Tabula rasa !!!

Amazed !
I offered only Blank Slate :)

To be Contd.

Kala Ghoda Festival Part-I

Man Vs machine

“That I'm a machine. I like the smell of burnt gasoline. It makes me high...”

“What they don't understand is that Jagaddal is also human.”

Kala Ghoda festival is enthralling mumbaikairs with its potpourri collection of films plays, performances et all. Ajantric was one of the films I saw as Festival began on 3rd Feb 2007.

Ajanric is Bengali word for The unmechanical. The movie portrays a taxi “Jaggaddal” – personified as human by its owner. It presents a strong emotional bond between man and machine, a strong display of human concern and passion for a mere machine by its owner-Bimal.
Jaggadal is a taxi grown old after serving its master for almost 15 years. It is in tattered state but still loved and admired by owner. It becomes a mock, an element of ridicule for its owner. Nevertheless it is most treasured possession of Bimal.

The movie progresses showing how Jaggaddal has ferried motley crowd from place to place. It has always fulfilled its promise of destination even in most adverse conditions of weather and otherwise. It has taken in its fold a misery man with his son who had to reach their village for his son’s marriage, an eloping girl with local Romeo, a man who had to scurry to catch Calcutta mail,

To Bimal , Jaggaddal torn roof is a window to star spangled sky. It’s hissing engine- a tantrum to feed water and get a caressing hand. Its jarring body- an emotion of ecstasy as its passes through milieu of terrain.

All affairs have their dark patches too. Jaggadal off late starts breaking down too often. Bimal is treated like madman for being the lover of its strange and obsolete vehicle. New models making there way into city of joy makes life tough for Jaggadal.

Bimal spends his life’s saving in trying to renovate the taxi. The renovated jagaddal roars back to life only to breakdown again. All good things come to an end so does the fate of Jaggaddal, it is sold to scrap dealer after its final breakdown.

Did Jaggaddal felt the same emotion as Bimal felt for it? Can a dead piece of machine speak? To utmost amazement of Bimal - Jaggaddal gave out a soft sigh as it bade adieu as a scrap to its owner. Bimal , the mechanic loved Jaggaddal as his son, and could hear sobs of departure even from the ashes of the son.