ThAct: Poemby Praveen Gadhavi Laughing Buddha, Meena Kandasamy Eklavyam

 This blogg task task given by Prakruti ma'am . 

Group Discution :

 I got ready 2 poems my self after absent in group descation time.

Long questions 

 1 .Discuss the Poem : “Eklavyam” by Meena Kandasamy

A Critical Analysis of Meena Kandasamy’s “Eklavyam”

 Thematic Analysis of “Eklavyam” by Meena Kandasamy :

Meena Kandasamy’s “Eklavyam” reimagines a mythological narrative through a radical, political lens, addressing several significant themes that challenge the dominant socio-cultural ideologies in Indian society. Through this poem, Kandasamy gives voice to the oppressed and critiques the systems that continue to marginalize them. 

1. Caste and Social Exclusion

The central theme of the poem is caste-based discrimination. Ekalavya, a tribal boy, is denied the right to education by Dronacharya simply because of his caste. Kandasamy exposes how caste hierarchies in Indian society have historically excluded lower-caste individuals from knowledge systems, institutions, and opportunities. This exclusion is not just a personal injustice but a systemic one, and the poem becomes a powerful critique of such social structures.

2. Resistance and Reclamation of Identity

Kandasamy reinterprets the story not as one of submissive sacrifice but as a symbol of resistance. Ekalavya, in her version, is not glorified for his obedience but is presented as a victim of systemic violence who deserves justice. The poet reclaims Ekalavya's identity, transforming him from a silent character in a dominant narrative to a powerful symbol of Dalit pride and assertion.

3. Violence of Tradition and Mythology

The poem critiques how traditional Indian epics and mythologies often glorify violence against the lower castes. The act of Ekalavya cutting off his thumb, often seen as a noble sacrifice, is reframed by Kandasamy as an act of coerced violence. She interrogates the moral framework of these stories and exposes the cruelty hidden beneath the surface of so-called dharma.

4. Voice of the Marginalised

By choosing Ekalavya as the subject of her poem, Kandasamy gives a voice to the voiceless. The poem speaks for those who have been historically silenced, excluded, or erased from mainstream narratives. Through powerful language and vivid imagery, she articulates the pain, anger, and suppressed rage of Dalit communities.

Movie review - Sitare Zameen Par

 This blogg task given by Megha ma'am Trivedi. studying the short story by R. K. Narayan, which highlights important aspects of the education system, the role of parents, and the responsibilities of teachers, as you have watched  Sitarei Zameen Par in the theater.

                        

      

The complete title of this film is Sitaare Zameen Par: Sabka Apna Apna Normal. It conveys a powerful message about individuals with neurological conditions such as ADHD and autism. The phrase “Sabka Apna Apna Normal” translates to “Everyone has their own version of normal.” The film emphasizes that children with intellectual disabilities should not be labeled as “abnormal.” Instead, society must recognize and accept that they are “normal” in their own unique way.

The climax showed the autistic basketball team of “Sitaares” losing in the end to their rival autistic team in the final match. We were actually expecting that they would win the tournament. But No! They lost it! However, to the amazement of their coach , both the rival teams of autistic people were shown dancing and celebrating their victory.

   Gulshan Arora was once seen as a rising star in the world of basketball coaching, but over the years, disillusionment had dulled his passion. When he is unexpectedly assigned to coach a team of intellectually challenged players, the news hits him like a curveball. At first, Gulshan is completely out of his depth he doesn’t know how to communicate with them, how to motivate them, or even how to understand their world. Each player brings their own set of challenges, and Gulshan finds himself constantly tested. The weight of the responsibility begins to wear on him, and there are moments he wonders if he’s the right man for the job at all.

Film studie : Maharaja: Analysing Editing and Non-linear Narrative

 This blogg writen by Dilip Barad sir. This blogg a part of film studi Maharaja: Analysing Editing and Non-linear Narrative.

Maharaja  is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film  directed by Nithilan Saminathan. Produced by The Route, Think Studios and Passion Studios, the film stars Vijay Sethupathi, alongside Anurag Kashyap, Mamta Mohandas, Natty Subramaniam, Abhirami, Divyabharathi, Singampuli, Aruldoss, Munishkanth, Sachana Namidass, Manikandan and Bharathiraja. The story follows a barber in Chennai who goes to the police station to retrieve his stolen dustbin, only for the police to find his intentions to be something else.

                        Part A: Befor watching the film

1. Non-linear Narration in Cinema

Non-linear narration in cinema bends the traditional flow of time, playing with the sequence in which events are presented. It doesn’t simply follow a linear path, instead jumping between timelines, offering us multiple perspectives, or playing with fragmented pieces of a larger whole. Take Pulp Fiction (1994), for instance: Quentin Tarantino doesn’t tell us the story in the order it happens. Instead, he jumbles the timeline, creating layers of tension, suspense, and dramatic irony. Similarly, in Rashomon (1950), Akira Kurosawa’s masterful use of multiple unreliable narratives shows how truth itself is fragmented time isn't linear, but cyclical and subjective.

In more recent films like Super Deluxe (2019), the narrative shifts unpredictably from one story to another, offering different perspectives and forcing us to interpret the connections ourselves. Andhadhun (2018) also uses non-linear elements where the past and present are slowly pieced together, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and suspense. Non-linear storytelling engages the audience differently, asking them to be active participants in piecing together the puzzle, rather than simply receiving information in a straightforward manner.

2. Editing and Perception of Time

Editing is where the magic of time manipulation happens. It’s not just about cutting from one shot to another, but rather shaping how we experience time in a film. Techniques like cross-cutting or parallel editing allow us to perceive two events happening at once, often building tension or emotional weight. Think of the simultaneous action sequences in films like Inception (2010), where time is fragmented within the dream layers. Ellipse the art of skipping over time are another crucial tool in editing. 

n films like Raat Akeli Hai (2020), where parallel editing shifts between a murder investigation and revealing the killer’s backstory, we see how editing can create dramatic irony and build anticipation. The emotional depth of a scene isn’t only shaped by what’s shown, but how and when it’s shown.

PART B: WHILE WATCHING THE FIme

https://files.oaiusercontent.com/file-LXQnVD7N6DjEtMbzE1yvfQ?se=2025-07-15T18%3A16%3A49Z&sp=r&sv=2024-08-04&sr=b&rscc=max-age%3D299%2C%20immutable%2C%20private&rscd=attachment%3B%20filename%3DScene_Breakdown_Maharaja.docx&sig=A%2BVqF/1xlYHpRSeI1tXraOw7TzonZOOd9Gsx8VXh/sQ%3D

Part c :Narrative Maping task

👉Maharaja, along with his wife and daughter, visits Kokila’s residence.

👉While he steps out to purchase a toy, a devastating truck accident occurs.

👉The crash results in the death of his wife and Kokila; the child Ammu miraculously survives by hiding inside a dustbin.

👉Maharaja adopts the orphaned Ammu and renames her Jothi.

👉In a separate timeline, Selvam is apprehended for his crimes and blames Maharaja for his downfall

👉Years later, Selvam, with the help of Dhana and Nallasivam, attacks Jothi in her own home.

👉Maharaja discovers a critical receipt at the crime scene, kills Dhana, and embarks on a journey of revenge.

👉He approaches the police, reporting the loss of "Lakshmi" — the symbolic dustbin.

👉Maharaja subsequently kills Nallasivam and confronts Selvam.

👉Upon realizing that Jothi is his biological daughter, Selvam takes his own life.

2. Narrative as Presented in the Film (Screen-Time Sequence)

👉The story opens with Maharaja reporting the mysterious disappearance of “Lakshmi” to the police.

👉The authorities dismiss his complaint with mockery until he offers a bribe.

👉Maharaja is then seen violently attacking Dhana, though his motives remain unclear to the audience at this point.

👉Gradual flashbacks begin to suggest a deeper trauma involving his daughter, Jothi.

👉A separate flashback reveals Selvam’s previous criminal acts and his connection to the family.

👉Meanwhile, the police attempt to deceive Maharaja by returning a duplicate of the dustbin.

👉Maharaja identifies Nallasivam as one of the attackers, confirming his suspicion.

👉A crucial flashback finally exposes the horrifying truth of Jothi’s sexual assault.

👉The narrative builds to its emotional and violent climax  a final confrontation between Maharaja and Selvam.

👉The truth is unveiled: Jothi is, in fact, Ammu  Selvam’s biological daughter.

Reflection 

The film Maharaja skillfully manipulates its timeline to intensify emotional engagement and narrative suspense. Rather than revealing Jothi’s trauma upfront, the story withholds it, offering only fragmented clues through nonlinear flashbacks. This method keeps viewers actively involved, piecing together the emotional puzzle.

Initially, the idea of Maharaja grieving over a missing dustbin (Lakshmi) appears absurd. However, as the narrative unfolds, that very dustbin transforms into a profound symbol of survival, memory, and grief. It becomes the emotional anchor of the story.

The most powerful and disturbing twist   the revelation that Jothi is actually Ammu, Selvam’s daughter   is strategically delayed until the film's final act. This enhances the emotional intensity and forces the audience to reconsider all previous events through a new lens.

A linear retelling would have diluted this impact. By fragmenting the sequence, the film mirrors Maharaja’s mental and emotional disarray. The broken narrative structure becomes a reflection of his fractured world  consumed by loss, rage, and a relentless quest for justice.

Ultimately, the non-linear editing does not just serve style; it deepens substance. It transforms Maharaja into more than a revenge drama  it becomes a story of healing, memory, and the painful pursuit of truth.

PART D: EDITING TECHNIQUES DEEP DIVE

Click here to download Editing_Techniques_Table_Maharaja.docx

PART E: ANALYTICAL ESSAY TASK

Non-linear Narrative and Psychological Realism

The most distinctive narrative strategy in Maharaja is its fragmented timeline. The editing deliberately avoids chronological order, instead mirroring the fractured mental state of the protagonist. Maharaja’s traumatic past losing his wife and adopting the orphaned Ammu is not presented at the outset. Instead, flashbacks, cross-cutting, and delayed revelations build suspense and force the viewer to actively engage in reconstructing the story.

This editing technique parallels real trauma, which often resurfaces in fragments and triggers. By withholding key information until emotionally charged moments (e.g., the revelation that Jothi is actually Ammu), the film delivers maximum emotional impact. This structure also challenges the audience’s perception of justice, morality, and identity.

The Role of Symbolism: Lakshmi as Memory and Anchor

One of the film’s most striking symbolic elements is the dustbin named Lakshmi. At first, its loss appears trivial even absurd. However, as the story unfolds, Lakshmi transforms into a powerful symbol of memory and survival. It was inside this dustbin that Ammu (Jothi) was hidden during the fatal truck crash. Lakshmi becomes an object imbued with grief, memory, and protection.

The film’s editing enhances this symbolism through lingering shots, soft lighting, and emotional sound bridges. By assigning emotional meaning to an inanimate object, the narrative elevates Lakshmi into a central narrative device serving as the physical embodiment of Maharaja’s trauma and love for Jothi.

Emotional Catharsis and Justice

Maharaja carefully builds toward an emotional and moral climax. The revelation that Selvamone of the antagonists is Jothi’s biological father adds a tragic layer of complexity. Maharaja’s final acts of revenge are not simply about retribution; they are about confronting betrayal, loss, and silence. The final confrontation is cross-cut with flashbacks, enhancing the intensity and underlining how past horrors define present choices.

The film avoids glorifying violence. Instead, it invites reflection on the cost of justice and the emotional burden carried by survivors. Maharaja’s actions, though extreme, are rooted in paternal love and unresolved grief.

An Astrologer's Day by R.K.Narayan

This blog task given by Megha ma'am Trivedi. An Astrologer's Day by R.K.Narayan

An Astrologer’s Day by R.K. Narayan – A Brief Overview

R.K. Narayan, a pioneer of Indian English fiction, is known for setting his stories in the fictional town of Malgudi—much like Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha or Hardy’s Wessex. His writing often critiques societal norms, particularly superstition and blind belief, using subtle irony and realism.

In An Astrologer’s Day Narayan tells the story of a man who, haunted by a violent past, reinvents himself as an astrologer—not out of faith or knowledge, but as a means of survival. He earns his living not through true astrology, but through clever tricks and sharp observation.

Themes of guilt, irony, and illusion vs. realityrun through the narrative. Ironically, the astrologer finds closure not through fate or divine insight, but by sheer coincidence—despite claiming to predict destinies, he cannot foresee his own. The story gently mocks the social tendency to accept mysticism without question, revealing the fine line between appearance and truth.

1. Fidelity of the Film to the Original Short Story ?

The film remains largely faithful to R.K. Narayan’s original narrative. It preserves the central plot, characters, and themes, while translating key moments into visual form. Although minor cinematic adjustments are made to suit the medium—such as added dialogue or atmospheric elements—the film retains the essence and moral ambiguity of the story, effectively capturing its tone and structure.

2. After watching the movie, has your perception about the short story, characters or situations changed?

Watching the film did not alter my understanding of the story but deepened my engagement with it. The visual medium enriched the emotional and psychological dimensions of the characters, particularly through facial expressions, lighting, and sound design. These cinematic elements added nuance to the tension and irony already present in the text, making the situations more immediate and the characters more relatable.

3. Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If not, can you explain with reasons?

Yes, the film evokes aesthetic delight, particularly at the moment of revelation when the astrologer realizes his client is the very man he once believed he had killed. This turning point, where past and present intersect, creates a sense of poetic justice and emotional resolution. The careful buildup, coupled with effective pacing and atmosphere, enhances the impact of this scene. According to classical aesthetic theory, such a moment generates rasa—aesthetic emotion—making it artistically fulfilling.

4. Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the short story?

Yes, the film screening enhances the understanding of the short story by adding visual and auditory layers to the narrative. Elements such as lighting, camera angles, and the use of black-and-white sequences effectively differentiate past from present and highlight the protagonist’s inner conflict. These cinematic techniques offer deeper insight into the emotional and psychological dimensions of the characters, making implicit themes more accessible and impactful.

5. Was there any particular scene or moment in the story that you think was perfect?

The most compelling moment occurs when the astrologer realizes he has unknowingly encountered his former victim. This revelation brings a sense of unexpected closure and personal relief. The subsequent domestic exchange with his wife—her mention of making sweets—introduces a quiet, emotional contrast that emphasizes the return to normalcy. This scene effectively encapsulates the story’s central themes of guilt, redemption, and the restoration of everyday peace.

6. If you are the director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of the movie based on the short story “An Astrologer’s Day” by R.K.Narayan?

If directing a modern adaptation of An Astrologer’s Day, I would situate the narrative in an urban setting where astrology is commercialized and digitally accessible. The astrologer would operate from a small office, using online platforms and technology to attract clients, blending traditional beliefs with contemporary tools. Guru Nayak could be portrayed as a corporate professional, adding relevance to modern audiences. The revelation scene could involve digital traces rather than pure coincidence, emphasizing how age-old superstitions persist even in technologically advanced societies. This reinterpretation would preserve the story’s core themes while contextualizing them for the present day.

  

Thank you 

A Deconstructive Look at Three Iconic Poems

This blog task given by Dilip barad sir.

A Deconstructive Look at Three Iconic Poems.

Unfolding Meaning: A Deconstructive Look at Three Iconic Poems

What if poems don't say exactly what they seem to? What if their beauty lies not in certainty, but in contradiction? That's what deconstruction—a theory introduced by Jacques Derrida—helps us explore. Let’s take a fresh look at three well-known poems through this lens: Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, Ezra Pound’s In a Station of the Metro, and William Carlos Williams’s The Red Wheelbarrow.

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18: Beauty, But at What Cost?

We all know the famous line: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” But while the poem praises the beloved’s timeless beauty, it also reminds us that summer fades—and so does beauty. Shakespeare claims his poem will preserve the beloved forever, but doesn’t that mean their immortality depends on the poet, not themselves?

The poem seems to glorify love and art, but a closer reading shows a tension: both love and nature are fleeting. Even the poet’s power to immortalize is conditional. Beneath its romantic exterior, the sonnet questions whether anything—including beauty—is truly eternal.

 Ezra Pound’s "In a Station of the Metro": A Glimpse, Then Gone

Just two lines long, Pound’s poem offers a haunting image: faces in a crowd compared to petals on a wet, black branch. It's beautiful—but also eerie. The poem doesn’t give us sound or motion, only a flash of disconnected faces.

This image captures the loneliness of city life. The flowers suggest life and fragility, while the black bough hints at death and decay. By pairing opposites—urban vs. natural, presence vs. absence—Pound shows us how quickly moments pass and meanings dissolve.

 William Carlos Williams’s "The Red Wheelbarrow": Ordinary or Idealized?

This poem presents a simple farm scene: a red wheelbarrow, rainwater, and chickens. But its minimalism is deceptive. Why does “so much depend” on something so mundane?

Williams may be celebrating everyday beauty—but is this image too clean to be real? There's no dirt, no mess—only carefully arranged color and balance. The poem might be idealizing the rural world, hinting that our view of “reality” is shaped by how we frame it.

What Deconstruction Teaches Us

Deconstruction isn’t about destroying meaning—it’s about opening texts up. Post-structuralist critics focus on contradictions, wordplay, and the unstable nature of language. They look for places where the text contradicts itself or says more than it means to.

By reading between the lines, we uncover hidden tensions: between love and time, identity and anonymity, the ordinary and the imagined. These poems may be short or sweet on the surface—but they hold multitudes underneath.

Final Thought:

Poetry doesn't always give answers. Sometimes, it asks better questions. And with deconstruction, we’re reminded that no single meaning can ever be final.

Poetry and Poststructuralism: An AI-Powered Analysis

 This blog task given by Dilip barad sir.Poetry and Poststructuralism: An AI-Powered Analysis.

Introduction :

Poetry, with its layered meanings and fluid structures, finds a natural ally in Poststructuralism, a theoretical framework that challenges fixed meanings and hierarchical binaries. With the advent of AI-powered tools, new possibilities emerge for reinterpreting poetry through a poststructuralist lens.

Poststructuralism: A Quick Overview :

Poststructuralism, a movement building on and critiquing Structuralism, emphasizes:

Instability of meaning (Derrida’s différance)

Intertextuality (Kristeva)

Death of the Author (Barthes)

Language as a site of play (Lacan, Derrida)

Poetry, which thrives on ambiguity, symbolism, and metaphor, resists fixed interpretation—making it fertile ground for poststructuralist reading.

AI-Powered Poetry Analysis:

AI, especially large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, can:

Uncover multiple interpretations of a poem

Trace intertextual references

Analyze semantic ambiguity

Highlight binary oppositions and their deconstruction

 Example:

In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, AI may detect:

The binary of summer vs. beloved

Deconstruction of mortality vs. immortality through poetic legacy

Absence of a stable speaker identity (persona shifts)

Deconstruction in AI Interpretation :

Poststructuralism encourages us to look beyond surface meaning. AI, trained on vast literary data, can:

Map how words relate in non-linear ways

Generate interpretations that resist closure

Offer plural readings (mirroring Derrida’s notion of the “text without end”)

✳ Example:

Emily Dickinson’s poems often defy syntactic conventions. AI can:

Propose divergent syntactic groupings

Unpack metaphors as sites of semantic play

Show how form resists totali

zation

Intertextuality and Machine Reading : 

Using AI, poetry can be analyzed as part of a web of texts:

AI links phrases, themes, or symbols across poets (e.g., Blake’s “lamb” with Christ imagery in Donne or Eliot)

A poem becomes a node, not a closed unit

Limitations and Critique :

AI, despite its power, may:

Flatten poetic nuance by generating plausible but surface-level interpretations

Miss emotional tone, historical context, or performance aspects

Reinforce existing textual patterns (a structuralist tendency) rather than truly deconstruct

structural poems that explore language, meaning, ambiguity, and poetic instability—each reflecting a key idea from Poststructuralism and showing how AI could analyze and expand their layers:

1. Différance

I said the word, but it slipped through,

A shadow stretched in meaning's queue.

It sounded firm, but danced instead—

A thought deferred, a thread unthread.

Between each sign, a silence grows,

Where nothing ends and no one knows.

Not what I meant, not what you heard

Just echoes chasing after word.

AI Analysis Insight:

Deconstructs the concept of fixed meaning.

Highlights temporal delay (différance) and semantic instability.

Wordplay mirrors language’s inability to ground truth.

2. The Author is Dead

(inspired by Roland Barthes)

My voice is buried in the text,

My name erased, my role unvexed.

The reader wears the poet’s skin,

Inventing all I’d tucked within.

Interpret me in your own tongue—

Each ear reshapes the song I sung.

So let me fade, and let you find

The tale not mine, but in your mind.

AI Analysis Insight:

Explores reader-response theory and authorial absence.

AI could simulate multiple reader interpretations, affirming the death of authorial intention.

3. Binary Wreckage

(inspired by Derridean oppositions)

Light and dark in equal war,

Truth and lie in mirrored score.

Male and female blur and blend

Their borderlines begin to bend.

What is center? What is edge?

Who decides the truth they pledge?

Collapse the frame, reframe the game

No meaning fixed, no name the same.

AI Analysis Insight:

Deconstructs hierarchical binaries.

AI could trace how poetry subverts normative structures (gender, truth, etc.) using textual comparison.

Conclusion

An AI-powered poststructuralist reading of poetry does not aim to “solve” the poem, but to reveal its richness, its contradictions, and its infinite play of meaning. Far from replacing human interpretation, it augments our ability to engage with poetry as a dynamic, unstable, and intertextual form

4. Intertextual Ghosts

(inspired by Kristeva’s intertextuality)

I speak in echoes, not alone

My voice is stitched from others’ tones.

Homer sighs within my line,

And Dante’s fire in verse I mine.

A thousand texts behind each phrase,

A mirrored hall of past relays.

So read me not as single thread

But tapestry of voices dead.

AI Analysis Insight:

Models intertextual connections (e.g., AI could link themes to classic texts).

Encourages reading poetry as part of a dialogic network, not an isolated act.