Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 1 Comment

Mouna Raagam

So finally yesterday i got down to watching Mouna Ragaam. I had heard a lot about the movie and have been wanting to watch it. So the oher day when i was in Landmark I found this really cool DVD from Bayshore for Rs.95 and it had 4 of Mani Ratnam’s greatest- Mouna Raagam, Thalapadhi, Nayagan and Agni Natchatiram.

The one thing i reaaaly love in the movie is Mohan’s house in Delhi. OMG. It was soo amazing. Revathi was absolutely adorable. From the beginning to the end she literally stole the show. The movie is’nt your typical Indian movie run-of-the-mill romance. It shows Revathi as a modern woman not willing to spend the rest of her life with a stranger. And for once there is no mush. At all.

When Mohan comes to her house to ponnu pathify Revathi disses them and does not return home till late. When she does arrive she is surprised to see him still waiting and tells him all the bad things about herself to put him off. Obviously he falls in love with her after this.

Buth the best ponnu pathifying scene according to me in Tamil cinema is from another of Mani Ratnam’s movies – Alaipayuthe. When the groom’s people come to see Shalini’s sister her parents force her to check out the groom’s brother. And the part where she hesitatingly says “yenekku ekneve kalyanam ayichu. appa amma ku theriyadu”. Oh Lord, how i love that scene!

And also..
-“yenekk age ennavenalum seyvia?”
-“aama”
-“train le endu gudipiya?”
-“mattein”


Posted on by Zarine Mohideen

This morning I woke up to a very conflicting India. One channel showed Sania Mirza, Bhupathi and Yuki Bhambri all returning from the Australian Open very successful in winning and all smiles. The whole of India is oh-so-happy and extremely proud. Another channel showed a 6 year old being beaten up by a couple of policemen in Uttar Pradesh.

This child, an innocent 6 year old was hit black and blue for, apparantley, stealing 250 rupees. Saying the child was manhandled is an understatement. The policeman held her by her pony tails and lifted her off the ground and hit her on the head so much that she fell to the ground.

Now the policemen involved in this were suspended. Will this make any difference at all?? They would come back after suspension acting like nothing happened. policemen in India already have a very bad reputation and this has just worsened everything. Who will trust them now (like we used to trust them before) ?

I wake up everyday and turn on the news not knowing what expect. When morning comes its upto you to choose which India you would want to represent today. Would you like the urbane India? Liberal, mall-hopping and educated. Or would you rather the other side? Corruption, intolerance, enroachment and neglect in every nook and corner..

If this goes on for a while then Abdul Kalam’s “India – a developed nation by 2020” will never be a reality but only a dream.

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 2 Comments

Slumdog Millionaire


Well, A.R.Rahman won a Golden Globe for Slumdog Millionaire. Surprise surprise like that wasn’t expected! Rahman also referred to as the ‘Mozart Of Madras’ deserved every bit of that award. Having won his first of many national awards (the first one for Roja) and being the one South Indian known worldwide (he worked on The Warriors Of Heaven & Earth, Elizabeth:The Golden Age and also on the Broadway adaptation of The Lord Of The Rings) the Golden Globe was the last straw on his way to immense, overwhelming, world wide popularity. Almost every movie on which Rahman has worked on be it Tamil or Hindi has been a super hit only for one sole reason : Rahman’s music.

Slumdog Millionaire, the movie was just so much better with the music. Danny Boyle has showed yet again that he can do wonders. The casting of Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and Tanay Chheda as the younger Jamal’s were perfect and surprisingly even better than Dev Patel, the original protagonist. The depection of the Mumbai underworld was real as opposed to Bollywood’s glamorous potrayl. Danny Boyle captures the mood of Mumbai so honestly that it gives you a reality check. The Hindu-Muslim riots, the slums of Daravi, the underworld dons and the misuse of orphan children, a raging business ever so prevelant in India were all shown with such unmistakable sincerity.

The movie is a definite runner for the Oscar’s and hopefully a definite winner too!

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 3 Comments

What would YOU do…?

What would you do if you could do anything you wanted? What would you be if you could be anyone you ever wanted? If you could live the way you wanted to, would you? Or would you think about society and their reactions? Would you care about their opinions if you could live life the way you wanted to?

Is living life the way you want even possible in the world right now?

Many of us want to do things that may seem in some way, impossible due to restrictions and rules. Living life in that way makes you lose your induviduality and uniqueness. Stripped of society, education, restriction and social stigma, what are we underneath? Doing what you do just because society may frown on you otherwise is treacherous to oneself. Life is too short to be filled with regrets. Looking back, you should see only the good things that you’ve done, the bad things from which you’ve learnt and never be ashamed of the person you once were. Because life is a series of events. Each makes us a better person than the one we were before. If you do what you love, you will automatically do it well.And the heart will be ever content.

So be whoever you want to be. Go wherever you want to go. Climb the highest mountain and do the craziest thing. Listen to your heart for it knows what its doing.

Forget about the past, for what is done is done. There is no way to undo it.
Forget about the future, for you have no control over it.
Live for today, for it is a gift. And that is why it is called the PRESENT.

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 7 Comments

Biriyani..

Biriyani. Luscious, scrumptious, succulent, spicy, sensational biriyani. This trademark Muslim delicacy happens to be my all-time, year round favourite. There are varied types of biriyani- chicken, mutton, prawn, fish and unfortunately vegetarian also which I really don’t care about. Now the bestest Biriyani according to me is chicken. Obviously. And the bestest biriyani you can get in Chennai is in Royapettah. The bestest biriyani maker there is Rahamathullah whose biriyani oozes richness and all things not so healthy.

The bestest accompaniement for biriyani is the usual kathirika kootu (aubergine spicy peppery thing) and thayir pachadi (curd and onion mixed thing) and for added extra exciting eating experience a tennsy weensy piece of fried chicken won’t hurt. Now biriyani is not meant to be treated casually. It should be treated with utmost respect since it ccupies a very high position in the food chart. Atleast for me. In Tamil Nadu however Muslims are identified by their biriyani. Indian non-Muslims love their Muslim friends. This love increases as Eid draws closer. Eid festivities begin with ordering or making of biriyani. Weddings are incomplete without it. The success of a wedding depends on whether the biriyani was a hit or a miss. Good food is remembered for a long time. Bad biriyani is never forgotten.

The very smell of freshly prepared biriyani is heaven sent. Only Allah can think of something that smells so utterly tempting. The satisfaction of eating good biriyani? I have no words to explain it.

Now bad biriyani.. thats an entirely differen issue. I have tasted the WORST of biriyani. Under-cooked, over cooked, bland, spiceless, unappetising, makes you want to cry biriyani, you name it, I’v had it!

Another speciality is bread sweet which has bread (duh!), khoa, cashews and some other unidentifiable stuff. But the yum factor is ten on a scale of 1 to 10! Definitely not for weight watchers though. But once you’ve had it you’ll never want to stop. Many people I know eat Biriyani just because “it is there:. I eat it because for me it is “BIRIYANI!!! Aaaah!!”. When you eat it you should enjoy it and appericiate every mouthfull and thank Allah for giving us something that is so damn fine!

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 13 Comments

Women Of Today?


The death of Soumya Vishwanathan a few months ago has opened up a pandora’s box of opinions. Soumya was a journailst with Headlines Today. She was returning home at 3 a.m. The police found her car rammed into a tree and a bullet lodged between her ear lobe. She was declared as brought dead when she was taken to Delhi’s AIIMS. The reason for her death is unknown although a murder case has been registered. The reason could be anything from road rage to personal enemity. This case has opened up the ever sensitive dealings on women’s late working hours especially in the BPO sector. As India had hit its biggest liberalization with the IT boom a few years back, lifestyles and people have changes a lot over the years. Almost everyone studying Engineering wants a job in THAT company and thanks to campus selections this is becoming more of a reality than a dream. Many are just blinded by all the luxury that a job this good offers. With regards to security at night, apparentley companies give the utmost security for women while travelling. They have the company vehicles, drivers and sometimes even security guards to make sure they reach home safely. But how much of this is acceptable and allowed in Islam?

Unlike what many people think, women working is acceptable in Islam. It is not compulsory but it is not frowned upon either. The women of early Islam were career women themselves. Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) was the Prophet’s first wife. She was one of the best in her business. Islam encourages both men and women alike to do business rather than to work for someone else. Many women in Islam were scholars. In fact, many Muslim men studied the teachings under them. The wives of the Prophet, Saffiyah and Umm Salamah were among them. Islamic scholars were leading in science from the early times. Science forms an integral part of Islam. Everything from the Big bang theory to medicine is written clearly in the Quran. During the days of the Prophet, women like Ruffidah Aslamiyya, Umm Zaid and Umm Sulaim accompanied men to the battle field to treat the wounded. They acted as surgeons and doctors giving medical care. Through the history of Islam women have played an important part in society from politics to medicine. It would be foolish to say that women in our ummah are backward or uneducated. Islam stresses on the education of women. Noone can stop a woman if she wants to pursue her education. No other religion gives this kind of freedom.

But now, women want to work their night shifts and in close proximity to men and many are hijab-less. they want to go out an have their fun. This is unrestricted freedom. This is not allowed in Islam. The need to go out and work, especially at night in not a necessity. Women require the security and guards to make sure they are safe. What is the need to work so desperately? Women could easily work from their homes or have jobs that are not so demanding. She does not have to give first preference to her job and neglect her family. How many ever laws and strict enforcements come into action, harassment will still be the same. Especially in India.

Yet many fail to understand this. They can only think of either extremes- working like as if your lives depend on it or sitting at home behind bolted doors doing chores. There is something in between all this. There is an alternative. It is upto women to find this missing link and make it work.


Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 4 Comments

The Easy Way Out???

I read the most shocking thing in the paper today. An Indian man in Los Angeles shot himself and his family of five because he went broke and hit a financial crisis. The loser shot down his wife, mother-in-law and three sons aged 19,12 and 7. Apparentley he once made more than $ 1.2 million and went crunch because of the present financial collapse in the States. Seriously how dumb could this guy have been to KILL HIS ENTIRE FAMILY??? I dont understand how people can be so heartless. He killed his own children because he got himself in a mess and could’nt get out. His children have lost their lives all because of one wrong decision.

What is the use of being educated if people do not have basic ethics and common sense? Is’nt life all about the ups and downs? Do you give up on life just because you have a down time in your life? I think NOT. Your aptitude shows in the way you bounce back from the adversity. And what right do we have to take the life that Allah has given us? However educated this man might have been he lacked in basic morale. Rather than fighting it out and proving himself he took the easy way out.

May Allah protect us from people like this and give us the strength to overcome all our hardships.j

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen

Ramadhan Kareem!


Finally Ramadhan is here after a long year of waiting. The period of fasting and the feeling associated with it is indescribable. Not surprisingly this is the first time that I have actually come to know what Ramadhan is all about. And also for the first time reading the english translation of the Quran. The joy of joining in the taraweeh prayers, listening to the Khutuba and making du’a to Allah Subhana Wa Tallah is overwhelming. One more thing that I have learnt is that Iman is not taught. It has to come from within you and when it does come, sooner or later then SubhanAllah!!! Seeing hundreds of Muslims flock to prayers and knowing that thousands upon thousands of Muslims all over the world are fasting really makes me feel that we are the most special ummah.

I hope that this Ramadhan brings to each one of us a sense of satisfaction and realization and that we make good use of this holy month by studying the sacred texts and by coming closer to Allah.

Ramadhan Kareem to all!

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 11 Comments

Islam


Islam has always been known as a religion with many rules and regulations that are hard to follow. For the most part of it, it is almost true. Every religion does have certain rules that are meant to be followed and so does Islam. But the most common misconception is that in Islam, the rules are difficult to follow.

Although one may find this true initially as time passes by you get to have a deeper understanding of the religion, of what you are supposed to believe in and in Allah Tallah. And in believing so, you do not have any right to question what God is asking you to follow. Just like how you never question authority. Some of the rules may seem very abnormal to many non-believers and unsurprisingly even to many Muslims. As always the hijab has been known to bring up so many issues and even with all the exposure many fail to grasp the basic meaning behind the hijab.

Following the rules in Islam in very difficult. Nobody can claim to be a perfect Muslim. Only one person can take the claim for being the best of human kind and that is the Prophet Muhammad (SAS). But what we can and should do is try. Try relentlessly everyday to be a better Muslim and a better person everyday. And in trying everyday you come closer to Allah and closer to what Islam is all about.

I was never very religious as a teenager. I did what I was supposed to do. I read the Koran, prayed and fasten in the month of Ramadhan all because I had to and I did so without feeling anything. But ever since I’v finished high school the five month vacation that I had gave me time to think about all that I had done. The good and the bad. And that was when I realized that I had to be better than what I was. In a way my Iman (belief in Allah) increased by leaps and bounds. And in that one year I could feel a difference that I had never felt before. The feeling that Allah was on my side. It gave me courage and strength to overcome all the pitfalls. It gave me the will power to take decisions on my own and the strength to stand up for myself.

Following what Allah has told you to takes you one step away from Jahanama and one step closer to jannah. But it is never easy. It is increasingly difficult. But then trying to do so and doing everything for Allah gives you satisfaction and the confidence that Allah is there for you through everything. People around you may not understand but its what in your heart that matters. When you struggle and fight to do everything for the Almighty, He will naturally give you everything that you need. Trust me, in the end it will all be worth it.