Dear John – A heart warming classic

Movie: Dear John
Cast: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins and Henry Thomas
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Distributor: Screen Gems
Release Date: 5^th Feb 2010
Music: Deborah Lurie
Story: Nicholas Sparks

“Two Weeks Together. That’s all it took. Two weeks to fall in love” – Lines from movie “Dear John”

The very first thing that captivates you in this movie is the soothing music composed by Deborah Lurie. It not only synchronizes with the dazzling cinematography, but also reflects the emotions and soul of the storyline written by Nicholas Sparks. Adapted from the 2006 novel, Movie “Dear John” is a timeless love story set against the backdrop of 9/11 events and revolves around John Tyree and Savannah, the lead protagonists who continue to express their emotions through letters even in the heartbreaking years of separation. The solitary life of soldier John Tyree changes the moment he meets the sweet, bubbly and optimistic Savannah during his leave in spring of 2001. The first meeting scene between John and Savannah has been shot very beautifully on the exotic beaches of North Carolina. When Savannah’s handbag suddenly falls in the sea, John takes a leap in the sea to retrieve the purse to the young lady. This scene has been beautifully written by Nicholas Sparks in his book and succeeds to bring a smile on the face of readers. In just 2 weeks, John and Savannah realize that they are made for each other.

But as the 9/11 event occurs, John gets the official orders to join in for war.
The separation tears apart their togetherness, but John and Savannah endure this distance by writing letters to each other. Fate takes a drastic turn when John gets a letter from Savannah about her wedding. Though John re-enlists in armed forces to stay away from Savannah, fate brings them back together and John realizes the real truth behind Savannah’s wedding.  Will John and Savannah re-unite? Will John be able to forgive Savannah? Come; embark on the journey of love with John and Savannah in 2010’s romantic movie – Dear John.

What I like best about the movie is that it’s a simply sweet romantic story without any excessive melodrama and succeeds to find a place in your heart forever.  This excellent romantic story is not just about love between two individuals, it’s also a heart warming story between a father and a son. This novel is a tender, heart warming and a weepy tale of love and togetherness. Performance wise, Amanda Seyfried’s role as Savannah is really believable and sweet. Channing Tatum is truly convincing as John Tyree. Once you have seen this movie, do grab the copy of novel “Dear John” and you will truly enjoy reading this sweet story of John and Savannah.

If you enjoy seeing “Dear John”, also check out the movie “The Notebook” which is again an adaptation of the novel written by Nicholas Sparks. Hope you liked this article.

The Count of Monte Cristo - A thrilling classic

The Count of Monte Cristo is the only novel that has been adapted and made into movies several times with a plot of a hero taking vengeance against the villains who caused injustice on him. Sounds like a typical Bollywood movie! If you are looking out for a novel with elements like treachery, betrayal, adventure, revenge, treasures, pirates, then Count of Monte Cristo is the book you can really count on.

Written by Alexandre Dumas, the premise of the story is set in France during the Napoleonic era and the main protagonist of this novel is Edmond Dantes, the merchant sailor who is accused of being a traitor by his arch enemies, Danglars, Fernand and deputy prosecutor, Villefort. As Edmond Dantes is about to wed his soul mate, Mercedes, Edmond is charged of conspiracy and deported to dark dungeon cells of Chateau D;If. Banging the doors of the dark cells crazily, Edmond’s only hope is to see his father and his lady love Mercedes but all his efforts are in vain. After spending 14 years in Chateau D’ If, Edmond Dantes gets a new lease of life in form of prison mate, father faria who trains him in every art and makes him aware of the enemies who were responsible for ruining his life. But misfortune strikes again with the death of father faria and once again Edmond Dantes is left alone. But before dying, Faria claims Edmond as his successor and gives him the clue of a treasure at Monte Cristo. Does Edmond Dantes succeeds in escaping from Chateau D’if? What identity does Edmond adopt to take vengeance on his enemies? Do Edmond and Mercedes unite? Who is count of Monte Cristo? All these breathtaking answers will unfold as you turn on the pages of the classic masterpiece “The Count of Monte Cristo”.

Like 3 Musketeers, Count of Monte Cristo is another popular novel of Alexandre Dumas which has been liked by readers for several generations. If you are looking for historical thrillers, then Count of Monte Cristo lives up to the expectations. Reading novels of Alexandre Dumas gives you a feel of watching an action, adventure Hollywood movies full of thrills. Apart from reading Count of Monte Cristo, I also have enjoyed his other books – 3 Musketeers and Man in the iron mask.  If you enjoy reading this book, you will also like Ivanhoe, King Arthur and Knights of round table, Robinhood, Prisoner of Zenda.

Come, live the adventure with Count of Monte Cristo.

Water Horse- Legend of the deep: A perfect holiday treat!

Motion Picture: Water Horse- Legend of the deep
Cast: Ben Chaplin, Brian Cox, Emily Watson and Alex Etel
Release Date – 2007

Have you ever heard about a friendship between a boy and a water horse? You surely didn’t. The childhood of every boy and girl is fascinated by bedtime stories filled with princess, Knights, dragons and mythical creatures. Presented by the makers of Chronicles of Narnia, Water Horse-Legend of the deep is also one such bedtime story which is a cheerful and an extraordinary saga of friendship between Angus and the water horse.

Synopsis: The opening scene of the movie begins with an old man narrating a story about a sea horse to a couple and the story moves in flashback to 1940 and the viewers are introduced to a boy named Angus who is impatiently waiting for the return of his long lost father who is missing in the war.  The solitary life of Angus takes a miraculous turn when he discovers a huge egg lying on the shores of Loch Ness. Angus keeps the egg hidden in the store house, only to explore a magic that will change his life forever. When the hatchling comes out of the egg, Angus realizes that this creature is actually a sea horse. Angus not only feeds the mythical sea horse, but also keeps it hidden from the eyes of his mother and sister. A friendship develops between Angus and the sea horse during the time and they both share the sweetest moments of the companionship. With this sea horse, Angus discovers a guardian in this sea creature. This sea horse not only brings happiness back in life of Angus, but also helps get him rid of the fear of water.


But the sweet trouble for Angus actually begins as the sea horse starts growing in size every day. Angus confides about the hidden sea horse to his sister and they together start planning to find a secure place for this mythical sea horse. How Angus and his sister manage to hide the sea horse from the world is projected very beautifully by acclaimed director Jay Russels. If you are planning to watch a family movie with your kids, then Water Horse – Legend of the Deep is a perfect treat for your entire family. Every scene of this heart warming movie is filled with breathtaking visuals & cheerful moments which will definitely bring a smile on your face. I consider this movie more beautiful than E.T and recommend this as a delightful classic movie. Go, enjoy the delightful moments of Water horse with your family!!!!

The Vow

The Vow – Movie Preview

Movie: The Vow
Cast: Channing Tatum, Rachael Mcadams, Scott speedman
Director: Michael Sucsy
Distributors: Screen Gems
Release Date: 10^th February 2012

Preview: Slated to release on eve of Valentine, The Vow is the latest Hollywood motion picture which is inspired by true events happened in the life of couples staying in Las Vegas. The happy marital life of Leo is shattered to pieces when his wife meets with a fatal accident and loses her memory. How Leo wins back the affection of his soul mate is best to be seen on the silver screen on 10^th February 2012.


                                           View the Exclusive trailer of The Vow 

The Vow is an inspiring story of true love, hope and compassion which will definitely touch your heart J

Thanks
Prashant Badiger

Untold story of Bengali Braveheart - Surya Sen



Chittagong Leader and Martyr: Surya Sen



Surya Sen – The Chittagong Hero
(March 22 1894- January 12 1934)
Birth Place: Naopara, Chittagong

On January 12, 1934, British officials entered the cell of their captured revolutionary and brutally tortured him by breaking all his teeth, limbs and joints with hammer. The torture was so cruel and painful that the revolutionary couldn’t even scream. The revolutionary was hanged unconsciously and later his dead body was put in a metallic cage and was thrown into sea. What was such fear in minds of British that they had to brutally hang the revolutionary? This revolutionary was none other than Surya Sen, the valiant Bengali revolutionary who shook the British Empire by simultaneously attacking British cantonment, European club, Telegraph office, railway line and armory in Chittagong. Through this revolt, Surya Sen had created a strong awakening in minds of Indians to lift up weapons against the tyrant British supremacy.

The martyrdom of Bhagat Singh on 23^rd March 1931 has inspired several freedom fighters to plunge themselves in the freedom struggle and Surya Sen was one of them. Surya Sen’s only dream was to make his nation free from the grip of British and his first initiative was to attack the British resources and make Chittagong Independent. A teacher by profession, Surya Sen was fondly known as Masterda (teacher brother) who inspired and motivated students by narrating the stories of famous revolutionaries like Khudiram Bose. He participated in all the freedom movements and activities of Indian National Congress and highly admired the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. But his dreams were short lived. The violent Chauri Chaura Incident not only hurt Gandhiji, but also compelled him to withdraw the non co-operation movement. With the coming times, Surya Sen realized that revolutionary action is only the way to resist the British force.

The initiative and action plan of Surya Sen was supported by his fellow members and colleagues- Ganesh Ghosh, Ambika Chakravarti, Anant Singh, Lokenath Bal, Nirmal Sen and prominent women revolutionaries like Kalpana Dutta and Pritilata Waddedar. With help of bunch of teenagers, Surya Sen devised a strategy to raid the British armoury, cantonment, telegraph office, railway line and European club on the same day – 18 April 1830 and free their homeland Chittagong from British Empire .Though the raid was successful, the revolutionaries later realized that there were weapons, but no ammunition.

Collecting the minimum weapons, Surya Sen and his team confronted the British army and managed to hoist the Indian Flag in police armoury. After the raid, Surya Sen and his group marched to Jalalabad Hills where they again had to face the bullets fired by the British Army. Several teenage revolutionaries lost their lives in the encounter and Tegra, the younger brother of Lokenath Bal was one of them. Later a revolutionary among the group of Surya Sen betrayed him by giving clues and information about their activities to the British. Slowly all the members were captured or killed in the encounter planned by the British. Even Pritilata Waddedar sacrificed her life during the attack on Pahartali European Club.

                                                         A rare photograph of Pritilata Waddedar 

Capture and Death Sentence: Even though Surya Sen managed to escape from the eye of British, he was fatally captured on February 1933 in Gairala Village.  The death sentence to Surya Sen completely shattered the dreams of his members who had cherished a dream to free motherland from clutches of foreign supremacy. Surya Sen was hanged along with another patriot Tarakeshwar Dastidar on January 12, 1934. Though his efforts didn’t succeed, his dream to free India finally came true on 15^th August 1947. It is very sad to know that the effort of the Chittagong martyrs hasn’t been told to young generation in detail.

Literary  Adaptations: The Chittagong armoury raid was been retold into a novel called – Do or Die : The Chittagong Uprising, written by Manini Chatterjee.  Even India Book House published a graphical story book on life, struggle and martyrdom of Surya Sen.

Recently a Hindi motion picture: Khelein Hum jee jaan se, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker was based on life and martyrdom of Surya Sen who played a pivotal role in attacking the British resources with full might.

Even the movie was equally inspiring and retold the legend of Surya Sen whose efforts got dispersed in pages of history. Abhishek Bachchan portrayed the role of Surya Sen with perfection and showcased the patriotic emotions with finesse.

Through this blog post, I have taken a small, humble effort to inform you about the martyrdom of a brave son of motherland who sacrificed everything for sake of our nation’s independence. I am looking forward to write more blog posts on revolutionaries like Khudiram Bose, Veena Das, Jatin Das, Sukhdev, Babu Ghenu and make their efforts informed to the world. Hope you support me in this initiative by reading these blog posts and convey your suggestions.

Vande Mataram
Prashant Badiger

Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer- An unforgettable classic

Novel : Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Author: Mark Twain

Frankly saying, I can’t stay without books. Whenever I rest, work or travel I always make sure to see that I have a book or at least a newspaper to feed my mind with information. My hobby of reading books evolved into writing and I owe this favor to the literary classic masterpiece – Tom sawyer written by Mark Twain. Tom is the character every person can identify with and I feel personally connected with it. Tom sawyer is an orphan innocent boy who stays with his aunt Polly and his brother Sid. Accompanied by his friend, Huckleberry Finn, Tom sets on an endless adventurous journey full of thrills, fun, love and togetherness. Especially for book lovers, Tom Sawyer is a must read who are wishing to revisit their childhood days and refresh their memories. Tom Sawyer written by Mark Twain has entertained millions of readers for generations with  humor and lively youth content. 

Mark Twain’s work has been a beacon which motivated many writers to roll out youthful classics to readers. It is this book that motivated me to enter the world of writing and express my thoughts to innumerable readers. Every character is memorable in this book whether it is the mischievous, shabby Huckleberry fin or the bubbly Becky Thatcher.  If you read “Tom Sawyer”, you will also like its sequel – Adventures of Huckleberry Finn where Huck and Tom again move to a new adventure to free a negro slave.  It’s a delightful adventure novel for every age and reading this book takes you back to your own childhood days.  Captains Courageous, Oliver Twist, Kidnapped, Rebecca of Sunny brook farm are novels  targeted to children and are worth reading. I highly recommend these books.

The martyrdom of Pritilata Waddedar

Pritilata Waddedar
(5 May 1911- 23 September 1932)

The pages of Indian history are soaked with blood of countless patriots, revolutionaries who happily laid their lives for the liberation of nation from tyrant British Empire. Along with men, women too have equally given their contribution in freedom struggle, both violent and non violent ways. Among the women revolutionaries, the martyrdom of Pritilata Wadedar is remembered with honour and respect. Pritilata was an intelligent student who passed her matriculation exam in first class and in later days she pursued her graduation in philosophy with distinction from Bethune College, Calcutta. While pursuing her education, Pritilata had a keen desire to put her contribution in freedom struggle and destiny gave her opportunity through her colleague Kalpana Dutta who introduced Pritilata to the great revolutionary leader Surya Sen. Although Surya Sen was reluctant to include Pritilata in his group, but her determination to eliminate British supremacy was so firm that Surya Sen finally accepted Pritilata as the woman comrade and member in his revolutionary group. Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi was a role model and an inspirational force for Pritilata to sacrifice her life for liberation of motherland. It was Pritilata’s intelligence, strategy and efforts that helped Surya Sen and other members to attack the armoury raid, telegraph office, railway lines and make the uprising of Chittagong successful.

                                              Chittagong hero and martyr : Surya Sen

Martyrdom: To avenge the death of innocent teenage comrades in Jalalabad encounter, Surya Sen’s next strategy was to attack the Pahartali European club which had a board titled – Dogs and Indians are not allowed. Surya Sen selected Pritilata to lead this plan along with a team to attack the European club on September 23rd 1932. Pritilata succeeded in attacking the European club, but suddenly in the bloody encounter Pritilata and her members were chased down by British officers. Pritilata was fatally wounded in this attack and there was no way for escape from the Britishers. Finally Pritilata commanded her members to run away from the spot and preferred to sacrifice her life for her motherland. Pritilata ended her life by swallowing potassium cyanide and her martyrdom became a great motivation for several women to plunge in the freedom struggle. At a very young age of 21, Pritilata had given up her valuable life for our motherland.

Recently a bollywood movie – Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey directed by Ashutosh Gowariker was based on Chittagong Uprising and retold the unsung martyrdom of Pritilata Waddedar. Role of Pritilata was portrayed by Vishaka singh while role of surya sen was played by Abhiskhek bachchan respectively. I am looking forward to write more biographies on several patriots like Kanaklata Barua, Babu Ghenu, Jatin Das, Sukhdev so that their sacrifice and struggle is conveyed to world with full details. 

Reading about the extraordinary courageous life of braveheart like Pritilata is really a motivational experience and through this blog post I have taken a small effort to retell the legend of Pritilata whose struggle has got lost in pages of history.