Indian Classical Dance: Kathakali

Kathakali is one of the eight major classical dance forms as recognised by the Sangeet Natak Academy. Other dance forms that Sangeet Natak Academy recognises are, Kathak, Manipuri, Sattriya, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam

Kathakali is a narrative dance form, from the state of Kerela. Kathakali is the amalgamation of two words, ‘Katha’ which means story, and ‘kali’ means a dance or a performance, in Malayalam. The dance form is based on the stories from Ramyana, Mahabharata and stories from Shaiva literature. Although not clearly traceable, it be believed that this classical dance from originated in the late 16th and early 17th century India.

Distinct features

The art form developed in courts and theatres of Kerala’s dynasties, that is, it was an outcome of a long line of theatrical practices, contrary to other Indian classical dances which predominantly developed in Hindu Temples and monastic schools. Another distinct features was, unlike other classical dance forms, Kathakali is traditionally performed by only male performers, who play the role of both males and females.

Kathakali involves the use of intricate make-up code, costume, face masks, head dresses and brightly painted faces. The colourful make-up of Kathakali performers is quite complicated and unique among all the other classical dance forms. The intricate make-up is called vesham, which is based on the psychology of colour. The costumes consists of full skirts, a heavy jacket, numerous garland and necklaces, and headgears.

Five main roles

Kathakali is a highly expressive dance form and requires vigorous trainings to be able to deliver such precision and mastery. In order to deliver such performances, make-up plays an important role in classifying the character in Kathakali. Thus, there are five important character veshams (make-up) in Kathakali, they are;

  • Pacha vesham– It is a green coloured make up on the face that is used to portray noble male characters like kings and divine beings.
  • Kathi– It denotes arrogant and evil character. The make is basically green showcasing that they are high born, but a red mark like an upturned moustached or knife (Kathi) is painted on the cheeks to show they are evil.
  • Kari vesham– This is the colour black,  and it is used for demonic characters, playing the most heinous figures on the stage.
  • Minukku vesham– It symbolizes gentleness and high spiritual qualities, denoted by using radiant lighter colours.
  • Thadi vesham– This refers to the beard, it can vary in length and colours, depending on the gravity of the character.

Apart from these five character veshams, there are eighteen other special characters that cannot be fitted into any particular category.

Kathakali in the present times

Traditionally Kathakali dances revolved around themes from religious sagas, legends, mythologies, folklores and spiritual tales, derived from the ‘Puranas’ and the Hindu epics. However, apart from such traditional themes, the modern day Kathakali troupes have also incorporated themes based on legends from Christianity and also adapted themes based on stories of renowned western authors such as William Shakespeare and more.

Another development that can be seen in present day Kathakali is the inclusion of women in the troupes. Traditionally Kathakali was performed by an all-men troupe who played the parts of both men and women. But now, this seems to be changing, as there has been a growing number of women participating in performing the dance form. This new changes have been welcoming, and viewers are accepting and appreciating these changes to an extent.

                    However, certain things remain the same such as beginning the performance by lighting a lamp and playing orchestra music, and the voiceover continues to be in Sanskritised Malayalam. Kathakali as a dance form not only entertains us but also provides a window to have a glimpse into the past and an opportunity to comprehend the ancient heritage that has been preserved for centuries through Kathakali performances.  

Some of the Best Book to Movie Adaptations for You to Check Out

Over the years, there have been many books that have been converted into on-screen adaptations. Film-makers run the risk of causing disappointments among book-lovers if the story being made into a film is not represented properly. In many cases, it can be pretty challenging to bring the entire plot and all the character stories completely into a 2-hour movie. There have been several good attempts made though, and here are some of the best book-to-film adaptations everyone should see, in no particular order.

The Color Purple (1985)

A deep and stirring movie, The Color Purple was based on an equally touching novel of the same name by author Alice Walker in 1982. Directed by Steven Spielberg with an amazing performance by Whoopi Goldberg, this film tells the story of Celie, a black woman in the early 20th century as she goes through life and learns to grow strong and rise above all the abuse, violence, and racism she has faced.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

This cult-classic was written and directed by Frank Darabont and it was based on the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King in 1982. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in lead roles, the film follows Andy Dufresne, a banker who is sentenced to life imprisonment in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, even as he claims innocence. It remains the highest-rated movie on IMDb to date.

Gone Girl (2014)

This widely acclaimed psychological thriller was based on a novel of the same name written by Gillian Flynn in 2012. Directed by David Fincher, this film grips the viewer’s attention while going into topics like manipulation, misogyny, and complications in marriage. It follows events surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Amy Dunne while her husband Nick Dunne becomes the prime suspect in the case. The film stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike whose performance received numerous accolades and award nominations.

The Godfather Trilogy (1972-1990)

Considered by many as some of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather trilogy, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was based on the 1969 novel of the same name written by the Italian American author Mario Puzo. The trilogy of crime films released in 1972, 1974, and 1990, follow the life of the Corleone family, a fictional Italian American mafia family. This highly acclaimed film series has won 9 out of the 28 total Academy Award Nominations.

Little Women (2019)

This classic coming-of-age novel written by Louisa May Alcott in two volumes is a semi-autobiographical story about four sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and their life. The novel published in 1868 has been adapted into the screen several times but the most recent remake starring Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, and Florence Pugh might be the best one yet. The film has also added new scenes and played with the storyline to make it more engaging to a modern audience.

The Harry Potter Series (2001-2011)

The fantastic story of Harry Potter and his wizarding friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry spanning seven books has been a fan-favorite for decades now. Their eight movie adaptations have also been some of the most popular films of all time. Some of the minor characters and storylines may be missing in the films, understandably so with such a grand plot-line and limited screen time. Even then, it makes for a very enchanting watch, particularly if you have grown up reading the books.

A Silent Voice – A Review

‘A Silent Voice’ (‘Koe no Katachi’ in Japanese which literally translates to ‘The Shape of Voice’) is a 2016 Japanese animation film (‘Anime’) directed by Naoko Yamada. This film is based on the manga (Japanese comics) of the same name written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ōima and received widespread acclaim upon its release. I have always enjoyed Disney and Pixar animation films (Big Hero 6 and Coco being some of my favorites) and when a close friend of mine suggested this movie, I realized that I have never seen a Japanese animation film before. Somehow it just never came up on my radar. Curiosity got the best of me when the film also somehow came up in my Netflix recommendations. And that is how I watched one of the most poignant and touching animation films.

‘A Silent Voice’ is a romance drama film that tells the story of the friendship between Shoya Ishida and Shoko Nishimiya, two high-schoolers who used to be classmates in elementary school. We see the whole film from Ishida’s perspective. The actual story begins when Nishimiya, a deaf girl, transfers to Ishida’s elementary school where she gets horribly bullied by him. Ishida gets into trouble for it and ends up becoming an outcast in his own school while Nishimiya changes schools. Years later, in high school, Ishida has lost all his friends and has a bad reputation in school. But he has learned from his mistakes and never wants to hurt Nishimiya or anyone ever again. He has learned sign language which he was unwilling to learn before and is able to start a sweet friendship with Nishimiya. He wants her to be happy so he tries to bring her old friends and classmates back together. In the 2 hours 30 minute movie, we see how their friendship helps them with their issues which majorly arose from bullying. The film shows how bullying affects both the victim and the bully as we see both the characters suffering from loneliness and self-loathing. Nishimiya, as sweet and kind as she is, still suffers the after-effects of the bullying she faced. She believes that she is the reason why Ishida lost all of his friends. Ishida has realized his mistake but has now become an outcast.

One of the most striking points of the film is how grounded and natural all of the characters and their arcs are, particularly the main protagonists’. At the beginning of the film, one feels so much dislike towards Ishida when we see him tearing Nishimiya’s hearing aids from her ears, throwing them out the window, and blowing sand in her face. But all of that hatred slowly melts away seeing him trying his best later. He becomes quiet and careful even as nobody in school actually cares about him. He is scared of looking at his classmates directly and hates feeling judged by them. The animation depicts his fear with blue crosses over his classmates’ faces. He is filled with self-hatred, even considering suicide at one point, and struggles to apologize to Nishimiya.

Friendship is also an important topic in this film. We see all kinds of friendships. Ishida gains a loyal friend in Nagatsuka, a bullied boy who also helps him find Nishimiya. Some of her classmates talk sweetly to Nishimiya while making fun of her behind her back, even refusing to learn sign language. Ishida’s friends find it easy to place all the blame on him even though they also took part in the bullying. Some of them change for the better, while others don’t.

There is something about this film that makes it so much more humane and emotional than other animations I have seen. The animation style by Futoshi Nishiya is so different from the usual, yet so welcome. The film has beautiful and detailed sceneries of the roads, lakes and the buildings of the town. The film also tackles a lot of relevant social issues like bullying, suicidal and self-deprecating thoughts, social anxiety, and the struggles of people with disabilities. It is interesting how an animation film can be this realistic in terms of its story because these are definitely some of the issues teenagers of this age face. It may appear to be a simple story of high-school romance at first but the film tackles so many complex and deep matters. It is also pretty impressive to me how an animation film is able to move its viewers so much emotionally while also making it entertaining and not boring.

In conclusion, A Silent Voice is a very heart-touching and sweet film. It is insightful and enjoyable for a wide range of age groups. I would definitely recommend it to all animation lovers. In fact, it would be a good starting point for people who have never seen Japanese animation films before.

Analyzing Alfred Hitchcock: The Psychological Genius Mind

Sir Alfred Hitchcock

Introduction

The movies of Alfred Hitchcock, seem to have a permanent place in both American and Global Cinematic history. He is a common topic to turn when discussing auteur directors, film history,  suspense and psychoanalysis. His visual style is very distinct, the close-ups, subjective camerawork, unusual camera angles and the list goes on. Today, in this article, we intend to analysis the visual choices of Hitchcock’s most well known works including Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho.

Sir Hitchcock before the shooting for Psycho (1960)

About Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock  (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker who was one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 feature films, many of which are still widely watched and studied today. Known as the “Master of Suspense“, he became as well known as any of his actors thanks to his many interviews, his cameo roles  in most of his films, and his hosting and producing the television anthology Alfred Hitchcock Presents  (1955–65). His films garnered 46 Academy Awards nominations, including six wins, although he never won the award for Best Director despite five nominations.

Sir Hitchcock

Techniques and Methodology of Hitchcock’s Works

Alfred Hitchcock’s attention to detail in his films is one of the many things that makes him one of the most recognized film auteurs of all time. He was very particular what about he wanted seen on screen and how he wanted to get those shots. From camera movements to the things found in the mise-en-scène, Hitchcock was very precise about every little thing that is seen in his on screen worlds. He would strategically place objects throughout the mise-en-scène and have characters wear certain clothing. By doing this, Hitchcock is able to let the audience know things about the characters and the plot without it having to be said on camera. Hitchcock once said that “If it’s a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on” . To Hitchcock, the conversations in his films were not important.  Visuals were of the utmost importance.  He loved point of view shots, which showed a shot of the actor and then cut to a shot of what the actor was looking at in order to convey what the actor is looking at; pretty much, the Kuleshov effect.

Sir Alfred Hitchcock on the set of one of his movies

The soundtrack was extremely important to Alfred Hitchcock, as he managed to sync the music with the actions of the scenes.  His most famous scene would be the shower scene in Psycho, where the orchestra is perfectly correlated with the murder.  In his famous film, Hitchcock also incorporated the use of shot/reverse shot, a standard shot pattern that directors use to film conversations between two characters. In general, the actors avoid speaking directly to the viewer, because doing so acknowledges the audience’s presence and destroys the illusion of a naturally unfolding story. From panning shots, to tracking shots Alfred Hitchcock used his techniques in filming and editing in order to create great products that continue to intrigue audiences to this day.

James Stewart as Jeff and Grace Kelly as Lisa Carol in Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) movie

Analysis of The Film “Rear Window” (1954)

The cinematography of Rear Window mainly focuses on the use of lighting and shadows. With the darkness and mystery of the film, Alfred Hitchcock was able to use his lighting to his best advantage. The light always is picking up on important symbols or messages in the scene. Such as the scene when the salesman finally comes into Jeff‘s room, the light only picks up on Jeff’s most valuable senses; his hands and eyes. Along with the lighting, the interesting angles are very common.  Not only did it create suspense, it creates confusion and the viewer wants to see more. Mise en Scene was very important in this film, as all of the scenes happened in the same group of apartments. In the city of New York, everything is very tight because of the huge population. The use of the differently decorated rooms also created personality and character for the roles who didn’t even speak

Scene from Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) movie

Although sound and music weren’t always in the film, it was there when it needed to be. The traffic and sounds of the city were placed delicately to remind the viewer of the area. The mix of piano from the songwriter in one apartment, from the screeching violins during nail-biting moments, created emotions for the viewer. Editing was evident everywhere, especially during a fight scene, or used very consciously during high suspense. The fades were apparent from day to day, which helped the viewer better understand the passage of time.

Poster of Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) movie

Analysis of The Film “Vertigo” (1958)

Vertigo is a 1958 suspense thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by Alec Coppel and Samuel Taylor and based upon the 1954 novel ‘D’entre Les Morts’ by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. Starring James Stewart, Kim Novak and co-starring Barbara Bel Geddes.

James Stewart as John Ferguson and Kim Novak as Madeleine in Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) movie

Vertigo is a film which functions on multiple levels simultaneously. On literal level it’s a mystery suspense story of a man hoodwinked into acting as an accomplice in a murder, his discovery of a hoax, and the unravelling of the threads of the murder plot. On a Psychological level, the film traces the twisted , circuitous routes of a psyche burdened down with guilt, desperately searching for an object on which to concentrate its repressed energy. Finally, on an allegorical or figurative level, it is a retelling of a immemorial tale of a man who has lost his love to the death and in hope of redeeming her descends into the underworld,  the most famous of these stories being that of Orpheus and Eurydice in Greek Mythology. Vertigo’s complexity however does not end with this multilevel approach to its tale, the film also succeeds in blurring the already fine line between objectivity and subjectivity . It takes the viewers so far into the mind of its main characters ( Scottie, played by Hitchcock veteran James Stewart), that audiences’ own objectivity, at least initially, is lost and replaced by complete identification with Scottie’s fantasies and obsessions.

Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) movie

Analysis of The Film “Psycho” (1960)

Hitchcock’s Psycho has been commended for forming the archetypical basis of all horror films that followed its 1960 release. The mass appeal that Psycho has maintained for over three decades can undoubtedly be attributed to its universality.

Scene from Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) movie

In Psycho, Hitchcock allows the audience to become a subjective character within the plot to enhance the film’s psychological effects for an audience that is forced to recognize its own neurosis and psychological inadequacies as it is compelled to identify, for varying lengths of time, with the contrasting personalities of the film’s main characters. Hitchcock conveys an intensifying theme in Psycho, that bases itself on the unending subconscious battle between good and evil that exists in everyone through the audience’s subjective participation and implicit character parallels. The initial confrontation between Marion and Norman Bates is used by Hitchcock to subtly and slowly sway the audience’s sympathy from Marion to Norman. Hitchcock compels the audience to identify with the quiet and shy character whose devotion to his invalid mother has cost him his own identity. Upon the introduction of Norman, Hitchcock introduces the first of several character parallels within Psycho. The clash between Marion and Norman, although not apparent to the audience until the end of the film, is one of neurosis versus psychosis.

Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) movie

The fear that Psycho creates for the audience does not arise from the brutality of the murders but from the subconscious identification with the film’s characters who all reflect one side of a collective character. Hitchcock enforces the idea that all the basic emotions and sentiments derived from the film can be felt by anyone as the unending battle between good and evil exists in all aspects of life.The effective use of character parallels and the creation of the audience’s subjective role in the plot allows Hitchcock to entice terror and convey a lingering sense of anxiety within the audience through a progressively intensifying theme. Hitchcock’s brilliance as a director has consolidated Psycho’s place among the most reputable and profound horror films ever made.

Scene from Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) movie

Conclusion

Alfred Hitchcock who has been entitled to the master of apprehension, suspense and fear, entices the audience to discern his unknown inner in a simulation over cinema curtain. Human, sets back his instincts for years; withholds sex and anger and wrap it in his inner depths where even is impenetrable for himself. But there is always probability of arising it in the society as a coarse event. Eruption of anger from sub-consciousness of Hitchcock’s characters brings along murder, crime and often imagination, tragic psychic disturbances. Anyone might be involved with the condition of these characters in real world. Most of Hitchcock’s movies create suspense in very first minutes of the show. The propensity to know arouses in him. He limits and draws attention of the audience to the film.Dark spaces, long and fearsome roads, deserted places and empty of habitat, are signs and symbols which sometimes refers to unaware and its inner events. Making use of sharp-pointed lines and thorn-shaped edges in locations and shades, which are taken from Gothic style, makes the movies horror and terror. Hitchcock through increasing vigilance, guides the audience toward making a powerful “ego” against incidents which mostly indicates determinism.

MONEY HEIST : A Phenomenal Thrilling Series

Money Heist LACASA DE PAPEL is one of the phenomenon series I have watched with never ending suspense, romance, crime and adventure. I literally binge-watched entire seasons non-stop with snack breaks. The Dali masked and red jumpsuits, had great impacts around the world symbol of “THE RESISTANCE”. Its hard to give an idea how captivating and binge-watch this show is.There are loads of surprising plots and twists to keep you on the edge.

This is a show about a group of robbers who take the near impossible task of robbing ” The Bank Of Spain”. Everything revolves around robbing the bank with ‘THE PERFECT PLAN’ by mastermind being “The Professor” [Alvaro Morte]. What makes this intresting is the depth of the characters with flaws but still you will make an instant emotional connection with them.

There are some good looking and wonderful actors, Alvaro Morte[The Professor], Alba Flores[Nairobi]. My personal favourite is Tokyo[Ursula Corbero], the most volatile character in the show. She seems like she is going to ruin the whole plan at any moment but she has her own ideas to make show more thrilling. She keeps you high and glued to edge of yor seat. She has a great suspense coming in every minurte.

There are two heist set which has push the bar to the heighest and the show is intriguing and more than worthy enough to watch.

SEASON 1: PART 1 AND 2 [2017]

It begins with a failed bank robbery by a woman “Tokyo” by ” Professor” saves her from police. The heist begins on the Royal Mint Of Spain in Madrid. The eight robbers are plced aby “Mastermind’ dressed in red jumpsuits and wearing a dali mask. Flashbacks througout series show the five month preparation in Toledo.The first season revolves around ROYAL MINT ,hostages,voilence,romance and mutiny. The season is about how will the robbers safe their life and escape from Royal Mint , will the professor will be caught. The drama and never ending suspense continues and hold you till end.

SEASON 2: PART 3 AND 4 [2019-20]

It begins with the story will the robbers live or die. It has great suspense about the life’s of robbers,hostages and the”Professor”. What is the story ahead of robbers and hostages, is the story of survival or revenge?.

There are some very emotional moments. Emotional moments does not mean sad but passionate anger, love making, anger, compassion, loosing someone dear, victory, failure, etc. There is this beautiful cheering song “Bella Ciao”. It is the soul of the show thats holds everything beautifully. It has a very catchy suspense that keeps lingering in your head. It is like songs that you can’t avoid while doing anything.

I can’t say anymore without revealing any spoilers. You don’t want me to do that, do you ? So, I would recommend you to watch this, if you haven’t, tell me your favourite character in comments below.

I hope you are staying safe, in your homes, stay strong anf lots of power to you.

Thankyou for reading! 🙂

How BTS Saved Millions of Lives

BTS

In 2013, a group of seven boys, all from different backgrounds, who left behind their friends and family to follow their dream of becoming K-pop artistes, were about to debut. But soon afterwards, their hopes were crushed as the bad press from the media, internal strife and lack of proper finance forced them to almost disband multiple times. But they kept on fighting for their dream, even if that meant living in one cramped dorm room and having to beg people to come to their concerts. These boys had very humble beginnings – one of the members, Yoongi, recently had a surgery to repair a torn shoulder labrum. The tear was related to an injury that occurred in 2012, when the performer was hit by a car during one of his delivery-boy shifts.

Flash forward to years later, that same group of boys from South Korea, Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS), are now one of the biggest boy bands in the world. Among other outstanding achievements, they have multiple No. 1 albums in the US Billboard Hot 100, 15 Guinness World Records and over 300 awards. BTS are the youngest recipients of South Korea’s Order of Cultural Merit award and the first ever K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination. They are changing the world and the face of K-pop forever, paving the way for others.

For years, BTS struggled to get their music heard. They were not an overnight success, like some people might believe. But because of their struggles and despite of it, they became worldwide superstars and South Korea’s pride and joy. BTS refuse to be confined within the boundaries of the “K-pop” industry, instead often experimenting with different, versatile styles and musical genres like Hip-Hop, Jazz, EDM, R&B, Latin pop, Ballad, Country and Rock among others. Each of the seven members embody various roles and positions in the group, such as dancer, vocalist, leader, rapper, producer, choreographer, and more.

BTS

BTS’s music transcends language, time and cultural barriers; their raw and relatable lyrics resonates with people, going through different stages of life. The healing power of their music does not discriminate. The majority of their self-written and self-produced songs discuss socio-political issues found in contemporary society such as mental health, toxic-masculinity, women’s empowerment, self-love, capitalism, burn-out and the struggles of growing up among other things. Most of their topics are still taboo in the culturally-conservative Asia and are often brushed away as non-existent.

The Korean music industry is known for their “manufactured” and “engineered” sound, where the artistes themselves have no say in what they are singing about, but instead, have their music written and produced by a group of professionals fit for the industry standards. BTS breaks all those preconceived rules by having a voice in their own music. They have started a new trend for Korean singers to explore more complex and impactful themes.

These motifs are often seen in both their studio albums and individual mixtapes. In their latest album “BE”, which was released on November 20, 2020, BTS shared their experiences and hopes during the pandemic, as they as embrace “Be”-ing in this new reality. The relatable lyrics and catchy beats in titles like “Fly to my Room”, “Dis-ease”, “Stay” and “Telepathy” are contrasted with the raw, emotional ballads like “Blue & Grey” and “Life Goes On”.

This album also features their first ever completely English language song, “Dynamite”. It consoles anyone struggling with their mental health during these times and is a beacon of hope for listeners that everything will be okay and life goes on. To me, this album feels like a warm hug from a loved one on a cold winter morning.

BTS’s fans, known as ARMY (short for Adorable Representative MC for Youth) are a group of passionate and creative individuals, from all walks of life, who stand by BTS and each other through thick and thin. Shehrin Tabassum Odri, a digital marketer and an ARMY since 2018, shared her story of how much of an impact BTS has had in her life. “When I was at my loneliest, having hit rock bottom and losing the will to live, BTS was there for me. It was the day they released their ‘Life Goes On’ music video,” she says. “The song was like a wakeup call. It made me realise how many future opportunities and loved ones I will be losing if I give up now and that I’m not the only one feeling this miserable and lost, the members of BTS have gone through this phase too. If they have found a way to stay hopeful for the future to change and better times to come, maybe I should hold on a bit longer too. BTS gave me the hope to keep living.”

 “In conservative countries like ours, masculinity is associated with tall, bearded men with deep voices,” mentions Sumaiya Islam, a Nuclear Science and Engineering student.  “In a society where men struggle to be vulnerable and be seen as ‘manly’ enough, BTS breaks the gender norms by wearing makeup, jewellery, gender-neutral clothes, and long, colourful hair. They have completely changed my viewpoint on Asian men.”  Sumaiya has been an ARMY since 2018.

Atanu Roy Chowdhury shared that the band makes him feel “seen”. “Mental health is affecting our lives, but people don’t want to talk about it.  BTS is using the universal language of music to tell the world how important mental health is,” he says. “One of my closest friends died by suicide in 2012, and there are times when it still breaks my heart thinking that I will never see her or talk to her again. Songs from BTS albums help to ease the pain.  Having my favourite musicians talk about such issues makes me feel more connected to them.”

By breaking down age-old, ignorant ideas like “men don’t cry” and “only girls can wear makeup”, openly talking about their struggles and sharing their emotions, BTS are showing the world that gender does not have to confine anyone and there should be no one standard of being. Group members Min Yoongi (Suga), Kim Namjoon (RM) and recently, Kim Taehyung (V) and Kim Seokjin (Jin), are known for being open about their struggles with anxiety, depression and burn-out. “I have been called ‘girly’ because I like cooking, cleanliness and keeping my hair long. Even the way I walk has been criticised. Terms like ‘girly’ and ‘gay’ are so easily used as insults, when they should not be,” adds Atanu. “Toxic masculinity is so ingrained in us, and it affects people of all ages. BTS is fighting a difficult fight, and kudos to them for that!” Seeing someone like BTS’ Jungkook be named “Sexiest International Man Alive 2020”, in a sphere usually dominated by white men, can do wonders for brown, Asian men worldwide, giving them an ideal person they can actually relate to.  Another ARMY, Niaz Ahmed, shared that messages from the band to “Love Yourself” (a trilogy of their albums in 2018) resonated with him. “Their music was eye-opening, and helped me to start thinking that being happy with who I am is very important,” he says.

Subyeta Sarwar mentioned how being a part of the BTS fandom in Bangladesh has helped her connect with other ARMYs easily, creating deep bonds and long-lasting friendships. Going to different events such as the BD Korean Festival, hosted by BD K-Family, has helped her socialise and meet fellow ARMYs. Since there is a lack of K-pop concerts in Bangladesh, these events are the closest fans can get to experiencing them.

 For fans who have been with BTS for a couple of years like myself, it feels like we are growing up with them, experiencing the highs and lows of their lives and career alongside them, not as a distant fan, but as a close friend. There is a popular saying in the fandom, “If you are not a fan of BTS now, it’s because you’re not at a point where you need them yet. Just wait, they’ll find you and come to you when you need to be healed, never too early or too late.”

In the pop-dominated culture we live in, BTS have successfully utilised their music platform to spread the message of social inequality and injustice, which the youth often face. By speaking up about these issues, BTS are not only breaking the preconceived societal stereotypes and creating awareness, they are also urging their fans to do the same. To quote the group’s leader, Kim Namjoon (RM), from his UNICEF speech at the United Nations in 2018, “No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself.” 

Top 5 feel-good movies for good vibes!

 

This is an image about top 5 feel good movies for good vibes.

Movies have the ability to transport us away from reality and immerse us in worlds of fantasy, horror, comedy, drama, and so on.

We look for movies to watch in our local theaters or on Netflix to pass the time when we’re bored. In our search for good films, we frequently overlook feel-good films that are intended to lift our spirits.

After a long day at work, are you finally home? Or do you have a sneaking suspicion that you’re up to no good? Give these heartwarming films a chance to make you smile.

Groundhog Day

Have you ever felt like you were repeating the same day? This is merely a metaphor for going through the same routine every week. However, the protagonist Phil Connors, who awoke every day to find himself stuck on February 2nd, had a different experience. It was the 2nd of February for Phil Connors every day, from the early hours of the morning to the end of the day, and incidents repeated themselves.

Only his actions could alter the day’s events from the previous day. For the protagonist, his unruly situation is a mix of freedom and captivity, as he initially enjoys himself by doing whatever he wants and then tries to find ways to wake up to the next day in his life, February 3rd.

When you watch this fantasy comedy feel-good film, your mundane week will suddenly seem less monotonous. 

Little Miss Sunshine

Families can be difficult to deal with at times. It’s possible that one will have to deal with the other’s ego, attitude, laziness, and other negative characteristics. Little Miss Sunshine is a film that teaches viewers about the importance of having a family, despite its drawbacks.

When Olive, a young girl in the film, is selected for a California beauty pageant, she and her dysfunctional family, which includes an overworked mother, an egotistical father, a suicidal gay uncle, a foul-mouthed grandfather, and her half-brother, travel in their van to arrive on time. Their 800-mile road trip was marred by tensions between family members as well as mechanical issues with their van.

As it unravels the personal lives of the characters during the long road trip, the film has its fair share of comedy, tragedy, and serenity. As a result, it has become one of the most memorable feel-good films of all time.

About a Boy

When you combine a spoiled man with a socially awkward child, you get the film ‘About A Boy.’ Will Freeman plays an adult who forms an unlikely friendship with a 12-year-old boy named Marcus while looking for a date in this comedy-drama. Will develops into a responsible man as a result of his friendship with Marcus, and he begins to seek out meaningful relationships in his life.

‘About A Boy’ says a lot about friendships that come in all shapes and sizes. Will and Marcus’s bravery in standing up for each other in the face of adversity is one of the film’s most touching moments. This film, like the other feel-good films on the list, concludes with a message. When you sit for this one, bring a friend with you.

50/50

Adam Lerner’s life is depicted in 50/50, a film about a man who is given a 50% chance of survival after being diagnosed with a tumor in his spine. Despite the film’s grim subject matter, the audience, as well as Adam, can take comfort in the fact that he is not alone. As Adam’s friend sticks by him and tries to help him cope with his trauma, the film manages to sneak in some dark comedy.

This film teaches you that even in the darkest hour, there is light in the form of your friends and family. It not only depicts the protagonist’s struggles, but also sheds light on his friends and family members who are experiencing unspoken grief and pain as a result of his illness. That is the true beauty of this happy-go-lucky film.

Life is beautiful

Guido Crefice, a young Jewish man captured by Nazi Germany along with his son when the Nazis invaded the Kingdom of Italy during World War II, had a difficult life. Guido, a witty man, kept the gruesome facts of slavery and abuse from his son Giosue, portraying the situation to him as a game in which he must follow certain rules in order to win a military tank at the end.

Despite the fact that the Nazi concentration camp took up the majority of the film. Guido is wooing his love interest in the opening scenes, and viewers are sure to notice his wit and courage. The film is truly unique in that it uses slavery, abuse, and death as a backdrop to convey the message of finding humour and peace amidst life’s trials and tribulations.

Here ends the list of feel-good movies for good vibes. Enjoy!

Top 5 web series to watch in English

 

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There are countless online series waiting to be binge-watched across various video streaming sites, making it difficult to choose just one web series to binge-watch when you’re bored. We handpicked web series across different genres to help you choose depending on your interests, rather than blasting you with a list of random web series in the hopes that you will binge on them all.

The umbrella academy. Fantasy- Thriller Series.

Premise:

On October 1, 1989, 43 children were born around the world at the same time to women who were not pregnant before the day began. Sir Reginald Hargreeves, a billionaire, adopted seven of them and formed “The Umbrella Academy,” a group of claimed superheroes. Years later, Reginald’s unexpected death reunites the academy’s now-separated members at his funeral, leading them to uncover deadly events tied to their past.

Preview:

Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy is a comic book adaptation of the same name. After a cringe-worthy reunion at their adoptive father’s burial, the plot revolves around seven characters who have special abilities but live regular lives. They must deal with both the past and the present. When it first aired, the online series was watched by 45 million people and received favourable reviews from reviewers.

The Man in the High Castle. Dystopian- history series

Premise:

After the Axis’ triumph in World War II, North America is divided between the Japanese and the Germans. The series also depicts political conflicts between Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, as well as the diminishing lives of people who are either employed by or fighting against the two repressive regimes.

Preview:

The Man in the High Castle is based on the novel of the same-name by Philip K. Dicks, published in 1962. The first season aired in January 2015, and later that year it was made available on Amazon Prime. When it first aired, the series garnered positive reviews from reviewers and the general audience, and it was nominated for multiple awards, including “Best New TV Series,” “Best TV Series Drama,” and “Best Television Script.”

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Comedy- Drama Series

Premise:

Miriam “Midge” Maisel is a member of an upper-class Jewish American family who is married to Joel, a businessman who tries his luck as a comic at The Gaslight Cafe while imitating other critically renowned acts. He soon abandons his wife Midge in favour of another lady. As a result, she decides to pursue a career as a “stand-up comedian.”

Preview:-

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an American comedy-period drama that launched on Amazon Prime video streaming on March 17, 2017. The story is set in New York City during the 1950s and early 1960s, and the protagonist is Miriam “Midge” Maisel, who discovers her passion for stand-up comedy and pursues a career in the industry. The series’ premiere episode was hailed as one of Prime Video’s most successful ever, with a 4.9 out of 5 average audience rate and other accolades. As a result, it should be on your list of web series to binge-watch.

Money Heist. Crime- thriller Series

Premise:

The plot takes place in Madrid, where a mysterious guy known only as “The Professor” chooses eight people to carry out a robbery (as the title suggests) from the Royal Mint of Spain by holding people as hostages. During the course of their operation, they are compelled to deal with elite police units, as expected.

Preview:

Money Heist is a Spanish crime drama television series that first aired on Antena 3 before being picked up by Netflix in the same year. At the 46th International Emmy Awards, the series was named best drama series, and it received critical acclaim for its intriguing storyline, character descriptions, and director. Thanks to notable celebrities commenting on their support for the series, it became a topic of conversation and memes on social media. With the final episodes of the series having been released recently, it is one of the best series to be aired on Netflix. 

Stranger Things. Horror- thriller series

Premise:

The story is set in the early 1980s in Hawkins, Indiana, a fictional town. The same town’s Hawkins National Laboratory appears to undertake scientific studies under the aegis of the US Department of Energy. The laboratory, on the other hand, conducts covert tests on the paranormal and supernatural, using humans as test subjects. They ultimately find a passage to the “Upside Down,” an alternative dimension. The citizens of Hawkins soon begin to feel the effects of the parallel dimension in dreadful ways.

Preview:

Stranger Things is a Netflix original science fiction horror series that debuted on July 16, 2016. The series has a large global fan base and has a record-breaking viewership on Netflix. Aside from critical acclaim and prizes for its character and plot components, it was best known for its portrayal of the 1980s by paying homage to films set during that time period. Thus becoming one of the best series to have aired on television and Netflix.

FAQs

Which online series has had the most success?

Answer: As the oldest show on the list, “Friends” has aged like a fine wine and continues to have a devoted fan base today! As a result, it can be considered the most successful of the lot.

Which English-language web series is the best?

Answer: Critics have given “Stranger Things” and “The Dark” the highest marks. As a result, it is possible to consider it the best online series in the English language.

Books that can scare the wits out of you!

 

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This one is for all you horror fans out there! Would you care for a ‘lights on’ experience at night? Then you should definitely check out some of the books on this list as they are filled with horror inducing components. Books in the horror genre have the ability to excite its readers and keep them hooked till the end. So all those who don’t mind some good scares coming your way, here are some books that are written to scare the wits out of you. 

1.Mrs Peregrine’s home for peculiar children

A family tragedy drives a 16 year old boy to an island off the coast of Wales where he discovers a crumbling structure. Upon navigating its living rooms and bedrooms he discovers that the place is inhabited by young residents. However, their peculiar mannerisms and behavior scares him out of his wits and makes him wonder if they are truly alive or long past dead! 

What happens to him from there on? Who are those residents of that crumbling structure? Only the pages of this fantasy horror book can tell. The texts in this book are also accompanied by vintage photographs that add to the already scary reading experience. There are also sequels written for this book so you can read up further after you are left on a cliffhanger. 

2. Sharp Objects

Consider this a PG-13 book due to its portrayal of drug use, foul language, and sexual situations. The story follows Camille Preaker, a reporter who recently got discharged from a psychiatric hospital. She is told to cover a murder story in her hometown which you might think will make her feel at home. But with a hypochondriac mother and an eccentric half-sister, her experience only turned to the worse. While battling the problems of her own, she not only covers the story of the murder but is also close at heels with the murderer. 

This book has the makings of a handsome psychological horror that will refuse to let you go before scaring the wits out of you. 

3. Lord of the flies

The book ‘Lord of the flies’ proves that a story doesn’t require supernatural elements to make it scary. In fact, young children are the source of sheer terror and shock in this novel by William Golding. Replace Tom Hanks in the movie Cast away with a couple of school boys and that forms the premise of this book. However what follows is way worse than a single man fighting on a lone island for survival. All innocence and morals are lost as young boys indulge in evil practices to survive an uncharted island with no adult supervision. 

This book is often treated as an allegory, political satire, and a prediction of the apocalypse due to its uncanny resemblance with the contemporary occurrences. 

4. Pet Sematary

It hit them like a ton of bricks when a family that recently moved into a remote town lost their little girl in a road accident. All hopes are lost until the father from the family of three discovers a cemetery that is claimed to bring back the dead! So first goes their dead family cat and then the little girl beneath the surface of the eerie cemetery. However, what comes out from the cemetery happens to be more than just a normal living being. 

The very sight of the cemetery in the first place is sure to scare anyone out of their wits. What follows during the rest of the story is a treat for genuine horror fans. There have also been movie adaptations of the book, but reading the book delivers the wholesome experience without having anything missed out or altered for cinematic constraints. 

5. The Stand

Living through a pandemic is no joke. Several lives are lost. Many fall sick. And when such an occurrence is used as a central theme in a horror fiction novel, all hell breaks loose over its readers! ‘The Stand’ portrays a deadly virus that almost wipes out the entire world. With a partial pandemic looming over our heads, this could be a very relatable and terrifying novel to read during this time. 

Here ends your quest for scary books to read. Do drop in more books from this genre in the comment section below. 


References


Jeffrey Somers, 5 October 2020, 25 of the most terrifying horror books ever, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/25-terrifying-horror-books-ever/



A MACBETHIAN ANALYSIS OF JOJI

Malayalam movies are getting wider audience attention since the development of OTT platforms. Even before that Malayalam film industry was also considered as one of the best industries among Indian film industries. Joji (2021) is one of such movie which gained worldwide attention through its plot, making and casting. This 2021 film was written by Shyam Pushkaran and directed by Dileesh Pothan. In the title itself the makers said it is ” inspired from Shakespeare’s Macbeth”.

The plot revolves around a wealthy family of three sons, their father , daughter in law and grandson Poppy in Kerala. Joji , the character played by Fahad Faasil is the youngest son of the family is the protagonist of the movie who has a negative shade. Joji along with his elder brothers Jomon and Jaison lead a submissive life under their dominating father Panachel Kuttappan. Bincy (Unnimaya Prasad) is the daughter in law of the family. Though the father of the family is old, he is fit and active in the family affairs. The elder sons aids him in agriculture and business, but Joji is financially dependent on the father and running unsuccessful ventures, where Bincy, wife of Jaison manages the household chores and is always in the kitchen. As the movie progresses Kuttappan meets with an accident while engaging in affairs in pond and become paralyzes. However Kuttappan returns home bed ridden and unable to speak. Joji was happy for this but his other brothers arrange for his last rites. But after a surgery the father’s condition gets improved. At this all both sons ask money from him for their ventures , but he rejects. Here, we can see that Bincy is the brain behind these actions by Joji and Jaison. Bincy shares her frustration and also triggers Joji by saying that ” your good days will be wasted on this kitchen slab”. Joji finally decides to kill the father. Then Joji replaces father’s daily medication, and this is witnessed by Bincy. Bincy and Jaison too secretly wishes for the death of their father. Finally the father, Kuttappan dies soon. After the death, Dr Felix, a family friend presides for the partition of the dead father’s estate. After this an encounter with an employer of the plantation results in the death of Jomon. This was also a murder by Joji. Over the next few days the family members finds that Joji is the killer of Jomon, but Joji denies the claim. Towards the end Joji attempts suicide by firing the same air gun he used for killing Jomon. In the suicide note left by Joji he blames the family members and society for all his acts. In the final scenes we can see that Joji survives in the hospital bed , while the police officer asks Joji to confess his crime by blinking his eyes, Joji forcefully does not blink and at this the movie comes to an end.

While analyzing Joji in the light of Macbeth, Joji can be identified as Macbeth, with his aim towards power. The tragic flaw of Macbeth was over ambition. Here Joji’s character also shows this same ambition and power and he needed independence from the dominating power of his father. Macbeth’s ambition began from the moment, when he witnessed and heard the witches. Their prediction was one of the reason for his change. In the same way Dr Felix addressed Joji as “rich” and this triggered Joji. Whereas the character of Bincy (Unnimaya) who is Joji’s sister in law, resembles all the characteristics of Lady Macbeth. By being a mute witness to Joji’s acts, she agrees to all his acts. While Joji longs for power and money, Bincy’s motive behind these acts are independence from the patriarchal family. Like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Joji and Bincy are the powerful characters who shares same dependence. Bincy clearly knows the state of mind of Joji. That’s why she says to Joji in his father’s funeral to “wear a mask and come”. Whereas other son Jomon is loyal to their father like Banquo, who was loyal to King Duncan, and in many ways Macbeth’s opposite.

After the murder Joji feels the same kind of frustration and confusion, which Macbeth felt. But on the other hand Bincy is portrayed as powerful than Joji. The dream of dead father, resembles Macbeth’s three apparitions and visions. His soliloquies in the closed room (Joji’s Palace) also resembles that of Macbeth’s. But he was not ready to reveal and confess his crime, that’s why he blamed the society for all his acts. There is a slight deviation in the characteristics of Joji from Macbeth. Macbeth is the one who always was the winner, and this made him greed. He believed that with his greatness in the battlefield he deserves the throne of Scotland. But on the other hand Joji is the one who is an engineering dropout, who doesn’t have any ambition, but only greed.

Towards the end Macbeth is stripped of “honor, love, obedience, troops of friends” and there is a kind of sympathy towards Macbeth in the end. But in this film, the police says to Joji that “you didn’t die, so it is trouble for you and us as well”. Even though Joji resembles the plot and narrative aspect of theatre, there are a lot of variations. With the praiseworthy performance of Fahad Fasil, Unnimaya, Sunny and other casts, Joji fits in the universe of Macbeth. Dileesh Pothan brilliantly fits Macbeth in the twenty first century universe with Joji’s palace. The music and cinematography makes this film a classic one.

SOME ANIME INFLUENCED MAKING MY CHILDHOOD FUN

The variety of cartoon from my childhood time for which almost all kids from my generation have spend their all time watching is nothing compared to what the kids from these days generation are watching. And the biggest difference I make is that this generation shows have from mine were that most of the shows of my generation was anime and Japanese cartoon but now a days all the cartoon were shown to kids are mostly Indian based story cartoon and some rerun of my time anime.

I still remember how after doing my homework I run towards the tv punctually on 7 pm as the shows were to be start with good contented stories, continuity, good moral and each episodes make me curious at the end about all kind of the things like what gonna happen the next day. But the cartoon happens to kids favorite are all comical with no sense and no continuity , just for fun purpose only.

Some loved and epic shows still to be remembered and watched are –

  • NARUTO

Naruto was something else to talk about it was so popular around my time , bullshit it still is. As it being the anime of Japan dubbed in Hindi there was some changes in the line of story as the Naruto was parted into two- Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. In India, only Naruto was broadcasted Hindi dubbed and become much more popular than Indian cartoon were ever were among children around 9 and above. Popularity of cartoons are shown very different as their taglines becomes popular as in this case were the jutsu names, mainly the famous ” RASENGAN” were used in many imaginative fight between kids for fun.

  • DRAGON BALL AND DRAGON BALL Z

Dragon ball in one of the most famous anime broadcasted in India and were the most popular one among the kids. The story based on the baby found by an old man who named him Goku and his journey to learn martial arts and to fight the most powerful fighter around the world. As he moved forward with his journey he meet and make many friends and foes who he with and against fights for the world peace and sometimes for the dragon balls which makes some of the wishes of the callers true. With friends like Bulma, kuririn, Master Roshi , Piccolo etc being part of the gang and after being married to chichi and having a kid named Gohan and getting informed of him being a alien warrier species called “Saiyyan” bring more of the troubles in the name of “Vegeta” and with him the bigg boss ” frieza”. The most famous line of this show becomes the “KAMEHAMEHA” the powerful energy ball of attack and the real term call “CHI” the internal energy used in martial arts.

  • POKEMON

Pokemon was the only anime amongst the other animes whose mostly all season were broadcasted hindi dubbed in India. Story revolves around the main character Ash and his first pokemon Pikachu and his group of friends Misty and Broke, which he make during his journey to become a pokemon master was divided into many season based on regions while catching more pokemon to become more powerful. Most of the pokemon got popularity among kids, who chooses their own favourite pokemon and most popular was the one called pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard etc. This anime was the only one which was popular among all age group and gender kids because it involves both cute pokemon and the one who can fight.

  • TAKESHI’S CASTLE

Takeshi’s castle even being not an anime but still make it to this list as the fun and entertaining show is being among the kids was overwhelming in India and viewership wasn’t limited to just the kids but to adults also well with the show being what is was its expected to be like that. The fun format of the show was to have contestant over 80 to 150 people whom General Tani forced to participate in some series of physical challenges to eliminate half of the contestants and put them against his own henchmen and Count Takeshi in the FINAL SHOWDOWN. The best and fun part of the show find by the Indian viewer is the funny and witty commentary and comments by comedian Javed Jaffrey on the beaten and eliminated contestants. The funny henchmen and twisted and sadistic challenges were the attraction for the kids who find it funny and entertaining.

NOSTALGIC CHILDHOOD MEMORIES involves cartoons that today’s kids will never know

As we grow older, we sometimes forget about how much fun we had as children and how much we use to love waking up on Saturday morning and after returning from school to watch cartoons. Now that we are all grown up, it is easy to get lost in our long lists of things-to-do and forget to appreciate the little things.

The mind is a complicated thing, and although we have pushed back many of our childhood memories, it still harbours every theme song, character and saying that we use to live by. So, all it would take is for someone to hum a certain tune, and once recognized, you would probably be able to sing it out — word by word.

If you recently happened to flip through the channels, you might have caught a glimpse of today’s cartoons and been slightly disappointed at what you saw. Times are changing and with that the quality of TV shows are rapidly disintegrating. So be happy that you were born when you were and make sure to take a trip down memory lane every once in a while.

SOME MOST APPRECIATED AND ENJOYED CARTOON DURING MY TIME

  • BOB THE BUILDER

Bob the builder is one of my favorite cartoon show and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it as a kid. And the title track of this cartoon is super iconic, it just freshes up all the beautiful memories of my childhood. The show focused on Bob a building contractor who solves all the problems with a positive attitude along with his vehicles who can actually talk.

  • THE POWERPUFF GIRLS

Whenever I think of  Cartoons, the first thing that pops into my head is “Powerpuff Girls”. The Powerpuff Girls – Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were created by Professor Utonium in an attempt to create the “perfect little girl” using a mixture of “sugar, spice, and everything nice”. However, he accidentally spilled a mysterious substance called “Chemical X” into the mixture, creating three girls and granting all three superpowers including flight, superhuman strength, superhuman speed, superhuman senses, nigh-invulnerability, x-ray vision, red heat vision, energy projection, space survivability, and thermal resistance. Despite being the main characters of the show, the villain of the show was most popular character i.e. MOJO JOJO and his popularity was so high that you could do a freaking show on Mojo JoJo alone!

  •  Ed, Edd n Eddy

The show is based on three adolescent boys, Ed, Edd n’ Eddy. They hang around their suburban neighborhood of Peach Creek Estates, coming up with scams to con their peers for cash, so they can buy themselves a handful of their favorite treat, jawbreakers. Their plans normally fail though, leaving them in predicaments and situations that always go hay-wire. The characters almost never leave the neighborhood, and adults are nowhere to be seen, as well as any other kids.  The characters are funny and the jokes are creative. Most of the episodes are funny with the Ed’s and my favorite one is Ed because he is stupid in a funny way and comes up with the most things he says. My least favorite characters are the Kanger Sisters, Kevin, Sarah, and Jimmy.

  • JOHNNY BRAVO

This is a show I grew up with. And probably the only show on this list that I’ve watched on and off for over a decade. Regardless of what age I was at,  “Johnny Bravo” has *always* made me laugh! And it made me laugh *a lot*! As you probably already know, Johnny is a 20 age something egotistical super-star wannabe.   What makes “Johnny Bravo” such a great show isn’t just the settings. It’s purely the main character! Constant Banters between Johnny and his mother were the most hilarious one of all things.

  • RECESS

Recess is an American animated show that revolves around 6 brave elementary school kids. This cartoon show was best, it used to come on Disney channel. Almost every 90s kid has grown up watching recess in their childhood. It was just great watching recess after coming from school, this cartoon show holds so many beautiful childhood memories. This was the time where these idiotic storyline made me to cause ruckus in my own school and get punished very tough and fun time that was.

  • COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG

“Courage the Cowardly Dog”   I Watched “Courage” when I was 10 years old it was one of the 1st times I remember feeling… genuinely disturbed while watching a cartoon. There was a real sense of atmosphere in these settings. The colors were this strange contrast of bleak, yet alien. It really added to the sense of mystery in the show. All with alien, curses , psychopaths follows the dogs like a bad mojo and add to it the hilarious abuse he get from his male owner. I watched it both in English and Hindi, I seriously found it more hilarious in Hindi dude that psycho barber episode really give me goosebumps.

  • DEXTER’s LABORATORY 

 It mentions a scientific genius who conducts countless experiments in his secret laboratory while always keeping his eyes on his elder sister Dee Dee. This boy even has to use both his teeth and fingernail to prevent her from invading his lab. 

  • POWER RANGERS FRANCHISE

Power ranger was one of the most enjoyed show of all times especially in my time, kids were hooked on the special postures and tag lines to transform in the super gears. Popularity of power ranger over the kids was equally in both gender despite having some violent fight sequence it didn’t affected its popularity.  Each series revolves around a team of youths recruited and trained by a mentor to morph into the eponymous Power Rangers, able to use special powers and pilot immense assault machines, called Zords, to overcome the periodic antagonists.

These were some of my favourite show which was cherished and enjoyed not only by me but all from my age and still do.

WHY DIAMONDS ARE SO EXPENSIVE ?

Diamonds are allotropes of carbon like graphite. But, the difference between them is tremendous. What makes diamonds so costly ? Well some might say that the extraordinariness, challenges in mining, toughness, cut, clearness, shading, and carat of diamonds make them costly and popular. Gold and silver are likewise uncommon, mining them is additionally troublesome however why just diamond is so costly ? Why people give diamond ring when they propose one another ?

Why Are Diamonds So Expensive? – EVEVIC JEWELRY

A few years ago it was not a trend to give diamond rings while proposing. There are many stones rarer than diamonds. They are costly as a result of a company called De Beers. Each diamond you find in this world comes from this company not because diamonds are very rare to find. There are numerous diamond mines in this world however this organization don’t let those diamonds to arrive at the market.

At the point when supply of a specific item is less however demand is high, this outcomes in making that item more costly. This company made the stock of diamonds exceptionally less. But, how ? Few years back diamonds were found only in India and Brazil. But then it was also found in Africa and that too in very large quantity. De beers was also one of the company which found a lot of diamonds in Africa. But the other mines company started selling diamonds because the supply of diamonds were increasing which can make them less expensive. They were in loss. De beers would have also done that but instead it started buying those diamonds by taking loans and because of that it became the owner of all mines in Africa. It became a monopoly and a monopoly does what it wants. Soon when other mines company discovered diamonds in Serbia and other countries De beers bought all of them. It became owner of all the diamonds in the world.

Yet, De beers never let people to realize that they have diamonds in exceptionally huge amount because then people won’t buy it. They restricted the stock of diamonds which made them uncommon. They further began promoting diamonds by giving statements like “A diamond is forever”. Because of this, the interest of people towards diamonds increased and they became expensive.

RESOURCES:

2. https://francisalukkas.com/why-are-diamonds-so-expensive-5-reasons/

Valuable Lessons taught by Superhero Movies

What was the first superhero movie you watched in the theatre? For me, it was Spider Man (2002) with Tobey Maguire portraying Peter Parker. Spider-Man has remained a classic in my head. It’s not the only movie that sticks in my mind. There are a lot of superhero movies that came into existence and many of them are great. The best part of these movies is that they entertain us and at the same time teach us lessons. It’s like when we go to a school and we learn various things in various subjects. It’s also the same way that a movie helps us learn lessons in an entertaining way.

Lesson 1: With great powers comes great responsibilities 

This dialogue is one of my favourites and the name of the film is spider man which was released in 2002, he could have used his power for his personal gains but instead, he used his power to save people from many evil incidents. He could have easily teamed up with criminals to steal some money so that he could improve his financial situation but instead, he risked his life to make his city a safe place to live for everyone. Without expecting anything in return he uses his superpower to serve mankind. This teaches a lot in real life, when we achieve something through our hard work it doesn’t mean we will start exploiting other people instead we can use our power or wealth to help the needy or weak person. For example, if an Individual studies hard and do great in the UPSC exam. He or she eventually becomes an IAS or IPS officer so that individual uses their position for the welfare of the people. 

Lesson 2: Teamwork 

Many of us have watched Justice League, X-men or Marvel movies where the theme is Teamwork. We see our favourite superhero isn’t fighting alone with the villains instead they work as a team to defeat the supervillains. The same thing goes for us in real life, we always need a team whether it is in a school project or in college assignments we do need a team so that every member looks at the expertise of their work and it eases our load of work. Every member has an important role to play in their field of work. 

Lesson 3: Your past doesn’t decide your future

If we see an example of Natasha commonly known as Black Widow, she was trained as an assassin in KGB and she felt guilty of the innocent lives she took while on her missions but instead she moved on from her past life and tried to be the best version of herself and let other people come in her life and also she teams up with avengers to save millions of lives. For us in real life also we all made mistakes in our life, but it doesn’t mean we should be hard on ourselves instead we should learn from our previous mistakes and move on from our past and try to be the best version of ourselves. 

Lesson 4: Never give up  

We have commonly seen our superheroes are fighting the extraterrestrial super villains which they haven’t fought before but instead of giving up, they fight them instead and eventually turns into victory. The same thing we have to apply in our lives is to never give up in any situation, if we are starting our blog or a startup just do it. We may face several challenges or difficulties but we have to be persistent in our goal and achieve it. 

Lesson 5: Everyone is unique 

In our favourite superhero movies whether it be Justice League, X-Men or Avengers every character has their unique abilities and powers just like Tony stark is highly Intelligent and Thor is extremely powerful. In real life also this same thing applies in our lives, we shouldn’t compare ourselves with other people because everyone is different, unique and best in their ways. Every Individual has their talent and passion which makes them different from other people.

10 Greatest Movie Adaptations From Books That You Should Definitely Watch

The adaptation is the ultimate high-wire act in Hollywood. And adapting everything from classic literature to modern pop hits has resulted in the unfortunate debate of “which is better, the movie or the book?” when, more often than not, both the source material and the adaptation are worth the time because they tend to enhance rather than detract from one another.

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1. The Godfather: The novel by Mario Puzo is an engrossing, dark thriller that fascinates, horrifies, and entertains readers. The first two films adapted from the novel by Francis Ford Coppola elevate the tragic storey into operatic successes that are widely regarded as two of the best pictures ever produced. Both films were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay (Part II being the first sequel to do so).

2. Little Women: Regardless of Greta Gerwig’s shocking lack of Oscar nominations this year, there’s no denying that her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel (spoilers ahead!) was outstanding. Gerwig gives the story a simple twist by envisioning Jo as the author of the classic Little Women. This changes the story into one of creative desire and achievement, and it breathes new life into a classic without diluting its essence.

3. The Color Purple:  Steven Spielberg directed a fantastic adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, one that is both storyline and character accurate to the book. This is a significant accomplishment because Spielberg relies heavily on his actors to express most of the emotional material through their performances, whereas in the novel, we are privy to Celie’s inner thoughts and feelings. This film is a must-see due to the outstanding performances by the actors.

4. Harry Potter: Despite being eight films lengthy, the Harry Potter film series has four directors and two credited screenwriters, and it had to cut J.K. Rowling’s plot down by a bit. The films, on the other hand, remain fairly accurate to both the plot and the character development that is Rowling’s actual genius, following the same progression from a frivolous children’s tale to the darker, more ethically complicated storey found in the later books. They’re perfect adaptations for fans who can’t wait to see the amazing things they’ve just read about.

5. Great Expectations: Charles Dickens’ writings are large, contain a lot of information, and are generally structured in a serial format, so adapting them to the screen is always a challenge. But, even after all these years, David Lean’s 1946 version of Great Expectations remains highly praised; Lean’s script manages to condense the plot and characters into two fast hours without losing anything. The picture feels current and genuine to the text while being more than seven decades old.

6. The Lord of the Rings: In a broad sense, Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films are fairly loyal to J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic epic fantasy novels — Jackson condensed the tale a lot, but few people complained that there wasn’t enough Tom Bombadil in there. With the use of breakthrough CGI, Jackson was able to show the most famous fantasy universe ever conceived in a realistic, plausible manner while maintaining the primary themes of hope, heroism, and despair.

7. The Devil Wears Prada: Miranda Priestly is one of cinema’s greatest villains, and despite Lauren Weisberger’s novel’s success, the picture is a step forward. The novel, which was optioned before it was even finished, finishes on a totally different emotional note, but the film sharpens Miranda’s character to a coal-black point and provides a more satisfying conclusion to the storey.

8. The Social Network: The Accidental Billionaires, a nonfiction book by Ben Mezrich, is a strong, engaging, and well-researched account of Facebook’s birth and the various characters involved, as well as a sharp, critical look at the world of privilege around Harvard University. The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and the director by David Fincher expand on that great foundation to create an outstanding character study — a film that easily blends remarkable visual flair with modern technology (some people still believe Armie Hammer has a twin) and razor-sharp storytelling.

9. Crazy Rich Asians: Kevin Kwan’s delightful, sarcastic love comedy was released in 2013, and it was transformed into a sizzling motion film directed by Jon M. Chu just five years later. The film was an instant smash, depicting the inner workings, intimacies, and complex demands of Singaporean high society. It was nominated for multiple Golden Globe Awards and received excellent accolades from critics, which piqued people’s interest in the novel.

10. Breakfast At Tiffany’s: Truman Capote’s darker, more brutal novella remains a cultural classic because to the legendary adaptation. Capote’s moving, tragic, and finally beautiful narrative of a woman striving to manufacture glamour out of the ruins of her life is a heart-warming, tragic, and ultimately beautiful story. Despite the fact that the film toned down the sadness, prostitution, and LGBT undertones, it ends on a hopeful note of romance, each scene is dramatic, unforgettable, and kind of genius.