Raja Cinema

I heard so much good about 'Rang De Basanti' that I had to see it even if it meant crossing the ocean.Yes, that's what we Victorians do to go to Punjab (Vancouver).

Raja Cinema is a hole in the wall theatre situated on Kingsway. One has to focus on what one is looking for ...there is a good chance you will miss it.

We headed towards Raja Cinema early in anticipation that since the movie is a big hit , we should be in the queue early on. To our dismay the theatre was closed. The nearby shop "Panwalla" (.....yes it is Vancouver) was unaware of the timings. We went to another shop"DVD Palace" even they did'nt know why the theatre is closed.

For the 6'o clock show the ticket counter opened after 5:30 PM. Ticket counter looked like a small toll booth and the guy inside the toll booth was giving tickets and answering enquiry calls at the same time. This guy gave me three tickets which looked like a receipt from Safeway. This small piece of paper was a tkt for three. We entered the lobby and it resembled my living room in size and looks.Yes, including the posters plastered all over the walls.This minuscule lobby had a restroom on the right and a restroom at the left.There was also a lifesize poster of a blue bikni which puzzled me initially only to find out later that it was part of the big Neal & Nikki's missing poster and in the front was this concession stand.















At the doors of one of the restrooms was this giant poster of 'Desi Brokeback Mountain' leaning against the wall.











This theatre replicates 'Mohalle ka Cinemaghar' like no other but only with cleaner toilets and no Paan abstracts on the wall.The whole theatre is run by a staff of 2.

We got the tickets and went in ...and now I started to get somewhat uncomfortable.We were the only one in the theatre. In front was the screen with a jazzy dazzling curtain and two Raja neon signs on the sidewalls.It's interiors were definitely done by a bar enthusiast.

Movie started and I saw a few audience coming in...we were a total of 10 in the theatre. Rang De Basanti grips attention from the very first scene.Enough has been written on this great movie. It is a thought provoking movie. This movie has moments where you can feel the hair on your skin move.The background music is not synth generated run of the mill stuff. Its very original and complements the movie every second.

Come interval and we had the same ticket dude handing out popcorns and coffee..now that's some multitasking and efficiency.

Aamir Khan's acting keeps one mesmerised to the end . His Dilli Punjabi rendition is flawless. I have never walked out of a theatre so moved & inspired.

As I headed out of the theatre ...I saw the same ticket booth cum concession stand guy handing out tickets for the 9:00 PM 'Fight Club' show. Did I mention he was also having his dinner in the booth itself.....

Teacher Man

So its not only Peter Jackson who makes Trilogies .Teacher Man is Frank McCourt's final book in his trilogy of Memoirs. 'Angela's Ashes' won him a Pulitzer and much critical acclaim.'Tis' & 'Teacher Man' followed through his journey as a Teacher for thirty years.

Teacher Man takes readers in to the world of teaching, a thankless profession where no body gets in by choice. Teacher Man is more a Tutoring Gospel than a memoir. Frank takes readers through the phase as he improves on his teaching skills. He was a witness to class fights, love stories & setbacks. Frank saw his students getting drafted in Vietnam War to never return. He saw teenagers falling in love and not gettng married due to racial stereotypes.

Frank Mccourt continously challenges himself during this journey to inspire kids to be creative. He made kids write different excuse letters to make writing creative and interesting. His unusual teaching methods drew attentions of the principal, administrators & parents. He is willing to open up his life in front of the students to make lectures more interesting.

Teacher Man is also the story of an immigrant trying to succed in United States - a writer who bloomed late. Its the story of a man who considered himself fraud and rediscovers himself as he matures in his job.

It is Frank's story of his evolution as a man & a teacher.

Teacher man is full of self depricating humor, it's meticulous and a must read for individuals connected with teaching profession. The thing that struck me most was the challenge he faces as he taught his students through their tumultous teens.

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