Category Archives: 1-By Laksh

All these articles are from Laksh’s desk

‘Winning’ by Jack Welch

‘Winning’ comes across a sincere attempt by one of the most successful CEOs ever, to shed off his larger-than life image and make an attempt to reach a variety of audience. In the process, Jack Welsh offers a little bit of everything for everyone.

One of the best things about this book is its structure. It starts of with the very rationale of a business. From an individual as an entrepreneur to an individual as an employee.

The Godfather

If there is one movie that movie buffs around the world do not get tired raving about is Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Godfather’. This is one movie that had inspired dozens in Hollywood, and hundreds in Indian film industry.

I first saw ‘The Godfather’ on TV when the sequels were shown as a TV serial…each episode lasting an hour. While the advertisements did take you away from you the seriousness of this grand epic, I was still mesmerized at the presentation of a difficult yet an endearing tale.

Mood of the film is very important, specially when the characters are next-door-neighbor variety. Often movies take some time to set the mood right. But Godfather gets into the act very quickly, and in just about a few minutes we are introduced to one of the most powerful families…and their celebration of their life and other’s death. And, the moment you look at the half-lit, half-shadowed face of Marlon Brando and get to hear his inimitable dialogue delivery, you know for sure, that this guy had to be ‘The Godfatrher’

‘The Godfather’ will sure be remembered for a screen persona called Marlon Brando, a rising star called Al Pacino and a self-effacing almost Tom Hagen-Robert Duvall. While the prominent characters dominate the screen and prop the movie on their shoulder, it is the others like Clemenza, Tessia, Sunny etc who add the necessary flesh and blood to the movie.

It is difficult for anyone to point out the best in such a well crafted movie…and as you watch it again and again over the years it only becomes even more difficult.

Next time when you watch Coppola’s masterpiece it again, just let the signature tune sink in…the magic of pasta, brouhaha, mafia, and the Corleones’ family cast its spell on you…and this is one offer you cannot refuse.

Maqbool

Pankaj Kapoor gets his due as an actor with ‘Maqbool’. Though he shined in various offbeat films like ‘Ek Doctor ki Mauth’, ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’, ‘Jaane Bhi do yaaron’, when it comes to mainstream films he was given a raw deal including his half-cooked role in ManiRatnam’s ‘Roja’.
For a change, he gets an author backed role in ‘Maqbool’ as an ageing underworld don and he carries the role with elan and also brings a screen presence reminiscent of ‘Marlon Brando’.
Apart from Pankaj Kapoor, Maqbool boasts of one of the most talented star cast like Naseeruddin shah-Om puri(who act like Sutradhars for the film), Irfan khan(as the person between lady love and his master) and Tabu(as the mistress of Pankaj Kapoor).
The story is about Jahengir/Abbaji(Pankaj Kapoor) and the aftermath followed by his killing by his next in command Miya(Irfan Khan) who commits the act for his love for Nimmu(Tabu). Miya triggers off a huge battle in the underworld while he himself and Nimmu struggle to face the moral battle that wages inside them.
The director of this film, Vishal, is apparently inspired by Kurusowa’s the ‘throne of blood’ and Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. Vishal as a director excels with the help of a great screeplay and an out-of-the-world cast.