Category: Entertainment

Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task,

MOVIE REVIEW “The color purple”

 

“The color purple” is a breath-taking historical drama starring Whoopi Goldberg as Celie the main protagonist directed by Steven Spielberg. This movie claimed many prestigious awards like Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, Blue Ribbon Award for Best Foreign Film, etc. The world premiere occurred on December 18, 1985.

The plot is based on the Pulitzer prize-winning 1982 novel “The color purple” by Alice Walker. I always enjoyed the script, the idea of how a woman who is timid, terrified is converted to a strong independent personality at the end of the movie.

Celie is a woman cruelly treated by the world, a shy, frightened little girl whose life consists mostly of eluding the men who want to rape and beat her. As a young teenager, she is raped by the man she takes to be her father, and both of her babies a son and a daughter are taken away from her. Then after this Celie is married off to Albert by her stepfather, Albert- a brutal farmer, who beat her, uses her as a servant and use her as an object to satisfy his lust and also convinces her she is ugly.

 

There are many emotional scenes in this movie but for me, the scene that pulled my heartstrings is where Celie is separated from her sister Nettie-the one person who loves Celie, who understands Celie. Nettie is one of the beautiful things Celie has in her life. When her father tries to assault her, she flees to Celie for safety now then Albert tries to assault her but when she fights him off, he throws her from his house. This scene is so much emotional, powerful and real. Hats off to the actors Deserta Jackson and Akosua Busia who played young Celie and Nettie, they both are so good in the movie.

 

The climax in the movie comes when two powerful, strong independent women came to Celie’s life. One is Sofia who is married to Harpo (son of Albert from his first wife) and the other women is Shug Avery the one person Albert cherishes in his life. Shug a jazz singer who remains Albert’s one and only true love. Shug could see the beauty beneath Celie’s fear, she became the transformative power in Celie’s life.

One of the most joyous experiences I have in the movie is the scene where Shug tells Celie “Oh miss Celie why you always cover up your smile, show me that pretty smile” and for the first time Celie laughed her heart out and this scene is the favorite and most joyous scene of mine.

 

This movie has many scenes where feminist criticism is shown I.e. the inequality between the sexes, the injustice of domestic and sexual abuse, and women’s struggle for recognition as individuals who deserve fair and equal treatment. Some of the scenes are: –

  • Violence by males upon females is a common occurrence even in relationships that are quite loving, like that between Harpo and his wife Sofia. He beats her because a woman is supposed to mind a man. Beating a wife is regarded as an acceptable way to assert male authority.
  • Women are not allowed to laugh at a man like in the scene where Celie passed comments on Albert and every woman present there starts laughing at Albert, Harpo says “Shut up! It’s bad luck for a woman to laugh at the man.”

 

The most powerful and turning point of the movie is when Shug finds out about Nettie’s letter, Celie discovered that her children and her sister is alive whom she thought had died.

Now, Celie becomes so powerful that she questioned Albert about the letters and finally takes a stand for herself and told Albert that she is leaving him and going with Shug. They both have a war of words in which again Albert tries to convince Celie he says “You’re black, you’re poor, you’re ugly, you’re a woman! You’re nothing!” to which Celie replied “Until you do right by me everything you even think about gonna fail! I’m poor, black, I may even be ugly. But dear god, I’m here.”  This is the favorite dialog of mine in the movie. This particular dialog shows how a shy, frightened woman is transformed into a strong personality and speaks for her own rights.

 

Hats off to the director and cast especially Whoopi Goldberg who played Celie. When a movie character is really working, we become that character. That’s what the movies offer: Escapism into lives other than our own. For a time during watching “The color purple” my mind, my soul connects with the character Celie as I empathize with her struggle and her victory at the end.

This movie justifies its main central idea I.e. self-discovery, womanhood- how a woman’s mutual sympathy and support can act as a defense against the oppression of men.

 

 

Really loved the movie!! Hope you all will enjoy the movie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forbidden places in the world

Considering the rate of global expansion it is impossible to imagine any place unexplored and far from the reach of humans. However, there do exist certain places around the world which are forbidden from public viewing.

>Poveglia Island, Italy

Considered one of the most haunted islands in the world Poveglia Island is rumoured to have about 50% of its soil consisting of human remains. Located in between Venice and Lido the island was used as a quarantine station for plague infected people from 1793 to 1814. Also, evidences from past have proved that the island was used by Napoleon to store weapons in early 1800s. By the year 1922, until 1968, the buildings there were converted into mental asylum for the ill. It is believed that mentally ill patients were brutally tortured and killed at the hospital. Afterwards the island was used for agricultural purpose.

>North Sentinel Island, India

Located in the Bay of Bengal, North Sentinal Island is apart of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is home to the Sentinelese an indigenous tribe often known as ‘uncontacted’ people. According to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act prohibits people from outside the island to travel here. It is believed the Sentineleses have inherited the island from generations and wish to remain in no contact with the outside world. Out of respect to their voluntary isolation the island is banned for travelling.

>Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China

The tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Qin emperor of China is situated in Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi province of China. constructed over 38 years, from 246 to 208 BC, and is situated underneath a 76-meter-tall tomb mound shaped like a truncated pyramid. It is preserved in the respect of the late emperor.

>Bhangarh Fort, India

Built in the 16th century, Bhangarh Fort is located in Rajasthan, India. Claimed as one of the most haunted forts in India, trespassing near Bhangarh is legally prohibited between the sunset and sunrise. However, according to government claims, visiting the place after sunset is prohibited due to dense forest cover, the presence of wild animals and no street lighting facilities.

>Ilha da Queimada Grande, Brazil

Also known as Snake Island, Ilha da Queimada Grande is an island off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean. As the name suggests, it is known for its snake population having an average of five snakes per mile. It is home to an endangered snake species, Bothrops insularis, a golden lancehead pit viper. The snakes became trapped on the island when rising sea levels covered up the land that connected it to the mainland. Considering the danger from one of the deadliest serpents in the world the Brazilian government has made it illegal for anyone to visit the island.

BILLIE EILISH

Billie Eilish, a girl who can dance, sing and have millions of fans and followers on social media. She is an American singer-songwriter. Her full name is Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell. Her mother is an actress, musician, and songwriter, her mother was the one who taught her song writing. Her father is also an actor. Phineas, her older brother, and Billie were home-schooled. Her brother is the lead singer and songwriter for the band The Slightlys, he also produces Billie’s music.

Born:18 December 2001(Los Angeles)

Instagram followers:

Billie wrote her first lyrics at the age of 11 about the zombie apocalypse, inspired by The Walking Dead, a television series. She was just 13 when she recorded her first song ‘ocean eyes’ and posted the song online for her dance teacher to hear, so he could choreograph a dance for her but the song took off and made her famous overnight, after that, we all know about her success story.

when she was a child she was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome, it’s a neurological syndrome that causes a person to have involuntary physical or verbal tics. She has spoken about her struggle with the disorder.

Her voice is very soft, some people make fun of her voice by saying that she can only whisper-sing and some people finds her voice is unique. In the 2020 Grammy awards, the singer took home 5 trophies. the 18-year-old won the big four awards- best new artist, song of the year, a record of the year, the album of the year. By replacing Christopher Cross She became the second artist in history to ever win all major 4 Grammy awards in one year.

she was on Forbes 2019, 30 under 20 list for music.

FASHION

The singer is also famous among people for her baggy clothes. Her dressing style is very different from other celebrity singers, she likes to wear baggy and ill-fitted clothes. after her voice, her clothes are the one thing that grabs people’s attention. She is one of the celebrities who have broken the strict rules of fashion. Some people love her fashion style and people also style outfits inspired by her. 

FANDRY MOVIE


Fandry is a Marathi word which means pig. The movie is directed by Nagraj Manjule who is best known for his Marathi film Sairat. Many scenes in the movies are inspired from Nagraj own experience. The movie focuses on the hardships faced by a poor family living on the outskirts of village in Maharashtra. Nagraj touched so many issues in this film from social discrimination, dowry, Ill treatment of women to superstition. It’s very hard to believe that it’s the story of today’s India. In the movie we can see lot of photo frames of great thinkers on the school wall but there were many scene’s which shows how we forget to learn or understand what those thinkers did.
The main protagonist Jabya belongs to a lower cast family. Samnath Awghade played the role Jabya.
Kachru, Jabya’s father role is played by Kishor Kadam who is best known for his works in Marathi and Hindi cinema. Kachru serves as an all-purpose peon for the village. Most of the time his job is to catch pigs. Jabyas Nani (Chhaya kadam) sometimes also helps Kachru in catching pigs and other laborious work.
The movie shows the hardships faced by a Dalit family on a daily basis in India. From the very beginning we get to know that Jabya wants to study but his father forces him to get involved in the butchering and selling of pigs in which Jabya’s family is involved. He never refuses to do what his father and other family is doing. Whenever his schoolmates are around, he escapes from the pig hunting site. Jabya tries to run away from his identity but he failed miserably.

  1. The Whole village always ignored Jabyas family and makes fun of them. They only speak to them when they want to get their work done.
  2. The head of the village told Jabya father “your pig created havoc” and told him to catch the pig before the village wresting tournament starts. As his family starts hunting the pig. Jabyas class fellow and villagers starts gathering. Now Jabya knows that everyone is watching him and there is no escape from humiliation. when Jabya’s family finally get successful in catching the pig and they were carrying it out of the village, they pass through a wall which has paintings of revolutionaries like B.R Ambedkar, Savitribai Phileas, Jyotiba Phule, they are the people who worked hard to eradicate caste system out of our country. This scene shows that not much has been changed because we all are too thick skinned to be touched by these kinds of tragedy. Jabya family humiliation shows that the past efforts of revolutionaries have been whitewashed by the present.
    The last stone he throws directly towards the camera, the stone comes at us- the audience because we all know about the caste discrimination but we all are so insensitive towards this and always turns blind eye from the truth, it’s a shame and the most shameful part is that nobody is ashamed.

HAIDER MOVIE

Haider movie is based on William Shakespeares Hamlet. when Haider’s (Shahid Kapoor) gets the news that his father Hilaal Meer has been arrested by the Indian military, he returns from Aligarh. When he returns to his hometown he found out that his mother Ghazala (Tabu) is in a relationship with his uncle Khurram (Kay Kay Menon). Irfan Khan played the role of Roohdar, he is the one who tells Haider that his father was brutally murdered. He also tells him that his mother and uncle are involved in his father’s death. Roohdar is the one who pushes Haider into a bloody war.

 After that Haider set out on a path of revenge. The movie is directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Haider is set in insurgency-torn Kashmir (1995). The movie shows the conflict and emotions of Kashmiris. Through this movie, Vishal Bhardwaj tries to tell the story of Kashmir from a different angle.

Haider Ghazala is one of the strongest roles ever written for a woman. Ghazala is a woman who is beautiful, broken, and real. She is the one who is trying to embrace normalcy.  The protagonist (Haider) in this movie is different from the idealistic heroes which the audience usually sees in (Bollywood) movies. The character’s unpredictability in this movie raises the excitement. At the beginning of the movie Haider shown as a simple man but as the story moves forward, we see his journey from anger to jealously to madness.

Maqbool (Macbeth), Omkara (Othello), and Haider( hamlet), these movies of Vishal Bhardwaj have proved that he is a master of mixing literature with cinema and presenting them in different ways. Female characters in Bhardwaj movies are more strong, real, more complex as compared to other Bollywood movies. Women do play important roles in his movies. His character’s sufferings make their actions justified in the most strange and unexpected way.His movies have shown his love for realism and literature.

The local dialects and music of the film make it closer to the reality of the 1990’s period of militancy. Jhelum, Bismil, Gulon Mei Rang Bahre and So Jao all these songs were used in the movie in the most memorable way. Kashmiri folk songs and musical instruments are used to compose the songs. The best part about Haider music is that Bhardwaj has used the music as part of the narration in certain situations. “Bismil” is the song of pain and revenge. “Aao Na” song showcases aggression and violence. The powerful song “Jhelum Doonde Kinara” is sung by Vishal Bhardwaj.

INSURGANCE OF OTT PLATFORMS DURING COVID TIMES

The imposition of lockdown on account of the COVID 19 pandemic marked a major retard in the growth of many leading industrial giants. Unlike the rest, OTT  is one among the few industries which marked an exponential growth since its inception. Though the OTT platforms are not a fresh face in the entertainment industry, the burgeoning of the sector was a never expected one until lockdown happened. Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney Hotstar are the few OTT platforms which benefited from the imposition of lockdown. 

The television broadcasting companies failed to meet the demands of its viewers and was forced to rerun existing contents as the production industry was under a halt. The average screen time has simultaneously increased which resulted in people searching for fresh contents. The video on demand services gained popularity over the masses as it provided the flexibility to watch contents on our likes at our wish.  In addition to this,  these platforms released their fresh as well as original contents consistently and managed to maintain the initial consumer interest. These conveniences dragged the viewers towards OTT services and generated a buzz by increasing the traffic into these platforms even during the pandemic times. While the theatres and multiplexes remained closed for many months, film producers noticed the scope of the OTT industry and made an audacious move by releasing their films digitally for the first time to cater to a wider set of audience. 

It is estimated that an average person spends around 40% of their waking hours in front of a screen which makes almost seven hours a day. The OTT platforms have added a whopping 3-4 million subscribers to their existing viewership. This figure also included people viewing more non-broadcast content on platforms like YouTube and gaming sites. Just like how television revolutionised the early 90’s, OTT is bringing a new wave of change to the entertainment industry. These changes are always for the better and are inevitable.

Who I am and Why I’m here

Hey there, I am Disha Mitra, currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Bioinformatics from the University of Calcutta. I did my graduation in Microbiology and am a keen lover of the subject biology. I like reading and writing during my past-time.

I am totally an introvert and like to pen down my thoughts whenever I feel down. I love singing which actually lights up my mind when things go wrong. Writing on various enthusiastic topics by gaining in-depth knowledge on them and conveying them to others through my writing skills is what I enjoy a lot.

I’m here to gain and explore new experiences on writing and to challenge my own writing and blogging skills.

AN YEAR SINCE KOBE BID ADIEU

Today, 26th January 2021 marks the first death anniversary of Kobe Bean Bryant, the renowned basketball legend of America, widely known as ‘black mamba’. He passed away in a tragic helicopter crash that happened last year along with his 13 year old daughter Gianna Bryant and 7 others while traveling to Bryant’s Mamba Academy in  Thousand Oaks for a basketball match. Kobe’s shocking demise came early at the age of 41 leaving his wife Vanessa with his other daughters Natalia, Bianca and Capri. 

Kobe was born to former National Basketball Association (NBA)  player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia. Kobe started playing basketball at a very young age of 3. He joined the NBA in 1997 at the age of 17 when he signed for Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the sixth player in the history of the NBA to do so. He further went on to become the youngest player ever to play in an NBA game and the youngest NBA starter. During his long career with Lakers which stretched over an outstanding 20 seasons, Kobe managed to average 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 1,346 regular season games. Throughout his NBA career, Kobe won a MVP award, played 18 all star games and won five NBA championships with the Lakers. He was a part of the gold winning basketball team which represented the USA in the Beijing and London Olympics. He announced his retirement in 2015 owing to his fading form after a prolonged career and series of injuries.

August 24 is declared to be remembered as Kobe Bryant day by the Orange County’s Board of Supervisors to commemorate his invaluable achievements and the inspiration he was to many aspiring athletes. During his NBA career Kobe wore the numbers 8 and 24, which is chosen as a date to celebrate the talent and the cultural icon he was.

IMPACT OF PORN ON MODERN SOCIETY

We are living in the 21st century where the term ‘sex’ is considered as a taboo by our society. Since sex, a very basic human necessity, has been dealt so covertly, people ended up being hesitant to talk or discuss it openly in public. Sex education was included in the school curriculum as a result of relentless demands by the liberal and freethinking blocks of the society but has ended up more like a human biology and anatomy education rather than actual sex education. This has led to the scenario of people being poorly aware of the topic even after being taught about it.

Unlike a few years ago, with the advent of modern technologies like the internet, smartphone etc, porn has become a readily accessible material to everyone, especially teenagers. The lack of proper sex education and overexposure to pornographic contents set forth a complex scenario of our young generation mistaking the fantasies portrayed in porn for real. Porn often manipulates one’s idea of an ideal partner with unrealistic expectations which eventually leaves a considerable impact on our relationships with one another. As time passes, the enticing fantasies of porn drag one into the psychological traps of darker themes such as incest, rape, racial stereotypes, child porn etc. 

Though many studies and researches are yet to be conducted on the effects of porn and porn addiction, the report from the American Psychology Association provides us with a short insight into the topic. The annual traffic statistics of popular porn websites reported that an average Indian spent around eight minutes watching porn at a stretch. Another entrancing insight is that one-third of porn viewers are women and 48% are of the age group 18-24. Many consider porn as a private and harmless way through which people can enhance their sex life and relieve tension by releasing latent sexual energy. But watching porn regularly develops addictive behaviour resulting in an unhealthy lifestyle and broken relationships. The male-centric porn culture deceives its viewers into the devious mentality of objectifying women as mere sex tools to satisfy their urges. Porn drains love, respect and intimacy off a human being when he gets addicted to it and seeks for aggressive sex they’ve been exposed all their lives through porn. Lack of interest, sexual dissatisfaction, body image issues etc are a few among the list of relationship issues caused by porn addiction.

A revamping of the sex education imparted in schools by experts along with medical professionals, school managements and parents is essential to reduce the negative impacts of porn on teenagers to an extend. In addition to biology, sex education should consider the socio-psychological factors to ensure the eradication of taboo and reticence that persists regarding the topic. Setting a clear cut distinction between fact and fiction is necessary to prevent our children from having damaging unrealistic sexual fantasies. It is a natural instinct of teenagers to explore their sexuality and have sexual curiosity. Instead of blaming them for their sexual inclination and muffling the discussions regarding sex, timely guidance is what our society should provide our teenagers with.

Porn is a multi-billion dollar industry spread across the web which makes it nearly impossible to reduce or cut off the exposure to it. It’s just like any other commercial movie industry, a definite work of fiction with actors and directors producing contents for a targeted audience. One should realize that what porn showcases are an exaggerated product which is far from reality and attempts to imitate it in real life will result in issues with confidence and self-esteem. While you might learn a thing or two from watching porn or reading a sexy book, it shouldn’t be considered an alternative to sex education. A doctor or sex therapist should be the ones to be approached to clarify your queries rather than porn sites.

LIFE AFTER COVID: THE NEW NORMAL

The government of Kerala has decided to reopen schools, colleges and movie theatres in the state starting from the first week of January 2021 as the final phase of unlocking process of the lockdown imposed due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Schools and colleges were among those institutions which were closed down earlier in March 2020 even before the lockdown was declared and movie theatres were closed down when the Prime Minister affirmed a nationwide lockdown on 24th March 2020.

The reopening of schools on 1st of January strictly adhering to the COVID 19 protocols is the initial step towards unlocking in the education sector. With limited hours of functioning, the classes for 10th and 12th standard would begin with a restricted number of students. Only 50 per cent of students will be allowed at a time and in schools having more than 300 students, the number will be reduced to 25 per cent as per directions from the General Education Department. The school management is supposed to ensure safety by providing masks, sanitisers, soap, digital thermometer etc in the institutions. Social distancing has to be maintained and if necessary, the classes will be conducted in shifts. Each school should constitute a COVID-19 cell, chaired by the principal or headmaster. The cell should meet once a week to review the situation.

The colleges will be reopened for final year graduates, postgraduates and research scholars with a limited number of students similar to schools. Students, teachers and other staff with COVID-19 symptoms and those in quarantine should complete the days stipulated by the Health Department. The premises of the institution, furniture, stationery, staff room, water tank, kitchen, canteen, laboratory, library, and toilets should be disinfected before reopening. Each student is ensured to have five class hours in college as the government is putting efforts to compensate for the time lost owing to the pandemic. Online classes will be continued for the rest of the students.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that the movie theatres can function from the 5th of January 2021 which was shut down for almost a year though film shootings have resumed in the state by June 2020. All COVID 19 restrictions issued by the health department have to be followed with a 50 per cent occupancy of seats. Stringent measures will be taken against the theatres violating the prescribed protocols. Fifty per cent occupancy, staggered show timings, social distancing, thermal screening, adequate protection gear for the staff, and compulsorily providing phone numbers for “contact tracing” were some of the changes that were called for.

Even though we’ve entered into the final phase of unlocking, the government is directing adequate safety measures to prevent another wave of the pandemic. The tourism, entertainment, sports and education sectors have started their path back to normal. With the COVID 19 vaccine expected to be made available in the next two weeks, the government is expecting things to get normal in the coming months.

MARADONA: THE ARGENTINE BORN NEAPOLITAN

The world was in absolute shock and the Neapolitans couldn’t believe their senses when the world’s most expensive player moved to one of the world’s poorest cities and led the team which have never won a Serie A title to two Scudetti and a UEFA cup. The signing of Maradona itself was a huge reason for the people of Naples to celebrate but when he won them the titles they could’ve never imagined of, that’s the moment when the Argentine boy Diego Maradona became Santo Diego for them. With the streets of Naples painted in blue with flags and ribbons and chants hailing Diego pulsating everywhere, it took months for Neapolitans to fall back to their senses and accept that they have become the champions of Italy. And for one last time, Neapolitans were out on 25th November 2020, wearing the blue colour, carrying Diego’s photos and chanting his name through the streets of Naples, as their Saint, the greatest of all-time bid adieu to the mortal world.

Debates on Maradona’s might as a player and a person shall go on forever but for the city of Naples and its people, Maradona is so much more than just the greatest football player of all time. He will remain a godly figure, a ray of hope, an emotion that led them through their darkest times. He had the courage, conscience, and resilience to take football beyond the pitch and elevate it to a political act embarking millions of hearts with a sense of hope and feeling of redemption. 

From the slums of Buenos Aires to attaining the stature of a demigod for millions of Argentines and Neapolitans, Maradona was all a footballer could ever imagine of becoming. He has etched his name in golden scripts in the history of world football and the people of Naples, Argentina and football lovers across the globe through his charisma, leadership qualities and love for the game. Maradona might be flawed as a person but as a player, no one can ever reach the greatness he has achieved with a ball at his feet. He had qualities which no other footballing personalities can never boast about. He wasn’t a player but a politician who rebelled against the atrocities against the people. Football was just a medium for him. Diego’s might is beyond football and the politics of nations. Wherever he’s played, no one could ever own the player in Maradona. He was never a player for a particular club or country but the people, he represented them as one among them. That is the sole reason why the people of Napoli still celebrates Diego, decades after his departure, not as a person or a player but as Santo Diego, the Saint send by God to save them from all the atrocities. For Neapolitans, Maradona stays eternal, he’s the patron saint of Naples and champion of the people. And they celebrate him now and forever by singing,

‘OH, MAMMA, MAMMA, MAMMA, DO YOU KNOW WHY MY HEART BEATS?

‘I’VE SEEN MARADONA, I’VE SEEN MARADONA, AND MAMMA, I’M IN LOVE.’

FEARLESS BLASTERS WINS FIRST OF THE SEASON

After a continuous winless run of six games, Blasters tasted victory in their seventh game of the season against Hyderabad FC. In the fierce fight between two strong Indian contingents, Blasters came on top after the action-packed 90 minutes.

Kerala Blasters, one of the most followed football clubs in Asia were yet to taste their first victory in the 7th edition of Hero Indian Super League after completing six games. Today’s win was very important for the players and the coach as questions were raised from corners regarding the recruitment policy of Blasters management and the inability of Kibu Vicuna, the head coach of Kerala Blasters in finding out a perfect starting line up out of the squad.

Blasters started with five changes from their match against East Bengal FC as the Malayalee boys Sahal Abdul Samad and Abdul Hakku had their first start of the season along with Sandeep Singh, Jeakson Singh and the Australian Jordan Murray. The foreign centre back pair of Bakary Kone and Costa Nhamoinesu were dropped along with the English striker Gary Hooper and the Indians Seityasen Singh and Rohith Kumar to give way for some fresh legs.

Kerala started with not so lousy momentum and Kibu’s bold move was rewarded well when the local boy Abdul Hakku netted their first goal of the game in the 29th minute from Facundo Pereyra’s well-directed corner. The Argentine’s corner kick found the unmarked Kerala lad inside the box who brought joy to the Blaster’s camp with a stunning bullet header. On the other side, Hyderabad FC’s attempts to level the score went in vain as their strikers couldn’t find the back of the net with a disciplined Blasters defence at the back and vigilant Albino Gomez on the goal. 

It was 1-0 in favour of Blasters at half time and they started the second half with more intensity expecting high pressing from Hyderabad, and this move turned well as Hyderabad was forced back to their defensive duties with Murray and Rahul testing the opponent goalkeeper in regular intervals. The 34-year-old Hyderabad Goalkeeper Subrata Paul was kept on his toes all along the second half by Rahul and Murray. Hyderabad’s poor finishing and final third progression cost them the game as Jordan Murray netted the final nail on their coffin at the 88th minute to win the game for the Blasters 2-0. Sahal, Jeakson and Facundo were booked by the referee in their battle for the ball as the Blasters played and won as a team. This win should serve as a launchpad for the Blasters for the coming games. No one deserved this win more than the Blaster’s coach Kibu Vicuna who brushed aside his personal loss, stuck with the team and made personnel and philosophical changes to win with a clean sheet.

WILL OTT PLATFORMS REPLACE MOVIE THEATRES IN FUTURE ?

Over The Top (OTT) platforms are on-demand content streaming services which provide the viewers access to movies and TV shows directly through the internet rather than using broadcasting mediums like cable TV, satellite TV etc. Some of the most common OTT platforms are NETFLIX, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, HOTSTAR etc. The spontaneous boom of OTT platforms happened out of the blue when people were forced to stay back at their homes during lockdowns imposed due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic. The major advantage of OTT services over the traditional platforms is the convenience of watching favourite shows at our fingertip within the comforts of our home at a reasonable cost. 

Recent reports have shown that the OTT platforms promises the low budget films with less saleable names, a larger audience with a considerable slashed cost on advertisement and distribution. With the shutdown of movie theatres, OTT releases of latest movies became a new trend. In view of the rapidly increasing consumers, the OTT platforms have now shifted their focus onto creating contents on their own meeting the varying demands and tastes of its viewers.

The discourse on positioning the OTT streaming platforms and theatres is a present-day development in the entertainment sector. Cinema being one of the worst hit industries during the pandemic found itself in a greater challenge of sustenance. The effect nudged to the surface by this crisis was evenly handed for both the movie lovers and film industrial workers. This opens the door to the heroic entrance of OTT platforms saving both parties, granting industry the monetary benefits and viewers a platform to entertain themselves within their homely comforts at an affordable rate which propounds a win-win situation. Having said that, the inaccessibility of the OTT services to a large mass counts as the worst part as it is the working middle class people, the so called majority consumers, who contribute to more than 75% of the viewership leaving the rest 25% to decide between poor, lower middle class and elites. The OTT  results in the shutting down of entertainment to the unfortunate for whom technology is still a luxury.

OTT platforms are never a newly discovered competition for theatres as they have lived through the worst times and challenges during VCRs, DVDs and the still relevant piracy days. This testifies the unending interest  people carry for the theatrical experiences and any alteration is beyond thought. Though the OTT media services are propelled by the rise in the standard of living, evolution of smartphones, and affordable internet connectivity; socialising and community viewing experience from theatres will remain unmatched. Moreover, the real like involvement  offered  by big screens  is something the streaming platforms can never tone with . In conclusion, OTT platforms can coexist with the theatres but never top it.

WHEN THE GATEWAY FOR INDIANS TO HOLLYWOOD CLOSES

After their two decades of service, the renowned English film channel HBO which served as a gateway for Indians to Hollywood Movies, has discontinued its airing in India on 15th December 2020. WarnerMedia International has already announced that they will be shutting down HBO and WB movies in other South Asian countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives along with India by the end of the year 2020. This decision was taken as a result of the shifting market dynamics with the introduction of OTT streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix e.t.c. Even though there was an exponential growth in the number of viewers preferring to view contents in english, TV channels like HBO and WB were unable to capitalize on this, but to loose their grounds owing to the stringent competition from the on demand streaming platforms.

“After 20 years of successes for the HBO linear movie channel in South Asia and more than a decade with the WB linear movie channel, this was a difficult decision to make. The pay-TV industry landscape and the market dynamics have shifted dramatically, and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for further change,” said Siddharth Jain, senior vice president and managing director for WarnerMedia’s entertainment networks in South Asia. 

WarnerMedia International is planning for a resurgence to the South Asian market through launching their own streaming service named HBO Max. But for the time being, they will be offering their content through Disney’s streaming platform. They have also declared that their entertainment organization will continue its broadcasting in popular kids channels like Cartoon Network, POGO e.t.c in the South Asian region. They are planning to invest more in this stream, with a focus on local animation production.

For Gen Z Indians, HBO has always been a part of their childhood. They were introduced to the world of Hollywood movies through the channel. Though the newly introduced OTT platforms provide great contents, for most of the Indians who grew up watching the likes of Harry Potter, Home Alone series, e.t.c, the shutdown of HBO will be considered as a great loss.

Childhood Redefined: 90’s Cartoon

 Memories are an integral part of the upbringing of a child. This leads to shaping up one’s personality based upon knowledge & past experiences. Memories are of different kinds. They vary by nature, like saying positive or negative or they can differ in periods depending upon very old or recent times. 

  These memories lend one experiences that lead one to learn one life lesson. This experience causes one to get off through tough days with ease & make good days better. Now discussing childhood memories, they leave each one of us with a different imprint. The reason for our smiles or tears occasionally. 

   To each one of us, our childhood holds a jar of memories. Savouring over our favourite delicacies, playing for hours under the sun with friends, sharing tiffins at school & are some of the common memories that each one of us holds. But something common to all of us is the animated series of the late ’90s or early ’20s. I bet they are still a part of you, embedded deep in your heart, probably forgotten. 

 From being a couch potato watching cartoons all day long to binging Netflix on weekends we all grew up. So let’s turn the clock back as we go down the lane to revisit childhood, with these top 12 cartoons hand-picked just for you :

1] Tom & Jerry: This American animated series was created in 1940. It is named after its two main characters; a blue-grey cat named Tom who gets into comedic fights or chases the brown homed mouse called Jerry. Each episode shows the two characters which they often get hurt ridiculously. 

 2] Flinstones: This show is set in the pre-historic times in the town of Bedrock. Living beings of the past, dinosaurs, and other long-extinct animals co-exist with cavemen, saber-toothed cats, and woolly mammoths. Also, these characters use Stone Age technologies, & their lives resemble the lives of 20th century urban America.

3] Richie Rich: A rich kid named Richie who used to deal with threats to the Rich family, more specifically Richie. Some segments for humor with Dollar and Cadbury. Also, his friends fighting master criminals, aliens, and other threats to the world.

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 4] Baby Looney Toons: Baby versions of Looney tunes characters Bugs, Daffy, Lola, Taz, Sylvester, Tweety, Petunia & Melissa living with granny.

5] Popeye The Sailorman: Guess the intro song’s still embedded in our head. As everyone has heard of Popeye, the sailor who eats spinach and gets stronger. There exists a love triangle among Popeye, Olive, and Bluto. And Bluto’s endless schemes to claim Olive at Popeye’s expense. Popeye holds his near-saintly perseverance in overcoming any obstacle to please Olive, who often renounces Popeye for Bluto.

6] Scooby Doo: Scooby and gang use their intelligence other detective instincts to uncover mysteries that appear to be supernatural initially but later reveal having a person behind all these things thus lending a logic to the situations.

7] The Powerpuff Girls: Probably the first and one of the only TV shows of the time that begun teaching us about feminism. Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom were cute little girls who were fierce warriors.

8] The Jungle Book: Movies like ‘The Jungle Book’ & ‘Lion King’ are an extension of this series. Based on the Rudyard Kipling book, here you see how a boy called Mogli grows up in a jungle fighting through the hardships. Despite not being an animal, he grows up with a pack of wolves while doing ridiculous things with Baloo and training with Bagheera.

9] Dragon tales: It is impossible to forget this sentence, those bunch of dragons called always managed to make us smile. Emmy & Max find a magical place called Dragonland where they are transported using magical crystals where they face challenges with dragon Ord, Cassie, Zak, Wheezie & Quetzal.

10] Pokemon: As Ash Ketchum turns 10, he desires to start his journey as a Pokemon trainer with the dream of being a Pokemon master in the long run. But having overslept, he rushes to Professor Oak to realize that the only Pokemon left for him to have is a Pikachu, an electric pokemon. Finally, Ash & Pikachu, embark on their journey together while befriending two travel mates Misty & Brock. Along the journey, they make a lot many both human and pokemon friends. 

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