Mahanati

Watching Mahanati was an experience, a three hours of stepping out of ones own life into that of Savitri's, what only a really good biopic can do.

And what a life....and what a woman.

When end of movie you feel it was so intense and dramatic, you get grounded in your knowing it to be a real story. Of a woman who could inspire a biopic. I watched fascinated as the story unfolded. Savitri, right from when she was a little girl, the spark clearly visible.....turning into a woman with spunk, a mind of her own......one who lived life on her own terms; be it her dance, her love, her money, her alcoholism,  fame, ego, generosity, kindness....all larger than life.

I was wowed.

Keerthy Suresh has a remarkable likeness to Savitri, and breathed life into the role. Dulquar as Gemini Ganeshan was charming, and while playing a crucial role in her life, at some point kind of fades away, fades away from the movie too.....and that catalyzes her spiral.

The several clips of all the old Savitri songs was beautiful..... and nostalgic too as I've grown up hearing those songs on daily basis ( plus my dads a big fan of Savitri's).

I loved the cinematography of old time rural life.....plus the old time tinsel town exposure, that was brought in with all real life characters of yesteryears.

It's a long movie, but then her life has so much, so much of everything that I could have watched a couple hours longer. A story that inspires, of a woman who inspires.

A lot of folks said it was sad and depressing, but I didn't think so......to me what stood out is a woman who chose her own life.

Nag Ashwin, for having delved so deep into the life of Savitri, and given us Mahanati, kudos and thanks !!

As Chimerical as Real

We had this most spectacular of rainbows yesterday.......horizon to horizon... each color distinctly visible. And as we were still admiring it, right before our eyes there appeared a second rainbow....a double rainbow.

All right from our balcony. What a treat.

To me, one of my favoritest sights.......one of the most beautiful things on earth. A rainbow like this, an experience that always comes with goosebumps. So beautiful, so colourful, so large, so across the sky, so fragile, so exciting, so touching..... almost chimerical.

First sighting.....my pictures are sad here....it'll have to be 10 % picture, 90% imagination :)

this one is to show how it seemed to go right down the horizon

And if you look closely, you'll see the double rainbow on top

After a few pictures, I could only stand and gaze.....in awe

The story of a bag

A nice story that unfolded in phases over the day.

Our watchman, Venkaiah, came up early this morning saying he was going to Tirupathi, and could he get an advance. The otherwise usually grouchy man actually sounded excited about his trip, and when I asked further, went on into which train, when, what....lots of details....he looked happy.

Then he says "I also need a bag....can you give me one, I don't have a bag to pack our clothes in". I said I'd check and to come back later.

When Faizan came at 11, I asked her to help me get down a suitcase from the attic and then to empty it (it had a lot of random stuff in it).....and after it's down she says "let's empty it tomorrow, I'm in a rush today".... and I was like, "No, now only, Venkaiah needs the bag today".

She's like "what?!!? ....you're giving this suitcase to him?? what amma....what happened to you....it's such a nice suitcase....plus he's such a horrible man, he doesn't clean your car well, he yells at me for the smallest reason........no, you're not giving the bag to him....if you don't need it, give it to me". 

I'm like "It's not about me not needing it, it's about him needing it".

She's like "no, not this suitcase, and not to him, I won't let you, he's so kadoos, he doesn't deserve it". She sounded so like an offended petulant child, that I gave in, thinking I'll ask Diksha for a backpack.

An hour later.......Diksha searches through her stuff and doesn't find one she can give away.

So we're like "sad, but what can we do, just tell him we don't have one".

A couple hours later .......

Diksha: "ma, I told him about the bag when he came up, and he looked so disappointed......I can't get that look off my mind.....can we do something?"

 "we tried no sweetie, we don't have extra, it's okay, he'll manage".

"no ma, it doesn't seem right that there should be so much grief because of not having a bag for a trip, he looked so sad (even if he's a creep), do something no".

We put our minds together, and finally decided that we'd give him one of our regular bags for this trip, on returnable basis. (He's now gone off with my bag:)

Deech, for having let that expression touch you...... for having pushed for a solution.... for enabling an out of usual resolution......you made the day so special !

Falling Out

From Seth

The hard part isn't coming up with a new idea.

The hard part is falling out of love with the old idea.

That's why editing work is so difficult. In order to make the new thing, to make the old thing better, you need to destroy it first.

Situation switching, acting as if, loving the idea enough to sketch it out and then caring enough to stop loving it......that's where the tension often lies.

A KSRTC to Bangalore

There's a reason why the title reads 'A KSRTC....' instead of  'A day bus to Bangalore'. 

When I knew I was doing a short trip to Bangalore, my thoughts went to the possibility of a day bus, for the simple reason that I just love road trips. 

And as always this question of 'isn't it a waste of time' comes up (as also proved by the fact that I was the only one in the entire bus who did Hyderabad to Bangalore, the rest of the few folks on the bus were doing a hop skip jump between towns) 

Guess I don't understand 'productivity' the way everyone else does :)

Anyways.....on 'Vantage and View'.  It's so amazing (shocking) that all buses, with exception of KSRTC, have their windows painted across. It's crazy, just blocks out the ease of view. I actually pulled up images of all the travels who offer day service to find that it was only KSRTC who have their windows as meaningful 'windows' ( a way to connect into the outside). Now you get the title.

Pictures from the day: That's my bus, when we'd stopped for breakfast.

See that window painted across....TSRTC was another option that got ruled out for just this.

This was an interesting early morning drop to the bus stop...5.30 am. I had Sheik Shaukath. He took  me through some lanes I'd never been in before, and I'm telling him that, and he's like "shortkataan maloom madam", and when I got off and asked him for a picture he goes "kaiko madam?"

On our way....

Considering the bus was almost empty, I got to go sit behind the driver when I felt like a front view

Another front view picture

Inside of the bus

Tungabhadra in full flow...it was flowing so wide I initially thought it was a big lake

And again

After Anantapur, we hit these dry and arid countryside

Red soil there, which grows mostly peanuts and sunflower I think

As we approach Bangalore, there's so much grape gardens

This was my night bus back. I love the single upper berths, where you get to lie down and watch the stars. This picture seems to have caught half of the inside and half out.

Early morning, as I was leaving Diksha actually did a picture......I love the excitement that precedes a trip

Was a cute short trip to Bangalore....Dev uncle's 80th Birthday...a little family affair, but I just had to be there ......special reason, special person :)

A day out with dad....

and, a subtle but solid learning to boot .....

Yesterday dad and I spent the afternoon at the passport office for his passport renewal. 

Getting to the passport office, the process (though it was very efficiently streamlined for senior citizens), the steps, the waiting, the seats, the multiple counters........even all that was like a monumental effort for him. 

At almost eighty five...... with severe arthritis, a debilitatingly painful knee, a severe aortic aneurysm, and a heart problem that's just starting.....you realize he's living with a lot of odds piled against him........can't be easy space. 

And it's in this context that what he said was so beautiful.

When he first said he wants his passport renewed, folks at home were like...What?? Why?? ( obvious reason being that he was highly unlikely to be travelling out of the country again). He quietly went about it on his own. Found himself an agent, called them home, created the document file, filed the application......and then gave me the date and time of the interview.

We went. 

Job done, (he even got a nice swanky tan colored leather cover for his passport), we're sitting outside, at a cafeteria and having matka chai in the sun.....and only then did I realize how much it had meant to him. He says:

"this would never have happened if it wasn't for you, our whole lives would have been different if you weren't here"

"ayyo daddy (giving him a hug) it's a small thing....and of course I'd be here..that's why I moved see"

"no, you don't get it......this is not one of those regular things, if you weren't here I wouldn't have got it done.... it's lapsing tomorrow and I would have just given up.....you see, I also know that I won't be travelling again......... but to let my passport lapse means I am giving up one more facet of life to age.....giving up not just the identity, but also the possibility....letting those doors close....at this age these little things become more significant than you know"  

That so blew me.

To be able to connect into yourself, articulate what works as real ....and what works as a psychological prop, to know when not to just be practical.....to know how to be nice and loving to yourself. 

Was such a wonderful moment, chilling there in the sun, sipping chai, sharing those thoughts, a deep connection being felt........an afternoon that will stay forever.

The little things that warm the heart

An incident from yesterday evening.

I'd just reached my parents place, and was opening a packet of hot hot mirchi bajjis and mysore bhajjis....laying them out with chutney and all. Just then their watchman Naidu, walked into the house. The smell of fresh hot bajjis...aah....wafting through the air, all over the room...mouth watering..... so occurred the thought, and I quite naturally, gave him some.

The evening continued with mirchi bajjis and mysore bajjis and chai over relaxed chit chat.

A couple hours later, Naidu was back in the house to tell dad about some association meeting, and they had a long discussion. And as he was leaving he pauses by my chair to say "చాలా రుచిగా వుంది మాడం మిర్చీ భజ్జి , అలాగే తింటును వేలాను" (the mirchi bajji was very tasty madam, I ate it as I went down).

And then I see mom smile and say, as much to herself as to me "so nice of him, how much difference these little things make".

She was reflecting my very thoughts....and feelings too. I could feel that wonderful warm feeling in my heart.......a small but gracious gesture on his part.....one that goes a long long way.