To Kill a Twitterbird - Tales from the Ivory Cage

Calling 90% of your vote bank as "cattle-class" and "holy cows" on a public domain might not be the political acumen that people like Mr. Amar Singh of the Samajwadi Party are known for. Therein lies the difference between 'them' and Mr. Shashi Tharoor - a difference now tom-tommed by Mr. Tharoor's defenders. Also, compare the "holy cows" post to one of the "bloody natives" phrase used by caricatures of loyal 'sahib' stereotypes during the Raj (white or brown) and the "If they don't have bread give them cakes" phrase attributed to Marie Antoinette. These are used to portray the chasm of condition and mindset between the plebeians and the patricians - generally at the expense of the latter.

Bad idea coming into politics, Mr. Tharoor. A fantastic education, a career diplomat, successful author of a bestseller (wherein he compared the Congress Party to the Kaurava Army from the Mahabharat and Mrs. Indira Gandhi to Duryodhana - but that was a long time ago!) and a person who nearly became Secy. Gen of the UN - this was the last place he should have gone to. A person who comes under the sub-head of what I believe the Bengalis call the Bhadralok (I didn't know the Kerala equivalent) is simply not ready for the House of the People. Why? Because you have to deal with the People. And the result? Kiss goodbye to all those happy hours of laughing and joking about the Great Indian Populace. Their idiosyncrasies. Those soppy soaps on TV, the chalta hai attitude, all that hypocrisy in the name of religion, caste etc. And the Sarkar - boy, it's a gold mine for clever observations. All those over-earnest Babus and ministry zombies, the convoluted procedures of the sarkar, the chest-thumping patriotism and party-politics, the extended tea breaks - really gave a lot of material for another book. And what did we leave behind? Beautiful company, where they sip Whisky and Soda, call each other "Old Boy" or "Old Man" and say things like "Good show, Tharoor, that's telling the buggers", shake their heads at how incredibly foolish the bureaucracy actually is and how these buffoons run the show at the Parliament, reminisce about the time good old Johnny hit a 124 n.o. and the Stephanians lifted the Cup.

We all have prejudices. Writers in India depend upon their countrymen's caricatures to fuel some really snappy writing based on biting satire and dry scorn. Brilliant intellectuals, who were heads of the Drama Club at Stephens and took a Blue at Oxford, heap derision on our "provincial" mentality and our 'Hindu Rate of Growth' (Hindoo?). People like Morarji Desai, Lalu Yadav etc were prime targets. But you do these things within the safe confines of the Gymkhana Club or the IIC, not in Paharganj or Faridabad. There, you meet the subject-matter of your prejudices. Maybe we as people just don't "get it." Maybe we don't have a sense of humor. Maybe our education is based more on utility than on the Classics. Or maybe we draw a line at being called cattle. The possibilities are many. The bottom-line is that as a Minister, you can't let your true feelings show. Not on Twitter. That's being a little too spontaneous. Gets you compared to Bertie Wooster. "Calling a spade a spade" his defenders argue - not a defense Mr. Tharoor would be comfortable with, which helps my view that politics - anywhere in the world - is about the politically-correct.

It may be argued that Mr. Tharoor has done more in his lifetime than any of our glorious MP's combined. He is definitely one of the most intelligent. But sons-of-the-soil know more about the ordinary man than Mr. Tharoor. They may not fulfill the common man's wishes, they may ignore their cries and may usurp their money - but they won't call them (or worst, their party leaders) 'holy cows.' It is too sanctimonious and I feel that Mr. Tharoor, should he manage to put this past him, should be more careful in the near future. Or if he doesn't want to play the 'game' and display more integrity than the average Mantri, he will be welcomed back to the hallowed intellectual circles where we will once again be privileged to get his views on all things convoluted. A little prejudice may be a good thing after all!! Ivory Towers zindabad.

Bloody racist moi?

Horrible about the way those bloody Aussie ba*****s kicked the living daylight out of our guys Down There. I tell you, yaar, these goras will always be racists, no matter how much they appear to be refined. Do you know, even the chinks and the blacks hate us there!! Don't these bloody idiots realize that we are partners in their own fight. Sahi hai, they deserve their lot. But I have signed the online petition calling to stop racist attackes against Indians across the world. Sahi hai na, if you're jealous of our brains and our ability, match us in bloody education, don't hit us. We are victims everywhere.

Arre yaad aaya, do you know that our building's watchman just bolted for the hills. Literally man, bu**er was a bloody Nepali Gurkha, ha ha . I remember we used to have so much fun with that guy. My younger brother and his friends used to call him 'Bahadur' or 'Thapa' and we had great fun shouting "Shaabji, Shaabji." They actually made the poor fool watch that Paresh Rawal film (or was it some other film-never mind, there are so many one forgets) and asked him to imitate that. The damm fellow wasn't even a chink, kind of a hybrid. He once told Mr. Joshi who is from Nainital that his bloody ancestors were kin of the ruler of Nepal who once ruled Nainital. Bloody cheek of that Bahadur, imagine!! He almost got thrashed that day by us, we made him beg for mercy. Saala, do kaudi kaa.

You know, in college my cousin thrashed a bloody kallu who told him to leave him alone. I tell you man, these bloody africans are so messed up. Saala udhar toh jungle-wangal mein ghoomte rehte hain. Civilized nahi hain. Tried to be a stud, man, first day of college went around saying hello and stuff. Cousin was, like, bloody go back to your jhingalala. Had a lot of fun with that guy. Thankfully he didn't have those other people of his race. They tend to group together, you know. So when he talked to bhai's GF, he got it!! I think he knows the meaning of kallu by now, the whole world says it!! Shaamu bhi bolo to samajhta hai.

There is a chink in his coll. No, I don't know where she's from. Might be from Jap, Chinese, Thai (wow!), Korean, Vietnamese or maybe even from the North East. Bloody, they all look the same anyway!! Anyway, she got a better placement offer than him. Imagine!! Saala apni country jaao naa! Why are they coming here to take our jobs? I tell you this government...they allow everyone. And don't even get me started on those Bangla refugees. I'm telling you, we pay a price for our tolerance.

Anyway, I must leave now. They are holding a protest march at India Gate against all that Australian s**t. Natrajan is gonna head the procession - he has to, these bloody southies must be directly in the firing line - blackest of them all!! Ha ha ha, you know Khanna told Yadav to prepare the slogans. Poor Yadav, his ilk are only good at cramming whole books. They can't be creative!! Not that Khanna is any good either, pind ka puttar 100%!! Tiwari is true to his jaat, bloody chaaloo. And these bloody Asif and Taariq, unki toh bloody loyalty hi nahi pataa yaar. I tell you, our kind is the best. And anyway, we must stop all these bloody foreigner-types from hitting us. They are simply so racist.*

*: [NOTE: The last para has been abridged in the interest of national security]

Musings on random movies watched recently

1. Anurag Kashyap: Gulaal and DevD released recently. Trouble with most Anurag Kashyap movies is the gimmick-overkill. Here is a man who is one of the most intelligent writer and director in the industry today. Yes, we see the carefully-crafted Dev, the charismatic and pugnacious Ransa, the feisty Chanda, the dithering Dileep - all too human and as close to reality as you can get in a multiplex. Yes, we understand the subtle symbolism present in each scene. We giggle at the racy comments and wry jokes. We are awestruck at Kafka-esque situations, Sahir Ludhianvi poetry and the quirky music. But do you have to show off? The second half of DevD degenerated into a spectacle of Trainspotting-style orgies, No Smoking looks like it was written in a hangover after a night of hard drinking with Kafka. I mean, all those pop culture mujra numbers in Gulaal get jarring after a while. Dev in DevD clears cellar after cellars and we are forced to watch the oh-so-slow disintegration. It's like a cricket fanatic quoting stats throughout the match. It's great for a while, but will you clam up now so I can watch the match? It's like the overkill of similies in this post. Don't try and cram so much into a little movie. The way you are progressing now, and with the level of your intelligence and acumen, you will make many, many more movies. Best of luck. And note that I haven't touched Black Friday even with this mild criticism.

2. Dibakar Banerjee & Sriram Raghvan: 2 absolutely super-fantastic films each! The makers of Delhi 6 should have consulted Banerjee from the outset. They could never get the nuances right ("Are you a true Bengali? No, my father was arrested in Calcutta and the moniker stuck.") Delhi is not one, homogenised unit. Not many are 'from' Delhi - most people just reside there. Presenting Delhi is a very tricky job for everyone but Banerjee. Raghvan's first film was pretty good, but Johnny Gaddar is a movie I rate above all the (mostly) formulaic horsedung we call the 'profound' Hollywood flick. 'Slick' is inadequate - the movie gallops like a frightened horse and never stops! All characters of a Hadley Chase always receive their just desserts in the end (he was quite moralistic that way.) The protagonist who, perhaps surprisingly, gets the viewer on his corner for his sheer audacity, also does not escape. The movie celebrates Dharmendra, who delivers the best line yet: "It's a dark road you've taken, my boy." Thundering and prophetic!

3. John Cusack: There are three John Cusacks. Cusack A is the romantic. The guy who, in the 80's and the 90's, starred in some of the most stirring rom-coms. Cusack B is an outspoken liberal activist who has starred in some of the most biting and heartrending anti-war films ever. Cusack C also spills into the A and B. All his characters have quirky personalities which remain with us for a long time. From an obsessive puppeteer looking for love in one and control in another to a record-store owner obsessed with soliloquizing about relationships and with his encyclopedic knowledge of rock. From a non-conformist teenager (not conforming to rules made by adults and adoloscents alike) madly in love with a "brain" and kickboxing (in that order) to a middle-aged, paunchy father who tends to internalize his pain and now has to re-connect with his daughters. From a jaded hitman who finally decides to take on the violence machine (this in two movies) to an injured conman caught between a manipulative flame and an equally ruthless mother. Cusack has a wonderful voice and a breezy style of dialogue delivery (not unlike Cary Grant) which connects immediately but with an undercurrent of dry humor. Apart from that, he holds strong anti-establishment views and has great taste in music (he listens to The Clash.) He is the everyman and also the one who stands alone. Apart from Con Air, America's Sweethearts, all other Cusack films are worth a watch.

A critique of the Ajith D case

"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

~ Voltaire

The Supreme Court of India, in a coram consisting of the Chief Justice and Justice Sathasivam, allowed criminal prosecution to continue against one Ajith D, who set up an "I hate Shiv Sena" community on Orkut. The charge was under Sections 295-A and Section 506 of the IPC.

http://ccjig.blogspot.com/2009/02/criminal-case-against-orkut-activist.html

http://ekawaaz.org/2009/02/24/blogger%e2%80%99s-can-be-nailed-for-anonymous-persons-slur-and-comments-supreme-court-of-india/

295A is deliberate and malicious acts to outrage the religious feelings of a group. Section 506 is criminal intimidation. This decision to allow prosecution is a blow to free speech, that cannot be denied. It will now go to the lower courts for prosecution on merits. I believe this case will be dismissed later on merits as:

(a) Section 295-A is not satisfied here. This is not a 'cold, calculated attempt' to malign a religion. It might be termed as 'reckless', but that is not a crime. The nature of the language is not to malign deliberately. Nor is this libel or any other form of defamation. In Ramji Lal v. U.P. (AIR 1957 SC 620) , the Supreme Court held that it is only the aggravated form of insult which will be punished. Section 506 sounds laughable. Where is the intent to injure? Anyone can make an empty threat. Is there any solid proof that someone (possibly a puffed-up kid) intended to carry out the threat?

(b) Ajith D only set up a forum. The actual comments were made by someone else. This is not even abetment.

However, the larger blow is that the prosecution was allowed to carry on. I fail to understand why the law in India does not recognize the special nature of public figures and public groups. To illustrate, let us assume that Dhoni plays badly and in a fit of anger, I begin a "I hate Dhoni" club. Or I start a "I hate Amar Singh" forum. Why only these two people, and not anyone else? Because, they are in the public eye. They are intimately involved in matters of larger public interest, like entertainment, sports and policy and politics. It is only natural that they will be in the limelight constantly and will be the targets of more-than-the-usual accolades and brickbats. Ram Ordinary (or Rahim Common-one has to be PC) does not interest me. He may be a very good man or a bad one but I will not set up a website against him. There has to be a seperate standard of judgment as regards public figures.

In other words, incorporate Hustler v. Falwell (485 U.S. 46). This was a case where a celebrity was made the butt of ridicule in a national publication. The US Supreme Court ruled that the public figures, who are constantly in the public eye, will have to bear speech critical to their role. And, to me, it makes perfect sense. A political group must understand that there will always be a vocal opposition amongst the populace. This populace will target them. This populace will also say very bad things. This populace will threaten them. They will pelt them with eggs. They will take out protest marches. The populace will send them lacy pink underwear. The populace will sms TV channels. People will commit suicide protesting their policies. People will question their private lives, sources of income, their nationality, their outlook to minorities and their connections to movie stars. People will ridicule their accent. People will ridicule their spouses and children. People will also praise them, laugh with them, re-elect them, attend their rallies and will repose faith in them. Only political parties, celebrities and athletes will be exposed to all this in India. And they must bear it. These are the pros and pitfalls of their status.

I know drawing an analogy to American free-speech laws is not favoured in India. But the reasoning should be examined in the absolute. A public figure should be subject to a more rigorous standard of defamation and public hurt. And finally, if someone threatened the Shiv Sena on the net, then please find that someone. Do not shoot the messenger.

When He arrives....(script)

[INSPIRED BY A PIECE BY ROBIN WILLIAMS ON ONE OF HIS STAND-UP SHOWS]
Apologies for the amateur scriptwriting.

Exterior: A 7-star hotel in a metropolis in India - evening, around 7 pm. Sound: Traffic on the boulevard.
Interior: A presidential suite in the hotel.
Shot: DHIRENDRASWAMI CHANDRASARASWATI BABA (D.C.), sitting on a waterbed, dressed in a loose-fitting shirt and dhoti; and 4 DISCIPLES all dressed in orange, sitting on chairs. D.C. is talking and smiling.

Cut to the drawing room:

Zoom to a waiter clearing the writing-desk on which an empty teapot, cups and plates lie.

Zoom to an open minibar that is being replenished by another waiter. A 5th DISCIPLE supervises.

Sound: Voices from the bedroom.

Cut to close-up of D.C. back in the bedroom.

D.C.: "But I really feel that we can come here again next year. I think the organizers did a very good job."

1st DISCIPLE: "And the guest list was full of VIP's. The entire state cabinet, businessmen, movie stars..not just the riff-raff."

Shot: D.C. face. D.C. nods and smiles.
Shot: 2nd DISCIPLE face. He is looking at a few printouts.

2nd DISCIPLE: "Baba, we received assurances from 7 businessmen for contributions. I think they should be in the name of the widow-charity in DCpura. That is new, and transfer to the UBS account would be easier."

3rd DISCIPLE: "Arre haan, this reminds me, Motwani from PRABHU-TV was requesting that we do some extra shows next month. Apparently, Dholu Baba is getting a bariatric surgery done."

D.C.: "Not without advance..."

3rd DISCIPLE: "I told him 10 upfront. He has agreed."

5th DISCIPLE enters from the other room.

5th DISCIPLE: "Baba, there is a reporter to meet you. Said he had an appointment"

D.C.: "Give us 5 minutes. Then go out and bring him in."

Cut to the drawing room. REPORTER is sitting watching the waiters leave. 5th DISCIPLE motions him inside. REPORTER gets up. Fade out.

Fade in on bedroom. Close overhead shot of REPORTER and D.C. sitting face-to-face. D.C. is now dressed in saffron robes and is sitting in yogic posture. REPORTER is touching his feet. Sound: Recorded chanting of hymns playing softly somewhere in the background.

Shot: REPORTER'S face as he comes up. It is filled with reverence.

REPORTER: "I can't tell you how grateful I am to see you."

Shot: D.C. smiles beatifically and nods.
Shot: 4th DISCIPLE whispering to REPORTER.

4th DISCIPLE: "Get on with it. Baba has to retire early tonight."

REPORTER nods fervently and gets back to facing D.C.

REPORTER: "Baba, your followers refer to you as the messiah sent by the Almighty Himself. It is said that you have cured leprosy, palsy, epilepsy and other diseases. You have the power to change the working of the cosmos. You can turn back time. "

D.C.: "It is all due to the 10-year yoga I did in the jungles of Bihar. God himself came to me and appointed me as his agent on Earth. I am a full-fledged Tantrik."

REPORTER: (Nodding eagerly) "You are also one of the most powerful men in the country. You mediate disputes between businessmen, manage mergers between political parties and apparently, nothing in the film industry gets completed without your blessings."

D.C. smiles quietly.

Meanwhile, the sound of cars on the streets is somehow able to make itself heard over the chants.

D.C.: "You see my friend; no ordinary mortal can do this." (Seriously) "Believe in the Divine, that's what I always tell them. Even the celebrities. My miracles prove my that the Divine exists. It is only a fool who chooses to ignore the way of the Lord."

REPORTER: (scribbling furiously) "I agree. But Baba, cynics say that God-men fool the populace. The very miracles that they show are mere hocus. They.... (He looks at the disciples who are now scowling) Well, you know what they say. It's not me."

D.C.: (serene smile intact) "I pray for them all the time. Just because God does not manifest Himself to each and every one in the cosmos does not imply his non-existence. It is..could you please put that out? (REPORTER fumbles with his cellphone playing 'Paani De' from Guide and quickly rejects the call) It is His way. He only manifests Himself to those who undergo kathin tap. As I tell people, he is not available on demand. I have seen Him, I have heard His voice and I alone can channel his miracles."

Shot: REPORTER nodding and scribbling.
Shot: 1st DISCIPLE checks a Fossil on his wrist and gestures '5 minutes' to D.C.
Sound: The sound of honking cars is pretty evident now. The hymn music can barely be heard. Vague sounds of shouting and commotion emanate from the hotel's corridors.

REPORTER: (fidgeting nervously) "There was this tax case 3 months back. Apparently, some arrears of contributions received..."

2nd DISCIPLE: (sharply) "That matter is sub-judice. Anyway, the official making that report has been transferred on a major penalty charge."

REPORTER: (hastily) "Yes, yes, of course, quite so. Anyway, Baba, what do you pray for everyday?" (His cellphone trills again. He makes a face and disconnects the call.)

D.C.: "I pray that the world can also get to see God the way I see Him. I pray for peace, harmony and prosperity. I wish people understand that my words, my teachings and my prayers, not to mention my cures are emanating from the Lord Himself. I bless all the merchandise that we sell for charity, so that the sick and the marginalized can also hear the Lord. I pray that....has there been an accident outside?"

The sound of the street is now hard to ignore. REPORTER'S cellphone trills again.

REPORTER: "Baba, my editor is persistently calling. He..he knows I'm in an interview with you. This must be important...if I can get a minute..(D.C. smilingly nods) Thank you so much Baba."

REPORTER goes to the outside room.

4th DISCIPLE: (Peering out of the windows) "There is a huge jam outside. All the cars are at a standstill. In fact, people are getting out of their cars. They...they are behaving oddly. Must be an accident somewhere..."(he trails off, shrugging)

D.C.: (Looking at the disciples) "Let's wrap this up fast. I need to take a shot of Bacardi and look over my discourse tomorrow. (pause) You know, I think I was quite profound with this reporter. I feel at peace. Look over his final draft." (gesturing towards the outer room)

Reporter enters the room as if on fire.

Shot: His face is ashen white, but ecstatic. His mouth moves but no words come.
Shot: At the other end of the room, the 6 faces stare back at him in surprise.
Sound: Loud noises of car horns and people's voices.

REPORTER: (in a low, intense voice) "It's come! It's finally...come. Baba, it's come"

D.C. "What? What has come?"

REPORTER: "Baba, it's Him. He has arrived on Earth."


Shot: All the others look at each other in disbelief.

Shot: D.C. wipes his face. He is deathly pale.

D.C.: "You mean....but how..how can you tell?"

REPORTER: (in a rapturous voice)"113 confirmed sightings have been made around the world. 20 in our country alone. They say that we may soon hear what He has to say. Baba, this is fantastic. Finally, the unbelievers will get to hear what you and others have long been...Baba? Baba? What...what are you doing?"

Shot: D.C. is scurrying to change his clothes. All the disciples are on phones.

1st DISCIPLE: (on his cellphone) "Yes, yes, I don't care. Just get us tickets. Yes, passports are in order. Just remember, must be a very, very obscure country."

2nd DISCIPLE: (also on cellphone) "Do you understand Dobriyal-ji? We are calling in that favour now. I don't care how, send me the statements on my Blackberry."

3rd DISCIPLE: (a hand on the speaker of the cellphone) "Baba, all the other Babas have also skipped. The others are claiming that they were under some influence."

4th DISCIPLE: (on cellphone) "Yes, pack everything. If anyone asks, tell them that Baba is so rapturous on receiving the news that he has gone on an extended maun vrat. Stonewall the reporters."

5th DISCIPLE: (on the house phone) "Yes, we are checking out now. Please get a cab ready for us."

Shot: An overhead shot of the whole room with all the 6 except the REPORTER scurrying and hurrying. REPORTER stands still.
Shot: REPORTER gazes in bewildered dismay at D.C's now-colourless face.
Shot: Exterior of the hotel.

FADE TO BLACK

Making History

"History demands much of America and its leaders and I am confident it will judge the 43rd president as a man more than worthy of the great office the American people twice entrusted to him." - Karl Rove at the time of leaving office.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZDBkZWQzNWM2ZDIwN2QyMTg4OTUzMjc1ZGFhOTc5OTM=

History will be kind. History is always kind. History is made by savvy doctorate aspirants, maverick "investigative" journalists and success-hungry authors. They understand that history always has room for the counter-view. It becomes fashionable to revise opinions, negate events and analyze actions. Sample this as an example:

[HISTORIAN & ASPIRING AUTHOR]: "You know, I've written a book about how Adolf Hitler was the most vile, psychotic, racist, bigoted, insecure and bloodthirsty man in history."

[PUBLISHER] : (Yawns) "Good, good. You should show it to me someday. Hey, y'know a new Paulo Coelho book may be out soon. This time, it's about spirituality"

However:

[H & A.A.]: "You know, I've written a new book which, relying upon my painstaking investigations, reveals how Hitler was a mere puppet in the hands of Himmler and Goebbels. He realized that the war was getting out of hand and sought to stop it. But they kept him locked up and used his lookalike in all those ridiculous speeches. He may also have been half-Jewish and half-Romany."

[PUB.]: (Slobbering) " Tell me more. Do you want to sit in my chair while you talk?"

You get the picture.

Moreover, generations have a short memory span. I do not know what happened at the time of the Emergency in India. True, there were some dodgy things going on. But, whatever you may say, she was a tough dame - not like all these lilly-livered poltroons in office today. This explains the old Mrs. G consistently topping polls as one of the best PM's India ever had. So what about all the sterlizations? They gave them a radio, didn't they. The detentions? Oh, a bunch of rabble-rousers in jail. The stifling of free speech, judicial review and everything else our country considers sacrosanct? Ahh, it was exaggerated. Anyway, they said they were sorry. Another example is that of Francisco Solano Lopez. Fact: This man had 300,000 Paraguayans killed because of the war he began at the insistence of his mistress. However, there is now a debate as to his 'legacy.' So, maybe Rove is right. Maybe tomorrow, the doctrine of pre-emption gets relooked. Maybe tomorrow, they feel that the Might of the Right was right. Maybe they just get plain nostalgic. They might even find a little WMD in Iraq! Then, his legacy will be remembered. The ghosts of their dead young soldiers forgotten to statistics.

Finally, maybe history is a little difficult to call. The impact of events may be analyzed in the long-run to be different from the mainstream view. Intentions will be looked into. But, again, how can views turn 360? Suddenly, Marie Antoinette is a saint and J.F Kennedy debauched! Mark Twain had said somewhere that a person must be judged in the absolute of their times, not in the relative of ours. These are grey areas of history and yet again, I will assert that the personal aspirations of the investigator, coupled with our inevitable amnesia will play a major role. Watch a movie called The History Boys to get a taste of this phenomenon.

Gilliam's Island

Yes, I watched the BAFTA awards this year. Yes, I did watch it to see whether Rehman won one. No, I don't think that Slumdog, although good, is the best movie to come out in ages. If you want to see Danny Boyle at his absolute best, then watch Trainspotting. Anyhow, I was a little surprised when they said that the award for the Best Film is the penultimate award. In all other award shows, this category is the finale. The last award was the Fellowship...something akin to an award for Lifetime Achievement. And you could have knocked me down if it wasn't Terry Gilliam accepting the award!

The man was one of the Monty Pythons. That alone should suffice as an awesome credential. Python fans know that while Gilliam rarely appeared on-screen, his surreal animations were as much a driving force behind their works as anything else - funny, but subtly subversive. He went on to create movies that owe their seeds to the pythonesque (the word is in the dictionary). However, the eclectic cinematography and the brilliant satirical, surreal plots that we saw and admired in movies like Brazil, Jabberwocky and The Fisher King stand testament to this man's brilliant mind. The genre under which he is categorized is not original...that of surrealism and dark humor in satire. However, the brilliant execution on screen - the dehumanizing effect of bureaucracy and its effect on an Orwillian world in Brazil for instance, made one laugh and cringe at the same time. Surrealism is a method of tying things together. The Fisher King is one of the most beautiful films about redemption that I have ever seen, directed with a brilliance that is now characteristic of the man. I believe this was a well-deserved honour for a great creative mind.

I'll watch the BAFTA again next year!!