Vanaja: the brightest jewel in the crown of Indian cinema
May 6th, 2007
I cannot stop thinking about Rajnesh Domalpalli’s directorial debut feature, order Vanaja. It is astounding not just because they used first-time actors practicing in the basement of the director’s house, online or that the director was formerly an IIT-educated software engineer, or even that this is a debut film — it is astounding because magic in film doesn’t bow to pedigree, obeys no simple prescription. It either shows up or it doesn’t and when it does, the effect is an ineffable sensation that might most accurately be described as joy.
Vanaja is the story of a 15-year old girl who is a servant in a wealthy landlord’s household. With a talent for dancing she barters her time doing chores in return for dancing lessons from the mistress of the house. When the landlady’s charming and pampered son arrives from America, the plot thickens. The actress who plays Vanaja invokes a child, a mother, an angry Draupadi, an amorous Sita at different points.
Every note in the film is pitch perfect. There is an incredible restraint and respect for the audience that runs throughout the film, a lack of self-consciousness that I find incredibly refreshing. It most obviously does not cater to the Bollywood crowd but equally importantly, it does not pander to genteel Indo-American New Yorker-reading types either, who have grown comfortable with one-liners in scripts that paint superficial pictures of conglomerate Indian people. This film on the contrary explodes with authenticity with its portrayal of unforgettable characters and the ethical dilemmas of real human beings. Difficult subject matter leaves us, the viewers, feeling enlightened and not defeated. The last scene is surprising and majestic. If you see one independent film this year, run, don’t walk to see Vanaja.
My video production class at BAVC
March 24th, 2007
Behind the scenes on the set of “Solitaire: Revenge of Trollina”
New Orleans: 18 months after Katrina
March 4th, 2007
Last week, ophthalmologist
I visited New Orleans to attend HIMSS, the gorilla of all healthcare IT conferences. The booths were more gigantic and ostentatious than ever – you would think that millions of Americans are running arms wide open to embrace these products. In reality, even some of the biggest companies are struggling to get consumers engaged.
But New Orleans itself was pretty mindblowing. Despite some of the pictures below taken in the 9th ward, the city has made a miraculous recovery. Only 1/3 of the population has returned and resettled. Everyday is a reminder of Katrina, even in the posh neighborhoods. And yet a fierce sense of community remains. We visited a charming restaurant opened by a husband and wife team. Although a cop stands outside to escort guests back to their cars, the atmosphere is warm, friendly and more welcoming than ever.
I am trying out Box.net
January 26th, 2007
Poet’s Theater at CCA
January 21st, 2007
We might laugh, buy more about but we are reformed. Since then we’ve bought a mixing bowl, urologist spice grinder, recipe salad spinner, catfish, and cabbage, the purple kind.
Small Press Traffic: creating a regular scene for experimental poetry, neurologist
avante garde cats and walking, order
talking make-up brushes since 1974.
Culinary inspiration at Steve’s Bistro
January 21st, 2007
We might laugh, buy more about but we are reformed. Since then we’ve bought a mixing bowl, urologist spice grinder, recipe salad spinner, catfish, and cabbage, the purple kind.
Billboard across from Magic Castle