There are movies....and then there are MOVIES!!!!

I am by nature a very emotional person....and one of my biggest and everlasting passions is movies!! From as far back as i can remember, watching movies has kind of been our favourite family activity. In fact we pride ourselves on being able to withstand any type of cinema be it nonsensical slapstick comedy, hard core romance or science fiction (though horror is one genre i still have to try out!!!) and never, i repeat NEVER leaving a theatre halfway through a movie (sheer sacrilege!!!). But of all these genres, my nature (and people would say my gender) endows me with a special ability to appreciate romantic and emotional movies!!! :) Ok well i admit it, i can really be a sucker for emotional movies!!!hehe....

I've seen them all, from the stupidest mills n boon romance flick to yash chopra's epic love stories to tragic movies like artificial intelligence. I've always loved the process of watching such movies....being able to place yourselves in the shoes of each of the characters, imagining what it would be like to go through the same things as them....making each emotion that much more personal and real. Such an approach is not without its repercussions......with those 2-3 hours of cinema bringing with it peaks of happiness and equally heart-wrenching lows...a lifetime's experience condensed into a couple of hours which can sometimes stay with you even once you come out of the movie hall. It is this quality that sets some movies apart from the run-of-the-mill love stories....movies that connect with you in some deep and inexplicable way. Of the countless movies that i have seen, very few fall into this category....stories like Veer Zaara (i dont care if ppl hate me for naming this movie), Devdas and most of all Dil Se!!!

Recently, i had the good sense and good fortune of watching Rockstar in the theatre....and by God, was it an experience!!! I went in having heard mixed reviews for the movie....and after watching it, there's no wonder why!!! Its the kind of movie that you will either love or not understand at all!! You might find the locales beautiful, love the music...but if you don't connect with the emotion, then it was all in vain!! Its one of those movies, that has released at the exactly right time in my life. Even though i would've ordinarily hated to admit this, there are some things you just cannot understand unless you have gone through a similar experience yourself......has it ever happened that you have listened to and liked/disliked a song in your young days and then suddenly heard it years later and finally understood and appreciated it (Listen to 'Somewhere over the rainbow" by Harry Nilson from the soundtrack of The wizard of Oz, maybe you'll understand what i'm trying to say)!!! You can sympathize with a character no end, but personal experiences can take empathy to a whole different level! The rebellion, passion and pain of Jordan in Rockstar, has struck a chord somewhere deep within....with music that has a soul of its own, its a movie i believe everyone should watch....if nothing else, it might give you an better understanding of the kind of person you are. It may not be appreciated by the masses...atleast not for the right reasons.....but still it'll remain one of the best cinematic experiences i've ever had. A heartfelt and sincere thanks to Imtiaz Ali and Rahman for this beautiful vision called rockstar!!!!

Friendship

We meet and interact with countless people everyday....be it in the workplace, a next-door neighbor or a random person on the street. Of these innumerable interactions, there emerge certain kindred spirits....people who make the rare transition from strangers and acquaintances to close friends. You never can predict when and how two people hit it off....sometimes its coz they have loads in common from hobbies to work to ideals and sometimes you can have two very different people coming together, learning from each other and managing to complement the other in surprising ways!!

In today's day and age, these friends are almost like our surrogate family....bound by ties that can go much deeper than plain genetics. Every thing we do, every decision we take, every new person that enters our lives has an effect on the others in this close-knit circle. We depend and many a times take for granted their support and encouragement in times of need and more often than not, are never let down! But what happens if we are doing something wrong...making the wrong choices?? Our ego can sometimes be our worst enemy, quietly assuring us that we are in control....that we can handle the situation. Protests and words of advice from this same family get a patient ear initially and if we are lucky, then better sense prevails. But what if that doesn't happen?? What if we have reached a point where we no longer have the ability to be objective about our actions? Then this same advice, words of protest and concern start to irk us....we no longer want to listen to any arguments...just want peace!!! What then should our friends do?? Admit that they can't get through to us and in the interest of harmony keep quiet?? Let us do as we please??

Its the worst kind of test to put our friends through....making them fight against us for our own good.....and its only the closest of friends who have the courage to do it. We would be truly fortunate to have such people around us.....