Starring : Sidney Poitier ,Lilia Skala & Others

Watch on : Prime Video

Lovers of old English classics from the 1960s-70s would be familiar with the name of the famous black actor, Sidney Poitier and the pioneering roles he played that depicted the fight against racial prejudices in America and films that garnered great critical acclaim. With superb films like ‘To Sir With Love’ (1967), ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’(1967)  and ‘In the Heat of the Night’ (1967) he became one of the most sought after stars for his intense performances and powerful screen presence that captivated audiences all over !

However, having seen all the above said movies as a young student, thanks to our Dad being real cinema buff, there was one film (possibly his first) which I had heard about but didn’t get to then watch. Remarkable in the sense that this film ‘Lilies of the Field’ fetched Poitier the Oscar award for Best Actor and made him the first Black actor to win the coveted award in a leading role. Some good things are destined to come late in life. Suddenly now, to our utter delight we come across this beautiful film on Prime Video ! 

The first charming feature is that it’s a vintage Black & White film made in the early 60s. It is the story of a group of Catholic nuns who escape from the Communist held portion of Berlin and come to the United States. They do not know the language and led by the enterprising ‘Mother Maria’ they struggle with daily chores and running their set-up of small farming. In a turn of events that was to become epoch making for them, a young, tall and strapping handyman called Smith (played by Poitier) stops by and upon their request renders help to the German nuns on the farm with some repairs .

This starts off a most unusual association of the black man (who wants to be a successful contractor) with the cheerful Nuns in a way he’d never planned. This includes teaching them English and carting them in his car to attend Weekend Mass to a faraway place. Mother Maria is experienced and resourceful and has visions of building a nice Chapel in that place. Impressed by Smith’s skill & sincerity she assumes that God has sent him to help them build a Chapel & then the words ‘Missionary Zeal’ get it’s real significance !

The film is funny, heartwarming and inspiring and there’s something pristine about the characters in their simplicity and devotion to their faith. Poitier as Smith who becomes the architect and contractor in a divine and noble cause is memorable and versatile, for not only does he humour the Nuns but also sings and dances with them, that is mildly reminiscent of the Sisters in another all time classic ‘Sound of Music’. Lilia Skala plays ‘Mother Maria’ with great conviction who never relents on quest to get her Chapel made. 

It thrilled us that we were finally able to see Poiter’s Oscar award winning performance in a classic !

‘Old’ folks have such a hard time suffering some common maladies – becoming forgetful, hearing impaired, eyesight dimming, sleeping disorders, chronic pains, BP and a general slowing down. Add to this society does not quite appreciate length of the rich experience of the retired. No matter how well you explain, Gen Zee will not consider your ideas the most inventive way of thinking. ‘People are not very kind to us’ is the general refrain of ‘senior log’. Agatha Christie’s lovable sleuth, Miss Marple, who’s elderly but very sharp, says ‘They Think we are stupid, but we Know that they are..’ !     

Against this discontentment, some of us look at silver linings and find kindness in the younger lot in our daily lives as we try to keep pace with them. Some of us blessed with better health than contemporaries, find it irritating if we’re offered help in doing routine tasks as we wish to enjoy our freedom. My wife and I often use the Metro where possible and have found people getting up to offer us their seats. Helpful folks don’t mind us jumping queues if it’s long and auto-wallahs are relatively less rude to us. In my Bank, where I’d worked for decades, staff mostly is more courteous when I introduce myself as a Retiree. I try not to push the envelope, but Managers do listen to our special requests. 

Outside of the Office set-up, what’s endearing is we are ‘Uncles’ (& Aunties) to almost the entire world in deference to our senior citizen’s status. This is quintessentially a ‘Mumbaikar’s’ form of address in keeping with the megacity’s cosmopolitan nature. In our younger days a friend’s parents were universally ‘Uncle-Aunty’ but now the roles have changed for us. Relationship building is vital in name-calling in Mumbai culture & the omni-present traffic cops are affably referred to as ‘Mama’ and lock-ups ‘Sasural’ ! However, in North India, generic ‘Uncle’ is more specific and if one looks elderly enough, he could be reverentially called ‘Chacha’ and a senior person would be ‘Bade bhai’. Moving on to the Punjabi-Haryanvi lingo, the elders get addressed as ‘Paji’ !

Some of us Seniors tend to withdraw into a shell, not wanting to share their loneliness or burden others with their difficulties. Yet many find their calling after hanging up their boots & take up creative and social activities which helps them to revive cognitive skills, maintain good health and remain youthful. It’s in this realm of a great ‘second innings’ they surprise the world with their innate talents blooming late like blog writing, poetry, music, singing, cooking, painting, adventure travel, sports coaching, marathons & so on. Many turn home-assets, surprising spouses with baby-sitting & house-keeping prowess.

I understood what ‘You Only Live Twice’ meant after I turned Sixty and retired from full time service, for as David Bowie aptly said ‘Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been’ ! Turn to ‘Personal Discovery’ Channel and try doing the things you always wanted to.

Created by : Rakesh Roshan & Shashi Ranjan for ‘Netflix’

OTT platforms are now exploring the space of docu-series showcasing lives & work of some of Bollywood’s legendary actors, writers, singers from yester-years that today’s generation wouldn’t even have heard of. The latest in docu-series titled ‘The Roshans’ seemed promising. With four parts to it, two devoted to the famed music composers and two to the director & actors that form the ‘Roshan’ legacy. We discovered it was a warm and wholesome treat for music buffs like us & die hard fans of Hrithik Roshan !

Part 1 is sheer delight for ‘music lovers’ & delves into composer Roshan’s life & times, a simple man with quintessential big dreams, his initial struggles to get a foothold in Mumbai‘s tough music industry and his extraordinary creative journey from the ‘50s till ‘70s what was later called the ‘golden era’. There’s a fine blending of story-telling (by sons, Rakesh & Rajesh and grandson Hrithik), with nostalgic reminiscences of veterans from the bygone era, coupled with intimate interviews from those contemporary music composers, stars and film directors closely associated with ‘Roshan’ family and clips of Roshan’s super compositions. Interestingly, his wife Ira, was a singer & song-writer too.

The big repertoire of musical genius that Roshan displayed in his long career stands out despite great stalwarts like Dada Burman, Salil Chowdhary, Naushad, C Ramchandra, Madan Mohan and others, all splendidly competing. Snippets reveal the kind of  lively banter and camaraderie that existed between them, one composer would applaud good work of another or feign jealousy with humour. Roshan was advised by Burman never to change his style that was based on soulful melodies, He once confessed that ‘Rahe Na Rahe Hum..’(Mamta) tune was lifted from Dada’s old classic ‘Thandi Hawaein.’ ! Rajesh (Roshan) shares that when Roshan passed away, Madan Mohan broke down in tears.

That brings us to the huge bouquet of incredibly beautiful compositions from Roshan that deserve mention. Starting from the hit ‘Khayalon Mein..’ (‘Bawre Nain’ in 1950), his range was truly amazing from classical gem ‘ Laga Chunri Mein..’ (Dil Hi Toh Hai) and qawali ‘Na Toh Karwan Ki..’ (Barsaat Ki Raat)) to the lyrically romantic ‘Ab Kya Misal Doon..’(Aarti) & ‘Jo Vada Kiya..’ (Taj Mahal) to the poignant ‘Rahte the Kabhi..’(Mamta) & ‘Dil Joh Na Keh Saka..’(Bheegi Raat), the list goes on.. My favourite is all time great philosophical number ‘Man Re Tu Kahe Na..’(Chitralekha), rated as one of the finest songs. Sadly Roshan was not given his due recognition that he richly deserved. Yet fans remain indebted for the treasures he left. ‘The Roshan’ legacy has reached the drawing rooms of people through this series. Let’s savour it’s entire heartwarming experience !

It’s said ‘Nothing fails like failure’. Being on the losing side makes the ‘losers’ get a lot of ridicule as a failure, flop or even ‘bad loser’. That uncomplimentary term ‘Loser’ also implies unable to accept your defeat gracefully. The defeated are already smarting from the loss and if derogatory words are hurled at them, it adds insult to injury ! The moot point is that in a game or contest, there must be a loser for there to be winner.

‘Winners’ are always lauded- it’s interesting what some overwhelmingly say when they are declared victorious. In a fiercely competitive world and in a shiny kaleidoscope of victories, awards, accolades, promotions and the glory that comes with it, some winners use rather grandiose expressions in often idolizing their records, feats & endeavors with an aura of invincibility. Remember Ali’s line ‘I’m the Best’ & ‘Ugly Aussies’ in Cricket !  

However, true champions and real winners wear their crown (or title) with dignity and grace. They are confident of their abilities but realize a win doesn’t make one superior. Close finishes are par for the course in world of sports where say, in a Grand Slam 5-Setter, the player who finally lost 4-6 in fifth set was just as great as the winner ! In the infamous 2019 World Cup Final that was tied, England beat Kiwis on just a technicality.

A ‘Gracious’ Winner adds that human dimension of the achievement in being humble and compassionate after he wins a game, competition or fight in the ring. It’s also about acknowledging the opponent’s great efforts and not down playing them, sharing the accolades with all the team members and being open to learning from the experience. It must instill confidence of fairness in others in society & give the losers or opponents, a choice about the next fight or contest. In sports, it’s mandatory for all players to shake hands or embrace after the event, but that sadly doesn’t happen in the other contests !

Post match victory speeches by champions like Federer or Djokovic have exhibited true sportsmanship and invariably paid tributes to their younger opponents for the fight they put up. In his retirement address at the Wankhede, Sachin Tendulkar said ‘…I’ve met so many people who’ve fasted for me, prayed for me, done so much for me. Without that life wouldn’t have been like this..’ The Oscar Winner of 2014, Matthew McConaughey in his moving acceptance added the words ‘Thank you to six thousand Academy members and to all the other nominees, all performances were impeccable.’

Everyone tends to overlook losers for it’s ‘Success Mantra’ that all are looking for. In my working days, HR guys never called unsuccessful candidates for a pep-talk. One of my friends asked ‘Why didn’t I make it, please enlighten?’. Reply was ‘Don’t worry, just keep working hard’ ! Success stories of those who have overcame failures, continue to inspire us. As Catherine Plano says ‘The comeback is always stronger than the setback’ !  

Recently I was to meet a friend for some work. He felt we meet after working hours at his office, so we could talk at ease. When I reached, he wasn’t at his desk and the staff outside the training room informed me wisely “Meeting chalu hai, lagta hai 8 baje tak chalegi, Boss sabki ‘class’ le rahe hai. Aap friend ko whatsapp karo !” Having worked for decades in a Bank, I knew what ‘Class Lena’ meant if Boss wasn’t in a happy mood. In reply to the message my friend asked me to wait or come back after about one hour.

The wait seemed endless to me, counting minutes, then hours. The meeting went on for excruciating 125 Mts, the length of an OTT film, which if chosen well, could’ve engaged & spurred staff to action for the results that the Boss was so laboriously harping upon. The indispensable ‘meeting’ culture is still alive in our offices despite the all round debate raging on about work-life balance, extended working hours & employee fatigue affecting productivity. Late sittings and working 12-14 hours is still signifying diligence.

Winding the clock back to the 1980s and our early work-years, for us it was all ‘baptism by fire’ working through the week. In those days, Saturday half-day was converted into a full day for backlog clearance and Sunday reserved for full day meetings with Higher Authorities. Relentless one-way tirades on management’s unfulfilled expectations from operating teams, further dented officer morale. After great persuasion by Associations, Sunday meets stopped. With holidays on each 2^nd & 4^th Saturday, banker’s were happy. Then ‘Covid’ came – a ‘WFH’ culture & all day on-line meetings have since taken over !

Official meetings generally revolve around focused discussions & the steps to be taken on issues for determining the way forward & presided by Seniors to groups of officials. The word is being loosely used by almost everyone. Often when you call the answer is ‘Will call later, am in a meeting’ even if people are engaged in a chat in the canteen or fixing errands or getting the car repaired but wouldn’t like to be disturbed. ‘Customer Care’ is uncaring when you call – the reply you’ll get ‘All operatives are presently busy.’

Meetings in the offices are just as important as having interactions with family members from time to time, to remain updated on things. Systems are in place for sending directives through written communications in form of circulars, DO letters which reach employees’ desks but it’s not always ensured that the contents are read & assimilated. Reminders have to be sent periodically. Face to face meetings with staff can do away with one-sided talk and involve healthy interactions & views rather than a monologue.  

Steve Jobs said ‘Meetings must achieve a purpose’. Discussions must result in decision-making. Aimless ‘end of day’ harangue, can’t be a recipe for the organizational success !

Recently I was to meet a friend for some work. He felt we meet after working hours at his office, so we could talk at ease. When I reached, he wasn’t at his desk and the staff outside the training room informed me wisely “Meeting chalu hai, lagta hai 8 baje tak chalegi, Boss sabki ‘class’ le rahe hai. Aap friend ko whatsapp karo !” Having worked for decades in a Bank, I knew what ‘Class Lena’ meant if Boss wasn’t in a happy mood. In reply to the message my friend asked me to wait or come back after about one hour.

The wait seemed endless to me, counting minutes, then hours. The meeting went on for excruciating 125 Mts, the length of an OTT film, which if chosen well, could’ve engaged & spurred staff to action for the results that the Boss was so laboriously harping upon. The indispensable ‘meeting’ culture is still alive in our offices despite the all round debate raging on about work-life balance, extended working hours & employee fatigue affecting productivity. Late sittings and working 12-14 hours is still signifying diligence.

Winding the clock back to the 1980s and our early work-years, for us it was all ‘baptism by fire’ working through the week. In those days, Saturday half-day was converted into a full day for backlog clearance and Sunday reserved for full day meetings with Higher Authorities. Relentless one-way tirades on management’s unfulfilled expectations from operating teams, further dented officer morale. After great persuasion by Associations, Sunday meets stopped. With holidays on each 2^nd & 4^th Saturday, banker’s were happy. Then ‘Covid’ came – a ‘WFH’ culture & all day on-line meetings have since taken over !

Official meetings generally revolve around focused discussions & the steps to be taken on issues for determining the way forward & presided by Seniors to groups of officials. The word is being loosely used by almost everyone. Often when you call the answer is ‘Will call later, am in a meeting’ even if people are engaged in a chat in the canteen or fixing errands or getting the car repaired but wouldn’t like to be disturbed. ‘Customer Care’ is uncaring when you call – the reply you’ll get ‘All operatives are presently busy.’

Meetings in the offices are just as important as having interactions with family members from time to time, to remain updated on things. Systems are in place for sending directives through written communications in form of circulars, DO letters which reach employees’ desks but it’s not always ensured that the contents are read & assimilated. Reminders have to be sent periodically. Face to face meetings with staff can do away with one-sided talk and involve healthy interactions & views rather than a monologue.  

Steve Jobs said ‘Meetings must achieve a purpose’. Discussions must result in decision-making. Aimless ‘end of day’ harangue, can’t be a recipe for the organizational success !

Let’s recall our school days and the way everyone looked up at the person with awe, when first three position holder’s names were announced (at least it was in my school !) in the morning Assembly post the exams or competitions. Sadly, today we have the dubious distinction of being 71^st in the Paris Olympics medals tally taken with the fact that we’re the world’s most populous and fastest growing nation. What’s tougher for our pride to endure is we’ve managed six medals in all (one still on trial)& there are six star performers who secured the fourth place and were edged out of medals by narrow margins. Our logicas loyal fans- why couldn’t they have strived a little more !

At the highest level where seconds& inches can make a difference, fortune & fortitude play a part on the finishing line. Let’s not forget two historic ‘close misses’ resulting in heart-breaking ‘fourth’ at Olympics – ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh (1960) in the 400m race falling short by a mere 0.1 seconds & legendary PT Usha (1984) in 400 m hurdles by 1/100^th of a second ! Coming ‘fourth’ is tragic, ‘so near and yet so far’ the loser isn’t less deserving, just there’s no place on winner’s podium for more than 1,2 and 3!

That doesn’t mean that the fourth position is less vital, not only in sports but in life’s other spheres as well.Let’s look at the ‘Fourth Estate’, the prestigious name bestowed on the ‘Press’, the veritable powerhouse called the media that’s being now given many names by various parties & who’s over dominant role in influencing views is palpable.   

Coming to ‘aamjanta’,people (seniors) while booking flights, opt for seats somewhere not right in front and too far back, fourth row would be fine !  Ditto for a sold out movie theatre, quite a few have seen a film sitting in the fourth row when they were the only tickets available. If you’re fourth in a very long queue (in a bank counter or for a job interview), chances are you’ll make it with some luck ! In cricket, a batsman coming fourth (at two down) is probably the most valued player. That’s where Sachin played !

What about those who are fourth in the family lineage ? After all it’s the eldest who’s expected to lead by example and many do ! But here are virtues ascribed to the Fourth born children -they often develop the ability to deal well with people, with all of those personality types growing up. They may turn out to be great thinkers& able to manage challenging situations. They may even be analytical, hard working, pushy or passive.

Being the fourth born, a boywith three elder siblings (sisters) and one younger sister,  I was treated the same in our family with liberal parents, except that I had my own wardrobe and never had to wear my elder sisters’ hand me downs ! In all humility, I may possess some of the above virtues but as our dear Dad had always wanted, we all big turned out to be compassionate &humane ! Being fourth wasn’t such a problem !

To rephrase the lines of a beautiful Shelley poem ‘if winter is here, can woollen jackets be far away’ !Being the preferred apparel specially among trendy millennial in the areas that have cooler climates, elite, fashion conscious too will adorn them even in peak summers.The craze for sporting jackets and their variedavatarsby both men and women of all ages for sartorial statementshas started to make the traditional coat look outdated. Recently when we met an old friend over lunch attired in suave suit with a natty scarf tucked in, he looked quite formal compared to us in our colourful jackets !

Just like sneakers have stolen a march over black leather shoes of yester years, jackets have become increasingly popular. Largely classless, they are now quite affordable to all sections of society. A warm traditional coat costs more, it needs to be treated with care & have to be maintained. Simple jackets offer a practical combination of warmth, protection from the elements (like cold, wind and rain) and combine versatility in style with rough and tough use and wear, allowing people to adapt their looks to different situations while maintaining comfort and functionality. This had made them a staple item in most wardrobes across various climates and fashion trends all over the world. 

Apart from the above universalised features, their wide range of designs, materials, and cuts, jackets can be dressed up or down to suit different occasions, from casual to formal. Different jacket styles can reflect the individual’s personality&fashion tastes. From rugged, macho to the elegant, classy look, it allows people to express themselves through their clothing choices. Then there are specific types of jackets designed for particular activities like hiking, cycling, horse-riding, swimmingor skiing, providing tailored features for optimal performance. 

Without being a fashion expert, one has observed great evolution of ‘Leather jackets’ modelled by the rich and famous, the film heroes and pop stars, often associated with cool, edgy style. Trend possibly started with Hollywood movies and the ‘tough guy’ image created in Westerns. On a humbler level were ‘Denim’ jackets:classic, versatilecustomized with patches or embroidery and having a timeless appeal for all. Then are the Puffer jackets with excellent insulation for cold weather, lightweight and packable for easy carrying. We all grew up wearing the ‘College’ Blazer with the school badge. Sports-stars don the country colours in smart blazers that gives them much pride !

In our country, the traditional official wear has the veritable ‘jacket’ as its integral part when it comes to political class, netas& party leaders, though the corporate honchos, staid bankers& business class still subscribes to the formal suit and tie when in office. Outside the workspace, bandh-gala jackets are preferred by men in light winters while fashionistas have wide range in ‘haute couture’ for women that suit different dresses.  Wedding outfits now include ethnic jackets along with the conventional ‘sherwanis’.

Does everyone love wearing jackets ?John Krasinski said ‘My main focus is to always try to be myself firstand then dress. And hey, if I wear a cool jacket, that’s a bonus !’

Poet WH Davies wrote the poem ‘Leisure’ during a time (1820s) when the Industrial Revolution hadfairly transformedEngland’s aristocracy into a society bustling with energetic work, so much so that it begins with the line “What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare”. A plea for what the HR professionals call ‘Work-Life Balance’ butcan’timplement.Some now say, there’s no work or life to balance !

Those like us, who started working in 1970s, would recall certain jobs (like banking) had undefined stretchable working hours for officers but were lucrativeto the award staff who’d get extra hours incentivised by substantial ‘overtime’ payouts based on agreements worked out with the managements. Those were facilities of the past, later compensated somewhat by thewage revisions and pay hikes across the board, while organisations tried cleverlyto prune increasing staff& costs to save dwindling profits.

Cut to the last two decades and with the looming cost of living crisis and energy bills playing on everyone’s minds, all realise importance of earning enough to make a fair living.We’re growing increasingly more connected through newer technology and social media. WFH (working from home) has become the new normal. It’s becoming more and more difficult to separate work from personal lives& find ‘Family’ time. It’s commonplace to check emails at all hours, take business calls at the dinner table and work on laptops on weekends. Old folks look with sadness at a ‘strained’ millennial.  

Employers and Bosses expect more from the employees, which leads to them feeling more pressure to achieve greater results. Wheneverthe top leaders recommend longer work hours there’s resentment but when recently a Corporate Honcho suggested 90 hr workweek, his exhortation had pressures reach a breaking point from all quarters. More so, his innocuous remark about one aimlessly‘staring at the spouse’ rather than working on Sundays, has been met by wild memes & jeers & no cheers fromanyone !

If this Gent had read the Davies poemat hisleisure any time in life, he wouldn’t use the word ‘stare’ loosely. The poet meant ‘gaze’ and gentle reflection. But all married people (barring newly-weds) know ‘staring’ at your spouse (&definitelyatother’s! ) is quite fraught with big risks. Normally the home-makers react tersely ‘Why are you staring, is my new hairdo soawful ?’ or ‘Stop staring and get busy, there’s lots to be done !’. When the Mrs stares at her better-half, it often means ‘This explanation had better be a good one !’. Yet ‘loyalty is the best policy’& Mr.Anand Mahindra gallantly says ‘I love staring at my Wife’. Others express words meaning leave ‘Sunday’ alone !

Maintaining a proper work-life balance is not only important for health, well-being & relationships, but it can also improve an employee’s productivityand ultimately his performance and life in general. Put simply, if our people don’t view work as a chore, then they will work harder, make fewer mistakes and will be there to spend more time with the family and for leisure, even stare lovingly at the spouse (in extreme cases ) !

Many of my friends chastise me for ‘taking, walking, speaking’ cricket in most things I write and talk about. That’s not too strange in a nation where the game is a religion. However, when a living legend like Ravi Ashwin who’s been around for 18 years and has become India’s second highest wicket taker, suddenly decides to hang up his boots with no ostensible reasons offered, it’s Ashwin’s ultimate carrom ball to his followers& fans compelled to ask ‘Why now ?’ to his fast in-cutting delivery – ‘Why not now’ ?

For better part of last week, glowing tributes and statistical eulogies have pervaded the social media ,from past legends, ex-team-mates, gloomy dressing room comradesto rivals in the opposite camps and ace-presenter Harsha Bhogle to sports scribes like Boria Mazumdar, all have shared their admiringly personal takes on their association, interactions & experiences with the great ‘Offie’ & India’s thinking ‘Anna’ of Cricket. Shocked, sad, disappointed are understatements to fans who followed fascinatingly Ashwin’s tumultuous journey the crescendo of high fives and silence of ‘sitting it out’.

As a movie buff, I recall our love for Western movies where the impassively tough guys after vanquishing baddies, would ‘ride into the sunset’ not waiting for laurels & despite his unceremonious exit (some would say), Ash remains a hero of many battles. A highly illustrious career was obviously drawing to a close but to end like this was an Alfred Hitchcock thriller building up to a climax but curtains came down too soon. Since we’re not averse to drawing parallels, when ‘God of Cricket’ Sachin played his final match at Wankhede & gave an emotional speech, Mumbai stopped for few hours. Why’s India’s most celebrated off-spin wizard not being celebrated for lofty standards in taking a life-changing decision on his terms and make way for many in the wings ?

A lot has been said and we’ll hear more on ‘Ashwin’ saga but what comes as a truly heartwarming tribute is from the person closest to his heart, his wife Priti, that we found in this Sunday’s TOI ! The piece is below – emotional, beautiful and inspiring !