88th Annual Academy Awards (OSCARS 2016) Predictions

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The nominees:

The Big Short- Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Brooklyn- Nick Hornby
Carol-  Phyllis Nagy
The Martian- Drew Goddard
Room- Emma Donoghue

Major Contenders- The Big Short and The Matian

Winner: The Big Short

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The nominees:

Bridge of Spies- Matt Charman, Joel & Ethan Coen
Inside Out- Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley
Spotlight- Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Ex Machina- Alex Garland
Straight Outta Compton-  Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge and Alan Wenkus

Major Contenders- Inside Out and Spotlight

Winner: Spotlight

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

The nominees:

Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
When Marnie Was There
Shaun the Sheep

Winner: Inside Out

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

The nominees:

Jennifer Jason Leigh- The Hateful Eight 
Rooney Mara- Carol
Rachel McAdams- Spotlight
Alicia Vikander- The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet- Steve Jobs

Major Contenders- Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rooney Mara, Alicia Vikander and Kate Winslet

Winner- Alicia Vikander

SUPPORTING ACTOR

The nominees:

Christian Bale- The Big Short
Tom Hardy- The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo- Spotlight
Mark Rylance- Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone- Creed

Major Contenders- Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance and Sylvester Stallone

Winner- Sylvester Stallone

LEAD ACTRESS

The nominees:

Cate Blanchett- Carol
Brie Larson- Room
Jennifer Lawrence- Joy 
Charlotte Rampling- 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan- Brooklyn

Winner- Brie Larson

LEAD ACTOR

The nominees:

Bryan Cranston- Trumbo
Matt Damon- The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio- The Revenant
Michael Fassbender- Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne- The Danish Girl

Winner- Leonardo DiCaprio

DIRECTOR

The nominees:

Tom McCarthy- Spotlight
Adam McKay- The Big Short
George Miller- Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu- The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson- Room

Major Contenders- Alejandro G. Iñárritu and George Miller

Winner: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

BEST PICTURE

The nominees:

Spotlight
The Big Short
The Revenant
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Room

Major Contenders- Spotlight, The Big Short and The Revenant

Winner: The Revenant

Goodness Confirmed

There are times when your goodness is tested the most, when you are required to do something for someone against your will or desire.

You need to do it out of love, respect or merely for the sake of the relationship you have with them.

During such times, do not give a second thought to act upon your goodness. It may or may not make the other person realize your worth but will definitely raise yourself in your own eyes and in the eyes of your Almighty, who matters the most. 

You will feel relieved from the chains of ego and arrogance, and will get a stamp on your heart which would say "goodness confirmed".

You

You stirred madness into a life so sane,
And I dwelled in the mess you made.
But I never gave up believing we were meant to be.
You were a poem I forgot to rhyme.

You filled me with awe, you struck me like thunder.
Not a clue of the damage you brought to my land.
And priestly, you'd say it was meant to be.
You were a storm I forgave too soon.

You crouched in the sun and you roared in the rain.
It was only my eyes that could capture you still.
Restless and painful, you were a childhood fever.
You were a void I couldn't fill.

You stumbled over vast nothingness,
Often skating smooth over boulders crude.
All that couldn't be measured or gauged,
You were a riddle I couldn't solve.

You skinned my characters down to the nude,
Challenging my force and killing choices of habit.
I was often led to a reality I wanted to live.
You were the story I had no fight in me to write.

Better Late Than Never

I had come to Mumbai, from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), in 2009.  I lived with my elder brother while my parents stayed in Riyadh. I used to have heart-to-heart telephonic conversations, every two-three days, with my mother and a one minute telephonic conversation with my dad on weekends. I was never close to my dad. Maybe it was because I was just too close to my mom or maybe it was because my father was indifferent towards me in my childhood; I still can’t pen down the exact reason for this aloofness.

I completed my Automobile Engineering in May 2013. My parents returned home, the day my exam got over. Needless to say I was exhilarated to see my mom; not so much on seeing my dad. Mind you, I hadn’t met him in over four years, and there I was, giving him the silent treatment.

It was about the same time, the ICC Champions Trophy tournament commenced. Having won the ICC Cricket World Cup, India were the hot favourites to lift the Champions Trophy. As expected, India faced no major hurdles in reaching the ICC finals. Meanwhile, another team, that was at par with India in all departments (batting, bowling and fielding) as the tournament progressed, had made into the finals. Beating England in England was no child’s play.

The day was 23^rd of June, 2013. India vs England in the finals of ICC Champions Trophy. Since it was a Sunday, my dad and I were watching the match together. Well, honestly, we weren’t interacting much. He kept making observations and I kept nodding, without paying much attention to what he was saying. The day couldn’t have started on a more disastrous note- Birmingham was surrounded with black clouds and it was raining non-stop. After several hours (felt like an eternity to me), it was announced that the game would start but it would be a 20-20 sprint match rather than a 50-overs spectacle.

England won the toss and elected to field. They wanted to exploit the rainy conditions and that’s exactly what they did. India lost Rohit Sharma soon. The in-form Dhawan and Kohli steadied the Indian innings but as soon as they lost their wickets, India fell like a pack of cards. Ravindra Jadeja then managed to take India to a fighting total. India set a target of 130 for England to chase.

During the Indian innings, I kept losing my cool as India lost wickets. My dad kept pacifying me by telling that England, too, would find it difficult to bat. Obviously, this didn’t calm me. Instead, I kept wondering what if he’s wrong. I must not have prayed as much during the 2011 World Cup finals as I prayed at that moment.

To my surprise, India started their fielding on a high note, picked up 4 wickets for 45 runs and put England on the back pedestal. It was at that time, my Dad started reliving the memories of the famous 1983 Indian victory at the 1983 World Cup finals against the mammoth West Indies. Unexpectedly, I started paying more attention to what my dad had to say than on the game. I was surprised at his knowledge of cricket anecdotes and trivia, and it was then I realized that my dad was as big a cricket fan as I was. It was just that we never openly shared our passion for cricket with each other.

We lost track of the time but one look at the scorecard brought us back to reality. England needed 24 runs in 18 balls with 6 wickets in hands. My dad and I glued ourselves to the TV screen, not even blinking an eye, as Ishant Sharma bowled the 18^th over. He was immediately hit for a four. The English batsmen had a partnership of over 60 runs for the fifth wicket and looked like they were eager to end the game and bring the trophy home. And then the miracle happened. I’ll never forget what I witnessed. As Ishant took his run-up, my dad predicted that he would take two wickets in this over. Lo and behold, Ishant dismissed the two in-form batsmen in successive deliveries and the match turned around in favour of India. India defeated England by 5 runs and won the ICC Champions Trophy.

I was elated that India won. But more importantly, from that day onward, my dad and I have watched all the cricket matches together, and I’ve started enjoying his company. I’ll always relish the moment when I bonded with my dad over cricket and it is forever etched in my mind.

Too Long

I've been loud for too long, I've seen

That you notice me when I'm gone.

It's now that I shall recede into my 

Own skull, I need to live there too.

I've been there for you for too long,

Now you be there for my moods,

They'll swing, the rope might break,

But you need to be headstrong.

I've been noisy for too long, I can 

See it from the curtains that draw

Away from me, when I reach

My window, they need me no more.

I've been colorful for too long, I feel

That the world needs some grey,

It couldn't always take grey they say

Like I've grown so used by its ways.

I've been in notice for too long,

Now miss me a little, ask for me.

Take that scarf I left, and sniff it

Like that pet that doesn't recognize your smell.

I've been singing for too long, and

I won't allow you another moment

Of my voice ringing in your ears.

Let your ears yearn for my breath.

I've been around for too long, always

Like that little kid you call out to

When you need help with pushing

Your car, go start with ignition now.

I've been roaming the nights too long,

The night needed a companion one night,

So I gave a hand, it never left me.

Now I need to sleep, night is now an insomniac.