Jai Ho

It was the National and Liberation days holidays here in Kuwait and that combined with the weekend gave us 4 days of holidays and I still feel lazy. Thankfully the next weekend has already arrived.

As usual we avoided the roads on the N & L days since there would be an effusion of foamy patriotism. I am sure there are people who enjoy it, but it is just not our cup of tea. This year we read that one person was actually killed! I hope now some laws will be put in place so that at least next year the “weak in hearts” (if we are all still here!) can join the celebrations and maybe even support this economy.

Anyway, we finally got around to seeing the film “Slumdog Millionaire”. Whatever other feelings it may evoke, it will not bore you. It may appear like any other Hindi movies sans the songs which these days assaults one’s senses (the songs in itself are good if one is only listening)

Yes, the editing is wonderful and so is the sound. As for Rahman’s music, it cannot beat the one from “Roja” or many of his other creations but it is good. The film also had the element of romance which I am sure would appeal to all. The undying love that Jamal has for Latika is very touching.

Yes it has the slums , the dirt, the kiilings and the child beggars. And all those who felt insulted must realize that there was no exaggeration. And yes, the slums and these souls are just next to the world’s costliest private residence and its inmates.

I am sure one cannot make every Indian rich but every Indian does deserve clean drinking water, sanitation and a decent place to “answer the calls of nature”. Those who seek their votes must realize that it is their right to have them and those who will soon give their votes should claim these rights. Entire generations of Indians (including myself) have grown up taking these basic amenities for granted and some continue to pretend that it is otherwise.

There may be trillion excuses for these amenities not being present for a multitude of Indians but it is ironical that India can produce millionaires and billionaires across all religions with or without (?) the help of the same government machineries.

Salman Rushdie rubbished this film on the basis that the story line in the book and the movie are unbelievable. I do not know what is unbelievable in the movie. (Yea, he continues to look for his "true love".)

Maybe the director made the mistake of depicting the boys as Muslims while in the novel he had a name which combined all the major religions and we Indians know the fact that the slum encloses human beings from every religion. But the director did capture one essential factor and that is what continues to appeal many. One doesn’t have to be rich to have noble feelings and also to excel in any field. Don’t know how many of you have watched these clippings that shows a boy who seems to have mastered many languages. He is only happy to earn his daily bread and to do the job that was taught by his grandmother.

click here

and here..

But with due respect to the director (he seems to be a genuine stuff) and to the producer who trusted him, the cynic in me does wonder if this movie was indeed good enough to have replaced the others which normally enthrall the Oscar lovers. With the world in a financial turmoil and with a possible reduction in the number of potential viewers from the usual corners of the world won’t India’s 1,147,995,904 (2008 est) population with a good percentage of movie lovers compensate the global business houses? Financial turmoil or not, most Indians will continue to keep movies in their priority list. Haven’t we all been nurtured on fantasies and demi-Gods that let us escape from the ground realities?

As for an Indian(Bollywood) director or a producer, I do not think he will ever get away with such a movie. umph! not even one seductive, reveal all dancing scene and not even one "foreign country"!

A. P. Abdulla Kutty and Sister Jesme

One may wonder what these two individuals have in common! Those from Malluland may have inkling though….

Ever since I watched an interview on TV on Abdulla Kutty and after reading about Sister Jesmi, I realized that they do have something in common. Both of them showed the courage to speak out. And many including the institutions /media dodge both of them. They just don’t know what to say!

As for Abdulla Kutty, he spoke from a political party that is supposed to be the strictest and spares none, while Sister Jesmi did the unthinkable.

After listening to A. P. Abdulla Kutty, I continue to wish we had more of his kind in the Kerala politics. You can read more about him here. He gave full marks to Narendra Modi and faced suspension from the Communist party. All he wanted to do was to invite discussion on development and like everyone else even he ended up seeing Modi’s Gujarat!

Dr. Sister Jesmi, soon after she retired as the Principal from a reputed college in Trichur, decided to publish her autobiography named “Amen”. Maybe it is the sexual exploits that caught the attention, but she has also written about the corruption and the politicisation of religion prevalent in the Church (While she writes about the Catholic Church, I would like to say that every Church now faces the issue of politicization) She was not springing a surprise. She had spoken out earlier and was “punished” for doing so. I listened as she said with all sincerity “ I have just opened a window, only one window, and through that window if they see dust or dirt inside the convent, at least in a corner, and if one sister cleans the corner of the convent, then my book has been rewarded.” She has written the book partly for herself. She needed the healing first. As for the question as to why she did not denounce the Church earlier, I guess for some woman, courage comes only with age. The society is such that it is not easy to come out of its shackles when one is younger.

It is now up to the Church to label her as a “heretic” or admit that this lady is to be listened to. But the majority in Kerala, have taken her seriously.