GOOD NEWS!!

Pradyutita made it to the semi finals of SPFBO!! So freaking happy!!

Got an amazing review that you can read here

Movie Review: Evening Shadows

Sridhar Rangyan is known for his championing of LGBT+ rights and his movies depicting the challenges faced by the community in India where, till recently, homosexuality was a crime. His latest offering, Evening Shadows is a coming out story. But more than that, it is the story of a bond between a mother and her son and how she struggles to come to terms with the revelation that her only son is gay.

The film is set in a conservative small town family in South India with Damodar (Ananth Mahadevan), a tyrannical father who believes that homosexuality is against Indian culture, values and ethics,;Vasudha (Mona Ambegaonkar), the mother who is the typical Indian housewife, one who obeys her husband, and whose life revolves around taking care of her family and their gay son Kartik (Devansh Doshi) who is a photographer in Mumbai and is in a committed relationship with another man, but hasn’t told his parents yet. They think Aman is his roommate.

In the backdrop is the aunt, Sarita (Yamini Singh) who has left her abusive husband and is crticised by Kartik’s father for her inability to manage her own life and marriage when she attempts to advise him not to force Kartik into marriage; the uncle Ramesh (Abhay Kulkarni), a closeted homosexual who has married to satisfy his family, and who had sexually abused Kartik in childhood, and who still seems to have a thing for his handsome nephew; Aman (Arpit Chaudhary) whose mother has not talked to him since the day he came out to her; and there is the 2013 SC judgement which reinstated section 377 overturning the Delhi HC verdict. In view of the recent SC judgement declaring section 377 as unconstitutional, the 2013 verdict is now moot, but the reactions of Kartik and Aman to the judgement and Kartk’s fears on how it will make it even more difficult for his mother to accept his reality are all brought out well.

The film does seem to border on propaganda at times, but considering its theme, that’s only natural. The propaganda part is not “the-in-your-face” kind, but subtle and is incorporated naturally into the dialogues. The bond between Kartik and his mother is natural and easy and both actors have done an amazing job in their roles. Though some of the changes in Vasudha does seem based on the ideal rather than the real, her acceptance and support of Kartik in the end leaves no one unsurprised. As she tells her husband, whatever or whoever Kartik is, he is hers. If only more mothers had as much strength to stand up for their children!

Kartik’s relation with Aman is mostly phone calls to and from, but the audience is left in no doubt about the depth of their feelings for each other or of how committed they are to each other. They support each other, and have plans to grow old together. They are a cute couple in the only scene we get to see them together. Both Devansh Doshi and Arpit Chaudhary are excellent in their roles.

Ananth Mahadevan as the ultra conservative Damodar who kicks out Kartik and performs his funeral rites has also rendered a noteworthy performance and the supporting cast are also good, but the star of the movie is undoubtedly Mona Ambegaonkar who is simply stellar as Vasudha.

Evening Shadows is heartwarming and beautiful. It is more than a film about homosexuality – it is about the bond between a mother and a child, and how that bond is capable of withstanding even things beyond the mother’s comprehension. As Vasudha tells Kartik towards the end, she may never comprehend homosexuality, but she will always accept and support him. And ultimately, what more can anyone ask for? This is a movie that’s definitely worth watching whether you are gay or not, whether you support LGBT+ rights or not, because the themes depicted are universal, the struggle for acceptance in a world that’s too eager to tell people who they should be and is too quick to judge them for being different.

Book Review: Zemindar

Zemindar is an extremely well written book, and it is hard to believe that it is the first -and as it turned out-the only book by the author. The book follows the experiences of an English young woman, Laura Hewitt, who's accompanying her cousin, Emily, and her husband, Charles, on their bride visit to India. The Zemindar of the title is Charles' half brother, Oliver whom he had never met, and whom his mother had convinced him to meet since she- and Charles too- hopes that Oliver, rich as a nabob and a bachelor, might make Charles his heir. The bride visit falls in the year 1857, when the country is already at unrest, and soon, Laura and her party find themselves in the eye of the mutiny of 1857 that had the whole country ablaze.

What I liked: Its language. The book is around 800 pages long, and yet it doesn't make the reader lose interest at any point. The events are interesting, the dialogues are good, the descriptions are sufficient, and there's enough action. The history is well researched and quite accurate. The sense of period it evokes is enough to make one feel part of the period. The supporting cast have been portrayed extremely well, and it is they who hold our sympathy more than the main two characters, who are to me, the greatest weaknesses of the book.

What I did not like: Laura is too insipid, and too passive a character in my opinion. I could not like her somehow, for though she inwardly condemns passivity, she remains passive almost throughout the book. She grows a spine only towards the end, and even then, it doesn't feel like a natural growth. Almost every single male character in the book has been degraded in one way or other to bring home the greatness of Oliver. It seemed too contrived and too pointless to do so. Yea. Oliver is great. We get it. Why destroy everyone else to prove it? In spite of all that, Oliver remains the same in the book. The man we see at the beginning is the man we see at the end, except that he has fallen in love. Charles seems to be the only character who shows any sign of growth, but even then, it is as if the author seeks to divert the reader's attention from the fact that he has, in fact, changed for the better. Another thing is many of the historical facts do not seem to blend into the story, but seem more like treatises. The hindsight of many historians has been presented as foresight of Oliver, which made me roll my eye.

The book did not offer me any new insight into Anglo Indian relations in those time any more than any history book could have. Even Oliver who claims to love India seems to me to be more of an advocate of White Man's Burden, albeit a more selfless one, than someone who thinks that the Indians are capable of governing their own land. The book condemns the mistakes the East India Company made with regards to their dealings with India, but presupposes that the crown would be a better guardian. Bitter experience has taught Indians that the crown was worse even than the company, and I can only give a sardonic eye to the many justifications.

That said, the book is an entertaining read, and factually correct. For those not familiar with the history of those times, the book can provide an insight into those times. However, the prejudices of the author are obvious, and should be taken with a pinch of salt, especially if you are unfamiliar with the history of British rule in India.

Book Review: Faro's Daughter

It may be inaccurate to categorize Georgette Heyer's works as just romances. They do have romance in them, but none of them deal exclusively with romance. They are more of historical novels, rich in period detail and in human interest. She is a writer who can create plots that appear simple and even trivial, and yet keep a reader hooked on to the book till the last page.

The plot of Faro's Daughter may look simple, cliched and wholly predictable. A rich bachelor seeks to extricate his young cousin, a nobleman from the toils of a young woman whose aunt runs a gaming house. But Deb is hardly the traditional heroine with a sob story, and Max Ravenscar is not the philanthropic guardian angel who falls for her charms. From the beginning, it is a battle of wills between them, with neither able to get the better of the other.

Throw in Arabella, the saucy young sister of Ravenscar with a penchant for falling in love and falling just as quickly out; Lucius Kennet, an adventurer who hangs around Deb and has a way with ladies; Adrian, Ravenscar's cousin and The Earl of Mablethorpe, wholly infatuated with Deb; Lord Ormskirk, a middle aged nobleman who holds a mortgage on Lady Bellingham's house as well as her bills and who is desirous of making Deb his mistress; Sir James Filey, a repulsive man who is trying desperately to beat Ravenscar and challenges him to a race; Kit Grantham, Deb's younger brother, who is as heedless as he is expensive; Lady Belligham, Deb's feckless, but wholly practical aunt and Phoebe Laxton, a beautiful, but insipid young girl who is forced to run away from the man her parents had chosen for her; and we have a cast of unforgettable characters.

The plot starts interestingly with Adrian's worried mother importuning Ravenscar to save her son from “that female,” and unfolds with Ravenscar's visit to the gaming house and their subsequent clashes. Matters come to a head when Deb has Ravenscar kidnapped on the eve of his race with Sir James Filey and Kit forcibly takes the key from Deb and releases him since he's in love with Arabella. In the meantime, Adrian falls in love with Phoebe Laxton whom Deb had sheltered, and Lucius Kennet forms a scheme to kidnap Arabella. Georgette Heyer resolves all complications with enviable simplicity and when the predictable end comes to pass, it is with a realization that the journey has been far different from the anticipated one. Ravenscar is wholly indifferent to the world, and when Deb tells him that he cannot marry a wench out of a gaming house, he tells her that he was going to marry a wench out of a gaming house with as much pomp and ceremony as he can contrive. And since he is one of the richest men in town, we can imagine that he will contrive a great deal.

Movie Review: From Beginning to End

From Beginning to End is a Brazilian movie that had the potential to be great and yet proved to be disappointing.

The story is about a homesexual relationship between two half brothers, Thomas and Francisco aged 22 and 27. That premise, unfortunately, is the only interesting thing about the entire movie.

Having created an interesting premise, the makers just decided they couldn't be bothered to show how the real world works, opting for a fairy tale instead where everyone around them accepts homosexuality as well as incest without batting an eye.

There are indications of the boys growing unusually close even during their childhood, and their mother opts not to point out the rights or wrongs, instead simply telling them never to be ashamed. After her death, the father of the younger brother moves out of the house, giving the brothers the privacy and space required for taking their relationship to the physical level. And when an opportunity comes for Thomas to train abroad for the Olympics for three years and he asks his father for advice, he tells him that it is something the two brothers must decide together.

I was surprised that no one actually gives a damn about the incest, including Thomas and Francisco. I expected some soul searching, some conflict, both internal and external, and a lot of opposition. Instead I was rolling my eye for most of the time.

The actors have given such a convincing performance that you can feel the love that Thomas and Francisco shares. But one can't help wonder at the same time if they would have developed such an obsessive love for each other had the adults around them tried to point them elsewhere when they were still children.

That said, the movie works as a love story.  But the movie would have worked equally well as a love story had Thomas and Francisco not been brothers. Their being brothers adds no extra dimension to their relationship and frankly, once their childhood is over, there is no plot development.

Had the two ended up in a relationship in spite of opposition and in spite of their own guilt because they realized that the love they had was worth it, the movie might have been a more satisfying watch. As it was, the movie was extremely boring.

I wouldn't call it a must-watch, but if you like fairytale-like love stories with happy endings, this one's for you.

Personally, I like some dose of reality even in movies. And there was none in this.

Book Review: The Talisman Ring

The Talisman Ring is one of Georgette Heyer's early novels. While the book combines the humour that is her hall mark and is set in the Regency Era and sports not one, but two romances, it will be hardly fair to simply categorize the book as a romance. It is a mystery rolled into a romance. And while the mystery occupies our minds, the romance creeps on us unawares.

The mystery revolves around the murder of Mathew Plunkett, who was killed sometime before the story starts. Ludovic Lavenham, the heir to the Baronetcy of Lavenham is accused of the crime and is a fugitive from justice when the story opens at the home of Lord Lavenham, Ludovic's grand uncle Sylvester who is in his deathbed. Enter Eustacie, the half french grand daughter of Sylvester with a thirst for romance and adventure and Sir Tristram Shield, another nephew of Sylvester who is prosaic and staid and with whom Sylvester has arranged a marriage of convenience for Eustacie and we find ourselves already intrigued. Throw into this mix Basil Lavenham, the Beau, the heir to the estate should Ludovic also die, who is suave and smiling and fancies himself one of the dandy set and all the elements of a romance is in place.

When Eustacie runs away and falls in with Ludovic, who has become a smuggler, the romance between the two is inevitable. She wishes to clear Ludovic's name and in this she is assisted by Sarah Thane, a chance acquaintance who professes to have a thirst for adventure equalling Eustacie's. Sarah is chaperoned by her brother Hugh, a harmless sybarite, whose memory retains only what is important to him. The missing Talisman ring is the key to solving the mystery, but who has it? Is it in the possession of Tristram, who is a collector of antique objects who has been most insistent that Ludovic is guilty and should be shipped out of the country? Or is it in the possession of Beau and does his belief in Ludovic's story and his conviction that Ludovic should have faced his trial instead of escaping hide a more sinister motive?

The romance between Eustacie and Ludovic blossoms almost immediately, Eustacie approving wholeheartedly of Ludovic's devil may care ways and recklessness, and Ludovic being charmed by her spirit and beauty and her naivete. The second romance in the book is more subtle and only in the last pages is the reader allowed a glimpse into their feelings, though their earlier exchanges hint at a deeper attachment for the other.

The plights of the hapless bow street runners, Hugh Thane's near-sightedness and tunnel vision, Sarah's artless prattle to throw their quarry off the scent provide laugh-out-loud moments that will have you, to quote Heyer herself, in stitches.

For those who have read Heyer, shades of Leonie can be discerned in Eustacie, but at no point does she feel like another version of Leonie. She is as different from Leonie as chalk and cheese while still sharing some of her traits. Ludovic is wholly charming and Sarah is the level headed heroine who manages to empathise with the adventurous spirit of Eustacie as well as to keep her more reckless behaviour in check.

The book, just like most of Heyer's other works, is well written and is rich in period details that makes the reader feel as if he is living the adventure. For Heyer enthusiasts, this book is a must-read.

Book Review: False Colours

False Colours is one of Georgette Heyer's later works and deals with the Regency period that made her so famous. The story revolves around the lives of the Fancot twins and their beautiful and devoted, but reckless mother. Christopher Fancot or Kit, the younger of the twins and the more sober one, is the protagonist of the story, though his more volatile older brother Evelyn, the Earl of Denville is an equally important character. The story deals with Kit's efforts to extricate Evelyn out of a difficult situation by masquerading as him.

The book, like Heyer's other works are rich in period details. Everything from the evening dresses of the ladies and gentlemen to their houses and chariots and boudoirs are described in perfect detail, which makes the places and people come alive for us. The people in False Colours from Kit and Evelyn to their mother, the hapless Sir Bonamy Ripple, the hedonist who fancies himself in love with her to Cressida Staverly and her grandmother to the miserly Cosmo and his son, Ambrose are all depicted with so much humour that we find ourselves chuckling as we read.

The plot may sound complex since it involves a masquerade, but Georgette Heyer makes it look simple. The book is one of the best reads and Heyer's mastery of her craft reads the reader spellbound.

The book has its laugh-out-loud moments, and moments that reduce us to helpless giggling. It has few anxious moments, but the undercurrent of humour makes even those light-hearted. And the romance is enough to satisfy even the most demanding of romantics.  The ending is superb and leaves us contented enough to want to read through it again.

Rediscovering Georgette Heyer

I started reading Georgette Heyer books when I was eleven. I had no concept of what was age appropriate and neither did my parents. They held that the more books you read, the better. And since English was not my mother tongue, they encouraged me to read as many English books as I could.

The first Georgette Heyer book I read was The Corinthian. I don't remember if I enjoyed the romance, but I do remember that I thoroughly enjoyed the humour. I remembered laughing out loud as I read it and reading aloud the portions that I found especially funny. The Corinthian was followed by Bath Tangle, The Civil Contract, The Conqueror and Beauvallet. While I found Beauvallet to be excruciatingly funny at times, I wasn't too impressed with Bath Tangle or The Civil Contract. And as for The Conqueror, I found myself both fascinated and repelled by William the Conqueror, about whom the book is written.

Then I forgot all about Georgette Heyer.

The next time I read her was after completing my post graduation, in the interim between having finished your studies and searching for a job. I took a membership in Trivandrum Public Library and found that they have a large collection of Georgette Heyer works. My mother and I both read and immensely enjoyed False Colours, The Convenient Marriage, The Masqueraders and These Old Shades before I joined a course and was not able to visit the library frequently.

So, Georgette Heyer was again consigned to the back of my mind and of my life.

Then, around ten years back, I started buying books again. I bought almost every title of Georgette Heyer I could find in amazon. As I started reading, what struck me the most was how detached was her narrator's voice most of the time.  And I found it such a refreshing change from writers who seem lost in admiration for the perfection of their creations. Georgette Heyer was either detached or gently mocking of her characters, making us feel that her creations were just as flawed as the rest of humanity. Her heroes and heroines are not epitomes of physical perfection nor intellectually superior to everyone around them. They are people, real, believable and relatable.

I also enjoyed her settings immensely. I have always had a weakness for historical novels, and her works made that period come alive for me. The rich details and descriptions made me feel as if I was seeing what was transpiring. Unlike many authors, there was no propaganda in her works. She was not out to prove the superiority of the British aristocracy; she was simply telling stories.

And what stories they were! From The Foundling to The Grand Sophy, From The Quiet Gentleman to April Lady, From Talisman Ring to Friday's Child, her plots are diverse, her characters human, her settings breathtaking, her dialogues witty and no two stories were ever the same. My mother was equally an ardent admirer of her books that I gifted the entire collection to my her and bought a whole new set for myself.

And even now, I find myself re-reading her books; and I still laugh out loud.

Movie Review Shelter

The other day I happened to watch a movie named Shelter. I knew that it was a gay love story, but what I did not expect was to be moved by what is unquestionably a beautiful love story.

The storyline is simple, the actors brilliant and the emotions that the movie evokes are universal. Anyone who has experienced love can identify with Zach, around whom the story revolves.

Zach, an aspiring young artist had to shelve his college dreams to take care of his disabled father and his nephew, Cody. Jeanne, his sister is irresponsible and depends on Zach to take care of Cody while she hangs out with her current boy friend Alan.

Zach works as a part time cook and spends the rest of his time surfing with his best friend Gabe and hanging out with his girl friend, Tori with whom he has an on and off relationship.

While Gabe is away, his brother Shaun comes to stay in their house. Shaun is a published author, who has broken up with his partner and is looking for a place to stay till his new lease starts next month. He is also attempting to find inspiration for his next novel.

Shaun and Zach go surfing together and form an easy camaraderie. Shaun is impressed by Zach's art portfolio and advises him to go for his dreams. They enter into a relationship though Zach is initially hesitant. Cody also becomes friendly with Shaun. Shaun encourages him to apply for the course at CalArts, a large arts university and even gets him an application form.

Jeanne wants to go to Portland with Alan who has got a job there, but she cannot take Cody. She's also upset about Zach's relationship with Shaun since she considers it to a bad influence on Cody. Zach is conflicted and confused and he breaks up with Shaun.

Zach gets a call from CalArts who has accepted his application. Zach realizes Shaun had sent his application and portfolio to CalArts. He also realizes that Cody will be better off with him and Shaun since Shaun cares for both of them. He comes out to Tori who tells him she has always suspected. Later, he apologizes to Shaun and tells Jeanne that he is going to pursue college and his relationship with Shaun. He will take care of Cody but he will not forsake Shaun. Jeanne accepts his decision and leaves.

The movie ends with Cody playing in the beach with Shaun and Zach.

The scenes with Zach and Cody are among the best in the entire movie. It is evident how deeply Zach cares for his young nephew and how much Cody depends on him as a father figure. In one scene, Cody insists to Zach that “You're my dad,” in spite of Zach explaining to him that he is Cody's uncle since his sister is Cody's mom.

The initial relation between Zach and Shaun is also friendly and uncomplicated. Zach and Shaun have known each other since childhood and they have no difficulty slotting into place in the other's life. Zach's initial reluctance and confusion as also his conflict after Jeanne's vocal disapproval are both portrayed well.

The way the movie ends in a positive note with Zach free to pursue his dreams without having to give upon either Cody or Shaun is heart-warming and one cannot but feel but hopeful for the future of both these men.

Trevor Wright is convincing as Zach and Brad Rowe nails the role of Shaun. Among the other actors, the most noteworthy one is Jackson Wurth who plays Cody. We hope these men to end up together as much for his sake as for theirs.

Whether or not you like gay movies, if you are into simple love stories with happy endings, Shelter is a must watch. I have a feeling I'm going to watch it again. And again.