Of Remakes and Adaptations

Devdas, Don, Sholay, Karz, Parineeta, Othello and Mcbeth. These names will certainly ring a bell for the movie buffs for these are the names of a few classic blockbusters or works of literature which have been or are being planned to be made into movies. These names highlight the latest trend in Bollywood--- the trend of remakes and adaptations.

Remaking classics is like reincarnating them. The very fact that these movies were big hits of their time brings with it an assurance that the subject of the movie has the approval of the audience. So, while this gives the movie the initial publicity and audience, the rest entirely depends on how the new directors mould the subject according to the present requirements.

The trend of remaking is extremely popular these days but it doesn’t enjoy support from all sections of people. There are some who feel that classic works of cinema are like gems that should be preserved and the sanctity of which should not be desecrated by the materialistic visions of the present century directors. The directors, however, regard it as their way of paying tribute to the legends. Remaking is also considered as a means of bringing classic works to the notice of the younger generation and making it popular among them.

An important question that this trend of adaptations and remakes raises is whether the director has any creative liberty in such cases or not. Some believe that interfering with a classic work of art is sacrilegious, while others believe that sometimes changes are necessary to suit the requirements of the present time. The future of this trend cannot be predicted, but it can be hoped that it stays for some time because this licensed plagiarism is any time better than the blatant copying of a Hollywood movie in the name of inspiration.

Suffering from “Pottermania”!! -a muggle’s viewpoint

So why is Harry Potter such a world wide phenomenon? From the first instalment of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone, it has captured the imagination of the population like none other.The final instalment of the Harry Potter series released world wide Harry and the Deathly Hallows- bringing the final confrontation between Harry Potter and the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter fans world over had been waiting for it with baited breath. This frenzy is whipped up to such a level that you end up looking like a dork if you haven’t read any of those books.

Harry Potter started off as a children’s book. But as Harry, the character got older; the book too grew to be relatively darker and started addressing a wide range of topics that adults as well as adolescents could identify with. Also remember the readers who read the first Harry Potter books have all gown up now. So it is a credit to Ms. J.K.Rowling that she has been able to maintain the interests of both the grown ups and the kids in the series.

Children love the series because it opens up an entirely new world to them, a world of magic and amazement. But Rowling has interwoven this magical world with parallels from real world. From the rigors of daily school activities and homework, to the intense competition and rivalry between the houses; there won’t be a child on the planet that couldn’t identify with his troubles. Every child would have friends or want to have friends like Hermione and Ron. Every child at some stage of his schooling would have encountered a nemesis like Malfoy. Every school will have its own favourite sport, like Quidditch is the flavour for everyone in Hogwarts.

However it’s all not fun and games in Harry Potter’s world. Rowling candy flosses the topic of racism. The hatred of pure blood wizards (those born in magical families) towards muggles (non-magical people like yours truly) and muggle born is amazingly similar to racist overtones in the real world. She touches upon slavery in how the wizarding world treats elves, their servants, in the book.

Harry Potter series is above all a story about the battle of good and evil. Lord Voldemort must rank alongside some of the greatest literary villains of all time. His quest for immortality mirrors the secret dark desire that we all possess. Harry Potter is the antithesis of Voldemort even though he shows a rather large disregard for following the rules. He embodies everything that Lord Voldemort is not. He is the tragic orphan whose parents are murdered by the former making his summit clash with Voldemort almost inevitable.

There has been criticism of these books from various quarters. From Catholics to Critics, all have thrashed the books for various reasons. But if these books form the stepping stone for kids to cultivate the habit of reading books then what is the harm in it. Or maybe we all are taking these books just a bit too seriously and forgetting the primary function these books were written for, to have some plain unadulterated fun. So get on your Firebolts and fly into the world of Harry Potter and his friends and forget the rest.

GOOD MORNING !!!!!!!

I suppose it was early morning

The earth lay cool and still

Suddenly a tiny bird

Perched upon my window sill

It sang so lovely

So carefree and so gay

That slowly all my troubles

Began to slip away

It seemed that the bird’s very song

Brought out the morning sun

I pulled back the covers

And crept slowly out of bed

Gently shutting the window

Farewell I bid

I’m not quite a morning person !

The Reason

I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me,
That maybe we are stationed where God wants us to be.
That the little place I’m filling is the reason for my birth,
And just to do the work I do, He sent me down to earth.

If God had wanted otherwise I reckon He’d have made
me just a little different of a worse or better grade.
And since God knows and understands all things on land and sea;
I fancy that He placed me here just where He wanted me.

Sometimes I get to thinking as my labours I review;
That I should like a higher place, with greater things to do.
But I come to the conclusion when my envying is stilled;
That the post to which God sent me is the post He wanted filled.

So I plod along and struggle in the hope, when day is through;
That I’m really necessary, to the things God wants to do
And there isn’t any service I can give which I should scorn;
For it may be just the reason, God allowed that I be born!

So long !!!

We all must have started with the same things, hence we all landed here. By here, I mean this college. No, wait, let me clarify this. By here, I mean, a technical college- going for a professional degree. Early in our ages, we all saw the importance of money. Some way or another knew how hard it was to meet the ends. The means dried up long before the ends. So, with this mindset we all buckled up to get admission in a technical college. All developed their minds for the analytical framework. For years going after the logic, analysis, rules, limits, syntax…

But what if I say now ‘I want to be a writer’. I know saying this sound both cocky and bold, but I yearn to not give up on my budding aspiration to be a writer! However, it is not in any way a reality. I've spent most my childhood focusing on math, music and computers, with English being a side-note when included. The closest I passed on writing is some positive feedback during creative exercises and a few classics on my own time. The books which I have read state nothing about the beauty of the language or understand the essence of the writing. They all state how to solve a problem, state limitations, to understand the logic...

If I had not been a mathematical person may be it would have been easier to understand the beauty of language. However, I am willing to accept a double burden and learn how to write... but how in the world can I start at 20 years of age? Everywhere I go, people seem to tell me things such about letting the creative juices flow, and just expressing how I see things. As a math-oriented person, this sounds like a bunch of garble by people who believe that anyone with a pen can write a novel. I do not believe this! I am certain there must be a way to orient your mind to the language and consistencies of assembling a novel. If you can start learning computer programming languages like Basic and HTML and advance to JavaScript and C++, surely there is a basic beginning point for someone who wants to someday become a writer. Some suggested start reading. The best thing to do is to read, not necessarily for pleasure, but to examine how successful writers have done it and then settle down and write. Get that first draft down; hopefully after a bit of planning ahead of time (although there are those who believe that planning is a waste of time). I tried that but it looks like I will have to train my mind to see beyond logic and facts and notice language and style of writing. I will find the means to survive and meet the ends even if the ends are ten years of preparation down the line!

Importance of relatives

Its been a very long time since I wrote. Nevertheless, I am back now (I think).

Festival season is on its full bloom. Festivals are the only times (family functions excluded) that we have the (mis) fortune of meeting creatures called 'relatives'. With the human ' race' going on continuously, we are deprived of the getting more acquainted with the relatives.

After the preliminary curtsying they delve straight into selling their latest pursuits, whatever they be. ' Oh .. you know this Ramdev baba things really good. They really work. I, toh, get up very early in the morning to do his yoga. Even his daliya works. Whats this ??? No, no , I eat only lauki ki sabzi.' And all this time, you are saying 'Ahh .. hmmn .. good for you'. Major oops. Relative jumps on you saying 'Good for you ??? No. Its good for you too. Beta you should really do this. And also drink karele ka juice'. You try to get rid of them by agreeing with them. But they can see past you. ' Trying to get rid of me ... Are you ???'. Had you disagreed with them, they would have give every argument possible under this Sun and more to convince you otherwise.

There is no getting rid of them. They are omnipresent in some form or other. No need to condemn them to hell. They have been there and back. So all I can say to you is go out there and face them as bravely as you can and when you loose remember that you fought and you fought bravely. Happy Diwali.

Sunshine After Rain

I can see clearly now the rain has gone
That happiness was there for me all along.
Gone are the clouds that seemed to loom ahead
Now only sunshine to fill my days instead.

Only blue skies lie ahead for me
Not one dark cloud in the sky do I see.
A magical rainbow pushed those clouds away
And I know in my heart the sun is here to stay.

Good days and bad, the sun will be there
Bringing the warmth of friendship to forever care.
No more dark clouds. the rain has gone
I know now the sun was there all along.

I can see the rainbow I've been praying for
As the light breaks through for me once more.
Like a good friend, the sun is forever near
I trust in both, I have nothing to fear.