My Love from the Star

My Love from the Star is a romantic fantasy that stars  Jun Ji-hun, Kim Soo-hyun, Park Hae-jin, Yoo In-na, Shin Sung-rok and Ahn Jae- hyun. It follows the life of an extra -terrestrial alien who lands on Earth and falls in love with a famous actress. What is it that binds these two together, how they keep meeting each other  and what are the challenges they come across forms the crux of the story. This series has garnered great interest and has won many accolades.

Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun) is amazing as the alien who landed on Earth during the Joseon Dynasty and who falls in love with an actress, Song -yi after living on Earth for 400 years. After every decade he is forced to take on another role on Earth. He has a near-perfect human appearance, enhanced physical abilities involving his vision, hearing and speed. He lights up the screen with his presence and has a calm and controlled demeanor. Cheon Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun) and Do Min-joon keep meeting under mysterious circumstances and they develop a bond with each other just when Do Min-joon is three months away from leaving the Earth. Min-joon and Song-yi eventually fall in love; Min-joon aims to leave Earth without being emotionally attached so he tries to avoid her but fails. 

There are many other characters that are gradually introduces into the story and they play an important role in how the relationship between the lead pair develops. After being a much-sought after actress, there comes a time when Song-yi is rejected by everyone due to an incident that involves her. This is when the story takes a different turn and becomes thrilling. It is engaging to see how Min-joon tries to save Song-yi and the climax leads to that. All the characters are well-sketched and the series moves ahead at a steady pace. I am a fan of the male lead, Kim Soo-hyun who is one of the highest paid actors in South Korea. He was there in the series 'It's OK not to be OK' and I have become a great fan since then. 

Our Beloved Summer

 This series 'Our Beloved Summer' has my heart. The lead pair share amazing chemistry and the story line is really interesting and unpredictable. This is not just about the lead pair, we also get to see the involvement of the others around them with respect to the bond they share. Their family and friends and the circumstances leading to where they stand at present play an important role in the way the story progresses.

To tell you the truth, in the beginning I thought that this is probably an over hyped series and just wanted to watch a few episodes and find out whether it is really that great. I was pleasantly surprised as this series is full of heart. They have shown so many emotions and the viewer is kept guessing as to what happens next.

We feel for the characters and want to root for them. The lead pair and the others have shown controlled acting and there is no way they can be faulted. The houses shown, the lanes, the offices and the other locations are all so apt that we get totally involved in the story and feel we are a part of it.

Another exceptional thing about this series are the amazing songs and the background music. I just cannot have enough of The Christmas Tree song V of BTS. What a soulful rendition of the song! I keep listening to it and it has such a romantic feel to it that it makes my heart flutter. All the other songs are also good but it is a pity that the lyrics of the Korean songs are not written in the subtitles so it is not possible to understand or feel the emotions they portray.

This series is promoted as a romantic comedy and it stars Choi Woo-shik, Kim Da-mi, Kim Sung-Choel and Ron Jeong-eui. This series is about a documentary shot of two high school students and it follows their life when they grow older too to find how they have changed. They are a lot of make ups and break ups and also love and heart break among the characters. It is interesting to see the characters develop as the episodes move forward. I have got addicted to this series. It has 16 episodes in all and after watching it I am already missing these two lovers. I am glad it had a 'Happy Ever After' ending to this series. Choi Woo-shik (Choi Ung) is simply adorable and we just can't stop loving him. Even Kim D-Mi (Kook Yeong-Soo) does an excellent job as a realistic PR expert who is fiercely independent and does not allow her feelings to be seen by others. Kim Sung-Choel as Kim Ji-Ung also steals the show with his amazing and effortless acting skills. He is the silent admirer of Kook Yeong-Soo and he loves her but cannot show it as his best friend loves her too. Thankfully, he too gets his romantic partner towards the end.

Do watch this beautiful romantic series that will bring a smile on your face and also make you cry with them. Some really amazing moments captured in the episodes. Do listen to the Christmas Tree song by V from BTS. This series is a must watch as it has some really emotional and romantic scenes. We wish we had such a romance in our lives watching it.

Train to Pakistan

Book Review

Title- Train to Pakistan

Author- Khushwant Singh

Genre- Historical Novel

I read this book during the Republic Day fortnight and I was truly impressed with the storyline and style. This was the first book I read by Khushwant Singh and I still get goosebumps when I remember some of the scenes depicted in the book. The storyline is drawn from the horrors of the partition so the brutality of it all hits hard. It is a gripping book right from the start to the end. The descriptions of the village and the inhabitants of Mano Majra is vivid and makes us become a part of their story. 

The Sikhs  and Muslims of Mano Majra are torn due to the changing circumstances that took place in the country in the year 1947. How the equation between the inhabitants and also the nearby villages change gradually forms the crux of the story. Who is right  and who are the wronged is difficult to decipher. Though not everyone is thirsting for blood, there are many who want to sit on the fence and save themselves instead of taking action to stop the wrongdoing. 

The characters in the story are well defined and the story moves forward at a steady pace. Our curiosity is piqued as we wonder about the turn of events. The climax is the scene stealer. There are some scenes that give us goosebumps and we can actually picturize the horror penned. It is painful to realize that this similar events took place in the country and they are a dark part of History that cannot be forgotten. The pain and the struggles people went through during those times is unfathomable and this book relives that dark side of our freedom struggle. 

This is a must read for all those who would like to walk through the pages of history and relive the horrors of the partition. After reading the book we realize that even after what happened in history we have not learnt our lessons. We still keep fighting out own brothers under different pretexts and there is still disharmony around. This book makes us wonder whether there will ever be hope for peace to reign in our country. This book leaves us with many uncomfortable questions in our minds and for some it will be difficult to erase the scenes of the horrors of partition that were vividly described in the book.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Title- The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Author- Hiro Arikawa

Translated from the Japanese by - Philip Gabriel

Genre- Fiction

The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a best seller and has also been made into a live action Japanese film. This was my first read for this year and I am glad I chose this one. I am a lover of travel and I carried this book along on my tour to the North-east. I cannot express how blissful it was to sit by the gurgling riverside and read this with the mountains behind me. This book brought a smile on my face at the very beginning when I was introduced to Nana the cat. It is amazing how the cat carries the story forward and tells us about his wonderful escapades with his master Satoru.

The book gives us a glimpse into the life of Satoru and his cat Nana and Satoru's childhood friends. It is a look at the travels and explorations of the master and his cat as they move from place to place and as they do that we the readers are delighted with the beauty of the places they visit and we are acquainted with the people they meet. The description of the places is such that we are literally transported there. The cat Nana tells us about his meeting with different animals and people in an interesting manner we feel it is the most normal thing a cat can do.

Though the book is written in simple language it gives us a deep insight about the life of Satoru and the other characters in the book. We meet his childhood friends and learn how their friendship developed. We learn about the bond he shares with them and his cats Nana and Hachi. The cat Nana also makes us delve deep into the thought processes of a cat. How Nana feels about Satoru's friends and family is revealed to us. The storyline is engaging and we cannot help feeling in love with the loyal Nana and we learn to appreciate Satoru's mission to find the right house for Nana.

'The Travelling Cat Chronicles' is a must read for lovers of animals and travel enthusiasts. It takes us on an interesting journey that explores people and places in a unique and simplistic manner. This is a story about loyalty , gratitude and friendship. This story about a stray cat who becomes family really tugs at your heartstrings. 

This is story that is full of heart. There are so many beautiful moments in it. I was surprised to see my tears flow as I neared the end of the book, the climax is an emotional one. It is not only the story but also the cover page of the book that catches your attention. As a reader we would expect the cat on the cover page to resemble Nana the cat in the story but it is an original brush painting entitled ' Man and the World' which is painted by Shuai Liu, a Chinese painter with cerebral palsy whose work is supported by Chilture.com, a studio of disabled artists. Learning about the artist of the cover page was another plus for me  about this book. 

I am glad this was my first read for this year. I too would like to learn to express my gratitude towards people I meet and those who touch my life and appreciate the good things life has to offer instead of focussing only on the the challenges I face. Life is really beautiful if we find the time to look at the beauty around us- the beauty in the places and the people around us. Waiting eagerly to watch the Japanese movie of the same name as the trailor looks really interesting. 

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Itaewon Class

 I am just completed binge watching the Korean drama series Itaewon Class and I was blown away!

I am a huge fan of the male and female leads - Park Seo-joon, Kim Da-mi and Kwon Nara.

Park Bo Gum has a small role in it as a handsome chef but he is only seen in the climax of episode 16, so though I was tempted I didn't watch that episode first. He is a treat to our eyes!

There are some amazing moments captured in the episodes that encourage us to follow our dreams and have firm belief in ourselves.

The series is all about finding your strengths and facing any challenges that come your way as you pursue your goal. It is about finding our strengths and not showing other to determine what you can or cannot do.

I must add that I am in love with the lead Park Seo Joon and he has proved, time and again, that he is an outstanding actor. He emoted really well and he is not just a romantic lead who can make us swoon with his good looks, great body and kissing scenes. He portrays the character of Park Seroeyi amazingly well.

There is a poem in episode 12. It a beautiful one about finding ones inherent strength and accepting yourself for who you are. We don't need the approval of others, we need to understand that especially when we have people put to ridicule us and treat us a worthless. This poem is for all of us. It us an affirmation we all need in trying times, I am diamond.

Yes, say this aloud......

Love Alarm

Everyone needs to be loved. We all have that special someone who makes our heart flutter. What is better than having the person that we love love us back with the same intensity or more!

What if there was a mobile app that helped you find that special someone for you. What if there was someone who rings your love alarm and you ring it back? These are the possibilities that have been explored in the series 'Love Alarm'.

'Love Alarm' is an amazing Korean Drama series about love and it has been well scripted. It is an adaptation of a famous Daum webtoon. It stars Kim So-Hyun, Jung Ga-rum and Song Kang. It follows the life of a high school girl who like many others is highly influenced by a new mobile love app that notifies us of someone in the vicinity having romantic feelings for you. 

It is a love triangle with a difference because it also takes into consideration all the trials and tribulations that the lead protagonists have gone through. It gives us a glimpse into their lives and the circumstances that lead to the decisions they make. The series is in two short seasons and all the episodes are engaging. There is a lot of romance, emotion and it comes with a slice of life.

The lead characters are endearing and we slowly become a part of their lives. We see them make up and break up and pine for each other. We see the confusion they have when they have to make choices. The songs and music score is soothing and impactful. The two male leads are charming and they make our hearts skip a few beats. Song Kang is a treat to our eyes, his visuals are alluring and mesmerizing to say the least. 

This series is very good but not mind-boggling great. There are many other Korean series that can be watched before you come to this one. Of course, it goes without saying that this series was very impactful for its viewers as the premise of the series was particularly close to their hearts. The acting of each and every character was spot on and gave us no reasons to complain. I watched this one just for Song Kang who was the lead in 'Nevertheless' and I missed him badly. Keep this one in your to be watched list for sure. There are also some rumors of a season three for this season, let's wait and watch.

83

 

Leharaa do!!!

Watched the movie 83 today and I was literally bowled over!!!

In other words, I was clean bowled!

This movie gave me a taste of our past glory and let me revive the memories of that amazing World Cup that I watched with enthusiasm as a kid. It was like a festival then, the thrill and excitement on our win was remarkable to say the least. Everyone was glued to their television sets or radio sets back then as we watched history being created.

The Indian team was nothing but the underdog and we did the unthinkable then. The patriotic fervor was sky high and we could feel the josh in every player. Kapil Dev and Mohinder Amarnath were my favourites then. We knew all the players so well that we imitated their peculiar styles. Watching this movie made me nostalgic. This was the first movie I watched in the theatre after the pandemic. The movie hall had just a few patrons and I was masked all through the movie. I had to watch this on the big screen and I am glad I did.

This movie made me cry, laugh, cheer and clap and scream. It gave me goosebumps and made my heart flutter when I saw Kapil Dev and Mohinder Amarnath, my cricket idols. We all know the story but still I felt thrilled and excited. Seeing the tricolour and hearing all the songs made my heart race with pride.

I am full of admiration for Kabir Khan for taking up this mammoth task of recreating such an iconic moment in Indian history. He really did a great job. What a task it must have been to bring forth the same emotions and do the right casting for each of the characters portrayed! The scenes were realistic and the background score and the songs were amazing. This movie struck a chord and touched my heart. I was transported to 1983 even as the world was in the clutches of the Corona pandemic. This movie made me so emotional. My mask was wet with my tears and my glasses got foggy. I could not wait to share my views of the movie and discuss it with my husband who had watched it earlier. I felt I had witnessed the match in a stadium. After watching so many movies and series on television and my laptop since the pandemic, this was really a treat for my eyes.

I am not a fan of Ranveer Singh but I must say he was superb as Kapil Dev. Each of the others in the Indian team and even the West Indies team were so apt for their roles. Special mention of Vivian Richards and Clive Lloyds too. I don't think it was necessary to bring in Deepika Padukone for this movie. Maybe they just wanted to come together after their wedding for this movie.

I must add that this movie will have a different influence on those who have actually watched this match in the year 1983 as compared to those who were not born at that time. The younger generation may not feel the same nostalgia that we do after watching this movie so they may not find it that impactful. There are some really wonderful moments captured in the movie and it has a nice in it when the movie jumps from one timeline to the next when it tries to show us the comparisons between what it was actually in the year 1983. We see visuals of the real 1983 heroes on the screen and we are filled with awe.

This movie was a spectacular experience for me, maybe more so as it was my first movie in a movie theatre after nearly two years. After all the many movies and series I have been watching at home, this came as a great refreshing experience. I urge you to watch this movie without fail and relive that momentous World Cup win. Trust me, it will surely bowl you over!