AVENGERS vs THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

It’s always exciting to compare two of the most expected movies of this year. One movie has flurry of super heroes and the other one has a lone realistic masked vigilante.  One movie packed with action mixed with humour and the other one is dark toned. One movie has released already shattering records after records and the other one’s verdict is still at stake. It’s finally Avengers vs The Dark Knight Rises.

         Avengers, one of the most expected movies of this year directed by Joss whendon. This action extravaganza took the theatres by storm and shattered all previous records. It is a treat to watch your childhood super heroes in action and there isn’t a frame without a superhero. This movie’s trailer release broke itunes record and stands at 10 million download and the second trailer at 13.7 million download. No wonder, one of the most expected movies of this year. The opening week end grossed $207 at North America alone and broke the previous record held by Harry potter deathly hollows part 2 which is $169.7m. Even though, it has created mixed reactions among critics, it mostly received positive reviews from the fans. The action scene mixed with humour sense was hilarious yet falters at some point when you see a villain getting punished in the hands of almost all the heroes. At one point of time, we have to feel sad for loki. It has already pushed all the previous grosses behind and still going strong( the first and second week had a good show at the box office however the third and the fourth wasn’t as estimated by trade analysts). Still, thumps up for these comic heroes for putting up a brave show.

          The Dark Knight Rises(TDKR), final flick of the dark knight legend directed by Christopher Nolan, one of the finest directors of Hollywood and hailed for his intellectual film making. This movie has the same deadly combo “Nolan and Goyer” penning down the story. TDKR’s prequel became an epic already and this movie’s trailer released with a line, “en epic conclusion”. Its trailer shattered the itunes record created by Avengers and stands at 12.4 million download and it was surprising to see a trailer getting standing ovation on its release which shows the amount of expectation it has created among the viewers. Its prequel held the record for highest opening week end gross of $158m for two years and it was also the third highest grosser in North America only behind Titanic. Nolan never stopped to leave the fans in awe and he did that previously. This movie’s expectations have already sky rocketed and news about its IMAX version boosted its expectations further. Bane portrayed by Tom hardy plays the role of DC’s bad boy and he is known for breaking Batman’s back. Nolan’s movies are known for its long run in box office and there is an opportunity that it could break all time record hold by Avatar. With so many rumours running around this final episode and the biggest fan following, can this realistic super hero live up to his expectation? Can this masked vigilante give a knock-out punch to Marvel’s Avenger?

           Well, some trade analysts say “yes” and some say “No”. The reason is, Hollywood have this trilogy curse. Only few have reached the unassailable success. Nevertheless, the power packed performance from Bane (known for breaking Batman’s back) can sure be the bad boy of Hollywood and hope he doesn’t spoil the party. Trade talks show that the amount of expectations created by TDKR is better than Avengers and could break the record. Estimation is different from Reality. We have to wait and watch what this masked vigilante have to offer.

            No Matter what the verdict is going to be, both will mark their page into the history books. Fingers crossed!

Will there be a dawn?

It was a normal day that started with routine power cuts. I was at my home town in my sister’s home. I heard a voice murmuring, an atommm.. an atom.. an atom consists of.....

I got up from the mat and sat to see the sun light illuminating my room. “God, is it 12 already?” I told myself.

“Damn, it’s just 7 o clock. I hate summer”, I muttered.

I stood up and shouted, “Oh my god! How many times should I have to tell ya not to mug up subjects for god sake”.

My nephew replied, “Mind your business for god sake.”

“God, how dare he is! “ I scolded him but not to him, because, you can’t compete with today’s kids. If I do, I can’t win a war of words with him. I gave up so easily and went to him.

I asked him,” Son! What ya studying?”

He replied,” What’s your problem now?”

I needed that. You know, His answers were abrupt and annoying. I asked him nicely,” It seems that you are studying physics. So, you are at the first chapter. I heard you were mugging up the subject. Don’t mug up things. It isn’t gonna earn you anything. You are going to be the loser.”

He replied,” Oh come on! Now, don’t switch on your idealistic channel. I’m fed up.”

My sister came there. Bang! Her fist landed on his head and he turned to her saying, “I’m used to that. Expecting more from ya mom!”

“I have told ya many a times to give respect for the elders, yet you are defying it. He is your uncle and he is far more elder than you. So, speak to him nicely”, my sister blasted.

Well, that’s the way we teach kids how to respect elders. I told my sister, “Come on! What ya doing? Don’t hit him. See, it’s your entire fault. You forced him to get good marks in exams and you don’t want him to understand the real purpose of education. Please! You don’t know the hardships I have been through after my 10^th standard here. Don’t bring him up with this sort of mentality. He isn’t gonna succeed If he studies like this. Give me one hour, I’ll teach him how to study. Are you ok with that? And for heaven’s sake don’t beat him the next time”.

She replied,” Ok I’ll give one hour. Teach him what you want to.”

I sat with him and asked,” was it too painful?”

He replied,”Nahhh.”

“Ok son. You were studying about atom. Do you know what an atom is or it’s properties or about the scientist who first put forth the atom model?” I asked.

He replied, “An atom means Anu(tamil meaning for atom).”

I posted another question,” Ok. What is Anu?”

His reply was spot on. He said,” Anu means an atom.”

I wanted to bang my head on the wall. But, I opened his note book and started drawing the atom model and explained the basics about the atom. He started realizing it and asked me,” uncle! What is current?”

“Did he call me uncle?” I muttered.

I cleared his questions that ran through his mind. I was happy that it took more than an hour which was way past the time that was given to me. My sister came and broke the flow,” Ok! Enough! Now start studying for your exams.”

The little kid looked down to read and started,” An atom consist of..”

Kids are being pushed on to the corner and they are being given only one answer,” if you don’t get good marks, you will not get good job.”

Once, education was a wonderful aspect that drives a man from his foolishness to the state of wisdom. But, in present India it’s upside down.  If we need a better future generation, then it’s time that we need to change the education standards and we need to delete our way of judging the students by marks. It’s time that we need to find individual talents and teach them how to master it. Don’t limit the education with 6 subjects instead, give choices for students so that they could make good use of the choices they are given. Don’t give theoretical explanation instead, shower a practical view of the principle. They will be delighted and eager to learn. Because, great scientists are not great students, they deviated themselves just to think differently. They did succeed.

One last thing, Why not an objective type of exam instead of a descriptive explanation? A teacher knows only one subject. Is it justifiable if you push a small kid to learn all the six subjects? I don’t agree with it. It’s a budding age don’t burden their backs with bag full of books. Think about it.

TEARS

            Can you hear me? I don’t think you can. There were days where kings gave up their own chariots for ours. There were days where we were loved and we lived in harmony. There were days where our pores felt the sun shine and faced the rainbow. O dear man, can’t you hear my death cry? Are you too deaf to hear my death cry? Are you defiant to spare me? Are you digging your own grave? Did you forget what I have given you? Did you forget what good I have done to you? I ate your dirt and fed you. I faced the heat with grace and gave you a place to repose. You resided under me to protect yourself from the rain. Your inventions put your life at risk yet I saved you and I am saving you from your own invention. I give you rain. I give you fresh air. O ye Man! You cut ours. You fired ours. Everything you have done is for your own good. You think that only humans have the right to make decisions. You think that only humans are living in this earth. We too are sheltering in this unique earth serving you, protecting you and feeding you.  You cut my ancestors to build your huts and they were happy serving you by bleeding their own blood because your needs were justifiable. Today, you cut my brothers for your convenience. You cut ours to expand your roads; you cut ours to develop your infrastructure at the cost of millions of life of ours. You cut ours for your trade. Is that what you want? Are you going to justify your madness? You seeded me, you watered me and you protected me. I have paid back what you have given me. I have nothing more to give you except my life. Take it. I’m all yours now. Let your axe tastes my own blood. Let it severs me. After all, it’s a moulded iron. What good does it know when the man with six senses doesn’t know the difference between good and bad? Swing it. Please do me a favour. Swing it once; only once, cut me into halves in one swing, because you don’t know the unbearable pain I’m going to bear, you can’t hear my cry, you can’t see my tears. Curse fell upon us for eternity. God bestowed us with a miraculous nature. You know that very well. It is “I grow again from a seed and die in your hands”. I’m not strong enough to face your wrath. I’m done here. My last wish “I don’t want another life. Please! Don’t seed me again”. Peace.

I SEE YOU!!

Dear my love,

I want to see your face. I want to feel the feathery touch of your hand, one last time in my life. I won’t last long. A pair of bullets ripped through my stomach. It must have punctured my intestine I’m breathing heavy. I already have lost enough blood but it can’t be equalled to the bloods I have sucked through my rifle. I feel that I’m counting on my time. 17 years of ruthless life filled with blood in the name of saving my own nation. I feel proud but at the same time I feel sad when I think about the safety of my nation at the cost thousands of lives at the border. I still remember the death cry of a 19 year old kid who died on my hands in the name of serving our own nation. He was shot in the chest and he tried to tell something to me. All of a sudden, he was gone. Just like that, he was gone. Just like that, he left this world. Our nation will call him a brave man died in the battle. But, they don’t know the pain he had undergone. They don’t know the life he had lost.

 I don’t know how many lives I have killed with my own rifle, with my own bullet. I don’t know how many chest my bullets had ripped through, how many brains it had shattered. Enough is enough dear! I have had enough blood on my hands. That’s why God has bid adieu to my life. I ain’t afraid of dying. The greatest thing God has done to me is, taking my life. I have done enough. I have taken enough lives. It stops here. But, I don’t want to die for one reason. Only one reason that stops me and forces me to beg God, it’s you, My Love. It’s you My Lady! It’s you.

I remember the day we got married. I remember the night I have told you “I LOVE YOU”. I remember the day when you gave birth to two little babies as beautiful as morning suns, as gorgeous as winter flowers, as sweet as honey. I remember the day they called you “Ma” and I remember your tears hugging the two cute buds. I remember the day when you told me to hold my call and asked them to speak with me. They called out only one word and that word still rings in my ear “Pa”.  I remember your last hug two years back, it was a tearful send off. I still remember the moment, I was about to start, but you ran to me like a mad, hugged me, kissed my forehead and said, “Don’t go! Please don’t go!” You might have foreseen the future. My love, why does earth have partition? Why does man drew up a border? Why do we have countries that are separated by languages and religions when the entire population came from single man and woman?

Heavens calls upon me. Words are been muttered in my ears “your time’s up”. I guess that’s all. I thank my blood and finger for writing this. I thank the shattered piece of wood that served as a paper. I thank God for the life with you. I thank you for the undying love on me. You know dear,

                       Just one more day

                       I want to be born again,

                       I want to love you again,

                       I want to feel you again,

                       Just one more day

                       I want to be born again

                       Holy God! I just need one more life

                       A life for my family

Adios!

To My love

The soldier dropped his hand. His eyes looked lifeless. His soul reached heaven and looked down at his lifeless body. It was a sun set.

              The war was over; Myriads of Corpses were lying on the blood patched battle ground. His body lied on the piece of wood protecting it. A fellow soldier moved him from the piece of wood. He was moved by his letter and had tears. He made a promise to him. A promise from his heart; He knelt down in-front of his fellow soldier’s corpse and promised, “Your love is borderless brother! it will live long. You died yet your love will stand for ages. Fellow soldier, may god bestow peace upon your soul. I don’t know your name but I will do it for you. Your letter will reach the one you loved to the core. I will take this to the person for whom you want to be born again. I salute your love.”

After 3 months,

               

          A soldier knocked a door which is far from the town. A lady with a beautiful round face and fish like blue eyes opened the door with two little kids on her either side and looked at the fellow soldier with her tear filled eyes. He had a huge box wrapped with shiny white sheet. He unwrapped it and showed it to her. She saw that, her legs trembled; she knelt down and cried, cried and tears rolled down from her eyes..........

A SEED OF WISDOM

             “God! Why it has to be me always? I’m tired of your games” I muttered it when I sat on the bus seat next to window seat. Everyone of my friends asked me, “Tharik, is there a problem? I shook my head by saying,” No! No problem. I’m alright.”That describes me. I’m so brittle, that even a small problem can break me into pieces. I curse with every broken piece of mine. My face would be frowned for the entire day making it ugly and sad.

              It was just another day for everyone but not for me. You could say, “It’s a coincidence”. I would say, “Whatever it is, it changed me once and for all”. I would not say I have changed completely but I would raise my hand and say it aloud, “I’m changing and I love it wholeheartedly.

              My route bus is always crowded due to infrequent bus facility. Since the bus originates from my place, I always get the seats near window or aside it. That was a normal day when it started. Things fell in place as usual. My friends were mocking me but I was not interested. I had not lent my ears to them. I was silent and was watching the people on the roadside. Human is a curious breed of God. Isn’t it?  When you ask him not to do, his sixth sense will irritate you by doing the same. If you ask him to do something, come on! Why do I have to listen to you? Hell with you. I hated everything that day, Giggling, whistling, murmuring, joking, laughing and every other noise made by man. I had been harsh to my friends because of their naturally human behaviour. I had to, you know, because my mood was not good. I was unhappy when they talked about girls they saw on the road. I was not a human that day. That doesn’t mean that I was an animal that day. Their mockery became loud, my face turned red and I shifted my gaze from window for the first time since the bus started.

           I saw him! A small kid was standing near my seat holding my seat for support. I smiled at him. He smiled at me back. That was unnatural to me because I smiled for the first time since morning. The little boy might be doing his sixth standard. My bad! I hadn’t asked this question to him. He was wearing his school uniform with a big bag on his back. Holy God! Indian education system needs a dramatic change. Bags like that could bend a back. I have to feel pity for present day kids. His uniform was not ironed. His dresses looked clumsy but his face was as bright as a night moon.

            People were pushing him and he was struggling. I asked him, “Son! You are struggling. Sit on my lap.”

           He replied with a morning sun shine like smile,” It’s ok bro!”

           I asked him again, “At least give me your bag. It’s too heavy. I’ll keep it on my lap”. He gave it with a radiant smile.

          I muttered to myself, “Holy God! Is smile another organ in his body? How it is possible for him to keep a smile on his face every time?”

          I was anxious to talk to him. I started my personal conversation with him. I asked him, “Where are you studying?”

      He replied with the same adorable smile. Damn me! I forgot the school name.

      I just wanted to talk to him. It made me to relax. I asked him again,” Do you study well?’

      He replied with a bright face, “yeah bro! I do!”

      I replied, “That’s good! What’s your rank in class?”

     This time he must have thought that someone was appreciating him. His face became brighter. He said, “First rank bro!”

      You should see his smile. God! Its true isn’t it? Godliness, I sensed it for the first time. I felt the warmth running through my body.

      I asked him, “Son, what’s your dad?”

      He didn’t hesitate to reply. His answer came in a flash with a same adorable smile, “My father is a launderer.”

      The little lips never wanted to give up the smile. Finally he said, “bro! My stop has come. I’m gonna get down. Thanks for the help.”

       I thrust ten rupees in his palms. He refused to accept it. He said, “why?”

        I replied with a big smile, “a nominal fee for talking to me. Just kidding, take it son. It’s not bigger than what you have given me today. Enjoy the day. It’s yours.”

       He took it and left the place in a hurry. He taught me one thing; keep a smile on your face. When you smile at your problems, God will be with you. I turned to my friends and said, “Dear nerds! Be like that kid.”

     That little kid made my day and planted a seed in my mind and heart, a seed of wisdom which is growing deeper and deeper now. Keep smiling. Life is short, why to thrust your heart with so many problems. Instead smile at them. One, two, threeeeeee!!

Note: This incident happened to me long back. I narrated this incident to my friend gokul nath. This  was the answer behind the question "why did I start a blog?" Thanks to Gokul nath for pulling me back to get a clear view of the big picture.

DESTINY

Colt, weighing 1.5 Kg, .45ACP calibre with integrated silencer, a renowned pistol and has a long history in USA, Firing at a speed of 260 m/s must be brutal at the close range. One of such Colt series cocked and a finger with a dark glove ready to pull the trigger. It’s all set up and the vulture was waiting for the prey. Cold blooded brown eyes raced through the hall. As the shadowy figure heard a thudding sound, the brown eyes under the hat shifted its gaze towards the direction where the noise originated from. It was a momentary silence. A man in his late 40’s lumbered towards the TV. The shadowy figure with its colt pistol on one hand lunged forward. He was quick on his feet and stood behind the fat man. As the fat man turned, he hadn’t have a clue and stood there rattled and his eyes froze. The killer pressed his colt’s barrel on the forehead of his paunchy prey. The fat man’s leg trembled as if he had a nervous break-down, he started sweating. Out of fear, his hand let go off the remote. It slid past his hand giving out a crackling noise as it hit the floor.  A man in long over coat and a hat with gigantic shoulders pressed the trigger “click”. The bullet pierced the forehead and ripped through the target’s skull. Blood burst out of the victim’s back head in a flash. The fat man, in his night trouser fell like a sack of potatoes on the floor. As the victim fell on the remote control lying on the floor, the TV switched on playing Beethoven’s symphony no. 5.  The eyes under the hat raised its right eyebrows and holstered the pistol. His lazy legs turned and walked towards the door as the music started to fade. Beethoven’s symphony, many people’s first introduction to music, you can’t start better than this. Isn’t it?

The killer, in his late 50’s cat-walked through the walkway and stepped down to reach the ground floor. He slid past the eerie place and never noticed by anyone. He walked towards his car parked at the road side which could be 100 meters from the dead man’s apartment. In that cold night, on a deserted road, in a place where owls hooted and cats purred, in a place where silence can be described as “no one are alive”, Moon sheds its light on the road exposed the man’s well built body in a long over coat. Salt and pepper hairs fell on his nose as he walked through the wind. The gloved hand combed it. He crouched and sat on the driver seat. A perfect murder, an utterly invincible 50 year old man crossed the hurdles and no one noticed it. The next day he would be gone. The siren sound wouldn’t be heard for the next 6 hours. He took out a cigar from his coat and lit it. The engine kick started and he was gone with the wind.

Under the moon, the new born looked gorgeous and adorable. The little smile, the chubby cheeks, toothless mouth, round face and the small eyes never would have allowed anyone from shifting his or hers gaze from the little one. Such a beautiful baby laughed at her mother without knowing the fact that this would be her last ten minutes with her mother. Her face looked bright under the dark eerie night. The mother looked at her with warmth. Tears filled her eyes and she began to speak with her while wiping her tears. “I’m sorry. Only tears fill my heart when I think that I have to leave you in this abandoned place. But, I don’t have any other go. I have to take this decision out of my will. I pray to God that nothing will happen to you and you will be better off with someone who can give better life than me. I don’t know whether you will forgive your mom when you grew up. Life is hard on you and me. We are not bestowed with a gift of living together. We are destined to go different paths. I Hope that you reach Godly hands. I love you. I’m sorry.” With that, the mother hugged the little kid tightly and kissed her on the cheek. Another child born out of illicit sex and the victim is again a little baby. She placed the child inside a garbage-can located in a place where houses are loosely placed.  It’s an outskirt of a city and the reluctant mother began to walk-away from her little child. The little heart started to cry but the mother refused to hear it. She walked faster and disappeared in to the darkness.

The killer drove against the speedy wind and he clocked 100 in his fiesta. The highway was deserted and there was hardly any passerby. His cigar was thinning out due to the breeze. His mind was mulling over the deal with the person who had sent him to kill. He raced deep in his thoughts. All of a sudden, the vehicle jerked. The fuel gauge hit “E”. Disturbed by the jerk, the killer hit the wheel with his fist. The vehicle stopped near a town. Angered by the sudden turn of events, the killer stepped outside to get fuel from the town which is at a walkable distance. He walked towards the town on that terrifying night. The road was empty and the trees on the either side of the roads looked like immovable monsters waiting to eat you alive. Atlast, he reached a gas station located at some distance from his car and filled a fuel can. The can was too heavy to carry. While returning, he was unable to bear the weight of the can. His hand started to take pain. So, he placed the can on the road and took a big breath. He heard a giggling noise. Startled by the sudden surge of sound, the killer rotated his head in all direction. His gaze stopped near a waste basket.

The killer walked till the basket. He saw a small child giggling and clapping her hands. Bewildered by the sudden change of events, he was looking at the little baby for a long time. His mind posted question after question.

“Is this an abandoned baby? Why am I standing and looking at her right now? Is this a trap? Is someone gonna steal from me?” struck by the last question, the killer hurried towards the car with the can but he stopped after some distance and turned back to see the basket.

His conscience came into the play. His evil part said, “David! For god sake, what are ya doing. Hurry! Ya’re not supposed to be here looking at a damn child.”

Even the cold blooded killer had the heart to turn and ponder over the choices he had. His good part said, “David! Don’t leave her! Think about your childhood”.

David’s childhood portraits of living an orphaned life flashed in his mind. He looked clueless and confused over the choices he had, either to make a bond with the baby or leave her the way she was. His Evil part interrupted his thought, “Kocha will be waiting for your arrival. You should be moving fast. Don’t trust him. He is diverting you from your path.”

The good side of him insisted, “David don’t trust him. He is a heartless fella! Do you want this baby fed to the cats and wolves or do you want to give this baby a better life. Make a choice David! We are running out of time.”

The evil part of him forced,” Do you want to thrust yourself with an added responsibility. Don’t involve yourself in this business. It will ruin you!”

The Good part of him cried, “David, did you forget what father Joseph had said?  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. David, please pick up the baby. Don’t abandon her else the sin would never forgive you in the name of God.”

The evil part of him replied, “David! It’s an illusion. Don’t fall for it.”

Sometimes, strange things do happen. David moved towards the new born. She laughed with a dimple in her cheeks. First time in his life, David smiled from his heart. A true smile which didn’t have any other reason, it only had love and affection. His evil conscience shouted at the back of his mind meanwhile the holy side guided him to the path of holiness. He lifted the new born. He felt the warmth running through his body. It’s the first time he ever felt the thing which was priceless. It’s the first time he experienced that feeling, which was inner peace. He didn’t think about the future or the present, instead, he trusted in one good thing, it's destiny that lead him to this orphaned baby. He and she are destined to live together. He fuelled his car and drove away along with the new bond he made. A whole new life was awaiting him. A whole new responsibility bestowed upon him. He looked at the little baby at the back seat. She fell asleep. He smiled and lit his cigar.