escape its magic.

The explosive batting of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in his initial matches compelled newspersons and journalists to go to his home State, Jharkhand. Can we ever expect a new comer in any field so crazily chased by the media?

Personal Interest:

The second important factor is the interest of the audience in the game. Is it the simplicity of the game that it is followed so much by the people all around or is just the publicity that has made this game the king of sports? Whatever it is, the fact is that cricket has, in its tatty, the love and admiration of masses, to the extraordinary extent which no other game has.

Cricket jania can be seen in all age groups and in all sections society. It is not difficult to find a child of five years who owns what a fast ball or spin ball is or for a lower middle class person who has saved some money every month to buy a ticket to watch a cricket match in stadium.

Sometimes, it is really hard to believe that our national game is hockey and not cricket. We take pleasure in remembering the names of 11 players of the cricket team along with the team manager and team coach but hardly bother to know the name of even the captain of the team of any other game. It is not clear till date what this mania has in store for the future of the game but what we can expect is more enthusiasm, craze, zeal, excitement in the coming days.

The craze and mania is intensifying day by day. In our own cricket team, the extraordinary performance of the players has not only set new international records and standards but has made cricket come closer to the hearts of common people. Of course, the fans keep track of the performance and new achievements make them even crazier.

On January 29, 2006, India’s left-arm pacer, Irfan Pathan earned a place in the record books of international test cricket, when he became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the very first over of the match.

After that, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar scored his 39^th ODI century while playing in the first of the five-match India-Pakistan ODI series, in Peshawar (Pakistan) on February 6, 2006. In the process, he also became the first batsman to cross the landmark of 14,000 runs in ODIs. He already holds the record of maximum number of centuries in the history of ODIs (39) and Tests (35) – Recently, M.S. Dhoni topped the ICC rankings, released on April 19, 2006 as the No. 1 ODI batsman dethroning Australian skipper Ricky Ponting. These facts on one side enter the list of international records and on the other side enter into the minds of those who breathe and dream cricket.

Another important aspect of this ever growing mania is that where on one side the future of other games is bleak, on the other side, cricket is the only game that holds in itself the capability to unite the two international rivals, India and Pakistan.

Had there been no cricket on both the sides of border there would have been a deadlock in the relationship of India and Pakistan. Today both the nations are working on a common platform to develop trade relations and to solve both mutual and other international problems.

Cricket mania in India can be seen in the form of popularity and appreciation which the budding stars get. The success of the Indian team rests on the bedrock of highly energetic performance put up by the young blood that has helped Team India rise to new standards.

The Indian ‘Young Brigade’ is daring, dashing and willing to do the best. Be it Yuraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, R.P Singh, Suresh Raina or S. Sreesanth, all are displaying the ability and courage to take the challenge and dictate their own terms to their rivals, with superb perfection. Recently, an added name to the list of players which has attracted the herd of fans is Munaf Patel. Let us hope to see more crickets and more mania from this rising champ in the coming days.

Cricket mania has thus overwhelmed all. Professionals are still trying to find out the dimensions to this. Is it cricket mania really when we stand in synchronization with the ball that is shot in air, eyes still at ball as if trying to ask the ball itself if it is pleased to into the fielder’s hands or to hit the ground?

Heart touching story of Sohaila Abdulali

After being raped, I was wounded; My honour was not: Sohaila Abdulali

"When I fought to live that night, I hardly knew what I was fighting for. A male friend and I had gone for a walk up a mountain near my home. Four armed men caught us and made us climb to a secluded spot, where they raped me for several hours, and beat both of us. They argued among themselves about whether or not to kill us, and finally let us go.

At 17, I was just a child. Life rewarded me richly for surviving. I stumbled home, wounded and traumatized, to a fabulous family. With them on my side, so much came my way. I found true love. I wrote books. I saw a kangaroo in the wild. I caught buses and missed trains. I had a shining child. The century changed. My first gray hair appeared.

Too many others will never experience that. They will not see that it gets better, that the day comes when one incident is no longer the central focus of your life. One day you find you are no longer looking behind you, expecting every group of men to attack. One day you wind a scarf around your throat without having a flashback to being choked. One day you are not frightened anymore.

Rape is horrible. But it is not horrible for all the reasons that have been drilled into the heads of Indian women. It is horrible because you are violated, you are scared, someone else takes control of your body and hurts you in the most intimate way. It is not horrible because you lose your “virtue.” It is not horrible because your father and your brother are dishonored. I reject the notion that my virtue is located in my vagina, just as I reject the notion that men’s brains are in their genitals.

If we take honor out of the equation, rape will still be horrible, but it will be a personal, and not a societal, horror. We will be able to give women who have been assaulted what they truly need: not a load of rubbish about how they should feel guilty or ashamed, but empathy for going through a terrible trauma.

The week after I was attacked, I heard the story of a woman who was raped in a nearby suburb. She came home, went into the kitchen, set herself on fire and died. The person who told me the story was full of admiration for her selflessness in preserving her husband’s honor. Thanks to my parents, I never did understand this.

The law has to provide real penalties for rapists and protection for victims, but only families and communities can provide this empathy and support. How will a teenager participate in the prosecution of her rapist if her family isn’t behind her? How will a wife charge her assailant if her husband thinks the attack was more of an affront to him than a violation of her?

At 17, I thought the scariest thing that could happen in my life was being hurt and humiliated in such a painful way. At 49, I know I was wrong: the scariest thing is imagining my 11-year-old child being hurt and humiliated. Not because of my family’s honor, but because she trusts the world and it is infinitely painful to think of her losing that trust. When I look back, it is not the 17-year-old me I want to comfort, but my parents. They had the job of picking up the pieces.

This is where our work lies, with those of us who are raising the next generation. It lies in teaching our sons and daughters to become liberated, respectful adults who know that men who hurt women are making a choice, and will be punished.

When I was 17, I could not have imagined thousands of people marching against rape in India, as we have seen these past few weeks. And yet there is still work to be done. We have spent generations constructing elaborate systems of patriarchy, caste and social and sexual inequality that allow abuse to flourish. But rape is not inevitable, like the weather. We need to shelve all the gibberish about honor and virtue and did-she-lead-him-on and could-he-help-himself. We need to put responsibility where it lies: on men who violate women, and on all of us who let them get away with it while we point accusing fingers at their victims."

- Sohaila Abdulali

MOVIE ANALYSIS

THE MOVIE -“KAHAANI”

          Done by

RESHU AGARWAL

INTRODUCTION

Kahaani is a classic action thriller directed, co-written and co-produced by Sujoy Ghosh. It has been shot extensively across the nooks and crannies of Kolkata. It was released worldwide on 9 March in 2012. The film features Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chatterjee and Nawazuddin in lead roles. Balan portrays the role of Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman in search of her missing husband in the city of Kolkata during the Durga Puja festivities, who is helped in her quest by Satyaki "Rana" Sinha (Chatterjee) and Khan (Siddiqui).

SCENE

The scene that I have chosen is the climax where, Vidya goes to meet Damji, with Rana and Khan in pursuit. During their negotiations about the documents and the whereabouts of her husband, Damji attacks Vidya hitting her in the abdomen. He points his gun at Vidya to kill her, but is thwarted by the prosthetic abdomen which Vidya has been using to fake her pregnancy. She kills a baffled Damji and flees into the crowd nearby before the arrival of police, leaving a thank-you note for Rana and a pen drive containing data from Sridhar's computer. Rana, based on several past incidences, deduces that no Vidya or Arnab Bagchi ever existed. It is she who has been using the police and the IB for her task. The data from the drive leads to Bhaskaran's arrest. Vidya is revealed as the widow of Arup Basu (Abir Chatterjee), an IB officer and a colleague of Damji, who was killed in the poison-gas attack. In her mission to take revenge of her husband's death, Vidya was helped by retired IB officer colonel Pratap Bajpayee (Darshan Jariwala), who suspected the involvement of one of the top IB officials in the attack.

ANALYSIS

The scene starts with the sound of dhols that is being played in Kolkata. The scene is shot through a close up and a panning shot. The sound of Dhol communicates to the audience the ongoing of the festive season i.e. the Durga Puja. In Kolkata Durga Puja is celebrated with a lot of zeal as it’s the main festival of the Bengali’s. The straight shot, close up shot, long shot and the angle shot is used to capture the entire scene of the celebration of Durga Puja. The idol of Durga ma was well decorated showing the authenticity of how the Indian women look in their traditional form. The entire scene is very vibrant and colorful. The use of the color red is symbolic as it conveys to the viewers the power and the boldness of the women. The shot used is mid shot. A high key lighting was used to create the feel of the location and to bring out the intensity of the festival mood.

Then in the scene Vidya is shown getting out of the car in a typical Bengali outfit. The scene is captured through a straight shot. The entire festival is captured through extreme long shot. Vidya’s movement is captured through a dolly shot. The sound of the Dhol and of the crowd that has come together to celebrate this occasion is non diegetic.

In the same scene point of view shot is used to capture Vidya’s view of the audience. The camera moves and captures the people of the crowd through an close up shot, dutch angle shot and oblique angle shot. Then Vidya’s hears a virtual voice and she follows it as this voice was the mystery she wanted to solve. Here again panning shot is used to capture Vidya’s movement.

The next scene shows us a shot where two shots are cleverly connected without letting the audience have a inconvenience. There is Vidya in one shot and Rana in another shot looking for Vidya. Vidya then meets Milan Damji in an empty street. Close up shot is used to capture the expressions of Vidya and Milan. The lighting is low. Milan and Vidya inquire about the documents and Vidya’s missing husband.  This shot is captured using reverse angle shot and oblique and dutch angle shot alternatively.

While their talks are on, Milan kicks Vidya on her abdomen and points a gun on her head. It is then that Vidya releases the prosthetic abdomen which she has been using in the entire movie to fake her pregnancy. This scene is the best part of the movie as the audiences are made aware of Vidya’s fake pregnancy which was least expected. This scene involves a lot of drama, emotions and suspense. The scene is captured through a few close up shots, low-angle and high angle shots. Vidya injures Milan by using a hair needle and eventually kills him by several gun shots. In this scene Vidya symbolizes the Durga ma who kills the evil through her weapon. Added to the action is the music where enhances the scene.

After killing Milan, Vidya flees into the crowd. She leaves a thank you note for Rana who has helped her throughout her mission. Along with the note she leaves the evidence in a pen drive containing data of people who were involved in the metro attack. Rana’s going through the envelope is shown through a point of view shot.

Rana recalls the previous incidences and figures out that there did not exist any Arnab Bagchi and any Vidya. He then realizes that Vidya has been taking help of the police to complete her mission.

The data from the drive leads to Bhaskaran's arrest. Vidya is revealed

as the widow of Arup Basu an IB officer and a colleague of Damji, who was killed in

the poison-gas attack. In her mission to take revenge of her husband's death, Vidya was

helped by retired IB officer colonel Pratap Bajpayee who suspected the involvement of

one of the top IB officials in the attack.

CONCLUSION

The screenplay, the cinematography and the performances of the lead actors are worth praising. The film has renewed interest in Kolkata as a filming location, and the character of contract killer Bob Biswas became an internet phenomenon in India. Ghosh has rightly employed the art of guerrilla filmmaking to avoid unwanted attention. There was use of several allusions to Satyajit Ray's films such as Charulata (1964) and Aranyer Dinratri (1970). Additionally the twist ending of the plot to the Hollywood film Taking Lives (2004). The film was also noted for a deft portrayal of Kolkata and use of a significant number of crew and cast members from the city. Though the crew members were beaten up, stripped and faced death threats by locals who were disturbed by a 'pregnant' Vidya Balan attracting attention on the roads of the city, the film managed to do excellent work grab the attention of the audience. Kahaani explores themes of feminism and motherhood in a male-dominated Indian society. The movie is an complete thriller. It builds the suspense and manages to maintain it till the end as a result of which the audience remains intact to their seats. The film has made a blockbuster hit and has won many awards.

Audio-visual Analysis – “Fresh Suicide” (AnupamBarve)

                                                                                                                   RESHU AGARWAL

Has the world simply become a place where life and death is just a passing thing? Don’t we have any conscience while using somebody else’s misfortunes for our gains? The short film ‘Fresh Suicide’ is a short film that captures this reality of life today. As farmer’s suicides rise in India, a foreign photographer comes to cash in on the malady that befell the families struck by suicide with as little conscience as a person could have. Her assistant and translator, Anurag, is the main character here, who being a native goes through the dilemmas of sensitivity towards the aching families.

Scene Segmentation and Analysis

The film starts with a disembodied Marathi song in an extreme long shot showing a barren landscape with an SUV travelling along the road. This audio visual elements makes the viewer immediately realise that the context shown is in India, moreover that it is in a rural landscape of India, making it relevant in the wider mise-en-scene.

It is then that we are shown the passengers in the vehicle and that the song is actually from its radio. As we see the driver, Raja, and the foreign photographer, Nancy in the front of the car, the camera moves in to show us Anurag in the shotgun position between Raja and Nancy. Diegetic sound or sound from the scene is used, i.e. the radio song as well as the clicks of Anurag’s camera as he takes photographs. No conversations are ensued in the car; the camera simply shows us the three passengers. The car is shown driving into a hotel where a slightly low angle shot shows the grandeur of the hotel where they stay.

We then have a straight on shot parallel to Anurag who is seated on a couch with Nancy on another. The standard ‘reverse angle’ shot for conversations, is used here to depict their conversation along with the straight on shot.  The camera focuses on Anurag’s face as Nancy tells him to get a “fresh” suicide making him wonder what exactly she felt and had the first faint stirrings of doubt as to her lack of emotional connectivity to the farmers’ cases. We also in the same scene have a Point of View (POV) shot as Anurag looks at his research book containing the suicide news clippings that he had dug up, none of which were “fresh” enough for her.In the end, the music also plays on his feelings as he looks on at her. Natural lighting is only used in the form of sunlight streaming through the tall windows of the hotel room.

The next scene is also a shot where the hotel restaurant is shown with Nancy seated for lunch on the right hand side with Anurag walking towards her. The scene then moves in their conversation with the reverse angle shot where he finally manages to convince her to take up a suicide that happened not more than 8 days ago. The scene ends with them both getting seated for lunch. All the scenes effectively capture Anurag’s lack of affability with Nancy but also show his need to please her as his boss.

The next scene brings in a new character, Sanjay, who is Anurag’s local contact for getting news. He also travels with them. We see a range of shots here which show the conversations that go on between Anurag, Nancy and Sanjay. If we carefully analyse the conversation shots, each shot shows two people at once at various angles including the oblique angle. The three such shots are; one with Anurag and Nancy (oblique), second one with Sanjay and Nancy(straight shot) and also the third one with Sanjay and Raja, the driver, his face partially shown though he is not a participant in the conversation(oblique shot from driver’s window). Sanjay talks about the actual death of the farmer, and Anurag is suddenly shown to be uncomfortable with a slow music emphasizing the moment.

As they stop for a break, Sanjay opens up as to what he knew about the suicide. Anurag is now put into a dilemma. A lot of diegetic sound is used with wind and conversation sounds making it realistic. As they walk on towards the concerned place, a high angle long shot shows us the barren dry landscape, closing in on the three, as the camera pans with a dolly shot to track their walk as they talk. Though, Anurag talks about the etiquette issues of going there for photo shoot on an auspicious day, Nancy just considers it all the more better for her photo shoot.

A straight on long shot shows us a house with people moving in and around it, thereby marking it as their destination. The scene immediately shifts to an extreme close up shot of the deceased farmer’s elder brother wherein he talks about his brother and the malady as well as burdens that befell the whole family due to the mishap. Here we find the use of silhouetted logic on the extreme close up as he talks with the use of natural lighting falling into the room through the door leaving his face half in shadow.

A very interesting scene according to me is the next shot where all three, Sanjay, Anurag and the brother are shown in a straight shot but we can also see people sitting behind them. All these figures though visible are shadowed in a way that ensures that the conversation between the three characters is the only thing that grabs the attention of the viewer but at the same time depicting that people have come for the auspicious 10 day ritual.

As the elder brother consents for the shoot though he rejected the idea the first time, we see Anurag and Sanjay moving out of the dark room to join Nancy where the camera is placed behind them in the room. Another room is the location here where a medium high angled shot to show a silhouetted framed and garlanded photo of the deceased with a lamp in front of it. Anurag is shown as he enters into the room of the wife. The camera is purposely placed in a low angle from the left side of the room to capture the fact that he removed his footwear as a mark of respect and Nancy did not do so, once again reiterating her character.

This dark room with really low key lighting really captures the silence expected in the room as the widow sits staring blankly. Anurag feels highly uncomfortable and tries to make her understand the situation.Theonly illumination being the scanty sunlight falling through the rooftop as well as through the door, Anurag tries talking to the widow.There is an alternation of slightly high angled and low angled shots as Anurag gets seated beside the widow and Nancy instructs him respectively. A close up is used at the point when Anurag tells Nancy to “do whatever you want” showing his evident anger as he consequently walks out while Nancy continues her work unabashedly.

The next thing that we see is a high angled shot from above Anurag as he stares into the well in which the farmer had actually died. A low angled shot is also taken from within the well showing Anurag at the mouth of the well. All these emphasize his mind’s disturbance as well as the fact that the elder brother had hidden the fact that the farmer had committed suicide by jumping into the well based on some superstition. As the brother moves him away saying that they had rains that only qualified as “dog’s piss”, the scene shifts.

Anurag walks towards the car with the brother, preparing to leave. A POV shot is used as Raja explains Sanjay’s whereabouts. A soft sound track is played as he enters the car and the camera leaves along with him in the car leaving the poor farmers behind on the road looking on after them. Anurag’s sense of guilt at coming there increases. A Dutch angle shot from the passenger side front window captures the conversation between Nancy and Anurag as she admonishes him for his lack of help when she needed him. As she coolly and gaily attends another call, a stark attention is called to the fact that she has absolutely no qualms about what she did while Anurag wallows in guilt and stares out of the window.

The next relevant scene and shot is the one as Anurag has his shower. There is POV shot as the water comes out of the shower. There we see the use of close up shot as well as the tilting shot to capture his frame in the shower. Then we see the camera focusing on his hands as water flows in and through it. I think this scene has a lot of relevance to it because according to me it shows Anurag’s thinking that as he has enough water to let go through his hands, a “fresh” suicide had occurred because the farmers didn’t have enough water to survive. This is my favourite shot in terms of depth of narrative and emotional logics.

As the camera kept at the left hand side of the room captures his frustration, his pacing and his aggressive packing we are left doubting as to what is next course of action would be. Would he leave his job or would he stay on doing stuff against his values?

Finally, we see him walking to his boss’s door in the soft corridor lighting. As she opens her door, she is left in a shadow as seen from a POV shot from Anurag’s side. The use of dialogue here is memorable (“When are we leaving tomorrow?”). It means that he could not wait to get out of the place, but at the same time it shows that he has decided to stay on with his boss, at least for now.

Conclusion

Each of the audio visual elements used here are pivotal in shaping the sequence of the narrative. We can also say that this film has used the ‘syntagmatic’ approach to narrating the story wherein the there is a sequential development of the narrative plot. The dialogues and the style of delivery used are also highly relevant in definition of the characters. For example, we have Sanjay as well as Anurag talking in slightly broken and Indian English emphasizing their nationality as well as their lack of sophistication. All the lighting is used is natural and thereby really low key at times which also helps in dramatizing the moments of the film. The film also succeeds in capturing the differences in thinking of people and the rituals as well as beliefs that they hold on to in the rural areas which is nothing more than interesting trivia to Nancy. Thus, in totality the film is a study on differences in thought flows, ideologies and beliefs with the main focus on Anurag, who is pulled to think in both directions; one as an assistant and the other as just another traditionalMarathi guy.

From Diva to Diya- Short Story

                                                    

It was just another one of those lazy afternoons at the mall, when Diya fell in love yet again. This time the object of desire was the new Jimmy Choo shoes straight off the Winter 2011 runway. Little did she realize that this showstopper would stop her in her tracks.  As she admired the intricate handmade work, her mind was racing thinking of different outfits that would go perfectly with these perfect shoes.

“Would you like to try them on?” the Sales woman interrupted her thoughts, but Diya was not complaining. “Yes, absolutely” she replied in excitedly. The shoes fit like a glove, definitely a sign from above. After all, looking good was, as close to feeling good about yourself.

Diya left the store with a lighter purse and another task in mind. The shoes definitely needed a matching bag; off to Louis Vuitton she went to find the perfect match for her shoes. The next hour was spent carefully picking out a handbag, a scarf and a clutch. On the way home she updated her Facebook status, “On my home with Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton. J“

On reaching home, the bags were set aside and Diya launched into a phone frenzy calling up her friends to describe her latest purchases.  Rhea, Diya’s older sister, understood from the excitement that Diya had a successful day out shopping. Rhea was turning 24 in a week’s time, and she secretly wished that Diya had not spent her entire paycheck on a birthday gift. Rhea knew exactly what she wanted to do on her birthday and had made arrangements at the Local orphanage for a mid day meal and gifts for the kids.

Rhea’s birthday finally arrived and a disappointed Diya reluctantly agreed to accompany her sister to the orphanage. It didn’t take much time for Rhea to mingle with the children and participate in their games, Diya on the other hand was a mute spectator glancing at her watch and wishing she could go back home. The children were delighted to cut a birthday cake with Rhea; it took some time for the younger ones to understand the significance of a birthday. After the lunch was served and the children received their gifts, the girls bid good-bye and returned home.

The day started out as a disappointment for Diya, and hours of inactivity at the orphanage only made her more furious. Diya failed to understand the need or significance of helping the orphans. Rhea was in for a shock when she stepped into the car, as Diya hurled unkind words at her and her gesture to the orphanage. The car screeched to a halt in the driveway and Rhea bolted to her room with tears in her eyes. Diya was upset at the turn of events and arranged to meet with her friends at the nearby coffee shop.

After a few hours of cajoling and convincing, Diya decided to take her friend’s advice and apologize to her sister. Much to her surprise, Rhea was not angry but was waiting to talk to her. It was time that Diya learnt the truth. Rhea began to speak, “The orphanage we visited today is very close to my heart, because it is where I first met mom and dad. Yes, Diya! I was an orphan; my parents abandoned me when I was a baby. I still remember thinking that no one would ever love me and that I would remain at the orphanage forever. Every time we had visitors my friends and I were on our best behavior, hoping that we would impress them enough to adopt us. I was very lucky to be adopted by mom and dad when being loved and having a home seemed like a remote possibility.” Diya was dumbstruck at this revelation and could not believe what she just heard. Rhea continued, “The money we spend on expensive clothes and accessories will not make a difference in anyone’s life but our own. A good meal for the kids in the orphanage would cost us less than 6000 bucks and it would make a world of difference to them. I am glad that I was able to make all those children happy today on my birthday.”

It then hit Diya, Rhea was just not doing charity work, instead was helping others who suffered the same fate as her. She realized that she could help make other’s lives better by being a little compassionate towards their situation and needs. Materialistic possessions cannot replace the treasure of experience. Looking good, may help you feel good, but making a difference in other’s lives will make a bigger impact which will not be limited to an individual.

By. Hridaynag Kooretti

LE-3

60307 

Modern Times(1936)- Movie Review

Silent films were already old-fashioned and out of vogue in 1936 when Charlie Chaplin completed his last silent feature film, Modern Times is a comedy film written, directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin. He portrays a character struggling to survive in the modern, industrialized world. The movie is a must watch for anyone who likes comedies. The situations and expressions are hilarious, the two scenes that stood out the most to me are, the scene in a department store involving blindfolds and roller-skates and the sequence where Charlie Chaplin is submitted to the mad whim of an out of control feeding machine. The most important reason for the film’s ongoing relevance is its contemporary themes and forward-looking perspective. There is also a political and social dimension; a lot of the scenes refer to the impact of technical advances, of bureaucracy, and of the then current depression. "Modern Times" is a reminder that no matter how bad things are, you can still smile.

By. Hridaynag Kooretti

LE-3

60307 

Swades -Movie Review

Analysing the structures, hierarchies, dogmas and beliefs that form Indian society is a complex matter. It requires an understanding of the sacred texts and religions, traditions and customs, norms and practices, ideologies and outlooks, and also of the various events in which Indian society is rooted. The colonisation of India by the British is one such event. The hegemonies imposed on India resulted in the dominance of Western thought and education and prepared the country for the economic competition that the world was tending towards. This caused a major shift from the rigid ways of the caste system and new classes seemed to emerge propelled by financial power. The beliefs that had dominated society for hundreds of years underwent dynamic changes and many superstitions and myths were exposed.

Despite the fundamental changes that swept the country and re-arranged its long established social framework, modern India still takes refuge in the ancient wisdom of its forefathers. It is now comprised of both western and eastern elements that are locked in a constant struggle to achieve dominance. I have chosen the movie Swades for exactly this reason. Directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar and starring Shahrukh Khan, the movie follows the story of a non-resident Indian (Mohan) living in the United States of America and working for NASA. He decides to come home to the village in which he was raised and the consequent series of events that occur leave him with a strong sense of patriotism and duty toward his own country. 70% of the Indian population is estimated to be living in villages and rural set-ups. The movie reveals that the standard of living and literacy rates in most villages are low and scope for improving the current circumstances are hindered by orthodox and backward ideals. Mohan’s return to India unfolds as a quest geared towards finding his roots. He is aided on his journey by Kaveri amma who helped raise him and by Geeta, the girl who he eventually falls in love with.

Today, Indian society is characterised by the dual influence of western concepts and ancient Indian thought. It is naive to view one as right and the other as wrong because both have a multitude of common aspects and also serve separate spheres beneficially. However, there are times when the two hold conflicting stands on certain issues. An example of this is the way sexuality is expressed in Indian society. Traditional Indian clothes are now being replaced by western garments which are viewed as more revealing and this is the cause for much debate and dispute within the walls of a society in which sexuality is not publicised. Still, western influences have their benefits and nowhere are these as evident as in the department of science and technology. The luxury and the convenience that this department has contributed to daily life is unparalleled and has now become as basic as most necessities. The movie illustrates this when Mohan who has been educated in the United States, uses his skills to help the people of his village. He sets up an independent hydro-electric power plant that converts the flow of water in a near-by stream into electricity. In this way, he raises the people’s awareness and teaches them how to help themselves in a world where only the adept survive. The movie exposes Indian society as having a regressive and passive attitude towards the changes that are surrounding them. It shows the need for strong leadership and for people who take the initiative to make changes at the grass-root level. Swades also illustrates that true efficiency can only happen if urban India realises and actively participates in the development of the rural areas that make up most of the country.

By the end of the movie, Mohan is deeply moved by the people and the places he visits. On returning to NASA in the U.S.A., he is overcome by nostalgia and decides to follow his heart and go back to India. He realises that his country needs him and decides to dedicate everything he knows to serving this purpose. In conclusion, it is clear that both worlds play an important part in the outlook that Indians have today. The youth of our country are striving to find a balance between the moral and ethical basis of our religions and the fast paced world of globalized economic change. The answer lies in utilizing the best of both cultures and putting aside passive acceptance. The dogmas of the past have to be done away with and orthodox authority has to be questioned. As large joint families are making way for the modern nuclear families and the media are openly discussing issues that were once taboo, change is taking place rapidly and is dynamically altering our worldview in order that we can create a society that functions for the singular purpose of symbiosis. 

By. Hridaynag Kooretti

LE-3

60307