Rediscovering My Religion- Tendulkar still my God!!!

Though I have always been a spiritual person I have never considered myself religious. My religion and God were chosen by my conscience when the world saw the rise of Sachin Tendulkar. It is tough, rather blasphemous, to place someone at such a pedestal, for in a country like India every town has its own Godman, the supposed incarnation of God. But not every Godman has the humility and the skills which sways an entire nation.And this God doesn't use His tongue to converse but it His divine skills with the willow that does most of the talking.

With God in His last leg of an illustrious career I was almost losing my religion but then IPL infused a new life into my beliefs. The God has not been replaced though, how would He be God if He is replaced, yet the beliefs have been redefined. IPL has provided the much needed shot-in-the-arm to the ailing cricket following, which was on borrowed oxygen. And it has refurbished my faith.

Cricket in India became a passion shortly after the win at Lord's by Kapil's devils. Though I was too young to understand the quantum attached to such a win, when I see the toothy smile of Kapil Dev holding aloft the Prudential Cup at Lord's in those archived videos, it gives me a strange nostalgic feeling.

1989 was the year when Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan. I do not remember anything of that tour even. I just remember my elder cousins, who were avid cricketers themselves, talking about a certain Waqar Younis and his bloody - no metaphor this - bouncer. It was in 1992 that I could understand why most of the Indians decided to adopt a new religion, Cricket and our God, Sachin Tendulkar. The world cup was never a memorable affair for India, save the Prudential Cup. But it was Tendulkar's Cup and so were the future versions. What pains me is God wished to bring back the Cup home and it seems the elements are all conspiring against Him. So far they have been fooling themselves cos it is just God's human side and 2011 is not far away!!

Dev D - The Emosanal Atyachar!!!

Dev D is not for hypocrites!!For people who love to do cover-ups and push things under the carpet, this movie is a serious NO!!! You want to face the reality and not crib whenever faced with it then you are welcome to Mr Anurag Kashyap's real world.

My original review, just after the movie, would have been very different but it is after one week that the movie seems to be growing upon me. I have used the terms - breezy, wild and explicit for the movie and that is exactly what I felt when I saw this movie. But love it or loathe it you can never ignore Dev D. It is in your face real world and very different from the hypocritical mushy love stories that Karan Johar is so adept at showing.

The film is set in colorful Punjab and would be disappointing for Sharat Chandra fans as there is no element of Bengal in this modern avatar of the eternal lover or loser (it is just a swap of a letter but with a drastic change in meaning or are they same......who cares!!). My friends said that Sharat Chandra must be turning in his grave on such an interpretation. But this piece is not credited to Sharat Chandra so why should he care, in fact even the story is different.

Abhay Deol is not Abhay Deol in this movie. He is Dev D, frustrated to hilt with no one to blame for his own mistakes. And finally knowing the difference between lust and love to choose the right one. Dare I say that Abhay Deol has surpassed most of the able actors in depicting the frustration, the pain that Dev D goes through. An outstanding performance.

All the characters are well developed. The three main characters have even tracks dedicated to them.
Chanda - Yehi meri zindagi hai!!
Paro - Payalia!!
Dev D - Duniya, Aankh micholi, Saali Khushi, Nayan Tarse!!

Yes Dev D is the protagonist, he needs more songs. The music is amazing, awesome and very "Dev D"ish. Each song is very different yet with the same soul. And with so many instruments used for the effect that you are taken to Dev D's world if you listen to them, lyrics just apt for the situations, words carefully chosen, even Patna ke Presley's "Emosanal Atyachar" sounds good and last heard was already a rage in colleges!!!

The most interesting characters are the "Twilight Players". They are in most of the scenes where Dev D is washing down his frustration with alcohol. Suited-booted as gentlemen, though they can be placed in the dark underbelly of any metro of India. Some artistic twist here which my brain could not decipher but surely interesting.

This is Anurag Kashyap's first movie which I have seen. And he has done great work to captain such a cast, which boasts of two new comers as main leads. If you carefully watch the movie you see a lot of reference being made to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas. Was that intentional or Kashyap's way to make light of Bhansali's version is something which only Kashyap can answer.

युगांतर या युगांत

बहुत संजो कर कुछ साहस रखा था
थोडी हलकी-फुल्की आशा भी
आज कोई उसे छल रहा है

आशा तो पवन की संगिनी लगती है
उसी के रुख पर थिरकती है
और साहस सहमा सा एक बचपन
झिड़क के डर से कोने में दुबका हुआ

युगांतर का अनुभव है ये--
या युगांत का...

रात मुझे भी टटोलने लगा अँधेरा

रात मुझे भी टटोलने लगा अँधेरा
क्यूँ विचारों के रंग उस जैसे लगते हैं
झिझक क्यूँ अब भी रहती है ?

क्यूँ वो आशा मन को स्थिर नही करती
इतना कोलाहल क्यूँ हर जगह कायम है?
ज़िन्दगी कईयों की क्यूँ पथभ्रष्ट लगती है?

रात मुझे भी टटोलने लगा अँधेरा
ये जूनून सा मन में कैसे जग जाता है?
कैसे मौत का खौफ धुआं हो जाता है?

वस्फ़* की टोकरी क्यूँ तिरस्कृत पड़ी रहती है ?
अन्तर-द्वंद अब बस विचारों में क्यूँ है?
रात मुझे भी टटोलने लगा अँधेरा...

*वस्फ़- merit