One song which i particularly like is Panchtund Narrundamaldhar from the Marathi movie Balgandharva. In fact all the songs from this movie are good, but i particularly like this one. The music, chorus and the solo bits are fabulous. In fact i think the movie can be described as a musical and describes his life focusing more on music that was perhaps his life. The actor who's played the character of Balgandharva does a pretty good job at it. It's not altogether a 'happy' watch meaning the movie is not all about nice incidents all the way through. It's worth a watch and the movie ends with you reminiscing about it.

It's definitely a treat for all traditional music lovers.

I watch Karan Johar's 'Coffee with Karan'. I wouldn't have imagined doing it even last year. But i am doing it. Sometimes, i need to watch totally nonsensical to retain my sanity. This sometimes is more frequent these days.

I still am sane.

I don't know why people of the older generations (my parents and their parents) even had the number of children they had. I simply can't think of any reason. I understand i'm writing on something that i've written about before. The reasons could be plain ignorance or the lack of knowledge. Even when there's no proper food or roof over the family? To see an infant die due to the lack of medical facilites? I don't know.

I saw Calcutta 71 today. Abject poverty and still four kids. Is it really the strong need to have kids? To have another being of one's own flesh and blood, to gain fulfillment when you see your kid playing in front of you? In that case, a couple of kids are fine, i think. I can't figure it out. Maybe i'm immature and it's early for me to think about these things.

On visiting Kolkota after about ten years, i wasn't happy with the city. There wasn't much improvement. I guess the city is not easy to manage, the buildings are darkened due to the heavy rains, the huge population is difficult to manage, the people who come to the city from the surrounding areas have no sufficient means of livelihood.

When i saw a few hand-drawn rickshaws, i was reminded of the film 'Do Bigha Zameen'. Sad. Very. Do see the film if you get an opportunity.

After watching a just-about-okay The Social Network, i wondered if it deserved any credit for having received awards supposedly given to outstanding films. I didn't find it overwhelming, and it's just the story of how a website came into being. It's not worth more than a one-time, or at the most a two-time watch, not more than that.

It's like Chethan Bhagat winning a Sahitya Akademi Award or something like that. Plain mediocre.

After hearing positive reviews on Puttakkana Highway, we trooped to the theatre to watch it.

The music is amazing. Hamsalekha has done a really done a good job on that. In fact, i would consider it the best aspect of the movie. The protagonist, Puttakka played by Shruthi lacks expressions. In fact Veena Sundar who plays her friend in the film expresses herself quite well, even though her character is a small one.

After having seen Do Bigha Zameen and this film, i so wish that everybody is educated to an extent where they can read, write and know things, lest they be cheated by greedy people. On seeing such films, one feels miserable. They are taken advantage of so easily.

Do see such films, for leading a life in the city is not the end of it all.

People had told me that Do Bigha Zameen was a trend-setter and was an important landmark in Indian cinema. Not that i'm keen on the topic. Nevertheless, i got an opportunity to watch it and was impressed.

Even if the story line of the film is old (more than fifty years), i guess it holds relevance to this day somewhere in remote parts of the country. But, i hope it isn't quite true as the picture isn't pretty. With an excellent cast, the movie goes beautifully. I especially liked the music.

We all know how well-known Malgudi Days was, or rather is. I don't think i've watched the entire series, but i would like to. One of the greatest productions of our time. I'm immediately transported to that world on listening to soundtrack which played at the beginning and at the end of each episode. The ta na na na....

I wish that some channels would air it regularly, otherwise a huge population would miss out a legacy. Today's kids would enjoy it the way we did. Running behind Swami, listening to his grandmother's stories, and eating sweetmeats at Jagan's Stall.

I haven't observed if advertisements outside the cricket season can turn funny and senseless. Maybe some companies do produce such ads. But with the current cricketing season, the soda people have produced some amazingly stupid ads. Seriously, what makes cricket and film stars act in such ads?

Of course, it's money and nothing else. Nothing new.

If Aishwarya Rai Bachchan spoke 'chaste' Kannada (as mentioned in The Times of India) during the inauguration of the Vishwa Kannada Sammalena 2011, then i should be somebody who is known for my superlative Kannada speaking abilities including my diction and vocabulary. And my friends and family know me as a person who struggles to express herself in pure Kannada, and who gets words wrong frequently.

By the way, what was she doing there? A superstar, looking glamorous who has nothing related to Kannada. Period. I was surprised when i read in the newspaper that she was to be there. Seriously, we've got better people. And i wonder how she agreed to be part of the Sammalena?

God save us!

I saw Harishchandrachi Factory the other day, and was impressed. I had read reviews about it on a blog and wanted to see if i came upon it someday.

So on Sunday night, the three of us at home sat and watched the entire film. Frankly, I'm not good at writing impressive reviews. What i liked about it is the simplicity and the easiness with which the movie goes. The characters are well played, and they carry an air of lightness around them (an old-world feel, especially the background score). It's funny and down-to-earth, especially the role of Phalke. I guess, even kids could watch this and enjoy it.

It's a story of how Phalke brings filming to India against obstacles and how he creates a new sensation in India. Do watch it if you get a chance.

On seeing the film 3 Idiots after everyone on earth had seen it (quite seriously, i was made to assume that i was the last one to watch it and hence lousy), i did not feel exuberant or whatever i was supposed to feel at the end of the film. I understand that it fetched heaps of praises. But i wasn't impressed to a great extent.

And since then, i've a grouse against Aamir Khan. Why does he project himself as Mr. Do-Good-And-Brave in most of his films? When one observes his films from the last couple of years, this projection of himself has been going stronger, and i'm tired of it. As a result, he is raised to a position almost next to God (this is slightly exaggerated, but you do get the point). Perhaps, that's one reason why i wasn't blown away by the movie so mentioned at the beginning of this post. By the way, does he look like a teen in 3 idiots? Aren't students in their teens when they start their undergraduate courses?

When will he stop showcasing himself??

When one watches films set on futuristic themes, the plot seldom moves away from an alien attack or the ruling of robots. as far as i know, when one glances at writers who wrote o the future, they also followed similar tracks.

Now, when one sees another movie projecting into the future, you already kinda know the film.

The rain that's been raining since yesterday in Bengaluru is quite depressing. Similar to the advertisements shown on various channels where the kid is stranded inside the house and cannot play with his playmates as it pours outside. It's simply not possible for one to go out as the rain shows no signs of giving up.

Being cooped inside four walls through the day can be annoying, especially on a Sunday, when you want to take a stroll around.

This might seem a little absurd, but i think that romantic songs where the male actor express his love to his sweetheart can be used to express one's love for a child too. Well, the other way round (where the female actor praises her man), can also hold good provided that the male actor's character and prowess is not described in detail.

When this thought occurred to me the first time, i was doubtful. But, on furthering the thinking process in this regard, i found that it's quite applicable.

In the last few days, a regional (read Kannada) news channel has been telecasting similar shows which are broadcast on Indian news channels. Even when it does not quite cater to the people of Karnataka. In the morning i watch snatches presented in English to be followed by a Kannada edition of the same later.

Isn't it copying in simple terms?

I don't know why Punjabi Music/Bhangra beats are so famous today. Not that i don't fancy them, i appreciate some songs of this type. And everybody seems to be mouthing Punjabi words in songs these days. Or are we made to believe that it is Punjabi? Like we know what Punjabi actually sounds like.

They created a style a decade or so ago (?). A new era of music was introduced which has got modified and has stayed on for quite a long time. Every song which falls under this category has loud voices and music, with the beat of drums dominating in the back/foreground (as you wish to put it). They all sound similar with common words used especially for a girl, boy, drums. Of course, with limited knowledge of a language, this trend cannot take a new turn unexpectedly.

Even when a new 'thing' is added, a plethora of songs are bound to follow which copy it.

After the completion of the famous 'Crime Diary' (or was it Crime Story?) by Ravi Belegere, we've had a plethora of such programmes. At that point in time, every Kannada channel had a similar show. And Belegere's voice was talked about. A monotonous tone which rang through out the half hour (or one hour?) of the episode, with little variations.

Many people have continued to ape it and continue to do so. One annoying factor is the voice of the narrator, which are nasal and lifeless. It makes one stop viewing the telecast instantly.

Can they please put an end to this, or simply narrate in a tone which can be listened to?

After having seen the film To Kill A Mockingbird, i, as always, favored the book than the film. But yes, the last bit of the movie where Boo Radley saves Jem and Scout was something, i guess, i looked forward to see. And Gregory Peck looks real grand.

There are these small instances in novels which seem insignificant in be included in a one hour and half hour long film. Nevertheless they provide the base for unravelling the latter (perhaps, an important) part of the plot. These are the bits that i enjoy reading. I imagine what they would be like when they are enacted by live characters. Like when Jem cries after the knot hole in a tree is closed. That was where Boo Radley kept small things for him and his sister. Something there is totally missed out. One does not understand if one's not read the novel. Emotions are lost.

One only gets a faint idea of the outline. Perhaps, i'll appreciate a film based on a novel better when i'd not have read the novel beforehand. I think i've never done that.

I think i first saw Johnny Depp in Chocolat. The person who impressed me was Juliette Binoche. She fills the film with liveliness. It talks about a lady (and her daughter) who enters a quaint village and opens a chocolaterie. Both change the lives of the village people. A nice movie to watch if you haven't.

I watched it after a gap. And i enjoyed it once again.