A foreword to the 70s

By Anonymous

Humans have an endless, sometimes bordering on morbid, fascination with the past. Maybe the allure lies in the fact that we know how those stories ended. Life is insecure, and the future even more so. So we tend to take refuge in the familiar, and we long for the comfort and predictability of a happy ending. The past gives us a limitless number of those very instances, which is why people love to talk about their childhood. And I’m not just talking about Old People (otherwise known as Them, or The Others, as we tend to call those who are not young and heedless like ourselves). You see this behaviour in people of almost all ages. All of us, without exception, have told at least one story that goes, “When I was little...” or maybe, “When I was in school...”

This instinctive gravitation toward the familiar and the comforting results in a tendency to declare that all things past were good, and by interpolation, all things present are, if not outright bad, then at least not as good as the things past. That’s what makes us invent (inane) sayings like “old is gold,” and to like Facebook pages declaring, “Cartoons in the 90’s were way better than now,” and to discuss exactly how awesome the 70’s were.

In a way, we are all living in the past. Dwelling on it continuously, constantly comparing it to the  ever-unsatisfactory present. Sometimes it leads us to depression, and a wish to live in the Past altogether (and therein lies the road to madness). Other times it inspires us to great deeds, to be better than we ever were.

And some very rare times, it takes us to entirely different levels of obsession altogether, by dedicating entire magazine themes to it. (*insert self-indulgent grin here*)

So here’s to the past: may it never fade from our memories.

Visca Barca!

By Sagnik Choudhary

Sport is fun because, simply put, it’s unpredictable. Sure every game, every tournament picks its favourites, but all in all there’s always a sense of intrigue as to who goes all the way without faltering. However, over time, various teams or people have been dominating various sports, this being as much a part of a sport as winning or losing. To cite a few contemporary examples, the Aussie domination of cricket for about 15 years beginning from the mid-nineties, the Federer-Nadal duo, who’ve together achieved all there is to possibly achieve in tennis, the Schumacher era, then Spain’s rampant run of victories which culminated in them winning the World Cup last year, and more recently an epitomic Barcelona side who play like their only aim is to mesmerize you  with their simple but effective passing game, complex strategies be damned.

                                        

Does this somewhat spoil the fun that sport involves? If you play like Barça, surely not. At least not for the neutral spectator. Seldom in football has a team’s dominance been so consummate, so absolute, that every match involving Barça is almost always a foregone conclusion. What is even more delightful is that the onus of raising their game every single time, to imbue their game with the uncanny ability to leave the onlooker awestruck, is not just on Messi. It’s a burden shared by every player on the pitch (and how?). True, this is a golden phase for Barça. Question is will it end anytime soon?

Rumours of dressing room spats, and hurt egos, have been emanating from the Barça camp over the past few months to suggest that all’s not well in paradise. News of how Messi sulked after their La Liga victory or how Puyol’s gesture to hand Abidal the cup might not have been just a warm gesture after all have leaked to the press. The fact however remains that footballers today are professionals through and through, and such trivial hindrances are hardly enough to down the greatest team there is. Any harm done, if at all, would probably involve a little dampening of the team spirit and keeping the mood in the dressing room a little less convivial than expected.

What doesn’t help the other teams, the teams that face the brunt of Barça’s prowess on the pitch especially teams like Real Madrid, is that this is a young team. The most influential players are in their early to mid-twenties. Xavi is 31, but rumors of Javier Pastore or a certain Cesc Fabregas switching to Barca are abundant all over the internet. Should one of these deals go through, Barça’s years of making merry don’t look like ending any time soon.

So what is that we (as neutrals) get to do? Well, we get to gape at the incredible stunts(hardly seems a fair word to use any more) Messi and Co. pull off game after game for one, and more interestingly, we get to experience first-hand how Barça’s reign as kings of pretty much everywhere ends, as it one day surely will. The causes of this eventual decline and  what triggers the bringing-down-to-earth of one of the greatest teams that played in the history of the game will surely be something momentous, something all teams that nurture the desire to ape Guardiola’s Barça will do good to keep in mind. 

A Tribute to Paul Scholes

(An Amalgamation Of The Best Tributes To Him On The Net)

As shy as he was brilliant, Paul Scholes lit up the English game for seventeen glorious years. Part of the "class of '92," (which also included Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Gary Neville) Scholes broke into the first team in 1994, scoring twice against Port Vale in the League Cup.

Known for his rocket shots, terrific vision and unassuming personality, Paul Scholes has come to define Manchester United for the last fifteen years. Paul Scholes has been a master of the long ball and someone whose vision and awareness are unparalleled. They call him Sat-Nav and not without reason. Every time he receives that ball there are two things people take for granted – 

1) His first touch is sure to be flawless 

2) He knows exactly where each team-mate is on the pitch. 

Ask any United fan to list their favorite Paul Scholes moments, and you'd likely be conversing for hours. The blasters against Bradford, Aston Villa and that 35 yard screamer that sent Barcelona packing from the Champion's League. For years, Paul Scholes has been the only English player of his kind, the only one able to spot an eighty yard pass, the only one always a threat around the edge of the penalty box. 

A high up official at Inter Milan once said "I told Morrati, Scholes is a "mission impossible" man. It's more than money with him. He was born just a few blocks away from Old Trafford. It's about wearing United's colors." …..It's about wearing United's colors. That was really all it was ever about for Paul Scholes. He shunned the media and shied away from the limelight, concentrated not on furthering himself, but on furthering the team. England need more players like Paul Scholes, men that would never be found urinating in parking lots, sleeping with teammates' women nor brawling in nightclubs. England need more players creative enough to break down the most resolute of defenses, more players capable of picking out passes in the dying embers of important matches. 

Even though he knew it would be the last time he’d be donning the United shirt his generosity remained as he handed out his final shirt on Saturday to a current great who idolizes Scholes like so many. Andres Iniesta was the first to Scholes and he got his wish, he had the legend’s shirt. It wasn’t only Iniesta who was after the Ginger Prince’s jersey though. Scholes had to disappoint Messi, Xavi, Busquets and Pedro by informing each that he had already given it to Iniesta. Despite just winning the Champions League, these Barcelona stars recognized that they were in the presence of the greatest little maestro of his generation. 

But enough from me, I'll let the experts do the talking. 

Rio Ferdinand: “Paul Scholes aka Sat Nav went from a scoring midfielder to a dictator of the game (changed his game while still at  top of the game). Genius. 

Cristiano Ronaldo: “Scholes is the best I’ve played with and he helped  me a lot when I was young. He’s amazing.” 

Roy Keane: “Scholesy is just the model professional. I remember  whenever we’re playing in Europe at half-time there are players running to get his shirt. That just goes to show how highly he’s thought of on the continent. He’s a master.” 

Ryan Giggs: “In training his team always wins, everyone wants to be on  his side. He’s always first pick.” 

Messi: “At La Masia (Barcelona’s Academy) his name was mentioned a  lot. He’s a teacher.” 

Figo: “I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see  him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.” 

Cesc Fabregas: “He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best  player in the Premier League.” 

Zinedine Zidane: “My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.” 

Here’s to Paul Scholes…. 

A football player 

A genius 

A legend

One Piece At A TIme

 By Kartheik Iyer 


I was listening to a rather diverse collection of songs today, slightly different from the music I've been listening to of late. I swung up and caught the handhold as the train pulled into yet another station and a stream of humanity rushed past. The song was Paper Puli, by Bangalore rock band Thermal and a Quarter. The song starts off with, "Frank Zappa once said, 'Rock journalism is all about people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, for people who can't read.' " The train pushed off again, with the stream of humanity, now a pool of humanity crowded into the half the space of a multiplex washroom, with one gentleman who was trying to facilitate the fostering acquaintance between my face and his elbow. I kindly declined, but getting back to topic, if not anything else, I could read. Couldn't I?

Paper puli wound up its act and Deep Purple started off with Highway Star, remarkable how much the starting riff resembles that of Sinbad the Sailor from Rock On, but ah, well, it must've been 'independently composed'. I wanted to sing, but knowing my voice, I'd probably have joined the railway casualties list had I done so. The song was superb, the vocals scratchy, rough, and typical of that period. What period? The 70's of course. Wasn't that when it all happened? Well, yes and no. The seventies were an amazing time to be in, if you were a music lover. There was something for everyone. Rock, pop, metal, grunge, reggae, blues, you name it. Not that these genres didn't exist before that. Hendrix was wrapping up, he passed away in 1970, John Petrucci was three years old, and there was this new band that called itself Led Zeppelin, formed in 1968, in the same year as this other band called Black Sabbath. And the people of our world seemed to have rediscovered new and extremely inventive ways of using a variety of trance-inducing substances for both recreational and inspirational purposes, and would forge ahead and produce realms and genres of music that would then proceed to blow the minds (whatever fragments remained). It was to be an amazing high, er, no, amazing journey.

After Deep Purple came Iron Maiden's Blood Brothers. And good song though it was, I was rather distracted by two strikingly beautiful ladies who were engaged in the rather un-maidenly act of striking down an unfortunate soul who happeneth to glance rather lecherously in their direction, going by their version. The poor victim, er, pervert was mutinously complaining that it had simply been something in his eye. A crowd was in its nascent stages around the spectacle, for our people are never ones to turn down wholesome free entertainment, and were gatherin' 'round with the satisfied expressions of one who's platform ticket has yielded its money's worth. Unfortunately, the train had a schedule of its own to keep up with, and with a clang of the gears that amounted to a mechanical sigh, it set off once more, bearing me with it.

What surprised me, as my playlist progressed, playing Edwin Starr's War, Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over troubled water, and Rolling Stones' You can't always get what you want, was the sheer amount of variety that emerged from that period. I thought back of how people were stereotyped now according to what kind of music they listened to, Rock artists are dumb. Satanic Metal Punks. Gay pop loving freaks. And those days, when everyone was a brother, food was cheap and music was peace, how would they have been like? (Again, I have no idea whether the seventies were really like that, and they most probably not, but what the heck, why can't people dream?) The train went on, with its assorted clangs and rattles providing background accompaniment to the subtle nuances of an ever effective Pink Floyd' Comfortably numb, which was followed by the Eagles' Tequila Sunrise.

I had almost reached, and AC/DC (visit Edocsil's wall, no, not facebook) was playing Back in Black. I waited for the song to finish, and wound up my earphones. There was so much I couldn't cover, the Who, Queen, Alice Cooper, KISS, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bruce Springsteen, The Doors, The Ramones, Presley (deserves a special mention for cult-ishness, hats and wierd hairdos off to him.), Lennon, Marley, and god-knows-how-many-more-bands-i'm-forgetting, so much more I couldn't write about, about the experimentalism, about the feckless, reckless nature of the bands, and their individual personae, the stories, world reception, styles and the emergence of the sub-genres that classify music today, (and how dare I forget them, the groupies), and of course, Hindi music from that era, and how it influenced / was influenced by its western counterparts. But I leave all that for a later date, and end with an excellent dictum from the age of psychedelia. Peace, bro'.

ps. One interesting piece of information that puzzled me, though. Deep Purple once occupied a position in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the loudest pop group". Er, pop. How? 

Theories and answers are welcome at mail.ltgtr@gmail.com, on our facebook page, or at sahihaiyaar.blogspot.com.

Also, this site, whose address I happened to find on wikipedia, happens to have a wealth of information on the 1968-1976 period, do visit it if you feel like. http://musiccollectorsite.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer. All the songs mentioned are the sole property of their respective artists, this article is not part of any promotional propaganda or publicity material, and may be shamelessly copied, lifted and reproduced in any form, with the cognizance of the author. He'd feel good about it.

Keeping It Real - Comic Strip

By Born Confused

What I Made

By Revanth Chaudhary


Towering up, Through what I can See and Visualize, then beyond,
Lie those pillars, I made for me, by me.

 Rising through, Depths of deepest trenches and caves, then beyond,
Lie those pillars; I made for me, by me.


 Oh! How can I see, What I built for me, by me,
When my vision is blinded by apathy incessantly.


Oh! How can I feel, What I touch, built for me, by me,
When I refuse, the touch from inside me.


Growing up, through ages all, time-flies incessantly, then beyond,
Lie those pillars , I made  for me , by me ..


Expanding through, space(s)-volume, domains glare, then beyond,
Lie those pillars, I made, for me, by me.


Oh! How can I grow old, when the transient is eternity, in I,
And I refuse to accept the divinity of my humanity.


Oh! How can I quantify, the whole of I, when domains expand,
In ethereal bliss, And I Shrink enlighteningly.


Standing tall, through any time, life’s in bounty, then beyond,
Lie those pillars, I built for me, by me.


Balancing the mortal skate, through terrain present in history, then beyond,
Lie those pillars, I built for me, by me.


Oh! How can I grow, quantify, see, feel ,
What they built, for me, by me, when my vision is unseen within ‘ I ‘.

Oh! How can I grow, quantify, see, feel,
What I built, for me, by me, so inherent in geometric conformity...


Then, realizing the lines that draw around, and circle overhead, then beyond,
The whisper from the pillars, grounded through soil, speak -


“Only I can hold ‘my’ Time.
Only I can hold ‘my’ Space.
Only I can hold ‘my’ Me.
Only I can hold ‘my’ I.
Only I can hold ‘my’ Light. “...................


 Looking around inside-outside ‘a’ placidly,
Finding the light, liberation and universe,
Outlet deserved and fear dissolved, 
To let Everyone else, Be.

The Life And Times Of A Guardian Angel

About The Guardian Circle

The Guardian Circle is an initiative taken by students to help give back to society. It is an NGO which fully understands the importance of education. However, they are also aware that some children cannot afford it. TGC strives to fund such financially handicapped children so that they too can can have the opportunities rendered unaffordable by their financial state of affairs.They constantly keep a check on every child’s progress and guide them online or in person and provide them with whatever they need to excel in their studies and help them towards a brighter future.They act as Guardians. We catch up Bulbul Behl, VICE PRESIDENT- Publicity and Marketing/Sponsorship and part of the manipal chapter of The Guardian Circle and ask her to share some of her experiences with us.

Q.1 Before we get into details about your association with TGC, could you tell us a little about yourself. What are currently studying, your interests, hobbies etc. ?

A.Well, I am currently pursuing Information Technology at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal.

My interests are exceedingly long so to put it short. I would say that this world fascinates me on the whole. People fascinate me. Different Cultures intrigue me. I love to figure out how this world and our society as a large works.

I love indulging in nature. I love interacting with kids. I also love animals so I try and do things that are usually a combination of all these. I love being on stage so dancing, dramatics, MCing are some of the things that keep me busy.

Q.2 How did you first come across the guardian circle? What were your first thoughts when you heard about it?

A. I first heard about it through a friend, Barkha Sengar, who is also part of TGC and happens to be on the Nation Liaison of the The Guardian Circle. She asked me if I was interested in becoming a part of it. The name just grabbed my attention. Being a guardian for somebody was a perfect way to make my life count towards the betterment of society.

Q.3 How long have you been associated with it now?

A. I have been part of TGC since march, 2010.

Q.4 TGC aims at helping financially handicapped and underprivileged children. Moreover it is an entirely students initiative. You hold an important post in TGC. What have you been doing at TGC to prepare the groundwork and start activities?

A. We have two things to work upon.

Firstly, we have to explore the area in and around manipal to figure out our target group. Details like how many orphanages exist, figuring out which ones need immediate help and also working out details such as how we wish to approach these organisations.

We have visited a no of orphanages around manipal and now we have a rough idea of where to begin.

It is only after these things that we can then plan the activities and have our action plan ready. That being said, since I handle publicity and sponsorships in Manipal as well, another part of my job is to recruit as many “Guardian Angels” as we can. The more people we have the better it is! So we are doing as much as we can to spread awareness about our cause.

Then lastly, sponsorships. That is a very tricky department. Unless you are well established and well known people don’t really fund you.I mean why would they?! They need some sort of mutual benefit right? So then we have employed ways to make this process as transparent as possible so that the sponsors know how their money is being made use of. That couple with the fact that TGC is expanding at a rapid pace across the country goes a long way in assuring brand visibility.

Q.5 We live in a land of destitute, poverty stricken people, where corruption and disease run rampant. In this land of a billion people with a billion problems, why did you choose to concentrate on children and their education? And how is what you are doing better than or different from all the other NGOs out there?

A. We at TGC believe that a solid foundation is the key to everything. For us, these kids will shape the future of tomorrow so if we make sure that the “seeds” are well sown and properly nourished the tree is sure to be healthy when it grows.

Our organisation is very young but nevertheless we have clear objectives. They may be small but they are concrete. We would rather focus on 1 child’s life than boast the wellness of a 1000. For us, it really is as simple as that.

Q.6 You must have spent lots of time with underprivileged kids. Can you share some of your experiences with those kids?

A. Yes, I have and it has been a humbling experience.

I distinctly remember this one time where we were playing kho-kho with a couple of very adorable young ones. I remember a little girl named Ashwini. Now this girl was no more than 6 or 7 but when she ran she outdid people who were thrice her age. She ran like the wind. I just couldnt believe it. Now imagine if this girl wanted to and was given the opportunity to get trained as an athelete, she could very well be representing India at the Olympics. Now wouldnt that be great? Moments like these make me feel that there is soo much to be done. There are so many talented souls out there who need help. All it takes is a little push.

Q.7 What kind of challenges do you face in trying to organize TGC activities? How can people help?

A. Language is a big barrier. It is very hard to communicate with the kids when they dont know Hindi and we dont know Kannada(the local language of Karnataka) We make sure that we have enough epeople around who know the local language who can keep the flow going.

Funds seem to be another issue. It isnt easy raising money. And to organize the smallest of events we need capital. There are no two ways about it.

People can help by donating money, that way we can fund activities etc very easily. Also the more people we have the better so in short my message is - Come join TGC and be part of the change!

Other things that people can do are donate books/ clothes etc that would help the kids.

Q.8 Student life, and even personal life these days take a huge toll on the body. How hard you find it to motivate yourself and others like you to take on the arduous tasks involved with such an initiative?

A. Not hard at all. When you see that you’ve made a kid smile at the end of the day it gives life a new meaning. I feel better about my self and I want to keep feeling this way all the time.

Sure, it does take a toll but trust me the feeling of having done something worthwhile keeps us going. Luckily for us, if one of us is down someone else always has things sunny side up. Its infectious, this feeling. Within minutes everyone is charged up again.

Q.9 Some of the stories of the underprivileged kids are at times shocking and can overwhelm students who have never been exposed to such harsh realities. Were there ever moments like these for you? (if yes how did you deal with it?)

A. Yes, there have been many. I do get moved by them. I am a very emotional person to say the least.

Honestly? The first thing I actually have done is scream out loud inside my head. Then I probably went on to curse the Govt. for being such lousy caretakers. Then I guess I looked down upon myself for complaining about the smallest of things in my life. It’s about time that instead of complaining and blaming others I get down to it and make a change. To see the change YOU have to be the change.

Q.10 TGC has already started impacting the lives of many children. But how does it impact your life? What have you learnt so far from your association TGC?

A. I ll tell it short and simple.

It has made me more humble. Made me be more thankful for what I have. I complain less now(or so I would like to believe). I waste less now. I make it a point to donate stuff that I m not using as opposed to simply throwing it away.

Q.11 What is your hope for TGC? Where do you see it going in say next 2 to 3 years?

A.I hope that TGC can reach out to more lives as the day goes by and make a difference. I can imagine TGC opening up doors in many more colleges if not all [ ;) ] across India. Youth is our strength and it is through fellow youngsters that we see our mission being accomplished.

Q.12 Most of our readers are college students. Would you like to say something to them?

A. Yes, I would. Here is the message I have for the Youth of India..

Education, efficiently provided at the grass root level can work wonders for this country. A good education makes one think twice before accepting a bribe. It makes one vote better and goes a long way in promoting a healthy civil society. Sadly the state of Government schools in our country is appalling as ever. Private schools, even the ones with low fee structures are a bridge too far for the majority. And it is this majority we want to help. Democracy is run by the masses. Imagine a well educated mass. You can help by donating, or even better, joining the ranks of TGC and working towards enabling the underprivileged. 

Be a guardian, be the difference!

Djinn's Lament

Band Interview 
We catch up with one of the most happening metal acts in Chennai ,Djinn’s Lament , a relatively new band in the scene , to give us an insight into their musical career.Their new song , Shift , has been doing its rounds fairly well on the ReverbNation charts and their music can be described as an amalgam of blinding aggressive riffs and melodic strains on an ambient background.This is what their drummer , Prakash , had to say. 

Q. WHAT ’S THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME DJINN’S LAMENT? 

A: Our Ex-Guitarist was a big fan of the online RPG League Of Legends where he came across a character named Djinn. When he showed it to us we found the name fascinatingand agreed to use it. Later on we added the word Lament to it. Djinn’s Lament means ‘Demon’s Sorrow’.

Q. AND THE CURRENT LINE-UP OF THE BAND IS ?
A: RG - Vocals
Aaslesh- Bass
Siddharth-Keyboards
Moiz- Guitars
Prakash- Drums

Q. WHERE DID YOU GUYS MEET? HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOW EACH OTHER ?

A: RG, Moiz and Siddharth were already a part of the band along with some others. I met RG at a gig and we started chatting on Facebook. Eventually I joined the band. We were desperate to get a bassist for the band which was when we found Aaslesh and he joined the band. The final line-up was ready by December 2010.

Q. IF YOU HAD TO PICK A GENRE FOR YOU MUSIC, WHAT WOULD IT BE ? WHO ARE YOUR MAJOR INFLUENCES?

A: Our genre is Progressive Death. Actually, our inspirational list is very long, few major Influences are Opeth , Meshuggah, Dream Theater, Children Of Bodom, Gojira, Lamb of God, Porcupine Tree, Tool, The Faceless and Obscura.

Q. WHEN DID YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO FORM A BAND? WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER?

A: The band was formed in mid 2010, but went through numerous lineup changes until we settled upon the final lineup in December 2010. The love for music and our respective instruments inspires us to make music together.

Q. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT WRITING & COMPOSING SONGS ?

A: Moiz composes some riffs from which we take in a few and structure the song. Siddharth adds the Keyboard riffs based on the guitar riffs while I add the drums and Aaslesh compliments the guitar riffs with his bass lines. RG writes the lyrics and titles for the song. We compose the basic structure of the song and try to improvise on it later.

Q. ARE THERE ANY MAIN THEMES TO YOUR SONGS?
A: In our new song “SHIFT” lyrics is based on our personal experiences. The other two are about the diary of a dead man and ‘apocalypse’. We have a little space rock influence in our music too.

Q. WHICH SONGS DO YOU PERFORM MOST FREQUENTLY? DO YOU EVER PLAY ANY COVERS?
A: We perform the songs ‘Dear Diary’ and ‘Grand finale’ frequently and a cover of Opeth’s Classic ‘Demon of the Fall’ as it suits the overall sound of the band. Recently we started playing our new song ‘Shift’ which we also recorded and released as a single.

Q. HOW DO YOU GUYS REHEARSE AND PRACTICE?
A: We try to practice at least once in a week but then finding a rehearsal place becomes tough because the jam rooms are pretty expensive so now we are planning to invest in a Jam hub and practice with it.

Q. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS AN UPCOMING BAND IN INDIA?
A: Lack of exposure has been the biggest challenge for us.

Q.How do you feel about the present day music scene in India ?
A: The western music scene has grown a lot through the years. Especially the metal scene is reaching new heights with many well acclaimed international bands performing in India and many Indian bands performing abroad. I am sure that the western music scene will reach greater heights in the coming years.

Q. FINDING ONE’S OWN SOUND IS A LONG GONE-BY THING, IN TODAY’S GENRE- PLAGUED SCENE. DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU HAVE Found YOUR OWN SOUND? WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FIND YOUR OWN SOUND?
A: We are experimenting a lot with our sound by infusing Progressive Death/Groove metal elements with melodic song structures. The Keyboards plays an important role in creating a unique sound of our own.

Q. ANY LAST WORDS?
A: Metal bands play only for you guys so please show your support by attending all the gigs and inspiring us to work even harder to create better music.

 Follow them on Facebook and ReverbNation guys.

Blast From The Past

By Nishant Boorla

Evolution. Steadfast rule of life. Conventional wisdom states evolution to mean adaption as means of survival. In most cases that’s true. Even with movies this rule remains unchanged. Well almost. While the norm is for films to evolve as per the tastes and preferences of the target audience, every once in a while a visionary comes along to make a movie that’s ahead of it’s time. Case in point - Brian DePalma’s “Scarface” [1983] - a movie that bombed at the Box Office (or so I heard on Entourage) and yet is studied by film-students today.

Scarface is the quintessential gangster flick. 

But such movies are exceptions to the norm and come about but once in a blue moon. Which brings me to the  70’s.

For me, the 70’s was the era that re-defined film-making and set benchmarks that are adhered to to  this day. Every decade has its fair share of good movies, but what sets the 70’s apart is the fact that the good movies of this decade weren’t just good, they  were trend setters that ushered in a paradigm shift in filmmaking method. There’s not a genre that went untouched. The directors were visionaries and as ahead of the time as they were they still knew how to appeal to audiences. Every director was fearless and in a way the embodiment of Pacino’s famous line from Scarface - “all I have in this world is my balls and my word, and I don’t break ‘em for no one”

Point to be noted - I mentioned Scarface at the beginning because a lot of parallels can be drawn to and from it. Let me begin with a lesser known masterpiece. 

Dog Day Afternoon[1975]. A film starring Al Pacino, the  man who owned the 70’s was a risky one in many ways. Most definitely c ahead of its time in one sense - a homosexual male lead. A homosexual male lead in the 70’s when the world swore by bigotry and conservative ideals. Yet Sidney Lumet knew how to sell the film. Slick direction and razor sharp editing apart, the race was  half-won with the prerelease tagline - “The robbery should have taken 10 minutes. 4 hours later the bank was like a circus sideshow. 8 hours later it was the hottest thing on live TV. 12 hours later, it was history. And it’s all true.” 

Al Pacino dominated the 70’s with an eclectic blend of characters all driven by quiet determination. It’s the hallmark of a true acting great to downplay theatrics to deliver an effective, breath-taking  performance. He debuted as a male lead with “The Panic in Needle Park” in 1971. A film I’ll come back to later on in this write-up. Stellar performances followed in “Serpico”, “And Justice for all”  and “Scarecrow”. Movie-lovers will note I left out two his most  famous films. In fact, two of the greatest films ever made. But more on that later. Pacino asserted his dominance in this decade and picked up one Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and 4 consecutive nominations for Best Actor in a Lead Role.

This brings me to the Directors. Let me start with the obvious choice. The man who has landmark films in every decade. Martin Scorsese. He kick started the decade with Mean Streets which is to this day sets the standard for street gang films. Again, a film that defined its genre. Realism in cinematography, gritty storytelling that borders on documentary style of filmmaking, flipping the birdie to all things glamorous. And of course, Scorsese’s trademark stylized violence. 

He followed it up with “Taxi Driver”. Again, a path-breaker. A case study, a social commentary and one man’s twisted story. Genius. He also directed “New York, New York” which failed at the box office but is regarded as one of his finest achievements. From gang violence to shock and awe. Hello Stanley Kubrick! “A Clockwork Orange” took violence to whole new levels and is set in futuristic, authoritarian Britain. a setting echoed by “V for Vendetta”. Another 70’s character study and a deeply disturbing one at that this is one of the most infamous movies from the 70’s with a cult following. Kubrick of course went on to pioneer the use of the Steadicam which would become the staple of horror movies. 

Speaking of Horror. Steven Spielberg (yeah there’s no end to name dropping in this article) broke through in to the big league with Jaws. A film that combined horror with creature-film effects, Jaws went on to set a record for the highest grossing film of its time. This set the precedent for future Spielberg ventures that guaranteed quality film-making and big bucks at the box office.

Spielberg went on to become friends with - George Lucas. The visionary genius behind the Star Wars. The franchise that took the world by storm was trend setting in more ways than one. To begin with, it announced the era of films with storylines set on an epic scale. Innovative directorial techniques and special effects and one of the most notorious villains of all time made this the most succesful franchise of its time. It shares the underlying theme of Scarface - “what goes up must come down” (issued in public interest by Sir Isaac Newton). Anakin Skywalker steps over to the dark side only to fall rather melodramatically to his son! Star Wars also set the trend for brand merchandising. Star Wars erasers, pencil boxes, t-shirts and what not? 

Reverting to horror films, the 70’s saw two horror classics in stark contrast to each other. One set in a house with a primitive storyline while the other is set in outer space with an extravagant premise. One had the most haunting background score of all time while the other was a silent killer. The former being “The Exorcist” and the latter “Alien”. Yeah Alien launched Ridley Scott who decades later gave us “Gladiator”.

Alright, I’ve been putting this franchise off for long enough. Perhaps the greatest film ever made followed by perhaps the greatest film ever made. Never have 2 films been made of such high caliber before. Both took home Oscars for Best Picture, with the second film being the first ever sequel to do so. The Godfather parts I and II. Francis Ford Coppola’s epic tale of mob life, strong characters and the power of family ties and vengeance. A heady cocktail. The first movie, in my opinion the greatest film ever made, took home several Oscars. Marlon Brando’s epic performance won him the Oscar for Best Actor while Al Pacino (yeah him again) was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Both these screen legends boycotted the Academy Awards that year! Coppola followed it up with what is widely regarded to be the best sequel ever made, adding Robert DeNiro to the list of legends to have been associated with this epic fanchise.

But Coppola didn’t stop with those two movies. Oh no! He went on to direct the war epic Apocalypse Now. A film that was considered the best war film until a certain Steven Spielberg came along to make “Saving Private Ryan”. No doubt then that the 70’s were the greatest decade for mainstream cinema. 

Honourable mentions - The Sting[1973], Chinatown[1974], One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest[1975], and finally - Network[1976] which had one of the greatest on screen monologues ever written. This monologue set the trend for what is in my opinion the greatest pilot ever made for a TV show - The pilot to “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”. 

Long live the 70’s!

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Nishant Boorla
Sarcasm means the world to me. Yeah that's always a good place to start. I watch movies...a lot of movies! Sports nut and a die hard Manchester United fan. Highly opinionated and that shows in my articles.

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Let Them Work

By Vakul Mohanty

The freedom of expression is a beautiful thing. I can blabber all I want, spew out all the bullshit I believe in and you can’t do a thing about it (yes, you can passively resist by refusing to read or listen to my point of view, but there isn’t much you can do about the fact that I’m putting it out into the world for every intelligent organism to view) Also in the same spirit, you are entitled to have your own views and I can do nothing but crib and argue my point of view! It’s this freedom of expression and enforced tolerance that gives me the courage to write this little article. I will draw the wrath of people holding very conservative views on this subject, but all I need to do, is stick my tongue at them and walk away unscathed. Ahh…I love democracy. 

Now getting down to the point - let’s just start off with a general look at the problem of child labour. Indian society is perhaps the most populous in the world. Our concrete jungles and prehistoric villages (yes, it’s an exaggeration, but I let it stand for the effect) are crawling, milling with uneducated masses. In such a society, it’s not really surprising that children have to bear the brunt of poverty that comes crashing upon people when too little has to be shared by too many. It’s not uncommon for us to see children working in factories, construction sites  amongst other places. I wouldn’t deny that a child younger than me once worked at my home, she sent to school and all that, but she still worked while I lounged around watching TV. The very scenario leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. In these situations a rather grim disturbing picture slithers into my mind’s eye - my comfortable existence is sculpted by the sweat and blood of little hands, I stomp on their delicate bare backs by just existing.

Every year around Diwali this guilt boils over when a bunch of kids and activists go around trying to convince people not to burn fire-crackers made by children and contribute in their little way to abolishing child labour. The government of India has also banned child labour and every now and then there are flashes of news about how the police saved a group of teens working in horrendous conditions and set them free. But set them free where? In the barren street s of India? With no food, because of your gracious heroics. The government’s present policy is just a punch in the kid’s stomach. Yes, there was this policy that every child who attends government school would get a meal or two, well, I know for a fact that half the food grains meant for the schools are swindled and sold off, so that strategy isn’t going to work, Sir! It’s about time you put in a little thought the next time you go barging into a factory and rob a child of his only way of finding his next meal.

I can already feel the glares and the fingers pointing at me. I don’t care, I will buy those crackers, I will employ that child, and I rather have him earn his meal with dignity rather than steal or beg for it. True, the conditions that these children work under are no water, no shelter? Set them free under the treacherous sun of India to burn in the heat? The guys up there are great policy makers, but in India, policy is rarely, if ever, effectively translated into action and when the policy itself is so flawed then there is really no hope left. The Indian government’s policy of abolishing child labour and making it a punishable crime for the employer really serves no purpose other than sow seeds of chaos in our already fragile social structure. You take these kids off their jobs and jail the man who employed them and feel good about the hard justice you have brought down upon evil. But did you wait for a second to consider that fate of the children you supposedly saved? Many of them are the sole providers of their family of tiny siblings, all of whom will die of hunger horrendous, so if you can’t save them, at least make the conditions tolerable. The only solution I see with the weak social system we have is to reach a middle ground where children aren’t allowed to take up extremely dangerous jobs, but they can take other jobs. It’s a strategy that is already in practice but if made a law, it might have a far more profound effect.

True, my esteemed reader, I’m a kid from the Indian middle class; the suffering of the poor homeless children of India is alien to me. I will not even say I can empathize with them, understand their problem - all I have is sympathy. But I refuse to be blinded by guilt and sympathy. I stand by my point of view that simply abolishing child labour and preventing children from working isn’t a solution to this heinous problem.

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Vakul Mohanty
A metal-head who's wants to do pursue a Ph.D Currently studying Biology & Comp Sc. at BITS,Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, his life-long ambition is to become a professor and wear shorts to work.

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KungFu Panda 2

by Surya Tej Borra

 Movie Review

After the excruciating compres repeated trips to the multiplexes is a logical trend life tends to take, however these trips were hardly worth all the trouble. They were just screening one crappy movie after another. Then came 26^th May and came a visual extravaganza from Dreamworks Animation KungFu Panda 2. I can  confidently say that this movie has wiped out all the clichés that animated films are strictly for kids below 14. People irrespective of age were laughing till their heads off. True to its genre, KungFu Panda 2 had close resemblances to a Jackie Chan’s film which has madcap action. KungFu Panda 2, the second installment of the five films planned is the most beautiful CG films till date on celluloid in my opinion.

The story of "Kung Fu Panda 2" picks up right where the first one finished. The Dragon Warrior Po (Jack Black) has learned to harness his Kung Fu skills and now fights alongside the Furious Five battling the forces of evil. Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), banished prince of Gongman City, has returned with a new and dangerous weapon that will make all of China bow at his feet. When the Kung Fu master, Master Rhino, falls victim to this new and powerful weapon, Po and the Furious Five are called in to action.

 In his quest to defeat Lord Shen, Po discovers a terrible truth about his past. Orphaned as a child, Po learns that his parents were killed by Shen, who sought to kill all the pandas of China after the Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh) informs him that his demise would be at the hand of a warrior of black and white. Po uses this terrible truth to find inner peace with himself, defeat Shen and save China. Creating ever-more compelling villains always represents a challenge for ongoing film series, from James Bond to Batman, so the introduction of a slim peacock who not only claims that, “China will be mine!” but also intends to eliminate kung fu, represents a real force to reckon with. One aspect of the film is really appreciable. The Dragon Warrior looks hilarious and ravaging in action sequences and like a cuddly toy in the others. Screenwriters have nicely used the title character’s search for his real father to provide a little depth and poignance to a character whose initial rowdy behavior was a bit grating but which has now been mellowed with a measure of self-reflection on his childhood. Coming to the characters and the celebrities who have lent their voices, everything is flawless. Jack Black as Po, the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five comprising of Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Jackie Chan as Monkey, Seth Rogen as Mantis ,Lucy Liu as Viper, David Cross as Crane make it an engaging watch all through. In the first movie the action was a bit late, however in this edition characters are throwing fists at each other with 15 minutes. The increase in action sequences kept me glued to my seat. There is enough amount of time to small-fry-friendly bumptious slapstick and silliness, which feels generically mandatory. But it all moves along briskly, with a degree of visual grace and a solid feel of 3D effects. The settings were absolutely stunning, especially the sunsets, and the attention to every little detail, from the fur of Tigress to the feathers of Lord Shen, make it a visual masterpiece. 

The visuals in the film were the most outstanding aspect of the whole production. Hans Zimmer’s score is an asset  the and the perfect icing on the cake are the end credits, which employ a beautifully designed flipping lantern technique accompanied by wittily ever-accelerating music. In a nutshell, Dreamworks has outdone itself with this masterpiece.

An Age Of Heroes

By Sahil Mehta


The 70s were a tough decade for India. We were still grappling with the fact that Nehruvian socialism had led us astray. Lethargy gripped the Indian economy and pervaded through every section of Indian society right down to the common man. With internal conflicts, and the rise of Indira Gandhi and dynasty politics, despair had spread like wildfire through the people. The dreams of independent India lay shattered by the roadside. The India of the 70s needed a hero. Enter Bollywood!

The 70s were not the golden era of Indian cinema. They were the period immediately after when every aspect of Indian cinema was at its peak. It was the era when we finally moved from socialist and neo-realist cinema to commercial movies. It was the era when movies stopped depicting real life and started setting the trend for common people. Colour had just made its way to Indian cinemas in the late 1960s but it was only in 70s that it broke through the monotony of daily Indian lives with its bright, sparkly and often awful coloured sets and costumes. But look beyond the obvious, the large floral prints, the oversized shades, the longish manes of our hero-dearest, the bun on top of our damsels in distress; beyond the dance sequence around trees to groovy RD Burman tracks and beyond the poor boy-rich girl love story. Look beyond and you’ll find an abundance of stellar individual performances and a decade full of evergreen Indian movies.

The story of the 70s is so long that you could fill volumes with it. I will stick to the parts which I believe deserve special mention and those to which I can do justice. 

If you ever ask people which is the most iconic Indian film ever, the answer would be obvious; Sholay! But if you look for the second favorite, a very popular answer and mine too would be Anand. This 1971, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh starrer is a heart-wrenching tale of a terminally ill cancer patient who spends the last few days of his life spreading joy in others. While Amitabh perfectly fit the bill of a no-nonsense doctor who befriends this patient and then helplessly watches him die, Rajesh Khanna stole the show as the terminally ill Anand. The dialogue at the climax of the movie shall remain engrained in Indian cinema forever. 

 
The 70s were known for their rom-coms and masala movies. And what’s a masala movie without tragedy, right? It was tragedy for Indian cinema in 1972 when one of the most beautiful actresses to ever grace the silver screen passed away. Meena Kumari may have been “The Tragedy Queen” in both reel and real life but she was also a fine actress. And she portrayed with her role as a Luckhnow tawaif in her final film Pakeezah. This movie took 16 years to complete and was based on her own love story with the director the movie and two time husband Kamal Amrohi. Also starring Raaj Kumar, this movie is a cult classic. 

This was also the decade when Raj Kapoor, the showman of Indian cinema, slowly ended his acting career but not before delivering the blockbuster super-star studded Mera Naam Joker (1970). Soon a new Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor his grandson, alongside the scintillating Dimple Kapadia became the heartthrobs of the Indian public with Bobby (1973). There was also Roti Kapda Aur Makaan by Manoj Kumar which we cannot but mention. 

But the real star of the decade was the year 1975 which saw arguably the three biggest movies ever. Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen starrer Aandhi was a wonderful film which was unfortunately banned for a couple of years due to its similarity to Indira Gandhi’s Life. The songs of this movie are still hummed by people and played on the radio in the nights. But the showstopper of this decade was Amitabh Bachchan and with Deewar and Sholay (both 1975) he firmly established himself as the leading man of Indian cinema. If you haven’t heard or seen of these two movies, all I can say is “Tera kya hoga re kalia?” 

The 70s were the Big B’s decade as he churned out one hit after the other in Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Don (78) etc. His angry young man persona and star status persist to this day. Not far behind was India’s first “action hero” Dharamendra. Then there was Rajesh Khanna with his lover boy image. Shashi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor all gave numerous hits in this decade. It was also the time of directors like Hrushikesha Mujherji and Manmohan Desai and of course Raj Kapoor. 

The story of the 70s has almost reached its climax but it would be incomplete without talking about the leading ladies of our movies. While dream girl Hema Malini and the ever graceful Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh and Jaya Bachchan enchanted Indian public and inspired women to be more fashionable, a new breed of actresses like Dimple Kapadia, Parveen Babi and Zeenat Aman finally made Indian women a sex symbol. Their boldness on screen helped changed the way Indian women all around perceived themselves. It is truly unfortunate that the boldness of these women has now given way to vulgarity among present day actresses.

Only one final ingredient remains for our story. The song and dance sequence. Kishore Kumar, Mohd. Rafi, Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle all lent their voices to the music of composers like RD Burman, Anandji Kalyanji during this decade. So just pick any legend and “Dum Maaro Dum” to their tunes. 

The 70s were not path breaking in terms of genre. They were mostly rom-coms and later a few action movies. But by Jove, they had it all; the comedy, the drama, the music, the panache, the action, the big mustached villain and the happy ending (mostly :P ). The plots were similar but atleast they knew how to make movies then and not just rip ‘em off like they do now. There was originality in expression and a poetic feel to the dialogues. It’s no wonder then that our present day directors keep going back to the 70s in search for a hit formula or just remake some film :P