"UP IN THE AIR"

It all started as a game during the RnR ceremony within the team. People had to just pick chits and complete the activity mentioned in that. My boss got the easiest of them all, "Review a movie which you have seen in the recent past". He thought about it for a minute. Chose a movie called "Up in the Air"
One of the reasons my boss chose this movie was he thought being HR professionals, all of us would relate to the movie. The movie is about a guy who fires people for a living. Interestingly, on behalf of others in companies which outsource the activity of "Downsizing" or "Right Sizing" as most of us in HR refer to it..
The next weekend, sitting idle at home, I thought of watching this movie. Liked the way the movie started and started loving it as I continued to watch it. It is actually very rare that I watch a movie without taking a break. But, this movie had me glued to it. As I watched the movie, I could actually relate to the character on screen completely. (Though, firing people is not exactly how I would describe my job as, it still is a part of it).
The main character in the movie is initially depicted as someone who totally lacks emotions. He is extremely good at what he does. However, he is isolated from his family, friends, etc (Choices he has made). He leads a life which is "PERFECT" for him.
He delivers lectures to corporates on the "Excess Baggage" we carry around in the form of material things and most importantly human relationshops.
His life changes totally when he meets a woman who is exactly like him, or atleast presents herself to be exactly like him (bereft of emotions and leading a life with no additional baggage). Though their relationship starts on the premise that there would be no emotional connect and it is simply for a physical need, the lead ends up getting emotionally attached to the woman. When he attempts to change their relationship, he realises that is impossible for the simple reason that he can't and the woman would not accept any changes in the rules laid out by him on which their relationship is based and started.
The change in him is what is depicted the most beautifully in the movie. The end reflects him making changes in his professional life and the ability to handle emotions.
The part which is simply amazing is his pursuit of a "Goal" which is extremely important to him but not seen as wprth pursuing by anybpdy else. The time when he achieves this goal is when he is in a phase of realisation and sees what he has been pursuing. The joy of achieving it is taken away by his learnings.
I can find numerous reasons why I love this movie and just putting down a few of them here. This movie however is one of my all-time favourite movies and I end up watching this on a lot of occasions.
- The story line in brilliant
- Relates to my profession
- I can relate to the main character of the movie not just on the professional front but also on the personal front on some of the choices I made. This ia the primary reason for me to love this movie. The movie did make me think about quite a few choices I had made and would always come to mind in the future as well when I am presented with some choices to make.

A movie worth watching!!!!

KIRAN

Nationality!!!!!!!

M.F. Hussain!!!!
I am truly amazed at the amount of hype our media is capable of creating for something as simple as a man choosing the country he wants to live in and hold citizenship.
M.F.Hussain, a famous painter of Indian origin (Can't call him an Indian anymore) accepted citizenship of Qatar. Having successfully managed to create controversies in India with his paintings, he was continiously hounded by people belonging to different factions for having hurt religious sentiments of some people.
At the age of 95, unwilling to be under attack for most of the time he spent here, he decided to accept the nationality of Qatar. End of matter.

Nopes. I only thought that was "End of matter". The crazy nation of a billion plus that we are, we needed the media to hype it and demands being made for him to be got back to India. If thats going overboard, it just gets better. A democratically elected representative of the people creates a scene in the parliament and attempts to pressurise the government to get Hussain back to India.

The only point I fail to understand is - WHY??????????????

1. Most renowned artists claim art has no country and no boundaries. So, for actual art lovers, how does it make a difference if the painting has been done by an Indian or Qatar national? Will the painting change? I would want to believe it if somebody said "yes" to that question. Haven't found anybody so far.

2. Ones Nationality is something which should automatically instill pride in the individual. Here we have an Individual who has no qualms about moving and being a "Qatari". I, for one, am very proud of my nationality - "Indian". The only change for the country is "A billion + 1" to "A billion +"

If for whatever reasons M.F.Hussain does not feel the pride about being an Indian, he should be allowed to choose the nationality that he wants. It's like how people constantly keep saying, "It happens only in India"!!


Kiran