Nilu's Natter
Random musings on life, experiences, relationships....
11 March 2024
The Great Indian Kitchen - a movie review
01 March 2024
Writer's retreat at Dorian House
The morning walk through the Revelation forest, breathtaking views and spontaneous meditation in the middle of the woods, was enchanting and exhilarating!
The various sessions were enlightening and the classroom assignments were eye-opening. What bowled me over was that I was finally among people who did not hold back from expressing themselves, were unapologetically authentic, while coping valiantly through the barriers of language, food and creepy crawlies. The environment supplied nourishing fodder to write and explore genres I have hitherto found daunting.
01 January 2024
Some Hindi movie reviews
1) 12th fail
Theme : Biopic
Director : Vidhu Vinod Chopra
The plot is based on the real-life story of IPS officer, Mohan Kumar Sharma, a best-selling book written by Ashok Pathak. It is a simple story of a 12th fail student, who through sheer grunt work and perseverance against many odds, manages to crack the UPSC examination to become an IPS officer.
Vikrant Massey has literally gotten into the skin of the protagonist by looking appropriately sleep-deprived and malnourished for this role. His look of the character is balanced by his outstanding performance to bring alive Mohan Kumar Sharma's noteworthy achievement on screen. Inspite of hailing from a village in Chambal (MP), where schools push students to cheat in order to clear 12th grade; he takes inspiration from a local cop, decides to study with integrity, and become a police officer like him. The righteous path is never easy, and indeed in his case, you really feel the burden of his failures weighing him down yet never completely breaking his spirit. The theme of "restart" is very much required to keep up the volatile spirits of today's youth, and relevant even for adults.
He could not have done it without the sacrifice of his grandmother, the values instilled by his father and the unstinting support of some friends, well-wishers as well as his lady-love. Ably supported by Medha Shankar, Anant Joshi, Sarita Joshi, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Harish Khanna, the director has woven a truly impactful story which will be an inspiration for the current mall-hopping generation.
2) Dunki
Theme : Illegal immigration
Director : Rajkumar Hirani
Rajkumar Hirani is that magician who has taken up extremely diverse yet relevant topics and made blockblusters out of them through comic screenplays. It is very apparent that he goes to a lot of depth to flesh out his characters and wields the baton such that they become unforgettable.
I have to say that the movie plot was refreshingly original even for a movie-buff such as myself. The topic is quite serious but it has been handled so deftly by the director, that though its light-hearted to watch for the most part, it leaves a massive after-thought and provokes debate regarding the ethics of illegal entry into any country. This emotional roller-coaster, backed by SRK's charisma, a tight screenplay, as well as flawless rendition of the unforgettable characters by the cast, packs a solid punch at the very end of 2023.
Set in the backdrop of Punjab, the characters are all Punjabi and speak the dialect fluently. Taapsee Pannu is extremely credible as a go-getter, wanna-be wrestler, Punjabi kudi. Vicky Kaushal's cameo is nothing short of mind-blowing, while Boman Irani, Vikram Kocchar, Anil Grover all give superb performances as the supporting cast. But the outstanding performance is by King Khan himself, who did not just ride on his phenomenal star presence, but made Hardy Singh an extremely relatable and loveable protagonist. Though the love story angle of the movie is far from satisfactory, it brings out the stark contrast in the priorities of the lead couple when faced with a life-changing decision.
It took courage to make a movie on this topic for the masses instead of sticking with a documentary and I heartily applaud the effort as well as the end-product!
3) Kathal
Theme : Social satire on politics, police
Director : Yashowardhan Mishra
This is an underrated, under-marketed movie that did not get its due credit.
Kathal - a jackfruit mystery, is a heavy topic handled light-heartedly by the director and enacted very well by the cast : Sanya Malhotra, Anand Joshi, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz & Neha Saraf. It starts off as a case of two missing jackfruits from the tree of the local MLA, who pulls rank with the police to give it undue priority over other more relevant cases. Sanya is the officer in charge of investigating the missing fruits and given a carte-blanche as well as award money for finding the thief and returning the fruit before it turns ripe. Ironically, by following a text-book investigation of the same, she ends up bringing to the fore, and cracking, a much more serious crime, with the help of a well-meaning journalist and her trusted aides.
How thrilling can the chase for 2 missing jackfruits be? Well, the movie not only manages to make it interesting, but handles the topic of caste divide, romance across ranks, women's liberation as well as fighting the "right battles", alongwith the who-dun-it thread too! Sanya Malhotra turns in a performance with undeniable versatility and confidence.
4) Dasvi
Theme : Importance of education
Director : Tushar Jalota
This Abhishek Bachchan, Nimrat Kaur & Yami Gautam starrer was a surprise package.
What starts off as the story of a typical illiterate yet powerful politician, quickly transforms into his spiritual ascension through education - giving his matriculation exam while in jail. The reverse transformation of this wife, Nimrat, is also equally thought-provoking. All 3 have done great justice to their roles - definitely one of the best of Abhishek's career, and they got the dialects bang on too. The challenges faced by the protagonist to learn the various subjects, especially his nemesis : Maths and Hindi, totally resonated with our teenage daughter too.
While it spans across politics, importance of education and what one can accomplish if one is committed to the goal - it is basically a human story that needs to be watched by all.
5) Atrangi re
Theme : Mental health
Director : Aanand L Rai
So much has been shown about love over the years. Indeed there is so much literature about it, that there can be hardly be any aspect of love that is novel. Yet 'Atrangi re' manages to pull this off.
With superb performances by Dhanush and Sara Ali Khan, and a contemporary theme about mental health, this one was a pleasant surprise! It definitely exceeded my expectations as far as storyline and acting are concerned. Akshay Kumar, in his cameo, lends steady support.
The various layers of the traumatized mind are unraveled gradually as we head toward the climax; the sensitive handling of the subject is a credit to the director. Definitely one of the memorable performances by Sara Ali Khan; Dhanush excels as usual. The other characters are sketched extremely well and each has their own footage and significance, even if only in a supporting role.
26 November 2023
Nov 2023 - Madhya Pradesh diaries
This Nov 2023 Diwali, my family (of 7) took a vacation touring the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh is known as the “Heart of India” because of the variety of things it has to offer. It has been home to cultural and spiritual heritage of almost all the religions. Innumerable monuments, intricately carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are dotted all over the State. There are many national parks & wildlife sanctuaries too - MP leads the country for its tiger population.
As per the map below, the places we visited (by road) were-
Gwalior -> Jhansi -> Orchha ->Khajuraho -> Panna -> Jabalpur -> Bhopal -> Ujjain -> Indore
Jhansi is technically in Uttar Pradesh. Also, we visited Sanchi & Bhimbetka - 2 UNESCO heritage sites, close to Bhopal. We had to drop Bandhavgarh & Panchmarhi as they require separate trips to do full justice to them and we could not really afford the added time in the itinerary of 6 busy working and schooling parties.
As can be seen from the map, MP borders with the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. There are traces of cultures from all these places found at different places within MP.
My first impression –
MP is truly vast, as could be seen from the distances we had to travel. When our flight landed at Gwalior airport, only sprawling farmlands and open spaces were seen from above. Throughout MP, there are hardly any tall buildings visible anywhere, and the roads look quite clean. Even the public restrooms on highways, as well as the tourist attractions, were odorless and had running water. The weather was pleasant during the day and got bit chilly in early mornings and evenings. The sun sets bit earlier than in Pune. Also, the weather was usually bit cloudy, the heat was never too intense during the day.
Gwalior :
Day 1 was travel plus sightseeing at Gwalior. We were met by our guide at the airport.
After a lunch stop, we immediately set off for the Gwalior fort so as not to miss the daylight for sightseeing for the day. Gwalior Fort, situated on top of a hill, finds its place among the best fortresses of India. It is also considered to be one of the most impenetrable forts in the country. Gwalior Fort is believed to be over a thousand years old. It is strategically located on a steep sandstone hill, which provides a natural defence advantage. The fort showcases a unique amalgam of architectural styles, including Rajput, Mughal, and Hindu. This blend of styles is a proof to the various dynasties that ruled the region.
Jai Vilas Mahal, the palace of Gwalior, is a fine example of European architecture. It was founded by Jayaji Rao Scindia, designed and built by Lt. Col. Sir Michael Filose. The palace is a combination of the architectural style of the Mughals and the Medici - the first storey is Tuscan, the second Italian-Doric and the third Corinthian.
Scindia (originally Shinde), the Maratha ruling family of Gwalior, dominated the politics of northern India in the 18th century. The dynasty was founded by Ranoji Scindia. By his death in 1750, Ranoji had established his capital at Ujjain. Eventually, the Scindia capital moved to Gwalior. The greatest of Ranoji’s successors was Mahadji Scindia, who created a north Indian empire virtually independent of the peshwa. He emerged from war with the British East India Company as the recognized ruler of north-western India, and was named as the Supreme Commander of India (that’s when the original name Shinde became SCindia - I am a little skeptical of this theory, though).
Last stop on Day1 was the Saas-bahu
temple, a shortened version of the original name "Sahastrabaahu
temple". The entire temple is covered with carvings, notably 4 idols
of Brahma, Vishnu and Saraswati above its entrance door. History
has it that Rani Laxmibai escaped from the Britishers from Jhansi to Gwalior,
and jumped from here after realizing that the King of Gwalior(her cousin) has
betrayed her. We finally checked into our lovely resort around 8pm and relaxed
there until breakfast the next day.
Jhansi, Orchha :
Day 2 was a long one – our MP road trip officially commenced from here. We headed toward Khajuraho and passed Jhansi and Orchha along the way. First, we visited the historical Jhansi fort – very well covered indeed, by our local guide. He brought out the contrast between the valor of Laxmibai, the widow-queen, vis-a-vis the Jauhar of Rajasthan queens. We then visited 2 temples in Orchha : Shri Ramraja mandir and the Lakshmi Narayan temple (famous for paintings on its ceiling). Orchha is renowned for the classic mural paintings, frescos and Chhatris (cenotaphs) that were constructed to commemorate the Bundela rulers.
We reached Khajuraho after sundown.
Panna :
On Day 3, we set off for the safari at Panna Tiger Reserve very early in the morning. Panna is roughly an hour's drive from Khajuraho, so some additional time got added for the commute back and forth. The woods are vast and lovely; it was a treat to watch the forest come to life with the rise of the sun! Though we failed to sight any of the big cats, we did witness many deer species, monkeys, elephants as well as the tiger, leopard and hyena footprints in the forest. Despite our acute disappointment we joked and laughed sportingly while consuming our packed breakfast.
Khajuraho :
Back to the hotel, we bathed, changed and set off to witness the grandeur of the UNESCO world heritage site of the Khajuraho temples.
The temples are truly breathtakingly sculpted and the detailing is mind-blowing. They are not functional temples, however, and we even saw bats inhabiting some. Got to hand it to our guide, who was super sincere; he did not leave any of the details out. Some new things I learned from him -
These world-famous temples were built during the Chandela dynasty, most temples were constructed between 950 and 1050 AD during the reigns of Hindu Kings Yasovarman and Dhanga. Of the 85 (Hindu & Jain) temples, only 22 survive today. Most were destroyed by Muslim invaders. Thanks to Captain T.S. Burt (a Britisher) who ‘re-discovered’ and introduced these temples to the world in 1838.
Apparently, the sculptures were installed in temples to lure men back to a life of marital bliss, from one of monkhood, that had become prevalent with the advent of Buddhism.
Jabalpur :
On Day 4, we commuted from Khajuraho to Jabalpur and arrived the our hotel in evening. The evening Aarti at Gwarighat of the Narmada River is a treat to watch for its spiritual experience. It is like the more famous Ganga Aarti of Haridwar & Varanasi. The Ghat has been renovated and is surprisingly quite clean. One can enjoy a short boat ride to watch the ceremony from front and offer diyas into the river. Since it was Diwali night, it was not crowded at all, nor did the river smell. The overall experience felt soulful!
Bhopal :
Day 6 & 7 were
spent in Bhopal. On first day we covered 2 more UNESCO world heritage sites :
Bhimbetka rock shelters & Sanchi stupa.
The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site that spans the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. It exhibits the earliest traces of human life in India and evidence of the Stone Age starting at the site in Acheulian times. Some of the caves feature prehistoric paintings - the earliest are dated to 10,000 BCE.
The Great Stupa at Sanchi has been the focal point of the Buddhist faith in the region. The inception of Sanchi as a sacred centre is attributed to the Mauryan emperor Aśoka. His reign in 3rd century BCE was instrumental to the spread of Buddhism throughout the Indian subcontinent. Depicting Buddha through symbols, the sculpted art shows the evolution in sculpting techniques and the elaboration of icons, especially depicting Buddha. Also, the kids got to learn of the Maurya dynasty, the wily Chanakya and Asoka's disillusionment with war that led him to seek solace in Buddhism.
Day 6 evening was spent in shopping around New Market. On Day 7, we covered the famous Upper lake, followed by visit to Tribal museum. Spanning 7 acres, the museum is an ode to the lives, art, aesthetics, and philosophies of various tribes who constitute 30% of MP population. Through the fusion of materials, lighting, imagery, mythography, and traditional modernism, Tribal Museum at Bhopal reimagines the spatiality of museums.
Indore :
Day 8 & 9 were
spent in Indore. On the first day, we checked into a very posh hotel, regrouped from our travels so we could do some serious shopping and snacking! After shopping
for Maheshwari & Chanderi saris at the cloth market near Rajwada, we were
eager to sample the goodies at Saraafa bazaar. Since Diwali had ended by then,
the crowd in this narrow lane was nothing short of scary. Yet we managed to
taste quite a few famous dishes, while balancing the various shopping bags and
hardly any place to sit! The fatigue of last many days had finally caught up
with us. The next morning, after relaxing bit more than usual, we finally
set out on the last day of sight-seeing to the Rajwada and Kaanch mandir. Lacking
the energy for any other places viz. Mandu fort or Maheshwar, we directly
headed for lunch at 56 Dukaan, after which we chilled at the Treasure Island
mall until we had to depart for our flight to Pune.
Some of the mouth-watering snacks that we enjoyed at Indore :
Bhutte ka kees
Khopra patties
Joshi dahi bada
Garaadu
Jaamun shots
Shikanji
Pani puri, Aloo tikki
Coconut crush
Shaahi Falooda & kulfi
Closing note-
And so ended our super happening trip around MP. I had not heard of MP beyond the jungles that house tigers as well as dacoits (by which so many Hindi movies were inspired), and of the Bhopal gas tragedy. I discovered so much more! Though there wasn’t any of the usual excitement for kids, they thrived in the quality time with family. We learned so much about the history of India right from 10,000 BC till the 18th century! The road trip via our tempo traveler was smooth; we enjoyed listening to songs, world cup cricket as well as some repartee during the journeys. Keeping pace with teenagers as well as senior citizen, looking out for each other, being without our office laptops, absorbing the landscapes from the bus- window, are some of the things that stand out in making this trip truly memorable.
It was good to have a flexible itinerary where we could include some things that we heard of later on and excluded some too. Leaving the shopping and food for the end turned out to be a good decision as we were too exhausted by then; our dipping energy as well as jaded senses were rejuvenated with yummy food as well as retail therapy. Bhopal & Gwalior stand out for me for the variety and historical significance, but every place had something novel to offer and lovely memories. Jabalpur was a surprise indeed; the mighty Narmada flowing through the valley of marble rocks is a magnificent sight. Indore felt very like my hometown, Baroda, albeit a bigger, and cleaner, avatar.
There is a sense of accomplishment whenever a task is completed satisfactorily. Especially, if its been in the works for months! That's the feeling we are all experiencing currently.
The Great Indian Kitchen - a movie review
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My aunt (mom's sister) and her hubby have one son. He is currently away from home in Delhi for studies. Ever since he left, they have b...
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This Nov 2023 Diwali, my family (of 7) took a vacation touring the state of Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh is know...
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1) 12th fail Theme : Biopic Director : Vidhu Vinod Chopra The plot is based on the real-life story of IPS officer, Mohan Kumar Sharma, a bes...