Before Night Falls

” My name for the moment is Reinaldo Arenas. I am an exiled Cuban writer. I live in New York City. I write and I survive. I am not religious, I am homosexual and at the same time anti-Castro. I meet all the conditions of never publishing a single novel. “

– Reinaldo Arenas

Based on the memoir published posthumously, Before Night Falls is a biographical film of Cuban poet and writer Reinaldo Arenas. However the screenplay is based on several of Arenas’ other works like Singing From the Well and The Hallucinations.

In an episodic way of narrated events, this film shows the pheasant childhood and impoverished youth of the poet, an ardent celebrant of the revolution ( “Long Live Fidel! Viva Fidel!”), and later conflict with the Castro regime due to his writing and homosexuality, subsequent imprisonment and exile to New York City in 1980, followed by Arenas’ struggle with AIDS and eventual suicide (aged forty seven) in 1990.

Directed by artist-director Julian Schnabel who is the master of portraying biographies of artists on the silver screen, this second film of his is nonetheless an example of his excellence like his other works. His cinema is like poetry on silver screen. With beautiful cinematography and editing, the director has successfully presented Reinaldo’s life and work in a graceful manner.

Javier Bardem who has played Reinaldo Arenas has undoubtedly done a wonderful job. He looks like he has absorbed each nuance of the poet’s life, and in the same way he has executed his skills, and thus this Spanish actor went on to receive a nomination for an Academy Award for best actor. Among other supporting casts, cameo of Johnny Depp (in dual roles) as drag queen Bon-Bon who helps Arenas to smuggle his writings out of prison and Lieutenant Victor overseeing the prison, have been quite a showcase of Depp’s versatile acting. Olivier Martinez who played as Lazaro has also been effective in his short role.

With the slight feel of a documentary (and indeed, showing some archival footages), this film is sometimes unpleasant because of its stark realism. Nevertheless, it is a thought-provoking, poignant drama and yet a beautiful example of real cinema. Overall it is a worth watch.

(Written for Pink Pages)

The Bubble

Sometimes we might think that we live in a bubble, in our own world, without paying heed to the day-to-day violence-war-hatred-etcetera spread around us. Two lovers may forget the world. Hu-Buah (or ‘the Bubble’), in Hebrew language, presents before us the short “insignificant” lifespan of Noam and Ashraf. Insignificant because no matter how many lives it gobbles, the monster of war never seems to cease its hunger and this relativity makes ‘love’ insignificant (Pardon the pessimistic me!). This movie in its preproduction stage was to be named ‘Romeo & Julio’. So ‘The Bubble’ is a 21st century romantic tragedy in which the lovers are not only gay but also they belong to two separate races and religions which seemingly hate each other since the birth of mankind (Why can they not peace out?)

The Bubble is the latest film by Eyton Fox, top notch director of Israeli Cinema. Openly gay Eyton has done many similar projects in his career and has always come up with a different theme and genre each time. Though romanticism always has been a main part of his films, he has proficiently depicted various issues and many aspects of Israeli life. Thus his movies can be a window to Israel and the country’s tolerance of LGBT people for the world audience.

The central theme is kind of obvious when I say that it is a modern Romeo & Juliet. But let me warn you before you jump to any conclusions that this is cliché cinema. No, it is not. Under the very keen and smart direction The Bubble proves itself a refreshing flick. The film is about Noam, a young gay guy who while working at a checkpoint on his reserve duty happens to lock eyes with a young Palestinian man there, Ashraf. After finishing his military duty, Noam returns to Tel-Aviv where he lives with another gay man, Yelli who works in a restaurant, and the flamboyant girl Lulu. They lead a happy-go-lucky life. And one day Ashraf comes to their place and love stems between Noam and Ashraf.

The film can boast of several memorable scenes: one of them is when Ashraf comes to Noam’s place to return his passport and then on the terrace, while Noam shows him the skyline of the city, Ashraf kisses him. Another beautifully done scene is that of their love making. The climax is almost icoinic.

Coming on the acting part and the cinematography I want to once again applaud the director. The entire cast especially the four main characters have done an excellent job by acting as naturally as possible, there is no hint of articulation while they delivered their dialogues. At the end of this review, all I can say is that it’s refreshing, cute and provides perspective. Watch it without any reservations and you will enjoy it.

(Written for Pink Pages)

The Pregnant King

“It will not make sense to your logical mind. You will say, a parent is a parent, whether you are father or mother. But it is not the same. I cannot explain. You have to experience it. All I know is what I feel. I feel, while there is sweetness when your son calls you “father”, there is more sweetness when he calls you “mother”.”

These are the words of Yuvanashva, a king, who has ‘conceived’ and given birth to a son, and longing to be addressed as ‘mother’. But he is never acknowledged with that, because as per tradition, only a woman can be a mother and a woman can never be a king. Faced with this dilemma, will the ‘dharma’ validate Yuvanashva’s wishes? Will society accept him the way he has come to be?

The Pregnant King is a work of fiction by Dr. Devdutt Patnaik. Though the author’s other works encompassing his research on rituals and symbols abundant in Hindu mythology are considered non-fiction, this novel of his narrates the story of the King of Vallbhi, Yuvanashva. Vallbhi was the neighboring kingdom to Hastinapur according to the ancient text Mahabharata. The events mentioned in the book chronologically go parallel to the events that happened in lives of the Pandvas and Kaurvas.

The style of writing and narration is very easy to follow, and though the plot sounds bulky, the writer has skillfully knitted every story into the narration. Another notable thing in this book is the fact that there are many places where sexual terms could have gone explicit, and in these places the symbolisms used by the author sound clever. While at times it is fun to read, at others the reader can feel his eyes moistening. This entire novel is an exquisite piece of information and philosophy that is not only understood by intellect but by the heart too.

Concluding, I’ll quote the author’s words that appear in the foreword of the book, “Did the events actually happen? Does it matter? Is it really about Shilavati, Yuvanashva, Shikhandi or Somvati? Or is it about love, law, identity, gender, power and wisdom? The impossibility of universal fairness?”

(Written for Pink Pages)

The Boyfriend

One fine Sunday morning, Yudi (an ‘Americanized’ version of Yudhishtir) meets a boy Milind who is half his age while looking for a ‘bite’ around a public loo at a local train station. And from that day onwards Yudi’s life takes a rollercoaster ride of comic-tragic events.

The Boyfriend, is a novel by famous Indian LGBT writer, poet and activist R. Raj Rao, who in fact not an unfamiliar name among Indian subcontinent literary circles. He came up with his first novel and first gay novel of India. Already causing a stirring in the Indian media with his collection of poems narrating the short film BomGay in year 1999, this novel published in 2003 by Penguin India was acclaimed as one of year’s finest books.

The setting of the novel is the heart of Mumbai (then Bombay). The events that take place in the story happen ten years before the book was published. The omnipresent ‘invisible’ gay culture in Mumbai – whether it is the lookout of the public loo, or the weekend hangout in Testeostone – the only gay bar in the city; or greasing the palms of police; or the kissing in the Irani restaurant – this book somehow familiarizes the readers to the ‘closets’ and gays. The story can be treated as a love story with a happy tryst of two lovers to heart-wrenching parting with a pragmatically sentimental ending. However, the writer has managed to avoid every kind of hanky-panky and come up with a dry, satirical humor that makes this nove a fun read. Also the writer’s attempts to sketch the contemporary issues of Indian culture like caste, class, poverty, illiteracy, slums etc. in witty, irreverent humor are worthy of praise. R. Raj Rao compares untouchability with homosexuality, when one of his protagonists Yudi (who is Brahmin by caste) says to dalit boy Milind ” “Homos are no different from Bhangis. Both are Untouchables. I am a homosexual. Gay by caste. Gay by religion.” “Outcastes” he says, “can only expect to be friends with outcastes.” “

The storyline goes like this. Yudi or Yudhishthir who is in his 40s is a freelance journalist, lives in the suburbs of Nalla Sopara, Mumbai. He is gay who is used to picking up boys from public toilets or some parks or from local trains. One day he meets a 19 year old dalit boy Milind Mahadik. Some days after this meeting, Mumbai burns with the infamous communal riots of the year 1993. Though Yudi never felt sentiments about his previous ‘guys’, he worries about the safety of Milind. He even goes on a lookout for Milind but his efforts remain futile until one day, after some months, he meets him, working as a peon. After this more trysts take place and they get ‘married’. Meanwhile a neurotic woman named Gauri comes in the life of Yudi who falls in love with him and tries to ’straighten’ him. Already ‘woman-phobic’, Yudi does everything to avoid her advances. Months later Milind again disappears and this makes Yudi’s life miserable. Milind appears again and then he gets married, knowing this Yudi, becomes all the more obsessive and longs for Milind. Through these hard times Gauri helps him to reduce his misery by becoming his friend with a sisterly affection.

The ending is quite pragmatic but surprising. The story may not strike a chord, still it leaves an indelible effect on the reader. All in all, it is fun and easy to read. And with this book the author has been successful to be in the league of the evolving genre of both Indian English writing and LGBT Indian Literature.

(Written for Pink Pages)

When I heard at the Close of the Day By Walt Whitman

When I heard at the close of the day how I had
been praised in the Capitol, still it was not
a happy night for me that followed,
And else when I caroused – nor when my favorite plans were
accomplished – was I really happy,
But the day when I arose at dawn from the perfect
health, electric, inhaling sweet breath
When I saw the full moon in the west grow pale and
disappear in the morning light,
When I wandered alone over the beach, and undressing, bathed,
laughing with the waters, and saw the sun rise,
And when I thought how my friend, my lover, was on
his way coming, then O I was happy,
Each breath tasted sweeter – and all that day my food
nourished me more – and the beautiful day passed well,
And the next came with equal joy – and with the next,
at evening, came my friend,
And that night while all was still I heard the waters roll
slowly continually up the shores,
I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid and sands, as directed
to me, whispering to congratulate me,
For the friend I love lay sleeping by my side,
In the stillness his face was inclined toward me, while the
moon's clear beams shone
And his arm lay lightly over my breast – and that night I was happy.

“Dubious” by Vikram Seth

Some men like Jack and some like Jill
I'm glad I like them both but still
I wonder if this freewheeling
Really is an enlightened thing,
Or is its greater scope a sign
Of deviance from some party line?
In the strict ranks of Gay and Straight
What is my status: Stray? Or Great?

Letter to my Mom!

To my dearest Moma,

I know you were never good in English,
But now you have to understand my words,
The words that never got a voice,
the feelings buried in my lies.

Over roasted toasts,
Or sugarless tea.
You appreciated everything,
When "I" was the cook.
Slight dark toasts,
Or less sweeter tea,
I left them there as it is,
When "you" were the cook!

I thought I am the best "son",
And I expected the Best "Mom",
You knew I am not the best son,
Still you tried being the Best mom.

It’s not about those teas or toasts,
It’s not about being best or worst.
It may be out of all my irritation,
That why didn’t you unmask my allegation?

I thought one day,
You will ask me,
“Are you in love?”
I thought one day,
You will realize that,
I am in love.

My thoughts never stopped there,
And expected one day,
You to question me,
“Is he your man?”

Since in twenty two years the day never came,
And now I really can’t play this pretence game.

Your son,
Karan

Reviewed by The Forth Dimension