Favourite Movies & Books

Malcom X (portraying the story of Malcolm X, the black leader, who fought racism and became a Muslim and was finally assassinated in 1965; starring Denzil Washington
Citizen Kane, an Orson Welles movie, 1941: is the story of a newspaper tycoon, his rise to fame and riches, his dalliance with a singer that spells his political doom and downfall. This is despite his venturing on launching an opera house for his singer wife and despite his building a castle XANADU for her to live in. She leaves him and ultimately when he dies, he utters the word 'Rosebud'. The film is built on unravelling the mystery of the 'rosebud',-- an enigma, an unrealized dream, the missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle.
A Lesson Before Dying (Ernest J Gaine): Jefferson, wrongly accused of murder is convicted to die like a 'hog'. Grant, the young black teacher tries to teach Jefferson to die like a man, instigated by Emma, Jefferson's Nana. A powerful exposure of racism, and injustice ina 1940's Louisiana and America. Grant tries to teach Jefferson the lesson of human dignity, before dying. Grant himself learns to free himslef being a prisoner of social conventions.
Inherit the Wind (1960, Spencer Tracy and Frederic March): a court room battle on the 'evolution theory of Darwin'. A school teacher is on trial in a Hillsborough, Tennessee court for teaching Darwin's theory, a powerful exposure of religion vs. science.
Mutiny on the Bounty: The ship Bounty is headed towards Tahiti to bring bread fruit trees to feed the slaves. It is captained by Capt Blythe, a good sailor but inhuman tyrant. His cruelty towards the sailors, leads to mutiny under Christian Fletcher who takes the Bounty back to Tahiti. Blythe and his loyalists are sent in a boat, that finally reaches Timor. Blythe comes back to Tahiti in search of Fletcher but takes a few others as prisoners. He takes them to England for trial for treason and mutiny. At the trial Blythe's tyranny and cruelty are exposed as causes for the mutiny.
Howard's End: Story of a mansion and the lives past and present behind 'Howards End'. The film starts with a passionate scene of two lovers Paul Wilcox and Miss Schlegel of low status. Paul and Miss Schlegel met in Germany but soon Paul leaves for Nigeria. Miss Schlegel and her sister befriend the lady of the house and becasue of her friendship, the lady bequeathes her mansion to Margaret Schlegel, the elder girl. Mr. Wilcox, Sr and his children David and Maggie hide this fact and finally Wilcox marries Maggie. The story is about Maggie's sister and her pursuit to help her friend who is jobless and penniless.
Othello ( a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello): Othello, a doubting husband and Desdemona, the faithful wife and victim of jealousy and marital doubt, and Iago, the artful and treacherous friend of Othello; the immortal story in a modern setting-- the story of John Othello, the black Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Dessie, his white wife and Ben Iago, the Deputy Commissioner and villain. The motive for his villany is that John Othello superceded him as the Police Commissioner.
Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens: a story of child abuse, portraying the world of criminal gangs in 18th century England/London, exposing human greed for money and wealth.
The Pelican Diary (based on John Grisham's novel): The murder of two US Supreme Court judges sparks the investigative curiosity of a young law student Diane (Julia Roberts) in New Orleans. She comes forward with the Pelican theory involving an oil tycoon in Texas with high political connections trying to eliminate the environmental activists who are supported by the Judiciary and are trying to block his business strategies. Her law Professor then becomes the victim and she is on the run. She contacts a Washington chronicle reporter (Denzil Washington) and together they put together the pieces in the puzzle that links a high placed attorney firm, the FBI and the CIA and the US President himself behind the cover up and support to the business tycoon. A gripping investigative story starring Denzil Washington and Julia Roberts.
Agatha Christie, 'Miss Marple and the Caribbean Murder Mystery'
The Last Samurai
The Beautiful Country: about the travails of a Vietnamese orphan trying to locate his American GI father, his ordeals in travelling from Vietnam to Malaysia and from Malaysia to New York and then to Houston, Texas and finally tracing his father in a ranch and finding him blind; understanding how he lost his eyes in an explosion and the was taken to US for treatment and hence could not return to Vietnam to rejoin his wife and child
'Khuda Ghawa' (Hindi movie): about an Afghan Pathan imprisoned in Indian Jail to save others from crimes, finally being rejoined with his wife and daughter.
3 days of the Condor: CONDOR a CIA operative investigates the murder of his colleague and finds the counter espionage teams within CIA responsible for eliminating them (based on the novel 6 Days of the CONDOR')
Being Julie, an actress trying to find and assert her individuality (based on Somerset Maugham's novel)
King Solomon's Mines, adapted from the 1886 novel by Rider Haggard, the deep dark jungles and the barren scorching deserts of Africa and the quest for the diamonds in King Solomon's Mines and the search for those who went in search fo the diamonds and were lost
Death in Holy Orders, a detective novel by PD James
Presumed Innocent, murder mystery, an attorney accused of murdering his colleague and lover
Father Joe (Book) 'The biggest sin is selfishness'.
All the President's Men, About the Watergate Scandal involving President Richard Nixon, investigations by Rich Woodward and Carl Bernstein of Washington Post
Wall Street, manipulations and insider trading by brokers and financial analysts of Wall Street
Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939), a young idealistic politician's trials and tribulations as a Senator in Washington, DC
Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
Luther, a movie about Martin Luther
Subir Chowdhury, 'The Ice Cream Maker', (Book), An inspiring tale about making quality the key ingredient in everything you do. Based on LEO (Listen, Enrich, Optimize) technique
The Silence of the Lambs, FBI agent tracking down a serial killer with the help of a psychiatrist psychopath prisoner
The Aviator, Story of Howard Hughes
Anne Frank Diary
Da Vinci Code

Kerala, Alappuzha backwaters 

Life is But a Walking Shadow

Life is but a walking shadow
A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more
It's a tale told by an idiot
Full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
-W.Shakespeare in 'Macbeth'.