December 2015

River (TV Series)

December 17, 2015 General

My extreme fondness for thriller and suspense stories brought me to this 6-part British TV show called River on Netflix. Just like the other shows I had imagined this to be a mystery drama involving a police cop and his assistant joining forces to fight crime in a contemporary London setting, and the scenes played out exactly the way I had expected. But within minutes into the show the usual cop/thug drama turns into a creepy, supernatural, murder mystery that was successful in keeping me at the edge of my seat for the rest of the series.

Stellan Skarsgård plays a smart senior cop called Detective Inspector John River. A deep, sombre individual barely able to connect with the world outside of his own nonetheless truthfully connected with the voices inside his head. Struggling to revisit the disturbing sequences from his past, and remains fixated in the throes of his murdered colleague, while also getting mired in an immigration scandal bigger than he’d imagined. For the investigation to go ahead under his charge River must undertake scrupulous tests of his mental character and prove his sanity with the help of a fascinated psychiatrist played by Georgina Rich. The dramatizing by Skarsgård of an entity who appears to speak to himself being in a state of denial is laudable, when at times River’s hallucinations driven by his inner voices and conflict also leads him to become violent and aggressive in full public view. A sensitive, and brutal representation of people faced with situations, bordering schizophrenia, and that feeling of being judged unwontedly is quite palpable while watching River. To say the least, Skarsgård’s portrayal of John River is beyond words.

The culminating episode in which River traces the malicious truth was an emotional adventure personally. As unfair as it may seem River faces a numbing fact in realizing that a poignant moment has been lost forever in the sands of time and moving on with life is the only way forward for him. That apart the series lends itself to a particularly melodious disco track of the 70s called ‘I Love to Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance)’ by Tina Charles, which vividly echoes the feeling of mutual admiration between the lead pair. While I am not sure when or how would the next series of River do justice to the characters and the story, I am waiting anxiously to find that out sooner than later.

Facts Over Films

December 14, 2015 Movies

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Bajirao Mastani is due for release and there’s an outcry in the political circles for its ban already. The reason being an inappropriate portrayal of Peshwa Bajirao I.

The Peshwas were the designated Prime Ministers of the Maratha Empire, a post created by Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century. The protagonist Peshwa Bajirao I (played rapturously by Ranveer Singh) was a brave general who served under the fourth Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shahuji Raje Bhosale and his courtship with Mastani, the daughter of an Indian emperor, has evoked copious interest over a lifespan and figured in many writings. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s attempt at characterizing their mystical love story for the big screen in typical Bollywood style has made historians and politicians seethe over its inaccurate dramatization; rather misrepresentation of the legend, and then the inane lyrics of the song ‘Malhari’. Known for his critically acclaimed big screen musicals like Khamoshi, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, et al, Sanjay Leela Bhansali attempts a creative reflection of a historical account with Bajirao Mastani. It’s certainly erroneous to consider his Bajirao Mastani as a documentary that strives to keep the artistic memory and present a historical view of the original folklore along with a soulful commentary. It’s a commercial entertainer, a movie which derives its texture and colourful backdrop from the rich Maratha history.

That Bajirao would have hopped to the tune of ‘Malhari’ the way Ranveer Singh has, or that the real Kashibai would have paired with Mastani at a festive occasion with her spirited and glamorous dancing is anybody’s guess. That’s where movies score a point over reality in providing delight to its faithful audience. But while history has its place in the hearts and minds of the viewer let’s be watchful that after all Bajirao Mastani‘s content must be revered or reprimanded as a motion picture and not be chastised for political gains. It’s an individual’s interpretation of a historical account which can be challenged just as its other contemporary films have been. And as aspirants of true love stories while we will learn about the immortal truth of Bajirao-Mastani from our history books, let the cinemas feed our endless love for entertainment eternally.

Free The Apple Watch

December 10, 2015 Technology

The Apple Watch was perfectly poised to sweep the industry. It had the goodness of the iPhone/Mac kitty, mainly the apps, the amazing product design and the indisputable quality of the Apple brand. Reasons which are enough for a device like the Apple Watch to own the industry which hadn’t seen much innovation in some time. Some of the early entrants to this arena were no match to the promise of experience and the technology which only Apple could deliver with its first wearable device. Sadly when it arrived it wasn’t the product we had anticipated, it wasn’t an ‘independent’ product. And let me explain.

The rich product basket of Apple including the iMac, the iPod, the iPad, and, the iPhone have existed as sovereign personalities with its own audience. The iPad, iPhone and iPod need the Mac/PC only for syncing content and are pretty much independent devices. Apple with its vast design experience curated an entire domain of great product design with hardware and software. Beginning with the unibody design and later with Yosemite by transforming the skeuomorphic UI with the flat design language. Other features such as HandOff and Continuity, and introduction of Maps, Notes, and Notifications on OSX which brought about a wonderful cohesion of OSX/iOS environments. All this and yet it did not take away the freedom of its users to work independently with these devices. Until the Watch came along. The graphic depicting the Apple devices isn’t honest to the Watch which can’t work without the iPhone.

The Watch as a wearable gadget with a small form factor meant that it would not naturally transition the rich cohesion of experience of the OSX/iOS devices. Although this does not make it an exceptional case when it comes to making it self-reliant within its functions and features. There are other watch devices today which do not need the phone support for offering a better user experience. And sure they may not tote a rich app ‘garden’ like the App Store. For now, let’s free the Watch from the clutches of the iPhone.

Apple’s product design cycle is unclear, if one is to understand that the earlier design iterations of the iPhone and iPad missed some essential features that were common to the devices of its kind. Considering this, the Watch isn’t freewheeling so soon until about a few more design iterations. Let’s hope the wait isn’t too long and painful.