Hello Folks of (Bollywood) Cinema.

I’ve been a columnist of this cool site for quiet a while now, and I do review films that I wish to watch and then review those that i think are worth my time and specially the time of my audience - which I hope is You!!!

Being a kind of man of the world (Yes the one outside of Bollywood) I do read a lot about cinema (my passion) and technology (my daily source of income). But I am also a peace-seeker, a humanitarian and what ever I do, I try to connect it with mankind.

This brings me to why my column is called ‘Reel Life, Real Life’, because in this column i have two specific sections, and the important one is ‘real life’, because in here i try to tell people what they can take from the film in review, outside of the cinema hall, and pass it on as human beings. Cinema is a powerful medium and in between the ‘item songs’ and dishum-dushum, i do see lots of good messages that we as humans sometimes forget. messages of friendship, of romance, of loyalty, friendship etc.

Cinematically, i talk about what i feel about the film, from the little knowledge that I have about the making of films. I am no guru on this, but yes i do have the little knowledge to voice an opinion on the technicalities of the films in my review. So i talk about how the camera, sound, visuals, acting worked for me.

In the ‘Reel Life’, i give a short para about the film, and NOT the entire story, like most film reviewers in India do. giving out the story, is NOT what reviewing a film is about. Infact that spoils for the film for the audience and more importantly is disrespectful to the film maker. giving out a film story, and that too specially in the name of ‘reviewing a film’ is infact a very ignorant thing to do. I DO NOT mean to disrespect my colleagues who do that, but i humbly ask them to ‘review’ a film and NOT ‘outline the story of the film’. Films are made so that people can watch them, and not read the reviewer’s version of the story.

Finally, I would like to make a small comment about some very sad comments that are left as comments on our reviews. there are those who disagree with my reviews, and I have the top most respect for these people, coz they teach me something new and more importantly share their opinion on something (a film) that I shared an opinion on. But, what is sad is that there are those who write rude, ignorant and bad words in response. What does it say about those people? their up-bringing? Does it mean that everything that they do not agree with, they oppose with such third class bad words? Is that really all they have to show case their ’strength’? If it is, then I do plea with these folks to look deep within, they are so much beautiful than what they beleive they are. I am part of the same soil that you are made of, and as much as I might not agree with something I am allowed to voice my opinion, as I am ‘Janta / Public’ but at the same time, I have to know that I am an equal to the rest of my brothers and sisters. So, wake up, my beautiful audience and wake up to appreciate NOT only a review of a film, BUT to appreciate the rest of the world around you.

My name is Tagore Almeida, and I am a humanitarian first, a citizen of the world, an equal creation like you, of the Almighty. then I am a technologist (not a technician as some think I am, and there is nothing wrong in being one, as that too is a descent job to bring food home to my family. BTW I am a technolgy person for a fortune 500 company, looking after the entire Middle east region). Last but not least, I write. I have two ‘Commercial’ films under my belt and God willing another one or two in the next year. But more than anything else, I am happy that above all of these, I am a messenger to You, bringing you ‘Real’ messages from within the ‘Reel’ world, as I review films and not write out their story lines. For that, you need to go and experience the magic called ‘Cinema’ and more specifically here, called ‘Bollywood’. http://www.tagorealmeida.com