Made of movies, books and literature. Occasionally there's a penchant for social commentary.
The recent Ramayana trailer featuring Ranbir Kapoor has garnered criticism for failing to meet expectations of a Rs.4000 crore film. The trailer is perceived as resembling a low-budget Hollywood production, lacking the grandeur associated with its budget. Concerns about casting and storytelling have led to doubts about the film's success among audiences.
The portrayal of mental illness in cinema has evolved significantly, mirroring societal shifts in understanding and acceptance. Early depictions often relied on harmful stereotypes, perpetuating stigma and fear. Characters with mental health conditions were frequently depicted as violent, unpredictable, or simply "mad," contributing to their othering and marginalization in the real world. However, contemporary films... Continue Reading →
I have expressed this before, perhaps in different ways, that I live with a suppressed existential dread all the damn time. I have a full life that keeps me busy and ambitious but at every pitstop, my mind brings to the surface the spiritually and scientifically unanswered question "why?" and ruins the moment. I wonder... Continue Reading →
During the sixth month of pregnancy, women undergo a blood test for gestational diabetes, which can evoke anxiety, especially with increased sweet cravings. One woman, after initially failing the test, adopted a sugar-free diet for two weeks. Her subsequent tests showed healthy levels, alleviating her concerns and emphasizing the importance of monitoring sugar intake during pregnancy.
George Eliot's Middlemarch explores Victorian society through interconnected lives in a Midlands town, emphasizing psychological depth and social determinism. The narrative's complex structure highlights themes of marriage, gender roles, financial struggles, and intellectual pursuits. Ultimately, it illustrates the importance of individual integrity and empathy in shaping societal progress.
Pablo Neruda’s poem "If You Forget Me," from his collection The Captain’s Verses, captures conditional devotion, contrasting traditional notions of love. Written during his exile in 1952 amid a secret affair, it employs an "if-then" structure and rich imagery to express the dynamic nature of love, emphasizing mutual choice and self-preservation in relationships.
"Materialists," directed by Celine Song, presents a cynical yet relatable take on modern love through NYC matchmaker Lucy, who prioritizes wealth and status in relationships. With a visual style reminiscent of 90s rom-coms, the film explores the tension between financial security and emotional connections, prompting profound reflections on romantic choices.
The opening twenty minutes of Steven Spielberg’s 1998 magnum opus, Saving Private Ryan, did more than just redefine the war genre; it recalibrated the collective consciousness of how we perceive historical conflict. For decades, Hollywood had sanitized the battlefield, often painting war with the broad, heroic brushes of a romanticized past. Spielberg, however, chose a... Continue Reading →
E.M. Forster's 1924 novel A Passage to India explores the complexities of friendship between colonizers and the colonized during the British Raj. Set in Chandrapore, the narrative highlights racial tensions and personal connections through pivotal episodes, especially an ambiguous incident in the Marabar Caves, ultimately illustrating the barriers that power dynamics impose on human relationships.
The British Romantic movement rejected Enlightenment rationalism, emphasizing introspection and the supernatural. Poets like Coleridge, Keats, and Byron used supernatural elements to explore human psyche and moral complexities. This era's fascination with liminality and the sublime reflected a deep engagement with beauty, mortality, and the unknown, influencing modern speculative literature.