Made of movies, books and literature. Occasionally there's a penchant for social commentary.
In contemporary cinema, few directors have defined the parameters of modern dark fantasy as profoundly as Guillermo del Toro. While conventional Hollywood narratives often relegate monsters to the role of hideous threats to be eliminated, del Toro inverts this paradigm. Across his filmography, most notably in his Spanish-language masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and his Oscar-winning... Continue Reading →
Neil Gaiman possesses one of the most distinctive imaginations in modern fiction. His stories inhabit a twilight realm where fairy-tale whimsy collides with gothic dread, ancient pantheons ride suburban buses, and the mundane world is constantly fraying at the edges to reveal something far stranger underneath. For decades, Hollywood viewed Gaiman’s signature brand of dark... Continue Reading →
Stephen King is the most adapted living author, with over fifty film adaptations. However, adapting his work is challenging due to its focus on internal struggles and human emotion. The best films, like The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me, prioritize character depth, showcasing King's true talent for human drama over mere horror.
First published in serial form in 1899 and as a novella in 1902, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness stands as one of the most haunting, controversial, and intellectually formidable works of modern English literature. Set during the height of late nineteenth-century European imperialism, the novella follows Charles Marlow, an English seaman who journeys up the... Continue Reading →
The rise of non-linear storytelling in the streaming era reflects a shift in audience habits and technology, transforming viewers from passive watchers into engaged detectives. This evolution allows filmmakers to explore emotional themes and mirror human memory by subverting traditional narratives, even while risking narrative fatigue if overused.
Following the ‘Ram- Scion of Ikshvaku’ book in the Ramchandra series by Amish (review at bottom of the post) is ‘Sita- The Warrior of Mithila’. Now this one offers a fully novel image of Sita. Amish attempts a retelling of the Ramayana in a manner that perhaps no one has imagined before – that the… Continue Reading →
Jain temples (basadis) of Karnataka are opening doors for devotees from all communities and that’s a good thing, if the people visiting are willing to learn more about Jain deities and perhaps connect to them. However, I believe that there must be a difference between spaces designated for tourism and ones for devotion. If you... Continue Reading →
Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, a seminal work of Renaissance drama, follows a German scholar who sells his soul for knowledge and power. The play critiques human ambition and the illusion of control, revealing that the pursuit of knowledge devoid of moral grounding leads to despair and triviality. Ultimately, it illustrates the psychological nature of damnation and the tragedy of unrepentant pride.
Published in 1936, Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning epic Gone with the Wind remains one of the most commercially successful, culturally influential, and deeply polarizing novels in American literary history. Set against the chaotic backdrop of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, the novel charts the tumultuous life of Scarlett O’Hara as her aristocratic... Continue Reading →
For someone very vocal about social issues, I barely said anything about the CJP protest against NEET discrepancy. Now that its over, as a teacher, here’s a perspective I’m sure you didn’t have. The biggest reason I barely posted anything is that I was both for and against the protest. For, because the demand for... Continue Reading →