Resonance

by Kiran Tom Sajan

2009 seems to be a golden year for the Indian movies and movies about India. International movie buffs' hot topic of this year is India and India's lifestyle, thanks to the Academy Award Winning 'Slumdog Millionaire'. It seems that we Indians are content about the fact that Hollywood is discussing about India. Only a few are really concerned about 'how' they discuss about our nation. Slumdog Millionaire, which portrays the dark side of the life in India, though can never be criticized for telling the 'truth'. Some people feel India's ugly underbelly has been magnified by filming the movie in the slums of Mumbai. Director Danny Boyle however, who sees his film as a Dickensian tale, says he shot in real, gritty locations “to show the beauty and ugliness and sheer unpredictability” of the city. As many would agree, it is a fact that the West always wants to see us in the way it is portrayed in Slumdog Millionaire.
Anyway, the point of discussion here is not 'how we make fools of ourselves', but how far Slumdog Millionaire is a remake of the Brazilian movie Cidade de Deus (aka City of God) in the Indian background. All those who have seen City of God must have felt a connection between both movies. Both tell the story of two brothers, the elder a gangster and the younger, an ambitious, good hearted young guy with a desire for love. While in City of God the protagonist fails to regain his lost love, Slumdog Millionaire offers the hero his love in typical Bollywood style.
City of God is a Brazilian thriller directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, released in 2003. It was adapted by Bráulio Mantovani from the 1997 novel of the same name written by Paulo Lins. The film's depiction of criminal drug mafias, gangsters, street violence and police corruption was certainly not what the upper middle class Brazilians wanted to show to the rest of the world. However, the movie gained wide acceptance from the international audiences and interestingly, City of God became one of the biggest hits in the history of foreign films released in US.
Majority of the cast in City of God were residents of slums in Rio de Janeiro. The same formula was used in Slumdog Millionaire too, in which its co-director Loveleen Tandan drove to the slums of East Bandra to look for young children who resembled the protagonists in the story. Also, both the movies have added a yellow tinge to the visuals to give'slumness' to the story. There were many shots in Slumdog which resembled those in City of God. The Brazilian flick starts in the present and then rewinds the story starting from kids playing football. Slumdog also starts in the present and the flash-back starts from kids playing cricket.
But, the significant similarity between both the movies is the way people accepted it. Despite being good movies, both received immense criticism from the local spectators, while the international audiences accepted it whole-heartedly. The psychology associated with the acceptance of the movies can be termed as Schadenfreude a German word meaning, finding delight in others' struggles and misfortunes.

by Rushitha S.L.

The only thing that is constant is change. We are witnessing change in all aspects of life. So, when we talk about fashion, it's changing rapidly. Fashion is just about everything right from the way the person carries him/herself, the clothes he wears to the tattoos, body piercing and the color of the lipstick. Today people are a lot more conscious about the way they present themselves to the world. Gone are the days when people just didn't bother about the way they looked or what they wore.
The youngsters are those who are updated with the latest fashion trends, and they make sure they are going along with the changing trends. “Bellbottom pants are out, Skinny jeans are in”, declares Sneha John, a young graphic designer. It's just not her; a lot of other young girls carefully follow the fashion trends. “I am young and I have all the time on earth to experiment on my looks, so why not make full use of it” adds Sneha. Tunic tops, dresses, leggings, kurtis, 'Anarkali' salwars, they are the entire 'in thing' in fashion these days and one can not vouch that they will stay in vogue for a longer period.
They say History repeats itself, so does fashion. It's evident enough to say that fashion revolves around us. “What was in during the 70's are in right now”, says Madhuvanthi, fashion designing student. Everyone is inspired by the 'Retro' fashion. Retro fashion is a clothing style which consists of wearing clothes commonly used in the past. This way of clothing often includes garments and accessories that are characteristic of those times. “Vintage sun glasses, funky printed shirts, bell bottom pants, skinny jeans and big bags were in vogue back in 70's and now it's back and ruling the current fashion scene”, adds Madhu.
We always relate fashion to women. What about the men? Yes, there was a time when men were considered unfashionable. But now times have changed, so are men. Today's fashionable man is called as a 'Metro sexual'. A metro sexual is one who stays in an urban city, with a fat wallet and loves to spend time and money on his looks, clothes and other leisure activities like aerobics, clubbing and shopping. That's not all; there are a lot of unisex salons opening up for the fashion conscious men who love to get pampered by getting facials, pedicures, manicures and hair streaks and straightening. RJ Yoyo says, “I have long hair and I keep changing my hair color every now and then. That's not all, I love spending on clothes and accessories. I always pick up funky shirts and bracelets and pendants.” So, it's high time we know that men are fashionable too.
Fashion is definitely not restricted to just clothing and hair styling. Things have changed; tattooing and body piercing are no more considered as taboo. The younger lot is willing to experiment and want to stand out in the crowd and be different. So tattoos and body piercing are obviously eye catchers. In spite of the pain that goes through the process of getting them done, there is nothing that stops people from getting it done. Natasha, works in an ad agency says, “I have a big dragon on my shoulder and was designed by me. My tattoo shows the person I am.” She also believes that being a part of the mad ad world, people do not get paranoid looking at her tattoo. “I am all ready to get my chin pierced now” quips Natasha.
Well, the fashion is surely taking us on a fun ride. There would probably be a day, when men would sport skirts like how they are wearing funky hair bands right now. So, the fashion scenario is changing day by day and people are accepting it open heartedly, so be it and let the people around awe at you.

Alone I run…
Through the darkest woods,
With fire on my head,
And, pain in my heart.

Alone, I run…
Through the thorny marshes,
Tears rolling down my cheeks,
And, blending with my sweat.

Alone, I run…
Through the lap of savage sun,
With parched throat
And, paining limbs.

Alone, I run…
Through the herd of beasts of darkness,
Holding up my head unwavering,
To show them-I'm younger, stronger and faster.

No one ahead, no one behind;
No water stops, no stone hinges;
Just blood-thirsty beasts all around,
Rounding for pouncing on me.

I can't retire, I can't relax;
Hunted I'm, if I retreat;
Sissy I'm, if I lose courage;
Dead I'm, if I yield.

Alone, I run…fearlessly,
Through the darkest woods,
With vibrant dreams in my head,
And, dynamic hope in my heart.

by Debashri Banerjee

Fashion and aesthetics has always symbolized youth. It has dominated society for ages and ages and still manages to be at the pinnacle. At this point, I recall a friend who was diagnosed with high power in eyes. Even one foot of vision was blurry; she went to the optical shop asking, “Please, get me the latest models of spectacles which have come into the market.”
Had I known such heights of fashion to this length, I would have been one in the queue (no doubt, i am in).Though, no hierarchy is ever seen in terms of fashion among people. Still, one cannot go completely with the thought as today many people follow fashion which they cannot afford. I know many people who spend more than half of their MNC salary on grooming and styling. The process of grooming, over the years has become an inevitable part of one's life. People at forties are easily seen visiting parlours and consulting stylists. Inspirations can be taken from Shobhaa De who can easily give inferiority complex to twenty year olds. And not to forget the legend, Amitabh Bacchan, who has set benchmarks for the generations coming. Over the years, a revolution circles around attiring, accessorizing, hair styling and many more. This styling mania has encouraged old people especially to be more concerned for their grooming. But on the flipside, it has negative aspects too, such as size zero, stressfulness, gadget madness and thus, the list never ends. This thought of grooming has brought in a high standard of living, but on the other hand has made people become more and more dependent.
On that note, I am reminded of a common joke on heights of fashion when a baby goes to a 'Huggies' outlet and demands low hip nappy. Such heights can be seen among adults as well. Come to Delhi, you shake your hands with shivering ones of daring baring women. Sleeveless blouses, translucent sarees, hide and seek, make up and Madhuri Dikshit hair (i mean wavvy) is common trend at five degree Celsius. It seems hypocrisy is defeating self realization and grooming. Being presentable is the objective but not killing the purity inside. Grooming irrespective of natural looks is not bad but crossing margins is a threat calling. This grooming VS hypocrisy fight is victimizing the finest creation of god and that the creation is human being. Not to mention, the human himself is the referee.

by Nihal Shaikh

When TV emerged in the 1950s, the death knell was tolling.
When VHS ascended in the '70s, Gabriel was calling.
When DVDs triumphed in the '90s, theaters were knocking on heaven's door. But death to movie theatres? Not yet.
From the very first cinematographic exhibition of the Lumiere Brothers held at Bombay on July 7, 1896 to the multitude of movies from various parts of the world playing side by side at a multiplex in our city today, watching movies in theatres is a fad meant to stay. The emergence of multiplexes and specialised theatre services and the transition of movie theatres from mere locations intended for film screening to youth lifestyle hangouts is a testimonial to this statement. Things have moved to such an extent that today a multiplex is a parameter which defines a place as a 'city'.
International piracy (bootlegs popping up on the black market), advancements in home entertainment systems (56-inch high-definition TV, DVRs), and improvements in broadband and the Internet (cable on demand, streaming video) have conspired to undermine the value of going to the movies.
But movies aren't going anywhere. The same technological advancements that have come to threaten theatre venues are the very advancements that make them more relevant and profitable. Along with mainstream movies, theatres everywhere are trying to make themselves unique by playing out events like concerts (Margazhi Raagam) as well as films made for niche-market demographics, such as chick flicks, parallel cinemas, animation movies, international films and the like. They also host film festivals which augment their appeal. Movie theatres are taking steps to use high-tech along with fashionable amenities and plain old-fashioned aggressive business tactics to woo audiences now.
Marshall Mc Luhan calls the cinema in theatres a “hot' medium. The audience really has no way out but to absorb the communication message in such a setting. The dimmed lights, bombarding sound effects, larger than life screen and compelling virtual loneliness single out the audience and compel them to imbibe what is being shown.
"If mediocre entertainment is all there is, people are going to stay home. But give them a cool experience, they can't get that from their wide-screen plasma TVs.” says Terrell Braly, president of Cinebarre, one of the pioneers of multiplex culture.
Prepaid movie booking cards, chic interiors, trendy seating and lighting make the movie going experience a lifestyle affair. The Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai is a favourite hangout location for many Chennaites. The ambience there is something which appeals to every movie buff. There is also something for everyone. 'Magic Hat' which is a play pen for (cranky) children, 'Blur' the gaming destination for 'older' children, a bowling alley, several eateries and lounges. Brand marketers have also recognised the fertility of such locations and myriad events promoting an assortment of brands can be seen every week there.
Watching movies operates on a level of culture as well. It is an act of socialisation wherein friends hangout together and have fun, an act of romance, as many couples prefer to go for a movie on a date and also a weekend activity for families to spend time together enjoying a film. Whatever be the motivation, watching movies in theatres is definitely a treat, be it the neighbourhood ramshackled screen or the high funda multiplex and it looks like it is going to be that way for a long time to come.

by Bharadwaj M.V

The wait is finally over. Slumdog millionaire has bagged not one or two, but eight Oscars. And it's a very special moment for India, as three of the awardees are Indians. The Mozart of madras, (A.R.Rahman as he is fondly called) bagged two awards, out of which one was shared with Gulzar, the lyricist for the song “Jai Ho”. These people have really made India proud and what's more heartening is their humble attitude. “Ella pughazhum iraivanukke” (all praise to the Lord); I'm a holding a piece of history in my hand and I'm so glad to have made my country proud; these were the statements by Rahman and Resul Pookutty.
Looking down the memory lane, it has been quite a long journey for Indian film music. Earlier, the songs were purely classical based, with the likes of G Ramanathan, M.K. Thyagaraja Bagavathar, etc. One can still not forget the song sequence in the film “Thiruvilaiadal”, in which actor Sivaji Ganesan plays the role of Lord Shiva. On comparison of such songs to the ones released recently, one cannot just simply miss to note the huge transformation undergone by the Indian film music. It all started with the Indian music directors adopting western techniques. Popular music directors like M.S.Vishwanathan and Ilayaraaja brought western influences to their compositions. The tune was very much classical based, but the orchestrations were done using western equipments. Obviously, their music appealed to a wide range of audience, namely the classical audience for the employment of Raagas, the urbanites for the western sounds, and the rural audience for the presence of folk elements. This was the scenario till 90s.
With the release of “Roja”, the Tamil film industry saw the entry of A.R. Rahman, who was till then working as key board player for Ilayaraaja. Born to a musician father, Rahman had to undergo several rough patches in his life before he finally got the much deserved acclaim and popularity. Rahman used technology to his aid, which has given rise to the production of completely different type of music.
But on the flip side, many feel that there are various other marvelous compositions that deserved an Oscar. Even Rahman accepted that Slumdog is definitely not his masterpiece. Considering the various opinions published in the newspapers, Rahman should have been awarded an Oscar for his maiden venture, the Tamil film titled “Roja”, which was an instant hit. One enthusiastic fan of Rahman said, “I don't think he can perfect himself than his work in Roja. “ Nevertheless, getting nominated for Oscars is in itself is a big achievement and winning two awards in one stroke is something which no Indian would have even dreamt of in his wildest dreams. So let us just join in the celebrations and wish that the award brings in a sea change in the attitude of our producers, who, of late, have been passing off top rated crass as entertainment. Let us hope that art gets its due recognition.

by Justin Raj K.

Just imagine you are talking very seriously to someone and unfortunately, realise that the person whom you are talking to was not even listening to you properly. How would you feel then? You may feel annoyed, dejected or sometimes angry, isn't it? Stop. Don't take it to the heart. You have just spoken to one among a million of 'pluggers' all around the world!
Arrival of portable music systems and mobile phones with inbuilt music players have given birth to a rapidly spreading 'plug-in' culture. 'Pluggers' always listen to music on the go. While commuting, jogging, biking, driving or even during office hours, their ears are sealed off by earphones taking them away from the real outer world. Music players have taken an unavoidable part in their lifestyle.
Akin to all other lifestyles, 'plug-in' culture too is individualistic. Some 'plug-in' for sheer love for music, some to kill time and others for brushing off boredom. “Music is a requisite for me while studying or reading” says Avinash Kagava, a media student. “It increases my concentration and feels as if my productivity soars”, he adds. Robin, a student and an enthusiastic guitarist 'plugs-in' for his first love-music. He says that: “I love music and want to fill every moment of my life with music. That is why I keep my iPod with me throughout the day”.
Musical giants such as Sony, Apple et al are competing to bring out more advanced yet user friendly music players to catch up with this 'plug-in' trend. Apple has sold more than 20 million iPods till date. More and more people are joining this 'plug-in' bandwagon day by day. It seems as if people are just happy with the music they have in their music player, rather than interacting with fellow human beings. It provides a room for escapism similar to that of reading. While reading is productive, listening to music may end up unproductive at times.
Warning note for 'Pluggers': Researches show that regular exposure to noise above 85 dB (decibels) will cause a gradual hearing loss in a significant number of individuals and louder noises will accelerate this damage. When listening to music on earphones at a standard volume level 5, the sound generated reaches a level of 100 dB. It's loud enough to cause permanent damage after just 15 minutes per day! The amount of time you listen to a sound affects how much damage it will cause. The quieter the sound, the longer you can listen to it safely.