The Expression Hub

  • Chasing bliss?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith , Thandiwe Newton, Brian Howe, Takayo Fischer

    Directed by: Gabrielle Muccino

    Genre: Family/ Drama

    “No love is greater than that of a father to his son.”

    -Dan Brown

    Its the third Sunday of June so, I decided to raise a toast to all the lovely and amazing fathers out there . So, wishing all the fathers out there a very happy Father’s Day . You are your daughter’s first love and your son’s first hero. Thus, cheers for being an amazing human being. After all, it is not easy being a rock of the family. For those who might not have experienced the love of their fathers due to some or the other reason, I am sure there might be someone who might have played the role of a father figure in your life. Acknowledge their presence and make them feel valued and do thank them for the contribution they made to your lives. Not all father figures need to be defined by blood. Some are defined out of sheer respect as well .

    Well, keeping the importance of the role fathers play in our lives, I decided to dedicate this month to the heroes who act as your constant source of strength and motivation. After all, just like mothers , even these heroes without capes need to be celebrated. Isn’t it? Hence, this week’s pick revolves around a father who tries to be a hero in the eyes of his son despite facing difficult times. This week’s pick celebrates the strength a father possesses for his family . This week recounts the amazing and emotional tale of Will Smith in the Pursuit Of Happyness.

    Story line: The Pursuit Of Happyness is based on the real life story of Chris Gardner, who faced a lot of hardships and how he overcame them. Chris Gardner is a famous American businessman and a motivational speaker who struggled with tough times for nearly a year. He is a salesman who has invested his entire life savings in portable bone density scanners. The scanners help him to scrape by through his life but the time taken between the sales and the growing financial demands of the household creates tensions in his family. These tensions eventually leads to his wife leaving him to take care of their son alone. This is when Chris decides to take the biggest gamble of his life- to become a stock broker. But will his journey to be a stock broker be easy or will it end up as a failure? What are the challenges he faces in his journey to be a stock broker? Is he able to overcome them or will he put his and his son’s life in jeopardy?That is what forms the rest of the story.

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which is pretty inspiring as well as heart-wrenching in nature. It highlights the length a father might go for his son . When you witness the struggles, Chris faces you just have one word in your mind- blessed. Blessed that you do have everything which we often tend to overlook and feel grateful about. Yet, a lot of times we are pretty complacent about life and tend to take things for granted which are a luxury to a lot of people. I literally had tears in my eyes but also a sense of pride for the resilience Chris showed. Maybe it is the power of hope which gives us the immense strength to fight our battles. The hope that the future will be bright and that our dreams can be a reality if we are willing to fight for it.
    Will Smith shines as Chris and so does Thandiwe Newton who portrays the picture of an estranged wife. The movie also highlights one important fact- that while money might be just a piece of paper but it is also very crucial when it comes to running a household. It highlights how lack of money leads to problems in domestic life especially if children are involved because you need to take care of them as well until they are ready to stand on their own feet.

    The Sentiment: A movie which pays tribute to all the struggles a father goes for his child, this one though an oldie will inspire you a lot. This one will also fill your heart with immense gratitude for the man that provides for your family without any complaints and yet does not crib for doing the same. So, do watch it for the struggle a father undergoes for his family but also for the life lessons it provides. Then maybe you will witness your life in a much different light. And this is a movie which if you need a dose of inspiration must be viewed again and again because then that might help to crib less about the hardships one faces in life. Also, do watch it for the beautiful relationship shared by a father with his son despite the tough times. That will move you as well as bring a huge smile on your face.

    Rating : **** stars

    Quote-Unquote: “You got a dream… you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. ”

    A scene from Pursuit of happyness

    Que: How does Chris impress Jay Whittle?

    a. By paying for his taxi fare

    b. By wearing a new shirt

    c. By topping the stock brokerage exam

    d. By solving the Rubik’s cube

    Continue reading →: Chasing bliss?

  • A summer to remember…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Slice of life genre/ Drama

    Number of episodes: 8

    Presented by: Daring Ones Films

    “Its really not about what you have. Its about how you are able to enjoy life in general.”

    -Kevin Harwick

    Well, finally summer is finally coming to an end. So, I decided why not end it on a sweet note? After all, it will take approximately a year for summer to make its comeback . Keeping this in mind, I just came up with a great pick to end your summer with. If you have any suggestions, please do drop in the same. I will be super happy to hear from you and maybe who knows get some goals in this space as well. So, don’t forget to drop in your suggestions as well as thoughts in the comments section.

    Well, lets focus on the pick I have picked up for you guys. This one is a mini series with actually 2 seasons but in this I will be covering details about the first season . With time , the second season will also be covered. Buckle up your seat belts and get ready for an exciting read 😝

    Synopsis: A Summer Story is a web series which is set in aapli Mumbai-the city of dreams. It revolves around the lives of three individuals namely Raghav, Samar and Varun. Raghav is a person who works in a multi-national company. Samar is a person who works in a digital marketing firm but aspires to be a writer as he loves to write . And lastly, Varun is a struggling actor who wants to make it big in the industry. The series starts with Samar being frustrated with his job and leaving his job in order to pursue his passion. Raghav is trying hard to make his relationship work with his girlfriend but work obligations are preventing him from doing so. Varun on the other hand is trying hard to get his break but is not able to do so because the casting directors keep on demanding money from him . Everyone is struggling with their lives in their own manner. One day while sitting in Marine Drive, and trying to get inspiration from nature, Samar meets a girl named Rachel. How life changes for the three after meeting Rachel is what forms the rest of the story.

    Assessment: This show actually explores a lot of themes that are associated with the struggles of being an adult. It explores themes like problems of staying in a house together when two people are in a relationship, how people judge when some girl enters a house which is occupied by male members, of how society craves for stability and does not let one to pursue one ‘s dreams , of how it becomes difficult to have a work-life balance and much more which includes financial as well as some mental health issues as well.

    The good thing is that the show does not preach but instead just reiterates the fact that you do not need a lot of things to enjoy the small moments in your life . And it is the time that you spend with your loved ones which makes life wonderful. Rachel is a great character who despite having come from a difficult background tries to see the good in what life has to offer. She is like a whiff of cool air in a hot desert. Also, she is able to help the three boys have themselves figure out things which makes her a great problem solver as well. Another good thing is that you get to witness a few glimpses of the city which really brings you a sense of home especially if you have relocated from the city .

    Apart from that there is a subtle reference to a lot of moments from Friends . If you are a person who has enjoyed FRIENDS, you will appreciate the same in the series as well. As far as the negatives are concerned, there are parts which seem really unrealistic like how quickly Rachel trusts a man whom she has met just a few minutes ago for instance but I guess that can be attributed to the creative freedom of the maker.

    The view: A simple story which is pretty clean by the standards of webseries, this one is a sweet tale of friendship, love and a whole lot of perspectives . If you are a person who has been a Mumbaikar or has been living in the city, this story will definitely feel like home. Do watch it for its simplicity as well as for having some food for thought about life. You’ll surely enjoy it and take back some fond memories.

    Baap dialogue: “Why do you hesitate to call yourself a hero? Remember you are the hero of your own story”. (Rachel to Samar)

    Que: What is the name of the movie which Samar refers to Rachel?

    a. Before the Night falls

    b. A City of Dreams

    c. Before Sunrise

    d. A Lost Friendship

    Continue reading →: A summer to remember…

  • How to spend a summer break?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author: Jeff Kinney

    Genre: Comedy

    “Summer means happy times and good sunshine . It means going to the beach, enjoying the scenery , having fun with family and friends.

    -Brian Wilson

    How is the weather and climate in your country? Well, it is scorching hot in my country with temperatures breaking new records as per as highs are concerned. If you are a citizen of my country, then please do drink a lot of water along with other fluids and please avoid going outdoors especially in the afternoons till the Sun has set. Also, apply a lot of sunscreen even if you are indoors. Proper care taken always helps prevent instances of dehydration, sunburn and other problems which can be caused by intense summer. Though on the other hand, summer is also a great time to have fun with your family especially if you love traveling . Do you agree with this ? If yes, do feel free to share your memorable summer experiences in the comments section. Maybe inspired by your comments, we all might get some goals of how summer must be spent . And if you do not love to travel, then it should not be a major problem. This is because when you have a good book or a good source of entertainment, then you are bound to enjoy yourself even if it is hot outdoors. Isn’t it ?This week’s pick revolves around a similar theme. And the best part is that it is a book which might brighten up your summer and help you beat the heat.

    About the book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is a book which has been written by Jeff Kinney. It is written in the form of diary entries by a teenage boy named Greg Heffley. In the book, he describes of how he intends to spend his summer. He describes himself as an indoor person who intends to spend his summer playing video games as he is supposed to be an indoor person. But his mother, intends to have a great summer by spending some time outdoors despite having a tight budget.

    Greg invites his best friend Rowley for a sleepover . But it turns out that the sleepover does not turn out the way as it is supposed to be. This is because the experience which they had by watching the horror movie scares the daylights out of them. When Greg’s mother gets to know about this, she starts a reading club as a punishment for the boys . So, does the reading club started by Greg’s mother become a hit? Also, does Greg have the best summer ever ?Or does he end up a summer which ruins all the fun he had intended to have?

    Analysis: The book recounts of how a boy who has entered his teenage years plans to spend his summer vacations. I am sure when we were children, even a lot of us would have had pretty similar experiences if not the same. So, this book serves as a great opportunity to remember the fun times we had when we had our summer vacations. The mess which Greg usually finds is pretty hilarious and will give you a lot of reasons to laugh though some of the jokes might seem adult in nature, This is because the book is set in a society which normalizes a few things which are still a taboo in my society but are acceptable with some classes as well . Also, the book provides some insights of how a teenage boy’s mind functions. This can be useful for parents who have their children enter this phase of life. The phase of adolescence is when curiosity about the surroundings is the highest. Though some incidents are pretty embarrassing, but they still make you laugh a lot. Furthermore, it chronicles the relationship a son shares with his father. This can be a tricky territory to explore but aren’t most of the relationships are ?It is with time that you try to understand what a relationship means to you.F

    Verdict: This is a book which can be termed as a laugh riot . This one will tickle your funny bone a lot. Also, it will bring back a lot of memories especially for adults of how they used to spend their summers when they were children with their families. Or if they did not like spending summers with their families, how they were forced to spend time with them in the name of family time.😅😝. So, do take this trip for sure you will not have a dull moment in it. But instead will end up releasing a lot of happy hormones by laughing a lot.And maybe also opening up a storehouse of memories.

    Rating: *** and 1/2 stars

    Cite Bite: “For me summer vacation is basically a three-month guilt trip.”

    Continue reading →: How to spend a summer break?

  • In a holiday mood

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Emma de Caunes,Willem Dafoe, Maxim Baldry,Jean Rochefort

    Directed by: Steve Bendelack

    Genre:Comedy

    “You must go on adventures alone to find out where you belong.”

    -Sue Fitzmaurice

    This post should have been a bit earlier to arrive when the holiday season had just started. But thanks to my excitement of the largest festival of democracy, it got a bit delayed. Which brings me to ask you a volley of questions- did you guys cast your vote?And if so, how did you feel? Also, if you did not cast, so when are you going to cast?Do tell me about the same in the comments section. I will be happy to hear about the same.

    Since , it is the holiday season, so why not we celebrate the same by picking choices related to the same?Holidays are a great way to unwind and relax.They help us to escape the usual rut of life as well as offer meaningful experiences. Therefore, lets pack our bags and get set for an exciting summer . And if you don’t want to get out of your houses then no worries, I have the recommendations which will make you have fun in the summer and pass the time. Let’s dig in by bringing some memories and nostalgia . What are those memories about? Read on to find out more.

    Story line: Mr. Bean wins a holiday to the beautiful city of Cannes. Mr. Bean plans his holiday right by focusing himself and by being intent on getting the directions right. But it seems his holiday to Cannes has something else in store for him. While dining at Le Bleu, Mr. Bean starts causing trouble which leads him to escaping the hotel to avoid facing the wrath of the people. He gets on a train but wants that moment to be captured on his video camera. So, he requests a film director to shoot him. The film director ends up shooting him on the camera but ends up leaving his son on the train which leaves the film director feeling distraught. This and many more comedy of errors take place with Mr. Bean. Will the comedy of errors keep him entangled and ruin his trip?Or will he be able to reach his destination and be able to have a good time?After all, vacations are supposed to be for having a good time .Also, will Mr. Bean be able to reunite the director’s son with his father or will more trouble ensue?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which will bring a lot of childhood memories and nostalgia if you have been a Mr. Bean fan. I never watched Mr. Bean in my childhood(might sound shocking but that’s the truth). So, I decided to watch it. After watching it, I had a mixed bag of feelings- I was laughing out aloud also but I was also having a feeling of cringe.The reason might be that there are scenes which might have made you laugh as a child ; the same very scenes might not appeal to you as an adult. Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean tries to make you laugh out aloud but sometimes it seems as though the humor has been forced upon. Though one thing that appealed to me was the cinematography . The visuals are appealing that it makes you feel as if you are on a trip to France. It captures the aesthetic beauty of the countryside as well as the city side. That was one of the major highlights of the movie which really appealed to me. So, a huge shout out to the team behind the cinematography.

    The Sentiment: A movie which might bring some nostalgia and childhood memories to some, but a movie which if needs to be watched should be watched for its beautiful cinematography rather than its story. This was the feeling I experienced after watching this. However, if you are a person who can laugh at any silly jokes , then this one is for you. And also, if you are a big fan of Mr. Bean and would love to have some nostalgia reminiscing about the good old days, then this one can try doing that.

    Quote-Unquote: Sabine : [after finding out Mr Bean is wanted by the whole of France, angrily]  Who are you? Where are you going?Mr. Bean : [takes out picture of Cannes and pokes it]  To the beach.

    Mr. Bean with the director’s son

    Que: What is the name of the movie in which Sabine makes a debut?

    a. Payback Time

    b. Playback Time

    c. Back to the Past

    d. Fast forward to the future

    Continue reading →: In a holiday mood

  • Future doctors or scammers?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Drama

    Number of episodes:8

    Presented by: Lionsgate India

    “Youth isn’t always all its touted to be.”

    -Lawana Blackwell

    What is it to be the youth of the country which has a very large population?Is it supposed to be an enjoyable or a memorable experience or is it supposed to be a way of survival? People survive on a day to day basis by different ways. Some try to earn their living through a honest living while some others work day in and day out to make their dreams a reality. While some just make themselves a product of social validation and feed upon the attention received by it . On the other hand, there are people who in the name of hustle end up taking ways which are supposed to be illegal but quick ways to earn money even though there is a huge risk involved. Which way is correct depends upon the character and life values one has been brought up with. The person whose only objective is to earn quick money will end up resorting to using unfair means which is valid in the eyes of that person. But if a person is not willing to bend his or her ethics , then they will not fall into such traps and instead make money in an ethical and a legal manner. This and many more topics related to youth are discussed in this week’s pick with a shade of politics added to it. Intrigued? Read on to find out more.

    Synopsis: Jugaadistan is a story which is set in the national capital of the country. Everyone wants to live a life that is super thrilling, super exciting and super thriving in nature. With social media taking a center stage, this has become even more prominent. But at what cost ?This is explored in the series through the eyes of the characters of the series. The series is set in a medical college which is supposed to be a place from where doctors are supposed to graduate but is becoming a place for shady businesses. How and why is explored throughout the series raising some questions as regards to the quality of education as well as some serious questions with some politics thrown at the backdrop.

    Assessment: This show tries to explore the multiple issues faced by the youth of a country. It is aptly said that the future of a country lies in the hands of the youth of the country. But is the future of a country safe enough ? That is the question which the series tries to ask to its viewers as it tries to a very sad picture of the state of education in the country and how education has just ended up being a business. Though the series tries to highlight various issues and tries to do so being relevant but the story just seems to be written in a shoddy manner . Pieces of a story are supposed to connect with one another and flow in a seamless manner. Here they just end up confusing the viewer as well as frustrating them . Characters which are supposed to inspire you are also shown like damsel in distress initially and then suddenly out of the blue emerge heroes without any proper context. Or are shown to be people who despite having the power do not want to exercise it because of lack of spine or will .🙄

    The view: What could have been a great opportunity to showcase the problems faced by youth or to showcase the plight of the education system in a country like India ends up being a pathetic tale. Even though others might have found the show too interesting and praised it , but for me personally, it just ended up being a major headache. So, it is best to avoid the same and save yourself from the embarrassment. And maybe a major headache as well. Hence, if you are willing to take the risk, do take it on your discretion.

    Rating: * and a 1/2 stars

    Baap Dialogue:”Losers are not those who fall down. Losers are those who refuse to get up.”

    Que: What is the name of the newspaper for which Tarush Khetrapal works?

    a. The Campus Beat

    b. The Standard Times

    c. The Modern Times

    d. The Tribute

    Continue reading →: Future doctors or scammers?

  • Cost of a ballot?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Shivam Shankar Singh

    Genre: Non-fiction

    “We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.”

    -George Orwell

    The elections in my country are in full swing with two phases already over and a few more to go . It is supposed to be a very dramatic event with the major political parties as well as their political candidates throwing slew on each other or on each other’s ideologies so that they can attract what is supposed to be the most precious asset according to them- the vote of the common man. After all, the common man’s vote is responsible for electing a government. But is elections only about the common man’s vote? Or is it something more than what meets the eyes?

    This is the question that a person who has seen the functioning of how elections work from the ground level attempts to answer in his book. And the picture he paints is a very murky one and not as rosy as it looks from afar. Shivam Shankar Singh’s How To Win An Indian Election: What Political Parties Don’t Want You To Know delves deep into how an election takes place and what all goes behind the scenes of an election. He is a person who has headed the data analytics and campaigns for the Bharatiya Janata Party for the Manipur and Tripura legislative assemblies under the guidance of Ram Madhav, who is the party’s National General Secretary.

    He writes that since 2014, the way elections are fought in the country have changed drastically. Earlier, the traditional forms of media played a major role in shaping the opinions of the voters. Though, they continue to play a role in shaping the opinions, but it seems that data has emerged as a new weapon . This is because data can be obtained freely and can be used to swing votes in favor of a party. Also, when you correlate the data obtained from the Election Commission of India with data sets obtained from telecom firms and research groups , it becomes easier to predict the voting patterns. Apart from this, the book also highlights the role of WhatsApp thus bringing major issues like fake news, and how information can be distorted and manipulated thus playing with the sentiments of the voters unknowingly. This is supposed to be a very wrong and unethical thing to do but isn’t everything fair in love and war? And aren’t elections supposed to be a battle for votes ?

    Analysis: As you read the book, you are actually surprised to know that the field of politics is not only murky in our country but also in other countries like the US, which is supposed to be acting as the flag -bearer of democracy. Democracy is supposed to be a form of government which is supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people. While the by the people and of the people parts might seem true but is the for the people section actually in practice in democracies across the world?That is a question that is worth pondering .

    The book tries to highlight the brutal truths about the cost a democracy has to pay as it delves into the what happens behind the scenes of an election. It deals with issues like fake news, paid news,of how politicians control segments of media and manipulate the public, of how real issues remain unaddressed while some other narrative is pushed into the minds of the people. Also, people who want to be a part of the system to clean it up cannot do so because the power of money, muscle often overtakes the power of idealistic ideology one has while entering the field. This overtake leads to a compromise in the principles an individual or a movement or an organization trying to make the change. Or if the principles are not compromised, then they will just pull themselves out of the dirt because of lack of resources.

    Verdict: A book that is going to give you some serious food for thought especially if you think that elections are all about just having your elected representatives knocking on your door and asking for your vote. It is way more than that . It opens a can of worms about what goes behind in conducting what is supposed to be an exercise to elect your representatives. So, if you are interested in knowing what goes behind the scenes and how your elected representatives are elected, this is a treasure of information. Also, if you are a lover of non-fiction and are interested in knowing how the elections work, this is a must read. And lastly, since the election season is at its peak with all the elected representatives trying to attract our attention, then what better way to understand their psychology isn’t it?

    Rating: **** and 1/2 stars

    Cite Bite:“A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.”

    Que: How do parties garner the vote of a community which is not voting for it?

    a. By instilling fear

    b. By dividing them on some other parameter

    c. By instilling a sense of victim hood

    d. By giving them bribes.

    Continue reading →: Cost of a ballot?

  • The right to education…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Abhishek Bacchan, Nimrat Kaur, Yami Gautam Dhar, Shivankit Singh Parihar,Sachin Shroff

    Directed By: Tushar Jalota

    Genre: Comedy/ Drama

    “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.”

    -Malcolm Forbes

    Since, the election fever is at its peak, what better way to celebrate this so called carnival with some fascinating picks in the real as well as reel world. As promised by me to not let you get bored in the hot, sultry summer ,bringing to you a story which conveys a very important message in a comical manner, while keeping the theme in the mind. What is the story about and what message it conveys . Read on to find out more.

    Story Line: Dasvi is a story which is set in the fictional state of Harit Pradesh(inspired by the real state of Uttar Pradesh of India). The state has a charismatic and an arrogant chief minister named Ganga Ram Chaudhary who is implicated in a scam. For this, he is sent to jail. Not willing to give up his reins over the state , he installs his wife as the interim Chief Minister of the state.

    The wife, Bimla Devi who is a very timid person at first soon grows ambitious and plans to make her interim post permanent. Ganga Ram Chaudhary who is used to the luxuries of his mansion is treated like a regular prisoner thanks to a new superintendent of police posted in the jail where he is kept. He tries to make various excuses to make his life comfortable in the jail but fails. However, one day, he learns that students who study for 10th boards are exempted from doing any work. So, he decides to sit for the same. The superintendent , Jyoti Deshwal sees this as one of his schemes to avoid work but has to allow him for the same -thanks to the right to education act. Will Ganga Ram Chaudhary, who is mocked for his lack of education be able to complete the challenge and fulfil his mother’s dream of passing the boards? Also, will Bimla Devi hand over the reins to her husband or will her ambitious nature drive a wedge between the two?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which tries to highlight the importance of education in a person’s life. To a person, education might be his or her way of climbing a social ladder and a way to earn respect as well as status. This is well reflected by the character of Gangaram’s secretary Tandon who is an IAS officer by profession. While, on the other hand , some view education as a waste of time until and unless they realize their importance. This is the case of Gangaram Chaudhary who initially is pretty ignorant about the field of education. But change begins to take place when he starts preparing for his tenth board exams seriously. The movie tries to highlight the point that no matter how powerful a man might be , but without education he or she is not subject to change in behaviour.

    The movie also highlights the adage,”Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely” through the character of Bimla Devi who occupies the seat temporarily but refuses to give up the seat and instead plots ways to make her permanent.This also highlights another key point in the field of politics- and that is there are no permanent friends or enemies in the field of politics.

    The positives of the movie are : wonderful histrionics by Abhishek Bacchan , Nimrat Kaur and Yami Gautam with a special mention for Arun Kushwaha who shines as Ghanti. The innovative learning techniques adopted by Gangaram Chaudhary to ace his 10th board exams and the determination which he has to achieve his goal no matter the obstacles thrown at him. The negatives are – the story is somewhat predictable and some scenes just make you laugh in disbelief as they tend to come from some other parallel universe.

    The sentiment: A light-hearted movie which can be enjoyed with your family with some interesting twists is how I would like to sum up this experience. This one can surely lighten up your mood in this festival of democracy. And who knows might inspire you to take your studies seriously or give you some political goals to achieve. 😅😂

    Rating: ***

    Quote–Unquote: “Itihaas se na sikhane wale
    khud itihaas ban jate hai.“(Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”)

    The super-strict Jyoti Deshwal in her no- nonsense avatar.

    Que: What is the party symbol of the party from which Gangaram Chaudhary contests his election in the second half?
    a. Elephant

    b. Sickle

    c. Fan

    d. Pencil

    Continue reading →: The right to education…

  • A city of love and war?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Thriller/ Crime

    No. of episodes:10

    Presented by: Studio Next

    “We do not need guns and bombs to bring peace. We need love and compassion.

    Mother Teresa

    Its April which means the hot , sultry season of summer will start being at its peak . But summers can be fun and enjoyable if we know some hacks. These hacks can make our summers bearable if not completely fun. So, what are the hacks which you use to make your summer bearable? Do let me know in the comments section. For me, its always trying to maintain a fine balance of work and play. Or consuming lot of water as well as fruits and vegetables which contain a lot of water. So, if you are bored and wondering how to make your summer bearable, fret not I bring my picks for this month. Maybe they might help you to have a refreshing summer as well as be a powerhouse of information and knowledge. And isn’t it always a kind of flex when you can throw some facts around people and have them impressed ? After all, its always good to be a person of greater sense than being a person who indulges themselves watching some stupid stuff.

    So, this year, starting from mid April, we, the people of the world’s largest democracy are going to witness a festival which spans three months and comes once in every four years. Some people call it the elections, while for some it is a test of their elected representatives or a test of a strength of a democracy. So, keeping the current vibe in mind, lets dedicate this month to this festival called elections. Also, as the citizens of the world’s largest democracy, let us not forget to perform our duty whenever the need arises. After all, it is not a regular affair but an affair which comes after a very long wait and patience. And I do think we should not let our wait and patience go in vain. Therefore, don’t forget to cast your votes as a responsible citizen and do urge your family members to do the same.

    Okay, enough of me preaching you people, its time that we focus on the pick of this week. The pick of this week was supposed to be a story which actually did take place but has a dash of some romance added to it. Read on to find out more….

    Synopsis: Inspired by the 2005 Jahanabad prison attack, Jehanabad:Of Love and War narrates the story which inspired the prison attack. It revolves around Kasturi Mishra, a student who is in her last year of her college. She is a girl with big dreams and aspirations who wants to be a lecturer. Enter Abhimanyu Singh, a new professor who is supposed to be teaching English Literature in the same college in which Kasturi studies. Abhimanyu is handsome, and is also a person who is supposed to have a strong sense of justice.This attracts Kasturi to him as he fits into her definition of a life partner perfectly. She tries to win Abhimanyu by her actions. Abhimanyu is reluctant at first but slowly starts falling in love. While a love story is blossoming between the two, there is a condition of turmoil in the jail of Jehanabad as a notorious criminal Deepak Kumar is transferred there. Will Deepak Kumar create a condition of chaos in the peaceful small city of Jehanabad? If so, what are his intentions? Will Jehanabad be a victim of violence and disorder?What turn of fate will the love story of Abhimanyu and Kasturi take?The answer to these questions is what forms the rest of the story.

    Assessment: This is a show which is a fictional take on a real life incident which took place in Bihar in 2005. While creative freedom is always appreciated but when it just ruins the story that is supposed to be a very infuriating experience as a viewer. The show has a great story line initially and the romance between the two leads is somewhat tolerable. But as the story progresses, the romantic part starts getting on your nerves. Kasturi just seems to be a spoilt brat who is supposed to act like an emotional mature person but just appears to be way too impulsive as far as emotional maturity is concerned. Though the interesting part is that there are several plot twists in the story which does make the story interesting and keeps the viewer hooked.Another interesting part is that the story is pretty well- researched for which the writers need to be applauded.Also, the cinematography is to the point for which the people involved need to be appreciated

    Parambrata Chatterjee shines as the notorious criminal Deepak Kumar. Ritwik Bhomik too tries to strike a delicate balance between the chocolate boy Abhimanyu Singh and the cunning and shrewd Ajay who is seeking vengeance. Another person that deserves a mention and might be overlooked but should not is Satyadeep Mishra who shines as SP Durgesh Mishra.

    Even though the show tries to be realistic in nature by undertaking some hard hitting issues , questions do arise in the mind of the viewer- is violence the answer to all the issues ailing the country? Or is it justified to undermine the power of democracy?Or is it okay to take law in one’s own hands just because the legal system of the country is taking time?

    Scrutiny: What could have been a great show to watch is just ruined by the makers at the end. The creative freedom which the makers of the show undertook just ruined the beauty of an incident which could have raised some serious questions to the viewers. My reaction after watching the show was like why did I take the pain to finish this one ?Why did the makers did not think of a great ending is all I could ask ? If you do want to watch it , watch it only for the acting chops of Parambrata Chatterjee and Satyadeep Mishra. They are the only ones who make it worthy to watch. The others are just annoying characters to watch. And if you can avoid it altogether, please do the same atleast you will save yourself from the embarrassment.😩

    Rating: ** and a 1/2 stars

    Baap Dialogue: “Love revolution- to succeed in these it is necessary to win not wars but hearts.”(Abhimanyu Singh in his first lecture)

    Que: What is the name of the lady with whom Abhimanyu interacts often apart from Kasturi?

    a. Ragini Tripathi

    b.Sona Mahato

    c. Kumudini Mishra

    d. Ashadevi Chaturvedi

    Continue reading →: A city of love and war?

  • The hunt for the one who hunts

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    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Kate Quinn

    Genre: Historical-fiction

    Trigger warnings: cold-blooded murders, sexual references and alcoholism

    “If we act like prey, they will act like predators.”

    Alyxandra Harvey

    It is the last Sunday of the month of March . This means it marks the end of the series of posts which revolved around celebrating women in the real as well as reel life. Maybe you guys will have to wait for another year to see more posts which are related to the same. Though personally, I feel that deeds of inspiring people should be celebrated everyday irrespective of whether the person is a man or a woman. I do hope you enjoyed the picks which revolved around the women who inspired this month. Do tell me about the same in the comments section. Also, do tell me about who inspires you in the real as well as reel life and why so that maybe your picks can make it to the post of this blog someday. Plus, it enables me to get an insight into your minds as well as get some good picks to read, watch , listen and gain wisdom and knowledge 😅. So, don’t forget to mention about the same in the comments section. Don’t worry, you will get your due credit:p for the same.

    Therefore, let’s end this month in a bang by talking about a book which revolves around three female protagonists and two male leads who are connected to each other. Not by blood but by a purpose. Did this intrigue you? Read on to find out more.

    About the book: The Huntress revolves around the lives of Nina Markova, Jordan McBride and a woman who is known as die jägerin but no one knows her real identity.Apart from them we also have Ian Graham and Tony who is an assistant to Ian. A little light on the characters before we proceed further. Nina Markova is a tough woman who has always dreamed of escaping the drudgery of her life. She does so by becoming a pilot and a part of the Night Witches regiment which wrecked havoc on the Germans. Ian is a former war correspondent who after witnessing the horrors of war decided to hang his boots and thus becomes a Nazi hunter. Jordan McBride is a 17 year old girl who is raised by her single father who runs an antique shop and aspires to be a photographer someday. The thread which connects these four people is a woman who is supposed to have shot a young man and killed six children in cold blood next to a lake in German occupied Poland.

    Who is this cold-blooded woman and what was her objective behind these killings? Also, why is this woman important to these four people? What is the purpose of these four people to track this woman down? Will this woman be tracked down or will she be a wild goose chase?

    Analysis: This is a book which explores the impact of a war on women. Nina was a pilot in the Soviet Air Force who rose up to several ranks . But somewhere, she has to pay the price for the same as her endless sacrifice goes in vain. Ian too is suffering from the post trauma effects of the same due to which he has stopped doing what he was good at. Die Jagrin in order to escape her fate does something which is supposed to be rational but at the same time rises the suspicion of her step daughter. And finally Jordan, is finding it difficult to accept the reality of her familial life as she is suspicious of her so called step mother even though she is the very mother anyone would want.

    The book narrates the tale from the eyes of the three protagonists even though there are five characters who play an important role in the story. The story seamlessly shifts from one viewpoint to another that it does not create any confusion in the minds of the reader. Another highlight of the book is that though the setup is fictional in nature, but there are segments which have actually occurred in history. The book has strong female characters who have been portrayed as women who are way ahead of their times. Imagine being a woman who lives in the cold areas of Siberia and yet breaking the shackles which tie her by being a decorated pilot. That is Nina for you. Imagine a woman who wanted to escape her past and start her life afresh in a country with no connections and yet succeeds in doing the same. That is Annelise for you. Imagine being a 17 year old girl who wants to live life on her own terms and harbors a dream of being a world famous photographer . That is Jordan McBride for you. The beauty of these women lies in the fact that each one has her own aspirations and are willing to bend circumstances in their favor despite the difficulties faced by them. Out of the three if you ask me who is the most favorite, I would personally pick up Nina over the two. She is a character which according to me has been written the most beautifully.This is because she represents how a badass woman looks and acts like. Others might perceive her crazy or weird but when a woman knows her worth and capabilities, she does start acting like a woman in charge. Thirdly, the story line is gripping in nature that you feel as if you are a part of the story.

    Even though the story has traces of mature themes thrown into it , it does not feel overburdening to the extent that it might affect the psyche of the minds reading it. Still, if you are someone who seems to be affected by such themes, it is better to exercise caution. The only drawback I personally felt was that the book was a bit lengthy that I had to chalk out a lot of time to finish it. I don’t mind long novels but given my busy schedule , it does a feel a bit of drag to finish long pieces of work. That is the only complaint I have.😅

    Verdict: An exciting piece of work which explores how life was in the Second World War with three women in the picture. This one will never fail you nor disappoint you as it will keep you hooked to your seats.So, do give it a read if you are a lover of stories which have strong female characters or if you are a history enthusiast. I personally enjoyed this one and hope you will do so. Believe me this one has a great potential to be made into a great movie provided some shoddy work is not done while converting this piece of literature into the big screen as some works disappoint with their onscreen conversions. Also, this book has traces of mystery and thrill added to it which should also excite the people who are big fans of the genre. So, do give it a read in your spare time and do tell me about your experiences. Will be waiting for your lovely feedback as well. Meet you next week with a new pick . Till then take care and have fun.

    P.S. – If you ever feel that do I have a thing for books which are supposed to be New York Times best sellers because a lot of the books that I have covered as a part of book reviews are a part of , believe me there is no such things. In fact, it is more of a coincidence that the books which I select to read turn out to be in the list 😅🤣. So, in no manner am I connected to New York Times nor do I personally endorse their best sellers. I just review books which I feel must be read and share my opinions about it. I really need not had to post this justification but I thought it is always good to post a disclaimer instead of letting people assume things.😝😄

    Cite Bite: ““What is the opposite of a lake? What is the opposite of drowning? What lies all the way west?” (Nina in an attempt to discover herself as an individual)

    Rating: ****

    Que: What is the name of the brand of the camera that Jordan uses to click pictures with?

    a. Kodak

    b. Canon

    c. Nikon

    d. Leica

    Continue reading →: The hunt for the one who hunts

  • A story of Mumbai’s fearless matriarch (Lets reminisce)

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    Starring: Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Vijay Raaz, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh

    Directed by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

    Genre: Biographical crime drama

    “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.”

    Bosa Seble

    Disclaimer: This post contains a lot of sexual references and a lot of references to crime as well. Readers are advised to exercise caution while proceeding ahead with the same.

    This is a new column which will make its appearance once in a while when we want to walk down the memory lane by recounting stories which have been read or watched earlier. This is a small gift to my subscribers as well as my readers without whom the blog has no identity as part of the 5th year anniversary . And since its the International Women’s Month, lets celebrate the story of a woman who was shown a tough time by her destiny. But instead of bowing down to the destiny she was offered, she rose up to become one of the most powerful as well as dreaded women of Mumbai’s underworld .

    Story Line: Ganga Jagjivan Kathiawadi was born in an affluent family in Gujarat who aspired to be a Bollywood actress. She ran away from her home with her older boyfriend Ramnik who sells her to a brothel owned by his aunt. There she is forced into prostitution as a result of which she renames herself as Gangu. She becomes a very highly valued asset of Sheela due to her beauty and wits. This urges Gangu to introduce labor rights for her fellow inmates which irritates her employer. Her employer decides to teach her a lesson by getting her badly assaulted by one of the clients who refuses to pay and indulges in some violent sexual fantasies with her. This makes Gangu seek justice for the same to the most feared man in the Mumbai underworld Rahim Lala. Does Rahim Lala serve her justice? And if he does, what impact does it have on her life? How does she become one of the most powerful women of the Mumbai underworld? And does power corrupt her or does she use it for the greater good?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which shows how an innocent girl who belonged to a rich family is lured to the field of prostitution by the person she loved the most. She could have cried over the cruel situation her fate put her in . But instead she uses her fate to create an identity for herself as well as her community. Fear over grips her in a lot of situations but she uses it as a medium to become more powerful and resilient . That is how a innocent woman transformed herself into a woman who was feared. Also, her impeccable sense of justice made her a respectable figure in the eyes of the most dreaded men of Mumbai at that times Karim Lala portrayed as Rahim Lala in the movie.

    The movie advocates a very strong message to women that one needs to be fearless to face whatever situation life throws at you. It also highlights the lives of people working in the red light district of Kamathipura and how they are looked down upon in the society. It reflects the harsh realities of the lives of people living in the city. However, there are elements which feel are completely unnecessary or frivolous in nature. But that can be termed as the creative expression of the director. After all isn’t some spice required to make the story viewable for the viewers? Though that could have been ignored, but how will the makers of the film be able to sell their movie without the masala? A gripping story line , foot-tapping music , scenic cinematography and brilliant acting chops by Alia Bhatt and Vijay Raaz is what makes the movie worth watching.Also, Jim Sarbh shines as the journalist Hamid Faizi. A small role but a very impactful performance is what comes to the mind for him.

    The Sentiment: A good movie with most of the parts being portrayed realistically. Do watch for the message of woman empowerment highlighted in this one. Also, do watch it for the resilience of human spirit which is a very important trait if one has to face the uncertainties of life. Though it has some unnecessary stuff added to it but it tries to highlight the problems faced by the workers of the red light area of Mumbai very prominently. Though a word of caution, this movie is not suitable as a family entertainer due to its extremely promiscuous and violent theme. So, viewer discretion is super necessary.

    Rating: *** and a 1/2 stars

    The main protagonist with the journalist

    Que: In the movie, Gangu is shown to be reading a poem. What is the name of the poem?

    a. Koshish karne waalon ki haar nahi hoti

    b. Madhushala

    c. Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi

    d. Sang e manzil na bane

    Quote-Unquote: “Arey jab shakti, sampati aur sadbuddhi yeh teeno hi aurtein hai, toh in mardo ke kiss baat ka guroor?” (Gangu in her winning speech)

    Continue reading →: A story of Mumbai’s fearless matriarch (Lets reminisce)

  • Dual lives or escapism?

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    Genre: Drama

    No. of episodes:6

    Presented by: Chernin Entertainment and Endemol Shine Group

    “Nothing spells shame like living what feels like a double life.”

    Angel Grant

    Everyone has his or her share of difficulties in life no matter what heights he or she has conquered. Some are struggling with problems in their professional lives; while there are others who seem to be successful in their professional lives but have their personal lives in a complete mess. Yet , we as adults are not allowed to address them by giving ourselves an outlet to express ourselves or live a life without inhibitions. We always have that stupid and irrelevant fear in how others perceive us. So, what do we do? We either try to act as if everything is manageable even though it might not be. Or we try to fit in into what is considered as cool but might not be relevant . Or maybe just put on a mask which hides some aspects of our personality and try to act as if we have everything under control? Life would have been much better if we did not have to go though the brutal lens of someone’s judgement isn’t it? If we could just live our lives without any inhibitions and not be judged for it, maybe the world might not have had to put on a facade and would have been more open about addressing their problems. Not that there are not people who are willing to help, there are but often we face trust issues or just have our internal demons to fight. This and a lot more is explored in this week’s pick.

    Synopsis: Mumbai is supposed to be known as the city of dreams. This is a city which has everything in it – the rich, the poor, the good and the ugly. Everyone living in the city has some sort of ambition. That ambition can be like getting a dream job or maybe providing a good life to yourself or maybe if you have kids to them. But having ambitions comes with a cost. This fact is realized by five different women from different spheres of life who are interconnected to one another. Three of them are employees of a prestigious bank in the city, while one is a daughter of the bank employee and one is a former bar dancer who is forced into prostitution as she has lost her job. Each one has their lives messed up in some or the other manner. The lady CEO has an open relationship despite having a loving husband as she is not getting the recognition she deserves from her supposedly children despite providing them all. The deputy of the bank is in dilemma whether to have kids or not as she is nearing her forties but does not want to disappoint her husband. The third woman is a simple employee who is living a double life as she is a bisexual woman . The fourth who is into prostitution hopes for a better life of her son who is denied opportunities despite being good in his studies. And the last, who is also the daughter of the lady CEO of the bank is facing body image problems as she has just hit puberty. Each one is fighting their inner demons but also have one thing in common – a sense of ambition and for that if they have to go the extra mile they will, by resorting to unfair methods and means. But how far will they go by resorting to these methods?Will they be able to fulfill their ambitions or will they fall into deeper problems?

    Assessment: This is a show which tries to highlight various problems faced by women through these five people . It tries to explore the themes of drug abuse(a problem which is highly prevalent in the higher strata of the society), broken dreams, aspirations, affairs along with harassment faced at workplace as well as in personal lives. It also tries to explore the theme of body image issues or how some women find it difficult to balance work-life balance . While these issues are real and prevalent in the real world as well, however, there are some issues which are major turn offs. Like for instance, how can the solution to everything be sleeping with someone else ? And how can one not speak about the harassment faced at the workplace ? Though the issue seems to be taken seriously later but it just seems like a fake effort to promote feminism and show how justice prevails in the end. Also, it seems that these people do not seem to explore the legal aspects or are pretty ignorant about it.

    The story writers seem to just have written the story for the sake of writing it and thrown in some aspects of feminism. As a woman, I completely felt ashamed of what I was viewing in the name of feminism. Are educated women so cheap that in order to get what they want, they will just indulge in affairs instead of working hard or fixing the problems? Agreed that you were trying to portray a realistic picture but it just seems that you are viewing a cheap adult movie.Shahana Goswami shines as Fatima but it seems that she doesn’t have a spine though she should have had one. More than the educated lot, I personally felt the only character that had some spine was that portrayed by Amruta Subhash. At least, through her character, a mother’s love and struggle to provide her son a good life was highlighted.Another good thing is that it is a short series else imagine the headache the viewers one would have had.Thirdly, it seems that some male characters in the series have more brains than these women like for instance like the husband of the MD of the bank Naushad or Ron . This at least makes you feel that not all men are bad at heart because some really do have them .And last but not the least, can we just appreciate the doodles made by Shai though some of them are way too provocative. 😅

    The view: What could have been a great opportunity to showcase feminism and reality through the lives of these five women feels like a complete hogwash and a very big disappointment. Sorry Alankrita, you might have earned accolades for your initial film but you disappoint in this one. Hope you come up with better stories in the near future so that you do not disappoint the viewers like you did in this one. You might be a great storyteller but you just failed to impress as well as entertain this time.

    Rating: 1/2 star(I wish there was something called a negative rating I would have seriously given this show that)

    Baap Dialogue: “Growth begins when we actually work in the real world. Not with Harvard or Ivy League college degrees.”

    The five women of the show

    Que: What is the name of the women empowerment scheme launched by the Royal Bank of Bombay?

    a. Stree Shakti

    b. Shakti

    c.Stree Samman

    d. Ujjwala

    Continue reading →: Dual lives or escapism?

  • A message to a daughter…

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    Author: Maya Angelou

    Genre: Essays

    “A mother’s treasure is her daughter

    Anonymous

    There are women who serve as an inspiration to others. They do so by their behavior or through their words, or by their writings. Since it is the International Women’s Month, lets pay an ode to such women who dare to think big and try to do their bits in making a world a better place. Though, there is still a long way to go, but I am happy that women nowadays have started raising their voices in matters which are close to their heart. This week we explore the writings of one such woman who has tried to make an impact on the people around her through her writings. She has also been an inspiration to a lot of people including some of the most famous ones like Oprah Winfrey whom she considered her daughter as well. And it is not people like Oprah who are inspired b her but many countless people regardless of the fact that whether they have been famous or not. And maybe that is why it has been aptly said by Melinda Gates, “A woman with a voice by definition is a strong woman. ” After all not all the women are supposed to be born with the fire . But with time , they do become the fire when the actions of strong women do inspire them. And may we raise such women wherever we can because that is how the world will one day become a better place.

    About the book: This week we explore, Maya Angelou’s Letter to my daughter which initially by its title I thought might be a series of letters written by her to her daughter. But it seems that my intuition or guess about this one was wrong .😅 This as I delved in turned out to be a collection of essays which Maya had written. The concept for this one came to her when she was going through old boxes which were filled with notes and which she called work in progress. It is then that she decided to pen down these essays in a book that others could read. She writes these essays as an advice and which serve as a testament to the wisdom she had obtained throughout her life.

    It consists of 28 such letters some of which include some poems as well and a commencement address dedicated to the daughter she never had. She thanks several women who played a very vital role in her life and helped her shape as a person.

    Analysis: This is a book which feels as if there is someone who is advising you with all the wisdom she has acquired . This wisdom is especially important when you are trying to discover yourself as a person . It is because when you discover yourself as a person can you try to be a better version of yourself . And shouldn’t we all try to be that? I don’t know about others at least that is what I want to do for myself- be an individual who just keeps on bettering herself in every aspect of her life. So, such books do inspire you to discover your true calling as well as acquaint you with the purpose of life one has to live. Also, it never hurts when you gain knowledge from other’s wisdom . This is because the wisdom acquired from others can help you prevent the mistakes which one has made in their lives though it is not necessary that one might make. But it is always handy to have someone’s life act as a manual isn’t it?😄

    Coming to the positives, this is a book which is written in a very light and a breezy manner that you can read it like a story book. That is I guess the beauty of Maya’s writings- she has written these as if she is trying to have a conversation with the people who pick this piece of writing. This is a good thing to a person who is not much into non-fiction. Also, there are a variety of topics which she covers in these written messages which range from nationalism to experiences of her life to faith in God to love to reclaiming roots and many such more.

    As far as the negatives are concerned, maybe it would have been a good thing if the essays would have been inter-related to one another. You are suddenly transported to another topic which kind of leaves you confused sometimes. This might be a great experience to people who enjoy chaos. But for people like me who prefer order and symmetry, I do find my brain go haywire in such cases. This is because I tend to form connections when things are in order in my brain else it just seems completely wrong even though it might not be.

    Verdict: If you are a person who is not much into non-fiction but would love to have a start somewhere, this can be a great piece to start from.However, mind you there are a variety of topics covered in the book which are not related to one another. But yes, it acts as a good medium to let us know what the author feels about the various things . Also, the fact that it is not heavy or stuffy unlike some books can also make you include this piece of writing. Thirdly, it is written by a person who has been an inspiration to many . So, maybe this can act as an inspiration to you as well. So, go for it if you can as it can be a wonderful experience to delve into the mind and thought process of a woman who has been highly revered . Don’t forget to share your experiences about the same in the comments section. Meet you next week with another pick. Till then lots of love,care and hugs to all of you.😊🤗

    Rating: *** and a 1/2

    Cite Bite: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.”

    Continue reading →: A message to a daughter…

  • When people are blessings…

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    Starring: Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy, Audrey Fleurot, Anne Le Ny, Clotilde Mollet

    Directed By: Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache

    Genre: Comedy-Drama

    “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”

    Henry Ford

    There are certain people who act as a blessing in one’s life because they kind of leave an impression on the people they came into contact with. Those impressions might be in the form of kind words, or maybe the attitude they possess or maybe they possess a distinct charm to their personality. Whatever be the case, such people are memorable and people never forget them especially the people who form a bond with such people. Do you have such people in your lives? If you do , you can share your experiences about the same in the comments section. Believe me, if you do have such people in your lives, it is good to keep them with you for life. They just bring out the best in you by adding zest to life. They are the ones who will never let you feel lonely. They are also the ones which will help you challenge the normal. The reason why I am talking about such people because this week’s pick also revolves around one such person who lightens up the life of one such soul. Who is he ? Read on to find out more.

    Story line: This week’s pick is called The Intouchables. It is a French movie which is based on the true story of Phillipe Pozzo De Borgo and his French-Algerian caregiver Abdel Sellou. It celebrates the special bond shared by the two. Phillipe is a wealthy quadriplegic owner of a luxurious hotel particular(in simple words, a house that resembles a hotel). He along with his assistant Magalie are interviewing people for the post of potential live-in caretakers. Enter Driss, a man who has no ambitions to get hired but just needs a signature on a document which proves that he was rejected so that he can continue receiving the unemployment benefits. He is told to return to the mansion to collect the document next morning.

    The next day when he returns to collect the document, he is hired for the post on a trial basis.Though he has a horrible past, he manages to do a good job taking care of his employer by adopting unconventional methods. This impresses Phillipe as he feels his caretaker is the only one who does not pity on him. With time, the bond between the two deepens and Philipe starts opening about himself. Driss too encourages his employer to live his life and not be crippled with his disability. Does the bond last forever or will the two have to part ways? Also, does Driss reform himself or does he live life as usual?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which explores a lot of themes like friendship, loss , relations and life. It tries to highlight the fact that even though one might be crippled physically, he or she must not be crippled by mind in order to enjoy the little pleasures of life. It also tries to highlight the point that people who might have the smarts of handling life or to put it in other words think unconventionally are the ones that make the best employees. Driss has a past as a criminal but that fact does not deter Philipe from hiring him . So, out of the box thinking can always beat people having degrees from the best educational degrees. This movie also highlights that one should have a sense of adventure so that one does enjoy what life has to offer. This in other words might be pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to become something which you might have not imagined in your wildest dreams. Or maybe it is about learning to face your deep fears irrespective of what the consequences will be. The best part is that these lessons are given with a tinge of adult stuff and lots of comedy that it makes you smile. Omar Sy steals the show as Driss while Francois Cluzet nails the role of a quadriplegic person to the fit.

    The Sentiment: This one is a movie which celebrates life through the unique bonding of two different people. They both teach each other a lot of things. Philipe teaches Driss to appreciate the finer things of life and work for it while Driss teaches Philipe to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Driss teaches Philipe to be more upfront about his needs while Philipe teaches him to enjoy the adventures of life. Though you might find some stuff pretty raunchy, but the best thing is that they do not go overboard with it. So, watch it for the stellar performances as well as the unique bond between the two people and enjoy this beautiful tale. This movie also has some beautiful references to art. So, if you are a person who is an art enthusiast , do watch it for the same.

    Rating : *** and a 1/2 stars(would have given a 4 star were there not any lewd jokes but considering the fact where Driss comes from it is understandable)

    The two men sharing a moment

    Que: Which painting is displayed in the firm where Driss applies for a job?

    a. Spider of the evening

    b. The Meditative Rose

    c. The Elephants

    d. The Persistence of Memory

    Continue reading →: When people are blessings…

  • Reminder to self?

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    Author: Jen Sincero

    Genre: Comedy/Self-help

    “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

    Eleanor Roosevelt

    I am not a big fan of self-help books because I just find them too preachy . But there are times in life when you do need some deep insights or you do need to find out as to how to traverse through the life that seems to throw curve balls at you. Those curve balls of life are intended to make you stronger as a person but it just seems pretty frustrating at that point. That is because those times are just testing everything you possess- your patience, your resolve and every piece of strength you possess in your body. When such times arrive, then you do feel as if you are going to break down as an individual and that there is no way out. But someone has aptly said, there is light at the end of the tunnel. You just need the courage to walk through the end of the tunnel to witness that light.

    I have been facing such times of late . But I have promised myself one thing that no matter how difficult things seem, I am not going to let an iota of self-doubt be instilled in my body. Instead I am going to do things which are in my control and not worry about what is not in my control. Let people think whatever they want to because they might be having a lot of free time to think about the affairs of other people. I really do not have time for being so nosey. I just want to keep myself so busy that I do not have the time to criticize others nor blame others. So, while I continue to figure out things, I decided to read this book after all you do need insights don’t you?The reason why I actually decided to go for this pick was that its title really attracted me . So was it a good choice or was it a duh ?Read on to find out more.

    About the book: You Are A Badass: How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life is a book which is written by one of the best selling authors of New York Times, Jen Sincero based partially on her own experiences and the lessons which she amassed after reading and listening to a lot of people who have made it big in life. She was an author who until the age of 40 was very broke . She lived in a converted garage and seemed to live life in a very defeatist manner. But with time, she was able to turn her life around and become a successful business owner. How did the turnaround happen is what she documents in the book which is written in a very sassy and practical manner .

    Analysis: This is a book which tries to awaken the greatness in us which we hide under the guise of not having enough time or giving excuses or just being content with whatever life gives us(in other words, not being able to convince ourselves to put our best foot forward in every work we undertake). The author gives us lot of advice as to how we can be our best versions and not limit ourselves which is what majority of us do. The best part of human life is that we can be anything we set our minds to be . But often we do not have the resolve or the passion to be the person which we want to be. Or we are pretty scared or doubt our potentials that we just end up living a life which just helps us to barely scrape or at most live a life which is somewhat better than others but does not realize our entire potential.

    Verdict: This is a great read especially if you want to live a life which is supposed to be your best. Things will not turnaround in a day but if you keep developing and practicing the good habits , one day your hard work will eventually make you live the life of your dreams. If you are an individual who wants to achieve things which others think is impossible and do not know how to this will be a great guide. After all, you never dull your shine for somebody else. This is the best gift you can ever give to yourself .

    Rating : *** and a 1/2 stars

    Cite Bite: “The only failure is quitting. Everything else is just gathering information.”

    Que: What is the one advice which the author frequently gives in the book?

    a. Never give up

    b. Travel a lot

    c. Keep smiling

    d. Love yourself

    Continue reading →: Reminder to self?

  • A one-sided lovestory or a scary intruder?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Comedy/Drama

    No. of episodes:16

    Presented by: Amazon Prime

    “The only love that lasts is unrequited love.”

    Woody Allen

    Well, celebrating self-love also includes body positivity. No matter what your body size is , you should always love yourself . But we are always surrounded by people who love to body shame us or chide us for eating that extra bite of our favourite food. Afterall, you are supposed to be having that perfect body which people would die for. While it is important to eat healthy and exercise, it is perfectly okay to have a body which might not be appreciated by all . This is because the definition of beauty varies from one person to another. What might appear fat to one person might appear beautiful to some other person. So, maybe it is high time that we as members of society stop imposing unrealistic beauty standards and embrace the person in front of us for his or her personality. Since a book might have a dusty cover but what if the contents of the very same book is interesting? This and many more issues are touched upon in this week’s pick.

    Synopsis : Pushpavalli is a story of a girl of the same name who meets a charming man named Nikhil Rao in an event in Bhopal. Nikhil finds her to be cool and spends time with her so that she doesn’t feel left out. This creates a misunderstanding in her mind that he has feelings for her. She ends up finding more about Nikhil and starts stalking him in various ways. This includes foregoing her career and relocating to Bengaluru to work in a children’s library. What starts out as an innocent fetish ends up into being an unhealthy obsessive behaviour. This leads to a string of lies and a series of manipulation which will end up creeping anyone. So, will Pushpavalli be able to get over her obsession of Nikhil or will she end up being creepy?

    Assessment: This is a show that screams out a major RED FLAG in a lot of aspects and is supposed to justify irrational behaviour in the name of love. It deals with all the unhealthy issues which exist in the society and tries to act as a mirror for the same. Like for instance , it deals with the obsession of having your daughter marry a guy to keep her happy. Or for instance the mother chiding her daughter and making her resort to unhealthy practices so that she can be married off. The biggest issue for me was how can someone forget the fact that the person has a career to make and end up falling so madly in love that it turns into an obsession? The only thing I found somewhat relatable is the issue faced by the hostel girls as regards to their safety. The only comic relief you get is from the super annoying antics of Shraddha who portrays the character of Vasu and the character of T-boi with Naveen Richard who uses a lot of swear words though. And don’t get me started on Nikhil, who is just another ******* .

    The view: Just as you would avoid a person who screams out being toxic and a major RED FLAG while considering a person who is supposed to be your life partner- do the same for this one as well. What is supposed to be an attempt to tell a stalker’s tale while advocating the message of body positivity just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. And a request to the people who are involved in making of a show- make a show which entertains the viewer instead of acting like a headache. We watch shows to destress ourselves and not add stress to our already stressed out lives. Don’t sell us **** in the name of entertainment even though it might be fictional in nature.

    Rating : * and a 1/2 stars

    Baap Dialogue:Not worth banging your heads for :p

    Que: What is the name of the library that Pushpa works in?

    a. Books Nook

    b. Sunny Side Up

    c. Granthalaya

    d. Book Cafe

    Continue reading →: A one-sided lovestory or a scary intruder?

  • A quest of self-discovery?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Laura Dern,Thomas Sadoski, Gaby Hoffman, Kevin Rankin

    Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallée

    Genre:Biographical/Drama

    “When I do something, it is all about self-discovery. I want to learn and discover my own limits.”

    Larry Ellison

    Well, the month of February has already begun which means love is supposed to be in air. While couples can feel lovey-dovey but why should they only have fun this month? For the unaware, this month also has a day dedicated to only singles which is known as the Singles Awareness Day. This day serves as a reminder to the society that why singles consider it best to be living a life of single hood as best. Now, for each, this view might differ but the point I am trying to make is that it is okay if you are a single. You need not keep shedding tears or feel bad about your love life. Instead use your power of single hood to become the best version of yourselves . Also, you can utilize this superpower to pride yourself of the fact that you are fiercely independent in a lot of aspects of life. Keeping this thought in my mind, I decided to dedicate this month to celebrating self love. After all, if you do not love yourselves the way you should, how would you go on to love others ?

       So, this month’s first pick revolves around a story of eventual self-discovery and the impact it has on the protagonist of the story. Does this sound interesting ? Read on to find out more…

    Story line: Wild is a story which revolves around the life of Cheryl Strayed who despite having no experience in hiking sets out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. This is a scenic trail of 4270 km which passes through the states of California, Oregon and Washington. It passes through 25 national forests and 7 national parks. The specialty of this trail is that the trail avoids civilization and covers scenic and pristine mountainous terrain with few roads.

       Cheryl Strayed has a purpose behind undertaking such a daunting journey. The reason is she is in a state of state of depression due to the loss of her mother . This situation makes her undertake irrational behavior like consuming drugs and having anonymous sex with people.This behavior leads to an unwanted pregnancy and her marriage being broken down. These events of her life makes her resolve to hike the trail to rediscover herself to be the woman her mother had raised her to be.

       The experiences which she has as she begins her journey leads to her meeting new people as well as having deep insights along with new experiences. Who does she encounter and what all insights she has as she traverses along the path? Also, does the journey fulfill the purpose which she had in her mind?

    Scrutiny: This is a piece of work which tries to delve into the mind of a woman who has been mentally unstable due to the death of her loved one. It tries to explore the behavior a person can have due to such events. Some people grieve the loss of their loved ones by mourning , while some try to remember the good times they had with their loved ones. Or some just try to escape the harsh realities of life by undertaking irrational behavior which can be life-threatening . The protagonist in the story tries to numb her pain by trying to escape the harsh realities by undertaking behavior which doesn’t make sense at all . But after bearing the consequences of her irrational behavior, she finally decides to approach her fears and pain in a rational manner by undertaking a hike.

         The hike acts like a medicine which is bitter in taste but is essential for maintaining good health. It starts giving insights to the protagonist which not only starts giving her a purpose slowly but also helps her deal with the traumas she has faced while growing up. This is supposed to be one of the most important takeaways of the story that no matter however dark the tunnel of life seems, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Reese Witherspoon does a good job to portray as the main protagonist of the story though she could have done a better job to make it look more realistic. Another good point which I really appreciated was the protagonist does seem to open to suggestions as well as acts in a practical manner while making her way through the tough journey.

    I seemed put off by the huge number of expletives used in the movie which seemed unnecessary and pretty annoying. The reason being one can put their point across the table without swearing too much at all as well.That was the biggest peeve anyone can feel about this movie.

    The Sentiment: What was supposed to be a watch which was eagerly awaited by me turned out to be a watch which had a lot of scope to be turned into a much better piece. Though the movie is supposed to be an eye-opener in a lot of aspects but believe me it was a kind of a disappointment. It kinda felt like a waste of time. So, if you do want to watch this piece, watch it only for the determination of Cheryl Strayed as well as for the important message it gives of being resilient and hope. Else there are much better stories which celebrate the spirit of human beings.

    Rating: ** stars

    Quote-Unquote: “Cheryl, if there’s one thing I can teach you, its how to find your best life. And when you do how to, hold onto it for dear life.” (Cheryl’s mother to Cheryl)

    Que:Cheryl , on her journey meets a young boy who sings a song for her. What is the name of the song?

    a. Songs of Life

    b. Take me Home, country Roads

    c. Lean on me

    d. Red River Valley

    Continue reading →: A quest of self-discovery?

  • Traveling back in time…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Romance/Comedy

    No. of episodes:16

    Presented by: JTBC Studios

    “Time travel is like a magic door that allows us to explore the past and future.”

    Anonymous

    Its the end of the month and also the end of the new beginnings series. This week’s pick comes from the country which has had the world notice it thanks to its foot tapping music, thanks to its fair share of dramas which makes everyone fall in love with them, a skincare regime which is pretty tedious but according to a lot of people worth the effort. Also, this country’s electronics and cars seem to be a rage at least with the people of my country apart from the things I mentioned above. Did anyone guess which country I am talking about? Well, if you don’t know the answer, the answer is South Korea. This country has tried to make a mark in the world through its electronics, cars, highly impossible beauty standards, foot-tapping music which seems to make no sense (remember Psy’s Gangnam style😅)and through their dramas which are very high on the romance front. So, this week’s pick also belongs to the rom-com genre with a dash of some fantasy in it and a lot of indirect advertisements . To know more read on.

    Synopsis: 18 Again is a series which revolves around Jung Da-Jung and Hong-Dae Young , a couple who has a pair of twins, Hong-Sia and Hong-Siu . Life seems perfect for the two despite the fact that they had their children at a very early age. But years later, their so called happy life seems to crumble when Jung files for a divorce and their 18 year old twins start ignoring their father. If this was not enough to add to the woes, Dae-Young’s life becomes more miserable when he loses his job after being denied a promotion and instead being transferred to Busan.

         These series of events leave him heartbroken and wishing that he could go back in time and fix his life as he repents for all the mistakes that he has committed. His wish gets granted as he turns into a 18 year old miraculously with a mind of a 37 year old and starts living a new life as Goo Woo Young. With his new identity, he tries to become a shadow to his children and be present for his now ex-wife and learns a lot about them . What does he learn about his family? Is he able to fix his mistakes and be the man that his family wanted to be him ? Will he be able to win the love of his family again or will he fail ? Also, will he be able to revert himself to his original self physically or will he be a 18 year old forever?

    Assessment: This is a show which deals with a lot of issues with two adult people at its center. It deals with the issue of how not being communicative with your better half can lead to a lot of problems which eventually ends up in the breakdown of a marriage. Also, it shows how a breakdown in a marriage has its impact not only on the children but also on the families which are related to the people close to them. This show also deals with other issues like getting bullied at high school, how beauty always has an upper hand when it comes to certain jobs more than brains, of how coaches run admission rackets , of someone being obsessive and harassing them , how social media is quick to judge without any empathy. It also teaches us valuable lessons of being financially independent, of being able to take a stand if injustice is meted out, of being able to take care of yourself if a grave situation presents in front of you, of being resilient emotionally and not letting your naysayers bringing you down. And the most important lesson it teaches us that it is never late to fix things and that with time and efforts , one can always fix things.

       I literally ended up falling in love with the female lead(Kim Ha-neul) more than the male lead because she gave me the most important lesson no matter how difficult it is in life , you should always pursue what you love with utmost courage and let no one else bother you. After all, you can have a bad day in life but not a bad life. I also ended up loving the characters of Ae Chu Rin and Go Deok Jin because they are ultimately the type of friends whom you want in your life- people who can stand behind you like a rock no matter whatever curve balls are thrown by life.

      One thing that I just find annoying (maybe annoying is not the right term but maybe over the top is a correct way to describe it) is the obsession of K-dramas with the feeling of love and impossible beauty standards. The dramas have a nice and a fascinating story line but I guess the only thing that these people find interesting is falling in love. Love is a beautiful feeling , but you cannot survive in life just on love, right? Things need to be looked into from a realist point of view as well. I appreciate it when people depict things in a realistic manner. That actually shows a mirror of how the society functions right? Maybe this is a thing that show makers can incorporate . Also, can we have less brand promotions please? It is a great way to attract attention to your brand but it just somehow puts a viewer off. Also, it is next to impossible to have a single favorite when you do have a variety of options in your life as you are bound to experiment at some or the other time. But I guess it was a trick to promote the brand so every family meal has to be of the same brand which I literally found super funny.😂😂🤣

    The view : A good show which tries to put light on various issues , this one though a bit tedious as there are a lot of episodes for a person who is pretty short on time like me. But if you are a person who can binge watch , then this one should be on your list at least once in a life as it does have an interesting story line as well as some interesting characters which will provide you some respite from your day to day drudgery. Also, it has some important lessons which can be incorporated in life that can make us a better version of ourselves. So, do go ahead and give it a watch by ignoring the brand promotions which might tend to irritate you . And yes do not forget to share your experiences of the same. Meet you next week with another pick and another theme . Till then lots of love and care. 🤗😊

    Rating: *** and a 1/2 stars

    The lead pair in a happy moment

    Baap dialogue: “No matter how hard life gets , never regret anything that made you smile.” (Jung Da-Jung in a radio episode when she was at Serim High School)

    Que: Name the team to which Ye-Ji hoon, the famous baseball player belongs to?

    a. Haitai Tigers

    b. Sammi Superstars

    c. Seum Wolves

    d. OB Bears

    Continue reading →: Traveling back in time…

  • An interesting tale of a bookseller!

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author:Gabrielle Zevin

    Genre: Contemporary/Drama

    “No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.”

    Buddha

    I am glad to announce that we turned five! Yes, you read it right. The Expression Hub is 5 years old. I am super grateful and super thankful to everyone who has been a part of this journey. This is because without you, this would not have been possible. It is your love, your motivation and your kind words which makes this journey worth the grind and effort. It is okay that maybe we are not as big as a family but you know what each one of you is valuable and inspiring in your own manner. It is your faith and belief in me which maybe keeps me on my toes and makes me put my best foot forward. So, yes cheers to even more milestones as I personally feel we have more milestones to achieve and keep the journey going no matter how drudging it might seem . The reason is simple- accountability to you readers and subscribers should always be a topmost priority because it is you who makes or breaks a person. So, with this thought always in the back of my mind, I do try my best not to compromise on the quality of my work and will never do so. I might be a little tardy on meeting the deadlines which I do feel guilty about thanks to my schedule but with my opinion and picks you will never have to face such an issue.

      Time truly flies and when your blog turns a year older, you do feel proud somewhere of the work you are putting in . You do have a feeling as if the thing which you gave birth to (though inanimate in this manner) is growing and you are like a proud mother watching your kid grow and reach new milestones and heights in life. And though I might not be a mother yet to a real kid, but this is my baby and it does feel good when you see your baby take strides.

    Well, coming to the point -just like every year, this year and the year after and after (hope you get the vibe😝) I will be having one pick which is supposed to be an anniversary pick because after all shouldn’t we have something to celebrate with ? And mind you, the anniversary picks are generally very special because they teach a lot and are a classic in their own ways. And I personally feel anniversaries are the best way to highlight that one pick which touched you or gave you great insight. So, though this might look like a normal post but it is not. Read on to find out what has been this year’s pick. If you do have any picks which you think are awesome as well or want to be reviewed, feel free to tell me about the same in the comments section. Who knows it might get featured as the next blog post?

    About the book: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey is this year’s anniversary pick. It revolves around a man who runs a bookstore on a fictional island named Alice Island. He is a 39 year old man who has turned nasty as he has lost his wife, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history. As if this was not enough to add to his woes, he has lost his what was his most prized possession- a rare collection of Poe poems, Tamerlane. These all lead him to being less social and more withdrawn as he does not seem to enjoy anyone’s company except that of his drink and some frozen food.This however does not seem to deter Amelia, a Knightley Press representative who keeps on visiting the Island to make recommendations for the bookstore.

       This all continues to take place routinely until and unless a mysterious package appears at his bookstore. This package shakes something in A.J and makes him to live his life afresh and start seeing things in a new light.What does that package contain as such that it brings a transformation in A.J? How does the package change his life? This unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances reveals the answers as we dig deeper.

    Analysis: This is a book which explores the life of a bookseller who was once passionate about books that he dedicated his entire life to the world of literature. However, as tragedy struck him, it seemed that he had become so demotivated, depressed and withdrawn that the books which were a lifeline to him seemed nothing. This book tries to explore the human emotion of grief and its impact on human life. This book also tries to highlight that with time you can heal if not close the deep wounds which have been inside your heart. This is highlighted when A.J receives that unexpected package and how that package transforms his life completely.

       The interesting aspect was that the story seems to be a normal one but it has been written from the point of a bookseller as well as that of a person whose life revolved around literature as the chapters are named after books. This book also tries to understand the dynamics of human relationships through the characters. After all, what are humans if they do not have people who add meaning to their lives? Isn’t it?

    Verdict : This is a book which is supposed to be in the category of a warm, bookish and cozy read which has sad elements with a dash of humor. For a person who loves his or her literature, this book is supposed to be a surprise treat as it has many literary titles suggested in it. Do read it if you are a fan of literature and love your stories with a dash of human emotions. Do read it if you love stories which contain the element of second chances and transformations. So, I do hope that you do enjoy reading this piece just like I did. Waiting to hear from you all about your experiences about the same. Will meet you next week with another pick which concludes our month . Till then lots of love and care. 🤗

    P.S. – If you do love the content, don’t forget to share your love and care by giving a like and a follow to either of the following-

    On Instagram– @theexpressivemind

    On Facebook- The Expression Hub

    On Word Press– through the subscription button.

    Your love and care helps us a lot as well as motivates us to put our best foot forward.

    Rating: *** stars

    Cite Bite: “We are not quite novels.
    We are not quite short stories.
    In the end, we are collected works.”

    Que: What is the name of the book that Amelia recommends to AJ?

    a. The Great Gatsby

    b. The Late Bloomer

    c. Love in the time of cholera

    d. A Little Life

    Continue reading →: An interesting tale of a bookseller!

  • A living space?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay,Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers,Tom McCamus,William H.Macy

    Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson

    Genre: Drama

    “My room was a real way of expressing myself. It was like a little nest that I could settle into.”

    Chloe Sevigny

    Well, before I jump into the latest pick of this week, a disclaimer- the pick which has been selected by me this week is way too sensitive and can be disturbing for some people. Viewer discretion is necessary. So, if you do intend to watch the same, do watch it at your own risk. This is because though the movie has content which can be disturbing in nature but it also has a powerful message. I , as a responsible blogger always try to ensure that the viewer has an informed choice and is able to have an experience which can be memorable in the right sense and not trigger any feelings of trauma, anxiety or stress which can be triggered due to some stimuli present in the pick which I might be endorsing. After all, an experience needs to be one which is happy which is thoughtful and which gives food to your brain .Isn’t it ?

      So, keeping that in mind, I will try my level best to be as emotionally sensitive I can be because if we put ourselves in the shoes of the characters, you do find that it can be an experience which can be really disturbing to us as well after all we are supposed to have emotions and emotions can be of all sorts . It is high time that we try to accept emotions of all sorts and be human as possible though sometimes the outburst can be too intense to digest and can be really disturbing to process. And I do hope that the viewers or the readers will ensure the same while making the choices in their lives while having their picks. 

    Story line: This week’s pick revolves around a 24 year old woman and her son who live in a filthy shed which they call the ‘Room’. The room consists of all their basic needs- a kitchen, a bed, a toilet and a bath with a window on the top which is a skylight. They are captives of a man they call “Old Nick”, who is supposed to be the biological father of the woman’s son. Though the woman tries to be optimistic for her son but in reality she is suffering from malnutrition and depression. However, one day the mother decides to free her son and herself from the Room and venture out in the real world so that her son has interaction with real things. Will she be able to escape the Room and finally venture into the real world? Will she be able to face the outside world with full courage or will she falter? Also, will the man who held them captive will be free or will justice be served to the mother-son duo?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which can be very disturbing in nature yet has a very powerful message . This is because of the portrayal of the main character who has been held as a captive for the last 7 years and is repeatedly abused physically . The impact which that has on her has led her to being malnourished and being depressed. But the only thing that is keeping her going is her son who adds color to her life by his vivid imagination and the activities which they undertake together in that small room . The movie has highlighted as well as very well portrayed the issues of mental health. The movie has also captured beautifully the essence of freedom and the cost one has to pay to obtain it. Realistic and agonizing histrionics of Brie Larson as Joy Newsome just bleeds your heart while Jacob Tremblay as Jack brightens up your day . He is shown to be a symbol of hope and optimism who despite the difficult circumstances tries to be a support to his mother. I believe what is being portrayed is that love does has that ability to protect as well as heal the people. Also, the risk which a mother takes for her son is a thing which one undertakes only in love. Or else why would she even bother to live when she considered her life meaningless?It was that ray of hope in her somewhere distant which seemed elusive but gave her the will to take life as it came.

    The Sentiment: This is a movie which I will not call a movie which entertains but a movie which gives food to your brain. This is because it is no fun but is instead an experience which is pretty draining in nature. This one can keep you thinking for hours as to what the mother would have endured. But at the same time, this is also a movie which holds a mirror to the society; and also awakens empathy for issues which are not discussed widely. Do watch it if you are into thought provoking movies and love giving some food to your brain. Else if you are someone who do find these things disturbing and always want the picks to make you feel good avoid it . After all, everyone has different choices and it is okay not to have the same choices. But on the other hand, if you are the one who is interested to understand the nitty-gritty of life then maybe you can consider this provided you don’t end up being disturbed.

    Rating: *** and a 1/2 stars

    The beautiful mother-son bond captured in a frame

    Que: What is the name of the pet dog which Joy’s mother’s partner has?

    a. Seamus

    b. Jack

    c. Peter

    d. Leo

    Quote-Unquote : “No one is strong alone. You know, you and your mom, you help each other through, don’t you?” (Joy to Jack)

    Continue reading →: A living space?

  • From the start…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Romance/Drama

    No. of episodes:8

    Presented by:This One & That One,3 Arts Entertainment, Cinestar and Hello Sunshine

    “Love isn’t something you find. Love is something that finds you.”

    Loretta Young

    Well, its the month of January which always signifies a start of a new year. So, taking this in account into my mind, I decided to dedicate this month of January to new beginnings . After all, shouldn’t the very first month of the year do the same- embrace the new while celebrating the endings. Also, new beginnings means there are endless possibilities to explore new things. And shouldn’t our life be all about making new discoveries?

      With all this in mind, I bring to you a story which was endearing as well as one which could move you to tears. A story which makes you realize the importance of having people who stand like a rock in your life and a story which makes you believe in the power of resilience and hope. Read on to find out more about this one.

    Synopsis : From Scratch is a story which has everything in it – love, hope , friendship, family and resilience. Amy is a young girl who is supposed to be a lawyer but wants to embrace beauty through art. So, she undertakes a trip to Florence, Italy for some soul searching as well as to undertake a workshop in art. There while walking on the streets, she encounters a handsome chef named Lino who is originally from Sicily but has a restaurant in the city. Lino falls for Amy and invites her to his restaurant. From there what begins as a friendship between two people starts blossoming into love. From her time in Florence, Amy too has a realization that she is not cut to be a lawyer like her father but instead can make a career in art something which she has always wanted to. She makes a decision to forego her career as a lawyer and instead make it big in the world of art. Lino too decides to run after his dreams of opening a bigger restaurant. While trying to pursue their dreams, they also solidify their relationship by ending getting married to each other. However, trouble ensues in the paradise when Lino does not feel at home in America as he feels the place has no center. Amy tries to support him and make him feel at home by providing him comfort. But it seems destiny has more tests for the couple as Lino gets diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. What trials do have the two face together? Will they succeed or will destiny play a cruel role?

    Assessment : A series that has everything which appeals to the viewers. It has drama, love , friendship, hope ,family and resilience. This series makes you fall in love with the main characters as they try traversing through the different phases of their lives. This series makes you fall in love with their families who initially are reluctant but as time passes form a strong unit and stand strong . This series attempts to celebrate the fact that it does not matter where a person is from, a person can still win the hearts of the people if he or she puts in the right efforts. This series attempts to celebrate love across the continents despite the roadblocks. The positives of the show: this show captures the beautiful city of Florence and its culture in contrast to the fast paced life of an American. This show also highlights the importance of the time one spends with their loved ones . This show also underlines the importance of hope and resilience for the situations one faces in one’s life.

      The progression that Amy’s character goes through as she goes from being a friend to a lover to a better half is beautifully captured. Another thing that I found interesting was that she had a great support system in her younger sister who has her back no matter what. The same case with her both the mothers who try to make her feel at ease when she experiences tough times. The negatives : way too much sexual intimacy thrown that it feels pretty made up. I mean intimacy is a good thing but you do end up being uncomfortable somewhere that you feel like leaving your seat and run away. Another negative is the gossip which Amy’s mother in laws relatives resort to. Gossiping is a big no in real life especially if the matters are not productive in nature .

    The view: A beautiful show which makes you fall in love with everyone involved. It is a show which captures the fragility of human relationships. It is also a show which highlights the importance of the time one has and how it is important for one to prioritize things in life. This is a show which teaches a lot of lessons in relationships which I think couples or people who want to fall in love will find valuable. Though it has its own share of drama but the good thing is it doesn’t seem over the top. So, do watch this beautiful show and give yourself a treat in human emotions . And if this reason does not sound appealing do watch it for the terrific histrionics of Zoe Saldana and Eugenio Mastrandrea as well as the sass of Danielle Deadwyler.

    Rating: *** and a 1/2 stars

    Baap Dialogue:”Today we start our new lives together. Nothing is holding us back. Only dreams ahead…” [Lino to Amy]

    Que: What is the name of Amy’s mother in law?

    a. Maria

    b. Stephanie

    c. Philomina

    d. Bianca

    Continue reading →: From the start…

  • A modelling sleuth

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Carina Axelsson

    Genre: Thriller/Mystery

    “The best way of successfully acting a part is to be it.”

    Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Since its the last day of the month what better way to end this year but in a fashionable manner. After all December is also supposed to be a month of Dressember. For those who are unfamiliar with the same, you are supposed to bring out the fashionista inside you on each day of the month. This was a movement which started in 2009 and blossomed into an international movement to fight human trafficking. And as far as the statistics as regards to the human trafficking is concerned, it is supposed to be an industry that is worth $150 billion. And this supposedly looking silly challenge is an attempt to fight against it.

        So, taking the theme into consideration, this week’s pick revolves around the same. This is supposed to be somewhat of a chic category novel with a dose of fashion which might not sound appealing to some . But hold your horses tight, before you pass a judgement because sometimes what might not sound appealing or look appealing might surprise you. Not that I detest fashion or chic novels but I prefer other categories more than these types. But since I wanted to write a review about something which revolved around the same, so I decided to go with this one.

    About the book: Model Undercover:Paris features Axelle , a teenage girl whose family has sent her off to cover the Paris Fashion Week as a punishment. You might be wondering how come such a fine opportunity might be a punishment for someone? Let me answer this by posing a question which will give you a better answer. Imagine if you are asked to do something which you completely detest or do not want to do ever yet are forced to do how would you feel? The same was the case with Axelle when it came to fashion. Even though her mother and aunt were people who obsessed about fashion, this wasn’t her thing. She was more into solving mysteries and always dreamt of becoming a detective.

       However, it seems that her wishes do come true when she lands up in the city and a famous designer who goes by the name Belle La Lune disappears just days before the launch of her bag. After learning about the same, Axelle realizes that in order to get to the bottom of this, she will have to embrace the thing that she has detested and ends up being a good model who receives a lot of offers thanks to her long legs and her aunt Venetia’s connections. In the process, she ends up befriending a famous model named Ellie and Sebastian who is the son of a police officer. Together, they try to put the pieces of the puzzle together as the stakes increase and two more members of the family disappear. Who is involved behind the disappearances of the family members? What is the motive behind the same? Will Axelle with her friends be able to solve the mystery before her time ends in the city of Paris?

    Analysis: This is a book which is supposed to be a novel for teenagers with a tinge of chic to it. But believe me even if you are an adult and more into the serious stuff you will not be disappointed by this one. This is especially true if you have been someone who has ended up devouring mystery books in their childhood like me. A book which is slow in pace initially but builds up the pace as the story progresses. The story is gripping as you end up racking up your brains in finding out who might be behind the mystery. Also, you get to imagine the beautiful city of Paris which is somewhat scary as well. After all, it is supposed to have the catacombs as well. What are these and why do I call the city a city a marvel as well as a scary. Read the book to find out. In addition to that, you will also familiarize yourselves with some fashion terminology which might come handy in the future if you come across something related to fashion. Another great thing to highlight is that its heartening to see a female protagonist who is intelligent and not just someone who has good looks. After all it is high time that we start incorporating characters who are not just looks but also has intelligence.

    Verdict: This is a book which you will enjoy if you have been a big fan of the genre. Though this might be a book for teenagers but believe me this is a book which will be enjoyed by adults too. A book which was a delight to read and did end my year just on the right note. A huge thank you to Carina Axelson for that. Definitely one to be included in your reading lists.

    Rating: ****

    Cite Bite:”Come on, Axelle, focus, focus. Ignore your sidekick’s broad shoulders and killer smile. Easier said than done.”

    Que:What is the name of Axelle’s booking agent for modelling assignments?

    a. Dominic

    b. Sebastian

    c. Herve

    d. Phillip

    Continue reading →: A modelling sleuth

  • In the spirit of Christmas 🎄

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    Roshani Patil

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    Starring: Craig Anton, Lilana Mumy,Danny Woodburn,Christopher Lloyd, Josh Flitter, George Wendt

    Directed by: Robert Vince

    Genre: Comedy

    “Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing, but of reflection.”

    Winston Churchill

    It is that time of the year when the snow falls and everywhere the preparations are in full swing. After all, Santa Claus is coming around riding down the sleigh. Yes, it is the week of Christmas with only 6 days to go . So, what better way to celebrate the festival then to have a movie party based on the same? Right after all holidays are meant to be fun and a time to relax yourself. Else all work and no play just makes Jack and all of us(pun intended) a dull boy and girl(another pun intended). This week’s pick could have revolved around a classic but then I stumbled upon another one which was a delight to watch as well. What was ‘that thing’ which I found out ? Read on to find out more. Do you have any favorites for Christmas? If you do, do tell me in the comments section . It might get featured as the next Christmas pick who knows and maybe will be a great experience for me as well.

    Story line: Santa Buddies or Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws is a movie which is the fourth installment of the Air Buddies series spinoff. It tells us how and why the spirit of Christmas is important. At the North Pole, Santa Claus and his dog, Santa Paws are worried about the rapid melting Christmas Icicle. This is because no one believes in the magic of Christmas anymore. People have grown skeptical about the same. They feel that if it continues to melt at the rate at which it is melting, then Christmas will disappear forever. This is what is exactly desired by the next in heir and the son of Santa Paws as he is exiled for causing mayhem which disrupts the functioning of Santa’s workshop. The reason being he just wants to be an ordinary puppy.

     While going through Santa’s naughty list, he encounters a dog named Budderball and decides to find him . The journey he undertakes in order to be an ordinary puppy is supposed to be a one which is eye-opening as well as help him know his own worth as well as the importance of the festival. How does he end up realizing and transforming himself forms the rest of the story.

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which you will end up falling in love with because it is simply adorable and hilarious. But at the same time, it ends up giving an important message of hope and reflection without too much preaching. It also teaches us that one needs to accept someone who might not appear normal and let go off the past mistakes one has committed. George Vendt and Santa Paws are characters who justify their roles. Tiny is cute and awesome in nature. While the buddies are fun, adorable and just the characters who will make you fall in love with them because they have both the sass and the jazz.🥁

    The Sentiment: This is a movie which will give you immense laughs and add joy to your festive party. This one is highly recommended after all it is a movie which will make you laugh and fall in love with the buddies as well as make you realize the importance of the festival in the right spirit. Also, this is a movie which you can watch without any inhibitions as there are no expletives which are a major part of the movies or web series these days and are a major turn off. So, do watch the movie for such a serene experience as well and delve yourselves into the festive spirit. This movie will make you feel good. See you next week with another pick . Till then wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season .

    Rating: **** stars

    Quote-Unquote :”Your material desires are those of the wanted mind. Enough is never enough.”

    Que: What is the breed of Santa Paws?

    a. German Shepherd

    b. Patou

    c. Chihuahua

    d. Bulldog

    Continue reading →: In the spirit of Christmas 🎄

  • An ironic serf?

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    Roshani Patil

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    Genre: Satire/Irony

    No.of episodes: 13

    Presented by: Azie Dungee and Jordan Black

    ” Slavery is the next thing to hell.”

    Harriet Tubman

    One of the worst evils mankind has ever endured is the act of slavery. This act was practiced since the invention of agriculture and was a staple in every ancient civilization. This barbarian act however gained much prominence when the Europeans began forming colonies thus establishing their areas of power.Since they wanted to manage the areas which they captured, they used the local people to help them manage their territories. There are several stories of how the slaves were treated in the real world. Have you read or watched any piece of work which is related to the same. If you have, do let me know in the comments section.

    But what if we had a slave narrating her story through a talk show like format. How would that sound ?Wouldn’t it be interesting to know about their lives ? This week’s latest pick revolves around the life of one such slave. Read on to find out more.

    Synopsis: Ask A Slave is a show which is created and conceptualized by Azie Dungee. She portrays the life of a fictional slave named Lizzie Mae who is supposed to work for the president George Washington. She takes on several questions as to how her life is and the life in her times from the different people of her country. She answers them all while recounting her experiences of how the Washingtons treat her and her fellow slave mates. The show is based at the popular historic site, Mount Vernon. What you will encounter is a fictional character of a slave adding some humor and some sass as she takes upon what is thrown at her .

    Assessment: This is a show that attempts to explore what life might be in America before it became a country which became slavery free. It tries to explore the same through the lens of a fictional character named Lizzi Mae who is supposed to work everyday for 18 hours every day and that too without a break. It tries to address two important issues namely slavery and racism in a very hilarious manner. Also, the questions which are posed by the people residing in States currently are taken upon and addressed by the main character in a funny manner. Lizzie Mae is not supposed to be your normal lady slave. She is a lady who is supposed to look simple but believe me she is a very big gossip as she just keeps tab of everything . And deep down in her heart she just wants to be free. But she can’t be after all she is supposed to serve the first lady without any complaints.

    The view: An innovative concept which tries to addresses two issues which were a prominent part of the history that is racism and slavery. These issues had a deep impact on the history which has made us what we are today. Had these issues not been addressed by the people before us, maybe we would have not been enjoying our human rights as of now. A show which tries to be funny but is somewhat funny is what I will term the show. Watch it for the authentic portrayal and maybe to gain some insights in what America was in the era of slavery. So, you can watch it once if you are looking for some sass and some comedy.

    Rating: ** and a half stars.

    The lead in her costume.

    Que: How many children does Lizzie Mae has?

    a. 3

    b. 5

    c. 4

    d.2

    Continue reading →: An ironic serf?

  • A wonder medicine?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Harlan Coben

    Genre:Mystery/Thriller

    “What I am trying to cultivate is not blind optimism but radical hope.”

    Junot Diaz

    And finally the last month of the year is here . December for me generally meant the time for holidays and the end of what was supposed to be an eventful and an activity filled year. But as I grew up, I learnt that December is not only to be associated with Christmas and the New Year but also a lot of events take place . And this December I aim to cover each of the events one by one through my blog posts and try to raise awareness. After all, it is always good to share knowledge.

    December 1 is supposed to be World AIDS day. So, I decided to dedicate the very first blog post to what is supposed to be a deadly disease which unfortunately till date has not found a cure. Hopefully, in the future, there will be a cure so that the ill effects of the same are reduced to a nil. After all, human race survives on a powerful weapon called hope and it is this hope which has made human race progress so much. After all who doesn’t want a life which is supposed to be more healthier and more comfortable ? Right? In philosophy ,there is supposed to be something called hedonism. If you do find out more time do read about it. The reason why I spoke about hedonism was that since we touched upon the idea of comfort , so I thought maybe I should give you some food for thought by helping you rack your brains a bit😝 Okay now lets focus on what is supposed to be the pick of this week. Dig in to find out more.

    About the book: Miracle Cure is a book written by Harlan Coben. It involves a clinic that treats people who are suffering from AIDS. Just as the scientists are on the brink of a breakthrough, it so happens that one of the researcher dies . The death is supposed to be a suicide. But an investigation reveals that what is supposed to be a suicide turns out to be a murder. Also, after, the so called suicide of the researcher, another patient dies. A killer is also supposed to be on the prowl who is supposedly targeting the patients of the clinic. Why is the clinic being targeted? Who is supposed to be behind the murders of the patients of the clinic? What is supposed to be the motive of the killer? As the investigation deepens, shocking revelations begin to unravel themselves.

    Analysis: This book attempts to delve into an important issue of a disease which has affected humans since eternity. The passion with which scientists work upon to solve the problems which affect humankind is also explored. Also,the dirty politics involved in the granting of grants is explored with the story traveling back and forth in the United States and Thailand. An interesting story which is fast paced and does not have a dull moment along with enough twists in the plot is how I would love to describe this one. Though one thing’s for sure there is a lot of offensive language thrown in between. This might be a turn off for those who are not used to reading a lot of offensive language. But this is supposed to be a minor negative considering the exciting plot of the story.

    Verdict: An interesting tale with a lots of plot twists but not a single moment dull is what the book is. Do read it if you are a big fan of thrillers and want something interesting to be included in your reading list. This one is definitely a thumbs up from me as it truly deserves to be called a book which has been written by a New York Times best selling author. Thank God after a string of disappointments I did find a book which kept me hooked.

    Cite Bite:“In the ultimate pursuit of knowledge , you can easily become ignorant.”

    Que: What is the profession of Michael Silverman?

    a. Basketball player

    b. Dermatologist

    c. Oncologist

    d. Cancer researcher

    Continue reading →: A wonder medicine?

  • A rogue or a hero?

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    Starring: Rajkummar Rao, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Tigmanshu Dhulia, KayKay Menon, Prabhal Punjabi, Prabhleen Sandhu

    Directed by: Hansal Mehta

    Genre: Biographical/Drama

    “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is , what are you doing for others?”

    Martin Luther King Jr.

    It has been 15 years since the terror attacks rocked the city of dreams, Mumbai. 166 people were killed in the what was supposed to be an act of cowardice. But no matter what the city of dreams has endured, it has always stood the test of time and emerged more resilient as time as passed. And that is what is supposed to be the undying spirit of the city. No matter whatever befalls on us we are going to emerge stronger each and every time because of the endless humanity possessed by the people of the city.

    Though the terror attacks had shattered the city to the core, but in the line of investigating and bringing justice, it has so happened a lot of times that a lot of innocent people too had been arrested and had false charges pressed against them . These false charges could and have ruined the lives of so many people as the society viewed such people with a suspicious eye . Such people did not get the opportunities which a normal man gets . However, there was one such individual who too after facing a similar situation decided to fight for the rights of such individuals and ensured that such people too had an opportunity to live a dignified life. Since it was the 15th anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks and we are celebrating the men who tried creating an impact in the reel or real life; I personally feel this blog post is a great fit which addresses both. This might or might not rattle a few nerves but we need to be courageous to address the thought in the mind. After all we need to be in a place where the mind is without fear and the head is held high.

    Story line: Shahid is a story which is based on the life of the lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi who was killed in a cold-blooded manner in 2010. He was supposed to be an ordinary man and maybe would have continued to be so had certain events in his life not taken place. For instance, the riots in the city which took place in the year 1992-93. This incident forced him to join a militant group in order to become a terrorist but after witnessing a cold-blooded execution, he leaves the group and returns to the city.However, this incident leads to his arrest under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities(Prevention) Act. His brother tries to bail him out. But he is denied bail and ends up spending 7 years in the Tihar Jail. There he meets an extremist Omar Shaikh who tries to radicalize him. But another inmate saves him by inspiring him to finish his higher studies. After getting acquitted, he embarks on a journey to become a lawyer. After undergoing an internship of a few months, he establishes his own firm and from then his life transforming journey begins. This is because he starts fighting for the justice of his fellow beings who have been wrongly accused . Unfortunately, this very life transforming journey ends up taking his life.

    Scrutiny: This is a story which narrates a tale of a man who embarks upon a life changing journey. A journey which not only changed his own life but also the life of others as he began fighting for the people who had been denied justice. This is because he himself had faced a similar situation in his earlier days. However, thanks to the advice given by his well-wisher, he could reform himself and live what can be called as a second life. This movie attempts to address an important issue as regards to denial of opportunities to minorities after they are falsely acquitted. It also tries to advocate the fact that the act of terrorism has no religion but it is an act which is caused by some brainwashed individuals who try to create a menace in the society and disrupt its peaceful way of functioning. RajKummar Rao shines as the main protagonist. Mohammed Zeeshan too does a great job by playing the elder brother Arif. One character that really stood out for me even though it was a brief one was that one portrayed by KayKay Menon because he was the one who actually gave Shahid a second life that of a lawyer. After all education is the most powerful weapon through which you can change the world.

    The Sentiment: A movie which puts out a strong message through the story of an ordinary man who becomes extraordinary and fights for what is right. This one needs to be in your watch list definitely. The reasons are many : firstly because of the crisp storytelling , secondly because of the acting chops by RajKummar Rao and KayKay Menon , thirdly it highlights various issues which are still prevalent in the society and tries to address them and lastly the story has a National Award actor and a director. This is a movie that tries to provide some food for thought to the mind. So, cheers to stories that give you some food for thought isn’t it ?Don’t forget to share your experiences about the same. Hope you do too find this piece of work highly inspiring and enlightening. Meet you next week with another awesome pick of mine next week. Till then lots of love and care.

    The main protagonist in a scene

    Que: What is the name of the person who inspires Shahid to become a lawyer?

    a. Omar Shaikh

    b. Arif Azmi

    c. Maqbool Menon

    d. Ghulam Navi Waar

    Continue reading →: A rogue or a hero?

  • From melancholy to an indomitable resolve.

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    Roshani Patil

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    Genre: Biographical/ Military Drama

    No. of episodes:7

    Presented by: Zee5

    “Act though as it were impossible to fail.”

    Dorothea Brande

    Hope you all had a wonderful Diwali last week and a very happy international Men’s day to all the men out there. Since we are celebrating the men who have played a huge role in the reel as well as real life , so this week’s blog post is dedicated to a special section of the men from whom we can learn a lot of lessons especially in the fields of discipline and management in both the professional as well as personal lives-the men in uniform. Be it the army, the air force or the navy there have been tales of men who have lived an extraordinary life and inspired a lot. Without further ado, let’s learn more about this extraordinary man .

    Synopsis: This week’s pick revolves around an ex- special force member of the Indian Army Major Deepveer Sengar who was awarded the Sena Medal for his bravery in the Kargil War. His life is narrated in the 7-episodes of a series called ‘Jeet Ki Zidd’. This 7-part series narrates the story of Deepveer Sengar who clears the IMA (Indian Military Academy )and serves in the armed forces before undergoing the training for the paramilitary forces. The training in the paramilitary forces is supposed to be one which is super draining in nature physically as well as mentally. He gets the rejection certificate the first time when he fails to complete the training because of a minor timing mistake. But this rejection just makes him more stronger and he chooses to apply for the same once more. This time however he succeeds in completing the training and getting the coveted maroon beret.

    While attending his friend’s wedding he comes across a Mathematics teacher with whom he gradually falls in love . However, after viewing the news of the Kargil War, despite having a severe injury he volunteers for the same and ends up having five bullets shot in his abdomen. This injury leaves him paralyzed under the waist and confined to a wheelchair. However, this paralysis leaves him dejected and utterly hopeless. This worries his lover turned wife and she gives him a new challenge? What is the challenge which is given to the former major ? Does he complete it successfully? How does that challenge change his life ? Is he able to bring himself hope or does he find himself dejected? How does life change for the former major after the war? Is it for good or for the worst?

    Assessment: This series is an inspirational story about how a man in the uniform tries to overcome whatever challenges life tries to throw at him. After all a soldier never gives up isn’t it? And I would love to believe we all have that soldier in us right? This is because strength is not physical in nature but mental in nature. And those who have that so called grit they can undertake any challenges in the life. And if you are the one who needs inspiration then this one will definitely give you some. A beautiful story with superb acting chops by Amit Sadh and Sushant Rajput(believe me he is a very underrated actor ) . Aly Gore too has a good screen timing and does a good job playing the role of his friend. As far as the negatives are concerned, there are scenes which might seem derogatory due to the usage of swear words which are pretty common yet some might find them offensive.

    The view: A show which needs to be in your watch list. After all, I do personally feel that we all need a character like Chaudhary who pushes our limits so that we can grow . I don’t know about you but I would be really grateful for such a character in my life. He or she would be abused in my mind but in reality they will be the one’s who will help you grow as a person. And what is really important in one’s life than witnessing one’s own growth?So, do watch it if you need some motivation or if you want to know how grit can change lives. Also, do not forget to mention about your experiences about the same. I will be happy to hear from you. See you next week with a another pick which will be dedicated to another man. Till then lots of love and care.🤗

    Amit Sadh as the main protagonist of the show.

    Baap Dialogue: ” Jab tak soldier ki saansein hai tab tak woh soldier hai.”[Until a soldier breathes he is a soldier.]

    Continue reading →: From melancholy to an indomitable resolve.

  • A different type of shipment?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Starring: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders, Britt Robertson, Damian Young,Simon Delaney,Adam Chanler-Berat

    Directed by: Ken Scott

    Genre: Comedy-drama

    “Good fathers do three things: they provide, they nurture and they guide.”

    Roland Warren

    Well, its November, the second last month of the year and a time to maybe reflect how the year went. For me it was a roller coaster of emotions and maybe a lot of lessons and experiences learned. More about it maybe in one of the blog posts later. After all what is life supposed to be ? An amalgamation or maybe the sum of all the experiences of what we experience . Some good and some bad but each one teaching us something good or valuable.

    If October was dedicated to something paranormal and if we can celebrate the women then why not do the same for men ? After all I feel it is truly unfair for the men to have just a single day dedicated to them. After all they do also have a valuable contribution in our lives as maybe our fathers, brothers , partners , boyfriends , cousins , grandfathers and what not :p So, from this November raising a toast to all the men who have contributed immensely to our lives in the real and reel life. So, cheers to all the men out in our lives and a big thank you for making our lives better and giving us great lessons.

    Story line: The first pick of this month where in we celebrate the men from reel as well as the real life is called the Delivery Man. This narrates the story of a man named David Wozniak who is a delivery man for his family’s butcher shop. He is in a debt of $80,000 and has a pregnant girlfriend. One day he encounters a lawyer who is supposed to be representing a sperm bank. In his student years David is supposed to have earned a sum of $24,255 by donating sperm anonymously under the name of Star buck. However, it turns out that his sperm was used so frequently that with time he became the biological father of 533 children. It would have been okay to just be an anonymous figure. But being a father to so many children spells trouble for David as out of these 533 children, 142 decide to file a class action lawsuit against the clinic to reveal the identity of the man who had used the name Starbuck. What follows is a legal battle of whether the father is entitled anonymity or whether a father should disclose his identity to their children. Does David Wozniak win the lawsuit and be able to pay off his debt ? Also, will he let his identity be anonymous or will he reveal it to the children whom he has fathered ?

    The Scrutiny: This is a movie that attempts to take on a serious issue in a comical manner. It asks us, the viewers an important question: what is more important for a man to do. Is it necessary for a man who has been a biological father to many children to remain anonymous under the right to privacy or whether it is important for a father to come forward and reveal his identity for the sake of his children. Both the parties are right in their views: one being in the favor of that a person is entitled to have the right to privacy while on the other hand a child is also entitled to know who his or her biological father is after all fathers do play an important role when a child is growing up.

    This story also highlights the fact that one need not be super rich or super successful in order to live a fulfilling life. But instead just needs to have a valid purpose in life even if that means playing the role of a compassionate person when the whole world views you as a nobody. David realizes this when his girlfriend tells him that she is pregnant. Though his best friend tells him that it is best that he avoids being a father, David listens to his heart and starts looking out for the children as well as his own child just like a real father would to his child thanks to the compassionate trait in him and the fact that he clearly understands his purpose. The positives : Vince Vaughn shines as the main lead . Chris Pratt too does a good job who acts as a friend cum advocate . A perfect mix of emotions with the right amount of laughs as well as a few sniffs (emotional moments) this is a movie which makes you feel good from within.

    The Sentiment : A movie that makes you feel good about yourself as well as keeps you entertained. This one should definitely be on your viewing list as it tries to take on a serious issue in a comic manner. It also shows us that with compassion it is possible to win everyone’s heart. Watch it for the beautiful performances of Vince Vaughn, Andrzej Blumenfeld who share a beautiful father-son bond . This one is definitely going to be in my list of those movies which make you feel good and which you can revisit anytime yet not get bored.

    Rating: ****

    Quote-Unquote: “These kids need someone to look out for them. They need a guardian angel.” (David to himself)

    Que: Where does David finance his father’s trip while growing up?

    a. Kashmir

    b. Switzerland

    c. Dehradun

    d. Venice

    Continue reading →: A different type of shipment?

  • An abnormal tale?

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    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Jason Pargin

    Genre: Comic-horror

    “I knew nothing but shadows and I thought them to be real.”

    Oscar Wilde

    Sincerest apologies for being away from you people since a long time. I guess I must have been away from the writing space since two weeks. Believe me I missed my calm as well thanks to my hectic schedule . Life can be hectic especially when you try to juggle multiple things at once. But I guess sometimes its okay to take a break when life gets a bit hectic so as to realign your things as well as your thinking. Though it does disturb your routine a bit but you do come back fresh and clear.

    Okay so lets set the ball rolling since its been a pretty long time I hit the keys. Halloween is just 2 days away and since we had dedicated October to things which are supposed to be eerie and paranormal, bringing to you a book which belongs to the genre. This book again seemed interesting when I first heard the title but was a bummer. Yet I as a responsible blogger will review about the same😝 and leave the choice to you whether you want to indulge in the same or not. This is because there can be a difference in the opinion as well. What might seem as a total disappointment from my side might be a treasure from your side isn’t it? So, keeping this in mind lets dig in my latest pick.

    About the book: This one’s called John Dies At the End. This title seemed interesting and what added to my interest when I initially searched for this one was that it was supposed to be a horror with a dose of comedy. So, this had piked my interest.The book supposedly narrates the tale of two paranormal investigators named David and John who live in an unnamed Midwestern town. Dave meets a reporter named Arnie in a local restaurant and starts recounting the origin of his and John’s unusual abilities. The main story begins where John is performing with his band. David leaves the party early after confronting an amateur magician who is supposed to have some supernatural powers which leaves him shaken. David is awakened by John in the middle of the night by John in order to save him from something. After going to someone’s house John reveals that he has taken a drug known as Soy Sauce😂(what a weird name for a drug) which causes those who consume it to drift to a place from where they cannot return. But it seems as John and Dave miraculously escape the ill effects of the drug . However, they begin encountering a lot of monstrous beings and a lot of strange phenomena caused by these monstrous beings. The rest of the story narrates of how John and Dave fight these monstrous beings and the story of their adventures being recounted by Dave to Arnie who seems not to be buying the tale despite being shown the evidence.

    Analysis: This book tries to explore some paranormal elements called the Shadow Men and their devotion to a big boss called Korrok who is supposed to cause all the trouble . But lets be honest the story could have been more interesting. I personally found the whole story to be super confusing. Also, the confusing plot makes the story to be super boring. What was supposed to have piked my interest initially turned out to be a super frustrating journey. I just wanted to stop reading the book thanks to the plot but the stubborn part of mine I just persevered throughout the book though it was a complete pain for me. The reason being I just feel it is sort of an injustice to leave a book incomplete however boring the plot maybe. Though it feels like a pain in the ass to finish boring plots, but the obsessive part of me just wants to finish whatever undertaken to the finish line. This can be viewed as a good or a bad quality. Good because you finish the work and bad because you can be viewed as an obsessive human being and also a person who will procrastinate the work until it is perfect. But with time I have learnt not to feel bad about my obsessive side because it allows me to get my work done. And as long as my work is done I don’t give a hoot.

    Verdict: A book which could have had a better plot given the genre.The thought I was having while reading the book was what the heck am I reading ? But somehow the obsessive side let me finish the book. Personally speaking, I did not enjoy the book. In other words it was a pain to finish the book due to a lack luster yet super boring plot. The only interesting part was the character of Molly which provided some comic relief .

    Que: What is the name of the band of which John is a member of?
    a. Beastie Boys

    b. Red hot chilli peppers

    c. Three arm Sally

    d. Dire Straits

    Cite Bite:” Which would prove I’m a monster, Arnie? Sacrificing the people I love for the fight? Or walking away from the fight to save the people i love?”(David to Arnie)

    Continue reading →: An abnormal tale?

  • The ghosts I encountered….

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    Roshani Patil

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    “Ghost stories always creep me out and weird me out. Those are always interesting to watch.”

    Jessica Szohr

    Wishing all my readers a very Happy Navratri. Well, for those who are not aware, it is a 10 day festival that celebrates the victory of the good over the evil. It is said that Goddess Durga fought for 9 days against the bovine asura Mahishasura in these days and on the 10th day which is also known as Vijayadashmi or Dussehra , she finally managed to slay him thus earning the title Mahishasurvardini meaning the one who slayed the demon Mahishasur. Hope this festive season brings a lot of positivity and happiness and help you overcome all the evils residing in you and in all of us including me . 😅 After all someone has said it aptly that it is very difficult to kick out bad habits and difficult to form new and better habits. So, let us use this festive season as an excuse to form better habits and transform into a better versions of ourselves.

    Well, since its the month of Halloween and I have promised you to give you an exciting lineup of things related to the same, presenting to you my thoughts related to the same. I was supposed to cover a book today but since I haven’t finished it yet so can’t comment on the same right. After all one need not judge a book by its cover but judge when the entire book is finished.🤣😝Sorry for the bad joke but I guess I simply couldn’t resist one.

    Okay so addressing the elephant in the room , have I had my tryst with any paranormal element as some people might have had in their real life? Well maybe once in my real life and several in the world of fiction. The incident which took place in my real life must have been when I was around 4-6 years old. Me with my family were on a stroll after dinner and just when we finished walking, we sat down to have a talk . My brother loved playing pranks on me and never left an opportunity to scare the daylights off me suddenly asked me to look at the sky. Back then I was a very timid girl, who used to be scared off small things . And I with the innocence a child has looked up in the sky. What I saw scared me that I couldn’t open my mouth in fear. There was something in the night sky which looked like a pair of ghost eyes. Was it a ghost or just my imagination running wild or a prank by my brother or something else that is the mystery which has still intrigued me ? But that was my tryst with a paranormal element in the real life. And the reason why it is intriguing is that when I looked in the night sky the second time on the same night after some time and some courage I did not find those mysterious somethings in the sky but just a clear night sky with a few stars. Interesting twist isn’t it?

    While this was what I experienced in the real life, in the reel life I have had my fair share of paranormal elements. From watching the cartoons of The Addam’s Family or Courage the Cowardly Dog (I am a kid of the 90s so you can say Cartoon Network was a big life saver as it had the most interesting cartoons at that time). Though I don’t remember watching them frantically but whenever I got the opportunity I did end up watching these cartoons a lot. I did love the title soundtrack of the Addam’s Family. I have also had my share of demons in reading various mythological stories. I actually enjoyed the stories where the demons were killed by the Gods or someone very powerful. As I grew up I remember reading a story about Medusa and a play written by Charles Dickens called the Christmas Carols which does deal with the ghosts out there as well. While in the movie space I do remember watching Raaz which had Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea with Ashutosh Rana. I don’t know about the other Raaz movies but this one in the climax had left me terrified.Also, the movie of Bhool Bhulaiya which has Vidya Balan possessed and a movie series named The Librarian(remind me to cover it in my blog posts as I am a big fan of this series) . I am trying to remember if there were any more encounters I had with regard to this space but I think this is all it . I generally try to avoid this genre a lot so maybe that explains my limited encounters in this space.

    What were your experiences with regards to the paranormal in the real or the reel life? Would love to hear about the same. Do share with me in the comments section. Maybe with time I will muster more courage and try to explore the space more. Waiting for your lovely replies. Also, a gentle reminder about what should be the theme for the month of November? Though I have the month planned but I would love to hear your suggestions as well. Wishing you all a happy week ahead with lots of love and care.

    “He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.”

    Aristotle
    The Addam’s family
    Continue reading →: The ghosts I encountered….

  • The secrets of Tokyo…?

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    Roshani Patil

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    Genre: Supernatural/ horror

    Number of episodes:6

    Presented by: WOWOW

    “You can’t escape your past. Wherever you go, the memories will follow , haunting you like a ghost.”

    Veronica Roth

    After concluding the Awesome teacher series, I asked myself how do I move on with the month of October ? After all, I can move every month with the same usual routine of delivering a review of a web series , a book and a movie . But that can make things boring down the line. So, after giving some thought, I thought lets experiment with something. If you have been following my blog diligently, you would have observed this since a few months . And if you haven’t, I have been taking up a theme and trying to revolve my posts around them as an experiment as well as in order to shake and spice things a bit. After all, life can tend to be monotonous isn’t it ? Do let me know your thoughts in the comments section about this so called experiment. If you do enjoy it, then we can continue with the same for some time until and unless I feel shaking things again😅.

    Well, what do you think I would have chosen the theme for October? After all, you should be getting some ideas by looking at the genre. So, did you guess it ? If your guess was something related to horror or supernatural you were pretty close. The theme for October is Let’s Celebrate Halloween. Now, mind you the festival of Halloween is not that a big affair in a country like mine. Though in our country, we have always loved the stories of paranormal as they make up for interesting bedtime stories as well as topic for gossip. Though I have not been a great fan of this genre to be honest. Call it my fear or just me not being a fan of the genre or maybe the dislike for such gossip due to being a classic introvert(actually I hate any type of gossip😆). But this time I did decide too challenge myself and push myself a bit out of the comfort zone. After all if you need to grow as a person, then the best way to do is to challenge yourself. So, if you are a paranormal enthusiast, may you enjoy this month with a variety curated especially for you. Also, do let me know what should be the theme for November? What is that you feel I should cover on ? Maybe we can revolve the month of November around the same. Suggestions for the same are valid till the last Sunday of this month and can be put in the comments section.

    Okay so now that I have rambled enough, lets focus on the first paranormal pick of the month . This one revolves around 6 different women from the city of Tokyo. Read on to find out more.

    Synopsis: Tokyo Nijusan-ku Onna is a 6 episode story in Japanese which revolves around 6 different women who have supernatural experiences with the members who are either known to them in the form of relatives or acquaintances. Each one is a story with a different flavor capturing the different facets of human emotions as well. In the first story, a daughter feels guilty for abandoning her mother. Thus, she sets to meet her after receiving an unknown message. Does she meet her mother ? In the second story, a woman and her boyfriend come to dump something in a park which was supposed to be a dumping ground. What is that they dump and does it have a chilling effect?In the story after, a man is searching for his lost daughter but ends up being dead. In the next story,a fashion designer gets into a taxi and is asked a weird question by a taxi driver. Why is the fashion designer questioned and why does she feel guilty? In the second last story, a married woman suspects her husband of having an extra marital affair . This drives her crazy and has her blood thirsty. Is her blood thirst fulfilled?And the final story revolves around the freelance writer who has a professor guiding her with the stories. But it seems that the freelance writer has a secret . What is that secret in the finale?

    Assessment : This is a story which depicts the different facets of human emotions. Some are just in search of something or some are just hell bent on getting revenge or some just want to reunite with their loved ones. A web series that does touch upon human emotions but does not make you feel scary at all. Maybe one of the reasons is that I started watching it in the afternoon so the stories did not scare me. I was looking forward to at least having my heartbeats rise up a bit but the stories failed to do so. Only one story managed to scare me somewhat and that was the final one. The final one did scare me somewhat as it is a story which is full of suspense and terror. So, only the final story did manage to hit the spot. Rest all the stories were okay . However, there was a fine lesson in another of the stories which was that of the fashion designer. It does teach us what true love can be. Another positive of the show is that the episodes are short which is really a blessing for individuals like me who is always short of time.😅😂Apart from that it is a nice cinematic journey through the streets of Tokyo though one does wish you could witness more. Also, did I tell you each woman in the story is pretty good looking :p

    The view: A good attempt to capture different human emotions but this one definitely did not scare me. When I first came across this , I was pretty eager to watch this as it did sound interesting and looked interesting. But after viewing it, the only thought that emerged in my mind was could I have watched something better which would have had the potential to scare me?

    Que: What is the name of the professor who accompanies the freelance writer Harada Ririko?

    a.Okayama Amane

    b. Shimano Hitoshi

    c. Sano Shiro

    d. Hasegawa Tomoharu

    Continue reading →: The secrets of Tokyo…?

  • A journey from resentment to adoration…

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    Author: E. R. Braithwaite

    Genre:Autobiographical

    “The true teachers are those who help us think about ourselves.”

    Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

    After a long period of the festivities and me traveling to work for some work, I finally get the chance to hit the keys of the keyboard for the love of writing. Believe me it feels amazing when you return to something you have loved doing after a break.Though it does get on your nerves as you have to finish your pending work 🙄especially if you are trying to instill discipline in you. But you should never give up on the person which you want to become and keep trying until you do not have to put in much work and everything works out the way you have always wanted to. So, till then I should just keep working and keep pushing myself is how I comfort myself.

    In this hectic schedule, I could also not conclude my series dedicated to the humans who shape us into better human beings – the teachers. So, here I am with my concluding post that raises a toast to these human beings. While writing, I did notice that all the posts which have been written about the teachers in my blog are male teachers- a thing which is very seldomly talked about because of the common perception that when it comes to the job of teaching, it is the females who always lead the forte. But believe me , it is a blessing if you have a great and an understanding teacher who can always make you put your best foot forward irrespective of the gender they possess. Talking about one such teacher who reluctantly accepted the job but as time passed went on to do a fine job . Dig in to find out more.

    About the book: To Sir, with Love narrates the story of Ricky Braithwaite, an engineer who has worked in an oil refinery in Aruba and has also served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force. But after the war, he is unable to find work despite his qualifications and experience. The reason is simple: he is a man of color due to which he feels frustrated and helpless. However, after an interaction with a stranger, he applies for a teaching position and is assigned to a school in the east end of London.

    The class he is assigned to is filled with students who are not willing to learn and are only semi-literate or semi-articulate. They try to discourage and demoralize him . But one day they literally cause him to lose a temper when someone burns a used sanitary napkin in the fireplace. Following this, he decides to set some ground rules and use a different approach. With this approach, he begins to treat them like adults. Will the new approach work wonders for both the teacher and the students? Will the teacher be able to earn the respect of his students ?Or will he still be a laughing stock?Try finding out the answers by yourselves ;p

    Analysis: The book narrates the tale of a man who is a native of the British Guyana who moves to the Great Britain due to his job. The book attempts to draw a picture of how people with color were subject to being prejudiced and did not get equal opportunities. Not only were they denied equal opportunities, but they were also denied proper treatment as interaction with them could lead to being chastised by the society in general.

    Though the author is skeptical about the choice he made due to lack of employment opportunities, he does persist through the tough times and tries to become a better role model to his students. And that is what a good teacher is I personally feel always keeping the welfare of his students a priority. He encourages them to look the world from a different perspective and appreciate the world around them.

    Verdict: Overall an interesting tale as it narrates the story of a man of a colour in the post War times. However, a lot of references made to adult stuff which might make it uncomfortable for some. The reason that I feel such references have been made into the novel are because of the fact that the locals reside in a locality which resembles a neighborhood that is raw and uncivilized in nature. So, if you are interested to know about how an engineer turned teacher lived his life in London during the Post War times so do go ahead and give it a read. It will help you to understand about how people lived during that time as well as provide some food for thought. On the other hand, if you are the one who finds reading about the lives of people boring then you can definitely give this one a skip. After all there are definitely better books out there with interesting genres.

    Cite Bite: “A man who is strong and tough never needs to show it in his dress or the way he cuts his hair. Toughness is a quality of the mind, like bravery or honesty or ambition; it has nothing whatever to do with muscles.”

    Continue reading →: A journey from resentment to adoration…

  • When the festive spirit is in the air…

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    “Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.”

    Voltaire

    First of all, wishing everyone a very happy and a prosperous Ganesh Chaturthi. This is a festival which celebrates Lord Ganesha over a period of 10 days. For those who are not familiar with Lord Ganesha, he is a God with an elephant head and is considered as an epitome of intelligence and wisdom.Not only is he an intelligent and wise, but he is also known to be the God who is worshiped first as well as the remover of all obstacles. He is considered to be a favorite of all because of all the fine qualities possessed by him.

    Since the festival is about to conclude and the festive spirit is still in the air, I thought I must share something related to the God. After all, he is everyone’s favorite apart from Lord Shiva. So, it does make sense to know more about the God that brings positivity and helps us to undertake each of our works without much difficulty. So, sharing with you below a compilation of facts borrowed from various sources related to our beloved Elephant headed Lord.

    1. It is a well-known fact that Lord Ganesha is worshiped first before the other Gods in every holy procession as it is said that he removes all the obstacles related to whatever work has been undertaken. But did you know that there is a festival when the entire family of Lord Ganesha is worshiped? During Durga Pooja, which falls on the sixth day of Navratri , the entire family of Lord Ganesha is worshiped.
    2. According to the Ganesh Purana, the muladhar chakra or the root chakra is known as Ganesha.
    3. Did you know that Tulsi cursed Lord Ganesha?This is an interesting story from the Brahmavart Purana. The story goes like the Lord was meditating on the banks of Ganga. Tulsi happened to pass by and was smitten by the Lord’s beauty. She asked him to marry her. The lord refused thus leading to Tulsi cursing him that he will marry soon . In return, the lord too cursed her that she will be a plant forever.
    4. During Durga Pooja, a banana tree is wrapped in a saree and adorned with vermilion as the Lord’s wife. The reason behind this was to quash the doubts Goddess Durga had in her mind about her son’s hunger.
    5. Lord Ganesha is not only worshiped by the Hindus but also by Buddhists and Jains.He is worshiped in countries like Tibet, China and Japan.
    6. According to the Shiva Purana, the body color of Lord Ganesha is green and red.
    7. What does the word Ganapati exactly mean?The word means one who is the lord of categories or the origin of the whole creation.
    8. In the Mahayana Buddhism, Lord Ganesha is known as Vinayaka and is often seen dancing. Also, the earliest stone statue of the elephant Lord dates back to as early as AD 531.
    9. Indonesia prints Lord Ganesha on its 20,000 Rupiah note because it has strong cultural ties with India and Hinduism.
    10. Lord Ganesha is often seen wearing red and yellow clothes where red symbolizes shakti and material reality while yellow represents purity, peace and truthfulness.

    The more you read about something, the more interesting a thing becomes. This became applicable to me while getting to know my Bappa even more better. Hope you will enjoy this small piece of informational content just the same way as I did enjoy undertaking the research for the same. As the festival nears its end, I do hope that Bappa blesses everyone with lots of health, wealth and happiness. Once again wishing everyone a very happy Ganesh Chaturthi. And yes, if you would love to share something interesting related to the same, you are free to do so in the comments section. Would love to hear from you. Till then lots of love and care.

    Continue reading →: When the festive spirit is in the air…

  • From rebels to being diligent

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    Starring: Atul Kulkarni, Jyoti Subhash, Milind Gunaji,Satish Tare, Sunil Abhyankar, Vrushasen Dabholkar

    Directed by: Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar

    Genre: Educational/Drama

    “A good teacher can inspire hope; ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.”

    Brad Henry

    Continuing the series dedicated to the people who help us to shape our lives and help us make a better person- the teachers. I am sure we all have memories of our favorite as well as teachers who made life hell for all of us that you might have ended up bitching about them a lot. While on the other hand, the teachers whom we loved a lot we always tried to be in their good books . Isn’t it? If you do have such experiences I would love to hear it from you in the comments section; because believe me even I have had my fair share of teachers who were a pain in butt and were too annoying in nature.

    The pick which I am about to write about talks about a group of students who are annoyed by their teachers and vice-versa. But what is the reason behind their annoyance ? Read on to find out more.

    Story line: Dahavi Fa is a class of boys who are discriminated by their teachers and their fellow colleagues for failing the first term exams. Apart from that, their teachers have tagged them as goons due to their unruly behavior. This enrages them a lot and in anger end up destroying the school laboratory. This leads to the suspension of the entire class and involving the police.

    However, there is one teacher who believes that these students can change their behavior if they are to be understood properly and given a right direction to life. He suggests his principal that he will undertake the task for reforming this bunch of notorious students by his own manner and that the management need not involve the police. How he undertakes the reformation of the students and how the students undergo a transformation apart from suggestions on how education system can be reformed forms the rest of the story.

    Scrutiny: The movie attempts to explore how certain students face discrimination on the basis of the marks they receive. Though one might score less academically but one might have other talents is the message the movie tries to convey. Also, it tries to convey the message that excessive anger need not be always the solution to bring a change. Excessive anger is like a fire which fed more will only get stronger and causes harm in the long term.Change can also be brought in a constructive manner and with the help of discussion and deliberation instead of using force. This movie also attempts to look into how education can be reformed and advocates the earn while you learn for students who come from a background which does not enable them to afford education.Apart from that some reforms are too discussed in the movie. The only negatives is the usage of abusive language . But that is supposed to be natural as the students of this particular class belong to the lower strata of the society.

    The Sentiment: A thought-provoking movie which actually should be included in your watch list . Do watch it for the fantastic acting chops by Atul Kulkarni, do watch it for the issues that ail our education system. Do watch it if you are willing to bring changes in the education system because the suggestions suggested are pretty good. Overall a movie which is worth your time . I am sure you too will be inspired by this great piece of cinema.

    Rating : *** and a 1/2 stars

    The students of Tenth F in a scene

    Quote-Unquote: “Manasacha maanuspan kashaat asta; junglachya kaaydyat nakkich nasta.”[In what lies a human being’s humanity. It is obviously not in the law of jungle.]

    Continue reading →: From rebels to being diligent

  • A teacher or a terrorist?

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    “A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge and wisdom in the pupils.”

    Ever Garrison

    Genre: Thriller/ Youth

    No. of episodes:9

    Presented by: Medyapim

    Welcome to another post of this month where in we celebrate the people who shape our lives after our parents by guiding us on the right path-our teachers. When we think about our teachers, they are the ones who give a direction to what we want to achieve in our lives and lend us a helping hand if we face any difficulty isn’t it? They are the ones who make other professions possible. After all without their knowledge and wisdom, how is one to traverse the path of the journey called life? Because you do need help while taking decisions a lot of times. Especially if you can seek help and are able to open up to a person whom you can easily trust. Not every advice shelled out will be great but at least it helps to look things from a different perspective.

    Bringing on to the table another tale of a teacher who inspires but his way of inspiring is a bit different from others. And why is that so? Read on to find out more.

    Synopsis: Öğretmen (meaning Teacher) is a Turkish web series that is inspired by the Japanese drama Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom (a review on this will be out soon when I do feel like revisiting this story)with a few modifications. The story is set in Küçükkapı High School which is supposed to be one of the finest high schools in Turkey. Akif Erdem joins as a Physics teacher and is shown to be a solitude fellow who interacts with everyone at the minimal. He is also shown to be a law abiding citizen who follows the rule of the land faithfully. Things do take a turn when one of his students Ruya Orne ends up committing suicide and his fiance Zeynep, who is a fellow teacher at the same school ends up in the hospital after being hit by a car. This law abiding citizen and a caring fiancee in order to unravel the truth as well as draw the attention of the society takes a path which is dangerous as well as the least expected.

    He ends up taking up the students of class 12-A, the class in which Ruya studied as hostages.However, the only way the students can free themselves out of this is if they come forward and tell the truth behind Ruya’s death. The students feel as if their teacher is cracking a joke on them. But to make them understand the gravity of the situation which they had landed themselves or to put it in the words of Leo Tolstoy,”it is necessary to put people to sleep in order to operate physically; in order to operate spiritually it is necessary to wake up”, he ends up blowing the class with a bomb which separates the entire class from the entire school. This creates an atmosphere of fear not only in students but also in the management.

    The entire school is evacuated except the students of class 12-A who are held hostage by their teacher. Interestingly, the very teacher that holds the class hostage involves the police in his plan as he starts giving them instructions . However, he has a word of caution to the police as well that if they fail to adhere to the instructions given by him he will kill the students as per the degree of disobedience as punishment. This incident starts getting viral on the social media. Parents, grandparents and relatives of the students rush to the bombing site and start panicking as well as asking their children to be freed.

    Soon, it is 8 pm in the evening -the deadline which was imposed by the teacher to unravel the truth failing which would result into the death of a student. Nothing nor anyone is unwilling to give the details about Ruya. So, in order to set an example, Akif ends up murdering Tugrul in a cold blooded manner in front of the entire class. This leaves his girlfriend devastated and the entire class in a state of shock, anger and fear. They start fearing their teacher and start taking his assignments as days pass seriously. As days pass, new facts start emerging in the suicide case of Ruya. Facts which surprise the entire class and which force them to think. What are the shocking revelations that are behind the suicide of Ruya who was the country’s athletic champion? Who is really behind the suicide of Ruya? Is Ruya’s death actually a suicide or something else? Will the students of class 12-A be able to free themselves out or will they remain hostages ?

    Assessment: This is a drama which looks into a variety of topics like bullying, jealousy among students, using students as delivery couriers, mental health issues, the over usage of social media. It is a thought provoking drama which actually forces us to think, pursue the truth and help make the world a better place . It actually forces us to ask questions that are posts on social media the way they look. Or is there something more that meets the eye? The lessons delivered by the teacher as he holds the class hostage and forces the students to think properly are unconventional but really forces one to think in the real life as well.

    The positives of the show : a story line which keeps you hooked due to the twists and turns in the story, superb histrionics by Ilker Kaleli(it is a delight to watch him) along with Serkan Keskin and Serif Erol. Also, an amazing title track which you will keep playing on loop after finishing the series apart from the track which the teacher plays when he has to have fun. The cinematography will make you fall in love with the surroundings they are shot in giving you some travel goals as well😉. Though it is a youth oriented show but it has lessons for everyone which are really thought provoking and a food to the mind despite having a dark theme.

    The negatives of the show- some misses in the story line. For instance, the teacher is shown to be suffering from a disease but that is not specified. Secondly, the time duration of each episode. Each episode is almost 2 hours long. That is equivalent to watching 9 movies . For a person who is short of time, this seems like a pure torture despite a gripping story line. Also, how can classmates of the same class turn upon each other is a thing which makes you wonder. It just makes you think that are friendships becoming shallower day by day that people cannot be trusted.

    The view: A brilliant watch that focuses on a lot of topics and keeps the viewers hooked to their seats . Various twists and turns along with fantastic theatrics by the lead actors makes it a show to be included in your watch list. The only disappointment is the length of the episodes. Maybe if the makers could have a few edits and made the story shorter so that it is easy to consume for the people who are short on time. So, if you do have the time do watch it for the lessons it has to offer because it does give a lot of food to the mind.

    Rating: *** and a 1/2 stars

    The brilliant teacher with an unconventional method

    Baap Dialogue: “Birbiri için yaşamak , doğanin kanunudur , Hayatta hiçbir şey yalanizica kendisi için var olmaz.”[Living for each other is the law of nature. Nothing in life exists simply for itself.]

    Continue reading →: A teacher or a terrorist?

  • To that one teacher….

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author: Patricia Polaco

    Genre: Autobiographical

    “It takes a big heart to help shape little minds.Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.”

    Collen Wilcox

    So, finally the month of September is here. September is supposed to be a month in which teachers are celebrated by all of us in my country on a particular day(5th September to be specific). I am sure there might be a day dedicated to teachers in your country as well. Do tell me how do you celebrate Teachers’ Day in your country in the comments section. I would love to hear from you guys if you belong to a country which is different from mine.

    Given the role our teachers play in shaping and molding us into good human beings, I thought instead of a single day ;I should maybe dedicate the entire month to them. So, from this September, I will be raising a toast to the people who inspired me in the reel as well as real life. After all, they do have a huge role in our lives apart from our family and friends. And a good teacher can come from anywhere. It can be in the form of a good book which offers us a great perspective. Or maybe from a good movie or any other visual form of entertainment, life lessons can be learned from anywhere. And it is not only books or movies or any other visual form of entertainment. There are even people who by their deeds or actions inspire us . May such people grow in abundance in our lives so that they continue inspiring us as well as give us a lot to learn from them.

    When talking about the teachers and the role they play in our life, when we look back as we grow up and enter into new phases of life, we often have some fond as well as maybe unpleasant memories of some teachers who either we grow fond of or end up hating a lot . Do you guys have such teachers in your life ? If you do let me know in the comments section.Would love to hear the same. As far as I am concerned, I used to have some teachers whom I still adore from the bottom of my heart . However there were some teachers who were a pain but had to endure them. The reason for endurance was also very simple: so that you do not end up in their bad books 😅 and end up getting bad grades. After all, when you are a good student such things do matter a lot isn’t it ?

    The reason why I spoke about these teachers because they do leave an impact on your life for the good or bad depending upon the relationship which we share with them. If we have had a good relationship with them they do end up occupying a corner of our hearts. But if the relationship is a pain, then I need not mention how it feels. Today’s pick talks about a teacher who through his efforts occupied a special place in a girl’s heart.

    About the book: Thank you, Mr. Falker talks about a girl named Trisha who is eager to taste the ‘honey of knowledge’ that her grandfather has always revered. However, whenever she looks at numbers and words, everything is a jumble for her. Due to this, she has to face taunts of her classmates as she is called “dumb” for not displaying age appropriate behavior. Life does take a turn when the encouragement and efforts of a teacher Mr. Falker helps her to blossom and develop her potential. When she grows up, she ends up visiting him and thanking him for the same. But the question is what efforts does Mr. Falker take to develop Trisha’s potential? And why does only Mr. Falker end up being cherished by her a lot ?Read this lovely piece of literature to find out the answers.

    Analysis: This autobiographical piece tries to understand the psychology of a child who tries her level best to savor the knowledge which is present in the books but fails to do so. The reason being she suffering from a learning disability called dyslexia. It is a big misconception among people that people who suffer from dyslexia are dumb. The people who suffer from this learning disorder are not dumb. They just interpret things in a different manner and require more time to grasp letters and numbers. But with the right efforts and teacher, these students too start shining as was the case of the author.

    This book also tries to highlight the importance of reading books. This is because reading does broaden one’s perspectives and gives wings to one’s imagination. In the age where reading has taken a back seat thanks to the advent of technology, this comes as a great reminder to all of us.

    Verdict: A book which is just a few pages long and is written in a language which even a small child can easily understand. Read it to understand the difficulty a dyslexic child faces while studying. Read it to remember the teacher who recognized your potential and helped you grow. Read it to raise a toast to the teachers who play an important role in everyone’s life. My only complaint is that wish it had not finished so soon.

    Rating: ***

    Cite Bite: “[Honey is sweet] and so is knowledge, but knowledge is like the bee that made that sweet honey, you have to chase it through the pages of a book.”

    Continue reading →: To that one teacher….

  • When Dreams Come True…(4)

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    “It is surmounting difficulties that make heroes.”

    Louis Kossuth

    Previously in the story, we witnessed a finger biting interview session in which our hero was grilled intensely as part of the selection test of The Culinary Academy. The worst part was that our hero was placed third and the best part was that he had cleared the dreaded interview with flying colours. Though the third position was not a bad achievement, it did bother our hero a bit. Guess when you just want something badly, you are bound to feel dejected if your performance falters a bit. However, there remained a final wall between him and his life long dream of entering into what was considered as one of the best schools for cooking as this was his gateway to the dream and the desire that he had in him since childhood.

    All the 15 contestants entered in a huge hallway which had 8 counters with 2 contestants on each counter. They were supposed to pick a chit from the basket which was kept in front of the first counter and prepare whatever they had got in a limited time span of 2 hours. These dishes were supposed to be created by world famous chefs throughout the world and were divided into starters, main course and desserts. No one had it easy as every dish in the basket was supposed to be of the same difficulty. Not only did they have to just recreate the dishes but also had to add their creative twist. This would make them gain extra points. The setting for the presentation test seemed to look like that of a cooking reality show. Everyone including our hero was super excited as well as terrified because of the uncertain future. Out of the 15, only top 3 would be making it to the school . One from each category which meant this was going to be a do or die for everyone involved.

    The clock was to begin after each contestant had picked up what was in the store for them. So, began what was supposed to be a battle of luck, wits , creativity and what not. Each one of them had picked their chits along with the recipe card. Our hero got a dessert card and the recipe which was written on it was Devil’s Food Cake which was made by a chef but had way too many ingredients and processes. He was terrified from inside and the only expression in his mind was a dirty swear word though he ensured not to speak it aloud. The ones who had got the starters seemed easy for him though there was a lot of chopping and cleaning involved. As for the main course, a bit tough but was manageable if you had the dexterity and the speed. Desserts were the one which had to use a bit brains and creativity a tricky thing as the combination of ingredients had to work properly.

    Our hero took a deep breathe and started to rummaging the ingredients from the pantry as the others did. He quickly went through the ingredients and picked the required ingredients and some more which he thought might work with the cake. He had an advantage over his teammates and that was he had a quick eye to find out the required ingredients. This quality of his he had developed during his time in the kitchen with his mother. He went on his counter and started following the instructions. He started using the techniques which were known to him and started making the dessert. He tried not to focus on others as he did not want anything to go wrong. Thus , he preheated the oven while combining the ingredients and preparing the batter. The judges who were going to taste the contestants’ dishes were taking the rounds and asking the view of each contestant. They just wanted to tap into the minds of the contestant and check their creative insights.

    Our hero had just replaced some substances and instead gone for some substances which he thought might taste well. Our hero had a very strong intuition as far as ingredients were concerned. Though the judges felt he was taking a risk but deep in his mind he knew it was going to work. He raced against the clock to create what was going to be a concoction of sweet, a bit bitter, a bit salty and a bit nutty. Though he was trying to play against the book, but he was confident that he might be able to impress the palates of the judges. He was happy and satisfied and started garnishing his dish with a few taste checks in between and a few minutes to go on the clock. He was relieved that he could complete a challenging dish with some time left on the clock. The other contestants too had started plating their dishes . Everyone’s dishes looked mouth watering . So, it was going to be a tough decision for the judges to settle for the top 3.

    It was the decision time.Each contestant was asked to present their dish to the panelists and take a step back as the judges scored the dish based on presentation, taste and the creativity the amateur cooks had used in their dishes. They called upon a starter followed by a main course dish and a dessert. That was going to be the order they were going to eat the dishes. First they called upon the participant who had prepared Manchurian. She walked confidently and presented her dish to the judges. The judges took a bite and asked her what her creative insight was into the dish. She replied that she had used soya chunks and had used some egg to thicken the base. Though the dish tasted good but the judges were not satisfied with her creative insight. However, they thanked the contestant and asked her to return to the counter. One by one the dishes got evaluated and the scores were written down.

    Soon, it was the turn of our hero Remember he had tried combining different flavors in his dessert. The judges asked him about his creative insight and he replied having combined different flavors in his dessert. Though the judges were skeptical about his creative insights when they tried the dessert they were in shock as the dessert had surpassed their expectations and had created an unique flavor without losing the soul of the dish. They had a huge smile and asked him to take his seat. They were impressed by the risk which our hero had taken in order to give a twist to the dessert.

    The judges had made their decision . There were two people on the third spot which meant they had to make the decision for a single winner. So, did our hero make the cut ? Will the doors of the prestigious Culinary Academy be finally open to our hero?Will everything that was put up to stake will be worth it? Tell me in the comments section as next week we wind up this short story. Also, do let me know how was the story . Till then have a great week ahead.

    Continue reading →: When Dreams Come True…(4)

  • When dreams come true…(3)

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

    Eleanor Roosevelt

    Before I continue with the story, wishing all my readers and subscribers a very Happy Friendship Day. May this Friendship Day be as wonderful as the lovely people in your life who come in the form of friends. After all, it is aptly said by someone “hai yaari toh zindagi hai ” which when read in any manner holds true. For those who do not speak Hindi, it translates to “if there is life there is friendship and vice-versa”. Now lets come back to our story . Earlier in the story we saw how our hero had a passion for cooking and wanted to become a chef. He had a great supporter in his mother but a fierce critic in his father. However he did not let his father’s opposition deter him and went on to clear the entrance test . But little did he know there were some surprises waiting for him.

    Our hero was delighted on hearing about clearing the exam. Yet he knew he had tough battles to fight. The interview and the presentation test were to be held on the same day. The academy had a very strict criteria : only top 25 made the cut for the presentation test out of the top 100 who were selected from the entrance test. The panel made sure that they grilled the candidates in a very intense manner that only a few could not break down under the intense grilling. This process panned out for entire 5 days with the candidates being divided into lots . Our hero was placed in the last lot which meant that he was going to be interviewed on the last day. This did unnerve him despite that he tried to contain his emotions and decided not to feed his fears. On the other hand the panelists had chosen their top 20 only the last five candidates remained. Our hero could sense the pressure mounting on him . However he took a deep breathe and entered the hall which had the panelists waiting to tear him apart. He wished the panelists and decided to answer the questions thrown at him in the most calm manner. After all , he had been repeating to himself in his mind that no matter whatever comes to him he need not be too reactive about it even though it might be a bit tricky for him to handle. Since the focus is on our hero the following is the transcript of the questions which he was asked.

    Q1. Tell us something about yourself (a very common question but believe me when the panelists asked him they wanted to know his entire history)

    He started with his name and from where he had come. The panelists interrupted him and told him to tell them something else after all they had heard the same stuff from others. So, they did not want the repeat of the same story. Our hero decided to use a different approach. Though he felt humiliated by the sudden interruption, he did remind himself that it was a mental test so he better not be transparent. He told them like all he too had a dream and he narrated his story of how he always wanted to do something which would make everyone who rooted for him proud. Though he did not have a huge fan following but there were some people who did root for him. That made him work hard for them.

    The panelists were impressed by his story because after all somewhere they could resonate with the feeling of how a person wanted to make people around him proud. However, they did not show it on their face. They were curious about this person who could prove to be a great asset because he had that fire in him.

    Q2. What distinguishes you from the other people ? In other words they wanted to know what could he bring to the table if he were to be selected as a cook?

    Ans. He had the passion for cooking which is a must for all the cooks . Apart from that, he was curious and innovative as he loved to know his ingredients well and experiment with them.He had developed a great sense of taste and had immense patience and was super flexible and very clear about how the end result should look like.

    Again an impressive answer as they wanted a candidate which had clarity in his or her thought process apart from being flexible and obedient and other qualities which are a prerequisite in a cook. They then grilled him over the technicalities of cooking like the difference between braising and broiling, what was julienne, safety practices that needed to be taken care of, how would he handle the criticism of a dish, why was portioning important etc. Though he was mentally exhausted he tried to answer them all with a calm demeanor and tried to contain his irritation. Finally the volley of questions thrown to him were the panelists was over . He thanked the panelists for giving him the opportunity and after he came out of the room just rushed to a washroom to vent out his irritation in front of the mirror. After having a quick wash he went to the cafeteria to have a quick bite. He was fortunate that the Academy had made a provision for lunch for all the candidates because he did not want to spend the money which he had. He was not a cheapskate but instead just preferred to save because he knew the worth of money. After all, you could not afford to spend recklessly when you came from a family which struggled to meet ends .

    After having a quick bite, he sat down waiting for the result. After all it could be announced any time and he could be called for the presentation test anytime . His heart told him that he would be making it to the presentation test though he wanted to know the reality soon. Soon the results were out. He was mentally exhausted and wanted to take rest, his restless mind did not allow him to take rest. He rushed to the bulletin board where the result was displayed. Though he had made the cut, there were 2 people who were ahead of him in the top 5 selected for the day. He was placed third . He felt content but at the same time he was curious and may be a bit jealous as well. After all, a man on mission could not afford any mistakes which would cost him his positioning. Was this turning into a man he did not want to be ? Or was he just a man on mission who wanted to prove his detractors wrong?

    The presentation test for all the 25 selected candidates was to be held on the same day. Out of the 25, 15 were girls and 10 were boys. They were supposed to recreate dishes which were made by famous chefs and had been put in a basket. They were a mixture of all three- starters, main course and desserts. Each one had to pick up a chit from the basket and start recreating the dish by quickly searching for the ingredients and the recipe card. This all had to be done in a limited time span of 2 hours. This was to check the agility and ability to handle pressure in a crowded kitchen. The dishes were then to be tasted by the panelists who had grilled them. If the interview was grilling, what adjective will you use to describe the presentation test? Do tell me in the comments section. See you next week for a presentation test that is going to be super thrilling and an adventure rushed with lots of adrenaline. Till then lots of love to all and have a great week ahead.

    P.S. – If I do feel like converting this into a book in the near future, just imagine the details I can put into the story. Though this blog space does not restrict the writing space , but it does become pretty exhausting to deliver a lot of paragraphs in a summarized manner. While on the other hand, writing a book should be an adventure which helps you stretch your imagination. So, fingers crossed for the same as I do feel this will make a pretty good novel.

    Continue reading →: When dreams come true…(3)

  • When dreams come true…(2)

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    “A dream doesn’t make reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

    Colin Powell

    Our hero decided to give wings to his dreams. He started preparing extensively for the entrance exam of the Culinary Academy. Whatever resources he could find , he tried to take notes on the same as well as experimented a lot in the kitchen. His father, felt his son was wasting his time and ridiculed him for the same. But he decided to pay no heed to the ridicule even though it hurt him a lot. He decided to focus his energy towards sharpening his culinary skills and being updated about the field. After all competing against a big crowd was not an easy task and he could just not afford to spend his energy for fighting against a cause that seemed trivial. This was because he was just focused on one thing and that was making the cut and then rising to the top. To achieve this, he was willing to pay any price in the form of hard work.

    The entrance exam to the Culinary Academy was divided into three sections-a written test, an interview and the presentation test. The written test was a mix of objective and subjective questions. The interview was a one to one session with the faculty members which was supposed to be an intense grilling session. And if the candidate could overcome the grilling session a final hurdle stood in between the way of the candidate and his or her dream – it was the presentation test wherein they were supposed to recreate dishes made by the experts within a limited time period and add their own creative twist to it. And if you think, after making the cut you could cut some slack, you are mistaken. There were a lot of classes and tests to be undertaken. In short, the academy was supposed to be sort of a pressure chamber from which graduating with top honors was a pretty daunting task and not for the meek- hearted. But it was also a gateway to the elite’s club and make a name for yourself . After all what was life without challenges and ambition? Also, our hero had a mission to prove his father wrong. It was not as if he hated his father . He just wished his father would have encouraged him more to pursue what he loved doing.

    Finally, the day of examination arrived. Our hero had butterflies in his stomach. But he made sure not to show any signs of self doubt on his face. After all he could not show his fears . So, he put on a confident front and decided to give a brave face to all the obstacles he had to face. After all, “all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”This quote by Walt Disney was what he had decided to make his go to mantra in his life. He took a long breath and entered the exam hall. One should have been scared by looking at the number of applicants . But not our hero. He had made up his mind to just compete with himself and never ever compare his journey with others . After all, not everyone would be able to fathom his journey and make sense out of it. He began cracking what was considered as one of the toughest exams with a serene expression. The exam which was considered as a tough nut to crack was not that difficult for our hero. This is because he had been preparing himself to face this day. So, how could he not breeze the exam? He finished his exam and returned home. The interview was supposed to take a month after the written test. This was unnerving for our hero;but he decided to prepare himself for the interview and the presentation test. So, he increased his working hours in the kitchen. He woke up at the crack of the dawn and spent his entire day in the kitchen which his mother ran sharpening his culinary skills.

    The examiners at the Culinary Academy were surprised as no one had managed to score above 60% in their entrance exam. However, there was this one candidate who had managed to impress them all. No prizes for guessing who that candidate might be. He had topped the entrance exam with a distinction. The examiners were pretty impressed about the insights which were provided by our hero. Since, he had topped the exam, they decided to grill him pretty intensely in order to check whether he could handle the pressure. The evaluation was completed and the exam result was declared on the website. As the result day approached, our hero was busy in the kitchen. It was his mother who reminded him to take a break from his endeavor and check the result. He agreed to do the same. However, our hero’s father just gave him a smug smile. This was because he was confident that his son might not be able to make it and that failure will sting him and he will never dare to dream big.

    With a soft prayer on his lips, he opened the website of the Culinary Academy and started searching his name from the bottom of the list. After all, he did not expect his name on the top. But, guess life has its own way of surprising people. He searched the entire list without looking at the top and did not find his name. He shut the website and returned to the kitchen with a heavy heart. He did not want to inform his mother that his efforts had gone in vain. So, he just started to work in a silent manner. His best friend came to the kitchen and asked him about his result. He just felt as if something in him had broke and he broke down . However, his best friend did not believe him and asked him to provide the website of the same. When his best friend opened the website and scanned the result , he was relieved and delighted as his friend had made it for the interview. He decided to reward his best friend’s efforts by searching for more issues of the What’s Cooking magazines and ran to give him a hug after searching for the same.

    The best friend gave a tight hug and handed him the extra issues which he had found in the pile. Our hero was puzzled and asked him the reason for the tight hug.His friend did not say anything and just asked him to recheck his result. Our hero, though dejected was not in the mood to do the same. He refused politely and decided to return to the kitchen . This made his best friend a bit crazy and he slapped the hero on his face for being a fool. Then he explained that only a foolish person would not be happy about the fact that he has topped the exam and not prepare for the interview. Our hero thought his best friend was cracking a joke. He, a topper in the entrance exam of Culinary Academy? To this, his best friend showed him the result. That is when realization hit him hard. He had indeed topped the exam and got the ball rolling towards what was supposed to be a far fetched dream. Though he had topped the exam, he still had a long way to go. So, he decided to double his efforts after all the journey to the top was not going to be a cakewalk.

    P.S. -Why am I having a feeling this story (When dreams come true…) is going to be a super fun as well as a very long piece? One which will be super inspiring journey as well as a journey where we stretch our imaginations and create something magical. If you are enjoying the work, don’t forget to share the love for the same and follow the same so that you do not miss an update. Links of the same are given below or in the About me section.

    On Facebook-The Expression Hub

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    Let’s grow this small venture into something valuable and great:)

    Lots of Love and Hugs,

    Roshani

    Continue reading →: When dreams come true…(2)

  • When dreams come true…(1)

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”

    Oprah Winfrey

    He belonged to a poor family. A family which used to do odd jobs to provide for its sustenance. He always longed to come out of the vicious cycle of poverty which gripped his family. He wanted to become one of the most famous chefs in the world. The reason was simple: he simply loved to cook. But who apart from his mother could understand his passion for cooking? He never had the support of his father who was content being poor. Instead his father used to mock him for seeing a dream which seemed impossible and what according to him was a job done by the ladies of the household. But, the fire in him burned brighter each day as he had posters cut from glossy magazines of chefs who had made it to the top in the fascinating world of culinary world. You might be wondering if the family did not have enough means to sustain themselves where did he get those pictures from ? Well, that is where his best friend came into the picture. He was the son of a scrap dealer who collected magazines from various households. There was this one family who had the subscription of a cooking magazine, What’s Cooking. This magazine was kind of a window to everything related to the field of cooking . It had interviews from the top chefs, the best places to eat , the best recipes submitted by chefs and readers alike.

    In an age where children like him were attracted to film magazines or comics, he spent his time in reading this. It was thanks to his education that he could make sense of some parts in the magazine but some parts were unfathomable to him. This is where his English teacher , who was a kind person and loved him came to his rescue. The teacher’s language skills and the school’s Internet facility helped him to make sense of the magazine. Did he neglect his studies for his passion ? No, he was a very responsible child who not only did his studies diligently but also supported his mother in the small catering business she ran. It was this sight of his mother in the kitchen along with the aromatic smell of the spices which wafted from their small kitchen which made him fall in love with cooking. So, he lent a helping hand to his mother as well as provided inputs to her as to how she could better the dishes she made. And in return, he was her what he jokingly called ‘her unofficial taster.’ This tasting activity which he undertook for his mother helped him acquire a sharp palette as well as develop a keen sense of smell.

    Even though he wanted to pursue cooking,life did want to test him to check how passionate he was about his dream. As soon as he finished his senior secondary exams, he wanted to enroll in the Culinary Academy. The Culinary Academy was a gateway to pursue your dream of entering what was known as the club of elites -the Nomary Bjorg. But was it an easy path ?After all there is a price you need to pay if you want to achieve something. Also, there were many applicants who applied to the academy every year. But only the few lucky ones made the cut. And from those few, there were a handful who made it to the elite club. The Culinary Academy prided itself for having such tough evaluation standards as they wanted to differentiate diamonds from glass stones. Anyone could be a glass stone but very few could be diamonds. Will our hero make the cut? What is the price that he will pay for his dreams?Will his dreams come true and will he be able to prove his father wrong ? Stay tuned as this piece continues next week. Till then take care, enjoy the rains or whatever weather it in your country (we are experiencing showers here ) and have a rocking week ahead.

    Lots of Love,

    Roshani

    P.S. – If you do enjoy the work, do try sharing your love and support for the same by following the same. Grateful and thankful for the same. It is because of your love that the journey becomes more fun and motivating.

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    Continue reading →: When dreams come true…(1)

  • From Despair to Hope

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

    Desmond Tutu

    She was a post graduate in English Literature. It was her childhood dream to become a writer. But due to the curve balls thrown to her by life, she was struggling to meet her ends meet. She had been in a struggling phase most of her life.But her consistent efforts and persistence made her master most of the skills. However, there was one skill that she could not master and that was the skill of writing. It wasn’t that she lacked ideas. Instead, she had the most novel ideas, a vibrant vocabulary and a vivid imagination.But she lacked something according to the publishers of her novels. That was the reason why why she could not be a best seller. This constant disappointments had begun taking a toll on her mental health. The love which she had for writing was slowly being reduced to a feeling of exhaustion. Though, she did not claim to be an expert storyteller, but according to the feedback received by her from her loved ones, her writing did resonate with them.This encouragement had led her to pursue the field of English Literature. This field according to her, were the gateways of the imagination of the human mind.As she reminisced her past, a feeling of desperation began to seep on her. This feeling of desperation slowly turned into apathy and depression which led her to neglect her typewriter which was one of her most prized possessions. The drafts of her upcoming novels seemed to eat dust as she just lay hopelessly on her bed looking at the ceiling of her room and sighing. This nonchalant attitude of hers began disturbing the characters of her published novels as well as those which were in the drafting stage.

    One of the characters named Miss Penny decided to call an emergency meeting with all the characters the writer had developed. The writer heard some strange rumbling sounds from her workspace. Startled, she began to look around to track the sources of the sound.While, Miss Penny, like a CEO of a company presided the meeting with the other characters. She said in a voice that commanded authority, “Our creator is a nice human being. She created us with great care and research. Yet she seems sad and disinterested. What could be the reason behind her such attitude?” Mr. Shylock, another character replied, “I know the reason behind her such attitude. Our creator does put in the hard work yet her writing does not resonate with her audience.” “Oh!” said Miss Penny, “how can we help her out? I cannot afford to see her in such a state. She seems to have immense potential in her and yet she gave up. What a shame! Miss Sally you are supposed to be the very first character she created. Can you suggest something?” Miss Sally was a young, pretty girl who had immense energy and was a person who loved to help others a lot. She gave it a thought and said, “Maybe our creator should just continue practicing her art. This is supposed to be the starting phase of her career. Even though she is struggling to break even, one day she will be in a better position due to the persistence and practice she would have undertaken. After all, writing is a skill. There is nothing that a man cannot achieve with consistent efforts.” Mr. Pollock raised his hand to say something. He was a nice, jolly guy who was very charming by nature. He said, “Maybe, our creator should take a masterclass by the most famous writers? This can be arranged with the help of her literary agent.By doing so, she will be able to take notes from the stalwarts as to how to make her writing more refined and more engaging.”

    The writer who had reached her workspace was marveled by the brainstorming session that was held in her workspace. She felt overwhelmed with emotions as she saw the characters which she had created with lots of love giving her the same love which she had given to them while crafting them reciprocate the same to her by taking care of her when she was at her lowest. She tried to hide the same and said, “That’s a brilliant idea. ” The characters appeared to be dazzled at first. But they were happy that their creator had listened to their talk.

    Maybe they were right about not giving up on the thing that she enjoyed she thought. This made her decide to give her love another shot. She took upon herself to write everyday and read more. She also decided to explore her favorite authors and study their writing style. As the days passed, she began fixing the shortcomings in her writing. Though, she has not created any ripples in the writer’s space yet she is optimistic that maybe one day she will be counted as one of the legends after all she did not give up on what she loved the most. After all this was her way to thank her creations who had restored her confidence back even though she had not made it big.

    P.S. – How did you find the story? You can give me your feedback about the same . If you enjoyed the same and would love to read more such interesting stories, maybe in the near future we can incorporate a feature involving the same. Also, don’t forget to share the love for the same and subscribe to the same. The links for the subscription are given below:

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    Lots of Love,

    Roshani P.

    Continue reading →: From Despair to Hope

  • Rocket inside pocket?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Shazahn Padamsee, Prem Chopra, Gauhar Khan,Manish Chaudhari, Naveen Kaushik,Mukesh Bhatt, D’Santosh

    Directed By: Shimit Amin

    Genre: Comedy-Drama

    “Great salespeople are relationship builders who provide value and help their customers win.”

    Jefferey Gitomer

    What makes a person a great success or something good at the task he or she does ? Is it talent or is it hard work or is it the mark sheet or is it the inherent qualities of a person which may be something like perseverance or creativity or passion or leadership or honesty? Well, the answer to this question does not lie in one word as it is often a combination of the qualities possessed by a person which makes him or her stand out in professional life. What are the qualities possessed by you which make you stand apart in your professional life ? Do tell me in the comments section. The reason for this is there is no such individual who does not possess any quality which does not define him or her in his or her professional as well as personal lives. Every individual is unique and it is this uniqueness which resides in him or her that makes him or her stand out. This week’s pick also revolves around one such person? Are you eager to find out more? Read on…

    Story line: Meet Harpreet Singh Bedi, a B.Com graduate who just barely scrapes through his final year examinations by securing approximately 39 percent. After graduation, instead of going for further studies, he decides to become a salesman . He applies for the post of a salesman with a corporate computer assembly and service company named AYS. Despite being rejected by the sales manager, he manages to land the job and starts learning the tricks of the trade from Nitin. Soon, he is given a major field visit but is taken aback when the manager of the company asks for a kickback. This makes him write a complaint against the manager, not knowing the fact that the manager he has complained against is a big client and this can land him in a soup. After landing in the soup due to his actions and facing condemnation from his seniors, Harpreet starts feeling lonely and humiliated. As days pass, and after being barred from making any field visits, he gets an opportunity in the form of a lead given by his colleague Koena. After making the field visit and nearly disappointing the very lead he which had given a lease of fresh life to his nearly extinct career, he soon realizes that the success of a sale depends on the experience provided to the customer and not by giving incentives. This realization makes him take a bold step- to start his own startup named Rocket Sales Corporation within the company he is working. The rest of the story deals with how their startup function and what are the challenges faced by them. Will the startup started by them tide over the tough times or will they face a setback?

    Scrutiny: This movie tries to explore the life of an individual who is supposed to be a person who is very upright and naive not knowing how to deal with the world around him. For him, what matters is the values he has been brought up with. But as time progresses, he learns that the world rarely functions on the values he has been brought up with. This naive yet upright attitude of his lands him in a soup initially and later on proves to be useful for him as he sets up his firm. The movie tries to teach you lessons without being too preachy which are really useful for future entrepreneurs. Even though the story line is crisp, there are certain chinks in the story line. Like for instance, the female leads of the movie are just reduced to either being dolls or being a subordinate.This is despite the fact that they do try to play an equally important role in the movie. Shazahn Padamsee who made a debut with this film could have been given a better portrayal instead of being reduced to being a pretty doll face. However, the portrayal of the issues faced by an employee in a corporate office seemed realistic. So, a huge applause for that aspect.

    But there was one thing which kind of irked me – the portrayal of the character of Gauahar Khan and unfortunately a sad reality. Receptionists of the company are just pretty faces of the company and nothing else. This is despite the fact that they are the ones who are in charge of managing a lot of aspects to ensure the smooth functioning of the company.Also, the fact that she is an independent woman yet she lives in the fear of her husband felt so degrading even though it was supposed to mirror the society which we are supposedly living in(for the non-Indians, this is how the supposedly Indian society functions where more than your well being you have to worry about what others will think. Though, this mindset is undergoing a change, yet the social conditioning exists. ). Also, the details as regards to the corporate world are spot on. Incredible work done by the team who was behind the set design.

    What was interesting was the character portrayed by Manish Chaudhari who plays the role of Sunil Puri. He is the person who is supposed to be a supportive man but turns into a career destroyer for Harpreet Singh and then does a u-turn to redeem his career again. Multiple shades of human nature I guess does not make a man completely saint nor a sinner. But the fact that he could see the mistake he committed and rectify it by putting his ego aside made the man standout in the film. So, yes a huge shout out to him for portraying the shrewd yet wise businessman . This movie is supposed to be one of Ranbir Kapoor’s finest works. Had he chosen stories like this, believe me he would have been one of the most bankable actors the Hindi film industry would ever had.

    The Sentiment: A movie which you can enjoy with your family on a weekend. After all it is a story of a supposed to be an underdog who outsmarts the stalwart and teaches him a great lesson in humility. Watch it for the standoff between the underdog and stalwart. Watch it for the inspiration that you can be anything if you set your heart to. Watch it for a great performance by Ranbir Kapoor (not a big fan but can watch him in some stories). It is definitely worth your time.

    Rating: ***

    Quote Unquote: “Risk toh Spiderman ko bhi leni padti hai, main toh phir bhi salesman hoon.”(Nitin to Harpreet and Harpreet to his team)

    The mentee with the mentor on his field visit

    Que: What is the amount of compensation given by Mr. Puri as a compensation to Mr. Bedi?

    a. 5 crores

    b. 100 crores

    c. 50 lakhs

    d. Re . 1

    Continue reading →: Rocket inside pocket?

  • A chess whiz

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Historical Drama/fiction

    No. of episodes: 7

    Presented by: Filtcraft Ltd., Wonderful Films

    “Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent’s mind.

    Bobby Fischer

    In life, you do encounter some people who just blow your mind away or just make you put in awe of them. There have been many such people who have made a name for themselves in some or the other field. Be it the field of art, literature, sports, music or cinema- you will find people whose stories will just inspire you. They live their lives in such a manner that you always try to enter into their shoes and think how would they have dealt with life if they were in your situation. I don’t know about others but I often do this exercise whenever I find someone or something empowering. I always try to think deeply in order to come up with answers to questions which might be too overwhelming in nature. Questions which might appear to be unsettling but are actually there to channelize your growth or maybe turn you into a better person. Questions which one avoids but needs to face if ever he or she wants to experience a deep change from within. This week’s pick made me fall in awe of one such person.

    I am grateful for the fact that she made me feel good about my own skin and helped me look past my insecurities as regards to life which do crop up sometimes thanks to human nature. But I guess, if you want to grow in life with your own beliefs and ideals, you do need inspiration and the ability to inculcate the good traits of others like a sponge. That keeps you humbled and at the same time push you to be your best versions by helping to overcome our shortcomings.

    This week’s pick revolves around a young woman who is supposedly to be a prodigy in the game of chess and who despite the curve balls thrown to her by life emerges stronger each and every time and proves that she is not the one to be messed with but is a person who wants to be looked upon as one of the greatest despite her shortcomings. Though she has her flaws but she never lets her define her. Read on to find out more about this personality who screams aloud through her actions ‘I am flawsome.’

    Synopsis: The Queen’s Gambit revolves around the life of an orphan chess prodigy, Elizabeth Harmon, during her quest to become an elite player while struggling with emotional problems, drugs and alcohol dependency. The story is set in the mid-1950s and 1960s. When she is 8 years old, she loses her mother in a car crash. As, a result she is taken to an orphanage where she is taught chess by the building custodian, Mr. Shaibel. The pills which the orphanage offers to the girls to balance their disposition daily becomes an addiction to Beth. However, her strong visualization skills makes her a strong player in chess. After a few years, she is adopted by a couple . And from that time, her tryst with chess tournaments begins. However, the road to fame makes her dependency on drugs and alcohol worse. Will she be able to overcome her addictions? Will she be able to rise up to the top and be able to make a name for herself in the good sense? Or will she go down the drain as a person who could have been one of the greatest but is not ? What are the obstacles that she faces as she traverses her path to the top?Watch the series to find out.

    Assessment: A gripping tale about a girl who has a lot of obstacles thrown to her by life. Firstly, she loses her mother whom she was close to. Then, she loses the mother who had adopted her while rising up as a prominent chess player. But it is her belief in self and determination to make things work which helps her traverse her journey. Though she is proud of the achievements she has , but she ensures that she never goads on them . Instead she works hard and comes up with ways to improve her game. This apart from the fact that she has the willingness to learn from people is what makes the character of Elizabeth Harmon flawsome. Yes, she has her problems, but she doesn’t let them deter her from achieving her objectives. Instead, she finds a way to overcome those even though it means to put her ego aside. Apart from that, the precision with which she plays her moves which just brings her opponents to their knees made me fall in love with the game. Though to be honest, personally I am a person who does not know much about playing chess and had never given much thought . However, after watching Elizabeth play, she did give me some inspiration. So, if you do find me rambling about the game passionately in the near future, you might know where the inspiration comes from:p

    Another interesting aspect about the series is the time period within which it is set. The series as mentioned above is set in the time period of 1950s-60s . A period where very few women dared to make a name for themselves. Most of the women were either devoted wives and were supposed to conform to the gender roles. Yet, this lady made herself an exception. That is another striking feature about her why you will find her to be an inspiration. A woman who was unapologetic about herself and stood for what she believed was right. A woman who believed in challenging the status quo and making the world a bit progressive through her actions. A woman who was supposed to be an inspiration to other girls to pursue their love for the game. As far as the negatives are concerned, though you will find the occasional use of slangs and a few scenes which might be a bit offensive. But as such they do not affect the flow of the story which is important. Although, parental discretion is required for this one is how I would love to put it.

    The view: An inspiring tale about a flawsome girl who tries to carve a name for herself by challenging the status quo. In a field which was primarily dominated by males, she tries to break the glass ceiling by setting an example. Extremely unapologetic and firm on her beliefs is what sets her apart. Excellent performances by all the actors, very attention oriented and a story line which is not at all boring is how I would like to sum up my experience. No wonder, it has won the Grammy Awards and a lot of awards. Do include it in your watch list . Highly recommended . Don’t forget to share your experiences for the same. Would love to hear your views as well. And if you want me to cover a particular book, web series or movie which I have not covered, do put in your recommendations for the same in the comments. I will, with time cover the same. Till then, do keep sharing the love .Meet you next week with another pick.

    Lots of Love,

    Roshani P

    Rating: *** and a half stars

    Quote-Unquote: “It takes a strong woman to stay by herself in a world where people will settle for anything, just to say they have something.”- Alice Harmon to Elizabeth Harmon.

    The queen with her pieces.

    Que: At what age does Vasily Borgov starts playing chess?

    a. 5 years

    b. 8 years

    c. 12 years

    d. 4 years

    Continue reading →: A chess whiz

  • A peculiar tale ?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author: Torrey Peters

    Genre: Transgender Fiction

    “It is revolutionary for any trans person to choose to be seen and visible in a world that tells us we should not exist.”

    Laverne Cox

    Well, its the final Sunday of this month and the final blog post of the Pride Month series. Maybe next year who knows will come up with more great choices. Believe me this series just opened up the horizons of mind as I got to know so much about this section of people. Though some experiences were forgetful there were some which just opened up the mind. So, I am grateful for both the experiences which were good and bad. After all they do broaden our perspectives. And shouldn’t life be all about that? Broadening one’s perspective enables us to view things in a different light and helps us to accept things easily about things which we might be averse about. Perhaps it will take some time; but we do end up accepting things. The pick of the week was a mix of disappointment and a feeling of satisfaction. But as I said I am glad I picked up this experience . The reason might be because it has enabled to broaden my perspective and helped me put the LGBTQ community in a new light in my mind. I always admired the LGBTQ community because of the Ardhanareeshwara roop of Lord Shiva which I have always believed is the perfect symbol to represent the community. Also, these people have coexisted with the others since a long time. It is just sad that these people have always had to fight a lot of battles for basic human rights.

    Well, enough of my discourse on the LGBTQ community. I still have a long way to go when it comes to studying and learning about this particular section of people. Lets just focus on the pick of the week. With time, maybe my understanding will enhance more and I will be in the position to give a big discourse on it. Till then, I will just be happy to discover what the community has to offer in terms of what I love to do that is reading, watching and writing. This week’s pick revolves around three people- two women and a woman who has de transitioned into a man. How they navigate the challenge which comes before them unexpectedly . Read on to find out more.

    About the book: Detransition, Baby is the debut novel which is written by Torrey Peters.It tries to explore parenthood,love and gender apart from life of a trans person. Reese is supposed to be the former partner of Amy who has de transitioned herself into man and calls himself Ames and Katrina who is half Chinese and half Jewish. Katrina is supposed to be Ame’s current lover and his boss. The book is set in Brooklyn with all the characters in their thirties. It has been years since Reese and Ames(then Amy) have parted ways. But it seems Ames(Amy) hasn’t gotten over their breakup.

    At the current time, Katrina discovers that she is pregnant with Ames’ child which surprises Ames himself. The reason being he considers himself as sterile. Ames doubts whether he can father the child. So, he decides to bring his ex back into the picture as she wanted to be a mother to a child. However, Reese struggles with unhealthy relationship patterns .Katrina tries to understand but is skeptical about raising the child if she is not given the assurance of security.The three try to figure out the possibilities , the relationship they will have with each other if they decide to raise the child together. Do they support each other and will they raise the child up together ? The answers to these questions will be revealed if you read the book patiently :p. Thought would give you spoilers didn’t you ;p So, take the time out if you are curious to know the answers.

    Analysis: The book tries to explore the themes of gender, parenthood, love and the trans life. It tries to create a beautiful story but the story seemed to be too vulgar. Too many obscenities makes a book unreadable and not cool.Why don’t people understand such a basic fact about writing?

    The characters instead of focusing on the task seem to be too self obsessed and confused with themselves for the major part of the book. The author instead could have painted a much better picture about the experience they were facing. If I were the author, maybe I would have tried improving the character of Reese. A person who longs to be a mother and when opportunity presents her to be a mother; she instead of using the same to bring a change in herself just ruins it by indulging in an affair. How justifying it is supposed to be? Katrina, who is supposed to be a strong woman should have taken a stand for herself to bring up the child on her own especially after Ames fails to man up. That would have made Ames realize her worth and brought him to his knees. Instead she indulges in what is supposed to be an useless emotional drama of undergoing an abortion just because she does not receive a sense of security from her supposed to be lover? How empowering that is supposed to be a woman who claims to be independent. And as for Ames, if he still considered himself as a woman, then why the hell did he transition himself into a man . And if he could deal with situations clearly, he could have been the force to strengthen the bond between the three . I really wonder what was the author thinking while writing this one. I do agree that human beings are supposed to be flawed and imperfect. But they should have imperfections which enable them to grow and not create unnecessary panic and drama.

    Verdict: What could have been an interesting take to read is simply a piece which you feel is just a waste of time. I was really looking forward to this one because it was supposed to be a debut novel which was supposedly written by a trans woman and was nominated for the Women’s Prize of Fiction. But this one is a piece which though a good attempt to give us insights into the transgender community just disappoints. It makes you feel as if you have committed a grave sin by actually taking out time to read this one. There might be some people who will enjoy this work but for me to make it till the end was a very big effort. How I made it till end of the book is a question worth wondering for me. But as I said earlier , I would love to treat this as an experience which gave me a good lesson. A lesson to select good books which are worth your time.

    Cite Bite : She’s the type to turn hardship into hardness, like a shield for people she loves.

    Rating: * only

    The book cover

    Que: What is the profession of Reese in the book?

    a. Doctor

    b. Dentist

    c. PR executive

    d. Scientist

    P.S. – If you do enjoy the work, do give me a follow on the following for more such interesting updates:

    Word press– theexpressionhub(there’s a subscription tab below to subscribe)

    Instagram– @theexpressivemind.

    Let’s create this into something wonderful.

    Lots of Love,

    Roshani P

    Continue reading →: A peculiar tale ?

  • A heart felt story

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Sanjay Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Purab Kohli, Victor Banerjee, Lilette Dubey

    Directed By: Onir

    Genre: Sports Drama

    “The love between a brother and a sister is like a flame that never dies. It only burns brighter with time .”

    Anonymous

    Today is the third Sunday of June, which is supposed to be Father’s Day also. So, a very happy Father’s Day to all the lovely fathers out there. You are your daughter’s first love and superhero to your kids. It is your sacrifices and lessons which define the future generation. Maybe one day there will be an article highlighting the role played by fathers in our lives. Till then, I on behalf of every son and daughter would love to thank all the fathers out there. Coming back to the theme of the month in which we honor the LGBTQ community through the articles. Today’s pick revolves around a son, a brother who was a good human being and was the apple of the eyes for every family member of his life as well as the love of his life. But, circumstances force him to fight a battle which was really heart-wrenching and a highly exhausting battle which no man should have ever fought. Read on to find out more.

    Story Line: My Brother Nikhil is a story which is based on the real-life story of Dominic D’Souza and was a film which was much ahead of its time. The film is set in 1986 and 1994. Nikhil Kapoor is Goa’s swimming champion-a dream which has been fostered by his father Navin Kapoor as he could not achieve it by himself. He has an elder sister named Anamika who is a teacher by profession. Though he is supposed to be a sportsperson, he is also shown to have an artistic side to his personality. All is supposed to be going alright until he becomes diagnosed with HIV(Human Immuno Virus). After, the diagnosis his entire life starts to fall apart. Firstly, he is thrown out of the swimming team, then his parents disown him and the final nail in the coffin is when he is arrested for the same and is kept in forced isolation under the Goa Public Health Act. The Act allowed the government to isolate HIV positive people. The only people who stand up for him in his tough times are his sister,her fiancee and his love-Nigel.What follows is a very emotional struggle for the basic human rights and how the dreaded disease takes upon his life and life aftermath.

    Scrutiny: This is a story that was way ahead of its times. A story which forces us to look into various issues like human rights and the stigma which surrounded around HIV-AIDS as a disease. This is a story which is supposed to be an eye opener and a movie that raises voice on various social issues. A beautiful story set in Goa which takes a ugly turn yet manages to carve a place in the hearts of the viewer. Apart from the beautiful story line and cinematography(my God the beaches of Goa have been so elegantly shot that it is sure to give you travel goals.) the performance of each and every actor in this one is worth appreciating. Even though Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri are supposed to be the actors who will earn your praise; but there was one actor who stole the limelight according to me and really deserves a mention because he is to be frank, a really under-rated gem that the Hindi film industry has and he is Purab Kohli. His act as Nigel in the movie will just melt your heart . He is the rock in Nikhil’s life and is always there for him providing him his unconditional love and support despite the challenges faced by both of them. This I feel is what true love is all about-when you value your lover’s happiness more than yours and make their happiness your first priority. Had he been a person who had cared only for his status , maybe he wouldn’t have had the courage to stand up firm and fight for what was wrong. That type of commitment is very rare to find in a person. One of the sad things I felt was that when Nikhil gets diagnosed with HIV, the very parents who were proud of his existence fail to stand up for him. Instead, they feel as if he has brought them disgrace by contracting the disease. Though they try to reconcile with him but the lack of awareness and stigma around the disease makes them discard the very son they were proud of. Such was the sad state of a disease which was not only contradicted through intimacy but there were other reasons a few years back. Although the reason is not revealed but it is interesting to note how people behave when they get to know a person has contradicted the disease. They treat the person who has contracted the disease as if he or she is an offender. The person who is supposed to receive love and support during such difficult times is ostracized by the society. The director who is also the writer of the story has surely done a commendable job to portray this through his work.

    The Sentiment: A bold movie which handles such a sensitive topic in the most sensitive manner giving us a lot of lessons of life while taking us on a super emotional journey is how I will describe this one. This movie was way ahead of its time. Though it did not have the masala to make it a commercial blockbuster. But it still manages, to strike a chord with the audience. So, definitely a movie to watch out for. The only tip I would love to offer for this one is that before you do sit for this one is that do sit with a box of tissues or with a big handkerchief. This one is definitely going to make you cry a lot. And if you are a person who is averse to showing a lot of emotions , you can skip this one even though it will be like missing something really beautiful. So, do let me know about your experiences about this one as well as the pieces of work you want to hear about . I will be happy to express my thoughts about the same. Till then take care and lots of love to everyone. Will meet you next week with another interesting pick.

    Que: What is the name of the NGO which Anamika and Nigel start to raise awareness about AIDS?

    a. Positive People

    b. People Positive

    c. People of Goa

    d. Peaceful People

    Continue reading →: A heart felt story

  • A strange tale?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Drama/Comedy

    No. of episodes: 9

    Where to watch: Bilbilli/Dramacool/Kissasian(the reason I mentioned this is because I could not find the production company of the same)

    “She is the gold at the end of the rainbow.”

    Anonymous

    Well, its the second Sunday of June. The month of June is celebrated as the International Pride Month this year. The Pride Month is celebrated as a month to honor the movement for LGBTQ(Lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender and queer)rights and celebrates the LGBT culture. This is the beauty of human race. We might be belonging to different races, cultures ,colors and genders. But when a certain cause has to be celebrated or honored, we do get in all together and celebrate the cause. It might take a revolution to get our voices heard . But we do get our voices heard eventually. The LGBTQ community has always been looked down upon since a long time. But, after a long struggle , it did finally started getting its due and recognition. So, even though we might not be a part of the community, but I personally feel that it is high time that we celebrate them as they too have contributed immensely in every field. Also, it gives us a chance to celebrate the diversity in the human race. After all it is easy to breed hatred but always a tough choice to choose love especially when it comes to embracing differences. Thus, paying a homage to the community that has fought a long battle for their existence through my blog posts starting this Sunday which will continue till the last Sunday of this month.

    Well, before I reveal my pick of the week , a public disclaimer as part of my moral responsibility obligations. The pick of the week might contain a lot of sexual references and belongs to what is called the ‘erotic category’. So, parental discretion is necessary for this one. Thus, presenting to you my latest watch in the awesome world of webseries. This one is called ‘Lily Fever’.

    Synopsis: Lily Fever is an erotic mini comedy drama series which revolves around the budding relationship between two girls- Kim Kyung Ju and Jang Se Rang. Kim Kyung Ju is dumped by her now famous idol boyfriend Gunam. He asks her to not contact her as he is going on a tour to Indonesia. But, it so happens that Gunam has left her passport at his current girlfriend or partner (the relationship is not that clear) Sunwoo Eunsook who is also supposed to be a friend of her. Kim Kyung Ju goes to her house to retrieve her lost passport. When she arrives, she finds her friend to be leaving . However, the friend of hers gives her permission to enter but advises to be mindful of her house guest Se Rang. After entering the house, what is supposed to be a search for the lost passport eventually turns into something else. What is that something else and how do things reach at that point of level? That is for you guys to find out ;p Mind you but things are not what they really seem and the finale has a certain twist which will leave you maybe surprised or in splits.

    Assessment: This is a show which was supposed to be a good pick by me.But turned out somewhat into a cringe watch . This is a show that tries to portray the relationship between two girls but it ended up being a blue rated series. You know the ones which makes you cringe due to things being over the top. Those who are lovers of this genre will find themselves relishing and devouring every moment . Not that I am not a fan of the romance genre. But I love romance in a subtle manner which develops slowly rather than moving too fast. I mean the romance which was depicted in this series was so cringe and illogical. This series just threw logic out of the window when it came to matters involving love.This series also depicted some unhealthy behaviors like who forces someone to love someone she barely knows. And shouldn’t possessiveness be healthy . Here it looked more like an immature and childish act . Wish the writers and directors of the show would have come up with a better story. What could have been a beautiful piece was ruined by the illogical crap depicted in the story.The only good thing I felt about the story was its short duration and the final twist in the finale which kind of left the show in the cliffhanger. Yet it was the only thing which saved the grace of the show and the only thing which I personally enjoyed throughout.

    The View: What could have been a beautiful story was such a crappy show . The show could have been so much better even though it involved two girls in love. Many people actually found the show cute and I was left wondering what was that element ?Though for me it depicted serious red flags and would never want to witness such a thing in real life or fiction ever. Avoid the show and avoid yourself from getting embarrassed. I am sure there are much better stories out there . Go watch them instead of making yourself suffer this pain.Instead of Lily Fever, it should have been named Hay Fever. A fever which really makes you sick instead of feel better.

    Rating: 1 star for the final scene and a feminist scene only.

    Que: Where does Gunam go to a tour on?

    a. Japan

    b. Malaysia

    c. Indonesia

    d. USA

    Cite Bite: “I see you were the Norma Rae of the idol world.”( Jegal Bochi to Jang SeRang)

    Continue reading →: A strange tale?

  • An unstable structure?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author: Sudha Murthy

    Genre: Drama

    “Greed keeps men forever poor, even the abundance of this world will not make them rich.”

    Mongolian proverb

    There are certain things which just give you a feeling of home . For me, they are drawing, writing blog posts and maybe getting things stricken off from your to do list. It just feels good when you are somewhat relieved. I being a serious workaholic(though I do feel a lot of guilt a lot of times for not taking time out for myself). But when a particular habit is ingrained in you and you are obsessed about getting the work done then you do push all your limits. Maybe that is what is called being passionate about something. There are a lot of times when you do feel like giving up or procrastinating a certain piece of work, yet something in you tells you not to and finish it even though you finish it in parts. Either I can work to finish a piece of work or I might be too slow to finish that particular piece of work at times. Is that my OCD at play I wonder a lot of times. Whatever be the case, I do wish I could give more time to myself and not feel guilty about having my work put on hold. Maybe one day, I will be at peace with respect to this regard as well. Till, then the struggle between being a perfectionist and being sometimes too lazy will continue. If you have any suggestions as regards to this, do let me know in the comments section. I will be happy to implement those if they are feasible and worth the effort. It will be a pain in butt initially but with time the habit will be ingrained. After all anything is achievable with determination and hard work I feel.

    Well, enough of the chit chat and lets come straight to the point. After recharging myself after a short break(which was a family obligation to be frank which I did not want but then too forced myself to take it due to my family. And boy I did not regret it though it did made me have a pile of workload. But its okay as long as you can get yourself refreshed and enjoy the moment.)This post was supposed to be the last one in the month of celebrating motherhood . Nevertheless, it got posted in the next month thanks to the family obligation. So, presenting to you the latest pick and what was supposed to be the last blog post of the month celebrating motherhood. This one is supposed to be about a woman who is bright and is enthusiastic about life residing in a small village in Karnataka. But after marrying the man she had a brief encounter with and moving to city makes her realize some harsh realities. Read on to find out more.

    About the book: House of Cards is a novel written by Sudha Murthy which narrates the story of Mridula. Mridula is a bright young woman who is enthusiastic about life and lives in a small village of Karnataka. She meets Sanjay, a talented but impoverished doctor by accident. Both fall into love with one another and marry and settle in Bangalore. However, the transition from being a village gal to living in a city teaches Mridula some harsh lessons as regards to living life. However, she tries not to let these things bog her down and instead take life in a positive manner. Yet it seems life wanted her to teach a bigger lesson. Sanjay frustrated with his meager earnings quits his government job and with the help of his close friend starts a practice. By working day in and day out, he is able to establish a successful medical practice. However trouble starts brewing when Sanjay has sold his soul to the devil in order to fuel his never ending ambitions. When Mridula gets to realise this, what is the action taken by her ? Or does she continue to support her husband despite the realization is a thing that needs to be found out .

    Analysis: This is a book written by one of my favorite authors : Sudha Murthy. The reason why I love her work is because of two factors. The first one is because of the simple language she uses which makes the book a breeze to read. Secondly. because of the reality portrayed in the stories she weaves and the lessons they offer to the reader. This story too like the others provide a deep perspective into the functioning of human relationships. Mridula is a person who is supposed to be an idealist and so is Sanjay up to the point of establishing his practice. But when Sanjay gets blinded his greed he starts questioning the ideals he had till date. This actually makes him go in conflict with his wife. Yet his wife, tries to be his best support and does not question his methods. The story also tries to portray a picture of a relationship which a husband and wife must have when Satish and Mridula have a brief conversation. Satish is shown to be a supportive husband while on the other hand Sanjay despite having the best of what life has to offer treats his wife as his inferior. This makes her unhappy until one day she decides to take a stand for herself. Through this, the author tries to convey a very important message- a woman must learn to stand up for herself. She should not let herself be treated like a doormat in marriage. Instead she should be treated as an equal. This is a big lesson for all the women out there as well as men especially in a society which is supposed to be patriarchal by nature. It also teaches us a lesson to be a person with integrity even though you might be ambitious in nature. Money is supposed to be one of the important aspects in one’s life ; life is more than money. Its about having concern for one another. That is what gives a person more satisfaction and happiness.

    Verdict: A beautiful read with plenty of life lessons offered with a dash of drama. However, the drama is not the one which you get to witness on television during prime time . Instead, it is a drama which might be unfolding in a majority of Indian households if not all. The simple language used by the author makes it a complete breeze to read while the life lessons offered by the medium of the characters involved adds to the wisdom. So, do give it a read once and let me know about your experiences in the comments section . Till then lots of love and have a great week ahead. Do try spreading the love by spreading the word of the same. Will be highly grateful for the same:)

    Rating: *** stars

    Cite Bite: “Every woman wants to change her life but no man understands how. He showers his wife with the gifts that he likes but not with what she wants.”

    Que: What is the profession of Sanjay?

    a. Doctor(Gynecologist)

    b. Teacher

    c. Lawyer

    d. Chartered Accountant

    Continue reading →: An unstable structure?

  • A growth stimulator?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Chandramouli Venkatasan

    Genre: Self help/career management

    “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

    E.E. Cummings

    Sincerest apologies for not posting last week. I just got down with a cold that was actually preventable but I still ended up having. Now, that I am feeling better and have almost made a recovery, I decided to pen my thoughts on time. Wish I can be more disciplined in delivering my posts on time. Maybe you guys can suggest me with ways to become more disciplined in my life. Discipline is important in every job of our lives whether it be as small as cleaning something or having your work done on time. The reason is simple when you get your work done on time, you kinda feel relieved. For me, it is a huge relief whenever I finish a blog post. Not because it is exhausting, but it kind of makes me feel at ease. Until my blog post does not go up, I just feel a knot in my stomach as if I am missing something big in my life. Maybe the accountability I feel I have for my readers just keeps me on the toes. Another reason might be that I just feel if the blog post does not go up is that maybe I am not being honest towards my baby project which hopefully will grow up into something big in the upcoming years. Fingers crossed for that dream to fruit. Though I just know one thing-that I can only control what I have in my hands. The rest will eventually follow. So, I need to keep doing the work and give my best shot each and every time I try to express myself.

    Now that I am done giving my reasons, I need to focus on the task undertaken and that is to reveal the pick of this week. This week’s pick revolves around the theme of career management. We all feel career is an integral part of our lives. After all, it is one of the defining aspects of our personality apart from our education . Isn’t it? We all feel we should be good at what we do and should just slay whatever is to achieve our goals. But are we doing the same? Should we just focus on our personal growth in our careers or should our careers be something more than our personal growth?The pick of the week tries to answer this question and much more. Lets find out-

    About the book: Catalyst:The ultimate strategies on how to win at work and in life is a book written by the late Chandramouli Venkatesan who donned several roles in his 27 year long corporate experience in several sectors. Until recently he was the CEO(special projects) at the Pidilite Industries while also mentoring several businesses and functions. He explains that career growth is a direct function of one’s individual growth. But what are the factors that constitute an individual’s growth? According to him, an individual’s growth constitutes of three parts namely- experience and productivity,career management and life and values. In the experience and productivity part, he explains that it is a myth that the number of years an individual spends is experience. But in reality, experience refers to the thought process that one builds within oneself which is developed by continuous learning . If one has to continuous learn, he advocates the TMRR process.What is this TMRR process and how to apply it in your respective lives that I won’t reveal but instead ask you to find it out yourself.

    Other interesting aspects include how you should be dividing your career into two parts and work harder in the second part than the first part as the second part or phase of your career is more tougher than the first half. He says that you should focus on strengthening your foundation in the first half of your career. How do you do that and how do you then traverse smoothly in the second phase of your career smoothly again a homework for you guys :p And the last part is about how you should have a hobby and a value system in place to move ahead in life. A hobby should be such that it should help you improve your career graph. While on the other hand, a robust value system helps to be a better leader. Depending upon the personality traits of a person, a value system can be put into place. This is what he discusses in the third part.

    Analysis: The book is a good attempt as well as a guide as to how one should advance in his or her career. It also attempts to bust a few myths which we tend to have in our minds like for instance we equal experience as the number of years one puts into work. While on the contrary, experience is supposed to be the skills you have acquired over the number of years while building a strong foundation. He also suggests to avoid the rat race in the first half which we all unknowingly or knowingly get into to accelerate our growth. Instead, he asks us to be a tortoise. This might be true because the faster we run, the more we have the tendency to burnout and not enjoy the work. Instead he asks us to treat career as a sprint of a marathon because we spend an extensive amount of our lives in work.

    Another good thing about the book is that he cites various examples to prove his points extensively and that you do find them relatable. Third point is that it is not a long read so you can finish it quickly if you want to.But there are times when you do find the book boring because of its pace. This is what I felt. This might not be true for other people maybe but I did find the book a laggard at some places.

    Verdict: If you are one of those who loves to read self help books then this one might be one of the choices which you can choose from. Also, if you are looking for some serious career advice , maybe this book can help after all it has been written by a corporate veteran. I enjoyed the book a bit but felt it could have been written in a more better manner and with a much nice pace. But experiences of a senior person always helps after all it contains a lot of wisdom which is collected over years .

    Cite Bite: “Values are a huge driver of career success.”

    The book cover

    Que: What does productivity not include?

    a. Time management

    b. Discipline

    c. Art of delegation

    d. Organization

    Continue reading →: A growth stimulator?

  • A journey from ordinary to extraordinary

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Author: Michelle Obama

    Genre: Biography

    “Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary.”

    Gerard Way

    New week ,new blog and a new pick. Sometimes the deadlines which you impose on yourselves can be super tiring as well as frustrating. But if you are accountable to someone, then the work has to be done at any cost. That is the mantra I live by even though I feel like not writing a lot of times. The reasons are also many: you are catering to a very small section of people, you sometimes just procrastinate or sometimes you feel you are just typing out for yourself. But then you do have to push this all aside and remind yourself that discipline and consistency never fails. It may take time to reach a milestone but you need to keep moving even though the journey is tough. Its always easy to give up on the things that have the potential to grow into something big. And that is something I do not want to end up regretting. So, I convince myself that its just a matter of time before maybe things will start working for you in the real sense. Good things always take time. Therefore, its essential to keep moving ahead slowly and with great conviction along with a hope in heart. Also, the small group of people showed their trust and belief in me maybe that is the reason the heart doesn’t agree to give up on . With such pep talks to myself, I do trudge ahead slowly and slowly with each blog post. After all, to put it in the words of Desmond Tutu, “hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

    About the book: The pick of this week is a story which is biographical in nature of a woman who will be remembered as the first black lady of the United States and who aimed to be a role model to many. This book I had started reading in mid March and aimed to cover as a part of the International Women’s Month special. But thanks to my hectic schedule:p I couldn’t finish reading it on time and have it featured. Being the determined person, I continued to read it and finished reading just in time for a new blog post. Better late than never I guess is what I will say about this piece of work. The book which is the pick of the week is a biography of Michelle Obama which is titled as Becoming.

    The book is divided into three parts:Becoming me , Becoming us and Becoming More. The first part Becoming me reminisces the journey of Michelle Obama from her childhood to her becoming a lawyer at a prestigious law firm. The second part Becoming Us narrates the story of a lawyer falling in love with a colleague at the law firm she worked in. The colleague who was a complete opposite to her personality but still meshed in her life and became a life long companion to her. The second part introduces us to Barack Obama and how he became an important part of her life. The last part Becoming More narrates the political journey Barack Obama undertook to become the first African American President of United States and how life unfolded for them after being elected as the President and the First Lady respectively. How did the two manage their professional and personal lives while juggling parenthood and overcoming various challenges? What all did they have to endure while racing for the topmost post of the United States?The answers to all these questions lie in the book.

    Analysis: The book is a good read but is very slow in pace to be honest. It is heartening to know that how an ordinary woman with her hard work made it big as a successful lawyer first then as the First Lady of The United States . The journey from a lawyer to the First lady is an interesting one .But the pace ruins it all. A book even if written with the best of intentions if has a slow pace loses its charm. I could have given up the book midway considering the pace with which it has been written and never maybe would have cast a look at it again despite being a bestseller. If a book is sluggish in its pace, it is bound to bore the reader despite having an interesting story line. This I personally experienced as a reader while reading this book. The book becomes so sluggish at certain points that it just feels like a drag. A lot of people might disagree with me considering that it is a best seller. However, this is what I personally felt while reading the book. Opinions can vary from person to person and they need to be respected even if its a disagreement.

    Verdict: If I have to pick this one again to read, I will pick it up after a long period of time. The story is an interesting one and serves as an inspiration to all those who dream big. But the pace with which the events are narrated is what is I fear the most if I pick it up again to read. If you do want to give it a read, do go ahead. But I think I am done with this one for now despite an interesting story line.

    Rating: ** and a 1/2

    Cite Bite: “Do we settle for the world as it is or do we work for the world as it should be?”

    Que: What was the name of the law firm young Michelle worked in?

    a. Rudolph Friedmann

    b.Mesa Law Firm

    c. Sidley Austin

    d. Caglar Law Firm

    Continue reading →: A journey from ordinary to extraordinary

  • When you never give up

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Voices by: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman,Rich Moore, Jenny Slate, Idris Elba,J.K. Simmons

    Directed by: Rich Moore, Byron Howard

    Genre: Action-comedy

    “When the going gets tough, put one foot in front of the other and just keep going. Don’t give up.”

    Roy T. Bennett

    There are some works whether it be in the fields of literature, cinema or arts that you just go back again and again. Maybe for inspiration or for a recollection of all the good memories associated with that particular piece of work. In my latest pick I had both- an inspiration as well as a trip down the memory lane. This piece of work is one such that I can watch it anytime and be inspired. This one is one of the works which I can call an evergreen piece of work. Even if you watch or read something and you do not get tired of it but instead find a new perspective every time you visit that piece of work is an evergreen according to me. It always has something new to offer no matter how many times you revisit it. I do have many which I can include in my evergreen list. Do you have any? I would love to hear it from you all . Maybe I too can enjoy the same joy which you guys feel while going through the same. And after all sharing is caring isn’t it ? So, why not we share our joys with one another and make each other happy?Well the one I am going to share with you narrates a tale of a feisty bunny and her adventures.

    Story line: This week’s pick is a story which is set in a world populated by anthropomorphic mammals. Judy Hopps is a bunny who dreams to be a police officer in the urban city of Zootopia. Despite her parents fears, she dreams big and ends up being the valedictorian of her class and ends up fulfilling her childhood dream.But it seems that being the valedictorian of her batch is not enough to prove her mettle, as she ends up being assigned a parking duty by the police chief Bogo as he overlooks her talent.

    Despite, given a duty which does not seem to be interesting and challenging at all, Judy decides not to let her it down and tries to meet the target by working hard. However, she witnesses a theft and abandons her duty to get the thief arrested but is reprimanded by her chief. On the other hand, Mrs. Otterton barges into Bogo’s office insistent on her demand to find her missing husband. Bogo tries to dismiss it but Judy volunteers for the same which is praised by the deputy mayor, a sheep named Dawn Bellwether. This enrages Bogo and secretly orders her to put in her papers if she fails after 48 hours. Judy agrees to the same. Will she be able to solve the case which doesn’t seem to have a lot of evidence? What all stops will she have to put in if she has to meet the challenge? Wills she be able to meet the challenge or will she have to put in the papers?

    Scrutiny: This one is a piece of work which just gives you a lot to look forward. This piece has everything in it to be considered as a classic piece of work. It has a great story line, one of the best animation effects I have ever seen and most importantly important life lessons to look forward. The reason why I say that this is a piece which I can watch any number of times is that it provides a fresh perspective every time I watch it. Though I could not watch it a lot of times but believe me even though I watched it twice thanks to my busy schedule, I have had fresh insights .And I am sure in the near future if I do end up watching it again and again it will provide me with something new to look forward. In the second sitting which I had recently(the first one was way long back in around in 2016) I found deeper insights. In my first viewing, I just watched it like an average movie viewer looking for some wholesome entertainment.

    But in the second sitting, I actually appreciated the fact that the mammals had tried to create an utopian order of doing things and how a power hungry individual tries to ruin it all. I also appreciated the fact that there was a theme which actually appreciated unity in diversity in all aspects. Like for instance, the non-predators were comfortable working as well as living with the predators and viewed them as good friends. This one concept always touches my heart because it breaks down the limitations society sets upon. Another great takeaway I took was that no matter how bad a situation is, a good friend always has your back and that things can be fixed if one takes the right effort and prioritizes friendship over ego. Apart from this, one more important takeaway was that you need to be super passionate about things which really matter to you. Judy was passionate about her dream to serve as a police officer as she thought she will be able to change the world in a small manner. This made her work very hard and made her dream come true. But despite her hard work, when her skills are not recognized, she does not let it bog her down. Instead she makes sure that whatever work she is given, she makes it a point to finish it all and outdo herself. She teaches us to be optimistic even when there seems to be no hope.

    The Sentiment: This one is a must watch and one that needs to be added in your watch list. Do watch it for the life lessons. Watch it for the inspirational life lessons it has to offer. Watch it for the superb animation. Watch it for an interesting story line. I don’t think I have more reasons to give you all. After all it is an experience to be experienced. This one believe me does not need any coaxing from my side. This one just needs to be experienced and believe me this one you will not regret but instead maybe thank me:p So, what are you waiting for ? Do give yourself this experience and share about the same. Waiting for your lovely experiences.

    Rating: **** and a half

    Quote and Unquote: “Never let them see that they got to you.”(Nick to Judy)

    When our protagonist is in action

    Que: What are the night howlers?

    a. A music band

    b. A criminal gang

    c. A flower type

    d. A medicine

    Continue reading →: When you never give up

  • When the renegade is back

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

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    Genre: Crime-Thriller

    No. of episodes: 8

    Presented by: Alt-Balaji

    “Be strong when you are weak, be brave when you are scared. Be humble when you are victorious. Be badass everyday.”

    Anonymous

    Since it is the last week of the International Women’s Month, I decided that we should celebrate and wrap it with a bang after all. What is life without some fireworks right:) And we will have to wait for one more year so why not give it a classy finish?So, presenting you to my latest pick which makes a badass woman return to serve justice.Yes, in case you have been a regular reader, you might have across a character called Monica Mehra. In case no, do refer to the same. Providing you with the link below: https://wordpress.com/post/theexpressionhub.video.blog/902. But this time, she is back with more sass and badass attitude.

    Synopsis: Major Monica Mehra after serving as a lawyer for the Indian Army is promoted to Military Intelligence. She is given in charge of protecting the Chief Minister of the state as part of the Kargil Diwas celebrations. As the chief minister finishes his speech and sits down to eat, an attempt is made to assassinate him is made. Major Monica Mehra with her deductive skills foils the attempt and tries to track down the killer. But unfortunately, the killer/assassin commits suicide by drinking poison. This event triggers a battle in which the truth has to emerge out. After all, how can the sleuth in Monica Mehra be silent if it concerns the army? However, as the truth begins to unfold, some stunning revelations are made. Truths which are uncomfortable in nature;truths which will test loyalties. Will Monica Mehra be able to face it all and stand tall?

    Assessment: This one is a sequel which will definitely have your heart. Since, the day I got to know about this, I couldn’t keep my calm. The reason was super simple-it belonged to one of my favorite genres and the second reason was it was about a badass woman who was in the military. I have always admired people in the uniform. They bring a different sass and attitude with them. I sometimes really wished I was an army gal. But its okay if I cannot be one, I can obviously inculcate their traits in my life.

    Well, coming to the assessment part, the main protagonist rocks but the person who steals the show is a person who is damn good-looking and strikes the right chord- Angad Sandhu portrayed by the handsome Tanuj Virwani. Also, Ekalavya Kashyap as Rahil Khan

    does a fine job. Plus, the story line is more gripping than the first one according to me. The length of the episodes are just right-not too long nor too short. These 8 episodes are a viewer’s delight and keeps you hooked on your seats.

    The view: If you are a fan of the crime-thriller genre, then there should be no reason to miss this one. This one is a hidden gem out there. Watch it for the badass and sassy attitude of Monica Mehra. Watch it for the love of men and women in uniform. Watch it for the justice served right. This one will surely appeal to your senses.

    Rating: ****

    Baap dialogue: “Hume bhi iss case se jude rehna hai aakhir army ki izzat k sawaal hai.”(We also need to be connected with the case after all it is a question of the reputation of the army.)

    The lead lady in action

    Que: What is the name of the poison that is used to kill the victims in the show?

    a. Arsenic

    b. RX-40

    c. Polonium 210

    d. Cyanide

    Continue reading →: When the renegade is back

  • A web series that is your perfect winter companion

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Slice of Life

    Number of episodes:10

    Presented by: Daring One Films

    “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”

    -Albert Camus

    This week, forget the massive studio budgets and the celebrity-studded OTT extravaganzas. We’re diving into a true underdog story that proves the magic of genuine passion and authentic storytelling. A sequel to a series that that began with virtually zero budget and relied sheerly on creative muscle and heart to win over audiences. And now the journey continues.

    What makes this series so magnetic is that it’s continued to reject the industry playbook. The initial lack of funding didn’t limit the creators; it liberated them. This sequel carries that legacy forward. It refuses to compromise its distinct, authentic voice even with more resources.In an era saturated with glossy, formulaic content, this show feels like a breath of fresh air.

    The result is a show that isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving. It has surpassed many big-budget streaming efforts in its critical resonance and the deep connection it forges with viewers. This is a powerful, inspiring testament to the fact that when you prioritize the craft of storytelling, it can easily outshine the most expensive productions. If you’re looking for a series that reminds you why you fell in love with storytelling in the first place, this is the one. Read on to discover the title and catch up on the phenomenon!

    Synopsis: A Winter Story picks up the threads of five friends whose lives have taken unexpected turns since we last saw them during those carefree summer days. This ten-episode season explores the bittersweet reality of growing up and growing apart.

    We meet Rachel, who returns to India after globe-trotting. She is burdened with the complex weight of her experiences and the expectations they’ve created. That has resulted in shifting her entire perspective on her past life and relationships.

    Meanwhile, the beloved dynamic between Raghav and Isha has hit a major inflection point. This has captured the truly authentic struggle of young couples navigating the transition from thrilling romance to the more demanding realities of a real-life partnership.

    The series finds its emotional core in the intensely relatable struggles of Varun and Samar.Varun discovers the humbling truth that life often brings you full circle. He finds himself at completely back at square one in both his career ambitions and his personal life. This is a scenario familiar to anyone who has faced a major setback. Finally, the main protagonist, Samar, grapples with the most universal challenge: the anxiety of a fresh start.His biggest battle is internal, fighting persistent self-doubt and the paralysing fear of not being good enough.

    This ten-episode season beautifully charts how these five navigate the chaos and confusion of their intertwined lives. It proves that the struggle to find your footing in an unforgiving world is the most compelling story of all.

    Assessment: Where the show shines- The series succeeds because it refuses to follow the conventional playbook of web series storytelling. Instead of manufactured drama, contrived plot twists, the power of authentic human experiences rules the roast.

    The dialogue feels natural. Their chemistry isn’t manufactured for the camera. It captures those moments that most productions edit out.

    The production values might be minimal but the emotional resonance is maximum. Every frame serves the story rather than trying to impress with unnecessary polish. The cinematography, while simple, effectively captures the melancholic beauty of the winter season.

    Apart from these, the exploration of how relationships evolve when the excitement of new connections fades into the reality of sustained commitment and the depiction of quarter-life crisis with brutal honesty is what makes the show stand out.

    Where it can be improved- The pacing can feel uneven at times, with certain episodes lingering perhaps too long on introspective moments. This might annoy viewers accustomed to more conventional storytelling.

    The zero-budget aesthetic limits the visual storytelling occasionally. Some scenes could benefit from more dynamic camera work or better sound quality, though the emotional core of the series is never affected.

    A tighter eight-episode arc might have maintained momentum more effectively. This is a small quibble in an otherwise compelling season.

    Verdict: A rare gem in the landscape of Indian web content that trusts its audience enough to present life as it actually is. It’s not perfect, but its imperfections are part of its charm, much like the characters it portrays. It successfully builds on the foundation laid by its prequel “A Summer Story” while exploring more mature themes and deeper emotional territory. The metaphor of winter perfectly captures the mood of young adults confronting the gap between their dreams and their circumstances.

    Who is the show for?

    Anyone navigating their twenties and feeling lost or uncertain about the future

    Viewers tired of manufactured drama and craving authentic storytelling.

    People who appreciate character-driven narratives over plot-heavy thrillers.

    Those who enjoy slice-of-life series and anyone who has experienced the bittersweet evolution of friendships over time.

    Who might it not appeal to –

    1. Viewers seeking fast-paced action or traditional plot structures.

    2. Those who prefer high production values and polished aesthetics

    3. Audiences looking for escapist entertainment.

    The ” A Winter Story” isn’t just entertainment. It’s a mirror held up to a generation grappling with the challenges of modern adulthood. It reminds us that we’re not alone in our struggles, our doubts, or our hopes. In doing so, it achieves what all great art should: it makes us feel seen. The series stands as proof that you don’t need big budgets or famous faces to create something meaningful.

    If you haven’t yet experienced this remarkable series, “A Winter Story” and its companion seasons are available for free on YouTube through Daring Ones Films. In a world where streaming platforms charge premium prices for access to content, here’s a series that asks nothing of you except your time and attention—and rewards you with something genuine in return.

    Rating: *** and 1/2 stars

    Baap dialogue: “Because eventually what is the point of life? To be happy.

    Ready to connect with stories that resonate?

    Don’t let this hidden gem remain hidden any longer. Join the millions who have already discovered why this zero-budget web series has become a word-of-mouth sensation.

    Life is too short to waste on content that doesn’t move you. “A Winter Story” offers something increasingly rare in our content-saturated world—genuine emotional connection and honest storytelling that stays with you long after the credits roll.

    Have you watched “A Winter Story”? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Which character’s journey resonated with you the most? And if not, then do add it to your watch list and watch it in your free time.

    Que: What gift does Varun get in Christmas?

    a. Desk organizer

    b. Camera

    c. Sunglasses

    d. T-Shirt

    Continue reading →: A web series that is your perfect winter companion

  • A tale of longing, forbidden love and unimaginable consequences

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author:Edith Wharton

    Genre: Fantasy Fiction

    “I want to survive this world that keeps trying to destroy me.”

    -Leigh Bardugo

    There are certain books which we consume for entertainment. Then there are books that educate us thus helping us to expand our horizons and altering our perspective.However this week’s selection belongs to a rare and a more profound category- a category that haunts you after you have closed the cover.

    This novel is an undisputed classic of American literature. Yet, it is recognized as one of the most devastating explorations of the human spirit. It deals with a conflict wherein the weight of unfulfilled desire collides with the cold reality of duty.

    It is a masterpiece built on suffocation where the very air around the protagonist seems heavy with missed chances and unspoken grief.What book I am talking about

    Synopsis: Ethan Frome is a novel that is set in the fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, during a particularly brutal winter.An unnamed engineer narrator, stranded in Starkfield, becomes fascinated by the disfigured, limping figure of Ethan Frome, a local farmer who seems to carry the weight of unspeakable tragedy. Through pieced-together accounts and his own imagination, the narrator reconstructs the events that led to Ethan’s ruined life.

    The backstory is heavy with a sense of suffocating inevitability. Twenty four years before the true story unfolds, Ethan is entangled in a loveless marriage. His wife, Zeena, has retreated behind a shield of hypochondria and increasingly demanding behavior, making their home less a sanctuary and more a prison of duty.

    Into his colourless existence, a spark arrives in the form of Mattie Silver. She is light, warmth, and the vivid embodiment of the life he never dared to hope for. A deep, silent, and entirely forbidden love blossoms between them.

    As their passion deepens, the air becomes thick with tension and unanswered questions. Will this profound connection break the chains of Ethan’s commitment and finally allow this desperate love to come to life?Or will the suffocating weight of social convention and his binding duty to Zeena lead to something ?The unfolding fate of Ethan and Mattie is one you must discover on the pages themselves.

    Analysis: The author’s genius is how she transforms a simple love triangle into a profound meditation. The novel operates on multiple levels of constraint, each reinforcing the others to create an inescapable trap.The relentless winter serves as both setting and symbol. It creates a where movement itself becomes difficult, where everything is frozen in place. The physical environment becomes a character in its own right, pressing down on Ethan’s dreams with the weight of snow and ice.

    Apart from the weather and poverty, Ethan faces the rigid social expectations of rural New England society.The novel captures how community judgment and internalized moral codes can be more binding than any physical chain. Ethan’s decency, his sense of obligation, and his fear of social condemnation all conspire to keep him in place.

    But the most devastating is Ethan’s internal paralysis. He is a man of intelligence and sensitivity trapped in circumstances that allow neither quality to flourish.He is defeated before he begins, unable to muster the ruthlessness or courage that freedom would require.

    What makes Ethan Frome so powerful is not just its tragic story but how Wharton tells it.The frame narrative creates crucial distance, allowing readers to piece together the tragedy alongside the narrator.

    Her prose is spare and controlled, much like the emotional lives of her characters. There are no melodramatic outbursts, no lengthy declarations of love. Instead, the novel’s passion exists in glances, in moments of accidental touch, in things left unsaid.

    Verdict: It is a novel that spells brevity. Wharton wastes not a single word. Every scene, every image, every line of dialogue serves the story’s inexorable logic. Is it a great read? Definitely. But will everyone enjoy it ?Probably not. So, some people may find it unbearably bleak.

    But for those willing to sit with discomfort, Ethan Frome offers rewards that more conventionally uplifting fiction cannot. It forces us to confront the gap between our desires and our circumstances.

    Ethan Frome remains relevant because it captures something timeless about the human condition: the way we can become trapped by circumstances partly beyond our control and partly of our own making, and the way small decisions—or failures to decide—can compound into life-defining tragedies.

    Have You Met Someone Like Ethan?

    Ethan Frome is one of those rare books that seems to get more relevant with each passing year.In our age of self-optimization and “living your best life,” it offers a sobering reminder that not everyone gets to escape their circumstances. Have you read Ethan Frome? What did you think of Wharton’s uncompromising vision? Do you find the novel too bleak? Or does its refusal to offer false comfort make it more honest than most fiction?And do you think Ethan is a victim of circumstance or architect of his own misery?

    Share your thoughts in the comments below. I’m especially interested in hearing from readers who found unexpected resonances with their own lives, or from those who had a strong reaction—positive or negative—to Wharton’s unflinching approach to tragedy.

    Rating: *** stars

    Cite Bite: “Sickness and trouble: that’s what Ethan’s had his plate full up with, ever since the very first helping.”

    Que: What profession did Ethan aspire to pursue before he became trapped on the farm?

    a. Sailor

    b. Teaching

    c. Medicine

    d. Engineering

    Continue reading →: A tale of longing, forbidden love and unimaginable consequences

  • Discovering the beauty of winter around the world

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    The appearance of the first snowflakes on the window or the frost kissing the winter grass is a magical sight to witness. Winter is often dismissed as the season of cold and darkness. But in reality, it is the time when Nature reveals its beautiful sides. From the Arctic’s dancing lights to the cherry blossoms of tropical winters, this season paints the planet in extraordinary hues and textures that deserve celebration. Read on to find out more.

    The jewel of Arctic: Northern Lights and Polar Lights

    The Aurora Borealis is a sight to witness in the countries of Scandinavia, Iceland and Canada. It sweeps the night sky in in ribbons of green, purple, and pink.In places like Tromsø, Norway, the polar night blankets the landscape in a twilight blue for weeks. This creates an ethereal atmosphere where time seems suspended between day and night.

    The snow here doesn’t just cover the ground; it sculpts the landscape into a fantasy realm. Trees become frosted sculptures, their branches heavy with pristine white powder. Frozen waterfalls hang like crystal curtains, and the sea itself can freeze into geometric patterns that stretch to the horizon. This is winter at its most dramatic, where survival and beauty intertwine in equal measure.

    The poetic winter of Japan: Snow meets tradition

    The winters of Japan are steeped in cultural reverence and aesthetic philosophy. In the historic village of Shirakawa-go, traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses become fairy-tale cottages.

    While on the other hand, the Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, embody winter’s playful spirit as they bathe in natural hot springs. Meanwhile, in Hokkaido, the famous Sapporo Snow Festival transforms the city into an open-air gallery of massive ice sculptures.These sculptures are illuminated in brilliant colours which make frozen water to glow from within.

    The winter season is not only restricted to fairy- tale cottages or the snow sculptures. They are even witnessed in the beauty of Japanese gardens. The practice of yukitsuri—wrapping ropes around trees to protect them from snow—creates geometric patterns against the white backdrop. This turns practical preservation into living art.

    The Alps: Winter Wonderland of Europe

    The European Alps represent winter at its most quintessentially picturesque.Mountain villages in Switzerland, Austria, and France nestle into valleys surrounded by peaks which are perpetually crowned with snow.

    The pristine slopes attract not just skiers but anyone who appreciates the interplay of light and landscape. At dawn and dusk, the phenomenon known as alpenglow paints the snow-covered peaks in shades of rose and gold, a brief but breathtaking display that photographers wait hours to capture.

    The Winter Canvas of North America-

    North America’s vast geography creates a tapestry of winter experiences. In the Canadian Rockies, frozen waterfalls become playgrounds for ice climbers.Lake Louise transforms into a turquoise jewel set in white, its famous Fairmont Chateau serving as a sentinel overlooking the frozen beauty.

    The Yellowstone National Park becomes a geothermal wonderland where hot springs steam dramatically against the frozen landscape, creating surreal contrasts. These create eternal performances for the audiences that witness them.

    Central Park in New York becomes a peaceful white refuge in the urban jungle. While, the small towns of New England serve as postcard images with their white-steepled churches, colonial homes, and town commons transformed by snow.

    The beauty of tropical winters-

    In the Southern Hemisphere, winter brings its own subtle charms.New Zealand’s South Island experiences crisp, clear winter days where snow-capped peaks contrast with green valleys and turquoise lakes.

    In parts of South America, winter means the dry season, bringing relief from humidity and revealing landscapes in sharp detail.Even in places that never see snow, winter brings change. Flowering plants that bloom in cooler temperatures create unexpected splashes of colour. The angle of sunlight shifts, creating different shadows and highlighting landscape features obscured during other seasons.

    Why Winter Seems Intimate?

    Winter’s beauty often lies in its intimate details. The intricate geometry of a single snowflake, the frost patterns on windows and the icicles hanging from eaves catch sunlight and throw rainbows onto snow.

    Winter forces us to slow down, to notice details we might rush past in warmer months. A winter sunrise, though it comes later, feels earned. The silence after a fresh snowfall, when the world seems muffled and new, offers a rare kind of peace in our noisy modern lives.

    So is winter worth the hype?

    Winter’s beauty lies not just in spectacular natural displays but in the way it transforms our everyday world into something extraordinary. It reminds us that change is inevitable but can be gorgeous. It shows us that harsh conditions can produce delicate beauty, that stillness has its own power, and that darkness makes light more precious.

    The season acts as an unparalleled architect. It uses ice as a sculptor, sheathing ordinary tree branches in a dazzling, crystal glaze, or turning a mundane fence line into a row of perfect, geometric frosting. It is the season of clarity and quiet, where the hush of snow absorbs the ambient noise of the busy world, allowing us to hear the faint crunch of our own footsteps—a subtle, beautiful sound otherwise lost. This profound stillness is not an absence of life, but a deep, vital rest, mirroring the essential cycle of renewal that prepares the earth for spring.

    Around the world, cultures have learned not just to endure winter but to celebrate it, finding joy in its unique offerings. It invites us to see the world with fresh eyes, to appreciate transformation, and to find wonder in the season that many dismiss but which reveals, to those who truly look, some of nature’s most exquisite artistry.

    There’s a unique, comforting quality to the deep mid-winter, a feeling that often resurfaces with the first sharp breath of frigid air. It’s the sound of silence that comes only with a fresh blanket of snow, the quiet that turns the world into a muffled sanctuary. Think back to the sheer satisfaction of coming indoors, rosy-cheeked and chilled to the bone, to the instant relief of cracking warmth from a fireplace or radiator. It’s the scent of pine and woodsmoke clinging to a favorite old sweater, the shared ritual of steaming mugs and heavy blankets, and the way the low, golden light of a winter afternoon makes everything look sepia-toned, lending an air of wistful memory to the present moment. These simple sensory moments—the taste of hot cocoa, the squeak of boots on hard-packed snow, the collective anticipation of a snowy morning—are the core of our shared winter history. What is the first cozy winter scent or sound that takes you straight back to childhood?

    Continue reading →: Discovering the beauty of winter around the world

Hello,

I’m Roshani

Welcome to The Expression Hub! I’m Roshani, who loves to express herself through the medium of writing. This blog is my little corner of the internet where I dive deep into the world of movies, books, and web series—reviewing, analyzing, and sometimes just ranting about the stories that make us laugh, cry, and question everything.

Beyond reviews, you’ll also find my personal musings—random thoughts, life reflections, and the occasional deep dive into the things that inspire me. Think of this as a space where art meets emotion, and where honest opinions matter more than star ratings.

Join me as we explore incredible stories together, one post at a time. Have a recommendation? Let’s talk—I’m always up for discovering something new!

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