Dreams

I had a dream last night about a puzzle,
With too many A’s,
And strawberry cookies on silver tray’s.
A man made of wood,
With a smile etched on his face,
A silver dress made of liquid blue diamond,
With blue and black laces,
Shoes made of glass
And a carriage that can fly,
Little fairies in my hair
And their enchanting smile that is sly.
I dreamt of Ice Cream Mountains
And chocolate on trees.
Of little kids with squatted knees
I dreamt of flowery packages
With little pink bows
And happy birthday songs
With toothed smiles
Smiling across the rows.
I dreamt of palaces and flowing gowns
Of knights in shining amours
And of horses white and brown
I was dreaming a dream of stars and a flowing stream
When my alarm went off
And I had to pull my socks and walk back into the real world
And let my dreams linger on my smile and forget it for a while.

My golden haired choclate boy

I was watching ‘The Departed’ last night (for the second time), and a thought suddenly came to my mind, while Leonard was exploring his insecurities and frustration with his job, with his shrink, whom he secretly likes. This flustered man who looks much older than his age, is the same who played the perfect lover in ‘Titanic’ and was a part of many dreams for many nights.
I must admit that before ‘Titanic’, existence of Leonard Di Caprio wasn’t known to me. And when I first saw that movie, I was much taken by his oh-so-typical-chocolate boy- looks than his acting skills. I was much younger; barely a teenager and my newly developed interest in the opposite sex demanded my ultimate devotion. So, you can understand why I wasn’t much interested in analyzing the acting skills of this golden haired boy, and drowning in his baby blue eyes was much more appealing to me.
However, over the years I have seen a lot more of Leonard and this time I have meticulously observed the various dimensions and layers that he possess as an actor.
Right from the street-smart yet naïve boy in ‘Titanic’ to a cocky smuggler in ‘Blood Diamond’. He got everything right in these movies. From the accents to the body language of the characters that he played, who were as different as a nut and screw. In ‘Titanic’ for example, he was sweet boy whose only possessions were his smartness and his integrity.
In ‘The Departed’ he was an insecure cop who doesn’t know what he is doing and why, but still has faith in the legal system of his country. In ‘Blood Diamond’ he takes us on a journey of a South African mindset and frustration with the system of justice and his distrust in it.
He has not just played these parts but he became those parts. He doesn’t just relate a story; he makes that story an experience which we live through.
On my personal ‘acting meter’, Leonard rates quite high. And I hope he continue to. After all, good looks and good acting skills is a combination hard to find.

Shame, Shame, New Yorker!

I remember a scene in Parzania, where the American who was friends with the Parsi family in the movie, which is caught in the middle of the riots, is sitting at his desk, frustrated with the religious hegemony politics going on around him. He then starts writing in his dairy, all that is wrong with India. Of course, the problem that tops the list is that, “this is a country where people are waiting to kill each other in the name of religion”.
Well lets just cut the, ‘this country’ part (Which I have some major problems with, by the way) and re-write this dialogue. ‘Any country that allows its people to follow different religions, people there are waiting to kill each other in the name of it”.
To explain my statement I shall refer to the latest cover in the New Yorker, which features Obama in Muslim garb fist-bumping his wife with an Afro ,and a machine gun. Although this isn’t like really killing Obama in the name of religion, I personally believe that stunts like such are a way to murder his character, spirit and ideas, much more worse that physically killing anyone.
The New Yorker is reputed magazine known for its rigorous fact checking and copy editing; its journalism on world politics and social issues; and its famous, single-panel cartoons. Therefore, it was blaspheme on its part to allow publication of such a cartoon on its cover.
Though it’s a common knowledge that every media house does support one or the other political party in every country of this world, maligning the opponent’s character in such a way is simply unacceptable. Religion and ethnicity are two things that have unfortunately come to define our personality and role in the society. They have become reasons for enduring ridicule by many and has won undeserving honor to others.
In today’s world, our monitors have replaced our companion’s face and the impression of terrorism so embedded in our senses, that we trust no body . In this volatile world where we cannot trust ourselves, religion and ethnic connection are two things that have made people create a bond of illusion with the mentors, to feel some sort of connection with someone. However, often these leaders promote such ties for their own personal agenda.
And when you have personal agenda in mind we coin cliches and stereotypes. Like after 9/11 around the world this myth has been created that Muslims are terrorists. Also whenever we have to show barbarians, Africans top the list.
It is therefore, the duty of the people on whose shoulders rests the responsibility of the fourth estate to make sure that such clichés and stereotypes are not re-imposed on the masses and is neither used by certain elements for their own propaganda.

Ek jane pehchane naam ne,
Zara rah main rukane pe majboor kar diya,
Gujara jo aankhon se saaya uss naam ka,
Toh muskurane ko majboor kar diya.