A walk through the slum!

'Bahiya, andheri?', I was shouting outside my office gate where I could see dozens of rickshawala but none ready to get up and drive me home as it was 2 in the morning. 'Life can be so unlucky at times' is what I told myself and decided to walk. As I started walking my way home and took a slum way to cut my distance short, I saw an infant crying out of hunger on the street and his mother beating him to sleep, she quite obviously did not have anything to feed him. That very moment, the feeling of being unfortunate and not getting a ride back home seemed nothing compared to sleeping without dinner. At times we take so many things for granted and overlook most of the privileges that life offers. We need to share something with the under-privileged is what we think but when we actually have to play the role, we tend to run away from our game of thoughts.

As I walked ahead, I came across a drunk man beating his wife and abusing her (the reason was obviously unknown to me) while his son was standing at one corner looking at the helpless state of his mother, maybe this was not something that he was looking at for the first time. 'Do we marry so that we get someone to vent our irritation and anger?', that's exactly the question that popped in my head and reminded me of small little fights which my parents used to have when I was young. I think fights are a part of every relationship but one should draw a line and not take the other person for granted. Suddenly a storm of thoughts came in my head, I felt like doing something for the people who undergo shit everyday, everytime. 'What can be done?', is a question which is still in my head and the answer to which is still missing.

15mins of my walk made me reach the end of the slum and to my surprise, mumbai roads were empty. Maybe it was because of the chilly weather that Mumbai was experiencing during this time of the year, something what Mumbaikers are not used to. 

Suddenly I heard a very jittery sound coming from behind which was increasing with every passing second. As I turned, I saw a rickshaw coming towards me with a flickering headlight. 'Bahiya, andheri', I shouted again. He came next to me and slowed down, an indication in Mumbai by rickshawalas to jump-in. I got in while he was putting the meter on and this got an end to my walk, but a beginning to a new thought.

First Break-up...

Its very rare to see relations that lasts for long or leads to a marriage. We meet new people everyday, some we like and some we don't. 'First break up' is not something that happened for the first time, but its what Raj (name changed) felt for the first time when he saw his ex holding someone's hand and looking at him. Guys are known as 'Losers' when it comes to relationships as most of the break-ups happen solely because of the mess which a boy creates and the girl faces and eventually gives up. I am not stereotyping, I am generalizing my perception and my take on 'Relationship'.

There are a lot of relations that a man gets in with a woman/girl, be it friends, acquaintances, flings or lovers. Friends are for life is what people say but there is difference in how people live that friendship when its between a girl and a guy. There are times when one of them falls for the other for a very basic reason that he/she feels that no one can understand him/her better than that friend and eventually they take things to the next step but 8 out of 10 such relations end on a bad note. A person who is their to provide a shoulder when u weep, ears when u speak and a hug when u need may not be necessarily good for a relationship leap.

First Break-up is a story about a guy who is very jolly, fun loving and a happy go lucky but falls for every single girl (obviously she has to be pretty is what he says). Raj had numerous relationships, few serious and committed ones and the rest can just be termed as flings and infatuations. His relationships with all his girls were very different and he believes in one thing in which 99% of the people don't, friendship after break-up. Though the chemistry is completely different after the break-up, it has however worked for him. This never made him feel the pain of parting away from his ex's as he always used to keep in touch and be 'so called friends'. But someday he had to realize the meaning of breakup, the word which never existed in his dictionary.

It was a tuesday evening when he was all set and ready to meet this girl in town who was his ex from one of the city he use to reside few years ago. He had a lot of plans in mind as he wanted to cherish the memories of good old days that he had spent with this girl. As he dresses up and puts on the cologne which the girl used to like a lot and moves out of the house to meet her, he finds this girl holding hands and kissing a guy (possibly her present boyfriend). This sight broke all the charm and plate full of plans that he had in mind, glued at the crossing, for the first time that he realized that the girl has erased his name from the slate and was not bound to restrictions which Raj used to pose when they were seeing each other. As he meets this girl and the guy, Raj finds out that these few years have changed the girl's likes and dislikes and made him unsure about everything (even the fragrance that he was wearing for this girl). Finally he meets her but the warmth in her hug was missing and it was no more that special and she was afraid to be away from the sight of her new guy even for a minute which made things abnormal and made Raj uncomfortable.

Here he encounters his firs breakup, the word which was meaningless for him suddenly became a part of his life. The soul was weeping and the blood was boiling but he was silent and walks away from the sight of his girl who is now his Ex.

China and its love for weaker YUAN..

China, as we all know which tops the growth chart in terms of economy has a very simple tactic to achieve its goal and that is - 'keep playing at a low cost'. Today, we all look at china and its manufacturing capacity for any business we plan to venture into. People are making millions just on the simple aspect of cost difference which china provides and its only possible if the value of YUAN is kept low. US has been pestering them since 6-8 months to assign the right exchange value which china should have post analyzing their GDP and other economical aspects. I doubt china will agree to the calculations as an increase in their currency value(stronger YUAN) will affect the purchasing power of other countries adversely.  Hope the world is able to convenience them for its own benefit or else we need to learn the game - 'play cheap'

Indian Cinema...the so called BOLLYWOOD!

Indian film industry is something which is a dream of lakhs of young enthusiasts who come to Mumbai, which is the house for Bollywood cinema to try and cry. Though few of them get lucky with TV serials & commercial ads which has been looking for new faces everyday, the unlucky ones either keep trying or give up and go back to what they left behind. This system gives rise to a lot of un-ethical practices, demands for nasty favors from the young aspirants who offer themselves as a piece of cake to be tasted and thrown aside in order to earn a role. There was a time when this industry was not looked as a clean sheet and people used to look at the actresses as sluggish character, but today its a different game, u can do anything and everything to be a part of it (look at Mallika Sherawat who started with a movie like Khwahish but has moved up in the snake & ladder game) and praised by everyone and this is exactly what is forcing people to strip infront of producers/directors and everyone who can help them to achieve what they dream. There are so many fake talent houses who use these aspirants and throw them as a kid throws the ice cream stick after licking the ice cream.

We have actresses like Bipasha Basu who are squints but are known for their sexiness, we have Katrina Kaif who started their career with a bgrade movie like Boom but have achieved a position in the industry which is class apart. We also see some side actor role people as lead heroes (like tushar kapoor) who can look good only in movies like Golmaal where they are suppose to be shut and dumb. We have actors with good body (but do not know acting) getting lucky and having 5-6 movies under their belt (Sohail Khan) and also some who are their because of their folks (Esha Deol because of Hema Malini) who make this industry look like a monster. 

I dont have anything against all the names mentioned above, but I have something for people who still have got no success even after being credible/elegible of earning such position in this industry. This also forces the rising bgrade movie industry which is the next stop for all these young aspirants who eagerly wish to get in this industry but do not choose to use the front door. Indian cinema industry is the biggest in the world with more than 1500 movies being released every year(and number is increasing) followed by US, but the number of movies which actually are hits is not even half the number what US scores. Most of the movies which are made in India are made just for the heck of it  and do not hold any emotional or recreational connection with its audience. 

The year 2010 gets over with few nice movies like My Name is Khan (which earned more in overseas than in home after a publicity stunt by Sharukh before the release of the film to get attention in the media), Rajneeti, Once upon a time in Mumbai, Dabangg and a low budget movie Trere Bin Laden but at the same time releasing dozens of brain hammering movies like Raavan, Love Sex & Dhoka, Apartment, Veer and a never ending list. There is something good for management students to learn from these big names who have got into the zone of promoting and marketing movies before the release. The approach may not be correct but the end result is commendable. 

Hope we see the coming year 2011 with movies with some sense, with some connection and some star cast which are worthy and credible for the role and not just people who get their way in by just showing flesh. Here is one thing that we do not wish to learn from Hollywood, our culture is something which we would like to retain in our cinemas cause this is the only thing (after cricket) which is meant for the mass.