Whats in a movie??

It seems that Slumdog Millionaire keeps coming back to me. The last week saw many at work criticizing the movie for having received the Oscars. There was also a tone of discrimination...

This is not what I expect from people. Slumdog Millionaire is a creative movie and if it has portrayed something very real, whats the problem. My country has poverty, politicians and other criminal minded lot from the country do make money out of poverty. But the movie at least gives a happy ending. Added to it some good artists have contributed their talents to make this movie what it is now. Why doesn't people look at this angle and start appreciating the movie as a art form. 

Anyway I have graduated to such levels that I keep myself out from such topics...At least I feel at peace these days...

Snow fall in Austria to Mountain Dew in Oman...

I am back after a short visit to Austria and Germany. It was the ski season in Austria and since I was in Tirol province, where Ski was the main business, I had a nice time watching at the snow covered Alpen peaks with hundreds of skiers busy with their skis. 

The travel was even fun. Lie flat seats took me to Vienna with 19 inch screens to entertain me. It was awesome watching a movie just the way I would have done if I were to be at home. One noticeable thing was the movie most of the passengers were viewing. It was Slumdog Millionaire. Yes, I had my 66 year old Austrian co-passenger watch the movie with subtitles. And there were 10 others of various nationalities watching the same. Being Indian myself I was feeling good that an India based movie has attracted the attention of so many. But the images in the movie also made me mature enough to answer people who asked me..Is the slum scenes real in India. Yes was my answer and also I added that India is a diversified nation with poverty at one end and Big IT companies on the other. But the society is so well woven that the rich and the poor co exist. 

But most of Indians have found the reference slum"DOG" to be offensive. Not me though. It is just a reference on the worse situations that the character in THE MOVIE faced and how he utilized those difficulties to be a winner. The name reference is fine and in fact makes us wonder what is there in the movie, before we even see it. But for the others who really wanted to make an issue, well the name is a sitting duck. 

Anyway I am back and after the Millionaire and the Alps, I was drawn to the reality on prices when I landed in Oman. And that is " MOUNTAIN DEW" prices have gone up by 50 PERCENT. For God Sake WHY???

With summer round the corner, I am sure the American giant Pepsi has decided to make some more money from the market and maybe make up for the global losses it might incur due to recession. But 50 percent?? Its too much. The prices of the commodities are falling and the ingredients are just plain water and some additives. Fuel prices are low in Oman!! And Mountain Dew is locally made. Why did they have to do it. When car distributors increased prices by 15 percent, the residents decided not to purchase. So this 50 percent rise...wassup people? :) :)

Well this is one big blog. Let me stop for the time and take a nap. The travel has taken a little toll on me and added to it the Mountain Dew price ...Ummmm...!!!