ON- screen to OFF- screen – when the reel plot comes to life!

    

      Though born with an aim to entertain and created with an agenda to meet us on-screen, many a times, plot of a series or backdrop of a movie seem to relate with us in several ways than we can think about. As we follow the course of our favorite serial or enjoy the unfolding of its magic, we realize several adventures and numerous experiences resemble our own life story in an interesting way. While observing the similarities and rejoicing their occurrence in our course of journey, we experience a bond of connection that ties us with it.

    Be it characters of a family that mimic our own set of people or challenges of a protagonist that seem to relate with us, be it a funny situation or circumstance that matches exactly with our experience or network of relations that fit into our frame perfectly, the liveliness of a plot and transition from on-screen to off-screen appears totally interesting.

    While this may force you to ponder about similar encounters in your own life flow, recent experience of watching famous television series ‘Everybody loves Raymond’ sowed these seeds in my thought process. An old comedy serial focusing on the daily adventures of sports columnist Raymond and his wife, funny moments of their interactions, fights, patch ups and confusions seem to relate with our course of story too! While exclaiming at the similarities and laughing over the differences, every moment of the series appears to come to life.

    As movies and series attempt to stay connected with their viewers, reality in the plot and simplicity in the characters can relate with daily course of life, instantly. With numerous varieties in genres and different types of stories, there are several opportunities of mimicking our real lives. Entertainment drawn from the resemblance of our situation with that of an on-screen character adds an unusual and unique touch to the course of fun.

    From similarities in profession to resemblance in cities, from perfect match in behavior to closeness in the responses, aspects that relate to us and the characters in reel setup contribute to the success and entertainment quotient of the program. Though depiction on screen is meant for the sole purpose of entertainment, occasional links with our own plot can magnify our laughter and amplify the happiness.

      Whether we choose to relate ourselves with the strength of the central character or simplicity of the side characters, whether we laugh over the similarities in our own troubles or declare more superiority and sense in our real life, comparing our experiences and enjoying their closeness add great doses of entertainment. Giving us the joy of watching some of our own moments on screen, this conversion of real to reel appears wonderful.  As we observe the action-reaction of the characters in front of the camera, similarities with our own acts bring excitement and joy.

     Be it any language or region, serials and movies of all kinds seem to have some elements that can relate with their own unique audience. While some serials gain worldwide popularity instantly and some remain confined to the screens of few viewers locally, several aspects resemble our life journey or those around us in one way or the other.

     As no explanation is complete without the inclusion of examples, let us look at the most common instances when the plot certainly comes to life!

1.       Family based plots

Strict yet loving conduct of grandparents, care and attention of mother, easy-going generous nature of father, pranks of brothers and helpful acts of sisters – while these are some of the usual depiction made in family based plots, enjoying their similarities with our own family calls for numerous moments of fun.

(Think about an ideal family you have seen onscreen – I am sure you must have been tempted to change your own characters on several occasions, to make them just like theirs!)

2.       Fun with friends

Integral part of any life story, portrayal of friendship on screen reminds us of our own unique bunch of joy. While depicting the love, care, concern, fights, arguments, fun and adventures with friends; the plot comes to life, urging us to celebrate the similarities shared with our real friends and laugh over the unusual differences.

(Think about different kinds of friends on-screen, you will be able to match them with your own crew too!)

3.       Situational similarities

Be it significant stages of childhood, marriage, parenthood or old age or situations depicting funny, helpless troubles with neighbors, bosses, in-laws or authorities, when situations on screen match with our drama off-screen, the entertainment is amplified on an exponential scale.

(Laughing at the helplessness of the protagonist seems funnier, when you seem to have been in the same shoes, once upon a time!)

4.       Dreamland wishes

Though the above three categories can relate with us along numerous instances, dreamland wishes are the exceptions to these experiences. Whether we are inspired by the magical powers of the super-heroes or admire the fashion style of the lead characters, whether we hope to own a house as depicted on-screen or dream for their fancy cars and luxuries, dreamland wishes prompt us into hopes and desires.

(We all are guilty of framing a wish-list that draws some inspiration from the screen)

Such is the magic of on-screen depiction that may cast some real-life influence in an interesting way.

 Enjoy the similarities and explore the entertainment responsibly, after all not everything that happens ON- screen will appeal you OFF- screen! 

‘The DIY culture’: doing-it-yourself for experiencing it yourself!

 

 

     With a father who seemed to be the brand ambassador of DIY culture right from the early years of 80s, and a husband who works to carry the legacy ahead, ‘do-it-yourself’ appears to be the unstated theme of my life. Surrounded by engineers in the form of grandparents, family members, relatives and friends –  do-it-yourself (DIY) culture has chosen to influence every domain of my existence. While the creative shade of my working cannot apprehend every aspect of this DIY culture, a post to its name can prove as my little contribution towards celebration of its presence.

   ‘A trend that believes in the power of self-dependence; a style that highlights the benefit of performing every task by self; a culture that prompts one to experiment, engage, experience and evolve – do-it-yourself (DIY) is the new trendy name for doing and experiencing various kinds of task with the power of own hands.’

      Though DIY culture had a presence in our community since several decades in the past, novelty of today’s world and energy of newer generations have coated it with a fresh touch. From assembling of house hold items to planning about office furniture, from preparation of exotic restaurant-style meals in one’s kitchen to developing a wonderful garden in the front yard, from designing clothes with respect to latest fashion to decorating walls of the house, DIY has cast its spell in every area of life. Depending on interests, hobbies, skills and needs, this DIY culture can be personalized for each individual. The joy of doing tasks by self, coupled with satisfaction of the end product appear totally interesting.

     Not limited to a group of particular age, profession, nationality or gender, do-it-yourself is practiced by people across the globe. Offering an opportunity to enjoy the process of creation, DIY brings each one closer to skills and talents. From planning to shortlisting, from adding inputs to enjoying the outputs, DIY involves several aspects that turn into the desired result. As experiences are the best teachers of any trade, do-it-yourself pushes one towards experiments. Learning from our mistakes, DIY can help us progress after numerous attempts.

      Though every DIY project may not reach the finish line or may encounter failure on its way, the course of its task and route of its journey offer elements of happiness and satisfaction. While easy availability of resources provide convenience and benefits, it can never replace the joy of creating things by self. Wishes that originate from the shine and gloss of a purchased greeting card can never match with the honest love of a simple card made at home, cakes and cookies from shops around can never offer same amount of happiness as the ones baked at home. While it is impossible to make, prepare, create and perform every single aspect by self, occasional encounters and frequent dates with DIY can certainly work wonders!

       Easy access to the internet, convenient connectivity with contacts all over the globe and tremendous progress in domains of communication have been extremely instrumental in promotion and development of the DIY culture. From ‘how-to’ books and journals that teach a particular activity to websites that reflect all the necessary guidance, from virtual training videos on the internet to chat sessions with family, friends or colleagues for a particular assignment, DIY culture has pushed its way into our lives, leaving no scope for excuses!

   So, what are the striking features of the DIY culture?

  Do they offer any unique benefits that can transform a non-DIY fan into a DIY lover?

1.       Power to progress: Do-it-yourself confers power in our hands, giving room for experiences, adventures, errors and improvements.

2.       Scope for satisfaction: DIY offers taste of satisfaction by transforming efforts into a desired end-product.

3.       Lessons to learn: DIY prompts us to learn new aspects and develop novel skills, adding value to our knowledge base.

4.       Joy ride to the finish line: Entertaining till the last bit, do-it-yourself appears as a fun-filled experience, with occasional moments of failure, doubts, excitement and success.

5.       Interesting fillers: DIY tasks at home come across as valuable ways to spend time, yielding productive outcome.

  Through numerous activities, interesting means and endless ways, DIY culture is certainly here to stay. Engage yourself in little DIY, after all doing-it-yourself is nothing but experiencing, evolving, entertaining and enjoying yourself!

P.S: Dear Dad and husband, I wish this post on DIY can count as my DIY project for several years from today.

Special attention husband: Hopefully, this 700 word article will replace my contribution from any probable DIY tasks such as cleaning car, assembling furniture and growing lemon grass for your tea! 

At times, COMEDY is all we need; because sense of humor makes perfect sense!

    

      Comedy, jokes, sarcasm, laughter, fun, humor, joy - while each of these have the power to tickle our funny bone and involve us into a good laugh, humor is certainly one of the most essential elements in the course of our lives. An expression that mirrors our joy; an emotion that prompts us to enjoy- comedy and humor welcome us into the world of fun. Lighthearted jokes born with an aim to celebrate silliness and acts of humor designed with the purpose of radiating laughter go a long way, ensuring happiness, joy, fun and frolic. Sense of humor can keep us young and alive always. Ability to laugh at our own mistakes, eagerness to experience joy from good intended humor and openness to laugh together with our loved ones offer the real taste of comedy.

     A sincere fan of all things funny – comedy series, movies, stories and acts can keep me glued for long. While immense interest for this comedy genre did clash with my husband during our battles for the remote, successful transformation of his love towards comedy has surprised me to no end. With such an unexpected victory of comedy and humor on the screen of our television, this topic deserved a post to its name! Adding shades of fun in the daily course of routine life, comedy programs are undoubtedly essential as carriers of joy. Inspiring us to forget about struggles, challenges, troubles and worries, comedy is the perfect medicine for a happy heart.

      Comedy takes birth in several forms – from comedy television serials with fun-filled characters to comedy movies that appear totally hilarious; from stand-up comedy acts and videos on social media to funny stories and jokes in text, humor ensures perfect execution and flawless performance. True to its role of spreading smile and cheer in each one’s life, comedy and humor strive for a fun-filled experience and happy ending. While real purpose of humor is to amplify laughter, comedy that forces us to forget our surrounding is the best player in its game. Filling our lives with lighthearted magic, such kind of humor can take us away from the troubles of present.

      As a much needed refreshment for the mind, comedy and humor can do wonders. Attracting happy thoughts, enthusiastic vigor, fresh perspective and energetic aura, comedy is all we need for its perfect doses of joy. Though humor and comedy bring lot of magic in life, jokes designed with an intention to hurt someone or acts created with an aim to mock one’s weakness, lifestyle, disability or individuality can never succeed. Using someone as a target for humor spreads hatred, sorrow, anger and disappointment.

      While comedy appears to be simple, relaxing, easy moving and time killing, it is certainly one of the toughest genres that demands great dedication and hard work. Be it a writer who pens down the script for a comedy show or director who ensures perfect guidance to its flow, be it an actor who portrays the role on screen or the editor who adds the final touches, every participant has to contribute towards the success of its outcome. Acting on a serious note, while mouthing dialogues filled with jokes, humor and senseless references can certainly prove to be a difficult task! Comedy serial and show makers have to think out of the box as sustaining the interest of viewers is not an easy job. Unless the writers bring innovative jokes and actors portray novel acts, enjoying undivided and committed attention of viewers can be totally uncertain. While emotional, sensitive, thriller or adventurous drama can touch our hearts in matter of seconds, comedy and humor take numerous minutes to tickle our funny bone.

          How do each of the players of comedy bring smile to our faces and laughter to our hearts?

          Let us look at the progressing trend of comedy and humor over the passing years…

1.       Jokes

Probably the most common way of celebrating humor - jokes printed in newspapers, books and magazines provided the much needed dosage of fun in earlier times. Besides, sharing jokes with friends in class, lunch break, birthday parties and overnight trips gave way to the flow of this humor.

Though jokes have retained their charm even today, there is change in their residence from paper to digital device. While we enjoy them through our cell phones and computers, humor has chosen a new way to enter into our lives.

2.       Comedy television serials

       Simple story, diverse characters, perfect actors, hilarious encounters- as key ingredients of any  comedy serial, each of these contribute to the funny quotient of the program.  

       Drawing laughter from a funny script,comedy serials have been popular among the audience for  several years now.Though changing times demand a change in their locations,circumstances,  situations and references,comedy serials have retained the joy of uniting all the family members  over unlimited doses of laughter.

3.       Comedy movies

 With no significant impact or influential theme, comedy movies are meant for nothing but,  entertainment.Occasional moments of jokes laced with senseless moments of fun dominate the  backdrop of such movies.

 While theaters were the only means to enjoy these movies during earlier times, advent of internet and DVDs have made our job much easier!

4.       Videos on the internet

 Taking comedy and enjoyment to modern levels, funny videos on the internet are the latest means to  enjoy humor.While browsing, watching, sharing and commenting on these videos, internet and  social media have added novel shades to our laughter.

 Read, hear, watch and enjoy, as this comedy and humor are designed for the supply of your entertainment! 

The unsung hero of a song - lyrical magic that says it all!

       Rhythm, beats, tune, melody – while these are some of the aspects of a song that influence our attention, its lyrics or words are often forgotten about. Though some songs ride on the wave of popularity by the virtue of their lyrics alone, they generally come across as the last ingredient in the recipe of a hit number. 

      

      With new found love for words and immense interest towards music, I was tempted to throw light on these literary wonders! An excellent play of words combined with melody of notes create the masterpiece called ‘song’. While lyrics add meaning and purpose to a song, their poetic effect and flawless recitation make it totally interesting.

     Framed with a view of conveying the idea behind a song, lyrics certainly form the backbone of any musical piece. Pumping life into the music, when singers bring charm to the lyrics, we are able to appreciate its true meaning. While some lyrics appear too difficult to contemplate, the heaviness in their literature adds an excellent touch of surprise. From lyrics with strong poetic feel to lyrics with traditional, regional and cultural shades; from modern age lyrics with new interesting words to those without any meaning at all – lyrics appear to enjoy wide variation.

       Though beats of a song may act as magnets, attracting our ears towards it; lyrics are the reasons that ensure our sustained interest. Depending on their meaning, rhyme, flow and arrangement, lyrics of songs can make room in our hearts. Lyrics of most of our favorite songs enter into our minds effortlessly, bringing out the singers hidden deep within! As one of the factors that influences our love for a particular song, lyrics assume great responsibility in deciding the fate of this musical creation. Though fast beats of rhythm or voice of our favorite singer may pull us towards a song, meaning of the lyrics and strength in its words provide the final verdict.

       Lyrics give birth to the magic called ‘dedication’. Conveying our thoughts, emotions, feelings and experiences in a rhythmic manner, lyrics can say it all. Be it devotional song for the ‘Creator’ or folk song for celebrating our culture, be it romantic number for the special one or fun-filled lyrics for a celebration - every occasion, relation, event, moment have dedicated lyrics to their name. Giving words to our feelings, lyrics certainly come to the rescue whenever vocabulary refuses to address our loved ones.

      Forgetting the lyrics while flowing in the rhythm of a song or adding own set of words to continue its charm form some of the entertaining moments along the course of our job stint as a singer!

     While falling in love with words of a music album recently, I was prompted to classify lyrics into various categories:

§  Literary wonders – Inspired by richness of literature and power of vocabulary, these lyrics celebrate the magic of poetry. Laden with deep meaning and laced with wonderful words, power of such songs lie within the scope of their lyrics.

Be it any language or any time frame, these literary wonders celebrate the happiness of words. Though melody of these songs may sound simple or variations in the music notes may not be significant, their poetic effect manages to steal the show.

§  Humorous thunders – Light hearted meaning and comical connection are the highlights of this category as its real purpose is to radiate laughter and smiles. With no concrete foundation, these lyrics are enjoyed for their sense of humor.

Though they appear light and easy in their flow, lyricists have to ensure a tough balance between humor and mockery.

§  Stereotypical blunders - Focusing on repetitive words and age-old themes, such lyrics spoil the fun of a song. Set against the backdrop of most portrayed feelings, relations, situations and places, these lyrics appear stereotypical in every way.

§  Olden golden gems – Depicting magic of good, old times, these lyrics stay evergreen forever. Carving a permanent position in our minds, they refuse to be wiped away.

Besides the meaning of their words, these lyrics can also bring back old memories and wonderful moments.

§   New- age flavors- With use of modern vocabulary, many of the lyrics appear too difficult to understand. Making use of latest trends, short forms, slang and fast-paced recitation, such new-age flavors demand repetitive hearing and patient understanding.

§  Fusion fun - Mixing words from different languages or using certain significant words from another language, fusion lyrics sound interesting and vibrant.Giving an opportunity to learn a new language, these lyrics are certainly educational, too!

 Think about your favorite songs and match them with the categories above. If they fail to fit into any of these, I would love to create new ones based on your valuable suggestions!

P.S:  If you wish to sing them first,before categorizing, kindly do so at your risk; this blog is not responsible for any complaints from irritated ears of family, friends, neighbors or colleagues!