Beggars

Yesterday, one of my objectives for the day was to observe people in a park. Observing people helps me improve and develop the characters I create for animation or film.

So I was off to Cubbon Park, near M.G.Road in Bangalore, to observe people. I generally noticed many street vendors, family’s having their picnic and lot of couples sitting on the benches placed under huge trees and having their time. I walked around the park and of tiredness I found a bench to sit on. My vision was scanning around the whole park to try and observe all the people I could.

Suddenly I found a group of 3 beggars approaching one of the couples sitting at a near distance from me. My first reaction was to get up and move myself out of their visual radius since I hated being mobbed by such a group at least. But once I moved out from there, I started noticing the beggars who by now mobbed that couple, weren’t letting the couple to ignore them. It came to point where the couple ignored them to the extent that the beggars were touching the couple and giving their ritual blessing which normally are intercepted a curses in disguise. The couple at the end of it all couldn’t even escape by paying one of them alone but he had to shell out his wallet to pay all three, especially notes and not coins. The beggars, satisfied moved on with their aim to mob other people in the park.

The crowd was pretty huge since it was a weekend and in the middle of a buzzing city. The beggars carried on next to a group of families who were picnicking in the pleasant afternoon. The families jointly contributed to the beggar’s demands just for their quick departure which did happen and saved their picnic from a lot of embarrassment.

The beggars moved on and interestingly they moved in a group only and they only picked on couples or groups and not passerby’s or single’s.

They moved on with their mission to accomplish and I drifted out of there after following them for a short while obviously with them not noticing.

Some of my recent works

The above works were done in photoshop and it basically photomanipulation.

Right now am working on my college studies which is 3d on Maya 8.5

The Watchmen

Just today morning I was luckily free to catch the premiere of the “The Watchmen” in Bangalore.

The movie was simply breath taking. It portrays a completely different style of showing superhero movies. The movie was very visual, very narrative and the music was abstractly appropriate for the visual. The graphics are simply exceeding their expectations and it’s fascinating to watch.

I loved it.

If u were a comic superhero fan, you should make it a point to watch it.

Slumdog Success.

It's a bit too late but just a few minutes back I was wondering what was behind the Slumdog success.

I don’t understand. The whole’s world was going gaga over this film but what was so good in the film that it snatched the Oscar limelight winning 8 out of 10 Oscar awards which it was nominated for before making a stamp in the Bafta and Golden Globes also. Only the awards won for best sound, score, song, cinematography and editing were actually worth it because it shows.

I certainly didn’t feel that the film was over the top like how the world is putting it. It was like any other movie which had it laughs and cries. Otherwise the film never stood out.

I, to some extent, hated the movie because it was showing the slums and especially that of India’s and to make it even more insulting, the slums of that area where slums are blossoming (sad but true), Mumbai and on top of all that they give out a statement that the film is about the universal truth called love. What crap.

To make it even worse, they actually picked a UK based Indian teenager who has never been to India before, who doesn’t have a clue to speak our national language. Call him a foreigner as well; it wouldn’t change a bit since he fits the specification. I bet they could have got away with better actors who speak English as well as he did here in India than those in UK.

I should be giving a huge hand for the rest of the cast, especially those kids who have never been outside their little slum world. They actually portrayed the picture perfect of the slums in India.

The music was another major high for the movie. A.R.Rahman really poured his magic into this score and it shows especially in songs like Ringa Ringa which I felt was a perfect for the prostitute centre and then Gangster Blues, another perfect song, for the gangster. Another hand goes to M.I.A. Her voice is a bit peculiar but her songs were very unconventionally awesome. I loved it.

You’d be in awe when you see the picture perfect shots of the movie, especially those of the slum areas. Beautiful compositions and shots. A big hand to the cinematographer, he’s really kicked ass in the movie.

I must say, the producer of the film is a great guy. He actually took the major cast of the movie from the slums of India to the Kodak Theatre just for the Oscars, got them all tucked up in tuxedos and gorgeous dresses. To top it all off, called all of them to the centre stage to receive the award and they even got to hold the Oscar. That is really really cool.

Cheers

Salikeri Habba

My dad is from a place called Salikeri, a village in the interiors of Brahmavara, which is a small city situated near the popular city called Udupi.

A Habba means festival in Kannada. A festival is a reason for village people to get together and have many rituals performed to the village god. A festival is a reason for happiness, joy, games, fun and frolics. For many of the villagers, it also a reason to buy new goods, new clothes, new ornaments. It runs for a day, a minimum and goes on till the festive feelings begins to deteriorate.

Just a few a days back, I got the opportunity to attend Salikeri Habba and I’m sure I would have regretted it if I hadn’t come for it. I have never seen the village, I visit every now and then, so crowded and lit up at all. The music, the prayers, the crowd was really vibrant and shocking for once. The village parade was another sight that I loved and enjoyed especially the huge massive dolls, the local bands, and the chariot.

Another awesome feeling was the giant wheel. It really feels amazing and awesome. I always felt that it would be crap until actually sitting in it. The speed it went on was simply enthralling and no words could explain the feelings.

Another high point is the ice creams. Its summer at the present moment, so the amount ice cream we ate was simply amazing, totally amazing.

It simply was awesome. If you ever get an opportunity to attend such fests, don’t miss out.

Sorry about the photos, but I actually captured a huge video about the festival. The pictures below were just snapshots of the video.

Pakistan Cricket

I sympathize with Pakistan's current state of affairs. They can say a sweet goodbye to international cricket for at least a few years from now. The western countries already were second guessing their tours to Pakistan. India did it just after the Mumbai 26/11 which led to Sri Lanka showing solidarity to Pakistan, making a trip to Pakistan. And all they end up with is being targeted and attacked by whack’s called terrorists.

Hopefully, Pakistan Cricket is not terribly hurt by these unnecessary series of incidents. Hopefully, at least Pakistan domestic cricket will still carry on as normal. And again hoping that cricket in Pakistan will re-live like the past. Especially hope, the Indians go back there and kick some ass.

Am hoping that this wont affect the sub continent on the whole. But if it does also, the sub continent shouldn't that bothered because almost majority of the cricket that is being played by sub continents team and if they strike or stop playing the game, it would be unanimously boring and Cricket on the whole CANNOT afford it.


Here is a article about the attacks on the Sri Lankan Cricket team which I was talking about earlier.