Professionalism

Once during a particularly lonely night in NIFM Faridabad, angry over an exam I didn’t particularly want to pass, frustrated over choices I made that were incredibly stupid, and above all, unable to sleep because of all the anxiety, I decided to play a movie as white noise while I tried to study.

I played Mean Girls.

I figured it was a nice movie, there were no surprises there, the dialogue is sparkling and witty, the delivery is sharp and on point. Just nice. A feel good movie. So I stared into my material and had the movie playing in the background on my laptop.

I have watched and re-watched Mean Girls many times but I remember this re-watch particularly well because it was that night that made me appreciate how professional some people were in the art of film-making. I could tell exactly which scenes were playing from the audio alone. The little dramatic changes were magnified. I didn’t need to watch it to know when the acts shifted from the little music and sounds. I stopped studying and made it a game of my own to not watch it at all but just absorb the movie aurally.

Ever since that night, I have been sensitized to this aspect of film-making: how some films deserve to win all the accolades and positive criticisms because they are just so good. People think it is the camera quality, the high definition visuals, the budget, the premise, the pretty people and everything else. But while these bits are important and eye-catching, they are actually a very superficial part of what makes a film good.

I remember watching Psycho one time. That movie was made in 1960. I didn’t like the movie at all because I’m not a fan of horror/thriller as a genre but I loved the movie at the same time because dear lawd, that was quality filmmaking! The angles made sense, the characters played their parts, the whole thing was designed to titillate your senses the way the director wanted to. It was captivating. 

See, in the end, your senses require more than pretty clothes and pretty faces. The direction that actors get make so much difference. I notice this with Britney Spears and Taylor Swift a ton; they’re awkward and weird when they face the camera on their own but under proper direction, they are simply magic. Or Robert Pattinson in Twillight versus everything else he is in!

I don’t really know film-making so I don’t know what goes on and what needs to go down. But of the little I have managed to learn to notice on my own, the end visuals really is honestly the least of it all. Authenticity of script in terms of both story-line and dialogue, easter eggs, costumes, expressions of actors, audio and (my gawd) the background audio of it all, the soundtrack – I mean, think My Heart Will Go On and Titanic! – the minor characters, location scouting, angles of camera… 

Everything is quite interesting if it is done right. I’m not even interested in film-making but when even I can figure out how impressive these things are, I wonder what else gets done and what needs to get done. It should be very interesting. Maybe I should talk to Tenzin one of these days and get her opinion on it all. Now there’s a mental note for me.

In any case, I passed the exam, so all’s well that ends well, I guess.

NB: I am watching Squid Game 2 at the moment so it's too soon to comment and Spoilers still apply I guess but they used Con Te Partiro in ep 1! 'What's Operatic Pop doing in Squid Game?' I thought. But as it turned out, it made sense. It worked! How?! Ugh. Brilliant filmmaking.

Chepa Lemchan

There are coverages of it on YouTube as I found out later but up till I was posted in Hnahthial, I had never heard of it. But once I heard of it, I was obsessed with attending. So my sisters and I made plans to attend it. We combined this with scaling Phawngpui Peak so it was a two birds one stone situation, us three for the Season Holidays, packing everything we can in one holiday package.

It, being, of course, Chepa Lemchan. To the uninitiated, this is an annual January 2nd Event in Darzo Village in Hnahthial district.

People dress up in the wackiest ways they can think of. Not just as its namesake which is basically to pretend to be a Chepa. Google says this is a Malay tree shrew. I thought it was a squirrel. Whatever the English word for the animal, a chepa in Mizo.

So! Bottom line is, people dress up. Evidently there was no gatekeeping with the costumes. I saw a lot of men and boys in drag. I saw people paint their whole bodies red, fluorescent green, black (from soot, no less!) There were people who came in couple-wear, like a bride and groom. Or like a two person drum set. Or a couple of police-men who had fun arresting people. I even saw a Hulk. There were also people who came dressed as what I can only assume, animals. They’d painted their bodies black or red and wore elaborate masks and/or real animal skulls. One of them looked like he had two heads, one at the front, one at the back. It was a lot of fun!

If kids found you on the streets with a clean face and no costume on (the horror!), they chase you down and paint your face black. Grand fun! We paraded across the town on the street, stopping every now and then to dance and meet up with others. Or to catch candy that people throw at the crowd from their rooftops. Lots of revelry. And so early in the day so you don’t even have to be drunk to partay! Today’s parade started at around 10:30. The locals said it was late.

It reminded me of Mardi Gras and Halloween and Comic Con Cosplay and Day of the Dead. Or Holi. 

Because you can't be allowed on the street during parade time and not participate. But it's like that thing with bees and their equivalency to humans. You just need to get past the Gate. Apparently in a beehive, if a hornet can stealth past the guards and enter a hive, the bees literally let their guard down and let it do whatever it wants. Same way, if you can get past a Security Gate in a human building, you can pretty much do your thing. People stop treating you as different and just accept you as their own, even if they are not sure about you and your intentions. Like bees. 

And like Chepa Lemchan. 

You go out in the street during Parade Time, you will get stares and calculated glances. But once someone attacks you and your face is suitably soot-ed up, you're in! You could be in a Polar Suit or a random everyday jacket it's OK, you have been deemed costumed up, you were a Chepa, you were part of the Hive! 

I’m afraid I don’t know its origin. Or why a Chepa, of all animals! But it didn’t really matter. It was fun, all the same. I went to the parade with a little ginger kitten. I hope more people come and attend this.

January 2nd. You know when and where now.

Phawngpui 2.0

Bon khawp mai!

Hnahthial aṭangin Phawngpui a hla lo tih ka lo hre lo pek a. Ka hriat veleh pawh ka kal ta reng a. Mahse kal hmasak na ah chuan Farpak thleng chauh ka kal a. A nuam tawk fu. Thaltlang thleng kan in khalh a, chuta ṭangin Farpak Pick-Up in kan chho a, phul ah hun hlimawm tak kan han hmang a. Combo nen Pick-Up hnungah kan concert thla leh a. Ka rilru ah erawh chuan ka laizawn ten a tlang chhip lawn chhuah an peih ang, tih a lang nghal.

An lo peih reng bawk a. An peih mai pawh ni lo, an chak em em a. Chawlh rual hun kan nghak vang vang a. Kum tawp Hunpui Chawlh lai bak a remchang mawh ngang mai. Mahse Kumhlui Nitla Tawp Ber en a rem alawm, kan ti a. Kan tum ruh hle.

A hria apiangin “In bei sek em mai”, min ti vek thung.

BDO Sangau Pu Manga’n biak tur List min pe a. Kan be kual a. Lehlang turin 31st zing 6AM ah kan unau thum, Puia, kan uite Snowy leh zawhte no Chichia nen Hnahthial aṭangin kan chhuak a. Sangau Pi Ropuii restaurant ah zing chaw kan order sa kan va ei a, ni tlak hnuah kan lo haw chauh dawn a nia aw, ti chungin tlai chaw kan order bawk a. BDO Qtrs Chowkidar fanu Rinawmi’n quarter min lo hawn sak a. Sangau to Thaltlang kawng a ṭhat vak loh vangin BDO complex ah Bolero hnutchhiahin Pu Sasanga of Thaltlang Pick-Up hnungah kan in sawh phei ta a.

Farpak thleng chu ka la in ti hre ve khawp mai. Kawng chinchang te pawh ka laizawn te ka la hrilhfiah ve mawlh mawlh. Pick-Up aṭanga kan chhuk chiah chu Phawngpui Peak awmna hre reng si kha a letling zawng ka’n han hawi pui leh mauh pek a. Ka driver Puia hian kawng bo ka hrat zia a hrechiang a, ka mikhual te hi tlang chhip ka thlen pui theih a ring lo reng a. A ring dik mai thei. A direction dik zawng min hrilh chawp a, kan pali leh ran pahnih nen kan han lawn ṭan ta a.

Phawngpui chhip chu a hla e. Farpak aṭang khan tlang thumna a ni a. Kilometre 7 lawn a ngai a. Kan lawn ṭan tirh na aṭang khan Phawngpui Peak chu a la pawl raih, tih in a hrilhfiah mai thei.

Kan lawn ṭan chu hma ka hruai a, kan ke pen pawh a la zang. Ka kal dan pangaia ka kal hi kan han review meuh chuan “Kan kal ṭan khan kan kal chak ka ti reng a ni” min tih khum hrep. Tlang 2 na velah kha chuan thin a chhe hlar vek tawh mahse kan duhthlan ngeia kal kha kan ni vei sia e, han mawhpuh tur dang kha an vang! Sawi pangai theih reng pawh kan ṭawng vin hlur ringawt mai ani. Tlang 2 na aṭanga kan chhuk leh tur, 5kms kan kal tawh tih lo record tu kha chuan, “Tihian haw tawh mai ang u” a ti tawp tawh. Mahse “Khati chen kan hah pui tawh a, soft thei kan ni tawh lo”, ka ti let hlur a. Kan kal ve zel tho a.

Tlang 3 na, Phawngpui Peak kan han lawn chho tak tak chu Lord of the Rings a Orcs ho awmna vela Hobbit 4 in zui hnek hnek hi kan ang fu tawh a ni. LOTR-a hming pawh kan hre fuh tawh lo. Gundabad pawh Gundur emaw kan ti tawh a, nuih a za ṭha leh. Mahse hemi tlang hi a hlauhawm ber a. Tlak na tur a san piah lam ah lung khawkrawk a tam a, vawn chhan tur iron railing a lo awm tih hmuh phei chuan a him viau lo tih a hriat nghal. Gundur tih lah khan nuih a ti za. Nuih chiam kha a ngam awm si loh, “Min ti nui su!” ti tuar tuar pahin leh tlang khawkrawk ah in dawm bet chai pahin kan nui khek tuar tuar. A va hrehawm tak! A za ngang mai si.

LOTR journey hi a ang hrim hrim. Phawngpui Peak enkawltu te hi an fakawm ka ti thlawt. Trail a awm a, a fai han tih bak chu Gundur laia iron railing bak hi cement/mortar a awm lo. Farpak ah Memorial Stone 1 leh Rest House 1 a awm a, Phawngpui Peak ah Cross leh bawlhhlawh paihna a awm bawk a. Chumi bak chu mihring hnuhma a tlem. Khawthlir nuam deuh lai turah ṭhutthleng a awm leh tawp. LOTR Shire vel ang deuh deuh turin mau/thing “gate”, circular-a tan bial emaw kawih kual emaw, mawi deuh deuh a awm a. A chhuat ah vahrit in lei a hai na tih vel bak hnuhma dang a awm meuh lo.

Tlang 1 na kan kal lai hian pafa kan tawk a. A la hla em, ka ti kha “Hla vak tawh lo e, kawng chho a tlem tawh a” tihin min chhang. A va han daw heh em em tak! Tlang 3 na kan lawn chhoh lai phei chuan mihring pawh ni lo ah kan chhuah tawh, a dawt sawi khan lung a ti awi tawh mawlh lo. “Kha Lasi Pa dawt sawi kha!” kan ti sek. Tu tih luihna mahin kan lawn si lo, kan Lasi pa khan kan anchhia kha a dawng ta mawlh mawlh hi a ni ber. “A la hla, ti tal se chuan rilru ah pawh kan hrethiam ve tur a nia” kan ti hmuar hmuar. 

A hla ngang a ni. Reiek Tlang hi tun ang a nih hma hian kan lawn tawh a. Mahse Reiek chu chhip 1 a ni mai a, kal lamah a chho, haw lamah chhuk tih kha kan hre sa a. Tun erawh chu haw lamah pawh chhuk/chho a awm dawn tih kan hriat vang khan rilru a hahdam mawh khawp mai. Zawhte note backpack a ak tu pawh khan tlang 3 na chho ah kha chuan zawhte a lo ngiau zeuh kha, bag hnungben chawrh pahin “Bengchheng!” a ti vin hlar. Zawhte pawh ri a siam tawh miah lo, a muhil nghal hmak. Ran â pawhin kan zaidam seng tawh lo tih kha a hrethiam ve hle a ni.

Snowy hi Mizo Uite Buk kan tih ang kha a ni a. Lui ah kan hruai chuan pawm/puak haw ziah a ngai. Dap chhuat ah pawh a kal thiam lo. Mahse Farpak-Phawngpui hi a kal chhuak vek thei. A hah em em awm pawhin a lang lo. Mak kan ti tlang. Heng uite buk ho hi Nepal tlang sang lampang aṭanga Gorkhali ho rawn hruai luh emawni le, tlang sangah a tlangnel em mai, kan ti kan ti mai. A fel hi kan ti em em! Kan zawhte Chichi pawh Phawngpui tlang “lawn” chhuak ah chuan a naupang ber ang, thla 3 chauh a la ni. Zawhte ah phei chuan a lawn chhuak awmchhun a nih kan ring. A ki ka siam sak dawn a, ka theihnghilh. Thlalak nan hmawlh te ka vuah dawn a, a harsa.

Gundur piah hlekah Di Hmun kan thleng a, Puia’n “A hla tawh lo” a ti pawh kha, han lawn tak ah chuan a lo la hnai em em si lo. “Puia pawh hi dawt i lo sawi thei khawp mai,” tih kha a ri ta zauh. A la hla em, tih leh pawhin Puia hian “Ka hriat sual loh chuan…” tih bak a sawi ngam tawh nang! “Khilai ah khian Cross ka hmu in ka hria,” ka tih erawh chuan Puia chu a rawn pawr thar nasa. “Aw! Kha kha a tlang chhip!” a rawn ti. Tlang chhipa Cross dah hi sawisel ka hrat hle na in Phawngpui Peak a cross kha chu a mawi ka ti khawp mai!

Hah zawng zawng kha kan theihnghilh nghal leh vek mai. Kan dinhmun a sang hle mai, kan ti a, kan nui dar dar. Tlang chhip dang te chu kan chhuk en vel. Mind Over Matter, tih hi a lo dik fu a ni.

Darkar 2 leh tlem kan lawn tih kan hriat vang khan haw lampang kha kan hmanhmawh leh a. A Peak ai chuan Farpak a mawi zawk a, Kumhlui Ni Tla en na tur atan kan duh zawk tih kan hriat vangin 2PM ah kan chhuk leh ṭan ta a. A chauh thlak zawng a ni. Mau kan hawl far a. Pheikhawk hrui pawh kan suih ṭha ngun tawh. Mi pheikhawk hrui suih pawh kan nghak peih tlang hle. Gundur a chhuk lam phei chu a den full. Bottle 1 kan thlauh palh pawh Puia tlawmngai in zu chhar ṭalh a tum ang tih hlau in ka u in a tiang in a hnawl thla zung zung. A ngai te te in Gundur hlauhawm lai berah hian nuih a za leh. Tha zawi tawh nen, a va hrehawm tak. Tlang pangah, lung khawkrawk ah, zangthal ar in kan bet a, kan nui leh te te ṭhin. Hlimawm ve phian. Mahse ka peih tawh vak lo.

Hetiang teh hrep tlang lawn dawn chuan Boombox te, damdawi bottle te, ei tur extra te, power bank te hi thil pawimawh ber an lo ni reng reng lo, tih kan hrechiang viau a ni. A pawimawh ber chu kawr zangkhai leh tui leh ORS. A bak zawng chu tih ve mai mai. Thlalak pawh phone 1 a awm chuan a tawk. 

Tunge pHawNGpui tLaNg cHu a vAwt aSiN, tHli a tAm aSiN, ti kha? December 31st, 2024 hian a vawt hlawl lo, thli pawh a tam lo reng reng. Thlan hi a luang zawih zawih. Ka laizawn te “Baseball cap khum su, a vawt an ti a, ka lukhum lum hawh mai ru”, ka tih a ka force te kha an hnawk fu a ni. OK fine, tlai lam chu a vawt deuh thung a. Keng ula, mahse Farpak ah tu emaw bulah hnutchhiah mai tur. Tlang lawn nan a pawimawh fahran lo. An rit duh hle tih zawng a ni. Ocean um chanve pawh a rit hle, “Min lo ken sak,” in tih chi a ni tawh lo hrim hrim.

Farpak hi a mawi ka ti hle a. Mahse Phawngpui Tlang Chhip lawn chhuah tawh hnu, haw leh lama Viewpoint lung kan hmu leh ang em em a mawi kha chuan a mawi leh theih ka ring tawh lo. Hah damdawi te kan in a, eitur kan ken te kan ei a, kan lawn dan kan han review a. Tlai ni tla tur en pahin Feli’n Auld Lang Syne a harmonica in a tum a, kan ngaithla a. Ni a tlak dawn tak tak chuan Spotify ah Daduhi sak “Ngaiteh Kumhlui Mual Liam Tur Saw…” tih in kan han thlah liam a. A mawi chiang e.

Ka peih leh tawh lo, mahse ka inchhir lo hle.