We had written essays in school that ‘Dewali’ meant the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance. Now all festivities have a luminous fervor- magnificently lighted opulent sky-scraper monuments, starry parties, sweet counters overflowing & a mad rush to shopping malls for goodies/gift-packs to splurge on. You shop till you drop, the corporates gift clients and we message beautiful greetings to friends and love ones on SM !

In it’s on-line, digital, electronic, glossy and high cost form, ‘Dewali’ has undergone as much transformation as the lives of those from the 1970s era. They’d light earthen diyas, bargain with shopkeepers for small discounts on crackers, charkhas, anars, rockets to fit a Rs.100 budget. Much enthusiasm was reserved by home-makers in decorating homes (even if humble), adorning themselves with special Dewali dresses, home made sweets and bon-homie happily shared with the community. Children had great fun blowing up parent’s hard-earned savings but everyone joyous with whatever they had managed.

One wishes peace, prosperity, well-being and better lives for all & special prayers for health of our senior citizens but what do we think of the way things are ? A touching message came to us from unknown quarters – from an Auto-wala who stopped to pick us when others were flying past in a mad rush. We didn’t have far to go and as he stopped at our destination, there was that inevitable problem of change, we had only Rs.100/- ones & no small notes. The Auto-wala folded his hands and said ‘I don’t want money, just give your blessings’. In my two decades in Mumbai, he was a first. He showed that even today not everyone is just after money ! 

It surely augurs well and coincides with festive tidings when Indian Women’s talismanic opener-southpaw, Smriti Mandhana gets back into her groove,  her timing is on song and unleashed are classic cover drives over the infield. With divine century after a dubious nought in previous match, she’s back in business !

In 3rd final ODI against KIWIs, Smriti regained her form, inexplicably lost in last few innings including the soft dismissals in the WC T20 that India failed to qualify against all expectations and NZ sealed it off with a magnificent show. It’s evident when Smriti strikes at the top, India end up winning side, this series ending 2-1 in India’s favour.

For cricket buffs, importantly there’s the Third and Final Test on 1^st Nov, post Diwali against the resurgent, surcharged Kiwis where ‘Men in India Whites’ must find their  redemption with a convincing victory, one for pride and other for retaining the top place in WC rankings. Stats show a must win 4 out of 6 Test matches (incl. 5 Down Under !).

While it’s unfair to draw comparisons, a classy batter of legendary status like Virat with 9000 runs under his belt, may take a leaf out of Smriti’s ton yesterday after a series of lack lustre displays. Of course, no Southees or Santners were coming at our Women in their match, yet Virat has seen off many greats when he conquered like Kohli the ‘King’ !

It’s said that big players rise to the occasion and champions fashion their way out of any adversity and Virat has his records, experience, adoring crowds & love of fans behind him. More battles are fought in the minds than on the (battle) fields and even if there’s DRS & ‘Umpires Call’, that shouldn’t rattle him. Bring out that stuff you’re made of, Virat ! It’s not all up to Virat also – Hitman must lead by example, not leave all the heavy lifting to young Jaiswal.       

When India lost the Second Test match against the Kiwis by 113 runs they not only lost the Match, they lost the Series, they lost the chance to top the WC Test Ratings and they lost for the first time in 12 years a Home Series ! More than anything they lost honour !

In a cricket-obsessed nation like ours and die-hard critics and fans with their knives out, defeat in a cricket field is difficult to swallow than a poor performance rating at work – the Debacle (including the First Test loss) is being analysed more than the ‘Budget’ ever was. Some experts are eating the humble pie while naysayers cockily claim ‘We said so’ !

Charles Dickens, not known for his prowess in the gentleman’s game, had written pithy opening lines in his classic ‘Tale of Two cities’ that would fit today’s ‘Cricket’ context :   

“It was the best of times’ (Kiwis had pacers, wily spinners & Gods on their side)   

‘It was the worst of times’ ( India had listless players, low intent &  DRS calls  )     

‘It was the age of wisdom’ (Capt. Latham was brave and marshalled troops well )

‘It was the age of foolishness’(Capt Rohit was defensive, clueless and bereft of ideas)

‘It was the epoch of belief’‘ ( Kiwis were underdogs, no Williamson or superstars)

‘It was the epoch of incredulity’ (India had a problem of plenty but made poor choices)

‘It was the season of Light’ (All the Kiwis chipped in, some were just outstanding )    

‘It was the season of Darkness’ (Our big stars looked at sea & champions out of form)

‘It was the spring of hope’ ( Kiwis were focused, professional &  played to plan)   

‘It was the winter of despair’ ( Indians belied huge expectations of  billion fans)  

‘They had everything plus DRS’ (Nothing succeeds like success, all Kiwis performed)

‘We had nothing but ‘Collapses’(Nothing fails like failure, First Test hit  India hard)  

‘They will leave after the ‘Plunder’ (Kiwis leave with the heads high, history created )  

‘We are going direct ‘Down Under’(Indians travel to Australia, plenty to ponder over)

( PS : Apologies to Mr Dickens for few bold changes above, inspired by the Kiwis !)

Stars: Meena Kumari, Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Shashikala 

Watch on : Prime Video 

‘Aarti’ is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Phani Majumdar which I recall having first seen in a cinema hall in my hometown Lucknow in the early 1960s and even at that early age, it left an impression as a classic with memorable characters and for the ideals they stood for. Prime gives an opportunity to revisit vintage films and catching up one realizes the great transformation that’s taken place in films since the then B & W era in visualizations, technical effects, acting styles but what will charm are simple stories weaved with mesmerizing music & well-etched characters portrayed by superb actors.  

A wholesome social drama with family values , it revolves around those dedicated to the medical profession & it’s noble cause and carries social messages highlighting the rich-poor divide and class conflict in society, epitomizing those with compassion who make sacrifices to better the lives of others but never compromise on their principles for their personal gains ! The film stars Meena Kumari in the title role of Aarti, the protagonist with Pradeep Kumar. Ashok Kumar plays a revengeful antagonist there’s a wonderful cameo from Shashikala. Comic relief is provided by funsters Mehmood & Rajendranath.

The story is that of an unemployed, idealistic man named Deepak who saves Aarti, a hardworking and dedicated doctor from drowning and the two eventually fall in love though her Father has already engaged her to marry his protégé, Dr. Prakash. Despite his firmly disapproving of this relationship, Deepak and Aarti marry. She moves in with him and his large family who have barely enough to make ends meet. Aarti however, settles in and family sees happier days. But, Prakash (Aarti’s former fiancé) happens to be a friend of this family, as also of Aarti’s natal family, and he keeps up his visits to both families. He is married but can’t give up his obsession with Aarti. This brings a discord in Aarti’s marital life, so much so that her husband compels her to leave, and she returns to her father’s house. Can Aarti’s goodness and devotion salvage her life that’s in ruins ?

Two aspects make the film simply a great watch. It’s a real Meena Kumari show and one marvels at her subtle and underplayed portrayal of the graceful and dignified ‘Aarti’ who faces trials and tribulations in life with a smile, a thought almost ‘utopian’ today. With our egos there’s hardly room for compromise & forgiveness ! In our family , I recall my Grandmom (Uncles’ Mother) who with all encompassing love, kept the members of both of our large families bonded for years. The days of that kind of kinship seem to be over.    

The second feature was the film’s beautiful musical score by Roshan and has classics like ‘Ab Kya Misal Doon..’sung by Md.Rafi, the Rafi-Lata duet ‘Aapne Yaad Dilaya ..’ and Lata solo ‘Lahu ka rang ek hai…’ and others. The songs and their picturization take the film to an ethereal level which at least, old timers will certainly enjoy and cherish.

Stars : Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige and Kevin Bacon

Watch on : Netflix

Gosh, the first of the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie series that we saw, was way back in 1984, an incredible four decades ago and Eddie Murphy was the coolest dude who was as funny as the slick cop as he was dead-centre in the action & chase sequences. So the instant we came across this latest one, we thought we’d binge on it with soda & chips like good old days. If you aren’t an Eddie Murphy fan, this one is fine but it’s no classic.

Serving as the fourth installment in the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ film series and as a sequel to Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Eddie Murphy (now also the producer) reprises his role as veteran cop Axel Foley, with Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot reprising their roles from previous films in the franchise, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, and Kevin Bacon star in new roles.

What’s interesting here is a slightly transformed Axel who with age has become a bit reflective and mature (if that’s at all possible !) because here he’s now playing the father to a very independent minded daughter Jane with whom he’s estranged. She’s a lawyer representing Enriquez, framed for the murder of an undercover officer Copeland. On getting disturbing information, Axel returns to Beverly Hills because his daughter’s and his old partner Billy Rosewood’s lives are threatened and offers to be by her side.

The father-daughter’s discordant chats & humorous banter in the initial stages between Axel and Jane are fun to watch and so are Axel’s attempts to control his daughter’s love life and relationships which have soured. However, she and Axel team up with her ex-boyfriend Bobby Abbott and his old pals, John Taggart and Serge (both looking senior but as nutty as before ) to uncover a conspiracy masterminded by actor, Kevin Bacon. The Foley action and the car smash ups in the chases have all been duly incorporated !   

Loyalty factor leads us to force-watch certain films, it doesn’t take enlightened critics to opine ‘Beverly Hills Cop 1’ was the best, as it happens where many sequels follow !

An amazing time has passed by, Making us all, years younger,

As you’ve been fast growing up, Versatile, smarter and prettier,

A(Adorable), B(Beautiful), C(Cute ), You’ll soon be Pretty Lady,  

Grandchild you’re precious, Your world is getting ready,

It’s your time to grow & excel, Take joy in knowing & learning,

Chances will come your way, None can stop one’s yearning, 

Remember on the way, it isn’t easy, To decide what’s right and wrong,

Moving on, only take good values, And only choose – the right song,   

Apple of our eyes, whose every little, Play-acting was so heartwarming,  

What can we give you grandchild, Except Love and all our Blessings !

Somnath Sinha

Stars : Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman and Jack Lord

Watch on : Prime Video

It sounds presumptuous to attempt review of such an iconic and vintage spy film that possibly all cinema buffs from our generation (1960-70s ) would have seen, some like me quite a few times for the macho ‘Bond’ genre. In fact ‘Dr. No’ is the first film in the James Bond series that started out with the splendidly suave Sean Connery (as  he’d say ‘’Bond, James Bond”) and who’s remained ingrained in our hearts as best ever ‘Bond’, though many good actors followed him to keep the legend of ‘007’ alive and fighting !  

It’s pretty cool of Prime Video to start airing ‘Bond’ flics which in our time was shown in theatres with an ‘A’ rating and the posters of Sean Connery with the gun in one hand and a ravishing girl on the other, quite fascinated us as students. In fact my first ‘A’ film venture was a Bond film ‘You Only Live Twice’, but incidentally to which, the fussy Theatre Manager denied entry as I looked too young to be exposed to Bond’s escapades. Undeterred, I & my buddies persisted in bonding with ‘Bond’ for the next few decades.   

True to tradition that continued in all the earlier Bond movies with Connery (& later Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and others) this first film has the usual suspects – the inscrutable Intel Chief ‘M’ entrusted by England to save the world with Bond’s help, Ms Moneypenny , the redoubtable secretary, who has a crush on ‘James’, the gadget genius ‘Q’ makes a brief appearance. There’s an array of beautiful women who Bond inevitably engages with. Here there’s also glamourous star Ursala Andress as ‘Honey’ & there’s a cool scene with her emerging from the sea that male audiences all over, still rave about !     

Bond films must have a ‘larger than life’ evil character who’s out to destroy or dominate the western world. Here Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of a fellow British agent. The trail leads him to the underground base of Dr. Julius No, who is plotting to disrupt an early American space launch from Cape Canaveral with a radio beam weapon. As he himself explains he’s adopted the title of Doctor and changed his name to Julius No to symbolise his rejection of his father, whose name was Julius. 

Being the first of the series, I felt that we’ll find Bond a bit subdued than his later more  violent and amorous avatars in the subsequent films but Connery in elegantly tailored suits and showing droll humour, is debonair as ever. We mustn’t forget to mention the edgy signature music that accompanies ‘Bond’ films and his vodka ‘shaken not stirred’ ! It  launched a genre of secret agent films that flourished thereafter and Bollywood got spy films like ‘Farz’ and had gadget loving evil ‘Gang Lords’ thriving in exotic islands !  Should you revisit a dated film like ‘Dr No’? Yes, as Sean was forever- our James Bond !

The public utterances and claims by the rich, powerful and famous which at times reek of hubris and arrogance are accepted as the rightful domain of those who’ve achieved material success &  attained positions of  authority. Who’s to question the exalted status and misplaced sense of propriety of the high and mighty and incur their wrath !

When the ‘Gentle Giant’ of Indian Industry, Ratan Tata, passed away recently, there’ve been glowing tributes for the exemplary business leader, innovator & philanthropist that deservedly poured in from every quarter  but what’s been most talked with deep respect and admiration by all sections of society were his gentleness, simple life style, modesty and lacking any pretense. It’s a huge comeback for ‘humility’ to be acknowledged as a virtue to be inculcated and  which seemed to have lost it’s meaning in the cacophony of media-hyped personas, self-praise and indulgent promotions through vested interests.

It’s nobody fault if one is now taught from a young age to be pushy & aggressive and not gentlyd submissive if one were to succeed in life. Bragging is an art that’s picked up in school from the bigger (rich bullies) friends out to dominate. Teachers in old-world style education would admonish pupils trying to ‘show off’ their affluence or intelligence. In texts the meaning of ‘humility’ has been spelt out as not being proud or haughty and not believing that you are superior to others ! In the larger context it’s about accepting things with grace, even if it causes you great discomfort and loss at times.

It’s not just the way we interact with others, but how we interact with the world and the environment around us. Celebrities and erudite personalities often after an ovation for  their achievements say words like ‘I’m humbled at..’ to convey having the self-esteem to understand that though one is doing well, he or she does not have to brag or gloat about it. Humility is actually a strength. It allows leaders to listen to others, learn from their mistakes, and develop empathy for their team members. As a result, humility fosters an environment of trust and respect, two essential ingredients for any successful team.

It is difficult to be modest in a ‘Me-only’ world where every successful step needs to be publicized first by fawning parents and self and on hitting big-time, by agents hired to market them. Because, humility needs other qualities to go with it, such as empathy and compassion to others. Those who are humble are more likely to consider others’ beliefs and opinions. It offers the opportunity to become less self-involved and more attuned to the feelings of others. If you can be happy for others and their accomplishments and not be consumed by jealousy & self-pity, it’ll help you develop more positive relationships.

We wonder how the icons put on a pedestal like Demi-Gods (Read Big B & Sachin) stay grounded & appear so normal. My Dad believed that the really great don’t need to show their greatness, the world accepts. Idols he’d refer were the legendary singers KL Saigal and Md. Rafi for their utter simplicity. Roger Federer and Rahul Dravid, retired sporting legends, still charm fans with modesty. Can our leaders learn something from them ?  

Yesterday was the last day of the Durga Pujas this year, while some argued it was a day earlier than other years. Goddess Ma Durga departed with the traditional immersion ceremony again, leaving behind a void which can best be signified by the silence of the omni-resonant drums that resonate throughout the festivities right from the arrival of the Devi.

Whether Bengali or not, every Indian gets into the Dusshera festive mood heralding through the mild fragrance of shiuli flowers, the sound of dhak, dhunichi nachh (dance with the pot with embers), the anjuli puja – the triumphant return of the Mother Goddess to earth while the cities, towns and villages get set to worship her with all the zeal and grandeur from Mahasaptami to Mahanavami.

As a child (and even now ) one was always fascinated by the mystique of the rhythmic beat of these drums ( called Dhak ), what they conveyed, who were the drummers (dhakis) who tirelessly played them tied around their necks, where did they emerge from and then disappear after Doshumi – only to reappear again next year with renewed vigour…

For the benefit of the uninitiated, no prayer or ‘aarti’ can commence at any Puja pandals organized unless a dhaki starts playing the dhak as they form an integral part of this festival. The dhak is a large drum that trained dhakis hang around their necks and play with two thin sticks to infuse the frenzied rhythm into listeners. Those enchanting beats are enough to conjure up the sights and smells of Durga Puja, festival of joy and victory !

Most of the dhakis come from districts like Bankura, Malda, Purulia, Mushidabad, Asansol in West Bengal only to earn some money during the Puja. The nuances of playing the drums are like other forms of instruments, they are nurtured early and handed over from one generation to another.
A few of the Dhakis even travel to countries like the US and UK to play dhak as Durga Puja celebrations are immensely popular among the huge Indian diaspora spread across the globe. But what of the rhythms played ?    

Delving more one learns that different beats are used for specific aspects of Durga Puja, as for example chokhhu daan’ (eye presentation), patha bali’ (goat sacrifice), bisarjan’ (immersion ceremony), sandhya arati’ (evening offerings), sandhipuja’ (worshiping at the conjunction of two phases), and so on. However, expectedly with changing cultural ethos, the old rhythms of these traditional drummers are undergoing changes and the rhythm is no longer as slow as in earlier generations.

Moving on after ‘Doshumi’, we convey respectful regards to elders and wish and greet each other ‘Shubho Bijoya’ or the colloquial equivalent “Happy Dusshera’. Whatever our age or belief, the ‘sounds of dhaks’ are those remnants of our culture and customs that will never cease to amaze and inspire as does the power and glory of the spirit of Ma Durga ! At the same time, let’s resolve to maintain our  virtues of  love, compassion & humanity.

When the biggest icon of Bollywood turns a young 82 ( and is still charming people in his latest ‘KBC’ 2024 avatar ) it is a national event – though the suave, sagacious, senior-most superstar, Big B, would play it down with his customary humility and continue his normal routine, as just another day !

For innumerable fans, including we two senior citizens, the mood is always celebratory as we watch KBC shows and also listen to his popular songs being rendered by talented singers on a TV Channel. The discussion with friends turns to what’s new about him that’s not known. Much has been and will continue to be spoken, researched, analysed of an amazing and timeless persona and elegantly attired appearance and the astonishing body of work, and of  exemplary work ethics, punctuality, professionalism and resilience.

Going back to the 70s, we decided to list out some of his greatest films but this was not easy. Debate ensued on every choice that I made, since like all besotted women, my wife is still stuck with the strong, stoic ‘Jai’ of ‘Sholay’ that brought much accolades to the legend ! To make things simpler, we

broke it into two parts, pre and post 2000 (there was a break in-between) :

Pre-2000 : Anand, Zanjeer, Namak Haram, Deewar, Chupke Chupke, Abhimaan, Mili and Amar Akbar Anthony, Don & Satte Pe Satta – chosen for wide range of roles, histrionics, image changeover from the ‘angry’ to ‘funny’ young man. We add ‘Do Anjaane’,‘Bemisal’,‘Jurmana., lesser known but our personal favourites and last two again from his preferred Hrishi Da. There’s ‘Kabhie Kabhie’ with ‘shayari’ and dialogues in his famous baritone.

In ‘Do Anjaane’ he plays a simpleton betrayed by a close friend and from whom he extracts revenge, much in classic genre of ‘Count of Monte Cristo’.

Hrishikesh Mukherji’s ‘Bemisal’ is a remake of Uttam Kumar’s Bengali classic Ami Se O Shakha . The protagonist of this film is a noble individual, an ideal hero, who knows that everything he has in life, is owed to a family and when he finds himself in a situation where he has to give up his love and profession, he doesn’t look back.

Post-2000 : Multitude of senior roles, of which some with gravitas and deep meaning have come to Big B in various shades and hues as in Baghbaan,  Sarkaar (1,2 & 3), Black, Paa, Piku and Pink. A few more recent delightful films (including those on OTT) are worth mentioning like ‘102 Not Out’, ‘Unchai’ and ‘Goodbye’. Also, there was a beautiful Bengali film ‘The Last Lear’ of the late Rituparno Ghosh of Kolkata.

His best role – don’t be surprised at the choice of a senior citizen. For us,  it’s the clueless father of three thankless sons in ‘Baghban’ and his fightback to redeem dignity for himself and his wife and restore his place in society !