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Saw an interesting Bengali movie - Khaad/The Fall - recently. Khaad which translates roughly into deep ravine or pit, is also metaphorically the abyss into which we as humans have sunk and the deep levels of mistrust we nurse against each other. It is a imaginatively handled film by director Kaushik Ganguly, one of our out-of-the box film makers today. We have a mixed bag of people forced to remain stuck in a ravine in the company of each other for a whole day and night. What is interesting is that these people are hostile, not only towards each other, but also within their small units, whether as a couple, mother-offspring, family unit etc. They nurse deep-rooted grudges against each other, resenting the limitations enforced on them. While one cannot do without the other, one cannot accept the other completely either. So the bickering, squabbles, flare-ups. Human drama is played out through relationship struggles. Daughter resents her family attempts to separate her from her love...

All of us use the internet and are conversant with social networking. Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in, Instagram, Whats-app, you name it, we are on it. But in spite of being such avid users of the net, how many of us are familiar with the rules of etiquette one should use while on the net? We all "like" posts, tweet and retweet, comment on blogs and updates. But do we realize the inherent responsibility as netizens? Without exception, everybody wants to be liked for their pictures, posts and blogs. This human need for being recognized is present in all of us, and it often takes extreme proportions in virtual life. But while we need to be liked, others too have this need, and just being active on social media doesn't make them easy targets for loose comments or sarcasm from us. Many of us who are otherwise shy or reclusive become bold on the net and on social media. Under the anonymity the internet offers, we feel free to comment on or criticize any one without fear o...

Shelley had written these lines which stayed with me through all these years after graduation: "We look before and after, and pine for what is naught.... ......Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought" Winter brings with it a sense of melancholy in the evenings, a sense of ruing for what could have been, of hidden regrets. Human nature is such that regrets form a substantial part of our consciousness. We constantly pine for what has not happened, what we did not do, what could have occurred. This yearning for a changed reality often takes away from us the sweetness of the actual moment. We keep looking into the past and yearning for a better future. How about thankfulness for the present joys? Most of us don't live in the present, so to say. Lets make a conscious decision to live life as it is, one day at a time. As if supposing our breath were to stop tomorrow. Can we let go of our life without regrets? Have I done what I really wanted to do, o...

Euthanasia or mercy killing continues to be a debatable issue in most countries. In India, the so-called human rights and medical associations raise their hackles whenever the issue crops up. No one has the right to decide when a person becomes totally unfit to leave, they say, with their holier than thou attitudes. As long as their is life, there is hope for survival, etc. So we have a long bed-ridden, vegetating Aruna Shanbaug kept alive just to suit the opinions of these experts. She has no consciousness, can't even do the basic functions, except breathing, but she has not been granted mercy death. I am sure there must be countless patients like her, brain dead, limb dead, mere vegetables just kept alive on the ventilator, by money squeezing doctors and hospitals. Of what use is such life and for whom? The patient has long ceased to live, is just existing with external aid. How long do you want to prolong the misery of the patient and that of the relations? Doesn't eve...

On Sunday's episode of "Satyameva Jayate", the show's host, superstar Aamir Khan had brought in three popular actresses of Hindi cinema to comment on the day's topic of harassment of women. All the actresses were very vocal about their strong dislike for unwanted male attention. They were unanimous in their disapproval of lewd behaviour and antics that are apparently inspired by the hero's similar antics on screen. So far so good. After all they totally decried the emulation of eve-teasing behaviour that is often depicted in popular Bollywood cinema. As modern, rational thinking women of today, such denunciation was expected from them. But the question remains of why they themselves agree to do raunchy, explicit item numbers on screen, which cause more rampant damage because they show the female body packaged as a sexual toy? Deepika's recent portrayal of a bar dancer in "Happy New Year" blatantly cashes in on her raunchy dance numbers showi...

Is it important to be nice to get ahead in life? That's a question I am sure bugs almost everyone at some stage or another of life. Is it okay to step on someone's toes or even sidestep somebody while running the rat race? People who don't matter, who are "nobodies"; should we bother about them? I feel yes, we should keep people's feelings in mind, even if they don't matter. Of course, that doesn't mean that you keep asking permission for doing things, or repeatedly apologizing to people. It simply means giving other people due consideration, saying a thank-you, letting your ego go and so on. Nothing can be achieved alone. Remember to acknowledge and thank your team members when you succeed Your life doesn't end at the workplace.....your family is your backbone. Remember and appreciate the sacrifices they make to see you go up the ladder When someone comes to you with a problem, it does not mean you have to deny responsibility. Take your sh...

"Swachh Bharat". Sounds rather nice.....much like "Achhe Din aane wale hain"! The intention behind the slogan is also genuine no doubt. But much like "achhe din", "swachh Bharat" is hardly possible without us changing ourselves and our rather doubtful habits of cleanliness. The great Indian tendency is to resist any kind of change, especially if it involves any kind of discomfort to him/herself. So, the quintissential Bharatiya will support Modi's campaign verbally, even tutor his/her kids dutifully, but a paradigm shift in habits and mentality? No way sir! Its too drastic! After all you have people in swanky cars and spotlessly clean clothes chucking empty cola cans and used wafer packets on the streets. I have seen this scene so many times that I don't even get angry anymore. Or what about the suited, booted share market investor who spits out his pan spittle on the stair walls? Or the yuppie collegian who coolly spits out her gum ...

Baajlo Tomar Aalor Benu!  Today is Mahalaya, the official opening of the Devi Pakkha or the Fortnight of the Goddess Durga. The Goddess has been ushered in,....She is about to grace the earth with Her divine footsteps.  Let us all clear the dust and cobwebs of our minds and homes, and spruce these to host the Divine Mother. She Who is the Destroyer of Evil and Sloth, She who brings with Her, bounties of Peace and Wellness.  These are trying times on this planet, and we desperately need divine aid and assistance in restoring the balance and sanity of things. The Devi, who is blessed with the Third Eye, and who is Omnipresent and Ever Alert, needs to tackle several asuras in Her short stint. Her home state lies in shambles, and Her people could never be more devoid of optimism and cheer.  May She bless us mortals with Her Infinite Grace and Dignity, and lead us to awaken the Mahishasur Mardinis within our souls.   May this Durgotsab bring Joy a...

Doctors and teachers, once held in the highest esteem for their service to society, have become the new mercenaries in India. Both these noble professions have been demeaned by the current breed of money hungry medical and academic practitioners today. In India, teaching, particularly in schools, is not the preferred profession of the brightest academics. Instead people take it up for the weirdest of reasons. Women have a tradition of preferring this profession for the convenience of timings and vacations. For others, it is often the last career option, after being rejected in the selection rounds of other, more preferred, corporate or administrative positions. So we have a situation in which most school teachers are either frustrated wannabe scientists or historians, mathematicians or linguists. Since teaching is not their first love, how can they withstand its rigours and challenges? Most teachers are an over-burdened lot, with 40-50 students to manage in one class. So compassio...

Tomorrow India celebrates her Independence Day with the routine parades and speeches. A remembrance of past glories and the extreme sacrifices made by our nationalist heroes and heroines only to see the dream of freedom come true. A dream which came true eventually, albeit at a great cost and the loss of many precious lives. However, whether freedom actually came or not is still a big question mark. Freedom, yes, we had from foreign domination, but we stepped into the domination of our home-grown netas. Who have been exploiting and oppressing the common people endlessly, perhaps even more than our foreign rulers did. The poor remained poor, dying of starvation and exploitation; and some people fattened up at the cost of the ignorant masses. Women and children continue to be tortured, and beaten into suppression; religious animosity continues, ready to flame up at any instant; education still remains a distant dream; and healthcare services and sanitation still remain exclusive. We...

Another mindless Hindi flick becomes a blockbuster, crosses the 200 cr. mark. Salman Khan's Kick, hailed by everyone as a supreme no-brainer, expectedly sets box-office afire. Its really amazing, the Indian viewer's tolerance towards, and endorsement of Bollywood trash. Cocking a snook towards critics and reviews, filmmakers laugh all the way to the bank on the basis of their masala pot-boilers. A little of everything: superhero gymnastics, social message, violence, revenge, romance, eve-teasing, item song and dance, bicep flexing, and voila, you have a readymade recipe for a hit. Add an ageing hero, with a massive, crazy fan-following, and you have a blockbuster on your hands. No logic, no rationale can explain this phenomena. I wonder about it again and again, after Dabangg 1 &2, Chennai Express, Dhoom 3, Krish 3, all go down in Bollywood history as top grossing blockbusters. What is it about these films that people flock to see them? Is it the ageing hero, who epi...

Sometimes a mere moment's oversight or neglect can cause you to regret incessantly afterwards. It happened with me, when a preoccupied mind caused me to miss a step and slide down the stairs, eventually breaking my right foot bone. So now I am stuck with a heavy plaster cast starting from under the knee and stretching downwards to cover my entire foot. My orthopedic thinks it is the best guard against further damage to the injured foot. I think it is the worst load to be stuck with, and would gladly trade anything to get rid of it much before the stipulated 6 weeks time is over. But that is not to be. And so I go back again and again to the scene of the accident, and wish and wish that I had been more careful. Why was I not more alert, why did I not watch my step, what was I thinking, and so on and so forth. But one's regrets cannot bring back the lost moment, nor can one rewind and tweak life. So one has to live with unpleasant reality, however inconvenient it is. And o...

Shocking statistics as per census data, reported in Times of India (July 3, '14): Nearly 160 million women in India, 88% of whom are of working age, just remain at home doing "household duties"!! What a colossal shame! The newspaper also reports that  this is partly due to social pressures, and partly the result of economic policies that have offered no opportunities for women . Which means that even women who are willing and qualified to work are not employed because of lack of proper openings. So all the talk of equal opportunity and creating an all-inclusive workforce cannot be taken at face value. While economic policies are certainly to blame for poor growth and dwindling employment opportunities, it is also true that corporate houses have obviously not made an effort to go the extra mile. Employing married women entails making certain adjustments and tweaking HR policies, which most organizations are unwilling to do. Who wants to ruffle feathers and seem b...

A complex saga covering three generations, and vast spans of time and space – that’s how one can describe The Lowland.  Heart-wrenchingly real and relentlessly honest, the story evokes strong emotions in readers. What is right, what wrong, what is real, what imagined, what is proper, what improper, all lines get blurred. What remains is a very humane story of very relatable characters, of people who seem to come alive on the pages, who remind you of people you have met somewhere. Jhumpa Lahiri has always handled complex relationship tales in her past literary forays, but this tale is at a different level altogether. Here we have a tapestry of the complex socio-political backdrop of 60s’ Calcutta, which triggers all events and eventually shapes the fate of the characters. The Naxalite movement in Calcutta, is described in so much accurate detail, down to its gory, misplaced ideologies, how it stamped the collective consciousness of an entire generation of youth in the country,...

Happy Father's Day to all fathers. Its the day to remember the sacrifices you have made and the sweat you have put in to raise your children. I mean just look at you - working day and night, often against your will, submerging your desires to bring in finances, giving up your dreams to cherish the dreams of your children, why you deserve a big thank you!! Today, things are even tougher for you. You have to figure out mind-boggling decisions - how much freedom to give your kids, how much to indulge them? The toughest nut to crack is how to instill good values and discipline in their minds without being preachy. Poor dad - how does he remain a figure his kids can look up to, yet not be intimidated by? Children today are miles ahead of you, you cannot demand their respect on account of position alone, you have to earn it. The traditional roles of the father as the provider, and the lord and master of the house have undergone massive transformation. Also the father may not be ...

Jaishree Misra is an immensely readable author, with an easy and engaging style. She writes about people like you and me, ordinary characters undergoing extraordinary crises in their lives. Though her books don't exactly fall in the realm of serious literature, I found a lot of deep insights and reflection in her heart-wrenching tales. And unlike other popular Indian English writers, she does not write chick lit, or about the ultra-modern IT or BPO generation, so it becomes easier for ordinary middle-class folk like me to identify with her characters. As a Malayalee married to a north Indian, she has seen both cultures well enough to write about them. She sets her stories either in Kerala or in Delhi, both places being close to her heart. Her protagonist makes the proverbial journey from India to the west, in this case, London, where life altering experiences take place. Or they leave India to escape tumultuous situations in their lives here. Destiny or nemesis catches up with t...

Today a new government comes to power in India. Let us hope this government does not succumb to vote-bank politics and corruption. Let us hope that our chosen Prime Minister is strong in intention while keeping an open mind. And that he keeps the nation's best interests in mind while maintaining India's multi-layered, multi-hued secular and cultural fabric. And my wish list goes on to include: No compromise in India's internal and external security Safety for women and children across all social strata Opportunities for pursuing higher education, ie., more technical colleges and institutes of good quality Investment in infrastructure and roads in all cities and towns Investment in industry and commerce which will lead to more jobs Health and old age assistance for the elderly Better managed hospitals and medical facilities Immediate and extreme punishment to offenders against children, women, the weak and the disabled And freedom to everyone to express their...

It's Mothers Day, the day the West commemorates mothers by showering them with compliments and gifts. And we in India have, over the last few years, warmed up to the idea of honouring our mothers for the incessant sacrifices they make throughout the year. But aren't our mothers worth much much more than just a day's recognition? The first loving presence that warmed us, the first face we started to recognize, the first hand that held us through our troubles, the first shoulder we cried on......., the list is endless. How can we ever begin to thank that presence which is next only to the Almighty for most of us. She never even expects us to turn around and say thank you, for that matter. Whatever we say to or do for our mother pales in comparison to what she does for us. All she asks for, in return, is that we stay safe, secure and loved. Of course there are overbearing and dominating mothers, who are known to crush their o...

A growing percentage of old and ailing population in the country has not yet sensitized our people to the plight of the aged. Statistics show that this number is on the rise, and soon we will have almost 30% Indians above the 60+ mark. Yet we remain callous and unconcerned, as if it is a problem in someone else's backyard. What is even more alarming is that among the aged population, there is a rise of those afflicted by dementia, schizophernia, depression, alzimer's, and other age related mental diseases. Not to mention diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, kidney problems, oesteoporosis, arthritis and other chronic physical diseases. These people need specialized medical treatment, and often just a litte humane concern and attention. A shocking number of lonely deaths of old people have been reported in the recent past. But we as a society have failed them. We are so caught up with pandering to our young, that our old ...

Rio 2 is a delightful little film, full of bubbly maverick characters. The story is of Blu, the city-bred, app-addicted blue macaw, his wild, fiesty wife - Jewel, their three prankster kids, their sundry friends and foes. This is also the story of endangered fauna of the Amazon forests, the fast disappearing green cover, and the efforts of some humans to preserve the delicate eco-system. The beauty of the movie is in its brilliant frames, full of vibrant colour, and the pulsating music and splashy dances. The constant gags and witty one-liners keep us in splits, while driving home the point gently. We need to preserve our natural treasures, which face anhiliation at the hands of greedy businessmen.  There are a number of memorable scenes like the one where Jewel comes home with a hard-earned nut for breakfast, only to meet her pancake eating family glued to the TV. She concludes that it is time to introduce them to their natural habitat! Then there is the scene where...

Summer is on us like the harsh light of reality after one wakes from a pleasant dream. In our country, it is the steadiest season, always arriving dot on time, and overstaying its welcome till October-November. Never has summer failed to scorch in India. Shakespeare rightly called April the cruellest month, though this was not quite what he meant! The 'rudra avatar' of the mighty sun is on full display, burning and scalding everything in its ambit. Birds and animals on the streets are the worst hit, thirsting for water everywhere. Humans have it no better, though the well-off have the option of hiding indoors in AC comfort. As usual, the man or woman on the street suffers the most, whether it is your door-to-door salesman, or traffic constable, postmen or vegetable vendors. For them, it is really a question of sweating it out for their bread and butter. And then, we have the infamous power cuts (which have no relation to depletion of political p...

Much as we talk about women's empowerment, how much is the Indian woman really empowered? Does employment and climbing the corporate ladder mean empowerment? Or is it about the freedom to make choices on your own? Without the load of expectations and implied role non-fulfilment? I feel an employed woman is under more pressure in India. Not only does she bear the guilt of neglecting her house and family, she also has to cater to unreasonable demands of caregivers or retainers. Then her husband and children keep making demands on the little time she has at home. So where is her me-time? Does she get to do what she really wants, what she enjoys? And here, I am talking about the average middle-class working woman, not the high-flying corporate big-shot. It is double bondage for her - at work, everyone expects her to prove herself, and at home she has to prove her commitment. The clerical grade of banks, insurance companies and big corporates are filled with such women, who often r...

Have just come back from a refreshing trip to  Puri, a throbbing town in Orissa, a tourist destination as well as a religious hotspot. It's location, alongside the Bay of Bengal, gives it a unique sea coast and lovely beaches. A favourite of Bengali travellers from time immemorial, Puri has reigned supreme in the list of favoured travel destinations of the die-hard Bengali. Its proximity to Kolkata makes it almost like home away from home while on travel. The sea at Puri is turbulent most of the time, with successive waves crashing on top of each other continuously. The effect is that of unruly kids tumbling and falling over each other! At night the sea seems to acquire a different character, a hauntingly mysterious entity beckoning with its dark vastness. The best part is that the town is very much alive at night, with its bustling markets and well lit beaches. The uniqueness of Puri lies in its bustle and its homeliness. It do...

WoW!! What a film. Makes you laugh, cry, smile, long, wish, sing, all at the same time. Very rarely do you have a film which ticks all right boxes on the emotional front, AND makes you sit up and think. QUEEN is such a film. I never thought I would have to say this, but HATS OFF TO KANGNA RANAUT!! The girl lives the role; her expressions are so genuine, you want to reach out and give her a huge hug for being such a braveheart. It takes guts to do such a role with so much conviction. No big names backing the project, no glamour or glitz, no "hero" to back up; just plain powerhouse performance. Kudos to the director too, for such an honest attempt, and such apt selection of actors. And what a character; truly a QUEEN, in the real sense of the word. As the girl rejected at the outset of the movie for not being "mod" enough, she stuns her detractors and family alike with her adaptability. She does not judge, does not criticize, she just accepts. Touching everybody...

If there is one thing the modern homosapien is really paranoid about in this networked age, it is about missing out on their online life. It is a phobia more pronounced than anything else, as if our very next breath depended on whether our social network know-how was up-to-date ( which is mostly about where Sam partied last night, or when Rita went for her morning jog, or what Amer had for lunch)! Many would rather have robust virtual personalities, and active on-line presences rather than real-life friends. So at the cost of being unsocial in real life, we hanker after glorious on-line images. Our holidays are not worth it, if we haven't got sufficient likes for the snaps we posted. That dinner at the up-market boutique hotel is stuck in our throats till we post about it realtime. The party ain't happening unless it makes it to Facebook history as the most 'liked' do. This fear of being left out or not being liked enough online 'virtual...

The sun shines brighter; the wind blows lighter Spring is in the air Birds are chirping, buds are blooming, Spring is in the air Winter's gone and summer's on the way, Lets pause a bit and look afresh Life is renewing, rejuvenating Spring is in the air

Currently most families with young children in India are under the grip of a serious malaise called examination fever. Its annual exam time in most schools, and all stake holders are severly affected. Students, teachers, parents, private tutors, evaluators, everybody is gripped by exam performance anxiety. Its no longer confined to the examinee alone, it spreads to all those who come in touch with him/her, including relatives and neighbours. Its no laughing matter, this. I am sure no where in the world is this malaise so powerful and pronounced as in our country. We are a studies obsessed nation . Here a child's worth is evaluated by his/her last exam result, not by what he/she is capable of. No matter what the child's other talents may be, if he/she fails (God forbid!) to secure at least "pass" marks in all subjects , which are as varied as Geography to Geometry, he/she becomes a social outcast. No one wants to be associated with the child anymore, not friends ...

I am watching a kitten frolicking on the ground and pausing from time to time to look beseechingly into my eyes. Can anything be more pleasurable than watching a playful kitten? Or, for that matter, a baby playing and gurgling with delight? The sheer innocence, the wonder in the eyes, the energy in the limbs, the joyous spirit, nothing compares to these. And what happens when the human child grows up? Burdened under parental and teachers' expectations, and the pressures of performing in a rigid school environment, the child forgets its natural vivacity and innocence. The playfulness soon gets buried under tomes of books, worksheets, exam papers, project workbooks et al. Everybody gets busy in grooming and moulding the child into becoming something of a genius in all activities. What happens to the natural child? Does he/she get the time and space to be on his/her own? Coming back to the kitten, it will soon become a strapping cat, full of survival skills and boundless ...

Today was the 65th Republic Day of India, a country which is supposedly a superpower in the making. One more anniversary in the vast and complex history of this country. Yet, a curious sense of fatigue and apprehension fills the minds of the ordinary people of India. Another round of elections are round the corner, yet we all can more or less anticipate the results. There is no dearth of people willing to lead the country, but unfortunately no one we can completely place our trust in. With more flaws and blemishes than achievements in their record, our esteemed politicians flounder and blunder repeatedly. And the newbies aren't better either. Politicians must understand that mere gimmickry has has its day; now is the time for performance. The man on the street is more aware now, so parties have to stop using their age-old bags of tricks, namely the religion/caste/sect/class cards. People not only want firmness in dealing with problems, but also a clear-cut plan for growth. ...

One of the most delightful moments in a parent's life is when her child achieves something and is recognized for it. I felt a surge of emotion when I saw my little angel perform as the lead dancer at her annual dance function last Sunday. Its not that I was seeing her on stage for the first time (she has been performing since she was four), but the feelings are the same every time. Pride, maternal love, happiness, a sense of personal achievement, all overflowed. I felt all the more fulfilled because she is literally the centre of my universe, the core of my existence. I have chosen to look after her as my full-time occupation, so that when she arrives from school, all agog with the excitement of the day's events, she finds me waiting to listen to her. Of course, some minor compromises were in order for this privilege. Like not opting for a full-time job, or not taking any traveling assignments. I have seen her wait expectantly for me on the occasions I have been unable to be...