Namaskar! I'm Bob Biswas and you are dead!

So, i watched Kahani the other day and i liked it. I know that is not very surprising... Everybody who saw it, liked it. Some of them expected the twist in the end, for some it was totally unexpected. But everyone is pretty unanimous in their praise for Vidya's performance. I agree, she is a good actor. And when supported by a strong story, there is no stopping her from giving a powerhouse performance. Some even go on to say she was the hero of the film. Once again, I agree. But, for a hero to shine through in a movie, you need a strong villain. That's one of the reasons why films like Singham hit a cord with the audience. I'll bet that film wouldn't have been half the hit it became, if it wasn't for Prakash Raj... But I digress.
Where was I? Oh yeah, Kahani! So, did Kahani even have a villain? No, not in the traditional sense. But yes, Vidya's character did have several men giving her a hard time... Some deceptive (Milan Damji), some  manipulative (Khan), some devious (Shridhar) and some ineffective (IB chief Bhaskaran). But, in this entire posse of men who are not who they say they are, there is one man who made an impact on the audience...with a sinister smile and a silencer!

For me, Bob Biswas is the character that stood out the most in Kahani. Credit must be given to the writers and whoever else contributed in conceiving this character. He is a professional hitman, an assassin and yet, an imperfect man. Not very
healthy, not good-looking, not too smart, not a schemer or plotter... But he's damn good at what he does...that is killing people. And that's all that really matters! The beauty of the character is in its sheer nonchalance. He is so mundane, such an average joe that if you passed him on the road, you wouldn't even give him a second glance. And therein lies the brilliance of casting him as an assassin!

In any other typical Bollywood movie, an assassin would be a tall, well-built guy with bulging biceps (as a result of regular workouts). He would be wearing leather jackets, riding bikes and carrying loads of cash. (Offing people must be a lucrative career option!) And last but not the least, the tattoos and a tell-tale scar on his face are an absolute must...to make him look extra nasty, in case we missed the point! Talk about overkill! I know that the world of Bollywood is a larger-than-life universe and I love it all! But maybe it's time for the movie-makers to move past the stereotypes and bring in some fresh ideas. If you need inspiration, all you need to do is look around you. If they can make an Insurance agent lead a double life as a professional hitman, you never know what they'll come up with next!

Need a new driver... preferably with a brain!

In my last post, I told you that we got a new car, right? Since both me and my husband are newbies when it comes to driving, we thought it would be best, in the interest of self-preservation, to hire a driver... atleast until we were both confident enough to get behind the wheels of our new baby. So, after a lot of inquiring and searching, we finally found one. He started work on Monday. Monday went by without any hitches, Tuesday was no trouble either. Come Wednesday, all that changed. Here's how...

I take the car to office, and I pretty much stay in office the whole day. So, the driver's duty mainly comprises of driving me from Marol to Borivali in the morning and from Borivali back to Marol in the evening. I prefer to take the Aarey Colony route because it's faster and devoid of traffic jams... on most days. Now, those of you who have been to that area, know that if you miss the turn to Marol, you end up all the way in Powai.
So it was, that on Wednesday evening, while we were driving through Aarey, we missed that very crucial turn. I was too busy messing with my cell-phone to notice. Hey, don't be judgmental! If you had a phone as sexy as a Samsung Galaxy SII, you would know how engaging it can be! As I was saying, I was too busy on my phone to notice his little mistake. When I finally looked up, I was in completely unfamiliar surroundings... but I did not panic. I very calmly asked the driver where we were. And he says to me, 'Hum shayad Powai me hai'. WTF??!! So I say, 'Hum Powai tak kaise aa gaye? Aapne pehle hi gaadi kyun nahi ghuma di?', to which he responds, 'Mera dhyaan nahi tha, madam'.

At this point, I did not know how to react. But I'm very proud of myself that even though I had an overwhelming urge to throttle him or throw something at him, I did not. Once again, I forced myself to stay calm and succeeded... atleast on the outside. On the inside though, I was calling him names that I am pretty sure would send my mother into a shock. The car-ride that normally takes 30 to 40 minutes, lasted more than an hour and a half on that day, courtesy the traffic nightmare called Saki Naka. Now, I had every intention of having a big showdown once we reached home, topping it off with a Donald Trump quote 'You're fired!!!' But, by the time we got home, my anger had somewhat dissipated. Lets just say the driver is currently on his notice period and I will be observing his work very closely from now on.

Well, another day, another drabble!!!

See ya!

Apple does not own i10... I do!!! :)

Happy Ugadi to everyone!!!

Last Friday was Ugadi, the Hindu New Year; also known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and probably many other names all over India... but I digress. So, on that very auspicious day, me and my husband picked up our brand new car!!! Now, that is what I call a good beginning to a new year... :)

It's a Hyundai i10 Sportz (grey). The car is probably the cutest in the hatchback models, in my opinion. I clicked a few pics on my cell of my hubby standing next to the car, which i then promptly shared with my friends. Most of my friends' comments read "WOW". Now, call me jealous, but I wasn't sure whether they were meant for the car or my very sexy husband who was in the same frame. The paranoid moment passed when I got out of the scorching heat of the afternoon sun and into the cooling interiors of my new car! By the way, it was like a sauna outside that afternoon! Thank God for the fast cooling in our new i10. Did I mention we got a New Car??!! ;-)

Anyway, after thoroughly inspecting our new baby, we took it out for a spin upto the Mahalaxmi Temple and back. As a side-note, I think I need to seriously review my geography... i didn't realise Mahalaxmi was that far from Kanjurmarg! But the roads were great, so the distance didn't seem so daunting. It being Gudi Padwa and that too on a Friday, the lines at the temple were quite long, but surprisingly well organized. With Devi Maa's darshan and the new beginnings on this New Year day, it really feels like the start of something new. Hopefully, this year will see many more happy ocassions!

Happy New Year to everyone once again!

Just married :) :) :)

Hey there!

Just a little update for anyone who cares... I am now happily married for two months and counting.. :)

Life really changes once you're hitched... your priorities change... The plans for future that seemed so far-fetched before, are now slowly looking like a distinct probability... maybe even a faint possibility...
I was always a dreamer, but never much of a doer... But like I said, everything changes once you have someone to share your dreams with... someone who will support you through it all... anything seems possible!

But no matter how good your better half is, entering this second phase of your life can be nerve-wracking. Making that transition from being a pampered prat to a hard-working home-maker is difficult to say the least. On the inside, I still feel like a little girl who balks at the thought of having to make big, life-altering decisions. Wearing a mangalsutra does not magically turn a girl into a woman.

They say, maurity comes from experience. Well, these two months of being married have taught me a whole lot about being a responsible adult. I dont really know if I am there yet, but I know I am on my way to getting there. And, I am starting to see why it is so important for us to have someone whom we can trust enough to share our life with them.

I used to be a cynical person, never understood what the whole hoopla about 'love' was. I am not so cynical anymore... :)

Here's to falling in love...

Cheers!!!

Work in progress!!!

Hi all!!!

i know, i know... long time no see! i wont bother with excuses for my absence... basically, i was too lazy to update...

anyway, my blog is undergoing some major revamp.. and it is my new year resolution to maintain thie new one religiously... now, we all know that new year resolutions are destined to fail... but i will try, really really try to keep mine...

see you soon.. (hopefully) :)

A New Thackeray

Do you know what film producers Vashu Bhagnani and Yash Chopra have in common with Uddhav Thackeray? They all tried to initiate their sons into the family business with a flash and bang. Unfortunately, their well-intentioned efforts were in vain, considering their sons' launch vehicles sputtered, hiccupped and then crash-landed back on earth soon after ignition.

Let's take Aditya Thackeray's case in point. He came across a book which had some passasges that were offensive to the Sena. Like a good son, he protested against it and got it banned. I say 'protested' because everyone else says 'protested'. Frankly, he looked more like a rich brat throwing a tantrum at his birthday, because he didn't like the gift he got. That in itself was not surprising since Aditya is only 20 years old and his biggest influence is his family. Need I say more?
Nope, Aditya Thackeray's juvenile attempt at making headlines was nothing new and certainly something you would expect of a Sena offspring. But, it was the reaction of Mumbai University that raised eyebrows. It was downright painful to watch an esteemed institution, that's older than Independent India, cater to the whims and fancies of a political prodigy. Apparently, a few torn books and burnt effigies at its gates is all it takes to bring a 153 yr old institution down to its knees.

If Aditya Thackeray wants to make a successful foray into politics, he seriously needs to rethink his strategy. First and foremost, he needs to step out of his family's shadow and be his own man. How can he be a leader, if he is simply following in their footsteps? He should also try something new, something the Sena has never tried before... like actually helping people! If he is truly a son of the soil, he should go adopt a village, meet the villagers, talk to them about their problems and maybe try to help them survive. That would be a much better use of his time, rather than strutting his stuff in college campus.
But we can't blame Aditya for what happened. I blame his team of advisors or consultants or whoever else was behind this hare-brained plan. You know what... maybe he should fire the people who suggested the silly book-banning stunt and hire me instead. Now, there's an idea!

Aditya probably does not realize just how lucky he is. I myself aspire to serve my country in any which way I can and I envy him. What I wouldn't give for the kind of power and platform that he has! And there he is, forwarding his party's agenda of book-banning, stone-throwing and effigy-burning. What a waste!

Mumbai or Bombay? Who cares?

Why are all these political parties protesting against the use of "Bombay"? After all, Bombay is just a name, not an expletive for God's sake! What is so offensive about it? So, the name of the city has changed... big deal! Does that mean every society, institution, organisation or even clubs that have the name "Bombay" in it, have to change their names too? That is just so inconvenient. Not to mention, its bloody ridiculous!
And these parties are protesting against the use of this name like its an insult to them or something. What is going on here? Can someone please explain to me if there is any logic behind all this madness?

If you've read my previous blogs, you'll know that I've said this before. But I'm still gonna say it again...

Doesn't this country have more than enough "real" problems already? If you don't believe me, pick up any newspaper and you'll know what I'm talking about. People are uneducated, jobless, starving to death! And all these so-called political parties are worried about is Bombay being called Mumbai or Mumbai being called Bombay or whatever! And painting the signboards in Marathi! Yes, that is a life and death situation right there! (in case you didn't get it, i was being sarcastic there)

What is the point of raking up non-issues like this and creating a ruckus over it as if the future of our country depends on it? I think these people need a serious reality check. Can someone please pass them a newspaper? Maybe they can find some real issues worth fighting for...

Mid-noon musings!

Hello!
Its been a really long time since my last post here... i guess you could say i've been suffering from a writer's bloc.... so to speak.

If you've been following my blog, then you'll know that most of my posts are rather emotionally charged. It means that I only write when I have something to say (or something to get out of my system). Today is an exception in that sense because I am writing this blog only out of pure boredom!

Yes, I am bored. I am in my office, I have no work to do since the project i am working on is almost complete and in its wrapping-up stage. My friends, who worked with me in the office, have now resigned for pursuing further studies. So, basically, I am pretty much by myself now, in the office.
While some friends are going away, others have come back! I am very glad that some of my best friends are now back in town. Its so good to see their faces and talk to them after such a long time. Hmmm... now before this post becomes a 'happy' post, I must get back to my element - which is morose and self-indulgent.

I have a book in front of me, screaming for my attention. I am trying my best to ignore it. I need to read that by this weekend, its a part of my assignment. But, for some strange reason, I find that book quite uninteresting. Maybe its because of the fact that it's 765 pages long!!!

Anyway, I used to keep cribbing to anyone who would listen, that I had no ambition and my life had no direction! (Wow! that rhymes... maybe I should be a poet... ;-) )
I am very happy to announce that I have finally found my calling (and dont worry, I am not going to write poems). It could lead to something or to nothing. I guess, we'll just have to wait n' watch! At least, now I won't have any regrets that I didn't try.

That's it for today! I don't know when my next post is gonna come so... see u when i see u!
Take care! Bye!
Live life to the fullest!
And don't drink and drive... :-)

Oh, my God!

I had always thought that, one's religion was a personal matter. It is a light that guides us through our journey in life. I'm quite sure that even though religion may be a way of life, it is certainly not a matter of life and death! But lately, it seems to have become just that!
Actually, maybe that was a bit exaggerated. But, I can't help it! With all this election hoopla going on around me, I can't seem to think straight!

Observing the current political scenario, I can't help but draw some parallels between religion and politics in India today. See for yourself, the similarity is uncanny....

• There are two major political parties in India. Let's keep their names out of this; if you have been living in India, you know which ones I'm talking about.
• There are two major religions in India. Once again, no names!
• People rally to gather support for their parties..... People rally to gather followers for their religion.
• Parties are constantly trying to malign each other by attacking the other's reputation and credibility..... Some misguided 'followers' believe that their religion is superior to all others.
• Defactors are treated with mistrust and disrespect...... People who convert to other religions are treated like outsiders as well (in some rural areas, violence is used to settle such matters).

I think that's enough for now.... Isn't it strange though? I can't figure out whether religion has seeped into politics or is it the other way round? How did these two very different fields, get so intertwined, that it has now become difficult to tell them apart?!!

Religion, tradition and culture have their own place in society. I agree that its what binds us together and also gives us a sense of belonging. But, pitting one religion against another is not only ridiculous but also, futile... Because, this tug of war will never end!

What is wrong with these people??!!!!

Seriously, what is wrong with these people? India is suffering from many illnesses - poverty, starvation, unemployment, illiteracy and more recently, terrorism and recession... to name a few! But the only thing our political leaders are worried about is religion!!!
Frankly, I am more concerned about recession than religion, right now!

Does Varun Gandhi honestly believe that, expressing his (rather bold) opinions in a public forum such as a political rally was a smart thing to do? VG may be a young, misguided loose-cannon, but what about his speech-writers and political backers? Don't they have any sense of moral responsibility? Didn't it occur to them that this kind of action might fuel communal tensions (which is always simmering just underneath the surface)? Are they willing to sacrifice the country's peace and harmony, in their bid to make VG the next poster-boy for Hindutva?

India has enough real problems to deal with, as it is.... we need problem-solvers who can get us out of this mess! We do not need people who create more problems for the common man.

If these so-called leaders can come up with some kind of solutions for our problems, I'm all ears! If not, they might do well to shut up and stop hogging the limelight!!!

The Great Indian Political Circus

That's right! Elections are here... and so, the Great Indian Political Circus has arrived in town.

Once every five years, we behold this spectacle.... alliances being formed.... sworn enemies teaming up against a common foe (dushman ka dushman, dost hota hai... something like that!)... political leaders publicly abusing their counterparts.... and all that jazz!

Its all quite entertaining, you know... but then again, there are things that bother me and compelled me to sit and write this down....

Can someone please explain to me the connection between religion and politics? I mean, why do some politicians claim that being born into a particular religion makes them eligible to govern this country? Lets face it.... the Government is basically a company... a huge, multi-national company. And like every other company, it needs a Chairman, Board of Directors, CEOs, Executive Officers, etc.
When a company recruites a manager or even a CEO, they are basically looking for some basic qualities like qualification, experience, past records, recommendations, etc... I dont think the candidate's religion is of any consequence to them.

Why cant we do the same for people elected to the Government? I think its only fair! I really dont care about the candidate's religion or family background. At the end of the day, what really matters is whether they can do the job or not. Why cant we treat the government like a corporate industry instead of royalty? I think this approach would put more focus on actual performance rather than public perception....

Does any of this make sense to you?

Tribute to "The Joker"

I saw "The Dark Knight" last night (again).... and I was mesmerised by Heath Ledger's spell-binding portrayal of "The Joker" (again). I cannot analyze or describe his performance... all i can say is that he truly deserves the Golden Globe Award he got and Oscar award which he is definitely going to get. I have seen Jack Nicholson's 'Joker' and I can honestly say that it was nothing compared to Heath Ledger's Joker.
Also, I think the dialogue-writers of that movie deserve a big round of applause for giving The Joker, the best dialogues in the movie and for giving us, some of the best quotable quotes of the year! Here are some of my favourite quotes from the movie, courtesy of Imdb.... (these are all Joker's quotes, by the way)

*Why so serious?
*I've learned that if you're good at something... never do it for free!
*Wanna know how i got these scars?
*I believe whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you.... stranger!
*Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! We are tonight's entertainment!
*Ha Ha He He Hu Hu..... and I thought my jokes were bad!
*This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object!
*(to Batman) I won't kill you because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever!
*You see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push!
*Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little emotions. In... you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards?
*See, I'm a man of simple tastes. I like dynamite, and gunpowder... and gasoline!
*I'm a man of my word!
*Tonight you're all gonna be part of a social experiment.
*See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve.
*Never start with the head, the victim gets all.... fuzzy.
*How about a magic trick? I'm gonna make this pencil disappear....... TA-DA!!!
*You know the thing about chaos? It's fair.
*I know why you choose to have your little... "Group therapy sessions" in broad daylight. I know why you're afraid to go out at night. The Batman!
*You and your kind, all you care about is money. This city deserves a better class of criminal. And I'm gonna give it to them!
*Now, our operation is small, but there's a lot of potential for "aggressive" expansion.
*You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just... do things.
*Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos.
*Let's put a smile on that face!

i'm sure there are more.... Looks like I'm gonna have to watch the movie again.... :-)

2009 is here... so what?

After an eternity, i am writing a post that was not borne out of anger or frustration, but merely out of boredom.... and some self-introspection!

I've heard of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, and lately, i have been witness to it too. It's weird how sometimes life seems to zoom past you and everything around you is nothing more than a blur... and then there are times when, everything slows down so much so that it feels like time itself is standing still and waiting with baited breath for what comes next... I see my friends, all excited about their future and making plans to secure it and sometimes it scares me. Sometimes, it feels like there is a big secret somewhere that everybody knows, except me.... like everybody else was taught some secret formula for success and somehow, i seemed to have missed that class. As a result, here I am, with no plans, no goals whatsoever, just sitting and watching everyone else zoom past me. I do not crave success, I'm just afraid of being left behind.

Its not as if i dont have any other options. Life has been generous to me in that respect. But my problem is that I dont really know which way to go. Something deep inside me, tells me that my future lies off the beaten track. But then comes the issue of plucking up the courage to take the path less travelled. I'm not really sure about anything and frankly, its quite frustrating! There i go again!! No matter how hard I try, a little bit of angst seems to creep into every one of my posts!
Anyway, enough rambling about the future.
Right now, I'm quite content with the present. Is it bad to like the way things are? Is something wrong with me, just b'coz I dont want to fly high or achieve big things? Sometimes, I feels like it is a crime to be ambitionless.

So many questions, and no answers.... such is Life!!!

Goondas don't get jobs!

The recent trend in employment-politics has completely stumped me!

First of all, if you want to protest about something and you are absolutely sure that you are right, it is possible to protest peacefully as well. Have the MNS and Shiv Sainiks never heard of something called a non-violent protest?

The main difference between a violent and non-violent protest is obvious. But there are some advantages to non-violence that i would like to point out for the benefit of my fellow Indians working in political groups.
In a non-violent protest, there is no damage to property (public or private)... and most importantly, no loss of life. It does not create resentment among any of the parties concerned. Also, it gets you the attention you need, but the focus here is on the cause for protest and not on the protest itself. Only by focusing on the problem, can you find a solution. Blame games will not get you any results. Violent protests only create more problems, instead of solving them.

Normally, if you want to be hired by a company, you have to prove your capabilities to your prospective employers. Vandalising office properties, (literally) beating up the competition and dragging your prospective employers into a controversy is not going to get you a job!
If i were the owner of a company, i would never employ people who have a history of violence. Even if I did hire one of them, what if one day he had an argument about something with the management. He will go straight to his friends in that political party, gather a crowd and storm into my office, destroy my property and basically, ruin my company's reputation! Do i want that? NO! Then why should i hire such people who can go against my company at the drop of a hat?

Behaving like a goonda will not get you a job!!!!
If you want to work with a good organisation, you have to prove yourself... just like everyone else! There are no shortcuts to success, no backdoor entries! The first step to getting a job is to behave like a civilised individual.

Hey Ram!

Republic Day has come and gone, but it has left a deep sense of unease in my mind. I am referring to the incident in Mangalore. I am sure you guys must have read about it or seen the pathetic videos on news channels…. I cant figure out what exactly troubles me most about this ‘murder of humanity’ as I would like to put it. A few things I would like to point out….

What exactly were the boys and girls doing in the pub? (I am only addressing them as ‘boys and girls’ because that is how everyone else in the media is addressing them. Honestly, they looked like adults to me. Therefore, I’m sure they were legally allowed to be in that pub.). My point is that, in all the hue and cry that has been raised by those ‘Sena’ people, nobody happened to mention exactly what ‘despicable’ act were those kids doing which warranted such a reaction from them.

Previously, I referred to the ‘Sri Rama Sena’ people as ‘Sena’ people because I don’t think even Lord Rama himself would want his name to be associated with these disgusting people. I would like to ask these ‘custodians of Indian culture’, what exactly do they know about Indian culture. Have they even read Ramayan? I haven’t read it either but at least I know what ‘Lord Rama’ stood for. He was called ‘Maryada Purushottam’ for a reason, you know. I would advise the so-called ‘Sri Rama Sena’ to first read ‘Ramayan’ and learn something from it.

I think the thing that appalls me the most in this tragic episode, is the role of the media. The media was there, with cameras and all, shooting the entire episode from start to end.
Q: How was the media present at the scene even before anything happened?
A: The answer is quite obvious. Someone, most probably from the ‘Sena’ itself, had informed them when and where to come. ‘Sena’ desperately needed publicity; and the media is always desperate for a scoop. A simple matter of give and take!
Q: Why did the media not inform the police about this, before things got out of hand?
A: The police, if they even cared to come, would have stopped this from happening. The boys would not have been beaten up; the girls would not have been assaulted. The media would have lost out on a very juicy story (as sick as that sounds, it is true, isn’t it?) Besides, it would have served as an example to all the other ‘Sena’s looking out for similar cheap publicity. They wouldn’t call the media henceforth, and the channels would lose out on many more ‘juicy stories’ in the long run. Now, they don’t want their channels to suffer, do they? So, they gave the ‘Sena’ exactly what they wanted… cheap publicity.

When the leader of the ‘Sena’ was asked for his reaction, he was unapologetic. He tried to justify their actions by blaming the younger generation for being ‘too’ liberal. Frankly, I don’t even know what to say to that. If he actually believes in what he said, I feel very, very sorry for him.
I don’t know who is responsible for this insanity… but it makes me wonder, how people can be so narrow-minded and insensitive. I don’t even have words to describe my disgust!
This issue is so multi-dimensional that it is difficult to cover all of it….. especially since, I myself don’t understand most of these aspects. But I assure you, as soon as I find out, I will write about it.

Well, since these ‘custodians of culture’ are trying to set an example here, why don’t we follow their example? Maybe we should gather a sizeable crowd, barge into their offices, drag them out by their hair and beat them up… after all, according to them, this is the only way to teach a lesson, right? Then, we’ll see what they have to say when they have had a taste of their own medicine. But unfortunately, I condemn violence and would never stoop to such levels. And who am I kidding? I am just an ordinary citizen of India. No matter how strongly I feel about these issues, there is nothing I can really do about it. (Except write these blogs, of course.)

I strongly recommend that the ‘Sri Rama Sena’ (and other organizations who like to play ‘God’) be disbanded and banned forever. That is the only way to set an example. We need to show them that India will not tolerate such hooliganism anymore!

Starters....

Yessssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i finally have my own blog!!!! yippppeeeeeeeeee.....

okay, okay.... i know that blogs have been around for quite a while now.... i'm just excited that now i can pour all my thoughts and ideas into this blog...... maybe now, the voices in my head can go on a much-needed vacation...... :-)

and dont worry, the rest of my blogs wont be as crappy as this one... (remember, i'm new at this!)

since you are doing me the courtesy of reading my first blog, i suppose you must be either someone from my family or one of my (good) friends..... (who else would bother to read my blog?!!) ...... my hearty thanx to you.... kindly post a comment so that i can personally thank you for taking out your precious time for this....... (i suppose all the begging and pleading i did must have paid off...... :-) ........)

well, since you are still patiently reading through this crappy blog, i think it would only be fair to give you something better to read.... so, here goes.......

i'm shreya........ i'm a girl of strong opinions, most of which i keep to myself (because i wouldn't want to offend people by telling them what i really think about them).... just kidding.. i love you guys..... he he he .....
anyways, as i was saying ... i'm a girl who usually keeps her opinions, her thoughts, her dreams to herself; basically, just because i had no medium of output (nobody would listen to me... :-( ....)

but now, i am going to post my thoughts on this blog....

a word of caution for anyone intending to read my next blogs - my opinions are my own.... sometimes they might be harsh (i'm a rather strongly opinionated person) .... DO NOT TAKE ME TOO SERIOUSLY..... and dont even think about suing me, cause i'm just going to deny everything.
on a more lighter note,..... if you like what i write or if you agree with me, kindly post a comment (it's always a pleasure to meet like-minded people)...... and if you dont like what i've written or you dont agree with me or you think my blog is just recycled nonsense, kindly post a comment (i can guarantee you a reply.... but mind you, it wont be nice...)

in the end, i would like to wish you a happy life!
keep smiling... it makes people wonder what you are upto!!!! ;-)

Hate Speeches

After intensive research and analysis, i have come to the conclusion that there are only 5 possible outcomes of an Hate Speech.

First, let me describe the elements involved in the phenomenon:

1) the first and most important element is the speaker. this is usually a politician or aspiring political leader, who either needs a boost in his fading political career or he has no achievements to boast about in the upcoming elections.

2) the supporters of the aforementioned speaker. they are usually of the brainless type, who have no opinions of their own and would blindly and willingly do as they are told.

3) the targets. they are a group or a community (usually of the minority type) who have been targetted by the speaker in the Hate Speech and whose votes are of no consequence to the speaker or his party.



Now, let me describe the results of this phenomenon and their effects on each element:

a) the speaker, of course, comes into the media's spotlight. he gains political mileage (read- gets a good score on his political score-card). he also, rather daringly, invites the wrath of an entire community. but as i mentioned before, since their votes really dont matter, to hell with them!

b) the supporters become agitated, angry and aggressive as they lap up all the silly logic behind the speeches dished out to them.

c) the targets first become irritated, then scared and then later, agitated. eventually, they tend to become aggressive as well.

d) when the two factions - supporters and targets come head to head, some violence can be expected, sometimes resulting in loss of life.

e) loss of life notwithstanding, the speaker, in a win-win situation, stands to lose nothing.


i, for one, do not understand what these politicians are trying to acheive by pitting people against each other, sometimes on the basis of religion, sometimes caste and now the latest trend is 'regional politics'.

nothing good ever came out of such divisive politics... i thought people would have learnt that by now (especially after the '93 riots). but apparently, some people just dont get it and others ('educated' people like us) just dont care enough to do something about it.

unity is the only solution to all our problems!!! if we stand united, no force on earth can harm us; be it corrupt politicians or lunatic terrorists....

and with that note, i sign out for the day!

Jai Hind!

The incomprehensible Mr. Thackeray...

Have you donated anything to charity recently? do you know exactly where your money is going? whom is it going to benefit?



well, next time you donate money to charity or even give anything to a beggar on the streets, you better check their credentials first. no, not their identities or their membership cards. no, you need to check their place of residence.... because, if they belong to any state other than maharashtra, mr. raj thackeray might just accuse you of being un-loyal to maharahtra.



there was a headline in newspapers, a few months back. i think, it went something like this:
"Amitabh Bachchan opens a school for village girls in Uttar Pradesh"

what i read:
"Amitabh Bachchan OPENS A SCHOOL FOR VILLAGE GIRLS in Uttar Pradesh"

what mr. thackeray read:
"AMITABH BACHCHAN opens a school for village girls in UTTAR PRADESH"

according to mr. thackeray, mr. bachchan has been un-loyal to maharashtra (and apparently, disrespected the marathi people) by opening the school in UP. his argument is that mr. bachchan should have opened the school in maharashtra since he now lives here.

is mr. thackeray trying to imply that he must detach himself from his roots?
lets apply this logic to NRIs. they hail from India but have settled abroad. Is he suggesting that all those indians who moved out of the country in search of greener pastures, should now forget about their country? they cant donate to indian charities anymore? they cant contribute towards their country's growth? should those NRIs forget about India, its traditions, its culture and embrace the culture of the country they live in?

i hope the answer to the above questions is 'No'. Because thats not how it works. Citizens of India have rights which even mr. thackeray with all his power and support cannot take away from us.
mr. bachchan can open a school in ANY part of India he wants to. he doesnt have to explain himself to anyone, least of all, to mr. thackeray. if he is indeed concerned about education in maharashtra, why doesnt he himself take the initiative and open schools for girls? if he has done that already, then i would love to know about it and i tender my sincerest apologies to him and all his supporters. but, in my defence, i never heard of him doing anything like that. all i have ever seen him do is give fiery (and sometimes entertaining) speeches. thats it, just speeches.

seriously, what does it matter where the school is located? as long as some village girls are benefitting from mr. bachchan's generous gesture, i think he should be commended for it, and not persecuted. i would advice all of mr. bachcan's detractors to kindly consult their own conscience first. i would suggest that they count how many under-priveleged people (belonging to any state) have they ever helped. if the answer is 'zero', then i'm afraid they have NO RIGHT to point fingers at others for doing the right thing.

Finally, a humble request to anybody reading this.... when people are trying to help other people (it does not matter who these people are, which region, religion, caste they belong to), help them if you can. And if you cant be of any help, atleast dont plant obstacles on their path.

Thought for the day: Live and Let Live!