Gandhi (1982)

I could never do justice to a review on the movie that aptly portrays the life and times of the great man, Mahatma Gandhi! Over my lifetime I have watched Gandhi on numerous occasions and there have been too many to count. That being said, I can hear my family groan if I tune in to the movie telecast on television. But that does not deter me in the least.

The year is 1893. A life-changing and soon to become a defining moment in world history took place. A young Mohandas Gandhi, an Indian barrister, all of 23 years and educated in London was travelling in a train. Holding a first class ticket, and looking forward to his new work assignment in this different land - South Africa, he was comfortable in his first-class compartment. Despite having a first class ticket he was asked to vacate the first class owing to the color of his skin or be thrown off the train. By his refusal to give up his rightful seat, he chose the latter. He was deeply disturbed by this episode and decided to fight against racial discrimination that was prevalent in the South Africa of the day. He was able to draw attention to his work and the support of the local prosperous but suppressed Indian community

Gandhi subsequently returns to India and embarks on a path of self realization and satyagraha (a policy of passive political resistance - as defined by Oxford Dictionary) and the non-cooperation movement fought towards India's independence. His simplicity and struggles earned him the name, Bapu - Father of the Nation. As they say, the rest is history! The movie though long, is riveting.
Gandhi was nominated for the Academy Awards in 1982, in 11 categories. It won in 8 categories, including the Best Actor award by Ben Kingsley.

 

Just as summer and the heat were to set in we paid a visit to Aga Khan Palace, Pune.
This was a place that played a pivotal role in the life of Bapu. This was where he, his wife - Kasturba Gandhi  and his secretary were under house arrest , during the Indian Freedom movement. The palace is a memorial (Samadhi) to the ashes of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai (Gandhi's Secretary).

Julie & Julia (2009)

"Is there anyone out there who's reading this?", says novice blogger, Julie.

Julie and Julia is a beautiful tale of two women who couldn't be more different. They hail from different backgrounds, different worlds and even different time periods but both lives are inextricably intertwined by one common passion, their love for food. 

Julie Powell (Amy Adams) has  moved to Queens and is not loving it there. The apartment that she and her husband are renting over a pizzeria is small with a tiny kitchen and that doesn't help. She feels stuck in her job that seems to be going nowhere, cramped in a cubicle day after day, listening to heart-rending stories of callers reeling from the 9/11 tragedy. To break the monotony that's become her life, Julie takes on a bold project of cooking 524 recipes over a period of 365 days - all recipes inspired from her favorite cook, Julia Child.
Going back many years we follow the life of Julia in her youth. While Julia (Meryl Streep) was in France, while on one of her sojourns with her husband, she starts culinary school to become the only woman to join Le Cordon Bleu in the 1940's. She became an accomplished cook and published author of  "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Her passion and perseverance making her a legend.
This movie is about love - the love for food and sharing it with the ones you hold dear and of course butter, something that defines good French food. 
Kick back with a lovely glass of red🍷, roasted garlic with some brie on baguette and as the French say, "Bon Appetit"!

Word for the day :-
carrion - dead and decaying flesh