My customary three month crushes are well known to all my friends. They are fully aware of my weird 'flavour of the quarter' syndrome & are more often than not, ready to indulge my weirdness. There is however a strict pattern that I adhere to - It is always a one sided crush. :) Hence, as I smoothly transition from one to the other, they all end on a happy note.
This latest crush of mine however, ended on a sad note when I decided to watch Phoonk 2. How I wish to go back in time and edit my lapse of judgment! My instincts were alerted when I first found that Phoonk 2 had the same cast as the last one. Something screamed on the lines of "people needing to learn from past mistakes". However, I decided to ignore the warning signs and decided to endure the movie, come what may.
After a mind-numbingly boring first half hour, I went to sleep for the next half. On waking up, I was forced to deal with the reality that my crush had worn off :( After being thoroughly exorcised of my latest 'intellectual engagement', I came to the following conclusions -
1. You can never truly understand what motivates men.
2. Most men never learn from their past mistakes.
3. Most women love to cry on a man's shoulder to enforce their own sense of fragility.
4. Most women hate to help themselves.
5. Most women love to assign all 'corrective responsibilities' to men irrespective of the man's capabilities.
6. Atheist or not, most men just suck at choosing good homes for themselves or their families.
Indulge me if I am wrong.
Saturday
The 'Sparsh' Sparks
Haven't found any news worth pondering about lately.
From the unabashed uncouthness of the "People's Representatives" of the country, to the victimization of innocents, the death of unsuspecting & ill-equipped jawans who die protecting the political fat asses (pun intended), to the marriage between two religious and professional heretics, it all seems so mundane these days.
I laughed in the face of a friend once on hearing a happenstance called the end-of-the-world. As on this date I find myself looking forward to such a proposition. I have held no illusions in my mind for a long time now. Yet, always held on to hope. I no longer wish to read the newspapers these days & dread watching the news. One embodies negativity and the other lacks credibility.
My friends suggested some hardcore partying to get me off the pits. My family suggested some spiritual rejuvenation (I praised the lord they hadn't suggested marriage). Just when I thought that conscious human thought has reached a point of 'no recovery', Sparsh happened. Winning or losing is not key here. What is important is that the 'underdogs' have spoken. Even if you do not 'go change the world', I wish 'more power to you'.
From the unabashed uncouthness of the "People's Representatives" of the country, to the victimization of innocents, the death of unsuspecting & ill-equipped jawans who die protecting the political fat asses (pun intended), to the marriage between two religious and professional heretics, it all seems so mundane these days.
I laughed in the face of a friend once on hearing a happenstance called the end-of-the-world. As on this date I find myself looking forward to such a proposition. I have held no illusions in my mind for a long time now. Yet, always held on to hope. I no longer wish to read the newspapers these days & dread watching the news. One embodies negativity and the other lacks credibility.
My friends suggested some hardcore partying to get me off the pits. My family suggested some spiritual rejuvenation (I praised the lord they hadn't suggested marriage). Just when I thought that conscious human thought has reached a point of 'no recovery', Sparsh happened. Winning or losing is not key here. What is important is that the 'underdogs' have spoken. Even if you do not 'go change the world', I wish 'more power to you'.
Monday
Valentine blues
Most everyone "falls" in love at some point and quite a large number live to repent the same. Would it then be justified to say, "He\She was "felled" in love"???
Guess, I am just sour grapes coz my Valentines day was spent reading a book on Sociology :D Life sure does seem pathetic without my rose-coloured glasses.
Guess, I am just sour grapes coz my Valentines day was spent reading a book on Sociology :D Life sure does seem pathetic without my rose-coloured glasses.
Tuesday
On the Rann
Watched Rann last night. To say it was great would be unfair on my part. The concept echoed my thoughts and hence my take is definitely a biased one. It is hard to come by good actors these days, but even harder to find better directors. While I have always sidelined Verma to category B, Rann shows a lot of calibre. Having often chosen Bhandarkar films over RGV's, I feel it necessary to congratulate RGV for his attitude shift and concluding the movie on a hopeful note.
Ritesh was refreshing. Veterans like Paresh Rawal, Monish Behl, Rajat Kapoor need no calibration. Amitabh yet again wins hands down for his depth and delivery. The characters are well defined and the plot is nicely paced.
The surprise element of the movie however, is not in its story. The character of Jai Mallik played by Kannada actor Sudeep steals the show. Several hearts broke for Jai. A new star emerged after a long cold period. Sudeep lives up to the quintessential model of tall-dark-handsome as well as the angry-young-man. After his highly forgettable role in Phoonk, Sudeep, thanks to RGV, seems to have finally found a footing in Bollywood. I hope he is here to stay.
As is apparent from above, my judgment of the movie is perhaps a little skewed. Hence, I leave it to you to watch the movie (or not) and draw your own conclusions.
Ritesh was refreshing. Veterans like Paresh Rawal, Monish Behl, Rajat Kapoor need no calibration. Amitabh yet again wins hands down for his depth and delivery. The characters are well defined and the plot is nicely paced.
The surprise element of the movie however, is not in its story. The character of Jai Mallik played by Kannada actor Sudeep steals the show. Several hearts broke for Jai. A new star emerged after a long cold period. Sudeep lives up to the quintessential model of tall-dark-handsome as well as the angry-young-man. After his highly forgettable role in Phoonk, Sudeep, thanks to RGV, seems to have finally found a footing in Bollywood. I hope he is here to stay.
As is apparent from above, my judgment of the movie is perhaps a little skewed. Hence, I leave it to you to watch the movie (or not) and draw your own conclusions.
My comment on PeerPower
Subject : Question: Will US protectionism on outsourcing hurt the Indian IT sector?
Protectionism or not, what matters is what happens next. Tax-cuts aside, the fact that most outsourcing enterprises "could" pull back is a threat that can no longer be ignored. With the Indian economy largely dependent on the service sector, the threat of an economic downturn in India, looms large. While China has from the very onset secured its internal industries, what are India's options? The sagging and overstaffed PSU's can no longer act as remedy. India will have to wake up to its nemesis soon. Concerted efforts and drastic corrective actions are needed with immediate effect.
We need to focus on strengthening our own manufacturing sectors. Subsidies and government grants are required to encourage budding entrepreneurs, thereby creating more jobs. Higher cess should be levied on electronic/appliance imports to allow emerging Indian enterprises (that lack scale) fair competition. Encourage private entrees into essential government sectors like defense, funding hi-tech r&d and offering lucrative grants. Our primary concern should be to protect, secure & eventually empower existing Indian industries from foreign competition.
It is unlikely that outsourcing firms will decapitate their Indian operations immediately. Keeping in mind the lucrative markets both within India as well the Asia-Pacific countries, tax-cuts may not seem a lucrative lure in the long term. We have therefore, a buffer of time. It would however be in our best interests to act before the buffer expires.
Protectionism or not, what matters is what happens next. Tax-cuts aside, the fact that most outsourcing enterprises "could" pull back is a threat that can no longer be ignored. With the Indian economy largely dependent on the service sector, the threat of an economic downturn in India, looms large. While China has from the very onset secured its internal industries, what are India's options? The sagging and overstaffed PSU's can no longer act as remedy. India will have to wake up to its nemesis soon. Concerted efforts and drastic corrective actions are needed with immediate effect.
We need to focus on strengthening our own manufacturing sectors. Subsidies and government grants are required to encourage budding entrepreneurs, thereby creating more jobs. Higher cess should be levied on electronic/appliance imports to allow emerging Indian enterprises (that lack scale) fair competition. Encourage private entrees into essential government sectors like defense, funding hi-tech r&d and offering lucrative grants. Our primary concern should be to protect, secure & eventually empower existing Indian industries from foreign competition.
It is unlikely that outsourcing firms will decapitate their Indian operations immediately. Keeping in mind the lucrative markets both within India as well the Asia-Pacific countries, tax-cuts may not seem a lucrative lure in the long term. We have therefore, a buffer of time. It would however be in our best interests to act before the buffer expires.
Monday
Sunday
Today's Femme fatale - Tomorrow’s torchbearer
Coming up with a list of my top five women of the future required a lot of deliberation. Obvious names which keep cropping up all the time like Indra Nooyi, Kiran Shaw Majumdar etc, I decided to ignore. Not because, they do not merit the credit but because, they belong to a passing out generation.
My quest was to identify young torch bearers and futuristic women of potential. Sorry guys but Katrina, Aishwarya and Kareena simply cannot hold the candle to these gusty others. Don’t get me wrong but I have no patience for someone who cannot get herself to even converse in the very same language that helped her showcase her only talent (read looks). Kareena and Bips own precious little in the higher department and lose points each time their inter-“views” and personas are aired. Aishwarya falls just short of reaching the top five. Much as I admire her wax-like beauty, she could have done a lot more than just working for personal gains. While I have cited the reasons for the why-nots, the toppers get only a brief generalization for being chosen.
1. Brains as indicated by their ‘word of mouth’ or pen/keyboard.
2. Actions in real life that range from community service to personal lives to business acumen.
Those wanting more credibility can do their own research. Please understand these are my top fivers and you can beg to differ. I do not pay heed to character certifications or cast value judgements. Hence, feel free to take your own stand. So without further ado, my top five women for the future in alphabetical order are –
Preity Zinta
Priyanka Chopra
Sagarika Ghose
Sunitha Krishnan
Sushmita Sen
Having a point of view is important.
My quest was to identify young torch bearers and futuristic women of potential. Sorry guys but Katrina, Aishwarya and Kareena simply cannot hold the candle to these gusty others. Don’t get me wrong but I have no patience for someone who cannot get herself to even converse in the very same language that helped her showcase her only talent (read looks). Kareena and Bips own precious little in the higher department and lose points each time their inter-“views” and personas are aired. Aishwarya falls just short of reaching the top five. Much as I admire her wax-like beauty, she could have done a lot more than just working for personal gains. While I have cited the reasons for the why-nots, the toppers get only a brief generalization for being chosen.
1. Brains as indicated by their ‘word of mouth’ or pen/keyboard.
2. Actions in real life that range from community service to personal lives to business acumen.
Those wanting more credibility can do their own research. Please understand these are my top fivers and you can beg to differ. I do not pay heed to character certifications or cast value judgements. Hence, feel free to take your own stand. So without further ado, my top five women for the future in alphabetical order are –
Preity Zinta
Priyanka Chopra
Sagarika Ghose
Sunitha Krishnan
Sushmita Sen
Having a point of view is important.
To be or not to be
It was quite upsetting to note in a recent survey that Shashi Tharoor did not qualify in India’s most eligible bachelor list. Which idiot cares about an age gap when a man has brains in spades? And then found he had married again :P. Nevertheless, it requires a significant size of guts (not using the b-word for propriety) for a public figure to express a personal opinion with candour, court controversy as well as risk the ire of seniors.
It is a known fact that certain regressive policies of certain haloed individuals set India backwards by a good many decades. If facts come as a shock to some old bones and some newer, much softer ones, then I recommend shock proof vests for them. Tharoor, join a better party. Better yet, start a newer and better one.
Granted, his TED India talk wasn’t great. Granted, the five star accommodation fiasco could have been avoided. But hey, no one is infallible. I like my heros real.
It is a known fact that certain regressive policies of certain haloed individuals set India backwards by a good many decades. If facts come as a shock to some old bones and some newer, much softer ones, then I recommend shock proof vests for them. Tharoor, join a better party. Better yet, start a newer and better one.
Granted, his TED India talk wasn’t great. Granted, the five star accommodation fiasco could have been avoided. But hey, no one is infallible. I like my heros real.
Wednesday
Could have been much better
Multiple technological inconsistencies in 3 idiots wrt laptop models, airtel usb modem, scooterette models etc. Bane of in-film advertisement - Timing it right. 10 years ago some of these items were not even in existence...let alone in India.
The film failed to live up to my expectations. But Aamir is still my favourite and Madhavan and Sharman rock as well.
The film failed to live up to my expectations. But Aamir is still my favourite and Madhavan and Sharman rock as well.
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