Saawariya

I went to see Sawariya yesterday. Yeah, I know, inspite of having all the bad reviews and all the people complaining of headaches and depression. We missed the first 10 minutes, but the pace at which the movie actually went, I doubt we missed much.
To start off with, I had no expectations of the movie, maybe of Sanjay Leela Bhansali but not from the story, nor the actors, nor the music. SLB is good.I would go see his next movie too without thinking twice.The story is basically, boy sees seemingly-mysterious girl, strikes up a conversation with her, they become friends, he falls in love with her. Now thats night 1. Night 2 has him quitting his job to be able to talk to her, he learns of her sob-sob love story, a man who has promised to be back in one year's time to take her away. So, now we have a heart broken Hero and a Heroine who seems to be laughing at the drop of a hat and starts crying before it can be picked up again.
Night 3 has hero telling her that "Mystery-man" wont be coming back for her. She is convinced and decides to marry hero. But then... one last look at that bridge and her mystery man is standing there waiting for her, she asks him to "understand and let me go". He gives a winning smile and bows out of her way.She walks off into the night with her hero and the movie's hero is left holding her anklet.
Well, thats the story.
I admit, there were some scenes that I loved.The sets were amazing, the theme of the movie was of course night. Black and neon-ish lights. I suppose one has to understand the magic of movies, the painstaking effort that goes behind every frame.The thought/dream of one who is trying to show his vision to the world.Every scene tries to show something about shadows and light, it tries to show laughter rising in the middle of darkness, it shows something that I failed to understand.It shows the life force of water flowing right through the heart of the city where people try to make a living out of seemingly nothing.Everyone keeps talking of hard times but the only depression they seem to carry is the loss of people around them.It shows people as being basically good no matter who they are or what they do.It makes you believe in the innocence of all that exists.
It is slow and that is a no-no for most people.It shows a romance that seems to be more of a friendship with a few special moments.Every scene seems to drag.The pace could have used a helping with, the bridge and her expressions became boring.It seemed like their world was too small. Acceptable I suppose. But , what pained me the most was that I did not feel sad for the hero that his love was walking away with someone else.I did not feel moved enough.And isn't that what a love story is supposed to do? A tragedy at that. It should make you feel for the one who doesn't get the girl. I was just glad the movie was over.
I could take the first half, but the second half started a headache that lasted 17 hours.
And to think, I had looking forward to seeing this movie for over a month now.

My 40 minutes to work

As I turned onto the main road, I saw this lady(in her late 50s I would guess) running at full speed.Searching for her object of affection, I saw a BMTC bus. There was no way she could have made it, but she kept running and surprise of surprises, she almost caught up with it,(a little of the credit for that should go to the pathetic patch of road maintained by the state) Another 20 feet and she would have made it.So, I pulled up to her and asked her "Bus ga" and gesturing that I would help her catch up with it. She turns to me with a BIG smile and says, I have never sat on a bike before.Before I could respond , to tell her it wasnt hard to get on or hold on in a bike , she had caught hold of myself and was hoisting herself onto the backseat.She pushed herself off the ground in one quickjump, pushing down my shoulders at the same time and voila ! she made it. and it was then that I realised that she was sitting with one leg on either side, which wouldnt really be a reason to raise an eyebrow sans the fact that she was wearing a saree. If someone had a camera, then I wish he took a shot of the expression on my face.It would have been worth it, coz I really want to know what that cute guy across the road saw and half-smiled and half-doubled over in laughter. :(
Anyways,we made it to the bus in the next stop and the lady disappeared.
I was passing by the ASC center area and there was a huge crowd to one side, all the military guys were milling around.I had just enough time to take in all that when I saw that the road was littered with broken glass and that was when the crowd cleared to show a man getting out of car with blood trickling down his forehead.At least , he was being escorted by one of those military guys, so he would have gotten decent medical care.
Going on, in the usual jungle of traffice where everyone is searching for that elusive gap between two vehicles, everyone who has the choiciest of abuses waiting at the tip of their tongues, everyone zooming to get to work or college at break-neck speed.
I passed by one case where the handle of the guy trying to get through the invisible-to-all-but-him gap hit another bike and that guy almost toppled sideways, just a glare and then both went forward, who wants to waste time on a fight if that means you will miss the signal right?
Other than that we have our usual dose of people who think being overtaken by a girl is a personal insult and has to be avenged with utmost urgency.Once they get past the girl, they slow down and keep looking into the rearview mirror, gloating and trying to show the girl that they managed to achieve it, that they 'defeated' her.
The usual dose of autos(not to say that they are the only culprits) which spew away smoke like there is no tomorrow, given the rate, I doubt if there will be one anyways. Try stopping behind them at a signal, with yucky grey smoke billowing at you non-stop while the guy on the bike next to you decides that the 120 seconds at the signal is enough to start on a new cigarette!
People crossing the roads like they believe vehicles have to slow down for them, taxi drivers trying to go faster than any Bangalorean has gone before, buses trying to take a left when they are in the right most lane and people in the center lane are forced to turn right for there is no option left!
And of course, people who believe one-way signs arent meant for them.
My cup of woes does overflow.
Anyways, have cleared the battlefield for today and safely made it to work(I will have to erase that and put in office, for obvious reasons ;))
Until the next episode, my 30 minutes back home!