Deep Impressions

  With the global developments of the last few years it is time we rethink the format and the definition of democracy.    So here is a wishful speech to the guardians of democracy. ------------ ------------- ---------------- x  ------------ ------------- ----------------  ( In case you wish you listen this blog,  please CLICK HERE )   From settlements to territories,  From territories to empires And from empires to nations     …... civilization has come a long way in search of structures and conventions through which a human population connects, cooperates and controls itself.     Community chieftains gave space to kings. Kings were taken over by emperors and emperors surrendered to the democratic forces.   In this process of evolution, democracy has not only proven to be the most stable but also the most widely accepted structure. However, to believe that democracy is the last word in governance, would itself be a challenge to the spirit of democracy – which is ‘openness to dissent’.

    हिंदीभाषा : पर्दे से परिवर्तन    भाषा के लिए अक्सर उस की प्राचीनता उनके गौरव का विषय होता है। किंतु विश्व में सबसे अधिक बोले जानी वाली पाँच भाषाओं में सबसे युवा भाषा होने के कारण हिन्दी का यौवन ही उसका गर्व-बिंदु है। देवनागरी लिखावट वाली खड़ी बोली - जो हिंदी का वर्तमान प्रचलित रूप है - की उम्र २०० वर्ष से भी कम है। और इस छोटे से अंतराल में पिछले ७० सालों में हिंदी का रूपांतरण जिस रफ़्तार से हुआ है, वह अपनेआप में एक शोध का विषय तो है ही पर साथ-ही-साथ इस भाषा के यौवन का द्योतक भी है।    ७० साल के इस सफ़ारनामे को मूर्त-रूप से तो कुछ बिरले भाग्यशालियों ने ही अनुभव किया होगा, पर बाक़ी लोग भी हिंदी सिनेजगत की नज़रों के ज़रिए से हिंदी के इस रूपांतरण के चश्मदीद गवाह बन सकते हैं।    ४० और ५० के दशक की हर फ़िल्म में उस फ़िल्म की भाषा का झुकाव बड़ी आसानी से दृष्टिगोचर होता था - या तो भाषा उर्दूनुमा होती या फिर हिंदीरस से परिपूर्ण या फिर हिंदुस्तानी लहजे वाली। हिंदुस्तानीभाषा , हिंदी-उर्दू का एक नाप-तुला मिश्रण, उस समय लोकप्रियता के पायदान नम्बर एक पर थी। पर भाषा का झुकाव जो भी हो, दर्शकों का

  Hindi : Muscling through Metamorphosis   Most languages would take pride in being the most ancient language. For Hindi, however, the pride remains in being the youngest language among the top five spoken languages in the world.  The Devnagari scripted Khadi boli which is largely known as Hindi is as young as 200 years. And if ones consider only the presence in mass media communication as a barometer, it is only around independence movement that Hindi gained its prominence.    During the last seventy years, this young language has seen a metamorphosis of a scale that probably no language in the world has seen. Interestingly, those who have not personally witnessed this metamorphosis, can experience it through the eyes of Hindi cinema.     The Hindi films of 40s and 50s had a clear bent either towards purified Hindi, or towards purified Urdu and yet some had the flavour of Hindustani (a commonly understood mix of Hindi and Urdu). Various literary authors then were attracted towards thi

The Musical Power of 70s, 80s and 90s The music of 70s/80s/90s was a unique cusp that enjoyed the twin benefits of social intimacy and technological advancement. ----------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------- The relationship  between Hindi films and its songs has always been very symbiotic. There are many films that are remembered only because of their popular songs. Similarly, films, by providing the right launch platform, have not only made songs extremely popular but have also ensured that the current generation remembers musical works that were created several decades ago. How many songs from 50s and 60s would the current young generation in America remember (in America, songs do not have film as their launch)  ? Besides films, what has also made music popular is the alternate channels that have made music reach the audiences. Radio was the dominant channel during 50s and 60

2019 : The End of Filmy Love Story The momentous journey of Romantic films in Hindi cinema that begun in 1960s after now losing its steam has had interesting social trends guiding the success and failures on the box-office ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Success stories are good to delineate emerging trends during the year. But there also failures that enunciate a big story. Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas hardly made any mark at the Box-office . However, for those searching for successful ideas at the Box-office, it did make a mark. PPDPK’s performance beguiled the end of an era in Hindi cinema that had gained momentum in 1960s. Romantic films have been charting success stories since 1960s. Their success ratio became so high that love story became the de facto launch theme for star kids (Rishi Kapoor, Kumar Gaurav, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, Amir Khan). Even proven actors like Kamal Hassan