Books and movies are an extension of reality. Not everyday you come across a book which leaves you in ambivalence at the end, and getting to watch such a movie is even rarer. This is because the art of expression is rare. Below is a list of movies and books which will make you a part of its rich world of wise beauty.
1). THE PRESTIGE
Nolan always comes up with a masterpiece, like The Dark Knight Trilogy and the more recent Interstellar. ‘The Prestige’ is a science fiction mystery drama about two stage magicians engaged in constant competition to create the ultimate stage illusion. The last lines of the movie, “Now you’re looking for the secret but you won’t find it because of course, you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to work it out. You want to be fooled” would bring this delight on your face and will leave you in sighs. If it doesn’t, then you need to watch the movie again and feel its charm in entirety.
2). A BEAUTIFUL MIND
A 2001 American Drama film, ‘A Beautiful Mind’ is based on the life of John Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. This movie brilliantly represents the life of John Nash whose secret work in cryptography turns into a nightmare and he ends up getting a treatment for schizophrenia. If you have not watched this movie yet, you’re missing out on something immensely beautiful and brilliant.
(P.S. I request you all to watch this movie.)
3). MARGARITA WITH A STRAW
Now Bollywood movies are not really sensible but there are certain movies like the one mentioned which break this stereotype. It deals with one of the most tabooed issue of sexuality and by representing the sexual desires of a physically disabled woman; it succeeds in putting this thought in the minds of audience as somehow, this is the last thing one would think while considering such a case. It deals with another taboo of a same sex relationship very subtly and smartly. This movie proves that Indian Cinema too can make smart and sensible movies and some crore club is not the only concern.
4). UDAAN
Another such Bollywood movie; it is a coming of age-drama, in Hindi language. It is roughly based on the life of Anurag Kashyap. It represents the fight and struggle for chasing one’s own dreams. “Meri tarah hota khud par zara bharosa , toh kuch door tum bhi saath saath ate” provokes one to choose dreams and aspirations over obligations. The poems are the highlights of the movie and makes it a must watch for all the movie and poetry lovers.
5). BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
“I have infinite tenderness for you. I always will. My whole life.”
These words will echo in your heart forever after watching this movie. A powerful story of a young girl Adele who asserts herself through love for Emma, a girl with blue hair will enchant you and leave you contemplating over loss. The end and Adele’s loss will leave you in tears. Although the movie fails to break certain stereotypes in a homosexual relationship and is subjected to male gaze, it is worth you time, for sure.
6). SHANTARAM
A novel by Gregory David Roberts, a convicted bank robber and heroin addict. It vividly portrays the tumultuous life of Mumbai and is influenced by the real life incidents of the author. It is set against the backdrop of underworld of Mumbai and is narrated by Lindsay (pseudonym of Robert). He enters the hidden societies of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors; hunts for love and meaning. A huge novel, it has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart.
(Personally, this is the best book I’ve ever read, an extraordinary work with plethoric details of varied worlds)
7). THE FOUNTAINHEAD
Ayn Rand, in this novel, addresses certain issues like “hunger for fame, fortune and need to prove superiority, a self sufficient drive to pursue a creative vision” through her portrayal of Howard Roark, an innovative architect who “struggles for integrity of his creative work against every form of social opposition.” Initially, the book was rejected by twelve publishers as “too intellectual”; it presents the uniquely Ayn Rand hero : the ideal man as “he could be and ought to be.” When we first encounter Roark, the most striking quality is his utter independence in every area of work and life, albeit, he learns from others. If you love this book, you would not be able to resist The Atlas Shrugged and We The Living.
8). THE CUCKOO’S CALLING
After everyone’s all time favorite Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling came up with a crime fiction under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It is the first novel in the Cormoran Strike series of detective novels. As Strike set out to prove that Laura Landry’s death was not a suicide, the plot is tightly moulded and told, with the reader’s interest ignited by references to the detective’s lost leg or a file of threats that he has received. Rowling became even more intriguing with this neat work.
9). THE SHADOW LINES
You’ll be captivated by this book after reading the first few pages. The second book by Amitav Ghosh, it raises certain questions like the various faces of violence and the extent to which it reaches in the guise of a fight for freedom. With all the violence that is central in the novel, there runs tenderness in language, tenderness which the narrator feels for people like Tridib, Ila, Grandmother, May. The Shadow Lines is a book which must be read and re-read and discussed. It stays with the reader long after the last page has been turned and the reader comes out of the world Ghosh created with such brilliance.
10). AFTER DARK
It is a short novel by Japanese author, Haruki Murakami. The central theme of the book is alienation, which is a recurring theme in Murakami’s works. Each chapter begins with an image of clock depicting time and parts of the story take place in a world of reality and dream. It is set in Tokyo during the hours between midnight and dawn, and every bit of it is enormously gripping. I live in a Murakami world and After Dark reinforced my unadulterated devotion for his works. He explores the seedy underbelly of a city, and our existence, in this novel. A master of imagery, he creates a beautiful collage of collective human consciousness. He analyzes our nocturnal tendencies with astounding sensitivity. If you manage to understand this, try reading Kafka on the Shore and The Wind- Up Bird Chronicle.
Happy Reading/Watching. If you want to suggest more, comment below.
