gaaaaaalipata

I had been to Galipata yesterday. It was kind of a reunion of me and my two friends (in full galipata style). As almost every time I watch any movie, this time too the critic in me came out alive strong and kicking (quite literally) and I thought why not kick start my second blog with my review of the movie? And since I do plan to be a serious film critic one day I thought this would be a good platform to express my views. (so there ll be more such reviews in the future too every time I watch a movie). Anyway right now…over to galipata…

First thing I did not understand is why the movie is called galipata at the first place. Well you may say because they fly kites in the movie but I thought they only flew kites BECAUSE the movie was called galipata. Had it been called doni then they would be making paper boats. Though I think it should ve been called Ganesh because it seriously has an overdose of him. (I mean I like him but I cannot have too much of him.) And to think it’s a multi starrer! The predilection starts from the credits itself – “GOLDEN STAR Ganesh starring”… I still don’t fathom why each actor in Kannada industry is given such corny titles – Rebel Star, Sahasa Simha, Hattrick hero etc etc. Seriously its beyond me. The cameras too seem to have fallen love with him since he is given the maximum screen time, maximum. Again something I don’t understand especially when you have such cute looking Diganth beside! Second thing I really didn’t see was a concept in the movie. What was the director trying to say? Anything at all?

Another thing I don’t understand regarding Kannada movies is the way they flow with the wind. You have one Mungaru Male meeting success, and then you have 20 movies made on the same lines. Seriously a lack of creativity. This movie too is no different (other than the fact that it had the same team). It has Ganesh (well!), shot in beautiful locales (the thing I m least complaining about), has one song by Sonu which at first sounds just like Anisutide. And Ganesh looks like he has come from Mungaru and walked straight into this movie (without a shave and a hair cut that too). I m sure it’s pretty much obvious now that everything about the movie is Ganesh-centric.

Ok, this movie has 3 friends (Dil Chahta Hai with a difference – the difference being the screen time) Ganesh, Diganht and Kitti (Rajesh Krishna). I think the director’s brief to Diganth was just to flash his dimples at the word go and he does it with great panache. (Only wish the camera would focus a little more on him). Kitti is supposed to be a very reserved guy (depressingly reserved) because his girlfriend of 8 years dumped him and he hasn’t come out of it. So in effect both these guys don’t get to speak much which of course it utilized to the core to promote Ganesh’s histrionics.

Over to the actresses (if you really care to call them as actresses that is). Daisy is the only one who looks graceful and matches the scenic beauty. She s a widow so obviously she too cant be speaking much right? Though I wonder why her husband (who apparently dies trying to save a child) was doing by the river side barely two hours after his marriage to her. The only reason I see is he wanted to commit suicide! Then there is Neetu. The director’s brief to her according to me was to “ack-thoo” at anything and everything possible. Now to think a guy actually falls for this man-in-the-making! And that to Diganth! There is not a single scene to project their love blossoming. We are just made to assume that. Screen time you see.

Then, there s the third actress whose name is God-knows-what or rather who-cares-what. So, the director’s brief to her is to act like a 16 year old (cos she is supp to be in her PUC. The first thought that ran across me when I saw her was that if she was in her PU then I must be a toddler! OR, she has flunked way too many times.), which I think she interpreted as 6, and being the fine actor that she is she has performed just like a 6 year old – but mentally retarded. And our bhola bhala Kitti falls for her! AND they get engaged too!

Oh, there is a pig too, the only thing that gets good screen space prolly because it doesn’t have to speak or dance or act. So the director feels the presence of this will in no way harm Ganesh and his star power and hence you can see it every now and then.

Since there HAS to be a true filmy shytle love affair of Ganesh and Daisy’s, with good share of twists and turns, they wind up the other two love stories with each pair given 2 scenes together and a song each. Now its time for our hero who obviously wont win the heroine so easily. There s never too less masala for us which we cannot tolerate. So he proposes, she disposes, he whines, he cries, he swears death and finally gives up all his hopes. Then there is the master stroke – the climax. Ok, agreed its well shot, but how many times is what I ask? How many times should the heroine fall into the river which has dangerous, life taking falls and rocks everywhere and the hero save her? Have we not had enough of it?

Ok, I have so far sounded very critical of the movie but I must admit despite all this the movie is still worth a watch. Yes, it does disappoint, because we go to the theartre expecting the movie to be different, to reach new levels, beyond Mungaru and other movies in the same league, but it is still entertaining. Ganesh hams, but there are certain things he is best at, and he shows it. The highlight is obviously the scenic beauty. Amazingly captured. The songs too, may not be the best, but are good (though the choreography lets you down). The best part of the movie is the comedy. Esp scenes where Ganesh treats Diganth as their younger sister and treat him like a baby (abba, anthu inthu nam tangi madve settle aaythu and things like that). And comedy being his forte, Ganesh scores in it.

I say its worth a watch also because I have seen a whole lot of hindi movies paying more than double what I paid for this movie and coming out of the theatre-look-alike-concentration-camp thanking god for still keeping me alive despite having surrendered my life carelessly at the hands of the actors who heat it, beat it, churn it, tear it and finally throw it back at my face while I look hopelessly at it.

An experience of its kind

This blog is a diary of sorts of my recent trip to mysore. It was a memorable experience because this was an actual “TRIP” and not the usual roaming around we do every hols. I wont throw much light into describing the places – you can find it elsewhere.

 

It all began during our sem exams when me Danya and Swathy decided that we go to Swathy’s native Chitradurga during hols. The first big thing was to convince Danya’s parents and I as usual was vested upon with this strenuous task because Danya (and some part of me too) believes that her parents trust me more than her! It didn’t take much time though to convince them that we were not going to run away but return home safe and sound. Great. Next the plan was formulated and well, so much like a fairy tale that I knew by my instincts that something would go wrong and it did!! The trip was canceled. Devastating. But since we had spent too much of time and energy in convincing our parents into letting us go on our own I decided why not my native – Mysore? And mysore being my native and my favorite city I have been there at least a thousand times. But owing to my relatives I never had got a chance to visit those monumental places the city is known for (barring the temples of course - those are the places my parents would never hesitate to take me over and over again much to my distress).

 

So, this time I wanted to visit all those places and not my relatives. Talking of my instincts I knew this trip would succeed as it went through many odds. First it was my 6 mega pixel digicam giving away and we had to make up with another 4 mp cam with just 16 mb (that means less pictures – something I dread the most owing to my interest in photography). Next it was Danya who fell sick just hours before we were to leave and she falling sick is a very BIG deal! It needs immense talent to take care of her in such a situation, an art perfected only by her mom. But I must confess I admire her enthusiasm to be with us and enjoy that she got better and how! The thing which completely brought down my enthusiasm to minuscule levels was Danya’s father approving of a trip to her native Sringeri – a place I have been vying to go for quite sometime. (we didn’t even think of asking her parents for this fearing a big NO!). Now this was a complete shocker. I mean its such a rarity that her dad agrees that meteoroid collision to earth would sound more frequent! (no exaggeration here - I am sure Danya will agree with this!)

 

Anyway barring all odds our trip finally turned into a reality as the train starting moving towards our first point of destination – Srirangapatna, historical town. (I am just quoting what the big banners on the Mysore-Bangalore road boast of the city – infact all the cities en route). Now, you are a tourist (quite obviously, with luggage in your hands) and a group of three and on top of it all three are girls then you are bound to turn an attraction yourself – attraction of auto drivers who very well know they are needed! We too were attacked by one such guy who followed us all the way to Ranganathaswamy temple and Col. Bailey’s Dungeon (which apparently was a jail at one time) despite our numerous no’s and nah’s and go-away’s. Until of course Danya got into her quintessential best and yelled royally at him that might have scared the Britishers had she been born then!

 

But we did need an auto and quickly found one too after much bargaining from my side. He seemed to be pretty good and showed us all the places well telling stories related to each place all along the way (Swathy didn’t understand most of them though!). Anyway, we went to water gate (there is nothing to see there), Jamia Masjid (again nothing to see), Tipu’s death place, Dariya Daulat (Tipu’s summer palace – now a museum that has many paintings and pictures depicting that era), Gumbaz (also called Tipu’s tomb – it houses Hyder Ali’s, Tipu’s amd his mother’s tomb), Kaveri sangama and finally to bus stand. On the whole it was a nice experience. Next we headed towards mysore.

 

Our first place of visit once we entered Mysore was the majestic Mysore Palace – a place I admire the most, a place I always wanted to visit even as a kid but never got a chance and the place where my mom studied for three years (yes people, she did her 7, 8, 9 classes with the King’s daughters!). Though I did say I will not throw much light upon the places but this one place is worth mentioning. Standing magnificently bright and large it takes everybody in complete awe. But for us it was more than awe – it was jealousy. We for once wished we were born to or married into the Wodeyars! Or atleast had a chance like my mom had to study there, play with the prince and the princesses (prince I mean Srikantadatta), stroll around the palace and oh not to forget the pick and drop service offered in the Maharaja’s car! The durbar hall, the glass art, the paintings on the walls, the pillars, the wooden carved doors everything – everything about the palace mesmerized us!

 

One of my fondest memories of Mysore as a young girl was the tongas which once was a mode of transport but now even that is a tourist attraction! I loved traveling on a tonga and never missed a chance and this time too I wanted to travel as for any short distance didn’t matter and relive those memories. So we took a tonga to my aunt’s place to rest for sometime and then headed in the evening towards St. Phelomena’s Church – again beautifully built architecture both on the inside and outside. We ended our day by having dinner at – again one of my fondest hotels as a kid – Siddharta.

 

My next day typically began with scaring a poor Swathy at a dark 6 o clock in the morning by switching to her bed while she was away (well that’s just me). But it actually started with me and Swathy boiling water for bath in old style hande using kerosene and dry coconut shells. It was kinda fun – again a first experience. Once fresh we headed towards Chamundi Betta by bus (yes we decided to avoid autos after we counted our first day’s expenses!). Again it was an experience as I almost got my brother married to a fellow passenger’s daughter who insisted he would find the perfect bride for him if I gave my address to him. Oh, by the way, his daughter is in ‘software’ (whatever that implies!) and earns 30000 and he has got his SEVEN sisters married so he has a reputation at it! My next few minutes at the temple were spent in avoiding that guy who otherwise I am sure was determined to get grooms for all three of us! (though I don’t think the other two would have minded that!)

 

Next we went to karanji kere – a place I never knew existed until the famous koorakkuknalli kere song. It was an overwhelming experience. The bird park is worth more than a mention. So many beautiful birds walking so carelessly in and around you looking the least scared and way too happy to pose for all the snaps that you would want to take them home! Peacocks, white peacocks, ducks, cranes, hens – all so lovely. Then there is something called the Butterfly Park. You are made to walk about one and a half kilometers, walking past all the couples “kuchikoo-ing” with each other, then you stand in a place where all your inner fears of having got lost come strikingly alive and in a split second, without any warning there is a firework – firework of butterflies flying all around you and all you do is stand there awe-struck! It really was amazing.

 

Mysore zoo – one of India’s largest zoos, hosting a wide range of animals (most of which were asleep by the time we went) – was our next destination. In the evening we went to KRS.

 

It is always advisable to go to KRS in your own vehicle unless you are used to traveling in those raging private buses and fighting with those auto drivers (yes, here too!). KRS dam, Brindavan Gardens, the various fountains, musical fountain everything was mind boggling.

 

On the last day we went to Jaganmohan Palace. If you are a first timer you might easily get muddled by the posters of politicians and retail shops. It looks nothing like a palace and the entrance for the art gallery is also at an invisible place. Once inside you will see a number of paintings (including those of revered Ravi Varma) and various other artifacts, of course the most famous Clock (which sadly was out of order when we went).

 

All we did from there with whatever little energy we had was to rush to the suburb bus stop to catch a bus to Bangalore. It was possibly the end of the trip for all of us. But for me it was much more. I always knew I loved this city and belonged to it, now I knew the city a lot better.

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