Kotha swecchaki andinchaali naa hridayaanjali !!!

I mentioned a while ago that I might get into translation spree, but it took a backseat for whatever reasons. So, here I translate two of my favourite songs. They are songs with deep lyrics, so even a mediocre translation would probably mean a job well done. Wish me luck :)

"Manasu Palike" from the movie "Andaala Raakshasi" (2012):

Lyrics by: Rakendu Mouli

Composed by: Radhan

Rendered by: Rakendu Mouli

So, when we watch this song in the movie, it's actually set in a poignant and somber setting. The hero is waiting for the heroine to forget her ex-lover (who is assumed to be dead at that time) and accept his love. And the heroine is still in the grieving period...in the transition so to say, and is unresponsive to his feelings.

But, when you listen to the song devoid of the context in the movie, it seems to come from a place of peace, stability and balance. It talks about love per se. It's a very satisfying feeling listening to this song at any point in time for me. Whether I was deep in void, or in waiting, in anticipation, or in pain, or in apathy or in stability...irrespective of my situation, it's always a great feeling listening to this song.

****

Manasu palike bhasha prema

The language that's spoken by heart is love

Mounamadige badhulu prema

The response that the silence seeks is love

Maranamaina thodu prema

Even in death, love is our companion

Manaki jarige maaya prema

The magic that happens to us is love

---

Gundelo vyadhalane kaalchu mante prema

The fire that burns the suffering in heart is love

Ragilina segalane aarpunadhi ee prema

It is love that dozes off the burning fire (wounds)

Aadhiyu anthamu leni payanam prema

Love is that journey that has neither beginning nor end

Vekuvai cherune cheekatintlo prema

A morning that dawns in a house of darkness, that's love

Vishwamantha unna prema, iruku yedhalo daacha galamaa

Can we confine (hide) love that encompasses this whole universe, to (in) a constricted heart?

---

Kaatilo kaaladhu thudi leni ee prema

This love that has no end, doesn't burn in the grave

Janmane koradhu, ammerugadhee prema

This love doesn't seek birth, it doesn't know its mother (it has no mother)

Dorakadhaa vethikithe kadalaina kanneeta

Can't this love be found in the tears that welled up into an ocean?

Taramaga daahame neeralle o prema

When the thirst is chasing, love comes as the water

Needaniche velugu thodu, cheekataithe emi kaanu

Light gives shadow as a companion; What will happen if that light turns into darkness?

"Maanasa Veena" from the movie "Hridayaanjali" (1998):

Lyrics by: Sirivennela Seetharama Shastry (Even before checking out, I could say he was the lyricist)

Composed by: A.R. Rehman

Rendered by: Chithra (& Shoba Shankar - intermittent and the ending humming; Along with intermittent chorus of course)

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam (Repeat)

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga (bhupalam is also a ragam in carnatic music). (Repeat)

Pachhadanala paanupu paina, ammai nelaa jokodutunte (Repeat)

While earth becomes my mother lullabying me to sleep on the bed of greenery (Repeat)

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.

---

Punnami nadhilo viharinchaali, puvvula valloo pulakinchali

I should wander in the river under full moon; I should rejoice in the lap of flowers

Paavuramalle paikegarali, tolakari jallai digiraavali

I should fly up like a pigeon; And should come down like the first monsoon drizzle

Taarala podarinta ratiri majili, vekuva venuventa nelaku tarali

A night adventure under the envelope of stars; Will reach back to the land immediately after the dawn

Kotha svechhakandinchaali naa hridayaanjali

I should offer salutations from the bottom of my heart to this new-found freedom.

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.

---

(Chorus)

Vaagula nestam chelarege, vegame ishtam manalage

Ningike nityam edurege pantame yeppudu naa sontham (Repeat)

My river friend is surging; It likes speed just like us.

The stubbornness to go against sky, is mine, always. (Repeat)

---

Oohaku neeve oopiri posi, choopave daari o chirugaali

By giving life to an imagination (thought), show (me/us) the path, o wind

Kalalaku saitham sankelavesi, kalimi yedaari dhaatinchaali

By chaining (curbing) even dreams, it should enable (me/us) to cross the rich desert

Tuntari tooneeganai tiragaali, dosedu oosulu teesukuvelli

I should wander like the mischevious mayfly; By taking a handful of gossips (words/conversations)...

Peydha garika poolaku isthaa naa hridayaanjali

...I will give my heartfelt salutations to the poor grass flowers.

---

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam (Repeat)

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga (bhupalam is also a ragam in carnatic music). (Repeat)

Pachhadanala paanupu paina, ammai nelaa jokodutunte (Repeat)

While earth becomes my mother lullabying me to sleep on the bed of greenery (Repeat)

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.

---

(Chorus)

Vaagula nestam chelarege, vegame ishtam manalage

Ningike nityam edurege pantame yeppudu naa sontham (Repeat)

My river friend is surging; It likes speed just like us.

The stubbornness to go against sky, is mine, always. (Repeat)

Is "rape" a "woman"'s subject?

So, recently I came across this news - "Even boys are not safe in Delhi..."

I have not been following news much since early 2020 when I started my MBA. And it's been the same till date. I don't follow news on TV anymore. Not just news, I stopped watching TV altogether. It feels too much and suffocating to take in. I have stopped reading newspaper as well. So, basically I've been more or less isolated from the world for the past 2.5 years. The only news I ever checked were the ones on social media or the ones popping up on my phone.

It's strange to realize that I stopped reading newspaper for the whole 2.5 years given the fact that I rarely missed my daily dose of newspaper before that. What's more strange is, I'm now quite OK with it and I'm able to go on fine with life that way. That's probably the power of habits we develop - good or bad, we become capable of sticking to them.

Anyways, that's not the point of this post. Let's come to THE POINT. So, I don't know if the news I was talking about became sensational or not, the way Nirbhaya's case had. At least, nobody around me talked about it in person, on WhatsApp or on social media.

So, I'm just wondering - is rape a woman's subject? If a boy/man is raped, the same crime that was ghastly when done to a girl/woman, is no more a crime enough? Are our gender equality proponents sleeping? Is the D&I consciousness of the society sleeping? And to top it, the women's panel had to take the case forward for cognizance? Is rape a woman's problem alone? I'm truly baffled! Period.

Patriotism

I have a couple of friends who bitch about 'Patriotism' (literally, just a couple of them). They think it's cool. I mean they wouldn't do that if they thought otherwise, right. But, I do think otherwise. It's not cool to me. Patriotism is essential because "you" and "I" exist ! Let me explain. Let me try to knock some sense of patriotism into this couple of people.

You can't come and slap one the way you like. There are boundaries...at all levels! You can't come and love one the way you like. There are boundaries! At all levels.

Patriotism according to me, is nothing but the feeling of owning up oneself, enabling one to protect oneself...one's space. Just that the "self" here is an extended space now. It's one's country. It's just a bigger self. There is a "self" at every level.

Oh yeah, I know "Vasudhaika Kutumbam". The world is one, why not! But even within a family, even between parents and children, between siblings, between a couple, between lovers, there are boundaries. There's something called 'personal space' and we ought to respect that.

When the British colonized India and transferred resources from here with their self-interests at the heart of it all, with no concern whatsoever about the people here, of course they behaved like the "other". There's no oneness. Of course, I get it they left us with English and "some" Education and maybe some roots for democracy. But, at a time when the whole world was moving towards democracy, do you think India would have been left behind? When the time had come for enlightenment, for democracy, for being free from the clutches of the "other", would India have been left behind?

Of course the country was unified. Of course centuries of ignorance, caste system, aristocracy, feudalism...everything came under spotlight...Of course Scientific thinking started taking shape. Technology..Railways...many things started taking shape. But do we owe that all to British? English and Education - hum pe kuch ehsaan nahin tha! It's just a byproduct of centuries of colonizing a place. Some "good" happens as a result.

Let's look at the other side of the coin. Let's start from the "self" again. You are required to slog the whole day, but some other owner makes money out of your hard work and gives you pennies. Would that be ok to you? Somebody encroaches your land, digs gold, digs minerals, makes money out of it and you are asked to pay tax for it in return*...all because you didn't know how to dig gold and minerals from your own land. Would you like that? Your neighbour encroaches into your land, just so that their living space is bigger, would you be ok with that?

*That's what India had to do; Pay tariffs in return despite losing its raw material and resources.

How then patriotism seems funny to you? To me, it's so intrinsic. If you have a self...a self in the right place, then patriotism comes naturally IMO. You want yourself to win. You don't want the other to win. It's as simple as that.

I know, everybody is selfish. I had written about this in my blog earlier. And I don't mind repeating it. Even a martyr is selfish. Because they are looking at an accomplishment, a fame, a virtue...to own it up all. But that selfishness is different. That doesn't harm anybody. Rather helps. It's a responsibility very few would like to own up. But selfishness that cuts into others' lives, being apathetic to the feelings and needs of the other, is not mere selfishness. It's exploitation and abuse.

"Dogs* and Indians are not allowed inside" - If that sentence did not stir one up at that time, then either they did not have a self or it was numb, sleeping. Or they did not have self-respect. Period.

(Of course, no disrespect whatsoever to dogs.)

Is shadow a measure of existence ?!?

I might get on a translation spree soon (or I'm already on it), so, I'm so glad to translate this song, one of my favourites, as the second one here in my blog. (Third one if we consider this song translated years ago, fourth one if we consider the translation of a poem in Vemana shatakam here).

Here it goes, the song from the Telugu movie "Jersey" (written by "Krishna Kanth")...

                          ***

Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa, nuvvantu levantu

Can you say to the fire that it doesn't exist, because it doesn't have a shadow?

Kaani kalalaku kantinadigedharaa, thappuntee needhatnu

Do you blame (question) the eye, for the unfulfilled dreams?

Padina nelaa...Padina nelaa

The fallen land...the fallen land...

Vadalanela niluvu neelaa...

How can you leave it outright (like you did)...

Kadhapa ledhaa Kadhapa leka, eduru gaale chediripodhaa...

Can't the wind move (and scatter) things away?

Unable to move it, wouldn't the wind breezing opposite, sway away?

Kaalchodhu ante kaadhu swarnam,

The gold is not made without burning it,

Ododhu ante ledhu yudham,

There's no war if there's no failure (if you think one shouldn't lose)

Lekunte kashtam haayi vyardham,

If there's no suffering, comforts are a waste,

Evari kosam maaradartham.

The meaning(wisdom) doesn't change for anybody.

Kaalchodhu ante kaadhu swarnam, ododhu ante ledhu yudham,

Lekunte kashtam haayi vyardham, evari kosam maaradartham...

The gold is not made without burning it, there's no war if there's no failure,

If there's no suffering, comforts are a waste...This meaning(wisdom) doesn't change for anybody...

                          ***

Otameragani aata kanagalavaa, undhante kaadhaate...

Do you find a sport in which there's no losing side?if there's one, then that's not a sport...

Daati shishuvuga bayata padagalavaa, noppatnu vadhante...

Can you cross it and come out a child, if you say you don't want pain?

Adugu dhooram, vijayamunnaa vidichi pona...

I will leave it even if the victory is just a step away...

Kadhalaleka vadhalaleka chedhiripona..

Unable to move, unable to let it go, I will be a mess...

Kaalchodhu ante kaadhu swarnam, ododhu ante ledhu yudham,

Lekunte kashtam haayi vyardham, evari kosam maaradartham... (Repeat)

The gold is not made without burning it, there's no war if there's no failure,

If there's no suffering, comforts are a waste...This meaning(wisdom) doesn't change for anybody...

                          ***

I didn't quite understand the placement of lines "Padina nela, padina nela, Vadalanela niluvu neela, Kadhapa leka, eduru gaale chediripodhaa..." I didn't get the context, so I find them out of place.

Also, the lines towards the end in the second part of the song, "Adugu dhooram, vijayamunnaa vidichi pona...Kadhalaleka vadhalaleka chedhiripona..", IMO make sense only if one knows the plot of the movie.

So here that goes...

The hero is a yesteryear cricket player who is very passionate about cricket. For some reasons he leaves it, but he is unable to make it to another job. He is shown more or less to be jobless, visiting govt offices in pursuit of the job he applied for. His lover and wife is unhappy about he being jobless and shown to taunt him on and off in the movie. They have a son who admires his father and his sport very much. At one point, the son asks the father to buy him a jersey on his birthday. Having no money to buy one, he takes money from the purse of his wife, when she is not there. She perceives the act as stealing and inadvertently slaps him. (I have no clue how that can be seen as stealing, when the same thing is just fine when a wife does that when she is not working. Also, I personally feel the heroine was not a great choice for the movie. She is fine, but during a couple of emotional scenes, I find her acting almost hysteric...I don't know if it's the character or the actress herself...)

Anyway, back to the story. So, the hero's ego is slapped day in and day out and he decides to get back to his forte, cricket, that is. And this is after a break of almost 10 years (I guess) and when he is relatively too old to start again now...When he last left the sport, he was playing apparently for the state. He does make a come back eventually and gets selected for nationals...

(Spoilers ahead...)

In a match, just before the nationals, he falls sick. And we get to know the real reason behind why he left the sport in the past. He was diagnosed with a heart condition that doesn't allow him to play cricket and there's a high chance of fatality if he played it. Back to the present, he still chooses to play the nationals. Fast forward to the future, there's a book launch function that is attended by the mother and the "grown up" son. The book is on the life of the hero delving on failure and underdogs who do not often meet success, yet how their journey can be inspiring and worth attention (as much or more than a success journey IMO). The movie ends with the son giving a speech about his father, how he played that match very well knowing he might die. The son is gifted with the jersey of his father. Telugu movies usually (in fact 99.99% of the times) tend to end on a happy note. So the movie is re-winded back to the past to a point in time where the three in the family capture a selfie (through a normal camera, when the concept of selfie didn't exist) in happy vibes on a beach.

(This movie was released recently in Hindi too. (Released in Telugu in 2019). Not sure why Shahid Kapoor picks up such films...those in which the heroes have already acted damn well. They have already set a bar, and it's very difficult, at least for the south audience, to see somebody else again in those roles. But the other side of the coin is, he does seem to have a taste for movies. The movies he picks are really good (with which he is able to connect well, as said by him in one of the interviews). He apparently wants to take those movies to the north audience (who probably don't have a bar set already for those roles). Anyway, whatever !!)

Edit(Jul-10): There was an error in my translation yesterday. Corrected the same and also added a few details to the climax of the movie.

You cannot stop the Spring !

 "Philosophy of Pablo Neruda -- You cannot stop the Spring!"

Thus read one of the lines in my MBA notes. Yeah, today afternoon I just wanted a white paper to write on and I grabbed the first book on the top of the heap in the cupboard and it happens to be MPBG + LCF + SI notebook (Management Paradigms from Bhagavadgita + Lessons from Corporate Failures + Strategy Implementation). This line is from the middle course. (I just checked it now, the full quote from Neruda reads, "You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.")

But wait, only yesterday I was chewing on this song, "Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dariki raani vanaala kosam" and wanted to do this post on translating its lyrics to English. But somehow I postponed it to today and I now know why. Nah, I'm not gonna tell you why. You better understand why :D (And as a matter of fact, what you understand (from the post that follows) and what I now think I know, may be quite different...)

Anyway, back to the song. This song is from the movie "Rudraveena". Any Telugu movie buff would know what kind of landmark movies, films like "Rudraveena", "Swarnakamalam", "Shankaraabharanam" have been. Specifically, these movies revolved around dance/music yet reflected deeply on the societal psyche at many levels. That's K. Vishwanath's forte and he will be forever in the hearts of many Telugu movie fans for that. Now tell me, how many art movies did the Telugu audience come across, that kept them entertained and engaged? Probably handful. Yet these movies don't stand out due to quantity (I mean scarcity), they do due to sheer quality.

Again, back to the song. This song is pretty close to my heart (in fact some other songs too from this movie) and it's been on my playlist for a long time. I used to play it especially during my "Void" years to keep me going (along with the other songs I was talking about). The lyrics of this song are extremely beautiful, rather esoteric probably. So, I will try and give it a shot to translate the lyrics into English. Be assured, the beauty of the lyrics cannot be retained in any which way, for they are far more elegant in Telugu. I'm afraid I must say English (or rather I, in English) cannot do justice to those lyrics (by Sirivennela Seetharama Shastry). But anyway, here I go...

                                                         ***

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dariki raani vanaala kosam? (Repeat)

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests (woods) that don't (or rather can't) reach out to her? (Repeat)

Gaganaala dhaaka ala saagakunte, meghaala raagam ila cherukodhaa?

Even if the waves don't (can't) reach the skies, doesn't the lilt of the clouds (rain) reach the land?

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dhariki raani vanaala kosam?

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests that don't reach out to her?

                                                         ***

Vennela deepam kondharidhaa, adavini saitham velugu kadhaa?

Does the light of the full moon belong to just a few (elite)? Doesn't it lit up the forests too?

Ellelu leni challani gaali, andhari kosam andhunu kaadha?

Doesn't the cool wind that breezes without barriers, blow for everybody?

Prathi madhini lepe prabhaata raagam,

The morning raaga (sun) that wakes up everybody every mind,

Padhe padhe choope pradhaana maargam.

Time and again shows us the key path.

Edhee sontham kosam kaadhanu sandesham.

Nothing is supposed to be one's own, that's the message.

Panche guname pothe prapanchame shoonyam.

When the virtue of sharing vanishes, the world will be void.

Idhi theliyani manugada kadha, dishanerugani gamanamu kadha.

Without knowing this, the story of (human) progress (evolution) is just a directionless wandering (a journey without a direction/destination), right!

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dhariki raani vanaala kosam?

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests that don't reach out to her?

                                                        ***

Brathukuna leni sruthi kaladhaa, yedha sadi lonee laya ledhaa? (Repeat)

Is there a tune that doesn't exist in life? Isn't there a rhythm in (our very own) heartbeat? (Repeat)

Ee kala kainaa, ee kala kainaa, jeevitha rangam vedika kaadhaa?

For any art...for any dream...isn't the stage of life the platform?

Prajaadhanam kaani kalaa vilaasam, ye prayojanam leni vrudhaa vikaasam.

Any art extravaganza that doesn't serve the public (common good), is just a waste development with no use whatsoever.

Koose koyila pothe kaalam aagindhaa?

When the koyal that coos goes away (stops singing), does the time (season) stop too?

Paare eeree paade maro padham raadhaa?

Doesn't a new lyric (song) originate with the flowing river?

Muraliki gala swaramula kala, pedhavini vidi palakadhu kadha...

The flute that has the knack of producing tunes, cannot sound (create the same) devoid of lips, right?

                                                       ***

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dhariki raani vanaala kosam?

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests that don't reach out to her?

Gaganaala dhaaka ala saagakunte, meghaala raagam ila cherukodhaa?

Even if the waves don't reach the skies, doesn't the rain reach the land?

                                                      ***

There's this other song in this movie, "Chuttuupakkala chuudaraa chinna vaada!" that comes during the beginning titles. It calls out a guy stuck in his own world to see the world around him...the realities and vagaries of it.

There's another song, "Randi randi randi daya cheyandi...". It's basically an invitation by the (would-be) father-in-law to the protagonist into his house in a comic way saying they are very glad to have him at their house.

And there's another song "Cheppalani undhi" after the hero has a rift with his family (father) and gets separated from them. The would-be FIL (father of his love interest) enquires him what's really bothering/worrying him and that it may be easy upon him if he shares what's stirring his mind. The song ends with the hero singing "Nenu Saitham" (by Sree Sree). "Nenu Saitham" means "I too can! (despite being just one)". Call it cliched, eccentric, ambitious, but I needed this song during my "Void" years to be reminded that I too can (rather that what I was doing can) make a difference.  This song happens to be my favourite in the movie. It does get hysteric towards the end and reverberates within (only to a person who is suffering).

Some of the lines in that song that really really resonate with me translate to, "The tunes (vagaries) of the helpless people suffering are hovering me, allowing me no peace. These strings have to be repaired. This aberration has to be corrected. Rejecting the mainstream (tune), assuming I am my own boss, I will walk this path. I will NOT live in a dream. I won't seek the comfort of the dream."

"Nenu Saitham" itself has some lyrics which mean, "Until the Spring embraces the whole world permanently (as in stably, completely), I will NOT sing the old tune, I shall NOT leave the new tune."

                                                     ***

Let me now quickly build the story of the movie from all the details already shared. The hero belongs to an upper-caste family. The father, a renowned musician discriminates heavily the other sections of the society and views them as outcast (untouchability etc. are depicted in the movie). He believes music is only for the upper-class (read it brahminic class). The heroine, a classical dancer, is from that very outcast section (read it harijan class), raised by an educated father with liberal views. The values of the hero (who learns music from his father) do not align with his father's and the contradictions surface constantly. There comes a time when the hero leaves his family to live with the world outside in a normal way. The village has a lot of drunkards (due to the alcohol being produced in the vicinity) who don't take care of their families. They literally abandon their responsibilities.

At one point in the movie, when the protagonists are all set to marry, some issue erupts and the hero decides that he shall marry only after this alcohol issue is sorted out. Eventually, the problem is sorted and the hero is honored at the end for transforming the village into a model village. The father comes at the end and says in his speech that he is proud to be identified as the hero's father. Of course, there are many interesting nitty-gritties and anecdotes in the movie, but they make for a discussion over a coffee.

                                                    ***

By now, you would have figured it out... Though at the beginning, the intention of the post seems to be about Spring or maybe about translating the lyrics of the song...the real intention is to build the story from these songs.

PS to self: Blogging after a long time makes me realize I have lost (the memory of) many words.

Update (06-Jul): I have checked if there are any other sources of translation for this song and found the below two good resources:

* Source 1: This requires one already knows Telugu (Not a source of translation, but a source of extended meaning).

** Source 2: Was interesting to compare my translation with the one here.

Whatever !

So, I watched this movie "Manmarziyaan" today as my random YT browsing led me to this movie recently. Was surprised, I didn't know until then that this 2018-released movie existed.

Completed watching it a while ago. So, the title translates to "Wishes of the heart" or may I say, "Whatever is the wish of the heart". But this movie is like "Whatever"...I mean like W H A A T E V V E R! Really? Is one's heart so hopeless that it wanders in whichever direction it wants? Pyaar aur dil kaa kuch mathlab hee nahin hotha hain? This is one of the shittiest senseless (in order to sound decent) stories I came across, I'd say. And this was not even a movie in "fiction" genre or some period movie which might have made sense at a different time. I don't know in which time and space this movie makes sense.

Quickly checked the headlines of the reviews after I watched the movie. So, they go on to say it is a different take at love and relationships. Really? Is this a love story at all? Isn't it an out and out story of lust? With all the three people involved there? Love and Lust are two different things, people! They are not one and the same.

I can at least understand the characters of Rumi & Vicky (played by Taapsee Pannu & Vicky Kaushal), but I can't, for the life of me, understand the role of Robbie. Like, you know two people are (apparently) madly in love (or let's say, in an affair) and then you come in between and even before they can make up their mind and decide either which way, you consciously try to break it up and then marry the girl? Ok done, it makes sense until here at least. But then, later you be so nice to a person who is not at all interested in you? Who on earth does that? Ok granted until here. You then go further and tell your wife, "You STILL have a choice!" What on earth does THAT mean? You could have given that choice before marriage, right? You could have let them be, give them their time and then let them decide.

But no, that isn't gonna happen right? Not here, at least in this story! These are two people who cannot decide forever. The guy is a commitment phobe and the girl decides so fast, that she changes her mind every now and then even in the eleventh hour. So Mr. Robbie, the saviour steps in and decides for them. Decides for all the three in fact and somehow marries the girl.

Mr. Robbie asks his Mom, "How can you decide that the girl is a trouble just by looking at the pictures?" I ask him instead, "How then did you decide that you love the girl and that you want to lead the rest of your life with her, just by looking at those very pics?" At one point of the movie, after knowing that his wife cheated on him, he bursts out (JUST for a moment) as he should. And next day, he says, "Sorry for yesterday! I overstepped." And thaat moment, I tell you, that moment, the movie got on to my nerves. Seriously, who should apologize whom dude?

There's something seriously wrong with the human race itself. I'm tired of these stories where people are extra nice to those who don't give them a damn...and on the contrary do not value enough, nice people. So there is nothing nice, nothing good or bad...It's all manmarziyaan...There's something seriously eccentric with this "mann" of the human race and it's probably time this eccentricity is fixed or I will go crazy now!

This trait of trying to spoil things to invite pain, running after those who are running away from you, loving something that is elusive to you - this is something out and out eccentric, but apparently normal to those who do this. As for me, love is when two people can open up to each other and be honest, be able to spend time with each other, be able to lead their lives with each other. Sure, in reality these eccentric people do not get married to their elusive lovers, but they still seem to be clinging to them. I can only pity them, what else can I do.

Anyway, coming back to the movie. The role of Robbie does step in much to save the other two roles, otherwise they might have been on a different hyperbole (who knows anyway!) So, what should have happened before marriage, happens after marriage. Actually, this guy Robbie was determined to live with Rumi, so he does it, he did not have a better choice. Just that, the way it is shown to happen, seems so senseless...as if marriage doesn't hold any value. Actually, that's not the case in reality coz most ppl do value marriage. They respect it or at least fear it (given the value society places on it). In fact, people in society respect marriage so much that they start disrespecting love*. But in this movie, marriage loses it's meaning like never before. Just remove marriage out of the equation and the picture does begin to make some sense.

(*I often wondered, isn't there a middle way in reality. As in, if one falls out of love with their spouse, and find somebody whom they truly love, can't they end the marriage in an amicable way, thereby respecting both the marriage and love.)

The acting of the lead actors, music and other technical expertise was definitely wasted on this story. But then, that's what movies are. They bring on to celluloid any story...just about any random fancy of human brain. And in that sense, this movie is a great job. It does bring out the fancy in a great way. I wonder if there is a better way to portray it.

A great dialogue is also wasted on this story. But some YouTuber made a great use of it anyway :)

There's a great deal of pain and suffering on earth in general, and more so when it comes to relationships. And that's such a pity, such a shame, for it's people who make a great (twisted and complicated) deal of simple things in life.

The only thing that made sense to me in the movie was its climax. Some sensible 10 minutes after 2 hours of senseless drama. And oh yeah, the line that runs in the trailers makes great sense too - "Love isn't complicated. People are!"

And yes, for all her baggage is worth, Rumi in the movie was redeemed with a few answers and just a simple friend request at the end, how easy!

And it's over!

Oh yeah! This deserves an entry in my blog. Can't believe it's over. It happened yesterday, technically today, around 12:15 AM. Roughly 24 hours ago, that is! I'm finally done watching the "Friends" series 😐!!!

There's a long background to this, which I'd try and write it down here may be. "Friends" is something I have been watching for the past 2.5 years! Yeah, it wasn't something I was binge watching. It was something I was slowly assimilating, 20 mins a day. Because, it deserves to be taken that way!

During one of my conversations with one of my besties when I was deep down in despair and void, she suggested that I start watching "Friends" series. I usually don't take advice from others. Because, most of the times, I know what I want and what makes me happy. Also, she is not the usual kind who gives advice. And this suggestion coming from her is, sort of, not expected. I did not heed to it immediately. But in Dec 2019, around the time I shifted to Bangalore for my job, it randomly crossed my mind and I took Netflix subscription just for the sake of "Friends". And, I'm so glad I did.

This undoubtedly is one of the best things that happened to me in life. 99% of the times, I used to end my day with "Friends". And yes, this period includes my 2 years of MBA too. No matter how late, I used to end my day with it. And what a great way to end it. Pure, unadulterated friendship, with people living life with no inhibitions and ego. This is how humans are supposed to conduct themselves, I say. Do we really find it these days? As cliched as it might sound, gone are those days. And what I couldn't find, out in the world, I found it in this series.

Here's to the 2.5 years of "Friends"! :)