Why I don’t like the movie Sethu, anymore?

The Tamil movie Sethu was released sometime in the year 1999 or 2000. With this movie, Vikram (the protagonist) shot to instant fame. The movie was appreciated for various reasons: brilliant direction, great acting, a script that was closer to real life, and sensitive portrayal of life. At that time, I couldn’t exactly point to why the movie left me numb with pain. Perhaps, I decided that reaction could be only for a good movie. And, I had joined the bandwagon of Vikram and Bala fans and maybe even contributed in some way to the astounding success of the movie.
Now, after several years, after even having gone on record to say that it’s a ‘socially conscious’ movie because of the several anti-brahmin jokes, I wonder what has made me think differently today. But, I am assured of one thing today: my reasons for disliking the movie are crystal clear. Of course, I record here my reasons wistfully; wonder how my life would have been had I had this clarity then.
Firstly, the movie had a male protagonist, though his ‘relationship’ with a woman forms the focal point of the movie. However, the screen space the female lead had must have been just a fraction of what the protagonist had. Is this the actual reality in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu? Not that I expect a female protagonist in a mainstream Tamil movie, but I do expect equal screen space for the female lead, especially when the script requires it.
Secondly, the characterization of Sethu, the lead guy. He is a local thug, who goes around roughing up people. He clearly is from a dominant caste group, which easily gives the right to ‘ridicule’ the eating habits of the docile Brahmin girl. What is particularly arresting is the girl’s demeanor. She wears a half saree that is pinned properly and has long hair that is well-oiled and plaited. She carries herself with such grace and poise that she’s quite aware of herself every second, even in the chemistry lab. This construct of a 21st century college-going girl is very dangerous. This grace-personified dame falls head over heels in love with this street-side thug, Romeo, and casteistic guy, which is another blow to the sensibilities of any college-going girl.
Thirdly, the way caste was dealt with was problematic; it’s either outright ridicule or immense respect for the Brahmin community. It would have been better if they hadn’t brought in the caste factor at all. There was no context to place it, actually. I believe this aspect was dealt with in the most flippant manner.
Finally, Sethu kidnapping the love of his life. This simple act showed how skewed the filmmaker’s understanding had been about intimate relationships between a man and a woman. The woman was shown to be nothing more than just a thing to possessed; a thing to be brought to its senses (which is understanding his love/lust for her, which comes as an irresistible deal along a good home and a chance to bear his babies); a thing to be showcased in one’s house. Besides the problematic sociological questions, I am tempted to doubt its relevance in real life. For example, will I fall in love with a roadside thug, who’s been stalking me, when he manages to kidnap me and presents this ‘irresistible’ offer at gun point? Wouldn’t I first go to the police station and file an FIR? At least, wouldn’t I find ways to completely erase my existence for the guy? Wouldn’t I run away from the locality? Then, the guy gets beaten up and he turns mad. In such a situation, in real life, the girl will be thanking her stars that the gods finally did some justice to the women! And, not commit suicide because she couldn’t bear the thought of marrying anyone other than the thug.

Neeya Naana…give me a break!

I am really curious to know who are the producers of this really horrible program called neeya nana, which is hosted by some dim wit of a guy on Vijay TV! This program is aired on Sundays between 9:00 and 9:30 PM, perhaps with a 100 reruns of the same episode. The topics are usually provoking, well don’t expect if the discussions would be on neo-liberal policies or coalition politics or live-in relationships or domestic violence; it’s usually on something as inane as love vs. arranged marriages or something equally insulting the modest standards of human intelligence. Ok, the discussion that is happening tonight has sunk to an all-time low, which would have stirred or psyched even the traditionalists of the dark ages!

The discussion is between ‘businessman vs. wives–are they happy.’ Firstly, the title: people, business can be done by both sexes and people who do not adhere to any one sex as well. What gave you the right to assume a gender identity for a profession? Nextly, wives! Was this a place where women (well the business wives) could rant their rather indulgent anger on their business husbands? What was it? Were the producers or directors looking at the emergence of any possible domestic violence cases? Or, were they looking at alleviating the ‘misery’ of these ‘housewives?’ Or, was it a sneak, voyeuristic peek into these upper middle class homes? What was the whole point of the title? Didn’t it even strike them that there could be several thousands of business women in this progressive state of Tamil Nadu? What was really amusing was an ad in between that went on list the big women achievers! Was that a miss? Or, were you guys so out of sync with what you were doing? This one was just too obvious to miss!

Next, the panelists: most of the women wore a sindur. This is an interesting point, because this sindur thing is rather new in Tamil Nadu. Perhaps, thanks to Ekta kapoor’s serials, our women, from the land of Periyar and Bharatiyar (who openly declared war on casteism and chauvinism and called a woman who challenged the traditional mores of patriarchy a real woman), have so happily lapped up regressive practices that even their grandmoms didn’t have!

And, all the women continued to simply talk about how the husband wouldn’t pay ‘any’ attention to the household; of course, why would he, if you more than readily, perhaps gave up your career for marriage or the child, or didn’t study so that your parents may not be able to find a suitable groom for you? That’s not enough, there have been love marriages in which the women have done everything to ensure that the man becomes something ‘worthy.’ But, my question is, why didn’t the women do anything for themselves? And, you just find one vague TV program to share your rants or experiences? The men’s responses: typical! Oh yeah, we are so busy, you see; well, who are ‘we’ struggling for? It’s for the family!

My question: what was new about this whole exchange? Is this truly the reality? How come I see something very different? How come in my 7-8 years of working, I have had always had women bosses, except a couple of them? And, how come the corporate board rooms are filled with women? How come big political parties have women leaders? How do I reconcile with the fact that very soon, India might have an Obama moment: when a dalit woman becomes the prime minister? Especially, when I am assaulted with crap like this on prime time? I understand if it were these fictitious, gycerline-dependent serials, because I can just dismiss them at least on principle, especially with their disclaimer and all! Here, you have real people talking terrible stuff! Yeah, all the men are talking about how it is great to hear the child’s first word or how the child plays and the usual the home-bound nonsense! Yes men, that’s what we have always been telling! The women have had ENOUGH of hearing the babies and perfecting the art of creating new recipes, face packs (so that they are beautiful for you and your friends), pickles, home decoration, and all the prescribed stuff. Why don’t the men take over here for a change, after all, it’s the men who have been romanticizing the ‘woman’s job.’

Vijay TV’s program just left me hopping mad about this horribly antiwoman show! Somehow, it feels like the woman has no role to play in her life than just crib about her husband’s attention! Doesn’t she have anything to do? Is she just there to run the homestead for the businessman? And, mind you, the labor is unpaid, and she does not have any job security, she can get thrown out any time, she can be shortchanged, she does not any leave (PL/CL/SL), and every day she works overtime! It left a terrible taste in my mouth… where are we headed…

Some questions...

A casual conversation with an old friend spurred a myriad of thoughts in my mind. The friend went back to my good old college days when liberation and feminist theology were in and traditional mores of evangelical Christianity and patriarchal establishment were questioned. Those were the days when a small bunch of young Christians like us questioned everything that came our way—from English education to addressing god as father. Many years have rolled by ever since…with years, it seems as if the very structures that we questioned have caught up or are at least threatening to catch up, if we didn’t wake up!
Establishment that seemed too simplistic and hollow seems almost insurmountable today! No wonder they call it establishment. In no time, we have become arm chair intellectuals, earning fat salaries from a globalized economy, designing our profiles on shaadi.com, enjoying MacD dinners, attending some ‘powerful’ churches, sponsoring ‘missions’ in the ‘unreached tribal areas,’ and many things that we so furiously dismissed and swore never to do! It seems like establishment is having its final laugh! There are some of us who have joined the church to ‘serve’ and be more in touch with one’s ideals. Today, they talk the talk and walk the walk of the establishment, having become its guardians. Do we realize how we have lost the gospel of liberation and freedom for all?
Today, I hear young people praying for India, not for her millions to be fed and clothed, but to make Christianity her state religion! I don’t know what appalls me more: the ignorance of what constitutes a state religion or the sheer stupidity of such a prayer…do they even realize the actual meaning of state?
Today, what’s more appalling is the ease with which young Christian people take to patriarchal and traditional bindings like fish to water. Where is the passion to question…the life blood of rebellion and salvation? Where is the spirit of Christ in today’s youth? Doesn’t it even strike as odd when strong, educated, and intelligent young boys and girls go in for arranged, casteistic marriages within the church? There are worse practices where the girl wears the thali (mangalsutra) with her husband’s name inscribed on it! Why are we not even questioning these? If not now, when? Women, at the peak of their careers and youth, are saddled with hundreds of gynecological complications and ill health! Why don’t they question it? Just because you are biologically different and have the ‘capacity’ to bear the fetus, does that also mean that you necessarily sacrifice your health, intelligence, equality, and quality of life on the altar of marital pleasures (sic!), which infuse you with an obscure sense of security. Well, after landing up with so many health problems and house and car loans, you would definitely ‘need’ security!
Do we see how establishment is making inroads into our lives and blunting our intellects? Every day, establishment reinvents itself! If it was the dwijas (the second birth, signified by wearing of the sacred thread, for the high born within the caste hierarchy among Hindus) yesterday, it’s born-again Christians today! Didn’t Christ question this very hierarchy among people? Where is the love that Christ preached? Did we lay it by the wayside as we climbed the ladders of social hierarchy where we can ascertain our ‘rightful’ place by the very tools of the erstwhile establishment—the hierarchical order of the Hindus? Why should we have hierarchy in Christianity? Especially, when the basic tenet of the religion is: there shall be no jew, greek…male, female….etc? How did the rot of establishment make its way? Was this the sin that we were born with? Was Paul talking about this thorn in the flesh? How do we get rid of this? Do we even want to get rid of this in the first place? Do we want to root out class and caste in our churches? Do we want our women to be equal beneficiaries of the good news and salvation? Do we want to even talk about reinventing the institution of marriage, reinventing priorities for young Christians, setting priorities for the young, discuss tolerance, study and analyze the contemporary realties? How do we differentiate ourselves from the vast majority, which we conveniently term as casteistic, idol worshippers?

Taking Dilli for a 6!

Just watched the movie that is the namesake of the city I dwell in! Okay, am no patriot of Delhi nor do I believe in patriotism as being a virtue. However, after watching this movie, to say am outraged at the portrayal of Delhi is an understatement. Before going into the gory details and the justification for my outrage, let’s simply talk about the movie.

Firstly, there’s no story, period. Of course, who said a story is essential to make a good movie; I have seen several riveting and mind-boggling movies that don’t necessarily have a consistent storyline. But, this one flouted all the basic rules, if there are any, rules of film making. Was it a documentary on the so-called ridiculous behavior of people in the walled city? Or, was it a tourist flyer promoting tourism, what with the recession and stuff, are we gonna fall back on tourism?

Secondly, the characterization! Who, for example, is Roshan? Just an NRI? That’s it? Does it kind of capture the essence of the person? What type of NRI is he? Has he studied anything? Why is everything so damn new to him, especially after being brought by a very religious dadi! Not even one character seems sorted out.

Thirdly, the movie failed utterly in terms keeping the audience engaged! Of course, every second had suspense woven in, because we didn’t know when the movie would end; it seemed like it could have ended in at least 10 points; and when it finally ended, the audience were like, “wow, it’s over man!” You know, I do enjoy movies that are no-brainers, as long as they are fun to watch. But, movies as these are violating; I was not only bored, but also angry!

Now to the anger part: anyone who has lived in Delhi for at least a year will know about Dilli 6: the walled city. For those of you who don’t know about the walled city, here is a small note on the area. It is one of the oldest residential areas of Delhi. It is predominantly a Muslim area, with the Jama Masid at one corner.

It is a heritage site; several years of history is buried in the roads of this unique place. Interestingly, the people and houses there and the way of life (not that it is very different from any other of the middle class areas in the country) is actually history. You must be there to witness or feel what it is to be in the midst of a historic place that is still very much alive. The mode of transport within the city is only by cycle rickshaws because the houses are so closely built that there’s hardly any space for any other type of vehicles. And, here, we have our hero sneering at the time it takes to reach his sick grandmom to the hospital on a rickshaw. What is worse is they aren’t delayed only by the rickshaw, but by a cow in labor! What a ridiculous idea! And, what’s even horrible is that the grandmom gets better when she hears of the cow in labor and goes and touches the cow with so much devotion.

The movie screams of the exotic orient in every damn shot! Guys, didn’t things like this get dealt with several years ago with Edward Said and our own Romila Thapar shattering such myths?

Next, this movie hardly explores the real culture of dilli 6. There’s this elaborate Ram Lila happening throughout the movie, but nothing on the lovely sweet meats sold around Jama Masid or the famous breaking of the Mohram fast or the famous buff kebabs of dilli 6! Everybody has been ridiculed! The dalit woman is as usual the beedi-smoking, foul-mouthed whore, who dutifully sits outside the temple and worships God! I felt violated as I walked out of the movie hall; my time, my money, and my intellect were insulted!

Just a word for Abhishek Bachan! Do yourself a favor; take a holiday for a year and go faraway; I suggest the Himalayas. And, do some soul-searching. Acting is not for you man; however, you could learn it, and I assure you one thing, your dad can’t be your teacher. Buddy, you can do better than this. If only you could find something real and true for yourself. I could see how bored you were; more than anger, I felt sorry for you!

Growing up Karen....

Do I look good....I hate you! Well...this is one refrain my neighbor mala hears from her, quite hip and popular, sister Karen every day. Poor mala! Let me explain a bit about this Karen, because she catches my fancy much more than mala. Now, Karen is this child-woman, whom if you approach her as if she were a child, she'll fix you with a grow-up-you-moron and when u wanna have a woman-to-woman talk, she'll baby talk! Nevertheless, we neighbors have a good time having her around.

Now, to the refrain part...Mala, with whom am good friends, tells me that Karen, on average, spends 1 hour every day getting ready with an assortment of cosmetics that will put even a fashion diva to shame...and, Karen looks quite good...in the sense all the cosmetics are just addons...however, every day, Mala and all of us have to be sensitive and each time she has a doubt about her looks, we need to tell that she looks good...but the moment we lose our cool, or are distracted with ourselves (vanity traps all women, you see) we are dead! Phew! You women are so carzy...I hate you all! Come on Karen grow up....

Disclaimer: This is purely fiction; any resemblance to any person living or kicking or fuming is merely coincidental.

Parents, children, control and many other things...

Of the many unifying factors of religion, such as women subjugation, stratification, and special status to a select few, is the elaborate rules on behavior, especially with respect to children. And, mind you, am not talking of children in terms of one’s age…you could be well past your ‘adult’ age or you could even be over 25 or 30, but you will be still a child to your parents, and hence you are obliged to follow the detailed rules for children about their behavior and life.

In this context, let me delve into the actual day-to-day realities of some children. As a growing Christian child, the virtues (and of course the carrot of long life, as if good health and fitness never mattered) of being an obedient child was drilled into me, as it was into all the other poor unsuspecting children. Even before we knew it, we were given tags as Christian, obedient, girl, sweet, intelligent, etc…and, one tended to hold on to these tags, even if they gave you no returns…well, the returns were roads of gold after death. But, our minds/intellects were dwarfed so that we don’t ask questions like, “If I obeyed, I would have a long life, which keeps me away from the golden roads!” Then, why should I hanker after a long life here? If I have a long life here, I must try and fit into those tags, which are incidentally given to several Christian children.

This piece is not about religion, rather about the power that certain relationships have due to religious sanction, and hence the prelude. The relationship that parents have with children enjoys much more that just religious sanction, I assume. It has societal sanction, with financial backing. At this outset, the chances of a short change for the weaker party is quite high, and my assumption is most of the children are short changed, except a select few who wage a war, who walk out of the house, who run away, who stay and question/rebel, or become artists…

Well, there might be reasons to why parents behave in a certain way. It could be due to religious, patriarchal, and market forces. However, what happens to the independent free will? After all, isn’t growing up a child a huge responsibility? Especially because the child has no means for developing an independent idea or will? Can a child grow on its own? Is it truly possible for a child to just be on its and develop into a fine individual, well again how does one define what is fine and unfine? Is that why we have scripture to tell us what is right and wrong? But, then why are there so many different types of scriptures, which are most often at loggerheads with each other? And, it hasn’t just stopped being at just loggerheads, rather, we today have armed battle…and who are the arsenal…the poor, unsuspecting children, grown on the much fermented anger of the parents. Dovetailing this idea, I have known of so many children being the actual deliverer of hatred between families. In such situations, do parents treat their children as their arsenal? The ultimate weapon—a young body indoctrinated in the scripture of hatred for the other; without any scope for love or humane ideas, because all of these ‘unnecessary’ emotions have been systematically removed so that the child can be customized to take on the enemy!

If you have noticed, elder children, usually speak the parent’s language, and most often are clambering to take on the ‘parent’s’ role more because that role is the role of power. And, what parents don’t see is that, they make their first-borns their ally! Is this because people marry young (especially those that are immature enough to think of marriage as an escape) and have a child immediately? Is their long-time desire to control comes delivered in the package called ‘first baby; now do what to you want to do!’

This, of course is not a plea for apology or a call to understand a ‘first child’; it’s in fact a way to be re-born…to choose one’s emotions…to break away from set patterns…in Steven covey’s language, to break the social mirror…and rewrite one’s destiny; to be the controller of your destiny and not let others control you…

Pearls of Wisdom

www.warriorofthelight.comCopyright @ 2009 by Paulo Coelho
I decided to conduct a survey among my friends about what society considers to be normal behavior. What follows is a list I have made of some of the absurd situations we face in day-to-day life, just because society sees them as normal:
Anything that makes us forget our true identity and our dreams and makes us only work to produce and reproduce.
Making rules for a war (the Geneva Convention).
Spending years at university and then not being able to find a job.
Working from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon at something that does not give us the least pleasure, so that we can retire after 30 years.
Retiring only to discover that we have no more energy to enjoy life, and then dying of boredom after a few years.
Using Botox.
Trying to be financially successful instead of seeking happiness.
Ridiculing those who seek happiness instead of money by calling them “people with no ambition”.
Comparing objects like cars, houses and clothes, and defining life according to these comparisons instead of really trying to find out the true reason for being alive.
Not talking to strangers. Saying nasty things about our neighbors.
Thinking that parents are always right.
Getting married, having children and staying together even though the love has gone, claiming that it’s for the sake of the children (who do not seem to be listening to the constant arguments).
Criticizing everybody who tries to be different.
Waking up with a hysterical alarm-clock at the bedside.
Believing absolutely everything that is printed.
Wearing a piece of colored cloth wrapped around the neck for no apparent reason and known by the pompous name “necktie”.
Never asking direct questions, even though the other person understands what you want to know.
Keeping a smile on your face when you really want to cry. And feeling sorry for those who show their own feelings.
Thinking that art is worth a fortune, or else that it is worth absolutely nothing.
Always despising what was easily gained, because the “necessary sacrifice” – and therefore also the required qualities – are missing.
Following fashion, even though it all looks ridiculous and uncomfortable.
Being convinced that all the famous people have tons of money saved up.
Investing a lot in exterior beauty and paying little attention to interior beauty.
Using all possible means to show that even though you are a normal person, you are infinitely superior to other human beings.
In any kind of public transport, never looking straight into the eyes of the other passengers, as this may be taken for attempting to seduce them.
When you enter an elevator, looking straight at the door and pretending you are the only person inside, however crowded it may be.
Never laughing out loud in a restaurant, no matter how funny the story is.
In the Northern hemisphere, always wearing the clothes that match the season of the year: short sleeves in springtime (however cold it may be) and a woolen jacket in the fall (no matter how warm it is).
In the Southern hemisphere, decorating the Christmas tree with cotton wool, even though winter has nothing to do with the birth of Christ.
As you grow older, thinking you are the wisest man in the world, even though not always do you have enough life experience to know what is wrong.
Going to a charity event and thinking that in this way you have collaborated enough to put an end to all the social inequalities in the world.
Eating three times a day, even if you’re not hungry.
Believing that the others are always better at everything: they are better-looking, more resourceful, richer and more intelligent. Since it’s very risky to venture beyond your own limits, it’s better to do nothing.
Using the car as a way to feel powerful and in control of the world.
Using foul language in traffic.
Thinking that everything your child does wrong is the fault of the company he or she is keeping.
Marrying the first person who offers you a position in society. Love can wait.
Always saying “I tried”, even though you haven’t tried at all.
Putting off doing the most interesting things in life until you no longer have the strength to do them.
Avoiding depression with massive daily doses of television programs.
Believing that it is possible to be sure of everything you have won.
Thinking that women don’t like football and that men don’t like interior decoration.
Blaming the government for everything bad that happens.
Being convinced that being a good, decent and respectful person means that the others will find you weak, vulnerable and easy to manipulate.
Being convinced that aggressiveness and discourtesy in treating others are signs of a powerful personality.
Being afraid of fibroscopy (men) and childbirth (women).
And finally, thinking that your religion is the sole proprietor of the absolute truth, the most important, the best, and that the other human beings in this immense planet who believe in any other manifestation of God are condemned to the fires of hell.

Affirmative Action: A Beacon of Hope

A couple of days back, Kiddy, our little kitten, had a bad accident, and I had to rush her to emergency care at the Tamil Nadu Government Veterinary College and Hospital. Despite all the talk and negative perceptions about the type of care given to patients in government hospitals, I had to go there because Kiddy’s condition was really serious—she was mauled by two grown-up cats; one them her own mother!

In the hospital, she was immediately attended to. Her wounds were bandaged, glucose was administered, and an x-ray was taken. In about 2–3 hours, the entire process was over and I was told to return the following day when Kiddy’s trauma would have subsided. As a young child, well even as a grown-up, visiting a medical college was something big, even if getting into one was next to impossible, what with the high cutoff marks and the near-impossible-to-crack syllabus, which only the truly brainy can aspire to be part of. And, the doctors who passed out always maintained this steely exterior of the learned, whose mere shadow venerated the ground it fell on.

Well, all my stereotypes of the doctors and medical students were about to change. Yes, there was something very strange and different about these students. They were medical students who would soon become doctors, but lacked even a trace of the hype that surrounds such students. Something has changed, yes, something definitely was different. And, it was unique to Chennai. Because, in Delhi, the medical college students participating in the much-touted, but demented agitation against reservation, were clearly different—they had this aura about being the very learned or brainy students, which only reinforced the stereotype I carried about them. But, I wonder where their brains went when they took to novel ways of agitation; they started sweeping the roads to show what will happen to them if reservation was implemented! Clearly, if I was being treated by these students, I will be treated as if I were a thing to be studied! Not as a human, who had just one life.

So, back to the Chennai medical students, who were very different in their approach—
very methodical, but with a sense of simplicity. They could have easily been a cousin or a relative. One of them was getting a syringe ready when I turned and he quietly said, sorry maam, did I spray the water on you by mistake? Such humility! The chief doctor was equally nice. So well-qualified to do her job, but with such elegance and simplicity that with just her simple hello or how are you, she could reach out.

As I was growing up, there was always talk about how doctors needed to be compassionate when they treated their patients. But, if your family atmosphere always made you feel superior to lesser mortals (the depressed classes) how can you reach out compassionately to, for example, a riot victim, a drunkard, a child rape victim, or a victim of domestic violence? Especially, if your patients come from backgrounds you have no scope of knowing or the backgrounds that you so abhor. Then, those patients will naturally become a lab specimen to be studied! But, how is that medical students in Chennai are so different today? Are they seeing a sister or a brother or an aunt in their patients? Have they become compassionate? Which, I believe, to be the first qualification to be a doctor! Is there a special paper on compassion? Or, have their backgrounds come closer to the backgrounds of the common people? I guess the latter is the reason, and it has happened because of affirmative action. The students today was naturally dark-skinned, come from government schools, talk in the local Tamil dialect (not a sankritized dialect), and do not believe in pollution (because they come from the so-called polluting or backward castes). These students are my hope for the future…a future rebuilt…a past reclaimed. No wonder, Tamil Nadu is one of the progressive states in the country. Am truly happy to come from a state that hasn’t batted an eyelid before implementing reservation. Our doctors are more effective because they combine medical science with compassion, which comes not from sympathy, but from empathy.

Reality, go away…

After copying and pasting other people’s ideas and thoughts, the ones that resonated with mine, it’s time for me pen down my own thoughts…well, does it really matter? People rarely stumble on my blog; even if they do, they don’t find my writing compelling enough to stir out a response. But, is that the only reason why I must write…for people to respond? Nothing could be more pathetic a reason a write. But, what could possibly be a reason for one to write…to lighten yourself? Or, for a transient high at seeing one’s ability to commit to virtual screen the subjective reality of one’s thoughts? Now these are more pathetic reasons to write…well, to say that am writing just because I want to write, without any expectations—I don’t want you to respond to what I have to say…am not inviting you for a discussion…am not even hoping you would have read so much to get till here—I believe is a ‘safe’ reason to write.

Somebody I admire a lot once said, “for some reason fiction dances out of me, whereas nonfiction is wrenched out.” She couldn’t be more correct. In real life, dreams happen/dance out of you as if they were there always, like a pleasant green meadow or a clear sky. And, events (reality!) are so out of place (wrenched out of you) like a parched dry land in the middle of an enormous ocean! Why do these things happen? Is this some sort of mystical law? The law that unites/homogenizes all things? Is this the law of subjective reality? Is my reality something so very far removed from the reality of person A? Is person A’s reality only a dream for me? Then, the law of unity doesn’t apply anymore, because my universe is governed by a different set of laws. Then, in that case, I need to be in a different plane of existence, where I don’t have to compete with someone whose reality has been only my dream. That person can never become an ‘ideal’ for me. I need a different world…a world that has no control…a world where I can be what I am…where I am not told to behave like a woman…where I don’t have to stay ‘where’ I am supposed to be…where the dalit is not a dalit; just a human. Where people don’t crush each other through economics, skin color, ‘God’s word,’ body type, or institutions like marriage, patriarchy, and capitalism.

How much longer will it take for dreams to come back…reality is sickening!

Simi, please shut up!

After watching the latest episode of We the People on NDTV last night, to say I am numbed is simply an understatement. Of the many things that irk me about NDTV is the type of people they give air time! Simi was one of the panelists, and guess what type of solutions she was rattling of to contain terror! Stop paying taxes! Wah! What else can she think of, even at this hour of intense grief and anger? Even at this hour, Simi is bothered only about how her ‘hard-earned’ tax money is spent! So, if she doesn’t have to pay taxes, she’s ok with the terror attacks, eh? What skewed logic does this excuse for a human have!

Then, she tells Barkha to go atop some high-rise hotels and check out the flags flying in the slums around. She says, you’ll not find the congress party’s or the shiv sena’s; it’s Pakistani flags! I wonder if there are countries where one can be given life imprisonment for talking nonsense. First of all look at her ignorance and stupidity in equating the congress and the shiv sena! Then, the outright illiteracy when she declares the muslim/islam flag to be Pakistani flags! Can’t she see the coincidence? Is she also blind, besides being stupid? God help this country from idiots like these…

Weird Ad Sense!

A rather odd-looking antique car zips past dry fields. In a twinkling of an eye, you see the reason for the oddity—the headlights are replaced by half-naked young boys. Another young boy dressed similarly tries to take a shorter route to reach the car’s destination on foot! He runs just in time to climb down into the Raja’s chandlier before the Raja, coming by car, sits for his food. There’s just time enough for the half naked boy to climb into his spot in the chandlier and pop a mouth freshener that whitens his teeth enough to replace a light bulb. He shows his teeth in a plastic smile just in time for the ‘lights’ to be on before the Raja is seated for dinner! There are several other boys munching the same mouth freshener and replacing light bulbs in the garden where the royal ladies are playing shuttle cock. They are also there around the fence of the palace with their smiles; they are there in every nook and cranny of the royal chambers, ‘lighting’ up the palace. This is an ad for “Happy Dent,” mouth freshner!
What a strange way to advertise for a mouth freshener! Is this absolute death of creativity or the outright arrogance of the upper classes that has blinded them to their own stupidity? Isn’t there a law or something that prohibits such brazen display of feudalism? By the way, isn’t feudalism and slavery illegal? Isn’t this a marker of human rights violation? All said and done it’s just a horrible excuse for an ad that must be banned on the basis of supporting illegal practices and also for lacking in basic aesthetic sense.