Author: Sheryl Puthur

A writer in the making.

A writer #SherylPuthur

Sheryl Puthur6 Comments

Soft sunlight

Sheets of paper

Warm coffee

And a smudgy pencil

– it makes my day.

 

I scribble I doodle

I fill the pages.

I sip the coffee

and bite into the chocolate

– the crushed cocoa melts.

 

I wonder I dream

I illustrate the scenes.

My characters move

they breathe, they feel

– I am their God, I hold their strings.

 

I’m not heartless

or withdrawn.

I’m involved, I feel

They feel what I feel

– A literary mirror to me.

 

I write I read

I cut I erase

I experience a world

far brighter than mine

– A portal to another life.

Thank You for Smoking (2005) #SherylPuthur

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Thank-You-For-Smoking-thank-you-for-smoking-547315_1024_768

Directed By: Jason Reitman

Written By: Christopher Buckley

Cast:

Aaron Eckhart – Nick Naylor

Cameron Bright – Joey Naylor

Katie Holmes – Heather Holloway

Maria Bello – Polly Bailey

David Koechner – Bobby Jay Bliss

William H. Macy – Senator Ortolan Finistirre

Robert Duvall – Captain; Founder of The Academy of Tobacco Studies

K. Simmons – “B.R” Nick’s boss

Language: English                                                           Genre: Comedy-Drama

Thank You for Smoking is an adaptation of a novel of the same name. And as its name indicates it is satirical and has a lot to say about smoking.

Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is a lobbyist and the Vice-President of The Academy of Tobacco Studies. In his official position, he defends tobacco from its negative publicity by arguing cleverly. As he tells his young son Joey Naylor (Cameron Bright), that if you argue correctly, you are never wrong – after all, the irony of the Nobel peace prize is that no one remembers him as the inventor of the dynamite but as the one who instituted this prestigious award.

This takes him through buy-out deals with people whose negative experiences with smoking could harm the stance of his company – tobacco smoking has benefits. It also puts him on the hit list of the anti-smoking campaign Senator Ortolan Finistirre (William H. Macy), who is excessively righteous and believes smoking is a moral problem.

To protect tobacco, Nick Naylor is thrust in the direction of smart advertising by wanting prominent movie stars to smoke after a lovemaking scene to show that smoking is cool. Interestingly, the movie producer’s office is called Entertainment Global Office or EGO. There are quite a few puns strewn in the film like the fact that his son studies in St. Euthanasius School – reminding or ironically presenting the idea of ‘voluntary death’ – a critique of smoking.

What’s really exciting about the film is the various moral questions it throws up. The whole idea of moral judgement – who gets to decide what will be the standard followed and the punishment for deviation. How far would you go to make things right? Would you tamper with existing facts and rewrite history? And, is it right to go overboard and decide what is good for everyone?

It also brings up the paradox of choice – what if circumstances give you limited options and there is a strong moral bias against one option – what will you choose? Also, with advertising trying to make everything desirable, are you really choosing or have you been told you NEED this?

Thank You for Smoking is the other side of the story – it is the story of the hated, the despised and the suspected. Eckhart’s character is someone who is detached from the machinations of society despite his deprecating statements to Heather Holloway (Katie Holmes) about everything being about the mortgage. He believes that his calling is to speak for the truly downtrodden – tobacco. What is refreshing about the film is that it doesn’t give you a run of the mill resolution, last minute changing of spots. It is realistic, quirky and satirical. And yes, certainly a little preachy but it expects you to think.

Hibiscus Tea #SherylPuthur

Sheryl Puthur2 Comments

Hibiscus-Tea1

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Hibiscus tea is made from the dried flowers of the hibiscus tree and is a popular drink in Egypt as well as in other countries. While you can drink hibiscus tea hot, my preference is for it to be chilled.

So if you have hibiscus tea bags, cut the tea bag and drop the leaves/powder into the water, add sugar and boil it. If you have very few tea bags add very little water – preferably only a little more than a teacup. The tea needs to be strong for the flavour to emerge.

Once it has boiled, put it aside to cool. After it reaches room temperature, transfer it into another vessel, post straining it. Then keep it in the refrigerator to chill. Once it has chilled sufficiently, pour it out into glasses and serve it.

Hibiscus tea looks like sherbet but has a very kokum-like flavour. And much like kokum juice, it is cooling and refreshing.

For those who feel tea is boring, hibiscus tea is the one to change your perception. It can pass of for a party drink instead of the usual carton juice. But, keep in mind you ask for it to be chilled because when hot the flavour is… diluted.

Inglourious Basterds (2009) #SherylPuthur

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Inglourious_Basterds_red_drawing

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Written By: Quentin Tarantino

Cast:

Brad Pitt – Lt Aldo Raine

Christoph Waltz – SD Standartenführer Hans Landa

Diane Kruger – Bridget von Hammersmark

Michael Fassbender – Lieutenant Archie Hicox

Daniel Brühl – Private First Class Fredrick Zoller

Eli Roth – Sergeant Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz

Til Schweiger – Sergeant Hugo Stiglitz

Julie Dreyfus – Francesca Mondino

August Diehl – Major Dieter Hellstrom

Mélanie Laurent – Shosanna Dreyfus

Sylvester Groth – Joseph Goebbels

Language: English                                                 Genre: War; Thriller; Drama

 

Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds takes liberties with spellings and with history. Yet, does it in such a convincing manner that you need to rack your brains to remember things did not pan out exactly that way. It doesn’t help that Tarantino also produced a related black and white film that is at the centre of this film.

The film follows a chapter-wise narrative similar to that in Kill Bill. It depicts the violence that characterised the Nazi regime and the kind of witch hunt that ensued to eliminate the Jews. The menace of the SS is personified in the character of Hans Landa (Chirstoph Waltz). What makes him most frightening, is his polished demeanour and his amoral sociopathic tendencies.

It goes to prove that the truly terrible aspect of any ideology-regime that functions on torture is that the people who might be its most feared supporters (for their immense capacity for brutality) might not actually believe the ideology, but use the regime as a space to let loose their violent impulses.

However, the film also talks of the counter violence that could have and did occur. The group that was central to it were dubbed the Basterds. They comprised of Jews avenging crimes against their people. They were led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) an American soldier of Apache Indian origin, who wanted his men to get him a ‘100 Nazi scalps’. Having scalps is a sign of bravery and also honour in the Native American culture. Nevertheless, it is a symbol of violence.

There is an important reference to rats in the film. Rats are important because on a ship when they start running away it means the ship is going to sink. Also rats scurry and hide so that they are not found out and killed. You realise when you watch the movie that there is a very thin line separating the rat from the righteous human who wants to kill it. For a time could come, when you could be considered a rat by someone else because of some preferences you have.

Tarantino as always presents violence with comic-horror. It takes away your revulsion for the violence or if not that, numbs you to the brutality on display – following a very Kubrick tradition. However, more than the violence on either side, it is that Tarantino presents the idea of history as a construct. The idea that history is written by the winner is known. Much of the history that we study has that bias. But how about reinterpreting history to serve some purpose?

Governments have done and still do modify history to present a better version of their country or the political parties they represent. This is dangerous because the children who learn this grow up with a skewed sense of the past and hence become easy targets of brainwashing.

Inglourious Basterds throws up a debate on history and how it is a construct, how far ideologies are truly followed and how the metaphor of the rat plays out from the first chapter to the last.

I used to think my soulmate would be someone #SherylPuthur

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I used to think my soulmate would be someone

who doesn’t like chocolates.

But I have now realised, my soulmate

Will be the one who will eat the piece of chocolate

I mentally claimed

and then laugh uproariously at my expense.

And when I am close to tears, after having raged in impotent fury,

will comfort me with hugs and warm chocolate breath

How to: Strong Tea! #SherylPuthur

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If you like your tea strong and have only tea bags at home, Never fear! Cut the tea bag and add the contents directly to the water and let it boil.

For one, you wouldn’t have to use too many tea bags for one mug of strong tea – keeping all those lovely tea bags for a rainy day when you require brown comfort.

Sip and settle back to relish your lovely mug of tea…

Crazy Little Thing Called Love (2010) #SherylPuthur

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Crazy 1Directed By: Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn; Wasin Pokpong

Written By: Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn; Wasin Pokpong

Cast:

Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul – Nam

Mario Maurer – Shone

Sudarat Budtporm – Teacher Inn

Tangi Namonto – Teacher Pon

Pijitra Siriwerapan – Teacher Orn

Acharanat Ariyaritwikol – Top

Kachamat Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn – Pin

Language: Thai                                                              Genre: Romantic comedy

Crazy Little Thing Called Love is a Thai coming-of-age romantic comedy. It follows Nam (Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul) and her friends as they navigate through the precarious terrain of school life. The film is a flashback narrative that goes in episodes and each episode ends with one school term and Nam’s class moving up ahead.

It is about the desires that people have of making a connection with someone. And about how you need to keep trying for that love because nothing could be too less for it.

Nam is in love with Shone (Mario Maurer), her senior at school and tries to attract his attention through indirect means. Instead of succumbing to the idea that she may not be good enough because she is plain in comparison and also darker (which in Thai society translates to the same thing), she beautifies herself, steps out of her comfort zone by joining the drama group – only so that she will be noticed.

She is also trying to do better in her studies so that she can go to America to be with her father who is working there as a chef in a Thai restaurant. So Nam is on a path of self improvement, aided by her friends.

The friends keep trying out love methods from various countries – foolproof ways to get the guy you are interested in to fall in love with you. This book seems to be popular with the students and they try it out after overhearing a girl say that it worked for her.

The film shows how people and circumstances keep throwing up new twists into the possible romance between Nam and Shone but what really stands out is the idea of friendship. The friends stick up for each other and go out of their way for each other. It also portrays the kind of misunderstandings that can occur between friends.

Also paralleled with Nam’s story is that of her teacher Inn (Sudarat Budtporm)’s hapless attempts at romance with the sports teacher Pon (Tangi Namonto). For competition she has the Thai dance teacher Orn (Pijitra Siriwerapan) who is also trying, albeit subtly, for him.

Teacher Inn heads the drama group which Nam joins. Incidentally, the drama group isn’t too popular when compared to the Thai dance group. This is largely because as mentioned, in Thai society, the people of Chinese-origin are preferred for their fey-like complexion and the Thai dance group is comprised of students who have these particular features.

While it might seem that the film is almost reinforcing these stereotypes because Nam becomes beautiful and fair as the film progresses, that idea gets quashed when certain revelations are made. The film interestingly, explores the insecurities of the good-looking – something that isn’t really considered. However, the film could have presented the passage of time in a more realistic fashion for instance the characters don’t really look as old they ought to.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love is a warm-hearted love story that retains the innocence of a first love. It is a realistic exploration of a girl’s love for a boy. Of how she keeps mementos of things connected with him, just so that she could possess or lay claim to some part of him. It then makes sense that the film was promoted as the true story of every young person’s first love.

 

Premam (2015) #SherylPuthur

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Premam Posters-Stills-Images-Nivin Pauly-Anupama Parameswaran-Anwar Rasheed-Onlookers MediaPremam 3Premam 2

Directed By: Alphonse Puthren

Written By: Alphonse Puthren

Cast:

Nivin Pauly – George David

Krishna Shankar – Koya

Shabareesh Varma – Shambu

Sai Pallavi – Malar

Madonna Sebastian – Celine

Anupama Parameshwaran – Mary George

Wilson Joseph – Jojo

Vinay Forrt – Vimal sir

Alphonse Putharen – Roney Varghese

Language: Malayalam                                                                Genre: Romance

 

Alphonse Puthren’s Premam follows the story of George (Nivin Pauly). It explores his friendship with Koya (Krishna Shankar), Shambu (Shabareesh Varma) and Jojo (Wilson Joseph) from roughly 16 years of age. It does seem, however, that they have known each other for possibly longer.

Premam traces the stories of love associated with George – the three women he falls deeply and irrevocably in love with and how that impacts his life. It shows an innocent first love, the vulnerable love of the self-assured youth and finally the adult who has seen too much; is aloof and may awake to the idea of new love.

While the film is not a flashback narrative, the manner in which the director presents it, means that he is seeing everything from a later point in time which is why the sad scenes are not sad enough. So instead of pulling at our heartstrings as it should, we are grinning and are aware that yes, this is a temporary sentiment.

Even the popular song Scene Contra seems to break the fourth wall. It is either the characters are aware they are characters or that they address the audience directly revealing that someone has been stage-managing their existence.

All the songs in the film are a narrative, to give us another shade to the characters or their experience. It moulds our understanding of who they are and it gives us the philosophy of the film. Ithu Puthen Kaalam (this new age) for instance tells us not to take things too seriously. That surprises will come when we least expect it. The changes that we undergo as people may not have been what we envisioned for ourselves such as George probably never saw himself as the alpha male who is violent/destructive but he probably became like that after what transpired with his first love.

The film uses the constant metaphor of the butterfly – right in the opening credits flitting from one flower to another, then around Mary (Anupama Parameshwaran) when she is being pursued by many suitors, later with Malar (Sai Pallavi) when she is with George and it is oddly missing from the last part.

The thing is, unlike the usual cliché that men are like butterflies flitting from one woman to another frivolously – the butterfly actually moves very purposefully towards a flower and may get rejected by the flower. Either because it lacks the necessary nectar or has an unpleasant odour. So George is then a dedicated butterfly that seeks his flower through the three stories.

However what is problematic is the contrived nature of the storytelling which takes away the poignancy of the second part and this makes it hard for a viewer to sympathise. Also the length of the narratives – too much time was spent on the first and second story without actually telling much and the final story was too rushed, leaving the viewer rather let down.

What I personally liked was how it showed that falling in love does not require much fanfare and it could happen suddenly and after barely any time. We are conditioned to associate true love with a long drawn out process of being together, courtship and then the realisation that this might be love. This somehow makes love seem a cautious exercise when it isn’t supposed to be so.

Premam uses everyday cadences of speech and is as much a coming of age story of a boy as it is a story about friendships. The constant factor in the film is the presence of Koya, Shambu and Jojo even when George’s romantic interests change. This is why the song Scene Contra expresses Shambu’s frustrations at George’s inability to learn from past experiences. This is especially when his past comes calling.

The film’s popularity owes itself probably to Nivin Pauly’s portrayal of George. Either the authenticity with which he presented him or the fact that the character comes across as this wounded hero and women (whatever be their personal ideologies) are particularly susceptible to the idea of the damaged man. Plus, when people have been hurt in love, they will have realistic expectations of romance as opposed to the fantastical views we hold about love before we actually experience it.

It is a well-edited film that makes a viewer question reality and imagination. After all, they merge in our minds and what we have imagined may not have been part of the experience, but becomes so once you believe in it. So it is about the little desires we hold and how influenced we are by the fantastical narratives of Indian cinema – where the real and the imagined exist fruitfully together.