Legacy

 

Legacy by Sudha Menon is a collection of personalized letters written by eminent parents to their daughters. It consists of a total of eighteen letters each preceded by a brief introduction of the writer. The book came around in the year 2013, a fitting time when the daughters round the corner of the country were foreshadowed with fear and doubts. Each letter has that pious touch of a heart being poured out by a parent attempting to impart wisdom to her or his daughter.

When I first read about the book, I was already tempted to go for it given the fact that the book is a collection of written letters addressed to daughters in the age of emails and messages.  However, what caught my heart is the prelude that says:

“They say a daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. In Legacy, noted journalist and author Sudha Menon brings forth a rare collection of personal and evocative letters from parents to their daughters. Through their fearless approach to life, love, and overcoming obstacles, these icons from the world of business, arts, films, food, and sports share with us their experience and wisdom as they pass them on to their daughters. Deeply moving and thought-provoking, Legacy is a remarkable collection of life lessons that will delight and inspire at the same time."

Legacy accommodates eighteen letters written by people comprising of Ajay Piramal, Amit Chandra, Capt. Gopinath, Chanda Kochar, Deep Anand, Ganesh Natarajan, Jatin Das, Kishore Biyani, K.V. Kamath, Mallika Sarabhai, Narayan Murthy, Pradeep Bhargava, Prakash Padukone, P.P. Chhabria, Renuka Ramnath, Sanjeev Kapoor, Shaheen Mistri and Zia Mody.

Although each letter is a personal one based on the individual life experiences of the parent writing it, the book has a common theme of hard work, honesty, self- esteem, confidence, humility, and kindness followed throughout. The book stands true to its name, Legacy, something precious bequeathed from an ancestor- in this instance, knowledge about leading a constructive and happy life, and the true meaning of success.

There are various places in the book that reminded me of my father and highly resonate with the lessons that he has been imparting through his actions.  One of them being the words of Capt. Gopinath that read as: “My dear daughters, as two young, talented women, I want you to know that the most important thing is for you to be intensely passionate about everything that you do. Don’t be like a passenger on a train but be its driver. Be completely committed to pursuing your dreams but at the same time, let that not be an exercise in self-indulgence. Understand that everything that you have today is the product of your ancestor’s labor. The comfortable life that you are able to lead has been made possible by their hard work and perseverance. So, while you are passionate about your own interests, let it be in consonance with the society. While it furthers your own fulfilment, it should also further the society’s well- being.”

Legacy is one book that you will go back to read over and over again because it awakens the insides of you that love your parents and this book will probably help you to see the world the way only a parent would for a child. You realize the amount of love, care, and concern a parent harbors but find it difficult to convey. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I am sure that I am going to revisit its pages time and again in future.

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The Mentalist

Mentalist (noun): someone who uses mental acuity, hypnosis and/or suggestion; a master manipulator of thoughts and behaviour.

We have all wondered about one thing, how to read someone’s mind. Haven’t we? We all have tried it. But only very few have somehow managed to master the art of mind reading. Those few who have actually mastered this art, if honest, would agree that there is no such thing as mind reading. Not in the usual way we think they do. The Mentalist as a TV series is a must watch for you if you wish to get some hint about how the real mind reading is done.

The Mentalist is a psychological procedural suspense thriller TV series created by Bruno Heller that has been crafted out of the fine fabrics of general and criminal psychology. The craftmanship behind this fine piece of art has gone beyond the usual standards of excellence in entertainment on many dimensions, viz, cinematography, screenplay, plots, casts, location selection, storytelling, directional creativity and above all, background score by Blake Neely.

The entire series is based on the persona of the protagonist, Patrick Jane, who is a mentalist, the mentalist. Starting from the pilot, up to the eighth episode of the sixth season, the series tries to identity a dreaded dark power called “Red John” who happens to be a serial rapist and killer that never leaves any loose ends. Given the sheer brilliance of Jane in solving murder mysteries using subtle clues to which his mind acts like a magnet, you’ll find that Red John always happens to be a step ahead of him. And this Red John character is so hideous that you are bound to develop an awful appreciation for him no matter how much you detest him. And if you believe in God, then you will be perplexed by the theme of the series which is based on the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake. If God is right and he created the devil just like he created the saint, why is it wrong if the devil eventually wins?

There are seven seasons. Each of the first six seasons have about twenty-two episodes more or less. The seventh one has only thirteen. Each episode is about forty minutes give or take. So, before you start with the pilot episode, do your math. Because, you won’t be able to kill the urge to watch the next one after you watch one. Although every episode begins with a new murder case and ends with its closure, it is an indispensable part of the chain of events leading to the unravelling of the dark. Or should I say the unravelling of the light? After all light owes its existence to darkness, doesn’t it?

 

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Dark - Season 3

DARK – Season 3 is a German web-series which was released over Netflix. It is sequel to the 1^st two seasons with same name and is the final nail in the coffin. The series ends on a high note. The story continues from where it left and this season definitely hits you hard at right spot both in mind and heart.

 

The story comes to a satisfying conclusion and answers most of the questions. As show casted in previous two seasons, it continues to bend your mind in ways where you feel what more can be done to keep you hooked. The theme remains the same but everyone is trying to achieve their personal agenda, be it Adam, Eve or Claudia (you will understand the characters once you start watching). However, beginning is the end is what the story comes to, a full circle linking the first season with the third season.

 

But no matter what you do, you will find yourself stuck in a never ending loop of time. This season specifically has episodes spanned over a century with continuous shift between the various years. Based on a town name Winden, the 8 episode series finale is beautifully depicted. The story continues from where it left with Jonas vanishing along with Martha (who comes from a parallel world).

 

The weirdness and mind boggling story leaves you in awe of the script writer. With not many new characters, it is pretty easy to identify all of them after watching first two seasons. The best thing is story has developed which is totally new from any genre and also the ways in which it has been linked portraying the characters.

 

(Kindly go through reviews of Season 1 & 2 before getting hooked with Final Season).

 

The story gets complicated with characters spanning over century and continuous shift and one won’t like that after a hectic days work. So a definite watch for the weekend. The direction and background music is perfect and go hand in hand. The suspenseful music adds to the flavor. The actors have been exceptional. Both the main leads are themselves the antagonist, with time being the supporting devil as well as God. When you play with course of time, there is no big barrier then TIME itself. 

 

The original version in German but despite being a language barrier, the series does not disappoint you in any way. The name ‘Dark’ totally coincides with the gloomy scenes and most of the shots being in rain. The story has all the elements of anger, mystery, suspense, romance, time travel, betrayal and most importantly an out of the box plot. This is not everyone’s cup of tea as people may find it too slow & boring. But this one will definitely be a series that catches one’s eye. So you will watch it sooner or later.

 

If you have completed season 1 & 2, this season will definitely have an impact on you and leave you thrilled. The ending itself is sublime with long lasting effect on the viewer. The 3^rd and final season unlike many other web-series, has beautiful ending.

 

Connecting the different segments of season 1 and season 2 is very important in order to be able to enjoy ‘Dark’. You might need pen and paper to jot down everything, that’s the level of craziness involved..

This series will not ooze that action sequences or fighting scenes like other flicks, but will definitely get you puzzled. If you haven’t watched ‘Dark’, go through review of Season 1 and Season 2 on our blog. It will definitely leave you binged.

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Dark - Season 2

DARK – Season 2 is a German web-series which was released over Netflix. It is sequel to the first season with same name. The series gets meaner and darker and totally justifies the name. The story continues from where it left with season 1 with Jonas being trapped into future.

The story which is based on a theme that ‘Past, Present and Future are all linked in mysterious ways’, continues to bend your mind in ways where you feel what more can be done to keep you hooked. The theme remains the same but everyone is trying to achieve their personal agenda. Some are trying to find their loved ones, some are trying to stop an apocalypse and some are just envy of others.

But no matter what you do, you will find yourself stuck in a never ending loop of time. The series is based on a town named Winden and this season contains future happenings as well. ‘Jonas’ who accidentally ends up 33 years into future realizes that a nuclear blast wiped out most of the population of Winden. Thus the saga begins back and forth into past and future to avoid the apocalypse.

The weirdness in this season reaches new heights. Your science knowledge will be put to test along with how exceptional is your memory power to identify the characters. With past and present all being intertwined, imagine yourself fighting an evil spirit, which later turns out to be your older self. This is when series takes a turn for the worst. The story has been beautifully drafted with help of the scientific concepts of time paradox, wormholes and time loop.

The time travel has been portrayed to one’s satisfaction. However, at times it becomes difficult with theme switching between past, present and future. The direction and background music is perfect and go hand in hand. The suspenseful music adds to the flavor with acting being mediocre at times. Some characters are useless with story revolving around other few, being the main leads. The main lead itself is the antagonist, with time being the supporting devil as well as God. When you play with course of time, there is no big barrier then TIME itself. 

The original version in German is highly recommended, with English version being a little dull. The name ‘Dark’ totally coincides with the gloomy scenes. The story has all the elements of anger, mystery, suspense, romance, time travel, betrayal and most importantly an out of the box plot. This is not everyone’s cup of tea as people may find it too slow & boring.

If you have completed season 1, this season will definitely have an impact on you and leave you thrilled. The ending itself is sublime with long lasting effect on the viewer. The 3^rd and final season will be the one to look out for.

Connecting the different segments of season 1 and season 2 is very important in order to be able to enjoy ‘Dark’. Definitely watchable but not everyone will be able to watch it through because of its genre and pace.

This series will not ooze that action sequences or fighting scenes like other flicks, but will definitely get you puzzled and leave you uneasy for gripping Season 3 finale.

If you haven’t watched ‘Dark’, go through review of Season 1 on our blog. It will definitely leave you binged.

Watch the trailer on YouTube here.

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The Alchemist

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is the story of a young Spanish boy, Santiago who sees a recurring dream of a treasure under the Egyptian pyramids. So he sets forth from his life of shepherding to try and obtain that treasure. He meets an Old King on the way who gives Santiago two magic beans for his path ahead. Santiago also meets the love of his life on the way to the pyramids and learns alchemy. He takes up small, diverse jobs to earn enough money to reach Egypt and then the pyramids. Meeting all sorts of people on his journey, learning from their experiences and developing his own deep thoughts and conclusions.

An Alchemist would be someone who creates an object through a seemingly magical process. The most common example would be to create gold from any metal you hold and that’s what draws a lot of people to the art of alchemy. While what we learn through the book is that the story of Santiago is just the backbone of the flesh of human existence, and a metaphor for explaining our purpose in life. The book is a mystical adventure of what is lost and what is found. But what is truly remarkable is what comes in the middle. A book filled with million lessons, each of which will take you in deep thoughts.

The book is filled with thought-provoking questions, little reminders that life is short and we must march towards our goal all the time. Or at least work in the direction of our goal. Paulo Coelho incorporates the old wisdom into different scenes and includes the burning questions as thoughts that Santiago would have. Also, he addresses them heads on in a way that you could pick up clues as to how that applies to YOU. Which is a very big deal because millions have read this book and resonate with the ideas that it proposes.

It is as much difficult to explain in words how the book is, as it is to explain the meaning of life. But I can tell you this much that you will not regret reading this book. It is easy to read, interesting and will be on your mind all the time.

Few of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“If someone isn’t what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“Love is not to be found in someone else but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But in order to do that, we need the other person.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“One is loved because one s loved. No reason is needed for loving.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.” - Paulo Coelho,The Alchemist

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

 

 

 

 

 

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Gulabo Sitabo

Gulabo Sitabo is the latest release on OTT platform following the pandemic. This amazing satirical comedy has been released on Amazon Prime. The film captures the cat and mouse game between the landlord and tenants in the happening city of Lucknow.

Mirza Sheikh (played by Amitabh Bachchan) is a 78 year old Monk, who has married a women who is 15 years elder than him for the sole purpose of capturing her mansion. His life is full of misery but dreams of owning the mansion one day after the happy demise of his wife ‘Begum Faatima’. However, God as well as his Begum have different plans.

The story begins when a toilet wall is broken by one of the tenants Baankey Rastogi (played by Ayusshman Khurana). Thus the cat and mouse game starts – for landlord to remove the tenants and for tenants to get an ownership of a Pucca House. To take side of Baankey, archaeological department comes into picture saying the mansion being more than 100 years old is of historical importance. While Mirza hires his own lawyer to remove the tenants. All the characters are looking for personal gain which shows the greedy side totally neglecting the humanity. But, the story with all the twists ends up differently. Who becomes the mansion owner, does anyone get a Pucca house or is the property declared as historical property?? Watch out to find out !!!

Amitabh Bachchan is exceptional with his low gruffy voice and greedy character. His acting is topnotch and he himself carries the burden of the whole movie. The prosthetics with his face totally blend in and he dwells himself in the character. Finest actor in Indian cinema.

Ayusshman Khurana with his arrogant and mediocre life is superb and his lisping adds to the flavor. Having three younger sisters and a middle class girlfriend, he is seen battling the day to day challenges and refusing to pay rent to landlord which is as low as Rs 30 per month. All the other supporting casts have done great but are over shadowed by master class of Amitabh Bachchan.

The direction by Shoojit Sircar is beyond imagination with Lucknow being captured effectively. The simple characters and lifestyle is portrayed brilliantly to bring the middle class flavor. The screenplay is on the slower side demanding audience’s patience. Overall totally relatable content with witty dialogues and comedy being part of it.

A common phenomenon in Indian society has been show cased cleverly with tenants refusing the increase the rent as well not vacating the property. The brilliance to spice this up with government intervention of gaining anything and everything, be it at any cost is class apart. It is very rare that you see movie being made on such genre with slow yet effective and sensible message.

The movie though being on slower side stays true to its content with second half being full of twists and tales. The songs blended into the script do not distract the viewer but enhances the experience with relatable and eye opening lyrics. Not for those who love action and fast paced movies.

But a must watch only for the greatness of Bachchan Saab and a watchable movie. With lockdown into effect, two hours for this drama is worthwhile.

Watch the trailer on YouTube here.

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Dark - Season 1

DARK – Season 1 is a German web-series which was released over Netflix. Firstly, this series will challenge your memory and intelligence as lots of sequences need to be kept in mind and a hell lot of co-relation is required.

The story is based on a theme that ‘Past, Present and Future are all linked in mysterious ways.’ No matter what you do, you will find yourself stuck in a never ending loop of time. The whole of series is based on a town named Winden and as the name suggests there are hardly any sunny days and most of the scenes are shot in rain.

The town of Winden has always something weird happening. When a young boy goes missing, whole of the town goes berserk. 33 years later, the same incident is repeated but with another young boy. This is when people start to believe of mysterious and philosophical whereabouts. After tremendous efforts by police and local people, either of the boys could not be traced. This is where the scientific concepts of time paradox, wormholes and time loop come into picture.

The whole saga revolves around time travel with characters travelling into past as well as future & meeting their parents and grandparents, only when they were child – Imagine meeting your Dad when he as 12 years old. Strange right…!!! This little but mind-boggling concept will keep you on leash throughout the series. Are the lost boys found ??? What does 33 years time loop mean ??? Most importantly, it shows how people try to stop these events with all their might, only making them reoccur in a different way. When you play with course of time, there is no big devil then TIME itself. Here also, the villain is no human but TIME.

The story as a whole has lots of characters with 4 families being involved that too over 3 generations. Most of the casts have played exceptionally except mediocre acting by one or two. The original version in German is highly recommended, with English version being a little dull. Direction is to the point with the name ‘Dark’ totally co-inciding with gloomy scenes. Background music is topnotch and creates suspense.

The story has all the elements of anger, mystery, suspense, romance, time travel, betrayal and most importantly an out of the box plot. This is not everyone’s cup of tea as people may find it too slow & boring. A lot of patience is required as you can connect the dots only after the 5^th episode. A much needed series for time travel and science lovers but not so much for those who are into straight forward tales.

‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Dark’ are similar with basic plot of young boys disappearing and their search being the underlying base. However ‘Stranger Things’ is very much simple and to the point. If you want to go through the notifications on your mobile while enjoying the viewing experience, then ‘Dark’ is not that series.

Only when you are able to concentrate and connect the different segments, will you be able to enjoy ‘Dark’. Definitely watchable but not everyone will be able to watch it through because of its genre.

This series will not ooze that action sequences or fighting scenes like other flicks, but will definitely get you puzzled and leave you uneasy for gripping Season 2.

Watch the Trailer on YouTube here.

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Heads You Win

Jeffrey Archer is one of the best international authors who always comes up with something new and creative. His novel Heads You Win is an amazing story of fate, twists, and turns. Archer has showcased his remarkable writing finesse via this book that keeps its readers glued and hooked till the last page.

Heads You Win is a unique tale of Alexander Karpenko’s life as an immigrant and the course of his life depending on whether he boards a ship bound for England or the United States. The story starts off in Leningrad, Russia in 1968 where Alexander lives with his father and mother, both of whom work at the docks, he as a foreman and she as a waitress in officers’ mess. Alexander’s father is against the communist regime in Russia and is involved in plans to create a trade union at docks. However, Vladimir, Alexander’s friend, overhears his discussion about the plan and reports it to his local KGB officer to win the trust and increase his chances of a bright career in the KGB. This leads to the assassination of Alexander’s father at the docks by the KGB officials. Distraught by the death of his father, Alexander and Elena (his mother) plan to escape Russia to save their lives with the help of Elena’s brother. They decide to flee Russia by way of hiding in containers of the ships at the dock which, depending on the one they choose, will take them either to a life in the United Kingdom or to a life in the United States. Unable to decide, Alexander tosses a coin and it is at this point that the story splits in two.

Archer’s narrative takes the reader along with Alex and Elena to America or with Sasha and Elena to England. Archer imagines both the fates, splitting Alexander in two and exploring both lives, as Alex and Sasha. However, as the story unfolds, Alexander comes to realize where his destiny lies and accepts that he must face the past he has left behind in Russia. I won’t spoil the details of the plot too much but their lives in both countries are very different and eventually in different ways successful and rewarding, but both plots reflect on what would have happened had they got in the alternative container.

The story is full of ups and downs. One minute you’re rejoicing with the protagonist and the other you feel bad for him. There are sudden twists that you never saw coming. And then there is a shocking ending of the book. A twist so big your mouth will drop. You will never see it coming. The book captivates you and you find yourself thinking about the characters way after you have stopped reading.

The story is one of hope, albeit tempered by realism. It is largely apolitical, although it pointedly rejects nationalism as both versions of Alexander strive to build a world that emphasizes on what is common rather than the existing differences, a world that runs on principles of equality and cooperation. In the atmosphere of America First and Brexit, any story that reminds us of the value immigrants bring to a nation is ought to be recommended, particularly when it is executed with the storytelling skill for which Archer is known.

 

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Special Ops

Special Ops is an Indian web-series released over Hotstar. The story involves a Mastermind behind the terrorist attacks of 2001 on Indian Parliament and series of attacks later. How, a single Indian investigation officer leads the plan to catch the mastermind when everyone else believes in no existence of such person.

Himmat Singh (played by Kay Kay Menon) is R&AW analyst and the main lead. When all the terrorists of 2001 attacks are shot down, Himmat Singh with all his theories believes of a mastermind to be involved leading these attacks. However, no senior officials and authorities are of that opinion and this is where he leads his own investigation with the help of few of his pawns.

The tale begins when an inquiry is called on Himmat Singh himself for his undue expenses. Thus the backdrop of the story is laid upon. The investigation which is carried throughout the globe, finally reaches to a conclusion when the right hand of the Mastermind is found. But, is there really someone or is this theory false?? Does this inexperienced team stay intact and not to forget the planned terrorist attacks, they still pose a threat. Only by watching this magnificent series can these questions be answered.

Kay Kay Menon is so very natural and making his presence feel on the big screen. A very reliable actor to carry the burden of the series as a whole. So very soothing to see him, be with his dialogues or with interrogation, you will always find him very much in his character.

Karan Tacker as ‘Farooq Ali’ is a dark horse and is splendid. A fine talent whom we have mostly seen in anchoring roles. Sajjad Delafrooz who is the antagonist is opulent. He is popularly known for his negative character in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’. Even in this drama, he is cruel and clingy with his personality. All the other casts of the project are convincing and effective at the same time.

The scenes have been shot in Baku, Tehran, Dubai, Turkey, Jordan, etc. The scenic beauty mixed with action is very relatable yet eye-catchy. The initial scenes which are linked to Delhi are nostalgic with old Delhi (Purani Delhi) being shown. In all, 10/10 for cinematography. Neeraj Pandey is spot on with his direction and as a viewer, you couldn’t have asked for anything more.

The story moves on smoothly and every episode can be connected to each other. The pace is just fine with lots of twists in the tale. The final turn being satisfying. The drama is somewhere a combination of ‘The Family Man’ and ‘Bard of Blood’ but with better ending.

The Indian web-series are gradually developing great series and no doubt OTT content is the future with “SPECIAL OPS” being the latest entry to the club. The series will get you glued to your seats not just because of the story or content but also because of the pace at which it moves on.

With lockdown mode on, this is a must watch for everyone who has a little bit of patriotism in their heart, especially Indians. An espionage action thriller with most unexpected twists and turns yet with an ending to one’s liking. For people who have watched Bollywood classics ‘A Wednesday’ and ‘Baby’, they will find this series very engaging and of their taste.

Get that lazy mode on and feast your eyes with this gem.

Watch the Trailer on YouTube here.

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The Witcher

The Witcher is a Netflix Original web-series, portraying a fantasy world of witcher who earns his livelihood by hunting monsters – some pretty ugly monsters. Now on a much complex scale, witcher involves the past, present and future all intertwined to destinies of three people. Quoted - “People linked by destiny will always find each other.”

Geralt of Rivia (played by Henry Cavill) is the main lead and ‘The Witcher’. He hunts the monsters that plague the land. The story revolves around an empire by name ‘Nilfgaardian’ which invades ‘Cintra’ and conquers it. However, Princess Cirilla, known as ‘Ciri’ (played by Freya Allan) who is heir to the throne, somehow escapes. And as quoted – “A dynasty can’t survive on arrogance alone.”

During one such encounter, Geralt of Rivia saves the life of father of Ciri & as a reward invokes the “LAW OF SURPRISE” (you need to get glued to 8-episode series to understand this). In summary, Law of Surprise means to give something, one has but doesn’t know yet – in this case Ciri. Thus, the anecdote show casts the fate of Geralt & Ciri who are meant to be together, but do they even know each other?? Destiny that no one knows. Do they survive or does the fate have something else planned?? Only one way to find out. As spoken – “But a Promise made must be honored. As true for a Commoner as it is for a Queen.”

Henry Cavill was born to play Geralt of Rivia. After having played the character of Superman near to perfection, his role in this epic saga is beyond words. The dusky voice, white hair and physique all leave you in awe. Not to forget the sword scenes which have been shot by him – no body double used, shows his level of dedication for the character. Undoubtedly, after seeing his performance you will admire him. As said – “We have to cling to something. If we don’t, the world descends into chaos.”

Freya Allan as Ciri is modest and plays her part beautifully. Scared yet fierce with the spirit to survive. The most unexpected performance has been given by Anya Chalotra, who has played onscreen as ‘Yennefer’. A hunchback girl, disgraced by society, sold by her parents who has always faced the wrath in every form until she does an ultimate sacrifice to be reborn beautiful, ruthless and most importantly a girl who is no longer handicap. Her dialogue “They took my choice, I want it back” is beyond explanation.

The series which is based on games and books by the same name, is in alignment with both. No doubt the expectation from this web-series was damn too high set from books and games & it has delivered most satisfying experience in every way possible.

The narrative is described through different timelines being past and present & as a viewer it becomes confusing. With 3-4 episodes into the series, the story is exciteful but bit puzzled. However, I assure you at the end, you will get answers to all your questions with most fulfilling experience & gutted feeling awaiting Season 2. And as quoted – “You can’t outrun destiny just because you’re terrified of it”- thus you will watch it sooner or later.

The writing, casting, locations, effects, filming and all those aspects which I haven’t mentioned but exist are superlative to the core. Despite being of a genre which has a stalwart saga in the form of Game of Thrones, this fantasy drama has created an image of its own. No-way can it be compared to GoT. Both are similar yet different & truly satisfying. And as stated – “ I love the way you just sit in a corner and brood.”

A special mention to the magic which has been displayed. Magic which is a chief element of surviving, killing, disappearing, re-appearing and then again disappearing (no laughs please) is remarkable. Rarely you come through a series which has just perfect use of sorcery – not too much, not too less – just ideal. “Magic is organizing chaos” – it was done pretty well.

With season 2 already in the making, it is more than must watch recommendation. Anyone who has seen GoT, will find this series very relatable. Just subscribe to Netflix and watch this (No advice to put it in Watchlist as it would be an insult to this chronicle).

Outstanding individual performances, great direction with breath-taking locations, ugly monsters & appreciable VFX effects makes this drama a perfect watch for any weekend.

Hungry and thirsty for Season 2 and as quoted :

“The sword of destiny has two edges, you must make the choice” – here being getting addicted to this spectacular master piece.

Watch the trailer on YouTube here.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

There is not much I can say about the Harry Potter series that hasn’t already been said thousands of times by people much more eloquent than me. But, I still want to put down a few of my thoughts as anyone who knows me is familiar with the fact that how much this entire series by J.K. Rowling means to me.

The first book introduces both you and Harry Potter to a magical world for the first time in a very smooth and comfortable fashion gradually taking you deep into the realms of the magical world. Harry Potter’s life is miserable. He has lost his parents when he was only one year old and since then he is stuck with his mean-spirited relatives, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their son Dudley, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs providing only the bare minimum requirements for survival. He has had a normal childhood, but strange things seem to happen to him at times. And then at the edge of his eleventh birthday, he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself which is known to everyone except for himself. A mysterious visitor named Rubeus Hagrid rescues him from his relatives and informs him that he is a wizard and that he has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Thus begins an adventure, in a new world away from the eyes of Muggles (non-magic folk), with new friends and rivals, and perhaps even an enemy Harry didn’t know he had made the moment he was born.

After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. Once he reaches Hogwarts, Harry realizes that even within the wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the wizarding world, only to vanish, powerless, after failing to kill Harry ten years ago. Amongst Harry’s first-year adventures are making new friends (Hagrid, Ron, and Hermione), standing up to the torments of school bully (Draco Malfoy), bearing unfair wrath of Potions Master Professor Snape who seems to hate him for reasons unknown, becoming a seeker in Quidditch team, coming across Mirror of Erised, exploring the mysterious rooms and hallways of the school, facing trolls and three-headed beast, etc.

Though Harry’s first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a Sorcerer’s stone (which has the power to turn things into gold and make humans immortal) hidden within the castle walls, and with a certain unavoidable chain of events, Harry finds himself along with Ron and Hermione unraveling its mystery and prevent it from falling into hands of Lord Voldemort (who is desperately searching for means to regain his strength and power). But doing so brings him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined. Of course, Harry wins and is able to save the stone, but Voldemort is not defeated forever.

Full of lively and relatable characters, wildly imaginative situations and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come. J.K. Rowling’s conversational and simple style of writing sparks the reader’s imagination and allow them to relate to the characters on a very impassioned level. Rowling sure has a good humor wit and will leave you chuckling on various pages. She makes up her world in your mind, and you just need to curl up inside and wish you never had to come out of it, ever.

 

Everyone, both younger and older readers, can find a message in this novel or a proof of its value as something more than just a magical tale for children.

And Rowling has indeed used the unreal magic to showcase the real magic that surrounds us all in our mundane lives. It makes you believe, for a split second, that there indeed is magic within us all. This book shows a few such instances. 

Like the love of a mother (that saved Harry from Lord Voldemort, not once, but twice).

“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin.”

Or the value of friendship.

“Me!” said Hermione. “Books and cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery.”

“There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

Or something that we all love and sometimes fail to appreciate its magic!

“Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!”

 Or a few words of wisdom.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

There is definitely a lot that can be picked up from this book of magic and its world.

What does it mean to be true to yourself? What does it mean to be a friend? What does it mean to work hard for what you want? What does it mean to be kind, brave, and honest? Sometimes, as adults, we get so caught up in “adulting” that we forget these simple things. We feel the world owes us; we feel we know everything. Let me tell you, dear reader -- young or old, man or woman, black, brown or white -- Harry Potter can teach you a thing or two, if you let him. 

I have read Harry Potter as a kid, as a teen, and as an adult. And it has had its effect on me each time. It has always comforted me. It takes you on a dreamy journey full of adventures, great friends, great food, a spectacular castle for a school, and a few learnings along the way. Do give it a chance and I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

 

 

 

 

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