Sometimes I feel...

Sometimes I feel you mean so little to me,

Do I even love you?

Love you enough as to stay with you for long even if not forever!

Then I go back through all the memories we’ve shared,

Through all the stupid pranks and silly fights,

Our nicknames and code words,

My laughter that echoes through years that have passed,

Between you, me, between both of us.

Would I have it someone?

Would I like to have it with someone else?

I am unsure,

But when I have in you all that I need,

Why should I look for another you?

You mean a lot to me,

Yes I love you,

Love you enough to stay with you for long and maybe even forever!

written on 14 november 2012, 12:34 raat ko 

Magic for a Reason :)

I had interviewed Magician Akash P.R.  for the magazine Megarth - which showcases Social Leaders and Organizations, Individuals and Businesses that create exponential Social Change - here it is:

What is your definition of passion and when did you discover that magic is your passion?

Passion means madness to me, you keep thinking about it all the time, no matter where you are, what you are doing. You are unconsciously always thinking about it and drawing connections from your normal life, daily routine to that one thing that means the most to you – your passion! I discovered my passion or rather say realized my love for magic when I was in 5^th standard (approx). Everybody has witnessed some kind of magic as a kid even if not by a professional magician. Sometimes adults try to fool kids by telling them the reason for something rational that they can understand by telling them that its magic. That was beginning when a child is not taken in by the lies adults and the society around us tries to cook up. When you are not taken in by such lies you develop rationality after knowing how things works , you are ready to use the ability to create myth and illusion on your command and use it to entertain people. That is how I discovered my passion for magic. 

Whenever you go up on stage to perform, what are your thoughts before performing?

I only think about my act, how I am going to do it. I just concentrate on my performance. My mind is clean of any other thoughts except my next act. My support staff takes care of the rest.

Magic is one passion that energizes you, but what are other hobbies or activities you are involved in that keeps you happy?

Sketching is one hobby that has been a constant part of my life along with magic. I also paint and carve, modern art being my area of interest. Humming songs in my free time also keeps me energized and going.

There might be ups and downs in the pursuit of your passion but what keeps you motivated to move forward?

When a rough/low point comes in the pursuit of your passion, you sometimes feel like giving it all up and moving ahead with your life, with a lot less tension. But then because it is your passion, and you cannot stay away from it you come back to it and start working ways out. Sometimes when an act goes wrong due to some problem in stage, props, or human fault, after getting frustrated and saddened by it you come back and try to repair, fix or reduce chances of faults happening. You can never let go off your passion.

What is your source of inspiration for magic?

All creative people who have struggled hard and made a name for themselves be it in – singing, dancing, acting or magic, etc – they all inspire me. I love reading about them and there struggle for surviving against all odds inspires me to keep going.

Magic has an entertainment value but can this be used for any other purpose like spreading a social message?

Yes surely. Magic shows can be customized to suit any social cause and spread a message through such magic shows. We also have an organization MFR – Magic for a Reason which solely works for giving magic a human touch. We wish to impart social messages and uplift the society and remove the taboo associated with magic as black magic and not as a performing art.

Please share your thoughts about the perspective towards this form of art and its future.

Magic is an art form which needs no language to convey an idea to the audience. Magic has a universal language which everybody understands and everyone wants to see. But a lot of people still believe in black magic and don’t consider it an art form. We need to work on eradicating this idea from the masses.

The future looks bright for magic and if in India it gets the much needed government support and government gives it the status of a performing art. Only then it is possible that research and development in the field of magic will happen and it would be able to regain its lost glory in India once again!

Magic for a Reason :)

I had interviewed my dad, Magician Akash P.R.  for the magazine Megarth - which showcases Social leaders and Organisations, Individuals and Businesses that create exponential Social Change -  here it is:

What is your definition of passion and when did you discover that magic is your passion?

Passion means madness to me, you keep thinking about it all the time, no matter where you are, what you are doing. You are unconsciously always thinking about it and drawing connections from your normal life, daily routine to that one thing that means the most to you – your passion! I discovered my passion or rather say realized my love for magic when I was in 5^th standard (approx). Everybody has witnessed some kind of magic as a kid even if not by a professional magician. Sometimes adults try to fool kids by telling them the reason for something rational that they can understand by telling them that its magic. That was beginning when a child is not taken in by the lies adults and the society around us tries to cook up. When you are not taken in by such lies you develop rationality after knowing how things works , you are ready to use the ability to create myth and illusion on your command and use it to entertain people. That is how I discovered my passion for magic. 

Whenever you go up on stage to perform, what are your thoughts before performing?

I only think about my act, how I am going to do it. I just concentrate on my performance. My mind is clean of any other thoughts except my next act. My support staff takes care of the rest.

Magic is one passion that energizes you, but what are other hobbies or activities you are involved in that keeps you happy?

Sketching is one hobby that has been a constant part of my life along with magic. I also paint and carve, modern art being my area of interest. Humming songs in my free time also keeps me energized and going.

There might be ups and downs in the pursuit of your passion but what keeps you motivated to move forward?

When a rough/low point comes in the pursuit of your passion, you sometimes feel like giving it all up and moving ahead with your life, with a lot less tension. But then because it is your passion, and you cannot stay away from it you come back to it and start working ways out. Sometimes when an act goes wrong due to some problem in stage, props, or human fault, after getting frustrated and saddened by it you come back and try to repair, fix or reduce chances of faults happening. You can never let go off your passion.

What is your source of inspiration for magic?

All creative people who have struggled hard and made a name for themselves be it in – singing, dancing, acting or magic, etc – they all inspire me. I love reading about them and there struggle for surviving against all odds inspires me to keep going.

Magic has an entertainment value but can this be used for any other purpose like spreading a social message?

Yes surely. Magic shows can be customized to suit any social cause and spread a message through such magic shows. We also have an organization MFR – Magic for a Reason which solely works for giving magic a human touch. We wish to impart social messages and uplift the society and remove the taboo associated with magic as black magic and not as a performing art.

Please share your thoughts about the perspective towards this form of art and its future.

Magic is an art form which needs no language to convey an idea to the audience. Magic has a universal language which everybody understands and everyone wants to see. But a lot of people still believe in black magic and don’t consider it an art form. We need to work on eradicating this idea from the masses.
The future looks bright for magic and if in India it gets the much needed government support and government gives it the status of a performing art. Only then it is possible that research and development in the field of magic will happen and it would be able to regain its lost glory in India once again!

Use of light in the film ‘Brief Encounter’

The black and white film that I saw recently saw used a lot of light and shadows. Lighting was used to create bright and dark patches, which add meaning to the scene and also create the right kind of ambience to suit the mood of the scene. In a black and white film, light is used to make objects brighter or darker and thus becomes a very important agent in conveying messages and creating effects visually for the audience.

The first thing I noticed in the film was that the faces of all the main protagonists were lit, so as to draw our attention and show their expressions clearly to the viewer. This was evident from the first scene itself, where Mrs. Dolly, the Doctor, and Laura are sitting in the café at Milford station. There is bright light on all the characters faces.

There’s also use of the backlight in scenes, so as to make the characters stand out from the background, and not merge with the background especially in scenes where the clothes of the characters match the backdrop. One very good scene is when the Doctor and Laura walk down the subway, its dark and yet lit up perfectly enough to show them pass through it. Clever use of backlight and light coming through both the ends of the subway helps the scene immensely.

Also, in a lot of scenes when Laura is sitting in the train, we are shown the movement of the train not by things moving back outside her window; but by showing shadows move across the protagonists face as she sits and thinks and thoughts cross her mind. Shadows have also been used to depict moods in the film – long, dark shadows to depict broody, sad, melancholic state of mind, for e.g. in the scene where Laura is sitting in her house and thinking about her brief affair with the doctor – the mood is very gloomy and brooding. Similarly, in scenes of happiness the light is bright and without much shadows, making it bright and ‘clear’!

Why you so scared?

Why are you so scared?

So shit scared of all?

I know you are new,

But give it some time,

A lot of times happiness grew,

Out of sadness my friend!

Accepting that you are afraid,

Afraid of the dark, strange faces and all.

Acceptance, will lead you to overcoming that fear,

Help you stand tall and never make you fall.

I will still be there always to catch you in my arms,

Would always love you for who you are.

Don’t be so scared,

So shit scared of all,

I know you are new,

But give it some time,

A lot of times happiness grew,

Out of sadness my friend!

I know you so well,

I know you inside out,

I know you my friend,

You pour your heart out.

I don’t want to shout,

I don’t want to scold,

I want you to learn,

Just help you break out!

Don’t be so scared,

So shit scared of all,

Just give it a chance,

Just give it a try.

[this poem is dedicated to a friend of mine... :) ]

An exceptional day in my life

An exceptional day in your life…sometimes an exceptional day is occurring in your life and you have no clue about it until years later. The most exceptional day of my life was wrapped in mystery for years before finally unveiling itself to me. Sometimes captivity is good, being left in darkness beneficial, so was the case with me. I was enveloped in a soft cushioning surrounding, don’t know what it was, fluids surrounded my body, oh yes my body, I had a body! In my comfortable abode where all my needs were met – warmth, food and comfort – it was bliss! But after some months, I think it was a year, no not a year a little less. I woke up because of some movement, I could feel myself moving for the first time a little too much in my cushioning surrounding. My head could touch something hard, after struggling for hours I felt immense pressure on my head followed by huge pressure on my chest. Slowly the tension in my body subsided and the pressure was gone and my lungs filled with air – my first breath. I coughed and spluttered, and then my cord was cut! Yes, I had been born. I would not know this for years to come, what my mother went through all this time when I was coming out in this world would be hidden from me.

It was an exceptional day; I was to celebrate that very day for all the years to come – 18^th March. I am more close to my dad, I saw him first when I opened my eyes, sometimes I feel is it because I thought that he had given birth to me! :P Well that’s another story for another day, recounting such an exceptional day of my life is enough for a day I feel. :)

A tiny ant: life lessons

A tiny ant also lives a life,

Eats, drinks, reproduces in prime,

Goes on living day by day,

Following a trail those before him lay,

No choice, no will

Till death makes them still.

It’s up to us what we want to be,

Just live and die or make history!

Still ants can be our guiding light,

Not everything’s dark,

There’s always something bright,

Ants cannot see, they have no eyes

Yet no strife or hungry cries,

They work as a team,

Not selfish nor mean,

A colony of 1,000 ants,

Power of unity is the chant.

Nothings too big,

Nothings too small,

Take the rice, and throw the husk apart.

Manmohan in a mess!!!! XD

I won the first prize in Inter College Cartoon Making Competition - Bazinga...here's my entry! :)
*
Topic: Sometimes even my lucky rocketship underpants won’t help!!!
Idea behind it: The cartoon focuses on Manmohan Singh and the sticky situation a few months ago he was in and still is. Anna Hazare and the anti corruption protest, the slew of scams and corruption scandals that were unearthed, the Food Bill and the newly revised BPL index, followed by Kapil Sibbal’s attempt  at monitoring all online content,  all these were responsible for making the situation worse for Mr. Singh. In short nothing can help our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from the ugly situation he is stuck in!