What do you do when you come across a pot-hole on the road? You blame the system.
When the electricity vanishes every now and then? You blame the system.
When the water woes don't seem to end? You blame the system.
Cliche as it sounds, this is the typical response of every Indian.
The 'system' that we so frequently pass the buck to comprises the govenrment and other authorities who are vested with the task of running the country.
What we forget is that we always have the privilege and responsibility of voting these people to power. Why then, do we vote for a bunch of circus clowns and expect them to excel at complex tasks? The ready counter argument is that it is only jokers and criminals who stand for elections. So people are left with no option but to vote for the best from the worst.
After that, the blame game begins until the next round of elections. The elected representatives thrive on money, the country goes to the dogs, the people sit back and criticize the government, the government in turn provides lousy excuses for their inaction, the people criticize some more but take no action and eventually, a new Government is voted to power with hopes of more avenues for criticism. This is the vicious circle that our country is trapped in.
There is zero accountability in the Govt. but we, the people, also need to pull up our socks. Majority of Indians completely lack civic sense. People are seen casually littering and spitting right in the middle of busy streets. People get immense pleasure in flouting all laws and rules. An even bigger victory is when they get caught and 'settle matters' with some dough, only to break the law again. We add fuel to fire by giving bribes and then end up cribbing about corruption. The 'Chalta hai' attiitude among the people has gone too far. The people also need to take partial responsibility for the nation's sorry state of affairs.
India is a patchwork of diverse cultures, religions and mentatlities. But instead of savouring the variety on display, most Indians are resorting to disgraceful acts of self importance by maligning other cultures only to favour their own. This has only intensified in the recent past and speaks volumes about the poor morals and ethics imbibed in the average Indian. As you can see, various factors contribute to the problems faced by India.
So what are the possible solutions to these problems? That is where the youth comes into the picture. Preachy as it sounds, India's young and talented population needs to be encouraged and guided to bring out the best in them. We need to revamp the education system to produce more Leaders as opposed to mere rote- learners. We need to stop cribbing about the system and be a part of the system ourselves. We need to invest our talent in places other than foreign MNCs alone. It could be a small step like associating with an NGO or a mass movement to join politics. Grab every opportunity to make a difference for the better. Be proactive with your intentions and vocal with your thoughts. The reigns are in your hands, only YOU can take the country to new heights. BE THE CHANGE! After all, Change we TOO need!
Monday, November 16, 2009
It's Complicated...
Right when I watch 'He's Just Not That Into You'
and convince myself that HE'S just not that into ME, HE calls.
And guess what? I realize, I'M just not that into him! :P
.
and convince myself that HE'S just not that into ME, HE calls.
And guess what? I realize, I'M just not that into him! :P
.
Friday, August 21, 2009
You know you’re 20 when… Confessions of a 20-year-old drama queen
Yes, I’m keeping my word and here I am with my latest post- ‘Confessions of a 20-year-old drama queen’
It’s taken me 3 months of being 20 to come up with this post.
Well firstly, just the number “TWENTY” SOUNDS old. I mean, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen- they all have that “TEEN” effect. But this is TWENTY and not TWENTEEN! So I’m in the twenties now. Yup, I’m no longer a teenager.
Here is a comprehensive list of situations that keep reminding you that you’re 20 now:-
1. You hesitate to reveal your age.
2. You make an overnight decision to overhaul your wardrobe to prove that you have a mature dressing sense. Out go the sneakers, sporty/frilly T-shirts, torn denims and backpack. Welcome the kurtis, sandals and handbag and worst case scenario, the salwar kameez and the sarees!
3. You feel stupid watching teeny bopper flicks. High School Musical no longer fascinates you. Neither does Harry Potter.
4. The auto-driver no longer refers to you as “Baby”. It’s now “Madam”.
5. You no longer feel out of place or weird if you’re alone at a restaurant.
6. While walking through the garden, you resist the urge to sit on the swing, even though nobody besides your friends is at the scene of temptation :) :) :)
7. You are surprisingly interested in business news, politics and the stock market.
8. You don’t remember the last time you read an Archie comic. You only seem to read the newspapers or those philosophical kinda novels which delve into the human psyche looking for a deeper meaning of life.
9. You rarely have your way with a cute, puppy-dog face or a pout. You would rather be assertive and diplomatic.
10. The word ‘Ego’ finds a place in your dictionary.
11. You start thinking about your future. The weekend movie plans are NOT the most important thing on your mind right now. There is more to plan about in your life.
12. You prefer not to eat ice- cream from a cone. You claim it looks too childish.
13. You are expected to make your presence felt in the kitchen, at least once in a while.
14. You are strangely fascinated by yester-year Bollywood music. Yes, the same songs you once detested. The same songs which were once overshadowed by your collection of pop, rock and hip-hop…
15. Adults come to you for advice on various matters. And they actually take you seriously!
As time passes, the cup of life gets filled to the brim with various experiences, mistakes, lessons and accolades.
Basically, what I intend to say is “To be continued…”
Until next time, toodles!
It’s taken me 3 months of being 20 to come up with this post.
Well firstly, just the number “TWENTY” SOUNDS old. I mean, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen- they all have that “TEEN” effect. But this is TWENTY and not TWENTEEN! So I’m in the twenties now. Yup, I’m no longer a teenager.
Here is a comprehensive list of situations that keep reminding you that you’re 20 now:-
1. You hesitate to reveal your age.
2. You make an overnight decision to overhaul your wardrobe to prove that you have a mature dressing sense. Out go the sneakers, sporty/frilly T-shirts, torn denims and backpack. Welcome the kurtis, sandals and handbag and worst case scenario, the salwar kameez and the sarees!
3. You feel stupid watching teeny bopper flicks. High School Musical no longer fascinates you. Neither does Harry Potter.
4. The auto-driver no longer refers to you as “Baby”. It’s now “Madam”.
5. You no longer feel out of place or weird if you’re alone at a restaurant.
6. While walking through the garden, you resist the urge to sit on the swing, even though nobody besides your friends is at the scene of temptation :) :) :)
7. You are surprisingly interested in business news, politics and the stock market.
8. You don’t remember the last time you read an Archie comic. You only seem to read the newspapers or those philosophical kinda novels which delve into the human psyche looking for a deeper meaning of life.
9. You rarely have your way with a cute, puppy-dog face or a pout. You would rather be assertive and diplomatic.
10. The word ‘Ego’ finds a place in your dictionary.
11. You start thinking about your future. The weekend movie plans are NOT the most important thing on your mind right now. There is more to plan about in your life.
12. You prefer not to eat ice- cream from a cone. You claim it looks too childish.
13. You are expected to make your presence felt in the kitchen, at least once in a while.
14. You are strangely fascinated by yester-year Bollywood music. Yes, the same songs you once detested. The same songs which were once overshadowed by your collection of pop, rock and hip-hop…
15. Adults come to you for advice on various matters. And they actually take you seriously!
As time passes, the cup of life gets filled to the brim with various experiences, mistakes, lessons and accolades.
Basically, what I intend to say is “To be continued…”
Until next time, toodles!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Kambakkht Ishq is a piece of Krap, even with the extra ‘K’ in its name!
As I stepped into the theatre, I did remind myself that it is a Kareena Kapoor movie. So I didn’t have any great expectations of this big budget, super-hyped movie. But that’s the irony- this gibberish in the name of a movie doesn’t even meet the minimal expectations that the masses had! Once again, Bollywood succeeds in wasting its resources. Allow me to analyze the movie on various parameters, one worse than the next:-
The Cast: - if all other professions have a retirement age, Bollywood should be no exception. Akshay Kumar is old. Period. You cannot take a 40-something and fool the audience into believing that he is a handsome, young, lad. One, because he is not handsome, two, because he ain’t young and thirdly because he is not a lad! So it’s more like haggard, old, uncle Akshay running around the sets doing a bunch of stunts which in all probability some stuntman has performed for him. The Kapoor gal on the other hand really needs to break image. She clearly still hasn’t grown out of her ‘Pooh’ image of K3G. Can she ever go beyond the snobby, angry, young woman? I think NOT!
The script: - Story? What story? School level dramatics had better stories! It’s amazing how Bollywood directors take a trivial, short, tale and convert it into a 3 hour long epic complete with melodrama, abusive dialogues, unnecessary dialogues and a few out of the blue characters (namely Javed Jaffry & Kirron Kher). In one of the scenes which was a typical Bollywood cliché with a bunch of goons chasing the damsel in distress, (Kareena) shrieking for “HELP”, I too found myself yelling, “HELP! Somebody stop the movie before the crowd leaves the theatre!” Well, guess what? They didn’t stop the movie and the crowd started strolling towards the exit in deep disgust and disappointment, even before the end was remotely close!
The direction: - Now this is where a major part of the blame goes to. There have been instances of movies with story lines that are just plain dumb but they still count as good entertainment, all thanks to the direction (take Farah Khan movies for example). But c’mon, who do you blame for a movie where people just break into a song for no apparent reason or start slapping each other, again, for no apparent reason or throw cakes at each other, abuse one another, sue one another, again, for no apparent reason? Your answer is correct- The director!
So despite all the desperate attempts to attain success, through numerology, publicity stunts, PR, passé Hollywood stars etc, the movie is a dud. Maybe I would recommend it for Kareena’s super stylish clothes and 5-inch heels or for the miniscule bit of comedy with the musical watch but despite that, summing it up, Kambakkht Ishq is a piece of ‘K’rap, even with the extra ‘K’ in its name!
The Cast: - if all other professions have a retirement age, Bollywood should be no exception. Akshay Kumar is old. Period. You cannot take a 40-something and fool the audience into believing that he is a handsome, young, lad. One, because he is not handsome, two, because he ain’t young and thirdly because he is not a lad! So it’s more like haggard, old, uncle Akshay running around the sets doing a bunch of stunts which in all probability some stuntman has performed for him. The Kapoor gal on the other hand really needs to break image. She clearly still hasn’t grown out of her ‘Pooh’ image of K3G. Can she ever go beyond the snobby, angry, young woman? I think NOT!
The script: - Story? What story? School level dramatics had better stories! It’s amazing how Bollywood directors take a trivial, short, tale and convert it into a 3 hour long epic complete with melodrama, abusive dialogues, unnecessary dialogues and a few out of the blue characters (namely Javed Jaffry & Kirron Kher). In one of the scenes which was a typical Bollywood cliché with a bunch of goons chasing the damsel in distress, (Kareena) shrieking for “HELP”, I too found myself yelling, “HELP! Somebody stop the movie before the crowd leaves the theatre!” Well, guess what? They didn’t stop the movie and the crowd started strolling towards the exit in deep disgust and disappointment, even before the end was remotely close!
The direction: - Now this is where a major part of the blame goes to. There have been instances of movies with story lines that are just plain dumb but they still count as good entertainment, all thanks to the direction (take Farah Khan movies for example). But c’mon, who do you blame for a movie where people just break into a song for no apparent reason or start slapping each other, again, for no apparent reason or throw cakes at each other, abuse one another, sue one another, again, for no apparent reason? Your answer is correct- The director!
So despite all the desperate attempts to attain success, through numerology, publicity stunts, PR, passé Hollywood stars etc, the movie is a dud. Maybe I would recommend it for Kareena’s super stylish clothes and 5-inch heels or for the miniscule bit of comedy with the musical watch but despite that, summing it up, Kambakkht Ishq is a piece of ‘K’rap, even with the extra ‘K’ in its name!
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Rise of the Dumb Blonde and Other Miscellaneous Topics…
Its true, I’m back to blogging Bollywood again and it’s also true, I’m back with a vengeance!
The last few years have seen many a new Bollywood entrant. Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Freida Pinto, Genelia D’souza… However diverse their backgrounds may be, they all have one thing in common- they all come across as airheads and damsels in distress! Watch a few interviews and you will know what I’m talking about. Sure, they’re all blessed with good looks but there is that certain spark that’s missing in all of them. Compare them with the likes of Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwariya Rai & Preity Zinta- they too can act but they also possess an ounce of intelligence and wit. One will never come across them talking gibberish in the media and they always carry themselves with utmost grace and dignity. It’s a pity the airheads seem to be dethroning the smart Alecs what with all their “interesting” (note the sarcasm) tales about boyfriends, husbands, divorces, live-ins, break-ups… did I miss something? Work??? Nah, they never talk much sense about that do they?
Speaking of movies, we couldn’t have asked for a better time for the multiplex strike to be called off… right on the day the exams ended! Although I’ve only seen Angels and Demons so far, the line up of big banner movies sure seems promising. About Angels & Demons, it was great that I didn’t remember a word of the book I read 3 years ago… the suspense was sustained all through the movie and just like was the case with the book, I liked Angels and Demons way better than the Da Vinci Code…
I also had the misfortune of watching “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi”… I’m sure SRK was high and unaware of his actions when he signed the movie. How else does one explain him being part of such a waste of resources in a thoroughly disappointing film?!?!? I’d rather not waste my blogspace writing about it now…
I’m also kinda glad I missed out on the IPL and the T20 this time. IPL was devoid of the slaps and sledging while T20… the lesser said the better!
Anyway, that’s all for now folks! It sure is great to be back!!! Coming soon, ‘Confessions of a Twenty year old Drama Queen’ and a guide on how to cope with no longer being a teenager!
P.S. - No one’s being racist here… ‘dumb blonde’ is just a commonly used expression which went really well with the title of this post. If u wanna witness racism, or take action against it, I suggest you pack off to Australia, my friend!
P.S. again- The Apprentice is back!!! Watch it at 9.00pm, Wednesdays only on Star World!
The last few years have seen many a new Bollywood entrant. Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Freida Pinto, Genelia D’souza… However diverse their backgrounds may be, they all have one thing in common- they all come across as airheads and damsels in distress! Watch a few interviews and you will know what I’m talking about. Sure, they’re all blessed with good looks but there is that certain spark that’s missing in all of them. Compare them with the likes of Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwariya Rai & Preity Zinta- they too can act but they also possess an ounce of intelligence and wit. One will never come across them talking gibberish in the media and they always carry themselves with utmost grace and dignity. It’s a pity the airheads seem to be dethroning the smart Alecs what with all their “interesting” (note the sarcasm) tales about boyfriends, husbands, divorces, live-ins, break-ups… did I miss something? Work??? Nah, they never talk much sense about that do they?
Speaking of movies, we couldn’t have asked for a better time for the multiplex strike to be called off… right on the day the exams ended! Although I’ve only seen Angels and Demons so far, the line up of big banner movies sure seems promising. About Angels & Demons, it was great that I didn’t remember a word of the book I read 3 years ago… the suspense was sustained all through the movie and just like was the case with the book, I liked Angels and Demons way better than the Da Vinci Code…
I also had the misfortune of watching “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi”… I’m sure SRK was high and unaware of his actions when he signed the movie. How else does one explain him being part of such a waste of resources in a thoroughly disappointing film?!?!? I’d rather not waste my blogspace writing about it now…
I’m also kinda glad I missed out on the IPL and the T20 this time. IPL was devoid of the slaps and sledging while T20… the lesser said the better!
Anyway, that’s all for now folks! It sure is great to be back!!! Coming soon, ‘Confessions of a Twenty year old Drama Queen’ and a guide on how to cope with no longer being a teenager!
P.S. - No one’s being racist here… ‘dumb blonde’ is just a commonly used expression which went really well with the title of this post. If u wanna witness racism, or take action against it, I suggest you pack off to Australia, my friend!
P.S. again- The Apprentice is back!!! Watch it at 9.00pm, Wednesdays only on Star World!
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