RIFLE RANGE BOY

Adipurush (Primordial Human, 2023) Director: Om Raut Growing up immersed in many devotional movies, I concluded they were all too uninspiring. I remember Dasavaratham (1976) was a bore with song after song. Then some stories were unbelievable, like Aathi Parasakthi   (1971), where a new moon day becomes full with the Goddess' divine intervention. I was not impressed. I was seeking a scientific explanation, which I have yet to find.   As an adult, I was once called bewildered by a Christmas production by a local church. It was produced, choreographed, stage-managed, and sound-checked all by the teenage members of its church. And the musical accompaniment was theirs too. Now, I told myself, that is what draws (or keeps) members in their fold. It fulfilled their contemporary needs - staying attuned to the times and keeping them 'entertained'. That was where it stood. Hindu narratives remained myths, and the hidden life lessons were lost in translation. Times have changed, and ...

Sacred Games (Season 2; 2019) Miniseries Netflix Just like the convoluted world that we live in and the twisted problems that we get intertwined, the storyline of this miniseries is complex. In life, there is no one truth. Things are not so black-or-white as we grew up thinking it is. Good things happen to bad people, and conversely, bad things happen to good people. An action seemingly done in good faith may actually be pure evil in another's eyes.  There is so much hatred amongst and between all the people of the world. On one side, one group is hellbent on destroying the other. It seems destruction of the other is the way to avenge or ensure justice on Earth. On another end, another group feels that injustices have tipped the point of no return. The only way to correct it is to re-boot everything. Evil has taken over where goodness used to prevail. Annihilation and jump-starting from zero is the only option.  Like the  first season , the most exciting part o...

Sacred Games (Season 1; 2018) Life is like being at the beach. Sometimes the water is cloudy or appears unsightly with floating particles. The waves may be high and dangerous to be around. It may be too windy. The beach may be too crowded for comfort. At other times, it may just be perfect. We are only supposed to enjoy the moment whatever the circumstance. Forget the flare of the sun, the heat, the sunburn, the sticky bodies, the sand and the mess the wind and sea-water do to your hair. That is life for you and me. You are supposed to get the best out of it - the ups, downs, warts and all.   This Netflix flick has an entirely Indian plot, setting, cast with a story written by an Indian author. With a background of gangsterism and communal violence, it traces through the story of a Brahmin boy who went through a tumultuous childhood to end up as a Don in Mumbai. It unravels the saga of crooked politicians, corrupted policemen, a web of dishonest businessmen, a trail of c...