How John Coffey Changed My Perception through The Green Mile.

When you first get a glimpse of Michael Clarke Duncan in any movie or television series, the first impression he makes of, of a giant behemoth, standing at 6ft 5inches and weighing 290pounds. He looks monstrous.

Though nothing in him makes him look ugly, his flat nose, his thick lips, his bald pate or his rippling shoulders none of these things make him look ugly. Maybe it is case of a person's inherent goodness.

We so easily judge people by the way they look, it is an experience which I have felt though out my life too. And it feels so strange that as you physically change, the people who do not know you very well keep altering their perspective about you.

If I am fat, I will be proclaimed to be shy, stupid and someone not ready to get out of his comfort zone. So if I lose the excess fat, add some muscles, pierce my ear, get a tattoo then I become a playboy and a dude!!!!

But what happened during the process of growing from fat to thin which changed me? The answer is nothing!.

I generally hang out in a badminton court with my friends where we smoke, we chill and crib. There is a bunch of kids play badminton. It’s an evenly balanced group of fat and thin kids. The fat kids I find our more aggressive, they show leader like qualities. And that’s that.

So we are what we are, we alter ourselves, temper ourselves to be better but a change in physicality will never make us any different.

So coming back to the point of Michael Clarke Duncan, when I was a young kid my favorite genre of movies was action. Hence I saw him in two movies one was “The Daredevil” and second was “The Scorpion King”.

His portrayal of Kingpin was menacing and on the other hand his portrayal of a loyal supporter to a justified uprising was heartwarming.

The main inference I drew from this was that this is a man you can never mess with, even recently he was cast as Jake's girlfriend's father (Two and a Half Men) and predictably Charlie Sheen and his brother were shit scared of him.

And I was like: Man, this dude is a bad ass.

Yesterday I was lazing around at home checking with friends if anybody was interested in watching MIB 3 and as usual all the lazy bums wanted to chill at home.

Nothing was up on TV besides a movie called 'The Green Mile' starring Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse and James Cromwell.

Michael Clarke Duncan is introduced as an inmate on death row, who is extremely massive and as he walks in, one of the jailor keeps shouting "Dead Man Walking" "Dead Man Walking" with his each step. The man taking those steps is not a bad ass but a sweet, innocent hulk of a man.

When introduced to Tom Hanks, he says: "My name is John Coffey Sir, boss! Sounds like Coffey but spelt differently"

A man who is being charged of raping and murdering two little girls, but his introduction is enough to make you realize that this person can never hurt anyone.

A true gift of God, he has magic healing powers and he heals Tom Hanks, James Cromwell's wife and even a fellow prisoner's dead mouse, "Mr. Jingles".

His tears when the other inmates are electrocuted to death are most shocking and touching, he will make you cry.

When it is John Coffey's time to walk The Green Mile, Tom hanks is inconsolable, he does not want to commit the crime of killing God's special Child. HE asks him:

Hanks: "What do you want me to do John?"

John Coffey: " I know what you feeling Sir Boss, but I have accepted this and I want this to be over. All my life I have been on the road alone. No mate to share my life with, like a lonely sparrow on a rainy day" " I cannot see this pain and this hatred people have for each other. The time is ripe for me to go. But before I die, I would like to watch one of them flicker pictures. Yu know I never saw one of them sir boss"

And with that John Coffey departs from the world as we know it, leaving behind teary eyed prison guards who alone knew his truth, a special man, a true child of God.

It was so strange that a man his stature could downplay his stature to such an extent, he genuinely generated sympathy and compassion for all that is good in our lives. A movie more touching than "The Passion of The Christ"

A must watch to learn that it is not always that what we see is what we get.

It’s a journey that all of must take to see beyond our perceptions.

A character like John Coffey is well remembered even after they are gone.

 An Excerpt from Wikipedia

As Hanks finishes his story, he notes that he requested a transfer to a youth detention center, where he spent the remainder of his career. Elaine questions his statement that he had a fully grown son at the time and Paul explains that he was 44 years old at the time of John's execution and that he is now 108 and still in excellent health. This is apparently a side effect of John giving a "part of himself" to Paul. Mr. Jingles, Del's mouse resurrected by John, is also still alive—but Paul believes his outliving all of his relatives and friends to be a punishment from God for having John executed. Paul explains he has deep thoughts about how "we each owe a death; there are no exceptions; but, Oh God, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long." Paul is left wondering, if Mr. Jingles has remained alive for all of this time being but a mouse, how long will it be before his own death?

Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby

When morgan freeman won the best supporting actor for million dollar baby. I found that really stupid, he just sat and stared and the only good deed he did in the whole movie is to punch that guy who was messing with the retard.

But i believe when  Ihad formed that opinion I was too young to understand the gravity of his contribution to the movie.

Sometimes to act with clint eastwood you have to let him overshadow you, you have to supplement and not let your ego define your art.

When I saw the movie a couple of days back, the restraint he had shown during the whole movie in his acting, his attitude of accepting whatever is coming on his way and to tackle each and every situation with silence was just awe inspiring. It made me feel that how can a man of his calibre act a person with such minis ule presence.

The sequence which actually drives the point home is when the toilet is overflowing and a member of their gym tells nim to clean the pot, he shakes his head removes the lid and gets back to cleaning the toilet.

Similar restraint is shown through out the movie, hence when he tries to save the retard that scene stands in stark contrast of what he has stood for through out the movie.

The guy who he gives a beating loses his molar and to that Morgan Freeman speaks out a number. The number as per popular opinion is the number of men he K.O'd in the gym  and those who also lost their teeth while brawling with the man.

It shows two qualities which we all strive for: one is acceptance of life as it is and the will to stand for what you presume as right and then doing right by it.

One more thing which my immature mind back then forgot to register was that he is the sutradhar, in theatre he is the person voicing concerns, adding and subtracting the progress of the story as the movie is progressing.

His heavy heart and the timber in his voice is one of the major attractions of the movie in question. Even in bucket seat he stands as a stark contrast for what jack nicholson stqnds for, the rich burgeoise.

To his light childish voice is his heavy and brutish voice. To his spoilt ways are his straight forward and honest to god life patterns.

To end this discussion it is prudent to assume that without morgan freeman, million dollar baby would not have ben the movie it was and still is.

Diet Chart for All

Dear People whom I care about.

I see you guys piling alcohol, smokes, joints and oily food in your matka and that makes me really annoyed.

Somebody cant breathe, someone pants after 10 reps of half crunches.

Hence Please follow the below diet chart to a maximum possible extent to increase your life span.

Breakfast:-

8:00am Oatmeal with milk and a banana.

11:00am 2 eggwhites scrambled with one scoop oatmeal.

1:00pm 1 slice of whole wheat bread, veggie of choice and sour lassi (in summers)

3:00pm (this is the worst time for snacking) for gym buffs use a protein shake and for rest munch on salads.

The key to make a salad interesting is low fat dressing and mustard sauce.

5:00pm Tea heavy on sugar. the milk will satiate your hunger

8:00pm Dinner (add lean proteins like chicken, fish, egg whites and add one green veggie)

11:00pm before bed if you are hungry have cottage cheese with wheat crackers.

If alcohol, oil, salt and sugar can be contained by anyone of you following this. I guarantee a steady drop on excess sodium and fat.

Cheers to a healthy life!!!!!

Aspirations and Our Will to Achieve

Life is tough for everyone. A person can be born with a silver spoon or no spoon at all. For those who are born with a silver spoon they have tremendous pressure to fill in their mum dad's shoes either by running a factory, a brand, a company, a mill or whatever. Yes we do see a lot of rich kids driving fast and killing pedestrains but that does not include the majority of the lot. If we look at the TATA's, BIRLA's, AMBANI's and so on.... they are kind of example we would want to learn from. People who took what they had and expanded on it.

This article is not about being rich or being poor. It is also not about limitations of what we can acheive when we do not have enough resources at hand. This article is about people who choose their destiny and build their lives around their ultimate goal.

It is about the kind of risks people are willing to take to acheive what they have dreamt of. It baffles me: what inspires people to take that risk which no one is willing to take? Earlier my thought process wat that those people who take risks and make it big are those who had nothing to lose at the first place. But reading the Sergei Brin and Larry Page story, reading Matthew Perry's life story altered my thoughts completely.

I am working with an MNC, I have a fair enough life and I would not take a risk cause their is too much at stake wherein two dudes who were on the verge of completing the doctoral thesis from Stanford decided to drop out  (Sergei Brin and Larry Page).

A national level tennis champ(Matthew Perry) decided to opt for acting as a career, imagine he was not even the first choice to play Chandler Bing. Jason 'Transporter' Statham was an Olympic diver before he chose films. Our surroundings are filled with such examples, these are the guys who have made it huge but their are others too nearby us who have acheived and made us jealous atleast.

Luck favors the brave! lets modify it.... Luck favors the brave, the intelligent and the diligent. Diligence at what we do is a key to our success and we have to be intelligent. We need to know that if we dream of becoming something, that dream has the potential to be turned to reality. To those who dream and follow their dreams I respect you with all my heart and soul.

Below are excerpts of a couple of celebrities lives whom I admire for their sheer grit.

Read on......

Jim Carrey: Today Carrey is one of Hollywood’s top-paid comedians, but growing up, it doesn’t seem like he had too much to laugh about. He grew up in a camper van with his family in Canada, working 8-hour days at a tire factory to help make ends meet. When he was sixteen, he dropped out of high school, moved to L.A., and began shadowing Rodney Dangerfield (a successful comedian) at the Comedy Store in hopes of hitting it big. Well, he didn’t exactly hit it big immediately, but over time, Dangerfield grew fond of the little comic, and Carrey became his opening act. He made fast friends with other comedians through the club, including the Wayans brothers, who later gave him his first big role in their show In Living Color.

Of course you could argue that Jim Carrey was lucky—he was lucky to have met Dangerfield; he was lucky to hit it off with the Wayans—but it was his hard work and persistence that took him to L.A. in the first place, and to where he is today.

 Marshall Mathers was born to a poor, working-class family in Missouri; though, now famously, he spent most of his youth in Detroit. Mathers got into the rap scene at a very early age, and by 14, he was entering rap battles under the stage name M&M. Several years later, Mathers seemed to hit rock bottom. He had just had a child with his on/off girlfriend, Kim; he was estranged from his mother; and he was heavily into drugs and alcohol; but ultimately, the hardships in his personal life proved to be fertile ground for his lyrics. He was approached by a producer after winning second place in 1997’s “Rap Olympics,” and since then, has been producing hit after hit. Today, Eminem has made over $48 million in record sales, owns his own record label (Shady Records), has won 11 Grammies, 9 VMAs, and even an Oscar.


IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU WANT, GO GET IT!!!!!!

Life A Great Leveler

Today as I left office I took the normal route which I generally take to come back home. Cause of the NCR thing it is never going back home for me. But the drive back was different.

Before I start off with what I realized, I want to explain in detail the drive back and then we will talk about how life is a great leveler.

I started off from office then I took the bypass road and as I was driving by I came across a 4 way intersection. A new Volkswagon Vento (Folks-waa-gun for dummies) was indicating to take an U-turn and as I am a true blue desi and I cannot let him pass me, me and my car honked and sped past him in a great rush. If my wife was pregnant only then it would have been justified but then....

I drive up straight and I head towards the toll plaza. Five hundred meters in advance I start scanning for booths which are empty so that I can carry on with the need for speed mode. I choose a booth which has only one car heading out and the next booths have 2 cars each. The vento comes and stands at the next booth. The guy in front of me steps on the gas at a higher gear and his car stalls. I am stuck and the vento guy moves by.

I kept sneaking up to check was he looking at me? Was he pissed that I didn't let him pass by? but he was at peace, he was not driving fast and he did not give a shit as to who the fuck I was. He got through the toll and was gone for a while . When I finally managed to get past the booth I drove at my scariest best ( a few of my friends can vouch how life threatening it seems at times). I caught up with him and before the toll was over I took the lead.

Similarly there was a jam ahead and I scanned the traffic again and tried to identify the best spot. That guy was stuck in the worst spot possible(extreme left) alongwith a borderline dirt road and he still moved past me and I didnt see him again.

When I did catch up with him I had to turn right for my home and he went straight for whatever work he was out for.

What I realized is everyone has an inherent luck, everyone has an inherent pace. Who are we to stop someone? Divert someone?

I tried everything but he still managed to beat me, not because he was trying to beat me but cause he did not want to. He was driving towards his destination and that's what his goal was. In life we are jealous of our peers cause of there acheivements and we sulk and burn. But are they jealous of someone too? Or are they following the path they chose for themselves?

At the end I had to cut the chase and take a right turn for my home. So everyone has different goals set for themselves, our race is with ourselves, we are our own judge and jury. In trying to defeat a brand new Vento I missed all the other cars, scooters, bikes and buses I left behind? Was this drive worth it? Yes it was... It taught me what I am just writing.

From now on I set my own goals.

And, another lesson learnt.... DO NOT RACE WITH A NEW CAR.

PS. Note to Abhik Da, if I fuck the editing on this too. I will send rough drafts to you before I post :D

Love letter for the IMAGINARY

I see you everywhere, the strange thing about finding the person you love is you may or may not be with that person but believe it or not that person stays with you.

Scientists say that we use on 2 or 3% of our brain, so if yu constantly think of someone that person is bound to feel your presence around him or her.

What you are cannot be explained, you are everywhere for me. I see you!! I do, I do not hallucinate but you are everywhere, you live in my room, you ride with me in my car, I smell you in my perfume, I ruffle you in my shampoo, I can feel the clicking of your heels. I feel your soft hands touching my cheeks, I can feel your heavy breathing and your blushing smiles when I used to talk naughty.

Physical presence is important but if you are here with me or not I know you are mine. I just know it, cause you wont share me with anyone and I do not want to be shared. Possessive love is so good, if it is constructive.

Remember the time when I held your hand and you shivered in excitement? Or the time when I unexpectedly kissed you and you were baffled and then slowly turning into a red chrysanthemum. I so want to see ya turn red, I miss your scolding voice but do I need to miss you? I am such a doofus :) I know you are right there for me and I know you will never go anywhere.

You made me a better person, knowing you helped me improve my flaws and I would never want to let go off you until and unless you want to leave.

In the end, I think, why this outpour of immense love? I love you my imaginary love wherever you are you are mine just mine.

I have the power to breathe life in you... I will do that someday, We will walk the beaches holding hands and we would not need to look back.

I need to know you are ok and just know I will love you till the end of time.

When Heartbreaks Are Something More

Never a single day passes when I do not think about you.

I miss you.

I hope you know that. Since the last few days I was missing you so much and you messaged!!!

I had tears of joy in my eyes.

Be blessed and very happy thats what I will always want.

Hope your health is fine, since a few days was missing you cause I was worried about your

health.

Hope you are taking care of your health, walking regularly and also taking care of your mum and dad.

Your missed each and everyday of my life.

I love you.

Please never forget that.

Regards
-------

The Saint of Killers

He thrived on blood... innocent bystanders saw him shoot those who stood against the confederate army. Sometimes at point blank range, blood splattered all over his clothes and face. Sometimes a drop of two wound itself around his rifle, the blood tracing itself back from the barrel to the handle then to the saint's palm finally dripping and making a patch in the eerie desert shrubbery.

The nights were cold and dank, the fires were hollow, the path ahead was empty. The saint was tired of all the killing.

She stood behind the well watching him, his brutality and his boorishness did not scare her away. She stood up holding her ground, the flames of a fire nearby gave her an aura. The saint did not say a word but he knew that his life was going to change. He walked up to her lifted her on his shoulders and started walking.

They made love in a shaded area, eliza did not fight back. She was crying while he pounded her, the tears were of knowing that this man was hers. It was not a rape, it was an acceptance of knowing what you wanted.

The saint and eliza gave birth to a baby girl, those who dreaded saint were happy that he had a flicker of smile. The saint was changing and suddenly the rebels killed em all. His wife and daughter burnt alive in front of his eyes while he tried to save them.

He went numb, his anger was chilly; he lifted his weapon and started to walk towards the enemy camp. He kept shooting everyone: men, women, kids his face was expressionless. People howled and died all around him but he was aimless. The village was silent, rat camp was a dead village in fifteen minutes. And then someone shot the saint. He sat on one knee held his ground with his other feet, looked up screamed a weary scream and died......

But that was not all.............

The saint is now a soul, the gates open and he walks towards a fiery bridge, the flames are red but as he keeps walking the flames are subdued as if someone is pressing them down. It becomes totally dark. A gate stands in front of him with a sword as its insignia.

The Saint opens the door, he has to shut his eyes from the ethereal glow of a man who has dragon wings. The Saint looks up and sees a man glowing in white and blue flames, a long tunic and cotton pants robe him, he has wings, wolf like teeth and his hair touch his knees. Beautiful flowing long hair which is burning white and blue. His cotton pants have two very long swords hanging from it.

The Angel of Hell is he and he does not speak.... he looks at the fire place.

The Devil walks in, he has short hair, clean set of teeth, a white linen suit white shirt and he is wearing jute slippers. His eyes give him away. The are black but instead of them being colored they are burning, a peep and you can see the wrath, a peep would drag you down countless miles beneath the abyss we call hell.

The Angel looks at the Devil, he seems tired..... he says " Lucifer, The Saint is what people called him... he is the right soul to continue our work. We are not evil but who can explain it to our children. Humans will never understand but we need to keep doing what we did." He finished the sentence in a huff and then he coughed, his hair bouncing over his whole body, the fire shimmering and fading in certain places.

The Devil was silent still, he looked at the saint and asked him "Child, will you do my dirty deed?"

The Saint looks up and the room starts to freeze, the fire in his eyes begins to diminish, the devil clutches his head and falls.

He gets up and asks the Angel for his two swords..... he holds them and gives a mighty roar turning the room into a furnace. The swords start melting and they shape up in two walker colt revolvers. The revolvers never ever miss their target and they will kill.

The room turns to normal, the devil hands the colts to the saint. The angel holds the saint by his arms and breathes his white fire in his mouth.. he then says "now, you shall be The Saint of Killers".

A breeze emanates and The Saint of Killers is born, a white fire glowing his unkempt bearded face, the toothpick still hangs and the colt are nestled in his hips.....

The Saint is walking away when the Devil leers and taunts him "So, my lackey you serve me now.. Do you not?"

The Saint turns around and shoots him, he kills him then and there and screams... his wrath freezes hell over alongwith all its inmates and he walks out....


He goes ransacking towns and villages and cities until no one is left......

He calls upon God on his knees, hands folded in prayer..... he asks him why did he had to lose it all? For this? God tells his child "I did it Saint,  you had to become what no one else would become"

The Saint asks " Did you take my family away?"

God replies "Yes".

The Saint shoots him... drags him off his throne and takes his place. Now there is no more sin and no more puppeteers. He feels calm, a drop of white fire runs down his chin and he sleeps an eternal sleep.

Death Greets Me Warm

I was running scared it was an endless abyss, a tunnel which was never ending; there was no light to guide me.

I was stuck in the same place and the skeletons in my closet chased me. I was unable to run away. I kept pushing, trying to wake up from a  bad nightmare but that was not to be.

I could feel my eyes leaking, big pearly drops of tears falling on my bed spread. Each drop rolled down my cheek and not finding a path to pave fell on my bed sheet. It became a patch spreading from thread to thread, looking at it minutely it seemed that the tear drop followed a pattern engulfing multiple threads in its path of passivity and sadness.

As I looked back I saw you stop, you had that look in your eyes, your long hair was flowing and the breeze ruffled it.... but I could not turn back neither could I move ahead.

I wanted to scream that I need you but I do not know why was it a nightmare. God looked at my writhing body, sweat stained and anxious... Pity was what creeped in him.

And he opened up a huge chasm in front of my never ending tunnel. I looked at you, tried to turn back and could not. I tried moving forward and fell in the chasm.

I woke up..... it was not my room. A scavenger of death greeted me and a burning sign read welcome to hell.......


And the ICU lights dimmed and a trolley was pushed off to the morgue.

Sleepless in Seattle Happens

All My Days.... For Kaddu


Anton Chekov wrote : "Perhaps the feelings that we experience when we are in love represent a normal state. Being in love shows a person who he should be."

Carl Jung wrote: "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."

The funny thing about a google search on love quotes is; besides Betty Davis no one came up with a sarcastic, stinging and pungent remark about love. Everybody gets hurt in love but still pointing out the nice things which love has to add to our lives makes me wonder is it such a strong feeling?

I was wondering about it a fortnight back and I realized love is the strongest emotion one can feel. It is so much more than anger, hurt, jealousy, gluttony or pain.

The feeling of love is a life changer, the pain it causes has a beauty added to it; the tears are so warm that they can be directly corelated to the pain pleasure of sex(not random but amongst people in love). Every hurt, every pursuit of convincing the other person to smile is worth the effort. The whole gooey concept of life and love which all sensible people generally hate makes sense atleast once in life. When you meet such a person you do not care what anyone else thinks about you.

True love is not lecherous, a true lover would never leech on other girls or guys on the road:) cause they are so engrossed in each other.

When love is true, the other person will know for sure. In our desi language the most popular term is " yaar she definitely loves you , i saw woh tujhe kitne pyaar se dekhti hai" yeah it is cheesy but why the hell should you care. Love is cheesy for those who are not ready to accept its potential to bring out the best in you.

I know for a fact that it does!!! The need to show care for that person, how that one single person becomes your whole life, how your day to day activities surround him/her, when accomodating your needs to match theirs seems the most natural thing to do thats the beauty of it.

It seems that I can definitely go on regarding this but the bottomline is we need to accept things as they come on our way and to those who are damaged and fear love just let it envelope you. Cause like Ted Moseby you can't stop trying till you know you have met the one. :)

How Can I Tell If I'm In Love?

:)

Am I In Love Clue #1 - Physical Responses

One of the ways to know its love is by the physical responses you have to your partner when in their presence or thinking about them. Do you shiver? Get goosebumps? Blush? Sweat? Feel tingly all over? Cry when saying goodbye? Get stomach flip flops or butterflies? Feel like there is a lump in your throat? Can't stop smiling? Feel warm and fuzzy? All of these physical responses are indicators that you may have found true love, but only when paired up with the other clues in this list.

Am I In Love Clue #2 - Non-Obsessive Worry

You'll know when it's love by the way you worry about your parnter. Did they make it to work okay? Are they late because they were in an accident? Will they enjoy the dinner you painstakingly made for them? Of course, we all worry about our loved ones, but when you're in love with someone the worry takes on a different quality. At no point is it obsessive or negative however; rather, you are truly concerned for their well-being when in love.

Am I In Love Clue #3 - Wanting the World To Know

A common trait amongst couples who are in love is that they feel compelled to tell the world that they love one another. Whether it is wanting to yell at the top of your lungs from the rooftops, "I love you," or taking the celebratory nature of love towards a more traditional route (marriage), true love is characterized by wanting everyone to know just how happy you are together.

Am I In Love Clue #4 - Constant Reminders

You know you're in love when almost everything you experience reminds you of your partner. From the kind of coffee they drink to the smell of their cologne/perfume, from the way they say, "Hi!" to the silly way they tie their shoelaces, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, it all comes back to your partner.

Am I In Love Clue #5 - Positive Thoughts

Being in love with someone means that you (mostly) see them through rose-colored glasses. In What is True Love, positive thoughts about your partner are a crucial element to continued love for your partner. In some circles this phenomena might be called "doing no wrong", but with healthy optimism and realism.

Am I In Love Clue #6 - Reciprocated Feelings

If your partner tells you that their feelings mirror yours in a romantic, deep, loving fashion, then your love is likely blooming, or ready to move to the next level.

Am I In Love Clue #7 - Feeling Good

There's flying high on a cloud with loving feelings, and then there's feeling good about yourself. If your partner makes you feel like a million dollars when you're together, or that you can conquer anything because they have unswerving faith in you, then there's a good chance you're in love.

Am I In Love Clue #8 - No Pressure

In many a romantic relationship, there is some pressure to move things to the next level. In this case however we're talking about feeling pressured by your partner to do something you're not willing or ready to do - such as prioritizing them before your work or having sex. You may want to do these things, but when you're truly in love they are your choice alone and do not occur because of being pressured by your partner. 

Am I In Love Clue #9 - Healthy Jealousy

It's normal to feel a tinge of jealous towards your partner if an old fling comes back into their life, or if an attractive person starts flirting with them. The difference between damaging andhealthy jealousy? When healthy, the feeling is fleeting at best, and you trust your partner implicitly not to hurt or betray you. 

Courtesy-about.com

Love: As I See It

When I see you:
I ask myself, "Why does she cry?"
I ask myself, "Am I so bad?"
I find no answers to that.

I realize that it is you.
And I accept you,
For what you are and who you are.

I make no efforts, to love you
Cause when I dont, I miss you.

It is easy for me to love you,
Cause I want to love you.

Do not change....
Even if it is the only constant.
If you do and want to fly,
I can always smile and say goodbye.

The pangs of love are renewed
The beauty felt again and the hurt subdued.

I can ask for nothing more,
My prayer is that I can feel it some more and a lil bit more.

How I Met Your Mother Style Friendship

The need to express is one of the basest of emotions. It is a tool which we use to let the other person know how we feel. Majority of the time when I am blabbering about the need of few friends; but such friends whom you can trust as you can trust your family, a key ingredient makes these friend as special as they are.

The key ingredient is telepathy, not in its supernatural sense but in a way wherein even if you dont express yourself explicitly your thoughts are still communicated to your friend.

This concept is portrayed in 'How I met your Mother' in comical overtones, but it has a very deep message embedded in it. Not trying to sound preachy but it is a key ingredient which defines friendship.

For example, one of my friend is craving to go back home, one is preparing for an onslaught of exams, one is emotional coping up with a break up, one is stressed beyond belief cause of work and so on. So all these ladies and gentleman would want to treat a person as their friend who can understand the turmoils and the vagaries of life they are facing right now.No one wants to accept that they are weak but a friend's job is to make them feel comfortable, to understand their needs without them being vocal about it. To understand ,to try and reason with them and most importantly to protect them.

A very important job is to protect the people you love(not physically). The fact that they know that they can count on you means a whole world to the strongest and the toughest of people.

The most amazing way to piss off your close friend is to interrupt their verbal rant by saying "I know, how you feel", if you knew you would never say that. When someone takes the time and courage when someone moves beyond their inhibitions to share their turmoils with you then they need an empathetic listener.

I have heard people bitching about their other friends stating that "when I tell that person my problems then he/she starts with their own". If thats the case then dear friend (directed at the one with counter rants) you are not a friend at all. When you can hear a rant and reply back with a counter rant and it causes no issues trust me you would never want to let go off that friend.
We all are busy, some maybe more some maybe less but for those who have touched your life in any special way,  who has made you feel special even for the minutest millisecond make sure that you are always available for them. Forgetting those who cared for you are signs of a weak and a supercilious person.

Dont wait.... call that special friend :)

Top Movie Quotes

A list of my all time favorite movie quotes.

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."               The Godfather

"Here's looking at you, kid."        Casablanca

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning."         Apocalypse Now

A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."                    The Silence of the Lambs

"Show me the money!"             Jerry Maguire

"You can't handle the truth!"     A Few Good Men

"After all, tomorrow is another day!"     Gone with the Wind

"I'll be back."      The Terminator 

"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"         Dirty Harry

"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good."[18]               Wall Street         

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."[19]                Michael Corleone            Al Pacino              The Godfather Part II             1974

“As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."

"Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make." Count Dracula    Bela Lugosi          Dracula

"I feel the need—the need for speed!"                Top Gun

“To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.” — Conan the Barbarian

 “Guns are for show. Knives are for pros.” — Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels

 “I shall call him Squishy. And he shall be mine. And he shall be MY Squishy.” — Finding Nemo

“Now, you’ve got a corpse in a car, minus a head, in a garage. Take me to it.” — Pulp Fiction

“Ever since I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster.” — Goodfellas

“I don’t understand. All my life I’ve been waiting for someone and when I find her, she’s … she’s a fish.” — Splash

“They’ve done studies, you know. Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.” — Anchorman

“We were frightened of being left alone for the rest of our lives. Only people of a certain disposition are frightened of being alone for the rest of their lives at the age of 26…we were of that disposition.” — High Fidelity

“I’ve been listening to my gut since I was 14 years old, and frankly speaking, I’ve come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.” — High Fidelity

I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.   A Streetcar Named Desire           1951

I'm king of the world!     Titanic

“Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have f**ked with? That’s me.” (Clint Eastwood)

 Pirates Of The Caribbean and The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003)

Captain Jack Sparrow: “Well, yes mate. See, I’m dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you need to watch out for, because you never know when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid.” (Johnny Depp)

Never Ending Death Wish

I have a death wish in my hands
He hangs and waits, he even stares
I don’t know why he is with me
But he seems happy as can be

I have a death wish on my back
He’s heavy as he is light
He whispers in my ear all day
I wonder what he wants to say

I have a death wish on my bed
He never seems to turn or sway
But at the end of everyday
He promises my pain will go away

I have a death wish beneath my seat
He holds me and pulls me.
He holds me with power, too tight for me
But nowhere else I’d rather be

I have a death wish in my house
I look into his hollowed eyes
And see not but pain and lies

I have a death wish, yes I do
Though you may not think it true
But it is true

I have a death wish right here
I should not hold him so dear
Help me, save me, the shout should be
But,

I love him and he loves me.
                                       
                                        Anonymous 23:53 6th March 2012

The Watchmen: A Study of Symmetry

This is my second attempt at writing a sort of critical study for The Watchmen. My first entry was based more towards the grey atmosphere of the movie and its characters, but now I realize the stupidity of that effort because until and unless you have gone throught the graphic novel written by Alan Moore (atleast twice) till that time no critical study can be truly correct cause as we all know a book, a graphic novel, even a comics has more depth than the movie made out of them.

So this piece of analysis is dedicated to my friends Gaurav Shukla, Abhishek guha Roy, Sanjay Pratyush, Ruchir Gupta and Akanksha Satyawali who make an argument interesting and make me think and work harder regarding understanding of inane and mundane things.

The meaning behind Watchmen runs deep,This analysis only begins to deal with the complexities of certain issues and layout.

Initially, one may not even think of wondering why Adrian Veidt, the hero Ozymandias,is given so much importance. It is confusing to be honest, he is not a hero you expect.  However, after multiple reads through Watchmen, different interpretations of his appearance can be made.  Perhaps even the end of the graphic novel will come to mind.  Why is this?  My theory is that because Adrian Veidt was the one man who could unify the world – even if only temporarily – his ‘unification’ of the planet was appropriate for a man capable of such. It is not easy to let go off things for the greater good, a man who his entire youth and manhood fought for humanity has to kill human beings to maintain peace.

Symmetry is, itself, violent as it can only be achieved by deconstructing the parallel world of the novel.  Its people and places become the layout, leaving readers in a constant search for a formal symmetrical structure. A beautiful instance comes to mind from the movie where The Comedian is being buried and Simon and Garfunkel plays in the background. The sky is grey, wet, all the ex vigilantes are there to give their last respect. The camera zooms out and we can see rorscach standing with a placard keeping an eye out for his fellow heroes.  The motivation for the search lies in the need to produce a single unified meaning that the various characters and images signify – a reconstruction of what was already deconstructed.

Reconstruction and deconstruction are terms that could very well be used when referring to the unification at the end of Watchmen.   Though the World began to prosper, questions rose as to whether this unification would last.  How could it when the only way to unify was/is to create fear?  Inevitably, deconstruction would once again occur and a dystopia would form.  Another unification (most likely another catastrophe) would have to occur for reconstruction – known as a vicious circle.

However, what can be said about an otherwise symmetrical image, such as the smiley pin, when a blood stain is interfering in its balance?  Does it lose it’s meaning when it obviously has great meaning throughout the story?  Does this asymmetry really have to prove as an imbalance, or can it create more meaning? A question is raised but the imagery is too strong, for those who are intimate with me know that I pin the smiley on the roof of my car. Right above my head, it reminds me of what we have and what we stand to lose.

Some may say – “If not for the blood stain on the smiley pin, it too would be considered a symmetrical object, continuously appearing throughout Watchmen, creating constant meaning wherever it treads”.  But do you really think Alan Moore intended for the smiley pin to be dismissed so easily?  Not likely.  Let us not dismiss the use of this asymmetrical, iconic pin as a metaphorical statement  – the tragic flaw, of sorts.  The tragic flaw – a flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero – may portend to the deconstruction of our main heroes/anti-heroes as well as the Minutemen.

Although all of our heroes had experienced a deconstruction, Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias faces those closest to the tragic flaw.  This probably has to do with his picturesque do-gooder attitude, similar to Alexander the Great’s – a man who had also wished to unite the world, yet failed to because of his untimely death.  Adrian Veidt may have created unity in the world, but for how long, no one is completely sure.  And here brings Adrian’s tragic flaw, shortsightedness.  He and Alexander alike, both seemed to be short sighted men of power.  Men who never considered who would take their place after death.

Similarly, the sociopathic bent of mind which Rorshcach and The Comedian face turn them into something which is not us. Their cynical approach and their fear of letting go shows us that their life is nothing beyond the mere garb of a vigilante serving justice. Comedian dies trying to defend himself and Rorschach treads onto his life of vigilante hooliganism till the time he is killed by Dr. Manhattan. The shift in his mask is not to create fear but to tell us that our perceptions change, we change every second hence a man who holds on to his belief cannot adapt and is no match to a Hero/Anti-hero like Veidt.

In the end, the greater good would suistain or not is the question. But it cannot, according to Dr. Manhattan nothing ever truly ends. So if today we have War tomorrow there will be peace and so on.

PS Its a shame no one ever talks about Nite Owl II and the girl in yellow spandex (whatever her name was)!!

BS

Sometimes we do things just to hurt people we love the most. Its human I guess. I have hurt people whom I loved just to appease my anger. But it never works cause of the guilt trip it causes. When someone moves on, it is better to accept and move on yourself as you have ceased to exist for your beloved. It is better to keep your dignity rather than losing it.

One memory of yours in their mind should be a memory which would make them remember you and not thank god that you are not in their lives.

Try to save yourself so that you can live a guilt free life.

Missing Someone

"There are some days when everything falls apart.
When things go wrong.
When nothing goes your way.
When you want to cry but can’t.
When you feel lost and alone."

There are days when you miss someone you love more than you are used to, no matter if they are just a few or few thousand miles away.

Even having lots of good friends around on those “special” days won’t help you much. You are sure grateful to them for being there, because you know they are ready to do everything to make you feel better. But that’s exactly the case when EVERYTHING won’t be ENOUGH.

And they won’t be able to stop this desperation and frustration you are going through because they are not the reason for this.And you will try to make yourself believe how much a good thing it is to have someone so special to miss and how nevertheless you are in their heart even if you are far away. And this thought is supposed to make you feel warm, but sometimes it just does not.

"Sometimes you need more than just a thought.
Sometimes you need to hear their voice.
Sometimes you need to look into their eyes.
Sometimes you need just to lean on them, to feel they are there…"

Unfortunately sometimes it is not possible.
It is interesting that you might miss someone that much even if you just have seen each other in the morning, talked on phone a minute ago or finished your chat right now. Missing someone is never about how long it has been since you have seen them last. It also isn’t related to the amount of time you spent with them lately.

Somehow it is about this very moment. Right here and right now, when you are doing something and wish that they were right there with you. But they are not.

"All you want is just to share some good news
with them because it will be good news for them too.
Or to share your troubles because that’s
the way you can lessen your pain.
Or to share smiles and laughter because you are so much used
to having them around when you are happy.
Or you just want them to dry your tears
because only they can make those tears disappear.
But most of all you just want them to be there.
And you wonder if they understand what you feel,
and how much you miss them.
And you wonder if they miss you at all and how much.
And you wonder if they are so close in your heart,
then why this is not enough and why they seem to be so far away."

There are days when you miss someone so much that the entire world seems to be in darkness.

There are some days when everything falls apart.
When things go wrong.
When nothing goes your way.
When you want to cry but can’t.
When you feel lost and alone.

There are days when you miss someone you love more than you  are used to, no matter if they are just a few or few thousand miles away.

And on these days you want them to miss you too…

To Accept is To Live

For Dear Ridhi,

To Accept is To Live

To Accept will mean; That you
can find the serenity within
to let go of the past.....
With its mistakes and its glories,

It defines a positive move towards the future
with a new perspective,
learn to appreciate the opportunity
and grab your second chance.

Acceptance means security
when times are tough.

Aceptance is comfort to relieve your pain.

You will dream again and hope again,
forgiveness you will find again.

Acceptance does not mean
that you will always be perfect.
But You will always overcome imperfection.

Acceptance is the road to peace-
Letting go of the worst,
Holding on to the best,
And finding that hope inside
which continues throughout life.

Acceptance is the only way
To keep believing In yourself;
When everything seems faraway.

The Princess Who lived in the Kingdom of Far Far Away.

For You......

If I could ever say one more thing to you

It would be a smile and not a word

You know me well enough to know what it means

Words were never enough, but our feelings are.

Yes, they are and they always will…..

I wonder how you spend your days

I dream of you …………………………….

Wish we meet someday, someplace.

A broken heart is not what I have.

It jumps at a thought of your smile, it flips remembering your voice.

Happiness is what you are

For those who were and for those who are

For a flower though blooms for a day

Its beauty will always stay…. Stay for those who saw it.

And for those who passed by you.

You touched me before

You touch me today, for you are that memory

Which will never fade away…….

The Gift of Pen and Paper n a lot of BLAH!!!!

My hands are shaky and I am still trying to write, why is this ever present need to put down feelings into written words. There is always an immense pain which rises which I try to put behind, sometimes I try to suppress it. But sometimes when I finally confront it there are always warm and salty tears which roll down. The tears sear my cheeks and it feels my lips have cold sores. But after the letting out of pent up emotions it always feels good.

Men fear to express their pain, being in denial mode is always the easier way out but in the long run when it does come out, it wrecks havoc. It magnifies and then pours out. You say stuff you do not mean, right and wrong blurs, and even a fight raised for best of causes loses it purpose. And what will it mean anyways when the reason for an uproar is lost.

Things seem simple like this, things are so better like this. When a situation arises; when I accept that even without family and friends and people around me I can be ok, it means that I am truly content in life. The fact is that we cannot seize to expect. But yes we can learn to control it, once that fact of life is mastered one cannot feel immense hurt, what I keep inside me will certainly be lost when I realize the value of not expecting.

I am at my calmest when I am on my own, I like to talk and when I do, I talk too much. When I am alone I have a lot of time to think, to ponder, to dream, I can actually see myself living my dreams. Some people find it juvenile and that is the reason you do not share who you are or what you are to everyone. I never share who I am with anyone. A projection is what we are, I have my flaws but why make random people privy to things which they will not care about anyways.

It’s a beautiful invention, aint it? The pen, the paper, the typewriter and the computer. But penning down thoughts is still my favorite. It’s beautiful, how a nice pen helps you write in a flowing straight line, the beautiful curves of alphabets, the creative element of me flowing through the pen. It’s just so beautiful.

  I have an inkling, till the time my fingers won’t be arthritic I will remain the happiest person on this planet. As I can write….. and some more…..  

Finding Us in Finding Forrester

This is a rant on one of my favourite fictional characters, Mr. William Forrester. Those who are looking for find something exciting down below will be sadly disappointed and those who read whatever trash I write diligently would definitely want to watch ‘Finding Forrestor’. So Enjoy…..

 --------------------------

The scene opens with a bunch of kids playing basket ball in the neighborhood court. On the third floor of a neighboring apartment a curtain mysteriously opens and closes at weird hours…. Kids will be kids and they want to know.

As days pass the kids grow curious and they sneak in the apartment at some god forsaken hour. The kid who had the courage to go inside and act all Inspector Clouseau was a kid named Jamal Wallace. A product of the ghetto, whose mother worked as a maid and his brother worked at a parking lot at the Yankee stadium.

Jamal while going through the apartment hears some movement and rushes out…. He forgets his backpack in the house, the next day after school while playing ball he finds his backpack hanging out of the apartment he broke into.

After a few days his bravado kicks in and he climbs up to the apartment, the door opens and his backpack is thrown at him. At home when he opens his pack, he finds his personal notebook tampered with. As Jamal’s dad had left them at an early age, he had a habit of penning his thoughts on his notebook, he looks into the notebook and finds it corrected. Each page meticulously read and corrected.

Jamal visits this mysterious teacher of his the next day; he walks up the apartment, knocks and is welcomed by a gray gentleman, Mr. William Forrester.

From there on the journey of Jamal unfurls, a journey where he understands the Pulitzer Prize winning Forrestor and why he chose to write only one novel “Avalon Landing”.

William Forrester is shown as a recluse, a person who hasn’t left his house for roughly 30 years, a man of great intellect but Jamal does not know who his mentor is. Forrester tells Jamal never to ask him why he chooses not to step out of the house and their relationship is purely academic and they are not to delve into each other’s personal lives.

Their friendship grows and Jamal begins to understand the tremendous complexities of this man. In a discussion between Jamal and William, Jamal tells him about the writing competition he has entered and that the prize is worth the effort, to which William replies that he does not understand the concept of an end result of writing, writing is for one’s joy.

Jamal :- “Yo William, did you ever win a prize?”

William:- “yes, of course, once I won”

Jamal:- “When, what was it”

William:- “Oh, once I wrote a book, I won the Pulitzer..”

Jamal is stunned, he does not know how to react, his reaction is of a kid who is watching a lion, awed by his presence but fearful of someone who might rip him while he stands there admiring him.

As laymen, as people who read we might never understand why a great talent like him never chose to write again. But as the movie unfurls his logic seems correct though his madness is evident. According to him people who lack talent of writing become critics, a whole universe of critics will sit down and try to rip up your creation in trying to understand what the inner meaning of the book is. Why people don’t understand that each writer is not looking to present a deep hidden meaning, they just write. And when such heartfelt creation is subjected to criticality, even positive reviews and criticism can really psych people out.

William is in the process of teaching Jamal the art of writing. He asks Jamal to sit down on his typewriter and start typing whatever comes in his mind. He tries but finds his logic insane, hence he is not typing with conviction. William shouts and urges him to type faster…. And he types, the typewriter hums like a true beauty it is. And with months of typing he creates his first creation ‘A Season of Faith’s Perfection’.

Watching this scene actually helped me write, what we create in any way is our own, the way a parent cannot reject their children similarly our creation no matter how trashed out it is, is ours in the end.

The movie and William teach us that what might seems eccentric and not normal is not eccentric all the time, the fact that we assume and we perceive hides the truth from us. When a 360 degree view of his apartment is shot, there is written material piled up everywhere. He writes four hours a day but does not publish anything. Why should he? He does not lack money then how come his choices make him an eccentric? A man or a woman has a right to choose his/her path. The motto is simple that our decisions should not make us regretful.

One memorable line of the movie is when Jamal is trying to woo this girl who studies with him. Jamal asks William what he should do. To which William replies “a girl can be wooed with an unexpected gift at an unexpected time”. It works…. It does.

And thus the story of William Forrester, portrayed by Sean Connery as honestly as any man could. And thus the line, “our choices make us who we are and how the world will remember us”.

Dignity Denied Even in Death

This piece of article was published in : The Hindu.

The bodies of widows who die in government-run shelter homes in Vrindavan are taken away by sweepers at night, cut into pieces, put into jute bags and disposed of as the institutions do not have any provision for a decent funeral. This, too, is done only after the inmates give money to the sweeper!

The terms of reference also included ascertaining whether there were peculiar family circumstances which led to abandonment of the women by their families or children which was actionable under Section 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.

In most cases widows are denied remarriage even after the death of their husband in childhood or young age. While some are forced to leave the marital home and native place by the family members just to avoid maintenance in old age and bearing the burden of a non-productive family member, many others leave their homes due to physical and mental torture.

The report details the plight of these women, some of whom get a monthly pension of Rs. 300 and a measly quantity of food grain and sugar which is woefully inadequate for survival. As a result, they are forced to beg and sing in temples from where they can earn two or three rupees a day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh Humanity, Where Art Thou?

A blogger writes with regards to the above article published in The Hindu, that relationships are mercenary. In any dynamic everyone is looking for their benefit. Though it is a disturbing critique on the society at large but it does not fail to highlight what is the truth in today's society or the truth of societal dynamics which have always prevailed.

Since this article has been published, I can not even imagine human beings being made to suffer like that. Why do they need to suffer so much? Because they are not privileged? Yes we can pass the blame game, we can say that the government is not doing their jobs right. But we are a huge country. Leaving aside all the red tapism and bureaucracy at play, managing such a major population is no joke.

We all have high moral values but what do we do about it? Why are we becoming so selfish? We do not have an answer for this because we are too entrenched in material benefits which we can only enjoy if we put in certain efforts towards earning money.

I have taught children, I have dealt with AIDS stricken prostitutes but I always saw them smile. Yes, they are the bane of the society but to sell your body off for 50 bucks!!!!???? I do not think they enjoy it. We need to take a stand, a stand here would not mean leaving our comfortable lives but a stand to make the people of our generation aware that such things prevail.

People will argue, do we not know that these things prevail? Yes, you do know my friend but you know it only in terms of a happening. You do not know the pain each individual suffers. You do not know the grim truths and facts which drives the lives of thos who cant even afford to live in a slum. Be aware and spread this awareness. Doing this will be enough if you are not ready to get your hands dirty.

A special mention to my friend, Sanjay Pratyush, who makes it a point to teach children who cant afford education. Yes, its the basest and easist of voluntary services but this is what you call a start.A start which makes little children smile. It is a symbol, a symbol of hope. A symbol which stays......

When the blogger said all relationships are mercenary just remember the love a parent fels for his/her child. A parent's love will always be without malice and without wanting anything in return. Let us all keep these little things alive and try to work towards change.


A change which moves beyond our petty little jealousies and unfulfilled wishes. A change where no widow has to be hacked into pieces cause the government cant afford to cremate them.

Story of a Warrior: Tommy Riordan

For this a special mention goes to my friend Ruchir Gupta who recommended this movie to me. Warrior. This friend of mine knows only one way of expressing his feelings. But the movie touched me in ways beyond of what I could feel.


Below the line drawn with hashes lies excerpt's of a character known as Tommy Riordan.. Riordan had an abusive childhood where his drunken father beat on his mother and the kids, Tommy had an older brother by the name of Brendan. The constant humiliation and torture which Tommy dealt with makes him psychologically dysfunctional. The only good he can do is to direct his rage at things which have nothing to do with his life, atleast not in its truest sense.

Tommy has been described as a complex character but actually he is not... His behaviour and his very existence tells us what we need to know but they are the things which we choose to avoid. We smile, we click pictures, we update our statuses, we share tweets but at the end not all of us are sorted from within.

It is not that tough to be in peace with yourself but it is not something that you get right by practice. This character shows that emotional trauma does not always brings out the villain inside a person.That a grown man has a child within him which needs affection. For those of us who do not need constant care would need some care.

In the end when his brother breaks his arm, he continues fighting. When his brother nearly chokes him, he is ready to die. Finally when his brother says "Tommy, I love you. Don't do this" that he chooses to tap out.Tommy Riordan's tears were as real as ours.

For me he will always be the most uncommon common man. A true spirit, a guide who can lead our emotional turmoils from anxiety to tranquility.

The below excerpts are straight from wikipedia related only to Tommy Riordan. Hope it makes sense. And I request everyone to watch the movie even if you dont like action per say.

#################################################################################

The film opens with former U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Tommy Riordan (Tom Hardy) visiting his father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), a former alcoholic

The next day, Tommy enters a gym where he beats a professional fighter named Pete "Mad Dog" Grimes (Erik Apple) unconscious within seconds, in a fight which is filmed via a flip video camera and later uploaded to the Internet where it goes viral.
Tommy asks his father to help him train for a winner-takes-all mixed martial arts tournament called Sparta, but only under the condition that they do not try to reconcile their relationship. It is later explained that Tommy enters the tournament in order to give the money he hopes to win to the widow and son of his fallen friend in the Marine Corps.

And later, after entering the tournament, Brendan discovers that Tommy has also entered. When Brendan confronts Tommy for the first time in several years, it is explained that Brendan eloped with Tess when he was sixteen years old and left the family, leaving Tommy to take care of his mother, who later fell ill and died, by himself. Tommy says that he refuses to forgive Brendan for this and leaves..

Meanwhile, the video of Tommy beating Mad Dog attracts the attention of a Marine in Iraq whose life was saved by Tommy months prior. The information and video of Tommy saving the Marine is shared with the press and Tommy becomes a national hero, gaining a massive fan base with not only viewers, but with the U.S. Marine Corps as well. Paddy tells Tommy that he is proud of him for saving the Marine's life, but Tommy gets so furious at his father that Paddy has a relapse and becomes severely drunk the next day. Tommy comforts Paddy and the two finally make peace with one another.

Over the next few nights, Brendan and Tommy have contrasting fortunes. Tommy violently and quickly pulverises his three hapless opponents, the third being Mad Dog whom he disposes of in less than 10 seconds. Following each victory he angrily storms out of the cage and ignores the winner's announcement.

At the end, both brothers come face-to-face with each other in final round and unleash all anger they had towards each other. The fight between the two brothers shows Tommy having the upper hand initially, taking down Brendan and punishing him with some ground-and-pound, but in the third round, the tides turn as Brendan catches Tommy with an omoplata armlock. Brendan manages to dislocate Tommy's shoulder, leaving Tommy handicapped. Brendan pleads to his brother to stop fighting, but Tommy continues to fight with one arm. In the next round Brendan traps the injured Tommy in a rear naked choke. While they both lie struggling on the mat, Brendan tearfully apologizes to Tommy and tells him that he loves him, and after a brief hesitation, Tommy taps out. The film ends with the two brothers exiting the ring, Tommy in tears with Brendan's arms around him, as their father watches them and smiles.