Thanks to http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/who-is-anna-hazare-96883
He once contemplated suicide and even wrote a two-page essay on why he wanted to end his life. Anna Hazare was not driven to such a pass by circumstances. He wanted to live no more because he was frustrated with life and wanted an answer to the purpose of human existence.
The story goes that one day at the New Delhi Railway Station, he chanced upon a book on Swami Vivekananda. Drawn by Vivekananda's photograph, he is quoted as saying that he read the book and found his answer - that the motive of his life lay in service to his fellow humans.
Today, Anna Hazare is the face of India's fight against corruption. He has taken that fight to the corridors of power and challenged the government at the highest level. People, the common man and well-known personalities alike, are supporting him in the hundreds swelling to the thousands.
For Anna Hazare, it is another battle. And he has fought quite a few, Including some as a soldier for 15 years in Indian Army. He enlisted after the 1962 Indo-China war when the government exhorted young men to join the Army.
In 1978, he took voluntary retirement from the 9th Maratha Battalion and returned home to Ralegaon Siddhi, a village in Maharashtra's drought-prone Ahmadnagar. He was 39 years old.
He found farmers back home struggling for survival and their suffering would prompt him to pioneer rainwater conservation that put his little hamlet on the international map as a model village.
The villagers revere him. Thakaram Raut, a school teacher in Ralegaon Siddhi says, "Thanks to Anna's agitations, we got a school, we got electricity, we got development schemes for farmers.''
Anna Hazare's fight against corruption began here. He fought first against corruption that was blocking growth in rural India. His organization - the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan (People's movement against Corruption). His tool of protest - hunger strikes. And his prime target - politicians.
Maharashtra stalwarts like Sharad Pawar and Bal Thackeray have often called his style of agitation nothing short of "blackmail".
But his weapon is potent. In 1995-96, he forced the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra to drop two corrupt Cabinet Ministers. In 2003, he forced the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state government to set up an investigation against four ministers. In April this year, four days of fasting brought thousands of people out in support of his crusade against corruption. They also made the government realise it could not be dismissive about Anna Hazare and his mass appeal.
His relationship with the UPA government continues to be uneasy. The truce of April was short-lived. An exercise to set up a joint committee made up of equal numbers of government representatives and civil society activists, including Anna Hazare came to naught when the two sides failed to agree and drafted two different Lok Pal Bills. The government has brought its version in Parliament and Team Anna is livid.
The Gandhian is soldiering on. From one battle to another in his war against corruption. He fought from the front to have Right to Information (RTI) implemented. He is now fighting for the implementation of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the anti-corruption bill drafted by his team of crusaders.
This year, more than 30 years after Anna Hazare started his crusade, as the 74-year-old plans a second hunger strike in Delhi against large-scale corruption at the national level. Nothing really has changed except the scale of his battle.
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/who-is-anna-hazare-96883&cp
Showing posts with label novel reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label novel reading. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Paris to Mumbai 3rd time!
Two days ago news headlines was showing bad weather reports for the day. Air France and most of airlines were running in late or functioning badly. Chales De Goule airport was down. Winter came suddently to make French lifes difficult. Metro & RER local trains were running late or were not functioning well. Many people had to sleep in cars as roads were filled up with snow. People were not ready for the change so suddenly. Car tire changing is always necessary before winter. In fact, some people had to stay in subways and cars to survive the cold.
It was 11th December'2011, i was suppose to reach on flight in morning 10 am. On day before, I tried hard to get taxi booking. All of the taxi services rejected request to take morning reservation. Finally, I decided to get any taxi while on the way. I got up early and stated moving! Couldn't found a single taxi on the way, most of taxies were parked or busy to attend me. I walked to nearest railway station Duplex with my friend. I had metro pass for zone 1 and 2 so I took metro Denfer Rouchor to get direct RER train to CDG International Airport. I reached Denfer Rouchour by 8.15 am, was running short of time to reach Airport. My metro pass was not valid to go Airport, so I joined the queue to get the ticket. It was figure of 8.70 Euro. I had couple to big notes of 20, 50, 100 Euro so had no worry about money. But to my surprise, ticketing machine had "no input" take notes. Hell!! I checkout few coins I had. I started putting them together to get 8.70 Euro. It was just 7.90 Euro! I had no idea what to do now?? Even if you have money, it hardly helps in such situation!!! You are damm stuck!
I remembered the similar incidence in my last visit to Paris in Feb'2010 with French guys. I was taking RER ticket to reach Champs-de-Mars from Porte-Nuilly-Malliot with my collegues. I was barely able to speak French at that time. French man started asking me if I have spare coin of 10 cents. There was no way they could tell same thing in English. I just spread hands before them showing all coins I was having. They picked up few small coins and said, "Ok?". It was understandable, i said "its ok and left for my journey". One of the guy who could speak a bit of English said, "next time, i pay"! I just said,"merci!". That was only word I could speak properly.
In same way, i found someone who could help me. Young couple behind me where French but fluently speak English. They understood, i 'm facing problem with getting ticket. I asked them, if its possible to insert these notes in machine. Girl was speaking fluent English. She said,"Machine don't take notes, you have insert coins. Let me help you in getting ticket." . She took the charge. She choose French language, asked couple of details about the travel. I told her, I want to go CDG airport. Again, we started putting coins and it stuck at 7.80. I had no more coins. I had few Franks (Currency used in nearby countries. I had saved few while coming for Switzerland in last visit). I showed all available coins to her. She had an Euro coin whic she inserted. Finally, I got the ticket!! hurray! But I had to give exchange of 1 Euro to her. I had no option other than 50 Euro note and few coins of Frank. I tried to give her 5 Franks as exchange. She kept on refusing to take it. She kept on saying."Its ok. Its ok my friend". She finally refused to take any coins. I could only say,"Merci beacoup"!
Somehow I got the right train to airport and catched my flight. Flight and company for journey was good. I spend time chit chatting with Australian uncle and aunty who were also stuck in Paris in snow fall evening. I said, it was bad duing snow night, many of friends had to stay in cars or subways on that night, it was really bad. Aunty couldn't resist herself, she said, "It wasn't bad! We had to walk 2 km on open road to get safe place to stay for night!! That was really bad!" They had to walk 2 kilometer to get to safe place. Vacations were bad experience for them. Girl sitting next to me was French. She could hardly speak any English and was travelling to Sydney. We played "Reversee" game in LAN. Talked few things in French to make her know English place. I found a nice facecut which was good to make a sketch. I made a sketch of her on back side of Passport xerox. It was good timepass as I had seen most of the movies they had in collection. One of the air hostess got the sight on it and she complimentes it well! It was wonderful flight to Abu Dhabi. Journey was good and reached on time for next connecting flight at Abu Dhabi.
I checked for mobile network, got some sms from friends. I came on airport and checking status for my next flight to Mumbai. Oh boy!! it was "delayed"! I asked the Etihad guy, he conveyed message that, its been delayed by 2 hours. Matter of fact, it was delay of 4 hours! I woundered around airport. I did my chocolate shopping. People were really arrogant while taking food. No queue, no manners. Most of them were middle-east uncles. Somehow I checked for compatible food for me and joined the Indian people staying at departing gate. I met some Mumbai guys who were waiting to catch the same flight. Most of them were flying from US via connecting and connecting flights. While waiting for delayed flight, I got couple of calls from friends from India. My roomies were waiting for party and car driver waiting at Mumbai international airport to receive me. I texted him to come on airport after 7am! So, somehow I reached at my place at 8 am instead of 2.30 am !! It was bad but wasn't too bad! I had nice sleepy in morning at my home. It took couple of days to adjust the
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Shantaram- Shantaram Kisan Kharre - Gregory David Roberts.
Shantaram - Shantaram Kisan Kharre.
Shantaram is a very lively book and touches vast canvass. It captures Bombay’s life, sponsored terrorism and deals with unified Islamic power also. It deals with refugee problems, it tackles slums, it covers human trafficking, it shows police atrocities and it describes illegal trades also. Mystery, drugs, sex and violence etc are parts of the plot and bounty of human emotions like love, hate, intrigues etc, are also there and faith and miracles also occupy a place in the plot. Its like combining Shidney Sheldon and Paulo Coelho. I think its much more interesting than both of these.
This is a pity that neither any Hindi cinema director could pick up this interesting book nor any big Hindi cinema producer could buy the rights to make a film on this wonderful book. Johnny Depp is doing what biggies of hindi cinema should have done.
To do full justice with this subject one has to have the capability to maintain international treatment of the subject and at same time Indian flavor should not be lost because that is the basic ground beneath the subject.
Right casting is very important in such a vast subject.
0. Main character Lindsay, Linbaba aka Shantaram :
Demands an actor like Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp who could look tough at times and who could also handle emotions well. Johnny Depp is playing the central character. He has vulnerability to do full justice to this role.
The name came after his simple indian mother Rukhminbai Kisan Kharre , mother of close friend Prabhakar.
1. Khader Bhai:
Amitabh Bachchan has rightly been selected to play this character. Khader Bhai basically belongs to a ruler family of an Afgan tribe. He controls the organised crime in Bombay. He is powerful, mysterious and yet so many times he looks so humane whenever he is filled with emotions only, towards his dear ones. Different facets of his character are revealed slowly in the book. His character consists of many twists and its difficult for Lindsay to define him in clear cut black and white category. It has more shades and this character has more relevance in modern times because of his association with Islamic powers trying to make a union. His life, from childhood to his death, demands a separate film.
David might have created character of Khader Bhai , the Mafia boss, on the basis of some real life mafia dons of Bombay but he certainly had kept personality (may be on screen persona) of Amitabh Bachchan in his mind while defining traits of this character. While reading the book, it seems at so many places that Amitabh is present in the book in the form of Khader Bhai.
2. Prabhakar :
He is a young (24-25 years old) Indian tourist guide with whom Lindsay meets as soon as he gets down from the bus after reaching to Bombay. Prabhakar is very important character in the book as he is the first person who introduces Lindsay to India and Indian realities. Prabhakar takes Lindsay to his village in the interior of Maharashtra and where Lindsay actually gets the name Shantaram from Prabhakar’s mother. Prabhakar is first Indian friend of Shantaram. Through Prabhakar, Shantaram’s views about India are formed. He has an emotional relationship with Prabhakar. When Prabhakar dies then this loss is not less emotional than the separation of Jai and Veeru in Sholay, after Jai is killed. Prabhakar’s death leaves a sad void in the plot and in the life of Shantaram also, a void which can not be filled again.
Prabhakar has an infectious laugh. He wants to help Shantaram in any case whether he has capability or not. He first gives him name Lin on the basis of Shivlinga. He calls him Lin Baba.
3 Abdullah Tahiri :
He is an Iranian by birth and basically he is a fighter in the gang of Khader Bhai. A quiet person by nature and he is a devoted follower of Khader Bhai but dangerous for their enemies. Abhishek Bacchan suits well for such roles.
4 Qasim Ali Hussain :
He is a friend of Khader Bhai and manages the slums developed on the grounds occupied by Khader Bhai. He is also a powerful person but he is calm and caring person in nature. He takes care of the people living in the slums controlled by him. He is chief of the slums in every sense. He is not educated but he is sensible and he motivates Lin to do social works in slums and arranges every kind of help he needs. Nana Patekar actors for this character if he has to be shown in age category of Khaderbhai
5 Prabhakar’s parents,
Rukhaminbai & Kisan, typical farmer family from North Maharashtrian village. Story of gunddas/dakeths from near by village had been kicked aways by Rukhaminbai and villages. If scenes of Prabhakar’s village, given in the book, are kept in the film also and scenes when they visit slums in Bombay are also kept then these are good supporting roles and have enough scope for actors to make their presence visible and appealing.
6 Karla:
She is a beautiful European woman. She is always a mystery for Lin. He is attracted towards her but she has always something hidden about her which brings a new facet of hers before Lin and he is left astonished. Kate Winslet (she is quite old not to do the role, can go with make up) fits the role and consideration that she already has enough exposure towards India, closely and living with Indian family there for days might have exposed her more about India and these things may bring authenticity in her performance. Later, during the shooting of Holi Smoke also she had lived in India. In the book, she has been living in India for years and now its her real home and she does not wish to go back.
Karla and Lin’s love story has western shades and its like a regular love story based Hollywood film where characters meet and separate many times before final union or departure. It’s a mini film inside a big film and will bring an interesting watch specially because of the fact that Lin does not know all things about Karla and he even does not know that all this time when she was dating him, she was working for Khader Bhai. But their love story will bring many interesting romantic scenes, specially when they visit Goa.
7. Vikram Patel,
He is son of a rich man. He is highly impressed with Client Eastwood and other western films and always appears in that get up only. He makes friends with Karla and Shantaram and Dildier. He ultimately marries Karla’s friend. He is funny at times but he is not scared in going with Lin to fight with criminals. He is also not a character with single dimension characteristics and an actor needs to show different moods of the character. Govinda perhaps will not do it and Arshad Warsi is other name who will shine in this role. Vikram does many stunts to impress Litty – Letita in love. Finally gets her to settle down.
8. Madam Zhao,
This mysterious madame runs a brothel for rich and powerful in Bombay. Very few people have seen her as she lives in her mansion and does not come out. Many stories are floating there about her. Karla and Lin meet her to take away a friend of Karla who is working as a prostitute in her brothel.
Simi Garewal and Rekha both are capable to play this role if role has to be played by an Indian actress. Madam Zhao in the book is most bad character in book. With Proper make up Kangana may look like the character described in the book. Otherwise many aged Hollywood actresses are there to play this role.
9. Kanu the Bear,
Kanu keeps an important place in the book but its not certain that film will also keep this animal in the film. Not sure if shooting with animals is still allowed in India or not? To keep joy factor intact in the film, Kanu bear, should be there.
Yes, the bear was sent by Abdulla as gift to give a actual bear hug. It was great fun to read around bear story, This bear once goes to jail, finally sent safely outside Maharashtra along with Ganapati statue to avoid trouble.
10. Other characters,
There are many characters in the film and in the international gang of Khader Bhai there are several characters which have importance in the plot like Khaled Ansari, Abdul Ghani – the traitor, Raju bhai, new lads who join the concil after Khader bhai like Sanjay, Salman, Farid, Andrew, Aamir. Nazeer – body guard of Khaderbhai.
Many actors of Black Friday team can be used in the characters living in slums and who are friends of Prabhakar and Lin. It includes characters like Johny Cigar, Jeetendra, Radha (Jeetu's wife), Parvati (Prabhakar's wife), Sita, Anand (man who killed Rafig in hate), Satish- kid, Joseph & Maria, Andhkar (dark black man in seen of Joseph's punishment), Ranjit-medical drug, Ranjeet- Jeet- Karla's bf, Big Rahul – in Jail, Manoj – in jail, Ulla, Medona & his friends rival of Lin, Lettita, African don based in dongari – who disperses dead bodies in hole, Member of Khader bhai's council, blind singers & their story, friends on the way to Afganistan-Kandhar via Quatta (Pak), Lin's friend while running away from Australian jail, Lin's philosophy proff, Khader bhai's scientist connection from Bhabha, spiritual guru fro m Varanasi, Abdulla's love & Farid's cousin from Delhi, Ramesh, Anand- Hotel/Lodge owner, standing babas, Guptaji's den, small kids' selling den, . It goes on :-)
There were other small roles like Habib- the madman, Ahmad, Allaudin, Muzahiddin fighters and helpers.
I think its really difficult task to put whole book in single movie. I don't mind if director make it part-1 part-2. Roberts is busy with writting another book on his next life. That can sure be part-3 depending on movie's box office collection.
Khader Bhai loves his nephew Tariq and role of this child can be played by any of the child actor. They may make this small role memorable.
Lately AB has not been getting challenging roles. Good roles, which could help him to grow further as an actor, have been away from him. All of his present days directors are not thinking beyond the work, already done by him in the past. And in such scenario Khader Bhai’s character brings a golden opportunity before him to show his fine acting skills.
Khader Bhai is the call of Amitabh Bachchan only. He fits very well in the role in every sense. This is not call of any of the actor Pankaj Kapoor, OM Puri or Naseeruddin Shah as book does not contain their influence on the character.
To select AB in the role of Khader Bhai indicates that Mira Nair is walking on right path and it shows that she has understood the character well.
Depp has selected Mira Nair as the director for this project. It will be first of its kind for Mira Nair and perhaps Salam Bombay could have been the basis for Johnny Depp to decide in favour of Mira Nair as her first film deals with slums in Bombay and Shantaram also covers life in slums. We have to see what kind of treatment Mira Nair gives to this big subject. She has adapted books on screen in the past also but first time she will be handling organised crime which covers burning issue of unified Islamic power also. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Mira Nair as a director, as seldom directors get such a subject where they have to cover different kinds of sub plots also.
There are many great quotes from the book :
Here is link to public website : http://www.shantaram.com/
Date 28/Nov/2009
I was flying back from Paris Charles De Goule airport. While waiting in boarding queue, i found a English guy reading "Shantaram".
I asked him."Hey, have u finished reading shantaram"!
"Not yet, i'll soon finish it. Its nice book"
"Yes. I have read it once. Its really wonderful book with pace & every details"
he accepted, "yeah, right!"
I tried to check how much he remember about Shataram,"So, hows Karla, Khader, linbaba? Do you like them?"
Surprisingly said,"You know all of them!!Good. Karla is good, mysterious beauty & soul. Its good story!"
We discsussed few more thing like, where are you flying & bla bla..
It was good to see someone who knows & think as you are thinking...at such unexpected time :-)
Shantaram is a very lively book and touches vast canvass. It captures Bombay’s life, sponsored terrorism and deals with unified Islamic power also. It deals with refugee problems, it tackles slums, it covers human trafficking, it shows police atrocities and it describes illegal trades also. Mystery, drugs, sex and violence etc are parts of the plot and bounty of human emotions like love, hate, intrigues etc, are also there and faith and miracles also occupy a place in the plot. Its like combining Shidney Sheldon and Paulo Coelho. I think its much more interesting than both of these.
This is a pity that neither any Hindi cinema director could pick up this interesting book nor any big Hindi cinema producer could buy the rights to make a film on this wonderful book. Johnny Depp is doing what biggies of hindi cinema should have done.
To do full justice with this subject one has to have the capability to maintain international treatment of the subject and at same time Indian flavor should not be lost because that is the basic ground beneath the subject.
Right casting is very important in such a vast subject.
0. Main character Lindsay, Linbaba aka Shantaram :
Demands an actor like Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp who could look tough at times and who could also handle emotions well. Johnny Depp is playing the central character. He has vulnerability to do full justice to this role.
The name came after his simple indian mother Rukhminbai Kisan Kharre , mother of close friend Prabhakar.
1. Khader Bhai:
Amitabh Bachchan has rightly been selected to play this character. Khader Bhai basically belongs to a ruler family of an Afgan tribe. He controls the organised crime in Bombay. He is powerful, mysterious and yet so many times he looks so humane whenever he is filled with emotions only, towards his dear ones. Different facets of his character are revealed slowly in the book. His character consists of many twists and its difficult for Lindsay to define him in clear cut black and white category. It has more shades and this character has more relevance in modern times because of his association with Islamic powers trying to make a union. His life, from childhood to his death, demands a separate film.
David might have created character of Khader Bhai , the Mafia boss, on the basis of some real life mafia dons of Bombay but he certainly had kept personality (may be on screen persona) of Amitabh Bachchan in his mind while defining traits of this character. While reading the book, it seems at so many places that Amitabh is present in the book in the form of Khader Bhai.
2. Prabhakar :
He is a young (24-25 years old) Indian tourist guide with whom Lindsay meets as soon as he gets down from the bus after reaching to Bombay. Prabhakar is very important character in the book as he is the first person who introduces Lindsay to India and Indian realities. Prabhakar takes Lindsay to his village in the interior of Maharashtra and where Lindsay actually gets the name Shantaram from Prabhakar’s mother. Prabhakar is first Indian friend of Shantaram. Through Prabhakar, Shantaram’s views about India are formed. He has an emotional relationship with Prabhakar. When Prabhakar dies then this loss is not less emotional than the separation of Jai and Veeru in Sholay, after Jai is killed. Prabhakar’s death leaves a sad void in the plot and in the life of Shantaram also, a void which can not be filled again.
Prabhakar has an infectious laugh. He wants to help Shantaram in any case whether he has capability or not. He first gives him name Lin on the basis of Shivlinga. He calls him Lin Baba.
3 Abdullah Tahiri :
He is an Iranian by birth and basically he is a fighter in the gang of Khader Bhai. A quiet person by nature and he is a devoted follower of Khader Bhai but dangerous for their enemies. Abhishek Bacchan suits well for such roles.
4 Qasim Ali Hussain :
He is a friend of Khader Bhai and manages the slums developed on the grounds occupied by Khader Bhai. He is also a powerful person but he is calm and caring person in nature. He takes care of the people living in the slums controlled by him. He is chief of the slums in every sense. He is not educated but he is sensible and he motivates Lin to do social works in slums and arranges every kind of help he needs. Nana Patekar actors for this character if he has to be shown in age category of Khaderbhai
5 Prabhakar’s parents,
Rukhaminbai & Kisan, typical farmer family from North Maharashtrian village. Story of gunddas/dakeths from near by village had been kicked aways by Rukhaminbai and villages. If scenes of Prabhakar’s village, given in the book, are kept in the film also and scenes when they visit slums in Bombay are also kept then these are good supporting roles and have enough scope for actors to make their presence visible and appealing.
6 Karla:
She is a beautiful European woman. She is always a mystery for Lin. He is attracted towards her but she has always something hidden about her which brings a new facet of hers before Lin and he is left astonished. Kate Winslet (she is quite old not to do the role, can go with make up) fits the role and consideration that she already has enough exposure towards India, closely and living with Indian family there for days might have exposed her more about India and these things may bring authenticity in her performance. Later, during the shooting of Holi Smoke also she had lived in India. In the book, she has been living in India for years and now its her real home and she does not wish to go back.
Karla and Lin’s love story has western shades and its like a regular love story based Hollywood film where characters meet and separate many times before final union or departure. It’s a mini film inside a big film and will bring an interesting watch specially because of the fact that Lin does not know all things about Karla and he even does not know that all this time when she was dating him, she was working for Khader Bhai. But their love story will bring many interesting romantic scenes, specially when they visit Goa.
7. Vikram Patel,
He is son of a rich man. He is highly impressed with Client Eastwood and other western films and always appears in that get up only. He makes friends with Karla and Shantaram and Dildier. He ultimately marries Karla’s friend. He is funny at times but he is not scared in going with Lin to fight with criminals. He is also not a character with single dimension characteristics and an actor needs to show different moods of the character. Govinda perhaps will not do it and Arshad Warsi is other name who will shine in this role. Vikram does many stunts to impress Litty – Letita in love. Finally gets her to settle down.
8. Madam Zhao,
This mysterious madame runs a brothel for rich and powerful in Bombay. Very few people have seen her as she lives in her mansion and does not come out. Many stories are floating there about her. Karla and Lin meet her to take away a friend of Karla who is working as a prostitute in her brothel.
Simi Garewal and Rekha both are capable to play this role if role has to be played by an Indian actress. Madam Zhao in the book is most bad character in book. With Proper make up Kangana may look like the character described in the book. Otherwise many aged Hollywood actresses are there to play this role.
9. Kanu the Bear,
Kanu keeps an important place in the book but its not certain that film will also keep this animal in the film. Not sure if shooting with animals is still allowed in India or not? To keep joy factor intact in the film, Kanu bear, should be there.
Yes, the bear was sent by Abdulla as gift to give a actual bear hug. It was great fun to read around bear story, This bear once goes to jail, finally sent safely outside Maharashtra along with Ganapati statue to avoid trouble.
10. Other characters,
There are many characters in the film and in the international gang of Khader Bhai there are several characters which have importance in the plot like Khaled Ansari, Abdul Ghani – the traitor, Raju bhai, new lads who join the concil after Khader bhai like Sanjay, Salman, Farid, Andrew, Aamir. Nazeer – body guard of Khaderbhai.
Many actors of Black Friday team can be used in the characters living in slums and who are friends of Prabhakar and Lin. It includes characters like Johny Cigar, Jeetendra, Radha (Jeetu's wife), Parvati (Prabhakar's wife), Sita, Anand (man who killed Rafig in hate), Satish- kid, Joseph & Maria, Andhkar (dark black man in seen of Joseph's punishment), Ranjit-medical drug, Ranjeet- Jeet- Karla's bf, Big Rahul – in Jail, Manoj – in jail, Ulla, Medona & his friends rival of Lin, Lettita, African don based in dongari – who disperses dead bodies in hole, Member of Khader bhai's council, blind singers & their story, friends on the way to Afganistan-Kandhar via Quatta (Pak), Lin's friend while running away from Australian jail, Lin's philosophy proff, Khader bhai's scientist connection from Bhabha, spiritual guru fro m Varanasi, Abdulla's love & Farid's cousin from Delhi, Ramesh, Anand- Hotel/Lodge owner, standing babas, Guptaji's den, small kids' selling den, . It goes on :-)
There were other small roles like Habib- the madman, Ahmad, Allaudin, Muzahiddin fighters and helpers.
I think its really difficult task to put whole book in single movie. I don't mind if director make it part-1 part-2. Roberts is busy with writting another book on his next life. That can sure be part-3 depending on movie's box office collection.
Khader Bhai loves his nephew Tariq and role of this child can be played by any of the child actor. They may make this small role memorable.
Lately AB has not been getting challenging roles. Good roles, which could help him to grow further as an actor, have been away from him. All of his present days directors are not thinking beyond the work, already done by him in the past. And in such scenario Khader Bhai’s character brings a golden opportunity before him to show his fine acting skills.
Khader Bhai is the call of Amitabh Bachchan only. He fits very well in the role in every sense. This is not call of any of the actor Pankaj Kapoor, OM Puri or Naseeruddin Shah as book does not contain their influence on the character.
To select AB in the role of Khader Bhai indicates that Mira Nair is walking on right path and it shows that she has understood the character well.
Depp has selected Mira Nair as the director for this project. It will be first of its kind for Mira Nair and perhaps Salam Bombay could have been the basis for Johnny Depp to decide in favour of Mira Nair as her first film deals with slums in Bombay and Shantaram also covers life in slums. We have to see what kind of treatment Mira Nair gives to this big subject. She has adapted books on screen in the past also but first time she will be handling organised crime which covers burning issue of unified Islamic power also. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Mira Nair as a director, as seldom directors get such a subject where they have to cover different kinds of sub plots also.
There are many great quotes from the book :
- Its important to do right thing but reason is more important that thing. Its right to do wrong thing for right reason, but its wrong to do right thing for wrong reason.
- We always need to reach to complexity which ultimately revels to discovery of God.
- Men look away while saying wrong, women do it with deep eye contact. So, difficult to understand whats right or wrong !
Here is link to public website : http://www.shantaram.com/
Date 28/Nov/2009
I was flying back from Paris Charles De Goule airport. While waiting in boarding queue, i found a English guy reading "Shantaram".
I asked him."Hey, have u finished reading shantaram"!
"Not yet, i'll soon finish it. Its nice book"
"Yes. I have read it once. Its really wonderful book with pace & every details"
he accepted, "yeah, right!"
I tried to check how much he remember about Shataram,"So, hows Karla, Khader, linbaba? Do you like them?"
Surprisingly said,"You know all of them!!Good. Karla is good, mysterious beauty & soul. Its good story!"
We discsussed few more thing like, where are you flying & bla bla..
It was good to see someone who knows & think as you are thinking...at such unexpected time :-)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
शाळा -- मिलींद बोकील
I was in ABC- Appa Balwant Chouk in Pune on last Satureday. Was there to buy a book "Yugandhar" by V. S. Khandekar. Its based on mytho life of Shree Krushna. My friend Avinash was interested in it.
Started conversation with one Marathi novel book seller. His name was Rupesh. Asked about the book & started bargainaing as usual style in Pune. His proposal was to give 80% discount on sell of Rs 800+ . I thought to buy few more books. Rupesh recommended some more historical mytho stuff. I wasn't really interested in it. Eventually he shown me book called " शाळा -- मिलिंद बोकील ". He said its almost based on your life.
"तya दिवशी मला कळलं की शाळेची मजा कशात आहे ते। वर्ग आहेत,बाकं आहेत, पोरंपोरी आहेत,सर आहेत,गणित आहे, भूगोल आहे,नागरिकशास्त्रसुध्दा; पण आपण त्यात कशातच नाही. आपण त्या गाईंच्या पाठीवर बसणार्या पांढर्या पक्ष्यांसारखे मुक्त आहोत.त्यांच्या शाळेत बसलेलो असलो तरी आपल्या मनात एक वेगळीच शाळा भरते.खास एकट्याचीच . त्या शाळेला वर्ग नाहीत,भिंती नाहीत,फ़ळा नाही,शिक्षक नाहीत; पण त्यातलं शिकणं फार सुंदर आहे."
Started reading it for next 2-3 hours. It started as if its my life. Wonderful way to express journey from childhood days of 14-16 yr to bit matured 17 yr man.
Its really suites well to a Maharatrian boy in Kokan or near by area of Mumbai. Would like to characters of story :
Me : Mukund Joshi , a nature lover , small but casual in studies, chess player, knows movie names very well, finally becomes a broken heart lover.
Shirodkar : My's line/chavi/beloved - My classmate, a cute aadarshwadi girl. I loved her character. The way writer put it.
Ambabai - My elder sis, my permanent headache at home
Aaisaheb - Aai, Mother
Surya - Suresh Mhatre. My friend in class. But a looser in matter of girls & studies. So his papa bit him like anything. Its in his caste - "Aagree".
Chitrya - Another scientist close friend. Very talented but pissed of due to his parent's fights & Devki.
Started conversation with one Marathi novel book seller. His name was Rupesh. Asked about the book & started bargainaing as usual style in Pune. His proposal was to give 80% discount on sell of Rs 800+ . I thought to buy few more books. Rupesh recommended some more historical mytho stuff. I wasn't really interested in it. Eventually he shown me book called " शाळा -- मिलिंद बोकील ". He said its almost based on your life.
"तya दिवशी मला कळलं की शाळेची मजा कशात आहे ते। वर्ग आहेत,बाकं आहेत, पोरंपोरी आहेत,सर आहेत,गणित आहे, भूगोल आहे,नागरिकशास्त्रसुध्दा; पण आपण त्यात कशातच नाही. आपण त्या गाईंच्या पाठीवर बसणार्या पांढर्या पक्ष्यांसारखे मुक्त आहोत.त्यांच्या शाळेत बसलेलो असलो तरी आपल्या मनात एक वेगळीच शाळा भरते.खास एकट्याचीच . त्या शाळेला वर्ग नाहीत,भिंती नाहीत,फ़ळा नाही,शिक्षक नाहीत; पण त्यातलं शिकणं फार सुंदर आहे."
Started reading it for next 2-3 hours. It started as if its my life. Wonderful way to express journey from childhood days of 14-16 yr to bit matured 17 yr man.
Its really suites well to a Maharatrian boy in Kokan or near by area of Mumbai. Would like to characters of story :
Me : Mukund Joshi , a nature lover , small but casual in studies, chess player, knows movie names very well, finally becomes a broken heart lover.
Shirodkar : My's line/chavi/beloved - My classmate, a cute aadarshwadi girl. I loved her character. The way writer put it.
Ambabai - My elder sis, my permanent headache at home
Aaisaheb - Aai, Mother
Surya - Suresh Mhatre. My friend in class. But a looser in matter of girls & studies. So his papa bit him like anything. Its in his caste - "Aagree".
Chitrya - Another scientist close friend. Very talented but pissed of due to his parent's fights & Devki.
Fawadya - My friend with v poor economic conditions.
Anyway, I didnt like the end. Its a tragic end. Mukund didn't get his girl. Vijay & his friend in jail. Surya & Fawadya failed. Chitrya lost his love kewada. Naru mama married to some girl, whom he't liked.
Milink Bokil saheb gosti cha shewat changala zala aasata tar bare watale aasate.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
3 Mistakes of my life
Here is brief of 3 mistakes of my life ---- Chetan Bhagat
Started with Govind Patel.
Story moves to Ishant, Om then... Vidya, Ali, Bitoo mama, Parekh, Godhra violence and end goes well like a movie ... Every part of story dosn't look real.
Started with Govind Patel.
Story moves to Ishant, Om then... Vidya, Ali, Bitoo mama, Parekh, Godhra violence and end goes well like a movie ... Every part of story dosn't look real.
I nice to book to read for a youngsters...
Yayati -- V.S. Khandekar
दोन दिवस पासून एक कादंबरी वाचत आहेत आम्ही। नाव आहे "ययाति" - वि स खांडेकर यांची १९५९ ला प्रकशित।
महाभारत नुसार -
खुप वर्षा पूर्वीची गोष्ट आहे। एक रजा होता "नहुष"। त्याला दोन सक्खी मुले होती - यती आणि ययाति , आणि बाकि सावत्र भाऊ होते - संयति , अयति , वियति आणि कीर्ति।
दूसरा संधर्ब -
नहुष ला दोन मुले होती- यती आणि ययाति । राजा ला एक महान र्हुह्शी ने शाप दिला असतो। "नहुष ची मुले कधी ही सुखी होणार नाहीत... " आणि तसेच होते॥ यती लहान पानी घर सोडून सन्यासी होतो॥ त्याची सिद्धि प्राप्त करायची इच्चा इतकी वाढते की तो सर्वा काही विसरून जातो।
ययाति - एक महान योद्धा बनतो। अस्वमेघ करतो, आई - वाडिला साठी सगळे करतो॥ त्याचे दुर्भाग्य - त्याला देवयानी नावाची शुक्रचार्याची मुलगी भेटली आहे आणि ते पानी ग्रहण करून विवाह बद्ध होतात
देवयानी - एक हट्टी, फारच खोचक बुद्धि ची मुलगी॥ ययाति तिच्या बरोअब्र कधीच खुश होत नाही
बिचारा ययाति दारू आणि बाकि च्या घान सवयी चा बळी पडतो। दारू , नशा आणि काम सुखा मागे पागल होतो...
त्याला हे सुद्धा कळत नाही की समोर ची व्यक्ति कोण आहे।
आणि कहानी मधे बरेच नविन पात्र येतात...
कच - देवगुरु चा मुलगा॥ आणि एक हुशार, कर्तात्वावन व्यक्ति
शर्मिश्ता - ययाति ची दूसरी पत्नी आणि ॥ कर्तात्वावन व्यक्ति , कचाची बहिन
देवयानी - ययाति ची पहिली पत्नी आणि कचाची बहिन
पुरु - शर्मिश्ता चा मुलगा।
अलका (2) - ययाति ची बल मैत्रीं आणि सोनेरी केसाची मुलगी...
मंदार, मुकुलिका , अंगराज बरेच जन...
महाभारत नुसार -
खुप वर्षा पूर्वीची गोष्ट आहे। एक रजा होता "नहुष"। त्याला दोन सक्खी मुले होती - यती आणि ययाति , आणि बाकि सावत्र भाऊ होते - संयति , अयति , वियति आणि कीर्ति।
दूसरा संधर्ब -
नहुष ला दोन मुले होती- यती आणि ययाति । राजा ला एक महान र्हुह्शी ने शाप दिला असतो। "नहुष ची मुले कधी ही सुखी होणार नाहीत... " आणि तसेच होते॥ यती लहान पानी घर सोडून सन्यासी होतो॥ त्याची सिद्धि प्राप्त करायची इच्चा इतकी वाढते की तो सर्वा काही विसरून जातो।
ययाति - एक महान योद्धा बनतो। अस्वमेघ करतो, आई - वाडिला साठी सगळे करतो॥ त्याचे दुर्भाग्य - त्याला देवयानी नावाची शुक्रचार्याची मुलगी भेटली आहे आणि ते पानी ग्रहण करून विवाह बद्ध होतात
देवयानी - एक हट्टी, फारच खोचक बुद्धि ची मुलगी॥ ययाति तिच्या बरोअब्र कधीच खुश होत नाही
बिचारा ययाति दारू आणि बाकि च्या घान सवयी चा बळी पडतो। दारू , नशा आणि काम सुखा मागे पागल होतो...
त्याला हे सुद्धा कळत नाही की समोर ची व्यक्ति कोण आहे।
आणि कहानी मधे बरेच नविन पात्र येतात...
कच - देवगुरु चा मुलगा॥ आणि एक हुशार, कर्तात्वावन व्यक्ति
शर्मिश्ता - ययाति ची दूसरी पत्नी आणि ॥ कर्तात्वावन व्यक्ति , कचाची बहिन
देवयानी - ययाति ची पहिली पत्नी आणि कचाची बहिन
पुरु - शर्मिश्ता चा मुलगा।
अलका (2) - ययाति ची बल मैत्रीं आणि सोनेरी केसाची मुलगी...
मंदार, मुकुलिका , अंगराज बरेच जन...
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