Soft Conversations on Hard Subjects
The blank page is a true mirror of a man - it makes you think, think and think. And think more. Similarly, the first step, the first day, the first kiss, is always scary, yet there is something very special about it. So what do these two lines have to do with the rest of my post - absolutely nothing? It was just the first thought, and as Jack Kerouac said: “The first thought is always the best thought”. Then Hell yeah!
It’s always confusing determining what to write in your first post, as a matter of fact each day on the blog, but like all seers of art say- Write what you know. Now I had tried starting and maintaining a blog couple of years back, but it’s easy to take off, but hard to keep the plane in flight, sooner or later most blogs come crashing down the runaway. And so did my first every foray into blogging. Since the last disaster, I have always thought (everyone who is smitten by the net bug, carries this desire in his heart, to start a blog - someday), Now after nearly three-four years, Flight 180 has taken off again. This whole flight and runaway thing remind me of Wong Kar Wai movies, where his concept of two lovers being a plane and runaway fascinated me a great deal. After all, the plane can land and take off any time they want, but when the run away decides to become the plane, the relationship is in crisis. It’s just a thought, but interesting nonetheless.
My mother says I have never grown up, I grew up reading comics, playing video games, watching movies, and till date those are the only things I do besides reading books on Cinema. And thinking about imaginary scripts and titles, déjà vu, boy meets girl. The notion of having an easy career, and a fun one, sometime really makes my blood boil, when people say me that “Oh, this is not studies, its fun”. Damn, what do most people really know about Cinema? And do they really care, what is cinema, all people care what color socks Shahrukh Khan wears, and how Saif Ali Khan shoved up Karenna’s ass.
Cinema could have changed the world, but it was engulfed by capitalism, and cinema died the day Jaws was released, and blockbuster movies started. Today, it still operates but as Jean Luc Godard said, all such cineaste lie in a sick hospital which one day would crumble and fall if we don’t stick and fight. Most countries have had their fair share of New Wave in art form over the years; even we Indians had our New Wave of Cinema in 70’s. However, since then, Indian Cinema has taken a tour-de-force. If today Bollywood has gone global, it’s only because some Indian in a remote corner of the world is paying to watch the movie, but is that what we call global?
Friends, Romans, Countrymen….If Sajid Khan can make movies, then everyone one of us can make movies, but I guess we have forgotten what is creation. After all, it’s easy to pick up a camera and shoot, and you’re a filmmaker. But to create something, as Godard quipped is what cinema all about. I like the fact the Jack Kerouac wrote whatever thought poured in his mind, and not cared about the classical norms of structure and dramaturgy.
Similarly let my first post is as fragmented, elliptical as a Hou Hsien Hou movie. And let the structure and rules go hay-wire, because that’s what Godard taught me. In the end, quote as you please, borrow as you please, as it doesn’t matter where your inspiration comes from, what matter is where you take them to. And that’s what all matters today - Originality is non- existent, and the great authors ain’t dead, Monsieur Barthes. And the day I saw Godard’s video work, Soft Conversation on hard subject on YouTube, I knew the seeds of modernism had blossomed and we were riding high on the ecstasy of post modernism.
Fundamental Rights
1) If Sajid Khan can make movies, Pappu, Tom, Dick, Harry, Chintu, Bantu, Ajay and Vijay, everyone can, and everyone should.
2) If Shobha De can write and be a best-selling author, all guys and girls pick your pens, and start gossiping.
3) If Shri, Shri, Shri, Sudarshan Maharaj, and all other Babas the so called multi millionaire saints of India can preach, we all should preach.
4) If Tusshar Kapoor can become an actor, we all should become an actor.
5) If every other actor, socialite, model becomes a painter, we all should be able to sell our own painting.
6) People should be banned from wearing Che Guevara t-shirts who absolutely have no clue about the man and his sacrifice, except that it looks cool.
7) A new breed of political ideologies should be infused in the minds of the Left; Mr Prakash Karat could you please stand up.
8) If Himmesh Reshamiya can sing, well…
9)
10)
It’s always confusing determining what to write in your first post, as a matter of fact each day on the blog, but like all seers of art say- Write what you know. Now I had tried starting and maintaining a blog couple of years back, but it’s easy to take off, but hard to keep the plane in flight, sooner or later most blogs come crashing down the runaway. And so did my first every foray into blogging. Since the last disaster, I have always thought (everyone who is smitten by the net bug, carries this desire in his heart, to start a blog - someday), Now after nearly three-four years, Flight 180 has taken off again. This whole flight and runaway thing remind me of Wong Kar Wai movies, where his concept of two lovers being a plane and runaway fascinated me a great deal. After all, the plane can land and take off any time they want, but when the run away decides to become the plane, the relationship is in crisis. It’s just a thought, but interesting nonetheless.
My mother says I have never grown up, I grew up reading comics, playing video games, watching movies, and till date those are the only things I do besides reading books on Cinema. And thinking about imaginary scripts and titles, déjà vu, boy meets girl. The notion of having an easy career, and a fun one, sometime really makes my blood boil, when people say me that “Oh, this is not studies, its fun”. Damn, what do most people really know about Cinema? And do they really care, what is cinema, all people care what color socks Shahrukh Khan wears, and how Saif Ali Khan shoved up Karenna’s ass.
Cinema could have changed the world, but it was engulfed by capitalism, and cinema died the day Jaws was released, and blockbuster movies started. Today, it still operates but as Jean Luc Godard said, all such cineaste lie in a sick hospital which one day would crumble and fall if we don’t stick and fight. Most countries have had their fair share of New Wave in art form over the years; even we Indians had our New Wave of Cinema in 70’s. However, since then, Indian Cinema has taken a tour-de-force. If today Bollywood has gone global, it’s only because some Indian in a remote corner of the world is paying to watch the movie, but is that what we call global?
Friends, Romans, Countrymen….If Sajid Khan can make movies, then everyone one of us can make movies, but I guess we have forgotten what is creation. After all, it’s easy to pick up a camera and shoot, and you’re a filmmaker. But to create something, as Godard quipped is what cinema all about. I like the fact the Jack Kerouac wrote whatever thought poured in his mind, and not cared about the classical norms of structure and dramaturgy.
Similarly let my first post is as fragmented, elliptical as a Hou Hsien Hou movie. And let the structure and rules go hay-wire, because that’s what Godard taught me. In the end, quote as you please, borrow as you please, as it doesn’t matter where your inspiration comes from, what matter is where you take them to. And that’s what all matters today - Originality is non- existent, and the great authors ain’t dead, Monsieur Barthes. And the day I saw Godard’s video work, Soft Conversation on hard subject on YouTube, I knew the seeds of modernism had blossomed and we were riding high on the ecstasy of post modernism.
Fundamental Rights
1) If Sajid Khan can make movies, Pappu, Tom, Dick, Harry, Chintu, Bantu, Ajay and Vijay, everyone can, and everyone should.
2) If Shobha De can write and be a best-selling author, all guys and girls pick your pens, and start gossiping.
3) If Shri, Shri, Shri, Sudarshan Maharaj, and all other Babas the so called multi millionaire saints of India can preach, we all should preach.
4) If Tusshar Kapoor can become an actor, we all should become an actor.
5) If every other actor, socialite, model becomes a painter, we all should be able to sell our own painting.
6) People should be banned from wearing Che Guevara t-shirts who absolutely have no clue about the man and his sacrifice, except that it looks cool.
7) A new breed of political ideologies should be infused in the minds of the Left; Mr Prakash Karat could you please stand up.
8) If Himmesh Reshamiya can sing, well…
9)
10)
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