Sunday, December 03, 2006

Mr and Mrs Iyer - love beyond caste and religion

Watched a movie over the weekend that I simply had to talk about. A few years old but probably one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve seen in a long time. The movie – Mr and Mrs Iyer. I would say the movie is simply a must watch, if for nothing else, then just to see Rahul Bose’s character in the movie. If I ever met a guy like that, I’d probably marry him!

On to the movie – its set among communal riots where two strangers meet – an orthodox tamil brahmin woman and a fairly liberal muslim man – and how it changes each of them – more so the woman. How she looks beyond the stereotypes she has grown up with all her life and how she realises that there is more to people than their caste and religion. I think every indian who stands and talks about how a certain caste or religion is better than the other should watch this movie and perhaps their eyes too will be opened at least to some extent.

I find is hard to believe that educated people in today’s world are still so hung up on caste and religion. I’m not quite sure why the caste system was made in the first place, but whatever may have been the reason, I am certain that the reason is obsolete by now. Why then are people still treated a certain way because of the caste they were born into? Aren’t we all human beings? What gives someone a right to claim to be superior just because of the surname that they were given? It has nothing to do with their accomplishments does it? It was just a case of coincidence that God decided to send one to family A and the other to family B. What makes one better than the other then?

Anyway back to the movie – the way the story is told, though slow, is very moving. Watching them develop feelings for each other, you cant help but get tears in your eyes. And the ending – well I wont spoil it for anyone who wants to watch the movie – but though I know that there was no other way they could have ended the movie, a small part of me was praying for something different :)

Tere Bina

Dum dara dum dara mast mast dara
Dum dara dum dara mast mast dara
Dum dara dum dum...o humdum
Bin tere kya jeena

Tere bina beswadi beswadi ratiya..
Oh sajnaa...

My latest addiction among songs...from the genius of Rehman...(from the soundtrack of Guru for those who havent yet heard it)

Just cant stop listening to it…

The beauty of AR Rehman I think is that every time you listen to a song it grows on you more and more…I’m not quite sure how he does it. I mean with every other composer I either like a song or I don’t but with Rehman with every listening the song touches you deeper and deeper…how does he do it? And you never bore of his songs…you may put away an album for an year and when you take it out again you find something new in them. There seem to be so many layers to his songs that you peel away bit by bit.

Its been a long time since there’s been a Rehman album and the wait was worth it…Guru has beautiful songs with the exception of a couple (but I’m sure with a few more repitions of the CD I’ll love them too!). But the one song that really gets to you is Tere Bina…it touches your soul the moment the ‘dum dara dum’ starts and you cant say it’s the lyrics because obviously Dum Dara means nothing! That isn’t to say that the lyrics aren’t good…Gulzar is amazing as always…his words are enough to give you goosebumps by themselves!

As an aside…the last song I was in love with was called Tere Bin (from the album Bas Ek Pal) and this one is called Tere Bina…hmmm…