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Dear Maa - Motherhood in all its messy, flawed beauty

Does motherhood belong solely to the birth giver? Or does it encompass anyone who nurtures and cherishes the child? Does an adoptive mother- busy with her career, disqualify as a mother? Or is a nanny cum housekeeper the actual mother? She who mothers both mother and daughter with a fierce loyalty. Image - IMDb Or is it the father, who embraces both roles of mother and father with a natural flair, become the child's prime mother, the safe place she so badly desires? Aniruddha Roy Choudhury's Dear Maa provokes you with these prickly questions....it's a rare Bangla film that actually prods your brain and heart. In today's gadget-addicted world, who is actually the mother or the parent whom the child seeks? Is it wrong if she "betrays" her adoptive family by seeking out her original mother? No easy answers to these messy posers. Better to follow the heart, and become a heart mother or father. And allow the child to choose her path, without resorting to emotiona...

Guru Dutt - Legacy of an Overlooked Genius

"Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaae to Kya Hai:" This heartfelt anguish was literally personified by film maker and actor extraordinaire - Guru Dutt, whose birth centenary happens to be tomorrow (July 9). Maestro or Failed Genius? All his life, he strove to depict his vision, his dreams on celluloid. Yet, even as he strove for success, for renown, he was a bit of a recluse, a black sheep himself. It was as if he wanted to challenge the language of popular cinema by being within the format, from the inside. His women had brains, taxi drivers and masseurs were philosophers, sex workers pined for spiritual ecstasy, and friendships blossomed between unlikely people. Common people on the street spoke wiser logic than academics or high-nosed editors. The topics of the films may seem dated now, but the eternal truths voiced in them remain relevant. His films were distinctly different from other popular Hindi films. They had all the commercial elements of song, dance, comedy, romanc...

Visiting Shillong? Don't tick boxes!

Shillong , the Scotland of the east, is a charming hill station and tourist favourite. Expectedly there are some touristy spots that every visitor is urged to visit, as if to tick off on a checklist. But, this beautiful place is much more than a few must-see sights. It is a tapestry of clouds playing hide and seek with the blue sky, the sun intermingling with the rain, rolling meadows, lush green and laid-back vibe. You needn't fill your days with "things to do". Just sit back and watch the clouds sailing past. Smell the woody scent of the pines. Breathe in the brisk, refreshing air. Let the breeze play with your hair. Just as you come out in the sunlit porch, feel the tip-tap of a light drizzle. The sky changes from blue to grey to white in minutes. And when you have soaked in the atmosphere, you can check out a few destinations at your leisure. Must-visit Places of Shillong Ward's Lake - This pretty, winding lake set in an equally pretty park is ideal for a leisure...

Book review - The Stationery Shop of Tehran

Iranian writer, Marjan Kamali's The Stationery Shop of Tehran is a remarkable and touching book. Like all literature set in countries with a deeply troubled history, this book too revolves around disillusionment, pain and the desperate struggle to live a normal life. Akin to Khalid Hosseini, Kamali intertwines the political in the personal lives of her protagonists. Class struggle also plays a major role, like education or the lack of it. The story spans over six decades and two continents, starting from 1953 Iran to New England, US in early 2013. Love lost, Lives Shattered Young lovers, Roya and Bahman try to hold on to their love in the face of all pettiness and politics, but the aftermath of trauma runs too deep. Just as their country plunges into another political upheaval, their lives are shattered and they are thrown apart. Yet, Kamali makes her story deeply human and optimistic. Her lovers are genuinely good human beings, kind, forgiving and full of empathy. In...

Why We Need Authentic Storytelling

As a race, humans do a lot of posturing. Most of our life is spent in acting out roles and putting on various masks or facades. You have to tolerate idiots with a smile, if they are rich or powerful or senior in age. Whatever rot they say, you nod your head in agreement, knowing fully well its all bullshit. The media feeds you crap in the name of news, you lap it up. Politicians mouth nonsense, but you can't protest. Businessmen sell you false dreams, and build empires. When you see clouds and feel like dancing, you have to pretend to show interest in studying. Mothers may get incensed by their children's bullying - to the point of telling them to get lost, or throw them out of the house, but pretend to grin and bear it. Mother's love, after all. You know everything is going downhill, yet have to put on a brave face. What will people say if you start acting crazy? We live out lies, subscribe to other people's definition of success and happiness, and wallow in the miser...

Kabiguru Pronam

Once upon a time, a Bard had prayed for evoking the divine in humankind...."Antare Jaago Antarayami" He had advocated humanity above narrow divisions of nation, race and religion... Hoped that sanity, rationality and kindness be the life force of people, not hatred, suspicion or intolerance. How far we have moved from his ideals. Wars raging everywhere. People killing each other at the drop of a hat. Babies maimed, mothers bereaved, entire families wiped out.... Praying to Rabindranath to restore sanity in human minds. "Anondoloke Mongol Aloke Birajo Satya Sundoro" (Reside in every heart, in kindness, joy and peace, ohh Divine) #rabindrajayanti #tagoresongs #robithakur #tagorebirthday