Showing posts with label NRI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NRI. Show all posts

July 28, 2012

"Onamaalu" Movie Review (Telugu)

"Onamaalu" in Telugu is an expression used for learning the first letters of the alphabet in school. It is the latest film starring veteran actor Rajendra Prasad. He is an actor who has always had a time-neutral following from NRIs and Indian Residents alike because of associating himself with the most celebrated directors of creative cinema. He has worked with Bapu, Vamshi, Jandhyala, EVV, Krishna Reddy and Krishna Vamshee and has starred in some of the most preciously-revered DVD films of all time in Tollywood. According to me, his defining work in the second avatar as a mature, aged artiste came in the last four films - One, was "Aa Naluguru" (literally means, "those four people who carry our corpse after we are gone"). Second, "Mee Sreyobhilaashi" ("Your Well-Wisher"). Third, "Quick Gun Murugan" (which became a flippant Hollywood co-production that got him international fame). "Ayyare" came and went, but not so much adulation greeted him because he was hardly present in the first half. Now, "Onamaalu" is a fitting fifth film that will enshrine Rajendra Prasad forever in the hearts of Telugu audience. It is a different film and requires a context and patience thats hard to come by in today's multiplex and theatre-controlled environment where the big star movies alone run.



What's the story all about? Its about the scorching pace of Urbanisation and its undermining influence on the source of our values rooted in village. So, Rajendra Prasad is a retired master who gives holistic value-based education in a village in AP and trains batch after batch of students. He is happy being part of a village ecosystem where everyone from Sarpanch to the Post-master live in simple living and high thinking and more importantly, benevolent sharing of the good and the bad, rising above religious and sectarian difference. Time flies and we cut to the scene where, after the passing of his wife Kalyani, he is persuaded to re-locate to the US with his son's family. As he yearns to come back to re-visit his roots in the village, he returns only to find the idealistic world of his former village turned upside down - mass migration of the young generation, deserted look at the school where he taught and apathy of the village folks to what's going on at large. Technology drift has put a spanner in most careers like that of a postman and the teacher, while there's no more large-heartedness of the people and the rustic charms were visibly absent. Does he recreate the old magic? Can he connect with today's generation in loving their roots and going back to the source? That takes the brief climax of the film in a narrative that's reasonably good with occasional flashbacks and cross-flashbacks - take it like "pitta kathalu" (short-story within long story).

There are some hard-hitting dialogues by Mohd Khadeer Babu on the current scenario of nuclear families, hitech lives with low-touch approach, our continuous debasement of everything traditional thinking its not modern.Director K.Kranthi Madhav has characterised well a gentle story of a teacher who teaches all his pupils to be good samaritans without caring about monetary gains. The highlight of the film is the flashback with one batch of pupils taught by Rajendra Prasad - who are quite apart from each other but end up with the value system thats fallen on deaf ears today. Koti has given excellent songs and BGM score. He lifts off the tunes from Adimieus and "Secret Garden" albums, embellishes them with Indian instrumentation to give a memorable feel to the mood of the film. If you want to see a different film with some preachy content, the film will surprise you with the depth and the tearsjerker - you will have to use the handkerchief many times - the content is that touching even if sometimes didactic. Movie length is ideal for the theme - just 125 minutes in all. But watching the film made me nostalgic about the village life. Its heartening to see some memorable old artists like Giri Babu and Chalapathi Rao get meaty and affectionate roles. Rajendra Prasad steals the thunder, yet again  - he has reinvented himself to stay relevant for the times. Comedy is intertwined with the narrative and quite okay.

There are some exceptional scenes in the film which promote tolerance of all religions. No wonder, most sectarian violence or acts of religious hatred and bigotry happen outside of villages in India Today, in cities and towns, hardly ever in villages. The movie also makes fantastic commentary on the generation of NRIs and RIs who, on one hand, send off their kids to opulent schools without knowing what they teach and whether what they teach is relevant to our society or not. On the other hand, they either pack off their parents to Retirement Homes or Old Age Homes or send them lumpsum remittances to upend their maintenance needs while staying apart. The result: they are running away from the source of their origins (parents) and making kids alienated from the very source that made their worlds. Both these trends are gnawing at the roots. There are some soul-searching questions on what constitutes modernity and what is the end-use of all modern-day-living which will go well with the elite. Powerful statements are made on the way some hi-tech schools teach our kids - that milk actually comes in sachets, water actually originates in bottles and rice comes in sacks. Many years ago, Uncle Anant Pai told us that it is important to know the route to your roots through the history and value system thats relevant in India - thats what got him interested to combat the onslaught of Marvel comics  - of Batman and Phantom and Superman comics with relevant and man-making content of Indian stories through Amar Chitra Katha. This movie is closest to that attempt on celluloid. Though there have been movies like "Devasthaanam" etc. in recent past, this movie is more effective. But I doubt, producer and director Kranti Madhav will make enough money. But some movies are always made with the heart- not with an eye on satellite rights. A movie like "Aa Naluguru" or "Sankarabharanam" was never made with a lucrative motive - that they are still watched and count amongst classics is all that matters. Watch this movie too with that expectation - it is far better than "Devasthaanam" because Rajendra Prasad, unlike SPB doesn't over-act. And it makes far more relevant points, despite being didactic.

May 24, 2012

Don't worry, Economics At Work here!

Would have liked to post a longer note - exciting these times, but time also getting more dearer than petrol. I will make it as short and clear as possible.


Lets talk about Petrol first- I had been saying that we will never stop importing crude and therefore must prioritise that over Gold imports. Petrol price rise has been increased for number of reasons - Rising deficits, escalated rise in crude over the last few months, Rupee depreciation, and need to cut subsidy bills to give some relief to the Oil-marketing companies and also the import bill. This will continue to see rise, if you believe that crude oil prices will continue to be elevated over the coming years. The sooner you understand the economics of oil - the better our reconciliation with the reality, instead of raising ruckus over everything. Our politicians and sometimes, public dont realise that everything is not in the hands of government - your land prices and corruption deals, crony capitalism and MGNREGA schemes and Aarogyasri policies - may all be but eventually market forces will catch up with everything in life thats priced including the five elements - (air)gas, water, fire (energy), earth (sand) and sky (2G/3G).

Lets talk about Gold next. At current prices of gold prices in Rupees, if you invest now, and expect to make a return, beware.If international gold prices shoot up beyond the $1600 t/oz range and go back to $1800 levels and if Rupee appreciates back to Rs.50 to a USDollar, you make "zero" return. Current higher prices of Gold in India are due to Rupee depreciation. In any case, I am not yet done with my diatribe against Gold Merchants - so we will take that up separately. The Budget Bill hasn't cut customs duty but yielded to some other concessions.

Lets now talk about Sensex. At current levels of sensex, and Rupee-Dollar exchange levels, effectively, Sensex is literally trading at 12000-13000 thereabouts because of a 20% fall in Sensex and a 26% fall in Rupee exchange. Thats a colossal opportunity still. The less said, the better here.

Lets talk about the Rupee. There are more factors at work including the relationship between Euro/Dollar and Dollar/Commodities leading to a market decline in Rupee. Last Financial Year, we attracted $64 of NRI Remiitances - the highest in the world. I am sure everybody is watching even now. Similarly, if 50% of Corporate India hasn't hedged their dollars/euros, those in the export zone will make a bumper profit in the coming quarter. That should be good news. Besides, the RBI still has huge reserves to intervene - I am sure they have the smartest forex team in the world.

Lets examine facts and see things as they really should be seen. And for God's sake, lets understand how Economics really works in our lives. "Satyameva Jayate".

"Jailor" (Telugu/Tamil) Movie Review: Electrifying!

        "Jailer" is an electrifying entertainer in commercial format by Nelson who always builds a complex web of crime and police...