Movie Review: Goodbye Bafana

Goodbye Bafana, directed by Billie August, is the 2007 drama based on the relationship between James Gregory, an South African prison warden and Nelson Mandela, based on Gregory’s book of the same name. they develop a close bond due to Gregory’s mastery of the Xhosa dialect and in the process august tries to showcase Gregory’s change in mindset from a racist one to ultimately realizing the evils of apartheid. Gregory has often been accused of fabricating many of the facts of his time spent with the African leader though this hasn’t been verified yet.

Though the premise of the film is promising, it ultimately fails to engage the attention of the audience. The two leads, Daniel Haysbert as Mandela and Joseph Fiennes as Gregory, do a fine job in bringing out the nuances of their characters, but cannot carry the burden of the film on their shoulders. The film also fails to address the complexities of any real political issues in South Africa and gives the impression of being half baked. The events taking place onscreen are treared I a dull and dry manner and leave the audience feeling less than impressed. Ultimately, the film is not riveting enough and does not offer much to think about.

Paradise Lost

Nestled in the midst of a bustling city, Powai was always known as a green dot on the map. Around twenty years ago, it was a popular tourist spot because of the placid and serene Powai Lake and the illustrious Indian Institute of Technology with its rich forest cover. The lake, though man made, was an attractive picnic spot for many people, and families were often seen relaxing at the edge of it and taking in its beauty. While IIT and the lake still remain, gone are the dense woods with their rich and varied flora and fauna.The dense foliage and the lush hills of the area were a common sight, but have now given way to mass over construction and the once tranquil lake has now become a dump for human and chemical effluents.

Rampant and unbridled construction has been one of the major problems affecting the area. Powai was initially given to Hiranandani constructions by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) to build low cost housing for the poor, but the land was instead used to construct high end apartments for the rich and elite. CitiSpace and Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI) were some of the prominent NGO’s to discover these kinds of violations, and are actively in the process of opposing this kind of unbridled construction.

Nutan Bhalla, an AGNI activist says, “The Hiranandani Group has flouted every rule of urban development possible. Unchecked quarrying of the hills in Powai has been carried out for years right under the eyes of the authorities and nothing has been done about it. The lake has also been polluted by the raw sewage which is dumped into it that it is no longer fit for drinking.”

 The landscape has also significantly changed over the last decade in comparison to what it was around twenty years ago when Powai was largely uninhabited. SKSaksena of AGNI says, “Acres of jungle have been cleared to make way for skyscrapers, restaurants and offices even though these are no development zones, and because of this the population has increased exponentially.” Powai used to be known for its cooler climate in comparison to the rest of the city but the recent increase in population as well as the construction boom has led to a rise in temperature. “At one point Powai was almost like a hill station due to its cooler weather and it was necessary to wear warm clothes from November onwards, but things have changed since then. The temperature has risen considerably by at least 2-3 degrees and the only cool spot left in Powai is in IIT”, says Saksena.

With the way things are looking currently, it seems that the situation is only going to get worse and Powai, once untouched, is gradually turning into a concrete jungle.  The only remedy for this situation is for the residents of the area to band together and protect Powai from any more degeneration. Failure to do so will result in irrevocable damage and Powai will soon end up on the long list of suburbs which have been environmentally degraded and ecologically damaged forever.

Never Again

 “Just go”

“But I don’t get it...what have I done?”

“Leave me alone, I have things to do”

“But I need to know what…”

“JUST GO!”

Tears ran down my face as I walked back home in a blank daze, unable to comprehend what had just happened. My world had come crashing down in twenty minutes and I didn’t have an answer or explanation for anything. Feelings of extreme desperation and abandonment came over me as I tried to make sense of our last conversation, without much success. As much as I tried to deny it to myself, I knew it would end. I’d known it all along.

It was over. For good.

.

We’d been travelling together in my car for the past three years. Everyday was similar: the same quick smile, the silence in the car and the hurried “bye” as we parted ways at V.T station. It never changed. He didn’t really show any interest in me beyond the cursory “hi” and “bye” and I’d outgrown my teenage fantasy of wanting to be with him and had other things to look forward to. Weeks would pass by with minimal conversation but it was routine for us and I didn’t expect anything further.

Things changed recently in the last few months.

“Why don’t you take my number, just in case something comes up”, he said

I wasn’t really sure what “something” was, but I took his number down without a second thought and forgot about the incident in a few minutes.

One day he suddenly looked up from the book he was reading.

“How did your exams go? Have your results come out yet?”, he asked

His question caught me off guard since my university exams had finished a couple of months ago and he had never inquired about them.

“They were alright. I managed to get a first class”, I smiled.

“Oh, that’s great! You studied pretty hard for them”

The fact that this was a statement instead of a question took me by surprise. I had no idea that he’d been observing me study in the car all that while, since I’d assumed that he had no particular interest in my life. That little tidbit of conversation led to many more in the coming days and I looked forward to talking to him every day. He had always come across as being tight lipped and sometimes even a little arrogant, so I was surprised to discover how talkative and knowledgeable he really was. In the midst of our conversation one day, I mentioned that I had to review ‘Aarakshan’ for a college assignment.

“Well I could go along with you, if you like”, he texted later

My mind started to jump to conclusions immediately, but I forced myself to think straight.

 “Umm yeah, sure. I have to warn you that it may be pretty boring” I texted back

“That’s okay, I’m sure I’ve seen worse”

And that’s how Aarakshan was our first date.

I remember being on tenterhooks the entire day, prior to our movie “date” at night. Why had he asked me if I wanted company? Had I indirectly hinted that I had wanted him to come along? What it is this supposed to be? How am I supposed react? WHAT, in God’s name, am I supposed to wear??! Needless to say, I was slowly losing it. The prospect of going for a movie with someone that I’d liked all through my teenage years was causing me to have a minor meltdown.

“So I’ll see you at ten then?” he texted

“Yeah, see you downstairs”

I managed to hide the nervousness and pulled myself together by the time I met him.

The night passed by like a dream. I was so consumed by him that Ihad completely forgotten to pay attention to the movie, and by the end of it I barely remembered a few scenes in between. We talked all through the movie and for hours after it. I was instantly drawn in by his quiet yet self assured demeanor. The silence in between our conversation wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable and I was completely at ease in his presence. I was finally happy for the first time in months.

It didn’t take long for the bubble to burst.

“What is wrong with you? How can you even THINK of dating him? For God’s sake, he’s 28! You cannot date him, I just won’t allow it!”

“I don’t care about what you think. I thought it was necessary to tell you and I’ve done that. I’m 22 and old enough to take my own decisions!”

My parents hadn’t taken it well. My mother despised him in every way possible, even though she couldn’t pinpoint any particular flaw, except that he was “unnaturally quiet”. I should have taken it as a telling sign but instead I chose to brush aside her belligerence towards him and carried on to do what I thought was right.

I wish I’d listened.

The cracks in our three month relationship started to show up soon enough.

“You’re too selfish and self-centered. All you do is talk about yourself”, he told me one evening.

We’d had one of our usual arguments about some trivial thing or the other. While I had a tendency to brush off these things, he’d get angry and, bottle up his feelings and then refuse to talk to me for the next few days. A certain kind of uneasiness had crept into our short relationship, something that made me doubt myself every time I was around him, but I was bent on making it work in spite of everything. I was determined to give it my best shot.

I should have known better.

One evening he texted me in the middle of class.

“You’re a waste of my time. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

.

He was the one.

I was 16, not quite old enough to know the ways of the world but I knew that we’d complement each other in every way. I sat up every night to talk to him online, if he did come online at all. I couldn’t muster up the courage to talk to him face to face and I’d try to hide whenever he passed by. I dreamt about him constantly. He was all that I wanted and I had a strong gut feeling that we’d be together some day. There was just something about him and I couldn’t get him out of my mind. I spent many sleepless nights lying awake in bed, thinking about him.

Finally, one day…

“Hi”, he said, as he casually walked past after a game of basketball.

I stopped still in my tracks, unable to believe what I’d just heard

“Hey”, I whispered, unable to control my hands from shaking.

I was so young and foolish.

She was the quintessential Miss Popular, pretty and always surrounded by a throng of people. She could control people as she liked and it’s almost like they were at her beck and call, ready to do almost anything for her. She could have almost anyone she liked, so why did she eye him? They were poles apart,nothing like each other at all. We knew that we both liked him and we’d talk about him for hours after school but given the age difference, it was impossible for us to imagine that we’d ever have the chance to be with him. A teenage crush, that’s all he’d ever be for us.

Until.

“You know Mikhail asked me out last night”, she told me as casually as possible, while studying my face for an appropriate reaction.

My mind went blank.

.

As I sit writing this, I can’t believe the kind of impact he’s had on me for years. I’ve never allowed myself to get affected by either people of circumstances, and I’m amazed by the extent to which he’s made me doubt myself. My self- esteem has been shattered and I feel lost and lonely for the first time in years, desperate for an answer to my unending questions. I made a serious error in judgment and allowed myself to be taken in by his quiet charm. I was dependent on him for any kind of approval or support, and it kills me to recall all the pain that I put myself through to make it work.

Never again.

Anna Hazare: A solution to the Problem?

After independence, there have been few people who have captured the imagination of this country, like Anna Hazare. This dynamic septuagenarian has initiated a movement to end corruption in India on a scale that has not been witnessed in recent times. Going by the mass hysteria that has surrounded this movement, Anna has enough support and influence to make sure that at least some of the suggestions in the Jan Lokpal Bill are implemented, thereby silencing his detractors.

Hazare commenced his fast on 5^th April 2011, calling for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill to replace the antediluvian Lokpal Bill which had little or no impact on the rising levels of corruption in all sections of beurocracy. The new bill would provide more stringent powers to the ombudsman and would also include the Prime Minister’s office and the Judiciary under its proposed scope of functioning, and given the recent spate of the scams which have come into national focus; these changes were welcomed by most people.

While the government does not see vehemently disagrees with Hazare due to obvious reasons, Anna’s version of the bill does contain some salient features that, if implemented, may be a step in the right direction as far as ending corruption goes. While one of the main demands is to bring the Prime Minister, Judiciary and the conduct of MP’s into the investigative ambit of the Jan Lokpal Bill, other suggestions include that investigations against corrupt officials be completed in a year, the establishment of a Lokpal at the centre and Lokyukta’s in each state be set up to keep corruption and bribery in check. The government instead has been accused of skirting the issue time and again by providing two drafts of the bill, thereby leading to a fallout in negotiations, with many people terming the Government’s version as a ‘Jokepal Bill’ instead.

Watching the events of this ‘historic’ movement unfold on T.V with young and old waving flags and chanting patriotic slogans, I felt that the country had at last united for an issue that has affected all of us at some point. This movement has definitely succeeded in waking up people to the extent of the reality of corruption in India, and the youth especially has shown unprecedented support for this movement like no other in recent times. Whether we admit it or not, corruption and bribery is rampant from the lowest peon to the highest Government official and our ‘chalta hai’ attitude has as much a part to play as the Government’s lack of initiative in tackling this problem.

The Jan Lokpal Bill is merely a means to fight corruption and not an end in itself and I therefore feel that in order to do away with this problem, we need to look within ourselves to fight corruption at its roots instead of blaming the government for its lack of enterprise. While I appreciate Anna’s aspirations to take on the might of the Government and bring an end to this menace, I do not support his means of doing it. In a democracy like ours, everyone has a right to an opinion but I do feel that the best way to reach a conclusion would be to not write off the Government completely and reach a middle ground instead with suggestions of both sides being incorporated into the final bill. Corruption cannot be abolished overnight but through a step by step process, we might see the end of it one day.

Book Review: Reading Lolita in Tehran

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books is an account of Iranian author Azar Nafisi’s experiences in her home country. This New York Times’ Bestseller is a narrative about Nafisi’s record of the life she lived in the Islamic Republic of Iran until her departure in 1997. The book revolves around the experiences shared by seven of her students in a private literature class formed by Nafisi in Tehran after she left her teaching post at the local university.

 The women meet at her house every Thursday and discuss books like the Great Gatsby, Lolita and Pride and Prejudice and through the tests Nafisi eventually reveals the personal struggles of each of these women in a strict and totalitarian society. The book is divided into ‘Lolita’ ‘Gatsby’, ‘James’ and Austen and each is a chronicle of different aspects of Iranian life. In the first two sections, Nafisi talks about her experiences of teaching at the University of Tehran and the oppression that women like her faced in such conservative surroundings. The latter chapters deal with the secret lives of her students and the ‘taboo’ subjects of sex and men and the often inhuman treatment of women caught in unfortunate marriages.

Reading Lolita in Tehran is a powerful read indeed. Though Nafisi’s style does seem awkward and uneven in certain places, it does not take away anything from its essence. The stories she narrates are compelling and draw the reader in almost immediately. Whether it’s the war in Iran or the murder of intellectuals, Nafisi always manages to create an impression on the reader. The book tells a very real story about the treatment of men and women in Iran who are forced to compromise their ideals in the face of such a harsh dictatorship and the bombings and demonstrations which take place subsequently. One of the strengths of the book is the different variety of perspectives of its author who had received a western education and returned to Iran much later.

 While she does not agree with many of the philosophies of Iranian culture, she is able to empower her students to look outside their limited worldviews and encourages them to explore a myriad of possibilities through the texts that they read and discuss every week. Reading Lolita in Tehran ultimately offers readers a very balanced idea of life and culture in Iran against a background of widespread political turmoil and upheaval.

Movie Review: Schindler's List

Schindler’s List is the award winning movie by director Steven Spielberg who directed huge hits like the Jurassic Park series. While the theme of the movie is similar to other war time Nazi movies, Spielberg lends a human touch to it which captivates the viewer almost immediately. Oskar Schindler, is a self centered businessman who hires Jewish workers for his factory only because they’re cheaper than Polish ones and not because he likes them. Subsequently, however, as the atrocities against them by the Germans increase and become more brutal, he empathizes with them and does his best to save as many as possible. During the course of the film we also see Amon Goeth’s character, a local military commander, unfold. His intense hatred for them is chilling and we are shown instances of how he kills Jews for sport.

The violence in the film is often gory and brutal and Spielberg spares no efforts in making it as realistic as possible. The cinematography is outstanding and the use of black and white helps in making the film all the more dark and horrifying. The acting is excellent and is one of the major contributors to the success of the film. Liam Neeson, who plays Schindler does so with finesse and precision. His character slowly evolves in the film from a self interested person to one who is hell bent on saving as many Jewish lives as he can. Ralph Fiennes, as Goeth, who reels on the edge of madness, plays his role with brilliance and conviction.  Ben Kingsley also essays his role as the simple and quiet clerk Itztahk Stern with ease and clarity.

Even though I feel that the film is macabre in parts, it is a just and fitting portrayal of the horrors of Nazi Germany. It also brings out the contrast between good and evil and makes possible the belief that love and friendship in the time of war can also exist. These factors have contributed in making the film a compelling and outstanding cinematic experience for me. 

Movie Review: The King and I

Anna Leonowens is an English widow who is hired by the king of Siam to teach his children. Upon her arrival in Siam she is met by the haughty king who pays no heed to her desire to have a house of her own, outside the palace premises. Eventually however, she yields to his desire to stay on the palace premises and teach various subjects to his any wives and children. Ultimately she also ends up advising the king on many matters of foreign policy as well. While the main plot revolves around Anna and her love for teaching the king’s children, the king himself also tries to teach himself  about the western world but as the audience soon discovers, he is far behind the times in many matters and is considered a barbarian by the English. A sub plot also revolves around the Burmese slave Tup Tim who is given as a gift to the proud king, but secretly longs for her lover who she is prohibited from ever seeing again.

While some of the instances in the film are historically inaccurate and therefore controversial, the film as a whole does turn out to be quite a visual treat. The songs are well orchestrated and one which stands out in particular is the musical version of Uncle Tom’s Cabin written by the slave, Tup Tim which is exquisite in its treatment and stylization. The performances in this film are also quite exemplary and the king played by Yul Brynner and Anna played by Deborah Kerr, both stand out in their individual characterisations. The headstrong and stubborn character of the king is well matched by Anna’s feisty nature and both are an equal match for each other and the audience can’t help but fall in love with the two despite their conflicting personalities. What appeals to me the most is the colonial angle in the film where Anna eventually understands the culture of the kingdom of Siam and this view is in complete contrast to the Britishers view of the Siamese as barbarians.


Movies like this one aren't made anymore and it's a film that will always be loved and remembered for its beautiful performances and its grandiose sets. A must watch.