Theater Show: Hamlet - The Clown Prince (Rajat Kapoor Directed)

A Pure Delight To Watch: 4.5 / 5

You must have heard enough about this play. How lovely it is, how funny, witty... etcetera etcetera. You would be happy to hear that all this is true and much more.

One of the finest plays I have seen.

At its start - I almost went like - Oh No - not another one which might border on gibberish without any layer to it. But I was soooo wrong... it evolves beautifully and quite wittingly.

The first thing that you notice is the attire. Beautiful costumes.... which add to the whole persona, ambiance, and sets the stage for the drama.

The cast Atul Kumar  - As Hamlet  - is sarcastic, spontaneous and simply wonderful. He engages the audience, has antagonistic attitude but humors them at every step.

My fav in play was Neil Bhoopalam - who plays the ghost and Claudius. He is a rockstar! He brings energy and fun to the whole play. Else the play can take only a sarcastic thread - as led by Atul. But the way Neil carries it off - he comes out as a real star - who is integral to the play and its delight factor.
With Neil and Atul holding the two ends tight - the play emerges as a winner.

Neil & Puja

Puja - as the Queen is quite a performer- she adds the zing to the play and flirts with the audience in most adorable way. She has a great voice and talent - and would want to catch her perform in some more plays.

Namit Das is average... he never rises above a certain threshold - and is passable. One really doesn't mind it a lot. He fits into the role but doesn't shine or sparkle or stand out like others. One really doesn't mind  - as you are so busy with all others....

Sujay Saple - is good and holds it all together. No complaints for him!

The one I saw had the last clown as Kalki - and she's so good. She not only adds to the visual appeal - but also blends in with the crew. She was introduced as "junior clown" to the audience - indicating that she is a recent addition. But the way she blends with the old team is wonderful - and carries herself quite well.

Cheers to Rajat Kapoor - some excellent work here.

Post play - it's a pure entertainer - yet one takes time to chew it all... and tends to mull over it. Its good if you know the story of Hamlet before hand - then you can make out the "Method in Madness" and enjoy it better.
Even if you don't - its not a big deal! (that's the beauty of good work)

As an English Lit postgraduate - some lines about Hamlet's procrastination,  about written play being a drag at certain points from literary point of view - were raised in the play - which made me appreciate it a lot more... as though some one was echoing my pain points when I had read the play formally.

It's a lovely cast - who has put together some intelligent humor - and tops it with good visuals and performance.
Not to be missed. Period.

Theater Show: Nothing Like Lear (Vinay Pathak Starrer)

Honestly - I wouldn't give it more than 2.5 / 5

However, before I start my thoughts about the play - please note that there were people in the audience (whom I overheard) said that they cried twice in the play seeing the performance .. (me.. a hard heart... made me wonder!).
Delhi audience was in throes of passion after the performance.

It seemed only I was alone in the feeling that the play did not rise above mediocrity at any point.

Solo act shows are tough. Very tough.
This is something I have realized over the years. Have become wiser with the years.
Else a decade back - I saw Gareth Armstrong's Shylock - and I still remember the feeling - awe, admiration, forced to think on the points raised, funny, witty... my brain cells were screaming with pleasure.... every minute was classy.
That was fortunately /  unfortunately the first solo act that I saw in my life. The sheer power of performance blew me away. What I didn't know was that it would set the benchmarks of solo performances in my unconscious!

However, over the years I have fine tuned my senses - and learnt to keep that one play on the side and enjoy the others as I see them.
But I was reminded of it today!

Vinay Pathak - we all know is such a fine actor. But here - the script as per me failed him.

Was it a comedy? a stand up comedy? a hash of Lear... ? a play with elements of dark humor...
The script and the moods were very confusing. Lear doesn't come till the end.. when we see and hear few lines of it.
It isn't heroic, it really doesn't make you laugh a lot. I still wonder why Shakespeare was used... to draw attention?
The daughter who died doesn't betray Lear - here everything was mixed.
Here - the daughter who throws the good papa out of the house in a rainy night dies... how do you expect the audience to feel with her death... sympathize with Lear when he is crying for her!

If I had no expectations and had walked into the play - Yes, I would have liked it. But - as it was  - I had seen Hamlet - that set the stage for expectations - then with names like Vinay Pathak and Rajat Kapoor - one expects a classy act. This was okkkkk in real sense. Never reached a high tempo for me.. but it truly isn't bad. Average is the word for it. Am sure this same idea can be done much better... script... needs some serious rework as per me, need to raise the bar here, it is still not a Thinkers play.
If not that - then they should say its almost a stand up comedy with a twist of literature... then the act would meet its packaging.. and yes, it's a HIT then... but till then please do not call it Lear.

I would suggest watch it. May be you discover something that I didn't.

Offensive Sexist Vintage Ads

Why not funny? but rather classified as Offensive unlike the previous post....
They are blunt and rude and Yes ..one can laugh at them too...
but we need to see beyond just the ad. Even after all the liberalization, so called freedom that the women enjoy.. we haven't freed them from these stereotypes.
We still don't have a gender free world, that might be a Utopian thought but isn't that the way things should be! The ads that follow are offensive as they all are of the spirit as below:

World Might Have Advanced Technologically, But In Some Aspects we have no development
Like the note in the ad says
"125 years of evolution mechanically, yet 0 years of evolution socially"
What could be more apt!

The ads that follow don't have any new theme - the same we see everyday on TV - and strangely don't even find offensive... Isn't this the way the world should be? Whats wrong with emphasizing beauty for women? A women with no beauty truly has no future... A woman has to be thin to be married well... blah blah blah...

1. Most men ask "Is she pretty?" NOT "Is she clever?"

I do not agree to this... it's not most men... it's all men...

From mythic times of Paris judging the goddesses themselves for the golden apple to today - 2013 men only ask this. It is sad... but then who cares! It's good that a woman today if she wants can let herself not pay attention to this - and if tries can live a sane life. Not easy... but a sane life. However, going by the ads below - don't think it was easy for our earlier gen.

Reminded of all the beauty ads today... if not all.. most of them.. esp. Ponds! Important to be beautiful so that you continue pleasing the man...what about being beautiful for yourself, or inner beauty? Did I hear "inner beauty", "beauty for self"? What's that!!!

2. Be Thankful... We No Longer Beat You

It's rare that a woman can have something to say that interests a man... Chances that her talks bore the man are quite high... there is no help as one can not make a woman think intelligently but help can be given for her cooking... so, there is hope...  as there is help given to a woman to cook better - so that she can be thankful that her man doesn't yawn on the table anymore!

3. Tell Her It's A Man's World... and Make Her So Happy It Is

Who ever in 1960's designed this ad had to be mad

4. Keep In Shape! 

Do the house hold work, keep the house looking good, keep your weight down - to be in with modern figure  - have cigs as they will help you curb temptations - look cute, be the apple of your husbands eye.

5. Walk All Over Women... It's cool! 

This one goes to the extend that the woman will let a man walk all over her.. when he is wearing his  oh so sexy slacks... The image is offensive and not funny for sure.

Depressing if one thinks about it.

One more image to go .. which I am again not adding to the list of top 5 Offensive Ads. Its offensive but you  can laugh at it heartily and joke about it - in present times - Today!

Vintage Sexist Ads - Sexist but Funny

Yes! what is to follow are sexist ads - vintage ones - from 1950's mostly... print media.

They are sexist - not "hinting" but clearly stating that women are the lesser "sex" and should know their place in society and household - which obviously is after that of a "MAN". The existence of women is to take care, give pleasure to men and agree to whatever they say. "Its a Man's world and she should know it"...

The print ads to follow bring a smile to my face.... that's why they here! I am glad and thankful for all the bra burning, 'sadistic' feminists as people (oops! men) call them or in my words thanks to all the women who stood up to the nonsense with whatever or however they did - that I today in 21st century can look back at these 50 to 60 years old print ads and  LAUGH OUT LOUD ... LOL at them, or smile indulgently.


1. Strength of a Woman?

2. Women Drivers.... lets not talk about them!

3. Show Them Who's the Boss!

4. Poor Ladies!!! 

5. All Women Want To Be Tamed... oh la la....

The last two ones (the ones which follow) am not adding to any category - offensive or funny... as they just made me put my head back and laugh loud.... was having coffee alone in a cafe when I saw them - and got a lot of looks from nearby tables - "what can be so funny!"

I am still laughing at the whole idea.... but the classic ...if the shoe ad is the icing... scroll down to see the cherry on the cake... the bestest of them all.... Yes, this thing got printed around 1952 ... in real... am tempted to post to this address! :P

Spiti & Chandrataal

I am not much of a writer ... but the vast mountains and lovely people of Spiti made me so...

Its a place unlike any other... it has beauty in every angle and direction. The friendly, no fuss people of the place make it more so. I as a solo traveler to this place - felt completely safe, relaxed and was deeply touched by the experience.
Spiti - Kaza is a jewel hidden behind the green side of Manali hills. Its on the alee side and the road to this place is quite dangerous. The place is cut off from the rest of the world almost the whole year round - however the road opens in first week of July to end October. After that, there's a way to get to this place through Shimla but its wrought with danger. Hence, tourism is best from July to mid Sept as after that the weather starts becoming unpredictable and god forbid if caught in snow storm - there's very little help in this area due to extremely thin population.

I made my trip in Aug 2013. Spiti - Kaza is 6 to 8 hours away from Manali. Reaching Manali from Delhi takes a day. 
Starting with Chandigarh Shatabadi in morning, thereafter a car drive, one only reaches Manali by eve. One needs to do a night stay in Manali. As journey to Kaza takes another 6 to 8 hours hence, its another day ahead. I was with a group of mountaineer friends who were heading that side for trekking, while I for discovering the culture and the place. 

We started early morning by 7 am to our journey to Kaza. The view from Manali to Rohtang is lush beautiful and breath taking. Its one stretch of road thats my eternal favourite - it right out of a dream sequence. Beautiful, green, cloudy, misty and very romantic.

Going ahead, you cross the beautiful Kunzum La on the way. All vehicles irrespective of the faith they follow, stop here and pray for safe journey in the hills. Not stopping here is considered bad luck - and also its the center of the hills - who wouldn't want to stop here for some breathtaking views. 

 The terrain ahead gets quite rough and edgy. Along the way... you see Spiti River .... and some more majestic mountains...Some people call Spiti a poor cousin of LEH!!! Leh is one of my most fav places in the world and I think its like none other. But Spiti is different, the river bed is expansive and flowing right in front of you. To discover the beauty of Leh - one has to step out of the city while here the river follows you in all its majesty. If it has to be compared to Leh - then Spiti is a mystical cousin. 

            

             

This whole magical land is on the alee side of the mountains.. so its a stark contrast from the greenery and mistiness of Rohtang and Manali...

It is also known as cold desert ... which in summers - that is Aug thankfully wasn't very cold.. but awe inspiring beautiful.

The different colors of the mountains, the rawness, the loftiness is definitely worth a life time experience.

We had a quite a few flat tires on the way due to the rocky terrain. But our driver being a native was well prepared for it. My first night in the area was spent in tents along with the mountaineers which was quite an experience as I was doing this for the first time. 

As you can see its picture perfect. I was greeted by this wonderful sight in the morning after I got up and stepped out of my tent. Thereafter, we visited one of the oldest villages in the place called Khibber. It has a population of approx 150 people and also has an old monastery in Khi that's nearby.

In these places life is simple, hassle free. They had no electricity for past 2 months.. and rely on solar power generation. Houses are so well lit that you don't realise the lack of power. 

Later after a day, I separated from my group and went trekking alone. I went trekking to Dhankar lake which is quite a steep trek but a short one. 

There isn't much to the lake, you can skip it if one wants to. The trek since its steep is fun. 

After Dhankar, I moved on to my trek to Langza Komic  from Kaza. 

In Kaza I was staying in this beautiful hotel called Sakhya Abode - which is run by the monastery. Monastery commissions the hotel to a business family and shares the profit with them. The place had Nice large rooms, wonderful hospitality, my stay and tour was taken care by the Incredible Spiti team. Incredible Spiti team is run by natives of Spiti who know the place better than anyone else.. everyone knows them in turn which makes it very reliable and comfy in such a faraway place. Despite the fact that the place had no electricity for more than 2 months, the place is clean, neat and well lit up! you don't realize the lack of power till you closely observe.  
Kaza is the metro city for all the nearby villages. The total population of Kaza would be approx 1000 people and is the only place where you can find electricity - if you ever do. 
The hotels give warm water warmed through traditional hamams of wood. Everyone only gets a bucket of warm water a day. The hotel is right in front of the symbol associated with Spiti - that is these prayer wheels.  

  

The place has beautiful people who understand Hindi well.. the youngsters know English quite well. So communication is not a problem at all.

This is a place with harsh weather conditions. People survive on gen sets, solar and candles...its extreme living conditions with back to basics stuff.. weather is unpredictable, snowstorms happen, roads get blocked.. so if one plans to be here.. one needs a very reliable source who can handle emergencies and take care. People are very cordial, the only safety one needs is from nature. While I was there, the Pin side had flooded away and my mountaineer friend group were headed that side. Incredible Spiti team informed them well in time - which was a huge relief as many people had washed away, and also they helped arranging things for my friends even though they were not using their services. 

A lot of travel agencies call themselves expert in Spiti - but this is the only team I saw at work while I was there. All the work even from Manali was outsourced to them - hence I repeat - one only needs safety from nature here and no one knows it better than locals. So stick to their advice and have a local guide from Kaza with you always and not Manali or any other place.  

In Langza - I did a home stay in one of the traditional houses. The kind that are everywhere in that place. Made of mud, warm and very hospitable.

This 80+ old granny loved that as a girl I was doing a trek alone and exploring the place. She was very warm, hospitable and treated me with some great tea as she realised I love tea! 

Trekking was treated with some great views on the way..

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After trekking till Komic, I came down to Kaza - back to my hotel. From there I headed to Tabo. 
Spiti has some amazing monasteries for history enthusiast. Tabo is the oldest monastery in India. It is the most amazing monastery I have seen till date.. and I have seen quite a few. It is called the Ajanta of Himalayas and no photography is allowed inside. 

This was one place I could sit for hours and hours and not get up. Infact, I came to know on visiting that Dalai Lama has chosen Tabo as his retirement place. His Holiness is also visiting Tabo in 2015, for which the whole Spiti is working from 2012. A beautiful monastery unlike any in the world. 

After Tabo, I chose the exit route to Manali via Chandrataal. Words defy me when it comes to this lake.

Reflection of clouds in lake

A lot of people i know tend to compare it to Pangong lake of Leh... well its neither similar in shape, size or feel of it... Chandrataal is different... its subtle, you need to speak to it.. feel it, wait for it show you its layers, colors... its not flashy, not in your face beauty... it unfolds gently... I know this all sounds poetic... but you would too become one.. once you sit near the lake and let it unfold itself... its a beautiful soothing experience, unlike any other... do not go to place thinking of Pangong or any other lake you have seen... as here you dont know what you would find... you might find the clear reflection of mountains, or clear deep blue or a deep disappointing green of a pond... or some colors you wouldn't even think you can see... let it be... sit by the lake, give it sometime... if it knows you are patient... you will know why it is considered an abode of fairies by the locals

Go to Spiti... immerse your senses in beauty!