Oscar 2009

The 81st Annual Academy Award happened in the morning while most of us were in office. I followed the Oscar updates on the Oscar site, http://www.oscar.com/. Like most Indians I am also excited about the fact that A R Rehman got 2 Oscars. In the night at 8:30, I started watching the repeat telecast of the Oscars.

The red carpet from where the stars walked in and crowd was shouting. I thought people in US dont go crazy when they see a celebrity. But they were shouting more than people in India would shout. The Slumdog Kids were so smart and impressive when the mic came in front of their faces. One will wonder are these the same kids from the movie. The girl Pinki, from the documentary film, Smile Pinki looked so sweet and innocent. A small girl from Muzzafarpur going to Oscars is what I would say luck by chance. Host of stars were interviewed on the red carpet in which I remember Miley Cyrus and the actors from High School Musical.

After the red carpet the description of the stage was really good. I must say the stage in Kodak Theatres really looked great. The idea of making a stage as a musical was really wonderful. The anchor of the show Hugh Jackman was funny, interesting, a good singer and a good dancer. I loved his joke on recession that he has worked in the movie Australia so he is an Australian. But because of recession he will be working in New Zealand. At the start when he sang a song which gave an idea of all the great movies of 2008 which had been nominated for Oscars.

After the Oscars there is a long list of movies which I have to watch if I get a chance. The list includes

1. The Reader - Kate Winset got the Oscar for best actress. It tells the story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who as a teenager in the late 1950s had an affair with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. Michael realizes that Hanna is keeping a secret she believes is worse than her Nazi past, a secret that may cost her at the trial.
2. Milk - Sean Penn got the Oscar for the best Actor. The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Got an award for best makeup in the Oscars. Benjamin Button played by Brad Pit. A man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time.
4. Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Penélope Cruz got the award for best supporting actress. Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.

Heath Ledger got the award of best supporting actor. He died at the age of 28, from an accidental "toxic combination of prescription drugs. Before dying he gave one of the finest performance in The Dark Knight. I can never his dialogue "Why so serious" from the movie. His parents and sister accepted the award on behalf of him.

The movie journey of 2008, be it animation, romance, action was a wonderful compilation. A performance was given on the song Mamma Mia. A R Rehman performed on Jai Ho and it was wonderful to watch the ladies and men wearing Indian traditional dress for performance. Slumdog Millionaire bagged 8 out of 10 awards. Smile Pinki also won an award for short documentary film at the Oscars. Spielzeugland(Toyland) got an award for Documentary (Live Action) and I enjoyed the acceptance speech given by Jochen Alexander Freydank. He is another man who got lucky and came all the way from Germany to Hollywood just to hold that golden Oscar statue in his hand. Wall-e got an award for best animated movie.

This is all I can remember in the 4 hours of 81st Annual Academy Award shown on Star Movies. The performances were few and not like the award ceremonies in India. Still I enjoyed the whole show.

Do you still love Valentine's Day?

When I was in college Valentine’s day meant a special day for everyone.

The day before the night the color of dress was to be decided. As the Asian Paints ad say “Har rang kuch kehta hai”, the color of dress would tell whether the person is single and available.

Next was the roses and as explained in the movie Pyar, Ishq aur Mohabat the color of rose one gives to someone tells what is there in his/her heart.

Those who had a boyfriend were worried what to gift him.

Guys who were single and fell in love with someone waited for 14th Feb to propose her.

Girls who were single wished that someone would propose her that day or atleast give her some gift. Many girls did this also in college. They would buy gifts, cards and roses for themselves. And this reminded me of a scene from Dil To Pagal Hai where Madhuri Dixit along with her friend for shopping on 14th Feb and said it was special because it was on a full moon night. Waise full moon night was on 9th Feb but still wait for that ishara if you are single.

In my college we had cupid stalls where people could send roses to the ones they liked. Also dedicate songs to the loved one making them embarrassed sometimes while others would enjoy and maybe even dance.

During the college days I also felt that these is a business strategy of gift and card companies to popularize Valentine’s day.

Isn’t every day a valentine’s day and your partner is your valentine. Now if I think about it I don’t know what to say but I find it really funny.

So is the day special like it use to be in college or has it become just another normal day?

What’s your plan for 14th?

Jab uske pass raho toh usse itna pyar karo,
Ki durr jaane par aapki yaad aaye,
Kabhi unn yaadon ko yaad karke woh muskuraye Toh kabhi aankhen geeli ho jaye,
Uski duniya mein aapke pyar se khushiyan bhar jaye,
In duriyon mein kabhi aapka pyar uske liye kum na ho paye.