#28. Petals and Pathos - The Sakura Mindset

The grey hair settles.

I ask myself – ‘Mandy you getting old? I say no – I am getting wise’

Some, including me, camouflage it with trending colours to keep it stylish; some just let it be. Either way, those greys carry with them a wisdom that overtakes the power of knowledge. And perhaps it is that very wisdom — the kind that only comes from having lived through enough transitions — that makes one stop and truly notice the impermanence of things.

It brings to mind the feeling of walking into an amusement park, getting onto a ride that takes you upside down, holds you there for a while, and then releases you. A deep breath, back to normal, a smile, and life resumes. That upside-down moment is a thrill in itself, and so is the return to normalcy. The whole experience, really, is about beautiful impermanence — something we must be graceful enough to accept.

Japanese philosophy intrigues me, for it is simple to understand and easy to apply. One such concept is the Sakura Mindset — the beautiful impermanence. It describes a way of life centred on the appreciation of existence in its most fleeting form, most poetically expressed through the blooming and falling of cherry blossoms.

The falling blossom is both an ending and a beginning. It marks the close of one season and the arrival of another — the start of a new academic year, new opportunities in the job market, the quiet return of spring. Hope, in other words. The falling petals do not simply signal loss; they announce transition.

This is closely tied to the Japanese concept of mono no aware — the pathos of things — a gentle, melancholic appreciation of the impermanence of everything around us. Life, like the cherry blossom, is more beautiful precisely because it does not last. That brief, radiant bloom has become one of the most enduring identities of an entire nation.

The Japanese way takes it slow. It does not merely pass through moments — it dwells in them, celebrates them. The tradition of hanami, flower viewing, embodies this perfectly: people gather beneath the blossoms not to mark an occasion, but simply to be present within one, to sit with the transition as it unfolds.

And therein lies the real lesson — the courage to let go, gracefully. Whether it is people or petals, holding on too tightly only delays the inevitable. Everything must be released so that it may bloom again, bloom fresh. No matter how hard we try to cling, transition will come. From full bloom to new bud, from one chapter to the next.

It was never about completion. It has always been about the transition — and the quiet, profound beauty of impermanence.

 

#27. Otentosama — The Sun is Watching

Amaterasu Omikami — the great divinity illuminating heaven — does not merely rise and set. In Japanese philosophy, the Sun is not just a celestial body. It is a sacred, ever-present witness, a presence that understands our intentions more clearly than our deeds. When the Japanese say O-Tento-sama-ga-mite-iru — "The Honourable Sun is watching" — they are not speaking of surveillance. They are speaking of something that sees us wholly, always, and without condition.

This holds a very deep meaning for me. When I sit with it honestly — with all my imperfections laid bare — I find myself face to face with an uncomfortable truth. I observe the world around me and within me, and what I find is craving. A persistent, restless craving for more. More of what, exactly? Wisdom? No. Knowledge? No. Empathy? No. If I trace the craving honestly to its root, I find something far more familiar and far more human than I'd care to admit: glitz, glamour, and recognition.

Humankind has quietly transformed itself into a cast of performers. We have aligned our actions — and even our values — to whatever places us under the spotlight. We seek those who will take the right pictures for the right social media posts. We celebrate our momentary stardom, and then — wooshhh — it is gone as quickly as it came. The lights are focused on us, the internal voice screams — Ready! Action — and just as suddenly, lights off, camera shut, performance over. The dopamine, the serotonin, the oxytocin, the endorphin rush — all real, all potent, and all fleeting. We chase the spike and forget the steady glow. But why should we settle for a momentary release when we can choose a longer, truer sail — hale and hearty?

Japanese philosophy intrigues me deeply, and the more I explore it, the more I find its wisdom overlapping with the teachings of my own Bhagavad Gita — as though truth, when arrived at sincerely, speaks the same language regardless of geography or century. In Japanese literature, folklore, and traditional storytelling, O-Tento-sama-ga-mite-iru emphasises a respectful and deep relationship between nature and humanity. The Honourable Sun is there watching, guiding, all the time — even when the camera is shut and the lights are off. This is not the cold, indifferent gaze of a CCTV camera. This is the warm and patient gaze of conscience itself, present in the quiet moments, the unseen ones, the ones no one photographs.

As children, we learn so many things — being true to ourselves being among the very first. But in the hustle and bustle of the survival game, we run, we fall, and we run again, even before we have healed. We rarely pause to ask why we are running at all. What if we slowed down a little? Would we fall behind? Or would we, for the first time, truly catch up with ourselves? What if we held on — and equipped ourselves to become the consciously better version of who we already are?

Then the magic begins. A whole new, beautiful world opens — the world of looking inward. Of taking a task in hand and performing it to the very best of our abilities, not for the audience, but because the Sun is watching and smiling along. We perform without the anxiety of being judged, without the brittleness of being temporary. We begin to exist as an eternal presence of calm. A wholescale initiative like Swachh Bharat — a clean India — becomes more of an attitude than a mere campaign. We don't need a public drive to clean our surroundings when cleanliness already lives as a value within us. We don't have to perform sympathy when someone is in pain. We can simply be just present — fully, patiently and calmly — and let that presence say more than any rehearsed word of comfort ever could. It is not always about standing in the light. Sometimes, it is about becoming the light in a room full of darkness. And the Sun — that ancient, watchful, smiling Sun — would see it, would know it, and would say: well done.

This sun is watching with all attention,

understanding the intention more than the deed.

This sun is unlike the CCTV surveillance —

this sun is our conscience, in and out.

It smiles, and can tell us: well done for your efforts.

 

#26. The Audience Verdict: Accused vs Roslin

Same day, two releases, two verdicts, absolute opposite.

I am your audience. I give you my energy and my time to make your content visible and viable. Two OTT releases recently caught my attention — one was a disaster, the other was worth every minute. The audience's verdict is never a passing phase. It determines whether your content stays or becomes one.

Accused — Netflix | 27 February 2026

Directed by Anubhuti Kashyap and produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, Accused released on Netflix starring one of the finest actors in the industry — Konkona Sen Sharma, our KOKO. And that, sadly, was the biggest disappointment of all.

KOKO has given us award-winning performances in Goynar Baksho, 15 Park Avenue, Wake Up Sid, Iti Mrinalini, and so much more. As a Bengali, watching her in this was genuinely heart-breaking.

The disappointment didn't stop there. Mr. Karan Johar has always championed new talent — but backing people who still have a lot to learn, on a platform as premium as Netflix, raises a real question: have you forgotten that you are catering to an audience with an intellect? A foreign hospital setting, a high-profile protagonist offered the position of Dean, and designer costumes cannot pull viewers in when the story isn't there.

Anubhuti, you truly gave me a terrible anubhuti. Before your next attempt — know this: the story is the master. You got the story wrong. Blending Indian masalas with Italian spices takes a very different level of perception and craft. I sat through the entire film for KOKO — waiting for one more frame, one more chance for her to shine. It never came. And the closing scene's attempt at philosophy was the final, unnecessary stumble.

Madam, you have an audience that waits for your next release. Choose wisely. Mr. Karan Johar — you have always been among those who keep their audience first. Please remain that filmmaker.

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Roslin — Jio Hotstar | 27 February 2026

On the very same day, Jio Hotstar released Roslin — a psychological Malayalam thriller series presented by Drishyam director Jeethu Joseph. Sir, you have maintained your standards and respected your audience. And that respect shows in every frame.

This wasn't just about directorial excellence, a brilliant screenplay, or a beautiful visual layout — though it had all of that. What made Roslin work is the most fundamental thing: the script was treated as the master. Thank you for that.

The story follows a 17-year-old returning to a lush, high-end farmhouse, battling PTSD. An avid reader of thrillers, she begins experiencing nightmares about a green-eyed stalker named Jerry — who then arrives as a paying guest. True to Jeethu Joseph's signature style, the series unfolds layer by layer. The slow-burn narrative holds your attention throughout, the BGMs by Vishu Shyam build tension beautifully, and the final episode delivers an absolutely unexpected plot twist.

Debutant screenwriter Vinayak Sasikumar — this is a masterful first attempt. Congratulations. The experienced cast — Meena, Vineeth, and Hakim as the mysterious guest and inspector — bring quiet depth to every scene. And Sanjana Dipu, at just 17, is a revelation.

But the biggest applause goes to debutant director Sumesh Nandakumar, who has proved something the industry needs to hear again: real content will rule any platform — theatre, OTT, or the big screen. Thank you for respecting your audience. Here's hoping you make it very big.

The Audience Verdict!