Learn the truth about the Flying Jatt in the next two minutes

If you’ve loved Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Ironman and the pantheon of superheroes you are going to be taken aback by Flying Jatt. But then you are just going to love him when I tell you his truth. And, confirm it by watching the film on Zee Cinema on 22 Oct@8PM.

The Truth about the Flying Jatt (A two minute read, including ogling the pics):

THE LOVABLE SUPERHERO – THE FLYING JATT

1. India’s first superhero:

   This incredibly brave superhero who can fly (Flying Jatt, see?) is also the master of martial art moves.

2. Mom knows best:

   Boys in India share a special relationship with their moms. So does our superhero. His mom is the wind beneath his wings and the constant push to his reluctance to bear the mantle. In short, she’s SUPERMOM.

3. The SUPERPOWER COMBO – Killer moves on the dance floor.

   Yes, Ironman and Superman hounded villains. Our chap does too, but he also boasts an arsenal of dance moves that’ll have you searching for the nearest dance floor.

4. Ofcourse he flies

   What is a superhero without flying abilities? Our Superhero flies too (hey, he’s called ‘FLYING’ Jatt). But the real strength of his power comes from the Divine Source. From his faith.

5. Courage is not absence of fear

   Yes, even our desi superhero became one by accident (though through no insect or animal bite) but even when he is scared he never moves back from fulfilling his superhero duties.Which is what true superheroes do. Right?

6. Chores before ‘chors’

   Hey! Even superheroes gotta live. And with your mom around you gotta do all the errands and the cleaning and the helping out before you flex your superhero muscles. Even Superman was Clark Kent.

7. Saving the Earth is part of the Superhero agenda

   Did you read about the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef? Our hero makes sure such things won’t happen again. Mother Earth is being abused and misused by the BIG CORPORATES (We are guilty too if we are not disposing of garbage responsibly). Our environment needs protection and our superhero rises to the occasion again and again (which ofcourse does not mean that we don’t need to do our bit).

8. Keep your inner child happy

   He does serious good, the Flying Jatt. But he does not take himself so seriously. In fact, he’s a fun-loving guy and his inner child is truly alive and kicking.

9. The youngest Superhero

   Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan also had special powers in movies like Krrish and Ra.One respectively. But what sets Tiger Shroff apart is his age. At 26, he bagged a superhero movie as his third film while the others have had a longer run in films before had a long career preceding their superhero ventures.

Doesn’t he sound so scintillating? Catch THE FLYING JATT doing superpowerly things as well as those killer dance moves (and ofcourse ROMANCING (heck, this is our beloved Bollywood)) on ZEE CINEMA at 8PM TONIGHT. Make a note of the date: Saturday 22nd October.

(All pics courtesy: Zee Cinema FB page)

 

Gandhi, The Movie – Then and Now

When I saw that Zee Classic was showing Gandhi, the iconic movie of 1982, I was thrilled because who doesn’t love the classics from years past. 

But it also brought to mind an interesting interaction I had with my son, about music.

A few days ago, I was engrossed in editing a particularly difficult scene of my novel (WIP) when a few familiar lyrics from long-ago fell into my ears. After the song ended, I told my son, who was watching TV, that I was reminded of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. He replied that it was the same song. But it isn’t Tracy Chapman’s voice, I insisted. That was a classic.

With a laugh, he said it was a cover of Fast Car by Jonas Blue. I made a face and commented that it was certainly no patch on the original. He begged to differ – he preferred the modern, faster version.

I was faithful to the original and keeping aside the WIP,  I searched for all Tracy Chapman songs on YouTube and spent a few nostalgic, soul-warming hours with her.

Which brings us to Bollywood songs!

The number of contemporary songs that pierce the utter mundanity  of life and uplift it with their memorable lyrics, can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And so it has become an acceptable trend to morph the unforgettable songs of yesteryears into today’s feet-tappers. These are successful just because of the exceptional quality of those songs of yore.

And then my mind drifted to the classic films of Bollywood. And this being the season of Independence Day, I realised TV viewers were in for a goody treat of iconic movies from an era that made us movie-crazyfans.

‘Woh Zamaana Kare Deewana’ by Zee Classic

Zee Classic has, in fact, rightly named its ‘Woh Zamaana Kare Deewana’ section which showcases classics as well as new age movies along with their creators. In this endeavour the very first movie it premieres in celebration of India’s 70^th Independence Day is the iconic ‘Gandhi’, this Saturday, on 13^th August at 8 PM in ‘India’s Finest Films’ and on Monday, 15^th August at 9:30 AM.

This is the story of a barrister from India who responded to racial discrimination in South Africa with Satyagraha and used the same method of Peaceful Agitation  in India to drive out the British and bring the British Empire to its knees. He also proved that simplicity and the power of collectivism can bring about a massive change.

Yes, this is the story of Mahatma Gandhi, whose life inspires us even today in our fight against injustices. And in that vein every time I watch the movie I am in tears and feel enriched with motivation to be a better person. As Gandhiji said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

My mind again speeds ahead (or rather, to the past) and wonders how different it would be if the movie was made today:

Come, let’s see how it would be if Gandhi was made in 2016:

Director

1982 : Sir Richard Attenborough had the ability and talent to accommodate a person’s entire lifespan in a couple of hours. He did a phenomenal job right from the research to bringing alive the legacy of the father of our nation on big screen.

2016: AshutoshGowarikar known for his love for historical films and bringing lost eras to life with Lagaan, Jodha Akbar and Swadesh, is undoubtedly our choice to direct this film today.

Mahatma Gandhi

1982: Ben Kingsley played the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the movie.

2016: Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan is the man for the job. Known for his chameleon skills to adapt to various roles and characters combined with his attention to detail, Aamir Khan should play the role of our beloved Bapu.

Kasturba Gandhi

1982: Rohini Hattangadi, beautifully portrayed Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

2016: Kajol, one of India’s most acclaimed actresses can easily pull off the role of Baa.

General Dyer

1982: Edward Fox is etched in our minds as the dreadful and shrewd General Dyer who was hated by all for his infamous JallianwalaBagh massacre.

2016: Tom Alter with his international looks and versatile talent can be General Dyer in ‘Gandhi’.

Jawahar Lal Nehru

1982: Roshan Seth played the role of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to perfection. 

2016: The Nawab of Bollywood, Saif Ali Khan wins hands down with his charming royal looks.

Sardar Patel

1982:Saeed Jaffery pulled off the role of The Iron Man of India, Sardar Patel flawlessly.

2016: PareshRawal’s known for his diverse character roles makes him our choice to play the part.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah

1982:AlyquePadamsee brought to life an important historic figure, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, popularly known as the father of Pakistan in history

2016: Irrfan Khan, a global Indian will surely cut ice in this role.

Lord Mountbatten

1982: Peter Harlowe played the part with the sternness of a bureaucrat and an attitude on his face.

2016:The suave, Rajat Kapoor has our vote to play the last viceroy of the British Indian Empire.

This is a story that needs to be told again and again, down the ages, because this is an important story of India’s Independence and we and the generations to come will be inspired by this to understand freedom and what it really means and thus value it.

 Tune-in to Zee Classic to watch Richard Attenborough directed ‘Gandhi’ on this Saturday, 13th August at 8 PM and Monday, 15th August at 9:30 AM

 

 

 

‘India’s Finest Films’ – A delicious offering from ZEE Classic

The very name Bollywood conjures up images of songs and dances, action and comedy.  Women in scanty apparel gyrating to lyrics that often cross the thin line between naughty and lascivious.  The lone hero outnumbered by but unhesitatingly bashing up men twice his size.  The female lead more often than not playing second fiddle to the hero.  Not the raw materials of India’s finest films, surely.

Bollywood: Songs and dances and action and comedy

Even before the Hindi film industry got its new moniker (Bollywood), films played coy in portraying romance and making do with two roses bending seductively towards each other or then two birds beaking vigorously.

One would then be tempted to imagine (especially nowadays, when Bollywood stars and movies have become so popular overseas) that the film industry was always making fluff – feel-good movies that lifted  you outside of your dull, drab life for three hours into the glamorous world of bold and beautiful people, the film stars.

Parallel Cinema: Hopes and dreams and angst and desire

But it was Bollywood that gave us Mirch Masala, a film that showed not just class struggles and the lowly status of women in society but was also a strong statement of women empowerment achieved with solidarity between women. Smita Patil’s performance in this movie was listed by Forbes on its list, “25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema”.

The viewer will experience over the next few months a selection of some of our landmark films packaged with some interesting trivia. A true spread for the Cineaste ! This is also a great moment to acknowledge the contribution made by the filmmakers and the film talent who walked with us on this journey and created these endearing works of cinematic expression ~ NFDC spokesperson, Ms. Nazhat J. Shaikh, Director (Finance) 

Who can forget India’s entry to the Oscars that swept away the awards. Yes, Gandhi , the film based on the life of the father of the Nation, and which took 20 years to finally be made. Every Indian who saw this move no doubt felt her heart quiver with the intense patriotism that movie inspired.

“Apne pasand ki cheez milna badi baat hai.
Agar sab kuch mil gaya, lekin apne pasand ki cheez hi na mili toh matlab kya hai jee kay!”
(“It is a big thing, to get what one desires.
If you have everything, but cannot get that one thing you desire, then what is the point of living!”)

The quote above is the reason the elderly maid in the eponymous film Gangoobai, strives to accomplish her dream of buying a costly Gara sari and changes the lives of individuals she comes in contact with while in Mumbai to purchase the sari.

These films, part of the parallel cinema, portrayed the hope, dreams, desires, anger and angst of a generation and they invoked intense reactions within us, also hoping to change the mindset of people by addressing subjects which were important but difficult to talk about.

Indian Cinema, over the years, has beautifully transformed and re-invented itself. From socially relevant topics of child marriage, dowry, female feticide, re-marriage to a simple love story, film-makers have done it all.

WohZamaanaKareDeewana:  A successful marriage between Zee Classic and NFDC

                          

I personally feel Zee Classic’s initiative is a very good one. It will help to keep alive the film culture of our country and Zee Classic is in the ideal position to do this.      ~ Mr. Shyam Benegal

These films would be difficult to access were it not for the television channel, Zee Classic who tied up with National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) in ‘WohZamaanaKareDeewana’ to bring these iconic movie classics and new age cinema and showcase the creative talent of that timeless era not just to those that remember seeing the movies in theatres but also to today’s young generations.

Starting 16^th July, every Saturday at 10 PM, Zee Classic will premiere ‘India’s Finest Films’, a distinguished property showcasing masterpieces like ‘Mirch Masala’, ‘Ek Doctor kiMaut’, ’27 Down’  and ‘Salaam Bombay’ amongst many other such gems from the NFDC library.

These movies mark the debut of icons like Irrfan Khan, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah and many more.

Here is a list of the 14 ‘India’s Finest Films’ that will be showcased by ‘WohZamaanaKareDeewana’

• 16th July – Salaam Bombay
• 23rd July – Mirch Masala
• 30th July – Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro
• 6th August – Ek Doctor Ki Maut
• 13th August – Gandhi
• 20th August – Ardh Satya
• 27th August – Pestonjee
• 3rd Septemeber – Qissa
• 10th Septemeber – 27 Down
• 17th Septemeber – Gangoobai
• 24th Septemeber – Mammo
• 1st October – Massey Sahib
• 8th October – Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan
• 15th October – The Good Road

And if you are like me, loving to know more about that which catches your fancy, ‘India’s Finest Films – A Parallel Journey’ will appeal to you. It includes views of stalwarts of Indian cinema like ShyamBenegal, Mahesh Bhatt, Saeed Mirza, Kundan Shah, RohiniHattangadi amongst others. Catch it on Youtube  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDRbplMpfOI or on TV as a prelude to ‘India’s Finest Films’.

~So hurry, grab the popcorn and your favourite seat on the settee starting 16th July onwards, 10 PM and tune-in to Zee Classic for ‘India’s Finest Films’ ~

(All pics courtesy: ZEE Classic)

DIG THE WELL BEFORE YOU’RE THIRSTY – Making your money work hard and smart

Some years ago, a well-known, award-winning screenplay writer visited our writers’ group for a tête-à-tête on writing. At the end of it, I asked him if it was possible to make a living through writing. He just shook his head-full shock of white hair and said, “I also work in advertising.”

In recent times, best-selling author, Ravi Subramanian, continues in his banking career even while producing best-selling novels year after year.

Lately, there has been a spate of articles about the husband’s hefty salary making the wife’s writerly life possible and even easier.

THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE

If one has a well-paying job or a flourishing business, it is only a matter of harnessing whatever time one has and utilizing it for attaining the writerly dream. But what if you fantasize about throwing up your job (that sucks out your soul, daily) so that you can devote your time and energy to bringing to life all those stories gestating within you? Also, down-sizing and salary reductions are more the norm than the exception these days.

DIG YOUR WELL BEFORE YOU’RE THIRSTY

Wealth generation becomes important in such a scenario. Passive income, the money that comes in from investments, is the key to the freedom of time.

But there can be leaks in the well that could harm the return on your investments.

If you’re a High Net-worth Individual or a Financial Institution, you might not need to worry about it as your hordes of legal counsels would do it for you.

THREE MISTAKES RETAIL INVESTORS MAKE:

• paying too much and often unknowingly for their investments in the form of commissions

• not diversifying the investment optimally and

• a portfolio that does not support their risk preferences/goals.

Smart investing advice, then becomes the decider between creating wealth or just making money, from one’s investments.

Yes, yes, I know. We are writers and all that financial jargon can make some of us go all glaze-eyed.

I was lucky, a few years ago, to meet a financial advisor who suggested some amazing  mutual funds to invest in which gave me good returns  but sadly he left the company he was working for and joined another  industry. I could have made the same investing decisions if I had studied the mutual funds and their performance, etc. But then, I’d rather be doing what I do best and love most: yes, writing.

TRUST-WORTHY INVESTMENT ADVICE

I’d leave these decisions to trust-worthy professionals:

ORO Wealth is an online investment platform which is pioneering a new, honest approach to wealth management for retail investors.

ORO Wealth aims to provide an enhanced investing experience to retail investors.

According to ORO Wealth, most people invest in the Regular Plans of Mutual Funds. These regular plans have inbuilt expenses in the form of commissions for distributors and in the long run, they provide lower returns to the investor (the leaks in the well I mentioned above).  Buying Direct Plans of the same funds give you greater returns and this is what HNIs and financial institutions do.

But so far, retail investors have not been able to take advantage of Direct Plans for two reasons:

•  Lack of information
• Hassles in buying Direct Plans as compared to Regular Plans

ORO Wealth comes into the picture, here:

• They are India’s first platform for transacting in Direct Plans of mutual funds from multiple AMCs in one place.
• They are investor-friendly portfolio tracking etc.
• They provide investors access to valuable data on Direct plans and on commissions in different Regular plans through the user-friendly ORO fund screener (https://orowealth.com/#/screener)

Investors can enjoy these services by paying a small convenience fee (Rs. 50 for transactions below Rs. 1 lakh and 0.1% (one time) of the transaction amount for transactions above Rs. 1 lakh).

ORO WEALTH PREMIUM ACCOUNT

Like how an editor/writing coach can make your writing shine if you are a writer with advanced skills, in the same way, retail investors with a portfolio greater than 1 lakh can avail of ORO’s Premium Account. This account is a handholding of sorts, with specialized advice on making your portfolio provide you greater returns commensurate with your goals and risk-preferences (find out more about the Premium Account by signing up here)

Go on, check out ORO Wealth: ” Invest with ORO and experience the difference that truly low-cost investing and good, unbiased advice can make to returns.”

The only thing that can happen is that you become wealthier, with more time to write.