Gerald D'Cunha

Pic.: Anima D'Cunha S econds before my wife and I walked into the theatre, last evening, I received a phone call from one of our friends, a lady. When I told her that we were walking into the theatre, she asked, “Which movie?” “Udta Punjab,” I replied. “It’s a dark movie,” our friend warned, “It might disturb you.” Both my wife and I knew ‘Udta Punjab’ would be a hard-hitting and a no-nonsense movie and we were prepared for it… So, I did not let our friend’s view cloud mine… My wife and I both loved the movie. And, yes, we both have been great fans of Alia Bhatt… and, here was one more reason why we had to admire her even more. To me, the movie is about ‘hope’ and ‘despair’ of individuals… There is this one scene where Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, who were deeply addicted and who were on the run, meet at a hiding place. They click. Shahid, despite tasting stardom as a rock star, now has resigned as a ‘Loser’… He has even declared it ...

Pic.: Anima D'Cunha A mong the many people I had sent greetings on the New-year day, there was this 19-year-old student of mine. “Happy New-year sir,” this dear student of mine said in her reply which she sent me on the next day. Then, she added so cutely, as almost all young-kids do, “Sorry for the late reply sir… There was ‘no balance’!" It brought an innocent smile on my face and I instantly replied to my student, “Don’t worry dear… I wish you lots of ‘surplus balance’ in 2014…” “Hahaha…Hope your wish comes true, sir,” my student was prompt, this time… Well, the conversation, here, is so routine that, on the face of it, one may not find anything worth paying attention to… But, then, as I kept reflecting on it, I couldn’t help smiling more and more… How can the year 2014 be ‘happy’ to anyone, including me and my 19-year-old student? Our lives – each and every one’s that is – will have the same kinds of experiences – ups and downs, joy ...

“Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasures.” –         Rainer Maria Rilke When my thoughts come, they just come. They neither seek my permission before they come, nor before they leave. Like clouds in the sky, they come… wearing   a hundred different hues… stay as long as they wish… and, then, they go… only to visit again… then go, come, go, come… over and over again! Like clouds wearing a hundred different hues, I said… They are my happy thoughts, sad thoughts, thoughts of love and insecurity, thoughts of courage and fear… Hope and despair, hatred and compassion… All kinds of thoughts visit me, a thousand times a day… when I am awake and asleep… when I am working and resting… when I am alone and in company… when I am young and old… Yes, they visit me all the time, all my life… So, what am I supposed to do with them – these ‘peculiar’ visitors...