If

IF you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,'

Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

By Rudyard Kipling

It Isn't Time That's Passing

Remember the long ago when we lay together

In a pain of tenderness and counted

Our dreams: long summer afternoons

When the whistling-thrush released

A deep sweet secret on the trembling air;

Blackbird on the wing, bird of the forest shadows,

Black rose in the long ago summer,

This was your song:

It isn't time that's passing by,

It is you and I.

By Ruskin Bond

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place: and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

By John McCrae

Mani Ratnam – A Living Legend in Film Making

It was just yesterday when I stumbled upon a DVD of Yuva. That too the Tamil version of it and decided to watch it to pass my afternoon. After watching the movie I somehow felt like finding my copy of Hindi Yuva and compare the two but I ended up admiring Mani Ratnam’s sheer brilliance. Mani Ratnam has now become a very known face of Indian cinema as a whole and his skill of handling sensitive issues in an entertaining fashion. And this admiration lead me into writing this blog.

Both the words of his name ‘Mani Ratnam’ convey the same meaning, “Precious Stone”.

Realistic, contemporary and complex—these words still fall short to describe Mani Ratnam. With a career spanning over more than two decades, Mani Ratnam has always walked the tight rope between commercial and art cinema. His films depict the human angle in all circumstances without being unnecessarily preachy. A film like Bombay was quite ahead of times. A young child wiping the ‘tikka’ of his grandfather's forehead during the religious riots to protect him, showed the child's acceptance of religious extremism - that is Mani Ratnam at his subtle best.

Born on June 2, 1956 in Madurai in Tamil Nadu, Mani went on to complete his graduation in management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management. His education was not in the field of cinema or anything related but he grew up watching films and remained connected to that world through his father, Gopal Ratnam Iyer and brother G Venkateswaran, who themselves were film producers. The moment of realisation came when in his mid-teens; he sat in a dark movie hall watching talented actors playing larger than life roles. And many years later after that eureka moment, Mani stopped running after the management job and chose what he always aspired to be; a filmmaker.

Mani Ratnam's first film was not in his mother tongue but in Kannada, Pallavi Anu Pallavi—a film which explored a relationship between a young man and much older woman. However, it was with Mouna Raagam, a love story that managed to be both tender and exquisite without being maudlin or syrupy that he made the cash registers ring. Then came Pagal Nilavu, a film that had to settle for quiet obscurity. It was with Nayakan that Mani Ratnam found his voice. He became a brand, which produced meaning full, sensitive flms. The trend of good cinema followed in his recent works, Aayitha Ezhuthu/Yuva, Kannathil Muthamittal, Dil Se, Roja, so on and so forth. In 1994, a retrospective of his Tamil films was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Widely known for his ability to tread the middle way between artistic cinema and commercial cinema, working out a perfect recipe for all kinds of audiences, Ratnam's movies are further noted for their brilliance in technical aspects like art direction, cinematography and background score. His work has come to be recognised nationally and internationally, and in 2002, he was awarded the Padma Shri. The characteristic elements of Mani Ratnam's films include memorable music by notable Indian composers like A R Rahman and Ilayaraaja, a strong story line, sharp dialogue and innovative cinematography and art direction. He has worked with the best cinematographers in the country - notably P C Sriram, Balu Mahendra, Santosh Sivan, Ravi K Chandran, Rajiv Menon and the likes.

Mani Ratnam's movies cater to the middle classes and Anita Nair calls him the 'Salman Rushdie of the celluloid' for his widely different themes and controversial topics with his presence manifesting itself in every frame of the movies. His film making is clearly influenced by the American movies from The Godfather to E T to Singin' in the Rain, yet these are filtered, yet these are filtered through Indian song, dance and fashion. His films integrate music with plot—not only fantasy sequences, but social commentary and even political satire find their way into the dynamic musical numbers.

"Whatever one does, one must forever strive for excellence in any task and should be never satisfied with the second best," said JRD Tata and it seems that Mani Ratnam has taken. It is very difficult to choose which one has been his best film until now. His every movie has been realistic enough for one to identify with the characters and yet it does not really let go of that escapist tendency that Indian movies are so famous for.

“Zig zag zooooooom….”

And there goes a roller coaster, paving its way through the horrendous traffic. Why go to an amusement park when you can experience the ride on road itself.

Autos resemble mice with a pointed nose with a shining headlight and broad back going sideways at every turn. Its yellow and black body makes it look boring too. But then, ‘appearances can be deceptive’. The fun begins once you sit inside the auto. Having some idea of distances can take lot of time in negotiations with driver and may even include some arguments but then a ride does not come easy.

Basically meant for three passengers, these tiny three wheelers, with no doors or seat belts, can even accommodate as many as one can bargain for. Once inside, you get the opportunity to admire the interiors, usually reflecting the driver’s favourites ranging from actor’s pictures to symbols of faith they follow. Some may have radio as an additional charm making the ride entertaining as well. Autos also have a strange instrument known as ‘meter’ whose purpose is to show the charge of the ride according to the distance covered but a working meter is a rare site.

All roads prove themselves to be an ideal track. All the bends and curves give in that additional effect of adventure that lasts much longer as backaches and neck pains. Head collisions with roof can be avoided if one is cautious enough the hold on something while bumping on some pothole. The jerking breaks and escaping an anticipated crash, front falls at signals and a push backwards while starting, further makes the pulse race.

All this comes to an end on reaching the destination but you can be sure of one thing, rides are not over yet.