Where has humour gone??

As a society, Indian in specific and maybe the world in general we seem to be losing humour, or so I feel. If that be the case sad indeed it is.

One misses humour in arts. Not many movies have humour in it, save some slapstick. On the idiot box comedies are extinct; a few that are on are re-runs. As for pen on paper, there too humour is sadly missed, not to mention the lack in variety of humour across the board. The only genre that is hanging by a thin strand seems to be slapstick. And when we do come across what should have been seen as humour we seem to slot in very different boxes. Cannot help mentioning here the letter (on the blogosphere which was nothing but a rant-“Open letter to a Delhi boy”) in which a vast section saw everything but humour……

Are we becoming too morose and sceptical? Are we taking ourselves way too seriously that we cannot laugh at ourselves? Are we becoming too cautious? Humour to a large extent is at some one’s expense, are we becoming too weary of offending & being offended? Are we becoming more polite and guarded? Are we in this whole process letting go of humour? Is our intolerance robbing us of our humour?

How many friends can we think off who can make us laugh through the evening? How many times do we find ourselves rolling over with laughter at home or with a bunch of friends? Are the skills vanishing?Mimicking, buffoonery, parodying, playing pranks….The few, who keep us entertained, are the ones who make fun of themselves be it by gloating or poking fun, or opening gates to be poked fun at. A few communities seem to fare better, worth a mention are the Sardars, most sardar jokes are cracked/created by sardars. Mallus in pockets manage the same; the trick again is to laugh atoneself.

Having said that, both as individuals and communities humour seems to be dying. Ultra sensitivity, Intolerance, chauvinism, guardedness… seems to rule in today’s time and space. 

Head On – Botham’s Biography

with his family

Interesting read…more so for those of us who grew up in the era of the great all-rounder – Botham, Hadlee, Imran & Kapil (alphabetic order) a breed that has been rare over the years in cricket and for four to play in the same era was something indeed. The book has been largely about himself and English cricket as it ought to be…no pot  shots aimed at publicity. Many a times it is about giving his version to popular controversies at that time (Also realize how much of that actually got carried in the Indian press).

Driving – The Western Ghats in Monsoon

Few months back with the Monsoon setting in over the western ghats, had the opportunity to drive through the monsoon rains…Words could hardly describe the beauty or the serenity or the happiness experienced. Taking to the roads has been a joy to me for some time now, in the last few years have found greater joy driving in the rain. Have always loved the rain, but until recently (a couple of years or little more maybe) never cherished the thought of driving in the rain..Gladly no more the case.
Rains in the Ghats give the green an ethereal beauty. The clean air, the smell of rain, low hanging clouds…when the line differentiating cloud and mist is very thin.There are few joys that match up to being on the roads with friends. Lucky am I to have folks who enjoy a drive with no fixed plans or timeline. Step out enjoy the rain, feel the wet earth beneath ones bare feet.. feel the drops of water trickle down ones face.. none of this, is any less then bliss, add to that a some brilliant songs managing to play itself at the right times.It is something indeed.

Funnily extreme joys has an uncanny way of being followed by a melancholic state bordering at sadness. Was told an interesting theory behind that, goes something like this – When the mind is over joyed and happy with nature, the mind relaxes and gets languid and at this time some of the not so happy moments which we have brushed under the carpet and bottled away just find a way of slipping out and more often than not one is not able to articulate why and what that emotion is about. Not sure if that is the case. On more then one occasion, driving through the wet, misty ghats with its foliage and canopied roads – when I believed, I had never before experienced that kind of beauty, peace and joy I found the melancholic cloud descend on me with out any  cause or calling.. wonder why and how?? Is it that one is not entitled to experience such beauty with out allowing a realization to hit – of where we are in our daily life, crowding ourselves with mundane at time meaningless tasks and activities to fill our hollow existence. Is it the hollowness?? or a glimpse of what life ought to be?? Aspirations?? All viewed through a set of parameters so different from the ones we use in our daily lives.Is it just the case of “The other side of the fence being greener” ? Is the mind being enamored by change? More often then not the road not taken is full of joy and we refuse to see the perils and challenges generously sprinkled (the likelihood of it being very high) as on any other road. Not sure what it  is….

One looks at this beauty and the effect it has and wonders, how a few generations back folks lived amidst these environs and possibly lived a fuller life.(not to mean that they did not have hardships). Amazed how a couple of hours and a few hundred kilometers away from our lives (Bangalore in this case) we are transported to another world.

More pictures from the drives
PS: Afterthought – this never seems to happen driving through bright sunny terrains or for that on a star/moon lit night. Wonder if it is too do with the quality of light (seems to happen with wast wilderness at dusk too)

The Millennium Trilogy – By Stieg Larsson

Brilliant Trilogy –  A Must Read

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played With fire; The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest. 

The characters are brilliant, their interplay and how relationships develop depicts great strengths. Rare it is to see strong female characters being a very important part of the story, if not the protagonist. All the characters are well developed and unique. One common strand running past all the main characters of the story is their strength. This is displayed in varied ways, some in their silence and solitude, some in the capability of letting people be and being there for them some in their vivacious zest for life. The not so nice people in the book also come across as strong individuals.

A truth most of us refuse to accept and shun, both in life and realms of arts. No one owns a person lock stock and barrel. Blomkvist, Erika and their concepts of friendship and love are sure worth a read.Some of the lines in the book are standout and thought provoking – Very tempting to put to use. 🙂

Lisbeth Salander, Blomkvist, Erika Berger are all impressive,the characters with relatively short play in the story leave just as  impressive a mark – (to name a few Dragan Armansky, Holger Palmgren, Greger the Vagner Family).

Forced to pick one trait that runs through the book, it would have to be – Strong People. The other high point is the portrayal of the women….All that apart there is a fair share of intrigue and suspense which makes it a fast read…. Many believe that all incidents in the Millennium series have happened or are a close reflection of incidents that have happened in Sweden.

Brilliant work by Stieg Larson – All the three books were published after his death. Stieg Larson was an activist and journalist. He was considered to be an expert on the right wing activists in Sweden and was their bête noire. There has been a sense of intrigue. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stieg_Larsson 

Footnote: Yet to come across anyone who has read the book and did not like it…..
Please do not read the book out of sequence

The book was made into a Swedish movie

The Hollywood production of the book is expected to release in Jan 2012(lead actors Daniel Craig & Rooney Mara)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568346/