The Ugly Truth

This story was done by my Father --
(Dr. S. L. Bansal)

It is really painful to see that at this moment all the political parties are busy doling out, or, promising to dole out freebies, reservations and loan-waivers. All of them see people as prospective voters -- not as citizens of an upcoming country i.e. India. What is urgently and earnestly desired and required is being ignored blatantly.

To be minimally fair, all the decisions of a government should be based on a premise- whether the decision will benefit, and, simultaneously not harm an ordinary citizen who has no caste, creed, religion and affiliation. On the one hand you do not have enough power and on the other hand you are waiving off the bills of the defaulters if they stop pilferage now onwards. There could be no harsher punishment to those who paid their bills religiously. On the one hand you waive off the loans of the defaulter farmers and on the other hand you ignore all other debt related suicides from other professions only because farmers are a bigger vote-bank. Did you ever think of going to the bank and write off loans of all the people? After all you know that all of them are equal Indian citizens. Did you ever think that agricultural income should be taxed? A middle-level official getting some 20K per month will pay taxes and a millionaire farmer enjoys all the income.

Where do we want the country to go? We are making sure that there will remain differences for all times to come, that there cannot be harmony between any two communities and that any group worth the name can ask for reservations and hold the country to ransom. Why not make a start and try to make all citizens equal? Rather than asking for reservations, why not resolve to end the religion or caste identity in all the official documents. At one time the BJP had a good and sensible idea of common civil code but the electoral politics has swayed their ideology into thin air. Why not realize that any decision of the government in power will be scrutinized by people according to their personal needs but if you declare that the decision benefits a lay citizen (if it really does), it shows your credibility.

Even after 60 years we cannot pool the basic resources (water & electricity) of the country to equitably divide amongst all the states. We cannot implement that the whole country belongs to everybody who is an Indian citizen. A Keralite in Haryana and an Assamese in Kerala should be legally and practically comfortable. The asmita factor is a big joke- it should operate only when we deal with other countries.

At the moment every party has lot of sensible and upright leaders but all of them lack guts even to air their genuine and useful views because it does not suit the electoral temperament and therefore it displeases their not so genuine bosses. God save us.

Love Story

Erich Segal
Love Story
Some stories last forever...
I am not much of an overt romantic, however, romance is something that very few of us truly dislikes (Note the truly). I read ‘Love Story’ more to be ‘in sync’ than anything else. It was twelve grade that saw this flick ‘Mujhse Dosti Karoge’ -- Fell in love with everything about it. The story (Erich Segal’s ‘Love Story’) has a special significance in the bringing together of lovers in Yash Chopra production. Apart from the heart-locket and gobhi ke paronthe (wink).
Jennie, Oliver Barrett; Phil, Oliver III – each character stamps the soul. There’s nothing outlandish or flowery about the Love Story, since it has the typical high-society boy falling for humble-roots girl. Yet, the honesty, integrity and transparency... Of ever character, the sincerity, maturity and humility... of the writer, jumps out at you. Utmost importance can be given to the fact that spontaneity has such a rhythmic beat in the entire plot: It appeals to the music of every reader’s soul!
Though every person reads (and understands!) in his own way... Segals’ Story will find some identification with one and all. Don’t we all have at least one stony looking guy, sooner or later acting as our rock of Gibraltar...
• Don’t we all, sometimes, find something unquestionably true?
• Since we all, sometimes, get stuck in something so painfully beautiful, that liking or disliking is beyond question
That’s what Erich Segal’s ‘Love Story’ is!
Sweet, fun and luscious.
Barrett’s dedication warms the heart, Phil’s substance does heroic wonders to your soul, Jenny’s resounding mysterious persona makes you smile, and the role of ‘Okay’, throughout the tale, makes you weep.
Reminds me of Eternal Sunshine o the Spotless mind. Gotcha!!!

27 dresses

27 DRESSES Movie Review
Cast
• Katherine Heigl as Jane Nichols
• James Marsden as Malcolm / Kevin Doyle
• Malin Åkerman as Tess Nichols
• Edward Burns as George
• Judy Greer as Casey
• Maulik Pancholy as Trent
• Melora Hardin as Maureen
• Peyton R. List as Young Jane Nichols

I saw this flick on the suggestion given by a cousin brother and LOVED it! The woman sincerely tries to help out and take care of every bride who expresses a need for a totally devoted bridesmaid... Only to be left willing to get hold of the colourful symbolic bouquet of flowers done by the bride.
Since her childhood, she took care of her younger sister when her mother succumbed to a fatal disease and left a grieving and depressed father. The younger sibling who grows up to be a charming and extrovert woman soon does her act and completely unaware of the protagonist’s love for latter’s boss, woos him to get wed:
The story takes a twist when after much self-control and heroism, the lead lady just decides to vent out her pent up anger, and simply lays bare the lies of her sibling to her boss. Meanwhile, Kevin – the writer has been following her out of curiosity about her bridesmaid – social work, and falls in love with her. But obvious, the movie includes a scene of them getting stuck near a motel and enjoying before the dirty secret of his published story sears and totally smashes the protagonist’s heart. In a way everything is heart wrenching, just the upbeat and peppy rhythm of movie does justice to it. It’s enjoyable: the way two sister’s inevitable reconciliation is triggered by the heroine kissing her boss. Upon realizing the fake ‘something’ that had kept her strings tied to the boss, she decides to let go of the scope that she might have had with her boss... After all chemistry matters!
Lost in the moment it’s Kevin’s call that sets her flying to his cousin’s wedding (where she had been already invited, albeit jokingly, by him, to be the bridesmaid): But natural... Every concern is on their side, and simply results in nuptial knot(s) being tied... Both in person, and, in the thoughts of her younger sibling and ‘Best Boss’.

Dosti re dost

Friendship friendship: Friendship Galore

Friendship, is like a trademark to life: Not just does it affirm love, but brings hope to every situation, justifies every action; and simply brightens up every face present. I have been blessed with the best friendships ever: So here I dedicate this write-up to the core of every relation, to the smile of every parent, and to the heartbeat of every orphan... i.e. friendship’!!! Since the root(s) of friendships emerge(s) from the need of companionship; some of us realize its value only when some loneliness creeps into life. Some of us totally deny depending on friendship(s) for the belief that “Blood is thicker than water”. Some of us begin to fasten so closely, every moment of our lives, with close friends, that, our
prior commitments begin to get sidelined.

Someone, at this crucial juncture, must do something to make people around aware of the circumstances. Every thing that’s blissful, isn’t necessarily healthy: knowing that fine differentiating line, and acting in accord with our life priorities is definitely more important. Hence, the saying................. A single apple spoils all inside the basket ~ Choose your pals carefully, don’t just go by instincts and/or seen faces... Substance Matters!

Funny though, or perhaps not really some of our friends bear a close resemblance to relatives and even siblings: however, the quality of the fun and frolic possible with buddies is a remote scene when it comes to blood relations: Tat’s also coz each family has its patterns; the change experienced with people from differing environment(s) both consoles and encourages (So as =anything better might become assimilated into our life, and/or, making someone’s environment consoles us by making us feel cherished (and admired)

The clouds
That hover there,
Tell us to be around:
Some people love us all the same...
Whether achievements follow
Or failures drown

Movie (raajneeti) review

Raajneeti

One of the dare-do movie, Raajneeti is one of its league. Undoubtedly entertaining, the wonderful music creates another dimension (at least according to my personal judgement). Least bothered about Political Dramas as such, I watched the movie more for its celebrity value and positive reviews; than any other desire. Katrina Kaif is both glamorous and beautiful, and, rises well up to viewers’ expectations.

I personally liked Nazeerudin Shaah and Ajay Devgan, too! And Ranbir Kapoor, though, childish, does total justice to the character. Lovely performances, at specific times, by everyone involved!
It’s not useless to mention that since every other politics-involving movie touch every Indian chord: There ARE indeed, some repetitious and simply violent scenes. Lest the vicious circle that politics is, gets slightly jarred, the producers have taken sever measures to ensure full masaala, that gets backed by equally intense sultry-substantial-scenes
Naana Paatekar rises upto his role The-Best-Of-All! Enraged and dedicated, shrewd yet just, emotional jolly Perfect – sooner or later he simply being to jump out as the pivotal soul.
Liza Batra... I like it!

Review- The Evening

The Evening

I won’t say I liked this movie. I enjoyed it: YES. There is a spicy quality interspersed with painful minutes. The protagonist is seen as a character too-good-to-be-true: She is is good, if the viewer limits his/her thinking to her biological dispositions. Beyond that, my views aren’t exactly in sync with the general opinion: Being a good singer is her natural inclination, being a good friend: Her requirement for companionship. She seems to misinterpret the importance of root values, or should I say, “Roots’ value?”

Perfumed and sexy, gullible yet strong, her charisma is enigmatic; wholesome and breezy, her persona magnetic. But how far can a bird fly... It would need to migrate, or at least, have a nest! I don’t intend to find solace via metaphors, the story lends heroic charm, but gracefully confuses mind’s eye:-
1. The lady raises two daughters, but, is it usable that while one is spoilt brat, the other super-doting for her mother: Implying that protagonist did bring them up nicely, but, vain that she was, couldn’t love uncompromisingly.
2. The hero, most basic in his demeanour, nicely evades any responsibility that goes beyond his immediate requirements. Though this judgement would be apparent to any reasonably observing eye, the protagonist and her so-called-best friend seem to be ignorant of anything trustworthy that could have been simply built into fine relation(s).
3. It’s beautiful, undoubtedly; but leaves unanswered queries in mind; to the point that a viewer could find it difficult to even HAVE any opinion.

It’s kinda messy, but perhaps that’s thoroughly just-my-opinion!? I generally tell people very frank thoughts about movies; however, ‘The Evening’ did total atyaachaar on any thoughts I could have had; and didn’t satisfy me at all.

Does Terrorism lead to Racial Discrimination or Racial Discrimination leads to Terrorism?

Place: Newyork city
Date: 30th September, 2001
Time: 2 pm

Scene 1

(Aabid Khan, 45, is sitting in a rocking chair, a lost look in eyes. Nazim, sixteen, enters from door at left.)

“Maybe I SHOULD be a terrorist… maybe we are SUPPOSED to be that?!” (Nazim throws his bag on the floor with frustration.)

“Don’t join the league of others, son. You can have a better future.” (Aabid replies without looking at Nazim.)

“But, I want friends, belongingness, not alienation!”

“You yourself will begin to feel like an alien, son. You won’t recognize yourself. There are no friends there.”

“I don’t care!! Even Priya and John have turned their backs on me! I didn’t know that being a Muslim meant being a terrorist; or being known as one!”

“It DOES NOT mean that!!!”

Silence

(Aabid throws the newspaper on floor and glares at the young boy. Nazim picks up the newspaper, and reads aloud)

The government has decided to strictly detain and interrogate people of Muslim community from entering the country. ”We don’t want more attacks”, the government says.

“What about Iqbal Chachu, Ammi, and Sani Kaki now?! They were to join us here after a wait of three long years in India!”

“Their visas got cancelled.”

“After being approved once?!”

“Yeah”

“HELL”. (Nazim walks out)

Scene 2

(Nizam is half lying on a bed. Phone rings.)

“So, what have you decided?” (A hoarse voice on the other end asks)

Silence

“Are you going to act timid like your father and stay cocooned? We have had enough, child. It’s time to fight for our rights and recognition. Don’t be so irresponsible.”

Silence (Phone receiver still on ear, Nizam closes his eyes.)

“I heard that some of our dear family members were not allowed to come here. We had waited so long to be together. You think it’s justified?”

“No, its not. IT’S NOT!!!” (Nizam sits up, beads of perspiration on his head)

“Well, so…”

“IT’S NOT JUSTIFIED THAT ABBA GOT FIRED FROM HIS JOB FOR NO REASON! IT’S NOT JUSTIFIED THAT WE ARE GIVEN STARES EVERYWHERE WE GO!! IT’S NOT JUSTIFIED THAT SHOPKEEPERS AND TAXI DRIVERS AVOID US LIKE PLAGUE!!! IT’S NOT NOT NOT JUSTIFIED!! IT’S NOT!”

“My child, then don’t bear with it. Come, we’ll make our voices get heard, no matter how.”

“I need to think.” (Hangs up the phone and dials another number) “Hello. Aadaab aunty. This is Nazim, Sabbir’s friend. Can I talk to Sabbir?”

“Beta, there was some feud in our street today and a guy bet him up badly. He is in hospital.”

(Nizam quietly puts the pone back, gets down from the bed, and comes to the centre stage. Writes something on the paper kept on table. Goes to right stage and takes out a suitcase from the cupboard. Exits right stage)

(Aabid enters from left. Comes centre stage. Picks the paper from table and reads aloud.)

“There is no other option, Abba. I must take to my destiny.”

(Aabid falls on the floor. Curtains)