Coffee shop

Polished mahogany

Untouched coffee

Lingering aromas

Diffusing slowly

As I wait

Calmly palpitating

At the table by the door

I ponder

Till my temples hurt

A sip of cappuccino

to sooth my nerves

Ripples on the surface

Deep brown and creamy

I stir them violently

Mini storm

In the coffee cup

Hot caffeine on my tongue

Bittersweet memories

Flood my brain

Bittersweet is what I taste

One second

One minute

An hour

Tick tock

Collected thoughts

Dissipate like the aroma

That lingers no more

Mahogany, once warm

Has gone cold

And I still wait

At the table by the door

Barfi!

Dear fellow bloggers,

You guys HAVE to watch this movie, even if you are unable to comprehend Hindi. You will realise what I mean after watching this beautiful film!

Go watch it at your nearest theatre now, because it has been released world-wide!

Go. Just Go.

Your starry-eyed blogger,
Anju


I have never been completely anti-Bollywood. I do have a list of favourites, and likewise a list of the ones I hate. However, lately I had been disgusted with the bout of out-and-out commercial, over the top, shady Hindi films that had poured out. Gaudy cinematography. Actors hamming their way through almost every scene. Yes, I was pretty annoyed and disappointed with this dismal phase our industry was going through. I stopped bothering about upcoming trailers, movies, movie-buzz etc, etc.


And then from somewhere came Barfi like a breath of fresh air. I watched it today, in fact barely half an hour ago. Of course, my fingers itched to touch the keyboard, and type out words; good words praising this soulful film!


A carefree, deaf and mute boy (Yes, that's Barfi aka Murphy, played by Ranbir Kapoor), a lovable autistic girl (Priyanka Chopra), and another who is perfectly normal yet dissatisfied with her life (Ileana D'cruz) , the amazing camaraderie and love they share, endearing humour depicted through actions, gestures and a pot pouri of emotions - that's what Anurag Basu's latest flick is about.

I'm afraid I'll divulge the whole plot if I actually describe the movie in great detail. You know an actor's good if you refer to him by his character's name. And likewise an actress. Ranbir Kapoor (Barfi) and Priyanka Chopra were simply phenomenal. Playing the roles of physically/mentally challenged protagonists without evoking pathos in the audience is a feat, and they have achieved it! Respect.

I am not usually the one to notice the technical aspects of a film, but, yes, this movie brought those details to the forefront as well.  Set in the 1970s, the story unfolds in the quaint city of Darjeeling, wonderfully depicted through clean shots, homely folks, vivid colours with emphasis on nature, especially the mountains and the pines that add to the charm. Love hasn't been portrayed through intimate scenes, instead through affection manifesting in subtle gestures - another point that makes the movie tick!


The dialogues, though minimal and subtle, are meaningful. The innovative use of silence in this film, to indicate almost all aspects of human nature, especially conflict, is the highlight, undoubtedly.

The tears are imminent of course, but an emotionally charged scene is cleverly followed up by an instance of comedy that doesn't let you linger onto the blues.


A few hitches include a vague crime, and one or two loose ends towards the climax. But those are easily overshadowed by everything I mentioned above.

Words are important but not when it comes love. Barfi says it all through his silence.

Happy watching!

P.S: Do watch it and drop a comment below regarding your opinion about the movie. :-)

Going solo

Confidence is a sexy feeling

I sang Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" for our intercollegiate fest. Today.

I have gone solo in the past, but I somehow end up compromising on that 100% effort I usually put in during the practices and rehearsals. It unfortunately diminishes to a mere 50%, leaving me feeling quite dejected by the end of it.

Today was different. I feel sort of...erm..proud..of my performance. Credit goes to my friend, who provided an excellent keyboard accompaniment. I didn't want to bungle up and douse all the enthusiasm that had been an integral part of our practice sessions.

Okay, I'm making it sound like it was something very crucial, almost a life-or-death situation. It was actually just a solo singing competition for a usual college fest, that I assumed I might eventually forget.

But, looking at it now, I guess I will cherish this day. My voice didn't waver. I didn't quiver. I hit the high notes. The words flowed smoothly. I worked at the expression. I know I did it. I feel happy with myself, something that is very rare.

I think I gave my 100%. I don't care about the competition. I think the stage is lovely. The euphoria after a good performance lies at a higher level than triumph, though I did feel triumphant for having gotten over my fear.

I think I just tasted confidence.