Adolescence - A Rather Web Series Review

So, it's been a while since I've talked to my readers. Yeah?

“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”

― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

Amidst the considerable cry of poor climate, heat waves, bad air quality, and feedback cycles, a recent web series pops up in the discussion, which netizens ardently talk about and share their views. Adolescence, a 2025 psychological drama broadcast by Netflix, brings about certain serious concerns for mental health and parenting during adolescence.

What's Adolescence?

Adolescence is the transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an adolescent as any person between the ages of 10 and 19.

Anyways,

Adolescence is a British television psychological crime drama series created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham and directed by Philip Barantini. It centres on a 13-year-old schoolboy named Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) who is arrested after the murder of a girl in his school. Each of its four episodes was shot in one continuous take. (Wikipedia)

While everyone's trying to dig different meanings of the social media emojis and new Gen-Z words, we're directly moving on to the teenage problems and how kids process them.

Whether you've watched the series or not, you might be aware that adolescence is the most sensitive period of one's life. Regardless of nationality, gender, race, ethnicity, language, or education, we all face challenges in our adolescence. At 13, the body and mind grow steadily. The mind soaks up all the meaning, definitions, and information to its capacity, and the body develops speedily. Young kids struggle processing this tough period, and they need a helping hand, a caring touch from parents, friends, teachers, and family, and a calm, empathetic, listening ear to share their anxiety. 

For example, a teenager faces issues talking about his life and emotions to anyone, s/he would find resentment in making fun of others "just to feel good for a while." Going further, s/he would bully someone from the class, try to indicate improper meanings to their own ideology, and thus create a strong shield over their emotions. While sharing emotions and letting the confused thoughts out of the head is the need of the hour. Such teenagers are alienated from the mentally healthy people and seek unrealistic information about his/her own life from the internet and from some unreliable sources. They also demand a lot of attention through malpractices such as negative influence and spreading nuisance whenever they go.

During these tough times, an adolescent doesn't know whom to listen to, whom to follow, and whom to idealize. It is also said that whatever we say, feel, or believe as truth in our adolescence is imprinted in the subconscious mind so strongly that it becomes difficult to wipe off such false understandings later in life. It becomes tougher for a teenager to decipher between true, genuine information and false information.

Sometimes a minor comment or an argument about his/her feelings can affect a teenager's mind to such an extent that s/he shuts all the doors of communication for anyone. And the unexpressed thoughts turn to negativity, and it leads to overthinking, anxiety, and anger issues, leaving the person isolated and lonely.

To find comfort and some resentment, s/he joins the like-minded people who share the same negativity and hatred. Some of them may run a campaign, movement, or create a cult that is supported by an even larger crowd. Among such a crowd, guys like Andrew Tate emerge as a misogynist 'hero' or a 'male supremacist' among such youth. Such people actually create a crowd of sheeple (Sheep+People= sheeple) who blindly fall for their charismatic appearance, heavy voice and rhetoric, luxurious lifestyle, and glamorous appearance. They basically hide themselves behind such tangibles and take the upper hand by showcasing extravagant materialism.

Adolescence is indeed a strong voice among the teenagers and males who can't process their emotions well, and a soothing catharsis for those who are well informed, and always on the bright side of life. Storytelling, narration, facial acting, and camera movement are truly exceptional.

The series captures a strong perspective of all the characters, major and minor, and dives deeper into the mental realms of Jamie Miller, whose spectacular acting captures the audience on their couches. Eddie Miller, as his father, would definitely wet anyone's eyes while walking through his own mental state.

Go have a watch. Take your mental health seriously. Never hesitate to talk. Speak up for your heart.

Thanks for staying tuned...! Ta.

- - - - -

(Possibly) Difficult Terms

RED PILL - Click Here

Confused about manosphere? - Click Here

References for more insight:

1. https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/netflixs-adolescence-a-technical-masterpiece-exploring-teenage-misogyny

2. https://www.outlookindia.com/culture-society/netflixs-adolescence-brings-andrew-tate-back-into-conversation

3. https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/netflix-adolescence-silent-crisis-digital-lives-teenagers-parenting-9927991/

4. https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/adolescence-stephen-graham-interview

5. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/14/the-red-pill-reddit-modern-misogyny-manosphere-men

Kitaab (1977): One Film, Numerous Feelings

Directed by Gulzar, Kitaab is a thoughtful exploration of childhood innocence, perception, and the complexities of adult life as seen through the eyes of a child. The film is notable for its nostalgic yet realistic portrayal of how children view the world, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

A YouTube link for the film

Plot Summary:

Kitaab follows Babla (Master Raju Shrestha), a young boy who is sent away from home to live with his elder sister and attend school in the city. The film begins on a light note, showcasing Babla's playful and carefree nature. However, as he adjusts to life in the city, he becomes disillusioned by the adult world and its hypocrisies. He faces academic pressures, misunderstandings with his family, and the rigidity of societal norms, which eventually lead to his inner turmoil.

The title Kitaab (meaning "book") symbolizes Babla's journey of learning—both the lessons taught in school and the harsh realities of life.

Themes:

Gulzar crafts a narrative that critiques the education system and the loss of innocence as one grows older. The film shows how Babla struggles to reconcile his imaginative and free-spirited worldview with the often harsh and unforgiving adult world. The story emphasizes how children, despite their naivety, have a keen understanding of their surroundings, even if their interpretations are different from those of adults.

Noteworthy Scenes:

1. Babla's Escape into Imagination: In several sequences, Babla daydreams to escape the strictness of school life and the burdens of being "grown up." In one particularly memorable scene, he imagines the letters in his textbook coming to life, dancing around him. This whimsical portrayal of a child's mind captures the film's essence—his internal conflict between the freedom of imagination and the confines of reality.

2. The Train Ride: A significant part of the film focuses on Babla's train journey from his home to the city. This journey is symbolic of his transition from childhood innocence to a more complicated world. The train ride also represents Babla’s internal journey, where he experiences moments of realization and confusion. The cinematography of the landscape passing by highlights his distance from the world he once knew.

3. Babla's Confrontation with His Teacher: In a scene that reflects the flaws of the education system, Babla is reprimanded by his teacher for his poor handwriting and inability to conform to the structured demands of school life. This moment stands out as Babla’s first experience of how society’s institutions suppress creativity and enforce conformity. His frustration is palpable, and it echoes the emotional struggles many children face in academic settings.

4. Climactic Breakdown: Toward the film's end, Babla has a breakdown after a series of misunderstandings with his sister and brother-in-law. In one emotionally charged scene, he runs away, expressing his frustration at how he feels ignored and misunderstood by the adults around him. The combination of his innocent grievances and the overwhelming pressure he faces from the world creates a powerful moment of empathy for his character.

5. Final Sequence: In the closing moments of the film, Babla returns home, only to find that the "freedom" he longed for also has its limitations. He learns that adults are not as free as they seem—they, too, are bound by societal rules and expectations. The ending is bittersweet, leaving viewers with a sense of nostalgia for their own lost childhoods and a contemplation of how the adult world often stifles creativity and innocence.

Performances:

Master Raju Shrestha delivers a natural, engaging performance as Babla, bringing both charm and depth to the character. His portrayal of a child trying to understand the complexities of adult life is heartwarming and relatable. Vidya Sinha and Uttam Kumar, who play Babla's sister and brother-in-law, provide nuanced performances, representing the well-meaning yet flawed adult figures in his life.

Cinematography and Music:

The film’s cinematography by K. Vaikunth beautifully captures both the vibrant world of Babla's imagination and the more mundane reality of the adult world. R.D. Burman’s music complements the film’s narrative, particularly the song "Dhanno Ki Aankhon Mein," reflecting Babla’s childlike wonder and joy. The melodies enhance the film's emotional depth, elevating its poignant moments.

Conclusion:

Kitaab is a thoughtful, layered film that explores the delicate transition from childhood to adulthood. Gulzar masterfully presents the inner workings of a child's mind, portraying the beauty and struggles of navigating a world that often overlooks the innocence and intelligence of children. It’s a timeless film that resonates with anyone who has ever felt the pangs of growing up.

N.B. This blog is written with the assistance of ChatGPT 4o.

Harry Potter - Thinking Activity Worksheet

Hello Readers!

Here's a blog post about a very well known novel series, Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling has won several awards for this novel. First book published in 1997 and successively the last book was published in 2007.

Here's a blog link from which these questions and activities are instructed by the teacher.

https://blog.dilipbarad.com/2016/03/webquest-harry-potter-think-and-write.html

* Self-Help culture and Harry Potter: How does it stand by an argument that Self-Help Culture serves as a tool of social control: it soothes political unrest . . . one blames oneself for not getting better off in society and remains in one's own pursuit of self-invention, blaming oneself for the failure rather than the systems?

Ans: Self-help culture in modern literature has been much witnessed in recent times. This genre of literature deals with an individual's person life and belief system. Self help literature and self help culture are two supplementary entities between which, people seek their societal upbringing and fulfill their desire to be a part of high brow culture, largely enjoyed by the people who control many things together, by the people who hold power.

By one way or another, it can be read that, self help culture is a conditioning over minds. It is gulped down, drunk and dissolved by people either in form of politics, religions, books, videos etc. Albus Dumbledore doesn't directly help Harry but indirectly makes him make some decisions.

Power is likely to be transient and very lucid, just like water. It keeps on changing it's dimensions. (Read more here) Self help culture is controlled by elite group of society, who are wealthy, 

* The theme of Choice and Chance: How does Harry Potter discusses the antithetical concepts of ‘choice’ and ‘chance’?

Ans: Choice and chance have been a matter of discussion since long. When we have choices, we hardly notice them and act. There are lot many things that we can't get to choose or make choice, for example, birth, location of birth (city, or country), gender, cultural backdrop etc.

Albus Dumbledore states about choices:

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” — Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The theme of Love and Death: How does Harry Potter make use of age old theme of Love of the dead as well as living as protecting armor? How does Harry Potter deal with the concept of Death as something inevitable?

Ans: Harry remembers his parent's love and care by the help of his teachers, Hagrid and Dumbledore and others. He uses this element of Love to gain strength to fight back against Voldemort. Another theme like death is stretched as part of the life journey. The death is inevitable and it's the strongest reality. So the theme of love and death is used as theme.

for further reading: https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/61116.pdf

Click Here to navigate to the WebQuest activity worksheet.

Film Review: Postcolonial Films: Midnight's Children, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, The Black Prince and Victoria & Abdul

Hello Readers !

This blog is part of postcolonial studies and it contains film reviews of films which has reference of postcolonialism. Here, four film reviews are written. It was also guided by Dr. Dilip Barad in his blog that how to write a film review. Click here for more reference. 

Four postcolonial films are reviewed here.

1. Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children

2. Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist

3. Kavi Raz's The Black Prince

4. Stephan Frears' Victoria and Abdul

To watch trailers of the films on colonial history, please click here.

1. Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children

Midnight's Children is basically a postcolonial novel written by Salman Rushdie and then adapted as a film in 2012. The film revolves around the nuances of the event of Indian Independence and the time of the independence. Through the narration of Saleem Sinai, a midnight's child, the film opens up with midnight scene a celebration of Indian Independence and at the same time, Saleem and Shiva are born. Saleem is actually the son of Willy Winky and Shiva is the son of Ahmed Sinai. But, swapping the children is the idea given by the nurse's radical and fanatic lover, who thinks that by doing so, all will be treated as equal, rich becomes poor and poor becomes rich.

Saleem is able to call all the midnight's children through some magical power of his nose. This is magic realism technique also used in the novel by Rushdie.

What is visibly seen in the film that, is a visual critique on the government's policy of implying Emergency, the idea of equality.

2. Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Click Here to read previously written review.

The film Reluctant Fundamentalist holds the event of 9/11 terrorist attack in New York. The film is based on Mohsin Hamid's novel by the same name. Riz Ahmed plays Changez Khan in the film. Being a protagonist, he finds the two different roots of fundamentals. He paves the path to success in USA. He becomes a business analyst in the firm Underwood Samson. He is determined and workaholic attitude leads him to the peak of happiness. Changez recieves a promising token from his head for the surety of the post of Managing Director. As he was happy, he turned on the television and watched the news of 9/11 attack. This incident is well framed by Mira Nair in the film. The subtlety of art of telling a shocking news in such normal and casual way gives a height to the film. The reactions of Changez was mixed. After the attack Changez is not treated the same as he was being treated before. 

It is said for America that When America sneezes, the world catches cold.

(https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/where-does-the-phrase-when-america-sneezes-the-world-catches-cold-originate/) Though the statement refers to the mixed culture of America as the country contains numerous immigrants, but with reference to this film we can see this statement as description of America's capitalist power. America's policy of globalization and open culture attracts many enthusiastic people around the world. 

3. Kavi Raz's The Black Prince

The Black Prince was the second name of Maharaja Duleep Singh of Punjab State in British India. Duleep Sing's father died during a war against Britishers as they conquered the Punjab State. Duleep Singh at the age of five became the ruler of Punjab state. After growing up, his religion was changed to Christian, he was sent to Queen Victoria in England. His true identity of a warrior is subjugated in England and his is not allowed to communicate with her mother who is staying in India.

4. Stephan Frears' Victoria and Abdul

This film seems an attempt of vanishing the postcolonial readings of history. An Indian servant Abdul Karim who develops accidental friendship with the Queen Victoria. The film is based on the book written by Shrabani Basu.

Thank You.

References:

The Black Prince. Directed by Kavi Raz, 2017.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Directed by Mira Nair, performances by Riz Ahmed, Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber, Om Puri, Kate Hudson, Shabana Azmi. 2012.

Midnight's Children. Directed by Deepa Mehta, performances by Satya Bhabha, Shabana
Azmi, Rahul Bose, Ronit Roy. 2012.

Victoria and Abdul. Directed by Stephen Frears, performances by Ali Fazal, Judi Dench. 2017.

Image credits:

IMDB-https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA4NzY1NTQ1Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMTM3NTY0MjI@._V1_.jpg

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTNkZWJhNDYtZDhkZC00MGNmLWIzY2YtMDU0YmVhZjBhMDU4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjg1MjM0Njc@._V1_.jpg

https://images.hungama.com/c/1/9d4/ba2/18041603/18041603_1280x800.jpg

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzAzNjg3Mzg1Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTUzNzExOQ@@._V1_.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a3/Midnight%27s_Children_Poster.jpg

Thappad - A Slap to Society

Hello Readers!

Movies, TV shows, web series, plays and other mediums of entertainment represent the contemporary thoughts and cultures of society. It reflects what is the prevalent thought is now under discussion. Sometimes directors and writers make attempts to throw light on the corners where people don't want to peep into. But such dark corners are the markers from where a civilization can start improving. Anyways, here is the smashing review for Anubhav Sinha's film Thappad.

Official poster of the film

Movie: Thappad (Slap)
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Producers: Anubhav Sinha, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Release Date: 28 February 2020

* Synopsis: An upscale family in which Amu aka Amrita is house-maker and married to Vikram, a hardworking enthusiast corporate employee who wishes to work freely without any boss commands. As the movie tells us that if he would make convincing presentation then he would be given the head charge of the office in Hampstead, London. Dreams seem to come true. He arranges the party at home. He receives call from office which disturbs him and he gets angry with one of his colleagues. Vikram was about to raise his hand on that colleague but in between Amrita comes in between and tries to make him calm down and pull his hand indicating to come inside the house. But on the top of his anger, Vikram slaps Amrita. As the aftermath she decides to get divorce with him.

* The Mango Candy: Token of Love:

This is the significant visible icon for love which best fits in the initial introduction of couples. It is believed that Food has maintained a good unbiased tempo in the movie. With this token the film unfolds the idea of free spirit and ever desired life by all. The camera frame moves from one couple to another and makes us watch the unseen side of the scene. The scene of a maid while riding a bicycle with her husband is most appealing because it shows the reality of the society's orthodoxy.

* Domestic Violence:

This issue holds the audience till the end. Vikram slaps Amrita in a party and interestingly, the story turns upside down. This slap tests the audience's patience and mindset. The reading of characters also changes after this slap. Vikram is now looked as a selfish man who doesn't care about her wife's sacrifices for his house.

* Bas Itni Si Baat?

It's never a small matter whenever, in any case violence occurs. Be it a single slap or high voltage physical fight. Amrita is taken aback after slap. She thinks that all her emotional investment on the family has gone in vain. The one who is breadwinner in the house gets much respect and honor from society. But this mentality should be changed. Amrita observes Vikram's behavior but there is no sign of regret on his face.  She gradually decides to divorce her husband. Here, Amrita is told by most of the characters to ignore this slap, even by her mother. But form Amrita's perspective it's not a small matter. It's about her pride and dignity.

* Legal Proceedings:

Advocates and legal advisers run to and fro when any high profile case comes up. The same goes to the two of the lawyers. Netra and Gujral with heated debates try to make legal environment more strong and appealing to the audience. In terms of justice it is not made clear that how the case is solved.

* Sorry. Is that the solution?

This question should arise in everyone's mind. Women should be respected in all class and society. If that's the solution then so called 'men' will say sorry after beating their wives. But sorry is not the solution. People will have to remove their biases and misogynist mindsets. Women should be seen as an individual human rather than object. When Vikram realized the mistake he said SORRY to Amrita, and film comes near its ending. Though this word should have been spoken immediately after he slapped Amrita, but it didn't went so. Some signals of the slap scene made it clear to audience's mind that it will end up with the word SORRY. And that's exactly what happened. But the it requires much courage and guts to say sorry at right place and right time. So in some manner the film tries to show happy ending.

* Dare to Dream:

Women have the full right to live their lives as they want and pursue their dreams. This movie sets a good example in terms of the philosophy of living life to the fullest. With pride and respect women can live life at its best. The hidden wishes and dreams of women are highlighted through Amrita's hobby of dancing, and her mother's hobby of singing.

* Technically, with soulful music and background score, the film becomes interesting to watch. Much efforts has been made to make the audience take the emotional favor towards Amrita but the film fails to do so. Film could have made more powerful with more content. It is personally believed that the movie should have been taken a bit long after the word sorry was spoken. After this word, the movie goes very quickly that audience can't follow the process with the pace.

These observation say that, to a random measure, the film deserves 3 out of 5 points.

Thank You!

The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Movie Review

Welcome Readers !

Fundamentals are the essential driving force of a civilized human being. Having fundamentals is like having everything clear about certain things in mind. What happens when we have everything clear about fundamentals ? Does society allow us to imply them in our life ? Film Reluctant Fundamentalist raises such question in our mind.

Film: The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Director: Mira Nair

Release Year: 2012

On 12th October 2019, a screening of this film was organized at the Department of English, MKBU. But as I received the message of film screening,  I watched entire film on YouTube the day before. At first, I liked the music at the opening scene and the parallel event of the kidnaping of the professor. The kidnaping scene becomes more intense as the song goes at the climax. The song name is Kangana.

The story is about a transformation of life of the character Changez Khan. He tells the story of his experiences when he was in USA, and how his life caught up after a terrorist attack on the twin towers of World Trade Centre in New York. People's behavior changed after the attack. When he is strictly checked by the officer at the airport, he was shocked. When his friend Erica uses the word 'Pakistani' in one exhibition, and shares about their relationship in public, Changez gets furiously disappointed. Even being the lover of America he was considered as an outsider citizen.

"During his interview with Lincoln, Changez says he was approached by a terrorist cell to become a mujahid and was tempted to accept, angry and disillusioned by "the arrogance, the blindness, the hypocrisy" of the US. He refused when told about the "fundamental truths" of the Quran, echoing a phrase from Jim Cross during their first encounter, "focusing on the fundamentals." Changez explains that both Islamic fundamentalists and blind capitalists like Underwood Samson similarly simplify and exploit people for their own means." (Wikipedia)

The final dialogue of this movie is really very thought provoking. After the accidental death of his student, Changez conveys the message from the dead student's parents at the scene of cemetery.

"उन्होंने कहा है, की हमारे बेटे के लिए आंसू ना बहाना, ये दरिया आंसुओं से कबका लबरेज़ हो चुका है। उन्होंने कहा है, हमारे बेटे का इंतेकाम ना लेना, इस दरिये में बहोत खून बह चुका है। उन्होंने कहा है की किस्मत को ना कोसना, हमारा बेटा अल्लाह को प्यारा हो गया है।"

"पोंछ लो अपने आंसू, और दुआ करो एक ऐसे मुस्ताक दिन के लिए, जब ज़ामिल और ज़ादिर नहीं होंगे, हमलावर नहीं होंगे, और आओ, अपने हमसायों को साथ लेकर आओ, और ये महरताबा से जाकर कह दो... वो अपनी किरणों को गिन के रख लें, में अपने सहरा के ज़र्रे ज़र्रे को खुद चमकना सीखा रहा हूं।"

It has become one of my favorite films because screenplay, direction, music and the story has the power to hold audience till the end.

Thank You!

Movie Screening - Super 30

Hello Readers !

Movies give a remarkable message with a new horizons of thoughts. Movies enable us to think our contemporary issues like corruption, poverty, starvation, unemployment, brain-drain, political malpractices, frauds with common men, etc. We're talking about a Bollywood movie, Super 30. Here are some details of the movie.

Production House : Phantom Films
Co-producer : Sajid Nadiadwala
Director : Vikas Bahl
Release Date : July 12th, 2019

On 1st August, 2019 a movie screening of Super 30 was jointly organised by the department of English and Hindi, MK Bavnagar University, at the Top-3 Cinema, Bhavnagar.

A Patna based mathematician, Anand Kumar starts free coaching for unprivileged students, who want to take admission in IIT. Fighting with different threats and dangers, he succeeds in the mission, all 30 students pass the IIT exam.

This movie rightly shows how the education in India has become a business. Poor and needy people are easily neglected. The right to education doesn't support any kind of cultural, religious, and class biases.

Anand, right from the childhood, develops interest in mathematics and becomes a scholar student in higher studies. He earns gold medal for good performance. He is interested in solving more and more complicated equations, he solves one from an international journal, Librarian pulls him out of the reading hall, peon suggests Anand that if he publishes an article in the journal he can get free issues of it. He works very hard and at last, his article is published in Cambridge University Journal. Anand gets admission in Cambridge University. He starts preparing for going to Cambridge, but, being poor he doesn't get financial help from anywhere. Lower middle class family tries much hard for collecting money. Anand's father dies due to tension of money. Anand doesn't give up the plan of going foreign. One day, Lallan, finds Anand on the street and convinces him to leave this hardships and start working as a teacher his coaching institute. At first, Anand finds this work very beneficial because financial condition becomes good. But at certain point he realizes that he is being used as a puppet in this big coaching business. He decides not to work with anybody, but to start his own classes. He makes IIT coaching free for needy and poor students. 30 students join his class and gradually after facing many hurdles and downfalls they all successfully crack the IIT entrance.

Interesting Points to Notice

Very inspiring dialogue of Anand's father, अब राजा का बेटा राजा नहीं बनेगा, जो राजा बनने का असली हक़दार होगा वही बनेगा।

Idea of capitalism is reflected in the movie

Anand explains students the art of questioning. Each question must generate one more question.

The art of visualizing the question and then finding the answer of equation. In the movie this scene is best shown with good graphics.

Case study of failure. What are the causes that failure occurred ? Student describe their problem that how classicism became barrier to face the exam. Speaking English is a big problem for students. Anand challenges students to speak English without mistake. He tells students to organize a play, and it must last 20 minutes. Students give very good performance with great confidence, Occasion of Holi, fills the color and joy to the scene.

Problem of food, the unbeatable question. By cleverness and wit he manages to get food from a restaurant. With the proper use of mathematical calculations, he convinces restaurant manager.

To bring the grass-root change in society is the courageous task. Students apply all the rules and theorems of science and mathematics to fight with goons, Anand gets injured by a gunshot, but survives the attack.

Endless motivation helps student to pass the exam. Happy ending.

Movie Screening - The Modern Times

Welcome Readers !

On 25th June 2019, there was a film screening of "The Modern Times" organized by the Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.


The film is directed and acted by a polymath, Charles Chaplin in the year of 1936.
The word polymath is used for a multi-talented person who does all task single-handed, even though they are from different field.

The very title suggests that in the year of 1936, the time was changing and many new things were being introduced. After the industrial revolution, machines took place of human workers and silently, the people started becoming slave of machinery.

There is no doubt that Charles Chaplin make us laugh even without saying a single word but he also conveys a great message by his humorous and eye-catching acting.

As a director, Chaplin utilized every single frame of the film.
The film is set on the time during the great depression when thousands of people became jobless.

The tone of this film is comedy and laughter, but still it tells a tragic story about how people suffered from joblessness and craving for job, how people were used to work monotonously in giant factories, and working as a small part of machines. The film satires the overuse of machinery, and how the humans have become slave of them.

The significance of the first screen shows the time of 6 o'clock.

Joblessness had increased so much that one had to steal food from restaurants and thus, once a person having good job had become a thief. 

After becoming free from jail a sheriff writes a recommendation letter, and on the basis of that letter he get a job at departmental store as a timekeeper. but again the chain of going jail and being free continues, at the end of the movie he conveys a message that one should keep on trying and never stop. the significance of last morning scene is indicating hope.

By the screening of this film students became familiar with the time of The Great Depression and what were the zeitgeist of Chaplin's days, and students also came to know that how the movie is critically appreciated and reviewed.

If you want to watch the full movie, here is the link. Charles Chaplin in Modern Times

Thank You!