A Room With A View

What started off as a fancy has today become a passion. It is enriching, overwhelming, mesmerising and humbling to capture moments, amazing range of emotions, feelings, nature and so much more. Photography is diverse and one has lots of options. I personally like to click landscapes, kids, candid shots of people. These days I have developed a keen interest in street photography.

In the last eight months or so, I clicked a lot but one thing I absolutely loved clicking was clouds. Most of the shots were from my room. After two or three times I started noticing the varied patterns and colours, every time different from the last. It was fascinating indeed. I then started looking forward to the sky being painted in different hues.

Here are a collection of images, all taken from my room window.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

- Rabindranath Tagore

“Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under!”
― C. JoyBell C.

“It is a very beautiful day. The woman looks around and thinks: 'there cannot ever have been a spring more beautiful than this. I did not know until now that clouds could be like this. I did not know that the sky is the sea and that clouds are the souls of happy ships, sunk long ago. I did not know that the wind could be tender, like hands as they caress - what did I know - until now?”

- Unica Zurn

“Outside, daylight was bleeding slowly toward dusk.”
― Stephen King

“Main aapki ek photo khinch lun?” I ask her reluctantly. With a lack of enthusiasm, she nods her head.

I’ve just clicked a couple of pictures when she nitpicks, “Meri shakal toh bandar jaisi hai, meri photo kabhi acchi nahi aati.”

“Aap pose mat karo, apna kaam karo, main aise se click karungi. Phir aap dekhna,” I cheer her up.

I wait till the tension eases off her face. The moment she is her natural self, I start firing the shutter button continuously. Her uneasiness gives way to a faint smile. A few more shots and she bursts into a spontaneous laugh.

I then show her the pictures. She is amazed and happily admits that she likes them, especially a couple of them.

“Aap meri photo kyu le rahi ho? Aap yeh photo ka kya karogi? Mujhe batao na. Aap baitho main chai banati hun.”

I already feel at home in her little shop and tell her how I would like my tea – less milk, less sugar and strong.

I look around and get some more shots while she earnestly prepares tea.

She is super excited and shouts out to the lady in the next shop, “Yeh dekho meri dukaan ka photoshoot ho raha hai.”

She has a host of questions for me. She has now asked me thrice about what I intend to do with the pictures.

I’d always been keen on street photography and having finally bought the much awaited prime lens, I had been longing to go out and explore. This was my first day of walking around with my camera. I had started with random objects, animals, rickshaws etc. With people I was hesitant. I’d only clicked a few who were not aware of being captured. She was the first woman I’d hesitatingly asked permission for.

Now how do I explain that to her? Do I tell her that she was just a subject for my frame? That I was capturing pots and pans, eggs and other common objects to portray the beauty of simple things in life? Or that hers would be just another picture in my ‘Street Photography’ Album?

I’d these thoughts floating in my mind when she asked me yet again, “Meri dukaan toh itni choti hai. Yahan toh kuch bhi shandaar nahi hai. Yahan kya kichoge?”

“Aap aisa kyu bol rahe ho? Koi bhi kaam chota ya bada nahi hota,” I tell her.

And now it is my turn to ask. How long has she been working here? Where is her husband? How many children does she have and how old are they? These are just some of the many questions I have in mind.

Tea is ready. I ask her to wait because I like it a little cold. So we begin talking.

She’s Ranju and has been running this shop single-handedly, with some support from her parents, for the past fifteen years. She works seven days from 7 am to 10 pm. She only takes ten days off during Chhath and other times when absolutely necessary. She has toiled hard to make ends meet and educate her three children – Nitu, Nitan and Vishnu.

Her husband doesn’t do any work. As she talks about him, tears well up in her eyes and she immediately wipes them away with her the edge of her sari. I place my hand on her shoulder to comfort her. From her talks, I infer that she was subjected to physical abuse.

“Aajkal ladkiyon ko kaam karna bahut jaroori hai. Unhe apne pairon pe khada hona chahiye. Unko kisi pe bhi nirbhar nahi hona chahiye.” I agree.

Nitu, the elder daughter is married and stays in Ghaziabad. I tell her I too was in Delhi for some years. This brings a smile on her face. The other two children are studying. She wants the son to get into some business but she is more concerned about her daughter’s education.

“Main mann se bahut saaf hun, sabse acche se baat karti hun. Aap aake yahan baithi, aapne mujhe respect diya mujhe bahut accha laga. Ab main kitni baat kar rahi hun aapse.”

“Main apni beti ke saath bhi friend jaise rehti hun. Maine toh bol diya hai use ki agar who kisi ladke ko pasand kare to mujhe bata de, bhaag ke shaadi na kare. Main khud jaungi baat karne.”

She then talks about her parents and says they have supported her a lot. “Main kisi Bhagwaan ki puja nahi karti. Mere Bhagwaan mere maa-baap hain.”

“Oh main bhi kitna bolti hun. Chai toh bahut thandi ho gayi hogi.”

“Nahi, chalega. Abhi peete hai,” I tell her.

We sip our tea and chit-chat like two long lost pals.

I connect with her on so many levels. It's true, no work is big or small. It does not matter what strata of society you come from, or how old you are! A good heart and an intention to do good is what matters.

I have to get going and so I leave with the promise of visiting her again.

I then tell myself that I will share her story. People like Ranju are indeed an inspiration. Despite facing numerous hardships, she did not quit. Instead she chose to take control of her life and steer it in a positive direction.

Yes pictures do speak a thousand words. But sometimes pictures are not enough.

I realize that there are many such stories to be told. I am optimistic about clicking yes, but I am all the more determined about sharing more stories.

‘IT’ is BACK!

Terrible mood swings ✓

Feeling low to the point of depression ✓
Heightened emotional sensitivity ✓
Craving for junk food ✓
Bloating ✓

It’s THAT time of the month again! No, I’m not talking about periods but PMS and there IS a difference. It’s weird but I have seen even girls getting mixed up. PMS, periods and anything related is so closeted. Most girls, I included, shy away from talking about it. I do not hesitate as such but I always wonder if the other person, obviously a guy, would be okay with even the mention of it. A talk is mostly out of question.

Menstruation for women is as natural as jerking off is for men. In fact even more! A man may TRY and abstain from shagging (hell difficult but not impossible) but as much as we girls would like to do away with periods, we cannot. Not until menopause! So why is all talk about it so hush!

IF you are already feeling disgusted or uncomfortable, you may stop reading. DO NOT read it entirely and then come up with bullshit that such stuff should not be brought up in a public forum. Despite this disclaimer, if you are still reading, it is well a choice you made.

Every time of the month when I feel this terrible, I have a strong urge to vent out and write, to channel all the negativity to something constructive. But I never managed to do it, until today. Not so much because I was worried about the varied reactions to this post but for the reason that the mood swings are so terrible that to discipline the self and try to maintain a coherent line of thought is not easy. Hope I do not abandon it midway.

Ok so like I was saying there is a difference between PMS and periods. PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome is a group of symptoms that start one to two weeks before periods. Periods is mostly physical but PMS has more of an emotional effect. While there are more than 200 symptoms associated with PMS, the most prominent ones are irritability, tension, and dysphoria (unhappiness). 

I have been experiencing heightened mix of all three. It really amazes me what a hormone change can do. I am generally not fussy about food. I eat at home mostly and like to eat light. But in this phase I crave for junk food. I hate all that I like usually. Sometimes I don’t feel like eating at all. Other times I want something in particular. And when it’s prepared I can’t stand the sight of it.

I am unable to decide which movie I want to watch. I decide on a genre, find something and start watching. Within five minutes I feel today’s not the day for this one. I want something else. I switch genres but nothing helps. Most times I end up not watching anything. The only genre that has succeeded to hold my attention is ‘zombie movies’. And what blast I had watching them!

I often refer to myself an ‘unofficial counselor’ as I guide and counsel people, mostly friends. A lot of them confide in me and discuss all kinds of problems. I am extremely patient and listen to all that they have to say without being judgemental. I have serious potential to make a career out of it ;) 

However while experiencing PMS, I feel so miserable and depressed like I would need a shrink myself. My thoughts reach an all time low. I come close to feeling depressed and then wonder if that’s how some people I know feel when they say they are sad, fed up with life, feel trapped etc. This thought scares me. I have such a big problem dealing with this phase for even two days, I wonder how do such people deal with it all the time! All advice falls on deaf ears. No wonder no talking or guiding helps them. It’s themselves they have to fight first. I then feel thankful that it’s just a phase, and short one that too, which will indeed pass!

But this short phase is enough to drain me out. I get irritated at the drop of a hat. I am antisocial and detest company barring that of few people but this time I can hardly bear anyone. I once described this feeling to a friend – it feels as if I have a sword and am ready to kill people.

It’s worse because I seldom discuss the countless thoughts doing the rounds in my mind. I, at the max, mention to a friend that I am feeling dejected but nothing more than that. But then I don’t know if talking about it would make a difference. Its hormones that wreak havoc and I doubt there’s much that can be done about it. Moreover, I am back to my normal self after a few days anyway!

And I have lost the train of thought. Plus I am now in the mood of wreaking havoc again. I don’t know if the rambling makes sense but I’d rather post whatever it is before it finds its way to the trash!

Movie Review: Rush (2013)

Biographies if well made can be an absolute treat. A biography on sport star(s) sounds even better and if that sport is Formula 1, well that’s an icing on the cake, especially for lovers of the sport. Ron Howard’s Rush fits this bill. It’s so wonderfully crafted and portrayed that sometimes you forget you are watching a movie. It seems like an actual race. That’s how beautiful this move is! 

Rush is about the fierce rivalry between two accomplished racing car drivers, the British James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and the Austrian Nikki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) during the early 70s and which culminated in their battle for the 1976 World Championship. The film starts in media res on August 1, 1976 when Niki confesses that he “was chasing him (Hunt) like an asshole”. 

Hunt was arrogant, cocky and confident, a man who lived fast and died young. He was flamboyant, impulsive and believed in living life king-size. Lauda on the other hand was much calmer. He was technically brilliant, planned things as opposed to acting rashly and maintained a professional lifestyle. He had a right mix of shrewdness and intelligence. 

The two of them had so much in contrast yet they complemented each other. Both had an overriding fervor to defeat the other. This outlines the value of an enemy or rival, who sometimes give more meaning to your life than friends do. And in their case, apart from being such fierce competitors, the two had a healthy respect for each other. The movie had two apt dialogues, both by Niki Lauda, that reiterate this point: 

“A wise man can learn more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.” 

“People always think of us as rivals but he was among the very few I liked and even fewer that I respected. He remains the only person I envied.”

Both the actors delivered a knockout performance. Hemsworth gave a matured performance and almost nailed his role of James Hunt. But Bruhl somehow stole the show. At the beginning, Lauda’s character is absolutely pale in comparison to the charismatic Hunt. But as the movie progresses, he not only matches up to Hunt but also overtakes him. Bruhl brings the character of Niki to life. Watch out for his sharp dialogue delivery that’s been rendered with such remarkable precision! 

Howard took some liberties and modified few elements. Since this movie is not a documentary Ron could afford to make these changes but none of these seem exaggerated or fabricated. The scene where Hunt beats up a reporter is invented but this is one of my favourite scenes. It gels perfectly well with the flow and doesn’t seem like something that’s added just to up the drama quotient. This, as per me, is the mark of a good director. 

The race sequences are undoubtedly exhilarating and a lot of credit for this goes to the awesome camera work and fine sound. The cinematography is wonderful. There are various camera angles that not only add an element of thrilling intensity but also provide us with a wholesome experience. The sound editing is remarkable. Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack is a powerful entity in itself that can any day lift a film and here it adds the much required tension and thrill. (I can’t get over the Lost But Won track). His music along with the roaring sound of the engines pep you up and give you a great adrenaline rush. Rush also has some amazing dialogues that will be quoted and recalled time and again. 

Kudos to Ron Howard and the entire crew for coming up with such a technically sound film. Even someone who isn’t a F1 fan would be hooked to the intense action and story. Rush is one hell of a ride and lives up to its title to give one a high adrenaline RUSH! It is one of my favourite films of 2013.

Rating: 8.8/10

Happy Birthday Jammy!

He’s one of India’s greatest batsmen but never got his due. Even when he scored big runs he was always outshined or overshadowed by other team members, a phenomenon that started right from his debut in Test cricket. Dravid made his debut at Lord's on 20 June 1996 against England in the Second Test of the series with Sourav Ganguly and scored 95 runs. However Ganguly went on to score a century and became the celebrated hero.

Dravid’s batting was as perfect as a coaching manual. His name was a constant at number three on the scoreboard and there were innumerable times when he was a savior for the team. He was nicknamed “The Wall” for his impeccable defence and till date he is fondly remembered as 'The Wall' of Indian cricket.

"Even though Sachin is great, I have always found Rahul more solid and hard to get out. He has a solid defense and plays less shots than others. When a batsman plays less shots then it is tough to get him as he makes less mistakes." – Shoaib Akhtar

Rahul Dravid has always been my hero, ever since I started watching cricket. In fact, he is the reason I started watching cricket. I have been an ardent supporter and have admired him not only as a player but also for the man that he is. 

"If you can't get along with Dravid, you're struggling in life," said Brett Lee. Dravid truly is the epitome of a perfect gentleman.

Today Jammy turns 41 and I wish him a very Happy Birthday! He may have retired from the game but I will continue to be his fan. There never was and perhaps will never be, one like him!

For those interested, here’s a list of what fellow players have to say about this legend – http://tinyurl.com/DravidQuora

Movie Review: Yaariyan (2014)

Cast a bunch of (good looking?) newcomers, pick one of the plush schools (St. Joseph’s School, Darjeeling) and portray it as a chic college of Sikkim, feature snow-clad picturesque locales, throw in skimpily clad women, a lot of cleavage and absolutely desperate hormone raging men, have a wide ranging soundtrack featuring none other than His Highness Yo Yo Honey Singh, and finally add a lot of emotions – love, friendship, betrayal, drama, comedy, patriotism – ah no issues throw them all in. Was Divya Khosla Kumar thinking this is the perfect recipe to create a fun-filled college romance and adventure film targeted at youngsters of course? Yes it a recipe and good that too, but for disaster!

Well not all these elements are a boo-boo. In fact one thing that has been working in the movie’s favour is its peppy soundtrack which has already created waves and is ruling the charts. Not only is it going to play a big role in drawing the audiences, particularly the youth, to the theatres but it also is the film’s saving grace. Besides this, the only other thing that works is the cinematography. The first part of the film has been shot in virgin locations of Darjeeling and Sikkim (Lachen, mostly) and the later part in Australia. The film has two race sequences and they have been done really well. Divya Kumar has indeed worked hard to make the film look good. But sadly that’s about it – it only sounds and looks good!

Yaariyan aspires to be one of those college rom-coms but just calling it one would put all the other films in that genre to shame. It’s supposed to be the coming-of-age tale of five friends. Sadly there is nothing in the name of friendship and the focus is more on ‘cuming’ as not just these teenagers but their teachers also seem to be having an over surge of hormones.

There is nothing bad about having a few sexual jokes. After all this is a (big) part of being a teenager and youth, especially guys. But when you reduce the guys to good for nothing fellows and make them look like dogs who are only interested in shagging, oops I mean wagging their tails at the sight of a bitch, then there is a problem!

The male protagonist Lakshya (Himanshu Kolhi) is the clichéd playboy who initially is only interested in a kiss and this wish of his is the subject of interest of almost everyone in the college. The female lead Saloni (Rakul Preet Singh) is the usual ‘hatke’ behenji who stands out from the rest of the bimbettes. Though their love story is nothing unusual, I must admit that the lip-lock between them is one of the most unabashed I have seen in Indian cinema.

Usually supporting actors who play friends have a wonderful contribution in such films but here there is not a single moment of bonding shared by the guys. Barring the female protagonist, the girls look plastic. There is ‘Bad Man’ Gulshan Grover, the college principal, who takes on the onus of motivating these wayward kids to save their college from Australian folks. The biggest feat of course is reducing yesteryears veteran actress Deepti Naval to a mother who is perpetually sobbing and sniffling. Unfortunately, there is no depth in their characters and they are both reduced to mere caricatures.

If all this is not enough there are sports, patriotism and racial attacks thrown in too! So what if they seem forced and over-the-top. That does not matter! The makers can pass off any idea/concept in the name of Generation X. These youngsters indulge in just about everything and that’s what’s shown on screen.

After all this, if you are still waiting to read the plot then you for sure need to go watch this!

I, on the other hand, did not have the slightest intention of watching this movie, not in the theatres at least, not first day first show for sure and certainly not when Dedh Ishqiya, a movie I had LONG been waiting to watch released on the same day. But guess I was fated to. Apparently there were just two of us who were keen on indulging ourselves in the world of Begum Para. Those guys refused to play it only for us. The biggest irony – Just when they told me the morning show for Dedh Ishqiya was cancelled and I had already got tickets for Yaariyan, about a dozen people turned up (late), wanting to watch the former. If, only if, they were on time!

Rating: 5.5/10

Movie Review: About Time (2013)

So I think to myself. Alright there’s a new rom-com that looks good. It’s also rated pretty high on IMDb. What more?

Genre: Romantic comedy – Oh nice, I am sucker for fine rom-coms

Director: Richard Curtis – Excellent! I’d loved his previous two films ‘Love Actually’ and ‘The Boat That Rocked’. Plus he is also the writer for ‘Notting Hill’, one of my favourite films ever. Excitement is a notch higher.

It revolves around time travel – Ah well, it looks like a perfect recipe, if well executed.

These were my thoughts before watching About Time. And was I disappointed? Not really, but it didn’t quite leave an impact. Or was I expecting too much, maybe yes. It is by no means a bad film but not something that I would highly recommend either.

The film is about Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson), a 21 year old socially uncomfortable character. On his 21st birthday his father (Bill Nighy) tells him an incredibly useful secret – men in his family can time travel, to any point in the past that they remember. So whenever there is some mishap or embarrassment, or need to re-do something Tim can go back in time and change the outcome of a situation. All he needs to do to fix these issues is go to the nearest closet or a compact room and clench his fists. Now this sounds interesting (barring the clenching fists bit) but maybe this whole going back and altering things has been so overdone that it loses its charm.

About Time is not the run of the mill romantic comedy. Yes it has all the elements of a Curtis film – locations in London, friendships, plenty of sardonic and sometimes rude humour, a socially reticent boy, a beautiful North American girl, a freaky young female relative, a doddery elderly male relative and some heavy rain. But it delves deeper and raises some profound questions.

The message that it gives out is that ups and downs are a part of life and no gift can save you from that.

Thus one should live life to the full, cherish each moment and not take things or people for granted. “Cherish the small moments as if they are most important.” Besides this, one of the main themes is the heartfelt father-son relationship. The scenes between them are some of the best in the film.

I did not quite Tim Lake in the beginning and thought he wouldn’t be able to match up to Rachel McAdams who plays his love interest Mary. However with time he grew on me and I think the two had a strong chemistry. However Rachel was underused. Though she is good in her role and very likeable (I absolutely did not like her fringes though), her character doesn’t have much depth. Whenever there is the slightest need to alter things, Tim always excuses himself for a moment and heads out of the room and she is not once shown questioning him. I liked Bill Nighy the best. He brings such warmth to his role with his spot-on acting. He steals every scene he is in with his charisma.

There are so many beautiful scenes in the film. One where Tim and Mary meet for the first time in a restaurant is bound to vow you. Another when Tim runs home to Mary late night and urges her to wake up as her had to ask her something important. Then of course the many scenes featuring Tim and his father.

Despite so many things working for it, the film is flawed and has plot holes. They might not come in the way of watching the film, because you are pretty much absorbed in this feel good movie, but they are disturbing. The individual parts are good but as a whole, there is something amiss. This can be one of the reasons I wasn’t thoroughly happy after having watched it. Overall, it is decent and worth a watch. And if you are going to stop making sense out of it, especially the time travel, you'll love it all the more!

Rating: 7.2/10

I won't give up!

“It's always too soon to quit!” 

― Norman Vincent Peal

How true this is. We all know it. Yet, we at some point or the other GIVE UP! Sometimes without trying, sometimes after having strived but surely not hard enough because if we give it our all, then there is no giving up!

I am someone who does not believe in quitting. Yet unhappy and dissatisfied with certain things I almost gave up something. That too something so dear to me! This feeling of discontent had crept in earlier too but only mildly. I never let it overpower me but instead worked on it instantly. And that is how it should be. For there always are going to be problems. No road is ever rosy, nothing in life is easy. Thus one should always aim to look for solutions rather than being stuck with the problems. It’s a different story that most people indulge in the latter and create more problems than there already are. However I am glad I have overcome this stage and tend to have a more realistic and mature approach towards problems, significant or inconsequential.

Not this time though. This time it was different. I had almost made up my mind and left no room for a discussion even. Not that my decision was completely arbitrary, it did have its precedents. And so I refused to listen to even myself. I did not even think much, because that would mean re-thinking what I had already decided. So I took it as a closed chapter.

However something happened today and it dawned on me that I was not doing the right thing. I asked myself – Have I given it my best? Could I have done more? I did not have to wait for even a split second. The answer was always there, I knew it. As I said one can never have done enough and I for sure had not given it my all. Actual failure is when you stop trying and I was heading there.

But I am not going to do that. I am not a quitter. I do not give up, so how can I this time? It’s my dream and there’s no way I am going to quit. The following quote pretty much sums it up then:

“When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.”

Movie Review: Priceless (2006)

Original Title: Hors De Prix 

Language: French

A fresh romantic comedy always feels good, and if it features Audrey Tautou then it’s like the icing on a super yummy cake. Pierre Salvadori’s Priceless is one of those delicacies which I thoroughly enjoyed savouring.

Priceless is the story of Irene (Audrey Tautou), a high maintenance gold digger who preys on old, lonely and most importantly rick men. She seduces and traps them to live a comfortable high life in expensive hotel suites. One night she mistakes the lowly bartender Jean (Gad Elmaleh) for a millionaire and drags him to bed. On learning the truth she leaves but her charms work their magic on him and the hapless Jean is absolutely smitten by her. He goes about following her and spending all his savings to keep up with her never ceasing demands of dresses, bags, champagnes, caviar etc.

The plot is run of the mill but the treatment and presentation is oh so classy. And Tautou! She charms you with both her performance and her looks. She is such a natural actress and here she does wonders to her character. An innocent dame one minute and heartless seductress the other, the viewer oscillates from loving her to feeling slight disdain for her, to sympathizing with her and back to loving her! Her facial expressions speak volumes. Had it not been Audrey playing this role, I would have easily hated this merciless bitch! And about her looks, well she is elegance, style, beauty and sexy personified. I don’t think she’s looked this stunning ever. Guys are definitely bound to feel the heat and some movement too seeing those necklines plunging all the way down to her navel. She is truly ‘Priceless’.

Gad with his innocent looks shows great charm and delivers a decent act and he shares a wonderful chemistry with Audrey.

On the surface level it is one of the farcical rom-coms, stylish and endearing. However every work of art has layers to it, it is just a matter of interpretation. Priceless is a mild commentary on the vanity of high class, twisted human values, materialism and the game of love.

In one of the scenes, after being dumped by her latest rich beau, Irene left with only the bikini she is wearing, sits shivering at poolside while the sun sets and the place changes from bathers to dinner jackets. In a moment she is reduced from a queen to a spectator. Tautou’s expressions are pitch-perfect here and you get a glimpse of the harsh realities.

In the other scene, Irene is choking down a spoonful of caviar that she actually hates but is teaching herself to appreciate it. "I'm sure when you like it," she says, exuding not-so-innocent hope, "it must be delicious."

Priceless is a light-hearted entertaining romantic comedy and is a delightful watch!

Rating: 7.2/10

Movie Review: Shahid (2013)

Realism and Bollywood don’t really go hand in hand. Filmmakers do not, in the first place, try their hands at depicting true life stories especially if there is the slightest whiff of a controversy. The very few attempts more often than not end up as shallow in the garb of commercialism. So when a bold film like Shahid comes up, you tend to wonder if it is a one-off shot or are Indian filmmakers actually breaking the conventions and taking leaps.

Despite having a world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival's ‘City to City’ programme in September 2012 and being screened at last year’s Mumbai Film Festival, Shahid only managed to get a wide theatrical release a year later. Wonder why the delay but we are glad it did, because such stories need to be told. I have seen/heard so many people gushing about the movie. I wonder how many of them knew who Shahid Azmi was before this movie. I did not.

Hansal Mehta’s Shahid is a biopic of the lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi. In the seven years of his practice, he got 17 acquittals, a remarkably high number for the Indian judiciary, where ‘taareekh pe taareekh’ is a norm. But he had to pay a price for standing up and fighting for all those he believed were wrongly accused or framed and imprisoned for alleged terrorist activities. He was brutally shot dead in his office by a couple of assailants in 2010 for defending a 26/11 accused.

Shahid Azmi’s life was quite eventful and complex. As a young boy he had witnessed the barbaric violence during the communal riots of Mumbai in 1993. The devastating impact prompts him to join an arms training in a camp in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. He witnesses another event there and thus changes his mind and runs away, but was arrested from his home under TADA. He spent seven years in Tihar Jail before he was eventually acquitted by a court of law for lack of admissible evidence.

It might seem like too much for a film but Mehta has narrated the incidents as it is. One of the best parts of the film is it is more fact and less fiction. Shahid is simple in presentation yet hard-hitting. It brings us unpleasant truths about contemporary India, its media, its judiciary and its people. Mehta subtly exposes the anti-Muslim stance so deep-rooted at every level of our law-and-order system.

Raj Kumar Yadav’s performance is OUTSTANDING! He is almost perfect in all the stages, be it in the jail or the courtroom. Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub too was commendable as Shahid’s brother. He was impressive in Raanjhanaa and now here too. He should get better roles that do justice to his talent.

Hansal Mehta says he decided to make the film after he found out that people were accusing Shahid Azmi of criminal activities: "He was not alive to tell his side of the story when aspersions were being cast on him. I decided to stand up for him." Mehta take a bow for this attempt, so honest that too!

Rating: 8.2/10