Les Miserables : A musical miracle

Correct pronunciation: Leh MisErAaH (with phlegm :P) B. 

A highly anticipated one this. I saw the poster and  melted on the spot. It seemed quite impossible that a movie starring Hugh Jackman ( X-men, The Prestige), Russel Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind), Anne Hathaway(The Princess Diaries, The Devil wears Prada) and Helena Bonham Carter ( Alice in Wonderland, A King's Speech)  could be nothing less than sensational.. and I was right.

Set in the early 19th Century, amidst the chaos of the French Revolution, while Paris was swathed in poverty and disease, it tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), a convict. Having served 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread (yes, you heard right) he breaks parole and is on the run from Inspector Javert( Russell Crowe) , an officer who believed that civil and moral duties are one and the same. Valjean, under a different name, becomes a well respected and loved man who helps people to the best of his ability. Later, he gets tangled in the Revolutionary activities of that time, one whose leaders falls in love with his daughter, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried).

The movie speaks of bravery, patriotism and love, beautifully crafted and written.  

Having grown up with film adaptations of popular musicals ( Although they werent shot in my time, I'm talking about  movies like My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, A Sound of Music and Annie ) I am no stranger to the characters randomly bursting into song in the middle of the movie. Little did I anticipate that every dialogue be in tune and rhyme, which made the audience including myself quite restless at each solo song number. The movie would have been received better if there were a few dialogues in it.
Quite impressive, however was the fact that they could incorporate two and half hrs' worth of songs ( 49 musical numbers to boot) and also the fact that they compressed one of the longest novels ever written ( 1500 pages by the illustrious Victor Hugo) into that time frame.  (Kudos to the people who wrote the stage musical)

The music gives you chills. Not only the many beautiful songs, my personal favorites being In my life , Castle on a cloud and Do you hear the people sing? but the score itself. It brought you into the essence of the time in which it was taken and pulls at your soul.
The acting was (as expected) magnificent. I m not one to get involved in a movie but this one dragged me into its storyline and I felt the misery of its characters. 

I loved Hugh Jackman here, not only is his acting top-class, but his singing also proves what a talented man he is. The story also proves that you shouldn't mess with Wolverine's life! 

Aaron Tviet as Eljolras

 I love how Helena Bonham Carter is always there to play the crazy woman, and play it to perfection. 

One part of the storyline which irritated me was the fact that the less good-looking of the two leaders( Eddie Redmayne as Marius) had two girls in love with him, while the epitome of Adonis-like facial features ( Aaron Tviet as Enjolras) died a valiant and bloody death (sigh) . Also the fact that Cosette merely had to exist to have Marius fall in love with her whereas Eponine ( played by Samantha Barks) took a bullet and died for him and still couldnt capture his affections. 

The ending would hav definitely brought many a tear to any Frenchman/woman in the audience, and it makes you feel a sense of patriotism and national identity like the people who are fighting for a better life.

Bottomline: Must watch for anyone who enjoys beautiful music and good acting. Also a must watch for anyone interested in French history and a good-looking cast ;). A small warning that the overuse of music may bore you a bit, but I feel that a small amount of boredom is a small price to pay for such raw and perfect quality. And all this for a loaf of bread! 

Ah The Weather

I am back home in Kuwait and it feels amazing! The weather is gorgeous, the kind which makes you want to sit on that special spot on the bed where the sunlight filters in, warming your face as you snuggle cozily into your oversized purple sweater and fluffy orange socks (or is that just me?) .

Already about 12 days in and I have no desire to return at this point. Not because I dont like it there, dont get me wrong, I love it back in Singapore, but for the want of better weather conditions back in the sultry place I now call home.

Let me run you through an average December day in the Lion City, in terms of the weather conditions.

9AM, a gentle pleasant breeze meanders its way through the contours of my hostel (though I would hardly know, being seldom awake at that hour having dragged my overworked butt to bed merely 3 hours earlier). At this point, you're thinking "Hey this day might actually be good'. Dont delude yourself.

Because by 12 noon satan has poured his demonic wrath upon your head in a siege of apoplectic sun-blazing rage. Searing heat and blinding sunshine is the order of the day as you get to your class half blind and sweating like crazy. ( only to later freeze in the AC blasts of the lecture theatres)

At 3PM the sky goes overcast and you are thinking "Hallelujah its gonna rain and I might actually feel good". The sky pulls a troll face and pees hot, humidifying rain on your head, not the kind that you would wanna play in, but they kind that makes you want to bury yourself in the deepest, darkest corner of your room and die a mildewy death.

By 8PM the sky is done relieving itself (yes it rains for 5 hours) and then you are left to drown in your sweat until you go to bed, which in my case is about 6 AM, so basically the best time of the day is when you are actually asleep and dont feel anything.

And there you have it.  I would like to say no offence to the people who might take offence in this post, (although i was merely stating the obvious). I love Singapore and I would never have been happier anywhere else :) .

Enjoy the weather peeps while it lasts!

Pack, girl.

Staring at my room, turned upside down in my desperate attempt to find a minute object which I havent used but would probably need to in the near future, and trying to figure out how to compress a room into a bunch of boxes and suitcases, I turned on my arsenal of Disney music. (long sentence :O)
I call it arsenal because it arms my moods to face the day ahead. Anyway, "Mine"" (click the link to listen to it) from Pocahontas started playing, and I found myself singing along, spontaneously changing the lyrics to suit my situation.. This is what I came up with.

  The fields of Hiroshima,
the battles at Puerto Rico,
will seem like mere playgrounds,
by this time tomorrow.
The stuff you find here,
if ever to be found.
oh with all in ya girl,
pack up your room, girl.

Pack, girl, pack all your stuff
and dig, girl, dig through this crap
Grab a broom, girl.
you;re doomed girl,
lest you get this mess,
get this loverly mess cleaned up.

Pack pack and packety pack..
hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny.
oh how I hate it!
hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny.
there are heaps of it and I am on top of this heap!

My parents back home, oh how they worry
see how they squirm
my room looks like a quarry.
The cleaners hate what they see,
the management will throw me,
they ll quarantine me!

Pack girl, pack everything,
pack this stuff until its sparkling.


Pack pack and packety pack..
hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny.



All of my life I have searched for a bag like this one!!
A wide or more spacious bag I couldnt desire!
Hundreds of compartments await and I dont plan to miss one!
This room I can tame, if this bag I can claim!
This bag will one day be MINE!!!
MINE!
MINE!

Pack pack,pack  and packety pack..(3)

Keep on working girl! Dont keep shirking girl!
Pack pack,pack  and packety pack..(3)

Nearly time

First semester is getting over...Already?
My classes have finished, my final crit is drawing to a close.. (yes I am blogging from crit) and my tickets are booked.
I cant wait! Just the final exams to survive.. shouldnt be too hard right?
This vacation is the time to recuperate and reset myself, a time to reflect and improve, to look back on the semester (which wasnt so great) and think of ways to begin the next one.
Still a long way to go.
Cant wait to go home.. to sleep in my own bed, to not worry about food and to feel the love of my friends and family once more. most importantly.. To poop in my own toilet!!! yayyyy
Still 3 whole weeks to go.. so need to be patient and strong!
Ok I ran out of things to say... I shall go now. 

Tons of work.. and Im blogging

Go Figure. Mountains of submissions and a quiz tomorrow (20 % of my grade) plus a serious brain storming session required and i decide to blog after so long. Ah College.what can I say?

Despite having the incredible fortune of being good enough to get into one of the best Universities in the World ( The National University of Singapore, for those who have been living under a rock) I feel as inadequate as ever. But Im learning. Its a painfully slow process, trying to redeem yourself after one fiasco after another.
So far my worst module has been the one in which I m supposed to put in the most work. Following a particularly bad critique session wherein I actually failed to turn in an assignment, I was feeling more dejected than ever.
But following a weekend of plunging myself in "feel good" activities and intense counselling sessions ith my friends I started feeling better. Atleast I am good at writing essays.
But I am getting those feelings again. Mostly fear. And lack of inspiration. I am terrified of the outcome of this crit as I have not yet managed to come up with a brainwave. Divine inspiration just dosent come you know. I dont think  my shrunken heart ( wonderfully coupled with my shrunken brain -.-) can take another failure.
So here I sit, bunking archery class, in Starbucks, snacking on their delightful Christmas menu ( Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha, a genius of combination) and a muffin, hoping the change in location would help. So far not much. planning to sit here till I do get something.
I hope I do.

Wow.. Its been so long

College. Killing brain cells since the beginning of time.
Horribly homesick right now. I ve had such a rough week I need a month to recover.
If only going home was as simple as clicking your heels three times.. what I wouldnt give for Ruby slippers right now.
I have no right to complain, I know. I got into the most prestigious college I applied to. I feel like a small fish in an ocean and I dont even know how to swim.
I have nothing else to say.
I ll come back when I something interesting to say.

Harry Potter Exhibition!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP *fangirl scream*

I had chills running up and down my spine as I entered that hall, donned in a black witches hat, in the magnificent ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay sands, Singapore.

Anticipation building ever since I read about the Exhibition in December, I was nearly faint with excitement.  In fact, my cousin and I were considering not entering for a while, to build it up even more. But we couldn't resist, and burst in with nervous excitement.

First thing we saw was a huge model of the flying Ford Anglia, suspended from the ceiling in all its Powder Blue glory. Assuming that pictures weren't allowed from this point on, I didn't take a snap, much to my dismay when I found out later that it was allowed at the entrance.
Thats where I bought my Harry Potter Exhibition guide. An amazingly printed book with a replica of Harry's letter in the underflap.
An official gave us scarves and wands (I specifically requested Ravenclaw) and my two cousins and I took a picture in front of a greenscreen (which later became the exterior of Hogwarts) to remember our time here. I did trouble the official for a while, refusing to return the wand or the scarf, but I reluctantly had to hand it over.
It was dimly lit, and movie posters lined the walls, with the Soundtrack playing softly in the background. Heart thudding in my chest,  we entered through a fog like screen which had a projection of "Harry Potter: the Exhibition" on it.
We entered an antechamber where an official in robes and hat stood waiting, next to a stool and Sorting Hat in hand. After welcoming us and warning us that photos are strictly prohibited inside the main doors, that we were being constantly monitored by Death Eaters, (and that our muggle cameras wouldn't work anyway) she asked for a volunteer.
True Hermione style, my hand shot up before she finished the word "volunteer".(or in the words of Katniss: I VOLUNTEER!!!!!) . She beckoned me over and this was the dialogue that followed:

She: So whats your name, and where are you from?
Me: Bhavani, I m from Kuwait.
She: ooh!Kuwait! Did you come all this way for the exhibition?
Me: Pretty Much (grins)
She: So how did you get here, Broom, Floo Powder?
Me: Flying carpet (lowers voice to a whisper) I know its illegal, but don't tell anyone
She: I ll let you off this time (winks). So whats your favorite house?
Me: Ravenclaw
She: ohhhh of a sharp mind! Do you think she has the brains to get into Ravenclaw?
(my cousins snigger)
She places the Sorting Hat in my head and a voice from above placed me in...RAVENCLAWW!!
that was an experience in itself.

She then called another girl and asked her the same questions, having answered Gryffindor (as her favorite house) and failing to reply as wittingly as I had done (hem hem) she replied with a weird giggle laugh that she came by MRT because she could find the Hogwarts Express (filthy muggle). To which the girl spontaneously replied: Muggle Rapid Transport? and proceeded to put her in Slytherin for annoying her. (BOOYAH)

We entered the next room... and found a wall with screens on it, which played a video about the wonderful journey of  Potter, and the wall opened to reveal the Hogwarts Express!
At that point I had tears in my eyes, seriously missing my Best Potterhead Friend, imagining her hand in mine and our fangirl screams echoing through the halls.

The Exhibition was beyond my imagination. The tiniest details which go into the creation of the costumes and sets were astounding. Every single wand on display was unique; differently carved and coloured to suit the handlers personalities. The feel of the robes (sssh we were not allowed to touch; but couldn't resist fingering Alan Rickman's Snape robes and Tom Felton's Draco Quidditch Robes like a creepy maniac)
They had replicas of Hagrid's hut, Buckbeak, the Forbidden Forest and Umbridge's foul pink office.
They had Quidditch robes, and a game in which you had to throw a Quaffle through a hoop, and another where you could pull a mandrake out of a pot.

They had the robes of almost every member of the cast, exhibits of the Three Hallows and the 6 Horcruxes.

The gift shop was to die for. Unfortunately I had only enough cash for a Tshirt and a Chocolate Frog, and had to resist sliding pens and necklaces, not to mention wands, into my bag.

The Harry Potter Exhibition was a magical experience, a reminder of the amazing vastness of the Potter fandom that we thread in love and excitement forever more...

Always.

Home

Its been over two months and I still miss Kuwait like hell.
Oil runs in my blood. :P
I did this with clay, paint and toothpicks. Ana Kuwaiti! :D

To Do list.

Had fun today composing a To do list. Where? At the electronics store, on their brand new iPad on display. xD I probably made some poor bored blokes day. thought i d post it here.. Whatever I remember that is. Probably add some more.
This was WAY more fun than it should have been.

1.Make To Do list
2.Draft Letter to Hogwarts
3.Survive the Hunger Games
4.Kidnap Emma Watson
5.Dig To China
6.Tell kids the truth about Santa
7.Laugh manically while they cry.
8.Visit the Cat in the Hat and speak in Rhyme
9.Go to Madagascar and tell King Julien that you're "physically fit"
10.Stand outside random phone booth telling people "I m the Doctor"
11.Attend Simba's presentation.
12.Steal Nadal's Underwear and buy him good ones.
13.Tell McDonald's That you're Hating It.
14.Compliment Hitler on his moustache.
15.Ask Tarzan where he goes shopping.
16.Borrow Poseidon's trident to pick your teeth
17. Talk a whole day in a British Accent.
18.Blow a raspberry every time your teacher speaks.
19.Search for Nargles.
20.Throw a grenade at Bruno Mars
21.Set Fire to the Rain
22.Use Wolverine's claws to roast marshmallows.
23.Buy Socks
24.Learn Dancing from fireflies
25.Hug Lord Voldything
26. Hang up paintings. Use Thor's hammer to put the nails.
27.Teach Stephanie Mayer the difference between a werewolf and an animagus
28. Turn to page 394
29.Like Yoda I must talk
30. Ask Rebecca Black what day it is.
31. Learn the Moves like Jagger Whistle.
32. Hide in a closet for days and when asked where i was, answer: "Narnia beckons".
33.Turn Up the Music till the speakers blow.
34.Twirl on a random hill singing, "the hills are alive with the  Sound of Music"
35.Test Unbreakable Crockery.
36.Hand out free ice cream
37. Steal Captain Jack Sparrow's hat.
38.Find Nemo.
39.Train a Dragon
40.Make people laugh with this list. :D

Damn have a lot of stuff to do. xD

Love before marriage.. a crime?

Its time to get serious.
One problem with me is.. I am way too opinionated for my own good. I need to express my views on anything and everything. So here's today's view..

I was watching todays episode of Satyamev Jayate hosted by the ever illustrious Aamir Khan.
It was about marriage and how couples in love just face a lot of problems from society.
Indian society is screwed up. That is a fact. We are all so worried about what the neighbour would say to realise that we are eating away at our own happiness.
Ours is a society that shuns young love but will watch lusty Bollywood movies with wide eyes and drooling mouths. Hypocritical.
Is love bad? Why does society treat it as a crime?
People cant conveniently fall in love with a person from the same caste and religion. Love knows no boundaries. Disney has been emphasising this point from 1937. If a mermaid can fall in love with a human, anythings possible.
So what if shes poor? So what if hes not from the same religion? So what if shes older? the family is not accepting it? Is the family gonna live with the couple? How do you know that the person you choose would be a good person?
I do agree that eloping is never the option. You cant snub your parents who have loved you from day one for a person who has newly arrived into your life. Parents love you and want the best for you.  but a little discussion would help.

But it does not give one a right to punish the couple in question. Much less to murder them brutally. Indian law clearly states that two adults in mutual agreement can marry.
And yet we see child marriage accepted by society.
Is tradition separate from the Law? Do you disregard the law to maintain tradition? Has it ever occurred to you that tradition could be wrong and that to progress, changing it could be the only option?

I never understood the idea of arranged marriage. Does it make sense to marry and live your life with a man whom you cannot trust since you ve met him for the first time, rather than a man you have known, loved and trusted for years? But arranged marriages are accepted by society. and expected.
Sometimes an unaccepted marriage is the most prosperous. And the guy you thought was a perfect choice for your daughter could turn out to be a real douchebag.

Its sick. Not all love is sex-lust. Why is that the first thought in your head?
Broaden your minds people. The new generation seems to be more mature than you are.

Rant over.

A day in the Dentist Office

People get so nervous going to the dentist... I on the other hand was fascinated by the whole venture . Of course, if the dentist had greeted me with a humongous needle, it would have been a different story..

The whole time I was thinking about how terrible a dentist's job must be, staring into mouths, saliva flowing everywhere, not to mention the hideous bad breath the patients must have..... then again , its better than most. (one example would be a gynecologist)
I felt like Mr.Bean the whole time. Specially when she was cleaning my teeth, the weird vaccum cleaner thingamajig whose high pitched whirring noise got on my nerves. The polishing device sounded like she was taking a really tiny drill to my mouth and I was imagining hoover polishing onto the enamel so clean that she could check her reflection on it.

I suddenly started to imagine what it ll be like to be a celebrity's dentist, and to catch them in their most unflattering of positions. Imagine Shah Rukh Khan or Aishwarya Rai, Hugh Jackman or Anne Hathaway with their mouths wide open, lips flapping in the most ridiculous manner. I wonder if their dentists feel a certain position of power and how much they are paid to not click a picture at once and send it to the ravenous paparazzi waiting outside.

Yes. I am bored. But boredom makes people do wondrous things does it not?
Or is that desperation? 

Parody- Board at ICSK

Here is a parody of "Party in the USA"-Miley Cyrus I did during our 10th grade boards... over 2 years ago. Thought 'd Post it here to roll in the nostalgia :D

1.I jumped off the bus at carmel school, My nightmare coming true...
"Welcome to the land of Board excess."
I m not gonna do well.

Jumped off the bus, here I am for the First(Second?) Time
Looked to my right and I see the Hall ticket sign.
This is all so crazyyyy, Everyone seems so nerdy.
My tummys turning and I m feeling kinda Boardsick,
Too much pressure and I'm nervous.
The bus guys puts on the RADIO
And Suzaas song is heard (3)

CHORUS: So I put my hands up, turned the radio off, the butterflies flit around.
Nodding my head like this, probing my brain like this.
I put my hands up, take the paper, nothings gonna be ok.
Yeah yeah yeah... Board for ICSK.

2. Sat in the hall with my paper,
Everybody's looking at me now...
Like who's that chick who's writing lots,
Gotta be from nerdy town.

So hard, with the nuns all around me
Tis definitely not a postboard party.
Coz all I see are questions,
Did I really have my breakfast?

My tummys turning and I m feeling kinda Boardsick,
Too much pressure and I'm nervous.But when I write my Answer sheet!
The answers were all on..(3)

CHORUS: So I put my hands up, Asked for extra sheet, the butterflies never leave
Nodding my head like this, moving my pen like this.
I put my hands up ask for thread, I guess everythings ok,
Yeah yeah yeah... Board for ICSK.


3.All the papers on the floor.. (on the floor)
Missing my own school tonight.
Something stops me everytime.
The teacher takes my paper and I ll be alright.


CHORUS: So I put my hands up, ask for thread, the butterflies fly away.
Nodding my head like this, tying my sheet like this
I put my hands up,give the sheet away, I hope Im gonna be away.
Yeah yeah yeah... Board for ICSK.


I put my hands up, give my sheet away, 
The butterflies fly away.
Nodding my head like this, moving my hips again.
I put my hands up, the Boards are done, I know i'm gonna be ok.
Yeah yeah yeah
Now THERES A PARTY AT ICSK!

Goodbye just to return.

Sigh.
Its been a long month.
I ve had to say goodbye. Goodbyes suck. I havent cried enough,
Isnt it funny how friendships work?
There are some people whom you take years to get used to. There are also some people you can call best friends after a week of knowing them.
Best week of my life. Just saying.
I have left my home for good. And not a day goes b that I dont miss every particle of dust on that place I call home. I miss everything. My friends. My own bed.My friends. My schoolll (not) . My spiritual place.  My friend. BEACHES. The Laban. The Water. The weather.
The Dust. the malls. The movies. My friends. Freaking Arabic Food.
My Happy Place. My Home.
I miss you Kuwait. 

Numbness

I went back to school on Monday.
It was like walking into an alien land. No feelings. I was separate, and they were separate. No sentiments.
They wouldn't let us meet the teachers. Instead of getting respect as an alumnus meeting my old teachers with the dignity of one, I was reduced to sneaking around in my own school, very much like the days I bunked all those classes.
That final act severed all ties I had to the school I attended for over 7 years.  I entered the auditorium where I shared soo many memories of 6 years of TT training, Pantomime practice and Games periods. I felt nothing. Nada. Zip. This numbness I hope would diminish as I realise I 'm never going back.
I miss the people. But not the school/
 But as of now, I dont care.
I am Numb. Painless.

FrEeDoM!!

Ah At Last :)

Freedom is here. The feeling of relief just transcends all emotion. Funnily enough, however, I have had absolutely no inspiration since the Boards got over- but a lot of fun outings. Made friends, went crazy, ate more ice-cream than I care to admit. And it's not even been a week.
Tried to catch up on some reading. Reading the Hunger Games right now, and I have to finish it before tomorrow for the simple reason that I m watching the movie tomorrow with a big gang of friends :).
It shouldn't be too difficult. I ve finished Harry Potter in a day. This book has half that many pages.

 I like this book, but it has a few glitches. Not revealing them yet because I havent completely finished it. It dosent contain the genius of a few other authors perhaps, but the idea is brilliant. Extremely original.
This is my first post after the boards, but maaarrrkkkk myyy worrdss *dramatic voice with finger in the air*
It wont be my last.
Godd night.
May the odds be forever in your favor.