Life... Predictably Unpredictable

2011-07-16T22:00:00.002-04:00

A 'Belly' full of Delhi…or Bombay…or India

There are certain films in Indian cinema that suggest that another step has been taken in the right direction. From the many brilliant ones that churned out in different Indian languages everyday, it's tough to single a few out. In fact it's easy to single out that ones that just added to the cliched crap but of late, a new blend of filmmakers have come forward with the intent of recognizing the obvious and speaking their mind.

To me, the recently released Delhi Belly was one such film. The promos made it clear that one can expect something they haven't been exposed to and the film did live up to that expectation. A good start was the DK Bose song that hit the charts and caused heartburn to various groups who took it upon themselves to protect 'Indian Culture' (God knows why).

The first thing that stood out was the language and frankly that was the last thing that stood out for me in the movie. Otherwise, it wasn't a very innovative plot, the way it was shot wasn't very unique, it did have it's share of 'masala' songs filled with loud colors and the ever so refreshing 'guy in love with the wrong girl but realizes that in the last frame'…So why was this movie well received? There really wasn't much of Delhi in this Belly for sure. In fact the English version reminded me more of South Bombay and Bandra (Suburbs in Mumbai for those unfamiliar) than urban Delhi. To me, what did the trick was the abusive language in the movie. It may sound silly but it was refreshing to recognize the obvious and portray the urban youth the way they actually behave on a daily basis. The movie was intended for a specific audience and did not fail to deliver.

The language portrays the reality of urban India brought to life by the realistic and well scripted characters whose biggest strength is their resonance with the urban youth found in any part of metropolitan India. In a country like India where methodical madness and organized chaos are key foundations for a structured society, the Delhi Belly crew deserves to be applauded to look around, recognize the most obvious and 'matter of fact' element and make it the central character of a movie. Looking forward to more such gems from Contemporary Indian Cinema.

Time to sign off and listen to Saigal Blues…again.

2009-01-08T00:04:00.000-05:00

Mumbai - Time and Again

December 24th, 2007. That's the last time when I penned my eccentric thoughts and flushed them out of my system. I guess I lost motivation to write because I don't think I can give the cliched excuse of "I was busy and didn't have time". But all that changed on 26/11 and my following trip to Bombay.

"...................." - That's what I felt during those 60 hours of siege. I would rather not talk or saying anything more than that because every comment/thought possible must have been expressed by someone, somewhere! But as I visited Bombay again in December 2008, I had to complete my ritual of visiting my favorite spots in the city. Be it the mini "Khao Gali" near Churchgate Station, the sea side promenades at Bandstand, Carter Road and Nariman Point or the hang out spots across the city; I had to visit them, relive my memories, laugh by myself, revisit my mistakes and look forward to the future. But this time, it all had a different meaning, the kind of significance I never wished for it! As I walked the bylanes of Colaba, Taj, VT (still can't call it CST) et all, I could see a haunting silence which was deafening and piercing it's way through the hustle-bustle of the city. To see VT station deserted at 9:30 PM on a weeknight is something unimaginable.

I keep hearing that this siege was the turning point as it was the first of it's kind. I guess it's true because typically,Bombay and India has been a victim of bomb blasts and never has the city/country been held at ransom for close to 3 days. But what actually prompted this to be the tip of the iceberg? At hindsight, a few factors are: Foreign nationals being targeted specifically, attacking the cultural ego of Bombay and above all targeting south Bombay which hosts the elite in the city! It just surprises me that neither of the previous bomb blasts/attacks were considered the"tip of the iceberg". Well, I guess it's better late than never.

I was watching a TV channel dole out it's nominees for the Indian of the year. It was funny to even see Akshay Kumar as a nominee. I agree he did produce some commercially viable films which further enhanced his bank balance but does that make him a contender to be the Indian of the year? I would consider that tag to be invaluable especially if you have to beat 1 Billion other people. Such a nomination just takes the meaning away from other contenders like Abhinav Bindra, Saina Nehwal and more deservedly the NSG Commondos, Taj/Oberoi/Trident hotel staff, Military, Mumbai Police, Karkare, Salaskar, Amte, Omble and many more. I would rather nominate the common Indian who ventures out bravely everyday not knowing how secure his life is on the street.

I was totally oblivious to what lie in store for me when I flipped through to a news channel. I saw Sanjay Dutt being given an election ticket to contest as a Samajwadhi Party nominee. It's shocking to see that a political party is giving a ticket to someone who is definitely famous and influential but is unsure when a pending case might crop up and he might be jailed. At the risk of sounding cliched, this happens only in India.

To change the system, you need to be within the system. I guess it's the educated youth of India are the only ones who can bring about that much needed change. But the question is all of us (including me at the opt of that list) have ideas/suggestions/ action plans/ strategies et all with no one ready to make the personal sacrifice and forsake materialistic benefits only so that someone else may reap the reward! I hope guilt drives me down that path sometime soon.

2007-12-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

A 15 year Rewind

Everyone likes to relive their childhood days and I would be lying to say I don't. In fact, I can go a step further and say I do every moment of my life...So I decided it was time for me to relive it again and this time go a step further by being very specific. For starters, I chose my school life - especially from class 5 to class 10. Obviously I would be speaking from my experience and since schools have different formats, you may not be able to relate to all of them but am sure at some level, at some thought, they would make sense to you...rather I hope they do!

Class 5 ( Jump from Primary to Secondary)
This was one of my most memorable years because it suddenly changed overnight. There I was waking up at 8 AM, doing my home work for the day, packing my bag, grabbing lunch and drowsily heading for the bus-stop at noon to fall asleep in school in the afternoon session (1 PM to 6 PM)...well that was class 4! Fast Forward...class 5...wake up by 5:45 AM, breakfast by 6:15 and out of the door by 6:30 to be in school by 7 AM. The only thing that didn't change was the fact that I was sleepy before (after a nice lunch) and now (I had woken up at 5:45 AM...) !!

Class 6 to 8 (Transitional)
Having gone to a convent school, I could not experience the thrill of the "first girl who sat next to me", or the "girl who would have lunch with me", or the "girl who would support me when I came last in athletic sessions" and so many more...I wouldn't know them all as I didn't experience them right? But with an "all girls" school right across mine, we didn't seem to miss much. My school shared the wall with St.Anthony's girls school and I can recollect those PT (physical training) classes where we were taken to the ground to play soccer and all we would do is kick the ball into the girls' school compound and the fastest "dude" to the wall would be the chosen messiah to fetch the ball back for us and be the saviour...at least for that day...
I must be honest that I never got a chance to be the messiah but to be able to look back and enjoy that "innocent" moment...sure is priceless!

Class 9 to 10 (You are the Man!!)
Well, having your school bag strapped onto both shoulders seemed like a big "no-no". It was as if the other strap was attached to the school bag just so that one can be used and the other one hangs loose while you walk around school feeling like....literally without a word. Still don't know why we, including me did that!! Oh well, by the way, a water bottle is for sissies. The purpose is to quench your thirst from the brutally hot Bombay summer but naaah...those are for kids ( I can bet that in class 9 and 10, I took it upon myself that water bottles are for kids though I can't buy a drink,vote and many more things...). Bullying the junior kids in school, pretending to be Mr.Know All within the school boundaries gave us such a heavenly high, I just want to jump right back into those days...

Well, I can continue to hallucinate but I have a few loans to take care of now, do taxes, earn for a living....blah blah....

Everything in life happens for a reason and if you wondering why I chose to go back two decades of time - it is thanks to Taare Zameen Par ( Stars on the ground). Again, for the unfamiliar, it is an Indian movie based on a dyslexic child. I don't think I need to write about what I think because it is too good to be written about, it doesn't need to be written about and I am not qualified enough to write about it too!

The one thing that sure came to my mind after I walked out completely mesmerized after the movie was how this movie would not do well in India as it "makes" a lot of sense, has a message/story and also how the ever famous Mr.Shah Rukh Khan is going to walk away with all the honors/credits for his nonsensical three hour attempt (at least compared to this one) called Om Shanti Om....

2007-07-02T10:40:00.000-04:00

Formula One..

Always been fascinated by these 19000+ RPM monsters who rip the racetracks and burn rubber as if its like gulping cold water on a lethally hot day! Here are a few interesting facts I came across...No wonder their specifications are rightly titled "Formula One"

An F1 car is made up of 80,000 components, if it were assembled 99.9%correctly, it would still start the race with 80 things wrong!

When an F1 driver hits the brakes on his car he experiences retardation or deceleration comparable to a regular car driving through a BRICK wall at 300kmph!!!

F1 car can go from 0 to 160 kph AND back to 0 in FOUR seconds!!!!!!!

F1 car engines last only for about 2 hours of racing mostly before blowing up on the other hand we expect our engines to last us for a decent 20yrs on an average and they quite faithfully DO....that's the extent to which the engines aer pushed to perform...

An average F1 driver looses about 4kgs of weight after just one race due to the prolonged exposure to high G forces and temperatures for little over an hour.

At 550kg a F1 car is less than half the weight of a Mini.

To give you an idea of just how important aerodynamic design and added down force can be,small planes can take off at slower speeds than F1 cars travel on the track.

Without aerodynamic down force, high-performance racing cars have sufficient power to produce wheel spin and loss of control at 160 kph. They usually race at over 300 kph.

In a street course race like the Monaco Grand Prix, the down force provides enough suction to lift manhole covers. Before the race all of the manhole covers on the streets have to be welded down to prevent this from happening!

The re fuelers used in F1 can supply 12 litres of fuel per second. This means it would take just 4 seconds to fill the tank of an average 50 liter family car. They use the same refueling rigs used on US military helicopters today.

Ã TOP F1 pit crew team can refuel and change tyres in around 3 seconds. It took me more than that for sure to read the previous point

During the race the tyres lose weight! Each tyre loses about 0.5 kg in weight due to wear.

Normal tyres last 60 000 - 100 000 km. Racing tyres are designed to last 90 - 120 km.

A dry-weather F1 tyre reaches peak operating performance (best grip) when tread temperature is between 900C and 1200C.(Water boils boils at 100C remember) At top speed, F1 tyres rotate 50 times a second.

An F1 car's engine is designed to perform at 19,000 RPM. The interesting fact is that its an FIA regulation which restricts automobile manufacturers to go beyond that. So imagine, if the ban were lifted, how far beyond the revs could go..

To think of it, these have been designed by humans in flesh and blood. Looking back, i keep gibbering about Perception and Reality. I guess F1 proves that if it can be perceived, its only a matter of time and space before it's transition to reality!

2007-06-13T23:03:00.000-04:00

A momentary brush with awareness...

Working for a consulting firm has its own perks and disadvantages. But apart from that the lessons to be learnt are immense and i just don't mean the lessons you learn on corporate bullshitting in a conference room filled with IBM/HP notebooks and a few dozen chewing gum packets ( I guess that's most important after your cellphone!!).

I have always believed that Family plays a very important role in one's life or maybe i was brought up that way. But either way, I personally have started feeling it does. During one of my travels, i got an opportunity to meet my cousin and her family. I decided to drop in for some home cooked south Indian food. I was meeting her and my bro-in-law after about a 12 years and needless to say,I hadn't seen her kids ( now 14 and 5). Eagerly waiting to catch up on childhood memories, I drove to their house. Within a few minutes of my arrival there, I realized that I wasn't able to catch up on any memories as I could not recollect anything. Every second line was " you were such a small kid when this happened and blah blah blah". "You were so small when I last saw you". With a MS degree in hand and a job at one Big 4 Consulting giants in today's world, I kind of had a reality check at that moment. Incidentally, my cousin's son who is 14 walked in and waved out. Unknowingly, I blurted out "You were so small when I last saw you". Oops!!! It didn't even take a second for me to realize that I was just a part of the same system against which I was fuming a few minutes ago...

For some reason, my whole life came to a perspective at that point. I somehow enjoy moments when you feel, your entire existence this far can be summarized into probably in a sentence/word or alphabet in that one instant!!! It was one of those moments for me...All these years, I knew I was a part of the family, had my own place but suddenly at that point, I could suddenly visualize an opportunity to give a direction to my family tree.

As I drove back, I enjoyed this new kind of serenity I was experiencing, a new kind of awareness, a new thought, a new relation.....all with myself!!

2007-06-03T11:44:00.001-04:00

Perception?? Reality?? Duh...

Its been an eon since I scribbled my mind and not that I didn't have anything to write. Knowing my eccentric thoughts which zoom across at the speed of light, I am sure there were tons of stuff, I could have rambled upon. But I can just say that things took a twist and something we all know as "Life" happened to me. Lets leave it at that without dwelling too much into details.

I always believed "Perception is Reality" and started to run my life on those three words. To such an extent, that i found myself becoming more patient (or rather what I define as patient..lol) by the day simply because I literally started using that thought as my defense mechanism to deal with issues and also to exploit my strengths. But I guess it all came crashing today morning when I woke up to the most natural alarm clock ever. The gentle sound of a heavy downpour! I always for some reason equated rainfall to the balcony of my childhood home in Bombay. Sneaking a peek through those trees which formed a beautiful arc around my balcony, I remember trying to gaze into something I was completely oblivious to. I kind of had a Deja Vu today while sipping my morning tea on the porch of my apartment across one of the busiest highways in the Nation's Capital.

I felt that like there's no collective reality. We all seem to live in the same world
while everybody sees things in a different way. For everyone reality is
different then, because we perceive things differently. If so, how do people get so
close sometimes if they live in different worlds? I'm aware of the most cliched scientific principle based on magnetism that opposites attract. Maybe that's the reason why relationships are so difficult? It means that our perception is shaped not only by our way of looking and understanding but also by the influences/experiences of other people having a parallel existence. Our realities collide a lot causing constant uncertainty and distraction.

How can reality be real if it changes constantly? Looking beyond reality, I discovered that there's no reason why I came here - there's only a future consequence of it.Life is abstract. But it sure is more fun by the day....

2006-11-20T15:34:00.000-05:00

Syracuse, New York - 13210

I still remember my flight from Detroit to Syracuse, I was as excited as a baby playing with his favorite red ball! I was going to get down in the city which would help me fulfill my dream of getting my folks to visit me someday in the United States. It is pretty cliched considering the fact that everyone makes the trip "saath samundar paar" but still at that time it was a major goal (still is...) in my life. It was about 6:30 in the evening, the sky was overcast and there was this very evident "dullness" floating around in the air. I was tired and weary after a mamoth flight and as I pushed the trolley with all the luggage out of Hancock International Airport, I was hoping to see some tall buildings, sophisticated constructions but instead all that greeted me were a few Cabs and a bunch of other Indian aspirants like me trying to figure their way out of the airport.

There was this unique silence in the air which made me very uneasy. There weren't many birds chirping or any crows going crazy flying aimlessly in the sky. There was nothing wrong, no tension but still the silence just made me too too uncomfortable. I found some deep solace when I looked towards my friends and found the same "Where the hell did we land" look on their face. I was aware that I shouldn't expected the sophistication of Manhattan but the eerie silence was not what I had pictured during my last leg of travel from Detroit. I hopped into a cab really wondering what I have gotten myself into! It was the first time it sunk into me that I had actually left all comforts of home, food, familiarities and am out to develop an identity from scratch.

As planned, I crashed at a friend's place. I am still indebted to him for doing his best to help me initially but there is only little a person can do when he is pretty much trying to get into his own! Coming from the most popular city in India, this was too much of a shock for me to take and though I knew, I would pull off my time there somehow, I never ever thought I would actually sit and recollect those days and pen down a few lines. The place was horribly cold, I had to work in a food court and wash dishes, face the brunt of limited public transportation and many more things but still, to me, Syracuse is home in the United States. Not many of my friends who read this would concur with me as there are many more places worth remembering in the US.

I still call Bombay home and never thought I would call another place by that name but Syracuse taught me that home is not where the heart lies or people do. Home is a place which you can identify with, a place which doesn't have anything in particular to offer but can generate some of the best/worst memories,experiences and learnings for life if one is aware and receptive enough!

This has been the most random assortation of my thoughts but I am sure there is some small (or smaller) town student somewhere who has moved into a big city for a job but still reels on old memories like me and can relate to the eccentricities inside my senile mind!

2006-09-03T12:30:00.000-04:00

My bollywood debut in the US

It had been a major regret for me to have not seen a Hindi Movie in the United States for a long time. Being a self confessed student of Filmmaking with a major in bollywood Cinema ( at least that’s how I would like to call myself...lol), I always wanted to experience a Hindi movie on a 70 mm screen and wait for an interval! Something one doesn't see in a Hollywood movie.

Behold, I had my moment with reality as I walked into a theatre which had people carrying the latest models of Cell Phone, decked up in the most colorful dresses ever, and obviously a bunch of people who speak English with an American accent not known to Mr.Dubyaman himself! Its been three years and I always found it awkward that I haven’t seen a desi movie in the second home of Indians. But it was worth the wait as the whole experience was indeed a memorable one. For starters, to get a “darshan” of Munnabhai and Circuit along with Mr. Gandhi himself was a delight in its own way. I had actually come here for my MS but to be educated by a fictitious bloke from the streets of Bombay about a new found concept called ‘Gandhigiri’ was like an icing on cake!

Making a sequel or extending the persona of a character, who has been well etched into the minds of people, has always been a challenge for any filmmaker. It was clearly evident from Phir Hera Pheri which could not evoke the same response as its original. But Rajkumar Hirani showed the class of qualitative cinema by maintaining a perfect balance of humor and emotions and added a perfect touch of social message through the most powerful medium known to an Indian worldwide, Mr. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. If he came up with ‘Jaadu ki Jhappi’ and ‘Mamu’ in his last outing, Raju bhai (who I feel deserves equal respect along with Sanju baba and Arshad miya) has coined a ‘chemical locha’ and ‘Gandhigiri’ in this one! It does sound weird to get Gandhi out of history and make him visible to a street goon but hey, if that’s what it takes to spread the message in India and if it seems to do the trick, I don’t think anyone should have a problem!

But what I enjoyed even more was the fact that I got to experience an "intermission" in a movie after ages! It felt like an eon since I actually left the theatre with a thought that there is something more to come in the next 10 minutes. It was a wonderful feeling to see the huge queue for the popcorn and soda and also the mad rush to hit the restroom before Circuit starts rattling off again.

Once I had enthralled myself to some fantastic cinema and 3 hours of time spent quite worthily, I got out as expected discussing the dialogues with my friends! We were trying to figure the way out of the theatre and it took me a minute before I realized that I just need to follow the huge line of Hondas and Toyotas making a dash for the exit. Being the owner of an ancient Honda Civic myself, I just couldn’t help laughing. I guess these are the moments, when you just step back and look at yourself, the world around you and laugh not ridiculously but with a sense of familiarity. (Maybe that isn’t the right word but if anyone could actually comprehend then do feel free to let me know!!!).

BTW, despite my criticism for Mr.Panzy Johar, I did go and see his movie!! I think, we should let that be another episode! But for the moment, all I would say is Lage Raho Rajubhai...

Until we meet again, Simba roars....have a grrrreat time ahead.

2006-08-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

Zero...Nothing....Zilch

Well, its been a while since I penned some random nonsense from my mind. Not that there was a sudden shortage of those but just that I decided to write something sensible...which I have realized is very difficult for someone as senile as moi!!!! A friend suggested that I write my perceptions about Beauty pagents to which my instant reaction was..its "nothing"!! how can i write about something which really doesn't have any value? I guess thats what engineering does to you. You always search for a cause and a consequence to every action and somehow Beauty pagents don't answer quench my search in either criteria. What is the cause of organizing the event? People dress up and parade and answer questions for which they have been trained. Do the participants really speak out what they feel? I understand the questions may be impromptu but their answers are surely based on a lot of practice and prior preparation. These are the same women who are so particular about their looks and attire but still maintain that Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and whats on the 'inside' really matters!!!

No disrespect to the pagents but i am not too comfortable with the platform and the criteria against which the women compete. The winner gets a huge cash award but also has to do social service for a period of one year mandatorily and then it is optional. Isn't contributing to the environment and mankind, a social responsibility? How many of the beauty queens actually do it with heartfelt commitment? There are always exceptions but when I look at the amount of funds invested into such events and calculate a ROI ( return on investment), I just don't feel the necessity to do so! In India, it is clearly considered as a stepping stone to Bollywood.

Moving outside the domain of Beauty Pagents, what got me thinking was basically ROI. A bunch of Astronomers gathered a few days ago to kick Pluto out fo the Solar System. What was the significance of that decision? The Israel still is at war with hezbollah, India still wakes up each day fearing a bomb blast in some corner, Osama Bin laden is still hiding and blah..blah...blah..
The time, energy and money spent in coming to this redundant conclusion about Pluto could have been thrusted elsewhere for gloabal development. The only solace I can seek is that the Pluto Fiasco wasn't funded heavily by the Indian Government!!!! I guess the same would go for Beauty Pagents... it does provide good entertainment and probably I am not against the system. But I feel the platform should be more sensible and challenging rather than just asking a few questions and askign them to parade in a swim suit!

As I find all this worthless, I guess, I shouldn't have wasted my grey cells writing this! And my apologise to those who wasted their time by reading this!! Just look around, there will be a bunch of stuff which can easily be called redundant to exist.

PS - Appreciate your time to scan through my words...

2006-08-07T19:55:00.000-04:00

Finally the US is losing patience with Pakistan...or at least they are being forced to!

Interesting article..thought would share it with you all.

http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/aug/07indpak.htm?q=tp&file=.htm

Salut

Simba

2006-08-05T03:34:00.000-04:00

When I close my eyes, I have to believe that the world is still there...

There comes a point in everyone's life where you just want to look back and reflect at the way things have gone. Usually you do find nuances which we would like to forget. I guess its very humane of an avergage mind to hook on to the negatives and conveniently discard the positive.
Simply put, you abuse/criticize someone negatively, they take it personally and don't care to think if it really matters but if you appreciate the same 'someone', you are thrusting a factor of doubt into his/her mind with regards to your intentions.

We all need mirrors to remind ourselves as to who we are....I'm no different!! As I was spending my usual Saturday in front fo the mirror before a shave, trying to forget my insane acts of the past, I..... don't know how to put it! I just wondered what if I am just a reflection of someone in the Mirror. i would not call myself an illusion as I wouldn't exist. What if I am just a repitition of someone else on the other side of the Mirror. I still would like to believe that a Mirror is a product of Science but how would i jsutify my act this way? Is it the gateway for me to realize that I am just a reflection and the earlier i realize it the better? At this point, i would like to clear that I am hallfway towards madness and not reached there yet...

My friend shared this concept of Snail's perception with me. It has been proved scientifically that a snail's response time is approximately 3-4 seconds (don't come behidn em with a knife;not sure of the number) . So if i place an object and remove it within 4 seconds, the snail would not even know that an object actually was placed there! So on a similar note, what would an average human's response time be? It would be interesting to know that...what if there does exist a parallel life or as I wonder, what if our whole life is just a reflection to reality which takes place on the other side of the mirror?

Being a science student, I know it is not difficuly to get 'techy' explanations but I really am not looking for those. After all, science by itself is a human invention to explain our questions! I guess its enough for the moment, after all maybe I am just reflecting what is happening on the other side of the mirror?

So to conclude, probably this question arises on both sides with either sides thinking either side is reflection of the other! That is enough of randomness for one day or i guess even a week.

- Ever Reflecting....Simba!

2006-08-02T10:47:00.000-04:00

A Bedtime story never told before

Lady in the Water : A lot has already been said about this movie. It has been written off, controversy surrounds it due to the Disney-Shyamalan conflict and critics feel this is Shyamalan’s worst product ever. But I just want to take a step back and look at the director who made this and think of the movie from his perspective. Cinema is just like democracy. One has the freedom to make any kind of movie and express his/her views through it. It is pretty similar to voicing your opinion in a debate/public forum or through the media (newspapers to be more precise).

Not all filmmakers get into this profession for monetary reasons. Yes money and fame are key driving factors but to be successful and thrive in this competitive world just on those two factors would be stretching your luck too far! I think the biggest one would be passion for creativity, which obviously is defined differently by everyone. Lady in the water is all about that. It is supposed to be a bedtime story for his kids (again, which is amongst the scariest I have ever heard) and he has gone a step further and made a movie out of it. I would appreciate Shyamalan’s vision and his ability to recreate that vision on the screen and share it with a bazillion people worldwide.

The movie was completely fictional about this pool, a different world that existed under it and the key characters revolving around it. There isn’t much told about the Scrunt and I can’t say that the story made sense because there wasn’t anything like a story. It was just a bunch of scenes put together which portrayed nothing but genuine randomness. Add to it the time constraint of not making a long movie and I feel the dude has done a fair job! It wasn’t a movie with a message about god or aids or spirit of life etc…Nothing. The message from the movie was zilch and it was just 1.5 hr ride into Shyamalan’s mind of existential randomness. It is something which is present in all of us but a few have the courage to bring it out openly and share it with strangers!!

I don’t deny that he has been repetitive with his genre, dark, spooky stories revolving around the abnormal existence of life. But I would accolade him for his individuality which is something rare amongst people and especially Indian filmmakers barring a few exceptions! So for all those who enjoy the creativity of Lord of the Rings, the insanity of Karan Johar movies and the technical excellence of Matrix, I think this movie deserves its own space. It’s more fun to be a rotating planet than a stationary object. From the point of view of filmmaking, this isn’t a financial masterpiece as it didn’t get everyone too excited or engrossed but the director has done a brilliant job of sharing the randomness and confusion in his mind with the people and in turn forcing them to wonder about the movie…

Personally, I would categorize it as revolutionary cinema where the director just wants to share his story, ideologies, randomness, and perception etc with the people on the other side of the screen.

2006-07-24T21:54:00.000-04:00

Shit Happens...I'll survive

- Bombay

Well, the last few days have been very sad not just for india but for the whole world! But quickly to draw your attention, a few key responses to the Bomb Blasts that rocked Bombay...

1.Citizens joined President A P J Abdul Kalam Tuesday in observing two minutes silence in memory of the victims
2.The entire city came to a standstill at 6.24 pm, the time of the first explosion at Mahim station last Tuesday, mourning silently for the over 100 people who died in the terror attacks. More than 270 sirens wailed at 6.24 pm to signal the two-minute homage
3.All traffic came to a halt, no flights landed or took off and trains on the Central, Western and Harbour lines stopped in their tracks for two minutes. Theatres stopped screening films and shopping malls stopped business for two minutes.
4.The Muslim organisation Raza Academy released pigeons and white balloons from Minara mosque in South Mumbai as a sign of peace.

(The above information is verbatim from a leading newspaper in India)

Effect of the actions! The relatives of the dead still mourn the loss of their loved ones who just a few days ago were planning their next big vacation, party, job or a job or education abroad. Infrastructure is still under repair and though Bombay claims to be back ont he track next day ( a sprit which i salute from the bottom of my heart) , the real pain is felt only by the survivors and the family/friends of the dead. it isn't tough to predict the future. The government will set up committes to investigate and by the time Manmohan Singh's grandson gets married, the investigation might just be coming to a finish...not sure but a possibility! Oops, the ruling government will lose thanks to the 'finger pointing' by BJP and other political parties and at the end of the day, USA and UN will be happy because India restrained from brutal force.

Jumping over a few thousands of miles away, Israel blasts beirut because Hezbollah took two Israeli soldiers into hostage. While this may sound as an over reaction to all, i beg to differ. I appreciate the value placed by the Israeli governement on two human lived from their soil. We really need to take a few pointers. The world may not like their attitude and history may not be in their favor. But I guess the world has been a silent spectator to the attrocities done in India over the last few decades. The time has come for us to arise..awake and stop not till our boundaries are secure for good. If not ensure it at least work towards it...

I really wonder what if Amitabh Bachchan, Rahul Gandhi, L.K Advani and Bal Thackeray had been killed in the blast? Forget being killed, even if either had a scratch, I am sure the response from India would be far more aggressive than just lighting a few candles here and there and working towards the goal of keeping Uncle Sam happy. Its sad that to date, a common man's life is not priced at the same level as Mr. Bachchan ( no disrespect to u Sir!). Its time we realize that we have to take some action. I understand the complications and for a giant like India it is not an easy thing to go into war and unleash an attack on the only suspects ' Pakistan'. But I maintain that we need to do something much much more than wearing white clothes and lighting candles and organizing rallies.

US, UK, Russia and the UN showered praises on the Indian Government for condemning the attacks and not resorting to brutal force. If that is the case then why did US launch a mega offensive after 9/11 and why did their foreign ministry ( read as UK) join them in the outburst? I am not a political wizard to suggest that War is the only option but as an indian I would surely appreciate to see a concrete step taken by the government which would instill my faith in the nation. Organizing peace rallies and seeking support at G-8 summits won't prevent the next bomb blast or get india a place in the UN Security Council. How long do we have to bear this..how long should innocent families lose their fathers, mothers, sons or daughters...is there a count which we need to achieve before India decides that the world is just not going to help except 'condemning' terrorist activities.

Sitting in the US, I am stunned and can just use words to vent out my frustations!But I take this moment to salute every single person who still continues with his/her life in India well aware that the next victim might just be him!

2006-07-18T23:15:00.000-04:00

Bolly's wood..

I think one can safely say that the face of Indian Cinema is changing and it is transitioning from the phase of being called ‘Phillums’ to ‘Picture’ to ‘movies’ to Cinema! If we look at the last few years, the Indian audience (in India and worldwide) have been more receptive. With movies like Rang de Basanti, Being Cyrus and Black doing good business, it would help India present a global face on the world platform and not just restrict themselves to a bunch of people dancing around trees.

As I was browsing through the list of good films that have been released this year, personally I had a tough time deciding ( I am not on the panel but hey, I can voice my opinion/frustration) which actor, director, actress, cinematographer etc should be awarded the Manikchand’s statue! But lo, behold..thats exactly when my eyes fell on something which suddenly just forced me to accept that perception can never be reality. Not least in Bollywood! If you didn’t guess what I was talking about, I was hinting at the mega piece of repetitive crap that is going to come out soon from our very own 'Mr.Panzy' Karan Johar! i was referring to kabhi alvida naa kehna. I really doubt if there is any corner of NYC which ahs been left unturned to shoot for a Karan Johar production.This I do say with complete hatred not for the filmmaker but the bundle of crap he churns out under different titles. It really surprises me that an audience which appreciates sensible stuff on one side can suddenly turn equally senile and go bonkers over the same melodrama of Rahul-Raj-Anjali.

I understand that Filmmakers have their niche areas where they excel and some prefer sticking to that. Personally, I feel that’s justified as long as you do justice to your area of expertise and explore all dimensions associated with it. But though it frustrates me, I have to live with it because eventually it’s the cinema goers who still want this stuff. From an analytical perspective, there has to be some amount of creativity and imagination in cinema but keeping in mind the intellectual capability of Indians today, I think one should be careful not to pull the thread a bit too far! I still remember a few scenes of Kuch Kuch hota hai, they show an eight year old girl udnerstand complex human emotions when in school she would barely be comfortble with elementary math! I seem a bit too frustated because it pains me to see a powerhouse like Naseer or Om Puri with barely any films in hand while Shah Rukh a.k.a Rahul walks away wearing the same GAP/Gucci/Armani with the same women in either NYC, London or Switzerland...I still can't believe he agreed to do Swades and am not surprised that it didn't do good busines...obviously, the movie made sense and had a message! I jsut realized no use writing further coz you can sell nonsense only if people buy it...

As it is rightly said..with Mr. Panzy..expect same shit in a new movie!

2006-05-22T00:26:00.000-04:00

Perception is Reality

It was a stressful week. Monday to Friday just zipped by. As I pulled into my apartment community, I looked forward to just getting home, taking a nice long hot shower, grabbing some food and hitting the bed. Eagerly I rushed in and headed towards the restroom only to realize that there is no hot water in my apartment. Having been through a long and lousy Friday, this was the last thing I wanted. I managed to gain composure and decided to cool off with the AC but there…if something is meant to go wrong, come what may, it sure will..the cooler wasn’t working too! Dammed, I grunted and called my rental office and since it was 8 15 PM, obviously those guys were somewhere busy celebrating their weekend! So I had to call the emergency and leave a message with them.

With no cooler or water, I felt it was worthless staying home and headed out to grab some dinner. I wish I had some friends close by where I could just crash for some food and sleep. Luckily the store down the street wasn’t crowded and I didn’t have to wait as usual. I got my sub and jetted out and thought would have it in the serenity of my community garden under moonlight. I tried to make it there despite the heavy traffic (Because it had to happen that a huge truck had to have a flat tyre on that very day!) Frustrated, I changed my mind and headed back home hoping someone from the emergency would have fixed at least the water problem..or cooler…no water…no cooler!! Well, I just could not decide..It is during such times when you realize the importance of things you generally take for granted! But Mr.Murphy had to prove his law that very night and nothing was fixed. Instead I had a post on my door informing me that things are not going to get any better till Sunday morning as it is a maintenance issue and they had notified me about it.

I guessed that I must have thrown the notice letter that they sent out sometime back. Dammned…I got home and decided to relish my burger and hit the bed not at all awaiting the next day or two. It looked delicious and as I was about to have the first bite, the best thing that was going to happen to me that evening, I saw a tiny worm oozle out…yuccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk

…and before I knew it, I woke up! I gues sit was a bright and beautiful Saturday morning and I just had a horrifying nightmare. Phew, I thanked my stars and went towards the bathroom to realize with the most horrifying shock of my life. There was no hot water. Immediately I checked the cooler, to realize that it wasn’t working too! It was 8 15 AM and I shuddered to think of the response I would get if I called my rental office. Instead I thought its wise to cool off for the moment and started penning down my experience with you guys…Well, I’m off to call the rental office and if my events go exactly as I had dreamt, its okay…like do I have an option? It’s a random world, where things happen with or without a reason…try deciphering them and you would get caught in the chain reaction! As one of my friends, rightly put it…Perception is indeed Reality!

2006-04-30T09:24:00.000-04:00

Speechless...

I guess almost everyone from India or indians worldwide might be following the Pramod Mahajan tragedy that is going on in Bombay. It is indeed sad that one of India's strong leaders has to be meted out this treatment from his family member.

But what caught my attention was another incident associated with an Indian in Afghanistan. I am talking about the engineer who was sent to Afghanistan by a Bahrain based company on a "
normal telecom project". Sadly he never returned! Life must have been absolutely normal for his wife and kids until they heard the news of his abduction by the Taliban. I know the whole world will soon start condemning this brutal act of terrorism calling it inhuman and blah etc etc...

The Taliban had threatened to kill the civilian if their demands were not met and an Indian team did go out there. I understand it is ridiculous to evacuate all indians in 24 hours. But did the Indian Government take the Taliban threat really seriously???

The question to be answered is, instead of the Indian Civilian what if there was Laloo Prasad yadav there or Bal Thackeray or any other minister who was an "Indian Civilian" at some point of time but soon become a " politician". While following up on the Mahajan article, I read that actor Navin Nischol's wife who committed suicide was, prior to her death, denied admission into the Hinduja hospital when she had gone there for consultation. Apparently the reason given to her was that the entire hospital was trying to save Mr.Mahajn's life. I agree his is a very critical case but I choose to believe that the Indian Civilian's life is equally important. It may be under staffed but what if it had been an eminent personality who had been in place of this lady? Would the hospital give the same reason?

Coming back to the Afghan tragedy,just because he has to live away from his family, doesn't own a palatial bungalow or have a few illegal businesses under his name, his life is suddenly less important to the Indian government? The indian government would compensate his family with money but again the cliched question..can money equate for life?

It would be interesting to see how Bihar would react if Laloo Prasad Yadav was kidnapped and killed and his family and state were compensated with 'MONEY'. Taliban wants India to vacate Afghanistan and stop helping the Afghan people in their country's development. So It would be interesting to see the next moves of the Indian Government. Would they value the life of an Indian Civilian and discontinue efforts or "compensate" his death with money and continue working until an eminent personality is kidnapped and then change their course of action in Afghanistan! We all know the answer...

2006-04-15T15:54:00.000-04:00

Free Introductory Talk Sessions by the Art of Living Foundation - Washington, DC

What is stress? Does the breath hold the world's best kept secret?Come find out!4 million participants, 150 countries, and now in DC!! The Art ofLiving Foundation offers FREE one hour seminars. A prelude to the beststress-elimination program in the world today! No relatedobligations. Just come, and bring a friend.

Date, Location and Time
Teaism- Lafayette Square, 800 Connecticut Avenue NW.

April 18TH, 20TH,25TH AND 27TH at 7:00 pm and

Sunday, April 16th at 6 pm.

Mt. Pleasant Library- 16th and Lamont Street NW :

Spanish session onTuesday, April 18th at 6 pm, and English session at 7 pm.

No breath, No life………………….. Know breath Know life.

For further information,

visit us at www.artofliving.org or email us at courses@artoflivingdc.org.

Its just about being receptive and giving it a shot. Come, get a feel of it and then decide. If it doesn't interest you, no problem at all!!

2006-03-29T09:39:00.000-05:00

IMpossible

Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it.

Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion.

Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare.

Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.

Impossible is non-existent.

Impossible is Nothing.

Source : Adidas ad featuring stalwarts like Muhammad Ali, DBecks, Zidane,Laila Ali and others.

2006-03-27T09:40:00.000-05:00

Questions lead to Answers lead to Questions..

It is a well known fact that life is indeed the best teacher ever possible. We all learn at school, college and from elders but the true lessons which are imbibed into our system are the ones which we learn when we are out in the open fields of a playground called “life”. This weekend, I was discussing this with one my close colleagues and after a lot of loud arguments and silent ignorance, we finally concurred on one thing; Life ensures we do the same mistakes repeatedly until we learn our lessons completely and for good. This is exactly where my random mind starts exercising its grey cells. I am sure to many it seems unnecessary and I wouldn’t argue with anyone on that because at times I feel the same myself!!

But still, making complete use of my freedom of thought birthright as an Indian Citizen, I continued to ponder after my hour long debate. If I am taught the same lesson repeatedly until I learn it well, would life give me a suitable platform down the line to implement whatever I have learnt? Even if it does, would it be in complete justice to me as a person? I guess I was unclear at this point. If I make a mistake at the age of 25 and learn my “lessons” then and if life presents me with a situation to improvise at the age of 35, would that be in complete fairness to me? Because technically there would be a huge paradigm shift over the decade which would have altered my attitude, mentality, priorities etc towards life and all it’s components ( materialistic and non materialistic included).

So if such is the case then on our journey towards various phases in life, where do we actually implement the lessons? I am a firm believer in the quote “Knowledge is Power” but also feel if knowledge is never utilized ( in an implicit or explicit manner) , then it is not far before it becomes redundant information! I totally see a possibility where we aren’t aware of our lessons being implemented in some other walk of life but I am sure that might not be the case at all points of time especially in the case of a person who practices self retrospection to a great extent. Anyone who is even in a state of partial awareness of mind and activity would be able to realize such trivial activities going on within himself and his habitat.

I certainly am not looking for solutions or alternatives which would explain such occurences.I am on the lookout for different perspectives as I am sure everyone has a mind of their own irrespective of their realization. Do feel free to criticize my thoughts as I firmly believe it is after all just your opinion!

2006-03-22T10:40:00.000-05:00

I feel this sums up life to the core..

Walk in your life with big strides,

To reach at the very peak,

So that Success is in your Desire,

And Fate at your own Feet!!

2006-03-08T13:35:00.000-05:00

One hour inside a Random Mind..

It all started on my way back from work a few days ago. The I-495 Capital Beltway traffic at evenings provides enough time to let the grey cells in your head wander randomly, aimlessly...in search of directions for an unknown destination!!

I had seen the movie Final Destination -3 recently. Well, I can't say its next to Godfather but definitely one has to give the makers due credit for their creativity. To churn out three versions based on one punchline "Death will eventualy catch you" is worthy of praise. Anyways, I was lost in thoughts pondering if the signs can actually be seen...and as i was on the road, I felt it definitely can. So I tried to be my own "james bond" in my own "Aston Martin" (Honda Civic by the way which ain't even clsoe to a toy model of an Aston Martin!!). As obvious, I saw and guessed now but the thought lingered if it really is possible? Well, not many people give thought to such things but just because one cannot udnerstand or observe it or one chooses to ignore it, doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist or it is untrue...Right? I checked my watch and realised it was 15 mins since i was on the road and I had covered close to a mile!! Now you get an idea am sure..lol

As I continued to marvel at the Human Mind, I kinda felt that One cannot understand the operations of one's own mind. Have you ever wondered why we doubt a person who compliments us and immediately trust someone who abuses or critiques us in a negative manner? To explain, we immediately get defensive and believe the negative comment and at times take it personally or start justifying our actions. On the other hand, a genuine word of praise instills a small grain of doubt in our head...is there an ulterior motive for his/her praise? Of course, there are exceptions but I'm sure we all have experienced this.It was something that I might have been doing all my life but suddenly at that moment with vehicles all around me, this hit me hard.

Its usually said that Life is all about causes and consequences. Everything in life happens because something caused it to happen and it sure will produce its own consequence. Damn...how awesome would it be if we could realize the cause and consequence for everything. Well, for a paltry few we are able to but the real exciting ones are rare...especially things which haven't been planned by us. To make myself more explicit, ever wondered why certain thigns happen to you and why certain don't. I don't mean to bring in good or bad luck issues here. I am talking about simple instances...day to day activities may be. Some people walk into your life and exit in no time while some stay forever. If they had to walk out of your life, what was the cause of them in coming into your life. If you are able to figure out a lesson you learnt out of their presence in your life, thats great but if not...then ever wondered why someone entered your life? what was the reason? what was the cause and the subsequent consequence?

Being an engineer, I tried to take a mathematical shot at trying to answer some of my so called random "queries". If life is an equation y = mx + c, its got constants and variables. the same question can be asked here, what is the cause and consequence of the constants and variables??? Enough Randomness I guess...

For those who can relate a bit to my random thoughts, it would be great to meet you and for those who can't...Remember one thing..I haven't gone Mad..not as yet at least!!!! lol..

Take care and Good Luck people.

2006-02-09T23:27:00.000-05:00

Some interesting Trivia about Bombay. Happy Reading!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B_O_M_B_A_Y

Bombay has no bombs and is a harbour not a bay.
Churchgate has neither a church nor a gate. It is a railway station.
There is no darkness in Andheri.
Lalbaag is neither red nor a garden.
No king ever stayed at Kings Circle.
Nor did Queen Victoria stay at Victoria Terminus.
Nor is there any princess at Princess Street.
Lower Parel is at the same level as Parel
There are no marines or sailors at Marine Lines.
The Mahalaxmi temple is at Haji Ali not at Mahalaxmi.
There are no pigs traded at Dukar bazaar.
Teen bati is a junction of 3 roads, not three lamps.
Trams used to terminate at Kings circle not Dadar*Tram Terminus (Dadar T.T.).
Breach Candy is not a sweetmeat market.
Safed Pool has the dirtiest and blackest water.
You cannot buy coal at Kolsa street.
There are no Iron smiths at Lohar chawl.
There are no pot makers at Kumbhar wada.
Lokhandwala complex is not an Iron and steel market.
Null bazaar does not sell taps
You will not find ladyfingers at Bheendi Bazaar.
Kalachowki does not have a black Police station.
Hanging Gardens are not suspended.
Mirchi Gully does not sell chillies.
Figs do not grow in Anjir Wadi,
Sitafals do not grow in Sitafal Wadi,
Jackfruits do not grow at Fanaswadi
But it is true that you may get fleeced at Chor Bazaar!!!

AMCHI MUMBAI

A City where everything is possible, especially the impossible.
Where lovers first love and then marry, Where there is place for every Tom, Dick and Harry
Where telephone bills make a person ill, Where a person cannot sleep without a pill.
Where carbon-dioxide is more than oxygen, Where the road is considered to be a dustbin,
Where college canteens are full and classes empty, Where Adam teasing is also making an entry,
Where a cycle reaches faster than a car, Where everyone thinks himself to be a star,
Where sky scrapers overlook the slum, Where houses collapse as the monsoon comes,
Where people first act and then think, Where there is more water in the pen than ink,
Where the roads see-saw in monsoon, Where the beggars become rich soon,
Where the roads are levelled when the minister arrives,
Where college admission means hard cash, Where cement is frequently mixed with ash.
This is Mumbai my dear, But don't fear, just cheer, come to Mumbai every year!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THINGS TO PROVE YOU'RE A BOMBAYITE.

1. You say "town " and expect everyone to know that*this means south of Churchgate.
2 You speak in a dialect of Hindi called 'Bambaiya Hindi', which only Bombayites can
understand.*
3. Your door has more than three locks.
4. Rs 500 worth of groceries fit in one paper bag.
5. Train timings (9.27, 10.49 etc) are really important events of life.
6. You spend more time each month traveling than you spend at home.
7. You call an 8' x 10' clustered room a Hall.
8. You're paying Rs 10,000 for a 1 room flat, the size of walk-in closet and you think it's a
"steal."
9. You have the following sets of friend: school friends, college friends, neighborhood friends,
office friends and yes, train friends, a species unique only in Bombay.
10. Cabbies and bus conductors think you are from Mars if you call the roads by their Indian
name, they are more familiar with Warden Road, Peddar Road, Altamount Road.
11. Stock market quotes are the only other thing*besides cricket which you follow passionately.
12. The first thing that you read in the Times of India is the "Bombay Times" supplement.
13. You take fashion seriously. You're suspicious of strangers who are actually nice to you.
14. Hookers, beggars and the homeless are invisible.
15. You compare Bombay to New York's Manhattan instead of any other cities of India.
16. The most frequently used part of your car is the horn.
17. You insist on calling CST as VT, and Sahar and Santacruz airports instead of Chatrapati
Shivaji International Airport.
18. You consider eye contact an act of overt aggression.
19. Your idea of personal space is no one actually standing on your toes.
20. Being truly alone makes you nervous.
21. You love wading through knee deep mucky water in the monsoons, and actually call it
''romantic'.
22. Only in Bombay, you would get Chinese Dosa and Jain Chicken.

2005-12-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

Chaai - Paani

Water, Sugar, Tea leaves.... guess thats it! I guess you don't need anything more than that to make me. Of course, depending on the flavors, you can add ginger,lemon etc but for just a cuppa plain chai, thats all that is needed. I was named Tea but I prefer introducing myself as Chai (total desi you see) though...mainly cos of the thrill associated with that word. From a reader's point, i am sure you guys feel its just another drink which millions of people have on a daily basis. I am sure to most of you all its second nature. The day just doesn't start without a cup of tea. But before i go ahead, i do wana say hi to all the fans of my best pal Monsieur Coffee. I guess together we complete the morning drink for millions of folks across the world.

Life has been interesting for me. I have taken so many forms you see...I am Tea at an elegant restaurant/hotel, 'cutting' outside a local bombay railway station, chai at every second household across India. Man, its fun to take so many forms and see and touch the life of so many people. I may be priced at 2 bucks as a 'cutting' and 50 bucks as 'Tea'. But what some people don't realize is just because I am served in a cup which is made of opulent chinaware in a 5-star hotel, my value doesn't go up by that number. I still prefer bringing a smile to the face of my person who enjoys me. Its so amazing to be the morning drink for someone - The way they look forward to me, the smell emanating from the cup, wow!!! trust me ..gives me a completely different kinda high! Its something which I can just express but surely you guys can't even relate. The pleasure of making someone's morning and through him/her influencing a zillion others directly or indirectly is bliss..

I am sure everyone of you at some point of time must have had me with hot and spicy pakodas/bhajias. I remember when I was being made and served to a few people sitting in the balcony of a multi storey building in bombay, in an apartment facing the sea... i could see the tension ease off their faces. They all had different worries and thoughts which were related, unrelated, sensible, stupid, unnecessary, good,evil, productive...every type and kind. But with each sip of me and bite of pakodas blending beautifully with the cool and serene weather and the smell of wet mud acting as the perfect catalyst to the aromas of the green/spicy chutney,at that point all one can think of is..What more do I want in life!!! . I am sure you are imagining this in your mind right now...if you aren't then I suggest you try it once and it would be an experience which gets sealed in your hearts forever.

But before I end, I love to see myself as the Cutting. Especially at 8 AM outside most railway stations in Bombay, you can see everyone from a hawker to a municipal sweeper to even executives relishing me with my other best pal Mr. Vada Pav. I can see everything from movies, actors, conspiracies to business dealings being discussed with every sentence being interrupted to take a sip of me from the cup! They don't realise the tea thats going in and the way their mood is getting better because it is an involuntary action for them. But I just love the importance,attention and the fact that I am an inseperable part of their life.

Before I sign off, I remember a guy discussing with his friends as he relished his cutting and vada pav during a heavy downpour. He said, "Yaar..this is life. All I want is Chai..Vada Pav and a Ferrari!!". I don't exactly know what the last one was but am sure seeing the affection I get , Mr.Ferrari must be in the same league too. I better go now..i can see this guy opening a packet of Marie Biscuit. I am sure I know what he plans to drink with it...I guess you might have done it sometime too right???

2005-12-06T23:27:00.000-05:00

People are not just getting dumber, but more and more opinionated...

But not in the right direction!

The whole nation's heart skipped a beat just because our very dear Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was admitted to the hospital and had to get a minor surgery done. There are reports of people travelling all the way from UP,northern states and from down south too just to catch a 'glimpse' of him. A 'glimpse' could equate to see him walking on the lobby or get into his car. But poeple have travelled all the way with the hope of just seeing him and waving out to him. They don't realise the amount of money spent or most importantly the energy and time consumed in the process.

For starters, I am a die hard Amitabh fan. I am in awe of his personality and his ability to bring the country to a grinding halt for a second when something unfortunate happens to him. I repsect the aura surrounding him and totally agree that he deserves a special mention. But certianly not to this extent. The Indian Media is responsible for giving birth to a star and also contribute to it's downfall. But here I see nothing but encouragement of stupidity. My question is simple and lucid...Would/Have the media or any average indian give/given so much importance to the death of a soldier injured in a war? I do recognise and respect the contributions of Mr.Bachchan. He truly has put India on the global entertainment map. But Personally, I would owe more to the soldier who is braving the cold and ensuring that I enjoy my life than to any Amitabh Bachchan movie in all these years. I agree a star like him deserves a special mention and a national coverage. But nowadays every website has a periodical update about his health just like there was during the Tsunami or any other national calamity. Is the comparison justified? I don't mean to get too emotional but practically thinking, I feel its due to our incapability to not prioritize and not realize our respopnsibilities and their importance, that the problems in India just keep piling up.

Has an entry level police officer whom we affectionately title "pandu" received any sort of recognition for a gallant effort? Why is their contribution not recognised? A soldier/common man who died doing his duty receives no special mention but this gets hyped up to such an extent? Just because he doesn't dance in exotic locales and delivers punching dialogues, his identity is sidelined?

I read an article recently about a new Akshardham Temple built near Noida for a whopping amount. Was it necessary? Is India short of religious places or shrines that the absence of this one would have made a difference? Couldn't the funds used to build this be devoted to resolving issues of higher priority? Instead of appreciating the beauty of this new monument, I would really be thrilled to know that in some remote corner of India, a village full of people have been assured clean drinking water for the rest of their lives! The value generated from that investment would be more spiritually satisfying instead of visinting a temple famous for it's embellishment.

I know I am not an intellect to comment on people or categorize them but I sure can voice my opinion and raise my questions.

As i sign off, all i can think and wonder is..Why India? Why? Why?

2005-12-02T09:27:00.000-05:00

Nice One...

Once four MBA students were boozing till late night and didn't study for the test which was scheduled for the next day. In the morning they thought of a plan. They made themselves look as dirty and weird as they could with grease and dirt.

Then they went up to the dean and said that they had gone to a wedding last night and on their return the tyre of their car burst and they had to push the car all the way back and that they were in no condition to appear for the test. The Dean was a Just person so he said that you can have a retest after three days. They said they were ready.

On the third day they appeared before the dean. The Dean said that as this was a special condition all four were required to be in separate rooms for the test. They all agreed as they had prepared well in last three days.

The test consisted of two questions totally weighing 100 points.

Q1. Write down your Names. (2 points)

Q2. Which tyre burst ? (98 points)

2005-11-17T20:39:00.000-05:00

Hey people,

I came across this while reading an article and thought its worth sharing with all. Take Care.

Watch your thoughts...They become your words !!!

Watch your words...They become your actions !!!

Watch your actions...They become your habits !!!

Watch your habits...They become your character !!!

Watch your character...It becomes your Karma !!!

2005-11-07T21:55:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

I recently saw the movie, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara ( i guess i am way back on the new movies but still...) and I was totally bowled over! It really made me sit up and look at Cinema as an individual's ''Medium" of Expression of ideas, thoughts,emotions, feelings,passion and many other nuances of Human Life. This is what i feel about the movie (though i really am not able to express a couple of things well, i feel). Do let me know whats your feedback on this movie if you have seen it. Else...watch it ASAPP..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forgetting Father : Unforgettable Film

A brilliant masterpiece with primary focus on human relationships. To be more precise, a father-daughter relationship. Jahnu Barua tackles a very delicate issue of a person suffering from frequent memory lapses which eventually aggrevates to an extent where his family just can't stand it. A very innovative and realistic story which everyone from the common man to a conman can relate to. It takes a lot of guts to produce such a movie and kudos to Anupam Kher for that. It is clearly evident that only people who are passionate about meaningful cinema can actually star,perform,produce,direct and basically associate themselves with such a movie.

It is not surprising that this movie didn't fare too well in India as it lacks masala,sex/sleazy content, loud or jarring music and has no exotic locales. But this movie has something which not many other films have. It has a defined storyline and a script to follow and refer to at any point of time. The scenes between urmila and her younger brother have been handled very well. It clearly portrays the differnce in the attitude and restlessness of the new generation. The father-daughter emotions have been brought about beautifully by anupam kher and urmila. The humane side of urmila is evident from the fact that she can't take the behaviour of her father but still wants to stand by him out of respect for his sacrifices all his life. A gesture which glorifies the Indian Culture something which can be seen only in India.

Rajat Kapoor is impressive in his limited role but the movie is all about Urmila's simutaneous portrayal of a loyal daughter,helpless sister, doting girlfriend and a very sensitive but yet sensible individual representing the woman of today's world!!!

The movie proves why Jahnu Barua is a 9 time national award winner and why Actors like Anupam Kher should start producing films on a regular basis: to take the art of filmaking beyond the horizon and to ensure the audience start looking at cinema with more respect and not just as a mere source of entertainment.

2005-11-01T18:30:00.000-05:00

Identity

" The whole city was tense and there was heavy security at the train stations.We were shit scared until we got home. Man, Life is so unpredictable!!!" These were the precise words of one of my collegues at work who travels frequently to New York City. He was in the city when the red alert was sounded and was in the train when he heard of the news. I understand the palpitation and pumping heartbeats but coming from a country like India, i just could not help laughing. I agreed with him on one thing though i.e The only thing predictable about Life is it's unpredictability.

September 11 was an eye opener to not just United States but to the world. But i always fail to understand why weren't the March'93 blasts in bombay an eye opener to the world about global terrorism? In the US, any petty security threat gets hyped to such an extent that the whole country goes berserk as if all hell has broken loose! i really wonder how would these pople or their leaders survive in a country like India. The day after the March'93 bomb blasts, all schools and offices reported full attendance. i rememeber an article in the Times of India after the blasts that took place near the gateway of india. They displayed photographs of gruesome bodies lying around near a burnt taxi (on the day of the blast) and the next day the same venue had the hawkers and other petty shop keeprs doing usual business as if nothing had happened!!!

I surrender to this very spirit of Bombay and it is not jsut restricted ot the financial capital of India. it is an attitude and spirit highly contagious all over the country. If thats the case, what prevents us from being a show stopper!! I am aware of the problems like population,corruption,poverty etc but I feel if we have 50 million people creating issues for us, we have the remaining half who can provide us with a solution. If not a solution, at least an appropriate alternative. Each day before i go to work, i question myself, why am I here? wha tis the driving force that makes me stick her? why do i prefer being an SSN number in the US instead of being myself with an individual identity in my home country. The most common answer would be a sophisticated lifestlye, money and the usual materialistic things. But are we so weak that we have given in to a few green pieces of paper with the photographs of dead US presidents on them? I am sure each one of us realizes and thinks like this at least at some point of time. It just about holding to those thoughts and realizations and going all the way. Kudos to all those who have made the transition. I really wish to get inspired from them and undergo the transition.

The most ironical part is that I am of this view and opinion especially when I am working in this country myself. I am not writing this to convince anyone to get back but probably trying to convince myself and realize with each thought that in life, there is really no place like home!!!

2005-10-17T18:15:00.000-04:00

Yes or No?????

Life is all about choices. Every petty thing that we do or don't do is a matter of your choice. Well, to clarify my point I am talking about an idealistic world where everyone is free to amke their own decisions without any restrictions. So whether we choose to go to school,work etc is just left to us. I know as a child, we all hated going to school and would prefer being in the playground the whole day or in front of the television. But on some sub conscious level, from an early age itself when we came to our senses, we have been doing or not doing something as a matter of choice.

It is always said that we need to make the best of the opportunities that come our way. Making a choice is nothing but in simple words, making a decision. I have always been inquisitive as to what needs more strength, temperament, attitude and maturity...to say "Yes" or to say "No". I accept it all depends on the situation but on a generic level, to think of it..is it easier to say yes or to say no? For a few things, probably yes would be an obvious answer while No would be the reply for a different set of things. Personally, I feel it is very very difficult to look in the eye of the situation/ person and boldly say 'No' and defend your decision later. I may seem eccentric to just debate on these two tiny words of english literature, especially when there is not even a situation/circumstance to relate it to. But i feel thats where the secret to success lies ...Don't say Yes when you want to say No!! It is indeed difficult to turn down a rosy life right now in anticipation of something better coming down the line. The stakes are high, the risk is higher and the unpredictability highest...but the sweetness of the result lies beyond all that. But still, despite the realization and awareness we still find ourselves unable to resist the temptation and say 'No'.Its so easier said than done..right???

It is a common belief that there are many shades to life...but I think there are just two phases. An action which is being done and another which is not being done. To explain, We can pick the glass of water from the table or we choose not to. But there is nothing like 'trying to pick the glass'. Bcoz while the glass is on the table, we haven't picked it and while it has left the table, we have picked it. So where would the glass be when we are 'trying to pick it'? The same way we just fool ourselves by trying to find a solution where we neither have to say yes or no. It is not neccessary that to be successful in life, you need to be in the affirmative. It is equally important to say 'No' to move on,be successful,rich,famous,happyetc.

Think about it...Disagreeing with my thoughts or opinions might be easy but do give it a thought and take a trip down memory lane. You would surely see many instances where you came too close to saying 'No' because it was the right thing to do but just could not go all the way ahead!! I feel we all have been through it but the challenge is can we actually say 'No' and take it further all the way in the future?? Good Luck on that People!!

2005-10-09T20:52:00.000-04:00

Attitude : The Winning Edge

Little samuel was scribbling something on his notepad when his mother quipped, " sam, you wana get yourself some cookies?" This was something that always cheered up sam 'cause he could reach out for the box of cookies. Well, in case you are wondering why would someone consider that as an achievement, Sam was crippled and had no left leg. He was dependant on
crutches since the tender age of 4.

His mother always wished he could play baseball like the other kids of the neighbourhood. One day, Sam decided come what may, he is going to give it a shot. He had been watching the game regularly with his dad and had gotten familiar with the elementary rulez of the game. But it was always the leg that had held him back. He knew he wanted to "live" with it and not just merely survive.

His mother was surprised when he asked for his own pair of baseball gloves. She reminded him how he would feel when the other kids hit the ball and run. Sam with ease and confidence replied , "Mom, Don't you worry.I'll hit the ball outside the ground and walk".

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

Jamshedji Tata during his interview emphasized on the importance of Attitude. He said , on substituting the word A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E with its aphabetical value according to its position in English Literature ( For eg. A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, ...) we get Attitude = 100. That shows the importance of having an attitude to survive and hold your identity in today's competitive and materialistic world. Just thought would share it with you folks. Think about it...its worth the few minutes you spend!!

Inspired by : Awaken the Giant within, Unlimited Power ( by Anthony Robins)

2005-10-09T20:13:00.000-04:00

Words of Wisdom from Wise People.....Not Me!!

Life classifies people in the following four categories.

He who 'knows not' .. and 'knows not' that he 'knows not' ... is a Fool; Shun Him!!!

He who 'knows not'.. and 'knows that' he 'knows not' ... can be taught; Teach Him!!!

He who 'knows' ... but 'knows not' that he 'knows' ... is asleep; Awaken Him!!!

and Finally,

He who 'knows' ... and 'knows' that he 'knows' ... is a prophet; Follow him!!!

So people, be honest and classify yourself into the category you belong to and work towards moving to the next better category. Man...realizing the category is a piece of cake but working towards the better one is so damn tough!! Good Luck!!

2005-10-07T08:26:00.000-04:00

Ssssshhhhhh!!!

People always preach that Silence is Golden. But not many people actually realize the importance and the powerful "sound of silence". Well, my English Teacher would call the previous sentence an 'Antithesis' but if we ignore the grammatical aspect of it for just a moment, we could understand how powerful and also how difficult it is to remain silent. This story simply explains that you don't necessarily have to talk to make your presence felt.

A man walking down the street saw a huge noisy crowd arguing over something. Out of curiosity, he stopped by to see what was happening. He looked around and observed that people were voicing their opinions on a particular topic. He was about to leave when he found this guy , in his mid 20s quietly observing what is going on and just listening to all the nonsense. Though there were so many people arguing, his attention in particular went to this one guy who was silent; mainly because he was the odd/unique one out. Well, in a nutshell the moral of this tiny story is that the human mind usually looks out for something unique, something different, something uncommon!

I always wonder how many people/things in this world actually leave a lasting impression on us without even making their/its presence felt. Well, to think of it, those are the memories we would carry for a lifetime and probably somewhere down the line cherish it's true value too. But in today's materialistic world, the important question is can silence actually take us somewhere and if yes, then how far?

Can silence actually be celebrated from the heart and even more can it be truly enjoyed? It will be interesting to see if we can actually make noise but without beating the drum! On that note, i'll get back to my noisy world in search of some silence...

2005-10-06T15:48:00.000-04:00

Cricket..This happens only in India

When Nagesh Kukunoor, the critically acclaimed director was making Iqbal, he made a very smart comment during one of his press conferences. He said, I am making a film related to Indian cricket!! i just can't go wrong anywhere..i'll be slashed by a 5 & a 50 yr old! Thats the extent of passion , a common man in india has for the game and especially 'Team India'. I too have been brought up with my share of 'gali cricket' playing with a 'one tappi out' rule with the famous 'MRI ball'.

But when i pause and look at Indian cricket in comparison to other Indian sports today, i just fail to understand where did we go wrong? where did 1 billion cricket maniacs go wrong? Why should 1 billion tax paying cricket freaks screw their entire sat/sun or take an off from office/school/college by faking a reason just to watch India play in a final and lose? Did their support, emotions, loyalty to the team fizzle out over the years?

Recently, we won an overseas test series after 18 or 19 years. Well, in all humility and respect to the Zimbabwaens, the fact that India acheived this milestone by beating an 'out of form' and a very young/inexperienced Zimbabwe team just can't go unnoticed!!! To top it all, even this "achievement" was over shadowed by the controversy b/w captain and coach. I don't want to get into facts and figures as to how much Indian cricket has achieved or lost over the last few years.

Yes, we did make it to the world cup finals, were joint winners of the ICC Knockout trophy and have had a successful series in Australia too. I am aware of my cricketing facts but my question is..For the amount of money/fame/respect/importance the indian cricket team,BCCI etc are getitng..are they delivering their dues?If India fights and loses, am sure no Indian would have a problem.After all who doesnt respect a fighter? But as Sunny quotes, India manages and somehow ensures that they snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Well, thats where we feel the pinch.

Though Sania Mirza has put Indian Tennis on the world map again after Lee and Hesh, does she get the same adulation Sachin got when he started creating ripples in International Cricket? Narain Karthikeyan is the first to make India famous in the Automotive Circuit. But how many know him? The point is the lack of awareness. It is often said that the BCCI is as rich as the government of India. But what do we see there? a power struggle for the top seat, bunch of oldies who have never stepped on the green patch trying to rake in the moolah through contracts, sponsorships,ads etc.

I may sound frustated and one might call me a pessimist. But I would define myself as a passionate cricket fan who is sick and tired of waiting for a miracle called "consistency" to happen to Indian cricket. Not many people are aware that Narain Karthikeyan is not drawing a driver fee from Jordan. He is in fact paying Jordan Racing a substantial amount through his limited sponsors in India for a drive on the F-1 circuit. The reason as mentioned before is again an absence of awareness. I don't deny that F-1 is an expensive sport and viewership etc can't be afforded by the common man.But as a country with so many top corporates, the least we could do is support a rising talent. But NO!!! instead, we invest money,energy and mostly importantly time in watching our national cricket team slog their ass out in losing a match and pocket a cool few lakhs!!!

I just need to know, is it worth it? Anyways..as it is rightly said, It Happens only in India..Sad but True!