Give me some good news !!
Corruption, CWG, Jagan and the mining ministry. Bad politics and depressing news have become so common that they cease to be a sensation. I wish there was more joy, honesty and triumph to report, that watching news of death, calamities and human plight would not bring in feelings of deja vu.
Vuja De: The strange feeling that somehow, this has never happened before.
Peepli .. life .. goes .. on
If you have ever lived in a village with similar living situation’s as ‘Peepli’ , the movie ‘Peepli Live’ will entertain, engage and will also infuriate and sadden.
The central narration of the movie that follows the ‘suicide threat’ of an Indian farmer is important, serious and strong but the integration of other issues like the political blame game, TRP friendly journalism, the great urban rural divide, lack of materialistic emotions in the rural context and even the enterprising nature of the nations people make this a unique movie – almost like the movies of yesteryear that found comedy in the middle class plight.
The ‘emotionless’ approach to suicide for gaining money, visuals of the urban brigade departing leaving behind a pile of garbage and the ride from rural to the urban stopping for just a second at the billboard “More space, more luxury” are memorable and hard hitting shots.
Although, the issue of farmer suicide is no news for India, no real reform or relief seems to be in sight. Incidentally I had written about this very same topic in 2006 , the context and content of which are just as relevant 4 years hence.
Entertainment or serious cinema Peepli Live is a must watch, and I hardly ever say that.
Jhingalala Hurrrr …
If there is one material obsession my family collectively shares, it has to be for the clunker of a 1980′s Onida TV.
This giant box (which is about the size of a dessert cooler – yeah, I was definitely brought up in the 90′s ) is as simple as televisions can get.
There are ten buttons … Total. Channels 1-8, the volume up and down switch and the on/off switch.
Despite numerous efforts to bring in a sleeker better screen, the rest of my family refuses to budge. So , I decided to take it one baby step at a time – changes from the traditional cable to the set top box were smooth, though slow. Then came a remote, which gathered much protest from my grandma who was not pleased with power shift it brought- her leverage of being the sole channel changer (as she sat dangerously close to the screen) had vanished.
It hence, did not surprise me when the transition to ‘Jingalala’ TV broke all hell, using two remotes and surfing channels confused granny so much that we are back to using the 10 buttons.”After all”, my grandma justifies “The world cup is channel 4 and news is the rest, what else do we need?”.. Sigh!!!
Ditto!!
Is it just me or does every venture around the city of Hyderabad/ Secunderabad seem to start out fresh, new and completely different from others and then slowly but surely slip into the known , tried and tested format.
Be it schools, eating out, jewellery, clothing, electronics .. the search for something unique and different almost every time ends with a new place. The fact that the city is lined with extremely predictable “ditto” hoardings does not help the literal going around in circles.
I so wish that there were more places that were silently different than those screaming their similarities.
Gift and take
While some of us spend hours looking out for the perfect gift, there are those who definitely don’t give a damn. Here’s a roundup of some of the worst gifts received from friends and family :
1. For a friend’s wedding, an old couple brought in a beautifully wrapped family pack of …TALCUM POWDER - I mean really?? What were they thinking ?? — “Here’s one for all the hotness that you two represent”??
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2. A fancy wrought iron DUSTBIN – Is this some kind of a decorate your new home thingy?
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3. A pen set - suddenly the set of matching watches from Titan Vivah does not sound so bad ehh!!
4. Coupons to shop at ‘Nalli silks’ – ok this for a south Indian wedding is kind of disaster what with the silk overdose that already is the wedding.
5. Gift vouchers that expire in a month- never mind the couple out honey mooning, the vouchers can be used by the family for the monthly kirana supply.
So here’s a tip fellows, how about something smashing like a 3G, anything less and you might as well hand me your 101 coins 
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Sing along
My mood today and ever since .. 
Swept off
Finally a jewelery advertisement that gets it right.
Lowe Lintas India has managed a beautiful and spot on creative (except the very cliche’ “Varun”).