Stars : Anupam Kher, Annu Malik, Mahima Chaudhary, Manoj Joshi

Watch on :  Zee 5

When the choice on OTT is between a frothy comedy and a moving human drama, the coin generally flips for the funny one. At times we opt for learning how to look at the vagaries of life with the right perspectives. Directed by Gajendra Ahire, ‘The Signature’ is a film that’s touches the raw nerve with sombre intensity and it’s heart-wrenching story-telling, yet with the most relatable feel that most of us may have gone through.

Many facets of a senior citizen’s traumatic experiences get conveyed through the eyes and actions of the protagonist, Arvind who’s blissful after 35 years of settled married life with devoted wife Madhu, around whom his life revolves. Fate strikes a cruel blow and she suddenly falls critically into a coma and requires life support and medicines endlessly called for at exorbitant cost.

Arvind cannot dream of life without her & doggedly pins faith on the medical treatment with unrelenting hope of her recovery. But with mounting medical costs things start falling apart as his own kith & kin question pursuing of a hopeless cause, putting huge financial stress on them. The Doctor simply explains ‘being clinically alive’ is different from ‘becoming normal’.

Somewhere after first half, as the film becomes heavy footed & viewer feels emotionally as drained as Arvind (constantly ‘clutching at straws’ since he’s morally bound not to ‘give up’ despite repeated setbacks), a new character breezes in like a breath of fresh air. Ambika is an old friend from young days and their beautiful relationship is revived as they exchange notes on what life has given them. But listening to her travails yet a stoic acceptance of it all, Arvind gets a new perspective at how he should be looking at things.

Anupam Kher (as Arvind) carries the film on his shoulders like a colossus and proves yet again that he’s a master of his craft. For fans, there’s likely to be an implicit reference to the memorable role he played in Saaransh (1984) as an idealistic, retired school teacher who despite his personal loss, finds purpose in fighting insolent might and injustice. Many brilliant award winning performances have followed therafter.

In this film he poignantly depicts the moral dilemma that epitomizes devotion in a difficult and cruel world. Mahima Chaudhary, famed yester year’s star who comes in a lovely cameo as Ambika, is a big surprise & lights up the screen. Annu Kapoor as a loyal friend is naturally amiable and the other supporting actors are impressive.

Finally, like all good things it reminded of us our early philosophical lessons – of a heart-warming tale that we had read in school called ‘Gift of the Magi’ by French writer Guy Du Maupassant about the irony of life. As Ambika says in the film, be happy and grateful for what you’ve got and learn to accept what comes your way ! ‘That is Life’. Live it !

( Those Icons called ‘Greatest of All Times )

In a world with ever-changing vocabularies and new slang being generated with every meme, rap song, and vine video, it’s hard (but important!) to keep up with everything the Gen Z and today’s generation of whiz-kid netizens on the block, say these days. For a long time I was afraid to use the term ‘FOMO’ with my young nieces and nephews, lest it meant anything impolite, till someone younger and wiser explained – that’s the reason why we check our mails, chats & breaking news first thing, it’s the ‘Fear of Missing Out’ !      

Much in vogue today is a massive acronym “GOAT” that took some time getting used to. Sometimes we have to go back to our ‘ROTE’’ schooling and unlearn to be relevant. Our teachers would eulogize the less talkative pupils and say ‘Look at him/her, as quiet as a lamb’ (or a docile goat !). Later while growing up with elder siblings, I’d overhear them exchanging talks ‘He Get’s My Goat !’ and showing disgust. It would make me wonder ‘Why the poor goat, again ?’. Studies revealed that it meant making someone annoyed or angry. This expression reportedly comes from a tradition in horse racing – thought to have a calming effect on high-strung thoroughbreds, a goat was placed in the horse’s stall on the night before the race. Take goat away and the horses lose their cool ! 

That however, has nothing to do with ‘GOAT’ we are now alluding to and with immense awe and respect. It is a kind of title obviously reserved for an incomparable legendary figure. The back-story of ‘GOAT’ as an acronym for “(the) Greatest of All Time” (also considered as a noun) originally referred to Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time. Ali himself  is reported to have publicly and immodestly proclaimed -‘I’m the Greatest’ and we are also informed that first written usage is from 1992 as G.O.A.T. Inc., the name of a company incorporated by Muhammad Ali’s wife. 

In our young days, ‘GOAT’ term hadn’t appeared but our parents & seniors were staunch fans of their idols from different fields. For my Dad, KL Saigal, the legendary singer of the 1930s was the ultimate in music but today’s generation would hardly know of him. ‘GOAT’ in true sense should relate to an era and to say ‘Greatest for all times’ may not work as choices, styles and technology evolves over time. To choose between ‘GOATs’ like RD Burman and AR Rahman, both masters of fusion music, wouldn’t do justice !  Rarely there’s universal acceptance save for icons like Tagore, Ray, Lata Mangeshkar. To focus on the ‘Greatest’, we need to wisely pick from different eras & diverse fields !

In the extraordinary world of politics, ‘GOATs’ may have champions while others may be detractors and tacitly putting any leader on a high pedestal is akin to idol worship. In school, some boys would claim ‘My Dad is Bigger than Yours’- that seems to have been adopted by the followers with the ideological slogan ‘Our GOAT is Better than Yours’ !   

Stars : Yul Brynner, Steve Mcqueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Eli Wallach, Robert Vaughn & Horst Bucholz 

Watch on : Prime Video

Some films become classics of their genre and this ranks as one of the best in Westerns that were followed by many others including the ‘Clint Eastwood’ series later. For those watching it for the first time, the plot and the rugged locales for this action-packed film  would seem familiar. That’s it became the inspiration for at least two Indian movies that explored and adapted it’s rustic feel and the tough terrain for a powerful tale of revenge.

The first Hindi movie that virtually lifted it’s story was the brilliant ‘Khote Sikkey’ (1974) which starred Feroz Khan as a kind of ‘Lone Ranger’ with a pack of second-string actors, each making an impact and the well-made film was a fairly successful. However, it was the other, Ramesh Sippy’s magnum opus ‘Sholay’ (1975) that broke all box-office records and became a all time cult film for its action, script, dialogues & huge ensemble star-cast in memorable roles. Not acknowledging it in their recent bio-series ‘Angry Young Men’ acclaimed script writers of ‘Sholay’, Salim-Javed must’ve been inspired by this classic !

Having said that, lets come to the original ‘Magnificent 7’ that has a stunning line-up of great action stars coming together (you’ll find three actors who were in vintage war  film ‘The Great Escape’). This is a simple tale of hard working farmers in a remote Mexican village who are tormented by a band of ruthless bandits led by the cunning Calvera (played superbly by Eli Wallach) who steal their food, burn homes and kill men offering any resistance. The village folk have no means except to suffer being looted all the time. 

Out of desperation the village wise old man advises them to find ways to fight back and three farmers visit nearby town for help. They meet Chris an experienced gunslinger, who then forms a team with six other men in order to save the village from the bandits and Calvera’s domination.

However, each of the seven men have their own backgrounds and reasons for joining forces for this cause. They reveal their inner conflicts and the streak of humanity that exists in the gunmen. Being a cult Western, there are no item numbers like Helen’s ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba..’ or cameo-characters such as ‘Basanti’, ‘Chacha’, ‘Jailor’ & ‘Chachi’ and Chief Calvera isn’t quite as menacing as ‘Gabbar Singh’.   

Such was the success of this movie in it’s time that a sequel ‘Return of the Seven’ was later made and another adaptation in 2016 with a star cast led by ‘Denzil Washington’.  We’ve all seen ‘Sholay’ and know the crispy dialogues & crunch lines by heart. Now catch the American ‘Sholay’ of the 60s for its originality and powerful actors from that era led by the magnificent Yul Brynner  !

KBC Show & Styling : 

(16^th Season on Sony TV)

It would be audacious for ordinary mortals like us to embark on any commentary on the popularity of the ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ (KBC) and it’s ageless host almost in a new & different avatar, in get-up and dress-wise and with his charm and charisma intact, show after show. Over the years, viewers and doubtlessly the ‘hot seat’ occupants have been enlightened & entertained by the wit and style of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, donning many show-stopping outfits (no hats yet !) that have been the talk of the town.

Those sartorially traditional in taste (includes my late Dad & ‘woke’ me and some retired old-world friends), what’s fascinating is the range of wear that Big B carries off with the panache of a ‘Cary Grant’ or Ashok Kumar (Dadamoni) of the yesteryears. From three-piece suits, bowties, stylish scarves, and the more conventional striped suit and grey tie and occasional safari suits and plain shirt and coat look, it all sits so well on the icon !  

All this has led us to do a bit of research on this fine aspect of the amazing “KBC’ show and we read that stylist Priya Patil is the one-woman army who has been instrumental in making television’s favourite host look dapper every season. Remarkably, it’s a lady stylist who’s got such an eye for current male fashion trends, and keeps in mind the age and stature of the iconic persona who dons the clothes designed. Big B has the classic look and George Clooney could also take lessons on how he’d like to appear at age 83, but without giving the impression of a super-star who’s light fades away with time.

Quoting some lines from an interview given earlier by the stylist “He will be seen in classic three-piece suits, Bandhgalas and Jodhpuris, but am introducing a Colour Play which will be a contrasting combination of colours. To elaborate, waistcoats will have colour patterns like wine against navy, black and white, powder blue and navy, pinstripes with plains, checks with plains, and more” Oh, nuances of the sophisticated ! More importantly, however grand or resplendent or suave the dress is, it’s the man (or lady) wearing them, who must carry them off with aplomb & with consummate ease !   

There’s however, one or two small aberrations that I’d like to humbly point out after all the eulogy on Big B’s attire. How on earth can one wear sneakers and coloured/striped socks to go with a three piece suit ? My 37 year old son corrects me as that’s the in-thing. My other small charge is that Big B prides himself as part-Bengali having an very old association with Kolkata and of course our Jaya Didi being a Bong. Durga Pujas are on their way, why not have a Bong Moshai look also – White Dhuti, Punjabi and Shawl !

They say about close matches ‘it doesn’t end till it ends’ but what’d one say of persisting to watch the Kanpur Test Match after two and half days were lost to weather and a sheer draw was on the cards. Die-hards (and cricket buffs essentially retired) will never say die and sit down and watch players going through the motions. But there’s a twist in tales these days , ever since the ‘Hitman’ philosophy of attacking cricket has gained traction ! 

In the post match presentation, Rohit, winning captain of an incredible turnaround win talked of the strategy adopted and the targets set for everyone to follow, eyes wide open ! The Bangla Desh batters who didn’t know what hit them in the last two days, first the blitzkrieg from the openers led by Rohit himself with the unstoppable Jaiswal and then the bowlers doing the bundling job with deadly acumen in Bangla’s second innings. The crowds got their money’s worth but ‘leadership’ trainers can take a leaf out of this.

It reminds of the financial ‘targets’ that would be set for Branch Managers in terms of key parameters in the Bank during our time around a decade back. While a certain  annual rise from the previous year’s figures is reasonable, authorities would demand rhetorically ‘Any target that’s easily achievable isn’t worth taking’ and exhort BMs, to their utter dismay, to take up ‘challenging targets’ along with normal targets. It was a clever ploy that if you aim very high, then you land up at least above the ground level ! What about the pressure of failure on Managers that given targets were unattainable ?

However, coming back to ‘Rohit’s challenging target for his batters’ there was cushion that failure to score wasn’t considered poor as long as the right intent (efforts) showed on the field. His rationale for high targets was attaining the ultimate goal of qualifying high for the WTC and that was shared in spirit by all players. Targets mean nothing but higher figures if there isn’t an underlying corporate philosophy of growth with quality.   

In the ‘Rohit’ (and Coach Gambhir) case study is the trust and belief that was reposed by all the stakeholders in each other’s commitment and having the other’s back to fall on. While cricket is a team game where collective brilliance matters more than individual excellence, leaders in organizations look for big players and don’t emphasize role that team bonding, empathy, close camaraderie plays in putting together a great business result. Low performers will change to great with conducive and supportive environment.   

Stars :  Harry Connick Jr., Agni Scott & Ali Fumiko Whitney

Watch on :  Netflix

In the famous play ‘Julius Caesar’, Shakespeare had said ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men..’ and somewhat in the same vein, we have gotten into the romance-drama genre of films of late and in continuation of the several delightful ones we’ve been excavating from the plethora of OTT films, came ‘Find Me Falling’ that’s funny & heart-warming.

Usually one finds Bollywood movies often taking the cue from English/foreign films (some are disclosed as adapted from the original) but this one was quite Hindi filmy being set in an idyllic Greek locale like Cyprus that’s as dreamy as an old ‘Yash Chopra’ movie setting. There are all the ingredients of the Bollywood style mushy romance – a story with emotions, lost love, misunderstandings, drama and yes, even soulful songs ! However, here the characters look cool, funny, laid back and don’t resort to melodrama. 

It’s about a American rock star who wishes to get away from it all after his last album bombs and finds a remote beach-house that’s on a dreamy Mediterranean island to get peace and tranquility. Little does he know that his new cliff-side home for all its scenic calm beauty is also an infamous spot that drives people to take their lives by jumping off the cliff. Caught in a situation he’s not ready for yet instantly feels about, he’s befriended by the local police chief who introduces him to his family. As they visit the local bistro or pub, and meets new characters, a huge surprise awaits him like in a ‘blast from the past’.

As the macho looking, aging rock-star, Connick Jr is endearing playing the charming celebrity the locals wish to know more about but who wishes to remain as low profile as possible. Things start to happen and secrets start tumbling out as two attractive Greek women (beautifully portrayed by Agni Scott & Ali Fumiko Whitney) enter the scene. The Bollywood ‘family drama’ is there, yet it’s not a tear-jerker and has many fun moments and you do come up ‘smelling of roses’ and sunshine with a proverbial happy-ending ! 

‘Ask no questions and you will be told no lies’ is an oft quoted idiom while Hamlet‘s famously problematic line ‘To be or not to be, is the question’ has been part of our literary education that has raised questions on questions ! Asking questions in quest for knowledge and understanding has been a part of growing up. We’ve been asking them at all stages in life & work and answering them all the time as parents, teachers, mentors, coaches, workers, managers, guides, directors etc and surely as ruling political leaders !   

Senior executives in leadership roles have much of their workday is spent in asking for information from HR brass & other Depts., requesting status updates from team leaders on competitors, pushing sales guys for targets or marketing efforts. Unlike professionals lawyers, journalists, accountants and doctors, who are taught how to ask questions as an essential part of their training, few people and bosses in general, think of questioning as a skill that can be honed or consider how their own answers to questions could make conversations more productive or provoke discontent. So, Communication courses and Soft Skills experts have sessions on ‘asking questions’ that emphasize that you’ll get the right information based on what and how you ask, as questions are of various types.  

I recall a gentle ragging session in our College – the fresher knocks ‘Can I enter ?’ Seniors correct him with ‘Kind Sirs, may I please join your esteemed company !’ If this is painfully didactic, then people while proposing may have quirky styles, but popping the ‘big question’ needs some tact. ‘You are an amazing catch’ isn’t polite even if exciting but ‘My name is Chance, do I have one ?’ isn’t bad ! Sure, in the new world it sounds archaic. In job interviews, questions posed may sound irrelevant but test one’s presence of mind. Biggest challenge is with generations so apart, one doesn’t have answers to their questions.

Some of us who have been teachers, trainers or well versed in the art of public speaking, aren’t afraid of any questions thrown at them by the audience. In fact, after a session, a confident speaker will say ‘If there are no questions, it means that you’ve either not got anything or understood everything !’. But here’s the catch, experienced ones discern the ‘wrong uns’ that are meant to hijack the main theme or create confusion for others ! For that one needs to be a good listener and get the drift for answering without discomfort.

Ideally speaking we teach- be a good listener, don’t be afraid of questions, do your research, use silence to advantage, ask probing questions, keep the questions short etc. It’s different with the current the trend of public debates that are aired on prime time TV, where angry speakers and aggressive anchors slug it out on political issues. There’s little listening, lots of interjections, personal barbs exchanged and diversions from the topic, so that their parties are not shown in bad light at any cost. At times, the anchors ask such long questions that the concerned speaker loses track of what’s being asked !   

Let’s set right examples to Gen X, Y Z for choosing the best type, tone, sequence, and framing of questions and for deciding what and how much information to share to reap the most benefit from interactions, not just for themselves and their employers but for the society at large !

Stars : Hilary Swank & Alan Ritchson

Watch on :  Netflix

If despite years of movie binging, a film can warm the cockles of the heart in a story of compassion, goodness & unconditional service to humanity, then its gotta be a mighty fine one. As the quiet evening yesterday had rains descending in a downpour, we saw in the beautifully moving film ‘Ordinary Angels’, an outpouring of warm emotions too. For those who seek ‘feel-good’ movies that are heart-wrenching, this is the one !    

The story in ‘Ordinary Angels’ centres on a struggling hairdresser Sharon who finds a new sense of purpose after reading about a tragic story in a Kentucky newspaper. Ed, played by Alan Ritchson, is a recently widowed father of two daughters – one of whom is waiting for an organ transplant. Sharon a mid-aged alcoholic and who’s life is adrift after a failed marriage and being estranged from her young son, lives aimlessly till she makes her life’s mission to help the hard working father Ed, the small time builder, with his mounting medical bill and financial problems so that he’s able to save his daughter.

It’s an inspirational tale of a devoted father who’s lost his young wife and is struggling alone to find means for the medical treatment of his little girl and like a ‘angel’ Sharon barges into his family life and starts sorting things out for them one by one, putting aside her own professional commitments like a crusader, which confuses Ed at first. In a selfish world who gives up anything for others – he finds Sharon’s continuing presence and help difficult to accept but Sharon explains her life too is getting changed with this !  The last 20 mts thrill & uplift –it’s an indomitable show of human spirit of compassion.

The film is based on real events that occurred in Kentucky in the early 1990s that saw a local hairdresser step in and launch fundraisers to help the family with their medical debt and finally organise the child’s journey via private plane whenever a donated liver became available. Locally named the “snow baby”, Michelle Schmitt and her father were helped by a stranger, Sharon Stevens and their community, to get from Louisville to Nebraska for an organ transplant during a historic snowstorm.

As for the main actors, Hilary Swank as Sharon is awesome in a role different from her rave performances as Brandon Teena in Kimberly Peirce‘s Boys Don’t Cry (1999) and as Maggie Fitzgerald in Clint Eastwood‘s Million Dollar Baby (2004). Both performances earned her widespread critical acclaim & two Academy Awards for Best Actress. As Ed, Ritchson battles all the way & is very impressive and understated as a wonderful Dad !

Stars : Ashok Kumar, Rajendra Kumar & Nanda

Watch on : Prime Video

For lovers of old classics from the 1960s era of Hindi movies there is some good news ! Prime Video has now in its collection ‘Kanoon’, considered as a masterpiece of all times in crime thriller genre from the renowned house of Director BR Chopra. Not only did it receive critical acclaim for superbly taut screenplay and powerful performances of lead actors but created a path breaking cult of a Hindi film made sans any songs in entirety.

There’s also considerable nostalgia involved with the film for cinema buffs like us who first saw it at the age of ten and yet the impact of its gripping story telling of an amazing murder mystery played out in a tense courtroom battle, still lingers after six decades !  For the present day viewers it may look dated in its wordiness and rhetorical style yet here’s a thriller that’s perplexing and carries ‘edge of the seat’ suspense till it’s very end.

The brilliance of the film is raised by its superb star cast led by thespian Ashok Kumar as the learned judge who’s confronted with the most trying case of his life and Rajendra Kumar his protégé and ace lawyer, caught in moral dilemma while defending his client. Young Nanda plays the female interest opposite Rajendra Kumar as she’s caught in the crossfire of conflict of moralities between two people she loves dearly. The plot is about a court trail of the murder of an unscrupulous moneylender who blackmails for money.

The huge ensemble cast has many known faces – Om Prakash, Mehmood, Manmohan Krishna, Shashikala, Iftekar. As the petty impoverished thief who accidently stumbles over the crime scene and gets accused of the killing, Nana Patekar steals the show & if I recall rightly, he also bagged the Filmfare award of Best Supporting Actor for this film. Another interesting feature is the edgy and taut background score that has come from none other than the great Music Director, Salil Chowdhary, known for his lilting songs.   

‘Kanoon’ wasn’t just a crime thriller film that simply entertained us. It was a great social commentary on the judicial systems and the criminal jurisprudence wherein guilt was proved based on material evidence that could be wrongly presented or interpreted. In essence the film was a strong indictment of the law of capital punishment at its core.   

As dramatic events unfold globally, life moves on at a rapid pace yet the past has a habit of catching up with us. Call it ‘deja-vu’ and the today’s youth might term it as – ‘a blast from the past’ ! With TV’s big fights, fiery debates, analytical discussions & prescriptive discourses of varying intellectual capacities and ideologies are engulfing most netizens & our friends (few have turned fr-enemies!), I’m reminded of an interesting real-life event that I was privy to witnessing some two decades back as a fledgling trainer in the Bank.

In a forum for test launch of a new scheme of the Bank, two experienced trainers were on the floor deftly articulating highlights (hardly anything on any de-merits, for obvious marketing reasons ) of the good things to come, for the benefit of an august audience of senior bank officers and executives. Post-session analysis was done by the senior-most executive trainer and our ‘Training Boss’. While evaluating the training performance, he asked the trainee interns like us – were the two trainers in sync and moving in tandem ?

Not getting fearlessly frank responses he was looking for, he gave his considered views. The two trainers were not quite on same page – while trainer 1 was talking about ground level, operational issues and the nitty-gritty of execution, trainer 2 was expounding on the great mission, a utopia that was in the making ! Since both were talking on the same issue, they appeared to operating in different spheres and the gap was not really bridged till the end of the session. The lesson learnt-  think big but with your feet on the ground !

This program happened many years ago, but the events look astonishingly similar to the present scenario where debates (heated political ones) are the flavor for all seasons and find favour with TV anchors and media for the TRPs they generate. Notice that while the issues for discussion mostly relate to people’s problems (inflation, jobs, civic amenities , education, health), inevitably the blame-game and fault finding of their predecessors starts and spokespersons defending the shortcomings, astutely resort to ‘Whataboutery’ by listing out achievements in unrelated fields and quote data that’s global and holistic.  

Keys to improving debating skills and quality are facing up to hard facts with objectivity, and being realistic on both strengths and weaknesses pointed out. Accepting and acting on unbiased feedback, that’s not favourable and laudatory, but honest and factual is vital for all parties concerned. To be ‘shown the mirror’ is democracy’s gift to all the leaders !