Tuesday, January 29, 2008


Reasons galore!


The Samurai has always believed that everything happens for a reason. Going through Jack Nicholson's biography further reinforced the fact. Our man Nicholson, the 3 time academy award winner was on Maxim's "Top 10 Living Legends of Sex." He allegedly slept with 2,000 women. With five children by four different women; he was married once. Being infamous about not being able to keep relationships, his list of women was long (what an understatement!). His escapades along with fellow studs Warren Beatie and Marlon Brando are well known.....


One wonder's where the instability or inability to be with one woman came from. Maybe this gives us an idea. At 37, our man came to know through a TIMES journo (who had done research on jack), that the woman he called his mother was actually his grand mother and the lady he called his sister was his real mother "June Nickolson". A singer, showgirl from the "quickie marriage" town of Elkton. Apparently, as a child he often felt the need to be loved by his mother who he thought did not love him enough...... His being with different women was maybe just a way of finding or being with "The Woman". It's circumstances, a few bad relationships in addition to the fact discussed, that made him seek greener pastures everytime and not stick on to one woman..... He seemed to be deeply hurt and which is why he was a source of sarcastic quotes.... "It must be so ironic when my mother called me a SOB"!! But any of the people who were close to him always swore that he was a charming, helpful and a classy man! A talented actor, a genius who was way beyond his times....



Likewise, a look at the movies throughout his career, they were all roles/characters way ahead of their times... e.g. his brillaint role as a recidivist criminal (One flew over cuckoos nest) who is serving a short prison term on a work farm for statutory rape, and is transferred to a mental institution due to his apparently deranged behavior. This is a deliberate gambit by McMurphy(jack's character) in the belief that he'll be able to serve out the rest of his sentence in relative comfort and ease... His roles were all anti establishment, against the accepted norms and essentially cusp characters, whose time had not yet come, but was almost there... He rode the break all norms wave of the 70s and became one of the most loved actors across generations with oscars spanning across 3 decades. His characters had strangely a lot in common with is life or some of the people he was close to. So maybe sub-consciously, its the environment that made him the actor that he was!!


Again his choice of roles was not chance but a well thought out winning strategy by this well read, extremely intelligent,perceptive and talented actor. In a nutshell, Jack's biography is a good read that gives an insight into the lifestyle of hollywood stars and REALLY why life is not easy everywhere!!
cheers
The Samurai


Sunday, January 13, 2008


The Wizards of Kozh!!


Perhaps the only thing that can get out Samurai from hibernation is the K factor! Going back to campus for the alumni meet was an awesome experience.. The doors, the walkways, the library, rooms, classrooms, panoramic views,NC, Backwaters, Mess parties, SCON, the verve, passion, enthusiasm, killer instinct... everything was the same.... just the faces had changed.....


Missed da E-hostel gang of DG, Battu, Dalmiya, Harshal, Pruthi, Mayank (Motu and Bond were here)...... There was this inherent urge to shout their names and call them to go to NC. The mindless banter and taking everybody's case for no fault of theirs ... an art which some of the names mentioned above mastered....


It's amazing, the way IIM kozhikode has grown over the years. Be it placements.. or the B-school rankings (Business world).. or simply the attitude or quality of students who have come in.... the change is there to see! There (IIMK) time has almost come... Wait and watch people....

The Wizards of Kozh will take it all!!


cheers
The Samurai