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Patients in Marriage

If you notice, the title of this blog is a pun, and yes with some patience you can know it all. The movie "The English Patient" was what I finally caught up with yesterday. Ralph Fiennes, twice nominated for Oscars - one for Schindler's List, and the other this movie, renders an outstanding performance in the role of Laszlo de Almasy. The story revolves around Ralph who is in love with a woman (Katherine) who is already married This tale is narrated to us in the memories of Ralph, after he is burned beyond recognition when the aircraft he is flying is hit by enemy mortar. At this time, he is under the care of the beautiful and graceful nurse Hana, played superbly by Juliette Binoche. Julitte got an Oscar for this role, the same which was denied to her recently in Choclat. Naveen Andrews, known for his roles in Kamasutra and Bride & Prejudice plays an important part in the movie as a Sikh soldier. A "Casablanca" kind of suspense is in the air for few minutes when you do not know whether Ralph will be chosen by Catherine or will it be her husband. The story moves nicely, slowing down at times, and picking pace at others, overall a full score for the characters and the nice ending. All this marriage infidelity changed my mind later to other stream of thoughts. Often we hear of tales where one of the spouses was mentally or physically abused, and soon the marriage is on the docks. Such instances bring a lot of grief to us, if it happens to anyone we know and we are forced to watch helplessly as the person struggles to bring his/her life back to normalcy. Such tales of extreme trauma are few, and make headlines, be it the television or print. However, there exists a second category of couples, who are under less severe conditions, who live a life of compromise and a life very different from what they had intended. When such a couple got married, brought together either by their parents or mutual affection, they would have looked forward to a life of harmony and bliss. However, slowly over a period of time, the life is on a big downward spiral - withdrawal, negative thoughts, less positive energy, unease at the back of the mind, etc. all combined with few good turns here and there. If I may offer a comparison, the extreme traumatic separation of people in the first instance is like the famine deaths in the Vidharba, bringing a lot of strain and injury to the bereaved, while the second set can be compared to the millions starving everyday, struggling for their food and still managing to exist. And this set of people is what I call as Patients in Marriage. I know then there is the third category - where the couple is really made for each other, where compromises are interspersed with love, where fights are full of affection, where each morning is a new beginning and each night a celebration; and such couples are really Blessed in Marriage!

Know SRK Better ...

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Shah Rukh Khan!

1. Pound for pound, hamburgers cost more than Shah Rukh Khan.
2. If you chew gum while peeling Shah Rukh Khan then it will stop you from crying.
3. Research indicates that Shah Rukh Khan will be attracted to people who have recently eaten bananas.
4. The pupil of an octopus's eye is shaped like Shah Rukh Khan!
5. It takes 17 muscles to smile, and 43 to frown at Shah Rukh Khan.
6. The ace of spades in a playing card deck symbolizes Shah Rukh Khan.
7. Shah Rukh Khan, from the movie of the same name, had green blood.
8. When provoked, Shah Rukh Khan will swivel the tip of his abdomen and shoot a jet of boiling chemicals at his attacker.
9. Shah Rukh Khan is 984 feet tall!
10. Koalas sleep for 22 hours a day, two hours more than Shah Rukh Khan.

Reel Love Story

One of the most memorable love stories of all time is Eric Segal's Love Story, and the movie after the book. One of the best adaptations of a book in celluloid, and both the book and the movie moisten the eyes in the end. Well, the book/movie begin with the lines: "What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died?". And still you cry, man you really cry (metrosexual or not) ... Well, so imagine my surprise when I came across this link Google Romance which helps anyone get to their real (as opposed to reel) love story asap. All you have to do is take the tour, and "search". Hope your search ends here!

A Beautiful Mind

I have always been interested in Game theory, from the management angle rather than the mathematical one. And had picked up the Syliva Nasser's book much before the movie had come. Then, when the movie was released I managed to watch a pirated version, before the Oscars. And yes, I agree, Nash had a beautiful mind. Generally everyone has. However, this beautiful mind is of no use when confronted with a simple April Fool trick. Here is an account of my eventful day on April 1, 2006. 1. It was midnight for what was March 31st, but for my friend Allan, I was the first guy to be conned, when he asked me to go looking for "Brownie" our street dog. 2. Then, we thought of Madan, sent him a SMS from Allan's mobile that my phone is misplaced, and he should give a missed call immediately to help us locate it. Madan too called many a times, till we called him and pointed out that Allan himself could have called my mobile, if 'twas necessary, and thus went to the bed laughing. 3. The glorious morning saw Shashi being trapped first, when he believed my story asking him not to come to Chennai, but remain in Bangalore as I told him I am getting engaged. Shashi even volunteered to come along for the shopping and all. 4. Meril, Elango and Arul - All were taken in by a simple ruse, that they need to travel to U.S. immediately on a B1 Business Visa. Meril was happy and surprised, while Illu and Anna were too numb and shocked. Both were thankful to see the SMS later, while Meril was disappointed about not going. 5. In between, I had called Isaac (who is the TCS Manager HR for Swiss, France, Italy & Greece) that I am traveling to the Ferrari project in Italy next week. I reeled out few names Raja, Murali, and all he believed it fully. And was glad that I am traveling' finally, and to a location near him. 6. We (me and Allan) also pulled a neat one on Gee and Ramya. 7. Towards the evening, it was time for Vivek. I called him and told him that Ice is in N.Y. and he should get in touch with him asap as Ice is not able to reach him. Sometime later I get a sms from Vivek saying he is not able to contact Ice, however he is leaving for NY immediately with a friend who was traveling there anywhere. Now, I start feeling guilty for really taking his "trip", and confess the whole thing to him, only to get a outburst of the choicest syllables. Sometime later I am however told that it was a reverse take on me. Hmmm, so I started the day as a fool, met lot of fools on the way, while ending my own day as a fool. Aint life too like this?