Njaan Prakashan

 

Watched my first movie of the year. Thank good ness I was watching it for free, cause I would only have paid for a third of it. Directed by one of those remaining veterans of the malayalam film industry, and written by another , I guess the movie came out with high hopes. And with a skilled young actor playing the lead, hopes where heightened.

And I don't know what others felt, but I definitely felt let down. That is what happens when everyone just stays within their comfort zones, they won't take risks.

This movie is definitely one of those you can watch with your family (big or small), falling into a rapidly depleting genre of clean, family movies. But even then, its something which could have been told in a 30 minute short movie by an amateur team. As always, Sreenivan does not miss any opportunity to poke fun at today's average Malayalee. Right from being jobless due to jobs not being prestigious enough, to people joining politics with a fastrack-get-rich plan, to the fact that every manual job in Kerala is now done by unskilled Bengali immigrants, he is right in pointing out these realities. One feels sorry looking at the..well, sorry state of the state.  But the twist in the end, is not really a twist. I could see it from a mile away.

The movie addressess the problems faced by nurses, not only in Kerala , but all over the country. Nursing as a profession does not command the same respect and pay as doctor’s, though both of them cannot survive without the other. Long ago, they were paid the same, I hear, but over the decades, the pay gap between these jobs have widened. So much that nurses barely make minimum wage, if there was ever such a concept in India, even though they put in twice as many hours on the job.  This is compunded by the fact that they have to work in shifts, and even on holidays, as hospitals are essential services. So far the nurses depicted in movies are always females (22FK, Takeoff), and Dir Anthikad breaks that stereotype by casting a male as the nurse.

But that is the only refreshing thing about Njaan Prakaashan. Everything else is twice distilled, refined Anthikkad fare.

Changes

 

മാറ്റുവിൻ  ചട്ടങ്ങളെ !
മാറ്റുവിൻ  ചട്ടങ്ങളെ  സ്വയമല്ലെങ്കിൽ
മറ്റുമതുകളീ  നിങ്ങളെ  താൻ
മാറ്റുവിൻ  ചട്ടങ്ങളെ
കാലം  വൈകിപ്പോയി , കേവലചാച്ചര
നൂലുകളെല്ലാം  പഴകിപ്പോയ്  ,
കെട്ടിനിറുത്താണ്  കഴിയാതെ  ദുര്ബലപ്പെട്ട  ചരടിൽ  ജനത  നിൽക്കാം
മാറ്റുവിൻ  ചട്ടങ്ങളെ  സ്വയമല്ലെങ്കിൽ
മറ്റുമതുകളീ  നിങ്ങളെ  താൻ
മാറ്റുവിൻ  ചട്ടങ്ങളെ !
മാറ്റൊലിക്കൊണ്ടീ  മൊഴിതന്നെ  സർവദാ
കട്ടിരുമ്പുന്നിന്നു  കേരളത്തിൽ
നാലുപാടും  നിന്നതു  തന്നെ   ചൊല്ലുന്നു
കാലവും  നിങ്ങളിന്നോന്നി  നിൽക്കും
കാലിന്നടിയിലുംഅസ്വസ്ഥതയുടെ 
കോലാഹലങ്ങൾ  മുഴങ്ങിടുന്നു
മാറ്റുവിൻ  ചടങ്ങെളെ  സ്വയമല്ലെങ്കിൽ
മറ്റുമതുകളീ  നിങ്ങളെ  താൻ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#sabarimala

I hate being micromanaged

There is nothing I hate more than being micromanaged.

Regardless of whoever is attempting that.

Just be mindful.

Too much, too fast.

 

First day back in office today. Technically, that was last week, but everyone here takes and extended one week off into the new year. So, Jan 7 it is.

Weather has been playing games, last week it was so hot, and this week it is now back to winter ! And..it rained on the weekend.

But reading the news, it seems the world too wants to hit the ground running. So much happening, and it has been only 7 days into 2019.

Mr Trump is still trying to build his wall, and now wants  AMERICANS to pay for it, instead of Mexico. But there is a place where somebody is really building walls.

Down south in Kerala, my place, they built a human wall, a women’s wall, to show their strength. It was a massive success, and while all this was capturing attention, two women finally achieved that which scores of others had failed at.

Then , there was the strike. Embarassed, and insulted, religious men decided to show their strength the only way they can, by shutting places down and destroying public property. Too bad for them, merchant’s association decided to boycott their strike. Is this all really happening ?

Meanwhile, more earthquakes hit Italy and Indonesia. And one more mass shooting in the US, and the yellow vest protests in France. And Indians are still trying to claim their scientific superiority by making absurd claims about its past. And Australia is only worried about its climate, and its cricket losses.

So much happening. Too fast.

This is going to be a long year.

 

Last day of the year

 

Last day of the year!! This year I've had more travel than I ever imagined, made some lifelong friends, learnt a hundred lessons, got into better shape & health, read a lot more and realised that everytime I think life can't get better, it does!

How can I not be grateful ?

 

Happy New Year !