In a recent development, SkyUp airline, which is a Ukrainian airline, has decided to replace the old uniform from next month with a very comfortable alternative.

In a recent development, SkyUp airline, which is a Ukrainian airline, has decided to replace the old uniform from next month with a very comfortable alternative. The airline has decided to get away with high heels, skirts and tight blouses and has replaced them with trainers, loose orange jackets and trousers. However, for Ukrainians, it is a sign that some of the old traditions are being swept away. SkyUp surveyed its crews. It turned out that its female employees were fed up with their high heels, tight blouses and pencil skirts. Flight attendant Daria Solomennaya was quoted by the BBC as saying, "Many of my colleagues are permanent clients of podologists; their toes and toe-nails are constantly damaged by high heels." Talking about wearing high heels, she said, "Twelve hours on your feet, flying from Kyiv to Zanzibar and back. If you wear high heels, you are hardly able to walk afterwards." "That includes four hours of security checks and cleaning." This is not the first time an airline has taken such a step. Several other airlines have already ditched elements of their dress codes that were previously considered standard in the industry. Also read | UK: 15-year-old dies from Covid on day she was scheduled for vaccine Virgin Atlantic allowed their flight attendants to give up make-up. Also, Japan Airlines scrapped obligatory high heels. They also gave their employees the option of trousers instead of pencil skirts. SkyUp head of marketing Marianna Grygorash was quoted by the BBC as saying, "A flight attendant's work is not that romantic. It's hard." "We realised that our female flight attendants didn't want to be seen as "sexualised and playful'." Gender expert Olena Strelnyk said, "The typical image of a stewardess is probably more sexualised and associated with the femininity than any other." This has been the case in Ukraine. However, with time, things seem to be changing.

No more high heels and tight blouses: Ukrainian airline replaces old uniform with comfortable alternatives

It was a good, grounded and witty friend who, one fine day, brought up this topic.&nbsp;

“You are a Bong living in the so-called Culture-capital, so tell me – why is there always a funny smile, a tragic sigh, a soulful nodding of the head, raising of the eyebrows and sentences starting with a fatigued ... How can you bear to enjoy those films? &nbsp;I can’t sit through them for more than 5 minutes! This is mostly followed by speeches on the masters, ending invariably, in hushed tones, about Cahier Du Cinema? Do enlighten a lesser mortal, residing in Versova, the heart of Masalaville!”&nbsp;

After I laughed loud, hard and long, I consoled him by admitting that I fully agreed with his observation. There indeed exists one hugely hyper section of people who can effortlessly provide you with discomfort &amp; complex if you aren’t in love with Fellini, Kieslowski, Kurosawa, Antonioni &amp; Bergman and make you feel like a moron lacking in the proper cultural pedigree; a 7-star dumbo in the speak-converse-debate-enlighten department. &nbsp;

After I gave him a little brief on Cahier Du Cinema, its importance and significance, he re-entered the conversation with all guns blazing. &nbsp;

“Thanks for your Cahier yak, but what’s the big deal about a 50s museum piece, French new-wave mag making such a hoo-haa with a bunch of about-to-pop-it antiquated bozos? This is 2021 for chrissake! Even the Pandemic appears to be on the way out. We are not historians, academics or critics, yaar. Dump the paralysis through analysis crap and get a vaccine for these kill-joys! As the super song in 3 Idiots went ... Give me some sunshine ...”

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/opinion-is-2021-the-year-of-actor-vs-star-showdown-360345">Opinion: Is 2021 the year of Actor vs Star showdown?</a>

While I disagreed with his sweeping and flamboyant dismissal of anything beyond the Bollywood entertainer, I totally rocked with his pulling the trigger on the species who have a cardiac if you haven’t heard or seen Battleship Potemkin! Or [snored through?] many of the revered gems showcased in the film festivals, raved about by people, most of whom are totally clueless about why exactly they are feeling so viagrised on seeing unfamiliar, grim, esoteric and metaphysical content exploring the human condition. Its hysterically funny checking out their response when asked about their opinion, post the screening ... A confusing, bewildered, ashened smile!

The answer to this million-buck question lies in the fact there are three kinds of audiences that hit this territory. &nbsp;

One, a minority who genuinely wants to see, enjoy or be initiated into this alternate space and believes that with time, patience &amp; discussions will get the true meaning of these gems &amp; begin to connect with them.&nbsp;

Two, people who are curious &amp; open about this genre and want to check out these soul-uplifting masterpieces raved about by their arty friends.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/michael-b-jordan-celebrates-late-chadwick-bosemans-historic-sag-nomination-361946">Michael B Jordan celebrates late Chadwick Boseman's historic SAG nomination</a>&nbsp;

Three – and this is the section in question – the cultural wanna-bees desperate to hit the “respectability &amp; fitting in” button. Ordinary people who can’t be accused of sensibilities or interests beyond the entertaining blockbusters, but suddenly crazily anxious not to be perceived as someone who is frivolous or views movies as time-pass BUT as sensitive connoisseurs who look at Cinema as an agent of change, truth 24 times a second, artistic exploration of linear truths that reside in the human soul. &nbsp;

This – they believe – will give them a special aura, status and will allow them to enter the charmed circle where their book-jacket-inspired comments &amp; coffee-table wit will be applauded by the like-minded frat!

To each his own, but the problem with this attitude is the hi-decibel inflicting and imposing of opinion on the unguarded &amp; un-interested guy’s throat with aggressive force! &nbsp;The 'My way or the highway' thing, frequently followed by the [yawn!] gyaan of how masala films have ruined the taste buds of the nation, how compulsory film education must be kicked in ASAP blah, blah, blah.&nbsp;

While the intent may be admirable, it is this fierce, non-negotiable thrust that demands enquiry. The lack of tolerance, the condescending look and tone of the wild-eyed art-wallah at anyone who stoops to sample anything beyond the gems could get a weak-kneed bloke to start writing his will, or seriously considering which exact spot is ideal to leap from his 16th floor balcony.&nbsp;

Fact is, taste for the more refined and the desire to want to be challenged [not spoon-fed or catered to] depends mostly on the environment in which one has grown up and influences that have shaped &amp; formed one’s sensibilities.&nbsp;

Sometimes, it is also acquired through the company one keeps and at other times [very rare, though] – it is instinctive. These are factors to be considered before flaunting cultural superiority because the recipients are creatures of a lesser god. &nbsp;

They are therefore unable to connect with complex or thought-provoking content that demands solid participation while viewing a film. &nbsp;To the everyday audience, movies still spell entertainment, a blessed out escapist trip to the never-never-land-of-happy-ever-after!&nbsp;

Their instant retort is: Why should I pay and think? It’s your job to think how best you can entertain me and you better get it right, or else ...! Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars ...

Ultimately, it really boils down to live and let live. Forget the obsession of playing Masterji &amp; evangelist and trying to convert every non-art house soul to a disciple. Most will either ponder how you’ve been actually certified sane, vanish from sight every time you enter their frame or wonder what terrible things one did in one’s last life to suffer these OMG moments.&nbsp;

It also reflects poorly on these self-styled brand ambassadors of this genre because it shows them off as uncivilized people, pompous and self-righteous, the definitive, argumentative Indian who must prove his point, come what may. It doesn’t strike them that beyond bad manners, the lesser mortals are not obliged to listen, do cartwheels or go down on bended knees with gratitude for these pearls of wisdom. Labelled Mr. Bak-Bak and boring, they are likely to head their drop-dead list of creatures the world should quickly forget!

At a personal level, the two amazing exponents of the inclusive, pluralistic, accommodating and reach-out school have been my late dad-in-law, Mr. Chidananda Das Gupta &amp; filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Both were curious, interested, attentive and listened intently to your raves about Bollywood films, eager to pick up any new insights they may have missed. &nbsp;

Das Gupta, while not really into the mainstream commercial, was always enthusiastic and eager to remain updated about trends in masala land &amp; I remember how excited he was, years ago, when I explained to him the Angry Young Man phenomenon gripping Bollywood &amp; the masses. Benegal was of course completely in tune with the times and so, whether it was Kieslowski or the Khans, his takes were always engaging &amp; fascinatingly insightful. &nbsp;

Neither of these eminent personalities ever offered gyaan or flung hard-to-pronounce names of world cinema with affected flourish. &nbsp;Nor were they humouring or indulging you. They simply and interestingly decoded the best of the alternate cinema &amp; suggested – along with the masala stuff – checking out some of their material. &nbsp;It was always done in a warm, friendly and seductively un-threatening manner &amp; always with a good word for the commercial cinema because they genuinely saw lots of good things in many Bollywood films.

In a world filled with Guru-giri or posturing, it is hugely gratifying to follow the itinerary of sane, imaginative and cultured minds, showcasing civilised discourse, drawing readers &amp; people into a space where even the most complex film-makers &amp; films become intimate companions. &nbsp;Theirs is the art of de-mystifying cinema without making confusion, more confounded! &nbsp;Clearly there is a lesson somewhere for both, the learned Gurus of Cinema or the one’s posturing as devotees of Cahier Du Cinema ... will they pay heed?

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

It was a good, grounded and witty friend who, one fine day, brought up this topic. “You are a Bong living in the so-called Culture-capital, so tell me – why is there always a funny smile, a tragic sigh, a soulful nodding of the head, raising of the eyebrows and sentences starting with a fatigued .

It was a good, grounded and witty friend who, one fine day, brought up this topic. “You are a Bong living in the so-called Culture-capital, so tell me – why is there always a funny smile, a tragic sigh, a soulful nodding of the head, raising of the eyebrows and sentences starting with a fatigued ... How can you bear to enjoy those films? I can’t sit through them for more than 5 minutes! This is mostly followed by speeches on the masters, ending invariably, in hushed tones, about Cahier Du Cinema? Do enlighten a lesser mortal, residing in Versova, the heart of Masalaville!” After I laughed loud, hard and long, I consoled him by admitting that I fully agreed with his observation. There indeed exists one hugely hyper section of people who can effortlessly provide you with discomfort & complex if you aren’t in love with Fellini, Kieslowski, Kurosawa, Antonioni & Bergman and make you feel like a moron lacking in the proper cultural pedigree; a 7-star dumbo in the speak-converse-debate-enlighten department. After I gave him a little brief on Cahier Du Cinema, its importance and significance, he re-entered the conversation with all guns blazing. “Thanks for your Cahier yak, but what’s the big deal about a 50s museum piece, French new-wave mag making such a hoo-haa with a bunch of about-to-pop-it antiquated bozos? This is 2021 for chrissake! Even the Pandemic appears to be on the way out. We are not historians, academics or critics, yaar. Dump the paralysis through analysis crap and get a vaccine for these kill-joys! As the super song in 3 Idiots went ... Give me some sunshine ...” Also Read | Opinion: Is 2021 the year of Actor vs Star showdown? While I disagreed with his sweeping and flamboyant dismissal of anything beyond the Bollywood entertainer, I totally rocked with his pulling the trigger on the species who have a cardiac if you haven’t heard or seen Battleship Potemkin! Or [snored through?] many of the revered gems showcased in the film festivals, raved about by people, most of whom are totally clueless about why exactly they are feeling so viagrised on seeing unfamiliar, grim, esoteric and metaphysical content exploring the human condition. Its hysterically funny checking out their response when asked about their opinion, post the screening ... A confusing, bewildered, ashened smile! The answer to this million-buck question lies in the fact there are three kinds of audiences that hit this territory. One, a minority who genuinely wants to see, enjoy or be initiated into this alternate space and believes that with time, patience & discussions will get the true meaning of these gems & begin to connect with them. Two, people who are curious & open about this genre and want to check out these soul-uplifting masterpieces raved about by their arty friends. Also Read | Michael B Jordan celebrates late Chadwick Boseman's historic SAG nomination Three – and this is the section in question – the cultural wanna-bees desperate to hit the “respectability & fitting in” button. Ordinary people who can’t be accused of sensibilities or interests beyond the entertaining blockbusters, but suddenly crazily anxious not to be perceived as someone who is frivolous or views movies as time-pass BUT as sensitive connoisseurs who look at Cinema as an agent of change, truth 24 times a second, artistic exploration of linear truths that reside in the human soul. This – they believe – will give them a special aura, status and will allow them to enter the charmed circle where their book-jacket-inspired comments & coffee-table wit will be applauded by the like-minded frat! To each his own, but the problem with this attitude is the hi-decibel inflicting and imposing of opinion on the unguarded & un-interested guy’s throat with aggressive force! The 'My way or the highway' thing, frequently followed by the [yawn!] gyaan of how masala films have ruined the taste buds of the nation, how compulsory film education must be kicked in ASAP blah, blah, blah. While the intent may be admirable, it is this fierce, non-negotiable thrust that demands enquiry. The lack of tolerance, the condescending look and tone of the wild-eyed art-wallah at anyone who stoops to sample anything beyond the gems could get a weak-kneed bloke to start writing his will, or seriously considering which exact spot is ideal to leap from his 16th floor balcony. Fact is, taste for the more refined and the desire to want to be challenged [not spoon-fed or catered to] depends mostly on the environment in which one has grown up and influences that have shaped & formed one’s sensibilities. Sometimes, it is also acquired through the company one keeps and at other times [very rare, though] – it is instinctive. These are factors to be considered before flaunting cultural superiority because the recipients are creatures of a lesser god. They are therefore unable to connect with complex or thought-provoking content that demands solid participation while viewing a film. To the everyday audience, movies still spell entertainment, a blessed out escapist trip to the never-never-land-of-happy-ever-after! Their instant retort is: Why should I pay and think? It’s your job to think how best you can entertain me and you better get it right, or else ...! Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars ... Ultimately, it really boils down to live and let live. Forget the obsession of playing Masterji & evangelist and trying to convert every non-art house soul to a disciple. Most will either ponder how you’ve been actually certified sane, vanish from sight every time you enter their frame or wonder what terrible things one did in one’s last life to suffer these OMG moments. It also reflects poorly on these self-styled brand ambassadors of this genre because it shows them off as uncivilized people, pompous and self-righteous, the definitive, argumentative Indian who must prove his point, come what may. It doesn’t strike them that beyond bad manners, the lesser mortals are not obliged to listen, do cartwheels or go down on bended knees with gratitude for these pearls of wisdom. Labelled Mr. Bak-Bak and boring, they are likely to head their drop-dead list of creatures the world should quickly forget! At a personal level, the two amazing exponents of the inclusive, pluralistic, accommodating and reach-out school have been my late dad-in-law, Mr. Chidananda Das Gupta & filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Both were curious, interested, attentive and listened intently to your raves about Bollywood films, eager to pick up any new insights they may have missed. Das Gupta, while not really into the mainstream commercial, was always enthusiastic and eager to remain updated about trends in masala land & I remember how excited he was, years ago, when I explained to him the Angry Young Man phenomenon gripping Bollywood & the masses. Benegal was of course completely in tune with the times and so, whether it was Kieslowski or the Khans, his takes were always engaging & fascinatingly insightful. Neither of these eminent personalities ever offered gyaan or flung hard-to-pronounce names of world cinema with affected flourish. Nor were they humouring or indulging you. They simply and interestingly decoded the best of the alternate cinema & suggested – along with the masala stuff – checking out some of their material. It was always done in a warm, friendly and seductively un-threatening manner & always with a good word for the commercial cinema because they genuinely saw lots of good things in many Bollywood films. In a world filled with Guru-giri or posturing, it is hugely gratifying to follow the itinerary of sane, imaginative and cultured minds, showcasing civilised discourse, drawing readers & people into a space where even the most complex film-makers & films become intimate companions. Theirs is the art of de-mystifying cinema without making confusion, more confounded! Clearly there is a lesson somewhere for both, the learned Gurus of Cinema or the one’s posturing as devotees of Cahier Du Cinema ... will they pay heed? (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Ok you watch arthouse films, but does it make you superior?

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