was thinking about Mahabharata as I went through some pieces of of the great epic on the net. One thing is the 'libido' of women shown in the epic. Sample this:
When Hidimba saw Bhima in the forest , she was enchanted by his leonine shoulders , broad chest and mighty arms. Thus taking the form of a beautiful female she approached Bhima and said.
"O great and mighty man! , I have been struck by Kamadeva's arrow when I saw you , although my brother the Mighty Hidimb has sent me to kill you and your brothers , killing you would give me temporary pleasure; marrying you would ensure that pleasure would be mine for time eternal."
Hmmm--- one thing is for sure the females in the epic were not shy of demanding sexual satisfaction , even if by the use of grandiloquent dialogue as written by Jai Arjun Singh in his popular Blog Jabberwock. One thing is for sure , the epic is far ahead of its times and ironically should show are feminists that ancient vedic culture was not only tolerant of female sexuality but seemed to encourage it.
Another Sample: Ulupi the queen of the Nagas , took Arjuna to the bottom of the Ganges and asked him this:
"O great warrior , you of the deep chest and resonating voice , you of the dark complexion and sensual eyes . Accept me as your wife and spend the next three days with me in my palace underwater".
After this another sexually charged dialogue , Arjuna accepts Ulupi and according to the epic "knows her as a husband " for three days.
Brilliant, isn't it , when women were so free to choose their husbands and were also well versed in the art of mesmerising poetry the "O warrior" , "O Bheema," being used everywhere.
The Mahabharata is not only brilliant as an epic but is also good for an exercise in high camp on lighter days.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Rocky Series
Was checking out Rocky Balboa on the DVD this weekend. Although had read reviews that the movie was good and worth checking out , most impressed was by James Berardinelli's views in this matter. (It is another matter that I almost agree with him almost everytime I read one of his reviews.)
The movie was good , surprisingly it showed good emotional depth and ability to again bring Rocky as the top of the line character. This aspect being one of the highlights of the movie. Stallone had a very "punchy way of unfolding the narrative , though the films started going low on substance from the second film onwards and made a mockery of itself with the fifth instalment ; Rocky balboa redeems an otherwise downhill story.
The best part of the films is that Boxing is used as a cathartic expression of an aging but gallant hero. Rocky's need to again apply for his licence is not shown as an attempt by an Old action star to reclaim some lost glory , it is an attempt by a warrior to show to the world that the heroism is intact however gnarled and geriatric it may have become. Rocky's beloved better half Adrianne is dead and the pugilist is fighting bouts of depression with a feeling of emptiness and the apathy of dealing with a son who considers his father's legacy a burden.
The emotional aspects of the story start drawing when Rocky tells his son about the gallantry of taking life's hardest punches and still getting up to fight another day. This was my favourite line in the movie , though some may consider it over the top , it never is banal . Stallone makes the utterance of the lines very credible in deadpan but emotional "Rocky Balboa" style. This is the essence of the whole series when Rocky was able to win against better opponents through willpower , grit and the ability to take the 'worst hits' and still come back strongly and win.
This movie is not about winning or losing as Rocky again proves to the world that by lasting for 10 rounds against a champion half his age , and giving him the toughest fight of his life he proves to himself and his son that Life is about taking punches and still giving it back. Rocky Balboa is a fitting tribute to end this series as the last one was a disaster. This movie redeems the protagnist before our eyes and not because he is a great Boxer but he is one of Life's great champions.
I have always been a Fan of the Rocky series and apart from the fifth instalment , I believe that the series was very good. People can argue that the second , third and the fourth instalments were creatively dead and had little meat , I would like to differ. Agreed! the three mentioned instalments were certainly not in the league of the first which was really the Original "Italian Stallion" but these movies were about the triumph of the Human soul and certainly were decent no matter "Warts and all". Rocky and Rocky Balboa are the movies which use boxing as a way of Rocky's redemption whereas the rest can be viewed as pure visceral fun which is nevertheless endearing.
The movie was good , surprisingly it showed good emotional depth and ability to again bring Rocky as the top of the line character. This aspect being one of the highlights of the movie. Stallone had a very "punchy way of unfolding the narrative , though the films started going low on substance from the second film onwards and made a mockery of itself with the fifth instalment ; Rocky balboa redeems an otherwise downhill story.
The best part of the films is that Boxing is used as a cathartic expression of an aging but gallant hero. Rocky's need to again apply for his licence is not shown as an attempt by an Old action star to reclaim some lost glory , it is an attempt by a warrior to show to the world that the heroism is intact however gnarled and geriatric it may have become. Rocky's beloved better half Adrianne is dead and the pugilist is fighting bouts of depression with a feeling of emptiness and the apathy of dealing with a son who considers his father's legacy a burden.
The emotional aspects of the story start drawing when Rocky tells his son about the gallantry of taking life's hardest punches and still getting up to fight another day. This was my favourite line in the movie , though some may consider it over the top , it never is banal . Stallone makes the utterance of the lines very credible in deadpan but emotional "Rocky Balboa" style. This is the essence of the whole series when Rocky was able to win against better opponents through willpower , grit and the ability to take the 'worst hits' and still come back strongly and win.
This movie is not about winning or losing as Rocky again proves to the world that by lasting for 10 rounds against a champion half his age , and giving him the toughest fight of his life he proves to himself and his son that Life is about taking punches and still giving it back. Rocky Balboa is a fitting tribute to end this series as the last one was a disaster. This movie redeems the protagnist before our eyes and not because he is a great Boxer but he is one of Life's great champions.
I have always been a Fan of the Rocky series and apart from the fifth instalment , I believe that the series was very good. People can argue that the second , third and the fourth instalments were creatively dead and had little meat , I would like to differ. Agreed! the three mentioned instalments were certainly not in the league of the first which was really the Original "Italian Stallion" but these movies were about the triumph of the Human soul and certainly were decent no matter "Warts and all". Rocky and Rocky Balboa are the movies which use boxing as a way of Rocky's redemption whereas the rest can be viewed as pure visceral fun which is nevertheless endearing.
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