waLu - a refreshing comedy

Just happened to watch a marathi movie "waLu" in theaters after years on end.I cannot even remember the last one but this one will linger in for some time for sure. A comical, satirical movie set on the backdrop of a Maharashtra village whose current health is disturbed by an advent of waLu - a wild bull

waLu : The real meaning of waLu is a huge, well built bull (OX) with an extra-ordinary libido capable of impregnating dozens of cattle in a really short span. Here the libidinous prowess is represented through his destructive power by harrassing the villagers.

The movie begins with a forest officer receiving a call to catch the wild bull (a huge black terrier) which has wreaked on a tiny village called Kusawade. This is a near insult for a person capable of catching and taming wild felines. He arrives in the villages with the usual fanfare accorded by the rural folks. Accompanying him are his younger brother, who wants to shoot a documentary on the plight of the villagers and the fight to catch the wild thing. The forest officers equipment consists of a couple of shot-guns and a blow-pipe with some sedatives in syringes. Though being an out-an-out MharaTi, he blurts out English suitable to a "Forest", as he is affectionately called by the KusawaDe'ites.

The very first POA for capture of "Durkyaa" as the waLu is referred, called by, is held, quite ironically, in the temple of KankaLeshwar (another name of Lord Shiva) whose vehicle is none other than the Nandi (a huge bull). As fate has it, on one hand they worship one kind and despise the second one."Forest", played by Atul Kulkarni tries to figure out the routine of Durkyaa and plan a way for the capture by putting together the narratives dictated by most of the respected public. All of this is being suitably captured in the "documentary" being put together which infact is the real deal behind the huge turn-out.

In all of this are the commonplace incidents/sidestories like a one-upsmanship between the surpanch (the village chieftan) and aaba (a new generation rebel of sorts), jeevanya - whose stock has sky-rocketed since "Forest" makes him his "Friday" for the mission. There is the brooding love-story between a belle (played by Amruta Subhash) and Shivaji whose fathers are at loggerheads due to an accidental death of a bull on the day of baeel-poLa (Festival Day for Bulls). A semi-crazy woman who is protective of the bull and the mother of jeevanya (played by Jyoti Subhash) who feeds the nasty animal each day.
The actual capture of Durkyaa by rope-a-dope is well captured in lens with total chaos in the back-ground and all previous planning which goes for a complete toss. The officer is treated as a hero-of-sorts and a procession is taken similar to those of deities. Finally the two factions and all villagers come together for celebrating this common victory.

waLu (the bull) is symbolic or metaphoric of the lives and stages happening through the life of the villagers and one very pregnant cow. The pain caused by the bull is shared by the cow through her labour pains. The disturbance and havoc is reminiscent of the gastro-entritis experienced by the village priest (Dilip Prabhawalkar in a surprizing role). The freedom of movement enjoyed by Durkyaa is missing from the lives of the two lovers who want to break barriers and elope. The loneliness of the bull grazing in the open sun but the immense power that it withholds is similar to that of the surpanch and aaba. Both powerful in their own accord but find themselves very lonely as the village meets at the temple and are left out of the documentary.

The movie ends with the very pregnant cow delivering a fresh new "waLu" - a black calf probably fathered by the beast

An Affair to Remember: Enigmatic End - Part IV

It is said that relationships are based on some very basic virtues like honesty, trust, faith etc. There is probably a level of trust which we all have for different set of people, parents/siblings, friends, colleagues and an individual typically does not (should not) be entirely honest even within his most innermost "Circle Of Trust". And that is exactly when I faltered, I tried to be too brutally honest with S.C. at a time when I could have actually summed up the courage maybe some months/years down the line. My 'sail with it, or sink wink it' approach only took me down the drain.

We were having coffee/evening snacks when we decided to delve into the past of either of us. I found it hard to believe that no1 had ever asked her out or remotely not of thought of spending his entire life with her. She probably was very honest but then she could have not been entirely convinced that we had reached an "official" relationship level for which she was bound to answer certain questions. I failed to gauge this and decided to open out more than I should have. This was actually very much against the precept that my very dear/near friends had warned me against.


We were so close to being awarded a prize on Dec 10th at Royal Albert Hall for Chemistry for 2007. Just then, some reaction occured out of a sudden and there in sublimated any chances of a miracle.

I confessed, of having written 2 emails and also receiving near identical replies on my "proposals". And that proved to be the final walk of my eventful odyssey.

She was a very sensible girl who would not have taken this decision solely based upon my one guffaw. She would have probably (actually definitely) jotted the points along the graph when I had messed up. She was too systematic/statistical not to have not noticed the multiple inflexion points that I may surely have traced. I am pretty convinced she decided to take the final call only after all the possible indices of rational behavior were so badly distorted that it left her no other option. It finally wreaked havoc on the one aspect she (and most females) was looking forward to (stability) which I lacked to provide.
We met a couple of times but that was just to bring the happenings of the last 8 months (including email exchanges) to a closure.

The abrupt ending of a till-now-smooth matter from a pragmatic, sensible person may seem like a contradiction. However, Contradictions do not exist. If there is a contradiction, one of the premise must be wrong

I learned my lesson the very hard way and I am still convinced that I did not deserve this. However who am I to judge the decision of someone when I am the so-called accused/guilty party ? (Criminal's Side of the Court).
Two very important lessons: Do not give any unwanted, unheralded information unless asked for. Even if asked for, do not still give it up, lest it jeopardize the goodwill that has already been establish. Always trust your friends (whom you trust), especially when 6 (including their spouses) have advised you against some idiotic principles you might be (unnecessarily) carrying as unwanted baggage.
(The first and foremost Basic Axiom : You can never truly understand what goes on in the minds of XX)

Though this affair did not leave anyone with shrivelled legs nor did it physically handicap someone, it did have a crippling effect on my conscience/soul for a while. However with the friends that I have getting over and moving on was never difficult.


I know it and so do most of you understand/know, that I am not a person who went into the relationship for the heck of it. If I was looking for a fling and did not care really too much for the consequences, I would have just shrugged it off and chuckled "Who is John Galt" !!