Category Archives: 1-By Laksh

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🎥 The Shape-Shifting Brilliance of Gene Hackman: A Legacy Remembered

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The recent passing of Gene Hackman has left a void in the cinematic world, marking the end of an era defined by his unparalleled talent and versatility. Hackman, who died of heart disease complicated by advanced Alzheimer’s disease, was found in his Santa Fe home approximately a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Gene Hackman’s performances consistently revealed a rare quality: his ability to slip into vastly different characters without relying on major physical transformation. This subtle but powerful skill brings to mind the genius of legendary Telugu actor S. V. Ranga Rao (SVR), who could embody both a humble villager and a commanding aristocrat with nothing but a change in attire—and total conviction.

In much the same way, Hackman’s characters sprang to life through internal transformation. In “Mississippi Burning” (1988), he portrayed a relentless FBI agent navigating the racial turmoil of the segregated South. In “The French Connection” (1971), he became Popeye Doyle, a hard-nosed detective fighting drug trafficking. And in “Crimson Tide” (1995), he transformed into Captain Frank Ramsey, a seasoned commander aboard a nuclear submarine on the brink of war. Despite these drastically different roles, Hackman’s essence remained steady: commanding, convincing, and never overplayed.

🎭 A Note on Acting: SVR, Sukumar, and Subtlety

As the author of Directing Business, I often reflect on the elusive quality of great acting. Drawing from years of observation and many conversations with my father, I define a great actor as someone who brings depth to a character without needing to drastically change their physical appearance.

Courtesy: Sakshi Post

He sees parallels between Hackman and SVR garu—both actors who could seamlessly inhabit any role with minimal costume change. A torn vest turned SVR into a laborer; a silk angavastram made him a landlord. Similarly, Hackman could wear a uniform or a jacket and transform entirely, not through makeup, but sheer internalization.

I also recall being surprised when director Sukumar compared another actor—possibly Allu Arjun—to SVR garu. While I acknowledge his talent, that comparison didn’t sit well with me. True acting excellence, in my view, lies in effortless immersion, something both SVR and Hackman exemplified.

🎬 Hackman in ‘Directing Business’: Leadership on Screen

In my book Directing Business, I explored Hackman’s role in Crimson Tide to illustrate contrasting leadership styles. Captain Ramsey, portrayed by Hackman, is a traditional, instinct-driven leader whose decisive authority clashes with Denzel Washington’s rational, calculated XO, Ron Hunter. Their conflict becomes a case study in real-time crisis leadership, showcasing how personal philosophy, hierarchy, and communication can impact high-stakes decision-making.

Similarly, in Hoosiers, Hackman plays Coach Norman Dale—a man who benches his star player for insubordination. It’s a lesson in principled leadership, and one that I use to explore people management and long-term vision in teams.

These examples underline how Hackman’s screen presence and role selection offer more than entertainment—they offer teachable moments.

📚 Courtesy of MoviSvami GPT: More Hackman Lessons

Additional notes and observations curated by MoviSvami GPT reinforce Hackman’s legacy in management and leadership cinema:

  • Crimson Tide (1995) – A high-stakes lesson in command-and-control versus collaborative leadership. Watch it on Apple TV, YouTube Movies, or Google Play.
  • Hoosiers (1986) – Principles over popularity. The coach’s tough decisions reveal the long game of leadership.
  • The Practice of Management by Peter Drucker – For those inspired by Hackman’s portrayals of leadership, this book is a fitting next step. Available at Amazon India, Akshara Bookstore, and Landmark in Hyderabad.

🎞️ The Final Bow

Gene Hackman never needed to shout to command a scene. He was never flashy, never loud—but always powerful. His quiet confidence, consistency, and total commitment to every role placed him in a league of his own.

Though he has left us, his films endure as reflections of complex human behavior, timeless leadership, and understated genius. For anyone who admires the craft of acting—or the craft of leading—Hackman’s work remains an essential study.

Rest in peace, Gene Hackman.


Courtesy:
Management and Leadership filmography extracted from Directing Business by Lakshmi Narayana
Additional reflections and recommendations courtesy of MoviSvami GPT
SVR Rare Photos at Sakshi post


Patience and Respect: Lessons from Internet Repair and Sai Baba’s Wisdom

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In our fast-paced digital world, we often take for granted the conveniences that modern technology provides—until they suddenly disappear. What happens when our internet connection fails, and we’re forced to confront our dependency and impatience? A simple internet repair incident offers profound life lessons that surprisingly align with the timeless wisdom found in Shirdi Sai Baba’s teachings about patience, respect for labor, and recognizing the value in every interaction.

When the Connection Fails: A Lesson in Humility

Yesterday, I spotted two technicians working diligently on a utility pole outside my home. Soon after, the dreaded red light on my router confirmed my fears—the internet was down. When I approached them, they assured me service would be restored within a couple of hours.

Three and a half hours later, with no connection in sight despite their announcement that work was complete, my initial calm gave way to frustration. Drawing on outdated knowledge from my previous experience in the tech industry, I began to argue: “I didn’t ask for this junction box replacement. You did this work, so you need to fix it.”

When one of the technicians offered to check my apartment, I resisted. “The problem is on the pole, not in my home,” I insisted, clinging to my assumptions about the source of the problem.

Eventually, I relented and allowed the technician inside. Though he wasn’t particularly communicative, he worked methodically, using a device connected to my router to communicate with his colleague at the pole. Within minutes after he left, the green light returned, and my internet connection was restored.

In that moment of reflection between frustration and resolution, I realized something important: these two men had been working in the hot sun for nearly four hours while supervisors came and went. They had their own methods and expertise that I had initially dismissed because they didn’t align with my preconceived notions.

The Wisdom in Recognizing Value

This experience revealed three important truths:

  1. Knowledge requires constant updating to remain relevant
  2. Past conditioning can cloud our judgment and prevent us from seeing situations as they truly are
  3. All honest labor deserves respect and fair compensation

As the internet returned, I remembered Shirdi Sai Baba’s wisdom about compensating hard work. In a simple gesture of gratitude and respect, I brought the technicians water bottles—a small acknowledgment of their effort and expertise.

Sai Baba’s Teachings on Valuing Labor and Patience

This personal experience echoes the profound wisdom found in Chapters 18 and 19 of the Sai Satcharitra, where Baba emphasizes the importance of properly valuing others’ work and exercising patience.

In these chapters, Baba demonstrates the principle of fair compensation through his own actions. When workers brought him a ladder to climb onto a roof, he immediately paid them two rupees each—a generous amount at that time. When questioned about this generosity, Baba explained: “Nobody should take the labor of others in vain. The worker should be paid his dues, promptly and liberally.”

The Twin Virtues: Faith and Patience

Throughout these chapters of Sai Satcharitra, Baba emphasizes two essential qualities for spiritual growth: Nishtha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience). When instructing an elderly woman named Radhabai who was determined to receive spiritual guidance from him, Baba shared the story of his own spiritual journey:

“I gave these two paise or things to him [his Guru]—Firm Faith and Patience or perseverance—and he was pleased,” Baba explained. “Saburi (Patience) is the other paise. I waited patiently and very long on My Guru and served him. This Saburi will ferry you across the sea of mundane existence.”

Baba describes patience as “the manliness in man” that “removes all sins and afflictions, gets rid of calamities in various ways, and casts aside all fear, and ultimately gives you success.” He further explains that “Nishtha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience) are like twin sisters that love each other very intimately.”

Modern Applications of Ancient Wisdom

The parallels between my internet repair experience and Sai Baba’s teachings are remarkably clear:

  1. Respect for expertise: Just as Baba taught respect for all forms of service, I learned to respect the technicians’ methods and expertise, even when they differed from my expectations.
  2. Patience in frustration: Baba emphasized Saburi (patience) as essential for navigating life’s challenges. My impatience with the repair process only created unnecessary tension and did nothing to speed the resolution.
  3. Fair compensation: Baba demonstrated the importance of promptly and generously acknowledging others’ work. My simple act of offering water mirrored this principle in a small way.
  4. Openness to learning: Baba taught that true wisdom comes from remaining open to new knowledge. My experience reminded me that my past knowledge needed updating and that I could learn from those I initially underestimated.

Breaking Down Barriers of Differentiation

Perhaps most importantly, Baba’s teaching about breaking down the walls of differentiation resonates deeply with this experience: “Demolish the wall of difference that separates you from Me and then the road for our meeting will be clear and open. The sense of differentiation, as I and thou, is the barrier that keeps the disciple away from his Guru.”

In my interaction with the technicians, I initially created a barrier through my assumptions about their capabilities and methods. Only when I let go of these assumptions—demolishing the wall of difference—could the problem be resolved.

Living the Lessons

Sai Baba’s instruction to “receive well and treat with due respect” anyone who comes to us applies perfectly to this modern encounter. His guidance reminds us that “unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere.” There was a purpose in this interaction, a lesson to be learned about patience, respect, and the value of every person’s contribution.

As we navigate our technology-dependent world, these timeless teachings from Sai Baba offer a valuable framework for maintaining our humanity and finding deeper meaning in even the most mundane interactions. The next time your internet fails or you face a service disappointment, consider it an opportunity to practice Saburi and to recognize the value in every person’s labor—a small but significant step toward embodying the wisdom that Sai Baba shared with his devotees over a century ago.

In Baba’s own words: “Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving them any bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy. Let the world go topsy-turvy; you remain where you are.”

Perhaps our greatest modern challenges aren’t technological failures, but tests of our patience, understanding, and respect for others—opportunities to apply ancient wisdom to contemporary life.

Bhishma Ekadasi: A Day of Resolve, Renunciation, and the Echoes of Dharma in Telugu Verse

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Today, on Bhishma Ekadasi, we remember one of the most revered figures in the epic Mahabharata: Bhishma Pitamaha. He was a man of unwavering principles, profound wisdom, and ultimately, a symbol of sacrifice for the greater good. This auspicious day, falling on the eleventh day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) in the month of Magha, provides an opportunity to reflect on Bhishma’s life and connect his teachings with the timeless wisdom found in Telugu poetry.

Bhishma, born Devavrata, made a monumental vow of celibacy and renunciation of the throne to ensure his father’s happiness. This sacrifice, which earned him the name “Bhishma” (the terrible one, for the burden he took upon himself), set the stage for a life defined by duty (Dharma) and unwavering loyalty to the Kuru dynasty.

But Bhishma’s life was not without its complexities and contradictions. While he upheld Dharma, he also found himself bound by his vows to a flawed kingdom, witnessing injustice and ultimately participating in the destructive war of Kurukshetra. He lay upon a bed of arrows for 58 days, waiting for Uttarayana (the northward journey of the sun), a time considered auspicious for liberation. This period allowed him to impart invaluable wisdom to Yudhisthira, teachings on Dharma, statecraft, and the complexities of human existence.

Echoes of Dharma in Telugu Verse:

Bhishma’s life, fraught with both noble sacrifice and agonizing moral dilemmas, resonates deeply with the themes explored in the Telugu verses we discussed earlier.

1. The Intertwining of Sukhamu and Dukhamu (Happiness and Sorrow): Bhishma’s life embodies the first verse’s sentiment. His noble sacrifice brought him great respect and power, but also immense loneliness and the burden of witnessing the kingdom’s downfall. He gained the “sukhamu” of upholding his promise, but endured the “dukhamu” of the consequences. His story illustrates that even the most virtuous actions can be intertwined with suffering.

2. Punya and Paapa: A Karmic Conundrum: The concept of “Punyamulanu paapapurvakamule” (good deeds arising from bad) is also evident. Bhishma’s vow was made to ensure his father’s happiness, a good deed. Yet, it also contributed to the complex web of alliances and obligations that ultimately led to the Kurukshetra war, a tragic event filled with paapa. His presence on the battlefield, fighting for a kingdom he knew was morally bankrupt, highlights the difficult choices one faces when bound by duty. He performed ‘punya’ by upholding his vow, but the circumstances and consequences were deeply stained with ‘paapa.’

3. Time as a Naatakamu (Drama): Bhishma’s lengthy wait on the bed of arrows, his imparting of wisdom, and his ultimate departure during Uttarayana emphasize the transient nature of life – the “naatakamu” described in the second verse. His life was a dramatic spectacle of duty, sacrifice, and contemplation, unfolding within the grand theatre of time. His knowledge and experience became a timeless lesson to all those who have learnt about him and his life journey.

4. Finding solace and liberation: Although Bhishma was a man of action, he recognised the true meaning of surrender. He waited for the auspicious time of Uttarayana for liberation, the time the sun god makes his journey towards the devas. With the grace of Lord Krishna, he shed his mortal body at the right time, and went towards liberation from the cycle of birth.

Bhishma Ekadasi: A Time for Reflection:

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On Bhishma Ekadasi, we can draw inspiration from Bhishma’s unwavering commitment to Dharma. While his life was filled with complexities and difficult choices, his dedication to duty and his ultimate surrender to the divine offer valuable lessons for us today.

Let us remember Bhishma’s sacrifice and strive to:

  • Act with integrity: Even when faced with difficult choices, strive to uphold our principles and values.
  • Embrace selflessness: Consider the greater good and be willing to make sacrifices for the benefit of others.
  • Seek wisdom: Learn from the experiences of others and strive to understand the complexities of life.
  • Surrender to the Divine: Acknowledge the limitations of human effort and seek guidance and solace from a higher power.
  • Reflect on the duality of life: Acknowledge that both good and bad are the two sides of the same coin.

By reflecting on Bhishma’s life and drawing parallels to the wisdom embedded in Telugu poetry, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our place in the world, and the eternal principles that guide us towards a life of meaning and purpose. On this Bhishma Ekadasi, let us honor this great figure by striving to embody his spirit of resolve, renunciation, and unwavering devotion to Dharma.