Why Acting?

 I recently did a mentorship program for actors. One of the questions I was asked was 'Why do you want to be an actor?'

At first glance, I thought this was a simple enough question. But as I sat down thinking, the answer wasn't as easy. There are three operative words in this question, 'Why', 'Want' and 'Actor'. And I went about tackling each one of them.

1) Why: I've grown up as a movie buff, mesmerized by the magic on the screen. While in my corporate career job, I saw the benefits of being empathetic, towards my own people, towards customers and towards situations. That feeling of empathy needed an outlet I guess.

2) Want: This is tricky. What do I really want? Make money? Gain fame? Become powerful? I've known long enough that those aren't my drivers. Simpler wants really. Just to be nice, meet good people and grow as a human.

3) Actor: I love giving. And if I can make someone feel something, isn't that an act of giving? And actors are in a good position to do that. Plus it's something I can do till the day I die.

This is what I think today. Perhaps it might change over time. Let's wait and watch.

The Method Acting Workshop

 As I was planning my trip to Mumbai, there was this one fear I had. What if I ended up doing nothing? I was venturing to spend one week in the city without any plan, any meetings.

But as providence would have it, I came across this workshop called 'Discover Your Method' scheduled for exactly the time I would be in Mumbai! It was four hours everyday over five days, conducted by Preeti Gupta. A name I'd never heard before, and a 'Method' that I was vague about. 

The workshop was brilliant, at least for me. It allowed me to get an insight what the 'Method' really is. There are so many misgivings about it. Who Lee Strasberg was. And what is the meaning of relaxation - the Strasberg way.

Having been an actor for a while now, I always thought relaxation was deep breathing. That yes, but the Strasberg method is a specific technique that 'trains' you to relax. And once you're relaxed as a performer, you allow the freeway from the mind to the body to be clear.

This workshop also gave me many more epiphanic moments. 

1. Be specific - break everything down to the minutest. 

2. Don't lie - be truthful. Really feel it

3. Be sensorial - open up to all the five senses.

I was so moved by what I learnt, that I've decided to join the ongoing online classes. 

I will be a rocking actor one day!

  

 

Cricket commentary clichés

Cricket enthusiasts like me who watch the game regularly are so used to cricketing clichés, that we tend to ignore them. But for someone new to the game, some of these terms must sound like Greek and Latin. I've attempted to list down as many as I know, and have given basic explanations to what they mean. I've left out many standard cricketing terminologies, but there are already millions of websites for those definitions. This is just dedicated to quirky terms and phrases in commentary. 

I'm sure there are many more and you're welcome to add-on in the comments section. I will surely add them with due credit. So, enjoy!

Term	Meaning
Against the run of play	Something happens out of the blue. For example, when a wicket falls after a long partnership.
Attritional cricket	One team or both teams are playing slowly, especially when draw is a likely outcome
Beamer	The ball is delivered as a full-toss above the waist.
Beaten	The bowler bowls a delivery that the batsman is unable to play. Usually because of spin or seam.
Bump ball	A catch taken after the ball has bounced
Captain’s knock	The captain scores runs to take his/her team out of trouble
Charmed life	The batsman being lucky, multiple times. The opposing team drops his/her catches, misses run-outs, etc
Chin music	The bowler bowling short-pitched deliveries that go past the face
Chipping away	One team takes wickets at regular intervals
Coming in trickles	Runs coming at a slow pace
Convert 2s to 3s	Both batsmen running hard, thus ensuring that a regular two runs becomes three
Cow corner	An area of the field between deep midwicket and long-on. Usually batsmen don’t hit the ball there, and so cows can easily graze on grass in that area
Cruel game	Akin to ‘king once, pauper now’. For example, triple century in one innings, and a duck in the second. Or a hattrick in one match and being blasted for many runs in the next
Deceived in flight	The batsman is unable to read which way the ball will spin, where it will land and how fast it is bowled.
Decent clip	A bowler bowling fast enough
Dismiss from presence	The batsman smashes the ball, but elegantly
Down to the wire	A close game. Usually decided in the last over or even the last ball
Dropped shoulders	When the opposing team is in an unbeatable situation of the match
Duck	The batsman gets out on a score of zero
Edge	The ball hits the outer or inner part of the bat
Every run counts	The batting team gets runs through unconventional methods  - extras, runs off edges, overthrows, etc
Falling like nine pins	Wickets fall in quick succession, without the batting team giving a fight
Feather	When the edge is so tiny that it can’t be seen or heard
Fifer	The bowler takes 5 wickets
Flourish of the bat	The batsman stylishly moves the bat, after hitting the ball
Follow through	Movement of the body after the ball has been delivered (bowler) and after the stroke (batsman)
Form of his life / In good form	The batsman or bowler performs well consistently over a specific period of time
French cut	The batsman plays a stroke that was not intended. Usually, the ball takes the edge and goes in between the legs
Fresh legs	The batting team has younger players on strike
Full toss	The ball is delivered to the batsman without touching the pitch
Game played between the ears	The psychological aspect of the game is the most important, rather than the physical aspect of it
Glorious uncertainties	Unpredictability of the game
Gone	The batsman is out
Hammer and tongs	The batting team is scoring runs quickly, mainly through 4s and 6s
Hanging bat in the air to dry	The batsman tries to hit a stroke, but misses the ball completely
Healthy lead	In a Test match, when the team batting in the second or third innings has a large surplus of runs. The ‘healthy’ is contextual to the match
Huge wicket	A very important batsman gets out
In the hunt	The opposing team is not far behind in the game
In the V	The batsman hits a stroke, along the ground, between mid off and mid on. These two fielding positions make the V shape from where the batsman stands
Jaffa	The bowler bowls an excellent, unplayable delivery
Jagged back a long way	The ball has either spun, swung or seamed into the batsman
Kings pair	The batsman gets out on zero off the first delivery he/she faces in two consecutive innings
Left handers grace	Reserved for left-handed batsman who play elegant strokes
Live by the sword	The batsman in the search of quick runs plays reckless strokes, but also is in the danger of getting out
Long handle	The batsman hits 4s or 6s
Long hop / Rank long hop	The bowler bowls a short-pitched delivery that can be easily hit by the batsman.
Lucks a fortune	Similar to charmed life. Batsman gets lucky
Maiden over	No runs are scored off the over
Make them pay	When a catch is dropped off a batsman or a run-out missed, the batsman goes on to make a big score
Missed by a whisker	When the ball misses the edge of the bat by a very fine margin. Also same as feather
Murderous mood	The batsman wants to hit 4s or 6s off every delivery
Nelson's score	When the team score reaches 111 (or multiples thereof), a superstition that a wicket will fall.
Nervous nineties	Fragile state of mind of the batsman, when he/she reaches the score of 90, up until 100 is scored.
Nipped off the seam	The delivery swings away or inwards after the seam part of the ball hits the pitch
No matter how they come	Same as every run counts
Off the mark	The batsman scores his first run
One for the over	By law, a bowler can only bowl one bouncer per over per batsman. Refer chin music
Out of form	The batsman is unable to score runs for an extended period of time.
Overthrow	When the batsmen take additional run(s) because of a bad throw from the fielder
Pair	The batsman gets out on zero in consecutive innings
Percentage cricket	An individual or the whole team plays cricket in the right proportions. For an individual it could the right amount of defence and aggression, while for the team it could be the right amount of good batsmen and bowlers
Purchase off the wicket	When the bowler extracts movement off the pitch
Quick single	The batsmen cross over quickly before the fielder gets to the ball
Raining boundaries	The batting team hits 4s in quick succession
Rapped on the pads	The ball hits the pads; and an indication for the fielding team to appeal for an LBW
Rear-guard action	The opposing team starts fighting back, when its position is weak
Running away with the game	An individual or team has taken the initiative and scores runs or takes wickets; and is galloping towards victory
Running ragged	When the fielding team makes horrible blunders
Sailed over	After having bowled a bouncer, the ball flies over the wicket-keeper
Saved the blushes	The batsmen takes the team out of a tricky situation
Soft dismissal	Equivalent of an unforced error in tennis
Spell of bowling	A bowler bowls well in the course of a few balls or overs
Spot of bother	The batting team has lost more wickets than expected
Spring in the step	The opposing team feels energized because the tables have been turned
Strangled down	The batsman is caught by the wicket-keeper he/she has edged the ball down the leg side
Stroke / shot	Methods of bat hitting the ball
Stunned silence	When a noisy home crowd becomes quiet because its team has lost a popular batsman or the opposing batsmen have scored very quickly
Swing and a miss	The batsman tries to hit a stroke but misses the ball
Take eyes off the ball	The batsman doesn’t observe movement of the ball while taking evasive action. This could even lead to injury, or in worst case, death
Throw the kitchen sink	The batsman takes a mighty swipe at the delivery, but misses
Throwing caution to the wind	Same as  hammer and tongs
Toe crusher	A yorker delivery bowled at the toes of the batsman
Took off from a length	When the delivery rises after having pitched in the good-length area
Tottering	The batting team has lost quite a few wickets at a low score
Turn on the screws	The opposing team continues to kill the opposing team
Turn the game on its head	One team in a short space of time reverses winning positions
Until the cows come home	Playing very slowly, scoring runs at a slow rate
Until the fat lady sings	The game is not over till the last ball is bowled.
Wheels coming off	Same as running ragged
When you slash, slash hard	The batsman plays the cut shot ferociously
Wide open game	Any result is possible
Yorker	A delivery that pitches at the base of the stump. Difficult to play

 

Nuggets of Sholay: Fourteen - Parinda Par Bhi Nahin Maar Sakta

And ladies and gentlemen, I soldier on, in my quest to write about my observations and thoughts on the 1975 cult classic, Sholay. If you've landed on this page directly, do check out the thirteen nuggets that I've unearthed so far:

One - Oont Pahad Ke Neeche

Two - Kala Akshar Bhains Barabar

Three - Loha Garam Hai, Maardo Hathoda

Four - Joon Nahin Rengti Kaan Par

Five -Zamindar Ki Bekari

Six - Ghoda Ghas Se Dosti Karle To Khayega Kya?

Seven - Loha Lohe Ko Katata Hai

Eight - Aam Ke Aam Guthliyon Ke Daam

Nine - Khota Sikka To Dono Hi Taraf Se Khota Hota Hai

Ten - Maine Aapka Namak Khaya Hai Sardar
Eleven - Ek Galti Ki Thakur Sahab, Humein Tijori Kholkar Dikhadi

Twelve - Kabr Mein Paanv Latke Hona
Thirteen - Munh Chadha

I've chosen a phrase, or a kahavat from the film this time.

Phrase: Parinda Par Bhi Nahin Maar Sakta (परिंदा भी पर नहीं मार सकता)

In the 28th minute of the movie, we are introduced to the 'Angrezon Ke Zamane Ke Jailor', played by the veteran actor, Asrani. He's just called 'Jailor' - wonder why he wasn't given a name. Anyway, this character was brilliantly crafted by Salim-Javed and inspired by the Hitler from Chaplin's The Great Dictator, and even from Mel Brooks's To Be Or Not To Be.

The Jailor is giving his opening speech to the inmates and tells them how tightly he runs his ship. And being omnipresent and omniscient, he proclaims, 'Hamare jane bina, yahan parinda bhi par nahin maar sakta', or without my knowledge, even a bird cannot flap its wings here. And as if on cue, a pigeon promptly flies past the Jailor's face!

Yahan Parinda Bhi Par Nahin Maar Sakta

 

This phrase is mostly used to describe how secure a place is. 

That was the nugget. Samjhe ke nahin? Agar achha laga to comment kijiye. Agar achha nahin laga to lament kijiye.

Goodbye, aadab and namaste.        

Nuggets of Sholay: Thirteen - Munh Chadha

Why do people snitch? In Hindi, there's a nasty word for it - चुगली खोरी  - that sounds a bit adolescent, but that's beside the point. Really, what motivates a person to give someone away? Is it a flaw in a character, or is it a compulsion? The word, snitch and other synonyms like 'ratted on someone' indicate that it's not a very nice thing to do. But the act can always be explained or justified. Isn't it? But the topic of this blog is not chugli khori, but a scene that depicts this act where a proverb from Sholay is used.

Muhavra: Munh Chadha (मुँह चढ़ा) 

In the 29th minute of the film, new jail inmates Jai and Veeru are left wondering who the jailor's jasoos is. That's when the late actor Raj Kishore (unnamed in the film) steps in and says, "Main bataaun? Woh hai na apna Hariram Nai. Jailor ka bada munh chadha hai mua. Haan" Here Hariram Nai is referred to as the munh chadha or the blue-eyed/favourite/laadla fellow of the Jailor. But in the same breath, Mr. Kishore calls him 'apna' (our own) as well as gives him away. 

Jailor Ka Bada Munh Chadha Hai Mua. Haan

The question remains, what enmity did Mr. Kishore have against Hariram Nai that he ratted on him? What was the motivation? Here's a frivolous figment of my imagination. 

Let's first give Mr. Raj Kishore character's a name. Munna.

Story: Why Munna ratted on Hariram Nai

So Munna, as you know, or guessed, is a eunuch, and probably gay. He's a good-natured person, but given his leanings, jail inmates and staff generally stay away from him. One person who finds it impossible to stay away from Munna is our Hariram Nai, the jail barber. See the deal is that unless Hariram doesn't shave at least 10 inmates in a day, he wouldn't be eligible for his annual parole. And Munna's turn would come once a week, at least. The issue was that whenever Hariram would shave Munna, the eunuch would use the opportunity to fondle the barber. Hariram's hands were occupied and hence could only request Munna to stop, although such requests would be ignored.

Hariram was quite disturbed. Moreover, since the inmates' uniform was shorts, Munna had begun to get more adventurous. With no other way to make this stop, Hariram went and complained to the jailor, and offered his services of being the jailor's spy, if he somehow solved the issue. The jailor, a wicked and sadist person, saw the opportunity and immediately transferred Munna to the women's wing. Poor Munna had to endure the lascivious and licentious tendencies of the women there for a week. 

When Munna returned, he had nothing but hatred and ill intentions towards Hariram. Therefore, to take revenge, Munna used Jai and Veeru to wreak havoc on Hariram Nai. And that is why Munna ratted on Hariram Nai. 

That was the nugget. Samjhe ke nahin? Agar achha laga to comment kijiye. Agar achha nahin laga to lament kijiye.

Goodbye, aadab and namaste.     

                

Nuggets of Sholay: Twelve - Kabr Mein Paanv Latke Hona

AK Hangal is an actor I admire, no I worship. In Sholay, his role was that of a blind man, and to practice, he employed a method what he called "psycho-technique". He felt what it was to be blind by traversing eons back to the very beginning of life, when blind amoeba swam in the dark waters. That helped him get that 'gaze'. 

Imam sahab, the character he portrayed, was the conscience of the film and he had some memorable dialogues. One of them is the subject of this post. And this time around, I'm trying something different. A well-wisher, who I admire a lot, gave me valuable tips on writing. I hope I have been able to incorporate some of them.

Muhavra: Kabr Mein Paanv Latke Hona (कब्र में पांव लटके होना)

At 1h.57m, Gulzarilal (the postman) is reading a letter from Mukaitullah (the Imam's brother-in-law) that Ahmed's job has been confirmed and to send him to Jabalpur. Ahmed (Imam's only son) walks in (after having shampooed his hair that day) and implores Basanti (who is just whiling away her time) through mimes to dissuade the Imam from packing him off to Jabalpur.

To make his point, the Imam says, 'Arre bhai ajeeb bewakoof hai yeh ladka. Miyan, main to ab kabr mein paanv latkaye baitha hoon. Tumhare saamne saari zindagi hai. Kab tak mere daaman se bandhe baithe rahoge?' Translated, he says that his one foot is in the grave (which is the English equivalent of the proverb), his whole life is in front of him and he should not depend on him. If you look at it from Imam's perspective, he is being practical, but from Ahmed's perspective, that's exactly what he doesn't want to hear, especially being the only son.

Main to ab kabr mein paanv latkaye baitha hoon

So, at this juncture, let me introduce a new character to this scene. I'm trying something new here, and hope it works. So again, a new character in this scene. Who can that be? Hmm...ok and that's you. Yes, you. Place yourself let's say, right in front of the Imam. What would you say? How would you say it? While you think about it, let me tell you what I would say. Something like, 'Imam sahab, aisa mat kahiye. Ahmed ko hausla dijiye ki aapko kuchh nahin hoga. Aap yahan asani se reh loge. Agar aap marne ki baatein karenge to Ahmed kathe hi nahin jayega?'  Translated, what I'm basically telling Imam is that he has  to encourage Ahmed by saying that he can take care of yourself, and not dissuade him by saying that his father might kick the bucket anytime! Honestly, I find this proverb a bit pessimistic. 

So hey you - have you thought of what you would say, if you were placed in that scene? Would it be what I said or something different? Let me know through a comment. 

By the way, One Foot in the Grave was a popular British comedy serial aired by BBC in the 1990s. I've just begun watching it and it's funny.

Goodbye, aadab and namaste.