This is the story of Gerry and Holly. It is a love story where Gerry helps and guides his wife, Holly to move on with her life after he is gone. Usually, i don't like stories where 2 people in love are separated but in this one, they tell us that life goes on, even after the love of your life goes away and not as a drudgery but with more maturity and more meaning.
The narration is very interesting and engaging. The end or the moral doesn't matter, you are just so inspired to turn page after page. One of the examples that showcases Cecelia Ahern's skillful writing is the different ways in which she lets us in on the content of the 10 letters for Holly. From a chick-lit, you expect and don't even mind, run-of-the-mill stuff presented in a mediocre way, but this one has raised the bar.
Initially, i was a little disappointed with the first letter, both length-wise and content-wise but gradually its significance registered and the affinity kept growing after that. Through the 10 letters, Gerry lives with Holly and strengthens her to carry on with the rest of her life, to find love, to overcome her biggest fear and to begin living life as it is meant to be lived.
No overtly flowing emotions, no victimising oneself. Holly's relationship with her friends and family members, her acquired matured outlook, her jealousy and disconnect with the development in her friends' lives, it is all real and very convincingly presented.
i like the fact that Holly doesn't just jump into another relationship after Gerry asks her to. She takes her time and makes herself completely ready for it.
There are just a few discrepancies here and there. But, i think they are all quite forgivable and not worth mentioning, simply so that it shouldn't dilute the merit that this book holds.
Truly, it is a book worth reading. For all people out there in love and some few who think, love makes you weak, find out how love is but a constant source of strength.
Tuesday 15 December, 2009
Sunday 6 December, 2009
Paa - just as expected - fabulous
Aww... Auro is such a cute kid. i just love him.
Paa is more about Auro than his Paa.
With a very simple storyline, this movie is very intelligently and heartwarmingly presented. The movie is very endearing with a total no-nonsense approach.
Progeria-stricken Auro is the apple of his mum and 'bum's (granny) eyes. He is a well-informed and intelligent kid. Oh... i am just so overwhelmed by Auro that i cannot think of anything other than him.
Ok, quickly then, i shall mention the specials about the movie without stating the obvious strengths of the movie.
The very practical, modern, urban approach of the movie. No unwanted melodrama, unnecessary sacrifice (as Auro puts it for his mom - such a sweet scene in the movie), sorry feeling for the terminal illness stuff. Taking life as it comes with the right amount of sensitivity attached to it. This definitely does not mean that the movie is uncaring, it is just pleasantly real.
Just goes to show that the movie-makers have finally and successfully started portraying real lives. i, on behalf of the viewers, am grateful for showing the mature film-making.
Each one of the performances are outstandingly brilliant. Bum (Arundhati Naag), Vishnu are absolutely lovable characters with fresh talents. Vidya Balan is nice. Paresh Rawal nice too.
Abhishek Bachchan has arrived. This man proves his mettle in a film that is entirely his Dad's. Although, i would like to tell the director that the politician scenes weren't required to occupy so many reels. They appeared as if they are there to showcase Abhishek's talent rather than the need of the story. Abhishek Bachchan is an A-grade actor just like his Dad. He might not have got the right kind of roles but he is undoubtedly, specially after Paa, talented to the core. i loved his scene where he breaks down in a controlled manner outside the hospital room.
And Amitabh Bachchan! What can be said about this walking, talking acting institution. There isn't an iota of Amitabh in Auro. You just cannot recognise him. Right from Auro's tedious make-up to his lisped speech, Amitabh Bachchan's hard work and sheer talent outsmart all the actors in the industry. He is the blessed one who got such a role. This role is an epic one. He has set the benchmarks so high for his colleagues that it will take herculean efforts on their parts to catch up. Of course, i don't need to talk about his histrionics, since it is established far beyond words.
A small budget film, the clothes, music of his movie is, dare i say, mediocre. But trust me, you will hardly notice and actually speaking it doesn't matter. Involved that i was in the movie, i felt the greed to see Auro spend time with his Maa and Paa as a family and not die in the end. It, anyways, was known that Auro's life was short-lived, so they could have avoided showing the graveness of it, specially after portraying the film so practically all along .
Awesomeness! Do i still need to tell you whether to watch it or not? It is not just a movie, it is an experience.
This is the first film whose trailer itself found place on this blog.
The wait was every small bit worth it. AB Corp has risen from the ashes and how!
Auro and his Paa are going to be remembered in the history of the Indian film industry for a long time to come.
Paa is more about Auro than his Paa.
With a very simple storyline, this movie is very intelligently and heartwarmingly presented. The movie is very endearing with a total no-nonsense approach.
Progeria-stricken Auro is the apple of his mum and 'bum's (granny) eyes. He is a well-informed and intelligent kid. Oh... i am just so overwhelmed by Auro that i cannot think of anything other than him.
Ok, quickly then, i shall mention the specials about the movie without stating the obvious strengths of the movie.
The very practical, modern, urban approach of the movie. No unwanted melodrama, unnecessary sacrifice (as Auro puts it for his mom - such a sweet scene in the movie), sorry feeling for the terminal illness stuff. Taking life as it comes with the right amount of sensitivity attached to it. This definitely does not mean that the movie is uncaring, it is just pleasantly real.
Just goes to show that the movie-makers have finally and successfully started portraying real lives. i, on behalf of the viewers, am grateful for showing the mature film-making.
Each one of the performances are outstandingly brilliant. Bum (Arundhati Naag), Vishnu are absolutely lovable characters with fresh talents. Vidya Balan is nice. Paresh Rawal nice too.
Abhishek Bachchan has arrived. This man proves his mettle in a film that is entirely his Dad's. Although, i would like to tell the director that the politician scenes weren't required to occupy so many reels. They appeared as if they are there to showcase Abhishek's talent rather than the need of the story. Abhishek Bachchan is an A-grade actor just like his Dad. He might not have got the right kind of roles but he is undoubtedly, specially after Paa, talented to the core. i loved his scene where he breaks down in a controlled manner outside the hospital room.
And Amitabh Bachchan! What can be said about this walking, talking acting institution. There isn't an iota of Amitabh in Auro. You just cannot recognise him. Right from Auro's tedious make-up to his lisped speech, Amitabh Bachchan's hard work and sheer talent outsmart all the actors in the industry. He is the blessed one who got such a role. This role is an epic one. He has set the benchmarks so high for his colleagues that it will take herculean efforts on their parts to catch up. Of course, i don't need to talk about his histrionics, since it is established far beyond words.
A small budget film, the clothes, music of his movie is, dare i say, mediocre. But trust me, you will hardly notice and actually speaking it doesn't matter. Involved that i was in the movie, i felt the greed to see Auro spend time with his Maa and Paa as a family and not die in the end. It, anyways, was known that Auro's life was short-lived, so they could have avoided showing the graveness of it, specially after portraying the film so practically all along .
Awesomeness! Do i still need to tell you whether to watch it or not? It is not just a movie, it is an experience.
This is the first film whose trailer itself found place on this blog.
The wait was every small bit worth it. AB Corp has risen from the ashes and how!
Auro and his Paa are going to be remembered in the history of the Indian film industry for a long time to come.
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