Standing in queue for the Saturday prayer at the Shani Mandir (a section devoted to the planets, majorly Saturn, at the temple) I realised how prayer is so different for various people. Some simply pray (like me), some have a set of protocol they follow whilst performing the prayer, some bow and move on whilst others push and shove, thinking that being closer to the deity will make their wishes heard better. The bottom line is, people either come to express gratitude, share their worries or ask for something. The question I always ask is; Will I get if I ask, even if I don’t deserve it? Or will I get what I deserve, even if I don’t ask for it?
Author: sandeepadnani
Sandeep Adnani is the Amazon #1 Bestselling Author of ‘The Codes of the Exiled Rogue’ , ‘The Origin of the Exiled Rogue’ and ‘The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue’ eBooks. He nurtured this metaphysical and transformational fiction idea for over six years before publishing the first part in July 2019. All three books of ‘The Exiled Rogue Series’, a trilogy about the purpose and meaning of life and beyond, are Amazon #1 Bestsellers in multiple categories.
His first book, The Codes of the Exiled Rogue was declared an Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Visionary category of the 2021 International Book Awards.
His second book, The Origin of the Exiled Rogue was an Award Winner in the Science Fiction: Alien/Space category of the 2021 American Fiction Awards. It was also an Award-Winning Finalist in the Visionary Fiction category of the 2021 American Fiction Awards.
His third book, The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue was an Award Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Visionary category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest.
The omnibus of the trilogy, The Exiled Rogue Series, won the Silver Medal at the Global Book Awards 2022, in the Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction category and Gold Winner at the ABLE Awards in 2024 in the Book Series category.
Embarking on new genres, he has seven new stand-alone books in the offing. In 2021, he completed writing a futuristic sci-fi-romance which he is currently querying. The unpublished manuscript was a finalist for the Writing Award in the 2022 Page Turner Awards.
He finished writing a mystery novel in 2022 and an Alternate Fiction novella in 2023. He has published three non-fiction novellas in the YOU DECIDE series. He is currently working on an illustrated children's book.
He changed careers from the advertising/media industry and is now a mental health counsellor in Melbourne, with bases in Mumbai and Dubai as well.
Night at the museum : Secret of the tomb (2014)
Night at the museum : Secret of the tomb – Ben Stiller and gang entertain in yet another party at the museum. A no brainer with a little adventure including the British (always the butt of American jokes) the film was a light comedy.
Many cameos take you by surprise, including the original cast which is quite a line up in itself, who play their characters well. It was Robin Williams’ last performance, and a cute one at that. Adequate excitement keeps the proceedings alive.
A nice way to start the year 🙂
2.5/5
Goodbye December and second half of 2014
Misty Monsoon. The fault in our stars. Surreal dream #1. 4 years in Mumbai. Impromptu weekend. The universe is always listening. Frozen s’mores. Mojo moment of truth. Car déjà vu. 21/8. Death by Chocolate trifle. Surreal dream #2. Mesmerising Maldives. Delicious Delhi. Fell in love with Paris thanks to DeeJay. LoveLock bridge. The best Sheesha. Divine hot chocolate. A date with Mona. One sunny day in Geneva. Beautiful Belgium! Ate drank slept chocolate. Diwali déjà vu. Dubai by plane, boat, car and hot air balloon! The King, the sorcerer and the treasure chest. I miss my Blackberry. Mandala transformation. Surreal dream #3. Minion cake! Turned 36, feel 18 🙂 abundance from the universe when I needed it most. 313 minutes. 17/12. Lucy. 25 years of togetherness. Reunions back home. pk. 28/12.
2014 was a year of extremes, of joys and silences, of lessons learned and careless abandon. A crash course and a work-in-progress, of questions unanswered and answers which have no questions.
May 2015 be a year of stability, hope, happiness and above all, Love.
Into the storm (2014)
Director Steven Quale takes the ‘Twister’ tale up a few notches with excellent special effects and a decent story line. What starts as a chase for storm trackers becomes a living nightmare for the town of Silverton.
The not so typical American family is shown, trying to step away from all stereo type, yet it isn’t the performances you are watching out for. There is destruction, at scales which make for visual impact, obstacles and sticky situations which provide the necessary thrill and an appropriate running time.
A perfect flight watch!
2.5/5
PK (2014)
Aamir Khan redeems himself from the Dhoom 3 debacle after his sincere and comedic performance in pk.
What looks like a drama on religion is actually a very clear message about how to be human. And it’s even more effective when told from pk’s character. It shows us how complex our lives are especially when it comes to matters of faith and love.
Though the message isn’t new, it has been told with a zest and humour which made it more appetising and definitely less preachy. Anushka Sharma plays the reporter and comrade Jaggu with an ease of a seasoned actress. It was nice to see Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, yesteryear Pyarelal aka Ram Sethi, Saurabh Shukla and of course Sushant Singh in short but effective roles.
Not relying on special effects or long winded theories this film goes straight to the heart of what it means to be human and have faith. While pk mimics the actions of those around him, he asks an age old question. He provides a fitting answer too, in a signature ‘finale mass media’ Vinod Chopra Raj Kumar Hirani way.
They have come up with a concept which is very delicate and a potential time bomb of a subject in a country like India, but they have walked the tight rope well. Since the ‘perspective’ is pk’s, its ownership too lies with his species. The writing is crisp, light and doesn’t leave anything unexplained. Logic and reason take center stage in a debate which was engaging as it was entertaining.
In the end it took ‘no understanding of ourselves’ to reflect what we have become and how we can still save ourselves. That was the films larger message amongst it’s many commentaries, all of which are sensitive, appropriate and not tipsy but very much in their senses!
4/5
Lucy (2014)
Written and directed by Luc Beeson, this film is extraordinary because it communicates so much with the use of imagery. Working on the premise of how much we use our brain as opposed to what potential we have, this film takes a dark, action packed, gory look at what could go wrong if we meddle with nature.
Scarlett Johansson plays the title role of ‘Lucy’ who is transformed in the film with a drug which increases the use of her senses, her access to her memories and unlocks access to her brain power. What could happen if such a drug was consumed is not only scary but also shows us our untapped capabilities. She is remarkable, vulnerable as she is formidable . Morgan Freeman is his usual self, the sanity, calm and reason ‘quotient’ of an otherwise unfathomable tale.
Though she goes through a traumatic change, she unleashes herself in a very controlled manner, displaying yet unknown or unthinkable human intelligence or awareness.
The conclusion? Something I guessed (or was secretly hoping would happen) and was in awe as it unravelled on screen. It was done with such unforgiving speed and grace that you realise what information we all carry and how much we are yet to learn about ourselves.
Time exists because we do.
3.5/5
The hobbit: Battle of the five armies (2014)
Hobbit: check
Battle: check
Five Armies : check
So we got everything we were promised Peter Jackson provides a fitting film for the final part of the trilogy of the hobbit.
Sweeping battle scenes, defense strategies and ‘what will happen next?’ were the strengths of the film. The opening scene and the ‘battle on ice’ were visually stunning, while a 250 million dollar budget explain why they were so.
The film faltered in length, though it was fast paced. The 3D aspect (with the poor quality glasses here) greatly impact the viewing pleasure. An unanswered question lingers, why are movies shot in dark tones in 3D? It doesn’t give it depth or richness, just makes it more dull.
A franchise well-milked, it was a conclusion that had to be seen, having invested in the earlier two parts. But ‘the desolation of smaug’ gets my vote as an entertainer.
2.5/5
This is where I leave you (2014)
Four siblings gather to mourn their father for a seven day period. What ensues is dysfunction, old flames, new truths, childhood patterns and continued humour at the expense of others’ misery. Their mother, played by Jane Fonda is the cherry on this multi-layered and flavoured cake, who binds them together with an invisible glue and very visible ‘floatation devices’.
The four ‘poles apart’ siblings include Tina Fey (strong protective sister), Jason Bateman (the focal point of the unsolicited dramatic comedy), Adam Driver (youngest, most reckless and surprising sparks of wisdom), Corey Stall (boring older brother) and their significant others make a bizarre family.
The strength of the film lies in its unpredictability. Our tendency as human beings to ‘judge’ is also challenged, the need to ‘plan’ everything till its ‘perfect’ is questioned and several ideas of ‘love’ are presented. Made for an adult audience, you come away with some nice one-liners and many laughs, all of which are situational.
Based on a book of the same name by Jonathan Trooper, the writing must be great to have the scenes play out as they do.
2.5/5
Exodus : Gods and Kings (2014)
The biblical tale of Moses, is gripping in parts and clumsy in others. Not overly opulent and shot with an authentic eye for the era, it falters with the body language, which isn’t serious and the English is casual, which doesn’t tie up the film neatly.
While the special effects and locations are spot on, the casting is varied but not entirely strong. John Turturro (Fading Gigolo) looks out of place as the Pharaoh Seti. Joel Edgerton as Rhamses gives an uneven performance, while Sigourney Weaver as Tuya has a blink and miss appearance.
Christian Bale as Moses gives a sincere insight into his dilemma, and Ben Kinglsey as the elder named ‘Nun’ has a short but powerful role. God is depicted as a young boy, a master stroke by Director Ridley Scott, who has approached the episode differently, trying to weave in more science and less miracle.
The overall effect is a well made film, which has a relatively smooth pace, brilliant action sequences, not supported by the cast and its length at 2 hours and 30 minutes.
2/5
Penguins of Madagascar (2014)
The back story of the witty four and their antics since they were young bring them to their current dilemma. An octopus has declared vengeance on all the Penguins and ‘The North Wind’ organisation wants to help them.
Their happy go lucky, no back up plan approach provides a few laughs, while the tension is built alongside. Not expecting as much humour I was surprised to see the varied twists and turns in a story crafted for the flightless quartet.
Fun, with some Madagascar-ish elements, it’s a light watch.
2.5/5
Movies&Musings 