Who are they????????

This thought has been bothering me from quite sometime now…….What is being a celebrity all about???

It’s sometimes so funny the way these people (I hope calling them “people” doesn’t offend them) behave. Please do not get me wrong here. I have nothing against “them”. It’s just that their “holier than thou” attitude totally irks me.

I’m sure their work demands a lot of hard work and arouses hell lot of curiosity among us lesser mortals. I’m sure they often sacrifice basic joys of life as a price for fame. I’m sure they hate (actually here I’m not that sure!! :)) being hounded by paparazzi at each moment of their lives……

But what my otherwise logical mind cannot justify is their severe attitude problem. I mean, being a celeb does not entitle them to consider themselves super-natural (oh u bet they do!!!)…..Being able to get front-seat passes at award functions when other commoners are sweating it out at the back to get a glimpse of these “stars” is no license for them to behave as if they own the world.

I do not know if this attitude prevails only among the glamour world citizens or among all famous people in general…..But this definitely needs attention. As I read in a magazine the other day, these actors are becoming more of “people” than “stars”…Probably if we compare an “Audrey Hepburn” with an “Angelina Jolie” or a “Sridevi” with a “Preity Zinta”…yes they are…..But I am certain there’s still a long way to go.

After all, the toil that a daily-wage earner invests is as much as a film actor would put in…if not more!!! So what if both eat meager meals (one out of compulsion and other out of fancy!!)……Well, inequality is all life’s all about, I guess……..

For a better world.......

Ignorant as one would call me, I have no qualms in admitting that I was unaware of the monstrous predominance of “Domestic violence”. I mean I did know it exists and that several women are subjected to it on a daily basis……But I had absolutely no clue as to how common it could be.

“Provoked” is like any other well-made movie with good performances (I confess I liked Ms Rai for the first time ever) and commendable direction. But what’s more striking is that it compels you to carry the issue along.What makes it even more touching is the fact that its based on the real-life story of the landmark case called "Regina Vs. Ahluwalia" - a case which re-defined the term "Provocation"!!!

Probably as a twenty-something I have a lot of apprehensions about life…And issues like domestic violence only adds to what I would call more of “dread” than apprehension!!!We are educated alright…..but can we really claim to be emancipated??

It’s been pretty frequent that I visited the theatre…but I’m glad I watched some real good cinema. I hope the future of the world’s as good as in the movie(I would call the ending positive if not happy)….Amen!!

Its all in a name.......

When I read “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri, I remember having identified with the characters. The feeling got re-juvenated after watching its screen version.

I have always maintained that books lose their charm once they are made into movies…But I must confess I did think otherwise this time. With powerful performances by truly talented actors, impeccable direction, and absolute technical proficiency (though I am no critic to technical aspects of movie-making, I loved certain camera shots…For eg: the Howrah station scene merging past and present)...The movie was indeed a delightful experience. I must specially mention the lead actor’s (Irfan Khan) amazing attempt at mimicking the Bengali accent. It’s commendable as to how he has brilliantly spun authenticity into it without overdoing it. (You have to trust my opinion on this one!)

One tends to identify with Nikhil ‘Gogol’ Ganguli. His character compels you to ponder on your cultural standing. You tend to question your attitude towards your family, your roots and your beliefs….I feel it provides an absolutely necessary halt to our otherwise fast paced lives…It re-emphasizes the need to live in the present…to feel the beauty of having a family and to feel how it is to be loved…Gogol is like a reality check to the hot blooded youth of today….

Not always would you come across movies which provoke you to carry the thought along once you leave the theater. I am glad I experienced this rare feeling last Saturday…This one’s definitely worth a watch(or may be more)!!!

Lock or Freeze???

I just got back from home. Need I elucidate on my state of mind any more???

Glued (once again) onto the 17” before me I browse through the innumerable news channels sprawling the Net…and Voila!!!I’m duly educated on the achievements of a certain Ms. Shetty, on the pre/post nuptials plans of the “Marriage of the year” (Madame Hurley kindly excuse…Bachhan-Rai rock u see!!), on Badshah’s utmost attempt to “copy” the Shahenshah…..on almost everything that actually wouldn’t make a trifling difference in my life!!!

And as someone (I don’t really care who) rightly put it…even the most ignorant person has the right to opine…so here I go!!...after all it’s my blog and I never did claim to be “different”. Did I???

Over the last 2 weeks, whenever I happened to be at home and doing nothing, I’d fix those myopic eyes of mine to the “idiot box”…Now all I could find on TV were “reality shows” (Ah!!What a misnomer)…Roadies4 boasted of a herd of unruly youngsters speaking more beeped words than normal …A cinestars’ hunt contest having more tears than TRPs….and of course Bigg Boss completing the training which Saas-bahu sagas miss out on(of quarrelling tactics of course!!)

So SRK was a welcome change…I did like the guy during my adolescent years…though not his monotony any more…He exudes some charm/charisma whatever you call it. I would have liked his presentation any day…had I like lacs of others not compared him to AB!!! He’s definitely not bad…if not superlative…a bit of over enthusiasm to reach to the masses may be….but definitely can’t be written off…At least 9-10 henceforth would be something I’d look forward to….Now “freeze that”!!

Would they or would they not???

Is Abhishek Bachhan marrying Aishwarya Rai????Are they already married???Did they go to Varanasi for any nuptial rite????

Will someone tell me what difference it would make to any of our lives? The answer’s more of than obvious….And yet every gossip is paid heed to…Each fallacy committed by the couple scrutinized and comb-searched for some hope (-lessness)...Each photograph of them smiling/hugging/cheering/smirking/frowning gaining popularity by the day…Each expression on their (and of course their parents’) faces inspected with absolute curiosity.

These celebrities claim to be tired of this “un”wanted paparazzi torture….I beg to differ…If they really are tired why would they go to a public place to attract attention? Why would they publicize the gala time they had during their recent holiday!!!???

We, the commoners claim we are exhausted of yellow journalism…of sensationalized news items…of every news being forced to be an item! Again here lies the catch …If we really were how would the sales of these film magazines and gossip newsletters soar sky-high…??

The fact is – it’s a symbiotic relationship….Neither our curiosity nor their vanity would be satisfied without each criticizing the other. And hence the apprehensions continue….
We shall soon be revelling in the gaiety as the country’s most eligible bachelor weds the cold maiden (oops I hope I haven’t offended her admirers…!)...Would they or would they not???...
Watch this space for updates… :)

The drama that wasn't meant to be....

Since the time that I've moved into my current residence,I haven't been following the idiot box( except an hour on Sundays...thanks to Desperate Housewives).....blame it on lack of time or enthusiasm!!!!So it was indeed more than a welcome change when i decided to step into the "hallowed" tv room last week...

Though a part of me desperately wanted to break the monotony (!!!???;))of life, the other could in no way force me to watch what a certain Ms. Kapoor calls the K-factor....With due respect to madame Kapoor,I cannot figure out how a 60year old hero (you have to logically calculate the time leaps to believe me)can marry his "friend" and still look like he's ready for a long-awaited honeymoon....and mind you it may be his 5th time...:)

Compromising with the situation and my PG-mates' choice...we zeroed on watching "reality shows".....Ah!!!that's nothing short of the "kramas"(That s how they call drama with the K factor you see)..I admit.

So we tuned in to this musical contest meant for kids below 15...sounds harmless and cute...doesn't it? So far so good..... Really talented kids show casing their vocal brilliance...and this "terrific trio"(thats what the anchor calls them) judging with an apparent facade of justice and fair play...

And yesterday this really small(literally!!) child was eliminated on what they all a "frightful friday".....everyone 's here consoling her....and the drama unfolds.....her mother(who's been coy and nice about the contest so far) shrieks out......pulls the mike.... pays absolutely no heed to her husband / daughter's protest....and complains aloud about how baseless the contest is...

I agree its human nature to call grapes sour under such circumstances....but the riot she created on the set was.....well ridiculously hilarious!!!Imagine the small child pulling her mother out of the stage ....judges and authorities trying to thaw her down....and she yells awfully loud about the contest's futility.....I mean how funny can people get???

I couldn't help but fall off my chair thinking how such people claim to be adults....who do not have basic control over their emotions....I'm sure her child holds a much saner head over her shoulders than her mom...Kudos to the child..!!!

I totally enjoyed the drama yesterday.....I'm sure TRPs have soared ...thanks to the lady's wrath.And what seems more interesting was that the channel authorities have realised it too....I'll conclude with what they promised at the end of the show last night...."to be continued....";)

I call it a work-stopper!

Its 6.30p.m. now.......Work's more or less wrapped up.Its time for me to head for the place I presently call home.But I choose to glue my nose into the 17inch in front of me instead...Courtesy: Mr. Orkut Büyükkökten.Who-so-ever told this Turkish gentleman to brew up the site...was indeed far sighted(pun intended).

I always boasted myself of being able to exercise self-control, if anything.I prided myself on not freaking out if I saw something really captivating on the store-window...of being able to check my rapacity every time I encountered a Death-by-Chocolate(trust me people!!!!;)) ...of restraining from over-spending on the plush multiplex culture(I shall talk about that in one of the forthcoming articles for sure)every weekend....But alas!!!not any more..I daresay.

Blame it all on our dear Orkut dotcom.Its strange how it has managed to grip me into its fanatic(if I may say so)world....so much so that I cannot but refrain from visiting it at least once in every couple of hours.

Agreed, it does help you get in touch with those long-lost(well,not always) friends and acquaintances.In fact I myself met up with my school seniors/classmates in good old Bangalore last weekend,thanks to Orkut.But I must confess its a total work-stopper(I do not guarantee the existence of this one in the dictionary)!!Our office server has banned it(the reason being obvious of course)...and yet one shall always find a conflux of Software engineers waiting at the library internet with absolute patience only to "surf" Orkut.I fail to fathom why!!!

... And yet now I am compelled to put an end to this article(readers,you may please breathe a sigh of relief)....as Orkut beckons me.Such is the magnetism of it.Long live Mr. Büyükkökten.Long live the world of Orkut.:)