Movies (of yesteryears) which moved me

I am not a regular movie watcher. I read more books than I watch movies. Movies have an impact of their own. Unlike books, movies are not individual effort but require team effort. When a good team comes together, a great piece of art gets created which reaches a wider audience than any other form of art. That makes movie making one of the biggest industries in this world.

Here is the list of movies I have watched in the last 2 years which really moved me so I keep suggesting them to others. They were made many years or decades ago but I could watch them only recently.

Guide

This 1965 Hindi movie has origins in a novel of same name by RK Narayan. Though the author did not like the movie version it went on to be a big hit. Conservative society of those times did not mind the extra-marital relationship of heroine of this movie. Melodious songs are still heard today, “Gaata Rahe Mera Dil” seems to be the songs most liked but my favorite is “Aaj Phir Jeene ki Tamanna” sung by Lata Mangeshskar.

Raju, a guide (played by Dev Anand) is the central character of this movie but it is Rosie (Waheeda Rehman) is the protagonist, she gives twists and turns to the story and shapes the movie. Hers is a role of a dancer. Since Waheeda is a professional dancer in real life, she did not to have to act and just be herself. But more than dancing it is the emotions she exhibits make the movie memorable for long. Her longing for love which she does not find in her husband and her desire to take up a career in dancing find a helping hand in a tourist guide Raju. She goes on to live with him and her dancing career blossoms. In an insecure moment, Rosie hands over Raju to police accusing him of misusing her money. Raju gets jailed but when he comes out destiny has something else in store for him. While he is introspecting his life, people around him make him a saint and he ends his life in that disguise.

This movie is the outcome of a great team coming together. An unusual story, great songs, melodious music, soothing places all make an impact and wonder about many aspects of life.

Schindler’ list

This 1993 movie directed by Steven Spielberg is based on a novel. Set in the middle of Second World War, it documents the horrors of Holocaust. This movie is considered a remarkable achievement by many critics worldwide and had won Academy awards.

I had to watch this movie multiple times and supplement it with reading to get the history and message it is conveying. But it is worth the time spent. You will understand the times of World War II. One gets to see two ends of humanity in the same movie. On the one end is heroic Oskar Schindler, a member of the German Nazi Party, who goes out of his way to save the Jews working in his factory from getting killed in the gas chambers.  On the other end there is Amon Goeth, a lieutenant in Hitler’s SS Army, who is brutal in conduct, shoots randomly at the prisoners, killing humans for him is no big deal but a casual activity. Oskar Schindler loses all his fortunes bribing the Army commanders to keep his Jewish workers alive. In the end Russians defeat German, Amon Goeth gets hanged and the Jewish prisoners are set free.

This documentary like movie recreates the history to its closest reality. It shows how helpless and clueless the Jews were and how cruel were the methods adopted by SS army to wipe them out. After watching this movie, one would surely feel today’s times are far better times to live than 6-7 decades ago.

This movie is on the must watch lists prepared by many around the world and for a good reason.

The Terminal

This 2004 movie is also directed by Steven Spielberg but it is Tom Hanks who steals the show.

A traveler Viktor Navorski (played by Tom Hanks) from Krakozhia (an imaginary country) arrives at New York's JFK International Airport and gets trapped in the airport as there is an outbreak of a civil war in his homeland and as a result of that the United States no longer recognizes Krakozhia as a sovereign nation, and he is not permitted to either enter the country or return home.

Innocent and unable to communicate in proper English, Viktor learns the ways to survive in Airport but does not give up hope of getting out and collect the autographs he wanted which was his mission of travel. Efforts of Airport officials to get rid of Viktor do not materialize, as Viktor fails to pick-up the clues but he does not give up approaching the customs to give him a clearance. Several months pass, war in his homeland ends and Viktor gets the permission, goes out and gets the autographs and heads home back.

Though this a work of fiction and most part of the movie is one location – airport terminal with a limited number of characters, it is Tom Hanks who keeps the movie watchers glued to the screen.

Sharapanjara

This Kannada movie was released in 1971. It was directed by Puttanna Kanagal and had Kalpana and Gangadhar in lead roles. Kaveri (played by Kalpana) and Satish (played by Gangadhar) are a picture perfect couple, lead a happier life with two kids but their good times come to an end when Kaveri loses her mental balance as memories of her being forced into sex by a relative before marriage resurface and begin haunting. Satish learns about this incident, though he loves Kaveri, he does not accept her like before. He gets her treated in a mental hospital and brings her back to home after a couple of years. But the children who have grown without her during her absence refuse to accept her as mother and one time loving husband maintains a good distance from her. This puts Kaveri into depression again and the surrounding people make the situation worse and all that makes her go insane again as the movie ends.

Kalpana's performance as a traumatic woman was widely appreciated and had made her one of the best actresses of Kannada movie industry. It is the soundtracks with very high quality lyrics provide another dimension to this classic movie.

Opinion: Why Hyderabad-Karnataka region did not grow like rest of Karnataka?

Last Sunday I attended a convention in Bangalore organized by institutions built by Mr. Basavaraj Patil Sedam, a well-known politician and a Rajya Sabha member. Topic of the discussion was how those migrated from Hyderabad-Karnataka region could help their motherland prosper. Dignitaries put forward their perspectives. All assembled there took oath to commit funds towards welfare of the region they originated from. It had good motive and right intentions. The leader behind this scheme, Mr. Basavaraj Patil Sedam had put all his efforts to convey this in right manner and had roped in officials, and those respected from society to have a greater buy-in and make it a movement.

But there was a big flaw in their thought process. Truth is politicians and Govt. officials are facilitators of economic growth but they cannot create it. Even if they are able to do something, they can create pockets of growth but not a full-fledged, sustainable economy. It is the majority of population and the demand for their produce drives the economy. Policies, governance helps to promote growth but there has to be underlying force in the economy to succeed. This is what the history of economics all over the world had shown us.

Let us assume Govt. has created proper policies, provided all the infrastructure needed and banks are funded with the capital required to be lent. Will that make Hyderabad-Karnataka a developed region? Not really, as reasons are many. Take the case of Bellary. It was prospering as long as there was good price for iron ore despite the lack of infra, policies etc. When China reduced its imports, there were not many takers for iron ore left in the market. So it impacted economics of Bellary. Now you can see hundreds of Earth Moving equipment lined up outside Bellary Bus Stand looking for work. This is the reality of the economy. It prospers when there is demand for products or services produced in the region.

So what are the other main produces of this region? Rice comes first to my mind. Look at those paddy farmers, are not they doing well? Why not, they are no less than those live in Bangalore in lifestyle. Then who is left behind? And why?

You pick any poor family randomly in any village or town in this region; see their income and consumption pattern. Look at their productivity. Any family which is below poverty line is sure to have more consuming mouths than working hands. It is not that all cannot find work but all of them do not want to work. At least one or two members in those families spend time lazily and they live off on the earnings of the working member, a single head many a times, burdening him and ensuring that they do not break out of poverty as a family.

Look at those families who have loads of debt and see where it all started. Most likely that loan would have origins in a grand marriage or any other family function. That means they spent more than they could afford and there is no easy way out. They are struck in the vicious cycle of debt.

Mr. Basavaraj Patil Sedam

We need to be sympathetic towards those farmers committing suicide and offer them help but the same kindness towards other poor will backfire. We will spoil them further. Those who say they do not have a roof, why cannot they build their own? Why do they wait for Govt. to help them? Who will suffer until the help arrives?

I too grew up in this region. I tried supporting many in my personal capacity but results were not encouraging. You cannot make someone work who do not want to work. There is an old saying ‘You can take a Horse to waterhole but you cannot make it drink water’. It is his choice. If those poor want to remain poor, what is there for me or you to do? If they want to break out, they will find work and also a way out of poverty.

Mr. Basavaraj Patil Sedam, please see how you can put those lazy poor to work if you want to realize your dream. There is plenty of money in this world for those who want to work but not much for those who do not respect it.

Gold has another golden use in treating the cancer

Physical and chemical properties of Gold make it a supreme metal. It is biocompatible too, that makes it useful in the medical applications. Recent studies show that gold-plated nanoparticles are able to find and destroy cancer cells. Gold nanoparticles absorb high levels of ionising radiation, boosting the impact of radiotherapy treatments that work by damaging DNA in tumour cells.

Dr. Kattesh V Katti

Behind this research there is an Indian associated with it. Born and educated in India, Dr. Kattesh V. Katti, now lives in US and works for University of Missouri Cancer Nanotechnology Platform. He is recognized as one of “25 Most Influential Scientists in Molecular Imaging”. 

With many awards and citations to his credit, Dr.Katti is a top scientist today. But he traces his roots back to a small town in Karnataka and modest beginnings.

More info about him can be found at: http://web.missouri.edu/~kattik/katti/

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/india-born-professor-kattesh-kattis-research-shows-green-tea-gold-can-treat-prostate-cancer/articleshow/45671666.cms

Gold loving India has produced a gem in Dr. Katti. While Indians take pride in his origins, one has to also note what he says “India needs to spend more money on science and technology". Hope those who manage budgets care his words.

Opinion: Financial freedom is never a taboo for savers

To those who wonder if and when it is possible to earn their financial freedom, there are two questions to be asked – can you control your expenses and how much you save toward this goal? Rest you can see for yourself.

I made few assumptions for the model. One is 35 years old. Has an income of Rs.50,000 a month. His regular expenses are at 50% of income. Other expenses like paying towards insurance premiums etc. are at another 25%. Hence he can save 25% of income towards retirement kitty. It is also assumed that income grows at 5% every year and expenses too go up accordingly. If he puts the 25% savings into deposits or bonds and manages to earn 10% on the savings, he can retire comfortably at the age 50. And he can live off rest of the life from the income his accumulated savings earn.

Accelerator mode: If one can save incremental 2% savings a year to accelerate this scheme and boost the returns by diversifying savings into index funds and ETF’s, he can retire by 45.

How one can save this additional 2% a year? Fixing the finances would be one of the ways. Refinancing higher cost loans with lower rates, paying off credit card bills and treating it as a buffer would help too. When the income grows on yearly basis, spending should not be increased at the same pace. One can go for bargain buys for the necessities, avoid impulse spending by procrastination and extend the life of goods by maintaining them well etc. Basically avoid spending to impress others and look to get the value out of all your spends.

Aggressive mode:  For an aggressive saver and an informed investor, who saves 40% of his income and manages to earn 18% on his savings with a balanced portfolio of deposits, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds and good quality index stocks, retirement or financial freedom is just 6 years away.

Though 40% would look a higher number, it is not impossible to achieve. Count the contributions towards Provident fund, gratuity earnings, investments made to save tax into your savings. They would be already 15-20% of your income for salaried people. You need to make additional conscious efforts to boost it to earn your financial freedom.

Life does not follow any model. Many unplanned expenses come in the way that would delay reaching the goal but yet one can earn financial freedom if one can manage his/her spending, saves regularly and earn consistent returns.

(Inspired by the article on MarketWatch: How to retire early — 35 years early Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-retire-early-35-years-early-2014-01-17)

Opinion: India wakes up to Ebola

Source: Unicef

India or Indians were/are always busy with our own lives and tend to ignore the developments around the world. But there is evidence that it is changing. In our past mindset, we would have ignored Ebola as African pandemic and would not have taken notice unless it had spread and claimed lives in India too. But not anymore, we too are proactive.

Before arriving at Bangalore airport from international travel last week, we passengers were handed over a form to fill-in by the cabin crew and it was about Ebola. The form needed declarations of the traveler and had identified the affected countries, symptoms of the disease, measures to prevent spreading etc. and whola, it also gave a toll-free number to call for help during emergency. At Airport too, all passengers were made to line up to hand over the forms as the first thing to do and also seek clarifications or advice on the disease or to undergo check-up if needed. Kudos to those who made it possible as airports are the first place and easy passages to import this disease. 

If it arrives, it would be really difficult to stop as it spreads quickly and would have a dangerous impact on countries like India which have dense population. Better to stop it at the borders and the effort has begun.