Drama « Inner Reflections Transcribed

Storytelling via sand art work

October 18, 2009 at 2:26 pm | In Culture, Drama, Learning, Life, Media, Poetry | 2 Comments

This is absolutely wonderful. The artist, Kseniya Simonova, tells a story about war, separation, love and faith all through sand art.

The Glass House: Iranian Doc

October 7, 2009 at 7:30 pm | In Drama, Learning, Life, Media, Men, Society, Television, Women | 3 Comments

Did anyone catch The Glass House on More4 yesterday? I missed it and was hoping to catch it on 4OD but it’s not available to watch

This is what Glass House is about:

No one runs away from happiness” says sixteen year old Mitra. She sits alone on a park bench, struggling with her deep abandonment issues and contemplating running away. Her lonely days consist of cooking and cleaning for her father and brother who both abuse and neglect her. Sussan is 20 years old and she has endured so much physical abuse and head trauma that at times she stutters when she speaks. Years of rampant sexual abuse by her own brothers has culminated into a dangerous drug addiction. At an age where most girls are only concerned with make up and clothes, Samira, 14, has been to rehab for the second time. The local police found her unconscious on the street. Nazila, 19, is a juvenile delinquent turned rapper. Although it is illegal for women in Iran to record songs, she says that rap is “how I express myself”. Her deep and meaningful lyrics tell the painful story of an angry woman who resents the society that has discarded her and made her who she is.

The Glass House by Hamid Rahmanian and Melissa Hibbard takes you deep into the lives of these four girls as they courageously tell their stories while they struggle for their uncertain futures. The Glass House is the untold story of young women who have been cast aside by their society. They have been abandoned, abused and neglected by their country and their families. With no resources, they have no hope of ever improving their lives, until they come to Omid E Mehr. (Source)

Any idea where I can watch it online? Its not on youtube either :p

Babydom

April 26, 2009 at 1:36 pm | In Children, Drama, Family, Learning, Life | 9 Comments

Having been around women who have newborns (that are not so new now, but roughly a few months to 1 year old) I have made a few observations. Some of them are follows.

New mothers have alot of criticism dressed up as well-meaning information/advice thrown at them (insidiously undermining at the best of times). Usually from older women, grandparents, in-laws and other intefering busybodies (usually in the female form). They advise you to wind/burp the baby after its feed by bouncing them up in the air. The spewing milk-vomit that’ll spray out will end up on you and are they going to clean it up? I didn’t think so. Lie the baby on its stomach – it likes that, especially after a feed. And what if it falls asleep and smothers itself in that position? (is that possible? Thinking worse case scenario here).

They advise you to start feeding the baby cultural food, like mashed up indian lentils or buttered chappati’s broken up into small pieces when they’ve barely begun to associate food with swallowing. There is no order with regards to feeding time for the child nor does the child associate the table in the kitchen with dinner time because he/she is bounced from lap to lap and fed all kinds in between the main meals. Who feeds the child slices of cheese when they should be having dinner? Or fizzy drinks like Coke instead of water/fruit juice/milk?

Grandparents especially paternal one’s which depending on where you moved to after marriage will be the one’s who’ll have most contact with the baby for most of its years (until they or you move away elsewhere). For those who live with their inlaws, complaints of taking the baby away for the whole day and playing with it, whilst they lie in bed recovering from the C-section stitches. Perhaps see how the mother of the child is doing since she probably needs attention and aid. It’s little wonder why some new mothers disappear off to their maternal home for a month or 2 after the birth of a baby. They wouldn’t get the same level of care anywhere else. I would like to think otherwise, but really I believe this to be true. Regardless of how well-meaning they may be.

Most of them worry when their baby doesn’t take to their breast for the ceremonious, often sore, painful (at first so i’ve been told) and laborious task of breastfeeding (bf). Some of them consider it slightly problematic should they be out and about – how to bf the baby in public? A woman using her breasts in this manner (for their very purpose and not just a plaything or something to ogle at) is repulsing and considered uncivil and inappropriate. After all she’s flashing her private bits in public. How terrible. Do people really believe women who bf have their bits out like the Playboy bunnies whilst doing so??

Infact why bf (if you can) when they can give formula milk. The baby will be nice and chubby. Everybody likes chubby babies – chubbiness is testimony of the love the mother has for the child (by feeding it of course -how else do you show people you love your baby?). Nevermind that the child wheezes when he/she barely runs a few steps, and breathes like an old man with a collapsible lung. Bottle feed they are told, its better. Ah but we all know breast is best, which however doesn’t always result into a fat, and therefore healthy, baby.

And as mothers are usually responsible for the health of their baby, keeping a close eye on their eating habits come’s into swift play. This is usually compounded by others who wish to feed the baby without even considering to ask the mother if it is ok for them to do so. There is some unexpressed shared “ownership” (for lack of a better descript) of the child, especially if you live with extended family or family pops around. Sweet sugary snacks, fizzy drinks, cakes, crisps, chocolate are the favourite culprits. Is asking the mother if they can feed the baby xyz considered too “Western” a concept, mother is a control freak or perhaps demonstrates lack of trust?

This is just the beginning, wait until the child starts school or when the mother decides to go back to work!

Welcome to the world of babydom.

Your Thoughts?

February 24, 2009 at 11:53 am | In Drama, Gender Issues, Just for Fun, Learning, Life, Men, Society, Women | 15 Comments

Hypothetical Scenario #1:

You decide to pay a visit to a friend (of the opposite sex) at their home. You haven’t seen him/her for a long time and want to catch up. He/she lives alone. You have a cup of coffee with cake over part-banal part-stimulating conversation.

You stay for an hour or so. The friend begins to go through their DVD collection with you, and offers you to pop by anytime should you wish to borrow them or even have a DVD evening in with him/her. Offer of hot chocolate and marshmallows along with all things decadent (like chocolate cake) as part of the DVD evening is made.

After some more cake and conversation, you prepare to leave. The friend see’s you out. Thanks you for your company and offers to walk you down the flight of stairs. You don’t wish him/her the inconvenience so make your way down, skip and wave him/her goodbye. He/she goes back into their flat, and you make your way home.

Hypothetical Scenario #2:

The same as above except the friend is gay.

Your thoughts?

Slumdog Millionaire: A Review

February 5, 2009 at 6:58 pm | In Culture, Drama, Family, Life, Media, Men, Movies, Society, Women | 20 Comments

Slumdog Millionaire is a movie adaptation of the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup. It revolves around Jamal and his brother Salim, who grow up in the Juhu area of Mumbai. Jamal (played by Skins Dev Patel) and Salim are raised by their mother and are slumdwellers, inhabiting tin shacks and living in poor conditions, poor housing coupled with lack of sanitation and utilities such as water and electricity.

The movie begins with Jamal as a contestant on the show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and within reach of winning 2 Crore when he is arrested on suspicion of cheating and duped into a police vehicle by the envious host of the show played by Anil Kapoor.

Jamal is questioned about his ability of answering the questions on the show accurately – after all if he didn’t cheat how else would a slumdog get them all correct, when even literate individuals would find difficult to answer? Jamal then relates the interconnected stories behind the scaling questions – his life experiences, his hopes, aspirations, troubles, joys and tribulations and plays off the complicated, endearing, dangerous and ironic relationship between women, money, family and status. Slumdog Millionaire is an ingenious tale about remarkable coincidences.

I found Jamal to be an endearing character, soft andof a sensitive nature in comparison to Salim who although was fond of his younger brother felt he was a hinderance and held him back from achieving the goal of being “someone” and “something”- someone with authority, power, and money even if all this was begotten through ill gains. Salim is best described as a hard character and Jamal soft – which given the climate and environment which the brothers grew up in and the hard knocks experienced in life would provide Salim with the advantage in the race for survival and Jamal as floppy and gullible.

Upon becoming orphans after Hindu’s stormed the Muslim dominant tinshacks and violently attacked the slum residents including their mother, Jamal and Salim come across Latika – a girl from their slum- and Jamal takes her under his wing. Jamal’s affection for Latika strains his relationship with Salim who views her as deadweight and a burden which unnecessarily Jamal wishes to pull along.

One more than one occassion Salim gets rid of Latika – by letting go of her hand aboard a travelling train when running away from the beggars ringleader from gouging out Jamal’s eyes in an attempt to profit from transforming him into a melodic singing blind beggar as was the fate for one of their peers, to pawning her off to the slum’s now wealthy gangster in exchange for working as part of his gangster ring – only for Jamal to painstakingly seek her out again. Eventually Salim succeeds and Jamal is left on his own. Jamal is often found fighting with Salim over Latika, Salim’s bossy nature and constant reminder of “being the elder” in an attempt to assert authority silences Jamal into giving into his brothers orders and hoping he is concerned about their welfare rather than just his own aspirations of revelling in having a name, power and status.

Jamal’s concern with Latika spans much of his youth and his intentions for appearing on the TV show were to attract Latika in the hope she would be in touch. Eventually Salim performs the noble act of aiding Latika’s escape from the gangsters clutches, at the unfortunate fate of being murdered by his co-gangsters for the betrayal. Latika and Jamal reunite, with Jamal as a winner of the show (does he ever find out Salim’s noble act resulted in his death?) and Salim, act as redemption for his sins.

Watch the movie if you can. You will enjoy it.