AVATAR - A journey into reality

Having waited for more than a week to watch AVATAR, finally the d-day arrived on Dec 27, 10:30PM at IMAX 3D, Hyderabad.

Accompanied with family we took a journey into reality, a world created by James Cameron.

If you want to watch AVATAR, please do watch it on IMAX 3D screen, one has to experience the 3D aspect to believe it and enjoy the journey, I was amazed with the attention to detail that has been given in the movie, the insects, the six legged animails, the envornment, the NA'VI people, thier mannerisms, flying dragons..... the list goes on, the movie it the culmination of technology with story telling.

It is not just about the 3D aspect that the movie is worth watching for, it is about the values that we as humans tend to forget and accept by default that whatever we see is ours and that we should own it.

My son in between the movie asked me "'Appa idhu nijana' :=: 'Dad it this real'" and it was hard to convince him it isnt, he already has made plans for his next visit to Pandora :)

I promise that when you leave your chair and exit the movie hall, you would have fallen in love with Pandora and all that is part of Pandora.

The bonding between the Na'vi and the horse, how a dragon chooses its master and once it chooses it will never allow anyone else to ride it till it dies, the flying jellyfish like insects, the 'touch me not' plant, that closes itself the moment anyone touches it in a swirling fashion, the trees, the sleeping cocoon of the Na'vi, trust me you wont forget a single moment in the movie because you become part of it from the beginining.

Its a movie every one who is a film buff should watch, its the holygrail of the cinemas, I have never been amazed so much by a movie as I have with this movie, no doubt James Cameron took so many years after Titanic to make a movie that not only breaks barrier with the conventional thinking but sets a benchmark to everyone else to follow.

As we left the theatre, son told me " 'Appa naavu Pandora ge hogona' :=: 'Dad, we shall also go to Pandora'" and that is the feeling I am right now, when can I visit Pandora...

Take a WALK

Take a walk... literally I took a walk today.

After leaving the car at the mechanic, I thought to kill the time (since it would take nearly 3 hours for the car to be ready) by going for a movie, then something struck me, I really dont know what, but I decided to walk from Minister road (this is hyderabad) till The central (Punjagutta), it was long long time since I had walked so much, (I used to do regularly when during my engineering days when there was just one bus during morning and if you miss, one had to walk for nearly 5 kms). All through the duration of walking I felt I was part of the city unlike when u are inside a car. I stopped almost at each and every nook and corner and found so many small shops that sell things which you need and wouldnt find otherwise. At punjagutta there are so many jewellery shop, I have seen earlier but this time counted, there are nearly 20 shops. During the walk I notice so many billboards, more than 60% were for Ads, the remaining was from political parties with Congress ruling the roost and found less sign boards to help the motorists.

I cant say that the walk was very comfortable or totally enjoyable, but it was something different and I liked it, it made me go back many years, feel much younger and felt that I could connect easily with the people (sounding philosophical... maybe).

I think it is a good idea for anyone to just leave the machines that carry us and take a walk, and feel the difference... it did to me and I believe it will for you also.

The walk was around 6 - 7 Km.

De-Traumatising the education system

We have done it again, tweaking the education system for the good.. I am not sure why there was not this much of tweaking or debate during my school days, I clearly remember that actually there was more complain that the syllabus was less tough and we are studying less.. so on and so forth....
I wish we had a Kapil Sibal during our time, who knows I could have had got into IIM without much tension and concentrating what is required at higher level rather than struggling at the 10th level.

I know there will be lot of debate whether this is actually good for our future or not, and I will be keenly reading all those, but personally for me this is a really good move to centralize the education system and ensure that a kid doesn't unnecessarily bother that there are students from other state who are having undue advantage because of the syllabus.

There are few issues like, in Karnataka most (95%) schools don't have 11th or 12th and this kind of rule is of no consequence for them, since they anyway have to take the 10th exam since the college wont accept them without exams... so in general it is benefiting only around 5% of the students.... I wish Mr Sibal fixes this also.

Thanks Mr Kapil Sibal, I hope your intentions is noble and you implement Yash Pal report in its entirety.

Some changes do matter.