Gandhi - the Musical - Review

Play: 'Gandhi - The Musical'

Writer & Director: Danesh Khambata

Cast: Chirag Vohra, Nivedita Bautiyal, Abhishek Krishnan, Nishi Doshi & about 20 others.

Featuring: Voice of Boman Irani

Rating: 8.1 / 10 (See Rating Chart below)

I was fortunate to be invited to the opening night of 'Gandhi - The Musical'. Actor Boman Irani opened the play. Mr. Tushar Gandhi was also present to watch this work of art.

'Gandhi - The Musical' tells the well-known story of Bapu in the most heart-warming way possible. The play starts with a young Mr. Gandhi (played by Abhishek Krishnan) entering South Africa and ends with the tragic assassination of the Mahatma  (older version of Mahatma Gandhi played by Chirag Vohra).

The first half is not only colourful and musical, but also has some rather comical moments. There is a court-room scene which is one of the high-lights of the play. The second-half is emotional and dramatic, but Gandhiji's witty remarks and conversations with the British-Raj (personified by the voice of Boman Irani) provide some comical relief.

Although the play does depict Gandhiji's involvement in the freedom struggle, the more emotional and dramatic scenes are those from his personal life and conversations with family and close friends. 

The music and lyrics are to be applauded and blend well with the style of story-telling. The characters act, sing, dance and several times during the course of the play, do all those while walking around the audience's seating area, giving one the impression that one has actually witnessed the freedom struggle first hand.

The set up and props are elaborate and detailed. The play has a huge cast of over twenty. Abhishek Krishnan's acting is commendable. 

In short, if one wishes to see a Broadway style musical in Mumbai, one should rush to watch this gem. For a musical of this scale, timing is crucial, and the actors, stage hands and all those involved, delivered. No Indian can watch the play without feeling patriotic and proud.

Do watch the same as soon as possible: https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/gandhi-the-musical/ET00043919

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I hope you found this helpful. If you want me to review any other play/movie/event, please say so in the comments below.

Rating Chart:
1.0-2.9: Torture.
3.0-5.5: Waste of time.
5.6-6.9: Decent. But can be skipped.
7.0-7.9: Good. 
8.0-8.6: Great! Don't miss it.
8.7-10:  You can miss the birth of your child for this. This is a greater miracle.

Book Review: The Story of a Suicide by Sriram Ayer

Book title: The Story of a Suicide

Author: Sriram Ayer

Rating: 7.8 / 10 

Intro: I think most of us have, at some point of time in our lives, considered suicide as an option. Suicide is often considered as a last resort, but does that make it the worst option? Are those who commit suicide cowards/quitters? “The Story of a Suicide” written by Sriram Ayer and with illustrations by Ghana, compels you to ponder these very questions. The story revolves around teenagers Hari, Charu, Sam and Mani, and the web of secrets, love, passion, revenge and lies that connects them together.

Review: Before you start wondering whether you should buy the hard copy of this book or the Kindle version, I wish to inform you that the book is in the form of a website, and can be accessed for free. If you aren’t really the type who likes to look at a screen for long, or who likes to read (Yes, I know you people exist!) as an audio book version is also available for free download and can be downloaded from here.

The book is a must read for teenagers and adults alike. The dialogues in the book are realistic and makes one feel that they are back in college and facing problems of bullying, groupism and sexual confusion. I personally found the character of Hari, being a wallflower, to be very relatable. Hari’s parents, the Hegde’s, are completely oblivious to the problems which he is facing, though their heart is in the right place. He is also loved by his elder sister, Anjali. Hari also finds solace in his friend Mani who is constantly under tremendous parental pressure. Their friend Charu who seemingly represents the girl-next-door, is also a strong and loveable person who can be relied on. The tech freak Sam is also portrayed very realistically. Although Sam’s actions seem reprehensible, they are also really relatable as there are born of passion.

The characters have to fight many challenges such as cyber-bullying and expressing homosexuality. While they all struggle with their respective problems, one of the characters considers committing suicide. I don’t want to reveal whether he/she does or does, as I do not want to ruin the fun for the readers. The portion of the book that has the most impact is without a doubt the last few paragraphs.

With its simple yet captivating language “The Story of a Suicide” promises to keep one engaged from start to finish. In conclusion I just want to say that the book should not be read with the aim to pass the time, but with the aim to experience what today’s youth do, and to learn their experiences.

Additional Note: I feel I would be remiss in my duties if I did not offer you all some tips and advice on how to deal with depression, break-ups and suicidal tendencies. The author Sriram Ayer has also given detailed list of Do’s and Don’ts on the website and I have found the same is to be very accurate and useful. In addition to the points contained therein I only wish to stress on having a close confidant (or confidants) with whom you can share any sorrow and who will guide you without judgement. All of us, including the youth of today, feel the necessity to keep our true emotions and thoughts bottled up either because we are ashamed what others will perceive us or because we have no one who we can trust completely. When we don’t have someone like that in our lives we feel like there is a hole in our heart and negative emotions just wait to pounce on that weakened heart and take over. Find someone whom you can trust and then pour your heart out to them. But without mutual trust and understand all that will be left in this world is suffering and sorrow. Don’t be too quick in forsaking yourself.  

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Mumbai - City of Greatness

Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It is the most dynamic and energetic cities, not in in India, but also in the world. My friends who come to visit, always ask me why Mumbai is #madeofgreat and I tell them the three key features of Mumbai which are:

Drive: Mumbai City is also known as the City of Dreams. At the same time it is also known as the City which Never Sleeps.  It’s true that it’s a rat race here. People run from one place to the other, looking for opportunities. The reason the people of Mumbai hope big is because Mumbai is the city where even a person who starts as a tea-seller or gardener, can make it big. It’s like Abhishek Bachchan says in ‘Bunty aur Babli’ – if Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, and Birla had been in Lucknow/Kanpur they'd be swatting flies in Ambani General Stores, Tata Flour Mills and Birla Tobacco Stall. Bombay... gave them the recognition they deserved.

Cuffe Parade Skyline
(Image taken from here.)

Design: Mumbai s beautiful. If you ever visit, make it a point to see the Cuffe Parade skyline at night. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a heritage structure. A free guided tour is available between 3 to 5 p.m. Let’s not forget that you can’t leave Mumbai without seeing the Gateway of India. Also, take the ferry at Colaba and go see the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, while you are at it. Although it's not a popular tourist destination, I recommend seeing the Bombay High Court as well. The architecture is really first-class. The Bandra–Worli Sea Link, though, comparatively new, has given the city a lot of class too.

(Image taken from here.)

Connect: Despite all the ambition and show, the city has a certain spirit. Everything and everyone in this city is connected. Mumbai is one big well-oiled machine and each person is a nut or a bolt, which helps it run. People say that Mumbai is crowded, and admittedly it is. But what they don’t notice is that the crowd is one force. There is a spirit of oneness which can only be felt, but cannot be explained. When calamity strikes, Mumbaikars come to each other’s aid, without even a second thought. This city has seen its fair share of disasters, but after everyone, the city has come out stronger and wiser. The railways and metros have connected us in terms of travel, but in terms of spirit we have always been connected, and that is what has made us the best city in the world.

It’s for these reasons that Mumbai is considered to be #made of great. In a way you can say what makes Mumbai great, is also what makes the vehicles of Tata Motors great. If you want to understand why, please go to: http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

Comment below and please do share why you find Mumbai to be made of great.

The Lady Who Is #madeofgreat

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

-          Bob Marley

How does one measure ‘greatness’? Is it the number of trophies and medals you have? Or is it the number of digits in your bank balances? Surely, we look for greatness in our cricket players and our movie stars, but we not succeed in viewing the idols of greatness that are near to us. No, according to me, the above quote of Bob Marley sums up greatness perfectly. The only flaw in the quote is that Marley used the word ‘he’, whereas in my case the person who has always inspired me and made me strive for greatness is a lady. A strong, bold and gentle lady. My mother.

What drives her is not wealth or power, but simply - love
(Courtesy: browniephotography)

That’s right. My mother is an all-rounder. She has managed to balance work, home, kids and even the several social causes that she supports. I often used to wonder what drives her. One day it became obvious to me, that the passion that runs in her veins comes simply from the love in her heart. Love for her family, friends, work, fellow human beings and all living things. Love is the most powerful emotion. Its what can make you go to the edge of your limits and beyond. 

Therefore, my motto in life became “W.W.M.M.D.” (“What Would My Mother Do”). Here are just a few tips and life-hacks my saintly mother taught me:

Focus on the Solution: Whenever I get furious, I remember all the times I screwed up in life, and my mother, instead of beating me or shouting at me, would just sit me down and talk to me. She’s always solution oriented. It’s like Eldridge Cleaver said, “If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.” When something goes wrong, there’s no point crying over the spilt milk, the only thing you can do is try to solve it or mitigate the damage as much as possible.

Walk the walk, rather than talk the talk: Actions speak louder than words. My mother is the best example of this. She didn't just tell me to work hard and be good. She did it herself. Like Bapu said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Instead of just trying to make me better human being, she herself became a great human being, and that has made all the difference. If you want to bring out the greatness in others, make sure you are #madeofgreat yourself.

Be better today than what you were yesterday: My mother taught me to compare myself to nobody but myself. “The only time you look in your neighbour’s bowl is to make sure that they have enough. You don't look in your neighbour’s bowl to see if you have as much as them.” We have to strive to improve. Physically, mentally and spiritually. Never be static. The moment we stop moving forward and upward, we fall into a rut.

Happiness is a choice: Truly, at any given point of time one can simply choose to be happy. If you have the right attitude, you can find joy in anything and anyone. If you don’t’, then no matter who or what you have, it will never be enough.

Believe: My mother isn't just blindly optimistic, she really believes in a brighter future. The most significant events in your life won’t always happen because of things you do, but also because of things that happen to you. There is a plan for all of us. Of course, that doesn't mean that you don’t have control over your life. What we do defines us. However, you can’t loose grasp over the fact that sometimes bad things just happen. At such times, you just need to have faith. Always, hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

Believe in karma if you want, but don’t rely on it: This may sound strange, but it is absolutely irrelevant that whether doing good to others means that good will happen to us. A person must do good because its the right thing to do. That is all. You don’t help your fellow human being, with the expectation that you will get something in return for it. The joy you bring to others is itself the end result. That is the fruit of our efforts.

Anyone can be #madeofgreat: Like happiness, even greatness is a choice. Hard work, perseverance, humility and compassion for all living things- that is what greatness is made of. My mother is a testament to that. These qualities can also be seen in other people who are #made of great and have influenced me, such as Bapu, Mother Teresa, Lionel Messi and Usain Bolt. No wonder Tata Motors has chosen youth icon Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador, after all, they are both #madeofgreat. <wink>. Messi is driven by the dream of being the best and Tata Motors is driven by design, technology and the road ahead. So, what drives you?

So, I think my readers have heard enough from me today. I'm going to stop talking about greatness now, and am going out to try and achieve. Before I leave, I wan to leave my readers with just one question: What do you think of Tata Motor's association with Lionel Messi? Reply in the comments. Thanks. Live long and prosper.

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