The Sun - PramsPhotography #153

 

The Moon - PramsPhotography #152

Drishyam2 - Movie Review

What I had witnessed was not just the peaks of exploiting the rules of our judiciary system, but also the passion of crime-story telling. I was falling short of words to appreciate Mr Jeetu Joseph, the writer & director of this movie. Yet I decided to pen down this post.

After witnessing India winning the cricket world cup in 2011, I almost stopped watching cricket. Not that cricket became uninteresting but I experienced an ultimate joy during the world cup win, that I felt I might not get the same level of pleasure ever again from watching cricket.

I'm right now in the similar state of mind, this time about crime thriller movies.

Drishyam 2 is a kind of sequel which is neither made for the sake of it, nor made because the story couldn't be fitted in under three hours. It's made after years, with a breathtakingly convincing storyline in which everything is perfectly weaved. Any remaining imperfections are taken care through that mention of 'risk elements' towards the end. Every actor did justice to their character's portrayal. Back ground score uplifts the thrill to the peaks. I loved the screen play!

It's not easy to succeed with sequels. That too for a movie like Drishyam, which has been remade in many indian languages and no one could even make small changes to the story line. That tightly binding the whole script is. Now Drishyam2 is nothing lesser. Credit to the director and his team. Thank you #JeetuJoseph for this great pleasure

Those days of being able to play these games!

 This is one of my best scores of all games. Will always be proud about this. 

As we step into 2021...!

As we step into the 2021st year:

1. The entire mankind has a common wish and hope for this year

2. These days we are proud of being happy & healthy than of anything else

Courtesy CORONA!

Pic: Rangoli by my mom, welcoming the year of hope like never before

Beautiful view of the pool and the bird from home!

 

One of the beautiful morning views from home!

 

The words that I used the most

 These are not the words I have used the most in 2020: Corona, Mask, Sanitizer, Work from home.

The words I have used the most in 2020 are: Bharat & Bhuvan.

Indeed, 2020 is a memorable year.

The Saturn & Jupiter - Closer!

This is the only picture I could capture during the close encounter space event of Saturn and Jupiter! 

Rafa and the Rolland Garros!

If my kids ask me what Covid-19 pandemic could not change, I will tell them that it couldn't change the dominance of Rafael Nadal on clay, at the Rolland Garros. Astonishing display today. A memorable match I watched, after a long time!

The ending and the beginning - Take Home #676

In every ending there is a beginning. In every beginning there is an ending. 

I own my dad a lot

What the actress Shruti Hassan said reminds me of what my dad said when someone asked him, why would you want to send your only child so long away to Delhi for further studies.

He said "I myself studied in Meerut, long away from home. How would it be fair to not send my child now?". I do not remember him ever telling me to study well. He always said I must educate myself well and develop all-round capabilities and communication skills.

I owe him a lot; so much that I cannot ever return. All I can do is to give it back to my children.

The mid-night maggie!

 One thing has remained constant from those Btech days, Mtech days and now the working-mother days!

The "Mid Night Maggie".

Happy retirement, dear sir!

 I think of school days and I think of those times spent practicing and playing under the coaching of Ammaiah sir. So many beautiful memories from those four years, representing our school in Central zone and winning it for our team. Those are some of the blissful memories I carried with pride all along.

Many students were moulded into awesome players by Ammaiah sir, some even represented India on various international stages. Every student from our school has certain level of fear, respect and love for him.

Everytime I play, watch or even think of a match, I think of him. And everytime I think of him, I regret not choosing sport as my career. Life would have been entirely different and most importantly, I would have got a chance to make him proud. Well, the motivation I take from sport is something that keeps me going in whatever I have chosen to do.

I wish Ammaiah sir a happy, healthy and joyous retirement life. Hope he will continue to enjoy the successes of his students. I'm proud to be one of them.

The click that gave lot of energy!

This is clicked from our home balcony and it has given magical energy to ease out the lockdown stress during the day!  

M.S.Dhoni - The untold story : Will I be watching it in peace, ever!

This is the most watched biopic by me and I consider it as one of the best biopics ever made. Great tribute to the former Indian cricket captain and also to all the support system he had in the form of family, coaches and friends.

I'm not sure when will I be able to watch it in peace again. I doubt if I will ever do!

Its not about what depression does to us. Its not even about what people do to us. Its all about what we do to ourselves!

Home made red chillies!

 

Book Cover Challenge - Accepted

 

#TOP - The first ever post!

If I ever write my life's story, the chapter about the following is going to be the most intense and interesting:

COVID Fear + Lockdown + Our Twin Toddler Boys + Work From Home + No Maid + Tiring Days + Sleepless Nights

A great story is in the making! Day after day, the determination is multiplying.

And,

#TOP - This is going to be the "working title" of my book. 

Sunrise view from our home!

 

Webseries - Queen

 I'm glad to have watched this before stepping into 2020. So much learning to take forward - the best one being "Do the best you can do while doing what you have to do".

Brilliantly portrayed by three lady artists, the protagonist's journey depicts what made her so strong and swashbuckling. Ramya Krishnan, as usual, has put up a flamboyantly charismatic performance. Inspired by true events, the script and screenplay are top notch! And it's a must watch, especially for women who seek strength and success.

Thank you - Gouthm Vasudev Meenon - for putting things together.

Movie Review Post!

My last full fledged movie-review-post was on 'Arjun Reddy'. And the last movie I have watched is 'George Reddy'. My life in between had revolved around handling two babies and two projects. Yet, nothing stopped me from watching a few movies. Thanks to Amazon prime, Netflix, Zee5, Hotstar and other online links. It's quite difficult to summarize my thoughts on all those movies. Let me try handpicking a few of them, which impressed and inspired me.

#Rangasthalam deserves all applauds for the attempt made to recreate village environment and personas. Charan and Samantha - I never found them as good before.

#Padmaavat released among havoc and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's depiction of Padmavati and Khiljee will stand tall for a few years to come.

#Mahanati is made as greatly as Savitri Garu herself is. Keerthi Suresh's brilliant portrayal of the yesteryear's actress is the best of all biopoic performances I have seen so far.

#Gudachary's script work is one of the awesome of its kind. Adavi Sesh is indeed the find of the decade.

#TheShapeofWater Not all movies which won Oscar convince you as much as this film does. How do they get these plot ideas! Beyond imagination, at least mine.

#Virus is a fine work of art that depicts a complex script in its simplest form. Couldn't believe the way they pulled off the climax sequences! Thought provoking.

#Uyare is a beautiful story of a girl with unbeatable conviction to become a pilot. And nothing, including a brutal acid attack, can stop her from believing that she makes an efficient pilot.

#KGF After Baahubali, this has been that Pan-Indian film, second part of which is the most awaited. What a dramatization and characterization of the lead protagonist! Mind blowing work especially in the second half of the movie. Yash has done a fantastic job. I'm too waiting for the Chapter - 2.

#GeetaGovindam Absolutely entertaining piece of cinema. Vijay and Rashmika make a beautiful pair on screen. Smartness overloaded in the direction department.

#Raazi Undoubtedly the best work of Alia Bhat so far. Very convincing she is in that role. The only song of the film is such a grandeur of music! Full marks to Meghna Gulzar.

#Raatchasi #Hitchki Must watch movies for all teachers, students and their parents. Every student is unique and some teachers have ways to bring out the best of each of their students. Jyothika's costumes and Rani Mukharji's act are the highlights of these films.

#Chichhore is a must watch not just for parents but for everyone else too. Interesting screen play and awesome performances makes this movie a great watch.

#MissionOverMars Ever since I attended the panel talk of women scientists from ISRO at Mumbai in 2016, I got connected to MOM project so well. No doubt I watched this series at one go, all eight episodes back to back. Awesome narration and depiction of the role of women scientists in the successful run of Mars Orbiter Mission. A mist watch for all techies.

#GeorgeReddy The forgotten history of an influential student leader of Osmania University in early 1970s is picturized in a brilliant and non-controversial way. Sandeep Madhav is the best fit and he filled the shoes aptly.

Looking forward to watch movies and write more about the artists' work in 2020

Our hobbies make our children - ParenthoodDiaries #18

 Our hobbies make our children and our fears break them.

What we are habituated to do is most likely what usually our kids pick up at an young age. I grew up listening to my dad's bedtime stories, and observing him reading books. I used think that he was telling me all those interesting stories from those books. I picked up the habit of reading books from him and I'm still hooked onto it. As I grew up, I picked up the habit of writing, again from my dad, and you know how I'm with that now.

While it's easy to guess what hobbies children pick up from parents, it's tricky to say what fears they are influenced of. There might not be a direct correlation of the fears they pick up, but somewhere or others the fears of parents and children do have a connection. I'm still not very clear of which ones I succumbed to. However, I'm sure I did. Those fears did become my limitations at times.

For our kids' sake, we must choose our hobbies wisely and try to be fearless from within, as much as we can.

Worth staying away from Kids - ParenthoodDiaries #17

I drop kids at creche on every working day's morning. Sometimes they cry. Many times they get on. But every time I drop them, I think of this: TODAY I MUST CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SOMETHING VALUABLE, WHICH IS WORTH STAYING AWAY FROM KIDS THE WHOLE DAY!

My perspective towards work changed, hugely, after kids. Earlier I used to perceive it to be my responsibility to do the task at hand well. And that was it. But after kids, I started seeing the work that I do as my contribution, towards the organization and society. When we feel we are responsible for doing something, exemplary work especially, we expect to be recognized and rewarded. When we feel it's a contribution, we expect it to be rejoiced and remembered.

After all, glory is in being remembered for the signature we leave through the work we do.

No one can deny... Take Home #675

We can be denied of an opportunity but not career. The risks we take and the compromises we make define our career, which is only in our hands and no one else is responsible for.