Mind Games

A Flawed God: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:15:00 +0000

And so it begins..

I had subscribed to the Blog Addas' book review program a while back and this was the first book which I received from them to read for free. All that is required of me is to post a review of the book for the readers' benefit. A win-win situation for all the parties involved.

Now coming to the book:

Book: A Flawed God
Author: Arjun Shekhar
Publisher: Hachette India

Something about the Author:
To borrow from the description provided in the book, Arjun Shekhar is one of the founders of Pravah, a not-for-profit organization created to motivate the urban youth to become active citizens. After working as an HR professional for several years, he now runs a consulting firm called Vyaktitva which explores the relationship between an organization and its people.

He has debuted as an author in fiction with this book.

About the book:
A Flawed God will be of interest to those readers who have some knowledge of share markets. People who have an understanding of capitalism and communism can also enjoy the book.

The entire premise of the book is based on the hero Sanchit Mishra a.k.a Sanchos' disillusionment from the corporate world. And though he has portrayed a few caricatures based on the different regions of the country, none of them come of as demeaning to a particular region.

So, there is Pause Daniels - a cunning Malayali who has the charms and the intelligence to make a breakthrough in the organization. Murugesan a.k.a Murg - a Tamilian who has no spine. Rana - The goonda/politician. Janice - The American representative of the consulting firm Mcsinki( a play on the famous consulting firm) and other various characters.

Frozen air is the organization where Sancho works and the during one of his appraisal cycles, he gets a notice from a secret organization called Progress in Work Collective. And as in any case, there has to be a villain and that is another organization called the Shareholders' Conscience.

And thus, the narration plays back and forth between the vast and beautiful locales of Turkey to his cubicle and office back in New Delhi.

Sometimes, you get the picture that the author has borrowed a few parts from the Hollywood movie Wanted starring Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy.

Also, the pages and pages of details of the Collectives' charter and the reason of existence makes you go back and recollect Ayn Rands' masterpieces.

Though this book can no where achieve the glory of The Fountainhead, but it still makes you wonder about the mechanisms of the Share Market and the alternative which the author proposes does make you want to stand up and applaud, if not for the narration in the book but atleast for the thinking behind it.

It is this naivete and amateurishness of the author which brings forth a sense of freshness to this entire book and makes one read all the pages.

always for all,
thepersonwithin.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Wildlife Photographs at Kabini, Karnataka, India

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:46:00 +0000

About 80 kms from Mysore, the forests of the Nilgiri Bio-reserve start. The part which is in the state of Karnataka is called Nagarholle forest of which Kabini is a part. It is an awesome place to visit the wildlife, though it being just the end of the monsoon season, it is full of lush-green trees. This thick forest cover acts as a splendid camouflage for the various species of animals thronging it.
Hence, the best season to visit this forest to have a glimpse of its vast majority of animals and birds would be the summer season where there wouldn't be too much foliage. For more details on Kabini, you can visit this link.

We stayed in a place called Jungle Lodges and Resorts which was started by Col. John, fondly known as Papa John alongwith the Karnataka Government. It is an awesome place to stay with amazing hospitality. For more details, click on the link here: Jungle Lodges and Resorts.

Enjoy few of the photographs taken there:

always for all,
thepersonwithin.

Two Behemoths of the Global Economy

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:16:00 +0000

The 21st century is, increasingly, being referred to as the Asian Century. Though it we are just entering the second decade of the 21st Century, but already the world has recognized the chugging engines of the two Asian giants- China and India.

The contrast between the working styles of the two countries cannot be more dissimilar. One is the worlds' largest Communist base, the other is the worlds' largest Democracy. In one country, almost all the companies are state-controlled. The other has a huge percentage of companies which are private owned. Though, both have their distinct positives, there also are many negatives in the respective style of functioning.

Irrespective of their methods, China has slowly become the more dominant power of the region thanks to the control of the State which ensures that the economy of the country chugs along at an impressive rate of about 10% annually.

Though both countries can co-exist and become dominant players in the region, but to ahead in that direction, they would have to remove the distrust which has enveloped them through the decades from the 1962 war till now. This is easier said than done. On the one hand, China proclaims its friendship towards India, on the other hand, it sends a large troop into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the pretext of helping the earthquake-affected victims. Moreover, it has built a tunnel that extends to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh through Tibet. Now, China plans to build the worlds' biggest hydroelectric dam on the Brahmaputra which would affect millions of people in India and Bangladesh who depend on the mighty river.

China has started looking further into the Indian Ocean to enlarge its strategic interests by building ports in countries neighbouring India.

In keeping with the increase of their individual clout in the international arena, it is not wrong to develop strategic interests. But, India should also be brave enough to expand its own strategic interests instead of always being mellow and meek towards China. Though China has become India's largest trading partner with about 60 billion dollars worth of trade, there is still a trade deficit of 20 billion dollars for India. Its just not enough for India to keep buying finished products from China when India itself, does not trade equally with China. This becomes disaster for India in two stages.One, there is a disparity with the trading products between India and China. Second, the Chinese finished products are sold at much cheaper rates than products manufactured locally in India. This ensures that loss of business for local workers.

Thus, India gets to lose on all counts whereas its a win-win situation for China. It is high time that India stands up and shows its citizens that it is capable enough to withstand such crafty tactics of China and still emerge the victor both in the shorter as well as the longer term of not only this century but many centuries to come.

Being two of the oldest civilizations of the world, there would be more prosperity in the world if both co-exist on happier notes than at present. It would be better for both the countries to have more people-to-people contact so that any worrying distrust and misunderstandings can be wiped-off.

Both civilizations have co-exited for so many centuries, and as per the oft-quoted line 'Hiatory repeats itself'. Hopefully, the history will not be 1962 but the many centuries earlier history when, both lived peacefully side by side with much trade and people intermingling with each other.

Articles for reference:
1.Brahma Chellaney's article
2.Article in Time magazine

Also, thanks to all the websites for their amazing pictures.

always for all,
thepersonwithin.

Thoughts on Corruption

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:39:00 +0000

Corruption is the bane of society. Once corruption starts, it spreads like a contagious virus without any stoppage time. Corruption from the lowest level to the highest level is one of the root causes of the plight of people living in any region/part of the world.

Corruption for long has been seen as a grey area and in some cases, justification is also provided for the same. When a police constable is caught taking a bribe, it is justified by saying that he has a family to take care of, a child to be sent to a good school to get better education, an ailing mother/father etc. Similar is the case for other lower level government official ranging from a peon to a clerk.

We ourselves felt sympathy to those who had some genuine reasons for trying to make more money.

But, it needs to be understood that to root out corruption, a Stand has to be taken wherein we fight Corruption as something really Evil. It should no longer be seen as something Grey. It is either White or Black.

For those who seem to think that Corruption falls in the 'White' are, ie., Corruption is a way of life for them. They would keep getting corrupt and in the process keep corrupting more and more people, We have to declare War against them.

For always, Corruption will keep making the Rich richer and the Poor poorer.

Scams in almost all the arms and legs of the Establishment-Legislature, Judiciary and Armed Services have ensured that people will stop having belief in the country. This will result in wide-spread anarchy across the country which would result in clashes between the Population and the State wherein brother will be up-in-arms against his own Brother.

Should this be the end of our beautiful country?

I agree that the result as showcased by me is a bit far-fetched. But, it is only so that people will become more aware of the dangers that Corruption might bring along in its folds.

It is high time that we all should come out in the open and fight the evil that is Corruption and make a pledge that We will not rest till the last remnant of Corruption is rooted out from our beloved country. For this, we will have to start from our homes. We have to ensure that no family member of ours will try to bribe or get bribed by anyone.

If and only if, we are able to fortify our own surroundings first can we think about the next level- Expanding the fortified areas.

always for all,
thepersonwithin.

Radia Tape Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:12:00 +0000

Players involved:

Nira Radia - Lobbyist, Fixer

Ratan Tata - Industrialist

Mukesh Ambani - Industrialist

A.Raja - Minister

Barkha Dutt - Journalist

Vir Sanghvi - Journalist

For sometime now, a few news channels have been reporting bits and pieces of a new Controversy- the leaked tapes of conversations held between Nira Radia and some of the players mentioned above and some others.

But, what exactly are the contents of the tapes that has rankled so many feathers. We, the public, would never have known anything about the controversy had not Outlook andOpen magazines disclosed them to the general public by posting them on their respective websites.

Now coming back to the controversy. Nira Radia is a lobbyist and a fixer whose clientele list supposedly includes Ratan Tata, head honcho of the Tata Group and Mukesh Ambani, the head of Reliance. She is also believed to be close to important persons in the Government and Opposition.

Nira Radia, being a lobbyist, tries to get the most positive results for her clients. That is all fair. What is not fair is the way the various offices of the Government have been corrupted with people who are willing to do things a certain way merely for the rewards instead of working for the National Interests.

What is also not fair, is the way the Fourth Estate is being misused to spread disinformation and create distrust of individuals through the various media outlets that are at disposal, i.e., News Channels, Syndicated columns in various newspapers etc.

The values and Morals of the Fourth Estate have been dwindling or quite sometime. This was noticeable and has been evident for sometime now. But, no one in their wildest dreams thought that individuals belonging to the Fourth Estate would actually be broken into nothing but puppets of people who are bothered only of their own individualistic progress.

Journalism has degenerated into nothing but gaining brownie points for showcasing irrelevant news across most News Channels. The era of Journalistic Brilliance and Reporting has become redundant. I wouldn't go far as saying that it has become extinct because there are still a few Individuals, Channels, Newspapers which do emphasize on the content which will ensure that the Light of Journalism will be carried on. For them, we will have to continue the fight.

Journalists require their sources to ensure that whatever they are reporting is credible enough. But, they cannot be stupid enough to actually report on things as desired by certain individuals. News reporting should always be impartial. That is one thing which should always be remembered by journalists of any class or creed.

Journalists should not report on behalf of any single party. If they desire to do so, they should ensure that the public knows that they are supporting a certain individual/party.

One reknowned journalist in support of his fellow journalists said that 'A person is innocent till proven Guilty.' His channel was the one to pronounce another certain individual guilty in some case and questioned a well-respected lawyer for defending the accused.

I am waiting for the day, when journalism becomes more content-based rather than on gaining popularity.

Now, news reporting has become just another source of income and has degenerated into another common channel which one flicks through while trying to catch some sports channel.

*NOTE: All views expressed here are my own. In no way did I try to intentionally or unintentionally hurt anyone.

To listen to all the tapes, Download them from the Outlook website link .

No Speakah Da English

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:39:00 +0000

In continuation of this week's being the Joke Week, following is the joke of the day which was sent to me by my friend over mail.
This is about one of those moments wherein you think you are hearing something very vulgar whereas the actual conversation is altogether a different one at that.

A bus stops and 2 Italian men get on.

They sit down and engage in an animated conversation.

The lady sitting next to them ignores them at first,

but her attention is galvanized when she hears one of them say the following:

Emma come first.
Den I come.
Den two asses come together.
I come once-a-more! .
Two asses, they come together again.
I come again and pee twice.
Then I come one lasta time.'

The lady can't take this any more,

You foul- mouthed sex obsessed pig,'

she retorted indignantly.

'In this country. we don't speak aloud in Public places about our sex lives.

'Hey, coola down lady,' said the man. 'Who talkin' abouta sex?

I'm a justa tellin' my frienda how to spell ' Mississippi '.'

I bet that you're gonna read this again. LOL!!

always for all,
thepersonwithin.

Good One!! - Power of Prayers and God!!

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:37:00 +0000

A friend sent me this joke through e-mail. I thought that this one should be put on the blog for others to read as well. A very light take on the Power of Prayers and God!!

So here it is:

In a small town in Southern India a person decided to open up his Bar business,
which was right opposite to the Temple.
The Temple & its congregation started a campaign to block the Bar from
opening with petitions and prayed daily against his business.

Work progressed. However, when it was almost complete and was about to
open a few days later, a strong lightning struck the Bar and it was burnt
to the ground.

The temple folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, till the Bar
owner sued the Temple authorities on the grounds that the Temple through
its congregation & prayers was ultimately responsible for the demise of his
bar shop, either through direct or indirect actions or means.

In its reply to the court, the temple vehemently denied all responsibility
or any connection that their prayers were reasons to the bar shop's demise.
As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork at
the hearing and commented:

'I don't know how I'm going to decide this case, but it appears from the
paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and we
have an entire temple and its devotees that doesn't.'

always for all,
thepersonwithin.

Movie Review: 3 Idiots

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:01:00 +0000

Sometimes, a movie is made which when released creates such a frenzy among the public that you feel left out of conversations and discussions. Everywhere you go, you will find people discussing the movie or mouthing some random dialogue from it. Every person will inevitably ask you the same question 'Have you seen the movie?'

Well, 3 Idiots is one such movie. I do not remember any other movie for which the people just went crazy. Every time I went to the theatre to book tickets, it always showed houseful not only for that particular day but for the next 2 days as well. And this went on for about 2-3 weeks.

This is one movie which should be lauded for its simplicity and honesty. The story which is adapted from author Chetan Bhagat's now famous book 'Five Point Someone'. Though the basic characters are more or less the same, the way story has been depicted is somewhat different from the book.

The main protagonists show a depth of character which is generally lacking in our Bollywood movies. Though the movie totally revolves around Aamir Khan, the magic of 'Rancho' wouldn't have worked if there were no Madhavan(Farhan), Sharman(Raju), Kareena(Priya), Boman(Viru), Omi(Chatur). All of these actors through their combined effort made Aamir unravel his magic through Rancho. Even the character 'Joy', though short, was well-etched.

Though there were moments wherein the movie tugged your heart-strings, it does so in a very subtle manner which shows the maturity which the Bollywood movies are beginning to show.
And each sentimental scene lasts for about 30 seconds through which a humourous scene is depicted.

The songs are also very well composed. Nowdays, I hear most of the youngsters humming the melody of the song 'Give me some Sunshine'. Heck, even I have played it quite often nowadays.
And 'Aal iz Well' has sort of become an anthem for the people when they are feeling down and out.

All the kudos for the director, the producer, the actors, the screenplay writer and the entire team of 3 idiots. Congratulations for a job well done!!

Dawn of Realization

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:10:00 +0000

Its been a really long time since I had last posted on my blog. It had been like a sabbatical for me from the blog. The Title is named such due to a specific purpose the intent of which will be revealed in this post.

You see, there are umpteen number of self help books available through various channels(be it the Net or the printed material type) but, when you feel like you are down in the dumps, it does not take a book to help you out. It is 'Your Self'.

It is very difficult to pen exact thoughts but, I am willing to try as much as possible.

During the course of the past few months, I had the opportunity to meet people with so many varied interests that it made me ponder about the path which I had chosen to follow. I saw that though I had a quite an interesting childhood the only thing that is left of the past is the Bragging rights.
'Oh! I was this during my childhood' or ' I was champion in this sport at my school' or some such things.
Isn't the case with most individuals?

This made me realize that apart from the work which I had been doing, I have been doing nothing yo improve my self. But, then 'Realization dawned' on me and I started taking part in other activities which were miles different from my work. This has led me to meet still further interesting people who are following their hearts.
And hence the mention of self help books and the 'Self'.
†

Now, I have made a list of all the activities which I plan to finish this year. I have again started following the maxim 'There is only one Life to Live'. Will never fail to acknowledge it. To maximize my living will be the motto of my life from now on.

This post is not to preach about 'Positive things' or anything similar. But, it is about how to discover one Self through different things. Some discover themselves through social activities whereas some others through meditation. Others still discover their Self through various physical activities which demand rigour and strenous will power.

It depends on individual to individual on how he/she finds his/her self. The entire rigmarole of our lives should not be about earning more and more, but it should instead be about Finding our 'Self'. Once we find our self, we will be much more relaxed with our environment which in turn will elad to more productivity at our individual workplaces. Digressing from the topic a wee bit here, as the protagonist says in the movie 3 Idiots - 'Do not try to be successful. Try to follow Excellence. Success and Money, both will follow you.'

Most of the people try to be successful and they do thrive in it. That is true. But for how long. Some day or the other everything will fall apart. Hence, it is very important to be excellent in his/her domain. Though many might think, what is the use of being excellent now that I have finished my studies. But, the same can be applied to whatever you are doing right now. I should apply it to whatever work/job I am doing right now.

always for all,
the person within.

The Sectors that Indian Government should focus on - PART II

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +0000

In the previous post, I mentioned the sectors that the government should focus on in order to make India a world power and bring back its glory days.

I described the various measures that should be implemented in order to make the Defence sector strong.In this posts, I will be discussing the following sector:

EDUCATION:

For a country to be successful, the inhabitants of that particular country should be educated. It is not necessary that they should be educated in the Western ways. We had our own system of learning which could be incorporated. For a country to become a power, its people should always be proud of it and know its culture, etc. We have had various reknowned persons like Aryabhatta, Sushruta, Kautilya, etc. who studied our own unique way and were pioneers in their respective areas of specializations.

We do not have to ape the Western concepts blindly. We can re-establish our own methods of learning again. We should give more focus to Sanskrit, Urdu, Arabic, Pharsi alongwith English in the languages department. I do not know how far this statement is due to nationalism, but we can take that chance. 'It is said that if the computer is programmed/coded in Sanskrit, there would be no errors at all.'

Revamping of examination system:

Teaching of a subject should not be for the kids to excel in the exams. The exams should not be the be all and end of all things. The exams conducted at the end of the term cannot be a deciding factor of whether a student knows the subject or not. For all we know, the student might have studied it just a few days before the exam and excelled in it. This does not show his grasp of the subject.
Only if we keep questioning, will we be able to get to the solution of how to get to know a students' grasp on the subject.

Revamping the education system:

Right now, the focus is to pass the term exams with flying colors in order to gain entry to the next level with more self-respect than your peers. But, how does this help in increasing the knowledge of a student in a particular subject?
The education system as of now is more rote-based. This should not be the case. The educationists say that this is how it should be because the West demands it and that is why our students are getting such good offers from them.
This should not be the right scenario. Instead of focussing on making our country more developed and keep on looking into what the West wants, then we lose focus as to what we really want.

Implementation of various Government schemes:

First of all, the Government-run schools all across the country are in the most pathetic conditions ever. They should revamp the schools and give salaries to teachers on a scale which is at par if not more than the teachers in the private schools. Only then will the QUALITY teachers will come to teach in government schools. Then comes the implementation of various schemes started by the government which should help in making the children belonging to the poorer section of the society come to school.

These are some the ways to tackle the problems facing the education sector.There might be many more ways to tackle these problems and also there might be many more problems as well which have not been addressed here. But, if we all sit together with a common focus, we can address them too.

Always for all,
the person within.

The sectors that Indian Government should focus on - PART I

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:54:00 +0000

The four major sectors that any Indian Government should focus on are:
1. Defence
2. Education
3. Healthcare
4. Agriculture

To start on a philosophical note, we consider the first letters of each of the four sectors(D,E,H,A or DEHA). In Sanskrit, 'DEHA' means body. Hence, taking care of these four sectors and focussing primarily on their development would help in keeping the body of our country healthy which in turn would keep the soul(economics, general well-being) of our country and its citizens clean and pure.

We will consider the four sectors individually. The first part of this article would be dealing with the first sector that has been mentioned above.

DEFENCE:

For any country to be develop its economy, it should have a very good defence sector which would be capable of thwarting any attacks that its enemies might thrust and also it should be capable of attacking its enemies with impunity if need be.

To cut defence spending and focus more on the internal issues would be great in an ideal environment, but if as in India's case, its surrounded by aggressive neighbours, or neighbours with internal turmoil, then it has to increase its defence spending.

Throughout history, any great kingdom, be it the Mauryas or the Guptas or the Mughals, they thrived because of their armed forces. The people within these kingdoms were happy because their borders were well-protected.

In order to have a great defence, it is also necessary that one should have a very solid spy network. This has been told by the father of all politicians, the great Kautilya a.ka. 'Chanakya' himself.

We should know what our enemies our planning beforehand in order to thwart their attacks. It is time that India starts asserting its rightful place in the region. We do not want to gain an upperhand on anyone, but we cannot remain sitting ducks for other armies to attack us time and again.

Though there are many officers who are willing to lay down their lives in order to protect our country, but there are also equally corrupt officers about whom we do get to know through the media be it the Bofors scam or the coffins scam. The officers should be such that each is a legend on his/her own right and the men are willing to do whatever he or she commands.

We should take the better aspects of other armies of the world like the US army, Israeli forces etc. Though we have the toughest training institutes in the world, but still the terrorists get to gain the upperhand, atleast for some moments.

The state police instead of getting divided in supporting ruling or the opposition parties, should be completely impartial and ensure that the men are ensuring that law and order prevails in the state. The policeman should not become a servant of the politicians. The police department is way above the politicians. The police should not consider a person an outsider or a local. He/she should only ensure that the law and order is maintained and ensuring that the criminals are caught and brought behind bars and produced in the courts for proper judgement by the judge.

If the entire system works efficiently, only then can the people of the state and country will prosper. Its time we make our country again the most beautiful place.
As Macaulay stated in 1835 '“I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country…” He was addressing the British Parliament!

always for all,
the person within.

The Dreamer

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:40:00 +0000

Before I begin, I would like to write down this "शायरी":
"दर-बदर सर पटकने से क्या होता हैँ
वोही होता हैं जो तकदीर में लिखा होता हैं"

"Nothing will happen by hitting your head against various walls.
Whatever is written in your destiny is what is going to happen."

Lets' begin:

Lying amidst the grass, nature's beauty I admire
The blades making my ears twitch.
The sky with the ocean, their colors being mired
To see their meeting place, I wish.

I look at the yatchts bobbing up and down in the ocean
Mixed with a sense of wonderment and amusement.
Smoke coming from a house in the 'stance like a pack of ten
A kids' camp drill being conducted by an ex-sergeant.

I do not know whether this is poetry
'coz I have broken all parameters.
I guess I should stop with my nonsense
Or else I would have to be a sitter.

With this I take leave
John Cena, Bon Jovi.

always for all,
the person within.

Movie Review: Kaminey

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:57:00 +0000

Most of the movies that are made in the typical commercial realm of the Indian cinema are majorly run-of the mill movies. Movies would normally be made in the 'romance' genre with very slight variations in the theme. It would either be Rich boy meets poor girl, or rich girl meets poor boy kind stories.

But, there are some filmmakers who have the courage and conviction to make movies which are close to their heart and not not look at the current theme which generates moolah at the box-office.

Vishal Bharadwaj, the maker of such movies as Maqbool, The Blue Umbrella, Makdee, and Omkara is one such person who, in each and every movie of his, has shown respect for the moviegoers' intelligence is one such filmaker.

Sometimes, the unoriginal run-of-the-mill movies are required to reduce the stress levels of the average man. But, when these kind of movies become so continous that it looks as if a factory is churning out the same product again and again, then it becomes nauseating.

We require movies like Kaminey to be made more often so as to increase our level of filmmaking.
We can have songs and dance in our films but instead of a dream sequence, they can and should be made a part of the script more intelligently as has been done in the movie 'Kaminey'.

The movie did drag a bit in the first half. But, right after the break, the way it picked up till it reached the ultimate crescendo in the form of a climax never before shown in any Indian film till date, is simply mindblowing and inspiring.

I would not compare it to any Hollywood movie or any other filmmaker simply because each and every filmmaker has his/her own style and as a movie industry, we still need to raise our bar of excellence further.

above pic: Shahid Kapoor as Charlie

But, all said and done, for the acting of the main protagonists(Shahid Kapoor are Guddu/Charlie, Priyanka Chopra as Sweetie, Amol Gupte as Bhope) one should go to the nearest theatre to watch this movie.

Shahid Kapoor, who till now, was famous for his chocolate boy looks and his 'romance' movies was a true revelation. The movie showed that armed with a fine script, he could act as finely as he showed in 'Kaminey' He made us believe the worlds of Charlie and Guddu and ensured that his characters showed their individualistic characters without being over-the-top.

His characters being the main protagonists, ensured that the audience would like either one of them, through his sheer acting talent.

Priyanka Chopra, who has tried to act in movies of different genre, has also shown her versatility and how high she has reached in terms of her acting abilities.

But, this movie has also raised the expectations of the moviegoers for Shahid and Priyanka, respectively to keep their future acting assignments as interesting as their roles were in 'Kaminey'.

But we should not forget the other protagonists:
* Deb Mukherjee as Mujeeb
* Rajatabha Dutta as Shumon
* Carlos Paca as Cajetan
* Chandan Roy Sanyal as Mikhail
* Tenzing Nima as Tashi
* Eric Santos as Ragos
* Shivkumar Subramaniam as Lobo
* Hrishikesh Joshi as Lele

Each one of them had a part which they executed perfectly to make the film as engrossing as is.

Thanks Vishal for making such a movie for us and hope that you will keep making such movies which would respect out intelligence as the audience.

My Movie Rating: ****

Signing off till next time.

always for all,
the person within.

Independence to one and all

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:04:00 +0000

*stretch* *yawn*.. feeling very sleepy. But wanted to mention our country's Independence on 15th August in my blog.

Missed out on watching the Independence Day address by our Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh due to my excessive sleep. Well, I wouldn't have made it to the Red Fort anyhow since I stay some few thousand miles away from the capital of my country...:)

Vande Mataram (picture courtesy: http://erazer007.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/the-proud-indian-flag-1.jpg)

Feeling immense pride of being an Indian.

Some skeptics might argue about the development of my country in these 62 years of its formation. Some critics might mention many other criticize many of the governments' decisions and lack of her citizens' participation.

All I would say is, leave it for tomorrow but let me enjoy being an Indian for today. There are so many changes that still need to be made right from the grassroots' level to the functional level and still further at the administration level all the way to the top.

But today I would just like to enjoy the feeling of being in an independent country, the independence for which our forefathers fought tooth and nail, many a times giving up their own lives in order that we enjoy the freedom that the country has to provide.

Today is a day to remember our great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, The Forgotten Hero - Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan 'The Frontier Gandhi', Maulana Abul Kalam Azad etc.

But also alongwith them, the innumerous nameless and faceless other freedom fighters witout whom we would never have achieved our independence.

Also, I would like to remember our soldiers who have laid down their lives and fought with courage and valour in order to protect our borders and land from our enemies.

Already there is a dampener that Shahrukh Khan was detained at the Newark Airport in USA due to his name.

But, today I won't any of these issues bother me. For today is the Independence Day, yay!!

People are trying to make #india the number one "Trending Topic" in Twitter. Ha!

As if this is the only thing worth enjoying and celebrating the day. Hrmph..

Well, to each his own. Whatever brings a smile to a person will do for me..:)

Signing off today with the shouts of 'JAI HIND', 'VANDE MATARAM' and 'INQUILAB ZINDABAD'.

You might ask why the last slogan?Right??

Well, wanted to know how it feels while shouting 'INQUILAB ZINDABAD'. Wanted to put myself in the shoes of our freedom fighters. Man, it does feel really good.

Try it out too in your room, in your bathroom, anywhere. And now, just imagine thousands upon thousands shouting out loud at their marches for freedom. Man, it brings out the 'josh' and really increases the testosterene levels.

Anyhow definitely signing off now.

always for all,

the person within.

The flu who flew from its nest!!

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:26:00 +0000

Haha, the hot topic which is doing the rounds everywhere - 'The Swine Flu'.

I might come across as being insensitive by some people by having fun on the Swine flu. There have been many cases of deaths being reported across the globe.

But, I believe that if one cannot laugh at something, then it seems 200 times more bigger or scarier than it actually is.

May the souls of those who had to lose their lives due to this virus Rest In Peace.

Everywhere across the News channels, the newspapers, even the 'Aam Admi' like the cornershop selling paan, there is only one topic making the rounds; H1N1 virus commonly known as 'Swine Flu' and some really scared people have started calling it 'The Flu that Escaped'.

These people are really afraid to call it by its name and think that by calling it 'The Flu that Escaped', they can trick the virus into entering some other body instead of theirs.

Possible scenario of the origins of the flu: It would have actually required just one infected swine(a pig or a wild boar) to pass this virus strain to the humans.

The hunter or the breeder would have skinned the swine, thus getting infected with the virus. He would have gone home and sneezed and coughed, infecting his family.

Then, the children would have gone to school/college infecting their peers. The woman of the house would have gone to the market infecting the sellers there.

The household would have interacted with their neighbours and friends, thus infecting them too. And the others their families and friends, and thus it would have spread.

But all said and done, I have been having fun at the flu's expense too..;)

If someone sneezes or coughs at the workplace without covering his/her face, I start making noises as if I am irritated.

Similarly, if someone sneezes/coughs in the elevator, I stare at him/her hard enough to make them feel embarassed. This in a way helps in making others understand the social ettiquetes, it also makes for humorous situations.

The ability to have fun at the flu's expense necessitates from the fact that it has become so widespread that the World Health Organization(WHO) has declared it as a pandemic.

For all those people still scared about the flu, a twitter friend of mine @ashinertia passed this link http://bit.ly/uD84o which has useful information about the flu.

Anyhow, enough of the flu topic, already it has been discussed a lot across the entire nation and abroad. So, lets start the conversation with a simple 'How are you?'.

Signing off.

always for all,

the person within.

Beloved bike sold

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:29:00 +0000

The clutch wire had broken on Thursday last and I had gone to the mechanic to get it repaired. He asked me whether I was willing to sell it off.

(Flashback) Around 2 months back, I had gone to the same mechanic to get the tube replaced after it burst. While repairing it, the conversation veered around the bike and the usual questions were asked.

"How much mileage does the bike give?"- 32 kmpl

"Since how long have I been using the bike?"

"Whether I am planning to sell it?"

my ex-bike( Yezdi Roadking)

(Thought Process within the Flashback alongwith Justification) This last question perked me up. I had been thinking of selling it for sometime now. Since, technically it was my friends', and he had asked me to sell it off. Make no mistake, I loved riding the bike, but since the bike had passed through so many hands, it would be asking a lot to keep maintaining the bike. With the following reasons, I did not buy the bike myself.

"Sir, are you planning to sell it?" The question brought it out of my own reverie.

I said "Yes" but I will sell it for Rs. 5000 and not a rupee less. I gave him my address and asked me to contact me only when he gets such a buyer.

He did try to contact me over the next few weeks but I was unable to meet him either because of my non-availability or due to sheer laziness.

its the only bike apart from Java which has two silencers(not visible in the picture)

(Coming back to the present) So, when the same question was asked again, I said "Very Much."

I asked him whether he has found any buyer, he asked me to wait at his shop. He took my bike and went somewhere. Upon his return, he brought along with him, lo and behold, the "buyer".

The deal was already negotiated, as earlier mentioned, I gave him the bike keys alongwith the necessary documents, received the said amount in cash and left.

That was the last memorable day spent with my bike.

Signing off.

always for all,
the person within.

Sach Ka Saamna

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:52:00 +0000

"Sach ka Saamna" is an Indian reality TV show which is structured on the exact same lines as "The Moment of Truth". Though, definitely it has been tweaked a little bit to cater to Indian sensibilities.

But I guess, the "Indian Sensibilities" are more sensitive than could be perceived. Otherwise, there would not have been so much hullaballoo over it such that it was discussed even in the Parliament.

The original "The Moment of Truth"(picture courtesy: http://umennet.files.wordpress.com)

For the uninitiated, who don't know what this show is all about, let me explain you the format of the show. The host of the show starts asking you questions which are personal to you and with each set of 5 questions, you earn a certain sum of money and if you give all correct answers finishing all the sets, you earn One crore in Indian rupees which is a big sum of money.

The questions would already have been answered by you in a comfortable environment. The answers are verified by a lie detector which calculates your heart pulse.

The same questions are asked to you in front of an audience consisting of your near and dear ones alongwith the studio audience. The same is also broadcasted across all major television networks.

Again the answers are matched to your previous answers and if you are incorrect the same is announced and you are ousted from the show.
The Indian copy"Sach ka Saamna" (picture courtesy: http://www.dishtracking.com/blog)

The hullabulloo that was raised was with regard to the type of questions that were being asked. Many people were against it because many uncomfortable questions(read: related to Sex) were being asked to the participants which were against the Indian values and culture.

People were afraid that watching the show the young minds of the country Will get corrupted and start asking uncomfortable questions. "Sex" as such is a taboo topic in India. Most of the youngsters do not know exactly what is sex. They rely on their peer group which itself is not a very reliable source.

If you have watched the old movies, you would for a second think that children are born out of coupling of flowers or birds. It was that bad. Atleast, now people have become somewhat open-minded that they allow kisses and some amount of intimacy being shown onscreen.

The main contention of more liberal people here in India is that, the Indian culture and values are not that weak that they will be thrown out of the window by watching a mere television show.

And moreover, there is an easier option, just change the channel incase the family gets uncomfortable watching the show. What is the remote there for, huh??
An episode from the show "Sach ka Saamna" featuring ex-cricketer Vinod Kambli (picture courtesy: http://2.bp.blogspot.com)

If a parent is confident enough of the values and morals that he/she has taught his/her children, then there is nothing to worry about.

There is also this point that such kind of shows tend to make our voyeuristic appetite to come to the fore. There are many of us who might have done or even thought of doing the same things as the questions which are thrown to the contestants.

Still we enjoy the discomfiture of the participant, secretly being happy that our own secret is not out in the open. Whereas, the participant is sweating profusely in order to gain that elusive One crore Rupees and in the process damaging his various relationships.

Well, as they say, to each his own. People are dying of hunger daily, there is so much unemployment, so much corruption, bad roads everywhere, but what do our politicians decide to discuss. A show called "Sach ka Saamna".

That's the way it is, I guess!!

Signing off with that.

always for all,
the person within.

Kamal Haasan and his performance in Anbe Sivam

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Kamal Haasan in the movie Virumandi(courtesy: http://www.withfriendship.com)

There would already be many reviews about Kamal Haasan. Many websites are dedicated to him. All I would like to mention is about his acting skills from my perspective, particularly in Anbe Sivam.

I have watched Kamal Haasan's movies on and off throughout my growing years. And his acting has left a deep impact on me. He is what one calls a "method"actor. But, just terming his acting as "method" acting would be very general for the depth of character he portrays onscreen.

I have watched movies from different languages( by languages, I mean the Indian languages) but I have not seen any one actor who is as versatile as he is.

He is simply marvellous, be it his portayal of a school teacher of an autistic-amnesiac girl, a psychopathic serial-killer, a pyschopath, a dwarf etc..

He has potrayed many characters and ensured that his characters are etched in the minds of the people who have watched his movies.

Kamal Haasan in the movie Anbe Sivam (courtesy: http://tamilmovieusa.bizland.com)

About Anbe Sivam: This is one movie which is a must-watch for all those people who like to notice the nitty-gritties of film-making. This is a very well-made movie helped by a tremendous performance by Kamal Haasan.
No other actor likes to show himself disfigured onscreen. Infact, there are so many 50 plus actors who wear wigs and use heavy makeup to portray 18 - 20 year old college going student and prance around young 16 year old heroines of the movie. But, Kamal Haasan is one actor who is not worried about his image. If he likes a character, he goes to any depth to portray that character convincingly.
One such character is Nalasivam(role played by Kamal), the protagonist of Anbe Sivam and ably supported by Madhavan, another fine actor( if he leaves his over the top histrionics behind).

The movie itself is very well-made and shows how a capitalist plays around with the lives of the people who are employed by him . But his own daughet falls in love with a communist who by the touch of fate is horribly disfigured in a freak accident and has to forsake the love for his beloved so that his new found "younger" brother remains happy.

This movie is a must watch to see how a well-made movie looks like, the power packed performance by Kamal Haasan and the able performance by Madhavan alongwith fine performances by Nasser(capitalist) and the henchman of the capitalist.

always for all,
the person within.

Old Man Walking

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:09:00 +0000

There's a man walking,
all wrinkled and old.

What he might be thinking,
while walking down the road.

With his life nearing to an end,
Ambitions totally zilch.

Living his life one day at a time,
'coz he knows when he might die.

Rest assured, I am totally unknown to him,
b'coz we have never ever met.

Even now, I am standing on the balcony of my house,
watching him walk down the street below.

He walks in the middle of the road,
Indifferent to the honking horns and screeching tyres behind him.

They are cocooned in their lives,
No one reaches to help him out.

I run down the stairs to help him,
only to find him gone.

I just wonder how I might perceive the world through his eyes.

I see India gaining Independence,
The virility and passion with which he fought for her Independence,
the passion turing to anger,
seeing corruption everywhere,
anger turning to indifference.

As for the country, there's no one to care.

Now I see him as an embittered soul,
walking alone with no hope,
waiting for the day to Rest In Peace.

always,
the person within.

Here and There!!

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:13:00 +0000

I have been reading these amazing blogs of people who have travelled to many places around the world. Reading them made me realize that unless and until we don't travel to other countries, we will not be knowing their culture which goes a long way in understanding certain things which they do.
Basically, until we do not come out of our comfort zones, we really won't be able to appreciate the diversity that is present around us. And for us Indians, we have so much diversity in our own country, that if we travel the length and breadth of our country, we would be finding so many may of our misconceptions and established notions get tossed out of the window.

I would like to go to Andamans, Lakshadweep, Leh, Ladakh, the East sometime. These would be in the priority in the list( The Things to do to enrich My Life).
I also would like to travel to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and many other countries which are present in my list. There is so much diversity in India, now I am beginning to understand and appreciate the program that was started by the government during my childhood called "Unity in Diversity." This made people belong to the idea that is India or Bharat or Hindustan. The name might be different for different people, but the idea is the same.

In this respect, I like the revolutionary Che Guevara. He travelled across the country alongwith another friend through the length of Argentina. That was how he was able to notice the abject poverty of his fellow country-men. Though I'll skip being the revolutionary as he became, but I would just travel and understand the various cultures and people.

I really appreciate the other people who take the time out of their busy lives and go and roam around the world. Though here, the currency conversion also plays a big role..;)
Even discussing with persons who have come from outside to India, I have got much needed a third point of view. As in, how the world outside considers India and her people.

Travelling is one of my long cherished goals. One day, that will also happen. *Fingers Crossed*

When the time comes, I will travel with such vengeance that probably that will what i'll be doing 24/7...lol!!

Ciao..:)

Always,
the person within

Earning from your home through myLot

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:21:00 +0000

A website http://www.mylot.com allows you to earn money by creating knowledgeable discussions and/or joining existing ones and giving thoughtful comments.

It basically is a blogging and discussion forum where anyone can join and create unlimited posts as long as they stick to the format and rules of the website. Here. one can meet other like-minded souls from around the planet through the various interactions in the forum.

Extra money can be earned through the various activities like starting a meaningful discussion, commenting on existing ones, finishing off certain tasks and writing blogs and even through uploading relevant images for a particular discussion.

But, during all this, one should remember to always adhere to the rules and regulations of the website. Hence, a suggestion would be to read the do's and don'ts carefully before starting any of the activities.

Another method of earning extra bucks is through the referral system.

So incase anyone is interested in signing up, please click here myLot User Profile

Adios Amigos.

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Blog Link and my view

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:14:00 +0000

As I mentioned earlier in the day, that I would be selecting a random blog and post a link to it and give a brief piece about it. The first one on the list is:

The blog I would like to mention is called "Daydreamer Nightcat". The link to it is: http://daydreamernightcat.blogspot.com

This blog has been started by a lady, as what could be fathomed from the user profile information, who has started it very recently. She has provided very brief descriptions of movies made in the independent cinema genre and which have won awards in various categories, in many film festivals across the world. Also, she mentions the Director, Cast, Music composed by and the Genre. This might help those who like watching movies of the Independent Cinema category.

So go ahead and visit the blog.

New Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:40:00 +0000

How many of us have over the years, lost your cool on people close to us for matters big or small, and then to finally regret for losing our temper.

And then, how many of us have actually tried to mend the broken divide and how many have left it broken because of the ego coming in before them.

It was his/her fault and not mine. When the ego rises up, we always forget that to clap, we require both our hands. Similarly, any argument, any fight is the cause of the due negligence towards the relationship by both the parties and not because of a single one.

Ego- A strangely important aspect of our lives. Sages and saints through the time have always mentioned that one should not have any ego when with people close to us.

Sometimes, it does happen that one feels betrayed that anyone close to you can say or do such a thing. But, it is always good to have our ego in check and our temper in control. We should always remember that the said person is also a human and has his/her various faults.

We are no good ourselves. Through times, so many people have committed so many blunders. Then who are we to deem perfection.

We, ourselves would have committed many blunders, then who are we to judge others.

Even if you commit the mistake of getting involved emotionally in the heated arguments or fights, cool off for some time. My mantra during such time, not to meet the person so as not to pass any negative vibes I might be having. It might take few moments, it might take a day or two.

But once, over it, call up and apologize. It might happen that the other person might be thinking that the entire thing is all our fault. Let it be. If we value the friendship, the relationship, these kind off things should not ruin it.

This I am writing because of a philosophical bent of my mind right now. Hopefully, any time I face such a situation, I remember to keep my ego and temper in check too.

Fingers crossed!!

Also, I have decided that every Saturday, I will be posting a link to any random blog that I might chance upon and like. I will right a small neutral piece about it, so that the readers do get to know aforehand, what that particular blog is about.

This would help in a manner such that, people who read my blog will also come to know about various other blogs present in the net which might be interesting. But, have not known about them.

Hopefully you all like this concept, what say people?? This one is entirely dedicated to you..:)

So, watch out for my next post today which will be a piece about some blog.

Things gone past!!

noreply@blogger.com (the person within) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Extremely apologetic for not updating my blog on a more regular basis. Suddenly, felt like all my creative juices had dried up(whatever l'il amount I had prior to it). Now, I again have the urge to post something in my blog.

Couldn't think of any other name for the title of my post, hence came up with something very random.

So many things have passed since the last time I blogged. Some I would like to reveal and some I would not like to disclose. Not that they are very important, its just that I don't feel right discussing them. As usual, I would bring in some philosophical bend to these happenings.

This weekend did not feel like stepping out of the house. So, picked a few DVDs to watch them over the weekend though a couple did spill over the next day. Didn't mind it though. The movies were of such diverse plots like Felon, Death Race, Righteous Kill and The Fountainhead. Each of these movies gave me some food for thought.

Last week watched The Hangover. It was simply awesome. My friends and I were left clutching our stomachs because of the laugh riot. Even when we were reminiscing scenes after the movie was over, it was very difficult to control our laughter. People kept staring at the group of us for mindlessly laughing the entire way to where we had parked our bikes.

So, from such a comic flick, to watch some serious movies over the weekend was a complete turnaround.

Though, Felon and Death Race are movies for the masses, they did make me think of such a hypothetical situation. The "What If such sort of a thing happens to any random person" kinds.

Whereas, Righteous Kill made me wonder how Far does the line is. I mean when is the line crossed??

But, out all the flicks which I watched, The Fountainhead had a lasting impression on me. The dialogue delivery was powerful in the courtroom scene when Howard Roark stands up to give his own Summation.

It does make one wonder how much should a person sacrifice in order that to please his fellow men.

Its always when a person who goes against the will of his brothers, that something really creative is born. History has so many examples.

These are some of the things which have been going on in my mind. Suddenly don't feel like updating.

Will post the rest later. Till the time Ciao!!