Stars : Charles Bronson &  Jill Ireland

Watch on  :  Prime Video

In the Hollywood of 1980-90s, came a string a macho guys fighting crime on the streets and slew of action thrillers that ran in a series with one defining central character & different plots. As young men then, not the ‘angry’ type but looking for excitement, these well built, impassive, tough guys often taking on the law-enforcers to get instant justice, evoked awe and admiration from our generation.

As movie buffs, we find it possibly started in 1971 ‘Dirty Harry’ cop-series with Clint Eastwood, in 1974 ‘Death Wish’ series with Charles Bronson, later in 1988 ‘Die Hard’ series with Bruce Willis and a plethora fast paced action films with stars Sly Stallone, Schwarzeneger, Mel Gibson etc. Action blockbusters over ‘Suspense’ genre for thrills. Somewhere in 1970s Bollywood too, was discovering its ‘Angry Young Man’ in Big B !

Coming to the film Death Wish 2, second film of the series, why not start with the first ? Personally I was drawn to the plot that’s an out and out revenge story. Carrying on from the first movie, Architect Paul Kersey once again becomes a vigilante when he tries to find the five street punks who murdered his daughter and housekeeper. Since NY police are unable to control the unbridled wave of crimes, Paul walks the street incognito & scratches city’s underbelly to unearth criminals and thereby creates fear among them.

Another reason is that having seen this, one would instantly recall the resemblance to the plot of a well-made Hindi film by BR Chopra – ‘Aaj Ki Awaaz’ (1984) starring Raj Babbar and Smita Patil. We’d admit this one was inspired by the Bronson thriller. No spoilers, it’s important to say that Hindi version is Indianised with different ending. For fans of the rugged Charles Bronson (recall him in ‘The Great Escape’), it’s worth a watch. 

Like it or not some things will unkindly remind us that we are getting on in years (let’s not use the word ‘old’, which according to my friends refers to octogenarians only ! ). No  it’s not arthritis, dementia, depression and all that stuff – the simple fact of elderly life is that we often mislay our most useful possessions –  glasses, mobiles, medicines, car keys, cards. We search high & low, remote places in the house like under the bed and behind almirahs and blame our innocent spouses for carelessness yet not look under the nose.

To borrow from George Orwell’s famous lines ‘All men & women tend to forget as they turn grey,  but some are more forgetful than the others’. Here’s where the early habits come in handy and one of the practices I watched my Dad follow was that there were places marked for clothes, watch, glasses, wallet etc, for he taught us ‘everything must be in its proper place’ for orderly living. Remember, gadgets hadn’t started ruling lives in the 60s-70s – there were few items to manage. Today each family member may have 1 /2 mobiles, TV ( with remotes) in every room, more than one car & their sets of keys and license, insurance, renewal documents for each, apart from inevitable Aadhar & PAN.

It was later on that I learnt the full phrase ‘A place for everything and everything in its place’. It’s a principle of order that means to keep things in their correct positions to stay organized. It’s often attributed to Benjamin Franklin.  Also the 5’S’ method of work in assembly lines specially, involves sorting, setting, shining, standardizing, sustaining, the “set” stage follows this principle.  In this stage, workers position items based on how often they’re used, with frequently used items kept closer at hand. This means that the best way to stay well organized is to keep things in their correct positions.

However, daily domesticated life is not that simple for we have members with different lifestyles and ideologies. In the previous order ( our parent’s time) we looked to preserve things and value them such as polishing our leather shoes which would last for ten years and school teachers insisted on neatness. In the present ‘use and throw’ set-up gadgets get replaced every three years either due to new technology for new fashion. Why treat them like prized items when there’s a shinier, sleeker model on its way as Ads suggest.

Yet senior citizens with many years of marital experience know how to be supportive at home and know where exactly her glasses are lying and her mobile might have slipped under the chair cushion. With plethora of passwords/log in keys needed for both of us for various digital transactions and their safety, I have decided to become the custodian. This is not to claim greater IQ since kitchen is wife’s exclusive domain and all kinds of miracles emerge from there. It’s only my analytical part and my banking past helps me.

BTW, I can’t find my old phone book with vital nos. Is my ‘old’ age making a cameo ?!      

Stars                :  Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes and David Cross

Watch on       :  Prime Video

Made about sixteen years back, the film should rank as one of the outstanding films that are currently on the OTT circuit and for fans of the peerless actress, Kate Winslet (who first hit super stardom with her mega blockbuster ‘Titanic’ in 1997) this is a real treat. We have been following her films and apart from her astonishingly haunting beauty, her acting prowess & power to emote is at par with greats like Meryl Streep & Julia Roberts.

This is not a frothy entertainer like her film ‘Holiday’ but a dark human drama with her reprising the role of an older German woman, Hanna Schmitz in a deglamorised avatar. The film is non-linear in its narrative style and employs a lot of flashbacks frequently shifting from the past to the present and vice versa. The younger man is played with great sensitivity by David Cross while famed actor Ralph Fiennes has the mature part. It tells the post war (1958) story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who, as a 15-year-old has a deep relationship with an older woman, Hanna and fateful incidents that follow.

Their liaison is of a young man’s infatuation with a mysterious woman who not only is attracted to his youth but loves his art of reading stories from famous books to her. But after a few months that bring bliss into their lives, she disappears only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a guard at a Nazi concentration camp. As a law student attending the trial from the audience, Michael realizes that Hanna is keeping a personal secret she believes is worse than her Nazi past. He struggles but cannot reveal the secret which could help her at the trial. Even with her sentencing, Hanna in prison cell realizes a dream, giving her fulfillment. 

Films that are based on war crimes and delivering justice have been emotive and people react in different ways to the horrors as was superbly depicted in the film “Judgement at Nuremberg’ (1961) starring Spencer Tracy. ‘The Reader’ has Kate Winslet in Hanna’s complex character portrayed with perfection specially in the anguish that are conveyed through her eyes and withering that comes with age. For her stunning  performance, Winslet won the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor.

One point that needs mention is that the movie is meant for mature audiences only and not recommended for young children for it’s explicit scenes and complex relationships.

Starring : Karthi, Arvind Swami, Sri Vidya & Swathi

Watch on : Netflix (with Hindi Audio & English Sub-titles)  

It’s sometimes like a breath of fresh air when good regional language films come our way which have the earthy flavor and a cultural ethos that is their own. Being a probasi (staying outside Kolkata) Bengali I’ve had the privilege of watching old Bengali classics, the Uttam-Suchitra hits and some of the modern cinema, that’s not too good. Thanks to OTT (and sub-titling) we’ve also enjoyed quite a few wonderful South Indian films too.

‘Meiyazhagan’ is a Tamil-language drama film written and directed by C. Prem Kumar that has a quaint story to tell with remarkable simplicity that blends beautifully with natural canvas of the countryside. Arul, a mid-aged man, has to for unavoidable reasons revisit his home town after 22 years of literally being abandoned from it. While there’s nostalgia for returning to roots, unsettling feeling is of revisiting the unpleasant past !

His life gets changed when he bumps into someone from his hometown who then on, follows him like a shadow to render all possible help to the visitor. Slowly, an unlikely friendship develops with this resourceful & exuberant do-gooder who lives life on his terms. Yet there’s an air of ‘mystery’ as Arul is unable to place this man. The experience is elevating for his soul, what haunts him is he’s unable to recognize his benefactor…

For old movie buffs, the languid pace and emotional connect of characters will remind of vintage ‘Bimal Roy’ films of the 60s, for their seamless flow and simplicity of depiction.  

‘Parakh’ (1960) was one such classic -A post master receives a cheque of Rs 500,000, which is to be given to the one who will use it for the people’s benefit. He visits the village incognito and finds every person pretends to be honest to claim it. The satire on values and social inequality in the backdrop of a small village is marvelous in ‘Parakh’ !

The theme where the lead actor’s identity remains shrouded in layers of anonymity has always been intriguing to viewers. Though of a different genre, I recall ‘Agantuk’ (1992) meaning ‘The Stranger’, a brilliant Satyajit Ray film where a well settled lady and her family receive a visit from an elderly man claiming to be her long-lost Uncle. However, as time passes, they begin to question this man’s intentions. Who is he after all ?

Coming back to ‘‘Meiyazhagan’, frankly the superb Arvind Swami as ‘Arul’ was the major attraction for us since he’s been a big heartthrob since ‘Roja’ days, missing for long to again resurface in the recent ‘IC814 Hijack’ Series. Swami’s laid back, natural style has a calming effect that’s again reminiscent of great actors like Balraj Sahni. But Karthi is simply brilliant as the ‘mystery man’ and steals the show with his spontaneity and amazing range for emoting. Other actors are good and everyone underplays their part.

This film is all about goodness that exists in simple people and captures the essence of family bonds and filial connections. It resonates deeply, especially for those who have experienced the warmth of extended family, the simplicity of village life, and the joy of being surrounded by loved ones. Don’t feel guilty shedding a tear or two in appreciation.

It was a ‘Kiwi-full’ Sunday to swallow for Indian fans braving Mumbai’s torrid 32 degree humidity in Wankhede Stadium, steadfast in the hope of a miracle as Rishab’s gallantry stood amongst India’s batting ruins. Those WFH (watching from home) postponed their Dewali engagements waiting for a face-saving win chasing a paltry 147 runs. But Big B had once gravely said ‘Magar Ye Ho Na Saka..’ and we capitulated by 25 runs. A dubious milestone been created in a 3-0 series loss at home India had conjured after 12 years !

My first reaction was : what a splendid performance from the low-profile visitors playing without their regular skipper (Williamson), hero of Second Test (Santner) also sitting it out in Third Test, while others went about the ‘kill’ on foreign soil with same efficiency.  One hadn’t thus far heard of batter Will Young (Man of the Series) and spinner Glenn Philips who posed us myriad problems. We were successful in making champions of Santner and Ajaz Patel by preparing such turning tracks, that suited them more than us.

The reporting (in sports and social media with memes) show outrage to our cricketing senses at a series defeat that’s almost catastrophic in proportion to our past records and amounts to major national debate by experts, analysts, critics and fans alike, since we all know a bit how ‘Test’cricket is played, despite our obsession with the T20 IPL format. The man in the ‘eye of the storm’, beleaguered Captain Rohit has in the press interview pleaded guilty to all the charges framed ( starting from the batting debacle of ‘46’ in the First Test and errors of  judgement, wrong calls in batting order & turning pitches etc.). He has accepted his batting lapses and decided to take the entire blame as the leader !

Since our country has many eminent lawyers (who play the devil’s advocate at times) should Rohit be the only ‘fall guy’ as they would say ? What was the Team Management doing if not advising on the right strategies and rectifying mistakes of the First Test. The experience of Coach GG and senior pro & batting legend Virat was nowhere on display in the 2^nd & 3^rd Test and newbie like Sarfaraz batting down the order forgot his role ! To be fair, Rohit led the charge in the 2^nd innings and we all applauded India’s gumption in going for a win after being bowled out for a shocking ‘46’ in the 1^st . Defense counsel would argue, Rohit was guilty of inept leadership but wasn’t supported by his advisors and support staff while he was up against a resurgent team sans superstars & heroes !

As per reports, Rohit may not fully be part of the prestigious BGT ‘Down Under’ as a shaken Indian side take on mighty Aussies and we have the unenviable task of winning 4 out of the 5 Test matches to qualify for the WTC Finals. What then is the way forward ? For the sake of motivation which team badly needs here’s a great quote that should lift them : “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” (Maya Angelou).        

One of the fondest memories that one nurtures are those about growing up with one’s siblings often reflecting the ‘you have my back’ kind of bonding and ‘my lips are sealed’ trust for keeping secrets. We know there’s also a mild version of cartel formed by elder siblings both as protectors and bullies of much younger siblings, who’re not to be taken seriously and let into family secrets that elder ones may have access to.

Early on all five of us shared an ‘Alma mater’ (till I passed my 4^th Grade) which made the Sinha’s famous in La Martiniere School in hometown Lucknow. Coming of age in early 1970s I was weaned on fine attributes of neat handwriting and good behaviour & not using cuss words, mainly due to influence of my three elder sisters, one of whom had quite a celebrity status for her academic brilliance. When Principal announced the Results each term, Sumita Didi (now Prof Chakravarty) would make us all proud ! 

One common thread amongst us was our great love for literature and classics and films based on them thanks to our Dad. The dramatic world of Hindi cinema has shown heartwarming bonds & love between siblings. From laughter to tears, it has explored the dynamics of brother-sister relationships through fine films that have resonated with audiences across generations. Some films had a deep impact on us as we grew up in 60-70s era. My two elder sisters swooned over Sydney Carton in ‘The Tale of Two Cities’ !

‘Rakhi’ (1962) was our earliest family outing. It’s story of two siblings Radha and Raju orphaned young, but who grow up to become successful entrepreneurs. However, petty differences over their earned wealth and property threaten to ruin their bond. I recall that all of us shed such copious tears when the two get separated that our Dad had a tough time convincing us that this wasn’t for real. One reason for our grief was that the hero was played by Ashok Kumar who resembled our Dad. Waheeda played the sister.

In 1972 came that bold cult film ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ that bowled us over with ‘Dum Maro Dum’ classic sung by Asha. Prashant (Dev Anand) travels to Kathmandu in search of his long lost, younger sister Jassi (Zeenat Aman). He tracks her down but she’s part of a hippie group and it becomes a sad reunion as Dev tries to convince his baby sister to come back home. In the film , Dev Anand sings ‘Phoolon Ka Taron Ka’ that we picked up as a signature ‘sister’ song by a loving brother (for function like ‘Bhai Dhoj’ ! )

As siblings, elder sisters leave home after marriage, settle in far away or even foreign lands as mine did by the ‘70s, last being kid sis & dear friend Kol moving to US in 1979. Over the years we’ve kept in touch, we’ve also exchanged notes on watchable movies that we come across.

As part of my ‘memory bank’ how can I delete another super-hit film ‘Deewar’ (1975) that I’d seen with Didibhai – ‘Bijoya’, a die-hard ‘Big B’ fan ! We both shed tears as Vijay fights the system and turns law-breaker to be finally shot by his younger bro, the dutiful Cop played by Shashi Kapoor ! Films have been an integral part of our lives that have made us laugh & weep together & also remember our Baba. Here’s wishing lots of love on ‘Bhai Phonta’ & great films to watch and savour for my four sisters !

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.