The Six Olympians who did India Proud!

The Six Olympians who did India proud - pushed a door open! Each of them brought a billion smiles and earned a retirement corpus that mainstream careers cannot hope to bring! There's a time for deeper introspection. But this is a time for celebration of the few who put us at position no.55 above developed countries like Finland and developing countries like Mongolia. Sketches by my uncle Sri Sattiraju Sankaranarayana. Hope we don't forget the road to next Olympic glory is paved with herculean efforts and not just good intentions. Cheers!

"Julayi" Movie Review (Telugu)

“Julayi” is definitely one of the most anticipated movies of 2012. It is an acid test for more than a threesome – Director Trivikram who struggled with form in “Mahesh Khaleja” , Allu Arjun who didn’t deliver a hit for a while, Producer Daanayya who’s missing his crores and dusky actress Ileana D’Cruz who is unable to capitalize on her early successes in Tollywood. All four of them needed a hit to resurrect their fortunes . I can’t say whether it’s a hit but the movie doesn’t disappoint – it is quite a wholesome family fare that’s worth a watch.

Director Trivikram Srinivas is one of the star writers who sharpened his narrative skills to make an Olympic triple jump into the hall of fame in Tollywood with terrific screenplay sense, story-telling with verve and an ability to weave many genres into one film. Besides, he can write dialogues that tug your hearts and make  classes and masses clap. Naturally, he is so skilled at writing, screenwriting and directing that one of the three has to outshine the other two. It started to happen around the time when he stopped writing for others (except “Teenmaar” recently) and went into directing. There’s an eclectic mixture of Western cinematic sensibilities with Telugu nativities in most of his narratives where he played a pivotal role in giving a tailormade script. “Manmathudu” drew inspiration from Mel Gibson movie “What women want”. “Athadu” which is a gold standard in modern Tollywood DVD collection is inspired from “Assassins” and so on.

There was some trouble with “Jalsa” and “Mahesh Khaleja” because he was carried away by the star charishma of Pawan Kalyan and Mahesh Babu and the result was either a concoction of neo-Indian pseudo-mythologicals (like an Amish Tripathi novel) or an an urbane take on Naxalism and other economic issues. At heart, Trivikram is a socialist who is inspired by an array of writers from 1920s onwards and all his movies bear a stamp of egalitarianism, inclusive growth and a society that should benefit many not just a chosen few. In between, Trivikram can pack a punch of dialogues that spark off uproarious laughter with both senior and junior artistes. Over the few films he has made, Trivikram has graduated from making unoriginal, punny, school-boyish. joke-book-collection of snippets into more classy, ingenious and Wodehousian sense of humor that sticks. Nothwithstanding this long digression into Trivikram’s style and its origins as seen by a consummate bystander, “Julayi” is an outcome of a renewed Trivikram who has learnt from his experiments that were indulgent in the past. It shows Trivikram’s amazing sense of dialogues that are sharper, wittier and also a return to responsible film-making - a'la the likes of Sreenu Vaitla and Shekar Kammula. However, unlike Shekar Kammula, Trivikram has the ambidexterous knack of appealing to A-class audiences while giving what the masses want to see – non-preachy entertainment, plenty of action, dances and romance that sizzles.

“Julayi” is a balanced film in all of that – it has a huge starcast from Brahmanandam, Ali, Tanikella Bharani, MS Narayana and Kota to veteran Rajendra Prasad, Sonu Sood besides Allu Arjun and Ileana. The story is quite average but the narration is pulsating. Ravi (Allu Arjun) is a naïve youth who believes in making money in a non-linear route; he bets with his father one day that a 10k bundle of cash can be converted into 100k in just two hours. Obviously, Ravi had plans to bet on the IPL matches when he challenged his dad with the deal. His bravado leads him to an episodic run-in with professional killers led by Sonu Sood and Kota Srinivas Rao who plan to usurp a bank’s millions. It sets him off as a cat amongst pigeons because the villains realize that Ravi is a smart aleck who needs more than their mite to be outwitted. The ending is happier even if smaller - the hero polishes off the villains and returns to a cosy job that nets a salary of 25k per month. The message is loud and clear: – hardwork and accumulation of money through self-effort is sweeter than Manna from heaven or mad pursuit of speculative endeavours. The movie has  dramatic flashes of car chases, stunts and a sweet romance with Ileana and oodles of comedy with Rajendra Prasad, Brahmanandam and gang. Allu Arjun is clearly a striking style icon who has finally got a plot that showcases his acting prowessand a director who will give the outreach that he deserves. He is at ease with himself and with the mature starcast that shares the screen. According to me, he is the best dancer in Tollywood and his dancing skills need no attestations. In this movie, DSP’s music has given enough footage to Allu Arjun to get foot-loose. He excels himself again but the dance movements could have had a better frontal view than a sideward, silhouetted slideshow. He could have bettered there.

DSP’s music has topped the charts well before the movie and he has created just the right moods for all the songs. Picturisation of the songs could have been better for a couple of songs. The song before climax and the song before interval are quite vivid and memorable. Ileana would have wanted this movie to give a fresh lease of life. Unfortunately, her acting skills and the range of expressions never permit this – she is stubbornly stale and hopeless. The outage of glamor we saw of Ileana after “Kick”, I am afraid will continue nothwithstanding her role in this film. Rajendra Prasad stands out with a full-length performance that almost runs parallel to the hero – this should be heartening to all his fans.

One last word on the flaws of the film. Trivikram sometimes takes logic to onerously outlandish levels for one part of the story while implanting inscrutable logic to other parts. The manner in which the heist is done by the villains of a bank and their escape from custody with lot of bloodshed is illogical even as the hero Ravi tries to second-guess every move of the villain even as the police look downright dumb beats sanity out of mind. Nevertheless, Trivikram has taken the genre of entertainment to new highs with his characteristic ease of blending action and intelligent-looking plots with a rich ensemble of talent and still penning dialogues that haunt you forever. Even the best writers need better editors , Trivikram will realise– but for now, even 160 minutes of a not-so-sublime plot is good enough reason to open the champagne for those who like to see his report card. He’s earned an A not an A-plus and I will give atleast 3.5 out of 5 for the film.

"The Pen Commandments" by Steven Frank: Book Review

Most books on the art of writing dwell more on the rules of grammar, and the beginnings of story development, plotting, characterisation and growing the novel to the finish before making pre-publishing trips. Not many books exist in the realms of what really goes in the mind of a beginning writer - the one who has to exorcise all the demons that block the wannabe writer's creativity or over-draw it, the one who has to find the tools of trade, draw out reference material and weave the works. I have surveyed such books of tips on writing all my life. "The Elements of Style" is too pedantic even though classy. "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser is a classic and bang-on when it comes to talking about the craft of writing. "Good Writing" by Mitchell Ivers is another welcome addition to the two. "Overcoming Writer's Block" is another tiny yet memorable book on how to break out into the zone of profligate writing. However, the most enjoyable book is "The Pen Commandments" by a lesser-known high-school English teacher in US - Steven Frank.
Its a delightful book that revels in writing for fun at the level where the urge to write should strike us first - when we are still toggling between the love for language and the foundations of a commercial or scientific career.

"Pen Commandments" gives all the kickstarting tools and tenets of writing ourselves to potential, giving some outstanding examples of shiny writing mostly from the high school students of his class. You can well figure out that Steven Frank must have polished most pieces of composition and creative writing that he puts out for our perusal. There are anecdotes, commandments of biblical value and there are countless examples of appropriate grammatical rules intermixed with inviolable style rules. I read this piece almost two Olympics back and still find it a happy bunker to bury my head into whenever I need a resurrection of creativity. It is more elegant and stylish, contemporary and fun to read than a New Yorker piece or an Arthur Plotnick's repost in "Spunk & Bite" ("Strunk and White"). I don't know why Steven Frank never attempted more books after such a dramatic flash of brilliance in the book. "The Pen Commandments" will surprise you and permanently leave you with an incurable love for the English language - it deserves to be widely-read - not just in High Schools but by all who push their pen for any cause.

"Onamaalu" Movie Review (Telugu)

"Onamaalu" in Telugu is an expression used for learning the first letters of the alphabet in school. It is the latest film starring veteran actor Rajendra Prasad. He is an actor who has always had a time-neutral following from NRIs and Indian Residents alike because of associating himself with the most celebrated directors of creative cinema. He has worked with Bapu, Vamshi, Jandhyala, EVV, Krishna Reddy and Krishna Vamshee and has starred in some of the most preciously-revered DVD films of all time in Tollywood. According to me, his defining work in the second avatar as a mature, aged artiste came in the last four films - One, was "Aa Naluguru" (literally means, "those four people who carry our corpse after we are gone"). Second, "Mee Sreyobhilaashi" ("Your Well-Wisher"). Third, "Quick Gun Murugan" (which became a flippant Hollywood co-production that got him international fame). "Ayyare" came and went, but not so much adulation greeted him because he was hardly present in the first half. Now, "Onamaalu" is a fitting fifth film that will enshrine Rajendra Prasad forever in the hearts of Telugu audience. It is a different film and requires a context and patience thats hard to come by in today's multiplex and theatre-controlled environment where the big star movies alone run.

What's the story all about? Its about the scorching pace of Urbanisation and its undermining influence on the source of our values rooted in village. So, Rajendra Prasad is a retired master who gives holistic value-based education in a village in AP and trains batch after batch of students. He is happy being part of a village ecosystem where everyone from Sarpanch to the Post-master live in simple living and high thinking and more importantly, benevolent sharing of the good and the bad, rising above religious and sectarian difference. Time flies and we cut to the scene where, after the passing of his wife Kalyani, he is persuaded to re-locate to the US with his son's family. As he yearns to come back to re-visit his roots in the village, he returns only to find the idealistic world of his former village turned upside down - mass migration of the young generation, deserted look at the school where he taught and apathy of the village folks to what's going on at large. Technology drift has put a spanner in most careers like that of a postman and the teacher, while there's no more large-heartedness of the people and the rustic charms were visibly absent. Does he recreate the old magic? Can he connect with today's generation in loving their roots and going back to the source? That takes the brief climax of the film in a narrative that's reasonably good with occasional flashbacks and cross-flashbacks - take it like "pitta kathalu" (short-story within long story).

There are some hard-hitting dialogues by Mohd Khadeer Babu on the current scenario of nuclear families, hitech lives with low-touch approach, our continuous debasement of everything traditional thinking its not modern.Director K.Kranthi Madhav has characterised well a gentle story of a teacher who teaches all his pupils to be good samaritans without caring about monetary gains. The highlight of the film is the flashback with one batch of pupils taught by Rajendra Prasad - who are quite apart from each other but end up with the value system thats fallen on deaf ears today. Koti has given excellent songs and BGM score. He lifts off the tunes from Adimieus and "Secret Garden" albums, embellishes them with Indian instrumentation to give a memorable feel to the mood of the film. If you want to see a different film with some preachy content, the film will surprise you with the depth and the tearsjerker - you will have to use the handkerchief many times - the content is that touching even if sometimes didactic. Movie length is ideal for the theme - just 125 minutes in all. But watching the film made me nostalgic about the village life. Its heartening to see some memorable old artists like Giri Babu and Chalapathi Rao get meaty and affectionate roles. Rajendra Prasad steals the thunder, yet again  - he has reinvented himself to stay relevant for the times. Comedy is intertwined with the narrative and quite okay.

There are some exceptional scenes in the film which promote tolerance of all religions. No wonder, most sectarian violence or acts of religious hatred and bigotry happen outside of villages in India Today, in cities and towns, hardly ever in villages. The movie also makes fantastic commentary on the generation of NRIs and RIs who, on one hand, send off their kids to opulent schools without knowing what they teach and whether what they teach is relevant to our society or not. On the other hand, they either pack off their parents to Retirement Homes or Old Age Homes or send them lumpsum remittances to upend their maintenance needs while staying apart. The result: they are running away from the source of their origins (parents) and making kids alienated from the very source that made their worlds. Both these trends are gnawing at the roots. There are some soul-searching questions on what constitutes modernity and what is the end-use of all modern-day-living which will go well with the elite. Powerful statements are made on the way some hi-tech schools teach our kids - that milk actually comes in sachets, water actually originates in bottles and rice comes in sacks. Many years ago, Uncle Anant Pai told us that it is important to know the route to your roots through the history and value system thats relevant in India - thats what got him interested to combat the onslaught of Marvel comics  - of Batman and Phantom and Superman comics with relevant and man-making content of Indian stories through Amar Chitra Katha. This movie is closest to that attempt on celluloid. Though there have been movies like "Devasthaanam" etc. in recent past, this movie is more effective. But I doubt, producer and director Kranti Madhav will make enough money. But some movies are always made with the heart- not with an eye on satellite rights. A movie like "Aa Naluguru" or "Sankarabharanam" was never made with a lucrative motive - that they are still watched and count amongst classics is all that matters. Watch this movie too with that expectation - it is far better than "Devasthaanam" because Rajendra Prasad, unlike SPB doesn't over-act. And it makes far more relevant points, despite being didactic.

London Olympics 2012 - The Empire Strikes Back!

London Dreams woke me and my wife at 1.20 pm yesterday night. It was definitely worth a watch. The opening ceremony of 2012 London Olympics was smashing and stylish and proved to be a recession-free demonstration of everything that is British - that strikes a chord in colonial cousins in India or anywhere else they ruled for 200 years. I liked the whole theme engineered by Danny Boyle - the man behind "Slumdog Millionaire". He has chosen the most enduring British Icons that stood the test of time and created a brilliant, concise, ravenous and thoroughly stylish ballad thats almost putative to the viewers at large. The stiff upper lip, the sophisticated humour ( I dare not use "humor" here), the organised rehearsals behind those generous expressions and the general sense of Old world British Pride was all there in PDA format (Public Display of Affectation of being an Imperialist). Everything was precisely spick n span, prim n proper.

I can sense a lot of reading and meticulous brainstorming went into the selection of the icons and idioms that flowed after one another starting with River Thames, Origins of English people across Ireland/Scotland/Other "shires", Birth of the English language, Lord Nelson, William Shakespeare, Magna Carta, the unrivalled British Navy (which ruled the sea shores since Napoleon was defeated), the Industrial Revolution, British Royalty, Cricket, Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill, Humprey Boghart, Peter Pan, Harry Potter, James Bond, members of Beatles, Eurythmics/The Queen (Annie Lennox), British Queen Elizabeth, the movie industry here - call it BAFTA or Lollywood (London's Hollywood). The juxtaposing of Mr Bean with London Symphonic Orchestra was almost magical and rhapsodic. Loved the scale and the execution of all things considered British at the most picturesque ceremony. Yes, 2008 Beijing Olympics was still grander and vulgar display of Affluence by a growing Superpower, but London Olympics Ceremony was a spirited display by a nation that ruled the world once. London hosted Olympics in 1908 (when even my grandfather was not born, the 3rd Modern Olympics) and in 1948 immediately after the World War. In the period since 1948, Britain's pound and sterling pride only dwindled and diminished in value. This was a perfect opportunity to showcase the British phenomenon that as Niall Ferguson wrote in his epic book on "The Empire" gave modern living a chance through a language that thrives from incorporating expressions from other languages, a democracy that paved the way for many others to follow and a business culture that is engraved forever. Whoever thought that Britain is just the 54th state of the United States should re-view the Youtube clippings of the Opening ceremony and re-read history of the world that Britain made.

"Turning Points" by APJ Abdul Kalam: Glimpses of a People's President (Book Review)

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was India's eleventh President of India and also recepient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and also Bharat Ratna. Like Abraham Lincoln of the United States, he was famous even before he ascended to the Presidency, first as a rocket-missile man and later as an upright President - probably, the best the country has ever known. It was also one of the rockiest tenures for any President with the exception of probably Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy and Babu Rajendra Prasad.  Now, after serving as one of India's best-loved Presidents, APJ Abdul Kalaam has released a highly-readable memoir of his journey through the greatest challenges of his life and career - "Turning Points". Its a worthy sequel to "Wings of Fire"  - the first book that created publishing history. The royalties that acccue from the time the book was released can make it one of the best-selling books by a public figure in India - reaching the commanding heights of success.

"Turning Points" is a sparkling and stimulating read from APJ. In less than two hundred pages, the books covers all the milestones of his remarkable career without repeating much of what he said in earlier books - some of which are million-dollar best-sellers. He covers in fourteen chapters all that he wanted to say with a simplicity that marks his personality that now bears his writing out. Eight turning points, seen before Presidency and one after demitting his office, are covered in one chapter with a childlike innocence. Most of the facets that are covered only go to highlight and extend his astonishing ability to connect to the masses - especially middle-class, elites and children of India. He toured 21 states during his Presidency with the exception of only Lakshadweep, has brought Rashtrapathi Bhavan into the e-governance framework that he had grander designs to revitalise and recast for bringing greater accountability.

Its meant to be a tell-all, threadbare account of some of his most controversial decision - the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly, the returning of the bill relating to Office of Profit, the capital punishment decisions of Afzal Guru (on which he was silent), the decision to invite Dr.Singh in 2004 when it could have swung in favor of a foreign citizen Sonia Gandhi. Again, APJ is stoically brief in his analysis of those days that set the country's opposition on fire against Sonia's nomination to the Prime Ministership. Some of these chapters are weakest - in the sense that the ex-President tries to put a non-controversial treatment, choosing to be concise rather than be elaborate and hence, controversial.

History will always remember Presidents and Public figures who are courageous and sterling torch-bearers of integrity, honesty and competence. On that count, APJ scores the finest in recent memory of how a President has conducted himself in public life. Whether it is in meeting more Parliamentarians, State Ministers and Governors, or returning every gift, every single gift he ever received. Talking about why he is reluctant to receive gifts from anyone, he recalls the lasting influence in this matter was his father.  Quoting extensively from Manu Smrithi and holy works of Musllim saints, he quotes that, "When the Almighty appoints a person to a position, He takes care of his provision. If a person takes anything beyond that, it is an illegal gain." He paraphrases Manu again on why one must not accept gifts: No individual must accept gifts for the reason that it places the acceptor under an obligation to the giver and ultimately results in making a person commit immoral or illegal acts. Thats an exceptional value system for any Public figure and APJ has inspired a generation with his behaviour at Rasthrapathi Bhavan.

"Turning Points" is sure to climb the top-seller list because of a very balanced and yet erudite rendition of a productive and inspirational life. APJ has been engagingly fluent in many aspects that are seldom discussed by one public figure - be it education, technology, scientific pursuits, religious tolerance, raising standards of governance and accountability for Parliamentarians and Ministers, Anna Hazare movement, world peace and disarmament. He has a view on most aspects that are bordering on world citizenship and egalatarianism and altruism. All this, with a sense of humility and positivity thats infectious. Even if he hasn't been re-considered for the post of Presidency this time around, APJ's words of wisdom and his vision for making India a Developed Superpower by 2020 resonate well with India's public. I only wish his books get widely translated and read in all languages of the country. The books is not perfect to a fault, but it will not disappoint you, dear reader, whatever be your age or qualification. More power to you, APJ.

Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges by A.P.J Abdul Kalam. Pub: Harper Collins, pp.182, price Rs.199.00

Rajesh Khanna R.I.P. The Original Superstar

Rajesh Khanna. Usually Anand. Kabhi Kabhi Gum. Made blockbusters out of living life for others. Became the First Superstar and encouraged the Next Superstar big time. Shows his large-heartedness at the time. Gave Musical mileage to Kishore Kumar, RD Burman and lyricists. His taste for music was so great that his solo songs with melancholic touch are still playing at cocktail parties and get-togeth...ers with karoake mikes. His band of music goes magically well with nostalgia and single-malt whiskey parties. Without an iota of remix temptations - so much for his blend of music. Rajesh Khanna. Anybody with such a rich timber-sounding filmy name ought to have a whole generation of fresh graduates, housewives and self-employed abide by his name. And so it was with many in my family - my parents and closer elders included. He has taken the pre-liberalisation era of limited opportunities to new cinematic highs by taking a dagger to the hearts of men - and endeared himself to the ladies as a forlorn lover. Of course, this may have encouraged alcoholism and primitive brands of Teacher's whiskey - jocularly called "preacher's whiskey". Rajesh Khanna - also pushed the door open for South-Indian producers and directors and artists (other than heroines) who are not usually mobile. He was also protective of his persona till the very last - similar to Shobanbabu in Tollywood - not acting much in roles below that of the main protagonist. He has his lows in personal life but the highs make it a life worth being celebrated and remembered for. RIP.