You know or you don't

Its ‘Jaane Tu…Ya jaane na’,which means ‘You know or you don’t’. I have heard good reviews of this movie from friends before I went to watch it. Everyone said the movie was a good one. So I decided to venture it on the last show on 10th July ,Thursday.
I have often believed that a movie is all about direction accompanied by acting. And ‘Jaane Tu’ is more about direction than anything else. It’s a run of the mill story, with a debutant actor with limited acting capabilities accompanied by pretty ordinary music score by a music maestro and yet it’s a wonderful movie to watch.
Right from the casting to the way the movie is presented everything makes it a refreshing experience. Along the movie you would imagine the movie was written keeping Imran in mind and not the other way around. His acting in-capabilities actually becomes the USP for this movie. Amazing yet so true. Genelia has a perfect role to suit her kind of character and the other characters in the movie are as believable as it can get.
The story is ordinary considering the fact that two college friends who does not know that there lives have become so close that they are actually in love(The others surrounding their lives actually believes so). Eventually they decide to help each other finding life partner. When the guy finally finds a gal the other gal realizes she is in love with him. Subsequently ego clashes leads to a final airport scene where the hero breaks all security and expresses his love for the leading lady. Yaaawwwn. So boring .
But believe me this story is so wonderfully told in the movie that you will fall in love with it. Firstly the guy is a ‘cowardly Rajput’ sounds like an oxymoron. That’s where the movie scores. Its goes beyond the convention of celluloid cinema. The hero is like one of us. The other characters actually blends so well with the movie that one can relate to them instantly. The imagery of the hero’s dad communicating to his mom through his wall painting is an innovative and amazing concept that adds that ‘zing’ to the movie. The humor is very subtle and stands beyond the normal run of the mill slap stick comedy. The portrayal of the ‘Meao’ and ‘Rats’ with there uninhabited friendship actually breathes in fresh life into otherwise boring movies releasing every now and then. Ratna Pathak,Paresh Rawal, Sohail and Arbaaz Khan have wonderful cameos to themselves. Naseeruddin Shah who is exceptional as ‘The Wallpainting’ Dad actually adds the extra comic flavour to the movie. The 3 hours movie will keep you engrossed with its story telling and refreshing brilliance. Not to mention the climax which ends in an Airport scene. You must have watched lots of this airport scene climax. But this one is just a bit different and wonderfully enjoying.
The movie actually raises a question when do you think you are in love? And off course makes it a point to answer it. At times we search of paradise without knowing that it’s at our arms length. The movie actually defines a thin line that separates friendship and love. The truth that always prevails is the person you love is actually your best friend ‘Jaane Tu …ya Jaane na’.

Mahabaleshwar Trip

Aurangabad Trip

Religion=??

Whenever I fill up the forms for any office or visa or any other stuff I am always asked for my religion. I am a Hindu so I write ‘Hindu’. Does it make any difference to my life??I don’t exactly know this. I have often wondered how much Hindu I am? To begin with I am an atheist, so it doesn’t matter which religion I belong to I just don’t have any belief in any form of GOD.
I have been educated in Christian missionary school so Bible has been an integral part of my life since my childhood. I have read The New Testament, The Old Testament; I have celebrated Christmas and have enjoyed the pork chops in my meal. I have never refused any wine offered to me during Christmas. I am fascinated by Christian wedding and white gowns, not to mention their churches have been an architectural treat for my eyes…so does that make me a Christian?
I have loved Muslim architecture, I have been fascinated by their artwork, I love their Biriyani, I have read Quran(Although Translated Version) , I have been touched by the beauty of Muslim women in my trips to Kashmir and Hyderabad . Sufi music has been a treat to my ear ever since I have been listening to music..so does this makes me a Muslim?
I guess my likings for Hindu religion needs no explanation because that’s what I am by birth, isn’t it. If that’s not enough then I must say that my grandfather has been a devout Hindu throughout his life and so is my mom and I belong to that family! So that makes me a Hindu, right. I wished that while filling the forms I was given the option to choose as many religion as possible I would have ticked them all..OR for online forms if they would have given me check boxes instead of radio button then I would have probably clicked them all.
My parents have been wonderful in bringing me up and giving me the option to make choices in my life. So till day I haven’t been able to make up my mind if I want to choose any religion although officially I am a ‘Hindu’. So whenever I hear things going wrong on basis of communal divide I am perplexed. Does following any religion ever make any difference to a man unless he/she decides to be a religious fanatic? History has shown that religion was invented to bring people closer to one another. It was a basis of social networking for likeminded people. And in a country like India which I so wonderfully variant how does religion play an important part in shaping its destiny??
I know that thousands of articles and stories have been written on communal harmony and religious tolerances and on topics pertaining to religion but still we have the lines. The line that divides people on the basis of the religion he/she follows. The lines that burns countries leaving behind unremovable scars. The lines that given rise to fanatism and hatred among people. The lines that modern day science has not been able to wane away inspite of huge advances in technology.
I guess the time has come to progress forward as ‘Humans’ and believe in the saying “Live and Let Live”. Although these thoughts may be a bit philosophical but I guess history have proven that the greatest of kingdoms have been the ones which have held all religions at the highest level. Since we want India to dominate the world in the coming century so guess we should look at these aspects also.
I must confess I am happy to be a human, an atheist more than that of being a Hindu….!