BAHUBALI

BAHUBALI

Perhaps,  you may be thinking that I am going to write about the outstanding 57-foot high statue of BAHUBALI  (Gommateswara statue related to Jain god BAHUBALI carved from a single stone located on Vindyagiri Hills in Karnataka State).  No.  It's about the very rare occasion when I am in a cinema theatre this evening (May 4, 2017).  Ironical, yes.  It raised the eyebrows of a few who spotted me there.  My image and professional profile wouldn’t allow me the 'luxury' of being in a movie hall, mall, exhibition or a picnic spot, as I have to offer some sort of an explanation for my 'aberrant' presence.  Once, when I was seen by an acquaintance in a cinema theatre, he exclaimed at once almost like: “ What’s wrong with you Sir ! You are in a cinema hall !”   Now, you also may be wondering why I am writing about a movie.  But those who are familiar with my writings know that I write on widely varied subjects, from pornography to piano, as the saying goes.

I saw the movie,  not because it's a national topper with a record of a worldwide gross earning of Rs. 800 crore in 6 days, being shown in 4K HD format.  Not because it broke all the rules and myths to become a 'superhit' -- sans superstars, chart busting songs and other mega inputs. Not because luck, divine blessings and 'word-of-mouth' smiled on it.  It had become so popular that there is the Moctale that Mr. Mahesh Babu was thrown out of his job by his boss for not seeing 'BAHUBALI 2" ! ( http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/articlesh…/58512676.cms).

It was because my granddaughter Versha, aged 9 years, insisted that I should come for the movie along with other family members.  While coming out, I asked her 'How is the movie ?' She said  'Very good'.  I thought she would say 'I was scared of all those killings'.             I heard that in Singapore children are not allowed to see this movie. Perhaps,  Indian children are more exposed to adult content, as almost all the family members routinely see violence, crime, romance and sex on their electronic screens at home.  Perhaps, it is part of evolution which may be unacceptable to the old fossils !  Anyway, I am not an old fossil, because I am only 5 years old + 70 years young !!!

I was asked to comment on the movie.  I said that the phenomenal success of the film is due to:   1. Technological excellence.   2. Cinematic documentation of fantasies which intoxicated common man.   3. People have been tuned and programmed to think good of it by clever marketing.   4. 'Outside-the-box' approach for a 'box-office-hit'. 5. Script, direction and cinematography are the real 'superstars'.

And, finally, it is a matter of taste and mindset.   One may condemn it as a technological trash.   Another may admire it as an art of excellence of all times.  It is expected to be short-listed for 'Oscar'.

Dr. T. Rama Pasad,   Perundurai

Ready for the worst

 

The WHO took a swipe at China’s ‘Zero-Covid’ policy stating that it is unsustainable, while Chinese authorities, caught in a ‘Zero-Covid’ trap, are concerned about the possibility of a devastating scenario of a tsunami of infections and deaths, if the umbrella of ‘Zero-Covid’ policy is folded.  The recent surge of cases, while still under the steel blanket of the china’s policy, raises the possibility of a new variant.  Would it spread to the rest of the world in a new ‘avatar’ and deprive us of the liturgical joy of saying ‘hallelujah’ ?  We have to wait and watch the vicissitudes of nature.  If bigger pandemics strike, in times to come, this Covid would look like a tiddler.  In November 2022, the WHO held a meeting of 300 top scientists from across the world to discuss about 25 virus families and bacteria, as well as ‘Disease X’, which could potentially trigger another pandemic.  If such a microbe emerges, the world would – Heaven forbid – be back to the drawing board.   Déjà vu !