Sauvik Biswas

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A worthy snack for Mr. Tarzan IMG_20141001_205253.jpg IMG_20141001_205303.jpg Mr. Tarzan once himself admitted that this mixture was the source of his power. The guys at Disney failed to mention this in their movie. Last weekend I did "nothing" and a small trek Camp Linger, with its tagline “Do Nothing”, lives up to its advertisement. In a way, there is nothing to do but relax and enjoy the service that is provided. It is not much different from a resort. In fact, it is a resort with amenities that a backpacker might need and at a cost that a backpacker might be able to afford. Last weekend, along with few of my batchmates, I visited this small farm [map] about 100 kms north-west of Bangalore. An experiment in electronic / ambient music. I have very limited means and even limited talent when it comes to music. I can’t play that well, I can’t play fast. Sometimes I fail to even play something in time (but I have improved a lot in the last five years). All I have are a guitar, the computer and some software (Reaper, Reason 5, Waves VST) Now that I am relatively free from Dark Project stuff, I can take a few strides sideways and explore some other forms of music. The idea is to create a sequencing based / electronic album with roughly 6-7 songs under strict limitations. I will give myself some ground rules. Mumbai Confidential: A nice touch of noir Mumbai Confidential is a graphic novel based on Mumbai Underworld. Written by Saurav Mohapatra and illustrated by Vivek Shinde, it tells the story of Arjun Kadam, an erstwhile police officer-turned-junkie. I picked it from a local bookstore on a whim. After the disappointing Devi (Ok! I mildly liked the first book.), I really did not want to read Indian graphic novels. Granted, Mumbai Confidential is not a breakthrough work, but at least it is leaps and bounds ahead of any mainstream Indian work I have seen. A visit to the observatory at Yoga Nikaya Last weekend, it so happened that one of my batch-mates extended an invitation to view the sky at an observatory in Yoga Nikaya, a campus about 40 Kms outside Bangalore on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The place is a treat to the eyes and lungs - especially for someone like me, who is stuck in the concrete and dust of Bangalore. If you look closely at the photographs, you would realise that there were multiple layers of clouds in the sky. This eventually spelled doom over our desire to see the night sky. Duality music video: Third time lucky? About two months ago I had mailed a copy of Duality video DVD to MTV Indies, which they never received. I had to mail a second copy. It turns out that even the second copy of Duality video DVD was misplaced. The above picture shows my third attempt at mailing the DVD to the correspondent at MTV Indies. I hope they catalogue their incoming media. My Top 10 Favourite Comic Books Tintin in Tibet by Hergé : This is my absolute favourite book - comics or not. Maybe its the sense of adventure in a Himalayan setting, maybe its the story of friendship that echoes through the book or maybe its sheer nostalgia, the sixty-two pages contained within the jacket are therapeutic to me. Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo The story is complex and has heavy socio-political undertones. After every few pages, I feel like I am reading a political thriller instead of a manga. The artwork is gorgeous. In the final chapter, page after page, there are silent scenes of devastation that are terrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli If there is a genre bender or a re-invention of comics as a storytelling medium, this will be my top pick. Mazzucchelli’s treatment made me read the book over and over again in order to find out references and foreshadows. His paneling, lettering and chapter dividers are few of the ideas that I haven’t seen in any comics before. Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki Thorougly entertaining and a nice weekend read. The artwork is amazingly dynamic, the fight sequences are a treat to the eyes and the story has its heart at the right place. While most shonen series want the protagonist to become bigger, better and more powerful, here is one guy who has seen enough of power and violence and wants to lead a peaceful life. It’s only that his violent past emerges as his biggest foe. Buddha by Osamu Tezuka Tezuka’s magnum opus is also a long read. It takes the core story of Buddha’s life and creates a whole new fiction around it. The storytelling is top-notch. It was also my first exposure to gag panels interjecting serious events. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons I hate the movie. I love the book. The whole notion of comics for kids was being rewritten by the likes of Alan Moore. The 3x3 paneling is nicely done by Dave Gibbons. The ending is much better treated in the book and makes sense unlike the movie. The Arrival by Shaun Tan No words. Just pictures flowing into another. Like a silent movie. And emotions. Stranger in a strange land. Maus by Art Spiegelman This historical retelling of Nazi genocide is a difficult read. The experimental artwork is difficult to follow. The subject matter is barely edible. However, once you “get it”, there is a great sense of joy that awaits. It was my first venture into the world of alternate comics. Asterix and the Goths by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo They had me at General Electric. Also this album was badly translated to Gothic by Rhetoric himself. Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale I don’t think it’s the best Batman book out there. But for some reason, I keep coming back to this book. I think it’s the artwork that attracts me to this book more than the story. Tim Sale’s high contrast and clean lines really bring the best out of Loeb’s detective noir story. If I were to collect my favourite books, then for sure the first three would be in that list, too. What are your favourite comic books? ...and I thought sequels were only restricted to Movies and Video Games I wonder where can I find its prequel. Also if I can find the sequel to Jha Dry Cleaners. Why is Non Non Biyori categorised as Seinen? In my opinion, Non Non Biyori should be the gold standard in slice-of-life genre. With its likable characters and soothing atmosphere, it definitely makes a pleasant watch no matter what my mood is. I had written about it soon after the anime was over. The show garnered a huge popularity in Japan. So much so that a second season was announced. For audience outside Japan, it was a love-it or hate-it kind of situation. The lack of a concise “exciting” synopsis was also an important factor that contributed to the lack of reach. Searching for Waldies replacement: Yak's Kitchen Ever since I left Kharagpur, I have been missing Waldorf’s food - or Waldies as would affectionately call it. It has been almost two and half years since I have tasted anything that is remotely close to Waldies[1]. After many outings to the “Chinese” and North-Eastern restaurants, I came across Yak’s Kitchen. Last weekend me and my friend, Amit, visited this joint near Brigade Road. The food is adapted Tibetan food. The taste is much different from the usual pseudo-Chinese stuff. Although the food itself is nowhere similar to Waldies, the vibe felt strangely similar.