No maafi for this one

No maafi for this one

Review of 7 Khoon Maaf by Yashodeep Sengupta

Generally Vishal Bharadwaj’s brand of movies always garners a lot of expectations. 7 Khoon Maaf, too, was not spared of the hype. Promotions, Priyanka Chopra and Darrrllling – all elements were ensured to be driven home to the audience before the release. So did it live up to the humongous expectations? Umm, not quite. A riveting performance by Priyanka Chopra is marred by unconvincing tracks, a fresh aspect to the story is dented by poor direction, fine acting by some is butchered by shoddy editing, and a pacy first impression is damaged by the immense length of the movie. It’s also sad to notice flaws in Vishal’s work, especially after giving us powerful films like Maqbool and Omkara and endearing ones as Ishqiya and The Blue Umbrella. A friend of mine joked Vishal should have taken a tripping in order to match up to his earlier calibre. He, basically, fails with 7 Khoon Maaf.

Primarily set in Goa, 7 Khoon Maaf is a tale of Susanna’s journey and her search for eternal love, which eludes her every time. And the solution? Not a divorce, neither an extra marital affair, nor an elopement. Susanna has only one answer for cheaters, wife-beaters, MCP husbands – Khoon or Murder. So husbands, one after another, get sacrificed at the altar of her riddance and a hope to find someone better the next time. While Major Rodrigues (Neil Nitin Mukesh) is made to be devoured by a man-eating panther, Mushroom da (Naseeruddin Shah) is made victim of a gun-duelling ‘game’. The suave Nicholas Vronsky (new actor) is made to be bit by poisonous snakes, Wasillulah Khan (Irrfan Khan) is buried alive in snow. The grotesque nature of the murders also extend to other scenes in the movie, like the one where Rodrigues mock-caresses Susanna’s face with his half-amputated leg, or when wounds of a dead body for medical examination are shown in too minute details. But sadly, the theme is discontinuous and thus, does not register much.

What registers are fresh concepts and motifs, used craftily in the film. So, be it the whip-fight between Major Rodrigues and a 4 feet midget, a kinky John Abraham in nightgown and drug overdose, Wasillulah Khan romping on Susanna (or Sultana) at nights, a Russian double-agent, Keemat Lal’s (Annu Kapoor) sex-scene with Susanna (or Madame) thanks to Viagra, or the death knell scenes, 7 Khoon Maaf would be watched in posterity more for these elements rather than anything else.

Priyanka Chopra as the cerebral, attractive and desperate Susanna is just about okay. Her roles in Kaminey, Fashion and Aitraaz were better. Having said that, Priyanka is not too loud and despite her botoxed lips and caked face and (later) no make-up look, manages to look good, even as the 60-year old. Noteworthy performances are done by Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Vivaan Shah (Naseer’s son and the narrator of the movie). But it’s Annu Kapoor, who steals the show with his excellent portrayal of the cop in love. Neil Nitin Mukesh, too – despite his obnoxious pronunciations- impresses with his twitch of an eye and smirk on his face. The ‘Aadamkhor Major’ certainly looks his part. John Abraham is beefy and just about okay. The roles of Maggie (Usha Uthup), Khan and Goonga (the midget) are important.

Music is average. Tracks such as ‘Darling’ and ‘Bekaraar’ stand out. I have talked about direction and editing earlier, which are poor. Cinematography is good and the locales of Kashmir and Goa come alive with it. Background score could have been better but lighting has been brilliantly used in the film (a big relief from the dark frames used in Kaminey)

But what causes maximum damage is the inane ending. That bit spoils whatever redeeming features the movie was peppered with. And needless to say, the sheer length of the movie (close to 3 hours). Horrid memories of LOC Kargil came flashing before my eyes.

I would not recommend people to watch the movie in theatres, but maybe at home on a DVD. It’s a one-time watch, slightly disturbing, slightly eerie, but mostly disengaging, awfully long and with (reiterating) an apology of an ending. Thumbs down for that. What was attempted to be conveyed as surreal, turns out to be funny and stupid.

Rating: **/5

Bengalimbo?

For all the predictions and prophecy of the debacle of the Left rule in the state you may know, Bengal could be staring at a bleak future. Primarily because the proponent party which is apparently blowing the bugle of "revolution" and "change" might be equally disastrous or even worse, possibly the latter of the two.

The Trinamool opposition in West Bengal might be unparalleled in recent years and the rabble-happy chief might have found admirers in the Bangla heartland, with her fiery slogans and nev

er-say-die attitude and open resistance to the CPI(M) rule besides her apparent simplicity of living and straightforward approach to questions, but the TMC clout in the state would never have been possible if not for the blunders creat

ed by the overconfident, rash, hasty, unaccommodative, backward, cynical and torturous approach of the now-ruling-CPI(M) in the state.

Experts say Ex-CM Jyoti Basu made fewer mistakes than the current minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who is a tad more overactive than the bound parameters which a Leftist dwells in and is expected to be constrained in by the chief party agenda and whip. If it was not the forcible acquisition of land of the farmers in Singur and Nandigram, if it was not for the indiscriminate firing on the local protesters by the Police which led to deaths, if it was not for crossing of "Laxman Rekha" of the party principle of anti-capitalism by attracting investments in the state in lieu of poor compensation- the resistance put up by TMC would not have found a popular backing. Bhattacharjee, maybe, had his own obligations of ushering in development in the state but the way it was done didn't let his intentions gain much sympathy and thus, startingly, a bunch of Leftists in West Bengal left the fabric to join hands with Mamata's party, fresh and resistant in its approach.

Apart from these factors, of course, the notorious history of the tyrannical rule of the Left in Bengal petted a caustic response in the hearts of the sufferers in the state and it gushed out when they found an outlet of anti-incumbency in the TMC .

Having said that, the TMC, when it comes to power after the 2011 Assembly elections in Bengal, where people believe the Left would be routed, it would be facing an uphill task to deliver the promises made to the people in the state. Firstly, the party has very few prominent faces (barring the intelligensia which would never plunge head over heels in politics and even if they do, they have little chances of survival) apart from, of course, our lady herself. A Partho Chatterjee and a Mukul Roy is nowhere in comparison with Mamata, at least yet. It needs backup leaders to begin with. Secondly, TMC's alliance with Congress is crucial to sustain the victory in the state. If the Congress, somehow, pulls the plug out of the ruling government if Mamata disagrees to a coalition in the state or flouts the coalition agenda, then the TMC will find it tough to battle it on its own. Mamata's next term as the Union Railway minister is very dicey. A friction with the Congress in the National level would, no doubt, make the job of Mamata harder to sustain in the National arena too. A position which would contribute to a loss of image of the leader and the loss of stance of the party, which now, still in its nascent stage, would need the crutch of backing by the ruling power to emerge wholly and successfully. Thirdly, Mamata will have a tough time appeasing the Maoists, for whose cause she is fighting so ardently now. If the affection towards them are not continued, it won't take a second for the guerrillas to train their guns at teh leader. Fourthly, the Left won't be an easy task to trounce if they oppose vehemently in support with their muscle power and longer years of "understanding", once the TMC comes to power . For example, CPI(M) would take recourse to the same set of arguments and resistance if tomorrow, Mamata attracts a Salim in the state, as the TMC did when CPI(M) were the caller. A looming threat is the activism of the student unions and workers of both the party.

What is baffling is- if the TMC messes its rule in the state, will the people again vote the CPI(M) back to power? So, is it a vicious circle of fruitless dependence and less choice that we are in today, or will be facing in the future? Is it the double existence of dwelling in a limbo and breaking into violence and calling strikes, that we, the people of Bengal, are staring at?

Charulata- Focusing on the husband

Charulata might be one of the classiest and widely emphatized characters in Bengali literature, but spare some thought her husband (I forget his screen name). A passionate newsman whose life is entirely dedicated to his newspaper, but he is equally aware of the neglect his wife faces from him. He knows that and in the movie, we do see glimpses of him trying to compensate in the best way he can (while he still ran his business) which includes asking his brother to nurture her talent for literature. But after he gets cheated and his business comes to a halt, he realizes that now its destiny that he has to provide more time to his wife. And he does that and takes her to a holiday along the beaches. It turns out to be a boon for him as Charu lends him an idea of setting up the business again. Our man is over the moon and his love knows no bound. All this while, he is entirely unsuspecting of Charu developing a natural affinity towards his brother, played exquisitely by Soumitra, which is 'conventionally' wrong, maybe, but a natural course of action for the hapless and bored housewife. And that is exactly why the husband is crestfallen to discover the truth at the end of the movie. But he has nowhere to go. The tough and principled man on the exterior has a heart which pines for love and has a great amount of care and dependence on Charu. Moreover, his business associates have left him. He must be harbouring a hidden mistrust towards his brother. And he loves Charu too much. And thus, inspite of the tremendous pain, the tears, the agony and the shock he accepts Charu's hand at the end frame of the movie- a step which showcases his vulnerability, his dependence on Charu, his love and his helplessness. It' a classic character sketch.

Note: My observations are based on the movie 'Charulata', not the novel ' Noshthoneer'

Aisha Avoidable

It would not strike at the very beginning but Sonam kapoor fit the bill for the title role of 'Aisha' perfectly. The rich and immatured 'brat' who thinks random matchmaking is something more than a timepass. We do find such people around us who are very honest and serious about a thought which is socially unconventional and may lead them to trouble. In that way Jane Austen's character sketch stood out and at the same time was very common. Not only that it preserved the character till posterity.

Even the current and artificial Delhi life houses such characters, I am sure.

Yes, it's a 'girly' movie, I agree. With all the hankering after branded clothes (most of the girls would be drooling over the attire range, I am sure), and the pedicures and fashionable Hauz Khas village, fancy rafting, a hot bod dude (an abnormally-meaty Dhruv), cool poster beds, pyjama parties, perfect daddies, money you dont get tired of spending and a cool and rich guy proposing to you for marriage by climbing to your balcony using a ladder. It has all the ingredients to pull in females in scores at theatres.

Err...did i say 'scores'? i did. Because, The cinema is largely boring, not only as an experience, but also in terms of plot and pace. there are moments in the first half, which makes you think why the hell did you spend 250 bucks and watch this film? You could have gone for a 'Peepli Live' instead.Sequences like trying to groom the desi girl to a chic urban delite is all style, no substance. The water rafting and the beach sequence is highly non-arresting and a put-down. The Hollywood feel of the movie is marred by poor dialogue, a shoddy screenplay and a loose script and of course...no plot at all. Ir meanders aimlessly till 2 and a half hours and leaves you dry and wanting for something better to make it a fruitful day. Except for Aisha, character development is not present in other actors. Most of them are flat and show no change. Even the artificial and superficial lifestyle of Delhi could have been brought out in a more effective way.

Having said that, credit should be given to certain aspects which make you sit at the theatre and not leave the movie half-seen. Performances. Sonam Kapoor is good. She is slowly proving her mark as a promised actor. And it would not be exaggerating to say that it's her finest performance till date. cyrus Sahukar, Ira Dubey and the actor who played the desi girl are first-rate. Abhay deol's role is half-baked, could have been explored a bit more. Scenes like the wedding faux-pas and the one where Aisha and her father steal a quick chat late at night are studs in the movie. Music. Amit Trivedi's compositions are good. 'Gal mitthi mitthi' and the title track stand out. Sadly, these are the only saving graces of the otherwise poor and a worthless fare.

You should watch the movie for the performances, high class delhi life and of course, the fashion brands which are displayed themselves in the movie, every two minutes or so.

If that's not tempting enough, catch a vintage sweet 'Socha na tha' anyday.

Rating: **

Adolf Maradona?

A gasping, gawking, charged-up Diego Maradona charging up and down the sidelines and blowing kisses to Messi, is surely a contagious sight, more so for Argentine fans. But will his extreme pride, or should I say, haughtiness, prove to be the doom for him?

Maradonaisms

"Pele should be put in a museum; I don't care about Platini"

"I have Messi. Do you?"

This, apart from cursing at scribes and making the winning side in a practice game shower footballs on the losing side, as a punishment.

Are we playing football or dodgeball?

The brand new Paathshaala

You reach a time in your life when you begin to go beyond noticing personal and inter-personal changes and begin noticing social changes.
Last night while attending a dinner party one of the discussions veered towards the education of the host's kids. Sure the Indian education system has changed a lot specially in the metros. And well let me be clear that I am talking about those schools which have adopted the European and the American curriculum of teaching its students. And that I am mentioning about the 'Upmarket' ones for valid reasons. Let me point out three broad developments which has appealed to me the most.

Firstly, the way of imparting education has altered. It's not about bookish knowledge anymore.It's not about sticking to your textbooks and answering questions at the end of every chapter nowadays. It has gone beyond that. The psychological angle has crept in. It's more analytical now. With deeper thought behind the formation of each question and the ideation of the ability to make the student 'think' and answer, not just simply answering mechanically. Monthly exams have been replaced by weekly tests and daily quizzes. Grades have come in. The concept of awarding a topper with 'star' has been devised too. The sense of competition has increased with classes having lesser and lesser number of 'poor' students. Everyone notches up a minimum of 60 percent nowadays. CBSE is thinking of doing away with the tradition of failing a student till a particular standard. Boardroom education has replaced classroom teaching. Blackboards have given way to digital boards where you can log on to a website and teach the class. Gone are the days of the dusters. One swish of hand and the data is wiped out (with a possible memory to back it up) from the screen. Its 'cool' for the new breed of kids. and its western. we all are suckers for it. Just that its western and its better. Also, another newer technique has emerged whereby students are given IDs with which if they log on to their school's website they will have a detailed account of hat has been happening in the class that particular day and what were the minutes of it, how has been the child's performance etc.

Secondly, a huge differrence has come about through the employmeny of co-curricular activities in schools. Its not just books and books and exams anymore. Young people are getting exposed to public speaking and a host of other innovative indoor and outdoor exercises. My nephew has soemthing called 'cobblers day' coming up in his school which is reportedly about how to maintain the cleanliness of your shoes, which sounds exciting to him. A big reason for this kind of a holistic education in schools is because of the fact that with work pressure and the rat race in various industries in the work field, parents are getting little time to intract and 'train' their children. So the school takes care of them all. Of course in lieu of a hefty fee (which nowadays most of the parents can afford to, or comply to or well..compromise to. They clearly dont have a choice) So as I was saying, newer self defence techniques are coming in. The very popular Karate is getting replaced by kick boxing and taekwondo. Pottery, claying, arts and crafts, creative writing, gardening, fine dining, toilet training, hygiene and other extra curricular things have been incorporated in the syllabi.This is in addition to the outdoor events like annual sports or cricket, football, basketball being played.

Thirdly, the pressure has shifted from the students to the teachers. I hear that their compensation has been multiplied in private schools but the kind of work they do in training the kids has been exemplary and much more from what our teachers used to do. Not that they like it too much but the new system of eduaction has sure revealed who is to take all the worries. The teachers have to take charge of being with the kids, making assessments, reports, meeting with parents, bringing in innovation in class and so on. Even another path breaking achievement has been the removal, and I would say banishment, of corporal punishment from schools as such.

There are of course a host of other changes and addition like better transport facilities, air conditioned campuses, better uniforms, foreign exchange programmes, community service drives, added recognitions, improved tolerance to students etc which are present in the list of developments.

The sad and unfortunate part is that Government schools don't have the resources to carry out such functions and that education in rural areas have a long way to go. But the good part is that even the not so rich and famous private ones are trying to emulate their richer counterparts. I am sure the nest generation will be amazed to listen to our education tales.
Here's to a better India.

Modinama

Modi modi kahan modi kahan (main) modi modi ittefaaq se...says a seductive song from a recent hit movie. Oh heck! not quite. Maybe it was mudi and not modi. But what the hell! Nowadays that's the only bit of repetition you can encounter when you switch on your TV screens and when you leaf through the cripsp newspaper of the day. And Goddamn it, it sure isnt any ittefaq that our bronzed villain with his price posessions make it to the front page everyday and hog the centrestage at every practically every discussion in the 9 o clock slots in TV channels, for more than a month (it certainly seems so...we TV chaps have a habit of exaggerating, you know!)...so move over Sexbabas, sania, shoaib, amina, fatima, fatso-ma(whatshername)..we have the new man whose shady dealings can guarantee you entertainment more than when you watch a ball soar past the boundary for a six or when the rattling of stumps seems music to your ears in the ongoing IPL. Mr Modi is the essential powerman who has been allegedly corrupted by power, money and a little more power. You ca almost picturise him as a cheroot-smoking villain sitting cozy in his chair (shun the suit ala sanjay dutt in that 'not-quite-wow-but-jao' commercial) with arm candies like priyanka chopra, shilpa shetty, preity zinta or celina jaitley or some firang babe by his side, practising modisatva. He is the quintessential wily fox who can turn tables with his clever calculations and manipulations. The I-T raids have opened a pandora's box to be sure but the main treasure chest is still hidden away somewhere in some swiss suite perhaps guarded by brawny bodyguards and ofcourse, brainpower and money.
SO who spoiled it all? Enters our suave smart 'I taak in englees, I waak in englees' mr tharoor, who hates travelling in cattle class and misquotes saudi arabia (in lieu of women or dates?). But still the henchman creates a goof up costs modi dear. Power crazy, he is too. and tries to influence modi in disclosing details about a new team in the next IPL, with a will to 'mentor' the team. But whenever there is a women involved, case twisted hai boss(I can hear miss pushkar crying aloud that she has to face the ordeal only because she is a woman...well I sympathize with you but nevertheless, clean dealings are scanty miss pushkar...proofs are apparently nowhere, sweat equity or whatever) SO Mr Tahroor and miss pushkar(God bless them...private souls) enter into a jugalbandi and despite Mr modi's efforts to let aapno amdavad buy a team in IPL, Kerala with its chartbusting literacy rate, dupes modi's intentions and Kochi is born. And Modi is fuming. But reports suggest that there can be another little character in our story. The man who has head in clouds, Mr Praful patel. Patel saab is alleged to have played the role of a messenger between tharoor and the IPL. and another list of shango-pangos like patel's sweet lass daughter, or his not-so-sweet-lass-secretary etc etc who might have transpired in the dealings. Then again another newspaper claims that the funds disclosed by patel might have been spiked and intentionally so, at the behest of modi, to make tharoor lose his track. Ho hum! Now isnt that a bit too much now? I-T steps in meanwhile, with stepbrother ED and conduct raids and raise allegations that can be 1 out of the existing million. come on guys, so many twists in the tale is bittering the suspense and thrill. The viewers are getting confused. And soon you think that such things are commonplace, trite. It happens in every business or the other. So what if it is IPL? So what if guru Ezekiel or Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi or Boria Majumdar does not get tired discussing about cheap thrillers every evening?
So before a Khan may be held responsible for fudging accounts or a Zinta be accused of fixing matches or Modi be sacked or Tharoor be deported to America or Patel be let scot free or Manohar takes charge of the IPL mess and makes more money than modi, you will inevitable switch off your TV and pick up and read an Agatha Christie and mutter 'Kitna filmi hai saala'. Here dies another saga after Shoaib-Sania, a natural death...

Unload the freight

Mamata Banerjee is, perhaps, the second most entertaining politician in Indian history (after Laloo Prasad)
A treat to watch her presenting the railway budget'10
I give a thumbs up to the budget.

Her antics made the Lok Sabha come alive today (in a different way) The highly enjoying Sonia Gandhi and a visibly amused L K Advani drove home the point.

Golden moments:

1. Reads out the list of 130 new trains in one breath, interjected by comical apologies for mis-pron(o)uncing the names of most of them.

2. Her constant jibes at detractors in a very evil way (she even at one point of time replied to somebody in Bengali)

3. While announcing the Ankura-Agartala rail link, somebody quips up and our didi says with a mock smile "You theenk thees eez olso phor Bengol. eet eez awar nebaaring kaantry" Amazing!

4. Classic: While facing stiff opposition and ruckus mamata says: "Okay shaaut! Aai veel kaat awl"(referring to the 'cut' of the new services announced.

5. The way she flopped back into the chair after an almost 2 hour long marathon speech. Hilarious!

Truly Didi tera viewers deewana (only during the budget speech, that is!)

'Defending' an 'insane'

You might call Utsav Sharma a psychotic patient. i will call him too. but what exactly must have been going through his mind while attacking Rathore, the alleged molestor of Ruchika Girhotra? Well like every individual who has a heart and detests such an action on young, unsuspecting girls, he too must have been infuriated by the whole turn of events. The only difference between him and other 'sane' individuals is that Utsav had translated his thoughts into action, which other people would have not dared to, fearing the impetus of law on them But he didnt. I know for a fact that there are many who silently support his act and thinks that Rathore got an iota of what he desreved(keeping constant the allegation that he is guilty) Many would call him the torchbearer of people's mass movements and protests towards the case. An 'insane' person did wht the other 'sane' people had only conceived. His bravery wont go unnoticed like his laurels and achievements in the education sphere.

Out with it!

A popular news channel was airing exclusively the narco test videos of the suspects arrested in the Aarushi murder case, accessed by the channel. Narco tests, as per my knowledge, employs a truth serum which prompts you to reveal the hidden facts stored in your sub-conscious. It was painful to watch as the suspects were talking in a semi-conscious state and repeatedly denying the chances of their involvement in murdering Aarushi. but what was shocking was the way the interrogators tried to force out an admission from them and even went to the extent of prompting them the lines that they should speak out. Hazard this...Interrogators: "Speak out that you killed Aarushi. Say it. Say it that you have killed Aarushi" Pathtic. It was a good thing that nobody gave in to their demands. No I am not defending the criminal of the perpetrators but simply trying to lend some humanity to the whole process. yes of course You can argue that criminals or suspects of such nature must be handled in a dexterous way. True but watching it on the screen was painful indeed. At the end nobody owned up and thus the process is delayed. Note that tests have confirmed that Narco tests are not fool-proof(I recollect reading it somewhere). I dont remember distinctly whether Dr Talwar also underwent such tests or not. But impartially he should also have been conducted the test upon.

Acclaiming 'VEER'

Everytime somebody tries to taint his father's image, Salman Khan growls and its expected to draw cheers from the front rows and his hardcore fans. The actor has done tjings differently in this movie. Never before have people seen Salman Khan as a warrior before( Sooryavanshi was a pathetic rendition) The might and strength of the warriors in the early 19th sentury has been rightly essayed by Salman Khan with his bulging biceps and impressive torso. So much so that he doesnt spare any chance to take off his armour and display his chiseled build. His eyes talk. with anger, with vengeance, with love, with a fervour. Its unmistakable to notice his performance in the movie. and it doesnt go overboard (well, the sword-breaking scene was a little, i agree) But on the whole he performs with all his heart and it is apparent in the movie. He amazes in the action sequences. The hostel scene where he single-handedly finishes off the people who come to hurt his brother, the gladiator scene and the final duel with his father stand out from the rest.

For me, the fact that Salman khan wrote the script for 20 long years has paid off. He has a large canvas of mind which he successfully prtrays in the movie. The vastness of sets, the lavish designs, breathtaking cinematography, the elaborateness of emotions, the largeness of songs etc prove so. The character of 'Veer' is heroic. The final sacrifice which he makes for his motherland, leaving the one day old bride widow, drives home the point. In subtle ways Salman has also tried to showcase the misunderstandings which he had with his girlfriends earlier, in the movie. The heroism is very very apparent.

As for the film, its a little long-winded but for an epic saga as such the length is fair enough. The story, even though has been derived from a number of films, is fast and pacy. Performances from the actors are remarkable. Songs are really melodious. excellent is the cinematography and the action sequences. on the whole, the film is lavish and i loved it. The patriotic fervour is not jingoistic and poetic justice occurs at the end of the movie. The amazing relationship between the father and the son is one of the strong points of the movie.

The critics who have slammed the movie have seen it as a melodramatic piece of amalgamation from different genres. but what they have failed to notice is the sincerity of the story, the performances and the movie. I feel sorry for them and the thousands of people who will be misled by the critiques.

Whatever it is, Salman Khan is too big for such wimps of reviews.

So it's a new year

Ya so its the new year. a new decade is about to start. so whatever happened in the previous decade or the previous year? well lots of stuff. joy, pain, anguish, resurrection, revelation, tragedy and magic. well yes lots of it. what emerged out of the ashes of the left behind burnt days, but alive, are some introspections, worries, some burdens, some responsibilities and of course some more magic. Why do i constantly harp upon magic is because i consider life so. Its arbitrary and occassionally logical but its quite interesting and experiences enrich it. There are times when certain events have pained me, sometimes intolerable, sometimes impossible, but nevertheless when i look back i learn and carry those learnings to the future in a constant endeavour to smooth the rough edges that could be lying ahead of me, waiting to devour me with those sharp teeth of its. I look back just to clench my jaw(trying to avoid a TM-joint) forget the ashes and move ahead. I still dream on...


Year 2009
...Has been a testing year. away from my friends and extended family, my Love. ACj had been fun(in retrospection) and very teaching. My first job is still an event i will cherish throughout. Delhi has been amazing, inspite of all the complains. I visited Kolkata inly twice in 09 and my soul has become emptier, thus. I struggle to live on and create some substantial tangible matter a few steps ahead. In relationship, I have learnt things, found a plethora of faults of my own and have loved more. I have become tremendously unsocial, due to the lack of social society and of course, due to work pressure. I have aged too. Not in years, but through hours and experiences. I dont like looking at the mirror anymore and seldom worry about my attire and hairstyle. i am watching lesser movies in theatres and watching more soaps in television. sleep comes in inches and travelling has increased like never before. I have regained company again in my parents and its a secure feeling. I am happy about it. But there are a lot of things I have missed in 2009. I have seen a different culture exist parallelly and at most of the times been shocked by it. My temper has worsened, i have become cranky, lazy, impatient but I guess i am still lovable. My regrets in 2009 are the fact that I could not be present amidst my parents in their 25th marriage anniversary; my temper; and of course, the fact that I miss my folks in Kolkata, my life in Kolkata. Achievements- well, I am a journalist now; I have become more responsible and the fact that I think that there are a host of things which are still left to be achieved. Resolutions- well, magic!

Adios, till then...

Another joining to the TRP scramble

When we talk of TRPs we think about the 'Bigg bosses' and the 'balika vadhus' and to a certain extent India's cricket matches. But I also feel that the apparently drab, mundane and lack-lustre DD Lok sabha and DD Rajya sabha should have a solid share in the TRP pie. There used to be a time when I used to loathe at my uncle's habit of watching the day's proceedings religiously and used to laugh behind his back. Little did I know that after 7-8 years I would be the one fixing my gaze on the screen when the session begins. Of course bills and question hours hold no interest or very little, but the real blazers are the debates. I would not call them lively though. They are more noisy and gives an impression of a brawl taking place. But nevertheless, its a fixed consumable for the newsmakers. They thrive on it. And after wards it turns quite interesting too. So while you appreciate the cool and very gentle composure that chidambaram maintains while addressing any allegation, you simply cant ignore or trash the fiery nature of Ms. Swaraj's maligning. There's a rush, a sense of urgency when the members rush towards the well of the house demanding something. Observation1: They do not, in 9 out of 10 cases, worry about the crucial time that they are wasting and observation 2: The poor speaker, inspite of his apparent powers cant do an inch more than a "please aap baith jaiye" and "please resume your seat".

The present issues hanging in the parliament air apart from climate change debate and the NREGAs are the Liberhan report and the Telangana issue. BOth are not topical, but still retain their vigour and have hit back the sensitive Indian's mind with full gusto. The ghosts of the Babri refuse to die and the tremors of telangana have by now, resulted in the UPA relenting to the TRS's demand. KCR is the new poster boy...rejuvenated. And even the ruckus in the Andhra and Punjab assemblies have made it into the headlines. And when India is concerned, there is no lack of topics and crisis to be discussed. Everything under the (Indian) moon can be converted into a hot debatable issue within the walls of the Parliament.

Recently, something really humorous happened which supplied as a great ingredient for a feast relished by the media. Several MPs were missing from the House during the Question hour. And they cited juvenile and transparent reasons like getting late due to road and EVEN air transport, which left a poor Meira Kumar smiling without having anything else to say or do. Most of them dont maintain a basic decorum in the house and I remember in the West Bengal assembly, some TMC MPs even resorted to flinging chairs and breaking tables. Such a shame. But who knows, when you have a million voters to cater (or rather pretend to) to and their votes to greedily lap for, you are left with a little option rather than maintaining decency. Not everybody can be a Chidambaram or a Manmohan Singh.

So, entertainment comes with all its splendour during these sessions. Our primal instinct to get attracted to any kind of confrontation or altercation and watch them as a silent spectator and derive fun out of them like vultures devouring their preys, is a great aid for them too. So teh next time you are bored of family soaps or dramatic reality shows, just tune to DD Lok sabha and Rajya sabha. And I am sure you wont get disappointed.
(Of course you might choose to watch the most savoury bits and pieces from a news bulletin later or live)

When the Left is not right

Now that TMC has routed the left bastion from the 9 out of 10 seats in the recent by-polls in west bengal, CPM has little to make amend of. Like a prominent left leader said yesterday that CPM should go for a snap poll and exit gracefully and respectfully before their tenure ends (sic) in 2011. The party which ruled the state for more than 33 yrs have finally succumbed to its ineffectiveness and is staring at a massive electoral defeat in 2011. It needs a divine stroke of luck to revert their lost grandeur back to them. Mamata yesterday dramatically mentioned thatit was not the TMC's win but it was the left's loss-a statement that is sure to rub salt to the party's innumerable wounds and crack their backbone. And now that Mamata is looking forward to the students election by opening TMC's first students wing, it is sure to eat into whatever little is left of the CPM's vote bank. The Left is no more a people's party. This sudden curse should be very unbearable for left stalwarts whose efforts flagged the party's position and respect to such ground-breaking proportions. At a time when the whole nation is rebuking the Left;s ineffective combat against the maoists, their poor policies to benefit the poor and its failed attempt to rapidly industrialize the state (at the cost of the peasants' properties, as most of the people would say), we should spare a little thought for Left leaders like Jyoti Basu, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and the Late Subhash Bhowmick. They contribution to the party machinery was not only unparalleled but also path breaking in their uniqueness. Its not that I am writing their obituary from right now. But as a person who is born and brought up in West Bengal, It is a little unpleasant for me to witness their pathetic decle. And the day when Buddha babu will sit in the opposition's chair in the cabinet, it will be a surprising sight even for Mamata. More than the fact that the Bengal population is awed by Mamata's endeavours, I personally feel that they are in tremendous need of a change. There was a mood of anti-incumbency in the air and mamata, at the very right time, ignited the fire of 'Yes, we can (too)' and the result is right before your eyes. Its good to be optimistic, but somewhere lurking in the hearts of all the CPM workers and members in the state is the realization that in the next elections, The Left will be trampled for sure. What they now need is to think how to point out the loopholes of the possibly ruling TMC in 2011 and come back to power again. But clearly, Now, the Left is NOT right for the people.

Blame game in Bengal

Politics has turned into gimmick, providing umpteen drama to television and print journalists alike. Take the case of bengal politics, for example. At a time when a larger national threat like that of armed-rebellion of the naxals and the revisit of terms such as 'prisoner of war' etc, is looming large on the bengal plateau, political leaders are engaging in childish mudslinging. Just imagine a verbal duel between the two major parties, slugging it out just to garner a few votes when one needs to be composite, mature and take stock of situation together in combating such a deadly threat. So buddha accuses mamata of being hand in gloves with the maoists and then mamata retaliates in an equally humbug term-buddha is a maoist. and leaders like jyoti basu fuel the fire. The crucial by elections for 10 seats are drawing near and everbody wants a larger share of the pie. Mamata wants to create a wave of rebellion against the incumbent left ruling and some say. torturing the state for the last 35 years. rightly so, even the MNS in maharashtra has started off similarly. and anything new, fresh, brave and different has people to laud it. but in times like such, do we really need lashes of pungent criticism or a good and strong opposition trying to capture power through sense and not brawn? On the other hand, the pillars of the left rule in bengal are shaking, looking forward to a possible a very possible defeat in the 2011 elections. So they are trying to magnify every flaw the opposition is making. But when time comes to hold talks with the maoists, nobody has created any ruffle. Many do not know. It wasnt an ardhendu sen or the WB DGP whose efforts could guarantee the release of atindranath datta. It took senior journalists like subir bhowmick to manage the situation and mediate between the maoists and the centre to bring a reluctant kishenji in the front. the prisoner swapping was also a cause, which I am surprised why the BJP did not take as an agenda to slam the centre. They, instead, focussed on the issue of dinakaran and a raja falling under suspicion for possible scams. The left government is weak in bengal and the opposition is acting in an immatured way. What the left need is an introspection along with loosening some of its rigid anti-capitalist principles. The lack of investment in the state is an example of its non existence. While on the other hand, didi must understand that mouthing rants like 'buddha is a a maoist' wont take them anywhere. What they need is a constructive criticism. Victory might be in sight for the TMC but stupidity like these should be avoided to ensure a clean sweep.

do co mo...wa ta fa?

The next time I see a group of powder faced jokers muttering some incomprehensible lines ala jaadu tona and jantar mantar and trying to do an anu malik in a tube, I am going to bash my Tv set. I respect the advertising field. My brother is an adman and I find he has got one of the best brains. But ad guys who churn out stupid ads like that of tata docomo (whatever that crap means) are deplorable. mainly because, may be they think that an alluring tune would attract the viewers' attention and will breed curiosity, but in the middle they are not able to communicate the primary content of the ad-how will the product help me? what on earth is a docomo? ya some people might say that in print ads and in earlier TV ads, docomo has been revealed to be an intelligent prepaid scheme that makes you pay for the exact time that you talk. but then where is the message getting delivered in ads like these? and why docomo? why not gabala?

Its thoroughly stupid. The way some people in a tube train, believed to be travelling somewhere in mid Europe, pipes up nonchalantly and engages other passengers in a disgusting tune which sweeps everybody off their feet,is not only childish but nonsensical too.

Though the tune is curious if you listen to it without video. Some strains should have been left non-lip synced.

Yeh Dilli hai mere yaar

Two faces of Dilwaala Delhi

Episode 1: Overheard a conversation between an elderly person and a middle aged service man in a bus en route dhaula kuan.

oldman is smoking bidi, thick moustached, white and peppered
service guy is sitting in front of him. apparently had a tiff with someone in office.

service: (irritated) arre yaar! tumko pata nahin smoke karna mana hai bus mein?
oldman smokes

service: oye! sun sakta hain? maine kahan smoke karna mana hai...(looks at the conductor) aap kuch batao inhe! aap log kuch batate nahi...
oldman smokes, glances and mutters incomprehensibly...( i thought i heard 'main pee raha hoon, tera kya jata hai be...')

service man continues for 2 more minutes and concludes...
"saale buddhe! ghar mein beti nahin hai? beti ke saamne peeta hai tu?"

oldman quirks up for the first time: saale behen ch**, main jo bhi karta hoon, karunga. tu nahin dekhta tv apne beti ke saamne? tu saale fashion tv nahin dekhta apne beti ke saamne?
serviceman shuts up for the first time

oldman (smoking): chal tu kaale khan mein, dekhta hoon tujhe...
service: huh! kya kar lega mera? kya ukhaar lega?

passengers laugh. I reflect.

Episode 2: Mera Bharat mahaan. En Route to Delhi from Gurgaon in a jampacked share cab

Traffic police comes up to tavera driver
police: oye bitha le inko, dhaula kuan drop kar dio. duty pe jaan hai

driver: saab, jagah hi nahi hai

police: abbe, bitha le dekh ho jaaega. lawyer hai court pe jaane hai

driver: (curtly) jagah nahi hai!
Police comes near the driver, pulls away the car key. driver protests.
police: saale, nikaal ek aadmi ko! isko bitha le! zyaada karega to challan kar doonga! chal nikaal 5000 rupae.

driver gulps.passengers protest
passenger1 : oye tuney kya samjha hai apne aap ko? police hai to kuch bhi kar lega? banda bol raha hai ki jagah nahi hai. aur tu bol raha hai ki ek aadmi ko nikaal

other passengers: thik hai bitha le...

other police joins in. passenger 1 says: chalo thik hai dekho bitha le

police throws away keys under the wheels. and goes away. driver retrieves it. resumes journey.lawyer is not seen.

passenger 1: dekh leta saale ko, saale behen ch**, ek phone karta DIG ko, sahi kar deta.
others murmur. i yawn.

Imagine l'eclat d'un paysage qui te submerge
Pas a pas, tu penetres dans cette athmoshphere
Tel une sphere qui t aspires ,toi tu regardes qui t inspires
(Delhi-6)

Kapil Sibal's 'Dus' ka Dum

Kapil babu says that it will rot the rote. Well we are up for it. But is Mr. Sibal's 'Dus' ka dum really foolproof? A brief examination...(grades only!)

So finally a decade long plan to scrap off Class X boards examinations will be implemented. Or rather it will be made optional. In March 2010, there will be exams but no marks, only grades. In March 2011, exams will be made optional and there would be no marks and grades. So the question arises how will the students be evaluated? And the western notion of internal tests, assessments based on personal skills creeps in. Good for many, strange for few and for others, skeptical. Remember the world of Riverdale in good ol' Archie comics? How there used to be surprise quizzes, tests, projects and umpteen homework which made archie, betty, ronnie, and reggie burn the midnight oil over them. A similar thing, if not the same, is going to be introduced by the education minister in CBSE schools-a change which may alter the fabric of the Indian education system. Lets examine whether it will be for good or otherwise...

A. No marks, only grade

The level of competition among students and their parents over ho has scored better and who has outstripped whom by how many marks is on a fanatical and foolish rise. which is leading to extremem steps taken by students-like suicides and by parents-like making their wards work till the last drop of his energy so that he can beat the neighbouring bittu in exams. A mere tool to satisfy their inflated ego. All these would stop through this blanket of a rule which will have no differentiation between a student who gets 91 and the one who scores 99. Though on the flip side, it will tamper with meritocracy. The exact marks, I hear, will not be disclosed. Also, further rectification based on current performance will not be exacted as the marks will not be shown.

B. Comprehensive Evaluation

Meaning assessment through everything except for studies. like speaking skills, oratory, physical education, mental assessment, memory power, diction, emotional skills, attitude towards teachers, school mates and public property, attention power, drawing skills and so on. An international module but very difficult to implement. Why? because of the underskilled and the half baked talent of the teachers in India. A lot of time would require to train the existing teachers in the new formula. And, not sounding cynical, I seriously doubt the assessment capability of our esteemed teachers. But then it will add to the all round ability of a student. There are padhakoos who simply dig themselves up in books and score a perfect ten in exams but are wimps when it comes to public speaking. There are others who are really good in studies but are equally inattentive in classes. This rule may be the nail in the coffin for the under achievements of these students.

C. Internal tests

The CBSE will send some suggestions in the form of question which the schools will set their questions from and evaluate internally (grades will be awarded). No questions of exam pressure. Students can very well chill. Though not to th extent of thinking that my favourite teacher is evaluating my scripts, which may guarantee me better marks. But the concept of favouritism looms large as a possible and later on, inevitable negative to this module. also, I hear that the FAQs will be enlisted on the CBSE website. cant this give access to the students, the possible questions that may come?

D. Extra curricular assessments

Like homeworks and projects. I personally feel that a round the year assessments on shorts like these can go a long way in building up the character of students and also take away the real fear factor among the students-which is exams. Projects will need creativity, the need to pay attention in classes, dexterity among the students. Regular homeworks will ensure that the students follow up whatever was taught in the classes that day and also exercise their brain after that. It will also give the parents another reason to hanker after those students who feel that education is only limited to schools. But this is, apparently, the biggest complains among the children and their parents. They want this regulation to be scrapped as it may bring unnecessary pressure to the students. But surely, nothing can be worse than terminal exams, can it be? Apart from this assessment will also be made on GK, computer science will will enhance the comprehensibility of a student.

So as we can see, everything has its flip side though i appreciate the minister's initiative to revolutionize our education system in an attempt to decrease pressure and increase global standards of the Indian education system. Though the evils of corruption, inability to assess correctly owing to the lack of skilled teachers, competition ( now to the accord of whose child is more attentive, or has the best oratory skills or has dished out the best project) will ultimately and inevitably creep in. So its not a foolproof system entirely. What i feel is that the minister can be a bit slower and impart proper skills to the teachers and remove all doubts from the minds of the students and the teachers before proceeding to implement these. Yes, if the government thinks that it can be possible in another two years and has faith in our teachers' adaptability then nobody should complain. The common man does advocate plans for improvisation but it also demands results...

The swiss scare

For a democracy to properly function, an existence of a strong opposition is very necessary. The disintegration among the leading opposition parties is very glaring, but still I believe the issue of Indian black money parked in secretive Swiss bank accounts, which has been raised is a progressive step towards the unmasking of thousands of such cheats and fraudulent malpractitioners in India.

Replying to the investigation plans, the Swiss bankers association has said that such fishing expeditions is not to be allowed according to the norms and policies of the SBA. Thus, clearly, we have been asked not to meddle in their and their clients’ affairs. Fair enough for a tax haven state with such liberal tax and finance regulations (if any) to say so. But it is also a fact that Swiss bank-client confidentiality had never been 100% absolute, not even at the time of its formal codification in law in the 1930s. Swiss legislators built in provisions for it to be lifted during criminal investigations and also in many civil cases. Moreover the UBS has entered into a negotiation with the US government to lay bare some of its clients’ accounts and transaction records to expose the tax evaders, according to a deal entered by both the countries.

So our country has a lot of chance to put its foot forward and demand for an enquiry. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has taken up the charges to gain a momentum in this operation and fortunately, the Swiss authorities have finally agreed to extract information on tax evaders who have stashed away money in Swiss bank accounts. Both the countries have also begun to negotiate the amendment of the double taxation avoidance agreement in respect of the exchange of information. The finance minister said India would approach the Swiss authorities for specific information that would help the taxman crack down on defaulters while ruling out any frivolous enquiry or the so called fishing expeditions. This, clearly, can unearth a humungous scam and can spill a can of worms in the public.

So, its time the ministers and the actors and the so called society developers may very well panic and head for Switzerland to flush out the hordes of black money that they are suspected to squirrel away in Swiss banks. But a fear still lurks around, given the fact that India has a dubious record of disengaging foreign affairs midway, the huge time taken in completing these operations. A thought may also be spared of the reluctance of some our esteemed MoPs whose cash might be stacked in those banks too. But one thing is for sure. If this operation is carried out and carried out successfully, then it will be an achievement for the UPA government nearing its 150 days of completion in office.

But yes, plain facts related to the amount of wealth stored in the accounts or tax evaded wont do much apart from adding to the already corrupt mechanism which is rampantly practised in India and for which it is notoriously held by the rest of the world. Bring out names in the open, if you can, That will test the real mettle of India, its strong opposition and its power in the arena of global relations. It will also provide acceleration to the much controversial bofors scandal.

Ah delectable thoughts. Swiss cheese.

Jaswant's Jolt

In a shocking development before the start of the much hyped chintan baithak held by the BJP to contemplate on the reasons for its failure in this year’s elecyion and to provide solutions and look for a revamp, BJP Leader Jaswant Singh was expelled form the party. The reason-he had eulogized Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who had so far been demonized by the highly communal BJP and is not held in high regard, even in India. Let’s look at the treatment from different aspects.

Why is BJP correct in its intolerance to jaswant’s views?

BJP, even though it claims to be secular is not. Everybody knows that. Be it the wounds of the Ayodha massacre still fresh or the alleged hate speech of Varun Gandhi in Pilibhit, they have left no stones unturned to drive home a point-that of secular intolerance. In that context, Jaswant Singh, who has been in the party for the last 30 years, and is one of the leaders instumental in driving forth the party;s image in public, did a blunder. By eulogizing Jinnah in his book. He attributed the India-Pakistan partition to Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (who the BJP look up to) more than Jinnah. I am not going to delve on Jinnah’s role in the partition. But, this idea, which is a clear anti thesis of what the BJP holds as its ideal, has been boldly presented in the book. Still in public life nd while attached to the principles of a party, Jaswant should notr have made his personal beliefs and opinions public. Also, Jaswant has been an old prick for the BJP. He targeted the team Lal Krishna Advani picked for Parliament, comprising of Sushma Swaraj as Advani's deputy in Lok Sabha and Arun Jaitely as Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha. Naturally, for a party brass, so stringent in its outlook, it has led to serious consequences. The matter of the step taken is though, controversial.

Why is BJP wrong in sacking Jaswant?

Because he is a senior leader who is present in the team, the party since its days of inception. Holding high profiles in the cabinet, Jaswant was one of the most respectable figures in the party. 30 years of servitude, loyalty, devotion and service has in a whiff being dismantled and it has been a rude jolt for Jaswant, who was almost teary eyed during his press conference from Shimla. Out Constitution’s Fundamental Rights involve the freedom of expression and Jaswant, in sharing his personal views for Jinnah, did no wrong as an individual and as a critic. But the only ‘fault’ perhaps was maybe his affiliation to a party so strong in its outlook and so sudden in its actions.

What the BJP should have done instead?

I think that like every shrewd political party, the BJP should also have capitalized on the view of Jaswant in the book, blaming the congress and its members like Gandhiji and Patel for the partition and the Hindu-Muslim discord. This step, neglected, is a very foolish thing that the BJP has done and is a respite for the congress, which has averted a criticism. And I also feel that the BJP should have taken a less strict step for jaswant’s book. He could have been asked to step down from his post or asked personally to bring out an apology etc. The sort of treatment meted out to him-a phone call by Rajnath Singh, informing him about his expungement, that is after Lal Krishna Advani got away with his comments in favour of Jinnah three years back and also a nod of approval to bring out Jaswant’s book by the same man, is nothing less than a hasty step taken, which has created ripples against the party.

What it trickles down to...

Basically, Politics-not intolerance to opposition of principles, is what I conclude is the reason behind the expulsion. The Chintan Baithak aimed at revamping the party’s image has led the party to be quite non-lenient in its operation. This is the first step towards purging the party out of its obstacles, perhaps. But this step, I feel, was not called for, is hasty and I believe would be a source for dismay and regret for at least some of the party members later on. Let’s wait and watch what other chintans emerge out of the baithak in the cool and serene surroundings of Shimla. Another Jaswant episode, maybe…Beware Arun Shouries, Vasundhara Rajes and Yashwant Sinhas and put your hands up for the Varun Gandhis, the Jaitleys and the Sushmas.