Raavan - Movie Review

Other day I watched Rashomon. I wasn't impressed. I suppose I'm sort of saturated with the idea of people viewing any event thro' their own limitations. A day later I read the plot of movie 'Raavan'. It reminded me that I'm still living in Treta Yuga when it comes to Indian movies. However, I'm not going to be a cynic. I would say that the film still has its merits. It has intellectualism of 20th century if not 21st century in its characters.

I have already mentioned I haven't watched the movie. But after reading the plot, I am sure not watching is not a drawback for writing a review. As I have said I'm going to discuss the the wisdom 20th century in that movie. It's all about racial struggle.

Let's check the names of the characters.
Beera Munda: The main protagonist. Equivalent to Ravana of Ramayana.
                      In Ramayana: Ravana was a Brahmin. Most likely Indo-Aryan speaker. Supposedly a scholar. Hence Rama, Kshatriya thus lower caste, performed a penance called Brahma Hatya Dosha for the sin of killing a Brahmin (in that case Ravana). The story was good versus evil. The good was a Kshatriya and evil was a Brahmin.
                      In Raavan: The surname Munda clearly suggests Austro-Asiatic tribal man. Thus an oppressed being and probably illiterate or with a moderate education. He is a diluted version of Ravana of Ramayana in every sense. The story is grey versus grey. The anti-hero is a Munda tribal and hero is a Brahmin.

Serena Munda: Beera Munda's sister. Equivalent to Ravana's sister Shurpanakha.
                      In Ramayana: Shurpanakha lusted after Rama and Lakshmana. But was disfigured by Lakshmana when she tried to harm Sita.
                      In Raavan: The name Serena is unique. It's not a common Indian name. However, most of the educated Indians instinctively imagine Tennis star Serena Williams when the name crosses the mind. Thus his sister is a representative of an African woman. Another suppressed population. Here Serena is the object of lust.

Note: While I started this post couple of days I back I found Wikipedia mentioned her name as Serena. Then they changed it to Jamuni. It appears producers announced the name as Serena but later changed it to Jamuni. Anyway, I'll stick with their pre-release name.

Dev Pratap Sharma: Equivalent to Rama of Ramayana.
                      In Ramayana: Rama was a born Kshatriya. Probably moderately educated. A brave warrior but panicky about purity of his kidnapped wife.
                      In Raavan: Dev Pratap Sharma is a Brahmin.Ruthless and modern enough to be bothered about purity of kidnapped wife. On the contrary, he coldly uses the purity concept of a woman to his own advantage. He is not a stereotypical Brahmins of yesteryears who were passive and panicky about the purity of their women. He is a modern, educated, liberated counterpart of mythical Rama.

Ragini Sharma: Equivalent to Sita of Ramayana.
                       In Ramayana: A passive and submissive wife. Always trying to prove her purity under every  circumstances.
                       In Raavan: A passive and submissive wife. Probably even dumber compared to Sita. Confused in front of aggressive males. Also, trying to prove her purity.

My Genetic Horoscope - i

Slow metabolizer of Caffeine
Less likely to avoid Errors

Bengaluru in other languages

I consider changing names and spellings of the colonized places is a very rational move. However, I believe we can give very scientific/linguistic nature to the whole process. We know that sound changes give rise to multiple branches of a proto-language. We already know the sound changes between the languages of the same family. Therefore, I would propose we should make sure the languages belonging to the same linguistic family must have the spellings/pronunciations that follow those sound changes.

Consider the case of Bengaluru (beGgaLUru)

In Malayalam: veGGallUr
In Telugu: veGgulUru
In Tamil: veGgaLUr

I suppose non-Dravidian language speakers, as far as possible, must pronounce it close to Kannada pronunciation out of courtesy.

A Kafkaesque Early Morning Dream

Something happened and I was ushered to a hotel room. I found myself sharing that room with a family. The family consisted of a middle aged woman, a young man and a young woman. The young woman was breathtakingly beautiful. There was a TV in the room. The women went inside the living room. I went there and came back. I went out.

In the corridor, I ran across another young lady. She was gravely attractive. She looked at me. I couldn't make out whether that stare was blank or she was smiling. Somebody then stopped me and told my room was different. It was 305 and there was the key. I didn't take it. I said something and went somewhere.

Then I found myself arguing with somebody. I told I needed a separate room. Some more arguments. Then I met  another guy and took the keys.

After that I found myself in a friend's room. I told I was stranded and was put up in a hotel. There was another guy. He asked me whether I met Ananya. I said I did.

Then I was at my home. There was something to be done. I sent my brother. After sometime I went there myself. I saw my brother. Then I was walking inside some building I met this tall police officer.

The police officer stopped me. He asked what I did to her. I said I didn't do anything. In fact, when I found myself sharing my room with them I asked for a separate room. Then I said my friend's friend knew Ananya.

[My alarm clock went off and I woke up. I was supposed to study for my exam today but I went back to sleep to complete the mystery. But it was of no use]

Registering a change - i

[First two decades of my life]
"Lady's fingers tastes good"
"I like Lady's fingers"
"Lady's fingers is my favourite vegetable"
"Give me anyday Lady's fingers"
"Lady's fingers is the best vegetable"
[Third decade of my life]
I ate Lady's fingers.
Lady's fingers.
Lady's fingers.
Something is wrong.
[Fourth decade of my life]
"I DON'T LIKE LADY'S FINGERS"
Took nearly half a decade to register that.

The Dravidian Tribes - i

The tribes in central-east India are in the news as part of violent communist struggle (Naxalite, Maoist etc...) in that region. Though a big chunk of the cadres are Dravidians, that identity has always been irrelevant. Incidentally, the leaders of Maoist movements come mostly from non-tribal Dravidians (Telugus). One more Dravidian tribe (Dongria Kondh) are in the news (for a quite sometime now) for a very classic reason. Their sacred mountain is being bought by a multinational mining company. The Kondhs are up in arms against this project. But the mountain god is not sacred just as their language. What should be the reason for the mainstream communities for supporting them? Injustice or the standard of life?

Quintessential Dravidian Names

I:...
He: Hey! That is a North Indian name!
I:< thinking >
He: I mean you people generally give gods', goddesses' names