The Expression Hub

  • Dual lives or escapism?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    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…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    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…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    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…

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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