The Way I See it...

Showtime

2011-01-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

My family was visiting me on a weekend and I was trying hard to make the most of my family time. We badly needed a getaway but with taking leaves at work being a distant reality, I had to settle down for a movie at the theatre. When was the last time we went as a family, I pondered! Hurriedly I scavenged the newspaper to look at the day’s showing. Yes, there was this acclaimed movie on farmer suicides that, going by the rave reviews and ratings, was surely worth a watch. And the PVR website claimed that there were limited seats available so trying to arrive at a consensus with the family members was a gamble.

‘We are going for Peepli Live’ I announced! My father suspecting it to be a movie hoped that I would have spared him from making him budge from the comforts of home and my mom was unconvincingly trying to battle the fact that her plans of making my favorite dish for dinner was just going to be ruined.

With a little bit of coercion, we landed up at the theatre, well ahead of time to do a bit of window shopping at the Forum mall. Then heading straight to the screen, I realized that a theatre was not what it was years ago. Remember the single screen theatres with no signs of cleanliness, haphazard parking and the stench of nicotine at its waiting longue? Or should I just say at the entrance?

We had progressed where 'we' was a collective representation of the upwardly mobile class sans the dichotomy of the social arena. With renewed pride, I swaggered around at the lounge mesmerized by the cola dispenser and the sumptuous menu. Not to forget the super hygienic restrooms that used to earlier disseminate ammonia in abundance, or so I thought. With swanky comfy seats and a clip bragging about the acoustics, we demanded no more than a ‘paisa vasool’ experience. The phones were turned to Silent.

Two plus hours of the movie including an interval for the popcorn and the cola, we finally realized that we were through. I dare not ask my folks for a review I thought for they could be more ruthless than the worst critics or critiques in the media.

I don’t know what followed but we ended up heading back home with my mom suggesting that she rekindle her idea of preparing dinner for the family. We can never go wrong on this one I knew. As we were driving back my dad, with the same sternness in his voice that he is associated with, was curious to know how much I paid for the tickets. I was caught unawares; it wasn’t very possible that he liked the movie since it felt short of my expectation and more importantly the hype. There had to be a reasonable amount that I could quote that would help him fret less. ‘Thousand five hundred rupees’ quipped my younger brother. Well, only if this question was on mathematics, bro! ‘We could have watched the documentary on NDTV instead and that too for free’ my dad retorted. My mom looked shattered and was calculating the bonus groceries she could have done with all that money. I considered myself lucky for not being asked how much the refreshments cost.

It's a Hatric - I am Hopeful

2009-05-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

Just as I had feared, it's a hatric attempt to thwart my hibernation. I believe in being lucky the third time! You see traces of optimism in me? Well, that's precisely what prompted me get back to my blog today.

This might sound repetitive and boring to most of you, but guess what made me jump to my feet very recently? Declarations of Election results of all the things. My idea to spend that Saturday was to be glued to the television the entire day deliberating on who would exhibit better traits of wooing and horse trading. It was dis-heartening to know that the likes of one Mayaben were aspiring to be the PM of the country. I was convinced, no single party will get a 'near' majority. It is going to be a colition government with the regional parties pegged to be the biggest gainers. It was definitely going to get murkier.

I woke up to utter dis-belief that the Congress had been given a clear mandate by the people. Now that doesn't mean I was expecting a Party 'B' to get a majority. But having monitored most of the psephologists rue and based on my gumption this was the last thing I expected. But am I glad that some of the most notorious names in Indian politics have been side-tracked. There are still a few more left, but Utopia is for the books. If the Congress is indeed basking on its dynasty and its prowess, then this is the time for them to prove their worth. There cannot be excuses of a murky coalition anymore that dominated Indian politics for a while now. There is an aura of change and hope in the air. I am watching and I am hopeful. Meanwhile kudos to the media powerhouses of the nation for doing a commendable job on scrutinizing the election and the so called leaders. When I say I am watching you, I know it's possible only through the lens of the media. Jai Ho!

Where have I been?

2007-08-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

This is the question I ask myself today... like every other day. Isn't this too long a hibernation for a blog, especially since blogging is something I really like to do. Not a day passes by without the guilt of being a dormant blogger. Then what stops me? I don't want to force myself for an answer for I know there is none that I would be able to justify. It's just that I stopped blogging and well, period.

There are so many things that I wanted to write about. Every time you hear or see something interesting, it seems good to pen a few words down. And thus there was a backlog of topics, right from the Saving Prince story being aired all day and night on the Indian television channels (it is a stale tale now) to the most recent Sanjay Dutt's incarceration.

So here I am, with my second consecutive post trying to cease my hibernation and here is something for which I wouldn't hope for a hatrick.

While I ward off my guilt before I hit the sack tonight, I know that the clock has started ticking.

I Exist

2007-02-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

Hibernation paused. The last 6 months, when I have been dormant, have seen a lot of changes. Will blog soon... there is so much to blog!

Mumbai Bombed, Spirit of Mumbai Unscathed

2006-07-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Yet another breaking news. Yet another bomb. Yet another upheaval. Yet another ‘All of us are Fine’ call from home. The only thing that remained unchanged is the spirit of Mumbai – the indomitable spirit and the resilience of Mumbaikars. Agree these have become clichés but are justified.

Hats of to all those who, in the presence or absence of cameras beaming live footage, spearheaded the rescue operations. The visuals were distressing – blown up trains with injured passengers, body parts strewn around, blood speckled images. Gory to the core. The sight of Mumbaikars lending their hands, literally, when needed was overwhelming. Picking up corpses, transporting the injured to the hospitals, providing immediate relief, giving lifts to trapped passengers, they did it all.

March 12, 1993 was probably no different. Same with the series of tragedies that have struck Mumbai in the last decade. Last year’s frenzied monsoon mayhem deserves a mention. The common man rising above petty issues gives the nation's morale a boost.

Normalcy restored in Mumbai just the very next day. The milkman at 5, the paper at 6, the domestic help at 7, the local train to Churchgate at 8:11, the ‘sabjiwallahs’ at 12, the postman at 2 – nothing can change.

Unfortunately this very spirit is misused by people with vested interests. The Mumbai riots or the recent furore over a statue desecration being a case in point. Mumbaikars can be easily instigated for all the wrong reasons. The consolation lies in the show of unity displayed when a tragedy occurs.

This incident only exposes the lack of credibility in a Reader’s Digest survey proclaiming Mumbai the ‘rudest’ city in the world! The acts of kindness witnessed mean much more than opening the door for someone.

RESERVED over RESERVATIONS?

2006-06-13T06:58:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to express my opinion on the current reservation imbroglio in this blog. After much cogitation, I hereby elucidate, in rather lucid terms, my reservations on this proposal. Fortunately, the blog world has been spared from the dictums – or so I think.

I Realize – that the majority of the Indian population belongs to the so called ‘underprivileged’ castes.
I Wish – this statistic loses its significance and relevance. It shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
I Agree – that there was considerable caste bias in the era gone by and it is highly condemnable. I Shudder – at the thought that this can be quoted as a reason for quotas for eras to come. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
I Abhor – even the thought of dividing a progressive society in the name of caste (religion now being passé)
I Observe – that reservations have elicited limited success since its establishment.
I Have – acquaintances who have fudged their integrity by regressing themselves as MBC because they were just an OBC.
I Understand – that there are huge vacancies in positions reserved based on caste.
I Fear – that reservations will seep into every possible sphere where it is least desired. (Private sector being the next victim)
I Panic – since I know this will spell disaster for the Indian industries and economy.
I Ponder – why the politicians don’t talk about implementing this quota system for politicians?
I Wonder – what happened to the Women’s reservation bill (sounds familiar)?
I Propose – a system where due consideration is given to the economic background of the students. If our argument is that most of the “under privileged” classes are economically backward then they are the ones who will benefit the most from this.
I Reiterate – that we should not attempt to build a roof without a firm foundation. If only had the government acted post Mandal-1 and worked on providing quality school education, we would not have seen this disparity in judging a student’s merit.
I Appreciate – the energy that this debate has generated.
I Attempt – to convince myself that the country’s future will be safeguarded.

Kaavya ‘Book’ed

2006-05-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

When Kaavya Viswanathan was featured in the TOI a few weeks back, it was a feeling of pride to know that a fellow Indian has done so well to be claimed a reader’s delight. Not that I was impressed by the title of her book but the fact that the reviews couldn’t stop talking about the ‘moolahs’ she was raking at such a young age seemed to indicate that we may have a budding writer with some class.

But what followed has probably been a reason to coil in ignominy for many Indians, especially in the West. Plagiarism rampantly exists but what Kaavya has put herself into is a case of blatant and shabby plagiarism. For Kaavya, to be accepted by an international publisher, is recognition of her talent but this twist to this ‘tale’ does question her credibility.

While criticism is rampant against her, there are also traces of sympathy for Kaavya. A strong contention being made for Kaavya is that Kaavya may be a victim and not an accused. As Shobaa De points out that this book in question, in all probability, is not authored but manufactured in a factory of ‘Alloy Entertainment’! It’s here that the lines were lifted and the book packaged. When it came to showcasing it, Kaavya was chosen to be projected as the author – though all the lines may not be her own. This looks like yet another ‘package’ in the offering.

Inspiration is acceptable. There are lines that you want to read again and again – be it something as obscure as the description of a rock or something that lends a powerful climax to an otherwise unassuming read. The words make a difference and strike a semblance and you generally are able to relate to it. You may be inclined to write under its impact but not copy it verbatim. The lifted lines in ‘How Opal Mehta…’ are no where close to such lines. Why would anyone even with seemingly fits of sanity be inspired in the first place?

If there is indeed a budding writer in Kaavya worth the much talked about ‘moolahs’, the only way Kaavya can silence her critics and bury the past is by trying her hands on another Opal Mehta; probably she can spare the kisses this time!

I Lost a Day!

2006-04-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

I lost a day. Wonder where it went!

Had been rather busy at work since the last 2 weeks. Spent the weekend also at work working late. Thanks to a new project that they assigned me to the moment I reached Hyderabad from Bangalore after a year long sojourn there. Thought I would get to sit on 'bench' for a while and explore the mystery behind it but guess I was unlucky. Others tell me I am lucky. A senior sales manager said this is what happens to people who are too efficient. I was elated.

I had to replace a manager who went onsite for another project and also pursue his green card ambition. And while I was leaving for Chennai for a short vacation, I was asked to attend a client interview in a technology (supposed to be my core expertise) that I didn't have much exposure to. Cleared it nevertheless, since he asked me nothing.

And there I was on a Monday morning at office with loads of tasks half done... or half not done and deadlines surpassed. The domain and technology were different from what I had worked on earlier but my superiors were confident I would pull it through. Tried my bit to convince them that I 'could' be the wrong choice but they convinced me it's me and with my caliber, only me.

Not to let them down and to get onto the learning mode, I accepted it as a challenge. And to say that the week gone by was one of the toughest at work would not be an exaggeration. Grappling with the problem in hand and considering that I was a one man army, I did all I could to finish the task at hand. At times questioned my current role, job profile and situation at hand. Should admit I had some rather helpful colleagues who bailed me out.

This morning was looking at the calendar trying to figure out some dates and was left dazed. Left it at that. Had just finished my assignment yesterday so had to relax for sometime. Picked up a formal shirt and trouser to wear today and decided what I would wear to work tomorrow, tomorrow being a Friday. Convinced myself that they were ironed and not grubby.

Reached office and was more than amused when I saw that I was signing the attendance register for a 21 April marked as Friday. Confused, I tread the way till my floor until I observed everyone is dressed up in jeans and casuals. Accosted a colleague of mine who was rushing somewhere and his reply bewildered me. It just wasn't possible. Of all the people how could I lose track of time and in this case not by minutes but by a day.

Still hunting for the day...Wonder where it went!

The Journey So Far…

2006-03-14T23:32:00.000-08:00

Every moment is ephemeral. Yet there are some which manage to remain eternal; some which manage to cling on to your heart and mind-probably reminiscing the unfolding of events that lead to the transition of an inane and insipid momentary existence into something memorable.

At times, we make a conscious attempt to acknowledge such moments before it ceases to exist. But more often than not, this acknowledgment is much delayed and surfaces only when you subject the ‘PRESENT’ to a comparison with ‘PAST’.

Let me take a quick trip down the memory lane to accentuate this point. Ask someone which was the period of his life that can be termed the most memorable. The odds are high that you would get one’s ‘school days’ as the answer. However, the odds are higher that this response would be in complete contrast with what one would have felt when in school!

The primary school days are generally characterized by an inherent urge to move on to the secondary. Now this would mean being a ‘grown-up’ kid and that being escorted to school was now passé. It would also mean borrowing a Sidney Sheldon or Franklin Dixon from the library instead of the comics, visiting the laboratory and carrying ‘sophisticated’ apparatus in a Geometry box and gaining a certain level of independence - at least to demand pocket-money!

However, what remained unsaid here is the fact that you would be carrying a few additional pounds of books to school; trying to figure out why trigonometry and calculus were discovered in the first place and what significance the French Revolution has in our future! High school also meant that you are subjected to an insurmountable pressure to perform exceptionally well in your exams - a perpetual inadequacy in the current educational system bothering even the kids in nursery or more precisely their parents. Maintaining journals and records for the lab exercises was yet another humongous task especially when the algae and cockroaches depicted in them looked no where close to what it was meant to be.

Under such normal circumstances, it was anything but abnormal to fantasize those going to college with just a book or two in their hands. College was now an epitome of independence, the implications of which seemed rather appealing. College seemed to be an Utopia; an end to all your woes in school. A quick reality check and you discover to your dismay that you have been oblivious of the ground realities. What you perceived as a college, an Utopia, was indeed one but limited to the world of movies and television. As you now stagger around in college, you realize that extensive tests, assignments and soporific lectures were just not your idea of an interesting day in college.

Aspirations tend to rise again and very soon you don the mantle of an office-goer. With your ego now satiated, you swagger around only to be bogged down, this time by either a mundane routine or by reasons inexplicable. Now, how you wished you were back in school!

As time goes by, you see different facets of life. At times you are ecstatic, at times sorrowful, at times guilty with a deep sense of compunction or at times resilient after a state of trial and tribulation. At times when you choose to see what you want to see and not what is there, you feign ignorance and debilitate your existence to the extent that you are convinced that you don’t have to be there. But alas, at a later stage you do understand your folly and wish you had chosen to see it the way it was.

The changing phases and aspirations while we survive in this mystical world throw up one intriguing question – what happens when we cease to exist? I don’t expect an answer for this except from corpses that speak. However, since we are where we are, it would be only right to put the Past, Present and Future in the right perspective and acknowledge the Journey So Far.

It's Party Time folks!

2006-02-10T06:47:00.000-08:00

It's not everyday that you go for an outing or a party. But whenever you do, how does it feel to be in the organizing committee - always?

This question would have evoked a rather altruistic response from me had it not been for the one that I organized along with a few office colleagues. Unfortunately, let me admit, my company 'invests' a measly 300 bucks (me still in India so not referring to dollars) per employee per quarter for recreation. When that amount does not suffice even for a 'quarter' (all those who get sloshed down regularly will get this); it’s difficult to run the show with it. But all said, for gentlemen that we are, the senior management does come to our rescue and sponsors the ‘needful’. And then you see the light at the end of the tunnel and a reason less for not organizing a party.

We learn from our mistakes but sometimes we are congenitally incorrigible. The get-togethers are organized at a time when the budget is going to lapse and the people nurturing all sorts of plans try to impose their ideas on you. Odds are high that the narrowed down date for the Red day coincides with the much awaited leave of ‘X’ who even managed to get it approved.

Consequently, it requires valiance and determination to have a plan and convince others rather than being subdued by the plans imposed on you. Last time around, we were about a half a dozen of us trying to figure out a venue. Not to upset anyone’s towering aspirations, we made ourselves comfortable in a conference room with a phone. And then started a chain of ‘enquiry’ calls, from Taj to Oberoi, Leela to some of the most happening joints, we tried them all; until we realized that we couldn’t afford it. A few of them, on the contrary, were a bit too affordable. For instance, a resort in the outskirts of Bangalore, promised everything under the sun including horse riding, golf, food, drinks, DJ, dance floor for less than 300 bucks per head while the others had quoted 700 bucks for dinner alone. We restrained ourselves even from attempting to ‘negotiate’ further fearing disappointment once we reach that place.

Well, if that wasn’t enough, we got a deadline (the much dreaded word in IT companies) – the get together had to be held the next day. We ran, we checked and then chose the nearby Herbs & Spices as the venue. Wish we had done that earlier! It seemed just right for the hundred odd people that we expected albeit for a hitch – liquor was banned in their premises. Now to think of even a 10% turnout in this case would mean being too optimistic. Finally we managed to convince (coerce could be a better word) them to permit beer which they ‘willingly’ did. However, we failed to convince those from the team who equated beer with Pepsi…

…And then we wished we hadn’t organized the party in the first place.

May be a rather abrupt end for this blog but got to go now…Can hear someone calling me to help in organizing the next get together!

Incarnation or Incarceration?

2005-11-28T23:27:00.000-08:00

IGP Panda has been in the news recently. Mr. Panda believes he is Ms. Radha and he is Ms. Radha of well, none other than Lord Krishna himself. A senior police officer by profession, Mr. Panda transforms himself into Ms. Radha while not at work. Claiming to be Radha’s incarnation, he worships Lord Krishna and is draped in a woman’s attire. A rather effeminate looking Panda draws huge crowds and on-lookers everyday at home and hopefully not worshippers. He is now opting for voluntary retirement from the police and reportedly from all material desires.

A rather obsessed Panda is willing to sacrifice even his wife and kids and tread in a path as ‘instructed’ by Lord Krishna himself. And now for the twist in the tale. There is apparently a woman who claims to be Panda’s disciple and is accompanying him. I wouldn’t be a tad surprised if this lady in question claims to be Lord Krishna’s incarnation to add some legitimacy to their master-disciple ‘relationship’.

While Panda’s wife and friends are crying foul, Panda seems to be unperturbed by these accusations. Panda deserves incarceration for this incarnation claim unless Lord Krishna himself descends to defend him.

Breaking News

2005-11-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

Every morning I have to concede to my addiction to the newspaper. The first thing I would like to do is be stupefied by R.K.Laxman’s ingenious creativity in ‘Who Said It?’ Then a glance at the daily horoscope with renewed skepticism followed by a few dedicated hours reading all the breaking and non-breaking news rather religiously. I have grown up reading the Times of India (TOI) – Bombay edition and later The Hindu – Chennai edition. Both newspapers have created a niche for themselves. After a few months of reading TOI– Hyderabad edition, I now get to read TOI and The Hindu - Bangalore edition.

My day, today, started just this way. Newspapers may not always be unbiased in giving the right emphasis to the news on hand. Often, tabloid newspapers do resort to flashy images or highlighted font to draw attention to a news story that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. However, certain issues that get sensationalized deserve a prudent thought.

Words elude me as I try to describe an article I read today. A girl had accused her father of molesting her about almost two decades ago. After an expected long winding judicial process, the father was finally convicted and sentenced to life term in prison. And now, the girl, married, well settled and mother of two, retracts her accusation and says she had to say that on the behest of her mother who had coerced her to incarcerate her husband after an estranged relationship. Undoubtedly, the person adjudicated as the criminal till now deserves sympathy and the ‘victim’ damnation.

This incident throws one glaring point at the judicial system. Isn’t it always that a ‘victim’ and in such cases especially, render a heart broken image and influences the judgment in her favor. This may be acceptable but not until no stone is left unturned in the investigation which was evidently lacking in this case. However, it makes the case all the more complicated for the police and the judges alike; to do justice to just since often an unbiased view is stymied when you take the general perception and opinion at large. It’s time to get to the specifics and ensure that nothing is generalized and that the yardstick is appropriately chosen to gauge the situation at hand – a more empirical than a hypothetical assessment is required.

Well, as you ponder over this, let me end by listing two more incidents which caught by attention - A man drove his ‘Innova’ over his girlfriend repeatedly because she said she is willing to die for him! The girl is likely to be paralyzed for her life. Wonder what happened to the girl’s sensibilities when she agreed to be run over him. She had the confidence that he wouldn’t do it, didn’t she? And the other one, a couple hang themselves after their only kid is killed in an accident…

Time to introspect the ‘BREAKING NEWS’ flashing on the television screens?

Controversies Galore

2005-11-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

It’s a problem of plenty. Just too many controversies to write about. What would happen if the world is denied its share of controversies and controversies die a sudden death? It would be the mother of all controversies!

Often, contentious issues lead to controversies when there is no attempt to reconciliation between the warring parties. A typical human tendency is to be submissive to one’s ego and that reason is good enough to shatter even the remotest of the remote chances of appeasement. But this may not be all since at times you have a big problem. A problem for which there seems to be darkness even beyond the tunnel.

Well, just trying to list down a few controversies that made it ‘Big’ in the media recently.

Saif Ali Khan won the best actor National award for Hum Tum. Saif is an amazing actor- Yes but in Dil Chahta hai and Kal Ho Na Ho. But a national award for a movie like ‘Hum Tum’, when you had some strong contenders like Shahrukh for his best role till date in ‘Swades’? Sharmila Tagore probably can’t defend her role as Saif’s mother influencing the selection process.

I*PM, the much talked about university, was on top of the bloggers’ list for taking a fellow blogger to court. I had rather refrain from commenting, else I wouldn’t be surprised to see a legal notice in my mailbox. On second thoughts, why should I? It is an absolute invasion of the right to expression. Whatever happened to the right to discern?

Another point in case to prove blatant encroachment on one’s right to voice one’s opinion is the recent ruckus created over Khushboo’s (a Tamil actor who has temples with her idol installed and worshipped) comment. If not anything, it was clearly politicized. Well, those who came to her rescue, were made soft targets and they literally had to take back their words. Talk about being tolerant towards gross intolerance!

Chennai, a city still backward, may not be in the IT sphere, but in the outlook and general perception at large, saw a vernacular newspaper flashing photos ‘exposing’ the so-call mis-doings in public space. Apparently, public space refers to a private lounge of a star hotel. Now how would this happen to be a ‘public’ space and more importantly if you find couples sharing intimate moments and likely with their spouses, would you consider it even a tad ethical and moral to flash them on the newspaper. The very purpose of trying to ‘expose’ something is lost for you indulge in over-exposing it. It is people with such insular attitude and perception without an iota of responsibility who resort to actions that may be euphemistically described as ‘moral policing’ and in general called ‘rowdism’.

Cricket controversy is ubiquitous. And with Saurav Ganguly finding a place in the Indian Test cricket team only time will tell if it is the end of this controversy or the beginning of another one.

Another investigation was ordered yesterday on how the investigation and inquiry of the Kanishka AI bombing case was conducted. An investigation for an investigation and a controversy over another controversy.

I can go on and on but will put an ephemeral end to this blog and all the controversies surrounding it for now. Will blog on another controversy soon.

WE the Gullibles, THEY the Fraudsters ?

2005-10-26T02:20:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered there are how many ways of deceiving the public? Well, stop wondering for the number is going to be exponentially proportional to the number you have in your hand. My evening, after I am back home, invariably starts with me fiddling with the remote to, well what else, the idiot box.

As is the case with many, I end up surfing channels, getting to watch a show in between commercials. One such evening I was surprised to find a channel called P**Y TV. Well, curiosity got the better of me and I felt compelled, as never before, to refrain from fiddling with the remote for some time.

It didn’t take much time for me to figure out that deluding gullible people was the cup of tea for many! The show was about a huge amount, a loquacious host (read a liar) and a morphed image of a celebrity. The show worked this way- the viewers were expected to SMS the name of the celebrity to 7575 (you expect me to forget the number when someone keeps yelling it at a frequency in which you wouldn’t even blink or breathe?) and the one who sends the maximum SMSs will get a call from the host. If he guesses it right, he wins a jackpot of a few hundred thousand rupees. The catch is that there is no catch at all in the game. The hosts (they change every hour) motivate you and promise that you are the one who is going to be the winner. How justified this would be when a few thousand people watch this show, is beyond my comprehension. It in fact defers the law of humanity.

It sounds so frivolous to ask someone to identify someone of the likes of Shahrukh or Sachin! What’s worse is that there are callers who identify Shahrukh as Tushar Kapoor. These charlatans are undoubtedly hand in gloves with the producers. You would then find the hosts rumbling about how all the other viewers are wrong and you are the only sane intellectual on earth. All of us do like to be flattered, but with such gross deluding tactics, I wouldn’t be a bit impressed, neither would I find it amusing.

No wonder this looks like one big Play from P**Y TV!

Priceless Thoughts

2005-08-29T02:46:00.000-07:00

An Eye for an Eye makes the whole world Blind.
~ Mahatma Gandhi

All for a Play!

2005-08-23T05:28:00.000-07:00

Not very long ago, I was accosted by the college Dean when I was hastily walking towards the classroom. ‘Accosted’ would not be an inappropriate word because being late to the classroom and that too for a grumpy lecturer’s soporific class would mean losing one day’s attendance (read losing 100 bucks as fine). And if I happen to be really fortunate and have a test in that hour then I am expected to take a retest (read shelling out 500 bucks for that god damned test…not that we were interested in taking it but were compelled to).

I really don’t know the extent of my luck but I happened to have one of my classmates around. The only thing that the Dean said after our formal ‘Good Morning Mam’ was ‘Can you direct a play for the college?’ and thus began a saga. Mahesh Dattani’s ‘Where There’s a Will’ was selected and auditions were conducted. Accepted, it did take some time to convince the students that our college had some good intentions indeed and we managed to shun their cynicism (and ours). We really didn’t take much time to select the actors and to figure out the roles for (1.) There were not many options that we had and (2.) The options that we had were good and just suited the roles. So we were about 3 directors (yes, you read it right) and 5 actors.

We then became accustomed to something called ‘Play Practice’ which mandated that everyone stays back after college hours. Not many were complaining for it was nothing but sheer fun to be dabbling with theater. I still can recount all the pranks that were played and the time of our life that we had in pulling each other’s leg. We didn’t stop there. We managed to meet up at someone’s place and practice – even during vacation! At times, though, there were 3 directors and just 1 actor who had turned up! A further boost to our zeal was when the Dean assured a hefty sum for the expenses for the play for which students from many colleges and noted personalities were to be invited. However, the cynicism raving within us couldn’t have been a fallacy. It wasn’t long before the Dean expressed her disappointment in not being able to convince the management to sponsor the staging of the play. The alternative was approaching potential sponsors (sigh). At a time when the students were struggling to get sponsorship for the other technical symposiums, getting one for the play didn’t seem to be a viable option. The play was indefinitely postponed and till date status quo is maintained on that even after all the actors and directors have passed out of the college ;-)

It was a thoroughly eventful and enjoyable experience to be involved in this play but for the fact that we never got a chance to stage it. This disappointment was recently over-shadowed when I did get a chance to see that play at Rangashankara, Bangalore. ‘Where There is a Will’ was presented by Urja and Top Cast, troupes based in Bangalore. It essentially is a humorous family melodrama. The most consoling factor was that it seemed to be just the way we had thought of directing it. I couldn’t help mumbling the dialogues much to the dismay of an elderly woman sitting to my left whose disgruntled looks said it all. My pretentious pride could not be compromised for her genuine concern of having the actors echo the dialogues after me.

The play though a long one (two acts, two scenes, two hours ;-) was well paced with adequate pauses (and applauses) that were required to emphasize the subtle humor. The Directors’ touch to some scenes, which otherwise may have paled into insignificance, was commendable.

I had, a few months back, managed to see another play of Mahesh Dattani – Final Solutions staged by Voices at Nani’s Arena, Bangalore. It was an intense play on communal violence which had fetched Dattani the Sahitya Academy Award. It was interesting to see two strikingly different plays by the same playwright and in both cases being successful.

Hope I get to see another play very soon or better still direct one. After all, ‘All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy’!

Snippets

2005-08-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

1. KBC is back and has got a new lifeline, well literally. This was one show that minimized traffic on Mumbai’s busy roads in the night and generated a craze for General Knowledge, something that had been neglected for long. It actually had people thronging stores to pick up books with the ‘Umeed’ (Hope) that they could win the much publicized prize money. Ask them about the knowledge gained and they would snide ‘who wants that anyway?’ And now we are talking about ‘Dugna Umeed’ (Double Hope…a literal translation, don’t blame me).

KBC-2 can definitely not re-create the magic but at least it will give the much needed respite from the ‘Saas-Bahu’ soaps and ‘Super singer’ hunts. (I must admit, the track by the super singer of a popular music channel is for the dogs and I am sure that the dogs would object to it and file a defamation suit against me for being blatantly intolerant to their pristine sentiments!). The charm of Amitabh Bachchan still mesmerizes me and millions of others across the world.

2. 6th August was the 60th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. This is of immense relevance today as the world might be a witness to just another nuclear war. My homage to the helpless victims. Hoping that the erstwhile Allies learn some lessons on humanity.

3. Independence Day is just across the corner and time for politically ignited speeches by the politicians feigning patriotism. Well, at least most of them! Looking forward for Mangal Pandey – The Rising. After a hiatus of four years which was preceded by Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai, Aamir is making a grand comeback and hope he satiates our expectations. What better way to revive patriotism within us, just in case it has got diluted since last Independence Day or Republic Day?

4. The anti-Sikh riot report by the Nanavati Commission was out and looks like we are not going to find any takers to implement the actions as recommended by it. So that signifies that normalcy prevails in India. Time for another commission for another riot?

Happy Friendship Day to all…!

So Far yet So Near…

2005-08-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

My grandma passed away yesterday. It’s the first time that someone so close to me has left forever. There are many things about my Grandma which made her really special. (I am still coming to terms with writing about her in the past tense).

For one, she was affectionate and utmost caring. Just two things that would annoy her were not having lunch or dinner on time and being just a few seconds late to return home from school/college. On numerous occasions, you could find her with moist eyes, waiting for someone at the window. No words of consolation would convince her.

It had always given me pride in accompanying my grandma, be it to the temple or to a marriage. The reception she got everywhere would make her escort (lucky me) swagger with renewed pride. The respect and following that she commanded were well deserved for she was the eldest in the family and was magnanimous while she showered affection and blessings. At times, even strangers, be it the postman or the courier boy, would be the privileged ones to get her best wishes in broken Hindi, something which they would comprehend primarily because of her tone and actions.

Afternoons on holidays would mean that I persuade her to narrate tales of good old times. You could not afford to miss the narration of how she brought up her children in the remote village without any of the luxuries that are now ubiquitous and more of a necessity. That includes electricity. Often the reaction to these would be that of excitement or disbelief. On the other hand my grandma, having traveled abroad quite a few times, would recount fascinating anecdotes from the West, which would be a treat to your ears.

As I take a trip down the memory lane, my life is suddenly filled with a void; a void that I know can never be overcome. I will be visiting Bombay next week and I know there wouldn’t be a familiar figure at the window that my eyes would be searching for from quite a distance. Also on second thoughts, I am given to imagine that the incessant rains in Bombay were just an indication that the Rain Gods are descending to escort her.

Miss you thathi, you may be very far but you still are very near.

Mumbai 'D'rained Out!

2005-08-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

Mumbai is in the news everywhere, this time for a different reason altogether. The commercial hub of India is inundated. It has let its pride and assets go down the drain.

Having seen Mumbai stand through different situations, it wasn't surprising to see the callous attitude of the officials or the gross delinquency on the part of the Government. At the same time, it wasn't surprising to see the sheer resilience of the typical Mumbaikar.

One unique thing about Mumbai is that in situations like these, everyone is affected. Be it someone staying in the posh Juhu or in Dharavi-Asia's largest slum, be it the pub-hopping bloke or the one of the many daily-wage labourers - just no one is spared. The magnitude of loss suffered is just not justified. The images of Mumbai are alarming and its impact is felt almost all across the globe.

I plan to visit Mumbai in a few days from now and hope the resilience shown by Mumbaikars bails me out of any soup – if I happen to land on one there!

Here I Am...

2005-08-01T02:01:00.000-07:00

I have done it. I finally have a blog. It's been ages since I have been contemplating whether to go for a blog or not. And now that I have decided, it's a reason to celebrate. However, I have realized that I have been rather late in making an entry to the world of blogs for it's taken me quite a while in getting an appropriate name for the blog. This has been a rather challenging task for me.
It wasn't long back that I listed down 2 potential names for this blog. I was quite surprised to see that both were unavailable. My next 2 dozen attempts to be creative proved futile. It's then I shunned co-incidence as a cause of this and accepted that I am just a bit late in the game.
On the positive side, the game has just begun and here I am.