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The gallows
Not enough
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Back from gloom
A landmark judgment
Of tractors, mud and stars
Nothing can save the day
Fearless factor Crude masti
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The gallows
DEATH it is, and death it had to be. The Supreme Court rider of 'rarest of rare cases' was more than established by the prosecution, though in the larger public perception there never was any doubt. The sentence of death for four convicts in the December 16 Delhi rape case took nine months in the coming, a long period for what seemed an open-and-shut case.
To be sure, the police, the judiciary, and even the government were under immense pressure to ensure justice. No one could afford a slip-up, and a court has to base its ruling on facts, and not emotions. Given the watertight case the investigators built, this was indeed a fast-track trial. No one, after all, would advocate bypassing the due process of the law. The family of the 23-year-old paramedic — who was subjected to brutality that defies narration — has expressed satisfaction at the sentence. Justice, however, is rare for victims of rape or their families; satisfaction, ever rarer. In the same court that has pronounced death for the Delhi rape and murder, 20 out of the 23 rape cases heard this year ended in acquittal. In most cases it was because the complainant backed off. Even more than the criminal justice system, society is conditioned to remain silent on crimes against women 'in their interest’! The December 16 case has served a cause to that extent. It has jolted society, the police, the judiciary, and even the legislature to bring about meaningful changes in the laws and procedures to protect women and children. So that the young life lost is not a complete waste, India has now to move on from the phase of debate to action. The nine months since the horrific night have thrown up an overwhelming range of ideas, including many opposing views. There, however, appears to be no decline in rapes being committed each day. Death is propounded as a deterrent to such heinous crimes. A greater deterrent would be the surety of culprits being nabbed, and sentenced. Till the day every parent is able to celebrate the birth of a daughter, there is something shameful within each one of us.
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Not enough
THE Ministry of Defence has proposed the induction of six more US-made C-130J Hercules transport aircraft into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as part of a first-ever Army Mountain Strike Corps that is to be raised for deployment in case of a war with China with which India currently shares a 4,000 km long disputed border demarcated by a Line of Actual Control (LAC).
While the requirement for additional transport aircraft is understandable, what is unclear is whether half-a-dozen of these aircraft would be sufficient for the Mountain Corps and other Army formations deployed along the mountainous border with China. Only recently, the IAF, which inducted six of these American aircraft mainly for the Army's Special Forces, landed a C-130 aircraft in the desolate high altitude airfield at Daulat Beg Oldie located not too far from the LAC in Ladakh. In addition to demonstrating India's faster reach into that portion of the mountain desert of Ladakh, New Delhi was also able to send a message to Beijing that it has now developed the capability to airlift troops and logistical support to safeguard its interests in that part of the contentious border region. Yet, the fact remains that China has a major head start as far as infrastructure near their side of the LAC in Tibet is concerned. Beijing has elongated its runways in Tibet, has a far better network of roads on their side and has a train service connecting Beijing to Lhasa and beyond by which it can quickly ferry troops in large numbers. In contrast, India's infrastructure remains dismal. It will take more than a few aircraft to bolster a Mountain Strike Corps just as it will take more than just one such corps to safeguard the LAC and develop a capability to counter any hostility by China. What is needed is a well thought-out comprehensive plan to bolster the country's defence on the ground, in the air and on sea. Currently, India's overall military balance and capability vis-à-vis China and infrastructure along the LAC is hardly satisfactory. New Delhi must remain alive to this reality.
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Back from gloom
THE latest official figures about the industrial production, inflation and foreign direct investment (FDI) show that things are not bad as it appeared a couple of weeks ago. Contrary to the general expectation of a little contraction, industrial production climbed 2.6 per cent in July from a year ago. Retail inflation moderated slightly to 9.5 per cent in August.
Another positive signal has been given by the data on FDI inflows, which rose 58 per cent during April-July. There is a significant rise of $2 billion in NRI deposits in July from June. This does not mean all is hunky dory now. The Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council Chairman, C. Rangarajan, has slashed the growth forecast for the country for the current year from April's optimistic figure of 6.4 per cent to 5.3 per cent, though private estimates put it at below 5 per cent. He has also warned that the Union Government may find it hard to meet its fiscal deficit target of 4.8 per cent of the GDP since two-thirds of it has been achieved in the first four months only. The government will have to cut subsidies and compress discretionary expenditure “in a growth-friendly manner”. There is, however, a possibility of controlling the current account deficit since gold imports have come down significantly. The negative sentiment in recent months was precipitated by exaggerated noises over the rupee and the economy, partly for political reasons. The positives of a good monsoon were ignored. However, an inspiring speech by the new RBI Governor, Raghuram Rajan, changed the sentiment a little. The threat of a US military strike on Syria has receded. This has led to a sharp recovery in the stock markets and the rupee. Global oil prices have started cooling off. The better-than-expected industrial data and expectations of pro-growth policies from the RBI have dispersed the clouds of gloom. There is good news and there is bad news on the economic front. What is important is to maintain balance and confidence.
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A consultant is someone who saves his client almost enough to pay his fee. —Arnold H. Glasow
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A landmark judgment THE award of capital punishment to all four accused in the Nirbhaya case does not come as a surprise. The fifth accused, a juvenile, has already been remanded to a juvenile home for a term of three years. Public outrage against the very brutality of the crime had been so overwhelming that only a judge out of his mind could have imposed a lesser penalty.
This is an instance in which public
opinion has asserted itself, and rightly so. The defence can crib
about this. But the evidence marshalled had been so clinical that,
with or without media hype and visible public indignation, the verdict
could not have been otherwise. The euphoria generated by the occasion should not cloud our perception of a few fundamental issues. The 'rarest of rare case' cliché is liable to be distorted by courts as well as the public. It is a very subjective concept. There is no scientific measure of brutality, but there is the standard recognised traditionally by both English and Indian jurisprudence. It is the test of a 'reasonable man'; what the latter would think in the ordinary course of events. Here again one will have to give a large allowance to human emotions, and this is why even the test of reasonableness fails to impress many of us who want the criminal justice system to be free from bias and subjectivity. This is a utopian line of thinking, and it may never be satisfied. The
Nirbhaya verdict also revives the debate over the objective of
criminal penalty: retribution vs. reform. Public response to the gory
happening was unequivocal and swift. It urged the Hammurabi approach
of 'tooth for a tooth’. And this has triumphed. The human instinct
for retribution has prevailed. What about those who believe that any
judicial punishment should take into account the possibility of
reforming an offender? Given the escalating crime trends and the
growing corruption in the criminal justice system, especially in
India, there are just a handful who would plead for a reformist
approach to sentencing. More than any other crimes, it is a rape
accompanied by murder that should make everyone opt for the ultimate
penalty. Also relevant is the belief that recidivism is dominant, and
therefore no risk should be taken in providing for a release of an
offender even after decades of incarceration. Against this backdrop
the Delhi trial judge had little option except to send the four young
accused to the gallows. The youth of these men did not impress him.
This is again debatable. The third traditional argument for stiffer
sentences on the basis of deterrence has proved to be hollow in modern
times. One can quote any number of studies to suggest that a severe
penalty, such as capital punishment, hardly prevents crime, especially
when that crime is the offshoot of an impulse or passion. While many
homicides have been the result of deliberation and considerable
planning, the numbers of those committed in a moment of passion are
not inconsiderable. The Nirbhaya outrage was certainly the sequel to
carnal passion and the criminal exploitation of an unexpected
opportunity. Would the group have committed the same atrocity
individually and have deliberately sought an opportunity to do what
they had done? The answer could well be an emphatic 'no'. This does
not throw up an extenuating factor. But it certainly raises the
question whether the life of an individual, so vulnerable to passions,
is snuffed out by the State for a momentary loss of balance and
humanity. Such a question can never be answered satisfactorily,
especially in a situation like that of Nirbhaya, where emotions of the
victim's family and those of the public had been so vividly portrayed
by the visual media. We must compliment the numerous women's organisations for their sustained campaign so that there is no let-up in the effort to bring the accused to book. Without this endeavour it is just possible that the prosecution may not have put its best foot forward. However, I have my own reservations about a few activists, who have unfortunately conveyed the message that women need not take any measure to protect themselves, and it is for the State (read the police) to give them hundred per cent safety. Criticism of well-meaning policemen who plead for basic precautions by women, especially late in the night, is unfortunate. After all, no law enforcement agency can abdicate its responsibility, particularly in affording safety to women and children. It is grievously wrong to lambaste policemen who counsel care and caution. I have not seen such an attitude in any other democracy. The policeman has no doubt a duty to protect. He is by the same token entitled to advise those whom he is expected to protect. A final word on the Delhi Police performance. After moments of initial dithering, they got their act together and gave a stellar performance. The trial judge did well in complimenting the investigators. The public should do likewise. Nothing can motivate a police force better than such wholesome feedback. One must remember that the Delhi Police, despite all its faults, operates under extremely difficult circumstance, and they can do with some praise.n (The
writer is a former Director
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Of tractors, mud and stars
Uproariously
we raised slogans at the onset of our summer vacation when my sister
and I were ceremoniously driven to our glorious village, my little
world. Oh! The waves of exhilaration gushed through me at full
pressure like water out of a tubewell. My lungs sang a mellifluous
folklore in accompaniment with the “dhug dhug dhug” of a passing
tractor. A high-pitched “Sat Sri Akaal, chachaji” was welcomed
with an eye-touching full-blossomed smile. Royally, we plonked
ourselves on chachaji's tractor and waved at the passersby who out of
a peculiar curiosity had stuck themselves to their windows. The tall
sunflowers looked away from the sun to welcome us and swayed to the
music as my other essential organs broke into a gidha and bhangra
performance. In summers the cocktail of shady trees, the leaf-strewn roads and the dirt paths erupting from them, the tall weed blurring the horizon, the smell of mud mixed with marigold and the quietness promised abundant peace. Swarms
of barefoot to-be-teenagers in their short pants came to marvel the
new devices which we had carried from the city. The formidable power
cuts were unaffecting and led us to the thick jaman tree where Bibi
Jageero, who presided over the whole village sitting on her “manji”
(traditional bed), waited for us to bring her the new happenings of
the “pind” (village) and the gentle banter continued thereafter.
The hush fell only on Sunday evenings when after a weeklong wait a
Punjabi movie was telecasted featuring Gugu Gill, who roared a Punjabi
dialogue, and Mehar Mittal threw us in guffaws of laughter. The
Rangla Punjab gleamed in its best shades as the sun floated from east
to west. Mystified shade-work of nature led us to believe that blue
and green was the best earthly combination. The beautiful hues of the
dusk invited the moon and we readied ourselves to sleep under the roof
of stars. Ritualistically, my father asked, "Tusi minu dasso k
bed star kithe e" (Tell me where the bed star is?). And with
heightened curiosity we pursued the challenge with a telescopic eye
until one of us gave out a yelp in order to announce victory. The
ritual was punctuated by riddles. And in no time sleep cascaded over
us and we drifted into a Zen-like sleep. Yes, Punjab has modernised. There are not only tall buildings but also tall hopes of Industrialisation. The number of schools has multiplied (as claimed by the government). There is talk of having casinos and horse racing courses. Punjabis have become internet savvy and soon online lottery systems will be ready. But
I miss the time when neighbours had common walls, not just brothers. I
miss the time when tall houses were just landmarks. I miss the time
when girls shied away at the mere mention of their marriage. I miss
the time when “lassi” was the most relished beverage and not
alcohol.n
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Nothing can save the day DON’T judge a book by its cover and never a film by its cast. So what if the film boasts of a gifted actor like Naseeruddin Shah and a fairly talented one like Randeep Hooda? So what if it comes from the stable of the same maker who gave us a finely executed A Wednesday?
John Day not only doesn’t come anywhere close…it’s a complete wash out. From start to finish? Well, to be honest it does begin with a promise as a young boy and a girl find themselves in a lonely estate and swim in a lake close by; you brace yourself for a thrilling ride ahead. A chill does run down your spine. Cut…as the film moves to the next frame the girl is already dead (after all girls who lie to their parents can’t hope to arrive home safe and sound) and you are more than curious if not on the edge of the seat to solve the mystery. The film moves forward to two years in time when a robbery takes place in the bank in which the girl’s father John Day (there goes your mystery of the film’s title) works. Come to think of it, the rest of the mystery too is as banal as the piquant name of the film. Actually from here onwards while the narrative tries to fit various pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, including the connection to the girl’s death, you do keep wondering and guessing alright but more out of frustration than awe and wonder. In fact, the film begins to dip the moment good looking Hooda playing a thoroughly corrupt devious cop makes his entry rather irreverently. Trigger-happy malevolent cops who shoot others at the slightest provocation are not new to Bollywood. Only this one kills them by force feeding them with biryani, by deliciously biting out the tongue of his enemies. The ‘biting’ infection spreads to middle class staid John too by the time the film climaxes. Naseer in the part of the ‘middle-aged good guy turned vigilante of sorts’ is convincing in the first half of the film. There is tenderness in his relationship with his wife essayed by Shernaz Patel. But soon his character too goes for a toss. By the end of the film even his enormous talent can’t save the film. As for Hooda...please would someone stop typecasting him as a passionate lover with a quirky streak? Here, his aberrant behaviour is explained by his tormented past of child abuse. In fact, this is where the film fails primarily. There are far too many tangents on which it moves — land mafia, corruption, alcoholism. Why the director even dares to provide us a peep into the plural culture of multi-religious India. All very well… only if the many layers he intended to unpeel had been a wholesome. Only if he had stuck to the genre of the film…. his story wouldn’t have gone so haywire. In a thriller one expects some chills and many thrills, but gore and an overdose of khoon kharaba borrowed from the Spanish original does little to uplift the film. In one of the scenes says a corrupt policeman Shinde (you see yet another consummate actor Vipin Sharma), “Imagine sahib teen ghante ki film ne meri zindagi badal di.” By the way he was referring to Amitabh-starrer Zanjeer. Talking of this one it isn’t worth two hours of your life. And is no game-changer despite the experimental track it bravely attempts to chug on. |
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Fearless factor VIKRAM Bhatt's ASA Productions has been going great guns with its horror fixation. So it comes as no surprise when yet another from that particularly prolific genre factory hits the screens. This Ayush Raina(Mumbai Cutting) directed scare piece doesn't have much to show for all the kills and spills that it engineers from within, though.
A reunion of seven school friends that turns into a nightmare, this movie tries valiantly to explore the powers of the supernatural and the very human fears associated with such paranormal beliefs in the space of one night. The film revolves around seven youngsters who challenge each other to spend a night at an infamous and supposedly haunted hotel in the heart of the city. Achint (Nishant Malkani), Maghesh(Ravish Desai), Samrat(Hasan Zaidi), Maggie (Aparna Bajpai), Neema(Radhika Menon) and Sonia (Nandini Vaid), who get together for a farewell party celebrating their friend Neel(Karan Kundra)'s acceptance for higher studies abroad, enter the sealed Hotel Grandiose and in turn become fodder for the scare factory.Their objective was to have some fun together but the result was altogether different. Little did they know that this would turn out to be the most horrendous night of their life. Blood, gore and body counts are expected from such a fare. So are poorly made-up ghosts, creepy apparitions and sustained clamouring of ventilators. Genre staples abound but there is not much tension to help the scares look crusty and believable. The script lacks cannily carved suspenseful moments. The characters are also not quite well defined. Thankfully the run time is limited to a sharp 1 hour 30 minutes and there is no romance or song and dance to plague our senses or hamper the pace-for which we should be infinitely grateful. Blood curdling and spine-chilling it is not! |
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Crude masti INDER Kumar's attempt to cash in on his past glory comes to a naught mainly because there's nothing new on offer in this stale, un-exciting attempt at comedy that is better suited to Sajid Khan's oeuvre than Kumar's. Nine years ago Masti was seen as funny -even if it was a little stupid. Grand Masti is entirely out-of-this planet—so to speak! It's tasteless, sexually in-your-face kind and completely carnal in its treatment of women. Coming at a time when rapes, gender-based violence and sexploitation are being seen in increasing numbers in the real world—one would think that Bollywood would have at least reined in the 'bad taste'—at least up to the extent that it was not seen as offensive. But that was not to be. In his efforts to make the front benchers salivate, Inder Kumar and his team constructed a narrative that is far-fetched and ill-advised. The jokes are funny but the overkill makes it just a little too exasperating to be mistaken as fun. This movie reunites Deshmukh, Oberoi and Shivdasani as Amar, Meet and Prem respectively, and shows them as three un-happily married men returning to college for their reunion in Shree Lalchand University of Technology and Science, otherwise known as SLUTS and of course, they get into trouble. Once on the campus, the trio seeks out Rose, Mary and Marlow for some much needed extra-marital sustenance. What follows is a series of carnally inclined and improbably ridiculous situations, obnoxious song and dance sequences, cringe-inducing dialogues and demeaning performances. The entire attempt seems to be concentrated on glorifying philandering. Grand Masti perpetuates a world view that is stereotypical of the chauvinistic male — one that believes in women being a chattel, available to their every whim and desire. This one is terribly disturbing and annoying. |
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Movies on tv
Saturday september 14 Movies ok 11:10aM Kal Ho Naa Ho is a Bollywood romantic comedy-drama film, directed by director Nikhil Advani. The film was written by Niranjan Iyengar and Karan Johar and produced by Yash Johar and Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner. The music of the film was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with lyrics written by Javed Akhtar. ZEE CINEMA 7:19AM Jaanam Samjha Karo 10:50AM Kudrat Ka Kanoon 1:57PM The Real Tiger 5:16PM Maine Pyar Kiya 9:00PM Nayak INDIA TALKIES 9:30AM Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam 1:00PM Om Shanti Om 4:30PM Cheeni Kum 8:00PM Dharam Adhikari ZEE CLASSIC 9:51AM Dus Numbri 12:59PM Padosan 4:02PM Bagawat 7:00PM Shaan 10:00PM Pyar Jhukta Nahin ZEE STUDIO 8:00AM Gladiator 10:10AM You Again 1:00PM The Grudge 3 2:50PM Surrogates 4:45PM George of the Jungle 6:45PM The Bong Connection 9:30PM The Tudors (Season 1) 10:30PM American Pie 2 STAR MOVIES 7:40AM Con Air 10:00AM The Front Row with Anupama Chopra 10:30AM Jurassic Park III 12:27PM X-Men 2:07PM X2: X-Men United 4:42PM X-Men: The Last Stand 6:49PM X-Men Origins: Wolverine 9:00PM Prometheus 11:22PM Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines MOVIES OK 8:20AM Na Tum Jaano Na Hum 11:10AM Kal Ho Naa Ho 3:15PM Kaal 6:00PM Force 9:00PM The Great Veera STAR GOLD 8:50AM Krishna 11:45AM Dhadkan 2:45PM Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani 5:55PM Duplicate 9:00PM Dhammu 11:20PM
Raaz: The Mystery Continues SONY PIX 8:30AM Shrek 2 10:27AM Hancock 12:27PM The Tower 2:44PM The Tuxedo 4:41PM Rocky IV 6:39PM Robocop 2 9:00PM How to Train your Dragon 11:02PM Blue Lagoon: The Awakening Sunday
September 15 Star movies 11:55am John Carter is an American science fiction adventure film directed by Andrew Stanton and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on A Princess of Mars, the first book in the Barsoom series of novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film chronicles the first interplanetary adventure of John Carter, portrayed by actor Taylor Kitsch. The motion picture marks the centennial of the character's first appearance. INDIA TALKIES 9:30AM Dharam Adhikari 1:00PM Ra.One 4:30PM Love Aaj Kal 8:00PM Lage Raho Munna Bhai ZEE STUDIO 8:00AM The Bong Connection 10:45AM Steal 1:00PM Prom 3:15PM American Pie 2 5:35PM D-Tox 7:45PM Hostel 9:30PM The Tudors (Season 1) 10:30PM Bulletproof ZEE CLASSIC 7:10AM Toofan Aur Deeya 9:42AM Johny Mera Naam 12:59PM Dharam Veer 4:09PM Zanjeer 7:00PM Ram Teri Ganga Maili 10:00PM Hero MOVIES OK 9:20AM Jajantaram Mamantaram 11:55AM Jolly LLB 2:45PM Deewar: Lets Bring Our Heroes Home 6:20PM Chhoti Si Baat 9:00PM Dulhe Raja STAR GOLD 9:55AM Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii 12:00PM Haathi Mere Saathi 3:45PM Naya Ajooba 5:55PM Fun2shh 9:00PM Dabangg 2 11:40PM Barood ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Laat Saab 10:30AM Love 1:30PM IPS Vikram Singh Rathod 5:30PM Ghatak: The Destroyer 8:30PM Phool Aur Angaar ZEE CINEMA 10:53AM Kasam Hindustan Ki 2:01PM Taarzan: The Wonder Car 5:26PM Agneepath 9:00PM Hum Saath Saath Hain STAR MOVIES 7:17AM Green Zone 9:42AM X-Men Origins: Wolverine 11:55AM John Carter 2:02PM Prometheus 4:27PM WALL-E 6:28PM You Pick the Flick 9:00PM Battleship 11:28PM Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest |
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Kal Ho Naa Ho
John Carter