Me Movies More

Today, let me travel back to those wonderful days of simplicity, laughter, cracking jokes, and opening up our souls to our loved ones. Yes, let's travel back in time to the 90s.  My 90s remind me of my school days, sharing tiffin, fighting over who was the best Khan, laughing over our moms' reaction to low grades, and, of course, exchanging cassettes.  From Hindi film songs like "Sajan", "Jo Jeeta Woh Sikandar", and "Baazigar"  to Pop Bands like Boyzone and Backstreet Boys. Now, who remembers Backstreet Boys here? I do, and I do remember how crazy a few of us friends were for the band! I still recall their foot-tapping numbers like "Everybody" and "Tell Me Why". Every time a friend spoke about breaking up with her boyfriend, back then, I played " Quit Playing Games with My Heart" at the back of my mind. Ah! It was her heart I meant, not mine. My score was zero in that department. At the most, I could lend my shoulder o...

                              The Invisible Thread Invisible thread of a shared dream, Neither too tiny nor flows like a stream. Yet gracefully marking its presence, With creativity and resonance. Moments of hope, beauty, grief entangle- In times we cried, in times we giggled. Can we let those dreams flourish? Can we live them and later cherish? Can we bond with each other? And never let those hopes perish? Come, let's make it happen. Creativity, bursting around united, Never to be broken This poem was selected as one of the winning submissions in Unicorn Magazine's Poetry Challenge in October Thoughts Unwritten Thoughts Unwritten Thoughts unwritten, Lie submerged in my heart. While the heart wants to say out loud The mind leashes to turn those curt. Can the heart revolt to release the stream? Will it ever occur or remain hidden as a dream? The rigid mind, the tamer: why not loosen your hold? Let the heart speak ...

I had to do this; I was almost called to do it. By whom? By None, by my current movie mood. And that says just one name, James McAvoy.  Isn't he ageing like a fine old wine? I find him extremely suave and stylish with his Scottish accent and deep voice. His performances in every film I have watched have been incredible. So let's discuss him today, but how? I would pick up the Top 5 Movies of his that are on my Watchlist, and that I had not watched. This would not include the Marvel ones with him as Professor X. Neither have I watched those, nor do I have any plans to do so in the near future (as of now). I would also pick a few of his Stylish appearances that can melt hearts. So, let's begin? 5 Movies of James McAvoy on My Watchlist 1. Bollywood Queen: This 2002 Indo-British movie is a modern-day adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. This is one of McAvoy's earlier films, in which he plays Jay, a country lad who comes to London to join his brother and gets into a romance by c...

  Thanks to Hindi films and TV shows, Bengali detectives like Byomkesh Bakshi and Feluda are now popular throughout India. Many such popular characters have been penned by famous authors throughout the ages. Since few translated works are available for Bengali books, many readers remain unaware of the intensity of the Bengali book characters and their interesting journeys. I have listed a few Bengali book characters, other than Byomkesh and Feluda, that should be popularised more through translated works.  1. Prof. Shanku:  Other than Feluda, this immortal creation of Satyajit Ray for kids still remains a favourite. A genius scientist living alone in Giridi with his servant and cat, Newton indulges in crazy scientific experiments. He often finds himself in weird situations and seeks new adventures worldwide and beyond. The stories are filled with the adventurous escapades of Shanku, frequently written in a diary format, sometimes featuring aliens or rivals of equal intell...

Astha was getting worried that she might be late for the meeting. She could not afford to do that as she had set an example as the Director of her company to run on a schedule, every time on time. Her employees, a bunch of highly efficient enthusiasts with glorifying proven professional backgrounds, were all handpicked by her. She had to be there by 10 for the interview, and here she was stuck in traffic, wasting time. Today, time was precious to her; more than anything, she understood the value of each moment after the App incident so many years back. That one uncanny incident had totally turned her life upside down. The right way. She had been working on herself from that very day, both professionally and personally. The once lazy Astha started working day and night to excel and grow in her work. She began to work diligently on her finances and her physical well-being through regular workouts and rigorous physical training. Today, she was the head of this vast empire- Sattva. It was...

Have you ever heard of the Case of the Curious Cat? This story is about the same cat, but this time it is furious. Let's name her Furry. Furry was a cute little black cat with a penchant for laziness and a big appetite. One day, she found herself hungry because her kind owner forgot to feed her in the morning and left for the office, expecting the neighbours to take care of her. Unbeknownst to her, the neighbours had left for vacation the day before.  Left alone and hungry, Furry ventured out in search of food. The streets were clean, devoid of any leftover scraps. Furry was too pampered to catch her own prey, and none of the shopkeepers seemed interested in amusing themselves by offering her any food. What was she to do?  Feeling lonely and starving, Furry made her way to the edge of town, where there was a pond. She could see her reflection in the water, but she could also spot hundreds of fish swimming about—fish of all shapes, sizes, and colours. “This will be easy,” she t...

“And they lived happily ever after,” read the frail, yellowed paper, its edges curling delicately as it lay atop the ornate center table, a forgotten relic of time. A chilling wave of dread washed over Ayesha as her eyes lingered on the framed photograph of Vipin and Tulika, their beaming smiles frozen in a moment of pure joy, proudly displayed on the wall. The mansion loomed before her, an expansive labyrinth of antique furniture and intricately carved mouldings, each piece whispering stories of a rich, grand past. Yet, despite its grandeur, an inexplicable, eerie aura enveloped the space, sending shivers racing down her spine. As she had stepped hesitantly into the living room, Ayesha found herself momentarily spellbound. The breathtaking fusion of classic elegance and contemporary design unfolded before her, a mesmerizing panorama that she had only ever witnessed in glossy magazines. The light filtering through the tall windows cast a warm glow on the polished wooden floors, accentu...

Dear Mr. Shakespeare, I am engulfed in immense pain today. It has been almost two years since my beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, left this world for the heavenly abode. In this time of profound grief, the only person I could think of was you.  You possessed a rare gift: the ability to understand the deep pain, the relentless suffering, and the heartaches of humanity through your deeply perceptive lens of the human psyche. No one else can or ever will be able to capture such intricate layers of emotion with a quill. As I gaze upon the grand memoir I've created in memory of my cherished wife, my heart aches for the power of your quill to give voice to the love, longing, and sorrow that fill every page. Your words could have expressed the depth of my grief and the beauty of our shared moments in a way that mere words fail to convey. The tremendous beauty of this grand memoir, the Taj Mahal, could have only been captured through your exquisite pen. Its magnificence, as pure and luminous as...

Since the time they watched, Materialists, the only thing Avanti has been pestering him about is getting a facelift done. This left Rik confused, in a dilemma- to do or not to do. Since the time Avanti got into a relationship, and mind you, that's a long one, she has divided her heart into 2 halves- while one half was all about Rik, or rather the status of her relationship with Rik, and the other one was how to catch up with every trend to customize Rik accordingly. And that was the whole point of Rik's confusion. Now that with Materialists, a 40-something guy called Pedro Pascal was making headlines, Avanti wishes Rik to get a "Moustache-only" face-updo. Nothing much, but Rik was imagining himself in Pascal's shoes, rather, moustache. How would it turn out? A prominent moustache flaunted on his not-so-prominent face? Forget Mr Pascal, the maximum he could picture himself as was like one of those nameless baddies from random 70's Clint Eastwood Westerns, whose...

Now that the celebrations are almost over, not in my house though, as my daughter has still kept it hanging with a few crackers left for the Grand Finale, I decided to write after a long time, back with my weekly dose of entertainment. Today, I will be writing about a few Bengali web series that have captivated the audience with their intensity. There are many, actually, but at this point, I recall some, and I am filtering out the five best among those.  1. Nikhoj: DCP Brinda Basu's daughter goes missing. She nabs the prime suspect, ace journalist Romit Sen, her daughter's idol. As the investigation progresses, Brinda becomes entangled in various lies and deceptions with every new character that emerges. Will Brinda succeed in getting an answer? Will she find out her missing daughter? Nikhoj, a 2-season web series, is a suspense-filled journey that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The gripping 2-season web series has Swastika Mukherji as Brinda Basu and Tota Roy Chowdhury a...

We are all likely preparing for the upcoming festive season now. I have been under the weather lately. The unpredictable October weather in Mumbai might be the reason. So, it's time to watch some movies. And I did, a few Hindi, a few Bengali. Last week, I wrote about 3 Bengali films that I had watched. Today, I am going to add 3 more Thriller films to that list. 1. Chalchitra: Kolkata Police is baffled by a series of strange murders of women in a similar pattern, where every victim's body is placed in a position to appear framed. After a thorough search and investigation, the able team of officers was able to nab the culprit. The film is gripping and has a good storyline. The performances of Tota Roychowdhury, Anirban Chakraborty and Shantanu Maheshwari are convincing. Bangladeshi actor Ziaul Faruq Apurba stands out as the antagonist. The movie is a decent watch. Directed by Pratim D. Gupta, the film is available on Hoichoi. 2. Pariah: This is an out-and-out action thriller, i...

The newly released book, 12 Years,  by India's favourite master storyteller, Chetan Bhagat, is out. I would like to share my thoughts on the book.  12 Years by Chetan Bhagat A massive age gap, a huge cultural difference, a red signal from the entire world, but an intense pull, attraction and love. What ultimately wins- the extreme differences or the deep connection! This is the book's main topic. About the Author Chetan Bhagat is one of India's most popular contemporary fiction authors. His book releases garner considerable interest among readers. He has written eight stand-alone novels, out of which five have been adapted into films. His popularity amongst today's readers is due to the relatable characters, smooth storytelling and very understandable, simple narration.  Blurb  Saket is a 33-year-old struggling stand-up comedian going through a divorce. Payel is a 21-year-old corporate professional invested in her career. Their lives are poles apart, with no sim...

Sad and bad news, at least for me, is that I haven't been watching many films lately. These days, I spend most of my time reading books. Because I now have a handful of books, both paperbacks and Kindle editions. But I managed to catch a few films, particularly Bengali in the last couple of weeks. Here is my list: 1. Amar Boss: This is a lighthearted, delightful film about a mother and son, fighting it out to show who the real boss is. Veteran actress Rakhi plays Shubhra, a dominating but loving mother to Animesh, played by Shiboprosad Mukherjee, who owns a publishing house. Animesh is going through a divorce and has a reputation for carrying a bitter mood around his employees. However, his affection and care for his mother remain unchanged. His mother, who inspects his work nature at the office and realises that his son has to aim for a more open and friendly work culture, takes matters into her own hands for the betterment of the office. Animesh, who initially takes things jokin...

Hemant slowly entered the house, silently, without anyone's notice. His mother, Sheetal , was glued to the television, watching the daily soap - the only thing that seemed to warm her rather ice-cold demeanour. His elder sister Varsha was fiercely toying with her gaming station . She was wild and disobedient, mostly unpredictable, going about with a mind of her own. His grandfather Prakhar , was seated at the balcony, with his perennially angry red eyes. He always carried himself with an elevated temper, which even mellowed Varsha out sometimes. The only member missing now was Sharad , Hemant's father, whose presence always brought a charm and a sense of belonging. But he was at the office, much to Hemant's disliking, as he longed for the bright smile of his father as soon as he entered home. Hemant tiptoed to the terrace without bothering anyone, to the only person who brought peace and comfort in his life. Standing at the corner of the terrace, looking out in the dist...

When the sound of rain mellows down, When the lady next door appears with her eternal frown, When the sombre breeze blows the leaves to form a crown, I let go of past sorrows with the last ten drops of tear. When the perfumed soil clears the mind, When the warm hues of sun peeps from the clouds' behind, When the aroma of dusted spices linger from the grind, I let go of past sorrows with the last ten drops of tear. When the tiny bird swings on the fragile branch, When the old man slowly walks down the lane with a hunch, When the kids in the park mockingly box and punch, I let go of past sorrows with the last ten drops of tear. When I see new flowers bloom in my garden When I earn my joys from small jobs quite mundane, When I sit at the corner with a diary and pen I let go of past sorrows with the last ten drops of tear. This post was created for the  Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge  with theme word Ten

October 3 is celebrated as World Smile Day . Smile- a gesture that has almost lost its run in today's world. We seldom see people smiling at each other. Isn't it something we should practice more and more? Although I have no intention of making this a preaching session about the importance of a smile, I can do better by compiling a list of some Classic Bengali Comedy films that are sure to bring a smile. 1. Sharey Chuattar : This 1953 movie is a hilarious comedy featuring Tulsi Chakraborty , Malina Devi , Uttam Kumar , Suchitra Sen , and Bhanu Bandopadhyay in leading roles. The story revolves around a hostel owner in Kolkata whose family lives in a village. The hostel is primarily occupied by bachelor tenants who become intrigued by a beautiful young woman who moves in with her family. One of the tenants develops a romantic relationship with her, facing opposition from his friends. Bhanu Bandopadhyay's iconic line " Masima Malpo Khamu " has since become a memo...