Salaam Bombay! (Movie Review #4)

Hello and welcome,to yet another movie review. Our movie under discussion today is Salaam Bombay! There are only a handful of movies which can truly leave a lasting impression on us as the credits start to roll. In my honest opinion there are only two types of movies in the world- the kind that i just said and all the rest. I don't know about you, but once in a blue moon when i see a movie, it stirs me up. Like i said the movies we watch either leaves a lasting impression or becomes just another flick in our list,so that when your friend asks:

"Hey,have you seen that movie ?"

You reply : "Yeah. I have. Its...ok,...watchable."

 As for the ones that catch you by your self-pretentious 'i have seen it all' attitude and pulls you down to the ground, well my dear friend,those are the ones you have to watch and watch out for. The sheer intensity of emotions in them are so powerful and unrelenting  that they'll break through our self made armour of belief that we cant be affected by pictures on a screen. Salaam Bombay! is that kind of a movie. For me the high-point of the film were the last 60 seconds before the screen fades to black. I came to know about this movie through Quora. Salaam Bombay! was directed by Mira Nair and released in 1988. It is a movie which focuses on the lives of people living in a red light district area. The protagonist is boy who is called Chaipau (tea guy). His real name is Krishna. In retaliation to his brother's bullying Krishna burns a scooter that his brother was repairing (Krishna's brother is a mechanic). So his mother takes Krishna to a circus manger and leaves him to work there. She places a condition that Krishna can return home when he has earned 500 rupees( for the burned scooter). But one day while packing up the circus manger asks Krishna to go into town an get him 3 tins of pan masala. Upon returning Krishna finds that the circus had left without waiting for him. So he goes to the railway station and takes a ticket to the nearest city- Bombay. On reaching Bombay he soon finds work as the delivery boy for a tea shop......I think i have revealed enough of the story. One by one all our characters are introduced- Chillum, Baba, Sola Saal, Manju, and so on..... Each of them somehow or the other effects the life of Chaipau. The scene with Irfan Khan was also good. It somehow acts as a hint to the oncoming tragedy. After watching the movie  i checked out Wikipedia and  came to know that the child actors were all children from the streets of Bombay. It seems that they were given dramatic training at a special workshop.Special mention goes to the sound track.The music at the end credits is exceptional and has an optimistic tune to it. It is so good that i had to put it in a loop in VLC player, and i am currently listening to it while writing this. The movie is not abound in violence or gore nor does it appeal for our sympathy, and it doesn't rely on any plot twists or anti-climax. Perhaps the reason why i was able to connect with the movie was due to its simplicity and predictability,and of course that is the beauty of this particular piece of art. Now with absolute clarity and reassurance i can say that Slumdog Millionaire is by all means an overrated movie catering to the masses who expect nothing but a 'feel good' film.

I have one request and only one- Please,just watch the damn movie and you can thank me later!

"Till The Last Breath'- by Durjoy Dattta (Book Review #1)

'Till The Last Breath' is a romantic novel by Durjoy Dutta. Though this was my first book by the author, i wouldn't mind reading some more of his works. The book is gripping enough to be finished in a day or two. I liked the book, to be honest, but i also feel that it is below average on many aspects.

The plot for instance is all too familiar. At about the 30 % mark you can see the climax that's coming. On a personal note i always root for the unexpected to happen. So, when all the puzzle pieces fell together in place (like i knew it would) i was a bit disappointed. So if you are one of those people who like to have an unanticipated twist in the plot, or a shocker in the end that leaves you numb for a couple of days, then you might nor like this book very much. To be honest you don't have to get to the 30% mark to guess how the story will end. All you need is the prerequisite of having seen a handful of your typical Bollywood movies and the synopsis at the back. Yes this is pretty much like the script for your average Hindi movie.

The synopsis runs like this:

************************************************************

The death sentences of the patients in Room No. 509 have been written.

One of them is a brilliant nineteen-year-old medical student, suffering from an incurable, fatal disease hurtling her towards a slow, painful death. She counts every extra breath as a blessing. The other is a wasteful twenty-five-year-old drug addict whose every organ system is slowly shutting down. He can’t wait to get rid of his body--to him, the sooner the better.

Two reputed doctors, fighting their own demons from the past, try everything to keep these two patients alive, even putting their medical licenses at risk.

These last days in the hospital change the two patients, their doctors and all the other people around them in ways they had never fathomed.

Till the Last Breath is a heart-warming story about love, life and friendship that reminds us what it means to be alive.

******************************************************

Coming back to the book. Well as for the characters, i find that the author has given thought to character development. To me the main protagonist in the movie is the drunk guy in the room, not the chirpy little girl. This guy's mind is a blend of emotional frustration and addictions. Addiction not only alcohol and drugs but also to love. His strained relationships are portrayed perfectly. I can say with utmost confidence that Dushyant is much much better than the average Chetan Bhagat protagonist. Clearly a step or two ahead. The narration also deserves special mention. It was good to have a view of the story from different perspectives. This is all the good i can say about this book. 

Now, as i was browsing through Flipkart looking at the reviews of this book, i found that it has been severely overrated. And can someone enlighten me as to why all the girls(most of them) are swooning after this book. Huh? What's the deal? Did i read something else or was there another version with extra material or something? You know like the post credits scene in every MARVEL movie. Here is a snapshot of some of the comments and what's annoyed me most is that they've given it 5 stars. WHAT THE HELL?

In most cases the reviewer says that she cried when she got to page so and so and that page is still wet with her tears. Bullshit. Yeah that's my answer. If you cry at such a simple story. Then i advise you not to watch 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' the only movie that almost made me cry.

As i have already said the book is good,not great. It's one of those books that you pick up to read only for the sake of passing time not for the reading per se. Yes the book is a great hit. But have you wondered why? This stuff is aimed at a particular age group say 14-27 and the author has succeeded in reaching out to them. Yes as an author Mr. Durjoy Dutta has done a good job. But at the end of the day it doesn't mean that he is a good author (case in point Stephenie Meyer).

My Verdict - 

The end of what was B.Tech (or was it?)

So i've officially reached the end of my B.tech Degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. It took me four years. These four years are quite significant. Why? Well for starters, i grew out of my teen years and into the twenties. Another reason is that there's no more studying. (I mean if you choose to). If you want to go for M.tech well then you get to study for another two years. If not then within the next few months, you have to find yourself a job and start working. 'Working'- i am not too familiar with that concept, but i guess i have no choice but to get used to it.

Coming back to the topic, that is the end of my B.tech, well i have to say that i'm surprised that it ended so fast. I thought i would be happy when it ended, but now i miss college and my back bench in the middle row. I dont know who is destined to take that seat in my classroom. Whoever you are, i just want you to know that it's the best seat in the whole class.Why? You may ask. I have often said this to my friends but still here are the main reasons:
1.) Its the bloody back bench, how's that for a reason?
2.) My seat is exactly in the middle of the back bench so it gives a better field of vision of the entire class.
3.) Its in the middle of two ceiling fans so i get the right amount of breeze.
4.) There is also that sliding window behind me which helps me during power cuts, light and easy access to     dispose off chewing gum and other stuff
5.) Since it is way back i get more reaction time to use phones or write assignments and stuff.
I wanted to draw a picture depicting these advantages, then i thought that i would rather spare  you the torment.
*********
We wanted to organize a farewell at our college. So we approached our principal with this request. But that old hag  being a person devoid of principles came up with the most impressive answer she could think of- "No!". Ha, she couldn't even consider the fact that we spent some of our best days walking in those classrooms, or in the grounds or in and around the campus. All she could come up with was a bloody "No!".
All this happened when our classes were ending. We celebrated holi in during our last day and had a small skirmish with the police. Which ended as the most unforgettable last day of any batch. If only she had allowed us to have a farewell day. Hmm. So after our exams we approached her once again and made the same request. You know what she said this time? "No..cant do that, you are no longer students of this college, i cant let you celebrate farewell day inside the campus." Thanks a lot ma'am.So we decided to organize it at a hotel at Quilon. Shame on you who calls yourself a principal. Shame on you!! You are not fit to occupy that room where people of great character and caliber once sat. I am not perfect, so i have no right to judge you but still i cant help but say that you are a disappointment.

Another source of sorrow was my discovery of the real faces of some of my friends, dont ask me who they are or what they did. Cause i'm not gonna tell. It is true that appearances can be deceptive. And i found out that only at the end of 4 years.. actually on the very last day..

Guys, i'm not gonna write my whole college life where cause in the very near future i'm gonna write a book. Go and buy it ok?
I am ending this post now..!

Christmas Cribs...

Another Christmas has gone by, and like always it was celebrated with hopes of a better future, a brighter tomorrow. And lets us not forget those new year resolutions, some of which we do take up seriously and some of which are just conveniently forgotten.Nothing excites me as much as making the Christmas crib. And this year i thought why not go around and take some pictures of the various cribs made in the churches around my home and post it here. So without much talk here they are.

  1.)St. Sebastian's Church Tuet, Kollam

2.) St. Mary's Cathedral, Ernakulam

3.) The crib at my house

4.)St. Casmir's Church Kadavoor-I




















5.)St. Casmir's Church Kadavoor-II

6.) Infant Jesus Cathedral Tangasseri,Kollam

 7.) St. Antony's Church Vaddy, Kollam

8.) Holy Cross Church Tangasseri, Kollam

Day 5 of Study Tour- Bangalore

Bangalore- The garden city was our last stop before we left for home. I woke up and walked to a hotel nearby for the breakfast. I had the best masala dosa so far. The bus came by from the other hotel and we put our luggage and all in it. We stopped at Lal Bagh. You cant leave bangalore without visiting Lal Bagh can you? Everyone who's been to Bangalore have been there. Some really old trees and green houses and a lake are the main attractions

In the picture shown to the right, there's something really interesting happening in the direction where my thumb is pointing. Yup, you guessed it.

                                                                     
There was also this old tree fossil which is about 20 million years old(shown left). We walked around some more before finally coming back to the bus. After two hours in traffic we finally came to a street full of shops. Lunch was from KFC and the girls went on  a shopping spree. I bought a small jute bag for my sister and some sweets. By 5:00 pm we got back on the bus and headed home. We should have reached the college by 10 am the next morning but as we found out, things dont always go as planned. We stopped for dinner at a hotel inside a gas station and after which i met my uncle by the roadside as previously arranged. He had a package of flowers that he wanted me to give to a church to be used in the holy mass the next evening. Everything was going according to plan until 5:30 am in the morning. We had reached Thrissur. The roads were so bad and there was a small bridge that had to crossed, in view of the risk, the vehicles were restricted resulting in a very long queue. In other words we were stuck. And it was hell. Nothing to do except sit on the bus waiting for the line to move. Moreover it was a rural area with only some small teashops and makeshift restaurants. We were going mad inside the bus. My uncle had also gifted me with  a box full of sweets for the whole group,which we ate and we waited. We got some chappatis from a small hotel and after some 5 hours of waiting we finally got moving. And i reached home by 10:00 pm 12 hours late,than planned.

The long wait to get moving....

Even this tiny snag at the very end could not dull our spirits. Because of what happened, i am sure we will all never forget this particular journey and our experiences. We can forever cherish these memories and reminisce them long after we've gone our separate ways...



THE END.

Day 4 of Study Tour- Wonderla

We said goodbye to Mysore and moved on towards Bangalore, cause the 4th day of our study tour is at an amusement park called Wonderla. I wasn't feeling so good that day and moreover i'm not too fond of amusement parks, so i decided to walk around the whole place with James and Harish. It is owned and run by V- Guard Industries. And its their second amusement park,after Veegaland (now renamed as Wonderla) in Cochin. If you have ever been to Veegaland at Cochin, then this one in Bangalore will surely be a disappointment for you. Its not as exciting as Veegaland. And the number of visitors were so low, that most of the rides were shut down. Too bad we have to waste a whole day in this place. But what can one do when majority rules. Anyway i walked around and took some snaps, ate a pizza and simply watched people who paid to get themselves scared. Come to think about it, arent we paying thes guys to make us scared and cause an adrenaline rush? Anyway here's some pics.

After this rather uneventful day, we left for Bangalore and went to a hotel called Grand Regency Inn. Now, the only thing grand about this place is the filth. I've seen worse so it wasn't much of a shock. But for a few of the light hearted people among us it was quite unbearable. So after dinner and an hour or so of heated discussion with the hotel manager, our tour coordinator Arun decided to find a new hotel for the girls alone. So he left with them while most of us opted to stay back. It was almost 10:30 pm and Binu and I decided to go for a walk. We walked past many intersections, a flyover, a petrol pump and we kept on walking until we came across two policemen. We decided to walk past them. But as we reached them, they stopped and asked us where we were going. I told him I was looking for a tea shop. He then wanted to know whether i was here on business.He went on taking some more in Kannada. I told him we were from Kerala and we didnt know his language. He then switched to Tamil. And Binu was like "Enikku koncham tamil theriyum". As if he had been waiting to hear this, the other policaman started speaking endlessly in tamil by the end of which Binu had to correct his earlier statement to:"I dont know Tamil". Soon enough we all switched back to english and i asked him whether it was ok for us to walk some more. But he told us that there were "bad people, people with knives, they take you purse and phone,so you go back to your hotel". Ok no problem, we said goodbye and walked all the way back to the not so Grand Regency Inn, which was closed!

 By this time Arun called Binu and told him that he was at a hotel called Taj and asked us to come there if we could. Yeah whatever, so we walk towards the other side(the way opposite to that we just came from). After  walking for a long time, we reach a dark,deserted road full of dogs.There's not a single person on the roads, except for animals, yeah, cats,dogs, mice and cows. Suddenly all those dogs(about 10, i didnt have the time to count)began to growl and they chased a cow away. I smelled trouble, Binu was skeptic and wanted to go forward. Soon these dogs turned at us, they started growling and barking at us. Not a single person anywhere. "Time to go" he said and that was what i have been waiting to hear. We turn back and walk away discreetly, but the dogs started to follow, we increased our speed, which they did too and before we could start running we saw a security guard in front of a hotel who wasn't there when we passed through earlier. We called out to him(actually it was more of a wail). On seeing another person somehow those things backed off. We decided it was enough for a day and headed back to the hotel. Since it was closed we thought we'd spend the night outside the hotel. But again, you wouldn't believe it,the dogs were back and this time, we could chase them away. We banged at the door and still no one opened it, there was a guy sleeping in the lobby, we couldn't wake him up. So we called James, who was asleep inside and brought him down to wake up the sleeping dude who had the keys and opened the door...

We went to the room and slept, knowing that we were this close to being mauled by dogs...

Tomorrow is the last day of this tour.......

(to be cont'd)......

                                  

Day 3 of Study tour- Mysore Part II

After Chamundi Hills we came back to the city, for our industrial visit at Kaynes Technologies. After lunch, we had an extra 2 hours before thing at Kaynes. So we decided to go see the zoo. Yup you heard it right, the ZOO. Personally i dont like the idea of locking up animals in cages and fences and you pay money to see them. I do feel sorry for them, especially he birds. We can understand their sad plight only if our freedom was taken away. So i walked around looking at these sad fellows and occasionally i tell them i'm sorry and that there's nothing i can do, to help them. I tried not to take too many photos, because i somewhat felt that is was wrong to do so. Isn't it bad enough that they're in cages?? Why annoy them with my lens?
So here's some of the pictures that my classmates took.

We leave the zoo pretty quickly, to get to Kaynes. It seems like a pretty big company.As already instructed, you have to wear shirts and pants, anyone with jeans isn't allowed inside. So is anyone without and ID card. So a few among the group cant enter, and a few chose not to enter at all. You aren't allowed to take your camera or phones inside.We wait for half an hour inside the gates. Soon one of the staff comes over and instructs us to form 2 groups.She then assigned us both two guides, who will explain to us the various stuff thats going on there. The lady assigned to us was a Keralite. She led us to a big building were we took off our footwear,whereas the other group went off to another building.She started by giving a brief introduction about the firm. Kaynes was established in 1988 as an electronic contract manufacturing company. It is based in the United States and in Europe. Their main works include PCB assembling and transformer core assembly. She told us that they had lot of certificates, it was such a  long list that i cant remember even one of those. And thy're not into consumer electronics,i.e they never meet the end customer.

So their manufacturing method is mainly of two types and the products will be a combination of the two

1. Surface Mount Technology

2. Through Hole.

And the following steps are involved in SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY :

a.) Screen printing                              c.) Reflow Soldering

b.) Pick n' place                                 d.) AOI(Automatic Optical Inspection)

e.)VMS (Video Microscopic Inspection )

THROUGH HOLE ASSEMBLY has the following processes associated with it:

a.) Forming Bend Leads at 90 degrees    

b.) Stuffing components on board

c.) LQC (Line Quality Check)

d.) Wave soldering

      Here these guys use a machine called 8035 PCS to perform wave soldering. Wave soldering has 4 main steps involved 

                   1. Applying Flux

                   2. Preheater

                   3. Solder Bath

                   4. Cooler

e.)Cleaning (done using Isopropyl alcohol)

f.)Manual Inspection/Touch up etc

g.)FCI (Final Component Inspection)

In-circuit testing is optional.

The next section is CLEARANCE: 

 The products manufactured here find applications in Railway signalling and Automobiles. There is an area under ROHS(Restriction of hazardous substances). A lot of people are busy soldering and our tour guide tells us that this particular room is free of lead and other chemicals that are hazardous. There is also a machine which can simulate environmental conditions to test and measure performance of products under actual conditions and compare it with expected levels of performance.(This is a soaking room for railway signal devices). They also perform an OQC (Outward Quality Check).

The next area is where transformers are manufactures. Its an assembly line, with four people each of them doing one of the following tasks:

• Bobbin Winding: where the coil is wound around a bobbin.
• Core insertion
• Terminal Insertion
• Gluing

In another section all finished products are tested after assembly.
So our whole tour of Kaynes Technologies was over in around in 90 minutes and we headed out towards 

Brindavan Gardens.

It was almost 6:15 when we arrived at the gardens. The fading light was inadequate to capture vibrant colors of the garden,especially those of the flowers. But still we had some good snaps and a very nice walk around the place. There's nothing much to see except for a lot of fountains and gardens, and......nope,nothing but more fountains and gardens....and a big dam!

A thousand lights...

The twilight soon turned into dusk and the lights beneath the fountains were turned on, which caused the scenery to turn from black and white to a color picture.

We leave Brindavan after watching the musical fountain and on our way back to the hotel we stop for dinner. Back at the hotel, there was a party, if you know what i mean. And Anand got a bit carried away, if you want to know the details I suggest you ask Dayal,who was on the receiving end of this. Good gracious lord, i'll never forget what he did.After the party we all slept and tomorrow we go to Wonderla, an amusement park.

(to be continued........)