Future leads the willing and drags the unwilling

About 5 months ago, I stepped out of my teens. And believe me, it wasn't as exciting as stepping into 'teen-hood'.
Nonetheless, something that happened today made me feel that after all, it's all about the way you live it.
In the one hour lunch break that our college allows us, we decided to grab a bite outside. We stepped foot on Russel Street and savoured a bowl of piping hot Cheese Maggi, and immediately thereafter, chilled lassi! Which "grown-up" does that? On retrospect I felt, we were practically inviting illness to come our way!
Sooner than later we were clicking pictures on our phone and laughing at our own madness. The shop whose entrance became the backdrop of our photoshoot didn't matter,the passersby who smirked didn't matter. We were in our own frenzy and did I enjoy it! 
The pictures led to crazy poses and even crazier conversations. We talked about the pictures being printed, then we planned how we'd make scrapbooks for each other at the end of college. And then- this is the high point of the trilogue- we concluded that we wouldn't make three different scrapbooks. "That'll make us very typical. Years on end we'll only be sitting with these books and saying I HAD a friend.....," said a friend, rather purposefully. So, in order to save our separate scrapbooks the trouble of our tears, she suggested that we make a single book.
There! Within minutes we had fast forwarded our lives and predicted the future. We made a serious promise, in a not-so serious manner, when we decided that there would now be only one scrapbook which would change hands every year on Friendship Day. The geographical distances would be made up by courier services.... And in more ways than one, we solved all other problems that might crop up. 
As spontaneously as we'd started talking about it, we drifted on to talking about all else that occupied our mind space. And then, we discovered the weird notion of Dimpla Kapadia marrying Anna! Only because when I said Khanna, it was misheard!
 
Such are the promises and pleasures of adulthood! 

There's a place and time for everything.....

My newspaper vendor has an absurd habit of delaying the delivery of the paper when it's most awaited. When the city or coutry has suffered a catastrophe the previous day and early next morning, we eagerly wait for this lad to come knocking on our door, he seldom turns up before 9. Sometimes we are left thinking that probably he takes all his time to read the paper before he goes around delivering them!

 Saturday, the 10th of December, the day after the AMRI Massacre took place, was no different for this not so amusing habit. 
As soon as we got hands on the paper we found ourselves comparing the written articles with the information disseminated on the television broadcast. The death toll, casualty figures, timelines were compared at a glance. Expressions grew grim, eyes became wider in awe and heads nodded in from side-to-side, as if 'commenting' on our helplessness.
I noticed how the entertainment supplement was left untouched for quite a while. Instead, our heads were immersed in heaps of information reflected in charts and tables and graphics- all the tools used by the editors to make the details comprehensive.
Later in the day when I sat in my College library reading the articles beyond the headlines, I saw the contrasts that were rampant through out the newspaper.
On the left side of the centrespread was a blown-up picture of a lady being comforted by her relatives, and several other images lined it along the sides reflecting the different states at the point of action on the previous day. As your eyes moved along the spread, on the right side you'd spot a full page advertisement wherein a young boy claimed how "happy" he was about cracking a certain exam because he had attended a certain coaching centre! Now that's what you call the various colours of life! The conflicting images didn't end there. On another page, with similar heart breakig images, you could see a fairly big advertisement of a new mobile phone which was apparently 
"The Amazing Everyday" phone.
How amazing was this particular day for the 89 (or so we are told!) people who died? 
I'm not sure how this situation can be changed or the Editors do anything different on this note. But it certainly does not seem quite right. On one hand we criticize the short span of public memory and here we are - being fed advantages of an Internet pack,being informed about a film show and the list goes on! 
What do you think could serve as an alternative? Should the newspapers declare it a 'No Ads Day' on these occasions? But no, according to some people readership increases markedly after an incident of this sort. So, how can the opportunity be lost?
Are we losing all sense of morality or is there an underlying solution somewhere?     

Jig to the jingle!

It's a wonder what a mob can collectively do. Create ruckus, instigate riots, express revolt or plainly de-stress; provide a break to the passersby and derive their own pleasure as well. 

Shonan Kothari, a working professional in Mumbai decided to do just that. A similar jig which she witnessed in London, inspired her. Since last week, Chatrapati Station in Mumbai has seen  much unusual activity. It started when this young girl of 23, began to dance to a popular A.R.Rahman number, and soon she had as many as 200 people following her footsteps! Literally so!

It's an ideal way to release stress and take a much needed break from the hustle bustle of daily life which includes the tiring train journeybin Mumbai. With reduced stress levels, there are reduced number of fights and argumets among the people. One smile spread to 200, and soon the whole lot moved on with their daily activity happily, with a SMILE.
That's the essence of a flash mob. People spontaneously take up some act, with or without a message and after the performance they carry on as if nothing happened. Besides the performance what does happen is, vibrations of positivity are passed on from one person to another and soon the whole crowd is in a jovial mood.
Hats off to her genuinely out-of-the-box thinking because even I've seen flashmobs when I've been travelling, clicked pictures, enjoyed the performances and moved on. Who ever thought of this? 
Open happiness!

The sporting spirit of Kolkata

This article was tweeted by Rajdeep Sardesai.
It's an amazing piece of work. The sporting spirit of Calcuttans has been elucidated wonderfully, and silent changes which are taking place have been brought to surface. An article which will bring a smile on every Calcuttan's face, a smile of acknowledgement and agreement.
It is a bit too long probably for leisure reading but if you get to the end, you will agree it's insightful!
Read on as you trace the loyalties of the people as the pendulum of their interests shift from Ganguly to Bhutia.


http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/542275.html

This happens only in India!

All of a sudden this afternoon the news channels flashed that, Sharad Pawar was slapped by a man. It is amazing how people resort to absurd ways and means in trying to 'protest'.
Movies, commercials and write-ups finally succeeded to raise the country in awakening. But alas! no specific method was prescribed. 
For a man to step up to Pawar and slap him across his face, in public view; is awfully weird. 
What's worse is that a bigger question for the public figures is related to the degree of the safety provided by security personnel. 
And like the icing on a cake was the comment by Congress officials who initiated the blame game with BJP.
This truly happens only in India!  

Jewellery collections revisited- 'Mia' by Tanishq

In today's age when all business organisations thrive on innovative strategies, Tanishq launched its new jewellery line- 'Mia'. It is clearly the result of a creative think tank, and the streak of innovation is loud and clear. This jewellery collection is for the working women.Apparently, it showcases adornments that can be worn to work.

It provides a boost to the personality of the working ladies as they associate with this collection on a personal level.
Kudos to the people who thought of it! Almost all members of the fairer sex who have gradually become vital parts of the corporate world would agree that some amount of jewellery even in the office space, adds to their individuality. However, they have to carefully segregate the 'bling' party-wear embellishments and be choosy about what would win an edge over casual-wear but yet not be too glamorous.

While other companies in this field have advertised their products mainly from the bridal collections, I think this concept by Tanishq is a remarkable progress! It marks a change in ideology and also cashes in on the curiosity quotient.They have smartly made an effort to create a plan which is "out of the box" and thus might be able to capture the markets in this segment. It is likely to bring in more sales because this collection is surely the first of its kind in India.

Every husband, son, father and friend; would like to buy one of these pieces for that special lady in their lives, who balances her various roles wonderfully well!
The branding is marvelous and the tag line

"Loves to go to work" 

not only proves that its the reap of well nurtured grey cells, but also heightens the chances of brand recall.

Hats-off to the strategy makers for their tribute to the working woman!

 This is no advertisement of their products, just a lay-woman's appreciation of their work :)

Chillar Party!

The Chillar Party with their dog

Sitting lazily in front of the idiot box on a Sunday afternoon, I was flipping channels; trying to find an appropriate movie or program to watch.

I paused on a movie which was just about to begin. The beginning looked inviting and, when they announced 'Chillar Party' I knew it was a recent release and expected to be fun.Through the afternoon, I sat through the multiple ads that were not so pleasing, because they served as brakes in the flow of the film.

The movie revolved around a group of children, who were collectively called chillar party, by the adult group in  their colony. Each kid, was a star in his own right and they were fairly familiar ones who had shown face in some movies in the past, but most of them could be recognized by their presence in television commercials. 

Together they put up a brilliant performance. Each member of the group had a distinct character. While one little boy disliked wearing his undies, there was another who had a 'black' tongue because every line he uttered showed contrasting results. So when, this boy called Lucky said, " Aj hum zaroor match jeetenge.", they lost to their rival group in the neighborhood. In this manner, each little child's character was carefully cut out and the little ones did rather too well!
What started out as little children playing cricket in their colony and lazing around casually, took a serious turn when the group welcomed a child laborer in their colony, who was appointed to wash the cars. This little boy came with his pet  who was actually a stray dog. By a sequence of events, the political angle is added to the movie and a certain politician decides to do away with all stray dogs in the city.
They save their pet after a long drawn tussle with the minister, which included getting involved with the press and something they called chaddi  march but finally, the minister loses to their stubborn enthusiasm and the dog is allowed to stay in the colony.
The plot of the movie is wholesome because it captures the political troubles, touches on child labour issues, draws on media practices and highlights how children are sometimes driven by adults to give up some right and just cause.
The movie ends in a debate between the minister and the children, with the latter reading out lines from their Moral Science book to the former. Each of those lines were picked well and rendered the minister shamefaced and the happy ending followed!
As against, the lines of Rang de Basanti and that genre of films which empowered the youth, this one concentrated on an lower age bracket and showed how even they could take action and make their mark.

A still from their chaddi march

Kudos to the movie makers and to the undying spirit of cinema with an underlying message!