A LETTERED SOUL: REFLECTIONS ON LITERATURE, CINEMA AND CULTURE .

CONTINGENCIES OCCASIONED BY POPULAR CULTURE - FINAL PART

These are examples of some iconic popular culture fixtures, in the final part of this series on the many identifiable personal inspirations for this writer, brought to fruition by the artistic medium over the years . That's why I use the term contingency, something brought by chance to one's notice. These instances, too, came to me randomly as a viewer first and then stayed in my mind for years, as they will continue to be in the future.

Also, this is the final part for now. As inspiration strikes again, more additions will make way.

So here they are.

***

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA - COLOURS

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA signifies a lot of things to multitudes but to me, more than its surface appearances and thrust on presentability vis a vis growing up in the inner circle of elitist society, it's about how the fashion world doesn't have a dearth of talent. Its vision singularly defines our sartorial choices of every hue. Only we don't realize that. The hard work is equivalent to its inimitable position in the arena of popular culture. Of course there are other trappings attached to the fraternity, some time honoured stereotypes and all .

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is memorable because it bears myriad colours of human experience. There are no judgements in the immediate narrative although viewers will take away their own perspectives. Disguised as a breezy comedy or even one of manners, it holds several life lessons about survival.

The greatest one comes when the innocent rookie secretary (Anne Hathaway) enters the fashion fray, as an absolute outsider on her first step towards a literary career. Her first step lands her in a space where she is looked down upon because of her appearance. Given those hypocrisies and the many layers of personalities, she, too, is made to come down from her high horse in one betokened instance. Her boss, the imperious editor and czarina of the fashion world Miranda Priestley ( a sensational Meryl Streep) is discussing a colour coordination prototype with her associates and Anne gives out a caustic chuckle as she feels there are no variations to the color scheme, it's just one shade.

Then Miranda guides her, in her own inimitable caustic manner, about the whole process through which something harmless or baseless as colour coordination percolates down to the clothing choices of even the worst dresser, with the designs showcased by iconic fashion houses becoming the norm and attracting biggest buys at sales.

The newbie is hurt, teary eyed, visibly humiliated because Miranda is no holds barred and to the point but as a viewer it taught me about humility, to not disregard any creative profession just because it overreaches towards goals you and I are far removed from as the matrix of creation is unending; and even when the other person is a shrew.

Only the surface appearance of the fashion world is what we see. But we cannot deny that we are led towards our selections by its bearings. This scene is a masterclass and remains one of the most eye opening instances occasioned by popular culture.