An encounter with faces

Something I had written a while ago but forgot to put up

Have you ever seen someone and thought "Wow that looks like (insert name here). I think I will go up to them and say hello/something dirty/play a prank" only to have it backfire horrendously when you realize that in fact it is not Alec Baldwin, but much less famous (and infinitely more sketchy) Stephen Baldwin. This is just an example of course, but we all know the feeling where we see someone and mistake them for someone else.

In my life I have seen a lot of people. I have met a lot of people as well, but that number pales in comparison to the number of people I have "seen". This is mostly due to the fact that I traveled a lot growing up (still do) and I get a larger dose of fresh faces than most people would. Why is this important (you might yawningly intone)? It is important because it provides me the basis to put forward the following theory:

There are a limited number of faces nature has to offer us. This number is not small, but not everyone has a unique face. Indeed human limitations at attention to detail restrain our ability to distinguish between two mostly similar faces rendering them equivalent (to us at least). There are only so many ways to change a face or its features. Therefore the more people you have seen, the more you will see that the new people that you meet look very similar(or only a slight deviation from) a person you have seen before.

Now I know this not a particularly bold (or well phrased) statement. But my observations on the subject have truly been fascinating. Many a times I have run into someone and thought that they resembled so-and-so so strongly that they HAVE to be related. Of course this is hardly ever the case. The chances of someone else you have never met looking very much like you seem quite high.

It is well documented that celebrities have plenty of lookalikes (notably people like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Abe Lincoln, etc). But bear in mind that in this case a conscious effort was made to impersonate someone else. Certain dressing techniques, makeup and body language can make them very convincing. What I am talking about though is one person living in Kentucky and the other in Hong Kong looking exactly alike by happy coincidence. Their faces match. You should be able to change their outward appearance (within reason) and still be able to tell.

The chances of you meeting your own lookalike are pretty slim. It is much more likely you will meet someone else's. Of course, it doesn't hurt to keep looking. If all else fails, at least you might find your identical hand twin. If that is any consolation.

Another socialist legacy comes to an end in France

Click here


Not to say I told you so......ok what the heck. I told you so! (See post #3)

If you click the link above it talks about France (Yes, Ze French!) giving up its ideal of the 35 hour work week. Newly elected Sarkozy wants to put France back on the map as a country where productivity and innovation are as common as the red wine and excessive smoking that already prevail most French quarters. And this seems to be a step in the right direction. Now I am a big proponent of work-life balance and not overworking oneself to the point where your dreams are power point sideshows (with pie charts!); but in today's competitive go-getter world where your job security depends not on the abilities of your neighbor but Amit from Ahmadabad or Lee from Beijing, this is the only way for the French to survive. And maybe a chance for some ambitious Frenchmen to get some real work done.

My Jaane tu review.

Here is a movie review I wrote for Jaane tu ya Jaane na
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Abbas Tyarewala is no stranger to films. During his 10 years in the film industry he has built an impressive resume with writing credits on titles such as Main Hoon Na, Maqbool and Munnabhai MBBS among others. With Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na he adopts the esteemed mantle of director and lyricist in addition to his usual writing stint. For me, the most surprising thing about JTYJN is that, amidst adapting to all his new responsibilities, the main thing that draws my criticism is the writing itself. But more on that later.

Jaane Tu is a fun rom-com about puppy love among college kids. Right from the opening credits, you can tell you are going to watch something original and fresh. Ok so the story is tried and tested: Boy meets girl, boy and girl become close, certain events ensue to cause the appropriate amount of drama, and everything is wrapped up neatly with bow in the end. Yes the story is predictable, but the beauty (as is with all stories) is in the telling. That’s where you find the proof in the pudding.

And debut director Abbas has told this story very well indeed. He and producer Aamir Khan have nailed down the right feel for today’s young urban crowd. College age kids will watch this movie and very easily identify with the clothes, banter, characters and the events unfolding on screen. A.R. Rehman has definitely broken new ground with this soundtrack; very different from anything he has done before. But it is in the same league as any of his best work. And that is high praise indeed. Newcomer singer Rashid Ali deserves a special mention: a prize Rehman find if there ever was one. Watch out him in ‘Kabhi Kabhi Aditi’ and ‘Kahin to Hogi’.

In his big debut, Imran Khan doesn't disappoint his Aamir Mamu. As mild-mannered Jai he lives and breathes in his character’s skin. Jai is completely believable and very likable. And that’s what makes a good performance. Genilia returns to Bollywood after a very successful hiatus down south. Her character Aditi is loud and in your face; and so is she! However her expressions speak volumes, even when words fail her. These two main leads are supported very ably by their on screen friends Rotlu (Karan Makhija), Shaleen (Sugandha Garg), Jiggy (Nirav Mehta) and Bombs (Alishka Verde). All of them are cast perfectly and are a delight to watch onscreen. Their interactions and the camaraderie they share seems very genuine, showcasing their great chemistry together.

It would seem this movie has everything going for it: good direction, production, great music, a wonderful cast. And it does to a great extent. But as focused as Abbas is in writing his cutting one-liners and dialogues, he is as equally sloppy with his script. A number of sidetracks and side characters distract from the main flow of the story and serve as unnecessary interruptions. A perfect example is Jai’s mother’s (a delightful Rathna Pathak Shah) never-ending conflict with the local policeman (Paresh Rawal in his usual avatar). By trimming down subplots like the above along with others (e.g.: the 3 tasks of the Rathore - frivolous and detracting from the realism) the film would have felt tighter and less haphazard. Perhaps that extra screen time could have been used to go more into the supporting characters who received too little screen time for my liking.

All in all Jaane tu is a very enjoyable and well made film in a time when the standard of Bollywood fare seems to falling. It is nice and simple fare that reminds of us of a simpler time. Go and check this one out in theaters if you can. It is nothing if not Paisa Vasool.

Excuse me lady can you move your pram? You're cramping my style

So last weekend I got to go see a Spanish fair/feria. These are held in towns all throughout the south of Spain, the biggest one being in Seville. Typically an Andalucian (region covering most of southern Spain) custom, I went to the one in Puerto de Santa Maria (near Cadiz for those in the know). It has food stands, ice cream booths, typical carnival games and rides (coasters, bumper cars, the works). Additionally there a number of tents where most people congregate to eat, drink, dance and just generally be merry. Each tent is unique in its own way, varying the food, drinks, music and the crowd they attract. Some tents have older people, some younger, some are more focused on dancing while others on eating and drinking. All in all, the Spanish definitely know how to have a good time.

When we got to the fair we (me and some work friends I was with) went looking for a tent which some people we knew had congregated in (well my friends knew them. I was as always the polite foreigner). When I was introduced to the new people, the women introduced me to the concept of the “European air kisses (twin edition)”. You know the one: you knock your cheeks together on each side and kiss the air while doing it. I had always thought of it as a feature of la-dee-dah parties and hoity-toity events with the glitterati. But it seems to have replaced the handshake or hello as the standard greeting here. End result, I air-kissed introduced myself to a number of strange women. Fortunately they were all attractive enough and even more fortunately I had chosen to shave that day. Though with one I/she banged the cheek too hard and she laughed as she rubbed her cheek while saying something in Spanish (she might have said “Oh, what a strong jaw line you have” or “Oh my God, I think he just tried to kill me. I better fake laugh so as not to entice his psychotic rage!”).

In the tent itself the booze was flowing pretty freely at 2 in the afternoon. In the same space people were drinking as well as looking after their little children. As the day wore on into night some tents turned into mini clubs (complete with booty dancing in addition to expected Spanish flamenco and tacky techno. Interesting side note: they played summer days/grease lightening not once but TWICE in one of the dance tents). But even around midnight (aka dinner time in Spain) I noticed couples pushing around 1 yr olds in prams and little kids running around playing tag with no adult supervision!

But why am I going into all of this? Today I wanted to talk about something called culture shock. Fish out of water syndrome. Sub par American comedy plotline in real life. Whatever you want to call it. When I first moved to the US from India I had expected to experience some difficulty in adjusting. But I didn’t. Sure some things were different. A lot of things were new, but that’s just a part of life in college and the new experiences it brings. But by and large, the prominent influence of American media and culture in India had prepared me to some extent for life in the states. And while they do have their differences, the US and India do have a lot in common. Both are fairly conservative societies at a certain level with an emphasis on hard work and the go-go-go lifestyle. English is the lingua franca in both countries.

But somehow coming to Spain has induced my first ever feeling of culture shock. Not a bad shock necessarily; but certain things take getting used to. I have moved around a lot (between the US and India and within both countries a fair amount. Not counting all the other countries I have visited) but this is the first time I have felt anything remotely of this kind. I guess for me it comes down to having to change the way I think about most things. Here all the meals are much later and many places don’t even open for lunch. The earliest you get dinner anywhere is 8pm, and most locals eat dinner at 10. Service at restaurants is equally as relaxed with meals taking anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours as a norm. People go out to party around midnight and usually stagger home sometime around 4am. Booze is as cheap/expensive as water and flows freely at all times. But at the same time I haven’t seen any drunken Spanish people doing stupid shit. I can’t imagine that much adult beverage consumption in US or India without someone destroying/vomiting on something. The Spanish are just more relaxed about life in general. I haven’t seen many confrontations around here and most Spanish drivers are very conscious of the rights of pedestrians and generally give them right of way 90% of the time. In the US such behavior would result in an increased number of gourangas (aka human casualties in an entertaining fashion for those not in the know). Their relaxed attitude extends to the workplace as well. Come summertime, our Spanish construction contractor will start summer hours: Come to work at 8am and leave at 2pm! It’s just such a different way of thinking about things and a different lifestyle compared to the one I’m used to.

I actually approve of the Spanish concept of a good life. It becomes a problem when you are working for an amercan-capitalist-hardcore-10hr workday company that tries to apply its corporate working culture in a place where the social culture is completely at odds with it. I often wonder how the construction guys manage to work their 9-10hr days and party all night later in the day. When do they sleep? (There’s a question that deserves a thinking man statue to ponder it). All the same, it seems like more and more countries are trending towards the workaholic lifestyle. As I write this, the French government is having issues with the number of holidays its workers have and how that compromises their productivity and their industries’ viability in an increasingly globalized world. Most of North America and almost all of Asia and the Middle East have switched over to the ‘Live to work’ philosophy as opposed to the ‘Work to live’ mantra. Not using all your vacation has become more and more common. Our cell phones, laptops and blackberries have left us permanently ‘on call’. How long can things like 3 hour lunch hours and 2 month long vacations survive in this ever changing and increasingly competitive fast paced world. Europe (not including the UK) and South America seem to be the last bastions with the work-life balance tilted heavily in favor of life. And even then most of the modern bustling cities in these places are becoming more and more indistinguishable from similar cities in the US and Asia. How different will Buenos Aires and Madrid be from New York and Hong Kong in 10 or 20 years? There will still be fundamental differences but the key point is that there will be a lot more similarities than anyone could have predicted.

A lot of us in the US wish we enjoyed the kind of lifestyle our counterparts do in Europe (though they usually earn less than us). But how long can these lifestyles survive in a global economy? Is your job really secure if your company can hire someone else who will not take 1 month vacations and won’t throw a hissy fit if they have to work more than 7 hours a day? This is a bleaker version of the future than I would like. We are making lots of advances in areas like working from home, entrepreneurship and telecommunications. I think it’s up to each individual to determine their work-life balance. If that puts a ceiling on how far you can advance at a particular company then either you pay the price or you move to a different company. Food for thought.

PS: I know this post got a little off topic, but what can I say? If you are reading this that shouldn’t surprise you at all.

Taal turns me off coca cola

So I just finished watching Subhash Ghai's Taal yesterday. I hadn't seen the movie in its entirety in years and much of the details were hazy in my mind (even if I did remember the highlights). I enjoyed watching it this time around, mostly for its timeless music. And Aishwariya is exceptionally attractive in the first half with bare minimal make-up. Anil Kapoor was fun to watch as well. But other than that, the movie was lackluster. The writing and editing were so-so and things seemed just a bit more incredible than usual. I guess Ghai is just earning his title of "Bollywood's Showman" (though his showmanship in recent times has been very dismal).

But the thing that really grabbed my attention was that fine role of the "Bottle of Coca Cola".


Now I am no stranger to product placement. The omnipresent BMW in every James Bond movie in recent memory comes to mind. Harold and Kumar go to White Castle is another excellent example (Can you just imagine? They take a draft of Harold and Kumar go to ______, to a bunch of fast food chains. The highest bidder gets to fill in the blank!).

But in Taal? The coke had more screen time (in quality and quantity) than most of the main supporting characters. It was so brazenly marketed that it appeared in at least 4 scenes (that I can remember) where it was the centerpiece. And each of these scenes lasted anywhere from 2-4 minutes! Thats way more than the length of the average coke commercial.

From the Indian Express archives

And most recently, Coca-Cola spent Rs 1 crore on sponsoring Subhash Ghai's recent film Taal, in which the brand name figures prominently in a scene.

In fact, Taal recovered its entire production cost even before its release thanks to corporate sponsorships in the form of surrogate advertisements. Apart from Coke, brands like Kenstar, BPL and the Manikchand group shelled out Rs 50 lakh each to pay for advertising that seemed embedded in the movie's storyline.

If Mukta Arts officials are to be believed, Ghai would have swapped a Coke bottle for a Pepsi if the latter so wanted. Ghai shot two bits of the movie - one with a bottle of Coke, the other with Pepsi and then showed the snippets to senior executives of both companies. Pepsi found Ghai's asking price way too high, Coke didn't, and the rest is movie history.

OK. So coke paid a shit ton of money at the outset But they reaped untold rewards in my opinion. Actually, considering how much screen time they got, they got a pretty good deal! Now their brand is forever immortalized in a classic bollywood blockbuster that will be watched and rewatched (unlike their tv ads) for years to come.

But for me? Their blatant declaration of "We had to sell out for the money. Please bear with us as another company's brand name is shoved down your throat multiple times with the subtlety of a bear in a china shop" kind of turned me off (What kind of bear you ask? A Panda of course!). Seeing every ninny on screen with two lips and half a brain sucking down the black fizz like it was the latest weight loss miracle didn't really do it for me. Yet I have no problems with BMWs or White Castle. I one day hope to be able to afford a BMW. I also hope to do a spoof on H&K involving mad photoshop skills while taking advantage of racial stereotypes (check that).

I'm pretty sure the number of people who were put off by this corporate whoring is a lot less compared to the number of people who thought "Hey Ash really likes coca cola. Maybe if I drink it she will have sex with me!". On the other hand I do have a slight preference for diet coke over diet pepsi. So maybe the tricky bastards got to me anyways.

Touche Coca Cola. Touche.

For a much better article on this subject check out this from the IIMC magazine. Its much better researched, better written and renders this entry null and void (save for my personal opinions/thoughts/feelings. These equate to nothing, I know).

What do you think about product placement in movies? Will we reach a day where like in the movie "The Truman Show" we will be able to buy most of the items shown on the show? Will I ever be able to buy that apartment in FRIENDS on the salary of a sous chef? Only time will tell.

(How did they afford this??)

First post

This is the beginning of an experiment I have been meaning to conduct for sometime. Hopefully this blog will help me refine my writing skills and my opinions on various and sundry subjects under the sun (not necessarily a tuscan one for those keeping track). In addition, I might deign to record any amusing information or observations I deem worth sharing with you.

I know your numbers are few (at the moment one) but possibly with time they may grow to the dizzying heights of 2 or, who knows, 3!!

We'll see how it goes.

PS: My aesthetic skills are limited. If you have comments about the font, design, layout, etc. they would be most useful. Its only my musings that are perfect.