Hasee Toh Phasee - movie review - Refreshingly different

Its funny how every movie-maker feels his movie is "different"!!

Reality is...that "Hasee Toh Phasee" really has a fresh take on the oft-used "love triangle" story-line ....very common in Bollywood!

The movie is about Nikhil (Siddharth Malhotra) .....a businessman struggling to arrange finances for his new venture just before his engagement......and Meeta (Parineeti Chopra)....the black sheep of Nikhil's fiancee's family. Just before his wedding, Nikhil is entrusted the job of giving Meeta a place to stay and keeping her away from her own family.

The good thing about the movie was that it gave the viewers the feeling that they were onlookers at a distant relative's family. There are a series of interesting characters, be it the cranky cousin from Kanpur, who believes he should become the next "Indian Idol", and sings an off-tune Anu Malik song, or the uncle who keeps asking people "baaki sab?". Somehow.....the movie connects with the audience....makes us all remember some distant relative or the other of our own! :)

The lead characters are both excellent in their role.....but its a Parineeti movie. Its difficult to shake off her character even when you leave the movie theatre. There is this undercurrent of the father-daughter (Meeta & her dad) relationship throughout the movie, which is beautifully played out and is touching.

However, there is a lack of clarity on why she needs to make funny faces in the first half of the movie...as is the lack of clarity as to her "China" link. There are also some more things which don't make sense....still....its a good watch. The predictable ending doesn't seem boring at all. The pace of the movie stays right through the end and doesn't let down.

I would give this movie a 3 stars out of 5. 

Dad

Fathers Day.

Seriously, who ever said that Fathers even need a special day.....isn't every day special? But then, 99% of their days are at work!!! LOL!!!!

"Thank you Dad"...."I love you Dad"....."You are the best Dad in the world"...... scream out at us from the cards......from newspapers..........from school assignments!!!! (hiccup!)

But then how many of them are really heartfelt? I wonder............ I wonder what my Dad would say if he saw any of this..................he'd most likely dismiss these as "jibberish" but inwardly be pleased..........may even talk about this to his friends when we weren't around!!

Guess its just another excuse......to say "thanks"......... to show we care..............to display our affection...but then that's just us!!

Dad's generation was very different. The "obey your parents" was a given.....non-negotiable. Respect, space,   discipline........were all part of the "growing-up"phase. Surprisingly, my dad was always a cut above the rest.....okay, agreed, we are each biased to our own Dads!!!.....but then, that was the truth wasn't it? The "My Dad was the best Dad" mantra really did stand the test of time............still does!!

The caring Dad, who would never praise in front of us, .....for fear that we may take it to our head!!.....
the Dad who'd be the first to point out a mistake.....for fear that we may miss out an opportunity to learn...
the Dad who'd walk kilometres daily......just to get us the best vegetables and fruits...
the Dad who could turn the worst kind of mangoes into the best of milk shakes
the Dad who'd silently clean up my messy bookshelf............yes, mine!! Phew!!!
......the list is endless!.............
the Dad who'd win any "best Dad" contest hands down..............

my Dad...................the best Dad one could have ever asked for............
Happy Father's Day Pa! you're the best!!

No regrets!

Happiness!

Just a state of mind...........a passing phase.......for a lucky few, a recurring phase!

I feel a major part of it has to do with the kind of expectations you set for yourself. Higher the expectations, bigger the disappointment when things don't go your way.

As a three year old my biggest dream was that of becoming an ice-cream vendor. In those days there were no fancy ice-cream parlors, no "natural" ice creams, just a few vendors going from street to street looking for buyers. I would look out from my window and see the local ice cream vendor walking by with his little cart and think to myself that it had to be the best vocation anybody in their right mind could ever pursue. Just imagine!! You could sell your ice creams and earn some money..........and if you get tired you could just eat an ice cream and refresh yourself!! A win-win situation, I must say!!

At the grand age of 9, I heard that India had only one famous molecular biologist. I vowed I'll become the second!! Its a different thing that I did not have the slightest idea of what it was, but yes, it was an interesting name for a profession........the added allure being the lack of women in this field!! Studying in a college which did not recognize molecular biology as a discipline in science didn't help at all, of course!!

In my teens I decided I wanted to become an activist for the weak, the poor, the downtrodden......a few days of collecting funds on behalf of "Help Age India" and getting a badge subsequently made me feel very important, no doubt, but soon got overshadowed by other pressing events.

The Kargil war, for instance. My first ever "salary" being mailed off to aid the families of the martyrs of that war was definitely self-fulfilling...........but then, one couldn't make a living out of it!! A bit of good sense prevailed, I suppose!!!

Now, as I look back, I smile at my thoughts, almost laugh at the thought of what could have happened if I had indeed become an ice cream vendor.......................and wonder..........wonder if I made the right choices in life!

The answer may be a resounding "Yes" in some cases, but a definite "No" in some.........well, what can I say..... nobody is perfect..........and I am neither the first nor the last to admit that!!

But yes, the one thing that is uppermost in my mind today is ........that I have zero regrets..........I did it all my way........I made my own choices......I lived with them.....rather, I learnt to live with them.........I am happy..........and I am content.

Because that is what "living" entails..........that is what "life" is......it is not perfect!!! One can hardly live a "perfect life" in "an imperfect world"!! But yes, I can look back and say..........."I don't regret anything"........because it is true!

'Cos that is the way I've lived my life! .........With no regrets!

Parenting

Parents.

I remember distinctly what it was like to grow up in a family where the parents gave you the freedom to.......
...voice your opinions.......
....make your choices ......and then guide you as to what is right and what is not....
.....be your own person.

Well! To many of you this may sound to be a bit too idealistic.........but then hey! let's face it, it was ideal..... at least for me..... it was.......more in hindsight though!!!

Growing up for me was a very interesting time....if anything!!!

The fighting to keep a kitten rescued from a pool.............coming home crying just because I got called a name by the other kids.......singing loudly in the shower.....fighting for the TV remote.....rushing out to play just when homework was mentioned...........sometimes even rushing out just for the heck of it.....the tantrums.....things flying towards the wall.....doors banging...........introducing "best friends" whom I may have met just a few days ago......

.....the blind expectation that my parents would unquestioningly accept whatever it was that was the "Most Important Thing" for me at that time...........

wow!!! If I had a child like me, I wonder if I would have been able to handle "me" with the finesse my parents did!!!

Now, as I look at my kids, I wonder.........will I ever measure up? will I ever be the same kind of parent to them as my parents were to me? will I be good enough?

Every tantrum, every teardrop, every smile, every laugh, .............I keep looking back......what would my parents do if it was me.....keeps me from getting over-confident......makes me take the right step....always!!

Love you Ma & Pa.....I am who I am because of you.....

...and I know I could never be a failure as a parent..... because I always had you both for guidance....the Best Parents in the world!!

News debates

News channels and debates! Phew!!

Just watched two contrasting debates on different channels. The topic in question was the Chit fund scam in WB- it was the same discussion in both channels, Times Now as well as the Bengali channel 24 Ghanta, but the approach was so drastically different.

One where all the concerned parties were vehemently discussing the topic at hand...........raised voices.........people almost falling over each other to make a point..........the news anchor getting agitated...........some voices being muted just so the opposing parties can make a point..........it was almost like the Mahabharata itself being staged in a minute way!!

The other channel in question had a set of relaxed gentlemen..........possibly sitting down after a heavy lunch.... a more relaxed debate........at least the parties did not jump out of the seats at each others' throat......... but the news anchor looked so bored, it almost felt like given the chance he'd run away but was sticking there only because his bread and butter depended upon it !!

Both these debates of course did not reach any proper conclusion, nor did they answer any of the burning questions, but yes, one made for real-time "masala" viewing whereas the other was more the "rock ay boshay adda" type discussion......something my Bengali friends would understand!!

The chit...oops "cheat" fund disease

Chit funds.

The latest in the long list of Ponzi schemes is the recent chit fund scam to rock my beloved Kolkata.

Kolkata..... sleepy city...........where a man's ambition in life lies not in earning a lot of money, but in earning enough to take his family for an annual picnic.....say to Darjeeling......or even better......Puri. A city where Mother Teresa spent her entire life caring for the poor........the land which worships "Kali ma"...........a city where a 300 year old building can peacefully co-exist right beside a 3 year old multi-storey building.

Kolkata. The home of the latest Ponzi scheme...........4000 crores......and counting!!! The main victims? daily wage earners...........for whom a Rs.100 could mean a few days meal for the family.........for whom Rs. 1000 is a grand luxury!!

Makes me think ..........why is it that the poor people.....the poorest of the poor..... are always victims of these chit fund shams....these scams?

Is it the promises given by the promoters? of sudden riches?

Is it that they are not educated enough to read between the lines?

Is it that there is nobody around to protect....to educate them?

Is it that the local administration turned a blind eye?

Could it maybe be a combination of all the above?

Watching the different political parties battle it out on the news channels was a tad disgusting.....not to say, embarassing!! Not for a minute did any of them show what they were willing to do for those affected....... instead it was the blame-game.......the Left blaming the TMC............ The TMC blaming the BJP...........the BJP blaming the Congress............nothing but just another platform for these politicians to sing to their vote-banks!!!

Wonder when the common man will grow up..............wonder who will come to save these poor people...........

I wonder if justice will eventually be meted out.............

Nothing but wishful thinking.

The strength to forgive

Was watching the news yesterday............an interview...........

This lady talking about how she gathered the strength in her to forgive her parents' killer..............her parents were killed when she was only 6 years old..............she not only forgave him.... she even went from pillar to post with his father to get him released.

How?? How can anyone find it in their heart to forgive?............to forgive one's parents' killer??

I felt it was sheer courage............a big heart.........a forgiving heart.

Thought back to my own experiences..........wow!!! Just realised it was so easy to carry around a grudge!!!

A bad word someone spoke against me............"Can never forget such words!"
An act done "purposely" which made me get angry..........."will never forgive that person!"
Negativity in another person..............."can never speak to him/her again!"

thought back to each of those "acts" those "words" ............seemed not just insignificant, they seemed absolutely petty!!!

It was actually so cheap of me for having held on to so much of negativity...........bad thoughts...........anger.........

The meaningless nature of it suddenly hit me.....

It was only I who was getting affected with all this negativity!!! so why carry it around??

May take a lot of time to forgive everyone on my "list".....but it didnt hurt to want to start........

To forgive.............an act of supreme courage.............definitely not cowardliness.....something which the lesser mortal would never be able to do....

so.... from that higher moral ground.... I sign off for the day!!! :)